The Treasure Repository was a special place on Archean Mountain. Large amounts of treasures and resources were stored here. It had plenty of stewards and servants.
Lightning Devastator Fiend Body, Eighth Refinement? Three stewards and ten servants—who were in charge of serving the disciples on this floor—heard what Meng Chuan said. They were secretly astonished. They had been stationed at the Treasure Repository for a long time, and they knew that it had been many years since somebody—who had completed the Eighth Refinement of the Lightning Devastator Fiend Body—had appeared.
“I’ve been stationed at the Treasure Repository for almost sixty years. I’ve never seen a disciple that had completed the Eighth Refinement.”
“Lord Meng Chuan has only been on the mountain for a year, and he’s completed the Eighth Refinement. I bet that Lord Meng family’s future achievements will be in no way lesser than King Calm Sea’s fifth son.”
The two stewards behind the counter looked at Meng Chuan and secretly talked via voice transmission.
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 steward 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.