The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 305 A Second Trip to Mount Hua
Ding Lin was both involved in and detached from the power struggles among the Dragon Palace's subordinates. Whether it was Prime Minister Turtle or Xin Jia, they were merely pawns in his management of the Dragon Palace. What he wanted was stability. As long as the Yellow River could be kept running normally and his cultivation could be maintained, he was fine with anything.

Ding Lin spent half a day dealing with the situation briefly before resuming his efforts. There are priorities in life. While it was certainly interesting to control the Yellow River and manipulate the fate of millions of aquatic creatures, it could only be a pastime during his leisure time.

Now, the most pressing issue facing him is the threat posed by the Ziwei Emperor.

Ding Lin descended to the back hall, took out a jade talisman, and instructed the old tortoise and Xin Jia to pretend to be in seclusion. His aura flashed in the Dragon Palace and then disappeared without a trace.

It's not that they've hidden themselves; they've truly disappeared without a trace.

Now, it is common knowledge in the Three Realms that Ding Lin has been appointed by the Jade Emperor as the Yellow River Water Lord. If that is the case, then the Yellow River is no longer safe.

Admittedly, according to the Queen Mother's words before her departure, the chaos caused by this Heavenly Palace War would take at least a decade to quell. Although the Ziwei Emperor attained enlightenment based on space, and the Law of Space is one of the four supreme laws, he is not particularly skilled in deduction. Even if the Ziwei Emperor were to forcefully use his profound magical power, it would be difficult within this timeframe.

However, nothing is absolute. Although Ding Linlian has never actively revealed his spatial laws, the great gods who have fought against him know about them. Among the closest ones are Tiannu and Beidou Xingjun. Tiannu can be set aside for the time being, but Beidou Xingjun is a problem.

Moreover, in the fierce battle at Yaochi, although it was Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, who ultimately held off Beidou Xingjun, the scene of Ding Lin and Tiannu Xian joining forces to hold off Beidou Xingjun was witnessed by all the immortals. However, due to the obstruction of clouds and mist, the specific details of the battle could not be seen. Although they were the ones who were passively beaten, the current rumors in the Three Realms are that he has extraordinary supernatural powers and can hold his own against Beidou Xingjun at the Golden Immortal level.

Now, Ding Lin has already gained some fame in the Three Realms.

But this is undoubtedly using the Big Dipper as a ladder.

These two factors combined, along with some speculation, are enough for the Big Dipper Star Lord to conceal his identity and come to the Yellow River to kill him.

There are also the Nine Luminaries.

When Ding Lin treated Qingyi's injuries that day, he also revealed the laws of space.

At that time, Ding Lin had not revealed his identity, and the Nine Luminaries Star Lord should not have associated him with it. But now that he has a reputation, it is hard to guarantee that the Nine Luminaries Star Lord will not associate him with it. He can fight across borders and his combat power far exceeds that of Tongji. If he does not have a powerful magic weapon, he must have comprehended a profound law.

The Nine Luminaries Star Lord and Ding Lin both belong to the Jade Emperor's command, so they shouldn't cause trouble based on mere speculation.

However, they were people who entered the Investiture of the Gods. Although their cultivation could no longer advance, as long as the Investiture of the Gods remained intact, their true spirits would never die.

Ding Lin asked himself if he were in that situation. If things continued like this, he would inevitably act impulsively and recklessly. He didn't really understand the Nine Luminaries Star Lord, but since the situation was still unclear, he naturally didn't hesitate to assume the worst.

If the Nine Luminaries Star Lord comes looking for us.

All nine Star Lords were Golden Immortals who had mastered four laws. In a one-on-one fight, they would naturally be no match for Ding Lin. However, when the nine of them joined forces, their overwhelming numbers made them a formidable opponent.

Since Ding Lin already knew that he had made an enemy of the Nine Luminaries Star Lord, he naturally went to find out more about them.

Ding Lin left after saving Qingyi that day, partly because he was worried about Qingyi's injuries, but also partly because the combined strength of the Nine Luminaries Star Lords was extremely formidable.

As for the eight Star Lords' laws within Qingyi's body, Ding Lin broke through them for two reasons: firstly, the spatial laws were extraordinary, and secondly, he took advantage of the initial surprise. Moreover, at that time, the eight Star Lords within Qingyi's body were only controlling their respective core superior laws, which were not complete.

Ding Lin thought to himself that if he were to fight against the Nine Luminaries Star Lord in reality...

The outcome remains to be seen.

Ding Lin suddenly paused, a flash of inspiration crossing his mind, as if he had suddenly grasped something. Before he became an immortal, he had been cultivating diligently in the Peach Garden. Apart from receiving the favors of seven fairies, he had no contact with the outside world and was almost completely isolated from it. Although it was a dull time, his cultivation steadily improved, and he was quite content on his own.

On the contrary, after his cultivation broke through to the Immortal Realm, he could no longer stay in the Peach Garden. He was given a new appointment and was already hated by people as soon as he joined the Heavenly River Navy. After he cultivated to the Golden Immortal Realm, things became even more complicated.

Since joining the WTO, things have often not developed as expected, with various external forces pushing things forward in ways that have taken an unexpected turn.
This...is this cause and effect?
No wonder in "Investiture of the Gods", the Sage Tongtian taught his disciples that if they did not want to be listed on the Investiture of the Gods, they should close their doors and silently recite the Yellow Court Classic. It turns out that the ultimate truth of heaven and earth was already hidden in the words of the sage.

Ding Lin's inner world trembled, as if something wanted to crawl out. His eyes were confused for a moment, then returned to clarity, but in the end, he still lacked the necessary accumulation. Not to mention condensing laws, he couldn't even manifest them. He only trembled for a moment.

But we've got a general idea of ​​the direction.

Cause and effect, indeed! The Western Paradise is full of great cause and effect. If one can constantly dwell within it and remain steadfast in body and mind, then there is hope of mastering the law of cause and effect.

Thinking this, Ding Lin transformed into a cloud of mist and silently left the Dragon Palace. His subordinates in the Dragon Palace knew nothing of this, only that he was hiding somewhere in the Dragon Palace cultivating, unaware that he had already escaped.

As the clouds drifted over Prime Minister Turtle's residence, the old turtle was having a private conversation with Generals Shrimp and Crab. They were clearly satisfied with Ding Lin's reaction. With such harmony between the ruler and his ministers, it was an open secret that the ministers were secretly colluding with each other. Water that is too clear has no fish.

Even after witnessing it with his own eyes, Ding Lin remained completely unmoved. The cloud of mist drifted out of the river and then dispersed, drifting away with the current, its destination unknown.

Ding Lin merged with heaven and earth, floating in mid-air for an unknown amount of time, overlooking countless rivers, lakes and marshes.

Finally, at one point, everything went dark, and a majestic and magnificent mountain range came into view.

Huashan.

The clouds have stopped drifting.

Looking at him from afar, Ding Lin realized that he was no longer the carp he once was. He had spent years on Mount Hua, but he was trapped in the body of a fish and could not control himself. He only knew that he was at the temple of the Third Holy Mother, but he did not even know where the temple was located on the mountain.

Now, we no longer need to rely solely on our hearts to appreciate the world as we did before; we can now enjoy a panoramic view of Mount Hua from thousands of miles away.

Ding Lin found the Third Holy Mother's Taoist temple immediately. It was located on the lower part of the mountain. Indeed, Mount Hua is one of the Five Sacred Mountains and an important node in the earth's veins. Its status is extraordinary. With the Third Holy Mother's Taoist cultivation, she could not possibly be the chief official of Mount Hua. She was actually just a minor official in charge. It was only because of her special status that she was able to establish her own residence and headquarters.

At the summit of Mount Hua, hidden in the clouds and mist, Ding Lin strained his eyes to catch a glimpse of the magnificent imperial palace. The Great Emperor of the Western Peak was the true ruler of Mount Hua. The aura faintly revealed in that imperial palace was terrifying. Even the Star Lord of the Big Dipper was like a star compared to the sun and moon.

In addition, on the summit of another slightly lower branch peak next to the imperial palace, there is a palace dedicated to the God of Wealth. The remaining divine aura has faded considerably, indicating that this is merely a temporary palace and not a place of daily residence.

Ding Lin's gaze swept over the area inch by inch, finally settling on the Third Holy Mother's dojo. This place held too many memories, but he couldn't find that familiar aura within it.

not there?

Ding Lin's eyes flashed, and at that moment, as if he suddenly thought of something, or perhaps it was a stroke of inspiration, the clouds and mist drifted slowly, enveloping the small town at the foot of Mount Hua.

The sky suddenly darkened, as if it were about to rain.

Ding Lin found Yang Chan immediately.

The latter had transformed into a woman in green, dressed in simple clothes and with plain hairpins, her magical aura completely concealed. She was gently helping a child who had stumbled and fallen to the ground to his feet. Yang Chan's smile was warm, but her eyes were devoid of any emotion, as still and stagnant as a deep well.

Ding Lin recalled a time when Yang Chan had carried him in her sleeve as they came to the small town.

Then, she recalled the countless nights she spent in the lotus pond.

Yang Chan taught herself cultivation knowledge tirelessly through the night, and also looked haggard and worried about Yang Jian. She half-concealed her background to herself. Beneath this face that always looked the same on the outside, she actually carried a lot of emotions and feelings, but she was unwilling to show them.

Suddenly, I felt a pang of heartache.

The clouds in the sky dispersed in an instant.

Ding Lin descended into the light of his escape, concealing his aura, and quietly followed behind Yang Chan, watching her walk through the mortal marketplace.

They measured the land inch by inch with their footsteps.

The streets were bustling with pedestrians, but Ding Lin's eyes were only on this one figure. Everything else became blurred, because compared to this woman, they were insignificant.

Unbeknownst to her, Yang Chan had reached the city gate again.

In the sky, as Ding Lin dispersed the clouds and mist, the sun shone down again. Ripples spread across the surface of the moat, and a gentle breeze blew, creating a dazzling light. However, the light reflected into the eyes was somewhat blinding.

Yang Chan walked to the riverbank.

Suddenly, a red carp leaped out of the water, glanced at Yang Chan, and then quickly plunged back into the water, swimming away without looking back, leaving only a faint red line on the surface.

This situation...

Yang Chan thought of that night when she squatted down on the riverbank and stretched out her hand... How similar it was! It was the same color, the same carp, the same fish looking back... But the carp's gaze was dull and ignorant, so it must really be just a coincidence. This fish was not the one she used to keep.

She released her fish that night.

The fluctuation in Yang Chan's eyes lasted only a moment before returning to calm. She straightened up again, but still subconsciously turned her head back, just like that night. Even though the direction she was facing now was towards the city gate, and even though she knew that turning back this time would still be fruitless, she still couldn't help but do it.

The city gate was deserted. A few soldiers were leaning against the shade, some dozing off, others chatting idly. Apart from them, there was only one red figure.

As vibrant as fire.

Yang Chan was stunned. She couldn't help but look at the man's face. Ding Lin hadn't even condensed his demon core when he left, so he couldn't transform into human form. She had no idea what Ding Lin would look like after transforming. Even if she saw his face, she wouldn't be able to tell. Moreover, although the man was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had an extraordinary aura, the aura he exuded clearly showed that he was a mortal. But Yang Chan couldn't help but look over.

Ding Lin's gaze never left Yang Chan for a moment.

Eyes facing each other.

What came into view was indeed a face I had never seen before.

A sense of loss flashed through Yang Chan's heart; such fleeting emotions were ultimately difficult to sustain.

Back then, Ding Lin stayed in her lotus pond for so long, feeding on the leaves of the precious lotus, and she also fed him many spiritual pills intermittently, but his cultivation level never improved very quickly, as the carp body indeed had its limits.

Yang Chan secretly thought that Ding Lin hadn't been gone for too long. If things had gone smoothly, he would at most have condensed a demon core by now. How could he possibly have transformed into such a complete human form? Even if he had a fortuitous encounter, it would still be remarkable if he had cultivated to the primordial spirit level.

While demons who cultivate to the primordial spirit stage can transform into humans, how could a demon cultivator at the primordial spirit stage not reveal their aura and give away their secrets in front of her?

Some time ago, Yang Chantian's sisters came to visit her at Mount Hua, and during their conversation, they mentioned a piece of news.

Jin Lin, the deputy general of the Heavenly River, had not long since ascended to the Heavenly Immortal realm when he broke through to the Golden Immortal realm.

Golden scales.

Ding Lin had used the alias Jin Lin when he lied to her.

But they are obviously not the same person. One is a Golden Immortal with profound magical power, and the other is a fish demon who has only been involved in cultivation for a few hundred years. It is most likely just a coincidence of names. In any case, demons name themselves in this way.

Yang Chan was thinking haphazardly when she nodded slightly, apologizing to the figure in red. Just as she was about to look away, the man suddenly smiled at her. For some reason, a sense of familiarity suddenly rose in Yang Chan's heart. Her eyes flickered, and she knew she had been impolite, but she couldn't look away.

familiar?

Yang Chan searched carefully, and the next moment, she finally found the source of her familiarity on this face: the eyes.

The eyes are the windows of the soul.

No matter how much one's face changes, one's eyes will never change.

This person's eyes were exactly the same as her fish's.

“Ding…” Yang Chan raised her hand, and suddenly felt a slight warmth in her sleeve, which distracted her. She then made a hand seal to avoid causing a stir. A flash of light appeared in her palm, and the Lotus Lantern was lifted into her hand. The flame flickered gently, like a firefly, reflecting on the lotus-shaped lampshade and illuminating her face with its verdant green light.

It's him.

There is no doubt about it.

"My name is Ding Lin, Ding as in lilac, and Lin as in peach orchard..."

Ding Lin spoke slowly, extending his hand and taking a step forward. In the sunlight, the surface of his palm shifted, revealing a row of fine red scales, which, in another way, indicated his identity.

But Yang Chan seemed to be stunned. She stood there, frozen in place. Even with the Lotus Lantern as proof, she still had a strong feeling that it was unreal.

……

(End of this chapter)