Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

Heavenly Light City, Deep Space Merchant Association.

After returning from Cloud Chart Mountain Range, Xiao Cong reported everything that had happened there to the association's senior leadership, including its Martial Saint.

The news stunned the entire association. The fact that a Divine Ability martial artist had killed a sacred beast—and not just any sacred beast, but a flood dragon—was almost unheard of. This feat was the equivalent of a Divine Ability martial artist killing a Martial Saint. Even the senior members of the Deep Space Merchant Association struggled to believe it.

However, as unbelievable as it was, everyone believed Xiao Cong. His status within the Deep Space Merchant Association was special, and there was no reason for him to fabricate a story like this. So, the association took notes of the physical description and divine abilities traits of the mysterious martial artist he had provided and proceeded with an investigation.

The investigation proceeded far more smoothly than anyone had expected. The mysterious expert's divine abilities were simply too distinctive, and the person behind them was already tremendously famous. After making only a few inquiries, the association had all but confirmed the identity of the martial artist who had slain the flood dragon in Cloud Chart Mountain Range.

It was, of course, none other than Lu Changsheng of the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect, the current number-one disciple of the Martial Saint Institute's inner division!

"So it was Lu Changsheng, huh?" said the chairman of the Deep Space Merchant Association. "That explains everything. I heard he has more than one immeasurable divine ability, and is practically invincible in the Divine Ability Realm.

"According to Venerable Xiao, the mysterious martial artist used three divine abilities during the battle, so the details match perfectly. Three immeasurable divine abilities reinforcing one another could indeed produce such astonishing power.

"Now, since Lu Changsheng had also obtained the Void Divine Crystal, should we approach him?"

Xiao Cong immediately shook his head. "No, absolutely not. Lu Changsheng warned me not to reveal that he had been in Cloud Chart Mountain Range. If we approach him now, we might provoke him instead of earning his goodwill. We can't reach out to an expert like that carelessly. But we can keep watch, and in time find a chance to befriend Lu Changsheng, or at least establish a good relationship with the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect. Either outcome would benefit us greatly."

Several months had passed since the incident in Cloud Chart Mountain Range, but Xiao Cong still felt a lingering chill whenever he recalled that battle.

One of the senior members considered the matter before speaking. "There may already be an opportunity. Our investigation shows that Lu Changsheng has close ties with the Li Clan Merchant Association in Heavenly Sacred City. Recently, the Black Light Merchant Association has been spreading rumors that the Li Clan's grand elder is gravely injured and nearing the end of his life. They have also been aggressively undercutting the Li Clan Merchant Association and attacking its business. So isn't this a good chance for us to get close to Lu Changsheng?"

"Lu Changsheng can already defeat a sacred beast above his own level, so imagine how powerful he'd be once he becomes a Martial Saint. He might even have the potential to become a Heavenly Saint someday. We cannot afford to overlook the chance to form a relationship with someone like him. We must get in touch with the Li Clan Merchant Association."

"Right now, the Li Clan is being attacked on all fronts by the Black Light Merchant Association. They had even reached out to us to join forces against the Li Clan Merchant Association. Heh, little do they know they're going on a suicide mission. There's no way we'll follow them."

"We won't just refuse to join hands with the Black Light Merchant Association; we should also extend a hand to the Li Clan Merchant Association while they're facing their greatest hardships. We can begin with ordinary business cooperation. Their business is currently under immense pressure, so a partnership with the Deep Space Merchant Association would help ease that pressure..."

The upper ranks of the Deep Space Merchant Association discussed the plan for a while and soon reached a unanimous decision.

At the same time, a faint smile appeared on Xiao Cong's face. Having a relationship with a supreme martial artist would be extremely beneficial to the Deep Space Merchant Association.

Although he was not able to secure a Void Divine Stone vein after spending so long in Cloud Chart Mountain Range, he was able to discover an astonishing martial artist, which was far more valuable than obtaining any mineral vein.

***

Lu Changsheng arrived at the Li Clan estate, where the Li Clan's grand elder, Martial Saint Li Zhenggang, was already waiting in the reception hall with Li Chengwu and Li Guang.

Li Guang's eyes lit up when he saw Lu Changsheng. "Brother Lu, you're here!"

Li Zhenggang gave a slight nod. "Young friend Lu[1], your courage is truly admirable. This is the Li Clan's affair, but you're willing to risk traveling to Heavenly Light City on our behalf. Since you have made such a commitment, this old man will naturally accompany you there to face the Black Light Merchant Association."

"Grand Elder, how serious is your condition?" asked Lu Changsheng.

"Haha, it's nothing to worry about," Li Zhenggang said, waving off the concern. "I may be injured, but if push comes to shove, I can still fight a Martial Saint!"

Li Guang then remembered something unusual. "There is another matter that has been puzzling me. Today, the Deep Space Merchant Association of Heavenly Light City reached out to us, offering to help. They are willing to help us in every area where the Black Light Merchant Association has been disrupting our business. If the partnership proceeds as they proposed, we should be able to restore seventy or eighty percent of our former business, which would greatly reduce our losses.

"What makes it strange is the fact that we've had almost no dealings with the Deep Space Merchant Association. Furthermore, they're based in Heavenly Light City, yet rather than joining the Black Light Merchant Association against us, they have taken the initiative to help us. I just cannot understand their reasoning for this."

The members of the Li Clan exchanged puzzled glances. None of them could come up with an explanation for the Deep Space Merchant Association's sudden goodwill.

"The Deep Space Merchant Association..." Lu Changsheng murmured as a memory stirred in his mind.

The name sounded familiar, though he could not immediately remember where he had heard it. After thinking for a moment, he recalled the encounter he had with a stealthy martial artist at Cloud Chart Mountain Range.

Didn't that man claim to be from the Deep Space Merchant Association? Lu Changsheng recalled.

Back then, he had not bothered to ask where the Deep Space Merchant Association was based. But now that he knew they were based in Heavenly Light City, he could guess why the Deep Space Merchant Association had suddenly offered the Li Clan such timely assistance. Their true purpose was not merely to establish a business partnership; they were using the Li Clan Merchant Association to extend goodwill to Lu Changsheng.

Throughout his cultivation journey, Lu Changsheng had encountered many individuals and factions that had taken the initiative to earn his goodwill. The Li Clan itself was one such example. It was precisely because they had reached out to him first that the two sides now shared such a close bond.

"Brother Lu, are you aware of the Deep Space Merchant Association?" Li Guang asked.

Lu Changsheng nodded slightly. "I once crossed paths with a Divine Ability martial artist at Cloud Chart Mountain Range. He said he belonged to the Deep Space Merchant Association, so their decision to approach the Li Clan now is most likely an attempt to get in my good graces."

"Anyway, it's a good thing they are reaching out to the Li Clan! I don't know much about merchant association affairs, but if there's a chance to cooperate, we should take it. There should be no harm in accepting their help."

Relief and delight spread through the members of the Li Clan. They were glad the Deep Space Merchant Association had taken the initiative to cooperate with the Li Clan Merchant Association because of Lu Changsheng.

However, for a powerful merchant association backed by a Martial Saint to extend such goodwill toward a Divine Ability martial artist, they knew there had to be more to the matter than Lu Changsheng had revealed.

Indeed, something had to have happened at Cloud Chart Mountain Range, but since Lu Changsheng made no attempt to explain, the others did not press him further. Whatever the truth was, the fact that the Deep Space Merchant Association was willing to support them was undoubtedly great news.

"Haha, excellent! Truly excellent!" Li Zhenggang laughed heartily. "The Deep Space Merchant Association is a powerful ally indeed! Even in my prime, I wasn't confident I could defeat their Martial Saint. Now that they have chosen to support us, the situation has already shifted in our favor before we even set out for Heavenly Light City."

This gesture of goodwill from the Deep Space Merchant Association showed that the Black Light Merchant Association had most likely not gained the assistance of the other powers in Heavenly Light City. Otherwise, the Deep Space Merchant Association would never have openly sided with the Li Clan at such a critical moment.

It also meant that in the city, the Black Light Merchant Association would most likely be the only major force standing against the Li Clan—and this alone placed the Li Clan in a far stronger position.

1. Young friend is a term of address used by an elder, senior, or person of high status toward a younger person or junior. ☜