The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 302 Taking office
"According to Your Highness, is there a problem with that 'Lingbao Jue'?" Ding Lin looked up again and asked cautiously.

"The Spirit Treasure Manual, do you know why it is called that? Is it because it originated from the Eastern Emperor Bell? If so, it should be called the Supreme Treasure Manual."

"Why do you think the cultivation conditions for this technique are so strict, with only one or two out of billions meeting them, why the requirements for chaos are so high, and why it is so simple to cultivate, easily seizing laws, and tempering the physical body is like refining a treasure?"

"Because this 'Spiritual Treasure Manual' is meant to refine you towards the direction of spiritual treasures!" said the Queen Mother.

Ding Lin's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Back then, when the great god Pangu separated heaven and earth, three thousand gods and demons manifested laws in the chaos. They were born from the origin of heaven and earth and devoured each other wantonly in the primordial world in pursuit of 'unity'. However, this method ultimately failed, and most gods and demons perished. But a very few clever and cunning ones survived. They discovered the drawbacks of devouring each other, so they transformed into another form, entered annihilation, and then became innate beings. They then comprehended heaven and earth and cultivated using orthodox methods."

"For example, the Heavenly Emperor Di Jun and the Eastern Emperor Tai Yi were among the best. They even cultivated to the level of Hunyuan Wuji Ji Luo Jin Xian. Hunyuan Wuji was not a saint after all and could still die. In the later war between the Lich King and the Demon King, Di Jun and Tai Yi both perished. However, Hunyuan Wuji was said to be able to rival the saint. Although he had to participate in the battle because of the struggle for the Dao, these innate gods had also left behind a backup plan before the great war."

"Death is not the end; one can still be resurrected."

"Without needing to reach the Primordial Chaos Realm, one only needs to cultivate to the Great Luo Realm to integrate a wisp of will into the world. Even if one dies, this wisp of will can be passed down for eternity. It takes endless years to wash it away completely. Before this wisp of will is completely eradicated, these great beings all have the hope of resurrection."

"Before the war between the Lich King and the Demon King, Taiyi Dijun gathered all the great gods with divine and demonic origins. This was the way out for all the great gods. Regardless of their grudges or positions, they all came. Then, at the cost of completely severing their past lives, they finally moved the origin of the primordial world and used the Eastern Emperor Bell to give birth to this Lingbao Scripture."

“By cultivating with this scripture, the laws are refined, not comprehended by oneself. The law you have refined originally belonged to a certain great god. When you advance in your cultivation level in the future, that great god may descend with his will. Your body has been tempered into the shape he desires. If you cannot resist, he can easily seize your body and be reborn, returning to the world!”

The Queen Mother's voice was neither hurried nor slow.

Ding Lin's pupils constricted.

A good while.

"Your Majesty, save me!" Ding Lin bowed deeply, his voice dry and hoarse.

“I observe that there are three laws within your body that are not pure. One originates from your bloodline, the one of vitality, which comes from the peach of immortality. This innate spiritual root has long been dismantled by me, and even if there is a trace of consciousness drifting in the world, it is not a threat. Only the law of space remains.”

“I can’t save you. The Nine-Bend Pearl has a mysterious origin. Since its birth, it has always been in Ziwei’s hands. At that time, he was already a Taiyi, and it was impossible to predict his fate. Ziwei is still alive, so of course it is impossible for him to possess you later. But the powerful being behind the Nine-Bend Pearl has also hidden himself away.”

"You are safe for now. Even if someone at the Great Luo realm wants to descend and possess another's body, they would need at least a body at the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. If they want to seize a body, it will most likely happen the moment you want to attain your goal and advance to the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm."

"However, it can't be considered safe. The Nine-Bend Pearl is missing a law. Ziwei doesn't know that you took it now, but he will find out eventually. Your most urgent task is to advance to Taiyi. Even if it's just a scattered number, it will still be considered to have escaped the Three Realms and be able to barely be autonomous, no longer afraid of being calculated."

"Actually, you don't need to worry too much. It's nothing. How many people in the Three Realms can attain the fruition? If you can advance to Taiyi in the future, that will already be quite an achievement. Any further worries are just needless anxiety," the Queen Mother said calmly.

"If I may be so bold as to ask Your Majesty another question, if I were to be fortunate enough to reach that critical juncture," Ding Lin's eyes deepened, "would there be any chance of passing through it safely?"

"You have such ambition," the Queen Mother's voice paused for a moment, "Although the laws of space are extraordinary, you have only just begun to delve into the cultivation of the 'Spirit Treasure Technique,' and are not yet proficient. If you can comprehend every law you learn in the future on your own, when the will of the Great Luo descends, you may not be without room to resist. After all, no matter how powerful it is, it is only a wisp of the will of the Great Luo. It is not the original will that has been washed away by countless eons of time and is no longer what it once was."

"I hope Your Majesty can enlighten me." Ding Lin bowed again.

"Let's leave it at that," said the Queen Mother, glancing at Ding Lin again. "My fifth son has truly given you everything, covering up the filth in the Peach Garden for you, and passing on the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang to you. Dragons are inherently lustful—no, once they have that root of evil, all men in the world are the same. Fine, children and grandchildren have their own destinies. I don't care what you do, but there's one thing: you must never hurt my fifth son again, and what about Yang Chan..."

"Go!" The Queen Mother waved her hand, dismissing Ding Lin.

"This humble fairy takes her leave."

Ding Lin pursed his lips and withdrew from the hall. In the past, the Queen Mother's final reprimand would have made him tremble with fear, but at this moment, most of his energy was immersed in the previous words. He looked up, and although the sun was shining brightly, his eyes seemed somewhat dim.

"Let's go, Water Lord, I'll see you out." Tiannu Hou, who was outside the palace, stepped forward and said to Ding Lin.

Ding Lin followed Tian Nu out of Yaochi.

……

Only the Queen Mother remained in the main hall.

"Why tell him all this?" asked the Queen Mother.

"I have promised three continents. The Southern Continent is the last piece of land in the mortal realm that belongs to the Heavenly Court. Placing it there will at least bolster our strength." Another voice suddenly rang out; it was the Jade Emperor.

"Didn't you promise the Buddha to spread Buddhism in Jambudvipa?" the Queen Mother asked.

"I have made a promise to Buddha, but whether he can actually transmit the message is another matter entirely," the Jade Emperor said.

"You have high hopes for this little dragon," the Queen Mother said again.

"To have mastered the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang in just a few years shows he has some talent. He is not far from reaching the Taiyi level, and perhaps he will achieve it in a few years, at which point he will be able to put it to good use," the Jade Emperor said.

"How many eons has Tianpeng cultivated? You thought he could succeed back then, but now he's still stuck at the Golden Immortal stage, isn't he?"

"That's why I asked you to use Ziwei to pressure him."

"Is this what you're planning? Since your expectations for him are only for the Taiyi Scattered Numbers, why did you instruct me to give him the hope of becoming a Taiyi Golden Immortal? If it were any other law, it would be fine, but the Law of Space, which can be used as a foundation to achieve the Great Luo, no matter which one it is, no matter how much it has been eroded by time, it is impossible for a mere Taiyi to contend with it."

"What if he could comprehend time?"

"You know perfectly well that this is impossible."

“Nothing is impossible. Since he has the heart to pursue the Dao, I will help him achieve it, even if the chances are slim and there is still more to say. In the end, we did not deceive him. What harm is there in giving it a try? If he really succeeds, becoming a Taiyi who controls time and space will be enough to compete with the Daluo. The situation may change because of this!” said the Jade Emperor.

……

After leaving Yaochi, Tiannu was still with Ding Lin.

"The Heavenly Court has been pacified, and Her Majesty has ordered me to bring my granddaughters back to Yaochi." As if noticing Ding Lin's confusion, Tiannu explained with a smile.

"I see." Ding Lin nodded, preoccupied with his own thoughts, and had no intention of having a deep conversation with Tiannu.

With Tiannu by their side, and Ding Lin's status now being vastly different from before, their white clouds moved swiftly. Although they restrained themselves somewhat because they were in the Heavenly Court, they still arrived at the Peach Garden after half an incense stick's time.

Tiannu received seven fairies.

Ding Lin and the Five Fairies brushed past each other, exchanging only a glance before leaving in a hurry, without even having time to say goodbye.

Ding Lin returned to the small building, where he was left alone again.

In the courtyard, Ding Lin sat on a stone bench, lost in thought. The information he had received from the Queen Mother was extremely complicated and too sensational. Although he was feeling a mix of emotions, he had no choice but to sort it out one by one.

First is the "Lingbao Jue". Assuming it is correct, according to the Queen Mother, refining the law will establish a connection with a fallen Great Luo, becoming a vessel for the other party's resurrection. It will be activated when one attains the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. This sounds the most dangerous, but Ding Lin has only reached the Golden Immortal realm so far, and has not even achieved the Taiyi Scattered Number realm yet, let alone the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm. So we can put it aside for now.

There was also Qingyi, who had also cultivated the "Lingbao Technique," and even more deeply than him, her entire foundation being based on the "Lingbao Technique."

Ding Lin couldn't take his anger out on Qingyi, so he could only blame Kunpeng, gritting his teeth in frustration.

Then, there was the matter of Emperor Ziwei. As the Queen Mother had said, Ziwei probably didn't know yet that the missing laws in the Nine-Bend Pearl were his doing, but only temporarily.

This is the most urgent matter. To truly deceive Ziwei, we first need to improve our cultivation level.

He needs to comprehend three more laws to achieve the Taiyi Scattered Number.

Moreover, Ding Lin didn't want to experience that feeling of being seen through by the Queen Mother again. Only by achieving Taiyi could he have privacy in this mythical world and truly be an independent individual.

Finally, there were the Queen Mother's final words of advice before her departure.

Ding Lin's eyes darkened. Faced with survival, this potential carnage was nothing; it could be put aside for now.

Having sorted out his thoughts, Ding Lin still felt unsettled. He closed his eyes and pondered for a while, clearing his mind, and decided to act according to the order he had just outlined.

The most urgent task is spiritual practice.

……

Ding Lin did not cultivate for long. Seven days later, he felt someone enter the mist outside the Peach Garden, which he did not know. He opened his eyes.

Outside the Peach Garden stood a strange Golden Immortal dressed in a red robe.

He was followed by a retinue of over a hundred people, with a well-organized entourage.

Ding Lin went out to greet him, and sure enough, it was the immortal official sent by the Hall of Immortal Selection to meet him. The immortal official first showed him the transfer order, and after Ding Lin handed over the account book of the Peach Garden, he gave Ding Lin a list of aquatic creatures from the Yellow River. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the immortal official took his leave.

At this point, Ding Lin could go to the Yellow River to take up his post.

As for the Hall of Immortal Selection, with the Jade Emperor's decree and his current status being different, he no longer needs to make a special trip there as he did when he ascended to immortality before; the changes have already been arranged by a designated person.

The transfer order was different from the last one. In addition to the seal of Emperor Wenchang, this time it was not the Five Dragon Seal, but the Nine Dragon Seal. The Yellow River is located in the sacred land of the human world, Nanchanbuzhou. The Yellow River Water Lord is one of the Four River Dragon Gods, in charge of a region's waters. He is a true regional governor and a powerful official in the Heavenly Court, capable of entering the upper echelons.

However, apart from the Nine Dragon Seal, the annotations on the transfer order should be the same as last time. They are the notes of Emperor Wenchang. The gist of the notes is that although Ding Lin is a fourth-rank official, he is taking over a third-rank position. Therefore, he is allowed to take five hundred of his former subordinates with the same rank as a third-rank official. This is a convenience that can be given or not. Perhaps Ding Lin made a good impression on Emperor Wenchang last time, so he granted it with a stroke of his pen.

Ding Lin looked towards the peach orchard.

The five fairies have already returned to Yaochi and handed over the account books. Even if he wanted to take some more peaches from the Peach Garden, he wouldn't be able to balance the accounts. There's nothing left in the garden worth worrying about.

If that's the case, then let's go.

On the other side, Xin Jia had already begun preparations after receiving Ding Lin's instructions. He first selected five hundred confidants from among the thousand men, and then selected one hundred more confidants from among the five hundred confidants.

Now that Ding Lin has received the favor of Emperor Wenchang, he no longer needs to struggle with the selection process and can bring along the five hundred people initially chosen.

Among these heavenly soldiers, the later few hundred must have received advance notice, while the others were stunned for a moment before showing joy on their faces, and those who were not selected from beginning to end showed disappointment in their eyes.

Ding Lin observed this and glanced at Xin Jia. He was indeed efficient in his work, only informing the core hundred people because they were confirmed, while the others were kept as backups. It was better to be prepared than to make mistakes.

These heavenly soldiers were naturally delighted. Accompanying Ding Lin to the Yellow River to assume his post was not the same as being demoted to the mortal realm as before; this was a truly desirable job.

They were just low-ranking soldiers in the Heavenly Court. Although Ding Lin had also become a Golden Immortal and held a respectable position, there were many beings in the Heavenly Court with higher ranks than him.

But things are very different once they enter the Yellow River. Ding Lin is the lord of the river, and his followers, as his confidants, will naturally rise in rank. Moreover, the Yellow River is one of the four major rivers with a vast expanse of water. Don't underestimate them just because they are currently only the lowest-ranking heavenly soldiers. If they are assigned to serve Ding Lin after entering the Yellow River, they will become the water lord's confidants. A seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister's door will naturally rise in rank.

Being sent to a remote post is fine; at the very least, one could become a patrol general with over a thousand naval soldiers under one's command. If one is even luckier and gains some merit, one might even secure a garrison position among the countless tributaries of the Yellow River. With status comes resources, and one might be able to advance further in life. In any case, it's a hundred times better than holding an empty official title and receiving a salary while remaining a lowly soldier.

Ding Lin withdrew his gaze from the plaque of the Peach Garden, paused for a moment, then waved his sleeve, and a cloud of white rose up, enveloping the five hundred heavenly soldiers.

The clouds turned and headed straight down to the mortal realm.

(End of this chapter)