Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

Chapter 174.2: Dao Foundation Candidate List Experts Join Forces! (II)

Voices rose from all directions, anger and unease spreading quickly through the ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists. Angry glares were directed toward Lan Tianxiao, yet not a single one of them dared take action against him.

An expert ranked forty-eight on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, a man a step away from forging his Dao Foundation, was not someone to be trifled with.

While many of the ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists were dissatisfied with the proposal, the Dao Foundation Candidate List experts saw things in a different way.

A black-robed martial artist named Chen Feng, ranked eighty-third on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, stepped forward. "Lan Tianxiao is right. Those not on the Dao Foundation Candidate List are not qualified to compete for the Azure Cloud Fruits. I support his suggestion!"

"I agree, too."

"Yeah, let's get rid of the ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists."

"They can't compete with us for the Azure Cloud Fruits anyway. Only those on the Dao Foundation Candidate List should have the right to compete!"

A Dao Foundation Candidate List expert lit up an incense stick. "Let me set a time limit with this incense stick. After it burns down, any ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists who are still here will be killed without mercy!"

One after another, the Dao Foundation Candidate List experts stepped forward in support of Lan Tianxiao's suggestion. Clearing out the weaker competition only increased their chances, and it would be foolish not to support it.

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes and swept his gaze across the crowd. Twenty-three Dao Foundation Candidate List experts and over three hundred ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists are here.

If the three hundred ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists were to truly unite, it would be difficult for the twenty-three Dao Foundation Candidate List experts to win. However, expecting three hundred strangers to become a united front in such a short time was nothing more than a fantasy.

An ordinary Divine Treasury martial artist could not hold back any longer. He stepped forward and shouted, "You're going too far! The Azure Cloud Fruits are not only yours alone. Anyone should be able to compete for them. None of you magically appeared on the Dao Foundation Candidate List. You all started out as ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists, too!"

The ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists muttered in agreement, no longer bothering to hide their anger. Perhaps the presence of more than three hundred of them had given them a false sense of confidence.

Chen Feng's expression turned cold. His gaze locked onto the martial artist who had spoken up.

"Shut up," he growled and lifted his hand.

BOOOM!

A Domain crashed down on the martial artist. The martial artist did not even have time to react, nor the power to resist. Chen Feng's Domain ground him to dust where he stood.

The crowd fell silent. Chen Feng had erased a Divine Treasury martial artist just like that, as easily as snuffing out a candle. Fear spread throughout the over three hundred Divine Treasury martial artists, and most of them began to think of retreating.

"The martial artists on the Dao Foundation Candidate List are simply too strong. That man who spoke up was a seasoned Divine Treasury martial artist, and Chen Feng destroyed him so easily. How do you fight monsters like that?"

"That's right, they are so much stronger than us. We don't stand a chance against those on the list!"

"Forget the Azure Cloud Fruits. Let's leave while we still can. Nothing is worth losing your life over."

One by one, the ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists withdrew, slipping away as quietly as they could. They knew that once that incense stick burned down, those on the Dao Foundation Candidate List would start killing them without a second thought.

The Three Swordsmen of the Heavenly Sect had been watching the scene unfold, and color slowly drained from their faces.

Gu Chen turned to Lu Changsheng. "Junior Brother Lu, what do we do? None of us is on the Dao Foundation Candidate List. Once time runs out, we'll be killed with the rest."

Liu Pu and Han Tianyun felt the same unease. Even though their title "Three Swordsmen of the Heavenly Sect" sounded impressive, their combined strength put them at the level of a supreme Divine Treasury at best, and even that was generous.

Every Dao Foundation Candidate List expert could defeat a supreme Divine Treasury martial artist with ease. Though they stood in the same realm, the gap in strength between those on the list and those outside it was worlds apart.

Gu Chen knew that while Lu Changsheng had killed Xu Haotian, an expert on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, Lu Changsheng's own name was not on the Dao Foundation Candidate List. So technically, Lu Changsheng would not be able to stay and compete for the Azure Cloud Fruits.

"We stay and wait," Lu Changsheng said, then he fell silent again.

Gu Chen and the others gritted their teeth and held their ground, choosing to trust Lu Changsheng despite the growing urge to run away.

As time passed, more and more ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists slipped away. Of over three hundred of them, nearly a third had already withdrawn. Only around a hundred remained, still unwilling to give up. Some clung to hope, while others decided that they were strong enough to ignore the threat.

"Still here?" a Dao Foundation Candidate List expert snickered. "Then stay here for good."

The twenty-three experts had never coordinated beforehand, but at that moment, they moved out as one.

"Run!"

Panic broke out among the remaining ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists as the Dao Foundation Candidate List experts unleashed their Domains. Each expert targeted a portion of the remaining martial artists, and Lu Changsheng's group was singled out by a woman.

Women were not uncommon among Divine Treasury martial artists, but on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, they were rare. The woman moved toward Lu Changsheng and the Three Swordsmen.

"Crap! That's Hua Qianshang!" Gu Chen exclaimed.

Liu Pu clenched his jaw. "She's ranked seventy-ninth on the Dao Foundation Candidate List!"

"Ugh, this sucks!" Han Tianyu groaned. "Why did she have to target us?!"

Gu Chen and the others felt their hearts sink. All martial artists on the Dao Foundation Candidate List were tough opponents, and Hua Qianshang was no exception.

Gu Chen gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "Hold on a second, Hua Qianshang! If you're getting rid of ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists, our Junior Brother Lu has every right to take part in it."

"Oh, is that right?" Hua Qianshang narrowed her eyes, stopping in her tracks.

Gu Chen's words drew the attention of many other martial artists, too. Those who had retreated earlier watched carefully from a distance, hoping for a chance to benefit from the chaos.

Hua Qianshang's cold gaze settled on Lu Changsheng. "Who are you? I know nearly everyone on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, but I've never seen you before. Does anyone recognize this martial artist here?"

In an instant, the eyes of the twenty-three Dao Foundation Candidate List experts all fell upon Lu Changsheng.

"Who is he?"

"I don't recognize him."

"He doesn't seem to be on the Dao Foundation Candidate List."

"His outfit tells me he's from the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. I know everyone from that sect who's on the list. He's definitely not one of them."

"Hmph! Is he trying to pass himself off as a Dao Foundation Candidate List expert?

"He's asking to be killed!"

Murderous aura spread out from the twenty-three Dao Foundation Candidate List experts. Impersonating a Dao Foundation Candidate List expert in front of them was an insult that they would not tolerate.

They started moving toward Lu Changsheng, but a voice suddenly cut through the tension. "Wait! I think that's Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect!"

"It is him! I've seen him before. He was unbeatable throughout the Ancient Region when he was in the Divine Fortification Realm—he could even kill Divine Treasury martial artists back then!"

"I see... but so what? He has only just advanced to the Divine Treasury Realm and isn't on the list. That still counts as impersonation!"

"This ought to be interesting. Lan Tianxiao won't let this slide."

"But you know, there's word going around that Lu Changsheng killed Xu Haotian of the Yellow Heavenly Sect. And Xu Haotian was on the Dao Foundation Candidate List."

Lu Changsheng's feats of becoming the Number One Divine Fortification martial artist, defeating opponents above his realm, and slaying Xu Haotian meant that his fame had already spread far and wide.

Lan Tianxiao stepped forward and came to Hua Qianshang's side. His gaze remained fixed on Lu Changsheng. "That's Lu Changsheng. You should have heard of him. He defeated opponents above his realm and recently killed Xu Haotian."

Hua Qianshang's eyes narrowed. She knew Xu Haotian. His ranking was below hers, but he was still an expert on the Dao Foundation Candidate List. If Lu Changsheng had killed him, his strength was not something to be dismissed lightly.

Lan Tianxiao clasped his hands behind his back, with a faint smile on his lips. "Lu Changsheng, your strength is impressive, but you are not on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, and I doubt the other twenty-some experts here would agree to make an exception. Leave on your own."

Lu Changsheng did not respond. He remained seated, calm and unmoved, as cries of pain echoed around him. The Dao Foundation Candidate List experts continued to cut down the ordinary Divine Treasury martial artists who had refused to leave. By now, more than half of them had already fallen.

Gu Chen started to crack under the pressure. "Junior Brother Lu, maybe we should..."

His voice trailed off. Under the weight of so many hostile gazes and those sharp, dying cries echoing in his ears, he was starting to falter. Liu Pu and Han Tianyun were no better. They, too, were thinking of retreating. They knew that they stood no chance of defeating a Dao Foundation Candidate List expert.

Lu Changsheng rose to his feet. Facing the pressure of twenty-three Dao Foundation Candidate List experts, he remained calm and fearless.

"Lan Tianxiao, you were right about one thing. There were indeed too many Divine Treasury martial artists around. But it shouldn't be the experts on the Dao Foundation Candidate List driving them off. It should be my team. In fact, apart from my team, everyone else should leave." He paused briefly. "Now, I'll give you ten seconds to get out. Leave, or die."

For a moment, no one reacted, then the realization sank in. The surrounding martial artists stared at Lu Changsheng in disbelief. Gu Chen and the others were completely ignored. In the eyes of the Dao Foundation Candidate List experts, Lu Changsheng was now the biggest threat.

Even Lan Tianxiao, who had been so composed just moments ago, revealed a face twisted with rage. "Lu Changsheng, have you lost your mind?! You're strong, so we spared you and gave you a chance to leave. Don't mistake that for weakness."

As he spoke, his aura rose. Hua Qianshang and the others followed. Their auras swelled and gathered like a storm on the verge of breaking.

Silence stretched as the tension thickened. Lu Changsheng's gaze grew colder with each passing moment as he counted down from ten. When the time was up, he said, "It seems you've chosen death. Very well, I'll oblige."

Boom!

Five colors of light erupted, each color representing one Domain. They surged outward and collapsed inward, folding into each other with terrifying speed to transform into a five-in-one Domain. Lu Changsheng's Five Elements Domain crashed down on the region as if it were the firmament collapsing toward the ground.