Chapter 586: Arrival at the Serpent Demon Star

"Yes," replied Pang Feng and Zhong Yu, both mighty Three-Tribulation Realm experts, bowing respectfully with evident joy.

They wished to follow him, but Meng Chuan could have refused their request.

Obtaining his permission brought them great delight.

The power of a Three-Tribulation Realm expert is insufficient to aid a Five-Tribulation Realm mighty figure facing powerful adversaries. Therefore, a Five-Tribulation Realm expert typically only gathers a small number of tribulation realm followers to handle minor affairs. More would not be advantageous; instead, accepting more would entail providing 'protection' and incurring further karmic ties.

"There was already a city on Mount Qianshan," Meng Chuan instructed. "I have designed a new city layout, which will be the future form of Dongning City. You two are to find Qing Gu and reconstruct the city according to this new plan."

"Yes, City Lord," Pang Feng and Zhong Yu replied with profound respect. They immediately withdrew to assist in the construction and refinement of Dongning City.

Meng Chuan nodded.

In that moment, Meng Chuan thought of his wife, Qiyue. She, too, had personally overseen the construction of Jiangzhou City's outer defenses.

"Qiyue," Meng Chuan murmured, feeling a deep longing in his heart. He yearned to awaken his wife.

"There's no rush. Qiyue can remain in slumber for a long time; for her, it will only feel like an instant," Meng Chuan thought, exhibiting the patience that came with his cultivation level. "Furthermore, the first use of longevity treasures yields the best results. I need to prepare truly top-tier longevity treasures for Qiyue, my parents, and my father-in-law."

At the Five-Tribulation and Six-Tribulation Realm levels, the quality of obtainable treasures undergoes a significant transformation, whether found in the outer realm or within Patriarch Cangyuan's treasury in his homeland.

He aimed to reach the Six-Tribulation Realm.

Once he did, he would awaken Qiyue and his parents. As for the Seven-Tribulation Realm?

Meng Chuan felt that the Six-Tribulation Realm was within reach and achievable within the timeframe of his wife's slumber. However, the Seven-Tribulation Realm seemed too distant.

Nineteen days passed in a flash.

Inside Meng Chuan's cultivation chamber on Mount Qianshan.

For these nineteen days, his true body had remained here, immersing himself in the study and cultivation of the third volume of the *Void Atlas*.

"Hoo," A faint crimson aura within the chamber rapidly flowed into the Demon Slaying Blade. Eventually, not a single trace of crimson fiendish energy remained in the room. The wine cup fragment, too, silently disintegrated, vanishing into the void.

"This wine cup fragment was merely a vessel for this unique fiendish energy. Once the energy was gone, it disintegrated," Meng Chuan realized. "Fortunately, I managed to break off a small piece earlier. I must investigate its origins."

Meng Chuan looked at the Demon Slaying Blade.

The Demon Slaying Blade now bore a dark red hue. At first glance, it appeared restrained and unremarkable. However, upon closer inspection, an overwhelming sense of 'evil' and 'malevolence' emanated from its dark red surface, startling even Meng Chuan at his level of power.

"What potent fiendish energy," Meng Chuan murmured as he reached out and gripped the Demon Slaying Blade.

"One strike with this blade, and the sheer fiendish energy would be enough to affect a Five-Tribulation Realm expert!" Meng Chuan's eyes gleamed. Previously, the Demon Slaying Blade, though only at the Five-Tribulation Realm level, could double its power due to its perfect synchronization with him. Now, however, the Demon Slaying Blade had become his ultimate weapon, a trump card entirely distinct from the Seven-Tribulation Realm secret treasure, the 'Thirteen Universal Beads'.

"I'll familiarize myself with it for two days, then it will be time to go to Snake Demon Star." A cold glint appeared in Meng Chuan's eyes; it was time to deal with the Snake Demon Star.

Snake Demon Star.

This was an immense star, spanning tens of millions of miles. Given the enormous size of each adult 'Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpent,' a sufficiently large star had been intentionally relocated here to serve as the nest for one of their branches.

Ordinarily, Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents could be observed in slumber across the surface of Snake Demon Star.

However, the Snake Demon Star was now devoid of any discernible life.

Inside a quiet chamber within a magnificent palace on Snake Demon Star.

Two tall, slender figures, a man and a woman, sat cross-legged.

"That Dongning City Lord, after slaughtering the raiding forces in the Three-Bay River System, it has already been over half a month," the woman stated, her dark golden eyes cold and emotionless. "He still hasn't come to our Snake Demon Star. If he intends to establish an Eternal Tower branch, then according to the Eternal Tower's regulations, he must eliminate all raiding forces. We are the largest raiding power in the Three-Bay River System; he cannot avoid us."

"Whether for combat or negotiation, he must eventually arrive," the tall, slender man added. "Unless he has no intention of establishing an Eternal Tower branch, but in that case, why would he have bothered to eliminate the other raiding forces? It would be a pointless endeavor."

"Could he have gone to negotiate with the Cave Master instead?" the woman speculated.

"If he were negotiating with the Cave Master, the Cave Master would certainly notify us," the tall, slender man calmly replied. "We simply need to wait patiently!"

Among unique life forms, those with higher cultivation realms typically value their lives more dearly.

This is because they lack the protection of a 'life world,' making their self-preservation capabilities considerably weaker.

Initially, upon receiving intelligence about the 'Dongning City Lord,' the Snake Demon Star believed he wouldn't dare to act rashly. However, the news of his slaughter of raiding forces struck fear into them! Immediately, every 'Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpent' fled back to the Quyun River System through the 'space-time hole' on Snake Demon Star. Only two 'Four-Tribulation Realm' Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents remained, each leaving a primordial spirit clone behind to negotiate with the Dongning City Lord.

Even if these clones were destroyed, it would only result in the loss of two primordial spirit manifestations.

Furthermore, these two primordial spirit clones of the 'Four-Tribulation Realm Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents' carried no treasures, ensuring minimal loss should they perish.

To their surprise, over half a month had passed, and the Dongning City Lord had still not appeared.

"We will wait another month," the woman stated. "If he still hasn't arrived by then, we will travel to Mount Qianshan to visit the Dongning City Lord."

"Visit Mount Qianshan? That's acceptable," the man mused, then agreed, considering they carried no valuables.

"Hm?"

Simultaneously, the man and woman sensed a presence. They subtly raised their heads, their gaze piercing through the chamber walls to the outside, where they saw a figure materialize in the skies above the star.

"He's here!" Their spirits lifted, having waited for so long.

Meng Chuan, clad in green robes with white hair, stood in the skies above Snake Demon Star, gazing down upon the planet.

"Just as I predicted. Knowing I'd embarked on a killing spree, they were terrified, leaving only two Four-Tribulation Realm experts here," Meng Chuan mused silently. At that moment, two figures ascended from below—a tall, slender man and woman. Although they had adopted human forms, their faces still displayed the distinctive patterns of Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents, and their eyes were clearly reptilian.

"We are here by the command of Cave Master Jingyun, awaiting the Dongning City Lord," the tall, slender man announced, his posture conveying a hint of respect—the deference a Four-Tribulation Realm expert shows to one of the Five-Tribulation Realm.

Meng Chuan listened, recognizing these two as the former highest leaders of Snake Demon Star, now reduced to mere primordial spirit clones delivering a message.

"Cave Master Jingyun has instructed us that, as the Dongning City Lord is a Five-Tribulation Realm expert cultivating both body and primordial spirit, he is willing to grant you deference," the tall, slender man continued. "Our entire branch of Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents in the Three-Bay River System will migrate back, ensuring your unimpeded control over the entire system. However, we have lived and thrived in the Three-Bay River System for tens of thousands of years. To abandon this place, the Dongning City Lord must compensate our clan."

"Compensation?" Meng Chuan raised an eyebrow.

"Ten thousand units of outer realm primeval crystals, or treasures of equivalent value," the tall, slender woman beside him stated. "This is the Cave Master's instruction."

Meng Chuan was not surprised by their forceful demands.

Cave Master Jingyun, a unique life form known as an 'Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpent,' had cultivated to the Five-Tribulation Realm and mastered three Five-Tribulation Realm rules. His power was indeed terrifyingly formidable.

"You've plundered the Three-Bay River System for tens of thousands of years, and now you demand compensation from me?" Meng Chuan said with an indifferent tone. "Jingyun thinks far too highly of himself! Go tell Jingyun to surrender all the Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents who have engaged in plunder within the Three-Bay River System over the past tens of thousands of years. Furthermore, from this moment forward, you are forbidden from entering the Three-Bay River System. Only then will this matter be considered concluded."

"You wish for us to hand over our plundering kin?" The tall, slender man sneered, fixing his gaze on the green-robed, white-haired figure. "Dongning City Lord, your ambition is truly vast. Throughout the entire River of Time, there are countless plundering Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents. Do you intend to concern yourself with all of them? And let's not even speak of our Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpent clan; the number of cultivators across the River of Time who delight in plunder is infinitely greater. Even paramount forces like the 'Black Demon Hall' exist solely for the purpose of plunder and slaughter. Do you perhaps aspire to eradicate them as well? What a pity; even an Eight-Tribulation Realm mighty figure born in the history of the River of Time would be unable to abolish the Black Demon Hall."

Meng Chuan nodded. "I possess self-awareness. That is why I stated I would only concern myself with the Eight-Headed Star Swallowing Serpents who have engaged in plunder within the Three-Bay River System."

"Dongning City Lord, do not entertain such delusions," the tall, slender woman retorted, unable to suppress her anger. "Our Cave Master's terms are precisely what we just outlined. If you refuse to accept them, then you can forget about establishing an Eternal Tower branch."

"When the time comes, our Cave Master will personally arrive in the Three-Bay River System and sweep through it. We shall see how you intend to stop him," the man added. "Therefore, you should humbly yield, pay ten thousand units of outer realm primeval crystals as compensation, and we will then migrate out. This arrangement would be beneficial for both parties."

"Beneficial for both?"

Meng Chuan murmured softly, shook his head subtly, and then, with a slight flick of his sleeve...

The man and woman, in their utter astonishment, were instantly annihilated and dissipated.