Unrivaled Comprehension: From Mortal to Immortal King

Passing down cultivation techniques to the three youngsters was always part of Lin Jiufeng's plan.

Some techniques were created by predecessors, while others were insights he gained himself. But regardless of their origin, techniques need practitioners and inheritors to shine.

If he hoarded these techniques without passing them on, he would be indulging in a solitary pursuit.

As for the possibility of others surpassing him after learning his techniques?

Lin Jiufeng wasn't worried in the slightest.

A broad heart leads to enlightenment; upright conduct brings prominence.

A true cultivator must be open-minded and not obsess over trivial personal gains.

Without such a mindset, how could one aspire to greater realms?

The path of cultivation is inherently lonely.

Moreover, the power of a technique depends on the will of its practitioner. The same technique, in different hands, manifests entirely different levels of power.

By passing on his insights now, by the time these three grow strong, he would have already comprehended even more formidable techniques.

So from the start, Lin Jiufeng never intended to keep his knowledge to himself.

Initially, he planned to wait until they broke through the Third Restriction before teaching them. But since they were eager, he saw no harm in teaching them now.

Wen Xinyun, born into a cultivation family but overlooked and forced to endure hardships since childhood, possessed an unyielding spirit despite being a woman. She was most suited for the Grasswood Sword Technique.

Zhou Tianzi, whose family was annihilated and who bore an immense blood feud, was a perfect match for the Ten Halls of Yama.

As for Yue Dashan, Dragon Elephant Strength seemed tailor-made for him.

Over the past year, Yue Dashan had enjoyed good food and comfort in Yuhua Sect, his body growing ever more robust. At just eleven years old, he stood at a towering 1.9 meters—and still growing. When he stood still, he was like a formidable mountain of flesh.

But his physique wasn't bloated with loose fat; it was hardened, tempered muscle.

He was even more compatible with Dragon Elephant Strength than Lin Jiufeng himself.

Lin Jiufeng eagerly anticipated the heights Yue Dashan would reach in mastering this technique.

After individually instructing each of them, he left them to comprehend the techniques on their own, allowing them to seek him out with any questions.

Meanwhile, Lin Jiufeng sat quietly, sipping tea, gazing out the window.

Time passed swiftly, and spring was nearing.

Melting snow trickled into mountain streams, nourishing the forests along the mountain's veins.

Eager to soak up nutrients after a long winter, the flora burst forth in fresh greenery.

Dormant beasts and hibernating creatures awakened, and the once-silent mountains thrived with renewed life.

Yet, there was no such vitality in Yuhua Sect.

On the contrary, danger loomed ever closer.

Six months remained.

One month had been spent reading, another month on cultivating Ten Halls of Yama, leaving only four months.

And Lin Jiufeng had yet to break through the Sixth Restriction.

In four months, the Dao Ancestor of the Supreme Dao Sect, an Eighth Restriction powerhouse, would arrive to annihilate Yuhua Sect. If Bai Yunfei failed to break through by then, Lin Jiufeng would have no choice but to take the three youngsters and flee in advance.

With this in mind, he glanced toward the golden summit of Yuhua Sect.

There, a profound and steady aura was circulating spiritual energy—but there was no sign of an imminent breakthrough.

Lin Jiufeng sighed, abandoning any lingering hopes, and focused solely on his own cultivation.

He had already reached the peak of the Fifth Restriction, possessing a monstrous forty-dragon, forty-elephant strength—a force so terrifying that even a Sixth Restriction cultivator would perish from a single punch.

Yet, despite such overwhelming power, he still could not step into the Sixth Restriction.

The Sixth Restriction required comprehending Dao Rhythm.

Lin Jiufeng had never grasped any form of Dao Rhythm. Even now, after years of cultivation, he had no idea what it truly was.

He had pored over Daoist scriptures in search of clues.

Dao Rhythm was described as a manifestation of the laws governing the universe's operations—something cultivators had to personally perceive. Once comprehended, it could be infused into one's techniques, aligning them with the Dao and greatly amplifying their power.

But where was he supposed to perceive this Dao Rhythm?

The Yuhua Sect was sealed off from the outside world, not even allowing birds to enter. In this confined space, how could he possibly comprehend such a thing?

Lin Jiufeng felt troubled.

Yet, the days continued to pass, and in the blink of an eye, four months had slipped away.

During this time, he could sense the Supreme Dao Sect drawing closer.

From their initial position a hundred miles away, they had now completely encircled the Yuhua Sect. Their intentions were abundantly clear.

Lin Jiufeng's mindset also shifted—from initial anxiety, worry, and fear to a state of calm acceptance.

At this point, there was no use in fretting.

If it truly came down to it, he would protect the three children and break through the encirclement.

With Bai Yunfei acting as the first line of defense, his chances of escape were high.

But unless it was absolutely necessary, Lin Jiufeng did not want to abandon the place he had called home for a century.

Under the Moonlight

That night, the sky was adorned with a brilliant moon and countless stars, the Milky Way reflected in the stream below.

Inside the Sutra Pavilion, bathed in silver moonlight, Lin Jiufeng held an aged Buddhist scripture, slowly flipping through its pages.

Yuhua Sect's library housed thousands of texts—Taoist, Demonic, and Buddhist scriptures alike.

Even books from the demon and barbarian races were included.

The scripture in his hands was written by a great Buddhist master.

It described the world as a vast sea of suffering, where mortals struggled in its depths. A fleeting century of mundane existence eventually led to sinking into oblivion.

Cultivation was the path to transcend this sea and reach the other shore.

But where was this other shore?

No one knew.

All one could do was brave the waves, striving toward it with everything they had.

Though countless methods existed, they could all be summarized into two paths:

One, using the flesh as a vessel to cross the sea.

Two, transcending through the soul to reach the other shore.

Both paths were arduous, making cultivation an upstream struggle where all strived for the same goal.

A great Daoist once said: The Dao numbers fifty; the heavens manifest forty-nine, and all beings seek the one that is lost.

A great Buddhist master said: Life consists of eight sufferings: birth, aging, illness, death, separation from loved ones, prolonged enmity, unfulfilled desires, and attachment.

Lin Jiufeng became engrossed in thought.

If this world was a sea of suffering, how should he cross it?

He must fuse body and soul, merging both paths—transcending the sea and reaching the other shore.

Holding the scripture, he sat in contemplation throughout the night.

At Dawn

As the sun rose, briefly sharing the sky with the fading moon, Lin Jiufeng abruptly opened his eyes.

Within his pupils, Yin and Yang interwove.

This was the culmination of all his prior efforts.

Though he had failed to break through for months, he had been advancing incrementally every day. Now, with time's accumulation, enlightenment erupted.

At this moment, his mind was crystal clear, inspiration surging. Before him, words appeared:

"Your inspiration has erupted, activating extraordinary comprehension. You have grasped: 'The Fish Leaps into the Sea.'"

Boom!

Beyond the Sutra Pavilion, rolling white clouds churned through the mountains like ocean waves.

It was as if a hidden angler had hooked a fish, pulling it from the depths.

All his prior accumulation surged forth in an instant.

With a thought, Lin Jiufeng seized hold of the fishing line and pulled fiercely.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

From the roiling clouds, a massive white carp, infused with Yin and Yang, leaped into the morning sun, radiating divine brilliance.

Simultaneously, his internal energy surged wildly, shattering the barrier of the Fifth Restriction.

With that leap, he had ascended into the Sixth Restriction.