Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

Chapter 177.1: The Terrifying Power of Fused Domains; Lu Changsheng Kills Lei Tiandu In Front of Everyone! (I)

Within the Yellow Heavenly Sect, a letter lay before Lei Tiandu inside his cave residence. It was from the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, informing him that his challenge had been accepted.

Lei Tiandu’s gaze swept over the message again. He felt a flicker of excitement at Lu Changsheng's acceptance, but that was quickly followed by a trace of offense. If Lu Changsheng had agreed so readily, perhaps Lei Tiandu's reputation as the number one true inheritor of the Yellow Heavenly Sect was not as intimidating as he had believed, to the point that even a newly advanced Divine Treasury martial artist dared to face him.

The thought unsettled him. He had wanted this fight, yet now that it was confirmed, a faint irritation stirred beneath the surface. Anticipation and displeasure tangled together, leaving behind an oddly conflicting feeling he could not quite shake.

As Lei Tiandu pondered, Huang Jiufeng walked into his cave residence. "I heard Lu Changsheng accepted your challenge."

Truth be told, Huang Jiufeng was already aware of Lu Changsheng's reply, but he still wanted to confirm it with Lei Tiandu in person.

"That's right, Elder Huang," Lei Tiandu said slowly. "I didn't think he would actually accept my challenge."

Huang Jiufeng gave a cold snort. "I've looked into Lu Changsheng. He's had a remarkably smooth cultivation journey. Defeating stronger foes above his level is nothing new to him. He even killed those in the Divine Treasury Realm back when he was a Divine Fortification martial artist, so I'm not surprised that he looks down on others. In his eyes, even you, the number one true inheritor of the Yellow Heavenly Sect, is no different from Xu Haotian and Lan Tianxiao. Just another stepping stone to build his fame."

"Just another stepping stone to build his fame? How insolent!" Lei Tiandu's expression hardened as he rose to his feet, his eyes turning icy. "Three days from now, when we meet at Celestial Dragon Mountain, I'll kill him."

His tone softened. "But Elder Huang, if the Dao Foundation experts of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect intervene, don't blame me for what follows. Even if Lu Changsheng doesn't die, the Heart Illusion Stone will still be mine."

"Of course." Huang Jiufeng's voice was filled with confidence. "You focus on killing Lu Changsheng. As for their Dao Foundation experts, I will arrange for people to hold them off. They won't be able to interfere. Celestial Dragon Mountain is not the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect's home ground, they won't be able to act so freely."

Lei Tiandu nodded and said nothing more. He lowered himself back down, and closed his eyes, steadying his breath as he quietly adjusted his state for the battle ahead.

***

News of the upcoming battle between Lu Changsheng and Lei Tiandu spread across the Ancient Region like wildfire, stirring the entire region into an uproar. A battle between Divine Treasury martial artists was far more entertaining than anything at the Divine Fortification level, especially when both fighters stood at the very peak of the Divine Treasury Realm.

Lei Tiandu was the number one true inheritor of the Yellow Heavenly Sect, ranked ninth on last year's Dao Foundation Candidate List. This year, word had spread that he had made further progress. His Mind Space had expanded to a hundred li, placing him just one step away from the Dao Foundation Realm. In the eyes of many, he was already considered a semi Dao Foundation expert.

Lu Changsheng's reputation was even more astonishing. When he was a Divine Fortification martial artist, he had killed those in the Divine Treasury Realm, and was hailed as the number one Divine Fortification martial artist in the Ancient Region. Even Dao Foundation Candidate List experts like Xu Haotian, Lan Tianxiao, and Hua Qianshang had died by his hand. Currently, he was undoubtedly the most gifted genius rising in the Ancient Region. With talent like his, forging a Dao Foundation was not a matter of if, but when.

With both martial artists having such strong reputations, the battle quickly came to be seen as more than a personal duel. Not only was it a collision between two Dao Foundation experts, it was also by extension, a confrontation between the Yellow Heavenly Sect and Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. The tension between the sects had long simmered beneath the surface, and now, everything seemed to be converging on this single fight.

Every angle of the battle crackled with significance, drawing vast interest across the region, reaching even into the Immortal Dao, where Immortal Masters and True Lords alike were paying close attention.

"Three days from now, Lei Tiandu and Lu Changsheng will face off at Tianlong Mountain. This battle will decide everything. They might even fight to the death!”

"Lu Changsheng... Who is that?"

"What? How do you not know Lu Changsheng? He's the most outstanding martial artist the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect has produced in years. He's known to kill opponents above his level. He was the one who killed Xu Haotian, Hua Qianshang, Lan Tianxiao, and many others. Right now, no one is more talked about than him!"

"Oh, yeah, I know Lu Changsheng has been on a strong upward streak, and his five-in-one Domain is powerful, but I still think Lei Tiandu is stronger. He has held his position as the number one true inheritor of the Yellow Heavenly Sect for years. No one within the sect has come close to his level."

“Then why would Lu Changsheng agree to the challenge? Does he really believe he can win? Or is he underestimating just what it takes to stand at the top of the Yellow Heavenly Sect?”

"Who knows? In any case, this fight isn't just about the two of them. It's also a clash between the Yellow Heavenly Sect and the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. The two sects have been at odds for years, and their disciples often have conflicts across the first, second, and even third layer of the Ancient Region. This face off between the top martial artists of the two sects is going to draw a lot of attention."

"Whatever the reason, this fight is too interesting to miss. Can't wait to see it in three days."

Across the Ancient Region, cultivators of both the Martial Dao and Immortal Dao began making their way toward Tianlong Mountain. A battle of this level, between two men destined for the Dao Foundation Realm, was a rare sight, one that might only occur once in a lifetime.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and before anyone knew it, the appointed time had arrived.

Tianlong Mountain stood between the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect and the Yellow Heavenly Sect, right at the center of their territories. Because of this, neither side held clear control over it. Normally, the mountain was desolate, and people rarely ever went there. Over the past three days, however, a steady stream of Martial Dao and Immortal Dao cultivators had gathered in the area, all eager to witness the battle between Lu Changsheng and Lei Tiandu.

Before long, a faint sound cut through the air. A man approached from the direction of the Yellow Heavenly Sect and descended onto Tianlong Mountain. The crowd immediately erupted into an uproar.

"Hey, that's Lei Tiandu! Lei Tiandu has arrived!"

"Just look at him! His vital essence, qi, and spirit are all abundant and perfectly balanced. His Mind Space must have already reached a hundred li!"

"I saw Lei Tiandu once, thirty years ago. Back then, he was still making his way steadily through the Divine Treasury Realm, one solid step at a time. Who would have thought that thirty years later he would reach the heights that countless Divine Treasury martial artists only dream of?"

"He has always been like this. Steady, measured, never showing off. Yet it is precisely that steady progress that brought him here. There is no doubt he will forge his Dao Foundation."

"I agree. I think he'll forge it after this battle."

As the crowd observed Lei Tiandu, their earlier speculation turned into certainty. His presence was even more impressive than the rumors had suggested. Was such a man truly only ninth on the Dao Foundation Candidate List? He looked capable of challenging the top three, perhaps even first place. Not that Lei Tiandu would care about such empty distinctions. Once he forged his Dao Foundation, the list would no longer matter.

Lei Tiandu swept his gaze across the surroundings, searching for Lu Changsheng, but found no trace of him. He then closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, turning his focus inward as he conserved his strength and settled his body and mind into their sharpest possible state.

Lei Tiandu's reputation as the number one true inheritor of the Yellow Heavenly Sect was well earned, and the outside world had one thing right about him: he was an extremely careful man. He never underestimated anyone, and he certainly wouldn't start with Lu Changsheng, a man who was known for defying expectations.

Lei Tiandu was convinced that Lu Changsheng was going to be the most powerful opponent he had ever faced, and he would meet Lu Changsheng with everything he had.