Archean Eon Art

Chapter 109: Surprise (1)

Meng Chuan walked down the stairs along the Pit of Bewilderment’s perimeter, step by step. He got closer and closer to the bottom of the Pit of Bewilderment, and the temptation was growing stronger.

What a strong temptation. Meng Chuan was secretly shocked, but he calmly resisted it as he descended.

His consciousness had a “heavy” feeling. The deeper he went, the heavier he felt.

When he finished the second ring, he found his Essence Soul being suppressed. The Power of Essence Soul was sealed, and he was unable to resist the temptation by using it.

It actually suppressed my Power of Essence Soul? Meng Chuan was extremely shocked. He tried to use the Power of Essence Soul, but it was useless. When I scaled the Darkness Altar, my Power of Essence Soul wasn’t suppressed even towards the end. However, my Power of Essence Soul is already completely suppressed when I’m at the third ring?

The Pit of Bewilderment was clearly much more mysterious than the Darkness Altar. After all, Regis Godfiends and Marquis Godfiends would occasionally come here to test their willpower.

Meng Chuan continued walking, and his consciousness felt extremely heavy. He could barely resist the Pit of Bewilderment’s temptations with just his will.

Once he reached the third ring’s 50th step, the urge to jump filled Meng Chuan’s mind gradually. He couldn’t even think about anything else. All he could do was look at the churning black fog at the bottom of the pit. He felt like it was the most beautiful place in the world. He felt an intense urge to jump down like a moth flying into a flame. Everything in the world, including death, couldn’t stop him from submitting to the temptation.

Resist it. If you can’t even withstand this bit of desire, how are you going to refine the Six Desires baneful aura? Meng Chuan’s consciousness continued roaring. His consciousness was like a bound dragon that struggled with all its might.

He struggled to free himself from the black fog’s control. Meng Chuan’s expression began to distort.

Compared to what I’ve been pursuing, these temptations are nothing! Scram! Meng Chuan’s consciousness grew more crazed as it roared, Get lost!

However, his face was turning blank. Currently, his consciousness was very weak. He couldn’t move his body or influence his facial expressions.

A terrifying temptation suddenly invaded Meng Chuan’s thoughts. He let out a faint roar inwardly, but his weak roar was drowned out by silence.

Meng Chuan no longer had any other thoughts.

The only thing he remembered was that the best place in the world was just beside him. He was born to go there! Nothing could stop him.

Whoosh.

With a single step, he fell downwards.

He was getting closer and closer to the Pit of Bewilderment’s end.

I’m finally here. As he arrived at the end of the pit, his mind blanked as he was smothered by a sensation of comfort. He felt incredibly comfortable, just like a baby returning to their mother’s womb.

Oh? Meng Chuan suddenly jolted awake.

He found himself standing at the exit of a tunnel. Liu Qiyue was beside him; she was already awake. She immediately shouted, “Ah Chuan.”

“Why am I here?” Meng Chuan looked around.

“I was standing here when I woke up,” said Liu Qiyue. Then, she pointed at the tunnel behind her. “I waited for quite some time and saw you walk over in a daze. You stopped before waking up.”

“I walked over dazedly?” Meng Chuan was somewhat shocked. “I don’t remember that at all.”

The feeling of losing oneself was terrifying. Most Archean Mountain disciples didn’t like to lose consciousness. They were willing to cultivate here because they had absolute confidence in the sect. Furthermore, the Pit of Bewilderment had remained very safe for tens of thousands of years. Nothing bad had ever happened to the disciples.

“Lord Meng Chuan.” There were two stewards at the entrance. The fatter steward smiled and said, “You fell to the bottom when you reached the fourth ring’s 1st step.”

Meng Chuan nodded slightly. His willpower had improved slightly compared to when he had ascended the Darkness Altar. The experience seemed to have tempered his will.

“I fell to the bottom of the pit when I reached the third ring’s 2nd step. I did worse than you, Ah Chuan,” said Liu Qiyue.

“That’s already equivalent to fifty steps on the Darkness Altar,” said Meng Chuan with a smile. “It’s already very good.”

The fat steward added, “Lord Meng Chuan, Lady Liu Qiyue, you will need at least ten days of rest before you can enter the Bit of Bewilderment again. In terms of will-tempering, you will have the best effects during the first two months. The longer you train here, the slower the tempering will be. After half a year, it will be almost useless to enter the Pit of Bewilderment.”

“I know.” Meng Chuan nodded and left with Liu Qiyue.

The two walked along the mountain path, discussing the Pit of Bewilderment.

“What’s at the bottom of the Pit of Bewilderment? Why is its bewitchment so strong?” Liu Qiyue asked.

“It’s very powerful.” Meng Chuan nodded. He was unable to use the Power of Essence Soul at the third ring. How terrifying! Reaching the bottom of the pit meant that one’s will was at the top ten of all humans. What exactly was the Pit of Bewilderment?

“Ah Chuan, cultivating at the Pit of Bewilderment during the first two months provides the best will-tempering effects. The tempering only slows down later,” said Liu Qiyue. “Do you have any hope of finishing the fourth ring in the next few months?”

Meng Chuan shook his head gently. “Willpower depends on many factors. What you’ve experienced and insights in life are more important.”

Constantly entering the Pit of Bewilderment would be dumb. After doing such a thing for half a year, it would be almost useless to enter the PIt of Bewilderment.

According to books, it was very difficult for one’s willpower to increase as long as they cultivated peacefully. If they entered the battlefield and swam in seas of blood, they would be involved in life and death battles.

The grief after seeing companions die, the joy from killing a demon monarch successfully, the helplessness after seeing many ordinary soldiers die in battle... The joy of marriage, the excitement of having a child, the mental anguish after being stuck at a cultivation bottleneck for a decade or two, and the relief after an epiphany that resulted in a breakthrough...

All these life experiences could strengthen one’s heart and will.

The heart was the material, and the will was a weapon.

Only materials of sufficient quality could be used to forge a divine armament.

If one always cultivated peacefully and had very few life experiences, they wouldn’t be able to strengthen their will very much. Therefore, powerful Godfiends often fought on battlefields for many years before entering the Pit of Bewilderment to temper their will. This would result in higher efficiency and better results.

“I’ll think of a solution eventually,” said Meng Chuan.

It was very difficult to increase one’s willpower.

For example, Ji Yuantong’s will was weak. Although he had become an inner sect disciple, Meng Chuan and the others had never seen him. Everyone suspected that Archean Mountain had special arrangements for him.

With Ji Yuantong’s weak will, he would probably never become a Great Solar Godfiend his entire life if he remained on the mountain for ten years. To temper his will, he had to leave the mountain and enter the battlefield. His experiences on the battlefield would change him and temper his will.

...

Night.

Meng Chuan was sleeping soundly in bed and had fallen into a dream.

“Jump down.”

Meng Chuan dazedly stared at the churning black fog in front of him. The churning black fog drew closer to him from every direction.

Meng Chuan smiled and jumped into the black fog.

Currently, the black fog was the most beautiful place in the world. The black fog was the only thing he lived for.

No! A strong resistance rose in his mind. This shouldn’t be what I live for. I’m still alive. There are other things I need to do. Such thoughts gradually surfaced as he resisted the black fog’s bewitchment.

“Come.” The black fog flew towards Meng Chuan and attempted to envelop him.

Why am I alive? Meng Chuan’s consciousness questioned his reason for existing. Why?

Suddenly, he remembered Meng Dajiang, Liu Qiyue, and... his mother smiling at him!

Dad, Mom, Qiyue. Meng Chuan suddenly understood. I’m Meng Chuan! I’m Meng Chuan!

After remembering who he was, his dreamscape began to twist and distort, making it seem unreal.

“‘m Meng Chuan. I swore to kill all demons in the world. How can I be tempted by you? Begone! Meng Chuan roared and shattered the dreamscape completely. His consciousness finally broke through the nightmare. He could now sense his body and the outside world.

Whoosh.

Meng Chuan suddenly sat up, his forehead covered in a cold sweat. It was still dark outside.

“I had a nightmare?” Meng Chuan murmured softly. It’s said that many disciples who enter the Pit of Bewilderment will have nightmares. I didn’t expect that I would have nightmares as well. The pit influenced me that much? He shook his head. According to the books, I should be fine after ten days.

This was the reason why Archean Mountain only permitted disciples to enter the Pit of Bewilderment every ten days.