Chapter 396: Chapter 342: 9 Revolutions Golden Body, Magic Meeting Undercurrents
Java Country.
This place is quite well-known in the Central Plains.
Java Country is an island nation, with an island quite large—equivalent to four or five Qiong Islands—home to a population of several million, where every citizen is a soldier.
"Halt!"
On the crest of the waves ahead stood a Fish Eye General, flanked by five hundred shrimp and crab warriors.
After some inquiries, it turned out to be Yaok Haigan, a great general of Java Country.
Neither side was willing to back down, and before long, a battle had erupted.
Zheng He personally joined the fight. Being a creature that thrived both on land and water, he was, of course, adept in aquatic combat as well.
The two fought fiercely, the battle overturning heaven and earth, with waves rising thousands of feet high.
Before long, Yaok Haigan was defeated.
He was just about to flee when Song Lin suddenly unleashed the Yin Yang Gourd.
A single Yin Yang Flying Knife.
Directly decapitated him!
This left everyone marveling.
"What a formidable magic artifact!"
Jin Bifeng remarked.
This technique could counter many Immortals’ escape techniques.
"Really?" Song Lin questioned.
"Of course, wasn’t Yaok Haigan just now decapitated by you?"
"Immortals are not omnipotent; they too have weaknesses. The Golden Winged Great Peng can devour the Four Great Divine Continents, and yet it fears the old monk’s begging bowl."
"So that’s how it is."
No wonder the Monster Chronicles brought me to this world. The Immortals and Divine Demons here are just like in the novels.
Their strengths are exceedingly strong, but their weaknesses are just as evident.
Thinking of this, Song Lin began formulating a plan.
"We need to fight swiftly and decisively, break through the city gates first, and force the Java King to surrender."
They couldn’t follow the plot’s course, for it would leave them too passive.
"Well said!"
Jin Bifeng approved.
The army landed ashore.
The heroic forces of Java Country proved no match for the Great Ming troops, and soon the gates of a major coastal city were breached, and the city rapidly fell under their control.
"Inform your king to surrender to the Great Ming Country at once, or today will be the day your nation is destroyed!"
Zheng He mercilessly kicked the City Lord out of the gate.
Neither the State Preceptor nor the Heavenly Master expressed any objection to this act.
The Great Ming Country had endured countless trials to be established, and the distinction between Chinese and foreign barbarians was deeply ingrained.
Moreover, in the views of both the Buddhist and Taoist sects, the overseas territories were filled with heretical practices—things that were harmful to the heavens and abhorrent to all.
Of course, they wouldn’t persecute genuine True Immortals, which was why Sheep-Horned True Monarch ascended to the ranks of the Immortal class.
"How dare you! You’ve harmed my disciple!"
From a distance, a woman flew swiftly toward them.
Heavenly Master Zhang stepped forward, Seven Stars Treasure Sword in hand, to meet her.
They fought fiercely, unleashing every kind of spell imaginable.
Her name was Wang Shen, a national powerhouse of Java Country.
Wang Shen summoned the winds and rains, while Heavenly Master Zhang blew a single breath, dispersing all the clouds.
She summoned heavenly fire and brimstone, but Heavenly Master Zhang used a sea bowl to scoop water, pouring it out to unleash a torrential downpour in an instant.
The Heavenly Master’s sea bowl was no less effective than Jin Bifeng’s bowl.
Then Wang Shen transformed into seventy-two clones.
This thoroughly confused Heavenly Master Zhang, who couldn’t discern which was the real Wang Shen.
"Ha! You old bull-nosed Taoist, is this really all you’ve got?"
Wang Shen let out a hearty laugh.
At this moment, Song Lin spoke, his pupils somehow having turned completely white.
"The third one on the left!"
Swish!
With lightning speed, Heavenly Master Zhang struck with his sword.
He immediately destroyed her dharma body.
"Impressive eye!"
Jin Bifeng now realized Song Lin’s unique strengths—he was not only adept at alchemy but also capable of seeing through illusions, and his other spells were undeniably formidable as well.
In short, he seemed to have no apparent flaws.
Though Heavenly Master Zhang’s spells reached extraordinary levels, his weakness was just as evident: easily deceived by illusions and transformation techniques.
"Just a minor trick."
Song Lin chuckled.
After years of cultivating True Fire Refining Golden Body, his eyes were akin to Eyes of Golden Flame, and coupled with his prior mastery of the Qi Observation Technique, he was impervious to the smoke-and-mirrors weakness.
After capturing Wang Shen, Song Lin had a thought and said, "Can we learn from her division technique?"
The Clone Technique was incredibly effective in combat: Wang Shen’s clones shared identical cultivation and even magic artifacts with her original body.
Although fragile and unable to withstand serious attacks, from a certain perspective, it was indeed a divine skill.
After capturing Wang Shen, her master arrived.
This was a diminutive Fire Ghost.
Just as they’d dealt with the larger threat, a smaller one came in its place.
The Fire Mother God Monarch was even stronger, conjuring tens of thousands of Fire Crows, Fire Wheels, Fire Dragons, and Fire Birds...
Fire enshrouded the heavens, blazing intensely.
"What terrifying flames!"
Song Lin thought. If these flames, along with the Six Ding Divine Fire, were used to temper the physical body alongside pills, he estimated he could reach the Nine-Transformation Level very quickly.
"Wang Shen’s seventy-two transformations... Nine-Transformation Golden Body—it’s becoming increasingly like the Monkey King!"
Song Lin mused.
Of course, this was not the time to dwell on such musings.
The Fire Mother’s mana was exceptional; it took the combined efforts of three individuals to combat her.
The Fire Mother likely possessed cultivation at the tribulation crossing stage. The Great Ming forces had only Jin Bifeng as a capable match, and Song Lin’s battle prowess, while at the tribulation stage, fell short compared to her mastery of spells.
Song Lin employed the Xuantian Skill, summoning a thousand black flags to enshroud the ground below.
The two masters used their sea bowl and monk’s alms bowl filled with seawater to pour a deluge from above.
Song Lin summoned hundreds of thousands of Six Palace Demons.
With relentless waves of manpower, they finally managed to subdue the adversary.
Song Lin waved his hand and sealed both master and disciple into the World in the Pot.
"What do you mean by this, Taoist friend?"
"These two have formidable backers. We cannot risk letting them leak any information."
From the larger came a smaller threat—behind the Fire Mother was Lishan Mother.
Lishan Mother engaged in combat with Jin Bifeng, a clash so intense it summoned the Jade Emperor and Guanyin to mediate.
The scale of the war was immense, and Song Lin, yet to achieve the Five Qi Chaoyuan or reach the Nine-Transformation Golden Body, had no intention of prematurely involving himself in this conflict.
He opted to bide his time, avoiding exposure for as long as possible—at least for now.
Subsequently, Song Lin shared the idea of True Fire Refining Golden Body with the others.
"You need flames?"
"Yes, the stronger, the better."
"Haha, why didn’t you say so earlier? Dragon Tiger Mountain has the Nanming Leaving Fire and the Samadhi True Fire; you may use them as you please."
"The West Sea Dragon King also holds the Golden Winged Feiliuli from Sumeru. That item burns as fiercely as the blazing sun. I can retrieve it for you," offered Jin Bifeng.
In the following days, the Java King surrendered, offering up treasures. Heavenly Master Zhang summoned Divine Fire, and Jin Bifeng journeyed to the West Sea to borrow a round, golden Feiliuli—a treasure brimming with the majestic power of the sun.
"In addition, this old monk made a trip to Sumeru. Here is the Red Lotus Karma Fire, which might be of assistance to you."
Jin Bifeng produced a crimson lotus flower, exuding an eerie flame.
"Many thanks to both of you, Taoist friends."
Song Lin couldn’t help but marvel at the value of connections.
Though this world was perilous, it excelled in fostering camaraderie and goodwill.
Thanks to his friendships with two leaders of the Buddhist and Taoist traditions, if Song Lin ever found himself in trouble, he might just be able to summon a host of Immortals and Buddhas to his aid.
This, indeed, was the power of networks. If only the other worlds were like this, how much better it would be.
Without disclosing their preparations, they awaited Song Lin’s emergence from closed-door cultivation, granting a maximum deadline of one year.
A year later, no matter the circumstances, Song Lin would inevitably conclude his retreat.
Within the World in the Pot, Song Lin used the Fire Mother’s Fire, Red Lotus Karma Fire, Nanming Leaving Fire, Samadhi True Fire, and Six Ding Divine Fire for body refinement.
At the same time, he explored the Five Qi Chaoyuan Technique, gradually perfecting the Five Qi Chaoyuan Method with insights from the Five Qi Jungle’s Qi Refining Technique.
As time passed, his cultivation level soared ever higher.
Sixth Transformation, Seventh Transformation...
...
In the real world.
Shi Yinhua spread word of Song Lin’s teachings far and wide.
At the Yunzhou Society Commandery.
Chuu Yuying, poring over intelligence reports from subordinates, felt a mix of emotions.
Song Lin was at it again.
This time, he seemed determined to establish a reputation, vying for narrative control with the Heavenly Master.
"Sigh..."
Chuu Yuying let out a long, heavy breath.
In the past, he might have felt obligated to reprimand such actions, but now, even the Heavenly Master couldn’t control the situation—what authority did he have to meddle?
What’s more, after the incidents involving the Heavenly Master, Chuu Yuying found himself profoundly affected. This Taoist system was, in the end, too corrupt, and he was complicit in its corruption.
From then on, he grew indifferent.
Each day, he muddled through inattentively, not acting unless the Heavenly Master explicitly commanded.
Privately, however, he held a glimmer of hope—perhaps Song Lin truly could carve out a world of his own.
The Shadow Heavenly Master Song Lin convened a grand magic meeting, stirring great interest from many quarters.
Long Buddhist, Lang Xiao Taoist, and other peripheral Taoists all expressed their intention to attend.
Many others came of their own accord.
Among them were members of the Wu State Royal Family.
Song Lin had at last gained sufficient value for them to invest in.
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