[Status Panel]

Host: Lu Changsheng

Perception: 4,570 (Praised by All)

[Skills]

Blood Qi Sword Crafting Secret Technique: Sword Crafting, 14 years and 8 months

Heart Sword True Mantra: Progress 86% (Heart Sword)

Wave Domain: Progress 1%

Storm Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Sense Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Starry Sky Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Waterfall Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

After confirming that he had indeed elevated the Storm Domain to Perfection, Lu Changsheng shifted his attention to the Blood Qi Sword Crafting Secret Technique. He had originally intended to accumulate blood qi for that secret technique over time and keep it in reserve as a trump card. Now, however, it seemed to have little use.

Blood qi was still important when fighting martial artists in the Divine Strength or Divine Fortification Realm, but against Divine Treasury martial artists, it was all but irrelevant. At that level, the key was nurturing and materializing the Domain, and blood qi could never match that kind of power.

Crack.

With that in mind, Lu Changsheng released the blood qi sword within himself, causing it to collapse.

Wait. Wasn't the Heart Sword True Mantra only at fifty-six percent before? How come it's at eighty-six percent now?

Lu Changsheng had always been troubled by the notoriously slow progress in the Heart Sword True Mantra. He used to go on for a month or two without making the slightest bit of progress, and now, all of a sudden, it had advanced by thirty percent.

He thought back on everything he had been doing during this period, trying to determine what could have caused such dramatic improvement.

Wait... Could it be because of the battle with those three Daoist apprentices?

He considered that possibility. In that battle, he had unleashed dozens of Heart Sword strikes, ruthlessly cutting into the Daoist apprentices' minds. Their divine consciousness was formidable, and that was what set them apart from martial artists. In the end, Lu Changsheng's Heart Sword had cut into something far stronger than just mental strength.

Divine consciousness... Could my Heart Sword actually sever divine consciousness?

The realization startled Lu Changsheng. He had never actually tested his Heart Sword that way, but both mental strength and divine consciousness belonged to the mental realm, so his theory was very much plausible. The huge increase in Heart Sword progress was likely related to the Daoist apprentices' divine consciousness.

According to the inheritance in the Heart Sword Manual, the Heart Sword transforms once it reaches Perfection. I wonder what it will transform into...

The thought of it filled him with anticipation.

Anyway, time to head back.

Lu Changsheng rose and returned to the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. Once there, he found Liu Yuan.

"Captain, how can I get to the sea?"

The Wave Domain was the only one he had yet to push to Perfection. Once he did, his heart scale would likely reach one hundred, allowing him to access the Mind Space and advance to the Divine Treasury Realm.

"The sea? There's no sea in the Ancient Region."

"Huh? What do you mean, no sea?" Lu Changsheng paused in surprise.

"I mean, maybe there's one somewhere, but I've never seen the sea. In fact, most Divine Treasury experts in the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect have never seen one. The Ancient Region is so vast that even they would struggle to traverse it. I myself have never heard of any sea within ten thousand li."

Lu Changsheng fell silent. Great. How am I supposed to comprehend the Wave Domain and elevate it to Perfection without a sea?

Was he really going to get stuck at this final step? Perhaps he could return to the Heavenly Sect in the Northern Region, but given that he had yet to become a true inheritor, returning was not exactly simple. Besides, he had no spirit stones, which meant that if he insisted on returning, he would have to bear the cost of the teleportation formation himself.

I have a few stones from those apprentices, but they're crude and of poor quality. There's no way those will be enough to activate a large teleportation formation...

Eventually, Liu Yuan broke the silence. "Lu Changsheng, you had the Wave Domain, right? The Ancient Region may not have a sea, but it has rivers. There is a very magnificent ancient river, and it has waves from time to time. As long as there are waves, what does it matter whether it's a sea or not?"

"Oh?" Lu Changsheng's eyes light up. Indeed, the only thing that mattered was the waves.

"That could work. Where's this ancient river?" he asked.

Liu Yuan paused a second before revealing, "The second layer."

Lu Changsheng frowned. It wasn't that he could not enter the second layer, but once he stepped foot there, he might run into demons, which were at least Divine Treasury level. Even though he could materialize his Domain now, he could not sustain it in battle for long. As such, failing to kill a demon right away would put him in grave danger.

I can't go there before I reach the Divine Treasury Realm. It's way too risky.

"No way you're going to the second layer, though, right? Besides, if you want to comprehend the ancient river's waves, why do you have to go to the river itself?"

Lu Changsheng was slightly taken aback. "What do you mean? How am I supposed to comprehend the waves if I'm not there?"

He was confused, but he also knew Liu Yuan was no fool.

"The ancient river... People have risked going there before. Thanks to its majestic grandeur, many martial artists have managed to comprehend the Ancient River Domain. Some Divine Treasury experts even managed to materialize the Ancient River Domain by its banks. If you can find one of them and have him manifest that Domain for you, wouldn't that be the same as going to the ancient river yourself? In fact, whatever kind of waves you want, they could likely recreate them."

So that's what he meant.

Indeed, Lu Changsheng had always learned from nature; wasn't that precisely what Divine Treasury martial artists did when they turned a Domain from illusion into reality? Once the Ancient River Domain materialized, would it not be the same as the true ancient river? In fact, if the Domain could shape the waves perfectly to his liking, the results might be even better than going to the river itself.

"That sounds good." Lu Changsheng nodded enthusiastically. "Do you know any Divine Treasury expert with the Ancient River Domain?"

"There are quite a few, but most stay in the second layer. Within the sect itself, I think only Elder Sun Ming of the Enforcement Hall has mastered it. But if you want his help, it's probably not going to be cheap. You should be prepared for that," Liu Yuan warned.

Lu Changsheng nodded. Asking Elder Sun Ming for help was a personal matter, and so he naturally had to offer Elder Sun Ming some benefit. Otherwise, with no ties between them, why would Sun Ming help?

"Alright, thanks." Lu Changsheng nodded, then rose to take his leave.

After parting with Liu Yuan, Lu Changsheng went straight to the Enforcement Hall. "Please inform Elder Sun Ming that I have a matter to discuss."

The attendant replied, "Okay, please wait for a moment."

Before long, Lu Changsheng met Sun Ming. He looked very old, with a full head of white hair and a heavy air of death hanging about him. In fact, his appearance startled Lu Changsheng. He had never seen a Divine Treasury martial artist who looked so lifeless.

"Elder Sun, what happened to you..." Lu Changsheng asked in surprise.

"Aging..." Sun Ming gave a faint sigh. "My time is almost up. I don't have many years left. You are Lu Changsheng, right? The so-called prodigy who bested a Divine Treasury martial artist... the one everyone here considers the foremost Divine Fortification martial artist. Your future shall be boundless. Tell me, what brings you here today?"

Despite his condition, Sun Ming seemed to be well-informed about what went on in the Ancient Region.

At the end of his life, huh? Lu Changsheng felt a stir of emotion. Divine Treasury martial artists could extend their lifespan, but only by a hundred years.

A hundred years was no small thing. Even a Divine Fortification martial artist, free of illness or calamity, might not live to a hundred. No one could know when their time would come. Even if your strength reached the heavens and your blood qi was as vigorous as it could be, all was powerless against death.

Only by opening the Mind Space could one break the shackles of mortal life and gain another hundred years. On that note, it seemed the Immortal Dao system was stronger after all. It was said a Qi Refinement Immortal Master could live up to three hundred years, while a Divine Treasury martial artist could at most approach two hundred—a considerable gap.

"Elder Sun, I heard the Domain you've comprehended is the Ancient River Domain. I wish to practice my Wave Domain to Perfection. The problem is, the Ancient Region has no sea, but I heard that the ancient river also has waves. If I could make use of your Ancient River Domain, perhaps I could bring my Wave Domain to Perfection quicker. Would you be so kind as to help me with this?"

After listening to Lu Changsheng's request, Sun Ming's eyes brightened slightly. "So this is about cultivation, huh? Under normal circumstances, I would've helped you. You see, my life is nearing its end. I might have another eight to ten years at best, and three to five at worst. If I expend my heart force in this state to materialize my Domain and help you practice your Wave Domain... death may just pay me an early visit."

Sun Ming gave no clear answer, but Lu Changsheng could read between the lines.

He wants something in return.

After all, heart force had nothing to do with one's lifespan. Materializing the Ancient River Domain with heart force would not put that kind of strain on Sun Ming's body.

Regardless, Lu Changsheng went along with it. "Elder Sun, what is it you need?"

Sun Ming smiled, his eyes narrowing slightly. "In my current condition, what I need is a treasure that can extend my lifespan. If I help you, you must do whatever you must to bring me such a treasure within three years. Do we have a deal?"

Sun Ming's condition was straightforward, and he even allowed Lu Changsheng three years to complete his end of the bargain.

Lu Changsheng nodded. "It shall be done."

He would surely advance to the Divine Treasury realm in three years, and once he did, procuring a few treasures that extended one's lifespan should not be difficult. Sun Ming likely knew that as well. He made this request because he recognized Lu Changsheng's strength and potential. Others might struggle to obtain such treasures, but Lu Changsheng was different. He was destined to become a major figure among Divine Treasury experts. There might truly be hope.

"Good. When do we begin?"

"Right now," said Lu Changsheng, his tone revealing his impatience. He had his Dao Comprehension Pills ready and could start comprehending the Wave Domain at any moment.

"Now? Very well. Come, let's go to the cultivation chamber."

Once they reached the chamber, both men sat cross-legged on the ground. With a shift of thought, Sun Ming materialized the Ancient River Domain.

"Now watch carefully..."