Chapter 601: Decision

Meng Chuan approached the mountain peak, observing the forbidden creatures blankly flying upwards. He instinctively felt it would be very dangerous to force his way up the mountain. He spoke, "The creator of Black Mountain must have had an intention in building these three paths. Roads are built for cultivators to walk on. If we go against the creator's intent and forcibly ascend the mountain, there will likely be disastrous consequences."

Old Demon Heifeng watched and nodded, "I agree with Brother Dongning. Not following the established paths but instead forcing our way up the mountain might enrage Black Mountain's creator. Those sinful creatures have all gone mad; perhaps flying up forcibly is what drove them insane."

Fu Sui looked at Meng Chuan, "Brother Dongning, how about trying with a primordial spirit avatar first?"

Meng Chuan frowned, looking at Fu Sui. "Fu Sui, forcibly ascending the mountain could lead to madness. These forbidden creatures, though no less powerful than Tribulation Emites, have all gone mad. If I fly up forcibly, all my avatars might go insane. Isn't it inappropriate for you to ask me to try?"

Joining the team meant being responsible for reconnaissance and vigilance, not suicidal missions.

If all his bodies went mad, it would be equivalent to death, as he would lose all conscious awareness. Meng Chuan instinctively recognized the danger of forcibly ascending the mountain and naturally wouldn't do it.

Knowing something is extremely dangerous and still doing it would be foolish.

"All your avatars going mad? That's unlikely. You have your true body in your homeworld; it definitely won't be affected," Fu Sui chuckled. "Unless an Eighth Tribulation Realm mighty one appears, your true body in your homeworld won't be threatened."

"Even if only this true body of mine is affected, the loss would be significant enough," Meng Chuan said, shaking his head. His estimation of Fu Sui dropped considerably. He added, "Besides, it's still uncertain who created this Black Mountain. It might be an Eighth Tribulation Realm mighty one, or even an eternal being!"

"Since you're unwilling, so be it. You're truly too cautious," Fu Sui said with a smile. "If my primordial spirit avatars could withstand the pressure of this ruin world, I would have tried already."

Meng Chuan did not argue further.

Perhaps Fu Sui thought it was worth a try, but Meng Chuan was unwilling. He was steadily approaching the Sixth Tribulation Realm; it wouldn't take him much longer. Once he reached the Sixth Tribulation Realm, even an Eighth Tribulation Realm mighty one would pose no threat to him across a life world within the River of Spacetime. Taking risks and being "bold" then would be fine, but now? He preferred caution! All these forbidden creatures were at the Fifth Tribulation Realm level, yet they had all gone mad.

"Everything depends on Brother Dongning's willingness," Old Demon Heifeng said. "Since Brother Dongning is unwilling to send a primordial spirit avatar to force an ascent, and our other three primordial spirit avatars are too weak... it seems we can only try these three paths."

"These three paths shouldn't be dead ends," Meng Hu nodded.

"We can try," Fu Sui said, immediately walking onto the leftmost path. After stepping onto it, he stopped moving. Fu Sui stood there, meticulously sensing, a look of fascination on his face. Only after several breaths did he take a step back and exit the path.

"It's incredible," Fu Sui said, pointing to the leftmost path. "On this path, one is constantly in a state of epiphany. The benefit to cultivation is far greater than what we experienced just entering the mountain."

"Epiphany?"

Meng Chuan, Meng Hu, and Old Demon Heifeng were all astonished.

The aid to cultivation upon entering the mountain was already immense; Meng Chuan had even felt that he could comprehend the Sixth Tribulation Realm rules within one or two months inside the mountain. And this leftmost path offered even greater help?

"I'll try," Meng Hu immediately stepped onto the path, also becoming engrossed. He even took a few steps forward before stepping back after a while, nodding. "It's true; stepping onto it immediately puts you into an epiphany state. However, it only lasts for a few breaths. You have to keep moving forward along the path. As long as you advance step by step, you can maintain the epiphany. I believe that on this leftmost path... I might even grasp a third Fifth Tribulation Realm rule, and perhaps even combine three rules to comprehend a Sixth Tribulation Realm rule."

Old Demon Heifeng also walked onto it, experienced it for a moment, and then stepped back.

Meng Chuan was not in a hurry. After all, he was close to mastering the Sixth Tribulation Realm rules, so he was the last to go up. The path was entirely paved with crystal jade, smooth underfoot. As he walked, he felt a warmth spread from his feet throughout his body, making him feel incredibly comfortable and warm. His primordial spirit entered an epiphany state, with a flood of inspirations continuously emerging. Various insights in Meng Chuan's mind constantly integrated, and a vast, complete rule prototype steadily refined itself in his mind. After just a few breaths, the warmth beneath his feet receded, and his primordial spirit returned to normal. Meng Chuan then tried taking another step forward, and his primordial spirit re-entered the epiphany state. After only two steps on it, Meng Chuan also stepped back.

"On this path, I fear I could comprehend the Sixth Tribulation Realm rules in just an hour," Meng Chuan also said, awestruck.

In the outside world, it might take a century. Inside the mountain, a month or two, but on this path, perhaps just an hour would suffice.

Constantly in an epiphany? While this made Meng Chuan and the others excited, they were also very cautious.

"The greater the benefit, the greater the potential cost," Meng Hu stated.

"When an opportunity arises, one should risk seizing it," Fu Sui countered.

"Let's try the second one now," Old Demon Heifeng said with a smile.

The second path was the one in the middle. Meng Chuan quickly stepped onto it. The moment he did, his consciousness boomed.

"What's happening?" Meng Chuan was astonished.

He had transformed into a colossal flame giant, incredibly majestic, tens of millions of miles tall, currently sleeping within a solar star. Though Meng Chuan had become the flame giant, he couldn't control its body in the slightest.

The giant awoke, stretched, and caused the solar star's endless flames to surge.

"Hmm?" Meng Chuan couldn't control anything, but he could clearly sense every part of the giant's body. The giant's stretch, and even its unintentional control over flames, allowed Meng Chuan to perceive various profound mysteries of fire. This giant was a Sixth Tribulation Realm existence; its every move could destroy heaven and earth. From this, Meng Chuan glimpsed how certain fire rules manifested in the giant.

After just a few breaths, Meng Chuan's consciousness returned to his normal body. He stood on the second path and took another step.

As he took the second step, his consciousness boomed again, attaching itself to another being.

This was a silver-armored, golden-horned alien, who was battling another mighty one in the void.

"Boom!" The void collapsed. The silver-armored, golden-horned alien moved through the shattered void, using the void itself as a weapon to attack its opponent.

"Another Sixth Tribulation Realm mighty one, with far greater mastery over the void," Meng Chuan thought, gaining insights. After only a few breaths, his consciousness returned again.

"On the second path, with every step, consciousness seems to possess a mighty one," Meng Hu exclaimed. "I took nine steps on it, and each step led to possessing a Sixth Tribulation Realm mighty one. Twice, I possessed the same Sixth Tribulation Realm being. This second path extends for about a hundred thousand miles. If one were to truly reach the summit, how many mighty ones would they possess?"

"It's incredible."

Meng Chuan, Fu Sui, and Heifeng were all amazed by the ability to continuously possess Sixth Tribulation Realm beings.

"The third path..." Meng Chuan and the others also began to ascend the rightmost path.

"Hmm?" The moment Meng Chuan stepped onto it, he heard sounds, intermittent and fragmented.

He couldn't hear complete words or understand their meaning. But listening to the sounds, he felt an invisible pressure suppressing his primordial spirit and his conscious mind.

"This third path?" Meng Chuan stood there for a moment, continuously hearing the intermittent sounds in his ears. The sounds were vast, as if emanating from the mountain's peak, and the pressure on his conscious mind persisted.

Meng Chuan tried taking a step forward. The intermittent sounds seemed slightly clearer, and the pressure on his conscious mind increased further.

Walking step by step, Meng Chuan tried nine steps. The sounds remained intermittent, but with each of those nine steps, the pressure on his conscious mind intensified.

"We've explored them all," Fu Sui said, looking at his three companions. "The leftmost path constantly induces a state of epiphany. The middle path allows you to possess mighty ones, at least Sixth Tribulation Realm mighty ones. The rightmost path lets you hear sounds that exert strong pressure on your conscious mind. We've reached this point together; it seems we must now each make our own choices."

"Yes," Heifeng, Meng Hu, and Meng Chuan all nodded.

"It seems we'll have to part ways here," Meng Hu said.

"The first path, constantly in a state of epiphany—this is my greatest hope for reaching the Sixth Tribulation Realm. I will certainly choose the first path, as opportunities must be sought amidst danger," Fu Sui stated decisively, making his choice first. Possessing mighty ones is good, but ultimately, those are abilities demonstrated by other mighty ones, and one can only experience a fraction of it. But an epiphany? What one comprehends is entirely one's own. In terms of assistance, the first path is far superior to the second.

"Being in a constant state of epiphany has immense benefits, but the potential cost might also be huge; I dare not choose it," Meng Hu said. "I'll choose the next best option, the second path."

"I'll also choose the second path," Old Demon Heifeng nodded. Though he had his own ambitions, he felt that following 'Tiger King' Meng Hu, who hailed from a higher world, and choosing the same path couldn't be a bad decision. Old Demon Heifeng was well aware: "In terms of foresight, the Tiger King, as a Heavenly Dream General, is hundreds of times superior to me. His choice is likely the optimal one."

"Brother Dongning, which path do you intend to choose?" Old Demon Heifeng asked with a smile.