Archean Eon Art
Archean Eon Art - Chapter 517: Shadow

Black Dragon Planet.

The black-robed, white-haired Meng Chuan walked through the city and looked at the buildings with familiarity. Black Dragon City was still as prosperous as before. Many cultivators from Heaven Peak River System gathered here, closing a large number of transactions every day.

It’s been 32 years since I came to Black Dragon Planet. Although 32 years seemed short, he spent most of his time cultivating in Myriad Flower Realm. He had actually been cultivating for much longer than 32 years due to the time dilation.

Because of Myriad Flower Realm, I’ve actually been on Black Dragon Planet for more than 310 years. Meng Chuan sighed. He had cultivated in his homeworld for over a century and had been cultivating on Black Dragon Planet since he came to the outer realm. If he hadn’t obtained Senior Pang Ming’s treasures, he wouldn’t have been able to cultivate on Black Dragon Planet so freely.

On Black Dragon Planet, he had the best cultivation conditions. In the past few years, he had participated in many Treasure Auctions and visited many merchants. He also bought treasures once again. Firstly, he wanted to increase his strength. Secondly, it was for his cultivation.

In terms of strength and treasures, he was in a better state than when he first came to Black Dragon Planet. Even his mental state had changed greatly. After cultivating alone for more than 300 years, Meng Chuan experienced the magical power of time. As time passed, he became more patient. He wasn’t arrogant or rash. Creating an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique is really difficult. Meng Chuan frowned slightly. He had cultivated for more than 310 years on Black Dragon Planet. In fact, during the 39th year of cultivation, his paramount technique, Infinite Saber, had reached the Grotto-Heaven realm’s late stage. During the 83rd year of cultivation, Infinite Saber had reached the perfected Grotto-Heaven realm. It had reached the limits of a Supremacy-level paramount technique. In terms of profundity and strength, it was only slightly inferior to ordinary techniques at the perfected Heaven Earth realm.

With just Infinite Saber, Meng Chuan could unleash the strength of a late-stage Imperial Lord. With the special characteristics his body had gained after devouring the Primordial Stone, he could fight a perfected Imperial Lord. It was naturally easy for him to kill ordinary Imperial

Lords.

This was also the combat strength of the vast outer realm’s strongest Supremacies.

However, his Infinite Saber had encountered a bottleneck.

During the 205th year of cultivation, Meng Chuan had created one Imperial Lord-level move for his Infinite Saber. After executing it, he realized that this move was only several times stronger than his perfected Grotto-Heaven realm Infinite Saber Art.

He quickly realized that this saber move didn’t have the strength of an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique. He knew that it would only be an ultimate technique as strong as Lightning Fire Body Tempering Art and Dark Lightning. It was different from a true Imperial Lord-level paramount technique.

Thus, Meng Chuan gave up on cultivating that direction.

Up until now…

Meng Chuan had deduced three different directions his Infinite Saber Art could improve in. These three different directions resulted in three saber moves. The strongest saber move was only 80% stronger than his Infinite Saber, which was at the perfected Grotto-Heaven realm.

A Supremacy-level paramount technique has to change qualitatively if it is to become an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique. If one is to say that a Supremacy-level paramount technique is slightly inferior to an ordinary perfected Heaven Earth realm ultimate technique, then an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique should grant one strength far greater than a perfected Imperial Lord. Upon creation, it should enable one to fight a Tribulation Eminence.

Meng Chuan knew this very well. Once one reaches the perfected Imperial Lord realm, they will have the strength of a Fifth Tribulation Eminence. They would be comparable to an adult pure-blooded dragon or phoenix.

Thus far, his saber moves had far inferior strength to what an actual Imperial Lord-level paramount technique should have.

Meng Chuan found creating an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique very difficult.

It’s just too difficult. Every single future path I’ve deduced for Infinite Saber is very outstanding and perfect in my opinion, but the saber moves are only 80% stronger. That means that these paths are clearly not the right one.

Meng Chuan couldn’t accurately determine if his saber moves were paramount techniques or not with his present knowledge, but their strength couldn’t be faked! His created saber moves simply weren’t enough to match a Tribulation Eminence, so they definitely weren’t Imperial Lord-level paramount techniques.

The creators of Imperial Lord-level paramount techniques were much rarer than pure-blooded dragons and phoenixes. Meng Chuan knew that this path would be very difficult. However, he had patience.

Even if a demon sage World Entrance between the Demon Realm and Archean Eon Realm forms, I still have confidence in guarding it. With my Infinite Saber and Cloud Dragon Snake Movement Technique, I have the confidence to deal with all the demon sages combined.

His Cloud Dragon Snake Movement Technique had improved greatly over the years.

After obtaining Selfless Formless Sword’s manual, his Cloud Dragon Snake Movement Technique had reached the Heaven Earth realm in the 23rd year of cultivation.

In the 96th year, his Cloud Dragon Snake Movement Technique reached the Heaven Earth realm’s middle stage.

In the 205th year, his Cloud Dragon Snake Movement Technique reached the Heaven Earth realm’s late stage. Among Imperial Lords, this improvement speed was considered at the genius level. A normal Imperial Lord’s cultivation speed would be similar to that of Imperial Lord Starquix and Lady Blackmoon. Meng Chuan had already finished comprehending Selfless Formless Sword’s five paintings. Although he had fully comprehended them, Selfless Formless Sword was still an ultimate technique created by Senior Huang Yong. Although he fully comprehended all the paintings, he still fell slightly short of a perfected Heaven Earth realm expert. Only the ultimate technique’s creator could unleash its full strength. Furthermore, he had high aspirations for his Cloud Dragon Snake Movement Technique. Thus, it was even harder for it to reach the perfected Heaven Earth realm than his Selfless Formless Sword.

Although there were many Imperial Lords in the outer realm, very few reached the perfected Heaven Earth realm. The improvement speed of his Cloud Dragon Snake Movement Technique had slowed down.

A thousand years. I’ll set a time limit of 1,000 years for myself! If I can’t create an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique after cultivating for 1,000 years, I’ll give up.

Cultivation also required self-awareness. If he couldn’t create an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique for a long time, it would be foolish of him to continue slamming his head into the wall.

One thousand years was long enough! If he couldn’t create an Imperial Lord-level technique after such a long time, then it would mean that he was highly unlikely to create one, even if he was given several-fold more time. Either way, didn’t experts like Ancestral Master Archean Eon—who hadn’t even created Supremacy-level paramount techniques-still become Seventh Tribulation Eminences all the same?

Of course, if Meng Chuan did create an Imperial Lord-level paramount technique, he would immediately rise to prominence.

I’ve studied the Lightning Dwarf Star and the Seventh Tribulation Dark Peacock’s secrets. I’ve also studied Three World Saber for a long time. I’ve vaguely deduced my future path, but how should I improve Infinite Saber? How should I combine the lightning lineage’s profundities and reach the Imperial Lord realm? Meng Chuan pondered as he walked.

A paramount technique represented supremacy and perfection. A paramount technique’s strength was worlds apart from that of an ultimate technique because of a slight difference.

What is that difference?

At that same moment, on the peak of a 1,500-kilometer-tall mountain outside Black Dragon City.

Patriarch Black Dragon looked down at the bustling Black Dragon City in the distance with a complicated look in his eyes. After a long while, he stared out into the outer realm, through the stellar array formation. He could sense evil and terrifying forces lingering at the array formation’s periphery.

A silver-haired woman and five other figures stood behind him respectfully. They were Patriarch Black Dragon’s followers.

“That bunch of lunatics from Black Fiend Hall have already arrived. There are three Fifth Tribulation Eminences,” said Patriarch Black Dragon slowly. “They are targeting Black Dragon Planet.”

“Patriarch, what should we do?” asked the silver-haired woman, Cang Yu. “They must have deduced that I’m rapidly approaching death. That’s why they came to create the blockade,” said Patriarch Black Dragon indifferently. “Don’t worry. Those bunch of lunatics from Black Fiend Hall are targeting the cultivators on Black Dragon Planet. About 20-30% of Heaven Peak River System’s cultivators are gathered here. There’s an astonishing number of treasures here. They want to sweep this place clean, but they won’t be willing to risk their lives fighting me. I can protect the few of you.”

The followers exchanged looks.

A man asked, “Patriarch, why didn’t you tell some factions on Black Dragon Planet about Black Fiend Hall in advance and have them leave early?”

“Once the news spreads, it will spread like wildfire,” said Patriarch Black Dragon indifferently. “Black Fiend Hall has long been secretly monitoring Black Dragon Planet’s surroundings. Once a top faction flees, Black Fiend Hall will immediately launch an attack ahead of schedule. When that happens, the remaining cultivators will find it even harder to escape. “Right now, I only hope that as many cultivators can survive as possible.” Patriarch Black Dragon looked at his followers. “When I see them, I see my younger self—who had carefully cultivated just to survive.”

“Patriarch, Black Fiend Hall has already targeted them. How can they let them live?” asked the silver-haired woman.

“According to my plan, no matter how strong or weak these cultivators are, 80% of them should survive,” said Patriarch Black Dragon calmly. “I can’t care about anything else. Everything depends on fate. What I can do is ultimately limited.”

“Black Fiend Hall wants to sweep this place clean, but 80% of the cultivators here can escape? They will probably be furious,” said an ugly servant.

“I gave them free rein to eat, who can they blame if they fail to eat them all?” Patriarch Black Dragon sneered. “If they want to fight? Well, I’m a dying old man. Why would I be afraid of them?”

Meng Chuan walked around the city and returned to his cave abode. A puppet attendant came to visit him.

“Supremacy.” The puppet attendant stepped forward and said rather politely, “Black Dragon Planet will be completely shut down today. We would like to thank all cultivators for their patronage. Supremacy, you will have to leave Black Dragon Planet by today. Since we require you to leave in advance, we will refund half an Outer Realm Essence Crystal.” Looking at the halved Outer Realm Essence Crystal, Meng Chuan and Supremacy Qing Gu’s expressions changed slightly. Black Dragon Planet is closing? I have to leave the planet by today? Meng Chuan immediately realized that something was amiss.