Chapter 00194: Great Cosmic Technique
# Great Cosmic Technique
Chapter 194
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 194: Great Cosmic Technique
This was the third month that Ding Huan had stayed at Sword Hiding Mountain.
During the first two months, he barely ate or drank, relying solely on the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth, yet he did not seem to weaken much.
Each time he used the cosmic vortex of Sword Hiding Mountain to connect with the vast universe and derived new pathways for his circulation, the spiritual energy around him, from the Zhan Shen Crystal Stones and the Zhan Shen Crystal Veins beneath him, would be quickly drained away.
Whenever a meridian within him fused with the vast starry sky he was constructing to form a complete cycle, he would continue searching for the next way to traverse that meridian.
Ding Huan did not know how others created their techniques.
In his understanding, as a Dao body during the cultivation process, there were neither useless meridians nor useless acupoints.
Any meridian he discovered could form a complete cycle, and all cycles must repeatedly encompass the acupoints throughout his body.
The seventh cycle of meridians...
The eighth cycle of meridians...
After three months, Ding Huan had constructed the operation of the ninety-ninth cycle of meridians.
Once these meridians operated in cycles, each time they could integrate perfectly with the vast starry sky he had built, flowing harmoniously within this grand universe of his.
As the fourth month passed, Ding Huan still only had the operation of ninety-nine cycles of meridians.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not find the pathway for the one hundredth cycle.
Ding Huan possessed a wealth of cultivation knowledge and a solid cultivation system.
He was very clear that the meridians available for connection during cultivation would not be limited to just one hundred.
According to the celestial and earthly numbers, there should be one hundred and eight meridians.
As the fifth month was about to end and he still could not find the one hundredth cycle, Ding Huan stopped beating around the bush.
It was as if he had been unable to establish his foundation; sometimes he might be right, but what was right now did not guarantee that it would remain right in the future.
A technique based on one hundred meridian cycles was undoubtedly countless times stronger than the traditional paths.
Feeling the technique that he had derived but had yet to cultivate, sensing each clear pathway of the cycles, Ding Huan felt as though his body had transformed into the prototype of the universe; the meridians were like the beginnings of galaxies, reconstructing a vast starry sky, a particle of stardust barely perceptible being born under this grand sky...
Each cycle of cultivation felt like the movement of cosmic galaxies, seamlessly connecting with the rules of the outside world, bringing infinite vitality back to himself.
Ding Huan let out an excited roar; at that moment, he was the universe.
He opened his eyes, and his current cultivation level was barely that of a seventh-level genetic cultivator.
Yet he could not contain his excitement; it was only at this moment that he had found his direction.
He regarded himself as the universe, his body as the grandeur of the cosmos, his meridians as galaxies, and a grain of stardust as the source of his Dao, creating his own great path.
Though he was still far from fully forming his great path, perhaps it was even impossible to do so forever.
Although he had only found the operations of ninety-nine meridian cycles, taking this first step meant he now had infinite possibilities.
No matter if his path could be fully realized in the future, or whether he could ever walk a unique path of cultivation with a single stardust as a model, he would not regret it.
Looking at the Zhan Shen Crystal Veins beneath him, he noticed that his efforts in creating the technique had cut the size in half.
The surrounding hundred thousand Zhan Shen Crystal Stones had also shrunk by a third.
Ding Huan felt relieved; he had brought enough Zhan Shen Crystal Stones.
Otherwise, he certainly would not have been able to create a technique of his own.
Having created a technique of his own, Ding Huan did not immediately begin his cultivation.
Instead, he reflected on his mental journey and past experiences over the years.
From Earth to the Four-Directional Star Land, then searching for answers within the starry sky, then arriving at West Wind City to retreat in a small courtyard for meditation, and finally finding enlightenment at Sword Hiding Mountain...
A day later, Ding Huan regained his usual calm.
It was time to start his cultivation.
As he gazed at the cosmic vortex before him, he took a deep breath and began the first cycle of his unique technique.
Before he finished the first cycle, Ding Huan was shocked by the terrifying speed at which he absorbed the heavenly and earthly vitality.
Endless spiritual energy was drawn in by him like a giant whale gulping water, and his cultivation level plummeted even faster.
Previously, when he created the technique, his level had dropped from a ninth-level genetic cultivator to a seventh-level.
Now, as he began cultivating, his level fell even more wildly.
Sixth-level genetic cultivator, fifth-level...
A month later, Ding Huan had to eat something.
He felt that his true essence did not seem to diminish; in fact, it grew more refined, yet his level as a ninth-level genetic cultivator had completely vanished.
At that moment, he was merely a mortal with the strength of a ninth-level genetic cultivator.
As he began practicing his new technique again, Ding Huan felt anxious.
He had not cultivated yet; surely he wouldn't drop again?
Just a single day later, Ding Huan was delighted to find himself entering the first-level of the genetic tier again...
No, it should not be referred to as a genetic cultivator anymore; he had refined the first particle of his stardust.
As he continued his cultivation, the amount of stardust he refined grew steadily.
Ding Huan was thoroughly immersed in this exhilarating cultivation experience.
He was very clear in his mind: the more stardust he had, the closer he was to establishing his foundation.
Within just a month, Ding Huan felt large amounts of stardust gathering in his dantian.
This stardust was the foundation of his cosmic path.
The next step was coalescing the star cloud, which common people referred to as establishing a foundation.
Without any hesitation, Ding Huan directly took out the Seven-Teeth Shaping Grass from his Star Residence.
According to normal cultivation principles, the Seven-Teeth Shaping Grass was merely one of the main ingredients for foundation-forming pills, needing to be combined with other spiritual herbs to forge a foundation-forming pill that provided visible effects.
Ding Huan did not choose to do it this way.
His Dao was entirely different from the conventional ones.
From the moment he merged his genetic roots, his path was destined not to be a traditional one.
To follow in the footsteps of those divine beings, he could not take the ordinary route, as that road had long been tread by others.
He could not build a foundation that would always limit his height.
He needed one that could constantly enhance his foundational technique.
As he cultivated, he absorbed spiritual energy, which improved his strength but could not strengthen his foundational Dao.
Thus, while creating his Dao-based technique, Ding Huan spent nearly a month or two merging the theories of genetics into the cosmic cycles.
The goal was to find a way to absorb the necessary genetic essence through the cycles to strengthen his foundational Dao.
Now he was deep within the Sword Hiding Mountain, surrounded only by toxic fog.
The toxins also had unique genes; while enhancing his strength through cultivation, the toxic fog’s genes could still strengthen his foundational Dao.
So when he took out the Seven-Teeth Shaping Grass, he did not need to refine it into a foundation-forming pill or consume it.
Just placing it beside him enabled him to absorb beneficial genes, making it a part of his Dao foundation as he operated his technique.
This sort of counter-intuitive method, even if someone thought of it, they could not accomplish it.
They simply did not have that deep well of knowledge, as it required not only an understanding of cultivating the great path but also comprehension of the genes of vast cosmic life.
If one possessed these elements, to create such a technique, one must also have a resolute heart like Ding Huan, one that sought the traces of divine beings, along with a profound understanding of the essence of life from reincarnation.
The genes of the Seven-Teeth Shaping Grass were quickly absorbed, and the stardust within Ding Huan began to condense.
Days passed, and the Zhan Shen Crystal Stones around him dwindled, and the Zhan Shen Crystal Veins beneath him grew smaller.
Yet, the aura emanating from Ding Huan grew stronger and fiercer.
Boom! As a sound of condensation echoed within Ding Huan's dantian, a piece of cloud-like stardust floated within it.
Ding Huan’s spirit swept outwards, and in an instant, the area around Sword Hiding Mountain within a hundred miles appeared in his mind.
Ding Huan did not know how strong a true dan practitioner’s mental energy was, but he vaguely felt that even if a true dan practitioner were to appear, they would not be stronger than him.
No, they would definitely be weaker.
If he wished, his mental presence could even reach further within Sword Hiding Mountain; once he left, his range would increase several times over.
Now that he had forged the foundation of the star cloud, he finally had some capital.
Indeed, with paths as numerous as the stars in the sky, as long as they suited oneself, everyone could choose a route that suited them best.
The path he chose was entirely different from that of ordinary cultivators, yet it suited Ding Huan perfectly.
Ding Huan stood up in satisfaction.
There were only a little over ten thousand Zhan Shen Crystal Stones left, and the Zhan Shen Crystal Veins were just over a foot.
These parts were what he consumed while pushing his technique and advancing in forming the star cloud.
Around the stones, there were traces of toxic liquid.
This was the result of absorbing the Sword Hiding Mountain's toxic fog during his cultivation, where he had directly separated the vitality and poisonous liquid from the fog.
In the future, even if he lived in Sword Hiding Mountain for years, he would not fear the toxic fog.
Ding Huan felt a sense of emotion wash over him.
The plan to establish his foundation in West Wind City was more perfectly accomplished than he had imagined.
Gazing at the cosmic vortex before him, a sense of gratitude rose in his heart.
He was fortunate to have found this place; if he had been lost in the vast starry sky, he might not have been able to create such a fitting technique for himself.
Perhaps this was the saying: "One cannot recognize the true face of Mount Lu, simply because one is in the depths of it."
To comprehend the truths of the universe might mean standing by one side, observing the grand workings, rather than becoming entrenched within it.
Before going back, he needed to give his technique a name.
When he created it, he viewed himself as the universe, absorbing all vitality and genes within the vastness to continually perfect his cosmos.
It had to have an impressive name...
His Grand Calculus was indeed impressive.
Suddenly, inspiration struck Ding Huan, and his mood lifted:
"From today on, the technique I, Ding Huan, created shall be called Great Cosmic Technique."
Boom!
Almost simultaneously as Ding Huan spoke the words "Great Cosmic Technique," a thunderclap erupted above his head.
Ding Huan felt his scalp tingle, as if he were locked onto by this bolt of thunder.
For the first time, Ding Huan wildly drew on all his true essence to break free, and he was relieved to find he had escaped this massive stone.
Crack! A bolt of lightning crashed down upon the giant stone where Ding Huan had been standing.
The stone shattered.
Ding Huan stared, dumbfounded, at the sight beneath the broken stone.
(End of Chapter)