Chapter 632: Reentering the Demon Mountain

Inside the study of the Meng residence in Jiangzhou City.

Spring sunlight streamed through the window, reflecting dazzlingly off the paper on the drawing table. Meng Chuan was smiling as he painted. He had a passion for art, a hobby he maintained even during his long periods of pursuing demon monarchs underground. However, since his wife had fallen into a deep sleep, Meng Chuan's brushstrokes had become very rare.

Today, with Liu Qiyue writing beside him, Meng Chuan painted leisurely, his mood exceptionally relaxed.

“A-Chuan,” Liu Qiyue suddenly stopped writing, turning to look at her husband. “You can tell what Yu’er is troubled by, can’t you?”

“Yu’er?”

Meng Chuan paused his brushstroke and nodded. “I can guess. That young man, Yang Yuan, has cultivated to the Marquis Godfiend realm, and three hundred years is the limit of his lifespan. He’s nearing that limit now. As a mother, it’s naturally difficult to watch her son approach death, especially knowing I possess treasures that can extend life.”

“What are your thoughts?” Liu Qiyue asked.

“My thoughts?” Meng Chuan gazed out the window, his sight seemingly spanning across the void to survey all beings in the Cangyuan Realm. “For this peace we enjoy, there were over nine hundred years of war. More than 230,000 Godfiends died, ordinary soldiers perished by the hundreds of millions, and countless more innocent civilians were slaughtered. So many heroes fell, like Senior Brother Wang of Zhenwu King, and Senior Brother Xue—all immensely talented, yet they died for our race.”

“Yang Yuan, that young man, has lived nearly three centuries in comfort and without worry, enjoying fine clothes and food. What more could he want?” Meng Chuan said indifferently. “I, Meng Chuan, am also human; I have selfish thoughts, but everything must have limits.”

“As for my parents and children, I’ve extended their lifespans in my cultivation journey, and that’s enough. But the third generation? If they show talent, they can be given some cultivation resources and nurtured as core members of the sect. If they lack ability, there’s no need to waste resources. If Yu’er and her husband, Yang Cheng, wish to save him, they must rely on their own capabilities.” Meng Chuan turned to his wife. “Qiyue, although most of the treasures I’ve accumulated in my cultivation are for our race, I’ve also kept a portion for you. If I fail my tribulation and die, these resources will be yours to manage. I also hope you won’t spoil our descendants.”

“Don’t talk about dying in the tribulation,” Liu Qiyue quickly said.

“You and I have witnessed so much life and death; there’s nothing to be superstitious about,” Meng Chuan replied, looking at his wife.

“You said you’re confident,” Liu Qiyue said, looking at her husband.

Meng Chuan nodded and smiled. “Of course, I’m confident! I’ve already cultivated the Primordial Spirit World secret treasure, and two days ago, I awakened you both and extended your lifespans. My painting, 'Perfection,' has deepened my understanding of the ‘Primordial Spirit Star’ technique and elevated my spiritual realm. I’m very confident I can succeed in the tribulation. However, until I undergo it, I won’t know what challenges I’ll face.”

“You don’t have to accompany me every day. Preparing for your tribulation is more important,” Liu Qiyue said, looking at her husband.

“Don’t worry. Yesterday, my other true body already left the Cangyuan Realm and traveled to the Demon Mountain Relic,” Meng Chuan said. “In the days leading up to the tribulation, that true body will remain on the Demon Mountain, honing its Primordial Spirit.”

The Demon Mountain Relic.

“Whoosh.”

Meng Chuan flew across the vast land, heading towards the black Demon Mountain at the center of the continent. This was his second visit to the Demon Mountain Relic.

“The last time Fusu brought the three of us here, it was indeed helpful, at least for me,” Meng Chuan mused. This was also why he continued to tolerate Fusu, even after the latter's personality drastically changed. He had to admit… Fusu had given him this opportunity, and through it, his spiritual will had indeed grown much stronger.

The fates of the four who entered last time were all different.

Meng Chuan, whose foundation was already profound, was now only a tribulation away from truly reaching the Sixth Tribulation realm, making him the strongest among them. Fusu, who knew the method to enter, took the ‘Path of Epiphany,’ instantly comprehending a Sixth Tribulation realm rule, but at the cost of endless hidden dangers. Meng Hu, from a higher life world, gained some benefits but was plagued by misfortune and now relied on his home world, the Heaven Dream Realm, for salvation. The Black Wind Elder, originally the weakest of the four, had only mastered one Fifth Tribulation realm rule. Yet, thanks to the Demon Mountain Relic, he ascended to near the point of ‘mastering a Sixth Tribulation realm rule’ with minimal hidden dangers. Meng Chuan, with his stronger spiritual will, advanced far enough on the third path to become an ordinary member of the Demon Mountain, thus surpassing the Black Wind Elder in gains.

Later, Fusu also sent in many Fifth Tribulation realm mighty figures. Some of them also took the third path, but they didn't go nearly as far, falling well short of ‘ten thousand li.’

Clearly, the threshold for being an ‘ordinary member of the Demon Mountain’ is extremely high! The ancient being who created the Demon Mountain set this threshold because only those who reach it are truly deemed worthy of attention.

“Whoosh.”

Meng Chuan flew into the Demon Mountain once more, even circling the mountain range for half a day, where he found two valuable gains, worth over ten thousand units. Only then, in high spirits, did he embark on the third path.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Though voices resonated in his mind, each character seemed to bombard his Primordial Spirit, creating immense pressure. However, Meng Chuan’s Primordial Spirit and spiritual will were strong enough to forcefully resist and advance rapidly, reaching beyond ten thousand li to the place where he had given up last time.

“Last time, I gave up here because I couldn't go any further.”

“But this time, it’s much easier.”

Meng Chuan could feel it.

His spiritual will had grown stronger, and his understanding of the ‘Primordial Spirit Star’ technique had deepened. His entire Primordial Spirit was more stable, effortlessly withstanding the bombardments.

“Let’s begin,” Meng Chuan said. Following his previous habit, he stopped with each step to carefully perceive the sounds that seemed to emanate from the peak of the Demon Mountain. After comprehending them, he would take another step, thus advancing at an incredibly slow pace.

In the first passage of the Demon Mountain Relic.

A shrunken rock giant, Gumos Xingzhu (Ancient Desert Star Lord), was walking, immersed in an epiphany. Although it was now known that the ‘Path of Epiphany’ came with a great price and endless hidden dangers, it still couldn’t deter the Fifth Tribulation realm experts. These experts each had their own reasons: some were struggling as their lifespans neared their end, some believed they could control their greed and be satisfied after two or three years, and others desperately needed to become stronger and were willing to bear the cost...

“It truly lives up to its name, the Path of Epiphany. I’ve already comprehended a second Fifth Tribulation realm rule!” Gumos Xingzhu, the rock giant, stopped and grinned. The comprehension of a complete Fifth Tribulation realm ultimate art filled him with excitement, temporarily pulling him out of his state of epiphany.

“I’ll go for two more years, then give up.”

The rock giant thought to himself. In reality, cultivators who embarked on the Path of Epiphany often deluded themselves into thinking that an extra year wouldn’t hurt, and two more years wouldn’t be a big problem. The harder their past cultivation had been, the more reluctant they were to give up once they were in a state of epiphany. After all, a single year here could bring greater progress than a lifetime outside; it was incredibly difficult to abandon.

The rock giant stopped and looked up. His gaze naturally swept over the top of the Demon Mountain, and suddenly, his eyes widened.

“What? Past ten thousand li, there’s still a cultivator on the third path?” The rock giant looked at the small dot in shock.

According to current understanding, the third passage exerts immense pressure on the Primordial Spirit, and most cultivators are forced to stop before even reaching a thousand li.

“Past ten thousand li?”

“Huh? Is that…” The rock giant remotely observed the tiny figure. As they were all members of the Cangmeng Alliance and had met in the Alliance space, he immediately recognized him. “Is that Dongning? How did he get in again?”

Meng Chuan felt a gaze on him at that moment and instinctively turned to look back.

Across several hundred li, the gazes of a Fifth Tribulation realm being and a Sixth Tribulation realm being met. Because he was constantly resisting the impact of the Demon Mountain’s sounds, Meng Chuan’s spiritual will remained extremely concentrated, resisting with full effort. His instinctive glance back carried such powerful spiritual will that it caused the rock giant’s mind to rumble and go blank instantly.

The rock giant stood there dumbfounded. As Meng Chuan realized and looked away, continuing his slow advance, the rock giant finally regained consciousness.

“Such strong Primordial Spirit pressure? Has he become a Primordial Spirit Sixth Tribulation realm expert?” The rock giant was somewhat shaken.