Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

Chapter 172.2: Lu Changshengs Five-In-One Domain Against Xu Haotian! (II)

"You actually came, Lu Changsheng," Xu Haotian said with a smile. He had not misjudged Lu Changsheng after all. A supreme genius like him would never be able to allow repeated provocations forever. Xu Haotian knew that if he were in Lu Changsheng's position, he would make the same choice.

If someone were to call him out by name and set themselves up at the entrance of his sect's base, he would confront them, too, despite knowing that he would most likely lose.

"That's right. I'm here to reunite you with your younger brother," Lu Changsheng replied.

His demeanor was calm, as though Xu Haotian's presence meant nothing to him at all. That composure alone set him apart from most disciples. Not everyone could stand before Xu Haotian and look like that.

"Oh? So confident?" Xu Haotian's smile didn't waver. "You're probably counting on the Dao Foundation experts of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect to protect you. But know this, even if I can't kill you, I'll hand you a defeat so crushing it flaws your heart, and leaves you with inner demons for life. Blocking your Martial Dao would be far more satisfying than killing you!"

"Enough talk. Today, I want to see just how strong a supreme Divine Treasury expert is," Lu Changsheng said, stepping forward without fear.

Lu Guan watched from nearby with quiet admiration. How courageous! No wonder he could kill Long Yun, a supreme disciple, and even rebel against Divine Treasury experts.

Lu Guan and Lu Changsheng were both true inheritor disciples, but Lu Guan knew better than anyone that not all true inheritors were the same. Lu Changsheng was the kind of disciple that the entire Ancient Region Heavenly Sect would observe. He was a supreme genius with a real chance of forging his Dao foundation.

As for Lu Guan, he was only a long-established true inheritor, seasoned and capable, but the Divine Treasury Realm was likely his ceiling. Dao Foundation was likely a wall he would press against for the rest of his life, but would never break through.

In the past, Lu Guan had always told himself that it was a matter of talent, which was something he could not control. But watching Lu Changsheng advance without fear, that assumption cracked. Perhaps it had never been about talent at all; perhaps it was his heart. His heart had always been too careful, too measured. A heart like that could not bear the pressure of forging a Dao foundation.

Lu Changsheng paid no attention to the whispers and thoughts of those around him. His gaze remained fixed on Xu Haotian as he moved forward. He had spent months in seclusion for this very moment.

As long as Xu Haotian lived, he would never have peace, and since Xu Haotian had come to his doorstep, he intended to make sure he never had to think about Xu Haotian ever again.

Soon, only ten zhang separated Lu Changsheng from Xu Haotian. Without hesitation, Lu Changsheng yelled, "Heart Sword, Sever!"

Lu Changsheng's Mind Space trembled, and the Jade Heart Sword shot out at once. One blade followed another in rapid succession, as ten Heart Swords cut straight into Xu Haotian's spirit.

Boom! Boom!

Xu Haotian's mind convulsed violently. Then, within the depths of his mind, an ancient bronze bell appeared.

Dong!

As the sound of the bell echoed through his mind, the violet tremors caused by the Heart Sword faded. His shattered mind quickly settled and stabilized.

That's... a mind treasure! Lu Changsheng narrowed his eyes. Only a mind treasure could take form in the mind like that. This type of treasure was extremely rare, and Lu Changsheng had not expected Xu Haotian to possess one.

The one Xu Haotian had was one that could restore shattered minds, so unless Lu Changsheng could annihilate Xu Haotian's mind in a single blow, any damage that the Heart Swords would inflict on him would simply be undone. That being said, while Xu Haotian's mind could recover, the pain of having his mind shattered would still remain.

However, Xu Haotian held himself steady through the pain and sneered, saying, "Did you really think a mental secret technique would work on me? I know Long Yun had died to it, so did you think I'd come here without preparing for it?"

He had known from the start that Lu Changsheng's greatest weapon was his spirit secret technique, and once that was neutralized, half of Lu Changsheng's strength would go with it. Of course, what remained wouldn't be enough to deal with him.

Xu Haotian's expression twisted slightly, and a trace of excitement flickered in his eyes. "Now die."

Boom!

The Domains in Xu Haotian's Mind Space descended all at once. Among them was the four-in-one Domain that had just defeated Lu Guan, and another was a two-in-one Domain. The power he unleashed was likely equivalent to fifty layers of ordinary Domains from a Divine Treasury expert.

Lu Changsheng took a deep breath.

Buzz...

A low hum spread as his Mind Space trembled violently. Within his fifteen-li Mind Space, Domains descended one after another. The Saber Domain, the Sword Domain, and the Slaughter Domain formed three layers of ordinary Domains. Then came the two-in-one Domains—Starry Sky Waterfall Domain and the Waterspout Domain.

The power from just these two two-in-one Domains was already comparable to twenty layers of ordinary Domains. But Lu Changsheng did not stop there, as he knew he had to give more to face Xu Haotian's overwhelming strength.

His Mind Space trembled, and five more Domains manifested: The Water Element Domain, the Fire Element Domain, the Earth Element Domain, the Wood Element Domain, and the Metal Element Domain.

Lu Changsheng unleashed five Element Domains, then he commanded, "Fuse!"

What happened next left every watching disciple in shock. The five Domains rushed together and converged into one, fusing into a five-in-one Domain.

The emergence of the Five Elements Domain left everyone trembling. Its powerful aura rolled outward, and even disciples from ten li away could feel its presence pressing against them. The Five Elements Domain encompassed the power of all five elements of heaven and earth, and any force or matter that fell within them would be restrained.

"Impossible!" Xu Haotian's expression shifted for the first time. "A five-in-one Domain? How?"

He had pushed himself to the limit to create a four-in-one Domain, and he thought he had already pushed the extent of what was possible. Yet, Lu Changsheng, who had just stepped into the Divine Treasury Realm, had done a five-in-one fusion. It felt like a lie, but he could not deny what he had just seen.

The combined power of Lu Changsheng's Five Elements Domain, the Starry Sky Waterfall Domain, and the Waterspout Domain, was comparable to sixty layers of ordinary Domains. In fact, even if an opponent had sixty Domains, they would still be crushed by his three Domains.

"Suppress!" Lu Changsheng's voice was cold as his Domains surged forward at once.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Xu Haotian's Domains shattered layer after layer under the pressure of Lu Changsheng's Domains. Even the four-in-one Domain, the one he had been most proud of, faltered and broke apart under the pressure of the Five Elements Domain.

"No..." For the first time, fear appeared in Xu Haotian's eyes. He could feel the breath of death closing in from all sides. Soon, there would be nothing left of him.

Just as Lu Changsheng's Domains were about to annihilate Xu Haotian, a voice rang out. "Stop!"

The command echoed like a thunderclap. Every disciple flinched, and even Lu Changsheng's five-in-one domain shuddered, looking as if it would break under the force of the voice.

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw an elderly man in white walking in midair. He moved forward step by step as if the empty air beneath his feet were solid ground.

"A Dao Foundation expert!" a disciple in the crowd exclaimed.

"Only a Dao Foundation expert could walk in the air like that," another said.

A third squinted his eyes. "Looking at his attire, it looks like he's from the Yellow Heavenly Sect."

Lu Changsheng merely glanced at the elderly man. He had no intention of stopping. No matter who had arrived, he would end this here. Xu Haotian had to die here.

"Die!" His five-in-one Domain crashed down on Xu Haotian with full force.

The white-robed elder's expression darkened. "How insolent!"

The next moment, the surroundings shifted. The crowd looked up and saw endless mountain ranges bearing down from above, and fierce winds howled around their peaks. The sight of them pressed on Lu Changsheng's mind with a terrible, visceral weight, as if those mountains were real.

Lu Changsheng's chest tightened. A materialized Mind Space?

The defining trait of a Dao Foundation expert was the materialization of the Mind Space. What once existed only within the mind could be materialized, making it look like something tangible and real.

Its power was unlike anything a Divine Treasury martial artist could withstand. Even before the elderly man's Mind Space could truly descend, Lu Changsheng already found himself unable to move.

Suddenly, another voice echoed across the sky. "Old man Huang, you already have one foot in the grave. Wouldn't you rather spend what time you have left waiting for your destined end in peace? Why come here to meet an early death?"

With a loud crack, the descending mountain ranges manifested by the white-robed elderly man shattered. Every last mountain collapsed and dissolved as though they had never existed in the first place.

"Aaaah!" the elderly man screamed in pain.

Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Changsheng could vaguely see a man walking step by step through the air, with his hands clasped behind his back. When the man got close enough to the crowd, he stopped and looked down on everyone.

Lu Changsheng did not ask who the man was, as he already knew the answer. He could only be a Dao Foundation expert. Within the territory of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, no Dao Foundation experts from outside the sect could act so freely.

Xu Haotian's presence was tolerated because it remained a matter between juniors, and the sect simply lacked the right disciples to deal with him for the time being.

The moment a Dao Foundation expert from the Yellow Heavenly Sect chose to intervene and raise a hand against one of their own, however, the situation changed completely, as the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect would never stand by and allow that to happen.

Seizing the opportunity, Lu Changsheng brought down his five-in-one Domain.

"Master, save me—" Xu Haotian's face twisted in terror as fear overtook him, but his plea ended abruptly.

Lu Changsheng's Domain descended with overwhelming force, grinding him down until there were no traces of him left.