The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 249 Reality
In the sea of ​​consciousness, in that water world, a gale surged, dark clouds hung low, covering the entire earth, and then a torrential rain fell.

In reality, a wisp of spiritual energy rises from the stomach, gathers into a ball, and then explodes, transforming into countless threads that scatter throughout the limbs and bones.

In the sea of ​​consciousness, the raindrops stopped falling, and this cultivation practice came to an end.

Before leaving, consciousness glanced down again. The swamp was still the same swamp; all that rain had only caused the water level to rise a little.

Ding Lin opened his eyes. It was already dark. He checked his cultivation level and found that it had increased from nine thousand years to nine thousand and one years. It seemed like he had increased his cultivation level by a year in just half a day. But you should know that he had drunk several mouthfuls of jade liquor without any hesitation.

This rate of resource consumption is even more alarming than previously anticipated.

Ding Lin's eyes darkened, and he had a bad feeling. In front of him, the jade pot was bright and shiny. Even in the darkness, the finest jade could not lose its brilliance.

Moreover, the material of this pot is not just jade.

Ding Lin probed his thoughts into the pot. In the space of several feet in diameter, the water shimmered, except that a shallow layer was missing from the top.

This teapot holds a secret within; it is also a storage container.

The debt of gratitude I owe is growing ever larger.

When I tilted my head back and drank, I didn't finish the small pot even after several big gulps. It always seemed to be full. At that moment, I already had a guess in my mind.

Now, this speculation has undoubtedly been put into practice with greater accuracy.

Ding Lin's emotions became increasingly complicated, but he also breathed a sigh of relief. With so much fine wine and spirits, at least for the time being, he wouldn't have to worry about resources.

……

Three years later.

The moon hangs high in the sky, and the peach orchard is shrouded in shadow, with the tree shadows swaying in the night breeze.

In the small pavilion.

Ding Lin sat cross-legged on the futon, made a hand seal with his fingers, closed his eyes tightly, and the moonlight fell on him, making his aura even more profound.

One night of practice.

As dawn broke, Ding Lin opened his eyes and habitually checked his cultivation level again. He pursed his lips; nine thousand three hundred and thirty-six years, exactly the same as before he began cultivating.

Three years.

His cultivation level increased by a full 336 years, based on his existing 9,000 years of cultivation.

This pace is nothing short of phenomenal.

In return, that pot of fine wine was completely consumed.

Just two days ago, Ding Lin returned to abject poverty.

Last night was the first time Ding Lin cultivated without the aid of external objects after mastering the "Great Celestial Immortal Technique".

The results, naturally, were disastrous.

Having grown accustomed to the high efficiency of refining nectar and jade liquid, he felt that absorbing spiritual energy solely through the cultivation technique itself was as slow as a tortoise, like the eaves after a light rain, not even a drizzle, but merely a faint drizzle.

Once upon a time, Ding Lin was also amazed by the rich spiritual energy in this garden when he first entered the Peach Garden.

It's easy to go from luxury to simplicity. I'm feeling a bit irritable.

Ding Lin suppressed his anger. The morning light was brilliant. He looked down at his right hand, his palm shimmering with spiritual light. Suddenly, he made a clenching motion, and just as his fingers closed, a jade pot appeared in his hand. He held it in his palm and, still unwilling to give up, probed his mind into the pot. It was empty; the immortal wine that had once filled it was now completely gone.

It's gone, that's it.

No matter how many times you look at it, you can't make something out of nothing.

Ding Lin released his grip, and the bottom of the pot spun around before hitting the ground with a increasingly low and dense sound, until it stood firmly upright.

What should we do next?

Ding Lin thought about his limited remaining lifespan. Without the help of the immortal wine, even if he cultivated non-stop for the rest of his time, he would not be able to raise his cultivation level to 9,999 years before his lifespan expired.

A figure swept in from afar; it was a female messenger who had come to deliver the water from the pool.

Ding Lin adjusted his expression and went to greet her. The maid had a bright and cheerful smile, but he only gave her a perfunctory response and finished his task.

Then they returned to the pavilion.

My mind was racing with a jumble of thoughts.

Ding Lin suddenly remembered something, and a flash of spiritual light appeared in his palm. With a thought, he took out a demon core and focused his consciousness on the green lotus that had taken root in his dantian. His eyes flickered, and after a while, he finally let out a long breath and put the demon core away again.

The Green Lotus grows from the remnants of the Lotus Lantern and has healing and purifying effects. It has been tested long ago that it can absorb spiritual energy when healing, but if one wants to use the demon core to cultivate, the Green Lotus will go dormant and lose its purifying effect.

The higher one's cultivation level, the more one needs pure magical power. How can one destroy one's own Great Wall due to momentary impulse? It is better to have flaws in one's cultivation than to allow one's magical power to be polluted. Moreover, although he has many demon cores, their benefits to him now are probably extremely limited. Even if he refines them all, they may not be as good as a few sips of immortal wine. It is truly putting the cart before the horse and not worth the loss.

Just now, I was merely feeling resentful.

but……

Ding Lin's eyes flickered again. He remembered the Lotus Lantern in the pond when he was still on Mount Hua. It was the same. If he wanted to eat it to fill his stomach, no one would object. But if he had other thoughts or malicious intentions, he would be resisted. This was because the divine object had its own supernatural power.
But this withered leaf, which he had clearly already possessed with his earth spirit, still wasn't entirely aligned with him. Could it be...?

The more agitated you are, the more likely you are to overthink.

The morning breeze, not yet fully warmed by the sun, still carried a hint of coolness. It swept through the peach grove, into the pavilion, and carried the fresh moisture from the small pond.

Ding Lin regained some clarity, and it happened again. He recalled the confusion, helplessness, and inexplicable anger he felt before achieving the "Great Celestial Immortal Technique," and slowly calmed down again.

Although it is difficult to change one's nature, one can gradually change with more experience. Last time, it took him several years to break free from negative emotions, but this time he only needed a few days to realize it.

Ding Lin turned his head to look at the Seven Fairy Maidens' cottage. A year ago, the Seven Fairy Maidens left, saying that they would go to retrieve for him the supernatural powers of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends, but they never heard from him again.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why my emotions were somewhat difficult to control before.

Ding Lin stepped out of the pavilion, the sunlight shining on him. He looked down and saw his shadow stretched long and long, with an illusory power. So, he tightened his face, pursed his lips, and suddenly felt a throbbing in his heart.

It took a while before I gradually relaxed.

Ding Lin raised his right hand, gestured a few times, and then his five fingers circled around his left wrist. He could clearly feel the distinct knuckles and firm muscles; this was his true self. While not as large as his shadow, he was not weak either. There was no need to belittle himself.

Moreover, its existence remains unchanged regardless of the angle of the sunlight.

Really, genuinely.

(End of this chapter)