Chapter 511: Black Dragon Ancestor

Of all the Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasures in the Eternal Tower, Lightning Star Child and Demon-Imprisoning Prison were the two Meng Chuan desired most.

"Demon-Imprisoning Prison." Meng Chuan's consciousness also probed the phantom image of the prison.

Demon-Imprisoning Prison: A Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasure. The prison itself contains numerous void arrays and is divided into nine layers. The deeper the layer, the more stable and impenetrable the void seals become. Additionally, the prison incorporates various torture methods, making it difficult for even a typical Six-Tribulation Realm powerful being to escape once imprisoned. Its drawback is that the Demon-Imprisoning Prison cannot attack the outside world. Price: Sixty units of outer-realm primeval crystals.

This is purely a prison, designed for imprisoning and torturing criminals.

It cannot attack externally or provide self-defense. Fortunately, the construction involved numerous void arrays that completely seal the prison. The significant cost of these arrays is what brings its price up to that of a typical Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasure.

"Lightning Star Child can be used as a weapon," Meng Chuan mused, "but most importantly, I can use it to comprehend the 'ultimate speed rule'."

The path to creating ultimate techniques is arduous. While a 'Venerable-level' ultimate technique can still be mastered through diligent practice, an 'Emperor-level' ultimate technique is significantly more difficult to create. That's why items like 'Seven-Tribulation Realm Dark Peacock Flesh and Blood', 'Tribulation Realm Secret Treasure Lightning Star Child', and 'Tribulation Realm Ultimate Technique Three-Life Blade' are all merely auxiliary tools.

Even with these aids, creating an Emperor-level ultimate technique on one's own remains terrifyingly difficult.

Even Ancestor Cang Yuan, with his esteemed status, couldn't procure an Emperor-level ultimate technique for his Lightning lineage. The few techniques they did collect were slightly inferior to true ultimate techniques, possessing flaws. This underscores their extreme rarity.

"The arrays within the Demon-Imprisoning Prison are the most complete among Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasures in their comprehension of 'spatial rules'," Meng Chuan marveled. "Once a Six-Tribulation Realm powerful being is trapped inside, escape is extremely difficult." He was astonished by this, as Six-Tribulation Realm powerful beings are truly formidable. The fact that the ninth and lowest layer of the Demon-Imprisoning Prison can trap such a being speaks to the extreme perfection of its spatial arrays.

"Comprehending the entire Demon-Imprisoning Prison would also allow me to better understand spatial rules," Meng Chuan thought to himself.

The Cloud Mist Dragon Snake Movement Technique belongs to the spatial lineage.

He possessed two ultimate techniques.

One ultimate technique focuses on ultimate speed and also follows the 'time lineage'. This is because the more terrifying one's speed, the easier it is to influence time; 'ultimate speed' serves as the entry point into the time lineage.

The Cloud Mist Dragon Snake Movement Technique, however, is purely void-based. It's like a brush, with the void as paper, painting a picture in the void...

The ultimate pursuit for Tribulation Realm powerful beings is the combination of time and space.

"This Emperor."

The hall door opened, and a black-robed, silver-haired man entered. He had fair skin, a vertical eye pattern outlined by silver mysterious runes on his forehead, and a bright smile. "Do you wish to purchase the Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasure, 'Lightning Star Child'?" he asked.

"Lightning Star Child, and the Demon-Imprisoning Prison," Meng Chuan replied.

"The Demon-Imprisoning Prison as well?" The black-robed, silver-haired man seemed a little surprised.

"Yes," Meng Chuan nodded.

The black-robed, silver-haired man looked at Meng Chuan with surprise. This white-haired man before him was merely an Emperor, yet he was buying two Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasures at once?

The Eternal Tower, like many establishments, highly respects its guests and does not offend them by forcibly probing their strength. The Emperor aura Meng Chuan projected using the 'Mirage Dragon Token' was readily believed by the black-robed, silver-haired man.

"Coincidentally, the Demon-Imprisoning Prison is already here with us," the black-robed, silver-haired man said. "However, Lightning Star Child is very far from Black Dragon Star. If you wish to receive it today, you'll need to pay an additional one hundred units of outer-realm primeval crystals. Otherwise, you'll have to wait over three months for a Tribulation Realm powerful being to pass by and deliver it."

"An extra one hundred units of outer-realm primeval crystals?" Meng Chuan gasped at the cost.

Lightning Star Child itself only cost ninety units of outer-realm primeval crystals.

An extra hundred units for same-day delivery?

"No, no, I'll wait the three months," Meng Chuan said.

The black-robed, silver-haired man smiled slightly. "You can take the Demon-Imprisoning Prison now if you pay with outer-realm primeval crystals. For Lightning Star Child, you'll need to pay a ten-unit outer-realm primeval crystal deposit. This allows our Eternal Tower to arrange for a Tribulation Realm powerful being to deliver it when they pass by."

"Understood," Meng Chuan nodded.

Arranging for a powerful being to deliver it along the way also incurs a cost.

Without a deposit, what if the client disappears after three months? Or dies in an accident? The Eternal Tower would incur a loss.

A deposit must be paid upfront. No matter what happens in the future, the Eternal Tower ensures it won't incur a loss.

Meng Chuan, for his part, was well aware of the Eternal Tower's reputation, and so he felt at ease paying the deposit.

"The Demon-Imprisoning Prison is sixty units of outer-realm primeval crystals, plus the ten-unit deposit for Lightning Star Child. That's seventy units of outer-realm primeval crystals in total," the black-robed, silver-haired man said with a slight smile.

"I don't have that many outer-realm primeval crystals," Meng Chuan admitted, a hint of shame in his voice. "Can I use treasures as payment?"

"You can," the black-robed, silver-haired man replied with a slight smile. "Any Tribulation Realm treasures, precious materials, or other items of sufficient value can be used. Our Eternal Tower will offer a fair price."

Meng Chuan waved his hand.

A neatly folded set of purple robes appeared before him.

"Take a look at these robes," Meng Chuan said. These were precisely the most valuable protective robes, a Tribulation Realm secret treasure, worn by Fang Chang! Even Meng Chuan's full-force attacks couldn't harm Fang Chang in the slightest while he wore them. It was only the Forbidden Art of the Demonic Cone, a seventh-level primordial spirit technique, that had finally killed Fang Chang.

"Alright."

The black-robed, silver-haired man took the purple robes. From the ceiling of the hall, a hazy light descended, enveloping the garments. Within the hazy glow, a colossal eye faintly materialized.

The colossal eye scrutinized the purple robes for several breaths, then a voice echoed through the hall: "Five-Tribulation Realm, water lineage, protective secret treasure. Valued at eighty units of outer-realm primeval crystals."

Meng Chuan inwardly rejoiced.

The Eternal Tower's acquisition price differed from its selling price.

Acquired at eighty units of outer-realm primeval crystals, it might be sold for ninety or even a hundred units!

"Protective treasures are indeed more expensive," Meng Chuan mused.

Tribulation Realm secret treasures designed for protection are generally nearly twice as expensive as those for offense!

"Eighty units of outer-realm primeval crystals," the black-robed, silver-haired man said, looking at Meng Chuan with a slight smile. "Are you willing to sell it to our Eternal Tower?"

"Yes," Meng Chuan replied without hesitation. Settling the account here was the safest option, and the two Emperors from Blood Sun World would not have the authority to trace it at the Eternal Tower.

A moment later.

"Here is the Demon-Imprisoning Prison, and this is the deposit voucher for 'Lightning Star Child'," the black-robed, silver-haired man said, holding a palm-sized black prison and a star-flickering token.

Meng Chuan reached out and took them.

"Here are ten units of outer-realm primeval crystals," the black-robed, silver-haired man said, waving his hand to make ten outer-realm primeval crystals appear in mid-air. "Please keep these safe. Once Lightning Star Child arrives at Black Dragon Star, the token in your hand will react, and you can then come to the Eternal Tower to pay the remaining balance and retrieve it. If it's not picked up within half a year, it will be considered forfeited, and your ten-unit deposit will not be refunded."

"Understood," Meng Chuan smiled and nodded, then happily departed.

The black-robed, silver-haired man politely saw Meng Chuan off.

Transactions involving Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasures were very common at the Eternal Tower.

This is because the lowest level of Tribulation Realm secret treasures typically align with the Third or Fourth Tribulation Realm tier. (An Emperor who has perfected their Heaven-Earth Realm can enter the Tribulation Realm once their physical body is also perfected. Therefore, powerful beings at the First or Second Tribulation Realm usually remain at the 'Heaven-Earth Realm peak' in terms of cultivation. Aside from a transformation in their life level, their pure cultivation realm doesn't offer much advantage over a perfected Emperor.)

Over long ages, many medium-sized worlds have accumulated some reserves.

They would use superior secret treasures to protect Heaven-Earth Realm Venerables and Emperors, leading to a relatively high circulation of 'Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasures'.

Six-Tribulation Realm secret treasures?

The Cang Yuan Realm is a relatively special medium-sized world. Although it is a very young world of life, it has produced a Seven-Tribulation Realm powerful being, which is why Meng Chuan was able to obtain the Six-Tribulation Realm secret treasure, 'Blood Blade Disk'.

"Transactions involving Five-Tribulation Realm secret treasures are no big deal at the Eternal Tower. Even trading one or two Six-Tribulation Realm secret treasures is fine," Meng Chuan mused. "But Seven-Tribulation Realm secret treasures cannot be displayed on Black Dragon Star, lest the Black Dragon Ancestor find out and become greedy."

Meng Chuan understood clearly.

The outer realm was a place of absolute survival of the fittest.

The reason Black Dragon Star enjoyed prosperous trade was because the 'Black Dragon Ancestor' had established and maintained the rules.

On Black Dragon Star, outside Black Dragon City, stood a mountain peak three thousand miles high, its summit adorned with numerous luxurious buildings.

Within this mountain range, arrays absorbed and refined the 'outer-realm primeval force' from outside, converting it into gentle heaven-earth power, allowing a group of weaker cultivators to reside there.

"The Ancestor's methods are truly remarkable," a tall, slender man said with a slight smile. "These arrays refine outer-realm primeval force and convert it into heaven-earth power to nourish even mortals."

"The converted heaven-earth power still has flaws, after all," a black-haired old man chuckled. "Only cultivators who have embarked on the path can survive; true mortals... cannot. I merely enjoy the bustle, so I let these juniors keep me company."

The tall, slender man had black scales covering his head and a curved horn on his forehead.

He said with a smile, "Ancestor, I won't beat around the bush. I came here with only one purpose: I've set my sights on Black Dragon Star and the Sky Peak River System."

"You intend to claim my Sky Peak River System, my Black Dragon Star?" the black-haired old man asked, looking at him.

"Hahaha..." The tall, slender man chuckled. "Ancestor, you've been cultivating for fifty thousand years now; it's almost time for your lifespan limit, isn't it? You might as well retreat early, and I naturally won't let you suffer any losses."

The Black Dragon Ancestor looked at the other party. "Lifespan limit? Perhaps I'm deliberately delaying, waiting until I'm close to my lifespan limit to undergo my physical transformation... to welcome the sixth physical tribulation."

The tall, slender man's expression subtly changed.

Although Tribulation Realm powerful beings cannot precisely control the arrival time of 'heavenly tribulations', they have devised some methods to 'delay' them.

For example, if a physical body Tribulation Realm powerful being makes no improvements to their own body, the heavenly tribulation will simply not descend. Ancestor Cang Yuan, for instance, died of old age at the Seventh Tribulation Realm; his physical body hadn't improved enough to trigger the eighth physical tribulation.

"Delaying for ten thousand years is normal," the tall, slender man sneered. "But delaying until the lifespan limit?"

"Scram."

The Black Dragon Ancestor's expression turned cold. "Unless I leave, you can forget about interfering with the Sky Peak River System."

"Hmph, hmph, hmph," the tall, slender man sneered. "Very well. Let's see how long you can live."

The Black Dragon Ancestor's head suddenly transformed into a colossal beast's head. He opened his mouth, plunging the surrounding ten thousand miles of sky into darkness, then closed it, and everything returned to normal. The tall, slender man had already been swallowed by the Black Dragon Ancestor.

"I'll devour one of your clones first," the Black Dragon Ancestor's eyes gleamed with coldness. "If you have the guts, bring your true body before me."