Voosh!

Lu Changsheng felt as though he stood within a surging river. The current was fierce enough to soak his clothes through. Beneath his feet, in midstream, was a giant boulder, and however violently the waters crashed into it, the boulder did not budge.

I see...

He knew Sun Ming had arranged this on purpose. This was one of the advantages of a Domain. Even though it had materialized, everything within it could still be altered at will. With that, he immediately sat down cross-legged.

"I need waves a hundred zhang high!" Lu Changsheng shouted.

"Good. Then the waves shall come!"

As Sun Ming's words fell, the entire ancient river roared to life. Great waves rose one after another, surging without end. Their force surpassed even the sea waves Lu Changsheng had seen before.

Lu Changsheng did not hesitate. He immediately took a Dao Comprehension Pill and entered a state of epiphany.

Two hours, then four, then six...

Once he sank into that state, inspiration poured forth. Even immersed within the materialized Ancient River Domain, he remained completely unaffected.

This is... truly unbelievable. This boy's talent and Perception are astounding...

Sun Ming, meanwhile, did his utmost to materialize the Ancient River Domain. Fortunately, it required very little heart force. He had been nurturing the Domain within his Mind Space for a long time, so materializing it took almost no effort. Even so, witnessing a genius like Lu Changsheng comprehend a Domain with his own eyes left him deeply shaken.

He's a genius... no, more like a monster!

Lu Changsheng had merely taken a Dao Comprehension Pill and started practicing within Sun Ming's materialized Domain, and his comprehension of the Wave Domain was already deepening, and at an astonishing rate at that!

Sun Ming himself had gone through the process of comprehending a Domain, so he knew well how difficult it was. Even his own breakthrough into the Divine Treasury had come through a measure of luck, and the Domain he possessed back then had not been particularly strong.

Days passed in succession. Since they were within the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, there was no risk of interruption. In the blink of an eye, six days went by, and on the seventh, Lu Changsheng took his thirteenth Dao Comprehension Pill.

BOOM!

At last, Lu Changsheng's Wave Domain began to churn violently.

Witnessing that, Sun Ming's heart stirred. Transformation! This is the kind of transformation that occurs when a Domain is about to reach Perfection!

Sun Ming was astonished. He naturally understood the transformation that came with a Domain reaching Perfection. After reaching the Divine Treasury Realm, he had nurtured his Ancient River Domain within his Mind Space for a long time before it finally reached Perfection and could materialize. However, that method was almost entirely different from practicing the Domain to Perfection through one's own understanding. In truth, the two could hardly be compared.

At last, the Wave Domain completed its transformation.

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes, and a sharp glint flashed across them.

"Thank you for your help, Elder Sun," he said with a bow. Although this was a transaction, Sun Ming had truly done him a great favor.

Sun Ming did not put on airs either. "Seven days and thirteen Dao Comprehension Pills. And you brought the Wave Domain to Perfection. That kind of efficiency... It's simply inconceivable!"

He was not even aware that Lu Changsheng now possessed five Perfect Domains. If he had known, his jaw might have hit the floor.

"Elder Sun, you flatter me. I will remember my part of the agreement. Within these three years, I will do everything in my power to find a lifespan-extending treasure for you."

Then, Lu Changsheng cupped his fist in farewell. "I shall take my leave now."

Once he left, he summoned his status panel right away.

[Status Panel]

Host: Lu Changsheng

Perception: 4570 (Praised by All)

[Skills]

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

Wave Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Storm Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Sense Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Starry Sky Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Waterfall Domain: Perfection (Not Transformed)

Seeing the strings of Perfection entries on the status panel, he could not help but smile. He had perfected all five of them, thus completing his plan. Now, the next step depended on whether his heart scale had reached one hundred.

Without even returning to his courtyard, he went straight to the Heart Monument. When he arrived at the Transmission Hall, he saw that the area before the monument was still crowded with people.

"Senior Brother Lu is here."

"Is Senior Brother Lu here to test his heart force?"

"Quick, make way. Senior Brother Lu is here."

"Move aside, quickly!"

The Transmission Hall grew lively at once. Evidently, Lu Changsheng now held tremendous prestige among the disciples of the sect, especially those in the Divine Fortification Realm. Many of them felt like they had benefitted tremendously from him. As a waymaker of the Martial Dao, Lu Changsheng had given even those less outstanding Divine Fortification martial artists a hope. Though that hope might still be difficult to grasp, it was hope nonetheless. And for that, Lu Changsheng had earned the respect of the sect's disciples.

"Thanks." Lu Changsheng returned a smile as the disciples made way for him.

He found himself before the Heart Monument. Unlike before, his composure was shaken by anticipation. He had managed to push all five of his Domains to Perfection, so according to his plan, his heart scale should have reached one hundred. However, only the Heart Monument could confirm if he had succeeded.

Let's see...

He took a deep breath, then released his heart force onto the Heart Monument.

Rumble...

The Heart Monument shook violently. At the same time, a dazzling golden light burst from the monument, very different from the usual white light.

"What? Golden light?!"

"If the Heart Monument gives off that kind of life, it can only mean one thing. His heart scale has reached one hundred! That's insane!"

"Incredible, absolutely incredible! What was Senior Brother Lu's heart scale last time?

"Seventy-eight, I think. And now it jumped straight to one hundred?"

When the golden light faded from the Heart Monument, countless eyes turned to it immediately. Sure enough, the great one hundred mark shone brilliantly at the very top, its golden radiance impossible to miss. In that instant, the entire Transmission Hall was thrown into an uproar.

"A hundred! It really is one hundred!"

"Senior Brother Lu's heart scale has reached one hundred! Does that mean he's about to advance to the Divine Treasury?"

"Incredible... Is our sect about to produce another true inheritor?"

"Once Senior Brother Lu advances to Divine Treasury, he definitely won't be an ordinary true inheritor. Don't forget how many Domains he has already comprehended!"

All the disciples looked at Lu Changsheng with unbound excitement.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Lu! You finally got what you wished for."

It was a joyous occasion indeed. One might think that the jump from Divine Fortification to Divine Treasury was just one step, but in reality, the gap was like that between heaven and earth. Some people considered reaching the Divine Treasury Realm the first true step of the Martial Dao. Only by opening the Mind Space and stepping into the Divine Treasury did one truly open the gate of the Martial Dao.

Lu Changsheng took a deep breath and steadied himself. He then cupped his hands to the disciples and quickly took his leave.

The monument might've shown my heart scale to be at one hundred, but that doesn't mean it actually. The monument only measures up to one hundred, so if it's more... But anything beyond that doesn't mean much for Divine Treasury martial artists. Once you open the Mind Space, heart force grows naturally on its own anyway.

If each Perfect Domain actually added fifteen marks to the heart scale, Lu Changsheng estimated that his heart force would be around one hundred and eight. Regardless, it made little difference. The only thing that mattered was opening the Mind Space.

Opening the Mind Space...

He had long committed that process to memory. Advancing into Divine Treasury required one thing above all else: absolute silence.

After a moment's thought, he headed straight for the cultivation chambers. The sect had secluded chambers designed for cultivation—completely silent and devoid of any disturbances.

He requested a spacious chamber, and once he was there, he sat cross-legged.

I've come such a long way...

Multiple scenes surfaced in his mind. From an apprentice in Miaoshou Garden to standing now before the gates of Divine Treasury, it felt as though all that remained was a gentle push to open the gate. He could hardly maintain his composure.

Once you access the Mind Space, you cease being mortal!

Or so they said. Whether he admitted it or not, once the Mind Space opened, he would no longer be the same as ordinary people. After all, accessing the Mind Space meant breaking free of the shackles of mortality. It was the martial path's equivalent of becoming a Qi Refinement Immortal Master, a transformation that set one apart from mortals at the most fundamental level!

The Martial Dao arose from the ordinary, yet it could also transcend the ordinary, and that transcendence began with opening the Mind Space!

Lu Changsheng closed his eyes and gathered all of his heart force. Strangely, he had unleashed heart force many times before, but he had never experienced anything like this. As he focused his heart force, he could clearly sense something within his mind, as though there were a door standing there. If he could open it, the Mind Space would open as well.

No wonder the heart scale has to reach one hundred before the Mind Space can be opened. Only when you reach that level can you sense where the Mind Space is.

Lu Changsheng finally understood why everyone desperately tried to raise their heart force. Even with a heart scale of ninety-nine, the martial artist could never sense where the Mind Space was, let alone open it.

But now, Lu Changsheng sensed it clearly. He immediately gathered his heart force and drove it hard against the door within his mind.