Defeating a Sovereign's Incarnation Shakes the Eternal Academy!

"Eternal Night!" The next moment, Sovereign Yongye made his move. With a wave of his hand, the void seemed to plunge into darkness. No, it was not the void—it was Lu Changsheng's perception that was completely blacked out. He could no longer perceive anything. All around him was total darkness. This was the first time Lu Changsheng had faced a Sovereign head-on. Even though it was only an incarnation, it was in truth little different from an actual Sovereign. The fundamental nature of their power was identical. Lu Changsheng's previous opponents might have imitated the power of decomposition, but in the end, it was merely an imitation. Now, Lu Changsheng was finally witnessing the true power of decomposition of a Sovereign. This power of decomposition was everywhere, permeating all things. Without any warning or celestial phenomenon, Lu Changsheng had fallen completely into it. Yes, this technique called "Eternal Night" was in fact Sovereign Yongye's power of decomposition. Every Sovereign's power of decomposition differed slightly. The essence was the same, but the manifestations varied. Sovereign Yongye's power of decomposition blocked out all perception from his opponent, silently decomposing their power. Take right now: Lu Changsheng's True Realm had already unfurled, yet he had no idea where Sovereign Yongye had gone. Even his True Realm could not perceive him. However, that did not matter. Lu Changsheng soon knew that Sovereign Yongye was still there, because his True Realm Plane was being silently decomposed. Yes, decomposed. And he couldn't detect any direction to it. It seemed as if decomposition was taking place everywhere at once. *Is this a true Sovereign?* *I don't even know where he is. How can I even fight?* *I can only passively take the blows...* Lu Changsheng came to an instant realization. He had still underestimated Sovereigns in the past. The gap between a true Sovereign and a Second Realm cosmic mighty figure was as vast as heaven and earth. The saying that all beneath Sovereigns were mere ants was no empty phrase. While Second Realm mighty figures could hardly be called ants, a Sovereign could still deal with them effortlessly. Just like now: Lu Changsheng was certain Sovereign Yongye was enveloped within his True Realm Plane. Yet, omnipotent as he was inside his True Realm Plane, he still couldn't locate Sovereign Yongye. That feeling of having his perception blocked made Lu Changsheng extremely uncomfortable. Right now, he seemed reduced to passively taking hits without even a chance to strike back. However, Lu Changsheng did not lose his composure. He remained completely clear-headed. He knew that when it came to methods, he was certainly no match for Sovereign Yongye. Although his senses were completely blocked, he still held an advantage. His advantage was the sheer volume of his True Realm Plane. At six hundred times normal volume, even Sovereign Yongye would have to expend a massive amount of decomposition power to decompose it. Lu Changsheng had no need to seek out Sovereign Yongye. All he needed to do was outlast him. After all, this was merely an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye; its power of decomposition was ultimately finite. As long as Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane did not collapse and could hold out, there was hope of victory. Thus, Lu Changsheng no longer wasted effort trying to pinpoint the incarnation's location, instead devoting his full focus to sustaining the volume of his True Realm Plane. At first, Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane was decomposed very rapidly. Like melting snow and ice, the speed was extraordinary. Ten percent, twenty percent, thirty, forty, fifty percent... Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane was depleted by a full fifty percent. The speed was incredibly fast. At this rate, it seemed his True Realm Plane would soon be completely decomposed. However, once fifty percent had been decomposed, Lu Changsheng clearly felt the efficiency of the decomposition slow down. It was not as fast as before. This was good news. It proved that Sovereign Yongye's incarnation had its limits as well. It could not sustain such high intensity indefinitely. Going from fifty to sixty percent took three full shichen. One had to realize that earlier, fifty percent had been decomposed in just one shichen. Yet from fifty to sixty percent, it took three full shichen. Once past sixty percent, Lu Changsheng felt the speed of Sovereign Yongye's decomposition crawl to an absolute grind. Lu Changsheng could even attempt to recover the volume of his True Realm Plane. After all, though the plane's power had been decomposed, that power remained within the True Realm Plane as pure energy. Even if some energy was lost, it didn't disrupt the whole. Lu Changsheng merely needed time to gradually restore it. "Hm?" Suddenly, Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. He detected an unusual ripple right inside his True Realm Plane. If he had been outside, he certainly wouldn't have noticed such a minute ripple. But inside his True Realm Plane, Lu Changsheng could capture it clearly. Lu Changsheng held absolute control over his True Realm. For an unusual ripple to escape his control—what did that mean? Lu Changsheng knew very well. Only Sovereign Yongye's incarnation within the True Realm Plane could elude his grasp. Clearly, Lu Changsheng had found the tracks of Sovereign Yongye's incarnation. "Found you!" With a thought, Lu Changsheng mobilized all the remaining power of his True Realm Plane. *Rumble!* A terrifying burst of True Realm Plane power erupted, crashing instantly toward a specific direction within the plane. Sure enough, as the power surged over, it was quickly decomposed. It truly was Sovereign Yongye's incarnation! However, the incarnation's power of decomposition was almost completely spent. He could not even maintain the sensory block over Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng's perception returned. At this moment, he finally "saw" Sovereign Yongye's incarnation. "Not bad..." "Your world cannot withstand the power of decomposition, but its volume is too vast. It completely exhausted the decomposition power of this incarnation of mine. Therefore, you win..." As the words of Sovereign Yongye's incarnation fell, the power of Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane instantly drowned him. The next moment, with a bang, Sovereign Yongye's incarnation completely crumbled and turned to ash. Instantly, an uproar broke out all around, causing a massive commotion. "What? Lu Changsheng won?" "This... unbelievable, truly unbelievable! Even Sovereign Yongye's incarnation crumbled. How can this be?" "Defeating a Sovereign's incarnation is simply inconceivable, yet it's an undeniable fact!" "Everyone saw Sovereign Yongye's incarnation just now—it was overwhelmingly strong, truly capable of decomposing everything. But Lu Changsheng's world volume is simply monstrous. A world this colossal is unheard of! He actually used sheer volume to exhaust the incarnation's power of decomposition. It seems that's another viable way to defeat a Sovereign incarnation." "Even if you know that, so what? Who else possesses a world of such enormous scale?" "Does this mean Lu Changsheng has entered the Eternal Academy and become a true disciple?" "Two true disciples emerging in the Eternal Academy in a single day—truly mind-boggling..." Even Supreme Tianxiu was deeply shocked. Earlier, he had thought Lu Changsheng was merely grandstanding to steal his limelight. But seeing Lu Changsheng's battle against Sovereign Yongye's incarnation, he felt inferior. He was indeed no match for Lu Changsheng. For a cosmic mighty figure—even an extreme powerhouse on the Hundred Supremes Ranking—defeating a Sovereign's incarnation seemed impossible, didn't it? In the crowd, Supreme Jiubao, who had previously guided Lu Changsheng, was even more dumbfounded. His mouth hung wide open, unable to believe what he was seeing for a long time. Had Lu Changsheng truly defeated a Sovereign's incarnation and become a true disciple of the Eternal Academy? Was this really the newcomer from another universe whom he had just guided upon his arrival in the Eternal Universe? Lu Changsheng retracted his True Realm. His losses this time were severe. Over sixty percent of his True Realm Plane's volume had been broken down. Even if he could restore it, some loss was inevitable; reaching five hundred times normal volume would already be fortunate. After all, decomposition by a Sovereign's power inflicted a degree of permanent loss that could not be easily mended. This was a current drawback of Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane: recovery was arduous, making it somewhat akin to a one-time weapon. If he were to endure a few more such battles or face multiple Sovereign incarnations at once, his True Realm Plane would not hold up. Of course, there was another reason: the volume of his True Realm Plane was still too small. A six-hundred-fold volume could barely defeat an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye, and that was with heavy losses to himself. But what if it were six thousand times, or sixty thousand times? At that point, he could probably obliterate Sovereign incarnations with ease. Defeating a true Sovereign might not even be out of the question. "May I enter the Eternal Academy now?" Lu Changsheng asked as he approached the challenge registration desk. The academy attendant hastily replied, "Please present your identity token." Lu Changsheng produced his token. Soon, the attendant exchanged it for a golden identity token. "Here is your new identity token. From this moment on, you are a true disciple of the Eternal Academy." Lu Changsheng nodded. Now that he was a true disciple, he had direct access to enter the academy itself. He stepped straight inside. *Buzz.* Just then, a familiar figure appeared before Lu Changsheng—it was an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye. This was the second incarnation sent by Sovereign Yongye. "Lu Changsheng, follow this seat to the grand hall." "Yes, Your Majesty Yongye." Lu Changsheng respectfully followed behind Sovereign Yongye. Soon, Lu Changsheng entered the grand hall. Inside stood another figure, also an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye. The two incarnations instantly merged together. Lu Changsheng clearly felt that this merged incarnation was significantly more powerful. "Lu Changsheng, from the Great Universe. Hmm, a universe newly joined to the Cosmic Alliance, having never had contact with the Alliance before..." Sovereign Yongye said calmly. Every piece of information he spoke was impeccably accurate—it was indeed the history of the Great Universe. Evidently, Sovereign Yongye had just looked into the Great Universe's background. "May I ask Your Majesty Yongye, how much of your true self's power did that previous incarnation possess?" Lu Changsheng could not resist asking. "That incarnation just now?" "Lu Changsheng, you should know how immense the gulf between a Sovereign and a Second Realm mighty figure is. An incarnation like that one—this seat could conjure thousands at a whim; ten thousand would be no trouble." "Furthermore, a Sovereign's power is exceedingly difficult to deplete. If you insist on a specific number, that incarnation could at best be considered to possess one ten-thousandth of my true body's power." Lu Changsheng fell silent. One ten-thousandth... And that was "at best." And he could conjure thousands at a whim. Lu Changsheng vaguely realized that he had indeed underestimated the magnificence of Sovereigns. To think that possessing a thousand- or several-thousand-fold volume would allow one to slay a Sovereign was simply wishful thinking. The Boundary Sea gave Sovereigns pause only because it was incomprehensibly colossal—far beyond merely tens of thousands of times his volume. It was millions, tens of millions, or even billions of times greater. "Lu Changsheng, this seat summoned you because I see great potential in you. The Eternal Academy never lacks geniuses, yet you are more astonishing than any across our past generations—at least in combat prowess." "Rankings are maintained within the Eternal Academy, and each tier of ranking receives different levels of academy nurturing." "For now, this seat places you ninth, allowing you to enjoy the first tier of cultivation support." "If you have any further needs, you may contact this seat directly." Sovereign Yongye gave Lu Changsheng a contact method. These words were tantamount to telling Lu Changsheng that if he ran into any trouble, he could turn straight to Sovereign Yongye. Clearly, Sovereign Yongye regarded Lu Changsheng very highly. Offering some aid now would translate into goodwill and rapport if Lu Changsheng became a Sovereign in the future. "Thank you, Your Majesty Yongye." Lu Changsheng bowed respectfully, then took his leave. Someone escorted Lu Changsheng directly to Cave Dwelling No. 9. Cave Dwelling No. 9 was vacant, for reasons unknown. Lu Changsheng's moving into Cave Dwelling No. 9 immediately drew the attention of other true disciples in the Eternal Academy. "Someone moved into Cave Dwelling No. 9—and it's a newcomer?" "He's definitely new, totally unfamiliar. How could he move straight into Cave Dwelling No. 9?" "You've been staying inside the academy all this time. Don't you know about the major event that happened outside? His name is Lu Changsheng, and his background is extraordinary—he took the third method to enter the Eternal Academy." "The third method? What does that mean?" "Lu Changsheng defeated an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye to become a true disciple of the Eternal Academy, and Sovereign Yongye personally decreed him ninth in rank!" "What? Defeated Sovereign Yongye's incarnation?" Even though these true disciples were illustrious figures across various universes, they were thoroughly shocked. A cosmic mighty figure defeating a Sovereign's incarnation? That sounded completely fantastical. However, it was no secret; all they needed to do was ask around. Once they inquired, they found it was true! Lu Changsheng truly had defeated Sovereign Yongye's incarnation. No wonder he had been placed directly at rank nine. The true disciple ranked tenth had originally harbored some thoughts of challenging for ninth, but now, those thoughts evaporated entirely. What a joke! That was a monster capable of felling an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye—just how terrifyingly strong was he? Never mind top ten; even the top five or top three were well within his reach. He was an unquestionable extreme powerhouse, and among the finest even among extreme powerhouses. When the next Hundred Supremes Ranking was published, Lu Changsheng was guaranteed a spot. Lu Changsheng had settled into Cave Dwelling No. 9. The dwelling was rather luxurious; it seemed its previous occupant knew how to enjoy comfort. But Lu Changsheng paid it no mind. He was reviewing the privileges granted to true disciples of the Eternal Academy. First were cultivation resources. At all times, cultivation resources were indispensable. The Cosmic Alliance held sway over countless universes across the River of Spacetime and was itself a premier power, possessing inexhaustible resources. True disciples could apply for these resources, though some had to be retrieved in person. Next was the matter of birthing immortal true intent. Every true disciple could apply once for an opportunity to board the Spacetime Boat. It was said that aboard the Spacetime Boat, one could voyage through the River of Spacetime and experience the true river. There was inherent danger in this process, such as being eroded by the River of Spacetime or trapped within it. However, once inside the River of Spacetime, one had a chance to sense versions of oneself across other dimensions and timelines, devouring those souls to strengthen one's own, catalyzing soul metamorphosis and potentially birthing immortal true intent. Lu Changsheng experienced a flash of insight. No wonder true disciples of the Eternal Academy had a thirty percent chance of advancing to the Third Realm! The key lay in this Spacetime Boat. To allow cosmic mighty figures to voyage through the River of Spacetime—it was simply astounding. Moreover, it enabled them to sense souls across other timelines and dimensions. Wasn't that essentially the same as the soul frequency Lu Changsheng had been working with? It was just that Lu Changsheng's use of soul frequency had an abysmally low efficiency—one might not succeed once in hundreds of millions of years. For Lu Changsheng to have succeeded twice was already extraordinary luck. But the Spacetime Boat offered a compatibility rate countless times higher than soul resonance alone. This was the true advantage of the Spacetime Boat—and of the Eternal Academy. *Using the Spacetime Boat works best when one's strength and soul are as potent as possible. While I could apply to use it now, this isn't the optimal time. I can still continue to increase my strength...* Lu Changsheng needed to maximize the benefits of the Spacetime Boat. Each true disciple had only one chance, and he wouldn't squander it lightly. Furthermore, if one's strength was insufficient and one met with the erosion of the River of Spacetime, it would spell immense trouble. A stronger foundation allowed one to resist the erosion better. After all, the River of Spacetime was perilous. Lu Changsheng weighed his options for a long time and formulated a cultivation plan. "First step: devour a large number of dead planes to increase the volume of the True Realm Plane. "Second step: gradually accumulate destiny, expand my renown, and gather more destiny to continuously raise my Golden-Nature Soul, seeing if I can elevate it to a hundred percent and birth immortal true intent. If immortal true intent is born, I might not even need the Spacetime Boat. "Third step: apply for the Spacetime Boat only when I reach an impasse where no further progress is possible, or when the time limit of a true disciple draws near!" True disciples also faced a time limit. One could not remain a true disciple of the Eternal Academy indefinitely. Once the limit expired, one would lose true disciple status. And this duration was not particularly long—a mere ten thousand years. Generally speaking, ten thousand years in the Eternal Academy was sufficient to birth immortal true intent and attempt a breakthrough to the Third Realm. Of the three steps Lu Changsheng devised, the first and second could actually be carried out in tandem. *Let's see if I can use the authority of an Eternal Academy true disciple to find more dead planes...* Lu Changsheng immersed his consciousness into his identity token, which contained an encyclopedic array of information. Whatever cultivation resource one desired could be searched within the token. Lu Changsheng directly searched for planes. "Hm?" "There really are some? Filled with countless dead planes, with the universe itself on the brink of collapse, wholly owned by the Cosmic Alliance, and open for direct travel by Eternal Academy true disciples..." Lu Changsheng felt a surge of joy. He had actually found what he needed. Truly worthy of the Eternal Academy. It gathered virtually all the cultivation resources of the Cosmic Alliance. Cosmic mighty figures practiced all sorts of bizarre cultivation methods, requiring every imaginable type of resource—such as death qi, or the Great Dao of Death. For Lu Changsheng to need dead planes was nothing out of the ordinary. "Xingying Universe..." Lu Changsheng investigated further and finally made his decision: go to the Xingying Universe first! Lu Changsheng arrived at the Eternal Academy's teleportation array. "I wish to exercise my true disciple privileges to enter the Xingying Universe," Lu Changsheng said directly. In truth, grand teleportation arrays could also be constructed between different universes, but such arrays were exceedingly rare and precious. Only Sovereigns could arrange them, and doing so required vast amounts of immortal substance. The cost of building a teleportation array was immense, so ordinary universes did not construct cross-universe arrays. The Xingying Universe was different. It was an asset of the Eternal Academy, under its complete control. The Eternal Academy had built teleportation arrays to all universes under its purview, enabling direct transport. Only true disciples and Sovereigns of the Eternal Academy had the authority to activate these arrays to enter subordinate alternate universes. Even general staff members of the academy lacked the authority to operate them. "Please wait a moment." The attendant receiving Lu Changsheng was a cosmic mighty figure. He carefully verified Lu Changsheng's identity token, confirmed his status, and nodded. "Apologies for the wait. As a true disciple ranked ninth in the Eternal Academy, you have the authority to use the academy's teleportation array. Are you certain you wish to proceed to the Xingying Universe?" "I am." "Very well! Activating a cross-universe teleportation array is rather intricate and takes some time. Please wait a short while." Lu Changsheng waited for roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn. "The teleportation array is prepared. You may proceed to the Xingying Universe now. However, this is a one-way teleportation. If you wish to return from the Xingying Universe, you will have to make the journey back on your own." Lu Changsheng nodded. Setting up one-way teleportation was straightforward in purpose: to guard against unforeseen emergencies, such as an enemy assault on the Eternal Academy. Although the probability was minuscule, precautions had to be taken. Hence, one could only teleport from the Eternal Academy to an alternate universe, not the other way around. Lu Changsheng stepped into the center of the array. *Buzz.* The array activated, and Lu Changsheng's figure vanished in an instant. The pressure of cross-universe teleportation was tremendous. Lu Changsheng felt the terrifying pressure and realized that a First Realm Transcendent would likely be crushed to dust in an instant. Only a Second Realm cosmic mighty figure could endure such sheer force. The remaining volume of Lu Changsheng's True Realm was not large right now, having not yet fully recovered—a process that required time. But enduring this teleportation pressure was of no concern. Even without full recovery, Lu Changsheng's prowess was immense, more than adequate to handle any situation. Besides, as an alternate universe directly under the Eternal Academy's jurisdiction, the Xingying Universe held essentially no danger. The sole potential hazard was that it bordered on collapse. *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng's figure swayed slightly as he was transported into the interior of the Xingying Universe. The moment he arrived, he sensed the conditions within. Things were indeed bleak. It was truly on the verge of destruction. Complete dead silence reigned everywhere, virtually devoid of life. Yet for Lu Changsheng, this was ideal. He needed dead planes—the more, the better. The Xingying Universe met his criteria perfectly. Furthermore, though it seemed on the brink of collapse, unlike the Mingluo Universe, it appeared capable of holding out for a long time—tens of thousands of years, or perhaps even hundreds of thousands. Lu Changsheng could cultivate here with peace of mind without worrying about the universe disintegrating around him. The only regret was that the Xingying Universe was small—smaller than any universe Lu Changsheng had ever seen, virtually a pocket universe. Still, finding dead planes was already a blessing. As for its small size, that was beyond his control. *My cultivation cannot exceed ten thousand years, for I only have ten thousand years as a true disciple.* *I must conclude my cultivation before the ten thousand years are up, or I'll forfeit my qualification to use the Spacetime Boat...* Lu Changsheng had his plan. This time, he would settle his mind and cultivate thoroughly. With so many dead planes here, he could devour them boldly and without reserve. Moreover, he would no longer devour them slowly as he had in the past; the vaster his True Realm Plane grew, the higher its devouring efficiency became. He also wanted to see whether there was an ultimate limit to the volume of his True Realm Plane. "Let's begin..." Lu Changsheng unfurled his True Realm Plane. Devouring dead planes while simultaneously recovering the lost volume of his plane, the two processes mutually reinforced each other. Time slipped away bit by bit. One hundred years, five hundred years, a thousand years, two thousand years... Lu Changsheng had never entered seclusion for so long. But for a Second Realm cosmic mighty figure, cultivating for several thousand years was utterly unremarkable, a matter of routine. Lu Changsheng paid no heed to the affairs of the Eternal Academy, nor did he return to the Great Universe. He cast aside everything else for the time being, dedicating himself entirely to devouring dead planes. Within the Eternal Academy, people had initially spoken of Lu Changsheng's glorious feat non-stop. Defeating an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye to become a true disciple was undeniably legendary! Yet no matter how brilliant a feat, it would inevitably fade and vanish with time. Now, no one in the Eternal Academy talked about Lu Changsheng anymore. New true disciples had emerged, accomplishing their own feats. For instance, Supreme Liusheng had challenged senior true disciples right after earning the title, surging up the rankings with unstoppable momentum. He was currently the center of attention, having fought his way to eleventh place—just one rank shy of breaking into the top ten—forging what was called a new "legend" in the Eternal Academy. "With a bit more cultivation, never mind tenth place, even ninth, eighth, or the top five are within reach," Liusheng said with a smile. "The top five wouldn't be an issue, but as for ninth place... I'm afraid that might be a problem," a true disciple of the Eternal Academy remarked hesitantly. He was a veteran true disciple; while his strength was modest, he was intimately familiar with the academy's inner workings. "Hm?" "What's the problem with ninth place?" Supreme Liusheng raised an eyebrow and asked directly. If the top five were no problem, how could ninth place be? That made no sense! Moreover, ever since joining the Eternal Academy, Liusheng had never seen the master of Cave Dwelling No. 9, nor the ninth-ranked true disciple. He didn't even know who it was. Originally, Liusheng had held no interest in the occupant of Cave Dwelling No. 9. His ambition had always been the top five, the top three, or even first place. As for ninth? Liusheng couldn't care less. Yet things seemed different now. Was the master of Cave Dwelling No. 9 something special? The veteran true disciple glanced at Supreme Liusheng before speaking: "The occupant of Cave Dwelling No. 9 is named Lu Changsheng. Ever since entering the Eternal Academy, he hasn't shown his face for thousands of years." "However, this Lu Changsheng is the only true disciple in the Eternal Academy who has ever defeated an incarnation of a Sovereign! When Lu Changsheng first arrived in the Eternal Universe, he earned his place as a true disciple precisely by defeating an incarnation of Sovereign Yongye. His rank was personally decreed by Sovereign Yongye himself, and across all these years, Lu Changsheng has shown no interest in contesting for higher rankings." "Some say Lu Changsheng ranks ninth only because he disdains competing for it. If he truly contested, the others wouldn't stand a chance... even first place would likely be well within his grasp!" The moment those words fell, the cave dwelling fell dead silent, so quiet a falling needle could be heard.