Chapter 352: Rune Patterns

"Besides this one, what will you choose for the second item?" asked Venerable Li Guan.

"The Origin Treasure 'Azure Cloud Heaven'," Meng Chuan replied without hesitation.

The advantages of an Origin Treasure were indeed immense. It could summon the power of Yuanchu Mountain to create a 'pseudo-Emperor Domain', which was currently the strongest defensive measure. Attacks from peak fifth-level demon monarchs would feel like mere tickles and couldn't penetrate the domain. Even the full power of Demon Sage Jiuyuan would be reduced to only 30 to 40 percent of its strength. This provided far greater assistance than a Tribulation Realm mighty one's weapon.

Its only drawback was that its power remained constant.However, once he reached the Grotto-Heaven realm and wielded a Tribulation Realm mighty one's weapon, its power would far surpass that of an Origin Treasure.

"It can protect me for at least several decades," Meng Chuan thought to himself. "These decades are also the most crucial for sweeping across all demon monarchs in the world."

"Alright, wait here. We'll go retrieve it for you." Li Guan, Qin Wu, and Luo Tang turned and departed, pushing open the main hall's doors. Outside was a vast, empty plaza surrounded by other palace buildings.

Meng Chuan waited alone, seated in the grand hall.

"Ancestor Cang Yuan truly left behind many treasures for later generations," Meng Chuan mused as he flipped through the books. All three Tribulation Realm mighty one's weapons and secret treasures he could choose from originated from Ancestor Cang Yuan.

This was evident.Although the human world had also produced Soul Tribulation Realm mighty ones, the strongest had only reached the Third Tribulation, leaving far fewer treasures for humanity in comparison.

A moment later, Li Guan, Qin Wu, and Luo Tang approached from outside the hall. Li Guan carried a box and walked up to Meng Chuan, opening it.

Inside the box lay an unassuming blood-red metal disk. Li Guan lightly tapped it with his finger, allowing a wisp of true essence to permeate the Bloodblade Disk. Immediately, intricate runes appeared on its surface, accompanied by flashing lightning and an aura of terror.

It made Meng Chuan's soul tremble.

"Divine artifacts inherently conceal their power; normally, you wouldn't discern anything remarkable about it. Only by permeating it with true essence can it react," Li Guan explained. "However, the Bloodblade Disk's material alone is incredibly precious and perfectly suited for the lightning lineage. Since you are currently only a Peerless Godfiend, you can only refine it using the 'Life-Bound Artifact Refinement Method,' which is detailed in this booklet."

"The Life-Bound Artifact Refinement Method requires a fourth-level soul to perform, which you possess," Li Guan said, handing a booklet to Meng Chuan.

Meng Chuan took the booklet.

"Remember, a Godfiend can only have one life-bound treasure. Only if it is destroyed or seized can you proceed to refine a second one," Li Guan cautioned. "However, if it is damaged or taken, it will severely injure your soul, harming your foundation, causing memory loss, and greatly diminishing your comprehension. Therefore, no Godfiend would ever replace their life-bound treasure unless absolutely compelled."

Meng Chuan nodded slightly. "I understand."

The soul was the very foundation of life.If the physical body was destroyed, one could still seize another. But if the soul was destroyed, death was absolute and complete.

If the soul was too severely damaged, one could even become an imbecile. 'Memory loss and greatly diminished comprehension' simply meant becoming dull-witted; when the fundamental essence of the soul was injured, a decline in intelligence was naturally common.

"This is the Azure Cloud Heaven," Li Guan said, gesturing. A faintly azure orb shimmering with lightning flew down and came to rest before Meng Chuan.

"The Azure Cloud Heaven is easy to use. Still, keep it within your dantian space, so it isn't snatched by enemies," Li Guan advised.

Meng Chuan reached out and grasped it, feeling the orb's warmth. He immediately opened his mouth and inhaled.

The orb, capable of changing size, obediently flew into his dantian space, settling near the 'Grotto-Heaven Dharma Orb'.

"You can go outside the hall and test its power," Li Guan said with a smile.

Meng Chuan nodded and walked out of the hall, standing on the spacious plaza. His Seamless Realm true essence entered the Azure Cloud Heaven Orb, activating the runes within. These runes were simple: one guided the power of Yuanchu Mountain to descend, and the other controlled that power.

*Whoosh.*Silently, a faint azure mist appeared within a ten-mile radius around Meng Chuan. This azure mist was 'materialized' lightning; countless bolts of lightning condensed into a cloud, accumulating in layers around him.

Furthermore, within a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) of Meng Chuan, three layers of lightning shields materialized, protecting him.

"The Azure Cloud Heaven Domain can weaken enemies layer by layer," Li Guan explained, standing with Luo Tang and Qin Wu within the azure mist. "And these three layers of protective lightning gather most of the Azure Cloud Heaven's power, providing the strongest defense."

"It's simple to control," Meng Chuan agreed, nodding. It only required a small amount of true essence to activate, as the domain's power originated from Yuanchu Mountain, placing no burden on him. Yet, its might was extraordinary.

Qin Wu chuckled. "Meng Chuan, both the Azure Cloud Heaven and the Bloodblade Disk are vital treasures passed down through generations of Yuanchu Mountain. If you reach the end of your lifespan, these treasures must be returned to the sect."

"I understand," Meng Chuan nodded, then added with concern, "But what if I'm not strong enough and die in battle..."

"Many Creation Venerables from our Yuanchu Mountain have ventured into the River of Spacetime throughout history, and most never returned," Li Guan said with a sigh. "What can be done if a treasure is lost? However, according to sect rules, Creation Venerables are forbidden from taking 'Tribulation Realm mighty ones' weapons' when venturing into the River of Spacetime; only Emperors have that privilege. Of course, exceptions can be made for special reasons. For instance, you are an exception, a Peerless Godfiend who has obtained the Bloodblade Disk."

Meng Chuan nodded.

"Now, you can properly refine it here," Venerable Li Guan said with a smile. "Even after Ancestor Cang Yuan's preliminary refinement, a Tribulation Realm mighty one's weapon is not easy to master."

It truly wasn't easy.Meng Chuan first learned the 'Life-Bound Artifact Refinement Method' before attempting the refinement. It felt like a mortal trying to control a runaway warhorse—exceedingly difficult.

He could only rely on a slow, persistent method to gradually refine it.

"This Life-Bound Artifact Refinement Method actually shares similarities with the 'Immortal Realm' cultivation technique of the physical body lineage," Meng Chuan realized. This refinement method required a fourth-level soul, the 'Soul Manifestation Realm', to perform because it involved separating individual soul thoughts and gradually permeating them into the Bloodblade Disk. This was quite similar to how soul thoughts occupied individual particle spaces.

However, the difficulty was much higher. Even though the Bloodblade Disk had been cleansed by Ancestor Cang Yuan and offered no resistance, permeating it remained challenging.

Days passed in the ancient hall.

*Buzz, buzz, buzz.*Meng Chuan sat cross-legged, the Bloodblade Disk suspended before him, vibrating and emitting sounds. Bolts of lightning flickered, and terrifying auras emanated from it—auras hundreds or even thousands of times more fearsome than those of a Creation Venerable.

Finally, all the lightning bolts on the Bloodblade Disk receded, and its aura completely withdrew. It hung docilely in the air, without any further movement.

"It's done." Meng Chuan looked at the Bloodblade Disk before him with joy. "After more than two months, I've finally refined it."

"Retrieve."With a thought, the Bloodblade Disk rapidly shrank, falling into Meng Chuan's palm. It then diminished further, becoming invisible to the naked eye, easily permeating his skin, traveling along his meridians, and entering his dantian space.

"Finally, I can control it perfectly," Meng Chuan smiled. "Once the Life-Bound Artifact Refinement Method is successful, a portion of my soul thoughts completely merge with it. It becomes a part of my soul, much like a part of my body. Controlling it is just like controlling my own body."

"However, unleashing its full power will be difficult."

"A Tribulation Realm mighty one's secret treasure is simply too complex."

Meng Chuan flipped his hand, retrieving the Bloodblade Disk. With his soul thoughts concentrated, he could clearly see the massive number of runes contained within it.

Meng Chuan possessed three great divine abilities and had also cultivated 'Lightning Demonic Markings.' Both contained runes and held the mysteries of heaven and earth.

Yet, compared to the runes within the Bloodblade Disk, the sheer number differed by hundreds of millions. The complexity was incomparable. Meng Chuan could perceive one hundred and twenty-eight layers of runes within the Bloodblade Disk. Moreover, many runes were hidden in spacetime, only occasionally manifesting in his senses, making it difficult for him to see the complete set of runes.

"Is this the gap between me and a Seventh-Tribulation Soul mighty one?" Meng Chuan inwardly sighed.

"Fortunately, this was a protective secret treasure refined by that mighty one for their disciple. I'll focus on mastering the most superficial layers first." Meng Chuan mused as he studied it. The higher his cultivation realm, the more runes he could control, and the greater power he could unleash from the Bloodblade Disk.