The Foundation of Ephemera Temple! True Power of the Third Realm!

"They... withdrew?" "Ephemera Temple didn't do anything—they just pulled back like that?" "This is the illustrious Ephemera Temple! They didn't even lift a finger, backing down the moment the God-Slaying Mighty Figure arrived! Is this still Ephemera Temple?" "What a monumental humiliation!" "Then what about us?" "I refuse to believe it. With so many Lord Gods among us, what can a single cosmic mighty figure from an alternate universe do?" Several itinerant cultivators gritted their teeth. They had some backbone and simply refused to budge. However, backbone was utterly useless. Seeing that even Ephemera Temple had retreated, most Lord Gods naturally gave up holding their ground and quietly evacuated the Ephemeral Star Sea in swift order. Yet stubborn fools always remained. Others lingered within the Ephemeral Star Sea for various personal reasons. Now that the time was up, Lu Changsheng naturally showed no courtesy. He didn't employ any earth-shattering secret methods. He merely unfolded his True Realm Plane in ordinary fashion. At a hundred times its baseline volume, the True Realm Plane unfurled all at once. The sheer might it radiated was enough to shake heaven and earth, staggering the soul and instilling absolute despair. A hundredfold True Realm Plane descended from above like a colossal maw, swallowing the vast Ephemeral Star Sea in a single gulp. Boom! The True Realm Plane finally settled. And with that, the Ephemeral Star Sea vanished without a trace. The numerous Lord Gods who had retreated stared blankly at the scene before them. What had they just witnessed? The immense Ephemeral Star Sea had been forcibly "devoured" by the God-Slaying Mighty Figure! All that remained now was the colossal world phantom of the God-Slaying Mighty Figure. As for the Ephemeral Star Sea, it was gone. "Is the God-Slaying Mighty Figure using something inside the Ephemeral Star Sea to cultivate?" "It must be the planes. Word is that the plane ruins in the Battlefield of the Gods were swept clean by him." "Could such a colossal world have been cultivated from those ruined planes?" "I heard that in the alternate universe, the God-Slaying Mighty Figure is what they call a 'Realm Lord.' Their bodies contain worlds of their own, and what they cultivate is their inner world." "Truly unbelievable..." Many Lord Gods felt utterly shaken. This was their first time laying eyes on the God-Slaying Mighty Figure. It was also their first time seeing the True Realm Plane. Seeing once was far better than hearing a hundred times. No matter what rumors had circulated about his terrifying strength, none compared to witnessing it firsthand. Now, they had witnessed it. The God-Slaying Mighty Figure was indeed formidable. In fact, he was far stronger than they could have ever imagined. Among the Lord Gods, was there anyone left who could stand as his match? For a time, many Lord Gods fell into silence. "The God-Slaying Mighty Figure will likely cultivate in the Ephemeral Star Sea for a very long time—perhaps centuries, perhaps millennia. If anyone has plans or means to make a move, there is still time..." Yet what plans or means could a gathering of itinerant cultivators possess? Go against the God-Slaying Mighty Figure? Given the power he had displayed, he could likely crush them as easily as ants. Only top factions like Ephemera Temple—or an outright Sovereign—could contend with him. Yet Ephemera Temple had just backed down. Would they still strike? In truth, the people of Ephemera Temple had not gone far. They were observing from a distance as well. Seeing Lu Changsheng's terrifying scale, those who had just been cursing and complaining about his overbearing arrogance instantly shut their mouths. Silence fell over all of them. Given the God-Slaying Mighty Figure's strength, had they not evacuated just now, they would never have made it out. Quite a few people had remained behind in the Ephemeral Star Sea, including several Lord Gods. Yet where were they now? Where were those Lord Gods? Had they kicked up the slightest ripple? Not a sound. Not even a ripple. Everyone knew full well what their fate had been. "Let's go. Record this scene and bring it back to the temple's upper echelons. There is no way we can confront the God-Slaying Mighty Figure on our own..." With that, the members of Ephemera Temple turned and flew toward the temple. At that moment, outside the Ephemeral Star Sea, Zhao Yi was equally stunned. Even though he knew Lu Changsheng was powerful and had already seen the scale of his plane in the Battlefield of the Gods, watching him "swallow" the vast Ephemeral Star Sea in a single bite still left Zhao Yi reeling. Right now, however, Zhao Yi was merely standing guard on the periphery. If anything happened, he would notify Lu Changsheng at once. Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng focused all his attention inside the Ephemeral Star Sea. He couldn't care less how Ephemera Temple reacted. Only expanding his own scale mattered. Lu Changsheng's mind was exceptionally clear. The Ephemeral Star Sea contained numerous plane ruins. Though not quite comparable to the Battlefield of the Gods, increasing his True Realm Plane's volume by several dozen times would not be an issue. While Lu Changsheng cultivated without distraction in the Ephemeral Star Sea, Ephemera Temple had erupted into chaos. Inside the great hall of Ephemera Temple, countless Lord Gods had bloodshot eyes, reeking of murderous intent. They wished they could charge into the Ephemeral Star Sea immediately and slay Lu Changsheng. Unfortunately, that was mere talk. Without a decision from the temple, none of them dared to act rashly. "Reporting! The Lord Gods from the Ephemeral Star Sea have returned!" someone announced. "Good. Let them in," the Hall Master of Ephemera Temple said expressionlessly. The bickering Lord Gods quieted down at once. Soon, several Lord Gods entered the great hall. "Greetings, Hall Master, elders." "Lord God Xuanji, tell us what you observed of the God-Slaying Mighty Figure. What methods does he possess?" the Hall Master asked. Lord God Xuanji waved his hand and produced a projection stone. "The projection stone contains imagery of the God-Slaying Mighty Figure in action. The Hall Master and elders will understand upon seeing it." Lord God Xuanji then activated the projection stone. A massive image materialized, vividly displaying the scene of Lu Changsheng "devouring" the Ephemeral Star Sea in a single gulp. The colossal world phantom. The terrifying presence. Even through a mere projection, many felt a suffocating, horrifying pressure. Such strength was unheard of. Even top Lord Gods fell far short of it. When the projection ended, utter silence engulfed the great hall. No one spoke. Even the elders who had clamored the loudest earlier now kept their mouths shut, their brows tightly furrowed with grave expressions. Lord God Xuanji withdrew from the hall. The Hall Master's gaze swept over the elders before he slowly asked, "Elders, what do you think now? Do you still believe we should send people to drive the God-Slaying Mighty Figure out of the Ephemeral Star Sea?" Silence. Still silence. No one answered. The prestigious Ephemera Temple had been genuinely shaken by Lu Changsheng. Drive him out? That would likely require the elders themselves to step forward. Once they faced Lu Changsheng, their fate would likely be no different from the Lord Gods in the Battlefield of the Gods—no different from that of Lord God Qianyuan. "Hall Master, are we just supposed to swallow this insult? The Ephemeral Star Sea lies right next to our Ephemera Temple! If we let the God-Slaying Mighty Figure occupy it, how will our temple have the face to call itself a top faction of the Moke Universe?" "Indeed! The God-Slaying Mighty Figure goes too far! Occupying the Ephemeral Star Sea is a constant slap to our face!" "Perhaps we can wait. Didn't he stay in the Battlefield of the Gods for only a few centuries—less than a millennium? Perhaps within a thousand years, he will depart on his own." "Yes, we can wait a little longer. He might leave by himself..." Several elders nodded in agreement. Leave on his own? Wait hundreds or thousands of years? Seeing this, the Hall Master could only shake his head. He knew these elders were terrified. To think that the renowned Ephemera Temple—a top faction even without a Third Realm Sovereign—would actually be terrified of an alternate-universe mighty figure! If word got out, no one would believe it. Yet it was the plain truth. Faced with such terrifying power from the God-Slaying Mighty Figure, no one could help but feel fear. "Absurd nonsense! What storms has our Ephemera Temple not weathered? How could we become cowards and cower before the God-Slaying Mighty Figure?" "Exactly! Our Ephemera Temple may lack a Third Realm Sovereign, but we possess methods left behind by our founding Sovereign! Such methods can slay half-step Sovereigns and force even Sovereigns to treat them with gravity." "We need only summon our foundation to slay that God-Slaying Mighty Figure!" The hawkish elders refused to be outdone. "Summon our foundation? Since it is our foundation, how can it be invoked lightly?" "Indeed! The ancestral instructions explicitly state that our foundation must not be deployed unless the temple faces life-or-death destruction!" "Once invoked, the harm outweighs the benefits. Furthermore, what if we fail?" For a time, both sides argued fiercely, throwing the hall into another round of noisy contention. The Hall Master, however, made no move to stop them. He had witnessed such scenes countless times. Every time, they argued back and forth, neither side willing to yield. Ephemera Temple was no longer the power it once was. Unless a new Sovereign arose within its ranks, Ephemera Temple would stagnate and gradually decline. Take this incident with the God-Slaying Mighty Figure seizing the Ephemeral Star Sea. On the surface, it did not seem critical, nor did it threaten the temple's survival. Yet in truth, it struck a heavy blow against Ephemera Temple's standing. If they did not take a firm stance against the God-Slaying Mighty Figure, the morale of Ephemera Temple would completely collapse. When that happened, the temple would drift toward decline, and no one would be able to halt it. The God-Slaying Mighty Figure had to be driven away—or slain! The Hall Master had understood this from the very beginning. His resolve was unwavering. Allowing the debate in the hall was merely to assess the current state of mind among the core elders. The result left him disappointed. "Enough! Further talk is pointless. I officially decree that we shall invoke the foundation of Ephemera Temple to expel and slay the God-Slaying Mighty Figure!" "In this battle, everyone must unite as one; no dissent is permitted!" "If anyone has objections, raise them after this matter is resolved!" The Hall Master exercised absolute authority and made his decision. Many elders parted their lips to speak, but ultimately held their tongues. They knew that once the Hall Master made a decision, there was no taking it back. "Understood, Hall Master!" All the elders complied. They were well aware of the power behind Ephemera Temple's "foundation." Even a half-step Sovereign could not withstand it. However, a foundation was a foundation because every invocation depleted it. After a few uses, it would be gone. And without its foundation, could Ephemera Temple still be considered a top faction? That was far from certain. Therefore, Ephemera Temple had always been exceedingly cautious in deploying its foundation. To this day, they had only used it once—and that was against a Sovereign! Although Ephemera Temple had ultimately bowed, that Sovereign had refrained from destroying their lineage precisely because of that foundation, which proved its sheer power. Now would mark its second invocation. Using it against a mighty figure from an alternate universe would surely pose no problem. No matter how strong the God-Slaying Mighty Figure was, he was doomed this time! *** The Ephemeral Star Sea remained as calm as ever. Lu Changsheng continued to devour the plane ruins. His devouring efficiency was so high now that he did not need to dedicate his entire focus to it. He even spared a portion of his mind to observe Ephemera Temple through his dimension-ascended True Realm. Lu Changsheng might appear overbearing, seemingly disregarding Ephemera Temple, but in truth, he took them very seriously. Others could not monitor Ephemera Temple's movements, but Lu Changsheng could. Relying on his dimension-ascended True Realm Plane, he could keep watch over them. And on this day, Lu Changsheng genuinely detected movement from Ephemera Temple. "Hmm?" "Ephemera Temple is... mobilizing en masse?" Lu Changsheng observed their unusual activity. Powerful Lord Gods were departing from Ephemera Temple in unison. Moreover, the direction they were heading was precisely toward the Ephemeral Star Sea. Lu Changsheng understood at once. Ephemera Temple had finally lost its patience. They could not sit idly by while he occupied the Ephemeral Star Sea. Whoosh. Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. Ephemera Temple was not far from the Ephemeral Star Sea; it would only take them a few days to arrive. At such close range, Lu Changsheng forcibly occupying the area was naturally a thorn in their side, leaving them unable to rest easy. "Senior Brother Zhao Yi, the people of Ephemera Temple are coming. You should pull back some distance first," Lu Changsheng transmitted to Zhao Yi. Although Lu Changsheng could take Zhao Yi into his True Realm Plane, he was about to face Ephemera Temple. A Third Realm Sovereign had once arisen from that temple; who knew what potent, secretive methods they possessed? If his True Realm Plane were breached, Zhao Yi would be in grave danger. Thus, having Zhao Yi retreat a safe distance beforehand was far more prudent. "What? Ephemera Temple is coming?" Zhao Yi's heart shook in surprise. He sensed outward carefully, yet detected nothing. Could Lu Changsheng actually sense Ephemera Temple from here? Lu Changsheng never made baseless claims. If he said Ephemera Temple was coming, then they were definitely on their way. "Understood, I will pull back some distance first." "However, Ephemera Temple is no ordinary power. If danger arises, retreat immediately!" Zhao Yi decisively withdrew. He knew there was no real need to worry about Lu Changsheng's safety. After all, Lu Changsheng was a Realm Lord and had certainly left countermeasures in the Great Universe. At worst, he would merely lose this incarnation. Lu Changsheng nodded. He then ceased devouring the plane ruins and waited quietly in the Ephemeral Star Sea. The contingent from Ephemera Temple did not keep Lu Changsheng waiting long. Before long, they arrived. Several dozen Lord Gods. Indeed, several dozen Lord Gods—nearly the entire temple had mobilized. This time, Ephemera Temple was dead serious, holding nothing back. Seeing this, Zhao Yi's heart trembled slightly. Several dozen Lord Gods! Such a lineup was enough to run rampant across the cosmos. No cosmic mighty figure in the Great Universe could withstand such a force. Yet Zhao Yi also knew that these Lord Gods were not the crux of this battle. If it were merely several dozen Lord Gods, Zhao Yi felt they would not pose much pressure on Lu Changsheng. Ephemera Temple, however, was different. It was a top faction that had once given rise to a Sovereign. Supposedly, they possessed a foundation left behind by that Sovereign. Once invoked, Ephemera Temple could unleash combat strength rivaling a Sovereign. Even if it fell short of a true Sovereign, slaying a half-step Sovereign should not be difficult. Lu Changsheng was indeed exceptionally strong—Zhao Yi even felt he surpassed half-step Sovereigns. Yet could he withstand Ephemera Temple's foundation? Zhao Yi was filled with concern. However, no matter how worried he was, there was nothing he could do. He didn't even have the qualifications to intervene in a battle of this level. He could only watch from afar. Soon, the Hall Master of Ephemera Temple stepped forward, looked at the True Realm in the distance, and called out, "Where is the God-Slaying Mighty Figure? Would you come forth to speak?" His voice reverberated grandly into the True Realm Plane. Whoosh. In an instant, the True Realm Plane contracted. The vast True Realm Plane seemed to vanish in the blink of an eye, condensing into a humanoid figure standing in the void, facing the Lord Gods of Ephemera Temple from afar. "What business does your temple have?" Lu Changsheng asked calmly. Countless gazes instantly converged on Lu Changsheng. In truth, for many Lord Gods of Ephemera Temple, this was their first time laying eyes on him. The renowned God-Slaying Mighty Figure looked quite ordinary. Yet that colossal world phantom had just vanished, condensing into this single figure. That alone proved what terrifying power was harbored within Lu Changsheng's body. "God-Slaying Mighty Figure, the Ephemeral Star Sea is adjacent to our Ephemera Temple. Would you be willing to vacate it and cease occupying the area?" "If you agree, we will present you with a generous gift!" The Hall Master still sought to exhaust peaceful means before resorting to force. After all, the foundation was precious and could not be used lightly. If they could avoid using it, they would. As long as Lu Changsheng left the Ephemeral Star Sea, paying a slight price would be well worth it. Yet would the God-Slaying Mighty Figure leave? Sure enough, Lu Changsheng smiled. When one possessed sufficient strength, even factions of an alternate universe had to treat them with utmost caution. He was a mighty figure from the Great Universe—an "invader" in the Moke Universe. Yet Ephemera Temple spoke so politely to an "invader," adopting such an amiable attitude. Wasn't it purely out of dread for his power? However, Lu Changsheng shook his head. "I find the cultivation environment of the Ephemeral Star Sea quite agreeable. I have no wish to leave." Lu Changsheng refused. With so many plane ruins, the Ephemeral Star Sea was the most suitable environment for his cultivation. How could he easily depart? Moreover, if he truly left, how was he supposed to stir up major waves? The fact that Ephemera Temple had arrived in aggressive force suited his intentions perfectly. The Hall Master's heart sank. It seemed this battle was unavoidable. Since that was the case, he wasted no more words. "Strike!" In an instant, several dozen Lord Gods acted together. Each transformed into a towering fiendgod body that shook the void. A single punch from these fiendgod bodies could rattle cosmic space and shatter planes. Let alone several dozen attacking at once! Moreover, as Lord Gods of Ephemera Temple, they could form a grand formation, amplifying their might to an even more terrifying degree. Yet Lu Changsheng remained remarkably calm. "True Realm!" The next instant, the True Realm descended! Or rather, Lu Changsheng merely unfurled his True Realm. Once a True Realm with a hundredfold volume expanded, its sheer scale alone conferred absolute dominance. Rumble! Before the True Realm could sweep over the Lord Gods, their combined attacks struck the True Realm Plane. The True Realm Plane shuddered faintly. Yet that was all. With a hundred times the baseline power, it was fundamentally impossible for these Lord Gods to shake the True Realm Plane. Seeing once was better than hearing a hundred times, but experiencing it firsthand surpassed both. Regardless of what thoughts the people of Ephemera Temple had harbored about Lu Changsheng before—curiosity, fear, or excitement—now that they had personally tested him face-to-face, all illusions vanished. Only grave solemnity remained in their hearts. The God-Slaying Mighty Figure was truly formidable! He exceeded their imagination. A top mighty figure—even a half-step Sovereign—could never achieve such a feat. To withstand the combined strike of several dozen Lord Gods head-on without taking the slightest scratch... Such power had already transcended the level of a Lord God. "Hall Master, if we do not invoke the foundation, we are bound to lose!" "Indeed, Hall Master! This God-Slaying Mighty Figure is too strong. Seeing him truly surpasses all rumors. When he slew Lord God Qianyuan, I thought he was at most a half-step Sovereign, but now it is clear that even a half-step Sovereign is nowhere near this powerful!" "Only our foundation has any hope of defeating or slaying him!" Many Lord Gods sent voice transmissions to the Hall Master. The foundation! At this moment, only their foundation could defeat Lu Changsheng. The Hall Master did not deliberate for long. After all, time was not on his side. If he waited until the True Realm swept over them, it might be too late. "In that case..." The Hall Master made his resolve. "We beseech the Sovereign!" "Welcome, Sovereign!" As the Lord Gods called out with deep reverence, Lu Changsheng's heart gave a jolt. His eyes narrowed slightly, staring at the people of Ephemera Temple with uncertainty. "A Sovereign?" "Ephemera Temple still has a Sovereign?" No matter what sources Lu Changsheng had inquired from, Ephemera Temple possessed no Third Realm Sovereign. What was happening now? Were they welcoming the descent of a Sovereign? Soon, Lu Changsheng discovered the reason. The Hall Master flipped his hand. A statue appeared upon his palm. It was lifelike, yet bore a crack upon its surface. Though not particularly conspicuous, the crack indeed marred the statue's overall aesthetic. Buzz. As the Hall Master's words faded, the statue emitted a faint light. The radiance was gentle, yet from within it, a colossal fiendgod phantom gradually condensed. The fiendgod phantom reached into the heavens and grounded itself in the void, clearly ethereal, yet radiating a terrifying aura. It was an aura far exceeding that of a Lord God. A Sovereign! This phantom actually radiated the aura of a Third Realm Sovereign! How could Lu Changsheng recognize it? Because it carried immortal true intent! He had felt it before on his master, Sovereign Feilong. Without a doubt, it was immortal true intent! Only Sovereigns possessed immortal true intent. Yet why was this Sovereign merely a phantom? Sovereigns possessed unfathomable methods, but a mere phantom was not a true Sovereign! "Wait, the aura of this statue... Immortal substance?" "This immortal true intent emanates from the statue—immortal substance bearing immortal true intent!" "Is this the foundation of Ephemera Temple?" "This isn't a true Sovereign, but a Sovereign phantom manifested by immortal substance bearing a Sovereign's immortal true intent." "Though a Sovereign phantom is not a true Sovereign, with immortal substance bearing immortal true intent, its power is earth-shattering—at the very least, it can completely crush half-step Sovereigns!" "Finally, a worthy opponent..." Lu Changsheng instantly saw through the secret of Ephemera Temple's foundation. Yet the clearer he saw it, the more excited he became. A powerful opponent was nothing to fear. What was truly frightening was having no opponent at all. Without opponents, how could one know their own deficiencies or make progress? Currently, Lu Changsheng possessed a very clear understanding of his own strength. He was definitely far from a match for a Sovereign—far inferior to one. Yet he could easily crush top mighty figures. As for half-step Sovereigns, though he had never met one, his instincts told him that with his hundredfold volume, crushing a half-step Sovereign would pose no problem. And this Sovereign phantom was weaker than a true Sovereign, yet stronger than a half-step Sovereign. It stood virtually at the pinnacle of combat strength beneath the Sovereign realm. Was this not the exact opponent Lu Changsheng had been hoping for? "Come, show me the power of a Sovereign!" Lu Changsheng stood proudly in the void. The True Realm swept forward with astonishing momentum, poised to swallow everyone from Ephemera Temple in a single gulp. The Sovereign phantom's eyes were hollow. It merely pressed an ethereal palm downward. Rumble! Like thunder rolling across dry land, the entire universe seemed to shake. For the first time, Lu Changsheng felt as though a colossal mountain had crashed onto his True Realm, making every movement exceedingly heavy and arduous. Moreover, his True Realm Plane began to disintegrate. Yes, disintegrate. It could not be stopped. It was completely unblockable. The power of a Third Realm Sovereign seemed capable of disintegrating everything. All forms of power were utterly futile before the Third Realm. The Third Realm was simply the Third Realm. Although the Boundary Sea was immensely powerful and even Third Realm Sovereigns could not destroy it, that was purely due to its terrifying scale. In terms of the tier of power, the Boundary Sea was vastly inferior to a Third Realm Sovereign. If a Third Realm Sovereign wished to kill a particular Realm Lord, they could directly reach into the Boundary Sea, seize the Realm Lord, and crush them to death. Even resurrection would be impossible. Not even the Boundary Sea could stop them. Otherwise, how could Third Realm Sovereigns reign as the hegemons of the Great Universe? "The power of decomposition... Decomposing all things." "Such power is truly... insurmountable," Lu Changsheng sighed softly. Sovereigns were hailed as omniscient and omnipotent; their power lay in the decomposition of all things. As long as something fell within their comprehension, it could be decomposed. Worlds, planes, and even the Boundary Sea fell within their comprehension, so they could naturally be decomposed. The only thing that could not be decomposed was immortal substance. Because even Sovereigns could not comprehend the true nature of immortal substance, they naturally had no way to decompose it. The True Realm was no exception. In essence, the True Realm was still a plane. No matter how vast its volume, it remained a plane. The power of a Sovereign could naturally decompose it. Thus, Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane began to collapse rapidly beneath the Sovereign's power, melting away like snow under scorching heat. Seeing this, the members of Ephemera Temple smiled. The God-Slaying Mighty Figure remained beneath the Third Realm after all. No matter how powerful he was, how could he possibly withstand the power of the Third Realm? The foundation of Ephemera Temple held the genuine power of the Third Realm!