Chapter 471: Sage Meng Family

Secret Technique: Three Autumn Leaves

The further one cultivates, the slower the progress becomes.

For instance, Meng Tiange and Luo Tang have been trapped in the late Cavern-Sky realm for centuries. Similarly, Qin Wu, Li Guan, and Bai Yaoyue have cultivated for long periods, remaining at the perfected Cavern-Sky realm and finding it difficult to reach the Heaven-Earth realm.

Although Meng Chuan is hailed as humanity’s greatest talent in the potential rankings of the War God Tower and Heart Sea Palace, his Cavern-Sky realm cultivation has also met with resistance. Even with annual visits to the World Gap, it took him twenty-two years to finally break through to the late Cavern-Sky realm with his Cloud-Mist Dragon Serpent movement technique this year. However, after this breakthrough, he faced new confusion.

What should he do next? How could he advance from the late Cavern-Sky realm to the perfected Cavern-Sky realm?

“How can my Cloud-Mist Dragon Serpent movement technique reach perfection?” Meng Chuan pondered. “Currently, it’s primarily based on the Nine Heavens Aspect, integrated with the Roaming Dragon, Yin-Yang, and Thunder Domain Aspects. It seems I’ve focused too much on the domain. This is ultimately a movement technique, which can also transform into a blade technique, so 'fatal blows' should also be emphasized.”

“Thunder cultivation involves the gradual unification of all fifteen Aspects.”

“I could try incorporating the Parting Wave Aspect.”

“I have deep accumulated knowledge of the Parting Wave Aspect. Moreover, combining the Roaming Dragon Aspect with the Parting Wave Aspect would make my movement technique faster and more unpredictable, and my blade technique even stronger.”

Meng Chuan continued to deduce in his mind.

As he tried combining various profound principles, a single attempt felt highly compatible, and numerous inspirations surged forth.

Nine Heavens Thunder Domain, Roaming Dragon Parting Waves, Yin-Yang Metamorphosis.

“This is feasible. This direction is very suitable.” Meng Chuan’s heart filled with joy. “I’ll go into seclusion and cultivate once I return.”

It was then that Meng Chuan noticed Yan Chitong sitting at the table, happily sipping 'Firefruit Wine'. Yan Chitong remarked, “Senior Brother, you suddenly spaced out, so I just drank by myself. Oh, and I’m keeping an eye on that musician assassin too.”

“Go on and drink,” Meng Chuan said with a smile, turning his head to look at the pavilion outside the window.

He had just been inspired, conceiving a 'direction' for the future cultivation of his Cloud-Mist Dragon Serpent movement technique.

The general direction of cultivation was to pursue the essence of 'purple lightning'.

However, the greater difficulty in cultivation lay in each step of the journey.

Many powerful individuals get stuck at a certain step, unable to progress. For instance, Empress Xuanyue, an Emperor of the demon race, has been trapped at the mid-Heaven-Earth realm for thousands of years, unable to advance even a single step. Every direction she attempted failed.

“I have a feeling this direction is accurate,” Meng Chuan thought, pleased.

“This young girl moved me; perhaps there’s some destiny between us,” Meng Chuan mused.

“Junior Brother Yan, I’ll go take a look,” Meng Chuan said.

“Let’s go together! This wine is mine now,” Yan Chitong said, quickly putting away the bottle and following Meng Chuan.

Inside the opulent room.

“This is your last chance. Who ordered you?” Master Ge said, his face pale and grim.

The delicate-looking woman snorted coldly.

“Very well. Soon you’ll know the taste of a fate worse than death,” Master Ge gnashed his teeth. “Come on, take her away.”

The delicate-looking woman’s lips began to whiten as she sneered, “Of course I know your methods, Master Ge. That’s why I took poison when I acted. If I couldn't escape, I could at least die swiftly. I estimate the poison will take effect in about ten breaths.”

“Potent poison?” Master Ge was furious. “She’s a suicide operative.”

“My child, you would commit suicide over such a matter?” A gentle voice sounded as two figures appeared in the room: Meng Chuan and Yan Chitong. With a wave of Meng Chuan's hand, the delicate-looking woman, who was being escorted, instantly appeared by Meng Chuan's side.

Having been moved by the musician assassin's attempt, Meng Chuan realized a 'karma' had formed between himself and the woman.

According to the ancient texts of Yuanchu Mountain, 'karma' has an increasingly significant impact as one cultivates further, especially for Tribulation-Realm mighty figures, who are very mindful of it. For example, Meng Chuan's acquisition of the Primordial Spirit Star cultivation method created a karma with the mighty figure Fei Yu, which he would need to resolve when he reached the Eighth Tribulation Realm. Of course, the Eighth Tribulation Realm was still immensely distant for Meng Chuan.

According to the texts left by Ancestor Cang Yuan, the explanation of karma was simple: “It’s better to help others than to owe others!”

The more one owes, the greater the karma.

Helping many with kindness, on the other hand, created good causes and good results, which was beneficial.

“It’s better to help others than to owe others.” Meng Chuan clearly remembered this advice Ancestor Cang Yuan left for future generations. Having formed a karma with this young girl, he naturally chose to help her.

“Hm?” The delicate-looking woman stared blankly at Meng Chuan and Yan Chitong beside her, only to find that the potent poison in her body had rapidly vanished, and she was completely well.

“Greetings, two Divine Demon Lords,” Master Ge immediately bowed, and the five guards also bowed. The other guests and musicians present also bowed in fear and reverence.

“My child, tell me, why did you attempt the assassination?” Meng Chuan asked. He could tell at a glance that the woman was only twenty-three, so calling her ‘my child’ was indeed appropriate.

The delicate-looking woman's eyes lit up as she looked at the two Divine Demons before her, and she immediately tried to kneel.

“You may speak standing,” Meng Chuan said.

“This Ge Congbin secretly sends many subordinates, posing as merchant caravans, but they are actually massively seizing people in the mountains. So many mountain villages have been destroyed,” the delicate-looking woman said, gritting her teeth.

“You’re slandering me!” Master Ge exclaimed furiously, quickly adding, “Two Divine Demon Lords, don’t listen—”

However, the delicate-looking woman continued, her eyes red and filled with tears, “Many men and elders are sent to the mines, never to return, dying there. Many women and children are trafficked, sold off in batches like goods. Those who disobey are slaughtered like livestock.” The delicate-looking woman’s body trembled.

“The Earth Net investigates everywhere. How could they escape the Earth Net’s scrutiny doing this?” Meng Chuan asked.

“Earth Net?” The delicate-looking woman sneered, pointing angrily at Master Ge, “He, Ge Congbin, is none other than ‘Southern Inspector’ Ge, one of the four inspectors of Quyun City’s Earth Net!”

“It’s all slander! This woman has a grudge against me,” Master Ge retorted angrily.

The door opened, and a figure, leaving a blur in its wake, entered the room. It was an old man in black robes.

“Brother Ge, what’s wrong?” the black-robed old man asked, looking at Master Ge.

“Brother Tian, this woman tried to assassinate me and is slandering me to these two Divine Demon Lords,” Master Ge quickly explained.

Only then did the black-robed old man turn his head to look at Meng Chuan and Yan Chitong. Yan Chitong had naturally altered his appearance to conceal his identity, while Meng Chuan had not. However, information about Marquis Gods and Demons was inherently secret, and this black-robed old man, being merely an outer disciple of Yuanchu Mountain, truly did not recognize Meng Chuan.

Nevertheless, he could sense the immense power of these two Divine Demons.

“I am Tian Qun, a Divine Demon of Quyun City’s Earth Net,” the black-robed old man said, cupping his hands. “This woman attempted to assassinate Inspector Ge of the Earth Net. I need to take her back to Earth Net headquarters.”

“Two senior Divine Demons, I have irrefutable proof,” the thin woman said. “In Mist Dragon Mountain, there are at least nine deep pits, burying thousands of bodies of brutally murdered disobedient women and children. I can point them out! And the people in those mines – a simple interrogation will reveal that they were originally ordinary civilians from their homes.”

Master Ge’s expression changed.

The black-robed old man said indignantly, “To slander the Southern Inspector of our Earth Net so casually! Sires, please do not impede the operations of Quyun City’s Earth Net.”

“Two Divine Demon Lords,” Master Ge also said, forcing an ingratiating smile, “I am but a mortal, though I’ve cultivated to the Core Formation realm. However, it’s quite rare for someone like me to serve as a ‘Southern Inspector.’ This is because I have a group of friends from prominent Divine Demon families, such as the Wang family, the Lu family, and... the Meng family!”

Master Ge spoke the name of the Meng family slowly, saving it for last.

The Meng family!

The Meng family’s influence in the Great Zhou Dynasty was now subtly approaching that of the foremost Divine Demon family. This was because Li Guan’s lifespan was nearing its end, and he could only last for a few more decades. Upon his death, according to Yuanchu Mountain’s long-standing rules, the imperial family would be replaced.

This replacement was generally based on merit.

Meng Chuan becoming a Creation-Realm Venerable, solving the issue of a million demon kings, and bringing back the Canghai Sect’s treasures had accumulated immense merit for him. Those ancient Divine Demon families secretly speculated that the next imperial family of Great Zhou would be replaced by the ‘Meng family’.

Furthermore, with three Marquis Gods and Demons in one family, the Meng family was clearly set to prosper for a long time, soon becoming the strongest Divine Demon family in the world.

When members of the Meng family conducted business, all parties would show them deference.

“The Meng family?” Meng Chuan frowned and spoke softly.

“Yes, the Meng family,” Master Ge said with a slight smile. “I believe no one would dare speak ill of the Meng family. I received strong recommendations and support from many friends who trusted my abilities, which is why I was allowed to serve as the Earth Net’s Southern Inspector.”

Meng Chuan’s expression turned grim.

Seeing this, Master Ge thought he had successfully pressured this mysterious Divine Demon.

“A bunch of scoundrels!” Meng Chuan’s face was dark. He reached out with a distant grasp, directly pulling the Quyun City Lord, who was dozens of miles away, through the air.

A moment ago, the Quyun City Lord was still eating dinner dozens of miles away.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself inside a room, holding his chopsticks, staring blankly around. From the scenery outside the window, he understood: “This is the Seven-Colored Cloud Tower, the Seven-Colored Cloud Tower more than fifty miles from my mansion?” A shiver ran down his spine.

He had never even heard of anyone being pulled through the air from over fifty miles away.

“Tang Fengqi!” an angry roar erupted.

Quyun City Lord Tang Fengqi turned his head and saw two figures. Yan Chitong had naturally concealed his identity, but Meng Chuan made no attempt to hide his own.

“King Dongning.” Tang Fengqi, terrified, immediately bowed. As an inner disciple of Yuanchu Mountain and a Great Solar Divine Demon, he naturally recognized Meng Chuan.

“King Dongning?” Master Ge and the black-robed old man were both dumbfounded.

“Investigate this,” Meng Chuan said, pointing at Master Ge. “Every single thing about Ge Congbin, I want it investigated thoroughly. And anything that involves the Meng family, investigate that as well, make sure it’s crystal clear!”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Tang Fengqi stammered, panic-stricken. King Dongning held a special status within Yuanchu Mountain, equivalent to that of the Venerables. A single command from him was enough to make Tang Fengqi’s legs weak.

“Don’t let anyone involved off the hook, no matter who they are,” Meng Chuan said, looking at him.