Chapter 729: Eight-Etternity Being's Lifespan

Inside the distorted spacetime tunnel, Meng Chuan and Daoist Shan Wu continued their journey.

"We're getting farther and farther from our home universe," Meng Chuan remarked. Through his connection with his true body back home, he could feel the increasing distance, to a degree he found impossible to calculate. He only knew that with his Seventh-Tribulation strength, it would take tens of billions, even trillions of years to travel such a distance.

"Daoist," Meng Chuan asked, "how much longer until we reach Qianyuan Mountain?"

"About half an hour," Daoist Shan Wu replied. "Because I'm a disciple of my master, I can activate a spacetime tunnel directly to Qianyuan Mountain, allowing us to arrive in less than an hour. If I weren't his disciple and had to travel here by my own power from our home universe, it would take at least 300,000 years."

"At least 300,000 years?" Meng Chuan was astonished. An Eighth-Tribulation cultivator would need 300,000 years to travel? How long was the lifespan of a Seventh-Tribulation cultivator?

"The Chaos is truly vast, and travel is not easy," Daoist Shan Wu said. "We can only explore a few nearby universes; exploring dozens is already remarkable. Distant universes? We simply can't explore them because the journey takes too long. Even for us Eighth-Tribulation cultivators, time is precious, as our lifespans are also finite."

Meng Chuan asked curiously, "How long is the lifespan of an Eighth-Tribulation cultivator?"

"The lifespan of an Eighth-Tribulation cultivator isn't fixed; it depends on one's spiritual will," Daoist Shan Wu explained. "Time is formidable. Over long periods, one's spiritual will can be eroded and weakened."

Meng Chuan pondered this. The mind is like a mirror, requiring constant polishing.

"For periods of twenty or thirty thousand years, if one has a clear cultivation goal and strives forward, their spiritual will can naturally advance vigorously. But even then, the closer one gets to the threshold of the Eighth-Tribulation, the harder it becomes to elevate one's spiritual will," Daoist Shan Wu continued. "After becoming an Eighth-Tribulation cultivator, even a tiny improvement in spiritual will is incredibly difficult. One also realizes that becoming an Eternal existence is hopeless, as the gap is simply too vast! Furthermore, solitary and complacent days can gradually erode one's spiritual will."

"It's fine for short periods, but over time, one's spiritual will doesn't progress; it regresses," Daoist Shan Wu explained. "At that point, for Soul Eighth-Tribulation cultivators, their spiritual will declines, their Soul World becomes fragile, and once it can no longer bear the spacetime rules, the Soul World collapses… leading to their death."

"The same applies to Body Cultivators. As they cultivate, their physical bodies grow increasingly powerful, and an Eighth-Tribulation body possesses many formidable aspects. However, if their spiritual will regresses and they can no longer control their Eighth-Tribulation body, their consciousness will instead be completely suppressed by the powerful body, turning them into a corpse."

"Power exceeding one's spiritual will can lead to demise," Daoist Shan Wu stated.

Meng Chuan fell silent. Spiritual will is like a blade; it must be constantly sharpened to remain unmatched. If it rests in comfort for too long, the blade will rust.

"Take those Chaos beings, for example," Daoist Shan Wu said. "Their lives are quite peculiar. Their life cores are inherently eternal, but their power comes from innate talent, and their spiritual will is too weak… Over vast stretches of time, their consciousnesses will ultimately decay and collapse. Eventually, their life core will nurture a new consciousness."

"Eighth-Tribulation existences, however, don't suffer from their consciousness decaying and collapsing. But as long as their spiritual will drops to a point where they can no longer bear their own Soul or physical body, they will die," Daoist Shan Wu explained. "Therefore, the lifespan of an Eighth-Tribulation cultivator is uncertain, varying in length purely based on an individual's spiritual will. In the face of immense time, no Eighth-Tribulation cultivator can maintain a spiritual will that never regresses."

"That's why Eternal existences are truly magnificent," Daoist Shan Wu remarked. "They not only reach the pinnacle of cultivation but also achieve an eternal state of spiritual will."

Meng Chuan nodded in understanding.

"Consequently, when Eighth-Tribulation cultivators are passing time, most of them are in slumber," Daoist Shan Wu chuckled. "Because sleeping is the slowest way for their spiritual will to be eroded."

Slumber was another method of extending one's lifespan.

Meng Chuan listened intently, learning many secrets about Eighth-Tribulation mighty figures from Daoist Shan Wu. Eighth-Tribulation cultivators typically didn't bother sharing such details with Seventh-Tribulation cultivators. It was only because Meng Chuan had mastered the 'Six-Stroke Talisman Seal' secret technique, earning him the chance to become a registered disciple of an Eternal existence, that Daoist Shan Wu held him in such high regard.

"Daoist," Meng Chuan inquired, "I know there are three major thresholds for Soul cultivators to become Eighth-Tribulation: first, spacetime rules; second, spiritual will; and third, overcoming tribulation. Information about this tribulation is completely unavailable in our home universe. Do you know anything about it?"

"Don't ask, and don't seek that information," Daoist Shan Wu replied.

Meng Chuan was slightly taken aback.

Daoist Shan Wu said, "Regarding the 'Heavenly Tribulation' for Soul Eighth-Tribulation cultivators, all I can tell you is that knowing about it beforehand won't help you at all; it will only disturb your state of mind. The best approach is to avoid seeking information. When your strength and spiritual will are sufficient, you can face the tribulation with equanimity."

"Thank you for the guidance, Daoist," Meng Chuan said thoughtfully. Since it was harmful and useless, he decided not to pursue it further. His priority was to first grasp spacetime rules and elevate his spiritual will to the threshold of an Eighth-Tribulation Soul cultivator.

They continued their journey, getting closer and closer to Qianyuan Mountain.

"Qianyuan Mountain was created by my master as a place to test cultivators," Daoist Shan Wu said. "Normally, there are no cultivators there, only Senior Brother Thousand Hands, who is in charge of guarding it."

"Senior Brother Thousand Hands?" Meng Chuan looked at Daoist Shan Wu.

"Senior Brother Thousand Hands is one of my master's three attendants. All registered disciples, and even the eight direct disciples, must respectfully address him as Senior Brother Thousand Hands," Daoist Shan Wu explained. "The master's three attendants are not normal cultivators. They are special beings created by my master at great cost. They have been alive since their creation, and each of them possesses strength comparable to a peak Eighth-Tribulation existence."

Meng Chuan began to understand. They were somewhat similar to the Eye of Eternity, or like puppets.

"We registered disciples, and even the direct disciples, will eventually die with time. However, Senior Brother Thousand Hands and the others will live on indefinitely. My master also shows them exceptional favoritism," Daoist Shan Wu said.

Meng Chuan nodded and asked, "Daoist, did you just mention direct disciples?"

"All Eighth-Tribulation cultivators who become my master's disciples start as registered disciples. Only by cultivating to the peak Eighth-Tribulation level can one become a direct disciple and receive detailed guidance from the master," Daoist Shan Wu explained. "Once someone becomes a direct disciple, the master personally refines a complete set of Eternal Secret Treasures for them. In the endless spacetime, the status of a direct disciple of an Eternal existence is extremely exalted, to the point where even someone like Dragon Ancestor would be unwilling to provoke them."

"Dragon Ancestor didn't become a disciple of an Eternal being?" Meng Chuan asked.

"No," Daoist Shan Wu replied. "Eternal existences are more particular about affinity when taking disciples. Strong cultivation doesn't guarantee acceptance. For instance, my master only has just over a hundred registered disciples."

Meng Chuan understood that taking disciples was purely up to the Eternal existence's personal preference. For example, with that black book, the Eternal existence left behind 3,000 illusion arrays, requiring a Soul Eighth-Tribulation cultivator to break through all of them to become his disciple. Meng Chuan had no idea how difficult these 3,000 illusion arrays truly were. As for the one Daoist Shan Wu followed, the master simply acted on a whim, leaving behind the 'Six-Stroke Painting,' deeming only those who could learn it as having an affinity.

"We've arrived."

They chatted along the way and finally reached Qianyuan Mountain.

Meng Chuan looked into the distance, and a beautiful green mountain appeared before his eyes. It existed within the Chaos, yet it evoked a primal yearning from Meng Chuan's very being.

Daoist Shan Wu guided Meng Chuan through an invisible spacetime barrier, landing within the large mountain.

Meng Chuan immediately saw a black-and-white strange beast sprawled out, sound asleep. It had eight paws; six were wrapped around itself, and the other two occasionally scratched its large head.

"Senior Brother Thousand Hands," Daoist Shan Wu called out softly.

The black-and-white beast's eyes slowly opened, its hazy, round pupils staring blankly around. Only after seeing Daoist Shan Wu and Meng Chuan did it become somewhat more alert.

"Shan Wu, do you have anything to eat or drink?" the black-and-white beast asked lazily.

"Yes, yes, I've already prepared it," Daoist Shan Wu said, expertly waving his hand to conjure numerous fragrant delicacies. Clearly, they had been stored with time suspended, ensuring they were at their peak flavor when brought out.

The black-and-white beast grinned happily, then cast a sidelong glance at Meng Chuan. "Newcomer, didn't bring any food or drink?"