Archean Eon Art c1-766
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Meng Chuan also understood this.
The strongest in this world was naturally not in comparison to humans but to all living beings in this world.
…
The third year of Meng Chuan’s teaching.
“The rebels have entered the capital!” The capital was in chaos, and the flames of war burned through the entire city.
The imperial palace was in chaos; the imperial family had fled in advance.
A one-armed, linen-clothed youth walked out of the imperial palace with a bag on his back. Some soldiers encountered him, but they didn’t seem to see him.
Meng Chuan’s soul had reached this mortal body’s limit. Although he had yet to reach the Essence Soul realm, Meng Chuan could still cast simple illusions. At the very least, he could bewitch dozens of ordinary people. Of course, if he encountered someone with strong willpower, the illusions his soul cast could be seen through. That or in front of a large number of people… He couldn’t bewitch too many people at the same time.
The imperial family actually ignored these three precious Exorcism manuals. They only fled with the treasures. Meng Chuan sighed inwardly.
He had long set his sights on these three precious Exorcism manuals. They were manuals that the Great Yu Dynasty forced the three top Exorcism factions to hand over when it was at its peak.
The Imperial Palace had a copy, and so did the Exorcism Division headquarters.
However, Meng Chuan didn’t go to the Exorcism Division. This was because he felt that it was easier to obtain the manuals from the Imperial Palace.
The capital has been breached. The Great Yu Dynasty is completely finished. On this day, Meng Chuan left the capital and embarked on his journey home.
…
The south’s largest city, Binhai City.
Fang Qi’s father sold all his farmland and moved to this large city? The single-armed Meng Chuan carried his luggage and walked through Binhai City.
Binhai City was close to the sea, and trade flourished here. Although the world was in chaos and several factions controlled Binhai City, it maintained a rare peace. It also caused wealthy merchants and nobles to flee here with their families. Under the chaos of war, Binhai City became the most prosperous city in the world.
When Meng Chuan was teaching at Exorcism Academy, he received a letter from Fang Qi’s father, Fang Dalong. He said that he had moved to Binhai City and gave him an address.
This is it. Meng Chuan finally found the address.
“What? You lost the bag of silver I gave you last night?” A roar sounded from the manor in front of him. The roar was extremely familiar to Meng Chuan. The voice in his memories belonged to his father—Fang Dalong!
Meng Chuan walked forward and knocked on the door.
The door opened.
An honest old man looked out and asked, “Who is it?”
Then, the honest old man immediately revealed a look of delight. “Eldest Young Master!”
“Master, Eldest Young Master is back. Eldest Young Master is back,” shouted the honest old man immediately.
“Uncle Sanmao,” greeted Meng Chuan with a smile.
One of Fang Dalong’s two lackeys was Wang Sanmao. Uncle Sanmao was strong, bold, and loyal. When Fang Dalong was young, Wang Sanmao followed him.
Even his wife was snatched by Fang Dalong and his men for his old pal. Toward the end of the dynasty, the government didn’t have much power. The chaos in the countryside meant that whoever had the biggest fist had the last word. It had become a tradition to snatch brides. Being able to snatch and hold onto her meant that one was strong enough. People would even consider it a good marriage.
“Qi’er is back?” A loud voice resounded throughout the manor, and a burly man with two guns at his waist ran out. He had a square face and was a hairy man. His eyes were like a tiger’s, and he had a rash aura.
Fang Dalong relied on his guns and his subordinates to become a wealthy local. He even sent his son to the capital’s Exorcism Academy.
Meng Chuan looked at the man. Fang Dalong was 41 years old, but he didn’t look old.
Fang Dalong saw the youth dressed in plain clothes standing in front of him. When he left, Fang Qi was still a youth with clean facial features, but now, he had lost an arm.
“Qi’er.” Fang Dalong hugged his son as tears rolled down his cheeks. “It’s all Dad’s fault; it’s Dad’s fault. I shouldn’t have sent you to the Exorcism Academy.”
“I was rash,” said Meng Chuan.
He remembered Fang Dalong’s repeated exhortations when he sent his son to the Exorcism Academy. “Qi’er, go to the Exorcism Academy and learn how to exorcise fiends. Come back after you’re done; don’t join the Exorcism Division.”
However, the young and impetuous Fang Qi clearly ignored his father’s exhortations and joined the Exorcism Division in high spirits.
As the father and son hugged, women and children came to the front yard.
“This is Eldest Young Master?”
“Why is he crippled?”
“Don’t spout nonsense. Eldest Young Master is an official of the Imperial Court.”
“The imperial government is gone. What official? Now that there’s war and chaos, our family is already tight on money. Now, we have another eldest young master.”
The women muttered, and some of them had unfriendly gazes. Back when Fang Qi went to the capital, he had reasons for not interacting with these aunts.
Fang Dalong hugged his son tightly for a while before letting go.
Meng Chuan looked at the women in the courtyard. There were even some children.
Fang Dalong felt a little embarrassed when he saw this. He smiled obsequiously and said, “You know your Second Aunt and the others, but there are a few that you don’t know. Let me introduce them to you. This is your Sixth Aunt, and this is your Eighth Aunt. This is your Eleventh Aunt…”
“How many did you marry?” asked Meng Chuan.
“I didn’t want to bother you when you were in the capital, so I didn’t tell you.” Fang Dalong smiled honestly. “When I was in the countryside, I married my seventh wife. Later, when I moved to the city… Now that it’s all war and chaos, I’m even more popular. I married another six. However, your Twelfth Aunt just married me half a month ago, and she left with someone else! She’s really blind; she’ll regret it!”
Meng Chuan didn’t say a word as he listened.
Fang Dalong smiled obsequiously when he saw his son’s expression. “Let’s not talk about such depressing matters. Qi’er, your return is something worth celebrating. Are you staying?”
“I won’t be leaving for now,” said Meng Chuan.
Fang Dalong heaved a sigh of relief.
Many of the aunts’ expressions turned ugly.
Chapter 763 - Binhai's Exorcism World
Translator: CKtalon
“You brats, hurry up and practice your boxing,” Fang Dalong shouted at the children around the aunts.
“Yes, Dad.” Immediately, six children answered loudly. They couldn’t help but look curiously at their eldest brother. They had heard that their eldest brother was a high-ranking official in the imperial government and an Exorcist. However, their father held great authority over them.
The six children went to practice as usual.
“Qi’er, I’ll bring you to your room,” said Fang Dalong to his eldest son amiably.
Meng Chuan knew about Fang Dalong’s rise to wealthiness. The reason why Fang Dalong could rise to prominence from being a normal villager was that he could fight. This world also had fist arts, and there were also so-called fist art grandmasters… However, fist art grandmasters only had 500 kilograms of strength. They relied on their exquisite fist arts to fight 100 enemies alone.
With the advent of firearms, the status of fist arts declined. After all, if more than ten firearms were fired at the same time, even fist art grandmasters would have to flee in a sorry state. After all, they were also made of flesh and blood.
“This courtyard is yours.” Fang Dalong brought Meng Chuan to a small courtyard. “The layout is the same as our old home.”
As he spoke, he pushed open the door and entered.
Meng Chuan could tell at a glance that the house was often cleaned. It was very clean, and the layout was similar to what he remembered. There was also a photo of a couple hugging their children.
The man was the young Fang Dalong, while the woman was a gentle woman.
“All your belongings have been moved here from our hometown. None of them have been lost.” As Fang Dalong spoke, he walked over and gently wiped the photos. When he was young, taking photos was an extravagance. Back then, he had happily brought his wife and children to the city to take photos.
When he was 16, Fang Dalong got married. His wife was 17 years old—a year older.
He had built his business from scratch and established a large family business in the chaotic world. He had connections with the rebel forces and had a good relationship with the local government officials. His might sent reverberations across the surrounding 50 kilometers.
There was once a local official who wanted to take him down, but that official was assassinated by the rebel army. The local villains submitted to him and followed him. He even brought many of his fellow villagers to Binhai.
“What I regret the most is agreeing to let you go to the capital and the Exorcism Academy.” Fang Dalong put down the photo and sat on the bed with a sigh. At that moment, Meng Chuan’s father looked like he had aged considerably.
“I wanted to be an Exorcist back then; it’s not your fault,” said Meng Chuan. When Fang Qi was young, he had heard of scenes of Exorcists performing Exorcisms. He yearned for it.
“If I didn’t agree, could a brat like you go to the capital?” Fang Dalong glanced at his son and sighed. “Back then, I was too ambitious. I thought that firearms were too powerful. Our Fang family wasn’t reliable enough with our fist arts, so we had to learn more powerful skills. That’s why I got you to go to the capital’s Exorcism Academy… In this chaotic world, even money and food are useless. Only by relying on people can you gain a foothold. No matter who it is, they have to respect the means of Exorcists.”
Meng Chuan could tell that Fang Dalong was indeed a formidable figure. In his hometown, he intimidated a 50-kilometer area. Now, he was in the most prosperous Binhai City. To be able to buy such a large manor and have more than ten family guards, one could tell that he still had quite a high status.
“I’ve let your mother down. I swore in front of your mother’s grave that I would take good care of you and your sister, but I went back on my word.” Fang Dalong’s voice sounded a little weak. He might still be ferocious in the outside world, but he was over 40 years old now. He could sense that his body was no longer anything like before.
“But it’s good that you’re back.” Fang Dalong looked at his son. “Now that you’re back, find a few women and have a few babies. Live a good life.”
“Where’s my sister?” Meng Chuan changed the topic.
Fang Dalong shook his head and said, “Your sister is out camping in the wilderness. I’ve pampered her too much; she’s getting more and more out of hand.” Although he later married some aunts and had children, he only doted on Fang Qi and Fang Qian. They were also the ones he couldn’t control the most.
Meng Chuan nodded. In his memories, his younger sister—Fang Qian—was Fang Qi’s biological sister.
After inheriting this body, he owed Fang Qi karma. Meng Chuan naturally placed great importance on the person he cared about the most.
…
In just an hour, his sister—Fang Qian—rushed back.
“Brother, Brother.” The wavy-haired Fang Qian ran to Meng Chuan’s courtyard.
When Meng Chuan heard the voice, he walked out of the house. At a glance, he saw a young, energetic, and beautiful woman.
His younger sister, Fang Qian, looked a little like his mother in the picture, but she was even younger. Her eyes were very bright. After all, she had been practicing boxing since she was young. She was very energetic.
Fang Qian also looked at the linen-clothed youth in front of her. His sleeve was empty; clearly, he had lost an arm. His aura was restrained and calm. He didn’t look like he was in his early twenties at all. Instead, he looked like an elder in his forties or fifties who had experienced hardships.
Fang Qian looked at her brother. He was already a teenager when he left home. She could recognize him; it was just that he looked more mature now.
However, this bearing…
Fang Qian knew that losing an arm would definitely be a huge blow to her brother.
“Brother.” Fang Qian ran over and hugged her brother tightly. Her tears soaked Meng Chuan’s clothes.
…
“Third Sister, now that this Eldest Young Master is back, Master won’t let him manage the family, right?”
“Master dotes on that pair of siblings very much.”
Five women gathered and ate snacks as they discussed.
“Don’t worry. If Eldest Young Master Fang Qi wasn’t crippled and had the ability to exorcise fiends, there’s a high chance he’d be the family head. However, he’s crippled. Our Fang family is also a wealthy family, so a crippled family head will become a joke in Binhai City. I heard that after being crippled, one’s exorcism abilities are crippled as well. He can’t even use firearms. In this world, he doesn’t have the right to be a family head,” said Third Aunt confidently.
Third Aunt now had the highest status in the Fang family household. After all, she was one of the dozens of ferocious people who followed the master. She had great marksmanship and had taken many lives. After marrying the master, the other aunts naturally feared her.
Her knowledge was also much greater.
Her deduction was very reasonable. Fang Qi—who was originally an ordinary Exorcist—needed several companions working together to deal with a single Bizarro Fiend. After losing his arm, he probably only had 10% of his strength left… He didn’t even have the right to join forces with his companions to deal with a Bizarro Fiend. It wasn’t too far off to say that his exorcism abilities were neutered.
However, Meng Chuan’s arrival naturally made things different.
…
What made these aunts relieved was that this Eldest Young Master, Fang Qi, didn’t participate in any family matters after returning. The Eldest Young Master rejected the money his father gave him. Instead, he casually took out a pearl and arranged for people in the manor to buy exorcism materials.
This made Fang Dalong solemn. It looks like my eldest son’s efforts all these years weren’t for nothing.
The aunts were dumbfounded since most of them were short-sighted. They had married the master for money and survival.
That fist-sized pearl was worth tens of thousands of taels! This young master had been in the capital for so many years and was very ‘rich.’ Immediately, some young aunts’ attitudes changed, and they tried to curry favor.
Meng Chuan naturally didn’t think much of the Fang family’s wealth. With his hallucination capabilities, he had casually picked up some treasures from the royal family when the imperial palace was in chaos. Just half a bag of treasures he picked up made him a hundred-fold richer than the Fang family. He was definitely considered one of the richest in Binhai City.
It couldn’t be helped. Meng Chuan needed to refine Dharma artifacts. The more precious the materials were, the higher the price was. He might not even be able to buy them.
The pearl he publicly produced was the cheapest treasure in his bag.
Now that I’ve cultivated the Lightning Dharma and the Five Elements Dharma to the Heaven Master realm, I still need to study array formations and weapon refinement techniques. Meng Chuan sat cross-legged in the room with a calm expression.
Lightning Dharma was divided into many combat mys
tic techniques and escape arts.
There were also many mystic techniques and escape arts for the Five Elements Dharma.
If he couldn’t win, he had to escape! After all, he was now a mortal. If he failed and lost his life, he would fail the tribulation.
Therefore, Meng Chuan placed great importance on escape arts. He had learned the fastest lightning escape art and the Five Elements escape art that could deal with all kinds of dangerous environments.
When he was at the Exorcism Academy, his lightning arts had reached the Heaven Master realm! The Five Elements escape arts were much more complicated. After obtaining the three precious Exorcism manuals from the Imperial Palace, he returned to Binhai City and cultivated for half a year before reaching the Heaven Master realm.
The first step of my cultivation is to reach the Heaven Master realm in the art of Exorcism, weapon refinement, and array formations. My first step is still lacking.
According to Meng Chuan’s plan, if he wanted to become the strongest in this world, he would follow the world’s system and cultivate it to the strongest state, including artifact refining and array formations.
After gaining sufficient experience, he would begin the second step: creation and development. He would attempt to create stronger methods.
The third step was to refine Dharma artifacts and Dharma Arrays that were most suitable for him.
The reason why humans were humans was that they were good at using tools! Many of the original Dharmic artifacts and array formations in this world had been damaged due to time. Secondly, Meng Chuan didn’t think much of the ones that had been preserved. After all, there was a limit to the realm Artifact Refinement Master Exorcists could reach.
Only by refining the strongest Dharmic artifacts and array formations and combining them with his many Exorcism mystic techniques could he reach an unprecedented level.
Even so, can I kill an Origins Fiend? Meng Chuan didn’t know. This was because no Origins Fiends had ever died.
I’ll find a few Fiends to practice with. Every time Meng Chuan cultivated to a certain level, he would experiment with fiends. With a flip of his hand, he took out a Dharma treasure compass: Fiend Aura Tracker.