Monster Chronicles: My Daoist Skill Comes from Mythology Chapter 730 630: Returning to Childhood, The Azure Earth.

Embarking on a journey with a defined destination was a novel experience for him, entirely unlike his previous travels.

Before, when mysteries remained unsolved, each narrative was an enigma, leaving him uncertain of his arrival point.

However, armed with the River Map and Luo Shu, he now possessed the means to directly access the lost era of the West Queen Mother Country.

A sense of keen anticipation filled Song Lin—what events had transpired there?

Having existed through primordial and ancient times, the Queen Mother must surely hold knowledge of numerous ancient secrets.

Perhaps, in turn, the secrets of the Monster Chronicles would be unveiled.

Song Lin retrieved the Luoshu Print.

The River Map robe he wore began to emit a soft luminescence, conjuring a miniature, cosmically scaled starry sky before him.

Upon its placement within this celestial projection, the Luoshu Print vanished instantly, transforming into shimmering golden threads that flowed into the galaxy, resembling rivers of pure gold.

These golden rivers symbolized the world's timeline.

Fixating his gaze upon any particular point along these rivers triggered a transformation within the Star Domain. At specific temporal junctures, possibly due to the print's inherent limitations, only the evolution of celestial bodies was discernible; the world of mortal beings remained a hazy, indistinct spectacle, offering only faint glimpses of dynastic shifts and the cycles of life.

Yet, one specific moment in time shone with exceptional brilliance, like a precious gem set within the golden river.

"That must be the destination," he murmured.

Song Lin extracted a drop of his vital blood and invoked the Monster Chronicles.

The crimson tome radiated a deep, enigmatic radiance.

Despite prolonged observation, he still could not discern its true nature as a mirror.

Nonetheless, considering its origin as a Magic Treasure crafted by Yuanshi Tianzun, it was understandable that its true form would be inscrutable to most.

The drop of essence blood landed upon the Record of Strange Treasures.

Whoosh!

Instantly, the world seemed to spin violently.

Song Lin felt as though the celestial map before him was expanding exponentially.

The cosmos, the galaxy, the solar system, and then… a familiar blue planet.

"Could this be…"

Whoosh!

Song Lin's eyes snapped open, but the sound that escaped his lips was a startled cry.

"Where am I right now?"

Bewildered, Song Lin took in his surroundings.

Everything appeared colossal—no, it was he who had suddenly shrunk.

Had he reverted to infancy?

Smooth, flat cement pathways, vehicles whizzing past, the jarring cacophony of horns.

All indicators pointed to this being the contemporary world.

The modern era—was this the past?

The moment this thought surfaced, Song Lin experienced a sudden clarity.

His understanding had certain limitations. Earth's technological civilization, spanning a mere millennium at most, paled in comparison to that of cultivator civilization, which possessed a profounder grasp of the world, comparable to an ancient stage.

What was termed "technology" was essentially a form of Puppetry Technique, a method of harnessing natural forces.

In the advanced territories under Donghua's jurisdiction, the technological marvels were even more futuristic than those found on Earth.

Visual displays, music, photography, long-distance communication, interstellar exploration—all were commonplace. They could even commune directly with the deceased through the City God or the underworld.

From this perspective, Earth's civilization was not particularly cutting-edge.

As Song Lin prepared to summon the Monster Chronicles, he suddenly realized it was no longer in his possession.

What had occurred?

Where was the interface for the Monster Chronicles?

At that precise moment, he felt himself being gently enveloped by something.

Song Lin opened his eyes to behold a middle-aged woman, appearing to be in her late forties or early fifties, despite her hair being entirely white.

"Grandma Zhang."

Her presence instantly evoked deeply buried memories within Song Lin, memories dormant for millennia.

They were memories imbued with warmth and tenderness.

As a young child, Song Lin had been abandoned, only to be discovered and taken in by a woman named Zhang Nan. He experienced a blissful childhood under her care.

That idyllic period continued until his high school graduation, when Grandma Zhang Nan tragically succumbed to cancer. From that point onward, Song Lin faced the world alone, juggling part-time jobs while pursuing his university education.

The resilience that sustained him throughout that challenging time was rooted in the cherished experiences of his early childhood.

"Am I experiencing a second life?"

Song Lin mused.

This location was the coordinate the Queen Mother had designated for him.

Did this imply the Queen Mother herself resided here?

And why had the Monster Chronicles vanished?

Song Lin found himself unable to unravel these perplexing questions.

Much like in his past existence, Zhang Nan had waited for hours, but the child's parents never reappeared. She eventually contacted the authorities, who, despite their efforts, found no trace of Song Lin's parents.

Upon witnessing the infant's endearing appearance, Zhang Nan could not bring herself to send him to an orphanage and made the heartfelt decision to adopt him herself.

Following a series of official procedures within the Zhuxia Federation, Song Lin was formally adopted and registered under Zhang Nan's surname. The name "Song Lin" originated from the two characters embroidered on the baby's clothing.

Unbeknownst to anyone, five years elapsed in the blink of an eye.

"Lin'er, your meal is ready!"

A voice called out from a third-story room in a dense urban village area.

"Coming, Grandma… General!"

Song Lin, presently engaged in a game of chess with Grandpa Zhang, responded with a hint of resignation before swiftly concluding the match with a few expert maneuvers.

"That can't be right… this is astonishing…"

"Grandpa Zhang, I am heading home for dinner now."

The diminutive Song Lin dismounted from his stool, leaving the old man looking utterly perplexed.

Upon arriving home, Grandma Zhang gently stroked Song Lin's head with affection.

"You little scamp, why don't you mingle with the other children? Are they causing you trouble? I'll speak to their parents immediately!"

"They are far too immature for my liking. I find no interest in their games."

"Such a little adult, eat first."

Song Lin consumed two generous bowls of rice before proceeding to the television.

"Oh, hold on, you haven't finished your meat yet."

"Please eat it, Grandma. I am quite full from my breakfast with Grandpa Zhang earlier."

Song Lin was deliberately orchestrating this situation.

Grandma Zhang operated a modest tailoring shop. As societal trends shifted, garment mending gradually fell out of favor, and she barely managed to sustain their livelihood through the limited patronage of her neighbors.

The onset of her cancer later on was possibly a consequence of her dedicating all her vital essence to him.

Song Lin frequently engaged in chess matches with Grandpa Zhang, winning small sums which he then used to procure food. Without these earnings, his proper growth would have been impossible.

During the night, Song Lin sat upright in his bed.

"It is time to commence my cultivation."

Song Lin mused internally.

One ought not to begin cultivation prematurely; the age of five marked the stage where the body's meridians were starting to form, capable of sustaining rudimentary cultivation practices.

He initiated by attuning himself to his physical form, commencing the refinement of his True Qi.

The eventual strengthening of his True Qi would pave the way for his entry into the Fetal Breathing Realm.

With his current mortal vessel, it would likely necessitate over a decade of dedicated cultivation to attain the Fetal Breathing Realm, followed by progression through Qi Cultivation and subsequently Divine Establishment.

Although the Monster Chronicles had vanished, and all had dissipated, rendering him incapable of summoning any Magic Treasures—

Song Lin was resolute in his determination to regain his former pinnacle of power solely through his own unwavering efforts!

In these nascent stages, he resolved to simultaneously pursue the Martial Artist's path, focusing on fortifying his essence and Qi, as this would expedite the process of refining his internal energy.

In the future, when Grandma Zhang succumbed to cancer, he would possess the capability to utilize True Qi to eradicate the illness from its very source.

"I must devise a method to acquire funds—something appropriate for a child of my age, yet concealed from undue scrutiny."

Composing music or penning literary works would not suffice; such feats would appear far too extraordinary.

Even a fifteen-year-old prodigy in those domains would invite suspicion, let alone a mere five-year-old child.

Could he generate income by playing chess with Grandpa Zhang? No, that avenue was also unviable. The meager pension Grandpa Zhang received barely covered his essential needs, let alone providing surplus funds.

"Eureka! I have found a solution!"

The subsequent day—

Song Lin ventured to the local park and, progressively, began to exhibit an astounding aptitude for chess, with a particular emphasis on the game of Go.

After three months of self-instruction, culminating in his defeat of an amateur player holding a fifth-dan rank, he finally attracted the notice of a Go school coach actively seeking to recruit a prodigious talent.

"Grandma, I wish to learn the game of Go!"

At the tender age of six—

He attained the championship title in the National Amateur Go Cup.

Throughout this period, he secured victory in innumerable tournaments, amassing prize money exceeding one million.

At seven years of age, he successfully navigated the professional qualification matches, securing the top rank among rookies.

Between the ages of seven and fifteen—

He dominated both domestic and international competitions, clinching twenty world championship titles.

He established an unbroken winning streak when playing with the white stones, introduced groundbreaking tactical innovations, and shattered established norms.

Song Lin made no effort to conceal his prodigious capabilities.

The specialized nature of Go offered a fertile ground for prodigies to emerge, and consequently, no one felt inclined to scrutinize him excessively for his exceptional mastery of the game.

The accumulated prize money and lucrative endorsement deals generated tens of millions, fully covering the expenses associated with his cultivation endeavors.

His cultivation advanced with unwavering consistency.