Destiny

Karma, destiny, those were illusory and intangible concepts, but they truly did exist. **Destiny** was a part of one’s talent and also a part of the Heavenly Dao.

Otherwise, no matter how talented one was or how great one’s perception was, they would not be fated to reach the peak of martial arts. One could even say that having talent and perception was because of destiny.

## Overview

Destiny was a concept that couldn’t be explained clearly. An ordinary shop would find a treasure for their store in order to stabilize their destiny and bring about more business and prosperity. Similarly, an ancient family needed a peerless powerhouse to present themselves in order to enhance their own destiny.

Often, after an unrivalled genius was successfully raised, other top geniuses would begin popping up like endless mushrooms one after another. This was not solely an issue of something so fickle like destiny, but because of the truth that the appearance of an unrivalled powerhouse would be accompanied with a great number of lucky chances.

Destiny was also a part of one’s talent. For a martial artist to be born in a great sect of the Realm of the Gods, or perhaps even a Holy Land, that too was a part of their destiny.

### **Destiny and Luck**

To Lin Ming’s understanding, the so-called ‘destiny’ was merely a martial artist’s struggle for lucky chances. Ultimately, it was the pursuit and test of a martial artist’s determination to reach the peak of martial arts, as well as a trial of their strength, courage, and wisdom.

There were countless talents in the world, but actually very few that were able to traverse up the winding path to the peak of martial arts. It could be said that there was not a single genius who made it there that didn’t come across a massive lucky chance.

Thus, fighting for one’s own greatest benefits was naturally what a talented martial artist should do.

### **Opportunity**

If one entered a treasure mountain and returned empty-handed, that was not because one’s luck was bad but because one’s destiny was lacking.

Luck was only a part of destiny. Talent, will, perception, mentality, soul – all of those were equally important parts of destiny.

Luck only provided opportunities. Whether one could grasp those opportunities depended on themselves.

A peak genius was said to have a destiny like a ray of light and the life of an emperor. But, the truth was that sometimes, this was not because they were lucky, but because they could take all catastrophes that fell upon their head and turn them into lucky chances!

Destiny was not equal to luck.

The so-called luck meant that if one were lucky, they could casually walk outside and find a treasure. Someone lucky would often find the cave dwellings and inheritances of ancient supreme elders.

But, to have a great destiny was completely different. That was the ability to turn the tables. If one went into a mystic realm where there were nine chances of death and one chance of survival, someone with a great destiny would have the ability to return. Even in a brutal life or death competition with countless powerhouses embroiled within it, someone with a great destiny would be able to grasp that fleeting chance of hope and gain victory!

### **Destiny in contrast to fate**

This world was simply too vast. There were as many talents as there were grains of sand in an infinite desert. In the lower worlds, to become a Divine Sea martial artist at 50 was an extraordinary feat, and even a 40 year old Divine Sea master was a legend.

However, this was only in the lower world. In the countless other worlds, they all had their own extraordinary youths. And in the Realm of the Gods, there were even more than that.

There were countless heroic young elites, but in the Realm of the Gods, within the 3000 great worlds and more, there were only some 3000 World Kings and tens of thousands of Holy Lords. These World Kings and Holy Lords were accumulated over a period of tens of thousands of years, hundreds of thousands of years, or even millions of years. Let alone a 40 year old Divine Sea master, even a 30 year old Divine Sea talent of the lower worlds would have a near zero chance of becoming a World King. As long as this master did not accumulate enough 'destiny'.

There were many talents that started out extremely dazzling, like rising stars. But later, they perished, or perhaps they were lost in the masses of people.

Moreover, a rare genius often couldn’t even become a great enough powerhouse, possibly even dying before reaching their true potential. This was because there were simply too many talents in the universe. New extraordinary young elites appeared every few years, and there was even more geniuses concentrated in the major worlds like the Divine Realm. Even if they were dazzling and glorious in their respective smelting trials and training arrays, that was still useless. After all, it was unknown just what the future would hold. Just because their current destiny was astonishing didn’t mean that their future destiny would be just as spectacular. It was possible that the talents of today could exhaust all of their future potentials.

The world was endless. It was a common phenomenon for talents to all have their own destinies. Otherwise, among the countless beings that existed, how could anyone reach the front of the pack?

Only when one reached the limit, only then would they be able to reach the heavens!

## Martial Artists

Many martial artists possessed an incredible strength that could shake the heavens and earth, but they also held onto a firm faith of destiny, karma, and samsara. Many of these martial artists wouldn’t want to do something that could harm their own destiny. Even Lin Ming was no exception.

### **Peerless Martial Artist**

There were countless talents in the world, but actually very few that were able to traverse up the winding path to the peak of martial arts. It could be said that there was not a single genius who made it there that didn’t come across a massive lucky chance.

However, people only thought about how great these lucky chances were. No one thought about just what sort of price had been paid in order to obtain them. In this world, there was no opportunity that would fall into one’s hand without a cost. A lucky chance was only for the prepared. If one didn’t have the courage, then even if a thousand opportunities were presented in front of them, it would still be useless!

As for destiny, the truth was that it was just an illusory conception. To Lin Ming’s understanding in the past, the so-called ‘destiny’ was merely a martial artist’s struggle for lucky chances. Ultimately, it was the pursuit and test of a martial artist’s determination to reach the peak of martial arts, as well as a trial of their strength, courage, and wisdom.

Thus, fighting for one’s own greatest benefits was naturally what a talented martial artist should do.

### **The Highest Stage of the World**

When a genius climbed up to the height of monstrous geniuses, they had to withstand layers upon layers of trials and tribulations, endless suffering and torment. But when true peerless master challenge the Heavenly Dao, they were actually gaining great benefits again and again. This would cause everyone to feel a deep sense of envy.

A true genius was always growing. The so-called specter of destiny was that when all conditions were the same, those things that others couldn’t use could actually be used by the destiny-blessed. Those things that couldn’t be obtained by others could actually be obtained. When others died in the dangers of mystic realms, a true genius gifted by destiny would be able to overcome all obstacles, using their methods to turn danger into glory. They would be able to escape to the heavens and even capture treasures in return.

This was destiny. It was a fundamentally different concept from luck.

Their destiny came from their own self-confidence, strength, talent, and ability to remain calm even under the threat of death, never falling into despair and never giving up!

And Lin Ming was one of these people.

## **Lin Ming**

### **The Epitome of Destiny and Strength**

From the time he was at the Pulse Condensation realm when he went to the Divine Phoenix Realm, or the times afterwards when he went to the Demon God Imperial Palace, Eternal Demon Abyss, Road of Emperor, and other such places, he didn’t discover these places because of his good luck. Rather, these places were known by many people. Numerous individuals entered and yet only Lin Ming was able to obtain the greatest benefit from within.

This was a manifestation of his destiny!

The nine levels of Heavenly Tribulation that he had experienced during his Ninefall were also the same. These nine levels of heavenly tribulation had been horrifying to an unbelievable degree; even Lin Ming had nearly died!

If Lin Ming wasn’t strong and his foundation deep, with a combat strength that far surpassed other martial artists’ at his level, as well as his dual body and energy cultivation and his extremely tough body, then he would have already been turned to ash by the second stage of heavenly tribulation that had come.

The reason that Lin Ming had been able to survive was completely because he never gave up, because his will had supported him throughout. If there was ever a moment when his heart had wavered then he would have been annihilated in a puff of smoke! But finally, in a despairing situation, Lin Ming had still searched for that final thread of hope. At the precipice of death, he thought to use the supreme dragon bone relics to resist the power of heavenly tribulation. He had risked everything on that final bet, never giving up, and finally he was able to create a miracle.

With all of these various factors combined together, it was simply impossible to recreate such an event.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chapter 1264 – Absorbing the Law Runes
2. ↑ Chapter 1131 – Perfectly Crossing Tribulation