Soul Transformation, Birth of the True Self, My Dao Is Attained!

Silence! The entire Eternal Academy fell dead silent. Watching the three peak Sovereigns arrive with aggressive momentum, the faces of many Sovereigns below changed drastically. They were going to fight. And they were making threats out in the open—threatening the Eternal Universe itself. If battle truly broke out, even Sovereigns like them would be in danger. This was a clash of five peak Sovereigns. It had been an immensely long time since a battle involving five peak Sovereigns had occurred. Sovereign Qianheng looked grim. Two against three put them at a disadvantage. The other party had clearly banked on this, which was why the three peak Sovereigns had arrived together. "Sovereign Qianheng, let me handle this. We had an agreement before: troubles like this would be for me to deal with." Suddenly, Lu Changsheng spoke up. His voice was calm, and his gaze fell upon the three peak Sovereigns. Evidently, he knew that he was facing three peak Sovereigns this time. Sovereign Qianheng weighed the matter for a moment, then nodded. He knew Lu Changsheng's immortal soul was stronger than his. Perhaps Lu Changsheng was also stronger in overall power. However, against three peak Sovereigns, Sovereign Qianheng did not believe Lu Changsheng stood much of a chance. Still, things had come to this pass; he might as well let Lu Changsheng try first. At worst, he could step in at the end. Two against three was not entirely hopeless. Besides, there were more than just the five of them in the Eternal Academy right now. Other peak Sovereigns had arrived at the Eternal Academy early on. Although they had no ties to the Eternal Academy, Sovereign Qianheng could use this time to invite those peak Sovereigns to intervene. When the time came, the threat posed by the three peak Sovereigns would naturally be neutralized. Lu Changsheng took a step forward, clearly intending to confront the three peak Sovereigns alone. Everyone's eyes converged on Lu Changsheng. Moreover, the three peak Sovereigns did not underestimate Lu Changsheng in the slightest. After all, rumors held that Lu Changsheng had obtained a heritage of the Eternal Realm. Even though they thought it was impossible—where could an Eternal Realm heritage even come from?—Lu Changsheng's rise had been too fast, defying all reason. What if it truly were an Eternal Realm heritage? Thus, the three peak Sovereigns treated Lu Changsheng with utter seriousness. "Kill!" The three peak Sovereigns struck first, and all three went all out. With a single blast, the entire Eternal Universe shook. The three peak Sovereigns attacked Lu Changsheng from three directions, giving him no chance to evade. These were peak Sovereigns! Their attacks felt like strikes of boundless immortal substance, filling many ordinary Sovereigns with dread. Attacks like these could severely wound or even kill them in a single strike. Such was the power of peak Sovereigns! Lu Changsheng sensed the eruption of three terrifying forces. In the past, he might truly have found them difficult to handle. Now, however, through the relentless "acceleration" fueled by the waters of the River of Spacetime, his True Realm Universe had expanded continuously, growing to the very limit of what his immortal soul could currently sustain. Because of that, just how formidable Lu Changsheng's True Realm Universe was now, even he did not know. *Boom!* The True Realm Universe manifested. And it was only a fraction of it. Yet even that fraction radiated horrifying pressure. Countless onlookers looked up. It was as though the sky had instantly turned pitch-black. In truth, it was quite simple. When Lu Changsheng manifested his True Realm Universe, in an instant, he swept the entire Eternal Universe into it. To the current True Realm Universe, a mere Eternal Universe was nothing at all. And so, in a flash, almost everyone was swept into the True Realm Universe by Lu Changsheng. One had to realize that right now, there were numerous Sovereigns within the Eternal Universe, including no small number of peak Sovereigns. In fact, the number of peak Sovereigns present far exceeded five. "Suppress!" Lu Changsheng uttered a low cry. Immediately, a wave of pure power of creation and destruction—free of any immortal substance, nothing but sheer power of creation and destruction—descended upon the three peak Sovereigns. That vastness. That weight. It felt as though tens of thousands of universes were bearing down on them. Even as peak Sovereigns, they could not endure it at this moment. As for their attacks? Perhaps their attacks were indeed formidable, even piercing countless worlds within Lu Changsheng's True Realm Universe. Yet what did that matter? To the True Realm Universe, it was a mere drop in the ocean. Everyone looked at the True Realm Universe in profound shock. It was unimaginable that such a majestic universe could exist. How was this still just a universe? This was simply a super universe! No words could capture the majesty of the True Realm Universe! "How could such an immense universe exist? Even if tens of thousands of universes were combined, they wouldn't begin to compare to this True Realm Universe before us." "Sovereign Changsheng's attack contains no immortal substance whatsoever; it is pure universal power. But when such a gargantuan super universe presses down, even as raw force, who could possibly block it?" "I never imagined that when sheer scale reaches such a terrifying level, it could unleash such tremendous combat strength. Could this truly be an Eternal Realm heritage?" "It boggles the mind... In this True Realm Universe, three peak Sovereigns look like tiny insects beneath the starry sky..." Many Sovereigns were deeply shaken, yet a faint bitterness rose in their hearts. Once, Sovereigns stood atop the universe, atop the River of Spacetime, looking down upon all living beings. Apart from the elusive and illusory Eternal experts, Sovereigns were the strongest. Peak Sovereigns in particular could run rampant across the River of Spacetime and traverse countless universes at will. Even if they fell into the River of Spacetime and became Devourers, they were the nightmare of countless universes. Yet from the moment Lu Changsheng appeared, all of that changed. Sovereigns? Peak Sovereigns? Before Sovereign Changsheng, they were not even worth mentioning. They were on entirely different levels, different orders of magnitude. Before such a majestic True Realm Universe, numbers meant nothing for peak Sovereigns. Not to mention three, even thirty or three hundred peak Sovereigns could be easily suppressed by Supreme Changsheng. Even killed in an instant. *Bang!* A soft pop echoed. Before the three peak Sovereigns could even recover from their shock, their bodies were instantly crushed to dust by the power of the True Realm Universe. There was not the slightest resistance. A complete and total instant kill. To Lu Changsheng at this moment, killing three Sovereigns was like a giant stepping on three ants. This was not an exaggeration in the slightest. *So I've already become this powerful...* Even Lu Changsheng himself felt astounded. He had only known that his True Realm Universe was continuously expanding. Under the "acceleration" of the River of Spacetime's waters, it had expanded to the absolute limit his immortal soul could support. He only knew he was strong. As to just how strong he was, Lu Changsheng had had no intuitive gauge. Now, he knew. Not only did Lu Changsheng know, but the other Sovereigns also realized just how formidable he was at this moment—formidable beyond their wildest imaginations. They even wondered whether Lu Changsheng had already attained Eternity. Otherwise, how could such a powerful Sovereign possibly exist? It defied all reason. Everyone was a Sovereign; being several times or even ten times stronger would be normal. Even pushing it further, being a hundred times stronger could still be accepted. But tens of millions of times stronger... That was definitely not the same level anymore. That was the state Lu Changsheng was currently in. He had offhandedly instant-killed three peak Sovereigns. Even their integration of immortal substance had been useless. He was truly tens of millions of times stronger than a peak Sovereign. "Sovereign Changsheng, have you... attained Eternity?" Someone suddenly asked aloud. The entire void grew so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Lu Changsheng shook his head. "I am still a Sovereign. Eternity... is still far off. Spreading word across the universes this time was in fact to show you all the direction toward Eternity. Unfortunately, some chose not to follow the rules, so I had no choice but to mete out a little punishment." Lu Changsheng's words shook everyone to the core. At the same time, wild joy welled up within them. The direction toward Eternity! If they had harbored doubts before, they now believed him completely. Lu Changsheng truly knew the path to Eternity. Otherwise, how could he be this powerful? Peak Sovereigns who stood at the summit of the River of Spacetime had been snuffed out by Lu Changsheng with a casual wave. Easier than crushing three ants. "Very well. The one-thousand-year term has not yet arrived. When the time comes, I shall display the Eternal Realm treasure." With that, Lu Changsheng withdrew his True Realm Universe. A bright light returned to everyone's vision. It was as though the Eternal Universe had returned. Yet Lu Changsheng was nowhere to be seen, having evidently returned to his secret chamber. Many Sovereigns exchanged glances. Reflecting on what had just happened, a chilling terror crept into their minds. Sovereign Yongye hesitated before speaking: "Sovereign Qianheng, were we just swept into Supreme Changsheng's True Realm Universe? Along with the entire Eternal Universe?" Sovereign Qianheng gave Sovereign Yongye a deep look and nodded. "Indeed. The entire Eternal Universe was just swept into Sovereign Changsheng's True Realm Universe. What we saw was merely the tip of the iceberg. The whole True Realm Universe is far beyond our imagination... Sovereign Changsheng has walked very, very far along the path of a Sovereign, reaching a height we cannot begin to fathom..." Sovereign Yongye fell silent. The other Sovereigns who overheard also fell silent. In fact, there was one more thought Sovereign Qianheng had kept to himself: if any Sovereign had the greatest chance of advancing to the Fourth Realm and achieving Eternity, it was likely Lu Changsheng alone. As time passed, the news of Lu Changsheng instantly slaying three peak Sovereigns spread like wildfire across countless universes. This left many Sovereigns incredulous. Even peak Sovereigns arrived at the Eternal Universe one after another to seek confirmation. In the end, every single Sovereign felt a chill in their heart. Especially certain peak Sovereigns. They, too, had harbored designs. Yet after seeing the fate of the three peak Sovereigns—Sovereign Moye, Sovereign Huanyu, and Sovereign Dongcha—all other designs vanished from their minds. Seizing the Eternal Realm treasure from Lu Changsheng's hands? Better not even dream of it. Otherwise, they would meet the same end as Moye, Huanyu, and Dongcha. It was best to wait obediently for the thousand-year deadline to arrive. When that time came, everything they wished to know would be made public. Days passed one after another. Lu Changsheng remained in his secret chamber. After he instantly killed the three peak Sovereigns, the fortune converging upon him spiked dramatically. Lu Changsheng was all too familiar with such a surge in fortune; he knew the process like the back of his hand. However, the closer he got to the end, the harder his immortal soul was to advance. 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%... His immortal soul's progress reached 99%. The influx of fortune dwindled significantly. At 99%, the immortal soul stubbornly refused to take that final step. Still, Lu Changsheng could feel that fortune was still flowing steadily toward him, nourishing his immortal soul. His immortal soul was still improving, it was just rather slow. Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. "Just a little more..." Lu Changsheng's immortal soul was just a sliver away. He still needed time. However, the one-thousand-year mark had arrived. He had to step out. This "Dao sermon" was in fact another opportunity for fortune to surge. Perhaps all he lacked was this final wave of fortune. Therefore, Lu Changsheng attached great importance to this sermon. And so, Lu Changsheng rose and departed his cave dwelling. ... Within the Eternal Academy, seas of people gathered. Moreover, these vast crowds were no ordinary crowd—practically all of them were Sovereigns. Though one could not say that the Sovereigns of every universe had arrived, a massive number of Sovereigns had indeed gathered at the Eternal Academy. Only at this moment could the Eternal Academy truly be described as a place where "Sovereigns walked everywhere." In the Eternal Academy, bumping into anyone at random meant they were most likely a Sovereign. With so many Sovereigns, peak Sovereigns were not few either. Among them was even Sovereign Shenyan, a peak Sovereign of renowned fame. "Sovereign Shenyan, I didn't expect you to come as well." "Such a monumental event, how could I not attend? After all, it concerns the Eternal Realm..." "Speaking of which, Sovereign Changsheng was personally ranked as the First Supreme on two editions of the Hundred Supremes Ranking by Sovereign Shenyan. You two could be said to share a karmic bond." "When I ranked the Hundred Supremes Ranking back then, it was strictly official business. Sovereign Changsheng was the First Supreme at the time, and none could contest it. Yet I never imagined that in such a short span, Sovereign Changsheng would grow to become the foremost Sovereign, hailed as the being closest to Eternity. It truly leaves one sighing in wonder." Those speaking were Sovereign Shenyan and several other peak Sovereigns. Sovereign Shenyan enjoyed immense fame across the vast River of Spacetime, primarily due to the Hundred Supremes Ranking. He was also an exceptionally ancient peak Sovereign. "By the way, the thousand-year term should be up, shouldn't it?" Sovereign Shenyan suddenly asked. "It seems it has..." Not only was Sovereign Shenyan counting the thousand-year term, but many other Sovereigns were also tracking the time. Today happened to be the exact thousand-year mark. They were all eagerly anticipating Lu Changsheng's appearance. Yet no one dared to urge him. After the incident with the three peak Sovereigns—Moye, Huanyu, and Dongcha—Lu Changsheng was now recognized as the number one Sovereign, far surpassing any other. Who would dare step out of line? *Whoosh.* The Sovereigns did not have to wait long. Lu Changsheng had already appeared in the void. And with a sweep of his True Realm Universe, the entire Eternal Universe was enveloped within it. Sovereign Shenyan's heart jolted. He had only arrived at the Eternal Academy recently and had not experienced the previous incident. Thus, this was his first time being swept into the True Realm Universe by Lu Changsheng. As a peak Sovereign, Sovereign Shenyan quickly sensed the anomaly. Still, Sovereign Shenyan had heard of Lu Changsheng's True Realm Universe—boundlessly vast and unimaginably majestic, sweeping up even peak Sovereigns without giving them any ability to resist. This was ample proof of the staggering, unthinkable gap between peak Sovereigns and Lu Changsheng. Now that Sovereign Shenyan witnessed the True Realm Universe in person, his heart was indeed shaken. "What a truly majestic True Realm Universe. If this can be called a universe, it is simply beyond imagination. A super universe indeed..." Sovereign Shenyan remarked with deep emotion. Lu Changsheng stood in the void. At this moment, an elevated platform seemed to emerge in the void. Beneath the platform sat countless Sovereigns cross-legged, turning the space into what looked like a grand Dao field. Lu Changsheng now began his "Dao sermon." "This is the Boundary Suppressing Stele that I obtained by chance in the River of Spacetime. It is suspected to have been left by an Eternal, crafted entirely from immortal substance..." Lu Changsheng waved his hand. A gigantic stone stele instantly manifested in the void. It was none other than the Boundary Suppressing Stele! The gazes and conscious senses of countless Sovereigns fell upon the Boundary Suppressing Stele. Lu Changsheng even permitted the Sovereigns to inspect it from up close. Thus, every Sovereign could not resist examining the Boundary Suppressing Stele at close range. Unfortunately, other than confirming it was made of immortal substance, they found nothing else. This was only natural. It had been the same for Lu Changsheng when he first obtained the stele. After a while, many Sovereigns grew somewhat disappointed. Although the Boundary Suppressing Stele was truly wondrous and certainly did not look like the work of a Sovereign, they could discover nothing from it. In particular, they found no insights regarding Eternity. And so, their gazes once again converged upon Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng naturally understood what these Sovereigns were thinking. "Today, I impart the Dao here, sharing some of my understanding of the Dao of Eternity. Whether it is correct, I cannot say for certain, but perhaps it may offer some inspiration to fellow Daoists. Preaching the Dao is also discussing the Dao. If fellow Daoists have thoughts of your own, please feel free to speak your minds..." Lu Changsheng began his sermon. He spoke mainly of his understanding of the Dao of Eternity, particularly regarding the direction of cultivation. Lu Changsheng believed that to achieve Eternity, both the immortal soul and the physical body had to reach their absolute limits together. The soul had to reach the utmost limit of the immortal soul. Only when the soul reached the limit could the body become strong enough to break free from the shackles of the River of Spacetime. Once the physical body could break free from the shackles of the River of Spacetime, that signified stepping into the Fourth Realm—Eternity! Lu Changsheng held almost nothing back, making his understanding of the Dao of Eternity public. This was his personal comprehension, which might not be entirely correct. Yet hearing Lu Changsheng's sermon, the Sovereigns were deeply shaken, feeling a faint sense of sudden enlightenment. Prior to this, the Sovereigns' cultivation had actually been aimless. They merely attempted to refine immortal substance to bolster their combat power. Eventually, by fusing immortal substance and becoming capable of killing ordinary Sovereigns, they advanced to peak Sovereigns. Yet becoming a peak Sovereign was merely an increase in combat strength, not a breakthrough in realm. "Soul, physical body... So that's how it is." "Thank you, Sovereign Changsheng, for imparting the Dao! Please accept my bow!" Sovereign Shenyan's eyes gleamed with divine radiance. He was immensely excited. The haze that had lingered over his heart for countless years dispersed. Though advancing to Eternity remained distant, he was no longer groping blindly in the dark. He now knew the direction. And this direction had been illuminated by Sovereign Changsheng. Lu Changsheng did not step aside, accepting the bow openly and magnanimously. In his role as one who imparted the Dao, he was well worthy of this salute! In truth, it was not just Sovereign Shenyan. Many other Sovereigns bowed to Lu Changsheng as well. This was truly the impartation of the Dao, showing them the path toward Eternity. However, knowing the direction was one thing; whether one could actually achieve Eternity was another entirely. Take the soul, for instance. In reality, many Sovereigns knew the importance of the soul. They had even exhausted all means to strengthen their souls. For example, Sovereign Qianheng had forged the Spacetime Boat. Yet in truth, how many could strengthen their soul to the level Lu Changsheng had achieved? None. Not a single one. Lu Changsheng also began discussing the Dao with the other Sovereigns. Many Sovereigns shared their own insights. As the saying went, two heads were better than one. There were indeed moments of brilliance and inspired notions that even Lu Changsheng found quite sensible. Moreover, during the process of preaching the Dao, Lu Changsheng noticed that a massive amount of fortune was gathering around him once again. Although this fortune could not match the previous influx, Lu Changsheng did not need as much anymore. As this fortune continuously accumulated, the immortal soul within Lu Changsheng steadily grew bit by bit. This discussion of the Dao lasted for several centuries. *Boom!* Suddenly, a roar thundered through Lu Changsheng's mind. At this moment, inspiration struck, and he understood what was happening. His immortal soul had reached 100%. Lu Changsheng had speculated before: when the immortal soul reached 100%, would it be transformation or perfection? Now Lu Changsheng understood. It was not perfection, but transformation. His immortal soul underwent one final transformation. This transformation was subtle and gentle, like spring rain nourishing the earth in silence. Without a sound or a trace, the transformation concluded. There was not the slightest disturbance. Even the other Sovereigns did not notice anything at all. Yet Lu Changsheng knew clearly. He had changed. He had changed completely and utterly. His soul was gone. In its place was a peculiar sensation, one that could even be described as purely of the mind. For the immortal soul had dispersed, and in its stead arose the "true self." Beyond the soul was the true self! The true self—a purely mind-born concept. It transcended matter, transcended energy, transcended life and death, transcended spacetime. This was infinity! Once the soul transformed into the "true self," it meant "infinite possibilities." Truly, as vast as the heart and mind could reach, so vast was the world. Everything in the external world bent to one's whim. Everything outside was an extension of the "true self." This concept was profound and elusive, yet in truth, quite simple. The birth of the true self signified eternal imperishability. Even time itself could not erode the true self. If a Devourer birthed a true self, it would have no need to fear the River of Spacetime. Even if the waters of the River of Spacetime relentlessly eroded it, they could not wear away the true self. It could exist within the River of Spacetime forever. However, it was also at this moment that Lu Changsheng grasped the true essence of Eternity. In a daze, he could even faintly see the gates of Eternity. Eternity did not merely require birthing a true self. It could also be a concept. Birthing a true self was merely equivalent to half-step Eternity. To advance to Eternity, one had to break free from the shackles of the River of Spacetime. In truth, all living beings existed within the River of Spacetime. Simply put, all beings were within "spacetime." Without a single exception. Birthing the true self also required a force to carry it. Either a physical body, or a treasure, or some kind of power. In short, something had to serve as a vessel for the true self. Then, augmented by the true self, that vessel had to be powerful enough—powerful enough to break free from the constraints of spacetime, utterly casting off "spacetime." At this moment, Lu Changsheng understood that even if someone birthed a true self, advancing to Eternity would still be extraordinarily difficult. Because they lacked a vessel capable of bearing the true self. What about Lu Changsheng? He asked himself. A vessel was the exact thing he possessed. His vessel was the True Realm Universe! The True Realm Universe could expand infinitely. It had previously been limited by the immortal soul, thus facing an upper boundary. Yet once the immortal soul transformed into the true self, becoming a concept born of pure mind, everything changed. It was equivalent to an infinite mind. The True Realm Universe could expand boundlessly without any restraint. Infinite mind, infinite matter. Only when the two fused could one break free of the River of Spacetime in a single stroke, casting off spacetime completely to achieve Eternity! At this very moment, Lu Changsheng had no doubts remaining. "My Dao is attained!" Lu Changsheng's voice rang out abruptly, resounding across the entire void and into the ears of every Sovereign. Every Sovereign's gaze instantly snapped to Lu Changsheng. Their eyes held confusion, shock, envy, and a multitude of other emotions. "May I ask, Sovereign Changsheng, what Dao have you attained?" a Sovereign called out. Facing the fervent gazes of countless Sovereigns, neither joy nor sorrow showed on Lu Changsheng's face as he answered calmly, "Naturally, the Dao of Eternity is attained!" *Boom!* A single stone stirred up a thousand waves. Every Sovereign's mind buzzed with a deafening roar as they stared fixedly at Lu Changsheng. At this moment, even the most ancient peak Sovereigns could no longer maintain their composure, as stormy waves surged through their hearts!