Chapter 549: Jiejiang Meng Chuan's Strength

Yuanchu Mountain, Heaven and Earth Hall.

Meng Chuan stood inside the ancient hall. The Heaven and Earth Hall ranked second among the twelve treasured artifacts of the sect.

"Ancestor Cang Yuan truly put a lot of thought into the entire human race," Meng Chuan murmured to himself. As Yuanchu Mountain's strongest contemporary cultivator and the master of the Heaven and Earth Hall, Meng Chuan had perceived more of its secrets after reaching the eighth level of the Primordial Spirit.

Originally, as Ancestor Cang Yuan grew old and neared his end, he dedicated immense effort to the Heaven and Earth Hall, considering the future of his home world.

"This Heaven and Earth Hall houses the origin of the life world, serving as its protection. It makes it incredibly difficult for external forces to harm the life world's origin," Meng Chuan understood. "Ancestor Cang Yuan made countless arrangements within the Heaven and Earth Hall for the prosperity of humanity."

A life world is not eternal; it can also decline and perish, whether through natural decay or external forces. However, under the protection of the Heaven and Earth Hall, the possibility of Cang Yuan World's decline became extremely low.

Whoosh.

At the far end of the hall, the wall suddenly parted, revealing a passage. Meng Chuan walked straight inside. After turning a few corners, he arrived at another hall.

Inside this hall lay a severed greenish arm, approximately nineteen zhang long and five zhang thick. Drops of purple blood still oozed from its fracture. Instead of a hand, the arm ended in sharp, slender, curved claws.

The moment Meng Chuan stepped into the hall, he felt an overwhelming pressure. The temperature within dropped drastically, causing frost to crystallize on the surrounding walls.

"An arm," Meng Chuan observed, looking at the limb. This hall was a vital area of Yuanchu Mountain, accessible only to those who reached the Emperor-level. As Meng Chuan was now a Tribulation realm cultivator, he naturally had access.

"The fourth-ranked of the twelve treasured artifacts of the sect," Meng Chuan mused, gazing at the enormous arm. Even from a mere glance, he could see intricate patterns shifting on its greenish surface, causing spatial-temporal distortions. Countless ephemeral miniature worlds appeared and vanished on the arm's surface. With each genesis, these myriad tiny worlds displayed a multitude of scenes before swiftly perishing, leaving Meng Chuan breathless.

"This is an arm from a Physical Body Eight-Tribulation realm mighty figure, suppressed by Ancestor Cang Yuan's formations. Otherwise, even an ordinary Tribulation realm mighty figure would have their bloodline affected, or even be controlled by it."

The Eight-Tribulation realm was legendary. Many Seven-Tribulation realm mighty figures might never encounter an Eight-Tribulation realm mighty figure in their entire lives. Under circumstances like dying during tribulation or from old age, Eight-Tribulation realm mighty figures would properly arrange their own bodies to prevent them from being mutilated and left exposed. Thus, a severed arm typically only appeared when a Physical Body Eight-Tribulation realm mighty figure was slain.

Even a mere piece of flesh and blood from an Eight-Tribulation realm physical body was priceless, let alone a relatively complete arm. It was among the top treasures in Ancestor Cang Yuan's collection.

"The flesh and blood of an Eight-Tribulation realm being exerts immense pressure and burden; a normal life world cannot withstand it and would even actively repel it," Meng Chuan understood. "Ancestor Cang Yuan must have used a special treasure to bring it back."

Let alone the flesh and blood of an Eight-Tribulation realm physical body, even that of a Seven-Tribulation realm mighty figure was a major challenge to store. Bringing it back to a life world was even more difficult. This was one of the reasons Senior Pang Ming kept that piece of Seven-Tribulation realm flesh and blood near his true body in the outer realms.

Meng Chuan continued onward, passing through various hidden halls within the Heaven and Earth Hall. The current area was only accessible to Tribulation realm mighty figures.

"This is it."

Meng Chuan arrived at an ancient hall. White mist emerged from the walls of this hall, condensing into a white-robed old man. The old man nodded slightly towards Meng Chuan. "After all these years, the old master's home world finally has another Tribulation realm mighty figure. Are you here to claim treasures?"

"Yes," Meng Chuan nodded.

"Let's first determine your strength," the white-robed old man said, pointing to a greenish pillar. "You have one breath's time to attack this pillar with all your might. Your power will determine your cultivation level. The higher your level, the more treasures you can obtain. Even the most crucial treasures left by the old master in his legacy will be granted to you."

Ancestor Cang Yuan's lifelong accumulation, the most important treasures, were placed within his legacy. However, the legacy was not necessarily reserved solely for disciples. If an extraordinarily powerful Tribulation realm mighty figure appeared among humanity, Ancestor Cang Yuan would still be willing to bestow it upon them.

"Alright," Meng Chuan said, looking at the greenish pillar.

"You only have one breath's time, starting from the moment you exert your power," the white-robed old man stated. "Do not accumulate strength for too long."

"Understood," Meng Chuan nodded.

Whoosh.

Behind Meng Chuan, a scroll world manifested, descending into the hall. The scroll world was vast and misty, with countless figures battling within it, alongside sounds of drinking and laughter, young men practicing swordsmanship together, and untold corpses on battlefields... Various scenes emerged, making this world incredibly weighty. Its power was entirely suppressed onto the greenish pillar, causing the runes on its surface to glow.

Meng Chuan stood there, the center of the world, calmly observing the pillar.

"Hm?" The white-robed old man looked at Meng Chuan with surprise. "This junior, Dongning, actually possesses the strongest Primordial Spirit World in human history."

Although Meng Chuan had only just reached the eighth level of Primordial Spirit, the 'Primordial Spirit World' formed by the combination of his mind and skill realms was already the most powerful among Tribulation realm cultivators in human history! It surpassed the other three Primordial Spirit Tribulation realm cultivators of humanity.

Crackling!

Thunder crackled around Meng Chuan, and the flow of time changed.

"Kill."

With a thought, his Primordial Spirit power instantly merged into the Time Blade at his waist, and the blade was unsheathed! He unleashed the Blade of Annihilation! At present, the power of the Blade of Annihilation was indeed superior to the 'Endless Blade' from his early Heaven and Earth realm. Under the influence of time flow, the destructive power of the Blade of Annihilation was even more terrifying.

Rip.

Streaks of dark saber light struck the greenish pillar. The surface runes on the pillar fractured, but new ones immediately regenerated. He consecutively struck nine times.

Then, the saber light vanished, the suppressed world disappeared, and everything returned to tranquility. The Time Blade remained sheathed at Meng Chuan's waist.

"How was it?" Meng Chuan asked, looking at the white-robed old man.

The white-robed old man looked at Meng Chuan, nodded slightly, and smiled. "Primordial Spirit Four-Tribulation realm strength."

Meng Chuan was secretly pleased. In terms of skill realm, he was indeed at the Four-Tribulation level. However, his Primordial Spirit power had not yet undergone tribulation. Yet, he was judged to have 'Primordial Spirit Four-Tribulation realm strength.' This meant that if he truly passed the fourth Primordial Spirit Tribulation in the future, he could still improve significantly. Perhaps he would reach the peak of the Four-Tribulation realm? Or even touch the threshold of the Five-Tribulation realm?

"Evidently, by drawing the 'Spine' painting and comprehending Emperor-level ultimate techniques, my Primordial Spirit has greatly advanced, and my mental cultivation is sufficiently high," Meng Chuan realized.

The white-robed old man smiled at Meng Chuan. "With Primordial Spirit Four-Tribulation realm strength, you may choose any treasures from the old master's vault, up to a total value of fifty thousand outer realm essence crystals."

"Treasures worth fifty thousand outer realm essence crystals?" Meng Chuan was pleasantly surprised.

Senior Pang Ming had many treasures. However, Senior Pang Ming had left most of his treasures in his home world. What he carried with him while adventuring outside was merely his commonly used items, likely a small portion, valued at approximately ten thousand outer realm essence crystals in total. This was already enough to make Four-Tribulation realm mighty figures envious and desperate.

"This is five times Senior Pang Ming's treasure now," Meng Chuan sighed inwardly.

Humanity was at a disadvantage before the war not because Ancestor Cang Yuan wasn't formidable, but because for over a million years, human descendants had generally been too weak, and the treasures they obtained were only suitable for the weak. Humanity had not yet fully matured when this catastrophe struck. If they were forced to the brink of 'world destruction,' the prosperity of Cang Yuan World would likely be delayed for even longer.

"Does the treasury contain any Origin Stones?" Meng Chuan inquired. His true body in his home world also needed Origin Stones for faster physical improvement. Moreover, after absorbing Origin Stones and significantly increasing his strength, he could return to 'determine his strength' again. If his strength reached a higher level, Ancestor Cang Yuan would bestow even more.

"Origin Stones?" The white-robed old man nodded. "The old master once collected some Origin Stones; there are two hundred and three in total, valued at approximately ninety-three thousand outer realm essence crystals. Considering the future of human descendants, you may choose a maximum of ten percent of them."