Re-entering the River of Spacetime, Encountering Another "Lu Changsheng," Two Immortal Souls Merge!

"What?" "Sovereign Changsheng, what is he trying to do? Does he think he can single-handedly stop a Devourer on par with a peak Sovereign?" "He has only just broken through to the Third Realm! Charging in right now will leave him gravely injured even if he survives. How could an ordinary Sovereign possibly contend with a peak Devourer?" In an instant, many Sovereigns went pale with fright. The realm of peak Sovereign was exceedingly unusual. Nearly every one of them had spent an immense amount of time slowly accumulating immortal substance, painstakingly attempting time and again to fuse it into themselves. It demanded endless time and countless trials before one could refine immortal substance into the flesh, achieve complete integration, and experience the explosive surge in combat power that made a peak Sovereign. Consequently, every peak Sovereign was ancient beyond measure, without exception. For a very young Sovereign, reaching that peak was utterly out of the question. Yet Lu Changsheng seemed not to hear any of their warnings. He remained standing at the bank of the River of Spacetime, staring straight at that peak Devourer. Alone, he barred the peak Devourer's path. *Boom!* The next instant, the peak Devourer struck. It slammed forth a colossal palm. The palm radiated an "immortal" aura. Clearly, this creature truly rivaled a peak Sovereign; the moment it lashed out, the strike was virtually identical to an onslaught of vast immortal substance. A single blow like this would likely suffice to obliterate the flesh of any ordinary Sovereign. The chasm between an ordinary Sovereign and a peak Sovereign was sometimes just that immense. Yet Lu Changsheng appeared remarkably calm. Above his head manifested a colossal universe. The True Realm Universe! Immediately after, the power of creation and destruction from the True Realm Universe surged forth in a grand convergence, taking the shape of a massive palm that slammed back toward the peak Devourer. Neither side used any tricks. It was pure, brute force. *Rumble!* In the blink of an eye, the two palms collided. A clash without artifice—only the stronger power could claim supremacy. In the eyes of the gathered Sovereigns, the peak Devourer should have crushed Lu Changsheng's palm with overwhelming force. Yet that did not happen. Instead, it was Lu Changsheng's palm that shattered the peak Devourer's strike in one blow. "What?" "Sovereign Changsheng smashed the peak Devourer's attack?" "How is that possible? A peak Devourer rivals a peak Sovereign, and every blow carries the weight of boundless immortal substance! Yet Sovereign Changsheng relied solely on the power of his internal world, without drawing upon a shred of immortal substance!" "Could it be that Supreme Changsheng has also become a peak Sovereign?" "No, he is not a peak Sovereign. When Sovereign Changsheng struck, there was no aura of immortal substance... He cannot have fused with any. Supreme Changsheng met a peak Devourer head-on relying entirely on his own strength!" A tempest raged in everyone's hearts. Meeting a peak Devourer head-on with nothing but his own innate power? Had they not witnessed it with their own eyes, nothing would have convinced them. Yet it was reality. Lu Changsheng had indeed halted the peak Devourer using only his own strength. Moreover, there was not the slightest trace of immortal substance. This left the other Sovereigns dumbfounded. It practically overturned everything they knew. A Sovereign's own power was certainly immense, but it should never have been able to withstand a strike backed by immortal substance. How had Lu Changsheng done it? In truth, Lu Changsheng was not surprised by the outcome. He knew that elevating the True Realm from a plane into a universe would inevitably trigger a qualitative metamorphosis. Of course, even with that metamorphosis, his True Realm Universe was not truly on par with immortal substance. In reality, it still fell short. In terms of pure energetic quality, Lu Changsheng was still inferior to a peak Sovereign. However, his scale was colossal. He had bridged the gap in "quality" through sheer volume. The peak Devourer appeared enraged. It unleashed a frenzied barrage of attacks. Lu Changsheng gave no quarter, fully manifesting the True Realm Universe. Vast, boundless might crashed down in fury. The two sides traded raw, crushing blows, and once again, Lu Changsheng held the upper hand. He blocked the peak Devourer with unrelenting resolve, refusing to let it take another step toward the Eternal Universe. At last, the peak Devourer fell back. It abandoned its advance, retreating deep into the River of Spacetime. Lu Changsheng did not pursue. The opponent was within the River of Spacetime, where Lu Changsheng would be at a disadvantage. There was another crucial factor. Though he could match a peak Sovereign right now, actually slaying one was an entirely different matter. His scale was not yet sufficient to kill a peak Sovereign. Still, this clash had proven that the True Realm Universe's sheer volume could bridge the gap of immortal substance. Moreover, his True Realm Universe could expand almost without limit. As long as his immortal soul could bear it, his True Realm Universe would grow ever stronger. When the time came, slaying a peak Sovereign would no longer be out of reach. Sovereign Qianheng finally drove back the other peak Devourer as well. He and Lu Changsheng exchanged a glance. "Sovereign Changsheng, this old man knows of you. You have only just advanced to Sovereign, yet you already possess the might of a peak Sovereign. Truly incredible..." Sovereign Qianheng could naturally tell that Lu Changsheng was not a peak Sovereign in the conventional sense, as Lu Changsheng had not integrated any immortal substance. Sovereign Qianheng was ancient beyond measure. He had founded the Eternal Academy with his own hands. He was even one of the founders of the Universe Alliance. With an unfathomably profound foundation and endless years behind him, Sovereign Qianheng had seen practically everything there was to see under the heavens. Thus, he was not overly shaken. "Very well, let us all return. With these two Devourers repelled, the Eternal Universe is safe for the moment," Sovereign Qianheng announced. "Yes, Your Majesty Sovereign Qianheng!" With that, the crowd retreated one after another, making their way back to the Eternal Academy. "Sovereign Changsheng, come with me for a moment." Lu Changsheng nodded. He, too, had questions he wished to ask Sovereign Qianheng. After all, this was one of the most ancient Sovereigns alive. The two arrived at Sovereign Qianheng's cave dwelling and sat opposite each other. "Sovereign Changsheng, in all these years, this old man has never seen someone as brilliant and stunning as you," Sovereign Qianheng remarked with emotion. "Sovereign Qianheng, I would like to borrow the Spacetime Boat. May I?" Lu Changsheng asked directly. The Spacetime Boat had been forged through Sovereign Qianheng's immense efforts. Naturally, the decision rested entirely with him. "Of course." "In truth, this old man forged the Spacetime Boat as a treasure to absorb souls across various dimensions, thereby strengthening my immortal soul. I presume your purpose is the same?" Sovereign Qianheng asked with a faint smile. "Hmm?" "You cultivate in this manner as well, Sovereign Qianheng?" Lu Changsheng was slightly surprised. This was the first time he had met someone who, like him, relied on absorbing souls across different dimensions or timelines to bolster their immortal soul. "Hahaha! This method of cultivation was passed down by our generation in the first place. What is there to find strange?" "However, absorbing souls from other dimensions places exceedingly high demands on one's comprehension. Many ordinary Sovereigns cannot even sense souls in other dimensions, let alone absorb them." "Only those endowed with extraordinary talent and peerless comprehension can perceive souls in other dimensions and absorb them to strengthen themselves." Lu Changsheng nodded. That was indeed the case. Yet his curiosity only deepened. "Since you have long known of this path, Sovereign Qianheng, you must have absorbed the immortal souls of other dimensions. Why, then, have you still been unable to attain the Fourth Realm, Eternity?" Lu Changsheng was genuinely perplexed. According to his previous deductions, once all souls across timelines and dimensions were absorbed, one should have a chance to advance to the Fourth Realm. Now, it seemed matters were not quite so simple. "The Fourth Realm... Countless Sovereigns pursue it, yet to this day, none of us have ever witnessed anyone reach it." "Merely absorbing souls across timelines is far from enough." "The essence of the Fourth Realm lies in roaming the River of Spacetime through one's own power. That means breaking free of its shackles, leaping outside the River of Spacetime, and achieving true Eternity!" "Even if our souls become powerful enough, if we cannot leap out of the River of Spacetime, achieving Eternity remains impossible," Sovereign Qianheng said gravely. "Leaping out of the River of Spacetime... That means it is not enough for the soul alone to be strong; the physical body must also become powerful enough to break free from the river's shackles?" "Correct." "Immortal substance can break free of the River of Spacetime's shackles. If the entire body is transformed into immortal substance, can one break free?" "In theory, yes. So now you should understand why peak Sovereigns ceaselessly fuse and refine immortal substance—they seek to turn their very flesh into immortal substance..." Lu Changsheng understood. In that moment, realization dawned upon him. Regarding the Fourth Realm and Eternity, he at least understood the direction now. The soul had to be powerful. The body had to be powerful as well. Neither could be lacking. Thus, two paths of cultivation lay before him: one of the soul, and one of the body. Lu Changsheng's first thought naturally went to the soul. With the Spacetime Boat in hand, he wanted to absorb souls from other timelines and dimensions as quickly as possible. "Sovereign Qianheng, I would like to borrow the Spacetime Boat to absorb souls." "No problem. With your current combat strength rivaling a peak Sovereign, borrowing it is only natural. However, this old man must ask: without having fused immortal substance into your body, how do you possess might on par with a peak Sovereign?" Sovereign Qianheng was intensely curious. He could tell Lu Changsheng was no ordinary peak Sovereign. That only made him wonder all the more: without integrating immortal substance, how could his combat power reach such heights? Lu Changsheng pondered for a moment, then directly produced the Dimension Ascension Method. "I created this 'Dimension Ascension Method' myself. One look and you will understand, Sovereign Qianheng." Lu Changsheng handed over the manual and then took his leave. With a mix of doubt and curiosity, Sovereign Qianheng examined the Dimension Ascension Method. His eyes instantly narrowed. "Such a technique... infinite expansion?" As a realization struck him, Sovereign Qianheng's heart jolted. Infinite expansion! This was the Realm Lord system. The world was the body. If it could expand endlessly, then as long as the soul could sustain it, Lu Changsheng's physical body could swell to an unimaginable scale. When that time came, wouldn't there be a slim chance to break free from the River of Spacetime's shackles? For a moment, Sovereign Qianheng felt a surge of excitement. However, he did not know that Lu Changsheng had long since spread the Dimension Ascension Method throughout the Great Universe. Alas, to this day, not a single person had successfully cultivated it. Lu Changsheng returned to the bank of the River of Spacetime. He gazed upon the tranquil river before him. *Whoosh!* The next instant, Lu Changsheng slipped into the Spacetime Boat. Steering the vessel, he glided into the waters of the River of Spacetime. Once inside, Lu Changsheng drifted along with the current. Although it was easier to sense souls from other dimensions within the River of Spacetime, whether one could actually locate them was largely a matter of luck. After all, there was only one River of Spacetime. Perception depended primarily on distance. The closer the distance, the easier it was to sense them. More importantly, Lu Changsheng had already located many dimensional positions during his previous journey. As a result, this voyage did not proceed as smoothly. A great deal of time passed. At long last, Lu Changsheng sensed his first soul. Without hesitation, he began to analyze it. Once the analysis succeeded, Lu Changsheng began to "absorb" the soul. This soul was relatively powerful, having already attained the level of Transcendent. Yet it was only a First Realm Transcendent, falling short even of the Second Realm. Known as "Ancestor Lu," he was promptly absorbed by Lu Changsheng. The resulting change was an increase of one percent in Lu Changsheng's immortal soul. Yes, merely one percent. Far below his expectations. Even so, time held no meaning for Lu Changsheng now. He could simply continue steering the Spacetime Boat downriver. No one knew how much time slipped by. Once there was a first soul, a second and third followed... Lu Changsheng absorbed one soul after another. His immortal soul progress steadily climbed, rising from thirty-five percent to over fifty percent, and it continued to ascend. Crucially, as his immortal soul grew, his True Realm Universe also steadily expanded. He was in the River of Spacetime, where the water was inexhaustible. As long as his soul's strength increased, his True Realm Universe would keep pace with that strength, expanding at tremendous speed. Every one percent gain in his immortal soul represented a colossal leap forward for the True Realm Universe. By the time his immortal soul reached fifty percent, the True Realm Universe had grown by an untold factor. Lu Changsheng did not know exactly how terrifying his combat power had become. He only knew that if he manifested his True Realm Universe now, the peak Devourer from before would be crushed into dust on the spot. An instant kill! Yes, an instant kill against a peak Sovereign! Lu Changsheng possessed that exact confidence. Moreover, his True Realm Universe continued to expand. His strength seemed to have no visible ceiling. As time rolled onward, however, the souls Lu Changsheng could devour grew increasingly scarce. He had already absorbed so many souls one by one that finding another had become exceedingly difficult. After drifting for an unknown age, Lu Changsheng's eyes suddenly lit up. He spotted a colossal figure in the distance. "A Devourer?" He had encountered another Devourer. Yet this creature gave him a faint sense of familiarity. As he drew closer and caught sight of the figure, Lu Changsheng's entire body jolted. "You..." Lu Changsheng stared fixedly at the figure. The figure looked identical to him. Even more miraculously, their souls seemed to originate from the exact same source. Lu Changsheng had seen this person before. Long ago, he had seemingly "witnessed" the soul of another dimension leap down into the River of Spacetime. Back then, that figure had likely already become a Sovereign. Looking at him now, he had already been a peak Sovereign back then—someone who had reached the end of his path and had nowhere left to advance, which was why he had leaped into the river. To think they would cross paths again, and right here within the River of Spacetime! "It's you... a soul from another dimension. You must also be named Lu Changsheng, correct?" the other spoke suddenly. "Yes. I am Lu Changsheng. You and I are the same," Lu Changsheng replied calmly. "No, in truth, we are not the same." "Even if our souls share a single source, you are you, and I am I." "A single divergence in the timeline branches into countless timelines, giving birth to countless souls. We are merely two accidental occurrences among them." "Judging by your demeanor, you appear to be pursuing Eternity as well." Lu Changsheng's pupils contracted. "Pursuing Eternity? Have you seen Eternity?" He had never expected to glean information about "Eternity" from another version of himself. "Eternity... Perhaps. I do not know if what I encountered was truly Eternity, but in my universe, there was an ancient stone stele crafted entirely from immortal substance that has been passed down through the ages." With a wave of his hand, the Lu Changsheng of the alternate universe summoned a massive stone stele. It was indeed crafted from immortal substance. What was more, it bore clear traces of artificial refinement. Immortal substance was notoriously difficult to damage, to say nothing of reshaping it. To find a stele wholly carved by hand was extraordinary. "This stele is called the Boundary Suppressing Stele. It can suppress a world, suppress a universe. After I obtained it, I discovered its power extends far beyond that—it can even suppress a section of the River of Spacetime. Just like now." As the other Lu Changsheng channeled the Boundary Suppressing Stele, the surrounding waters of the River of Spacetime ground to a halt. They ceased to flow. Even Lu Changsheng's Spacetime Boat halted its drift. Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes. This Boundary Suppressing Stele was truly extraordinary to be capable of pinning down the waters of the River of Spacetime. "Wait, there is writing on it." Lu Changsheng's expression tightened in surprise. He actually recognized the script. "Spacetime Traveler Chen?" "The master of the Boundary Suppressing Stele?" Lu Changsheng murmured under his breath. "Yes. It is said this Boundary Suppressing Stele was left behind by Spacetime Traveler Chen. Yet not a single word remains regarding who he actually was." "Some say Spacetime Traveler Chen was a great existence of the Eternal Realm. Others say he was an existence who had reached the absolute pinnacle of the Third Realm." "Regardless of which claim is true, this Spacetime Traveler Chen was undoubtedly extraordinary." "It was precisely because of this stele that I willingly leaped into the River of Spacetime. With it, I can weather any accident or danger within these waters." "Alas, after all these years, I have still failed to find a way to break free from the river's shackles." "Yet heaven never seals every path. I have encountered you... Across the boundless reaches of spacetime, you and I are likely the two 'kindred' who have absorbed the most souls. The River of Spacetime delivered you before me to lend me a hand in taking that crucial step." "Once I devour you, my immortal soul will attain perfection..." After saying all this, his true intent became plain: he believed he had Lu Changsheng entirely at his mercy. To him, this was a "gift" bestowed by the River of Spacetime. Lu Changsheng felt no panic. In fact, he remained exceptionally calm. Whether this was coincidence or not, he could not say. Yet it truly was an opportunity. An opportunity for both of them. Lu Changsheng, too, had been unable to sense any other souls for a very long time. His soul was remarkably powerful now, but it was still far from complete. Perhaps the reason it remained incomplete lay with this visitor from an alternate universe. The other had likewise devoured vast numbers of souls. Now that they had crossed paths, whoever proved superior and devoured the other's soul might very well attain perfection. *Boom!* The other Lu Changsheng struck. The colossal Boundary Suppressing Stele cast out ripple after ripple, pinning down both the Spacetime Boat and Lu Changsheng himself. Yet Lu Changsheng was unperturbed. Even if he stood completely still, killing him would be virtually impossible. He possessed absolute confidence. To kill him, one had to shatter his True Realm Universe. After all, Lu Changsheng was now the True Realm Universe itself. The two were indivisible. *Buzz!* Lu Changsheng could not move, but he was the True Realm Universe. As the opponent's might hammered against him, the True Realm Universe manifested on its own. *Boom! Boom! Boom!* Blow after blow caused the True Realm Universe to tremble violently. Countless worlds and planes within collapsed into ruin. Yet that was all. Lu Changsheng's universe was profoundly complete. Such damage was trivial. Having continuously expanded within the River of Spacetime, his universe had swelled to an unimaginable degree. Even Lu Changsheng himself felt that killing him would be an immense challenge. What did a barrage backed by endless immortal substance matter? Whatever it destroyed within his True Realm Universe amounted to nothing more than a single hair from nine oxen—scarcely worth mentioning. And that was indeed the truth. This being from the alternate universe was undeniably formidable. He had long been a peak Sovereign, and he wielded a supreme treasure like the Boundary Suppressing Stele that could immobilize Lu Changsheng in an instant. Yet though Lu Changsheng allowed him to strike at will, the man could do nothing to harm him. "Is that all?" "It seems the River of Spacetime brought you before me, not me before you..." Lu Changsheng chuckled. Just moments ago, his True Realm Universe had been creeping outward, slowly expanding. At last, it reached the Boundary Suppressing Stele. Even under suppression, the True Realm Universe could still expand at a slow pace. Seizing this exact moment, the True Realm Universe swept violently outward. The Boundary Suppressing Stele was sucked straight into the depths of the True Realm Universe. Deprived of the stele, Lu Changsheng regained his freedom of movement. His terrifying True Realm Universe rolled forward with overwhelming grandeur, crashing toward his opponent. "It seems you were right. The River of Spacetime brought me before you." "Still, you and I were one from the beginning, born of the same origin. What harm is there in fulfilling your path?" The alternate Lu Changsheng smiled. In an instant, his immortal soul soared toward Lu Changsheng. This was the first time Lu Changsheng had encountered another "immortal soul." It was the first time he had ever "absorbed" one. *Boom!* The immortal soul plunged straight into Lu Changsheng's body. Instantly, Lu Changsheng's immortal soul shuddered violently. In that moment, the two immortal souls felt no repulsion whatsoever. As naturally as water flowing into a stream, they intertwined and fused into one!