Chapter 716: Rewalking the Path of the Demon Mountain

In the ancient world of the Demon Mountain, Meng Chuan appeared out of thin air. He looked up at the towering mountain, where three paths extended towards its peak.

“The more I cultivate, the more unfathomable Eighth-level Tribulation Eminences seem,” Meng Chuan mused inwardly. “Between the Seventh and Eighth Levels of Tribulation, there's seemingly only one tribulation's difference... yet, the leap in life essence and power is a fundamental transformation. This Demon Mountain, left behind by its master, makes it incredibly difficult for us Seventh-level Tribulation Eminences to reach its peak.”

Powers created by Eighth-level Tribulation Eminences, such as the Eternal Tower, Nebula Palace, and Black Demon Hall, can endure for endless ages. The Eternal Tower's ‘Eye of Eternity’ can consistently maintain Seventh-level Tribulation Eminence power and live for hundreds of millions of years. Yet, even the Eye of Eternity... is merely a creation left behind by the Eternal Tower's master.

The Dragon Ancestor and Phoenix Ancestor modified bloodlines, allowing generations of pure-blooded dragons and phoenixes to possess power comparable to Fifth-level Tribulation Eminences upon reaching adulthood.

Meng Chuan had even ‘witnessed’ the Dragon Ancestor creating a universe, as well as the well-known feats of ‘transcending reincarnation’—leaping beyond the timeline, traveling to other universes, and visiting higher life worlds. Such methods were beyond the wildest dreams of Seventh-level Tribulation Eminences like Meng Chuan.

“When I was weaker, I knew that Fifth-level Tribulation Eminences were considered immortal in their home worlds. As long as an Eighth-level Tribulation Eminence didn't appear, no contemporary grand master could slay a Fifth-level Tribulation Eminence across worlds,” Meng Chuan thought to himself. “However, after I became a Seventh-level Tribulation Eminence and learned more information, I realized... even if a Seventh-level Tribulation Eminence hides in their home world, an Eighth-level Tribulation Eminence can still potentially slay them.”

“This is because the protection of a home world stems from the rules of space-time.”

“Eighth-level Tribulation Eminences have already transcended the long river of space-time, allowing them to penetrate the barriers of space-time rules.” Meng Chuan only learned this after his power breakthrough, when the White Bird Pavilion Master provided more detailed information, much of which concerned Eighth-level Tribulation Eminences.

For those at their level, Eighth-level Tribulation Eminences commanded the utmost reverence.

The operating rules of space-time might seem supreme.

However, in the eyes of Eighth-level Tribulation Eminences, they are like a sieve. For instance, while the universe was originally meant to block all chaotic creatures, the Demon Mountain's master created the ‘Turbid River of Chaos,’ connecting the inside and outside of the universe and consistently guiding chaotic creatures (forbidden creatures) into the universe along this river.

Someone like the Dragon Ancestor, implicitly the strongest Eighth-level Tribulation Eminence, has even created a universe, so their penetration of the operating rules of space-time would only be even more profound.

“The path of cultivation is long and arduous, requiring even greater patience and focus.” From this perspective, Meng Chuan found Lord Lihong somewhat admirable, for being able to cultivate the Time Rule to such a profound level without ever diverting attention to comprehend a second fundamental rule. Given the difficulty of the Time Rule, anyone who can cultivate it to such a profound level would typically already be a peak Seventh-level Tribulation Eminence.

While he found Lord Lihong's dedication to the Time Rule, at the expense of other power improvements, somewhat admirable, Meng Chuan clearly wouldn't follow that path.

He had already mastered the innate technique, ‘Blade of Creation’. After passing his tribulation, it was natural for him to prioritize comprehending the ‘Heaven-Opening Rule’.

Only by combining the Chaos Hole Rule and the Heaven-Opening Rule would his various abilities truly flourish, making him a truly formidable peak Seventh-level Tribulation Eminence. To build upon these two opposing fundamental rules, and then to comprehend time... this was the path Meng Chuan was determined to take.

He took a breath.

Meng Chuan stepped onto the Path of Mind. He flew along this path and soon reached the point where he had stopped last time—73,000 li.

“Now, 73,000 li is indeed much easier for me.” Meng Chuan listened to the sounds emanating from the mountain peak, feeling no pressure whatsoever.

Clearly, after comprehending fundamental rules, creating the ‘Painted World’ cultivation method, and refining his Painted Essence Soul, his spiritual will had greatly improved. However, the sounds from the mountain peak no longer had a tempering effect on his Essence Soul.

Meng Chuan walked step by step, each stride covering two to three li, and quickly reached the 80,000 li mark.

“80,000 li, three paths unite?” Meng Chuan saw that the path he was on and the ‘Possession Path’ finally merged ahead. All three paths of the Demon Mountain completely converged into one at the 80,000 li mark.

Upon reaching the 80,000 li mark, Meng Chuan pondered for a moment, then took a step into the merged path.

“Boom.”

Meng Chuan's consciousness sensed a Sixth-level Tribulation life-form, an alien being bathed in flames. The alien was using fire to forge a large black hammer, and Meng Chuan felt as if he had become this alien.

“On the Possession Path, all these possessed Sixth-level Tribulation Eminences broke through via the Path of Enlightenment,” Meng Chuan knew. “Historically, none who became Sixth-level Tribulation Eminences through the Path of Enlightenment had a good end; their paths were all flawed. This alien being's cultivation is also flawed; his path of fire is too ferocious. While it might be fine for combat, if used for cultivating the physical body, it would only make him more brutal and push him towards madness and becoming a demon.”

After reaching the Seventh-level Tribulation Eminence, Meng Chuan understood why the Demon Mountain's ‘Path of Enlightenment’ had such significant flaws.

It was simply because everything came too easily, too quickly!

Under enlightenment, vast insights continuously converged, rapidly accumulating to form ‘Sixth-level Tribulation rules.’ Could one truly comprehend them without experiencing trials, numerous setbacks, or even time to repeatedly verify them through practice? If that were the case, then comprehending flawless Sixth-level Tribulation rules would be a miracle. And history proved this: all Sixth-level Tribulation Eminences who emerged from the Path of Enlightenment were flawed.

Meng Chuan shook his head slightly, then took another step, possessing another Sixth-level Tribulation Eminence.

Meng Chuan proceeded slowly, carefully experiencing the paths of various Sixth-level Tribulation life-forms.

Although each was flawed, they were all Sixth-level Tribulation rules, part of the operation of space-time itself. They simply weren't suitable to be fundamental cultivation paths. From Meng Chuan's elevated perspective, analyzing them still yielded insights.

Three years later.

Meng Chuan reached the 90,000 li mark, and the possessions completely ended. He felt he had gained a lot and broadened his horizons.

“There's a tempering effect now.” Meng Chuan continued walking, and the sounds emanating from the peak grew increasingly vast. He could also hear some complete sentences, though he couldn't understand their meaning.

A complete sentence had an even greater impact on his Essence Soul.

Most Physical Body Seventh-level Tribulation Eminences found it difficult to reach the 90,000 li mark. As an Essence Soul Seventh-level Tribulation Eminence who had also comprehended his own Essence Soul cultivation method, Meng Chuan also felt the impact.

“Rumbling…”

His Painted Essence Soul felt the sounds assaulting it repeatedly.

His Painted Essence Soul, being highly inclusive, endured and embraced the impacts.

92,000 li, 93,000 li, 94,000 li, 95,000 li... Meng Chuan walked slower and slower, as more complete sentences emerged, and the impact grew increasingly terrifying, each phrase reverberating endlessly within Meng Chuan's Essence Soul.

“At 90,000 li, I still felt relatively relaxed, but the closer I get to the peak, the more rapidly the impact increases.” Meng Chuan now looked up and could vaguely make out the peak.

Veiled by mist, the peak was indistinct.

However, the sounds from the peak were now as vast as rolling thunder, resounding within his Essence Soul, making it rumble loudly. Meng Chuan felt his Essence Soul was becoming somewhat disoriented from the bombardment.

“This is the limit of my ability to remain conscious.” Meng Chuan stopped, at 98,000 li.

Although he could vaguely see the peak, he was clearly still some distance away.

Reaching the summit signified that one's spiritual will had reached the threshold of a Physical Body Eighth-level Tribulation Eminence.

As for an Essence Soul Eighth-level Tribulation Eminence, the required spiritual will? It was far, far higher!

“This journey through the Demon Mountain was primarily to possess thousands of Sixth-level Tribulation Eminences, enriching my understanding of all things in space-time, which will aid my comprehension of the Three Thousand Illusion Formations. As for spiritual will, there was no progress whatsoever.” Meng Chuan had long been prepared for this; at his current level of spiritual will, further improvement primarily depended on perfecting his Essence Soul cultivation method.

After leaving the Demon Mountain, Meng Chuan remained focused on comprehending the Three Thousand Illusion Formations. Every improvement in his formation mastery would be reflected in the structure of his Essence Soul world.

Finally, one day, 103 years after comprehending the Chaos Hole Rule, as Meng Chuan had anticipated, the Heavenly Tribulation descended once more.