I became a god through frontier slaughter, and I crushed the academy's prodigies!

Lu Changming stood in front of the shattered French window frame and took a deep breath.

He slowly exhaled.

The aura transformed into a crimson-gold streak of fire, stretching for over ten meters across the night sky before dissipating.

His entire body, from bones to blood, from meridians to consciousness, was filled with unprecedented power.

It's like a dragon that has been trapped in the mud for ten years, finally breaking free and soaring into the heavens.

He stretched his shoulders, accompanied by a visible ripple of crimson gold spreading outwards.

That is a phenomenon caused by the synchronous resonance between the origin of the law and the physical body.

His body was as light as a feather, yet as heavy as a mountain.

Lu Changming clenched his fist, then relaxed it.

The fire-attribute power of heaven and earth within a radius of ten thousand meters expanded and contracted with his movements, as naturally as breathing.

This sense of control was so comfortable that it made him want to laugh.

He did laugh.

The curve of his lips slowly widened from a slit to a hearty laugh.

Laughter poured down from the top of the Zhen Tian Tower and was carried far away by the night wind.

It's been ten years.

For ten whole years, he sat in meditation day after day, repeatedly hitting a wall in front of that unbreakable barrier.

Countless times he sat alone late at night, wondering if he had already hit the ceiling of his life.

Tonight, that thin veil has been torn down!

He not only broke through the barrier of the mid-stage of the seventh rank, but also crushed through the late stage of the seventh rank and the peak of the seventh rank, directly stepping into the realm of the eighth rank.

The fundamental law rotated steadily in the sea of ​​consciousness, and the tiny, rice-grain-sized red-gold light radiated a warm yet domineering glow.

The fire-attribute power of heaven and earth within a radius of ten thousand meters, like pilgrims, spontaneously converged on him.

"A person is in high spirits when good things happen!"

Lu Changming murmured to himself, his tone carrying a long-lost sense of ease.

He hadn't felt this way in a long time.

It wasn't the kind of composure that was deliberately maintained, nor the kind of unwavering calm that a prefect must display even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him.

It was a genuine, deep-seated joy.

It's like carrying a mountain on your back for ten years, only to have someone suddenly move the mountain away.

Lu Changming turned around, ready to fully experience the power of the eighth rank.

Then he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

In the corner of the secret room, a black figure had appeared and was now standing there.

Dressed in black, with a tall and straight figure, his hands were clasped behind his back.

Shen Tian.

Lu Changming's pupils suddenly contracted.

He had just broken through to the eighth level, and his perception range had increased more than tenfold.

Every blade of grass and every tree within a radius of ten thousand meters is within his spiritual perception.

However, he did not capture any trace of Shen Tian's appearance here.

It was as if Shen Tian had been standing there the whole time.

From beginning to end.

A chill ran up Lu Changming's spine and instantly spread throughout his body.

He has just broken through to the eighth rank.

With the laws of nature bestowed upon him, the power of heaven and earth submits to him.

According to the martial arts system of Blue Star, an eighth-level martial artist is already at the top of the food chain.

The number of eighth-tier powerhouses in the entire Dragon Kingdom can be counted on one hand and one foot.

He should be among the strongest.

But at this moment, facing this peak sixth-tier youth, he still couldn't help but feel a sense of danger.

The sudden impulses of the strong are never unfounded.

It is vigilance.

Lu Changming stared at Shen Tian with his crimson-gold pupils, his heart churning with turmoil.

I'm already at the eighth level.

Having condensed the essence of the laws, the power of heaven and earth willingly submits, and the laws operate on their own with every move.

His combat power has increased tenfold since the mid-stage of the seventh rank.

Yet, even when facing Shen Tian, ​​she still sensed a faint danger.

Just how terrifying is this peak sixth-tier youth?

What terrifying power to dominate beyond one's level!

"Congratulations, Lord of the Manor, on breaking through to the eighth rank."

Lu Changming was silent for two seconds, then exhaled a long breath, and his tense body gradually relaxed.

"You little rascal, you always appear and disappear like that."

Lu Changming shook his head with a wry smile.

"I'm already at level eight, and I still don't feel a thing when you arrive. Is there any limit to your dominance in fighting opponents above your level?"

Shen Tian did not answer the question.

He simply smiled slightly.

"You've come to say goodbye."

Lu Changming did not use a question.

He used a declarative sentence.

Shen Tian glanced at Lu Changming, and the two looked at each other.

"The Lord of the Manor is indeed astute."

Lu Changming turned around and faced the floor-to-ceiling window again.

The lights of Tianyun City spread out beneath my feet, and the residential areas in the distance were already twinkling with lights.

Although the crimson celestial phenomenon had dissipated, the lingering afterglow in the clouds continued to flow slowly, dyeing the night sky a warm orange hue.

"You said that before."

Lu Changming's voice became low.

"When I break through to the eighth rank, that will be the time for you to leave Tianyun Mansion and go to Kunlun for baptism."

Shen Tian remained noncommittal, walked to Lu Changming's side, and also looked out the window.

The two stood side by side.

One was the Lord of the Heavenly Fortune Palace, who had just entered the eighth rank and whose body radiated a crimson-gold law light.

One is a monstrous genius at the peak of the sixth rank, yet more dangerous than an eighth-rank martial artist.

"When are you leaving?"

"tomorrow."

Lu Changming turned to look at Shen Tian, ​​his crimson-gold pupils reflecting the young man's cold profile.

"After you leave, Old Yan and I will handle the affairs of Tianyun Prefecture."

Lu Changming clenched his right fist, and crimson-gold flames burned silently between his fingers.

The patterns of the fundamental laws spread and pulsed across his fist, like living veins of magma.

His tone carried a long-lost sharpness.

"Even if Gu Yan returns with the Purple Spirit Clan's army, we still have the strength to fight back."

Shen Tian glanced at Lu Changming.

The Lord of Tianyun Prefecture before me is completely different from the one I was a month ago.

It's not just a transformation in strength.

More importantly, it's about temperament.

Once an eighth-level martial artist condenses the origin of the laws, their entire spirit and energy will undergo a fundamental change.

The laws are inscribed in the flesh, and the power of heaven and earth submits; this change penetrates to the level of bone marrow and soul.

At this moment, Lu Changming stood there like a silent, active volcano.

On the surface, it appears calm and undisturbed, but within it lies a terrifying energy powerful enough to incinerate the heavens and boil the seas.

"Old Yan's will be here soon too."

Lu Changming suddenly spoke.

"Although he is only at the early stage of the seventh rank, with the help of the Law Fruits you gave him, breaking through to the eighth rank is just a matter of consuming a few more Law Fruits and a bit more time."

"I can't believe that such a strange thing exists in the world."

A glint of light flashed in Lu Changming's eyes, as if he were savoring the taste of the Fire Lotus Fruit.

Actually, what he really wanted to ask was where Shen Tian got so many Law Fruits from.

But he didn't ask.

He knew better than anyone that Shen Tian's success today was not solely due to talent.

This young man carries too many untold secrets, secrets like icebergs in the deep sea, with only the most insignificant tip showing above the water.

"With two eighth-tier officials in charge, plus the industrial capacity of Furnace City and the defense system of the eight major cities, Tianyun Prefecture will not have any problems in the short term."

Shen Tian turned around and faced Lu Changming.

"Lord of the Prefecture, I'm entrusting Tianyun Prefecture to you."

Looking at the young man who was about to embark on a long journey, Lu Changming felt a surge of complex emotions.

"Kunlun Baptism..."

How much do you know about Kunlun baptism?

Shen Tian recalled for a moment.

When I met Xiao Ting in Sunset Canyon before, that chatterbox mentioned the Kunlun baptism.

Although Xiao Ting spoke loudly, he did not actually explain the specific details of the Kunlun baptism.

They only mentioned that there are quotas available each year and that it can help martial artists break through to the seventh rank.

As for what the Kunlun baptism was or how it was performed, Xiao Ting didn't say a word.

"I only know the general outline."

Lu Changming nodded, his gaze fixed on the distance.

"The Kunlun Academy has existed even longer than the Dragon Kingdom."

"Only they themselves know exactly how long they existed."

"The so-called Kunlun baptism is to receive the baptism of a golden statue on the summit of Kunlun."

"The most outstanding geniuses throughout the Dragon Kingdom's history must undergo a baptism at the Kunlun Dao Academy before breaking through to the seventh rank."

"As for what one can comprehend, that varies entirely from person to person."

"Someone witnessed the workings of the laws of heaven and earth before the statue, thus breaking through their martial arts bottleneck and achieving a breakthrough in a single day."

"Some people saw nothing, but after sitting in meditation for three days, their mindset underwent a transformation, and their understanding of their own martial arts was completely renewed."

Lu Changming withdrew his hand, and the crimson-gold flames slowly dissipated in the air.

"But some people completely lose themselves in front of the statue."

His tone suddenly turned heavy.

"That statue was more than just a coincidence."

"It is also a mirror."

"It can reveal the most essential things in your martial arts—your beliefs, your obsessions, your fears, and your desires."

"If your martial arts heart is firm enough, it will help you clarify your path, like parting the fog to see the clear sky."

"But if there's a crack in your martial arts heart, even if it's just a tiny, insignificant crack—"

Lu Changming lowered his voice to a minimum.

"Even so, not a single truly top-tier prodigy has ever chosen to bypass the Kunlun baptism."

Shen Tian withdrew his gaze and turned to Lu Changming.

"Did the Lord of the Manor also participate in the Kunlun baptism back then?"

Lu Changming's expression became complicated.

"I participated."

He held up three fingers.

"I sat in front of the statue for three days."

"On the first day, I didn't see anything."

"The next day, I saw a ball of fire. That fire resonated with the true essence of martial arts within me."

"Day Three—"

Lu Changming paused for a moment.

"I'm back."

"Then, three months later, he broke through to the seventh rank."