7: Chapter 7 The Supreme Lord Chu

Chu Changsheng turned around slowly.

His movements were unhurried, yet they seemed to pull at some mysterious rhythm between heaven and earth.

He swept his gaze gently over the crowd, his brows brimming with the high spirits of someone who had been suppressed for too long and could finally stretch freely—this was the pride of someone who had crawled up from the dust and could finally hold their head high!

He bowed solemnly to Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao and the Elders.

This bow was performed with respect and depth.

"I have seen the Sect Master and all the Elders."

His voice was as loud as a bell, echoing layer by layer on the silent peak.

Every word was clear and powerful, yet held just the right amount of humility:

"This one has luckily achieved a Breakthrough, I did not mean to disturb everyone, I hope for your understanding."

As soon as the words fell—

The emerald gold Qi swirling around him slowly receded like the tide.

This light, once so blinding that people could not look directly at it, now docilely retreated into his body, as if a fierce beast were retracting its claws.

But this faint aura of vitality, like the gentlest breeze in spring, drifted silently and leisurely, spreading all around.

Wherever the vitality passed—

A miracle happened!

The surrounding vegetation, which had withered in the earlier Qi storm, seemed to be gently brushed by an invisible hand, instantly bursting with green!

The withered yellow leaves unfurled at a speed visible to the naked eye, as if waking from a long nightmare; on the shriveled branches, tender green buds emerged like mischievous children, scrambling to poke their heads out!

A miracle of life was unfolding right before everyone's eyes!

Every unfurling dead leaf, every sprouting bud, silently declared—what kind of magical, incredible power was contained within the body of the man before them!

Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao stared at him intently.

The more he looked, the more alarmed he became!

The more he examined, the more terrified he felt!

The aura of this young man before him was as deep as an endless dark abyss!

He exhausted all his perception as a Late Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator, yet—he could see nothing!

He could not see through even the slightest bit!

Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao's heart sank to the bottom, then suddenly jumped to his throat.

He frantically deduced and considered in his heart, and in the end, only one answer remained that even he found unbelievable—

The other party's cultivation had already far surpassed his own as a Late Stage Nascent Soul powerhouse!

This thought exploded in his mind like a thunderclap!

In an instant, his eyes were full of shock, his pupils contracted violently, and a stormy sea surged in his heart, unable to subside for a long time!

He had lived for hundreds of years, seen countless Geniuses, experienced countless storms, but never had he been rendered speechless by a young man like this!

"A lucky Breakthrough?"

An old voice broke the deathly silence.

An Elder with a beard as white as snow frowned, his eyes full of curiosity and suspicion, his gaze so sharp it seemed to want to see through Chu Changsheng completely:

"Is Elder Chu now... in the Soul Transformation Stage?"

As soon as these words were spoken—

The surroundings became instantly quiet enough to hear a pin drop!

It was as if time had frozen at this moment!

Everyone held their breath unconsciously, and everyone's heartbeat seemed to stop!

Pairs of eyes stared fixedly at Chu Changsheng, waiting for his answer, waiting for an answer that might rewrite the history of the Xuantian Sect!

The Xuantian Sect had been established for thousands of years!

Through the long river of history, except for that Old Ancestor who was in closed-door cultivation and as ethereal as a legend, no one had ever—ever been able to touch the unreachable Deity Transformation Realm!

In everyone's hearts, the Deity Transformation Realm had always been like the brightest star in the sky, something to look up to, something to fantasize about, but never something to reach.

Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao's Late Stage Nascent Soul cultivation was already the pillar supporting the entire Sect, the object of all Disciples' admiration.

And the Deity Transformation Realm—this was a myth, a legend, a distant memory that could only be read in ancient books!

Now, this young man in front of them actually told them that he had broken through to the Deity Transformation Realm?!

How could everyone not be shocked and dumbfounded?

How could everyone's heart not tremble?

Chu Changsheng's expression was calm.

This was a bottomless calmness, the composure and steadiness that only comes after truly possessing strength.

In his eyes, however, the light of confidence was hard to hide—this light was not blinding, but it made people afraid to look directly at him.

He was neither humble nor arrogant, and nodded slowly:

"Thanks to the deep blessings of the Sect, this Junior luckily stepped into the Early Stage of the Soul Transformation Stage."

"Hiss—"

The sound of gasping for air was as uniform as if it had been rehearsed!

The way the Elders looked at him changed completely in an instant!

This was no longer looking at a Junior, no longer looking at an ordinary Elder, but looking at—a legend!

Looking at this young man who had broken through to the Early Stage of the Soul Transformation Stage in less than a hundred years of cultivation, their eyes were full of awe! It was as if they were looking at someone destined to rewrite the history of the Sect!

Such talent, such Opportunity, was simply rare in a thousand years!

It was as if heaven had specifically favored the Xuantian Sect, sending a peerless powerhouse to turn the tide when the Sect needed it most!

Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao suddenly clenched the horsetail whisk in his hand!

Because he used too much force, his knuckles turned white, and the handle of the whisk actually made a slight cracking sound!

His voice was trembling with excitement, and in this trembling, there was shock, wild joy, and even more, the anticipation that had been suppressed for too long:

"Good! Good! Good!"

Three "Good"s in a row, each louder than the last!

"A thousand years of waiting! My Xuantian Sect finally—finally has another Soul Transformation powerhouse!"

He stepped forward quickly, personally reaching out to help Chu Changsheng up solemnly.

This movement, this posture, was no longer treating a subordinate, but treating a true—powerhouse!

His eyes were full of joy and relief, as if through this young man, he had already seen the brilliant future of the Sect!

This future was like the dawn before the morning, striving to break through the darkness and about to illuminate the path ahead!

"Elder Chu, no need for formalities!"

His voice was trembling, but it carried undeniable sincerity:

"For you to have such a Heaven-Defying achievement is truly the fortune of my Xuantian Sect! It is a great joy for the entire Sect!"

Chu Changsheng felt it truly.

He felt Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao's heartfelt joy and that heavy sense of importance.

This joy was not fake, this importance was not polite, but truly, from the heart!

A warm current could not help but surge in his heart.

He knew better than anyone that while he could have today, it was inseparable from the Heaven-Defying help of the System.

But the cultivation environment and rich resources provided by the Xuantian Sect were also indispensable!

This was the soil where he grew; this was the foundation for his takeoff!

He raised his head, his gaze frank and firm.

"Sect Master, fellow Elders."

His voice was not loud, but every word was resonant, as if taking an oath:

"That I, Chu, can have today is entirely due to the Sect's careful cultivation and great kindness. In the future, if there are any orders, I will certainly go through fire and water, and will not refuse!"

His words were so sincere that they moved people; his eyes were so firm that they made people believe.

No one would doubt his words, because this sincerity was written on his face and carved into his bones!

Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao nodded heavily, as if trying to break his neck with the force.

Then—

He turned around abruptly, facing the Elders!

At this moment, unparalleled majesty and excitement erupted from him!

His voice was like a bell, making everyone's eardrums ache, but also making everyone's blood boil:

"Today, Elder Chu has broken through to the Deity Transformation Realm; this is a rare event for my Xuantian Sect in a thousand years!"

He took a deep breath, his voice like thunder, spreading throughout the entire Sect, reaching every peak, every corner:

"From today on—"

"Changsheng Peak is ranked as the fifth main peak of my Xuantian Sect!"

"Elder Chu is the Peak Master of Changsheng Peak and enjoys the treatment of a Grand Elder of the Sect!"

The voice was like a thunderclap, echoing in the mountains for a long time!

Every word seemed to carry endless power, making everyone who heard it feel their blood boil and their hearts surge!

The Xuantian Sect originally only had four main peaks; this was the pattern passed down for thousands of years.

Now, a fifth peak was added!

What did this mean?

It meant that the Sect's strength would usher in a qualitative leap!

It meant that a new, brilliant radiance would be added to the flag of the Xuantian Sect!

This was not just the supreme glory of Chu Changsheng personally, but the glory of the entire Xuantian Sect!

The Elders bowed one after another to accept the order!

The angle of this bow was deeper than ever; the sound of their acceptance was louder than ever!

Because they knew that from this moment on, the history of the Xuantian Sect would be rewritten!

"Pass my order!"

Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao's voice was decisive, like thunder cracking, resounding through the sky!

"Immediately allocate—three High Grade Spirit Springs! Ten thousand-year-old Spirit Trees! Send them to Changsheng Peak!"

"Also, take out from the Sect treasure vault—"

He paused, his gaze like lightning:

"The Azure Underworld Pill Furnace!"

"The Myriad Phenomena Formation Plate!"

"Bestow them upon Grand Elder Chu!"

As soon as this reward was announced—

The Elders all gasped in unison, unable to help but look sideways!

Some even widened their eyes, doubting if they had heard wrong!

You must know—

The Azure Underworld Pill Furnace was the Sect's treasure! A Heaven-Grade Magic Treasure!

It could significantly increase the success rate of Alchemy, countless precious Medicinal Pills had been produced from this furnace, and it had always been the most important treasure of the Sect, a gem of the path of Alchemy!

And the Myriad Phenomena Formation Plate was also a Heaven-Grade Magic Treasure!

It could set up a great formation that could trap and kill Nascent Soul powerhouse, it was a key Magic Treasure for guarding the Sect, like an indestructible barrier!

These two supreme treasures were hard for the Elders to even get a glimpse of on ordinary days, and now they were bestowed upon Chu Changsheng together?!

Such a generous reward was enough to show Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao's extreme reliance on Chu Changsheng!

It also fully demonstrated the high hopes the Sect had placed on Chu Changsheng!

Chu Changsheng was stunned and was about to refuse—

But he saw Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao step forward and grab his wrist fiercely!

This force, this posture, could not be refused!

His eyes were full of solemnity, a solemnity that almost condensed into substance:

"Grand Elder Chu, no need to be polite."

The voice was low and powerful, every word hitting Chu Changsheng's heart:

"These Magic Treasures can only exert their maximum value in your hands. My Xuantian Sect has been dormant for too long, too long..."

His gaze looked into the distance, as if penetrating the sea of clouds, penetrating time:

"Now with you, a Soul Transformation powerhouse, sitting in command, it is time to let the Cultivators of the Southern Region see the profound heritage of our Sect!"

In this gaze, there was anticipation, trust, and even more, a desire that had been suppressed for too long and could finally be vented!

He entrusted the future of the entire Sect to Chu Changsheng without reservation!

Chu Changsheng's heart was shaken violently.

He deeply felt Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao's painstaking efforts and that heavy expectation.

This was handing over the rise and fall of a Sect, the future of a Sect, into his hands!

He took a deep breath and bowed in response.

His movements were as solemn as a mountain; his expression was as solemn as an oath:

"Since that is the case—"

"This one will not decline."

His gaze slowly swept over everyone present, and finally landed on Sect Master Ling Jiuxiao's face:

"In the future, I will definitely do my best to protect the Xuantian Sect!"

"I will not fail the Sect's trust—"

He paused, speaking word by word:

"I will not fail the Sect Master and all the Elders' love!"

When the words fell, everyone was shocked.

The weight in these words, the determination in these eyes, made everyone truly feel—from now on, the Xuantian Sect really had a backer!

Just at this moment—

A burst of hurried footsteps broke this solemn atmosphere.

A Disciple rushed over, his expression extremely respectful.

He held up a scroll with flowing golden light high with both hands, the golden light shining on his face, reflecting full reverence and excitement:

"Report to the Sect Master!"

His voice was trembling:

"This is the list of Genius Disciples recommended by each peak. Please, Peak Master Chu, choose a few to be included under Changsheng Peak!"

As the words fell—

Everyone's eyes were cast on Chu Changsheng!

In these eyes, there was anticipation, curiosity, and even more, an impatience—who wouldn't want to know what kind of Genius this newly promoted Soul Transformation powerhouse would take a fancy to?