Chapter 737: Mixed Hole Opening Heaven Formation

Chapter 17: Temptation and Breakthrough

Facing the Black Demon Ancestor, Emperor Wanxing dared not show the slightest disrespect.

The Black Demon Ancestor was a renowned Eighth-level Tribulation Being in this Space-Time River. He had forged the Black Demon Hall and Nightmare Hall, two legacy treasures, which were comparable to Eternal Secret Treasures for Seventh-level Tribulation Beings. His mastery in crafting treasures alone revealed his unfathomable depth. The Black Demon Hall's influence had plagued this Space-Time River for a long time, yet other Eighth-level Tribulation Beings could only tolerate it.

On one hand, Dragon Ancestor believed that 'appropriate threats fostered the growth of Tribulation cultivators,' so he merely imposed some restrictions instead of completely destroying the Black Demon Hall. On the other hand, the Black Demon Ancestor himself was too powerful. Along with the Master of Eternal Tower, the Master of Demon Mountain, Phoenix Ancestor, and a few others, he had advanced far in the Eighth-level Tribulation stage, earning the title of a top-tier Eighth-level Tribulation Being. Reaching this level, Dragon Ancestor could not eliminate the Black Demon Ancestor in a one-on-one fight. To destroy a top-tier Eighth-level Tribulation Being, Dragon Ancestor would need to gather allies and pay a huge price, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed. Therefore, figures like the Black Demon Ancestor and the Master of Demon Mountain possessed the privilege to act capriciously. As long as they didn't 'overturn the table' by causing irreparable chaos, other Eighth-level Tribulation Beings would tolerate them as much as possible.

"You have awakened me again?" The Black Demon Ancestor's eyes seemed to contain billions of worlds. Emperor Wanxing dared not meet his gaze and respectfully said, "Black Demon Ancestor, I have prepared enough treasures."

The Black Demon Ancestor looked at him.

"Ancestor, please see."

Emperor Wanxing respectfully presented a treasure pagoda, which contained countless rare treasures he had prepared. With a wave of his hand, the treasure pagoda flew into the Black Demon Ancestor's grasp. He revealed a slight smile, and his smile influenced the surrounding space-time. Even with his head bowed, Emperor Wanxing felt an inexplicable sense of joy, yet his heart grew even warier. "Last time, I directly met his gaze, and my physical body distorted, gradually transforming into a nightmare creature. This time, I dared not look at him, yet he can still affect my mind?"

It wasn't that he hadn't met Eighth-level Tribulation Beings before. He had interacted with several, and with others, he could converse freely and meet their gaze without any ill effect, as he himself was a Half-Step Eighth-level Tribulation Being who had mastered the rules of time and space. But only the Black Demon Ancestor! The pressure he exerted was immense! Yet, the benefits the Black Demon Ancestor could offer were also the greatest.

"Very well," the Black Demon Ancestor said, after scanning the numerous rare treasures inside the pagoda. He nodded in satisfaction. "Their value is approximately thirty billion units."

Just as the Master of Demon Mountain had left a method to summon him—gather a thousand cores of Sixth-level Tribulation Forbidden creatures, or ten cores of Seventh-level Tribulation Forbidden creatures, to request an audience—the Black Demon Ancestor had also left a similar method, but his demands were higher. 'Thirty billion units' was the threshold for sacrifices to meet him. Disturbing him without sufficient treasures would be a death wish. The Black Demon Hall had long plundered the entire Space-Time River. Members carrying out the actions benefited, and the current Black Demon Hall Master and Nightmare Hall Master also received shares. Profits were distributed layer by layer, but a portion always ended up in the Black Demon Hall's treasury. The Black Demon Ancestor would awaken once every long epoch to harvest these treasures from the Black Demon Hall's treasury.

"Tell me, what do you wish to exchange for?" The Black Demon Ancestor stood there as an ethereal book materialized.

Emperor Wanxing had seen this book before during his previous visit. The book mostly contained knowledge such as cultivation methods and secret techniques, as knowledge had little cost for the Black Demon Ancestor. A very small portion consisted of rare treasures, whose true value was far less than 'thirty billion units,' perhaps only a few hundred million units. Yet, these were treasures Emperor Wanxing couldn't access otherwise.

"I want the second volume of the Eternal Method, 'Bloodline'," Emperor Wanxing said without hesitation. He had long coveted this volume.

With a gentle tap, a black light flew into Emperor Wanxing's glabella, transferring the knowledge. The Black Demon Ancestor was most willing to sell knowledge. These were things he had already mastered, allowing him to personally impart them without any cost, essentially a no-capital business. Even ordinary Eighth-level Tribulation Beings might not learn a complete Eternal legacy, and even if they did, they couldn't impart it without fully mastering it.

"You have ten billion units remaining for exchange. What else do you wish for?" the Black Demon Ancestor asked.

Emperor Wanxing felt the vast content of the second volume of 'Bloodline'. Many confusions from his study of the first volume were now answered in the second. Suppressing his desire to immediately delve into understanding it, Emperor Wanxing promptly said, "Black Demon Ancestor, the current situation is unfavorable to me. An Eighth-level Tribulation Being might target me. Can Ancestor teach me how to preserve my life?"

"I will not participate in your disputes," the Black Demon Ancestor said indifferently. "As for preserving your life, I have already helped you as much as I can."

Emperor Wanxing felt a little disappointed. During the first sacrifice, the Black Demon Ancestor had wished for this 'tool' that collected treasures for him to live longer, and had already imparted many methods. However, this time, the Ancestor of Realms had exposed everything, leaving Emperor Wanxing somewhat uneasy. After all, no matter how invincible he seemed now, if an Eighth-level Tribulation Being truly made a move, he would still feel panicked.

"Do you wish to exchange these ten billion units?" the Black Demon Ancestor asked again.

"I'll save them for a future exchange." Emperor Wanxing showed restraint. His goal was to acquire as many of the nine volumes of the Eternal Method 'Bloodline' as possible. It was rumored that these nine volumes explained all the mysteries of bloodlines. For instance, he had glimpsed some of the mysteries of how Forbidden creatures could 'devour' to become powerful in the first volume, and his own strength had increased significantly as a result.

The Black Demon Ancestor quite liked Emperor Wanxing, who only exchanged for cultivation methods; he considered him a good 'tool.' He immediately said, "You have sacrificed twice. As an exception, I have a treasure you can exchange for. I once slew a Chaos Overlord who manipulated blood, and obtained a drop of its Origin Blood. If you consume this drop of Origin Blood, your physical body will transform, elevating it to near an Eighth-level Tribulation Being's level. Since you have already mastered the rules of time and space, your consciousness will not be distorted, and you will be able to control this physical body."

"A physical body nearly at the Eighth-level Tribulation stage?" Emperor Wanxing's eyes lit up.

"With this, your strength can greatly increase, allowing you to handle crises," the Black Demon Ancestor said. "Furthermore, you can use it as a foundation to create a physical body method perfectly suited for yourself, which will also increase your chances of becoming an Eighth-level Tribulation Being."

It sounded good. In reality, this was a clever trick, using the Chaos Overlord's Origin Blood to distort one's own body, making it resemble the Chaos Overlord's. The physical body could indeed approach the Eighth-level Tribulation stage. But to create a physical body method based on it? The hope would still be very low. If there was only a one percent chance before, obtaining that drop of Chaos Overlord Origin Blood would only increase the hope of creating a physical body method to two or three percent. The Black Demon Ancestor did this primarily because he hoped this 'tool' could live longer. Many things were unsuitable for Eighth-level Tribulation Beings to do, but they were suitable for cultivators of this era.

"How much can I exchange it for?" Emperor Wanxing asked eagerly, his heart burning with desire. He was unwilling to give up the chance to personally experience a physical body near the Eighth-level Tribulation stage.

"Fifty billion units," the Black Demon Ancestor stated.

Emperor Wanxing inwardly felt a headache; this was a sum that made his heart tremble. After cultivating for so many years, besides his other personal expenses, and having consumed so many medium-sized life worlds, he had only made two sacrifices. Including the ten billion units he had saved this time, he would still need forty billion units next time. All told, three sacrifices would amount to exactly one hundred billion units!

"Obtaining this Origin Blood will make your strength far greater than it is now, and your chances of becoming an Eighth-level Tribulation Being will also increase," the Black Demon Ancestor leisurely said. He could sense Emperor Wanxing's unease, especially after his first attack on a young medium-sized life world had been exposed. The Black Demon Ancestor didn't want Emperor Wanxing to become restrained from now on; he wanted Emperor Wanxing to become more greedy, more frantic... As for Emperor Wanxing's ultimate fate, he didn't care. What he cared about was that the treasures would ultimately be sacrificed to him.

No wonder! Even as an Eighth-level Tribulation Being, he greatly valued treasures. Even powerful beings like Dragon Ancestor sought to collect treasures not only in their home universe but also across the endless space-time, making him widely recognized as the wealthiest in this universe. He even extended his reach into other universes, causing other Eighth-level Tribulation Beings to envy him. It was very difficult for other Eighth-level Tribulation Beings to reach into other universes, as they would be resisted by the native Eighth-level Tribulation Beings there. Only someone as powerful as Dragon Ancestor could forcefully infiltrate despite such resistance. Similarly, the Master of Demon Mountain painstakingly arranged the 'Chaos Turbid River' to continuously lure Seventh-level Tribulation Forbidden creatures in, regularly awakening to 'harvest' them. The Eternal Tower and the Black Demon Hall operated differently: one earned transaction fees from widespread trading across the Space-Time River, while the other plundered the Space-Time River. Both were distinct ways of acquiring treasures. Only with enough treasures as resources could one advance further on the cultivation path.

Everyone knew that the treasures within medium and even high-level life worlds were the most immense, representing the greatest riches in the entire universe! However... life worlds were the universe's 'reverse scale,' something not to be touched. Countless lives were born from these worlds, and the universe painstakingly protected each one. Eighth-level Tribulation Beings were born and grew within this universe, owing it a vast karmic debt. Their actions, whether righteous, evil, or wicked, must not shake the foundation of this universe or touch its 'reverse scale.' They already owed much to their home universe; if they were further detested by it and entangled in karma, the trouble would be immense. But it was different for those below the Eighth-level Tribulation. Those below the Eighth-level Tribulation had not transcended the Space-Time River; they were still a part of it. No matter how they fought, plundered, or transferred things, it all remained within the Space-Time River. The Black Demon Ancestor was currently luring Emperor Wanxing, though this was merely a casual move for him. While traveling through endless space-time was difficult and earning treasures wasn't easy, what Emperor Wanxing sacrificed wasn't significant to the Black Demon Ancestor. It was simply the principle that 'even a mosquito, however small, is still meat' that made him offer a drop of Origin Blood to entice Emperor Wanxing.

The transaction concluded, and the Black Demon Ancestor's figure dissipated and vanished.

Emperor Wanxing stood there, silently pondering for a long time.

In the days that followed, the Space-Time River remained peaceful. Emperor Wanxing didn't immediately destroy another life world, nor did any Eighth-level Tribulation Beings descend to deal with him. Yet, all forces sensed turbulent undercurrents beneath the calm surface.

On the distant Qianyuan Mountain, inside a wooden house.

Meng Chuan was painting. On Qianyuan Mountain, he was usually the only one awake. He was quite lonely and could only focus on cultivation and combat. Since mastering the Six-Stroke Talisman Seal Secret Art, painting had become a form of cultivation for him. The painting before him depicted black light, stroke by stroke of ink coalescing into terrifying dark radiance. This black light seemed capable of cleaving through everything, its terrifying fluctuations affecting the outside yet completely confined within the wooden house.

Meng Chuan revealed a faint smile. "After more than two thousand years on Qianyuan Mountain, today I have finally comprehended the Heaven-Opening Rule."

Two thousand years had passed for his cultivation on Qianyuan Mountain, while only sixty-eight years had elapsed in his home universe, due to the significant time flow difference between the two locations.