Chapter 720: Farewell, World Ancestor

Ancestor Lin was equally decisive. He swiftly cleared out the layer of the Universe Nest he occupied, dismantled all the fixed formations he had established, and departed quietly.

"Perhaps this is an opportunity for me to change," Ancestor Lin mused silently as he traversed the River of Spacetime. He had guarded the Universe Nest for too long, dedicating many years to intensive cultivation.

"Regarding the Rule of Karma, I'm just one final bottleneck away from a breakthrough, yet it has troubled me persistently. As for the Rule of Spacetime, I've grasped the past and present, but the future remains elusive, let alone a complete understanding of the Rule of Time." Ancestor Lin pondered this. He had been a Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator for over a hundred thousand years and had lived for a very long time. He had completely given up on mastering the entire 'Rule of Time,' now single-mindedly focusing on achieving a complete mastery of the Rule of Karma.

"Once successful, possessing two major fundamental rules, I will become a top-tier Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator. If I were a top-tier Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator, how would the White Bird Pavilion dare to bully me?" Ancestor Lin mused privately. In the River of Spacetime, one's status was quite distinct. Ordinary Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivators had limited deterrent power, and a small number of 'Half-step Seventh-Tribulation Realm' cultivators could even rival them. These Half-step Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivators, apart from not having cultivated a Seventh-Tribulation Realm physical body, were not necessarily weaker than full Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivators in other aspects. This was because many physical body Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivators intentionally left a slight flaw in their physical body cultivation to delay the arrival of their heavenly tribulation.

"I only have just over 30,000 years of life left. It's time to venture into dangerous places and take a risk." Over his long lifespan, Ancestor Lin had accumulated some fortuitous encounters. However, he had always believed that deeper accumulation would make external opportunities more likely to trigger breakthroughs, which was why he had consistently held back. If not for Meng Chuan's appearance this time, Ancestor Lin would likely have endured for several more millennia, perhaps even tens of thousands of years, before venturing out to make his move.

Of the three largest layers of the Universe Nest, only Emperor Chi of the Six Directions Heaven remained.

"Brother Dongning, you've become a Soul Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator just for three layers of the Universe Nest? That's far too little for you to occupy!" Emperor Chi, an imposing man with hearty, exuberant laughter, continued enthusiastically, "If *I* were a Soul Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator, I would have long ago used my numerous fearless soul avatars to contend with the Ancestral Witch Realm, the Primal Realm, and even Emperor Wanxing, tearing off large chunks of territory from them!"

"Emperor Chi, you are an Emperor of the Six Directions Heaven," Meng Chuan responded. Although he had guessed the other party would yield, Emperor Chi's enthusiasm was rather excessive.

"Haha, Emperor Wanxing isn't that petty," Emperor Chi said enthusiastically. "It's rare for all of us to be here today. Brother Shadowfiend and Brother Apprentice are also present. Why don't you come to my cave dwelling, and we can sit down and chat?"

"'No need,' the 'Apprentice,' expressionless as a puppet, replied indifferently."

"We've been neighbors for so many years, yet I've never managed to share a drink at Brother Apprentice's place, nor has he been willing to drink at mine," Emperor Chi said, shaking his head.

"'Since Emperor Chi is willing, please move quickly,' the Shadowfiend Lord stated calmly."

The Six Directions Heaven and the White Bird Pavilion were two diametrically opposed major powers. While the high-ranking members of both major powers could theoretically sit down, chat, and drink together, both the Shadowfiend Lord and the Apprentice possessed rather aloof personalities and were disinclined to socialize. Not only would they not bother with Emperor Chi, but even if Emperor Wanxing himself were present, they would barely show him deference. They had accompanied Meng Chuan because he was an insider of the White Bird Pavilion.

"'Very well, I'll dismantle the formations right away,' Emperor Chi replied. In mere moments, he had dismantled everything, bid farewell, and departed."

"Among the six Emperors of the Six Directions Heaven, Emperor Chi maintains a very low profile, often residing in the Universe Nest, unlike Emperor Xu, who frequently travels," the Shadowfiend Lord remarked calmly. "However, he is adept at schemes and stratagems, and many of Six Directions Heaven's operations are planned and arranged by him."

"What about Emperor Wanxing?" Meng Chuan asked, puzzled. "Emperor Wanxing controls the Rules of Time and Space, knowing the past and future. Surely, he'd be even more formidable in his machinations?"

The expressionless Apprentice, who rarely spoke, chimed in: "Emperor Wanxing holds a transcendent status within the Six Directions Heaven, far surpassing the other five. He rarely involves himself in the Six Directions Heaven's external conflicts."

"Indeed, if he intervenes, it signals a matter of significant importance," the Shadowfiend Lord added.

Meng Chuan nodded. It made sense. With Emperor Wanxing's power, he could simply overpower any stratagem; why would he need to expend much effort on calculations? If he truly engaged in detailed scheming, many Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivators would likely be filled with dread and unease.

Meng Chuan's three soul avatars each entered one of the three largest layers of spacetime within the Universe Nest. The Universe Nest contained no celestial bodies or other life, only surging energy. Meng Chuan decided to establish permanent Eighth-Tribulation Realm formations in the largest layer. There was no need to set up formations in the other two layers because, before they gave birth to 'Cosmic Marvels,' these layers of spacetime held no valuable treasures. Few would dare to initiate conflict over an empty Universe Nest.

Seventh-Tribulation Realm mighty ones were all pragmatic; they wouldn't release the hawk without seeing the rabbit. For a Soul Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator, merely occupying three layers of the Universe Nest, instead of contending for resources with the Ancestral Witch Realm, Six Directions Heaven, or Primal Realm, was already considered a low-key approach. All mighty ones residing in the Universe Nest were generally considered low-key.

"What did Emperor Wanxing mean? Let us befriend Meng Chuan, but not make him an enemy?" Emperor Chi pondered this as he traversed the River of Spacetime. The Emperors of the Six Directions Heaven had long since received instructions from Emperor Wanxing.

"'The White Bird Pavilion is our adversary, but Meng Chuan is not. He can become our friend.' Emperor Chi remembered Emperor Wanxing's words with absolute clarity."

Before a bamboo-lined lake.

The white-haired Ancestor Jie was still fishing, the lake's surface reflecting countless figures from myriad spacetimes. With a soft whoosh, a white-robed, white-haired man flew from a distance and landed nearby, bowing as he greeted, "Ancestor Jie, Senior."

Ancestor Jie looked up at Meng Chuan and couldn't help but smile. "Seeing a young cultivator like you, I truly feel like a senior now." His white hair showed his extreme age; he was truly ancient and close to his demise. Although Meng Chuan also had white hair, the boundless vitality in his eyes and brow indicated his life force was still at its peak, far from its eventual end.

"Come, have a seat," Ancestor Jie invited, gesturing to his side. A bamboo chair and some wine appeared next to them.

Meng Chuan took a seat.

"That you could cultivate for just seven thousand years and reach the Soul Seventh-Tribulation Realm genuinely surprises me; it's truly remarkable. While the White Bird Pavilion Master achieved the Seventh-Tribulation Realm faster than you, he is, after all, a physical body Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator," Ancestor Jie said. "The path of the Soul Tribulation Realm is ultimately more challenging. You are much stronger than I was at your age, and perhaps you truly have a glimmer of hope to reach the Soul Eighth-Tribulation Realm."

"The Soul Eighth-Tribulation Realm..." Meng Chuan mused with a sigh. "I've reviewed numerous records, and the Soul Eighth-Tribulation Realm cultivators who have appeared throughout the history of our River of Spacetime are incredibly few, certainly countable on one's fingers. Information regarding the Soul Eighth Heavenly Tribulation is completely undocumented."

"Eighth-Tribulation Realm cultivators transcend the River of Spacetime. If they choose to conceal their existence, we have no way to trace them," Ancestor Jie explained. "We only know that, throughout the history of our universe, there have been merely dozens of Eighth-Tribulation Realm mighty ones in total! Among those at the Seventh-Tribulation Realm stage, Soul Tribulation Realm cultivators constitute only slightly over ten percent. One can easily deduce that among those few dozens of Eighth-Tribulation Realm mighty ones, Soul Eighth-Tribulation Realm cultivators are exceptionally rare."

"In my youth, I also harbored grand ambitions to challenge the Soul Eighth-Tribulation Realm, and I collected a great deal of related information. All of this, I can give to you," Ancestor Jie offered.

"Thank you, Ancestor Jie, Senior," Meng Chuan replied, genuinely grateful. Ancestor Jie had occupied the position of the strongest Soul Tribulation Realm cultivator of his era for a very long time. The information he had amassed was undoubtedly far more extensive than what Meng Chuan currently possessed. In terms of historical standing, it had to be acknowledged that Ancestor Jie surpassed Patriarch Cangyuan; while Patriarch Cangyuan possessed a hidden 'Eternal Secret Treasure,' in other aspects, he was merely a normal top-tier Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator. Ancestor Jie, however, was a top-tier Soul Seventh-Tribulation Realm cultivator.

"Information provides limited assistance; the crucial factor is your own effort. Simply mastering time and space is incredibly difficult. In many eras, there were no Half-step Eighth-Tribulation Realm cultivators at all," Ancestor Jie sighed. "Our current era, however, is quite remarkable, with two Half-step Eighth-Tribulation Realm cultivators existing concurrently."

Meng Chuan nodded. It was similar to the Cangyuan Realm, where typically only a few Venerables existed in any given era. However, occasionally in certain eras, incredibly talented individuals would emerge, sometimes even more than one concurrently. For instance, Emperor Heisha and the Yin-Yang Elder existed in the same era. Likewise, Patriarch Yuanchu and Patriarch Canghai also lived in the same period. The same held true for the entire River of Spacetime: for most periods, there were no Half-step Eighth-Tribulation Realm cultivators, but the current era was exceptionally powerful.

"Everything I know about the Soul Eighth-Tribulation Realm is compiled here, personally recorded by me," Ancestor Jie said, conjuring a gray-bound booklet and handing it to Meng Chuan.

Meng Chuan solemnly accepted it, his consciousness immediately permeating the booklet to examine its contents. With his level of power, he could naturally absorb the entire content of the booklet in a single thought. He was surprised, and his understanding of the Soul Eighth Tribulation deepened significantly.