Chapter 2197 – Meeting

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“We cannot keep depending on Benefactor Lin. Although we failed in breaking through the heavenly dao diagram this time, we have still gained experience. If this time fails we have next time, and if next time fails we will have the time after that. There will come a day when we break past these chains, and once those chains break, our martial arts accumulations will rise even further than before.”

Emperor Shakya slowly said. This could be a summary of the failures in breaking past the heavenly dao diagram this time.

Emperor Shakya was well aware that they couldn’t pin all their hopes on Lin Ming. Lin Ming’s current cultivation was likely at the upper Empyrean realm and to defeat the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign at this boundary was impossible. No matter how heaven-defying Lin Ming’s talent was, there still wouldn’t be a chance for him.

“Benefactor Ji...”

Emperor Shakya said as he saw Xiao Moxian appear a bit listless. He wanted to say some words of comfort but didn’t know just where to start.

“I’m fine.” Xiao Moxian waved her hand. “I understand that Lin Ming won’t return for a long time, but I’m simply a bit worried since I haven’t received any news about him in such a long time...”

With what Xiao Moxian knew of Lin Ming, his character was firm and stubborn and once he decided on something he would stick to it until the end. Now that he had gone out adventuring, she wondered if he would be able to cultivate enough to contend with the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign when he returned.

However, to resist the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign was easier said than done. The Good Fortune Saint Sovereign possessed immeasurably deep strength to begin with, and now that he had swallowed humanity’s destiny, his strength had likely taken another step forwards. And in the 33 Heavens, besides the Soul Emperor who had never acted and whose strength no one knew, the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign was an absolutely invincible existence.

If Lin Ming wanted to surpass the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign he would likely need a considerably long period of time. Like this, she might not see him for at least another 2000-3000 years.

Moreover, the essence gathering system had been blocked by the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign. Would Lin Ming’s breakthroughs be hindered by this?

“Father will surely be able to break past the chains of the Heavenly Dao.”

Lin Huang confidently said. He could sense what Xiao Moxian was thinking. Lin Huang’s reverence and admiration of Lin Ming had already reached unreasonable degrees.

“Brother Lin can even break past the Nine Stars of the Dao Palace, so there shouldn’t be any problems with the essence gathering system’s Heavenly Dao. The likelihood is that his cultivation speed will be slowed down a little, but to Brother Lin, this might not be a bad thing. There are no chains that can cage in a True Dragon.”

Jun Bluemoon quietly commented.

“As for me, I am looking forward to Lin Ming returning and watching him break through the shackles of the Heavenly Dao with my own eyes. Perhaps I can even gain some enlightenment.”

Dragon Fang said as he looked up at the vanishing heavenly dao diagram in the skies. As the spatial ripples faded away, there was a deep sense of unwillingness in his heart.

“Let everything continue on its natural course...” Xiao Moxian silently said. But at this time, her body shook. The pill bottle that was in her hand tumbled to the ground, shaking until the medicinal pill within tumbled out.

Everyone around Xiao Moxian was startled. With her strength it was naturally impossible for a pill bottle to slip out from her hands.

“Mother, what is it?”

“What is it?”

Everyone was concerned. Emperor Shakya had already stood up, his hand tracing his spatial ring. His expression was dignified. During this extraordinary period of time, even they weren’t safe within Divine Dream’s illusory magic arrays. There was a high chance that there could be an enemy attack!

Xiao Moxian touched her chest and took out an old string necklace.

This necklace was the Thousand Mile Heartlink that allowed Lin Ming to find Xiao Moxian when he went to the wild universe. The Thousand Mile Heartlink was refined through the divine runic arts, and because of Xiao Moxian using it too many times in the past, its energy had been used up and the divine runic symbol within had disintegrated.

But before Lin Ming left, he had used his divine runic arts to transform the Thousand Mile Heartlink.

Not only did Lin Ming draw up a new divine runic symbol but he also strengthened its function. In the past, Xiao Moxian had only been able to communicate with Lin Ming in a one-way channel, but now they could communicate both ways.

This was to avoid a situation like in the past, where Lin Ming wasn’t able to immediately locate Xiao Moxian after arriving at the wild universe. Otherwise if Lin Ming were to return to the wild universe and still had to look for her in the endlessness of space, then that would just be giving himself more trouble.

Just now, Xiao Moxian had felt a shaking within the Thousand Mile Heartlink. And to be able to commune through the Thousand Mile Heartlink, there was only one person – Lin Ming!

“Lin Ming... he... has returned!”

Xiao Moxian looked at the Thousand Mile Heartlink in her hands with disbelief, her voice filled with a hint of hesitation and uncertainty.

Everyone was startled. Before they could respond, the Thousand Mile Heartlink in Xiao Moxian’s hands began to glow with a dim light.

Everyone could see this light, but only Xiao Moxian could hear the sound that transmitted from the Thousand Mile Heartlink...

It really was Lin Ming!

Lin Ming had returned!

“Benefactor Lin, he has already come back?”

Emperor Shakya was stunned. He originally thought that after Lin Ming left, he wouldn’t return until he reached a level where he could contend with the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign. Otherwise there was no meaning in returning.

But only two thousand years had passed; this was far too early.

“Father shouldn’t have encountered trouble, right...?” Lin Huang muttered, a bit worried.

“Perhaps Senior Lin was thinking of his family and was afraid that you were worrying over him.” The one who spoke was Sable Ink. Her voice was pleasant and her words warmed Xiao Moxian’s heart.

Indeed, during all these years, she was worried about Lin Ming.

“He is safe.”

Xiao Moxian happily said. She felt as if a giant stone had been lifted from her heart.

“Unfortunately, Divine Dream went into seclusion to impact the middle True Divinity realm, so we cannot rashly disturb her... mm... Hang Chi, you contact Vast Universe and Dark Demon Monarch to hurry here. Tell them to prepare a welcoming banquet for Lin Ming!”

Emperor Shakya excitedly said. Many important figures of humanity were gathered at this base. As for others, they could come from nearby bases.

The return of the Human Sovereign Lin Ming was an important event for humanity!

“There is no need to prepare a welcoming banquet for now, he has already arrived...” As she spoke, Xiao Moxian began to quickly hurry outside the hall.

“He’s already here?” Emperor Shakya said, a bit puzzled. It had to be known that there were layers upon layers of illusory magic arrays outside their base and these array formations were all personally laid down by Empyrean Divine Dream.

Because of the Thousand Mile Heartlink, Lin Ming was able to easily locate their position. But, he might need to spend some effort getting past the illusory magic arrays.

Everyone hurried to follow her.

As they flew outside the hall, they saw that around 10 miles away in the void, a black-clothed man stepped forwards. These ten miles was crossed in a single step; he arrived in front of them.

This man was Lin Ming!

“Lin Ming!”

“Father!”

“Senior Lin...”

Several people cried out together. Xiao Moxian’s breath quickened and her eyes began to glisten.

After a 2000 year parting, she was able to see Lin Ming stand safely in front of her. This was more important than anything.

“Mm, Senior Lin’s cultivation...”

Sable Ink was dumbfounded. When Lin Ming first returned, Xiao Moxian was too excited so she didn’t pay too much attention to this, but as for Sable Ink and Lin Ming’s other admirers, the first thing they noticed was his cultivation.

At this time, from Lin Ming’s body, she could clearly feel a terrifying aura that was still able to shake her mind and soul while being suppressed.

It was like the Lin Ming in the skies had become as deep as the universe, filled with overwhelming potential and strength that no one could fathom.

Could this be...

The True Divinity realm!?

“How is this...”

“True Divinity!!!?”

Everyone was shocked. Let alone Emperor Shakya, Dragon Fang, and Hang Chi, even Lin Huang who respected Lin Ming the most still couldn’t believe this.

True Divinity was an extremely harsh threshold on the road of martial arts. Before the great calamity of the Divine Realm erupted, humanity’s martial arts civilization had declined and they lost their methods to break into True Divinity. Because of this, for the last 3.6 billion years there hadn’t been a single True Divinity appear. No matter how talented a genius, they still fell before this threshold.

Although the road to True Divinity had been opened, two thousand years ago when Lin Ming left he had only been a lower Empyrean. To return as a True Divinity after this time was far too exaggerated.

This sort of cultivation speed couldn’t even be described as heaven-defying.

“Lin Ming, how could you break through so quickly?”

“If you break through at such a speed, will your foundation be unstable?”

“This isn’t a consideration of whether one’s foundation is steady. Even if he ignored his foundation he still couldn’t break through so quickly. Moreover, how could someone with an unstable foundation break into True Divinity?”

For a time, everyone was confused.

Moreover, several hundred years ago, the Good Fortune Saint Sovereign had imprisoned humanity’s destiny. Making breakthroughs had become even more difficult!

Lin Ming wasn’t surprised by everyone’s responses. He explained, “When I left, although it was for 2000 years, I was in Tragic Death Valley for 500 years. Those 500 years were similar to 5000 years, so in truth I have been gone for 6500 years.”

6500 years?

Hearing this explanation, some people were less puzzled. But, this was still difficult to accept. To go from an Empyrean to True Divinity in 6500 years was far too short a time.

The Laws that Lin Ming cultivated in particular were incredibly complex and profound. Although they were potent, they required a great deal of time. Every breakthrough needed a massive accumulation of energy!