Archean Eon Art c1-766

by I Eat Tomatoes, Wo Chi Xi Hong Shi, 我吃西红柿

  Although it wasn’t exactly an epiphany, it was very potent.

  I’ll probably be able to comprehend a Sixth Tribulation law in a month or two simply by standing here. Meng Chuan understood this point. He was already very close to mastering a Sixth Tribulation law. If he were in the outside world, he would be able to grasp the law in a few decades or even a century. However, he realized how beneficial just stepping into the black mountain was to his cultivation. The time he needed to comprehend a Sixth Tribulation law had naturally been shortened drastically.

  Chapter 594 - Ascending the Mountain

  “This is a cultivation Holy Land.” Meng Hu, who had stepped onto the black rock, was somewhat shocked.

  “Yes.” Fu Sui and Black Wind had also stepped past the mountains’ boundary.

  Fu Sui smiled and said, “This mountain is a cultivation Holy Land. Furthermore, the deeper we go, the greater the benefits to our cultivation.” Meng Chuan was shocked. “The benefits can be even greater?”

  “Fu Sui and I have been here once. It’s naturally true,” said Black Wind with a smile. This mountain is really special. Meng Chuan sighed even more. There are all kinds of wonders in the outer realm. Ancestral Master Archean Eon said that there are no benefits without reason. This mountain definitely has a reason for its uniqueness. Meng Chuan felt fear when he looked at the distant black mountain. He was naturally wary of it.

  This mountain is somewhat strange. Meng Hu sensed his current state as his inspiration surged. He then looked at Fu Sui, Black Wind, and Meng Chuan. He thought to himself, Everything in the River of Spacetime follows a natural cycle. Only by consuming spirit fruits and treasures can one gain the effects of an epiphany for a few hours. In this black mountain, a Fifth Tribulation Eminence is in a constant state of near-epiphany. Perhaps, we have already paid the price unknowingly? Or perhaps, this mountain is baiting us?

  Meng Hu was very cautious. His homeworld was the Heavenly Dream Realm, a high-leveled world. The ancestor produced by his homeworld was an Eighth Tribulation Eminence. Having passed the test and become a Heavenly Dream Divine General. His status in the Heavenly Dream Realm was considered very high. He had read many secret records.

  Some places in the outer realm were even more magical than the ruin they were in.

  To easily induce a constant state of near-epiphany for a large number of Fifth Tribulation Eminences without paying any price? It was impossible!

  There had to be a price! Either the price came from themselves, or the mountain’s creator had paid the price.

  If the creator of the mountain had paid the price, they would definitely have a motive.

  “The optimal situation is that the creator of this mountain created this cultivation Holy Land for juniors. After the creator died, the mountain was still barely maintained. We got lucky by coming here.” Meng Hu quickly rejected this hypothesis. “However, the possibility is too low. Furthermore, I can sense how strange this black mountain is from afar. There are many forbidden creatures in the ruin world. The forbidden creatures are also all crazy…”

  Forbidden creatures could devour all life. They were the common enemy of all life. However, such evil and sinful creatures had all gone crazy?

  “This definitely isn’t a safe cultivation Holy Land. There must be a reason for the strange black mountain.” Meng Hu was extremely cautious.

  Meng Hu was the most cautious of the four people present. Meng Chuan was equally cautious. On the contrary, Fu Sui and Old Fiend Black Wind, who had both stepped onto the black mountain for the second time, became even more zealous because of the benefits they obtained.

  “Everyone, it’s best you be careful,” said Meng Hu. “This black mountain has given us great benefits. Perhaps there will be a huge calamity.”

  “Haha, opportunity and risk come in pairs,” said Fu Sui with a smile. “Adventuring in ruins requires one to experience all sorts of dangers and grasp the opportunities within. This black mountain is the greatest opportunity I’ve encountered in all these years. At most, this true body will die in battle. I can’t give up on this opportunity.” “Sometimes, the price one has to pay isn’t just one true body,” said Meng Hu faintly.

  Fu Sui and Black Wind’s hearts stirred.

  “Brother Meng Hu, did you manage to detect something?” asked Black Wind.

  “I don’t know.” Meng Hu shook his head gently. “I only know that the greater the benefits that come knocking, the more careful you should be.”

  Meng Chuan nodded. “We have to be careful.”

  “Yes, we also understand. Should we head to the place where Black Wind and I died in battle next?” said Fu Sui.

  “Alright.” Meng Chuan and Meng Hu nodded. After all, Fu Sui and Black Wind had to retrieve their lost treasures first. Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

  The four of them quickly moved. Meng Chuan sent three Essence Soul avatars to continue scouting the area. “Be careful. There are more forbidden creatures on this black mountain,” reminded Fu Sui. “Black Wind and I died at the hands of a forbidden creature.”

  “Yes.” Meng Chuan and Meng Hu nodded. After experiencing the attacks of forbidden creatures on land, they didn’t dare underestimate them.

  As they traveled

  “Why didn’t we encounter any forbidden creatures?” Fu Sui looked at Meng Chuan. “Did Brother Eastcalm’s Essence Soul avatars intercept them ahead of time?”

  Meng Chuan shook his head. “No. My three Essence Soul avatars haven’t discovered any forbidden creatures.”

  Fu Sui frowned slightly and became more cautious. “It’s strange. There are many more forbidden creatures on the black mountain. We should have encountered five or six forbidden creatures having traveled so far.”

  The journey was very strange.

  After entering the black mountain range, Meng Chuan and company didn’t encounter any forbidden creatures, even when they reached Fu Sui and Black Wind’s remains.

  “How strange.”

  “Not a single forbidden creature.”

  “My Essence Soul avatars didn’t bump into anything either.” Fu Sui and Black Wind picked up the treasures they left behind, but they remained puzzled.

  It wasn’t strange that they could retrieve their treasures. The forbidden creatures in the ruin world had gone mad. They only knew how to kill, so they didn’t deliberately horde cultivators’ treasures. Fu Sui had died three times in this ruin before, and he always collected his treasures afterward.

  After finding the treasures, Meng Chuan and company carefully ventured deeper into the mountain.

  Huh? Meng Chuan’s Essence Soul avatar saw some weapons and items scattered in the mountain forest. Immediately, his Essence Soul World enveloped the area, and the weapons and treasures flew up.

  These should have been left behind by other cultivators after they died. Meng Chuan put away the items and carefully inspected them. He flipped his hand and took out a void bracelet. This void bracelet’s mysterious patterns are incomplete. The void inside it has completely shattered. The void bracelet must be very, very old.

  The damage to the void bracelet was due to natural wear and tear caused by extended periods of time going by.

  In the outer realm, very few things could exist for eternity. For example, Primordial Stones were eternal existences.

  As for the vast majority of items, they would slowly be damaged over time. For example, spirit fruits, wine, and so on had shorter expiry dates. If a Tribulation treasure was preserved well, it could be preserved for a longer period of time. However, without cultivators nurturing it, even a Seventh Tribulation treasure would eventually decay. Some of the items have decayed and become damaged. Some are still intact. Meng Chuan inspected them. They are worth about 8,000 cubes. They should be left behind by a Fifth Tribulation Eminence.

  This black mountain has a long history. Many cultivators have come here before. However, I haven’t found any historical records of this place in the outside world. Meng Chuan was puzzled.
Huh? Meng Chuan’s Essence Soul avatar suddenly felt its heart tighten. This was because a three-headed humanoid creature had flown past from afar. The three-headed humanoid creature had also discovered Meng Chuan’s Essence Soul avatar. It only gave Meng Chuan’s Essence Soul avatar a glance before flying into the distance.

  What? It didn’t attack me despite seeing me? Meng Chuan was shocked.

  “What did you say? Your Essence Soul avatar and a forbidden creature discovered each other, but that forbidden creature didn’t attack you. It left instead?” Fu Sui and Black Wind found it unbelievable.

  Meng Chuan nodded. “Yes.”

  “Impossible. I’ve investigated this ruin world three times. All the forbidden creatures have gone crazy. They have no rationality.” Fu Sui shook his head. “Once they discover us, they will immediately attack.” “Back when we entered the black mountain, we were pursued by many forbidden creatures. This time, no forbidden creatures came to pursue us,” said Black Wind. “Could it be that something has changed in this black mountain?”

  Although Meng Chuan, Fu Sui, Black Wind, and Meng Hu were puzzled, they could only be careful. They wouldn’t give up easily. The deeper they went, the greater the benefits to their cultivation. They could not stop.

  The four of them advanced.

  Along the way, an enormous head flew past them. It could clearly see Meng Chuan and company, but it continued flying into the distance.

  “The forbidden creature my Essence Soul avatar discovered and that forbidden creature are heading in the same direction,” said Meng Chuan.

  Fu Sui’s eyes lit up. “Let’s chase after it and take a look.”

  Immediately, the four of them silently tailed the giant head.

  The head was about 1,000 feet wide. It was completely carved out of gray rock. The head constantly flew in a certain direction. Meng Chuan and company followed silently as they headed deeper into the mountain.

  The mountains were vast.

  Along the way, Meng Chuan and company discovered over ten forbidden creatures. Some were fast, while others were slow. However, they all flew in the same direction.

  “They are all heading in the same direction.”

  “There must be a reason why so many forbidden creatures have appeared in this ruin world.” Meng Chuan and company became even more cautious and expectant. The greater the secret, the greater the possibility of reaping great benefits.

  On the third day after entering the black mountain, they arrived at the depths of the mountain.

  At that moment, Meng Chuan had already picked up seven treasures using his three scouting Essence Soul avatars. They had a total value of about 30,000 cubes. They were probably left behind by Fifth Tribulation Eminences.

  Huh?

  Meng Chuan and company followed the head-like forbidden creature and finally arrived at the tallest mountain peak on the black mountain. The black mountain was over 50,000 kilometers tall. It spanned more than 50,000 kilometers. There were many mountain peaks on the mountain, but the most eye-catching one was the tallest peak in the middle.

  Three roads paved with crystal jade appeared at the tallest mountain peak’s entrance. They extended deep into the mountain.

  “Three paths?” Meng Chuan and company stopped.

  The head-like forbidden creature didn’t fly towards the three paths. Instead, it flew towards the highest mountain peak that was closest to it in a daze.

  Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

  Meng Chuan and company stared into the distance. The highest peak was extremely majestic. They could see forbidden creatures flying up in a daze, but none of them took the three paths. “What should we do next?” asked Fu Sui. “Should we follow the three paths, or should we go up the mountain like the forbidden creatures without touching the three paths?”

  Chapter 595 - Decision

  Meng Chuan approached the mountain and watched the forbidden creatures fly up in a daze. He instinctively felt that it would be very dangerous to barge up the mountain. Thus, he said, “Since the creator of Black Mountain created three paths, he must have a motive. The paths are built for cultivators to walk. If we violate the creator’s intentions, we might suffer a disastrous fate when we forcefully ascend the mountain.”

  Old Fiend Black Wind observed and nodded. “I agree with Brother Eastcalm. If we don’t ascend the mountain along the built paths and choose to fly up the mountain by force, it will anger the creator of the black mountain. All those sinful creatures have gone mad. Perhaps, madness will be our result if we forcefully fly up the mountain.”

  Fu Sui looked at Meng Chuan. “Brother Eastcalm, why don’t you try using your Essence Soul avatar?”.

  Meng Chuan frowned and looked at Fu Sui. “Fu Sui, I might end up as a lunatic if I forcefully ascend the mountain. These forbidden creatures are in no way inferior to Tribulation Eminences, but all of them have gone mad. If I forcefully fly up, all my avatars might go crazy. It’s not wise for me to give it a try, right?”

  Although he was in charge of reconnaissance and vigilance, it didn’t mean that he would send himself to his death.

  If all his bodies went crazy, it would be equivalent to death. After all, he wouldn’t even have a conscious mind. Meng Chuan instinctively realized the danger of forcefully ascending the mountain, so he naturally wouldn’t do it.

  It would just be stupid to do such a thing despite knowing that it was very dangerous.

  “All your avatars will go crazy? That’s unlikely. You have your true body in your homeworld. It definitely won’t affect your true body in your homeworld,” said Fu Sui with a smile. “Without an Eighth Tribulation Eminence appearing, they won’t be able to threaten your homeworld’s true body.”

  “It’s a huge loss for me if it were to affect this true body of mine.” Meng Chuan shook his head. His evaluation of Fu Sui had worsened greatly. He continued, “Besides, it’s still unknown who the creator of this black mountain is. He might be an Eighth Tribulation Eminence, or even an Eternal existence!”

  “It’s fine if you aren’t willing. You are too cautious,” said Fu Sui with a smile. “If it weren’t because my Essence Soul avatar is unable to withstand the pressure from this ruin world, I would have long attempted it.”

  Meng Chuan didn’t argue further.

  Perhaps Fu Sui felt that he could give it a try, but Meng Chuan didn’t want to. He just needed to stay safe because it wouldn’t take long before he had a chance of reaching the Sixth Tribulation realm!

  When he reached the Sixth Tribulation realm, even an Eighth Tribulation Eminence wouldn’t be able to pose a threat to him in the River of Spacetime. It was one thing for him to be bold during expeditions, but now? He had to be careful! These forbidden creatures were all at the Fifth Tribulation realm, and didn’t they all become crazy? “It’s up to Brother Eastcalm,” said Black Wind. “Since Brother Eastcalm isn’t willing to send an Essence Soul avatar up the mountain and our Essence Soul avatars are too weak… It looks like we can only give the three paths a try.”

  Meng Hu nodded. “These three paths shouldn’t reach a dead end.”

  “We can give it a try,” said Fu Sui as he walked toward the leftmost path.

  After stepping onto the leftmost path, Fu Sui stopped moving. He stood there and carefully sensed his surroundings. His face was filled with obsession. He took a few seconds to regain himself before he took a step back and left the path.

  “It’s unbelievable.” Fu Sui pointed to the leftmost path. “Just stepping on this path will result in a constant state of epiphany. It’s much better for cultivation than when we just entered the mountain.”

  “Epiphany?” Meng Chuan, Meng Hu, and Black Wind were alarmed.

  When they entered the mountain, it greatly benefited their cultivation. Back then, Meng Chuan believed that he would probably be able to comprehend a Sixth Tribulation law within a month or two. Now, the leftmost path was even more helpful to one’s cultivation?

  “I’ll give it a try.” Meng H
u immediately took a step forward. He also immersed himself in the feeling. He even took a few steps forward before retreating after a while. He nodded and said, “It is indeed the case. One will be in a constant state of epiphany once they step onto the path, but it only lasts for a few seconds. One has to continue advancing along the path. As long as one advances slowly, they will be able to maintain the state of epiphany. I believe that, on the leftmost path… I have a chance of mastering a third Fifth Tribulation law. I even have a chance of fusing three laws and comprehending a Sixth Tribulation law.”

  Black Wind also walked up and retreated after experiencing the situation.

  Meng Chuan wasn’t in a hurry. After all, he was close to grasping a Sixth Tribulation law. He was the last to step forward.

  The smooth path was paved with crystal jade. As he walked on it, he felt a warmth spread from his feet to his entire body. His body felt very warm and comfortable. His Essence Soul entered a state of epiphany as large amounts of inspiration constantly surged through his mind. The various insights in Meng Chuan’s mind were constantly integrated. A vast and complete embryonic set of laws were constantly perfected in his mind.

  In just a few seconds, the warmth beneath his feet receded, and his Essence Soul returned to normal. Meng Chuan took another step forward, and his Essence Soul entered a state of epiphany again.

  After taking two steps, Meng Chuan retreated. Meng Chuan was also shocked. I’ll probably be able to comprehend a Sixth Tribulation law if I spent two hours on this path.

  It might take a century elsewhere and one to two months on the mountain, but this path would allow him to comprehend a Sixth Tribulation Law in about two hours.

  Constant state of epiphany?

  Although Meng Chuan and company were excited, they were very cautious. “The greater the benefits, the greater the price,” said Meng Hu. “Since the opportunity is here, we should take the risk,” said Fu Sui.