“Two powerful sects, both of which suit you well, are willing to accept you during your lowest state. Which one do you choose?” Lu Yin suddenly asked.
Yi Shang hesitated briefly. “I would want to think about it.”
“Think?” Lu Yin laughed. “Are you even qualified to think about it?”
Yi Shang stared at Lu Yin in a daze for a moment before giving him a bitter smile. “True, am I qualified to think about it? The moment that thought appears, I’ve already failed.”
To a sect, a fallen man was no different from an ant. Accepting such a person was already showing him great favor. If that man still wanted more, even a chance to consider the matter, he would be insulting both sects. The faster a decision was made, the more the chosen sect would feel acknowledged, even if only by an ant. From there, the greater the benefits the man would reap. The fact that the other sect would be offended was not something that such a person would even need to consider.
Think? Many people were ruined by that one word.
It was better for most people to be decisive.
Yi Shang inhaled deeply. If given the opportunity to return to his youth, he would have acted more decisively. Given how long he had lived, he understood this principle. However, he had stood at the peak for too long, and he had unconsciously started to weigh his decisions. It was possible that this was also a merchant’s instinct.
How well did the scenario that Lu Yin had mentioned describe Yi Shang’s current predicament?
Was he even qualified to try to negotiate with Lu Yin? Asking the younger man to save Yi Xia and then offering to turn over all that Yi Shang had gathered throughout his life while also swearing to work for Lu Yin? Everything about that was wrong. He should have first sworn allegiance, and only then should he have begged Lu Yin to save Yi Xia. The order was wrong.
Yi Shang wanted to speak, yet he could not find any words.
Before long, everyone saw the enormous gate that marked the boundary of the megaverse.
Lu Yin stared at the distant structure. The Tianyuan Megaverse also had a massive gate at its boundary, and the two were very similar.
Lu Yin’s feelings upon first seeing the gate were completely different from his current reaction.
Already, countless cultivators from the Spirit Nidus had lined up at the boundary. When those people saw the battleships arrive, they readied themselves for boarding. The expedition would soon leave for the Consciousness Megaverse.
Yi Shang looked in one direction. It was possible to send a message to Beacon City, and the man was looking in the direction of the many available springboards.
When Lu Yin had communicated with the Spirit Nidus from Beacon City, many springboards had been destroyed. However, there were still enough to send out some messages.
“Go on,” Lu Yin calmly stated.
Yi Shang bowed. “Thank you, Seraph Lu.”
With that, the old man moved towards the springboards.
The seven enormous battleships lined up in a row. Countless cultivators boarded six of the vessels, but none boarded Boundless.
Dukkhans sat on each battleship: Meng Sang, Jiu Xian, Su Shidao, Old Salamander, as well as the High Seraph, the Ascendant Hall’s Zi Tianshu, and more. More than half of the Spirit Nidus’s top experts were joining this expedition to the Consciousness Megaverse.
Lu Yin noticed the various human-form Spirit Rebirths, including several hidden masters, as well as all of the hidden beast‑form Spirit Rebirths which were part of the expedition.
There were other hidden areas, and he did not know whether Yong Heng had also joined the expedition.
There was also no telling just how many of the Nine Odysseys Megaverse’s experts were present.
This expedition had been incited by the Consciousness Megaverse’s efforts to dig the High Seraph’s grave, but no one could predict who would be the one to ultimately end up buried.
Yi Shang approached his destination at the boundary. He had visited the location many times in the past to send messages to Beacon City, especially after Yi Xia had become the city lord. In fact, Yi Shang had visited this place more than anyone else in the Spirit Nidus.
He was very familiar with the location.
However, he was stopped before he could arrive at his destination.
“Senior, please turn back. Lord High Seraph has ordered that no one is allowed to approach.”
Yi Shang said nothing and tried to force his way forward.
An old man appeared from the side. “Yi Shang, you dare to defy Lord High Seraph’s commands?”
Yi Shang glanced over. “I didn’t expect even you to be allowed out this time. Ah, I just remembered. Wasn’t this the price agreed upon for you to join the Ascendant Hall? The High Seraph promised you a place at the reset, didn’t he?”
The old man’s face fell. He was the same Dukkhan from the Ascendant Hall who had once served as Hua Manyi’s guard. He had also joined the efforts to prevent Ru Guo from returning to Heavenspire. While the Dukkhan had failed at both of those tasks, those failures did not preclude him from accompanying the expedition to the Consciousness Megaverse. This was something that had been agreed upon with the High Seraph even before the old man had joined the Ascendant Hall.
The man was a bit lacking when compared to those like Yi Shang who had held the title of Seraph, yet simply being a Dukkhan was in and of itself a qualification. The old man might not be an outstanding Dukkhan, but he was still capable of stopping Yi Shang from using a springboard to contact Beacon City.
The old man’s appearance presented a difficult obstacle for Yi Shang.
“Open communication has always been allowed between the Spirit Nidus and Beacon. What grounds does the High Seraph have to put a stop to that?” Yi Shang asked, his expression grim.
The old man coldly retorted, “Everything within the Spirit Nidus belongs to Lord High Seraph, and the boundary is even more so under his authority. Leave.”
Yi Shang was not willing to simply give up. If Beacon City knew nothing of the expedition, then the moment the High Seraph arrived would be the moment that Yi Xia fell. Rong Xiang had once been Yi Shang’s hidden trump card, and his efforts to raise Yi Xia to become a Seraph had been nothing more than a facade. However, after losing all hope of obtaining the Divine Projection sequence base, Yi Xia had truly become Yi Shang’s final hope.
He wanted the Yi clan’s bloodline to continue.
With that thought, Yi Shang attacked.
The old man retaliated at the same moment.
The two restricted their battlefield to a very small area so that it would not be noticed.
Still, aftershocks from their attacks spread further and further. No matter what, it was a battle between two Dukkhans.
“Begone!” A sharp shout caused space to warp, and the gate at the boundary of the megaverse trembled. Countless cultivators covered their ears and stared at Boundless in shock.
Lu Yin had yelled, blasting a shockwave at the old man blocking Yi Shang’s path. Terrified, the old man hastily retreated. He did not dare to meet the shockwave head‑on. The old man’s face was pale as he stared at Boundless. What terrifying pressure! Is he on the same level as the High Seraph?
Aboard Genesis, the High Seraph looked at Boundless. “Seraph Lu, that was excessive.”
Lu Yin gazed back at Genesis. “What’s wrong with my man using the springboards?”
“Your man?” The High Seraph turned back to look at Yi Shang.
Yi Shang froze, a chill enveloping him. He did not dare move. It felt as though a single twitch would lead to death.