Chapter 459: Brush Strokes Integrate Artistic Conception

After listening to the Venomous Dragon Ancestor's account, the three Emperors exchanged glances.

"It's Meng Chuan again," Empress Xuanyue said coldly. "His threat is growing ever larger. He reached such a realm after only decades of cultivation; he should be able to become a Creation Realm Venerable at any moment."

"The tenth Creation Realm Venerable of the human race," Emperor Xinghe commented. "Figures like King Zhenwu and King Ronghuo gained their current strength through years of accumulation and are too old to break through further. But Meng Chuan is still very young. He's intentionally holding back from breaking through now to fight in the World Gap, but in reality, he is already the tenth Creation Realm Venerable of the human race."

Emperor Peng, however, looked down and asked, "Meng Chuan has infiltrated the deep void. Can any of you sense him?"

"Only I can sense him," Qiansi replied respectfully. "I have a faint sense of his location."

"Such profound attainment at such a young age," Emperor Peng nodded. "Judging by his age, he could fully cultivate to become invincible in the Creation Realm, or even an Emperor, in the future."

"Becoming an Emperor isn't that easy," Emperor Xinghe shook his head. "Their human Creation Realm Venerables are trapped in their home world, afraid to venture outside, fearing our pursuit. Without various opportunities from beyond their realm, it's too difficult for them to become Emperors."

Empress Xuanyue interjected coldly, "No need to overthink it. The most crucial task right now is to successfully map out the connection points and send the Fifth Heaven Demon Monarchs into the human world."

"When mapping the connection points, we most fear obstruction from these Regal God-Demons," Emperor Xinghe said. "How can we stop Meng Chuan, given his ability to infiltrate the deep void?"

"Many guardian arrays can block void infiltration," Empress Xuanyue explained. "Some powerful guardian arrays can not only suppress the void but also greatly reduce the impact of karma attacks. However, these are static, fixed arrays. Mapping the connection points requires traversing the entire World Gap, not just hiding in one fixed location."

Emperor Xinghe pondered, "The only way is for Demon Monarchs to form an array to seal the void. Our demon race has the 'Nine Dragons Realm Sealing Array,' which is quite suitable. Normally, it requires nine Demon Saints to deploy it. But I can slightly modify it to allow ninety-nine Demon Monarchs to set up the array."

"Let's do that," Emperor Peng nodded. "I'll leave it to you."

In terms of strength among the demon race, Emperor Peng was naturally supreme.

As for arrays, curses, and similar methods, Emperor Xinghe was the most skilled.

"As long as we suppress the void, Meng Chuan's threat will significantly decrease," Emperor Xinghe stated. "During this mapping operation, when the real fighting begins, the greatest threat will still be King Qianmu. Within fifty miles of him, his Demon Cone can strike and kill. The Demon Monarchs who can withstand his Demon Cone... are far too few."

"Reporting to the Emperors, I once had my essence soul pierced by his Demon Cone," Qiansi Demon Monarch respectfully reported. "The pain was excruciating at the time; I could only use my Nine-Lives Cocoon to completely protect my physical body, leaving me utterly defenseless. I felt that if the Demon Cone struck a few more times, my essence soul would have disintegrated."

"Even the Nine-Lives Cocoon protecting the essence soul leaves one completely defenseless?"

Emperor Xinghe, Emperor Peng, and Empress Xuanyue all felt the pressure.

The Demon Cone was once the signature ultimate technique of the human world, Cang Yuan World. When powerful figures from Cang Yuan World traveled the River of Spacetime, foreign powerhouses would be wary, partly due to the renown of 'Patriarch Cang Yuan' and partly due to this signature forbidden technique, the 'Demon Cone.'

"The three of you may leave first," Emperor Xinghe waved his hand. The three of them retreated.

"We must carefully prepare for King Qianmu; we don't necessarily need to suppress him beyond fifty miles," Emperor Peng said.

"For the final action plan, we still need to prepare meticulously," Emperor Xinghe stated. "We cannot fail in this operation."

"Indeed."

Empress Xuanyue and Emperor Peng both nodded.

All three of them had been Emperors for many years, with Emperor Peng being particularly powerful and renowned. None had yet reached the Tribulation Realm, so they naturally all wanted to seize the opportunity of the 'Patriarch Cang Yuan's Treasure,' which was the greatest opportunity of their lives.

***

Cang Yuan World, human race.

Meng Chuan left Yuanchu Mountain and arrived at Fengxue Pass, one of the nine major passes of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Liu Qiyue was stationed there.

It was night, and snow drifted outside the window.

The couple sat on the bed, chatting idly.

"Achuan, did you know that the Great Zhou Dynasty now has nine major passes?" Liu Qiyue said, leaning against Meng Chuan.

"Nine major passes?" Meng Chuan was surprised.

"A medium-sized world entrance in the East Sea expanded into a large world entrance," Liu Qiyue explained. "In short, although the world has been peaceful for the past decade or so, world entrances have been slowly increasing. Originally, they were mainly concentrated in land areas, but now they are gradually increasing in ocean areas too."

Meng Chuan nodded, "The land is the central core of the entire human world, while the four seas are at the world's edge. With large world entrances now appearing even in the ocean areas, it's clear that the two worlds are growing closer."

Liu Qiyue also nodded slightly.

"But there's no need to worry."

Meng Chuan smiled, "For small and medium-sized world entrances, we no longer assign God-Demons to guard them; we just have 'demon servants' secretly monitor them. Only large and extra-large passes require guarding. As long as we have enough personnel to defend them, the human world can maintain peace. The human world and the demon world will grow closer, and once they reach a certain proximity, they will gradually move away. Once they start moving apart... the pressure will progressively lighten."

"I wonder when the two worlds will start moving apart," Liu Qiyue said.

"We will definitely see it in our lifetime," Meng Chuan smiled.

Based on experience, they would begin to separate in a few hundred years.

Regal God-Demons already have longer lifespans, and with the ability to enter a thousand-year slumber, they would still live to see the day of victory.

"By the way, Achuan, how long will you stay this time?" Liu Qiyue asked.

"Three days," Meng Chuan replied. "In three days, King Beimu and I will meet at Yuanchu Mountain and return to the World Gap together."

"You've worked hard," Liu Qiyue said softly.

"As long as we win this time and completely resolve the threat from the World Gap," Meng Chuan smiled, "we can maintain peace indefinitely by guarding the world entrances in the future."

Liu Qiyue nodded.

"Let's go to bed early," Meng Chuan said as he lay down.

"Mhm," Liu Qiyue nodded. Having been separated for years, the couple had much to talk about, and they only began to rest in the latter half of the night.

***

The next day, the snow stopped.

The sunlight on the white snow was almost blinding.

Meng Chuan, however, was already in his study, preparing his paints and getting ready to draw.

He watched Liu Qiyue, who sat cross-legged in the pavilion outside the window. Invisible heat waves radiated in all directions, melting large amounts of accumulated snow. A wisp of flame in front of her transformed into a small phoenix, circling around her.

"I promised Qiyue one painting a year. In previous years, I painted them in the World Gap. This year's painting... I'll draw while watching Qiyue," Meng Chuan smiled, glancing up at Liu Qiyue cultivating outside the window before returning to his drawing.

For Meng Chuan, painting was a form of relaxation and spiritual enjoyment. Every stroke of his brush flowed like a dragon or serpent, the essence of the Cloud-Mist Dragon-Serpent Movement Technique naturally merging with his brushwork. This also stirred Meng Chuan's essence soul, causing it to slowly radiate light. The higher one's realm, the greater the impact on the essence soul. For those whose skill realm reaches the Grotto-Heaven Realm, their daily cultivation naturally influences their essence soul, which typically and naturally advances to the fifth level.

This was true for King Zhenwu, Peng Mu, and others. King Anhai simply hadn't had enough time; given more time, his essence soul would also naturally reach the fifth level.

Meng Chuan, having reached the Grotto-Heaven Realm, integrated this realm into his brushwork. As his brushwork contained the profound mysteries of laws, it naturally resonated more deeply with people's hearts and further influenced his essence soul.