Chapter 193.1: Dao Lord Shan Hai, Lu Changsheng of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect Will Kill You! (I)

"I've lost..." Zhang Changtian murmured with a dazed expression.

Even with the truth laid out in front of him, he still found it hard to accept. He had grasped three Principles and even possessed a divine technique that fused them together. By any ordinary measure, that should have been enough to place him among the strongest Dao Foundation martial artists—and yet, he had just lost to Lu Changsheng.

He raised his head and looked at Lu Changsheng with a complicated expression.

Lu Changsheng's Fire and Wind Principles did not impress Zhang Changtian that much. What truly shook him was Lu Changsheng's Mental Principle. Mental Principles were rare to begin with, and they were notoriously difficult to defend against. Naturally, if wielded by a peerless genius like Lu Changsheng, they were simply deadly.

This guy is something else... Not only does he have a compound divine technique formed from two Principles at Perfection, but also a mental-type supreme divine technique at Perfection. I never stood a chance to begin with.

Zhang Changtian took a deep breath, and as that realization settled in, his unwillingness to accept the outcome finally faded.

Against a mental divine technique and a compound divine technique, both of which had reached Perfection, he never had a chance. In fact, he could not think of anyone among Zhao Qianshan, Ouyang Mo, or the other supreme Dao Foundation martial artists of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect who could defend against an attack like that.

Zhang Changtian bowed respectfully toward Lu Changsheng. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Lu, for showing mercy."

He knew that if Lu Changsheng had truly gone all out, he would have suffered far worse. If this had been a fight to the death, he would likely already be dead.

"It was just a sparring match," Lu Changsheng said indifferently. Then, he turned to Zhao Qiaoshan and Ouyang Mo. "What about you? Would you like to spar as well?"

"No need." The two quickly shook their heads. "If you managed to defeat Zhang Changtian, you can naturally defeat us as well, Fellow Daoist Lu. There's no point in a sparring match."

If Lu Changsheng had only been slightly stronger than Zhang Changtian, they might still have considered sparring with him. After all, Zhang Changtian was stronger than them, but not by enough to make them give up without even trying. However, after witnessing the sparring session for themselves, they understood the gap in strength clearly.

Lu Changsheng was not merely stronger; he was strong enough to crush them outright. There was no need to fight a match they already knew they would lose.

Lu Changsheng turned to Wang Yun next. "Fellow Daoist Wang, what do you think?"

His ultimate goal was still the five drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood, so her approval was what mattered most.

"Yes, Fellow Daoist Lu, I think you're the right person for the task!" Wang Yun immediately made her decision. "As long as you kill Dao Lord Shan Hai, I'll present all five drops of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood to you with both hands."

Lu Changsheng's strength gave her genuine hope of accomplishing that goal. More importantly, his mental divine technique was rare and deadly. In battle, a supreme mental divine technique at Perfection could turn the tide in an instant. If Dao Lord Shan Hai made even the slightest mistake, he might truly die at Lu Changsheng's hands.

"In that case, let us set a time," Lu Changsheng proposed. "Within one year, I'll take action and do everything I can to kill Dao Lord Shan Hai. If I fail to kill him within that time, Fellow Daoist Wang may seek someone else to complete the task. However, right now, I would like one drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood as a deposit, a gesture of good faith."

"Taking action within one year is fine, but one drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood as a deposit..." Wang Yun hesitated.

A single drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood was extraordinarily valuable, so this was not something she could agree to lightly. However, after thinking it over, she felt there was no need to worry too much.

Lu Changsheng was young, powerful, and exceptionally talented. A martial artist like him would not ruin his own reputation over a single drop of essence blood. Besides, Zhao Yuanshan himself had introduced him. If anything went wrong, she would hold Zhao Yuanshan accountable, no matter what excuses he gave.

"Very well, Fellow Daoist Lu, I'll give you a drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood first. But if you fail to kill Dao Lord Shan Hai within a year, you must return the essence blood."

She took out a white porcelain bottle and threw it to Lu Changsheng.

Lu Changsheng caught the bottle, and opened it to check. It was indeed a drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood, and it appeared to be one of wood attributes, which was exactly the thing he could use.

Lu Changsheng carefully put away the bottle. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Wang. I shall take my leave now."

With that, he walked out of Wang Yun's cave residence with Zhao Yuanshan beside him. Once they were outside, Lu Changsheng smiled at Zhao Yuanshan. "Brother Zhao, I still have a drop of Gust-Winged Heavenly Demon Essence Blood. Could I use it to exchange for wood-attribute Heavenly Demon Essence Blood with you?"

"Sure, that's no problem at all," Zhao Yuanshan nodded.

Zhao Yuanshan had always been generous toward Lu Changsheng, so he agreed without a second thought. He took out a drop of wood-attribute Heavenly Demon Essence Blood, and handed it over.

Lu Changsheng examined the bottle carefully. This drop was different from the one Wang Yun had given him. He could use it to comprehend the Wood Principle.

As Lu Changsheng studied the drop of essence blood, Zhao Yuanshan suddenly spoke in a solemn voice. "Brother Lu, I know you're strong, but I must remind you, so is Dao Lord Shan Hai. He's not going to be like any other opponent you've fought. Dao Lords rely heavily on enchanted treasures and formations, and there is no telling what Dao Lord Shan Hai may have up his sleeve.

"Back then, Lu Zhenkong and Wang Yun suffered precisely because they didn't know about Dao Lord Shan Hai's Heavenly Mountain Seal. It was an enchanted treasure so powerful that it blasted Lu Zhenkong to death on the spot. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the only way to ensure victory, so you must be cautious and prepare thoroughly."

Naturally, Zhao Yuanshan did not want Lu Changsheng to die. After all, he still had to pay him back the drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood he owed him.

Lu Changsheng nodded. "Understood, Brother Zhao. I will make sure to prepare carefully before taking action."

***

After parting ways with Zhao Yuanshan, Lu Changsheng returned to his cave residence. Once inside, he took out the two drops of wood-attribute Heavenly Demon Essence Blood.

Two drops should be enough to contemplate the Wood Principle. Once I've mastered it, I'll go to the Divine Technique Hall and find a supreme compound divine technique that fuses three Principles, then train it to Perfection. One year should be enough.

Lu Changsheng wasted no time in preparing for his battle against Dao Lord Shan Hai. He knew Dao Lord Shan Hai was not going to be some pushover. Anyone capable of killing Lu Zhenkong could not be taken lightly. Even with the Mental Principle and Mental Millstone at Perfection, Lu Changsheng was not completely confident he could kill Shan Hai. However, if he could acquire a supreme compound divine technique fused by three Principles, his strength would surge dramatically, and his chances would improve considerably.

Lu Changsheng had never been the sort to underestimate his enemies, especially Dao Lords, as they were known to have an incredibly vast arsenal and all sorts of unpredictable tricks up their sleeves. Thorough preparation against Dao Lords was not caution—it was necessity. Lu Changsheng had insisted on taking one drop of Heavenly Demon Essence Blood as a deposit precisely so he could comprehend another Principle and improve his chances before making his move.

Soon, Lu Changsheng closed his eyes and began contemplating the two drops of wood-attribute Heavenly Demon Essence Blood.

One day passed, then two.

Boom!

Lu Changsheng spent two full days in contemplation before a resonant boom echoed through his Mind Space. A brand-new Principle appeared within it, glowing with a cyan light.

As he opened his eyes, his lips curved into a contented smile. "Yes! I've got the Wood Principle!" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Now, Lu Changsheng possessed four Principles in total: Fire, Wind, Mental, and Wood. In the third layer of the Ancient Region, this was already enough to place him above many other Dao Foundation martial artists.

Most Dao Foundation martial artists could hardly comprehend even a single Principle. Those who did usually had only one or two; few could master three. As for four Principles, those who achieved it were invariably supreme Dao Foundation experts. And now, Lu Changsheng was among them.

However, this was still not enough to deal with Dao Lord Shan Hai. If he wanted to kill Dao Lord Shan Hai, relying on four Principles alone was still too risky. What he needed next was a divine technique, and not just any divine technique, but a supreme compound divine technique fused from three Principles.