Chapter 554: Some can get a head start
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Wang Lin's eyes were shut tight as he sat cross-legged. White light and black gas danced above as head as they gradually formed a theatre of light and shadows.
Amidst the flashing images, history shifted and chaos raged. The Four Elements – Earth, Air, Fire, Water – roared, and then returned to order and harmony. The clear and the turbid separated, enacting the creation of the universe – when the Heavens and the Earth were divided at the beginning of time.
After the division of the Heavens and the Earth, the images continued rising, until they finally transformed into a gigantic door.
This door was half black and half white. The left half was black as coal; it was covered in sculptures in relief, which made it terrifying to the eye. Demons and fiends, spirits and hounds, mountains of knives and seas of fire…Hell, in all of its Dantean glory.
The right half, meanwhile, was white as jade. There were many carvings in relief on it as well, but they consist of flora and fauna, majestic mountains and mighty rivers, and life in its multitudes. They appeared full of life and vigor, like the bustling world of humanity.
Seeing this, Lin Feng smiled as he clapped his hands together lightly. Two streaks of spiritual energy flowed out, and into the theatre of light and shadows Wang Lin projected.
One streak originated from the Deathly Gas Stone's Lunar-Destroying Deathly Gas; the other, meanwhile, was the spiritual energy from the First Level transformation of Lin Feng's magic treasure, the Bell of Destiny – the Door of Life Creation.
The power of duality that laid at the basis of the Changes of Life and Death of the Six Forms of Creation and Destruction in the Two Elements of Creation Formation.
The addition of these two streaks of spiritual energy instantly helped Wang Lin to complete his computation rapidly. With a resounding boom, the half-black, half-white door blasted open.
With the opening of the door, a complete miniature world appeared in the theatre of light and shadows, resembling life in every single minute detail.
Just that amidst the flickering of the images, the world was alternating between the Hell of the dead and the Earth of the living.
With a smile, Lin Feng took a glance and saw that deep inside this miniature world, there was the vague form of another door, one that has not yet gained form.
"This door…still isn't the end." A loud boom sounded in Lin Feng's Awareness as a theatre of light and shadows appeared as well, forming a miniature world of life and death just like Wang Lin's. However, this was him simulating the calculations for this new, original Abhijna of Wang Lin's with his own Mana.
He was already at Immortal Soul stage, and the Four Appearances Heaven Cleaving Script was a mantra of his creation as well. Endowed by millions of possibilities, he could tell every single detail about Wang Lin's Abhijna with a single look.
Lin Feng did not need to cultivate this Abhijna either, but simply calculate with his own mantra. "Hmm…at the end of the miniature world of life and death there is yet another door, and after that door opens, there is another miniature world…a total of four doors, four worlds?"
His disciples, having studied the Four Appearances Heaven Cleaving Script, all received different revelations. Xiao Yan and Zhu Yi were relatively similar, both from the inside to the outside; Shi Tianhao, meanwhile, had another approach, from the outside to the inside.
But come to speak of it, the mantra that the three of them interpreted all had distinct Four Appearances; the Abhijnas were interconnected, but also distinct.
Wang Lin, though, took yet another approach. The visualization of the Four Heavenly Doors and the Four Worlds was linear; one continued in a straight line, and only after opening the first door can you open the second, just like four steps.
With every step, it was a different landscape.
Compared with Xiao Yan and the others, there was no objective standard for which was better; all of them originated from the same source. The Tao has a million paths, but they all eventually returned to the same roots.
Having received Lin Feng's help, Wang Lin quickly forged his first miniature world successfully. He opened his eyes, and a chilling glare flashed in his pupils.
Lin Feng, gazing at him, nodded, smiling. "Not bad, not bad at all. Lin, it seems like you're going to get a head start."
The same smile flashed across Wang Lin's face as he spoke. "Studying the Four Appearances Heaven Cleaving Script, I felt…enlightened."
"That's because your previous foundation was already plentiful." The curvature remained on Lin Feng's lips.
As they spoke, the party has already returned to Mount Yujing.
As soon as they landed on the mountaintop, Lin Feng released them with a wave of his sleeve. Landing on the ground, Xiao Yan and the rest, upon seeing the scene in front of them, were all somewhat surprised.
A teenager clad in a purple robe was standing in front of them, gazing at them with a smile as he bowed. "Welcome back, Master, Seniors."
The purple-clad teenager was none other than Yang Qing, who has remained on Mount Yujing. Behind him were a posse of second-generation disciples, who, formed up in neat rows, bowed together towards Lin Feng and the rest.
"Welcome back, Grandmaster!"
"Welcome back, Master, Uncles!"
Lin Feng looked at the crowd with a smile as well as he let out a light laugh. "Enough with the formalities. Rise!"
His form gradually disappeared into nothingness, with only his voice remaining suspended in the air. "Later, come to the Heavenly Cosmic Ray World yourself to look for me."
Everyone hurriedly bowed together to respect Lin Feng's departure.
After bowing, Wang Lin turned to look at Yang Qing, to see a look of shame surface subtly on Yang Qing's face. "You have suffered much, Third Senior."
Yang Qing has been blaming himself all along for that day, when Wang Lin was lost in the Void Battleground. After returning to Mount Yujing, he put double the effort into his cultivation; in what little spare time he has, he was worrying about Wang Lin's safety.
Wang Lin, gazing at him, shook his head firmly and seriously. "No, Fifth Junior, it is me who has to thank you."
Just like what Lin Feng said, Yang Qing's choice that day to save Wang Lin's parents and clan made Wang Lin even more grateful to him.
Yang Qing exchanged courtesies with Xiao Yan and the others as well. Shi Tianhao, laughing, said, "Fifth Senior, just now, you only said 'Welcome back, Master, Seniors'. Are you not welcoming me?"
"How could that be?" Yang Qing smiled slightly, but did not explain further. Be it him or Yue Hongyan, both of them always called Shi Tianhao by name, and never 'Junior'. In the two of them's hearts, Shi Tianhao was more of a senior.
After they exchanged bows and pleasantries, the Immediate Disciples turned to look at the posse of second-generation disciples, to see that in the very first row of the crowd stood the six Official Disciples – Li Xingfei, Xu Yunsheng, Ying Luozha, Liu Xiafeng, the plump Yan Wuwei and Xiao Huanzi.
Consciously or subconsciously, they stood so that Li Xingfei was in the most prominent position.
By now, Lin Feng has perfected his recording and broadcasting skills to a significant extent. In the Void Battleground, transmission of Mana was difficult such as to make live broadcast impossible, so he chose to use the Image Reflection of his own Mana to record the battle between Wang Lin and Shi Tianyi.
Previously, after exiting the Void Battleground, Lin Feng televised the entire duration of the battle between Wang Lin and Shi Tianyi for the disciples on Mount Yujing during the trip back.
The crowd was so engrossed that their eyes could barely move from the images. It was only now that they knew that this taciturn, cold, and rarely-seen Third Uncle of theirs was such a badass.
Typically, Wang Lin would be focused on his own cultivation, being commonly cloistered in his residence and rarely venturing out. In addition, he left Mount Yujing for a long stretch previously; as a consequence, in the impression of the disciples, his was not exactly a prominent figure, such that some even secretly snicker that Li Xingfei might as well as not have a master at all.
Although Li Xingfei was striking in her beauty and outstanding in her talent, but she treated people with modesty and warmth and was as a result rather popular. Hence, most people were feeling sorry for her; most think that if she had picked a different master, it would at leas be better than the always elusive and rarely found Wang Lin.
But now, having witnessed Wang Lin annihilating Nascent Soul cultivators with a flick of the finger and even holding the upper hand in a battle with the renowned Shi Tianyi previously in the Void Battleground, he instantly commanded their admiration and respect.
Lining up to welcome the returning Wang Lin and co., they subconsciously ceded the center position to Li Xingfei.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan, Shi Tianhao and Yue Hongyan met each other's gaze and all laughed, giving Wang Lin the center spot as well.
After living through the trial of the Void Battleground and walking on the edge of death, this Senior/Junior of theirs has finally returned. It was an occasion indeed.
Wang Lin gazed at the three of them and then at Li Xingfei and the other disciples in front of him. A touch of warmth surfaced on his visage, which has already lost much of its frost to begin with.
After exiting the Void Battleground, Wang Lin's ambience was changing gradually; no longer so lifeless and harsh, it was slowly returning to that calm and gentle, as well as natural, state.
Just that now that his Tao and mantras have advanced even further, his control was improving as well. Even with a switch of his heart and mental state, it would not affect his strength and cultivation.
"These are for you all." Wang Lin gazed at Li Xingfei and the others; after a moment of thought, he did not speak, but rather retrieved nearly a hundred jade-green crystals from the Pearl of Styx with a burst of Mana.
Those crystals were all the product of the Void Battleground; they can help significantly in cultivation, with the effect especially pronounced for low-level cultivators.
Right now, the disciples were currently spirited and fired-up from watching Wang Lin's battle of blood and iron. Taking his crystals, they all feel even more vigorous and inspired.
Wang Lin, looking at them, nodded slightly. "Cultivate well."
His gaze sweeping across Li Xingfei, after examining the flow of spiritual energy within her with his Mana and Awareness, Wang Lin said, "One passage took the wrong route. Make sure to adjust."
Li Xingfei bowed in acknowledgement. "I had been too hasty in my previous cultivation."
Wang Lin nodded. "From now on, I will remain on Mount Yujing for the majority of time. If you have any questions, just come and ask me."
After a slight pause, he said slowly, "When I was not here, you have gone through much trouble." Previously, Lin Feng has already informed him that his parents were living in the Forest Abode now, and everyday, it was Li Xingfei who cared for and waited on them. His seniors and juniors also went to visit them often, with Yang Qing being the most frequent.
"If the master has a need, the disciple shall strive to assuage his troubles. Those are all part of my duty," Li Xingfei said hurriedly.
Wang Lin nodded. "Return to Forest Abode first. Nourish your spiritual energy and study your mantra by yourself."
Xiao Yan and the rest also greeted their respective disciples, and then let them dissipate.
Then, they walked towards the Heavenly Cosmic Ray World together to meet Lin Feng.
As she walked, Xiao Zhener gazed at Xiao Yan and laughed. "Brother Xiao Yan, you're a Master now! Those two disciples of yours are rather extraordinary too."
A brief smile flashed across Xiao Yan's face. "That thin one is still alright, but that fat one is still rather noisy and temperamental. His mental disposition isn't there yet."
Seeing that Xiao Zhener's smile was growing even wider, he said grumpily, "I know what you're laughing at. Probably that I myself isn't tranquil at heart either, but still goes to teach others, that I'm leading them astray."
Xiao Zhener's slim hands were clasped behind her back, her laugh crisp and melodious. "Zhener never did say that. But it is true, Brother Xiao Yan, that you're more and more self-aware."
"Very smart, aren't you?" Xiao Yan flicked her slender nose lightly with a finger. "But speaking of being a master, I'm really not good at that."
Xiao Zhener's face blushed slightly. These sort of gestures were what they always played around with during their childhood; now, used to it, Xiao Yan just repeated the gesture casually. Furthermore, it was in front of Wang Lin, Yue Hongyan and the rest; even though she has always been open in demeanor, it was still rather embarrassing for her.
At this moment, Xiao Yan has realized it as well and faked a casual dry cough, while he discreetly glanced at the side.
To see that even though Wang Lin, Yue Hongyan and Yang Qing all had muted smiles on their faces, they all turned their gaze to the side and pretended to have seen nothing.
Only Shi Tianhao has his dark, sparkling eyes wide open; not only was he engrossed in staring, but he also had a large grin on his face. Seeing Xiao Yan looking in his direction, he even clapped his hands and laughed. "Awesome, Big Senior!"