Archean Eon Art c1-766
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Those who could become stewards were at least Seamless realm experts. Some of them were even at the Core Condensation realm.
Soon, a linen-clothed elder came from upstairs. It was Elder Yi.
“Elder Yi,” greeted Meng Chuan respectfully.
“You completed the Eighth Refinement?” Elder Yi smiled amiably.
“I just mastered it yesterday,” answered Meng Chuan honestly.
Elder Yi nodded gently. With his strength, he could tell that the Golden Crow baneful aura had fused with his body completely. He immediately instructed, “Go, get a bottle of Six Desires baneful aura.”
“Yes,” the cyan-robed man replied respectfully.
“The Six Desires baneful aura is painstakingly collected from mortal cities,” said Elder Yi. “Every bottle has nine baneful aura wisps. It isn’t found easily. Only absorb it when you are confident of refining it! Don’t waste it.”
Meng Chuan nodded respectfully. “I understand.”
Soon, the cyan-robed man brought out a red porcelain bottle. After receiving it, Elder Yi handed it to Meng Chuan. “This Six Desires baneful aura is the last type you need for tempering your body. It’s also the most special one. It has the greatest impact on one’s consciousness. You have to temper your will first. If you can’t reach the threshold, don’t absorb it. Otherwise, it might affect your mind. It won’t be surprising if it affects you for decades. Once your willpower reaches the threshold, you can attempt to refine the baneful aura.”
“I will remember your advice.” Meng Chuan had read the books long ago. He knew how dangerous the Ninth Refinement was. If he absorbed the baneful aura while his will was weak, he would transform into a lunatic controlled by his desires. Even if he were saved by Archean Mountain Godfiends, the negative effects on his mind could last for decades or even a lifetime.
…
Meng Chuan next prepared to temper his will! He hoped that his willpower would quickly reach the threshold of refining the Six Desires baneful aura.
I’ll rest for a day and let my mental state return to normal. I’ll go to the Darkness Altar tomorrow and see how far I can reach. Meng Chuan placed the Six Desires baneful aura bottle into a cabinet within his cave abode before closing it. I’ve been on the mountain for a year now. I wonder how much my willpower has improved.
This year, he cultivated his saber arts diligently every day. He attained Saber Intent and learned the Heart Saber Stance. He had experienced 120 days of torment brought by the Golden Crow baneful aura.
This year, he had also gotten engaged to Liu Qiyue.
However, he did not know how much his willpower had improved in the past year.
…
25th December, early morning.
Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue arrived at Grotto-Heaven Pavilion together. Today, the Supremacy would give a lecture. Now, there were 279 disciples inside Grotto-Heaven Pavilion.
New disciples had arrived! Some old disciples had passed the Nine Mystical Caves and left. Meng Chuan was now considered a senior disciple after being on the mountain for a year.
When Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue entered the pavilion, a steward immediately came forward and said with a smile, “Lady Liu Qiyue, your position has changed slightly. Please follow me.” The seating arrangement had changed since new disciples had joined. There were new disciples with extremely high talent.
Meng Chuan remained in the same spot—he was still in the first row.
Ever since he mastered the Heart Saber Stance and reached the Seventh Refinement, he had been in the first row. Xue Feng, Xiao Yunyue, and the other Godfiends—who had attained transcendent-grade Godfiend bodies—were all seated in the first row. Some who had mastered a transcendent-grade Godfiend body were in the second or third row.
Liu Qiyue sat behind, to Meng Chuan’s left. She could definitely attain a perfected Phoenix Divine Body. She just needed more time.
“Look, the couple that walked in is Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue.”
“Meng Chuan reached the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body’s Eighth Refinement in the one year since he joined Archean Mountain. He has long mastered a Black Metal Sutra move. His talent is so high that he is on par with King Calm Sea’s fifth son, Xue Feng. Beside him is Liu Qiyue. She’s awakened a phoenix bloodline. They are a famous couple on our Archean Mountain.”
“Senior Brother Meng came from an ordinary Godfiend family clan. If he came from a Regis Godfiend family clan, he would be much stronger than he is now. Xue Feng became a Godfiend at fifteen, making him a few years faster than Senior Brother Meng. It’s all thanks to his family.”
“Mastering a Black Metal Sutra move in half a year truly makes him monstrous.”
Many disciples secretly discussed them.
In the past half a year, Meng Chuan was the most dazzling disciple in Grotto-Heaven Pavilion. He rose to prominence rapidly, dumbfounding many disciples. In terms of speed, he was even faster than Xue Feng and Xiao Yunyue. However, Meng Chuan was already eighteen when he came to the mountain while Xue Feng had been thirteen. This caused Meng Chuan to be a lot slower in many aspects. However, many disciples believed that his talent was no less than Xue Feng’s.
“Meng Chuan, congratulations on completing the Eighth Refinement realm.” Yan Jin walked over and revealed a rare smile.
“You are aware of it too?” Meng Chuan was surprised.
“This morning, everyone has been talking about it in Grotto-Heaven Pavilion. Who doesn’t know that you’ve already completed the Eighth Refinement of the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body?” asked Yan Jin. “So, are you planning on completing the Ninth Refinement?”
“I’m going to give it a try,” said Meng Chuan with a smile.
Yan Jin nodded gently. “You’ve only been on the mountain for a year. You indeed have time to give it a try. However, completing the Eighth Refinement realm means you have Greater Mastery of a transcendent-grade Godfiend body. In Archean Mountain, most who cultivate transcendent-grade Godfiend bodies only gain Lesser Mastery. Greater Mastery is extremely rare. A perfected transcendent-grade Godfiend body rarely appears. Among the disciples who haven’t gone down the mountain, my fifth brother is the only one with a perfected transcendent-grade Godfiend body. However, he cultivates the Black Sand Fiend Body. It’s much easier than your Lightning Devastator Fiend Body.”
Meng Chuan nodded. “How’s your cultivation?”
“It’s still early.” Yan Jin shook his head gently and returned to his seat.
Yan Jin silently sat in his seat. Brother Meng Chuan has already completed the Eighth Refinement. I estimate I will take another three months before I attain Lesser Mastery of the Azure Lotus Divine Body. To attain Greater Mastery, it will take even more time. As for the perfected stage? I don’t see any hope in it! However, I need a perfected transcendent-grade Godfiend body if I want to fight a Regis Godfiend. As Yan Jin cultivated, he realized that although he worked very hard, compared to Meng Chuan and his fifth brother—Xue Feng—he was indeed slower.
But he never gave up.
Suddenly, an invisible aura spread out, enveloping the entire Grotto-Heaven Pavilion. Silence ensued. Meng Chuan and company stood up immediately. The new disciples—who were still wet behind the ears—followed the crowd and stood up. Supremacy walked in, and his gaze swept across the disciples. He naturally noticed Meng Chuan, Xue Feng, and the other outstanding disciples he paid more attention to.
“Greetings, Master.” The disciples bowed respectfully.
…
After the lecture in Grotto-Heaven Pavilion ended, Liu Qiyue went to Marquis Heavenstar for cultivation while Meng Chuan headed for the Darkness Altar.
“Lord Meng Chuan.” There were stewards and servants at the Darkness Altar as well.
“I wish to ascend the Darkness Altar,” said Meng Chuan.
The steward nodded and said, “Then I’ll activate the Darkness Altar now.” As he spoke, he activated a mechanism beside him.
“You may begin,” said the ste
ward with a smile. “If Lord Meng Chuan stops on the Darkness Altar and can’t advance any further, I’ll shut it off.”
Although the Darkness Altar could temper one’s will, it was mainly used by Archean Mountain disciples to test their willpower. As long as they reached the peak, it meant that they had reached the willpower threshold for becoming a Great Solar Godfiend.
When I participated in the entrance examination last year, I stopped on the 75th step. I wonder how far I can reach now. Meng Chuan walked to the Darkness Altar and took the first step. A faint black fog immediately surged into Meng Chuan’s body. His body trembled slightly, but he got used to it quickly. He continued to walk up.
As for the stewards and servants, they watched curiously and wondered which step Lord Meng Chuan—who had recently become famous—could reach.
“Let’s guess how far Lord Meng Chuan can go.”
“I think he should be able to reach the 90th step.”
“Lord Meng Chuan has been on the mountain for only a year. It shouldn’t be that easy for him to reach the 90th step.” These stewards and servants lived rather dull lives. They chatted excitedly. They knew that Meng Chuan couldn’t hear their voices when he was climbing the Darkness Altar.
Chapter 108 - The Pit of Bewilderment
Meng Chuan stepped onto the Darkness Altar’s limestone steps and very stably took another step forward.
The black fog continued to seep into Meng Chuan’s body.
You want to bewilder me with these illusions?
After suffering four hours of hell-like torture every day for 120 days, his will had become as resilient as a saber. He would either be sharpened by the grinding or be crushed.
Meng Chuan’s will was clearly stronger and sharper. Furthermore, the promise he made with Qiyue strengthened his soul. His will had become stronger now that he had someone he loved.
Break! He broke through illusions forcefully with his strong will, allowing him to remain conscious.
He advanced step by step.
Thirty steps, fifty steps, seventy steps, ninety steps. Meng Chuan’s pace didn’t slow down as he ascended the altar. He reached the 90th step before he slowed down slightly. However, he continued climbing the altar.
“This…”
“Almost a hundred steps.”
“Didn’t Lord Meng Chuan join Archean Mountain a year ago? His willpower has improved by so much?” The stewards and servants were dumbfounded. They were in charge of managing the Darkness Altar, so they naturally knew that Meng Chuan had reached the 75th step a year ago. With more experience and diligent cultivation, one’s will would slowly grow stronger; however, Meng Chuan’s willpower had increased significantly.
The stewards and servants watched intently. Although Meng Chuan’s pace slowed down, he continued walking upwards.
“The hundredth step! He already reached the hundredth step, but he’s still climbing upwards.”
“He won’t reach the summit directly, right?”
…
It’s an illusion. Illusions, begone!
Meng Chuan roared inwardly, but illusions continued to invade his mind endlessly. He broke through the first layer of illusions, but the second, third, and further layers remained. His sea of consciousness gradually turned chaotic, and he was no longer able to discern reality from the illusions.
Soon, the black fog returned to the Darkness Altar. Meng Chuan quickly escaped the illusions and regained his senses.
I’m Meng Chuan. I’m trying to ascend the Darkness Altar. Meng Chuan immediately realized this and heaved a sigh of relief.
It was very uncomfortable to lose himself in the illusions.
When Meng Chuan saw the top of the Darkness Altar, he looked down and realized that he was just one step short from reaching the summit.
“Congratulations, Lord Meng Chuan. You have reached the 102nd step.” After the steward deactivated the Darkness Altar, he immediately congratulated him. “I believe that even if you do not deliberately temper your will, you will reach the summit in a year or so.”
Meng Chuan nodded gently, but he still took a step forward.
He took the last step and stood at the top. The top was very small, but when he looked around him, it felt quite different.
The steward and servants were slightly taken aback. Why was he doing that? They had shut down the Darkness Altar, providing no testing effects. What was the point of reaching the summit?
I probably wouldn’t ascend the Darkness Altar again in the future. Meng Chuan knew this, so he decided to stand at the summit and take in the scenery.
Following that, he left the Darkness Altar.
Meng Chuan was rather delighted that he reached the Darkness Altar’s 102nd step. His improvement over the past year was much greater than he had expected. However, it wasn’t much of a surprise. This was because the required willpower for refining the Six Desires baneful aura was several times greater than what was needed to reach the Darkness Altar’s summit. The path to complete the Ninth Refinement was long and arduous.
…
Evening of 26th December.
After painting, sparring, and cultivating for a while, Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue arrived at a rather mysterious place on Archean Mountain.
“The Pit of Bewilderment is extremely mysterious. What’s hidden at the bottom of the pit remains one of Archean Mountain’s top ten mysteries,” said Meng Chuan with a smile.
Liu Qiyue nodded excitedly as well. “I’ve read about it as well. The Pit of Bewilderment is like a bottomless abyss. It’s impossible to see its true appearance. If anyone can reach the bottom of the Pit of Bewilderment, their willpower will be so strong that they can be ranked in the top ten of all humans. Just their terrifying willpower alone would allow them to become a Marquis Godfiend in a year.”
Meng Chuan nodded.
If any mortal were able to reach the Pit of Bewilderment’s end, the attention that Archean Mountain gave them would immediately surpass what they gave Meng Chuan and Xue Feng. Anyone who could reach the pit’s end had willpower comparable to a Supremacy at the Creation realm. Godfiend bodies like the Sanguine Divine Body, Mirage Fiend Body, and the Skyfiend Saint and Indestructible Blood Sea Black Metal Sutras were extremely suitable for those with monstrous willpower. They could become Marquis Godfiends in a year and Regis Godfiends in a few decades.
However, willpower was not borne from talent. Regardless of one’s family background—no matter how impressive one’s parents were, or even if they had an inborn Essence Soul—lacking willpower meant weakness!
Willpower needed to be gradually gained through one’s life experiences. Their life experiences, a mortal’s hardships, the grinding of various emotions… There were too many factors that determined one’s willpower.
Young people lacked experience! They had shallow knowledge! How could they compare to powerful Godfiends that had wallowed in seas of blood for centuries? They were far inferior.
Before the age of fifty, no human in history had ever surpassed a Regis Godfiend while having willpower that ranked in the top ten of all humans in the world.
Meng Chuan knew himself well.
How many battles had he experienced? How many times had he experienced despair? The known contributions by famous Marquis Godfiends and Regis Godfiends were shocking. After fighting for the human race for so long, their willpower far exceeded those of the younger generation. For years, their wills were tempered with blood, sweat, and tears.
“We’ve arrived at the Pit of Bewilderment.” said Meng Chuan.
The Pit of Bewilderment was a cave that led deep down.
Meng Chuan and Liu Qiyue stood at the edge of the pit and looked down. They couldn’t see the bottom due to the black fog within the pit.
There were stairs beside the Pit of Bewilderment’s walls. They circled the cavern and continued down. One ring consisted of 79 steps. The steps circled down, and there were a total of six rings visible to the naked eye.
“The books
say that the Pit of Bewilderment has nine rings of steps,” said Liu Qiyue. “There are still three rings hidden by the black fog.”
“Reaching the Darkness Altar’s altar is equivalent to completing three rings in the Pit of Bewilderment,” said Meng Chuan. “To absorb the Six Desires baneful aura, I need to complete four rings in the Pit of Bewilderment.”
The deeper he went, the harder it was for him to take a step forward. To reach the fourth ring’s end in the Pit of Bewilderment, one required willpower several-fold greater than the willpower required to complete the third ring.
After reaching the end of the fourth ring, one could absorb the Six Desires baneful aura without going insane instantly.
However, there were nine rings in the Pit of Bewilderment…
“Two people are walking in it,” said Liu Qiyue.
“I see them.” Meng Chuan carefully watched the two people walking down the Pit of Bewilderment’s stairs. One was at the third ring and slowly descended towards the fourth ring. The other was slowly walking along the fifth ring.
“One of them is Senior Brother Zhang Feng, a Great Solar Godfiend,” said Liu Qiyue immediately. “The one further below is Marquis Clear Orchid.”
Meng Chuan knew them too. After all, there was information regarding his fellow disciples in Archean Mountain. However, Great Solar Godfiends and Marquis Godfiends spent most of their time fighting outside. They occasionally returned to the sect, so it was rare for them to meet.
Meng Chuan and Liu Qiye watched them for ten minutes and saw their results.
When Senior Brother Zhang Feng arrived at the fourth ring’s 26th step, he began walking towards the Pit of Bewilderment’s center dazedly. He missed his footing and fell into the black fog expressionlessly.
Marquis Clear Orchid arrived at the fifth ring’s 62nd and dazedly walked towards the Pit of Bewilderment’s center. He numbly stepped on air and fell.