Chapter 144.2: Five Domains Revealed; Transmission Elder Explains Divine Treasury! (II)

Lu Changsheng nodded in understanding. In essence, Intents and Domains were means of comprehending heaven and earth, serving as preparation to open the Mind Space. No wonder the sect valued disciples who comprehended Intent, especially those who evolved Domains.

However, evolving a Domain did not guarantee the Mind Space could be unlocked, nor did it mean one’s mental strength was automatically superior. Still, those who had evolved Domains clearly held certain advantages, and their heart power was generally greater than that of ordinary martial artists.

“I see you’ve comprehended five Domains. Your heart power must be something.”

“Hm?”

Lu Changsheng’s eyes narrowed. The Transmission Elder had instantly revealed he possessed five. In both the outer and inner sects, Lu Changsheng had only displayed four, yet in truth, he did possess five. Beyond the four he had revealed, there was also the Sense Domain.

“Don’t be surprised. You can’t really hold secrets against someone at the Divine Treasury Realm. Whether you cultivate five Domains or ten, it’s all meaningless if your mind doesn’t grow and you can’t access the Mind Space. At the Divine Fortification Realm, strengthening the mind is what matters most. However, doing that doesn’t directly increase your combat strength, so you have to learn how to balance things out.”

“There’s a Heart Monument here in the Transmission Hall. It measures one’s heart power. Go test yourself there, and you’ll see where you stand.”

With that, the Transmission Elder closed his eyes, suggesting that this audience was over.

Lu Changsheng rose and bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Elder.”

He then turned and left. After asking around, he learned that the Heart Monument stood at the southwest corner of the Transmission Hall. He headed over and found many martial artists gathered beneath it. Most were inner disciples.

“The Heart Monument!”

The monument rose about ten zhang high. It was made of stone, and the stone itself appeared extraordinary. Upon it were engraved scales marked from 1 to 100.

An inner disciple stepped forward and placed his hand upon it.

Buzzzz…

In the next instant, the number 8 on the Mental Monument gave off a faint white glow.

“Ugh, my heart power is still only at 8. It’s been three whole years. I’ve tried everything to raise it, but it just won’t budge. Three years… and I’ve only managed to increase it by three marks.”

The disciple looked dejected. With martial techniques, secret arts, even Intent and Domains, he could sense gradual improvement. But heart power was different; it was intangible. Before unlocking the Mental Space, no one could sense it. Thus, the training relied entirely on feeling.

Moreover, cultivating heart power was extremely difficult to begin with. Inner disciples were all geniuses, at least outside the Northern Region Heavenly Sect. And yet, in the case of this martial artist. Three years of effort had yielded only three marks. At this rate, just how many years would it take to raise his heart power to one hundred? Perhaps not even an entire lifetime would suffice.

The nearby inner disciples nodded in agreement.

“Yeah. When I first made it into the inner sect, I was full of confidence. I considered myself hardworking, strong-willed, all that… And then I came here to test myself, and my heart power was only at five. Years have passed since then, and I still haven’t even broken ten. Reaching a hundred to unlock the Mind Space? That’s probably not going to happen, not in this lifetime.”

“Well, it’s not just us. Even some scion disciples in the inner sect don’t score that high. Take Senior Brother Chen Yuan, for example. He hasn’t even evolved a Domain and isn’t especially strong. He just trains quietly. But his heart power is already at the thirty-eighth mark, and it keeps rising every year. It’s unbelievable.”

“I heard he went through all kinds of hardships before making it this far and becoming an inner sect disciple of the Northern Region Heavenly Sect. Maybe that’s where he was enlightened, that’s why his heart power is so high.”

Lu Changsheng listened in and soon grasped the general situation. The heart power of new inner disciples typically started from the fifth mark. This power had little to do with cultivation level or age. Instead, it was shaped by one’s experiences and personal insight. Those with richer experiences and stronger will possessed greater heart power.

By contrast, those who advanced smoothly without hardship tended to be weaker in this regard. Whether the martial artist could reach one hundred marks, access the Mind Space, break through to the Divine Treasury Realm, and rise as a true inheritor depended on a multitude of factors, not just strength.

Within the Northern Region Heavenly Sect, there were countless inner disciples who labored silently for a decade, quietly tempering their minds until they finally reached one hundred marks and broke through in a single leap. Conversely, there were also peerless geniuses who had dominated the inner sect for years, yet never managed to raise their heart power to such a high level. In the end, they could only become stewards, never stepping into the Divine Treasury Realm.

One by one, the inner disciples tested themselves at the monument, and few were satisfied with the results. At last, it was Lu Changsheng’s turn. He stepped forward and stood before the monument.

“Hm? Isn’t that Lu Changsheng who just advanced to the inner sect?”

“Yeah, that’s him! With four Domains and four layers of divine fortification… he practically shattered Bai Yuansheng’s spirit.”

“I’ve heard that prodigies like him usually have great heart power. With four Domains, he must’ve gained a lot of insight into heaven and earth. I wonder what his mental level is?”

“Maybe… he’s broken past the tenth mark?”

“That’s unlikely. Ten is hard. The more gifted someone is, the smoother their path tends to be. Without real setbacks, how strong can their heart really be? Even with all that insight… I doubt he’s past ten marks.”

At once, many disciples began discussing among themselves. They were curious about the scale of Lu Changsheng’s heart power. After all, he was no longer an unknown figure, but a top genius whose name had already spread through the inner sect.

Lu Changsheng paid no attention to the chatter. Wherever he went, he inevitably drew attention; he was long accustomed to it. With his level of Perception, unless he deliberately concealed himself, it was impossible to remain unnoticed. As long as his talent continued to shine, keeping a low profile was never truly an option.

He took a slow breath and placed his hand on the Heart Monument. The stone felt faintly cool. For an instant, his consciousness seemed to sink into it, as if guided by an unseen force. The sensation lasted only a moment. When he came back to himself, the number on the monument had already changed.

Buzz…

A number on the Heart Monument began to glow faintly. That subtle white light, however, sent a jolt through everyone watching. Disbelief spread across their faces, for the number shining on the stone was truly astonishing

Twenty-eight?!

There was no mistake about it. Lu Changsheng was just two marks away from reaching the threshold of thirty!

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