Chapter 372 Zhongren's Discovery
Chapter 372 Zhongren's Discovery
On the Northern Frontier Melted Plains of Jing Nation, at the entrance of the Primordial Cave, Lin Lu stood with ten thousand Jing Nation soldiers, arranged in formation. Each of these soldiers had been carefully selected by Lin Lu; all were cultivators, though their cultivation levels were relatively low, none exceeding the King Stage.
Under normal circumstances, their strength would be insufficient to venture into the intensely hot Northern Frontier Melted Plains, let alone reach the entrance of the Primordial Cave. Their presence here was due to a formation in Lin Lu's possession, left to him by Gu Lan before departing for the Immortal Realm.
This formation, known as the "Inverted Five Elements Formation," had a unique capability: it could autonomously convert the five elements.
In this instance, the formation had created a broad, three-zhang-wide path through the Melted Plains. It was this path that allowed Lin Lu's ten thousand soldiers to reach the entrance of the Primordial Cave. Although the surrounding environment remained scorching, it was bearable. The soldiers, continually using their Qi to resist the heat, found their cultivation levels steadily improving.
Lin Lu's purpose for bringing them here was partly to facilitate this cultivation but primarily to complete the task assigned by Gu Lan.
His mission was to survey the terrain inside the Primordial Cave before the arrival of the Demon Clan masters, allowing them to commence their work immediately upon arrival. Additionally, he needed to integrate the Nine Star Array into Jing Nation's battle formations.
"Master, the brothers and I will not disappoint you!" Lin Lu, holding a jade slip, dressed in a white robe and armed with a spear, was full of resolve.
Beside him, Lin Tan'er watched her brother quietly, her gaze calm and steady. She still hadn't fully recalled all memories related to her brother due to having only three souls and six spirits, with one spirit yet to return. Nonetheless, Lin Tan'er valued Lin Lu deeply, even though she wasn't sure how to express it. She held two jade slips, one about artifact crafting and the other about formations.
The most valuable insights were those conveyed by Gu Lan through the Great Mirrors of the Myriad Realms.
After several days of study, as a fated daughter, Lin Tan'er had gained considerable understanding. Although her practical skills in artifact crafting and formations were not yet on par with Gu Lan's, the insights he provided were sufficient for her to engage confidently with the Demon Clan masters who had come to the Lower Realm.
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"Three thousand worlds, three thousand cycles of reincarnation! Only by observing past lives can I fully comprehend the celestial mechanisms of the future!" Zhongren's gaze was firm. His consciousness transformed into a stream of light, entering one of the State Scenery Paintings.
Within each painting, Zhongren lived a complete life in a different world of the human realm. As his consciousness returned to his body, his eyes reflected a hint of the weariness of ages before regaining clarity. Immediately, he would enter the next painting. Repeating this process, with each completed cycle, his understanding of the celestial mechanisms deepened.
If he could endure the suffering of three thousand cycles of reincarnation, he would be able to inherit the entire legacy without becoming devoid of emotions and desires. The moment he completed the three thousand cycles would be the moment he could fully inherit the Tianji Ancestry Land's legacy.
It was unclear how many cycles he had undergone when Zhongren entered another cycle. This time, however, he found himself in the most familiar world—the present human realm.
Here, he witnessed the flourishing of the Chiyang Dynasty and the rise of Jing Nation. Yet, what shocked him the most were three spatial rifts tainted by a malevolent aura. The evil within these rifts seemed to harbor terrifying creatures that filled him with an overwhelming sense of dread, abruptly pulling him out of his reincarnation state.
"What on earth are these things!" Zhongren exclaimed, his eyes wide with fear.
He immediately abandoned his attempts to understand the celestial mechanisms and left the Ancestry Land, hurrying to Daoist Yunlong.
"Master, what is the origin of these things?" Zhongren described the three locations and used a secret technique to project the appearance of the malevolent aura he had seen in his reincarnation.
Daoist Yunlong shook his head, indicating that he didn't know. However, he was pleased to see that Zhongren hadn't chosen the path of becoming devoid of emotions and desires but had instead pursued understanding through the three thousand worlds, much like himself. Zhongren's progress and understanding were faster and more profound than his own.
In his time, he had barely endured a few cycles of reincarnation and hadn't even noticed the malevolent aura in the present human realm.
"Zhongren, this matter is indeed strange," Daoist Yunlong said thoughtfully. "But don't worry about it for now. Return to the Ancestry Land and continue your understanding of the celestial mechanisms. I will inform Friend Gu about this matter. With his abilities, you can rest assured that he will handle it."
Zhongren's anxiety eased somewhat upon hearing his master's words. He also realized he might have been overly alarmed; the malevolent aura in those three spatial rifts hadn't just appeared—they had existed for many years...
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