Several months had passed since the battle at the Summit of the Universe, yet the fervor had barely cooled.
Countless people sang Lu Changsheng's name.
At this moment, Lu Changsheng had truly become renowned throughout the entire Great Universe.
What was more, Lu Changsheng had ascended to the Summit of the Universe over the fallen body of Lord Hengguang—a feat of unassailable prestige!
Lord Hengguang had held the title of the Summit of the Universe for thirty-six hundred consecutive years and possessed a high chance of breaking through to become a Second Realm mighty figure.
Yet he had been defeated by Lu Changsheng.
Such an outcome sent massive shockwaves through countless factions across the Great Universe.
Within the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, Vice President Tong Tianlin stood respectfully before a Sovereign.
This was Sovereign Wangu, the founder of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce.
In truth, more than one Sovereign stood behind the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, and Sovereign Wangu was merely one of them, much like the case with the Eternal Light Chamber of Commerce. As top-tier powers of the Great Universe with businesses spanning every plane, they naturally had more than a single Sovereign backing them.
However, Sovereign Wangu held an exalted status. As the chamber's founder, he wielded substantial and immense influence over its affairs.
"Your Sovereign Majesty, Lu Changsheng has now reached the Summit of the Universe, and he did so by slaying Lord Hengguang. For the next several centuries, or even a millennium, it is likely no one will dare challenge him. Do we still want the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp back?" Tong Tianlin inquired.
In truth, once Lu Changsheng became an invincible-tier arena champion, the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce had found itself out of options.
Find another invincible-tier powerhouse to challenge him? That was entirely permissible and fell under open competition. But among First Realm Transcendent cultivators, who could possibly match Lu Changsheng? If they could not defeat him, any plotting was utterly pointless.
"The Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp..."
"Forget it. Send word that we will simply consider the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp a gift to Lu Changsheng—a congratulatory present for his ascension to the Summit of the Universe," Sovereign Wangu said suddenly.
These words were like a bolt from the blue, shaking Tong Tianlin to his core.
"Your Sovereign Majesty, you mean... we are giving the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp to Lu Changsheng? This..."
It was hardly surprising that Tong Tianlin was stunned.
The Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce was a premier powerhouse backed by multiple Sovereigns, vastly surpassing Mount Feilong. Lu Changsheng had blatantly seized the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp, yet the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce was now declaring they would gift it to him, effectively dropping all pursuit of his wrongdoing. It was practically an admission of defeat.
A supreme, top-tier power! An exalted Sovereign, bowing his head to a mere First Realm Transcendent?
It seemed inconceivable. Even if Lu Changsheng had claimed the title of the Summit of the Universe, so what?
As if discerning what Tong Tianlin was thinking, Sovereign Wangu said calmly, "Lu Changsheng is no ordinary Transcendent. Within him lies a flicker of hope."
"Hope?" Tong Tianlin was taken aback.
An ordinary Second Realm mighty figure might not comprehend what Sovereign Wangu meant by "hope." But Tong Tianlin was different. As a vice president of the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, he held immense authority and had access to information far beyond the reach of standard Second Realm figures.
Thus, he knew what "hope" signified.
Yet the more he understood, the more shaken he became, tempestuous waves churning within his heart.
*Hope...*
He had never expected the Sovereigns to hold Lu Changsheng in such high regard. Even Lord Hengguang, or the even more brilliant champions of the Summit of the Universe throughout history, had never been deemed "hope."
Only Lu Changsheng had received that appraisal from a Sovereign.
Moreover, this was certainly not the judgment of Sovereign Wangu alone. Multiple Sovereigns had surely concluded that Lu Changsheng might represent that "hope."
The weight behind this was extraordinary.
With his clear grasp of the situation, Tong Tianlin understood at once that Lu Changsheng was no longer what he once was—he had caught the eyes of the Sovereigns.
"Understood. I know what must be done."
Tong Tianlin asked no further questions, bowing his head as he withdrew.
***
Ever since his battle with Lord Hengguang and his ascension to the Summit of the Universe, Lu Changsheng had returned to his cave dwelling to cultivate in seclusion, absorbing and assimilating the colossal surge of fortune.
In the past, such an immense amount of fortune would have mostly gone to waste. But things were different now. Having refined the Divine Tree of Fortune, no matter how vast the fortune was, none was squandered; instead, it was absorbed by the Divine Tree of Fortune and steadily fed back to Lu Changsheng.
*Whoosh.*
Lu Changsheng slowly opened his eyes.
Assimilating the fortune this time had taken an extensive period—a full half year. That alone testified to just how vast the fortune was.
"Half a year... The fortune this time was truly tremendous."
"Let's see the results."
Lu Changsheng breathed a slight sigh of relief, then brought up his attribute panel.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension
World Master: First Realm
True Realm: 100% (197 expansions)
Ordinary Soul: 85% (Sinks upon touching water, cannot survive a second in the River of Spacetime)
Lu Changsheng saw that his soul strength had surged to 85% progress.
That was a single leap of 50%! It was a qualitative transformation.
Lu Changsheng had known that ascending to the Summit of the Universe would bring terrifying fortune, but he had never expected it to be this monstrous. A fifty percent soul progression all at once was unprecedented.
Naturally, this was closely tied to Lord Hengguang. Having held the title of the Summit of the Universe for thirty-six hundred years, Lord Hengguang had accumulated a staggering reservoir of fortune. With his defeat and death at Lu Changsheng's hands, all of that fortune had naturally flowed to Lu Changsheng, enabling him to gain 50% soul progress in one go.
If Lu Changsheng defended his title in the future, even if he won again, he likely would not obtain such a massive amount of fortune.
Furthermore, this was only the beginning. It had merely been half a year. As long as Lu Changsheng remained undefeated by any challenger, he would continually hold the title of the Summit of the Universe. And the title itself carried tremendous fortune, creating a constant stream that flowed into him.
Over decades, centuries, or a millennium, Lu Changsheng would amass an astonishing reserve of fortune.
This was precisely why past titleholders had repeatedly defended the arena until they successfully broke through to become Second Realm mighty figures. The title itself harbored colossal fortune that everyone coveted.
Lu Changsheng picked up his message transmission stone.
He noticed a transmission from Fang Chuan sent several days ago. At the time, Lu Changsheng had been immersed in absorbing fortune and had not checked it.
Now, Lu Changsheng examined the message.
"Hm?"
"Word from the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce that they are gifting me the Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp and will no longer pursue the matter?"
Lu Changsheng was somewhat surprised.
That was the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce. He had been waiting for their move, and this was it?
The mighty Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce, one of the premier powers in the vast Great Universe with more than one Third Realm Sovereign behind it, had taken the initiative to concede?
Even though Lu Changsheng was currently at the zenith of his momentum, adorned with the title of the Summit of the Universe and blessed with immense fortune, he was still ultimately just a First Realm Transcendent. How could he compare to the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce? It should have been impossible to force them to bow their heads, even with Mount Feilong at his back.
Finding the matter peculiar, Lu Changsheng left his cave dwelling and sought out Fang Chuan to inquire in detail.
"Senior Brother Fang, why did the Myriad Ancients Chamber of Commerce suddenly back down?" Lu Changsheng asked.
Fang Chuan shook his head upon hearing this. "It is indeed strange. In fact, right after they backed down, I immediately consulted Master. Master's reply was simply to ignore it—since they conceded, there is no need to pay it any mind."
"Master also said to ignore it?" Lu Changsheng fell into thought.
Master surely knew something. But since Master had not explained, there was no need for him to press. As a mere First Realm Transcendent, knowing too much would serve no purpose.
"Changsheng, Master wants you to focus entirely on your cultivation and strive to advance to the Second Realm as soon as possible. Only upon becoming a Second Realm mighty figure will you be permitted to know many things. Concerning the Great Universe and the deeper truths of cultivation, knowing them as a First Realm Transcendent is useless. Cultivation base remains the root of all things!"
Fang Chuan was relaying the words of their master, Sovereign Feilong.
Lu Changsheng nodded. He naturally understood that one's cultivation base was fundamental.
As for the Summit of the Universe, now that he had claimed the title, he did not need to pay it excessive attention. He had a century-long resting period. Going by Lord Hengguang's precedent, it was entirely possible that no one would issue a challenge for over a thousand years. Thus, he had ample time to cultivate while continuously drawing fortune. It was simply the ideal place for cultivation; hardly anyone could progress more easily than a powerhouse bearing the title of the Summit of the Universe.
Returning to his cave dwelling, Lu Changsheng settled down to cultivate in peace.
The Azure Lotus Treasure Lamp was still in the process of recovering, so Lu Changsheng could only rely on source crystals to continue expanding his True Realm. Although each expansion required a million source crystals after the birth of the Divine Realm, Lu Changsheng had no shortage of them. His betting odds against Lord Hengguang had been exceptionally high at four-to-one, and combined with his prize earnings, his source crystals now exceeded two hundred and fifty million! It was an astronomical figure, more than enough to fuel the expansion of his True Realm.
Lu Changsheng decided to set an initial goal: bring about the birth of the Supreme Realm within his True Realm! Only then would his True Realm reach its true apex.
***
Time flew by, and a century passed in the blink of an eye.
Lu Changsheng had held the title of the Summit of the Universe for a hundred years, during which he had expanded his True Realm ten times. However, he was currently waiting quietly for his soul to transform.
Over the course of the century, bolstered by the constant influx of fortune, his soul progress had risen by nearly 15%. It was now poised to hit 100% at any moment, at which point a transformation was guaranteed. What form that transformation would take, Lu Changsheng did not know. He merely waited.
Finally, his soul progress reached 100% once more, and the transformation began.
*Buzz.*
Lu Changsheng felt as though he were gazing upon the River of Spacetime again. Looking down at himself, he noticed his soul form expanding rapidly. It was not merely an inflation of size or an empty facade; the interior of his soul was also becoming increasingly dense and solid.
The size of a soul was profoundly important. The larger it was, the longer it could hold out if trapped within the River of Spacetime. He recalled the colossal severed head he had once seen, as well as the version of "himself" from another timeline who had leapt into the river, whose form had also been immense.
Yet size was not the only change. Lu Changsheng sensed his soul turning white; even its color was shifting. Where it had once been pitch-black, it was now adopting a pristine white hue. This was clearly another facet of the soul's evolution.
Lu Changsheng waited quietly as the transformation unfolded. Once his form had expanded to a certain scale and turned entirely white—standing out noticeably near the banks of the River of Spacetime—Lu Changsheng finally departed the river, for the transformation was complete.
"Hm?"
Returning to his cave dwelling, Lu Changsheng immediately felt light as a swallow. It was not a physical lightness, but an ethereal liberation of the spirit.
"Is this the benefit brought by the soul's transformation?" Lu Changsheng pondered.
He immediately called up his attribute panel to inspect his status.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension
World Master: First Realm
True Realm: 100% (217 expansions)
White Wisdom Soul: 0 (Wisdom bestowed, can barely float in the River of Spacetime)
The Ordinary Soul had become the White Wisdom Soul, corresponding to its white color. The evaluation had changed as well: not only was wisdom bestowed upon him, but he could now barely float in the River of Spacetime instead of perishing within a second. In other words, if he were to attempt jumping into the river now, he could stay afloat. How long he could drift was unknown, though it likely would not be very long. After all, compared to the many souls trapped within the river, his White Wisdom Soul still lagged far behind.
"My soul has transformed, yet it provides almost no direct boost to my cultivation base or battle prowess. Still, cultivating the soul is indispensable, as it involves the Third Realm and perhaps even beyond. But to truly enhance strength, the cultivation base remains fundamental."
Lu Changsheng reflected on this. Contacting the soul and causing it to transform ahead of time was certainly a blessing. When the time came to strive for the Third Realm, he would avoid many detours. Moreover, this did not hinder the advancement of his cultivation.
Without leaving the quiet chamber, Lu Changsheng checked his message transmission stone and found a message from Fang Chuan. No one had challenged him; he had received a bye for this round.
This did not surprise Lu Changsheng. A bye was perfectly normal. After all, given the sheer impact of his battle with Lord Hengguang, who would dare challenge him? No one at the invincible tier was so foolish. In fact, no one had dared challenge Lord Hengguang either, let alone Lu Changsheng.
"Actually, right now would have been their best opportunity..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
In terms of combat strength, Lu Changsheng was currently slightly weaker than when he had fought Lord Hengguang. The reason was simple: the centuries of destructive power he had amassed had been nearly exhausted in that clash. Having only accumulated a hundred years' worth since then, he had far less than before. It was that destructive power that had enabled him to defeat Lord Hengguang. With so little of it available, was this not precisely his "weakest" state? With only five world tiers, powerhouses of the invincible tier could have tried their luck.
Unfortunately, no one knew Lu Changsheng's true state. Viewing him as an insurmountable peak, who would dare challenge him?
Receiving a bye meant Lu Changsheng could not obtain a massive burst of fortune, but he could still draw a steady, unending trickle from the title of the Summit of the Universe. Fortunately, as long as he held the title, that fortune continued to flow uninterrupted.
Thus, Lu Changsheng continued his secluded cultivation, persistently expanding his True Realm.
Another century passed, and he received another bye. However, through a hundred years of continuous fortune, his soul progress grew by another 10%. The reason it increased by only 10% compared to the previous 15% was that his soul had transformed into the White Wisdom Soul. Being stronger, it required vastly more fortune to advance. Under a similar influx of fortune, its progression was naturally slower.
With another bye, Lu Changsheng continued his seclusion.
Three hundred years, five hundred years, eight hundred years, one thousand years...
In the blink of an eye, nearly a millennium slipped by.
Lu Changsheng slowly opened his eyes.
With his White Wisdom Soul growing at roughly 10% per century, it had finally reached 100% once more, ready for another transformation.
*Boom.*
Lu Changsheng arrived once again before the River of Spacetime. He looked down at himself; his soul was still pure white. Yet now, the transformation resumed.
The white soul began to swell once more, expanding even more rapidly than the last time. As its size ballooned, its color shifted, transitioning gradually from white to a deep, majestic purple.
Time trickled past.
After an indeterminable period, the soul ceased its transformation. Standing on the bank of the River of Spacetime, Lu Changsheng felt an overwhelming surge of vigor and high spirits, almost tempting him to plunge into the river.
Naturally, that was an illusion. The tremendous enhancement from the transformation had simply produced a fleeting misconception that he could survive jumping in. Once submerged in the River of Spacetime, he would never be able to return to the bank and would sink forever into its depths.
"Phew..."
Lu Changsheng exhaled slowly as his consciousness returned to his body. He was still in the familiar quiet chamber where he had secluded himself.
He brought up his attribute panel to inspect his status.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension
World Master: First Realm
True Realm: 100% (307 expansions)
Purple Zenith Soul: 0 (Inestimably noble, can battle the surges in the River of Spacetime)
On the attribute panel, his White Wisdom Soul had changed once again, becoming the Purple Zenith Soul. It was even accompanied by the appraisal: "Inestimably noble, can battle the surges in the River of Spacetime."
The phrase "inestimably noble" was enough to prove that his soul was now anything but ordinary.
From a Damaged Soul to an Ordinary Soul, then to a White Wisdom Soul, and now to a Purple Zenith Soul—his soul had evolved repeatedly and was no longer comparable to what it had been. Lu Changsheng even had a distinct impression that his soul had long outstripped the level corresponding to his cultivation base, reaching an exceedingly profound realm. What specific wonders it held remained unknown to him, though they likely manifested within the River of Spacetime. Even so, he had no intention of testing it firsthand.
Lu Changsheng checked the expansion count of his True Realm.
Over the millennium since he had become the champion at the Summit of the Universe, he had expanded it a hundred times! His True Realm had undergone earth-shattering changes. He could now faintly sense the Supreme Realm, feeling as though it were on the verge of being born. Yet it was still missing that final step—perhaps one more expansion, or five? In any case, it was exceedingly close. Once the Supreme Realm was birthed, his True Realm would achieve its ultimate completion.
Furthermore, Lu Changsheng had accumulated a thousand years of destructive power, making him far stronger than when he had fought Lord Hengguang. Of course, a hundred expansions had cost an astounding one hundred million source crystals! Fortunately, he possessed crystals in abundance and did not fear the expenditure.
*Buzz.*
Lu Changsheng's message transmission stone vibrated.
"Changsheng, come out of seclusion. There will be no bye this time—someone has challenged you."
Taking out the stone, Lu Changsheng saw the message sent by Senior Brother Fang Chuan.
"Someone challenged me?"
Joy surged in Lu Changsheng's heart. This was great news! He had truly been looking forward to a challenger. Having received byes for a thousand years, although fortune gathered continuously, how could it compare to the massive surge from a battle? Moreover, as the defending champion, anyone who dared challenge him surely possessed considerable confidence and was bound to be no ordinary figure.
This piqued Lu Changsheng's curiosity. Who could the challenger be?
Rising immediately, Lu Changsheng stepped out of the quiet chamber.
Within the cave dwelling, he saw Lin Qingluan as well as Fang Chuan.
Qingluan's cultivation had progressed immensely over the millennium, though she was still far from the Second Realm. For her to attempt the breakthrough would take at least tens of thousands of years, if not longer.
Fang Chuan scrutinized Lu Changsheng up and down, looking puzzled. "Changsheng, you... seem different. Yet I can't quite tell how. Has your cultivation improved?"
Fang Chuan was genuinely perplexed. As a Second Realm mighty figure with discerning vision, a First Realm Transcendent was normally nothing in his eyes, even a champion of the Summit of the Universe. That Second Realm mighty figures reigned supreme over all First Realm Transcendents was no mere boast. In the past, no matter how strong Lu Changsheng was, Fang Chuan could still read some clues about him. But now, it was different. Looking at Lu Changsheng today, he felt as if the man were shrouded in a thick fog, entirely impenetrable, exuding an aura of profound mystery.
"Cultivating for a thousand years has indeed yielded some progress," Lu Changsheng replied calmly.
Yet he knew the real cause was likely not his cultivation base, but his soul. His soul had transformed into the White Wisdom Soul and then into the Purple Zenith Soul—two consecutive evolutions. While it had not directly boosted his combat power, it had brought subtle changes. It appeared these soul transformations prevented even a Second Realm mighty figure from seeing through him, which was a welcome development. He no longer had to worry about having his secrets laid bare.
"Senior Brother Fang, tell me: who is challenging me this time?" Lu Changsheng asked.
At the mention of the challenge, Fang Chuan's expression turned solemn.
"Your challenger this time is quite extraordinary. He claims the pinnacle of strength and goes by the title of Lord Juling!"
"He walks the path of melting and refining the Great Dao, yet his physical body is astonishingly powerful. Lord Juling pursues breaking all techniques with absolute strength. The stronger his opponent, the more his physical body surges in power once he defeats them, becoming extraordinarily formidable."
"It is an extremely bizarre method. This time, Lord Juling has publicly announced that his challenge against you is meant to facilitate his breakthrough to the Second Realm. The moment he defeats you, he will immediately advance."
"Because of this, Lord Juling calls this match his Dao-proving battle! He intends to use you to prove his own Dao!" Fang Chuan stated grimly, word by word.
Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow.
"A Dao-proving battle?"
"Using me to prove his Dao?"
Lu Changsheng finally found the prospect intriguing. After a thousand years of byes, an interesting opponent had finally arrived.
Chapter 518