Chapter 241.2: Taking Ten Sides, and Lu Changsheng Lays His Cards on the Table with the Heavenly River Sacred Land! (II)

Back at the Heavenly River Sacred Land, Lu Changsheng did not go to the sect master right away. He first called up the Status Panel instead.

[Status Panel]

Host: Lu Changsheng

Perception: 683,000 (Praised for a Hundred Generations)

Primordial Chaos Saint Body: Momentum of the Masses (4%)

Seeing the results, a sharp light flickered in Lu Changsheng's eyes. So the Primordial Chaos Saint Body has reached four percent. Two percentage points higher than when I set out for the Azure Mountain Sacred Land.

A two-percent increase sounded insignificant, but at his previous rate, he had estimated that one percent would take six months. Now, after six months, he had gained not one but two percentage points. The extra momentum gained from the Azure Mountain Sacred Land had to be the reason for that. There was no other explanation.

How much faster would I progress with another two or three sacred lands?

At that thought, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer. He sent word to the sect master of the Heavenly River Sacred Land and set out for the Heavenly River Hall.

He arrived quickly, and the sect master was already there, waiting for him.

"Elder Immeasurable, you have my thanks for this. Elder Feng has told me everything. You turned the tide at the Azure Mountain Sacred Land, overpowered the Great Snow Mountain Sacred Land, and spread the name of the Heavenly River Sacred Land. I am indebted to you, and most grateful."

The sect master of the Heavenly River Sacred Land was visibly pleased. His choice to send Lu Changsheng at the head of the delegation had clearly been the right one. Otherwise, the Heavenly River Sacred Land would most likely have become the laughingstock of the sacred lands once again.

Lu Changsheng nodded slightly, then went straight to the main point. "Sect Master, there is a matter on which I would seek your guidance."

The sect master raised an eyebrow. "Oh? A matter you need guidance on, you say? What matter?"

"Sect Master, does becoming an Earthly Saint require a deity fragment?" Lu Changsheng asked slowly, each word measured.

"Hmm?" The sect master narrowed his eyes, and his expression turned grave. "Elder Immeasurable, where did you hear this?"

"From Sect Master Xu of the Azure Mountain Sacred Land. He said a great deal about that..."

Lu Changsheng did not elaborate, yet everything was already clear to the sect master of the Heavenly River Sacred Land.

Sect Master Xu, huh?

The master of the Heavenly River Sacred Land grasped the man's intentions at once. This was a stratagem being carried out in the open, yet furious as he was, on the verge of boiling over, there was nothing he could do about it.

Now that Lu Changsheng knew about the deities, he would naturally want a deity fragment. After all, what supreme Martial Saint with immeasurable divine abilities would not strive to become an Earthly Saint? The sect master of the Heavenly River Sacred Land could do nothing to stop Lu Changsheng from pursuing his ambition.

He drew a deep breath, then asked in a heavy tone, "Elder Immeasurable, everything Sect Master Xu told you is true. Now that you know, what are your thoughts?"

Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly. "I am a titled elder of the Heavenly River Sacred Land, but you must be clear on what I am after, Sect Master. What I need is the momentum of the masses, as much of it as possible.

"So, I intend to accept Sect Master Xu's terms, and not only his. I will approach other sacred lands as well, and for any that are willing, I will seize a deity fragment on their behalf.

"Naturally, that includes the Heavenly River Sacred Land as well. I will set a term of one hundred years. Within that time, I will go to the Divine Region and take deity fragments, and every sacred land that shares its momentum of the masses with me will receive one."

Just like that, Lu Changsheng had laid out his plan in its entirety, holding nothing back. Ultimately, it made no difference whether he joined one more sacred land or ten. The more momentum of the masses, the better, so long as his Primordial Chaos Saint Body could bear it.

The sect master of the Heavenly River Sacred Land turned this over. Then he raised his head, looked at Lu Changsheng, and let out a weary sigh. "Elder Immeasurable, I kept the Divine Region from you partly out of a small selfishness, I admit it. But there was another reason, an important one, and I doubt Sect Master Xu mentioned it to you.

"The Divine Region is dangerous. Only martial artists and immortal cultivators below the Earthly Saint Realm may enter. As to what awaits inside... Those deities embody the Laws of heaven and earth. Heaven and earth favor them, and their strength is beyond measure. Many of them rival even the strongest supreme Heavenly Saints, and many more are equal to Earthly Saints. You may well be formidable and still perish there.

"Why do you think the sacred lands, with all their top-tier Human Saints, almost never send them to the Divine Region? The death rate is simply too high. If you go to the Divine Region, you do so knowing you might never return."

Indeed, Sect Master Xu had said nothing of this. However, Lu Changsheng had more or less guessed as much even without being told. Of course, the Divine Region was extremely dangerous. Otherwise, the mighty sacred lands would not have to turn to Lu Changsheng for deity fragments.

"I am well aware of the danger the Divine Region poses," Lu Changsheng said flatly.

Seeing that Lu Changsheng had already made up his mind, the sect master of the Heavenly River Sacred Land nodded. "I see you've set your mind to this. Then, I shall not stand in your way. You are a titled elder of the Heavenly River Sacred Land now, and you will remain one."

"If you wish to become a titled elder of other sacred lands as well, that's fine. Keep your promise and bring the Heavenly River Sacred Land one deity fragment from the Divine Region within a hundred years, and that is enough."

Knowing he could not stop Lu Changsheng, the sect master decided to just go along with the current and give Lu Changsheng what he wanted. A deity fragment was hardly a loss on the exchange. After all, Lu Changsheng was invincible among Human Saints, and dangerous as the Divine Region was, his odds of returning with a fragment were considerable.

"You have my thanks, Sect Master," Lu Changsheng said, bowing respectfully.

The Heavenly River Sacred Land had thrown the doors wide for him, seeking to win his goodwill, and now they were even allowing him to cooperate with other sacred lands without any qualms.

"Elder Immeasurable, the first sacred land you joined was ours. Whatever comes, we will stand behind you."

Lu Changsheng nodded, understanding the implication. "If I obtain deity fragments in the Divine Region, the first will be sent back to the Heavenly River Sacred Land."

Both sides understood one another perfectly, and each took what he needed.

"Well then, I shall take my leave, Sect Master."

With that, Lu Changsheng departed the Heavenly River Hall.

Back at his cave residence, he did not send word to Sect Master Xu of the Azure Mountain Sacred Land right away. Instead, he studied the momentum of the masses now resting on him.

Lu Changsheng's command of his own Saint Body ran deep enough that he could detect the slightest stirring within it. Such was the advantage of complete mastery.

His Saint Body was telling him that the two currents of momentum he now carried placed almost no strain on him at all. Still, he would need roughly ten currents of momentum, which meant he had to be part of ten sacred lands at once.

That was essentially his Saint Body's ceiling. A dozen or more sacred lands would generate momentum of the masses too powerful to hold, more than even the Primordial Chaos Saint Body could withstand. Pushing it that far would only hinder his cultivation instead.

Ten sacred lands... I'm already getting the momentum of the masses from two sacred lands. Eight more. A sharp light danced in Lu Changsheng's eyes.

Eight sacred lands, and he did not even need to approach them himself. He was the prize everyone coveted.

Even if Lu Changsheng was not truly invincible in the Human Saint Realm, he had to be the strongest one out there. It was highly unlikely that any Human Saint out there could actually stand up to him.

At this point, Lu Changsheng was perfectly aware of his standing. He had long ceased being a nobody. He was not the one being accepted by sacred lands; he was choosing the sacred lands himself. The tedious business of reaching out and establishing contact, of course, could be left to the Azure Mountain Sacred Land.

And so, Lu Changsheng sent Sect Master Xu a message. Sect Master Xu, you may begin approaching the sacred lands. I will take eight of them and no more!

In a way, this was a favor extended to Sect Master Xu. He would take eight sacred lands, but were there truly only eight with the need? What sacred land did not want deity fragments? With the Azure Mountain Sacred Land acting as intermediary, they would quietly gain a great deal of room to maneuver.

Lu Changsheng would not concern himself with such details. All he needed was the momentum of the masses. Whatever the Azure Mountain Sacred Land extracted from this arrangement was their business.