Post-Mythical Era: I don't want to die in the third reincarnation-Chapter 1154 - 147: The Fifth Realm Lord Shang’s Choice

Shen Dai set out on a mission to find Ding Huan, but he didn't leave alone; Shang accompanied him.

Even though Bu Shi didn't dare to touch Shen Dai now, Shang was eager to meet Ding Huan.

"Brother Shang, Lord Ding hasn't sent me any messages yet, and I don't know when I'll find Brother Ding. Following me might be a waste of your time."

Shen Dai spoke truthfully.

Although he had taken on the task, he didn't care whether he could find Ding Huan.

Now, he and Ding Huan were on the same side. What could Shen Dai gain from helping those Realm Lords?

At least Ding Huan had some humanity, while these guys were only after their own interests.

Shang smiled and said, "Realm Lord Shen, I don't have much to do now, so why not wander with you. Besides, I'm worried that guy Bu Shi might have ulterior motives."

Even though Shen Dai knew that Shang didn't truly care about his life, he was still extremely grateful.

"Thank you, Brother Shang. I, Shen Dai, will never forget your protection." Shen Dai bowed deeply, sincerely expressing his gratitude.

Though he was often looked down upon by other Realm Lords, Shang never showed any disdain for him outwardly.

Whenever they met, Shang would nod to him.

This showed that the Fifth Realm Master knew how to conduct himself well.

Shang patted Shen Dai on the shoulder: "Brother Shen, I genuinely consider you a friend, so I hope you won't think of me as an outsider."

Shen Dai quickly stood up and said sincerely, "Brother Shang, I am someone who knows to appreciate kindness.

The care you've shown me, Brother Shang, I will remember deeply. In my heart, you are like my own brother."

Shang laughed heartily, "Good, Brother Shen, I like hearing you say that."

This made it clear that Shen Dai was considered one of his own.

Shen Dai wasn't naive; Shang's attitude indicated that he had something to say.

Sure enough, Shang then said, "Brother Shen, tell me honestly, have you truly never met Lan Xiaobu?"

Shen Dai opened his mouth, hesitated a moment, but finally said, "Brother Shang, to be honest, I do know Lan Xiaobu and have met him."

"What's he like?" Shang wasn't surprised; he had evidently guessed this was the case.

Since the truth was out, there was no need to hold back.

"Brother Shang, when I came across Ding Huan, there were three other individuals. They were Mo Wuji, Lan Xiaobu, and Ye Xuan.

At first, they coerced me into cooperating with them using Dao oath, but I never planned to betray the Realm Lords of the First Universe; that's the truth."

Shang offered comfort, "Brother Shen, don't worry, I won't share what you've said."

Hearing Shang's assurance, Shen Dai relaxed: "After that, I didn't intend to offend any side. I just wanted to survive.

Yet, even with such a simple wish, I couldn't protect it, as Huo Shi openly came to my cave mansion and destroyed my physical body for the second time.

If it weren't for the Vast Great Stone, I, Shen Dai, would've been gone a long time ago. …"

"Tell me, besides Ding Huan, how are the other three?"

"Strong, very strong…"

After saying these three words, Shen Dai felt his explanation was incomplete: "Brother Shang, by strong I don't mean they were exceptionally strong when I first met them.

In fact, when I first saw the four of them, their collective strength was fairly ordinary, not even as good as me at my peak.

But I've never seen people with such potential, and there were four of them. Their potential is not only astonishing, but they also cultivate top-tier personal Great Daos.

It's even beyond the range of personal Great Daos, because my Dao merely originates from the nine Daos of the Vast Great Star during its creation.

Before they step into the Ninth Step, I might be able to suppress them. Once they reach the Ninth Step and unless they destroy their own Great Dao, I won't be able to contend with them.

Ding Huan was initially a world apart in strength compared to Dou Ling, yet he succeeded…"

"So the other three are not weaker than Ding Huan in any aspect?" Shang asked the question he most wanted to know.

Shen Dai's tone was firm, "Yes, they're absolutely not weaker than Ding Huan."

"If they reach the Ninth Step of the Great Dao, how do you think their strength would compare to Mo Yuantian?"

Shen Dai hesitated.

He couldn't answer Shang's question; Mo Yuantian's strength was an enigma.

Or, one could say that in his view, Mo Yuantian's strength was transcendent.

In front of Mo Yuantian, he didn't even have the opportunity to make a move, so how could he assess Mo Yuantian's strength?

His interactions with Ding Huan were the most frequent, and every time he met Ding Huan, he felt Ding Huan's strength had made a qualitative leap.

Once Ding Huan steps into the Ninth Step of the Great Dao, he truly couldn't say whether he could contend with Mo Yuantian.

"Brother Shen, I understand what you mean."

Shang patted Shen Dai once more: "The reason I came with you is that I want to become friends with Ding Huan and join Mr. Ding Huan's side…"

"Ah…"

Shen Dai looked at Shang in shock.

Shang, the Fifth Realm Master of the First Universe, now actively wanted to join Ding Huan's camp?

Wouldn't this weaken Shang's position?

One could say that apart from Mo Yuantian in the First Universe, no one had a status quite like Shang's; no one could defy him.

Given such a case, why make this choice?

Shang saw Shen Dai's confusion and chuckled, "Brother Shen, don't tell me you're not currently in an alliance with Ding Huan.

And your alliance isn't even restrained by Dao words; you're sincerely aligned with Mr. Ding Huan, right?

This matter is not something only I know; everyone knows it.

I am sure that if Ding Huan appears here now and you take him to the Realm Lord Conference, do you know what will happen next?"

"What will happen?" Shen Dai instinctively asked.

Shang sneered, "All the Realm Lords will band together to attack him until Ding Huan is slain. Even I would have to act, or I won't be able to survive here otherwise."

"Why? Ding Huan is now the Sixth Realm Lord."

"That's just what you think as the Sixth Realm Lord. Do you think those Realm Lords will allow an outsider like Ding Huan to appear?

When Ding Huan appears, Mo Yuantian doesn't even need to act himself; someone else will step in to deal with Ding Huan."

Shen Dai remained silent. He knew he wasn't clever enough.

But Ding Huan certainly was.

So he didn't need to worry about these matters; Ding Huan would make the judgment himself.

"The First Universe is on the verge of a great change. Whether you or I must first find a way out. If Mr. Ding is unwilling to let me join, I'll have to find another way."

For the first time, Shang spoke from the heart.

"Is it because of Di Xin?" Shen Dai asked.

"I'm not sure. Di Xin is certainly one reason. There may be other reasons, but I can't figure them out."

Shen Dai knew Shang could calculate some things. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Unfortunately, I also don't know where Ding Huan is right now."

"Mr. Ding Huan must be looking for a place to prove the Ninth Step of the Great Dao. Lan Xiaobu has already entered the Vast Origin Vein River and will certainly step into the Ninth Step.

So all we need to do is wait, as long as Mo Yuantian can't step out beyond the Ninth Step and become the first to prove the Dao, then Mr. Ding Huan has the greatest chance."

There was another thing Shang didn't mention; even without proving the Ninth Step, Ding Huan could kill Dou Ling, whether by attacking while Dou Ling was seriously injured or by other means.

That all indicated Ding Huan was no ordinary individual.

Shen Dai looked at Shang appreciatively; he chose to ally with Ding Huan because he had no other options.

Realm Master Shang, however, had weighed all the pros and cons before finally choosing him as a springboard to ally with Ding Huan and others.

"But if Mo Yuantian steps into the Ninth Step, even if we have more people forming an alliance, it might be useless…"

Shen Dai's fear of Mo Yuantian was deeply ingrained.

Shang chuckled, "If he had been able to enter the Vast Origin Vein River back then, I believe he might have succeeded.

Now he has lost that opportunity; that Lan Xiaobu is certainly not a simple figure, or Mo Yuantian would have entered the Vast Origin Vein River long ago."

...

Ding Huan stopped, and in front of him was a dried-up puddle, unknown for how long it had been dry.

For hundreds of years, he didn't know how many void algae he had cut down or how far he had traveled.

Yet he was still trapped in the Void Algae Forest.

The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi within was dispersed; though the Vast Origin Principle was not lacking, it became very vague because of the void algae.

He couldn't continue wandering around like a headless fly; if he kept going, he probably wouldn't find a place to enter seclusion.

Even if he got tricked by that old rascal Yang Mei.

It would be right in this place.

He had tens of thousands of Cosmic Origin Veins on him, as well as a Cosmic Yuan Vein Mountain.

Without external Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, it should still help him step into the Ninth Step.

Thinking of this, Ding Huan no longer hesitated and began planting the Cosmic Origin Veins, simultaneously taking out the Cosmic Yuan Vein Mountain, placing it directly above the puddle.

Ding Huan didn't even set up a defensive array.

Seclusion in this place, not even Mo Yuantian could find him.

In fact, Ding Huan thought it would be better if someone did come.

After implanting a cluster of Cosmic Origin Veins, Ding Huan simply leaned against the Cosmic Yuan Vein Mountain, operating the Great Universe Technique.

He intended to prove the Ninth Step here.

Initially, Ding Huan merely kept refining his own Great Dao Origin Principle.

He knew the Ninth Step of the Great Dao wasn't something that could be easily stepped into, so he couldn't be hasty.

As time passed, Ding Huan became completely immersed in his Taoist Circulation.

Because of the many Cosmic Origin Veins Ding Huan had taken out, within just a few years, the space Ding Huan was in became entirely enveloped by the mist of the veins.

Ding Huan didn't know about this; cultivation with the Great Universe Technique always involved refining one's own Great Dao Rules.

When touching the Source Principle, the Great Universe Technique also evolved into myriads of Source Principles belonging to himself.

As the Vast Origin Principles produced by Ding Huan's Tao World became more numerous, Ding Huan felt his Great Universe Technique was tracing back the Vast Origin Great Dao.

Amidst the flow of Dao Thought, he seemed to be standing beyond the vastness, before everything began.

Because there were no Heaven and Earth Rules, no Law of All Things, and no Cosmic Origin Principle.

Thus, he himself held only a vaguely defined will, his will being the ultimate state to which the Great Universe Technique could trace back.

Then he used the Great Universe Technique to evolve into the first Cosmic Rule, thus beginning the Hong Meng...

With the beginning of Hong Meng, the vast embryonic form, like the shell of an egg, began shattering to evolve into Chaos; then Chaos divided to form the Universe...

(Goodnight, fellow Daoist!)