"This is the Moxing Plane."
"In the past, the Moxing Plane was also a massive plane. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in a catastrophic war. The plane is now completely dead and barren, devoid of all life. You may devour it without worry and see if it can increase the volume of your True Realm Plane," Sovereign Feilong said slowly.
"Yes, this disciple will give it a try."
Lu Changsheng flew over. Sensing gently, he immediately perceived how colossal this plane was.
It must have once been an extraordinarily massive plane, but it had been laid waste after suffering a tragic, brutal war.
Indeed, it held not the slightest aura of life.
However, devouring such an immense plane was not something Lu Changsheng could accomplish with just this single avatar.
He had to muster the majority of the True Realm Plane's power.
Still, that posed no obstacle to Lu Changsheng.
For him to project power now was utterly effortless.
So long as it was within the bounds of the Great Universe, he could do so at will.
*Buzz.*
In the next moment, Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane trembled violently.
Immediately afterward, another avatar of Lu Changsheng descended, bearing the vast majority of the True Realm Plane's power.
This was precisely where Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane surpassed the Boundary Sea at present:
Lu Changsheng could mobilize all the power of the True Realm Plane at any time.
This time, Lu Changsheng mobilized nearly eighty percent of its power.
When eighty percent of the True Realm Plane descended, a colossal phantom silhouette faintly formed in the void of the Great Universe.
This silhouette was even larger than the Moxing Plane, perfectly enveloping it.
"Devour."
With a thought from Lu Changsheng, the True Realm Plane began to "devour" the Moxing Plane.
The Moxing Plane was massive.
Overall, it was comparable in scale to Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane.
Swallowing such a colossal plane in a single gulp was practically impossible for Lu Changsheng.
However, the Moxing Plane was currently a dead, barren plane incapable of mounting the slightest resistance, which made things much simpler.
At worst, it would merely take a bit more time.
One year, two years, three years...
Lu Changsheng had time to spare, devouring the Moxing Plane slowly and methodically.
It took a full ten years before Lu Changsheng finally swallowed the Moxing Plane whole.
*Rumble!*
Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane shook violently as well.
After undergoing a series of fusions within, it finally "digested" the Moxing Plane completely.
"It worked!"
Lu Changsheng opened his eyes.
A hint of delight surfaced on his face.
It was effective!
After devouring the Moxing Plane, Lu Changsheng could clearly feel that it truly worked.
The volume of his True Realm had increased significantly.
As for exactly how much it had grown, Lu Changsheng had only a rough impression.
With that, Lu Changsheng summoned his attribute panel.
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension
World Master: Second Realm
True Realm Plane: 71% (can increase)
Purple Zenith Soul: 17% (inestimably noble, capable of weathering the waves in the River of Spacetime)
On the attribute panel, Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane had actually risen from 1% to 71%, which meant that the volume of Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane had suddenly increased by 70%.
This was equivalent to seventy percent of its original volume!
The number behind the True Realm Plane represented its volume, not realm progression.
A seventy percent increase in volume proved beyond doubt that Lu Changsheng's devouring of the Moxing Plane was a tremendous success!
Although the Moxing Plane was comparable in size to the True Realm Plane, it had suffered severe damage, and devouring the Moxing Plane required fusion. Some loss was inevitable; it was impossible to convert it entirely into the volume of the True Realm Plane.
Converting seventy percent was already quite remarkable.
*A seventy percent increase in volume means the power my True Realm Plane can unleash has also increased by seventy percent.*
*As long as there is an endless supply of planes to devour in the future, my True Realm Plane will continue to grow steadily. One day, it will surely catch up to the Boundary Sea!*
Lu Changsheng was thrilled.
"Changsheng, judging by your expression, it must have succeeded?" Sovereign Feilong asked with a smile.
"Yes. After devouring the Moxing Plane, this disciple's True Realm Plane increased in volume by seventy percent!"
"It seems that so long as I devour more dead, barren planes, I can steadily expand the volume of the True Realm Plane," Lu Changsheng answered truthfully.
Sovereign Feilong chuckled, quite pleased as well.
"However, although the Great Universe is vast and boundless, there aren't actually many dead planes."
"Under normal circumstances, once a plane dies, it will decompose over time and vanish completely into the Great Universe. That is one of the Great Universe's rules."
"The Moxing Plane could still exist only because it hasn't been dead for very long."
"Therefore, while there certainly are dead planes to be found in the Great Universe at present, their numbers are likely quite limited," Sovereign Feilong said slowly after a moment of contemplation.
Lu Changsheng's smile stiffened slightly.
Just a moment ago, he had been envisioning hunting down vast numbers of dead planes across the Great Universe to devour and expand his True Realm Plane.
He hadn't expected his master to say that dead planes in the Great Universe were limited in number.
"Actually, there is another way."
"With your strength, you could use various methods to turn normal planes into dead ones. That way, you would have a continuous supply of planes."
Sovereign Feilong narrowed his eyes slightly.
He voiced an alternative "method."
Yet this method caused Lu Changsheng's heart to clench.
Lu Changsheng fell silent.
He knew this was a pragmatic option.
He could indeed use various methods to reduce planes to death.
For instance, the Dark Domain and the Chaos Plane.
They were two sides of the same coin.
If he devoured the Dark Domain and the Chaos Plane, the volume of his True Realm Plane would certainly skyrocket.
And with Lu Changsheng's power, would it be difficult to reduce the Chaos and Dark Domain planes to death?
Not difficult in the slightest.
In fact, it would be remarkably easy.
If that held true for the Chaos and Dark Domain planes, the same applied to other planes.
Lu Changsheng was a Second Realm mighty figure.
So long as he was careful, he could pull off such an act without anyone being the wiser.
After a long pause, Lu Changsheng looked up, his gaze resolute. "Perhaps this method is feasible, but this disciple is unwilling!"
Lu Changsheng did not offer elaborate explanations.
He simply was unwilling.
Sovereign Feilong did not pass judgment either way.
Even so, he nodded with gratification. "If you are unwilling to use that method, there is only one other option: venture to other universes."
"You have entered the River of Spacetime, so you should know that near the River of Spacetime lie countless timelines, countless dimensions, and countless universes."
"You can even see powerful life-forms from other universes within the River of Spacetime."
"Due to their special rules and unique environments, certain alternate universes contain abundant dead planes that fully meet your needs."
Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up.
Indeed—alternate universes!
His current universe was by no means the only one along the River of Spacetime.
In fact, his universe seemed rather ordinary within the context of the River of Spacetime.
It was merely an ordinary Great Universe.
"Master knows of alternate universes?"
"Of course. Aside from you and Fang Chuan, Mount Feilong has other legacy disciples who became Second Realm cosmic mighty figures. Where do you think they have gone?"
A sudden realization struck Lu Changsheng. "Could it be that they went to alternate universes?"
"Indeed. Advancing from the Second Realm to the Third Realm requires fortunate opportunities, and many of those opportunities lie in alternate universes. Quite a few Second Realm cosmic mighty figures have emerged from our Great Universe, but they rarely show themselves because many of them have traveled to alternate universes."
"Even back then, when this master birthed the immortal true intent, it was because I traveled to an alternate universe and obtained certain opportunities, which allowed me to birth the immortal true intent and advance to a Third Realm Sovereign."
Lu Changsheng understood.
Alternate universes!
Those Second Realm mighty figures had all ventured to alternate universes in search of opportunities to advance to Third Realm Sovereigns.
The reason the Second Realm was termed "cosmic mighty figure" was actually that once one reached the Second Realm, one could roam alternate universes or even wage war upon them.
No matter which universe one was in, the Second Realm stood aloft.
That was why they were known as "cosmic mighty figures."
The Second Realm was a cultivation realm.
"Cosmic mighty figure" was a title, akin to an honorific appellation.
If a Second Realm cultivator never ventured into alternate universes, how could they truly be called a cosmic mighty figure?
For a Second Realm cultivator who stayed in the Great Universe their entire life, advancing to the Third Realm was simply too difficult.
"Master, this disciple still plans to first search for dead planes within the Great Universe and devour them to rapidly expand my volume and enhance my strength."
"Once I have largely exhausted the search for planes in the Great Universe, I will head to an alternate universe," Lu Changsheng said after weighing his options.
His current strength was still relatively modest.
Lu Changsheng had sufficient self-awareness to know this.
Even if he could reign supreme within the Great Universe, things would be different in an alternate universe.
Lu Changsheng had to increase his strength as quickly as possible while still in the Great Universe.
Only with greater strength would he possess true confidence upon entering an alternate universe and be able to take the initiative when encountering opportunities.
"When you go is entirely up to you."
"Whenever you decide to leave, return to Mount Feilong."
With those words, Sovereign Feilong turned and departed, returning to Mount Feilong.
For a Third Realm Sovereign, even without being a World Master, traveling across the Great Universe was hardly slower than a World Master.
Lu Changsheng returned once more to the True Realm Plane.
With the volume of his True Realm Plane having surged, Lu Changsheng needed time to adapt.
Furthermore, he needed to observe it for a while to see if devouring the Moxing Plane produced any adverse effects.
Day after day slipped by.
The True Realm Plane showed no issues whatsoever. Relieved, Lu Changsheng began searching for dead planes across the Great Universe with peace of mind.
To other Second Realm mighty figures, the vast Great Universe was overwhelmingly immense.
Attempting to find dead planes was exceedingly difficult.
Lu Changsheng, however, was different.
With a single thought, he could project countless avatars from the True Realm Plane.
These avatars did not need to be especially strong; they merely had to be capable of traveling through the Great Universe.
Numbering in the thousands or tens of thousands, these avatars descended to every corner of the Great Universe, inquiring about and searching for information and clues regarding dead planes.
Over time, word began to spread.
Many people learned that Lu Changsheng was inquiring after dead planes, perhaps using them for cultivation.
Furthermore, the fact that Lu Changsheng could descend anywhere across the Great Universe at any moment drew widespread attention.
Some individuals had already located Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane.
After all, the True Realm Plane sat right beside the Boundary Sea; overlooking it was nearly impossible.
However, those capable of finding Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane were either World Masters or Third Realm Sovereigns.
Ordinary World Masters were no match for Lu Changsheng.
Second Realm World Masters had no reason to provoke him.
As for Sovereigns, Lu Changsheng was backed by Sovereign Feilong, so no Sovereign would lay a hand on him.
Over the years, the unique nature of Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane ceased to be a secret.
Lu Changsheng even acquired an honorific title that echoed across the entire Great Universe: the Lord of Planes!
It referenced his reputation for devouring dead planes far and wide.
Time flew, and a thousand years passed in the blink of an eye.
Over those thousand years, Lu Changsheng's renown as the "Lord of Planes" grew ever greater.
While searching for dead planes, conflicts with other Second Realm mighty figures were bound to arise eventually.
Yet every time Lu Changsheng made a move, he acted cleanly and decisively, crushing those Second Realm mighty figures with absolute superiority.
This jolted many factions across the Great Universe into an epiphany:
Even among Second Realm mighty figures, Lu Changsheng, having just advanced to the Second Realm, was a top-tier existence.
At this moment, Lu Changsheng was inside his cave dwelling at the Summit of the Universe.
He had just devoured a plane.
Lu Changsheng called up his attribute panel to inspect his status:
Host: Lu Changsheng
Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension
World Master: Second Realm
True Realm Plane: Thirty-one times (can increase)
Purple Zenith Soul: 20% (inestimably noble, capable of weathering the waves in the River of Spacetime)
On the attribute panel, over a thousand years, his Purple Zenith Soul had actually advanced by 3%.
This was thanks to his title of "Lord of Planes" spreading across the entire Great Universe.
His avatars had continuously remained active throughout the Great Universe as well, intangibly projecting his renown to every corner of the cosmos and generating an endless stream of fortune.
Yet that was the extent of it.
As for when the Purple Zenith Soul would reach completion, there was no telling.
In contrast, his True Realm Plane had grown by thirty-one times in power!
It seemed like a terrifying number.
Yet what did it truly amount to?
Even if the True Realm's volume had expanded thirty-one times, what of it?
Forget thirty-one times; even if its volume expanded three hundred times, it would still pale completely in comparison to the Boundary Sea.
Naturally, comparing it to the Boundary Sea was out of the question.
However, compared to Lu Changsheng's own prior strength, the difference was night and day.
Over the past millennium, as the volume of the True Realm Plane continuously swelled, Lu Changsheng's combat power skyrocketed.
His strength now was formidable enough to rival top-tier Second Realm mighty figures!
If this continued, the volume of his True Realm might even expand a hundredfold!
However, Lu Changsheng had run into a problem.
Dead planes were becoming increasingly difficult to find.
The dead plane he had just devoured had taken him fully over a hundred years to track down.
"It seems Master was right. Our Great Universe operates under rules where dead planes quickly return to the cosmos and turn to dust. Having devoured so many dead planes already, finding more will be exceedingly difficult from now on..." Lu Changsheng murmured softly.
It appeared he would have to make another trip to Mount Feilong to consult his master about alternate universes.
Otherwise, remaining in the Great Universe would amount to squandering his years in vain.
With a shift of thought, an avatar of Lu Changsheng descended upon Mount Feilong.
"This disciple requests an audience with Master," Lu Changsheng called out respectfully outside Sovereign Feilong's cave dwelling.
"Changsheng, come in," Sovereign Feilong's voice rang out, and the cave dwelling opened.
Lu Changsheng stepped inside.
"Greetings, Master."
Sovereign Feilong opened his eyes. "Speak. What is the matter?"
"Master, over these years, this disciple has been constantly searching for dead planes. Unfortunately, just as Master said, there aren't many dead planes in the Great Universe. By now, they have essentially been stripped clean by this disciple; finding more has become nearly impossible."
"Therefore, this disciple wishes to travel to an alternate universe to search for dead planes," Lu Changsheng answered truthfully.
An alternate universe was unfamiliar territory.
Moreover, since it was Lu Changsheng's first time going, he naturally needed reliable information.
Sovereign Feilong seemed already prepared for this, replying directly, "In that case, go to the Moke Universe."
"Your senior brother Zhao Yi is currently in the Moke Universe. If you go there, the two of you can look out for each other."
"Transmission across alternate universes is impossible. Take my token and proceed straight to the Moke Universe. Once you arrive, there will naturally be a resonance between you and Zhao Yi, allowing you to locate one another."
"Thank you, Master." Lu Changsheng took the token.
"Get your affairs in order first. This master will escort you to the Moke Universe personally."
"This disciple has already settled everything and can depart for the Moke Universe at any time." Before coming here, Lu Changsheng had discussed the situation with Lin Qingluan.
"However, the strength of this avatar of yours is not enough."
Lu Changsheng nodded.
His volume had expanded thirty-one times.
That was a terrifying figure.
After a moment's consideration, Lu Changsheng simply took two-thirds of his total volume with him—approximately twenty times his original volume.
This represented formidable might, twenty times the size of his original True Realm Plane.
Soon, an avatar imbued with twenty times the original volume descended, arriving within the cave dwelling on Mount Feilong.
"Traveling to an alternate universe is actually no easy feat," Sovereign Feilong said.
"One must first capture the aura of that alternate universe within the River of Spacetime and establish a passage."
"Each step requires a tremendous amount of time."
"Between universes, it is either an invasion or being invaded; it is the same everywhere. Powerful beings from other alternate universes have descended upon our Great Universe before, only to be repelled by us."
"The Moke Universe is slightly weaker than our Great Universe. A Second Realm mighty figure captured its aura and established a passage, subsequently rallying companions who entered the Moke Universe in a steady stream."
"However, although the Moke Universe is slightly weaker than ours, it still has formidable experts. Over all these years, countless Second Realm cultivators and even Third Realm Sovereigns have entered the Moke Universe, yet they still cannot fully conquer it. It remains in a state of fierce, ongoing warfare."
As Sovereign Feilong introduced the circumstances of the Moke Universe piece by piece, Lu Changsheng gradually understood.
The Moke Universe appeared intensely chaotic.
Still, chaos bred opportunity.
"This time, our true bodies must enter the River of Spacetime. Remember, exercise utmost caution. Under no circumstances must your true body fall into the river, or you will never be able to reach the shore again..."
"Yes, Master."
Lu Changsheng naturally understood how terrifying the River of Spacetime was.
Soon, the River of Spacetime manifested before his eyes.
In the next moment, Lu Changsheng and Sovereign Feilong stepped into the River of Spacetime together.
Entering with one's true body felt entirely different.
An inexplicable, immense sense of danger constantly lingered in his heart.
Gazing at the relentlessly surging River of Spacetime, Lu Changsheng felt deep reverence from the bottom of his soul.
Sovereign Feilong flew rapidly along the bank of the River of Spacetime.
After an indeterminable time, Sovereign Feilong came to a halt.
"We're here."
Following Sovereign Feilong's gaze, Lu Changsheng saw a cluster of golden light faintly appearing along the shore of the River of Spacetime.
This golden light was a marker—a passage established by cultivators from the Great Universe.
Only cultivators of the Great Universe could sense this passage.
"Go on in. Beyond the passage lies the Moke Universe."
"When you wish to leave the Moke Universe, you will naturally be able to sense our Great Universe, and you can simply return then."
Lu Changsheng nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, Master."
Hesitating no further, Lu Changsheng took a step forward and plunged straight into the passage of golden light.
*Whoosh.*
Lu Changsheng felt his body sway slightly.
Immediately after, his vision brightened.
The surrounding environment had changed completely.
Lu Changsheng looked up at the void.
The void was hazy and gray.
Moreover, there was a faint suppression born of rules binding his body.
*Cosmic suppression...*
Lu Changsheng immediately understood that this was the natural suppression an independent universe exerted over foreign life-forms.
Cosmic mighty figures, Third Realm Sovereigns, and others would all face a degree of suppression upon entering an alternate universe.
However, to a cosmic mighty figure, this suppression was not particularly heavy.
And with Lu Changsheng's current volume, it was even more negligible.
Nonetheless, it confirmed for Lu Changsheng that he had indeed entered an alternate universe.
Lu Changsheng glanced around; there was not a soul in sight.
He took out his master's token directly.
The moment the token emerged, an intuitive sense stirred in Lu Changsheng's mind.
*That direction... doesn't seem far. It looks like Senior Brother Zhao Yi isn't far from me.*
Lu Changsheng did not fly toward Senior Brother Zhao Yi immediately.
Instead, he carefully sensed the void.
A bold thought suddenly crossed Lu Changsheng's mind:
*I wonder if I can undergo dimension ascension in the Moke Universe?*
Lu Changsheng's eyes brightened.
The benefits of dimension ascension were self-evident.
One could arrive at any corner of the universe at a moment's notice.
Furthermore, apart from Third Realm mighty figures, no one could kill Lu Changsheng once he ascended in dimension.
Yet the cultivation systems of the two universes were entirely different.
Could one truly ascend in dimension here as well?
Lu Changsheng decided to give it a try regardless.
*Buzz.*
In the next moment, Lu Changsheng attempted to "ascend in dimension."
His True Realm Plane had arrived in a brand-new universe, and having undergone dimension ascension before, it possessed the prior experience.
He could actually ascend at any time—provided this universe permitted dimension ascension.
Soon, Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane trembled violently.
Then, his True Realm Plane continuously rose upward.
Remarkably, the sensation was identical to when he ascended previously.
Finally, passing through a layer of black mist, it arrived in a vast, boundless void.
*Dimension ascension... succeeded?*
Lu Changsheng was astonished.
It had actually succeeded just like that?
However, there was no Boundary Sea here.
There was only Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane and nothing else.
Now, the True Realm Plane hung suspended high in the void.
Lu Changsheng focused his attention, attempting to sense the entirety of the Moke Universe.
Just as in the Great Universe, Lu Changsheng could sense all of the Moke Universe as well.
In other words, he could descend anywhere in the Moke Universe at any time!
Lu Changsheng brought out the token given by his master once again.
Tracing the token's resonance, Lu Changsheng quickly "sensed" where Senior Brother Zhao Yi was located.
*That place... Senior Brother Zhao Yi seems to be in a bit of trouble?*
Lu Changsheng's heart stirred.
This time, he left only a sliver of the True Realm Plane in the realm of ascension.
The remaining ninety-nine-point-nine percent of his power surged forth, descending toward Zhao Yi's location.
Chapter 523