Chapter 129: Divine Weapon Cave

After storing their treasures, including elixirs and spiritual fruits, in their cave-dwelling's secret chamber, Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue had lunch before heading to the Divine Weapon Cave.

The entrance to the Divine Weapon Cave was rather discreet, located within the Divine Weapon Pavilion itself.

"Lord Meng Chuan, Lord Liu Qiyue," the stewards and servants inside the Divine Weapon Pavilion greeted them respectfully. The elderly white-haired woman leading them smiled and added, "We've been instructed that both of you may choose armor and robes, or proceed into the Divine Weapon Cave to select a divine weapon."

"Let's choose the robes first," Meng Chuan said, as he and Liu Qiyue had already discussed this.

The white-haired elder smiled and handed Meng Chuan a catalog. "Each Godfiend descending the mountain may choose any set of these armored robes."

The armored robes provided by Yuanchu Mountain to its descending disciples were crafted from exceptional materials, offering potent protection in battles against foes below the Marquis Godfiend rank. However, in conflicts involving Marquis Godfiends or King Godfiends, these valuable robes offered little utility. At such levels, Godfiends relied primarily on their own diverse defensive techniques.

Human Godfiends' physical bodies were weaker than those of the demon race, but wearing armored robes significantly compensated for this vulnerability.

"An outer robe, pants, boots, inner armor, and a pair of bracers," Meng Chuan specified, pointing to the items in the catalog. "Just these."

"Only these?" the white-haired elder inquired.

"That's sufficient," Meng Chuan affirmed with a nod.

Selecting protective attire involved numerous considerations, particularly its impact on speed and flexibility. Greater protection didn't always equate to superior performance. The most heavily armored set available weighed a staggering 3,900 jin. Donning it would severely compromise a person's combat agility and speed. If Meng Chuan were to wear it, his combat effectiveness would likely plummet to only ten or twenty percent.

In contrast, those who specialized in direct combat, such as practitioners of the 'Mighty Demonic Body' or 'Oceanic Demonic Body' techniques, readily opted for such heavy armor.

Meng Chuan's choices weren't considered light armor; they were simply incredibly tough robes. The most protective pieces he selected were a form-fitting inner vest and a pair of bracers. These bracers could even function as small shields during critical moments.

Liu Qiyue's selection was similar to Meng Chuan's. As a divine archer, she always maintained maximum distance from her enemies.

"Please wait a moment, Lords," the white-haired elder said with a smile. Having instantly assessed the Godfiends' physiques, she quietly relayed instructions to her staff.

A short while later,

two young stewards arrived, carrying the selected robes, boots, and other items.

"Please try them on, Lords, to ensure they fit properly," the white-haired elder instructed.

Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue proceeded to a small adjoining room to try on the attire.

Meng Chuan's chosen set was considered ultra-light among Yuanchu Mountain Godfiend armored robes. The heaviest component was the form-fitting inner vest, weighing eight jin. The bracers weighed just over five jin, and the boots three jin. The outer robe and pants were as lightweight as common attire. Consequently, their protective capabilities were relatively less robust.

Once changed, they emerged.

Liu Qiyue's ensemble featured a striking combination of red and teal, with red as the dominant color accented by teal, giving her a valiant and spirited appearance.

Meng Chuan, on the other hand, wore deep teal, from his outer robe down to his boots.

Given the similar styles—one masculine, one feminine—and complementary colors, they made a remarkably well-matched pair standing side by side.

Liu Qiyue walked over to Meng Chuan, smiling, and even helped him adjust his clothes before nodding in satisfaction. "Excellent," she remarked.

"Yours looks great too, Qiyue," Meng Chuan replied with a faint smile.

The white-haired elder nearby couldn't help but let her smile broaden.

"Would you two Lords like to proceed to the Divine Weapon Cave now?" the white-haired elder inquired.

"A-Chuan can go in first; I'll follow shortly," Liu Qiyue said, understanding the rule that only one disciple could enter the Divine Weapon Cave at a time.

"Alright," Meng Chuan agreed without objection.

"Then please follow me, Lord Meng Chuan," the white-haired elder said, leading the way. Liu Qiyue encouraged Meng Chuan, "Try your best to acquire a powerful divine weapon." Meng Chuan nodded and followed the elder.

Beyond the main hall of the Divine Weapon Pavilion, they followed a winding corridor for a moment before arriving at the entrance of a deep, dark cave, its large doors firmly shut.

"Lord Meng Chuan," the white-haired elder explained, "inside are divine weapons left by Godfiends throughout history. Although these weapons are powerful, their spiritual essence diminishes over long periods, causing them to weaken. Some Creation-level divine weapons have even degraded to Heaven-level or Earth-level over time. Eventually, even the most formidable divine weapons can turn to dust."

Meng Chuan nodded, understanding this concept well.

Time was, indeed, merciless.

King Godfiends lived for merely five hundred years, and even the most powerful human Creation Realm cultivators had a lifespan of only two thousand years. Over the vast expanse of time, countless peerless experts, each unrivaled in their era, eventually crumbled to dust. The theoretical 'ninth layer' of the Yuanshen was considered eternal. However, Creation Realm Venerables typically only reached the fifth or sixth layer of Yuanshen; the ninth layer remained a mere theoretical concept, never achieved by anyone.

Perhaps one day, an exceptionally talented expert might attain the ninth layer of Yuanshen, only to discover that it, too, is not eternal.

The belief that the ninth layer was 'eternal' was merely a cherished dream passed down through generations of human powerhouses.

Under the relentless march of time, not only living beings but even divine weapons would ultimately disintegrate into dust.

"However, even acquiring a Human-level divine weapon is not insignificant," the white-haired elder clarified with a smile. "Through prolonged nurturing during cultivation, the weapon and its wielder become one. As a Godfiend's strength grows, their weapon will also progressively strengthen, with the potential to evolve from a Human-level divine weapon into a 'Creation-level divine weapon'."

Although Meng Chuan was already familiar with this common knowledge, he listened attentively. This explanation was a standard practice, ensuring that disciples who might not have read about these fundamentals in the scripture cave were informed.

"Humans select divine weapons, but divine weapons also choose their masters," the white-haired elder stated. "Upon entering the Divine Weapon Cave, Lord Meng Chuan should manifest his blade intent and blade soul, showcasing his personal realm of artistic conception. This will attract the divine weapons. From among those drawn to him, Lord Meng Chuan may select only one."

Meng Chuan gave a slight nod.

The white-haired elder then stepped forward, activated a mechanism, and with a resounding rumble, the cave doors swung open.

"Lord Meng Chuan, please proceed," the white-haired elder offered from the side. Meng Chuan stepped solemnly into the Divine Weapon Cave.

The entrance to the Divine Weapon Cave was rather dim, and he walked for a short distance inside.

He soon found himself in a vast cavern, where numerous weapons—blades, swords, spears, lances, axes, hammers, and bows—were systematically arranged. Their placement allowed their spiritual energies to complement rather than clash, a synergy that also contributed to their preservation over extended periods.

"So, the divine weapons choose their masters first?" Meng Chuan mused, understanding the principle.

He stood still.

A fierce killing intent ignited in his eyes, and a three-zhang-tall phantom longblade manifested, enveloping Meng Chuan and radiating a terrifying aura of slaughter.

To become a Great Sun Realm Godfiend, every Yuanchu Mountain disciple had to comprehend the 'Soul Realm'. This 'Soul Realm' demanded an exceptionally strong will, requiring one to conquer the Dark Altar.

Why such a high demand on willpower?

It was because...

One's willpower had to be entirely integrated into the 'perfect blade intent', merging the blade's profound essence with one's inner resolve to truly forge a 'soul'.

At the core of Meng Chuan's will was 'Slaying Demons'. He had sworn to eradicate all demons from the world. Despite knowing the immense difficulty, he had never wavered, fully prepared to fall in battle. On this path, he would only advance and fight. And on this path, Qiyue walked beside him, ready to share life and death.

"Slay demons! Eradicate every demon in the world!"

His fervent battle intent surged, reverberating throughout the entire Divine Weapon Cave.

For eleven years since ascending the mountain, Meng Chuan had relentlessly tempered his inner resolve. Now, the potent will emanating from his blade soul resonated, causing the divine weapons within the cavern to tremble.

A resonant hum filled the air!

One by one, the divine weapons began to vibrate, then progressively lifted from the ground and soared into the air. More and more weapons took flight, including numerous blades of various forms. Remarkably, even a few swords ascended alongside them, perhaps their spiritual essence discerning that the "Horizontal Blade" technique could be fully applied to a sword.