The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 349 Surveillance
at night.

After indulging himself, Ding Lin felt completely relaxed. Princess Yu Mian rested on his arm, her eyelashes curved.

“Sister, I observe that your cultivation has reached over 90,000 years, not far from perfection. You can already begin to comprehend the laws,” Ding Lin said. “Your five elements are predominantly fire, so you can start by comprehending the fire law. No matter what law it is, just comprehend one first. You are already a Celestial Immortal, and the spiritual energy here is abundant, which will greatly benefit your comprehension of the five elements laws. If all goes well, you may be able to become a Golden Immortal before you leave. Remember to seize this opportunity. I can protect you for life and even secure a heavenly position for you, but no one can help you with cultivation. You can only rely on yourself. You must know that only when you reach the Golden Immortal level can you be free from the worry of lifespan.”

“I know,” Princess Jade Face said.

"I have already returned the Banana Leaf Fan to Iron Fan. In a while, you will still go to her place. That fan contains the two energies of wind and fire. The fire is aided by the wind, which can benefit the cultivation of fire magic. In this Five Elements Mountain Realm, it is even more powerful. If you cultivate by Iron Fan's side, your chances of comprehending fire magic will increase by another 10%. Remember, you can rely on the spiritual energy within the fan. The Samadhi True Fire within the fan is a superior law. It is not too late to comprehend it after you become a Golden Immortal and no longer have to worry about your lifespan. Now, you must not be tempted by it..." Ding Lin carefully instructed.

Princess Jade Face listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

……

The next day.

Princess Jade Face has already left.

Quiet returned to the thatched hut.

Ding Lin sat cross-legged with his eyes closed. Yesterday, after he woke up from his meditation by comprehending the Samadhi True Fire and Samadhi Divine Wind with the help of the Banana Leaf Fan, he witnessed the provocations of the Southern Dipper Star Lord and the Northern Dipper Star Lord. He hastily made a move before he could adjust, and then he was busy subduing Princess Iron Fan. He also comforted Princess Jade Face for an entire night. Now, he finally has time to sort out the gains from this seclusion.

With his mind soaring high, his consciousness leaped into the inner realm of the cave.

The lotus leaves sway gently, a white lotus and a black lotus, like twin blossoms, rising and falling in the green waves.

Ding Lin watched for a while, and then Bo Xun's exclamation of "Di Jiang" echoed in his mind again. The Ancestral Witch of Space, whether true or false, unknown to the truth, the Heavenly Demon was known for its cunning and treacherous nature.

But this is the only clear answer he has received so far.

Ding Lin dismissed the thought, knowing that further contemplation was pointless. He was currently weak and needed to focus on building up his strength. These hearsay rumors could only serve as a reference and a spur to action. If he remained trapped in them for too long, he would never have another chance to break free.

The great sun, transformed from the golden elixir, hung high in the sky.

Fifteen chains stretched out in sequence, and the spatial laws refined by the Spirit Treasure Technique, though only in their rudimentary form, still revealed the extraordinary appearance of the three sections.

The nine-digit number represents the ultimate level. The chain of laws within nine can be considered superior. The Tao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things. Starting from three, it can be considered the source. The three-section chain is the threshold of the highest level of laws.

If Ding Lin had focused on the Law of Space as the core of his Dao when he achieved Taiyi, disregarding the potential consequences, instead of only obtaining three and a half sections of the Law of Space at that time, Xiang Liu would likely have been doomed. The difference of half a section is the distance between life and death. Furthermore, there is an unimaginable improvement from three sections to two sections. As for the four supreme laws that can reach one section, the gap is as vast as an insurmountable chasm.

In addition, there is a lower-level law representing vitality, which was also condensed from the Spirit Treasure Technique.

One of the water-based laws originates from the bloodline inheritance within the body.

These three laws are fraught with hidden dangers.

Ding Lin set them aside, and the remaining twelve laws were all things he had painstakingly cultivated after belated realization, so he could control them with confidence.

The Yin-Yang Law hangs at the highest point, from being inferior to the rudimentary form of the Space Law to being on par with it, and now it is faintly a step above the rudimentary form of the Space Law—the end of the third chain has become somewhat blurred.

Under the Yin-Yang principle, a fire technique and a wind technique stand opposite each other, each with eight sections. They are Samadhi True Fire and Samadhi Divine Wind. Fire belongs to Yang and wind belongs to Yin, and both are in a superior position. It is because of their comprehension that the Yin-Yang principle has advanced another step. The third section has become ethereal, taking another step towards the two sections.

Beneath the Samadhi True Fire and Samadhi Divine Wind lies the Five Elements Law, composed of five intermediate laws that flow continuously and have nine sections. In terms of level, it cannot compare to the Samadhi True Fire and Samadhi Divine Wind, but at that time it allowed the Yin-Yang Law to directly evolve from three and a half sections to three sections. The benefits between the Yin-Yang and Five Elements laws sometimes depend more on the compatibility of attributes than on simple strength.

Below these four superior laws are eight intermediate laws that are densely interwoven in mid-air.

Ding Lin's thoughts swept over the eight laws and then fell on the Five Elements Law.

The five elements generate each other, yet they are born but never die. Although they can be self-sufficient and form a cycle, this cycle is inherently flawed. The only way to make up for this flaw is through the mutual generation and restraint of the five elements, which then achieves completeness.

Ding Lin has been cultivating for so long. Qingyi led him into the path of cultivation, and Yang Chan taught him the basics of cultivation. After reaching the Immortal Realm, there was no one to guide him anymore. Relying on the books he obtained from the Five Fairy Maidens and pondering the experience left by his predecessors, he barely managed to cultivate into a Golden Immortal. Originally, if nothing unexpected happened, the Golden Immortal should have been his end. Who would have thought that the knowledge from his previous life would become the key to unlocking the laws in this life? He cultivated to the Taiyi realm, but he was still exploring on his own and there were still too many things he hadn't mastered. He belatedly realized that he had stepped into a fatal trap.

Even now, Ding Lin still only has a vague understanding of how to cultivate in the Taiyi Realm. Through his battle with Xiang Liu, he clarified the hierarchical relationship between the laws and combined them into the Five Elements Law. Based on the subsequent changes in the Yin-Yang Law, he determined that the Five Elements Law and the Yin-Yang Law are closely related.

Based on his knowledge from his previous life, he vaguely guessed the connection between the two, but to what extent they could be related, and how they would further counteract each other after the five elements' mutual generation, Ding Lin still only had a concept. When it came to the actual implementation, he was still completely clueless.

It wasn't until he entered the Five Elements Mountain and saw the realm that the Buddha had tailored for the stone monkey that he finally found the answer.

As the saying goes, true teachings can be conveyed in a single sentence, while false teachings can fill countless volumes.

Within this realm, there are sixty-four laws, which correspond to the Eight Trigrams, and within them lies the cycle of birth and death.

The stone monkey had someone to recite his lessons and food to feed him, and Ding Lin benefited from this, but he also had to bear immense karma. The path of karma cultivated by the Buddha was not something to be taken lightly, but even knowing this, Ding Lin could only plunge headlong into it.

Although Ding Lin had previously speculated in this direction, cultivation is not a game, especially after having already suffered hardships. He dared not try anything recklessly again. Even now, he only dared to cultivate according to these sixty-four laws, without daring to make the slightest change.

Sixty-four laws.

Ding Lin has mastered five of the five elements of mutual generation, and is only missing the fifty-nine. He had almost figured out one of them when he first arrived, but was interrupted by a series of unexpected setbacks, which is why he is just one step away from the final step.

Now, nothing bothers Ding Lin anymore.

After sorting things out, Ding Lin focused all his attention on the birth and death of the five elements. Before long, strange phenomena appeared again above the thatched hut. With the help of his past life's knowledge, he began to comprehend the relevant laws.

……

not far away,
Two thatched huts stand side by side.

However, the Southern Dipper Star Lord and the Northern Dipper Star Lord did not immediately begin their cultivation. In the Southern Dipper Star Lord's thatched hut, the two gods sat facing each other, one in the north and one in the south, each occupying a specific position.

"Southern Dipper, how about you exchange a move with him?" asked the Northern Dipper Star Lord.

“Although my attack was just a casual gesture, it was still something that even a Golden Immortal could not withstand. He has indeed cultivated to the Taiyi level. You also saw that fire technique, the Samadhi True Fire, which is a truly superior law. This kid is truly amazing.”

A look of amazement flashed across Nan Dou Xing Jun's eyes.

“Last time he joined forces with Tiannu at Yaochi, he managed to hold out against me for a while. I knew then that there would be consequences. Only a few years have passed, and he has already overcome his limitations and become Taiyi.” A shadow crossed Beidou Xingjun’s eyes, and there was no trace of his impulsive and irritable demeanor from before. “Do I want to hear you praise him? How powerful is he now? Can you and I take him down if we join forces?”

"Take him down..." Nan Dou Xingjun said cautiously, "Although he has made great progress, he has only just entered the Taiyi realm. That move was only because he was caught off guard and managed to gain an advantage. Judging from the fluctuations around him, he entered the Taiyi realm using ordinary high-level laws. If we were to actually fight, although he is indeed a Taiyi, his skill is still shallow. Either of us could suppress him. If we join forces, we might be able to take him down. However, there is one thing to be careful about: the high-level laws he condensed for the Taiyi Dao are not Samadhi True Fire."

“No…that means he has comprehended more than one superior law.” Beidou Xingjun frowned.

“But he probably hasn’t grasped the top-level laws yet. Even if he has grasped the rudiments, he hasn’t reached the top level yet. But it’s hard to say what will happen in time. If this place weren’t so inappropriate, we should capture him immediately, Beidou,” Nandou Xingjun confirmed again. “Were you sure you didn’t feel wrong that day? He was definitely using the laws of space.”

"That near-leap speed, allowing a Golden Immortal to dodge my basic attack, is no ordinary technique. According to you, he used fire magic. Our understanding of the laws is biased from the initial one, so his affinity must be either earth, water, wind, or fire, or one of the five elements, not spatial laws. Could he be cultivating the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Gang? That speed originates from the Five Elements Great Escape?" Beidou Xingjun sneered. "During the battle in the Heavenly Palace, the Emperor briefly lost the Nine-Bend Pearl, thus losing a spatial law. Now that he has free time to deduce it, he has no clue. And coincidentally, he also advanced to Taiyi at this time. What a coincidence!"

"There's no point in us speculating here. Once we capture him, the truth will naturally come to light," said the Southern Dipper Star Lord. "He's right under our noses now; what other changes could there possibly be?"

"Indeed." Beidou Xingjun nodded. "Keep a close eye on him. As soon as he leaves the Five Elements Mountain domain, we'll capture him!"

The calculations are now complete.

The two star lords agreed that the Big Dipper Star Lord would go into seclusion first, while the Southern Dipper Star Lord would keep an eye on Ding Lin, and they would take turns in twenty years. They came here to use the abundant power of the laws of the Five Elements Mountain to comprehend the laws, so they would not make a wasted trip.

……

Twenty years.

After making the agreement, the Big Dipper Star Lord focused all his attention on comprehending the laws.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord sat cross-legged, cultivating his inner energy, but always subtly placed a wisp of energy on Ding Lin's thatched hut, not letting any movement slip by.

In the first year, a fluctuation of law emanated from Ding Lin's thatched hut.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord was somewhat surprised that Ding Lin had comprehended the law so quickly. While he was amazed by Ding Lin's talent, he didn't pay too much attention to it, assuming that Ding Lin had arrived before them and that the law he had condensed was the result of his past accumulation.

In the third year, another fluctuation of the law was emitted.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord opened his eyes, his lips tightened, and his expression was filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Ding Lin's past accumulation of knowledge and experience is so profound?

Fortunately, in the fifth year, no fluctuations of the laws were detected.

Perhaps even Nan Dou Xingjun himself didn't realize that he had breathed a slight sigh of relief.

In the sixth year, there was still no fluctuation of the laws.

Lord Nandou was relieved. Comprehending the laws was not so easy; it was indeed just a fleeting glimpse, a flash in the pan.

However, in the seventh year, another fluctuation of the law was emitted.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord's relaxed expression tightened again. He looked in the direction of the Northern Dipper Star Lord's thatched cottage, hesitated for a moment, and decided to wait a little longer. However, he had a growing premonition that things were developing in a direction that was getting further and further away from what they had expected.

In the tenth year, the fourth law fluctuation was emitted.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord's face was gloomy. He got up without saying a word, pushed open the thatched hut, and saw that a scorching heat was accumulating in the thatched hut of the Northern Dipper Star Lord. The heat was so obvious that it was clear that he was only a little short of comprehending the law. Since things had come to this, the Southern Dipper Star Lord hesitated for a moment and did not disturb the Northern Dipper Star Lord any further. He paid closer attention to Ding Lin's thatched hut.

In the fifteenth year, the fluctuations of a breakthrough finally emanated from the thatched hut of the Big Dipper Star Lord. During these five years, no fluctuations of comprehension of laws were heard from Ding Lin's thatched hut, which also brought peace of mind back to the heart of the Southern Dipper Star Lord.

"Ha ha!"

The Big Dipper Star Lord was in an excellent mood.

Nandou Xingjun stood up. Although Ding Lin had become increasingly mediocre in recent years, the speed at which he had comprehended the laws still made him feel uneasy. He was eager to discuss things with Beidou Xingjun. Just then, another wave of energy came from the direction of Ding Lin's thatched cottage.

The fifth lane.

In fifteen years, he comprehended the Five Laws.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord pushed open the thatched hut of the Northern Dipper Star Lord, who was also suppressing his laughter. The Southern Dipper Star Lord saw that the Northern Dipper Star Lord was looking in the direction of Ding Lin, and snorted heavily.

"He was lucky, succeeding me by comprehending a law as well," said the Big Dipper Star Lord. "However, it won't be so easy from now on. Once his accumulation is exhausted, he may not be able to comprehend another law for the next hundred years."

The Southern Dipper Star Lord did not agree; he remained silent.

"Southern Dipper, how long has it been? Why are you in such a hurry to come? Twenty years have passed. How much longer? Let me stabilize myself, and then I will come to summon you," said the Northern Dipper Star Lord.

"Only fifteen years have passed," the Southern Dipper Star Lord finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

(End of this chapter)