Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

Li Guang looked at Lu Changsheng and shook his head with a wry smile. "Brother Lu, you are no longer an unknown martial artist. You are the renowned Venerable Lu now, and your name has already spread far and wide. Do you really think the Battle Arena would still allow you to participate in their fights?"

Unless the leadership of the Battle Arena had completely lost their minds, they would never allow someone like Lu Changsheng to enter its fights. The moment a Martial Venerable appeared, who would bet on anyone else? Everyone would place their wagers on Lu Changsheng, and the Battle Arena would bleed spirit stones until there was nothing left.

So, even though the Battle Arena did have Divine Ability Realm matches, the fighters were almost never famous Divine Ability martial artists, much less a Martial Venerable.

"They wouldn't take me? What a pity..." Lu Changsheng felt a flicker of disappointment.

The Battle Arena had served him well. In a short period of time, he had been able to earn hundreds of thousands of spirit stones. But his reputation had become too great now, and even the Battle Arena would not dare accept his participation. Fame had its advantages, but it also had its drawbacks. And when it came to the Battle Arena, the drawbacks were clearly greater.

Lu Changsheng frowned, turning the problem over. If not the Battle Arena, where else could I accumulate a large number of spirit stones in a short period of time?

"Brother Lu." Li Guang spoke up. "If you truly wish to obtain a large number of spirit stones in a short period of time, there is one place that might suit you."

Lu Changsheng looked up. "Where?"

"Void Spirit Mountain!"

"Void Spirit Mountain?" Lu Changsheng had never heard of it.

Could it be a place with many spirit stone mines? Hmm... but if Void Spirit Mountain really had a large number of spirit stone mines, it would have been seized by a major power long ago. There's no way something like that would sit unclaimed.

There were a million questions running through his mind, but he held them back for now and waited for Li Guang to continue.

"Brother Lu, do you know who the wealthiest cultivators are?" Li Guang asked.

"True Ones, naturally," Lu Changsheng replied without hesitation. "Or rather, cultivators of the Immortal Dao."

"Exactly. True Ones and True Lords can refine artifacts, set up formations, and use their cultivation to build entire fortunes. But for a True One to form a nascent soul and become a True Lord, they must first dissolve their golden core. That is the most difficult step, and it requires a rare natural treasure known as Core Dissolution Liquid

"Core Dissolution Liquid can only be formed by nature, which makes it exceedingly rare. Void Spirit Mountain happens to be one of the few places where it appears naturally. However, the concentration of Core Dissolution Liquid there is far too high. Over time, it has turned the entire mountain into a place that is hostile to True Ones and other immortal cultivators. Any immortal cultivator who enters risks having their mana dissolved as well, possibly to the point of death. Martial artists, on the other hand, are not affected in the same way. That is why they are the only ones who can enter unharmed.

"Because the site is too valuable for any single Immortal Sect to control, they sealed off Void Spirit Mountain together and agreed to only open it once every ten years. Each time it opens, only martial artists below the Martial Saint level from the various Immortal Sects are allowed to enter, and they may only stay inside for one month. What an Immortal Sect walks away with depends entirely on how strong the martial artists they send turn out to be.

"Although the Immortal Sects had trained many Divine Ability martial artists, you know as well as I do how rare it is for a Divine Ability martial artist to become a Martial Venerable. Training alone cannot achieve that. And since Martial Saints aren't permitted inside, Martial Venerables stand as the strongest force in the mountain. The stronger the Martial Venerable, the more Core Dissolution Liquid they walk out with."

Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. "Are you asking me to represent an Immortal Sect and compete for the liquid?"

"Exactly that," Li Guang replied. "Represent a sect, enter Void Spirit Mountain, and claim as much Core Dissolution Liquid as you can carry. Spirit stones won't be a problem after that. Those sects are wealthy beyond counting. And as it happens, the next opening is just over a month away."

Li Guang had Lu Changsheng's full attention now. "Is Void Spirit Mountain dangerous?"

"Of course it is." Li Guang's expression turned serious. "Void Spirit Mountain has its own breed of devil, the Void Devil. They are formless and invisible. Their attacks go straight for the heart and can barely be detected. A Divine Ability martial artist with a weak heart would be in real danger there."

"But the heart and mind are one," Li Guang continued with a smile. "Brother Lu, you possess the Mental Principle and have even used it to condense an immeasurable divine ability. How could those Void Devils possibly harm you? Besides, if you truly compete for Core Dissolution Liquid on behalf of an Immortal Sect, that sect will certainly provide you with treasures to protect your heart."

Lu Changsheng weighed the matter for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I will go to Void Spirit Mountain. However, I am not familiar with the Immortal Sects. Which sect should I approach? Do I have to visit them one by one and ask?"

Li Guang smiled. "Leave that to me. You're hardly an unknown figure these days, Brother Lu. The moment word gets out that you're willing to compete on a sect's behalf, they'll be lining up. As for which one to choose, that is even simpler. Choose whichever sect offers the highest price. What do you think?"

Lu Changsheng nodded. "Very well. Then I will leave this matter to you, Brother Li."

"It's just a small favor." Li Guang waved it off. "Go back and wait for the good news. Give me about a month, and I'll have everything arranged."

With Li Guang handling the matter, Lu Changsheng felt much more at ease. He left the Li Clan and returned to the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect, where he waited patiently to hear from Li Guang.

***

The days slipped by, one after another, until a month had passed almost without notice. Li Guang sent no word, but Lu Changsheng was not the type to grow anxious over silence. He waited, content to let things unfold in their own time.

Finally, one day, Li Guang arrived at the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect and sought him out.

"Brother Lu, it's settled." Li Guang got straight to it. "I spent the month making contact with the major Immortal Sects, and the best terms came from the Gourd Immortal Sect. One drop of Core Dissolution Liquid for fifty thousand spirit stones, plus a Heart Pagoda to shield you from the Void Devils' attacks to your heart."

Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up. Fifty thousand spirit stones, for a single drop. That's a very high price!

"Most sects wouldn't offer more than thirty thousand even for a Martial Venerable, and fifty is practically unheard of," Li Guang continued. "But you're not most Martial Venerables, Brother Lu. I made sure every sect understood exactly who would be helping them, and most landed around forty thousand once they knew. After all, you have an immeasurable divine ability—and a mental type at that. That gives you a major advantage in Void Spirit Mountain, and they know it. In the end, the Gourd Immortal Sect was the most generous, offering fifty thousand spirit stones per drop."

Lu Changsheng nodded. He did not care too much about the Heart Pagoda. What truly mattered to him was the number of spirit stones he could get.

Fifty thousand spirit stones for one drop. Ten drops would be five hundred thousand. If I could obtain dozens, or even hundreds, of drops of Core Dissolution Liquid, then I'd have enough resources to fully transform both of my remaining Divine Ability Dao Fruits into true divine abilities.

With that in mind, Lu Changsheng made his decision. "I'll go with the Gourd Immortal Sect."

"Good." Li Guang nodded. "Void Spirit Mountain opens in about ten days, so you should head for the Gourd Immortal Sect soon. They have detailed information on the mountain. You can learn more from them and make proper preparations. Always better to be safe than sorry, right?"

"Alright, then I'll leave at once." Lu Changsheng rose to his feet. "I'm indebted to you once again, Brother Li."

Li Guang shook his head. "It's nothing. If not for you, I would still be a worthless man with nothing to do but await death. You're the reason I've become heir to the Li Clan patriarch. There's no need for such formality between us, Brother Lu."

Lu Changsheng gave a smile in return. What had started between them as a friendship built on mutual interest had, judged by Li Guang's actions rather than his original motives, had become something far more genuine.

"Very well. We'll speak again once I return from Void Spirit Mountain."

With that, Lu Changsheng turned to settle his remaining affairs at the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect.

In truth, there was little to settle. Lu Changsheng held the title of Supreme Elder, not Sect Master. That role belonged to Grand Elder Lu Tong, who had come up through the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. In the Sacred Earth, a Sect Master still stuck at the Dao Foundation level would hardly command respect. At the very least, the Sect Master had to be a Divine Ability martial artist.

Once everything had been taken care of at the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect, Lu Changsheng headed quickly for the Gourd Immortal Sect.