Swallowing the Stars: Starting with Panlong

Chapter 117 Magnolia Empire - Soul Purifier

Panlong World, a miniature dimension.

Lin Yun's true form sat cross-legged on the stone bed, with six divine avatars—thunder, fire, light, earth, water, and wind—floating beside him, forming a six-colored halo. Six elemental avatars, six laws, six independent souls, cultivating simultaneously without interfering with each other.

He had not yet become a god through the dark element; this was something he had deliberately suppressed.

The reason is simple—the energy feedback from the small cauldron when he became a god of the Dark Element would push his cultivation level in the Devouring Star World from the peak of the ninth rank of the Constant Star level to the Cosmic level. With the Genius Battle imminent, he must maintain the Constant Star level.

"I can't break through any further." Lin Yun opened his eyes, a hint of helplessness flashing in them. "It's not too late to break through to the Dark Element after the Genius Battle is over."

He decided to temporarily halt his cultivation of the Dark Laws and prevent his other divine avatars from further breakthroughs. Among the six divine avatars, the Lightning God Avatar was progressing the fastest, having fully grasped the profound mysteries of Lightning Speed ​​and largely comprehended the profound mysteries of Lightning Explosion, with the fusion of the two mysteries also nearly complete. At this rate, he would soon be able to step into the realm of a mid-level god.

However, the energy feedback from the small cauldron during a mid-level god's breakthrough is even greater, potentially propelling the body in the Devouring Starry Sky realm directly into the cosmic realm. Lin Yun dared not take the risk.

"So, we'll have to put it on hold for now." Lin Yun stood up and looked around.

The miniature plane remained unchanged. Outside the membrane, spatial turbulence churned eternally, and multicolored energies intertwined in the void. The fluctuations of the six elemental laws were still clear and intense, but Lin Yun had no intention of cultivating at this moment.

"Let's go for a walk," he decided.

He left his five divine avatars—fire, light, earth, water, and wind—in the miniature plane to continue cultivating, and only took his lightning divine avatar with him as he left the secret chamber. They flew out of the magic crystal mine.

The sunlight warmed my face. In the distance, mountains stretched endlessly, forests were dense, and rivers meandered. Springtime on the Magnolia Continent was a vibrant tapestry of life.

Lin Yun didn't have a specific destination. He just wanted to wander around, see the local customs and culture, and relax a bit.

Heading west, they crossed the border of the Chaotic Realm and entered the territory of the O'Brien Empire.

The O'Brien Empire today is not much different from what it was a few years ago. Mount Martial God still stands on the outskirts of the capital, and Martial God O'Brien still reigns supreme there. The empire's army remains powerful, and the people still live in peace and prosperity.

Lin Yun neither disturbed the God of War nor visited Faen. He simply traveled through the towns of the empire as an ordinary traveler, experiencing the local customs and culture.

In a tavern in a small town, he heard news about Linley.

"Have you heard? Master Linley from the Baruch family is going to have a duel with Rock Sword Saint Hedson."

"I heard that Hedson just beat Olivia half to death, and now he's challenging Master Linley to a duel. That's really going too far!"

"The Baruch family has truly produced two remarkable figures. And there's Lin Yun, whom I've heard is already a god-level powerhouse!"

"God-level? Who told you that?"

"Could news coming from Mount Wushen be false?"

Lin Yun, holding his wine glass, listened to the discussions, a slight smile playing on his lips. His elder brother, Lin Lei, had indeed not disappointed him. At the peak of the Saint Realm, after his dragon transformation, he was comparable to the Pope, a second-tier Saint Realm figure. It seemed that Hedson had met his match this time; Lin Lei was far stronger than in the original story.

"Let's go." Lin Yun put down his wine glass and left the tavern.

Two months later, Lin Yun arrived in the Magnolia Empire.

The Yulan Empire is the oldest empire on the Yulan Continent, vast in territory and populous. The empire's de facto ruler is the High Priest, a god-level powerhouse who has lived for countless years, cultivating the rules of life and said to possess the ability to bring the dead back to life.

Lin Yun had always been curious about the Yulan Empire. In the original story, the Yulan Empire didn't have a strong presence, but the High Priest was a mysterious and powerful figure. He decided to go and see for himself.

On the border of the empire, there was a desolate mountainous region.

Lin Yun was walking along the mountain path when he suddenly heard a scream from ahead.

"Help! Help me!"

Lin Yun frowned slightly. His spiritual power extended forward, and he quickly "saw" the scene ahead—a band of bandits was attacking a small caravan. The caravan had been almost completely wiped out, with more than a dozen corpses lying haphazardly on the ground. The bandits were ransacking the place, and several of them were leering as they approached a little girl huddled beside a carriage.

The little girl was about seven or eight years old, dressed in dirty, coarse cloth clothes, her face streaked with tears and blood. Her eyes were filled with fear, but her mouth was tightly shut, and she did not cry out. In her hand, she gripped a short knife tightly, the blade stained with blood—she had already killed a bandit.

"Little girl, you're pretty good at fighting." A bandit grinned maliciously, raising his machete. "But you killed one of our men, so you won't be leaving here alive today."

The little girl didn't speak, but simply gripped the dagger in her hand tightly.

Lin Yun's figure flashed and appeared in front of the bandits.

"Who goes there?" the bandits exclaimed in surprise.

Lin Yun remained silent. He raised his right hand and gently waved it. An invisible soul attack stunned all of the dozen or so bandits.

The little girl looked at the suddenly appearing young man with wary eyes.

"Who are you?" Her voice trembled slightly, but she remained calm.

"Just passing by." Lin Yun crouched down, looking at her. "What's your name?"

The little girl was silent for a moment, then said, "My name is... Leilei."

"Leilei," Lin Yun repeated the name, "Where are your family?"

Leilei's eyes reddened, but she gritted her teeth and didn't cry.

"They've all been killed." Her voice was soft, but firm.

Lin Yun looked at the little girl, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. His spiritual senses revealed that the little girl's soul was extremely pure, and her spiritual power far surpassed that of her peers. Furthermore, her body possessed an affinity for both wind and thunder elements—not super-grade, but still considered high-grade.

"Do you want revenge?" Lin Yun asked.

Leilei looked up at him, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

"think."

"Come with me." Lin Yun extended his hand. "I'll teach you cultivation. Once you're stronger, you can take revenge yourself."

Leilei looked at his hand and remained silent for a moment. Then, she reached out and took Lin Yun's hand.

"it is good."

Lin Yun continued his travels in the Yulan Empire with Lei Lei.

Leilei was very quiet at first, not fond of talking or smiling. But as the days went by, she gradually let down her guard and began to take the initiative to talk to Lin Yun.

"Master, what level of expert are you?" Leilei asked.

"God-level," Lin Yun said.

Leilei's eyes widened. Although she was only eight years old, she knew what godhood meant—it meant being at the very pinnacle of the Yulan Continent.

"Master, what did you teach me?" Leilei asked.

"What do you want to learn?" Lin Yun asked in return.

Leilei thought for a moment and said, "I want to learn how to kill."

Lin Yun smiled. This little girl was stronger than he had imagined.

"Okay, I'll teach you."

Lin Yun didn't rush to teach Lei Lei advanced magic and martial arts; instead, he started with the basics.

Every morning, Leilei runs, practices horse stance, and does boxing to improve her physical fitness. In the morning, Lin Yun teaches her meditation to hone her mental strength. In the afternoon, he teaches her basic wind and lightning magic. In the evening, he teaches her to recognize characters, read books, and learn about the history and knowledge of the continent.

Leilei learned very quickly. She had an exceptional talent for mental strength, and within a month she entered a meditative state, able to sense the magical elements of wind and thunder. Her physical fitness was also improving rapidly, from being out of breath after running just a few steps to being able to run ten miles without rest.

"Master, when will I be able to learn how to kill?" Leilei asked.

"You'll naturally learn when you become stronger," Lin Yun said. "But remember, cultivation isn't about killing, it's about protecting. Protecting yourself, protecting the people you care about."

Leilei nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

The days of my travels were peaceful and fulfilling.

Lin Yun took Lei Lei through many places in the Yulan Empire—bustling towns, tranquil villages, ancient ruins, and rugged mountains. At each place, he would tell Lei Lei about the local history and legends, helping her understand the past and present of this continent.

Leilei gradually became more cheerful. She would laugh, make a fuss, and pester Lin Yun to tell her stories. When she called him "Master," her voice carried a sense of dependence and trust.

One evening, the two checked into a hotel in a small town.

Leilei sat by the window, watching the sunset outside, and suddenly asked, "Master, do you have children?"

Lin Yun paused for a moment, then smiled: "Yes. I have a son, who's not even a year old yet."

"What's his name?"

"Lin An".

"Lin An..." Lei Lei murmured, repeating the name, "It sounds nice."

After a moment of silence, Leilei asked again, "Master, will you keep teaching me?"

Lin Yun looked at her and saw the expectation and unease in her eyes.

"Yes," Lin Yun said. "As long as you're willing to learn, I'll keep teaching you."

A smile appeared on Leilei's face. It was the first time Lin Yun had ever seen her smile so happily.

In the third month of their journey, Lin Yun brought Lei Lei to a mountain range in the southern part of the Yulan Empire.

There is a sacred-level magical beast here, a thunder eagle, which has been perched on the highest peak of the mountain for many years, causing great suffering to the surrounding people. Lin Yun decided to use this thunder eagle as Lei Lei's "teaching material".

"Master, are you going to kill it?" Leilei looked at the thunder eagle circling in the sky, her eyes filled with excitement, not fear.

"Yes," Lin Yun said, "Watch closely."

He raised his right hand, and a purple lightning spear condensed in his palm. The spear was small, only as thick as an arm, but the lightning power it contained caused the surrounding air to tremble.

"go."

The lightning spear shot out at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow. The lightning eagle sensed the danger and flapped its wings to escape, but the spear was too fast. It struck the lightning eagle in the chest, and the power of lightning exploded within its body. The lightning eagle didn't even have time to scream before it plummeted from the sky.

Leilei's mouth gaped open.

"Wow...that's amazing."

"This is the power of lightning magic," Lin Yun said. "Once you've practiced to a certain level, you'll be able to do it too."

Leilei nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with longing.

Two months later, Lin Yun brought Lei Lei to the capital of the Yulan Empire.

The capital of the Yulan Empire sits on a vast plain in the central part of the empire, its walls towering high and imposing. The city's streets are wide and clean, lined with shops and bustling with pedestrians. It is one of the most prosperous cities on the entire Yulan continent.

"Master, this place is so big!" Leilei exclaimed, her eyes filled with amazement as she looked at the surrounding scenery.

"This is the capital of the Yulan Empire," Lin Yun said. "The Yulan Empire is the oldest empire on the continent, with a history even longer than that of the O'Brien Empire."

"Then what are we doing here?"

"Let's take a look," Lin Yun said. "By the way, I'd like to see someone."

"Who?"

"High Priest".

Leilei didn't know who the High Priest was, but she didn't ask. Her master said she should go see him, so she went.

Lin Yun did not rush to visit the High Priest, but instead took a stroll around the capital first.

He took Leilei on a tour of the capital's gladiatorial arena, magic tower, and war god square, telling her about the city's history. Leilei listened with great interest, occasionally asking questions.

"Master, why are so many of the buildings here green?"

"Because green represents vitality and life. The royal family of the Yulan Empire worships the Temple of Life, so green is often used in their architecture."

"Master, do you believe in the Holy See?"

"I don't believe it," Lin Yun said. "The Holy See has done many bad things and is not worth believing."

Leilei nodded and didn't ask any more questions.