“Liu Yebai.” The long-browed elder looked at Liu Yebai and said indifferently, “After your daughter goes up the mountain, she cannot leave the mountain except for special reasons before she becomes a Godfiend. You can communicate through letters. If there’s anything urgent, you can come to the mountain to look for your daughter.”
“Understood.” Liu Yebai smiled as he looked at his daughter, Liu Qiyue—who was on the bird’s back. He instructed, “Qiyue, cultivate well in Archean Mountain. If anything happens, write to me. I will be staying in Wu State Guild Hall for the next few months.”
“Yes, I’ll write to you.” Liu Qiyue was also very reluctant to part with her father. She turned to look at Meng Chuan. “Ah Chuan, I’ll write to you too.”
Meng Chuan smiled and nodded.
“This girl.” Liu Yebai smiled and shook his head.
“Let’s go.” The long-browed elder gently patted the enormous black bird. It flew into the air, bringing the long-browed elder and Liu Qiyue towards the legendary Archean Mountain.
“Archean Mountain.” Meng Chuan and the others looked into the distance. Inside Archean City, they could see the massive mountain range that towered into the clouds. It was where the Godfiends of Archean City cultivated.
“Sirs,” one of the stewards of Wu State Guild Hall said with a smile. “Now that the guild hall is relatively empty, do you plan on getting a room each or stay together?”
Meng Dajiang said, “My son—Meng Chuan—and I will live together, while Young Master Yan Jin and Brother Liu will have individual rooms.”
“Three rooms? Sure, the guild hall is huge. Feel free to choose,” said the steward with a smile. “Towards the end of the year, many geniuses from Wu State will come to participate in the entrance examination. There will be plenty of people then.”
Not just anyone could stay at Wu State Guild Hall.
Only geniuses participating in the Archean Mountain entrance examination and high officials sent by Wu State were qualified to stay here. Unauthorized people were not allowed to enter.
Meng Chuan and company simply chose three small courtyards near the guild hall.
…
In a small courtyard, Meng Dajiang placed everything he brought along with him into their room. “From today onwards, we’ll stay here.” He smiled as he looked at the room. “It’s pretty good here, clean too.”
“Dad, I’ll choose the room next door,” Meng Chuan said.
“Hurry up and get some sleep. There’s still quite some time before daybreak.” Meng Dajiang laughed as well. Although he maintained his fat appearance, his face was pale. After all, he had expended a lot of his sanguine aura. He was currently relying on a secret technique to maintain his body size, so he needed to eat and rest more.
Meng Chuan nodded and went to his room. The room was decorated simply. There was a bed and a study table by the window. Beside it was a bookshelf with some books.
As Meng Chuan lay on the bed and stared at the moon through the window, he felt a potpourri of emotions. He had experienced too much today, and the impact on his psyche was deep.
…
At dawn, Meng Dajiang warmly called for Yan Jin and Liu Yebai—who were both situated next to them. “Come come, let’s eat breakfast together.”
“It’s quite a sumptuous spread,” Liu Yebai praised as he looked at the breakfast table in the courtyard.
“I got the people from the guild hall to send breakfast here. Let’s eat together,” said Meng Dajiang. “This quantity is enough to fill our stomachs.”
Yan Jin nodded as well. He sat beside Meng Chuan and started eating. Meng Chuan ate some porridge and buns.
“There are meat buns, white steamed buns, and huge pancakes,” cried out Meng Dajiang enthusiastically. He drank the porridge and ate the pancakes rather slowly as though he wasn’t in a rush.
“What do the two of you plan on doing today?” Liu Yebai was in a good mood. He smiled and asked, “Do you want to head out and take in the sights of Archean City?”
Meng Chuan said, “I looked at the Archean City map on my bookshelf after I woke up. It’s too big. There are many places that offer shopping and entertainment. I doubt one can explore the entire city in months. I’d rather cultivate at the guild hall.”
“I’ll also cultivate at the guild hall,” Yan Jin said.
“Alright, alright, you guys cultivate. The two of us will go out for a walk,” Liu Yebai said with a smile.
Soon, both Meng Chuan and Yan Jin were full. At that moment, Meng Dajiang began to eat faster. He gobbled down the buns and slurped down the pot of porridge that had been warmed up.
Yan Jin’s eyelids twitched when he saw this. He couldn’t help but glance at Meng Chuan. Meng Chuan didn’t eat much, but his father could really eat!
“I don’t like to waste food.” Meng Dajiang chuckled as he stood up. “Both of you cultivate well. We’ll be heading out.”
Liu Yebai left the courtyard together with him. The two of them leisurely strolled around Wu State Guild Hall. The guild hall was huge, and the views were beautiful.
“You didn’t have your fill, am I right?” Liu Yebai teased Meng Dajiang.
“The battle with the demons yesterday consumed too much of my sanguine aura. I need to replenish it by eating,” said Meng Dajiang. “Let’s find a place to eat. We’ll get an entire pig and goat.”
“Sure.” Liu Yebai nodded.
“Right, regarding the awakening of the phoenix bloodline in Qiyue, I’m afraid the Liu family has learned about it,” said Meng Dajiang.
“Humph, I have been avoiding them all these years, but things are different now. My daughter has awakened a phoenix bloodline and even entered Archean Mountain. What am I to fear now?” Liu Yebai scoffed. “Even if the Liu family knows about it, they have to come and beg me obediently.”
“Are you planning on going back?” Meng Dajiang asked.
“Unless they return Elephant Goat Mountain to my lineage, I will not go back unless I die.” Liu Yebai’s face had a hint of disdain. “They will say all kinds of nice things and beg me, but when it comes to returning Elephant Goat Mountain? Impossible. Only when my daughter is conferred the title of marquis will the Liu family truly bow their heads. They will even obediently offer Elephant Goat Mountain on a platter.”
“Marquis-conferment?” Meng Dajiang nodded slightly. “That will be very difficult.”
It was very difficult.
A marquis was one of the most powerful figures in the Wu State. An expert with a Phoenix Divine Body would bring greater levels of intimidation! The Liu family would most likely be willing to invite Liu Qiyue to be the leader of the family clan then.
“Let’s not talk about these irritating matters. Let’s head out and get some food for you.” Liu Yebai said.
…
In the Wu State Guild Hall, Meng Chuan cultivated like usual. However, without the guards and servants to assist him, he was only able to train his Saber Drawing Stance alone.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The aqueous saber slashed across the sky, but it did not cause any shockwaves. At his level, air resistance was no longer a problem due to the influence of the Heaven and Earth powers.
He executed his saber techniques over and over again.
In the past, Meng Chuan needed guards to fire arrows at him. Firstly, it was to hone his accuracy, and secondly, it was to ensure that he was getting faster with every strike.
But, Meng Chuan now discovered that his training wasn’t greatly affected even without his guards’ help.
His hundred-foot perception domain was able to casually lock onto a speck of dust that floated in the air! He could then cleave it. He would be able to train his accuracy using this method. Unfortunately—although the dust particles were small—they moved too slowly, making it not too difficult.
As for the variation of his saber art speed? That was no longer a concern. With his perception domain, the speed of each strike was very precise, all
owing him to judge his striking speed clearly.
As a result, without any guards, he only suffered a slight drop in efficiency. He could still hone his accuracy and speed.
He ate lunch with Yan Jin. As for Meng Dajiang and Liu Yebai, they didn’t return from their gallivanting.
After his cultivation ended, Meng Chuan used the well water from the courtyard to wash himself. After changing clothes, he sat at the desk in the room and started to draw.
Meng Chuan had gotten the guild hall’s staff to buy the materials needed for painting early in the morning. Naturally, he paid for it.
Eastcalm Prefecture.
As he looked at the snow-white canvas, his heart was filled with thoughts of his hometown—Eastcalm Prefecture. He held the brush in his hand, but he hesitated.
He felt a lot more stifled. From the demon invasion yesterday morning until now, everything he had experienced touched something deep within him.
He had experienced it once when he was a six-year-old child. He only had the role of a fugitive then. Now at the age of eighteen, he had participated in the battle at Eastcalm Prefecture. His feelings were completely different.
As he was deep in thought, the intense emotions in him burst out. Ignoring everything else, he started painting.
Chapter 72 - Facing the Morning Sun (2/2)
With a stroke of his brush, Meng Chuan drew the World Entrance in the middle of the painting. A dense horde of demons poured out from the World Entrance and spread in all directions.
He slowly painted, starting with a rough outline.
He focused on one of the demons on the periphery of the spreading horde. It was a mantis demon. He drew it extremely carefully because it was the demon that had left the deepest impression on him when he was six.
…
While painting, the translucent tiny person in his glabella space began to emit a spiritual light. After all these years—ever since painting “People Resonance”—this was the second time it underwent transformations.
…
He immersed himself in his painting, mainly focusing on the mantis demon and its pursuit of his family of three.
The father ran while carrying the child. The mother charged at the mantis demon with a sword.
Just this scene alone took him more than two hours to finish, and this was only one corner of the giant canvas.
When he stopped painting, Meng Chuan realized the changes in his glabella space.
The tiny person in my glabella space is glowing? He was surprised, but the spiritual glow gradually weakened.
The appearance of this glabella space really has something to do with my painting. Meng Chuan was very surprised. When he was 16 years old, he had painted “People Resonance.” It was also his best painting after all these years. That night, he had discovered the glabella space followed by the Power of the Soul. But at that time, he wasn’t completely certain that it was related to painting.
It could have been a coincidence.
The intense emotions he had while painting this time were no less than when he was painting “People Resonance.” The glowing of the tiny person in his glabella space convinced him—
it had something to do with painting!
I’ve never heard of anyone producing the mysterious Power of the Soul via painting? After pondering for a long time, Meng Chuan still couldn’t figure it out. Forget it. Once I enter Archean Mountain, I’ll definitely find out why.
At the very least, the Power of the Soul was of great help to him.
…
From this day onwards, Meng Chuan’s intense emotions fully fused into the painting. This painting also took up a lot of time. He would paint for as little as two hours up to six hours a day.
After spending more than six months on the canvas, he finally finished.
It was a set of paintings—a total of three separate pieces.
The first one was 16 feet long. In the middle of the painting was a dense horde of demons appearing at the World Entrance. They spread out in every direction. Demons committed carnage everywhere. There were parents who wanted to protect their children, but they were stabbed by a demon’s sharp tail.
There was a scene depicting corpses everywhere. A child stood there crying while an elder faced the demons in battle. There was also a father running with his child on his back while the mother fought off the demons using a sword…
Meng Chuan drew a total of thirty-eight scenes. Every scene clearly depicted the appearances of demons and humans. They were all scenes he had personally experienced or seen with his own eyes. Every time he drew, the flames in his heart burned even brighter.
…
In the periphery—some distance away from the demons—Dao Academy disciples, merchants, and ordinary pedestrians were all panicking.
…
At the outer perimeter, stood three Godfiends at Jadesun Palace, ready for battle.
There were other places.
In a Dao Academy, the weaker disciples entered the tunnels, while the stronger disciples watched the approaching demons with either determined or nervous looks. Under the guidance of their dean and lecturers, the veterans prepared them for battle.
Without exception, the weak—regardless of their status—lined up to enter the tunnels.
The powerful—regardless of gender or age—stood alongside each other as they braced for battle.
…
The sun in the painting had just risen, indicating that the demon invasion was at dawn.
This was only the first painting.
The second painting was about 18 feet long. It was much more cruel and bloody.
The center of the painting depicted corpses, a result of the demons’ targeting. They consisted of men, women, and children. Some were youths dressed in Dao Academy robes.
Battles erupted everywhere.
A human warrior held a shield to resist the demons while another human warrior shot arrows from afar. A human’s abdomen had been stabbed but he continued hugging the demon tightly as another companion slashed open the demon’s head with a saber.
Some humans successfully killed demons thanks to the traps they set up. However, more demons charged over from the sides. There was a father and son duo who worked together to deal with demons. There were veteran soldiers dealing with the demons.
…
Meng Chuan had personally witnessed all these tragic scenes. They were very common scenes during the demon invasion in Eastcalm Prefecture. He drew them based on his memory. He drew the determination in the eyes of those who chose to perish with the demons, while their companions continued the battle in pain…
Why are they working so hard? Meng Chuan had once been puzzled. But during his painting process, he realized why when he drew out each living person.
They did it for hope.
They did it for the sake of their loved ones and hope—the hope to still see the sun rise again.
They needed to work hard to ensure that their family survived.
…
He drew the scene of the Blazing Sun Dao Academy trying its best as the demons charged into Blazing Sun Castle. The veterans, soldiers, and youths desperately defended, using their lives as a wall between the demons and the weaker juniors who were hiding in the tunnels.
…
A Godfiend family clan was also fighting desperately. Elders charged ahead to fend off the demons. The young ones and youths also fought. A bald elder led the charge only to have his chest impaled by a tentacle. Yet, he managed to kill the demon with one saber strike.
…
The Godfiends at Jadesun Palace were also fighting desperately. A Godfiend had already collapsed and a female Godfiend struggled to hold on. Only the last male Godfiend fought the four demon monarchs.
They only had one Godfiend—who could still fight—left, but it was a desperate battle.
It was also for hope.
…
The sun of another painting rose a little higher.
; The entire painting depicted fighting everywhere. This took Meng Chuan three months.
…
The third painting was 16 feet long. The situation on the battlefield reversed. People from all directions began attacking the demons as the demons fled in panic.
All the demons were fleeing. They were terrified. They looked to be in sorry states as they were slain one by one. They frantically charged towards the World Entrance in the middle. It was where they came from, and now, it was their salvation.
Meanwhile, in the periphery, a sword beam descended from the sky to slay a demon monarch in Jadesun Palace while the other demon monarchs fled pathetically.
In the Dao Academy, everyone was treating their heavily injured companions. There were adults and youths who were seriously injured.
People had also died in combat, people of both genders and all ages. Some were very beautiful, or very old and haggard. People wept sadly for the dead heroes.
Everywhere—ordinary residences, restaurants, tea houses, Godfiend family clans, and so on—began to treat the injured and move the human corpses.
As for the numerous demon corpses scattered everywhere, people couldn’t be bothered to look at them. They were mostly taking care of the injured and grieving for the dead.
Although the battle was won, there was no joy in the entire painting. Instead, one could feel battle intent coming from it. It was a strong battle intent! Heroes had died, but the living would continue to advance and fight, never stopping.
The sun rose even higher in the east.
The colors of this painting were the brightest among the three.
…
After Meng Chuan finished painting, he fell silent for a long time. Finally, he wrote four words on the last painting: “Facing the Morning Sun.” He didn’t have a name for the first and second painting.
Chapter 73 - Arrival (Final Chapter of Volume)
After writing the words “Facing the Morning Sun,” Meng Chuan scrutinized the three paintings that had been set on the table.
He had found painting these three paintings for the past six months cathartic. From the moment he laid down his brush, he had felt aggrieved, angry, and confused. After all, many people had died in Eastcalm Prefecture that fateful day. He had seen many massacres.
Archean Eon Art c1-766 Page 44