Chapter 314 - 3: Ring Beast, One Origin Rebirth·Chronological Tree Diagram
Chapter 314: Chapter 3: Ring Beast, One Origin Rebirth·Chronological Tree Diagram
...
Zhong Ming, of course, had no way of knowing what Chu Hanzhen was thinking, nor did he have the mind to dwell on it.
Master Luo Zhiwei needed time to deduce the array, so Zhong Ming took advantage of the free moment. He found a private cultivation chamber and took out the "True Intent Map of the Mountain and River Dragon Veins"—he wanted to complete his Five Elements by comprehending the Earth Star Dao Rhyme.
And then, Zhong Ming discovered that this step was surprisingly easy.
This wasn’t because Zhong Ming’s Talent was so extraordinary that he could comprehend the intent of the earth in such a short time.
Rather, it was because he had found an excellent angle of approach.
"BUZZ—!"
As the ancient scroll unfurled, a winding, undulating mountain range, like a great coiling dragon, leaped into view. Beside the mountains, a long river flowed like a jade belt, the two complementing each other and displaying a majestic aura.
The moment Zhong Ming laid eyes on this scene of mountains and rivers, he felt as if he were looking at a slumbering dragon.
This made Zhong Ming smile.
"I may not know much about soil and earth, but when it comes to dragons, I’m all too familiar."
"The True Intent Map of the Mountain and River Dragon Veins... while it depicts the lay of the mountains and rivers, it is, more importantly, a personification of a True Dragon, slumbering and unmoving."
Viewing it from this perspective and activating Mind Reading and Immersion, Zhong Ming easily comprehended the intent and rhyme within the True Intent Map of the Mountain and River Dragon Veins.
Moreover, his Dao Seed, the Candlelight Dragon, which was already nearing completion, began to resonate with the Dragon Vein in the True Intent Map of the Mountain and River Dragon Veins.
"BUZZ..."
With a flicker of consciousness, Zhong Ming discovered that his Divine Soul had actually transferred into the True Intent Map, becoming the great dragon formed by the continuous mountain range.
This was more than just Immersion. Because of his Dao Seed, the Dragon of the Morning Star, he merged perfectly with the mountain and river Dragon Vein.
The mountains became his bones, the earth his flesh, and the long river his bloodline. Countless profound insights about the earth and mountains flooded into Zhong Ming’s mind like a tide.
’As the earth’s condition is receptive devotion, so the superior man with great virtue supports the world... The earth is about bearing, about resilience, about eternal stillness...’
’...The earth and mountains, "existing for all eternity, surviving countless calamities without perishing," are the very "vessel" of time and the "etching" of fate... The seas turn to mulberry fields, the world is in constant flux, and mortal dynasties rise and fall every few hundred or thousand years. But only the earth and mountains remain eternally unmoving. And after a dynasty is wiped from the world, everything on the surface is ground away by time.’
’But tens of thousands of years later, their cities, ruins, and traces might be excavated from underground... This is the etching of time...’
Using the "dragon" as a medium, Zhong Ming’s understanding of the earth’s Dao Rhyme became profound.
However, as he immersed himself in his comprehension, he also noticed that the intent and rhyme on the True Intent Map of the Mountain and River Dragon Veins were rapidly dissipating at a visible rate.
True Intent copied with a brush cannot be preserved for long. This was also the reason his Eldest Martial Sister had only displayed the "Longxi True Intent Map" once on Longxi Peak back then.
Fortunately, this problem was not difficult for Zhong Ming to solve.
Once the Dao Rhyme of the map was completely exhausted, he immediately closed his eyes, sat cross-legged in the courtyard, and activated his "Great Dream of Thousand Years" Divine Technique, falling into a deep slumber.
"RUMBLE..."
After falling asleep, when Zhong Ming’s figure appeared in the dreamscape, a mere flicker of his thought caused countless towering mountains to rise from the ground with a deafening roar.
The next moment, Zhong Ming’s consciousness merged completely with the mountains. This time, it was a true Unity of Heaven and Man.
Furthermore, during this process, what Zhong Ming comprehended was no longer just an empty fantasy.
When he comprehended the weight and resilience of the mountains, the peaks truly grew taller. There were even Wind, Rain, and Thunder, constantly eroding the rock and earth.
"WHOOSH..."
"RUMBLE..."
The confrontation between the Wind, Rain, and Thunder and the mountains inevitably deepened Zhong Ming’s understanding of the mountains’ resilience and weight.
’The Great Dream of Thousand Years is Too Divine!’
’The vague Dao Rhyme I perceive can manifest in my dreams. Then, by comprehending that manifested Dao Rhyme, I can gain even more insights—such a miraculous ability could already be called a Golden Finger.’
’Without anything else, this Divine Technique alone could turn any Cultivator into a supreme prodigy!’
The Great Dream of Thousand Years, derived from the Daoist Canon - Celestial Derivation, filled Zhong Ming’s heart with endless emotion.
And while he was feeling this swell of emotion, as his comprehension deepened, a corresponding change occurred in his Dantian.
"BUZZ—!"
An illusory Star Core, containing the intent of weight, resilience, and eternity, quietly took shape. This was the Earth Star Star Core, aligned with the earth attribute!
Having just been born, this Star Core was still very weak.
Normally, it would require Zhong Ming to spend a great deal of effort and absorb a large amount of Earth Element Spiritual Qi to nurture this Star Core to maturity.
But Zhong Ming was no ordinary person.
Before he arrived, Prince Qinghe had given Zhong Ming a massive amount of Dragon Vein Essence, which was the perfect fuel to strengthen the ’Earth Star’.
"BUZZ—"
As Zhong Ming opened his Dantian and began to frantically absorb the Dragon Vein Essence, his body instantly took on a stone-gray hue, as if he were beginning to petrify—even the best treasures can cause a backlash if absorbed in excess.
Even the purest water can be poisonous if you drink too much.
But Zhong Ming was fearless.
"Tai Sui Body, release restrictions! Purifying Flame, burn and purify the petrification!"
"BOOM!"
With both powers operating simultaneously, Zhong Ming’s body quickly returned to flesh and blood, and he could continue absorbing the Dragon Vein Essence.
Just like that, under this limitless absorption, in a mere four to six hours, the Earth Star within Zhong Ming’s body completely solidified and took form, emitting a steady radiance.
Its existence meant that the Five Elements within Zhong Ming’s body were finally complete.
A feeling of completion also welled up in Zhong Ming’s heart.
’If I can get the Five Elements to fuse and generate one another, my Magical Power will surely Break the Norms... Now, all that’s left is to see the results of Master Luo Zhiwei’s deductions.’