Chapter 206.2: The Vast Immortal Sect's Dao Lords Issue a Challenge, and Lu Changsheng Takes On Eight Dao Lords Alone! (II)
The two of them followed True One Yun Lai into the Vast Immortal Sect. The moment they stepped inside, Lu Changsheng was greeted by a scene that felt nothing short of an immortal realm.
Magnificent structures soared through the sky, and the faint melodies of the Immortal Dao echoed gently through the surroundings. Sword-riding cultivators swept through the air in graceful arcs, and countless Dao Lords, each exuding the air of sages, could be seen scattered across mountain peaks and canyon streams, contemplating the Immortal Dao, practicing their spells, exhaling clouds and mist with an ease that spoke of total freedom.
Lu Changsheng had dealt with immortal cultivators of all kinds before: Immortal Masters, Dao Lords, and more. But this was the first time he had ever laid eyes on anything that looked like a true immortal realm. It was almost like only these cultivators truly had the right to claim that they belonged to the Immortal Dao.
"The Vast Immortal Sect really is something else..." he murmured under his breath.
"Its foundations run deep," Lu Tong said, his expression solemn. "This is the number one immortal sect in the Ancient Region, and that reputation is well earned. The Vast Immortal Sect simply chooses not to compete. If it did, no other immortal sect would be able to stand against it. Even so, no one has ever been able to shake its standing as the number one immortal sect in the Ancient Region."
The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect feared almost nothing across the Ancient Region, be it a major Martial Dao faction or an immortal sect. The Vast Immortal Sect was the one exception.
"Daoists, please settle in on this mountain peak for now. I will come to notify you in three days," True One Yun Lai said.
Then, Yun Lai showed Lu Changsheng and Lu Tong to a cave residence before taking his leave to begin the preparations. Opening a long-range teleportation formation of that scale was no simple undertaking and required considerable groundwork.
The Vast Immortal Sect, however, seemed to keep few secrets within its own walls. Word of Lu Changsheng and Lu Tong's arrival spread through the entire sect in no time at all.
"Have you heard? Lu Changsheng from the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, the one they call the number one Dao Foundation martial artist in the Ancient Region, has already condensed a Divine Ability Dao Fruit. He's here to use the long-range teleportation formation to travel to the Sacred Earth."
"The Sacred Earth, the place every one of us dreams of cultivating in. And Lu Changsheng has already condensed a Divine Ability Dao Fruit. He practically has one foot in the Divine Ability Realm already. Unbelievable, right?"
"Yeah. By my reckoning, he only forged his Dao Foundation about ten years ago. Ten years, and he's already condensed a Divine Ability Dao Fruit? That's insane."
"They've always called Lu Changsheng the number one Dao Foundation martial artist in the Ancient Region. I wasn't entirely convinced before, but now I'm convinced that they weren't exaggerating. I suppose Dao Lord Shou Xu and Dao Lord Dongyang never stood a chance..."
Lu Changsheng's name was far from unknown to the Immortal Masters and Dao Lords of the Vast Immortal Sect. His reputation was simply too formidable to ignore, particularly after what had happened in the Heavenly Shackle Mountain Range, where he had cut down Dao Lord Dongyang and Dao Lord Shou Xu, two of the most fearsome and celebrated supreme Dao Lords in the Ancient Region.
None of the murmuring within the Vast Immortal Sect drew so much as a glance from Lu Changsheng. He simply had three days to wait, so he sat cross-legged inside the cave residence, closed his eyes, and rested.
Those three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Woosh!
True One Yun Lai came on time.
"Brother Lu, Fellow Daoist Changsheng, the long-range teleportation formation is ready." His voice reached both men inside the cave residence.
Lu Changsheng and Lu Tong opened their eyes at once.
"Changsheng, let's head to the teleportation formation," Lu Tong said with a smile.
Lu Changsheng nodded, and the two of them left the cave residence immediately. Outside, however, eight Dao Lords stood alongside True One Yun Lai.
"Hmm? True One Yun Lai, what is the meaning of this?" Lu Tong's expression darkened.
His gaze swept across the eight Dao Lords, and the aura of a Divine Ability Realm expert began to rise steadily from him, radiating a faint but deeply oppressive pressure.
The Divine Ability Realm stood at the same level as the Golden Core True One, and even the faintest breath of that aura was enough to make all eight Dao Lords feel as though they were facing a mortal threat, their entire bodies being pressed by a terrifying force.
True One Yun Lai quickly spoke up. "Brother Lu, Fellow Daoist Changsheng, please don't misunderstand. These eight Foundation Establishment Dao Lords are among the finest in the Vast Immortal Sect, each of them on the cusp of condensing a Golden Core and becoming a Golden Core True One.
"But they are still lacking in experience and tempering. Coming across a supremely gifted genius the caliber of Daoist Changsheng is a rare opportunity, and they simply want a few pointers from him."
"If Daoist Changsheng is willing to oblige, the Vast Immortal Sect will offer one drop of Heavenly Spirit Water in return. Regardless of the outcome, that drop will go to Daoist Changsheng. What do you say?"
The mention of Heavenly Spirit Water gave Lu Tong a moment's pause, and he turned his gaze to Lu Changsheng.
"Junior Brother Changsheng, it's your call," Lu Tong said.
With a drop of Heavenly Spirit Water on the table, it was not his place to make the call. Though it did speak volumes about the Vast Immortal Sect's wealth. As an immortal sect, they had no use for Heavenly Spirit Water themselves, yet they had it all the same, and clearly more than just the one drop.
The Vast Immortal Sect had evidently figured out what Lu Changsheng needed most right now, and had likely already guessed the reason his Dao Fruits had yet to transform into true divine abilities. He simply did not have enough Heavenly Spirit Water, and that was strange. If the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect had enough stores, then why would Lu Changsheng have left without completing the transformation?
"Sure," Lu Changsheng said casually. Naturally, he would not turn down a drop of Heavenly Spirit Water. As for the sparring session itself, he was not the least bit worried. If anything, he actually wanted to put his current strength to the test, given that he had recently condensed a Divine Ability Dao Fruit.
Of course, even with that achievement, he was still technically at the Dao Foundation Realm, just like any Dao Lord.
Seeing Lu Changsheng's willingness to oblige their request, True One Yun Lai smiled and turned to address the eight Dao Lords.
"An opportunity to cross hands with Daoist Changsheng is not something that comes along twice, so make the most of it. Condensing a Golden Core is a feat that goes against the heavens, and trading blows with a supreme expert can help you overcome the mental barriers you'll face when that moment arrives, making it more likely for you to succeed. So give it everything you have."
This was a genuine sparring match, meant purely to temper the Dao Lords.
"Who would like to go first?" True One Yun Lai asked.
The eight Dao Lords exchanged glances and were just about to speak when Lu Changsheng cut in. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze sweeping across all eight of them in a single calm pass.
"No need to choose. All eight of you can come at once."
His words hit like a thunderclap. Every one of the eight Foundation Establishment Dao Lords frowned, their expressions darkening with displeasure. They acknowledged that Lu Changsheng was powerful, but taking on eight top-tier Foundation Establishment Dao Lords all at once? That was blatant disrespect.
They knew enough about martial artists to understand that condensing a Divine Ability Dao Fruit did not make someone a Divine Ability Realm expert. It granted no boost to one's actual combat prowess whatsoever. At this moment, Lu Changsheng was still, in terms of raw power, a Dao Foundation cultivator.
"Fine. As you wish!"
The eight Dao Lords did not erupt in outrage. They said nothing more and simply let their actions do the talking, moving together at once.
Hum...
The surroundings blazed with streaks of brilliant light as enchanted treasures, formations, and spells were unleashed simultaneously. Every single one of those attacks was no weaker than what Dao Lord Dongyang or Dao Lord Shou Xu had been capable of at their peak.
These eight Dao Lords were truly among those with a genuine shot at condensing a Golden Core. Had Lu Changsheng confronted these individuals back in the Heavenly Shackle Mountain Range, he would have been in deep trouble.
However, many things have changed since then.
Normally, condensing a Divine Ability Dao Fruit brought no increase in combat power whatsoever—but Lu Changsheng was unlike anyone else, and his Divine Ability Dao Fruit was unlike anything ordinary.
Lu Changsheng had condensed his Dao Fruit on the foundation of the divine techniques he had devised himself after pushing his Perception through another transformation. During that process, he had pushed himself to the absolute limit of what his Perception could achieve.
The difference between a divine technique and a divine ability, beyond the disparity in raw power, was that a divine ability could draw upon the Principles of heaven and earth directly, without relying on the Mind Space, unleashing an earth-shattering force. A divine technique, by contrast, could only be deployed within the area covered by the Mind Space.
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