Chapter 743: Treasure Ownership

"The treasure!" Emperor Wanxing was anxious and utterly helpless.

The situation was dire. The White Bird Pavilion Lord had sealed off space-time, preventing him from stopping Meng Chuan and Ancestor Jie. He could only watch as everything unfolded.

On the other hand, Meng Chuan's strength was unexpectedly formidable.

"This forbidden creature, from the Seventh Tribulation Realm, was carefully chosen by me; its power is almost on par with a top-tier Seventh Tribulation Realm expert. How could Meng Chuan possibly devour it without resistance?" Emperor Wanxing felt as though fate had played a cruel joke on him. Logically, a 'top-tier Seventh Tribulation Realm' forbidden creature should have been able to contend with someone at Ancestor Jie's level for a while. Yet, before Meng Chuan, it couldn't even resist the suction.

"Meng Chuan has only recently reached the Seventh Tribulation Realm, yet the power of this technique is probably only surpassed by mine and White Bird's." Emperor Wanxing, with his keen insight, immediately assessed the power of the fifth transformation of Meng Chuan's Chaos Opening Array.

In fact, even with limited accumulation, Meng Chuan's mastery of opposing primordial rules alone allowed him to reach an average level among top-tier Seventh Tribulation Realm cultivators.

Furthermore, he had acquired the innate talent 'Ring of Space-Time', thoroughly deciphering and improving upon its inherent techniques.

In terms of strength...

Without realizing it, he had already surpassed the former realm leader. Even compared to Ancestor Jie, Ancestral Witch King, or Medicine Palace Lord, Meng Chuan was in no way inferior.

Although Meng Chuan's power made Emperor Wanxing feel as if fate was playing a joke, he immediately made a decision. Through the life core he controlled, he secretly transmitted an order: "Scatter the Mengsha Realm treasure in all directions, throwing the most important parts to me. Then, detonate your true form to overwhelm Meng Chuan's array."

"Yes," the consciousness within the life core responded.

Although it was Emperor Wanxing's first time witnessing Meng Chuan deploy this devouring array, his discerning eye allowed him to deduce that the array had a 'tolerance limit'. If the power exceeded this limit, the array might collapse instantly.

The White Bird Pavilion Lord, however, kept a constant watch on Emperor Wanxing, even flying towards him at top speed, trying to stay as close as possible. "Keeping an eye on him is enough," he thought.

What seemed slow in narration unfolded in an instant as Emperor Wanxing made his decision and issued his command.

"Roar!"

The forbidden creature suddenly opened its massive mouth, spewing out a torrent of treasures in a fan shape. Only in the direction of Meng Chuan's Chaos Opening Array, which was devouring it, were there no treasures.

The moment it fully ejected the treasures, the forbidden creature ceased resistance. Instead, it actively surged towards Meng Chuan's array, following its suction.

"Be careful," Ancestor Jie's expression changed.

"Oh no," Meng Chuan also noticed the forbidden creature charging. The terrifying power contained within its entire body instantly erupted completely. Disregarding any physical limits, the self-detonation represented the forbidden creature's absolute strongest energy burst.

The self-detonation of this massive forbidden creature caused the operating Chaos Opening Array to instantly feel 'overstuffed', making its rotation difficult.

From a distance, Emperor Wanxing watched Meng Chuan's array with anticipation.

*Rumble*

Behind Meng Chuan, the three thousand primordial chaos holes, forming an Ouroboros, trembled slightly but continued to rotate with difficulty, enduring the impact. Although the array's power significantly weakened the moment it was hit, it recovered to its peak within a mere breath, continuing to devour everything from all directions.

Many treasures that had been sprayed far away were now being drawn back, falling towards the array.

In fact, the White Bird Pavilion Lord's complete sealing off of space-time also significantly reduced the range of Meng Chuan's array's suction. The closer the treasures were to the array, the faster they were pulled in. The farther they were... the slower their flight speed towards the array.

"The array didn't break?" Emperor Wanxing had already proactively surged towards the forbidden creature's direction with all his might, transforming into a blurred starlight afterimage, far faster than the flying treasures, giving chase.

As he flew, he simultaneously unleashed domain techniques, attempting to remotely seize some treasures.

"Emperor Wanxing, the forbidden creature has already self-detonated. Why are you still charging forward?" The White Bird Pavilion Lord pursued Emperor Wanxing, impeding his speed. Their domains collided, interfering with Emperor Wanxing.

"The Mengsha Realm is destroyed, and this treasure is ownerless. It belongs to whoever has the ability to claim it," Emperor Wanxing said with a cold expression. "White Bird, are you trying to delay me so Meng Chuan and Ancestor Jie can monopolize the treasures?"

"Didn't you just say it belongs to whoever has the ability to claim it?" The White Bird Pavilion Lord sneered.

Although Emperor Wanxing wouldn't admit it aloud, they all knew in their hearts... Emperor Wanxing was the true culprit behind it. This time, when the Mengsha Realm was devoured, Emperor Wanxing had disappeared again! If he had nothing to hide, why conceal his location?

*Rumble*

The White Bird Pavilion Lord and Emperor Wanxing's domains clashed, engaging in a distant skirmish. The White Bird Pavilion Lord had only one thought: "Hold him back!"

With some treasures nearby, the White Bird Pavilion Lord also vied with Emperor Wanxing for them!

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*

As treasures fell into his grasp, Emperor Wanxing felt a pang of pain and anger.

This was because the White Bird Pavilion Lord, standing nearby, also snatched close-by treasures, and even actively launched long-range attacks to blast treasures closer to Emperor Wanxing further away, and closer to Meng Chuan... naturally accelerating their flight towards the Chaos Opening Array.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*

Ultimately, Meng Chuan was closest to the forbidden creature. Although affected by the self-detonation, ninety-five percent of the treasures, like starlight, densely plunged into his great array.

A very small number of remaining treasures were contended for and seized by Emperor Wanxing and the White Bird Pavilion Lord.

This void finally returned to tranquility.

Meng Chuan retracted his array, and Ancestor Jie flew close to him.

In the distance, Emperor Wanxing also stopped, as did the White Bird Pavilion Lord, who looked at him with a half-smile. "Emperor Wanxing, what a coincidence," he remarked. "This time, when the forbidden creature devoured the Mengsha Realm, you disappeared again."

"I merely prefer not to let others perceive my location," Emperor Wanxing replied indifferently. "What, is that not allowed?"

Emperor Wanxing glanced at Meng Chuan. "Meng Chuan, you alone devoured over ninety percent of the Mengsha Realm's treasure. Don't choke on it. And don't forget, the Mengsha Realm was just devoured."

"Are you threatening me, intending to command forbidden creatures to attack the Cangyuan Realm?" Meng Chuan stared at him. "Unfortunately, you'd need to command a Chaos Lord to do that."

Emperor Wanxing was secretly annoyed. "You should know that you've taken too many treasures this time. Too many treasures invite trouble."

"You're the one inviting trouble by commanding forbidden creatures to devour living worlds," Meng Chuan said coldly.

He wasn't afraid of Emperor Wanxing.

Upon learning that Emperor Wanxing had secretly commanded forbidden creatures to devour over a hundred living worlds, Meng Chuan was shocked at the time. He immediately set up layers of powerful arrays for his home, the Cangyuan Realm. With his current mastery of array formations, combined with these grand arrays... Emperor Wanxing couldn't break through them! Not to mention, the Cangyuan Realm was also protected by space-time operational rules, making it impossible for Tribulation Realm cultivators to breach.

As a Soul Seventh Tribulation Realm cultivator, his current strength made him fearless. Not to mention he was still rapidly growing; how could he possibly fear Emperor Wanxing?

"Quite courageous," Emperor Wanxing remarked. He had long known that Meng Chuan could become a significant threat in the future, possibly on par with the White Bird Pavilion Lord. But by the time he truly noticed Meng Chuan, Meng Chuan was already at the peak of the Sixth Tribulation Realm, and couldn't be suppressed.

"Although the forbidden creature self-detonated, its life core can easily reform a true body and continue to devour living worlds," Emperor Wanxing said, glancing at the White Bird Pavilion Lord. "If you hadn't stopped me, I could have captured the forbidden creature alive. By controlling its true body, its life core wouldn't have been able to escape this river zone, and I would have naturally been able to find it eventually."

"Rest assured," the White Bird Pavilion Lord said, "My space-time perception completely covers the entire river zone. That life core can't escape."

"Then take your time searching," Emperor Wanxing sneered.

"If the life core is in your hands and you've taken it, I naturally won't find it," the White Bird Pavilion Lord said, looking at him. "Do you dare to swear an oath that the life core is not in your possession?"

"Hmph."

Emperor Wanxing sneered, too lazy to say more, and departed with a single step.

"He doesn't dare to swear an oath," the White Bird Pavilion Lord scoffed. He was certain that the life core was in Emperor Wanxing's hands. Only by controlling the life core could one command a forbidden creature; otherwise, why would it be so obedient?

The surrounding space-time blockade lifted, and Meng Chuan, Ancestor Jie, and the White Bird Pavilion Lord gathered together.

"We publicly exposed him last time," Ancestor Jie said. "This time, when the Mengsha Realm was devoured, he still disappeared, concealing his location."

"Everyone knows deep down; he just won't admit it verbally," the White Bird Pavilion Lord stated.

"How should the Mengsha Realm treasure be handled?" Meng Chuan asked.

"Alas," Ancestor Jie sighed, "The Ancestor of Mengsha was such a powerful figure, yet his home, the Mengsha Realm, ended up in this state. He had even befriended Eighth Tribulation Realm grand powerful beings, but none of them intervened to protect his homeland."

"The Eighth Tribulation Realm cultivators befriended the Ancestor of Mengsha because he had created a body-cultivation technique and had hoped to reach the Eighth Tribulation Realm himself, but ultimately he failed his tribulation... Eighth Tribulation Realm cultivators value their time. They befriend so many beings; it's impossible for them to protect every single home world, is it?" the White Bird Pavilion Lord said. "Outsiders can help for a while, but not for a lifetime."

"I am nearing my lifespan's end, and I'm somewhat worried about the future of my own home realm," Ancestor Jie said, looking at Meng Chuan. "Meng Chuan, I won't touch that Mengsha Realm treasure. I'm old; taking it would bring no benefit."

The Mengsha Realm treasure was too hot to handle.

"Meng Chuan, if you feel you can handle it, take it," the White Bird Pavilion Lord said. "If you're afraid, then give it to me."