Chapter 530: Practice Went Wrong

One month, two months, three months… half a year… one year…

“I’ve already crossed three river systems, yet I still can’t pinpoint Meng Chuan’s exact location,” Peng Huang thought, swimming laboriously through the River of Spacetime for a year, somewhat disbelievingly. Because of the vast distance, it couldn't determine Meng Chuan's precise whereabouts, only sense his general direction. Who would have thought that even with its ‘Golden-Winged Great Peng’ bloodline and its cultivation level as a Physical Body Second Tribulation Being, it still couldn't determine the location after a year of arduous travel.

“Just how far has Meng Chuan fled?”“How much longer do I have to fly?”Peng Huang felt a pang of bitterness in its heart. Before, when Emperor Xinghe couldn't determine the location, Peng Huang simply attributed it to Emperor Xinghe's lower cultivation. But now that it was its turn to travel, it truly felt the arduousness of the journey. Flying continuously, sensing through karma, Meng Chuan always seemed to be ahead! This feeling of endlessness was indeed tormenting.

But then Peng Huang stopped dwelling on it. Those who cultivate to its level possess great perseverance and determination. They understand that success isn't easily achieved and that the process inevitably involves many setbacks, which must be overcome one by one to ultimately enjoy success. “If one year isn't enough, then three years, ten years! I can still cultivate and comprehend while traveling through the River of Spacetime. I want to see... just how far Meng Chuan has fled,” Peng Huang decided, settling its mind and preparing for the long haul. And so, it transformed into a shimmering golden light, patiently flying through the deeper layers of the River of Spacetime.

***

Wugu River System, Tianfeng Galaxy.

Deep within that enormous chaotic hole, in the region with a time flow of 47 times, it was difficult even for peak Emperors, let alone newly ascended Tribulation Beings, to resist the devouring suction force. “Chaotic hole,” Meng Chuan murmured, sitting cross-legged in the darkness, silently observing. His ‘Chaotic Hole Divine Body’, like a secret treasure weapon, combined with his own chaotic hole domain, made Meng Chuan exceptionally adept at resisting the devouring suction. However, this region was already the closest he could get.

He frequently observed the depths of the chaotic hole. The depths of the chaotic hole appeared as pure darkness, yet upon careful perception, one could sense the distortion of spacetime. The deeper one went, the more aesthetically pleasing the distortion became, and the greater the amplitude of the time flow changes. “Marvelous,” Meng Chuan appreciated this beauty.

“I’ve been cultivating in the chaotic hole for nearly eight years, but the actual cultivation time has exceeded a hundred years,” Meng Chuan noted, discovering a problem with himself. “A century spent alone, accompanied by the chaotic hole, and long-term contemplation... my state of mind has also changed.” He was a seventh-level Essence Soul, possessing the ‘Essence Soul Star’ legacy, and his formidable inner strength had been honed since childhood. Yet, deep within the chaotic hole, his temperament was still being affected, gradually undergoing a transformation.

“This chaotic hole affects spacetime, it affects all things,” Meng Chuan silently mused. “And it also affects the Essence Soul. It's as if it wants to make everything return to darkness, to eternal annihilation.” Meng Chuan had another true body in his home world, an Essence Soul avatar stationed in Yuanchu Mountain, and other Essence Soul avatars in Jiangzhou City, Fengxue Pass, and other places, frequently interacting with others. Even if his true body in the outer realm was lonely, his temperament should not have been affected. Yet, it was changing now.

Given Meng Chuan's cultivation level, he didn't notice it at first, but over time, he discovered subtle changes in his state of mind. This change was gradual and imperceptible. “I'm gradually being influenced by the chaotic hole; my mind is becoming increasingly calm, devoid of any ripples, a dead stillness, as if everything is to return to annihilation.” Meng Chuan didn't see much problem with such a state of mind – it was calm enough, as if transcending all things, calmly observing the birth and demise of everything. Yet, he still decided, “A century has passed; I will cultivate for another twenty years, then leave this place.”

“Although such a state of mind doesn't hinder cultivation, and even makes one calmer and more capable of clearly comprehending the mysteries of rules, this is a change imposed upon me by the chaotic hole, not a proactive transformation from within myself.” The chaotic hole indeed aided his cultivation. Therefore, Meng Chuan decided to persevere for another twenty years.

***

“Endless Blade.”

Meng Chuan drew his Demon Slaying Blade. The blade had long been nourished by Meng Chuan's True Essence, and as Meng Chuan's cultivation improved, the Demon Slaying Blade also slowly transformed, now becoming an Emperor-level weapon. Meng Chuan wielded his blade, attempting to create follow-up Emperor-level blade techniques for the ‘Endless Blade’. He spent most of his time cultivating in the 10x time flow region, but occasionally practiced in the maximum extreme region he could withstand.

Fifteen Thunder Aspects. Over the years, Meng Chuan had gained insight into all fifteen aspects of thunder, attempting to integrate many into the ‘Endless Blade’, trying out numerous possibilities.

“Annihilation.”

Meng Chuan struck out with a single slash. As this slash was executed, his state of mind remained utterly calm, without a single ripple. “Whoosh!” The sound of this slash was faint, yet the blade light that emerged was black! To be precise, the center was pure darkness, while the outer edge was composed of lightning. Lightning serpents outlined a 'black blade light'; this black blade light had raging and unrestrained lightning on its periphery, but its interior was utter, annihilating darkness. Two completely opposite artistic conceptions merged within this single slash.

Rip. With one slash, it effortlessly tore through the void. This was deep within the chaotic hole, a region with a 47x time flow. In the past, Meng Chuan had tried everything, but couldn't shake the void here. Now, one slash directly tore it apart.

“This slash?” After executing it, Meng Chuan himself was somewhat surprised. He immediately turned and flew away from this region, swiftly heading outwards, flying for a long time until he reached the Chaotic Hole Golden Disk region. In the Chaotic Hole Golden Disk region, even ordinary Venerables could resist the forces, so Meng Chuan's cultivation here was even less affected.

“Annihilation.” Meng Chuan executed that slash again. Black blade light! Its edge was lightning serpents, its interior pitch black, invincible and destructive; wherever it passed, the void was directly annihilated.

“I succeeded?”“I created an Emperor-level ultimate art?” Meng Chuan was ecstatic. Without a doubt, the power of this slash far surpassed the perfected Cavern Heaven level of the ‘Endless Blade’; this was a qualitative change. This had already surpassed normal peak Emperor-level power, definitely belonging to a Tribulation Being-level technique.

“For so many years, I've created several follow-up moves for 'Endless Blade', but their power didn't increase much. This move, however, might have increased power by tenfold,” Meng Chuan rejoiced. “It’s definitely a Tribulation Being-level technique.”

“The Light Aspect, Yin-Yang Aspect, Wave-Splitting Aspect, Endless Aspect, Unity Aspect... the five aspects combined, forming the perfected Cavern Heaven.”“Now, it combines with the 'Annihilation Aspect'.”“Light, returning to annihilation.”“Its power also underwent a qualitative change. Is this truly an Emperor-level ultimate art?” Meng Chuan was overjoyed.

Meng Chuan began to meticulously study this technique. “It also greatly affects time. With this move, the time flow reached eighty times,” Meng Chuan exclaimed in astonishment. “It’s indeed a huge improvement.” “Now, let's try the movement speed.”

In the Chaotic Hole Golden Disk region, Meng Chuan attempted to perform his movement technique. After the first attempt, Meng Chuan frowned slightly. “Not quite right,” Meng Chuan continued to try. Again and again. One hour, two hours, three hours... Meng Chuan stood there silently.

“Did I go astray in my practice?” Meng Chuan's mood was complex. “My pure speed, instead of increasing, actually became slower?” With the perfected Cavern Heaven level of the Endless Blade, disregarding time flow changes, his speed could instantly burst to 'thirty thousand li in a flash' in the void outside the realm, without any resistance. While ordinary Venerables flew fast in the outer realm, they gradually accelerated; only instantaneous burst speed truly demonstrated strength and was useful in life-and-death combat. Yet now, though the time flow was faster, his speed had decreased to 'twenty-eight thousand li in a flash'. His speed had actually slowed down!

“What I pursue is an ultimate art of extreme speed.”“How could my speed decrease when advancing from the Venerable level to the Emperor level?”“It's wrong.”“This move is still wrong.”“Perhaps this is similar to ‘Dark Lightning’, ‘Thunderwalk’, or ‘Thunder-Fire Body Refinement Art’ – seemingly comparable in power to Emperor-level ultimate arts, but with very obvious flaws,” Meng Chuan silently mused.

“Let's call this blade art ‘Blade of Annihilation’; it's worth keeping, but there's no need to cultivate it deeply.” Meng Chuan understood this point: the ‘Endless Blade’ at the Cavern Heaven realm pursued pure speed, so how could a follow-up Emperor-level blade art have decreased speed? It must be wrong. But a wrong path... doesn't mean its power is weak. It can still produce very powerful techniques, comparable to Emperor-level ultimate arts.

However, wrong paths come with a price! There is only one path without any flaws: the Emperor-level ultimate art! This is the only perfect and flawless one. All other directions are wrong. An Emperor-level blade art created based on the ‘Endless Blade’ but with decreased speed is definitely a wrong path. Like the Thunder-Fire Body Refinement Art, the more one cultivates it, the greater its impact on oneself, eventually transforming one's body into a weapon or magic treasure. The combat power is strong, but one can never become a Tribulation Being. Dark Lightning, Thunderwalk, all have significant flaws...

If ‘Blade of Annihilation’ were to be cultivated deeply, especially to refine the physical body or the Dantian chaotic hole, its influence would become increasingly profound. Later, once major flaws appeared, it would be too late for regret.

“Regardless, if such a blade art were perfected to the Emperor-level, it would be worthy of collection by a Seventh Tribulation Being,” Meng Chuan self-deprecatingly smiled. “However, wrong is wrong, in the end.” Meng Chuan stood in the Chaotic Hole Golden Disk region, silently gazing into the depths of the chaotic hole. “How exactly can I create an Emperor-level ultimate art?”