Chapter 535: Demonic Saint Passage

"I don't know." Meng Chuan shook his head slightly. Although he had traveled extensively outside the territory and gained much wider knowledge, paths for Venerables (or Demon Sages) were still legendary. "This path at Luotang Pass has expanded to 139 li in length. Judging by its size, it might be a Demon Sage-level path."

"Then we'll just have to try," Luotang said.

Meng Chuan flew to Luotang's side, carefully protecting her. Both of them approached the world entrance.

The surrounding gods and demons, and demon servants, couldn't see Meng Chuan or Luotang at all, and neither of them wanted to cause a major disturbance.

"If I can enter, it means Demon Sages can also come and go." Luotang first extended her right hand, reaching it into the world entrance path.

"Hmm?"

As she saw her right hand extend into the path, Luotang's heart tightened, and Meng Chuan also became more serious.

Immediately after, Luotang simply took a step, walking directly into the path.

"It's a Demon Sage path," Luotang said, looking at Meng Chuan.

This scene had already proven everything.

Human Creation Venerables could pass through easily, and Demon Sages could also pass through easily.

"It has appeared after all, a Demon Sage path." Meng Chuan remained calm. He had seized every opportunity to cultivate while adventuring outside the territory, all to prepare for this final war.

At this moment, there were also figures on the Demon Realm side.

However, both sides were isolated from prying eyes and light, so they couldn't see each other.

Luotang then stepped back out.

"What about the restrictions of this Demon Sage path?" Meng Chuan pressed.

"It's very easy, and the restrictions are minimal. If I cross this path alone, I can maintain my fastest speed," Luotang said gravely. "It's likely enough for a group of Demon Sages to enter simultaneously. If a group of Demon Sages join forces, they will certainly set up formations. We also need to find a way to set up our own formations first."

Meng Chuan nodded. "Let's wait a bit longer and see if there are any changes."

"What do you mean?" Luotang asked, looking at Meng Chuan.

"Whether a second Demon Sage path will appear, or whether an even larger world path will appear," Meng Chuan said calmly.

"Even larger?" Luotang couldn't help but ask. "Records state that when two living worlds approach each other, at most only Venerable-level paths appear, right?"

"Let's wait first," Meng Chuan said.

Luotang Pass might become the main battlefield for the demon invasion, so Meng Chuan and the others naturally decided to carry out a large-scale evacuation of its residents.

Otherwise, during the battle, an area easily hundreds of li wide could be affected, leading to heavy casualties.

Days passed.

In the human world, no second Demon Sage-level path appeared, nor did any larger world path.

Luotang Pass was the only Demon Sage-level entrance.

This was also consistent with common sense. After all, both Cangyuan Realm and the Demon Realm were 'middle-level worlds'. When two middle-level worlds approached each other in the long river of space-time, a Demon Sage-level path could indeed appear eventually. It was already rare for even one to appear; for two to appear was an extremely low probability event.

One by one, Venerables, either their true forms or their avatars, arrived at Luotang Pass.

Ordinary gods and demons, and demon servants, had all withdrawn, and not a single mortal remained. This would be the final battlefield for a war that had lasted over nine hundred years.

"This is the final battlefield." Xu Yingwu stood on the city wall, looking at the vast world entrance stretching over a hundred li. "A war of over nine hundred years must finally have an end! If we win, the demon race's plan will be completely thwarted. If we lose, it will be a catastrophe for our Cangyuan Realm."

"Emperor Dongning possesses the strength of an Emperor. Coupled with the numerous treasures left by Ancestor Cangyuan, we will surely win this battle," said Jing Fei, the head of the Demon-Slaying Association.

"I also believe in Meng Chuan," Bai Yaoyue said.

Luotang Pass had now become a gathering place for Venerables, who gathered in small groups to converse.

"Rumble."

A formation flag was planted into the earth, not far from the world entrance.

Meng Chuan and Qin Wu hovered side by side in the air.

"Over nine hundred years have passed. The final battle is finally at hand," Qin Wu said, looking at the world entrance.

"Master, please rest assured. Our human race will only win this war; we will never lose," Meng Chuan said.

"We can't help much; it's all up to you," Qin Wu said, looking at Meng Chuan. "Carefully choose from the numerous treasures within Yuanchu Mountain. Bring anything that can be useful."

"Understood." Meng Chuan nodded slightly, then turned to look at the world entrance, his eyes filled with battle intent.

Facing Peng Huang's pursuit outside the territory, he had always hidden and not retaliated, partly to conceal his strength. Fleeing quickly could be attributed to using a one-time talisman for escape, but a direct confrontation would fully expose his strength.

So Meng Chuan had always hidden his strength, allowing the demon race to misjudge him, so that in this crucial final battle, he could deliver a heavy blow to them.

"Meng Chuan, in my recent encounters with you, I've always felt something is off," Qin Wu suddenly said. "In the past, you gave me the impression of being lively and natural, uninhibited and carefree, and you also enjoyed painting. But now, I feel you're like a deep, still pool, without a single ripple. I ask you, do you still paint often?"

Meng Chuan paused slightly.

Yes, he hadn't painted for a long time, and he couldn't bring himself to pick up a brush.

"How long has it been since you last smiled?" Qin Wu asked, looking at Meng Chuan.

"I know my problem." Meng Chuan nodded slightly and said solemnly, "Master, you don't need to worry."

"As long as you know," Qin Wu said no more.

Meng Chuan, however, began to ponder.

When he had cultivated in the chaos hole for a hundred years, he had already discovered the 'chaos hole's' influence on his primordial spirit and mind. His entire state of mind had gradually turned 'deathly still'. It was precisely under this state of mind that Meng Chuan created the 'Saber of Annihilation'.

At that time, he had decided to cultivate for another twenty years and then leave the chaos hole area.

Who would have thought he would be pursued by Peng Huang, trapped deep within the chaos hole, with his actual cultivation time exceeding two hundred years.

For such a long time, the chaos hole's influence on his primordial spirit and mind had grown increasingly significant. His state of mind was deathly still, devoid of any emotion or inspiration. How could he possibly want to paint? He didn't even know what to paint. Meng Chuan also knew this was wrong, but he persisted in the chaos hole to increase his strength more quickly and prepare for this war.

"Once the final war is over, I must leave the chaos hole," Meng Chuan thought to himself. "Even if it means abandoning many treasures and that true body, I must break free from the chaos hole's influence."

The deathly stillness of his mind made comprehending the 'Saber of Annihilation' quite smooth.

But as he cultivated further along this path, Meng Chuan became increasingly certain that it was a 'deviant path', a deviant path with major flaws. He hadn't even used the Saber of Annihilation to cultivate his 'dantian chaos hole', nor had he used it to cultivate his physical body, yet his state of mind was already so heavily affected.

"After the war, even the ultimate art of the Saber of Annihilation cannot be studied further." Although Meng Chuan's state of mind had greatly changed, he still clearly knew what was right and what was wrong.

In the Demon Realm.

Emperor Xinghe, Empress Xuanyue, and Peng Huang sat in front of a mountain peak, drinking wine, and gazing from afar at the vast world entrance, over a hundred li long, not far away.

The demon race had also confirmed that this was a Demon Sage-level path.

"A Demon Sage path!" Emperor Xinghe was quite excited. "A Demon Sage path has finally appeared. Even if Meng Chuan has become an Emperor, how long has he been cultivating? How much can he have improved? He won't be able to stop us."

Although Empress Xuanyue also showed joy, she still said, "Once a Demon Sage path appears, the human race will surely be extremely vigilant. It's likely that Meng Chuan will be allowed to use many treasures from Ancestor Cangyuan's treasury! Meng Chuan will also certainly set up a grand formation at 'Luotang Pass'. With the help of formations and treasures, he will be able to unleash strength far exceeding his usual."

"External objects are external objects after all. How much strength can they add?" Emperor Xinghe said confidently.

"Although there's hope in a direct assault, the best method is still to eliminate Meng Chuan first," Peng Huang said softly, holding his wine cup. "Eliminating Meng Chuan first, then entering the Demon Sage path, that is the most secure approach."

"How do we kill him?" Empress Xuanyue asked. "Didn't we say before that Meng Chuan's true body outside the territory is hiding deep within the chaos hole with the aid of a special treasure?"

"Since the Demon Sage path has appeared, it's worth paying a greater price," Peng Huang said. "I am now a Tribulation Realm expert. I will find a way to invite a Fourth Tribulation Realm powerful being from the Wugu River Region to help. When a Fourth Tribulation Realm powerful being slays a true body, they can easily eliminate all clones through causality. Even peak Emperors would surely die. Meng Chuan's life level is still weaker than that of a peak Emperor."

"Inviting a Fourth Tribulation Realm powerful being, are you certain?" Emperor Xinghe asked.

"If we pay a sufficient price, they can be invited," Peng Huang said calmly. "Of course, it also depends on who makes the invitation. As a Third Tribulation Realm powerful being, Peng Huang was indeed capable of inviting a Fourth Tribulation Realm powerful being."