The myth begins with the Lotus Lantern

Chapter 351, Section 0360: Stalemate
Time marches on, and another ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the thatched hut, Ding Lin opened his eyes. Of the sixty-four laws laid down by the Buddha in the Five Elements Mountain, he had comprehended sixty-three, leaving only the last one. This was a law of water, and he could see waves undulating in his eyes—the rhythm of the law. In ten years, he had accumulated enough knowledge and understanding of this law far surpassed that of the others. He had already mastered it, yet he had yet to take the final step and comprehend it.

It's not that I can't, but that I have reservations.

Cultivation requires mental and physical exertion.

Normally it wouldn't matter, because Ding Lin said he was comprehending the laws, but in reality he was just using what he had learned. He only needed to summarize and verify it at the end to imprint the laws into his inner world. Therefore, even if the Big Dipper Star Lord and the Southern Dipper Star Lord were watching him closely, it wouldn't have much of an impact. He could devote most of his energy to this, and if anything went wrong, he could immediately respond.

The only risk is at the moment the law chains are generated. This is the final step in inscribing the laws into the inner world. Each law is an explanation of the principles of the world. Once you understand it, you understand it forever. Naturally, you need to concentrate fully when inscribing it. Even if Ding Lin has the advantage of foresight, at this moment, he can only spare a sliver of thought. His mind will inevitably be drawn in, requiring almost complete concentration.

This fleeting thought only prevents him from being completely oblivious to the outside world, but in that instant, his reactions become extremely sluggish.

The reason why Ding Lin dared to boldly condense laws one after another was not only because of the rules tacitly approved by the gods and Buddhas in the Five Elements Mountain Realm, but also because although he had comprehended a large number of laws, they were all only at the middle level. Although they looked extremely impressive, they lacked the support of higher-level laws. At the Taiyi Realm, they could only be said to have enriched his foundation, and their effect on the immediate increase in combat power was far less than imagined.

The Golden Immortal realm is divided according to the number of laws comprehended, while the Taiyi realm is measured by a more advanced standard: the Taiyi Dao Principle. The Taiyi Dao Principle requires a higher-level law as its core to be formed.

Furthermore, Ding Lin considered that he had no dealings with the Southern Dipper Star Lord, only having a sordid affair with the Northern Dipper Star Lord.

However, the battle at Yaochi took place against the backdrop of the Heavenly Palace War, with each side fighting for their own master.

Furthermore, at that time, Beidou Xingjun had the upper hand and was the one who suffered a loss. If he were still a Golden Immortal, given this past event, Beidou Xingjun would naturally suppress him without any scruples. But now he is also a Taiyi. If the provocation just now was to test his strength, then after clarifying the situation, according to the style of immortals and gods, the next step should be to make peace and compromise. As the saying goes, taking a step back opens up a vast sky. They are not mortal enemies, so why fight to the death?
Based on this, he had no reservations about making his previous breakthroughs.

But things seem to be gradually going in the wrong direction.

The attention from the Southern Dipper Star Lord and the Northern Dipper Star Lord has been increasing. At first, it was just rotating between them, but now both gods are together.

When Ding Lin generated the previous law, he already sensed something was wrong and dared not break through easily. He waited for several years before finally seizing an opportunity to generate the law while the Southern Dipper Star Lord and the Northern Dipper Star Lord were in a moment of confusion.

But he absolutely dared not risk this last rule again.

The sixty-fourth law was generated, unlike the previous sixty-three laws. Laws are born and die. If one comprehends this law, he will have the foundation to suddenly understand the birth and death of the five elements. This kind of sudden enlightenment is completed in the cultivator's inner world, which is imperceptible to the outside world and therefore impossible to interfere with.

In other words, if the Southern Dipper and the Northern Dipper really wanted to make a move, the moment he comprehended the law would be the best opportunity.

As for the default rules within the Five Elements Mountain domain.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord had already made a move once, although it was against Princess Iron Fan and Princess Jade Face. He could barely justify his actions in terms of reasoning, but the fact that he broke the rules was undeniable. Once he did it once, how could he not do it a second time?

Although, since Ding Lin also arrived at Taiyi, this unspoken rule has a greater influence on the Southern and Northern Dippers.

Unspoken rules can never be brought to the forefront.

Furthermore, even if the rules were laid out in the open, Ding Lin wouldn't dare to gamble, since it directly affected him. If Nan Dou and Bei Dou were to recklessly break the rules, there would certainly be a backlash afterward, but the damage he suffered would be irreversible.

The sword of Damocles is most powerful when it hangs over a target.

A cold glint flashed in Ding Lin's eyes. It was understandable that the Southern Dipper Star Lord and the Northern Dipper Star Lord would pay attention to his rapid cultivation speed. However, at such a crucial moment, if they were sensible, they should know to avoid suspicion. Their continued actions were a blatant display of malice.

……

“He really didn’t dare to break through,” said the Big Dipper Star Lord.

"This is precisely the key point in his cultivation. It's only natural that we would observe from the sidelines, given our past grievances." The Southern Dipper Star Lord's voice was calm, not questioning, but rather expressing some confusion. "But by acting in this way, you've truly offended him deeply, creating an enmity that blocks your path. If he seizes an opportunity later, it will be a fight to the death. I don't understand, you and he don't have any grudges, do you? Your past encounters were only between your respective masters, and even the previous tests had room for maneuver. Why must you go to such lengths?"

Beidou Xingjun remained silent for a while. “I don’t know either,” Beidou Xingjun shook his head, “I just have a feeling that this is the last chance. If we miss it, there will be no other way. And if this child is not eliminated, he will eventually become a great threat.”

"On a whim?" asked the Southern Dipper Star Lord again.

Beidou Xingjun nodded.

The Southern Dipper Star Lord fell silent. This mysterious connection was the most enigmatic, impossible to explain. Most of the time, it was just pointless groaning, but there was a rare possibility that it was a warning from fate. One could neither fully believe it nor disbelieve it. And when such a signal involved another cultivator of the same level, the choice became even more difficult. But judging from the Southern Dipper Star Lord's appearance, he had chosen to believe it.

"Given the speed of his cultivation he showed before, he should have fully comprehended the sixty-fourth law by now, only lacking the ability to generate it in his inner world. If he really disregards everything and forces it, you..." Nan Dou Xingjun stopped speaking. He saw Bei Dou Xingjun's cold profile and understood the latter's intention. If it really came to this, Bei Dou would probably act without regard for anything.

Strike first to gain the upper hand.

Even if there are some problems afterward, they will only arise later.

Ding Lin's worries and premonitions were not without reason. Once a high-level cultivator makes up his mind, he will no longer have any scruples.

“Once we leave the Five Elements Mountain region, I will need your help to take action with me. He has now become a force to be reckoned with. If we do not strike him decisively, he may escape. If that happens, it will cause endless trouble. As for the Jade Emperor’s accountability later,” Beidou Xingjun paused, turned to look at Nandou Xingjun, and said sincerely, “I will take full responsibility. However, even so, I am afraid you will also have to bear some of the blame.”

“I am fine, at most I will be punished, but you, you captured and killed a colleague of the Heavenly Court. Even if the Emperor is willing to protect you afterward, it will probably be difficult to get away with it. If the Jade Emperor pushes too far, you will have to pay with your life…” Nan Dou Xingjun did not finish his sentence.

The Big Dipper Star Lord's gaze was firm.

“Let’s wait and see. If he is truly determined to break through again, then we have no choice. If he doesn’t have the guts, once he leaves the Five Elements Mountain domain, given our level, we are already outside the Three Realms and no longer within the Five Elements, so we cannot calculate it. At that time, as long as we act quickly enough and deny it to the death, even if we both know the truth, without being caught in the act and without concrete evidence, it will only be recorded,” said the Big Dipper Star Lord.

"You've made up your mind." Lord Nandou said no more.

……

Another three years have passed.

Ding Lin had considered forcing his way through several times, regardless of the consequences. He only needed a moment to perfect all sixty-four laws. With his memories from his previous life as a guide and the reference left by the Buddha, he was absolutely certain that he could combine these sixty-four laws and, with the five elements interacting and restraining each other, immediately generate a top-level law with three sections.

Moreover, since Yin and Yang govern the Five Elements, he believed that the fundamental Yin and Yang principles could be further improved, and perhaps even transform into two and a half sections.

But at this moment, at this instant, it has become a luxury.

Ding Lin is in a dilemma.

No, it's this last step that he simply can't take.

……

Suddenly, fluctuations of laws emanated from the thatched hut beside Ding Lin.

Princess Iron Fan had a solemn expression. She had cultivated for many years and had already mastered six laws before meeting Ding Lin. Upon entering the Five Elements Mountain, she comprehended another law, reaching the late stage of the Golden Immortal realm. In the past hundred years, with the Banana Leaf Fan by her side, and thanks to its benefits to fire magic cultivation, she had successively comprehended two more laws. Now, she was at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, possessing nine laws. The situation in the arena was delicate, and she could not intervene, but she could see it clearly.

Sensing the fluctuations beside her, Princess Iron Fan looked over and saw Princess Jade Face. Her aptitude was indeed ordinary. In such a long time, nearly two hundred years, with the double blessing of the Banana Leaf Fan and the Five Elements Mountain Realm, plus the enhancement of her second cultivation as a Celestial Immortal, she had only barely comprehended one law.

But no matter what, they still managed to break through.

The Golden Immortal realm is vastly different from before; from now on, there will be no more worries about lifespan.

(End of this chapter)