Free Web NovelChapter 195.3: Lu Changsheng Forms His Own Divine Technique; More Dao Foundation Experts Seek His Help! (III)
After returning to his cave residence, Lu Changsheng did not have to wait long. Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian were already staying within the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's encampment, and within half an hour, they arrived outside his cave residence
Lu Changsheng unlocked the formation of his cave residence and invited them in.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lu."
Lu Changsheng greeted them with a smile. "Fellow Daoist Xia, Fellow Daoist Zhao, there's no need for formality. We are from the same sect. Whatever there is to discuss, we can speak directly."
From the moment they entered the cave residence, both men had been quietly studying Lu Changsheng. Just like most Dao Foundation martial artists and Dao Lords in the third layer of the Ancient Region, they were genuinely curious about Lu Changsheng, the man who had killed Dao Lord Shan Hai.
From Lu Changsheng's rise in the Divine Treasury Realm to his successful forging of his Dao Foundation, every step of his martial path had been astonishing enough to leave a deep impression.
"Please, sit," he said with a gesture.
Lu Changsheng was also sizing up Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian. He had heard of them before. They were famous in the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, recognized as supreme Dao Foundation experts. Since both of them had come together to seek him out, it was clear that his matter regarding the secret realm was not simple.
"I understand this matter is about the secret realm," said Lu Changsheng. "Was exactly is it?"
Xia Chengfeng considered the question for a moment, then leaned forward to explain. "Secret realms are special spaces that have formed naturally. They are attached to the Ancient Region, yet also separate from it. Only during specific periods, when the two spaces overlap, do secret realms become accessible from within the Ancient Region.
"Some secret realms are extremely ancient, while others were formed more recently. Some contain life, while others are completely desolate. Large secret realms are usually quite stable, and contain countless rare treasures if no one had entered them since they were formed.
"Among the most prized of those treasures are Principle Divine Stones, which are born from the collision of Principles when a secret realm first takes shape. For Dao Foundation martial artists like us, they are invaluable—capable of accelerating Principle comprehension, and even bringing a Principle all the way to Perfection.
"Because Principle Divine Stones are so useful, they naturally draw competition. Dao Foundation experts and Dao Lords alike will rush to secret realms the moment they become accessible.
"Now, Zhao Yujian and I consider ourselves strong, but we're still not confident enough to do this just by ourselves. Competition is extremely brutal there, so that's why we've come to invite you, Fellow Daoist Lu, to join us and contend for the Principle Divine Stones."
Having listened to Xia Chengfeng's explanation, Lu Changsheng merely smiled, making no response at first.
Entering a secret realm was dangerous. They would have to compete not only against supreme Dao Foundation experts, but also against supreme Dao Lords. There might be many experts on Dao Lord Shan Hai's level, and perhaps even some far stronger than him. If Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian wanted his help, they would have to offer enough in return.
Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian understood from his reaction that he was waiting for them to state their terms.
So, Zhao Yujian cut straight to it. "Brother Lu, we won't waste your time. Lend us your strength, and we will give you six drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood. Beyond that, for every three Principle Divine Stones we secure, one will go to you. If we obtain six, you will receive two, and so on. We shall be fair with you in this endeavor." ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian had clearly done their homework. The six drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood were based on the price Wang Yun had paid when she asked Lu Changsheng to kill Dao Lord Shan Hai. Back then, Wang Yun had offered five drops. This time, they had added one more to show how much they valued him. The share of Principle Divine Stones were to sweeten the deal further.
However, in truth, giving Lu Changsheng one of every three stones they obtained was more of a gesture of good faith than anything else. Principle Divine Stones were not items one simply gathered by the armful; if they were, no one would be risking their life in a secret realm for them. Walking away with two or three stones would be already considered a strong haul. As for obtaining more, Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian probably had not even considered that possibility.
As Lu Changsheng turned the offer in his mind, silence settled over the cave residence.
After a long while, Xia Chengfeng could no longer hold back. "Brother Lu, what are your thoughts?"
Lu Changsheng looked at them and gave his answer in a calm, firm voice. "I'm afraid it's not enough."
"Not enough?"
"What are your demands, Brother Lu?"
Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian exchanged a glance.
"Six drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood and a share of the Principle Divine Stones might have been enough to secure my help a year ago, but not anymore." Lu Changsheng let the words hang for a moment. "Because I am no longer the same person I was a year ago."
As soon as he finished speaking, his Mind Space descended.
Seeing that, Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian reacted almost by instinct. Their own Mind Spaces surged out at once, trying to resist the pressure from Lu Changsheng's. However, the moment Lu Changsheng's Mind Space spread open, six beams of light flickered within it one after another, each one representing a Principle.
With six Principles supporting it at once, Lu Changsheng's Mind Space became incredibly strong. And in an instant, it overpowered the Mind Spaces of the two men, leaving them visibly shaken.
"How is this possible!"
"Six Principles?"
"He actually has six Principles?"
"When Brother Lu fought Dao Lord Shan Hai, he had four Principles, same as us. And now, in a single year, he has mastered two more. The speed at which he comprehends Principles is simply unimaginable."
With six Principles, Lu Changsheng was now undeniably the strongest Dao Foundation martial artist in the entire Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. Before this, the strongest among their sect's Dao Foundation experts had mastered five, but clearly, they now all fell short of what Lu Changsheng had just demonstrated.
Under the pressure of Lu Changsheng's Mind Space, Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian had no choice but to admit their inferiority. They still had divine techniques up their sleeves, but Lu Changsheng certainly had his own as well. Since his Mind Space alone could already suppress theirs, testing him further would be foolish and nothing else.
"Impressive," Xia Chengfeng remarked, his expression turning serious. "Brother Lu, you've already mastered six Principles... Now we understand why our initial offer was unsatisfactory."
Zhao Yujian looked at Lu Changsheng. "Brother Lu, what do you want?"
Both of them waited for his answer. If they could meet his terms, they would. If they could not, then there was nothing more to discuss.
"Ten drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood, plus the share of Principle Divine Stones you mentioned. Agree to that, and I shall accompany you."
Ten drops was a heavy demand. In fact, the six drops Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian had offered earlier were probably already difficult for them to gather, and ten drops meant each of them would have to contribute five.
Even as supreme Dao Foundation martial artists who had spent years in the third layer of the Ancient Region, they would likely have to use up all their savings to scrape that amount together.
Truth be told, Lu Changsheng only needed four more drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood to comprehend the two remaining Principles he lacked. However, Heavenly Demon Essence Blood could also speed up his progress in the Principles, so the more he obtained, the better. His goal was not just to master all eight Principles, but also to bring them all to Perfection.
"Ten drops..." Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian fell silent. But after a long moment, they gritted their teeth and made their decision. "Fine, we agree."
The Principle Divine Stone was crucial for them to condense their divine abilities and reach the Divine Ability Realm, so no matter how steep the price, it was worth it.
Lu Changsheng smiled. "You have made a wise choice."
"But Brother Lu, we have another condition,” Zhao Yujian added. "If we die, whether we get any Principle Divine Stones or not, you won’t receive any Heavenly Demon Essence Blood."
Before meeting Lu Changsheng, Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian had never seriously considered the possibility of dying. As two martial artists who stood among the strongest Dao Foundation experts, they had no reason to fear death. Even if there were others who were stronger, killing them would not be easy.
Over the years, they had accumulated more than enough means to survive any dire situation, such as multiple Teleportation Talismans, and other even more powerful life-preserving treasures.
However, after seeing that Lu Changsheng had mastered six Principles, a trace of caution had risen in their hearts. What if Lu Changsheng turned on them in the secret realm? They were from the same sect, but one could never put too much trust in anyone.
Understanding their concern, Lu Changsheng nodded. "Very well. If either of you falls, I take nothing."
Then he quickly added,"But if you both walk out alive and come away without a single Principle Divine Stone, I cannot have made the journey for nothing. I must still receive four drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood as compensation. For the time being, they must be held by a neutral intermediary."
Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian hesitated for a moment, then agreed. Four drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood was still a high price, but for the sake of the Principle Divine Stones, they were willing to take the gamble.
Besides, with the three of them joining forces, they refused to believe they would enter a large secret realm and leave empty-handed. No matter what, they should be able to secure at least one Principle Divine Stone.
"Agreed. As for the intermediary, how about Zhao Yuanshan?"
"Zhao Yuanshan is perfect."
Lu Changsheng had no objection to that. In fact, he felt quite at ease with Zhao Yuanshan holding the terms.
With the agreement settled, the three of them went straight to the Exchange Hall and found Zhao Yuanshan. They explained their arrangement to him, and he readily agreed. Lu Changsheng, Xia Chengfeng, and Zhao Yujian had all been major clients of his in the past, so this small favor was no trouble for him.
With everything in order, Xia Chengfeng said, "Brother Lu, you may take some time to prepare. We will set out for the secret realm in three days."
Lu Changsheng nodded. "Three days. I'll be ready."
With the date fixed, Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian took their leave from the Exchange Hall.
As for Lu Changsheng, Zhao Yuanshan caught his arm before he could leave.
"Brother Lu, since you are going to the secret realm, I have to ask—if you come away with more Principle Divine Stones than you need, could you spare one for me?"
There was a trace of longing in Zhao Yuanshan's eyes as he continued, "Rest assured, I won't ask you to give it away for nothing. I'll give you six drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood in exchange for one Principle Divine Stone. Moreover, that drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood you borrowed from me is forgiven as well.
"Please, Brother Lu. I ask for just one Principle Divine Stone."
A Principle Divine Stone was not something that could simply be purchased, no matter how much one was willing to pay. Every Dao Foundation martial artist who obtained one kept it for themselves; no one ever sold it.
So, even though Zhao Yuanshan had plenty of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood, he still could not trade it for a Principle Divine Stone. Without one, he could only rely on his own talent, which meant decades of grinding, perhaps even a full century, just to bring a single Principle to Perfection. At that rate, the Divine Ability Realm would remain nothing more than a distant dream for him.
However, one stone could change everything. With one Principle Divine Stone, he would at least have a chance.
"One Principle Divine Stone..." Lu Changsheng gave Zhao Yuanshan a deep look. "Fine. If I obtain more Principle Divine Stones than I need, I will spare one for you, Brother Zhao."
With that, Lu Changsheng turned and left.
"Thank you, Brother Lu." Zhao Yuanshan bowed deeply toward Lu Changsheng's departing figure, a wide grin breaking across his face.
He had spent a long time building his relationship with Lu Changsheng, offering small favors, keeping things warm between them. Now, finally, he was about to see a tremendous return on his investment.
Lu Changsheng soon returned to his cave residence and began making his own preparations. Anything could happen inside a secret realm, so it was always better to be prepared.
The three days passed quickly, and just like they had promised, Xia Chengfeng and Zhao Yujian arrived together at Lu Changsheng's cave residence.
