Chapter 323: Making Amends

Episode 13, Chapter 24: Making Amends (End of Episode)

The Treasure Tower was quite extensive, featuring twelve vaults that housed commonly used treasures. There were also several courtyards beside the vaults, where Elder Yi usually resided.

"Junior Brother Meng, you'll stay here. I'm right next door," Elder Yi said, pointing to an adjacent courtyard. "Feel free to find me if you need anything."

"Thanks," Meng Chuan replied with a smile, stepping into the courtyard.

The courtyard also contained seven or eight rooms. Meng Chuan entered the study, sat by the window, bathed in the spring sunlight, and then produced a Black Iron Tome. Sensing the boundless ferocity contained within this Black Iron Tome, Meng Chuan understood that it was indeed the legendary "Heavenly Thunder Spear Art," renowned for its violent and formidable power.

With a thought, Meng Chuan's consciousness entered the Black Iron Tome, initiating the artistic conception inheritance.

A barbarian man, clad in animal hides and exuding a wild aura, stood on a vast expanse of land, holding a blood-stained, dark red spear. He calmly began to demonstrate his spear art.

"The Heavenly Thunder Spear Art is said to have been created by an anonymous powerful figure during the tribal era of ancient times, even before Yuanchu Mountain existed. The senior who created this spear art was revered as 'Venerable Heavenly Thunder'," Meng Chuan mused to himself while observing.

"Boom."

Spears differ from lances. A spear's shaft is sturdier, allowing for fewer variations in execution, making it more primal and direct. Each thrust from the barbarian's spear resonated like thunder. As he performed move after move, the spear art became exceedingly ferocious, with every strike an offense, yet subtly forming a continuous, overwhelming momentum. This reminded Meng Chuan of the 'Purple Thunder Tree' formed by countless purple lightning bolts in the World Gap. Every move in the barbarian senior's spear art was like a bolt of heavenly thunder. Numerous lightning strikes were unleashed one after another, subtly seeming to form a 'Lightning Tree.'

"Boom!!!""Boom!!!"

The further he progressed, the more terrifying the spear's power became, clearly demonstrating increasingly profound techniques. The might of the spear art grew progressively more terrifying. With each thrust, a deeper, more resonant 'thunderclap' naturally formed.

"Rumble!" As the final spear thrust was unleashed, endless lightning converged at its tip, causing the void to tremble. This single thrust, imbued with thousands of lightning bolts, fiercely struck the earth, then spread in all directions. A colossal crater, spanning hundreds of miles, was blasted into the earth. This enormous crater connected with nearby rivers, allowing water to flow in. The water level in the great crater naturally rose, beginning to form a vast lake covering a hundred-mile radius.

The barbarian senior, still holding his spear, looked over calmly, a faint smile on his lips and expectation in his eyes—expectation for the future generations who would inherit his ultimate art.

Meng Chuan's consciousness withdrew from the Black Iron Tome, "Heavenly Thunder Spear Art," and he nodded slightly in awe, exclaiming, "What a formidable spear art! It's like a furious heavenly thunderclap. All forty-nine forms of the Heavenly Thunder Spear Art are offensive."

"I feel that the core of the Heavenly Thunder Spear Art is very similar to the 'Unity Phase' of the Fifteen Phases of Thunder."

He pondered for a moment. Observing the purple lightning in the World Gap felt more ethereal. However, the application of many techniques within the Heavenly Thunder Spear Art deepened Meng Chuan's understanding of the 'Unity Phase.'

"Now for the next Black Iron Tome." Meng Chuan picked up another Black Iron Tome. After a brief sensation, he recognized it: "It's the 'Lightning Serpent Illusionary Demon Movement Art'."

The Lightning Serpent Illusionary Demon Movement Art also had a considerable reputation, being a Black Iron Tome ultimate art. However, it was overshadowed by the 'Heavenly Dragon Saber.'

"'Demonic and illusory?'" Meng Chuan understood after completing the inheritance. "It feels more inclined towards the 'Yin-Yang Phase' of lightning, with its unpredictable and uncanny shifts. The Heavenly Dragon Saber... is comparatively grander, perfectly combining the 'Wandering Dragon Phase' and 'Nine Heavens Phase' from two different directions, making its movement art entirely superior to the 'Lightning Serpent Illusionary Demon Movement Art'."

Even among Creation-level ultimate arts, there were strengths and weaknesses.

"However, I can also use this movement art to delve deeper into the 'Yin-Yang Phase' of thunder," Meng Chuan was very satisfied. This was an ultimate art created by a human senior over their entire life. By using it, his comprehension of the 'Yin-Yang Phase' could progress much faster.

Meng Chuan continued to examine one ultimate art after another. He observed six Black Iron Tomes and nearly a thousand Heaven-level ultimate arts. Many of them were related to the 'Fifteen Phases of Thunder.' Of course, some ultimate arts had no connection to the Fifteen Phases of Thunder at all; Meng Chuan found them unsuitable for his temperament and naturally discarded them.

"Too many."

"Each ultimate art needs careful analysis and categorization. If I studied one art per day, it would take three years," Meng Chuan thought to himself. "I must prioritize."

"Yes, I'll slowly ponder over them after I return."

Meng Chuan spent nine days accepting all the artistic conception inheritances and memorizing all the ultimate arts. After all, at the 'Core Spirit Fourth Layer' realm, he would never forget anything he experienced.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Meng Chuan stepped out of his courtyard, went to Elder Yi's adjacent courtyard, and knocked on the gate. Elder Yi opened the door, looked at Meng Chuan, and smiled, "Junior Brother Meng."

"I have finished reviewing all the ultimate arts and have come to return them," Meng Chuan said with a slight smile.

Reviewing these ultimate arts cost Meng Chuan over 120 million contribution points in total. Every Godfiend of Yuanchu Mountain had the opportunity to view ultimate arts for free. Black Iron Tomes and Heaven-level ultimate arts without artistic conception were very inexpensive. However, Heaven-level ultimate arts with artistic conception inheritance were costly. The more one viewed, the exponentially higher the contribution points consumed. Meng Chuan had swept through all the Thunder lineage's classics, spending over a hundred million contribution points.

As for Meng Chuan... he had plenty of contribution points! More than he could ever spend!

"Master, Venerables."

Meng Chuan arrived at the Grotto-Heaven Pavilion to pay his respects to Venerable Li Guan and the other two Venerables. The three Venerables were seated, drinking tea.

"Meng Chuan, you rendered great service in the struggle for the Spacetime Ice and the Origin treasures," Venerable Li Guan said, holding his teacup and smiling as he looked at the young Godfiend. The birth of such a young Godfiend in this crucial era was a fortune for humanity.

"When a world is born, the accompanying Origin treasures usually do not exceed ten pieces. Each is an invaluable treasure," Venerable Li Guan continued. "However, due to the sect's accumulated resources, the distribution of contribution points must be controlled. Your contribution ranks second, and after discussion among us three Venerables, we have decided to award you 500 million contribution points."