Chapter 1856 – Win And Lose
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Recalling the 12 years of grasping the principles, in particular opening the sixth soul sea mark, the difficulty of this trial left one dumbfounded. Even Sheng Mei had nearly fallen off the shrine platform, unable to continue.
If this had happened, Sheng Mei would no longer have been able to completely grasp the principles in a single attempt. It would inevitably have been a tremendous disappointment.
As all these thoughts raced through her mind, she looked towards Lin Ming. She saw that Lin Ming was still sitting on his shrine platform, not finished with his meditation.
Sheng Mei always believed that Lin Ming was strong, perhaps even stronger than she was at the same cultivation boundary, but in terms of understanding existence and the Laws of Existence, it was impossible for Lin Ming to compare with her.
In terms of grasping the principles atop the shrine platform, Sheng Mei had absolute confidence she could suppress Lin Ming.
Thus, when Lin Ming proposed conditions in forming an alliance with the humans and spiritas, that was the reason why her response had been so cold; because she didn’t believe that Lin Ming would be able to fulfill his conditions.
Now that she saw Lin Ming immersed in his meditation still, she wasn’t surprised at all. However, she didn’t feel any deep sense of achievement either, because in terms of the Existence Laws, it would be natural for her to win against Lin Ming.
But after several breaths of time passed, her expression froze.
Something was wrong!
She looked at the shrine platform Lin Ming sat upon and could see the seven soul sea marks shining brightly. Moreover, that final seventh soul sea mark was like a dazzling sun, illuminating the world.
“This is…”
Sheng Mei was startled. How could this be!?
Lin Ming had finished a step ahead of her and had thoroughly comprehended the Laws atop the shrine platform. And now, he had likely already obtained the golden page and was perceiving it as well as the life and death runes that had fused into his body. She had no idea just how long he had been in this state!
As for Sheng Mei, she had just lit up the seventh soul sea mark. That was equivalent to being utterly defeated by Lin Ming even with a home field advantage!
“This is…”
Although Sheng Mei was normally indifferent and blasé, the truth was that she had always possessed a proud heart. In the Asura Road’s final trial when she faced the Undying Polar Ice, it was Lin Ming who had performed the final strike. But in that battle, Sheng Mei had played an offensive and defensive role, and her performance went far beyond Lin Ming’s.
Thus, Sheng Mei hadn’t lost in the Asura Road.
But now, atop the Fallen God Mountain Range’s shrine platforms which should have been her specialty, the domain which she excelled in, she had actually lost.
She felt this was simply unbelievable.
She didn’t underestimate herself nor did she not accept the facts laid out before her. She just found it hard to believe…
“No wonder I didn’t obtain a golden page after completely grasping the principles here!”
Sheng Mei suddenly realized what happened. The golden page had been taken by Lin Ming first!
She took a deep breath and looked towards Jade Lifestone. She knew that Jade Lifestone was a disciple of her Soul Rapture Holy Lands.
“He… when did he light the seventh soul sea mark? How much earlier was he?”
Sheng Mei’s sound transmission startled Jade Lifestone. Of all people, Sheng Mei had sent him a sound transmission!
Although he was a disciple of the Soul Rapture Holy Lands, he had never exchanged words with Sheng Mei before. He had only seen her profile from a far off distance.
But now, Sheng Mei actually sent him a sound transmission. Although it was because of Lin Muk, this was more than enough to leave him bubbling with excitement.
It was just that Sheng Mei’s question left him a little depressed after the initial excitement wore off.
Sheng Mei had lost. In his opinion, she was an omnipotent existence, a talent that was unprecedented since ancient times even through the entire 33 Heavens. Even so, she had lost to a human.
“R-reporting to the Soul Empress… Lin Muk used ten years… he was earlier than the Empress by… two years.”
Because of his happiness, Jade Lifestone’s voice trembled.
“Two years…”
Sheng Mei’s pupils shrank. She was fully aware of just how difficult grasping the principles atop the shrine platform was. She thought she had reached the peak of possibilities in terms of speed, but she had been two years behind Lin Ming!
How had he accomplished this?
As she recalled the Concept of Death from the sixth soul sea mark as well as needing to fuse the Concepts of Life and Death together for the seventh soul sea mark, Sheng Mei was at a loss to explain just how Lin Ming had done this in a short ten years of time.
“How terrifying…”
This was the first time that Sheng Mei had felt such terror from Lin Ming. Besides the Soul Emperor, there had never been anyone who had given her such a feeling! And the reason she felt such a feeling from the Soul Emperor was because his strength was truly horrifying. When the Soul Emperor was young, the truth was that his achievements were similar to those of the Great Brahmic God King. It was only when he became an Empyrean that he soared into the heavens, and one of the chief reasons behind this was naturally the Spiritas Holy Scripture.
As for Lin Ming, his raw talent was frightening. It left anyone lost in his dust!
After composing herself, Sheng Mei sighed. Then, she sat down and began meditating on the shrine platform.
Faintly, a strange feeling appeared in her heart. She looked in Lin Ming’s direction, and the place she looked at was behind him.
“Mm?”
Sheng Mei lightly said, her eyebrows pressing together.
In that brief moment she had felt a faint life form behind Lin Ming, an incomparably pure power of soul force that was even purer than her own.
“Ah…”
Ruby was startled. She quickly hid in Lin Ming’s spiritual sea.
This was the first time that she had encountered someone able to sense her. When she saw Sheng Mei successfully grasp the principles, she had been filled with curiosity and had come out to take a look. But, she didn’t expect that she would be noticed by Sheng Mei.
Her keen divine sense far surpassed that of an Empyrean.
“An illusion…?” Sheng Mei slightly frowned. She didn’t believe there was a problem with her divine sense, so she attributed what she experienced just now to something on Lin Ming’s body.
She didn’t know that the reason she lost to Lin Ming wasn’t because her perception was inferior, but because of that incomparably pure soul force she had just felt.
Lin Ming had that mysterious little girl aiding him, but Sheng Mei had depended on herself alone.
If the two of them had fairly competed, the results would have been completely different.
Of course, no matter what the reason was, Lin Ming running into that red-dressed little girl could be called his lucky chance and Sheng Mei was defeated all the same.
At this time, many people felt pity for Sheng Mei.
They sighed deeply over the injustice of Sheng Mei losing. She should have been able to obtain the golden page and become a legend, but she was late by just a single step and had been suppressed by Lin Ming.
For at least 2-3 billion years, there had never been anyone who managed to take a golden page from the Fallen God Mountain Range. But now, because of a mere two years’ difference, Sheng Mei had missed out. How could everyone not feel regret for her?
“If Empress Sheng Mei completed the eighth revolution she would have definitely defeated Lin Muk.”
Sheng Mei’s fans secretly discussed, still not convinced of the results.
Sheng Mei naturally heard these discussions. She shook her head. By the time she had completed the eighth revolution, perhaps, Lin Ming’s achievements would have risen once more…
After realizing she lost, there was nothing Sheng Mei couldn’t accept. She sat in meditation, waiting for Lin Ming to comprehend that golden page.
Now, she had a great interest in the road that lay before Lin Ming. In humanity’s great calamity, just where would Lin Ming go?
Lin Ming’s comprehension of the golden page continued for another year.
A year later, Lin Ming’s eyes flashed open.
His eyes seemed to have infinite Laws circulating within them. The aura of life in his left eye, the aura of death in his right eye, the two auras connected together, bringing about the charm of the Great Dao.
After perceiving a third golden page, Lin Ming’s understandings into the universe of the body had reached new heights.
Moreover, the hidden dangers that existed within him because of his cultivation increasing too quickly were completely eliminated during these 13 years.
For these 13 years, Lin Ming had only comprehended the Laws and didn’t cultivate at all. Otherwise, breaking into the late Holy Lord realm wouldn’t have been difficult at all.
“If I have enough time, if I can see the complete Holy Scripture and then obtain the third emperor jade and the complete Asura Sutra, perhaps I will be able to fuse the inner and outer universes and reach unprecedented heights of martial arts…”
As these thoughts flashed through Lin Ming’s mind, his heart suddenly skipped a beat. In front of him, someone had locked their gaze onto him.
Lin Ming looked forwards and two pairs of eyes met, colliding in midair. Lin Ming saw the otherworldly Sheng Mei.
For this year she didn’t take even half a step off the shrine platform. She simply waited there, perceiving the Law runes that had integrated into her flesh and blood.
“How did you accomplish this?”
Sheng Mei asked, going straight to the point.
“Luck.”
Lin Ming didn’t lie nor did he clearly state the truth. Him finding the red-dressed little girl was indeed a stroke of luck.
“Very well.”
Sheng Mei shook her head. She waved her slender white hands and two golden pages flew out from her soul sea, fluttering like silk into Lin Ming’s hands.
“According to our previous agreement, these are for you. After perceiving all of them, return the four golden pages back to me. Afterwards you can take away two. However, I advise you not to have any wild dreams of saving humanity. The great war of the saints might be closer than you think...”
As Sheng Mei spoke these words, she floated upwards. All that was left over were four golden pages floating in Lin Ming’s hands. The soft pages were like silk to the touch, incomparably real…