Chapter 756: Mountain Top Voices

Outside the home world of Emperor Wanxing, Meng Chuan's cave dwelling had been quite lively recently, with many powerful figures coming to visit. The Dark Star Lord, however, was the last to arrive.

“I was foolish and ignorant,” the Dark Star Lord, a black rock-like figure, said with utmost respect and sincerity at the entrance of the cave dwelling. “It was you, City Lord Dongning, who completely enlightened me. Cultivation must rely on oneself; crooked paths ultimately don't last. No matter how much one accumulates… a single misstep, and it all has to be given back.”

“It’s good that you understand,” Meng Chuan replied from the entrance, not inviting him in. “I hope you conduct yourself well from now on.”

“I understand, I understand. I will certainly remember what City Lord Dongning said and abide by it for the rest of my life,” the Dark Star Lord said respectfully, unable to resist glancing at the golden ring placed at the cave entrance. His heart ached.

Ninety percent of all the treasures he had accumulated over the years were inside that golden ring, all of which he had presented to City Lord Dongning.

For this visit, he had made extensive preparations.

First, he befriended Meng An and his wife, who lived in seclusion on Cangtai Star, asking Meng An to intercede on his behalf. He hoped City Lord Dongning would show leniency, and he was willing to accept any conditions.

Meng Chuan did indeed set conditions: Disband the Dark Star Association! From then on, no more looting, and hand over ninety percent of all treasures accumulated over the years. By only demanding ‘ninety percent,’ it was considered leaving him a little something.

The Dark Star Lord felt bitter.

However, this opportunity for understanding was incredibly rare and hard-won; if he missed it, it would be gone.

Ninety percent of his treasures? The Dark Star Lord's wealth came from many sources: exploring ruins, occupying treasure troves, fortunate encounters, and so on. The truly plundered treasures were only a fraction. But to have to hand over ‘ninety percent’ of all his treasures at once – how could his heart not ache?

But if Meng Chuan did not show understanding, he would be unable to travel freely outside.

Just like the Black Demon Hall Master, Lord Lihong, as the current leader of the Black Demon Hall, he had to abide by the Black Demon Hall's operational rules. Countless members of the Black Demon Hall were still scattered throughout the River of Spacetime, constantly plundering. Thus, the enmity with Meng Chuan could not be resolved, and the Black Demon Hall Master's extraterrestrial true body now dared not step out of the Black Demon Hall!

Within the Black Demon Hall, Meng Chuan couldn't force his way in either.

But to be forever confined within his home world and the Black Demon Hall, Lord Lihong naturally felt stifled.

Disbanding the Dark Star Association and surrendering ninety percent of his treasures in exchange for freedom! The Dark Star Lord was still willing, as treasures could be slowly accumulated again during his future cultivation.

“Hmph, although I also cultivate relationships with various factions, I always maintain a certain distance from them.” The Dark Star Lord felt quite pleased. “The Myriad Star Lord always said I was shortsighted! Let him say what he wants; I won't join any of the Six Directions of Heaven.”

“The Black Demon Hall Master also said I was playing small, urging me to join the Black Demon Hall. He said that with the plundering of countless Black Demon Hall members, I could earn a lot just by taking a small share. But I still kept clear. To be completely tied to the Black Demon Hall means having no way out.”

“I may be shortsighted and a bit timid, but at least I have a way out.”

After receiving City Lord Dongning Meng Chuan’s understanding, the Dark Star Lord felt much more at ease, provided he didn't think about the ‘donated treasures.’

The various factions in the River of Spacetime held differing attitudes towards Meng Chuan.

Some had good relations, like the Demon Eye Lord. The Demon Eye Lord had always helped Meng Chuan without making any demands or asking for any promises. However, Meng Chuan kept all of this in mind. In the future, if the Demon Eye Lord were to make a request that didn't cross his bottom line, he would naturally assist with all his might to settle this karma.

For those with ordinary relations, various factions also sought ways to strengthen their ties with Meng Chuan. Even higher lifeform factions sent members to visit, and many powers even began to proactively concede benefits from some treasure lands within the River of Spacetime.

As a Half-Step Eight-Tribulation Realm expert of the Primordial Spirit lineage, if Meng Chuan wished, he could likely occupy over half of all the treasure lands in the entire River of Spacetime!

This was because he had many Primordial Spirit avatars! Each avatar possessed terrifying combat power, and their deterrent force was far greater than that of the White Bird Curator.

The biggest conflict, however, was with the Black Demon Hall!

The Black Demon Hall was backed by the ‘Black Demon Ancestor’. Meng Chuan could not destroy its organizational system, and even if he could, he wouldn't dare.

Against the Black Demon Hall, Meng Chuan was only able to suppress them within certain limits! If he were to truly destroy its foundation and cause the Black Demon Ancestor to descend upon this era, the troubles would be endless.

“Carry a burden proportionate to your strength. Too heavy a burden will crush you.” Meng Chuan was very clear that only by becoming an Eight-Tribulation Realm Grandmaster and studying under an Eternal Being could he be considered to stand at a similar height to the Black Demon Ancestor.

On the Demonic Mountain Path, at the 103,000-li mark, Meng Chuan, in black robes with white hair, was walking step by step.

“Although my Primordial Spirit technique hasn't been completely perfected yet,” Meng Chuan mused, “mastering the rules of spacetime, which nourish the mind and will, should be enough to reach the peak.” Meng Chuan could feel that after comprehending the rules of spacetime, his mind and will had indeed improved significantly, but… his Primordial Spirit world still couldn't accommodate the evolution of spacetime rules.

Achieving the Eight-Tribulation Realm of the Primordial Spirit requires an extremely high level of mind and will, and he was still far from that.

He pressed on.

Meng Chuan walked step by step. The phenomena at the mountaintop became increasingly clear, and the golden characters glowing brightly were incredibly captivating to him.

One hundred and five thousand li!

“I’ve arrived.”

Meng Chuan took his final step, officially reaching the end of the Demonic Mountain Path and arriving at the summit.

Before him was a colossal shimmering barrier of golden characters, within arm's reach. Suddenly, a voice echoed in Meng Chuan's mind.

“Having reached the summit of the Demonic Mountain Path, you may now listen to the ‘Dharma Lecture’ of an Eternal Being.”

At the same time, a vast amount of information was transmitted to him.

Meng Chuan was astonished.

The majestic voice resounding from the Demonic Mountain's summit was a recorded scene of an Eternal Being's past Dharma lecture.

An Eternal Being’s Dharma lecture exerted immense pressure on one’s mind and will! Without sufficient strength, one couldn't listen to the complete lecture. Reaching the ‘summit’ signified one’s qualification to withstand the complete lecture. However, the Demonic Mountain Master had shrouded it with a formation, so it wouldn’t be freely given to cultivators.

Listening to an Eternal Being’s Dharma lecture was a great opportunity bestowed by the Demonic Mountain Master upon cultivators who came to the mountain. However, with gain, there must also be a corresponding contribution.

Different cultivators would gain different insights from listening to the lecture.

Once a secret technique was comprehended, it had to be sent deep into the Demonic Mountain, a copy given to the Demonic Mountain Master. This was to settle the karma.

If the secret technique was ‘colorless,’ it was considered the lowest grade and could simply be sent directly deep into the Demonic Mountain.

If the secret technique was ‘purple,’ it could awaken the Demonic Mountain Master deep within the mountain, and the Demonic Mountain Master could grant a boon worth no more than ‘one billion units.’

If the secret technique was ‘golden,’ it could awaken the Demonic Mountain Master, and the Demonic Mountain Master could grant a boon worth no more than ‘one hundred billion units.’

“Secret techniques are categorized by color?” Meng Chuan wondered. He had learned many techniques, including the Eternal technique, the ‘Six-Stroke Talisman Seal’ secret method, but had never heard of them being categorized by color.

“Perhaps this particular lecture is special?”

Meng Chuan looked at the light barrier before him.

According to the Demonic Mountain Master, if one was unwilling to listen, they could simply leave.

However, once one passed through the light barrier and listened to the complete Eternal lecture, they would establish karma with the Demonic Mountain Master. Any secret technique comprehended would then have to be shared with him.

“An Eternal lecture, of course I must listen to it.” Although Meng Chuan had a fortuitous encounter at Qianyuan Mountain and might eventually apprentice under an Eternal Being, firstly, he hadn't formally apprenticed yet, and he hadn't even undergone his tribulation. Secondly, from what he knew, those few Eternal Beings at the pinnacle of endless spacetime were omnipotent, and they even proactively passed down many techniques.

He took a deep breath.

Meng Chuan stepped through the light barrier. Only then could he clearly see the roughly one-hundred-li radius of the mountaintop. In the distant center, there was a blurry figure.

The figure's face was indistinct, but it appeared to be a towering, bald figure.

The towering, bald figure sat cross-legged, and resonant voices spread in all directions, echoing throughout the mountaintop.

Meng Chuan recalled the Eternal Secret Treasure, the ‘Great Seal.’ When he had interacted with the Great Seal, he had seen a towering, bald figure that was identical to the one before him.

Was it the same Eternal Being?

Meng Chuan stopped pondering, and immediately sat down cross-legged to listen carefully.

The resonant voices permeated his mind, echoing within his Primordial Spirit world. Within his Primordial Spirit world, golden characters began to drift down and descend.