Chapter 1846 - Chips
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There were no eternal friends, only eternal benefits.
Lin Ming only had the slightest bit of friendship with Sheng Mei; at best they could be considered fellow peerless elites that sympathized with each other. He couldn't count on Sheng Mei helping him based upon the little bit of friendship that they shared.
In this situation, it was extremely difficult for Lin Ming to negotiate with the spiritas on behalf of humanity.
Lin Ming recognized that the spiritas and the saints had come to some prior agreement of benefits. It was even possible that in order for the saints to annex humanity, they had paid a certain price to the Soul Emperor in exchange for a temporary armistice.
In any case, Lin Ming believed that the spiritas and saints were still mortal enemies. Sooner or later, there would be a horrendous blood war that erupted between them. When it came to ruling the universe, there could only be one victor.
Currently, Lin Ming wanted to ally with the spiritas. Then, he would use this point and also take out chips that were more tempting than what the saints could offer!
This was equal to Lin Ming alone putting out a wealth that was greater than an entire race.
This sounded inconceivable, thus Sheng Mei couldn't believe it. No matter what sort of lucky chance Lin Ming encountered, it was hard to shake the decisions of an entire race. For instance, even the Black Dragon Spear or top treasures like the kirin fruit wouldn't be able to move the Soul Emperor.
She calmly looked at Lin Ming, waiting for his reply.
Their conversation had long since switched to private sound transmission. The surrounding martial artists weren't able to hear them at all. Although they knew Lin Ming and Sheng Mei were talking, they didn't know what they were talking about. For a moment, none of them knew what to do.
The disciples of Great Brahmic God Mountain were terrified. They had obeyed orders to come here and kill Lin Ming and obtain the golden page, but with the domineering Sheng Mei having joined the fray, they could only watch helplessly on.
To attack in the presence of Sheng Mei, none of them had the courage to do so.
Lin Ming slowly twisted his spatial ring, constantly gathering his aura into his inner world where he covered the Magic Cube with layers upon layers of energy.
The Magic Cube was Lin Ming's most important tool, and something that the Soul Emperor and Sheng Mei longed for even in their dreams. This was because in order to cultivate the Holy Scripture's Law of Eternal Life, they needed the Magic Cube.
However, it was impossible for Lin Ming to take out this chip. Instead, he had to hide it the best he could, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.
Facing Sheng Mei's gaze that seemed to pierce through everything, even if Lin Ming was confident that she couldn't sense the Magic Cube, he still subconsciously hid it away.
"Before I take out my chips, I have a question to ask you. You just said that the saints need to complete a matter before they can launch a full assault on humanity. I would like to know what this matter is? Or, how long before the saints finish this matter? How much time does humanity still have?"
Before Lin Ming came to the Soul World, he had already heard Empyrean Demondawn mention this.
The invasion of the saints would come far earlier than they had anticipated. This left Lin Ming feeling ill at ease. He wanted to hear the truth from Sheng Mei's mouth.
Sheng Mei thought for a moment. "I suppose there is no problem in me telling you. There is a rebellion in the Primeval Realm Ruins. Do you know what that is?"
Primeval Realm Ruins!
Lin Ming's eyebrows shot up and he nodded.
He naturally knew what this was. When he fought the Good Fortune Saint Son, he had heard about the Primeval Realm Ruins from him. From the description it seemed to be an ancient world filled with a massive amount of mystic realms and divine depositories, and even leftover inheritances from supreme elders of times long past.
Many of the saints' inheritances had been excavated from the Primeval Realm Ruins. This included the methods of breaking through to True Divinity that Lin Ming had obtained from the Good Fortune Saint Son. They had been dug out from the Primeval Realm Ruins.
Sheng Mei said, "The Primeval Realm Ruins are located within the territory of the saints. But, neighboring the Primeval Realm Ruins is another universe, and in this universe, what lives there are all ancient races! 10 billion years ago, a hundred races struggled for a dominion, and they prevailed for some time with countless illustrious characters appearing amidst their ranks. Afterwards, they slowly declined, but even so when they join together they are a terrifying strength.
"During the great calamity 3.6 billion years ago, parts of the God Lamenting Wall that divided the universes weakened and endless war broke out. The saints decided to move against the ancient races and eliminate them, because this is something that concerned the ownership of the Primeval Realm Ruins, thus it was of the utmost importance. Now, they wish to finish the task they started in the past and annihilate the descendants of these ancient races before they deal with humanity. This period of time might continue for 80 years or a hundred years; I cannot calculate the true time."
So it was like this….
Lin Ming sighed. Without a doubt, the Primeval Realm Ruins was a divine trove of endless treasures. If the saints managed to guard this divine trove then they would have a natural advantage.
It was just like the spiritas guarding the Akashic Dream Universe.
In this sort of situation, the saints would slowly leave humanity behind. In the great calamity 3.6 billion years ago when the God Lamenting Wall had faded and humanity had been defeated, it wasn't difficult to understand why.
After all, as long as the saints had a few people that obtained some world-shaking inheritance from the Primeval Realm Ruins and were promoted to True Divinities, they would be far stronger than humanity.
A True Divinity was an overwhelming superiority in a war between two races.
But compared to the spiritas, the saints seemed to… have no upper hand.
"Very well. I have already answered your question. You can put out your chips now." Sheng Mei looked at Lin Ming and lightly chuckled, curious as to just what he could put out.
"First, the golden pages!" Lin Ming clearly said, his eyes shining as he looked at Sheng Mei. "There are still 80 to 100 years before the saints begin their full invasion of humanity. During this time period, I will help you gather the remaining golden pages within the Akashic Dream Universe. But, I have a condition, and that is that every time I obtain a golden page, I can give it to you but at the same time I also hope to borrow a golden page to perceive from you. Afterwards, I will return it. I believe that with the Soul Rapture Holy Lands' deep background, you should have collected more than one golden page?"
Lin Ming put out his first chip. Hearing this, Sheng Mei laughed.
"You're quite confident in yourself. What an amusing plan!"
There was a faint hint of irony in Sheng Mei's tone, "This bargaining chip of yours is the same as using things that belong to us spiritas as advantages to give to us. Moreover, you want the golden pages of my Soul Rapture Holy Lands. This is an incredible benefit to you, yet you consider it a bargaining chip?"
"I don't care whether or not the golden pages belong to the spiritas. As it stands, you cannot obtain them all at present, right?" Lin Ming responded. He didn't panic because of Sheng Mei's words; he had already anticipated this rebuttal.
Sheng Mei shook her head, "They are truly difficult to obtain right now, but you are far too confident in yourself. Do you think you can accomplish anything?
"The easy-to-obtain golden pages have long since been taken away in the Akashic Dream Universe, and those that are left over are incredibly difficult to take, each harder than the last. When the first ancestor of the spiritas created the Akashic Dream Universe in the past, the standard he used was the standard of 10 billion years ago. Back then, endless heroes rose in the ranks of the people at a level that the present day cannot compare with. If you want to take the golden pages, then that is the same as being equal to the strongest standards of talent from 10 billion years ago, otherwise there is no chance at all. You don't seem to understand anything. You want to tell me you can collect all the golden pages in 80-100 years? How can I possibly believe you?
"I will admit that you are a proud son of heaven and I will even acknowledge that at the same cultivation realm, your combat strength might be above mine. But do not forget, my Grand Reincarnation Art has yet to reach perfection. After completing the seventh revolution my talent rose once more, but even with this I do not have confidence in obtaining the golden pages.
"For instance, take this Fallen God Mountain Range as an example. Wanting to thoroughly grasp the principles on the shrine platforms and obtain a golden page, isn't that easier said than done? Moreover, this involves Laws of the spiritas, and in this domain I far surpass you!
"The reason I came to the Fallen God Mountain Range is also to conveniently attempt enlightenment after completing my seventh reincarnation. I do not believe you have the slightest chance of surpassing me!"
Sheng Mei had her own pride and belief in herself, thus she wouldn't easily believe Lin Ming.
However, Lin Ming wasn't intimidated at all. He lightly said, "Everything depends on the individual. Without effort, nothing can be accomplished. Empty actions are meaningless. What you have said is the truth, and perhaps there are some golden pages I cannot obtain, but at the same time, there are some golden pages that you cannot obtain. So, if you don't try, how will you know? And I also have two more bargaining chips."
"Then continue speaking." Sheng Mei indifferently said. Lin Ming's first bargaining chip wasn't able to move her at all.
"Secondly, the Law of Eternal Life!"
Lin Ming shockingly said. Sheng Mei's eyes blazed with a sudden light. Even though she was normally ethereal and indifferent, even she couldn't maintain her previous calm. "What did you say!?"
Her eyes looked through Lin Ming's spiritual sea, as if she wanted to gaze into his soul.
At this time, Lin Ming was extremely tense. He also had no choice but to throw out the bait that was the Law of Eternal Life. This was because he was well aware of just how little weight the golden pages held. As Sheng Mei said, the golden pages belonged to the spiritas to begin with, and whether or not he could obtain them was another story.
Sheng Mei looked at Lin Ming for a long time. Lin Ming said, "I can study the Law of Eternal Life with you; there might be some unexpected effect."
Sheng Mei revealed a doubtful and puzzled light as she listened to Lin Ming speak. She muttered, "You are clearly not a spiritas, but your soul has some characteristics of the Eternal Soul, yet it isn't the same at all. How strange…"
The Law of Eternal Life required the Eternal Soul to direct it and act as a catalyst. Although Sheng Mei was a peerless genius of the spiritas, she didn't possess an Eternal Soul.
The temptation of the Law of Eternal Life was far too great, surpassing even that of the Grand Reincarnation Art. Who didn't want to become immortal? Sheng Mei found herself unable to reject this condition. Even if she felt that Lin Ming didn't possess a true Eternal Soul and they could never cultivate the Law of Eternal Life, there was at least still a dim ray of hope.
Sheng Mei fell silent. After a long time, she slowly said, "If you really have an Eternal Soul, then if you willingly give me half of your source soul force, then perhaps I… might really have the smallest chance of spying upon the mysteries of the Law of Eternal Life…"
The mortal body could be forcefully seized, but the soul could not. The soul was far too fragile an existence. If one tried to use strength to capture it, then the soul would perish, leaving behind nothing of value at all.
But Sheng Mei didn't believe that Lin Ming could cultivate the Law of Eternal Life, because in her opinion, Lin Ming's soul wasn't perfect. Even so, there was a tiny bit of hope, and for this tiny bit of hope she was willing to take a gamble.
"Then… my last chip. If the spiritas ally with humanity and humanity can pass through this disaster, then I am willing to fight for the spiritas for 10 million years to annihilate the saints!"
Lin Ming could see the ambitions that the spiritas had to swallow up the saints, thus he put out his final chip - himself!