Chapter 733: Desires Are Hard to Satisfy

The great hall was dim. Emperor Wanxing sat cross-legged, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

“Suitable medium-sized life worlds are becoming harder to find,” Emperor Wanxing mused. For years, he had grown accustomed to commanding forbidden creatures of the Seventh Tribulation realm to devour 'medium-sized life worlds,' acquiring the accumulated treasures within them. He could no longer tolerate other methods of obtaining treasures within the River of Spacetime; they were simply too slow. A lifetime's worth of gains wouldn't compare to the hundred-plus medium-sized life worlds he had consumed. The worlds he consumed were not ordinary medium-sized life worlds; he specifically chose those that had once given birth to mighty beings of the Seventh Tribulation realm.

“There are only just over a million medium-sized life worlds in the entire universe that have ever given birth to a Seventh Tribulation realm being. They possess extremely deep foundations, and it's normal for one or two to decay every tens of thousands of years. But tens of thousands of years, and over a hundred have decayed? That number is clearly abnormal. Furthermore, in those decayed medium-sized life worlds, all living beings were completely annihilated! By rights, Venerable-level, Emperor-level, and Tribulation-realm beings should be able to survive in the outer void. Their complete extinction is also highly unusual. Any top-tier force, with a slight investigation, would discover these irregularities.”

“Although no one has conclusive proof that I am responsible, there will undoubtedly be subtle suspicions,” Emperor Wanxing said calmly. “Since they already suspect, I might as well make a decisive move!” His desires were insatiable. Cultivating to his level, relying on external assistance required incredibly astonishing treasures. “In decaying worlds, too many treasures have been consumed, and too little remains. And I've already selected all the suitable decaying ones; the others haven't reached that stage yet. So, I'll choose a young one instead.”

After devouring over a hundred decaying 'medium-sized life worlds,' Emperor Wanxing finally couldn't resist targeting a younger life world. “This is it—Lutian Realm. The semi-eighth Tribulation realm being who died there passed away just over ten million years ago, so most of its treasures are likely still preserved,” Emperor Wanxing said, his eyes cold. “This single life world is worth dozens of the previous ones.”

He had yet to create a 'physical body technique of the Eighth Tribulation realm.' He had seen the remains of an Eighth Tribulation realm being and understood how terrifying an 'Eighth Tribulation realm physical body' was; it was practically a miniature universe! Creating such a physical body technique was far more difficult than creating a miniature universe. For a physical body of the Eighth Tribulation realm, the required spiritual will is lower than for a Primordial Spirit of the Eighth Tribulation realm, and one only needs to physically withstand the tribulation. However, creating the physical body technique itself is immensely challenging; among dozens of semi-eighth Tribulation realm beings, perhaps only one can create an Eighth Tribulation realm physical body.

Emperor Wanxing knew very well that looking at the history of semi-eighth Tribulation realm beings, he wasn't particularly dazzling. His current progress in physical body techniques made it clear that if he continued normally, he might never create a complete technique before his death! He didn't want to die in obscurity, so he would fight for it! He would pave his path to the Eighth Tribulation realm with countless treasures and resources.

“If only there were no White Bird Pavilion Master in this era,” Emperor Wanxing murmured. Without the White Bird Pavilion Master, his schemes would have caught other Seventh Tribulation realm beings off guard, unbeknownst to them.

Half a month later, the dim great hall silently arrived in the Northern Heavenly River Domain, where Lutian Realm was located. From within the hall, Emperor Wanxing remotely observed the area where Lutian Realm resided. A colossal creature opened its gaping maw and, in one gulp, completely swallowed Lutian Realm.

In Lutian Realm, the strongest being of the current era was a Fifth Tribulation realm expert! Their true body in their home world was instantly annihilated, and their true body in the outer domain was similarly targeted by Emperor Wanxing himself. “My home world,” the Fifth Tribulation realm expert's eyes were splitting with rage, but with Emperor Wanxing's intervention, the space and time around their true body in the outer domain were sealed off. They couldn't even transmit any message before being annihilated.

“Heavenly Emperor.” The black-robed figure, following the sensation of the life core, easily arrived in the dim great hall and presented themselves before Emperor Wanxing.

“These are all the treasures from Lutian Realm,” the black-robed figure said respectfully, handing over a treasure pagoda, their eyes burning with eagerness. “Heavenly Emperor, when will you make your next move?” The medium-sized life world devoured this time was very young and incredibly 'delicious,' making it feel as if it had grown somewhat stronger.

“No rush,” Emperor Wanxing said, flipping his hand to produce an ancient, broken wine cup. “Rest for now.” The black-robed figure dared not disobey and transformed into a streak of light, flying into the broken wine cup.

“This harvest…” Emperor Wanxing gazed at the numerous treasures within the pagoda. Upon inspection, his eyes lit up. “It's equivalent to thirty percent of what I've accumulated over all these years! The treasures from a life world where a semi-eighth Tribulation realm being died not long ago are truly astonishing.”

“The accumulation is nearly complete; I can make another sacrifice,” Emperor Wanxing thought, thrilled by the harvest. However, he also knew that devouring 'decaying worlds' and devouring 'young worlds' would provoke different reactions from various forces. “Let's see the reactions from all sides.” Emperor Wanxing’s eyes were cold and deep. He was confident that at most, the various forces would only have suspicions, with no conclusive proof that he was behind it.

Before the bamboo forest lake, the Ancestral Elder sat fishing, watching countless scenes of spacetime in the water. One after another, spacetime regions and life worlds emerged and rippled. Among them, every life world that had ever given birth to a 'semi-eighth Tribulation realm being' was under surveillance.

A ripple disturbed the surface. As the Ancestral Elder fished, he looked towards a particular area, his expression subtly changing. “Lutian Realm?” The space and time where Lutian Realm was located were suddenly obscured and isolated. He could no longer observe it, nor could he travel there.

“I can't even observe it? He acted again?” The Ancestral Elder's expression turned solemn. With his mastery of spacetime and his secret lake treasure, for an area of spacetime like Lutian Realm to be so completely obscured that he couldn't perceive it... only those two semi-eighth Tribulation realm beings of this era possessed such power.

Soon, that area of spacetime returned to normal. But Lutian Realm had vanished! The void where it once stood was empty; nothing remained.

“Lutian Realm is gone. This was a very young life world, born just over a billion years ago. His desires are growing insatiable. As he ages and approaches his demise, his desires will become increasingly terrifying.” The Ancestral Elder's face was cold. Simultaneously, his Primordial Spirit avatars investigated through various channels, confirming that the three Tribulation realm cultivators from Lutian Realm, including the Fifth Tribulation realm mighty being, were all dead.

As a newly ascended Primordial Spirit of the Seventh Tribulation realm, Meng Chuan's life was very peaceful. Previously, he had targeted the Black Demon Hall, but after the Black Demon Hall adopted a strategy of forbearance and abandoned all large-scale slaughter operations, Meng Chuan became even more at leisure, dedicating almost all his focus to cultivation.

“Heaven-Opening!” Before the Painter Saint Mountain, Meng Chuan had a Primordial Spirit avatar, still engaged in painting, drawing the 'Heaven-Opening Diagram.' He observed the flow of spacetime using the 'Six-Brush Rune Seal' secret technique, particularly with incredible clarity from Clear Spring Island. Cultivating elsewhere was like a mortal standing far away, looking at a lake and finding it calm as a mirror. But cultivating on Clear Spring Island was like a mortal standing by the lake's edge, watching up close, able to discern faint ripples on the water's surface.

Clear Spring Island allowed Meng Chuan, using the 'Six-Brush Rune Seal' method, to observe the flow of spacetime and the rules of heaven-opening with greater clarity. And so, he painted! The Eternal Secret Treasure Seal, from which he could glimpse some of the mysteries of the heaven-opening rules—he painted that too! He also copied and painted the various diagrams on Painter Saint Mountain that depicted the heaven-opening rules! With the 'Six-Brush Rune Seal,' a secret painting technique that allowed him to observe all things, his cultivation progressed much faster. The rules of heaven-opening advanced rapidly, making leaps and bounds... Meng Chuan felt that if he continued like this, he might be able to grasp the heaven-opening rules in one go.

“Meng Chuan.” A message arrived.

“Ancestral Elder.” Meng Chuan paused his cultivation. He held the Ancestral Elder in great respect.

“Tomorrow, I will be hosting a gathering of friends from all sides at the Nebula Palace. Please come,” the Ancestral Elder's message conveyed.

Meng Chuan was surprised. The Ancestral Elder inviting friends from all sides?

“I will certainly be there.” Meng Chuan replied without hesitation.