Swallowing the Stars: Starting with Panlong

Chapter 141: The Summoning of Beirut

The news of the destruction of the Holy See of Light swept across the entire Yulan Continent like a hurricane.

The kingdoms and duchies of the Holy Alliance were plunged into unprecedented panic. For thousands of years, the Holy See had been their spiritual pillar and de facto ruler. Now, the Holy See had vanished overnight, the Holy Island was reduced to ruins, Pope Haitings had bowed his head, and the entire Angelic Legion had been wiped out—the news was so shocking that many could hardly believe it.

But the facts speak for themselves.

After returning from the Holy Island, the Baruch Empire's Holy Army did not rush to expand, but instead rested in Yellowstone City. Lin Yun's meaning was clear—to give those smaller countries an opportunity to voluntarily submit.

Opportunities are given, but not everyone knows how to cherish them.

The largest kingdoms in the Holy Alliance—the Kingdom of Ryan, the Kingdom of Furen, and the Kingdom of Seth—united to form a so-called "Holy Alliance Army," boasting a million-strong force, aiming to "reclaim the Holy Island and rebuild the Papacy." They contacted the Yulan Empire and the O'Brien Empire, hoping to gain the support of these two powerful nations.

The Yulan Empire's reply was simple: "The Baruch Empire has a god-level expert in charge. If you want to die, don't drag us down with you."

The O'Brien Empire's response was even more direct: "The God of War said that anyone who dares to oppose the Baruch Empire is opposing the O'Brien Empire."

The attitudes of the two great empires completely extinguished the last glimmer of hope for those kingdoms.

The King of the Kingdom of Ryan sat on his throne, his face ashen as he looked at the two replies in his hands. His fingers trembled, his lips quivered, and he couldn't utter a word for a long time.

"Your Majesty, what... what should we do?" the minister beside him asked cautiously.

The king remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "Send someone to Yellowstone City to deliver the letter of surrender."

The Kingdom of Furen and the Kingdom of Seth made the same decision.

The surrender of the three kingdoms triggered a chain reaction, like dominoes falling. The smaller principalities that had previously been hesitant sent envoys to Yellowstone City, expressing their willingness to submit to the Baruch Empire. In less than a month, nearly two-thirds of the Holy Alliance's territory had been incorporated into the Baruch Empire.

The remaining small countries ceased their resistance. They might still have some affection for the Holy See, but in the face of absolute power, feelings were meaningless.

Walton sat in the Yellowstone City palace, holding surrender documents in his hands, but felt little joy. He knew that these kingdoms had surrendered not because they were truly submissive, but because they were afraid. Afraid of the Holy Army of the Baruch Empire, afraid of Lin Yun, that god-level powerhouse.

"Your Majesty, the Holy Alliance's territories have all submitted." The Foreign Minister stood below the throne and reported respectfully, "Next, we need to send officials to various places to take over the administration, and at the same time station troops to maintain order."

"Leave this matter to the Cabinet." Walton put down the documents in his hand, rubbed his temples, and said, "Also, issue an order that existing laws in various regions remain unchanged for the time being, and taxes for the people be halved. We need to let those people know that the Baruch Empire is not here to enslave them, but to protect them."

"Your Majesty is wise." The Foreign Minister bowed deeply.

Over the next two months, the Baruch Empire's army advanced rapidly through the Holy Alliance's territory. They encountered no resistance, for no one dared to. Wherever the Holy Army went, local nobles and commoners lined the streets to welcome them, fearing to offend their new masters.

Walton drew hundreds of officials from across the empire and dispatched them to various kingdoms and duchies to assume power. These officials were mostly old subordinates of Yellowstone, loyal to the Baruch family, and capable enough. Upon arrival, they first stabilized order, then inventoried the population and property, and finally promulgated new laws.

Meanwhile, the Empire's army began to be stationed in various locations. Saint-level experts were deployed to important strategic positions, while ordinary troops were dispersed to various cities to maintain order. Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.

Three months later, the entire territory of the Holy Alliance was incorporated into the Baruch Empire.

From two-thirds of the Chaotic Territory to the entire Holy Alliance, the Baruch Empire expanded its territory several times over, becoming the most expansive, populous, and powerful empire on the Yulan Continent.

The news sent shockwaves across the entire continent.

Mount Martial God of the O'Brien Empire. Martial God O'Brien stood atop the mountain, gazing at the southern horizon, and remained silent for a long time.

"The Baruch Empire... Lin Yun Baruch..." he murmured, "A twenty-eight-year-old god-level cultivator, practicing all six elements simultaneously... This young man is even more terrifying than I imagined."

"Teacher, is there anything we need to do?" Farn asked respectfully, standing behind him.

"What can we do?" The God of War shook his head. "There's nothing we can do. With Lin Yun around, the Baruch Empire is unshakeable. We just need to mind our own business."

"Yes, teacher."

In the Temple of Life of the Yulan Empire, High Priestess Catherine stood beneath the Sacred Tree of Life, holding a vibrant green leaf in her hands.

"The Baruch Empire... Lin Yun..." she murmured, "That young man is indeed extraordinary."

She gently placed the leaf on the tree trunk, then turned and walked into the depths of the temple.

Meanwhile, in Yellowstone, a grand victory celebration was being held in the Baruch Empire's palace.

Walton sat in the main seat, dressed in a golden royal robe and wearing a crown, holding a wine glass in his hand. Beside him sat Nina, a happy smile on her face. Linley and Lin Yun sat on either side, and Delin Corvault was also present. The five immortal warriors, Sethler, Hillman, and other meritorious figures were also in attendance.

"Gentlemen, in this battle, our Baruch Empire has achieved a resounding victory!" Walton raised his glass. "This toast is to all the soldiers who have fought for the Empire!"

"To the Empire!" the crowd shouted in unison, drinking it all in one gulp.

The banquet lasted until late at night. Amidst the clinking of glasses and laughter, the entire palace was immersed in a sea of ​​joy.

Lin Yun sat in the corner, holding a wine glass in his hand, but he didn't drink. His gaze was fixed on the night sky through the window, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

The Holy See of Light was destroyed, the Holy Alliance submitted, and the Baruch Empire became the most powerful empire on the continent. Everything was proceeding according to plan, but he had an indescribable feeling in his heart.

Three days after the celebration banquet, Lin Yun returned to the miniature plane and continued his secluded cultivation.

Within the miniature plane, the fluctuations of the seven elemental laws remained clear and intense, and the spatial turbulence outside the membrane churned eternally. He sat cross-legged on the stone bed, his six divine avatars—thunder, fire, light, earth, water, and wind—floating beside him, forming a six-colored halo. The dark elemental avatar had not yet become a god, but it had reached the limit of the Saintly Realm, only one step away from godhood.

Lin Yun didn't make the Dark element a god because he needed time to consolidate his understanding of the other six elements. He wasn't in a hurry to break through the Dark element's laws.

Just as he was immersed in cultivation, a familiar wave of consciousness entered his mind.

"Lin Yun, come to the Dark Forest quickly! Grandpa Beirut wants to see you!" It was Bei Bei's voice, urgent and excited.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.

Beirut—the king of the Dark Forest, the most mysterious and powerful being on the entire Yulan Continent. Many legends surround him; some say he's at the peak of the Saint Realm, others say he's a god, and still others say he's a powerful being from another plane. Lin Yun knows that Beirut is a hidden supreme god on the Yulan Continent; even the God of War O'Brien and the High Priestess Catherine are nothing more than ants before him.

"Beirut wants to see me?" Lin Yun murmured.

He knew that with Beirut's power and status, it wasn't surprising that he was paying attention to everything on the Yulan Continent. He knew all about Beirut's ascension to godhood, the establishment of an empire, and the destruction of the Church of Light.

"It's time to go see him." Lin Yun stood up and walked out of the miniature plane.

The Dark Forest, located in the northern part of the Yulan Continent, is a vast and boundless primeval forest. Ancient trees reach for the sky, blocking out the sun, and it is perpetually shrouded in thick fog, rarely visited by humans. It is a paradise for magical beasts, and also one of the most dangerous places on the Yulan Continent.

Lin Yun landed from the sky and stood at the entrance to the Dark Forest.

Beibei darted out of the woods, transforming into a gray lightning bolt, and landed on Lin Yun's shoulder.

"Lin Yun, you've finally arrived!" Bei Bei patted his cheek with her little paws. "Grandpa Beirut is waiting for you inside. Come with me."

Lin Yun nodded and followed Bei Bei into the Dark Forest.

The forest was dark, with only occasional rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves. The air was thick with the damp, decaying scent of leaves, mixed with the distinctive stench of magical beasts. Lin Yun's spiritual energy spread in all directions, sensing countless powerful auras—sacred-level magical beasts were everywhere.

"The Dark Forest truly lives up to its name," Lin Yun thought to himself.

After walking for about half an hour, a wide-open space appeared ahead. In the center of the open space stood a castle, and in front of the castle stood an old man dressed in a black robe.

The old man appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with gray hair, a kind face, and a hint of a smile in his eyes. He emanated no aura, seemingly just an ordinary old man. But Lin Yun knew just how powerful the seemingly ordinary old man was.

Beirut. The king of the Dark Forest, the most mysterious being on the Yulan Continent.

"Lin Yun Baruch," Beirut's voice was calm and warm, "Welcome to the Dark Forest."

Lin Yun bowed slightly: "Lord Beirut."

Beirut looked him up and down, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"Twenty-eight years old, a lower-level god of six elements, with a profound understanding of the laws of wind, light, and lightning, and you have also cultivated the rules of life and death..." Beirut said slowly, "Your talent is the best I have ever seen."

"You flatter me, sir," Lin Yun said.

"Come in and have a seat." Beirut turned and walked into the castle.

Lin Yun followed him inside. The castle wasn't large, and the facilities inside were rather simple. Beirut sat down at a stone table, pointed to the stone chair opposite him, and gestured for Lin Yun to sit as well.

Beibei jumped off Lin Yun's shoulder, squatted on the stone table, and held a nut in its two little paws, munching on it with relish.

"Lin Yun, do you know why I called you here?" Beirut asked.

Lin Yun thought for a moment and said, "My lord probably wants to see what kind of god-level powerhouse has recently appeared on the Yulan Continent."

Beirut laughed: "You're very smart. But that's only one of the reasons."

He paused, then continued, "Your talent reminds me of someone from long ago. That person also cultivated multiple elements simultaneously and became a god at a young age. He later went to Hell, where he forged a formidable reputation and became an existence revered by countless powerful beings."

"What are you saying, sir?" Lin Yun asked.

“You don’t know him,” Beirut shook his head. “But that’s not important. What’s important is that your talent is even better than his. Cultivating all six elements simultaneously is unprecedented in the history of the Yulan Continent. If you can focus on cultivating one or two of them, your achievements will surpass his.”

Lin Yun was silent for a moment, then asked, "Which two elements does Your Excellency wish me to focus on cultivating?"

"Earth and Water," Beirut said. "Your understanding of the laws of Earth and Water is quite high. If you can focus all your energy on these two systems, you might be able to reach the point of fusing the four profound mysteries within a few thousand years."

"Fusing four profound mysteries..." Lin Yun murmured.

In the world of god-level powerhouses, the depth of one's fusion with the profound mysteries of laws determines one's strength. Fusing two or three mysteries already qualifies one as strong; fusing four or five mysteries places one among the very elite. That's the level Beirut hopes he will reach.

Lin Yun was naturally aware of Beirut's plans. The main godhoods of the four divine beasts needed to be inherited. He himself had refined the wind-type main godhood, and the fire-type main godhood was probably reserved for Qinghuo. However, there were no candidates for the earth and water types at the moment. In the original story, Beirut chose Linley, but now Lin Yun had suddenly appeared and his talent was much stronger than Linley's. Moreover, because of Beibei, Beirut naturally hoped that Lin Yun could inherit the two main godhoods. Perhaps he could lead the Yulan lineage out into the world and not have to hide in the Yulan Continent and escape the pursuit of the Lord of Light as they were now!

Lin Yun remained silent for a long time.

He knew Beirut meant well. Beirut had lived for countless years, seen countless geniuses, and also seen countless geniuses fall. In his view, cultivating multiple disciplines was a waste of energy; it was better to specialize in one. He hoped Lin Yun could take a more stable path and become a guardian of the Yulan Continent.

But Lin Yun had his own ideas.

"My lord, I am grateful for your expectations," Lin Yun said slowly, "but I have my own path to walk."

Beirut's brow furrowed slightly.

"Cultivating all seven elements simultaneously is the path I chose myself," Lin Yun said. "I will not abandon any of them. I will continue to cultivate the earth and water elements, but I will not neglect the other elements either. As for fusing the four profound mysteries... rest assured, my lord, even with all seven elements, I am confident that I can reach the level of fusing the four profound mysteries or even higher within a few thousand years."

Beirut looked at him and remained silent for a long time.

"Young man, do you know how difficult it is to cultivate multiple elements simultaneously?" Beirut's voice turned serious. "Your talent is good, but your energy is limited. Cultivating seven elements at the same time means your progress will be spread across seven paths. Others can reach a high level by cultivating one element in a few thousand years; if you cultivate seven elements, it may take tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of years, or even forever."

"I know," Lin Yun said.

"Knowing this, why are you still insisting?"

"Because I believe in my own path." Lin Yun's gaze was firm. "My lord, my path wasn't chosen for me by others; it was my own choice. Now that I've chosen it, I will walk it to the end. No matter how many difficulties lie ahead, I will not give up."

Beirut looked at him, the seriousness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a complex emotion—admiration, helplessness, and a touch of melancholy.

"Youth is wonderful," Beirut sighed. "You have drive, ideals, and an indomitable spirit. I was like that when I was young."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the dark forest.

"I won't force you," Beirut said. "Your path is yours to walk. But I hope you remember that the Yulan Continent is your home, your roots. No matter how far you go in the future, never forget this land."

"I won't," Lin Yun said.

Beru nodded, turned around, and looked at Lin Yun.

"Alright, you can go now," he said. "Keep this; it should be useful to you. Go back and cultivate diligently, and don't waste your talent." Beirut produced a book and tossed it to Lin Yun.

Lin Yun hurriedly took it and looked at it carefully. It was titled "Detailed Explanation of the Profound Mysteries of the Seven Laws". He opened it and found that it was full of introductions to the profound mysteries of each law and the insights and experiences of some powerful beings in cultivating the mysteries.

Lin Yun was overjoyed. This book was a godsend for him. Although he had gained some understanding of the profound mysteries of most of the laws in the Panlong Universe thanks to his rebirth, he only knew the simple names. As for how to cultivate, he had to deduce it backwards entirely by using the secret methods of the Devouring Star World.

Lin Yun stood up and respectfully thanked him, saying, "Thank you very much, Lord Beirut!"

He turned and walked out of the castle, with Bebe following behind him, transforming into a gray lightning bolt that landed on his shoulder.

"Lin Yun, are you really not going to consider Grandpa Beirut's suggestion?" Beibei asked softly. "The fusion of the earth and water elements into four profound mysteries is a very powerful realm."

"I know," Lin Yun said, "but my path wasn't chosen for me by anyone else."

Beibei nodded as if she understood, but didn't ask any more questions.

Lin Yun emerged from the Dark Forest, transforming into a streak of light and flying towards Huangshi City.

The night wind blew, and the moonlight shone on him, casting a long shadow.

"Fusing four profound mysteries..." he murmured.

In the world of Panlong, fusing four profound mysteries certainly qualifies one as a top-tier powerhouse. But he has even higher aspirations. Cultivating all seven elements simultaneously, his strength increases exponentially with each additional profound mystery he fuses. Moreover, he also has the rules of death and life as aids.

"My journey is still long," he said softly.

Lin Yun accelerated and disappeared into the horizon.

After returning to Huangshi City, Lin Yun did not rush back to the micro-plane, but sat in the study of the city lord's mansion for a long time.

He was thinking about Beirut's words.

He was well aware of the difficulty of cultivating multiple systems simultaneously. However, he had his advantages—the cultivation systems of the two worlds mutually reinforced each other, giving him unparalleled efficiency in comprehending the laws. The secret techniques he cultivated in the Swallowed Star World were equally applicable in the Panlong World; the profound mysteries of the laws he comprehended in the Panlong World could be transformed into insights into the fundamental laws in the Swallowed Star World.

This mutually reinforcing relationship allowed him to cultivate at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary people.

"Moreover, I also have a divine clone," Lin Yun said to himself.

Six divine avatars, plus the main body, seven bodies cultivate simultaneously. Thunder, fire, light, earth, water, wind—each element has an independent divine avatar, allowing for focused comprehension of its respective element's laws. This efficiency is several times that of a single divine avatar.

"Once the Dark Element becomes a god, there will be seven divine avatars," Lin Yun thought to himself. "At that time, the efficiency of cultivating seven elements simultaneously will be even higher."

He stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, moonlight, like water, spilled onto the streets of Yellowstone. In the distance, the royal palace stood majestically in the night, like a sleeping behemoth.

"Your Excellency Beirut, I understand your expectations," Lin Yun said softly, "but I cannot follow the path you have planned. I have my own path, a wider and farther one."

Lin Yun turned around, walked out of the study, and transformed into a streak of light, flying towards the direction of the miniature plane.

Within the miniature plane, the fluctuations of the seven laws remained clear and intense. Lin Yun sat cross-legged on the stone bed, with six divine avatars floating beside him, their six-colored lights intertwining to form a strange rhythm.

He closed his eyes and immersed his consciousness in the ocean of laws.

In the world of Swallowed Star, the Genius Battle is less than a year away. He needs to push his strength to its limit before the battle. He needs to delve deeper into the Seven Elements Laws, further refine the Wind and Light Fusion Technique, and step into the realm of the Space Law.

In the Panlong world, he must continue his cultivation. He will comprehend and integrate the mysteries of the seven laws one by one. The rules of death and life cannot be neglected either.