Chapter 747: Life-saving Measures

The giant hand appeared to be touching the world membrane, but it was actually deciphering the protection of its rules.

Countless intertwined rule threads seemed complex, but True Monarch Chining was confident. However, just as he was about to break through—

A black mist emerged on the surface of the world membrane, and wisps of rule threads merged with the 'protection of spacetime operation rules'.

"Hm?" True Monarch Chining was surprised. This hidden black mist array, though supervised by Emperor Wanxing, was only at the level of an Eighth-Tribulation Almighty and shouldn't have been able to stop him. However, this array wasn't meant to directly block enemies; instead, it integrated itself into the 'protection of spacetime operation rules', significantly increasing the complexity of the protective rules.

"What a formidable method," True Monarch Chining thought, secretly astonished. "The array is so profound that it can perfectly integrate with the protective rules. This indicates that its creator has completely mastered the protective rules."

Even he, confident in deciphering the protective rules, had only comprehended sixty to seventy percent of them and found their weaknesses. He was still far from fully understanding them.

"This black mist..."

As True Monarch Chining observed, he sensed a familiar aura, an aura of evil and sin, which instantly revealed the array's creator to him.

"Black Demon Ancestor?" True Monarch Chining frowned slightly. He greatly disliked the Black Demon Ancestor but had to acknowledge his power.

In the history of this River of Spacetime, only five beings were ranked among the top Eighth-Tribulation Almighties, second only to the Dragon Ancestor. The Black Demon Ancestor was one of them. He wreaked havoc far and wide, causing many disturbances even beyond the universe, yet he remained well and alive.

Although True Monarch Chining had been an Eighth-Tribulation being for many years and was confident that he would one day reach the 'top Eighth-Tribulation' level, he was currently still far from the Black Demon Ancestor's power.

Within his home world, Emperor Wanxing's true body watched the outside with apprehension through the world membrane.

"It must hold, it must hold," Emperor Wanxing murmured, anxious and fearful. As a Half-step Eighth-Tribulation being, he was increasingly aware of the vast difference between himself and a true Eighth-Tribulation Almighty.

"The life-saving methods bestowed upon me by the Black Demon Ancestor must work," Emperor Wanxing could only hope.

When Emperor Wanxing first made sacrifices to the Black Demon Ancestor, the Ancestor wished for such a useful 'tool' to live longer and imparted some life-saving techniques, including this Eighth-Tribulation array.

An Eighth-Tribulation array, worth hundreds of thousands of squares, was insignificant on its own.

However, this array was created by the Black Demon Ancestor specifically to integrate its profoundness into the 'protective rules', increasing their complexity. While this enhanced 'protective rule' might still be useless against beings like the Dragon Ancestor or the Black Demon Ancestor, it was sufficient to block most Eighth-Tribulation Almighties.

The Black Demon Ancestor wouldn't waste time directly helping Emperor Wanxing, but he was willing to casually bestow life-saving methods.

"It didn't break through?" Emperor Wanxing felt a surge of joy as he watched the giant hand withdraw.

The giant hand reached out again, touching the world membrane, making Emperor Wanxing nervous once more.

After a long while, the massive hand still hadn't torn open the world membrane, allowing Emperor Wanxing to breathe a sigh of relief.

Outside the world membrane, Pavilion Master Whitebird stood beside True Monarch Chining, watching him extend his large hand to touch the world membrane.

True Monarch Chining frowned in thought.

"Whitebird," True Monarch Chining said, looking at Pavilion Master Whitebird beside him. "Emperor Wanxing is backed by the Black Demon Ancestor."

"The Black Demon Ancestor?" Pavilion Master Whitebird's heart skipped a beat.

The one who created the Black Demon Hall?

"I don't fear him," True Monarch Chining said, looking at the world membrane. "But I must admit, his realm is above mine. By using an Eighth-Tribulation array to integrate with the protective rules, he made them so complex that I cannot decipher them."

"So, you can't kill Emperor Wanxing?" Pavilion Master Whitebird asked.

"I cannot kill his true body hidden within his home world," True Monarch Chining conceded with a nod. Although one could launch causal attacks across worlds, Emperor Wanxing was, after all, a Half-step Eighth-Tribulation being. Such attacks, with their greatly reduced power, couldn't kill a Half-step Eighth-Tribulation being. Some Eighth-Tribulation Almighties, like the Black Demon Ancestor or those of the Primordial Spirit Eighth-Tribulation, had ways to 'corrupt' all of an opponent's true bodies through a single one, but True Monarch Chining was more adept at direct combat.

He was not skilled in methods of corruption or infiltration.

While infiltration and corruption techniques were hard to guard against, their power was much weaker. For example, Pavilion Master Whitebird, despite his severe injuries, could still live for a long time. Similarly, the Sixth-Tribulation Primordial Spirit 'Master Poison Eye', protected by his home world, was targeted by the Nightmare Hall Master using the 'Inherited Treasure' Nightmare Hall, and although Nightmare power infiltrated Master Poison Eye's Primordial Spirit, he was still alive.

Indeed, killing a Half-step Eighth-Tribulation being protected by their home world was quite difficult.

"Tearing open the world membrane would be the easiest way to kill him. If I can't break through the protective rules, it becomes very difficult," True Monarch Chining stated. "Now that we've captured and sealed one of his true bodies, his true body in his home world won't dare to emerge. This way, he won't be able to threaten the outside world either."

Although Pavilion Master Whitebird was reluctant, he nodded and said, "It seems that's the only way."

"It would be more appropriate to make him swear an oath," True Monarch Chining added. After all, if his true body in his home world dared to emerge, it could still cause trouble.

Naturally, Emperor Wanxing was completely unaware of their conversation.

True Monarch Chining looked at his other palm, observing the tiny Emperor Wanxing within it. He said calmly, "Wanxing, I'm giving you one last chance. If you swear an oath never to use forbidden creatures to devour living worlds again, I will spare you this time."

"Swear an oath?"

The tiny Emperor Wanxing in the palm looked up at the towering figure, his mind already made up.

After so long, True Monarch Chining hadn't broken through the world membrane and had even initiated negotiations, which made Emperor Wanxing realize that True Monarch Chining couldn't breach it.

Since the world membrane couldn't be breached, why would he swear an oath?

He had been willing to swear an oath when facing the threat of death, but circumstances had changed. Now, with his life secure, his intentions naturally shifted.

"True Monarch, I am merely working for the Black Demon Ancestor. Please understand," Emperor Wanxing said, bowing slightly, but his body already began to collapse and dissipate.

"Hm?"

Pavilion Master Whitebird watched in astonishment as this true body of Emperor Wanxing collapsed and vanished.

"He can self-destruct a clone in my palm?" True Monarch Chining murmured softly. "Did the Black Demon Ancestor teach him a bloodline secret art? It seems he imparted quite a few life-saving methods."

True Monarch Chining's gaze, however, turned cold.

"Whitebird," True Monarch Chining said. "Since I can't break through the protective rules, I can't kill Wanxing. However, there is another way... but it will require a great deal from you."

"Please tell me, True Monarch," Pavilion Master Whitebird's eyes lit up. There was another way?

"I will personally set up a grand array around this living world," True Monarch Chining stated calmly. "It will completely trap this world, isolating it entirely from the universe. Emperor Wanxing will not be able to escape, and if he cannot leave, he naturally cannot cause harm. The only drawback is that such a grand array requires a cultivator who masters spacetime rules to oversee it. In this era, only you are suitable."

"To eternally trap him and seal his living world, preventing him from taking even a single step outside," True Monarch Chining looked at him. "The cost of sealing him is that you must also guard this place long-term. Are you willing?"

Pavilion Master Whitebird was, after all, a Physical Tribulation being, and stationing a true body there long-term would indeed have a significant impact.

"If I oversee the array, will any Eighth-Tribulation Almighties break through it to rescue him?" Pavilion Master Whitebird asked.

"The array will contain my will," True Monarch Chining said calmly. "If an Eighth-Tribulation Almighty arrives, they will understand everything just by looking at the grand array. Unless they are my enemy, they will not rescue him. The only remaining question now is... are you willing to guard this grand array?"

Pavilion Master Whitebird looked at True Monarch Chining and smiled. "For my heavily injured self, being able to suppress Emperor Wanxing is still a gain."

True Monarch Chining nodded in satisfaction.