Lu Changsheng Returns to the Great Universe, Striking for the Third Realm!

Buzz! The Spacetime Boat abruptly erupted with dazzling light. Innumerable mysterious runes enveloped the vessel, coalescing into an immense force that hauled it up bit by bit, forcibly "flying" out from the River of Spacetime. It successfully made it ashore! Lu Changsheng's emotions still surged. He wanted to strike for the Third Realm! However, making that attempt could not be done on impulse, much less achieved overnight. It required a long, arduous span of time. Every transition from a Second Realm mighty figure to a Third Realm Sovereign was like this. After all, striking for the Third Realm required constantly washing one's physical body, consciousness, and everything else with water from the River of Spacetime, transforming gradually from inside out. That demanded a vast amount of time. So no matter how stirred his feelings were, he had to calm down. Still, Lu Changsheng's sudden whim was no reckless impulse. It was a stroke of sudden inspiration. He realized that all his conditions were currently met to make the attempt on the Third Realm. Delaying any longer held little meaning. Even if he could devour more planes, what good would it do? Faced with a genuine Sovereign, even a volume like that of the Boundary Sea was of little use—at most, it could offer self-preservation. Even if one could fend off or defeat a Sovereign, killing them was virtually impossible. Moreover, against a top Sovereign, not even the Boundary Sea could hold out. The disparity in power levels was simply too vast. Remaining inside the Spacetime Boat, Lu Changsheng returned to the Eternal Academy and stepped outside. An avatar of Sovereign Yongye arrived before the vessel. "Supreme Changsheng, have you gained anything over this century?" "Your Majesty Yongye, this disciple has gained greatly." "Good. Calculating the time, you have less than two centuries left as a true disciple of the Eternal Academy. Whatever cultivation resources you still need, take advantage of this time to prepare them," Sovereign Yongye reminded him. Right now, Lu Changsheng was still a true disciple, which came with numerous privileges. Once he lost that status, obtaining certain cultivation resources would rely entirely on himself—time-consuming, exhausting, and without any guarantee of success. "Cultivation resources... What resources do I still need now?" Lu Changsheng shook his head. In truth, once one truly reached the point of advancing to the Third Realm, cultivation resources were practically useless. Of course, immortal substance was useful, but it held immense value even for Sovereigns—how could it possibly be handed to a Second Realm mighty figure? Even a true disciple of the Eternal Academy could not obtain immortal substance for free. Perhaps the only cultivation resource needed was water from the River of Spacetime. But that water was everywhere in the river. Furthermore, every cosmic mighty figure who had birthed immortal true intent could manipulate immortal substance to draw water from the river. That presented no difficulty at all. Lu Changsheng returned to his cave dwelling. He pondered for a time, unable to quiet his mind. He glanced once more at the Eternal Academy. Although he had stayed here for a very long time, he felt no sense of belonging. Lu Changsheng followed the calling from the depths of his heart. Clearly, he wanted to go back. Back to the Great Universe. Back to Mount Feilong. That was where his roots lay! And so, Lu Changsheng went to visit Sovereign Yongye once more. "Your Majesty Yongye, this disciple intends to return home." "You want to return? You are still a true disciple of the Eternal Academy. Even though less than two hundred years remain, cultivation within the academy is far more convenient. Once you return to the Great Universe..." "This disciple intends to return home, adjust my condition, and then attempt to strike for the Third Realm!" Lu Changsheng stated with absolute resolve. "The Third Realm..." Sovereign Yongye paused, slightly startled. In truth, from the moment Lu Changsheng birthed immortal true intent, he had been qualified to attempt the Third Realm. But being qualified was entirely different from officially attempting the breakthrough. Striking for the Third Realm was perilous in the extreme; the slightest misstep meant failure, and failure carried an exceedingly high mortality rate. Even if one miraculously survived, one would only become a half-step Sovereign, permanently severed from ever ascending to the Third Realm. "Have you truly thought this through?" Sovereign Yongye asked. "This disciple has considered it carefully. After birthing immortal true intent, the optimal window to strike for the Third Realm is within three hundred years. I am currently within that optimal window; stalling holds no purpose," Lu Changsheng explained. "Very well. As long as you have thought it through. Returning to your home universe may indeed allow you to bring your condition to its peak. Go then." Sovereign Yongye waved his hand. Lu Changsheng bowed respectfully once more and bid farewell to the Sovereign. In the Eternal Academy, the one Lu Changsheng was most familiar with was Sovereign Yongye, reminiscent of his master, Sovereign Feilong. Yet this place was not his ultimate home after all. Lu Changsheng packed his belongings and departed the Eternal Academy. Nearly ten thousand years had passed since he arrived. Although he had kept track of the Great Universe through certain channels, he actually did not know much. Even with an avatar there, separated across multiple universes and the River of Spacetime, messages could not be transmitted between them. In reality, the body Lu Changsheng possessed now was technically the avatar. But his situation was extraordinary: there was no strict division between original body and avatar. The original could become an avatar, and an avatar could become the original. The sole difference was volume. Since this body possessed the greatest volume, it naturally became the primary body. Lu Changsheng traveled with an eager heart, speeding toward the Great Universe as fast as he could. Finally, the familiar universe came into view. "Hm?" Looking toward his home universe, Lu Changsheng noticed numerous cosmic mighty figures streaming into it. A bustling, endless flow came and went, making it exceptionally lively. Ten thousand years ago, Lu Changsheng remembered the Great Universe being nowhere near this lively. It had even worried about invasions by powerhouses from alternate universes, which had forced it to join the Universe Alliance. Yet even joining the alliance could not guarantee immunity from foreign incursions. What was going on now? Why had the Great Universe become so lively? It seemed anything but low-profile. This differed completely from its previous strategy. In the past, the Great Universe had strived to keep as low a profile as possible—the lower, the better. Yet looking at it now, it was remarkably bustling. Where was any trace of keeping a low profile? Lu Changsheng was filled with confusion. Still, the Great Universe lay right before his eyes. Once he returned home and reached Mount Feilong, he would naturally learn of everything that had changed. Whoosh! The next instant, Lu Changsheng flew directly into the Great Universe. *** Great Universe, Mount Feilong. At this moment, Mount Feilong was filled with bustling crowds coming and going. Lu Changsheng stood before the mountain, his eyes narrowing slightly. His consciousness had already detected many people, but their auras were entirely unfamiliar. Furthermore, they distinctly carried the auras of alternate universes, proving they were foreign cultivators—cosmic mighty figures. How had Mount Feilong suddenly gained so many cosmic mighty figures? And according to what some of them were saying, they were all elders of Mount Feilong? Lu Changsheng had spent a long time here and had never known of any elders. Or rather, Mount Feilong simply had not had elders before. How were there now so many at the level of cosmic mighty figures? Whoosh! Lu Changsheng took a step and entered Mount Feilong. An avatar currently accompanying Lin Qingluan immediately smiled faintly. "Qingluan, the main body is back." "What? Your true body has returned?" Lin Qingluan was overjoyed. Even though his avatar had been by her side, she had constantly worried about his circumstances in the Eternal Academy. The avatar instantly led Lin Qingluan out of the cave dwelling, and sure enough, they saw Lu Changsheng's true body. Promptly, the avatar merged seamlessly back into him. There was no need to ask questions. In that moment, the memories of the avatar and the main body fused. Lu Changsheng immediately understood all the changes that had occurred in the Great Universe and Mount Feilong over these years. As it turned out, all of this was intimately connected to him. Originally, everything in the Great Universe had been normal, maintaining a low profile. Foreign cultivators visiting had been few and far between. But with the announcement of the Hundred Supremes Ranking, everything changed. On the ranking, Lu Changsheng was listed as number one. That meant he was the supreme of supremes across the boundless River of Spacetime and countless universes! The influence was astronomical. Although the ranking did not state his connection to the Great Universe, it listed him as coming from the Eternal Academy of the Universe Alliance. Within the Eternal Academy, all of Lu Changsheng's background information was readily available. Thus, many factions learned that this number-one supreme originated from the Great Universe. Subsequently, more and more major factions reached out to the Great Universe, and more and more cosmic mighty figures came to visit. When the Great Universe joined the Universe Alliance, the very first condition was to open up and permit free exchange between universes. Therefore, the Great Universe could not prevent those mighty figures from entering. Over time, many foreign cultivators arrived—even Sovereigns! As for Mount Feilong, the explanation was even simpler: many came seeking its renown. Sovereign Feilong was Lu Changsheng's master, a fact known throughout the entire Great Universe. Lu Changsheng had only advanced to the Second Realm after taking Sovereign Feilong as his master. Consequently, many believed Sovereign Feilong had nurtured such an unrivaled supreme and that Mount Feilong must possess something extraordinary. Innumerable foreign cultivators sought to join Mount Feilong and become disciples of Sovereign Feilong. How could Sovereign Feilong accept these foreign Second Realm cultivators? Yet rejecting them outright was not viable either. Thus, he simply established the position of "elder." As long as applicants met the standards and passed Mount Feilong's assessment, they could become elders, which in turn strengthened the sect. To this day, Mount Feilong—which had never pursued hegemony and thus had not been counted among the top factions—had changed completely. Relying purely on the vast number of foreign cosmic mighty figures who were all its elders, Mount Feilong had leaped into the ranks of the Great Universe's top factions. Lu Changsheng had not anticipated that Mount Feilong would passively become a top faction in the Great Universe because of him. "Changsheng, it's wonderful that you're back. Didn't you say you had to stay at the Eternal Academy for at least ten thousand years? It shouldn't be ten thousand years yet, right?" Lin Qingluan asked. "Qingluan, come with me to greet Master. I will explain everything to all of you then." Lu Changsheng did not want to explain things one by one, choosing instead to take Lin Qingluan directly to see his master, Sovereign Feilong. In truth, Sovereign Feilong was already waiting. He knew Lu Changsheng had returned and had even notified Fang Chuan, Zhao Yi, and the others—the core members of Mount Feilong. As for those elders, they were excluded; the core circle did not view them as true insiders, regarding their appointment merely as a practical necessity. "Changsheng, you're finally back." "This trip to the Eternal Academy has seen you soar straight to the heavens. Word of you being the number-one supreme on the Hundred Supremes Ranking has spread to our Great Universe. Right now, your fame exceeds that of every Sovereign here! Who would have thought an old man's disciple could become the supreme of the entire River of Spacetime?" Seeing Lu Changsheng, Sovereign Feilong smiled broadly. It was clear he was immensely satisfied with his disciple. Indeed, ever since Lu Changsheng had become his disciple, he had rarely given Sovereign Feilong cause to worry. "Master, senior brothers. This disciple has returned to adjust my condition, and then I will begin striking for the Third Realm." Lu Changsheng directly stated the purpose of his return. Silence! In an instant, the grand hall fell dead quiet. Everyone stared at Lu Changsheng in astonishment, including Sovereign Feilong. They had never been to the Eternal Academy, so they did not know that birthing immortal true intent within ten thousand years there was considered fairly standard—especially for the number-one supreme! Even Supreme Gaotian had birthed it within ten thousand years of entering the academy, so how could Lu Changsheng fail to do so? However, those at the Eternal Academy did not realize just how briefly Lu Changsheng had been cultivating in total, whereas those on Mount Feilong knew very well. Fang Chuan and Zhao Yi in particular had interacted with Lu Changsheng extensively and were acutely aware of how terrifyingly fast his cultivation progressed. Yet they had advanced to the Second Realm far earlier than Lu Changsheng, and even now, they had not found the slightest clue toward immortal true intent, let alone birthed it. As for striking for the Third Realm? They probably hadn't even dared to dream of it yet. And Lu Changsheng was already preparing to make the attempt! Sovereign Feilong's expression grew solemn, his voice deep. "Changsheng, you have birthed immortal true intent?" Lu Changsheng knew that no amount of explanation could match a practical demonstration. He released his immortal true intent. Instantly, the entire hall was blanketed in an aura of immortality. "That's right, this truly is immortal true intent!" "And why is this intent so powerful?" "Junior Brother Lu's immortal true intent... why does it feel even stronger than Master's?" Fang Chuan, Zhao Yi, and the others froze in bewilderment. They were no strangers to cosmic mighty figures who possessed immortal true intent; they had sensed it before, so they were certain of what Lu Changsheng was exuding. But for this intent to surpass that of their master was abnormal. After all, their master was a genuine Third Realm Sovereign! Yet compared to Zhao Yi and Fang Chuan, Sovereign Feilong understood far more as a Third Realm Sovereign. Feeling Lu Changsheng's immortal true intent, a smile broke across his face. "Good, it is indeed immortal true intent. In fact, your intent is extraordinarily potent. If this master is not mistaken, you have already transformed into an immortal soul, haven't you? It is even stronger than that of an ordinary Sovereign!" Lu Changsheng nodded. "Master is correct. This disciple's immortal soul is indeed slightly stronger than that of an average Sovereign." He then explained the matter of the Eternal Academy's supreme treasure, the Spacetime Boat. Sovereign Feilong could not help but exclaim in wonder, "The Eternal Academy is truly worthy of being a core faction of the Universe Alliance. Its foundation is extraordinary indeed to possess such a treasure capable of traveling the River of Spacetime. Such a treasure ranks among the pinnacle across the boundless river, something our Great Universe does not have. It seems sending you there was indeed the right choice..." Sovereign Feilong knew very well that having resources versus lacking them was a world of difference. Lu Changsheng's striving for the quota to the Eternal Academy back then had been entirely correct. In a mere ten thousand years, he had already birthed immortal true intent. With such formidable intent—exceeding that of an ordinary Sovereign—his chances of advancing to the Third Realm were significantly heightened. Nevertheless, no one could guarantee success; there were simply too many uncontrollable factors. "Changsheng, you may rest assured about breaking through here at Mount Feilong. This master will protect you throughout the process. However, to advance to the Third Realm, you will need to prepare water from the River of Spacetime..." Sovereign Feilong carefully detailed the matters requiring attention when advancing to the Third Realm. Having a Sovereign as a master brought many advantages, at least providing firsthand experience of the breakthrough. Of course, every cosmic mighty figure's breakthrough experience differed, but hearing more could only help. Lu Changsheng committed each piece of advice to memory. As for water from the River of Spacetime, he could retrieve it himself. Leaving the hall, he went directly to the River of Spacetime. The river remained tranquil. With a thought, a piece of immortal substance flew out. It was what he had accumulated, showing traces of having been refined, and was more than sufficient to hold the river water. Only immortal substance could contain the water of the River of Spacetime. Splash... Lu Changsheng filled the immortal substance. This quantity of water was exceedingly ample. Even if it proved insufficient, he could always have his master fetch more; a shortage of river water would certainly not hinder his breakthrough. Returning from the River of Spacetime, he found Sovereign Feilong and Lin Qingluan sitting cross-legged inside his cave dwelling. Everyone else had departed, as breaking through to the Third Realm required quiet. "Changsheng, aren't you going to recall your avatar?" Sovereign Feilong suddenly asked. The avatar was Lu Changsheng's greatest reliance—or rather, the greatest difference between him and others. His avatar still remained beside the Boundary Sea of the Great Universe. In truth, it could also be called the original body. There was no essential distinction between the two; both were Lu Changsheng, differing only in volume. "Master, advancing to the Third Realm relies primarily on using the river water to wash the physical body, consciousness, and power, making them immortal as well so they can bear an immortal soul and achieve the breakthrough. My current body is already massive enough to withstand the scouring of the river water, so there is no need to recall the avatar. If the advancement fails and this body collapses, my avatar will still exist, meaning theoretically, I can rise again from scratch." A glint of sharp light flickered in Lu Changsheng's eyes. Indeed, this was his foundation and trump card—his contingency plan. Why couldn't other cosmic mighty figures do this? Because for them, their physical body or their Great Dao was their absolute foundation. If their body or Dao could not endure the scouring of the River of Spacetime, it would collapse, rendering them unable to bear their immortal soul, which would then plunge into the river and sink into oblivion forever. For them, reconstructing their body and Dao to the point of striking for the Third Realm again was virtually impossible. Lu Changsheng was different. Even if his attempt failed and his True Realm Plane collapsed, how had it grown to its present state in the first place? Merely by devouring dead planes. If necessary, his avatar by the Boundary Sea could simply devour vast quantities of dead planes once more, expanding its volume tens of thousands or even a hundred thousand times over, granting him a second opportunity to strike for the Third Realm. Theoretically, relying on the unique nature of his True Realm Plane, he could strike for the Third Realm again and again until he succeeded! This was Lu Changsheng's greatest confidence. Sovereign Feilong also understood the uniqueness of the True Realm Plane. Reflecting on it, he felt immense shock and awe. This meant theoretically infinite chances to strike for the Third Realm! Why hadn't he realized before that the Dimension Ascension Method possessed such utility? "Changsheng, your Dimension Ascension Method is truly marvelous. If cultivators from alternate universes knew of this, I fear... No, there is no need to fear; they already know, as it was spread long ago. Yet aside from you, not a single person has managed to cultivate it successfully..." Sovereign Feilong felt conflicted. Such an astonishing technique offered multiple attempts at the Third Realm, if not infinite, yet no one else could master it. It seemed tailor-made for Lu Changsheng alone. Perhaps somewhere in the vast cosmos someone might succeed in practicing it, but they would be exceedingly rare—scarcely a handful. That at least reassured Sovereign Feilong, as it meant the Dimension Ascension Method would not proliferate uncontrollably. "I understand. Once I advance to the Third Realm, I will consider retrieving the Dimension Ascension Method," Lu Changsheng said, recognizing its extraordinary nature. In any case, he no longer needed to rely on the method to gather providence. Once he became a Third Realm Sovereign, retrieving it would be effortless. "Very well. Go into seclusion." "Yes, Master." Lu Changsheng returned to his secret chamber. He spent several months adjusting his state of mind until it reached peak condition. Then, he produced the immortal substance filled with water from the River of Spacetime. Under normal circumstances, cosmic mighty figures dared not even touch this water. But now, he had to make direct contact with it, using it to wash over his body. "Begin." Lu Changsheng poured out a mass of river water. His current body was the True Realm Plane itself. Therefore, that mass of water from the River of Spacetime appeared directly within the True Realm Plane. Rumble! From that single small mass of river water, Lu Changsheng's True Realm Plane instantly shook violently.