The God of Heavens

Chapter 247 Martial Saint
Moonlight spilled over the hills, turning Dalong Island a frosty color. Amidst the lapping of the lake against the shore, the shadows of the trees swayed like ink.

Hong Tao, Zhao Hu, and Xue Dao, clad in armor and wielding sharp swords, followed closely behind Lin Yu, taking three steps at a time.

The battle had just ended, and they hastily cleaned up the battlefield. The wreckage of warships floating on the lake was still emitting wisps of smoke, and a few embers of fire reflected on the water, making the bloodstains even deeper.

Naval warfare is indeed at a disadvantage for martial arts masters, since they cannot fly and can only fight by boat. Without the advantage of maneuvering on land, the combat power of martial arts masters is greatly reduced.

The armor was too heavy; once someone fell into the water, it would be extremely difficult to save themselves, and their chances of survival would be slim. This is why Lin Yu chose to subdue Hong Tao first, striving to minimize his own casualties.

Lin Yu stood with his hands behind his back on the lakeside, the moonlight casting a long, slender shadow. Gazing at the shimmering surface, he said to Hong Tao in a deep voice, “This place guards the throat of the Bailang River, a place teeming with merchant ships. I intend to petition the court to establish the Heshan Patrol Camp here, firstly to eliminate river bandits and ensure the safety of the waterway, and secondly to train the navy. Your brothers are still here.”

As for your matter of plundering tribute, although I protected you, you should still reduce your public appearances recently and work by my side for the time being.

Upon hearing this, Hong Tao's eyes filled with tears, and he knelt heavily on one knee: "Your Excellency's kindness in saving me is something I could never repay even if I died!"

Lin Yu nodded slightly and continued, "Heshan Lake covers an area of ​​1,500 li and is rich in fish and rice. Although it cannot be directly connected to the sea like Taichang Lake, it can still transport southern products to various places via the upper reaches of the Bailang River. Since Magistrate Yan Zhen has taken my favor, you should work together with him. There is great potential in this place."

Zhao Hu and Xue Dao clasped their hands in agreement, their armor reflecting the cold moonlight. The night wind swept across the lake, bringing a chill, but it could not extinguish the surging ambition in their eyes.

……

A month later.

The island of Dalong has been completely transformed, with numerous camps and military camps where countless flags flutter in the wind. On the lake, naval warships shuttle back and forth, creating a bustling scene.

On the top of the back mountain of Dalong Island, in an extremely quiet pavilion, the fragrance of redwood lingers.

Lin Yu sat cross-legged inside the small building, with a large bronze cauldron standing in front of him.

The tripod has three legs and two handles, with a rounded upper rim that subtly embodies the principles of heaven and earth. It is engraved with flowers, birds, insects, fish, the sun, moon, and stars, exuding an ancient charm and a majestic grandeur.

Three incense sticks, about the thickness of a finger and about three inches long, were stuck on the table to the side.

Wisps of light blue smoke rise, resembling morning mist in the mountains, exuding a mysterious charm.

This is the "Soul-Soothing Incense." Ordinary people can feel refreshed and clear their minds of all distracting thoughts simply by taking a whiff. For cultivators, it is an unparalleled elixir for repairing the soul.

This incense has an extraordinary origin; it is a secret treasure painstakingly crafted over countless years by eminent monks of the Great Zen Temple who were proficient in medicine and Taoism.

"Xuanming sent word that he has found the location of the Eternal Mother. It seems that I will soon be able to read the secret text, the Future Eternal Scripture."

Lin Yu opened his eyes. Since letting Xuanming roam free, he had indeed obtained a lot of information about the Wusheng Dao, and now he would soon be able to reap the rewards.

However, the Eternal Mother is already a ghost immortal, and although Lin Yu is not afraid of her, it would be bad if she escaped. Therefore, it would be best to break through to the Martial Saint realm first to ensure that nothing goes wrong.

The realm of a Martial Saint is divided into physical and mental aspects. Physically, the blood is clean and fragrant. Physical strength, speed, agility, and power are all greatly enhanced.

The spiritual characteristic is a subtle premonition, a keen insight into everything, and a subtle sense of danger within a few breaths, or the time it takes to burn an incense stick or brew a cup of tea.

They are not afraid of any sneak attacks, and their boxing spirit is highly refined, capable of breaking through all evil spells.

Only when both body and mind enter the "saintly" state and become one can one be a true martial saint.

Some people are spiritually close to becoming martial saints, but their bodies struggle to break through; others have broken through physically, but their minds are flawed. It's impossible to have both.

However, for Lin Yu, his mental state had already been refined through countless trials and tribulations, and was now perfect and flawless. As long as the energy was sufficient, he would naturally be able to break through.

Lin Yu's expression turned serious as his divine soul soared into the sky.

"Boom!!"

Suddenly, the sky split open, as if a gap had been opened, and endless flames descended from the heavens, flowing and swirling, transforming into a fiery cloud.

This is the secret method of the Great Sun Buddha Fire from the Amitabha Sutra.

In an instant, flames soared into the sky. The intense heat scorched the heavens, as if the entire sky were ablaze. Waves of fire surged and rolled like a vast ocean, layer upon layer.

Suddenly, the sea of ​​fire shrank abruptly, and countless flames converged towards the center, as if being swallowed by a black hole.

Finally, the flames condensed into a pill, only the size of a longan. It burned as fiercely as the sun, resembling a concentrated essence of the sun, radiating astonishing pressure.

This is the Great Sun Jewel.

When the Great Sun Buddha Fire is cultivated to its peak, one can comprehend the wonders of the sun's movement and refine the true fire into a precious pearl, which is the Great Sun Pearl.

Ordinary cultivators can only condense the sunlight in the void as Daoist flames.

Such flames are far less practical than Lin Yu's method of directly refining the flames into a Great Sun Pearl, and their power is also far inferior.

At this moment, endless light and heat emanated from the pill; one could see that there seemed to be streams of flame flowing inside the pearl.

"Refine!" With a slight thought, Lin Yu caused the Great Sun Pearl to burst into flames and crash into the bronze cauldron.

The originally violent flames, under his control, flowed gently like water over the surface of a dark blue dragon pearl inside the cauldron.

He flicked his fingers repeatedly, continuously adding rare medicinal herbs, such as Nuwassa, Rejuvenating Flower, and Dragon Blood Vine, all of which he had painstakingly collected from various places, traversing mountains and rivers.

Flames flickered and the aroma of medicine filled the air. With a clear chime from the cauldron, a batch of divine pills was finally refined.

The elixir was as lustrous as crystal, with a deep blue hue flowing within. Golden threads within it resembled dragons swimming, their scales and claws outstretched, their whiskers twitching slightly. As the spiritual energy flowed, it seemed as if they were about to break free from the elixir's walls.

"Very good. Although it is not as good as a Heavenly-grade Divine Pill, it should still be considered among the Earthly-grade Spirit Pills, which is enough to enable me to break through to Martial Saint."

Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction. The Supreme Dao's Heavenly Origin Divine Pill is an elixir for immortals; the Earthly Origin Spirit Pill is an elixir for sages; and the Human Origin Great Pill is an elixir for strengthening the foundation.

These pills were completely free of any toxins or dregs, making them truly perfect.

While pills refined by ordinary cultivators can improve physical constitution, they inevitably leave residues in the body, even those refined from the precious Yuanpin Heavenly Pearl. Only Lin Yu, a master of alchemy and capable of visualizing divine fire like the pure fire of the heavens, can refine pills that are equally pure and flawless, without any impurities.

Of course, we also have to thank the Black Scale Python for contributing its ancestral dragon pearl as the main ingredient.

Lin Yu put the elixir in his mouth and felt it pulsate slightly! It was like a fleshy lump that sensed danger and was about to jump out.

"Does this count as swallowing someone else's ancestors?" Lin Yu smiled to himself, swallowing it without chewing.

Boom!

The pill slid down his throat and into his stomach. Lin Yu felt his stomach throb slightly twice before returning to calm, with no immediate discomfort.

However, about an hour later, a strange change occurred.

Lin Yu's body grew hotter and hotter, as if a boiler was burning inside him, with hot air gushing out from every pore.

Excessive sweat poured out, and Lin Yu's body was like a leaky water pipe.

Extreme thirst, dizziness, and general discomfort surged up.

Lin Yu remained expressionless, took out the prepared salt water, and gulped it down in one go.

My body's internal circulation accelerated dramatically, and I was sweating profusely. Eventually, my skin turned slightly red, as if I had dried up and was bleeding!
This bloody sweat was incredibly foul-smelling and extremely unpleasant.

This is the way the Martial Saint changes his blood.

After passing this hurdle, you only need to rest for a few days, and your body will gradually enter the "sacred" state!

……

The human soul is composed of thoughts, including evil thoughts, good thoughts, and indomitable thoughts.

Among these thoughts, the most fervent, the most steadfast, and the most powerful is the thought of faith.

Scholars believe in principles and are willing to risk their lives to speak frankly to the king for the sake of those principles.
Those who practice Buddhism and believe in the Dharma are willing to sacrifice an arm for the Dharma.

Those who cultivate the Tao believe in the Tao and can forget all their emotions for the sake of the Tao, such as the Supreme Tao's Supreme Forgetfulness of Emotions.

Ordinary people believe in gods and hope that the gods will save them. This fervent and unwavering belief, when gathered together and accumulated in large numbers, can evolve into a true deity.

The "Future No-Birth Sutra" uses the fervent belief of the people to gather their strength and increase their spiritual power, thus breaking through their limits in one fell swoop!
Lin Yu once again stepped into Wuyuan Province.

He circulated his innate true energy, subtly altering his appearance. This strange power, never before revealed to the world, caused no ripples, and those around him remained completely unaware.

The moment he set foot, he keenly sensed a familiar presence—the trace of someone he had once marked.

"There's an inn!"

Lin Yu arrived at a restaurant, where waiters came to greet him, bowing and inviting him inside.

The restaurant lobby was packed, but Lin Yu didn't stop. He went straight to a private room on the second floor and pushed the door open.

"who!"

Xuanming had changed into his brocade robes today, looking like a wealthy man. When he saw someone barging in, he suddenly stood up and shouted.

However, he quickly sensed Lin Yu's presence, and the wariness in his eyes instantly turned into surprise. He hurriedly prepared to bow.

"No need to be polite."

Lin Yu raised his hand to stop Xuanming from bowing. He sat down directly and went straight to the point: "Has the whereabouts of the Eternal Mother been confirmed?"

Xuanming lowered his voice and said, "After the assassination failed, my mother was away from the sect for a long time. She just returned to the Wuyuan Province headquarters the day before yesterday, and that's why I hurriedly sent this message."

Lin Yu nodded, "It's good that they've come."

Wuyuan City, south of the city.

The houses here are low and dilapidated, with beggars' dens huddled in corners, and filled with all sorts of unpleasant smells.

Lin Yu's soul stirred slightly, and after concealing his presence, he entered the place. Soon, he heard orderly prayers coming from inside.

"To be reborn in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, in the void of emptiness, to have no parents who have not been born, to find one's true homeland in the void..."

Lin Yu immediately ascertained the situation of the place by probing with his divine sense.

This is a dilapidated temple, where many ragged beggars huddle together. A large pot sits in the courtyard, steaming hot.

A man dressed in a Taoist robe stood beside a pot, encouraging the beggars to chant scriptures and pray in unison. He promised that as long as they chanted the scriptures sincerely, they would receive a cotton coat as a gift.

The methods used by cults to spread their teachings are basically the same as those used in the Liangshan Rebellion: first, they cause the destruction of families and homes, and then they use the money obtained to provide porridge and other supplies. This has been the case throughout history and across the world.

For those living in hell on earth, a little favor can make them give everything, and a core member of a cult can be formed.

However, some people actually say that no matter what the purpose is, as long as the people are given porridge so that they have something to eat and are not cold or hungry, this is an act of benevolence and righteousness.

Even if someone is a member of a cult, they still did some real work, which makes them far better than some officials, and much better than those empty-headed scholars and gentry. Based on this alone, their crime doesn't warrant death; in fact, they might even be blessed.

It's totally off the mark!

Don't they know that the destruction of those families and the deaths of their loved ones were all caused by cults, or even that they were in cahoots with local officials?

(End of this chapter)