After hearing Mo Han's story, Shen Hao was shocked. This was far more than he had expected.
"So... so... you're saying you're a cultivator!?" Shen Hao asked incredulously.
"YES!!! FINALLY, you got it, brat!" Mo Han said with relief.
"Okay, okay, I believe you. But what now?" Shen Hao asked, curious.
"I'm glad you asked," Mo Han said. "Let me start with the story of my battle with Yan Lei."
"Yan Lei? Who's that?" Shen Hao asked.
"Well, my story is very long. I'm older than 10 billion years. I'll tell you everything slowly so I don't overwhelm you. For now, let's talk about my battle with Yan Lei."
"Yan Lei was my biggest enemy — the strongest person I've ever faced in a one-on-one battle to the death."
"He was my best friend. Our friendship lasted over 7 billion years, by your measure of time. But he fought me over a technique I had mastered — a technique he wanted to learn, but I refused."
"It was too dangerous for him to control. Without 'Origin Consciousness,' there was only a 0.3% chance of survival. If he failed or lost control, it wouldn't just be his death — it would erase the entire universe's existence. Past, present, future — all annihilated, as if the universe never existed."
"Origin Consciousness is something no one fully understands yet. But it's the most powerful consciousness I know of. Any being can possess it — from insects on this planet to elephants, humans, and other races across the universe. It naturally develops at birth."
"Those with Origin Consciousness can master abilities with far fewer risks and stronger mental power. There are many more advantages we'll learn about later."
"Our race was known as the 'Netherians,' beings of the Nether — not a powerful race, never able to go beyond the universe or reach higher levels."
"But I was born with Origin Consciousness — the first time in our clan's history. With it, I created a technique that broke through the limits set on us, allowing me to surpass universal boundaries."
"You need Origin Consciousness to use this technique. Without it, survival chances are slim, and failure means total annihilation, as I told you."
"Yan Lei didn't care. He trained harder than anyone and became my rival and sworn enemy after 7 billion years of friendship."
"Our rivalry lasted 2 billion years. By then, I had known him for 9 billion years."
"He became the second strongest in the clan after me. We fought many long battles, evenly matched in power."
"In our final life-or-death battle, we were both supposed to die — it was a tie. But somehow, we both survived."
"We then parted ways to find successors who could contain our power. When those successors reached a certain level, they could create new bodies for us, allowing us to return and cultivate again."
"I hid in the Earth's core, absorbing its energy for millions of years."
"When I sensed someone else with Origin Consciousness, I became curious."
"That's when I decided: whoever this is, they will be my successor."
"You are the second person with Origin Consciousness I've sensed."
"Last time, my student died. This time, I will make you strong enough to create my body again — and I will surpass you with every technique and experience I've gained in my life."