Chapter 680: Birth of the Void Trifolium

"Not bad at all," the turtle-shell elder said, walking over with a smile from the distant entrance. With just one step, he appeared beside Meng Chuan. "The first trial of the Nine Refining Pagoda is extremely difficult for Six-Calamity cultivators. Your success indicates that your cultivation foundation is among the absolute best of the Six-Calamity realm."

Meng Chuan looked back and said, "That oppressive force tests one's defensive abilities. Most top-tier Six-Calamity cultivators probably couldn't withstand it."

The turtle-shell elder nodded. "When cultivating and venturing out, defensive measures are even more crucial than offensive ones."

"And those attacks that affect one's mind and will..." Meng Chuan sighed with emotion.

"Only when one's mind and will reach the threshold of the Fleshly Body Seven-Calamity realm can they withstand it," the turtle-shell elder said. "For this first trial, we don't expect you to have a profound cultivation realm. If your mind can't even meet the required threshold for the Seven-Calamity realm, how could you ever hope to reach the Seven-Calamity realm?"

Meng Chuan nodded.

The mind is fundamental.

With a strong mind, one can then discuss realm, physical body, and Essential Spirit.

"You've passed the first trial, so now it's time for the second," the turtle-shell elder said with a smile, pointing at the colossal alchemy cauldron before them, then indicating the massive rotating disk on its main body. "That disk is the valve for the entire cauldron. As long as you turn that valve open, you'll have passed the second trial."

"Just turn the valve?" Meng Chuan asked, looking up.

The rotating disk valve on the cauldron was octagonal, with all eight sides of equal length, each sixteen zhang.

Although Patriarch Cang Yuan had recorded general information about the Nine Refining Pagoda, he hadn't detailed the specifics of each trial. Those qualified to enter the Nine Refining Pagoda didn't need to know the specifics of each trial, and those not qualified had even less reason to know.

"Yes, once you turn the valve, raging flames will ignite within the entire cauldron," the turtle-shell elder said with emotion. "At that point, you'll fly directly into the cauldron's interior through the wind tunnel, enduring the trial of its flames. If you can withstand it... you'll have passed the third trial. If not, then so be it."

"The third trial is inside the cauldron, being refined by its flames?" Meng Chuan muttered to himself.

With his current realm, Meng Chuan could discern some truth about this cauldron. He could vaguely sense some of the profound mysteries within the runes on the cauldron's surface. He even sensed intuitively that if the cauldron's power were fully unleashed, its might would far exceed imagination. He had a feeling that his Microcosmic Undying Body would be like mere dust before the cauldron's power, scattering with a single puff.

Even ten or a hundred of himself would be annihilated.

"Just a slight sensation fills my life's instinct with immense fear. I definitely can't withstand the third trial right now," Meng Chuan thought, recognizing his limitations.

This was normal.

Top-tier Seven-Calamity mighty figures like the Master of Demon Eye and Ancestor Witch King, beings who could instantly annihilate him, had only managed to pass the third trial.

"Don't even think about the third trial yet. Becoming a Seven-Calamity mighty figure is the most basic requirement to pass it," the turtle-shell elder chuckled. "And there are other trials. Generally, half of all Seven-Calamity mighty figures can't even withstand the third trial."

Meng Chuan smiled upon hearing this. His intuition was indeed correct; once the cauldron ignited with raging flames, its might would be far beyond what he could currently endure.

"The second trial."

Meng Chuan's Essential Spirit power spread out, enveloping the cauldron's rotating disk valve.

"It's truly complex," Meng Chuan thought. As soon as he sensed it, he discovered a vast quantity of runes within the rotating disk valve, forming nine layers of structure from the bottom up.

These nine layers of runes were connected to the entire cauldron.

The nine layers of runes on the rotating disk valve served as a trigger, a key, and the crucial core for activating the entire cauldron's formation.

"I can't understand the entire cauldron's formation, but this rotating disk valve is just a trigger. The nine layers of runes... are still much simpler compared to the complete cauldron formation. At least I can make some sense of it," Meng Chuan thought, sensing it and pondering meticulously.

Immersed in thought, he meticulously sorted through the vast nine layers of runes. Only after organizing them all and vaguely understanding their complete structure did Meng Chuan awaken from his trance.

Meng Chuan found that the turtle-shell elder had already fallen asleep beside him, snoring.

"You've been studying for over a year. How's it going?" the turtle-shell elder said, one moment snoring, the next opening his eyes to look at Meng Chuan, then yawning. "Understood it yet?"

Over a year?

During this past year, Meng Chuan's various Essential Spirit avatars had put their full effort into studying it. Especially in the Kunyun Secret Realm, where time flowed ten times faster, most of his Essential Spirit origin was there. In reality, it took him over a decade to fully sort through it.

"Senior Bei, there's no time limit in the Nine Refining Pagoda, right?" Meng Chuan asked.

"As long as this avatar of yours is alive, there's no time limit," the turtle-shell elder chuckled. "If this avatar dies, it means you've failed. The next time you can come will be at least ten thousand years later."

Meng Chuan nodded. "The formation contained within this rotating disk valve is complex. I'll need more time to open it."

"As long as you have confidence, take your time. I have all the time in the world," the turtle-shell elder chuckled, closed his eyes again, and resumed snoring soundly.

Meng Chuan smiled and continued to focus on comprehending the nine layers of runes on the rotating disk valve.

"Comprehending these nine layers of runes has greatly broadened my horizons. The moment I fully grasp them will also be the moment I master the Spatial Dao," Meng Chuan already understood. "The key to this second trial is the Spatial Dao."

All things exist dependent on space.

The Spatial Dao is one of the two great foundations of the entire River of Spacetime.

Its importance... is not merely reflected in being the "strongest Six-Calamity Dao."

Mastering the Spatial Dao is one of the thresholds for turning the valve, and it is only natural.

Meng Chuan sat cross-legged before the cauldron, comprehending the nine layers of runes on the rotating disk valve. The turtle-shell elder was also sound asleep beside the cauldron. Fifteen years passed in a blink of an eye, though Meng Chuan's actual cultivation time was much longer.

The Valley of Spacetime had fifteen structural layers, and the White Bird Pavilion occupied four of the larger ones.

Within one of these spacetime layers, covered by a formation, in a certain area, the spacetime slightly vibrated and distorted, and a faint plant subtly appeared.

"Hmm?"

Two figures arrived almost instantly. They were the Six-Calamity mighty figures from the White Bird Pavilion responsible for guarding this layer of spacetime.

The short, stout figure had small eyes, but his entire being seemed like a moving world, exuding immense pressure. He stared at the faintly visible plant; its three leaves were discernible, as was the shape of its flower.

"It's a Void Three-Leaf Flower," the stout figure said, his eyes burning with eagerness.

"The Void Three-Leaf Flower will fully blossom half an hour after it appears. It must be consumed within one day, or it will wither and return to spacetime," the other mighty figure, a woman in green robes, also showed a hint of longing. They had come to the Valley of Spacetime precisely for these Void Three-Leaf Flowers. "By the way, according to the order, whose turn is it for this Void Three-Leaf Flower?"

The stout figure thought for a moment. "It should be Dongning's turn."

"Him?" The woman in green robes raised an eyebrow. "That Lord Dongning, his entry into the Valley of Spacetime by cutting in line, relying on his friendship with the Blazing Sun Pavilion Master, caused quite a bit of dissatisfaction among many."

"Indeed, even I was forced to step back a spot," the stout figure chuckled. "A newly ascended Six-Calamity cultivator, with no contributions to the White Bird Pavilion, yet able to enter the Valley of Spacetime so early—many Six-Calamity cultivators were envious and jealous, and some were even displeased. But who would have thought... a newly ascended Essential Spirit Six-Calamity cultivator could actually defeat the Scarlet Lord of the Black Demon Hall."

"Indeed, that battle truly startled me," the woman in green robes said. "To think that Dongning quietly reached the peak Six-Calamity level, and could even defeat the Scarlet Lord!"

Many mighty figures in the Black Demon Hall knew about Meng Chuan's intelligence, and this information naturally circulated among the various major powers in the River of Spacetime.

Even general intelligence indicated that Meng Chuan had become a top-tier Six-Calamity cultivator and had defeated the Scarlet Lord.

If one had detailed intelligence, it would include a precise description of Meng Chuan's strength, even revealing aspects like his Essential Spirit secret art, "Eye of Darkness," and more.

"The Void Three-Leaf Flower will blossom in half an hour. Let's report to Mountain Lord Moxie first," the stout figure said.