Chapter 826: Tempest of Destiny

At this moment, a dazzling arc of radiant golden light streaked across the horizon, moving with lightning speed and slicing through the endless haze to unleash a fierce gale.

Under the onslaught of this powerful wind, the calm sea instantly erupted into rolling waves and splashing foam, sending sea beasts scattering in terror.

Lu Changsheng, tall and poised, his body coursing with chaotic energy, stood alongside the pale, battered, and pitiful Lu Lingjing atop the Golden-Winged Roc, racing toward the Fuhai Sect.

Using True Lord Pinghai’s Jade Talisman Token, Lu Changsheng could clearly sense that the Zhenhai Patriarch was speeding in his direction.

He wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

If the Zhenhai Patriarch, having sensed Lu Changsheng’s deliberate approach to the Fuhai Sect, instead remained silent and hid behind the sect’s Mountain Gate, he would be unworthy of being the Patriarch of the Zhenhai Seven Sects and the dominant force in the Starry Sea.

Even if he were to use the sect’s grand formation to repel or even severely injure him, once word spread, his Zhenhai Sect would become a laughingstock throughout the Starry Sea.

After all, as the leader of his faction, Lu Changsheng knew all too well the importance of prestige.

If you’re seen as merely a subordinate entity without an imposing presence, other forces will think you’re weak and seize every opportunity to attack.

Moreover, as one of the top powers in the Starry Sea, the Zhenhai Seven Sects controlled resources like spirit islands, mineral veins, and maritime trade routes—surely many factions coveted a share.

As time ticked by, it felt that the Zhenhai Patriarch was drawing ever closer.

In that moment, the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror in Lu Changsheng’s grasp flared to life.

“Ah Wu!”

He infused his magical energy into the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror and began charging it, ready to deliver a stunning blow when he met his opponent.

After all, his magical energy hadn’t yet recovered, so he couldn’t push the mirror beyond its limits as he once did.

Therefore, if he wanted to assert his power, he might as well act immediately upon encounter.

This had always been his combat strategy.

With top-tier divine abilities and powerful artifacts at hand, why save them for later? For centuries, aside from feigning restraint to conceal his true might, Lu Changsheng had always gone all out when initiating combat.

If his divine abilities weren’t sufficient, he would simultaneously unleash both his physical prowess and mystical energy, or deploy the Nine Treasures Dao Bone to boost his essence, energy, and spirit explosively.

Although the Nine Treasures Dao Bone was now defunct, unable to amplify his power as it once did.

Nonetheless, he could still partially trigger the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror.

Thus, anticipating a formidable adversary, he pre-charged the mirror as he neared his opponent.

Fueled by his relentless magical energy, the mirror blazed with intense brilliance, drawing in the natural spiritual energy of heaven and earth, much like a resplendent sun rising.

Though it was only a modest surge, both the Golden-Winged Roc and Lu Lingjing could feel an overwhelming, scorching heat bearing down on them.

“Hang on a bit.”

Lu Changsheng murmured softly to calm them.

If time allowed, he planned to craft a custom suit of armor for both the Golden-Winged Roc and the Abyssal Sea Dragon Whale.

Though a Demon King’s greatest weapon is his own demonic form,

a Demon King can also employ powerful artifacts—as long as they’re precisely matched and custom-made.

Just like the Wind-Splitting Beast, which even managed to have the Yuan Ci Five Elements Mountain specially forged to boost its combat might.

Moments later.

“Five!”

“Four!”

“Three!”

“Two!”

“One!”

Lu Changsheng fixed his gaze into the distant void, silently counting down.

Yet, no further words were needed.

Ah Wu, the spirit of the Celestial Treasure, possessed a detection range and spatial awareness sharper than even his mid-Nascent Soul divine sense.

The instant the Zhenhai Patriarch stepped into attack range, Ah Wu unleashed the charged Solar Divine Light in a burst.

In an instant, the void collapsed, and the heavens and earth blazed with overwhelming heat.

A dazzling divine light—imbued with boundless radiance and heat—ripped through the void, shining toward the old man in a straw cloak where sea and sky merged.

“Huh!?”

Clad in a straw cloak and bamboo hat, the Zhenhai Patriarch halted in shock, his expression a mix of terror and fury, upon seeing the Solar Divine Light burst forth ahead.

“Wait, is he unleashing his full power before the fight even starts? Who fights like that?!”

Is it a fight to the death from the get-go? In the world of cultivation, battles usually begin with both sides testing each other before deciding whether to relent, make peace, or negotiate.

Who unleashes a burst of Solar Divine Light before even coming face-to-face?!

That’s incredibly overbearing—is he sure he can take you down?!

Furthermore, based on what Zhenhai True Lord and others said, hadn’t he just activated the Eastern Emperor Mirror?

How is he able to trigger it once more?

Is he really, as they claimed, just a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator rather than a towering late-stage powerhouse? Although the Zhenhai Patriarch was furious at the blatant bullying, the urgency left him no time to ponder.

In a split second, he flung a palm-sized, deep-blue turtle shell.

The moment the turtle shell was launched, it erupted in a brilliant blue glow, expanding with the wind to several dozen meters in size, staunchly holding the Solar Divine Light at bay.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!!!”

Under the onslaught of the Solar Divine Light, the deep-blue turtle shell trembled continuously, like an ancient, enigmatic turtle bellowing in rage.

Soon after, its intricate patterns began to glow with a deep blue light interspersed with fine, star-like dark luminescence, intertwining with runes on its surface to counter the Solar Divine Light.

“Eastern Emperor Mirror! This is undoubtedly the Eastern Emperor Mirror!”

The Zhenhai Patriarch exclaimed in alarm.

Though he had never witnessed the grand Solar Divine Light of the Eastern Emperor Mirror’s lineage,

judging by the overwhelming force of the Solar Divine Light before him, he was convinced that this was its manifestation!

The reason was simple.

Apart from the Eastern Emperor Mirror, no treasure in the world could be so strikingly similar. The man before him was, by all odds, the Eastern Emperor’s heir! Yet, as the Patriarch of the Zhenhai Seven Sects and a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, he was far from ordinary.

In particular, the turtle shell had been shed from his own body and forged with various rare spiritual materials.

For an ordinary mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, breaking through such a defense would be nothing short of a herculean task.

“Zhenhai Patriarch, you’re truly extraordinary.”

Far off, Lu Changsheng, with the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror glowing above his head and armored in the Nine Abyss Black Tortoise Armor, stood amidst swirling chaotic energy atop the Golden-Winged Roc.

He knew that relying on brute force to swiftly kill the Zhenhai Patriarch was out of the question.

Unless he burned through his own lifespan and the very essence of his Celestial Treasure.

Otherwise, meeting and immediately slaying a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator would be unthinkable.

Without a word, the Nine Calamity Sword materialized in his hand, its resonant clang echoing as he transformed into a beam of light and charged straight at the Zhenhai Patriarch.

“My friend, please calm down. The Zhenhai Seven Sects know nothing of your background. I came here only to settle old grudges, not to deepen them.”

Sensing Lu Changsheng’s relentless assault, the Zhenhai Patriarch, his sword aura sharp and fierce, roared loudly.

It wasn’t that Lu Changsheng had intimidated him.

Rather, he believed that true wisdom lay in knowing when to act decisively!

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, only one who gauges the situation, knows when to advance or retreat, and masters oneself can thrive in the perilous world of cultivation.

Judging by the radiant Solar Divine Light and the energy emanating from the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, he was convinced that his foe was the Eastern Emperor’s heir! That very mirror was the prized treasure of the Sun-Moon Star Palace—the Eastern Emperor Mirror!

Under these conditions, unless he was utterly certain he could slay his foe, any further attack would only heighten the grudge and squander his magical power.

Thus, he decided it would be wiser to retreat a step, stabilize the situation, and then figure out a way to settle matters.

After all, the world of cultivation isn’t all about endless battles.

The Zhenhai Patriarch had spent millennia managing the Starry Sea, not to mention the deep connections and favor he had built up over the years.

His very presence alone served as a top-tier trump card for quelling countless crises.

“Hmm!?”

Noticing that the Zhenhai Patriarch was immediately showing deference, Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow.

Though his strategy had been to use the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror to give his opponent a severe wake-up call,

and then follow up with the Golden-Winged Roc and the Nine Calamity Sword to catch him off guard and demand answers.

But he hadn’t expected that, before the battle had even properly begun, his opponent would already be backing down.

Isn’t he practically a turtle?

Nonetheless, Lu Changsheng was well aware that, in his current condition, outright killing the Zhenhai Patriarch was impossible.

Even at his absolute peak, he would need extensive preparation to obliterate his foe’s Nascent Soul spirit.

At this point, he could at most issue a threat and demand recompense—perhaps seizing the Fuhai Sect as compensation.

Moreover, Lu Changsheng believed that the longer time was on his side, the better it would be for him.

Not only could he gather rare natural treasures to forge secret artifacts that affected Nascent Soul spirits,

but he could also break through to the second tier of the Nascent Soul stage and elevate his body refinement to mid-Nascent Soul! Moreover, he had recently acquired a Demon Subjugation Talisman.

He could even enslave a mid Fourth-Rank Demon King to further boost his combat prowess! Then, what mischief could the Zhenhai Sect possibly conjure? “Your Zhenhai Seven Sects have repeatedly troubled me—even injuring my spirit pet to this extent. If you don’t give me a proper explanation today, this won’t be the end!”

With the Nine Calamity Sword in hand and the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror glowing above, Lu Changsheng’s body radiated swirling chaotic energy, his face obscured, exuding an aura of profound mystery and unfathomable depth.

Without a word, both the Golden-Winged Roc and Lu Lingjing emanated a Fourth-Rank might as they lunged directly toward the Zhenhai Patriarch.

“Both are low-level True Spirits.”

Owing to his inherent nature, the Zhenhai Patriarch was particularly attuned to low-level True Spirit bloodlines.

He detected the flow of low-level True Spirit energy from both the Golden-Winged Roc and Lu Lingjing.

He paid little heed to these low-level True Spirits, even exuding an innate disdain reserved for inferiors.

Yet, given the circumstances, he concealed his true feelings and, in a deep, aged voice, declared, “Grudges are better resolved than prolonged. Though the initial fault lay with our Zhenhai Seven Sects, your heavy blow has, in a way, eased my anger.”

“Therefore, regarding your spirit pet, I am willing to offer some Spirit Stones as compensation.”

For now, the Zhenhai Patriarch merely sought to calm the situation before proceeding to Starrymoon Hall to inquire about the Eastern Emperor’s heir and assess their stance.

“What, do you really believe I’ll run short of Spirit Stones?”

Upon hearing this, Lu Changsheng’s tone turned cold as he replied,

“I trust you never lack Spirit Stones, my friend, but this is compensation for your spirit pet—a token of my sincerity in settling our grudge!”

Faced with Lu Changsheng’s imposing demeanor, the Zhenhai Patriarch stifled his inner fury and replied in a low voice,

“After three of our Nascent Soul cultivators were slain by you, and three more had their spiritual bodies shattered, it is utterly humiliating for me, as Patriarch, to grovel and apologize! If it weren’t for your status as the Eastern Emperor’s heir and your staggering strength, I would have clashed with you without hesitation! If you have any further demands, speak them out!”

“I was quietly cultivating in Da Mengze, and your Zhenhai Seven Sects have come to disturb my tranquility time and again.”

After a brief pause, Lu Changsheng said, “Quite conveniently, I was planning to shift my secluded cultivation, so I’ll take the territory of the Fuhai Sect as compensation.”

Although he could have demanded much more,

at that moment, extra territory held no value for him.

After all, territory requires a guardian.

Taking control of the Fuhai Sect was also intended as leverage to lock down Da Mengze.

Furthermore, it would serve as a springboard for future advances into the Starry Sea.

In addition, for his own Nascent Soul breakthrough, he required a Fourth-Rank cave residence as a temporary cultivation refuge.

“Fuhai Sect!?”

The Zhenhai Patriarch’s heart skipped a beat—he hadn’t expected Lu Changsheng to demand the Fuhai Sect as compensation.

Initially, anger surged within him, but it quickly turned to a glimmer of delight.

After all, he had been fretting over the lack of time to uncover Lu Changsheng’s true capabilities.

He had been worried that his foe would vanish like a ghost.

But he hadn’t expected that his opponent would demand the Fuhai Sect as his spiritual domain.

As long as this opponent dared to cultivate on Fuhai Sect grounds, he could lay an inescapable trap, summon his true form, and wipe him out!

For a moment, the Zhenhai Patriarch almost agreed without delay.

Yet, after all these years, he knew better than to let Lu Changsheng see his excitement, and he replied in a low, measured tone, “My friend, your appetite is simply too enormous, isn’t it?”

“Our Zhenhai Seven Sects have labored for millennia to establish our legacy, and you now wish to snatch away a piece of our territory with a single sentence?!”

In his tone, not only did the Zhenhai Patriarch seethe with indignation, but the surging aura of his mid-Nascent Soul emanated a fearsome spiritual pressure that seemed to still the air.

“In that case, there’s no need to waste any time. Let me show you my real move!”

Even though Lu Changsheng had largely depleted his Heavenly Yuan Lotus energy and his state was average, he still exuded a dominating, forceful presence.

The Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror atop his head trembled as it absorbed the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth, and the Nine Calamity Sword in his hand radiated endless sharpness, its deadly aura flowing—his intent clear as he lunged to kill the Zhenhai Patriarch.

“Hold on, my friend!”

The Zhenhai Patriarch immediately lifted his hand and cried out, positioning the deep-blue turtle shell before him as endless surges of waves swept his surroundings.

“If you desire the Fuhai Sect as compensation, my friend, I can agree—but on one condition.”

The Zhenhai Patriarch fixed his gaze on Lu Changsheng, his eyes brimming with fury, reluctance, and remorse.

Then, with a hint of weakness, he said, “If you agree, my friend, I am willing to yield the Fuhai Sect as compensation.”

Lu Changsheng met his gaze steadily, inviting him to state his terms.

“Namely, on paper, the Fuhai Sect will still be under the umbrella of our Zhenhai Seven Sects; you can manage it at will, with all future revenues going entirely to you.”

“If you consent, you shall have the Fuhai Sect and all its territories under your control.”

The Zhenhai Patriarch’s voice carried weariness, resignation, and pleading.

“Hehe, you certainly have a clever scheme in mind.”

Lu Changsheng responded with a cold laugh, stating, “In that case, I have a condition as well.”

“I only require a spiritual domain for my secluded cultivation. I won’t interfere with your Fuhai Sect, and should your Zhenhai Seven Sects face any trouble, I’ll lend my aid.”

“But as part of the compensation, you must also supply an extra Huaying Pill!”

Hong Lian was at the peak of the Core Formation stage and in the process of preparing for Nascent Soul.

But the two Huaying Pills in his possession had long been expended.

Though, based on intel from his son Lu Quanzhen, True Lord Shi Hai held one.

But lacking any intermediary seal, even a Fourth-Rank diviner would find it extremely difficult to locate a Nascent Soul True Lord.

And considering that the Zhenhai Seven Sects, as one of the leading powers in the Starry Sea, surely must have a treasury containing at least a Huaying Pill, Lu Changsheng couldn’t believe otherwise.

Thus, Lu Changsheng intended to claim a Huaying Pill from the Zhenhai Patriarch to help Hong Lian achieve a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible.

“That’s impossible!”

The Zhenhai Patriarch immediately roared,

asserting that he was willing to yield the Fuhai Sect—his plan to keep Lu Changsheng at bay, buying time until his true self arrived—

but when it came to Huaying Pills, his Zhenhai Seven Sects had only a few.

Especially now, with True Lord Pinghai, Fuhai True Lord, and Nuhai True Lord having fallen, he had to train new Nascent Soul cultivators.

“Since you lack sincerity, there’s no need to waste more time.”

Lu Changsheng’s pupils darkened with a cold glint, his demeanor overwhelmingly domineering, and without further ado, he struck.

“Hold on—my friend, you say you’ll help ease our Zhenhai Seven Sects’ troubles, but be honest!”

The Zhenhai Patriarch replied, his tone strained,

saying, “Huaying Pills, though precious, are still worthwhile when weighed against the legacy of the Eastern Emperor and the prestige of the Zhenhai Seven Sects.”

Yet, he wondered: if Lu Changsheng had already broken through the Nascent Soul, what use would a Huaying Pill be?

Could it be for the City Lord of the Immortal City of Damengze? Or perhaps for his wife, disciples, or children? If he had such vulnerabilities, then everything would be much simpler!

“Of course. My word is as binding as ever.”

Lu Changsheng replied coldly, yet inwardly he mused, “This Zhenhai Patriarch is too devious—making such demands while unwilling to strike first defies logic. He’s trying to gauge my strength in a preliminary bout.”

Yet, the more so, Lu Changsheng grew increasingly wary of the Zhenhai Patriarch.

He planned that once he reached his peak state—after breaking through his cultivation and body refinement and gaining true power—he would be the first to eliminate him.

“Fine, as you said, I am willing to settle it on these terms, turning conflict into peace.”

The Zhenhai Patriarch replied, his tone laced with reluctance and suppressed bitterness,

even though he could have masked such emotions,

but at a time like this, he couldn’t afford to show any anger or hatred and give Lu Changsheng an opening.

He was confident that even if his opponent had some mind-reading techniques, it would be hard for him to detect his true feelings.

“Since you are willing to put our feud behind us, then know that I am not one to sweat the small stuff.”

Lu Changsheng then remarked, thinking to himself, “Could it be that he plans to set an inescapable net within the Fuhai Sect?”

However, his gut instinct screamed that something was off with him—”This old guy is definitely up to something!”

Even Lu Changsheng’s divination and physiognomy skills failed to reveal anything amiss from the Zhenhai Patriarch’s visage or aura.

But his intuition told him that his adversary was definitely problematic!

He would even wait a year and a half outside the Zhenhai Sect if it meant taking him down!