Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

A group of uninvited visitors arrived at the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, led by a middle-aged man. The moment the man saw Lu Changsheng, he bowed with flawless courtesy. "Greetings, Venerable Lu. I am the Vice Chairman of the Black Light Merchant Association."

"Vice Chairman of the Black Light Merchant Association?" Lu Changsheng looked at him with surprise.

He had only just killed more than a dozen Divine Ability martial artists from the Black Light Merchant Association, including Ouyang You and Saber Venerable Zhou Lie. Even if the enmity between them had not yet become completely irreconcilable, it was hardly something that could be brushed aside. As such, coming to the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect in person at a time like this was a very bold move on the vice chairman's part, if not reckless.

More importantly, the vice chairman was not especially powerful. He was only at the peak of the Divine Ability Realm, still far from becoming a Martial Venerable. With that level of strength, he could not possibly have come here to provoke Lu Changsheng—but he clearly had not come here just to die either. He had to have a purpose for this unexpected visit, and Lu Changsheng intended to find out.

"What business brings you here?"

The vice chairman smiled. "Venerable Lu, the conflict between the Black Light Merchant Association and the Ancient Region was a most unfortunate misunderstanding, nothing more. We did not know this was your homeland, and that's the main cause for this friction between us. Now that you have made your position clear, Venerable Lu, the Black Light Merchant Association will naturally withdraw from the Ancient Region and return to the Sacred Earth.

"In addition, we are prepared to provide Venerable Lu with the precise location of the long-distance teleportation large formation. With this, I hope all between Venerable Lu and our association will be put to rest. What do you say?"

Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the vice chairman. Judging from his tone, the man seemed sincere. There were no signs of deceit.

Is he surrendering...? The Black Light Merchant Association is actually surrendering?

Lu Changsheng had not expected such a response from them. After all, the Black Light Merchant Association suffered heavy losses by his hand. Under normal circumstances, they should never have let the matter go, especially since they had a Martial Saint behind them. By any reasonable measure, an organization with a Martial Saint at its head would never swallow such humiliation quietly.

If I were a Martial Saint presiding over the Black Light Merchant Association, would I ever permit a Martial Venerable to drive us into retreat? Lu Changsheng found himself wondering.

"Does the Martial Saint of your merchant association know about this?" he asked the vice chairman.

"Of course. This order was personally issued by the Grand Elder Martial Saint. We have also informed the Li Clan Merchant Association. Our two organizations have deep ties and have long maintained good relations, and both sides wished to see this misunderstanding resolved."

The vice chairman's words made everything clear to Lu Changsheng. He now understood why the Black Light Merchant Association had backed down.

The Li Clan Merchant Association!

That was the thread Lu Changsheng had been missing. The Black Light Merchant Association must have found out that the Li Clan Merchant Association was backing him.

Indeed, With the Li Clan's Martial Saint watching from the other side, Black Light's own Martial Saint could no longer act as he pleased. And without him, the rest of the Black Light Merchant Association had no one capable of standing against Lu Changsheng. So backing down was not a choice. It was the only path available to the Black Light Merchant Association.

Lu Changsheng was quite satisfied with this outcome. "Very well. I accept the goodwill of your association. Once the long-distance teleportation formation is destroyed, consider all misunderstandings between us fully resolved."

"Then please accompany me to the formation, Venerable Lu, to avoid any further misunderstandings," the vice chairman said with a smile.

Lu Changsheng nodded, and left the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect with the vice chairman for the Black Light Merchant Association's base.

***

By the time Lu Changsheng arrived at the Black Light Merchant Association's base, there were only a small number of people left. And when they saw the vice chairman had returned, they stepped into the formation without a word.

"Venerable Lu, we shall meet again in the Sacred Earth," the vice chairman said, the same smile still lingering on his face.

Whoosh!

The formation activated, and in the next instant, every member of the Black Light Merchant Association disappeared.

Lu Changsheng surveyed the empty grounds, then in the next second, he unleashed his Mind Space. He let it sweep across the entire area without restraint, grinding the long-distance teleportation formation down to nothing.

The Black Light Merchant Association... Lu Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly. After suffering losses this heavy, can they really just let it go?

He knew very well that he most likely owed the Li Clan Merchant Association another favor. If not for the deterrence of the Li Clan Merchant Association, the Black Light Merchant Association would not have been so cooperative and agreed to withdraw from the Ancient Region.

Martial Saint... To truly establish a foothold on Sacred Earth and solidify Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect, a Martial Saint must anchor it.

With matters of the Ancient Region settled, I should return to the Sacred Earth as soon as possible. I need to obtain enough Heavenly Spirit Water to push the remaining two Immeasurable Divine Ability Dao Fruits through their transformation. And once I have three Immeasurable Divine Abilities at my disposal, there shouldn't be anyone left in either the Divine Ability Realm or the Golden Core Realm who'd be able to stand against me.

With this clear path ahead mapped out in his mind, Lu Changsheng headed back toward the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect.

In the days that followed, he took personal charge of the transformation of the three great sects, driving the work forward himself. He even made the journey back to the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, the very place where he had first started his Martial Dao.

A few familiar faces were still there. He greeted them, but there was little left to say on top of pleasantries. They belonged to different worlds now, and whatever connection they once had was now little more than a remnant of the past.

***

A month had passed since Lu Changsheng returned from the Sacred Earth to the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. And in that short span of time, the three great sects completed their transformation. They had formally merged into a single structure, with each sect operating within its assigned role.

The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect and the Northern Region Heavenly Sect had been relegated to supporting positions. Their main duty was to provide resources, logistics, and fresh talent for the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect. It was not a bad arrangement. In fact, as long as the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect remained stable, this system would allow all three sects to grow quickly and steadily.

New rules had also been established; among them was a rotation system for Divine Ability martial artists between the three sects.

"Of the seven Grand Elders, three will remain behind on rotation duty, while the rest will go to the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect," Lu Changsheng explained to three Divine Ability grand elders.

"Furthermore," he went on, "three Divine Ability martial artists will rotate in every year to oversee this place. So, I will have to trouble the three Grand Elders to remain here for one more year, and after that the rotation will take over."

One of the grand elders let out a hearty laugh. "We've been here for years already. What's one more? Venerable Lu, you have nothing to worry about. With you watching over us, the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect will remain perfectly safe."

Lu Changsheng nodded. Then, he led the ten Great Elders of the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect and the four Grand Elders of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect through the Vast Immortal Sect's long-distance teleportation formation and returned to Heavenly Sacred City.

The moment he arrived at the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect, Lu Changsheng immediately went to the Li Clan to visit Li Guang to express his gratitude.

"Brother Li, thank you for your help with the Black Light Merchant Association."

Li Guang grinned. "The Black Light Merchant Association did come to us with inquiries about you, Brother Lu. The matter even caught the attention of our grand elder, who sent a personal message to the Black Light Merchant Association's Martial Saint Grand Elder. I believe that was what finally got them to back down. I assume everything has been settled, then?"

Li Guang did not ask for details; he had a general idea of what had happened.

"That's right." Lu Changsheng nodded. "But I find myself in need of Heavenly Spirit Water now, lots of it. Brother Li, is there any way to obtain some?"

"Well..." Li Guang fell into thought.

Lu Changsheng considered it for a moment. "I guess if there is no other way, I can go to the Battle Arena again..."

He knew the Battle Arena ran Divine Ability Realm matches, and the spirit stone rewards there were substantial.