Chapter 203.1: Dao Lord Kong Ling Flees at the Mere Mention of His Name; The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's Number One Dao Foundation Martial Artist! (I)
"Lu Changsheng... Isn't that Senior Brother Lu, the one who once dominated both the Immortal Dao and Martial Dao of his generation?"
"Senior Brother Lu forged his Dao Foundation over a year ago and went to cultivate in the third layer of the Ancient Region. Has he returned already?"
"But Senior Brother Lu has only had his Dao Foundation for a year or two at most, so how could he possibly take on someone like this? Dao Lord Kong Ling is one of the Purple Sun Immortal Sect's supreme Dao Lords, ranked in the top three. Even Hall Master Zhong Yu was no match for him."
"But it looks like Senior Brother Lu had managed to stop Dao Lord Kong Ling's enchanted treasure. That kind of power seems to already surpass Hall Master Zhong Yu's. Could Senior Brother Lu's strength really have surged that much in less than two years?"
"From the look on Dao Lord Kong Ling's face, he seemed genuinely wary of Senior Brother Lu. It's possible that Senior Brother Lu's strength has truly reached a terrifying level..."
The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect disciples gathered nearby erupted into clamor the moment they caught sight of Lu Changsheng's silhouette in the air. They knew him all too well.
Most of these disciples were at the Divine Fortification or Divine Treasury Realm, and they knew well what it meant to be absolutely dominated by Lu Changsheng. Back when he was still at the Divine Treasury Realm, he had crushed nearly all opposition.
But no matter how glorious Lu Changsheng's past was, at this stage, his opponents were Dao Foundation experts and Dao Lords. For him to rival even the most supreme of Dao Foundation cultivators in just a year or two, to rival Dao Lord Kong Ling himself, was something they still struggled to believe.
Even so, their doubts hardly mattered. What mattered was that Dao Lord Kong Ling himself was wary of Lu Changsheng.
He had heard of Lu Changsheng long ago. Back when Lu Changsheng was still at the Divine Treasury Realm, he stood above all others in both the Immortal and Martial Dao, astounding everyone, including Kong Ling himself. After all, it was almost unfathomable for a mere martial artist to be able to crush Immortal Dao experts.
Not long ago, Dao Lord Kong Ling had received a report from the Heavenly Shackle Mountain Range, about how Lu Changsheng had dominated the secret realm and single-handedly blocked the exit of the secret realm, slaying Dao Lord Dongyang and Dao Lord Shou Xu in the process.
Though Dao Lord Kong Ling had remained within the Purple Sun Immortal Sect, he had once ventured through the third layer of the Ancient Region himself, and he was familiar with the storied reputations of Dao Lord Dongyang and Dao Lord Shou Xu.
Dao Lord Kong Ling ranked among the top three of the sect, but when it came to those two, he was completely outmatched, no question about it. After all, both of them had been within reach of the Golden Core Realm, something Dao Lord Kong Ling would never attain in this lifetime.
And yet, those two fearsome Dao Lords had apparently died at Lu Changsheng's hands. Following that, Lu Changsheng was known as the invincible one in the Dao Foundation Realm.
This information had so far only circulated among the upper ranks of the Ancient Region, those at the Dao Foundation and Foundation Establishment Realms and above. However, Dao Lord Kong Ling had verified it multiple times, and the conclusion was clear: it was all true. Dao Lord Dongyang and Dao Lord Shou Xu had truly met their ends against Lu Changsheng.
So, when Lu Changsheng suddenly appeared at the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, Dao Lord Kong Ling's heart seized, and the urge to retreat took hold immediately. Avenging his disciple, the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect breaking the rules... Did any of that matter? When faced with absolute power, did any of it matter at all?
There were times when one had to listen to their fear and run away.
Steadying himself with a deep breath, Dao Lord Kong Ling fixed his gaze on Lu Changsheng and spoke up with deliberate calm. "Daoist Lu, I was presumptuous in this matter. Since your sect has already offered its apologies, and Elder Wen's killing was merely an accident, let us consider this matter settled. What do you think?"
Dao Lord Kong Ling's words left the surrounding disciples utterly speechless. Even the Purple Sun Immortal Sect's disciples who had come with him stood dumbfounded, as though they could not believe what they were hearing.
Just moments ago, he had been brimming with righteous fury, demanding that Elder Wen pay with his life, threatening to cut down even Zhong Yu along with him. Now his attitude had reversed entirely.
All the disciples thought the same thing. He's scared?
"Is Dao Lord Kong Ling... yielding?"
"Just a moment ago, even Hall Master Zhong Yu couldn't do anything against him. He had even threatened to kill Zhong Yu alongside the others. And now it ends like this?"
"The whole shift in Dao Lord Kong Ling's attitude was all because Lu Changsheng showed up, right?"
"Lu Changsheng stepped in, and Dao Lord Kong Ling folded just like that?"
"Dao Lord Kong Ling had never even met Lu Changsheng before. It was just a name, and that name alone was enough to make him back down and seek an end to all this. I think everyone can guess what that means..."
"What exactly did Lu Changsheng do in the third layer of the Ancient Region to make even Dao Lord Kong Ling fear him like that? This is unbelievable."
Many were left baffled by this sudden turn of events. Dao Lord Kong Ling's words were just a pretense meant to save face, and no one bought it. They all understood perfectly that everything had changed the moment Lu Changsheng stepped in and took responsibility for this matter. If Dao Lord Kong Ling refused to back down, he would have no choice but to face Lu Changsheng directly.
Clearly, it was not simply a matter of lacking confidence in victory. If he merely doubted his chances, Dao Lord Kong Ling could have simply left without taking on such a meek attitude. No, he was actually scared, and that spoke volumes about just how far Lu Changsheng's strength exceeded anyone's imagination.
Only Dao Lord Kong Ling himself truly understood that if he actually came to blows with Lu Changsheng, he would surely die.
"Huh... Suit yourself, then." Even Lu Changsheng was somewhat surprised, but since Dao Lord Kong Ling had found himself a way out and backed down on his own, he saw no reason to further escalate the situation.
Had it truly come to blows, Lu Changsheng could have erased him with a flip of his palm.
"Let's go." Without a moment's hesitation, Dao Lord Kong Ling turned and led his Purple Sun Immortal Sect disciples away, dissolving into a streak of light that vanished into the horizon.
And then there was silence. Everything had gone utterly still, quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
Everyone exchanged glances. They had all been waiting for a spectacle, and this was it?
Dao Lord Kong Ling had been clamoring outside the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect for multiple days, and both Zhong Yu and Elder Wen had avoided him. Today, Elder Wen had finally relented and made an appearance, and Dao Lord Kong Ling had lived up to expectations, striking out directly against both Elder Wen and Hall Master Zhong Yu.
Then, Lu Changsheng appeared, and just by announcing his name, he forced Dao Lord Kong Ling to flee the scene.
Could a single name truly carry such weight?
"Lu Changsheng must have done something earth-shaking in the third layer of the Ancient Region, just as he once did at the Divine Treasury Realm when he dominated everyone. Nothing else could explain Dao Lord Kong Ling quickly leaving at the mere mention of his name."
"Dao Lord Kong Ling is himself a supreme Dao Lord of great renown. To see him run like this is unbelievable."
"Lu Changsheng really is favored by the heavens. His talent is beyond imagination. From the Divine Treasury Realm to forging his Dao Foundation took only a year or two, and he has already carved out a fearsome reputation at the Dao Foundation Realm."
"I've heard some rumors, though I can't say how true they are. Apparently, Lu Changsheng did something insane in the Heavenly Shackle Mountain Range. Lots of people are calling him invincible in the Dao Foundation Realm..."
The disciples buzzed with speculation, though none of them had any concrete information about what Lu Changsheng did. Whatever fragments they had heard were scattered and unverified. Only those in the upper ranks of the sect, martial artists at the Dao Foundation Realm and above, might have known the full picture.
Elder Wen was himself unaware of Lu Changsheng's reputation. Even so, he glanced at Zhong Yu, then stepped forward and bowed before Lu Changsheng. "Thank you, Junior Brother Lu, for stepping in to help."
Zhong Yu had also come to understand that Lu Changsheng's renown had grown far beyond anything he had imagined. The way Dao Lord Kong Ling had acted just before said it all. He had not even dared to raise a hand against Lu Changsheng and had fled at the sound of his name alone.
"Lu Changsheng, you really are something else," Zhong Yu remarked with a hint of admiration. "Even Dao Lord Kong Ling lost all that swagger and ran the moment he heard your name. I doubt anyone else in the entire Ancient Region Heavenly Sect commands that kind of presence. Lu Changsheng, you are without question the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's number one Dao Foundation martial artist!"
The moment Zhong Yu's words landed, the expressions of everyone present shifted.
The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's number one Dao Foundation cultivator...
Indeed, what an honor that was. The Sect was home to many Dao Foundation cultivators, and among them were many powerful experts, yet no one had ever been acknowledged as the undisputed number one.
Zhong Yu himself, the master of the Enforcement Hall, had personally declared Lu Changsheng to be the foremost Dao Foundation cultivator of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, so the matter was essentially set in stone. And with Dao Lord Kong Ling's reaction on top of that, who could possibly object to this?
Lu Changsheng gave a faint smile. "Hall Master, you praise me beyond reason. I am merely a fellow member of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. In any case, I have a request. I'd like to learn about how one can reach the Divine Ability Realm, as soon as possible."
Zhong Yu nodded. "Alright. I'll take you there right now."
He then turned to Elder Wen. "Consider this matter closed. From here on, do not go out of your way to provoke Dao Lord Kong Ling."
"Yes, Hall Master," Elder Wen replied, his heart tightening.
He had just heard something remarkable. Lu Changsheng wanted access to the methods of the Divine Ability Realm, and Elder Wen understood exactly what that meant. Only a Dao Foundation martial artist who had cultivated all of their Principles to Perfection was eligible to request that kind of information.
If Lu Changsheng was making that request, that meant he had already brought his Principles to Perfection and was on the verge of condensing a divine ability. Was the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, after hundreds of years, about to give birth to a new Divine Ability Realm grand elder?
Zhong Yu noticed the look on Elder Wen's face but said nothing. It was hardly a closely guarded secret. With Lu Changsheng's current strength, who in the Ancient Region could possibly kill him? There was no need to worry about a tall tree catching the wind.[1]
Lu Changsheng was no longer a sapling. He was a towering tree that reached the sky!
1. This is an ancient Chinese saying, meaning that the most talented, outstanding person will get targeted by others. The closest English equivalent is probably "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down first." ☜
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