Chapter 7

Lu Changsheng glanced at the imposing Kunlun Mountain and nodded with a smile before ordering, "Transform into human form and announce my visit."

Hearing this, Kunpeng hurriedly transformed into a human body and respectfully acknowledged the order. He then called toward the mountain in a clear voice, "Immortal Venerable Changsheng of Changsheng Palace on Wuji Peak has come to visit Saint Primordial!"

As soon as his voice fell, Primordial Heavenly Lord, who was roaming through the myriad realms and comprehending the Great Dao in Jade Void Palace, slowly opened his eyes.

Stars seemed to flicker in his gaze, while all living beings cycled through reincarnation.

Countless profound Dao laws surrounded him. The Merit of Creation, earned from creating the world, draped over him like a golden robe and glittered brilliantly.

With a slight movement of his divine sense, he immediately saw through the visitor outside the mountain.

He directly ignored Kunpeng.

But when his gaze fell upon Lu Changsheng, Primordial Heavenly Lord saw his tremendous fortune and the halo of merit faintly appearing behind him. He could not help sighing inwardly, "With fortune this profound, this person's origins must be extraordinary."

His thoughts shifted, and he recalled the Heavenly Court lifeform who had recently received the protection of the Heavenly Dao. He suddenly had a realization: "Could it be that person from the Heavenly Court?"

With this thought, Primordial Heavenly Lord sent his voice outward: "Fellow Daoist, please come in."

Though he was a Saint, he dared not treat someone with such profound fortune too lightly.

Hearing this, Lu Changsheng brought Kunpeng and stepped onto the stone stairs of Kunlun Mountain.

Lu Changsheng departed unharmed.

Just as Kunpeng was about to leave, Primordial Heavenly Lord suddenly shouted sternly, "Scaly, horned beast, don't even think about setting foot on Kunlun Mountain!"

As his voice fell, the Saint's might suddenly erupted,

pressing Kunpeng down so firmly that the foot he had raised hung suspended in midair, leaving him unable to advance or retreat.

Kunpeng knew clearly that if he took another step,

the Saint's might would descend and completely erase his existence.

He struggled to swallow,

then could only slowly withdraw his foot.

Seeing this, Lu Changsheng looked displeased.

In a deep voice, he said, "He is my mount.

If I permit him to ascend the mountain, who dares stop him?"

As soon as these words fell, Heaven and earth stirred, and his words became law.

The power of the Heavenly Dao immediately enveloped Kunpeng,

and even Primordial Heavenly Lord could no longer move him in the slightest.

Feeling the protection of the Heavenly Dao's aura,

Kunpeng's eyes grew moist, and his heart filled with gratitude.

His voice trembling, he said, "Thank you, Great Master!"

At that moment, Kunpeng was filled with relief.

He knew he had not followed the wrong person.

The Great Master truly protected his own to an extreme degree!

Primordial Heavenly Lord could not help feeling astonished.

"What exactly are this person's origins? How can he make his words become law?"

While Primordial was still startled and suspicious,

Lu Changsheng had already brought Kunpeng straight upward,

arriving at Jade Void Palace atop Kunlun Mountain.

Although Primordial was hindered by the will of the Heavenly Dao and could not drive Kunpeng away,

he chose to ignore him.

He narrowed his eyes slightly and asked Lu Changsheng, "May I ask where Fellow Daoist was born? What are your origins?"

Lu Changsheng smiled calmly and answered, "I am merely an ordinary Innate Deity."

Kunpeng silently grumbled upon hearing this:

"Could this be called ordinary? Even Pangu reincarnated wouldn't receive treatment like this!"

Primordial Heavenly Lord was rendered speechless as well.

He knew Lu Changsheng was unwilling to reveal his origins, so he did not pursue the matter.

After all, he did not dare force the question.

Primordial Heavenly Lord could not help asking, "Fellow Daoist Changsheng, may I ask why you have come this time?"

Hearing this, Kunpeng also looked curiously at Lu Changsheng. He was likewise puzzled as to why the Great Master had suddenly visited a Saint's abode.

Facing their questioning gazes, Lu Changsheng remained composed and answered with a smile, "It is nothing major.

It is merely that my Daoist abode wishes to open up a Great Thousand World. Unfortunately, my cultivation is limited, so I would like to ask Saint Primordial to lend a hand.

Actually, it isn't..."

Before he could finish, Primordial Heavenly Lord was already laughing in fury.

The Saint's pressure suddenly descended, as if billions of mountains had crashed down. It was also like a vicious beast baring its jaws and glaring hungrily, forcing Kunpeng to breathe rapidly and struggle for air.

"Hmph! Who do you think I am? You actually dare ask me to open up a Great Thousand World for you? Utterly absurd!"

Primordial Heavenly Lord rebuked him coldly.

Lu Changsheng possessed profound merit and was completely unafraid of this pressure.

He chuckled softly, and with a slight movement of his thoughts, boundless golden light of merit surged around him, illuminating the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine Golden Wheels of Merit appeared at once. Their radiance was as brilliant as the sun, so dazzling that Primordial Heavenly Lord could barely open his eyes.

"What... What are these?"

Primordial Heavenly Lord was utterly shocked. "So many Golden Wheels of Merit? How could a living being of the Wilderness possibly possess them?"

He truly could not understand what kind of existence could gather such immense merit and even refine it into golden wheels.

Even someone as proud as himself—the orthodox descendant of Pangu and one of the Six Sages of the Wilderness—had never, throughout countless epochs, dared imagine possessing so many Golden Wheels of Merit.

How could a Grand Unity Golden Immortal accumulate such an enormous amount of merit?

Although Kunpeng was also dazzled by the golden light, he thought that he might one day obtain merit like this as well. A secret delight rose in his heart.

He quietly glanced at Primordial Heavenly Lord, whose brows were tightly furrowed, and mused inwardly.

"Hmph. Once I receive those fifty million merits in fifty thousand years, I'll definitely create nine thousand—no, that seems too wasteful.

Then I'll create ninety-nine Golden Wheels of Merit, imitate the Great Master, and blind everyone's eyes wherever I go! Even if you are a Saint, what can you do to me then?"

Kunpeng gazed at Lu Changsheng's increasingly majestic figure, his heart filled with longing.

This was the life every living being of the Wilderness dreamed of!

Lu Changsheng waited until the heaven-piercing golden light had shone long enough to make his eyes ache before slowly withdrawing it.

With a smile on his face, he looked toward Primordial Heavenly Lord. "Fellow Daoist Primordial, can we discuss this properly now?"

Primordial Heavenly Lord returned to his senses. He immediately concealed his earlier loss of composure, raised his head to look elsewhere, and snorted.

Lu Changsheng knew that Primordial Heavenly Lord cared greatly about his dignity, so he did not mind and continued, "I won't ask you to help for free.

As long as you open up a Great Thousand World for my Daoist abode, I will pay you one million merits as compensation."

Lu Changsheng knew he could not directly ask the system for the exact figure, so he could only test the price step by step.

If there were no restrictions, he would have offered trillions or even tens of trillions. After all, the sooner he spent his merit, the sooner he could become a Great Dao Saint.

Primordial Heavenly Lord was enraged upon hearing this. "Fellow Daoist, what do you take this Saint for? You actually dare order me around like this?"

Although he no longer dared use Saintly might to pressure Lu Changsheng, he still had to vent his temper.

Merit was indeed good, but he was a Saint of the Wilderness who possessed the Merit of Creation. How could he be moved by a mere million merits—hm, that was actually a fairly substantial amount.

But did Lu Changsheng think a million merits could entice a Saint to act? Did Saints not care about their dignity?

Naturally, Primordial Heavenly Lord would never voice these thoughts.

How could a dignified Saint bow his head for a little merit?

Watching this scene from the side, Kunpeng felt a vague sense of familiarity rise in his heart.

Yet he could not say exactly where he had seen it before.

"Strange. This feels familiar somehow."

Lu Changsheng did not notice Kunpeng's thoughts. He merely continued testing the price.

"How about five million merits to open up one Great Thousand World, Fellow Daoist?"

Upon hearing this figure, Primordial Heavenly Lord swallowed involuntarily. His heart had already begun to waver.

However, he was still a dignified Saint, with an exalted status—

but five million merits truly was no small amount!

If he agreed for the sake of this merit, would that not make him a laughingstock?

With this thought, he still maintained a solemn expression and raised his head as he said, "Fellow Daoist, there is no need to say more.

I am Primordial Heavenly Lord, the leader of the Chan Sect and one of the Six Sages of the Wilderness.

How could I set such an example for the disciples beneath me?"

Though his words were a refusal, his tone had already become much gentler.

After all, five million merits was no small number. Even Nuwa had obtained only several tens of millions from creating humanity,

and his own Merit of Creation was not much greater than that.

If he truly refused, his heart would ache.

But he absolutely could not let those thoughts show.

Kunpeng listened from the side, his astonishment growing even stronger.

"Strange. Why does this scene feel increasingly familiar?

Where have I seen it before?"

Lu Changsheng did not know what either of them was thinking, but based on his past experience,

he understood that Primordial Heavenly Lord had already wavered.

Thus, his smile deepened as he raised the price again.

"Then eight million merits!"

As soon as he said this, Primordial Heavenly Lord's heart jolted violently.

How precious were eight million merits in the Wilderness?

Even the Three Pure Ones would find it difficult not to be moved by such a sum.

If the Two Sages of the West were in his place, they would probably have agreed without caring about their dignity.

"Just what are Lu Changsheng's origins?"

He could not help wondering inwardly.

"He can casually produce eight million merits just to open up a Great Thousand World?

He is far too extravagant."

After silently roaring in his heart for a while, Primordial Heavenly Lord still forced himself to appear calm.

He gritted his teeth and spoke one word at a time. "I have already said that I ask Fellow Daoist not to mention this again.

Please leave at once!"

When he spat out the final words, it was as though he had exhausted all his strength.

There was no helping it. Eight million merits was truly no small sum.

If not for the Merit of Creation possessed by the Three Pure Ones, anyone else would probably have already lost control at the sight of it.

Kunpeng's brows drew tighter and tighter as he sank into deep thought.

Lu Changsheng had already taken in Primordial Heavenly Lord's gritted-teeth expression. His heart was filled with indescribable satisfaction.

"I never expected smashing someone with merit to feel this refreshing."

He muttered inwardly, the smile on his face growing wider. Then he said to Primordial Heavenly Lord, "Since that is the case, how about ten million merits?"

"Ten million."

The moment these three words left his mouth, Primordial Heavenly Lord froze.

In his eyes, Lu Changsheng, who stood not far away, gradually changed. He had been merely a minor cultivator at the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, but in the blink of an eye, he became a walking Golden Cloud of Merit, radiating an enticing, dazzling light as if beckoning to him.

Even Primordial Heavenly Lord—orthodox descendant of Pangu, one of the Six Sages of the Wilderness, and bearer of the Merit of Creation—could no longer maintain his reason.

His eyes immediately burned as he looked at Lu Changsheng. His expression remained solemn, and he answered evenly, "Why speak of merit or compensation? I simply feel exceptionally fated to Fellow Daoist.

Since Fellow Daoist has extended such a gracious invitation, how could Primordial refuse to give you this face?"

Hearing this, Kunpeng suddenly wore an enlightened expression.

Was this not exactly what had happened when he had first been accepted as a mount? He could not help shaking his head and sighing. "There's no helping it. The Great Master is simply too generous..."

"Fellow Daoist Changsheng, opening a Great Thousand World is somewhat complicated. Let me give a few instructions to my disciples and make some preparations. I will come shortly."

After establishing the Heavenly Dao Oath, Primordial Heavenly Lord spoke cheerfully.

"Fellow Daoist Primordial, make your preparations. I will await your arrival at Wuji Peak!"

Lu Changsheng naturally understood that opening a Great Thousand World would consume considerable effort.

Thus, he nodded and agreed without hesitation.

After a brief conversation, Lu Changsheng left Kunlun Mountain with Kunpeng.

They traveled through space and time toward Wuji Peak.

During the journey,

Kunpeng could not help but feel deeply moved.

"The Great Master is truly incomparably generous.