Chapter 766: Success (End)

When Meng Chuan was 69 years old, Fang Dalong—who was already 88 years old—passed away with a smile. Fang Dalong was born during the later years of the Great Yu Dynasty. From that dark era, he went from an ordinary person in the countryside to becoming part of the upper echelons of one of the top three gangs in Binhai City, the Gold Silver Gang. Every step he took was arduous, but from the age of 41, Fang Dalong skyrocketed ever since his son—Fang Qi—returned from the capital.

Meng Chuan didn’t care about power. However, Fang Dalong relied on his son’s influence and the Exorcism manuals his son had written to establish the number one Exorcism family—the Fang family.

When Meng Chuan was 96 years old, his younger sister, Fang Qian, was already 93 years old. Although she had been practicing boxing since she was young and her elder brother had taken good care of her, aging and illness were unstoppable. Fang Qian had her father take care of her since she was young, and her elder brother took care of her later on. She was indeed blessed. She had an extremely high status in the empire because she was the relative the old Heaven Master cared about the most.

Ever since Fang Qian passed away, the old Heaven Master, Fang Qi, roamed the world. If he didn’t want to show his face, nobody could meet him.

Although the old Heaven Master was over 100 years old and could pass away at any time, his occasional appearance proved that he remained alive.

This was the strongest Exorcist in history, who had killed nine Origins Fiends at the age of 29. He was now over 100 years old, and everyone in the world was paying close attention to him. Nobody knew what realm this old Heaven Master had reached.

…

At the peak of a mountain outside Heaven River City.

A white-haired, one-armed elder sat on the mountaintop. He was immersed in painting; nobody knew how the one-armed elder climbed the steep mountain.

“Hahaha…”

I’ve been in this world for 100 years. I’ve finally seen through it. Meng Chuan smiled happily. His hair was white, and he looked extremely old. His face was covered in age spots. On the surface, he looked like he was 80 years old, but in reality, Meng Chuan was already 121 years old!

Although his goal of becoming the strongest existence in the world had never been completed, and he had been groping in the dark, he had never given up!

He was extremely determined. He didn’t slack off for a single day; he constantly cultivated and sought out opportunities to advance toward a stronger realm.

He had once discovered that the more living beings there were, the more fiends would be born. Did this mean that there were no fiends if there were no living beings? Did that existence—who was stronger than Meng Chuan—attach itself to living beings? If there were no living beings, would that existence’s strength be greatly reduced?

Although he had such a deduction, Meng Chuan instantly rejected this path.

Annihilate all living beings for himself? This wasn’t his belief at all. He would rather die than do such a thing.

In this world, no matter how strong an Exorcist was, they could only borrow the Heaven and Earth powers through talismans, Dharma Artifacts, array formations, and other items! They were still mortals. Even though Meng Chuan’s upkeep of his body had reached the limits of mortals, he—who was 121 years old—could sense death approaching.

Before his death, Meng Chuan had many other ideas. However, he either stuck to his principles or felt that there was little hope in trying them. He rejected all the alternatives and focused on the Exorcism mystic techniques.

Today, he finally saw a glimmer of hope.

The humans in this world will forever be mortals in this sea of misery. Even I can’t sense the circulation of laws. Meng Chuan smiled as he looked at the painting in front of him. However, the Exorcism Talisman Art I created over the years, the Dharma artifacts I refined, the array formations I created, and the amount of Heaven and Earth powers I can borrow have been increasing… Today, I can finally see how this world works.

Just because he couldn’t see or sense something didn’t mean they didn’t exist. However, it was inconceivable to infer the entire world’s laws from the superficial phenomena via talisman arts and array formations.

It was akin to having blind men touch an elephant. One who touched a strand of hair would imagine that an elephant was made up of countless strands of hair.

The one who touched the long nose would imagine that an elephant was a long, meandering animal.

The one who touched the thick thigh would imagine that an elephant was a pillar-like creature.

Because he couldn’t see or sense it… It was thousands of times harder than having blind men figure out an elephant’s appearance.

Meng Chuan had read almost all the precious Exorcism manuals in this world, and he had also made inferences for 100 years with his Painting Dao wisdom. After repeated experiments, he finally understood the laws of this world as a mortal.

I see it. So this is how the world operates. The white-haired Meng Chuan looked at the painting in the book. I can set up a large array formation and completely mobilize the entire world’s powers.

When he was 29 years old, he could control the Heaven and Earth powers within 50 kilometers with just a few Dharma artifacts.

When he was 60 years old, he could control the Heaven and Earth powers within a 400-kilometer radius with his Dharma artifact’s array formation.

When he was 96 years old, he could use a Dharma Artifact array formation to control the Heaven and Earth powers within a 650-kilometer radius. As long as he wanted to, he could destroy everything within a 6,500-kilometer radius. It was no wonder the entire empire placed greater importance on this old Heaven Master. After all, the strength he revealed when he killed nine Origins Fiends at the age of 29 was enough to make everyone uneasy.

Over the years, Meng Chuan gained a deeper understanding of this world. He could borrow more and more Heaven and Earth powers.

Today, he was ambitious! He wanted to borrow all the powers in the world! It was enough to be considered a punishment on behalf of the heavens.

Borrowing the Heaven and Earth powers to the extreme means borrowing all the Heaven and Earth powers. I refuse to believe that I won’t be able to find you with this array formation. Therefore, Meng Chuan began taking action and set up the array formation.

It took him ten years to refine the various parts of the array formation and to set them up across the world.

…

It’s done. Standing on the peak of a towering mountain, the white-haired, wrinkled Meng Chuan was already 131 years old. Even with his perfect control over his body, he was certain that his end was at the age of 135. However, he finally set up the array formation before his death.

The entire array formation was divided into 35 segments, and they were set up across the world. The array formation spanned 6,500 kilometers from east to west and 4,900 kilometers from north to south.

The array formation could naturally stir the Heaven and Earth powers; it fundamentally formed a vast barrier. This barrier suppressed all fiendish auras, making it very difficult for any Bizarro Fiends to be born within the barrier. The chances of powerful Great Fiends and Origins Fiends being born were infinitely close to zero.

This was just its fundamental operation. If Meng Chuan—the array formation’s creator and refiner—completely activated the entire array formation, the Heaven and Earth powers he could borrow would be terrifying.

Bring it on. I’ll use the entire world’s strength. Meng Chuan was filled with anticipation and anxiety. It was only his guess that he could use all the Heaven and Earth powers. It was the result of his repeated analysis and deductions through the Painting Dao. There was no practical proof.

Boom!

Meng Chuan activated the array core beneath his feet with his psyche power. His body had aged to the point where his psyche strength was only 20% as strong as when he was 30 years old, but this was using all the Heaven and Earth powers! Even if his psyche was ten-fold stronger, it was impossible for him to use any more Heaven and Earth powers because this was the limit.

Rumble~

The world trembled as the sky boomed. The clouds dissipated.

At that moment, many Exorcists looked up at the sky and felt the changes in the world.

In the past, Meng Chuan could only use the strength within a 500-kilometer radius. Meng Chuan was now using the array formation to mobilize much more strength.

I succeeded; I borrowed all the Heaven and Earth powers. At that moment, Meng Chuan saw the ends of the four seas. He saw all the mountains, deserts, forests, cities, and even the depths of the ocean and the land.

At that moment, all of the Heaven and Earth powers were at his disposal. The entire world no longer had secrets in front of him.

It was said that mortals borrowed the Heaven and Earth powers, but when they actually borrowed all the Heaven and Earth powers… They were actually controlling Heaven and Earth to a certain extent.

I can see the entire world, but where is the lifeform stronger than me? Meng Chuan was puzzled. Yes, the fiendish aura!

Meng Chuan discovered that the fiendish aura that fused with Heaven and Earth originated from the ground. There were a large number of fiendish aura veins deep in the ground; they were like roots that connected to the depths of the land.

It’s there. All the fiendish auras ultimately originate from one place. It’s there, and that place is pitch black. Meng Chuan sensed that place.

He couldn’t see it, but Meng Chuan was vaguely certain that the terrifying creature was there.

Huh? Meng Chuan looked up at the sky.

The endless laws of spacetime descended once again.

I succeeded? The moment the endless spacetime law descended and enveloped him, Meng Chuan finally saw an isolated existence deep underground.

He saw the massive creature, the source of all the fiendish auras.

So all the fiends in this world originate from it. Meng Chuan came to a realization. It’s been the strongest lifeform all this while! With the laws of endless spacetime concealing it, I’ll never be able to see it during the tribulation transcendence. I wouldn’t have been able to find it. Only when I surpass it and transcend the tribulation will I be able to see it.

So, an array formation can be considered my strength. Meng Chuan confirmed this point. This was because Meng Chuan couldn’t threaten this terrifying existence with just hand seals and Void Talismans. Only the array that could borrow the entire world’s power could kill that existence.

Whoosh.

Meng Chuan’s body dissipated as his consciousness was carried back to his distant home universe. At that moment, Meng Chuan was rather glad.

This tribulation transcendence denied all other cultivation systems. There was only one path—Exorcism mystic techniques. He had to learn it from scratch.

As for this world’s cultivation system, it was unimaginably difficult to reach the level of carrying out punishments on behalf of the heavens from the foundation it was built on. Meng Chuan also had talent in painting. He drew upon the wisdom of a Chaos overlord, Wise, and never slacked off. After cultivating for over 100 years, he finally created the vast worldly array formation.

How long of a lifespan did a mortal have? He was already 19 years old when he descended, and Meng Chuan built upon his wisdom for 100 years.

As long as he didn’t cherish his body that resulted in the shortening of his lifespan midway; as long as he doubted his path midway and switched paths, he would delay the path of the figuring out the Exorcism mystic technique; as long as his Painting Dao’s accumulations were slightly weaker, he probably wouldn’t be able to comprehend the Heaven’s Behalf Array the day he died of old age.

Any possibility would lead to failure.

If I had found this terrifying existence long ago and had a clear goal, it would’ve been easier. I didn’t have a clear goal previously. Meng Chuan sighed. Without knowing what kind of lifeform it is, I’ll never find it.

To let him grope in the dark… As his lifespan neared its end, the pressure would increase.

I’ve been extremely talented all my life, and my cultivation is very fast. Even though I reached the Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation realm in slightly over 30,000 years, I’ve never experienced the feeling of approaching the end of my lifespan. Meng Chuan sighed. This time, he felt it. With the end of his lifespan approaching, his body grew older, and there was little hope to be seen.

Was his path correct?

He had many distracting thoughts before, but he didn’t hesitate to reject them. Even if he succeeded by using them, he would rather fail and die.

From the looks of it, those distracting thoughts were wrong. Such a terrifying existence can only be killed by borrowing all the world’s powers. This is the only way. Meng Chuan sighed. I’m 131 years old; I only succeeded when close to the end of my lifespan.

…

Whoosh.

Archean Eon Realm in his home universe.

In the chamber, Meng Chuan opened his eyes. His consciousness had returned.

I succeeded. Meng Chuan could clearly sense the changes.

In the past, the endless spacetime suppressed him. As long as he dared to jump out of the River of Spacetime and the timeline, a terrifying Heavenly Tribulation would descend.

Now, he had transcended the Heavenly Tribulation.

He could fly freely—as high as the skies permitted!

Boom!

Meng Chuan’s consciousness perfectly fused with Archean Eon Realm. Such perfect fusion could only be done to his homeworld’s inhabited world.

At the moment of perfect fusion, Meng Chuan isolated a branch of the River of Spacetime from the vast River of Spacetime.

At this moment, Archean Eon Realm began to absorb energy from the outside world. The entire universe’s energy began to surge toward Archean Eon Realm, and Archean Eon Realm began to expand rapidly. Land expanded, the oceans expanded, and new land appeared in the oceans.

Huh? The moment Meng Chuan separated Archean Eon Realm from the spacetime tributary, a black-robed, dragon-headed elder looked in the direction of Archean Eon Realm from a spot in spacetime and revealed a look of delight. Haha, Meng Chuan successfully transcended the tribulation. It’s a great blessing for our universe! An Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation Eminence, and an Eternal disciple at that… I can also gain great help. This universe’s heritage has grown much deeper. 

Among the Eighth Tribulation Eminences in this universe, Dragon Ancestor had always been the leader. As long as Meng Chuan cultivated to the top of the Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation realm, his influence wouldn’t be inferior to Dragon Ancestor’s due to his special Essence Soul lineage.

Our universe’s new Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation Eminence, and an Eternal disciple at that. A mighty existence with a humble expression woke up as well. Furthermore, he has some affinity with our Eternal Tower.

Eastcalm, an Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation Eminence and a disciple of Azure Volcano? A woman surrounded by starlight watched from afar.

An Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation Eminence had a slightly higher status than a Physical Body Eighth Tribulation Eminence to begin with. Furthermore, he had joined Azure Volcano. In terms of influence, Meng Chuan wasn’t inferior to the five top Physical Body Eighth Tribulation Eminences.

Fellow Daoist Eastcalm, we are now peers after our last farewell. Fiend Mountain’s owner watched from afar and revealed a smile.

Fellow Daoist Eastcalm’s wife also has a phoenix bloodline; she has some fate with me. A sleeping, red-robed woman opened her long, slender eyes and looked at Meng Chuan.

Apart from Black Fiend Progenitor, the other five top Eighth Tribulation Eminences in this universe naturally maintained goodwill toward Meng Chuan. This was because they shared the same home universe and would naturally have a very close relationship in the endless spacetime. There would be unity and mutual help. This was because if they weren’t united, their home universe would’ve long been infiltrated by the Eighth Tribulation Eminences from other universes. It was even possible that they would eat up their home universe.

He really succeeded? Black Fiend Progenitor found it unbelievable. He began transcending the tribulation after cultivating for more than 30,000 years. Fast cultivation speed means that he has high talent, but a short cultivation period means that he hasn’t spent enough time accumulating wisdom. The probability of him transcending the tribulation should’ve been very low.

From Black Fiend Progenitor’s point of view, if Meng Chuan’s willpower grew slower, he would only be able to withstand the evolution of spacetime at the 150,000-year mark. With 150,000 years of cultivation, his wisdom would definitely be much greater than at 30,000 years.

With only the wisdom accumulated over 30,000 years, he passed the eighth Essence Soul Tribulation that tested one’s wisdom? Black Fiend Progenitor’s guess was right. Before Meng Chuan transcended the tribulation, he had obtained the 100 types of wisdom from Chaos overlord Wise. It had greatly elevated his Painting Dao, allowing him to transcend the tribulation.

Tribulation Transcendence was like this. There were all sorts of factors… Every Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation Eminence found it difficult and themselves lucky.

However, any successful person had their reasons for success. It was precisely because they met the requirements that they succeeded in transcending the tribulation.

Eastcalm abhors evil. Forget it. Forget it. Black Fiend Progenitor knew very well that he couldn’t walk the same path as Meng Chuan. He immediately extended his hand and scooped.

He stored Black Fiend Hall and Nightmare Hall before taking a step and leaving the universe.

“From today onwards, Black Fiend Hall shall disband.” A voice sounded in the minds of Black Fiend Hall Master and Nightmare Hall Master.

Black Fiend Hall Master—Lord of Li Rainbow—and Hall Master Nightmare, Hall Master Snowplume, were the first to realize that the legacy treasure they controlled had vanished into thin air. The treasures that Black Fiend Hall had accumulated over the years had also vanished. Following that, a voice sounded. “From today onwards, Black Fiend Hall shall disband.”

Black Fiend Hall is to be disbanded?

The two hall masters were alarmed. Black Fiend Hall—which had a long heritage and had an Eighth Tribulation Eminence backing it—was to be disbanded just like that?

What should we do? The two were momentarily stunned.

…

Archean Eon Realm.

Liu Qiyue waited silently in the study. Ever since Meng Chuan started to transcend the tribulation, she had been waiting. She didn’t tell her parents or children.

One day, two days, three days… eleven days…

When the sun rose from the east, Liu Qiyue sensed the changes in the world on the twelfth morning. She looked up and saw a figure walking over under the morning sun.

She beamed.

“Qiyue.” Meng Chuan walked over and gently hugged his wife. It was great that he had successfully transcended the tribulation.

Liu Qiyue had been worried sick for the past 11 days. Only when she hugged her husband did she feel peaceful and happy.

“Ah Chuan, you’re already an Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation Eminence. Don’t make me worry in the future, alright?” asked Liu Qiyue.

Meng Chuan nodded. “I promise.”

As he sensed the tributary in the River of Spacetime, Archean Eon Realm expanded and transformed, becoming completely independent in the River of Spacetime. It came under Meng Chuan’s complete control. Meng Chuan saw many existences in this tributary of the River of Spacetime.

His grandaunt, Fairy Meng—who had sacrificed her entire life for the human race and had taken great care of him… Supremacy Li Guan who had offered so much to humanity, Supremacy Luo Tang—who didn’t think highly of him—and the other Supremacies… The eternal pain in Yan Jin’s heart, Senior Brother Xue Feng—who had the closest talent to Meng Chuan back then and had died at the hands of the demons… And King True Martial—Senior Brother Wang—who had also sacrificed himself to stop the demons from invading the World Gap. If it weren’t for him, Archean Eon Realm would’ve faced a huge calamity before Meng Chuan could grow… There were also the Godfiends who advanced and filled the breach left by their fallen comrades…

Meng Chuan had many regrets. He had seen many of his fellow disciples die in battle; their names were engraved on Scarlet Blood Cliff.

This was also one of the reasons why he had never relaxed. He wanted to become an Eighth Tribulation Eminence; this allowed him to make up for those regrets. He could let the heroes—who had suffered so much—walk out of the River of Spacetime and enjoy a peaceful and prosperous world.

Archean Eon Realm was a very young world! In just 30 million years of human history, apart from the people Meng Chuan cared about, Meng Chuan would scoop them out of the River of Spacetime as long as they contributed to humanity to a certain extent.

After all, there were still many deity spots for the young Archean Eon Realm. Perhaps in the future, the deity spots would be limited, but now… there were still plenty.

I’m going to meet my old friends again. Being able to drink and chat with Senior Brother Xue and Senior Brother Wang makes me happier than any great opportunity. Meng Chuan was very satisfied.

He could make up for all his regrets and enjoy life with his loved ones. He could also send a few Essence Soul avatars to explore other spacetimes with the other Eighth Tribulation Eminences to probe the unknown.

How could he not be satisfied with such a life?

Right… Now that I’ve transcended the tribulation, I should immediately pay my respects to Master. With a thought, Meng Chuan split out an Essence Soul avatar.

Boom!

Meng Chuan used the Eternal mark to form a spacetime tunnel. His Essence Soul avatar left his home universe through the spacetime tunnel and headed for the distant Azure Volcano. This journey would take about ten years.

“Meng Chuan, all the Eighth Tribulation Eminences in our universe have awakened. Congratulations on transcending the tribulation. Hurry over.” A voice sounded from afar.

Meng Chuan sensed something and looked up.

In an area of spacetime, Dragon Ancestor, Fiend Mountain’s owner, Phoenix Ancestor, Eternal Tower’s owner… Perfected Lord Crimson Peace, Cosmic Progenitor, Daolord Evodia…

The Eighth Tribulation Eminences sensed Meng Chuan’s gaze and smiled at him.

He was an Essence Soul Eighth Tribulation Eminence and an Eternal disciple. His current status was comparable to a top Eighth Tribulation Eminence. In the future, he would have a chance of becoming the leader of this universe on par with Dragon Ancestor. They naturally came with good intentions.

“I’m coming,” replied Meng Chuan with a smile. An Essence Soul avatar headed over.

The End