Chapter 452 Huanglong Mountain Yin and Yang
There is a correspondence between the Four Symbols and the Five Elements: the White Tiger corresponds to Metal, the Azure Dragon to Wood, the Black Tortoise to Water, and the Vermilion Bird to Fire. When the successors of the Two Elements clash, they will strictly follow the relationship of mutual generation and mutual restraint of the Five Elements.
However, if we look at the Four Symbols system through the lens of the ever-renewing and self-circulating Five Elements system, we will notice a very glaring problem: the only element among the Five Elements, Earth, does not have a corresponding mythical beast in the Four Symbols system.
Such an obvious problem was naturally noticed by the ancients. Therefore, after combining the Four Symbols system and the Five Elements system, the Five Directions system was created, and the missing element of Earth was given a corresponding mythical beast, namely the "Yellow Dragon".
The Yellow Dragon, also known as the Yinglong, symbolizes the central earth and holds a higher position than the Four Symbols. It is a divine beast that governs the Four Symbols.
Here's my reasoning: Based on the battle with the Water Master Xuanwu, we can see that the power of the Mountain Yin-Yang is roughly based on the traditional Five Elements cycle worldview. Therefore, his complete power is likely to also have the Five Elements attribute of continuous generation and self-circulation. After he disperses his four powers of metal, wood, water and fire into seeds, he himself is likely to retain at least the Earth element attribute.
The power of Earth symbolizes the earth's virtue of bearing all things, possessing the quality of sustaining everything. It is an excellent foundation for retrieving power seeds and further accumulating one's own cultivation in the future. The high-level attribute of governing the four elements may also serve as a basis for suppressing the successors of Yin and Yang.
However, in the five elements' generating and restraining relationships, earth is not absolutely supreme. Plants can draw nutrients from the soil, so wood can restrain earth. The power of wood—that is, the Azure Dragon's "wood and cultivation power"—may become the nemesis of the mountain's two elements.
In addition, in traditional mythology, the mythical beast symbolizing the central land is not only the Yellow Dragon, but also the Qilin.
Strictly speaking, although the Qilin is sometimes referred to as the head of the Four Auspicious Beasts, the Four Auspicious Beasts and the Four Symbols are different systems. The Four Auspicious Beasts refer to the Qilin, Phoenix, Tortoise, and Dragon. However, in some ancient texts, based on its central earth-elemental nature, the Qilin is sometimes confused with the Yellow Dragon, or even substituted for the Yellow Dragon's position.
In terms of legitimacy, the Yellow Dragon undoubtedly governs the Four Symbols. Furthermore, records of the Qilin as the central Earth element beast are far fewer than those of the Yellow Dragon. Therefore, I can basically conclude that the Yellow Dragon is the "zodiac sign" corresponding to the Mountain and Yin-Yang principles. However, I am still not entirely certain whether the Mountain and Yin-Yang principles strictly adhere to the Four Symbols and Five Elements theory of the common world… no, I should say I don't know whether the Four Symbols and Five Elements theory of the common world strictly adheres to the Mountain and Yin-Yang principles.
Given the antiquity of the Mountain Yin-Yang symbol, it is very likely that the Yellow Dragon or the Qilin, one of the totems, points to the Mountain Yin-Yang symbol as a deity.
Incidentally, I don't know if it's just my OCD, but given that the Yellow Dragon is the central Earth element beast, it seems to overlap with the Azure Dragon, the eastern Wood element beast. There are two dragons in the Five Elements system; I wonder if there's any explanation for this.
"The two elements of the mountain correspond to the Yellow Dragon."
The old fist god seemed to see my doubts and gave me the answer directly: "No matter what, I would never name my adopted daughter directly according to the totem of the mountain and the two elements, as that might bring her danger for no reason."
"I see." I nodded.
It's not that I haven't considered this direction, but I felt that someone as reckless as Old Fist God might not have considered everything so thoroughly. After all, I was already a little surprised that he only knew that the Yellow Dragon and the Qilin both possessed the attributes of earth-elemental beasts from the center.
However, it might not be so strange. As the saying goes, "medicine and martial arts are inseparable." Since the old master of martial arts is proficient in martial arts, he must also be proficient in medicine. Ancient medicine is inseparable from the theory of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements. In even more ancient times, medicine and witchcraft were also an inseparable combination.
"As for your suggestion to use the power of the Azure Dragon Wood element to counteract and suppress the Mountain Yin-Yang, I advise you not to be so optimistic. Throughout history, there have been many Yin-Yang successors who have come up with the same idea, and they all ended up becoming the Mountain Yin-Yang's meal. To defeat the Mountain Yin-Yang, you shouldn't think about those fancy tricks, but rather rely on overwhelming power," said the Old Fist God.
“Thank you for your guidance,” I said. “Also, I have another question. You should know very well that Yama Ryougi will be reincarnated after you killed him, and it is very likely that he has already completed his reincarnation in this era… But judging from your attitude, it seems that you have no intention of finding and defeating anyone who resembles Yama Ryougi?”
"I'm not interested in my defeated opponents, especially those who haven't regained their full strength," the old boxing god said casually. "Of course, if he comes to challenge me after regaining all his strength and becoming stronger, then I'd be very happy to welcome him."
“As far as I know, the Lord of Peach Blossom Village may be the reincarnation of the Mountain Two Elements, and he has a plan to create the ultimate being and become its mind... Aren’t you interested in this matter either?” I asked.
"I've heard a bit about what that guy called the Lord of Peach Blossom Village is planning. To be honest, I'm very curious about just how ultimate that ultimate individual will be after it's born, so I won't interfere with his plans," said the Old Fist God. "The same goes for the end of the world... Although I don't want to see the world really destroyed, for me right now, maybe only a crisis of world destruction is worth throwing a punch at full power."
The most powerful and unpredictable being in Luoshan subtly revealed his anticipation of the end of the world.
Once again, I felt a resonance with him. At the same time, the words of the fortune teller inexplicably echoed in my mind.
The fortune teller once said that the shadow of the willow tree resembles me and is very likely of the same kind as me.
In other words, does Willow Shadow also anticipate the end of the world, just like me and Old Fist God?
If that's true, it's truly ironic. Of the eight supreme beings in Luoshan, who are supposed to maintain order in this strange world, three might actually want to see the end of the world.
Old Fist God turned to look at Qilin's tombstone and sighed, "Although I named Qilin this out of personal selfishness, she once said that she also wanted to surpass the Two Elements of Mountain one day, but she died in a battle with me before she could fulfill this wish."
"Since it was a peaceful death, there is no need to regret it. She must have died happily. On the contrary, I, the one left behind, am sometimes reminded of the past. I have no regrets, but I am inevitably saddened."
Seeing the old boxing god so dejected, Yu Chi's face darkened with anger once more. The old boxing god didn't give Yu Chi a chance to speak, shook his head, and turned to leave.
Yu Chi watched his retreating figure, muttering bitterly, "That cold-blooded, ruthless monster..."
Was Old Fist God really a cold-blooded and ruthless monster? I wondered to myself.
In their brief two encounters, one could sense that the old master possessed a profound humanity and deep emotions. He didn't seem to consider Qilin an insignificant disciple, hence his nonchalant statement that he "accidentally killed him." Rather, he genuinely felt that Qilin's death in the duel wasn't a bad thing, and believed that his disciple shared the same values. Therefore, although he felt nostalgic afterward, he didn't experience sadness or regret.
However, in terms of the outcome, he did indeed beat Qilin, his adopted daughter and disciple, to death with his own hands, and showed no remorse afterward. The standard by which worldly morality judges evil is based on actions, not intentions. From this perspective, it is reasonable to call the Old Fist God a cold-blooded and ruthless monster.
No one can know what he's really thinking. Maybe I've misjudged the Old Fist God, and Yuchi is right—the Old Fist God is indeed a cold-blooded and ruthless monster.
Just like last time, the legendary old boxing god, who was rumored to be wary and violent, did not show any threatening side in front of me this time. He seemed to be just a strong and healthy old man who was not afraid to share his knowledge.
I don't think it's because he's genuinely that kind and approachable; it's more likely that in his eyes, I'm not worth fighting right now.
Yuchi and I walked out of the Great Impermanence Tomb. On the outskirts, we could see many ordinary demon hunters still carrying out the divine burial ceremony, as well as believers of Shenzhao kneeling and worshipping in the direction of the Shenzhao Tombstone. Numerous small fireballs, resembling Kongming lanterns, floated in the air, providing illumination for the late night, their flames enhancing the rich atmosphere of traditional rituals.
After saying goodbye to me, Yuchi turned and left, probably because he had a lot of troublesome things to do.
There are still many unanswered questions surrounding Shenzhao's death. While Xuanming is undoubtedly powerful, he is not powerful enough to instantly kill another Great Impermanence simply by teleporting his power. It would be understandable if he had targeted me, who had just become a Great Impermanence, but targeting the veteran Great Impermanence Shenzhao, especially given that she had previously set up an array utilizing the power of the Divine Seal fragments, is simply unbelievable.
Furthermore, since Xuanming killed Shenzhao, why didn't he personally take the fragments of the divine seal from the magic array, instead letting "unknown individuals" take them? Yuchi and I both know that the Lord of the Divine Seals first abducted the fragments, and then Xuanming abducted them in the Void Realm, but the Great Impermanence lacked any prior information on this. These mysteries will undoubtedly stimulate the Great Impermanence's desire to investigate further, and this is likely what Xuanming wants to see.
Since Mingzhuo suspects that Yuchi is the "culprit" who took the divine seal fragment, Fazheng will naturally suspect him as well. Yuchi's situation will definitely be very difficult going forward. On a larger scale, it might even be linked to Xuanming's killing of Shenzhao, and Yuchi might be interpreted as Xuanming's accomplice.
If suspicions are being raised in this direction, the Xuanming believers should also be on the list of suspects, perhaps even more so than Yuchi. However, since Mingzhuo only began to show hostility towards Yuchi a month later, it means that the Xuanming believers group has also been investigated by him through some means. Even if there are still parts that have not been investigated, it will not prevent us from dealing with them together with Yuchi.
How Yuchi clears his name is his own business; my only responsibility is to protect his personal safety. I also made sure he accepted my "firefly" (a type of firework) just in case.
Next, I also have things to investigate myself.
(End of this chapter)
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