Top-Class Comprehension: Start with Basic Fist Techniques Chapter 1388 - 406: Lu Changsheng Returns to the Immortal Martial Palace! Fellow Daoist Lu, May I Ask—Have You Ascended? (Part 2)
Previously on Top-Class Comprehension: Start with Basic Fist Techniques...
The celestial agreement's existence grants Lu Changsheng a significant edge.
As he has not yet affixed his signature to this pact, he can traverse the Boundary Sea without any restrictions.
Within the Boundary Sea, his power is absolute!
Yet, the sole lingering issue is the continued absence of the ancient Golden Immortal from the Boundary Sea.
It is as if the entity has completely vanished without a trace.
However, should an ancient Golden Immortal truly have met their end in the Boundary Sea, some evidence should invariably remain.
This unexplained disappearance is highly irregular!
Regardless of how much time has elapsed, there ought to be some form of clue.
With so many True Immortals and Great Immortals present, it beggars belief that not a single hint of the Golden Immortal has surfaced.
Lu Changsheng certainly finds the situation quite perplexing.
"Enough of this, I shall return to the Immortal Martial Palace for now."
"I do wonder about the current state of the Immortal Martial Palace?"
Lu Changsheng harbors lingering concerns regarding the Immortal Martial Palace.
There are precious few matters that occupy Lu Changsheng's thoughts within the Boundary Sea, but the Immortal Martial Palace stands foremost among them.
After all, it was within the hallowed grounds of the Immortal Martial Palace that Lu Changsheng spent his formative years.
"Whoosh."
In the ensuing moment, Lu Changsheng transformed into a streak of brilliant light, vanishing into the vast expanse of the Boundary Sea.
Lu Changsheng departed.
However, at this precise juncture, the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Tianyan Dojo were plunged into utter pandemonium.
These Immortals possessed specialized techniques.
Upon their demise, their respective factions would be instantly apprised of the fact.
Two Great Immortals hailing from the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
And one True Immortal belonging to the Tianyan Dojo, all of whom occupied positions of immense prestige and wielded considerable influence.
Yet, every last one of them had met their end.
Consequently, the animosity between these two formidable forces escalated to a critical breaking point.
It was, after all, the two Great Immortals of the Myriad Immortals Alliance who had been actively pursuing the lone True Immortal from the Tianyan Dojo.
Now that the True Immortal from the Tianyan Dojo was deceased, this unfortunate outcome was naturally attributed to the Myriad Immortals Alliance.
Simultaneously, the Myriad Immortals Alliance was consumed by its own profound wrath.
The demise of two of their Great Immortals was a grave blow.
They even harbored suspicions that the Tianyan Dojo might be concealing its true might.
Accusations began to fly, with the Myriad Immortals Alliance and the Tianyan Dojo vehemently blaming one another.
Nevertheless, being Immortals themselves, they possessed a myriad of methods at their disposal to ascertain the truth behind these events.
Before long, representatives from both factions convened for a negotiation.
It was during this discussion that they made a startling discovery: their Immortals had, by and large, perished concurrently.
A mutual annihilation?
The very notion defied all logic.
Furthermore, the existence of so many individuals in the Ancestor Realm, all perishing together without a single survivor, seemed impossibly improbable.
This made even less sense.
For a considerable period, both factions were compelled to contemplate the possibility of a third-party force intervening and eradicating them all.
This particular hypothesis held a very high degree of probability.
"Launch an investigation!"
"We must uncover the absolute truth of this matter."
"In a conflict between the snipe and the clam, who stands to gain? We shall ascertain which power shrewdly exploited the ensuing chaos to bring about the demise of our Myriad Immortals Alliance's Great Immortals."
"As long as they sought to uncover traces of the ancient Golden Immortal, they would eventually reveal themselves."
Having sustained the most significant losses, the Myriad Immortals Alliance immediately initiated a comprehensive investigation spanning the entirety of the Boundary Sea.
However, for the immediate future, their efforts were destined to yield no tangible results.
Lu Changsheng, for his part, had no inclination to concern himself with the affairs of the Myriad Immortals Alliance at this critical juncture.
He had already made his way back to the Immortal Martial Palace.
"Could this be the Immortal Martial Palace?"
Gazing upon the Immortal Martial Palace before him, Lu Changsheng experienced a surge of astonishment.
Far from being in decline or reduced to ruins, the Immortal Martial Palace stood remarkably intact.
On the contrary, the Immortal Martial Palace was flourishing.
While not exceptionally opulent, the number of cultivators within the Immortal Martial Palace had seen a consistent and steady increase.
Everything appeared to be in a state of vibrant growth.
The only notable absence was the lack of any experts from the Immortal Realm; otherwise, all aspects seemed commendable.
In fact, the current condition surpassed that of the time Lu Changsheng had originally departed.
It would appear that the Immortal Martial Palace had been managed with exceptional skill and dedication.
Given the unrestricted access to the Immortal Martial Palace, Lu Changsheng discreetly veiled his aura and promptly ascended towards its entrance.
...
Within the grand hall of the Immortal Martial Palace, numerous cultivators of the Ancestor Realm were observed with furrowed brows.
Trouble was indeed brewing.
This time, the Immortal Martial Palace found itself facing genuine adversity.
A span of over one hundred and fifty years had passed since Lu Changsheng's departure from the Immortal Martial Palace.
The developmental strategy meticulously devised by the Immortal Martial Palace was centered on one core principle: endurance!
The directive was to remain distant from the volatile core of the Boundary Sea, to steer clear of conflict, and to dedicate all efforts toward internal development.
The fundamental tenet was encapsulated in a single word: endurance!
Regardless of the circumstances, if the situation permitted tolerance, they were to endure.
Though perhaps perceived as somewhat "cowardly," the Immortal Martial Palace, through its unwavering commitment to forbearance, had somehow managed to navigate the past century in relative peace.
Conversely, numerous forces that had once commanded widespread renown had, in the interim, faded into obscurity.
Their legacies were as ephemeral as fleeting clouds.
The reason is quite straightforward: the Heavenly Realm's forces now hold absolute sway. Any faction within the Boundary Sea that dared to defy them would face immediate annihilation. Conversely, organizations like the Immortal Martial Palace, which demonstrated cooperation and obedience, enjoyed prosperity. However, the Immortal Martial Palace has now found itself in a predicament. And it's no minor issue. "The Myriad Immortals Alliance has issued a directive, compelling our Immortal Martial Palace to investigate any unknown Immortals or unfamiliar powers," one leader reported. "While it began as a routine order, certain Ancestor Realm cultivators under the Myriad Immortals Alliance have exploited this opportunity to extort us. It's truly infuriating!" "Indeed, those Ancestor Realms are exceedingly arrogant and domineering, leveraging their affiliation with the Myriad Immortals Alliance to ruthlessly oppress smaller, local forces like ours. Even the Myriad Immortals Alliance itself isn't as merciless as they are..." Within the Immortal Martial Palace, prominent figures such as the Giant Cauldron Ancestor were convened. They too wore expressions of deep concern. The Immortal Martial Palace had faced similar circumstances in the past. But on this occasion, the demands were excessively stringent. Failure to comply would result in significant repercussions for the Immortal Martial Palace. "I genuinely yearn for the days when Ancestor Lu was present..." The three Martial Ancestors of the Immortal Martial Palace couldn't help but voice their sentiments. More than a century had passed. Lu Changsheng's whereabouts remained unknown. They were fully aware that Lu Changsheng had embarked on the path of Ascension, aiming to "ascend" to the Heavenly Realm. However, whether he achieved success or not was a mystery to them. There even existed the possibility of his demise. Perhaps, Lu Changsheng had perished long ago. Yet, they steadfastly refused to accept this and dared not entertain such thoughts. "Even if Ancestor Lu were still here, what could he possibly do?" "Facing the might of the Myriad Immortals Alliance, even Ancestor Lu would be powerless. Should Ancestor Lu have successfully attained immortality and returned to the Boundary Sea, he would be unable to alter this world's grim reality..."