Chapter 595: Approaching (End of this episode)

Thousand Mountain Star.

“Master, congratulations,” Meng Chuan said with a smile, raising his cup.

“After cultivating for over a thousand years, I’ve finally created a Heaven and Earth realm peerless art.” Qin Wu held his wine cup, looked at Meng Chuan, and sighed, “Meng Chuan, as your master, I must thank you. It’s because of you that I could learn so many peerless arts from the Starry Sky Tower, that the war could end, that my obsession was resolved, and that I could cultivate here on the Thousand Mountain Star in the outer realm with your guidance. Without it, I might have struggled for several more centuries before breaking through.”

Meng Chuan shook his head. “Master, you have sacrificed too much for our homeland! You became a Venerable early on, but due to the war, you couldn’t venture into the outer realm, delaying you for nearly a thousand years.”

“We are all part of our homeland; many more have sacrificed,” Qin Wu said nonchalantly. “So many gods and demons gave their lives. My inability to travel the outer realm for nearly a thousand years is nothing by comparison.”

“Indeed,” Meng Chuan nodded. “Yes, too many gods and demons paid the ultimate price. By the way, I’ve recently sensed that the Demon Saint passage is becoming unstable.”

“Unstable?” Qin Wu asked, surprised.

“I estimate it will collapse within a few decades, and the human world and the demon world will gradually drift apart,” Meng Chuan explained, nodding.

“Drifting apart?” Qin Wu’s expression was complex.

This was once humanity’s greatest hope.

However, now, the Demon Saint passage no longer posed any threat to humanity.

With Meng Chuan present, the demon race dared not invade; instead, they had to worry about humanity’s counter-invasion! However, apart from Meng Chuan, humanity’s numbers of ordinary gods and demons were far inferior to the demon race’s, making a full-scale counter-invasion difficult.

After all, the demon race’s territory was ten times larger than humanity’s, and their cultivation system was more complete, naturally leading to a greater number of demon kings.

“The thousand-year blood feud… we humans can’t fully repay it,” Qin Wu still felt a hint of reluctance. Over a millennium, especially during the 800 years before Meng Chuan’s rise, humanity had sacrificed too much. Both gods and demons, and ordinary mortals, were slaughtered like livestock.

“There will be a chance eventually,” Meng Chuan said softly.

How could merely killing three leaders repay the blood debt of countless humans, numbering in the hundreds of millions? Moreover, he hadn’t even killed Emperor Peng yet.

“Currently, there’s not much more I can do,” Meng Chuan told his master. “I can only ensure the demon race doesn’t dare enter the outer realm; if one appears, I will kill it.”

Meng Chuan was the master of the Three Bay River System.

Meng Chuan had a true body in his homeland, very close to the demon world. If the life world membrane of the demon race were to break, the moment a demon emerged, Meng Chuan would sense it and intercept it immediately.

Just like back then... human Venerables dared not leave, as they would be intercepted and killed.

Meng Chuan himself immediately self-exiled upon leaving! Emperor Peng and others pursued him, but they were a step too late.

“Master.” A voice called from afar.

Meng Chuan turned his head to look.

In the distant sky, a woman in red robes, Zhao Hongxiu, was visible. She stood in mid-air just outside the small mountain’s boundary, not daring to trespass.

“Hongxiu, come in,” Meng Chuan nodded.

Zhao Hongxiu then flew into the mountain’s vicinity, landed, and bowed respectfully.

“Is something wrong?” Meng Chuan asked, looking at her.

“Disciple had an epiphany during cultivation today,” Zhao Hongxiu said, looking at Meng Chuan with barely concealed excitement. “I’ve finally reached the Heaven and Earth realm.”

Meng Chuan’s eyes lit up. “Heaven and Earth realm?”

Due to his karma with Senior Pang Ming, he had taken Gao Fang and Zhao Hongxiu as disciples. Now, the younger Zhao Hongxiu had actually reached the Heaven and Earth realm in terms of skill. She was also at the sixth layer of the Primordial Spirit, and with her remaining lifespan being quite long, she had every hope of reaching the seventh layer of the Primordial Spirit and becoming an Emperor before her time ran out.

“Heaven and Earth realm?” Qin Wu also smiled upon hearing this. He had only recently broken through, and now Zhao Hongxiu had too.

“What a coincidence,” Qin Wu chuckled.

“It is,” Meng Chuan nodded, his mood very pleasant. His master and his disciple had successively reached the Heaven and Earth realm.

Meng Chuan’s own cultivation was also progressing smoothly.

The Endless Blade, the Nirvana Blade, and the Cloud Mist Dragon-Snake Movement — these three Five Tribulation realm rules were indeed very suitable for combination. Meng Chuan had comprehended several ways to combine them, and his own strength had advanced by leaps and bounds.

“I can feel that I’m getting closer to combining these into a Six Tribulation realm rule,” Meng Chuan stood on the pavilion of the highest peak on Thousand Mountain Star, overlooking the vast, prosperous city in the distance. Yet, he felt a sense of urgency. “Once I comprehend a Six Tribulation realm rule, if my spiritual cultivation isn’t sufficient, that’s one thing. But if my spiritual cultivation keeps pace, then it won’t be long before the Sixth Heavenly Tribulation descends.”

This was the drawback of the Primordial Spirit Tribulation realm; it couldn’t be delayed.

Generally, once a Six Tribulation realm rule was comprehended and spiritual cultivation was sufficient, the Sixth Heavenly Tribulation would descend within a period ranging from a century to several centuries.

The minimum “century” timeframe was a glimmer of hope granted by the flow of time-space river rules, allowing Tribulation realm experts time to forge Six Tribulation realm ‘world secret treasures’ and prepare for their tribulation.

Unlike physical body Tribulation realm experts, who could delay indefinitely as long as their physical bodies hadn’t reached the corresponding level—it was common for them to wait tens of thousands of years until they were absolutely certain before undergoing tribulation.

“Can I survive the Sixth Heavenly Tribulation?” Meng Chuan was unsure.

When undergoing a physical body tribulation, there were many standards of judgment, such as strength, speed, vitality, and resilience of the physical body. Thus, those who historically comprehended Emperor-level ultimate arts were confident in creating sufficiently perfect Six Tribulation realm physical body techniques. But a Primordial Spirit tribulation? No one could be sure.

“If my spiritual cultivation is sufficient, then once I master a Six Tribulation realm rule, I’ll also have to simultaneously gather treasures for July, and for my parents and father-in-law, to extend their lifespans,” Meng Chuan mused.

If he failed his tribulation, he would die.

If he were to die, many things would need to be arranged in advance.

Just then...

Meng Chuan, on the contrary, somewhat wished that his spiritual cultivation would lag slightly, allowing him to first cultivate his physical body to the Six Tribulation realm. This would also allow him to improve his skill level; if he mastered more rules, his ‘Primordial Spirit World’ would be stronger in the future, making the tribulation somewhat easier.

However, no one could control the progress of spiritual cultivation. Sometimes it would stagnate without breakthrough, while other times it would undergo a spiritual transformation.

“Hmm?” Meng Chuan suddenly felt something. “The Cang Alliance Space? Fu Sui wants me to go there?”

With a thought.

Using the Primordial Spirit imprint he had left in the Cang Alliance Space, a clone immediately materialized within it.

Inside the Cang Alliance Space.

Meng Chuan appeared and immediately saw two figures seated in the distance: one was ‘Old Demon Black Wind,’ with whom he had explored a cavern, and the other was Fu Sui.

“Brother Dongning,” Old Demon Black Wind said with a smile.

Meng Chuan walked over.

“Sit,” the rotund Fu Sui said, pointing to a spot beside him. “Tiger King will be here soon too.”

“Tiger King? The Tiger King from the Dream World?” Meng Chuan asked as he sat down.

The Cang Alliance members were scattered throughout the River of Spacetime, currently totaling 801. For instance, six new members had joined since Meng Chuan’s arrival.

There was only one individual known as Tiger King.

“Yes, Tiger King should give me face,” Fu Sui said, turning his head. Meng Chuan also sensed something and looked, seeing a figure coalesce in the distance.

It was a very thin and small figure.

In terms of height, he was slightly taller than the stout Fu Sui, but significantly shorter than both Meng Chuan and Old Demon Black Wind, and relatively thin.

So, among the four of them, this individual appeared the smallest.

The small figure wore gray robes, with a hint of fierce intensity in his eyes.

In the outer realm... one couldn’t judge a cultivator by appearances. This small figure’s true strength was terrifying; due to the unique inheritance of the Dream World, he was even stronger than Cavern Lord Jingyun.

“Greetings, Brother Menghu,” Meng Chuan and Old Demon Black Wind said politely, as it was their first time meeting Tiger King.

“Just call me Tiger King,” the small Menghu said, rather forthrightly. He sat on a chair that appeared large for him, his legs crossed on it, and looked at Fu Sui. “Fu Lunatic, why did you suddenly invite me, saying you also invited Old Demon Black Wind and City Lord Dongning, to discuss something big? Is your big matter another ruin you want to explore?”

Fu Sui was notorious in the Cang Alliance for his love of adventure. He hadn’t gained any significant rewards, only minor ones, and because he died too many times, he remained relatively poor.

“Yes, a ruin,” Fu Sui’s eyes gleamed as his gaze swept over Tiger King, Meng Chuan, and Old Demon Black Wind.

“I have no interest whatsoever in your adventures,” Menghu scoffed. “If I go and accidentally lose a true body, the loss would be immense.”

“If you go on this adventure and feel it wasn’t worth it, I will compensate you,” Fu Sui stated.

Meng Chuan and Menghu were both surprised.

Compensate?

Each time one of their true bodies died inside, the loss was at least several thousand units of value. Fu Sui dared to make such a grand claim... promising compensation?

“I’ve been in three times already, and died three times,” Fu Sui said solemnly. “Brother Black Wind also accompanied me once, and he died once too.”

Meng Chuan grew even more curious.

He’d been in three times consecutively? Died three times, yet still wanted to go again?

And he even promised compensation if they “felt it wasn’t worth it,” which clearly indicated that the rewards from this ruin were substantial enough.

“I will also be going in this time,” Old Demon Black Wind said, looking at Meng Chuan and Tiger King.

“I’m somewhat interested now,” Menghu’s eyes narrowed.

Anyone not foolish could infer from Fu Sui’s and Old Demon Black Wind’s past actions that this ruin offered great benefits.

“Brother Dongning, my promise to you is the same,” Fu Sui stated. “If you go in and feel it wasn’t worth it, I will compensate you. Of course, the treasures you two carry shouldn’t exceed five thousand units of value. Any more, and I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

“You’ll compensate us? Is there really such a good deal?” Meng Chuan asked, looking at him.

“Of course, you must also promise me that any items left behind by me or Black Wind if we die within the ruin will still belong to us individually,” Fu Sui replied.

“Rest assured.”

Meng Chuan and Menghu both nodded.

They wouldn’t stoop to seize treasures left behind by others if they died there.

Meng Chuan, who was about to master a Six Tribulation realm rule, was inherently very proud.

Fu Sui and Old Demon Black Wind exchanged glances and nodded slightly.

Any treasures left behind upon their deaths belonging to themselves was a very important condition. This was because, previously, Old Demon Black Wind had gained significant rewards, all of which were left in that ruin. Fu Sui had explored it three times, and all the treasures he collected were also there. Moreover, they were confident that as long as they entered, they certainly wouldn’t feel it wasn’t worth it.

“This matter must not be spread outside; only the four of us should know,” Fu Sui continued. “Once inside, there shall be no mutual harm. As for the rewards, each will depend on their own abilities. Are these conditions acceptable to you two?”

Menghu and Meng Chuan exchanged glances and both nodded slightly.

Both sides felt that this matter was worth participating in.

“Alright,” Menghu said.

“Understood,” Meng Chuan also nodded, feeling a certain anticipation for this mysterious ruin.

(End of this chapter)

Updates will pause tomorrow and resume the day after tomorrow with the next chapter.