Chapter 783: Waves of Fortune

After Lu Changsheng and his companions were enveloped in a resplendent multicolored radiance, everything spun wildly as if they were trapped in a chaotic vortex, with time and space warping around them.

It felt both instantaneous and as if an eternity had passed.

When the glow finally faded, Lu Changsheng opened his eyes to behold an endless, surging sea.

“Is this the Starry Sea?”

He furrowed his brows, unsure if he had truly returned to the Starry Sea.

Seeing himself, Yun Wanshang, and the others plummeting toward the water, Lu Changsheng felt a tidal surge of Yin-Yang magical energy within him. It stabilized his body as well as that of Yun Wanshang, Qian Zhuyan, the Soul-Taking Beast, and the Golden-Winged Roc, preventing them from diving into the sea, as he then surveyed his surroundings.

At that moment, he suddenly felt a serene, cool radiance wash over him.

He looked up, yet no obvious light was seen descending around him.

But as a fourth-rank diviner, he realized this was the blessing of heavenly fortune! “The Sealing Demon Realm’s array was true after all—its great merit can bestow the favor of the heavens and earth!”

A look of astonished joy spread across Lu Changsheng’s face.

Fortune is elusive and formless—a coveted prize among cultivators. Apart from fortune treasures or blessed lands, few know how to truly gain this boon.

Yet sealing demons can grant a tangible boost to one’s fortune—an astonishing benefit.

“It seems that after breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage, I must return to the Sealing Demon Realm without fail.”

Lu Changsheng pondered quietly.

Before, he had believed that a trip to the Sealing Demon Realm was optional, not a necessity.

Now, however, he felt it was essential—and the sooner, the better.

After all, while fortune is invisible and intangible, its benefits are very real.

Otherwise, how would there be tales of ‘Fortune’s Child’ or the ‘Great Fortuned’ in the cultivation world?

There’s a saying: “When fortune smiles, even heaven and earth conspire in your favor; when it departs, heroes are left stranded.” With enough fortune, even average spirit roots, talent, and temperament can lead to achievement!

Moreover, it is said that great fortune can also uplift one’s entire clan and those around him.

This is why sects lavish special care on prodigious disciples and those blessed with exceptional fortune.

As the calm, cool radiance bathed him, Lu Changsheng sensed an auspicious opportunity quietly drawing near.

The Yin-Yang Creation Sutra began to operate on its own, propelling him toward the fourth tier of the Nascent Soul stage.

Heavenly Dao Condensing!

It was, once again, Heavenly Dao Condensing!

Lu Changsheng was momentarily dumbfounded.

He hadn’t expected that the very opportunity he had once forsaken at the Divine Maiden Palace would now reappear—a chance coveted by countless cultivators, rare and priceless!

“Advancing from Core Formation to Nascent Soul is not only about favorable timing, location, and harmony—it’s also tied to the mysterious workings of fate.”

Lost in thought, Lu Changsheng remembered something Hong Lian had once told him.

He had once experienced Heavenly Dao Condensing as the ultimate state of harmony when his cultivation had reached an impasse. Now, its emergence was driven by fortune and timing!

And he wasn’t alone.

Beside him, Yun Wanshang also experienced Heavenly Dao Condensing under the blessing of celestial qi.

Although in the Sealing Demon Realm, Yun Wanshang had slain few phantom demons,

her constant companionship with Lu Changsheng—as inseparable as a married couple—allowed their energies to intertwine and share in both merits and fortune.

Moreover, over more than twenty years in the Land of Eternal Night, she had refined her Heavenly Light Force, tempered her body, and stimulated her Golden Core Dao Foundation with psychic energy, building a profound foundation.

In recent years, by consuming Qilin Blood and practicing the Sun and Moon Reincarnation Sutra with Lu Changsheng—nourished by the interplay of Yin and Yang—

her vitality, magical energy, and divine sense had been suppressed in the Land of Eternal Night, concealing her gains.

Now, free from cosmic oppression and bolstered by the blessing of heavenly fortune, all her accumulated potential surged forth, triggering her own Heavenly Dao Condensing!

“Could this be the fabled Heavenly Dao Condensing!?”

Sensing her cultivation technique operating on its own, an unexpected surge of inspiration and auspicious fortune sent Yun Wanshang into a daze before overwhelming her with joy.

After all, not everyone could remain as composed—or even willing to forgo such a supreme opportunity—as Lu Changsheng.

For any Core Formation cultivator, each chance to advance to Nascent Soul is exceedingly rare.

Many cultivators at the peak of Core Formation travel far and wide, not only seeking Huaying Pills and Nascent Soul Spirit Items but also hunting for that elusive breakthrough.

Heavenly Dao Condensing stands as the zenith of those rare opportunities! Legend holds that if one experiences Heavenly Dao Foundation, Heavenly Dao Core Formation, or Heavenly Dao Condensing—even with average talent—following the divine prompt can lead to success with a fifty percent chance.

“Lu Changsheng, I’m feeling an impulsive surge—my Nascent Soul opportunity has arrived; I’m about to break through!”

Having spent years together, Yun Wanshang had come to trust and depend on Lu Changsheng above all.

She immediately informed him of her imminent attempt at Heavenly Dao Condensing.

She planned to locate an advanced spiritual site, harness the divine prompt of Heavenly Dao Condensing, and break through to Nascent Soul directly!

After all, she didn’t possess any Huaying Pills.

Since obtaining a Huaying Pill was nearly impossible, riding the wave of Heavenly Dao Condensing was her best shot at breaking through!

“Heavenly Dao Condensing!?”

Lu Changsheng was stunned—he hadn’t expected that Yun Wanshang, too, was experiencing Heavenly Dao Condensing.

Observing this, Yun Wanshang scrutinized Lu Changsheng and noticed a faint surge of magical energy within his technique.

Was this indeed Heavenly Dao Condensing? Before they could speak further, a grey tribulation cloud began gathering in the pristine blue sky, crackling ominously.

“Doomstorm?”

“A tribulation? Where did it come from?”

Lu Changsheng was taken aback, his face marked with astonishment.

What was happening?

Hadn’t he just emerged from the Sealing Demon Realm, bathed in fortuitous merit? So why was a tribulation now arising? “Screech, screech, screech.”

At that moment, a palm-sized Soul-Taking Beast emerged from his sleeve, signaling that it was about to face its tribulation.

“???”

Lu Changsheng had long suspected that the Soul-Taking Beast would soon face tribulation.

Previously, the Land of Eternal Night had stifled tribulations.

Never had he imagined that mere moments after leaving that land, its tribulation would strike.

Wasn’t that happening far too quickly?

Moreover, with two cultivators, two beasts, and one puppet, now both cultivators and the beast were on the verge of breakthrough.

“Qian Zhuyan, you’re not about to undergo tribulation too, are you?”

Lu Changsheng suddenly turned to Qian Zhuyan and asked.

“My Lord, I don’t need to undergo tribulation,” she replied in a cold, husky voice.

Her voice was low and frosty.

Although she possessed divine soul awareness, she was essentially a puppet and thus exempt from fourth-rank tribulations.

At that moment, the Golden-Winged Roc let out a piercing cry, signaling that it was ready to attempt a fourth-rank breakthrough.

—

In that instant, not only was Lu Changsheng utterly speechless, but even Yun Wanshang was dumbfounded.

Since when did breaking through to Nascent Soul or challenging the fourth-rank Shapeshifting Demon King become such a trivial matter?

Yet recalling the Soul-Taking Beast’s performance in the Land of Eternal Night, its attempt at fourth rank seemed perfectly natural.

Although the Golden-Winged Roc rarely acted, in its early years it had outmatched several Core Formation True Lords of the Yin Ghost Sect—its bloodline made its fourth-rank breakthrough expected.

“Why the rush?”

Lu Changsheng glared at the Golden-Winged Roc and retorted irritably.

Then he asked the Soul-Taking Beast, “Tee-hun, is your tribulation being affected by the lack of a spiritual vein?”

Though demon beasts differ from cultivators in their need for spiritual veins, they still have certain requirements.

“Screech, screech, screech.”

The Soul-Taking Beast immediately shook its head and patted its round belly, signaling that it had eaten its fill in the Land of Eternal Night and needed no extra spiritual vein.

“Alright, then—face your tribulation here.”

With that, Lu Changsheng tossed the Soul-Taking Beast aside, letting it confront its tribulation right there.

Then he turned to Yun Wanshang and said, “True Lord, since Tee-hun is about to undergo tribulation, we must keep our distance to avoid contaminating ourselves with its energy.”

While speaking—and as he held Yun Wanshang’s soft, jade-like hand—the two, along with one roc and one puppet, moved aside. He continued, “True Lord, although we have the chance for Heavenly Dao Condensing, this place is too uncertain and lacks fourth-rank spiritual veins, making it unsuitable for a breakthrough.”

Heavenly Dao Condensing is indeed a supreme opportunity.

But for Lu Changsheng, advancing to Nascent Soul was never a daunting challenge, so he decided it was safer to observe the situation first.

“The spiritual energy here is dense, and there’s a strong chance of a high-level, fourth-rank spiritual vein nearby.”

Yun Wanshang, as a Core Formation True Lord of the Azure Cloud Sect and a master in the Law Enforcement Hall, was no ordinary cultivator when it came to detecting spiritual veins.

She sensed the abundant cosmic qi here and deduced that a high-grade vein must be close at hand.

“Lu Changsheng, follow the rhythm of our technique and prepare yourself. I’ll scout the spiritual vein situation—if a fourth-rank vein is found, once Tee-hun breaks through, you can push forward.”

With resolute determination in her beautiful eyes, Yun Wanshang added, “With Tee-hun and my friend Qian Zhuyan aiding the breakthrough through the vein, it should work out fine.”

During his days in the Land of Eternal Night, Lu Changsheng had largely relied on himself.

Now that he had left that land, both he and Yun Wanshang experienced Heavenly Dao Condensing—but conditions did not favor both of them advancing to Nascent Soul simultaneously.

So, in a split second, she decided to forgo her chance at Heavenly Dao Condensing and let Lu Changsheng prepare for his breakthrough.

As soon as she finished speaking, she intended to stop her technique to suppress that fated opportunity.

But the surge of magical energy flowing through Lu Changsheng as he held her hand prevented her from doing so.

Startled, she saw Lu Changsheng’s azure robe billow mightily under the force of his power.

“Since there’s a high-level spiritual vein, I’ll go check it out. True Lord, stand ready here—once Tee-hun breaks through, push for Nascent Soul.”

Lu Changsheng decided to let go of his second chance at Heavenly Dao Condensing and smiled at Yun Wanshang as he said,

“Though I believe it’s far too dangerous to break through here…”

he continued, “you’re different from me.”

To you, this Heavenly Dao Condensing is the supreme opportunity of a lifetime!

Miss it now, and you may regret it forever.

Now that Qian Zhuyan has advanced to fourth rank, with the Golden-Winged Roc and Tee-hun in tribulation by our side, if you truly wish to break through to Nascent Soul, I’ll be here to protect you.

The latest update has just been posted on the Liu 9 book!

“Lu Changsheng, you…”

Seeing that Lu Changsheng had forsaken his chance at Heavenly Dao Condensing for her sake, Yun Wanshang was momentarily stunned before her voice trembled with panic as she said,

“Why are you always so impulsive? This is the chance for Heavenly Dao Condensing!”

Her body and words trembled uncontrollably as she expressed her regret.

Although they had been as close as a couple in the Land of Eternal Night,

thanks to their connection through Xiao Xiyue, she subconsciously still regarded Lu Changsheng as her junior.

After witnessing his extraordinary talent, she had high hopes for him.

Now, seeing him give up his Heavenly Dao Condensing opportunity for her left her with complex emotions.

“This is the chance for Heavenly Dao Condensing; True Lord, you must not let your emotions overwhelm you—no excessive joy or sorrow. Follow the divine prompt and prepare for your breakthrough.”

Lu Changsheng’s handsome face broke into a gentle, warm smile, his eyes soft, as if relinquishing Heavenly Dao Condensing were a trivial matter.

“Qian Zhuyan, Golden-Winged Roc, watch over Tee-hun and True Lord Caiyun.”

Releasing Yun Wanshang’s soft, jade-like hand, Lu Changsheng addressed the towering puppet—the Golden Roc.

Then, with his eyes lit by interwoven golden runes, he scanned the surroundings.

Though his Dragon-Seeking Technique was only at the second rank,

as a fourth-rank diviner he could also use his Qi Sensing Technique to gauge the local spiritual energy.

Sure enough, as Yun Wanshang had predicted, there appeared to be a fourth-rank island within a hundred li ahead.

Perhaps fortune was smiling on him—he even sensed an auspicious sign radiating from the island’s direction!

Yun Wanshang bit her red lip, her expression a mix of complexities as she looked at Lu Changsheng, her emotions indescribable.

“Relax, I’ll be back soon.”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes shimmered with golden light, and with the aura of a deity, he declared in a deep, commanding tone.

Then he unleashed the Inverted Yin-Yang Glazed Jade and soared toward the distant fourth-rank island.

Crackling Island.

The island was named after its master—a fourth-rank Shapeshifting Demon King known as the Wind-Splitting Beast!

Although demon kings who break through to fourth rank can assume a human form, very few choose to do so; most prefer to retain their beastly appearances.

But the master of this island was different.

After shapeshifting, he not only actively engaged with human cultivators but also practiced divine abilities, concealing his beastly traits and immersing himself in the world of cultivation to master its many arts.

Unlike most demon king residences that lack defensive formations,

this Crackling Island boasted a third-rank grand formation! Although fourth-rank islands setting up third-rank formations are rather basic, in the Forbidden Sea they are quite rare.

At that moment, Lu Changsheng gazed at Crackling Island with a puzzled expression.

“This island is undeveloped yet has a formation—could it be that a Nascent Soul cultivator has secluded themselves here, unable to make further progress?”

Lu Changsheng mused quietly.

A fourth-rank spiritual site is rare no matter where it lies.

In conversation with Shen Yiren earlier, he learned that nearly every fourth-rank island in the Starry Sea had an owner.

To find an unclaimed fourth-rank site, one had to venture into the Forbidden Sea.

But now, with so many fourth-rank sites appearing everywhere, could it be that he was no longer in the Starry Sea?

“No, it must still be the Starry Sea.”

Lu Changsheng calculated with his fingers, his brows furrowed.

Recalling the earlier auspicious signs, he tossed a Divination Copper Coin to further assess the island’s fate.

Fortune! Moderately fortunate!

Even a sign of great good fortune!

Lu Changsheng was astonished.

He never expected the island to harbor a moderately auspicious omen, with even the possibility of a great sign!

For him, a moderately fortunate sign was equivalent to a Nascent Soul-level opportunity.

As for a great favorable omen, that was the pinnacle of Nascent Soul opportunities! “Could this be the dwelling of a transformed Nascent Soul True Lord?”

Intrigued, Lu Changsheng’s anticipation for the island soared, and he quickly asked Ah Wu if anyone resided there.

If people did live there, breaking into the island outright might spark conflict.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz!!!”

As the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror trembled and celestial light flowed, the mirror soon revealed a striking scene.

Inside a vast natural cavern on the island, dark red subterranean flames roared and filled every nook.

There, a gaunt man dressed in a deep blue scaled robe with a golden crown commanded five cultivators as they refined treasures.

They sought to merge five artifacts, each as massive as a small mountain, into one.

It was clear that the artifact refining was in its final stage, with the Five-Colored Mountain slowly merging under the cultivators’ efforts, suffused in a dazzling multicolored glow.

“Is this the creation of a Five Elements Composite Treasure?”

As a top-tier third-rank weaponsmith, Lu Changsheng could immediately discern the basics from the scene.

They were likely refining five top-tier artifacts to combine them into one, thereby upgrading it to a spirit treasure.

However, seeing the gaunt man’s scaled hands in the mirror, Lu Changsheng frowned.

Something about him didn’t seem right.

“Ah Wu?”

Lu Changsheng immediately inquired of Ah Wu.

“Demon energy.”

In a tone devoid of emotion, Ah Wu replied—this man was most likely a Shapeshifting Demon King rather than a human cultivator.

“I thought so.”

A sudden clarity struck Lu Changsheng as he realized that the gaunt man with the golden crown was indeed a Shapeshifting Demon King.

The other five were human cultivators practicing the Five Elements techniques—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—assisting in the final stage of crafting the spirit treasure.

“Cultivators aiding a demon king in refining treasures is quite rare,” he observed.

Though demon kings can also use artifacts and talismans,

for demon beasts, their flesh is their greatest weapon and artifact.

They grow by continuously refining their teeth, claws, and scales using natural treasures!

After years of cultivation, Lu Changsheng had never seen a demon king use artifacts, let alone enlist cultivators in the process.

Watching the scene, a furrow appeared on his brow as he wondered where his own auspicious opportunity lay. Could it be that by helping refine the treasure, he might earn the demon king’s favor and secure this fourth-rank island for his breakthrough to Nascent Soul?

If acquiring this island helped Tee-hun, Yun Wanshang, and the Golden-Winged Roc breakthrough smoothly, it would surely be an immensely auspicious omen.

But Lu Changsheng sensed it wouldn’t be that simple.

Not to mention, the Five-Colored Mountain spirit treasure was nearly complete.

Then, suddenly, he saw in the mirror the Shapeshifting Demon King with the golden crown—his expression rapidly changing as his small eyes glimmered with a ghostly blue light, his mouth agape as his visage turned monstrous.

Soon after, the demon king clutched his head and roared in agony, collapsing to his knees as his emaciated frame expanded and a pair of enormous silver-blue wings sprouted from his shoulders.

“Attack!”

The five cultivators refining treasures immediately rose, channeling all their energy into the partially merged Five-Colored Mountain to subdue the Shapeshifting Demon King.

“Boom!!!”

A deafening explosion shook the surroundings.

Even the mirror of the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror blurred in the flood of light emanating from the Five-Colored Mountain.

But the mirror was no longer needed.

With his eyes aglow with interwoven golden runes, Lu Changsheng peered through the third-rank array and noticed a deep cave within the island causing a massive uproar, as if collapsing.

“Is this a counterattack, or have the five cultivators set a trap for the Shapeshifting Demon King?”

Lu Changsheng furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

Regardless of what was happening, he declared that this fourth-rank island was now his to command!