freenovelworld Chapter 11 Ding Mo
Chapter 11 Ding Mo
Lin Zhifeng said, "What Martial Uncle said is very true. But I want to give it a try. I have a somewhat immature idea. Martial Uncle, you see, Yin and Yang are completely different attributes, yet they can transform into each other and complement each other. How can we know that water and fire cannot coexist peacefully? I think those who go astray in their cultivation are simply those who haven't been able to balance these two attributes well. I plan to develop these two sword techniques in a balanced way in the future, and I'm afraid that their power will double."
Ding Mo thought about it. While this approach was dangerous, it wasn't entirely without room for error. If he could truly master it, it would indeed have a synergistic effect greater than the sum of its parts. As for the danger, cultivators defying the heavens were inherently fraught with peril and challenge. It was both danger and opportunity. This Lin Zhifeng certainly possessed extraordinary comprehension.
Since he had already made up his mind, Ding Mo didn't say anything more, only instructing him to be extremely cautious and to stop immediately if he sensed anything amiss. He added that if necessary, they could simply abandon one of the options; it wouldn't be a major problem.
Ding Mo repeatedly reminded Lin Zhifeng to be careful and to seek his or the elders' help if anything happened before taking his leave.
Back in his cave, Ding Mo seemed to have a sudden realization. His conversation with Lin Zhifeng had opened up new avenues of thought for him.
Ding Mo, a cultivation genius, had always stood out from his peers, with few able to challenge him. Now, Lin Zhifeng, merely a Golden Core cultivator, had uttered insights far exceeding Ding Mo's level. Ding Mo couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect.
Ding Mo got up to find the Grand Elder, intending to report to his master about guiding Lin Zhifeng's cultivation. He also wanted to inform his master that he would likely be going into seclusion for a while.
Upon arriving at the Grand Elder's place, Ding Mo respectfully bowed and greeted him.
The elder looked kindly at his prized disciple and asked with a smile, "My good disciple, what brings you to your master today?"
Ding Mo is an extremely gifted disciple. Not only is his cultivation effortless, but he is also humble, low-key, and reliable, never causing trouble for the Grand Elder. The Grand Elder is very satisfied with him.
In the words of the Grand Elder: My greatest achievement in this life is taking on such a good disciple as Ding Mo!
His affection for Ding Mo is evident.
Ding Mo said respectfully, "Master, I just went to Lin Zhifeng's place to check on his cultivation. He is currently practicing basic swordsmanship and has already progressed to advanced swordsmanship."
The elder said, "I told you the other day to take care of him when you have time. It seems I've found the right person."
Ding Mo said, "Master, you don't know this, but I haven't been of much help to him. Since returning from the Sword Tomb, Lin Zhifeng has been studying on his own and hasn't come to see me. Today I went to his house to check on his progress in cultivation and found that the boy has made great progress."
The elder laughed, "Haha, although his cultivation is far inferior to yours, he's not much younger than you. Haha, child? My disciple, you don't need to be like an old man all day, doing nothing but cultivation. It would be good to interact more with these young people and go out and have some fun. Otherwise, wouldn't life be very boring?"
Ding Mo had nothing to say.
Firstly, he didn't find cultivation particularly tedious. He felt most satisfied whenever he made a breakthrough in his cultivation or swordsmanship.
Secondly, he was out of step with his peers from a young age—what interested him, others were not; and what others liked, he did not understand why.
When he was a child, he tried to force himself to fit in and integrate into the circle of his peers. But he ended up feeling awkward with everyone, so he gave up.
By giving up this pursuit and focusing all his energy on cultivation, Ding Mo found this kind of life quite good.
After his master finished laughing, Ding Mo continued, "There's something I'd like to ask you to pay attention to. Do you remember when Lin Zhifeng obtained the Water and Fire Swords at the Sword Tomb?"
The Grand Elder said, "I remember, I remember!"
Ding Mo said, "When I went there today, I found that he was simultaneously practicing sword techniques based on both water and fire elements."
Upon hearing this, the elder's expression turned serious: "Oh dear, fire and water cannot coexist! What Xiao Linzi is doing is very dangerous!"
Ding Mo said, "That's what I advised him too. But he shared some of his own views, which touched me as well."
The Grand Elder became interested upon hearing this.
You must know that his genius disciple broke through to the Nascent Soul stage entirely on his own. His master, in fact, didn't need to do anything at all. Because it seemed there was no need for him.
Needless to say, those of Ding Mo's generation were left far behind, to the point that they couldn't even see Ding Mo's shadow.
Now that his disciple has said that Lin Zhifeng's words have touched him, how could the Grand Elder not be curious?
“What did Xiao Linzi say? Tell your teacher.”
Ding Mo said, "I originally advised him not to practice the two opposing sword techniques of water and fire at the same time, for fear that he might suffer from qi deviation in the future. But he said he wanted to give it a try."
He said, "Yin and Yang are two different attributes, yet they can transform into and depend on each other. Water and fire may also coexist. He plans to cultivate both sword techniques simultaneously, allowing them to develop in a balanced way."
The elder pondered for a moment, “Xiao Linzi is no ordinary person. Although his idea is extremely risky, it may not necessarily fail. Throughout history, only a few have succeeded. Although his idea contradicts the common understanding of the masses, it may not prevent him from finding a new path to success.”
The elder continued, "I am aware of this matter, and I will pay close attention to him from now on. Is there anything else, my disciple?"
Ding Mo said, "To be honest, Master, after listening to Lin Zhifeng's words, I felt enlightened and as if I could reach the edge of a breakthrough. Therefore, I came here to report to you that I plan to go into seclusion for a few years."
The Grand Elder exclaimed with delight, “That’s wonderful! This is a blessing for you personally, and also for the sect! Looking across the entire cultivation continent, how many people can break through to the Nascent Soul Realm within a hundred years of age? Hahaha, if you succeed, you will surpass Sect Master Lin Yuan and become the number one.”
He realized after he finished speaking that it might not have been a good idea to say it that way. If it put pressure on his disciple and affected his mindset, it would be terrible if he failed to break through.
Thinking of this, he quickly added, "You are still young, so don't put too much pressure on yourself. It would be best if you succeeded, but you shouldn't force it if you didn't. Lay a solid foundation, and you can break through later. You must not be reckless in order to compete for the title of the number one cultivator, understand? If my words affect your state of mind, it would be my fault."
Ding Mo was not affected by his master's words at all. He always followed the natural course of his cultivation and never had any desire to compare himself with others.
Seeing his master begin to blame himself, he said, "I understand, Master, don't worry. My cultivation is focused solely on my own mind. The affairs of others are none of my concern."
The Grand Elder nodded in satisfaction, "He truly is my good disciple."
"You can go into seclusion without worry! I will arrange for someone else to take over the tasks you are in charge of." The elder paused and then said, "You don't need to worry about Xiao Linzi either, I will keep an eye on him when I have time."
After saying that, he muttered to himself, "In short, we can't let anything go wrong with him before his father, Lin Yuan, comes back."
Ding Mo then bowed and took his leave: "Master, I will go back to my seclusion. Please take care."
Ding Mo returned to his cave, set up a protective barrier at the entrance, and hung up a sign indicating that he was in seclusion. This way, if anyone came unknowingly, they would see the sign and go back on their own, not daring to disturb him.
Ding Mo went into seclusion to comprehend his inner sanctuary, while Lin Zhifeng was also intensifying his cultivation.
His hard work stems partly from his personality—back in the game, he was among the first players to reach the maximum level on the entire server; he was also among the top players in both PvP and PvE. Now, in this world, he doesn't necessarily need to be a top-tier player, but he at least needs to be considered outstanding among the younger generation.
Another driving force behind his hard work was that the system had released another main quest.
This mission is to master both water and fire sword techniques to a minor level. The mission reward is 20 points of luck and one Heart-Stopping Pill to prevent qi deviation.
The release of this task brought Lin Zhifeng great joy.
Aside from being happy to gain more luck points and precious pills, the fact that the system could issue such a task proved that Lin Zhifeng's previous idea of cultivating both water and fire was feasible.
The joy derived from this recognition of his own abilities could even surpass rewards such as luck. Because inner strength is always more important than external things!