Chapter 212.3: Lu Changsheng Unleashes His Divine Might, Annihilating All in a Single Strike; All Seventeen Powers Tremble in Fear! (III)
"Good! Well done, Lu Changsheng! You wiped out the experts of every other force in the second round itself. There is no one left to contend with you in the third round, and so the third round cannot proceed. The Treasure Contest is over..." Wu Shun said, enunciating each word slowly.
Lu Changsheng withdrew all of his divine techniques. When the divine techniques vanished, the bodies of the eight experts were still nowhere to be seen in the manor.
Clearly, they had all been reduced to ashes. They were truly dead. Even their indestructible enchanted treasures were broken down and reduced to mere ashes.
"No, this is impossible! Li Guang, how could you possibly find such an expert?! Even with the seventeen of us joining forces, we were still no match for Lu Changsheng. Could Lu Changsheng be a Divine Ability Realm expert in disguise? Investigate! We need to look into this in detail!"
At this point, Qi Tianyi seemed unable to accept the result; his gaze was fixed hard upon Li Guang. He was clearly trying to make things difficult for Li Guang.
However, Li Guang was not the least bit afraid. Instead, he sneered, "Qi Tianyi, a Divine Ability Realm cultivator in disguise? It's a wonder you could even dream that up. Why don't you try having a Divine Ability Realm cultivator disguise himself as a Dao Foundation martial artist and see how that goes?
"It's not as if there are no Divine Ability Realm experts here, and there are even Golden Core True Ones. Do you take the Divine Ability Realm experts and the Golden Core True Ones as mere decorations, incapable of telling whether Brother Lu is a Dao Foundation martial artist or a Divine Ability Realm one?"
Qi Tianyi's expression darkened. He knew his words had carried a hint of nitpicking, but he really could not accept it, nor could the other forces.
Anyone could seize first place in the Treasure Contest, but Qi Tianyi simply did not want Li Guang to take first. If Li Guang really did claim first, then from now on, he would likely be subjected to Li Guang's mocking again and again.
Wu Shun turned to the Golden Core True One beside him, Elder Qing, and asked, "Elder Qing, what do you think? Is Lu Changsheng a Divine Ability Realm cultivator?"
Elder Qing was a supreme Golden Core True One, and his discerning eyes were capable of piercing anything. How could he fail to see through Lu Changsheng's true depth?
Elder Qing slowly said, "Lu Changsheng has already condensed a Divine Ability Dao Fruit, but the Dao Fruit has not yet transformed. For now, he is still a Dao Foundation martial artist."
Even though some would call a martial artist who had condensed a Dao Fruit a semi-Divine-Ability-Realm expert, that was merely a title. Even if they truly existed, they were still not Divine Ability Realm experts. There was still some gap to close.
Moreover, when it came to condensing a Dao Fruit, most of the supreme Dao Foundation experts sought out by the eighteen forces had likely already condensed their Dao Fruits. They were only waiting to receive Heavenly Spirit Water to let their Dao Fruits transform into divine abilities, which would transform them into true Divine Ability Realm experts.
These supreme Dao Foundations had accepted the eighteen forces' recruitment precisely for the sake of the Heavenly Spirit Water. In the end, they had not obtained any Heavenly Spirit Water and had even thrown away their lives.
It was rather a poor bargain. But Lu Changsheng had won, and he would be able to obtain the Heavenly Spirit Water he wanted.
"Wu Shun, can you announce it now?" Li Guang said.
Wu Shun nodded. "Since the man you brought is so powerful that he alone remains, then the third round of this Treasure Contest is no longer necessary. I now declare the first place of the Treasure Contest: Lu Changsheng!"
Irrepressible excitement showed on Li Guang's face. "Hahaha, first place at last! Every year before this, I've been losing treasures, but today, I've finally clawed them all back. Qi Tianyi, I'll take your treasure without hesitation, hahaha..."
Li Guang did not forget to needle Qi Tianyi. Qi Tianyi's face was dark, but he said nothing in response. Regardless of how unwilling he was, he could only accept it for now. After all, Wu Shun had already spoken. If he kept up his unreasonable wrangling, he would be disrespecting Wu Shun, and Qi Tianyi was not that foolish.
Lu Changsheng drifted over to Li Guang's side. Li Guang said with a smile, "Brother Lu, many thanks for your help. You will, of course, receive the five drops of Heavenly Spirit Water that I promised once we reach the Li Clan Merchant Association."
Lu Changsheng nodded. These were the five drops of Heavenly Spirit Water Li Guang had promised him.
Li Guang gathered up the treasures of the other seventeen forces one by one, feeling immensely pleased. Even he was moved by these treasures, which showed just how valuable they were.
Every single treasure was extraordinarily precious. Otherwise, the Treasure Contest would never have drawn such great attention. Today, they had all fallen into Li Guang's hands.
"Well then, the Treasure Contest is over. This took far less time than in past years."
"Indeed. Though it was quite an eye-opener for us... to think a Dao Foundation martial artist could be this strong."
"Lu Changsheng..."
All these people from the supreme forces cast their gazes on Lu Changsheng.
They knew that Lu Changsheng had merely been recruited by Li Guang on a temporary basis. He did not count as a member of the Li Clan Merchant Association. If they wished to recruit Lu Changsheng themselves, it was not out of the question. Even Wu Shun had taken an interest in him.
"Lu Changsheng, that five-elemental divine technique you used, what was it?" Wu Shun asked.
Lu Changsheng glanced at Wu Shun and replied indifferently, "This is the Five Elements Decomposition. I devised it myself."
"A divine technique you devised yourself? Incredible! Truly incredible! I know that some supreme Dao Foundation martial artists can devise divine techniques on their own, and even evolve them into divine abilities in the end, but it is extremely difficult.
Devising a supreme divine technique is as hard as reaching the heavens. I never imagined that today, I would see someone devise a supreme divine technique, and one so powerful at that..."
Those nearby marveled. A self-devised divine technique? That required an exceptionally high Perception. With such Perception, a divine ability condensed from a self-devised divine technique would be no ordinary divine ability.
Some were already making guesses. A major divine ability! What Lu Changsheng had condensed was most likely a Major Divine Ability Dao Fruit. Once it transformed, it would be a true major divine ability!
"Hahaha, the Treasure Contest is over, so I'll take my leave first," Li Guang said.
Li Guang also sensed that something was off. So many people were eyeing Lu Changsheng covetously. By now, he understood just how important Lu Changsheng was, and he could not let the other forces poach him.
Even though Lu Changsheng was only a temporary recruit, Li Guang did not want him poached by the other seventeen forces. Hence, he had to leave the manor as quickly as possible.
Wu Shun did not stop him and let Li Guang depart the manor together with Lu Changsheng as well as the treasures.
"Brother Lu, I really owe this to you. You've made me a fortune. These treasures cannot be shared with you, but I will, of course, keep my word on the promise I made earlier. Come, let's go straight to the Li Clan Merchant Association," Li Guang said.
True to his word, Li Guang took Lu Changsheng directly to the Li Clan Merchant Association. First, he gave Lu Changsheng the five drops of Heavenly Spirit Water. Then he gritted his teeth and said, "Brother Lu, Heavenly Spirit Water is extremely important, and I can only make you this offer once. Next time, if you wish to purchase Heavenly Spirit Water, it will still cost ten thousand spirit stones per drop.
"So, while you have this chance, buy as many drops of Heavenly Spirit Water as you can. I can also take it upon myself to lift the thirty-drop limit. As long as you have the spirit stones, you may buy as many as you like right now.
"And if you don't have enough spirit stones, I can even lend Brother Lu some," Li Guang reminded him in a low voice. Originally, Li Guang had not intended to lend Lu Changsheng any spirit stones.
After all, his relationship with Lu Changsheng was no more than a single transaction.
However, when Lu Changsheng displayed his terrifying strength and potential at the Treasure Contest, Li Guang changed his mind. He was now courting Lu Changsheng. Even if he could not bring Lu Changsheng into the Li Clan Merchant Association, strengthening their relationship would be no problem at all.
To meet a supreme genius like Lu Changsheng, one who had very likely condensed a Major Divine Ability Dao Fruit, and not court him to deepen their relationship, would be true foolishness.
Li Guang's cultivation talent was poor, but his mind was not. On the contrary, Li Guang's mind was quite sharp.
"Lend me spirit stones?" Lu Changsheng made a rough calculation. He had already used thirteen drops of Heavenly Spirit Water before, and now, Li Guang had gifted him five more, making eighteen drops. He needed only eighty-eight more drops to make up a full hundred.
Li Guang had decided to give him a discount, one drop of Heavenly Spirit Water for just nine thousand spirit stones. Eighty-two drops would be roughly 740,000 spirit stones. Lu Changsheng had 350,000 spirit stones on him, leaving a shortfall of 400,000.
With that in mind, Lu Changsheng raised his head and asked, "Then I won't stand on ceremony. I'd like to borrow four hundred thousand spirit stones. What do you think?"
Lu Changsheng showed no reserve at all. The moment he opened his mouth, he decided to borrow four hundred thousand spirit stones outright! Clearly, this was an enormous sum, one that even Li Guang could not simply produce on a whim.
"Four hundred thousand spirit stones?" Li Guang's expression went slightly blank. He fell into deep thought. Such a large sum was obviously not something even Li Guang could casually produce.
Of course, the Li Guang of now was different. He had just won a sweeping victory at the Treasure Contest and obtained seventeen treasures, each worth no less than a hundred thousand spirit stones. For Li Guang to gather four hundred thousand spirit stones was not difficult.
But this was a loan! And a loan to what was essentially a stranger, a full four hundred thousand spirit stones at that. Even for a Divine Ability Realm expert, that was a terrifying, astronomical figure.
Lu Changsheng had fought for his life again and again in the Battle Arena and obtained only 350,000 spirit stones in total. That showed just how terrifying four hundred thousand spirit stones were.
Despite that, Lu Changsheng had decided to ask for four hundred thousand spirit stones. Naturally, this was because he knew Li Guang wanted to court him, and Lu Changsheng did not refuse. Since Li Guang wished to court him, how could it be done without paying any price at all? Lu Changsheng had already laid out his condition.
Now, the ball was in Li Guang's court.
The atmosphere grew somewhat heavy. Lu Changsheng did not press him, but waited quietly.
Sometimes a person's choice at a particular moment could shape their entire lifetime. Clearly, this choice was an important one. It was important to Lu Changsheng, and it was even more important to Li Guang!
Li Guang had not actually thought it through much before. Court Lu Changsheng? It had been no more than an instinctive act.
But now that Lu Changsheng had responded to him and laid out his condition, Li Guang had to think it over carefully. If he courted Lu Changsheng, what good would it do him? Or rather, what could it accomplish?
Li Guang saw it very clearly. Courting Lu Changsheng was not tantamount to courting an ordinary Divine Ability Realm martial artist, but a martial artist with a major divine ability!
A major divine ability was, for the Li Clan Merchant Association, a supreme combat power. The Li Clan Merchant Association did have a saint-level expert guarding it, but he was the Li Clan's grand elder, and he would not easily show himself.
The ones who truly presided over the clan or contended for a say in its affairs were the supreme Divine Ability Realm cultivators—the ones with major divine abilities!
"If I gained the full backing of a martial artist with a major divine ability, would I really be left to just scrape by and wait for death within the clan? No, I still have a chance. If I could seize power in the clan and use its strength to gather all manner of treasures, who's to say I can't condense a divine ability?
"I'm not like that good-for-nothing Qi Tianyi. I still have some talent. If there really were a supreme treasure, I might really have a chance to condense a divine ability and reach the Divine Ability Realm!" A sharp light flickered in Li Guang's eyes.
His quiet heart stirred. Contend for the position of patriarch? Before, it had seemed utterly out of reach. Even Li Guang himself had given up on it. But now, with Lu Changsheng's backing, Li Guang felt that he could actually take that position.
By the rules, Li Guang's father would soon step down from the position of patriarch. The patriarch would be selected by the entire clan; it couldn't be inherited at all. Once his father was no longer the patriarch, could Li Guang still enjoy a comfortable life? No way!
Perhaps I really can contend for the position of patriarch! A glint of sharp light flashed through Li Guang's eyes!
Comments