60: A deal with the Heavenly Dao

Quickly steadying the Dao, the slight fluctuation in the Heavenly Dao's emotions immediately stabilized, restoring its pure and flawless demeanor, and it continued to quietly listen to Shen Lian's statement.

Only after Shen Lian finished speaking did the Heavenly Dao's cold voice slowly sound.

"You should know better than anyone why the Heavenly Dao targets you. What exactly did you do over these ninety-nine lives, and how many beings were devastated because of you?

How many Realms were destroyed because of you? Do you think the Heavenly Dao would allow such brutal and cold-blooded acts to cycle through various Realms?"

Shen Lian coldly retorted, "I am brutal, I am bloody, I am beyond saving—then may I ask who exactly forced me into this state?"

The Heavenly Dao slightly furrowed its brow, and the Golden Silk Bell hanging by its jade leg jingled softly.

"In the first life, I just wanted to be an ordinary person. I didn't want to fight, nor did I want to seize anything,

and I certainly didn't want to get involved in the bloody storms of the Jianghu. But did you give me the chance to be ordinary?

All I wanted was just to survive, but how did the Heavenly Dao arrange things?

The Son of Destiny went mad and slaughtered the village where I had settled.

If I hadn't had the System anticipating the future scene in advance, I would have barely escaped that calamity."

"But back then, I naively thought it was just a coincidence. That was until similar situations happened a second time, a third time, countless times.

Finally, when you forced me to the point where merely clinging to life was a luxury, I finally understood one principle:

Groveling, compromising, or running away will not earn dignity or life; it will only encourage you to press forward relentlessly.

Only by possessing the resolve of an Ant Shaking the Heavens can one find a chance at life in desperation.

Since you won't let me have peace, then no one should expect peace. Since you want to cultivate Sons of Destiny by sacrificing ants,

then I will destroy your representatives in the mortal world, preventing your script from being performed.

Only by struggling against the current and disregarding death can one transcend limits.

After all, you have forced me to lose everything—what else do I have left to lose?

So, tell me, who is responsible for turning me into this?"

The Heavenly Dao's state of mind was touched for an instant, but it immediately returned to its aloof and elegant demeanor.

Shen Lian turned his back and sneered, "Furthermore, ask yourself honestly: throughout my ninety-nine lives, was I truly the culprit responsible for the devastation of beings?

Or did I do what the Son of Destiny should have done, causing the Heavenly Dao to lose all face? You only see my indiscriminate killing,

yet you never noticed that I once paid everything without regret for the beings you speak of.

However, what I received in return was betrayal after betrayal from the common people. Before Luck, the truth is unimportant, the process is unimportant, and even the result is unimportant.

All they must do is follow the arrangements of fate, shut their mouths, prostrate themselves at the feet of Luck, and loudly sing praises.

Even if the Luck they worship pushes them into the endless Abyss of Hell, they won't feel that their choice was wrong!"

The Heavenly Dao remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking:

"I know, this is indeed very unfair to you, but the Heavenly Dao did not intentionally target you. The reason why it cannot tolerate you,

The ultimate reason is the Dao Lineage that coexists with you—that is, the System you speak of. It is the target that the Heavenly Dao must eradicate."

Shen Lian's eyes turned cold, and a look of doubt appeared on his face.

The Heavenly Dao continued, "It wasn't until the last life that the Heavenly Dao understood: you already knew about the Dao Lineage's schemes. Your ninety-nine lives of feigning compliance were all in order to completely defeat him.

Since we have a common enemy to deal with, this life, the Heavenly Dao has absolutely no reason to continue targeting you.

In fact, we can choose to cooperate with each other to stop the Dao Lineage's conspiracy."

"Hahahahaha."

Hearing this, Shen Lian burst into fits of wild laughter.

"Knowing that after ninety-nine lives, you couldn't do anything to me despite using every method, the Heavenly Dao is now resorting to such low-grade conspiracy tactics?"

"Furthermore, I remember clearly the past when you cooperated with the System to seize my Dao Source.

Now you tell me the System is our common enemy? Don't you think that statement contradicts itself?"

The Heavenly Dao slightly furrowed its brow, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "The Heavenly Dao operates based on the Grand Dao Law. The Dao Lineage possesses a portion of the Grand Dao Origin power.

That Origin power can alter our judgment of will. The Heavenly Dao simply cannot resist this power. If we violate the Grand Dao Law, the Heavenly Dao itself will vanish into smoke."

Shen Lian glanced back and pointed, "Even if what you say is true, after ninety-nine lives, I slaughtered all the Sons of Destiny you designated in the Cultivation World, changing the personal fate of one time-space after another every single time.

I ruined the script you had written long ago. Logically, you should hate me to the bone, yet now you put on an indifferent attitude and want to cooperate with me?

Do you think Shen Lian is so stupid and easy to deceive, or do you think you are very humorous?"

The Heavenly Dao did not speak, falling silent.

Shen Lian: "I ask you, if I hadn't avoided the Son of Destiny in the first life and had ultimately died by his hand, would you have given me a chance to start over?"

"No."

The Heavenly Dao answered very decisively.

"Everyone in a world has their own fate planned out. The Heavenly Dao will not easily change anyone's fate, nor will it interfere with anyone's outcome."

"Hypocrisy!"

Shen Lian immediately exposed the Heavenly Dao's lie without hesitation.

"If the Heavenly Dao truly doesn't interfere with everyone's outcome, why do the Heavenly Mandate Sons of Destiny exist?"

The Heavenly Dao: "The Sons of Destiny exist to maintain the order of a space-time on behalf of the Heavenly Dao. Their fates are naturally different; they should be protected by the Heavenly Dao to guard all living beings."

Shen Lian: "So, for the sake of your representatives in the mortal world, you can casually sacrifice small figures like me,

turning us into stepping stones on their path forward? Is that what you mean?"

The Heavenly Dao's jade leg lightly swayed, and a string of bells jingled, which counted as tacit approval.

Shen Lian continued, "Therefore, when someone attempts to break away from the predetermined trajectory of fate,

you Heavenly Daos, who claim to be just and fair, begin to use every means possible to prevent things from escaping the control of fate.

That is why my fate at the start of every Reincarnation across ninety-nine lives was utterly miserable. If I hadn't gone against the norm and taken extreme paths,

wouldn't I have long ago fallen into the trap you arranged, becoming a stepping stone for the Son of Destiny?"

The Heavenly Dao sighed softly, "Shen Lian, it has been ninety-nine lives. You are the first anomaly to destroy the Heavenly Dao's Law ninety-nine consecutive times. Your existence is inherently intolerable to Heaven and Earth.

But as I said, the Heavenly Dao is not sincerely targeting you alone, but the Dao Lineage bound to you. It absolutely cannot be allowed to dominate the Grand Dao.

Do you know what a terrifying existence the Dao Lineage inside you was? Tens of thousands of years ago, he almost succeeded in dominating the Grand Dao.

Once he reached the Peak of the Grand Dao, all beings in the Three Thousand Worlds would have no fate of their own. Stopping you was necessary."

"Hahaha!"

Shen Lian raised his hand and pointed again, as if he had heard a joke.

"Hasn't the fate of all beings in the Three Thousand Worlds long been clearly planned out by you self-proclaimed maintainers of order? How can individual fate be called autonomous?

Whether it's the Heavenly Dao or the Dao Lineage, wouldn't the result be the same no matter who dominates the Grand Dao? Put away your ridiculous double standard logic.

Whether it's you or the Dao Lineage, the one who ultimately reaches the Peak of the Grand Dao can only be me, Shen Lian!"

The Heavenly Dao shook its head, only able to change the subject, saying, "Shen Lian, as long as you agree to cooperate with the Heavenly Dao against the Dao Lineage,

I can use the authority of the Heavenly Dao to give you some assistance that will help you quickly raise your cultivation. Can we talk calmly now?"

"No need. I have nothing to discuss with you. Moreover, accepting help from a vanquished opponent is a blatant humiliation to Shen Lian. I actually hope that in this life,

you can come up with new tricks to target me, because only then will my path toward victory not feel boring."

The Heavenly Dao: "Then what if I told you that when you and the Dao Lineage perished together in The Void back then,

your remaining Origin power scattered across this continent? What would you think then?"

"Hmm?"

Hearing this news, Shen Lian gradually fell into hesitation.

"My Origin? Why can't I sense it?"

"Because your Divine Sense's five senses entered self-seclusion when you executed the Grand Dao Annihilation, so naturally, you cannot sense it."

The Heavenly Dao continued, "Back then, the battle between you and the Dao Lineage caused The Heavens to shake.

All the Heavenly Daos governing the Three Thousand Worlds rushed over, intending to stop the catastrophe. But unexpectedly, during your fight with the Dao Lineage, none of us could approach within Thirty Thousand Li.

We could only watch helplessly as you fought each other. In the end, you even forcefully activated the incomplete Grand Dao Annihilation at the cost of burning your own Origin,

and under the clash with the Dao Lineage's Myriad Dao Forest, both your Physical Bodies vanished into The Void.

However, the Origin power within your body transformed into four pieces of Dao Derivation Spirit Jade and scattered across the Primordial Continent.

If you can retrieve these four pieces of Origin power, I believe that in this life, you will surely surpass the Peak of your previous life.

Now, would you consider cooperating with the Heavenly Dao, even if it's just a transaction?"

This news certainly tempted Shen Lian.

Retrieving the power that originally belonged to him would save him a vast amount of time in reaching a higher Realm this life.

Perhaps he could even step into the Grand Dao Peak, which was only a single step away.

In just a brief moment, Shen Lian made his decision.

"Speak. Your conditions."

Seeing Shen Lian relent, the Heavenly Dao was secretly delighted.

"You are heading to the Chess Sword Pavilion in the Southern Domain, presumably to seize the crouching dragon marrow. Please help someone along the way."

"Another Son of Destiny?"

Shen Lian showed undisguised mockery on his face.

"Yes." The Heavenly Dao answered very frankly. "Her name is Su Mengyao, and she is currently at the Chess Sword Pavilion.

Her fate should not be like this. If she continues to be left unattended, her life will be utterly miserable."

Shen Lian opened his Folding Fan and coldly countered, "What about Ye Fan? Isn't he also a Son of Destiny? Why don't you consider his situation?"

The Heavenly Dao shook its head: "He was never a Son of Destiny. Someone secretly altered his fate and deceived the Tianji Pavilion.

Thinking about it now, only the Dao Lineage could have changed the Heavenly Secrets' Prediction. Unfortunately, our Dao power is insufficient to contend with the Dao Lineage."

"Then can I say that the Heavenly Dao, whose representative's fate can be altered, also counts as trash?"

"This is because they were all influenced by the Dao Lineage, which caused this outcome. The Heavenly Dao cannot suppress the Dao Lineage's intervention.

I only want to restore all order on this continent to normal, nothing more.

If possible, I would abandon Su Mengyao, and the role of Son of Destiny could even be taken by you."

"The minor status of a Son of Destiny cannot enter my Dharma Eye."

Shen Lian: "I have no interest in understanding the grudges and disputes between you and the Dao Lineage. From my perspective, both of you are my enemies."

The Heavenly Dao: "The Heavenly Dao never wishes to be enemies with anyone. Everything it plans is only guided by the principle of the Grand Dao's operating Law.

Your appearance was an unknown accident that disrupted the Grand Dao's operating order, which is why the Heavenly Dao deliberately targeted you."

Shen Lian sneered, "And the result? In ninety-nine lives of contention, when have you ever defeated me?"

The Heavenly Dao sighed softly, and the Moon Essence Wheel beneath it slowly rose One Zhang.

"Although I am very unwilling, I must admit to you that in the contest between us, the Heavenly Dao lost, and it lost completely."

"Hahahahaha."

Shen Lian burst out laughing.

"To see the Heavenly Dao bow its head is one of life's great pleasures! But..."

His laughter ceased, and Shen Lian's face was solemn.

"Whether I choose to help Su Mengyao must be decided after I personally meet her. If she is trash like Ye Fan, then don't blame me for being ruthless."

The Heavenly Dao nodded: "Good. To express the Heavenly Dao's sincerity, I can first tell you the whereabouts of three of the Origin pieces: the Abyss of Buried Gods, the Luminous Glazed Realm, and the Ten Thousand Li Dragon City.

Furthermore, when you go to the Chess Sword Pavilion, remember to go to the back mountain, where there is a great gift specifically prepared for you.

Also, the Prince Jing's Estate in the Holy Domain has a jade book iron voucher. These two items will be of great use for improving your future cultivation.

Consider this some compensation from the Heavenly Dao for the ninety-nine lives it spent targeting you."

As soon as the voice fell, a flash of white light instantly appeared before Shen Lian's eyes.

Opening his eyes again, he was still inside the netherworld chariot.

The exchange with the Heavenly Dao in the Consciousness Domain lasted about Three Shichen (six hours), but in reality, only an instant had passed.

"Abyss of Buried Gods, Ten Thousand Li Dragon City, Luminous Glazed Realm, hmm..."

Having obtained the clues to his Origin, Shen Lian fell into contemplation.

"Entering these areas has many time restrictions. It seems impossible in the short term.

I'll stick to the original plan: first go to the Chess Sword Pavilion to retrieve the crouching dragon marrow, refine it to improve my cultivation, and strive to Break through to the Primordial Chaos Realm in one go.

Then, completely resolve all the trouble left behind by that trash predecessor."

Thinking this, Shen Lian sped up the netherworld chariot.