Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

Chapter 175.2: Lu Changsheng Defeats Experts on the Dao Foundation Candidate List and Expands His Mind Space to Forty Li! (II)

Back in his cave residence, Lu Changsheng took out all twenty-two Azure Cloud Fruits and laid them out before him. As he looked at them, his thoughts drifted to the battle that had brought them into his hands.

Those so-called experts on the Dao Foundation Candidate List aren't all that strong. With my current strength, I can defeat them with relative ease, so I shouldn't focus on strengthening my Domains. I should concentrate on expanding my Mind Space instead.

The previous clashes with the two Dao Foundation Candidate List experts had confirmed to Lu Changsheng that he could defeat opponents of that caliber.

During those clashes, he had not even gone all out. The Five Elements Domain and the Heart Sword were all he had used, keeping the four types of two-in-one fused Domains, as well as his ordinary Domain in reserve. If he fully unleashed his arsenal all at once, he could even shatter an eighty-layer Domain.

No one could deny the fact that his combat power was impressive, but in terms of cultivation, he was still behind. His Mind Space had only reached a radius of nineteen li, and no matter how great his combat power was, the foundation of Martial Dao cultivation lay in the expansion of the Mind Space. Now that he had obtained twenty-two Azure Cloud Fruits, he finally had the means to push it forward.

Lu Changsheng picked up an Azure Cloud Fruit. Let me try one first.

He swallowed it, and a cool, refreshing sensation spread through him. At the same time, he could also feel a unique force seeping directly into his Mind Space.

A deep rumble echoed within him as his Mind Space began to expand. Driven by that mysterious force, his Mind Space expanded by one li, reaching twenty.

With a twenty li Mind Space, Lu Changsheng could already apply for a second Mind Stabilization Stone. However, he intended to keep expanding his Mind Space and then apply for as many of the stones as he could in one go.

So, Lu Changsheng continued consuming the fruits one after another over the course of several days. Twenty li of Mind Space soon expanded to thirty li, and thirty li then became forty li. At the end, his Mind Space had expanded to forty-one li.

A forty-one-li Mind Space... This means I can apply for three Mind Stabilization Stones! Once I refine them, my Mind Space will be even more stable and the efficiency of nurturing my Domains should improve as well.

The thought stirred a flicker of anticipation in him, so without wasting another second, he rose and headed for the Exchange Hall.

When Lu Changsheng arrived at the Exchange Hall, he found it as lively as ever, with disciples coming and going in a constant stream.

Seeing the flow of people, a thought crossed his mind. Applying for three Mind Stabilization Stones at once would certainly draw attention...

The last time he had come here, his Mind Space had only reached ten li. Not much time had passed since then, yet the size of his Mind Space was now over forty li. Such a drastic change was bound to reveal his strength, allowing others to gauge his capabilities at a glance.

Doesn't really matter...

He chose not to dwell on such unnecessary concerns. In the Ancient Region, the more capable a disciple was, the more the sect valued them. Hiding one’s strength would only cost him resources and opportunities. If he had not demonstrated enough ability before, Gu Chen and the others would never have sought him out for the Azure Cloud Fruits.

Lu Changsheng walked straight to the Exchange Hall Elder. "Elder, I would like to request three Mind Stabilization Stones."

The Elder looked at him with a hint of surprise. "Oh? Three Mind Stabilization Stones this time?"

The Elder recognized Lu Changsheng immediately. He even remembered that the last time, Lu Changsheng's Mind Space had been only ten li, and if he was asking for three stones now, it meant his Mind Space had already exceeded forty li.

"Lu Changsheng, let me confirm. You are requesting three Mind Stabilization Stones?"

"Yes, that's right."

Without another word, Lu Changsheng released his Mind Space. A low tremor filled the hall as it unfolded above him. Though hazy, its scale was plain to see, and the disciples at the Exchange Hall broke into discussion.

"Incredible... It really is a Mind Space of over forty li!"

"Senior Brother Lu’s cultivation speed is unbelievable."

"From ten li to over forty in such a short time... How is that even possible? He's just on another level!"

"As expected, no matter what realm Senior Brother Lu is in, he outshines everyone else."

"At this rate, he'll soon earn a place on the Dao Foundation Candidate List."

"I heard he obtained a large number of Azure Cloud Fruits. That's how he pushed his Mind Space so far. And during that same battle, he drove off more than twenty experts from the Dao Foundation Candidate List on his own."

"What? Over twenty Dao Foundation Candidate List experts, alone? With combat power like that, could he already be the number one true inheritor of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect?"

"Even if he's not number one, he's definitely among the top three. I thought he would settle a little after reaching the Divine Treasury Realm, but instead he’s advancing even faster."

The disciples buzzed with excitement. A forty-li Mind Space was already impressive, but what truly made them marvel was his combat power. They could hardly wrap their heads around how he drove off twenty Dao Foundation Candidate List experts alone with a Mind Space of only ten li.

The Elder above at Lu Changsheng's Mind Space, trying to contain his disbelief. "You have really expanded your Mind Space to forty li..."

Then he took out three Mind Stabilization Stones and handed them to Lu Changsheng. "Here, three Mind Stabilization Stones."

"Thank you, Elder." Lu Changsheng accepted the stones and left at once, returning to his cave residence.

Once inside his cave residence, he looked at the three stones in his hand. Once I refine these three Mind Stabilization Stones, how much more efficient will the nurturing of my Mind Space become? Perhaps it would take just twenty days to bring a Domain to Perfection... or fifteen, or even ten...

Filled with anticipation, he began to refine the stones.

***

At the Yellow Heavenly Sect, in a cave residence, a martial artist named Lei Tiandu, opened his eyes.

My Mind Space has finally reached a hundred li...

He let out a slow breath of relief, deeply moved. The path to this point had demanded more than most could endure, but every step had been worth it.

Lei Tiandu was the number one true inheritor of the Yellow Heavenly Sect. He was ranked ninth on the Dao Foundation Candidate List, and was considered one of the top Divine Treasury martial artists in the entire Ancient Region.

With Lei Tiandu's Mind Space now reaching a hundred li, he could refine a Mind Materialization Stone at any time. As long as he overcame the Heart Tribulation, materializing the Mind Space would be within reach. But the Heart Tribulation was precisely his greatest obstacle.

Lei Tiandu's rise to the top had never been smooth. He had once been nothing more than an ordinary boy from a small town in the Ancient Region. When he was still young, his entire family was slaughtered, and he barely escaped with his life. What followed were years of self-taught martial arts and wandering the jianghu, until eventually he grew strong enough to hunt down every last one of his family's killers.

From there, he continued to fight his way upward. He was talented, but not considered exceptional within the Yellow Heavenly Sect. What set him apart was his tenacity. Through sheer determination and relentless effort, he outpaced those with greater talent and stronger backgrounds, climbing all the way to the position he now held.

With a one-hundred-li Mind Space, he was just one step away from forging his Dao Foundation. It seemed straightforward, but that final step was where he faltered. He had a heart flaw he could not overcome, a wound within him that had never truly healed—the death of his family.

That memory was etched deep within his heart, and though he had avenged them, that grief and anger had never faded. Most of the time, he could keep it buried, but not when he faced the Heart Tribulation. At that moment, it would rise up and become an obstacle.

Just as Lei Tiandu pondered over the issue, a familiar voice came from outside his cave residence. "Lei Tiandu!"

Hmm? Elder Huang Jiufeng?

Using his mind, Lei Tiandu unlocked the formation protecting his cave residence and allowed Huang Jiufeng to enter.

Huang Jiufeng stepped inside, his gaze settling on Lei Tiandu. "Lei Tiandu, congratulations on expanding your Mind Space to a hundred li. That said, there is a flaw in your heart. If you attempt to forge a Dao Foundation now, the Heart Tribulation will be extremely dangerous."

Huang Jiufeng took out a treasure. "This is the Heart Illusion Stone. It can awaken the deepest memories within you and transform them into illusions, allowing you to face those buried experiences directly. Only then can you fully resolve the flaw in your heart."

Lei Tiandu's eyes brightened. This kind of treasure could not be obtained through the sect’s exchange system, which meant it had to be from Huang Jiufeng’s personal collection. And if it was being offered to him, there had to be a price.

"Elder, what do you need me to do?" Lei Tiandu asked.

"What I ask is simple. Use the Illusion Heart Stone first and resolve your heart flaw. But once you have done so, do not forge your Dao Foundation immediately. I need you to kill someone before you take that step."

Lei Tiandu was slightly startled. "Kill someone? Who?"

"Lu Changsheng of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. I have just received word that he killed Lan Tianxiao and Hua Qianshang. His mental technique is powerful, and he commands a five-in-one Domain as well as several two-in-one Domains. But once your heart flaw is resolved, his mental attacks will not affect you. As for Domains, you have decades of accumulated power, so I don't believe it's possible for him to defeat you.

"Among the Divine Treasury cultivators of the Yellow Heavenly Sect, you are the only one I trust to kill him with absolute certainty. Now, if you agree to my request, the stone is yours, if not, I will find someone else to carry out this task."

Lei Tiandu looked at the Heart Illusion Stone, then at Huang Jiufeng. His gaze hardened into resolve at once. "We have a deal. Before forging my Dao Foundation, I will go to the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect and kill Lu Changsheng."

Huang Jiufeng smiled and gave the stone to Lei Tiandu. "Very well. I will await your good news."

Then he turned and left the cave residence.

Lei Tiandu stared at the stone in his hand, his lips curving into a smile. Killing a mere Divine Treasury martial artist for a Heart Illusion Stone? Ha, this opportunity could not have come at a better time.

To him, the value of the stone far outweighed the task. He did not know who Lu Changsheng was, nor did he care. He had long memorized the top ten martial artists on the Dao Foundation Candidate List and knew that Lu Changsheng's name was not there. In his eyes, Lu Changsheng was just another Divine Treasury martial artist, and there was no one at that level he could not kill.