Fortune Surges, Hundredfold Volume: Lu Changsheng Shakes the Moke Universe!

Lu Changsheng held the starlight-radiating stone in his hand. He inspected it closely. The stone appeared to have been crafted into a supreme treasure. It still gave off a gentle starlight. Yet the stone itself did not inherently possess starlight; it was likely a supreme treasure capable of enhancing Lord God Qianyuan's power. Within the stone, however, Lu Changsheng faintly detected a familiar aura. "Wait, this aura... A grain of sand?" His heart stirred. With a flip of his hand, a speck of sand appeared upon his palm. Its aura was virtually identical to that of the stone. Lu Changsheng immediately understood what it was. Immortal substance! This was immortal substance "fished out" from the River of Spacetime! Immortal substance, something even Third Realm Sovereigns pursued with relentless fervency, was actually carried in a piece like this by Lord God Qianyuan. Furthermore, it was substantial. It was countless times larger than the speck of sand in Lu Changsheng's palm. As of now, Lu Changsheng did not know how to make use of immortal substance. Yet that did not prevent him from stockpiling it. Once he reached the Third Realm, immortal substance would have its purpose. "Lord God Qianyuan is dead. I'm afraid I will draw even more attention now. Most likely, the gazes of the Sovereigns will all be fixed on me. But so what? The Sovereigns of the Moke Universe are held in check and can't pull themselves away to deal with me. "If they truly wish to act against me, their only option is to dispatch Lord Gods. And with even Lord God Qianyuan dead, what manner of expert could they possibly send? "Or will they send a half-step Sovereign?" A possibility crossed Lu Changsheng's mind. A half-step Sovereign! Every such being stood at the pinnacle of the universe, second only to Third Realm Sovereigns. However, their numbers were exceedingly scarce. In a sense, half-step Sovereigns were even rarer than full Sovereigns. A half-step Sovereign was the product of unique circumstances. When attempting to break through to become a Third Realm Sovereign, failure meant death. Yet exceptions did occur. Those who failed their breakthrough to the Third Realm, but survived through sheer serendipity, were known as half-step Sovereigns. Their combat prowess far surpassed that of peak cosmic mighty figures, yet fell short of a Third Realm Sovereign; hence, they were called half-step Sovereigns. Lu Changsheng did not know whether any half-step Sovereigns existed in the Moke Universe. Perhaps there were, perhaps not. Even if there were, Lu Changsheng had nothing to fear. In fact, he was quite looking forward to it. He wanted to witness the strength of a half-step Sovereign for himself. For now, however, the most pressing matter remained devouring the ruined planes and expanding the volume of his True Realm Plane. That was of paramount importance. Everything else could be set aside. *** Within the Boundless Temple, Sovereign Boundless fell silent. Just moments earlier, he had received a transmission. Rather, he had "watched" the entire battle between Lord God Qianyuan and Lu Changsheng. A treasure Lord God Qianyuan carried had transmitted real-time projections. Now, the transmission had abruptly cut off. Lord God Qianyuan had died. Of course, it was merely that physical body of his that had perished. Lord God Qianyuan could still be resurrected through the Boundless Temple. Yet once resurrected, who knew how many years it would take for him to restore his cultivation? This was an utter, unmitigated defeat. "Even Qianyuan fell. Who else can keep this cosmic mighty figure from an alternate universe in check? "Forget it. Let the others nurse this headache." Sovereign Boundless shook his head. The Boundless Temple had already lost a peak Lord God. This was no small blow. Thus, he forwarded the recorded projection to the other Sovereigns. Every Sovereign fell silent after viewing it. Sovereign Doomsday, in particular, was rendered speechless. He had been intent on avenging his nine fallen Lord Gods. Yet in the end, even Lord God Qianyuan had been slain. What was more, it had been a total, one-sided crushing. It laid bare the immense gulf between the two sides. "Must we really send a half-step Sovereign to suppress him?" Sovereign Doomsday could not resist muttering. Yet none of the other Sovereigns replied. A half-step Sovereign? What a joke. Half-step Sovereigns were exceptionally few in number. Even Sovereigns could not necessarily command them at will. Where would they even find one? Besides, would deploying a half-step Sovereign guarantee his demise? Not necessarily! The Sovereigns could see clearly that Lu Changsheng's strength was unfathomable. He was likely comparable to a half-step Sovereign himself. Against such a figure, unless a Sovereign stepped forward in person, no one had any solution. "Forget it. Let us wait and observe. As long as he does not launch wanton assaults against our temples and confines himself to the Battlefield of the Gods, let him be. "Restrain the people of our respective temples. Forbid them from entering the Battlefield of the Gods again." Finally, a Sovereign spoke. This amounted to an unspoken consensus, acquiescing to Lu Changsheng's occupation of the Battlefield of the Gods. Circumstances forced their hands; they had no choice. The present situation in the Moke Universe was difficult enough for the Sovereigns to manage, and they were doing everything they could just to maintain the stalemate. *** Lu Changsheng did not know that his fame had erupted across the entire Moke Universe. Lord God Qianyuan was no ordinary figure; his renown was vast. As a peak Lord God, he had slain countless cosmic mighty figures. Yet now, Lord God Qianyuan had met his match. He had been slain by the "God-Slaying Mighty Figure." No matter how tightly sealed such news was kept, it was bound to leak. The moment word spread, Star Spirit City was thrown into a frenzy. That was Lord God Qianyuan, after all. Nearly all of them had friends or kin who had fallen to his hands. Who would have imagined that Lord God Qianyuan was now dead? For a time, virtually everyone was inquiring about the true identity of this God-Slaying Mighty Figure. "Tell me, just who is this God-Slaying Mighty Figure? No one had ever heard of him before." "He must have arrived in the Moke Universe only recently. That would explain why we've never heard of him." "Is the God-Slaying Mighty Figure a peak mighty figure, or a half-step Sovereign?" "A half-step Sovereign seems unlikely. After all, the half-step Sovereigns of the Great Universe can be counted on one hand. Who wouldn't recognize them? If a half-step Sovereign had come, everyone would have known long ago." "If he isn't a half-step Sovereign, how could he have slain Lord God Qianyuan?" Countless people engaged in spirited debates. All wished to uncover the background of the God-Slaying Mighty Figure. Alas, not a soul knew his true origin. Only Zhao Yi knew. A brilliant light shone in his eyes. Deep down, he found it completely unbelievable. "Even Lord God Qianyuan was slain by Junior Brother Lu... Master, just what is Junior Brother Lu's background?" Zhao Yi was thoroughly stunned. At the start, he had known Lu Changsheng was probably formidable. After all, he had wiped out nine Lord Gods with ease. Zhao Yi had guessed he was a peak mighty figure. Later, however, report after report had emerged from the Battlefield of the Gods. Lu Changsheng had blatantly seized the entire Battlefield of the Gods for himself. Anyone who entered was cast out. As for Lord Gods, they were slaughtered on the spot. So brazen. So overbearing. Now even Lord God Qianyuan had been killed, and the pinnacle factions of the Moke Universe seemed powerless to stop him. Unless a Sovereign intervened, Lu Changsheng could practically walk through this universe uncontested. "Who could have thought Junior Brother Lu would be such a colossal backer?" "Had I known earlier, why would I have struggled so bitterly in the Moke Universe?" "If I want to seek out fortuitous opportunities in the future, wouldn't following Junior Brother Lu be far better?" Zhao Yi quietly made up his mind. In all his years within the Moke Universe, he had failed to find any worthwhile opportunity. If a cosmic mighty figure wanted to unearth opportunities, they had to venture into foreign universes and test their luck. Yet barging into other universes carried considerable risk. Remaining at Lu Changsheng's side, however, would grant him immense security. Thus, Zhao Yi departed directly for the Battlefield of the Gods. He did not disturb the battlefield itself. He merely stood vigil near its borders. If Lu Changsheng left the Battlefield of the Gods, Zhao Yi would know immediately. *** The clamor of the outside world caused Lu Changsheng no trouble whatsoever. On the contrary, after slaying Lord God Qianyuan, Lu Changsheng faintly noticed that hardly anyone came by anymore. Not only were there no Lord Gods, but even cosmic mighty figures rarely ventured into the Battlefield of the Gods now. The entire battlefield seemed to have fallen quiet overnight. Whether it was genuine silence or the major factions of the Moke Universe making preparations, Lu Changsheng did not know. Nor did he care. He continued devouring plane ruins. One hundred years, two hundred years, three hundred years... Every century, Lu Changsheng roughly expanded his volume tenfold. In the blink of an eye, seven hundred years drifted by. Boom! Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane expanded madly once more. Whoosh. Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. "A full hundredfold volume!" he murmured softly. This single incarnation alone possessed a hundredfold volume. Combined with his true body back in the Great Universe, it amounted to a hundred and ten times his baseline volume. Lu Changsheng immediately called up his attribute panel to review his current status. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: Top-Tier Comprehension Realm Lord: Second Realm True Realm Plane: 111-fold (expandable) Purple Zenith Soul: 25% (Nobility beyond measure; able to brave the waves of the River of Spacetime) The attribute panel displayed aggregate data, naturally including both his true body and his incarnation. It was indeed around a hundred and ten times the baseline volume. However, what caught Lu Changsheng's attention even more was the Purple Zenith Soul. The Purple Zenith Soul had actually increased from 20% to 25%. A direct leap of five percent. That was no easy feat. In the Great Universe, it would have been impossible for Lu Changsheng to amass so much fortune. "Wait, not the Great Universe... Could it be the Moke Universe? "Can the fortune of the Moke Universe enhance my Purple Zenith Soul as well?" A possibility occurred to him. "Of course. Fortune from the Moke Universe is still fortune. Why shouldn't it strengthen the Purple Zenith Soul? "Generally, even if a cosmic mighty figure makes a name for themselves in a foreign universe, their renown rarely reaches great heights, so they gather very little fortune. After all, it is an alternate universe; obtaining fortune is inherently difficult. "But I am different. By slaying Lord God Qianyuan, my fame surged. Add to that the attention of the Sovereigns, and my name has likely spread across the entire Moke Universe, drawing vast streams of fortune toward me. "Furthermore, I possess the Divine Tree of Fortune, which excels above all else in siphoning fortune. That explains how my Purple Zenith Soul progressed another five percent in just a few centuries. What an unexpected pleasant surprise..." A slight smile surfaced on Lu Changsheng's face. An unexpected boon indeed. Lu Changsheng had been entirely clueless about how to birth immortal true intent. Even with top-tier comprehension, he remained in the dark. Birthing immortal true intent was related to comprehension, but comprehension was likely not the deciding factor. One also needed serendipity. As for where such serendipity lay, Lu Changsheng had no idea. He could only keep expanding the volume of his True Realm Plane. Yet that did not mean he was entirely without direction. The soul was fundamental. Third Realm Sovereigns all pursued the strengthening of their souls. If Lu Changsheng could make his soul even stronger—perhaps even bringing the Purple Zenith Soul to completion and prompting it to undergo a metamorphosis into the next tier—then with the aid of such a mighty soul, he might just comprehend immortal true intent. That, too, was a viable path of cultivation. "Looked at this way, even if I find no dead planes in a universe, that doesn't mean I will leave empty-handed. I can simply create a massive stir to harvest copious amounts of fortune." Lu Changsheng's blueprint for his future cultivation gradually took shape. However, this method carried risks. The greatest danger lay with the Sovereigns. Who could guarantee that a Sovereign wouldn't strike? Even if the Sovereigns of the Moke Universe were held in check and could hardly pull away, what if? What if a Sovereign of the Moke Universe threw all caution to the wind, determined to annihilate him regardless of the cost? Anything was possible. Unless Lu Changsheng could withstand an attack from a Sovereign and preserve his life under their hand. To anyone else, that seemed utterly impossible. Not even a half-step Sovereign could confront a Sovereign head-on and survive. Yet Lu Changsheng was different. His True Realm harbored the potential to grow into a Boundary Sea. If it truly grew to the scale of a Boundary Sea—no, even if it reached just one percent of a Boundary Sea's volume—Lu Changsheng would fear no Sovereign. And if it truly matched a Boundary Sea in volume, Lu Changsheng was confident he could even defeat a Sovereign! Of course, that belonged to the distant future, far ahead of where he stood now. Lu Changsheng rose to his feet. He cast his gaze around. The vast Battlefield of the Gods was gone. It was now completely empty. All those ruined planes had been devoured by Lu Changsheng. After today, the Battlefield of the Gods would be no more. Lu Changsheng retracted his True Realm Plane. Soon, he caught sight of a familiar figure. "Hm? "Senior Brother Zhao Yi, what brings you here?" Lu Changsheng spotted Zhao Yi and appeared before him. "Junior Brother Lu, you've finished your cultivation? "The Battlefield of the Gods is gone too..." Zhao Yi looked at the barren emptiness of the former battlefield, then continued, "Junior Brother Lu, do you still require dead planes?" "Why, Senior Brother Zhao knows where more dead planes can be found?" Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. If there were truly more dead planes, he would be reluctant to leave the Moke Universe just yet. "Naturally. In fact, there are a great many dead planes there. But there is a catch—it could prove very perilous! "That place falls under the sphere of influence of the Ephemera Temple. It is known as the Ephemeral Star Sea. "The Ephemeral Star Sea is composed of countless ruined planes forming a unique domain that yields peculiar cultivation resources prized by the Ephemera Temple," Zhao Yi explained in detail. "Does the Ephemera Temple... possess a Third Realm Sovereign?" Lu Changsheng asked. Whether a Sovereign oversaw the faction was crucial. Lu Changsheng naturally needed to clarify this point. "Well... The Ephemera Temple has no Third Realm Sovereign. However, a Third Realm Sovereign once emerged from their ranks, leaving behind legacies and trump cards from the Third Realm. As such, it ranks among the pinnacle powers in the Moke Universe. "Crucially, the Ephemera Temple has numerous Lord Gods. In terms of peak Lord Gods, they can easily rank among the top five factions in the Moke Universe. "The Ephemera Temple is only missing a living Third Realm Sovereign!" Lu Changsheng understood. "Then let us go to the Ephemeral Star Sea," Lu Changsheng declared, making his decision without hesitation. Dead planes abounded, yet there was no Third Realm Sovereign. Lu Changsheng had nothing to fear. As for having numerous peak Lord Gods? Did he fear peak Lord Gods now? In fact, the stronger the Ephemera Temple was, the better. Lu Changsheng had come to realize the importance of fortune. Since he could harvest fortune in the Moke Universe, the bigger the commotion at the Ephemera Temple, the better. If the opportunity presented itself, he could even wipe out the Ephemera Temple. Wouldn't his fortune skyrocket then? It would be killing two birds with one stone! He would be a fool not to visit such a place. Zhao Yi was overjoyed. He had known Lu Changsheng would be pleased with this news. "Then I shall accompany you to the Ephemeral Star Sea, Junior Brother Lu. My strength is inferior to yours, but I can help you monitor the movements of the Ephemera Temple," Zhao Yi said with a smile. Lu Changsheng instantly saw through Zhao Yi's intentions. The man wanted to stay by his side. The Ephemeral Star Sea was Zhao Yi's "gift" to Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng understood and did not refuse. Besides, venturing through alternate universes in the future would indeed require an assistant. Zhao Yi was quick-witted, willing, and a Second Realm cosmic mighty figure in his own right. That was more than enough. As for their shared bond as disciples of Mount Feilong, that was secondary. "Very well. Let us go to the Ephemeral Star Sea together." Lu Changsheng nodded in agreement. With that, the two set off immediately, flying toward the Ephemeral Star Sea. The Ephemeral Star Sea lay far from the Battlefield of the Gods. They flew for several full years before finally arriving. Yet Lu Changsheng was in no hurry. He even had Zhao Yi transmit messages to his friends back in Star Spirit City, slowly disseminating Lu Changsheng's identity. Personal disciple of Mount Feilong, former Summit of the Universe, Lu Changsheng! And now revered as the God-Slaying Mighty Figure! As Lu Changsheng's fame spread, he noticed his fortune indeed grew by another increment. Though not a massive amount, it was a welcome development. It proved he was on the right track. Then, Lu Changsheng instructed Zhao Yi to broadcast word that they were heading toward the Ephemeral Star Sea. Zhao Yi was utterly bewildered. Couldn't they just slip into the Ephemeral Star Sea discreetly and quietly devour planes to cultivate? Why make such a grandiose display, letting the entire universe know? Wasn't that simply inviting trouble upon themselves? Lu Changsheng did not explain. If his sole objective were devouring dead planes, keeping silent and low-profile would indeed save a great deal of trouble. However, if he also wished to reap fortune, he had to make a massive spectacle. Publicity was vital! Without broadcasting the news far and wide, how could his fortune surge? Thus, Lu Changsheng had traveled at a leisurely pace, taking several years to reach the Ephemeral Star Sea. It was all to allow the news to spread further and draw in more fortune. "I hope the Ephemera Temple won't disappoint me..." Lu Changsheng harbored a faint anticipation. Finally, the two arrived at the Ephemeral Star Sea. "The Ephemeral Star Sea has quite a crowd..." Lu Changsheng indeed saw many people. Though word had spread, not everyone necessarily believed it. The Lord Gods, in particular, were skeptical. "So many people... Junior Brother Lu, should we disguise ourselves and plan our next move carefully?" Zhao Yi asked hesitantly. "No disguise is needed. Come, we will head directly in." Why would Lu Changsheng bother with a disguise? He wanted to make a major scene—the bigger, the better. Naturally, he had to act openly and suppress them with overwhelming force. Disguising himself would only squander a massive amount of fortune. Whoosh. The two stepped forward, heading straight into the Ephemeral Star Sea. At this moment, within the Ephemeral Star Sea, people were not entirely ignorant of the rumors that the God-Slaying Mighty Figure was coming. Word had long been circulating. Yet most Lord Gods remained half-believing and half-doubting. Moreover, beneath the Lord Gods, countless other beings inhabited the Ephemeral Star Sea. Because the region produced unique cultivation resources, it naturally drew vast numbers of cultivators. Presently, a trace of unease lingered among them. "Have you heard? The rumors that the God-Slaying Mighty Figure from the alternate universe is coming to the Ephemeral Star Sea?" "That rumor has been circulating for ages. But would an outsider mighty figure truly come here? It's been so long without him showing his face. He probably won't come at all, right?" "Indeed. That God-Slaying Mighty Figure is not to be underestimated. But as long as he hasn't shown up, what is there to fear?" "If the God-Slaying Mighty Figure truly arrives, I'm afraid you won't even have a chance to flee." "I don't believe the Ephemera Temple would sit idly by. This is their territory, after all." "I heard he slew Lord God Qianyuan. If he could kill even Lord God Qianyuan, what could the Ephemera Temple do? He likely doesn't fear them in the slightest." "If the God-Slaying Mighty Figure truly arrives, the Ephemera Temple will be in far more trouble than us..." Lord Gods discussed the matter in low murmurs. Not far off stood members of the Ephemera Temple. Yet they showed no reaction. Perhaps the Ephemera Temple could not manage the crowd even if it wanted to. Could they silence every tongue in the realm? While the crowd buzzed with chatter, everyone suddenly snapped their heads upward. "What is that?" Many eyes widened in shock. What were they looking at? Across the void above, the colossal projection of a world had materialized. It hung majestically, blanketing the entire Ephemeral Star Sea. Every cultivator felt its towering, sublime power. A sense of profound insignificance welled up from the depths of their hearts. A thought struck several among them. Could it be that the God-Slaying Mighty Figure had arrived? In truth, their guess was right. Lu Changsheng had indeed arrived. He and Zhao Yi hovered in the void above the Ephemeral Star Sea. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng unfurled his True Realm Plane. A mere projection was enough to engulf the entire Ephemeral Star Sea. "From this day forth, this Ephemeral Star Sea belongs to the Dao field of Lu Changsheng! "All occupants must depart within one hour. Anyone remaining in the Ephemeral Star Sea after one hour shall be executed without mercy!" Lu Changsheng's resonant voice reverberated like thunder across the entire Ephemeral Star Sea. In an instant, an uproar swept through the domain. "It's him! It must be him—the God-Slaying Mighty Figure! Only he could be so reckless, so overbearing!" "The God-Slaying Mighty Figure truly came..." "Tyrannical! Utterly tyrannical! He is a mere outsider from an alternate universe, yet he dares seize the Ephemeral Star Sea with such blatant force? Does he hold the cultivators of our Moke Universe in complete contempt?" "This is the Ephemeral Star Sea! Where is the Ephemera Temple?" "Indeed, will the Ephemera Temple do nothing? Or are they afraid of the God-Slaying Mighty Figure as well?" Indignation flared among the cultivators. Many turned their gazes toward the members of the Ephemera Temple stationed within the sea. Everyone seemed to await a response from the Ephemera Temple. Yet the disciples of the Ephemera Temple looked utterly bewildered. Their expressions were dark and solemn. "Withdraw!" After a long pause, an order rang out from the Ephemera Temple. Every member of the Ephemera Temple pulled back, completely evacuating the Ephemeral Star Sea. At once, the myriad itinerant cultivators of the Ephemeral Star Sea erupted in sheer disbelief!