Swallowing the Stars: Starting with Panlong

Chapter 119 Temple of Life - Sacred Tree of Life

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the Temple of Life, illuminating the room brightly and warmly. Lin Yun awoke from his meditation, feeling exceptionally refreshed. The aura of life principles permeating the temple seemed to nourish the soul as well, making his night's meditation far more effective than usual.

Leilei was still fast asleep in the next room. Lin Yun didn't wake her, but walked out of the room alone and into the courtyard of the temple.

In the center of the courtyard stood a fountain, its water crystal clear, with a few emerald green leaves floating on its surface. Various flowers and plants surrounded the fountain, their delicate fragrance refreshing and invigorating. Lin Yun stood by the fountain, eyes closed, sensing the vibrant life around him.

"You got up very early." A gentle voice came from behind.

Lin Yun turned around and saw High Priestess Catherine walking from the other end of the corridor. Today she was wearing a light green robe, and her long hair was casually tied up with a wooden hairpin, making her look more approachable than yesterday.

"Good morning, High Priest." Lin Yun bowed slightly.

"Did you rest well last night?" The high priest walked to the fountain, scooped up a handful of water, and gently sprinkled it on the flower bushes beside him.

"Very good," Lin Yun said. "The life force within this temple is very helpful for cultivation."

The high priestess nodded without replying. She gazed at the Tree of Life in the distance, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Since you're here, I'll show you around the Temple of Life. You'll especially be interested in that tree on the back mountain."

Lin Yun's heart stirred. He had been awestruck by the giant tree, which was tens of thousands of meters tall, when he glimpsed it from afar yesterday. Now that the High Priest wanted to take him to see it up close, he naturally wouldn't refuse.

"Thank you, High Priest."

The high priest led Lin Yun through the main hall of the temple and along a bluestone path towards the back mountain. The path was lined with lush bamboo, its leaves rustling in the breeze. Sunlight filtered through the bamboo leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. A faint fragrance of bamboo mingled with the scents of earth and flowers filled the air.

"The Temple of Life was built ten thousand years ago," the high priest said as he walked. "At that time, the Yulan Empire had just been established, and I was invited by the emperor at the time to build this temple here."

"Ten thousand years..." Lin Yun was secretly shocked. Ten thousand years, that was such a long period of time. But the High Priest's tone was as if he were talking about something very ordinary.

"Was that Tree of Life planted around that time?" Lin Yun asked.

The high priest shook his head: "I didn't plant that tree. It came here before I did."

Lin Yun was slightly taken aback.

"You'll know when we get there," the high priest said without further explanation.

At the end of the path lay a wide open space. In the center of the open space stood a colossal tree, its trunk as thick as a city wall, its canopy blocking out the sky and covering the entire open space in dense shade. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting countless tiny spots of light on the ground, like twinkling stars.

Standing beneath the tree, Lin Yun looked up, a profound and indescribable awe washing over him. Yesterday, from a distance, he had only noticed its towering height. Now, standing beneath it, he could truly grasp its immense size—the trunk was over a hundred meters in diameter, its bark a deep brown with fine, intricate patterns resembling ancient runes. The roots rose from the ground, winding their way into the distance, the thickest roots even more robust than his own body.

What is most striking is the life force emanating from this tree.

The aura was so intense, almost tangible, that it enveloped the entire open space. Lin Yun could feel that every breath carried pure life energy, which flowed into his body, nourishing every cell and repairing every hidden injury—injuries he himself hadn't even noticed. Under the cleansing influence of this life energy, the injuries were rapidly healing.

"This tree..." Lin Yun's voice trembled slightly, "It's incredible."

The high priest stood beside him, looking up at the treetops, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

"This tree is called the Sacred Tree of Life." Her voice was soft, as if she were telling an ancient story. "It is not a product of the Magnolia Continent, but comes from the Supreme God Realm of Life."

Lin Yun's pupils suddenly contracted.

The Supreme Realm of Life—that is the highest plane in the Panlong Universe, the abode of the God of Life. Legend has it that the first life born in the Supreme Realm of Life was a plant called the Sacred Tree of Life, the source of all life power.

"Legend has it that the first life born in the Supreme God Realm of Life was a plant called the Sacred Tree of Life," the High Priest said slowly. "Countless years ago, a branch of that sacred tree was swept into the Magnolia Plane by spatial turbulence, landed on this mountain, took root and sprouted, and eventually grew into this giant tree."

Lin Yun stared at the colossal tree before him, speechless with awe. A single branch could grow into such a towering tree? How enormous must the sacred tree in the highest realm of life be?

"This tree is the source of life force in the Magnolia Plane," the High Priest continued. "The life energy it emits nourishes all living beings in the entire plane. Without it, the life force on the Magnolia Continent would be reduced by at least half."

Lin Yun gazed at the giant tree, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "High Priest, is your ability to cultivate the rules of life related to this tree?"

The high priest glanced at him, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

“You’re very perceptive,” she said. “It is indeed relevant. Every thirty years, the Tree of Life bears three fruits. These fruits are called the Fruit of Life.”

"The Sacred Fruit of Life?" Lin Yun was slightly taken aback.

"Ordinary people can recover from all injuries, strengthen their bodies, and even be brought back to life by consuming the Sacred Fruit of Life," the High Priest said. "But for those with pure souls, the Sacred Fruit of Life has another function—it is the key to receiving the inheritance of the rules of life."

Lin Yun's heart skipped a beat.

"Back then, I consumed a Sacred Fruit of Life before I began to receive the inheritance of the Rules of Life." The High Priest's gaze fell on the distant horizon, as if recalling something from long ago. "At that time, I was just an ordinary Saint-level mage. After consuming the Sacred Fruit, fragments of the Rules of Life appeared in my mind, and from then on, I embarked on the path of cultivating the Rules of Life."

"For ten thousand years, I have been trying to understand the rules of life. Although the progress is slow, every step I take is solid."

Lin Yun was silent for a moment, then asked, "High Priest, do you still have the Sacred Fruit of Life?"

The high priest looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Do you want to take it?"

"It's not for me," Lin Yun said, "it's for her."

He pointed to Leilei, who was standing in the distance. Leilei was picking up fallen leaves under the tree, her small figure appearing particularly tiny against the backdrop of the giant tree.

The high priest's gaze lingered on Leilei for a long time.

"Her soul is indeed pure," the high priest said. "Moreover, I can sense that she has a strong sensitivity to the life force. She is indeed qualified to receive the inheritance of the rules of life."

She took out two emerald green fruits from her spatial ring. The fruits were small, only about the size of a baby's fist, entirely emerald green with fine golden veins on their surface, emitting a faint fluorescent glow. The life force contained within the fruits was more than a hundred times stronger than that of the leaves of the Tree of Life.

"Two Sacred Fruits of Life." The High Priest handed the fruits to Lin Yun. "One for you, and one for this little girl."

Lin Yun was stunned.

"High Priest, this..."

"No need to refuse," the high priest interrupted him. "The Sacred Fruit of Life ripens once every thirty years. I have lived for over ten thousand years and have accumulated quite a few. These fruits are just sitting here anyway, so it's better to give them to those who need them."

"Your talent is the best I've ever seen. Cultivating seven elements of law simultaneously, becoming a god at nineteen—such a genius might even comprehend the rules of life. This sacred fruit might help you open a new door."

"As for this little girl..." The High Priest looked at Leilei, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, "Her soul is pure and her heart is kind; she is the best candidate to receive the inheritance of the rules of life. I don't want her to miss this opportunity."

Lin Yun accepted the two Sacred Fruits of Life, a feeling of gratitude welling up in his heart.

"Thank you, High Priest."

"You're welcome," said the high priest. "Make good use of them and don't waste them."

Lin Yun stored one of the Sacred Fruits of Life into his spatial ring, and held the other in his hand, examining it carefully. The fruit felt warm to the touch, and he could sense the immense life force it contained. He had a feeling that this fruit contained not only life force, but also something far more profound—fragments of the rules of life, the power of the supreme divine realm of life.

"High Priest, how should the Sacred Fruit of Life be taken?" Lin Yun asked.

"Just take it directly," the high priest said. "But remember one thing—don't force yourself to understand those fragments of rules. Let them naturally integrate into your soul, feel them with your heart, not think about them with your brain. The transmission of the rules of life depends on the heart, not the brain."

Lin Yun nodded thoughtfully.

"As for this little girl..." The High Priest looked at Leilei, "We'll let her take it when she's older and more mature. Right now, she's too young to withstand the power of the sacred fruit."

"I understand," Lin Yun said.

The two stood under the tree for a long time.

Lin Yun closed his eyes, sensing the life force emanating from the Tree of Life. The aura was pure and gentle, like a mother's embrace, bringing a sense of peace. In his heart, he gained a new understanding of the rules of life—not concrete knowledge, but a vague, hazy intuition.

Perhaps this is the beginning of the rules of life.

You don't need to deliberately try to understand it; you just need to feel it with your heart.

"High Priest, I have another request." Lin Yun opened his eyes and looked at the High Priest.

"explain."

"I want a leaf from the Tree of Life," Lin Yun said. "To keep as a memento. This leaf is very meaningful to me; it represents my connection with the Temple of Life."

The high priest looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.

She reached out and gently touched the branch above her head. A bright green leaf drifted down from the branch and landed slowly in her palm. The leaf was small, only about the size of her palm, entirely emerald green, with clearly defined veins, and emitted a faint fluorescent glow.

"Take it." The high priest handed the leaf to Lin Yun.

Lin Yun took the leaf and carefully put it into his spatial ring.

"Thank you, High Priest."

"It's just a leaf, nothing special," the high priest said. "The leaves of the Tree of Life fall every year, and there's no use collecting them. If you want them, take them."

After visiting the Tree of Life, the High Priest led Lin Yun on a tour of the Temple of Life.

The temple was much larger than he had imagined. Besides the main hall and the Sacred Tree of Life on the back mountain, there were also facilities such as a library, cultivation rooms, a herb garden, and meditation caves. The library contained a large collection of books and manuscripts about the rules of life, some written by the high priest himself, and others reflecting the insights of successive members of the Temple of Life. Lin Yun flipped through several books; although there were no direct methods for cultivating the rules of life, the understanding and insights about life contained within them greatly inspired him.

The cultivation room was equipped with a special magic array that could gather life energy and accelerate cultivation. The herb garden was planted with various rare herbs, some of which Lin Yun had never even seen before. The high priest told him that these herbs were used to refine life-giving potions and heal injuries.

"The duties of the Temple of Life are not merely to protect the Sacred Tree of Life," the High Priest said. "We also heal the wounded and sick, cultivate talent, and study the rules of life. The Temple of Life has played an indispensable role in enabling the Yulan Empire to stand for ten thousand years."

Lin Yun nodded. The longevity of a power depends not only on military force, but also on support in many areas such as culture, medicine, and education. The Temple of Life plays a role in the Yulan Empire much like the Ultimate Martial Arts Academy plays on Earth.

"High Priest, how many disciples have you taken in?" Lin Yun asked.

"Not many," the High Priest said. "Cultivating the rules of life requires extremely high comprehension and a pure soul. Those who meet the requirements are one in ten thousand. Dixie is one of them; his spiritual power is exceptionally high, and his soul is also very pure."

"Dixie is indeed excellent," Lin Yun said. "He was a genius back in the academy."

"His journey is still long," the high priest said, "but with you leading the way, he will be even more motivated."

Lin Yun smiled but didn't reply.

As evening fell, Lin Yun returned to the room that the temple had arranged for him.

Leilei was already awake and sitting by the window reading a book. It was a book about the history of the Magnolia Continent, sent by the High Priest. Leilei was reading very attentively, occasionally frowning in thought.

"Master, you're back." Leilei saw Lin Yun, put down her book, and ran over.

"Can you understand it?" Lin Yun asked.

"There are some parts I don't understand," Leilei said honestly, "but I can understand most of it."

"Not bad." Lin Yun patted her head. "After you finish reading this history book, your master will find you other books."

"Okay!" Leilei nodded vigorously.

Lin Yun sat down by the bed, took out the emerald green leaf from his spatial ring, and placed it in his palm. The leaf glowed faintly under the light, its veins clearly visible, as if lifeblood flowed within it.

"Master, what is this?" Leilei asked curiously.

"Leaves of the sacred tree of life," Lin Yun said.

"It's so pretty." Leilei reached out and gently touched the leaf, then withdrew her hand. "It's so warm."

Lin Yun smiled and carefully put the leaves away.

"Leilei, your master has something to show you." Lin Yun took out the Sacred Fruit of Life from his spatial ring and handed it to Leilei.

Leilei took the fruit, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Master, what is this?"

"The Sacred Fruit of Life," Lin Yun said, "is a very precious fruit. You can't eat it now; your master will give it to you when you're a little older."

"What will happen if you eat it?" Leilei asked.

"After you eat it, you might become very powerful," Lin Yun said. "More powerful than your master."

Leilei's eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Really," Lin Yun said.

Leilei nodded vigorously, carefully cradling the fruit in her hands, examining it closely before reluctantly handing it back to Lin Yun.

Late at night.

Lin Yun stood by the window, gazing at the enormous Tree of Life outside. Moonlight bathed the tree, turning the leaves a silvery white. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, as if they were whispering secrets.

He took out his own Sacred Fruit of Life from his spatial ring and placed it in his palm. The fruit was warm and smooth like jade, emitting a faint glow. He could sense that the fruit contained an extremely vast amount of life energy, as well as something even more profound—fragments of the rules of life, the power of the supreme divine realm of life.

"The rules of life..." Lin Yun murmured.