Top-Tier Perception Starts From Basic Fist Techniques

"Is that... the Saint Body of the Joyour Sect grand elder?"

"There's no mistake about it. That's the grand elder's Saint Body. But why would Martial Saint Fang Yi suddenly unleash his Saint Body? Has something happened?"

"Look, he's facing someone in the air... A martial artist, I think? Who's that?"

"Anyone who can make Martial Saint Fang manifest his Saint Body is most likely a Martial Saint too. A Martial Saint duel, here in our Joyous City..."

Everyone in the crowd was stunned. They could not believe they were about to witness a Martial Saint duel. Something like that was only stumbled upon, never sought out.

High in the sky, Fang Yi was brimming with confidence, his Saint Body exuding sheer domination.

If Lu Changsheng were merely a Divine Ability martial artist, his three immeasurable divine abilities would likely have been no match; one look at Fang Yi's Saint Body made that clear.

However, unbeknownst to everyone at the scene, Lu Changsheng was no longer in the Divine Ability Realm. He was a Martial Saint!

Lu Changsheng was not one to give out explanations. Now, instead of wasting more time with words, he decided to act.

Boom!

He threw out a punch, and with that, the hundred-zhang Primordial Chaos Saint Body instantly manifested behind him. Compared to Fang Yi's Saint Body of just a few dozens of zhang, the Primordial Chaos Saint Body was a colossus.

Fang Yi's heart shook at the sight. What the...? That's a Saint Body?! It's like a hundred zhang...

The terrifying pressure emitted by that colossal was suffocating Fang Yi. In that instant, he understood with perfect clarity that Lu Changsheng was no longer in the Divine Ability Realm.

Lu Changsheng originally possessed three immeasurable divine abilities. Upon becoming a Martial Saint, his Saint Body would certainly have been forged on the foundation of those three divine abilities, which meant the power of the Saint Body would be unimaginable.

Faced with that dreadful realization, every ounce of resistance and courage drained from Fang Yi. Fear took over as he instinctively realized that if he did not run away that very moment, he would undoubtedly die.

However, it was already too late. Lu Changsheng's punch carried the full eruption of the Primordial Chaos Saint Body, and within it surged the Five Elements Decomposition divine ability, amplified three hundredfold.

The force of that punch came down like a colossal fist descending from the heavens, slamming squarely into Fang Yi's Saint Body.

"NOOOO!" Fang Yi bellowed in terror.

As Lu Changsheng's punch landed, Fang Yi's massive Saint Body crumbled almost instantly and turned to ash in the blink of an eye, as though the enormous Saint Body had simply been wiped from existence.

Crrr...

Just like that, everything vanished—the Saint Body along with its owner. Then, there was silence, and the sky returned to its previous calm.

Everyone stared at the sky in shock, tempestuous waves surging through their hearts. Martial Saint Fang Yi had not been merely killed; he had been wiped out of existence by Lu Changsheng's immeasurable divine ability. Amplified by his Saint Body, the Five Elements Decomposition had erased Fang Yi's Saint Body outright.

Something like this was simply unheard of. Both men were Martial Saints, yet the gap in combat power between them defied imagination.

Lu Changsheng sighed softly. Good thing I recorded this battle. Otherwise, proving Fang Yi's death with no remains left would have been troublesome.

Ultimately, the only real worry had been proving the completion of the mission. As for the duel itself, Lu Changsheng had been convinced of victory before even leaving the Institute to come here.

His Primordial Chaos Saint Body had been fused from three great Saint Bodies and amplified his divine abilities three hundredfold. What Human Saint out there could possibly match that?

That was the source of Lu Changsheng's confidence. Erasing a Martial Saint with a single strike could not have been simpler.

"Martial Saint Fang Yi is dead?"

"That's Lu Changsheng of the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect, isn't it? Now I remember..."

"One move. It took just one move for Venerable Lu to slay Martial Saint Fang Yi?"

"What Venerable Lu? That's Saint Lu! Lu Changsheng, whose name shakes the Sacred Earth, has already forged his Saint Body and become a Martial Saint. He probably kept quiet about his ascension because he didn't want Fang Yi to catch wind and flee."

Many were familiar with Lu Changsheng's legendary story. A martial artist who could slay Martial Saints while still at the Divine Ability Realm had now become a Martial Saint himself. In retrospect, Fang Yi had never stood a chance in this duel.

Lu Changsheng glanced down at the Joyous Sect, where countless disciples stood trembling. They had prepared a formation, meant to trap a wounded Lu Changsheng and prevent his escape.

Now that their grand elder had died to a single punch, the idea of trapping Lu Changsheng was laughable. The disciples were praying that the rest of the Joyous Sect would not become the target of Lu Changsheng's wrath.

Fortunately for them, their prayers were not in vain, for Lu Changsheng had decided to spare the Joyous Sect. This endeavor had been nothing more than a transaction with Zhao Wulong, and now that he had successfully carried out his mission, it was time to return.

As for the Joyous Sect, without a Martial Saint holding it together, it would likely fall apart soon enough. That was no concern of his.

With a whoosh, Lu Changsheng turned into a streak of light and flew back toward the Martial Saint Institute.

Ten days later, he arrived. Even as a Martial Saint, the journey between the Martial Saint Institute and the Joyous Sect took ten days each way, twenty days round trip. It spoke to the sheer size of the Sacred Earth; not boundless but it was vast indeed.

When Lu Changsheng stepped into the Exchange Hall, nearly every eye turned to him.

"He's back. Saint Lu is back."

"Word came a few days ago that the Joyous Sect's grand elder, Martial Saint Fang Yi, was destroyed by Saint Lu in a single blow. He couldn't even withstand one move. Saint Lu's strength is monstrous."

"That's Saint Lu we're talking about, hardly an ordinary man. A Saint Body forged on the foundation of immeasurable divine abilities is absolutely insane. Forget Fang Yi, even other supreme Martial Saints are likely no match for Saint Lu."

"I'd wager Saint Lu already stands at the very peak of the Human Saint Realm!"

"This is what a solid foundation gets you..."

Many watched Lu Changsheng with awe. His return trip from the Joyous Sect had taken ten days, but the moment he slew Martial Saint Fang Yi, the news had flashed across every corner of the Sacred Earth in an instant.

The martial artists of the Martial Saint Institute had heard as well, and unsurprisingly, the whole institute erupted. Some could hardly believe what Lu Changsheng had done.

Wasn't Lu Changsheng a Martial Venerable? When did he become a Martial Saint?

Naturally, the more perceptive among them guessed that Lu Changsheng had been a Martial Saint some time ago and had simply kept it hidden.

Sure enough, those who went to ask around near the Heavenly Sacred City and Heavenly Light City came back with solid confirmation. Lu Changsheng had indeed ascended, with many people personally witnessing him forge his Saint Body in Heavenly Light City.

Word had also leaked from the inner division that the artifact spirit had refused Lu Changsheng entry, which served as further proof that he was indeed a Martial Saint. If only those reports had trickled out sooner, perhaps Fang Yi would still be alive—on the run or in hiding, but alive.

The moment Lu Changsheng entered the Exchange Hall he became the focus of every gaze, though he paid it little mind. He drew attention wherever he went; he had long since gotten used to it.

Lu Changsheng walked straight to Zhao Wulong. He tossed the image stone into his hands and said, "I struck too hard, so unfortunately there was nothing left of Fang Yi. I hope this image stone is enough proof that I have, in fact, slain him."

Zhao Wulong's hands shook uncontrollably, barely able to hold onto the image stone.

"It is, of course it is! Thank you, Saint Lu, for helping me exact my revenge... I am most thankful, truly..."

Zhao Wulong was nearly weeping with joy. He had actually gotten the news several days earlier, but only now, after seeing the image stone with his own eyes, was he finally able to set his mind at ease.

Fang Yi was truly dead. Watching the recording of Lu Changsheng's single punch blasting Fang Yi to ash, without so much as one bone remaining of him, Zhao Wulong was overcome with a boundless rush of satisfaction. Having finally exacted his revenge, he felt as though a huge boulder had been lifted from his heart.

"Saint Lu, here is the Heavenly Rain Creation Pill you asked for. In truth, there were two pills all along. Since my revenge is complete, I may as well give them both to you," Zhao Wulong said, handing Lu Changsheng a porcelain vial.

"Two Heavenly Rain Creation Pills?" Lu Changsheng looked closely, and there really were two.

As it turned out, Zhao Wulong had kept something up his sleeve after all. He had only marketed one pill, holding the other in reserve just in case.

Now that Fang Yi was dead, keeping it served no purpose and would only mark him as prey in many people's eyes, so he simply gave both pills to Lu Changsheng and spared himself the attention.

Lu Changsheng was quite pleased, and the more he looked at Zhao Wulong, the more pleasant to the eye the man seemed.

The Heavenly Rain Creation Pill was a rare treasure, found only by chance. One could go to Li Zhenggang, and the remaining one Lu Changsheng could keep for himself against future need.

"Zhao Wulong, do you have somewhere to go?" Lu Changsheng asked.

"Somewhere to go? Where could I even go now?" Zhao Wulong said, shaking his head with a lost look.

He had put an end to his feud with Fang Yi, but now, after so much time, he no longer knew where he belonged.

"If you have nowhere to go, how about going to Heavenly Sacred City and joining the Sacred Earth Heavenly Sect?" Lu Changsheng proposed.

Zhao Wulong's eyes lit up at those words. This was as good as taking him in.

"Thank you, Saint Lu..."

Indeed, with just this indirect invitation from Lu Changsheng, Zhao Wulong would be safe even after leaving the Martial Saint Institute.

"Alright then. Off you go."

After Zhao Wulong left, however, Lu Changsheng did not depart right away. His eyes narrowed slightly as he caught sight of a familiar figure.

Fellow Daoist Zhang Shu...