Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

"Young Master, Elder Luo has politely declined your invitation. So did Elder Cheng, and the Nine Swords Divine Ability expert, Zhang Tian, every one of them turning us down courteously..."

"So far, not a single Divine Ability expert has been willing to answer your call to recruit. If that's the stance of the Divine Ability experts, then recruiting a Golden Core True One is out of the question. As for Dao Foundation martial artists and Dao Lords, their demands are steep, to say the least. Young Master, perhaps we should give up on this...?"

Several of Li Guang's subordinates were reporting the situation to him.

Now that Li Guang had formally entered the Li Clan's contest for the patriarch's successor and become one of the candidates, he needed to assemble a team of his own.

Normally, a successor candidate's team was anchored by a number of Divine Ability experts, sometimes even a Golden Core True One, along with some Dao Foundation martial artists and Dao Lords. Nearly every candidate had such a team.

However, it was nowhere near that easy for Li Guang, given his less-than-stellar reputation. He had essentially been "lain flat" early on, and his name was practically a byword for profligacy. Most people were convinced he would never reach the Divine Ability Realm.

As such, even with his father Li Chengwu's support, not a single Divine Ability expert was willing to join Li Guang's team. After all, it was nearly impossible for a man like him to become patriarch; Li Guang was almost guaranteed to fail, and so the fallout for any Divine Ability experts following him would be tremendous. To join his team would be to offend the future patriarch of the Li Clan.

Given the Li Clan's standing in the Heavenly Sacred City, any Divine Ability expert who became a target would face a great deal of trouble indeed. No Divine Ability expert would risk blatantly taking sides.

"Give it up?" Li Guang's voice was low but confident. "No, no such thing. Even if no Divine Ability expert answers my call, it's not a big deal. Don't worry, I made arrangements long ago. There will certainly be a Divine Ability expert to back me, at least one!"

"Just one Divine Ability expert? What use is that? Guang'er, your mother's side has a few experts. Why not..."

At this point Li Chengwu walked in from outside. He was really worried for his son. Li Guang had become a patriarch candidate, and yet now he had failed to recruit even a single Divine Ability expert.

What use was a team like that? Those clan elders were exceedingly shrewd and self-interested. In choosing a patriarch, the team a candidate assembled was of the utmost importance. One Divine Ability expert could not make up for the absence of a team.

"Father, there is no need. Best not to disturb the experts on Mother's side, or those clan elders will surely accuse her family of meddling in our Li Clan's affairs, which would only hurt my bid for the patriarch's seat. I already have one Divine Ability expert. He may be only one, but he alone is worth anyone else's ten experts. In the end, this is about capability, not just numbers," Li Guang argued with brimming confidence.

His expert was none other than Lu Changsheng, and his confidence in him was perhaps even greater than Lu Changsheng's confidence in himself.

At the moment, Lu Changsheng was in seclusion, but merely letting a Dao Fruit transform into a divine ability would be no trouble at all, so long as he had Heavenly Spirit Water.

Li Chengwu frowned slightly. "Guang'er, what sort of Divine Ability expert could be worth ten others? Don't underestimate those patriarch candidates in the clan. The teams they've built include some of the most supreme Divine Ability experts, opponents even I am no match for. In truth, even if the experts from your mother's side came, they wouldn't grant you much of an advantage."

Li Chengwu was genuinely worried. In Li Guang's present situation, how many experts could he possibly befriend?

"Li Guang, you mean Lu Changsheng of the Vast Immortal Square, right?" Li Chengwu said suddenly.

"Oh? Father, you already know?" Li Guang's head jerked up, and he stared at Li Chengwu, dumbfounded.

Li Chengwu smiled. "Guang'er, you underestimate the Li Clan far too much. Make no mistake, no secrets can be kept from our clan within Heavenly Sacred City. Lu Changsheng won ten matches in a row and seized the arena's crown. Later he helped you shine at the Treasure Contest and take first place.

"You, in turn, gave Lu Changsheng great courtesy and considerable benefits, and Lu Changsheng went on to purchase eighty-three drops of Heavenly Spirit Water from the merchant association. So you judged that Lu Changsheng was a martial artist with a major divine ability, and only then did you stake everything and kindle the will to fight for the patriarch's seat. Have I missed anything, son?"

Li Guang was astonished that his father had already learned everything in such a short period of time.

"This is only what you already know. There is more about Lu Changsheng that you don't. Would you like to hear it?"

"Of course I would!" Li Guang nodded. He was, in fact, quite curious about Lu Changsheng's origins, but he did not hold the authority his father Li Chengwu commanded, and so had no way of learning where Lu Changsheng really came from.

"Lu Changsheng first appeared within the Vast Immortal Square, and the Vast Immortal Square, according to our investigation, ought to be the foothold of some power from a remote zone. Inside it lies a long-distance teleportation formation, guarded by a Golden Core True One.

"They tried to gain a footing in the Sacred Earth, but lacked the strength, and so could only establish the Vast Immortal Square. Lu Changsheng is without doubt a martial artist who came to the Sacred Earth from a backward, remote zone. He is, in all likelihood, the sole hope of that group at the Vast Immortal Square."

Had Lu Changsheng or True One Cui Xuan been present, they would surely have been shocked, for everything Li Chengwu had just said was a secret they would have given their lives to protect.

And yet, Li Chengwu had known it all along. Or rather, the Li Clan knew everything within Heavenly Sacred City; there were no secrets to speak of.

"The Vast Immortal Square... a remote zone..." Li Guang fell into thought, and then nodded in understanding.

Cultivation in the Sacred Earth was exceedingly flourishing, a place nearly every martial artist longed for. But out on the fringes, in the lands far from the Sacred Earth, there were also areas with martial artists, immortal cultivators, and the like. They simply could not give rise to experts of any great strength.

The experts of those places, seeking a breakthrough, would often come to the Sacred Earth, and Lu Changsheng was perhaps one of them. No wonder Li Guang had never once heard of such a genius before.

Still, the Li Clan Merchant Association had no interest whatsoever in those backward, remote areas. Perhaps that was precisely why the Vast Immortal Square had stood undisturbed in Heavenly Sacred City for so many years. The great powers of the city had simply not paid any attention to the distant lands beyond the Vast Immortal Square.

"Father, whoever Lu Changsheng may be, the fact is he has no great power backing him at present, and is that not enough? So long as he's stronger than the other Divine Ability experts and helps me secure the position of patriarch, that's all that matters."

Despite his father's protests, Li Guang did not waver. "I trust you've looked into it even more clearly than I have. You saw what he did at the Battle Arena and in the Treasure Contest. "

At that, a look of gratified satisfaction crossed Li Chengwu's face, and he gave a slight smile. "Hahaha, well said. One does not ask a hero where he came from. Whatever Lu Changsheng's former identity or status, it makes no difference. We are martial artists, and with us everything is settled by strength.

"If he truly condensed a major divine ability, he'll instantly become a major figure within Heavenly Sacred City. But a major divine ability... That's awfully difficult, isn't it?" Li Chengwu shook his head.

He still did not quite believe that what Lu Changsheng had condensed was a Major Divine Ability Dao Fruit. Of course, this was the man Li Guang had set his hopes on. Whether Li Chengwu believed it did not matter. The most important thing was that Li Guang himself believed.

Just then a servant hurried in to report. "Young Master, there is a man outside who calls himself Lu Changsheng. He says he is an acquaintance of yours and wishes to call on you."

"Lu Changsheng?" Li Guang was slightly taken aback. It was as though they had invoked him by merely talking about him. Then again, given how long Lu Changsheng had been in seclusion, it was just about time for him to emerge.

"Could it be that Lu Changsheng has already transformed his Dao Fruit into a divine ability?" Li Guang glanced at his father, seemingly overjoyed. "Quick, quick, show Lu Changsheng in."

"Great timing, I must say." Li Chengwu nodded with a smile as well. "Now that Lu Changsheng is here, I can have a proper look for myself at just what sort of man could earn such regard from you. Is he truly able to help you seize the patriarch's seat?"

And so Li Chengwu did not leave, but waited quietly where he was.

Before long, footsteps sounded outside, and Lu Changsheng arrived at the Li Clan.

It was his first time setting foot here; before this, he had only ever been to the Li Clan Merchant Association. The moment he entered the headquarters of the Li Clan, he faintly felt like some gaze was fixed on him. That was only to be expected. What great force in the Heavenly Sacred City would not be heavily on its guard?

When he was led into a reception hall, he saw Li Guang inside at a glance. But standing beside Li Guang was a Divine Ability martial artist whose features bore a strong resemblance to Li Guang.

"Brother Lu, so you have finally emerged from seclusion." Li Guang at once came forward, exchanging pleasantries with him.

"And this is...?" Lu Changsheng asked.

"Brother Lu, this is my father, the current patriarch of the Li Clan!"

Lu Changsheng's eyes widened slightly, and he bowed. "Greetings, Senior."

Li Chengwu, meanwhile, looked Lu Changsheng up and down without pause, and a flicker of gravity passed through his eyes.

Though he could not make out the precise depths, he could sense that Lu Changsheng was no longer a Dao Foundation martial artist, but a Divine Ability cultivator. Lu Changsheng had indeed condensed a divine ability and advanced to the Divine Ability Realm.

"Since my young friend has already advanced to the Divine Ability Realm, then we are of the same seniority, each by his own standing. Therefore, I won't have you address me as Senior," Li Chengwu said with a smile.

Li Guang, for his part, asked with delighted surprise, "Brother Lu, did you really transform your Dao Fruit into a divine ability?"

Lu Changsheng nodded, seeing no need to hide this matter. Indeed. I have already transformed my Dao Fruit into a divine ability, and have now formally advanced to the Divine Ability Realm!"

"Good! Most wonderful!" Li Guang seemed even more excited than Lu Changsheng himself. By the look of it, his one-man team could actually work.

"I plan to contend for the patriarch's position soon, and I hope you will lend me your strength. What do you say, Brother Lu?" Li Guang asked, his expression grave.

Lu Changsheng was not surprised. Li Guang had lent him four hundred thousand spirit stones, with the intent to win him over from the start, and to win Lu Changsheng over was, naturally, to have him serve.

"How could I refuse?" said Lu Changsheng.

"Hahaha, wonderful! With your help, I can actually fight for the position of patriarch! I'll do whatever it takes!" Li Guang beamed.

He had yet to ask Lu Changsheng just what kind of divine ability he had condensed. Was it a major divine ability, or an immeasurable one?

In the end, such details regarded one's privacy, and Li Guang saw no need to probe that much. The only thing that mattered was Lu Changsheng lending his strength.

"Brother Li, my cultivation still requires Heavenly Spirit Water..." Lu Changsheng said tentatively.

Li Guang understood at once. "That goes without saying. Brother Lu, you may well have a second Divine Ability Dao Fruit that needs Heavenly Spirit Water. Once I become the patriarch's successor, the Heavenly Spirit Water will be more than enough to satisfy you.

"The condition, however, is for me to seize the position of successor. Otherwise, I won't have access to much of the clan's resources," Li Guang said frankly.

Lu Changsheng was not worried about that. As long as the contest stayed at the level of the Divine Ability Realm and no Martial Saint intervened, he wouldn't have to fear anyone.

"Very well. In three days, I will convene the clan elders and the other contenders for the patriarch's position. At that time, the clan's true successor will be chosen. Guang'er, Young Friend Lu, the two of you must be ready!" Li Chengwu said in a low voice.

This was his way of giving them word in advance, and it was about the only thing Li Chengwu could do for them now.

"Sounds good to me. Brother Li, with me by your side, your wish shall be granted." Lu Changsheng's tone was calm, yet it carried a powerful confidence.