The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 240 Cultivation
Setbacks are the best way to grow.

In the small pavilion, Ding Lin sat cross-legged. The daytime sunlight dispelled most of the fog, and a gentle breeze blew through the peach grove. He closed his eyes and pondered deeply.

Ten thousand volumes of scriptures swept through his mind. With Ding Lin's divine sense at the primordial spirit level, he could normally go through them in less than half a quarter of an hour. This time, however, he read them word by word for a full half day. Afterward, he went through the cultivation techniques he had compiled over the past few days in his mind, seemingly deep in thought.

Ding Lin opened his eyes, his gaze neither joyful nor sorrowful. He recalled his previous attitude towards cultivating the "Great Celestial Immortal Technique"—like a flower in water or the moon in a mirror, something desirable but unattainable.

He recalled the magical energy fluctuations he had sensed the night before, breaking them down frame by frame. They were consistent with the "Celestial Immortal Technique," but with many more ingenious tricks and smoother flow, making them easier to imitate and learn.

Aside from all of these, there was only one thing that I could never understand: when that magical power was in operation, it always appeared out of nowhere, as if it were created out of thin air, and when it disappeared, it stopped abruptly, as if its original existence was false.

fake.

A flash of inspiration struck Ding Lin. Cultivation was a sham. The initial wisp of demonic energy, though transformed from the essence within his physical body, had never been cultivated. How could he know the shape and form of demonic energy? Without any concept, how could he talk about transformation? At that time, he gradually gained a concept by observing Qingyi's cultivation.

Ancient texts record that in the very beginning, spiritual practice was called "cultivating the true," which meant using the false to cultivate the true.

Simulate it in your imagination first, then try it in reality. The imagination is false, but the reality is true.

This is the most essential foundation of cultivation. When one transforms from a beast into a demon, one can still learn it without a teacher. Now that one's cultivation level is getting higher and higher, one has forgotten the true nature of cultivation. Back then, one felt the gathering and dispersing of magical power. Wasn't that the application of truth and falsehood? A thought arises and a thought ceases. In the mythical world, the power of one person can destroy the world. In other words, it is only the mind.

Ding Lin's eyes flickered as he looked at the small pool. His mood, like the pool's water, was stirred by the forest breeze, but only slightly, with a faint trace of joy.

He studied hundreds of thousands of scriptures day and night.

The "Celestial Immortal Manual" contains only a few thousand words, yet it has been recited countless times.

Ding Lin seemed to be deep in thought. In fact, he had already accumulated enough knowledge and experience, but he lacked the right mindset.

Spiritual practice is different from other practices. Sometimes, being impatient for quick results often backfires. At this point, after experiencing many ups and downs and reaching the worst situation, one's mindset naturally becomes peaceful, and one can then accomplish the task in one go.

The final key point has been grasped.

The techniques flowed through my mind.

Although it has not yet been practiced and verified, Ding Lin is no longer worried. The technique has been completed. At most, there may be one or two mistakes in the details, which may cause some obstacles in the practice. But these are minor issues that can be corrected later.

Ding Lin raised his eyes, his gaze passing through the small pond and landing on the peach grove. The tree canopy was lush and leafy, seemingly blocking out the sun, but when the weather was fine, the ground beneath the tree was dappled with light and shadow, and sunlight could also filter through the countless gaps between the leaves.

The road ahead is difficult.

However, it is not that there is no way out.

……

"master……"

The stone monkey murmured, its eyes filled with sadness and confusion.

"Bimawen!"

Suddenly, the stone monkey gritted its teeth again.

Amidst this relentless torment, his past hundreds of years of demonic life flashed through his mind.

The stone monkey recalled his childhood. Back then, before he began his cultivation, the monkeys in the Water Curtain Cave revered him as their king. They spent their days playing in the mountains and forests, drinking from mountain springs and eating wild fruits. They only knew animal language and did not yet understand human speech... Flower Fruit Mountain was the ancestral vein of the ten states and the source of the three islands, rich in spiritual energy, and naturally had many monsters. As a group of monkeys who had not yet learned cultivation, they actually lived a very miserable life, running around and living on the edge. Sometimes they could only hide in the Water Curtain Cave. Later, when he went to sea to seek immortality and learn skills, besides being frightened by the death of the old monkey, he also thought about learning skills so that he would no longer be bullied.

He finally mastered his skills and returned, sweeping away the demon kings of the seventy-two caves. The monkeys were now the most respected in Flower Fruit Mountain. But the joy of the past was gone. He had already gained immortality and was no longer bullied. But even without being bullied, he still had to endure the deceit and treachery of the world. Since he began his cultivation, he had formed sworn brotherhoods with the Three Mountains and Five Ridges. After entering the Heavenly Court, he made many friends. But how many of them were truly sincere? It was all just a formality, full of deception.

The stone monkey suddenly felt listless.

Why not take a break? Why not take a break...

He missed his children from Flower Fruit Mountain.

The stone monkey got up. Although the blow from Tianpeng's palm looked serious, it only affected his physical body and had not yet reached his soul. After a day and night of recuperation, even though the stone monkey did not take special care of himself, the injury was almost healed. Before leaving, there was one more thing he wanted to do.

"Once you leave this place, don't tell everyone you meet that you are the Keeper of the Heavenly Horses."

The woman's voice rang in my ears, which I didn't pay attention to at the time, but now I realize it was a subtle reminder.

Overnight, the stone monkey matured, his unrealistic delusions disappeared, and he was able to think things through correctly. At least his goodwill was genuine.

She truly considered herself a friend.

Even if they're just ordinary friends...

The stone monkey grinned, a warm current flowing through his parched heart. He remembered his promise in the secret realm of the heavens, that he would visit her to play whenever he had time. But after leaving, he spent his days at banquets and visiting friends, completely forgetting what he had said. Although visiting her as the 'Keeper of the Heavenly Horses' might only cause her trouble, he had still broken his promise, and a wave of shame washed over him.

I'm about to leave.

At least go and say goodbye to her.

A gentle expression appeared on the stone monkey's face. He suppressed his aura and headed towards the Peach Garden.

……

The sun was at its zenith.

Inside the pavilion, Ding Lin closed his eyes, and demonic energy flowed through his meridians. Suddenly, centered on him, spiritual energy went berserk, stirring up water vapor and forming a visible vortex above his head.

……

Deep within the Peach Garden, in a pavilion where the spiritual energy was most abundant, Hong Gu suddenly opened her eyes and looked in Ding Lin's direction, her gaze somewhat surprised: "Such a commotion is almost comparable to ascending to immortality. What exactly is he cultivating? He's still only at the nascent soul stage, yet he already possesses such aura..."

“I thought he only had a slight chance of becoming a Celestial Immortal, but now it seems like it’s a sure thing. However,” Hong Gu’s voice paused and turned cold, “what does it have to do with me? That little bit of good karma is enough. Even if he immediately becomes a Golden Immortal, it won’t do me much good. I’ll just ignore him.”

Hong Gu closed her eyes again.

……

In the jade house.

The Seventh Fairy Maiden naturally sensed the commotion in the pavilion. She pushed open the door and looked over.

(End of this chapter)