《Beast Tamer Ascension》


 Chapter 1: There is no absolute path for the people under heaven

    Chapter 1: There is no absolute path for the people under heaven


    Tick-tock...


    Tick-tock...


    Lin Jing gradually regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and was met by a damp, cold air.@@novelbin@@


    Where is this?


    The air was thick with an indescribable musty smell, mixed with the scent of damp earth. The surrounding walls were covered in moss and dark mold, and the sound of dripping water echoed from somewhere, making the ce feel even more cold and eerie.


    A prison cell?


    After observing the dim environment, Lin Jing reached a judgment that felt absurd in his heart.


    He had just passed the immortal examination, preparing to follow the immortals to cultivate and pursue eternal life. How could he end up in a ce like this?"Awake?"


    A sharp pain surged in his head, and before he could make further assessments, a weak voice came from nearby. Lin Jing then realized he seemed to have a neighbor.


    He wanted to struggle, but found he couldn''t move; his body was incredibly stiff.


    "Don''t waste your energy," the voice said again. "We¡¯ve both been bound by a binding spell."


    "Who are you?" Lin Jing asked.


    "Like you, I''ve been abducted by an immortal trafficker," the person replied.


    "¡­"


    Immortal trafficker?


    What is that?


    Hearing this, Lin Jing quickly recalled.


    He was a traveler from a blue.


    After arriving here, he discovered that immortals indeed existed.


    Now that he was here, Lin Jing quickly found new motivation.


    He wanted to cultivate!


    His memory shed back to when he desperately sought an immortal, eventually passing the entrance examination of a cultivation sect called "Qing Niu Dao Guan" due to his astonishing talent and extraordinary physique.


    Then everything went dark, and he couldn¡¯t remember anything after that. He ended up locked up in this ce.


    "Immortal trafficker?" Lin Jing had no words.


    Don''t tell him that the cultivation sect he worked so hard to find turned out to be a human trafficking den...


    Damn it!


    The weak voice came again.


    "By the way¡­ brother, what is your physique?"


    "The fact that the Yin Corpse Sect has set their sights on you means you are definitely a genius in cultivation like me."


    "Me? A genius?" Lin Jing didn''t know whether to feel happy or distressed.


    Hearing what the other said, it was indeed the case; perhaps he truly possessed some talent for cultivation, otherwise, he might not even be worth being sold.


    But now, the only advantage he had after crossing over seemed to have be a death warrant.


    "Brother, don¡¯t panic. Just because we¡¯ve been abducted here doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re doomed."


    "I''m not panicking. What will happen to us next?" Lin Jing took a deep breath.


    He was an optimistic person.


    During his illness, with encouragement from family and friends, he developed a positive outlook on life.


    With a good attitude, luck wouldn¡¯t be bad.


    Look, he didn¡¯t die after all; he had crossed over, right?


    He had unwittingly gained a new life.


    "...The Yin Corpse Sect is one of the three major demonic sects in the cultivation world, specializing in the illegal trade of human trafficking."


    "They capture low-level cultivators or mortals with rare physiques and sell them to higher-level cultivators for possession or as resources for cultivating demonic techniques."


    "Normally, our oue is obvious; we either be the vessels for some cultivator to possess and restart their cultivation or be refined into great medicinal pills."


    "However, brother¡­" the person said, "we¡¯re not without a way out. The reason I¡¯m asking about your situation is that some special physiques might not meet a grim end."


    The weak voice continued, "For instance, I am a Yuan Yang physique, which is the best dual cultivation furnace. Even if I die, it would only be from expending all my essence, dying in pleasure. If I¡¯m lucky, and the buyer is a kind female cultivator, I might not die at all... This is the glimmer of hope I mentioned."


    Lin Jing fell silent.


    No wonder you¡¯re not panicking.


    How does it feel like you¡¯re a bit eager?


    "So, what about you, brother? Let me analyze your situation."


    "Me..."


    What is my cultivation physique?


    From what he understood, in this world, more than ny-nine percent of cultivators start out as ordinary bodies, but there are a few lucky ones who are born with various attribute spiritual bodies or special physiques, allowing them to go further on the path of cultivation.


    When he joined "Qing Niu Dao Guan," that Daoist Qing Niu seemed to say he had an extraordinary cultivation physique, a Longevity Body!


    A short-lived person matched with a Longevity Body; he himself found it surprising.


    The other person imed that after stepping onto the immortal path, his lifespan would be at least ten times that of other cultivators of the same realm!


    The benefits of his physique seemed simple, but it was better than an ordinary body. Lin Jing had already decided to survive for a few thousand years in the Daoist temple and then emerge after bing invincible.


    But who knew, he hadn¡¯t been happy for long when...


    So, is my Longevity Body really true?


    "If I am a Longevity Body, what will the oue be?" Lin Jing asked.


    "Mm? Longevity Body?!" The Yuan Yang physique was stunned, then eximed in surprise, his tone became strong and no longer weak.


    "You are actually a Longevity Body!"


    "Then you are finished."


    Lin Jing: ?


    "ording to legend, although cultivators with a Longevity Body have long lifespans, their flesh and blood are said to be ''immortal'' when consumed. I¡¯ve heard that the flesh and blood of a Longevity Body is a great supplement for demon creatures, and it has unimaginable allure for demonic beasts."


    "You might¡­ be sold to some demon king by the Yin Corpse Sect, bing a meal!" The Yuan Yang physiquemented and expressed regret.


    Lin Jing: ?


    Is it like Tang Seng''s meat?!


    "Well, that''s eptable." However, in the next moment, Lin Jing let out a sigh of relief.


    "I still have a glimmer of hope."


    "Why do you say that?" The Yuan Yang physique was taken aback.


    "Although I don¡¯t know much about Longevity Bodies, I specte that the higher the cultivation realm of a Longevity Body cultivator, the better the effect of consumption." Lin Jing also began to analyze.


    "In other words, after being sold, I might not be eaten immediately."


    "It''s possible that the demon king will forcibly increase my realm before consuming me."


    "Moreover, it would be too extravagant to eat me all at once. If I were the demon king, I would slowly improve my quality, taking blood and cutting flesh every day for cyclical consumption, maximizing value. I could suggest to the demon king that maybe we could coborate long-term."


    "That¡¯s better than being possessed immediately..."


    "Ah?" The Yuan Yang physique eximed, greatly shocked.


    He wanted to ask, "Are you a normal mortal? What have you been through!"


    But ultimately, he didn''t ask out loud...


    The two fell silent.


    Lin Jing looked up at the sky again in silence.


    ...


    After an unknown amount of time.


    With a loud bang, the prison cell shook.


    Lin Jing and the Yuan Yang physique, who had their eyes closed and were lost in thought, opened their eyes at the same time.


    Outside, there was a greatmotion, as if someone was engaged in battle.


    Hearing the noise, Lin Jing suddenly thought of some keywords and said, "Brother Lu, didn¡¯t you say before that the Yin Corpse Sect engages in illegal activities and is a demonic sect?"


    "This means there¡¯s a ''righteousw enforcement organization'' in the cultivation world, right?"


    "If that¡¯s the case, do we still have another path to survival, which is to be rescued by righteous people before being sold?"


    The Yuan Yang physique leaned out, surprised that this mortal was quick to react, and most importantly, his emotions were incredibly stable.


    However, he didn¡¯t have the surname Lu.


    "Is it?!" Lin Jing remained calm, knowing that there¡¯s no absolute path for the people under heaven.


    Thismotion¡­ it might be righteous immortalsing to rescue them!


    As soon as he finished speaking, the stone wall shattered, and therge prison cell was smashed to pieces. Amid the flying debris, a massive ck bear creature, towering two people high, appeared in front of Lin Jing.


    This ck bear monster had muscles bulging, and its red eyes were fixed on Lin Jing, drooling from its mouth filled with sharp teeth as it spoke in humannguage:


    "I caught a whiff of a delicious scent from far away..."


    "What luck! To find a ''Longevity Body'' in this little ce, and there are only a few weak foundation-building cultivators guarding it."


    "It seems I can have a great feast¡­"


    As the bear spoke, Lin Jing¡¯s smile faded. Wait, where did this monstere from?

 Chapter 2: The Black Bear Monster

    Chapter 2: The ck Bear Monster


    Hey... is it really necessary?!@@novelbin@@


    Looking at the monster that came in, Lin Jing was speechless.


    It wasn¡¯t the righteous immortal who hade to attack the Yin Corpse Sect stronghold, but rather... a monster attracted by his physique?


    A ck bear that was a foundational cultivator of the demonic sect...


    To be honest, if given the choice, he didn¡¯t really want to engage in a long-term partnership with a demon beast.


    Even if the other party was reasonable and consented, it would still hurt him.


    Just escaping from a wolf¡¯s den to fall into a bear¡¯s mouth, Lin Jing felt very tired.


    Sensing the foul smelling from the ck bear''s mouth, Lin Jing sorted out his thoughts and was about to introduce the proper way to eat him.During this time, thump, thump... Lin Jing''s heartbeat elerated, and his stiff body seemed to regain some movement, but even if he could move, he didn¡¯t think he could escape.


    "Great King, please hear me out..." Lin Jing spoke, needing to appeal to emotion and reason.


    But the next second, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts, leaving him in a somewhatplicated mood.


    "Elder ck Bear."


    The previously encountered Yuan Yang physique had somehow walked out of the copsed prison cell, brushing off the dust from his body, and respectfully sped his fists towards the ck bear monster. "He¡¯s just a mortal; please don¡¯t scare him. What if he dies?"


    "Ah?" The ck bear monster stretched out its palm to wipe its drool, its eyes turning to the Yuan Yang physique. "You¡¯ve done a great job this time."


    "I¡¯ve already dealt with the demonic sect cultivators in this Yin Corpse Sect stronghold..."


    "Next, we¡¯ll leave it to the Demon Extermination Division to handle. However, this guy..." The ck bear monster licked its lips, looking at Lin Jing.


    "I know." The Yuan Yang physiqueughed heartily.


    Saying this, he looked kindly at Lin Jing.


    At this moment, Lin Jing could only remain silent.


    This is...


    The Yuan Yang physique smiled at Lin Jing. "Brother, I know you have many questions in your heart, and I¡¯m here to answer them for you."


    "I am Ouyang Hao, an inner disciple of the Beast Master Sect. For the sake of the sect¡¯s mission, I deliberately disguised myself as prey to infiltrate the Yin Corpse Sect stronghold and provide intelligence for the sect."


    "It was originally a long-term mission to catch bigger fish, but I couldn¡¯t bear to see you fall into the jaws of a monster, so I contacted the sect early to set up a."


    "Now, this Yin Corpse Sect stronghold has been destroyed, so you don¡¯t have to worry about your safety anymore."


    Lin Jing looked up.


    He looked at the other person.


    Then he nced at the ck bear monster, which had somehow pulled out a Daoist robe and draped it over itself.


    On the back of the robe, there were threerge characters that appeared to read "Beast Master Sect."


    An undercover agent?


    "Of course, our meeting is fated. You must have entered the Yin Corpse Sect in search of immortality, so I wonder if you would be interested in returning with me to the Beast Master Sect and be a disciple of the Beast Master Sect, cultivating beasts and seeking immortality?" Ouyang Hao invited.


    "Beast Master Sect?" Lin Jing knew...


    His life was not meant to end here!


    "Yes, the Beast Master Sect!" Ouyang Hao seemed to see through Lin Jing¡¯s caution and said solemnly, "You can rest assured that the Beast Master Sect is a legitimate sect, recognized as a righteous path in the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom."


    Lin Jing nodded, but he still felt that the ck bear monster¡¯s drool didn¡¯t seem to be fake.


    Moreover, "Beast Master Sect" sounded like a ce that raised many demon beasts.


    Since his Longevity Body was a great supplement to demon beasts, then entering such a sect would surely bring trouble.


    Lin Jing expressed his skepticism.


    At this time, the Daoist robe-d ck bear monster turned its head and said, "Kid, do you still want to cultivate? If so, joining the Beast Master Sect is your best option."


    "Although the Longevity Body has a long lifespan, its cultivation speed is extraordinarily slow, and there are no divine abilities to enhance it, making itsbat power quite ordinary. ording to normal cultivation methods, even with abundant resources, it would take a long time to sessfully establish a foundation."


    "This physique gradually bes extinct; in addition to being hunted by the demon n, the difficulty of cultivation is also a factor."


    "Therefore, even if a Longevity Body is discovered, most sects can¡¯t afford to nurture it due to its overly harsh cultivation conditions!"


    "However, the Beast Master Sect is different. The methods practiced there involve cultivators forming contracts with spiritual beasts and demon beasts, primarily assisted by pet beasts inbat. While cultivating the pet beasts, the cultivation results of the pets will also partially reflect back on the cultivators."


    "So, for cultivators whose cultivation speed is too slow due to innate talent and physique, choosing the path of beast cultivation in the Beast Master Sect is the best option."


    "The Beast Path is more suitable for your Longevity Body than any other cultivation methods, such asw cultivators, sword cultivators, or body cultivators!"


    "What do you think?" Elder ck Bear stared at Lin Jing,ying out the pros and cons.


    "I see." Lin Jing understood.


    No wonder Brother Lu gave up his task to save him first.


    Hearing this, the Longevity Body cultivation physique indeed matched well with the cultivation methods of the Beast Master Sect.


    Relying on his long lifespan... he could cultivate one pet after another, quietly increasing his cultivation in the background; that didn¡¯t sound too bad.


    "Predecessors... I am willing to join the Beast Master Sect." Lin Jing immediately said. For now, he didn¡¯t care if the Beast Master Sect was reliable; he had no other options.


    He certainly couldn''t continue being an ordinary person.


    After experiencing being sold to the Yin Corpse Sect, Lin Jing didn¡¯t want to wander around outside anymore.


    The hearts of people are treacherous.


    The hearts of beasts are treacherous.


    Having a Longevity Body was like being a walking Tang Seng meat; it was too dangerous.


    Moreover... his current life was saved by them.


    A drop of water of kindness should be rewarded with a fountain of grace; how could he forget a life-saving grace?


    He wanted to enter the sect... to seek an opportunity for repayment!


    "Good, good, good." Upon receiving Lin Jing¡¯s answer, Ouyang Hao smiled again. "Then from now on, you can call me Brother Ouyang. Let¡¯s return to the sect!"


    Finding a special physique for the sect was worth far more than the rewards of this mission.


    Ouyang Hao looked at Lin Jing as if he were a brilliant spirit stone, incredibly pleasing to the eye.


    "Okay, Brother Ouyang... Oh! By the way!" Lin Jing suddenly remembered something and said, "What about the Daoist temple that tricked me here?"


    Recalling that old Daoist riding a cow, Lin Jing felt particrly resentful.


    The grudge of being trafficked was one that couldn''t be shared; if it weren''t for meeting the undercover agent, he would have almost met his end! He remembered this grudge, as well as the Yin Corpse Sect... he wouldn''t forget!


    Gratitude should be remembered, and so should grudges. Once he became a powerful cultivator, he would ensure that this trafficking organization was wiped out.


    "You don¡¯t need to worry about that. The Demon Extermination Division will take care of it." The ck bear monster spoke while observing the surroundings. "This ce isn¡¯t safe for long. We don¡¯t know if the demon cultivators in this stronghold have passed on your Longevity Body information to higher-level Yin Corpse Sect cultivators. For safety¡¯s sake, let¡¯s return to the sect first."


    "My master, Elder Mo Wuyah of the Beast Master Sect, has been waiting for you. He is responsible for identifying special disciples, and it was he who discovered Ouyang Hao and brought him into the sect. Both of you are talented with special physiques, and once you enter the sect, your treatment will be better than that of ordinary disciples!"


    Lin Jing nodded, but with his Longevity Body, he felt that danger would not be scarce after stepping into the world of cultivation.


    Based on his character, should he raise a monkey to protect himself...?

 Chapter 3: The Great Wilderness Region, South

    Chapter 3 : The Great Wilderness Region, South


    Towering mountains, enshrouded in clouds and mist, reached toward the heavens.


    This was the domain of the Beast Master Sect.


    High among the peaks, nestled within the sea of clouds, Elder ck Bear swept Lin Jing and Ouyang into the sect¡¯s grounds.


    One of the main peaks, Lotus Peak, shaped like a blooming lotus flower, appeared as if it had been carefully sculpted by nature itself.


    The ck wind carried them to the peak, where clouds churned around them. As Lin Jing¡¯s vision cleared, he found himself standing in a stone courtyard.


    The stone courtyard appeared simple and unadorned, yet breathing here felt like being in a celestial realm, refreshing the spirit and dispelling worldly cares.


    "Back, are we?"


    In the courtyard stood an elder in ck Daoist robes, his sparse silver hairbed back, revealing a forehead etched with the marks of time.He seemed to have been waiting for a while, only showing signs of vitality in his eyes¡ªusually as still as a stagnant spring¡ªwhen someone arrived.


    "Master," the ck Bear spoke.


    "Elder Mo," Ouyang respectfully greeted.


    Lin Jing followed their example and saluted.


    "I shall take my leave, then."


    Without waiting for Elder Mo¡¯s response, Ouyang withdrew voluntarily. The ck Bear yawned and transformed into a cloud of ck smoke, vanishing into the distance.


    Soon, only Lin Jing and Elder Mo remained in the courtyard.


    "Child, what¡¯s your name?"


    Elder Mo looked at Lin Jing and asked.


    "Elder, my name is Lin Jing."@@novelbin@@


    "Why do you pursue immortality?" His gaze deepened as he looked at Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing sighed, "Initially, I sought immortality for a longer life, but then I discovered I possessed an Eternal Life Constitution¡­"


    Elder Mo was at a loss for words.


    "And now?"


    "I dislike fighting and killing. I initially hoped to cultivate in peace and pursue the path to eternal life."


    "But I¡¯ve realized the Eternal Life Constitution can¡¯t remain hidden; it will inevitably attract the attention of demonic beasts."


    Lin Jing shook his head.


    "So, I wish to cultivate formidable strength!"


    "Indeed, only with power can one control their fate," Elder Mo said. "However, with power, one must also use it for righteous purposes."


    Lin Jing looked solemn.


    "I have already decided. To repay the sect¡¯s life-saving grace, once I am strong enough, I¡¯ll use myself as bait to lure various demonic beasts to the Beast Master Sect. This way, every disciple can have several beasts to subdue."


    "???" Elder Mo responded, "There¡¯s no need for that; the sect doesn¡¯tck demonic beasts."


    "Moreover, enving beasts is an outdated path for our sect."


    "I meant that, given the sect saved you from the Yin Corpse Sect, you should help others in need once you gain strength. Seek virtue and avoid falling into darkness in your pursuit of power."


    "Enough."


    "Let¡¯s move on to official matters," he continued, though he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this Eternal Life Constitution seemed unusual, hoping it wouldn¡¯t cause trouble in the future.


    "In the Beast Master Sect, disciple ranks are divided into servant, outer, inner, and true disciples."


    "You are now an outer disciple of the sect, but since you possess a special constitution, you¡¯ll receive enhanced training privileges."


    "The sect will grant you resources one level higher than your current status. As an outer disciple, you¡¯ll receive resources at the level of an inner disciple. When you reach the inner disciple status, you¡¯ll receive the resources of a true disciple!"


    "However, while your constitution is unique, advancement still depends on your efforts. You¡¯ll need toplete sect missions and contribute to the sect."


    The sect did not easily bestow knowledge, and while the Eternal Life Constitution was rare with great potential, it would take time to assess Lin Jing¡¯s character and resolve.


    After Elder Mo finished, Lin Jing nodded.


    "Understood, Elder. Thank you."


    "Good."


    "May you strive in your cultivation and not disappoint the sect''s support."


    He continued, "Do you know the types of beasts?"


    "Types of beasts?" Lin Jing shook his head. "I don¡¯t know¡­"


    "There are four kinds," Elder Mo said, looking up at the sky. "Spiritual, Demonic, Rare, and Celestial!"


    "Those that absorb the essence of the sun and moon, or are nurtured by spiritual fruits and nts, developing wisdom and cultivation, are called Spiritual Beasts."


    "Those that feed on flesh, or devour souls, are called Demonic Beasts."


    "In the Beast Master Sect, we keep both Spiritual and Demonic Beasts."


    "Usually, new disciples are provided with a low-level Spiritual Beast as their pet."


    "Ouyang should have exined this to you, correct?"


    "No, Elder ck Bear¡¯s speed made us dizzy on the way¡­," Lin Jing hesitated before replying, "Elder Mo, what about the Rare and Celestial types?"


    "Have you seen the night sky?"


    "In addition to the sun and moon, countless strange stars are scattered across the sky."


    "There is a legend that these stars are fallen immortals transformed."


    "They sometimes shine brightly, and when their light touches the Tianyuan Continent, it may cause various wild animals and nts to mutate!"


    "Whether a Spiritual or Demonic Beast, those altered by the light gain a mysterious ability, a supernatural power that gives them a unique racial talent distinct from ordinary beasts."


    "For example, they might master spatial or temporal powers in the Qi Refining stage."


    "Or they might regenerate from a single drop of blood, achieving near immortality."


    "Some may even enter the Netherworld or escape the Five Elements."


    "However, such beings are rare, and these mutated beasts are called Rare Beasts."


    "As for Celestial Beasts, with the severed immortal path, it¡¯s unknown if any exist on the Tianyuan Continent today."


    "Spiritual¡­ Demonic¡­ Rare¡­ Celestial¡­" Since joining the Beast Master Sect, Lin Jing naturally felt it was essential to understand these ssifications.


    Herbivorous Spiritual Beasts seemed rtively less dangerous.


    Carnivorous Demonic Beasts¡­ as someone with the Eternal Life Constitution, he¡¯d best avoid those while he was still weak.


    As for Rare Beasts, with their rarity, he figured they wouldn¡¯t concern him either.


    "Now, let¡¯s choose your pet beast."


    "The sect recently recruited arge batch of outer disciples, so the number of avable pet beasts is limited."


    "But since you¡¯re new to cultivation, you don¡¯t need to contract a particrly powerful pet beast just yet."


    "You have ample time to build a foundation. When your cultivation is stronger, you can then contract a more powerful pet beast with a strong bloodline."


    "I will follow your guidance," Lin Jing said withoutint.


    "Good." Elder Mo continued, "Currently, we have basic Spiritual Beasts of four attributes remaining¡ªWater, Fire, Earth, and Wood."


    "These are the Water-attribute Rain Frog, of which there are seven left."


    "The Fire-attribute Fire Spirit Finch, with two left."


    "The Earth-attribute Horned Ox, with three avable."


    "And the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse, with only one remaining."


    "I¡¯ll introduce them," Elder Mo exined. "The Beast Master Sect cultivates five kinds of basic pet beasts suitable for Qi Refining cultivators, one for each attribute: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth."


    "These five pet beasts are not only friendly but also have potential to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. Additionally, they can quickly help disciples gather cultivation resources."


    "The Metal-attribute Battle Ape is efficient in mining. Those who choose it can take mining missions in the spirit mine area, earning daily resources and strengthening the Battle Ape. But this batch has already been chosen."


    "Of course, the other four types are equally good."


    "The Water-attribute Rain Frog is adept at water techniques, and, when nurtured, can summon rain to irrigate the spirit fields."


    "The Fire-attribute Fire Spirit Finch is skilled in fire techniques and can assist in the fire kitchens and fire refining rooms."


    "The Earth-attribute Horned Ox, with its boundless stamina, helps transport supplies between peaks."


    "Lastly, the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse excels in wood techniques, with a spirit power that elerates the growth of spiritual nts."


    "Among the five, the Battle Ape, Horned Ox, and Fire Spirit Finch are better inbat, while the Rain Frog and Pine Leaf Mouse are more peaceful and offer higher rewards in daily sect missions."


    "However, the most crucial factor in choosing a pet ispatibility with yourself."


    "For your constitution, which is like a normal one and without any elemental affinity, any of the Spiritual Beasts would suit you without causing conflicts."


    As he spoke, two shadows appeared in the clouds¡­ shortly, two beautiful celestial cranesnded before them.


    "Greetings, Elder Mo. Where to next?" one of the cranes inquired in a pleasant, feminine voice.


    Elder Mo looked to Lin Jing, signaling him to choose his pet type. These cranes would carry them to the mountain where the selected Spiritual Beast resided.

 Chapter 4: Choosing a Pet Beast

    Chapter 4: Choosing a Pet Beast


    Lin Jing understood that his constitution, like that of an ordinary person, was without any elemental attributes.


    Looking at Elder Mo, he said, "Then Elder Mo, I¡¯ll choose the Pine Leaf Mouse."


    "Oh?" Elder Mo asked, "Are you certain?"


    Lin Jing nodded. "I am certain."


    His reasoning was simple; as an Eternal Life Constitution, he was not suited for fighting and killing in the early stages. Raising a Wood-attribute pet beast that could assist in farming and nurturing spiritual nts seemed a better option for gradually increasing his strength while staying within the sect.


    Moreover, even though his constitution had no elemental affinity, Wood techniques were generally rted to vitality and life force, making a Wood-attribute spiritual beast evidently more suitable for him.


    As forbat-oriented beasts, he could look for thoseter, once his cultivation improved and he became an inner disciple.


    "Elder Mo, is there a problem with this Pine Leaf Mouse?" Lin Jing asked, a bit concerned."Well¡­" Elder Mo began, "The sect raises many spiritual beasts, and from the moment they are born, we instill a sense of purpose in them and help them develop their intelligence. Each month, we provide them with spiritual stones to aid in their cultivation."


    "Those avable for disciples to choose from are generally under a year old, nurtured by the sect''s resources to reach the thirdyer of Qi Refining and possess enough intelligence to understand human speech."


    "After all, if a beast can¡¯t reach the thirdyer with this level of training and can¡¯t understand human speech, it simply isn¡¯t suited for cultivation. Let alone assisting human disciples, it would be a burden."


    "This one, however¡­ during thest selection, only reached the secondyer of Qi Refining and does not meet the standard."


    "Normally, it would be released to roam the Pine Forest and would not be given to disciples."


    "However, the elder responsible for basic spiritual beast training discovered that this Pine Leaf Mouse only reached the secondyer due to some special circumstances."


    "What kind of circumstances?" Lin Jing asked, startled.


    Elder Mo hesitated before exining, "This Pine Leaf Mouse has some peculiarities; it treats the resources provided by the sect like treasures, hoarding them away without using a single piece, relying solely on its talent to recently reach the thirdyer of Qi Refining."


    "I don¡¯t understand its reasoning; can hoarding spiritual stones increase their amount?"


    "¡­Perhaps it¡¯s about a sense of security," Lin Jing spected.


    "Given its talent isn¡¯t bad¡ªindeed, it could be considered exceptionally rare¡ªthe elder decided not to revoke its eligibility and granted it a second chance to enter the outer sect."


    "Anyway, let¡¯s go take a look first. If it doesn¡¯t suit you, we can look for other pet beasts. If you can subdue it, its talent will greatly benefit your cultivation," Elder Mo said.


    "Understood, Elder¡­" Lin Jing responded, intending to see it first.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    **Pine Forest Peak.**


    The two celestial cranesnded.


    Soon, Elder Mo and Lin Jing arrived at the edge of a pine forest.


    "This is Pine Leaf Mouse territory," Elder Mo stated.


    Within the forest, Lin Jing spotted many mice. The Pine Leaf Mice resembled ordinary squirrels but were enchanting, possessing soft, shiny fur adorned with delicate yellow stripes¡ªvery adorable.


    What set them apart from ordinary squirrels were their vibrant green eyes, which seemed to reflect the dreamlike colors of leaves dancing in the morning light.


    "Chirp¡­"


    The Pine Leaf Mice leaped around, but those who had just awakened their intelligence or hadn¡¯t at all clearly couldn¡¯t speak like Elder ck Bear or the celestial cranes they had just met.


    "Most of the Pine Leaf Mice living in this forest are those whose potential doesn¡¯t meet the contract standards."


    As they reached their destination, Elder Mo walked ahead with Lin Jing following closely.


    "Except for the one I mentioned that¡¯s a bit special."


    Under Elder Mo''s guidance, Lin Jing quickly spotted the specific Pine Leaf Mouse.


    It sat atop a pine tree, eyes closed in meditation.


    Upon noticing someone approaching, it opened its eyes.


    "Chirp?"


    The two locked eyes.


    At that moment, several rebellious strands of Elder Mo''s hair danced in the wind, giving him an air of carefree wisdom.


    "I¡¯ve spoken with Elder Jiang; this is a new disciple of the sect who wishes to select you as his first pet. What do you think?" he asked the Pine Leaf Mouse, hands sped behind his back.


    "Chirp¡­" The Pine Leaf Mouse hesitated before turning to Lin Jing, its voice soft.


    With its emerald green eyes, it scrutinized Lin Jing.


    Beside them, Elder Mo added, "You need to introduce yourself. Generally, spiritual beasts will decide whether to follow a disciple based on their situation."


    "Choosing a pet beast in the Beast Master Sect is always a mutual decision; to take a beast, the disciple must earn its acknowledgment."


    "This process is also a test for the disciple; whether they can win the beast¡¯s recognition based on their capabilities is very important for disciples of the Beast Master Sect."


    "Only when both the cultivator and the pet acknowledge each other can they achieve double the results with half the effort in their cultivation."


    "Understood," Lin Jing nodded.


    He wasn¡¯t one to boast.


    "My name is Lin Jing. Due to my special constitution, my cultivation speed is somewhat slow. If you be my pet beast, you may need to put in extra effort."


    Lin Jing looked at the Pine Leaf Mouse, giving it a heads-up; since he wanted its assistance in his cultivation, he didn¡¯t hide his constitutional w.


    After all, the Eternal Life Constitution was known for being extremely slow in cultivation.


    He believed that sincerity would be enough to win its favor.


    However¡­


    "Chirp!!" The Pine Leaf Mouse was startled.


    If its cultivation speed was slow, wouldn¡¯t that mean using up the spiritual stones it had hoarded for so long?


    It took a small step back.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing fell silent.


    As expected, true feelings were hard to keep.


    Elder Mo, watching from the side, couldn¡¯t suppress a hint of amusement.


    Such a peculiar pet often had a quirky personality and unique perspective; capturing it wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Yet Lin Jing wasn¡¯t just any person.


    Faced with a mouse that could hold onto spiritual stones, resolute like an addict, he pondered and said:


    "Storage bag."


    Since sincerity didn¡¯t seem effective, Lin Jing decided to appeal to its interests.


    He spoke, "Once you be my pet beast, I¡¯ll save up spiritual stones to gift you a storage bag that can hold countless items in a separate space."


    "When we reach a higher cultivation level, I can even give you tenrger storage rings."


    "Don¡¯t you enjoy hoarding resources? Once you have a lot of items, where will you put them?"


    For a mouse that loved to hoard, the worst thing would be running out of backpack space. Lin Jing was certain of this.


    Pine Leaf Mouse: !!??


    "Chirp!?"


    In the next moment, the Pine Leaf Mouse''s eyes lit up, instantly captivated by Lin Jing¡¯s offer.


    "This Eternal Life body is quite clever," Elder Mo remarked, taken aback.


    "It has a peculiar habit of hoarding items, and a storage bag¡­" Given his prior experience as a seasoned hoarder in his past life, Lin Jing knew exactly what this mouse needed.


    "It¡¯s just that this Pine Leaf Mouse doesn¡¯t seem very smart."


    "But it has only just awakened its intelligence."


    Elder Mo shook his head, seeing how the situation unfolded. A storage bag could be quite costly.


    Regardless, it appeared that the Pine Leaf Mouse was hooked.@@novelbin@@


    Soon enough.


    One piece, two pieces, three pieces¡­ dozens of low-grade spiritual stones were tossed out of a tree hole by the Pine Leaf Mouse while the two of them watched in silence. Eventually, the Pine Leaf Mouse emerged again.


    "Chirp chirp chirp!"


    Looking at Lin Jing, the Pine Leaf Mouse seemed excited, as if it had recognized him and nned to bring all its belongings along, embarking on a new cultivation journey together.


    Lin Jing smiled in return.


    "In order for us to buy that storage bag soon, I¡¯ll help you keep these spiritual stones for now so we can n and use them wisely."


    The Pine Leaf Mouse stared at Lin Jing¡¯s earnest gaze, confused but nodded slightly.


    It was filled with anticipation for the future.

 Chapter 5: First Level of Qi Training!

    Chapter 5: First Level of Qi Training!


    Within the Beast Tamer Sect, the outer disciples and misceneous disciples were active at the foot of the mountain.


    After Lin Jing chose the Pine Leaf Mouse, Elder Mo somehow summoned the two cranes again.


    Riding on the cranes, they quickly arrived at the external courtyard at the foot of the mountain,nding in a beautifully scenic courtyard.


    In the courtyard, there was a pond and green trees. Lin Jing, carrying a bag of spirit stones, never expected that his first pet woulde with funding, while the Pine Leaf Mouse stood on his shoulder, waving its paw to greet the elder crane.


    ¡°From now on, you will cultivate here for a while,¡± Elder Mo said.


    ¡°Even the outer disciples of the Beast Tamer Sect have their own separate courtyards.¡±


    ¡°However, the facilities in the outer sect are certainly not as good as those in the inner peaks. Therefore, you will need to work hard in your cultivation to meet the assessment standards for inner disciples, which is to reach the seventh level of Qi Training.¡±


    ¡°As long as either the disciple or the spirit beast reaches the seventh level of Qi Training, they can participate in the inner sect assessment.¡±¡°I have already informed the elders of the outer sect; from now on, you just need to wait. Someone wille to deliver the resources you need.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Elder.¡± Lin Jing cupped his fists in gratitude.


    ¡°Chirp, chirp, chirp!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse also cupped its fists in thanks, feeling that this old man was rather nice, even giving them a cloth bag for spirit stones.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Elder Mo hesitated to speak.


    Looking at Lin Jing with the bag of spirit stones, he felt that the little squirrel might be in for a tough time.


    The longevity body¡¯s cultivation speed was extremely slow, and to progress faster, arge amount of resources was required. This bag of spirit stones might notst long¡­


    But that wasn¡¯t something he needed to worry about.


    ¡°Take this talisman; wear it on you. Ordinary monsters and cultivators won¡¯t be able to discern your physique without specific means,¡± Elder Mo said, handing Lin Jing a jade talisman before leaving.


    Lin Jing received the square jade talisman with great appreciation.


    He felt that the Beast Tamer Sect had a very humane quality.


    Such a sect was worth fighting for as a disciple.


    ¡°Alright, do you have any questions?¡± Elder Mo asked.


    ¡°Elder Mo, I¡¯d like to inquire about Senior Brother Ouyang.¡± Lin Jing asked, as he was unfamiliar with the Beast Tamer Sect and, besides Elder Mo, only Ouyang Hao, who knew about his background, seemed suitable for him to befriend.


    ¡°Ouyang Hao?¡± Elder Mo sighed. ¡°He is one of the best among the inner disciples.¡±


    ¡°He is at the ninth level of Qi Training, just one step away from foundation establishment, ready to challenge the ranks of true disciples.¡± Elder Mo continued, ¡°Although I brought him back to the sect, he is highly favored by the Sect Master. After foundation establishment, he may even be the Sect Master¡¯s disciple.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Lin Jing cautiously asked, ¡°Is our Sect Master a male or a female?¡±


    Elder Mo: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The Sect Master is a man, not what you might be thinking. You¡¯ll understand in due time.¡± Elder Mo did not wish to borate further.


    Lin Jing, upon hearing this, felt a mix of emotions.


    It seemed that Senior Brother Ouyang¡¯s talent was higher than he had imagined.


    He actually had the chance to be the Sect Master¡¯s disciple.


    Unfortunately, inner disciples typically operated on the peaks, and under normal circumstances, outer disciples were not allowed up the mountain. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t be able to visit often.


    Before long, Elder Mo rode off on the crane.


    After Elder Mo left, the Pine Leaf Mouse jumped onto the stone table.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing smiled slightly, ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll cultivate together. How should I address you?¡±


    ¡°Chirp,¡± said the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°¡­¡± Lin Jing fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°When will you be able to speak like Elder ck Bear and the cranes?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse shook its head, indicating it didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°It seems you still don¡¯t have a name. Let me give you one.¡± Lin Jing decided to make a grand gesture.


    Before he could think further, a crane''s cry interrupted his thoughts.


    Another crane arrived.


    It came from the clouds, holding a bup sack, and ced the sack on the stone table.


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse looked at the ¡°crane.¡±


    The crane looked back at them.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡± the crane said in a rough male voice.


    ¡°The items have been delivered; I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Then, it flew back into the clouds.


    ¡°It seems that the Beast Tamer Sect¡¯s transportation and delivery services are all done by cranes,¡± Lin Jing spected.


    ¡°Ox demons handlend transport, while cranes handle air transport.¡±


    Lin Jing stepped forward and opened the bup sack, with the Pine Leaf Mouse peering in as well.


    Inside the sack, there was a jade slip, a manual, a set of outer disciple clothing, a token, ten spirit stones, and a bag of spirit rice.


    The manual was the ¡°Sect Handbook,¡± introducing some important matters that disciples of the Beast Tamer Sect should pay attention to.


    The jade slip contained the cultivation method ¡°Beast Taming Technique.¡±


    As for the spirit stones, the official disciples of the Beast Tamer Sect were divided into three levels: outer sect, inner sect, and true transmission.


    Among them, outer disciples received a fixed monthly cultivation resource of one low-grade spirit stone, while inner disciples received ten low-grade spirit stones.


    If they wanted more cultivation resources, they could only go out and perform tasks to earn them.


    For instance, mining, farming, or cooking¡­


    Lin Jing received special treatment as a disciple, so the number of spirit stones he got was on par with inner disciples, plus an extra bag of spirit rice.


    ¡°The Sect Handbook!¡± He first picked up the handbook and began to read, while the Pine Leaf Mouse climbed back onto his shoulder to join him.


    After a while, the most valuable information was rted to the ¡°Beast Taming Technique.¡±


    ¡°By activating the jade slip, the cultivation methods of the ¡®Beast Taming Technique¡¯ will emerge in your mind.¡±


    ¡°At that point, you can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth through a specific breathing method, integrate it into your body, and transform it into true Qi for nurturing yourself!¡±


    ¡°After reaching the first level of Qi Training, the cultivator¡¯s body will give birth to a drop of special blood that can be mobilized by true Qi, thanks to the nurturing of true Qi.¡±


    ¡°Using blood as a medium and pressing it onto the spirit beast¡¯s forehead, a blood contract can bepleted, linking the spirits of both parties.¡±


    ¡°On the path of cultivation, the stages are Qi Training, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Divine Transformation, Void Profound, Seeking the Way, and Ascension. This ¡®Beast Taming Technique¡¯ can be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment stage.¡±


    ¡°Disciples at the Foundation Establishment stage, after passing the true transmission assessment, can learn many true transmission secret techniques in the sect, crafting life-space magical tools to store their pets within¡­¡±


    Lin Jing thought, ¡°It seems I need to improve my cultivation as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t learn any more advanced techniques right now.¡±


    ¡°Chirp!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded, already at the third level of Qi Training, while Lin Jing still looked like a mortal. For Lin Jing, the urgent matter was indeed to elevate his cultivation.


    ¡°The spirit stones contain pure spiritual energy. With so many spirit stones, I should be able to reach the first level of Qi Training soon,¡± Lin Jing said.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded again in agreement.@@novelbin@@


    It lifted a spirit stone given to Lin Jing by the sect and held it up, signaling Lin Jing to hurry up and cultivate.


    It was also waiting for their mutual contract so that they could work together to earn more spirit stones to buy a storage bag.


    The sect had taught that disciples cultivating the Beast Taming Technique, in conjunction with various beast-taming methods, could significantly enhance the capabilities of their spirit beasts.


    Lin Jing stopped hesitating and picked up the jade slip.


    He closed his eyes and recited the corresponding incantation.


    Soon, the jade slip flickered, and the cultivation information surged directly into his mind.


    Beast Taming Technique, Qi Training Chapter!


    There are a total of nine levels.


    At the first level, one can contract with a pet. Some of the pet¡¯s cultivation achievements will feedback to the cultivator.


    In addition, the cultivator can alsomunicate spiritually with the pet.


    Once they reach the seventh level, they will be able to master the beast-taming methods to transfer their true Qi to the pet, or allow the pet to transfer its spiritual or demonic power back to themselves, quickly recovering their own true Qi.


    The basic techniques recorded in the Qi Training chapter of the Beast Taming Technique include how to use spirit stones and the fundamental skills for enhancing Qi Training cultivation.


    To cultivate other beast-taming methods, one must reach specific standards and apply to the sect for learning.


    For Lin Jing, having this basic Beast Taming Technique was enough at the moment.


    The specific breathing methods that came with the jade slip, along with the techniques for using spirit stones for cultivation, were sufficient for him to step into the door of cultivation.


    Taking a deep breath, he grasped the spirit stone. The spirit stone in his hand shimmered slightly, and mysterious whirlwinds surrounded him.


    However.


    While Lin Jing was cultivating, and the Pine Leaf Mouse was waiting for him to begin, neither seemed to realize that the longevity body¡¯s cultivation was indeed very


    slow.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse quietly waited for Lin Jing, and after a while, it began to cultivate as well.


    Until¡­


    A few dayster.


    The spirit stones given to Lin Jing by the sect had all been used up.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m almost there,¡± he said as he looked at the confused Pine Leaf Mouse.


    After a moment of overload, the Pine Leaf Mouse tentatively took its remaining spirit stones and asked Lin Jing if he wanted to use them.


    Lin Jing gratefully epted.


    Half a month after entering the sect, Lin Jing became increasingly proficient at transforming spiritual energy.


    However, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s umted resources were nearly depleted.


    There were only about three or four spirit stones left.


    Yet Lin Jing still showed no signs of sess in Qi Training.


    Seeing this, the little squirrel¡¯s eyes turned red as it was pushed to its limits, its paws waving frantically.


    This was no longer just a matter of being slow.


    It had hoarded spirit stones for so long¡­ and most of the spirit rice had been consumed by Lin Jing.


    It regretted ever suggesting to give spirit stones.


    If it had thrown them in the pond outside, at least it could have seen the sshes.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse was on the verge of tears, but just then, Lin Jing suddenly opened his eyes, exhaling a breath of turbid air. A surge of life force circted from within, and a drop of golden blood condensed in his body. He had sessfully reached the first level of Qi Training!


    After half a month, he finally seeded!


    Lin Jing took a deep breath, feeling this sensation¡­ he looked at the Pine Leaf Mouse and couldn¡¯t help but share his joy with it.


    But all he saw was the Pine Leaf Mouse looking at him with a face full of despair.


    Lin Jing silently gazed at the pile of spirit stone dust on the ground, saying, ¡°It won¡¯t be long before I¡¯ll repay you double!¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t know whether it heard that or not, tremblingly holding a handful of spirit stone dust.


    ¡°Chirp¡­¡±


    Really?

 Chapter 6: Mutation

    Chapter 6: Mutation


    Lotus Flower Peak!


    Elder Mo sat at a stone table, sipping spirit tea.


    Arge ck bear monster wearing a white robe ran towards him.


    ¡°Master, the longevity body that I brought back with that kid Ouyang Hao seems to have sessfully reached Qi Training!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Elder Mo nodded.


    ¡°Faster than I expected.¡±


    ¡°This longevity body is indeed difficult to cultivate.¡±


    ¡°However, it¡¯s worth it; Qi Training cultivators can easily live past a hundred years, and if he continues like this, living to a thousand years is not surprising.¡±¡°Even if his cultivation speed is slow, with such a long lifespan, after a thousand or ten thousand years, as long as he doesn¡¯t perish, he will certainly be a prominent ancestor.¡± Elder Mo sighed.


    Unlike those with cultivation physiques that disy their power during Qi Training or Foundation Establishment...


    The longevity body¡¯s effects can only be observed over a long period.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know if he can sessfully mutate that squirrel¡­¡± The ck bear monster scratched its head.


    ¡°Yes, if sessful, he could soar to great heights without waiting for thousands of years¡­¡± Elder Mo¡¯s serious expression softened as he nervously said, ¡°I have already exined to him the differences between spirit beasts, demon beasts, rare beasts, and immortal beasts.¡±


    ¡°However, I didn¡¯t tell him that any special cultivation physique that contracts a pet beast has a certain probability of activating the hidden powers in their bloodline, allowing the pet to undergo ¡®racial mutation¡¯ and evolve into a rare beast, awakening a unique divine ability.¡±


    ¡°Forming a blood contract with a cultivator of special physique is the second chance for ordinary spirit beasts and demon beasts to mutate into rare beasts.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. Since I learned this information, up to Ouyang Hao, no one has seeded with so many special spirit bodies brought back.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know how this longevity body will turn out.¡± Elder Mo¡¯s expression grew impatient as he said, ¡°This time¡­ let¡¯s hope for sess!¡±


    Saying this, Elder Mo hurried off to worship his ancestors, lighting incense and praying.


    ¡°O Ancestors of the Sect above!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already failed six pairs; it¡¯s time for a sess.¡±


    The ck bear monster sighed.


    ¡°Master, I feel like you¡¯ve definitely been tricked by the people at the Heavenly Machine Tower¡­ The information might be false; don¡¯t gamble on it.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the Outer Courtyard!


    Inside a room, Lin Jing was holding the Pine Leaf Mouse''s pitiful little face.


    ¡°Chirp!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse wriggled out of Lin Jing¡¯s hand, bravely wiping its tears.


    It had chosen its Beast Tamer¡­


    So what if the cultivation was slow?


    After eating so many spirit stones, even a pig could fly.


    It chose to believe in Lin Jing.


    With a solid foundation, the master¡¯s physique must be extraordinary.


    These spirit stones would definitely earn back double.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse closed its eyes, giving itself a mental pep talk as it waited for the contract.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing felt the vast life force within him; hepletely ignored the slow cultivation.


    There are gains and losses.


    Moreover, he believed that this terrifying life force brought more than just the benefit of longevity.


    Since his flesh and blood were a great supplement for demon beasts,


    Then, from another perspective, as long as he was willing, he could also be a great supplement for his pet beast.


    Of course, directly bleeding or cutting his flesh for his pet was too cruel; he was a normal person and couldn¡¯t ept that.


    Thus, he had previously considered whether it was possible to use his blood to refine pills to enhance his pet.


    By refining pills, he could weaken the connection between the pills and himself while preserving the nourishing effect, so his pet wouldn¡¯t develop negative feelings towards him¡­


    However, this still sounded like a technique of a demonic cultivator, and he wasn¡¯t familiar with alchemy yet, so it was better to wait until he understood more before researching it.


    Lin Jing¡¯s gaze flickered; he was still just a small Qi Training cultivator, and such tactics weren¡¯t suitable for him at the moment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s form the contract.¡± Lin Jing smiled.


    Thanks to this little gathering mouse, otherwise, even with the treatment of an inner disciple, it would have taken him much longer to seed in Qi Training¡­


    He wouldpensate itter.


    Lin Jing began to mobilize the special blood ording to the methods recorded in the Beast Taming Technique.


    He made a cut on the tip of his finger.


    Using true Qi, he forced the special blood out of his body.


    Soon, a drop of golden blood became faintly visible at the tip of his finger.


    As Lin Jing started to bleed, the Pine Leaf Mouse, who had closed its eyes in anticipation of the contract, suddenly opened its eyes.


    Its nose twitched slightly.


    Its big eyes looked at Lin Jing.


    Master, you smell so good.


    Before it could savor the scent, Lin Jing¡¯s finger had already tapped its forehead.


    ¡°Don¡¯t struggle.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want me to suffer a bacsh and have my cultivation decline, right?¡±


    Startled, the Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t struggle, fearing Lin Jing¡¯s realm would drop.


    After all, this was all cultivation earned from its spirit stones!


    Buzz!


    The golden blood merged into the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s body.


    The two began to form a blood contract.


    Just as the Pine Leaf Mouse sensed the connection between it and Lin Jing growing closer¡­


    Suddenly.


    It felt as if it had plunged into a dream, its thoughts drifting back to the time when it was still in the pine forest, meditating on a tree while bathing in starlight¡­


    In that moment, the starlight fell from the night sky onto the earth, and some faint lightnded on it.


    Time flew by, and as dawn broke, the starlight did notpletely vanish; it seemed to have hidden within the bloodline of the Pine Leaf Mouse, waiting for a chance to be awakened.


    Boom!


    With the contractpleted, the Pine Leaf Mouse opened its eyes, its spiritual energy surged, and its pupils grew even greener.


    ¡°Chirp?¡± However, it was still in a daze, not knowing what had happened. The teachings from the sect didn¡¯t mention such abnormalities during the contract process.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Besides the Pine Leaf Mouse, Lin Jing also saw that scene.


    What was that?


    As the contractpleted, Lin Jing was stunned.


    ¡°Is there such an anomaly during the contract process?¡±


    He was puzzled.


    In the knowledge Lin Jing had learned, the process of contracting an ordinary spirit beast should be quite calm.


    Starlight¡­


    Wait, the starry sky?


    Suddenly, Lin Jing recalled something.


    Only Elder Mo had mentioned something rted to the starry sky¡­ the rare beasts!


    Rare beasts are born from the light of foreign stars, andpared to ordinary spirit beasts and demon beasts, they awaken an additional divine ability!


    But right now, the Pine Leaf Mouse hadn¡¯t bathed in starlight; could it have the potential to mutate even after having bathed before?


    So right now¡­


    Could the Pine Leaf Mouse be mutating from an ordinary spirit beast to a rare beast?


    Lin Jing looked at the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    If that were true, what he wanted to know even more was what new divine ability the Pine Leaf Mouse would awaken.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse n has a natural affinity for wood attribute energy, allowing it to elerate the growth of nts.


    However, this wasn¡¯t a particrly unique talent, as most wood attribute spirit beasts would possess it.


    Moreover, the Pine Leaf Mouse was quite weak in terms of offensive abilities; it could only use its spiritual energy to enhance leaves, using them as projectiles, which had limited power, known as the Flying Leaf Technique.


    In this situation, the Pine Leaf Mouse n¡¯s inherent ability to grow stronger was very slim; they could only learn powerful spellster.


    However, now, if it awakened a divine ability without learning spells, it might be a chance to change its fate for this ordinary n.


    ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°Could it be¡­ a racial mutation? Did you awaken a new divine ability?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse spun around in confusion, then shook its head, appearing very ¡°clear-headed.¡±


    ¡°Chirp¡­¡±


    This meant that if the cultivation was slow, one must work harder and not daydream about good things; it didn¡¯t feel anything unusual at all.

 Chapter 7: The Essence of Spellcraft

    Chapter 7: The Essence of Spellcraft


    ¡°Didn¡¯t feel anything?¡±


    ¡°How could I not feel anything?¡±


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t believe it.


    An anomaly had appeared, yet you im to feel nothing?


    ¡°Chirp¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse retorted, its tone confident.


    It truly felt nothing.


    Lin Jing was taken aback, and suddenly understood.


    ¡°Maybe the awakening of your supernatural powers is too strong for you to grasp at your current cultivation level.¡±¡°You need to work hard on your training.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse: ???


    It slightly opened its mouth; it knew its talent was decent, but it didn¡¯t have Lin Jing''s optimism.


    Having sessfully reached the firstyer of Qi training, Lin Jing was in a good mood.


    However, he wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the Pine Leaf Mouse''s realm was too low that he temporarily hadn¡¯t felt the so-called beast taming feedback.


    ¡°By the way.¡± Lin Jing didn¡¯t dwell on the matter any longer.


    He suddenly remembered that ording to the introduction in the ¡°Sect Manual,¡± after an outer sect disciple sessfullypletes Qi training, they have the opportunity to select a basic spell to study from the Outer Sect Scripture Pavilion.


    He was curious about what spells were avable in the Scripture Pavilion of the Beast Taming Sect.


    Since entering the Beast Taming Sect, it was Lin Jing''s first time stepping out of the courtyard, apanied by the Pine Leaf Mouse he had dragged along.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse also needed to clear its mind and ease itsplicated emotions.


    On the way, they encountered several other outer sect disciples dressed in blue robes, but there was no interaction among them.


    ording to the map on the back of the sect manual, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse soon arrived at their destination.


    In front of the pavilion, a cluster of ancient trees surrounded them, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves, intertwined with the asional long cry of a crane from the clouds, creating a serene atmosphere that seemed to cleanse the soul.


    Nearby, a pavilion had three or five disciples discussing their cultivation, quite peacefully.


    ¡°This is the ce¡­¡±


    Just as Lin Jing was about to enter the pavilion, someone walked out first.


    ¡°Junior Brother Lin!¡± A familiar weak voice called out, and Lin Jing looked at the person in surprise.


    Dressed in a white robe, the figure seemed somewhat frail, and the eyes revealed deep exhaustion and helplessness¡­ it was none other than Senior Brother Ouyang!


    ¡°Senior Brother Ouyang? What are you doing here?¡± Lin Jing asked, astonished.


    ¡°I¡¯m on a sect mission, stationed at the Outer Sect Scripture Pavilion, responsible for organizing spells and assisting the outer sect disciples in selecting spells,¡± Ouyang Hao smiled.


    ¡°What a coincidence! It seems you¡¯ve seeded in Qi training faster than I expected. Are you nning to select a spell? Do you need my help analyzing it?¡±


    ¡°Senior Brother Ouyang, you¡¯re still so fond of analyzing things; this task suits you well,¡± Lin Jing remarked.


    ¡°No way, I¡¯m low on spirit stones, and buying supplements every day is too costly, so I have to take on more tasks,¡± Ouyang Hao replied, shaking his head awkwardly.


    ¡°Let me take you in.¡±


    As he spoke, he invited Lin Jing into the pavilion.


    Once they entered the Scripture Pavilion together, the surrounding outer sect disciples suddenly began to whisper among themselves.


    ¡°Who is this outer sect disciple? He seems to be quite familiar with Senior Brother Ouyang! What¡¯s their connection?¡±


    ¡°Senior Brother Ouyang is friendly with everyone, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different; Senior Brother Ouyang even went out to greet that person. He¡¯s a standout in the inner sect, a genius rumored to be capable of breaking through to the position of true inheritance! He usually wouldn¡¯t treat just anyone this way, so their rtionship must be significant.¡±


    ¡°Is this Senior Brother Ouyang really that impressive?¡± a newly joined disciple asked curiously.


    ¡°Of course! Senior Brother Ouyang has a contract with a fox demon. Fox demons are beasts that absorb human yang energy. Did you see his demeanor? Now you understand, the fox demon must be trained very well¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Inside the Scripture Pavilion.


    First floor.


    Ouyang Hao introduced, ¡°This floor contains books that can be borrowed directly, such as the history of the continent, the history of ancient countries, and the history of the sect. You can find all of that here. Let¡¯s go to the second floor to select spells.¡±


    He eagerly led Lin Jing forward.


    ¡°Those at the firstyer of Qi training can choose one basic spell¡­¡±


    ¡°Actually, the outer sect''s Scripture Pavilion doesn¡¯t have any particrly good beast taming spells. Generally, outer sect disciples choose to learn minor spells that can also nourish their pets¡¯ roots, bloodlines, and spiritual power to assist their growth.¡±


    ¡°This is the mainstream choice, most suitable for disciples of the Beast Taming Sect.¡±


    Arriving on the second floor, Senior Brother Ouyang pointed to the most prominent shelf filled with jade slips.


    Titles like ¡°Nourishing Spirit Technique¡± and ¡°Qi Nourishing Technique¡± were essentially spells that disciples use their true qi to nurture their pets¡¯ spirit and blood, though some can also be used by themselves.


    Lin Jing looked at another shelf.


    The spells there, like ¡°Fireball Technique,¡± ¡°Object Control Technique,¡± ¡°Binding Technique,¡± ¡°Water Arrow Technique,¡± and ¡°Quicksand Technique,¡± seemed much more normal.


    ¡°Senior Brother Ouyang, what about these?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    Hearing this, Ouyang Hao followed Lin Jing''s gaze and smiled.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re not unselectable, but these spells can only be cultivated by the cultivator themselves, and are of no use to pets. Generally, spiritual beasts won¡¯t be able to learn them.¡±


    ¡°Your Pine Leaf Mouse would find it very difficult to learn the Wood Binding Technique. Even if you learn it, it wouldn¡¯t help it much.¡±


    ¡°Most of the time, they still have to rely on their racial abilities.¡±


    ¡°Valuable spells that spiritual beasts can learn are mostly stored in the inner sect.¡±


    Ouyang Hao nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse, which puffed up its cheeks in discontent.


    ¡°Overall, these ¡®normal spells¡¯ are only suitable for human cultivators to learn. However, for us disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, normalcy is actually a huge trap.¡±


    ¡°Most disciples of the Beast Taming Sect are not suitable for cultivating mainstream techniques, so practicing these spells often yields little return for a lot of effort.¡±


    ¡°Since one¡¯s energy is limited, it¡¯s better to invest all that limited energy into nurturing their pets, enhancing their strength, and then waiting for feedback from their pets. This approach is often more efficient than cultivating oneself.¡±


    ¡°If your pet is a fighting ape or horned bull, you can choose auxiliary spells to nourish their physique. If it¡¯s a Pine Leaf Mouse, you can choose auxiliary spells to nourish its spirit.¡±


    ¡°Of course, if Junior Brother Lin is really curious, selecting a ¡®normal offensive or defensive spell¡¯ is fine too.¡±


    After all, you live long, and the cost of trial and error is low¡­ Ouyang Hao mumbled in his heart.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Before Lin Jing could make a choice, the Pine Leaf Mouse waved its paws frantically: ¡°Chirp!!!¡±


    It suddenly remembered that with Lin Jing¡¯s cultivation speed, normal cultivation methods would be agonizingly slow. Diverting attention to learn offensive spells¡­ wouldn¡¯t that be life-threatening?


    ¡°Right!¡± At that moment, Ouyang Hao seemed to think of something and pped his hands: ¡°Junior Brother Lin, when you select spells, pay attention to ¡®spell potential.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Spell potential?¡±


    ¡°Yes, when choosing spells, try to pick ones that can apany you throughout your life. For instance, the Object Control Technique, although basic, might still be used even by cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage. In contrast, some basic spells can easily be reced once your realm is higher.¡±


    ¡°Junior Brother, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard of ¡®Essence of Spellcraft¡¯?¡±


    Essence of Spellcraft? Lin Jing looked at him, shaking his head.


    Ouyang Hao exined, ¡°When a spell is cultivated to its peak, it can give birth to an essence that possesses consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Our Beast Taming Sect is located in the Great Wilderness of the Tianyuan Continent''s Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom. While we are considered a first-rate sect within the Great Wilderness, we are only a third-rate sect in the entire Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°The leading sect of the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom, the Spirit Path Sect, primarily cultivates path techniques. It¡¯s said that many cultivators within that sect haveprehended the true essence of spells, reaching the pinnacle of spellcraft, and have been able to let their cultivated spells give birth to true essences.¡±


    ¡°The essence of spellcraft canmunicate with the energy of heaven and earth, can attack automatically without relying on a cultivator¡¯s magic power, can even be passed down to future generations to assist them in cultivating the corresponding spells, and can even protect them.¡±


    ¡°It can be said to be a ¡®unique pet beast¡¯ born from spells,¡± Ouyang Haomented: ¡°Like the Xuanwu True Spirit cultivated by the Xuanwu Real Person of the Spirit Path Sect, relying on the Xuanwu Shield spell, it can rival ordinary precious beasts!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps in the future, you might also cultivate an essence of spellcraft and be the first in our sect!¡± Senior Brother Ouyang chuckled: ¡°As long as you are dedicated enough! Focus on one spell, andprehend it for half a lifetime.¡±


    Lin Jing understood; Senior Brother Ouyang was suggesting that since he would live long, he could rely on time to refine it.


    With a lifespan at least ten times longer than that of ordinary cultivators, it would indeed be easier to thoroughlyprehend a single spell.


    ¡°You can try it.¡± The more Ouyang Hao thought about it, the more usible it seemed: ¡°If your cultivation efficiency is too slow, you can always switchter.¡±


    ¡°Is it really possible for any spell to give birth to an essence?¡± Lin Jing was skeptical.


    ¡°Theoretically, yes,¡± Ouyang Hao replied earnestly.


    Lin Jing pointed to a spell.


    ¡°Contraception Technique.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°What about this one?¡±


    Ouyang Hao nced at it and was momentarily stunned.


    The Contraception Technique is a spell that disciples of the Beast Taming Sect need to cultivate to prevent their pets from misbehaving when they go out.


    After all, pregnant pets would deplete their vitality and hinder their cultivation.


    ¡°If cultivated to the extreme, can it give birth to a contraception essence?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ouyang Hao said, ¡°Uhm, probably?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound reliable,¡± Lin Jing shook his head.


    His gaze swept across the various shelves, wondering about the essence of spellcraft¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on nurturing our pets for now!¡±


    With that, Lin Jing walked to one shelf and picked up a basic recovery spell titled ¡°Nourishing Spirit Technique,¡± which nourishes the spirit with true qi to alleviate fatigue.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s racial talent allows it to hasten the growth of spiritual nts, a process that consumes a lot of spiritual power and can be exhausting.


    This spell could help share some of the burden, speeding up the growth of spiritual nts. This was crucial for Lin Jing''s farming ns; he needed to be self-sufficient in resources since he consumed too many!


    Additionally, he nned to learn more about cultivation while training. He had just seen many books rted to alchemy on the first floor, and this small spell to alleviate fatigue would also help him in his studies.


    In summary, this spell could not only assist his pet but would also be suitable for him to elerate his absorption of alchemical knowledge. He needed to establish a solid foundation for alchemy through blood refinement; he certainly couldn¡¯t be unaware of the uses of some materials.


    ¡°What¡­ why are you suddenly so rational?¡± Senior Brother Ouyang was puzzled. From his impression of this Junior Brother Lin, he didn¡¯t seem like someone who would choose a normal spell. He nearly thought Lin Jing was going to select the Contraception Technique!

 Chapter 9: Glazed Immortal Eyes

    Chapter 9: zed Immortal Eyes


    In the following days, after Lin Jing learned the Spirit Nurturing Technique, he stopped his cultivation and devoted himself to reading various books to understand the world of immortality.


    The main reason was that his cultivation efficiency was too low.


    Compared to cultivating by himself, he was waiting for the Spirit Power feedback from the Pine Leaf Mouse after its breakthrough to enhance his own cultivation!


    This was the normal way for disciples of the Beast Control Sect to be stronger.


    Currently, although the Pine Leaf Mouse was not absorbing Spirit Qi normally, its frequent use of Spirit Power to elerate the growth of spiritual rice was also a form of training for its Spirit Power.


    After several days, the spiritual rice had grown tall and was close to maturing.


    One had to admit that the talent of his Pine Leaf Mouse was indeed impressive.


    From various books, Lin Jing learned that an ordinary Pine Leaf Mouse at the third level of Qi Refinement, without external assistance, would take about half a month to mature a stalk of spiritual rice.However, his Pine Leaf Mouse hadpleted the task in less than half that time.


    Although he asionally used a bit of true qi to relieve the Pine Leaf Mouse''s mental fatigue through the Spirit Nurturing Technique, as a mere first level Qi Refinement practitioner, his help was minimal.


    Fortunately, the Pine Leaf Mouse had cultivated extremely pure Spirit Power and was patient, never cking off.


    ¡°You''re simply a natural-born farming saint.¡± Lin Jing closed the book and generously praised the Pine Leaf Mouse, which was busy elerating the growth of the spiritual rice.


    ¡°Zhi!¡±


    Although the Pine Leaf Mouse did not understand what a natural-born farming saint was, it knew it was praise and became even more motivated.


    With its emerald green eyes, it eagerly looked at a stalk of spiritual rice before it.


    Buzz!


    Not long after, the spiritual rice finally changed from a milky white to a golden color, emitting a rich rice aroma, which was a sign that it had matured!!


    ¡°Did it seed?¡±


    With the spiritual rice fully matured, Lin Jing immediately rushed to the side of the Pine Leaf Mouse and together they peeled back the rice husk, revealing translucent and plump white spiritual rice inside, looking incredibly tempting!


    ¡°In terms of quality, it¡¯s not much different from the bag we received.¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally rxed.


    It was stable!


    ¡°Zhi Zhi Zhi!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded happily.


    As expected of it.


    Next, Lin Jing and the others immediately separated the remaining rice husks, and in the end, thousands of grains of spiritual rice appeared on the ground, gleaming brightly.


    Looking at the pile of spiritual rice, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were in an exceptionally good mood. Although this wouldn¡¯tst long, it was a very good start.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse looked at the pile of spiritual rice.


    Then it looked at Lin Jing.


    Its intention was clear.


    ¡°Storing food is a good habit.¡±


    ¡°However, we still need to eat these.¡±


    ¡°How about this, you can take 100 grains.¡±


    As if seeing through the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s thoughts, Lin Jing said with a smile.


    After all, these were the results of the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s hard work. Taking out 100 grains wasn¡¯t a big deal and could satisfy the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s hoarding habit.


    They wouldn¡¯t starve to death just because they took 100 grains away.


    Who knows, if they were ever poor enough to eat dirt, those 100 grains mighte in handy.


    Let it hoard!


    ¡°Zhi¡­¡­¡± As Lin Jing finished speaking, the Pine Leaf Mouse was overjoyed and immediately ran over to take 100 grains, setting them aside in a separate pile.


    Although 100 grains of spiritual rice was not much,


    Looking at this pile of rice that belonged to it, the Pine Leaf Mouse feltpletely at ease, as if its energy pores had been opened, and its strength and Spirit Power surged.


    However, just then, an unexpected change urred.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s emerald green eyes suddenly radiated a light, making its pupils shine like emeralds.


    Then, in the panic of the Pine Leaf Mouse and the surprise of Lin Jing,


    Two beams of emerald light shot from the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s eyes.


    Theynded on the 100 grains of spiritual rice.


    Immediately, something astonishing happened; wrapped in the green light, the 100 grains of spiritual rice vanished in an instant.


    As the green light dissipated, whaty on the ground was a single new golden spiritual rice grain¡­


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the same time.


    In the mind of the Pine Leaf Mouse,


    A mysterious inheritance message appeared.


    It was as if a divine ability hidden in its bloodline had awakened.


    Allowing it to understand without a teacher.


    **"zed Immortal Eyes"**


    Even a pile of worthless stones, when seen through the zed Immortal Eyes, would be transformed into precious zed gems.


    The zed Immortal Eyes could merge a certain quantity of the same type of resources into another precious resource.


    Like a celestial technique, turning stone into gold.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    ¡°Zhi?¡±


    In the eyes of the Pine Leaf Mouse and Lin Jing, the 100 grains of white spiritual rice transformed into a single golden, mysterious spiritual rice grain.


    Such a change shocked both Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°I knew there was something special about the changes on the day of the contract.¡±


    ¡°You have indeed transformed from an ordinary spirit beast into a rare beast.¡±


    ¡°The divine ability of the rare beast is right here!¡±


    Turning the rotten into the miraculous, like turning stone into gold; a method that turns quantitative changes into qualitative changes!


    This golden spiritual rice grain looked obviously more valuable than the white spiritual rice!


    Lin Jing couldn¡¯t help but exim.@@novelbin@@


    But the next moment, he couldn¡¯t hold back.


    He saw the Pine Leaf Mouse directly kneeling on the ground, picking up the golden spiritual rice grain, tears streaming down its face.


    ¡°Zhi!!!¡±


    It didn¡¯t want one golden spiritual rice grain; it wanted 100 grains of white spiritual rice!!!


    Lin Jing twitched his mouth.


    This little mouse seemed to have fallen into a deep obsession.


    This golden spiritual rice looked much more precious!


    Did it really care that much for its 100 grains of white spiritual rice?


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I''ll give you another 200 grains of white spiritual rice in exchange¡­¡±


    Lin Jing was about to say that he would use 200 grains of ordinary spiritual rice to exchange for that golden spiritual rice grain for research.


    Unexpectedly, the Pine Leaf Mouse, filled with sorrow, red fiercely at the golden spiritual rice grain.


    Then it bit down hard, crushing it and swallowing it!


    As if to take revenge.


    ¡°Whoa, you just ate it like that.¡± Lin Jing was shocked again.


    He didn¡¯t even know its effects.


    ¡°A grain of golden spiritual rice formed from 100 grains of ordinary spiritual rice should, in theory, have effects more than 100 times that of ordinary spiritual rice, right?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, this divine ability would be meaningless, and the so-called rare beast would be a misnomer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as if it was 100 bowls of rice; it shouldn¡¯t burst its stomach.¡±


    Thinking of this, Lin Jing rxed a bit.


    ¡°If its effects can rival that of a spirit stone, that would be great.¡±


    Lin Jing had initially thought that this golden spiritual rice grain would be like a spirit stone, providing substantial benefits for cultivation.


    Unfortunately, the reality was not so.


    After consuming a grain of spirit-rich golden spiritual rice, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s eyes actually shed with a hint of scarlet, and instead of feeling full, a strong sense of hunger spread throughout its heart.


    Then, under Lin Jing¡¯s silent gaze, it seemed like a starving ghost, with its stomach growling thunderously, rushing toward the pile of spiritual rice, madly stuffing the freshly produced spiritual rice into its mouth.


    Due to the bloodline contract with the Pine Leaf Mouse, Lin Jing could sense its current state.


    Hungry. Very hungry.


    The effect of that golden spiritual rice was not to satiate hunger, but to induce a feeling of hunger in the consumer!


    Driven by this hunger, the Pine Leaf Mouse went into a feeding frenzy, rapidly shoving spiritual rice into its mouth. In the past, it would have immediately been stuffed and unable to quickly digest the nutrition and Spirit Power within.


    But this time, its digestive ability seemed to have undergone a terrifying enhancement. The entire pile of spiritual rice was swept away, and not only did it appearpletely unaffected, but its own aura also continued to rise, as if¡­ it had instantaneously digested all the nutrition of the spiritual rice and converted it into its own power!


    Only after consuming everything did the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s gluttonous frenzy graduallye to a halt, returning to a state of rity¡­


    ¡°Enhanced digestive ability, rapid absorption of nutrients? The effect of the golden spiritual rice¡­ is actually this powerful.¡± Lin Jing took a deep breath. This was much stronger than merely enhancing the quality of spiritual rice. What exactly was this rare beast¡¯s divine ability¡­


    Was it an inheritance of an immortal, transformed by an alien race due to starlight? Could this be considered a form of immortal inheritance?


    ¡°Regardless, as Elder Mo said, rare beasts are indeed incredibly powerful. We won¡¯t be short on money in the future.¡± He sighed.


    However¡­ Lin Jing was happy, but when the Pine Leaf Mouse regained consciousness and saw that all its hard-earned spiritual rice had vanished, it widened its eyes in confusion, including the 200 grains Lin Jing had just given it¡­ all of it was gone.


    The n to hoard food was shattered once again!


    ¡°Zhi!!!!¡± In the courtyard, the Pine Leaf Mouse let out a heart-wrenching cry. What a useless divine ability, it can¡¯t hoard anything at all! Why couldn¡¯t it awaken a spatial


    divine ability!!!

 Chapter 10: Flying Leaves!

    Chapter 10: Flying Leaves!


    A squirrel that loved to hoard food had awakened a divine ability to synthesize resources, and Lin Jing didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Wasn''t this bullying a child, forcing it to be unable to hoard anything?


    Seeing the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s heart-wrenching appearance, Lin Jing couldn''t help but smile slightly.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse immediately stopped crying, its gaze fixed on Lin Jing.


    Lin Jingughed, ¡°I¡¯m happy for you. From today on, you¡¯re no longer an ordinary spirit beast but a rare beast!¡±


    ¡°Zhi!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse was still thinking about the spiritual rice.


    ¡°Think positively; your spiritual rice has just changed forms and has been stored away, turning into Spirit Power that will be with you forever. Do you feel your Spirit Power has increased significantly?¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s words startled the Pine Leaf Mouse awake; it finally noticed that it was close to the fourth level of Qi Refinement, filled with abundant physical and spiritual power.The Pine Leaf Mouse stood there, unsure how to express its current feelings.


    Lin Jing continued to enlighten it; otherwise, with such a divine ability and its current temperament, the Pine Leaf Mouse''s mentality might continue to copse in the future.


    It needed to change its bad habit of only valuing ¡°quantity¡± over ¡°quality.¡±


    At least it should consider both.


    ¡°This divine ability is great; you should practice it more.¡±


    ¡°Just think, spiritual rice may be scarce for us now, but once we reach the Foundation Establishment and Core Formation stages, we can have as much as we want.¡±


    ¡°Even with storage bags or storage rings, hoarding spiritual rice would be too wasteful.¡±


    ¡°Not every resource should be hoarded.¡±


    ¡°Now that you have this eye technique, since it canbine a certain number of low-level resources into a higher-level resource, we should only hoard high-level resources in the future.¡±


    ¡°You saw the effects of the golden spiritual rice.¡±


    ¡°If we ever acquire high-level spiritual fruits or high-level pills that are hard to digest, this golden spiritual rice could very well be the key for us to consume high-level resources!¡±


    ¡°Zhi!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse found some reason in that.


    ¡°Moreover, now that you¡¯ve mutated into a rare beast, you¡¯ll definitely attract the attention of many bad people.¡±


    ¡°This golden spiritual rice¡­ can also be used as a weapon!¡±


    ¡°In that state of hunger earlier, you nearly lost your sanity. If we feed a few grains of golden spiritual rice to an enemy, along with a few hundred doses ofxatives, we might win without a fight!¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse stepped back, looking up. Feedingxative rice to the enemy?


    That made sense!


    Once the storage bag arrived, it would have to stockpile a few hundred doses ofxatives!


    But getting the spiritual rice into the enemy''s mouth seemed a bit difficult?


    ¡°Zhi!?¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± Lin Jing was momentarily taken aback; he had said it casually, but the little squirrel seemed to be pondering the feasibility.


    ¡°It¡¯s feasible.¡± Lin Jing added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget your Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s specialty, Flying Leaves!¡±


    ¡°As long as you throw the leaves urately, you can surely throw the spiritual rice urately too.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse contemted.


    That made sense!


    It immediately picked up a fallen leaf from the ground, its gaze sharp as it looked to the side, and waved its little hand!


    In the next instant, the leaf flew out, transforming into a green light that cut down a branch from the tree in the courtyard!


    Smack!


    The branch fell to the ground.


    In Lin Jing¡¯s past life, various martial arts stories featured techniques like ¡°flying leaves can hurt people,¡± which were quite impressive. However, in this immortal cultivation world, that technique was merely the basic attack method of the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Seeing that its skill hadn¡¯t dulled, the Pine Leaf Mouse nodded in satisfaction.


    Watching this, Lin Jing stroked his chin and said, ¡°I wonder if a pile of ordinary leaves can bebined with your eye technique.¡±


    With an idea in mind, Lin Jing took action immediately.


    Using his true qi, he kicked the leaves from a few green trees in the courtyard, causing all the leaves to fall.


    A ground covered in fallen leaves left the trees looking bare.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse fell silent upon seeing this.


    ¡°Zhi Zhi Zhi!¡±


    Leaves like these had been in abundance in the ce it once lived, holding little value. Even as weapons for its attacks, it had never hoarded them.


    It turned out the Pine Leaf Mouse really didn¡¯t hoard everything!


    But now¡­ following Lin Jing¡¯s idea, it swept its zed Immortal Eyes over the ground full of fallen leaves.


    It was curious whether ordinary leaves could be synthesized.


    In the next moment, two beams of emerald light shot from the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s eyes.


    Theynded on thousands of ordinary leaves.


    Then, a simr scene unfolded; under the coverage of the emerald light, these thousands of ordinary green leaves disappeared just like the spiritual rice had!


    What appeared instead was a single red leaf, reminiscent of a maple leaf.


    Although this red leaf emanated a Spirit Qi fluctuation weaker than an ordinary grain of spiritual rice, Lin Jing was pleasantly surprised to see that it had indeed seeded and immediately called to the Pine Leaf Mouse, ¡°Throw it and see!¡±


    ¡°Zhi Zhi¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse scampered to pick up the red leaf, but as soon as it grasped it, its eyes felt a bit sore, possibly due to excessive use of its eye power, making it quite ufortable.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing quickly stepped forward and ced his hand on the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s head, activating the ¡°Spirit Nurturing Technique.¡± A glow covered the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s head, alleviating its mental fatigue.


    ¡°Are your eyes okay? I overlooked that you¡¯re only at the third level of Qi Refinement, and using this divine ability continuously must take a toll.¡± He grew worried.


    After nearly a month ofpanionship, he certainly didn¡¯t want anything to happen to this little squirrel.


    ¡°Zhi!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse rubbed its eyes and then pushed Lin Jing¡¯s hand away. Although it felt unwell, it was even more eager to understand the power of this red leaf!


    With the red leaf in hand, it vaguely sensed a very close connection with it, as if it was being refined by itself!


    Whoosh!


    The Pine Leaf Mouse aimed at the bare tree and threw the leaf. In the next moment, a sh of red light urred, and this time, the flying leaf¡¯s speed far surpassed that of the previous green leaves. In the blink of an eye, a thick branch fell, smooth to the touch.


    And this was not the end.


    The previous green flying leaves lost power and fell shortly after cutting off a branch, but this time, the red flying leaves not only continued flying further but the Pine Leaf Mouse also widened its eyes, discovering something incredible.


    The Flying Leaves Technique was used by the Pine Leaf Mouse tounch leaves with its Spirit Power, which would then attack in a straight line.


    But this time, with the red flying leaves, the Pine Leaf Mouse realized it could actually control the trajectory of the leaf¡¯s flight at will, even calling it back!


    With a thought, the red flying leaf instantly turned and flew back toward them, cutting through a stone block beneath a tree in the process.


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    Under the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s focused control, the red flying leaf skimmed the ground, spinning in the air as it went.


    ¡°Zhi!!!¡± This scene made the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s eyes sparkle!


    Lin Jing was also taken aback. Elder Mo had mentioned that the Pine Leaf Mouse tribe,pared to the strong Fighting Apes, Horned Cattle, and Fire Spirit Sparrows that could use fire techniques, were not particrly strong.@@novelbin@@


    The Flying Leaves Technique had limited effectiveness in battle.


    But now, the Flying Leaves Technique in the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s hands seemed to be something entirely different.


    This was simply a maniption technique! A Leaf Maniption Technique!


    It was as if it had gained a life-bound magical treasure, the Red Leaf¡­


    The more the Pine Leaf Mouse used it, the more enthralled it became. Pointing skyward, the red flying leaf shot into the sky as if it wanted to pierce the heavens, cutting down immortals!


    ¡°Who dares throw things carelessly in the sky?!¡± An angry voice echoed from the clouds, and a crane revealed its head.

 Chapter 11: The Three Great Demon Sects

    Chapter 11: The Three Great Demon Sects


    The crane stood tall, with long legs and its body covered in feathers as white as snow. On its head was a red patch, resembling the sun rising in the dawn, giving it an air of nobility.


    It swooped down angrily, clutching the red flying leaves. This crane¡­ judging by the ent, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were very familiar with it.


    It seemed to be the celestial crane that had delivered resources to them when they first arrived at the outer sect, rather than the crane sister that had brought them down from the inner peak.


    Referring to it as a celestial crane was somewhat inurate; through reading books, Lin Jing had already learned its species name.


    Heavenly Feather Crane, a wind-type spirit beast, holds an extraordinary status in the Beast Taming Sect.


    Because the sect master¡­ had contracted one Heavenly Feather Crane!


    ¡°Zhi¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse was extremely nervous upon seeing the leaves it had carelessly thrown hit the crane.


    ¡°Senior¡­¡± Lin Jing also showed an apologetic expression and said, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry; we were practicing spells.¡±¡°I¡¯m so annoyed. The sect is not safe now; be more careful next time!¡± The Heavenly Feather Crane tossed away the leaves, looking around, and said, ¡°It seems this is the ce. Outer sect disciple Lin Jing, you have a message from Elder Mo Wuy¨¡ from Lotus Peak!¡±


    After saying that, it dropped a letter and flew back into the clouds, seemingly in a hurry, as if it were afraid of exceeding the time for its next delivery.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse breathed a sigh of relief, and Lin Jing curiously opened the letter.


    ¡°Zhi?¡±


    After reading the letter, Lin Jing pondered, ¡°Elder Mo said that the small base of the Yin Corpse Sect that kidnapped me has already reported my Longevity Body information but didn¡¯t manage to transfer me. He advised me not to leave the Beast Taming Sect and not to ept sect missions that require leaving.¡±


    ¡°As long as we stay within the sect, we can remain safe.¡±


    ¡°As for him, he is no longer in the sect¡­ but has gone to the Demon Extermination Division to understand the specific situation and see if he can uproot that higher-level demon sect base as well!¡±


    ¡°Zhi!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse looked at Lin Jing with sympathy.


    Lin Jing shook his head and said, ¡°I really have bad luck. I¡¯ve only just started my cultivation and am already targeted by the demon sect.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes. Rare beasts are even scarcer than special cultivation physiques!¡±


    ¡°If we get caught, we might end up at the same dinner table.¡±


    Now, Lin Jing was no longer a novice in the cultivation world and had a deeper understanding of the demon sects.


    The three great demon sects in the cultivation world¡ªYin Corpse Sect, Gu God Sect, and Youming Hall¡ªwere all terrifying names.


    Among them, the Yin Corpse Sect, which refines corpses and sells seedlings, seizes geniuses, and extracts their foundations, is a thorn in the side of every major sect and cultivation family. Which family doesn¡¯t have a genius with a special physique?


    Where there¡¯s trade, there¡¯s persecution. Although the failure rate of seizing and rebuilding the body is very high, many seriously injured high-level cultivators still refuse to resign to their fate, and the Yin Corpse Sect ys the role of a middleman.


    The Gu God Sect raises gu worms, cing them in numerous mortals, ordinary cultivators, and even those with special physiques to nourish the gu with human bodies and enhance their powers, allowing them to evolve!


    As for Youming Hall, it focuses on ghost cultivation, raising spirits and dispatching souls.


    Fortunately, under the crackdown of the Demon Extermination Division of the Ti¨¡nyu¨¢n Ancient Country and various regional sects, the three great demon sects were like rats crossing the street, unable to see the light of day.


    Lin Jing sighed. It was a relief that his Longevity Body, while rare, wasn¡¯t particrly precious. Even if it attracted attention, it shouldn¡¯t be the top priority.


    ¡°When Elder Mo returns, we¡¯ll tell him about your mutated rare beast. Since I, as a special physique, can obtain inner sect-level resources, then you should also count as a ¡®special physique¡¯ now. Perhaps our resource treatment can be upgraded.¡±


    As a new disciple entering the sect, Lin Jing could enjoy such good treatment. The Pine Leaf Mouse, born in the Beast Taming Sect and raised under its training, had parents who were also within the sect. Its connection to the sect was deeper than Lin Jing¡¯s, so he believed the sect wouldn¡¯t skimp on resources for its training.


    ¡°Zhi zhi zhi!!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded and then looked at the spirit bean seedlings nearby.


    It was curious about what would be synthesized from these after nting 100 seeds and then converting them with the zed Immortal Eyes.


    ¡°You should stop¡­¡± Lin Jing interrupted, ¡°We don¡¯t have any rations left. The little bit of spirit rice we managed to nt has already been eaten by you.¡±


    ¡°We should go find something to eat. Otherwise¡­ let alone the consumption for synthesizing new resources, you might starve during the spirit bean ripening process.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, let¡¯s go hunt some game in the mountains and dig up some wild vegetables to fill our stomachs.¡± Lin Jing sighed.


    Among the dozens of peaks in the Beast Taming Sect, a few were specially designated for raising some ferocious beasts¡ªman-eating monsters kept for outer and inner sect disciples to train.


    Lin Jing nned to take the Pine Leaf Mouse to one of those mountains that outer sect disciples could enter, to catch a few wild rabbits and fish.


    If it had been before, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to take the risk. But now, the Pine Leaf Mouse had mastered the red flying leaves, which could cut through steel like mud, and ordinary mountain beasts and low-level monsters posed no threat to them anymore.


    ¡­


    After a break, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, armed with the red flying leaves, left the courtyard and began their journey toward ¡°Tiger Peak¡± ording to the map.


    This peak had man-eating tigers prowling about, but only a few had the demonic energy equivalent to ¡°firstyer of Qi training.¡± The Beast Taming Sect only allowed disciples at the ¡°firstyer of Qi training¡± to bring pets into the area to cultivate their courage.


    These disciples were often just beginning their cultivation journey, still transitioning from a mortal mindset. Facing a monster would be daunting; they might even falter at the roar of amon mountain tiger.


    However, with at least a thirdyer pet beast protecting them, such disciples entering this peak typically wouldn¡¯t encounter any idents, making it a suitable ce for mental training.


    The most important part was that all the hunted resources belonged to the disciple.


    Before long, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse arrived at the foot of Tiger Peak. At the entrance, an old man in a coarse robe stood there. Upon seeing Lin Jing, he waved his hand.


    ¡°Outer sect disciple? Want to enter Tiger Peak?¡± Lin Jing approached, and the old man examined Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°Elder, yes.¡± Lin Jing didn¡¯t recognize the old man but guessed he was the peak guardian, as peaks like Tiger Peak had dedicated personnel.


    ¡°You cannot enter now; a spirit nt unexpectedly sprouted inside the mountain and was eaten by a tiger. Now that tiger has gained intelligence and possesses strong demonic power. It¡¯s risky for you to enter.¡± The old man waved his hand and said, ¡°Come back another day.¡±


    ¡°Elder, what level is that tiger?¡± Lin Jing asked. ¡°Perhaps we can¡­¡±


    ¡°Firstyer of Qi training.¡±


    ¡°Elder, sorry to trouble you.¡± Lin Jing cupped his fists and turned to leave with the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    What a world it was; after all the hard work in cultivation, he had only just reached the firstyer of Qi training.


    Yet a tiger that ate a spirit nt could reach the ninthyer?


    Fortune¡­ truly more important than effort.


    Not only was Lin Jing distressed, but the Pine Leaf Mouse on his shoulder was also indignant.


    Just as Lin Jing was leaving, a familiar figure approached.


    ¡°Junior Lin?¡± the young man in white called out in surprise.


    ¡°Senior Ouyang, what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I epted a sect mission to subdue the ¡®tiger demon of Tiger Peak,¡¯¡± Ouyang Hao said.


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were left speechless.


    Undercover, scripture pavilion manager, and subduing tiger demons¡ªOuyang really was a busy person. Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse cupped their fists in admiration, deeply impressed by him.@@novelbin@@


    It¡¯s good to have you in the sect; the next sect master will surely be you, and no one wouldpete with you.

 Chapter 12: The Legend of the Red Fox

    Chapter 12: The Legend of the Red Fox


    ¡°Junior Brother, are you nning to enter Tiger Mountain for training?¡± Ouyang asked.


    ¡°I have this idea, but now that the tiger demon is present, we¡¯ll have to switch to another peak,¡± Lin Jing replied helplessly.


    Walking also consumes a lot of energy.


    He needed to ask what identity one needed to ride a celestial crane.


    At that moment, Lin Jing realized the benefits of choosing an ox as a pet beast; along the way, he had seen many disciples riding their oxen.


    As for him, it was the pet beast that was riding him¡ªhow excessive!


    Hearing this, Ouyang looked at the peak guardian.


    ¡°Elder, I¡¯vee to subdue the tiger demon.¡±The peak guardian nced at Ouyang Hao and said, ¡°I see. You may enter.¡±


    Ouyang smiled and looked back at Lin Jing, saying, ¡°Junior Brother, would you like toe with me? Once I subdue the tiger demon, you¡¯ll be able to train normally.¡±


    ¡°Is that allowed?¡± Lin Jing was surprised.


    ¡°Of course! With me here, there won¡¯t be any idents.¡± Ouyang turned to the peak guardian again and asked, ¡°Elder, may I bring this junior brother along?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± the elder replied, seemingly unfazed by Ouyang¡¯s strength. ¡°You two go; I¡¯ll continue writing my self-reflection.¡±


    He looked quite annoyed.


    ¡­¡­


    ¡°Ouyang, what¡¯s the elder¡¯s self-reflection about?¡± Lin Jing asked after they entered Tiger Mountain.


    ¡°The tiger demon¡¯s presence was caused by the unexpected birth of a spirit nt, which the elder failed to notice in time, allowing a wild monster to eat it. He definitely has to write a self-reflection letter to repent and face punishment.¡±


    ¡°He must hate that tiger demon now. Unfortunately, he can¡¯t handle it directly. When a monster hasn¡¯t harmed anyone yet, the sect¡¯s first consideration is to subdue it rather than kill it.¡±


    ¡°Subduing a monster is also a technical job. As long as the situation isn¡¯t too severe, it¡¯s given to promising disciples in the sect to try and train themselves.¡±


    ¡°After all, subduing wild monsters is a fundamental skill that our Beast Taming Sect disciples must master.¡±


    ¡°As disciples, we could perhaps choose from the spirit beasts and monsters cultivated in the sect to contract. However, to go further, we need to venture into the vast cultivation world to find and subdue those powerful beings!¡±


    ¡°The reason I wanted to bring you along is to show you how I subdue a wild monster and make it willingly submit,¡± Ouyang said with concern.


    ¡°Now I understand,¡± Lin Jing said, surprised. ¡°I thought you were here for the tiger whip.¡±


    Ouyang Hao: ¡°If this tiger demon doesn¡¯t submit to my teachings, I can only ept it with a smile.¡±


    Lin Jing and Ouyang chose to walk through the forest, surrounded by the sounds of chirping birds and insects¡ªa peaceful ambiance, though they still had a distance to cover before reaching the tiger demon.


    At that moment, Lin Jing suddenly remembered a question he hadn¡¯t yet resolved!


    Elder Mo mentioned that when Ouyang bes a true disciple, he might take the sect master as his teacher!


    The reason was not mentioned, which piqued Lin Jing¡¯s curiosity.


    He had forgotten to ask about it during theirst visit to the scripture pavilion, so this time he intended to seize the opportunity to inquire directly.


    ¡°Brother, I heard that the sect master intends to take you as a disciple?¡±


    ¡°You know about this? Has it spread to the outer sect?¡± Ouyang looked back in surprise.


    ¡°Well, not exactly; Elder Mo told me,¡± Lin Jing replied, clearing his throat.


    ¡°Brother, please teach me! How did you achieve that?¡±


    Only true disciples could learn the sect¡¯s genuine secret techniques, which meant bing a core member of the Beast Taming Sect.


    To be a true disciple, one condition was to take a master with Golden Core cultivation or above.


    Taking on a master was akin to a second birth, and having a good master would make the path of cultivation smoother.


    It was impressive that Ouyang could connect with the sect master.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Ouyang looked at Lin Jing strangely, then suddenly shook his head. ¡°Junior Brother, my situation may not be suitable for you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse pressed for details.


    Ouyang sighed, stopped walking, and after pondering for a moment, said with a hint of regret, ¡°Forget it; it¡¯s not a secret. I¡¯ll tell you, but remember not to spread it.¡±


    ¡°I recall that you took books about the history of the Beast Taming Sect from the scripture pavilion, right?¡±


    ¡°The first sect master of our Beast Taming Sect was a mortal. This type of body had no fate with the path of immortality, but he had a fortunate encounter and obtained the Beast Taming techniques from the Immortal Pce.¡±


    ¡°The techniques from the Immortal Pce focus on enving beasts; a cultivator¡¯s intent could determine the life or death of their contracted beast. With these techniques, he enved countless powerful monsters and reached the Transformation God stage, causing the Beast Taming Sect to flourish.¡±


    ¡°However, forcibly enving pets ultimately has its drawbacks, and he eventually perished due to a bacsh from the very beasts he had enved.¡±


    ¡°Learning from this lesson, the second sect master began to consider how the rtionship between beast tamers and their beasts should truly be. He concluded that the rtionship should not only be master and servant but alsopanions and kin.¡±


    ¡°Thus, he initiated reforms within the sect, encouraging disciples to cultivate alongside young beasts from the Qi training period, strengthening their bond instead of forcibly enving wild monsters. Even if they were to subdue wild beasts, it should be through genuine acknowledgment and followership, not coercion.¡±


    ¡°The second sect masterid a solid foundation for the Beast Taming Sect, and this tradition has been passed down to this day. Originally, this was already perfect, but up until now¡­the fifth-generation sect master, who is the current sect master, has further deepened the emotional bond with their beasts.¡±


    ¡°He has be true kin with his contracted beasts.¡±


    Lin Jing was speechless.


    This was information not recorded in the books.


    ¡°Which beast is it?¡± Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were both shocked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the one from the Heavenly Feather Crane n¡­though it hasn¡¯t been publicly acknowledged among disciples, it could be referred to as the sect master¡¯s wife,¡± Ouyang said respectfully.


    At this moment, Lin Jing¡¯s mind was still a bit confused.


    Wait, wait!


    ¡°So, brother, you¡¯re favored by the sect master. Does that mean¡­¡± Lin Jing suddenly fell silent.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ouyang sighed. ¡°Hong¡¯er was a small fox I rescued during my mortal days. After that, she became very attached to me, and I kept her by my side.¡±


    ¡°Until Elder Mo brought me back to the Beast Taming Sect, and I performed a blood contract with Hong¡¯er, that¡¯s when I realized she had developed that kind of affection for me.¡±


    ¡°Even though she¡¯s a beast, her feelings are genuine. Such sincerity shouldn¡¯t be betrayed, right, Junior Brother?¡±@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing looked up at the sky.


    Everything had been unraveled.


    However, considering this was a world of cultivation, Lin Jing no longer struggled with the differences in species.


    It was just that the ¡°Legend of the White Snake¡± had transformed into ¡°The Legend of the Celestial Crane¡± and ¡°The Legend of the Red Fox.¡±


    ¡°Best wishes to you both,¡± Lin Jing said.


    ¡°Zhi, zhi¡­¡±

 Chapter 13: Subduing the Tiger Demon

    Chapter 13: Subduing the Tiger Demon


    ¡°Thank you for your blessings,¡± Ouyang sighed deeply.


    ¡°As long as you understand, I was worried you couldn¡¯t ept it.¡±


    ¡°But this path is bound to be difficult.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Even Sect Master Xu cannot see the future.¡±


    Lin Jing asked, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Humans and beasts are destined to never have a result.¡± Ouyang shook his head.


    ¡°You still want a result?¡±


    ¡°Unless the other party is from the demon n, not a demon beast!¡± Ouyang said seriously.¡°Demon n?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the demon n.¡±


    ¡°During the era of the Immortal Pce, the Ti¨¡nyu¨¢n continent was home to numerous ns, and both humans and demons were part of it.¡±


    ¡°Any beast that cultivates to a certain level can transform into a human. Over time, humanoid demon beasts became increasinglymon, leading to the emergence of the demon n. They take on a human form while retaining some beast-like traits, thus forming a new race.¡±


    ¡°The most important point is that the demon n can reproduce with the human n, giving rise to half-demons.¡±


    ¡°Toward the end of the Immortal Pce era, countless ns joined forces with the four major sects to resist the tyranny of the Immortal Pce. During this period, the sacrifices made by the various ns were immense.¡±


    ¡°The demon n was hit the hardest, as the Immortal Pce used their spells to rewrite the rules of the Ti¨¡nyu¨¢n continent, and demon beasts could no longer transform into humans, causing the demon n to be extinct.¡±


    ¡°If the demon n still existed, perhaps Hong¡¯er could cultivate to be a member of that n. What a pity, what a pity.¡± Ouyang truly felt it was a loss.


    Lin Jing was speechless.


    This information was also not recorded in the ¡°Brief History.¡±


    ¡°Sect Master Xu has been searching for ways to resurrect the demon n. If I were to be his disciple, I would likely spend my life seeking a way for demon beasts to evolve into the demon n.¡±


    Hearing the emotional story of the current sect master and Ouyang, Lin Jing was quite moved.


    ¡°You will definitely seed.¡±


    ¡°Zhi.¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded as well; it didn¡¯t understand but was eager to cheer them on.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry up.¡± Ouyang said, suddenly remembering their main objective.


    ¡­¡­


    The journey was silent.


    After hastening their pace, Ouyang quickly used his ¡°Spirit Eyes¡± to locate the traces of the tiger demon¡¯s aura.


    Spirit Eyes is a technique that inner sect disciples can cultivate, allowing them to observe various special energies with their naked eyes. It works excellently against foes that don¡¯t conceal their tracks.


    At this moment, the lucky tiger demon that had consumed the spirit nt was dozing beneath a tree, its body overwhelmed with spiritual energy, needing sleep to digest it.


    It was precisely because its current state was rtively stable and it hadn¡¯t descended the mountain that the Beast Taming Sect had time to send disciples for training instead of directly executing it.


    ¡°Hong¡¯er.¡± Ouyang called out, and as they approached the sleeping tiger demon, the red jade pendant he wore shed with red light, and a red mist enveloped them, revealing a crimson fox spirit beside them.


    ¡°A spirit beast spatial artifact?¡± Lin Jing¡¯s eyes brightened.


    ¡°Zhi?¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s eyes widened with excitement.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ouyang smiled and said, ¡°Because I have the sect master¡¯s favor and am a special disciple, I obtained this life-bound spatial artifact ahead of time¡­¡±


    ¡°This item is easy to refine and can be done during the Qi training stage, but the materials needed are extremely expensive, far surpassing storage bags and rings that can¡¯t hold living beings. Most Foundation Establishment cultivators find it hard to afford without the support of elders¡¯ spirit stones.¡±


    ¡°Woo~~~¡± When the fox spirit named Hong¡¯er emerged, it immediately snuggled up to Ouyang without acknowledging Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, causing Ouyang to shiver slightly.


    ¡°So, Brother, how do you n to subdue this tiger demon?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°Listen closely; I¡¯ll only teach this once!¡± Ouyang stroked the fox spirit¡¯s head and then said, ¡°To subdue a wild demon beast, you must first possess strength that exceeds that of the beast!¡±


    ¡°You need to be stronger than the beast before considering anything else. Never attempt to persuade a demon beast stronger than yourself; otherwise, the only oue is to be its excrement!¡±


    ¡°Secondly, to gain its acknowledgment, it¡¯s not enough just to be stronger. That¡¯s merely the foundation.¡±


    ¡°You must defeat it in the area where it excels and demonstratemonality with it. Only then will it willingly recognize you as its leader!¡±


    ¡°For example, if you want to subdue a bird demon that excels at flying, you should surpass it in your flying skills.¡±


    ¡°Thus, those lower-intelligence demon beasts will instinctively regard you as ¡®one of their kind¡¯ rather than a ¡®powerful outsider.¡¯¡±


    ¡°This is important; it¡¯s like you¡¯d be willing to marry a Foundation Establishment fairy, but you wouldn¡¯t want to marry a Foundation Establishment female monkey.¡±


    ¡°If you achieve all this, whether you then threaten or entice, it will be much more effective and will reduce the other party¡¯s hostility.¡±


    Saying this, he began walking toward the tiger demon.


    The fox spirit, Hong¡¯er, followed closely behind. Though it was a fox, it showed no fear toward the tiger demon ahead.


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot.¡± Lin Jing nodded as he watched Ouyang¡¯s back.


    Essentially, it was about seeing oneself as a demon beast, defeating the opponent in its area of expertise to gain the highest degree of acknowledgment and submission, rather than using a human¡¯s perspective.


    This was the crystallization of wisdom from the predecessors of the Beast Taming Sect?


    In an instant, Ouyang had already moved ahead.


    As they drew closer, the tiger demon, at the ninthyer of Qi training, suddenly opened its eyes.


    It slowly rose, its tall and robust body stretching, its huge mouth opening wide, eyes likenterns gleaming with amber light, and it let out a thunderous roar, shaking the mountains and forests, causing leaves to flutter. The flying creatures and beasts within several kilometers were terrified and trembled incessantly.


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were equally shocked but still forced themselves to remain calm, observing how Ouyang nned to subdue the tiger demon.


    Next, Ouyang took a tiger skin coat from his storage bag and draped it over himself. Then he crouched down, mimicking a beast''s stance, and showed a fiercer expression to the tiger demon: ¡°They say that tigers are the beasts of utmost Yang, radiating overwhelming Yang energy, making them the nemesis of ghosts and spirits. I¡¯ll let you see who has the stronger Yang energy!¡±


    As he spoke, his Yang energy leaked out, mixed with the genuine Qi fluctuations of the ninthyer of Qi training, and he performed the Beast Taming technique: the Subjugation Technique.


    ¡°Roar!!!!!!¡± Ouyang roared fiercely, his voice deep and resonant.


    In an instant, the Yang energy and sound waves overwhelmed the true tiger roar, and it was as if a hurricane swept past the tiger demon, causing leaves to fly backward. The tiger demon¡¯s gaze instantly became clear, resembling that of arge cat.


    Lin Jing: ???


    ¡°Zhi?¡±


    Wait, is this all about wearing a tiger skin coat and roaring at it with your Yang energy?


    After this, the tiger demon seemed to have lost its intention to attack, while the fox spirit looked at its ¡°Beast Tamer¡± with admiration.


    This made Lin Jing even more confused about what this fox spirit saw in Ouyang, but from a non-human perspective, perhaps he understood something¡ªafter all, they were indeed a well-matched pair.

 Chapter 14: Elder Yu

    Chapter 14: Elder Yu


    After Ouyang senior brother''s set of ¡°inappropriate actions,¡± the tiger demon was initially intimidated by him.


    As for what came next, it was nothing more than coercion and temptation; he easily subdued this tiger demon at the ninthyer of the Qi Refining stage.


    Although it was said to be at the ninthyer of Qi Refining, its cultivation was actually acquired through a fortuitous encounter, and its intelligence andbat power were still immature.


    ¡°With the danger removed, you can now confidently venture into training, junior brother.¡±


    After aplishing all this, Ouyang senior brother earnestly patted Lin Jing''s shoulder, holding great hopes for Lin Jing''s future.


    After all, Lin Jing was someone determined to coborate long-term with demon kings; he felt that with a bit of guidance, Lin Jing would definitely not be inferior to him, a genius in beast taming.


    ¡°Thank you for your guidance, senior brother.¡± Lin Jing nodded.


    Then, Ouyang senior brotherughed heartily, riding away on the tiger demon.¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be off to submit my mission.¡±


    Watching Ouyang senior brother''s departing figure, Lin Jing hesitated, saying, ¡°I might not be able to subdue demon beasts like him.¡±


    ¡°Eek¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse slightly nodded, agreeing that it was probably best not to learn that, as it seemed unreliable.


    Lin Jing looked around, ¡°Now that senior brother Ouyang has taken away the biggest trouble, next¡­ it¡¯s our hunting time. Tonight, I want to eat fish, let¡¯s go catch one first.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse was curious, ¡°What kind of fish?¡±


    ¡°Squirrel fish.¡±


    ¡°???¡±


    ¡­


    On the Miao Tiger Peak, where the highest demon beast was only at the firstyer of Qi Refining, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were the invincible presence.


    Unlike those outer sect disciples with less experience, Lin Jing had gone through being sold by an immortal trafficker and had faced threats from Elder ck Bear; his mentality was already very strong and didn¡¯t need to train here.


    He was here purely for procurement.


    As the sun set, the old man guarding Miao Tiger Peak saw Lin Jing leisurely carrying aÂéÉþ strung with wild rabbits, wild boars, and wild chickens, leaving with the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    The old man didn¡¯t pay attention; many outer sect disciples would choose to hunt when they couldn¡¯t cook.


    Before long, they returned to the courtyard, and the Pine Leaf Mouse began to hint to Lin Jing.


    The contract was established;


    As for food, whether or not it was nutritious, they had hunted some;


    Next, shouldn¡¯t they figure out how to get a storage bag?


    The Pine Leaf Mouse hadn¡¯t forgotten about its storage bag; it hade down the mountain for this thing.


    Earlier, it had utilized red flying leaves, showcasing its skills on Miao Tiger Mountain, effortlessly defeating numerous ferocious beasts.


    Compared to ordinary leaves, it felt that the red flying leaves were much more to its liking.


    It decided that in the future, it would use the zed Immortal Eyes to synthesize several hundred million red flying leaves.


    Just the thought of having several hundred million red flying leaves without a ce to carry them made the Pine Leaf Mouse feel a sense of mncholy and insecurity.


    ¡°I remember.¡± Lin Jing also realized that with the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s current capabilities, it seemed they could start making money; the storage bag was not out of reach.


    ¡°The fastest way to make money is to sell golden spirit rice and profit from the price difference.¡±


    ¡°However, considering that using your eye techniques incurs great consumption, plus the fact that your racial mutation hasn¡¯t been reported to Elder Mo, let¡¯s not reveal the zed Immortal Eyes for now.¡±


    ¡°Besides, if we want to quickly earn spirit stones, we can only rely on sect missions.¡±


    Although when Elder Mo returned, the Pine Leaf Mouse could apply to him for better treatment as a rare beast, Lin Jing was unwilling to be a cker like Ouyang senior brother, who was still diligently doing sect missions to earn rewards.


    The main point was, if he wanted to advance to an inner sect disciple, there were not only requirements for strength but also requirements for sect contribution points, and to gain contribution points, one had to undertake sect missions; this was unavoidable and would have to be done sooner orter.


    He yearned for the inner sect.


    Since senior brother Ouyang could obtain a space treasure for his contracted beast at the inner sect disciple stage, he wanted one too.


    Lin Jing felt envious; this was a better thing than a storage bag. With this, he wouldn¡¯t have to carry the Pine Leaf Mouse every day.


    For some reason, the Pine Leaf Mouse liked to stand on his shoulder; Lin Jing felt this habit was not good.


    Although the time was still short, he could already foresee that if this continued, one of his shoulders would be high and the other low.


    ¡°Eek!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse indicated that it would follow Lin Jing¡¯s lead, and then it¡­ dragged a cloth bag, leaving the courtyard to climb a tree by the roadside to pick leaves.


    The leaves in their own courtyard had already been stripped bare, and it could only go outside to pick more if it wanted to continue synthesizing red flying leaves.


    As for using spiritual energy to hasten the ripening¡­ wasting spiritual energy in this way was too extravagant, since leaves were everywhere in the mountains.@@novelbin@@


    It was better to save the spiritual energy for ripening spiritual rice and spiritual beans.


    That night, outer sect disciples passing by saw a squirrel carrying arge bag of leaves, jumping back and forth.


    ¡°How pitiful¡­¡± Two female disciples saw the Pine Leaf Mouse collecting broken leaves and said, ¡°Whose beast master is it? They can¡¯t even feed their pet and have to let it find leaves to eat¡­¡±


    Until the next morning, the Pine Leaf Mouse was still busy collecting leaves, and their courtyard was already piled high with them.


    When Lin Jing woke up and nned to check if there were any suitable tasks in the task hall, the Pine Leaf Mouse dragged in another huge bup sack.


    In addition, it had a delicate pink cloth bag in its hands.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing rubbed his eyes and said, ¡°Where did you pick that up? I don¡¯t remember us having such a bag.¡±


    ¡°Eek! Eek!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse opened the cloth bag, and inside were several pine cones!


    It indicated that this was given to it by a beautiful and kind-hearted senior sister passing by, urging it to eat more nutritious food and not to eat leaves anymore.


    ¡°It must be that your leaf collecting made the other senior sisters misunderstand something; don¡¯t take other people¡¯s things in the future.¡± Lin Jing said helplessly.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded, then used the zed Immortal Eyes to scan the several pine cones.


    Nothing happened.


    ¡­


    Outer sect, task hall.


    Since it was still very early, there were not many people inside; apart from one supervising senior brother, only four outer sect disciples were searching for tasks. They seemed to know each other and were discussing whether to deal with snake demons or pig demons.


    The supervising senior brother was reading a book, engrossed, and was not as friendly as Ouyang senior brother. Lin Jing browsed the task wall by himself.


    After a round of scanning, he found that aside from tasks that required going out of the sect, there were very few tasks suitable for him and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Going out of the sect was not an option unless he could find a high-level bodyguard to apany him, preferably above the Golden Core stage.


    As for internal sect tasks, like going to the sect¡¯s spiritual fields to help¡­ the cost-performance ratio was too low; relying on such tasks to umte enough money to buy a storage bag and earn contribution points for promotion to the inner sect would take ages.


    Although he truly did notck time.


    Just as Lin Jing was feeling troubled, the task hall suddenly fell silent as an elder in blue robes entered.


    ¡°Greetings, Elder Yu.¡± The four outer sect disciples noticed first and respectfully spoke, while the supervising senior brother, who was reading a misceneous book, suddenly stood up, putting down the book titled ¡°My Sword Spirit Wife.¡±

 Chapter 17: Dual Breakthrough

    Chapter 17: Dual Breakthrough


    Golden Pearl Grove, within the bamboo forest.


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng and the Pine Leaf Mouse would meditate to rest whenever they felt fatigued, absorbing the natural spiritual energy to rejuvenate. Once recovered, they immediately resumed their harvesting efforts.


    When the senior brother came to check on them, L¨ªn J¨¬ng felt that their time was running out, as both sensed that a significant challenge was imminent.


    Indeed, before long, two streaks of light shed across the sky and descended into the bamboo forest,nding directly in front of them.


    The arrivals were... a blue-robed elder with a stern expression and a ck-robed elder with a look of astonishment.


    ¡°Elder Jade¡­ and Elder Mo? You¡¯ve returned?¡±


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng and the Pine Leaf Mouse looked on in surprise.


    Elder Jade nced at the piles of Spirit Bamboo, feeling a pang in his teeth.Could this really have been done by a first-stage disciple and a third-stage Pine Leaf Mouse?


    It wasn¡¯t the Spirit Stones he worried about but the fact that making mechanized bamboo dragons didn¡¯t require such an excessive amount of material!


    ¡°Did you two harvest all this?¡± Elder Mo asked, eyeing the red flying leaf in the Pine Leaf Mouse''s grasp and noticing its unique quality with a start.


    A special spiritual nt!


    Its type was unknown.


    For the Pine Leaf Mouse, having such an item was akin to a cultivator wielding a powerful artifact, indeed enhancing its capabilities. But where had L¨ªn J¨¬ng and the Pine Leaf Mouse obtained it?


    Moreover, wielding this type of leaf would drain the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s energy tremendously, so seeing this amount of harvested bamboo seemed exaggerated¡ªhad they been cutting non-stop day and night?


    What incredible determination.


    Suddenly, Elder Mo''s heart leaped as he connected some thoughts.


    ¡°Yes, Elder,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng confirmed. ¡°To avoid dying the Ascending Dragon Festival preparations, we haven¡¯t dared to ck off, sleeping only two hours each day.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Good job!¡± Elder Mo burst intoughter, pping Elder Jade¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Old Jade, see how diligent the disciple I brought back is? I¡¯d say this amount of Spirit Bamboo should suffice for your bamboo dragons. How about letting him rest now?¡±


    ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t skimp on the mission rewards¡­¡± With that, Elder Mo stepped forward, summoned a cloud of mist, and carried L¨ªn J¨¬ng and the Pine Leaf Mouse away, leaving Elder Jade bewildered.


    ¡°Damn! That old miser Mo Wuy¨¢ must have secretly trained this Longevity Body! Otherwise, how could a third-stage Pine Leaf Mouse achieve this?¡± Elder Jade muttered. ¡°This much Spirit Bamboo could make a foundation-stage bamboo dragon.¡±


    ¡°This year¡¯s Ascending Dragon Festival¡­ no one¡¯s going to have it easy! I¡¯ll add some intensity!¡±


    ¡­


    Outer Sect, private courtyard.


    Elder Mo brought L¨ªn J¨¬ng back and kept scrutinizing both him and the Pine Leaf Mouse, asking, ¡°Where did you get that red flying leaf?¡±


    ¡°Elder Mo, this red flying leaf... was created by the Pine Leaf Mouse itself through its innate ability. Shortly after forming our contract, it underwent a mutation! I suspect it evolved toward the rare type you once mentioned,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng exined.


    ¡°Rare beast¡­¡± Elder Mo¡¯s breath quickened, his face flushed. ¡°So, it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve been waiting for your return to ask¡ªis this normal for it?¡±


    Elder Moughed heartily, throwing his head back.


    ¡°After six failed attempts, we finally seeded, haha!¡±


    Whoa!


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng and the Pine Leaf Mouse instinctively took a step back at the sight of Elder Mo¡¯s manic excitement.


    Momentster, Elder Mo¡¯s gaze focused on them again. ¡°What is its innate ability?¡±


    ¡°zed Celestial Eyes, capable of converting certain quantities of lower-grade resources into a different type of high-grade resource,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng exined.


    ¡°zed Celestial Eyes?¡± Elder Mo echoed. ¡°Then this red flying leaf must be something synthesized by its ability.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Can you demonstrate it for me?¡± Elder Mo asked the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Hearing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse immediately adopted an exhausted posture, its body swaying as if about to copse, eyes weary as it looked at Elder Mo.


    ¡°Ah, yes, cutting Spirit Bamboo must have exhausted you both.¡± He produced a jade bottle, pouring out a white pill and tossing it to the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°This is a ¡®Replenishing Pill.¡¯ Once consumed, it will restore your state to peak condition.¡±


    ¡°Squeak?!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse gleefully epted it and bit into it. The moment it swallowed, the pill¡¯s energy coursed through its body like a stream, replenishing its vitality. Unexpectedly, the pill not only restored its spiritual energy but also infused it with newfound power, pushing it straight to the fourth stage of cultivation!@@novelbin@@


    Additionally, due to their blood contract, L¨ªn J¨¬ng felt the powerful feedback firsthand. As the Pine Leaf Mouse broke through, his own spiritual energy surged, breaking past the first-stage barrier and elevating him to the second stage of cultivation.


    Both had broken through!


    Elder Mo was hardly surprised by the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s progress. Considering its rigorous ¡°training¡± in the bamboo grove and its innate talent, he expected nothing less. When it came to rare beasts, no development was too surprising.


    Now at the fourth stage, the Pine Leaf Mouse regained its enthusiasm. It initially intended to synthesize another red flying leaf but soon noticed that the spiritual beans they had nted in the yard were almost ready for harvest.


    Eager to see the effects of synthesized spiritual beans, it quickly picked and shelled them. Two beans, four beans, six beans¡­ soon, over a hundred beans were collected.


    ¡°Spiritual beans, a basic type of spiritual nt, function like spiritual rice. They replenish a small amount of spiritual energy when consumed,¡± Elder Momented.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse activated its zed Celestial Eyes to work on the beans, unsure of what would happen.


    Fortune favored it. The dazzling light from its eyes enveloped the pile of brownish beans, transforming them into a single, fragrant, energy-filled green bean!


    ¡°Elder Mo, this is what the zed Celestial Eyes can do. But since it¡¯s the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s first time synthesizing a spiritual bean, we¡¯re not yet sure of its effects,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng remarked as he inspected the green bean, noting its potent aroma¡ªit seemed like a significant restorative.


    It looked brimming with life, reminiscent of an ¡°Immortal Bean¡± mentioned in legends.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Elder Mo flicked his sleeve, and a drowsy ck Bear Monster appeared in the courtyard.


    ¡°Master, what¡¯s up?¡± the ck Bear Monster yawned, seemingly just awakened.


    ¡°There¡¯s a treat for you over there. Go try it,¡± Elder Mo pointed to the green bean on the ground.


    ¡°Huh? Let me see!¡± The ck Bear Monster''s nose twitched as it picked up the green bean and popped it into its mouth.


    In the next moment¡ª


    Boom!


    The green bean exploded with surprising force. The mutated bean had the properties of a spiritual energy bomb¡ªit wasn¡¯t edible.

 Chapter 19: Ingenious Soul Core

    Chapter 19: Ingenious Soul Core


    Elder Mo''s words got Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse excited. They both felt they should do something. Immediately, they swallowed and cooled down.


    "Zhi! Zhi!" However, Lin Jing seemed fine, but for the Pine Leaf Mouse, which had grown up in the sect, the Beast Taming Sect was its home. Now, hearing that its home was struggling so badly and that the hope of its whole family rested on it, a sense of responsibility suddenly surged within.


    It tugged at Lin Jing¡¯s hair, indicating it wanted topete with other prodigies from immortal sects.


    "Calm down first; that¡¯s something for decadester," Lin Jing said.


    "Decades, for you, it¡¯s just a blink of an eye." Elder Mo was in an extremely good mood as heughed heartily. "You¡¯ve been tired from cutting the spiritual bamboo these past few days, so you can rest well tonight. I¡¯ll go with Elder Yu to im your task reward. I¡¯ll have Tianyu Crane deliver it to youter!"


    "Focus on preparing for the Dragon Ascension Festival. You''ve been in the sect for a while now, and it¡¯s time you participated in some sect activities."


    "Yes!" Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse cupped their fists.


    The Dragon Ascension Festival...They had cut the bamboo, so they could certainly cut the bamboo dragon too!


    Seven days of training had honed their bamboo cutting skills to an impressive level.


    If the rewards were rich, they had to participate.


    After Elder Mo left, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse found a package on the stone table in the yard.


    Opening it, they found ten Spirit Stones and a bag of Spirit Rice. It turned out that their one-month period had ended, and after days of hard work in the bamboo forest, new resources had been delivered.


    With this new batch of resources, along with the special treatment promised by Elder Mo for the Pine Leaf Mouse, and the Spirit Stones earned from the bamboo cutting task, Lin Jing felt that he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Spirit Stones for a long time.


    "Since Elder Mo said so, we¡¯ll focus on preparing for the Dragon Ascension Festival," Lin Jing said, holding the Spirit Stones.


    "Without such good tasks like cutting spiritual bamboo, it will slow down the process of earning money to buy storage bags through other tasks. But since there are rich rewards in the Dragon Ascension Festival, if we perform well, we might even have a chance to get a storage bag directly!"


    After Lin Jing spoke, the Pine Leaf Mouse grabbed the Spirit Stones from him and dragged the Spirit Rice away without looking back, as if it had made up its mind.


    "Zhi!"


    Its eyes were full of fighting spirit.@@novelbin@@


    On the other hand, it didn¡¯t want Lin Jing to touch the Spirit Stones.


    Otherwise, it would be a total waste.


    It would rather use them for its own cultivation. As for the Beast Tamer, it would just wait for the spiritual energy feedback.


    Besides that... it nned to stock up on a few hundred Spirit Energy Bombs in these few days and blow up the Bamboo Dragons!


    ---


    Time passed quickly, and several dayster, Lin Jing could hardly be considered idle. There were too many things waiting for him to do.


    For example, these days, Lin Jing had been working with the Pine Leaf Mouse on the zed Immortal Eyes.


    Through their exploration, they discovered that perhaps the synthesis conditions hadn¡¯t been met, or maybe the Pine Leaf Mouse''s realm was too low, and the Eye Technique wasn¡¯t perfect.


    The zed Immortal Eyes... for now, it seemed they could only synthesize resources rted to nts and trees.


    Lin Jing tried to give the Pine Leaf Mouse some soil, hoping it would synthesize Spiritual Earth, but it failed.


    He pointed at the pond, wanting it to synthesize a drop of Spiritual Spring, but it failed again.


    He bought over a hundredmon cloth bags, trying to have it synthesize a storage bag, but of course, that didn¡¯t seed either.


    Even attempting to synthesize low-grade Spirit Stones to summon medium-grade Spirit Stones was also a failure.


    This situation could mean one of two things: either the number of low-grade resources was insufficient to trigger a qualitative change, or the zed Immortal Eyes were still at too low a level. For now, the Pine Leaf Mouse could only synthesize nt-rted resources. The Pine Leaf Mouse was still at the Qi Refining stage, so it was likely unable to synthesize moreplex items.


    Additionally, the zed Immortal Eyes might not be able to synthesize high-grade items yet.


    The day after Elder Mo left, Tianyu Crane brought extra resources for the Pine Leaf Mouse¡ªtwenty low-grade Spirit Stones and a bottle of Spirit Recovery Pills.


    Lin Jing tried to have the Pine Leaf Mouse synthesize the Spirit Recovery Pills made from nt materials, but there was no response.


    After several attempts and realizing that the zed Immortal Eyes couldn¡¯t activate resources beyond basic nt materials, they stopped trying. They guessed that secondary synthesis or biological synthesis might not be feasible for now. Thankfully, with the golden Spirit Rice, red Flying Leaves, and Spirit Bean Bombs, they had enough resources for the Dragon Ascension Festival.


    "The scent of dragons is growing stronger..."


    The Pine Leaf Mouse was practicing in the yard, while Lin Jing continued his usual visits to the Scripture Pavilion to borrow and return books. In just a few days, many of the outer sect¡¯s buildings had been decorated with dragon headnterns. The Dragon Ascension Festival was just around the corner.


    "I wonder how Senior Brother Ouyang is doing. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s preparing for the Dragon Ascension Festival too. He¡¯s about to establish his foundation, and he¡¯ll need more resources."


    The Pavilion Guard had changed, and Lin Jing didn¡¯t recognize the new one. They had no interactions, as he only borrowed some free books on the first floor.


    Through these few days of reading, Lin Jing learned more about cultivation knowledge. For instance, the true energy cultivated from each cultivation method was different. The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Beast Tamer Technique produced true energy that not only allowed practitioners to form bloodline contracts with spiritual beasts but also enhanced the roots and bloodlines of the tamed beasts.


    In other words, some fire-based techniques might produce true energy that has a burning effect, and some sword techniques might make the true energy as sharp as sword qi!


    The different cultivation methods and true energies determined what kind of spells cultivators should practice during the Qi Refining stage, and also affected their battle power at that stage.


    When one reaches the ninth level of Qi Refining, they can establish their foundation... This process is especially crucial for ordinary body cultivators. With the right foundation establishment technique, they could cultivate ater-stage spiritual body. Though theter-stage body might not be as powerful as an innate body, it would make future cultivation much easier. The ancient prince Elder Mo mentioned was a case where someone with an innate body also cultivated two additionalplementaryter-stage bodies.


    "The announcement for the Dragon Ascension Festival activities is out!"


    "Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s check out the central za!"


    As Lin Jing was about to return, voices of conversation reached his ears.


    Upon hearing this, he changed his direction and walked toward the central za.


    When he arrived, over a hundred outer sect disciples had already gathered. Although it couldn¡¯t be called a crowd, it was still a bit cramped in front of the bulletin board.


    "Senior Brother Ziran was right. For this Dragon Ascension Festival, whether outer or inner sect, the main event will still be the ¡®Dragon Battle Beast Fight¡¯!"


    "This time, Elder Yu used spiritual bamboo to create mechanical bamboo dragons for the festival!"


    The disciples kept talking, full of anticipation. When they saw the rewards, there was an even louder gasp.


    ---


    Dragon Battle Beast Fight (Outer Sect)


    Activity Rules: Any outer sect disciple of the Beast Taming Sect can challenge the "Mechanical Bamboo Dragon (Qi Refining Seventh Level)" in the central za during the festival. The Mechanical Bamboo Dragon has a Dragon Orb, whiches in eight colors: white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. During battle, the Mechanical Bamboo Dragon will change the color of the orb depending on the damage it takes or its own consumption. The orb starts white, and purple is the highest.


    When the orb reaches the red color, the first-level reward will be granted.


    The higher the orb color, the more generous and valuable the reward!


    Lin Jing looked at it, and the highest-level purple reward was...


    Hmm? Not a storage bag?


    Uh-oh, the Pine Leaf Mouse is going to be upset!


    Moreover, it didn¡¯t look like something that could be sold!


    The highest-level purple reward was actually the "Ingenious Soul Core" and "Mechanical Technique (Basic Beast Creation)."


    The Ingenious Soul Core is the core material for creating mechanical beasts. Elder Yu... seems like he¡¯s hiding something here!

 Chapter 21: The Top of the Outer Sect

    Chapter 21: The Top of the Outer Sect


    In the Outer Sect¡¯s Central za, people gathered and murmured in anticipation as a smiling young man stepped forward from behind the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon.


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng recognized him instantly¡ªit was the Senior Brother Guardian from the Spirit Bamboo Forest.


    The young man took a step forward and announced loudly, "Greetings, everyone! I am Fang Yonghao from the Inner Sect, at the ninth level of the important cultivation stage, here on behalf of Elder Yu to preside over the Beast Fighting Competition of the Ascending Dragon Festival!"


    "From this moment onward, any Outer Sect disciple may challenge the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon. Once a challenger is ready, I will activate the Bamboo Dragon, which will autonomously detect and seek out its opponent within a set range to engage inbat."


    "Any junior brother interested in taking on the challenge? Today and tomorrow, each person is limited to one attempt per day, and the reward will be given based on the best score achieved."


    As Senior Brother Fang finished speaking, the crowd fell silent; no one was eager to step up first, wary of the Bamboo Dragon''s unfamiliar attack patterns. Rushing in blindly could only lead to failure.


    After about ten seconds of silence, someone finally broke the quiet with a resolute, "I''ll go."


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng, who had been about to step onto the stage himself, paused, looking over alongside his Pine Leaf Mouse.The crowd parted to reveal a dark-skinned young man, followed by a strong and intimidating ape. Unlike the rest of its scruffy white fur, the ape''s hands and feet had a distinctive metallic sheen, exuding a powerful aura.


    This was none other than the Battle Ape, one of the five foundational spirit beasts of the Beast Taming Sect!


    Notably, this Battle Ape carried a long-handled weapon wrapped in white cloth on its back, giving it the air of a master fighter.


    "It''s Senior Brother He!"


    "Senior Brother He Yiming¡ªthe number one of the Outer Sect!"


    The youth¡¯s presence caused a stir, as he was evidently a well-known figure in the Outer Sect.


    "Senior Brother He has been ranked first in the Outer Sect¡¯s Beast Fighting Arena for years."


    "After him, Senior Brother Ziran and Senior Sister Caixin hold the second position."


    "Who would have guessed that Senior Brother He would open up for us by testing out the Bamboo Dragon!"


    The disciples murmured amongst themselves. Even a youth leaning against a tree reading My Sword Spirit Bride and a sickly-looking girl surrounded by female disciples turned their attention toward the top disciple of the Outer Sect.


    "Greetings, Senior Brother Fang. I am He Yiming, at the sixth level of the important stage, apanied by my spirit beast, Battle Ape, who is at the seventh level. We are here to challenge the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon!"


    Senior Brother Fang smiled in return. "Greetings, Junior Brother He. I have heard of your reputation in the Outer Sect. It seems certain that you¡¯ll be among the next group of disciples to join the Inner Sect."


    "Thank you for thepliment, Senior Brother Fang." He Yiming cupped his fists, then moved forward with his Battle Ape, ncing up at the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon.


    "In that case, I will activate the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon. Junior Brother, prepare yourself," Senior Brother Fang said, taking out a small bell strung with bamboo cords.


    As he shook the bell, a white light flickered in the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s eyes, and the winds around it began to swirl with renewed vigor.


    The moment the bell rang, He Yiming''s Battle Ape unwrapped its weapon, revealing¡ªsurprisingly¡ªa mining pickaxe!


    Though it looked rather unassuming, none of the Outer Sect disciplesughed.


    "It''s a spirit weapon!"


    The pickaxe was forged from spiritual ores by a craftsman, making it a genuine spirit weapon!


    "It''s said that Senior Brother He Yiming once discovered a ''Bright Jade Stone'' while on a sect mission in the mines. To reward him, the sect gifted him this spirit weapon pickaxe. So, it seems to be true."


    Seeing the impressive pickaxe, several disciples looked on enviously. With this tool, He Yiming''s mining efficiency would skyrocket, allowing him to gather resources at double the usual pace. It was no wonder he held the top spot in the Outer Sect!


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng and the Pine Leaf Mouse remained silent as they listened to the crowd''s chatter, absorbing the unexpected scene.


    "Ha!" As soon as the spirit pickaxe was unsheathed, the Battle Ape was seemingly empowered, bursting forth with an intense strength. Enveloped in a spiraling aura of spiritual energy, it leapt up, propelling itself directly to the Bamboo Dragon''s head, and brought the pickaxe down in a powerful blow!


    Its speed and explosive force were exceptional,parable to that of a body cultivator at the same level.@@novelbin@@


    With a loud "bang," the pickaxe struck its target, and many Outer Sect disciples let out a collective gasp, impressed by the Battle Ape¡¯s rapid speed, which seemed to outmatch the Bamboo Dragon''s response.


    Seeing this, He Yiming smiled.


    The Bamboo Dragon''s mouth opened as the Dragon Pearl within it changed colors rapidly¡ªfrom white to red, orange, yellow, and then green!


    Green? Just green?


    Despite the impressive strike, the Dragon Pearl only reached the fourth tier of rewards. Moreover, the Bamboo Dragon barely budged, not even tilting its head.


    It was worth noting that the Battle Ape was also at the seventh level, but the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s reaction seemed almost unperturbed.


    Momentster, to the Outer Sect disciples¡¯ surprise, the Bamboo Dragon appeared toe alive as it responded to the blow. Its massive tail whipped forward in an instant, striking the Battle Ape squarely andunching it dozens of meters away!


    Bang! Bang! The Battle Ape and its pickaxe crashed to the ground, with the former knocked unconscious. Despite its reputation as having "bones of steel," the Battle Ape couldn''t withstand even a single blow. The sight left many disciples visibly shaken.


    He Yiming himself looked incredulous, unable to ept the oue.


    "Green Dragon Pearl. Junior Brother He, better luck tomorrow," Senior Brother Fang consoled him.


    "Senior Brother, is this Bamboo Dragon really only at the seventh level?" He Yiming asked in disbelief.


    Senior Brother Fang nodded. "Yes, but this Bamboo Dragon is configured to be at the peak of the seventh level. Consider yourself fortunate; I¡¯ve heard that the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon used for the Inner Sect¡¯s Ascending Dragon Festival even reaches the Foundation Establishment level. Just the thought of it makes me shudder," he said, grateful for his assignment. Otherwise, he would have had to face the Foundation Establishment Bamboo Dragon, a challenge that he could barely imagine.


    "Is there no one else?" Several minutes passed as Senior Brother Fang replenished the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s energy with Spirit Stones, but still, no new challengers emerged.


    Rather than encouraging confidence, He Yiming¡¯s defeat had sown even deeper seeds of hesitation among the disciples.


    "Come on now, you¡¯re already here," Senior Brother Fang said, smiling at the junior disciples'' reluctance.


    ¡°Is it ready? We¡¯re up,¡± came another voice from the crowd.


    The disciples parted once more, revealing a clear path to a young man with a delicate appearance, apanied by a Pine Leaf Mouse perched on his shoulder.


    Compared to He Yiming, fewer people recognized this youth, though there were still a few familiar faces.


    Notably, Senior Brother Ziran from the Mission Hall and Senior Brother Fang Yonghao looked over in mild surprise as they saw it was L¨ªn J¨¬ng.


    "Outer Sect disciple L¨ªn J¨¬ng, at the second level, apanied by my spirit beast Pine Leaf Mouse, at the fifth level. We¡¯re here to challenge the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon!" L¨ªn J¨¬ng dered, moving toward the center of the arena with his Pine Leaf Mouse.


    "Who is that?"


    "Second level? Fifth level?"


    The crowd was taken aback. Although such levels weren''t disqualified from participating, especially with rewards avable at even the lowest tier, the sheer strength of the Bamboo Dragon had everyone astonished by L¨ªn J¨¬ng¡¯s boldness.


    "You..." Senior Brother Fang gave him an odd look. "Are you sure you want to challenge it?"


    The instigator¡­ had appeared!


    "Nice to see you again, Senior Brother. Thanks for your ¡®hospitality¡¯st time!¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng said with a smile.


    "Squeak, squeak!" The Pine Leaf Mouse red at him as well.


    Had it not been for his meddling, they might have been able to chop down Spirit Bamboo for another two days.


    "Ah, I see," Senior Brother Fang replied, puzzled by the sentiment. "Since that¡¯s the case, I''ll activate the Bamboo Dragon again. Junior Brother, please be cautious."


    With that, he shook the bamboo bell to start the Mechanized Beast once more.


    Most onlookers assumed this unfamiliar Outer Sect disciple was merely going through the motions.


    As the Bamboo Dragon whirred to life, L¨ªn J¨¬ng reached into his bag, drawing out a red maple leaf that the Pine Leaf Mouse caught in its tiny paws.


    With a flick, the red leaf shot forth like a crims, far faster than the Battle Ape¡¯s earlier explosive move.


    "My god, that¡¯s so fast!" Another disciple who trained a Pine Leaf Mouse gasped, astounded by the technique''s sheer speed.


    "Did he stop training everything else just to practice this flying leaf technique?"


    The other disciples exchanged surprised nces.


    The leaf struck the Bamboo Dragon, embedding itself like a dagger driven into a dragon¡¯s hide.


    ¡°ROAR!!!¡± Though it felt no pain, the Bamboo Dragon let out a metallic roar, as if agitated by the intrusion. The Dragon Pearl changed colors rapidly, reaching blue


    this time, indicating that the damage from the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Flying Leaf technique exceeded that of the Battle Ape¡¯s spirit weapon by at least two ranks!


    The unexpected scene defied all expectations, as the Pine Leaf Mouse was not known forbat techniques.


    "Blue?!" He Yiming, who was treating the Battle Ape with healing pills nearby, looked up in shock.


    "Could it be something special about that leaf?" some guessed, suspecting the leaf to be an unusual item.


    "It must be a rare malignant nt worth even more than a spirit pickaxe! And that Pine Leaf Mouse can handle it so well!"


    But as impressive as the attack was, the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s reaction was even more intense. With green spirit mes suddenly engulfing its body, it didn¡¯t resemble an ordinary wood-based Mechanized Beast.


    As the mes consumed the red maple leaf, the disciples gaped,pletely thrown by the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s unexpected fire skill. For disciples who had just entered the Beast Taming Sect, a Bamboo Dragon capable of both wind and fire techniques was truly an insurmountable challenge.


    "It opens its mouth after taking damage, exposing the Dragon Pearl."


    "Its initial actions are slow and its attack patterns limited, giving challengers a chance to strike first, followed by a counterattack."


    "But relying on external attacks to break it from the outside would be challenging."


    "The key must be to make it open its mouth and then..."


    "Its weak spot must be inside."


    "To disable a Mechanized Beast, one would need to dismantle its intricate mechanisms. Elder Yu wouldn¡¯t make the Bamboo Dragon invincible."


    While many disciples shuddered at the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s toughness, L¨ªn J¨¬ng was muttering to himself. As they watched in confusion, he took out ten more red leaves from his bag.


    The crowd was speechless.


    Not only did the Pine Leaf Mouse take five leaves in each paw, but it alsounched all ten at once in a dazzling flurry of crimson streaks aimed straight for the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s head.


    Disciples with Pine Leaf Mice were baffled, while others marveled at the sheer precision.


    Even though the Bamboo Dragon moved, there was no way a direct hit could...


    The Bamboo Dragon tilted its head slightly, causing the leaves to veer off target, with most aimed toward its face at best.


    But then, in an instant¡­


    "Object Maniption!" L¨ªn J¨¬ng formed a hand sign, guiding the leaves.


    With L¨ªn J¨¬ng¡¯smand, the Pine Leaf Mouse directed the leaves with pinpoint uracy into the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s open mouth.


    Crack! Crack!


    The sound of mechanisms breaking echoed as the Dragon Pearl turned purple, then shattered. With the Bamboo Dragon¡¯s wind and fire extinguished, it fell to the ground in pieces.


    Thud!


    Silence fell over the crowd.


    Seeing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse practically squealed with joy.


    Was it really that fragile? Now it didn¡¯t need to use its Spiritual Bean bomb!


    It ran forward eagerly, ready to retrieve its precious leaves.


    "Who is he? What¡¯s his story?" This was the question on every disciple''s mind. L¨ªn J¨¬ng, who had been in the Beast Taming Sect for some time, had finally caught the attention of the entire Outer Sect.


    "Senior Brother, does this... count as a sessful challenge?" L¨ªn J¨¬ng turned to the Senior Brother Guardian.


    Senior Brother Fang¡¯s mouth twitched, thinking, "You harvested the bamboo for it, and now you¡¯ve dismantled it, all without a trace of true energy. Do you have a grudge against bamboo? And your Object Maniption technique¡ªwhy is there no spiritual fluctuation at all?!"

 Chapter 22: The Reward

    Chapter 22: The Reward


    In the Outer Sect¡¯s Mechanized Workshop.


    Inside the workshop, Elder Yu looked at the pile of Spirit Bamboo that was still mostly unused and sighed.


    ¡°Elder Yu, something urgent!¡± A celestial crane swooped down in a flurry.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why all the fuss?¡± Elder Yu looked up with a frown at the approaching Tianyu Crane.


    ¡°Your Mechanized Bamboo Dragon¡­ someone destroyed it!¡± the crane reported.


    ¡°It was an Outer Sect disciple named L¨ªn J¨¬ng and his Pine Leaf Mouse.¡±


    Hearing this, Elder Yu simply let out a dismissive hum. ¡°Is that something to panic over?¡±


    ¡°It shows that, under my guidance, our Outer Sect disciples are getting stronger by the day!¡±¡°There¡¯s another Bamboo Dragon over there. Take it over, and summon L¨ªn J¨¬ng and his beast to see me. I¡¯ll personally reward them!¡± Elder Yu gestured toward the backup Mechanized Bamboo Dragon in the corner.


    The crane blinked, momentarily bewildered. Elder Yu was famously protective of the mechanized beasts he crafted. Now that one had been smashed by an Outer Sect disciple, he was remaining¡­ calm?


    Something strange was definitely going on. The Tianyu Crane left with a skeptical look, carrying away the new Bamboo Dragon.


    Meanwhile, Elder Yu inwardly let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Elder Mo had given him a heads-up about this Longevity Body''s unusual talents. Otherwise, knowing his creation had been demolished would¡¯ve been anything but calming.


    Though one Bamboo Dragon had been lost, Elder Yu was grateful for the forewarning and had evene up with a n!


    Now aware that the Longevity Body and the mutated Pine Leaf Mouse might be able to destroy a Bamboo Dragon, he could use this knowledge to encourage L¨ªn J¨¬ng to learn the art of mechanized beasts.


    Apart from someone with an abundance of time¡ªlike one with a Longevity Body¡ªno one else would be willing to study the craft he had honed!


    Now that he had a promising student in front of him, Elder Yu decided to test L¨ªn J¨¬ng¡¯s attitude toward mechanized arts.


    ¡­


    Back in the Central za, the disciples were still in shock after L¨ªn J¨¬ng¡¯s sessful challenge, especially given that he had broken the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon.


    ¡°No wonder Elder Yu is willing to teach him personally. This guy¡­ definitely wasn¡¯t recruited through normal channels. He must be a prodigy found by some elder, likely with a unique cultivation body!¡± Senior Brother Ziran from the Mission Hall clenched his novel tightly, finally understanding what was going on.


    ¡°I remember now. When I was guarding the Harvest Pavilion, they seemed to have bought some spirit nt seeds,¡± Senior Sister Caixin, ranked among the top three in the Outer Sect, also recognized L¨ªn J¨¬ng. She could hardly reconcile the image of the penniless junior who couldn¡¯t even afford a Foundation Establishment spirit beast¡¯s droppings with the skilled fighter in front of her.


    The one most affected, however, was the current number one in the Outer Sect. Thinking back on all the praise he had received, he felt a slight flush of embarrassment, reflecting on how the Beast Taming Sect truly deserved its top status within the Wild Domain. Even the Outer Sect was filled with hidden talents, and the Beast Fighting Arena¡­ apparently wasn¡¯t even on L¨ªn J¨¬ng¡¯s radar.


    Having firmly entered the minds of all Outer Sect disciples, L¨ªn J¨¬ng was now regarded as the new powerhouse among them. Not only was his Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Flying Leaf technique remarkably advanced, but he himself, despite being only at the second level, was also proficient in Object Maniption¡ªa remarkable feat.


    ¡°That kind of speed and power¡­ To manipte the trajectory so smoothly at the second level while using Object Maniption? My Phoenix-Tailed Henying eggs isn¡¯t that smooth!¡±


    ¡°Is this considered a bined technique¡¯?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, who had returned after gathering its red leaves, wanted to correct the crowd¡ªit had been controlling the red leaves on its own the entire time!


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng¡¯s actions were just for show, mimicking the gestures of Object Maniption purely to add some theatrics, as his role was mostly limited to helping the mouse carry its cumbersome red leaves and Spiritual Bean bombs.


    ¡°Congrattions, Junior Brother¡­¡± Senior Brother Fang Yonghao was still in awe, though now more at a loss about how to exin this to Elder Yu. As an Inner Sect disciple, this was the first time he had encountered such an unusual Outer Sect disciple¡­ He suspected that even those with rare constitutions, now true disciples, hadn¡¯t shown such prowess at the second level as L¨ªn J¨¬ng had.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Senior Brother Fang, does this mean we can proceed directly to the reward?¡± Ultimately, L¨ªn J¨¬ng chose the highest-grade mechanized reward and gave up any thought of holding back. There was no harm in learning more skills; after all, he had already memorized the Compendium of Flora and Fauna stored in the Outer Sect¡¯s Scripture Pavilion over the past few days.


    As far as true alchemy or the opportunity to practice it went, he knew he would have to wait until he joined the Inner Sect. For now, he and the Pine Leaf Mouse would have to endure this waiting period, as there was little else to do.


    ¡°Probably¡­¡± Senior Brother Fang had barely finished speaking when a shadow appeared in the sky. A celestial crane circled above, clutching the massive Mechanized Bamboo Dragon, and called out:


    ¡°The Beast Fighting Competition continues. Outer Sect disciple L¨ªn J¨¬ng, proceed to the Mechanized Workshop to im your event reward.¡±


    After a nod of acknowledgment, L¨ªn J¨¬ng set off with his Pine Leaf Mouse, leaving the crowd staring at his retreating figure, aware that he was destined for great things. Elder Yu¡¯s mechanized arts, though not on par with the sect¡¯s full Beast Taming techniques, were still far superior to the standard beast taming methods taught to Inner and Outer Sect disciples alike. Without ess to a higher-level cultivation manual, these basics would be hard to surpass.


    After all, it was a skill capable of creating Foundation Establishment-level mechanized beasts!


    ¡°A new contender for the true disciple spot is on the rise, and soon the Inner Sect will have another powerhouse. I wonder how the Inner Sect disciples will react when they find out,¡± Senior Brother Fang muttered, shaking his head as he continued to oversee the event.


    Summoned by the Tianyu Crane, L¨ªn J¨¬ng quickly arrived at the Mechanized Workshop.


    Inside, Elder Yu spotted L¨ªn J¨¬ng and his Pine Leaf Mouse and eximed, his eyebrows dancing with amusement, ¡°You rascal, have you be addicted to tearing apart bamboo? First you ravage the bamboo grove, now you demolish the Bamboo Dragon!¡±


    He nced at the remaining Spirit Bamboo piled up in the back, drawing L¨ªn J¨¬ng and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s gaze. They both turned a bit red, feeling slightly embarrassed.


    ¡°Outer Sect disciple L¨ªn J¨¬ng greets Elder Yu.¡±


    ¡°Squeak!¡±


    ¡°Elder, the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon you crafted had a protective spirit me, so the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s external attacks were hopeless. We could only go for the mouth¡­ who knew¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough, enough. The fact that you managed to destroy the internal mechanism using only your abilities at this stage speaks to your skills.¡±


    ¡°This Soul Core and my mechanized beast crafting manual are my reward to you,¡± Elder Yu said, pulling out the pre-prepared prizes and handing them over with an air of generosity.


    The Soul Core was white, resembling an intricate puzzle lock, while the manual on mechanized arts was a hefty tome.


    ¡°Thank you, Elder Yu,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng said gratefully. But then, Elder Yu added:


    ¡°Oh, right. The extra bamboo you harvested isn¡¯t particrly useful to me. Spirit Bamboo is a basic material for mechanized constructs. Take it back with you, and when you¡¯ve grasped the basics of mechanized arts, you can use the Spirit Bamboo to experiment.¡±


    ¡°Of course, mechanized arts are quite difficult. I doubt you¡¯ll master it quickly. Let¡¯s say if you manage to create a functioning mechanized beast, even if it¡¯s not particrly useful, I¡¯ll grant you one wish¡ªwithin reason!¡±Finally, this chapter is done! We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. If you liked today''s chapter, don¡¯t forget to give us a 5-star rating on NovelUpdate. See you in the next one~

 Chapter 25: The Demon-Hunting Hall

    Chapter 25: The Demon-Hunting Hall


    ¡°Excuse me, is Junior Brother L¨ªn J¨¬ng here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Senior Sister from the Harvest Pavilion?¡±


    It had been half a month since the Ascending Dragon Festival, and L¨ªn J¨¬ng was deeply engrossed in his cultivation when an unexpected visitor arrived.


    The young woman, dressed in traditional Daoist robes with a delicate, almost frail beauty, had the appearance of a sickly, elegantdy.


    ¡°Junior Brother, apologies for the interruption. My name is Qin Caixin, and I¡¯m here with a request,¡± Senior Sister Caixin said politely.


    ¡°Please, go ahead, Senior Sister.¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng recognized the name vaguely; she was rumored to be one of the strongest in the Outer Sect. Surprisingly, she was also the same senior sister who had once tried to sell him fertilizer.


    ¡°Junior Brother, have you been outside the sect recently? Do you know about Senior Brother He Yiming, who was seriously injured by members of the Demon-Hunting Hall in the Beast Fighting Arena?¡±


    ¡°You mean the senior brother who was the first to challenge the Bamboo Dragon during the Ascending Dragon Festival?¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng was unsure. ¡°What exactly is the Demon-Hunting Hall?¡±¡°Demon-Hunting Hall is an organization created by Elder Li Hai within the sect. Elder Li has always been dissatisfied with the sect¡¯s disciple training policies. He believes that the sect is overprotective, allowing disciples to choose their own tasks for experiential training outside the sect, which, he thinks, stunts their growth,¡± Senior Sister Caixin exined.


    ¡°Thus, he created the Demon-Hunting Hall. Every few years, he recruits a group of Outer Sect disciples, who then don¡¯t train within the sect but are instead thrown into the wild mountains, left to survive by fighting demon beasts, with their lives dependent on fate.¡±


    ¡°Without thefort of the sect, their cultivation may not be as high, but they are formidable in life-and-deathbat. Senior Brother He Yiming was no match for them.¡±


    ¡°And why are you telling me all this, Senior Sister?¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng asked. ¡°It¡¯s not as if they¡¯reing to pick a fight with me¡­ but if they are, could you let them know I agree with Elder Li¡¯s training method? It just might waste a lot of disciples and spirit beasts.¡±


    Senior Sister Caixin gave a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that. You¡¯re right, after all. Death training far surpasses closed-door cultivation in boostingbat power, but the death rate¡­ Well, three years ago, Elder Li took about a dozen disciples, and only four have returned alive.¡±


    ¡°Our Beast Taming Sect isn¡¯t a demonic sect, so there¡¯s no way we¡¯d adopt this kind of training broadly.¡±


    ¡°Actually, the reason I came to see you¡­ is to ask if you¡¯d be willing to sell me a few of those red leaves you used against the Bamboo Dragon.¡±


    ¡°My contract beast is a Tree Bear, and it knows the Flying Leaf technique. We¡¯ve tried various spiritual nt leaves, but none have the destructive power of the red leaves your Pine Leaf Mouse used.¡±


    ¡°With the Inner Sect assessment a few months away, and with the return of the Demon-Hunting Hall members raising its difficulty, I need all the strength I can get.¡±


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng understood, though he replied with regret, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Sister, but due to certain unique properties, those red leaves can only be used by us.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t lying. The red leaves created by the Pine Leaf Mouse had a special ¡°synchronized mind¡± effect, allowing it to control them with ease. Under this ¡°mindful control,¡± the power and speed of the leaves increased significantly, letting it manipte up to ten red leaves simultaneously at the fifth level of cultivation. Other spirit beasts, however, wouldn¡¯t share this unique connection.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Senior Sister Caixin sighed. ¡°Thank you for your time, Junior Brother L¨ªn J¨¬ng.¡±


    She left, and as L¨ªn J¨¬ng closed the courtyard door, he prepared to get back to his reading.


    ¡°Heh heh.¡± To his surprise, a low chuckle came from inside the courtyard.


    Standing there was Elder ck Bear, dressed in white Daoist robes, looking immensely pleased with himself.


    ¡°I remember that girl. She¡¯s from a small cultivator family, born with a weak constitution that prevents normal training. Her family sent her to the Beast Taming Sect in hopes that she could cultivate here.¡±


    The Elder ck Bear chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve got a solid Dao heart, kid. Pretty girl makes a request, and you don¡¯t bat an eye! I¡¯ve got faith that you¡¯ll achieve great things.¡±


    ¡°And, considering you have the Longevity Body, a regr Daopanion wouldn¡¯t be the best match for you. You¡¯d be better off finding ady with a higher cultivation level so she doesn¡¯t¡­ leave you behind too soon.¡±


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng gave Elder ck Bear a helpless look. ¡°Elder, was there a reason for your sudden visit?¡±


    ¡°Your Pine Leaf Mouse has a stockpile of red leaves it can¡¯t use all by itself. If they could be sold, I¡¯d have done it ages ago. They really can only work for it,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng exined.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no pressing issue,¡± Elder ck Bear replied, ncing around the courtyard at the gears and parts scattered about, including a few crooked turtle models. ¡°So, you¡¯ve been studying mechanized arts? Looking good¡ªit¡¯s quite promising.¡±


    ¡°I actually just came to remind you.¡±


    ¡°That girl mentioned the Inner Sect assessment in a few months. Even if you¡¯re still a ways from reaching the seventh level, with the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s talents, if it¡¯s provided enough resources, it might reach the seventh level in time, allowing you to take part in the assessment!¡±


    ¡°After joining the Inner Sect, you¡¯ll have to choose a peak to join. Different peaks within the Beast Taming Sect specialize in various skills, like alchemy at Danxia Peak, dragon-blood beasts at Nine Dragons Peak, and water-type beasts at Clear Pool Peak¡­¡±


    ¡°Each Outer Sect disciple eventually chooses a peak that aligns with their abilities and studies techniques there.¡±


    ¡°Now, Elder Mo has taken a rxed role at Lotus Peak, while Elder Yu oversees the Outer Sect and doesn¡¯t involve himself with Inner Sect matters. So, you¡¯ll need to think carefully about which peak to join.¡±


    ¡°Once you¡¯ve decided, I can put in a good word for you with the elders there. In this sect, even the Golden Core elders have to show me some respect,¡± Elder ck Bear assured.


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng was most interested in Danxia Peak due to the effort he¡¯d already invested in alchemy.


    ¡°But Elder ck Bear, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re just here for this,¡± L¨ªn J¨¬ng said, sensing more.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re sharp.¡± Elder ck Bear chuckled. ¡°Keep this between us, but I¡¯ve always loved the taste of a spirit fruit called Dragonbone Flower. After reaching the Monster Core stage, though, its nutrients no longer have any effect on me, though I still eat a few now and then for the taste.¡±


    ¡°Recently, my mother came all this way to the Beast Taming Sect to visit me and brought a bunch of Dragonbone Flowers from home. It got me wondering if, since that Pine Leaf Mouse of yours can synthesize Spirit Rice and Spiritual Beans, it could perhaps synthesize the Dragonbone Flower?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a synthesized one would not only satisfy my taste buds but offer other benefits, too. Not everything it makes blows up, right?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to give it a try, I¡¯llpensate you. But keep it quiet¡ªdon¡¯t let Elder Mo know I¡¯ve been bothering you. If he finds out, I¡¯ll be in trouble!¡±


    L¨ªn J¨¬ng nodded. ¡°But Elder, I¡¯ve never heard of the Dragonbone Flower, and I don¡¯t remember reading about it in the Complete Herb Compendium... Could it be too high-grade for the Pine Leaf Mouse to handle?¡±


    ¡°Not to worry. It¡¯s just a rare low-grade spirit fruit with no particr value beyond its taste,¡± he replied, taking out a Dragonbone Flower from his storage pouch. The fruit resembled a dragon fruit, and as he took a bite, its red flesh gave the frightening illusion that Elder ck Bear¡¯s mouth was covered in blood.

 Chapter 26: Dao Robe

    Chapter 26: Dao Robe


    Isn¡¯t this a Red Heart Dragon Fruit?!


    When Lin Jing saw the spiritual fruit that Elder ck Bear took out, he was momentarily stunned.


    "Do you want to try one?"


    Elder ck Bear handed Lin Jing another fruit.


    "Thank you." Lin Jing took the Dragonbone Flower and stored it.


    He then nced around the room and said, "The Pine Leaf Mouse should be sleeping now. I''ll go wake it up."


    Even the Pine Leaf Mouse, a naturally gifted worker and farmer, gets tired sometimes.


    In a short while, Lin Jing pulled the Pine Leaf Mouse out of its sweet dream.Groggily, the Pine Leaf Mouse looked at the rows of Dragonbone Flowers in the yard and fell into deep thought.


    However, when it vaguely heard Lin Jing mention ¡°reward,¡± it instantly perked up.


    Seeing the nodding Elder ck Bear, the Pine Leaf Mouse cautiously asked:


    "Zhi!" Could it ask for a storage bag?


    "Ah, well¡­" Elder ck Bear paused, looking a bit awkward.


    "Elder ck Bear, with your rank as a Monster Core stage cultivator, you don¡¯t have a storage bag, do you?" Lin Jing couldn''t help butment.


    "Nonsense!" Elder ck Bear retorted. "It¡¯s just¡­ I only have one for personal use at the moment."


    "You don¡¯t understand, the materials for creating and upgrading a Beast Taming Space Magical Treasure arepletely different from those for making storage bags. And the demand for them is even greater."


    "So, in the Beast Taming Sect, normal storage gear is in short supply. Every piece is strictly regted and distributed ording to need... In fact, almost all the spatial materials in the Great Wilderness Domain have been bought up by the Beast Taming Sect, making them rare on the market."


    "If you really want one, I can¡¯t promise you a good one... it would be noticed by Elder Mo. But if it¡¯s one of those tiny storage bags made from scrap materials, I can try to get one through... ''unofficial'' channels."


    "Unofficial channels??? Wait, how small is ''tiny''?"


    Elder ck Bear held up a finger. "It can store about one cubic meter of resources."@@novelbin@@


    One cubic meter¡­ it really can¡¯t hold much. It¡¯s just slightly more convenient than carrying a bundle, that¡¯s all.


    "Oh well." Elder ck Bear sighed. "You can make do with that. When you be true disciples, you¡¯ll get your own space magical treasure. You¡¯re still in the Qi Refining stage, so there¡¯s no point in having too good of a storage item right now."


    "Right, if you really want one, you can work hard for the Inner Sect assessment. There''s a proper way to get a storage bag then!"


    "The Inner Sect assessment is always done with a points system. The better you perform, the more points you earn, and with enough points, you can exchange them for magical items or pills, includingrger storage equipment. It¡¯s a benefit for newly promoted inner sect disciples, and the exchange rate is much better than what you get from contributing sect tasks."


    "Inner Sect assessment?" Lin Jing looked up slightly.


    Sure enough, no matter where you go, they all love using these promotion systems to push people forward.


    Elder ck Bear continued: "I think with your talent, you¡¯ll definitely be the top performers in this assessment. Even though the little brats Elder Li Hai brought back are vicious, I doubt they can beat you guys."


    Lin Jing nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse. Its thoughts were already drifting towards the Inner Sect assessment.


    It was eager to go.


    Soon, Elder ck Bear and Lin Jing reached an agreement. The Pine Leaf Mouse would help synthesize the Dragonbone Flowers, and Elder ck Bear would find a tiny storage bag as a reward.


    A storage bag with one cubic meter of space might not be much, but it would definitely be enough to store Red Leaf Fruits and Spiritual Beans for now.


    Thinking that it could soon have its own storage bag, the Pine Leaf Mouse was filled with energy. Its green eyes stared at the Dragonbone Flowers on the ground.


    zed Immortal Eyes!


    Then, nothing happened.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse blinked in confusion, casting a pleading nce at Lin Jing.


    With its current strength, it seemed¡­ it wasn¡¯t quite enough to synthesize the resource.


    "Zhi!!!" It rubbed its sore eyes, its gaze broken. Was the storage bag really that far out of reach?


    "Hm?" Elder ck Bear scratched his head. "You want to breakthrough a few times? This doesn¡¯t seem reliable."


    Rather than wait for the Pine Leaf Mouse to make a breakthrough, he waved his sleeve. "Wait here. I¡¯ll lend you something to help, give it another try!"


    With that, he rummaged through his own storage item... and pulled out a white Dao robe, one that looked very simr to the one he was wearing.


    "Small, small, small¡ª" he murmured to the Dao robe, and quickly, the robe shrank to a sizeparable to the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    "Put on my Dao robe. It¡¯s a magical tool that amplifies most types of magical power, including wood element spiritual energy," Elder ck Bear said as he tossed the miniature Dao robe to the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Whoosh!


    The Pine Leaf Mouse caught it, slightly opening its mouth in surprise.


    "This..." Lin Jing hesitated for a moment. "Since it¡¯s a magical tool, we might as well try it."


    "Zhi, zhi, zhi." The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded eagerly, draping the robe over itself.


    The next moment!


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, now wearing a pristine white Dao robe, suddenly emitted an air of transcendence.


    The robe¡¯s hem swayed gently in the wind. It grasped the edges of the robe with its small paws, walking a few steps. Its movements remained nimble, but now had a certain ethereal grace.


    Most importantly, the Pine Leaf Mouse felt an overwhelming surge of power throughout its body.


    It opened its mouth slightly, finally understanding why Elder ck Bear was so fond of wearing Dao robes.


    "Although, with its cultivation level, it can¡¯t fully unleash the robe¡¯s power, it should still provide some improvement," Elder ck Bear said with a grin.


    With that, the Pine Leaf Mouse turned its gaze back to the Dragonbone Flowers on the ground¡­ and sure enough, its Eye Technique activated smoothly.


    As the zed Immortal Eyes activated... roughly a hundred Dragonbone Flowers instantly merged from their bright red color into a single purple Dragonbone Flower!


    "Sess!" Elder ck Bear cheered joyfully.


    "Sess!" Lin Jing let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that both weapon forging and tailoring were worth learning when they had time!


    The quality of the Dragonbone Flower was clearly higher than that of Spiritual Rice, Spiritual Beans, or Spiritual Bamboo, making it harder to synthesize. But now, the synthesis wasplete, and the Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t feel any eye strain. It couldn''t help but lovingly stroke the Dao robe on its body.


    "Mine!" Unfortunately, before the Pine Leaf Mouse could carefully observe, Elder ck Bear snatched the Dao robe back and chuckled, "You can¡¯t have this. These robes are my lifeline."


    The Pine Leaf Mouse puffed out its cheeks in protest.


    Lin Jing smiled. The value of the Dao robe was probably higher than that of ordinary storage equipment. This type of amplification item would be better to buy when they became more sessful.


    "Elder ck Bear, would you like to try it?" Lin Jing asked, curious about the effect of the Purple Heart Dragon Fruit.


    "Try? I don¡¯t need to try. I¡¯m not short of one." Elder ck Bear reached into his robe¡¯s sleeve and pulled out an unconscious white rat demon, shaking it awake.


    "This one¡¯s a Qi Refining 9thyer rat demon I caught easily. Let it eat the first one for me."


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were speechless.


    They didn¡¯t even know what to say.


    Elder ck Bear really was cautious. Was it really necessary to be so careful over a first-grade spiritual fruit synthesis?

 Chapter 30: Unexpected

    Chapter 30: Unexpected


    "He Yiming, Qi Refining 7th Layer, Pet Beast: Fighting Ape, Qi Refining 7th Layer."


    ...


    "Qin Caixin, Qi Refining 6th Layer, Pet Beast: Tree Bear, Qi Refining 7th Layer."


    ...


    "Ziran, Qi Refining 6th Layer, Pet Beast: Fire Spirit Sparrow, Qi Refining 7th Layer."


    ...


    At the outer sect,


    the Inner Sect Examination registration was in full swing!Elder Yu, dressed in a blue robe, personally attended the registration scene to inspect the cultivation levels of the disciples.


    The cultivation levels of the disciples were generally normal.


    That is, until... Lin Jing arrived.


    He walked up to the registration table, and Elder Yu, already aware, casually asked, ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Lin Jing.¡±


    Elder Yu scanned him with his divine sense and said, ¡°Lin Jing, Qi Refining 3rd Layer, Pet Beast: Pine Leaf Mouse, Qi Refining 7th Layer!¡±


    Upon hearing this, many of the outer sect disciples murmured amongst themselves.


    "Wasn¡¯t that Pine Leaf Mouse just at the Qi Refining 4th Layer? How did it get to the 7th so quickly?"


    "The key point isn¡¯t that the pet beast is at Qi Refining 7th Layer, but that the Beast Tamer is only at the 3rd Layer?"


    It was rare for a Beast Tamer at the early Qi Refining stage to have a pet beast at thete Qi Refining stage in the outer sect.


    Of course, no one dared to look down on Lin Jing or the Pine Leaf Mouse, given their notoriety. The dismantled Mechanized Bamboo Dragon was the perfect testament to their capabilities.@@novelbin@@


    Upon hearing the other disciples'' discussion, the Pine Leaf Mouse, who was lying with its shoulders and eyes closed in Lin Jing¡¯s robe, shook its head.


    If it had focused entirely on cultivation, it might have already reached the Foundation Establishment stage!


    The Pine Leaf Mouse had deliberately slowed its cultivation down, following Lin Jing''s advice.


    For Qi Refining cultivators, Foundation Establishment was the process of solidifying one¡¯s cultivation base and enhancing one¡¯s physical constitution.


    Ordinary cultivators could only reach a few opportunities for acquiring theter stages of spiritual bodies.


    Cultivators with innate physical constitutions needed to choose appropriate resources during Foundation Establishment to continue strengthening their physiques.


    Likewise, spirit beasts and demon beasts followed simr processes.


    They needed to optimize and enhance their bloodlines during the Foundation Establishment process, ideally undergoing a bloodline evolution.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, while powerful, did not possess a strong innate bloodline, so its Foundation Establishment process was particrly crucial. The zed Immortal Eyes had granted it abilities, but hadn¡¯t strengthened its bloodline.


    Without perfect Foundation Establishment conditions, rashly advancing could be detrimental.


    Foundation Establishment was aboutying a foundation for invincibility!


    Time passed slowly, and Lin Jing felt that umting resources and breaking through at his own pace was the best approach.


    After Lin Jingpleted his registration, he stepped aside, and then Senior Brother Ziran walked up to him.


    ¡°Lin Jing, your progress is astonishing,¡± Senior Brother Ziran greeted him with a smile.


    ¡°The astonishing one is the Pine Leaf Mouse. I¡¯m the one moving at a turtle¡¯s pace,¡± Lin Jing replied.


    ¡°Senior Brother is being modest. Fortunately, this time there are the Demon Hunting Hall disciples joining us, or this examination would be too easy for you guys,¡± Senior Brother Ziran said with a smile.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lin Jing wasn¡¯t too concerned about the Demon Hunting Hall disciples. As long as they didn¡¯te looking for trouble, he wouldn¡¯t seek them out either. With so few disciples, the bulk of the points would still rely on demon beasts.


    ¡°Of course. The Demon Hunting Hall disciples are all tough characters. Despite knowing the death rate in the Hall¡¯s trials is extremely high, they still decide to join. If you didn¡¯t know better, you¡¯d think they were carrying a blood debt and were desperate for strength to take revenge on some Yuan Ying ancestor. To be honest, I really don¡¯t want to take the exam with them.¡±


    As they were talking about the Demon Hunting Hall, the disciples from the hall arrived and also registered.


    Although their cultivation levels weren¡¯t particrly outstanding, the outer sect disciples all knew of their strength.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who wants revenge,¡± muttered Senior Brother He Yiming, who had been severely injured by a Demon Hunting Hall disciple. After recovering, he had broken through to Qi Refining 7th Layer, which he considered a blessing in disguise.


    ¡°Lin Jing seems to be the real headache¡­¡± Sister Caixin thought to herself.


    She still hadn¡¯t figured out how to counter the red flying leaf technique that could change direction mid-flight.


    ¡°Registration is nowplete! A total of 20 disciples will participate in this year¡¯s Inner Sect Examination.¡±


    ¡°Next, Elder Li and I will lead you to the outskirts of the Great Wastnd, where we will act as your examiners. Your task is to survive for three days using any means necessary!¡±


    Elder Yu gave a brief exnation of the examination¡¯s contents, confirming that it wasrgely the same as in previous years. However, there were more points avable forpeting with fellow disciples, likely a change requested by Elder Li.


    ¡°Alright, all disciples participating in the Inner Sect Examination,e forward.¡± At this moment, arge flying vessel was floating in the sky. Upon closer inspection, it didn¡¯t exactly resemble a typical flying vessel.


    It looked more like a demon beast shaped like a fish... no, perhaps it was better described as a mechanical beast¡ªone of Elder Yu¡¯s creations.


    Elder Li stood atop the mechanical fish, his expression emotionless as he addressed the disciples below.


    ---


    Before long, the 20 disciples boarded the mechanical fish.


    The fish began flying toward the outer edges of the Beast Taming Sect and the Great Wastnd.


    Onboard the mechanical beast, the atmosphere between the 20 disciples began to grow tense. Whether familiar or unfamiliar, they were now allpetitors, sizing each other up and recalling each other¡¯s signature techniques.


    ¡°We will soon reach the Great Wastnd. Before the trial begins, I must remind you once again.¡±


    ¡°The Inner Sect Examination should be approached ording to your ability. Don¡¯t do anything beyond your means. That won¡¯t earn you any extra points; it will only cause you to lose points!¡±


    ¡°Besides myself and Elder Li, some elders from the inner peaks may also be observing you secretly with their divine senses. So, perform well, and remember that if you face life-threatening danger, prioritize protecting yourself and your pet beast. The elders will step in to rescue you, but that will result in automatic disqualification. Do you all understand?¡± Elder Yu said.


    ¡°We understand, Elder!¡± the outer sect disciples said in unison, bowing respectfully.


    ¡°This kind of thing shouldn¡¯t be spelled out so clearly. If we protect them too much, how can we test their true abilities?¡± Elder Li snorted coldly from the side.


    ¡°Trials, examinations¡ªthey should be full of unexpected situations. That¡¯s when you truly see who has the real skills!¡±


    Many of the disciples thought to themselves that Elder Li was just sittingfortably, not experiencing the hardships of cultivation.


    But perhaps it was Elder Li¡¯s ominous words that were prophetic. Suddenly, there was a deafening boom in the sky, shaking the mechanical fish.


    Everyone looked up in rm, and saw a massive hole in the sky, with brownish light spreading from it.


    ¡°What is that?¡± the disciples and their pet beasts stared at the hole in the sky.


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, who had been enjoying the scenery near the edge of the mechanical fish, also looked up, their expressions changing.


    Moments after the hole appeared, a thick beam of light shot down. The target wasn¡¯t anywhere else¡ªit was aimed straight at the mechanical fish, or more precisely, at Lin Jing himself!


    ¡°What is that?!¡± Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse tried to move away, but it seemed as though they were locked onto.


    ¡°We¡¯re in trouble. It¡¯sing straight for us.¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s vision blurred as the Pine Leaf Mouse ced a paw on its storage bag, only to realize that none of the items it had hoarded were useful for this situation.


    ¡°Could it be the Yin Corpse Sect trying to capture us? No, this is still within the sect... How can they be so brazen?¡±


    Their consciousness began to blur, and the world around them was consumed by the light.

 Chapter 33: The Bully Sect

    Chapter 33: The Bully Sect


    ¡°No wonder he¡¯s a body cultivator; even after taking a full round of shots, he can still move. That gave me a scare.¡±


    Lin Jing shook the water droplets from the barrel of his weapon, ignoring the looks of disbelief on his fellow sect disciples¡¯ faces. He turned to the delighted Pine Leaf Mouse that had returned to him.


    ¡°Squeak!!!¡± The mouse chittered excitedly. This was so much better than the Inner Sect examination!


    ¡°You¡­ son¡­ of a¡­¡± The Snow ins cultivator¡¯s lips trembled, but no sound came out. His broken body prevented him from moving, and his consciousness began to fade. He couldn¡¯tprehend how a Beast Tamer disciple could be this strong.


    Thud.


    As the Snow ins cultivator copsed, severely wounded, the schr in green robes, the alchemist in violet me robes, and the young swordsman all turned their gazes toward Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°Qi Refining Level Three? Qi Refining Level Seven?¡±@@novelbin@@


    They could sense Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s cultivation levels. The mouse¡¯s level was passable, but Lin Jing¡¯s wasughably low. And yet, this supposedly weak cultivator had just overpowered a body cultivator from another country. It was absurd.¡°That¡¯s a mechanical creation, isn¡¯t it?¡± The schr asked. ¡°Wait, are you a Beast Tamer or a Mechanized Craftsman?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Lin Jing casually lowered the Mechanical Bamboo Rifle.


    The other three showed wariness at Lin Jing¡¯s contraption. Mechanized Craftsmen were often underestimated because their cultivation levels were usually low, but their true strengthy in their mechanical creations.


    If the outsiders were cautious, Lin Jing¡¯s fellow Beast Taming Sect disciples were outright dumbfounded. Even the Demon-Hunting Hall members exchanged uneasy nces.


    Could Lin Jing really be nning to use this contraption topete with them in the Inner Sect examination? It sounded like a joke¡­


    ¡°Junior Brother, this¡­¡± Senior Brother Ziran began awkwardly. ¡°We don¡¯t have any bad blood, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Lin Jing replied smoothly. ¡°This is just something I prepared to deal with Foundation Establishment-level demon beasts during the examination.¡±


    He then turned to the schr, the alchemist, and the swordsman, raising his rifle. ¡°I dealt with the Snow ins cultivator for you. I¡¯d like to use the golden Bodhi Tree. That¡¯s reasonable, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I take it you¡¯re the true prodigy chosen by the Cavern Heaven from the Beast Taming Sect,¡± the schr remarked, dusting off his robes. ¡°Impressive. I didn¡¯t expect your sect to produce such a talented Mechanized Craftsman.¡±


    ¡°But mechanical creations consume a lot of energy, and lower-level mechanisms don¡¯tst long. After such an intense assault earlier, your contraption is probably running low on power and close to malfunctioning, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    In response, Lin Jing calmly swapped out the bamboo magazine in his rifle and pulled the trigger without a word. Water arrows shot toward the schr, who immediately paled. Having seen the fate of the Snow ins cultivator, he dared not take a direct hit.


    ¡°Silver Tongue, Sword and Spear!¡± The schr exhaled, and his breath materialized into a flurry of des and swords in mid-air, intercepting the water arrows before they could explode.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    The Mechanical Bamboo Rifle¡¯s attacks had their limitations, allowing the schr to block them. However, by the time Lin Jing¡¯s magazine was empty, the schr was visibly parched from repeatedly using his technique. He quickly took out a Replenishing Pill to swallow, only to feel a sharp sting on his neck as a red leaf grazed it, drawing blood.


    The schr nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse perched on Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder. It was staring at his storage pouch.


    Two against one.


    ¡°I concede,¡± the schr dered, taking a deep breath. ¡°Thank you for your mercy. I am Xu Zhizhi from Shengyun City in the Literary Domain.¡±


    ¡°Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect,¡± Lin Jing replied, reloading his rifle with a fresh magazine.


    Xu Zhizhi¡¯s eyelid twitched. This guy hade prepared, as if he¡¯d known in advance he¡¯d enter the Cavern Heaven.


    Lin Jing¡¯s gaze shifted to the alchemist and the swordsman.


    Though clearly frustrated, Xu Zhizhi chose to approach the silver Bodhi Tree, deciding to cut his losses. As a schr,bat was not his strength.


    ¡°What a waste. You¡¯re just a Beast Tamer. Even with the golden Bodhi Tree, you won¡¯t produce anything worthwhile,¡± the alchemist muttered.


    But before she could settle beneath the silver Bodhi Tree, the Pine Leaf Mouse leaped ahead of her. It pulled a tiny Mechanical Bamboo Rifle from its storage pouch, set it on the ground, and fired a shot next to Xu Zhizhi.


    Boom!


    The st stopped Xu Zhizhi in his tracks.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Lin Jing said. ¡°The golden Bodhi Tree is mine. The silver one belongs to mypanion. We don¡¯t n on sharing.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Xu Zhizhi exploded. ¡°Isn¡¯t that your spirit beast? Why do you need separate trees?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy,¡± Lin Jing replied calmly. ¡°If we were greedy, you¡¯d already be dead, and your storage pouch wouldn¡¯t still be with you. Opportunity belongs to those capable of seizing it. If we couldn¡¯t beat you, we¡¯d naturally back off. Fair, friendly, and harmoniouspetition is ideal.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse squeaked in agreement, eyeing the storage pouch hungrily.


    Lin Jing held back against Xu Zhizhi, knowing schrs from the Literary Domain often had ties to the Ancient Celestial Kingdom¡¯s bureaucracy. Making an enemy of him over a pouch wasn¡¯t worth it.


    ¡°Are you two really going to let him monopolize two Bodhi Trees?¡± Xu Zhizhi turned to the alchemist and swordsman for support.


    The alchemist frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s team up. This squirrel isn¡¯t cute at all¡ªit¡¯s practically a Mechanized Craftsman itself.¡±


    The silent swordsman finally drew his sword, tacitly agreeing to join forces.


    ¡°Ganging up on someone isn¡¯t heroic,¡± Senior Sister Qin Caixin of the Beast Taming Sect interjected. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we have seven disciples here.¡±


    ¡°Senior Brothers, we entered the Cavern Heaven by chance. Our strength may not be enough to secure opportunities, but we can¡¯t let outsiders gang up on Junior Brother Lin.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Senior Brother Ziran agreed, stroking his Fire Spirit Sparrow. ¡°While we may be rivals in the examination, we are all Beast Taming Sect disciples outside the sect. Elder Li instructed us to support Junior Brother Lin if we couldn¡¯t secure opportunities ourselves.¡±


    ¡°None of us are strong, but we¡¯re all in the Qi Refining stage. These three don¡¯t seem as terrifying as that body cultivator. A sneak attack would still hurt them,¡± Senior Brother He Yiming added, removing the cloth from his Battle Ape¡¯s weapon.


    The Demon-Hunting Hall disciples nodded, locking onto the three outsiders with their spirit beasts. If not all sect disciples could seize opportunities, they¡¯d ensure the greatest chance for one of their own.


    With the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s disciples rallying around Lin Jing, a 16-versus-3 standoff emerged. Though the outsiders dismissed most of the sect disciples as weaklings, the numbers still created pressure.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the Beast Taming Sect¡ªyou¡¯re the Bully Sect!¡± the alchemist fumed.


    ¡°Thank you, Senior Brothers and Sisters,¡± Lin Jing said sincerely. He couldn¡¯t predict the outsiders¡¯ trump cards, but a strong disy of unity was always advantageous. Cavern Heaven opportunities were rare, and he wouldn¡¯t miss this chance to maximize his and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s gains.


    The next moment, the turtle, which was the same color as the Mechanical Bamboo Rifle, pointed its cannon-like muzzle at the enemy.


    The schr in the blue robe felt a twinge of annoyance. He had no doubt that this contraption could fire the same devastating attack as before.


    ¡°Damn it, is this really a Qi Refining disciple from the Beast Taming Sect?¡± the schr muttered, his frustration evident. ¡°It feels like all the books I¡¯ve read might as well have been written by a dog. This man¡ªand this squirrel¡ªare nothing like the Beast Taming Sect disciples I¡¯ve read about. Who has ever heard of a squirrel using mechanical creations?!¡±

 Chapter 36: The Illusionary Path

    Chapter 36: The Illusionary Path


    Creating an illusion-based technique was no small feat, but Lin Jing believed it was possible.


    Although still in the Qi Refinement Stage and unfamiliar with illusionary arts, using the Purple Dragonbone Flower as a foundation for innovation wasn¡¯t entirely baseless.


    With the added insight from the Golden Bodhi Tree, Lin Jing felt it was worth a shot.


    If he seeded, it would elevate his cultivation. Simply using the tree to refine existing techniques felt like a waste of its immense potential.


    After centering himself, he consumed the Purple Dragonbone Flower.


    One second¡­ two seconds¡­ three seconds¡­@@novelbin@@


    Suddenly, the golden glow of the Bodhi Tree enveloped him, and an overwhelming aura began to rise from his body.


    Lin Jing focused intently, immersing himself in his inner transformation.Under the tree¡¯s influence, he felt as though golden eyes had opened within him, granting unparalleled rity. He could perceive every minute change in his body¡ªan impossible feat for most Qi Refinement cultivators.


    He watched as the nutrients from the Purple Dragonbone Flower fused with his Beast Taming Qi, transforming it into a new, purple-hued spiritual energy.


    "Not enough. I need to see more!"


    His consciousness delved deeper, revealing the essence of his Beast Taming Qi.


    What seemed like an already insubstantial energy was now breaking down into even smaller particles before his eyes. The nutrients from the dragonbone flower disassembled the invisible Qi into these micro-units, then restructured them into a vastly moreplex form¡ªa purple Qi.


    "This is it!"


    Lin Jing¡¯s mind raced as he tried to memorize the intricate structure of this newly formed purple energy.


    But the purple Qi was vtile, attempting to escape his control as it coursed through his body. It wasn¡¯t entirely his power yet.


    "This energy isn¡¯t inherently stronger than my own Qi. Its true power lies in itsplex structure, which enhances its deceptive capabilities in the outside world."


    Illusions thrive on deception.


    This purple Qi was the perfect foundation for an illusion-based art.


    Lin Jing understood what needed to be done.


    ---


    Externally, the purple energy began to leak from Lin Jing¡¯s body. Like before, it manifested as the skeletal form of a fearsome dragon, a transformation seemingly etched into the dragonbone flower¡¯s lineage.


    Perhaps the flower¡¯s ancestors¡ªflower spirits¡ªonce mingled with dragonkind.


    "So, if I can disassemble my Qi and restructure it into this form, I could simte the effects of consuming the dragonbone flower," Lin Jing theorized.


    Once formed, the purple Qi could be shaped into various intimidating forms¡ªwhether the current skeletal dragon or others like the Four Seas Dragon Kings, Monkey King, or even Buddha.


    These illusions would not only be incredibly lifelike but also project a level of menace far beyond his current cultivation.


    "But how do I break down my Qi and reassemble it at will?"


    At his current level, Lin Jingcked the finesse to deconstruct his own Qi.


    Fortunately, the Golden Bodhi Tree provided unparalleled support. Through sheer will and practice, Lin Jing¡¯s consciousness visualized his Qi as a malleable force, allowing him to manipte it with extraordinary precision.


    "Without this tree, such precise control would be impossible."


    With limited time, Lin Jing decided to drill relentlessly, repeating the process of disassembling and reassembling his Qi thousands¡ªmillions¡ªof times. His goal was to engrain the method into muscle memory, much like an instinctive action.


    As Lin Jing immersed himself in this process, the external world stirred in shock.


    The sight of Lin Jing transforming into a massive skeletal dragon exuding terrifying demonic energy left the surrounding Beast Taming Sect disciples in awe.


    "What technique is this?" muttered a Demon-Hunting Hall disciple, his contracted ck panther visibly trembling.


    "I¡¯ve never seen anything like it in the Outer or Inner Sects," said He Yiming, temporarily setting aside past grievances to watch over Lin Jing.


    "This purple dragon¡¯s presence is leagues beyond that of the Myriad Beast Body, and Lin Jing isn¡¯t even targeting anyone specifically," observed Senior Brother Ziran, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    "Could he be a demon?" Qin Caixin spected, recalling Lin Jing¡¯s peculiarities.


    It wasn¡¯t impossible. To the disciples, the notion of Lin Jing being a hidden dragon or demon in disguise seemed oddly usible.


    "But weren¡¯t demons wiped out? Dragons, the apex of the demon ns... Could he truly be one?"


    Even Lin Jing¡¯s fellow sect members were at a loss. Meanwhile, Xu Zhizhi, busy penning a report on his heroic deeds, froze at the sight of the dragon¡¯s me-like eyes.


    "What... is this? A secret art? A special constitution?" Xu muttered, shaken by the overwhelming sense of doom the dragon exuded.


    Both the Silent Swordsman and the Violet me Alchemist, deeply focused on their own practices, couldn¡¯t help but notice the transformation. They too were stunned.


    This wasn¡¯t something they had encountered in their earlier skirmishes with Lin Jing.


    "If he had used this form in battle, thirty of us¡ªor even three hundred¡ªwould have stood no chance," they concluded.


    Had Lin Jing been holding back this whole time? Was this his trump card?


    The Beast Taming Sect had long been dismissed as a third-rate sect, its disciples perceived as overly reliant on their spirit beasts. Yet, Lin Jing challenged that stereotype. His Pine Leaf Mouse was already impressive, but now Lin Jing himself seemed unfathomable.


    Who was this enigmatic Beast Tamer?

 Chapter 37: Emerging from the Cavern Heaven

    Chapter 37: Emerging from the Cavern Heaven


    It is said that the Cavern Heaven obscures one¡¯s perception of time.


    Even if one cultivates inside for months or years, the cultivators within have no strong sense of time, feeling as though it has passed in the blink of an eye.


    Immersed in this state, everyone delved deeply into their cultivation and gained significant insights.


    The Silent Swordsman¡¯s sword-shaped Qi becamepletely internalized, and the sound of his heartbeat resembled the hum of a sword. Each inch of his skin shimmered with a crystalline sword light. Clearly, his sword manual had advanced, bringing him closer to achieving the Sword Body he often spoke of.


    The Violet me Alchemist refined her control over mes during her alchemy practice. The violet fire inside her cauldron formed nine spiralingyers, continuously tempering the medicinal materials and purging all impurities from the pills.


    Even disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, who didn¡¯t have ess to the Bodhi Trees, found their cultivation much more focused and efficient, making time pass swiftly without the usual tedium.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing had returned to his usual state. Relying on the Golden Leaf Bodhi Tree, he had memorized the structure of Purple Qi and was reconstructing it. After thousands of attempts and tens of thousands of repetitions, his ability to form Purple Qi became faster and more refined.


    Unknowingly, his cultivation advanced from the early stage of Qi Refining to the mid-stage, reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining!Not content with merely practicing internally, Lin Jing began externalizing his Qi. Controlling the flow of Purple Qi, he shaped a dragon-like skeletal structure that encased his entire body, observing the outside world through its illusory form.


    The others were no longer surprised by Lin Jing¡¯s transformation into a dragon. They continued their cultivation, but the Pine Leaf Mouse suddenly turned to look at him.


    ¡°It seems feasible,¡± Lin Jing murmured to himself. He felt he had perfectly replicated the effects of the Purple Dragonbone Flower, marking his entry into the Illusionary Path.


    Unlike ordinary illusion techniques, his current Illusionary Path techniques were far more deceptive, capable of fooling even higher-level opponents.


    However, using such advanced illusions consumed significant energy. Even after his breakthrough, Lin Jing found his Qi insufficient to sustain them.@@novelbin@@


    What was more concerning was that casting these illusions under the Golden Bodhi Tree¡¯s amplification made it rtively easy. Once outside, it would likely require considerable practice to use them smoothly.


    ¡°This Illusionary Path spell can indeed be shaped into other beast forms. In that case, I¡¯ll name it ¡®Thousand Transformations,¡¯¡± Lin Jing decided as he attempted to drive a massive dragon w toward the Pine Leaf Mouse, wrapping it into the illusory form.


    Inside the illusion, the Pine Leaf Mouse saw Lin Jing transformed into the ck Bear Monster.


    However, this ck Bear Monster didn¡¯t wear a Daoist robe like it did but was instead d in a kasaya robe, exuding an intimidating aura befitting a demon king.


    If the Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t know better, it would have clutched its storage pouch and fled.


    Lin Jing dispelled the illusionary Qi surrounding his body and looked at the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°How was it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Chirp!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse sighed. ¡°Nothing. Not a single gain. A flower containing a world? A leaf containing a universe? Lies!¡±


    ¡°I told you, progress has to be gradual. Did you really gain nothing at all?¡± Lin Jing asked helplessly.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse had exceptional talent, and with the Silver Bodhi Tree¡¯s enhancement, Lin Jing was confident it had gained something.


    Sure enough, the Pine Leaf Mouse took out a red leaf. If anything, this was its gain.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°Chirp!¡± It tossed a new storage pouch to Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing caught the storage pouch from the Snow ins Cultivator.


    The next moment, the Pine Leaf Mouse activated a Flying Leaf Technique, sending a red leaf at the storage pouch in Lin Jing¡¯s hand.


    When the red leaf touched the pouch, it vanished.


    Momentster, the leaf reappeared and flew off. Although Lin Jing hadn¡¯t done anything, a pile of Spirit Stones spilled out of the storage pouch.


    It was as if the pouch had been sliced open by the leaf.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Flying Leaf Technique had mutated, allowing it to extract items from a storage pouch.


    Lin Jing opened his mouth, wanting to say something but ultimately gave up.


    ¡°I was just making a casual suggestion, but you actually managed to pull it off.¡±


    A space maniption spell!


    This was undoubtedly more difficult to learn than Illusionary Path techniques.


    Yet the Pine Leaf Mouse hadprehended it by repeatedly cing the red leaf in and out of the storage pouch.


    If Lin Jing had known the Pine Leaf Mouse was this monstrous, he would have ceded the Golden Bodhi Tree to it.


    ¡°Chirp!¡± However, the Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t think much of the technique.


    Its concern was losing its own storage pouch duringbat.


    Lin Jing ignored it. Regardless of how impractical the Flying Leaf Technique seemed to the Pine Leaf Mouse, it had now be a storage pouch assassin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call this upgraded Flying Leaf Technique ¡®Plucking the Flower with Flying Leaves,¡¯¡± Lin Jing dered.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t object.


    For once, the name sounded decent.


    Lin Jing hade up with many names in the past, but the Pine Leaf Mouse found them either unpleasant or perfunctory. Eventually, it insisted on being called Pine Leaf Mouse rather than any of Lin Jing¡¯s suggestions.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse resolved that once they had enough money, they would travel to the Literary Domain and consult a learned Feng Shui master for a name worthy of immortality.


    ¡°Speaking of which, we¡¯ve made decent gains, but neither my ¡®Thousand Transformations¡¯ nor your improved ¡®Plucking the Flower with Flying Leaves¡¯ made it onto the rankings.¡± Lin Jing scratched his chin as he dispersed his illusions, gazing at the monument at the center of the three trees.


    Rank 100.


    Feng Jiutian, Foundation Establishment Stage, created the Wind Emperor Body in the Bodhi Cavern Heaven.


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t know who Feng Jiutian was or what the Wind Emperor Body entailed, but possessing two special physiques in the Foundation Establishment Stage was undoubtedly remarkable.


    Lin Jing wondered if he could cultivate a second physique beyond the Longevity Body during his Foundation Establishment Stage¡­


    Shaking his head, hemented not being able to see rankings beyond the top 100. He was curious to know how his and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s techniques ranked among all the cultivators who had entered the Bodhi Cavern Heaven.


    No additional rewards this time.


    He hoped for another chance to enter the Bodhi Cavern Heaven in the future.


    As that thought crossed his mind, the Cavern Heaven rumbled as if it were about to close.


    ...


    Sword Domain


    The Heavenly Sword Gate, the top sword cultivation sect in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, stood in the Sword Domain.


    In the outer sect, as a massive pir of light dissipated, the outer sect elder of the Heavenly Sword Gate, who had been waiting patiently, looked toward the Silent Swordsman, clutching his Demon-ying Sword.


    ¡°Yuanjing!¡± The elder heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the Silent Swordsman emerge, his face lighting up with delight.


    ¡°Well done! In the past ten years, you are the fourth disciple of the Sword Gate chosen by the Cavern Heaven! Entering it with a mortal body¡ªjust like your senior sister did in her time!¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Elder.¡± Yuanjing, the Silent Swordsman, bowed slightly, a hint of nervousness in his demeanor.


    Elder Jianxu asked, ¡°Yuanjing, which Cavern Heaven did you enter?¡±


    ¡°Reporting to the elder: it was the Bodhi Cavern Heaven.¡±


    ¡°The Bodhi Cavern Heaven? The one for enlightenment? And it allowed a Qi Refining cultivator to enter...¡± Elder Jianxu was momentarily speechless. The Bodhi Cavern Heaven worked best for those with profound cultivation, who could draw upon their life¡¯s knowledge to create their own techniques or physique.


    For a Qi Refining cultivator, who hadn¡¯t even fully mastered their sect¡¯s foundational techniques, it seemed like a waste.


    However, entering a Cavern Heaven was a blessing regardless. One shouldn¡¯t refuse a free opportunity.


    The elder regarded Yuanjing with a thoughtful expression. Though this disciple didn¡¯t possess an extraordinary physique, his sword cultivation aptitude was exceptional, easily surpassing those of his generation with special physiques. Yuanjing had risen to the top of the outer sect, a testament to his potential. This trip to the Cavern Heaven further solidified his capabilities.


    ¡°Did anyone else enter the Bodhi Cavern Heaven with you? Did you manage to seize the Golden Bodhi Tree?¡± Elder Jianxu finally broached the most pressing question.


    This was the question Yuanjing had been dreading.


    ¡°Elder, this disciple was unable to secure the Golden Bodhi Tree. I shared the Green Bodhi Tree with another, bringing shame to the sect. I vow to redouble my efforts in cultivation to atone for my failure.¡±


    Elder Jianxu blinked in surprise. Yuanjing, despite not having an extraordinary physique, had extraordinary swordsmanship. Yet he had only managed to im the Green Bodhi Tree?


    ¡°No need for self-me. There¡¯s always someone better. I see you¡¯ve already cultivated a Sword Heart; you¡¯re not far from forging the Sword Body. Progress matters more than momentary victory.¡± The elder reassured him. ¡°Which sect¡¯s Qi Refining disciple imed the Golden and Silver Bodhi Trees?¡±


    ¡°This time, twelve individuals entered the Bodhi Cavern Heaven,¡± Yuanjing exined. ¡°A schr from Shengyun City in the Literary Domain, an alchemist from the Fire Domain¡¯s Danxia Sect, eight disciples from the Beast Taming Sect of the Wastnd Domain¡ªseven of whom entered by coincidence¡ªand one Snow ins Cultivator.¡±


    He paused before continuing, ¡°The Golden Bodhi Tree was imed by a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. As for the Silver Bodhi Tree...¡±


    ¡°It was imed by his contracted beast.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Elder Jianxu was stunned. ¡°The Beast Taming Sect? That Beast Taming Sect?¡±


    ¡°You lost to a disciple from the Beast Taming Sect?¡±


    ¡°Elder, I¡­ His contracted beast¡­ I don¡¯t know how to exin it. What he knows, it knows; what it can do, he can do better. It¡¯s beyond exnation.¡± Yuanjing was at a loss for words.


    ...


    Fire Domain, Danxia Sect


    A simr scene yed out in the Danxia Sect. The Violet me Alchemist, renowned for her alchemical talents, returned as a rising star within the sect. Her achievements during her time in the Cavern Heaven drew even greater attention to her potential.


    The name ¡°Tang Seng¡± of the Beast Taming Sect also began circting among the elite disciples of major sects.


    ...


    Literary Domain


    In the Literary Domain, a blue-robed schr dragged a bruised and battered Snow ins Cultivator into the city. Surrounded by peers and onlookers near the light pir, the schr wiped the blood from his face and sped his hands together in a salute.


    He appeared as though he wanted to etch the words ¡°I¡¯m here for promotion!¡± onto his forehead.


    ...


    Wastnd Domain, Beast Taming Sect


    In the Beast Taming Sect, numerous elders awaited anxiously outside the Cavern Heaven. When Lin Jing and his group returned unscathed, the elders were overjoyed.


    However, their joy was mingled with curiosity. Among the eight disciples and eight contracted beasts, it was clear that Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were at the center of attention. The others followed behind them like a protective entourage, their gazes filled with awe and reverence.


    The elders couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwhat exactly had happened inside the Cavern Heaven?


    Elder Yu of the Mechanized Workshop was particrly baffled.


    Why were several disciples looking at him so intently, their gazes burning with enthusiasm?

 Chapter 39: Hidden Dragon Academy

    Chapter 39: Hidden Dragon Academy


    Hidden Dragon Academy? Cao Ziwei?


    The various elders exchanged strange nces.


    Looking toward the direction beyond the sect, Elder Mo remarked, "Stop squabbling for now... As expected of the Hidden Dragon Academy, they act swiftly."


    Soon, a man dressed like a schrly teacher appeared atop a Mechanical Fish, smiling at the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s crowd.


    ¡°Inferior one, Cao Ziwei of the Hidden Dragon Academy, greets the fellow Daoists of the Beast Taming Sect.¡±


    He continued, ¡°I¡¯vee here today for this young friend who just emerged from the Cavern Heaven.¡± His gaze fell on Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°He has met the qualifications to enter the ¡®Hidden Dragon Academy,¡¯ so I¡¯vee personally to invite him.¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Mr. Cao,¡± the elders responded with courtesy.The surrounding Outer Sect disciples found this outrageous. An external power recruiting people right in front of their eyes?


    Yet the elders didn¡¯t seem particrly opposed to the situation.


    ¡°Young friend, do you know of the Hidden Dragon Academy?¡± the teacher asked Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing, slightly confused himself, replied, ¡°I¡¯ve read a little about it in books.¡±


    ¡°The Hidden Dragon Academy is part of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, a ce to train immortal officials...¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± the teacher exined. ¡°Cultivators from the Hidden Dragon Academy have the chance to be immortal officials. Upon passing examinations, they can directly govern a city, forming an alternative system for bing an immortal official.¡±


    ¡°Of course, the requirements for entering the Hidden Dragon Academy are incredibly stringent. However, since the Cavern Heaven chose you, you clearly meet the criteria.¡±


    ¡°So, are you interested in joining the Hidden Dragon Academy?¡±


    Lin Jing shook his head. ¡°I apologize, but I am a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a conflict,¡± the teacher responded with a smile. ¡°Your sect master himself once studied at the Hidden Dragon Academy. In fact, he governed a city in the Great Wastnd for ten years.¡±


    ¡°And now, isn¡¯t he still the sect master of the Beast Taming Sect?¡±


    ¡°Being a Beast Taming Sect disciple and a Hidden Dragon Academy student are identities that can coexist. Many prodigies from various sects have studied at the Hidden Dragon Academy.¡±


    Lin Jing began to understand. The academy sought to deepen its ties to the core members and talents of different sects. Even if someone left the academyter, they would remain aligned with its influence¡ªlike retired officials with national affiliations!


    He nced at Elder Mo, who said, ¡°Listen to Mr. Cao¡¯s proposal and decide for yourself.¡±


    The teacher smiled politely at Elder Mo before continuing, ¡°Young friend, you may not fully understand the Hidden Dragon Academy yet. Joining it will benefit you greatly.¡±


    ¡°It possesses a deeper foundation than the Beast Taming Sect and offers a path to acquiring ¡®immortal official credentials¡¯ while learning the Hidden Dragon Secret Art.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the Hidden Dragon Secret Art?¡±


    ¡°It originates from the True Dragon Secret Art created by the Ancient Emperor. It allows immortal officials to harness the power of local dragon veins, enhancing both cultivation andbat ability. This is why they can govern entire cities and suppress evildoers across realms.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, the Hidden Dragon Secret Art has other uses. For instance, within the Beast Taming Sect, it¡¯s the best method on the continent for nurturing dragon-blooded spirit beasts¡ªbar none.¡±


    ¡°Of course, joining the academy isn¡¯t mandatory; it¡¯s entirely up to your will. But as a cultivator of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, possessing such credentials would undoubtedly smooth your path to greater heights in the future.¡±


    ¡°Do I need to decide now and follow you, Senior?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°Not at all. This is merely an invitation. Take some time to consider. Your current cultivation of the fourth level of the Qi Refining stage is still a bit low. You can wait until you are about to reach Foundation Establishment to join. The academy has superior methods for establishing foundations and even advancing to the Golden Core stage.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Senior. I¡¯ll give it serious thought,¡± Lin Jing replied with cupped hands.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse swished its robes and mimicked his gesture.


    ¡°If you decide, crush this jade slip, and someone wille for you. If not, simply discard it,¡± the teacher said, bidding farewell to the elders of the Beast Taming Sect.


    As he departed, the elders finally exhaled deeply.


    ¡°That man... his cultivation is likely beyond the Nascent Soul stage,¡± said Elder Li Hai, a bead of cold sweat on his forehead.


    ¡°Could he have reached the Divine Transformation stage?¡± Elder Yu pondered.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing silently held the jade slip, nced at the elders, and sighed.


    What was going on? He didn¡¯t want to leave the sect or be an official.


    ¡°Since the academy invited you personally, you should go,¡± Elder Mo finally said after some hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity, and Mr. Cao¡¯s words make sense. The academy indeed has a deeper foundation than the Beast Taming Sect.¡±


    ¡°For instance, they likely have multiple versions of Foundation Establishment techniques that grant Innate Special Constitutions, something the Beast Taming Sectcks.¡±


    ¡°With the sect¡¯s Foundation Establishment method, you¡¯ll be tied to the Great Wastnd your entire life. It may not matter much, but if you aim for ascension, this difference might hold you back.¡±


    ¡°Elder Mo...¡± Lin Jing wanted to argue that he had a Longevity Body, and the Pine Leaf Mouse was a rare beast, making them too vulnerable outside.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Elder Mo reassured him. ¡°When the sect master returns, I¡¯ll request a suitable Nascent Soul ancestor to apany and protect you during your time at the academy!¡±


    Besides, the academy might even be safer.


    ¡°Until then, focus on improving your cultivation. Ideally, reach the ninth level of Qi Refining!¡±


    Having heard this much from Elder Mo, Lin Jing exchanged a nce with the Pine Leaf Mouse and decided not to argue further. If safety was guaranteed, who wouldn¡¯t want to explore beyond a single ce?


    ¡°Should I head to Danxia Peak for cultivation?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°Come on, then!¡± Elder Shen of Danxia Peak beamed, her smile as bright as a Dragonbone Flower.


    ¡°I¡¯ll personally take you to Danxia Peak and help you choose a cave!¡±


    Fearingpetition from the other peaks, she quickly pulled Lin Jing along, leaving the other elders shaking their heads in resignation.


    Seriously?


    Still, they left, leaving only Elder Yu, Elder Li Hai, and a few newly promoted Inner Sect disciples on the Mechanical Fish.


    Seeing this, Elder Yu froze. ¡°Wait, are these disciples really being left to me?¡±@@novelbin@@


    ---


    Danxia Peak


    Elder Shen arranged an excellent cave for Lin Jing. Though itcked spirit fields, it came with a pill refining room connected to earthfire.


    ¡°Thank you, Elder Shen,¡± Lin Jing said respectfully.


    ¡°No need to thank me. Although you¡¯re skilled in mechanisms, pill refining is a whole new field. You must work hard. Here¡¯s the Fire Control Technique, essential for Danxia Peak disciples. Usually, due to limited energy, disciples won¡¯t directly cultivate fire techniques but instead rely on a fire pet to breathe mes while using the technique for assistance.¡±


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t currently have a fire pet, practice with the earthfire for now. Should you wish to raise a fire pet, let me know. I¡¯ll help you choose a few promising beasts. Beast fire is ultimately superior to earthfire for pill refining.¡±


    Elder Shen left after leaving behind the Fire Control Technique jade slip.


    Once alone, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse exchanged nces.


    ¡°Forget about that academy for now. Let¡¯s figure out this pill refining first,¡± Lin Jing said.


    ¡°Chirp!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse looked at him curiously¡ªwas he nning to find a new pet?


    ¡°Not for now,¡± Lin Jing shook his head. ¡°I can barely afford you.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Still, earthfire is mundane. Its low effectiveness makes pill refining sess rates terrible. Without a me attribute in the Beast Taming Qi, it¡¯s unsuitable for fire techniques.¡±


    ¡°Like that Violet me Alchemist from the Pill Cauldron Sect¡ªher purple me looks excellent for pill refining. If only we had something simr to assist...¡±


    Contracting her isn¡¯t an option... Suddenly, an idea struck Lin Jing. ¡°To do a good job, one must first sharpen their tools. If spiritual bamboo can spray water, why can¡¯t a spiritual nt spray fire?¡±


    He recalled a nt from the Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna¡ªa unique Malignant nt called ¡°Fire Cloud Chili.¡± Though of a low grade, it enabled creatures that consumed it to spit fire. The drawback? Severe internal burns.


    ¡°What if, by merging it with other nts, we could create a spiritual nt capable of producing exotic fire while nourishing the five organs?¡±


    ¡°You could eat the modified Fire Cloud Chili and pretend to be a fire spirit beast. Then we wouldn¡¯t need a new fire pet.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse froze.


    It grabbed its storage pouch, seemingly making a firm decision to leave the cave. But before it could escape, Lin Jing caught it.


    ¡°Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse iled its ws, protesting vehemently. It would rather Lin Jing find a proper fire pet. Asking a wood-element spirit beast to breathe fire was simply too much!

 Chapter 40: Life in the Inner Sect

    Chapter 40: Life in the Inner Sect@@novelbin@@


    After calming the future ¡°Fire Cloud Mouse,¡± Lin Jing stepped into the alchemy room inside his cave residence.


    The walls of the room were lined with millennium-old cold stones to regte the temperature, while an old alchemy stove sat in the center. Below the stove, a zing fire connected to the earth''s depths. Apart from that, the room was barren.


    ¡°This cave... feels a bit ancient,¡± Lin Jing muttered.


    ¡°Elder Shen said this was the best avable cave. Is that true...¡±


    Lin Jing activated the Fire Control Technique jade slip and absorbed its methods into his mind.


    With his previous experience creating the Thousand Changes Illusion Technique, he found the basic fire-controlling spell rtively simple to grasp.


    He formed a hand seal, and on his first try, sessfully used his Qi to draw the earthfire upward. However, the mes nearly scorched the nearby Pine Leaf Mouse, which leapt aside, its fur standing on end.


    ¡°Chirp!¡±As sparks flew, the Pine Leaf Mouse red at Lin Jing with a furious expression. Attempted pet-murder! Fortunately, it was unsessful.


    ¡°Sorry about that! It¡¯s my first time; I¡¯m still getting the hang of it,¡± Lin Jing apologized. ¡°But if you learned fire techniques, you wouldn¡¯t have to fear fire anymore.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse protested¡ªdid he think it was that foolish?


    ¡°Alright, it won¡¯t happen again. A little practice, and mastering the entry-level Fire Control Technique should be no problem. Let¡¯s take a break and explore outside,¡± Lin Jing said, trying to console it.


    Outside the cave, Lin Jing first headed to the Harvest Pavilion branch on Danxia Peak.


    Unlike the outer sect''s Harvest Pavilion, which sold basic spiritual crops like Immortal Beans and Spiritual Beans, the offerings here were of a higher tier.


    ¡°Fire Cloud Chili? The Beast Taming Sect doesn¡¯t have that.¡±


    Unfortunately, Lin Jing¡¯s desired Fire Cloud Chili was not in stock.


    As they left the pavilion, the Pine Leaf Mouse perched on his shoulder looked noticeably relieved¡ªno spicy food today. But its relief was short-lived.


    Lin Jing had left Danxia Peak and climbed to the highest peak of the Beast Taming Sect: the Inner Sect Mission Hall.


    The missions here were far more advanced than those in the Outer Sect. Most revolved around ying monsters and demons. Even Senior Brother Ouyang¡¯s undercover mission in the Demon Sect was likely issued here.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to post a mission: ¡®Search for Fire Cloud Chili Seeds,¡¯¡± Lin Jing announced as he inserted his request among the sea of high-level missions.


    ¡°A new face?¡±


    The one in charge of the Mission Hall wasn¡¯t a disciple but rather a Foundation Establishment bird demon resembling a magpie. It was one of the elders¡¯ spirit pets, tasked with managing the hall.


    Legend had it that this magpie would sing a ¡°Good Luck Song¡± whenever a disciple left for a mission, wishing them safety. Whenever someone failed to return, it was said to weep bitterly.


    ¡°Senior, I am Lin Jing, a newly promoted Inner Sect disciple from Danxia Peak,¡± Lin Jing introduced himself respectfully.


    ¡°Hmm, based on the timing, the Inner Sect trials just ended,¡± the magpie demon nodded. ¡°Posting a mission requires one Spirit Stone. What¡¯s your mission¡¯s reward?¡±


    ¡°Spirit Stones,¡± Lin Jing replied. While the storage pouch he¡¯d acquired from the Snow ins Cultivator didn¡¯t contain anything valuable, it did hold basic currency like Spirit Stones. The rest, such as beast blood, had been gifted to his senior brothers and sisters. The remaining Spirit Stones could now fund the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s chili indulgence.


    Afterpleting the task, Lin Jing left the Mission Hall satisfied. On the way back to his cave, he stopped in front of the Pill Tower on Danxia Peak.


    The Pill Tower was essentially Danxia Peak¡¯s exclusive Scripture Pavilion. Unlike the main Scripture Pavilion, which stored various techniques, the Pill Tower housed countless pill recipes for Danxia Peak disciples to study.


    ¡°Now that I have the alchemy room and the Fire Control Technique, the best way to learn alchemy is through hands-on practice. Let¡¯s grab a couple of basic pill recipes,¡± Lin Jing told the sullen Pine Leaf Mouse on his shoulder.


    ¡°Chirp...¡± It wasn¡¯t interested in eating chilies.


    ¡°Rx, I won¡¯t force you. Once Elder ck Bear experiments with it and proves it safe, I¡¯ll handle the fire-breathing myself,¡± Lin Jing assured the mouse, feeling he was too kind to let his pet suffer.


    Upon entering the Pill Tower, Lin Jing found its guardian wasn¡¯t human either¡ªit was a Foundation Establishment rabbit demon with red eyes.


    ¡°Are you the newly admitted Lin Jing from Danxia Peak?¡± the rabbit demon asked.


    ¡°Senior recognizes me?¡±


    ¡°My Beast Tamer is Elder Shen, and she informed me about you. She mentioned that if you came to the Pill Tower, I should help you select suitable pill recipes for practice. But I didn¡¯t expect you so soon,¡± the rabbit demon said. ¡°Have you memorized the Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna? Have you mastered the Fire Control Technique? And you¡¯re already looking for pill recipes?¡±


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°I¡¯vepleted memorizing the flora encyclopedia and have grasped the basics of the Fire Control Technique.¡±


    ¡°As expected of a genius valued by Elder Shen,¡± the rabbit demon nodded approvingly. ¡°The first floor contains basic pill recipes suitable for the Qi Refining stage and first-tier pills. The second floor holds more advanced recipes, such as various types of Foundation Establishment Pills, which require contribution points to ess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stick to selecting two from the first floor,¡± Lin Jing replied.


    ¡°Go ahead and choose. I¡¯ll offer my advice afterward,¡± the rabbit demon said, rolling a piece of tobo and sitting back leisurely to smoke.


    Lin Jing stood silently for a moment. A smoking rabbit demon?


    He covered the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s curious eyes and started perusing the first floor¡¯s pill recipes.


    Replenishing Pill... Lin Jing had consumed plenty of these before. They restored spiritual energy and were universally applicable across all cultivation realms, though their recipes varied by grade.


    Beast Strength Pill, which temporarily granted the physical strength of a fierce beast to the user.


    Fasting Pill...


    Huh? Contraceptive Pill?


    Lin Jing paused, spotting something familiar. Wasn¡¯t there a ¡°Contraceptive Technique¡± as well?


    Next to it were other recipes, including Arousal Powder and Hypnotic Pill.


    Lin Jing¡¯s mouth twitched. If he didn¡¯t know better, he¡¯d think he¡¯d wandered into the Harmony Sect instead of the Beast Taming Sect.


    ¡°Senior, I¡¯ve made my selection,¡± Lin Jing said after a while, bringing two pill recipes to the rabbit demon.


    ¡°The Replenishing Pill... A solid beginner¡¯s choice. Perfect for practice,¡± the rabbit demon said. Then it frowned. ¡°But why the Hypnotic Pill? What do you need that for?¡±


    ¡°I rmend the Beast Strength Pill instead. Your Pine Leaf Mouse is too fragile, and as a Beast Tamer, so are you. A Beast Strength Pill can grant you the strength of a tiger or elephant during battle!¡±


    ¡°More importantly... Beast Strength Pills sell much better!¡±


    ¡°The Hypnotic Pill induces hallucinations, blurring the line between illusion and reality for a time,¡± Lin Jing exined. ¡°I¡¯m currently studying Illusionary Path techniques, so I thought ingesting a few myself might provide some inspiration.¡±


    ¡°I see. That makes sense. Choose as you wish,¡± the rabbit demon conceded.


    Returning to the cave with the recipes, Lin Jing flopped onto his bed, leaving the Pine Leaf Mouse to sort through the storage pouches.


    Exhausted from his recent efforts and overuse of his mental energy, Lin Jing finally took some time to rest.


    In his dream, he saw himself swallowing a Golden Core while the Pine Leaf Mouse cut open the path to ascension with a single leaf. Together, they became the only cultivators in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom to ascend sessfully to the Immortal Realm.


    But before they could explore the Immortal Realm, they were knocked unconscious and bound, dragged off to mine in some celestial cave...

 Chapter 42: The Squirrel Leaps to Tiandu

    Chapter 42: The Squirrel Leaps to Tiandu


    ¡°Let¡¯s count on you to be the first Pine Leaf Monster King of our sect! Junior Brother, are you heading to see Elder Mo now?¡±


    ¡°If you are, we can go together. I also have something to ask Elder Mo for assistance with.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Jing agreed, deciding that there was no time like the present to inquire about obtaining a Beast Space Artifact.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, upon hearing this, immediately perked up. It didn¡¯t care about bing a Monster King, but the allure of a space artifact was irresistible.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. On the way to Lotus Peak, I¡¯ll show you some of the inner sect¡¯s scenic spots,¡± Ouyang offered.


    ¡°Are we walking there, Senior Brother? When can we ride a celestial crane? Do we have to wait until we be True Disciples?¡± Lin Jing asked casually.


    ¡°Riding those cranes isn¡¯t free! You need Spirit Stones. Even errand disciples can ride them if they pay. Without Spirit Stones, even True Disciples can forget about it¡ªthe crane n is under the sect master¡¯s wife¡¯s protection!¡±


    Lin Jing already knew this but wanted to see if Ouyang was the type to splurge on luxuries. He certainly wouldn¡¯t mind hitching a ride if he could avoid the trek.Both being thrifty, they opted to walk. However, as cultivators, even without using techniques like Wind Walking, their pace was swift.


    ---


    On the suspended bridges shrouded in mist, Ouyang introduced Lin Jing to the sights along the way.


    ¡°Over there is the Nine Dragons Waterfall.¡±


    Lin Jing looked toward the roaring cascade. It thundered down the green cliffs like nine white dragons tumbling from the heavens, creating a magnificent spectacle.


    ¡°The Nine Dragons Peak is known for its unique Dragonblood Carp. If one manages to leap over the waterfall using only their own strength during the Qi Refining stage, they can seed in establishing their foundation and transform into a fish-dragon,¡± Ouyang exined.


    ¡°My visit to Elder Mo today is rted to the pet beast I hope to contract after my Foundation Establishment...¡±


    ---


    ¡°See that purple mist rising in the distance? That¡¯s Purple Cloud Spring.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it for?¡± Lin Jing asked, curious, as he hadn¡¯te across it in any texts.


    ¡°It¡¯s a hot spring that many female disciples love to use for bathing. Don¡¯t wander there¡ªit¡¯s a matter of life and death,¡± Ouyang warned, grinning.


    ---


    ¡°That¡¯s the Hundred Step Cloud Ladder...¡±


    ---


    ¡°We¡¯re nearing Lotus Peak now. Oh, look¡ªthere¡¯s the ancestor of your Pine Leaf Mouse.¡±


    As they passed Cloud Cultivation Peak, Ouyang pointed out a peculiar rock formation.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse red at him, its expression using: "You with those thick brows and big eyes¡ªare you insulting squirrels now?"


    ¡°Look carefully. He¡¯s not mocking you,¡± Lin Jing said, turning his gaze toward the peak. On a modest summit stood a strange rock resembling a Pine Leaf Mouse, its tail extended as though attempting to leap across the immense gorge and ascend the towering Tiandu Mountain, one of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s main peaks.


    ¡°That¡¯s truly your ancestor,¡± Lin Jing confirmed.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse tilted its head, confused: "???"


    Lin Jing borated, ¡°Didn¡¯t they teach you spiritual beast history in the sect? Especially about your own lineage?¡±


    ¡°Not in such detail...¡± Ouyang interjected from the side.


    Lin Jing continued, exining to the Pine Leaf Mouse, ¡°Long ago, your species wasn¡¯t part of the Beast Taming Sect. The Pine Leaf Mice were an ordinary species, with only a slim chance of awakening intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Facing harsh environments and numerous predators, one Pine Leaf Mouse sought a way out for its tribe. It secretly climbed to the Beast Taming Sect, hoping to seek immortality and protection for its kin.¡±


    ¡°There, it met an immortal on Tiandu Peak. The immortal gave it a challenge: if it could leap from Cloud Cultivation Peak to Tiandu Peak, he would teach it his arts.¡±


    ¡°Your ancestor began practicing daily, attempting to leap to the high peak and earn the immortal¡¯s guidance.¡±


    ¡°But legend says it never seeded. Eventually, it turned into stone, forever frozen in its jumping posture.¡±


    ¡°Although it failed the trial, the immortal admired its unwavering determination and took the Pine Leaf Mouse tribe under his wing. He elevated their bloodline,ying the foundation for their future status as one of the sect¡¯s five foundational spiritual beasts.¡±


    Lin Jing had read this ount in the sect¡¯s records. That so-called ¡°immortal¡± was likely one of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s ancestors¡ªnot a true immortal, but close enough in the eyes of a Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Hearing this tale, the Pine Leaf Mouse was momentarily stunned.


    ¡°Junior Brother, you¡¯re impressively well-read,¡± Ouyang praised. ¡°You must have spent a lot of time in the library during your time in the outer sect.¡±


    ¡°I did. I enjoy reading¡ªit¡¯s a good way to learn about the world,¡± Lin Jing replied. ¡°Read ten thousand books, and you¡¯ll fear no journey across thend.¡±


    ¡°True, but here¡¯s something you probably didn¡¯t know,¡± Ouyang teased.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°The immortal on Tiandu Peak wasn¡¯t a human¡ªit was one of the sect¡¯s guardian deities, and it¡¯s still here!¡±


    ¡°I mentioned before that starting with the second sect master, the Beast Taming Sect abandoned the old ways of enving spirit beasts. Disciples began forming equal partnerships with their beasts.¡±


    ¡°The second sect master loved making friends. That ¡®immortal¡¯ was one of his closestpanions during his lifetime.¡±


    ¡°When the second sect master passed away, they made a pact¡ªnot a Beast Taming contract¡ªto guard the sect for ten thousand years, aiding it in times of crisis. In return, the sect gifted Tiandu Peak, one of its most spiritually abundant mountains, as a ce of cultivation.¡±


    ¡°Today, only the current sect master, the fifth, is at the Nascent Soul stage. The other Nascent Soul elders are actually the pets of the third and fourth sect masters. These monster kings have longer lifespans than human cultivators due to their unique races.¡±


    ¡°But the guardian deity on Tiandu Peak is the only one who remains without a Beast Taming contract. It has never intervened in any crisis, spending all its time cultivating in seclusion. Most disciples¡ªTrue Disciples included¡ªdon¡¯t even know of its existence.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s essentially a guest elder,¡± Lin Jing surmised.


    This Beast Taming Sect truly felt like a ¡°demon den.¡± Nearly all Nascent Soul-level beings were monster kings. It was both impressive and terrifying¡ªhe definitely needed to visit the Hidden Dragon Academy.


    Wait, if only the sect master was at the Nascent Soul stage, wouldn¡¯t that mean the one protecting him in the academy might be a monster king?!


    ¡°Senior Brother Ouyang, you¡¯re quite knowledgeable yourself,¡± Lin Jingplimented, brushing aside the sect¡¯s oddities for now.


    ¡°Not at all. What I wanted to share is that the guardian deity once made a promise to the Pine Leaf Mouse tribe,¡± Ouyang revealed.


    ¡°What kind of promise?¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°If a descendant of the Pine Leaf Mouse can inherit its ancestor¡¯s determination and sessfully leap from Cloud Cultivation Peak to Tiandu Peak, the promise still holds¡ªit will teach them its arts.¡±


    ¡°However, over the years, the sect has seen many Foundation Establishment Pine Leaf Mice try and fail. The skies above Tiandu Peak have a strong suppression aura, making a normal leap impossible.¡±


    ¡°Eventually, the promise was dismissed as unrealistic. The sect master suspects the guardian deity was never serious about teaching and simply set an impossible challenge.¡±


    ¡°That said, you can still try¡ªwho knows, you might seed. The difficulty supposedly scales with the cultivator¡¯s level, so anyone can attempt it, regardless of their strength.¡±


    As Ouyang finished, they watched in shock as the Pine Leaf Mouse pulled out arge red leaf from its storage pouch and soared into the sky toward Tiandu Peak using Leaf Flight.


    Ouyang was dumbfounded. ¡°Your Pine Leaf Mouse can fly on a leaf?!¡±

 Chapter 43: True Disciple!

    Chapter 43: True Disciple!


    Hearing Senior Brother Ouyang¡¯s story, the Pine Leaf Mouse immediately wanted to test the difficulty of leaping to Tiandu Peak.


    Under normal circumstances, such a leap was impossible for it. As a spirit beast not known for explosive power, even without the suppressive aura between the peaks, its current capabilities¡ªboosted by a Beast Strength Pill¡ªstill wouldn¡¯t suffice.


    But jumping wasn¡¯t its only option; it had Leaf Flight!


    With a swish, the Pine Leaf Mouse shot into the sky, riding a red leaf.


    Ouyang was stunned, his mouth agape.


    However, it wasn¡¯t long before the Pine Leaf Mouse felt an overwhelming pressure, as though the gravity around it had increased severalfold. The sheer weight made controlling the leaf feel like trying to maneuver dozens of leaves at once¡ªimpossible.


    Halfway to Tiandu Peak, the Pine Leaf Mouse lost control and began plummeting.


    ¡°Senior Brother Ouyang, catch it!¡± Lin Jing called out.¡°Huh?¡± Ouyang snapped out of his shock and quickly cast Whirlwind Technique, gently pulling the Pine Leaf Mouse back.


    ¡°That scared me! For a moment, I thought it was really going to make it. Seriously, is this even fair?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a genius,¡± Lin Jing exined.


    ¡°Senior Brother, you don¡¯t sound very encouraging. Are you afraid it might actually seed?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse dusted itself off and turned its determined gaze toward Tiandu Peak, clearly ready to try again. It feltpelled to aplish what its ancestor couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°What? Of course not! That wasn¡¯t a leap¡ªit was cheating!¡± Ouyang protested.


    ¡°Flying counts as leaping,¡± Lin Jing countered. ¡°It seems that Nascent Soul ancestor really doesn¡¯t want to pass on their teachings.¡±


    He tugged the Pine Leaf Mouse away. "Forget it; even cheating won¡¯t work if you can¡¯t make it halfway."


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s flight speed rivaled the sword-riding techniques of prodigies from Heavenly Sword Gate, yet it still couldn¡¯t conquer the peak. The challenge was simply too daunting.


    ¡°I told you so,¡± Ouyang said, shaking his head. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head to Elder Mo.¡±


    ---


    Lotus Peak, one of the three main peaks of the Beast Taming Sect, mirrored Tiandu Peak as a ce for semi-retired elders like Elder Mo. Thest main peak served as the sect master¡¯s residence and the hub for conducting sect-wide affairs.


    By the time Lin Jing and Ouyang arrived, Elder Mo was already waiting, aware of their visit.


    ¡°What brings the three of you here?¡± Elder Mo asked, eyeing Lin Jing, Ouyang, and the Pine Leaf Mouse. None of them seemed the type to make trouble-free requests.


    ¡°Elder Mo, I¡¯ve decided. Once I break through in the Beast Taming Technique and condense my second drop of blood contract, I n to contract a Heavenfeather Crane, just like the sect master!¡± Ouyang announced. ¡°And... I want a male one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s called a rooster crane,¡± Elder Mo corrected with a dismissive wave. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll speak to their n on your behalf.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Elder!¡± Ouyang bowed gratefully. With this, he¡¯d have his Foundation Establishment pet beast ready, along with an easy means of flying for missions.


    ¡°And you?¡± Elder Mo turned to Lin Jing. ¡°You¡¯re not here just to ask for a fire pet to assist with your alchemy, are you?¡±


    ¡°No, Elder Mo,¡± Lin Jing replied with a slight smile, the Pine Leaf Mouse clutching its Daoist robe.


    ¡°We¡¯ve given the matter of the Hidden Dragon Academy a lot of thought and realized it¡¯s a valuable opportunity to hone our skills and learn new techniques to benefit the sect.¡±


    ¡°However, we also recognize that the academy will likely be filled with prodigies from other sects. Competing with them at our current level might be difficult.¡±


    ¡°So, I was wondering... You once mentioned that as an Outer Sect disciple, I would receive Inner Sect-level treatment, and as an Inner Sect disciple, I would receive privileges akin to a True Disciple. Could I request the Life-Bound Beast Space Artifact, which only True Disciples are entitled to, as well as the sect¡¯s True Disciple Beast Taming Techniques?¡±


    Beside him, Ouyang gave a discreet thumbs-up. Lin Jing¡¯s phrasing was masterful¡ªasking for top-tier resources under the guise of preparing to better serve the sect.


    Elder Mo pondered this for a moment. ¡°If you¡¯re heading to the Hidden Dragon Academy, you¡¯ll need to prepare thoroughly. Even our sect master, armed with all the sect¡¯s True Disciple techniques, was beaten ck and blue when he attended the academy unprepared. Going in without sufficient preparation is out of the question.¡±


    ¡°However, you¡¯re not technically a True Disciple. To grant you a Life-Bound Beast Space Artifact, I¡¯ll need to convene with the elders and discuss it. Wait for my message.¡±


    ¡°As for the True Disciple Beast Taming Techniques, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to teach you¡ªit¡¯s just that they all require advancing the Beast Taming Technique to the Foundation Establishment stage first.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°Having the Life-Bound Beast Space Artifact will be enough.¡±


    ¡°Let me think... While you can¡¯t learn the techniques yet, you can begin preparing for them.¡±


    Elder Mo continued, ¡°The Beast Taming Sect has three major True Disciple Beast Taming Techniques and ten Core Beast Taming Techniques.¡±


    ¡°The three major techniques are:


    1. Fusion Secret Art ¨C Allows a contracted beast to merge with its tamer, transforming into a ¡®half-demon¡¯ state for a massivebat boost.¡±


    Ouyang¡¯s eyes gleamed. This would let him and Red¡¯er fight even more closely together.


    2. Immortal Rebirth ¨C If a contracted beast dies in battle, as long as the blood contract remains intact, the tamer can resurrect it. However, each resurrection causes a significant loss in cultivation for both the tamer and the beast, severely draining their vitality.


    3. Beast-Weaponization ¨C Enables the tamer to transform their contracted beast into living artifacts, such as armor or weapons, to assist inbat.


    ¡°Each technique has specific requirements: Fusion demands a strong physique, Immortal Rebirth requires a resilient spirit and soul, and Beast-Weaponization hinges on high levels of spiritual energy and refined Beast Taming Qi. If you have a preference, start training ordingly.¡±


    ¡°As for the ten Core Beast Taming Techniques, they¡¯re avable in the Inner Sect¡¯s Scripture Pavilion. Each one enhances pets of a particr element¡ªgold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, ice, yin, or yang¡ªtemporarily raising their cultivation level.¡±


    ¡°With proper mastery, it¡¯s not difficult to boost your beast by a minor realm during battle.¡±


    ¡°These techniques form the foundation of our sect and were developed by the third sect master, who refined the original Beast Taming Technique to create them.¡±


    After Elder Mo finished, the Pine Leaf Mouse tugged at Lin Jing¡¯s sleeve.


    It had no interest in fusing or bing a weapon. Immortal Rebirth, however, sounded appealing¡ªit wanted more lives.


    Lin Jing smirked andmunicated mentally, ¡°You¡¯ve gotten picky now, huh? Fine. When we encounter a strong enemy, I¡¯ll run, and you can stall them. I¡¯ll revive youter.¡±Hello, "Beast Tamer Ascension" fans! We, the BOTI Trantor Team, work hard to bring you these trantions. Please consider giving us a 5-star rating on NovelUpdates. Thank you ????

 Chapter 44: The Black Chili Pepper

    Chapter 44: The ck Chili Pepper


    The Beast Taming Sect possessed three major inheritance techniques and ten core secret techniques, all of which Lin Jing was already somewhat familiar with. In addition, the sect had dozens of ordinary beast-taming spells, most of them created by the third-generation sect master.


    The first generation founded the sect, the second reformed it, and the third created its techniques¡ªeach generation of sect masters was incredibly talented.


    However, Lin Jing had no intention of cultivating the ten core techniques for now. As someone with the Longevity Body, his cultivation level was still too low to keep up with his beastpanion. Even if he learned them, the improvement for the Pine Leaf Mouse would be minimal. Instead of investing his energy there, it would be more worthwhile to study mechanization techniques or alchemy, both of which would better enhance both himself and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    As for the three major inheritance techniques, those were non-negotiable. Whether it was the Fusion Secret Art or Beast-Weaponization, both significantly boosted a cultivator¡¯s strength.


    In particr, the Beast-Weaponization technique reminded Lin Jing of a certain mythical figure¡ªYang Jian summoning the Howling Celestial Dog. In literary terms, it was often described as "summoning" the dog. Simrly, once Lin Jing mastered Beast-Weaponization, he could ¡°summon the Pine Leaf Mouse!¡±


    ¡°Elder Mo, after I return, I will focus on tempering my body, honing my soul, and refining my qi,¡± Lin Jing said.


    ¡°So, you want to learn it all!¡± Elder Mo remarked. ¡°No matter, you¡¯ve got plenty of time ahead of you, and sooner orter, you¡¯ll have to learn everything.¡±


    ¡°Since you both seem to have nothing else to discuss, you should hurry back and train. I¡¯ve got work to do as well,¡± Elder Mo continued.¡°Elder Mo!¡± Lin Jing added, ¡°I¡¯ve acquired a seed of a Malignant nt. I¡¯d like Elder ck Bear to evaluate its effectster.¡±


    Elder Mo paused before replying, ¡°Has it offended you recently...? Testing it on yourselves could be dangerous, but I¡¯ll have it seek you outter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been through a lot, even if it hasn¡¯t done much good, so remember to leave me a piece of it alive.¡±


    ---


    After their visit with Elder Mo, Lin Jing and Senior Brother Ouyang parted ways¡ªone returning to his cave, the other leaving the sect to carry out the "investigate missing beasts" mission he had just epted.


    On his way back, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse passed by the spot known as the Leap of Tiandu. The Pine Leaf Mouse was still fixated on its desire to leap over the clouds.


    Completing a feat that even its ancestors had failed to achieve¡­


    If it seeded, it would earn its own page in the family annals!


    ¡°With just your physical strength, it¡¯s impossible unless you awaken a beast king''s bloodline. I told you to practice the Flying Leaf Technique, but you didn¡¯t listen. Regretting it now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Though the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Crimson Flying Leaf Technique was indeed formidable, it relied heavily on the mystique of the red flying leaves. Its ability to control the leaves depended on the strength of its mental power, which had room for improvement. If the Pine Leaf Mouse had trained regrly, increasing its mental strength, its speed and control over the flying leaves would undoubtedly improve, making such a leap feasible.


    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse shed its cumbersome robes, signaling its resolve to start practicing immediately.


    ¡°Since there¡¯s pressure at that spot, when we return, I¡¯ll use Thousand Transformations Illusions to simte a beast king¡¯s aura and help you train your mental strength,¡± Lin Jing said with a smile.


    ¡°But before that, let¡¯s head back and mature the Fire Cloud Pepper seeds!¡±@@novelbin@@


    ---


    The inner peaks¡¯ Spirit Qi was indeed far richer than that of the outer peaks. Whether in terms of cultivation speed or the growth rate of spiritual nts, the inner peaks were leagues ahead. Lin Jing was particrly relieved that Elder Yu hadn¡¯t cut off his ess to the outer sect dining hall despite his promotion to the Inner Sect. Meals continued to be delivered daily by Heavenfeather Cranes, significantly lightening the burden on both Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Time flew by, and the Fire Cloud Pepper, a first-rank Malignant nt, was sessfully matured by the Pine Leaf Mouse. However, the yield was low¡ªeach pepper nt produced only twenty fiery red peppers.


    ¡°Spiritual nts already turn fierce upon fusion; can you imagine what a malignant nt will be after fusion?¡± ck Bear Monster arrived as promised, bringing along the same ninth-stage Qi Refining white mouse it had used previously. Upon seeing the vibrant red peppers, the white mouse fainted before even taking a bite.


    Opposite him, Lin Jing addressed Elder ck Bear. ¡°As extremes meet, I believe malignant nts could very well transform into spiritual nts.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, Xiao Song, use your zed Immortal Eyes,¡± Lin Jing instructed the Pine Leaf Mouse. Facing the pile of Fire Cloud Peppers, the mouse took a deep breath, removed its cooling bamboo-leaf blindfold, and activated its zed Immortal Eyes!


    Most of the fiery red peppers disappeared, reced by¡­ a pitch-ck pepper.


    The eerie color made Elder ck Bear cast a skeptical nce at Lin Jing. This is what you call a spiritual nt? It¡¯s cker than me!


    Luckily, it had the foresight to bring the white mouse. Shaking the mouse awake, it pointed to the ck pepper. ¡°Little white, see that ck pepper? Eat it. If you survive, I¡¯ll reward you with a big opportunity!¡±


    The white mouse, trembling with fear, couldn¡¯t resist the coercion of a Monster Core Stage beast. It reluctantly crawled toward the ck pepper, shaking all the way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! It¡¯s just a mutated first-rank Malignant nt. You¡¯re at the ninth stage of Qi Refining¡ªwhat¡¯s there to fear? Regr peppers only produce mundane mes, weaker than amoner¡¯s cooking fire. Even if it mutated, it shouldn¡¯t be that strong!¡± the ck Bear Monster reassured it.


    Encouraged, the white mouse mustered up its courage, shut its eyes, and swallowed the ck pepper in one gulp.


    The cave grew silent.


    Lin Jing, the Pine Leaf Mouse, and the ck Bear Monster all stared intently at the white mouse, waiting for its reaction.


    The next moment, the white mouse turned to the ck Bear Monster, opened its mouth, and startled it. But nothing came out.


    ¡°Ha! A failed mutation?¡± The ck Bear Monsterughed, relieved. ¡°Looks like even rare beast abilities can fail sometimes.¡±


    Before it couldugh further, its expression shifted dramatically. It felt a scorching heat in its soul. As it quickly inspected itself, it found ck mes burning within¡ªmes that didn¡¯t harm the body but ignited the soul, intangible yet terrifying.


    ¡°Nether Ghostfire! The magic me that burns souls, used by Nether Hall demon cultivators!¡± it cried, hurriedly extinguishing the mes. Fear filled its eyes. ¡°This is the godforsaken Death Pepper!¡±


    ¡°Destroy it! Destroy it all now!¡± it eximed, pulling up the pepper nts and burning the remaining Fire Cloud Peppers. ¡°You two better not mess with this again! This is ghostfire, the core technique of Nether Hall! If the Demon-ying Bureau mistakes us for colluding with demon cultivators, we¡¯ll all be in trouble! Our Beast Taming Sect doesn¡¯t exactly have a ster reputation with them already.¡±


    Watching the ck Bear Monster¡¯s panic, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were stunned. Ghostfire?


    ¡°Elder ck Bear, can this ghostfire be used for alchemy?¡± Lin Jing asked curiously.


    ¡°Alchemy? Are you nning to use it for the living or the dead?¡± the ck Bear Monster red. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t cultivate this thing anymore! Even if we aren¡¯t demon cultivators, getting caught with it will cause a lot of problems. Unless you¡¯re nning to infiltrate the demon sects yourself.¡±


    ¡°You want special mes for alchemy, right? I¡¯ll find you a Beast me to use instead. Please, don¡¯t grow this thing again,¡± it pleaded earnestly. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a malignant nt¡ªit¡¯s a demonic one! Using it would make us look like demon cultivators.¡±


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse nodded obediently. If it was that dangerous, they wouldn¡¯t grow it anymore. Absolutely not.


    The ck Bear Monster looked at the still-alive white mouse and dered, ¡°Not bad. I hereby appoint you as the personal test subject of Lin Jing, the future holy son of the Beast Taming Sect. Quite the opportunity, isn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 46: Refinement

    Chapter 46: Refinement


    Lin Jing scanned the avable options: a cloth pouch, a stone ring, a jade bracelet, a treasure orb, a gourd, and a scroll. They all seemed rtively normal¡ªexcept for the peculiar addition of a meditation staff.


    Isn¡¯t this a Buddhist artifact?


    What is it doing in the Beast Taming Sect?


    ¡°You¡¯re wondering why the sect crafted a spatial treasure into a meditation staff?¡± Elder Mo asked, noting Lin Jing¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Jing nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s tied to an old story, one that isn¡¯t recorded officially but passed down through oral tradition.¡± Elder Mo chuckled, picking up the meditation staff and holding it in his hand.


    ¡°During the time of the second sect master, a fearsome demon beast wreaked havoc in the Great Wastnd Domain. This beast was a rare kind, possessing extraordinary abilities that made it nearly impossible to kill¡ªeven by those a level or two higher in cultivation.¡±


    ¡°No cultivator in the Great Wastnd could handle it.¡±¡°Eventually, a guest elder from the Demon-ying Bureau arrived to help. This elder was a Buddhist monk with exceptional skills in the Dharma. With the help of four Great Wastnd cultivators, including our second sect master, he used special methods to seal the demon beast away.¡±


    ¡°Sealed, not in.¡±


    ¡°To this day, the demon remains imprisoned underground in the Great Wastnd, restrained by four Buddhist pagodas connected to dragon veins. Each pagoda is now under the care of one of the four top sects in the region.¡±


    ¡°After the battle, the second sect master became friends with the monk. For a time, many of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s spatial treasures were crafted as Buddhist artifacts. This meditation staff has been here for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°But over the years, its unusual design has made it unpopr¡ªfew inheritance disciples choose it, even if they know the story behind it.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is,¡± Lin Jing mused. ¡°I never thought our Beast Taming Sect would share the responsibility of guarding a demon-suppressing pagoda.¡±


    After all, the sect was more like a monster sect than a traditional one.


    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to pick the meditation staff, are you?¡± Elder Mo asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Lin Jing replied decisively. ¡°It doesn¡¯t match my elegant and free-spirited demeanor.¡±


    Elder Mo was momentarily speechless. He hadn¡¯t expected Lin Jing to be so self-absorbed, but upon closer inspection, he admitted the young man did bear a resemnce to his own youthful handsomeness. Perhaps that exined the confidence.


    ¡°Elder, I choose this one,¡± Lin Jing said, pointing to the red gourd.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse was startled. It clearly preferred the cloth pouch, which seemed more convenient to carry. Lin Jing ignored it.


    The space treasure was meant to house the Pine Leaf Mouse, so its portability wasn¡¯t Lin Jing¡¯s concern. Besides, all treasures of this level could change size, making them easy to carry in any form.


    ¡°Other spatial treasures have distinct signs of post-crafting refinement. This one, however, seems more like an innate creation. If I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s the Suspended Gourd, a rare nt that naturally contains space within,¡± Lin Jing observed.


    ¡°Not bad¡ªyou¡¯ve done your homework,¡± Elder Mo said approvingly. ¡°The other six treasures are crafted from various spatial materials, but this gourd underwent minimal modification, making it the most primitive of the lot.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the only reason you chose it, is it?¡±


    ¡°Correct. It¡¯s a nt, and the Pine Leaf Mouse has a wood attribute. They should have good synergy,¡± Lin Jing exined. ¡°Elder, if I manage to acquire more Suspended Gourds in the future, do you think the Pine Leaf Mouse could use its zed Immortal Eyes to fuse them?¡±


    Compared to the other six treasures, the gourd¡¯s nt-based properties were the key factor for Lin Jing.


    ¡°That¡¯s certainly possible,¡± Elder Mo confirmed. ¡°However, Suspended Gourds are incredibly rare. This one was a fortunate find by an ancestor. Even if you encounter more, affording them before achieving significant cultivation progress will be nearly impossible.¡±


    ¡°At least it¡¯s something to aim for,¡± Lin Jing said with a smile. ¡°Elder, I¡¯ll go with the gourd.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°That meditation staff is intriguing, though. Once I reach the Foundation Establishment stage and contract a second beast, could I apply for another spatial treasure? It wouldn¡¯t do to have multiple beasts sharing one space, right?¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Elder Mo finally lost his temper. These treasures represented the sect¡¯s heritage, not somemon stockpile! ¡°I don¡¯t have the authority to grant you another one. If you want that privilege, aim to be the young sect master. Then you can pick whatever you like¡ªeven let each beast have two treasures!¡±


    After choosing the Suspended Gourd as his natal beast space treasure, Lin Jing followed Elder Mo¡¯s instructions to refine it by imbuing it with a drop of his vital blood.


    Once refined, Lin Jing found the treasure lived up to its status as a tool for Golden Core cultivators. The internal space was farrger than his former courtyard at the sect¡¯s outer peaks.


    Finally, the Pine Leaf Mouse wouldn¡¯t have to struggle with storage limitations. Previously, its two storage pouches could only hold rare synthesis items, while sacks of ordinary spiritual rice and beans had to pile up in the courtyard. Now, those space issues were resolved.


    Although the Suspended Gourd was Lin Jing¡¯s natal treasure, it served as the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s residence. This arrangement didn¡¯t hinder the mouse from embracing its hoarding tendencies.


    ¡°Squeak!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse, seeing Lin Jing fiddling with the gourd, eagerly reached out to touch it.


    ¡°Answer me if you dare,¡± Lin Jing teased, aiming the gourd at the bewildered mouse. Before it could react, the mouse was sucked into the space treasure with a swift whoosh.


    Though confused at first, the Pine Leaf Mouse quickly began exploring the new space. Taking a deep breath, its eyes sparkled with excitement.


    So spacious!


    Looking around, it found the gourd¡¯s interior vast and expansive. The boundaries were shrouded in green spiritual mist, perfect for cultivation. Standing amidst the mist, the Pine Leaf Mouse decided it was time to renovate the ce into its new den.


    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± It began counting on its fingers, nning areas for sleeping, storing food, training, more storage, eating, and¡­ even more storage.


    ¡°How does it feel?¡± Elder Mo asked Lin Jing with a smile. ¡°Now that you have a natal beast space treasure, doesn¡¯t it seem like you¡¯re truly a beast-taming cultivator?¡±


    ¡°It certainly does,¡± Lin Jing replied, rotating the gourd in his hands. It shrank slightly and hung from his waist. The red gourdplemented his white robes, adding to his refined and handsome appearance.


    ¡°It suits you,¡± Elder Mo noted. ¡°When you¡¯re traveling, if a demonic cultivator mistakes you for an ordinary lone wanderer and tries to rob you, imagine their shock when you summon your beastpanions. Truly satisfying.¡±


    Elder Mo¡¯s nostalgic grin revealed his past experiences. After all, one of the greatest joys of being a Beast Taming Sect disciple was the ability to gang up on enemies.

 Chapter 48: The Demon

    Chapter 48: The Demon


    At Lin Jing¡¯s request, Elder Mo, observing their ability to withstand pressure with ease, decided to take them to the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. The Buddhist elder¡¯s blessing was a rare opportunity for disciples of the four sects to strengthen their mental resilience. Gaining ess to it during the Qi Refining stage would provide unparalleled benefits for their future Foundation Establishment.


    ¡°Come with me. Due to the unique nature of our sect¡¯s techniques and the second sect master¡¯s friendship with the Buddhist elder, Beast Taming Sect disciples can enter the pagoda with their contracted beasts to jointly endure the demonic pressure and receive the blessing of Buddhist light.¡±


    ¡°Use your illusions to shield yourself and protect your beast. Both of you can benefit from this chance!¡± Elder Mo said, sweeping Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse with him toward the Clear Pool Peak of the sect. On the way, Lin Jing mused about the privileges of connections. While disciples of other sects braved the tower alone, the Beast Taming Sect allowed its members to bring their beasts along¡ªthis was excellent!


    The Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, despite its name, had a concealed entrance within a serene pool, a precaution to prevent anyone from attempting to release the sealed demon.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± A deep voice resounded as the surface of the pool rippled.


    As Lin Jing had expected, the tower¡¯s guardian was not human but a Beast King, emerging partially from the water. Elder Mo immediately bowed respectfully, ¡°Greetings, Ancestor.¡±


    ¡°You again,¡± the guardian grumbled.


    ¡°Ancestor, I have brought a disciple to train in the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.¡±¡°Lin Jing, this is Ancestor Wang Batian, one of the sect¡¯s guardian ancestors,¡± Elder Mo introduced. The guardian appeared as a massive terrestrial tortoise, its ancient presence imposing.


    Lin Jing quickly saluted.


    ¡°A Qi Refining brat?¡± The tortoise shot a disapproving nce at Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, then turned to Elder Mo. ¡°Are you trying to turn them into fools? If their minds copse under the demonic pressure, what will you do when they lose their sanity?¡±


    ¡°Ancestor, Lin Jing is one of our sect¡¯s rising stars, even chosen by the Cavern Heaven. I am confident in his ability to handle this challenge,¡± Elder Mo reassured.


    ¡°Fine, do as you wish,¡± the tortoise muttered, closing its eyes. It had lived long enough to see three sect masters pass and had grown indifferent to most matters. Stationed beside the pagoda, its demeanor was thoroughly "Buddhist."


    With the guardian¡¯s consent, Elder Mo turned to Lin Jing. ¡°One thing I forgot to mention: the pagoda doesn¡¯t allow physical entry. Everything here is an astral projection, including your mind, soul, and intent. Physical items and treasures can¡¯t be brought in, and high-level cultivators are barred from entering to prevent sabotage of the seal.¡±


    ¡°Your spells will work, but not your tools or weapons. Is that sufficient?¡±


    Hearing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse looked rmed at the thought of leaving behind its precious red leaves and explosives. Lin Jing, however, nodded. ¡°It¡¯s enough.¡±


    As long as Thousand Transformations Illusions could be used, he could resist the demonic pressure.


    ¡°Once ready, leave a spiritual mark on this stele,¡± the guardian instructed. ¡°The mark will allow us to monitor your progress. If it shes, it indicates danger, and I¡¯ll immediately summon your consciousness back to avoid getting lost in the pagoda.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing pressed his hand on the ancient stone stele, which glowed as it etched a blurry image of a small squirrel.


    ¡°The pagoda connects the four sects. Should you encounter disciples from other sects, avoid unnecessary conflict,¡± the guardian added. With that, the pagoda entrance opened within the pool, rippling to reveal the inverted reflection of a ck pagoda.


    Before Lin Jing could process it, his vision blurred as though he were drowning. When he opened his eyes again, he stood before a massive gate surrounded by ck water.


    The intricately carved door bore ancient symbols and runes, glowing faintly with a mysterious blue light that exuded an air of profundity and danger.


    ¡°This must be the pagoda¡¯s interior,¡± Lin Jing said, reaching instinctively for his mechanical bamboo rifle, only to find his storage pouch reduced to an ordinary bag. The Suspended Gourd was simrly inessible.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse sighed. It had already endured training without its tools in the sect, but even here, its storage pouch was sealed¡ªthis was getting unbearable. Nudging Lin Jing, it gestured for him to assume the Buddha form for protection.


    ¡°The Buddha form requires too many effects and drains too much qi,¡± Lin Jing replied. ¡°A simpler Buddhist monk will do.¡±


    With that, he used Illusionary Path Qi to craft a familiar image from his memory: a monk d in a luxurious red-and-yellow kasaya, wearing a golden monk¡¯s hat. One hand gripped a golden staff, and the other held a violet-gold alms bowl. His white eyebrows and beard gave him an austere, solemn presence.


    ¡°Amitabha, I am Fa Hai,¡± Lin Jing dered, prompting the Pine Leaf Mouse to blink in confusion. It couldn¡¯t fathom why Lin Jing¡¯s mind was filled with such peculiar characters.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Jing said, holding the staff and beads as he pushed open the pagoda door.


    He had considered transforming into Tang Monk, but that figure was famously hapless against demons and would likely falter under the pressure. To master the essence of illusion, one had to first convince oneself.


    Fa Hai, the demon-ying monk, was the perfect choice!


    As the door creaked open, a demonic gale swept out, its pressure equivalent to that of a Foundation Establishment demon, almost tangible in its force. It mmed into Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse like a storm.


    However, with the protection of illusion qi, Lin Jing remained unaffected. Even the Pine Leaf Mouse, after its rigorous training, resisted the pressure with sheer willpower.


    Step by step, they advanced into the pagoda, where the ck energy from the walls condensed into the shape of a terrifying serpent skull. Its fangs glistened as it hissed menacingly.


    The hissing turned streams of water into countless venomous snakes that slithered up Lin Jing¡¯s body. The Pine Leaf Mouse, perched on his shoulder, grew increasingly uneasy. Knowing the snakes were illusions created by the pressure, it still couldn¡¯t help but feel its scalp tingle, especially without its trusty tools. It began climbing higher¡ªtoward Lin Jing¡¯s bald, illusionary monk head.


    ¡°Tricks of the trade,¡± Lin Jing muttered, ignoring the snakes as he pressed forward. In his illusionary field, he had fully assumed the identity of a high monk. The demonic pressure couldn¡¯t affect his mind, let alone create illusions powerful enough to harm him.


    Seeing the Pine Leaf Mouse struggling, Lin Jing let out a cold snort. His monk persona unleashed an overwhelming wave of holy force, shattering the demonic energy and dissipating the illusions. The snakes vanished in an instant.


    Deeper in the tower, the sealed demon roared. ¡°Damn Buddhist aura! A bald donkey hase! Curse them! Curse them! I want to devour them!¡±


    The demon paused, its thoughts spinning. ¡°Wait¡­ if this monk is so powerful, they might be able to break the seal. I must find a way to make them free me!¡± It schemed, its mind muddled by years of imprisonment, failing to realize it was being deceived by Lin Jing¡¯s illusion.

 Chapter 50: The Guardian of Tiandu

    Chapter 50: The Guardian of Tiandu


    Under the radiant Buddhist light, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse felt as though they were being reborn. At first, the sensation was blissful, but gradually, Lin Jing noticed something unusual. While his mental strength was undeniably strengthened, he couldn¡¯t shake an inexplicable feeling that something else had changed.


    Even after opening his eyes, he couldn¡¯t identify the source of this strange sensation.@@novelbin@@


    Outside the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, Elder Mo stared intently at the evolving squirrel image on the stone stele.


    ¡°Stop staring!¡± the guardian ancestor Wang Batian barked. ¡°He¡¯s just a Qi Refining cultivator. Even if he manages to pass the first level, it¡¯ll take him ages to adjust.¡±


    ¡°Ancestor, how about a bet?¡± Elder Mo grinned like a child with a scheme. ¡°I bet he¡¯ll quickly pass the first, second, third¡­ all the way to the ninth level!¡±


    The tortoise ancestor burst outughing. ¡°Have you gone mad? A Qi Refining brat withstand Nascent Soul-level demonic pressure? Back in my day, even we Beast Kings cowered under that weight!¡±


    ¡°Do you dare to bet?¡± Elder Mo asked, his confidence in Lin Jing unwavering after betting on him being a rare beastpanion owner.


    ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s bet!¡± The two turned their attention back to the stele and the pagoda¡¯s reflection in the pool. Before they could discuss the stakes, the reflection suddenly trembled violently as if the entire pagoda was on the verge of copse.Though it didn¡¯t fall, the shaking was enough to rm both of them. The tortoise ancestor leapt out of the pool in panic.


    Momentster, Lin Jing¡¯s astral projection returned to his body. Slowly, he stood up.


    ¡°Ancestor? Elder? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Jing asked, confused by their wide-eyed stares.


    ¡°What happened inside?¡± Elder Mo asked, his voice tight. Lin Jing had exited after just the first level, an extremely rare urrence.


    ¡°Elder, I told you the seal on the pagoda is weakening!¡± Lin Jing said, his expression pained. ¡°We barely entered before encountering a demon trying to escape!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Elder Mo and the tortoise ancestor eximed.


    ¡°Thankfully, the legendary Buddhist elder left a contingency behind. His sealed consciousness subdued the demon.¡±


    The two visibly rxed.


    ¡°Unfortunately, ording to the elder, the seal will only hold for a few more decades before losing its effectiveness.¡±


    Their faces darkened again.


    ¡°At least it¡¯s not an immediate crisis,¡± Elder Mo tried to reassure himself. ¡°The Demon-ying Bureau has plenty of experts. If we report this in advance, they¡¯ll have someone ready when the timees. Besides, after being sealed for so long, the demon must be significantly weakened.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m not fighting that thing,¡± Wang Batian muttered.


    ¡°Additionally, I learned something potentially valuable,¡± Lin Jing continued. He then ryed the treasure cave information provided by the demon. After a brief exchange of nces, the two elders decided to convene a sect meeting to discuss the matter.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s seal the pagoda. It¡¯s no longer suitable for training,¡± Elder Mo concluded, fearing Lin Jing might have been shaken by the experience. He promptly escorted Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse back to their quarters.


    After Lin Jing left, the tortoise ancestor turned to Elder Mo. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that the seal loosened the moment he entered? Could that brat be a cursed Heaven¡¯s Cmity Star?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Elder Mo retorted. ¡°He has the Longevity Body, destined to outlive generations of ancestors. He¡¯s just a Qi Refining cultivator¡ªwhat could he do? The fact that he stayedposed and reported everything clearly shows his remarkable potential.¡±


    ¡°Longevity Body?!¡± The tortoise ancestor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That brat is going to outlive me?!¡±


    Back at Danxia Peak, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse sat at the entrance of their cave dwelling, taking deep breaths to calm their nerves.


    ¡°Let¡¯s avoid ces like that in the future,¡± Lin Jing muttered.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± he asked the Pine Leaf Mouse about the Buddhist light¡¯s effects. In response, the mouse pulled out one, two, three¡­ until seventy red leaves floated into the air.


    Lin Jing gasped at the sight of the dazzling disy. ¡°Next time you meet a sword cultivator, you can show off with your own Ten Thousand des Return to the Sect.¡±


    Before the Buddhist light, the Pine Leaf Mouse, at Qi Refining seventh level, could only control fourteen leaves. Now, its mental strength was so formidable that it couldmand seventy with ease.


    Even if the Buddhist light had some peculiar side effects, they were willing to overlook them!


    Lin Jing himself noticed that constructing Purple Qi for his Illusionary Path techniques had be easier and more efficient.


    ¡°But if I had to name something strange¡­¡± Lin Jing mused, ¡°the images of Buddhist figures like Fa Hai and Buddha have grown sharper in my mind, as if the ¡®Buddhist essence¡¯ has taken root.¡±


    ¡°Could the light have altered something deeper?¡± he wondered aloud. ¡°I should find an expert to examine me.¡±


    Shaking off the thought, he turned to the Pine Leaf Mouse. ¡°Want to try the Leap of Tiandu again?¡±


    Returning to Cloud Cultivation Peak, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, now fortified by the Buddhist light, prepared for another attempt.


    This time, the Pine Leaf Mouse ascended effortlessly. Riding a single red leaf, it soared through the sky, pushing through the oppressive pressure with ease. Soon, it reached the summit and gazed down upon Tiandu Peak.


    The view was breathtaking: an expansive mountaintop crowned by an ancient divine pine tree. Unlike ordinary pines, this one glowed with a crystalline emerald hue. Its trunk shimmered with spiritual energy, its branches golden-green, radiating an air of majesty and mystery.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse froze, its gaze locked on the Tiandu Divine Pine. Then it noticed something rming¡ªthe tree extended a branch toward it. The summit was devoid of other living creatures, making it clear that the guardian deity of Tiandu was not a beast but a sentient nt spirit¡ªa pine tree!


    It was over! The Pine Leaf Mouse quickly called for Lin Jing¡¯s help. After all, it had eaten countless pine cones since birth. Who would have thought that the sect¡¯s guardian deity¡¯s natural enemy was actually me?


    No wonder no Pine Leaf Mouse had ever seeded in making this leap. My ancestor died unjustly!

 Chapter 51: The Demonic Technique!

    Chapter 51: The Demonic Technique!


    At the summit of Tiandu Peak, the Pine Leaf Mouse trembled under the shade of the majestic golden-green Divine Pine. There was nothing more terrifying than realizing your food had developed intelligence¡ªand far more power than you.


    Even when faced with Lin Jing¡¯s illusions of eagles and snakes, the mouse hadn¡¯t felt this shaken.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s paws twitched as it straightened its robe, pressed its palms together, and knelt in a bow. The Beast Tamer was right¡ªcultivation must proceed one step at a time. Rushing ahead only leads to unpredictable disasters...


    ¡°Squeak... Pine Leaf Mouse of the Beast Taming Sect pays its respects to the sect¡¯s ancestral deity!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming to help!¡± Lin Jing yelled as he scrambled up Tiandu Peak. Having received the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s plea for help, he ignored the peak¡¯s status as a restricted area for ordinary disciples. Since the mouse had reached the summit through legitimate means, Lin Jing figured there was no harm in following. Thankfully, the mountain¡¯s suppressive aura didn¡¯t seem to target humans.


    Reaching the summit quickly, Lin Jing was stunned silent by the sight of the Divine Pine.


    If his memory served correctly, before the Celestial Alliance Era, nts could indeed develop intelligence. However, during the fall of the Immortal Pce, the rules of the Celestial Continent were rewritten to eliminate rebellion. This change made it nearly impossible for vegetation to gain sentience. While there were many beasts capable of cultivation, intelligent nt spirits were now rarer than one in ten thousand.


    And yet, the guardian deity of Tiandu Peak was a pine tree that had achieved sentience!¡°Lin Jing, future Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect, greets the honored ancestor,¡± Lin Jing said, bowing alongside the Pine Leaf Mouse. (As for who had named him Holy Son, one could ask the ck Bear Monster.)


    ¡°Be at ease,¡± a neutral voice echoed across the mountain.


    ¡°I was once bound by a contract with your sect¡¯s second sect master. I will not harm you.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse exhaled in relief, grateful that its food wouldn¡¯t eat it in return.


    ¡°Honored ancestor, we came after hearing the tale of the Squirrel¡¯s Leap of Tiandu,¡± Lin Jing exined, justifying their intrusion.


    ¡°A Pine Leaf Mouse¡­¡± The Divine Pine¡¯s unseen gaze settled on the trembling mouse, making it shift ufortably.


    ¡°After all these years, a Pine Leaf Mouse with the potential of a Beast King has finally appeared. Your ancestor¡¯s efforts have not been in vain.¡± The Divine Pine seemed reflective. ¡°I will honor my promise to pass down teachings.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡± The Divine Pine paused. ¡°You possess a Longevity Body?¡±


    The revtion startled Lin Jing. Despite wearing the pendant Elder Mo had given him to hide his physique, the Divine Pine had seen through it instantly.


    ¡°No wonder this Pine Leaf Mouse is so exceptional¡ªit has signed a blood contract with a Longevity Body, altering its fate.¡±


    The Divine Pine turned to the Pine Leaf Mouse. ¡°What technique do you desire?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse froze. Was it really about to be taught?


    Lost in thought, it nced back at Lin Jing before turning back to the Divine Pine with resolve. It wanted... Longevity Arts!


    As the Divine Pine had said, Lin Jing possessed a Longevity Body, but the Pine Leaf Mouse was not a long-lived species. Over time, it had grown used to cultivating alongside Lin Jing. To remain by his side, it begged the Divine Pine for a technique to extend its life.


    But was such a technique possible?


    ¡°That is not difficult. I have a demonic technique that, if modified, can be granted to you,¡± the Divine Pine said.


    The words sent shockwaves through Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Demonic technique?!


    ¡°Honored ancestor... our sect is a righteous one,¡± Lin Jing ventured cautiously.


    ¡°The demonic nature applies to me,¡± the Divine Pine exined calmly. ¡°The technique in question harvests the essence of vegetation to extend life. As a sentient nt, using it against my kind makes it a demonic technique. For humans or beasts, however, it¡¯s just another method.¡±


    Understanding dawned on Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse. At the same time, they gained a deeper understanding of Tiandu Peak¡¯s guardian deity: a nt spirit, and from the perspective of its kind... a demonic cultivator.


    No wonder the Divine Pine remained calm in the presence of a Pine Leaf Mouse that had eaten countless pine nuts¡ªit had done far worse.


    With a sh of green light, a technique name appeared in the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s mind:@@novelbin@@


    The Green Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art!


    Absorbed in the wonder of the technique, the Pine Leaf Mouse closed its eyes. The Green Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art allowed the user to absorb spiritual energy and convert it into Green Emperor Qi, which could be used to control nts or drain their life essence to extend lifespan.


    However, the art had a cap on the lifespan it could provide at each level. As one advanced, ordinary nts would no longer suffice¡ªonly high-grade spiritual nts or even celestial flora would do.


    ¡°The technique has been passed on. Do you have any other requests? If not, you should leave,¡± the Divine Pine said.


    Lin Jing quickly bowed. ¡°Honored ancestor, do you know of the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda and the Buddhist light within it?¡±


    ¡°We trained there and gained strength from the light, but it left us with an uneasy feeling.¡±


    The Divine Pine fell silent briefly. ¡°I am familiar with it and its creator.¡±


    ¡°You need not worry; the Buddhist light is harmless.¡±


    ¡°It is a manifestation of his Buddha Core Technique, designed to unlock potential in low-level cultivators. Its primary effect is granting recipients a minor affinity for Buddhist arts.¡±


    ¡°Back then, those monks entered the Ancient Celestial Kingdom intending to spread their teachings. When forbidden from doing so openly, they adopted this indirect method¡ªoffering ¡®fortuitous opportunities¡¯ to foster ties with Buddhism.¡±


    ¡°After exposure to the Buddhist light, practicing Buddhist techniques or spells will be significantly easier for you. That¡¯s all. The monks hoped some cultivators would eventually switch to their faith.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded in understanding. ¡°So it¡¯s a subtle recruitment tactic.¡±


    ¡°If you dislike Buddhism, I can remove the Buddhist affinity from you,¡± the Divine Pine offered.


    Lin Jing sped his hands. ¡°Thank you, honored ancestor. Knowing it¡¯s harmless is enough. Personally, I view Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, or even demonic arts as tools. I hold no special biases.¡±


    As a modern individual, Lin Jing¡¯s philosophy was simple: whether praying to Buddha or the Dao, as long as it didn¡¯t cost money, he was open to all beliefs. Daoist techniques, Buddhist techniques, or even demonic techniques¡ªif they got the job done, that was all that mattered.


    ¡°You¡¯re not concerned about being subtly converted to Buddhism?¡± the Divine Pine asked.


    ¡°Honored ancestor, with my Longevity Body, I could oust their attempts and ascend as a Buddha myself.¡±


    The Divine Pine was silent.


    ¡°You may leave,¡± it finally said, deciding that this Longevity Body¡¯s irreverence was too aggravating. In its time, it had created demonic techniques to cling to life, while this human could effortlessly transcend as a Buddha or Daoist. Truly infuriating.


    Descending from Tiandu Peak, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were overjoyed with their gains. However, before they had gone far, they heard a mournful cry from the summit¡ªa magpie¡¯s dirge.


    Many figures rushed toward the Mission Hall. Lin Jing stopped a fellow Inner Sect disciple to ask, ¡°Senior Brother, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°The magpie¡¯s cry signals tragedy. An inner disciple encountered danger during a mission outside the sect. It¡¯s said to be Senior Brother Ouyang Hao, the task fanatic. He¡¯s been brought back, but his life is hanging by a thread!¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s faces fell.


    Senior Brother Ouyang?!Hello, readers! A fresh chapter is waiting for you! Love what we do? Cheer us on with a 5-star rating for BOTI Trantor Team on NovelUpdates. Your support fuels us! ????

 Chapter 52: The Protector

    Chapter 52: The Protector


    In the Inner Sect Mission Hall, Senior Brother Ouyang Hao and his fox spirity unconscious on a warm jade bed, their condition critical. Ouyang Hao¡¯s body was covered in frost, his skin pale as snow, and his hair had turned into icy threads that emanated a chilling aura. His fox spiritpanion, likewise, was entirely white, its fur frozen stiff as ityatose.


    No matter how much the Mission Hall elder tried to nourish them with spiritual energy or call out to them, neither showed any response. Nearby, the magpie spirit responsible for issuing the mission was weeping bitterly, ming itself for failing to bring good fortune to the disciples sent on external tasks.


    ---


    ¡°How is Senior Brother Ouyang?¡±


    Many Inner Sect disciples crowded around, deeply concerned. Seeing his grave condition, they asked the magpie spirit anxiously, ¡°Elder Magpie, what mission was Senior Brother Ouyang on? How could someone of his strength end up like this?¡±


    Lin Jing also arrived at the hall and heard the magpie spirit¡¯s response.


    ¡°The Great Wastnd Domain, Snow Moon City,¡± the magpie spirit began, anger flickering in its tear-filled eyes. ¡°Our sect manages a Beast Valley near the city, where we rear many snow rabbits, a core industry of the sect.


    ¡°A few months ago, disciples in the valley reported snow rabbits mysteriously disappearing. Beyond that, many ice beasts in Snow Moon City have also vanished under strange circumstances. To investigate, the sect issued a mission.¡±¡°Many disciples went to Snow Moon City, and Ouyang Hao was among them. But barely after arriving, this happened to him!¡±


    ¡°Stealing our spiritual beasts and harming our disciples¡ªthis enmity cannot go unavenged!¡±


    ---


    Examining Ouyang Hao, Elder Shen from Danxia Peak, an expert in alchemy and medicine, furrowed her brows deeply. Despite her best efforts, including feeding him and the fox spirit red elixirs, there was no improvement.


    ¡°This injury is unusual and appears to result from a strange technique. My spiritual energy cannot counteract it. If it weren¡¯t for their abundant Yang energy, they¡¯d already be frozen corpses,¡± Elder Shen said grimly.


    At that moment, Elder Mo arrived, his urgency palpable. Even though Lin Jing had brought back critical intelligence from the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, Elder Mo had temporarily set that matter aside to address Ouyang Hao¡¯s plight.


    ¡°Elder Shen, is there no way to treat this frost injury?¡± Elder Mo asked, his face dark.


    Elder Shen shook her head. ¡°If I had more time, I might devise a solution. But in their current state, time is a luxury we don¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to the ancestor!¡± Elder Mo said, quickly taking Ouyang Hao and the fox spirit to seek aid from the guardian ancestor Wang Batian at Clear Pool Peak. With most of the sect¡¯s elders apanying the sect master on external missions, the tortoise ancestor was one of the few left in the sect.


    The Inner Sect disciples, now witnessing the dire severity of Ouyang Hao¡¯s injuries, dispersed in fear. The mysterious injury that even a Nascent Soul elder couldn¡¯t cure left them deeply wary of the Snow Moon City investigation mission.


    ---


    ¡°We need to check on them,¡± Lin Jing said, worry etched on his face. Ouyang Hao was one of his closest friends in the sect, and he couldn¡¯t sit idly by.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded, and together they headed to Clear Pool Peak, where the tortoise ancestor was also at a loss.


    ¡°This injury appears to be the work of demonic techniques,¡± Wang Batian said. ¡°It¡¯s simr to the Nether Ghostfire of the Netherworld Hall, which is notoriously difficult to heal with conventional methods. This frost may be a variation.¡±


    Elder Mo, growing increasingly desperate, could only pace. Ouyang Hao was a disciple he had personally mentored and someone the sect master had great hopes for. He refused to see such talent perish.


    ¡°Honored ancestor, is there truly no way to save them?¡± Lin Jing asked, stepping forward.


    ¡°His survival is tenuous,¡± Wang Batian exined. ¡°As a Primordial Yang Body, his Yang energy is counteracting the frost damage, and the fox spirit survives due to its bond with him and its own Yang-based cultivation. But the frost is spreading, and their condition won¡¯t hold for long.¡±


    Determined, Lin Jing approached Ouyang Hao and the fox spirit. Gently picking them up, he turned to Elder Mo. ¡°Elder, please take me to Tiandu Peak. I wish to seek help from the guardian deity there.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Elder Mo nced at Lin Jing in surprise. ¡°You seeded in meeting that being?¡±


    Lin Jing nodded firmly. Having just received guidance from the Divine Pine, he knew it might be his only hope, even if asking for help so soon was presumptuous.


    ¡°Very well!¡± Elder Mo, desperate for a solution, agreed. ¡°Perhaps the guardian deity can provide aid.¡±


    Even the tortoise ancestor was stunned. ¡°That monster is willing to see people now? Not even sessive sect masters could meet it easily¡­¡±


    ---


    At Tiandu Peak, Lin Jing carried Ouyang Hao and ascended without resistance. Standing before the Divine Pine, he wasted no time in exining.


    ¡°Honored Divine Pine, this is Ouyang Hao, a disciple of the current sect master. He was injured during a mission outside the sect. His wounds are beyond the abilities of our elders to heal. I beg you, please lend your aid.¡±


    ¡°I made an agreement with your second sect master to assist only in matters of life and death for the Beast Taming Sect. I am not obliged to save individual disciples,¡± the Divine Pine replied tly.


    ¡°Squeak squeak squeak!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse chimed in, pleading earnestly.


    The Divine Pine, however, remained unmoved.


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Lin Jing said after a moment, his voice resolute. ¡°My most valuable possession is my Longevity Body. I am willing to trade blood from my Longevity Body for your assistance in saving them. Please, grant us this chance.¡±@@novelbin@@


    The Divine Pine fell silent, then replied, ¡°There is no need for such a sacrifice. Even I cannot fully heal them. This is no ordinary frost injury but the result of a poison technique. Such a poison is extremely rare and cannot be eradicated through cultivation alone. You must locate the poison¡¯s source to treat them.¡±


    Lin Jing frowned, sensing the enormity of the task. However, he couldn¡¯t let Ouyang Hao die.


    ---


    Returning to Cloud Cultivation Peak, Lin Jing descended with Ouyang Hao, meeting a concerned Elder Mo.


    ¡°What did the guardian deity say?¡± Elder Mo asked urgently.


    ¡°The Divine Pine cannot cure the poison but identified it as stemming from a rare toxic technique,¡± Lin Jing exined. ¡°The only way to counter it is to find the poison¡¯s origin.¡±


    ¡°A poison technique?¡± Elder Mo muttered. ¡°Many in Snow Moon City cultivate ice-based techniques, but poison techniques¡­¡±


    His face darkened. ¡°Whoever is behind this is undoubtedly the culprit responsible for the disappearance of the snow beasts. Ouyang Hao must have uncovered a lead and was silenced. Curse them!¡±


    Turning to Lin Jing, he saw the young disciple bowing solemnly.


    ¡°Elder, I request permission to take over Ouyang Hao¡¯s mission. I will go to Snow Moon City, investigate the case, and find the poison source to save him.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Elder Mo rejected instantly. ¡°The Enforcement Hall and the sect elders will handle this. You¡¯re just a Qi Refining cultivator¡ªit¡¯s too dangerous. As a Longevity Body, you should focus on cultivating in safety!¡±


    Lin Jing shook his head, his resolve unyielding. ¡°Elder, Ouyang Hao once saved my life, rescuing me from the Yin Corpse Sect. He has helped me countless times in the sect. I cannot sit idly by.¡±


    ¡°I understand your concern for my safety, but some things must be done personally. If I ignored this, I would regret it forever.¡±


    ¡°And what meaning does longevity have if one¡¯s life is filled with regrets?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse crossed its arms, its robe billowing as it stood firmly by Lin Jing¡¯s side.


    Elder Mo sighed, recognizing the determination in Lin Jing¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re as stubborn as a mule. Very well. But I can only allow this because of the Divine Pine¡¯s protection.¡±


    ¡°Protection?¡± Elder Mo blinked. ¡°The Divine Pine agreed to aid you?¡±


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°The Divine Pine promised to act as my protector during this mission. With its strength, we should be safe. It also said the poison is highly unusual, and even it would need the source to attempt a cure.¡±


    Elder Mo stared at Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, both radiating determination, and finally relented. ¡°Very well. Go. Ouyang Hao is fortunate to have a friend like you¡±

 Chapter 53: First Time Leaving the Sect!

    Chapter 53: First Time Leaving the Sect!


    The Longevity Body was leaving the sect, and no one could stop him. However, with the Divine Pine apanying him as his protector, the elders were quite reassured about Lin Jing''s safety.


    Elder Mo handed over the information the sect had gathered about the mission, passing it to Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse as they packed their things.


    "Snow Moon City is already on lockdown. That demonic cultivator should still be in the city," Elder Mo said.


    "I suggest notunching arge-scale operation just yet," Lin Jing said as he epted the report. "If the sect''s Law Enforcement Hall and elders all mobilize, it will likely alert the enemy. The demonic cultivator might go into hiding and cease any further actions. It''s better if I go alone. The sect just needs to ensure no one leaves Snow Moon City secretly."


    "How do you n to investigate?" Elder Mo asked.


    "Several inner sect disciples went to Snow Moon City to investigate the ''beast disappearances,'' but only Senior Brother Ouyang fell victim. As you said, he must have discovered something significant. I n to start with his movements in the city," Lin Jing exined. "But considering how little we know, any clues might already be hard to find. At this point, we can only rely on the Divine Pine''s abilities. Given its cultivation realm, it should be able to detect any anomalies immediately."


    Lin Jing browsed through the information. Based on reports from Beast Valley in Snow Moon City, Senior Brother Ouyang had only visited three ces after his arrival:


    1. The City Lord''s Manor.2. Beast Valley.


    3. Lotus Pavilion.


    Senior Brother Ouyang went to the City Lord''s Manor to gather more information about the spirit beast disappearances. Apart from the Beast Taming Sect issuing a mission, the City Lord''s Manor had also posted a bounty.


    Reportedly, the City Lord of Snow Moon City, Tang Qinghan, had personally received Ouyang Hao after learning that he was highly regarded by the Beast Taming Sect Master and might be a true disciple of the sect master.


    "City Lord Tang Qinghan: early Golden Core stage, possesses the innate Ice Spirit Body, practices the ''Frost Soul Art,'' and has ruled Snow Moon City for sixty years. The Tang family is deeply rooted in Snow Moon City, holding a dominant position but maintaining a ster reputation and enjoying the love of the popce."


    Continuing, Lin Jing read about Beast Valley, a property of the Beast Taming Sect, renowned for raising snow rabbits with exquisite meat. Using unique secret techniques, the sect raised these rabbits to supply the entire Great Wastnd Domain, making Beast Valley one of the sect''s primary sources of ie. The missing beasts that prompted Ouyang Hao''s mission came from reports of snow rabbit disappearances there.


    "Valley Master He Xu:te Foundation Establishment stage, third disciple of Elder Jiang, and an expert in nurturing pet beasts."


    Lastly, there was Lotus Pavilion, thergest merchant association in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, with operations extending even beyond to Qingzhou and Martial Emperor City. The Lotus Pavilion branch in Snow Moon City was small. Senior Brother Ouyang only visited the branch to purchase yang-nourishing pills and was warmly received by the branch master, thanks to an introduction from the City Lord.


    "Lotus Pavilion Branch Master Hua Qiandao:te Foundation Establishment stage, possesses the innate Fire Spirit Body, practices the ''True Fire Lotus Scripture,'' and has been the branch master here for ten years."


    The most popr product of the Lotus Chamber of Commerce was medicinal pills.


    "These three individuals are the most prominent figures Senior Brother Ouyang encountered in Snow Moon City. Let''s rule out the Valley Master... As for the City Lord and Hua Qiandao, given their strength and status, it seems unlikely they''d engage in such petty and disgraceful acts. It appears Senior Brother Ouyang had additional movements we¡¯re unaware of." Lin Jing pondered.


    "The intelligence is indeed insufficient," Elder Mo sighed.


    "No problem," Lin Jing said with a smile. "I have another n. I¡¯ll use the ''Thousand Transformations'' technique to disguise myself as a snow rabbit, move into Beast Valley, and then transform into various rare ice spirit beasts to wander around. Since the culprit loves ice beasts, I''ll bait them by bing an ice beast myself."


    Elder Mo was speechless. "..."


    This was your real n from the start, wasn¡¯t it?!


    Once the culprit appeared, the Divine Pine would handle it.


    ---


    Although Lin Jing nned to go alone, the sect made adequate preparations. To ensure his journey was swift, they provided a Heavenfeather Crane for him and the Pine Leaf Mouse. The crane would enable him to reach Snow Moon City within half a day. The Divine Pine, however, would guard him from the shadows.


    "This huge... package." The Heavenfeather Crane, a creature Lin Jing was already familiar with, turned out to be the very same crane with a unique ent that delivered resources throughout the sect. It had even reached the early Foundation Establishment stage.


    Lin Jing retrieved the Pine Leaf Mouse and seated himself atop the crane. Watching Elder Mo see him off, he nodded.


    "Return safely," Elder Mo said. "Elder Shen will look after Ouyang Hao''s remains for now."


    "Let''s go. Please get me to Snow Moon City as quickly as possible," Lin Jing said with a deep breath, gazing at the distant clouds. This was his first time leaving the sect.


    "You got it!!!" the crane bellowed as it soared skyward at an incredible speed. Lin Jing closed his eyes and began cultivating as they ascended into the clouds.


    The crane flew faster and faster, and Lin Jing began to feel the chill in the air.


    The Great Wastnd Domain bordered the Snow ins, and several cities near the ins were perpetually nketed in snow. Snow Moon City was one of them.


    The recent incidents in Snow Moon City were possibly the work of demonic cultivators or Snow ins cultivators.


    "Damn!" The Heavenfeather Crane suddenly eximed, jolting Lin Jing from his meditation.@@novelbin@@


    "What¡¯s wrong, Brother Crane?" Lin Jing asked.


    "Someone just zoomed past me at incredible speed!"


    "So?" Lin Jing asked curiously.


    "Do you think I¡¯d let them outpace me?"


    "You read my mind." With that, the crane surged forward at an even greater speed, leaving Lin Jing''s lips quivering in the cold. Before long, a ck dot appeared ahead¡ªa white colt with dragon horns galloping through the sea of clouds. On its backy a young man in ck robes, sound asleep.


    "How can someone sleep at that speed?" Lin Jing muttered incredulously.


    As the Heavenfeather Crane closed in, the white colt nced at it and silently picked up speed. Not to be outdone, the crane matched its pace. The intense turbulence finally woke the ck-robed youth, who leaned over the cloud¡¯s edge and vomited.


    "Ugh¡­"


    After emptying his stomach, the youth nced around in confusion before noticing the Heavenfeather Crane and Lin Jing atop it.


    "Brother, where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?" he asked.


    Lin Jing responded, "Shouldn''t I be asking you that?"


    The ck-robed youth nodded. "Fair point. I am indeed in a hurry. I''m from the Demon-ying Bureau. My name is Gao Sheng. I¡¯ve heard rumors of demonic activity in Snow Moon City and came to investigate. If I¡¯mte, more innocent people and cultivators might suffer. So, I can¡¯t waste any time."


    Lin Jing smirked. "Since when can someone at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement be a Demon-ying Guardian?"


    He eyed the youth¡¯s Foundation Establishment steed¡ªa white dragon-horse¡ªand couldn¡¯t help but feel envious. Whose privileged child was this,ing out to "experience life"? Lin Jing¡¯s gaze lingered wistfully on the magnificent "white dragon-horse."

 Chapter 54: No Clear Truth

    Chapter 54: No Clear Truth


    As the two conversed, a powerful aura surged ahead, and a silver-armored cultivator stopped them in their tracks.


    "Snow Moon City is on lockdown. Entry is forbidden!"


    Both the Heavenfeather Crane and the white dragon-horse halted. Gao Sheng took out a token and dered, "Gao Sheng of the Demon-ying Bureau, here to exterminate demonic forces in Snow Moon City."


    Lin Jing also retrieved his token, adding, "Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect, here to investigate the beast disappearances."


    The silver-armored cultivator looked at the two¡ªriding Foundation Establishment mounts despite being only at the ninth and fourth levels of Qi Refinement¡ªand was at a loss for words.


    Gao Sheng nced at Lin Jing. You''re here for demon hunting too? You think I¡¯m weak... but you¡¯re only at the fourth level!


    "Greetings. Your horse is truly magnificent," Lin Jingmented.


    "This is a dragon-horse. Don¡¯t get any ideas, you from the Beast Taming Sect," Gao Sheng replied defensively.After inspecting their tokens, the silver-armored cultivator reported their arrival. Before long, a middle-aged man with a face covered in thick, snow-white whiskers personally came to meet them.


    Lin Jing recognized the man from portraits: Tang Qinghan, the City Lord of Snow Moon City.


    Lin Jing was momentarily stunned. He hadn''t expected to receive the same treatment as Senior Brother Ouyang¡ªpersonally greeted by a Golden Core cultivator!


    "Young Master Gao¡­ Why are you here? How is your esteemed father?" the City Lord asked warmly, ignoring Lin Jing entirely.@@novelbin@@


    "City Lord Tang, let¡¯s not confuse matters. I am Gao Sheng of the Demon-ying Bureau, not simply the son of the Gao family. I am here to solve this case and eliminate demons," Gao Sheng replied sternly. "This is my first case with the bureau, so I ask for your full cooperation."


    "Snow Moon City will fully support the Demon-ying Bureau," the City Lord assured him. Only then did he turn to Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing looked skyward, while the Heavenfeather Crane chimed in, "Beast Taming Sect! We¡¯re from the Beast Taming Sect!"


    "Oh, a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect¡­ It is my dereliction of duty that your Senior Brother Ouyang Hao met his end in my city. I promise to find the culprit within a month and give your sect a proper exnation," the City Lord dered solemnly.


    "Thank you, City Lord. We¡¯re here to assist with the investigation," Lin Jing replied. "I am a disciple of Danxia Peak. I¡¯ve studied toxicology under my master for over two decades. The sect''s patriarch determined that Senior Brother Ouyang was poisoned, so I¡¯ve been sent to investigate."


    "Very well. Please, both of you, follow me into the city," the City Lord said as the snow fog dispersed, revealing towering walls ahead.


    ---


    At the City Lord¡¯s Manor, the City Lord intended to extend his hospitality to the two guests. However, Gao Sheng waved it off.


    "Let¡¯s skip the formalities. City Lord, I¡¯ve already gathered enough information about Snow Moon City¡¯s situation and have a preliminary idea of who the culprit is!" Gao Sheng proimed.


    "What?!" The City Lord was taken aback. Lin Jing, too, was surprised. Could this brother really have figured it out so quickly, even before the Divine Pine sensed anything?


    "First, Snow Moon City¡¯s property has been damaged, and a major sect disciple was attacked. These incidents create serious security concerns. Who suffers the most from this? The answer is obvious¡ªCity Lord Tang. If these issues worsen, your political career will undoubtedly take a hit," Gao Sheng exined. "Thus, while this may appear to be the work of demons, it¡¯s also possible that one of your enemies is disguising themselves as a demonic force!"


    "I conducted a detailed investigation beforeing here. Lotus Pavilion¡¯s Branch Master, Hua Qiandao, came to this deste city only to see his business severely hindered by your policies. His promotion prospects are dim. Just now, Brother Lin of the Beast Taming Sect mentioned that Senior Brother Ouyang was poisoned¡­ and Lotus Pavilion primarily deals in medicinal pills. Only they have sufficient knowledge of poisons!"


    Gao Sheng concluded confidently, "City Lord Tang, I urge you to arrest Lotus Pavilion¡¯s Branch Master Hua Qiandao immediately!" He fanned himself with an air of elegance as he spoke.


    City Lord Tang¡¯s expression turned odd. "Young Master Gao, while it¡¯s true that I had past disagreements with Hua Qiandao, we¡¯ve since reconciled. Snow Moon City and Lotus Pavilion have established deep cooperation through formal contracts. If I were to fall, so would he. We now share the same fate."


    Gao Sheng fell silent, continuing to fan himself. "Well¡­ just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything."


    Lin Jing cupped his hands and excused himself. He was beginning to doubt this Demon-ying Bureau operative¡¯s usefulness.


    "Senior Divine Pine¡­ is there anything unusual about the City Lord¡¯s Manor?" Lin Jing asked once outside, opening his palm to reveal a pine cone.


    A voice emanated from the pine cone. "No anomalies detected. The City Lord himself is not the problem. However, I now know what poison afflicted your Senior Brother."


    "What is it?" Lin Jing asked, startled.


    "Follow my guidance," the Divine Pine instructed.


    Lin Jing quicklyplied, following the pine¡¯s directions until he reached a snowy grasnd. He brushed aside the snow, uncovering several purple nts.


    "What do you see?" the Divine Pine asked.


    Lin Jing stared at the nts, lost in thought. After rifling through his mentalpendium of botanical knowledge, he suddenly noticed red spots forming on his hand. "Split petals, serpentine leaves, causing rashes upon contact¡­ This is Feathered Insect Grass."


    "Correct," the Divine Pine affirmed. "Do you know where it thrives?"


    "In areas abundant with venomous insects, particrly near the Yunhai Mountain Range. Are you suggesting that my Senior Brother was harmed by venomous insects?"


    "Not just any venomous insects. The poison affecting him isn¡¯t something that would stump a Golden Core elder or a Nascent Soul patriarch," the Divine Pine exined. "This poison¡­ it belongs to the Gu God Sect. Only their peculiar Gu insects could produce something this insidious. Your Senior Brother must have been poisoned by a Child Gu. Find the Mother Gu, and the Ice Gu poison can be neutralized."


    ---


    "Brother Lin!" Gao Sheng suddenly appeared, catching up to Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing stashed the pine cone and regarded the privileged youth. "Brother Gao, what brings you here?"


    "I¡¯ve had a new revtion! So I ran away from the City Lord¡¯s Manor," Gao Sheng replied, looking anxious. "I suspect the culprit may be the Gu God Sect! My father once mentioned that the sect has been increasing its influence in our region by using Gu poison to control people. City Lord Tang might already be their puppet! After all, his cultivation technique and the Ice Gu poison seem to align suspiciously. The mastermind behind everything could be him!"


    Lin Jing: ?


    "Brother Gao, do you have any evidence?" Lin Jing asked.


    "None."


    "Then why are you even saying this?!" Lin Jing sighed. "If the City Lord were breeding Gu insects with beasts, given the Tang family¡¯s resources in Snow Moon City, would he need to steal snow rabbits from the Beast Taming Sect?"


    "Uh¡­ Brother Lin, you have a point," Gao Sheng muttered, falling deep into thought again.


    "Brother Lin, do you think it¡¯s possible¡­" He suddenly eyed Lin Jing warily, taking a step back.


    "Let me guess. You¡¯re about to suggest that the Beast Taming Sect, often dubbed the ¡®Beast Demon Sect,¡¯ might have internal collusion with demonic sects, harming itself to eliminate suspicion and cry wolf?"


    Gao Sheng was stunned. "How did you know?!"


    "Brother Gao, perhaps you should just go home and inherit your family¡¯s legacy!" Lin Jing retorted.

 Chapter 55: Baiting the Enemy

    Chapter 55: Baiting the Enemy


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t think I can solve this case?¡± Gao Sheng was visibly upset at Lin Jing¡¯s dismissive attitude.


    ¡°If you¡¯re also investigating this matter, let¡¯s see who cracks the case first!¡± he dered before storming off, leaving Lin Jing bewildered.


    ¡°He seems earnest about solving the case, but I have a feeling he¡¯s not cut out for it,¡± Lin Jing remarked.


    The Divine Pine interjected, ¡°He¡¯s a young human fledgling and still needs to grow. However, having a heart devoted to exterminating demons and defending justice ismendable, even if I am technically a demonic cultivator.¡±


    ¡°Senior Divine Pine, could you refrain from your hellish jokes?¡± Lin Jing replied dryly. Then, focusing back on the case, he said, ¡°So, Senior Brother Ouyang¡¯s poisoning and the disappearance of spirit beasts in Snow Moon City¡ªthis isn¡¯t the work of people?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s likely the work of an unimed Gu insect,¡± Divine Pine confirmed. ¡°The missing ice-elemental spirit beasts were probably devoured by the Gu insect. If a Gu Master were controlling it, there¡¯d be no reason to stir trouble in Snow Moon City. There are plenty of unowned ice beasts on the Snow ins. Inviting conflict with the Beast Taming Sect and Snow Moon City would be suicide.¡±


    ¡°As for Senior Brother Ouyang, he was probably just unlucky¡­ Maybe his yang energy was so strong that it irritated the ice Gu, causing a reaction. Yang and yin energies shing, perhaps?¡±


    ¡°Or maybe, since ice Gu are yin-aligned, it tried to bnce itself by absorbing his yang energy,¡± Lin Jing mused.¡°You¡¯re on par with Gao Sheng,¡± Divine Pine quipped.


    Lin Jing protested, ¡°I¡¯m at least a bit stronger, right?¡±


    ¡°Either way, if this is an unimed Gu insect, it¡¯s much easier to handle. Be it a regr insect or a Gu, they¡¯re not known for high intelligence,¡± Lin Jing said confidently. ¡°Senior Divine Pine, can you locate it?¡±


    ¡°If I couldn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have apanied you,¡± Divine Pine replied. ¡°But your method of finding it might be faster than mine.¡±


    ---


    Before long, a snow-white rabbit with blue eyes was hopping through the snowy terrain. It was none other than Lin Jing, transformed using the Thousand Transformations technique.


    The snow rabbits raised in Beast Valley were generally at the first level of Qi Refinement andcked sentience. Such rabbits were sufficient to attract the ice Gu, but Lin Jing upped the stakes.


    Though he had disguised himself as a Qi Refinement rabbit, this rabbit had a faint wound on its leg, exuding a subtle aura of longevity blood. For beasts, this blood was an irresistible temptation. For Gu insects, it was no different.


    ¡°Hop~ hop~¡± Lin Jing sang softly as he bounced around in the snow.


    Through a night of icy winds, Lin Jing¡¯s face turned purple from the cold. He nced into his Beast Space and saw the Pine Leaf Mouse restingfortably, polishing its Mechanical Bamboo Rifle,pletely at ease.


    ¡°Come out,¡± Lin Jing grumbled, dragging the Pine Leaf Mouse out. Using illusions, he disguised it as another rabbit. ¡°You¡¯re not going to need to fight with Senior Divine Pine around. At least help me y bait.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse emerged reluctantly, its face filled withint¡ªit disliked both extreme heat and cold. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t long before reality spared them further misery.@@novelbin@@


    After Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse yed the role of a legendary pair of rabbits for some time, Divine Pine stirred.


    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡±


    Snowkes drifting from the sky suddenly coalesced into white threads, resembling serpentine strands, and began reaching toward Lin Jing¡¯s rabbit form.


    Before the threads could touch him, the pine cone Lin Jing carried emitted a gold-green spiritual energy pulse. A golden resin emerged, enveloping and consuming the iing threads, suspending them midair.


    ¡°Senior Divine Pine, how¡¯s that?¡± Lin Jing asked, staring at the resin trapping the intricate white threads. ¡°Huh? Threads only?¡±


    ¡°We failed,¡± Divine Pine admitted. ¡°As expected, this is no ordinary Gu insect.¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been born yet.¡±


    ¡°An unformed entity cannot be captured.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse squeaked in disbelief, suspecting Divine Pine was just making excuses for its failure. An unborn Gu can eat snow rabbits? Ridiculous!


    ¡°Do you know how a Gu insect is created?¡± Divine Pine asked.


    ¡°You ce several venomous insects in a container and let them fight until only one survives, absorbing all the others¡¯ toxins. Thest one standing bes the Gu,¡± Lin Jing recited the basic process.


    ¡°Correct. Gu insects are not born naturally; they are cultivated by human hands. This is why their forms vary widely. Among the countless Gu insects created by the Gu God Sect, ten are considered extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°These rare Gu insects take the form of venomous creatures but areposed entirely of elemental energy. They are immortal¡ªeach time one is destroyed, it doesn¡¯t truly die. After centuries, it can regenerate in a location rich in its elemental affinity.¡±


    ¡°Although they lose all memories during rebirth, akin to reincarnation, their bloodline power remains intact. Each one is a king among Gu insects. If my judgment is correct, an ice-elemental rare Gu is about to be born here,¡± Divine Pine revealed. ¡°The white threads are its initial organs, absorbing nutrients to transform from formless to physical.¡±


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were awestruck. No wonder the Gu God Sect managed to survive the Great Demon Purge that eradicated many other demonic sects in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    ¡°What should we do? Wait for it to be reborn and then capture it?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only option. But for now, you should focus on finding the real culprit behind your Senior Brother¡¯s injury,¡± Divine Pine advised.


    Lin Jing froze, suddenly realizing something was amiss.


    ¡°An unborn Gu insect only possesses primal instincts for feeding. Gu poison, however, is a deliberate attack mechanism of a matured Gu.¡±


    ¡°Could there be a Gu practitioner here waiting for the Gu¡¯s birth? Was my Senior Brother indeed harmed by a demonic cultivator?¡± Lin Jing spected.


    ¡°Not necessarily a Gu God Sect practitioner, but definitely someone knowledgeable about Gu techniques,¡± Divine Pine replied. ¡°Newborn Gu insects seek a host to parasitize, entering a dormant state to grow stronger. Few cultivators would willingly be such a host due to the immense drawbacks.¡±


    ¡°But for those willing to endure the consequences, a Gu¡¯s power can be harnessed. This mutual dependency gave rise to Gu Masters. While this practice isn¡¯t inherently evil, most Gu Masters resort to using others as hosts, unwilling to part with the Gu¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°Each type of Gu insect requires a specific parasitic environment. If someone knew a rare Gu would be reborn here, they could prepare their body to suit the ice Gu¡¯s needs, bing its ideal host.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, if this person obtained the method to refine a lesser Gu rted to the rare Gu, they could first host the lesser Gu to improvepatibility with the ice Gu. The rare Gu¡¯s birthce would also be the perfect site to refine its lesser counterpart.¡±


    ¡°An ideal host for an ice Gu¡­¡± Lin Jing immediately thought of the City Lord¡¯s innate Ice Spirit Body. Could Gao Sheng have been right?


    No, something didn¡¯t add up. While the ice Gu and Ice Spirit Body werepatible, why would the City Lord target Senior Brother Ouyang? As a Golden Core cultivator, he could easily defeat him. Furthermore, it was the City Lord¡¯s people who discovered the injured Ouyang and treated him promptly.


    ¡°Could the optimal host for an ice Gu actually have fire or yang attributes?¡± Lin Jing wondered aloud. ¡°If a cultivator with such a physique learned of the rare Gu¡¯s imminent rebirth and saw Senior Brother Ouyang as a threat to their suitability as a host, they might use a lesser Gu to harm him preemptively.¡±


    ¡°Could Gu insects be ying some yin-yang bncing game? Or is it simply that fire-aligned hosts don¡¯t freeze to death too quickly, giving the Gu a stable home?¡±Hey there, fans! The new chapter is out! Please support BOTI Trantor Team with a 5-star review on NovelUpdates if you¡¯re enjoying our work. Thank you for being amazing! ????

 Chapter 56: I鈥檓 Really Not a Demonic Cultivator

    Chapter 56: I¡¯m Really Not a Demonic Cultivator


    The night was silent and still.


    Lin Jing stood outside the closed doors of the Lotus Pavilion in Snow Moon City. Inside resided Hua Qiandao, the Pavilion Master¡ªa cultivator with a Fire Spirit Body.


    Thinking back, it was strange for someone cultivating fire-element techniques toe to a freezing city like Snow Moon City for business. It suggested ulterior motives.


    Moreover, Senior Brother Ouyang had purchased yang-nourishing pills from this man, meaning they¡¯d had direct contact. Coupled with the current situation, Hua Qiandao was the prime suspect. While it was unclear how he¡¯d learned about the rare Gu or obtained methods for refining its lesser offspring, everyone had their own fortuitous encounters, making him the most likely culprit.


    ¡°Senior Divine Pine¡­ any findings?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    The Divine Pine scanned the area with its spiritual sense but didn¡¯t detect Hua Qiandao¡¯s presence. However, something else caught Lin Jing¡¯s attention¡ªa young man riding a white dragon-horse aimlessly through the snow.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Gao Sheng asked, trotting closer.


    ¡°I should be asking you the same thing,¡± Lin Jing retorted.¡°I still think the Lotus Pavilion is suspicious,¡± Gao Sheng said, frowning. ¡°My father is Nascent Soul, my maternal grandfather is Soul Formation, and my entire family are Golden Lotus-tier customers of the Lotus Pavilion. While I personally don¡¯t care, every time I visit a city, the local Pavilion Master alwayses to greet me. But Hua Qiandao hasn¡¯t even shown his face. What¡¯s he so busy with? Suspicious¡ªvery suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Even the Golden Core City Lord isn¡¯t as busy as him!¡±


    Gao Shengid out his reasoning, pointing out Hua Qiandao¡¯s peculiar behavior.


    ¡°For once¡­ that makes sense,¡± Lin Jing nodded.


    ¡°You agree this time?¡± Gao Sheng said, surprised.


    ¡°Well, if your grandfather is Soul Formation, everything you say must be right,¡± Lin Jing quipped, astonished by the extent of Gao Sheng¡¯s background. ¡°And frankly, I¡¯m starting to suspect Hua Qiandao myself.¡±


    ¡°Finally, we agree!¡± Gao Sheng beamed. ¡°Also, I¡¯ve investigated¡ªHua Qiandao is nowhere to be found tonight. I suspect he realized his scheme was about to be exposed and fled upon hearing that a genius investigator like me had arrived.¡±


    ¡°Fleeing seems unlikely. More likely, his n has reached its final stage,¡± Lin Jing said, gazing at the moon. As snow continued to fall, countless thread-like lines began descending from the clouds, resembling a vast spider web weaving itself across the sky.


    Gao Sheng looked up and gasped, his mouth slightly agape. ¡°Spiders¡ªso many spiders!¡±


    On the white web spanning the entire city, fist-sized spiders began hatching, each radiating significant demonic energy. The spiders dropped from the web and attacked any living being they encountered. Several lunged at Lin Jing and Gao Sheng without warning.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°What the hell are these things?¡± Gao Sheng eximed, brandishing his fan. With a powerful wave, a terrifying gust obliterated the iing spiders.


    ¡°These are¡­ parasitic Gu,¡± Lin Jing muttered, pulling out his Mechanical Bamboo Rifle. With a thunderous shot, the spiders attacking him were sted to pieces.


    ¡°Whoa, Brother Lin! What kind of treasure is that?¡± Gao Sheng¡¯s eyes lit up, captivated by the weapon.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned about what these things are?¡± Lin Jing shot back, scanning the area. The number of spiders was staggering¡ªthousands, perhaps tens of thousands, swarmed the streets. This was just what he could see at a nce; the entire city was likely overrun.


    ¡°You mentioned parasitic Gu earlier?¡± Gao Sheng¡¯s expression darkened.


    Parasitic Gu were a rank below lesser Gu. If lesser Gu weremanders, parasitic Gu were soldiers. They typically appeared en masse when a Gu King was about to emerge, siphoning nutrients to support the newborn Gu King.


    ¡°There really is a Gu King¡­¡± Gao Sheng muttered.


    At that moment, a beam of icy light streaked across the sky. City Lord Tang Qinghan descended beside Gao Sheng, his face grim. ¡°Young Master Gao, are you all right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Gao Sheng replied. ¡°City Lord Tang, a Gu King is about to emerge in Snow Moon City!¡±


    The spiders, seemingly sensing that Lin Jing and Gao Sheng were formidable, redirected their attacks elsewhere, scattering through the city.


    ¡°There¡¯s likely a Gu God Sect demonic cultivator hiding in the city!¡± Gao Sheng dered. ¡°Their goal must be to refine the Gu King.¡±


    His expression shifted as he recalled his earlier suspicions¡ªTang Qinghan was the most probable suspect. He subconsciously retreated behind his dragon-horse.


    ¡°Fear not, Young Master Gao. I will protect you,¡± Tang Qinghan reassured, though his scalp tingled with dread. His political career felt as fragile as the spider silk above. Nevertheless, he prioritized Gao Sheng¡¯s safety, dispatching his guards to contain the chaos in the city.


    ¡°It¡¯s the rare Gu preparing to be reborn,¡± Divine Pine informed Lin Jing through spiritualmunication. ¡°Hua Qiandao is likely hiding, waiting for the Gu to emerge so he can absorb its power and escape.¡±


    ¡°Senior Divine Pine, can you locate him?¡± Lin Jing asked. ¡°He¡¯s only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if he absorbs the Gu, he shouldn¡¯t be a match for you.¡±


    ¡°With you here, he won¡¯t be able to absorb it,¡± Divine Pine said, chuckling.


    Lin Jing¡¯s expression turned peculiar as an unsettling thought crossed his mind.


    Suddenly, dazzling blue light surged through the spider web above. Directly overhead, a tiny spider, norger than a fingernail and made entirely of ice crystals, began to form. Though small, its aura radiated extreme cold, freezing even the raging blizzard and making time itself seem to slow.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡± Gao Sheng¡¯s pupils shrank. ¡°Could it be the Ice Soul Gu, one of the ten legendary rare Gu of the Gu God Sect? It was thought to have vanished for a thousand years. Why is it reborn here?¡±


    ¡°The Ice Soul Gu?¡± Tang Qinghan¡¯s expression turned grim. Each of the Gu God Sect¡¯s ten rare Gu was a cmity. If it fell into the hands of a demonic cultivator, it would be an unparalleled threat.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the Gu God Sect¡¯s demonic cultivator?!¡± Tang Qinghan barked, on high alert.


    But before anyone could react, the Ice Soul Gu shot downward like a streak of icy light, piercing directly into Lin Jing¡¯s body.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯m going to turn into a demonic cultivator!¡± Lin Jing inwardly screamed.


    ¡°Even if a Fire Spirit Body or Primordial Yang Body were suitable hosts, nothingpares to a Longevity Body,¡± Divine Pine said, amused. ¡°With your life force and nutrients, the Ice Soul Gu would naturally choose you over any other prepared host.¡±


    ¡°Let it enter your body. It¡¯s the key to resolving the Ice Gu poison affecting your Senior Brother. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll seal it inside you, preventing it from absorbing your energy. This is also an opportunity for you. Didn¡¯t you once say all techniques, even demonic ones, are just tools? Once you¡¯re strong enough, you can refine it. I¡¯ll handle the Demon-ying Bureau.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it literally!¡± Lin Jing snapped as bone-chilling cold erupted from his body. The ice energy rivaled Foundation Establishment levels, transforming his hair to snow-white and his eyes to icy blue. Gao Sheng staggered back in shock.


    ¡°So it¡¯s you! You¡¯re the Gu God Sect demonic cultivator! The Gu King merged with you!¡±


    ¡°Demonic cultivator my !¡± Lin Jing growled through gritted teeth. Momentster, a pine cone-shaped seal appeared on the back of his hand, stabilizing the energy. His hair and eyes reverted to their original state.


    Meanwhile, in a hidden cavern elsewhere in the city, Hua Qiandao watched the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s rebirth with joy¡ªuntil it failed to choose him as its host. His face turned red, and he spat blood before copsing.


    ¡°My Gu! My ten-years-in-the-making Gu! The Gu manual lied! Why didn¡¯t it choose my Fire Spirit Body?!¡±

 Chapter 57: The Cold Moon Sword Immortal

    Chapter 57: The Cold Moon Sword Immortal


    The atmosphere outside the Lotus Pavilion turned awkward. Lin Jing no longer had the energy to exin himself.


    Witnesses: Tang Qinghan, the City Lord of Snow Moon City.


    Evidence: The Ice Soul Gu.


    And now, another "brilliant mind" was using him of being a demonic cultivator. He felt utterly exhausted.


    Considering Divine Pine¡¯s jokes about being a "demonic cultivator" and its teachings to the Pine Leaf Mouse about "demonic arts," Lin Jing figured his current situation was ironic yet fitting. He had almost be a demonic cultivator himself.


    "Detective Gao, stop specting. I¡¯ll exin everythingter. For now, we need to capture the real Gu practitioner behind all this..."


    Before Lin Jing could finish, everyone¡¯s attention shifted to the sky.


    At some point, a massive bronze ancient sword had appeared, blocking the moonlight as it hovered in the air. Standing atop the sword was a woman dressed in pure white, her cascading hair tied up with a simple jade hairpin.Under the cold moon, her robes fluttered gently in the wind, giving her the appearance of an immortal untouched by worldly dust. Her gaze, sharp and focused, swept over the endless parasitic Gu spiders infesting Snow Moon City. Then, her lips moved slightly, her words dissipating into the snowy wind.


    Without further dy, she reached for the white sword hanging at her waist. The sword hummed faintly, emitting a soft green glow.


    Hum!


    In the next instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze. Thousands of sword lights burst forth from her de, forming a dazzling array of icy swords that illuminated the heavens.


    "Go!" shemanded.


    The sword light rained down like a meteor shower, piercing the night sky with overwhelming power. Each strike obliterated the spiders on the ground. The Gu insects shrieked and writhed but were ultimately reduced to icy fragments that scattered into the wind.


    In mere moments, the cultivators clearing out the Gu insects in Snow Moon City realized the threat had vanished. They gazed upward in awe and disbelief.


    Even Gao Sheng was stunned as he stared at the figure on the ancient bronze sword. His expression turned grim. "I¡¯m doomed."@@novelbin@@


    As he spoke, the white-robed sword immortal descended gracefully. Her cold voice rang out, "Gao Sheng, you did not pass the Demon-ying Bureau¡¯s assessment, yet you stole a Demon-ying token. Do you understand your crime?"


    "I¡¯ve been instructed to take you into custody."


    "Nooo!" Gao Sheng shouted. His dragon-horned white horse, sensing the game was up, sighed heavily and trudged off into the blizzard.


    "Could you be... the Cold Moon Sword Immortal, Feng Ning?" Tang Qinghan asked cautiously.


    "City Lord Tang, I will need a detailed report on the cause of this cmity in Snow Moon City," she said coolly. Tang Qinghan nodded repeatedly.


    "Thank you, Sword Immortal, for intervening. Without your help, the city would have suffered immense losses in this Gu disaster."


    "Sister Feng, wait! Don¡¯t arrest me¡ªarrest him!" Gao Sheng pointed desperately at Lin Jing. "The Ice Soul Gu was reborn and entered his body!"


    Lin Jing, feeling increasingly wronged, raised his hand obediently. "I already said it¡¯s a misunderstanding," he muttered.


    His eyes turned to Feng Ning, recognizing her instantly. On the Tianji Pavilion¡¯s Celestial Rankings, Feng Ning, the Cold Moon Sword Immortal, ranked third on the Earth List of the Heaven-Earth-Human rankings. She was a peak Golden Core cultivator and the senior disciple of the Heavenly Sword Gate, the top sword sect in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    Moreover, she was a member of the Demon-ying Bureau and had once single-handedly destroyed a demonic cultivator stronghold, ying a Nascent Soul-stage demonic cultivator. The blood-soaked battlefield had earned her the moniker Blood Moon Sword Immortal.


    She was a true prodigy of the cultivation world, standing at its pinnacle. Inparison, Lin Jing, a minor talent of the Beast Taming Sect, was not even in the same league.


    Lin Jing couldn¡¯t fathom why such a legendary figure woulde to the barren Great Wastnd Domain. He nced at Gao Sheng and thought, So that¡¯s why a Qi Refinement-level disciple managed to infiltrate the Demon-ying Bureau. He stole an identity and now he¡¯s about to pay for it.


    Still, Lin Jing knew that if he didn¡¯t clear his name soon, he might also get arrested.


    "I¡¯ll give you a chance to exin," Feng Ning said, her gaze sharp as her sword.


    "Thank you, Immortal," Lin Jing said, meeting her eyes with a faint smile.


    "I¡¯m not trusting you. I just trust him less," Feng Ning replied, ncing disdainfully at Gao Sheng, whose face fell.


    "Am I really that unreliable?" he muttered.


    "Wise judgment, Immortal. Allow me to introduce myself¡ªI am Lin Jing, a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. I came to Snow Moon City to investigate the disappearance of spirit beasts as part of a sect mission," Lin Jing began.


    "Upon arrival, I discovered the growth of ¡®Feathered Insect Grass¡¯ beneath the snow. As you all know, this poisonous nt thrives in areas teeming with venomous insects."


    "My Senior Brother, Ouyang Hao, was previously poisoned while investigating this case, the nature of which stumped even the sect¡¯s experts. This led me to suspect a rare Gu insect might be involved. Only a blend of multiple potent toxins could create such an intractable poison."


    "To identify the Gu, I used illusion techniques to bait it out. This revealed that the culprit was indeed one of the Gu God Sect¡¯s ten legendary rare Gu¡ªthe Ice Soul Gu."


    "When I found it, the Ice Soul Gu hadn¡¯t yet fully formed. Its poison had not developed, and it acted purely on instinct. This led me to deduce that a demonic practitioner had already prepared a lesser Gu and cultivated apatible physique, hiding in Snow Moon City to absorb the rare Gu upon its rebirth."


    "My Senior Brother¡¯s Primordial Yang Body made him a likely host, and I suspect this person targeted him out of fear that the Gu would choose him instead. However, they couldn¡¯t predict that my Longevity Body, which far surpasses even their Fire Spirit Body, would be more appealing to the Gu."


    "And so, as you saw, the Gu chose me. I ampletely innocent," Lin Jing concluded.


    Gao Sheng gaped in astonishment. "So that¡¯s the truth behind the beast disappearances and your Senior Brother¡¯s poisoning?"


    "Was it Hua Qiandao?" Tang Qinghan asked, his expression darkening. "But why would a Fire Spirit Body be suitable for the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s parasitism? Wouldn¡¯t my Ice Spirit Body be a better fit?"


    "The Ice Soul Gu¡¯s intense cold nearly froze itself to death during its creation. To counteract this, the Gu God Sect imbued it with an innate preference for yang-rich, heat-intensive environments to bnce its own nature," Feng Ning exined.


    After Lin Jing¡¯s detailed exnation, Feng Ning seemed convinced. Her icy demeanor softened slightly as she studied him with interest.


    "Even so, a mere Qi Refinement fourth-level cultivator achieving all this¡ªoutmaneuvering a demonic practitioner¡¯s years of nning¡ªdefies logic. I¡¯m curious how you attracted the rare Gu and remained unharmed as its host," Feng Ning remarked.


    "Immortal, please don¡¯t take such casual interest in people," Lin Jing replied with a wry smile. "As the future Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect, I must have some hidden talents, no?"


    "He¡¯s right, Sister Feng! This guy is no ordinary disciple. A Qi Refinement cultivator with a Foundation Establishment mount and Golden Core-grade treasures? If you told me he secretly has a Nascent Soul guardian, I¡¯d believe it. That¡¯s the kind of setup I should have!" Gao Sheng dered, spinning yet another theory.

 Chapter 58: Demon-Slaying Bureau

    Chapter 58: Demon-ying Bureau


    Cold Moon Sword Immortal Feng Ning cast a nce at Gao Sheng. For once, his wild guess wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. She did sense a faint, enigmatic presence of someone powerful lurking around Lin Jing. It was likely that someone truly formidable was secretly protecting him.


    ¡°The Hua Pavilion Master you mentioned¡ªis it this person?¡±


    From afar, a figure stumbled through the air. City Lord Tang Qinghan immediately recognized him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Hua Pavilion Master?¡±


    Hua Qiandao appeared unconscious, his eyes wide open as if in disbelief. He wasn¡¯t flying under his own power; a small yellow bird carried him by the cor, dragging him to the group.


    The bird, clearly not a living creature, vanished into Feng Ning¡¯s sword uponpleting its task, revealing itself to be a sword spirit.


    ¡°That¡¯s him!¡± Tang Qinghan confirmed, ncing at the unconscious Pavilion Master. ¡°But¡­ what happened to him?¡±


    ¡°Probably fainted from rage,¡± Gao Sheng said gleefully. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t? Losing a rare Gu King is probably more infuriating than losing a wife to another man. And with his Fire Spirit Body, he¡¯s even more prone to blowing up!¡±@@novelbin@@


    Now that the true culprit was captured, Lin Jing suggested, ¡°I believe everything is clear now. How about this: I¡¯ll take the Ice Soul Gu to cure my poisoned Senior Brother, while Sword Immortal Feng and Brother Gao take the Gu practitioner for interrogation. Everyone gets what they want¡ªdoesn¡¯t that sound fair?¡±Gao Sheng brightened at the mention of credit. ¡°From the moment we met, I knew you were a good person, Brother Lin.¡±


    ¡°Feng Ning, since the matter is resolved, let Brother Lin go save his Senior Brother. Saving liveses first,¡± Gao Sheng urged. ¡°As for the Pavilion Master, let me handle the interrogation! I actually noticed something was off about him the moment I arrived. Didn¡¯t I, City Lord Tang?¡±


    Tang Qinghan wiped his brow nervously. Pure dumb luck. You got the result right, but your reasoning was way off.


    Feng Ning gave Gao Sheng a long, critical look. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll escort him to the Beast Taming Sect myself.¡±


    ¡°City Lord Tang, Gao Sheng, I¡¯ll leave the Gu practitioner to you for questioning,¡± she added, summoning the sword spirit back.


    The little yellow bird chirped as it reappeared, then spoke in a sharp, clear voice: ¡°If you two won¡¯t interrogate him, I¡¯ll do it myself. I love using torture for questioning¡ª9,999 sword strikes, and not one is fatal!¡±


    ---


    The colossal bronze sword took to the skies once more, now carrying Feng Ning and Lin Jing.


    The two stood side by side against the cold wind, both dressed in white. While the sword was fast, Lin Jing found himself missing the warmth of the Heavenfeather Crane¡¯s back. He nced at Feng Ning, understanding she was "escorting" him primarily to monitor the Ice Soul Gu residing within him.


    ¡°Senior, are you going to reveal yourself now?¡± Feng Ning suddenly asked, directing her words at Lin Jing.


    As she spoke, the golden-green glow of the pine cone in Lin Jing¡¯s pocket intensified. Slowly, a figure materialized¡ªa hazy, humanoid silhouette formed entirely of spiritual energy, with no discernible features.


    Feng Ning regarded the apparition with respect. ¡°How should I address you, Senior?¡±


    ¡°Some call me the Demon Pine, others call me the Divine Pine. But those names are from the past. Now, I am his protector. You may call me Guardian Pine,¡± the figure said in a calm yet teasing tone.


    ¡°Senior, are you intending for him to host the Ice Soul Gu?¡± Feng Ning asked, ignoring the yful name.


    ¡°Why not? The Demon-ying Bureau deals with rare Gu in a simr way, sealing them in trusted hosts to prevent their misuse by the Gu God Sect,¡± Guardian Pine replied. ¡°I recall a certain Bureau cultivator, Liu Gongzhuo, who carries the Heavenly me Gu within his body.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Feng Ning admitted. ¡°But he¡¯s only at Qi Refinement stage. Hosting the Ice Soul Gu might put him in grave danger if the Gu God Sect learns about it.¡±


    ¡°No matter. He possesses the Longevity Body and Beast Taming techniques. If he bonds with a fire-elemental pet beast carrying a demon king¡¯s bloodline, he can counterbnce the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power. In fact, even without the Gu, the demonic sects wouldn¡¯t leave him alone. He¡¯s already a natural target. Why not leverage their infighting to weaken their forces?¡±


    ¡°You can let him join the Demon-ying Bureau,¡± Guardian Pine suggested. ¡°That way, the Ice Soul Gu remains under your supervision.¡±


    Lin Jing, standing to the side, felt his frustration bubble over. Are these people even human?


    ¡°Longevity Body¡­¡± Feng Ning murmured, her surprise evident. She now understood why the Ice Soul Gu had chosen Lin Jing over its preordained preferences.


    ¡°My constitution should already be recorded with the Bureau,¡± Lin Jing said with a wry smile.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Feng Ning gave him a thoughtful look. After a pause, her lips curled into a faint smile. ¡°Longevity Body, Ice Soul Gu¡­ This senior is right. Would you like to join the Demon-ying Bureau? I could use a teammate.¡±


    Lin Jing rolled his eyes. ¡°Sword Immortal, are you nning to use me as bait to lure out demonic cultivators? You¡¯re a Golden Core powerhouse asking a Qi Refinement cultivator to be your teammate¡ªdoes that make sense?¡±


    Feng Ning cleared her throat, her cool demeanor faltering for a moment. ¡°Of course not. I simply admire your talents. You showed remarkable abilities during the Snow Moon City incident.¡±


    She handed Lin Jing a jade token. ¡°This token is rare. With it, you can contact me anywhere in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom. Being a sect disciple doesn¡¯t conflict with serving as a Demon-ying Bureau operative. Think it over.¡±


    Feng Ning clearly believed Lin Jing was destined to sh with the demonic sects. With the Longevity Body and a rare Gu in his possession, he was practically a walking demonic bait.


    Lin Jing epted the token reluctantly. Joining the Bureau sounded like a death sentence. He¡¯d rather enroll in a quiet academy like Hidden Dragon Academy and study in peace.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about my low cultivation level¡ªI¡¯m worried about yours. If you were at the Dao-Seeking stage, I¡¯d dly team up with you, even as a mortal,¡± Lin Jing quipped.


    Feng Ning: ???


    From his gourd, the Pine Leaf Mouse perked up, sensing familiarity in Lin Jing¡¯s tone. Why does this sound like something he¡¯s always said to me? And now he¡¯s using it on a Sword Immortal?!


    ---


    Meanwhile, Hua Qiandao had been revived and was undergoing brutal interrogation. Under the threat of "9,999 sword strikes," he confessed everything.


    As a youth, he¡¯d stumbled upon a cave and inherited the legacy of a deceased Gu Master. The inheritance included information about the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s rebirth, the method to refine its lesser Gu, and techniques to transform oneself into its ideal host.


    Hua Qiandao had painstakingly cultivated a Fire Spirit Body and eliminated all potential rivals. But in the end¡­


    ¡°I refuse to ept this!¡± he wailed.


    ¡°Refuse my !¡± Tang Qinghan roared, removing his shoe and smacking Hua Qiandao across the face repeatedly. ¡°I vouched for you, and this is how you repay me? My career is ruined!¡±


    ¡°City Lord, take it easy. Don¡¯t kill him,¡± Gao Sheng chimed in, grinning. ¡°This case is a huge sess for me. My first mission with the Bureau, and I broke a major case. As expected of me!¡±


    Tang Qinghan remained silent, knowing full well most of the credit belonged to Lin Jing.


    ¡°Of course, Brother Lin deserves recognition. He¡¯s talented. If only he joined the Bureau as my teammate¡­ But I can¡¯t shake the feeling he¡¯s eyeing my dragon-horse. Beast Taming Sect disciples¡ªthey don¡¯t chase beauties, but rare beasts? They can¡¯t resist.¡±

 Chapter 60: Choosing a Fire Beast

    Chapter 60: Choosing a Fire Beast


    When Lin Jing woke again, Elder Yu, Elder Mo, and several others hade to visit.


    During his rest, the story of the events in Snow Moon City had spread, thanks to the incessant embellishments of the Pine Leaf Mouse. It depicted itself heroically battling the Parasitic Gu Spider, supposedly at the cost of countless Spiritual Beans, and now it was requesting the sect to replenish its ¡°resources.¡±


    Elder Mo casually approved the request, more focused on therger issue. No one had anticipated that the mission in Snow Moon City would involve the Lotus Pavilion and the Gu God Cult¡¯s Rare Gu. Even more surprising was how, in just a few days, an innocent Pine Leaf Mouse had grown so cunning.


    ¡°But hosting a Gu worm inside your body¡­ Is that really safe? Junior Brother, just don¡¯t end up turning into a demon cultivator for its sake,¡± Senior Brother Ouyang warned. Gu worms were notoriously difficult to manage, and the temptation to resort to questionable methods to sustain them often led cultivators astray.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t handle it, don¡¯t force yourself. Let it drain my strength instead; I¡¯ll bear the burden for you!¡± Ouyang offered earnestly.


    ¡°A Rare Gu like this¡­ it¡¯d be a shame not to keep it,¡± Elder Mo remarked. ¡°Who says Gu worms can¡¯t be beasts? Why can¡¯t they be tamed? If Senior Shen Song says it¡¯s fine and the Sword Immortal of Lingyue didn¡¯t object, then there¡¯s no issue.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Elder Yu chimed in. ¡°Plus, controlling puppets and mechanisms often uses Qi threads. With the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s silk, his mastery of mechanism techniques and control over mechanized beasts will only improve!¡± His mind was clearly preupied with thoughts of mechanism art.


    Lin Jing¡¯s lips twitched. Perhaps he could reconsider nting the ck chili peppers Elder ck Bear had demanded he destroy. As Shen Song had said, ¡°Debts don¡¯t burden the debtor.¡± Now that he was a vessel for Gu worms, what harm could a few fiery experiments bring?¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. If I ever find it beyond my control, I¡¯ll stop,¡± Lin Jing assured them. ¡°But Senior Shen Song mentioned that to perfectly manage the Ice Soul Gu, it would be best to contract a fire beast after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, to bnce its power. Does the sect have suitable fire beasts?¡±


    ¡°A fire beast would be perfect,¡± Elder ck Bear suddenly interjected from the doorway. ¡°With one, you¡¯d even have help refining pills!¡±


    His underlying meaning was clear: Lin Jing might not need the Beast me he had previously been promised. Elder ck Bear chuckled slyly.


    Even the Pine Leaf Mouse perked up. A fire beast would spare it from being forced to eat those dreaded chili peppers.


    ¡°Fire beasts¡­¡± Elder Yu pondered. ¡°The Fire Spirit Sparrow won¡¯t work. It¡¯s only of Spirit-level bloodline, and not even particrly strong within that rank. It¡¯s fine as a basicpanion beast, but to bnce the innate Gu King, the Ice Soul Gu? Impossible.¡±


    ¡°But does our Beast Taming Sect even have any fire beasts with Demonic King-level bloodlines?¡± Ouyang wondered aloud. ¡°Fire beasts with King-level bloodlines are rare throughout the Great Wastnd Domain.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t necessarily need a King-level bloodline,¡± Elder Mo said. ¡°The key is finding a beast with sufficiently powerful bloodline strength to suppress the Gu King.¡±


    ¡°Ordinary beasts won¡¯t do,¡± Elder Yu added. ¡°We need something from the dragon lineage!¡±


    Dragon lineage! Both Elder Yu and Ouyang nodded in agreement. In ancient times, before the decline of the demonic races, dragons were the pinnacle of the demon hierarchy. Their bloodline was unmatched in power, making them ideal for suppressing Gu worms.


    ¡°So, we just need a beast with fire attributes and dragon blood,¡± Elder Mo concluded. ¡°King-level bloodlines aren¡¯t strictly necessary because¡­ don¡¯t forget, if he studies at the Hidden Dragon Academy, he can learn the Hidden Dragon Secret Art. As Senior Cao said, it¡¯s the pinnacle method for cultivating dragon-blooded beasts.¡±


    ¡°With the Hidden Dragon Secret Art, a fire beast with dragon blood can evolve into one with King-level bloodlines!¡± Elder Yu eximed, finally remembering the potential. ¡°As long as the beast has fire and dragon attributes, the rest can be developed!¡±


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°I remember the mostmon dragon-blooded beast on Nine Dragons Peak is the Dragonblood Carp, but that¡¯s a water-type spirit beast.¡±@@novelbin@@


    The Dragonblood Carp wasn¡¯t one of the sect¡¯s five foundational spirit beasts. Itsbat capabilities were minimal during the Qi Refining Stage, requiring aquatic environments to survive. Unlike other beasts like the Rain Frog, it couldn¡¯t function well onnd.


    Only when a Dragonblood Carp ascended the Nine Dragons Waterfall, transforming into a Fish Dragon, would it be a coveted creature, even among Foundation Establishment disciples. However, such a transformation was exceedingly rare, with no recent sesses in the sect¡¯s history.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Elder Mo reassured him. ¡°There are plenty of dragon-blooded beasts on Nine Dragons Peak. That¡¯s the dominance of dragon bloodlines for you.¡±


    ¡°In the ancient demon era, the dragon race thrived. Their powerful bloodline allowed them to propagate freely across species, leading to an abundance of dragon-blooded beasts on the Tianyuan Continent.¡±


    ¡°What other sects might consider rare, we don¡¯tck in the Beast Taming Sect!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, our Fourth Sect Master contributed greatly to the diversity of ourpanion beasts. Let me consult Elder Jiang and see what¡¯s avable!¡± Elder Mo promised, leaving swiftly.


    The Fourth Sect Master, though not as renowned as the Second Sect Master, who reformed the sect, nor the Third Sect Master, who developed numerous secret techniques, had nheless left an indelible mark.


    He had encouraged interbreeding among spirit and demon beasts, utilizing pills to enhance offspring bloodlines. His efforts resulted in many extraordinarypanion beasts, albeit with some less sessful oues. Overall, his contributions were deemed invaluable. The thriving dragon-blood beast poption on Nine Dragons Peak was a testament to his legacy.


    Elder Mo didn¡¯t keep Lin Jing waiting long, soon returning with a list of three dragon-blooded fire beasts:<ol><li> Foundation Establishment Early Stage: Heavenfeather Crane.</li></ol>


    A mutated member of the crane family with Firefeather Dragon bloodline, its feathers could transform into white dragon mes. Favored by the sect leader¡¯s wife, it was highly sought after by disciples.<ol start="2"><li> Foundation Establishment Mid Stage: Dragon Lion.</li></ol>


    A wild fire lion mutated after consuming a dragon-blooded spirit nt. Now tamed, it serves as an outer sect guest elder, awaiting the right master.<ol start="3"><li> Qi Refining Stage Nine: ming Arm Monkey.</li></ol>


    A regression of the Battle Ape lineage, its ancestor was the sect¡¯ste demonic king, the Redscale Ape Monkey,panion beast of the Fourth Sect Master. It possesses Fire-scaled Dragon bloodline.


    Elder Mo handed the list to Lin Jing with a smile. ¡°Take your pick!¡±

 Chapter 61: Betting on a Long Shot

    Chapter 61: Betting on a Long Shot


    ¡°Thank you, Elder Mo.¡±


    Lin Jing epted the list and skimmed through it, marveling at the depth of the Beast Taming Sect''s resources in rare and exotic beasts. Any one of these three would make an excellent Foundation Establishmentpanion beast.


    The Heavenfeather Crane could serve as a flying mount, offering convenience for travel.


    The Dragon Lion, arge and imposing beast, would project amanding presence, far more majestic than his Pine Leaf Mousepanion.


    The ming Arm Monkey¡ªLin Jing¡¯s gaze lingered. Isn¡¯t this the fabled Monkey King?


    After reviewing the options several times, Lin Jing found himself torn. He looked up and asked, ¡°Elder Mo, the descriptions are rather brief. Do you have a rmendation?¡±


    Elder Mo cleared his throat. ¡°Ahem, all three are excellent choices, but each has its quirks. Let me exin, and you can decide for yourself.¡±


    ¡°For instance, the Heavenfeather Crane. It has a proud and aloof temperament and dislikes being ridden.¡±¡°Won¡¯t let me ride it? Then what¡¯s the point of contracting it?¡± Lin Jing frowned.


    ¡°The Dragon Lion, on the other hand, didn¡¯t grow up in the sect and has little sense of belonging. It tends to bargain over Spirit Stones whenever asked to do something.¡±


    Lin Jing nced at the dozing Pine Leaf Mouse beside his bed. With its ¡°asset-backed¡± loyalty, the Dragon Lion instantly lost its appeal.


    ¡°Looks like it has to be Monkey Bro,¡± Lin Jing mused.


    But Elder Mo dealt another blow. ¡°The ming Arm Monkey, due to its special status, has been rather pampered and indulged. It¡¯s known to have a penchant for luxury¡­ It may require some strict discipline in the future.¡±


    Lin Jing: ???


    ¡°Elder, doesn¡¯t the sect have any normalpanion beasts? It seems like all three are high-maintenance.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, now awake, blinked at Lin Jing, appearing increasingly agreeable in his eyes.


    ¡°There are plenty of well-behaved beasts,¡± Elder Mo chuckled, ¡°but meeting the dual requirements of dragon blood and fire attributes is a tall order.¡±


    ¡°Choosing apanion beast is much like finding a spouse in the mortal world. There¡¯s no such thing as perfection¡ªit¡¯s all about getting along and growing together over time.¡±


    Still unsatisfied, Lin Jing asked, ¡°Are these three really my only options?¡±


    After a moment of hesitation, Elder Mo replied, ¡°Not exactly. These three were chosen based on their innate potential and suitability for you.¡±


    ¡°However, ording to Elder Jiang, who oversees the sect¡¯s myriad beasts, there is one more fire-type dragon-blooded beast. It¡¯s just¡­ unusual.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lin Jing¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Dragon Carp from Nine Dragons Peak, mutated into a fire attribute carp.¡±


    ¡°Because of this mutation, it¡¯s¡­ not great at swimming. Instead, it prefers to lounge in hot springs like a salted fish.¡±


    ¡°This makes it unlikely to utilize the Nine Dragons Waterfall to achieve the legendary leaping through the dragon gate transformation that most Dragon Carps aspire to.¡±


    Lin Jing sighed,pletely losing interest in finding a fire-blooded dragon beast within the sect.


    ¡°Elder, considering I¡¯m still far from reaching Foundation Establishment, I think I¡¯ll wait until I study at the Hidden Dragon Academy and explore external options. Perhaps I¡¯lle across a warlike Stone Monkey or something simr.¡±


    Elder Mo suddenly paused and said, ¡°If you value temperament above all, the Dragon Carp might actually be your best choice.¡±


    ¡°Unlike the other three, this carp hasn¡¯t developed intelligence yet. It¡¯s like a nk te¡ªperfect for a Beast Tamer to mold.¡±


    ¡°You can guide its growth however you wish.¡±


    ¡°And if you¡¯re concerned about potential, it¡¯s notcking in that department either. Think about it¡ªnearly all Dragon Carps are water attribute, but this one developed fire attributes. This anomaly suggests its ancestor might have been a dragon with a powerful fire attribute. Otherwise, it couldn¡¯t have ovee generations of water-dominant bloodlines.¡±


    ¡°To put it grandly, its ancestor could¡¯ve been a True me Dragon. If you gamble on its bloodline and win, you might end up with apanion beast far superior to the other three.¡±


    Seriously? A gamble? Lin Jing thought, recalling the sect¡¯s tendency to experiment with rare constitutions and mutated beasts. This sect sure loves rolling the dice.


    ¡°Well? Care to take a bet?¡± Elder Mo asked with an enigmatic smile.


    Lin Jing smirked. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one undeniable advantage to choosing the Dragon Carp.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Elder Mo asked, startled.


    ¡°It¡¯s easier to take care of.¡±


    ¡°Compared to the aloof Heavenfeather Crane, the indulgent ming Arm Monkey, and the mercenary Dragon Lion¡­ this carp seems much lower maintenance!¡±


    ¡°Elder Mo, I¡¯m in! Care to ce a bet alongside me?¡± Lin Jing couldn¡¯t resist. The Dragon Carp¡¯s potential and malleability were indeed appealing.


    Besides, the idea of nurturing a carp to ¡°leap the dragon gate¡± and evolve into a legendary beast intrigued him.


    Elder Mo¡¯s breathing quickened. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! You truly are a disciple after my own heart!¡±


    Nearby, the Pine Leaf Mouse silently watched the two. Gambling addicts¡­ though I suppose my zed Immortal Eyes were also the result of a gamble.


    After Lin Jing made his decision, Elder Mo immediately arranged for the carp to be brought over.


    If Lin Jing had chosen the Heavenfeather Crane, Dragon Lion, or ming Arm Monkey, he might have had to negotiate for a contract.@@novelbin@@


    But this mutated me Dragon Carp was only at Qi Refining Stage Three, with even lower cultivation than Lin Jing. Lacking intelligence, it was entirely at the sect¡¯s disposal.


    Later that day, Elder Mo returned with the Dragon Carp. Using his spiritual energy, he levitated a circr zed fish tank, within which the carp swamzily.


    The me Dragon Carp lived up to its name, its fiery red scales dazzling like mes. However, its vacant expression confirmed that it had yet to awaken its intelligence.


    ¡°Elder Mo, why does it smell so good?¡± Lin Jing asked, noticing that the water in the tank was bubbling and steaming.


    It seemed the me Dragon Carp was¡­ breathing fire in the water.


    ¡°Elder Jiang said this creature hasn¡¯t mastered its me powers yet. It often nearly cooks itself, so the water smells like fish soup,¡± Elder Mo exined.


    Lin Jing: ???


    Wait, is it not just unintelligent but outright dumb?


    Was this carp destined to evolve into a rare beast like the Hundred Fragrance Rabbit, which famously mutated into the delicacy ¡°boiled fish¡±?


    Elder Mo warned, ¡°Keep an eye on your Pine Leaf Mouse, and don¡¯t even think about tasting it yourself. In our Beast Taming Sect, eating a fellow disciple¡¯s beast is a serious taboo!¡±


    ¡°That kind of behavior belongs to the demonic sects.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Elder. We¡¯re not that desperate,¡± Lin Jing replied wryly.

 Chapter 62: The Sect Leader Returns

    Chapter 62: The Sect Leader Returns


    The arrival of the me Dragon Carp brought new warmth to Lin Jing¡¯s residence.


    Where there had once been only him and the Pine Leaf Mouse, now there was a third upant.


    Unfortunately, the Mechanical Bamboo Turtle,cking intelligence, didn¡¯t add much to the lively atmosphere. Still, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªthe carp and the turtle shared the same unthinking demeanor, so they got along just fine.


    For the next few days, Lin Jing remained indoors, resting in bed. He was utterly exhausted, unsure if it was due to overusing his illusionary techniques or the aftereffects of tapping into the Ice Soul Gu''s power. His face had grown noticeably haggard.


    Though Lin Jing was frail, the Pine Leaf Mouse was unusually energetic. Inside its Suspended Gourd, it undertook massive construction projects, nting trees and cultivating crops.


    The gourd soon teemed with life: spiritual rice, spiritual beans, spiritual bamboo, and even the few chili seeds the mouse had secretly hidden were now flourishing. In just a few days, these spirit nts had fully matured.


    Peering into the gourd, Lin Jing saw the Pine Leaf Mouse draped in a Daoist robe, its vibrant emerald qi radiating outward. With a wave of its paws, the wind howled, and golden stalks of spirit rice shot up, growing as if on steroids.


    ¡°The Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art suits it perfectly,¡± Lin Jing muttered.The mouse had been cultivating the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art over the past few days, transforming its ordinary wood-element spiritual energy into Emperor Qi, which excelled in manipting nts. Whether elerating the growth of spirit nts or controlling the red leaves, this cultivation technique had proven invaluable.


    For a spirit beast, such apatible technique was a rare treasure. To the Pine Leaf Mouse, this opportunity was akin to a full-scale bloodline evolution. With its zed Immortal Eyesplementing its cultivation, the mouse could be a resource-hoarding powerhouse. Even without a king-level bloodline, given enough time, it might someday challenge king-level beast cubs.


    Once Lin Jing recovered, he stepped out of his cave dwelling. Outside, the sky was a mosaic of dazzling colors, the warm sunlight spilling gently over Danxia Peak.


    He chose not to disturb the Pine Leaf Mouse, busy with its hoarding spree, and instead focused on finding more suitable food for the Dragon Carp. Feeding it spiritual rice for days had filled the air with the tantalizing aroma of fish and rice porridge. He feared his cave might soon be mistaken for a farmstead.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse was content with spiritual rice, but the Dragon Carp needed a diet of small shrimp or insects.


    In the end, Lin Jing spent a fortune at Nine Dragons Peak to procure a bag of shrimp raised in spiritual springs, said to be highly nutritious.


    ¡°Hurry up and eat~¡± he called, tossing the shrimp into the pond he had dug in his cave. The fish tank had be too cramped for the carp¡¯s daily activities, and the pond allowed it more freedom to move. Unless traveling, the tank would remain unused.


    As Lin Jing fed the carp, he began its "early education."


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s example. It refuses to even transform into a weapon for me to use as a Beast Tamer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of you. Once you transform into a dragon, how about I use Beast-Weaponization to turn you into a spear?¡±


    He imagined himself donning silver armor, wielding a spear with the power of a dragon.


    But as the fantasy yed out, the spear morphed into a sniper rifle. Lin Jing shook his head furiously.


    Determined to focus, Lin Jing retreated to his alchemy room to practice.


    The Dragon Carp, seemingly incapable of providing Beast me anytime soon, left him reliant on Earth me for refining pills. While Earth me produced lower-quality pills with reduced sess rates, it was excellent for honing his fire control techniques.


    With ample spirit nts cultivated by the Pine Leaf Mouse, Lin Jing had a steady supply of materials for crafting Replenishing Pills and Misdirection Pills. The sheer volume of practice allowed him to sharpen his skills significantly.


    A month passed in the blink of an eye.


    During this time, the cultivation levels of Lin Jing, the Pine Leaf Mouse, and the Dragon Carp remained stagnant. However, their foundational strength grew considerably.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse hoarded supplies with zeal, while Lin Jing amassed a sizable stockpile of Misdirection Pills through diligent alchemy practice.


    By now, his sess rate for crafting Replenishing Pills and Misdirection Pills exceeded 90%. This was impressive for someone at Qi Refining Stage Four, using only Earth me and basic alchemical tools. With better equipment, he might achieve 100% sess.


    Lin Jing also dabbled in mechanized techniques and alchemy, expanding his skill set further. Yet, he still had much to aplish. Most pressing was mastering the Sacred Wood Seal, taught to him by Shen Song.


    The seal required wood-element power to function, something Lin Jingcked. Thus, he and the Pine Leaf Mouse would need to practice together, their energiesbining to cast it. This training could no longer be dyed, as it directly affected his ability to harness the Ice Soul Gu''s power.


    Closing the alchemy room, Lin Jing called out to the Pine Leaf Mouse within the Suspended Gourd, ¡°It¡¯s been a month. Let¡¯s practice the sealing technique together.¡±


    ¡°Once we¡¯ve made progress, you can focus on advancing your cultivation, and I¡¯ll work on mine.¡±


    He produced a bag of shrimp, the next target for their sealing experiments.


    Meanwhile, far away, a flock of celestial cranes descended upon the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s protective formation, carrying passengers into the sect.


    At the forefront sat a weathered man, nked by young disciples¡ªmen, women, and others of androgynous appearance¡ªall exuding extraordinary auras. Surrounding them were fearsome Demonic Kings, their menacing expressions belying their role as protectors.


    ¡°The Sect Leader and the Ancestors have returned!¡±


    Many elders rushed out to greet them, puzzled by the early return of the sect leader and his party, who had gone out to train the sect¡¯s true disciples. Weren¡¯t they supposed to proceed directly to the Grand Celestial Gathering after the training?


    Within the grand hall atop the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s peak, the Fifth Sect Leader, Xu Xiaoyao, sat at the head of the assembly.


    Seated on either side of him were Golden Core elders. To everyone¡¯s surprise, rarely-seen Nascent Soul-level Demonic King ancestors had also arrived, either in person or via avatars.@@novelbin@@


    Elder Mo, eager to share his discovery of Lin Jing, could barely contain himself. To him, Lin Jing was a prodigy who could ensure the sect¡¯s prosperity for another ten millennia. With such a talent, the current imbnce¡ªwhere six Demonic Kings held greater power than the sect leader¡ªmight finally be addressed.


    However, Xu Xiaoyao¡¯s next words left the assembly in shock.


    ¡°Everyone, our Beast Taming Sect¡­ may need to disband temporarily. Soon, the sect¡¯s spiritual veins will be sealed.¡±


    ¡°The Sect Regtory Office has issued a decree. Our sect''s demonic fortune has surpassed its human fortune, and the current bnce no longer aligns with the nation''s destiny. They have ordered us to close the sect for a hundred years. If we cannot rectify the situation within that time¡­ the Beast Taming Sect may cease to exist.¡±

 Chapter 64: The Sect Disbands Before the Journey to Immortality Is Halfway Complete

    Chapter 64: The Sect Disbands Before the Journey to Immortality Is Halfway Complete


    At Tiandu Peak, under Senior Brother Ouyang''s urging, Lin Jing visited again. Standing before the towering Divine Pine, he took a deep breath and said, "Senior Divine Pine... I apologize for disturbing you again."


    "You''re here about the sect sealing?" The Divine Pine''s glow flickered as if it had seen through everything.


    "You already know, Senior?"


    "Yes, I overheard their meeting."


    "?" Lin Jing fell silent. For the oldest guardian of the sect, eavesdropping seemed oddly unbing.


    The Divine Pine continued, its voice transmitted directly to his mind: "Back when I made a pact with your Second Sect Master, it was to protect the Beast Taming Sect from annihtion within the limits of my power."


    "But this matter exceeds my abilities."


    "The only way forward is for the human cultivators of the Beast Taming Sect to find a solution themselves."Lin Jing understood and sped his hands in salute. "If the sect is sealed, will you also leave, Senior? I''ve already prepared to study at the Hidden Dragon Academy and hoped you might continue to guide and protect me on my path."


    "The Beast Taming Sect has many Demon King ancestors. I believe one of them will agree to protect you," the Divine Pine replied. "Don¡¯t ask me."


    "But I still have an unfulfilled contract with you, Senior," Lin Jing argued. "My body carries some of your treasures."


    "Wouldn¡¯t it be a bit improper to entrust me to someone else¡¯s protection?"


    "If they fail to safeguard me, and I perish, it¡¯ll be over for your belongings too!"


    "Even the Tianyuan Bank, with its excellent reputation, has asionally lost cultivators'' deposits of Spirit Stones due to mishaps or embezzlement, hasn''t it?"


    "Shouldn¡¯t one always look after their own property?" Lin Jing reasoned earnestly, hoping to sway the Divine Pine.


    The Divine Pine remained silent. This Longevity Body... why was it so clingy?


    "Senior!" Lin Jing pleaded. "If not for me, then at least for your disciple, the Pine Leaf Mouse. It''s a rare beast and will easily attract covetous eyes!"


    "When did I ever ept it as my disciple? Don''t go spouting nonsense with that Longevity Body of yours," the Divine Pine grumbled, its bark rippling in protest.


    "Not a master and disciple, but closer than master and disciple," Lin Jing insisted. "Every night when it sleeps, it dreams of your teachings. It swears to repay your kindness once it attains power."


    "Say what you want; I won¡¯t be the protector of a Longevity Body."


    "Just a hundred years!" Lin Jing pleaded. "Senior, you only need to protect me when I''m in danger. I won¡¯t bother you with trivial matters otherwise."


    Lin Jing had little rapport with the other Demon King ancestors. If he had to choose a protector, he trusted the Divine Pine far more. He would beg and plead if that¡¯s what it took to convince this guardian to act.


    The Divine Pine fell silent for a long time before sighing. "Fine, one hundred years. After a century, regardless of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s fate, I will consider my agreement with your Second Sect Master fulfilled. After that, I will leave."


    Lin Jing froze. He wasn¡¯t sure what level his cultivation would reach in a century.


    "Senior Divine Pine, this is Sect Master Xu Xiaoyao requesting an audience," a voice called from outside Tiandu Peak.


    "Come up," the Divine Pine replied.


    Shortly after, Sect Master Xu arrived at the peak. Dressed in white, his expression was weathered. Upon seeing Lin Jing, he forced a smile and nodded in greeting.


    "Greetings, Senior Divine Pine."


    "This must be the Longevity Body disciple you favor, Lin Jing?"


    "Greetings, Sect Master," Lin Jing said, bowing.


    The Divine Pine addressed Xu Xiaoyao, "Fifth-generation Sect Master, what brings you here?"


    "I heard you had emerged, Senior, and even saved a disciple. I came to express my gratitude. Additionally, have you heard the Sect Regtory Office¡¯s announcement?"


    "Of course," the Divine Pine said. "I can¡¯t do much about it. For the next century, I will act as this disciple¡¯s protector, shielding him as he grows. Consider it my final contribution to the Beast Taming Sect."


    Hearing this, Sect Master Xu Xiaoyao immediately expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Senior Divine Pine. With your assurance, I am relieved. Lin Jing may not have been with the sect for long, but he has won the favor of several elders. He¡¯s a good child. I entrust him to you."


    "At Hidden Dragon Academy, study diligently," he advised Lin Jing. "Your goal should be to be an Immortal Official."


    Lin Jing bowed. "I will follow the Sect Master¡¯s advice. I will dedicate myself to studying at the academy and work to restore the Beast Taming Sect."


    "I trust you," Xu Xiaoyao said with a smile. He had faith in Lin Jing.


    It was a pity, though. As a Longevity Body, Lin Jing''s cultivation speed was bound to be slow. Reaching Foundation Establishment within a century might even prove difficult.


    "Before you leave, make sure to memorize the sect¡¯s three core secret techniques. Begin learning them after reaching Foundation Establishment."


    "Is there anything else you need?" Xu Xiaoyao asked.


    Lin Jing seized the opportunity. "I¡¯d like to request a second Beast Taming Space artifact."


    "Hm?" Xu Xiaoyao hesitated briefly but didn¡¯t question the reason. Lin Jing¡¯s prepared excuses went unspoken.


    "Granted!" the Sect Master agreed without dy.


    ...


    In the end, Lin Jing made only that one request, receiving a Meditation Staff in return. Knowing when to stop, he refrained from asking for more.@@novelbin@@


    Back at his cave dwelling, however, Sect Master Xu still sent a Heavenfeather Crane to deliver 100,000 Spirit Stones.


    "Beast Taming Sect..." Lin Jing sighed again.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse emerged, quietly standing on his shoulder. It had already learned of the sect''s impending sealing.


    "Though I haven¡¯t been with the Beast Taming Sect for long, it¡¯s undeniable that now and in the future, we will remain its disciples."


    "As the sect treated us, so shall we cherish it."


    Holding the Pine Leaf Mouse in his hands, Lin Jing gazed at the glow atop Danxia Peak.


    "We¡¯ll stay for a few more days, then use our token to summon academy cultivators to retrieve us," Lin Jing said.


    "Squeak!" The Pine Leaf Mouse looked up, asking if they might one day return home.


    Lin Jing nodded. "We will."


    Their mncholy was interrupted as a pinecone flew over, carrying a voice. "With your current strength, even at Hidden Dragon Academy, you¡¯ll only get beaten up. The Hidden Dragon struggle is about fortune. Without strength, how will youpete?"


    "Longevity boy, stop holding back. Use your Longevity Blood to nourish your beasts already. If you¡¯ve raised Gu worms, why hesitate?"


    "I¡¯ll take you to the Great Wastnd to seclude yourselves for a year. There¡¯s a Malignant nt there called Bloodsucking Vine. It absorbs beast blood to grow and evolve. Feed it your blood, then let the Pine Leaf Mouse use the ''Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art'' to absorb its essence. That¡¯ll help it master the technique more quickly!"


    "Understood, Senior." Lin Jing readily epted the suggestion. As long as the Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t directly consume his blood and flesh, he could manage.


    The vine would harm him, and the Pine Leaf Mouse would y it. Wasn¡¯t this an example of a pet protecting its Beast Tamer? It wasn¡¯t demonic¡ªit was the light of righteousness.


    He had considered using alchemy to refine blood-based pills butcked the skill for such an endeavor. Using the Divine Pine¡¯s method to leverage his physique seemed like a practical solution.


    "Senior, if I let regr mosquitoes drink my blood, and after they digest it, feed them to the dragon carp in my cave, that shouldn¡¯t make the dragon carp develop bloodthirsty habits, right?" Lin Jing proposed, attempting to refine the process further.


    "An excellent idea! It reminds me of my younger days," the Divine Pine approved.

 Chapter 65: The Westward Journey for Immortal Teachings

    Chapter 65: The Westward Journey for Immortal Teachings


    The following day, the Beast Taming Sect remained calm as usual. Ordinary disciples were still unaware of the Sect Regtory Office¡¯s directive.


    Having learned of it early, Lin Jing had begun preparing to leave the sect again. Elder Divine Pine intended to take the Pine Leaf Mouse into the Great Wastnd to cultivate the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art, so Lin Jing dared not dy.


    Before departing, he visited familiar figures such as Elder ck Bear, Elder Mo, and Elder Yu¡ªelders who had always been kind to him. Who knew when he might see them again?


    However, upon returning, Lin Jing wore a strange expression. These elders didn¡¯t seem as upset as he had expected.


    ¡°They actually seem... happy?¡±


    A pinecone appeared from nowhere and said, ¡°Of course, those Golden Core elders wouldn¡¯t be sad. Ny percent of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s resources have always been controlled by the Demon King ancestors.


    ¡°Now, due to the Sect Regtory Office¡¯s directive, those Demon Kings are forced to allocate the sect¡¯s resources to cultivate human cultivators.


    ¡°They¡¯ve had no hope of breaking through to Nascent Soul, stuck at the peak of Golden Core for years. But now, with the sect¡¯s transformation, each elder is allocated a significant amount of resources. With enough opportunity, they might seize this chance to advance. Why should they be upset?¡±¡°Didn¡¯t you also get 100,000 Spirit Stones and a space artifact?¡±


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°True. It¡¯s the Demon King ancestors who should be upset, not the elders.¡±


    ¡°My beloved Tiandu Peak¡­¡± Elder Divine Pine sighed. ¡°I was so fond of that peak.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no helping it. Even the top-tier immortal sects must heed the Sect Regtory Office¡¯smands. A few Demon Kings are powerless to resist. Now, it¡¯s up to the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s human cultivators to prove their worth.¡±


    Divine Pine nced longingly at Tiandu Peak.


    ¡°Well, since your farewells are done, pack your things. It¡¯s time to set out. A hundred years is fleeting. Treasure the time I¡¯m here with you.¡±


    At Elder Divine Pine¡¯s words, Lin Jing immediately returned to his cave and picked up his brand-new artifact, the Beast Taming Meditation Staff.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Hidden Dragon Academy is located in the ancient domain west of the Great Wastnd. This journey really is a westward quest for immortal teachings.¡±


    Lin Jing inspected the staff again.


    Typical meditation staffs were wooden, exuding a natural and serene aura aligned with the Buddhist ideal of purity and returning to nature.


    However, the Beast Taming Sect had no such aesthetic concerns. They used whatever materials were avable. This staff was metallic, with a smooth, cool surface adorned with simple cloud patterns.


    The staff¡¯s head wasposed of two interlocking rings, forming a spherical shape symbolizing perfection and inclusivity.


    Lin Jing looked at the dragon carp in his pond, scooped it up, and wedged it into the spherical staff head. The carp fit snugly¡ªan embodiment of the staff¡¯s motto of inclusivity and perfection.


    ¡°Alright, fish, spit fire!¡± hemanded, raising the staff high.


    After a month of training, the dragon carp had learned to respond to simple instructions.


    Hearing the word ¡°fire,¡± its dull eyes lit up. Opening its mouth, it unleashed a fiery jet.


    ¡°Fire Control Technique!¡±


    With the staff in one hand and a technique gesture in the other, Lin Jing manipted the me into a crude fire dragon that coiled in midair.


    He nodded in satisfaction.


    Unfortunately, the space artifact could only house contracted pets after being refined. The dragon carp couldn¡¯t move in just yet. Thankfully, since it had mutated into a me carp, its dependence on water had diminished. Now, it treated the water as a hot spring for rxation. The only downside was the asional risk of it turning into fish soup.


    Besides soaking in the water, Lin Jing noticed it also enjoyed sunbathing, which minimized travel hassles.


    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse emerged from the gourd, staring at the dragon carp lodged in the staff. It seemed to ponder whether this was a fortunate or unfortunate fate for the fish.


    After bidding farewell to the elders, Lin Jing also copied the three core secret techniques of the sect: the Fusion Secret Art, Immortal Rebirth, and Beast-Weaponization. He also acquired theplete Beast Taming Technique.


    These techniques would be critical for him to achieve powerfulbat strength after Foundation Establishment.


    In the Qi Refining stage, Beast Taming cultivators focused onying a foundation. Their strength depended entirely on their pets. But upon reaching Foundation Establishment, they could learn the core secret techniques, enabling the cultivators themselves to unleash formidable power. Lin Jing eagerly anticipated that day.


    ...


    ¡°The Longevity Body has departed.¡±


    Atop the sect¡¯s peak, Sect Master Xu Xiaoyao stood beside a snowy-white Immortal Crane.


    ¡°A Longevity Body joined the sect, and Elder Divine Pine emerged to protect it. Who would¡¯ve thought that so much could change while I was away? I¡¯m curious¡ªhas Elder Divine Pine¡¯s cultivation reached the Nascent Soul stage?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s upied Tiandu Peak for countless years. Every sect master has found it unfathomable. It¡¯s arguably the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s strongest force. With its protection, the Longevity Body brought back by Elder Mo should thrive,¡± the crane said.


    ¡°If Elder Divine Pine truly is at the Nascent Soul stage, the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Demonic Fortune would be incredible. Wouldn¡¯t it bear full responsibility?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. Let¡¯s focus on what¡¯s ahead. This is the sect¡¯s greatest transformation in a millennium. Whether it leads to decline or a return to glory depends on this century,¡± the fifth-generation sect master mused.


    In his gaze, Lin Jing, who had left the mountain gate, sat cross-legged on a cluster of red leaves, holding the dragon carp meditation staff as he ventured into the depths of the Great Wastnd.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse controlled the red leaves, their glow enhanced by Buddhist radiance and the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art. Its mastery over flora allowed it to maneuver a hundred leaves simultaneously. Bybining dozens of leaves, it could barely manage to carry a person in flight for a short distance.


    ¡°Senior Divine Tree, which way is the Bloodsucking Vine?¡± Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, unfamiliar with the terrain, relied on Elder Divine Pine for guidance.


    The Divine Pine¡¯s voice echoed in their minds, filling them with anticipation. The Pine Leaf Mouse elerated, their red glow streaking across the sky like a shooting star.


    The Great Wastnd loomed with its towering mountains and boundless terrain. Beyond ity another region. But the wastnd¡¯s depths were teeming with ferocious beasts, malignant nts, and perilous grounds. Only high-level Golden Core cultivators could dream of traversing it.


    After taking breaks to rest, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse resumed their journey without incident. A few man-eating monsters emerged, but Lin Jing¡¯s subtle use of Illusionary Path sent them fleeing in terror. The Divine Pine didn¡¯t even need to intervene.


    Mist enshrouded the mountains as they arrived at a sereneke. Guided by Elder Divine Pine¡¯s voice, they stopped. The area teemed with demons, making it uncharted territory even for Beast Taming Sect disciples.


    Theke¡¯s edge bloomed with wildflowers, and verdant vines stretched from the water to thend. The tranquil setting seemed idyllic. Clearke water attracted small beasts, but as they drank, vines snared them, dragging them into the depths. Momentster, crimson ripples spread across the surface.


    ¡°The Bloodsucking Vine,¡± Divine Pine remarked. ¡°A second-tier malignant nt capable of devouring even Foundation Establishment beasts when fully grown. Sadly, the times have changed. It now relies on instinct alone, unable to develop intelligence, which makes it less dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to set up a Spirit Gathering Formation? Train here for a while. There are no powerful demons nearby, and theke has plenty of mosquitoes that the vine likes. It¡¯s perfect for you.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°Everything has spirit, even flora. Except mosquitoes¡ªthose pests have none. I¡¯ll cultivate here and see which mosquito dares to drink my blood. Fish, you¡¯ll stand guard.¡±


    ¡°Blub...¡± The dragon carp¡¯s dull eyes betrayed its struggle toprehend.

 Chapter 66: The Demon of the Deep Wasteland

    Chapter 66: The Demon of the Deep Wastnd


    In the depths of the Great Wastnd, after finding a suitable cultivation spot, Lin Jing began constructing a simple Spirit Gathering Formation using Spirit Stones, establishing a temporary cave dwelling. While the spiritual energy here wasn¡¯t as abundant as within the Beast Taming Sect, Lin Jing had a wealth of 100,000 Spirit Stones. Even if the ambient energy wascking, this financial advantage allowed him to sustain a reasonable cultivation pace.


    With this many Spirit Stones, even the slow cultivation of a Longevity Body could be sped up. After all, what inefficiency couldn¡¯t be solved by throwing money at it?


    While Lin Jing set up the formation, the Pine Leaf Mouse eagerly grabbed a Bloodsucking Vine and began channeling its energy to absorb its wood essence. Although Bloodsucking Vines were considered deadly to most beasts, this particr vine wasn¡¯t fully mature. Moreover, the Pine Leaf Mouse, empowered by the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art, exerted a natural suppression over such malignant nts.


    The modified Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art had four stages: Entry, Minor Aplishment, Major Aplishment, and Perfection. Reaching Minor Aplishment alone extended lifespan by 500 years¡ªthe average lifespan of a Golden Core cultivator.


    ording to Elder Divine Pine, once the Pine Leaf Mouse achieved Minor Aplishment, the resulting life-force transformation would enhance its ability to control nts. It would even be able to transform an ordinary mountain ginseng into a century-old spiritual ginseng in moments.


    "Finished setting up? If so, start bleeding," Elder Divine Pine urged.


    By thekeside, the Pine Leaf Mouse clung to the vine, its innocent eyes wide open. Green energy swirled around it, draining the vine''s vitality.


    Lin Jing nodded and, with a small cut to his finger, let a drop of blood fall onto the vine.¡°Is that enough?¡±


    The Longevity Blood dripped onto the vine, which immediately began to convulse violently as if awakened by instinct. It absorbed the blood greedily, and within moments, the vine grew thicker and longer, swelling as if imbued with years¡¯ worth of power. It now wriggled like a massive green python.


    ¡°That¡¯s... intense.¡±


    Lin Jing took a cautious step back. It was his first time witnessing the effects of his Longevity Blood. This was just an ordinary drop, not even his essence blood, and the amount he had used was negligible.


    "Chirp!"


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, thrown into the air by the now revitalized vine, refused to let go. Instead, it bit down on the nt and continued siphoning its essence with the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art.


    As the essence coursed through its body, the Pine Leaf Mouse felt a profound change. The wood energy nourished its entire being, making it feel as if it had shed years off its young one-year-old age, returning to an almost prenatal state.


    A green seed seemed to germinate within its body, spreading vitality throughout, refining its organs, and suffusing it with life force.


    ¡°No wonder the Longevity Body can awaken such ¡®spirituality¡¯ in a Bloodsucking Vine in this era,¡± Elder Divine Pine remarked, its pinecone form floating nearby. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that it still can¡¯t grant true sentience to nts. Perhaps when your cultivation reaches the Nascent Soul stage, a single drop of blood might create nt spirits.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling lonely, Senior?¡± Lin Jing asked, noting the scarcity of sentient nts in this age.


    ¡°I am. Back in my homnd, I devoured all the other nts that achieved spirit alongside me. It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve had a proper panion.¡¯ I hear there are more nt spirits in Qingzhou. I must visit someday,¡± the demonic pine muttered.


    ¡°...¡± Lin Jing stoppedmenting and focused on observing the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s transformation.


    As the Pine Leaf Mouse drained the vine dry, Lin Jing offered another drop of blood. The process repeated, with the vine regaining its vitality, bing even more vigorous than before.


    Day after day, this cycle continued. Unknowingly, the Pine Leaf Mouse reached the eighthyer of the Qi Refining stage. Its emerald eyes glowed more brilliantly, and each breath it took seemed to draw reverence from the surrounding nts.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing sat cross-legged, cultivating the Beast Taming Technique while asionally feeding blood to the nts. Theke was cleared of threats, so he allowed the dragon carp to enter the waters.


    The carp, besides feasting on small insects and shrimp, also nibbled on aquatic nts and fallen seeds. asionally, it even chewed on the weakened Bloodsucking Vine.


    The carp¡¯s favorite delicacy, however, seemed to be the mosquitoes that tried to drink Lin Jing¡¯s blood.


    Some mosquitoes, after sipping even a trace of Longevity Blood, began undergoing life-force transformations. The more gifted among them even reached the firstyer of Qi Refining, bing mosquito spirits.


    ¡°These mosquitoes have stumbled upon incredible fortune, consuming what even Demon Kings and Emperors would covet,¡± Elder Divine Pine marveled.


    ¡°Too bad their lives are so short.¡±


    Most mosquitoes were swatted away by Lin Jing or burned by the carp¡¯s fiery breath, bing the fish¡¯s next meal.


    ¡°Blub¡­ blub¡­¡± The dragon carp bubbled contentedly, iming credit for protecting its Beast Tamer from these terrifying ¡®monsters.¡¯ Over time, it had begun developing intelligence, albeit at a low level,parable to the Pine Leaf Mouse in its early days.


    ¡°As expected of you. From now on, any beast that harms me is yours to deal with,¡± Lin Jing encouraged the carp, earning a spirited disy of swimming from the fish.


    Turning to Elder Divine Pine, Lin Jing asked, ¡°Senior, can you discern this carp¡¯s bloodline?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a dragon carp,¡± Elder Divine Pine said inly.


    Lin Jing fell silent. While true, it wasn¡¯t particrly enlightening.


    ¡°Dragonblood creatures have a direct corrtion between bloodline strength and physical prowess. If you want to know the potency of its dragon blood, observe its physical potential. Only carp capable of leaping over the Dragon Gate possess the strength to resist waterfalls.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting I begin body tempering with it now?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Before that, however, I have a demonic technique that can test its physical limits.¡±


    Another demonic technique?@@novelbin@@


    ¡°I¡¯m joking,¡± Elder Divine Pine chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s merely amon-sense method in the cultivation world. For beasts with powerful bloodlines, extreme pain can stimte their physical potential, pushing them to disy extraordinary strength.¡±


    ¡°Beasts with no potential will grow weaker from pain, while those withtent talent will gain strength.¡±


    ¡°Many beasts achieve breakthroughs after life-or-death battles, driven by the pain ofbat to unlock their hidden power. Do you understand?¡±


    The dragon carp, though newly intelligent, was not foolish. It dove to thekebed, avoiding the conversation entirely. Clearly, it recognized the danger.


    Lin Jing shook his head. Such methods seemed too cruel. Instead, he pulled out several ck peppers, intending to improve the carp¡¯s meals as a reward for its diligent service.


    ¡°Senior, care for one?¡± he offered, holding out a pepper as if passing a cigarette.

 Chapter 67: Ferocious and Ruthless

    Chapter 67: Ferocious and Ruthless


    Elder Divine Pine wasted no time, extending a twig from its pinecone form to snatch the ck pepper, draining its essence in an instant.


    After savoring it, the pinecone remarked, ¡°It has a demonic vor, with a powerful afterburn. It ignites a fire in me. You¡¯re full of surprises; I knew I didn¡¯t misjudge you all.¡±


    Lin Jing felt wronged but said nothing.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Wait, were you nning to feed that pepper to the dragon carp? At its current stage, a whole pepper would probably turn it into spicy fish soup tonight.¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m not that reckless,¡± Lin Jing replied, walking to thekeside. ¡°I¡¯ll slice it into thin strips before feeding it. I¡¯m not irresponsible.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the precision of a demonic cultivator with a monk¡¯s heart. Not bad. It seems my words are sinking in. This pepper¡¯s soul-piercing spiciness might help us assess its physical limits,¡± Elder Divine Pine observed.


    Lin Jing extended his arm, luring a swarm of mosquitoes to himself. He swatted them, sliced some thin pepper strips, and mixed everything together in a dish, creating a fiery mosquito sd.


    ¡°It¡¯s colorful, aromatic, and deliciously spicy. I might have a hidden talent for immortal cooking,¡± he mused before calling the dragon carp.The carp hesitated but emerged, tempted by the aroma.


    ¡°The initial bite might sting, but you¡¯lle to love it. Spicy hot pot is my favorite,¡± Lin Jing said.


    Hearing that it was a dish even its Beast Tamer enjoyed, the carp opened its mouth wide. Lin Jing poured the food in.


    At first, the dragon carp froze, savoring the taste.


    Then the heat hit. Its body grew feverishly hot, mes of spiritual energy erupting within it. The carp darted frantically around theke, a streak of fire flowing through the water.


    ¡°Blub!¡±


    The carp swam faster and faster, doubling its usual speed. Soon, the dyed spice fully kicked in, its heat scorching even the soul. The carp thrashed wildly, caught between pain and exhration. Its reaction was far more intense than the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s earlier experience.


    Unable to contain its energy, the dragon carpshed its tail against the water.


    Boom!


    A massive explosion rocked theke, sending waves several meters high cascading outward. The carp leaped over ten meters into the air, its fiery red eyes burning with ferocity.


    ¡°What power,¡± Lin Jing marveled, taking a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s strong enough to challenge a waterfall already.¡±


    ¡°That strike was far stronger than anything you or the Pine Leaf Mouse could muster together,¡± Elder Divine Pine observed. ¡°Itstent bloodline is impressive. You¡¯re fortunate; the pets you¡¯ve chosen have excellent potential. Raise it well, and it won¡¯t disappoint when it transforms into a dragon.¡±


    As it descended, the dragon carp underwent another change¡ªck mes erupted from its body, zing fiercely.


    Ssh!


    It plunged back into the water, its swollen, red mouth giving it the appearance of a demonic fish freshly emerged from hell.


    ¡°Bloodlines truly matter,¡± Lin Jing muttered, recalling how the same ck pepper had nearly knocked the Pine Leaf Mouse unconscious with pain. Yet for the dragon carp, the spice unlocked tremendous physical potential.


    As a fire-aligned beast, it seemed uniquely capable of absorbing the pepper¡¯s energy, temporarily converting it into strength. This unexpected synergy made Lin Jing grateful for Elder Mo¡¯s rmendation of the carp.


    ¡°How¡¯s the taste?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    The carp nodded enthusiastically, puffing steam and signaling that it was painful yet utterly satisfying.


    ...


    That day, Lin Jing decided on the carp¡¯s training regimen: following Elder Divine Pine¡¯s advice to stimte its physical potential through controlled pain. They would start with mild spice and progress to moderate, extreme, and even diabolical levels.


    The stronger its physical body became, the higher the quality of its eventual transformation into a Beast-Weaponized Treasure.


    The carp¡¯s newfound ability to control ghost mes was a wee bonus. However, Lin Jingmented that, between the fire-breathing fish and the bug-storing gourd, only the Pine Leaf Mouse maintained any semnce of a righteous image in their group.


    ¡°Senior, how strong do we need to be before we can head to Hidden Dragon Academy?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    Over several days, the Pine Leaf Mouse reached the eighthyer of Qi Refining, Lin Jing advanced to the fifth, and the dragon carp to the fourth. Though everyone had progressed, their collective cultivation still felt like a patchwork mess.


    ¡°There does need to be a standard,¡± Elder Divine Pine said after a pause. ¡°While I initially said not to worry about it, you represent the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s hope. As your guardian, I must set a proper benchmark.¡±


    With that, Elder Divine Pine manipted the ground. A crack opened, and a wooden humanoid emerged. Standing over two meters tall, it was fully crafted from wood, with no facial features. It exuded a sense of invincible strength.


    ¡°This wooden figure maintains thebat strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. It knows no spells, but its strength, defense, and speed surpass those of ordinary Foundation Establishment body cultivators. It is an excellent sparring partner.¡±


    ¡°When you can defeat it, you¡¯re ready to attend the academy.¡±


    ¡°The academy¡¯s students are the elites of their sects and ns. Topete with them for dragon fortunes and master the Hidden Dragon Arts, you¡¯ll need to be even more monstrous than they are!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Lin Jing replied, turning to the wooden figure with determination. He wanted to test it immediately to gauge their gap in power and adjust their training ordingly.


    ¡°Shall we try now?¡± he asked the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    The mouse nced at the wooden figure, then at Lin Jing. They exchanged a look and instantly understood each other¡¯s n: retreat while shooting!


    Both drew their Mechanical Bamboo Rifles and unleashed a barrage of water arrows and spirit beans as they backed away.


    Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!


    The attacks filled the air, but before they couldnd, the wooden figure vanished, moving faster than Lin Jing could follow.


    By the time he registered its movement, it was already in front of him, its fist creating a gust of wind as it swung toward him.


    Reacting quickly, Lin Jing shifted his rifle¡¯s mode and unleashed a torrent of water at close range. The recoil propelled him ten meters back, creating some distance between himself and the figure.


    However, the water stream didn¡¯t even slow it down. The figure advanced through the spray as if it weren¡¯t there.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse hurled several flying leaves at it, but they shattered on impact, leaving only faint scratches on the wood.


    Whoosh!


    The figure charged again, bing a blur. Before Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse could react, they were both kicked into theke,nding with painful sshes.


    ¡°Glug¡­ glug¡­¡±


    Elder Divine Pine watched andmented, ¡°Keep training. It won¡¯t be easy to defeat, but if you can beat it, you¡¯ll have a firm foothold at the academy.¡±


    ¡°The water¡¯s so hot¡­ but it smells nice,¡± Lin Jing muttered, spitting out soup.


    ¡°Chirp!¡± the Pine Leaf Mouse squeaked in agreement, equally drenched.


    The dragon carp, enjoying the show, swamzily nearby. But the next moment, the wooden figure stepped onto theke and delivered a powerful kick, sending the carp flying. It didn¡¯t spare anyone.

 Chapter 69: The Qualities of a Demonic Cultivator

    Chapter 69: The Qualities of a Demonic Cultivator


    ¡°The wooden figure is ultimately a fake. It¡¯s time to face a real challenge. A demonic cultivator turns the impossible into the possible,¡± Elder Divine Pine said, retracting the wooden man.


    Left with no target but his own frustration, Lin Jing muttered curses under his breath.


    ¡°Having Qi Refining cultivators fight Golden Core monsters isn¡¯t turning the impossible into the possible¡ªit¡¯s sending Longevity Meat Buns to feed the dogs. No onees back from that!¡±


    The spatial herb might be tempting, but with Nascent Soul-level beasts around, and even Foundation Establishment-level monsters being too strong for them, sess seemed out of reach.


    ¡°Squeak!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse tugged on Lin Jing¡¯s pant leg, its intent clear: Let¡¯s do this!


    It had a hopeful gleam in its eye, as if the spatial herb might help fulfill the wish it couldn¡¯t achieve back at the Bodhi Heavens.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s that simple?¡± Lin Jing red at the mouse.


    Using their Thousand Illusions technique to pose as a Nascent Soul demon king and fool the other monsters was a bold idea, but the risk was astronomical. Still, seeing Elder Divine Pine¡¯s unwavering stance, Lin Jing knew there was no room for negotiation.¡°Alright, fine. Let¡¯s do it! We tricked the undying demon in the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda; why should we fear the beasts in this remote wastnd?¡±


    ¡°Senior, which direction?¡±


    ...


    After resting and regaining their energy, Lin Jing, the Pine Leaf Mouse, and the dragon carp¡ªdisguised as a honeybee¡ªset out again.


    ck Wind Valley, their of a long-dead demon,y shrouded in eerie, twisted trees. Their bare, gnarled branches rattled in the night wind like the wails of spirits.


    Once abandoned and devoid of life, the valley now pulsed with a sinister demonic aura. Scores of gleaming eyes stared out from the shadows, fixated on a delicate white sprout growing at the valley¡¯s center.


    The beasts didn¡¯t recognize the herb but were instinctively drawn to its overwhelming spatial energy and alluring fragrance. Despite their hunger, none dared act rashly.


    First, the herb wasn¡¯t fully mature. Eating it prematurely might yield no benefit.


    Second, the corpses strewn around the valley¡ªdozens of fallen beasts¡ªwarned them of the deadly cost of trying to im it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat. This herb feels like bait,¡± whispered a human cultivator lurking in the darkness.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a spatial herb! Rare and priceless. The Beast Taming Sect buys such treasures at high prices, no matter the type. If we get it, we won¡¯t have to worry about cultivation resources for the rest of our lives!¡±


    ¡°The Beast Taming Sect is gone! Doesn¡¯t that prove this herb is cursed?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true... This ce is crawling with beasts; we¡¯re not in our element here. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Unseen in the shadows, Lin Jing and his team observed the valley. Overhead, the oppressive demonic energy mingled with the dark, forested terrain. Lin Jing dared not move recklessly.


    ¡°Elder Divine Pine, are there Nascent Soul-level demon kings here?¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re in danger, you¡¯ll step in, right?¡± Lin Jing asked nervously.


    Elder Divine Pine stayed silent for a long time before responding, ¡°This herb is known as Spatial Shift Grass, a fifth-grade spiritual herb. Its origin and growth process are mysteries. During its maturation, it frequently teleports to new locations, seeking diverse growth conditions.


    ¡°If you want it, act quickly. It could vanish at any moment.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry about its immaturity; use the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art to sustain it after harvesting,¡± it added.


    As Lin Jing mulled over this advice, a mole-like beast proficient in earth techniques tried to stealthily im the herb. But it underestimated the hidden predators.


    Boom!


    A crimson beam shot from the darkness, piercing the ground. When the dust settled, the moley dead, a gaping hole in its chest.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing found himself missing the wooden man.


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait,¡± he decided.


    Patience was key. There was no guarantee that posing as a Nascent Soul demon king would fool the monsters, especially with so many hidden threats.


    As Lin Jing and hispanions hunkered down, Elder Divine Pine watched them closely.


    ¡°Adaptability to environmental changes, calm vignce, keen judgment, and the wisdom to act decisively inplex situations... These are the basic qualities of a demonic cultivator. Good luck, Longevity Kid.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ...


    One day passed.


    Two days.


    Three days.


    Though Elder Divine Pine had warned that the Spatial Shift Grass might teleport away, Lin Jing waited. He remained hyper-alert, keeping his illusion intact and his presence concealed, avoiding detection by the hidden monsters.


    During this time, several more impatient beasts attempted to seize the herb, only to meet grisly ends. Their failures helped Lin Jing map out the positions of several lurking predators.


    Then, something unexpected happened.


    ¡°That¡¯s her?¡± Lin Jing murmured in surprise.


    A familiar figure entered the valley¡ªa woman in simple white robes, a long sword floating beside her. It was Ling Yue Sword Immortal Feng Ning, whom he had encountered in Snow Moon City.


    Feng Ning descended gracefully, her attention clearly focused on the Spatial Shift Grass. But, like the beasts before her, she quickly became a target.


    Multiple beams of demonic light shot toward her, but she was no ordinary cultivator. With a flick of her sword, she unleashed arcs of sword energy that annihted the iing attacks and struck down the hidden beasts with precision.


    ¡°Spatial Shift Grass?¡± Feng Ning murmured, stepping closer to the herb.


    But before she could im it, more powerful monsters emerged from the shadows, their forms blotting out the sky.


    Without hesitation, Feng Ning¡¯s sword spirit activated, unleashing a storm of sword energy that obliterated the charging beasts. In an instant, the valley was littered with their corpses.


    As Feng Ning approached the herb, Lin Jing knew he couldn¡¯t wait any longer.


    Boom!


    A towering pine tree bathed in golden-green light entered the valley, exuding the overwhelming presence of a demon king. Each step it took revitalized thend, turning the autumn decay into vibrant greenery. Dead trees sprouted fresh leaves as if spring had returned.


    ¡°A demon king is here!¡±


    The terrifying aura, coupled with Feng Ning¡¯s presence, shattered the resolve of many hidden beasts, forcing them to flee.


    ¡°Damn it, who told you to use my form?¡± Lin Jing grumbled as he stepped forward.


    ¡°And why do I look so ugly? The hairstyle is all wrong!¡± Elder Divine Pine replied.

 Book 2 The Heavenly Pride Ranking

    Vol 2 Chapter 2: The Heavenly Pride Ranking


    Cao Ziyu chuckled and shook his head.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t need it for now,¡± Lin Jing replied reluctantly.


    The cost of a cultivation cave made him hesitant. For now, he decided to explore the academy and its surroundings before making a decision. After all, he had endured three months in the wilderness¡ªhow much worse could this be?


    Who would have thought that his first day at Hidden Dragon Academy would have him potentially homeless?


    ¡°Many students live outside the academy and onlye when there are lectures by renowned teachers. That¡¯s not an issue; Hidden Dragon City is quite safe,¡± Cao Ziyu assured him. ¡°If you manage to achieve a purple or golden fortune dragon aura, perhaps a teacher might take you as a disciple and provide you with a cultivation spot.¡±


    ¡°Now, hold out your hand. I¡¯ll imprint the Hidden Dragon Seal.¡±


    Lin Jing extended his right hand, choosing to avoid his left, which bore the Sacred Wood Seal from the Ice Soul Gu. Having the two seals ovep could cause unforeseenplications.


    Pop!Cao Ziyu pressed the seal onto Lin Jing¡¯s hand. The image of a coiled white dragon appeared briefly before vanishing.


    ¡°And with that, your induction isplete. I look forward to the day your name resonates throughout Hidden Dragon Academy,¡± Cao said, disappearing into thin air without so much as leaving an introductory pamphlet or a student badge.


    ¡°Is this academy even legit?¡± Lin Jing muttered, staring at his hand. The seal seemed to suffice as proof of his identity for now. It looked like he¡¯d have to figure out the rest on his own.


    ¡°A ce that trains Immortal Officials? Of course, it¡¯s unreliable,¡± Elder Divine Pine scoffed, floating out of Lin Jing¡¯s pocket. ¡°But that guy, Cao, was quite powerful¡ªNascent Soul Perfected level, with considerablebat prowess.¡±


    ¡°Senior, who¡¯s stronger, you or him?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°What do you think? He¡¯s just a Nascent Soul! But the academy is filled with experts, so I¡¯m not exceptional here,¡± Elder Divine Pine replied smugly. ¡°Now you see why I insisted you build some strength beforeing here. The core of the Hidden Dragon Arts is power. Go find an easily handled Foundation Establishment cultivator and beat him up. That¡¯ll kickstart your Hidden Dragon Arts.¡±


    ¡°Fighting Foundation Establishment cultivators as a Qi Refining disciple? That¡¯s something only the most talented sect prodigies can manage. Doing so would make you a sensation!¡±


    ¡°See? My efforts were for your own good,¡± Elder Divine Pine concluded, clearly pleased with itself.


    Lin Jing said nothing, while the Pine Leaf Mouse and dragon carp shuddered at the memory of their grueling battles with the wooden man.


    Hopefully, the academy¡¯s Foundation Establishment cultivators would be easier to defeat.


    ¡°Senior Cao mentioned the academy doesn¡¯t teachbat techniques. What exactly does it teach? Administrative skills?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°Before students graduate, they¡¯re sent to remote cities as lords to validate their learning. The academy teaches them how to govern a city!¡±


    ¡°For example, agricultural cultivators might teach you how to farm and improve a city¡¯s agriculture.


    ¡°Geomancers might show you how to n urbanyouts with optimal feng shui.


    ¡°Diviners could teach you how to read people¡¯s fates and personalities, helping you identify talent.


    ¡°In short, the academy covers all sorts of subjects¡ªexceptbat techniques!¡±


    ¡°Of course, without strength, you won¡¯t be able to learn much. But as the teacher said, you can gain fame in other ways. Crafting an immortal pill, forging an immortal artifact, or taming an immortal beast could also make you famous.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that even more absurd?¡± Lin Jing said. ¡°It¡¯s probably easier to y a Dao Seeking expert!¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why power remains the most reliable path,¡± Elder Divine Pine replied. ¡°Speaking of which, have you heard of the Heavenly Pride Rankings from Tianji Pavilion? It¡¯s a shortcut to mastering the Hidden Dragon Arts¡ªworth keeping an eye on.¡±


    The Heavenly Pride Rankings, published by Tianji Pavilion, were divided into three lists: Heaven, Earth, and Human.


    Only the most exceptional geniuses across the cultivation world made it onto these rankings. The lists weren¡¯t limited to the Ancient Domain but were revered throughout the Celestial Kingdom and beyond.


    For academy students, making it onto the rankings was a surefire way to gain massive fame and elerate their Hidden Dragon Arts.


    ¡°Start with the Human Ranking,¡± Elder Divine Pine suggested. ¡°The Hidden Dragon Arts are crucial. Attend every lecture the academy offers.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overlook these courses just because they don¡¯t teachbat. The true power of the Hidden Dragon Artses from official positions. Strong governance requires mastering city management. The academy¡¯s teachings are invaluable for that.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I might not excel in other areas, but I¡¯m a seasoned student,¡± Lin Jing replied. ¡°Still, with our current strength, getting onto the rankings seems impossible.¡±


    He nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse and dragon carp¡ªone at the ninthyer of Qi Refining, the other at the eighth.


    Lin Jing recalled that even the 100th ce on the Human Ranking was ate-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator capable of defeating perfected Foundation Establishment demons.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush! Focus on Foundation Establishment first. The rankings cap at thirty years of bone age, so you¡¯ve got time,¡± Elder Divine Pine reassured him.


    The Human Ranking was for cultivators under thirty years old and below the Core Formation stage.


    The Earth Ranking was for those under sixty and between Core Formation and Nascent Soul stages.


    The Heaven Ranking was for those under one hundred and at the Nascent Soul stage.


    Given that cultivators in these stages typically lived for hundreds or thousands of years, the age restrictions made the rankings truly exceptional.


    ¡°For now, find a regr Foundation Establishment cultivator to challenge. Get your Hidden Dragon Arts started!¡± Elder Divine Pine urged. ¡°I won¡¯t stay with you inside the academy, but I¡¯ll intervene if you¡¯re in danger.¡±


    Leaving behind a protective pinecone, Elder Divine Pine withdrew, leaving Lin Jing standing outside the pavilion with a sigh.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Jing said, after some thought, leading the Pine Leaf Mouse and dragon carp to explore.


    ...


    Strolling through Hidden Dragon City, they soon left the academy and followed the aroma of food to a bustling tavern named Immortal¡¯s Delight.


    ¡°Sir, why are you carrying your own ingredients? We don¡¯t offer cooking services!¡± the waiter eximed, eyeing the dragon carp in Lin Jing¡¯s meditation staff.


    ¡°Blub!!¡± The dragon carp, furious, puffed out mes in protest.


    ¡°Squeak, squeak...¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse chuckled, secretly agreeing that the dragon carp looked like a fine ingredient¡ªits tender meat, fragrant aroma, and spicy marination made it perfect for hot pot.


    ¡°Have some tact. This is my spirit beast,¡± Lin Jing retorted.


    ¡°My apologies, sir. Pleasee in,¡± the waiter said hastily.


    Finding a seat, Lin Jing perused the menu. But a nearby conversation caught his attention.


    ¡°Have you heard? Fang Shilin, a Hidden Dragon Academy student, has set up an arena in the southern part of the city. He¡¯s aiming for a hundred consecutive wins in same-level duels. Do you think he can pull it off? He¡¯s only at the early Foundation Establishment stage.¡±


    ¡°How could he? How much true essence can an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator have? And where will he find so many opponents?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Young Valley Master of Evesting Spring Valley. Their cultivation techniques allow rapid recovery of true essence. He¡¯s probably relying on that to endure a gauntlet of challengers and gain fame. Even if he doesn¡¯t achieve a hundred wins, the publicity alone is worth it. These academy students love making waves.¡±


    Lin Jing exchanged a nce with the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Evesting Spring Valley? A sect specializing in wood techniques?


    Elder Divine Pine had mentioned finding an easy target¡ªand this seemed like fate.

 Book 2: Chapter 3: Qi Refining vs. Foundation Establishment

    Vol 2 Chapter 3: Qi Refining vs. Foundation Establishment


    For Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, the easiest targets were undoubtedly cultivators specializing in wood-based techniques.


    The Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art practiced by the Pine Leaf Mouse had a powerful suppressive effect on wood-based creatures and techniques. Thanks to the mouse¡¯s ¡°special¡± cultivation methods, the technique¡¯s potency had reached incredible depths.


    ording to Elder Divine Pine, even the entry-level mastery of this art couldpletely suppress Qi Refining-level wood-element creatures. At the Small Sess stage, it would dominate Foundation Establishment-level beings.


    Given its nature, it not only absorbed the essence of its kind but also rendered ordinary wood-element spiritual nts, aggressive vegetation, and wood-based spells virtually powerless.


    Normally, such a powerful art was impossible for a Qi Refining wood-element beast to master to this degree. But with Lin Jing¡¯s resources¡ªand his Longevity Body¡ªit had be reality.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer. Let the situation heat up,¡± Lin Jing said, showing no rush to head to the southern part of the city. Instead, he leisurely ordered more dishes, keeping a keen eye on the rumors spreading.


    The Hidden Dragon Arts weren¡¯t about victory or defeat¡ªthey were about recognition and exposure. Even if Lin Jing defeated a Nascent Soul elder in secret, it wouldn¡¯t matter much if no one knew. On the other hand, if a reputable figure vouched for his skills, his Hidden Dragon Arts would likely progress without a single fight.


    ¡°Exposing my connection to the Ten Great Gu could probably skyrocket my Hidden Dragon Arts,¡± Lin Jing mused. ¡°But it would also get me killed just as quickly.¡±As the saying went: the higher you climb, the harder you fall. Without tangible proof, any such ims would be dismissed anyway.


    ...


    At the southern edge of Hidden Dragon City, near a vibrant maple forest aze with autumn hues, arge crowd had gathered.


    At the forest¡¯s edge, a green-robed young man reclined on a wooden chair, radiating an air of self-assured dominance. Nearby, a Foundation Establishment cultivatory copsed, bound tightly by vine-like tendrils.


    ¡°I... concede...¡± the defeated cultivator gasped, his face pale and his breathingbored. The vines released him, and he fell to the ground, gulping for air.


    ¡°Good match!¡±


    ¡°Who else dares to challenge me? Any Foundation Establishment cultivator may step forward. Defeat Fang Shilin, and I¡¯ll pay you 100 Spirit Stones. If you¡¯re stronger than Foundation Establishment, you¡¯re still wee¡ªSpirit Stones guaranteed!¡±


    Fang Shilin, the Young Valley Master of Evesting Spring Valley, exuded calm confidence. Despite facing multiple challengers in quick session, he showed no signs of fatigue.


    Using Spirit Stones as bait, he luredpetitors of all levels. For him, losing to higher-stage opponents wouldn¡¯t harm his reputation or Hidden Dragon Arts progress. Meanwhile, weaker challengers only added to his winning streak.


    In his mind, the truly powerful academy cultivators wouldn¡¯t bother with his meager fame or Spirit Stones. His strategy was nearly foolproof.


    Victory after victory, his reputation was building¡ªaiming for the elusive feat of 100 consecutive wins against peers.


    Lin Jing arrived with the Pine Leaf Mouse and dragon carp, observing themotion from the crowd.


    ¡°Eleven straight wins! He¡¯s got real skill!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. He¡¯s taken down eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators, including two mid-stage ones. Fang Shilin is as impressive as they say, with immense true essence reserves and solid fundamentals,¡± murmured two nearby cultivators.


    ¡°That¡¯s just his fancy artifact¡ªa wood-element fan,¡± scoffed a well-dressed young man. ¡°Without it, his spells would be half as strong.¡±


    ¡°Young man, you¡¯re mistaken,¡± interjected an old beggar. ¡°Using artifacts is part of cultivation mastery. Many Foundation Establishment cultivators can¡¯t even activate an offensive artifact properly. Fang¡¯s artifact is formidable, but it¡¯s his Evesting Spring Valley techniques¡ªrenowned for their inexhaustible true essence¡ªthat allow him to wield it effortlessly. If someone else tried, they¡¯d run out of energy after one use.¡±


    The crowd nodded in agreement. Hidden Dragon City was full of cultivators, where even beggars spouted wisdom.


    ¡°Let me have a go!¡± A burly, ck-d man with twin sabers stepped forward, his booming voice cutting through the chatter.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°And you are?¡± Fang Shilin asked, unfazed.


    ¡°Ma Wushuang, mid-Foundation Establishment, a Lotus Chamber of Commerce bodyguard,¡± the man dered. ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to pass up those Spirit Stones.¡±


    The crowd buzzed. The Lotus Chamber of Commerce was not only the Celestial Kingdom¡¯srgest merchant guild but also operated a prestigious escort service. Their bodyguards were experienced and skilled, especially in dangerous territories beyond the kingdom.


    ¡°Please.¡± Fang Shilin folded his fan and waited, still seated.


    Swish!


    Without hesitation, Ma Wushuang crossed his sabers, sending twin arcs of zing fire roaring toward Fang. The fiery de energy scorched the fallen leaves, igniting them into a glowing inferno that lit up the battlefield.


    Fang Shilin remainedposed. With a flick of his fan, two verdant vines burst forth, coiling into dragon-like forms.


    Roar!


    The vine dragons spiraled through the air, unaffected by the mes or de energy. Their tenacity was astonishing¡ªthey crushed the fiery attacks mid-air and surged toward the stunned Ma Wushuang.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Ma Wushuang roared, shing at the vines with his sabers. But his weapons barely left a mark. Within seconds, the vines coiled around him, flinging him dozens of meters away.


    ¡°Another one bites the dust,¡± the crowd murmured. Fang¡¯s artifact-enhanced vine technique was unyielding¡ªfireproof, unbreakable, and imbued with overwhelming strength.


    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Fang Shilin asked, brimming with confidence.


    ¡°Can a Qi Refining cultivator challenge you?¡±


    The voice was calm yet clear. A young man in white, holding a meditation staff with a dragon carp and a robed squirrel perched on his shoulder, stepped forward.


    The crowd fell silent, turning to stare at the peculiar trio.


    Fang Shilin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who are you? Qi Refining? Don¡¯t waste my time. Go home and train!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 4: The Squirrel Devours the Dragon

    Vol 2 Chapter 4: The Squirrel Devours the Dragon


    No one expected that after Fang Shilin¡¯stest victory over a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, his next challenger would be a Qi Refining cultivator.


    In Hidden Dragon City, even the stray dogs in the streets might be at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Refining. Such a low cultivation stage was hardly impressive.


    Fang Shilin frowned. A victory over a Qi Refining cultivator would bring him no glory¡ªpeople might even use him of bullying the weak. And losing? The idea wasughable. How could he possibly lose to someone so far beneath him?


    This was a no-win situation, and Fang Shilin felt it wasn¡¯t even worth dignifying with an insult. He was about to dismiss the challenge outright when something caught his eye.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± he said, his gazending on the Pine Leaf Mouse and dragon carp. ¡°That attire¡­ You¡¯re a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect in the Great Wastnd!¡±


    At his words, the crowd erupted.


    ¡°Beast Taming Sect? Isn¡¯t that the sect the Sect Regtory Office just ordered to suspend operations for having more demonic fortune than human fortune?¡±


    ¡°I heard all their Nascent Soul elders are demon kings, and not a single one is human. Each demon king has three or four human pets. Truly terrifying.¡±The gathered cultivators stared at Lin Jing with strange expressions.


    Lin Jing sighed. The rumors were getting more absurd by the day.


    ¡°Yes, I am Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect,¡± he announced calmly. ¡°But the sect isn¡¯t nearly as exaggerated as the rumors suggest. We do have one strong human expert.¡±


    Fang Shilin chuckled at the crowd¡¯s chatter. As someone from the Great Wastnd, he was familiar with the Beast Taming Sect. ¡°So, after the suspension, the disciples fled to the Ancient Domain?¡±


    Lin Jing replied evenly, ¡°The Ancient Domain is a nexus of fortune. As a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, I¡¯vee to hone my skills and restore my sect¡¯s reputation. It¡¯s only natural.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, I sympathize with your situation,¡± Fang Shilin said, clearly amused. ¡°Fine, I ept your challenge.


    ¡°You¡¯re only at Qi Refining. Your two spirit beasts¡ªone contracted and one not¡ªshould fight alongside you. That would be more fair.¡±


    Fang Shilin rarely epted such low-stakes challenges, but seeing Lin Jing¡¯s sect affiliation intrigued him. Interacting with a Beast Taming Sect disciple could amplify the buzz around his public dueling event.


    Moreover, if he fought all three opponents at once, he could im he was giving them a handicap, avoiding usations of bullying.


    Lin Jing gave a polite nod. ¡°Thank you, but this dragon carp is not yet contracted. It wouldn¡¯t be proper to use it in the duel.¡±


    With that, he nted the meditation staff firmly into the ground, leaving the dragon carp as a spectator. He stepped forward with only the Pine Leaf Mouse, facing Fang Shilin directly.


    Fang Shilin squinted.


    The crowd, too, was perplexed. Lin Jing already had slim odds with all three fighting together. Now he was deliberately limiting himself to twobatants?


    ¡°He¡¯s just trying to make a name for himself to boost his sect¡¯s human fortune,¡± someone spected.


    ¡°Is the Beast Taming Sect really relying on a Qi Refining disciple to rebuild its reputation?¡±


    Most spectators thought Lin Jing¡¯s actions were foolish. A Qi Refining cultivator challenging a Foundation Establishment stage genius from the academy was the height of recklessness.


    Unperturbed, Fang Shilin remained seated. With a casual flick of his fan, he summoned a Binding Spell.


    The ground behind him split, and dozens of vine-like tendrils emerged, snaking toward Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse like a swarm of green serpents.


    The crowd watched with bated breath, expecting Lin Jing and his beast to be overwhelmed. But then¡­


    The vines froze mid-air.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± someone muttered.


    The spectators initially assumed Fang Shilin was holding back. But his startled expression quickly dispelled that notion.


    ¡°Impossible¡­ My Binding Spell was interrupted?¡± Fang Shilin¡¯s eyes widened.


    Lin Jing took a single step forward, and the immobilized vines shattered into countless green sparks, dissipating harmlessly.


    It was only then that the crowd noticed the Pine Leaf Mouse. d in its ceremonial robe, it stood on Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder, calmly gesturing as if casting a spell.


    ¡°Squeak!¡± The mouse shook its head, as though unimpressed by the disy of strength.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Fang Shilin dismissed his fan¡¯s gentler approach. With a more deliberate movement, he unleashed seven massive vine dragons, each as thick as an ancient tree.


    These emerald behemoths roared toward Lin Jing with renewed fury.


    And then, behind Lin Jing, an extraordinary phenomenon unfolded.


    A towering wooden deity materialized, its form cloaked in verdant energy and brimming with the essence of life itself. Draped in emerald robes, it stood majestically, like the ruler of spring. With each step, grass and flowers blossomed anew beneath its feet.


    The aura of this divine apparition left Fang Shilin¡¯s mind reeling. His movements slowed, his focus wavered. The vine dragons faltered, splintering apart as they neared Lin Jing.


    The phenomenon crystallized into a surreal image:


    A massive squirrel, identical to the Pine Leaf Mouse, loomed over the battlefield. It clutched one of the shattered vine dragons in its ws and devoured it whole.


    The Squirrel Devours the Dragon¡ªan ethereal manifestation of the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s inner power.


    Fang Shilin sat frozen in disbelief.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°This¡­ This is Qi Refining?¡±


    The crowd, too, was stunned into silence. They couldn¡¯t fathom how a Qi Refining cultivator had conjured such overwhelming power.


    Before Fang Shilin could react further, his wooden chair came alive. Countless vines erupted from it, binding him tightly in ce. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn¡¯t free himself.


    Lin Jing stopped walking.


    ¡°Curious,¡± he said, his voice calm but loud enough for the crowd to hear. ¡°If I¡¯m this strong, how could the Sect Regtory Office im my sect¡¯s human fortune is weak?


    ¡°Perhaps their judgment was wed. Perhaps I need to take down a few more Foundation Establishment cultivators to prove them wrong.¡±


    With that, the towering apparition dissipated, and Lin Jing turned away. Picking up his meditation staff, he walked toward the city, leaving the crowd in stunned silence.


    On his right hand, the Hidden Dragon Seal began to glow faintly, a small section illuminating with newfound renown.


    ¡­


    The battle quickly became the talk of Hidden Dragon City.


    ¡°A Qi Refining cultivator at the seventhyer, with a ninthyer spirit beast, effortlessly crushed a Foundation Establishment genius wielding a powerful artifact?¡±


    ¡°A Pine Leaf Mouse with mastery over wood techniques,pletely suppressing Evesting Spring Valley¡¯s Young Valley Master? And that bizarre phenomenon¡ªwhat is the Squirrel Devours the Dragon?¡±


    ¡°Is this Lin Jing really just from the Beast Taming Sect, a so-called third-rate sect? Isn¡¯t their ¡®human fortune¡¯ supposed to be weak?¡±


    Within the academy, the news spread like wildfire. Fang Shilin¡¯s humiliation drew both ridicule and awe.


    Among the academy¡¯s other top students, three figures in particr¡ªthe Blue-Robed Schr, the Violet me Alchemist, and the Silent Swordsman¡ªeach reacted to Lin Jing¡¯s name with visible unease.


    ¡°He¡¯s here. That monstrous disciple from the Beast Taming Sect¡­ Last time, he even gave us a fake name. Does he have to start by beating up a Foundation Establishment cultivator?¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s reputation soared. Yet hemented privately: in the chaos, he¡¯d forgotten to collect the 100 Spirit Stones from Fang Shilin.


    ¡°Thankfully, we¡¯re ssmates. I¡¯ll find a way to get themter.¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 5: Supreme Beast Fire

    Vol 2 Chapter 5: Supreme Beast Fire


    Hidden Dragon City, night as dark as ink.


    Lin Jing, holding the Fire Carp Meditation Staff, stepped into an inconspicuous corner and summoned the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    After breaking Fang Shilin''s winning streak, Lin Jing wandered around Hidden Dragon City, checking the rates at several inns. Ultimately... he opted to let the Pine Leaf Mouse construct a wooden hut to make do for the night.


    ¡°Zhi¡­¡± With a flurry of woodwork techniques, the hut waspleted. The Pine Leaf Mouse sighed, feeling that Lin Jing¡¯s lifestyle while traveling was surprisingly convenient.


    It could build a house and grow crops, while the Fire Carp could provide fire for lighting¡ªthe division ofbor was exceptionally clear.


    ¡°Good...bye!¡± After finishing its task, the Pine Leaf Mouse stammered out a simple phrase before burrowing back into the Suspended Gourd. Although it had never formally studied human speech, it had picked up enough from listening to manage a word or two.


    ¡°Take good care of the Void Herb!¡± Lin Jing instructed as he nced at the gourd.


    Currently, there were two new nts inside: the Bloodsucking Vine and the Void Herb. The former was easy to care for, but the Void Herb was much trickier and required the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s careful nurturing with the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art.Lin Jing figured that even without his instructions, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s obsession with spatial attributes meant it would prioritize the Void Herb over anything else. Even if the Fire Carp were to die, it might not upset the Pine Leaf Mouse as much as losing the Void Herb.


    ¡°You should rest too,¡± Lin Jing said to the Fire Carp while seated cross-legged on a bed made ofyered leaves.


    Not that it made a difference¡ªthe Fire Carp was already asleep within the Meditation Staff.


    ¡°Not bad. Looks like I¡¯ll be able to master the Hidden Dragon Arts tonight.¡±


    Seated on the bed, Lin Jing looked at the back of his hand, where a design of a young dragon, faintly glowing and seemingly starving, had almost fully lit up¡ªny percent of its intricate lines were now bright.


    Thanks to the buzz surrounding the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s closure and the hype from a Foundation Establishment cultivator fighting a Qi Refinement opponent, Lin Jing¡¯s previous battle had already be a hot topic across Hidden Dragon City, further amplified by its dazzling illusionary effects.


    As someone from an era of information explosions, Lin Jing wouldn¡¯t im to be an expert in trending tactics, but having witnessed countless examples, he felt his performance in that battle was meticulously crafted.


    "If only I¡¯d taken journalism as an elective back in college," he mused.


    Buzz!


    Just as Lin Jing was staring at the Hidden Dragon design, thest dim section suddenly lit up. The white, faintly blue-tinted young dragon etched on the back of his hand seemed toe alive, shimmering with vitality.


    Simultaneously, a flood of information surged into Lin Jing¡¯s mind.@@novelbin@@


    The Hidden Dragon Arts!


    Divided into four tiers, like the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art: Initiation, Proficiency, Mastery, and Perfection.


    Currently, Lin Jing had reached the Initiation stage.


    The progress at this stage was marked by the dragon¡¯s color: starting with white, then progressing to green, blue, and finally gold. Achieving the golden stage would signify Proficiency in the Hidden Dragon Arts!


    Upon reaching Initiation, the Hidden Dragon Arts granted three remarkable effects:<ol><li aria-level="1">Spell Evolution.


    By consuming Hidden Dragon Fortune, practitioners could temporarily enhance theirprehension and elevate their techniques to higher levels.</li><li aria-level="1">Potential Awakening.


    By using Hidden Dragon Fortune, practitioners could help others unlock hidden potential or awaken dormant abilities. This effect was particrly potent for dragon-blooded beasts, not only activating potential but also purifying their dragon blood.</li><li aria-level="1">Crisis Foresight.


    Subtle warnings of imminent danger.


    Automatically consuming Hidden Dragon Fortune allows for premonitions of fatal crises mere seconds before they ur!</li></ol>


    "These abilities are all quite practical," Lin Jing thought to himself.


    With the initiation of the Hidden Dragon Arts, Lin Jing immediately gained insight into its various applications. Whether it was Spell Evolution or Potential Awakening, both were abilities he greatly needed.


    However, there was one downside¡ªusing the Hidden Dragon Arts consumed umted Hidden Dragon Fortune. To continually train with the technique, his fame would have to remain prominent in the outside world.


    A fleeting moment of renown wouldn''t be enough to sustain the Hidden Dragon Arts for long.


    ¡°Defeating Fang Shilin of Evesting Spring Valley earlier today might give me a small reputation here in Hidden Dragon City and the academy, but this fame will fade quickly as time passes, eventually vanishing altogether.¡±


    ¡°While it¡¯s rare for someone at the Qi Refinement stage to defeat a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it¡¯s not unheard of. And Evesting Spring Valley isn¡¯t a particrly powerful sect. Beating Fang Shilin isn¡¯t much of an aplishment.¡±


    ¡°If he were truly formidable, he wouldn¡¯t have resorted to setting up challenges just to gain some recognition. Most likely, he¡¯s at the academy¡¯s bottom tier.¡±


    ¡°I need to defeat even more outstanding talents¡­¡±


    Lin Jing wasn¡¯t sentimental about his current Hidden Dragon Fortune. He was eager to experience the miraculous effects of the Hidden Dragon Arts right away.


    Spell Evolution? He didn¡¯t seem to have any pressing need for that at the moment.


    His gaze fell on the sleeping Fire Carp, snoring peacefully. Lin Jing reached out and shook it awake.


    ¡°Bloop!¡± The Fire Carp opened its round eyes, startled, and stared at Lin Jing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll grant you a great fortune!¡±


    The dragon pattern on the back of Lin Jing¡¯s hand glimmered as he stroked the carp¡¯s head.


    Secret Technique: Potential Awakening!


    Generally, 99% of Hidden Dragon Arts practitioners use the technique to enhance their own abilities through Spell Evolution, as personal strength is the foundation of cultivation.


    A small number of practitioners might use it to awaken potential in others, usually children or disciples¡ªafter all, Hidden Dragon Fortune was hard-earned.


    It was exceedingly rare for students at the academy to use the technique to cultivate their spirit beasts. After all, even if a spirit beast grew stronger, its benefits to the practitioner were often indirect and less significant than investing in one¡¯s descendants.


    Only someone like Lin Jing, capable of forming a bloodline contract with a dragon-blooded beast in the future, could justify using the Hidden Dragon Arts to cultivate his pet.


    ¡°Bloop!¡± The Fire Carp¡¯s wide eyes gleamed as it suddenly felt its bloodline surging. mes ignited in its pupils.


    Its head felt itchy¡­


    Its mind became hazy, as though it had identally consumed one of Lin Jing¡¯s Bewitching Pills.


    In its daze, the Fire Carp thought it saw an awe-inspiring divine beast engulfed in mes, striding majestically.


    This creature had a deer¡¯s head, dragon¡¯s horns, a bull¡¯s hooves, a horse¡¯s tail, and was covered in fiery scales radiating an imposing aura.


    For a brief moment, the Fire Carp felt an intimate connection with the creature. mes erupted across its body, taking on the form of scales imbued with the might of a dragon. The transformation was nothing short of miraculous!


    In the outside world, Lin Jing wasn¡¯t privy to the Fire Carp¡¯s visions. But he was stunned as a terrifying ze erupted from the carp¡¯s body after its potential was awakened. Its aura surged, nearing the ninth level of Qi Refinement.


    No way!


    Was the Hidden Dragon Arts really this powerful?


    ¡°What is this?!¡± Lin Jing eximed as he observed the carp¡¯s transformation.


    ¡°That¡¯s beast fire! Supreme beast fire!¡± A familiar voice suddenly rang in Lin Jing¡¯s ears.


    Shen Song appeared, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve always suspected that this Fire Carp of yours had an extraordinary bloodline. I didn¡¯t expect it to have inherited the ¡®Fire Qilin¡¯ bloodline from its ancestors.¡±


    ¡°This carp¡¯s original me was just ordinary spirit fire, slightly superior to mundane fire. Over three months of potential awakening and the Longevity Blood Baptism have endowed it with astonishing strength and Ghostfire, but its me bloodline itself had not changed¡ªuntil now.¡±


    ¡°Though its me hadn¡¯t changed initially, the foundation it gained was immensely strong. It was already a rare mutated bloodline, and now, with the reinforcement of the Hidden Dragon Arts, you¡¯ve finally helped it take that crucial step forward. You unlocked the shackles in its bloodline memory, transforming its spirit fire into beast fire!¡±


    ¡°This is Dragonme, specifically Kirin Dragonme, an absolutely supreme form of beast fire. It¡¯s leagues stronger than spirit fire. If this little guy were to fight that squirrel without external aid, the oue would be unpredictable now.¡±


    After Shen Song finished speaking, Lin Jing froze in shock. Fire Qilin bloodline?


    Legends say that the Yinglong gave rise to the Jianma, the Jianma birthed the Kirin, and the Kirin gave birth to myriad beasts. It made sense that the Kirin carried dragon blood.


    Looking at the Fire Carp, which was now squinting contentedly, Lin Jing couldn¡¯t suppress his delight.

 Book 2: Chapter 6: Mastering Tools

    Vol 2 Chapter 6: Mastering Tools


    ¡°What¡¯s with that expression?¡± Lin Jing asked, noticing the Fire Carp squinting smugly.


    ¡°Bloop!¡±


    The Fire Carp clenched its fins confidently, as if dering that it could now defeat that green-robed ape from earlier in the day.


    Next time, it would be its turn!


    Squirrel Devours the Dragon? What nonsense. It should be Carp Devours the Dragon instead!


    ¡°Dragons have always been proud and arrogant. Its awakened bloodline is indeed showing its true nature,¡± Shen Song remarked via voice transmission.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Lin Jing chuckled. It didn¡¯t bother him.


    As long as it had the strength to back it up, pride and arrogance weren¡¯t necessarily bad traits!Seeing the Fire Carp in such high spirits, Lin Jing was already eager to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage and form a contract with it.


    With this supreme beast fire, refining pills in the future would undoubtedly be much easier.


    Moreover, once the Fire Carp, possessing the Fire Qilin bloodline, evolved into a dragon, it would likely be capable of counterbncing the power of the Ice Soul Gu.


    As for the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power¡­ Lin Jing would soon be able to control it as well!


    ¡°By the way, Senior Shen Song, why are you still here?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    Shen Song replied, ¡°I said I didn¡¯t want to stay in Hidden Dragon Academy, not that I was leaving Hidden Dragon City!¡±


    ¡°So, you also saw us defeat that Foundation Establishment cultivator in style?¡±


    ¡°Defeat a mere wood-element Foundation Establishment cultivator? What¡¯s there to brag about? You wouldn¡¯t have seeded without the three months of training I put you through with my wooden constructs. Try challenging a fire-element Foundation Establishment cultivator next time.¡±


    ¡°Senior, you¡¯re such a killjoy,¡± Lin Jing said with a shake of his head.


    ¡°Killjoy or not, I don¡¯t care. But if you don¡¯t put out that fire, you¡¯ll be sweeping up ashes in a moment,¡± Shen Song warned.


    The Fire Carp, in its excitement, had identally let its beast fire spill out, setting the wooden hut aze. mes roared into the night sky.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Someone¡¯s setting fires in Hidden Dragon City!¡±


    A patrolling Foundation Establishment night watchman quickly flew over, shouting angrily. After all, they¡¯d been announcing ¡°Dry weather, be cautious with fire!¡± for weeks. He¡¯d assumed it was routine. Who¡¯d have thought someone would actually dare ignite a ze at night?<hr>


    The next day, after proving his identity and paying a fine of five spirit stones, Lin Jing returned to Hidden Dragon Academy.


    He had learned from his inquiries the previous day that the academy rarely held sses. Sometimes, months would pass without a single lecture, and whether or not lessons were held depended entirely on the mood of the instructors.


    Other than the asional lecture, students spent most of their time either cultivating in seclusion or finding ways to make waves and garner fame.


    This time, Lin Jing entered the academy with a specific goal: to obtain a Foundation Establishment technique from the library!<hr>


    The Academy Library


    At the library entrance, an elderly man stood guard. After briefly inspecting Lin Jing¡¯s Hidden Dragon Seal, he allowed him to pass.


    Had this been the Beast Taming Sect, the guard might have been a wise old ape, turtle, or bird instead.


    ¡°Found it!¡±


    The library was silent, with Lin Jing as its sole upant at this time.


    Inside, he discovered that the shelves were not stocked with conventional techniques. Instead, they were filled with books on alchemy, artifact crafting, geomancy, medicine, and agriculture.


    These were not beginner-level texts; the content was profound. A wandering cultivator lucky enough to obtain even one of these books and fullyprehend it could rise to be a master in the respective field.


    However, Lin Jing wasn¡¯t here for these today.


    Walking quickly, he reached for a particr book: ¡°Wood Spirit Foundation Establishment Technique.¡±


    One of Lin Jing¡¯s primary objectives ining to Hidden Dragon Academy was to find a superior Foundation Establishment method!


    The Beast Taming Sect had very few Foundation Establishment techniques. Most disciples relied on Foundation Establishment Pills to break through. However, this method often resulted in a wed Dao foundation, making it extremely difficult to form a Coreter. For those with average talent, reaching Foundation Establishment often meant being stuck there for life unless they encountered extraordinary opportunities.


    The best method in the Beast Taming Sect was the Demonic Dao Foundation Pill, refined using Monster Cores. This pill was exceedingly difficult to produce, as it required rare and specific Monster Cores. Generally, only true disciples were deemed worthy of the sect¡¯s resources to create such a special pill.


    Even so, the Demonic Dao Foundation Pill, while the best avable in the Beast Taming Sect, was considered a low-grade technique in the broader Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    Truly superior Foundation Establishment methods could grant cultivators with mortal constitutions an Acquired Spiritual Body after breaking through. Such methods greatly increased the chances of forming a Core and even provided a slim possibility of reaching the Nascent Soul stage!


    For example, the Flower Pavilion Master of Snow Moon City had achieved the Acquired Fire Spirit Body through a special Foundation Establishment technique.


    Of course, cultivators with Innate Spiritual Bodies or special constitutions didn¡¯t need suchplex methods. They could establish their foundation directly and still possess extraordinary potential.


    Lin Jing¡¯s visit to Hidden Dragon Academy wasn¡¯t to seek an Acquired Spiritual Body for himself. Ordinarily, without unique circumstances, a cultivator could only possess one body constitution and cultivate one set of techniques. Trying otherwise would disrupt the bnce of spiritual energy within the body, leading to Qi deviation.


    He already had the Longevity Body. Without a fortuitous encounter, it was nearly impossible for him to cultivate a second constitution.@@novelbin@@


    Though Lin Jing had dreams of bing like the ¡°Three-Body Cultivator¡± Ancient Imperial Prince, mastering multiple constitutions, he knew it was an improbable goal. Without immense luck or powerful backing, it wasn¡¯t even worth considering.


    The Foundation Establishment method he sought today wasn¡¯t for himself¡ªit was for the Pine Leaf Mouse. At his current level, merely the seventh stage of Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment was still a distant goal.<hr> "Wood Spirit Foundation Establishment Technique"


    Lin Jing read through the details:<ul><li>Post-Breakthrough Effects: Cultivators could form an Acquired Wood Spirit Body, gaining heightened affinity with nts and trees and dramatically enhancing their cultivation of wood-element techniques.</li><li>Requirements: <ol><li>Mastery of a wood-element technique at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement.</li><li>Specific materials, including hundred-year-old Wood Lingzhi, Laurel Leaves, Heart of Ten Thousand Trees, and Primal Wood Essence Ore, among others.</li><li>The final step involved refining the materials into a Wood Spirit Foundation Pill using a wood-elemental special me.</li><li>The pill had to be consumed at a Gui Water blessednd to achieve the transformation into an Acquired Wood Spirit Body.</li></ol></li><li>Potential Sess Factors: The likelihood of forming the Wood Spirit Body depended on the quality of the Foundation Pill and the cultivator¡¯s spiritual power.</li></ul>


    Limitations: This method could only be used by mortal-body cultivators.


    ¡°Useless,¡± Lin Jing muttered.


    He discovered that the first floor of the library contained numerous Foundation Establishment techniques for forming Acquired Spiritual Bodies. These superior methods, nearly impossible to find in the outside sects, were freely avable here.


    Yet, even if someone acquired these methods, meeting all the conditions without the help of senior cultivators would be exceptionally difficult.


    Lin Jing continued to browse. Most of the techniques he found were either:<ul><li>Superior methods for forming Acquired Spiritual Bodies.</li><li>Slightly lesser techniques that offered benefits such as immense strength post-breakthrough, purer spiritual essence, or an extra ten years of lifespan.</li></ul>


    Some were outright bizarre, allowing practitioners to change their gender or drastically alter their physical appearance post-breakthrough. Lin Jing wondered who such methods were even designed for.<hr>


    ¡°Nothing suitable for me, the Pine Leaf Mouse, or the Fire Carp,¡± Lin Jing concluded.


    ¡°With my current level of the Hidden Dragon Arts, I can¡¯t ascend to the second floor yet.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll start with an alchemy book. If there¡¯s nothing on the second or third floor suitable for the Pine Leaf Mouse, I¡¯ll stick to my original n: create a unique Longevity Foundation Pill using blood refinement, tailored to the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, to help it establish its foundation!¡±


    Lin Jing grabbed an alchemy book and began studying. This n would have been challenging in the Beast Taming Sect, but with the Hidden Dragon Arts¡¯ Spell Evolution ability, it was now akin to having a rudimentary Bodhi Cavern Heaven. As long as he continued to gain fame, creating such a specialized pill might not be impossible.


    As he flipped through the book, someone else entered the library¡ªa cultivator at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement, dressed in a schr¡¯s robe.


    Lin Jing nced at him and paused, slightly surprised. The neer, upon seeing Lin Jing, immediately scowled.


    "Tang Sanzang... no, wait¡ªBeast Taming Sect''s Lin Jing!"


    Lin Jing recognized the other person as well. "You''re the schr from Bodhi Heaven who couldn''t snatch the Bodhi Tree."


    "You haven¡¯t reached Foundation Establishment yet?" Lin Jing asked. Though he hadn¡¯t cultivated any appraisal techniques, his strong spiritual senseparable to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator with spiritual perception¡ªmade it easy to judge the schr¡¯s realm, especially since thetter hadn¡¯t concealed his aura.


    "What of it?" Xu Zhizhi retorted, ring at Lin Jing with a sour expression. "So, you really dide to Hidden Dragon Academy. I still remember what happened in the Cavern Heaven. Back then, you relied on your mechanical constructs to dominate. But outside, those things are nothing special."


    Lin Jing chuckled lightly. "No need to get so worked up. Didn¡¯t the Snow ins Cultivator save you in the end? Besides, yesterday, I beat a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the academy¡ªwithout using any mechanical constructs."


    Xu Zhizhi scoffed. "Fang Shilin, the son of Evesting Spring Valley''s Valley Master, is only in the academy thanks to the preferential admission policy for heirs of major forces. Without it, someone of his talent wouldn¡¯t have been epted at all. Defeating him means nothing!"


    He added, "If I used the cultural Dao treasure gifted by my teacher, I could have defeated him across realms as well!"


    Sensing Xu Zhizhi¡¯sck of confidence despite his bold words, Lin Jing smirked. "So, by your logic, us special-recruit disciples are the true elites of the academy?"


    Xu Zhizhi hesitated before nodding. "Naturally! What are you nning?"


    "So, you, that Violet me Alchemist from the Pill Cauldron Sect, and the little swordsman from the Heavenly Sword Gate are already gaining some fame?" Lin Jing mused. "You¡¯re right! My Mechanical Bamboo Rifle may not be as useful as before. Its momentary fame from duels is fleeting. If I want my name to endure, I need an artifact to carry my legacy."


    He continued with a gleam in his eye, "I¡¯m nning to mass-produce Mechanical Bamboo Rifles and auction them at the Lotus Pavilion. Imagine a device that doesn¡¯t require cultivation¡ªanyone can pick it up and suppress Qi Refinement cultivators. It¡¯ll be a hit!"


    Lin Jing grinned. "Of course, to market it effectively, I¡¯ll tie it to your defeats. Using your losses as advertising material and binding our fame together. Surely there¡¯s no concept of ¡®reputation rights¡¯ here, right?"


    He pped his hands as though inspired. "Picture it: someone uses the rifle, and onlookers remember, ¡®Oh, this was made by the genius mechanic Lin Jing, who once crushed academy elites like Xu Zhizhi in the Cavern Heaven.¡¯"


    Xu Zhizhi: ???


    "You conniving scoundrel!!!" Xu Zhizhi¡¯s eyes widened with fury.


    "Don¡¯t be upset, Brother Xu. Losing to me is no shame at all. Once I ascend to the Genius Rankings, this will elevate your reputation. People will say, ¡®Xu Zhizhi once contended with Lin Jing.¡¯"


    "I¡¯m going to kill you!" Xu Zhizhi roared.

 Book 2: Chapter 7: The Lotus Auction House

    Vol 2 Chapter 7: The Lotus Auction House


    "You two, quiet down!"


    "Young man, don¡¯t go around talking about fighting and killing all the time, especially since you¡¯re supposed to be a schr!"


    The voice of the elder guarding the library echoed in, calming Xu Zhizhi''s irritated heart.


    Grinding his teeth, Xu Zhizhi red at Lin Jing. "Are you really going to do this?"@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing put down the alchemy book. "What¡¯s wrong with it? Isn¡¯t this what really happened?"


    Xu Zhizhi clenched his fist. "Of course, it¡¯s wrong! You¡¯re trying to use our reputation to help you cultivate the Hidden Dragon Arts!"


    "It¡¯s extremely wrong!"


    "Didn¡¯t you hear what the senior in the library said? The cultivation world isn¡¯t just about fighting and killing, there¡¯s also human rtionships and etiquette!""How about this?"


    "You¡¯re speaking without evidence. How can we verify the authenticity of the mechanized creations¡¯ battle records? But if I also make a move to help you gain publicity, then it¡¯s a different story. The victim himself can step forward and speak, affirming the power of these creations, and it will definitely spread widely! In exchange, all you need to do is add a bit about my heroic image of fighting the Snow ins cultivator in the Cavern Heaven during the publicity!"


    Since he couldn¡¯t change Lin Jing¡¯s mind, Xu Zhizhi decided to join in.


    "One more opponent is better than one more friend, don¡¯t you think? The more impressive my image bes, the more it highlights how powerful your mechanical bamboo rifle is!" He tried to persuade Lin Jing with his silver tongue.


    So it¡¯s amercial mutual promotion, huh? Lin Jing fell silent.


    "Exactly." The library guardian, a veteran of such matters, nodded slightly. He had done this sort of thing himself in the past.


    ...


    Not long after, Lin Jing left the library.


    Though it had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, he felt his idea wasn¡¯t wrong.


    Not just in the entire ancient kingdom, but even in the Hidden Dragon City, there were countless battles taking ce every day.


    No one would be remembered forever; over time, names would fade into obscurity.


    But... if a person¡¯s name was tied to a holiday, a popr item, or a unique symbol, it would undoubtedly spread further andst longer than ordinary battle feats.


    "The mechanical bamboo rifle has an advantage over typical magic tools in that it doesn¡¯t require true qi to operate. Even with low cultivation, anyone can use it."


    "Besides that, in terms of attack range, power, and frequency, it¡¯s one of the best treasures avable to Qi Refining stage cultivators. There are very few tools thatbine all these advantages."


    "Most importantly, it¡¯s easy to make. Without carving formation patterns, I could easily assemble hundreds of them in a day, just following the process, no skill needed."


    "The materials used to make the mechanical bamboo rifle aren¡¯t rare either. The raw materials are just ordinary spirit nts, so the cost is very low."


    "The core ammunition is just like a regr spirit bean, but it packs a punchparable to a serious hit from a ninth-stage Qi Refining cultivator. These spirit beans arebined from regr spirit beans, which are somon that even stray dogs in Hidden Dragon City wouldn¡¯t eat them if they fell on the ground. There¡¯s huge profit here."


    "The supply of ammunition can be entirely handled by the Pine Leaf Mouse. With its current abilities, making these is already effortless for it. Moreover, the stockpile it¡¯s been umting these days is more than enough to sell."


    "By tying the mechanical bamboo rifle to my name, every time something happens, people will think of the mechanical bamboo rifle I endorsed. Every time someone uses the rifle, the viewers will also think of me."


    "Also, if it sells well, it could solve my resource problems."


    The only thing Lin Jing was worried about now was whether the Pine Leaf Mouse could keep up with production if the mechanical bamboo rifle suddenly became popr. Unfortunately, the items couldn¡¯t be regrown once synthesized; otherwise, he could have contracted a few acres of spirit fields and let the rifle and ammunition grow freely.


    Lin Jing nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse, which was still hoarding goods inside the suspended gourd...


    Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind.


    If only he had more Pine Leaf Mice that could only synthesize resources.


    Doppelganger!


    He remembered there was a spell that could create multiple doppelgangers to fight enemies. Since a doppelganger could fight, could it be used to work for him instead?


    Surely the Pine Leaf Mouse wouldn''t refuse a spell that could elerate its stockpiling speed.


    ...


    "Senior Shen Song?"


    After leaving the academy, Lin Jing secretly called out.


    After a while, Shen Song replied, "What is it now?"


    "You once created wooden puppets in the Great Wilderness. This method is somewhat simr to creating doppelgangers. Do you know the doppelganger technique? I want to teach it to the Pine Leaf Mouse."


    Shen Song said, "Doppelganger technique? Why bother learning that useless spell? Ordinary doppelgangers are practically useless; they waste mana and have lowbat power. As for external avatars, your cultivation is too low for that. Think about it after you reach the Nascent Soul stage! Once youplete the Green Emperor''s Longevity Art, you should be able to create grass-and-wood doppelgangers. They''ll do the job, I suppose!"


    Lin Jing asked, "Can those grass-and-wood doppelgangers use the same spells and divine abilities as the main body?"


    "Yes, but the effect will definitely be much weaker!"


    "Is that all? If not, I¡¯ll go take care of your worthless fish."


    Lin Jing chuckled, "It¡¯s nothing. With your words, I¡¯m at ease now."


    He turned and headed straight for the Lotus Pavilion.

 Book 2: Chapter 8: Promotional Advertisement

    Vol 2 Chapter 8: Promotional Advertisement


    ¡°Could I give it a try?¡± Master Shi''s interest was piqued as soon as he heard the question.


    He loved appraising all sorts of rare and strange new gadgets.


    ¡°No problem.¡± Lin Jing nodded, and Master Shi opened another door behind him, leading to an open outdoor area.


    Seeing this, the Qipao-d female cultivator excused herself.


    ¡°You said this mechanical creation has considerable power. Did you make it yourself?¡±


    Holding the mechanical bamboo rifle, Master Shi asked curiously.


    After all, even a squirrel holding it would be nearly invincible at the Qi Refining stage, so such a im seemed overly boastful.


    Many auctioneers liked to exaggerate the effectiveness of the items they sold.What the appraisers needed to do was confirm or debunk those ims!


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Jing nodded.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯d like to see for myself¡­¡± Master Shi tossed the mechanical bamboo rifle to Lin Jing and formed a protective True Qi barrier around himself.


    ¡°You attack me with it, and I''ll personally experience its power!¡±


    ¡°Nowadays, appraisers like me, who are so dedicated to our craft, are rare to find.¡± Master Shi added with a bit of self-praise.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Jing, holding the bamboo rifle, pressed the trigger.


    Given that the opponent was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and had already prepared, it was certain that the mechanical bamboo rifle wouldn¡¯t harm him.


    ¡°Water Arrow Technique? But there are no water formation marks carved into it. How did this water arrowe out¡­ Oh, so this blue spiritual bamboo is the key to the effect.¡±


    ¡°And then the beans were swept out by the water flow. What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t activate it using True Qi? Looks like it¡¯s a purely mechanical creation.¡±


    Master Shi continued muttering to himself until the first spirit bean exploded.


    Boom!


    Master Shi was engulfed by the explosive shockwave. His protective True Qi trembled, and he lifted his head slightly, saying, ¡°Such power! So, these beans can explode!¡±


    The secondter...


    ¡°Wait, how did you shoot all the beans out in an instant?!¡±


    Boom boom boom boom boom!


    The spirit beans exploded all at once, sending a powerful surge of spiritual energy through the air. The sound echoed across the sky, blowing Master Shi¡¯s hair about.


    The third second, the fourth second...


    Lin Jing quickly swapped magazines with one hand, and the attacks kepting, never stopping. The relentless firepower caused Master Shi to feel the intense drain on his True Qi. He hastily shouted, ¡°No! Stop! Are these beans made of money? Do you expect me to keep going like this?!¡±


    ¡°Are you here to seriously auction things, or are you trying to kill me?! Please, stop! I can tell by your stance¡ªif I don¡¯t die, you won¡¯t stop!¡±


    Lin Jing ceased firing and said, ¡°I just wanted you to see its firing frequency.¡±


    Master Shi nced around at the debris, his lips twitching slightly. ¡°I get it now! This mechanical device isn¡¯t suitable forbat. It¡¯s more suited for sieging a city.¡±


    ¡°Are you from Divine Machine Manor? How do you n to price it? Besides the bamboo rifle, will the beans be included as well?¡± Master Shi pursed his lips and looked at Lin Jing, thinking of Divine Machine Manor, the top force in the Ancient Kingdom''s mechanical arts ranking.


    This mechanical bamboo rifle was extraordinary. It could fire dozens of powerful bombs in an instant without the need for True Qi activation. For someone at the Qi Refining stage, it was indeed a deadly weapon.


    What stood out most was that Lin Jing didn¡¯t seem at all reluctant to expend the individual spirit beans, which were as powerful as second-tier explosion talismans. This was something that made Master Shi uneasy, making him suspect that these were perhaps cheap new materials developed by Divine Machine Manor!


    ¡°One mechanical bamboo rifle, plus 500 beans.¡±


    Lin Jing smiled slightly and said, ¡°The starting price doesn¡¯t matter. I can offer Lotus Pavilion a highermission. I just have one condition.¡±


    "Mm?" Master Shi was puzzled. "What do you mean?"


    "This item has an extraordinary background. I hope that Lotus Pavilion can give it extensive publicity before the auction."


    "Oh? What''s its background?" Master Shi became even more interested. Items with a known background could often be priced several times higher than those without.


    "Master Shi, do you know Lin Jing, the genius disciple of Beastmaster Sect?" Lin Jing asked in a low voice.


    Master Shi paused for a moment, recalling, "I¡¯ve heard of him. I believe he recently defeated a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the academy in a battle near the southern city, right? I heard some people mention it."


    "Do you know that this Lin Jing was selected by the Bodhi Cave Heaven when he was at the thirdyer of Qi Refining?"


    "Really? I didn¡¯t know that! No wonder he''s so strong." Master Shi was surprised. "But how does this mechanical creation tie in with a disciple of Beastmaster Sect?"


    "Master Shi, do you know that in addition to Lin Jing of Beastmaster Sect, there were also Xu Zhizhi, the proud student of Xu Fushi from Wenyu Tianyun City, Ziling¡¯er, a genius alchemist from the Fire Domain Dan Ding Sect, and Yuan Jing, who was the top disciple of the Outer Sect of Tianjian Sect at that time?"


    "Now, Xu Zhizhi, Ziling¡¯er, and Yuan Jing have all entered Qianlong Academy as special students. Their talents are extraordinary, with immense potential."


    Master Shi nodded. "I¡¯ve heard about these people. They did indeed enter the Cave Heaven, but I didn''t know that Lin Jing of Beastmaster Sect was with them! I¡¯ve also heard that the young hero Yuan Jing has already established his Foundation and refined the Tianjian Body. His strength is astonishing¡ªjust after entering Foundation Establishment, he defeated ate-stage Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator with a single sword strike! Ziling¡¯er is quite impressive too. I¡¯ve heard that she has already refined a perfect Foundation Establishment pill on her own, and will likely enter Foundation Establishment soon!"


    Lin Jing nodded. "So, Master Shi, are you aware that inside the Bodhi Cave Heaven, among the three Bodhi trees, the best ones¡ªthe golden and silver Bodhi¡ªwere not imed by those geniuses, but rather, Lin Jing took them both, one for himself and one for his pet?"


    "What?" Master Shi was stunned. "Is that true?"


    "To be honest, Master Shi, it was the mechanical bamboo rifle I made that helped Lin Jing and his pet, the Pine Leaf Rat, each wield one rifle to suppress those three geniuses. You could say that Lin Jing of Beastmaster Sect was the biggest winner of this Cave Heaven event! Without my mechanical bamboo rifle, he would never have been able to achieve such results."


    "Whether it''s a genius in literature, alchemy, or swordsmanship, they all fell before this mechanical bamboo rifle."


    Master Shi was left in shock. Could this really be true?


    No wonder this young man had said earlier that even a squirrel holding the mechanical bamboo rifle would be invincible at the Qi Refining stage.


    "I hope that before Lotus Pavilion auctions the mechanical bamboo rifle, you can heavily promote its battle record! After all, this item helped a thirdyer Qi Refining cultivator suppress three exceptionally talented Qi Refining cultivators at the ninthyer without a scratch."


    Master Shi swallowed hard. He hadn''t expected the mechanical bamboo rifle to be associated with some of the most famous new-generation geniuses in the current Qianlong City. He said, "But, Young Master, you¡¯re speaking without proof. How do I know whether what you¡¯re saying is true?"


    "Lotus Pavilion won''t use unverified information in the promotional materials for any auction items."


    Lin Jing smiled and said, "Hehe, I won¡¯t hide it from you, Master Shi. I am Lin Jing. I¡¯ve already be a student at the academy. If you don¡¯t believe me, I can bring Xu Zhizhi over to vouch for it!"


    Master Shi: ???


    Damn it, so this kid isn¡¯t here to sincerely auction anything¡ªhe¡¯s just using Lotus Pavilion to help advertise and promote the mysterious Qianlong Secret Technique!


    ...


    The news spread slowly through word of mouth.


    Whether in past or present lives, news and public opinion have always been controlled by powerful factions.


    Lotus Pavilion, as a top-tier force, had substantial influence even at the level of a single city branch.


    Lin Jing took advantage of Lotus Pavilion¡¯s power to promote both himself and the mechanical bamboo rifle.


    Soon, Lotus Pavilion announced the details of their uing auction, including a list of the items to be auctioned.


    Invitations were sent out to their VIP clients, and the descriptions of the auction items were detailed.


    When many cultivators saw the mechanical bamboo rifle on the list, they paused for a moment, as Lin Jing''s poprity had not yet waned.


    "Mechanical bamboo rifle? The weapon used by Lin Jing of Beastmaster Sect in his early years?"


    "What? This Lin Jing was actually chosen by the Cave Heaven? No wonder he''s so strong¡ªhe must have gained some incredible opportunities in the Cave Heaven! His future is limitless!"


    "Did the academy geniuses Xu Zhizhi, Ziling''er, and Yuan Jing also enter the same Cave Heaven with Lin Jing? And he managed to seize the best opportunities from the Cave Heaven with his mechanical bamboo rifle, even though he was only at the thirdyer of Qi Refining? Is that for real?"


    "It¡¯s true. Academy genius Xu Zhizhi confirmed it. He said that no matter who holds this bamboo rifle, they¡¯re nearly invincible under Foundation Establishment, and even he couldn¡¯t match Lin Jing back then. It¡¯s all true!"


    "I heard that Xu Zhizhi, in order to protect the national fortune and prevent foreign cultivators from taking the opportunities meant for the ancient kingdom¡¯s cultivators, had to kill a terrifying Snowfield Body cultivator first. It took a huge toll on him, which is why he couldn¡¯t seize the opportunity. What a pity. I wonder if Xu Zhizhi in his prime could match this mechanical creation."


    "I heard Lin Jing appeared at Xianke Lai for a meal and left a message saying, ''Xu Zhizhi is not bad!'' before departing!"


    "I''m curious¡ªwhat kind of mechanical creation could allow a low-ranking disciple from a third-rate sect to snatch opportunities from the hands of geniuses fromrge sects? How does this Beastmaster Sect cultivator know mechanical techniques?"


    "Such a great item! I¡¯m going to buy it for my illegitimate son to protect himself!"


    Lotus Pavilion didn¡¯t actively promote the item, but whenever they released the list of auctioned goods, it always garnered the attention of arge number of cultivators.


    Some were pleased, some were worried.


    When they saw that Lin Jing had publicly revealed his Cave Heaven experience for the sake of his reputation, an alchemist from Dan Ding Sect was sulking in her cave.


    Several of her sisters had already asked if she had truly been beaten up by a squirrel.@@novelbin@@


    The biggest winner, however, was undoubtedly Lin Jing.


    Even though the mechanical bamboo rifle hadn¡¯t been auctioned yet, just a few dayster, the mark of the Qianlong on the back of his hand turned from white to light blue.


    His name from yesterday and today had both gained momentum, and he became more widely known.


    Of course, the biggest loser was the Pine Leaf Rat.


    It had seen Lin Jing take so many rounds of ammunition from the warehouse... and immediately began wailing with a ghostly, sorrowful cry!

 Book 2: Chapter 9: The Academys Attention

    Vol 2 Chapter 9: The Academy''s Attention


    "Let me see yours."


    "Let me see yours too."


    "Nice color."


    "Yours is darker, though."


    "Pleasure doing business with you."


    Hidden Corner of Hidden Dragon City


    Lin Jing and Xu Zhizhi met a few dayster.


    Upon seeing that Lin Jing had advanced the Hidden Dragon Arts to the second stage, marked by a blue seal, Xu Zhizhi couldn¡¯t hide his envy. "I arrived here months ahead of you, tried all kinds of ways to make a name for myself, and yet, in just a few days, you¡¯ve already caught up!"Lin Jing sighed. "I have to work hard for the revival of my sect."


    After all, part of the sect''s troubles was partially his responsibility.


    "I know a bit about your sect¡¯s situation," Xu Zhizhi said thoughtfully. "Blessings oftene in disguise, but it seems your fortune might just be too strong for the sect to handle."


    "Anyway, don¡¯t worry too much! With your luck, you¡¯re bound to revive the sect. Just make sure to seize the opportunities thate your way!"


    "Even the heirs of great sects, sons of Nascent Soul cultivators, descendants of Soul Formation experts, or those with innate spiritual bodies don¡¯t get special recruitment from the academy. But for those like us, chosen by a Cavern Heaven, the academy personally extends invitations. Do you know why?"


    "Because cultivators who¡¯ve entered a Cavern Heaven once are highly likely to enter it a second or third time! That¡¯s an opportunity from the Celestial Realm, greater than anything else!"


    "That¡¯s precisely why I had to kill that Snow ins Cultivator," Xu Zhizhi admitted. "Severing their fortune strengthened mine. That incident made me famous as well."


    "So, Lin, you just need to seize your future opportunities. I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll be the revivalist of the Beast Taming Sect. I, Xu Zhizhi, have never misjudged anyone!"


    "I¡¯ll take your kind words, Brother Xu," Lin Jing said sincerely. "You schrs always know how to put things so nicely."


    Xu Zhizhi gave a gentle smile. "We¡¯re friends now. Let¡¯s let bygones be bygones. If you ever need help, don¡¯t hesitate toe to me."


    "Onest piece of advice, Brother Lin: these days, try not to go out much. And if you do, make sure to disguise yourself!"


    "Your newfound fame will undoubtedly attract attention from academy students who want to boost their own reputation by challenging you!"


    "I understand," Lin Jing replied. "Next, I¡¯m heading to the library to study. What about you, Brother Xu?"


    "I need to settle the spirit stone payments for those people I hired to spread my reputation," Xu Zhizhi said with a grin.


    Hidden Dragon Academy


    In a pitch-ck hall, two rows of long stone tables stretched out. On themy a dozen white stones, neatly arranged.


    Suddenly, one stone began to glow. Shortly after, seven or eight other stones lit up, each radiating beams of light that formed vague shadows.


    "The recruitment ceremony held once every five years is approaching. Who will serve as the chief examiner this time?" one shadow asked.


    "Let¡¯s have Ziwai do it. He recruited four exceptionally talented students for the academy this year. They can assist with the examinations," another shadow replied.


    "How capable are these four? I heard a few monstrous talents will be joining the academy. Can those four handle it?"


    "This is an excellent opportunity for them to make a name for themselves. If they fail to seize it, that¡¯s their loss."


    After parting ways with Xu Zhizhi, Lin Jing headed to the academy library.


    There were only a few pages left in the Scripture of Alchemy, and today he nned to memorize them all. Understanding was secondary;mitting it to memory came first. As the saying goes, <em>read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will naturally reveal itself</em>.


    Inside the library, Lin Jing held the scripture in one hand,mitting it to memory, while using his other hand to press his forehead with a Spirit Nurturing Spell to alleviate fatigue.


    Whenever his qi ran low, he would pop a Replenishing Pill into his mouth.


    "Creating an original pill recipe isn¡¯t about conjuring something out of thin air," he mused aloud.


    "Most ¡®original recipes¡¯ by alchemists are, at their core, improvements on existing ones. They build upon the work of predecessors, either adding, subtracting, or substituting ingredients, using different mes or techniques to refine a pill with a simr effect."


    From Lin Jing¡¯s recent study, developing a new recipe seemed both challenging and simple at the same time.


    If an alchemist aimed to create a recipe for a Soaring Pill that could make even a chicken or dog ascend to immortality, that would indeed be a fool¡¯s dream.


    This pill is unprecedented on the Tianyuan Continent, its effects extraordinary¡ªsomething no alchemist from the lower realms could have created. It is undoubtedly an Immortal Pill.


    However, if an alchemist only aims to create a basic Healing Pill, the task bes much simpler.


    With tens of thousands of spirit herbs possessing healing properties in the cultivation world, numerous versions of healing pills circte in the market.


    Even inconspicuous clinics in small towns dare to advertise "exclusive secret recipes" or "original forms." This is because developing and refining low-grade pills truly isn¡¯t difficult.


    Some Grade-1 recipes even require only one or two ingredients, where the alchemist merely extracts their nutrients and forms them into pills.@@novelbin@@


    What Lin Jing desired was a Foundation Establishment Pill designed for blood-refining methods, one that was neither exceptionally difficult nor overly simple.


    It wasn¡¯t too challenging because Foundation Establishment Pills were Grade-2 pills, and most sects had their own unique forms tailored to their cultivation techniques. For example, the Demonic Dao Foundation Pill of the Beast Taming Sect had been studied to exhaustion by countless cultivators.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a walk in the park either. Lin Jing had only tried refining Grade-1 pills so far and had never attempted a Grade-2 pill. Refining Grade-2 pills at the Qi Refining stage was extraordinarily difficult¡ªa feat typically reserved for prodigies of the alchemical arts.


    Rumor had it that Ziling¡¯er from the Pill Cauldron Sect had sessfully refined one of the most challenging Grade-2 pills: a special Foundation Establishment Pill¡ªthe exact pill Lin Jing sought. Her sess catapulted her reputation at Hidden Dragon Academy.


    Of course, Ziling¡¯er was a dedicated alchemist who had gained enlightenment in Bodhi Heaven, so her achievement wasn¡¯t surprising. Lin Jing, on the other hand, was still a novice in the alchemical path.


    "If I want to develop my own exclusive Foundation Establishment Pill, it obviously won¡¯t be from scratch..."


    "Instead, I¡¯ll build on existing recipes, adding my own adjustments, experimenting repeatedly until either I seed or I fail endlessly."


    Lin Jing had already chosen a recipe from one of the alchemy books in the library: the Grade-2 pill, Beast Blood Pill¡ªa body-tempering pill.


    Although the alchemy books in the library didn¡¯t detail any blood-refining methods, the Beast Blood Pill¡¯s materials included various types of beast blood, making it a suitable focus for Lin Jing¡¯s research.


    In addition to the Beast Blood Pill, Lin Jing nned to study the recipe for the mostmon ordinary Foundation Establishment Pill used across the continent. Most sect-specific Foundation Establishment Pills were essentially modified versions of this foundational recipe.


    "Now that I have the top-tier beast fire from the Dragon Carp, all I need is a high-grade pill furnace, and my preparations will beplete."


    Slowly refining, slowly researching¡ªwhat Lin Jingcked least was time.


    Surprisingly, the Hidden Dragon Arts''prehension bonus wasn¡¯t even Lin Jing¡¯s greatest asset for developing pill forms. It was his time.


    Currently, Lin Jing could live for over a thousand years, his Pine Leaf Mouse for five to six hundred years. This was just during the Qi Refining stage! Even the Dragon Carp was quite long-lived; ordinary wild carps could survive for over a century, let alone a Qi Refining Stage Nine Dragon Carp with awakened Dragon Veins!


    They were all long-lived beings¡ªvictory depended on who could oust the others.


    As Lin Jing exited the library, a look of surprise appeared on his face.


    He saw a middle-aged man, schrly in appearance, standing with a smile.


    "Not bad! It¡¯s only been a few days, and you¡¯ve already stirred up quite themotion," Mr. Cao remarked with a grin. "It seems you¡¯ve adapted well to the rules of Hidden Dragon Academy. As expected of someone chosen by a Cavern Heaven. Because of your outstanding performance, the academy has decided to give you a chance to make a name for yourself!"

 Book 2: Chapter 10: Innate Divine Physique

    Vol 2 Chapter 10: Innate Divine Physique


    ¡°Senior, you tter me¡­¡±


    ¡°The opportunity for fame you mentioned, what exactly is it?¡±


    Lin Jing was reminded of his previous life when professors would offer him ¡°opportunities,¡± only to load him up with tedious and menial tasks.


    Cao Ziwei chuckled. ¡°In a few months, the academy¡¯s enrollment season will begin again. At that time, numerous talented cultivators from all over wille to Hidden Dragon City, hoping to gain admission into Hidden Dragon Academy.¡±


    ¡°Every year, there¡¯s a special segment during the assessment where academy students act as examiners and engage inbat trials with the candidates.¡±


    ¡°You want me to act as one of the examiners this time?¡± Lin Jing asked in surprise.


    Cao Ziwei nodded. ¡°To be precise, this is the academy¡¯s arrangement. You won¡¯t be the only one; all the students who have recently shown exceptional performance will be examiners.¡±


    ¡°This is actually a great opportunity. These candidates are geniuses from various regions, often apanied by senior sect members. During the assessment, the academy and sect representatives will focus intently on the examiners. If you perform well, you¡¯ll gain significant attention.¡±¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the examiner role!¡± Lin Jing agreed. This opportunity, like many things, had its pros and cons¡ªsess would depend entirely on his strength.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Cao Ziwei said. ¡°Prepare yourself in theing months. Since you¡¯re at the Qi Refining Stage, you¡¯ll only need to face candidates of the same stage. Don¡¯t underestimate them just because you¡¯ve defeated Foundation Establishment cultivators before. You might end up being their stepping stone. In past assessments, it¡¯s not umon for senior students to be defeated by candidates.¡±


    ¡°Even though these candidates might not have been specially recruited like you, it doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re weak,¡± Cao Ziwei warned. ¡°I¡¯ve heard there are quite a few monsters in the Qi Refining Stage among this year¡¯s candidates.¡±


    ¡°From the royal family of the capital, there¡¯s a prodigy at the ninth stage of Qi Refining with an Innate Divine Physique!¡±


    ¡°From the Divine Talisman Sect of the Dao Domain, there¡¯s a saintess, also at the ninth stage of Qi Refining, with the Talisman Physique. She can substitute her brush with her hand, the heavens and earth her paper, and inscribe talismans in the void.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also the grandson of a Nascent Soul-stage elder from the Demon-ying Bureau. Though he was said to be unruly in his youth, he reformed and uncovered a demonic plot by the Gu Cult in Snow Moon City just a few months ago. He¡¯s also at the ninth stage of Qi Refining!¡±


    ¡°That Innate Divine Physique cultivator is already renowned in the Ancient Domain at the Qi Refining stage. He¡¯s a well-known genius in the capital. Defeating him in the assessment would mean far more than defeating someone like Fang Shilin,¡± Cao Ziwei said with a persuasive smile.


    At this, Lin Jing wore a strange expression.


    The first two indeed sounded impressive.


    Cultivation physiques were divided into attribute-based physiques and special physiques. For instance, Fire Spirit and Ice Spirit Physiques were attribute-based and enhanced corresponding techniques and spells. Special physiques like the Primordial Yang Body and Longevity Body were rarer and offered broader benefits.


    Tianji Pavilion evenpiled a Physique Rankings list, much like the Genius Rankings, cataloging a hundred physiques. Those on the list were often deemed ¡°divine physiques,¡± with a guaranteed path to forming a Golden Core and a high likelihood of reaching Nascent Soul or even Soul Transformation without major bottlenecks.


    The top ten physiques were called ¡°immortal physiques,¡± said to offer a chance at ascension to immortality.


    The Innate Divine Physique was undoubtedly powerful. Anyone with such a physique who cultivated Hidden Dragon techniques was bound to make waves. Compared to someone like Fang Shilin¡ªwho had reached Foundation Establishment without even an acquired spiritual body¡ªthe gap was immense.


    Lin Jing had initially taken this seriously, but when he heard about the Nascent Soul elder¡¯s grandson, he felt something was off.


    He wanted to ask, ¡°Is that Demon-ying Bureau genius named Gao Sheng?¡±


    Was that guy finally out of confinement? It seemed his family didn¡¯t want him causing more trouble and had sent him to the academy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll work hard during this period to prepare myself,¡± Lin Jing said.


    ¡°Senior, I was thinking¡­ perhaps I should rent a cave dwelling,¡± Lin Jing added. He realized that if he wanted to refine pills, staying in a wooden hut wouldn¡¯t cut it.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Cao Ziwei said with a smile. ¡°Resources are meant to be used. The rent for a cave dwelling is 10,000 spirit stones a year, but the benefits are worth it. Each dwelling is connected to the academy¡¯s spiritual veins. Cultivating there for a year is far more effective than using 10,000 spirit stones on regr cultivation.¡±@@novelbin@@


    Cao Ziwei¡¯s words made sense, but Lin Jing still felt a pinch in his heart. Thankfully, he¡¯d already decided to start a business.


    The auction for the Mechanical Bamboo Rifle was still some time away. Lotus Pavilion always advertised its auction items for at least half a month, giving sellers ample time to prepare spirit stones.


    ¡­


    The academy¡¯s back mountain was dotted with cave dwellings for students. Lin Jing rented a small hilltop dwelling, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t have to wander the city like a vagabond anymore.


    ¡°Time to bring the Dragon Carp back!¡± Now that Lin Jing had his own ce, he decided it was time to reim the Dragon Carp. After all, he couldn¡¯t keep troubling Senior Divine Pine to look after it forever.


    He quickly left the academy, calling out silently. Not long after, a Dragon Carp was tossed unceremoniously at his feet. The carp was bruised and battered, its body marked with blue and purple patches¡ªclearly, it had taken quite a beating. Fortunately, it seemed to have gained better control over its mes.


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive?¡± Lin Jing picked up the Dragon Carp and asked with concern.


    ¡°Blub¡­¡± The Dragon Carp responded weakly. Pain? It was used to it by now. From now on, no more randomly setting fires¡ªit wasn¡¯t worth getting beaten by that old pine tree again.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re alive,¡± Lin Jing said with relief. Then he addressed the ancient pine tree. ¡°Senior Divine Pine, I¡¯ve got a question.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the Pine Leaf Mouse, with its current strength, could defeat a same-level Divine Physique?¡±


    ¡°A Divine Physique?¡±


    Divine Pine chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve got some serious misconceptions about Divine Physiques, don¡¯t you? Even a demonic beast with the bloodline of a Demon King would only get shredded to pieces by a same-level Divine Physique. You¡¯d better go find a shady spot and cool off.¡±


    ¡°Not a single chance?¡± Lin Jing asked. His expression suddenly shifted into a ssic viinous smirk as he dragged a finger menacingly across his neck. ¡°I want to take him down¡ªno matter the means.¡±


    The demonic pine was amused by the disy. Seeing Lin Jing¡¯s "devil-may-care" attitude, it decided to share a dubious strategy. ¡°Let it eat the Void-Skipping Grass! Doesn¡¯t its innate Crimson Leaf have spatial properties?¡±


    Lin Jing was taken aback. ¡°But it¡¯s not ripe yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why it can eat it,¡± Divine Pine exined. ¡°A fully mature fifth-tier spatial spirit grass is so packed with nutrients it could make it explode. It would need to be at the Monster Core stage to barely digest it. If it eats it unripe, the nutrient content is much lower.¡±


    ¡°Eating it unripe won¡¯t poison it?¡± Lin Jing asked. Most spiritual nts contained toxins before maturity as a natural defense mechanism against being consumed prematurely.


    ¡°There¡¯s poison, of course,¡± the pine replied nonchntly. ¡°That¡¯s why it needs guts. Its spatial affinity might prevent it from dying, and if it survives, its mastery of spatial techniques will improve dramatically. With high-level spatial abilities during the Qi Refining Stage, it might not be much worse than a Divine Physique.¡±


    The pine¡¯s suggestion was clearly a path to ruin, and Lin Jing waved it off. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll stick to being a proper righteous cultivator. I haven¡¯t mastered Immortal Rebirth yet¡ªif I die, I can¡¯t resurrect.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Divine Pine retorted. ¡°Devil cultivators thrive on turning the impossible into the possible. Besides, that Pine Leaf Mouse of yours has already achieved minor sess with the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, and you have that golden spiritual rice to enhance its ability to digest nts. With my help, it won¡¯t die. The worst-case scenario is losing a single immature Void-Skipping Grass! So what if a peerless genius gets eaten by a beast? I haven¡¯t heard anyonein yet!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 11: Flying Leaf Spatial Technique!

    Vol 2 Chapter 11: Flying Leaf Spatial Technique!


    ¡°Genius of the same race, my foot!


    How could an unintelligent nt suddenly be a so-called genius?!¡±


    Lin Jing felt the Elder Shen Pine was acting odd¡ªalmost as if it was trying to lure him into bing a demonic cultivator.


    It seemed like one of those situations where someone who had already fallen into trouble wanted to drag others down with them.


    The Shen Pine scolded in frustration, ¡°I¡¯ve even agreed to help you, yet you don¡¯t seize the opportunity!


    ¡°Dawdling like this, once the hundred-year protection period passes, you won¡¯t even form a Core, and my first attempt at safeguarding cultivators will end in utter embarrassment!¡±


    Lin Jing took a deep breath and, after some serious thought, responded, ¡°Alright.


    ¡°Since Senior is so insistent, I¡¯ll trouble you to lend a hand!¡°It¡¯s fine if we lose a genius of the same race, but don¡¯t let anything happen to the Pine Leaf Mouse!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± The Shen Pine, now in its pinecone form, cracked open in satisfaction.


    Lin Jing convinced himself.


    A mature Fifth-Grade spatial spirit herb, while incredibly rare and potent, would likely take an eternity to fully utilize.


    It was better to use it now! Helping the Pine Leaf Mouse gain strongerbat capabilities earlier wasn¡¯t a bad strategy either.


    Who knows? If it managed to beat that so-called Divine Physique during the trial, it would gain immense fame.


    The Qianlong Mark might even advance to the next stage!


    A higher-tier Qianlong Mark could amplify their spell cultivation more rapidly, making their strength soar in the short term.


    With greater strength, they¡¯d be better equipped to seize other opportunities, and their power would snowball from there.


    On the other hand, if they hoarded resources but perished midway, they¡¯d only benefit others¡ªamon regret in the cultivation world.


    The greatest tragedy for cultivators was dying and leaving resources to their enemies.


    And if the worst-case scenario was losing a spirit herb they stumbled upon, it didn¡¯t seem too bad after all.


    ¡°Thank you, Senior,¡± Lin Jing sincerely expressed his gratitude for the Shen Pine¡¯s willingness to help.


    The Shen Pinemented, ¡°If only I were more familiar with your human demonic techniques, I¡¯d have already pushed you, with your Longevity Body, into cultivating something like a life-burning or lifespan-sacrificing demonic art. It would¡¯ve been so much faster than the Beast Taming Art!¡±


    ¡°The Beast Taming Art isn¡¯t that bad,¡± the Green Emperor coughed.


    ¡°Not great, either. Sure, it¡¯s a technique for the stable boys in the Celestial Pce, but at least it has some connection to the pce¡ªit¡¯s still better than the native techniques of Tianyuan¡¯s small continent,¡± the Shen Pine quipped.


    Wasting no time, the Pine Leaf Mouse was summoned by the Green Emperor.


    When it heard it couldn¡¯t dy eating the Spatial Evasion Grass any longer, it hesitated, showing great reluctance.


    After all, it had taken care of that herb for a long time and grown attached to it.


    ¡°¡­¡± The mouse had hoped to let the herb mature and propagate a whole batch of offspring before eating it. Eating it now would end that dream of a legacy.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve!¡± The Shen Pine scoffed. ¡°Even with my mastery of the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, I couldn¡¯t force the herb to reproduce, and you think you can? Dream on, little mouse!¡±


    Hearing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse sighed. Fine, it would eat the herb.@@novelbin@@


    It scurried back into the Suspended Gourd, pulled out the Spatial Evasion Grass¡ªshaped like a white bean sprout¡ªand held it carefully in its paws. Returning to the outside world, its green eyes turned toward Lin Jing and the pinecone, seeking instructions on how to consume it.


    The Shen Pine, scanning the herb and the mouse with its spiritual sense, instructed, ¡°Take out a hundred grains of golden spirit rice first. Eat ten, and set the remaining ny aside.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse froze.


    ¡°!!!¡± It was stunned. Eating ten grains of golden spirit rice was like courting death! It worried it¡¯d go so mad with hunger afterward that it might even try to eat the pinecone in front of it!


    ¡°Suppress the effects with the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art. Alternate between eating rice when full and digesting the herb when hungry. Repeat this cycle!¡±


    ¡°Just follow the instructions. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll intervene,¡± the Shen Pine reassured.


    The exnation was clear enough for the Pine Leaf Mouse to understand. Resigned, it could only trust that it would be rescued if needed. Its face disyed utter despair.


    ¡°What¡¯s the holdup? Not enough spirit rice? Then make more!¡± the Shen Pine barked impatiently, seeing the mouse hesitate.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the issue. The problem is that it doesn¡¯t want to part with so much spirit rice at once,¡± Lin Jing, understanding his beast better than anyone, exined.


    ¡°Eat it! Remember, a flower contains a world, and a leaf holds a universe. Who knows? After digesting the Spatial Evasion Grass, you might unlock an internal leaf-space!¡± Lin Jing encouraged.


    The mouse¡¯s eyes burned with determination, just like the nearby Dragon Carp recovering from injuries.


    Grinding its teeth, the Pine Leaf Mouse poured out its entire stockpile of golden spirit rice. The pile exceeded a thousand grains, leaving the Shen Pine bbergasted.


    ¡°Seriously? You¡¯ve hoarded this much spirit rice, and now you¡¯re whining about a hundred grains?!¡± the Shen Pine eximed in disbelief.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t bother to exin. It grabbed a handful of golden spirit rice with grim resolve and shoved it into its mouth.


    In an instant, its emerald eyes turned crimson, and its stomach rumbled like thunder, startling the Dragon Carp, which backed away in fear of bing the mouse¡¯s next meal.


    ¡°Let¡¯s tie you up, just in case.¡± After the mouse ate the rice, it immediately consumed the Spatial Evasion Grass. To prevent it from devouring anything¡ªor anyone¡ªelse, the Shen Pine restrained it with branches, leaving only enough freedom to reach the remaining rice.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing closed his eyes. Through their Bloodline Contract, he could vaguely sense the mouse¡¯s transformation¡ªa stark contrast to his earlier inability to connect with the Dragon Carp during its bloodline awakening.


    Entering a state of perception, Lin Jing¡¯s vision was overwhelmed by a cascade of silvery-white light. The mysterious silver energy seemed intent on breaking down the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s body.


    Inside, its golden-green True Energy acted as an unyielding barrier, resisting and absorbing the silver energy, gradually integrating it.


    Externally, the Pine Leaf Mouse began to glow. The golden-green light interwove with the silver brilliance, exuding an aura of otherworldly mystery. It seemed to hover between existence and non-existence.


    As the mouse entered this peculiar state, Lin Jing was drawn into it as well. Time flew by unnoticed, and the Shen Pine observed in mild astonishment.


    The Shen Pine turned to the Dragon Carp, the only other being still awake. ¡°This Beast Tamer and his Pine Leaf Mouse have exceptional spatial perception.


    ¡°If they ever ascend to the Spirit Transformation stage, this talent could prove invaluable.¡±


    The Dragon Carp, still resentful from its recent beatings, rolled over in silent protest.


    Time passed.


    On the seventh day, the mysterious silver energy no longer posed a threat to the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    By the tenth day, it had fully digested the Spatial Evasion Grass. Although its cultivation level hadn¡¯t significantly changed, its spatial perception had sharpened considerably.


    Maintaining this heightened perception, it instinctively took out a red leaf and held it close. Two dayster, the Pine Leaf Mouse finally opened its eyes.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Lin Jing, who had stayed by its side throughout, also opened his eyes. During these ten days, he felt he¡¯d undergone some changes, though he couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, clutching the red leaf, seemed dazed. It had consumed countless grains of spirit rice to suppress the herb¡¯s power and felt external assistance multiple times¡ªit must¡¯ve been the Shen Pine using the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art to help.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡± The mouse stared at the red leaf, feeling disappointed. It hadn¡¯t sensed any internal space opening up.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± the Shen Pine asked impatiently. ¡°What exactly do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Even though the Spatial Evasion Grass isn¡¯t something human cultivators can directly benefit from, you¡¯re a spatial-element spirit beast. With the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art aiding your digestion, you should¡¯ve gained something, right?¡± The Shen Pine studied the mouse intently.


    Hearing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse hesitated.


    ¡°Sigh¡­¡±


    It gently tossed the red leaf into the air, and in the next instant, its figure vanished.


    Reappearing beside the floating red leaf, it grabbed it and stood atop the heavens.


    ¡°Spatial teleportation? No, it¡¯s iplete¡ªa technique reliant on the spatial red leaf as a coordinate.¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 12: Plotting the Grand Venture

    Vol 2 Chapter 12: Plotting the Grand Venture


    ¡°Spatial teleportation technique?!¡±


    Lin Jing, watching from below alongside the Dragon Carp, widened his eyes in amazement. The Pine Leaf Mouse truly disappeared, only to reappear momentster.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Spatial teleportation,¡± the Shen Pine chuckled. ¡°It aligns perfectly with the properties of the Spatial Evasion Grass. It seems the little mouse digested it well!


    ¡°While it¡¯s not abat-oriented spatial spell, it¡¯s quite impressive. Keep in mind, spatial mastery typically begins at the Void Profound stage.


    ¡°At that level, cultivators truly gain control over spatial forces.


    ¡°For example, the academy jade slip you carried¡ªlikely crafted by the Void Profound stage headmaster of Qianlong Academy¡ªcan instantly connect you across domains from the Great Wastnd Domain to the academy for inter-domain teleportation.


    ¡°Simrly, therge teleportation arrays in ancient nations were all constructed by Void Profound or higher cultivators.¡°Oh, and the academy itself¡ªit may not seem vast, but in reality, it¡¯s enormous. It contains numerous ¡®pocket dimensions¡¯ created by Void Profound cultivators. They¡¯re simr to Cavern Heavens. You¡¯ll understand better during lectures, as teaching at the academy typically happens within these pocket dimensions rather than in the external world.


    ¡°Of course, the Void Profound stage¡¯s perfect mastery of spatial forces doesn¡¯t mean lower-level cultivators can¡¯t use them.


    ¡°However, unlike the miraculous abilities of Void Profound experts, low-level cultivators usually need external aids to use spatial spells.


    ¡°For instance, crafting storage bags and tools, setting up spatial formations, orying spatial seals requires ess to spatial resources.


    ¡°Your little mouse falls into this category. Using the spatial red leaf as an anchor, it achieved a form of spatial teleportation.¡±


    The Shen Pine sighed with a hint of pride. ¡°At the very least, it now has an excellent escape mechanism when facing opponents without spatial abilities!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    By now, the Pine Leaf Mouse had returned to the ground, letting out a small sigh. It still longed for the internal leaf-space Lin Jing had mentioned.


    ¡°Thank you, Senior Shen Pine.¡± Seeing the Pine Leaf Mouse unharmed and even gaining such a significant ability, Lin Jing was thoroughly satisfied.


    ¡°No need to thank me. I merely ensured it wasn¡¯t poisoned to death by a Fifth-Grade spirit herb. Its gains are due to its spatial talent¡ªor perhaps its sheer determination.¡± The Shen Pine chuckled. ¡°But this abilitycks direct offensive power inbat.


    ¡°If you want to defeat a Divine Physique of the same rank using this skill, you¡¯ll need to be creative!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Lin Jing mused. The value of the spatial teleportation techniquey in its unpredictability.


    ¡°Wait, it¡¯s already been over ten days. Do you think anyone in Qianlong City is still looking for you? Shouldn¡¯t you leave by now?¡± The Shen Pine dispelled the formation it had set up, signaling the end of its assistance.


    It needed rest¡ªit had just cared for the Dragon Carp and then the Pine Leaf Mouse. It wasn¡¯t Lin Jing¡¯s protector; it felt more like a glorified babysitter!


    ¡°Ten days¡­¡± Lin Jing froze. ¡°What? That long? Did the Mechanized Bamboo Rifle auction start without me?!¡±


    How could he have missed such an important event? Quickly, he stowed the Pine Leaf Mouse back into the Suspended Gourd, urging it to practice its teleportation technique while he dashed toward the academy¡¯s cave dwelling.


    ¡°I rented that ce with spirit stones. If no one¡¯s there, it¡¯s a waste!¡±


    After tossing the Dragon Carp at the cave¡¯s entrance to guard it, Lin Jing hurried to the Lotus Pavilion. Just as he stepped into the street, a figure intercepted him.


    ¡°Where have you been these past days, Lin Jing?¡±


    Xu Zhizhi had been waiting here for a long time and finally ran into Lin Jing.


    ¡°You missed the Mechanized Bamboo Rifle auction! Do you know how intense it was?¡± he said, looking regretful.


    ¡°Brother Xu!¡± Lin Jing sighed in relief upon seeing him. ¡°So, did everything go smoothly?¡±


    ¡°I was in seclusion, cultivating spells, and lost track of time. Can you fill me in on the details of the auction?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Xu Zhizhi smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the other items. Your Mechanized Bamboo Rifle? It was a madhouse!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lin Jing was surprised. While the rifle was innovative, it was still just a Qi Refinement weapon.


    How could it cause such a frenzy?


    ¡°At first, a few Qi Refinement cultivators bid for it.


    ¡°By the end, guess which two groups were fighting over it?¡± Xu Zhizhi¡¯s expression was amused.@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing shook his head, clueless.


    ¡°One was a cultivator from the Agricultural Bureau.


    ¡°The other? Someone from the Divine Mechanism Manor!¡±


    ¡°Unlike the others, I think they cared more about the materials of your rifle!


    ¡°Perhaps they mistook it for a mutated spirit nt and wanted to study it. After all, the Spirit Bean¡¯s power is quite remarkable.¡±


    ¡°And do you know the final price?¡±


    ¡°Three full bs of low-grade spirit stones!¡±


    ¡°???¡± Lin Jing was stunned. He couldn¡¯t believe it fetched such a high price.


    ¡°Was it the Agricultural Bureau or the Divine Mechanism Manor that won?¡± he asked instinctively.


    ¡°Neither,¡± Xu Zhizhi replied with a mysterious smile.


    Lin Jing: ???


    ¡°Then who?¡±


    Xu Zhizhi exined, ¡°Just as the bidding reached its peak, a young man dressed like someone from the Demon-ying Bureau raised the price so high that both sides backed down.¡±


    ¡°The Demon-ying Bureau?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he introduced himself as Gao Sheng. I looked into it¡ªhe¡¯s from a prominent demon-ying family. They¡¯re quite wealthy. I¡¯m not sure what he ns to do with your rifle. Maybe this is just what they call ¡®having money to burn.¡¯ Exciting, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Lin Jing, you struck gold this time! Don¡¯t forget to treat me to three meals at Xianke Lai! After all, I instructed the bidders to sing your praises during the auction.¡±


    Lin Jing fell silent. He had a bad feeling about this.


    When he finally reached the Lotus Auction House to collect his earnings, Gao Sheng was waiting for him.


    Apanying him was a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a wealthy appearance, who stood to the side with a ttering smile.


    ¡°Lin Jing, finally! I¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± Gao Sheng, dressed in the ck uniform of a demon-ying officer, greeted him with a heartyugh and brandished the Mechanized Bamboo Rifle.


    ¡°Look!¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you spend so much on that thing?¡± Lin Jing muttered, his lips twitching as he eyed the rifle.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s your creation. I couldn¡¯t stand seeing it go cheap! It¡¯s just pocket money, no big deal.¡± Gao Sheng waved dismissively. ¡°I wasn¡¯t too thrilled when the old man sent me to the academy, but meeting you made it worth it.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Lin Jing asked warily.


    ¡°To plot a grand venture together! That item is still with you, right?¡± Gao Sheng said cryptically. ¡°I¡¯ve got some promising opportunitiestely. Let¡¯s partner up! The extra spirit stones from the auction will be yourmission.¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s vision darkened. This guy was probably like the Cold Moon Sword Immortal¡ªsomeone who wanted to exploit him for personal gain.


    There was no way he¡¯d team up with this guy. At least with the Cold Moon Sword Immortal, he knew what he was getting into.


    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. He must know I have the Longevity Body and is eyeing me,¡± Lin Jing thought. Still, since Gao Sheng had given him so many spirit stones, he hesitated to outright refuse.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see¡­¡± Lin Jing replied evasively.


    He then turned to the wealthy-looking cultivator beside Gao Sheng. ¡°You must be the person in charge of the Lotus Auction House?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Zhang Duobao. I didn¡¯t realize Lin Jing and Young Master Gao were such good friends. Here¡¯s a Blue Lotus-level token from our pavilion. With it, you¡¯ll enjoy discounts at any of our establishments.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Lin Jing epted the token. ¡°Can I withdraw my auction earnings now?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zhang Duobao said with a smile.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to consign more Mechanized Bamboo Rifles for auction,¡± Lin Jing said.


    ¡°Absolutely. How many?¡± Zhang Duobao asked eagerly.


    ¡°Two hundred. But I¡¯d like 150 of them sent to other cities for auction,¡± Lin Jing replied with a grin.


    ¡°Two hundred?!¡± Zhang Duobao was stunned.


    Beside him, Gao Sheng also blinked in disbelief. ¡°Why not keep them? We could take them to the mountains, round up some monkeys, train them to use the rifles, and wipe out small Demonic Dao strongholds. You¡¯re a Beast Tamer, right? Imagine 200 rifles firing simultaneously¡ªunless it¡¯s a Core Formation expert, we¡¯d be unstoppable!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 13: You鈥檙e a Grown-Up Fish Now

    Vol 2 Chapter 13: You¡¯re a Grown-Up Fish Now


    Lin Jing had no intention of indulging Gao Sheng¡¯s antics. He needed to focus on making money!


    Although he shared a desire to eradicate the Yin Corpse Sect¡ªa demonic sect notorious for human trafficking¡ªnow wasn¡¯t the time.


    He feared that teaming up with Gao Sheng to fight demons would likely end with both of them being captured. Gao Sheng would probably be sent home safely while Lin Jing got left behind as a hostage.


    ...


    Given the overwhelming sess of the first Mechanized Bamboo Rifle auction¡ªpartially due to the extravagance of a wealthy bidder¡ªLin Jing decided to sell the rifles exclusively through auctions for now. Once the prices declined, he¡¯d flood the market with them at a lower price.


    After leaving the auction house, Gao Sheng continued following him until they stopped in a quiet corner.


    ¡°Brother Gao, are you nning to participate in the academy¡¯s assessment in four months?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Gao Sheng replied. ¡°My family¡¯s forcing me into it, though I really don¡¯t want to go.¡°I imagine I¡¯ll just learn the Hidden Dragon Arts and skip the lectures. I¡¯ve heard academy lectures canst ten days or more¡ªhow boring! I¡¯d much rather roam around solving cases; I think I have a knack for it.¡±


    He tapped his temple. ¡°Where Ie from, all my peers had innate spiritual bodies or unique constitutions. I was the only one with an ordinary body. That killed my interest in cultivation as a child. But when I grew up, I realized that when immortals close one door, they open another. My talent might lie here.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ll be serving as a proctor for one of the assessment stages,¡± Lin Jing said regretfully. ¡°I also need to enter seclusion for intense training, so I can¡¯t join you on your investigations.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gao Sheng looked disappointed. ¡°But the unsolved cases I¡¯ve secretly unsealed are fascinating!


    ¡°One involves the Gu God Sect!


    ¡°Another even ties back to the Heavenly Demon Sect, the former top demonic sect that¡¯s beenpletely destroyed!¡±


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re unavable, I suppose we can wait a few months and go together afterward.¡±


    ¡°Brother Gao, you¡¯d better prepare for the assessment,¡± Lin Jing advised. ¡°If you get eliminated¡­ I can¡¯t bend the rules with the academy overseers watching.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Gao Sheng nodded. ¡°Once I¡¯ve mastered the Hidden Dragon Arts, I¡¯ll invite you to tackle those cases with me. Solving them could make us famous across the ancient nations¡ªit¡¯s a win-win.¡±


    ¡°By the way, do you know who else will serve as proctors?¡±


    ¡°Is it just you, or are there others?¡±


    ¡°There are several others,¡± Lin Jing replied. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, candidates will choose one proctor to challenge and demonstrate their strength.¡±


    Gao Sheng looked at Lin Jing and smirked. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know you, I¡¯d definitely pick you.


    ¡°Beast Taming Sect cultivators usuallyck personalbat strength. Even with my minimal training, I think I could beat one.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re an exception, of course, considering you¡¯re hosting <em>that thing</em> inside you.¡±


    The Dragon Carp rolled its eyes. ¡°How would you even use it during the assessment?¡±


    The Ice Soul Gu was far from reliable; using it now would make the Dragon Carp hesitant to face the Genius Rankings.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Gao Sheng chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not like the candidates have any grudges with him.¡±


    ¡°Brother Lin, let me help you out. I¡¯ll find out which proctor is the strongest and let you know!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind! You¡¯re the epitome of integrity!¡± Lin Jing sped his hands in mock reverence. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk more after the assessment when we¡¯re ssmates? Good luck with your preparations, Brother Gao!¡±


    ¡°You passed the character test¡ªI knew you¡¯d be a good teammate!¡± Gao Shengughed, returning the gesture.


    ¡°By the way, where¡¯s your horse?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about my horse?¡± Gao Sheng asked suspiciously.@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing shrugged. ¡°No, just curious.¡±


    With the Dragon Carp, now blessed with Kirin bloodline potential, Lin Jing had no reason to covet a dragon-horned white horse. The carp¡¯s eventual transformation into a dragon was far more promising.


    What hecked, however, was rare beast blood for crafting Beast Blood Pills.


    ¡°Well, I should be off to buy a fish tank for my new pet carp,¡± Lin Jing said, bidding Gao Sheng farewell.


    Thanks to Gao Sheng¡¯s generosity, Lin Jing had made a fortune today. Coupled with the Pine Leaf Mouse mastering an advanced spatial technique, he felt it was time to celebrate.


    Since the Dragon Carp couldn¡¯t yet reside in the Beast Taming space, it remained outside. Lin Jing decided to buy it a fireproof fish tank.


    ...


    At the academy¡¯s back mountain, Lin Jing returned to his cave dwelling. Outside, he found the Dragon Carp basking in the sun, staring at the sky.


    Smiling, Lin Jing called out, ¡°Look what I¡¯ve got for you¡ªa gift!¡±


    ¡°A fish tank! And it¡¯s fireproof!¡±


    The Dragon Carp, overjoyed to see Lin Jing, was even more excited to hear about the gift.


    Although its childhood memories had been hazy, its bloodline awakening gradually brought them back. As a mutated fire carp rejected by its n, it felt incredibly fortunate to have found a Beast Tamer like Lin Jing.


    Until¡­


    The Dragon Carp stared dumbfounded at the cauldron in Lin Jing¡¯s hands, bristling with fury. Who called this a fish tank?!


    This was clearly a cauldron for refining pills! Was Lin Jing mocking its ignorance?


    Sure, it was fireproof, but that didn¡¯t make it any better!


    ¡°This is the Hundred Beast Cauldron, crafted frompanion beast ores of various demonic beasts. It¡¯s inscribed with multiple pill-refinement formations that greatly enhance the efficacy of materials with beast origins,¡± Lin Jing exined with a pained expression. ¡°It cost me 9,999 spirit stones.¡±


    It was the perfect cauldron for his current needs, given that almost all the materials for Beast Blood Pills came from demonic beasts.


    The cauldron was highly effective for refining beast-rted pills, and Lin Jing figured it could also be used to temper the Dragon Carp.


    After all, some mythical beings¡ªlike certain apes¡ªhad gained their abilities through being refined in cauldrons.


    ¡°Blub¡­¡± The Dragon Carp red at Lin Jing, its sharp instincts sensing that the cauldron was meant more for refining <em>it</em> than pills.


    ¡°You need this fireproof cauldron for your own good,¡± Lin Jing said earnestly. ¡°Too much firepower can be a bad thing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so focused on unlocking your potential that I overlooked whether you could handle the power we¡¯ve awakened.


    ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll live in this cauldron. I¡¯ll teach you pill refining to help you master your mes. The goal is for you to refine pills without my help!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a grown-up Fire Carp now¡ªit¡¯s time to learn how to control your own mes.¡±


    ¡°You remember how I refined the Replenishing Pills before, right? I¡¯ve prepared 1,000 sets of materials with the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s help. Start by refining 1,000 pills for me.¡±


    The Dragon Carp froze. Although the Shen Pine had tried to train it through sparring, Lin Jing¡¯s approach¡ªusing pill refinement¡ªseemed more humane, yet somehow even more devious.


    ¡°Blub blub!!¡± The carp protested, asking why Lin Jing wasn¡¯t refining pills himself after studying pill manuals for so long.


    ¡°The situation has changed. I won¡¯t have time to delve into pill refining for the next few months. After the academy assessment, I¡¯ll revisit it. For now, I¡¯m focusing on mechanized arts.¡±


    Lin Jing revealed two items: a palm-sized Mechanical Bamboo Turtle and the Ingenious Soul Core, a prize from Elder Yu during the Ascending Dragon Festival.


    He nned to spend theing months upgrading the turtle.


    Duringbat, he couldn¡¯t rely on the Dragon Carp¡ªit wasn¡¯t bound to him through a Bloodline Contract and was technically an independent entity. Using it in a duel would count as fighting two-on-one, which was generally prohibited in formalpetitions unless explicitly allowed.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, however, was a different story. Having a Bloodline Contract with Lin Jing, it was treated as an extension of him. Beast Taming Sect cultivators were unique in that their contracted beasts were recognized as part of their individual strength.


    The Mechanical Turtle was another option. Mechanized beasts were considered tools rather than living beings, so there were no restrictions on their use.


    To ensure he performed well as a proctor, Lin Jing decided to enhance the turtle. With the Ingenious Soul Core, the turtle could be directly controlled by his spiritual consciousness, making it more powerful and agile.


    Although Lin Jing¡¯s cultivation was low, his spiritual strength was unusually high due to being tempered by the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda and his experiences across two lifetimes.


    With further research into mechanized arts at the academy, he was confident he could upgrade the turtle to disy Foundation Establishment-levelbat power, even without the Pine Leaf Mouse.

 Book 2: Chapter 14: Handing Out Rifles

    Vol 2 Chapter 14: Handing Out Rifles


    ¡°Have you heard of Wang Xiao of the Wang family? He possesses the Heavenly God Physique, ranked 93rd on the Physique Rankings! The Heavenly God Physique allows one tomand the forces of the sun, moon, and stars, summoning storms and lightning as if a celestial being descended to earth¡ªunstoppable!¡±


    ¡°Who in the Ancient Domain hasn¡¯t heard of this Wang family prodigy? It¡¯s almost certain the Wang family will produce another Spirit Transformation expert in a few hundred years.¡±


    ¡°I heard Wang Xiao arrived in Qianlong City yesterday, traveling alone. He was seen roaming the mountains, roasting all kinds of Foundation Establishment demonic beasts!¡±


    Four monthster, Qianlong City was bustling with activity in every teahouse and restaurant.<hr>


    Time flew by, and Lin Jing had now spent four months in Qianlong City. During this time, he focused on training while relying on the auctions of his Mechanized Bamboo Rifles to maintain and spread his reputation.


    Fame, however, required time to settle. If he kept stirring things up too often, people might grow desensitized. A name heard too frequently risks bing mundane.


    Initially, his name only circted within Qianlong City. But as the Lotus Pavilion branches in other cities auctioned the Mechanized Bamboo Rifles and promoted them, Lin Jing began gaining recognition in other parts of the Ancient Domain.Cultivators in various regions were now aware of a talented disciple from the Beast Taming Sect, who had defeated numerous opponents in a Cavern Heaven and famously battled Foundation Establishment cultivators as a Qi Refinement stage disciple in Qianlong City. Combined with the buzz surrounding the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s sealed status, many were curious whether the sect could revive in a century.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing made steady progress with his Hidden Dragon Arts, advancing faster than most. His rtively low cultivation level meant that even while delving into mechanized arts and pill refinement, his consumption of Hidden Dragon Fortune remained modest.


    Four months of secluded cultivation created a delicate bnce in the umtion and expenditure of his Hidden Dragon Fortune. However, Lin Jing noticed his progress with the Hidden Dragon Arts had slowed recently.


    Qianlong City, a gathering ce for prodigies and major events, brimmed with fresh topics daily. As the academy¡¯s admissions neared, the names of talented individuals from various domains, sects, and ns spread across the city, overshadowing other news.


    At the same time, the academy opened its grounds to applicants and their apanying elders. Admission wasn¡¯t open to just any cultivator¡ªtypically, only young disciples personally rmended by Nascent Soul-level cultivators were eligible.


    Thus, the applicants were nearly all heirs of influential factions or true disciples of major sects.<hr>


    ¡°Time to replenish some Hidden Dragon Fortune,¡± Lin Jing muttered, looking at the fading blue Hidden Dragon Mark on his hand.@@novelbin@@


    The geniuses flocking to the academy would be the stepping stones for his next rise in fame. He had been preparing for this opportunity for months.


    Just as he nned his next move, a message rang out through a spatial transmission: ¡°Come to the Tranquil Spirit Court.¡±<hr>


    The Tranquil Spirit Court, a serene courtyard within the academy, was surrounded by wisps of immortal mist.


    Under the golden morning sunlight, a rough bamboo pavilion stood at the end of the stone path. Inside, an ancient tea set sat on a stone table, with its fragrance wafting through the air.


    Lin Jing arrived to find himself among familiar faces: Xu Zhizhi, the silent Young Hero Yuan Jing, and the alchemist Ziling¡¯er. They were all seated around the table.


    Upon Lin Jing¡¯s arrival, Xu Zhizhi greeted him with a smile, but Yuan Jing remained expressionless, and Ziling¡¯er pouted, still harboring grievances.


    When all four were present, Cao Ziwei stepped forward with a grin. ¡°Tomorrow is the academy¡¯s assessment. You four will serve as proctors, with the first test being abat evaluation.


    ¡°There are over a hundred candidates this year, all at the Qi Refinement stage. Yuan Jing, Ziling¡¯er, you¡¯re both early Foundation Establishment. Xu Zhizhi and Lin Jing... One of you is at Qi Refinement Stage 9, and... Lin Jing, you¡¯re still at Stage 7?¡±


    Cao Ziwei blinked in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve spent four months in a premium cave dwelling, and you haven¡¯t even advanced a single stage?¡±


    The others nced at Lin Jing, who coughed awkwardly. ¡°Soon! I have a feeling I¡¯ll reach Stage 8 within a month. These past months, I¡¯ve admittedly neglected my cultivation. And, as you know, Beast Taming Sect disciples tend to progress slower.¡±


    The truth was that Lin Jing¡¯s Pine Leaf Mouse, already at Stage 9, could no longer provide much feedback to boost his cultivation. Moreover, advancing during theter stages of Qi Refinement was significantly harder.


    Cao Ziwei sighed. ¡°No matter. Your pet at Stage 9 is good enough. The academy will provide you all with the best pills for recovery and healing during the tests.¡±


    ¡°The candidates will choose one of you to duel. I¡¯ll grade the results, so be prepared.¡±


    Turning to Yuan Jing and Ziling¡¯er, Cao Ziwei added, ¡°As Foundation Establishment cultivators, don¡¯t let yourselves be bested by lower-stage candidates. The academy won¡¯t mind, but it would hinder your progress in the Hidden Dragon Arts.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Yuan Jing and Ziling¡¯er replied in unison.


    ¡°Good. Be at Flying Dragon Mountain at sunrise tomorrow. I¡¯ll oversee the first assessment.¡± With that, Cao Ziwei disappeared, leaving the four proctors behind.<hr>


    The pavilion fell silent.


    Just as Yuan Jing was about to leave, Lin Jing spoke up. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the big day. I wish you all the best and have prepared some gifts. They might not be necessary for you, but an extra trump card never hurts.¡±


    He then ced three Mechanized Bamboo Rifles on the table.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯ve wanted to try one of these for ages!¡± Xu Zhizhi eximed, picking up a rifle and inspecting it. ¡°The auction prices were too steep, and I didn¡¯t want to ask you directly.


    ¡°Against regr candidates, a few shots should suffice to gauge their level! This handles much better than an ink brush¡ªit¡¯s refreshing!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not giving gifts¡ªyou¡¯re just trying to promote your inventions!¡± Ziling¡¯er scoffed, though she still picked up a rifle. ¡°It¡¯s not like I really want it, but since you insist, I¡¯ll take it.¡±


    Grinning, she added, ¡°Hey, Lin Jing, can I load it with poison pills or illusion powder and fire them alongside the beans for an explosive effect?¡±


    Xu Zhizhi blinked. ¡°Wait, you can do that?¡±


    ¡°You should test it,¡± Lin Jing replied, amused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need this. A sword is enough for me.¡± Yuan Jing hesitated briefly before grabbing a rifle. ¡°Though, for most Qi Refinement cultivators, it would be overkill for me to draw my sword.¡±


    Having been chased by the Pine Leaf Mouse wielding a rifle, Yuan Jing was curious to try it himself.


    Lin Jing had anticipated that few could resist the allure of a mechanized weapon.


    Watching everyone im a rifle, Xu Zhizhi chuckled. ¡°Brilliant! Using spells to defeat challengers might be effective, but it¡¯s dull and unlikely to generate much discussion.


    ¡°If we all use Mechanized Bamboo Rifles to beat weaker candidates, then switch to spells for stronger ones, it¡¯ll create quite the buzz. Lin Jing, you¡¯re a genius!¡±


    Unbeknownst to them, Cao Ziwei, still nearby, listened from behind a tree and fell deep into thought.

 Book 2: Chapter 15: Chaos in the Assessment

    Vol 2 Chapter 15: Chaos in the Assessment


    Tianyuan New Era, Year 12,345, Second Month, Second Day


    Under a clear blue sky, numerous young cultivators ascended Flying Dragon Mountain. They were the candidates for this year¡¯s academy assessment.


    Most climbed alone, while a few were apanied by elders from their families or sects, eager to witness the spectacle.


    At the mountain summit, a massive arena had been constructed. Standing at the center was Cao Ziwei, the presiding examiner and academy teacher, nked by four academy students:<ul><li>Lin Jing, dressed in white with a gourd at his waist.</li><li>Ziling¡¯er, wearing a fiery alchemist¡¯s robe that exuded a medicinal fragrance.</li><li>Yuan Jing, d in ck with a sword strapped to his back.</li><li>Xu Zhizhi, in a schrly green robe with an air of refinement.</li></ul>


    ¡°That¡¯s Cao Ziwei, the academy¡¯s teacher. They say he¡¯s at Nascent Soul perfection and a master of Qi Observation techniques!¡± an elder whispered to a youngerpanion.


    ¡°Once, during a family gathering, one of our juniors was hosting a talent selection. Cao Ziwei was invited to judge the candidates. With a single nce, he selected an ordinary physique over a special one, iming the former had ¡®wife-prospering fortune.¡¯ The junior followed his advice, and the two innate ordinary physiques ended up producing a child with the Innate Thunder Spirit Physique¡ªthe strongest innate physique!¡±


    ¡°After that, many noble families began paying a fortune to consult Cao Ziwei when choosing spouses for their daughters. If you¡¯re lucky enough to catch his eye and he says you bring wife-prospering fortune, you could join any prestigious family without issue!¡±¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± The younger cultivator¡¯s eyes sparkled as he gazed at Cao Ziwei. ¡°This fortune technique is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Are those four the academy students serving as proctors this time? Two at early Foundation Establishment, one at Qi Refinement Stage 9, and one at Stage 7?¡±


    Among the candidates, some scrutinized Lin Jing and the others carefully, weighing their options.


    ¡°Challenging the Foundation Establishment proctors will be tough to win, but even in defeat, a strong performance could score higher than beating that Qi Refinement Stage 7 proctor,¡± one young cultivator reasoned aloud.


    Hearing this, his elder smacked him and whispered sharply, ¡°What have I always taught you? Information is key! That Qi Refinement Stage 7 proctor is from the Beast Taming Sect. His strength lies in his contracted beasts. Just months ago, he defeated a Foundation Establishment cultivator with his current level of cultivation. His power is extraordinary!¡±


    ¡°Moreover, those other three? They were all defeated by him half a year ago¡ªthough back then, they were still in Qi Refinement.¡±


    ¡°Still, given the fame of that Beast Tamer in Qianlong City, beating him could earn you higher marks. Remember, the academy values reputation and fortune!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± The young cultivator was stunned. ¡°This is so deceptive! The academy¡¯s assessment is too treacherous!¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Challenge the Beast Tamer. Low cultivation, big reputation¡ªwho else could better showcase your talents and earn you top marks?¡±<hr>


    While most candidates analyzed their options, a few radiated absolute confidence. Among them stood Wang Xiao of the Wang family, possessing the Heavenly God Physique. His silver armor gleamed, and his aura was so imposing that other candidates instinctively avoided him.


    With arms crossed, Wang Xiao fixed his gaze on Cao Ziwei, waiting for the announcement. He didn¡¯t spare Lin Jing and the others a single nce.<hr>


    ¡°It¡¯s time!¡±


    Hovering in midair, Cao Ziwei addressed the crowd. ¡°I am Cao Ziwei, the chief examiner for this year¡¯s academy assessment. Wee to all candidates!


    ¡°Today¡¯s first test will evaluate your personal strength, the foundation of all cultivation.


    ¡°Each candidate may choose one of the seven academy proctors behind me to challenge. Scores will be based on your performance.¡±


    Cao Ziwei paused before adding, ¡°Let us proceed without dy. Who will challenge first?¡±


    A sturdy young man stepped forward, leaping onto the arena. ¡°I am Cao Qi, from Thunder Sound Valley in the Dao Domain.¡±


    Thunder Sound Valley was a minor sect known not for thunder techniques, but for body refinement through lightning tempering. Sparks of lightning danced across Cao Qi¡¯s skin as he moved.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°I choose him,¡± Cao Qi said, pointing to the slender Xu Zhizhi. ¡°I¡¯ve heard much of your reputation!¡±


    Xu Zhizhi ascended the tform gracefully. ¡°You are brave. I assume you know of my exploits in the Cavern Heaven, where I slew a fearsome Snow ins body cultivator with an innate Myriad Beast Physique.


    ¡°Are you challenging me to prove yourself superior to them?¡±


    As Xu Zhizhi shamelessly boasted, Ziling¡¯er and Yuan Jing twitched in exasperation. They both knew the truth: Lin Jing had done all the work, while Xu Zhizhi merelynded the finishing blow.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Cao Qi grinned, eager to prove himself.


    ¡°Begin!¡± Cao Ziwei dered.


    Cao Qi¡¯s body crackled with lightning as he vanished, charging at Xu Zhizhi with terrifying speed.


    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Xu Zhizhi had already drawn a Mechanized Bamboo Rifle. His keen eyes locked onto Cao Qi¡¯s movements, and he pulled the trigger.


    The rifle unleashed a barrage of spirit bean bullets, covering Cao Qi¡¯s trajectory and the surrounding area.


    Amid the thunderous noise and a burst of spirit bean bombs, the dust cleared to reveal Cao Qi lying unconscious on the ground. He barely understood what had happened.


    ¡°You¡¯re fast,¡± Xu Zhizhi remarked, ¡°but I¡¯ve had exceptional vision since childhood. Speed is meaningless to me.


    ¡°Your body isn¡¯t as strong as that Snow ins cultivator¡¯s. To avoid injuring you too severely, I defeated you with this rifle instead.¡± With a flick of his sleeve, Xu Zhizhi returned to his seat, reloading his rifle.


    Cao Ziwei nced at him in silence before calling, ¡°Next candidate!¡±


    Cao Qi was carried away. Besides his speed, his performance had been unremarkable.


    The remaining candidates stared at Xu Zhizhi¡¯s rifle in disbelief.


    ¡°I challenge Xu Zhizhi!¡±


    A young man in ck robes embroidered with golden tiger patterns stepped forward.


    ¡°Gao Sheng of the Demon-ying Gao family,¡± he introduced himself, causing a stir among the crowd.


    Xu Zhizhi smiled, ready for another duel, but froze when he saw Gao Sheng pull out a rifle identical to his.


    ¡°Haha! I have one too!¡± Gao Sheng eximed, to the shock of everyone present.


    Xu Zhizhi¡¯s vision darkened. This is bad.

 Book 2: Chapter 16: Firepower is King!

    Vol 2 Chapter 16: Firepower is King!


    <em>¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±</em>


    On the arena stage, Gao Sheng and Xu Zhizhi sprinted wildly along the edge of the tform, frantically pulling their triggers. Explosions reverberated continuously across the stage. Although it was supposed to be a duel between two Qi Refinement cultivators, the intensity felt more like a ¡°Sect War.¡±


    The candidates below the stage were utterly dumbfounded.


    Cao Ziwei took a deep breath, feeling a headacheing on. He had no choice but to force himself to find highlights in Gao Sheng¡¯s performance amid the gunfire to give him a score.


    ¡°That¡¯s a Mechanical Bamboo Rifle! It¡¯s been selling like crazy at the Lotus Auction House for the past few months. It¡¯s crafted using special materials by that Qi Refinement Stage 7 Beast Taming Cultivator over there,¡± someone exined, drawing a sharp breath.


    No wonder it¡¯s been such a hot item¡ªit really packs a terrifying punch!


    ¡°You¡­¡± Xu Zhizhi cursed furiously on the stage.


    Gao Sheng, though seemingly unreliable, had an undeniably prestigious background. With multiple top-tier spells at his disposal, the shockwaves of the explosions barely affected him as golden protective light shimmered around his body, shielding him from harm.In contrast, Xu Zhizhi struggled to cope. To make matters worse, after two rounds of exchange, Xu Zhizhi discovered his ammo supply was already running low! Gao Sheng, on the other hand, seemed to have an endless stockpile. This filthy rich guy¡ªhe had apparently bought 500 rounds beforehand!


    Before long, Xu Zhizhi was forced to admit defeat due to insufficient ammunition.


    ¡°Brother Lin, you¡¯ve ruined me! Why did you sell so many guns?!¡± Xu Zhizhi cried out in frustration.


    At the back, Lin Jing wore an innocent expression. Gao Sheng¡­ was stronger than he had imagined. Even without the Mechanical Bamboo Rifle, Xu Zhizhi would likely have lost anyway. Gao Shengpletely crushed him in spell strength and artifact quantity.


    ¡°Well fought.¡± Gao Sheng put away the rifle andughed heartily.


    ¡°Next!¡± Cao Ziwei said quickly.


    The next contestant was a woman in a fiery red dress, her figure both striking and alluring.


    ¡°Fire Domain, Burning Heaven Valley, Qian Zhuo. I want to challenge this examiner.¡±


    The woman in red clearly knew Ziling¡¯er quite well. She was well aware that disciples of the Dan Ding Sect weren¡¯t skilled inbat. Their only strengthy in fire control. However, as someone with the Innate Fire Spirit Body, she was highly resistant to mes. Even though this was a cross-tier challenge, she was confident she could perform exceptionally and secure a high score.


    Hearing this, Ziling¡¯er¡¯s face remained calm as she walked up. Yet, as the duel began under Cao Ziwei¡¯s announcement, Ziling¡¯er did something that left the crowd stunned¡ª


    She, too, pulled out a Mechanical Bamboo Rifle.


    ¡°What?! Another one of these?!¡± The woman in red was taken aback.


    Ziling¡¯er had already started firing, unleashing torrents of water into the air. The woman in red reacted quickly, retreating while conjuring mes from her lips, forming a fire wall to block the attack.


    <em>Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!</em>


    The fire wall swelled under the impact of the explosions. It threatened to break several times, but the explosive Spirit Beans failed to breach it entirely. Clearly, the woman in red had more skill than the previousbatants.


    ¡°This kind of trick won¡¯t work on me. I¡¯m not like that body cultivator from earlier,¡± the woman in red smirked confidently as she sessfully resisted. ¡°Sister, why don¡¯t you use the Dan Ding Sect¡¯s fire-control secret arts instead? Show me your true skills¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, her face turned purple. She copsed to one knee and then fell over with a thud.


    Ziling¡¯er gave her a calm look. ¡°I mixed Poison Gas Pills into the ammunition. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m an alchemist.¡±


    The Poison Gas Pills had been dispersed into powder by the exploding Spirit Bean Bombs, blending into the water mist. When triggered by the opponent¡¯s high-temperature fire technique, it took immediate effect.


    Ziling¡¯er retrieved her rifle, using only minimal ammunition and poison to defeat her opponent.


    ¡°What in the world is going on?!¡±


    The candidates werepletely bewildered. It was surprising enough that the new examiner also used a rifle. But to think she even modified it!


    All eyes turned to the creator of the Mechanical Bamboo Rifle, the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Pei Fang.


    Was this even a fair exam anymore? Was every fight destined to be a gunfight now? Did you even qualify to step onto the stage without a rifle?


    At that moment, another contestant stepped onto the tform. He was tall and exuded arrogance.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t even handle such simple mechanical creations, you might as well go home and cultivate.¡±


    ¡°I am Jiang Chuanhe from Dao Domain¡¯s Ten Thousand Arts City. I want to challenge the creator of the Mechanical Bamboo Rifle, Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect¡ªmore urately, I want to challenge his Pine Leaf Mouse, the one that defeated a Foundation Establishment cultivator while still at Qi Refinement!¡±


    It was clear that this contestant hade with ill intentions, aiming to use Lin Jing as a stepping stone to establish his reputation in Hidden Dragon City.


    Lin Jing walked out calmly, unbothered by Jiang Chuanhe¡¯s dismissal of the rifle.


    With a gentle smile, Lin Jing said, ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°But if you want to challenge my Pine Leaf Mouse, you¡¯ll first have to deal with this.¡±


    As he spoke, Lin Jing summoned a Mechanical Bamboo Rifle, holding it in one hand.


    Jiang Chuanhe raised an eyebrow.


    Before he could say anything, Lin Jing pulled out a second rifle, dual-wielding them.


    ¡°Do you think having two rifles¡ª¡± Jiang Chuanhe smirked. While the firepower of two rifles was indeed intimidating, he was far superior to those weaklings from before. He hadn¡¯t even finished speaking when his expression drastically changed.


    Lin Jing summoned a towering, two-meter-tall Mechanical Giant Turtle, standing on two legs!


    The giant turtle¡¯s entire body was constructed from intricate mechanicalponents and special Spirit Bamboo, its dark blue form exuding a chilling presence. Most strikingly, it had mounted turret-like cannons on each shoulder and was wielding Mechanical Bamboo Rifles in both hands.


    This was Lin Jing¡¯s newly upgraded Mechanical Bamboo Turtle, enhanced over the past few months!@@novelbin@@


    With the two rifles in Lin Jing¡¯s hands and the turtle¡¯s additional weaponry, there were now four rifles and two cannons in y.


    ¡°Wait, this turtle, you¡­ you¡ª¡± Jiang Chuanhe¡¯s face turned pale.


    Lin Jing¡¯s eyes glimmered as he connected with the turtle¡¯s Ingenious Soul Core, using his mind tomand the mechanical beast.


    ¡°Roar!!!¡± The turtle let out a ferocious roar, almost as if it were alive. Itsplex Spirit Gathering Formations activated under Lin Jing¡¯s control, achieving peak efficiency. Streams of terrifying water pressure gathered at the turtle¡¯s gun barrels and cannons, their spiritual radiance dazzling as theyunched devastating attacks toward Jiang Chuanhe from multiple directions!


    The strikes were nearly instantaneous!


    At the same time, Lin Jing grinned and pressed the triggers of his own reinforced rifles, enhanced with Spirit Gathering Formations.


    ¡°Profound Annihtion Finger!¡±


    Jiang Chuanhe¡¯s expression changed dramatically. Veins bulged on his arms as he unleashed powerful spirals of True Qi, forming an ethereal giant finger. The energy it emitted seemed far more sophisticated and destructive than that of a mere rifle.


    But¡­


    Even without using Spirit Bean Bombs, the high-pressure water cannons controlled by Lin Jing¡¯s turtle managed to counter the Profound Annihtion Finger, the two forces colliding fiercely in mid-air!


    When the Spirit Bean Bombs finally exploded, a devastating spiritual energy storm swept through, sting Jiang Chuanhe off the stage and leaving his vision spinning.


    The candidates watching were stunned. Even the prominent prodigies, like the Goddess of the Divine Talisman Sect and the Heavenly God Physique of the Wang n, frowned slightly.


    ¡°What¡­ what is this?!¡±


    Even Xu Zhizhi, Ziling¡¯er, and Yuan Jing stood agape. Wasn¡¯t this the tiny turtle from the Cavern Heaven? How had it turned into this monstrous war machine?!


    ¡°There¡¯s no opponent a single Mechanical Bamboo Rifle can¡¯t handle. If there is, use two. Or four¡­¡± Lin Jing said with a smile. ¡°Cultivation is a path where firepower reigns supreme. My friend, don¡¯t underestimate anything.¡±


    Special thanks to Chen Dong for the reward! You¡¯re the best! Orz!

 Book 2: Chapter 17: Upholding Justice

    Vol 2 Chapter 17: Upholding Justice


    Lin Jing had shown everyone the "correct" way to purchase Mechanical Bamboo Rifles¡ªone was merely the starting point; buying ny or a hundred was the true endgame!


    ¡°I told you, we should catch a mountain full of monkeys and equip each monkey monster with two rifles. That would be unstoppable!¡± Gao Sheng said, sticking to his wild idea.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with these examiners?!¡± Some of the candidates were starting to panic. What was supposed to be a test of their mastery of spells and techniques had been turned into a tant contest of resources!


    Each examiner wielded at least one Mechanical Bamboo Rifle, and Lin Jing himself carried five or six. Even the only sessful candidate so far had relied on a rifle to win. Were rifles now mandatory to even participate in the exam?


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    One elder noticed their brilliant disciple donningyers of equipment¡ªa protective treasure robe underneath, followed by beast armor, and even abat suit with a shield in hand.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Uncle, the examiners¡¯ firepower is just too overwhelming! If I¡¯m not prepared, I won¡¯t evenst a round on stage!¡± The candidate looked distressed.


    ¡°They¡¯re examiners; you¡¯re a candidate! The academy isn¡¯t testing your wealth; it¡¯s testing your mastery of spells and techniques. The weapons you¡¯re using aren¡¯t even ones you forged yourself, and your application of techniques is crude at best. Doing this will only cost you points! Just stick to the spells taught by the sect and figure out a way!¡±¡°But Gao Sheng used tons of magical artifacts!¡±


    ¡°His grandfather is a Nascent Soul Realm Venerable! What are <em>we</em> supposed to do?¡±


    The prodigy, who had cultivated for years and only just left the sect, suddenly realized how ruthless the world of cultivation could be. Doubts about life began to surface in their heart.


    At this point, ordinary candidates didn¡¯t even know which examiner to choose anymore. While it was true that the sword cultivator examiner was unlikely to use a rifle, his Foundation Establishment cultivation level was far more intimidating than any Mechanical Bamboo Rifle.


    Even Xu Zhizhi, who had lost his match earlier, was not truly weak. Everyone had seen it¡ªhe had simply lost to an opponent with far greater firepower and superior artifacts.


    ¡°Anyone else?¡±


    ¡°You,e challenge me.¡±


    Suddenly, two voices rang out at the same time.


    From the crowd, a man stepped forward. He was d in a flowing yellow robe embroidered with intricate talisman patterns, faintly glowing with spiritual light.


    Hearing the second voice, he turned toward a small, youthful figure in the crowd¡ªLin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect, who also bore the Heavenly God Physique.


    The two had indeed spoken at the same time.


    ¡°Let him go first,¡± Lin Jing said, nodding toward Chen Lingxi, the Holy Maiden of the Divine Talisman Sect, allowing her to take the challenge.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Chen Lingxi gave a slight smile, then turned her gaze to another examiner.


    ¡°That examiner¡ªI want to challenge him.¡±


    Her golden hair flowed like a waterfall, radiating a faint divine light. There was an air of transcendence about her, both mysterious and extraordinary.


    ¡°Please,¡± the examiner, Wang Xiao, epted the challenge graciously.


    ¡°Before we start, may I confirm something first? Sir, are you a Beast Taming Cultivator? Do you still intend to rely on those one-time-use resource items, like Spirit Bean Bombs, for the assessment?¡± Chen Lingxi asked, pointing out the disposable nature of Lin Jing¡¯s tactics.


    ¡°Miss, mechanized beasts are still beasts. These so-called ¡®one-time resources¡¯ are integral parts of mechanized beasts, created as tools forbat. Naturally, they are valid for use in battle,¡± Wang Xiao replied with a faint smile.


    ¡°In that case, I suppose I won¡¯t hold back. Since my mortal years, I¡¯ve focused on drawing and crafting talismans. All the talismans I created during my practice sessions have been stored in my bag, and their number has now exceeded 100,000. Surely, using them for this assessment is perfectly valid,¡± she replied with another smile.


    ¡°Chen Lingxi of the Divine Talisman Sect, at your service.¡±


    Her words caused an uproar among the crowd.


    ¡°100,000 talismans?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡±


    Several cultivators couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurdity of the situation, almost forgetting that the Holy Maiden of the Divine Talisman Sect was here!


    When it came to stockpiling disposable tools, talisman cultivators were undisputed champions in the cultivation world. Almost every talisman cultivator carried arge number of talismans with them for emergencies. Unlike others who had to purchase them at high prices, talisman cultivators could craft their own.


    While Lin Jing¡¯s Spirit Bean Bombs were indeed inexpensive, everyone present was confident that Chen Lingxi, with her innate Talisman Physique and the backing of the Divine Talisman Sect, could craft talismans at an even lower cost.


    The uing duel... was bound to be an extraordinary war of attrition.


    ¡°Hahaha, now this is getting interesting!¡± A cultivator couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°This is going to be justice served. Let¡¯s see her use Lin Jing¡¯s own tactics against him and teach these ¡®firepower-heavy¡¯ examiners a lesson!¡±


    ¡°Right! Let these examiners know that the candidates aren¡¯t pushovers either!¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Lin might have met his match!¡± Gao Sheng said with an amused expression, ready to enjoy the show.


    Lin Jing was momentarily stunned, but he respectfully replied, ¡°Please, go ahead.¡±


    Cao Ziwei, watching with a yful expression, also felt that Lin Jing was in trouble. As he announced the start of the match, an astonishing scene unfolded.


    One talisman¡­ two talismans¡­ three talismans¡­ Hundreds of talismans floated into the air behind Chen Lingxi, densely covering the sky.


    The ordinary candidates had never seen such a disy. Typically, they used talismans one at a time or at most a few together. But Chen Lingxi, with her Talisman Physique, controlled over a thousand talismans at once, instantly demonstrating the terrifying potential of her physique.


    ¡°This physique isn¡¯t even ranked among the top hundred divine physiques. How strong would those be?¡± Many candidates dared not even imagine.


    ¡°If the stockpiled talismans are sufficient, couldn¡¯t she rival even divine physiques?¡±


    Even Yuan Jing and Ziling¡¯er, both in the Foundation Establishment stage, wore serious expressions as they witnessed this scene.


    Wang Xiao, the Heavenly God Physique, took a deep breath, realizing just how troublesome Chen Lingxi could be.


    ¡°This woman is no joke. That examiner is doomed.¡±


    Even Wang Xiao felt a headache at the thought of the 100,000 talismans stored in Chen Lingxi¡¯s bag.


    ¡°Lightning Talisman!¡±


    Chen Lingxi¡¯s lips curled into a smile. Though it might seem wasteful, she knew that in Hidden Dragon City, one had to make an impression. If she wanted her name to spread, she had to stand out.


    Lin Jing¡¯s reputation as an unconventional examiner had already made waves. To surpass him, she had to be even more outrageous!


    Lightning filled the air as countless talismans activated. Thunderclouds gathered, unleashing a deluge of lightning bolts toward Lin Jing. The entire sky above the arena turned into a sea of golden lightning, enveloping everything.


    In terms of ¡°firepower,¡± it appeared even more terrifying than the Mechanical Bamboo Rifles.


    Lin Jing had just dered that firepower was king, but now his opponent''s firepower was clearly stronger.


    ¡°Indeed, never underestimate anyone,¡± Lin Jing muttered.


    Instead of meeting the attack head-on, he chose a different approach. Knowing that the Mechanical Bamboo Turtle alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to defeat Chen Lingxi, he summoned a small Pine Leaf Mouse, which was holding a piece of wood in its paws.


    In the next moment, the mouse used the wood to rapidly construct an enormous wooden fortress, encasing Lin Jing and the Mechanical Bamboo Turtle within. The sky-splitting lightning fell upon the fortress but left no trace.


    Then, holes appeared across the fortress walls, and from each hole, gun barrels emerged.

 Book 2: Chapter 18: Shock! The Truth Is Actually...

    Vol 2 Chapter 18: Shock! The Truth Is Actually...


    <em>¡°Huh?¡±</em>


    Chen Lingxi simultaneously activated countless Lightning Talisman attacks, unleashing a thunderous mightparable to a Foundation Establishment lightning cultivator. The crowd of examinees gasped in astonishment. Everyone had assumed Lin Jing was doomed, but unexpectedly, the beast Lin Jing summoned managed to construct a defensive fortress in the blink of an eye.


    If it were just that, people might have simply thought that Lin Jing''s beast had mastered powerful wood techniques, capable of quickly creating defensive formations. After all, there were precedents of the Pine Leaf Mouse oveing Foundation Establishment wood cultivators despite its lower level. However, to block such an overwhelming lightning onughtpletely, without even a scratch? That defense was too terrifying!


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    Even Wang Xiao, a cultivator with the Heavenly God Physique, looked perplexed. The power of these lightning strikes¡ªamplified by countless Lightning Talismans¡ªalready surpassed the lightning he could summon with his physique. Yet these wooden structures had blocked it with ease?


    ¡°It¡¯s a seal!¡± Some higher-level cultivators among the examinees furrowed their brows, noticing something others missed.


    Inside the fortress, divine patterns shimmered faintly. It wasn¡¯t merely the wooden fortress resisting the lightning; the structures were engraved with seals that significantly enhanced their defensive power!


    ¡°This squirrel actually sealed itself and its beast tamer inside this strange structure!¡±For beast tamers at the Qi Refining Stage, their greatest vulnerability was themselves. Lin Jing had clearly worried about being targeted and decapitated, so he devised this strategy centered around the ¡°Sacred Wood Seal.¡± Before the battle, he stockpiled materials for the seal, and during the fight, the Pine Leaf Mouse sealed him inside this fortress. As a result, as long as the enemy couldn¡¯t break the seal, they had no way to harm him.


    Who says seals are only for trapping enemies?


    The Sacred Wood Seal, a powerful sealing technique previously used by Elder Magic Pine to seal the Ice Soul Gu, had now proven its might. The storm of Lightning Talismans left no mark on the fortress. Grinning, Lin Jing ordered the Pine Leaf Mouse to open a few small openings in the structure. From inside, they extended bamboo rifles and began firing wildly.


    ¡°This is what modern cultivation duels should look like!¡±


    <em>Boom! Boom! Boom!</em>


    Chen Lingxi, her chest tightening from the constant barrage, elegantly flicked her slender fingers to draw an intricate talisman filled with peculiar energy.


    ¡°Divine Light Talisman!¡±


    A radiant silver talisman hovered in midair, transforming into a wall of divine light that blocked Lin Jing and his allies¡¯ attacks.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Chen Lingxi cursed, frustrated that Lin Jing had managed to defend against her onught. She promptly summoned hundreds of Fire Talismans and activated them all at once. A fiery sea descended, yet the Sacred Wood Fortress remained unscathed.


    As the fortress¡¯ openings closed and reopened, Lin Jing unleashed another barrage of mechanized techniques, stunning the spectators.


    ¡°Cultivator duels can be fought like this?¡±


    Before long, the duel devolved into a full-scale firefight. It was reminiscent of the sh between Gao Sheng and Xu Zhizhi, but this time the intensity was on a whole new level. Many examinees gazing at the spectacle on the stage doubted whether even an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator could survive the crossfire.


    ¡°Ha!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse, Lin Jing, and the Mechanical Bamboo Turtle all held dual guns, firing relentlessly from within the fortress.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse nced at the female cultivator across the field, clearly impressed by herrge stockpile of talismans.


    ¡°Ha-ha!!¡± It jeered while shooting, even mockingly suggesting Lin Jing take notes from her about amassing talismans.


    Lin Jing shot back, ¡°You already have alchemy to learn, so when do you have time to study talisman crafting? If she annoys you, think about capturing her and making her your personal servant!¡±


    As another wave of attacks came their way, the Pine Leaf Mouse quickly closed a nearby opening. Lin Jing leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath.


    ¡°That guy may not be weak, but I prepared well and have the upper hand. Today, they¡¯ll lose to someone of the same level.¡±


    ¡°This approach works, but her defensive talismans are enough to withstand our attacks. If you¡¯re worried about wasting talisman paper, I¡¯m worried about wasting Spirit Beans.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded, clearly distressed. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a duel; it¡¯s a Spirit Stone-burning contest!¡±


    ¡°Use Flying Leaf Strike to knock her storage bag open and scatter her talismans everywhere!¡± Lin Jingmanded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that while she can control many talismans at once, they¡¯re all of the same type. This means her current ability allows her to manage arge number of identical talismans, but it¡¯s hard for her to activate a wide variety simultaneously.¡±


    ¡°If we disrupt her stockpile, she won¡¯t be able to cast effectively!¡±


    Just as the Pine Leaf Mouse was about to act...


    ¡°Forget it!¡± Lin Jing decided it was too early to reveal the Space Flying Leaf technique. After a moment¡¯s thought, he decided to mimic Ziling¡¯er¡¯s approach and loaded his magazine with arge number of Bewitching Pills, gambling on their effectiveness.


    Soon, amidst the firefight, a strange, mind-disturbing fragrance filled the air on the stage.


    Chen Lingxi was already expending significant energy controlling arge number of talismans while also having to draw new ones to defend against Spirit Bean Bombs. She paid no attention to guarding herself against the intoxicating mist wafting in the air.


    ¡°When is this going to end?¡±


    ¡°This is insane! Even sect battles aren¡¯t this intense!¡±


    The other examinees were in awe. They were all Qi Refining cultivators, yet how could these two be so terrifying?


    Eventually, the effects of the Bewitching Mist began to take hold. Chen Lingxi¡¯s vision blurred momentarily, and in that critical moment, she misdrew a defensive talisman, leaving a gap in her defenses.


    ¡°Poison!¡± She realized immediately, but it was toote.


    ¡°Apologies,¡± Lin Jing thought to himself, ¡°but in addition to being a Mechanized Beast Tamer, I¡¯m also an alchemist!¡±


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The shockwave from the Spirit Bean Bombs knocked Chen Lingxi off the stage.


    The thrilling battle of offense and defense finally came to a close in front of the stunned audience.


    ¡°The Divine Talisman Sect¡¯s saintess actually lost¡­¡±


    As the dust settled, the fortified war bunker on the stage disappeared. Lin Jing, the Mechanical Bamboo Turtle, and the Pine Leaf Mouse standing proudly on the turtle¡¯s head looked regretfully toward Chen Lingxi, who had been sted off the stage.


    ¡°You¡¯re strong,¡± Lin Jing remarked. ¡°But unfortunately, yourbat strategy is neither reproducible norplete.¡±


    In other words, it wasn¡¯t as effective as mechanized bamboo riflesbined with a defensive structure.


    With proper defensive architecture, the setup could even serve as a sect-protecting formation for small viges, capable of resisting beast hordes!


    Below the stage, Chen Lingxi, still dazed and frustrated, couldn¡¯t help but cough up blood. Never in her life had she been so humiliated in a duel.


    Lin Jing. She¡¯d remember this name.


    At that moment, not only the other examinees but also their elders and the chief examiner, Cao Ziwei, sighed audibly. This was the first time anyone had seen a cultivator fight with such an unconventional style.


    Most astonishing of all¡­ this guy was a Beast Tamer!?


    Lin Jing, smiling after his victory, turned his gaze toward another examinee. ¡°You were nning to take the test too, weren¡¯t you? You cane up now,¡± he said, addressing Wang Xiao, the Heavenly God Physique cultivator. Lin Jing had deliberately avoided using his spatial technique, saving it as a surprise for this opponent.


    Wang Xiao snorted coldly and replied, ¡°Step down. I won¡¯t challenge you. Let the sword cultivator examiner take my test instead.¡±


    Lin Jing: ¡°???¡±


    Wait, I prepared for you for four months! The Pine Leaf Mouse even trained relentlessly on spatial techniques! And now you¡¯re telling me you won¡¯t challenge me?@@novelbin@@


    What was the point of our four months of hard work?


    Understood.


    Lin Jing wasn¡¯t one to let himself be shortchanged. An idea instantly formed in his mind¡ªa newsworthy story headline:


    ¡°Shocking! Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Lin Jing Is So Strong That the Wang Family¡¯s Heavenly Physique Prodigy Refuses to Challenge Him!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 19: Dragon and Phoenix

    Vol 2 Chapter 19: Dragon and Phoenix


    It wasn¡¯t that Wang Xiao was afraid of Lin Jing.


    Though Lin Jing had made quite a name for himself, Wang Xiao dismissed Beast Tamers as practitioners of minor, unorthodox paths. Beast Taming Sect? He¡¯d never even heard of it.


    By contrast, the Heavenly Sword Gate was on apletely different level. As the foremost sword sect in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, its reputation had long been illustrious.


    With his lineage from a prominent cultivation n and his innate Heavenly God Physique, Wang Xiao didn¡¯t see defeating a Beast Taming Sect Qi Refinement cultivator as particrly honorable¡ªeven if Lin Jing had disyed extraordinary ability.


    To him, Yuan Jing from the Heavenly Sword Gate was the most worthy opponent.


    ¡°Finally, my turn?¡± Yuan Jing, brimming with excitement after watching several duels, was practically itching to take the stage.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Go on, then,¡± he said confidently, not even waiting for Lin Jing to reply before flying onto the stage on his sword, motioning for Lin Jing to step down.


    ¡°...¡± Lin Jing fell silent, exhaling a long, mncholic sigh after a moment.Since the so-called ¡°Heavenly Physique¡± cultivator was so indifferent, he couldn¡¯t be med for being unkind in return. After the examination, the rumors about this incident in the cultivation world would be beyond his control.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Jing called out to the Pine Leaf Mouse, stepping down from the stage. The Pine Leaf Mouse hesitated for a moment before quickly climbing onto Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder.


    In no time, only Yuan Jing, standing aloft on his sword, and Wang Xiao, d in silver armor, remained on the stage.


    ¡°Draw your sword!¡± Wang Xiao demanded.


    Yuan Jing, a sword cultivator who had refined the Acquired Sword Physique, prepared for battle. Just as the crowd anticipated a ssic, traditional duel, something entirely unexpected happened.


    As the chief examiner, Cao Ziwei, announced the start of the match, Yuan Jing, to everyone¡¯s bewilderment, pulled out a bamboo rifle instead of his sword. With a swish, he ascended into the sky, flying on his sword while aiming the bamboo rifle at Wang Xiao and pulling the trigger!


    This scene left the audiencepletely dumbfounded.


    ¡°What kind of joke is this!?¡±


    Wang Xiao, wielder of the Heavenly God Physique, was enraged. Seeing Yuan Jing, an honest-to-goodness sword cultivator, stoop to such ¡°gimmicks¡± made his blood boil.


    Was this supposed to be fun?!


    ¡°Wind, rise!¡± he roared.


    In an instant, the skies churned as winds gathered, and divine light shimmered faintly around Wang Xiao¡¯s body, as though he were channeling the power of heaven and earth. The arena was soon engulfed in fierce gusts of wind, with a silver hurricane spiraling forth as he raised his arm.


    <em>Boom! Boom! BOOM!</em>


    The winds picked up streams of water, igniting the Spirit Beans within.


    As countless Spirit Beans exploded beyond the hurricane¡¯s reach, the sky turned dark with looming clouds.


    ¡°Lightning, descend!¡±


    At Wang Xiao¡¯smand, the ckened sky unleashed streaks of white lightning, striking directly at Yuan Jing mid-flight.


    Unfazed, Yuan Jing calmly encased himself in a protective aura of sword energy. As the lightning descended, it was instantly dispersed by the sword energy surrounding him.


    ¡°Starry sh!¡±


    While summoning wind and lightning, Wang Xiao soared upward, wielding a battle de forged from meteorite iron. Infused with starlight, he rode the winds to cleave at Yuan Jing.


    ¡°Careful! I¡¯m going to draw my sword now!¡± Yuan Jing dered once again.


    Just as Wang Xiao was about to retort with, ¡°Draw your sword, my foot,¡± the mechanized bamboo rifle in Yuan Jing¡¯s hands fired a barrage of blue streams resembling flying swords!


    It turned out Yuan Jing had modified his mechanized bamboo rifle.


    The water streams emanated intense sword energy!


    ¡°Sword Intent? He¡¯s actually infused Sword Intent into the water streams!¡±


    The water, imbued with the power of Sword Intent and apanied by explosive Spirit Beans, tore through the hurricane in an instant, forcing Wang Xiao to redirect his sh toward the iing ¡°sword marbles.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡± Ziling¡¯er eximed in surprise. ¡°It can be used like that? Looks like the only idiot who couldn¡¯t modify the bamboo rifle was that useless Xu Zhizhi!¡±


    Beside her, Xu Zhizhi: ¡°???¡±


    ¡°How was I supposed to know you all would pull so many tricks!¡± he fumed, feeling thoroughly humiliated.


    Lin Jing, watching from the sidelines, also looked surprised. Yuan Jing¡¯s strength had grown immeasurably after refining his Sword Physique during his Foundation Establishment stage. Compared to their previous encounter in Bodhi Heaven, Yuan Jing was now on an entirely different level. Lin Jing had to admit that even if he and the Pine Leaf Mouse teamed up again, they¡¯d probably lose to him.


    ¡°Look! The Heavenly God Physique is at it again¡ªhe¡¯s summoned some kind of heavenly crater!¡±


    As the ¡°sword marbles¡± shed with Wang Xiao¡¯s Starry sh, creating a violent explosion, an unexpected phenomenon urred.


    With a deafening boom, the sky suddenly ripped open, revealing a massive crater emitting both red and blue light.


    ¡°What kind of divine power is this?¡±


    At first, everyone assumed it was some new ability rted to the Heavenly God Physique, but in the next moment, beams of radiant light descended from the crater, one of which struck Wang Xiao directly.


    ¡°Wait, what is that?!¡±


    Lin Jing, watching the spectacle from below, felt his heart race as an unsettling realization hit him.


    The light from the crater didn¡¯t just envelop Wang Xiao¡ªit also covered Chen Lingxi of the Divine Talisman Sect, who was in the process of consuming pills to recover her True Energy and heal her injuries. Suddenly, she too was bathed in a pir of light.


    Seeing this, most cultivators finally understood what was happening.


    ¡°Cavern Heaven!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a Cavern Heaven descending!¡±


    ¡°Wang Xiao, the Heavenly God Physique of the Wang n, and Chen Lingxi of the Divine Talisman Sect have been chosen by a Cavern Heaven!¡±


    This unexpected development left many cultivators stunned. Without hesitation, they began forcibly kicking their own geniuses toward the descending pirs of light!


    ¡°Get in there, now!¡±


    Even Elder Li from the Beast Taming Sect was aware of the Cavern Heaven¡¯s entry loopholes, and naturally, most of the cultivators present knew about it too.


    Before a Cavern Heaven fully materialized, cultivators of the same realm as those originally chosen could sneak in through the iplete formations and try their luck at obtaining the opportunities inside.


    ¡°Pine Leaf Mouse, let¡¯s go!!!¡±


    Lin Jing immediately recalled the Pine Leaf Mouse and leaped toward the Cavern Heaven. Since Wang Xiao and Chen Lingxi were both at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement, the Cavern Heaven they triggered theoretically allowed all Qi Refinement cultivators to enter!


    Seeing this, Xu Zhizhi and Gao Sheng hesitated for a moment before swiftly following suit.


    ¡°Opportunities!¡±


    In just a few moments, over a hundred Qi Refinement-level examinees on-site all took advantage of the Cavern Heaven¡¯s iplete formation and rushed inside, hitching a ride on Wang Xiao and Chen Lingxi¡¯s fortuitous encounter.


    What was supposed to be a standard examination turned into a mass exodus. The examinees disappeared. Two examiners were also gone.


    The autumn wind swept through the now-empty stage. Yuan Jing, who was still hovering on his sword, stared nkly at the deste arena, lost in thought.


    ¡°Why did I rush to Foundation Establishment? Why!¡± Ziling¡¯er, too, stood dumbfounded, staring at the pir of light with a face full of regret.


    If she had waited just one more month to break through to Foundation Establishment, she would¡¯ve been able to enter the Cavern Heaven again!


    The fame brought by breaking into Foundation Establishment was nothingpared to the fortune and opportunities a single entry into a Cavern Heaven could provide!


    High above, Cao Ziwei stroked his chin, clearly surprised. ¡°The timing of this Cavern Heaven¡¯s descent is rather... convenient. So many prodigies managed to sneak in at once!¡±


    The academy specifically sought out geniuses who had entered Cavern Heavens before because such individuals were more likely to trigger a second Cavern Heaven. If the Cavern Heavens repeatedly appeared within Hidden Dragon Academy¡¯s grounds, more prodigies of the same realm would have opportunities to enter and im their own fortunes.


    However, even within the academy, such a spectacr scene¡ªso many prodigies entering a Cavern Heaven simultaneously¡ªwas a rarity.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen!¡±


    Cao Ziwei turned to address the many sect elders gathered below the stage. ¡°Judging by the color of the Cavern Heaven¡¯s light, it should be the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven. This is an incredible opportunity for every examinee who entered. I, Cao Ziwei, will guard the Cavern Heaven¡¯s entrance until it ends. Those of you who wish to wait here are wee to do so. If not, you may return to the academy, and the examination will resume once all the examinees have returned.¡±


    Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven...


    As Cao Ziwei finished speaking, the gathered cultivators couldn¡¯t help but grow anxious. Just moments ago, they had hurriedly thrown their juniors into the Cavern Heaven, desperate to avoid missing out on the opportunity.


    But now, upon hearing the type of Cavern Heaven it was, unease swept through them.


    The Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven was exceptionally unique. While everyone who entered was guaranteed a chance at fortune, it was also unimaginably perilous.


    ¡°Oh no! It¡¯s the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven! Did I just send my child to their death with my own foot?!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 20: Breaking Limits

    Vol 2 Chapter 20: Breaking Limits


    ¡°Mr. Cao, may I ask, is the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven the one where people don¡¯t feel like eating for years after entering?¡± a bald monk asked, his face filled with horror.


    Terrified, he eximed, ¡°I saw the other cultivators throwing their juniors into the Cavern Heaven, so in a moment of panic, I kicked my son in too... But I didn¡¯t realize it was <em>that</em> Cavern Heaven!¡±


    Cao Ziwei nodded. ¡°The Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven is indeed one of the ¡®Ten Great Cavern Heavens of the Immortal Pce,¡¯ categorized under the thirty-six Lesser Cavern Heavens.¡±


    ¡°This particr Cavern Heaven doesn¡¯t involvepetition among those who enter. Instead, they are transported to different spaces, with no interference from others. Everyone who enters has the opportunity to gain fortuitous encounters. However, how much they gain¡ªand whether they can return safely¡ªdepends entirely on their own abilities.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that in the Immortal Pce, one of the delicacies served at the immortals¡¯ banquets is called <em>Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow</em>, a dish made from pure-blooded dragons and phoenixes. It is extraordinarily nourishing, delicious, and enhances cultivation without any side effects. This Cavern Heaven derives its name from that dish.¡±


    ¡°This, my friend,¡± Cao Ziwei continued, ¡°is indeed the Cavern Heaven where one might not feel like eating mundane food for years after entering.¡±


    ¡°Within the Cavern Heaven, there are projections of dragon-blooded and phoenix-blooded demonic beasts, whose strength matches that of the cultivator who encounters them. Each one in significantly enhances the cultivator¡¯s power, as though they¡¯ve tasted the celestial delicacy of Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow. The effect is so potent that mundane food bes unappealing for a long time afterward.¡±


    The bald monk clutched his head and cried out, ¡°It¡¯s over!¡±¡°Dao Fa?¡± Cao Ziwei said calmly. ¡°At this very moment, they¡¯ve likely entered their respective spaces. If they¡¯re strong enough, they¡¯ll hunt the dragons and phoenixes for their fortuitous encounters. If not, hiding should keep them rtively safe. The projections of dragon-blooded and phoenix-blooded beasts are powerful but not unavoidable death traps.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that my son isn¡¯t strong!¡± the monk shouted in despair. ¡°It¡¯s that our sect¡¯s rules have forced him to eat a vegetarian diet since he was a child. Now, if he even tastes a bit of meat, he gets food poisoning! The vor of Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow might outright kill him! He knows nothing about the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven¡¯s effects and will definitely fall for it!¡±


    The crowd: ¡°???¡±


    This monk... You¡¯ve taken a wife and had a son, yet you still follow your sect¡¯s rules so rigidly that you don¡¯t let your kid eat meat?


    ¡°Hunting dragon and phoenix projections grants power... All the entrants are at the ninth stage of Qi Refinement. If they seed, won¡¯t they quickly reach Foundation Establishment?¡± an elderly cultivator mused, stroking his beard. ¡°And with the opportunities in this Cavern Heaven, their foundations will likely be far more solid than with conventional methods.¡±


    Cao Ziwei shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven¡¯s feedback cannot directly help cultivators break through to the next major stage. However, ording to historical records, those at the peak of Qi Refinement who manage to y the dragon or phoenix projections can refine and purify their True Energy, potentially breaking through the current limits of the realm to reach the tenth stage of Qi Refinement!¡±


    ¡°Regardless of the oue, the examinees who entered stand to gain tremendous benefits.¡±


    ¡°When True Energy is pure enough,pressing it to form True Essence and stepping into Foundation Establishment bes significantly easier. Regardless of the chosen method for establishing their foundation, their sess rate will increase dramatically.¡±


    ¡°And if they surpass the realm¡¯s natural limits to achieve the tenth stage of Qi Refinement... Well, that is a feat of unimaginable glory. The Immortal Pce established many extreme boundary rules, including limiting Qi Refinement to nine stages. Those who break this limit to cultivate to a tenth stage are acknowledged as prodigies by the Immortal Pce itself. Throughout history, such cultivators have been exceedingly rare.¡±


    Hearing this, many cultivators revealed looks of astonishment. This Cavern Heaven could actually help cultivators surpass the limits of their realm?


    Many immediately regretted not being at the Qi Refinement stage themselves¡ªotherwise, they would¡¯ve jumped in with the others!


    ¡°What kind of Cavern Heaven is this?¡±


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, riding the opportunity created by Wang Xiao, had already entered the Cavern Heaven.


    ¡°Whatever kind of Cavern Heaven it is, we owe our thanks to Wang Xiao. Sure, he picked a fight with me and gave me trouble, but moving forward, he¡¯s no longer my bad brother¡ªhe¡¯s my lucky brother. What do you think?¡± Lin Jing summoned the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°Squeak!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse nodded indifferently. It had its own concerns¡ªit still wanted to face off against the male talisman cultivator from earlier. After all, looting a few more of his talismans for its own storage bag was a tempting idea.


    Suddenly, Lin Jing looked around. Thanks to his prior experience with the Bodhi Cavern Heaven, he quickly activated his senses to survey their surroundings. They were enveloped in ayer of mysterious mist, thin as gauze, which made it impossible to discern their exact location.


    Just as he was pondering where they might be, a sharp and melodious phoenix cry shattered the silence, echoing through the forest. Momentster, a deep, majestic dragon¡¯s roar responded from the depths of the woods, the two calls resonating with each other.


    Hearing the simultaneous cries of dragon and phoenix, Lin Jing immediately eximed, ¡°Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven?!¡±@@novelbin@@


    The countless legends about this Cavern Heaven surfaced in his mind. ¡°Heavens are truly helping me! I¡¯ve been stuck at the seventh stage of Qi Refinement for so long¡ªlooks like I¡¯ll finally break through now.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding air began to tremble, the leaves rustling loudly. A massive creature emerged slowly from the forest. Its body was covered in blue scales, each one shimmering with a cold, gleaming light.


    <em>Roar!!!</em>


    A flood dragon emerged, its abyss-like eyes gleaming like cold stars. It opened its maw and unleashed a chilling dragon breath.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse immediately released nine red leaves, scattering them in different directions. As the dragon breath descended, a wave of spatial energy surrounded Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse, teleporting them instantly into the air to evade the attack. This was the culmination of the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s four months of training¡ªthe red leaves could now be used for teleportation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush it just yet,¡± Lin Jing said, stopping the Pine Leaf Mouse as it prepared its mechanized bamboo rifle. ¡°Look at the protective killing aura on its scales. Attacking it directly from the outside would take forever to break through. Remember the Mechanized Bamboo Dragon?¡±


    With that, he pulled out a blood-filled bottle, inside which soaked several Spirit Bean Bombs.


    Lin Jing retrieved one Spirit Bean Bomb from the bottle and threw it down from the air. In the next instant, the ferocious flood dragon, its eyes turning blood-red as if it had been fed, opened its mouth wide to devour the blood-soaked Spirit Bean.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The Spirit Bean Bomb exploded within the unsuspecting flood dragon¡¯s mouth, sting away half of its head.


    As the flood dragon copsed to the ground, Lin Jing watched in awe as it transformed into two streams of radiant light¡ªone flowed into the Pine Leaf Mouse, and the other entered his own body.


    Immediately, Lin Jing felt his cultivation surge, his True Energy doubling in strength. In a single leap, his cultivation rose to the eighth stage of Qi Refinement!


    This miraculous improvement left Lin Jing¡¯s breath quickened with excitement.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, though it didn¡¯t achieve a breakthrough, also felt its True Energy be significantly more refinedparable to the results of a prolonged closed-door cultivation session.


    It, too, began to breathe heavily, its eyes darting to its storage bag, which held ten warehouses¡¯ worth of spiritual rice, over a thousand Replenishing Pills refined from Dragonblood Carps, and even the dozens of True Energy recovery pills distributed to the examiners earlier that morning by the academy.


    ¡°Squeak!!!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse looked at its hoarded resources, its eyes glowing red with hesitation, as if it were contemting a monumental decision.


    It trembled as it grabbed Lin Jing¡¯s sleeve, hoping he would talk some sense into it. The mouse feared it might lose control, throw all its resources into bombs, and start a wild rampage against every dragon and phoenix projection it encountered. That wasn¡¯t the real issue¡ªthe mouse was more concerned about how much Longevity Blood they¡¯d need to harvest for such a massacre. Lin Jing might literally bleed himself dry!


    But Lin Jing¡¯s eyes had already turned red as well. The insane speed of his cultivation growth hadpletely hooked him.


    ¡°Even the Ice Gu parasite in my body seems thrilled¡ªit¡¯s practically wriggling with excitement!¡± Lin Jing muttered. ¡°Should I undo a portion of its seal and let us split up? We could go all out, hunting separately and killing to our hearts¡¯ content! This <em>should</em> count as one of those ¡®special circumstances¡¯ where Senior Magic Pine said I could temporarily unlock the seal and borrow its strength, right?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse froze in shock, staring at Lin Jing like it was watching someone spiral into madness.

 Book 2: Chapter 21: Sacred Wood Seal, Unlocked!

    Vol 2 Chapter 21: Sacred Wood Seal, Unlocked!


    When Lin Jing turned his focus inward, he suddenly discovered that the Ice Soul Gu parasitizing his body had also entered the Cavern Heaven with him.


    At the time of his initial entry, he hadn¡¯t given it much thought and had overlooked the Ice Soul Gu. Now that he considered it, this realization came as a surprise.


    It made sense that the Pine Leaf Mouse, bonded with him via a bloodline contract and cultivated alongside him using the Beast Taming Art passed down from the Immortal Pce, would enter the same Cavern Heaven. However, the Ice Soul Gu had no such contract. Yet, it followed him into the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven as if it were one of his contracted beasts.


    ¡°Does this mean that the Cavern Heaven regards the Ice Soul Gu as part of me?¡± Lin Jing pondered.


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly possible. Mature Gu worms can act independently, but as Senior Shen Song mentioned, newborn Gu worms are much more fragile. They require a host to act as their vessel to safely sleep. Without an appropriate environment for rest, infant Gu worms will perish.¡±


    ¡®In these specific circumstances, the rtionship between the Gu worm and its host is no longer a simple parasitic one. While it doesn¡¯t reach the level of full <em>symbiosis,</em> it does make the Gu worm highly dependent on its host. Perhaps this parasitic connection,bined with partial symbiosis, made the Cavern Heaven perceive it as part of me.¡¯


    A faint smile crossed Lin Jing¡¯s lips.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, noticing the gleam in Lin Jing¡¯s eyes and his restless demeanor, gulped nervously.No way¡­ Is he nning to unlock that spider¡¯s seal?


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Is this even okay? Senior Shen Song had repeatedly warned him not to use the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power unless it was a life-or-death situation.


    ¡°Senior Mo Song also taught me this: as a demonic cultivator, don¡¯t be overly obedient.¡±


    ¡°This Cavern Heaven is a rare opportunity, not to be wasted.¡±


    ¡°After I came out of the Bodhi Cavern Heaven, I read many books about such ces. There are rumors that the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven can help cultivators break through their <em>limit stages.</em>¡±


    ¡°Do you understand what this means? It means that as long as we hunt enough Dragon-Phoenix creatures, I can not only reach the Ninth Stage of Qi Refinement, saving myself years of arduous cultivation and countless resources, but I might even have a chance to break through to the Tenth Stage or even the Eleventh Stage of Qi Refinement. That¡¯s a dreame true for countless cultivators! Reaching such heights would make Foundation Establishment much easier for us.¡±


    To establish a foundation, one mustpress their True Energy, transform it into liquid form, circte it throughout the body, purify their spiritual veins, shed their mortal body, and give birth to the True Essence Spirit Sea.


    True Essence flowing within the Spirit Sea is far more powerful than True Energy. A Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s magical power is over ten times stronger than that of a Qi Refinement cultivator. Additionally, their consciousness and perception will transform into "spiritual sense," allowing them to detect movements within a hundred-zhang radius with just a thought.


    For most ordinary cultivators, the difficulty of Foundation Establishment lies in theck of sufficiently pure and dense True Energy topress it into liquid form. This is why they often rely on external aids like Foundation Establishment Pills to assist them in breaking through.


    However, those with powerful techniques or innate spiritual bodies possess extraordinary True Energy, making Foundation Establishment easier and rendering pills unnecessary.


    Lin Jing, unfortunately, did not fall into either category. While the Beast Taming Art he cultivated allowed him to contract spirit beasts, it offered no particr advantage in True Energy refinement. Simrly, his Longevity Body only excelled in lifespan, unlike elemental spiritual bodies, which enhance specific types of True Energy.


    This meant that when Lin Jing attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment, he would be no different from an ordinary mortal cultivator, with no significant advantages. Worse still, his Longevity Body''s slower cultivation speed and True Energy refinement would force him to spend a long time in the Qi Refinement stage.


    As such, he would most likely have to rely on a Foundation Establishment Pill and the feedback from his contracted beasts to attempt his breakthrough.


    But now, if he could cultivate in the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven and reach the peak of Qi Refinement¡ªperhaps even the Tenth Stage¡ªbreaking through to Foundation Establishment would be as effortless as drinking water. Additionally, the deeper his foundation during Qi Refinement, the greater the enhancements to his body before Foundation Establishment.@@novelbin@@


    Take, for example, two Qi Refinement cultivators: one establishing their foundation at the Fourth Stage and the other at the Tenth. Thetter would absorb spiritual energy several times faster than the former.


    These were concepts Lin Jing had gleaned from books. Now that he had encountered such a rare opportunity, his eyes gleamed red with excitement, unable to suppress his desire.


    This was one of the few chances to elerate his cultivation speed before Foundation Establishment!


    Lin Jing made up his mind. He and the Pine Leaf Mouse rode a flying leaf, soaring through the vast expanse of the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven in search of their next prey.


    Standing atop the leaf controlled by the Pine Leaf Mouse, Lin Jing crossed his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering as his sharp gaze scanned the horizon.


    ¡°Senior Shen Song did warn that repeatedly using the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power would hasten its awakening, making it difficult to suppress even with the Sacred Wood Seal.¡±


    ¡°But as long as I establish my foundation quickly and contract the me Dragon Carp, which possesses a Fire Kirin bloodline, even if the Ice Soul Gu fully awakens, it shouldn¡¯t be a major problem.¡±


    ¡°Now¡­ assist me in unlocking a sliver of the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s seal.¡±


    Lin Jing made up his mind. Hearing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse frantically scratched its head. Isn¡¯t this too extreme? That power¡ªit feared it. If Lin Jing used it, wouldn¡¯t he end up frozen solid?


    ¡°No problem. If I can¡¯t handle it, I¡¯ll stop,¡± Lin Jing replied, opening a vial of Longevity Blood. The blood¡¯s aura naturally diffused into the surroundings.


    After flying for some distance, Lin Jing discovered that the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven was indeed as vast as the records described. Actively searching for Dragon-Phoenix projections would waste considerable time. Perhaps this method could attract the projections to attack them instead.


    Now that he thought about it, he had been so focused on his breakthroughs earlier that he hadn¡¯t noticed something. Reflecting on it now, the vor of the Dragon-Phoenix he had in seemed to awaken his taste buds.


    Lin Jing licked his lips. This kind of simple, sensory pleasure was quite satisfying.


    ¡°Hey!!!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse also swallowed hard. Even as a mostly vegetarian spirit beast, it found itself wanting to taste it again.


    However, its gaze shifted uneasily to the Longevity Blood. For some reason, it found that scent even more enticing¡­


    ¡°Sacred Wood Seal, release!¡± Lin Jing¡¯s gaze turned deep and resolute.


    At the same time, within Lin Jing¡¯s inner world...


    A colossal ice crystal spider, entirely bound by vines of the Sacred Tree, slumbered within its sealed prison. The golden-green divine patterns of the seal not only suppressed the spider¡¯s conscious activity but also locked away the terrifying power it exuded.


    However, as Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse worked together to partially lift the seal, a horrifying wave of white frost energy surged through the cracks in the vines. This cold aura flowed into Lin Jing¡¯s body, merging with the True Energy within him.


    In an instant, his previously ordinary Beast Taming Qi transformed into a freezing cold ice-element True Energy!


    <em>Boom!</em>


    In the outside world, a wave of horrifying frost energy erupted from Lin Jing¡¯s body, shooting straight into the sky. In mere moments, snowkes began falling over the forested mountains, and as the ice-element True Energy coursed through him, Lin Jing¡¯s skin turned as white as snow, his hair became frosted with pale white, and his pupils transformed into eerie ice-blue, like those of a frost beast.


    Suddenly, a green dragon emerged from the valley, soaring toward Lin Jing. But before it could approach, Lin Jing uttered a single word:


    ¡°Die.¡±


    The frosty aura surged violently. The dragon-like serpent froze mid-flight with an audible <em>crack crack crack,</em> turning into an ice sculpture. In the next moment, the frozen sculpture shattered into countless shards of ice, scattering in all directions as the creature¡¯s life force vanishedpletely.

 Book 2: Chapter 22: Unprecedented

    Vol 2 Chapter 22: Unprecedented


    With the power of the Ice Soul Gu, Lin Jing instantly killed a Ninth Stage Qi Refinement Dragon-Blooded Demonic Beast. The creature stood no chance against him.


    Dragon-Blooded Beasts were inherently powerful; those with purer bloodlines could even rival Foundation Establishment beasts. However, under the might of the Ice Soul Gu, they were utterly outmatched.


    ¡°The top ten legendary Gu worms... An innate Gu King is far beyond the so-called ¡®beast kings¡¯ of the demon beasts. It¡¯s more akin to raising dozens, or even hundreds, of poisonous insects with royal bloodlines together in a deathmatch, resulting in the ultimate Poison King.¡±


    Lin Jing had only unleashed a sliver of the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power, yet he could already feel a bone-chilling cold spread through his body.


    ¡°...¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse, disliking the frigid aura, stayed far away from him.@@novelbin@@


    As the Dragon-Blooded Beast perished, it transformed into two streams of light. The Pine Leaf Mouse, eagerly anticipating a tasty reward, was shocked when both streams of light flew into Lin Jing instead.


    One was absorbed by Lin Jing, while the other entered the Sacred Wood Seal, nourishing the slumbering Ice Soul Gu.


    For the first time since its birth, the Ice Soul Gu absorbed energy, causing it to grow noticeablyrger in size.¡°This...¡± Lin Jing realized something was amiss, but upon sensing how the absorbed power equated to months of cultivation with spirit stones, his eyes turned bloodshot. He no longer cared what might happen to the Ice Soul Gu.


    ¡°Give me half of the qi-replenishing pills!¡±


    Meanwhile, in other parts of the Cavern Heaven, other examinees were also locked in fierce battles, hunting the Dragon-Phoenix creatures.


    However, not everyone had Lin Jing¡¯s overwhelming strength. Most of the examinees, after managing to y a single beast, sat down gasping for breath, relying on pills to replenish their True Energy.


    ¡°D*mn it, why did I only bring a few bottles of pills? Why couldn¡¯t I bring more?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, these magic tools are such a pain, needing True Energy to activate. If only I had brought a Mechanical Bamboo Rifle instead!¡±


    Many examinees regretted not being better prepared for such a rare opportunity.


    ¡°Luckily, this young master brought plenty of spirit stones!¡± Gao Sheng boasted. While hecked sufficient pills, his storage bag contained not onlyrge quantities of low-grade spirit stones but also middle- and high-grade ones.


    With a spirit stone in one hand and a magic tool in the other, Gao Sheng fought Dragon-Phoenix creatures with rtive ease.


    Another standout was Chen Lingxi from the Divine Talisman Sect. Having used only a fraction of her talismans against Lin Jing earlier, she now had most of them at her disposal for hunting the Dragon-Phoenix creatures. Her efficiency was unmatched.


    Still, despite the talent and resources of some examinees, none could match Lin Jing¡¯s terrifying speed. With Longevity Blood as bait and the power of the Gu King unleashed, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse were in a league of their own.


    As they soared across the mountains, Dragon-Phoenix projections fell in droves. Their corpses turned into streams of light, flowing into Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse. Before long, Lin Jing broke through to the Ninth Stage of Qi Refinement, catching up to the Pine Leaf Mouse in cultivation.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Another flying dragon attacked, but with a single wave of Lin Jing¡¯s hand, several snow-white spider threads shot out, instantly dismembering the creature. The dragon¡¯s corpse appeared as though it had been sliced by icy des, its surface coated in frost, and its blood frozen solid.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Elsewhere, the Pine Leaf Mouse, clutching a bottle of Longevity Blood, used its agility to dart across the battlefield. It hurled Spirit Bean Bombs at Dragon-Phoenix creatures, taking them down one by one. If not for the delicious feedback from the Dragon-Phoenix creatures already satisfying its cravings, it might have sumbed to the irresistible allure of the Longevity Blood it held.


    One day earlier.


    At the base of Flying Dragon Mountain within the Hidden Dragon Academy, a brilliant light burst forth.


    As spatial ripples condensed, a seemingly ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator emerged in a hurry.


    Before descending, the cultivator looked at the two beams of light within the Cavern Heaven andughed heartily.


    ¡°My son, Wang Xiao, is destined for enlightenment!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions, Daoist Wang,¡± said Cao Ziwei, who was meditating above the academy, immediately congratting him.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cao. The Hidden Dragon Academy truly lives up to its reputation as a gathering ce of great fortune. If Xiao¡¯er sessfully reaches the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement and then breaks through to Foundation Establishment, his Heavenly God Physique may finally achieve minorpletion,¡± said Wang, a cultivator from the Wang family. Having learned of his son¡¯s rare opportunity, he hade personally to await the results.


    ¡°Wang Xiao and Chen Lingxi are indeed the most likely candidates to break through to the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement,¡± Cao Ziwei nodded. ¡°After all, the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven only truly chooses a select few. Although other cultivators may enter and share the opportunities, they¡¯re ultimately not the chosen ones. At best, they can condense their True Energy dozens or hundreds of times to make itparable to True Essence, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    The Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement was a special realm for talents selected by the Immortal Pce. Reaching it was no simple feat and required both innate talent and extraordinary opportunities.


    Cao Ziwei thought of Xu Zhizhi and Lin Jing, two other geniuses who had previously entered a Cavern Heaven. While they might achieve some sess here, he doubted they had any hope of reaching the Tenth Stage.


    Especially Lin Jing, as a Beast Tamer cultivator, any opportunities he obtained would be split with his contracted beasts, significantly reducing his chances.


    ¡°To reach the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement, one needs both strong innate physique and exceptional opportunities. Without a powerful innate body, the mortal body would struggle to endure or contain the massive amount of True Energy.¡±


    Cao Ziwei¡¯s assessment wasn¡¯t far off.


    Inside the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse fought relentlessly. However, with the opportunities divided into three parts, the benefits to each individual were diminished.


    Despite ying countless Dragon-Phoenix projections, Lin Jing¡¯s cultivation eventually reached the Ninth Stage of Qi Refinement, but the Pine Leaf Mouse remained stuck at the same level, unable to break through.


    Although its Qingdi (Evesting Emperor) True Energy had been refined over a hundred times, its spiritual bloodline had reached its limit. It could no longer expand its True Energy capacity, leaving it to focus solely on improving the quality of its energy.


    Lin Jing found himself in a simr situation¡ªstuck at the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement. His True Energy had been refined to an exceptionally pure level, but the quantity of True Energy remained stagnant, unable to progress further.


    As Cao Ziwei had spected, Lin Jing¡¯s Longevity Body and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s bloodline were far lesspatible with this opportunity than the Heavenly God Physique or the Innate Talisman Physique. It seemed inevitable that the two of them would stop at the extreme of the Ninth Stage of Qi Refinement.


    However, what Cao Ziwei didn¡¯t know was that the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s overwhelming power,bined with the Longevity Body¡¯s natural ability to attract Dragon-Phoenix projections, had allowed Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse to y an absurd number of Dragon-Phoenix projections. The number they killed wasn¡¯t just three times that of the average cultivator¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say it was thirty times as much.


    Even though the opportunities were divided into three parts between them, the sheer scale of their efforts resulted in enormous gains.


    Though limited by their physique and bloodline, unable to increase their True Energy capacity, they had nheless broken through conventional limits. Their True Energy had been refined to a level of unparalleled purity. In this state, just before the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement, they reached a "half-step Foundation Establishment" state. Without needing to deliberately focus on it, their bodies began to strengthen themselves under the guidance of their impossibly refined True Energy.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s zed Immortal Eyes gleamed, and within its vibrant green pupils, the image of a clover appeared, marking the sessful evolution of its ability to the next stage.


    On Lin Jing¡¯s side, he also stopped in his tracks, his expression filled with astonishment as he sensed the changes within his body. Though he hadn¡¯t reached Foundation Establishment yet, under the iparably refined Beast Taming Qi within him, something extraordinary had urred¡ªhe had condensed a second drop of golden blood within his body.


    This blood was the Contract Blood of the Beast Taming Art. Normally, a cultivator practicing the Beast Taming Art could condense one drop during the Qi Refinement stage and a second drop upon reaching Foundation Establishment. However, Lin Jing had defied all convention by condensing two drops of Contract Blood while still in the Qi Refinement stage!


    This meant that he could now form contracts with two spirit beasts during the Qi Refinement stage, an unprecedented feat in the history of the Beast Taming Sect.

 Book 2: Chapter 23: The Beast Taming Physique

    Vol 2 Chapter 23: The Beast Taming Physique@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing ceased flying and descended to the ground, where the surrounding area instantly froze upon hisnding.


    Extending his hand, he drew out the golden Contract Blood and examined it carefully.


    This Contract Blood appeared no different from the first drop he had condensed when forming a contract with the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Running through the Beast Taming Art once more, Lin Jing confirmed that it was still at the ninth stage and had yet to reach perfection. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the phenomenon.


    "The opportunities within the Cavern Heaven truly are extraordinary. After refining my Beast Taming Qi to a wless state, it actually triggered a second transformation of my physique, allowing me to condense another drop of Contract Blood!"


    "And yet... after this second transformation of my physique, I feel like there have been other changes as well," Lin Jing muttered, his gaze shifting toward the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, on its end, seemed preupied with inspecting its own zed Immortal Eyes. Just like Lin Jing, it had undergone a half-step Foundation Establishment transformation, with its physique altered by the refinement of True Energy.


    ¡°Squeak squeak squeak!!!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse finished studying itself and discovered that its zed Immortal Eyes had gained an additional function. Although it still couldn¡¯t synthesize resources outside of nt-based materials, nor could it create higher-tier resources, it now disyed countless dense symbols over synthesized items in its field of vision.While it didn¡¯t recognize these symbols, the Pine Leaf Mouse instinctively understood their meanings.


    Picking up a red leaf, its information immediately surfaced in the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s mind:


    [Companion Heartleaf: A nt capable of connecting with the minds of specific beings, containing spatial properties that can serve as a medium for space-rted abilities.]


    The Pine Leaf Mouse then examined an Exploding Spirit Bean:


    [Exploding Spirit Bean: A special bean containing violent spiritual energy, capable of creating intense spiritual energy shockwaves.]


    ¡°Squeak!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse turned to Lin Jing, excitedly signaling that it could now perceive the effects of synthesized items through its newly upgraded zed Immortal Eyes.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lin Jing was astonished. Clearly, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s gains were not insignificant.


    While Lin Jing¡¯s physique had been transformed through the wless refinement of Beast Taming Qi, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s eyes had been upgraded by the Evesting Emperor¡¯s True Energy.


    Although it seemed that the zed Immortal Eyes had not gained any new abilities for synthesizing resources, the ability to perceive the effects of synthesized items was a significant improvement.


    After leaving the Beast Taming Sect, they had stopped experimenting with synthesized resources due to theck of test subjects and other distractions. Now, with the advanced zed Immortal Eyes, the Pine Leaf Mouse could resume synthesis without needing experimental subjects. Even if the synthesized items were hazardous, it could immediately identify their effects without risking itself.


    ¡°It seems this trip was worthwhile after all,¡± Lin Jing remarked with satisfaction.


    ¡°By the way, can you sense any changes in me?¡± Lin Jing asked, clenching the golden Contract Blood in his hand and retracting it. Apart from forming the second drop of Contract Blood, he vaguely sensed some changes in his physique, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint them on his own.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse hesitated for a moment before looking into Lin Jing¡¯s eyes. In an instant, it felt as if it had plunged into darkness, with only a pair of eyes as vast and oppressive as celestial stars staring back at it.


    ¡°...¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse staggered back, cold sweat running down its furry body as it felt a shudder deep in its bloodline.


    ¡°Squeak¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse could feel that Lin Jing had be much more terrifying. It was as though he could subdue it instantly. The faint sense of bloodline suppression it experienced made the blood vial it was holding suddenly seem utterly unappealing.


    Lin Jing observed this reaction thoughtfully.


    Just then, a giant bird engulfed in mes swooped toward the Pine Leaf Mouse. Without using any spells, Lin Jing allowed his Ninth Stage Beast Taming Qi to erupt.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Nine whirlpools of True Energy swirled around Lin Jing, and in an instant, even though the Longevity Blood remained as tempting as ever, the fiery bird¡ªpossessing phoenix bloodline¡ªfroze mid-air. It appeared as if it had sensed an overwhelmingly dreadful aura and dared not move forward.


    ¡°It seems my suspicions were correct. After the second transformation of my physique, my ability to suppress beasts has be significantly stronger,¡± Lin Jing took a deep breath.


    ¡°In the past, the Beast Taming Art could only suppress contracted spirit beasts, preventing them from rebelling. But now, I can even suppress uncontracted beasts. If this were a weaker demonic beast instead of this firebird with a strong bloodline, it would probably submit to me with just a single nce.¡±


    Lin Jing extended his palm toward the ming bird, clenching the air as if grasping an invisible force. Instantly, the firebird sensed a tremendous danger. It turned to flee, but it was toote.


    ¡°me Control Art!¡±


    Before the bird could fly far, the mes within its body erupted uncontrobly, turning it into a massive fireball.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The fiery bird exploded spectacrly.


    ¡°Squeak?!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse looked at Lin Jing in awe. Just using his Beast Taming Qi and the me Control Art, Lin Jing had annihted a Ninth Stage Qi Refinement demonic beast. The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s regard for him grew significantly.


    This time, Lin Jing hadn¡¯t even relied on the power of the Ice Soul Gu!


    ¡°While this ability may not have the same effect on humans, it¡¯ll definitely give me an advantage when dealing with demonic beasts in the future. It¡¯s said that certain powerful techniques can directly alter a cultivator¡¯s physique, enabling those with ordinary mortal bodies to develop special physiques. For instance, Yuan Jing once had a mortal body, but after reaching Foundation Establishment, he transformed into the Sword Physique. Now, with this second awakening of my Beast Taming Qi, could it have granted me a special physique as well?¡±


    ¡°The physique that suppresses all beasts under the heavens¡­ the Beast Taming Physique!¡±


    Lin Jing fell into deep thought as this bold hypothesis surfaced in his mind. Even if his physique hadn¡¯t achieved the aura required to suppress all beasts yet, the sheer anomaly of condensing two drops of Contract Blood during the Qi Refinement stage was enough to prove how extraordinary his current physique had be.


    ¡°Squeak!!!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse tossed a Replenishing Pill to Lin Jing. Both of them had been relying on pills to maintain their peak condition. It then chattered, asking if they would be able to immediately contract the me Dragon Carp once they returned.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Lin Jing nodded. ¡°However, even though I¡¯ve managed to cultivate a second physique by chance, we still haven¡¯t reached the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement. I¡¯m not sure how much longer this Cavern Heaven will remain stable...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already nearing my limit...¡±


    He raised a trembling hand, struggling to move his fingers. His entire body felt like his blood had almost stopped circting and was already freezing solid. If he continued using the power of the Ice Soul Gu, he feared that he would soon lose the ability to move altogether.


    This terrifying freezing power had even resisted his desperate attempts to counter it. He had tried eating ck peppers capable of scorching one¡¯s soul, yet they had done nothing to dispel the cold.


    Still, without the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power, the efficiency of his and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s hunting would plummet dramatically.


    ¡°What do you think...¡± Lin Jing asked the Pine Leaf Mouse as he narrowed his eyes. ¡°What if I use the second drop of Contract Blood I condensed during the Qi Refinement stage to contract the Ice Soul Gu directly?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s currently sealed and suppressed, as well as in a state of dormancy. Since it shares my fate¡ªmy gains and losses are its gains and losses¡ªit¡¯s unlikely to resist the Beast Taming Contract. If I sessfully contract it, I should be able to suppress its power more effectively using the contract and my Beast Taming Physique.¡±


    Previously, Lin Jing wouldn¡¯t have dared to make such a bold move. But now, with the Beast Taming Physique cultivated, and given that Gu worms were ssified as beasts, he believed he might not even need to rely on a fire-type spirit beast to suppress the Ice Soul Gu. The Beast Taming Contract alone might be enough to control its power to some extent.


    If sessful, he would be able to harness the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power far more effectively.


    However, there was one concern. Gu Masters had specialized techniques unique to their craft for controlling Gu worms, while the Beast Taming Art wasn¡¯t designed for contracting Gu. At least, the Beast Taming Sect had no records of such an attempt. What might happen waspletely unknown.

 Book 2: Chapter 24: Three-Body Cultivator

    Vol 2 Chapter 24: Three-Body Cultivator


    After Lin Jing decided to preemptively contract the Ice Soul Gu, he wasted no time and began acting immediately, sitting cross-legged on the snowy ground.


    ¡°Pine Leaf Mouse, guard me.¡±


    Hearing this, the Pine Leaf Mouse froze, dumbfounded. It hadn¡¯t expected the Ice Soul Gu to take over the Dragon Carp¡¯s contract slot so soon, instantly bing the second contracted beast.


    The poor Dragon Carp not only missed out on the opportunity to benefit from the Cavern Heaven, but now its second contract position was also snatched away!


    ¡°...Alright.¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse manipted the surrounding vegetation to construct a wooden fortress, shielding Lin Jing within. It then stationed itself atop the fortress to ward off demonic beasts from the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t interrupt Lin Jing¡¯s attempt to contract the Ice Soul Gu.


    Knowing it was futile to dissuade Lin Jing, the Pine Leaf Mouse simply obeyed the order.


    Inside the sealed space.


    Lin Jing¡¯s consciousness manifested, and he gazed at the slumbering Ice Soul Gu before him. Though still asleep, its cultivation had already reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement. A ripple of thought crossed his mind.¡°Back then, before the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s Parasitic Gu had the chance to absorb nutrients and provide feedback to the parent Gu, Cold Moon Sword Immortal exterminated them all, leaving the Ice Soul Gu underdeveloped¡­¡±


    ¡°After entering my body, it was further sealed and suppressed, resulting in extremely slow growth. But now, nurtured by the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven, its bloodline may awaken and break through to Foundation Establishment once we leave this ce. At that point, if I haven¡¯t yet contracted the Dragon Carp, it will be hard to maintain bnce and restrain it. I must contract it before it awakens.¡±


    The current Beast Taming Art, which had been revised by the Beast Taming Sect, was no longer a master-ve life-and-death contract but rather imed to establish equality. However, in practice, Beast Tamers still maintained a level of suppression over their contracted beasts. The dynamic was akin to that of ¡°brother and brother¡± or ¡°father and son¡± ¡ª not absolute equality butcking the extremity where the Beast Tamer could determine the life and death of their beasts with a single thought.


    ¡°Blood, descend.¡± Lin Jing raised his hand. With a single thought, golden light sparkled in the sealed space¡¯s sky. A massive drop of golden contract blood descended slowly, falling toward the slumbering Ice Soul Gu.


    This method was clearly not the traditional contract technique used by today¡¯s Beast Taming Sect. It was more reminiscent of the early practices of the sect, where demonic beasts were subdued, sealed, and contracted by force while they were unable to resist.


    The golden contract blood seeped into the Ice Soul Gu through the Sacred Wood Seal¡¯s gaps. Although the Ice Soul Gu didn¡¯t resist, Lin Jing still felt immense pressure during the process. The Ice Soul Gu¡¯s bloodline was too powerful; even with his Beast Taming Physique, the contract wasn¡¯t proceeding smoothly.


    Lin Jing¡¯s manifested consciousness began to freeze.


    It could be said that as one of the Ten Rare Gus, its power level wasn¡¯t necessarily weaker than the same-tier Heavenly God Physique.


    Inside the wooden fortress, as the contract progressed, an intense cold aura surged out from Lin Jing¡¯s body, instantly freezing the entire structure. The Pine Leaf Mouse, seeing this, shivered uncontrobly and immediately used its Flying Leaf Technique to hover in mid-air while continuing to guard.


    ¡°Ack¡­ ack¡­¡±


    While guarding, the Pine Leaf Mouse asionally nced nervously back at Lin Jing. Inside the wooden fortress, Lin Jing was enduring immense pain. The reason he wasn¡¯t making any sound was that his entire body had been turned into an ice sculpture. Were it not for the contract link confirming Lin Jing still had consciousness, the Pine Leaf Mouse might have thought he had died during the process.


    ¡­


    Within the sealed space, during the contract process, the slumbering Ice Soul Gu struggled as if trapped in a nightmare, repeatedly attempting to break free from the seal. Fortunately, the seal was created by the Divine Pine and not by Lin Jing or the Pine Leaf Mouse; otherwise, it might have already been shattered.


    ¡°This Ice Soul Gu¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s forcibly altering your physique!¡± After some time, Lin Jing noticed something unusual. Perhaps due to the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s bloodline being too weak, or perhaps it was the inherent nature of Gu insects, the process of contracting the Ice Soul Gu triggered a reaction simr to that of contracting unique spirit beasts or demonic beasts.


    During the bloodline contract stage, while the Ice Soul Gu didn¡¯t resist excessively, the ever-deepening bloodline connection caused it to feed back a force that forcibly reshaped Lin Jing¡¯s physical body!@@novelbin@@


    ¡°This is bad¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± The Ice Soul Gu¡¯s ultimate icy power seemed to havepletely fused with Lin Jing¡¯s body. Now, even by borrowing the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s strength, Lin Jing could wield ice-type powers as if they were an innate part of himself.


    Most astonishingly, as Lin Jing¡¯s body temperature dropped further, he sensed that his life span was increasing by a unique means. Though he possessed the Longevity Body with an inherently long lifespan, the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s contract process was further extending it.


    He¡­ was bing even more ¡°immortal.¡±


    ¡°Rumor has it that cultivators with ice-rted physiques¡­ appear younger than normal cultivators and age more slowly. Am I now in a simr situation?¡±


    Inside the wooden fortress, the ice on Lin Jing¡¯s body gradually sublimated into white frost. The contract blood had perfectly merged with the Ice Soul Gu. However, within the sealed space, the Ice Soul Gu remained in its slumber, still unaware it had been contracted. Its reaction upon fully awakening remained a mystery.


    ¡°Still, this newfound power seems toe with its own cost¡­¡±


    The Outside World


    Lin Jing reappeared, hovering in midair as he manipted his energy to fly. At that moment, the Pine Leaf Mouse was carefully monitoring the four iing Dragonblood Fish from all directions.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this,¡± Lin Jing said, signaling the Pine Leaf Mouse not to intervene.


    As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of icy energy erupted from his body. Nine spiraling vortices of spiritual energy expanded outward, and the Dragonblood Fish attacking from all sides were immediately coated in ayer of white frost. Many of them froze and shattered, their broken pieces falling to the ground.


    At the same time, Lin Jing felt the same sensation as before: using this ice-attribute power still caused him to suffer from ¡°frostbite.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t truly possess a natural ice-attribute physique. Instead, I¡¯ve been influenced by the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power, resulting in something simr to an acquired Ice Spirit Physique. However, this acquired physique is inherently wedpared to a natural one. Therefore, when wielding this overwhelmingly dominant ice power¡ªmore powerful than even the Ice Spirit Physique¡ªit still causes frostbite, just as it did before.¡±


    Not only did his physical body suffer from frostbite, but even his soul was slightly injured. However, the severity was far less than before¡ªa significant benefit of the contract. As long as he didn¡¯t overuse the power and regrly used top-grade fire-attribute or yang-attribute spiritual medicines and pills to recover, it shouldn¡¯t be a major issue.


    ¡°Not bad. I¡¯ll call it the Acquired Ice Soul Physique.¡± Lin Jing smiled. This transformation had greatly enhanced his strength. Furthermore, the Ice Soul Physique could serve as a disguise, misleading others into mistaking it for a natural Ice Spirit Physique, causing them to underestimate him or misjudge his capabilities.


    ¡°What?!¡± With the Dragonblood Fish dead, the Pine Leaf Mouse looked at Lin Jing as he hovered midair. It noticed that the color of his hair and pupils had returned to normal, indicating that he had gained initial control over the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power.


    ¡°Squeak squeak!!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse chirped excitedly, genuinely happy for Lin Jing. It didn¡¯t seem jealous of Lin Jing contracting yet another beast.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse often fretted over one particr issue: many of the resources it stockpiled would spoil if not maintained with its wood-attribute true energy. Over time, the resources would begin to rot.


    But now, with Lin Jing contracting an ice pet, such worries would be a thing of the past. As long as the storage space for the harvested resources was cold enough, their shelf life would be significantly extended, and the Pine Leaf Mouse wouldn¡¯t have to personally ¡°maintain¡± them anymore!


    From now on, the Ice Gu would handle preservation, the Dragon Carp could refine herbs into pills, and the Pine Leaf Mouse felt like this arrangement was perfect!


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve already resealed the Ice Soul Gu. The power I disyed earlier... it has already been converted into my own strength. While it¡¯s not as potent as directly using the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power, it¡¯s stillparable and more than enough to instantly kill these Dragonblood and Phoenixblood demonic beasts,¡± Lin Jing said, his body enveloped in cold mist.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move on.¡±


    He pondered for a moment, wondering whether these changes to his body meant he now possessed two additional unique physiques. If so, wouldn¡¯t that make him simr to the Ancient Imperial Prince, effectively bing a ¡°Three-Body Cultivator¡±?

 Book 2: Chapter 25: Qi Refinement Tenth Stage?

    Vol 2 Chapter 25: Qi Refinement Tenth Stage?


    After enhancing their physiques, both Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse found themselves able to amodate more true energy, giving them the possibility of advancing to the Qi Refinement Tenth Stage. The two continued hunting the Dragon-Phoenix projections together.


    However, to Lin Jing¡¯s surprise, even after resealing the Ice Soul Gu, it still continued to absorb a portion of his energy.


    ¡°You two better leave me some!¡± Lin Jing redoubled his efforts in hunting the Dragon-Phoenix beasts, driven by a bad premonition.


    Given how difficult it was for someone with the Longevity Body to break through, he feared that by the time the Cavern Heaven event ended, the Pine Leaf Mouse and Ice Soul Gu might both reach the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement while he remained stuck at the Ninth Stage!


    <em>Boom!</em><em></em>


    The Pine Leaf Mouse sted yet another projection attempting to consume the Longevity Blood, and the light particles released from the projection scattered uncontrobly.


    Absorbing these light particles, the Pine Leaf Mouse suddenly discovered a surge of spiritual energy within its body!


    <em>Buzz!</em><em></em> True energy around it condensed into swirling spiritual patterns, circling its body. It had broken through to the Qi Refinement Tenth Stage! Although it hadn¡¯t reached Foundation Establishment, its strength was alreadyparable to that level!


    <em>Whoosh!</em><em></em>


    Under the control of even more powerful Evesting Emperor¡¯s True Energy, enhanced by its willpower, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s speed with Flying Leaf Technique increased drastically!


    Watching this, Lin Jing felt conflicted. Even as a "Three-Body Cultivator" now, the Pine Leaf Mouse still managed to break through before him. This seemed to confirm that his two new physiques didn¡¯t significantly enhance his cultivation speed.


    Fortunately, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s breakthrough produced an abundance of spiritual energy that fed back into Lin Jing through their bloodline contract, bringing him closer to the Tenth Stage.


    ¡°Breakthrough!¡± Lin Jing muttered some timeter.


    ¡°Too bad it wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    The Ice Soul Gu absorbed nutrients before Lin Jing and reached the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement first.


    Though still asleep, the Ice Soul Gu also fed back a substantial amount of spiritual energy to Lin Jing. Yet, Lin Jing remained just short of breaking through.


    Both his contracted beasts had broken through their limits, leaving him the only one stillgging behind. Feeling frustrated, Lin Jing unleashed an even more ferocious wave of icy energy, injuring himself in the process¡ªnot because of the Dragon-Phoenix beasts but because he had to release fresh blood to attract more of them!


    Finally, after a night of relentless hunting, Lin Jing hovered in midair, his body emanating massive waves of spiritual energy. Ten rings of spiritual energy formed, swirling around him like ten vortices, wrapping him in their embrace. With a deep exhale, Lin Jing released a frosty breath, then retracted all his true energy into his body.


    Within him, his true energy had grown vast, like an ocean of clouds. The Qi Sea of the Tenth Stage was ten times greater than that of the Ninth Stage, and every strand of true energy remained wless. This unparalleled power filled Lin Jing with immense confidence.


    After days of tireless effort, Lin Jing had finally crossed into the pinnacle of the Qi Refinement Tenth Stage!


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep going!¡± Lin Jing flew onward without pausing to revel in his breakthrough.


    He recalled ancient books he had read in the academy¡¯s library, which imed that anyone who reached the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement possessed talent worthy of catching the eye of the ancient Celestial Pces, qualifying them to be outer disciples of such immortal sects.


    The Celestial Pces, as forces of the upper realms, undoubtedly set the bar extremely high. The thought of it filled Lin Jing with excitement, though he knew he had not yet reached his limits.


    Elder Mo had once mentioned that the Ancient Imperial Prince, the son of the Second Ancient Emperor, achieved the absurd feat of reaching the Thirteenth Stage of Qi Refinement using the Boundary-Breaking Bird and the True Dragon Secret Arts.


    This proved that the Tenth Stage was far from the peak.


    ¡°Qi Refinement Twelfth or Thirteenth Stages may be out of reach for now, but I wonder¡­ could I push to the Eleventh Stage in this Cavern Heaven?¡±


    <em>Boom!</em><em></em>


    As Lin Jing flew, the Ice Soul Gu hovered behind him at a slow pace. In his storage pouch, various pills to replenish true energy were steadily being consumed, primarily topensate for the energy lost during travel.


    In the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven, what drained the most energy for the Ice Soul Gu and Pine Leaf Mouse wasn¡¯t fighting but traveling. The cavern was enormous, and even when using Longevity Blood as bait, they frequently had to move to different areas because the Dragon-Phoenix projections were clustered too densely in certain spots.


    Hidden Dragon Academy, Flying Dragon Mountain.


    As time passed, more and more people gathered here. Many candidates had initiallye alone, but upon entering the Cavern Heaven, elders from their sects and families had also arrived to observe their progress.


    By now, Flying Dragon Mountain was filled with Nascent Soul cultivators, with Golden Core cultivators everywhere.


    At one corner of the mountaintop, a pine cone hidden within a tree was muttering to itself.


    ¡°By my calctions, the Cavern Heaven should be ending soon.¡±


    In midair, Cao Ziwei sat cross-legged. His cultivation at the Great Perfection of Nascent Soul ced him among the top five on Flying Dragon Mountain.


    Standing up slowly, his Nascent Soul aura radiated outward as he transmitted his voice across a hundred miles:


    ¡°The Cavern Heaven is about to close. Anyone who breaks through their limits within the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven will be awarded a sixty-year use of an academy cave dwelling after passing the assessment.¡±


    A sixty-year cave dwelling usage period¡­ Upon hearing this, cultivators from second- and third-rate sects became instantly envious. Cultivation depended on four key factors: techniques, wealth,panions, and location. The academy¡¯s spirit-veined cave dwellings were unquestionably prime cultivation sites, even superior to those of most ordinary sects.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°They¡¯reing out!¡±


    With a shout from the crowd, the cultivators watching saw people emerging from the light pir of the Cavern Heaven. One by one, candidates returned. Regardless of their current state, most wore smiles, clearly satisfied with their gains.


    ¡°How was it?¡± One candidate was immediately pulled aside by their elder for questioning.


    ¡°My true energy was refined more than tenfold in the Cavern Heaven! After continuous tempering, its strength now rivals true essence. Even against an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, I might hold my own in a direct confrontation!¡± the candidate eximed excitedly.


    ¡°Good, good, good!¡± The elder was delighted. They hadn¡¯t expected the candidate to break through any limits, so the current gains were already excellent.


    In midair, Cao Ziwei stood watching as one candidate after another emerged. He nodded slightly, satisfied with this batch. This cohort of candidates might be the strongest in terms of Qi Refinement power in the past century.


    ¡°Ninth Stage, Ninth Stage, Ninth Stage¡­¡± His spiritual sense swept over the candidates, but so far, all of them were still at the Ninth Stage of Qi Refinement.


    Cao Ziwei sighed. ¡°No matter how solid your foundation in the Ninth Stage of Qi Refinement, time alone will eventually bring you there. But the Tenth Stage? That¡¯s a matter of luck and opportunity, and it seems most candidatesck that bit of fortune.¡±


    His expression shifted suddenly. ¡°Hmm? Finally, someone has reached the Tenth Stage.¡±


    His gaze locked onto a woman in a yellow dress stepping calmly out of the Cavern Heaven¡ªChen Lingxi from the Divine Talisman Sect.


    As she descended from the light column, nine swirling vortices of spiritual energy appeared around her, exuding a transcendent aura.


    ¡°Xier!¡± A beautiful Nascent Soul woman immediately approached her.


    ¡°Master¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chen Lingxi looked remorseful as she greeted her master, clearly referring to her earlier defeat at Lin Jing¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about it. It doesn¡¯t matter. Now that you¡¯ve reached the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement, your future prospects will be vastly different.¡± The Nascent Soul woman smiled warmly, cing a hand on her disciple¡¯s shoulder. Upon hearing that Chen Lingxi had been selected by the Cavern Heaven, she had rushed here without dy.


    ¡°Master, now that I¡¯ve reached the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement, I will not lose to him again.¡± Chen Lingxi was brimming with confidence, her aura unrestrained. This monumental breakthrough overshadowed her previous loss to Lin Jing, and she felt invigorated as if her progress with the Hidden Dragon Arts would now be unstoppable.


    With her arsenal of talismans and her brief appearance on the Physique Rankings for her Talisman Physique, Chen Lingxi believed her gains from the Cavern Heaven far outstripped everyone else¡¯s.


    Even those with the Heavenly God Physique couldn¡¯tpare.


    As for Lin Jing¡­ in her mind, he had only been at the Seventh Stage of Qi Refinement before entering the Cavern Heaven. Without a special physique, it would have been nearly impossible for him to break through the pinnacle.


    The gap between them from now on would be insurmountable. Just thinking about it filled her with renewed vigor, sweeping away the gloom of her earlier defeat.


    ¡°Fellow Daoist Xie, congrattions.¡± The father of Wang Xiao, another notable cultivator, stepped forward and addressed Chen Lingxi¡¯s master with a smile.


    Among those present, three stood out as the most powerful: Wang Xiao¡¯s father, the Nascent Soul woman from the Divine Talisman Sect, and Cao Ziwei from the academy. All three had reached the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage. Even among Nascent Soul cultivators, their strength and backgroundmanded respect, and they addressed each other as equals.


    Just as the words left his mouth, Wang Xiao emerged from the Cavern Heaven. Dressed in a gleaming suit of silver armor, his aura was overwhelming. Spiritual energy erupted around him, and behind him loomed the faint silhouette of a deity. He, too, had broken into the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement!


    ¡°Haha, congrattions are in order!¡± Wang Xiao¡¯s fatherughed heartily, realizing that his son had also ascended to the pinnacle.


    Wang Xiao nodded to his father and then turned his sharp gaze to Yuan Jing and Ziling¡¯er in the distance. Before entering the Cavern Heaven, even with his Heavenly God Physique, the gap in cultivation realms had given him only a 20% chance of defeating Foundation Establishment swordsmen.


    But now, after being tempered in the Cavern Heaven, Wang Xiao¡¯s confidence soared. He was 90% certain he could defeat Yuan Jing and make a name for himself across the Ancient Domain!


    ¡°You¡­¡± Yuan Jing had waited for days, but seeing the transformation in Wang Xiao, he felt immense pressure. Even his Sword Heart wavered slightly under Wang Xiao¡¯s aura.


    As the Cavern Heaven closed, most of the candidates had returned, and no fatalities were reported.


    ¡°It seems that only those truly chosen by the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven, like Wang Xiao and Chen Lingxi, were able to break the pinnacle,¡± Cao Ziwei noted. The other geniuses, who had entered through happenstance, ultimatelycked the same opportunities.


    Eventers like Gao Sheng and Xu Zhizhi hadn¡¯t reached the Tenth Stage.


    At that moment, as all attention was focused on Chen Lingxi and Wang Xiao, Cao Ziwei¡¯s voice rang out in shock.


    ¡°You¡¯ve reached the Tenth Stage as well!¡±


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s both of you!¡±


    Another Tenth Stage? The crowd followed Cao Ziwei¡¯s astonished gaze and saw a young man in a white robe stepping out of the Cavern Heaven. Perched on his shoulder was a robed Pine Leaf Mouse.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    An overwhelming explosion of spiritual energy erupted as Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse simultaneously unleashed their Qi Refinement Tenth Stage true energy. Twentyyers of spiritual energy vortices stacked atop one another, surging into the sky and shocking everyone present.


    A cultivator¡­ at the Tenth Stage!


    A beast¡­ at the Tenth Stage!


    This was¡­ the Beast Tamer!


    This duo, who had entered the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven and were thought to have split their opportunities, had both reached the Tenth Stage!


    What was even more shocking was that Lin Jing had entered the Cavern Heaven with the lowest cultivation level among all participants¡ªmerely at the Seventh Stage of Qi Refinement, with the weakest foundation.


    And yet¡­


    When Chen Lingxi and Wang Xiao exchanged nces with Lin Jing, their hearts skipped a beat, as if they had fallen into an icy abyss, overwhelmed by an indescribable pressure.


    What was going on?!


    ¡°Ke ke ke¡­¡± Hidden within an ancient tree, a pine cone suddenly cracked open withughter. The Divine Pine¡¯s voice rang out in astonishment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but this Longevity Brat actually contracted the Ice Soul Gu¡­ and this Ice Soul Gu¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­has reached the Eleventh Stage of Qi Refinement! Its cultivation is higher than theirs!¡±


    As the only one able to see through the seals hiding Lin Jing¡¯s internal state, the Divine Pine was utterly shocked.

 Book 2: Chapter 26: Illness

    Vol 2 Chapter 26: Illness


    Until the Cavern Heaven event concluded, neither Lin Jing nor the Pine Leaf Mouse managed to break through to the Eleventh Stage of Qi Refinement. Instead, the Ice Soul Gu reached that level ahead of them both.


    This situation demonstrated that the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s innate talent far exceeded that of Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    For someone with the Longevity Body, breaking through remained exceptionally difficult. If Lin Jing had a different physique, he might have already reached the Eleventh or even Twelfth Stage by now. However, opportunities stilly ahead.


    Having emerged from the Cavern Heaven, Lin Jing spected that since he had contracted the Ice Soul Gu and the Pine Leaf Mouse, their eventual breakthroughs to Foundation Establishment would provide him with significant spiritual energy feedback. That energy could potentially push him further in his cultivation.


    After stepping out, Lin Jing didn¡¯t bother hiding his cultivation level. He openly disyed his and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s realms, seeing this as an opportunity to draw attention to his training in the Hidden Dragon Arts.


    ¡°Even his pet beasts¡­ have reached the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement?¡± The surrounding cultivators were astonished,pletely unprepared for such a development.


    Xu Zhizhi and Gao Sheng stared at Lin Jing in shock. <em>How? How did this guy get to the Tenth Stage?!</em><em></em>


    Meanwhile, Wang Xiao and Chen Lingxi found their once-dominant auras overshadowed by Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.Even Wang Xiao¡¯s father and the Divine Talisman Sect elder, both Great Perfection Nascent Soul powerhouses, observed Lin Jing with serious expressions.


    ¡°Who is this boy?¡±


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Only Gao Sheng seemed to piece something together, gaining a faint understanding of the situation.


    Facing the astonished and puzzled crowd, Lin Jing stepped forward and addressed Cao Ziwei, ¡°Chief Examiner, I exhausted myself using secret arts within the mystic realm and am temporarily unable to oversee the remainder of the assessment. I need to return to my cave dwelling to recover.¡±


    Cao Ziwei nodded, noticing Lin Jing¡¯s weakened state. Judging by his and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s cultivation levels, it was clear that they must have used some extraordinary methods to hunt down the numerous Dragon-Phoenix projections.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    With Cao Ziwei¡¯s approval, Lin Jing cupped his fists to the crowd, then took to the air and flew back to his cave dwelling. Having gained fame as a Beast Tamer who, along with his contracted beast, had both reached the Tenth Stage, there was no need to continue the assessment.


    Upon returning to his cave dwelling, Lin Jing immediately leapt into the furnace, startling the drowsy Dragon Carp within.


    Seeing Lin Jing return after several days, the Dragon Carp was both happy and confused.


    <em>What¡¯s wrong with my Beast Tamer? Why is he diving into my tank? Doesn¡¯t he know it¡¯s hot?!</em>


    ¡°This feels much better.¡± Immersed in the furnace, Lin Jing instantly felt his body warming up. The Ice Soul Gu¡¯s breakthrough to the Eleventh Stage had fed back an overwhelming amount of ice-attribute spiritual energy. While this greatly enhanced Lin Jing¡¯s cultivation, it also made his Ice Soul Physique even colder.


    After days of frequently using icy powers, Lin Jing could no longer tolerate the cold. All he wanted now was to burrow into the warmth of the furnace and escape the freezing environment.


    The Dragon Scales Fire, a top-tier beast me, was truly remarkable. Even though the Dragon Carp¡¯s cultivation level wasn¡¯t high, its mes were already capable of alleviating the burden of Lin Jing¡¯s Ice Soul Physique.


    Lin Jing ended up staying in the Hundred Beast Cauldron for an entire week, falling into a deep sleep and slowly digesting his gains.


    As for the Dragon Carp, it soon learned from the Pine Leaf Mouse that it had missed the Cavern Heaven event and that the second contract position had been taken by the Ice Soul Gu. The news hit it like a thunderbolt on a sunny day.


    ¡°!!!¡± The Dragon Carp was utterly devastated. <em>I was supposed to be second!</em>


    ¡°¡­Well,¡± Lin Jing attempted to console it. <em>Actually, the Ice Soul Gu was technically second, and that¡¯s the only reason I brought you back as the third contract in the first ce¡­</em>


    Hearing this, the Dragon Carp¡¯s body turned pale, and a ghostly fire surrounded it. Though it hadn¡¯t yet be a Gu, it began harboring hostility toward the Ice Soul Gu. Taking Lin Jing¡¯s suggestion, it started rigorously training its fire control abilities, determined to prove to the Ice Soul Gu that it was superior.


    <em>I</em> am the real Number Two.


    Watching the Dragon Carp dedicate itself to cultivation, Lin Jing nodded in satisfaction, feeling like he had aplished something entirely pointless as a Beast Tamer.


    A weekter, Lin Jing woke up.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± A cheerful voice greeted him as soon as he opened his eyes.


    ¡°Quite the harvest, huh, kid?¡±


    ¡°Senior Divine Pine?¡± Lin Jing immediately recognized the voice and asked, ¡°Why have youe to the academy?¡±


    ¡°The Cavern Heaven appeared¡ªhow could I not pay attention?!¡± The Divine Pine replied irritably. ¡°Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement, and you even contracted the Ice Soul Gu beforehand. Not bad at all, kid.¡±


    Lin Jing smiled wryly. ¡°It was a matter of necessity, Senior. Opportunities within the Cavern Heaven are rare; I couldn¡¯t afford to let them slip by.¡±


    ¡°Well done!¡± The Divine Pine praised him. ¡°The news of you and your contracted beasts breaking through to the Tenth Stage alongside Chen Lingxi and Wang Xiao is already spreading like wildfire, making you famous. If people knew you also contracted an Eleventh Stage Ice Soul Gu¡­ haha, their reactions would be priceless!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s better this way. No one knowing about your Ice Soul Gu is a good thing. Always keep a few cards up your sleeve. Don¡¯t worry¡ªunless an immoral Nascent Soul cultivator specializing in spiritual sense forcibly breaks through the seal on your body to probe your secrets, no one will find out about it.¡±


    As the Divine Pine finished speaking, Lin Jing nced at the back of his hand, where the Fortune Dragon¡¯s color had turned to violet-gold. It had reached the pinnacle of its first stage, just shy of transforming into a golden dragon. His secret art was close to perfection.


    ¡°Although you didn¡¯tplete the academy assessment or defeat the Heavenly God Physique in front of everyone, the fact that all three of you reached the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement in the Cavern Heaven is far more significant than any academy test.¡±


    ¡°The Heavenly God Physique cultivator continued the assessment after emerging from the Cavern Heaven. With his Tenth Stage cultivation, he defeated the Foundation Establishment swordsman and gained widespread fame. But your reputation is no less. Not only did you defeat Chen Lingxi, who also reached the Tenth Stage, but both you and your beasts reached the Tenth Stage together¡ªa feat most can¡¯t even dream of.¡±


    ¡°Now, everyone is debating who is stronger¡ª you or Wang Xiao, the Heavenly God Physique cultivator. Let the rumors spread a little longer. There¡¯s no rush to fight him. Wait until his reputation grows even more; defeating him then will bring you even greater renown. For now, your fame is already enough to fuel your cultivation.¡±


    "Thank you, Senior Divine Pine," Lin Jing said, bowing in gratitude. He could tell that Senior Divine Pine had been guarding him during his recovery.


    Divine Pine waved him off. ¡°Enough of that! It looks like someone¡¯s here to see you. This time, I won¡¯t interfere!¡± With that, the Divine Pine disappeared from the academy, leaving Lin Jing to handle the visitor outside his cave dwelling.


    Standing there was a young man in ck robes.


    ¡°Brother Lin!¡± Gao Sheng called from outside. ¡°I brought some exquisite dishes made from advanced yang-attribute and fire-attribute spiritual beasts, specially prepared by Xianke Lai¡¯s chefs. How are you feeling? May Ie in?¡±


    The door to the cave dwelling opened, and Gao Sheng entered, only to see Lin Jing climbing out of the furnace.


    ¡°Brother Lin!¡± Gao Sheng grinned knowingly. ¡°Congrattions on reaching the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement! You must¡¯ve relied on <em>that</em> thing¡¯s power in the Cavern Heaven, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Jing admitted, nodding. ¡°Without it, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to take down so many Dragon-Phoenix projections.¡±


    ¡°Lucky you,¡± Gao Sheng said with envy. ¡°Even though I came ¡®well-prepared,¡¯ I was still a step away from the Tenth Stage. This garbage mortal physique of mine holds me back. I can¡¯t wait to reach Foundation Establishment and develop an acquired cultivation physique.¡±


    Lin Jing smiled faintly, and Gao Sheng continued. ¡°Oh, by the way, my grand-uncle sent me a message. He asked me to tell you that the doors of the Demon-ying Bureau are always open to you. You don¡¯t need to worry about the Ice Soul Gu. Currently, only my grand-uncle, Sister Feng, and I know about it.


    ¡°Even the City Lord of Snow Moon has had his memory of the Ice Soul Gu erased by my grand-uncle. The whole Snow Moon incident has been written off as the work of a rogue practitioner from the Gu God Cult.¡±


    Gao Sheng pulled out a white token and handed it to Lin Jing. ¡°This is a special token from the Demon-ying Bureau. With this, even if you use the Ice Soul Gu, you¡¯ll be under official protection and won¡¯t be treated as a demonic cultivator. If you ever face pursuit from righteous cultivators, just show this token.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Lin Jing epted the token with genuine gratitude.


    ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡± Gao Shengughed. ¡°Once you and your beasts reach Foundation Establishment, we¡¯ll be teaming up to crack cases for the Demon-ying Bureau!¡± From his storage pouch, Gao Sheng pulled out a table full of dishes and wine.


    ¡°You¡¯re just worried that if I use the Ice Soul Gu to solve a case, you¡¯ll get dragged into trouble with me,¡± Lin Jing retorted dryly.


    ¡°¡­Maybe,¡± Gao Sheng admitted with a sheepish grin.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Lin Jing, looking at the spread of food and the special token, nodded and said, ¡°Wait until you reach Foundation Establishment.¡±


    Though Lin Jing agreed, he figured his own breakthrough to Foundation Establishment would take quite some time. With his lifespan extended yet again, he nned to spend at least ten years calmly studying at the academy before considering his next step.


    ¡°Eat and drink!¡± Lin Jing grabbed a chicken leg and stuffed it into his mouth¡ªonly to gag immediately. He spat the bite out, spraying it all over Gao Sheng¡¯s face.


    ¡°What <em>is</em> this? It¡¯s so disgusting!¡± Lin Jing eximed.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Gao Sheng wasn¡¯t angry but rather stunned. ¡°That¡¯s impossible! I spent a fortune at Xianke Lai to have their top chef prepare this¡ªit¡¯s guaranteed to suppress the effects of the Ice Soul Gu!¡±


    Gao Sheng picked up a chicken leg and took a bite. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡±


    Lin Jing, reluctantly taking another bite, gagged again and spat it out. It tasted unbearable, and he couldn¡¯t swallow it.


    ¡°I must be sick,¡± Lin Jing said, feeling nauseous. ¡°Cold and heat really don¡¯t mix well¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Gao Sheng suddenly looked regretful. ¡°I think I know what¡¯s happening. You¡¯ve been exposed to the taste of Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow too many times in the Cavern Heaven, and now your sense of taste has mutated! That vor haspletely warped your pte!¡±


    Gao Sheng sighed. ¡°I grew up eating delicacies, so I¡¯m less affected. But you¡­ well¡­¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s vision darkened. <em>The Cavern Heaven has side effects like this too?!</em> Was the Pine Leaf Mouse suffering the same problem?


    Although Lin Jing could sustain himself through breatharian techniques now, eating delicious food was one of life¡¯s great pleasures, and he couldn¡¯t imagine giving it up!


    ¡°Is Brother Lin here?¡±


    A voice interrupted his thoughts.


    ¡°This is Wang Xiao of the Wang family.¡±


    Lin Jing sighed. While he had nned to let Wang Xiao¡¯s reputation grow before challenging him, it seemed Wang Xiao couldn¡¯t let go of the pressure he had felt during their brief encounter. He hade here to issue a challenge.

 Book 2: Chapter 27: Suppressing the Divine Physique

    Vol 2 Chapter 27: Suppressing the Divine Physique


    ¡°Wang Xiao? What¡¯s that guy doing here?¡±


    Inside the cave, Gao Sheng¡¯s expression turned sour upon hearing the shout from outside. At the moment, he was deepening his bond with Lin Jing, and Wang Xiao¡¯s arrival was truly untimely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± Lin Jing said, desperate for an excuse to escape the unptable food in front of him.


    Outside the cave, Wang Xiao saw Lin Jing emerge and immediately opened his mouth arrogantly, his divine eyes shing: ¡°Lin Jing, three days from now, at the peak of Flying Dragon Mountain¡ªdo you dare face me in battle?¡±


    Lin Jing heard this and shook his head. ¡°Go back. I¡¯m not in the mood for this right now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Are you scared?¡± Wang Xiao frowned. Lin Jing¡¯s fame had skyrocketed recently, and if rumors of his defeat spread, it would tarnish his reputation. After all, Lin Jing had even defeated a Foundation Establishment sword cultivator from the Heavenly Sword Gate¡ªif he was afraid, it would be understandable.


    ¡°Refusing to fight someone of the same level doesn¡¯t sound great either if the word gets out,¡± Wang Xiao added, provoking him further.


    ¡°You¡¯re really something¡­¡± Lin Jing¡¯s patience had reached its limit. ¡°Fine, let me send you on your way.¡±Frustrated from the food and in a foul mood already, Lin Jing raised his right hand, his fingersced with threads of Qi.


    ¡°Spiritual Threads?¡±


    Wang Xiao sneered at the sight. This technique, forming threads of Qi, was simr to controlling objects in the air¡ªit wasn¡¯t even a proper spell. It was mainly used by mechanists and puppet masters to manipte their creations. Lin Jing intended to use such a method against him?


    Laughable.


    ¡°Thunder¡­¡± Wang Xiao was about to counter with his domineering thunder-based techniques when Lin Jing vanished without a trace. His speed was so fast that Wang Xiao didn¡¯t even have time to react.


    By the time Wang Xiao realized it, he felt a chill at the back of his neck. Lin Jing was already standing behind him, his palm aimed at the back of Wang Xiao¡¯s neck.


    Under Lin Jing¡¯s feet¡ªor rather, all around the area outside the cave¡ªthere were scattered red leaves blending perfectly with the surrounding maple leaves. One of the red leaves emanated faint spatial ripples.


    Perched on Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder, the Pine Leaf Mouse yawnedzily as the spatial fluctuations subsided. Wang Xiao¡¯s entire body was now covered in frost.


    ¡°You¡­ Spatial Arts!¡± Wang Xiao was utterly shocked. The technique that left him no time to react was undoubtedly a spatial ability. This Beast Tamer actually had mastery over such a powerful art!


    Wang Xiao¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to use his unparalleled Heavenly God Qi of the Qi Refinement Tenth Stage to break through the frost. However, the chilling aura from the spiritual threads piercing his body was overwhelming, even freezing his Qi entirely.


    What was even more terrifying was that as the threads moved within him, Wang Xiao found himself unable to control his body. Instead, his movements were dictated by Lin Jing¡¯s finger gestures, and his body unwillingly began walking down the mountain.


    He couldn¡¯t understand it at all¡ªhow could this basic technique used by puppet masters and mechanists control even someone like him, a Divine Physique cultivator?


    ¡°Leave already,¡± Lin Jing said, dismissing him. ¡°I¡¯m not fighting you because I consider how hard it was for you to build your reputation. You should focus on leveraging your fame and advancing your strength with the Hidden Dragon Arts before challenging me again.¡±


    For Lin Jing, even if he and his Pine Leaf Mouse, both at the Qi Refinement Tenth Stage, managed to defeat this Heavenly God Physique, it wouldn¡¯t bring much of a boost to his own reputation. It was better to wait until Wang Xiao had achieved greater renown before defeating him for maximum impact.


    In just moments, Lin Jing sent Wang Xiao down the mountain. As the spiritual threads withdrew, Lin Jing smirked to himself. Although the threads were a crude imitation of the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power, theirbination with spatial teleportation had still caught Wang Xiao off guard.


    At the base of the mountain, Wang Xiao turned his stiff neck to nce back, deeply shaken. He had always thought Lin Jing¡¯s mechanical creations were limited to crafting weapons from special materials. Who could have imagined that the spiritual thread technique was powerful enough to even control a Divine Physique?


    And the frost¡­ Wang Xiao¡¯s mind raced as he recalled the pressure he had felt back when Lin Jing emerged from the Cavern Heaven with the Ice Soul Gu.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always thought I didn¡¯t have any special constitution, but now it seems I¡¯ve been hiding a deeply concealed cold attribute physique. Could it be¡­ that I possess an Ice Divine Physique?¡±


    ¡°You wille back¡­¡± The Pine Leaf Mousezily gave up its grudge match against Wang Xiao, knowing that even with the aid of magical treasures, it couldn¡¯t match Lin Jing, let alone the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power.


    Wang Xiao slowly walked away, nning to enter closed-door cultivation. He resolved to master his techniques and improve his abilities before seeking another challenge.@@novelbin@@


    The scene of Lin Jing suppressing the Divine Physique was observed in its entirety by Gao Sheng, who was inside the cave. He was astonished beyond words. When Lin Jing returned to the cave, Gao Sheng immediately raised a toast.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed,¡± Gao Sheng said sincerely.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the Ice Soul Gu doing the work,¡± Lin Jing replied modestly.


    ¡°But still,¡± Gao Sheng insisted, ¡°not just anyone can control the Ice Soul Gu. The Demon-ying Bureau has obtained it a few times, but even there, only a select few can handle it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that,¡± Lin Jing said with a bitter smile. ¡°Tell me, what should I do about this situation?¡±


    ¡°Are you really unable to eat at all? Perhaps time will smooth things out¡­¡± Gao Sheng suggested.


    ¡°Or,¡± Gao Sheng¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up with an idea, ¡°why don¡¯t you indulge a bit and only eat dishes of the highest quality, like Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow?¡±


    ¡°Too expensive,¡± Lin Jing replied decisively.


    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Gao Sheng suddenly remembered something. ¡°Before we left the Cavern Heaven, Mr. Cao mentioned that anyone who breaks through to the extreme within the Cavern Heaven can use the academy¡¯s Cavern Heaven free of charge for a year!¡±


    "I don¡¯t know how you and the Pine Leaf Mouse are being ounted for. If you¡¯re considered separately and assigned two caves, you could rent one out. Collect decades¡¯ worth of rent upfront, and voil¨¤¡ªyou¡¯d have the money you need," Gao Sheng suggested.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Lin Jing tilted his head, considering the idea.


    ...


    After Gao Sheng left, Lin Jing sat cross-legged in his cave, focusing inward to assess his current cultivation state. If the Qi Refinement Tenth Stage were divided further into early, middle, andte phases, then the Pine Leaf Mouse would clearly be in thete phase, while Lin Jing himself was currently in the middle phase.


    ¡°Next up, I¡¯ll refine my alchemy skills and figure out how to upgrade the bloodline levels of both the Pine Leaf Mouse and the Dragon Carp!¡± Lin Jing resolved.


    The recent journey through the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven had given him a deeper understanding of how crucial physique and bloodline talents were.


    He opened his eyes, deciding to enter another period of closed-door cultivation. The Pine Leaf Mouse had the same idea¡ªit had nearly depleted its carefully umted resources inside the Cavern Heaven and wanted to stockpile more for its sense of security.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Lin Jing reached into the depths of his cave and pulled out the Dragon Carp. ¡°You seem like you¡¯re in a bad mood?¡±


    ¡°Blub blub~ (It¡¯s just the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s credit~),¡± the Dragon Carp¡¯s mouth opened and closed as it made disgruntled sounds.


    Lin Jing couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You¡¯re destined to soar in the nine heavens as a true dragon. Why are you jealous of a mere spider?¡±


    ¡°And to think you¡¯re supposed to be a proud male carp,¡± he teased.


    As he spoke, Lin Jing extended his palm, releasing the aura of Hidden Dragon Fortune.


    ¡°Alright. This time, our trip to the Cavern Heaven wasrgely thanks to the thousand-plus pills you helped me refine. Now, let me enhance your potential again.¡±


    ¡°When the dayes that you transform into a dragon, it will also be the day you ascend to the nine heavens and be invincible.¡±


    The Hidden Dragon Arts were approaching the stage of minor mastery, and Lin Jing wasn¡¯t stingy with his fortune power. Once again, he used it to enhance the Dragon Carp¡¯s abilities.


    Seeing how much care the Beast Tamer had for it, the Dragon Carp¡¯s mood lifted, and it regained its cheerfulness.


    ¡°Enhancementplete. Next, I¡¯ll need to start refining second-tier pills.¡±


    The Dragon Carp¡¯s smile instantly disappeared. Refining pills again?!


    Its entire body already reeked of the scent of medicinal herbs, and no matter what it tried, it couldn¡¯t get rid of it.

 Book 2: Chapter 30: The Flow of Time

    Vol 2 Chapter 30: The Flow of Time


    Lin Jing nodded. The chilling spiritual energy from the marriage certificate was indeed potent. Had he not reached the tenth stage of Qi Refinement and possessed an ice-attribute physique, merely touching the item would have caused him harm.


    He carefully stored the marriage certificate in his storage bag. While the item wasn¡¯t highly useful, it did contain spiritual energy. If he simply discarded it, this lesson would yield no gains at all.


    After storing the marriage certificate, Lin Jing turned to the Pine Leaf Mouse. Although it had talent, its treasure-hunting technique was still at a beginner¡¯s level. It had only located one of the three spiritually infused ancient treasures that Mr. Cao had ced in the area. The other two remained undiscovered.


    However, realizing that the highest-quality ancient treasure was merely an ominous marriage certificate, Lin Jing no longer held high expectations for the other two items.


    ¡°Mr. Cao, I recall you once said that anyone who achieves an extreme breakthrough in the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven would gain sixty years of ess to an academy cave dwelling. Both the Pine Leaf Mouse and I broke through to extremes within the cavern. Does that mean we receive 120 years of ess, or two cave dwellings for sixty years each?¡± Lin Jing asked, remembering a crucial matter as he addressed Mr. Cao.


    Hearing this, Mr. Cao chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re a sly one, always looking for a win-win. By logic, you and this squirrel spirit should be considered a single entity¡­¡±


    Lin Jing feigned a pained expression. ¡°Sir, my sect is in decline, and my family is impoverished¡­¡±


    ¡°The cave dwelling on the adjacent mountain peak is currently unupied. I¡¯ll grant you ess to it as well,¡± Mr. Cao said with a wave of his hand. ¡°Use it wisely.¡±Lin Jing immediately bowed. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cao.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, a few days passed. Whether the other two spiritually infused treasures had been found by others or the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s treasure-hunting skill failed to locate them, Lin Jing ended the course with the ancient marriage certificate as his sole harvest.


    Over these days, Lin Jing had also worked hard to cultivate the treasure-hunting technique. Unfortunately, his talent in this area wascking. After several days of effort, he could only find three or five pieces of junk. The gap between him and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s innate ability was vast, leading Lin Jing to ultimately give up on mastering the technique.


    However, his greatest gain was undoubtedly the additional cave dwelling. After considering it, Lin Jing decided not to rent it out. Instead, he nned to transform it into a spiritual field, expanding its cultivation area to grow medicinal ingredients for pill refining and for the Pine Leaf Mouse to use.


    As for his current cave dwelling, he decided to remodel it into a pill refinement chamber, which he would share with the me Dragon Carp.


    By dividing their activities into separate spaces, they could avoidpeting for spiritual energy, allowing for greater efficiency.


    ¡°The Hidden Dragon Arts have finally reached minor mastery¡­¡± Returning to his cave dwelling, Lin Jing nced at the back of his hand, where a golden infant dragon had fully formed. This symbolized his ability to freely ess all levels of the academy¡¯s Scripture Pavilion, enabling him to learn and explore much more knowledge.


    ¡°Next, I¡¯ll need to face the challenge of Foundation Establishment.¡±


    ¡°However, I have plenty of time. Staying in the Qi Refinement stage for three or five more years won¡¯t affect me in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°A skyscraper is built from the ground up. I should use this time advantage to learn as much as possible and prepare for a more perfect Foundation Establishment.¡± Lin Jing¡¯s gaze was firm. He pushed aside his impatience and calmed his heart as much as possible.


    Excessive impatience was ipatible with his Longevity Body, which would be detrimental to his cultivation.


    Time flowed on. In the blink of an eye, three years passed.


    During these three years, Lin Jing remained reclusive. Besides continuing to sell Mechanical Bamboo Rifles to various cities in the Ancient Domain, he dedicated himself to refining pills and attending a few academy courses.


    Meanwhile, his peers had all advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage. Xu Zhizhi, Gao Sheng, Chen Lingxi, and Wang Xiao had all achieved breakthroughs, leaving Lin Jing as the only one still lingering in the Qi Refinement stage. Many were puzzled as to why this genius, who had also reached the tenth stage of Qi Refinement, had yet to advance.


    During this time, Wang Xiao repeatedly challenged Lin Jing, only to be turned away by the me Dragon Carp. Eventually, before Wang Xiao¡¯s own Foundation Establishment, he gave up on his attempts entirely.@@novelbin@@


    As for Gao Sheng, he invited Lin Jing to join him on some case investigations after noticing that even the me Dragon Carp was preparing for Foundation Establishment.


    Inside the cave dwelling, surrounded by Danxia mists and soaring dragon mes, the me Dragon Carp opened its eyes. From the Hundred Beast Cauldron, a fiery pine leaf floated out, followed by the carp spitting out a red pill.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally a sess,¡± Lin Jing murmured.


    Few people knew that over the past eight years, the me Dragon Carp had devoted much of its time to studying pill refinement. It even used its umted Hidden Dragon Fortune to simte and improve pill refinement techniques while cultivating spiritual nts with the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    Although the carp and the mouse couldn¡¯t yet be called eighth-grade alchemists, they had reached a point where they could asionally produce eighth-grade pills. However, this wasn¡¯t their smallest gain over the eight years.


    Their greatest achievement was the creation of entirely new pills by integrating the spiritual nts cultivated by the Pine Leaf Mouse, modifying and innovating pill recipes using fortune simtion and experimentation.


    Currently, Lin Jing held in his hand a Rising Dragon Pill, refined from dragon-attribute beast fire, Purple Dragonbone Flower, and Dragon Blood as its core ingredients. It was a third-grade pill.


    ¡°ording to pharmacological calctions, this pill should be able to grant any demonic beast a high-purity dragon bloodline, transforming them into a Dragon-Blooded Demonic Beast! If the beast already has dragon blood, this pill can significantly enhance the quality of its bloodline. However, to verify its effects and ensure it¡¯s non-toxic, we¡¯ll need to test it on a white mouse first.¡±


    Lin Jing nced at the exhausted me Dragon Carp. He couldn¡¯t possibly have it test the pill.


    The third-grade pill was extremely potent, and if something went wrong, the consequences could be dire. The current results of the Rising Dragon Pill were still based on theoretical calctions.


    ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that even after synthesizing spiritual nts without the need for white mice, pills refined from these nts would still require testing on white mice,¡± Lin Jing muttered.


    He stepped out of his cave dwelling, having been cooped up for three months without sunlight to refine this single Rising Dragon Pill. Now that it was finallyplete, he couldn¡¯t wait to verify its effects.


    ¡°Found it!¡± Lin Jingughed after a short walk, catching sight of a small green caterpir nibbling on a leaf. Thanks to prolonged exposure to spiritual energy, this little insect had even reached the first stage of Qi Refinement.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do. Old Master here will grant you a stroke of fortune,¡± he said, adopting an elder¡¯s tone.


    ¡°If you survive, I¡¯ll make you my official pill-testing assistant.¡±


    Grabbing the small caterpir in one hand, Lin Jing stuffed the Rising Dragon Pill into its mouth despite the creature¡¯s terrified gaze. Worried it might struggle to digest the pill, Lin Jing also shoved a second, golden pill into its mouth.


    The second pill, crafted from golden spiritual rice, resolved the issue of losing rationality after consuming golden rice. Instead, it greatly enhanced digestion. Lin Jing had named it the Devouring Pill.


    ¡°Chirp¡ª!¡± After swallowing the Devouring Pill and Rising Dragon Pill, the caterpir¡¯s eyes rolled back, and it nearly passed out. However, a miraculous transformation soon unfolded.


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    The once-insignificant caterpir began to emit an intense dragon¡¯s might. Dragon-shaped shadows swirled around its body as its cultivation skyrocketed: Qi Refinement Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4... it continued rising until it reached the ninth stage of Qi Refinement, where it finally stabilized.


    At the same time, its body glowed with brilliant white light. Under this radiance, the caterpir¡¯s form expanded, its body sprouting green scales. Although it remained roughly the size of a human forearm and retained its caterpir-like shape, its aura had be extraordinary, far surpassing other demonic beasts of the same level!


    ¡°Whew!!¡± The caterpir, now with awakened intelligence, cast a panicked yet ferocious gaze at Lin Jing. Without hesitation, it opened its mouth and unleashed a st of green dragon breath before turning to flee.


    Boom!


    The dragon breath struck Lin Jing directly. He didn¡¯t dodge and instead emerged from the smoke, his clothes slightly disheveled but his eyes burning with excitement.


    ¡°The power of this dragon breath... it¡¯s already stronger than a Spirit Bean Bomb,¡± Lin Jing said with a chuckle. ¡°And this was just a caterpir mutation with no prior training. If a powerful demonic beast consumed the pill, the effects would likely be even greater, and their strength wouldn¡¯t fall short of the projections in the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven.¡±


    ¡°However¡­ it probably won¡¯t be effective for the me Dragon Carp. Its bloodline strength has already been enhanced too much through the Hidden Dragon Arts.¡±


    Still, that didn¡¯t matter. What truly excited Lin Jing was that the Rising Dragon Pill was the precursor to his envisioned Longevity Foundation Pill. The ovepping alchemy techniques involved meant that if he could refine the Rising Dragon Pill, he was likely on the verge of being able to refine his specialized Foundation Pill as well.


    Afterward, Lin Jing looked at his own hand. The golden fortune dragon on the back of his hand, a product of the Hidden Dragon Arts, hadn¡¯t revived.


    ¡°It¡¯s been eight years. It seems its revival has been forgotten.¡±


    He nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse, thinking aloud, ¡°In the Beast Taming Sect, they have simr concoctions for enhancing spirit nts into medicinal treasures. I wonder how the market for this would look.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s first test it within the academy,¡± he decided.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let the students see the strength of a Dragon-Blooded Carp cultivated through the Hidden Dragon Arts. Then, I¡¯ll promote the Rising Dragon Pill to them¡­¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 32: Dragon King

    Vol 2 Chapter 32: Dragon King


    A silver figure approached from the distance¡ªit was Wang Xiao. His expression was grim as he said, "You want me to fight this fish of yours? I¡¯ve already reached Foundation Establishment. Even if the two of you attack together, it¡¯d feel like bullying the weak. Did you spend three years in seclusion just to raise this fish?"


    As Wang Xiao''s wordsnded, the crowd erupted in an uproar. Wang Xiao was undoubtedly the most prominent of the new disciples. Since stepping into the Foundation Establishment stage, he had defeated many senior disciples at thete Foundation Establishment stage. His minor mastery of the Heavenly God Physique made him overwhelmingly powerful.


    Previously, there were debates about whether Wang Xiao or Lin Jing was stronger. However, after Wang Xiao advanced to Foundation Establishment and Lin Jing went into seclusion, the discussions stopped.


    Now, the crowd finally understood that Wang Xiao had repeatedly issued challenges, yet Lin Jing had ignored him under the pretense of being busy. Wang Xiao himself was furious. Ever since he lost to Lin Jing during their first encounter, he had trained relentlessly. After mastering various spells and techniques, he issued several challenges, only to be brushed off by Lin Jing. Eventually, due to a fortuitous opportunity, Wang Xiao was forced to break through to Foundation Establishment.


    ¡°Just suppress your cultivation to the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement and fight it. Problem solved,¡± Lin Jing said casually.


    The Heavenly God Physique user raised an eyebrow¡ªthis was indeed a feasible solution. Suppressing his cultivation to the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement to battle Lin Jing at the same level would also address his lingering regret.


    ¡°Fine. Then you and this Dragon Carp cane at me together.¡± Taking a few steps forward, Wang Xiao ascended into the air,nding on the arena. He sealed his spiritual sense and locked away the majority of his true essence within his Spirit Lake. Channeling his energy, he reconfigured his body to its peak Qi Refinement Tenth Stage state.


    <em>Boom!</em>The full aura of the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement erupted. Divine radiance enveloped Wang Xiao, and the crowd collectively took a deep breath. What they initially thought was merely a warm-up fight for Lin Jing''s new pet had escted into a duel between Lin Jing and someone wielding the Heavenly God Physique.


    This promised to be a spectacle.


    Many disciples quickly sent messages to inform friends who weren¡¯t present at the scene. Amid the surging anticipation, Wang Xiao''s erupting true energy manifested a celestial phantom¡ªa shadow of a god. Its aura condensed into tangible silver light and shot directly at the Dragon Carp.


    ¡°The might of a god!¡±


    The beam of light shone like divine radiance descending upon the mortal realm. Dust and stones within the arena floated in its wake. Outside the stage, some of the spectators trembled uncontrobly merely from witnessing the divine light, their bodies paralyzed.


    ¡°Is this really just the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement?¡± Many had never faced Wang Xiao at this level before and were awestruck by the overwhelming dominance of the Heavenly God Physique. Resistance seemed impossible.


    At this moment, they finally understood why Yuan Jing, a Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator, had lost back then.


    The Heavenly God Physique¡ªit was invincible!


    ¡°This power cannot be withstood by anyone at Qi Refinement Nine or even the average Foundation Establishment cultivator. Lin Jing himself is only at the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement. Can he protect his beast from this power?¡±


    The spectators¡¯ gazes flickered. However, Lin Jing, the Beast Tamer, showed no intention of helping his pet. He merely smiled faintly and said, ¡°Stop testing it. Intimidation alone won¡¯t scare it.¡±


    <em>Feed the god, then carve the meat!</em>


    ¡°Roar¡ª!¡±


    The Dragon Carp nced at the divine light. It opened its mouth slightly, and a terrifying dragon roar erupted. Its bloodline boiled, and an equally potent aura of bloodline suppression spread throughout the arena. The dragon¡¯s roar was like the king of beasts¡¯ furious bellow, full of unparalleled dominance. The soundwave surged forward, shattering the divine light with a <em>bang</em>¡ªand the roar continued unabated!


    Wang Xiao¡¯s expression shifted. He crossed his arms defensively and was sted several meters backward, only stopping at the edge of the arena.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Seeing his Heavenly God Physique¡¯s might being suppressed, Wang Xiao looked confused. In the next instant, the Dragon Carp entered a battle-ready state. It floated into the air, fueled by its vast reservoir of demonic energy, ring at Wang Xiao with savage intent.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Suddenly, the Dragon Carp lunged forward, its massive tail sweeping toward Lin Jing.


    <em>Crash!</em>


    Lin Jing raised his Starry de to block the tail strike. The de trembled violently as an intense wave of spiritual power rippled from the collision point, transforming into a gale that swept toward the onlookers. Lin Jing stared into the Dragon Carp¡¯s eyes, his expression darkening.


    In a split second, the Dragon Carp unleashed a burst of physical strength that even exceeded the power of the Heavenly God Physique. The sheer force sent Lin Jing flying toward the center of the arena.


    This scene left the spectators utterly stunned. Even with Wang Xiao suppressing his cultivation, he was still a Heavenly God Physique user. How could he be overpowered by a Dragon Carp at the Ninth Stage of Qi Refinement?


    Unless¡­


    Finally, Wang Xiao realized something.


    ¡°Demonic King bloodline¡­ This creature possesses a royal bloodline!¡±


    His deration ignited waves of shock among the crowd.


    ¡°This Dragon Carp¡­ possesses the bloodline of a Demonic King?!¡±


    The bloodline of a Demonic King refers to the inheritance of a Nascent Soul-level Demonic King. While a Demonic King can have countless offspring, only those who inherit the entirety of its bloodline power can be called bearers of the Demonic King bloodline. Producing such a descendant severely depletes the life force of the Demonic King itself, often rendering it infertile afterward. As a result, demonic beasts with the bloodline of a Demonic King are akin to human cultivators with rare special constitutions¡ªthey possess immense strength and, barring unexpected death, are highly likely to achieve the Nascent Soul stage.


    No one had anticipated that Lin Jing''s seemingly ordinary little carp would possess the bloodline of a Demonic King. Lin Jing, however, remained calm. The Dragon Carp¡¯s bloodline had undergone atavism, making it incredibly powerful. Additionally, with the enhancement of "Fortune Dragon" energy, its bloodline quality had been elevated to the king level, even before it reached Foundation Establishment, surpassing Lin Jing''s Pine Leaf Mouse in terms of potential.


    What¡¯s more, unlike regr king-level bloodlines, the Dragon Carp is a dragon-blooded demonic beast, and the dragon race is the monarch of all demonic beasts. Its bloodline is unimaginably powerful.


    "Not bad. Take this!" Lin Jing said with a faint smile. Around the Dragon Carp, an infinite surge of <em>Dragon Scales Fire</em> erupted. Within the mes, dragon-shaped true energy swirled and coiled. As this supreme beast me emerged, it instantly formed a <em>Heaven-Earth Furnace</em>, connecting heaven and earth. Layers uponyers of fiery waves rotated endlessly, trapping Wang Xiao within. His expression darkened even further.


    The manifestation of this furnace drew an astonished cry from Ziling¡¯er. ¡°Top-tier beast mes¡­ and a Heaven-Earth Furnace! This is a fire-controlling technique that only a third-grade alchemist could master!¡±


    Xu Zhizhi, Yuan Jing, Gao Kai, and others stared at Wang Xiao, who was trapped inside the zing furnace. They were utterly dumbfounded. No one could have imagined that this Dragon Carp, which had not even leaped over the Dragon Gate yet, could be so ferocious!


    ¡°Heh¡­¡± Only a hidden observer, disguised as a pine cone, sneered coldly, ¡°A bunch of naive righteous cultivators. Faced with a demonic fish, they¡¯ve gone dumb with shock. To catch up in power to that Ice Gu, this carp has spent day and night refining itself like a pill using ghostfire and feasting on Longevity Blood Mosquitoes every single meal!¡±


    If anyone thought this Dragon Carp was just an ordinary young king-level beast, they would be gravely mistaken!@@novelbin@@


    <em>Boom!</em> The Heavenly God Physique was still as formidable as ever. After being trapped for a moment, Wang Xiao managed to sh through the furnace. However, his once radiant silver armor was now ckened. Although his body was unharmed, his dominance and oppressive aura remained intact as he stepped forward, glowing faintly in the dim light.


    ¡°Interesting. Over the past three years, you¡¯ve raised yet another monster¡­ Seems I underestimated you!¡± Wang Xiaoughed heartily. Instead of weakening, his power surged even further. Divine radiance shone brighter, and arcs of lightning crackled across his astral energy. Just as he was about tounch a counterattack¡ª


    Lin Jing interjected, ¡°You¡¯re wondering how I managed to raise such an exceptionally powerful Dragon Carp from something so ordinary? You¡¯re right¡ªit¡¯s not solely due to the <em>Hidden Dragon Arts</em>. But when paired with this <em>Rising Dragon Pill</em> that I refined, the results are entirely different.¡±


    ¡°A demonic beast with a powerful bloodline, whenbined with this pill, has the potential to reach the level of a Dragon King. With this pill, you could also find a demonic beast with a strong bloodline¡ªnot necessarily dragon-blooded¡ªand quickly raise a young Dragon King to serve as your mount!¡± As Lin Jing spoke, he extended his hand, revealing a crimson pill.


    Wang Xiao: ?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even ask!¡± he barked, gripping his battle de tightly.

 Book 2: Chapter 33: The Gifted Pill

    Vol 2 Chapter 33: The Gifted Pill


    "Who asked you?!"


    The moment Lin Jing brought out the pill, the new disciples immediately understood his true intentions foring out of seclusion.


    It seemed that training his new pet was just an excuse¡ªhis real purpose was to introduce a new product and earn some fame!


    ¡°Didn¡¯t ask, huh?¡± Lin Jing blinked, retracting the pill with a smile. ¡°Looks like I misheard.¡±


    ¡°But, Fellow Daoist Wang, won¡¯t you buy one? You¡¯ve seen its power for yourself!¡±


    Wang Xiao let out a cold snort, raising his <em>Starry de</em>. A deafening thunderp boomed as heavenly lightning descended, channeling through the de and striking his Heavenly God Physique. His entire body radiated with lightning and wind energy, shrouded in violent currents.


    ¡°Wind Thunder sh!¡± Wang Xiao¡¯s figure vanished in an instant.


    The Dragon Carp¡¯s eyes darted around nervously, and in the next moment, a loud cracking sound came as its scales shattered. Despite holding the advantage moments ago, the Dragon Carp was now smashed into the distance, leaving a deep trench across the arena.Wang Xiao stood in ce, surrounded by swirling wind and thunder, his expression cold and stern.


    ¡°The Dragon Carp you raised is indeed stronger than an ordinary beast with king-level bloodlines, but that¡¯s all there is to it. Nothing more. Earlier, it was merely because I hadn¡¯t fully adjusted to suppressing my cultivation¡­¡±


    He spoke calmly, but before he could finish, his brow furrowed. To his surprise, the Dragon Carp, having just been struck down, leaped back up, lively and vigorous as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°Even the innate Heavenly God Physique at the Tenth Stage of Qi Refinement has to admit that a dragon-blooded beast raised with the <em>Rising Dragon Pill</em> surpasses ordinary Demonic King progeny!¡± Lin Jing remarked.


    ¡°I DID NOT SAY THAT!!!¡± Wang Xiao gritted his teeth, gripping his battle de even tighter, utterly infuriated. He was clearly mocking the Dragon Carp, not praising it!


    Once again, Wang Xiao¡¯s figure disappeared. Though the Dragon Carp had managed to overpower him in ¡°aura¡± and ¡°strength¡± earlier, in terms of <em>speed</em>, Wang Xiao was on an entirely different level.


    <em>Pop! Pop! Pop!</em>


    The Dragon Carp spat out several fireballs toward Wang Xiao, but he easily dodged them all. In the blink of an eye, Wang Xiao reappeared behind the Dragon Carp, mming it dozens of meters away once more.


    ¡°Now do you see?¡± Wang Xiao took deliberate steps toward the Dragon Carp. Just as he was about to continue speaking, Lin Jing cut in again.


    ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that the Dragon Carp is currently being suppressed. I suspect that this state of stimting the body with heavenly lightning is something Fellow Daoist Wang can¡¯t maintain for long. Besides¡ª¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP.¡±


    Wang Xiao was beginning to regret epting the challenge. Earlier, when the Dragon Carp had the upper hand, Lin Jing wouldn¡¯t stop rambling. Now that Wang Xiao had turned the tide, Lin Jing was still talking nonstop.


    Irritated, Wang Xiao decided to change tactics. Instead of targeting the Dragon Carp, he leaped forward, shattering the arena as he charged straight at Lin Jing!


    ¡°Break¡ª¡±


    But just as Wang Xiao focused entirely on Lin Jing, he failed to notice the astonishing transformation taking ce on the Dragon Carp.


    The <em>Dragon Scales Fire</em> on its body began topress wildly, its temperature skyrocketing. The mes turned violent, coalescing into the shape of a massive ming dragon head, which shot toward Wang Xiao with a deafening roar.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    Wang Xiao, with his full attention on Lin Jing, let his guard down for just a moment. That moment was enough. The ming dragon head mmed into his abdomen, caving it inward. His eyes rolled back slightly, saliva spurted from his mouth, and he was sent flying more than ten meters before managing to steady himself. Clutching his abdomen, his expression was grim.


    Lin Jing looked at him with an odd expression. ¡°Demonic beasts with dragon bloodlines possess incredibly strong physical bodies. Even an innate Heavenly God Physique attacking at full power can¡¯t suppress them quickly.¡±


    Despite its shattered scales and fresh wounds, the Dragon Carp still iled about energetically. The most shocking part was its terrifying self-healing ability¡ªits injuries were closing at an exaggerated speed.


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Yao Ai coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing, struck by Wang Xiao, was also sent flying, and for a moment, the scene fell into silence.


    Thatst exchange had caused immense destruction, far surpassing the Dragon Carp¡¯s earlier attacks, and had clearly dealt a significant blow to Wang Xiao.


    The impact was enough to break Wang Xiao¡¯s self-imposed suppression. He coughed up another mouthful of blood as his cultivation returned to the Foundation Establishment stage, stabilizing him.


    ¡°mepression... that¡¯s yet another fire-controlling technique only a third-grade alchemist could master!¡±


    To the untrained eye, it was a spectacle, but to someone knowledgeable like Ziling¡¯er, the truth was far more impressive. She pondered aloud, ¡°Typically, demonic beasts are crude when ites to controlling spiritual energy. They rely entirely on their bloodline strength, and their techniques are wild and unrefined. How is this Dragon Carp so different?¡±


    Ziling¡¯er wasn¡¯t aware of this, but the Dragon Carp had no choice in the matter. Normally, reasonable people know that demonic beasts are naturally bad at controlling power, so they simply avoid pushing them too hard, ying to their strengths instead to save time.@@novelbin@@


    But Lin Jing? He didn¡¯t follow normal conventions. He forced the Dragon Carp to practice alchemy with him.


    Is fire control progressing too slowly? No problem. With their long lifespan, they could afford to train patiently over time. Gradually, as the Dragon Carp kept practicing, it realized it wasn¡¯t as difficult as it first seemed.


    ¡°<em>Again!!!</em>¡±


    Wang Xiao nced at the arena, then extended his hand to recall his weapon. His anger burned furiously as he realized that Lin Jing had disrupted his focus. He was too eager to defeat Lin Jing, which had caused him to make repeated mistakes.


    Just as Wang Xiao was preparing to suppress his cultivation once more and continue the fight, Lin Jing shook his head, signaling that it was time to wrap things up.


    ¡°Fellow Daoist Wang, this is a <em>Rising Dragon Pill</em>. It can grant ordinary demonic beasts a powerful dragon bloodline. I raised my dragon-blooded pet using this pill and the Hidden Dragon Arts. Let¡¯s call this match a draw, and thank you for your guidance. Please ept this pill as a token of my gratitude.¡± Lin Jing casually tossed a pill to Wang Xiao.


    ¡°What kind of joke is this?!¡± Wang Xiao caught the pill, clearly unwilling to let the fight end here.


    However, as he thought about the battle, a realization dawned on him: he had yet to face Lin Jing directly. If a mere Dragon Carp had already pushed him to such extremes, how difficult would it be if Lin Jing himself joined the fight? His expression darkened.


    This Dragon-blooded Carp¡­ why was it so strange? He had fought juvenile Demonic Kings before, yet none had been as troublesome as this carp.


    <em>"If Lin Jing truly fought alongside it and used all of its abilities, including his secrets, I might still win against the carp, but I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against them both. How could there be such a frustrating Beast Tamer technique?!"</em>


    Wang Xiao nced at the Dragon Carp, whose expression oscited between ferocity and nkness, then let out a deep breath. Clenching the pill in his hand, he turned and left, knowing that continuing the fight would only make things worse for himself.


    <em>"I need to raise my own demonic pet!"</em>


    What Wang Xiao didn¡¯t realize was that while he believed he could defeat the Dragon Carp, the beast had only used the surface level of its strength. Its more sinister abilities, such as <em>Ghostfire</em> and other demonic techniques, had yet toe into y.


    After Wang Xiao left, Lin Jing understood that his goal had been achieved.


    The story of Lin Jing from the Beast Taming Sect raising a dragon-blooded demonic beast using the Hidden Dragon Arts and a special pill to fight the Heavenly God Physique to a draw would undoubtedly spread like wildfire.


    With a slight smile, Lin Jing turned to face the silent crowd of geniuses below the arena. ¡°Are there any other Fellow Daoists who would like to exchange pointers?¡±


    ¡°If, like Fellow Daoist Wang, you suppress your cultivation to the same level and either draw with or defeat my pet, you¡¯ll receive a <em>Rising Dragon Pill</em> as a reward.¡±


    The crowd remained silent. A draw? Competing against a carp that could stand on equal ground with the Heavenly God Physique at the same level? Who here could im they had the ability to fight it evenly?


    Suddenly, someone in the audience broke the silence. ¡°This <em>Rising Dragon Pill</em> of yours¡ªwhat¡¯s the price? If I bought a few, could I really raise a dragon pet as powerful as your carp?¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 35: Myriad Beast Circle

    Vol 2 Chapter 35: Myriad Beast Circle


    ¡°You wretched thing!!!¡±


    Ziling¡¯er flew out of the mountain crevice, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, ring angrily at the Dan Rabbit.


    ¡°I asked you to attack me to test your strength, not to kill me!¡±


    ¡°Master, I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± The muscr rabbit hid behind a rock, looking innocent and scared of Ziling¡¯er¡¯s retaliation.


    Ziling¡¯er was furious. She quickly descended in front of her cave and scolded the Dan Rabbit, ¡°Go inside and reflect on your actions! Don¡¯te out unless I allow it!¡±


    The Dan Rabbit pouted and hopped straight into the cave.


    The others watched Ziling¡¯er¡¯s disheveled appearance, suppressing theirughter but unable to hide their amusement.


    It seemed this Dan Rabbit wasn¡¯t all that submissive toward Ziling¡¯er.The genius Violet me Alchemist turned to Lin Jing and said, ¡°This Rising Dragon Pill can indeed change bloodlines¡ªit¡¯s already transformed into a Dragon-Blooded Spirit Beast¡­ But Dan Rabbits are usually gentle and obedient. What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Lin Jing chuckled and exined, ¡°Dan Rabbits are indeed very docile, but now it has be a Dragon-Blooded Dan Rabbit. Dragons are inherently proud and self-assured. Considering how you¡¯ve likely pushed it hard during your experiments, it¡¯s not surprising that now, with its newfound strength, it wants to let off some steam.¡±


    ¡°I can see that this Dan Rabbit is still quite loyal to you, Miss Ziling. If you treat it better in the future, it¡¯ll naturally be even more obedient.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll join the Dragon Pce,¡± Ziling¡¯er finally said with a pout. She was clearly captivated by the effects of the Rising Dragon Pill¡ªor perhaps by the Beast Taming profession itself.


    Whenever a cultivation technique or profession demonstrated immense power, it inevitably garnered admiration. It was human nature. History had no shortage of examples where powerful cultivators ignited new cultivation trends.


    As an alchemist, Ziling¡¯er¡¯s ownbat strength was rtively weak. Having a strong pet beast wouldn¡¯t be such a bad thing.


    ¡°I recall that the Dan Pill Manual from the Dan Ding Sect mentions a type of pill that can make demonic beasts docile and tame, even purifying their wild nature,¡± Ziling¡¯er mused to herself, deciding to leverage her alchemy skills to better control the Dragon-Blooded Dan Rabbit.


    As for how the Dragon Pce handled pet beasts, Lin Jing didn¡¯t care. These geniuses weren¡¯t disciples of the Beast Taming Sect, so he didn¡¯t n to impose his sect¡¯s rules on them.


    ¡°Wee aboard,¡± Lin Jing said, pping his hands. ¡°Miss Ziling, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be d you made this choice.¡±


    Ziling¡¯er gave Lin Jing a curious look, still puzzled about the origin of the Rising Dragon Pill. Was it his creation? That didn¡¯t seem likely. Was it a secret form from the Beast Taming Sect?


    Even if it was, the fact that Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp could refine it was absurd. Refining a third-tier pill at the Qi Refinement Stage was already challenging. If she, a prodigy of the Dan Ding Sect, could do it, it would be expected. But Lin Jing? He wasn¡¯t just a Beast Tamer; he was also proficient in Mechanized Arts <em>and</em> alchemy?!


    ¡°The effects are indeed remarkable,¡± Ziling¡¯er admitted, finally recognizing the Rising Dragon Pill. Hearing this, Yuan Jing felt reassured.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Although raising a Dragon Beast is costly, it¡¯s a worthwhile investment for the future,¡± Yuan Jing thought to himself.


    In the Heavenly Sword Gate, there were two ways to cultivate a Sword Spirit. The first was for exceptionally talented swordsmen to nurture their swords with their hearts, allowing the sword to develop its own spirit¡ªa rarity. The second method was to seal a beast¡¯s soul within the sword and use a special secret art to transform it into a Sword Spirit. However, this method was also fraught with challenges.


    If a genius sword cultivator were to raise a pet beast, their ultimate goal would undoubtedly be to merge the beast entirely with their sword.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join as well,¡± Yuan Jing said, deciding that using a Dragon Beast as his Sword Spirit would not disappoint.


    ¡°You¡¯re joining too? Good. Take some time to gather Spirit Stones and go buy a demonic beast!¡±


    At this point, many of the new students began to waver. Most of them came from well-off backgrounds and could afford third-tier pills.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re ready,e find me at my cave,¡± Lin Jing said with a weing smile, not turning anyone away.


    He was genuinely curious to see how the academy would evolve if he slowly turned it into a ¡°Beast Taming Sect.¡±


    Soon, whether they nned to join the ¡°Dragon Pce¡± or not, all the new students dispersed¡ªexcept for Gao Sheng and Xu Zhizhi.


    ¡­


    When Lin Jing returned to his cave, Gao Sheng and Xu Zhizhi were still tailing him closely.


    Gao Sheng grinned and asked, ¡°How many Rising Dragon Pills do you have left? If my Dragon Horse takes one, what effect will it have? Could it possibly achieve a King-Tier Bloodline?¡±


    Lin Jing rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re dreaming. While the Rising Dragon Pill can enhance dragon blood purity, achieving King-Tier Bloodline isn¡¯t that easy. Your Dragon Horse¡¯s bloodline isn¡¯t bad. If it consumes multiple Rising Dragon Pills and you invest a significant amount of Hidden Dragon Fortune to cultivate it, then it might be possible.¡±


    ¡°I can buy the Rising Dragon Pills, but Hidden Fortune is hard toe by¡­¡± Gao Sheng sighed bitterly.


    ¡°Ahem, Brother Gao, I¡¯ve got a few ns to make a name for myself, but I¡¯m short on startup funds. Would you be interested in investing?¡± Xu Zhizhi said ingratiatingly after cursing ¡°rich bastards¡± under his breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Gao Sheng replied.


    ¡°You two can discuss thister,¡± Lin Jing interrupted, tossing two Rising Dragon Pills to them. ¡°Consider these a gift. However, refining the Rising Dragon Pills isn¡¯t easy, and the cost is high. If you want more, you¡¯ll have to trade for something of equal value like Ziling¡¯er.¡±


    The Dragon Blood used to refine the pills came from Lin Jing¡¯s own pocket, purchased from the Lotus Pavilion.


    ¡°Brother Xu, help me spread the word about today¡¯s events. Consider this pill a thank-you gift.¡±


    ¡°Of course!!!¡± Xu Zhizhi¡¯s eyes lit up as he epted the pill. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll make sure everyone in the Ancient Domain knows that even a Heavenly God Physique is no match for your Dragon Pets. I¡¯ll ensure the entire Ancient Domain bes curious about your Rising Dragon Pills!¡±


    He pocketed the pill, already nning to buy a Lynx Demon for cultivation. The fur of Lynx Demons was essential for making brushes, and Xu Zhizhi was curious about the effects of using Dragon-Blooded Lynx fur for creating brushes. How much would it enhance literary techniques?


    ¡°I won¡¯t take advantage of you either,¡± Gao Sheng said, taking out a circr artifact and handing it to Lin Jing.


    ¡°This is the Myriad Beast Circle, a treasure refined by the Myriad Beast Sect in Qingzhou. It¡¯s simr to the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s artifacts and can also store living creatures and capture demonic beasts. However, any beast subdued by the Myriad Beast Circle will have its intelligence erased, turning it into a puppet that only follows orders.¡±


    Beyond the Ancient Kingdom, in Qingzhou, there was the Myriad Beast Sect¡ªa faction simr to the early Beast Taming Sect.


    But unlike the Beast Taming Sect, the Myriad Beast Sect had always enved demonic beasts. They erased the intelligence of the beasts they captured instead of nurturing them. Once a beast died in battle, they simply reced it with another, endlessly cycling through them.


    The sect earned its name from this approach.


    If the Beast Taming Sect disciples cultivated elite pet beasts, then the Myriad Beast Sect cultivators employed a swarm strategy¡ªsubjugating vast numbers of low-level demonic beasts, erasing their intelligence, and unleashing beast tides to overwhelm enemies.

 Book 2: Chapter 36: Longevity Foundation Pill

    Vol 2 Chapter 36: Longevity Foundation Pill


    <em>"What a treasure!!!"</em>


    When Xu Zhizhi saw the Myriad Beast Circle, his eyes lit up again. Gao Sheng truly seemed to be a walking treasure trove!


    Honestly, Xu Zhizhi had been conflicted about how to handle a dragon beast if he raised one.


    Without practicing the techniques of the Beast Taming Sect, they couldn¡¯t form bloodline contracts with their pets. It would be difficult to ensure their obedience.


    Xu Zhizhi didn¡¯t want a scenario where he raised a pet only for it to disobey him.


    But with a treasure like this, all those concerns would vanish. He could directly erase the beast''s consciousness and subdue it with the Myriad Beast Circle.


    "Brother Gao, did you buy this treasure?" Xu Zhizhi asked.


    Gao Sheng nodded. "It¡¯s avable at the Lotus Pavilion, but the stock is extremely limited. Even for the Lotus Pavilion, trading with Qingzhou is no easy task. The journey is far, and there are plenty of demon kings and bandits along the way who intercept shipments."Lin Jing, holding the Myriad Beast Circle, could feel its overwhelming weight. "This item is too precious¡­"


    This was a Golden Core-grade magical artifact, far more valuable than a third-grade pill.


    "It¡¯s all the same. Just prioritize giving me your newly refined Rising Dragon Pills, and we¡¯re even," Gao Sheng said casually.


    Lin Jing fell silent. Its value wasn¡¯t the main issue. epting it would be like regressing to outdated methods of the past. Erasing the intelligence of demonic beasts for control had been banned after the Beast Taming Sect abolished such techniques.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Brother Lin," Gao Sheng said, seemingly reading Lin Jing''s hesitation. "On the path of cultivation, you¡¯re bound to encounter some ignorant demonic beasts. This Myriad Beast Circle will be perfect for dealing with them!"


    "I actually bought this intending to use it during this year¡¯s Academy Autumn Hunt. But thinking it through, a treasure like this would just be wasted if kept idle. It¡¯s better to put it to use with the Pine Leaf Mouse instead."


    Lin Jing sighed. "Thanks a lot."


    Even though the rules of the Beast Taming Sect forbade the use of such methods, Gao Sheng''s reasoning wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.


    "Indeed, the Autumn Hunt is almost upon us," Xu Zhizhi interjected. "It¡¯ll be a good opportunity to enter the hunting grounds and see if there are any rare and extraordinary beasts to subdue."


    "Is Zou Qi going to participate?"


    "The Autumn Hunt? Let¡¯s see," Gao Sheng replied indifferently.


    The Academy¡¯s Autumn Hunt urred once every seven years. It was organized by the academy, which would send its students into a specific area to hunt demonic beasts. It was also a chance for students to make a name for themselves.


    The process of hunting ferocious beasts was inherently a process of gaining fame.


    In essence, the Autumn Hunt wasn¡¯t much different from the trial set up by Master Cao back then. Or rather, the treasure-hunting trial designed by Master Cao was a simtion of the Academy¡¯s Autumn Hunt.


    The hunting grounds for the Autumn Hunt wouldn¡¯t just include ferocious beasts and savage animals. The academy would also release rare spiritual beasts from the Ancient Kingdom for the students topete over.


    Beasts from the Snow ins, the Cloud Sea Mountains, Qingzhou, the deep seas, and the Desert Wastnds would all be present.


    These rare spiritual beasts were exceptional, whether used as mounts, alchemy and artifact-refining materials, or for cultivation. Even for Golden Core cultivators, these beasts were walking treasures.


    "It¡¯ll definitely be worth a visit. After all, with the academy¡¯s supervisors overseeing things, there won¡¯t be any danger," Gao Shengmented.


    "That¡¯s true. But is the Pine Leaf Mouse really going to participate at its Qi Refinement stage?" Zou Qi asked. "The Autumn Hunt is only a few months away. It should at least break through to the Foundation Establishment stage first, right?"


    "Even if it¡¯s strong enough to fight above its level and challenge Foundation Establishment cultivators, the participants won¡¯t just be new students at the early Foundation Establishment stage. There will be mid- andte-Foundation Establishment cultivators, as well as senior students at the peak of Foundation Establishment."


    "It¡¯s going to be difficult to snatch treasures from us," Zou Qi remarked with a smile.


    Lin Jing shook his head. "You really want topete with us¡­?"


    Not long after, the three went their separate ways.


    Lin Jing returned to his cave abode and took out a pill recipe.


    The Longevity Foundation Pill!


    It was based on the following pill recipes: the Foundation Establishment Pill, the Treant Pill, the Beast Blood Pill, and the Longevity Pill.


    "Foundation Establishment, huh? I¡¯m still not entirely confident¡­"


    "For now, I¡¯ve only prepared a Foundation Establishment recipe for the Pine Leaf Mouse."


    "I¡¯ll wait until the sess rate for refining Rising Dragon Pills exceeds sixty percent before attempting to refine the Longevity Foundation Pill."


    "Besides, I¡¯m still missing a critical ingredient for refining the Longevity Foundation Pill¡­"


    Deep in thought, Lin Jing carefully stored the pill recipe, exited his cave, and left the academy. Soon after, he called out to Senior Pine.


    "Senior Pine, are you there?"


    "It¡¯s been three years, and you finally remember this old man." The transformed Pine Spirit appeared as a pine cone, gazing at Lin Jing.


    "Senior, this is the Foundation Establishment pill recipe I¡¯ve been developing over the past three years, using the fortune of the Hidden Dragon Arts to improve my alchemy skills. What do you think?" Lin Jing handed the Longevity Foundation Pill recipe to Senior Pine.


    "Hmm?" Senior Pine¡¯s attention was caught when he noticed the inclusion of the Treant Pill. "The academy actually has such a pill recipe in its collection?!"


    The Treant Pill was a recipe that added nt-based organs to the body. The original creator had intended it as a way to cultivate a wood-based physique but failed, resulting in the Treant Pill. Its side effects transformed arms into tree branches. Despite the failure, acquiring a Treant Physique provided enhanced abilities to manipte nts. Later attempts saw transformations like hair turning into straw and the heart bing a fruit¡­


    "Indeed, the Treant Pill can be used not only by humans but also by wood-attribute demonic beasts. Through fortune-based calctions, it has the highestpatibility with the Foundation Establishment Pill," Lin Jing exined.


    Senior Pine pondered aloud. "Longevity Foundation Pill¡­ With this pill, a Foundation Establishment cultivator could gain nt-based organs and an unparalleled lifespan¡­"


    Lin Jing nodded. "The lifespan of nts far exceeds that of humans or beasts. Even ordinary trees in the mortal world can easily live for a thousand years."


    "Thus, through calctions, the Treant Pill has a very highpatibility with longevity-rted attributes."@@novelbin@@


    "The key lies in thepatibility between the Foundation Establishment cultivator and a specific nt! The Pine Leaf Mouse has its natal Crimson Leaf, but that leaf is ultimately an external object. If it could merge perfectly with the mouse¡¯s body and evolve alongside it, the results would be extraordinary!"


    Senior Pine¡¯s gaze burned as he studied the recipe, though he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was amiss.


    After reading it several times, Senior Pinemented, "Something¡¯s wrong. This Longevity Foundation Pill involves integrating <em>two nts</em> into the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s body!"


    "The Crimson Leaf is just one of them!"


    "What¡¯s the other?"


    Lin Jing fell into deep thought.


    "The Crimson Leaf is a rootless nt. It will need something to provide nutrients¡ªa root¡ªtoplete the cycle for the Longevity Foundation Pill."


    "My initial idea was to use the Bloodsucking Vine, which could link to Longevity Blood."


    "But the quality of the Bloodsucking Vine is too low and isn¡¯t the ideal choice."


    ¡­


    "Now that I think of it, back in the Great Wastnd, you consumed demonic beast blood. This suggests that, Senior, you possess the ability to convert blood into nutrients."


    "Moreover, you and the Pine Leaf Mouse both practice the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, meaning your physique is highlypatible with the Pine Leaf Mouse."


    The Pine Spirit erupted in anger. "You little brat! Are you scheming to use me for your pill refining?!"


    "Are you nning to <em>refine me into a pill</em>?! Even demonic cultivators must respect their elders!"


    "Disciple¡­ I just need a single pine cone¡­"

 Book 2: Chapter 37: Killing

    Vol 2 Chapter 37: Killing


    "Disciple... I just need one pine cone..."


    "A pine cone?!"


    "You dare ask for a pine cone just to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill? What¡¯s next? When you refine a Nascent Soul Pill, will you ask for my tree heart?"


    Although pine cones were something it had in abundance, Senior Pine was outraged by Lin Jing¡¯s audacity in targeting its body.


    "Unbelievable! I haven¡¯t even asked for your Longevity Blood, yet you¡¯re already scheming for my fruits!"


    "Senior..."


    "Heh." Senior Pine chuckled coldly. "Getting a pine cone isn¡¯t impossible. You just need to do one thing."


    "Oh? Please tell me, Senior!" Lin Jing''s eyes brightened. As long as there was room for negotiation, everything else could be worked out!"You¡¯ve cultivated all this time, but you¡¯ve never killed anyone."


    "You''re still at the Qi Refinement stage, yet you¡¯ve been in closed-door cultivation for three years. And what¡¯s worse, your cultivation hasn¡¯t improved one bit! I can¡¯t even imagine how long you¡¯ll iste yourself when you reach the Foundation Establishment stage!"


    "I foresee that the next hundred years will pass in the blink of an eye. Before I leave, I need to ensure you can stand on your own. Only then will I feel at ease and consider myself worthy of repaying the Second Sect Master¡¯s life-saving grace. So¡­ I want you to kill and temper yourself!"


    "Killing your own kind is entirely different from hunting demonic beasts. You must kill at least <em>one hundred cultivators</em> with your own hands, and then I will grant you a pine cone to assist in your Foundation Establishment!"


    Senior Pine¡¯s demand left Lin Jing in stunned silence.


    Kill one hundred people¡­


    "Oh, and it has to be cultivators! You must kill them with your own hands; you can¡¯t let your pet beasts do the job," Senior Pine added.


    "Killing people¡­"


    The conditions for obtaining the pine cone made Lin Jing''s head spin.


    In all his previous encounters, no matter what kind of duel or conflict, Lin Jing had never harbored killing intent toward other humans. Even when facing foreign Snow ins cultivators, he merely incapacitated them, leaving Xu Zhizhi to deliver the final blow.


    Now, Senior Pine wanted him to personally kill one hundred people. This made Lin Jing feel conflicted. Yet, he couldn¡¯t deny his strong desire for the pine cone.


    "The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Mission Hall often has tasks to eliminate mountain bandits. If they¡¯re the type to plunder and murder, or if they¡¯re demonic cultivators like those from the Yin Corpse Sect who engage in human trafficking, killing them shouldn¡¯t weigh on my conscience."


    "But the Ancient Domain is said to be the most well-governed of the Nine Domains of the Ancient Kingdom. Under the shadow of the imperial capital, where would I even find mountain bandits or demonic cultivators to eliminate?"


    "Unless I take up Gao Sheng¡¯s suggestion and join a cross-domain task force to eradicate a demonic cultivator base?" Lin Jing murmured to himself as he wandered through the academy.


    Suddenly, an idea struck him, and his eyes lit up.


    Lin Jing rose into the air using his spiritual energy and flew to Gao Sheng¡¯s cave abode. When he arrived, he saw Gao Sheng feeding a Rising Dragon Pill to a Dragon Horse.


    "Eat it! Come on, eat!" Gao Sheng coaxed as he struggled to get the reluctant Dragon Horse to consume the pill.


    "Huh?" Gao Sheng noticed Lin Jing¡¯s sudden arrival. He quickly tidied his clothes, wiped the drool off his hands, and greeted him enthusiastically, "Brother Lin? What brings you here? We just parted ways, and now you¡¯vee chasing after me again."


    He grew wary.


    "Wait, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still eyeing my Dragon Horse!"


    Lin Jing remained silent. While the bloodline of Gao Sheng¡¯s Dragon Horn Horse wasn¡¯t bad and had the potential to form a Monster Core, Lin Jing no longer cared for it since he now had the Dragon Carp with Kirin bloodline.


    "Brother Gao, have you ever killed anyone?" Lin Jing asked bluntly.


    Gao Sheng was momentarily taken aback. Then he recalled, "Of course. When I was six, my father, determined to make me an excellent demon hunter, had me execute a Qi Refinement criminal on death row."


    "Perfect!" Lin Jing took a deep breath and continued, "Brother Gao, do you have any connections that could get me a job at a mortal courthouse or the Demon-ying Bureau as an executioner for heinous criminals?"


    "Huh?" Gao Sheng was dumbfounded. "Are you crazy?!"


    "Why would you want to take on such dirty and exhausting work?"


    He grew suspicious and began analyzing. "No, something¡¯s off. Did you stumble upon some demonic technique that uses murderous energy as its core?"


    Lin Jing rolled his eyes. "How could that be? I have the Ice Soul Gu. Why would I even bother with such low-level demonic techniques?"


    "True," Gao Sheng agreed. "Demonic cultivators who focus on murderous energy or resentment typicallye from third-rate sects."@@novelbin@@


    "And those third-rate demonic sects that could bepletely wiped out by the Ancient Kingdom can¡¯tpare to the grand path of Gu cultivation."


    "At least the founder of the Gu God Sect was at the Dao Seeking stage. If not for the severed immortal path, they might have ascended."


    "It has nothing to do with demonic techniques," Lin Jing rified. "It¡¯s just that an elder of mine thinks my cultivation path has been too smooth and wants me to toughen up by killing."


    Gao Sheng frowned. "Killing? That¡¯s not the same as hunting demonic beasts. It¡¯s easy to be entangled with murderous energy and resentment, which can disrupt your mental state and hinder your cultivation."


    "Still¡­ if it¡¯s only a shallow attempt and you use special pills afterward to cleanse the murderous energy, it should be fine."


    After some thought, he said, "Let me think about it. Give me a few days, and I¡¯ll get back to you."


    "Thank you." Lin Jing trusted Gao Sheng¡¯s reliability. Having connections truly made a difference when facing challenges. Senior Pine¡¯s seemingly impossible task was already halfway resolved.


    At that moment, the Dragon Horse suddenly spoke up.


    "That pill you gave me earlier¡ªdo you have more? I thought you were trying to poison me, but it turned out to be a treasure! My bloodline purity has improved significantly!"


    "I told you it was a treasure!" Gao Sheng shot the Dragon Horse a resentful nce. "Do you think I can¡¯t tell the difference between treasure and poison?"


    "Exactly. I was worried you couldn¡¯t," the Dragon Horse retorted.


    "Heh¡­" Lin Jing chuckled from the side. "Brother Gao, to show my gratitude, you can have an unlimited supply of Rising Dragon Pills in the future. As long as you provide the main ingredient¡ª¡®dragon blood¡¯¡ªI¡¯ll prepare the other materials and refine them for you free of charge."


    "Seriously?!" Gao Sheng was overjoyed. "Will the Dragon Horse¡¯s blood do?"


    The Dragon Horse: ?


    "It¡¯s a bit weak¡­ I need blood from a Monster Core-stage creature."


    Gao Sheng sighed in disappointment but quickly regained his enthusiasm. "No problem, I¡¯ll take care of it. Just rx and wait. I¡¯ll have it sorted within seven days!"


    With Gao Sheng¡¯s assistance, Lin Jing returned to his cave abode and resumed refining Rising Dragon Pills with the Dragon Carp. He focused on improving his alchemical skills toy the groundwork for crafting the Longevity Foundation Pill.


    Several dayster.


    Thanks to Xu Zhizhi¡¯s ir for spreading gossip, most of Hidden Dragon City had heard about the battle between Wang Xiao, the possessor of the Heavenly God Physique, and Lin Jing¡¯s Dragon Carp.


    In a teahouse, several cultivators sat sipping tea and listening to music while chatting.


    "Have you heard? The Wang family¡¯s Kirin child, who was expected to make it onto the Genius Rankings, actually lost to a Qi Refinement ninth-stage Dragon Carp!"


    "How is that possible? Are you drunk? Isn¡¯t the Heavenly God Physique already at the Foundation Establishment stage?"


    "The battle was fought with suppressed cultivation levels! That Dragon Carp may not have high cultivation, but its bloodline is terrifying¡ªit¡¯s at the ¡®royal¡¯ level. And it¡¯s not just any ordinary demon king bloodline; it¡¯s pure royal dragon blood. Even a Heavenly God Physique can¡¯t withstand it!"


    "A royal dragon cub?! Is it a pet raised by one of the academy¡¯s instructors?"


    "No, no! Don¡¯t you remember Lin Jing from the Beast Taming Sect? This Dragon Carp was cultivated by him over three years using special pills and the Hidden Dragon Arts. It¡¯s said that he poured all the fortune umted from the Hidden Dragon Arts into raising the Dragon Carp, nning to contract it after reaching Foundation Establishment."


    "I¡¯ve also heard that since the Beast Taming Sect was sealed, Lin Jing ns to establish a new Dragon Taming Sect and is recruiting within the academy, proiming himself as the sect master."

 Book 2: Chapter 38: Executioner Lin Jing

    Vol 2 Chapter 38: Executioner Lin Jing


    Within the academy, news of Lin Jing''s intention to establish the "Dragon Pce" organization was spreading rapidly.


    Outside a cave residence, a cultivator with a third eye nced at the intelligence scroll in his hand. After a brief chuckle, he burned it to ashes.


    "These new students are getting more arrogant by the day. I remember personally inviting this Lin Jing to join the ''Eye Alliance.'' Not only did he decline, but now he¡¯s even starting his own organization."


    "Rising Dragon Pill? A Qi Refinement cultivator from some third-rate sect, ying at forming cliques and alliances? A year or two? No, perhaps just a few months before this so-called Dragon Pce falls apart."


    A frail young man dressed as a schr stepped forward from behind him and said, "The founders of the academy''s major organizations are all geniuses in the Foundation Establishment stage like you, ranked on the Genius Rankings. Even if his talent is decent, Lin Jing is moving too hastily. Without enough strength or reputation, he¡¯s bound to run into trouble. For someone like him, aligning himself with a powerful faction would be the best choice."


    "Perhaps it¡¯s because his sect has been sealed off, and he¡¯s desperate to rally support from heirs of other sects. If the Beast Taming Sect gains more allies among the human race, their Heavenly Fortune might improve," Liu Yu interjected. "However, if the Rising Dragon Pill is as miraculous as the rumors suggest, he won¡¯t be able to protect it with his strength and background. Even I am tempted by it."@@novelbin@@


    "Although the idea of cultivating a dragon-blooded demonic pet with the Hidden Dragon Art and a single pill seems far-fetched, there are always those who don¡¯t care about practicality. They¡¯ll definitely try to seize the pill recipe."


    ...Meanwhile, outside Lin Jing¡¯s cave residence, visitors wereing in droves.


    The marketing of the Rising Dragon Pill was far more sessful than expected. The overwhelming interest was even affecting Lin Jing¡¯s pill refining sessions.


    Over the past few days, many new students had ced orders for the pill, along with some older students who hadn¡¯t made much progress.


    This was all thanks to Xu Zhizhi''s efforts in spreading the word.


    "Even Wang Xiao, after acquiring a me Dragon Carp, took the Rising Dragon Pill. He seems to be nning to raise a dragon pet!"


    "A Heavenly God Physique is already an unstoppable path; having multiple dragon pets just adds more avenues of strength!"


    "If even the invincible physiques acknowledge it, what are you waiting for? In the path of cultivation, if youg behind, you¡¯ll always be behind!"


    Recently, Wang Xiao had seemingly left Hidden Dragon City. While Xu Zhizhi hadn¡¯t spread false rumors, the growing buzz led to exaggerated ims, including one that Wang Xiao had been so scared by a me Dragon Carp that he wet himself. Despite this, Wang Xiao hadn¡¯t appeared to refute the ims, leaving Xu Zhizhi to specte that he had likely returned to the Wang family to search for a demonic beast with stronger bloodlines.


    "Is Lin Jing in?"


    Another visitor had arrived.


    "And you are?" Lin Jing stepped out of his cave residence, looking at the ck-robed young man before him. The man radiated an oppressive aura, and Lin Jing faintly sensed that his cultivation was likely at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage.


    "My name is Chu Ren. Are you willing to sell the recipe for the Rising Dragon Pill?" the ck-robed youth asked directly.


    "I only sell the pills, prioritizing those nning to join the Dragon Pce. The recipe is not for sale," Lin Jing replied, shaking his head.


    The ck-robed youth pressed on, "Name your price. You won¡¯t be disappointed."


    "The Rising Dragon Pill requires unique materials exclusive to the Beast Taming Sect. Even if I sold the recipe, you wouldn¡¯t be able to refine it yourself," Lin Jing exined.


    Chu Ren¡¯s brows furrowed. "Are you sure there¡¯s no room for negotiation? Don¡¯t you know who I am?"


    "The Chu family of the Ancient Domain, ranked 98th on the Genius Rankings, Chu Ren, at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. So what? My brother said it¡¯s not for sale, and that¡¯s final!"


    At that moment, another ck-clothed figurended outside the cave residence. The neer red at Chu Ren with a warning expression.


    "It¡¯s him." Lin Jing recognized the man and smirked slightly.


    "Think it over." Chu Ren shot Lin Jing a final nce before leaving.


    After Chu Ren had gone, the neer, Gao Sheng, sneered. "Lin Jing, do you know him?"


    Gao Sheng snorted. "Of course. He was a hedonistic scion like me in the past, but his innate talent is much better, possessing a rare innate physique. He probably sees the Rising Dragon Pill as an opportunity and thinks your small sect, the Beast Taming Sect, is easy to bully since you have no strong backers. He likely nned to force you to sell."


    "But don¡¯t worry. With me here, he won¡¯t seed. Besides, in the academy, he wouldn¡¯t dare act recklessly."


    Lin Jing shook his head. "People like that really exist, huh? It¡¯s fine. I was mentally prepared when I started selling Mechanical Bamboo Rifles. But it seems the Rising Dragon Pill is a much greater temptation."


    "That¡¯s for sure," Gao Sheng agreed. "The Chu family raises a Dragon-Blooded Demonic King, which frequently spawns dragon offspring. Chu Ren likely sees the Rising Dragon Pill as a way to cultivate a king-level bloodline. Compared to the Mechanical Bamboo Rifles, this pill is far more valuable."


    "In any case, don¡¯t worry about him for now. By the way, I¡¯ve taken care of that favor you asked me for," Gao Sheng said with a grin.


    "Really?" Lin Jing¡¯s eyes lit up.


    "Yes. Actually, there¡¯s an immortal prison here in Hidden Dragon City where demonic cultivators are detained under the control of the Demon-ying Bureau. I pulled some strings to get you a position as an executioner there."


    "An immortal prison in Hidden Dragon City?" Lin Jing was slightly surprised. "With so many powerful figures here, there are still demonic cultivators around?"


    Gao Sheng exined, "No, these demonic cultivators were captured from various parts of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom. The kingdom is founded on Heavenly Fortune, and these demonic cultivators harm that fortune. But executing them also enhances the kingdom¡¯s luck. Where they¡¯re executed is important, too. Hidden Dragon City, as a hub of fortune, provides great benefits to the academy¡¯s talents when executions are carried out here."


    "I see," Lin Jing nodded. "When do I start?"


    ...


    The immortal prison controlled by the Demon-ying Bureau was located deep underground.


    Gao Sheng led Lin Jing through multiple checkpoints until they reached a heavy prison gate. Outside the gate, a middle-aged Core Formation cultivator with a murderous aura awaited them.


    "Young Master Gao, is this Lin Jing you mentioned?" The Demon-ying Guard red coldly at Lin Jing.


    "Yes... Uncle Zhang, I¡¯ll leave my friend in your care," Gao Sheng replied with a smile.


    "It¡¯s a small matter." The guard named Zhang turned to Lin Jing and said, "Lin Jing, I see you¡¯re only at the Qi Refinement stage. This prison is saturated with killing intent, and the prisoners here are all at least Foundation Establishment cultivators, many with countless lives on their hands. Before carrying out executions, shouldn¡¯t you first learn a calming and mind-clearing technique?"


    "Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid this ce will start to affect you over time. Back when I started, I couldn¡¯t go a day without killing someone," he added grimly.


    "I¡¯ve already told him," Gao Sheng said seriously. "Lin Jing, it¡¯s best to cultivate something like the <em>Calming Heart Technique.</em> There¡¯s a collection of techniques here, and Uncle Zhang will help you choose one. These are mandatory for working in this environment."


    "That¡¯s right. I currently use the <em>Seven Kills Divine Sword</em> technique to process my killing intent," Zhang added. "But since you¡¯re not nning to stay here long, just pick something easy to learn."


    "Thank you." Lin Jing nodded. Although he had prepared pills beforehand, he understood the importance of additional precautions.


    Suddenly, a thought urred to Lin Jing, and he asked, "By the way, do you have any Buddhist techniques here?"


    He remembered that a Demon-ying Bureau expert had once performed a blessing on him, and cultivating Buddhist techniques might be more effective for him. Since his cultivation aptitude wasn¡¯t particrly high, it would be best to choose something simple to learn.

 Book 2: Chapter 39: Buddhist Techniques

    Vol 2 Chapter 39: Buddhist Techniques


    "Buddhist techniques?"


    Hearing Lin Jing''s request, Zhang Hu couldn''t help but be puzzled.


    In the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, although Buddhist followers were scattered across the Nine Domains, their influence was shallow, and their overall power was weaker than even second-tier cultivation sects.


    Why would Lin Jing want to cultivate Buddhist techniques? What¡¯s even worth learning in them?


    "There are some¡­" Zhang Hu mused for a moment. Although Buddhism wasn¡¯t mainstream in the Ancient Kingdom, Lin Jing was actually asking the right person.


    This was because almost every Buddhist expert who entered the Ancient Kingdom was roped into working for the Demon-ying Bureau as guest elders. Naturally, the Demon-ying Bureau had amassed arge collection of Buddhist techniques.


    "Why would you even want to cultivate that stuff? Aren¡¯t you worried about going bald?" Zhang Hu asked, perplexed. Beside him, Gao Sheng also looked equally puzzled.


    "You go bald cultivating Buddhist techniques? Isn¡¯t that because monks shave their heads?" Lin Jing was startled, hearing this for the first time."Oh, yeah, that¡¯s probably true," Gao Sheng nodded, suddenly realizing.


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t bother hiding anything. "A Buddhist expert once unlocked my potential, so cultivating Buddhist techniques benefits me more and is easier to learn."@@novelbin@@


    "Ah, I see!" Gao Shengughed. "You¡¯re so skilled at beast taming; you don¡¯t need to worry about being led astray by Buddhism. Go ahead and cultivate it."


    He suddenly paused to think¡ªLin Jing was sort of half a Gu cultivator. Did that make him a dual cultivator of Buddhism and demonic techniques?


    "Cultivating Buddhist techniques is fine, but I recall there are only three such techniques recorded here, far fewer than other methods. Not sure if you¡¯ll like any of them," Zhang Hu replied. "They are the <em>Diamond Fist</em>, the <em>Death Burial Mantra</em>, and the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em>."


    "I¡¯ll exin them to you."


    "The <em>Diamond Fist</em> is a martial technique with demon-subduing effects. Once you master it, you¡¯ll be immune to all kinds of evil influences. After performing executions, practicing a set of <em>Diamond Fist</em> techniques can effectively dispel negative effects."


    "It¡¯s a bold, powerful technique, especially suited for body cultivators."


    "The <em>Death Burial Mantra</em> is a chant recited before killing. It can partially protect you from the negative effects of taking lives, such as murderous energy, resentment, and killing aura, preventing them from clinging to you."


    "Reciting the mantra requires some mental energy, though."


    "As for the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em>¡­ it¡¯s a sealing technique." Zhang Hu thought for a moment before continuing, "It¡¯s the most effective and high-potential technique among the three."


    "Oh?" Lin Jing showed interest. "Senior Zhang, what can you tell me about the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em>?"


    Zhang Hu exined, "The <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em> involves condensing a Buddha Pearl within your body. This pearl can seal negative energies like killing aura and demonic energy inside it without affecting you.


    "With enough mastery, the pearl can even seal living demons or magical creatures, far surpassing the cultivator¡¯s own strength in terms of sealing power."


    "There was once a Buddhist prodigy who suppressed a cmity-bringing Demon God by sacrificing himself and saying, ''If I don¡¯t enter hell, who will?''"


    "Many Buddhist disciples cultivate the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em>. However, it has a major drawback: if the sealed negative energy within the pearl isn¡¯t purified in time, the Buddha Pearl can turn into a Demon Pearl, causing the cultivator to fall into demonic ways!"


    "There are many tales of demonic, evil, or corrupted Buddhas in Buddhist history. Most of them arose during the cultivation of the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em> when the practitioner was overwhelmed by its power."


    "Wait," Lin Jing asked, "does the Buddha Pearl have any additional functions beyond sealing demonic power?"


    Zhang Hu nodded. "Not much else, really. The more demonic power it seals, the less it radiates Buddhist qualities. Even when it does disy its Buddhist essence, at best it makes you look like a virtuous monk. Not really practical inbat."


    "Disying Buddhist essence might cause wandering ghosts and spirits to avoid you. For mortal monks, that could be useful, but for us cultivators? If we encounter such beings, we just exterminate them!"


    "Probably only those pearls from top-tier Buddhist experts who used their lives to seal demons would have divine effects," Zhang Hu added.


    "I see," Lin Jing smiled. "That¡¯s great, then! I actually like techniques that prove I¡¯m a good person."


    "I¡¯ll cultivate the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em>."


    "As expected," Zhang Hu sighed. "Among the three techniques, this one is indeed the most advanced, so it¡¯s a reasonable choice. But it¡¯s also the most dangerous. While it can help you subdue demonic power, don¡¯t forget to purify the energies sealed inside regrly."


    "Don¡¯t worry," Gao Sheng interjected. "With me keeping an eye on him, there won¡¯t be any problems."


    Zhang Hu hesitated, ncing at Gao Sheng, finding him somewhat unreliable. However, looking at Lin Jing, who appeared upright and capable, he felt a bit reassured. Lin Jing¡¯s name was familiar to him, and though Zhang Hu rarely entered the city, he had heard some things about him.


    ...


    Soon after, Zhang Hu led Lin Jing and Gao Sheng to a room where they waited while he retrieved the cultivation method for the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em>.


    Before long, Zhang Hu returned with a tightly closed Buddhist scripture. It appeared sealed, with no visible pages.


    "Lin Jing, the Buddhist techniques left in the Demon-ying Bureau are quite unique. They all have seals, and only those deemed ¡®fated¡¯ with Buddhism can open them."


    "But honestly, this is as pointless as putting pants on over your underwear. I¡¯ve never met anyone who couldn¡¯t open a Buddhist scripture."


    "So, everyone is ¡®fated with Buddhism,¡¯ huh?" Gao Sheng scoffed. "These Buddhist missionaries sure know how to sell themselves."


    Zhang Hu chuckled. "Indeed, while everyone can technically open these scriptures, actually cultivating Buddhist techniques requires talent. Here in the Demon-ying Bureau¡¯s immortal prison, almost no one chooses these techniques because they¡¯re much harder to masterpared to other exorcism methods. Even those who do select them often take forever to get started."


    "But since a Buddhist expert once recognized your potential, you should have no problem cultivating this technique."


    He handed the scripture containing the <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em> technique to Lin Jing.


    Taking it in his hands, Lin Jing immediately opened the scripture without encountering any resistance. As he did, Buddhist light radiated from the text, and the scripture¡¯s glowing words imprinted themselves directly into his mind.


    Much like opening a jade slip of cultivation methods, a wealth of information flooded Lin Jing¡¯s consciousness.


    <em>Buddha-Demon Pearl!</em><em></em>


    <em>A single Buddha Pearl, sealing ten thousand demons.</em>


    Lin Jing immediately sat cross-legged and began circting his true energy. To his surprise, the method required merit to form the pearl. Those who hadn¡¯t performed good deeds would struggle to condense one.


    "Use the Heart Mantra to guide the power of merit, condensing energy into the pearl," Lin Jing read.


    He couldn¡¯t even remember what good deeds he¡¯d done, but as the Heart Mantra activated, traces of merit within his body were drawn out. Images reyed in his mind¡ªdonating to disaster relief, giving up his seat to a pregnant woman, rescuing an injured bird that had fallen outside his window. All these small, forgotten acts of kindness had transformed into strands of merit, now merging with his true energy.


    Following the method detailed in the scripture, Lin Jing began constructing the pearl. It wasn¡¯t just a simple sphere. Its intricate structure resembled a miniature pearl-shaped immortal prison¡ªdeep,plex, and incredibly sturdy.

 Book 2: Chapter 40: Dual Cultivation of Buddhism and Demonic Arts

    Vol 2 Chapter 40: Dual Cultivation of Buddhism and Demonic Arts


    Outside the chamber:


    Zhang Hu and Gao Sheng observed Lin Jing, who had been meditating for just a few minutes. To their astonishment, a faint golden glow began to radiate from Lin Jing¡¯s body, making him appear sacred, as if shrouded in Buddhist light.


    ¡°Buddhist essence!¡± Zhang Hu eximed in shock. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been the time it takes to burn one stick of incense, and he¡¯s already condensed a Buddha Pearl? This kind of Buddhist cultivation talent is outrageous. I wonder which Buddhist expert performed the blessing for Lin Jing.¡±


    ¡°Already cultivated it?¡± Gao Sheng was stunned. After some thought, he said, ¡°I might know who it was¡ªMaster Konglin. Thousands of years ago, he joined the Demon-ying Bureau for a time. He once sealed an immortal beast in the Great Wastnd but left the Ancient Kingdom long ago to return to the Western Deserts. There hasn¡¯t been news of him for ages. Who knows if he¡¯s still alive?¡±


    ¡°If he is alive, his cultivation level must have reached an incredible stage,¡± Gao Sheng spected.


    Nascent Soul cultivators have a lifespan of a thousand years, Soul Transformation cultivators two thousand, the Void Refinement stage five thousand, and the Dao Inquiry stage ten thousand. Gao Sheng calcted that if Master Konglin¡¯s final cultivation was at the Soul Transformation stage, he would likely already be dead. If he had advanced to the Void Refinement stage, he might still be alive.


    Thinking of this, Gao Sheng couldn¡¯t help but envy Lin Jing. This guy had a Longevity Body; his lifespan as a Nascent Soul cultivator would rival the strongest beings on the continent. It was truly something to be jealous of.


    As the two conversed via voice transmission, Lin Jing opened his eyes. Golden light flickered in his pupils.¡°The Buddha Pearl is condensed,¡± he said calmly.


    ¡°Congrattions, congrattions!¡± Gao Sheng quickly smiled, though he scratched his head while looking at Lin Jing, who was still glowing. ¡°But isn¡¯t your Buddhist talent a bit too absurd? It feels like you didn¡¯t do anything, yet your Buddhist essence is still increasing.¡±


    Lin Jing remained silent, sensing the situation in his body. <em>Didn¡¯t do anything?</em>


    The power leaking from the <em>Ice Soul Gu</em> sealed within him, which had always required his Ice Soul Physique to neutralize, was now automatically being absorbed and sealed by the Buddha Pearl.


    The Ice Soul Gu was created through countless venomous insects refined with Gu techniques, often involving cruel and sinister methods. It was natural for the Buddha Pearl to ssify its energy as demonic power.


    This meant that the Buddha Pearl was sealing the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s energy within him, passively generating immense Buddhist essence and merit. Lin Jing realized that he didn¡¯t have to do anything, yet his aura exuded divine righteousness.


    ¡°It¡¯s your imagination,¡± Lin Jing said tly. Gao Sheng liked deducing things, so let him piece it together. Gao Sheng already knew about the Ice Soul Gu sealed within Lin Jing, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard for him to figure out that Lin Jing was essentially suppressing a demon within himself.


    The Buddha-Demon Pearl truly was a perfect fit for Lin Jing.


    ¡°Really?¡± Gao Sheng rubbed his chin thoughtfully. At that moment, Zhang Hu interrupted, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already seeded in cultivating it, would you like to test the Buddha Pearl¡¯s abilities by executing a death row prisoner?¡±


    ¡°Please arrange it, Senior Zhang,¡± Lin Jing replied with a bow. He was eager to execute a hundred prisoners right now so he could im the pine cones from Senior Pine.


    Execution was still killing, and Senior Pine couldn¡¯t deny that, could he?


    Deeper into the prison:


    Zhang Hu led Lin Jing deeper into the execution chamber. Guards stationed along the way maintained their stoic expressions, though they stood at attention in deference to Zhang Hu. With Zhang Hu¡¯s status, their path was unimpeded.


    ¡°The prisoner in Execution Room Fourteen is scheduled for today,¡± Zhang Hu said.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°From which sect? Yin Corpse Sect? Gu God Sect? Or the Netherworld Hall?¡± Gao Sheng asked curiously.


    Lin Jing shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s rare to capture a demonic cultivator from one of the Eight Great Demonic Sects. Most are from smaller ones.¡±


    ¡°This particr prisoner was once an elder at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage in the <em>Heavenly River Sect</em>. Due to his potential to form a Golden Core, he sought out the ¡®Blood Pill Technique¡¯ from the remnants of the Blood God Sect. This technique required the blood essence of a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators, a thousand Qi Refinement cultivators, and ten thousand mortals to refine pills.¡±


    ¡°He targeted rogue cultivators, wandering between cities and secretly murdering them. By the time he was captured, his hands were stained with countless lives. His crimes are unforgivable.¡±


    ¡°He deserves to die,¡± Lin Jing said coldly, furrowing his brows. ¡°Senior Zhang, should I just go in directly?¡±


    He nced at the stone prison gate, which bore the pattern of a divine tiger.


    ¡°That demonic cultivator has been drained of spiritual power and is restrained on the execution tform. You may use any method to kill him,¡± Zhang Hu replied. ¡°Afterward, throw his corpse into the incinerator behind the chamber.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded and pushed open the heavy prison gate. Inside the dimly lit execution chamber, a red-haired elder was chained to the execution tform.


    As Lin Jing entered, the elder slowly opened his eyes, lifeless yet filled with malice.


    <em>Boom!</em><em></em>


    A surge of killing intent exploded towards Lin Jing. Despite containing no spiritual energy, it overwhelmed him with visions of blood and ughter.


    ¡°To think they sent a mere Qi Refinement brat to execute me¡­¡± the elder muttered weakly. Before he could finish his sentence, his head was severed, two white strands of energy wrapping around the stump of his neck.


    The severed head fell to the ground, its lifeless eyes wide open.


    Lin Jing looked back at the head. This was his first time killing someone, yet he felt no difort.


    The next moment, he sensed a faint wisp of resentment clinging to him. This invisible, intangible force wouldn¡¯t harm a cultivator in small amounts, but if it umted, it could eventually create inner demons and disrupt one¡¯s mental state during critical moments.


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job as an executioner. Why me me?¡± Lin Jing muttered. He sealed the resentment into the Buddha Pearl, then used a strand of true energy to toss the elder¡¯s corpse into the incinerator behind the execution chamber.


    After neatly finishing the task, Lin Jing didn¡¯t linger and left the chamber.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Zhang Hu asked as Lin Jing emerged.


    ¡°Pretty good, no difort,¡± Lin Jing replied with a smile. For some reason, killing this person left him feeling unexpectedly satisfied.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Zhang Hu said. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how about I arrange one death row prisoner for you every seven days?¡±


    ¡°Once every seven days? Senior Zhang, can we make it seven prisoners a day?¡± Lin Jing asked, frowning. At this rate, it would take him two years to meet Senior Pine¡¯s requirements!


    ¡°Seven a day? What do you think this is, a pig ughterhouse?¡± Zhang Hu snapped.


    Lin Jing sighed. He was already 27 years old.


    Although this was still very young for someone with a Longevity Body, the Genius Rankings for the Human List only epted cultivators under 30. This meant he had just three years to help the Pine Leaf Mouse reach Foundation Establishment, evolve its bloodline, and attempt to challenge the Genius Rankings.


    If he missed this chance, he would lose out on the massive recognition the Genius Rankings brought across the continent. This would severely limit the progress of his Hidden Dragon Arts, and his me Dragon Carp wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve a perfect transformation.


    After negotiating, they settled on one execution per day. This way, Lin Jing couldplete Senior Pine¡¯s task in about three months.


    Outside the prison:


    As Lin Jing exited the immortal prison, Senior Pine, who had been secretly observing, snorted.


    ¡°This sly brat¡­ Fine, let it slide. Burning? He learned that. Killing? He¡¯s tried it. But as a demonic cultivator, he still hasn¡¯t learned how to rob. Next time he wants my help, I¡¯ll make him go loot something! Always handing out pills to others during duels without gaining anything. No wonder he¡¯s poor. Wasting the spatial gift of that squirrel!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 41: Prison Break?

    Vol 2 Chapter 41: Prison Break?


    In the following days, Lin Jing executed a demonic cultivator every day. During the remaining time, he focused on managing the production of the Rising Dragon Pills refined by the me Dragon Carp and recruiting new members.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse cultivated fields, the me Dragon Carp refined pills, and Lin Jing handled pre-sales. Before long, the orders were overflowing, but due to the me Dragon Carp''s limited production capacity, Lin Jing prioritized selling to those willing to join the Dragon Pce.


    Meanwhile, in the capital city of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, Tianyuan Immortal City,y the residence of the Wang family, a prominent family of cultivators. As an old and established cultivation n, the Wang family¡¯s ancestor had been a great cultivator in the Void Profound Stage, famous across the kingdom. Though that ancestor had long passed, a Peak Nascent Soul ancestor still presided over the family.


    Wang Xiao, the most talented junior of the current generation, was highly valued by the family.


    ¡°Xiao¡¯er, why have you returned?¡± Wang Xiao¡¯s father asked when he saw him returning home one day.


    Wang Xiao paused before replying, ¡°I¡¯vee to retrieve a Battle Tiger.¡±


    The Battle Tigers, known for theirbat prowess and extraordinary beast bloodline, were the mounts of Wang family disciples. Some were even capable of momentarily standing against King-tier Beasts. When Wang Xiao had left for the Hidden Dragon Academy, his father had asked if he needed a mount, but Wang Xiao had declined.


    Now, his request for a Battle Tiger left his father puzzled.After Wang Xiao took the Battle Tiger with the bloodline closest to King-tier, a Shadow Guard appeared beside the Wang family head.


    ¡°Investigate what happened in the Hidden Dragon Academy,¡± the family headmanded.


    The Shadow Guard soon returned. ¡°Master, word has spread in Hidden Dragon City about a duel involving the Divine Son¡­¡±


    ¡°Xiao¡¯er lost?¡± The Wang family head showed little surprise. He had sent Wang Xiao to the academy precisely to temper him.


    Though the Heavenly God Physique was strong, it ranked only around 90th among the Physique Rankings. For the Wang family, it was decent, but far from the strongest within the academy, let alone the cultivation world.


    The academy housed numerous divine physiques, some of which had once been listed in the Physique Rankings, like the Talisman Physique, whichter fell off the list. The differences between such physiques were not as significant as imagined; their strength dependedrgely on the wielder.


    Having anticipated setbacks for Wang Xiao, his father was mentally prepared.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t lose. It was a draw,¡± the Shadow Guard replied.


    ¡°A draw? With whom? For Xiao¡¯er to return home and seek a War Beast to strengthen himself? He once dismissed King Bloodline Demonic Beasts as insignificant.¡±


    The Shadow Guard hesitated before saying, ¡°The Divine Son¡­ drew with Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect.¡±


    ¡°Lin Jing? The one at Qi Refinement Stage 10 with both himself and his pets?¡± The Wang family head was stunned. ¡°He broke through to Foundation Establishment already? The Beast Taming Sect must have undergone a revival, producing a genius with great fortune. I¡¯ve met this Lin Jing before¡ªquite remarkable. If Xiao¡¯er fought him to a draw, it¡¯s usible.¡±


    ¡°Xiao¡¯er must have fought against multiple enemies and felt frustrated, so he sought a mount to assist him,¡± the family head concluded, shaking his head.


    ¡°Master, that¡¯s not the case,¡± the Shadow Guard interjected. ¡°Rumors say the Divine Son¡­ drew with a newly trained Qi Refinement Stage me Dragon Carp of Lin Jing¡¯s. Lin Jing¡¯s contracted Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t even fight, nor did Lin Jing himself, who hasn¡¯t broken through to Foundation Establishment. The Divine Son suppressed his cultivation level for the duel, witnessed by many.¡±


    The Wang family head: ???


    ¡°My son lost to a carp? HAHAHAHA! Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Investigate further and report back!¡± Wang Xiao¡¯s father waved his hand,ughing uproariously.


    After taking a Battle Tiger with King-level bloodline, Wang Xiao disappeared. His whereabouts remained unknown, but under the rising influence of his name, Lin Jing¡¯s Dragon Pce continued to grow.


    In front of Lin Jing¡¯s cave residence, Xu Zhizhi, dressed like a strategist, reported, ¡°In the past three months, the Dragon Pce has recruited 24 members, including 20 new Foundation Establishment disciples at the early stage and four seniors at the mid-stage.¡±


    ¡°All 24 have now obtained Dragon-Blooded Pets and are training them rigorously, preparing to participate in the Autumn Hunt.¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Lin Jing gazed at the morning sun and instructed, ¡°If they perform well in the Autumn Hunt, more people will pre-order the Rising Dragon Pills. Tell them to focus not only on training their pets but also on improving their own strength. Pet and owner must grow together for optimalbat power.¡±


    He handed Xu Zhizhi a manual. ¡°Distribute this Dragon-Blooded Pet Training Guide to them and let them know that outstanding performance in the Autumn Hunt will earn them free Rising Dragon Pills as rewards.¡±


    In the past three months, Lin Jing had sold Rising Dragon Pills to every genius who joined the Dragon Pce. A few impoverished ones couldn¡¯t afford them, as acquiring pills, buying pets, and preparing to control them required arge amount of Spirit Stones.


    Out of goodwill, Lin Jing offered his test beasts, such as the Dragon-Scaled Caterpir, at low prices. For non-members, Lin Jing withheld sales, nning to sell only after the Autumn Hunt.


    The Rising Dragon Pill business was immensely profitable. Each sale yielded significant profits, and the pets¡¯ training required a continuous supply of pills. Lin Jing envisioned a flourishing future for the Dragon Pce.


    Currently, the four deacons of the Dragon Pce were Gao Sheng, Xu Zhizhi, Yuan Jing, and Ziling¡¯er.


    Initially, Gao Sheng wanted to be a strategist but was persuaded otherwise by Lin Jing. Xu Zhizhi managed publicity and strategic nning, discussing affairs with Lin Jing. Yuan Jing and Gao Sheng served as corebat strength, while Ziling¡¯er was being groomed to handle the pill refinement for Rising Dragon Pills, ensuring the recipe wouldn¡¯t spread since the core ingredients were with the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    However, Lin Jing regretted not being able to recruit Wang Xiao and Chen Lingxi, two of the academy¡¯s strongest freshmen. Chen Lingxi had already joined another organization.


    After sending off Xu Zhizhi, Lin Jing left the academy and headed for the Demon-ying Bureau¡¯s underground immortal prison.


    Today marked the hundredth day of his executions. With one more kill, he could obtain a Pine Cone.


    Over the past three months, the me Dragon Carp had rapidly improved its pill-refining techniques, nearing mastery of Foundation Establishment Pills. Once Lin Jing obtained the Pine Cone, they could begin attempting the Longevity Foundation Pill.


    In the execution chamber, Lin Jing used Diamond Fist to crush the head of the demonic cultivator for the day.@@novelbin@@


    Diamond Fist was a Buddhist technique Lin Jing had recently cultivated. He discovered that the Buddhist Pearl, which suppressed the Ice Soul Gu, emitted a Buddhist aura that enhanced his ordinary punches and kicks. Through experimenting with Diamond Fist, Lin Jing found that strong Buddhist energy amplified the technique¡¯s power, surpassing conventional spells.


    Thus, his recent executions often involved the Diamond Fist, integrating punches, palms, and finger techniques to enhance both his strength and physique.


    The technique not only subdued demons but also tempered the body.


    ¡°Thank you, Senior Zhang, for looking after me these past few months,¡± Lin Jing said, bidding farewell to Zhang Hu, a Demon-ying Guard.


    ¡°No need for thanks,¡± Zhang Huughed. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you out.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I wish I could keep you here. You¡¯re the best executioner I¡¯ve seen in this ce. Most Foundation Establishment cultivators would lose their sanity after three months of high-intensity work here, but you look unaffected.¡±


    Lin Jing smiled, taking it as apliment.


    As Zhang Hu apanied Lin Jing aboveground, they were about to part ways when Lin Jing¡¯s expression suddenly changed. His body was flooded with warnings.


    The sky shifted.


    A massive void vortex appeared above, and a gigantic w emerged from within. Zhang Hu¡¯s face turned pale with shock.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s breaking into the prison?!¡± he eximed.


    Lin Jing froze, feeling a life-threatening danger. ¡°Why would someone attack this prison? The strongest here are only Golden Core demons¡­ This is aimed at me!¡±


    In that moment, Lin Jing¡¯s mind raced to identify who might being for him.

 Book 2: Chapter 42: The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor

    Vol 2 Chapter 42: The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor


    On the Tianyuan Continent, one of the ten most perilous regions is the Mist Forest. Spanning half of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom''s borders, this colossal forest is an unavoidable passage for anyone traveling from the kingdom to Qingzhou.


    There had been attempts by great cultivators in the Void Profound Stage to construct a spatial teleportation channel between the Ancient Celestial Kingdom and Qingzhou, but the peculiar mists pervading the forest were even capable of prating space, often causing people to get lost in the void.


    Thus, traversing the Mist Forest on foot was the only option, a path fraught with immense danger.


    If the Ancient Celestial Kingdom is thend where human destiny converges, the Mist Forest serves as a paradise for demonic beasts.


    To date, only the Lotus Pavilion is rumored to have a rtively stable method of crossing the Mist Forest. Many cultivators from the kingdom rely on apanying Lotus Pavilion caravans when traveling to Qingzhou.


    Deep in the Mist Forest, a colossal dragon resembling a mountain and covered in Malignant nts suddenly opened its sun-and-moon-like eyes. It fixed its gaze on a human cultivator draped entirely in white corpse cloth, whose face was obscured.


    ¡°Protector Yuan Buyi of the Yin Corpse Sect greets the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor,¡± said the corpse-cloaked cultivator as he bowed.


    ¡°You of the Yin Corpse Sect... Are you nning to set your sights on my body?¡± The massive dragon¡¯s voice rumbled, deep and menacing.The protector smiled faintly. ¡°Your Majesty the Demon Emperor overthinks. No one, not even the Yin Corpse Sect, would dare offend a demon emperor nearing the end of its life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯vee today only to propose a deal. Your Majesty, are you interested in living another lifetime?¡±


    The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor¡¯s massive dragon eyes narrowed as it stared intently at the protector. ¡°The Longevity Body of a human? After so long, another one with this physique has emerged?¡±


    ¡°Speak. What are your terms?¡± The dragon¡¯s heavy breathing betrayed its excitement. Its days were numbered, and all means of extending its life had failed. But the Longevity Body¡­ that might be different.


    ¡°The body of one of your molted dragon forms,¡± the protector replied.


    The demon emperor snorted coldly, its tone dripping with disdain. So, it still boiled down to coveting its body!


    ¡°The information on the Longevity Body¡­¡±


    ¡°The Yin Corpse Sect guarantees to provide it exclusively to Your Majesty. Our sect''s reputation, as you are well aware, is built upon never viting contracts. This has been the foundation of our standing for tens of thousands of years and our cooperation with all races.¡±


    The demon emperor growled, ¡°Speak then. Where is this Longevity Body? This deal, I will ept.¡±


    The protector replied, ¡°The Longevity Body originally belonged to a disciple of the now-dissolved Beast Taming Sect in the kingdom¡¯s Great Wastnd Domain. The individual is currently in Hidden Dragon City within the Ancient Domain.¡±


    ¡°Hidden Dragon City?¡± The demon emperor let out another cold snort. ¡°The city is guarded by Void Profound cultivators. Are you asking me to seek death?¡±


    The protector chuckled. ¡°Everyone knows that during its prime, Your Majesty¡¯s cultivation was at the Half-Step Void Profound Stage, only a step away from the Refining Void Stage. Although your current realm has fallen, your spatialprehension remains intact.¡±


    ¡°Allow me to offer Your Majesty a bonus piece of intelligence: the three deans of the Hidden Dragon Academy have been absent from Hidden Dragon City for the past two years, and they won¡¯t be returning for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Currently, the academy is only guarded by some ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators. These individuals merely safeguard the academy and are not protectors of the Longevity Body.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, this Longevity Body is merely a small sect disciple, not the heir of a major family. The level of protection it enjoys will naturally be low. Those guarding the academy wouldn¡¯t expend energy constantly monitoring his situation. As long as Your Majesty avoids the academy and acts within the city, they won¡¯t react immediately.¡±


    ¡°With your skills, snatching the Longevity Body and escaping instantly should be within your grasp. Of course, there will be repercussions, butpared to extending your life into a seventh cycle, isn¡¯t it worth it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty could also wait until the Longevity Body leaves Hidden Dragon City¡ªif you still have the time and patience¡­¡±


    Not long after, the protector left the Mist Forest and returned to a dark underground altar.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Elder, the information about the Longevity Body has been passed to the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor,¡± he reported to a purple-haired elder lurking in the shadows.


    ¡°That demon emperor is nearing its end and surely won¡¯t miss this opportunity. Using the Longevity Body as bait will undoubtedly cause chaos in Hidden Dragon City,¡± the elder remarked with satisfaction.


    ¡°This way, those three old monsters should return to Hidden Dragon City to deal with the situation.¡±


    ¡°A genius being taken by a demonic beast within the city¡­ That would indeed be a major scandal for the academy,¡± the protector said.


    ¡°Exactly. Though our branch in the Great Wastnd Domain failed to capture the Longevity Body, passing the information upward was enough to make it useful. The only question is whether the demon emperor can sessfully abduct the Longevity Body¡­¡±


    ¡°During its prime, the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor was at the Half-Step Void Profound Stage. Though its cultivation has now dropped to the Nascent Soul early stage due to age, its spatialprehension remains formidable. Escaping Hidden Dragon City unscathed should still be possible,¡± the elder exined.


    ¡°After all, the city¡¯s top cultivators are already being preupied by our sect¡¯s forces. Since these kingdom experts have set their sights on undermining our ten-thousand-year n, it¡¯s only fitting that we create some trouble for them in return.¡±


    Ancient Domain, Hidden Dragon City


    The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor, once resigned to its fate and preparing to use its final strength to produce a descendant with its Demon Emperor Bloodline, was now rekindled with hope.


    It stealthily entered the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, moving through the void toward Hidden Dragon City. Thanks to its profound spatialprehension, cultivated at its peak, it avoided detection.


    Upon confirming that no Void Profound cultivators were present in the city, the demon emperor was thrilled. However, to be cautious, it refrained from entering the city with its true body, fearing any hidden contingency ns left by a Void Profound expert.


    ¡°If there¡¯s no Void Profound guardian, only ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, I don¡¯t need my true body. A Half-Divine Avatar will suffice to seize the Longevity Body,¡± the demon emperor decided.


    Through its failing lifespan, the Longevity Body appeared to the demon emperor as a dazzling me of vitality.


    ¡°Found it!¡±


    The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor quickly locked onto Lin Jing, who had just left the Demon-ying Bureau¡¯s immortal prison. Lin Jing¡¯s aura was so enticing that it drove the demon emperor to madness.


    Delicious!


    From its hidden position in the void, the demon emperor struck. A massive vortex appeared in the sky, releasing demonic energy as a gigantic dragon w reached out toward Lin Jing.


    However, just as the attack began, the demon emperor sensed a terrifying pressure approaching.


    ¡°Who dares snatch what belongs to this old man?!¡±


    The demon emperor was stunned. How had the academy¡¯s Nascent Soul cultivators reacted so quickly? And more importantly, this person¡¯s spatialprehension was astonishing!


    Before the demon emperor could react, its hundred-meter-long Half-Divine Avatar and extended dragon w were entangled by towering tree branches, which appeared seemingly out of nowhere and tightly restrained it.


    ¡°This power¡­¡± The demon emperor¡¯s expression grew grim.


    ¡°A Tree Spirit at the Nascent Soul Stage?! Why is there a tree deity here?!¡±


    Among Nascent Soul cultivators, tree spirits were known to be immensely powerful. Their cultivation was against the natural order, and those who seeded were incredibly formidable. In the current era, they even surpassed dragons of equivalent rank.


    ¡°The damned Yin Corpse Sect! Didn¡¯t they im the strongest protector around the Longevity Body was at most ate Nascent Soul demonic beast? Where did this tree deitye from?!¡±


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing and Zhang Hu, overwhelmed by the immense pressure, stared as a massive dragon w extended from the void, only to be pulled back by enormous tree roots.


    ¡°Damn fool! You¡¯ve exposed my cultivation! Now I won¡¯t have a moment¡¯s peace again!¡± Shen Song, the divine pine, muttered angrily.

 Book 2: Chapter 44: Before Foundation Establishment

    Vol 2 Chapter 44: Before Foundation Establishment


    ¡°I deeply apologize for exposing your cultivation, Senior¡­¡±


    Having learned why Shen Song wished to remain hidden, Lin Jing felt an overwhelming sense of guilt.


    ¡°No matter,¡± Shen Song replied calmly. ¡°I already considered the possibility of being exposed when I agreed to protect you for a hundred years.¡±


    ¡°If someone dares to try and use me as a material to craft a Nascent Soul Transformation avatar, let them see if they even have the ability to pull it off. I didn¡¯t grow this tall by eating meat!¡±


    Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Jing finally voiced a question that had been lingering in his mind. Shen Song had always referred to himself as a Wood Spirit Demonic Cultivator and possessed such an incredible cultivation level. What kind of connection did he have with the Second Sect Master of the Beast Taming Sect? Why had he remained by the sect¡¯s side for so many years and even agreed to protect Lin Jing?


    ¡°Why are you so curious about everything?¡± Shen Song snorted. ¡°Knowing too much isn¡¯t good for you. Just focus on cultivating and raising your strength.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been in seclusion for three years with no improvement in cultivation. Honestly, I¡¯m doubtful whether you¡¯ll even reach the Golden Core Stage within the hundred-year time limit,¡± he added skeptically.


    Lin Jing immediately shut his mouth, not daring to continue the conversation.After some time, Shen Song spoke again. ¡°Well, that was efficient. You can leave now. The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor¡¯s true body has already been in. However, it¡¯s unclear what price the academy¡¯s cultivators paid to bring it down.¡±


    ¡°After all, a demon emperor nearing the end of its lifespan may seem weak, but it¡¯s precisely because it¡¯s on itsst legs that it fights like it has nothing to lose¡ªdragging everyone down with it!¡±


    ¡°The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor is dead?¡± Lin Jing was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected the academy¡¯s powerhouses to act so quickly.


    ¡°They likely had some external assistance,¡± Shen Song spected. ¡°Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t personally chase after it while protecting you. A demon emperor¡¯s body is a treasure trove¡ªespecially one as rare as a dragon demon emperor.¡±


    ¡°Still, even its Half-Divine Avatar wasn¡¯t bad. No wonder those two Demon-ying Bureau folks wanted to use you as bait¡ªit¡¯s truly satisfying!¡± Shen Song chuckled darkly.


    Demonic cultivation stages:<ul><li aria-level="1">Demon King: Nascent Soul</li><li aria-level="1">Demon Emperor: Nascent Soul Transformation</li><li aria-level="1">Demon Ancestor: Void Profound</li><li aria-level="1">Demon Sovereign: Dao-Seeking</li></ul>


    The bloodline of a demon emperor was far superior to that of a demon king. And a dragon demon emperor like the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor, infamous for its savagery, was even more extraordinary.


    Back in Hidden Dragon City, therge-scale mobilization of academy powerhouses and the activation of the city¡¯s barrier formation had left many cultivators stunned. Such an event hadn¡¯t urred in a long time, leading to widespread spection about what had happened.


    Upon returning to the academy, Lin Jing was immediately summoned to a council chamber. At the head of the room sat an elderly man with a goatee. He appeared entirely ordinary, like a mortal without any distinct aura.


    Seated on either side of the hall were the four Nascent Soul Transformation experts Lin Jing had seen earlier. As for the elderly man at the head of the table...


    He was one of the three vice deans of Hidden Dragon Academy, and Lin Jing surmised that he was likely the one who had in the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor.


    ¡°So, you are Lin Jing?¡± The goateed elder scrutinized Lin Jing and nodded slightly. ¡°A Longevity Body, huh? It¡¯s been a long time since one of your physique has appeared. No wonder the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor went mad trying to seize you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done a decent job keeping your abilities hidden. However, the Yin Corpse Sect already possesses information on your Longevity Body. From the memories we extracted from the demon emperor, it was they who leaked the intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Even though the demon emperor is dead, your Longevity Body¡¯s existence will likely be sold to others by the Yin Corpse Sect. Your life as a cultivator won¡¯t be easy from here on out.¡±


    Lin Jing forced a bitter smile.


    ¡°Still, you should thank the junior cultivators who helped y the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor. As for whates next, we¡¯ll take things one step at a time.¡±


    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry too much,¡± the vice dean said with a faint smile. ¡°Your guardian is quite extraordinary. To break through as a Wood Spirit to the Nascent Soul Transformation Stage in such a hostile era is no small feat. With it protecting you, your safety shouldn¡¯t be significantlypromised.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, this incident, where the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor exploited the academy¡¯spse in security, was the academy¡¯s fault. Going forward, we will strengthen Hidden Dragon City¡¯s defenses. As long as you remain in the city, such incidents shouldn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Afterforting Lin Jing, the academy powerhouses dismissed him.


    Once Lin Jing left, the atmosphere in the council chamber turned somber.


    One of the female Nascent Soul Transformation experts looked at the vice dean and said, ¡°Vice Dean, this is clearly an act of retaliation by the Yin Corpse Sect.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± the goateed elder replied grimly. ¡°The Yin Corpse Sect¡¯s goal of refining a Celestial Corpse cannot be allowed to seed.¡±


    ¡°If not for the recent demon-cleansing campaigns, we wouldn¡¯t have discovered that they possess the corpse of a celestial beast. If they sessfully refine it into a corpse puppet, the consequences will be catastrophic.¡±


    ¡°Currently, most of the kingdom¡¯s powerhouses are focused on eradicating the Yin Corpse Sect. The fact that they resorted to luring a demon emperor to Hidden Dragon City shows that their situation is dire.¡±


    ¡°As for this Longevity Body¡­ There¡¯s no need for us to give it excessive attention,¡± the vice dean said with a shake of his head.


    While a Longevity Body in the Qi Refinement Stage was rtively easy to protect, its allure was limited unless a demon emperor was nearing the end of its lifespan. But as the Longevity Body grew stronger, it would attract far more dangerous threats, including demon sovereigns.@@novelbin@@


    Without a Dao-Seeking powerhouse as its guardian, Lin Jing¡¯s cultivation journey would inevitably be fraught with peril.


    Moreover, cultivating a Longevity Body was notoriously slow.


    Aside from smaller sects like the Beast Taming Sect, whichcked broader experience, most top-tier experts were unwilling to invest resources into nurturing one. The risks of it being consumed were simply too high.


    Even the vice dean had no intention of devoting himself to Lin Jing¡¯s protection. It was too difficult and exhausting. Sess would ultimately depend on Lin Jing¡¯s own fortune.


    Back in his cave residence, Lin Jing suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to ask Shen Song for a pine cone.


    The earliermotion had halted the me Dragon Carp¡¯s pill refining and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s farming. Both of them had been anxiously watching from the hilltop. Upon seeing Lin Jing return safely, they sighed in relief and hugged each other.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go make pills!¡± Lin Jing dered cheerfully, concealing the troubles from earlier. He dragged the two of them along and called for Shen Song, eager to begin refining the Longevity Foundation Pill.


    With Shen Song¡¯s Nascent Soul Transformation cultivation, its pine cone would surely be extraordinary. Incorporating it into the pill would produce unimaginable results¡ªespecially for the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Foundation Establishment!


    ¡°So, you want a pine cone?¡± Shen Song appeared, manifesting as a pine cone, and sighed. ¡°Fine, fine. It¡¯s about time for you to break through to Foundation Establishment. I¡¯ve been waiting long enough.¡±


    ¡°Senior, please grant us the pine cone and stand guard while we refine the pill,¡± Lin Jing requested.


    ¡°No rush.¡± Shen Song nted a small sapling near Lin Jing¡¯s cave. The sapling emitted a faint red glow, exuding a strange aura. ¡°This sapling contains my essence. It will grow a few Third-Grade Pine Cones. The higher-grade ones are beyond your ability to refine, but these will suffice.¡±


    ¡°It also functions like a Bloodsucking Vine. From now on, you¡¯ll need to water it with your blood,¡± Shen Song added.


    ¡°Understood!¡± Lin Jing replied decisively, ncing at the Pine Leaf Mouse. If it could achieve a perfect Foundation Establishment, everything would be worth it.


    ¡°Senior, with this, will the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s bloodline surpass King-tier and reach Emperor-tier?¡± Lin Jing asked hopefully.


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Shen Song replied bluntly. ¡°It might surpass the me Dragon Carp¡¯s bloodline and approach the current level of the Ice Soul Gu, but only the Ice Soul Gu has the potential to evolve to Emperor-tier during Foundation Establishment. The other two simplyck the innate talent.¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 45: Refining

    Vol 2 Chapter 45: Refining


    "Even among King-tier bloodlines, there are varying levels of quality."


    "Take the few Demon Kings of your Beast Taming Sect, for example. If they were to produce offspring with inherited bloodlines, at best, those offspring would have an ordinary Demon Lord''s bloodline. Their bloodlines are too diluted. When faced with geniuses raised by major factions, like those with the Heavenly God Physique or the Talisman Physique, they¡¯d only end up being suppressed."


    "One step above that would be the offspring of more powerful Demon Kings, such as the descendants of dragons and phoenixes."


    "As for your Dragon Carp, although it is not an inheritor of the Dragon n''s Demon King bloodline, its atavistic mutation grants it extraordinary potential. Coupled with the nourishment of your Longevity Blood and the fortune umted through your mastery of the Hidden Dragon Arts, most of which has been dedicated to nurturing it, its bloodline potential now ranks in the second tier of King-tier bloodlines."


    "As for the pinnacle of King-tier bloodlines, those belong to primordial creatures capable of devouring dragons and phoenixes. Even if their bloodlines have thinned over eons, reducing them to the King-tier, they can still suppress dragons and phoenixes of the same tier, making them supreme Demon Kings."


    "The Ice Soul Gu refined by the Gu God Sect falls into this category. Although its bloodline is currently at the King-tier due to its recent birth, given time, its bloodline will naturally evolve. This is why most people cannot control the ten rare Gu."


    "This is why I said it has the greatest potential to achieve Emperor-tier bloodline status. With its current foundation at the peak of the Eleventh Stage of Qi Refinement, it could evolve into a Gu Emperor upon reaching Foundation Establishment. Even without such a strong foundation, its evolution to the Emperor-tier is only a matter of time."


    Lin Jing listened carefully and nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse and Dragon Carp. As expected, a Demon Emperor bloodline was exceedingly rare.He further realized the immense strength of the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor. Even possessing a Demon Emperor bloodline only meant the potential to be a Demon Emperor. Yet here stood a truly powerful Demon Emperor, in by Senior Pine!


    "Enough thinking. Time to nt trees and refine pills!" Activating the sealing formation of his cave dwelling, he signaled to others not to disturb him during his seclusion. The barrier would also prevent any spirit beasts within the academy from being attracted by the Longevity Blood he was using to water the saplings.


    While Lin Jing secluded himself for pill refinement, cultivators from various factions began investigating the cause of the changes in Hidden Dragon City. However, the academy wanted to keep the fact that a Demon Emperor had nearly seeded in assassinating one of its geniuses under wraps, forcing the matter to be downyed.


    Still, some individuals managed to uncover the truth.


    "Brother Lin, you''re incredible." Gao Sheng stood outside the closed mountain-protecting formation, having already heard the story from Zhang Hu.


    What shocked him most wasn''t that Lin Jing had been chased to Hidden Dragon City by a Demon Emperor but that Lin Jing had a Nascent Soul protector!


    Even Gao Sheng''s own Nascent Soul-level grandfather had refused to act as his guardian. His family hadn¡¯t even assigned him a Golden Core protector, only giving him a few life-saving treasures and a pile of Spirit Stones!


    Compared to Lin Jing, Gao Sheng suddenly felt his own treatment wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning.


    Then again, as a self-admitted wastrel, he hardly needed a guardian since no one would bother targeting him.


    "Faced with such a major event, Brother Lin immediately went into seclusion. He must be feeling a lot of pressure. Mortals do have their advantages," Gao Sheng muttered as he shook his head and left after finding that Lin Jing wasn¡¯t avable.


    To him, Lin Jing must have panicked and was rushing to improve his strength. By contrast, Gao Sheng realized that hisck of talent was something of a blessing¡ªno one coveted his life as they would those with special physiques like the Longevity Body.


    Gao Sheng mounted a majestic Dragon Horse and set off to find Xu Zhizhi. With Lin Jing in seclusion, Gao Sheng felt it was his responsibility to maintain order in the Dragon Pce.


    As the Dragon Horse soared through the air, Gao Sheng spected aloud, "Brother Lin''s protector slew a Dragon n Demon Emperor. That Dragon Blood should definitely be used to refine some top-tier Rising Dragon Pills. When Brother Lin emerges, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be time to distribute pills. Whether he can advance his bloodline to the Demon King tier depends on your performance during this time." Gao Sheng patted the white horse. "Off we go. Get to work!"


    "Master is wise!" The Dragon Horse was stunned. While it was actually information provided by the Demon-ying Bureau, for Gao Sheng to connect the dots with his pig-brain was a miracle. The Dragon Horse couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased.


    Back at Lin Jing¡¯s cave, he continued watering the saplings daily with his Longevity Blood. The saplings thrived and didn¡¯t take long to grow under the nourishment.


    Thanks to the perfected Longevity Art and Senior Pine¡¯s assistance, the saplings bore fruit much sooner than expected. Within days, nine golden-green pinecones were produced, delighting Lin Jing.


    Standing before the sapling, Lin Jing cradled the divine fruits and asked, "Senior Pine, what effects do the seeds within these pinecones have?"


    "What do you expect? Longevity and vitality, that¡¯s it," Senior Pine replied dismissively.


    "That¡¯s all I need. Let¡¯s try refining pills!" Lin Jing nodded. Despite Senior Pine¡¯s terse response, the fruits were precisely what he needed to enhance the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s longevity and vitality.


    He collected the pinecones and, noticing the now barren sapling, summoned the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    "With nine pinecones, we have nine chances to refine pills. Surely we¡¯ll seed at least once. The tree is no longer useful; you can absorb its energy with the Longevity Art," Lin Jing said, stroking the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse''s bright eyes sparkled as it eagerly eyed the sapling.


    But before it could act, Senior Pine intervened, reiming the sapling.@@novelbin@@


    "Your mastery of the Longevity Art has reached a minor level. This sapling holds no value for you; its nutrients are all in the pinecones."


    "Ah!" The Pine Leaf Mouse protested.


    While they argued, Lin Jing entered the cave and examined one of the pinecones. Preparing to refine pills, he first called for the Dragon Carp.


    The Dragon Carp leaped from the Hundred Beast Cauldron at Lin Jing¡¯s arrival, its gaze sharp with anticipation.


    It was finally time.


    The Dragon Carp had waited for this day, knowing that after the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Longevity Foundation Pill waspleted, Lin Jing would use it, alongside a Rising Dragon Pill, as the basis for developing the Transforming Dragon Foundation Pill.


    In other words, the Pine Leaf Mouse was merely its test subject. When it underwent its Foundation Establishment to transform into a dragon, it would surpass all.


    As a proud member of the Dragon n, the Dragon Carp refused to remain the weakest among Lin Jing¡¯spanions.


    "With all the materials ready, let¡¯s begin."


    Lin Jing¡¯s eyes gleamed as he stared at the Hundred Beast Cauldron. Taking a deep breath, he retrieved the nine materials required to refine the Longevity Foundation Pill and prepared them one by one.


    With a wave of his arm, a ripple of spiritual energy shed around his storage bag.<ul><li aria-level="1">The first bottle: Longevity Blood.</li><li aria-level="1">The second bottle: Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.</li><li aria-level="1">The third item: Five-hundred-year-old Spirit Ginseng.</li><li aria-level="1">The fourth item: Parasitic Grass.</li><li aria-level="1">The fifth item: Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s life-bound Red Leaf.</li><li aria-level="1">The sixth to ninth items, culminating with the Divine Pine Pinecone!</li></ul>


    ¡°Begin refinement. I¡¯ll control the me¡¯s temperature,¡± Lin Jing said. With that, the Hundred Beast Cauldron was enveloped in mes. Dragon mes surged as the Dragon Carp exhaled fire, and Lin Jing carefully added the Spirit Ginseng to begin extracting its essence using the fire refinement technique.


    The Spirit Ginseng... the Parasitic Grass... the life-bound Red Leaf... Lin Jing¡¯s hand formed seals as he concentrated, merging his spirit with the mes. He meticulously extracted the essence of each material, removing impurities and residues.


    Even when faced with the most challenging material, the Divine Pine Pinecone, there were no mishaps. All the materials¡¯ essences were wlessly refined and arranged in separate containers.


    Wiping sweat from his forehead, Lin Jing noted that essence extraction was the simplest step in pill refinement. He had already used the fortune umted through the Hidden Dragon Arts to enhance his alchemy skills and the Dragon Carp¡¯s potential. If he had failed at this stage, there would be no point in continuing.


    ¡°Now for the blending and ratio adjustments!¡± Lin Jing¡¯s gaze fell on the prepared essences.


    This step required mixing the refined powders or liquid essences in precise proportions ording to the pill recipe. Since this was a newly created form, Lin Jing relied on the experiences of past alchemists for a general guideline. Swiftly, hebined the nineponents into a fist-sized medicinal paste.


    The most critical step followed¡ªLin Jing threw the paste into the cauldron and began the final fusion process. Using high heat, he needed to ensure the materials blended thoroughly and took shape as a pill.


    ¡°Fire Dragon Spits the Pearl!¡±


    Within the cauldron, the leaping mes transformed into a dragon, devouring the materials. The fiery dragon¡¯s headpressed and fused the materials with lifelike movements. This technique, Fire Dragon Spits the Pearl, was among the most suitable methods for dragon-based beast mes, learned from the pill manuals in the Scripture Pavilion.


    It was aposite third-grade fire control method,bining multiple lower-level techniques into a versatile approach capable of handling various situations.


    Outside the cave, the Pine Leaf Mouse and Senior Pine had been arguing for an entire day without resolution. Suddenly, a loud "BOOM" echoed from within the cave, drawing their attention.


    ¡°Heh,¡± Senior Pine chuckled. ¡°It seems the first attempt failed and the cauldron exploded.¡±


    Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp emerged from the cave, their bodies covered in scorch marks.


    ¡°There was an issue with the blending ratio during refinement,¡± Lin Jing admitted, distressed over the wasted materials but resigned to the oue.


    For a self-created pill form, sess on the first try was nearly impossible. Unfazed, Lin Jing prepared to try again.


    Over the following days, Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp repeatedly attempted the refinement. Explosions frequently echoed from the cave as they failed and made improvements, refining their techniques with each iteration.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse stood anxiously outside the cave. Watching Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp emerge injured time and again, it couldn¡¯t help but think about simply attempting a normal Foundation Establishment breakthrough. Given its current state, achieving Foundation Establishment directly wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    But it also understood that Lin Jing was aiming for perfection. He wanted to use the Longevity Foundation Pill to elevate its bloodline to new heights. For this goal, they hadbored for over three years. Sess was now within reach, and giving up was not an option.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse prayed that Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp would seed soon and that the pill would help it achieve a transformative breakthrough.


    A month passed. Dragon roars asionally echoed from the cave, though they were often followed by explosions. Meanwhile, the Pine Leaf Mouse tried to trade its strange mutant spirit nts with Senior Pine in exchange for treasures.


    Unfortunately, most of the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s one-grade mutant nts were only useful during the Qi Refinement stage, making them almost entirely worthless to both Senior Pine and itself.


    ¡°You¡¯ve hoarded all this junk and still expect treasures from me? Dream on,¡± Senior Pine scoffed.


    Suddenly, a rich medicinal aroma wafted from the cave.


    ¡°The seventh attempt... is it finally sessful?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha...¡± Lin Jing¡¯sughter echoed from the cave, a mix of relief and lingering bitterness. Senior Pine couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°This boy does have some talent.¡±


    ¡°Senior Pine, the pill isplete!¡± Lin Jing¡¯s voice rang out.


    ¡°Please evaluate the results, Senior!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 46: The Pine Leaf Mouses Foundation Establishment

    Vol 2 Chapter 46: The Pine Leaf Mouse''s Foundation Establishment


    After countless trials, Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp finally seeded in refining the Longevity Foundation Pill! However, due to itsplex recipe and the rarity of its ingredients, not to mention its tailored design, finding a test subject for the pill was impossible. The pill was uniquely crafted for the Pine Leaf Mouse¡ªwhere else could one find another Pine Leaf Mouse with a life-bound Red Leaf?


    Thus, only Senior Pine, a Nascent Soul-level entity of the nt world, could evaluate the pill''s quality. Not by consuming it, of course, but by examining it with its profound cultivation and understanding of botanical properties.


    "Let me see."


    Lin Jing emerged from his cave, his face radiant with satisfaction. Behind him, the Dragon Carpy motionless inside the cauldron,pletely exhausted. Lin Jing himself was drained but determined to witness the Pine Leaf Mouse''s evolution.


    The Longevity Foundation Pill, the size of a sugar pellet, was jet-ck in color. Senior Pine examined it, its silence weighing heavily on the group.


    ¡°Minimal toxicity, almost negligible.¡±


    ¡°The scent alone could extend a mortal¡¯s lifespan by a hundred years.¡±


    ¡°Perfectly bnced medicinal properties¡ªseamless, natural.¡±¡°It¡¯s undeniably an exceptional Foundation Establishment Pill, though the color is rather unappealing¡ªit looks like a poison pill.¡±


    ¡°Appearance doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lin Jing said with augh. ¡°The pill¡¯s color is determined by its ingredients. Theplex materials must¡¯ve caused this shade. As long as the pill works, that¡¯s all that matters, right, Pine Leaf Mouse?¡±


    Lin Jing turned expectantly to the Pine Leaf Mouse. After nearly five years of cultivation, it was finally time for Foundation Establishment. For a Beast Tamer, the advancement of their spirit beast was as significant as their own breakthrough.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse hesitated, staring at the ominous-looking pill. However, it nodded resolutely, unwilling to let Lin Jing¡¯s months of effort go to waste.


    ¡°Senior Pine will safeguard you; there¡¯s no need to worry,¡± Lin Jing reassured it, tossing the pill into its paws.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse caught the Longevity Foundation Pill, its tiny hands trembling slightly. Although it trusted Lin Jing and the Dragon Carp, the ck color of the pill was unsettling. With a gulp, it swallowed its fears.


    ¡°Squeak!¡± The Pine Leaf Mouse let out a determined cry. Its preparation was perfect¡ªit had been resting and storing energy for this moment. With a deep breath, it tossed off its little robe, which fluttered onto a tree branch outside the cave, and swallowed the pill in one swift motion.


    The world seemed to pause. The wind ceased, and time itself felt frozen. Even Senior Pine watched silently as the Pine Leaf Mouse sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation.


    ¡°It will seed,¡± Lin Jing whispered, though his clenched fists betrayed his nervousness.


    With a resounding boom, the Longevity Foundation Pill¡¯s immense medicinal power activated. The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s body began to transform as the pillpressed its Evesting Emperor¡¯s True Energy. Waves of qi burst forth, forming spiraling vortices that surged into the heavens. Leaves and grass trembled across the mountain.


    The tyrannical true energypressed into a radiant green meteor, coalescing within the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s body. Its inner world seemed to be reborn¡ªa vast expanse of spiritual mist filled the air, and raindrops formed from the mist, merging into glowing whitekes.@@novelbin@@


    These spirit rains nurtured the nascent world, integrating with every corner, initiating the crucial transformation of Qi into True Essence. It was the hallmark of Foundation Establishment, where True Qi condensed into True Essence within the spiritual sea.


    Through their bloodline contract, Lin Jing¡¯s consciousness projected into the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s inner world. He witnessed the birth of a spiritual sea, its waters rising from one foot to a hundred, then a thousand feet, expanding into an unfathomable depth. It was as if Lin Jing had entered an entirely new realm, his senses absorbed and overwhelmed.


    ¡°Foundation Establishment involves the liquefaction of true qi into true essence, forming a spiritual sea. The body undergoes aplete transformation, and spiritual awareness evolves into divine sense, allowing one to perceive their surroundings with a thought.¡±


    ¡°The depth of the spiritual sea corresponds to the range of divine sense,¡± Senior Pine exined. ¡°For most at the early Foundation Establishment stage, divine sense extends about a hundred feet. Exceptions ur based on bloodline, talent, and cultivation method. Some far exceed this range.¡±


    Lin Jing''s awareness sank deeper into the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s spiritual sea¡ª1,000 feet, 1,500 feet, 2,000 feet. It seemed endless.


    Outside, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s divine sense expanded rapidly, unconsciously spreading to cover the entire mountain.


    ¡°At this rate, its strength rivals the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and even approaches thete stage!¡±


    ¡°And this... is only the result of a normal breakthrough for a Qi Refining Tenth Stage Pine Leaf Mouse cultivating the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art,¡± Senior Pine remarked.


    Meanwhile, the Longevity Foundation Pill began to take effect.


    Golden-green light enveloped the Pine Leaf Mouse as its inner spiritual rain transformed into gold-green botanical essence. The entire spiritual sea changed color under this miraculous rain, triggering another round of bodily purification.


    Boom!


    With a blinding explosion of light, an immense aura burst forth from the Pine Leaf Mouse, signaling a leap in its bloodline. Its transformation was apanied by a terrifying pressure that jolted the Dragon Carp awake.


    The Dragon Carp darted outside the cave, perching atop a nearby peak to witness the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s evolution. Its bloodline trembled as it watched, knowing instinctively that itspanion¡¯s life essence was undergoing a metamorphosis far beyond its understanding.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s form was obscured by radiant spiritual light. Even Senior Pine could only vaguely sense that the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s bloodline mutation was elevating its life essence to an entirely new level, the direction of which remained unfathomable.


    Though its final form was still uncertain, one thing was clear¡ªits divine sense had reached a level of near monstrosity.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s divine sense expanded: 200 meters¡­ 300 meters¡­ eventually reaching 1,000 meters¡ªa range typically reserved for those at the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment. But the mouse¡¯s limits were nowhere near this. Its divine sense continued to grow, surpassing 1,100 meters, then 1,500 meters, and finally exploding outward to an incredible 2,000 meters.


    Even Senior Pine was left awestruck. Such an extraordinary divine sense was far beyond the scope of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. Only those Golden Core aspirants who artificially simted a core¡ªa "pseudo-core cultivator"¡ªmight achieve such strength.


    "With divine sense this powerful, it will hold a massive advantage inbat," Senior Pine mused. "This must be a result of its frequent use of rare beast abilities and its reliance on spiritual control, which has built an extraordinarily strong foundation."


    Atst, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s divine sense stopped expanding at the 2,000-meter mark. Simultaneously, the radiant light of its bloodline evolution began to fade. Lin Jing¡¯s consciousness returned to his own body, and he stared in disbelief as the Pine Leaf Mouse slowly rose and opened its eyes.


    Its clover-like pupils spun wildly, emitting an aura of terrifying power. This was no ordinary Foundation Establishment beast. Yet what left Lin Jing even more stunned was its appearance.


    While the Pine Leaf Mouse retained its squirrel-like form, with its soft, glossy brown fur, it now looked more like a fusion of animal and nt life. Its triangr ears had transformed into ruby-red leaves, and its bushy tail now resembled arge maple leaf. The name "Maple Leaf Mouse" seemed far more fitting now.


    The once fragile creature now exuded immense strength. Its body radiated power, and its tail, with leaf-like des, was sharper than any weapon. Lin Jing couldn¡¯t help but feel that even Yuan Jing¡¯s Demon-ying Sword, imbued with sword intent, was less fearsome than the mouse¡¯s newly transformed body.


    "The life-bound Red Leaf has truly be part of its form," Lin Jing marveled. "And this strength... It has just reached Foundation Establishment but could already challenge the peak of this realm. This is the mark of an Unmatched Demon King Bloodline!"


    "My Longevity Blood, infused into the Divine Pine Pinecone, has also granted it unparalleled vitality. Its lifespan now..."


    Senior Pine suddenly froze, its eyes widening. The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s evolution wasn¡¯t finished yet. As the light in its zed Immortal Eyes rotated, a tree-like substance began to grow across its body. This substance radiated immense life force, forming the image of a divine tree around the mouse.


    BOOM!


    In an instant, the Pine Leaf Mouse vanished, reced by a towering colossus over thirty meters tall, its entire formposed of wood. The Squirrel Colossus maintained the mouse¡¯s basic appearance, but its body was now like a mountain, bristling with branchesden with countless pinecones. It was as if the mouse itself had be a divine tree spanning heaven and earth.


    "This is impossible!" Senior Pine eximed, aghast. "It didn¡¯t just integrate its Red Leaf¡ªit''s also fully assimted my pinecones into its being!"


    Senior Pine struggled toprehend. As a nt-Nascent Soul cultivator, it had expected the Red Leaf¡¯s integration, but its own power being refined and absorbed by the mouse was beyond belief. ording to Lin Jing¡¯s theories, the pinecones were only meant to provide energy for Foundation Establishment.


    "Is this the power of its eyes?"


    As the zed Immortal Eyes glowed brighter, the pinecones on the colossus began to vanish, converging into the mouse¡¯s forehead. A golden pinecone emerged, resembling a third eye embedded in its brow, exuding an extraordinary and divine aura.


    BOOM!


    The colossus emitted a wave of terrifying energy. The vegetation across the mountain began to wither, their life force siphoned into the giant form. Even Senior Pine felt its vitality threatened by this devouring force.


    The gathered life essence temporarily elevated the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s bloodline, producing an overwhelming pressure that caused the Dragon Carp¡ªbarely awakened¡ªto faint once more.


    "This... this is the True Form of a Demon King!" Senior Pine shouted, finally understanding the phenomenon before it.


    "What is a Demon King¡¯s True Form?" Lin Jing asked, stunned by the transformation. He could sense the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s unconscious state as it adapted to its bloodline¡¯s evolution, but this new form was entirely unexpected.


    Senior Pine took a deep breath and exined: "For human cultivators, once they reach the Nascent Soul stage, they can manifest a Nascent Soul Avatar to enhance the power of their techniques. A Demon King¡¯s True Form is a simr ability. However, unlike the Nascent Soul Avatar, which any Nascent Soul cultivator can achieve, the True Form is an innate racial gift. Only the most exalted Demon Kings possess it. It¡¯s a rare transformation even more coveted than the so-called divine physiques of your human race."


    "In this state, the bloodline enhancement is immense. A Demon King in its True Form could force even Half-Divines to retreat. The bloodline strength in this state rivals that of Emperor-tier bloodlines!"


    "Even more remarkable is that this racial gift evolves with cultivation, potentially advancing to a Demon Emperor¡¯s True Form or even a Demon Sovereign¡¯s True Form."


    Senior Pine murmured, "But a Demon King¡¯s True Form is typically innate. I¡¯ve never heard of it being acquired postnatally. Could this be because it¡¯s a rare beast? Regardless, this single Pine Leaf Mouse, at the early Foundation Establishment stage, could now dominate most so-called geniuses on the Genius Rankings."


    "With its unmatched Demon King Bloodline and the Demon King¡¯s True Form, even a Demon Emperor Bloodline would struggle against it!"


    At that moment,pletely absorbed in the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s transformation, Lin Jing failed to notice that his own cultivation had quietly advanced to the Eleventh Stage of Qi Refinement. The spiritual energy feedback from the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s evolution had even pushed him close to the Twelfth Stage¡ªa feat yet to be influenced by the still-unbroken Ice Soul Gu in his body!

 Book 2: Chapter 47: Venturing Deeper Down the Path of Demon Cultivation

    Vol 2 Chapter 47: Venturing Deeper Down the Path of Demon Cultivation


    The Autumn Hunt.


    One of the few events held at Hidden Dragon Academy beyond regr sses. Scheduled three to four years after the entry of new students, the event was fast approaching for the current cohort.


    Talents eager to participate in the Autumn Hunt had begun procuring pills, artifacts, and various aids. The event had no rules or restrictions¡ªparticipants could wield any power they could control. Pills, treasures, puppets, mechanisms, and spirit beasts were all permissible.


    However, as the hunt was primarily a stage for fame andcked rankings or extravagant rewards, no one relied on external forces such as Nascent Soul-level Demon Kings to gain an advantage. Such a disy would be ridiculed, as it was obvious to both the instructors and the world that the power didn¡¯t belong to the participant.


    Nevertheless, using one¡¯s personal spirit beasts or mounts was not only epted but encouraged, as beast taming was a respected cultivation path.


    This year, the Dragon Pce faction decided to participate with their spirit beasts in tow.


    ¡°Is Lin Jing still in seclusion? Is he preparing for Foundation Establishment?¡± Xu Zhizhi, the temporary leader of the Dragon Pce, stood outside Lin Jing¡¯s mountain residence, gazing at the still-active protective formation.


    Although Lin Jing¡¯s participation wasn¡¯t essential for the Autumn Hunt, his presence carried symbolic weight. The Dragon Pce¡¯s first group venture without their leader wouldck its intended impact.As Xu Zhizhi turned to leave, the mountain¡¯s formation suddenly dissipated with a low hum. The overwhelming divine sense that emanated from within froze her in ce. A chilling aura gripped her heart, leaving her drenched in cold sweat before it vanished just as quickly.


    Momentster, Lin Jing emerged from the mountain, followed by the Pine Leaf Mouse perched on his shoulder.


    "Brother Lin¡­ was that your spirit beast?" Xu Zhizhi exhaled deeply. Despite the mouse¡¯s unchanged appearance, she was certain that the terrifying aura had emanated from it.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse had advanced.@@novelbin@@


    Even before its breakthrough, its aura had been oppressive enough to make Xu Zhizhi, an experienced cultivator, feel like prey caught in a hunter''s gaze. Now, its bloodline had grown even stronger.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, but yes, I¡¯ll participate,¡± Lin Jing confirmed with a smile. He nced at the Pine Leaf Mouse on his shoulder, its newfound strength reassuring him. With its current capabilities, only those in the top ten of the Genius Rankings could pose a significant threat.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Xu Zhizhi beamed. ¡°Your participation will bolster the Dragon Pce¡¯s collective strength, allowing us to secure more resources during the hunt.¡±


    After Xu Zhizhi left, Lin Jing turned to the Pine Leaf Mouse. ¡°You don¡¯t look as excited as I expected. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse scratched its head, clearly conflicted. While it was thrilled by its newfound power, it couldn¡¯t shake the strange feeling of kinship it now felt toward Senior Pine, almost as if it were looking at a parent.


    ¡°The Longevity Foundation Pill contained Senior Pine¡¯s bloodline power. It¡¯s natural for you to feel this way,¡± Lin Jing exined. ¡°Senior Pine has been like a parental figure to us. When its timees, you should care for it in its old age.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse clenched its tiny fists and nodded solemnly. ¡°Squeak!¡± Even though Senior Pine had refused to let it absorb the sapling, the mouse resolved to repay the elder¡¯s kindness, especially for the pinecones.


    ¡°Bah! Who¡¯s taking care of who is yet to be decided!¡± Senior Pine¡¯s voice rang out from the mountain. ¡°I hope you lot are still alive when we meet again in a hundred years.¡±


    Afterward, Lin Jing returned to his mountain to test the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s improved abilities.


    Before its breakthrough, the mouse could only synthesize first-tier spiritual and malignant nts. Now, as a Foundation Establishment beast, it should be capable of creating second-tier nts.


    Lin Jing pulled out a batch of Bloodsucking Vines from his Suspended Gourd. These had been cultivated by the Pine Leaf Mouse over the past few years.


    The mouse leaped down from Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder, its confidence evident. Its zed Immortal Eyes activated, the clover-like symbol spinning wildly as golden-green light bathed the vines.


    The Bloodsucking Vines withered under the light, condensing into a small bundle of blood-red tendrils.


    ¡°Sess!¡± Lin Jing eximed.


    Through its zed Immortal Eyes, the Pine Leaf Mousemunicated the properties of the new nt to Lin Jing:


    [A blood-infused vine that can absorb the blood of beasts with a rank no higher than its own, condensing the blood into a corresponding Blood Beast.]


    The Pine Leaf Mouse: !?


    Lin Jing: ?!


    They both stared at the tendrils in stunned silence.


    ¡°This¡­ this is basically demonic cultivation,¡± Lin Jing muttered, bewildered.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse tilted its head, as if to say, "You wanted second-tier nts, didn¡¯t you?"

 Book 2: Chapter 49: Tianji Pavilion

    Vol 2 Chapter 49: Tianji Pavilion


    ¡°Further observation? With your current cultivation, attempting to spy on such a prodigy will only bring bacsh,¡± the old man said coldly.


    ¡°The Ancient Domain¡­ That¡¯s where Hidden Dragon Academy is hosting its Autumn Trials. After every trial, the Genius Rankings shift¡ªit¡¯s normal. Your senior brother Huihua has already gone to the Ancient Domain in person.¡±


    A white-haired, white-bearded elder emerged from the depths of the pavilion, his gaze fixed on the celestial patterns on the star chart. He paused, visibly surprised.


    ¡°A true ¡®wild genius,¡¯ with almost no ties to sect fortune¡­ Could they be the disciple of a powerful rogue cultivator?¡±


    Strangely, the aura of their fortune was tinged with ck. Could they be an infiltrator from a demonic sect? Should we inform Hidden Dragon Academy?¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Master, I¡¯ll notify them!¡± the young girl said eagerly.


    ¡°Disciples of the Tianji Pavilion must endure fifty years of astrology and thirty years of divination training¡ªa total of eighty years of painstaking cultivation¡ªbefore they can venture into the world. You¡¯re far from ready,¡± the elder replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.


    The Cangmang Mountain Range stretched endlessly into the horizon. In the sky above, many powerful figures hovered, their divine senses enveloping the terrain below. Among them were cultivators from both the academy and Tianji Pavilion.Tianji Pavilion cultivators, skilled in divining secrets, could perceive many things: whose fortune was about to wane, whose destiny was about to rise. However, as the saying goes, ¡°Heaven¡¯s secrets must not be revealed lightly.¡± Even Tianji Pavilion cultivators would only observe initial signs or omens unless there were substantial benefits at stake. They often chose to witness events personally to verify their interpretations, gaining deeper insights if their predictions matched reality.


    Tian Huihua, a disciple of Tianji Pavilion, was the pavilion¡¯s sole representative at the Autumn Trials. The true disciples of the pavilion were few; its secret arts required exceptional talent, and the core members of Tianji Pavilion had never exceeded ten. Most others associated with the pavilion were guest cultivators who had benefited from its insights.


    Though Huihua was only at the Nascent Soul Great Perfection stage, the academy¡¯s instructors treated him with great respect. After all, as a disciple of the pavilion, he could easily summon a Nascent Soul guest cultivator from Tianji Pavilion to intervene when necessary.


    ¡°I foresee that a prodigious rogue cultivator, unaffiliated with any sect, will experience a dramatic shift in fortune and ascend the Genius Rankings,¡± Huihua said, his gaze fixed on the mountain range below, a faint smile on his lips.


    ¡°An unaffiliated genius?¡± The academy instructors were delighted. A new addition to the Genius Rankings was always cause for celebration. The fact that this individual was a rogue cultivator made it even more thrilling.


    Such prodigies, unbound by sect ties, were especially valued by the academy¡¯s teachers. Unlike those from established sects, rogue cultivators could be more easily recruited into the academy, free from theplications of sect politics.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who it is,¡± mused Cao Ziwei and the other instructors, wracking their brains to recall which rogue talents might qualify. But no name came to mind.


    Though talented, rogue cultivators oftencked the resources and inheritance topete with sect-trained peers.


    As streaks of light signaled the teleportation arrivals in the Cangmang Mountain Range, everyone turned their attention to one particr figure.


    This individual had the best luck among the hundreds of transported participants,nding directly beside a mid-Foundation Establishment demonic beast.


    ¡°Yang E¡¯peng of the Evesting Spring Valley, early Foundation Establishment,¡± an instructor identified him.


    ¡°A top scorer in the lower division¡¯s entrance exams. Facing a mid-Foundation beast¡­ this might be a problem.¡±


    A man in a green robe, Fang Shilin, watched with keen interest.


    ¡°Just a serpent demon,¡± Yang E¡¯peng said calmly. In the blink of an eye, a red shadow darted from his sleeve, piercing the serpent¡¯s head. The beast copsed, in in an instant.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± remarked a Dragonblood Woodpecker Demon, flying over. Fang Shilin tossed it a spirit fruit as a reward, smiling faintly.


    ¡°I¡¯m Fang Shilin, from the Dragon Pce.¡±


    Fang Shilin was the first student Lin Jing had defeated upon arriving at Hidden Dragon Academy. Far from resenting Lin Jing, Fang Shilin had grown frustrated with those who mocked him for losing to a freshman.


    What was so funny about struggling with the Hidden Dragon Arts?


    Determined to prove himself, Fang Shilin joined the Dragon Pce, aiming to master beast taming and silence his detractors.


    ¡°No wonder the Dragonblood Woodpecker Demon is so strong¡ªit was raised following the Pce Master¡¯s methods,¡± Fang Shilin said, filled with admiration for Lin Jing. Despite being defeated by Lin Jing, he deeply respected him as a prodigious genius.


    Elsewhere, Lin Jing was surveying thendscape after his teleportation, soaring above the forest to scout for rare resources.


    ¡°Bold, isn¡¯t he? Flying openly in the Cangmang Mountains with such low cultivation, unafraid of provoking a swarm of beasts,¡± someone remarked.


    ¡°Still, this is the prodigy who reaped the greatest rewards from the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven. Both he and his beastpanion achieved the peak of Qi Refinement, correct?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but this mountain range is far more dangerous than the cavern projection. The beasts are much more scattered here.¡±


    ¡°Look ahead¡ªthere¡¯s one of the fierce beasts we captured from the Cloud Sea Mountains,¡± an instructor said.


    This beast had cornered Qin Yiran, ranked ny-second on the Genius Rankings.


    The Cloud Sea Mountains, located south of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, were perpetually shrouded in mist that blocked divine senses. Only a few ancient tribes practicing sorcery resided there, as did the elusive Gu God Sect, whose hidden presence had long eluded eradication.


    ¡°A Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast?¡± Huihua of Tianji Pavilion gazed at the instructor¡¯s mentioned beast with newfound interest.

 Book 2: Chapter 50: Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast

    Vol 2 Chapter 50: Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast


    These mosquito beasts had bodies that gleamed with a metallic sheen, their forms covered by tightly arranged, tiny metallic scales. In the sunlight, they reflected a cold, icy light. Most striking were their enormous wings, resembling two sharp, blood-red scythes. Their heads were unnaturallyrge, withpound eyes that glowed a ghostly blue and needle-like, highly developed mouthparts.


    Despite each mosquito only possessing Qi Refinement cultivation, the woman under their attack seemed to face a life-threatening ordeal. Dressed in a white dress, she wielded a bamboo flute. The sound waves she created transformed into lethal invisible sword energy, scattering in all directions, leaving the surrounding flora in disarray. However, the mosquito beasts¡¯ blood energy coalesced into a shadowy barrier. The sonic sword waves merely nged against their forms without causing any harm.


    ¡°What kind of monsters are these? Even with myte-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, I can¡¯t pierce the defenses of a group of Qi Refinement beasts!¡± The woman¡¯s face was filled with disbelief. Still, she continued to y the bamboo flute, holding off the relentless assault.


    ¡°Cloud Sea Mosquito Beasts¡ªone of the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea Mountains and a key challenge in this Autumn Trial,¡± a schrly voice exined.


    ¡°The Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast¡¯s bloodline is peculiar. They can never reach Foundation Establishment but reproduce at an astonishing rate. In the Cloud Sea Mountains, they always move in massive swarms, with a typical group numbering at least ten thousand.¡±


    ¡°Even this alone wouldn¡¯t warrant their status as one of the Ten Terrors. These beasts drink the blood of their own kind, forming a tight, almost military-like connection. When they act as a collective, their strength multiplies exponentially. Facing a swarm of these beasts is every cultivator¡¯s nightmare. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would hesitate to confront a million of them.¡±


    ¡°To keep this trial manageable for the talents, we captured only a hundred or so. Even so, it seems they¡¯re already overwhelming for a genius ranked on the Genius Rankings.¡±


    Within moments, over a hundred Qi Refinement mosquito beasts had pushed a talented disciple ranked on the Genius Rankings, Ouyang Chengcheng, into a dire situation. Forced to act, he threw out a magical artifact. The artifact formed a rectangr barrier, enveloping him in protection.<em>Bang! Crack!</em><em></em>


    <em></em> The beasts¡¯ sharp proboscises relentlessly struck the barrier. Inside, the disciple of the Tianyin Pavilion sat in agitation, staring at the densely packed swarm outside. He suddenly realized he had underestimated this trial.


    Despite this, he didn¡¯t give up. He continued ying his flute, attempting to disturb the mosquitos¡¯ minds and make them attack each other. However, their predatory instincts overpowered such tactics, leaving them unaffected. Out of desperation, he changed his tune, trying to lure other beasts into the fray to distract the swarm.


    Instead of other beasts arriving, a white-robed youth appeared below the barrier. He looked up, observing the scene calmly. His arrival shifted the mosquitos¡¯ focus entirely; they immediately abandoned their current target and surged toward the neer.


    Ouyang Chengcheng was stunned to see the youth smile as the deadly swarm approached him.


    ¡°Poor Dragon Carp, it missed out on this delicious feast. These mosquitos are its favorite treat!¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°If I only bring back dead ones, it¡¯ll sulk. Guess it¡¯s time for this toy to finally prove its worth.¡±


    Above the clouds, one of the observing teachers, Mr. Cao, squinted, clearly doubting that Lin Jing could handle the swarm. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would struggle with such a challenge. However, in the next moment, the gathered teachers and the Tianji Pavilion''s Tianhuihua all disyed expressions of astonishment.


    Boom!


    Lin Jing raised his hand slightly. A surge of true energy erupted like an icy cyclone, his hair flying wildly as a chilling aura enveloped his body. He looked like a demon god descending into the mortal world. The mosquito swarm, previously united and bloodthirsty, suddenly halted mid-attack, seemingly sensing an overwhelming presence. They scattered like a defeated army, fleeing in all directions.


    "Toote," Lin Jing murmured. He had already recognized the swarm and their threat level. Testing the suppressive power of his <em>Beast Taming Physique</em>, augmented by the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s <em>Ice Soul Physique</em>, he found it far more potent than anticipated. It disrupted the mosquitos¡¯ bloodline connection, breaking their formation instantly.


    With a casual wave of his hand, lines of condensed icy true energy descended from above, forming a massive birdcage that trapped the fleeing mosquitos. Frost emanated from the energy, freezing the swarm one by one. Lin Jing then summoned his <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em>, tossing it above the cage. The circle expanded rapidly, releasing white ripples that captured the frozen mosquitos into its confines.


    Ensuring their preservation with ice and the spatial properties of the circle, Lin Jing maintained their vitality as fresh food for the Dragon Carp. Afterpleting this, he descended slowly to the ground, meeting the shocked gaze of the Tianyin Pavilion disciple trapped inside the barrier.


    ¡°Genius Rankings, number 92, Qin Yiran?¡±


    ¡°And you are¡­?¡± Qin Yiran¡¯s voice trembled with uncertainty. She had no idea who Lin Jing was but was awed by his effortless handling of the terrifying swarm.


    ¡°Creator of the Dragon Pce, Lin Jing.¡±


    Lin Jing cast her a nce before walking away. ¡°You know what to do. I don¡¯t need repayment for saving you. Just make sure everyone knows how I dealt with the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beasts.¡±


    Qin Yiran: ¡°???¡±


    She stood frozen in confusion as Lin Jing disappeared into the distance.


    ¡°Did he say¡­ Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect?¡±


    ¡°How is that possible? He¡¯s at the Eleventh Stage of Qi Refinement!¡±


    Even among the top ranks of the Genius Rankings, most were at the pinnacle of the Tenth Stage, with very few reaching the Eleventh¡ªa rare extreme. Her disbelief mirrored that of the teachers who had painstakingly captured the swarm.


    "Qi Refinement Eleventh Stage? When did Lin Jing achieve this level? What fortuitous encounter could have propelled him so far?" one teacher murmured. Lin Jing¡¯s recent concealment methods, taught by Senior Pine, had hidden his progress until now. His full strength only became evident with this disy.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the Eleventh Stage. These mosquitos lost their bloodline connection instantly. His abilities as a Beast Taming cultivator are extraordinary,¡± Tianhuihua remarked.


    ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s the Myriad Beast Circle. He¡¯s captured the entire swarm! These mosquitos are harmless to him but deadly to other students. Have we just handed Lin Jing the means to dominate the Cangmang Mountain Range?¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 51: The Blood Pool

    Vol 2 Chapter 51: The Blood Pool


    ¡°Could it be that this wild genius capable of defeating a ranked talent from the Genius Rankings is none other than him?¡± Tianji Pavilion¡¯s Tianhuihua mused quietly as he observed Lin Jing, whose mastery over beasts had subdued the mosquito swarm. After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°Though he¡¯s still in the Qi Refinement stage, his Beast Taming methods, coupled with the aid of the mosquito swarm, give him enough strength to rival the talents on the Genius Rankings.¡±


    ¡°Plus... considering the current state of the sealed Beast Taming Sect, it¡¯s usible to regard him as an unaligned wild genius.¡±


    The academy instructors exchanged uneasy nces. It wasn¡¯t impossible, and they were momentarily reminded of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s sealed status.


    ¡°Horizons vast and skies so wide, mosquito beasts gather by the mountainside~¡± Lin Jing cheerfully hummed a tune as he soared back into the clouds, his mood lifted after subduing the swarm. Participating in the academy¡¯s Autumn Trial had already proven rewarding. The effort the instructors had invested in setting up the trials within the Cangmang Mountain Range was evident.


    Lin Jing was particrly pleased with the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beasts¡ªarguably the most famous among mosquito-type demonic beasts. ording to <em>Records of Ancient Monsters and Anomalies</em>, they were bred in antiquity by the monstrous Frog Emperor to strengthen his n. Using unimaginable techniques, he created a species of mosquitos capable of rapid reproduction by consuming blood, even from beings far more powerful than themselves.


    Unlike ordinary pests, these mosquitos could devour high-grade blood without their bodies bursting, a far cry from other creations like the trashy Blood Devil Vine synthesized by the Pine Leaf Mouse. While consuming stronger blood didn¡¯t increase the mosquito¡¯s power, it enhanced two unique traits: reproductive ability and nutritional value.


    The Frog Emperor¡¯s Swallowing Frog n utilized these mosquitos as a food source to swiftly grow out of their vulnerable juvenile stage and into a formidable force. However, after offending the Celestial Pce and being annihted, the mosquitos were left masterless. They proliferated wildly in the Cloud Sea Mountains, mutating over time into their current fearsome forms, earning their ce among the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea.


    Although now categorized as one of the Ten Terrors rather than food, Lin Jing, well-read as he was, immediately recognized their original identity.¡°Back then, even ordinary mosquitos that consumed Longevity Blood were enough to bulk up the Dragon Carp...¡±


    ¡°Though <em>Records of Ancient Monsters</em> says these mosquitos are no longer suitable as food, they must still be better than regr ones, right?¡±


    ¡°If I were to rear these Cloud Sea Mosquito Beasts on Longevity Blood, they could be a steady source of nutrition for the Dragon Carp, akin to the ancient Swallowing Frog n.¡±


    The records also highlighted two main reasons the current mosquitos weren¡¯t ideal for consumption: their diminished ability to convert blood into nutrients and their evolved metallic bodies, which were harder to digest. Still, Lin Jing reasoned that with the Dragon Carp¡¯s fire attribute and its ability to refine metals, it should be able to manage.


    Pleased with the prospect, Lin Jing knew that capturing these beasts in their native habitat would¡¯ve been nearly impossible, even if he were at the Foundation Establishment stage. As he flew, he paused tond and retrieved his <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em>. Without the suppressive power of his <em>Beast Taming Physique</em>, the swarm reestablished its bloodline connection, instantly melting the frost encasing them. Though their intelligence had been nearly wiped clean by the circle, their savage instincts remained, and they began ramming against its boundaries.


    ¡°This bloodline connection is truly terrifying. A mere swarm of Qi Refinement mosquitos can suppress a Genius Ranking talent. No wonder they¡¯re one of the Ten Terrors... Without my suppression, putting the Dragon Carp with them might result in it being eaten instead!¡± Lin Jing mused. ¡°Even the Myriad Beast Circle from Qingzhou¡¯s Myriad Beast Sect struggles to contain their ferocity. I¡¯ll need to take this step by step to tame and refine them.¡±


    He began channeling his Beast Taming Qi into the circle, gradually suppressing the swarm¡¯s violent nature. Meanwhile, the academy instructors shifted their attention away from him, their expressions mixed.


    ¡°What a waste,¡± one instructormented. ¡°The mountains contain an opportunity even for these mosquitos, yet they met their nemesis before reaching it.¡±


    ¡°Well, perhaps it¡¯s for the best. If the swarm had reached that opportunity, the students would¡¯ve suffered immensely.¡±


    The Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast trial was one of five challenges prepared by the instructors for the Autumn Trial, requiring the coboration of many students to ovee. They hadn¡¯t anticipated that a Beast Taming cultivator like Lin Jing would so thoroughly neutralize this challenge. Now, their focus turned toward another trial site: a pool of crimson liquid.


    It wasn¡¯t a spiritual pool but a Blood Pool. The monkey demon tribe of the Cangmang Mountains had upied the area and was soaking in the pool. As they bathed, their physiques and cultivation levels soared, and their bloodlines began evolving toward dragon blood.


    ¡°This is...¡± Tianhuihua paused, feeling an inexplicable sense of pressure from the pool, even as a Nascent Soul cultivator. ¡°Could it be...¡±


    He suddenly recalled something.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Is this the blood of the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor who invaded Hidden Dragon Academy recently?¡±


    Though few knew of the Demon Emperor¡¯s assault, Tianji Pavilion had pieced together some details. The academy, reluctant to reveal the event, had not publicly disclosed the information.


    ¡°Yes,¡± confirmed an instructor. ¡°The academy extracted some of the Demon Emperor¡¯s blood, diluted it, and infused it with medicinal ingredients to create the <em>Dragon Transformation Blood Pool</em>. Any demonic beast that bathes in it will see its demonic power surge and has a high chance of evolving into a Dragon-Blooded Demonic Beast. Human cultivators can also use it as a perfect body-refinement bath to enhance their physiques.¡±


    The instructors discussed how the Blood Pool would attract fiercepetition among students once discovered, leading to a chaotic struggle. The beasts soaking in the pool were the first hurdle, with the pool itself serving as the prize.


    Observing a group of individuals approaching the pool, the instructors¡¯ expressions turned strange. Most of these individuals shared amon trait: each had a dragon-blooded pet beast by their side.


    ¡°These people...¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all members of the Dragon Pce founded by Lin Jing. Everyone has a dragon-blooded demonic beast!¡±


    ¡°This Blood Pool is a massive opportunity for them, enabling their dragon-blooded pets to advance further.¡±


    ¡°Why is it always Lin Jing?¡± Tianhuihua muttered, falling silent. Lin Jing, a mere neer, had somehow be more prominent than the top talents on the Genius Rankings. At every turn, his name seemed to surface.

 Book 2: Chapter 53: This Pool... Is Now Dragon Palace鈥檚!

    Vol 2 Chapter 53: This Pool... Is Now Dragon Pce¡¯s!


    The Monkey King sessfully reached the Demon Core stage, causing the gathered cultivators¡¯ faces to darken. Xu Zhizhi, in particr, scratched his head in frustration.


    If it had only been the Foundation Establishment monkeys earlier, he was confident he could lead the Dragon Pce team to drive them off. However, facing a demon of this level was apletely different story. This cunning creature was proving far trickier than Chu Ren. Even Chu Ren, despite his skills, wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the Monkey King. Fighting a Demon Core cultivator with a Foundation Establishment cultivation level was the prerogative of only the top few on the Genius Rankings¡ªdefinitely not Chu Ren¡¯s domain.


    As the Monkey Kingpleted its breakthrough, it stepped out of the Dragon Transformation Blood Pool. Earlier, the other monkeys had refrained from acting recklessly during the enemy invasion, focusing solely on protecting their king¡¯s advancement.@@novelbin@@


    "Let¡¯s see how you handle this," Chu Ren chuckled, turning his Flood Dragon mount around to leave. He had no intention of confronting the Monkey King directly.


    ¡°D*** it! That guy is all about infighting! He dares to fight us for the blood pool but runs away from the Demon Core Monkey King!¡± Gao Sheng froze for a moment before hurling curses.


    Wang Xiao also furrowed his brows. He hadn¡¯t expected Chu Ren to flee so decisively, though the danger of the situation was undeniable. One misstep could lead toplete annihtion.


    After all, the Monkey King wasn¡¯t fighting alone¡ªit had dozens of Foundation Establishment monkey demons under itsmand.


    ¡°ROAAARR!!!¡±The Monkey King immediately acted. A mere roar caused the surrounding mountains to crumble and massive boulders to shatter, unleashing an oppressive demonic power that shook the Dragon Pce members¡¯ resolve.


    ¡°¡®Within the Spirit Trap Formation, even immortals cannot escape. Hidden truths lie within the Diagram of Nine Armies!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Everyone, do you know the Spirit Trap Formation?! Didn¡¯t Mr. L¨¹ from the Academy teach us how to enter it?¡±


    At that moment, a yellow-d young man from Dragon Pce stepped forward. Xu Zhizhi¡¯s eyes lit up when he recognized him.


    ¡°Lin Jing, from the Divine Formation Sect,¡± Xu murmured. Lin Jing was a neer to Dragon Pce, hailing from the renowned Divine Formation Sect and proficient in the Dao of Formations. Among the new recruits, he had the fewest spirit beasts¡ªa dragon-snake, a bird demon, a turtle demon, and a tiger demon, even fewer than Tang Cong¡¯s pets.


    Xu Zhizhi analyzed the situation and realized Lin Jing might be nning to use his beasts as the formation¡¯s core to execute the Divine Formation Sect¡¯s famous Seven Saints ughter Formation.


    ¡°Opportunities are fleeting; missing them would be a pity,¡± Xu Zhizhi dered. ¡°You, arrange the formation! Everyone, enter it and fight together!¡±


    The usually low-profile Lin Jing now shone as he swiftly prepared the formation. His confidence lifted the spirits of the Dragon Pce members.


    "Among those who can enter Dragon Pce, none are mediocre. This situation can be resolved!" Xu assured everyone. ¡°Let Senior Brother Zhoumand!¡±


    The Divine Formation Sect prodigy became the focal point. Even with theirbined talents, defeating a low-level Demon Core creature and subduing dozens of Foundation Establishment monkeys was a tall order. Yet, Xu Zhizhi believed in their collective potential.


    Lin Jing, using a g as the formation¡¯s core, quickly set up the Spirit Trap Formation. The Monkey King, sensing imminent danger, lunged at Tang Cong, but the formation was already operational.


    ¡°Impressive,¡±mented a schr observing from the clouds above. ¡°That Tang Cong executed the Spirit Trap Formation so swiftly, even managing to lure everyone into it without confusion.¡±


    This autumn trial was the perfect stage for Hidden Dragon Academy students to showcase their skills. Although Dragon Pce was Chu Ren¡¯s creation, who would have guessed one of its special recruits would lead the charge, trapping and ying a Demon Core monster alongside the others?


    Under the formation¡¯s might, the newly ascended Demon Core monkey was crushed by thebined efforts of the geniuses before it could even retaliate.


    ¡°Take down the remaining monkeys too! Tie them all up!¡± Xu Zhizhi shouted. The Dragon Pce team, energized by the formation¡¯s power, quickly routed the monkeys, leaving the area in chaos.


    When the battle ended, Zhou Lang, who had acted as the formation¡¯s focal point, looked pale, and the others were visibly drained. The Spirit Trap Formation had allowed a group of newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators to defeat a Demon Core monster and subdue dozens of Foundation Establishment monkeys, but the cost was immense.


    The group hurriedly consumed pills to restore their energy. Despite the exhaustion, their faces beamed with satisfaction¡ªit had been worth it.


    Beyond the victory, the Dragon Transformation Blood Pool stood before them, a prize of immeasurable value.


    ¡°Senior Brother Zhou, you deserve the most credit for this battle. I¡¯ll personally report your merit to the Pce Master,¡± Xu Zhizhi praised, marveling at the hidden talents within the Academy.


    ¡°Already seen it.¡±


    As Xu prepared to distribute des, Lin Jing arrived, observing the scene with mild surprise. Even he had underestimated the neers. They had achieved what even a Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s intervention might have struggled to aplish.


    This was the strength of teamwork.


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally made it,¡± Xu greeted Lin Jing with relief.


    ¡°The Rising Dragon Pill is good, but this Dragon Transformation Blood Pool might be even better,¡± Zhou Lang mused.


    Lin Jing inspected the pool and immediately recognized its significance. ¡°This pool contains the blood of the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor. Its scent is identical to that of the blood left behind by its Half-Divine Avatar after being in by Senior Pine.¡±


    The Academy had audaciously made the Demon Emperor¡¯s blood a part of this autumn trial...


    ¡°This pool¡¯s effects are exceptional. You should all soak in it with your spirit beasts,¡± Lin Jing suggested.


    ¡°Yes! Hurry up and use it!¡± Xu urged. ¡°That Monkey King¡¯s breakthrough will likely attract more challengers¡ªespecially Chu Ren. He¡¯ll be back soon to im this opportunity.¡±


    ¡°No need to worry,¡± Lin Jing said, watching everyone recover their strength. ¡°Since Dragon Pce won this territory, it belongs to us. Enjoy the pool¡ªI¡¯ll stand guard. Anyone who wants to take it will have to go through me first.¡±


    ¡°Just you, at Qi Refinement stage?¡±


    Before Lin Jing could finish speaking, clouds churned in the sky. As expected, Chu Ren returned, riding his Flood Dragon. Noticing the subdued monkeys and the heavily drained team, he smirked. Lin Jing¡¯s bold words only added to his amusement.


    But Lin Jing responded calmly, unleashing his Myriad Beast Circle, releasing over a hundred mosquito beasts. Chu Ren initially dismissed the threat, but in seconds, the swarm engulfed him. Amid shes of magical energy, silence fell.


    Momentster, a desated Flood Dragon and Chu Ren¡¯s unconscious body plummeted from the sky.


    The Dragon Pce had triumphed again. The blood pool was theirs.

 Book 2: Chapter 54: Solo Pet Adventures

    Vol 2 Chapter 54: Solo Pet Adventures


    ¡°What kind of monster is this?!¡±


    The terrifying swarm of mosquitoes summoned by Lin Jing had subdued a top-ranked Genius Rankings cultivator, leaving the Dragon Pce team utterly stunned. Even Wang Xiao, who had been on the verge of challenging Lin Jing, swallowed his words and stared at the mosquito swarm in disbelief.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°That¡¯s... one of the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea, the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast!!!¡±


    ¡°How could there be so many of them here?!¡± Xu Zhizhi eximed in shock.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Myriad Beast Circle I gave him?!¡± Gao Sheng recognized the artifact Lin Jing had used to unleash the swarm.


    Lin Jing chuckled, ¡°I happened to tame these fierce beasts along the way, thanks to Brother Gao¡¯s artifact. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy. Now, this mosquito swarm will join us in soaking in the blood pool!¡±


    He nced at the Demon Emperor¡¯s Blood Pool¡ªit would not go to waste. For him, the Pine Leaf Mouse, and the Dragon Carp, the pool was of limited use. The bloodline of the Dragon Carp was already highly pure, and the blood here had been diluted extensively to amodate Foundation Establishment cultivators. Moreover, the Dragon Carp wasn¡¯t even present at the moment.


    However, Lin Jing knew the mosquito swarm would benefit immensely from this opportunity. Who knew how far their poption could expand after soaking in the blood pool?At hismand, the mosquitoes buzzed into the pool. Xu Zhizhi swallowed hard and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get in too.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to the Pce Master for standing guard.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions in advance on making the Genius Rankings!¡±


    The Dragon Pce members quickly followed, entering the pool alongside their spirit beasts. Xu Zhizhi¡¯s ttery only deepened the team¡¯s awe for Lin Jing. His feats today were far more shocking than his earlier battle against the restrained Wang Xiao.


    Even Zhou Lang, who had been the center of attention moments before, silently entered the pool, feeling humbled. The group couldn¡¯t fathom how Lin Jing had managed to tame such terrifying beasts in the short time since their arrival in the Cangmang Mountain Range.


    Even the Academy instructors watching from above were puzzled.


    ¡°Managing to control the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beasts so quickly...¡±


    ¡°The Myriad Beast Circle from Qingzhou¡¯s Myriad Beast Sect is powerful, but the low-grade versions sold to the public hardly refine the beasts¡¯ instincts¡­¡±


    ¡°Lin Jing must have other Beast Taming methods. Combining Spirit Dao Sect secrets with Myriad Beast Sect artifacts¡ªtruly a nemesis for demonic beasts.¡±


    Chu Ren had been caught off guard, his spiritual sea overwhelmed by the metallic buzzing of the mosquito swarm. A spectator murmured, ¡°Brother Tian, it seems that the wild genius who defeated a Genius Rankings cultivator is Lin Jing. He should make the list soon, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Tian Huihua nodded. ¡°Naturally. It¡¯s rare for someone at the Qi Refinement stage to enter the rankings, and it hasn¡¯t happened in a long time.¡±


    Despite Lin Jing¡¯s dazzling performance, his reputation was still confined to the Ancient Domain. Without the backing of a top sect, even a record-breaking Qi Refinement cultivator would struggle to be well-known beyond their domain.


    Thest Qi Refinement cultivator to gain such fame was the Ancient Imperial Prince, who reached the thirteenth stage of Qi Refinement. Perhaps even Lin Jing¡¯s sectmates in the Beast Taming Sect were unaware of his aplishments.


    Tian Huihua predicted, ¡°When the new Genius Rankings are released, his name will surely appear. But where he¡¯ll rank is hard to say.¡±


    As Lin Jing sat cross-legged above the blood pool, Dragon Pce members soaked contentedly below. Fang Shilin of the Evesting Spring Valley arrived, looking bewildered. Seeing the unconscious Chu Ren tossed aside, he epted Lin Jing¡¯s polite invitation to the pool.


    However, this privilege was exclusive to Dragon Pce members. Any outsiders attempting to approach were immediately warned off. Although some veteran students were initially furious, the sight of the defeated Chu Ren and the eerie mosquito swarm quelled their anger.


    ¡°Brother Wang, why not join us? You¡¯ve been watching me for quite some time now. Even if you¡¯re not part of Dragon Pce, you¡¯re one of us in my heart! Xu Zhizhi told me about your heroic support for Dragon Pce earlier,¡± Lin Jing said to Wang Xiao.


    Wang Xiao remained silent. ¡°I have the Heavenly God Physique, and mypanion beast has a king-tier bloodline. This resource isn¡¯t particrly beneficial for us.¡±


    Though he stayed to observe, Wang Xiao had no intention of challenging Lin Jing. He wanted to further assess Lin Jing¡¯s abilities. The mosquito swarm was simply too formidable.


    As Wang Xiao watched, another formidable figure arrived¡ªa man with three natural pupils and amanding presence, apanied by a group of followers.


    ¡°The creator of the Eye Alliance, Liu Yu.¡±


    ¡°Ranked thirty-first on the Genius Rankings.¡±


    Unlike Chu Ren, who reliedrgely on his family background, Liu Yu was a true genius. Wang Xiao observed him carefully.


    ¡°Cloud Sea Mosquito Beasts¡­¡± Liu Yu¡¯s gaze lingered on the subdued Chu Ren, the blood pool, the Dragon Pce members, and Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing, calmly toying with the Myriad Beast Circle, met Liu Yu¡¯s gaze with interest. ¡°Finally, a big fish has arrived,¡± he thought. He wondered whether thebination of the Pine Leaf Mouse and the mosquito swarm could defeat Liu Yu.


    ¡°Brother Liu, long time no see. Is the Eye Alliance interested in this Dragon Blood Medicinal Pool?¡± Lin Jing asked. ¡°However, since Dragon Pce defeated the demon here, you¡¯ll need to pass me first if you want a share.¡±


    Liu Yu smiled faintly. ¡°I was wondering what kind of treasure created such amotion. Turns out it¡¯s just a pool of blood.¡±


    Sensing no strong desire to fight, Liu Yu turned to leave but paused to remark, ¡°I underestimated you. Taming these mosquitoes is impressive. But guarding this pool seems shortsighted. To the east is a mountain peak with a fierce nt transnted from the Misty Forest. It seems to be protecting some treasure. Plenty of experts are trying to unravel its secrets¡ªyou should take a look.¡±


    Lin Jing remained unmoved. Having gained the mosquito swarm and the blood pool, he was already satisfied. Besides, leaving to pursue another opportunity could lead to the mosquito swarm losing control. Its ferocity was stillrgely unrefined, and only Lin Jing¡¯s presence kept it in check.


    He summoned the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°Pine Leaf Mouse, go and investigate. If there¡¯s treasure, bring it back. With Brother Liu¡¯s generous invitation, we shouldn¡¯t decline.¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 55: The Daoist Squirrel

    Vol 2 Chapter 55: The Daoist Squirrel


    Though Lin Jing couldn¡¯t leave the blood pool area, it didn¡¯t mean he was without options to seek other opportunities. He could simply send a pet instead. With the strength of the Pine Leaf Mouse, Lin Jing wasn¡¯t worried about it encountering trouble.


    Deploying the mouse wouldn¡¯t affect his situation either. With his Qi Refinement Eleventh Stage cultivation, enhanced by the Ice Soul Gu, plus the mosquito swarm and Dragon Pce¡¯s members, few could pose a threat to him.


    Lin Jing patted the gourd hanging from his waist, releasing a beam of red light. A squirrel spirit riding on a red leaf soared out, instantly capturing everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What is that¡­?¡±


    The crowd gawked at the Pine Leaf Mouse, whose appearance had undergone a dramatic transformation. Most striking was its wide, maple leaf-shaped tail, clearly not made of flesh but of nt material. Its crimson leaf-like ears further underscored its unnaturalness.


    ¡°Is that still the same squirrel?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, unfazed by the stares, retrieved a pristine white daoist robe from its storage pouch and draped it over itself. The robe¡¯s elegance reced the mouse¡¯s earlier unsettling aura with an air of immortal refinement.¡°Foundation Establishment!¡± Liu Yu, the three-eyed genius, raised an eyebrow. For a Beast Tamer, the advancement of a pet to Foundation Establishment was akin to achieving the stage oneself.


    However, Liu Yu was stunned to realize Lin Jing intended to send this pet alone to vie for a treasure against a group of geniuses. While the mouse¡¯s appearance suggested a significant bloodline enhancement, sending it solo against numerous experts seemedughable.


    Is Lin Jing being overly na?ve? Liu Yu thought.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, calm andposed, flew off on its red leaf, brushing past Liu Yu¡¯s group in a sh.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he fear his pet will be killed?¡± Liu Yu muttered, puzzled. Nevertheless, he and the others moved on, leaving the Dragon Blood Pool behind to pursue another hunt elsewhere.


    Back at the pool, Wang Xiao struggled to calm his King-Bloodline Battle Tiger, which growled uneasily. Of all the beasts present, only the tiger seemed to sense the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s terrifying bloodline. Lesser beasts, oblivious to the mouse¡¯s power, barely reacted.


    ¡°What is he hiding¡­?¡± Wang Xiao¡¯s unease deepened. He had initially thought Lin Jing¡¯s taming of the mosquito swarm was sheer luck. Now, he was convinced otherwise. Despite having nurtured a powerful battle pet of his own, Lin Jing¡¯s enigmatic Pine Leaf Mouse remained beyondprehension.


    ¡°You¡¯re really sending just that squirrel? Not worried?¡± Wang Xiao asked from outside the blood pool.


    ¡°No need,¡± Lin Jing replied, closing his eyes and resuming meditation.


    Meanwhile, the instructors observing from above marveled at the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    ¡°Could it have consumed a Treant Pill to alter its bloodline?¡± one instructor spected.


    ¡°The mouse seems to be a Foundation Establishment spirit beast with a peculiar bloodline. It¡¯s clearly hiding its true strength, much like Tang Yun does,¡± another added.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s power concealment stemmed from advanced use of the Sacred Wood Seal, a technique originating from the Divine Pine. By masking cultivation and bloodline strength, it created an illusion of mediocrity. Only a high-level spiritual probe could break the seal, which would be quite impolite in this situation.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s destination was a peculiar mountain peak shrouded in relentless rain, though the surrounding terrain remained normal. The rain, colorless and seemingly ordinary, originated from a towering nt within the mountain¡ªa verdant, majestic tree with silver-veined leaves and delicate flowers. This tree absorbed moisture from the air and released it as rain.


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    Attempts by various geniuses to pierce the rain barrier failed spectacrly. Protective True Energy, enchanted treasures, and elemental escape techniques were all rendered useless. Even flying vehicles lost their power halfway through and crashed to the ground.


    ¡°This is likely a Fourth-Rank Malignant nt, the Rainfall Bodhisattva, a dangerous species from the Misty Forest,¡± Chen Lingxi of the Divine Talisman Sect remarked. Her talismans were particrly vulnerable to the rain, leaving her powerless to advance.


    The Rainfall Bodhisattva¡¯s rain corroded magical energy, even affecting Core Formation cultivators. Under normal circumstances, the geniuses gathered here wouldn¡¯t challenge the nt. Yet, the radiant treasure light emanating from within the mountain was too tempting to ignore.


    Suddenly, a sh of red streaked by¡ªit was the Pine Leaf Mouse, flying nimbly on its red leaf. The geniuses froze, stunned by the sight of the small creature gazing intently at the treasure light within the rain barrier.


    ¡°What is that¡­?¡±


    Some, like Chen Lingxi, recognized traces of the mouse¡¯s evolved bloodline.


    ¡°Could it be a rare spirit beast imported by the Academy?¡± others spected.


    ¡°No way! Who¡¯s ever seen a wild spirit beast wearing a daoist robe?!¡±


    Before further spection could unfold, the Pine Leaf Mouse moved. Fixing its gaze on the rain barrier, it created a narrow, rain-free path and darted through, leaving the stunned crowd behind.


    ¡°It said no one could pass through alone¡­ but it¡¯s not human,¡± Tang Yun, the 66th-ranked genius, remarked. He was a white-haired cultivator with the Innate Cloud Mist Physique, seated atop a cloud holding a thunderous spear.


    ¡°The daoist squirrel spirit clearly has a way to counter this malignant nt!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 59: Extreme Cold

    Vol 2 Chapter 59: Extreme Cold


    "That Gao Sheng kid sure has a big appetite. Investigating whether the Sect Leader of the Demonic Sky Sect is an Outer Realm demon or a cultivator from beyond this world? This isn''t about checking out the leader; it''s about eyeing his head."


    Lin Jing thought for a moment. Whether the Demonic Sky Sect leader was from the Tianyuan Continent or not, he couldn''t confirm. But one thing was certain¡ªhe wasn''t someone to mess with.


    "In the end, don¡¯t get yourself thrown in while investigating," Lin Jing muttered. Then, brushing Gao Sheng off with a vague response, he said, "We''ll discuss thister."


    ¡°You¡¯re not scared, are you?¡± Gao Sheng nudged Lin Jing with his elbow, speaking confidently via voice transmission. ¡°With my wisdom and luck¡­¡±


    Gao Sheng''s confidence in his investigative skills grew day by day, especially after cultivating the Acquired Spirit Luck Physique using his family''s secret technique during the Foundation Establishment stage. The physique, as its name suggests, amplified his fortune.


    "Get lost!" Lin Jing kicked Gao Sheng back into the Dragon Transformation Blood Pool.


    ¡°Think about it again! If it doesn¡¯t work, we can switch cases!¡± Gao Sheng persisted.


    Just then, the Divine Pine sent a message: "After the Autumn Hunt ends, you should head to the Air Domain."Lin Jing: ???


    With twitching lips, Lin Jing replied, "Senior Divine Pine, have you been possessed by Gao Sheng? The leader of the Demonic Sky Sect is likely a powerhouse in the Dao Inquiry stage. His secrets aren¡¯t something small cultivators like us in Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment stages can uncover."


    ¡°If it were a case like the one in Snow Moon City, where you could use Longevity Blood as bait for fishing, I might consider it.¡±


    "Rx," the Divine Pine responded. "I¡¯m talking about something else entirely. You should start preparing to cultivate the Ice Soul Gu.¡±


    "After the Pine Leaf Mouse reaches Foundation Establishment, the next step is for the Ice Soul Gu to advance. With its natural bloodline and aptitude, you don¡¯t need special treasures to enhance its lineage. That said, the Ice Soul Gu is the embodiment of ice and snow. For a perfect Foundation Establishment, you¡¯ll need an environment rich in frost energy.¡±


    ¡°The best options are the Snow ins in the Great Wastnd or the Air Domain. Fortunately, I know of a freezing region in the Air Domain suitable for the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s Foundation Establishment. When the timees, I¡¯ll apany you.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°I see.¡±


    Then, testing the waters, he asked, ¡°Senior Divine Pine, is the leader of the Demonic Sky Sect really from beyond this world?¡±


    After a moment of contemtion, the Divine Pine replied, ¡°I¡¯m aware of the relic site Gao Sheng mentioned. In that relic, a powerful Ancient Kingdom cultivator established a unique spatial-temporal formation. It allows lower-level cultivators to dream of the past and explore the Demonic Sky Sect.¡±


    ¡°That crafty Nascent Soul brat probably wants to investigate it that way. Considering the effort the Ancient Kingdom put into creating this formation, it¡¯s possible that the sect leader isn¡¯t a native cultivator of Tianyuan.¡±


    ¡°Legend has it that beneath the Celestial Realm lies countless worlds of cultivation. Tianyuan Continent is just one of them. Cultivators from these worlds share amon goal: ascending to the Celestial Realm to achieve immortality.¡±


    ¡°Due to special circumstances, Tianyuan¡¯s ascension pathway was severed. If the leader of the Demonic Sky Sect truly came from another cultivation world, it might mean Tianyuan¡¯s cultivators can travel to those worlds to ascend!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the Ancient Kingdom destroyed the sect primarily to uncover this cross-realm method.¡±


    ¡°Of course, this is mere spection. The Demonic Sky Sect fell long before I gained sentience. The matter is far tooplex, full of hidden dangers. Even if you uncover everything, it won¡¯t matter to a small Qi Refinement cultivator like you. Let Gao Sheng y his own games.¡±


    Lin Jing agreed to let Gao Sheng handle his own mess, as he had no interest in ascension.


    The Autumn Huntsted a month. During this time, the elders of the Dragon Pce didn¡¯t leave the blood pool, instead choosing to cultivate diligently. Though the pool¡¯s effects waned over time, they dared not leave, fearing retaliation.


    After all, the Pine Leaf Mouse had stolen plenty of treasures, leaving many ring resentfully at Lin Jing and the mouse. While they couldn¡¯t do anything to Lin Jing, they could take it out on the Dragon Pce members. Thus, they opted to stay put and make the most of the remaining energy.@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse also stayed, working tirelessly. Lin Jing harvested thousands of Mosquito Eggs, hatchingrvae and testing the limits of the Myriad Beast Circle. Meanwhile, the Pine Leaf Mouse used its spoils¡ªlifeforce absorbed from the Fourth-Rank Malignant nt, Rainfall Bodhisattva¡ªto cultivate the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art.


    When the hunt concluded, beams of light descended from the heavens, transporting participants back to Hidden Dragon Academy.


    At the Initial Point near the teleportation mountain, figures reappeared. Many looked haggard, a stark contrast to the Dragon Pce members, who radiated energy. They had reaped numerous fortunes with little hardship.


    Previously dismissive senior students now looked at Lin Jing withplex expressions, their resentment palpable. Most had their treasures stolen butcked the strength to reim them.


    Lin Jing sensed their hostile gazes and chuckled, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. My pet beast was just ying a little prank. Since we¡¯re all fellow students, I¡¯ll return your treasures.¡±


    ¡°Really? Is mypanion¡¯s portrait still intact?¡± a buzz-cut cultivator asked excitedly.


    A disciple of the Divine Vision Sect, he practiced visualization techniques, allowing him to vividly recreate images in his mind. Lin Jing¡¯s silence seemed to confirm the portrait¡¯s owner.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Jing replied with a wave, softening many expressions.


    However, some talents turned away coldly, uninterested in reconciliation.


    "Xu Zhizhi, I¡¯ll leave this to you,¡± Lin Jing said, patting Xu Zhizhi¡¯s shoulder before transforming into a streak of light and flying off. After a month away, he wondered how his Dragon Carp was faring.


    ¡°Wait, redemption? For our own treasures?!¡± The crowd exploded after Lin Jing¡¯s departure. Xu Zhizhi could only sweat nervously.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join Dragon Pce if it means getting my treasures back!¡± someone shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve lost everything¡ªmy spiritual tools and stones! I avoided the beasts, but I can¡¯t afford to redeem anything now!¡±


    The academy¡¯s resident teachers, who hadn¡¯t joined the Autumn Hunt, were baffled by the uproar. Meanwhile, those who returned from the Cangmang Mountains remained calm, knowing Lin Jing¡¯s name would soon spread across the Ancient Kingdom, with the Genius Rankings update solidifying his fame.

 Book 2: Chapter 60: Return to the Great Wasteland

    Vol 2 Chapter 60: Return to the Great Wastnd


    At Hidden Dragon Academy, a streak of light descended onto a mountain peak. Inside the mountain''s cavernous abode, intense heat pervaded the air, and a scarlet-scaled Dragon Carp Spirit was busy refining pills in a fiery cauldron.


    Having overexerted itself creating a Foundation Establishment Pill for the Pine Leaf Mouse, the Dragon Carp had fallen into a deep slumber, awakening only to find a jade slip left by Lin Jing:


    "I¡¯ve gone to participate in the academy¡¯s Autumn Hunt with the Pine Leaf Mouse. I¡¯ve left enough food for you in the cavern."


    The Dragon Carp reyed the message repeatedly, waiting silently for its master. Nearly a month passed before Lin Jing finally returned.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°You¡¯ve recovered well! I thought you¡¯d be asleep for a whole month,¡± Lin Jing remarked with a slight smile, noticing the Dragon Carp''s vigor.


    ¡°Blub blub blub!¡± The Dragon Carp leapt from the cauldron, pping its fins in protest.


    Lin Jing chuckled. ¡°It was just some backwater mountains¡ªnothing exciting.¡±


    The Dragon Carp, still bitter over being left out of the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven adventure, eyed him suspiciously. ¡°Nothing exciting¡­?¡±Seeing its anxious expression, Lin Jing reassured it. ¡°Of course not! It was just a pool of diluted Dragon Blood from the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor.¡±


    The Dragon Carp froze. "What?!"


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have done you much good anyway,¡± Lin Jing added casually. The Dragon Carp sighed in relief, its trembling fins calming down.


    ¡°Rx. I made sure to think of you this time. After all, you worked yourself to exhaustion to make the Foundation Establishment Pill for the Pine Leaf Mouse. So, I brought back something delicious¡ªpremium Mosquito Beasts from the Cangmang Mountains as a treat.¡±


    ¡°Those mosquitoes have been gorging themselves on the Dragon Blood Pool. By the principle of equivalent exchange, eating them is practically like you enjoying the blood pool too!¡± Lin Jing exined with a grin.


    The Dragon Carp¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation, eagerly awaiting its reward.


    When Lin Jing released the Mosquito Beasts, the cavern was soon filled with their loud buzzing. Over a hundred Mosquito Beasts emerged, each the size of Lin Jing himself, their plump bodies practically radiating vitality. The Dragon Carp¡¯s eyes lit up as it dove toward the nearest one, mouth open wide.


    But before it could bite, the Mosquito Beast''s oppressive aura surged. With a sudden burst of force, it mmed the Dragon Carp back into the ground, creating a crater.


    The Dragon Carp winced in pain, staring at the Mosquito Beast in disbelief. Each mosquito was now shrouded in an overwhelming Blood Shadow, and its King-tier Bloodline was faintly threatened.


    Not ready to give up, the Dragon Carp targeted another. But even before it could approach, the Mosquito Beasts'' collective pressure forced it to retreat, stumbling backward.


    For a moment, the Dragon Carp doubted its reality. How had it fallen so far that even "prepared food" was out of its league?


    Lin Jing¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did you ck off on your cultivation this past month? How can you lose to food?¡±


    The Dragon Carp wanted to cry but had no tears. Missing one Autumn Hunt had cost it so much! Its mind raced¡ªwas the Dragon Blood Pool truly such a useless opportunity?


    It suddenly panicked. Would Lin Jing now prefer to contract a Mosquito Beast for Foundation Establishment instead of it?


    Gripping Lin Jing¡¯s pant leg with its teeth, the Dragon Carp pleaded with watery eyes. It couldn¡¯t endure another event without being included.


    ¡°Alright, next time for sure,¡± Lin Jing relented with a smile. ¡°In fact, in a few days, we¡¯ll be heading out again. I¡¯ll definitely bring you along.¡±


    The Dragon Carp¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°To a frozen wastnd. I need to help the Ice Soul Gu achieve Foundation Establishment.¡±


    The Dragon Carp froze. "What?!"


    Before Lin Jing could borate, a powerful presence descended outside the cavern. ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll exin the mosquitoester,¡± Lin Jing said. ¡°Don¡¯t question your worth as a fish.¡±


    Stepping out of the cavern, Lin Jing found Cao Ziwei, one of the academy¡¯s teachers, waiting for him.


    ¡°Your performance during the Autumn Hunt was truly impressive,¡± Cao Ziwei said with a smile.


    ¡°You tter me, Sir Cao,¡± Lin Jing replied. ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°Ie with a message. During the hunt, a strong cultivator from Tianji Pavilion was observing. He was impressed by you and asked me to pass this on: two years from now, the pavilion will host a Genius Battle in the Heaven Domain. It will be an opportunity to reshuffle the rankings of the Genius Rankings.¡±


    He added, ¡°You¡¯re twenty-seven now, right? While this Autumn Hunt will likely put you on the Genius Rankings, the list only includes those under thirty. Your time on it will be short-lived. The pavilion hopes you¡¯ll achieve Foundation Establishment by then and participate in the battle. With your potential, you could rank among the top talents.¡±


    Lin Jing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Tianji Pavilion is hosting such an event?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The pavilion relies on selling intelligence to sustain itself, and the Genius Rankings are a major revenue stream. However, the rankings have been stagnant for years, impacting their business. This Genius Battle is their way of shaking things up,¡± Cao Ziwei exined with augh.


    Lin Jing nodded. ¡°Thank you for the message, Sir Cao. Coincidentally, I was nning to leave the academy to seek a feng shui treasurend for Foundation Establishment. I¡¯ll keep the battle in mind.¡±


    Hearing this, Cao Ziwei grew concerned. However, recalling Lin Jing¡¯s powerful protector, he decided not to press further. ¡°As long as you travel discreetly, it should be fine.¡±


    As Lin Jing prepared for his journey to the Great Wastnd Domain, he contemted a side trip to visit the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s remnants in Hundred Flower Valley. Though the sect no longer existed, many of its members had relocated there. It had been four years, and he was curious to see how his old acquaintances were faring.


    To cross domains, Lin Jing could use Hidden Dragon City¡¯s interdomain teleportation array, but the cost was exorbitant. Even with his spoils from the Autumn Hunt, he refused to waste his resources. Fortunately, with the Nascent Soul-level Divine Pine as his protector, traversing the regions wouldn¡¯t be an issue.


    Meanwhile, in the Heaven Domain¡¯s Tianji Pavilion, Tian Huihua reported the Autumn Hunt¡¯s events to her master.


    Her master dismissed her concerns about the Genius Rankings. ¡°Never mind that for now. Focus on finding your junior sister. She slipped away recently.¡±


    Tian Huihua frowned. ¡°Eighty years of cultivation can feel stifling. It¡¯s only natural for her to want some freedom.¡±


    ¡°She left after divining something about that Lin Jing,¡± her master said. ¡°She hasn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything since, just giggling to herself. Keep an eye on her. If there¡¯s an opportunity, seize it¡ªbut don¡¯t let Lin Jing deceive her. That man is trouble.¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 61: Hundred Flower Valley

    Vol 2 Chapter 61: Hundred Flower Valley


    Compared to other domains, the Great Wastnd Domain was undoubtedly barren, yet it earned the nickname Haven for Wanderer Cultivators. Thisnd teemed with countless beasts and ferocious monsters. The sheer variety and number of these creatures surpassed any other domain in the Nine Domains. ording to the Ancient Kingdom, the Great Wastnd likely housed the highest concentration of Demon Kings deep within its expanse.


    Many rogue cultivators made a living by hunting beasts, exchanging the materials harvested from them for spirit stones. They would then rent abodes atop spiritual veins in immortal cities to cultivate, living lives constantly on the edge.


    Above the Great Wastnd¡¯s dense clouds, Lin Jing sat cross-legged atop a flying giant pinecone, gazing down at the rogue cultivators battling beasts below. He sighed softly.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost in the Great Wastnd. The journey was faster than I imagined,¡± he remarked. ¡°After the Beast Taming Sect was sealed, I wonder if its disciples have fallen to lives like those rogue cultivators.¡±


    ¡°Of course it was fast!¡± the pinecone grumbled irritably. ¡°I¡¯m moving at full speed! You wouldn¡¯t spare enough spirit stones for a teleportation array.¡±


    Lin Jing retorted, ¡°The spirit stones we ¡®acquired¡¯ wouldn¡¯t even cover a single use of the one-way array. Even if they could, the Pine Leaf Mouse would never allow it. You know how possessive it is.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Besides, with your help, Senior Divine Pine, this was the most practical way back. Rest assured, I¡¯ll fulfill my promise to you.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± the Divine Pine sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you¡¯re altruistic. I know you¡¯re using me to demand the Immortal Demon Serpent¡¯s treasure. This isn¡¯t about reconnecting with old friends in the Beast Taming Sect; you¡¯re after those riches!¡±Years ago, Lin Jing had entered the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, where the Immortal Demon Serpent was sealed. There, he learned from the serpent about a hidden treasure. He reported this information to the Beast Taming Sect, but he didn¡¯t know if they had explored it after their fall.


    He spected they might have. With the sect¡¯s spiritual veins gone, elders and disciples alike would have faced major cultivation issues. Unearthing treasure from the serpent¡¯s hoard could have alleviated some of these challenges.


    Though Lin Jing was the one who discovered the treasure¡¯s location, as a lowly Qi Refinement cultivator, he had no illusions about securing any core items. At most, he¡¯d be rewarded with a magical artifact. However, with the Divine Pine¡ªa Nascent Soul-level protector¡ªmaking the demand, the sect¡¯s surviving elders wouldn¡¯t dare refuse.


    ¡°Senior Pine, that¡¯s absurd,¡± Lin Jing replied with an air of righteousness. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about the sect¡¯s well-being.¡±


    The Divine Pine snorted. ¡°And how many days have we been traveling now?¡±


    ¡°It should be around the New Year,¡± Lin Jing estimated. ¡°January 1st is when Tianji Pavilion publishes thetest Genius Rankings. Let¡¯s stop by a nearby immortal city to buy a copy.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. So now you¡¯re willing to spend?¡± the Divine Pine scoffed.


    Lin Jing chuckled. ¡°No need. The Beast Taming Sect always subscribed to the World Report, so Hundred Flower Valley likely does too. We¡¯ll read it there.¡±


    Hundred Flower Valley was a second-tier sect in the Great Wastnd. While it didn¡¯t have the same rich heritage as the Beast Taming Sect, it boasted a Nascent Soul elder and a Nascent Soul butterfly, providing its foundation. The sect¡¯s specialtyy in its Butterfly Taming Arts, and it had maintained close ties with the Beast Taming Sect over generations.


    Unlike the Beast Taming Sect, which relied on long-lived demon kings for its legacy, the Hundred Flower Valley had no such entities. However, this difference seemed advantageous in hindsight, as the sect had avoided the fate of being sealed.


    Flying onward, Lin Jing and hispanions soon spotted the valley¡¯s mountain range in the distance. Even from afar, the scenery was breathtaking. The air grew fresher as they approached, and fields of wildflowers stretched endlessly below. Vibrant patches of blossoms painted thendscape, ranging from tiny scattered flowers to sprawling seas of color.


    At the mountain gate, two female disciples appeared, blocking Lin Jing¡¯s path. Dressed in light, flowing robes embroidered with intricate butterfly patterns, their delicate features only added to the valley¡¯s charm. Each held a sword, upon which perched a butterfly¡ªone blue, the other yellow¡ªradiating spiritual energy.


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± they called.


    Lin Jing stepped forward and bowed politely. ¡°Greetings, Senior Sisters. I am Lin Jing, an Inner Sect Disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. After the sect¡¯s closure, I went abroad to study. I have returned to the Great Wastnd and seek to reconnect with my sect.¡±


    The disciples exchanged nces before the one with the blue butterfly stepped forward. ¡°Do you have proof of identity? I will notify the elders.¡±


    Lin Jing tossed her his Beast Taming Sect disciple token and thanked her. She nodded and entered the valley gates, while the other disciple, with the yellow butterfly, stayed behind and observed him curiously.


    ¡°He must have been an important member of the Beast Taming Sect,¡± she spected aloud. ¡°Yet I don¡¯t recall hearing of him.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What makes you think so?¡± Lin Jing asked with a smile.


    She gestured to hisck of a Beast Taming Space Artifact. ¡°Such artifacts are reserved for the sect¡¯s true disciples. But your Qi Refinement stage cultivation seems low for that rank. I only recall an Elder Feng epting a disciple by that name.¡±


    Lin Jing chuckled, ¡°I do have apanion beast.¡±


    At that moment, a red dot appeared in the sky, gradually descending. The disciple soon realized it was an unusual red Dragon Carp.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Roar!¡± With a loud cry, the Dragon Carp hovered beside Lin Jing, unting its formidable aura.


    The carp radiated an air of arrogance, clearly relishing its dominance. For a moment, it feared Lin Jing might have left it behind with the Divine Pine. Thankfully, it had made it here¡ªjust barely!

 Book 2: Chapter 62: The Genius Rankings?

    Vol 2 Chapter 62: The Genius Rankings?


    Before long, two streaks of light shot out from Beast Taming Peak in the Hundred Flower Valley. Both exuded the aura of the Golden Core Stage and quicklynded outside the valley gates, their expressions filled with delight.


    "Lin Jing, howe you''re back?"


    The neers were Elder Yu, known for his passion for Mechanized Arts, and Elder Mo, the one who had brought Lin Jing into the sect.


    "You weren¡¯t expelled, were you?" Elder Mo stepped forward, his excitement fading into a worried frown.


    "How could that be?" Lin Jing¡¯s lips twitched.


    "Good, as long as that¡¯s not the case." Elder Yu nodded in relief.


    "Elder Yu? Elder Mo?" A female disciple guarding the valley gate clearly recognized the two Beast Taming Sect elders. When she saw that Lin Jing, an Outer Sect disciple, had managed to summon two Golden Core elders to personally wee him, she was stunned.


    Even a core disciple wouldn¡¯t receive this kind of treatment. She realized she had underestimated Lin Jing''s status in the Beast Taming Sect. Could he be¡­ the sect master¡¯s illegitimate son?"Thank you for your service. Lin Jing is indeed a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. We¡¯ll take him back to Beast Taming Peak now," Elder Yu said, ncing at the Hundred Flower Valley disciple.


    After aligning with the Hundred Flower Valley, the Beast Taming Sect was given a mountain peak rich in spiritual veins¡ªpreviously used for silkworm farming¡ªas their base.


    "You''re too kind, Elder¡­" Before the disciple could finish, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn upward. A pigeon-like spirit beast carrying a storage pouch swooped down outside the valley gates.


    "A Communication Pigeon!"


    Recognizing the bird, the female disciple hurried forward. In the next moment, the gray pigeon retrieved a bundle of newspapers from the pouch, handed it to her, and flew off.


    "What a coincidence! Is that the new issue of the <em>World Report</em>?" Lin Jing asked, surprised.


    "Hmm? I don¡¯t see why not." The disciple reluctantly handed a copy to Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing stored the newspaper and followed the elders back to Beast Taming Peak.


    Shortly after they left, a blue-butterfly-d disciple returned from delivering a message, panting. "Who is this Lin Jing? Just hearing his name made Elder Yu rush to notify the other elders to greet him."


    The yellow-butterfly disciple shook her head. "No idea. But he snagged one of our newspapers! So annoying! I didn¡¯t dare refuse with the elders there¡ªa single copy costs several Spirit Stones. Beast Taming Sect disciples really know how to take advantage!"


    "Huh?" The blue-butterfly disciple nced at the box of newspapers. "Forget it. Take the rest inside to distribute."


    She casually picked up a copy, flipping through the major events that seemed distant and unrted to her life. But as she turned a page, her pupils shrank.@@novelbin@@


    "I think I know why those two elders greeted him personally."


    "But how could it be...?"


    "Lin Jing, tell us, why did you suddenly return?"


    The Ancient Domainy at the heart of the Ancient Kingdom, while the Great Wastnd was at its borders. Even a Golden Core cultivator would take years to traverse the distance between them. The elders couldn¡¯t believe Lin Jing hade back simply because he missed the sect.


    In a small hall, Lin Jing looked at the two elders and smiled. "A descendant of Divine Pine is taking me to a promising cultivation site. Passing through the Ancient Domain, I thought I¡¯d stop by."


    "Speaking of which, Elder Mo, where¡¯s Elder ck Bear? I wanted to see him." Lin Jing was fond of Elder ck Bear. The Academy¡¯s test subjects for medicine trials couldn¡¯tpare to his resilience.


    "He went back home to visit his Nascent Soul mother," Elder Mo said casually.


    "Oh..." Lin Jing fell silent. So, Elder ck Bear¡¯s mother was also a Nascent Soul demon king? And a wild one at that. Thework of demon kings behind the Beast Taming Sect might be deeper than he had imagined.


    "Are things going well at the academy?" The elders asked briefly, not expecting much progress in just a few years. With Lin Jing¡¯s Longevity Body, breakthroughs often took decades or even centuries.


    Lin Jing remained at the Qi Refinement Stage, as expected. Yet with rare beasts and Divine Pine¡¯s guidance, Elder Mo wasn¡¯t too worried about him being bullied.


    The topic soon shifted to the sect¡¯s current situation.


    "The sect master, Elder Li Hai, and Ouyang Hao have taken some disciples to Qingzhou," Elder Yu exined.


    "Most ordinary disciples and I have temporarily stationed ourselves in Hundred Flower Valley."


    "As for the demon king ancestors, they initially took the core disciples to train in the Air Domain but recently returned to the Great Wastnd and are staying here in the valley," Elder Mo added.


    "Incidentally, their Air Domain training was rted to the intelligence you brought back from the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda."


    "The treasure of the Immortal Demon Serpent?" Lin Jing hadn¡¯t expected Elder Mo to bring it up before he even asked.


    "Exactly. The Immortal Demon Serpent¡¯s treasure stirred fiercepetition among the Great Wastnd sects. Since the Beast Taming Sect obtained the location first, they naturally had to investigate."


    "Did they seed? Was the intel genuine?" Lin Jing inquired.


    "It was," Elder Mo replied. "The treasure¡¯s entrance was sealed by a nearly unbreakable formation, requiring the caster to unlock it personally."


    "However, the so-called unbreakable formation, prevalent thousands of years ago, was deciphered 1,200 years ago by the Qingzhou Thief Sect and is now widely known in the cultivation world."


    Elder Moughed. "The demon king ancestors couldn¡¯t believe how easy it was to obtain the treasure. If not for the Demon-ying Bureau guarding the pagoda, they might¡¯ve returned to mock the Immortal Demon."


    Lin Jing was speechless. The Immortal Demon Serpent had imed that only it could unlock the treasure, a im Lin Jing had doubted. Still, he hadn¡¯t expected the treasure to require so little effort.


    Then again, the serpent had been sealed for millennia, mistaking Lin Jing for a Buddhist master. It hadn¡¯t considered that formations deemed unbreakable back then might now be outdated...


    "What was in the treasure?" Lin Jing asked.


    "We don¡¯t know," Elder Mo replied. "The demon king ancestors took the treasure, but even the elders are unaware of its contents. All we know is it contained rare spiritual nt seeds, which require Hundred Flower Valley¡¯s spiritual veins to grow. They even negotiated with the valley master over this."


    Lin Jing nodded and grinned. "Shouldn¡¯t those seeds include a share for the disciples?"


    Elder Mo chuckled. "Since you provided the intelligence, in theory, yes. But it depends on what the demon king ancestors decide."


    "Currently, the sect¡¯s strategy is to prioritize all resources for enhancing our sect¡¯s fortune. The focus is on nurturing core disciples to the point where at least one can secure a spot on the Genius Rankings and elevate the sect¡¯s status."


    "The Genius Rankings? You mean this?" Lin Jing handed Elder Mo the newspaper he had taken earlier. Both elders scanned it with their spiritual senses, stunned.


    Genius Rankings, Rank 87: Lin Jing<ul><li aria-level="1">Cultivation: Qi Refinement Stage 11</li><li aria-level="1">Age: 27</li><li aria-level="1">Sect: Beast Taming Sect</li><li aria-level="1">Description: A disciple of the Beast Taming Sect and a student of Hidden Dragon Academy. Seven-time survivor of the Immortal Pce Cavern Heaven, subdued the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea with his pet beasts, and defeated Genius Rankings¡¯ Rank 44 Chu Ren and Rank 88 Tang Yun... Known for crossing realms to defeat peak Foundation Establishment opponents.</li></ul>

 Book 2: Chapter 63: Rising Fame

    Vol 2 Chapter 63: Rising Fame


    Elder Mo and Elder Yu froze upon seeing a certain name in thetest <em>Genius Rankings</em>.


    Rank 32: Lin Jing<ul><li aria-level="1">Cultivation: Qi Refinement Stage 11</li></ul>


    This had to be a mistake.


    No, wait¡­ this ranking had been personally delivered moments ago by the Tianji Pigeon. Could it actually be true? But how was this possible?


    Wasn¡¯t the Longevity Body notoriously difficult to cultivate? How could Lin Jing have broken through to the extreme limit of Qi Refinement and reached the eleventh stage?


    Moreover, he had even achieved this alongside his spirit beasts!


    "Are you truly a Longevity Body?" Elder Yu couldn¡¯t help doubting.It wasn¡¯t just the Longevity Body, a constitution harder to train than even a mortal physique. Even among constitutions that provided cultivation advantages, very few could achieve such a level.


    The <em>Tianji Pavilion</em>''s entry on Lin Jing gave no mention of any special constitution, leaving it unclear whether the pavilion had concealed this information or was simply unaware of it. If the world found out that Lin Jing possessed such a difficult-to-cultivate Longevity Body, his ranking would undoubtedly be even more impressive.


    The two elders were stunned. For a sect like the Beast Taming Sect, which was considered third-rate within the Ancient Kingdom, the Genius Rankings were a distant dream.


    Even in the Great Wastnd, only a handful of cultivators asionally made it onto the rankings, usually in the lower tiers. Lin Jing¡¯s debutnding within the top fifty at that¡ªwas an unprecedented feat for someone at the Qi Refinement stage, not just in the Great Wastnd but even across the entire Ancient Kingdom.


    How had he achieved this?@@novelbin@@


    Was it due to the Pine Leaf Mouse? That couldn¡¯t be it. The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s synthesis abilities weren¡¯t suited for such rapid advancement, and its species wasn¡¯tbat-oriented.


    The Ice Soul Gu? Unlikely. Lin Jing¡¯s current cultivation was insufficient to control such a Gu. Besides, revealing the Ice Soul Gu just to make the Genius Rankings would be a foolish move, and the rankings¡¯ description suggested it wasn¡¯t involved.


    The Dragon Carp? Laughable. The elders nced at the floating Qi Refinement Carp by Lin Jing¡¯s side and shook their heads.


    "Could it be the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea?"


    The two elders could only assume Lin Jing had tamed some powerful new beasts. As Beast Taming Sect elders, they naturally knew what the Ten Terrors were¡ªten of the most terrifying species in the Cloud Sea Mountain Range. Any one of them could easily crush the spirit beasts raised by the sect.


    Even the demon kings of the Cloud Sea would avoid crossing paths with these species.


    If Lin Jing had reached the extreme limit of Qi Refinement and had the aid of a Terror from the Cloud Sea, it would exin how he had defeated others on the Genius Rankings.


    "I got lucky," Lin Jing said honestly. "At the academy, I was identally drawn into a cave heaven inheritance alongside two contemporaries, which gave me the chance to break through."


    "As for the Ten Terrors, they were released by the academy¡¯s teachers during a trial. I was fortunate to capture one."


    The two elders fell silent for a moment before Elder Mo burst intoughter.


    What they had thought to be a slow-growing Longevity Body, needing centuries to reach its potential, had instead shown growth so rapid it rivaled demonic cultivators who used life-shortening techniques.


    "The Immortal Demon Serpent¡¯s treasure should include a share for you," Elder Mo said, clutching the rankings list. "I¡¯ll go speak with the demon king ancestors."


    Meanwhile, in the Hundred Flower Valley, a yellow-butterfly disciple hurried to report to the valley¡¯s Guardian Elder. Thetest issue of the <em>World Report</em> also concerned the valley.


    Many disciples had been unhappy about the Beast Taming Sect taking over part of their resources. After all, no one liked sharing the sect¡¯s spiritual energy. However, the two sects had been long-time allies, with the Beast Taming Sect helping the valley on multiple asions. Their mutual support was well-known throughout the Great Wastnd.


    This arrangement was both an act of kindness and an investment in the Beast Taming Sect, a former giant that still heldtent potential.


    "Master, look at this¡ªthetest Genius Rankings. Rank 32," the disciple said breathlessly.


    "What has you in such a rush?" the elderly woman frowned, taking the document. Momentster, her expression shifted to one of disbelief.


    "Lin Jing? A disciple of the Beast Taming Sect? Rank 32? Qi Refinement Stage 11? How is this possible?"


    Her worldview was shaken. The information seemed so far-fetched that she wondered if the <em>Tianji Pavilion</em> had made an error.


    The yellow-butterfly disciple stood quietly, sensing her master¡¯s shock. Until now, the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s disciples, while somewhat stronger overall than those of the Hundred Flower Valley, were still within aprehensible range.


    But this Lin Jing, who had suddenly emerged, was beyondprehension.


    "Return to the gate. I must see the valley master immediately," the elder said, transforming into a butterfly and vanishing at incredible speed.


    Her mind was in turmoil. If the rankings were urate, the valley master¡¯s decision to support the Beast Taming Sect had been brilliant.


    Anyone on the Genius Rankings was destined for Nascent Soul, and not just any Nascent Soul, but one with the potential for perfection. Such a cultivator could eventually be a top-tier powerhouse in the Great Wastnd.


    Lin Jing¡¯s foundation, achieving Qi Refinement Stage 11, was so extraordinary that he might one day ascend to the Nascent Soul Transformation stage. Even if he failed, his immense power could allow him to influence the forces of heaven and earth, qualifying him as a half-divine existence.


    The Beast Taming Sect had hidden a prodigy far surpassing its core disciples¡ªno, even its current sect master.


    With Lin Jing, even if the sect didn¡¯t fully recover within a century, his eventual rise would ensure its restoration. Upon reaching Nascent Soul Transformation, the Beast Taming Sect would not just be a leading sect in the Great Wastnd but would stand among the Ancient Kingdom¡¯s finest.


    Across the Great Wastnd, the new <em>World Report</em> left many cultivators in disbelief.


    "Beast Taming Sect? Lin Jing?"


    "Never heard of him!"


    "Not surprising. ording to the report, he¡¯s been studying at Hidden Dragon Academy in the Ancient Domain. That¡¯s a world away from the Great Wastnd."


    "How lucky is the Beast Taming Sect? Just before they were sealed by the Sect Regtory Office, a super-genius emerged!"

 Book 2: Chapter 65: The Demon Kings Youthful Self

    Vol 2 Chapter 65: The Demon King''s Youthful Self


    Among cultivators, there exists a significant group that views immortality not as a blessing but a curse. Many ancient monsters, having lived far too long, often ¡°go mad¡± in their twilight years. This ¡°madness¡± isn¡¯t about losing one¡¯s mind but about losing one¡¯s humanity, growing increasingly indifferent and evolving into something other than human.


    The personalities of high-level cultivators, solidified over millennia, often be extreme and entric. While some cultivators manage to retain their original nature despite their long lifespans, such individuals remain a rare minority.


    Cloud-Hidden Orchid.


    This sixth-grade spiritual nt, once consumed, can keep a cultivator¡¯s mind calm even through centuries of secluded meditation. It shields against inner demons, the erosion of time, and negative emotions, with effectssting a lifetime.


    Grand Ancestor Wang Batian mulled over the situation. This item seemed tailor-made for Lin Jing, whose Longevity Body might otherwise lead him to lose his humanity. It would ensure Lin Jing wouldn¡¯t degrade into a shadow of his former self due to his longevity.


    ¡°Since you think it¡¯s suitable, perhaps we should consult the other Grand Ancestors as well?¡± Elder Mo suggested.


    Nearby, a Turtle Body True Inheritor crawled out of the Sword Light Formation, his armor and shield transforming back into a Mechanized Armadillo and Mechanical Turtle, respectively. He had clearly employed the Beast-Weaponization Secret Art, turning his pet beasts into magical artifacts. Confused, he stared at Elder Mo, unsure what he had shown Wang Batian to make him change his mind so abruptly.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°He won¡¯t need topete with you anymore.¡±Elder Mo waved his hand, tossing the Genius Rankings list hovering mid-air to the Turtle Body True Inheritor. Staring at the list, thetter froze.


    This¡­ is the Genius Rankings?


    Indeed, the Grand Ancestors had stated that if a sect disciple could enter the Genius Rankings, it would greatly enhance the sect¡¯s fortune!


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    The True Inheritor¡¯s breathing stalled as he spotted Lin Jing¡¯s name on the list.


    ¡°Even if all of you True Inheritors worked together, you might not match him alone,¡± Elder Mo revealed a harsh truth, leaving the Turtle Body True Inheritor struggling to ept it.


    Meanwhile, Wang Batian had already transmitted messages to the other Demon King Grand Ancestors.


    Previously, not even the Sect Master had ced significant hopes on Lin Jing achieving great progress within a century. Resources were prioritized for the True Inheritors instead. Everyone knew how difficult it was for someone with the Longevity Body to progress. But seeing the new Genius Rankings, Wang Batian realized they had made a grave mistake.


    Just as exceptional mortals asionally appear amidst the multitudes, Lin Jing might very well be a prodigy among those with the Longevity Body!


    ¡°Come to me at once.¡±


    At that moment, the various Demon King Grand Ancestors, each engaged in grueling training with their disciples, received the transmission from Wang Batian, the most senior among them.


    Momentster, one figure after another descended onto the mountaintop. Among them were a stag-shaped Demon King, an elephant-shaped Demon King, and a bird-shaped Demon King, their demon auras surging skyward.


    While these mighty beings gathered, none of them noticed a shadow sneaking into a forbidden area within the Hundred Flower Valley.


    ¡°A few minor formations set up by those Demon Kings? Laughable! Nothing can stop me!¡±


    The Divine Pine, in its Pinecone Avatar, slipped into the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Spiritual Seed Nursery.


    ¡°Moonlit Dao Lotus, Violet Heaven Ginseng, Four-Sun Divine Lingzhi, Dawn Dew Flower, Four-Life Exquisite Grass, Eternal Evergreen Vine, Cloud-Hidden Orchid¡­ Such rare treasures! I underestimated this Dead Demon Serpent¡¯s hoard. But it makes sense. These spiritual seeds are precious enough to make it risk everything to seize them.¡±


    The Divine Pine initially held no interest in the Dead Demon Serpent¡¯s treasure. But seeing the variety of spiritual nts, its thoughts shifted. Even for itself, obtaining such nts in a short time would be nearly impossible.


    ¡°I could use the Violet Heaven Ginseng as the core and the others as supplements to forge a Thunder Pine Avatar. Cultivating as grass and wood, defying the natural order, will invite tribtion sooner than any human cultivator. Training with lightning techniques would even benefit the heavens.¡±


    ¡°It seems the heavens must pay a price for this ride, haha!¡±


    The Divine Pine Avatar vanished in a sh, reappearing momentster above the Demon King Grand Ancestors.


    By now, the Demon King Grand Ancestors had all reviewed the new Genius Rankings, astonished at Lin Jing¡¯s performance.


    Though they were demons, their hearts had long grown human after guarding the sect alongside its human cultivators for over a millennium. The Grand Ancestors genuinely wished for the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s legacy to endure.


    If Lin Jing had merely been an ordinary Longevity Body, the Grand Ancestors might havepensated him in other ways while focusing resources on others. But with Lin Jing demonstrating unparalleled potential, their hesitation grew.


    ¡°He deserves a share,¡± dered the Elephant Ancestor. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t reach Nascent Soul within a century, his talent proves he¡¯s worth more than such constraints!¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯d argue one share isn¡¯t enough. He should receive all seven spiritual seeds for full cultivation support! Even his Protector should receive additional resources!¡±


    A voice interrupted their agreement, unfamiliar yetmanding.


    ¡°Who goes there?!¡±


    The Grand Ancestors looked up, spotting a cracked pinecone gazing down at them.


    For a moment, they felt transported into another realm, surrounded by towering grass and wood, staring up at an immense Divine Pine stretching toward the heavens.


    ¡°The power of heaven and earth¡­ A Nascent Soul Transformation of Grass and Wood!¡±


    The Grand Ancestors were shaken. A Nascent Soul Transformation cultivator had appeared among them unexpectedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s you! You¡¯ve achieved Nascent Soul!¡±


    The Giant Turtle, once a pet beast of the Second Sect Master, stared in disbelief at the Divine Pine.


    ¡°Heavenly Pine Ancestor of Tiandu Peak?!¡± Elder Mo eximed, stunned as he witnessed the Divine Pine¡¯s full power for the first time.


    ¡°You¡¯re already in thete Nascent Soul stage, Little Turtle. Isn¡¯t it natural that I¡¯ve reached Nascent Soul as well?¡± The Divine Pine chuckled, ncing at Wang Batian with an air of indulgence, as if regarding a mere child.


    At this moment, all present were deeply shocked. None had expected the Divine Pine Guardian Deity of Tiandu Peak to be a Nascent Soul cultivator!


    And they recalled¡­ this Divine Pine had apanied Lin Jing to the academy as his Protector.


    Suddenly, everything made sense. Lin Jing¡¯s monstrous growth was no longer a mystery¡ªhe had been guided by a Nascent Soul Transformation cultivator!

 Book 2: Chapter 68: Master of Hundred Flower Valley

    Vol 2 Chapter 68: Master of Hundred Flower Valley


    Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect scattered in all directions, and while the Great Wastnd stirred because of Lin Jing, he had already retreated into the best cave dwelling on Beast Taming Peak to focus on cultivation.@@novelbin@@


    "The Genius Rankings are beginning to show their worth," Lin Jing murmured as he nced at the back of his hand. A golden aura dragon flickered faintly, as if on the verge of awakening.


    "Unfortunately, without holding an official position, the Hidden Dragon Arts can never fully mature."


    Currently, his Hidden Dragon Arts had only reached a minor level of mastery. No matter how much fame he umted, it could only replenish the consumed Hidden Dragon Fortune, but not push the technique further.


    To truly evolve the Hidden Dragon Arts, he needed to merge the Hidden Dragon Fortune with an official position''s fortune. At that point, a new ability would emerge: the power of dragon fortune, which could temporarily elevate his cultivation.


    It was said that the first Ancient Emperor relied on this ability to channel the national fortune of an entire kingdom, bing the strongest individual on the continent¡ªsomeone whose cultivation was closest to immortality.


    "Senior Pine, are you there?" Lin Jing called out.


    "What is it?""Should we head to the Extreme Cold Land next? I''ve heard that even powerful cultivators risk freezing to death there."


    "I want to help the me Dragon Carp reach the tenth stage of Qi Refinement. With it by my side, the cold might be more bearable."


    "By harnessing the potential of Hidden Dragon Fortune, feeding the carp with Longevity Blood for nourishment, and relying on its natural talents, achieving the tenth stage of Qi Refinement shouldn¡¯t be impossible. But it''s still not a guarantee," Lin Jing spected.


    "Hmm?"


    "If we could borrow some diluted dragon blood from the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor''s semi-divine avatar... there¡¯d be no question about it achieving the tenth stage."


    The me Dragon Carp silently nodded, though its frustration was evident.


    "No need," Senior Pine cut in. "You have the Ice Soul Gu within your body; you won''t freeze to death. A tenth-stage me Dragon Carp is far inferior to an eleventh-stage Ice Gu. Its warmth is barely one percent of what the Ice Soul Gu can disperse."


    Lin Jing fell silent.


    The me Dragon Carp red angrily¡ªwas it really worse than a spider? It couldn¡¯t believe how much it disliked Senior Pine.


    "Fine, let¡¯s give it a try," Lin Jing said, pulling the indignant me Dragon Carp deeper into the cave dwelling.


    In the depths of the cave, Lin Jing watched as the me Dragon Carp floated in midair. He knew it had been longing to eat the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast for a while now.


    With the carp''s current cultivation, even with its strong bloodline, it was impossible to contend against a swarm of mosquito beasts. Fortunately, he only needed to summon one mosquito beast at a time.


    "Go."


    Lin Jing activated the Myriad Beast Circle. Inside the barrennd of the circle, a swarm of mosquito beasts buzzed aimlessly. Suddenly, a drop of Longevity Blood fell, releasing an enticing aroma that sent the mosquito beasts into a frenzy. They became savage, abandoning their cohesion and attacking one another in a mad rush toward the blood.


    "Fools!"


    Momentster, a fat mosquito beast at the fourth stage of Qi Refinement managed to swallow the drop of Longevity Blood. Its body began to emit an ominous red mist, and its aura grew terrifyingly stronger.


    Boom!


    In an instant, it showed signs of mutation, radiating a special aura that made the other mosquito beasts retreat in fear. This mosquito beast seemed poised to be a "Mosquito King."


    "Huh. Can Longevity Blood cause such a transformation in demonic beasts?" Lin Jing observed. "The fear it inspires among the other mosquitoes feels simr to the Beast Taming Physique."


    Before Lin Jing could determine whether the transformation was due to the Longevity Blood or his own blood''s beast-taming traits, the Mosquito King began to disy an rming ability:manding the swarm.


    Previously, the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beasts moved in groups butcked leadership. Now, with the Mosquito King, their cohesion increased, and they began a new assault on the Myriad Beast Circle''s barriers.


    Realizing the danger, Lin Jing quickly pulled the Mosquito King out of the circle to prevent it frompeting with him for control over the swarm.


    At that moment, the me Dragon Carp, which had been waiting eagerly, opened its mouth wide¡ªwider than its body¡ªand swallowed the Mosquito King whole before it could react. mes ignited within the carp, refining the beast like a pill.


    "One at a time seems manageable," Lin Jing nodded. "In that case, we¡¯ll start hatching the dormant mosquito eggs soon."


    As he patted the contented carp on the head, Lin Jing noticed its blissful expression and considered bestowing more Hidden Dragon Fortune upon it. Suddenly, his face darkened.


    "You seem to be enjoying yourself," he muttered.


    The me Dragon Carp froze, puzzled by its master''s sudden foul mood.


    With a sigh, Lin Jing thought about how, ever since leaving the Dragon-Phoenix Cavern Heaven, he hadn¡¯t been able to enjoy food properly. The lingering effects of eating Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow had ruined his appetite for anything else.


    Looking at the carp¡¯s satisfaction, he felt a sudden urge to indulge his own taste buds.


    "I heard that Hundred Flower Valley produces a unique nectar called the Hundred Flower Immortal Honey. Its vor is said to be unparalleled, one of the top ten delicacies in the Great Wastnd. However, it never leaves the valley and is reserved only for the valley master."


    "Maybe that could awaken my dulled pte," Lin Jing mused. He decided to give it a try.


    Unable to resist, he flew out of the cave, leaving the me Dragon Carp behind, confused and frustrated at being left alone again.


    Lin Jing intended to visit the Master of Hundred Flower Valley. Even though he was only at the Qi Refinement Stage, as the Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect, he had every right to pay his respects as a junior.


    Before he could request an introduction from the sect¡¯s grand elder, an elderly woman flew toward Beast Taming Peak and happened to cross paths with him.


    "Greetings, Senior," Lin Jing bowed respectfully.


    "You..." The elder, Elder Fang of Hundred Flower Valley, scrutinized him. "I¡¯ve never seen you in the valley before. Are you Lin Jing?"


    "Yes, Senior. I am Lin Jing," he replied.


    "So it¡¯s you." Elder Fang, aware of the recent events in the Beast Taming Sect, had been on her way to inquire further. She hadn¡¯t expected to run into the central figure of themotion.


    "I am Fang, the Grand Elder of Hundred Flower Valley. If you need anything in the valley, juste to me," she said warmly. Although strict with her disciples, she was notably kind to this rising genius.


    "The Grand Elder?" Lin Jing was surprised but quickly asked, "Senior, I¡¯ve heard that Hundred Flower Valley has a rare delicacy, the Hundred Flower Immortal Honey..."


    "You want the Hundred Flower Immortal Honey?!" Elder Fang eximed. The honey was a top-tier treasure, reserved for the valley master. Historically, only the sect master of the Beast Taming Sect¡ªwhen married to the valley master¡ªhad ever been granted a taste.


    Elder Fang¡¯s expression turned thoughtful. "I knew it! My instincts were right. You¡¯re young and don¡¯t want to take unnecessary detours. Very good, I support you!"


    Lin Jing was stunned. "Huh?"


    Why couldn¡¯t he understand what the Grand Elder was talking about?

 Book 2: Chapter 69: The Myriad Beast Sect

    Vol 2 Chapter 69: The Myriad Beast Sect


    "Grand Elder, could there be some misunderstanding?"


    Lin Jing¡¯s expression was t. He had only wanted a taste of the Hundred Flower Immortal Honey, but somehow the conversation had veered into whether he was avoiding detours in life.


    Could it be that this honey carried some special implications?


    "Misunderstanding?"


    Elder Fang¡¯s wrinkled face broke into a faint smile. "The Hundred Flower Immortal Honey is a sacred treasure of Hundred Flower Valley, produced in minuscule amounts. Only the Valley Masters of each generation are allowed to consume it.


    "Beyond the Valley Master, only the Valley Master¡¯s spouse, on the day of their grand wedding, has ever had the privilege of tasting it. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know."


    Lin Jing fell silent.


    He suddenly recalled hearing about this.Was this old woman assuming he had some feelings for the Valley Master of Hundred Flower Valley?


    But the Valley Master¡¯s age... wasn¡¯t she older than his great-grandmother?


    "Senior, I merely wish to taste the honey. I harbor no improper intentions toward the Valley Master," Lin Jing quickly rified.


    Elder Fang eyed Lin Jing suspiciously.


    Was he too embarrassed to admit the truth, or did he genuinely just want to satisfy his pte? Thetter seemed unlikely¡ªLin Jing didn¡¯t look like a glutton.


    "Are you sure?"


    "I¡¯ll pass," Lin Jing replied, deciding that Elder Fang¡¯s personality was too unpredictable. He made an excuse and promptly left.


    Better to watch the me Dragon Carp eat than risk tarnishing his reputation.


    If he actually ate that honey, he¡¯d never live it down.


    A Few Days Later


    East of the Great Wastnd, in the Misty Forest.


    In the soft light of dawn, a procession of carriages emerged from the forest¡¯s edge. The carriages, along with the horses pulling them, appeared to be crafted entirely from ink strokes, exuding a sense of profound elegance.


    Seated atop the leading carriage was a coachman dressed in ck-and-white robes. His face was obscured by a wide-brimmed straw hat, and his entire being radiated an imposing aura.


    Inside the carriage behind him were three individuals¡ªan elderly man and two younger disciples, all dressed in matching robes.


    "Finally, we¡¯ve arrived in the Ancient Kingdom. Thank you for guiding us!" The gray-haired elder cupped his hands in gratitude toward the coachman.


    "No need to thank me," the coachman replied. "Your Myriad Beast Sect is an important partner of our Lotus Pavilion. Escorting you here was no trouble at all.


    "However," he added with a note of caution, "I must remind you¡ªonce you enter the Ancient Kingdom, mind your behavior. This is no longer Qingzhou."


    With those words, the coachman and his ink-formed carriage vanished, leaving the three members of the Myriad Beast Sect behind.


    The gray-haired elder turned to the two younger disciples¡ªa man and a woman.


    "Qingyu, Whitebird, let¡¯s go."


    "Yes, Deputy Sect Master," the two replied. Transforming into streaks of light, they flew toward the nearest Immortal City.


    "The price we paid to travel from Qingzhou to the Ancient Kingdom wasn¡¯t small," the Nascent Soul elder began. "With the Lotus Pavilion¡¯s guarantee, we¡¯re free to act in the Great Wastnd. I brought you two here to broaden your horizons. Remember, do not vite the Ancient Kingdom¡¯sws."


    The disciples nodded solemnly.


    Before they couldnd and find a ce to rest near the city, the elder suddenly halted in midair, extending his hand.


    A massive hand of true essence materialized, snatching a cultivator riding a giant eagle from the ground below. The rider, along with his mount, was lifted into the sky, his face pale with terror.


    "Spare me, Senior! I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ve offended you!" the rider begged, standing atop the captured eagle. His fear grew as he gazed at the Nascent Soul elder¡¯s imposing projection in the sky.


    "Are you a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect?" the elder asked.


    The eagle-rider hesitated, then quickly answered, "Yes, Senior. I am an Inner Sect disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. May I ask what you need from me?"


    "Just as I thought," the elder remarked with a smile. "I sensed your Beast Taming Qi and guessed as much. To think we¡¯d run into someone from the sect we were looking for so soon after arriving."


    The disciple¡¯s expression turned to dismay. Why had he, of all people, been singled out by this mysterious elder?


    "Senior, I am currently on an official mission, delivering invitations..." the disciple said nervously.


    "Invitations?"


    "Yes, Senior. I am here to deliver invitations for the uing Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony of the Beast Taming Sect. If you¡¯re interested, you¡¯re wee to attend."


    "Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony?" The Myriad Beast Sect trio exchanged puzzled nces.


    The elder¡¯s gaze sharpened. "Didn¡¯t your sect just get sealed by the Ancient Kingdom? Yet you still have the leisure to hold an inauguration ceremony?"


    "Lin Shixiong¡¯s unparalleled talent earned him a spot on the Genius Rankings. This was a unanimous decision by several of our demonic ancestors," the disciple exined cautiously, offering the invitation with both hands.@@novelbin@@


    The elder studied the invitation for a moment before speaking. "Very well. Return and tell your sect¡¯s elders that the Myriad Beast Sect of Qingzhou will attend the ceremony to offer our congrattions."


    Qingzhou? The disciple¡¯s heart sank.


    He knew Qingzhou was a region outside the Ancient Kingdom, a ce withoutws where massacres and exterminations weremon. Hearing that his captor hailed from Qingzhou only deepened his unease.


    "Thank you, Senior. I¡¯ll take my leave." Without hesitation, the disciple fled, abandoning his task of delivering invitations and heading straight for Hundred Flower Valley.


    The Nascent Soul elder handed the invitation to his two disciples.


    "Eleventh stage of Qi Refinement?" Qingyu and Whitebird eximed after reading it.


    The invitation not only provided details about Lin Jing¡¯s cement on the Genius Rankings but also extended an open challenge to Core Formation cultivators from the Great Wastnd to spar with him during the ceremony.


    The Myriad Beast Sect disciples were stunned. Lin Jing¡¯s sect seemed confident in his abilities¡ªnot just boasting about his Genius Ranking cement but dering him the strongest of his generation in the Great Wastnd.


    The Nascent Soul elder frowned. "Thisplicates our mission. The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s dissolution was supposed to be our opportunity to absorb their members. But with a talent like this, it won¡¯t be easy to convince their elders to abandon their sect."


    Turning to his disciples, he asked, "Now that you¡¯ve seen the information on this Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect, do you have the confidence to defeat him?"

 Book 2: Chapter 72: The Mysterious Young Woman

    Vol 2 Chapter 72: The Mysterious Young Woman


    Previously, the six Demonic King Ancestors of the Beast Taming Sect had little interest in the Myriad Beast Sect. However, upon hearing that the Myriad Beast Codex could be cultivated by demonic beasts, their expressions grew solemn.


    Techniques suitable for demonic beasts were extremely rare, let alone cultivation methods. At least within the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, none of them had ever heard of a sect whose core method allowed beasts to cultivate.


    The Myriad Beast Codex was known to the Demonic Kings as a technique designed to work in tandem with the Myriad Beast Circle, the signature treasure of the Myriad Beast Sect. Without the codex, controlling powerful and ferocious demonic beasts often led to chaos and rebellion. But whenbined with the codex, it was possible to suppress and manipte even entire armies of demonic beasts.


    Moreover, the codex enabled users to employ these armies for extraordinarybat strategies, such as synchronized attacks¡ªor even mass self-detonation.


    Another unique aspect of the Myriad Beast Codex was its ability to double the nutritional absorption when consuming beasts as sustenance, enhancing cultivation. Though this property wasn¡¯t particrly remarkablepared to the Beast Taming Art, which provided simr benefits via feedback from pet beasts¡¯ growth, the key differencey in the fact that the Myriad Beast Codex could be cultivated by the beasts themselves.


    This aspect alone would significantly enhance the cultivation andbat abilities of the Demonic Kings. To them, the value of a cultivation method specifically designed for beasts far surpassed any treasure left by an Immortal Demon.


    Seeing their silence, the Deputy Sect Master of the Myriad Beast Sect smiled faintly, sensing that he had already achieved part of his goal. Rising slowly, he said, ¡°Please take a few days to consider. After the Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony, you can decide.¡±


    ¡°On the day of the ceremony, I will have disciples of the Myriad Beast Sect challenge your sect¡¯s Holy Son to demonstrate the power of the Myriad Beast Codex. After all, as kings among beasts, you should be cultivating techniques suited for dominion over your kind!¡±After the Deputy Sect Master departed, the six Demonic Kings remained in the hall, their thoughts consumed by the allure of the Myriad Beast Codex.


    After some time, Grand Ancestor Wang Batian broke the silence. ¡°You don¡¯t seriously intend to join the Myriad Beast Sect, do you? Their offer sounds good, but when has a pie ever fallen from the sky for free?¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Longevity Body, and if the Myriad Beast Sect were based in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, I might¡¯ve been tempted,¡± the Boar King admitted. ¡°But I¡¯ve no interest in heading to Qingzhou.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re still itching to get your hands on the codex, aren¡¯t you?¡± asked the Flood Dragon King.


    The Boar King nodded begrudgingly.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Too bad they wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to carry an improved version of the codex with them,¡± the Boar King growled in frustration. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯d consider just stealing it!¡±


    The other Demonic Kings shot him exasperated looks. Given the Deputy Sect Master¡¯s Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivation and the unknown number of demonic beasts within his Myriad Beast Circle, even abined effort wouldn¡¯t guarantee victory.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy,¡± the Stag King advised. ¡°The codex is impressive, but it¡¯s not ours to im. Focusing on developing the Beast Taming Sect is the true path forward.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± the Elephant King agreed. ¡°Once the Holy Son¡¯s Longevity Body fully matures, just a bit of his blood will surpass anything that codex offers!¡±


    Indeed, the Myriad Beast Sect had underestimated the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s trump card¡ªa prodigy with a Longevity Body. For demonic beasts, the allure of Longevity Blood was unparalleled.


    Time passed swiftly. Lin Jing had now been back in the Great Wastnd for a month, and the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s preparations for the Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony wereplete.


    On this day, most disciples returned to the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s original mountain gate. While the spiritual veins of the old site had been sealed, the location remained sacred to the sect, making it the perfect venue for such a momentous asion.


    Under the cloudless blue sky, cultivators from sects across the Great Wastnd arrived with invitation letters, flying towards the Beast Taming Sect from all directions. The sheer turnout concealed the fact that the sect had been in decline after its Sect Closure. This was the prestige a rising prodigy brought to a sect.


    If the Beast Taming Sect had chosen to inaugurate a Holy Son who wasn¡¯t listed on the Genius Rankings, few sects would have attended, let alone brought generous gifts.


    ¡°Sect Master of the Immortal Mist Sect, presenting a bottle of fourth-grade Rising Mist Pills as a gift!¡±


    ¡°Grand Elder of the Wilderness Body Sect, presenting a jade treasure as a gift!¡±


    ¡°Violet Cloud Master from Tianyun City, presenting¡­¡±


    Elder Yu, smiling warmly, weed representatives from various factions and tallied their gifts. The Demonic King Ancestors had indeed shown their cunning, using Lin Jing¡¯s Genius Ranking debut as leverage for this grand asion, ensuring a bounty of treasures flowed in.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing had emerged from seclusion and returned from the Hundred Flower Valley to the original mountain gate. As he listened to the announcements of the gifts, he silentlymitted the names of the sects to memory.


    His sharp mind, trained from years of study, had memorized the hundreds of cultivation factions within the Great Wastnd. When the time came, it would be easy to identify those who hadn¡¯t sent gifts.


    ¡°Congrattions, congrattions¡­¡±


    ¡°Congrattions to your sect for producing such a peerless genius¡­¡±


    The Beast Taming Sect buzzed with excitement as cultivators exchanged greetings. Suddenly, a hush fell over the crowd.


    ¡°The Deputy Sect Master of the Myriad Beast Sect has arrived, bearing the Myriad Beast Circle as a gift¡­¡±


    Laughter echoed across the venue as the Deputy Sect Master ascended the mountain with two disciples. His overwhelming cultivation made him the most powerful presence at the event, drawing attention. After all, the appearance of a Qingzhou-based sect here was nothing short of unusual.


    Hidden among the crowd, Lin Jing observed the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s envoy. However, before they even fully revealed themselves, Lin Jing sensed a presence watching him from the shadows. Turning quickly, he spotted a young woman in a white dress.


    He was startled. ¡°Who is she?¡± he wondered. Lin Jing couldn¡¯t recall any faction bringing such a figure.


    Locking eyes with her, he spoke slowly, ¡°Who are you? Did you sneak in here without presenting a gift?¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 74: The Might of the Holy Son

    Vol 2 Chapter 74: The Might of the Holy Son


    On the day of the grand ceremony, numerous geniuses from the Great Wastnd arrived, most of them aiming to challenge Lin Jing. Such an event was a golden opportunity to make a name for oneself. Others, knowing their limits, simply came to witness the majesty of a Genius Rankings contender.


    Unfortunately for many challengers, they couldn¡¯t even defeat the core disciples of the Beast Taming Sect.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Ha! Didn¡¯t eat enough? Make sure to grab a good mealter!¡± Zhang Jia, a Turtle Body Physique core disciple, d in heavy armor and wielding a shield, didn¡¯t bother dodging the luminous attacks of the senior disciple from the Immortal Mist Sect. Heughed, iming it only tickled.


    "Too slow! Taste my de!" Another core disciple, a Wind Spirit Physique cultivator,bined with his hawk-shaped beast to transform into a bird-man hybrid. His incredible speed left a body cultivator from the Wilderness Body Sect flustered, unable to catch him while repeatedly struck by sword-like feathers.


    ...


    "Careful, my dear!" A genius from another sect, now entwined by a massive green snake spirit, wore a dazed expression, much to the anger of his elders. His opponent was a core disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, who possessed a Bewitching Physique. Once a courtesan, her unique physique aligned with the traits of a rare beast, and Elder Mo had redeemed her. Now a core disciple, her rise was nothing short of inspirational.


    The Beast Taming Sect, already a first-rate power in the Great Wastnd, naturally had exceptional core disciples. Their strength ranked among the top of the younger generation. Furthermore, they had been rigorously trained by the demon king ancestors, making ordinary geniuses no match for them, let alone worthy of challenging Lin Jing.


    "Excellent," one of the demon king ancestors remarked, satisfied with the disy."The disciples of the Beast Taming Sect are stronger than expected,"mented one of the three members from the Myriad Beast Sect, sipping tea as they observed. Their two disciples were waiting to gauge Lin Jing¡¯s abilities before making a move, but the challengers so far had been too weak to force him into action.


    "I¡¯ll go first," said Whitebird, the female disciple of the Myriad Beast Sect.


    "Be careful," replied Qingyu, her malepanion.


    After receiving approval from the deputy sect master, Whitebird took flight. Her agile form resembled a true bird as shended gracefully on the dueling peak, drawing the attention of many. Even the demon king ancestors of the Beast Taming Sect turned serious, aware that the Myriad Beast Sect had finally entered the fray.


    "Whitebird of the Myriad Beast Sect in Qingzhou requests a duel," she announced.


    The appearance of the Myriad Beast Sect prompted murmurs among the Great Wastnd sects.


    "A Qingzhou sect? Are they here with ill intentions?"


    "No, they brought a congrattory gift. They¡¯re probably not here to cause trouble."


    "But aren¡¯t their beast-taming philosophiespletely different from the Beast Taming Sect? Why would they be connected?"


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing remained unfazed, sipping tea in silence. A burly, bearded young man leaped onto the stage.


    "The Myriad Beast Sect? I¡¯ll take this one."


    This was Duan Wenchang, a Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivator and one of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s core disciples. Though not blessed with a special physique, he had an innate affinity for beasts, being able to understand theirnguage naturally. This made him a natural fit for the beast-taming path.


    He quickly transformed into a lion-man hybrid, wielding a tiger-tooth de. Using both the Fusion Secret Art and the Beast Weaponization Art, he fully armed himself.


    "He¡¯s your opponent," he dered.


    "Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s enough," Whitebird replied.


    As the battle began, the demon king ancestors and other spectators were astonished when Whitebird unleashed her beast army¡ªa torrential swarm of white seagulls.


    One, two... eight... a thousand!


    A thousand white seagulls filled the sky, their sheer number creating a hurricane-like force that overwhelmed Duan Wenchang¡¯s de attacks and sent him flying.


    Whitebird, now standing among her bird army, took out a jade flute. As she yed, the flock''s formation shifted seamlessly.


    "A thousand bird demons... including over ten at the Foundation Establishment stage!"


    The Great Wastnd cultivators were stunned. They couldn¡¯t fathom how someone could raise so many demon birds.


    Even the disciples of the Beast Taming Sect were incredulous. After all, they struggled to raise just one or two pet beasts due to resource constraints.


    "To control such a massive bird demon army..." The demon king ancestors took deep breaths, suspecting that this army was funded by the Myriad Beast Sect, not Whitebird herself.


    "What now?" Bai Yuran, watching from the clouds, grew anxious. She thought, <em>As a genius of the Ancient Kingdom¡¯s Genius Rankings, Lin Jing can¡¯t lose to Qingzhou cultivators!</em>


    Yet Lin Jing remained calm, sipping tea as he observed the swirling seagulls. "Impressive beast army. The wind techniques are integrated well, but unfortunately, itcks true unity."


    <em>Compared to mosquito beasts, it¡¯s far inferior.</em>


    Whitebird frowned at his critique. "Holy Son, it¡¯s your turn to fight."


    Lin Jing chuckled. "Defeating Senior Brother Duan shows you have some skill. As a guest, let me give you some advice. Competing in beast-taming against me is like showing off a minor craft before a master."


    "Don¡¯t pin your hopes on these birds to defeat me."


    ¡¾Show this Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect what we¡¯re capable of!¡¿ The deputy sect master of the Myriad Beast Sect sipped his tea, confident in Whitebird¡¯s abilities.


    Lin Jing finally descended onto the battlefield. Whitebird raised her hand,manding the seagulls to unleash a whirlwind.


    "Is he bluffing?" she wondered, but then something felt off.


    The seagulls trembled as if under an oppressive bloodline suppression.


    "What¡¯s happening?"


    Whitebird hadn¡¯t realized the severity of the situation. As Lin Jing¡¯s Beast Taming Qi surged, the bird army¡¯s formation copsed. The seagulls scattered, attacking indiscriminately as if provoked by a primal fear.


    "This isn¡¯t good," muttered the deputy sect master, locking onto Lin Jing¡¯s Beast Taming Qi.


    "Could mastering the Beast Taming Art at an extreme level grant suppressive effects on beasts?"


    The demon king ancestors exchanged nces, their expressions suggesting, <em>If the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s techniques are only this good, they¡¯re not worthy of our allegiance.</em>


    Though Whitebird regained control over the seagulls, Lin Jing smirked. From one hand, he produced a Beast Taming Gourd; from the other, a Myriad Beast Circle.


    "So, would you prefer to face the beasts in the gourd or the fiends in the circle?" he asked, his tone mocking yet calm.

 Book 2: Chapter 75: Whose Holy Son?

    Vol 2 Chapter 75: Whose Holy Son?


    Lin Jing held the Beast Taming Artifact of the Beast Taming Sect in his left hand and the Beast Taming Artifact of Myriad Beast Sect in his right. As soon as he took them out, the entire arena fell silent.


    "This is..." The three disciples from Myriad Beast Sect werepletely stunned.


    Though they had indeed gifted a Myriad Beast Circle to the Beast Taming Sect as a congrattory gift for the Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony, it had only just been given. How could Lin Jing already be using it?


    Moreover, the Myriad Beast Sect had given this gift with ulterior motives.


    The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s artifact could only store contracted beasts, meaning it had a limit on the number of beasts it could hold. However, its internal environment was exceptional, perfect for nurturing beasts and cultivating various spiritual nts.


    On the other hand, the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s artifact could store an unlimited number of demonic beasts, but only after erasing their intelligence. Its internal environment was rather barren.


    These two artifacts represented the fundamentally different philosophies of beast taming between the Beast Taming Sect and the Myriad Beast Sect.


    From the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s perspective, gifting a Myriad Beast Circle was a calcted move. They hoped that the Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect would be unable to resist its temptation. The moment he started using it, it would mark a significant step toward corrupting his beast-taming philosophy.To make Lin Jing yield to the Myriad Beast Circle, their n was to overwhelm him in battle using its brutal efficiency. But before they even had a chance to showcase its power, Lin Jing had already pulled out a Myriad Beast Circle of his own¡ªacting as if he had been using it for a long time!


    This Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect wasn¡¯t ying by the usual rules at all!


    Lin Jing¡¯s move left Bai Niaopletely off guard and made the elders of the Beast Taming Sect break into a cold sweat.


    "Holy Son, what are you doing¡­ That thing is forbidden!"


    Countless cultivators turned their eyes toward the Demon King Ancestors of the Beast Taming Sect.


    Was the Beast Taming Sect nning to change its beast-taming philosophy?


    Bai Niao¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Without practicing the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s techniques, you won¡¯t be able to unleash the full power of the Myriad Beast Circle. I advise you not to embarrass yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that¡¯s true.¡± Lin Jing nodded. ¡°But you¡¯re overlooking one thing¡ªso long as the beasts inside the Myriad Beast Circle are strong enough, even if the tamer does nothing, they can still sweep through everything in their path.¡±


    ¡°The Myriad Beast Sect is far from the Cloud Sea Mountains, so you may not have heard of the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea.¡±


    ¡°They are ten terrifying races that thrive in the Cloud Sea Mountains, creatures that can never coexist peacefully with other species. Against such monsters, even I must admit¡ªyour Myriad Beast Circle is the best tool for the job.¡±


    With that, Lin Jing casually tossed out his Myriad Beast Circle.


    In an instant, over a hundred vicious Mosquito Beasts swarmed out of the circle.


    The moment these Mosquito Beasts spotted the countless seabirds in the sky, they reacted as if they had seen a feast. Their savage nature was on full disy as they charged forth, their bodies shimmering with a blood-red metallic sheen.


    "This is..."


    The moment the Mosquito Beasts appeared, the Deputy Sect Master of Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s pupils contracted sharply.


    Unlike the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, which was located in the heart of the continent, Qingzhou was far from the Cloud Sea Mountains. Two formidable natural barriers, the Misty Forest and the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, separated them.


    Thus, Qingzhou cultivators had never truly experienced the terror of the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea.


    But as soon as the Deputy Sect Master saw this swarm of Mosquito Beasts, he instantly grasped their horrifying nature.


    Despite being outnumbered ten to one by Bai Niao¡¯s Bird Demons, the Mosquito Beasts tore through the sky as if it were empty. They streaked through the aerial storm like shes of blood-red lightning, each pass leaving another bird demon plummeting to the ground, covered in its own blood.


    The cultivators from the Great Wastnd gasped sharply.


    Although the Genius Rankings had listed Lin Jing as having tamed the Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea, even the cultivators from the Great Wastnd had been skeptical.


    Most assumed he had only tamed one of them.


    The Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea represented ten terrifying species. Taming even one was already incredible. But taming an entire swarm of them? That was an entirely different level!


    So now, which one was truly the Beast Taming Circle¡ªthe artifact, or Lin Jing himself?


    "Why¡­?"


    Seeing the swarm of Mosquito Beasts closing in, Bai Niao¡¯s pupils shrank.


    She blew into her jade flute,manding her birds to self-detonate in an attempt to block the iing swarm.


    But to her horror, the explosions had no effect on the Mosquito Beasts.


    Watching as the swarm was about to engulf her, Bai Niao finally abandoned her pride. Her movements slowed, and she turned to look at Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s higher-ups in disbelief.@@novelbin@@


    Atst, she understood¡ªthis whole battle had been a cruel joke at her expense.


    From the very beginning, Lin Jing had never taken her seriously.


    "You admit defeat?"


    "Is admitting defeat all I can do?"


    The Myriad Beast Sect had hoped their beasts could feast on Lin Jing¡¯s swarm.


    But Bai Niao had surrendered so quickly that Lin Jing lost interest.


    With a single thought, the Mosquito Beasts immediately halted in midair and then, in perfect unison, turned and flew back to him.


    At this moment, the Deputy Sect Master of Myriad Beast Sect felt like he had tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead.


    His own disciple had lost to a Qingzhou cultivator!


    "Well¡­ at least this proves that the Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect isn¡¯t blindly stubborn. Once he experiences the thrill ofmanding a vast beast horde, it will be difficult for him to abandon itpletely."


    "But no matter what, we cannot afford to lose today. Fortunately, we have taught Qingyu how to control a mid-tier Myriad Beast Circle..."


    "Qingyu, your turn." The Deputy Sect Master said expressionlessly.


    "You want to challenge me too?"


    Lin Jing looked at the male disciple who had stepped forward from the Myriad Beast Sect.


    "If you¡¯re stronger than her, thene at me."


    "Among the Five True Disciples of Myriad Beast Sect, I rank second, while my junior sister ranks fourth. Naturally, I¡¯m stronger than her."


    Qingyu nced at his defeated junior sister before leaping onto the Duel Peak. He turned to Lin Jing and said, "Lin Holy Son, that Myriad Beast Circle treating you well?"


    "I¡¯ll admit that the Mosquito Beasts I tamed with it are terrifying, but do you really think this guarantees you victory?"


    With that, he summoned his own Myriad Beast Circle.


    However, instead of releasing any beasts, his artifact radiated a terrifying suction force.


    Lin Jing¡¯s entire Mosquito Beast swarm began to show signs of losing control¡ªbeing forcibly pulled toward Qingyu¡¯s Myriad Beast Circle!


    "This is... a mid-tier artifact!?"


    The powerful cultivators narrowed their eyes.


    Most lower-level cultivators only had low-tier artifacts, while mid-tier artifacts were typically wielded by Nascent Soul cultivators.


    Yet, this Myriad Beast Sect disciple could actually wield a mid-tier artifact!


    Under the suppression of Qingyu¡¯s artifact, Lin Jing¡¯s Mosquito Beasts showed signs of slipping from his control.


    Realizing this, Lin Jing swiftly recalled them into his Myriad Beast Circle, refusing to let them be stolen.


    Seeing this, Qingyu smiled at Lin Jing.


    "Whether a beast is unimed or contracted, under my Myriad Beast Circle, all can be refined."

 Book 2: Chapter 76: I Am the True Path!

    Vol 2 Chapter 76: I Am the True Path!


    ¡°The Holy Son reacts quickly. If you had been slower, your swarm of mosquitoes would already be mine.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your next move? Even if you summon your contract beast, it won¡¯t change anything. Under my <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em>, it¡¯ll still be suppressed.¡±


    ¡°If your luck is bad enough, I might even seize your beast entirely.¡±


    Lin Jing summoned the <em>Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea</em>, crushing the previous disciple of the Myriad Beast Sect effortlessly. The cultivators from the Great Wastnd had thought Lin Jing to be almost invincible¡ªuntil this next Myriad Beast Sect disciple appeared, wielding such power that even mid-tier magical tools were at theirmand.


    Both sides disyed techniques to counter beasts, but now it seemed the methods of the Myriad Beast Sect disciple were far more terrifying.


    Sweat beaded on the foreheads of several Beast Taming Sect disciples as they watched, fearing for Lin Jing. If his contract beast were absorbed and refined by the <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em>, it would be catastrophic.


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    It was clear to all that Lin Jing was in a dire situation, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, he still managed to smile¡ªa smile that, no matter how one looked at it, wasn¡¯t the least bit friendly.¡°Interesting. I underestimated you,¡± Lin Jing admitted, but instead of acting recklessly, he carefully stowed away the <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em> and patted the gourd at his waist.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said it: even summoning your contract beast is useless,¡± Qinyu dered, holding the <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em>. ¡°Using the <em>Myriad Beast Codex</em> to activate this mid-tier treasure, I can instantly suppress any beast below the Demon Core Stage. Even Demon Core Stage creatures would struggle to resist.¡±


    ¡°Who said the contents of this gourd are my contract beast?¡± Lin Jing¡¯s expression remained indifferent. ¡°I¡¯m curious, though. Can your <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em> suppress <em>anything</em>?¡±


    Faced with his opponent¡¯s mid-tier magical tool, Lin Jing doubted that his Pine Leaf Mouse could handle it directly, so he avoided a head-on sh.


    With a single thought, the sky suddenly darkened. As everyone looked up, they saw an unending mass of vines emerge from Lin Jing¡¯s spatial artifact, blotting out the sun!


    The countless vines hung overhead like a massive storm cloud. Some among the crowd who recognized the item gasped. Though its color was off, the shape unmistakably resembled the infamous <em>Bloodsucking Vine</em>, a malignant nt.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Beast Taming of nts?¡±


    Qinyu dismissed the idea that Lin Jing would use a mere <em>Bloodsucking Vine</em>, a low-grade malignant nt, against him. The <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em> couldn¡¯t suppress nts or tree spirits, but relying on something as weak as a <em>Bloodsucking Vine</em> seemed foolish.


    However, in the next moment, Qinyu¡¯s pupils constricted. After summoning the <em>Bloodsucking Vine</em>, Lin Jing summoned a mosquito beast¡ªand promptly crushed it with his bare hand!


    Boom!


    The mosquito beast burst into a spray of blood. The blood drops defied gravity, surging upward and into the vines, which absorbed every drop!


    Qinyu shuddered, sensing something ominous.


    The elders and demon kings of the Beast Taming Sect twitched at the sight. They had grudgingly epted Lin Jing¡¯s earlier use of the <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em> to control a fierce mosquito beast, but sacrificing living creatures for power? This was practically as ruthless as the Myriad Beast Sect disciple who used exploding birds in battle earlier.


    The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s demon kings exchanged grim looks, understanding full well that Lin Jing had been forced to resort to such measures by this Myriad Beast Sect disciple.


    Even Qinyu began to regret his actions. Mosquito beasts were bloodsucking creatures by nature, but to see one reduced to being drained by something else¡ªit was deeply unsettling.


    And then, horror materialized. Under the gaze of the shocked crowd, the <em>Bloodsucking Vine</em> began to spawn swarms of blood-red mosquito beasts, their numbers multiplying until they filled the sky.


    One mosquito beast had been sacrificed to summon hundreds, if not thousands, of blood mosquitoes.


    This was the <em>Blood Mosquito Fusion</em>!


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡­¡± Qinyu¡¯s face paled as he activated the <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em>. Yet, just as Lin Jing had said, these blood mosquitoes weren¡¯t living creatures¡ªthey were mere constructs of blood and had no consciousness to suppress.


    The oppressive blood energy filled the air, shaking the disciples of the Myriad Beast Sect to their cores. Even summoning his own army of beasts seemed futile, for it was clear that nothing could rival the sheer terror of this blood-red swarm.


    As desperation crept in, Qinyu nced toward the Deputy Sect Master for help.


    ¡°Who dares to use demonic arts here?!¡±


    Before Qinyu could act, a voice rang out, interrupting the duel. It was like heavenly music to Qinyu¡¯s ears.


    Several figures descended onto the peak, d in ck robes emzoned with the insignia of the <em>Demon-ying Bureau</em>. These cultivators, tasked with overseeing the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda after the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s closure, had been invited to the inauguration ceremony. Although they hadn¡¯t initially attended due to their duties, the overwhelming blood energy had drawn them here.


    However, what they found wasn¡¯t a demonic cultivator but rather the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Holy Son¡­


    Blood mosquitoes filled the sky, and even the elders of the Beast Taming Sect looked nervous. The demon kings grimaced, for even they couldn¡¯t vouch for Lin Jing¡¯s alignment after this disy.


    ¡°Take him away! Take him away!¡± The Myriad Beast Sect disciple prayed fervently that the Demon-ying Bureau would remove Lin Jing from the battlefield. This way, he wouldn¡¯t have to continue the fight.


    Fortunately for Lin Jing, he had prepared for this scenario. With a calm nce at the ck-robed cultivators, he produced a token.


    Gao Sheng had assured him that with this token, even wielding an <em>Ice Soul Gu</em> would notpromise his identity.


    ¡°We¡¯re on the same side.¡±


    Upon seeing the token, the Demon-ying Bureau cultivators froze. Their expressions shifted, and they immediately cupped their fists. ¡°Apologies, my lord. We shall take our leave.¡±


    Qinyu: ???


    The token bore the insignia of the prestigious Gao n, one of the four great demon-ying families. Even the Demon-ying Bureau couldn¡¯t question Lin Jing¡¯s actions.


    ¡°See? Now you¡¯re out of options,¡± Lin Jing said, turning back to Qinyu with a smile.


    ¡°Bluffing!¡± Qinyu retorted, his face pale. He refused to believe that a single mosquito beast could multiply into a swarm of this scale while maintaining its power.


    Desperate, Qinyu summoned his beast army,manding them to attack Lin Jing.


    Qinyu¡¯s judgment wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. Lin Jing¡¯s experiments had shown that the blood mosquito swarm wasn¡¯t as powerful as an equal number of living mosquito beasts. However, their sheer numbers and bloodline connection made them terrifying nheless.


    And this was only the beginning.


    Though Lin Jing had a semi-finished <em>blood energy formation</em>¡ªintended to power a massive mechanized creation¡ªhe had yet to deploy it. If he had, the blood mosquitoes would have been used as energy to drive an even more terrifying contraption.


    Watching Qinyu¡¯s beast army fall before the endless blood mosquitoes, the Deputy Sect Master of the Myriad Beast Sect red at his disciple in frustration.


    ¡°Fool!¡±


    If the disciple had realized that both the vines and blood mosquitoes were being controlled by the Pine Leaf Mouse hidden in Lin Jing¡¯s sleeve, the situation might have been salvaged. But for a lower-stage cultivator, grasping such critical details in the heat of battle was nearly impossible.


    With this victory, Lin Jing not only shattered the disciple¡¯s morale but also ensured that the Myriad Beast Sect would think twice before targeting him again.

 Book 2: Chapter 77: A Divination Delivered

    Vol 2 Chapter 77: A Divination Delivered


    After defeating two disciples of the Myriad Beast Sect, Lin Jing returned to his seat at the table, earning loud apuse from the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s elders and disciples alike.


    The elders eagerly touted the victory to outsiders, proiming, ¡°The Myriad Beast Sect is a beast-taming sect from Qingzhou with a Nascent Soul cultivator overseeing it. However, it¡¯s clear our Holy Son surpasses them all.¡±


    Despite the boastful words, cultivators from other sects in the Great Wastnd could only offer polite smiles. Lin Jing¡¯sbat style was so unconventional for a Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect that it seemed more in line with the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s approach. A few outspoken individuals even voiced this thought but were quickly rebuked by Beast Taming Sect disciples.


    ¡°That just shows how profound our Holy Son¡¯s mastery of the Beast Taming Dao is! He can easily defeat his opponent in their area of expertise. We can only wonder if anyone today will be able to force him to reveal the true secret techniques of our sect.¡±


    The elders had talked big, but the truth was that Lin Jing had yet to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. Without a breakthrough in his cultivation, he didn¡¯t qualify to learn the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s three core secret arts. No matter how much they boasted, there was no way for those techniques to emerge today.


    With the disy of the blood mosquito technique, fewer challengers dared to step forward. No one liked the thought of being drained by a swarm of mosquitoes, so most contestants took the stage only briefly, sparred lightly with Lin Jing, and quickly stepped down.


    ¡°This guy¡­¡±


    Among the crowd, Bai Yuran, a disciple of Tianji Pavilion, observed Lin Jing, who was sipping coconut juice while munching on a spiritual fruit. When Lin Jing furrowed his brow and set the fruit down, an intense aura of oppression suddenly emanated from him.¡°Rank 32 on the Genius Rankings? That¡¯s an understatement...¡±


    ¡°To show my sincerity, I¡¯ll use a treasure to divine his fate in greater detail,¡± Bai Yuran decided.


    Many shared Bai Yuran¡¯s sentiment. It wasn¡¯t just Lin Jing¡¯s strength that intrigued them¡ªit was his ability to perform techniques resembling blood-path demonic arts under the nose of the Demon-ying Bureau without repercussion. This signaled that someone highly influential within the bureau favored Lin Jing.


    This unspoken endorsement carried more weight than Lin Jing¡¯s ce on the Genius Rankings, revealing a political reality that many sects couldn¡¯t ignore.


    The Hundred Flower Valley, a key ally of the Beast Taming Sect, had also sent important figures to the ceremony. The valley¡¯s master, her face veiled like an elegant lily, sat gracefully at the event. Beside her, the Great Elder of the valley hesitated before making a decision and spoke through a sound transmission.


    ¡°Valley Master, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t yet shared. This Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect once expressed interest in our <em>Hundred Flower Immortal Honey</em>.¡±


    The Valley Master¡¯s gaze sharpened.


    ¡°This is no fabrication,¡± the Great Elder continued. ¡°But reflecting on it today, I believe the Holy Son may simply want to savor the honey for its vor rather than for any ulterior motives.¡± She gestured toward Lin Jing.


    From the start of the ceremony, Lin Jing had been sampling all kinds of delicacies. Each time he tasted something, he would frown as if dissatisfied.


    Seeing Lin Jing¡¯s apparent pickiness, the Great Elder began to believe that he genuinely wanted the honey for its taste. After all, during the marriage of the previous Beast Taming Sect Master and the former Hundred Flower Valley Master, a single drop of Immortal Honey added to spiritual spring water had filled the Beast Taming Sect with its fragrance. Lin Jing must have read about such events and be curious.


    However, the truth was that the <em>Hundred Flower Immortal Honey</em> was not just a rare delicacy. It was essential for practicing certain secret techniques of the Hundred Flower Valley, some of which could only be cultivated after consuming it¡ªsuch as their dual-cultivation arts.


    This was why only the valley master¡¯s Daopanion, the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s former master, had ever shared the honey.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± the Valley Master asked.


    ¡°The honey yield this year is excellent,¡± the Great Elder replied. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to gift a portion to the Holy Son, it would undoubtedly strengthen our alliance with the Beast Taming Sect. His talent and potential are undeniable...¡±


    The Valley Master fell silent for a moment before responding.


    ¡°Using the Immortal Honey for his mere appetite would indeed be wasteful. Let¡¯s present him with an entry-level secret technique that requires it. If he¡¯s serious about cultivation, he will ept both together.¡±


    The Great Elder hesitated but nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Holy Son! Holy Son!¡±


    Lin Jing sighed, putting down the delicacies he had been sampling. Turning to the Tianji Pavilion disciple seated on a distant peak, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re still hesitating?¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve decided to give you a divination!¡± Bai Yuran dered.


    ¡°If you¡¯re just going to tell me that I¡¯ll face some vague disaster in the near future, don¡¯t bother,¡± Lin Jing replied.


    ¡°This is no ordinary reading,¡± Bai Yuran said. ¡°Our disciples of Tianji Pavilion possess a unique life-bound treasure that can shield us from bacsh during a divination. Though it damages the treasure, I¡¯m willing to use it to uncover the truth about your uing cmity.¡±


    Lin Jing raised a hand, inviting Bai Yuran over with a wave of spiritual energy. Handing him a spirit fruit, he said, ¡°I appreciate your effort. I can tell you¡¯re a good person.¡±


    Rolling his eyes, Bai Yuran took the fruit and sat beside Lin Jing, producing a mirror.


    ¡°Here?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    ¡°Here.¡± Bai Yuran nodded and closed his eyes, beginning the divination.


    Time passed, and Bai Yuran suddenly opened his eyes, staring at the mirror in his hand.


    Within the mirror, a ck coffin¡¯s shadow appeared, floating in an eerie void. Inside the coffin was a miniature figure of a ck-robed elder, controlling the coffin as it chased something unseen.


    Crack.


    A fissure formed on the mirror. Bai Yuran¡¯s face paled as he whispered, ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll encounter this person. Their cultivation is vast, at the <em>Void Mystical Stage</em>. However, their body has been destroyed, and they¡¯re seeking to possess yours!¡±


    ¡°A coffin as a manifestation of the Void Mystical Stage¡­ This must be a cultivator of the Yin Corpse Sect! Fortunately, their state is poor, and they didn¡¯t detect my divination!¡±


    ¡°Possess me?¡±


    ¡°Are they out of their mind?¡± Lin Jing muttered, momentarily stunned. It was baffling. Targeting someone with a <em>Longevity Body</em> for possession was undoubtedly a terrible choice.

 Book 2: Chapter 78: Rushing to Rebirth

    Vol 2 Chapter 78: Rushing to Rebirth


    Soul Seizing.


    Cultivators who reach the Nascent Soul Stage possess the ability to seize another¡¯s body. However, to protect the prodigies of the lower realms, the Celestial Pce in the Immortal Realm imposes strict regtions on this practice. Soul seizing is fraught with risks and constrained by the world¡¯sws, making it highly prone to failure. A failed attempt often results in the Nascent Soul dissipating entirely.


    Under extreme circumstances, Lin Jing could understand why some cultivators would resort to soul seizing. After all, anyone desperate enough to consider such an act was likely at death¡¯s door, with nothing left to lose.


    But what baffled Lin Jing was the target: why on earth would someone try to seize <em>his</em> Longevity Body?


    The Longevity Body cultivated at a painfully slow pace and, though prized by demons and monsters for its essence, offered little practical advantage. Even in the rare case of a sessful soul seizure, the aftermath would be far worse than selecting a different special physique. If the Longevity Body were truly such a blessing, history would have seen cultivators with it reach the Nascent Soul Transformation Stage¡ªbut none ever had.


    ¡°Are you sure about this reading? You look younger than I am,¡± Lin Jing remarked skeptically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. Despite my age, I¡¯ve passed my master¡¯s rigorous tests and earned the right to walk the cultivation world as a Tianji Pavilion disciple,¡± Bai Yuran replied confidently.


    ¡°Strange. If this really is a Void Mystical cultivator from the Yin Corpse Sect, they shouldn¡¯tck suitable bodies. Why would they choose such a poor strategy?¡± Lin Jing frowned, pondering the situation as he silently called out to Senior Pine.¡°There¡¯s a Void Mystical cultivator suspected of having lost their body. What should we do? Do you think you can handle them?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    After a brief silence, Senior Pine¡¯s voice echoed in Lin Jing¡¯s mind. ¡°Void Mystical Stage? And they¡¯ve fallen to the point where they must seize a new body to survive, with no other options?¡±


    ¡°Seems that way,¡± Lin Jing replied.


    ¡°Trash,¡± Senior Pine scoffed.


    ¡°So¡­ does this mean you have a way to deal with them?¡± Lin Jing asked, his spirits lifting.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to insult them. With cultivation that high, how could they end up in such a sorry state? I could¡¯ve done better with that power,¡± Senior Pine muttered.


    Lin Jing: ¡°???¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to return to the Hidden Dragon Academy?¡± Bai Yuran asked, breaking Lin Jing¡¯s reverie.


    She believed the academy was the safest ce for him now. Returning there might help him avoid the looming danger, whereas wandering the outside world would only invite more trouble. The ostentatious inauguration ceremony had already drawn too much attention.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to the little girl!¡± Senior Pine interjected eagerly. ¡°If it were a fully-powered Void Mystical cultivator, even ten of me wouldn¡¯t dare face them. But someone so desperate they need to seize a body to survive? Hah! Hiding would be a waste!¡±


    ¡°Think about it. Void Mystical Stage cultivators are treasure troves! If we could pull off another ambush like the one with the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor, imagine the spoils we¡¯d collect!¡±


    Lin Jing blinked in surprise. ¡°Senior, how confident are you?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be in danger. I¡¯ll set up a formation leveraging natural terrain. Once they fall into it, there¡¯ll be no escape for their spatial primordial spirit!¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± Senior Pine continued, ¡°aren¡¯t you curious why this Yin Corpse Sect cultivator skipped over countless other bodies and targeted you? Or what turmoil within the Yin Corpse Sect caused someone of such high rank to end up in this pitiful state?¡±


    Lin Jing hesitated but ultimately chose to trust Senior Pine, his guardian.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going back to the Hidden Dragon Academy,¡± Lin Jing said, turning to Bai Yuran. ¡°Even a y figurine has its limits. First, they sold information about my physique to the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor. Now their cultivators want to seize my body. I¡¯ve had enough!¡±


    Bai Yuran: ¡°???¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a Qi Refinement cultivator! What can you even do?¡± she eximed.


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t reply, only hoping that Senior Pine¡¯s n would work. Deep down, he wished for greater strength so he could one day obliterate the Yin Corpse Sect himself.


    Half a dayter, the Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony concluded. Not wanting to entangle the Beast Taming Sect further in his affairs, Lin Jing announced his ns to travel to the Air Domain and challenge a renowned ruin, leaving behind a clear trail of his whereabouts.


    Although he was eager to leave the Great Wastnd immediately, Lin Jing couldn¡¯t resist selecting a few gifts from the ceremony¡¯s offerings. Among them was the <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em> from the Myriad Beast Sect¡ªa valuable treasure that Lin Jing insisted on keeping to prevent its misuse or the propagation of more mosquito beasts.


    The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s leaders, aware of the dangers associated with the Longevity Body, fully understood Lin Jing¡¯s decision to leave. However, to other sects, it was unusual for a newly inaugurated Holy Son to leave his sect so soon. Traditionally, this was a time to build alliances and establish connections with other sects.


    ¡°Holy Son!¡±


    The Great Elder of the Hundred Flower Valley, worried that Lin Jing might bypass their valley altogether, personally sought him out.


    ¡°Senior?¡± Lin Jing asked.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Ah, the Holy Son still remembers me.¡± The Great Elder chuckled. ¡°Previously, you expressed interest in our <em>Hundred Flower Immortal Honey</em>. After consulting with the Valley Master, we decided it would be inappropriate to present it as a mere ceremonial gift. Instead, we¡¯ve chosen a more suitable asion to gift it to you.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, the Hundred Flower Valley will also grant you a matching secret technique!¡±


    Though Lin Jing¡¯s desire to satisfy his pte had waned in the face of impending danger, the mention of a secret technique piqued his interest.


    ¡°There are four secret techniques in our valley that require the Immortal Honey for cultivation,¡± the Great Elder exined. ¡°Usually, only the Valley Master or their sessors are eligible to learn them, as the honey¡¯s low yield limits its use. However, the valley is willing to grant one of these techniques to the Holy Son.¡±


    ¡°Please borate,¡± Lin Jing requested.


    ¡°The first is the <em>Art of Shedding</em>, a feigned death technique that conceals one¡¯s vital energy. When perfected, it can even hide you from tribtions. However, the technique is iplete, as our inheritance of it was an idental find.¡±


    ¡°The second is the <em>Art of Ascension</em>, a flight technique far superior in speed to normal methods. When performed by a Nascent Soul cultivator, even most Nascent Soul Transformation experts would struggle to catch up without special means.¡±


    ¡°Thest is the <em>Art of the Heavenly Cocoon</em>, a healing technique that creates a cocoon-like structure using condensed spiritual threads. It allows the user to heal from any injury, no matter how severe¡ªeven damage to one¡¯s core or soul. With this, a Golden Core cultivator could repeatedly use core-burning techniques without fear of their core shattering.¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s eyes lit up as he asked, ¡°Senior, the <em>Art of Shedding</em> can conceal one¡¯s vital energy?¡±


    This technique seemed tailor-made for someone with the Longevity Body. While Lin Jing had methods to hide his physique, his boundless vitality would be increasingly difficult to conceal as his cultivation grew. This technique could be a perfect solution.


    ¡°Yes, indeed. If you choose it, our Valley Master will personally instruct you,¡± the Great Elder offered.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Senior. I¡¯ll apany you to retrieve it. Afterward, I¡¯ll be leaving the Great Wastnd,¡± Lin Jing replied.


    The Great Elder was stunned. ¡°Holy Son, are you in such a rush to¡­ reincarnate? A Nascent Soul cultivator offering personal guidance, and you refuse?!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 79: The World Beneath the Frozen Pool

    Vol 2 Chapter 79: The World Beneath the Frozen Pool


    The Air Domain, once a principal battleground during the Celestial Pce and Celestial Alliance era, is littered with the remains of countless Void Mystical cultivators. Ruins and secret realms abound in this region, and many unknown cultivators have risen to prominence after gaining fortuitous encounters here. Most could trace their meteoric rise back to treasures found in the Air Domain.


    Bordering the Snow ins like the Great Wastnd, the Air Domain is often a sanctuary for rogue Snow ins cultivators seeking resources. Unlike the more regted Great Wastnd, the Air Domain is not just a treasure trove for the Ancient Celestial Kingdom but also a haven for outsiders.


    After retrieving the <em>Hundred Flower Immortal Honey</em> and the <em>Art of Shedding</em> from the Hundred Flower Valley, Lin Jing, apanied by Senior Pine, set off for the Air Domain in search of an extreme cold region suitable for using the Ice Soul Gu to establish his Foundation.


    Back in the Great Wastnd, two individuals were particrly upset after Lin Jing¡¯s departure: the Deputy Sect Master of the Myriad Beast Sect and Bai Yuran of Tianji Pavilion.


    ¡°You useless fools¡­¡±


    Outside the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s mountain gate, the Deputy Sect Master of the Myriad Beast Sect red at his two disciples, barely restraining the urge to p them. However, he also knew it wasn¡¯t entirely their fault. The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Holy Son was simply too powerful.


    ¡°Please, Deputy Sect Master, punish us!¡± the two disciples said, their faces pale with shame.


    ¡°Punish you?¡± The Deputy Sect Master gave them a cold look. ¡°After the inauguration ceremony, the demon kings of the Beast Taming Sect no longer take our sect seriously. If punishing you would restore our reputation among the Ancient Celestial Kingdom¡¯s cultivators, your deaths would be worth it. But¡­¡±He sneered. ¡°The Holy Son¡¯s power stems partly from our sect¡¯s treasure. If anything, his performance has boosted interest in the <em>Myriad Beast Circle</em>. And his strength seems closely tied to the Cloud Sea Terrors, particrly the mosquito beast.¡±


    ¡°The <em>Ten Terrors of the Cloud Sea</em>¡­ If we can bring some of those beasts back to Qingzhou, it would significantly bolster our sect¡¯s foundations. You two will apany me to the Cloud Sea Mountains to capture some mosquito beasts and atone for your failure.¡±


    The disciples¡¯ eyes lit up. Having experienced the terror of the mosquito beast firsthand, they knew its potential. Lin Jing¡¯s control methods had been crude at best, yet even so, the mosquito beast had overwhelmed them. If they could build a mosquito beast army andbine it with their sect¡¯s techniques, their battle strength would increase dramatically.


    ¡°Yes, Deputy Sect Master!¡±


    Meanwhile, Bai Yuran, after some hesitation, decided to head for the Air Domain. Lin Jing wasn¡¯t foolish; knowing a Void Mystical cultivator might target him and still leaving a trail meant he had some confidence. However, before she could follow, someone blocked her path.


    ¡°Senior Brother Tian Huihua¡­¡±


    Bai Yuran froze in shock as the man appeared before her.


    ¡°Enough games. Time to return to Tianji Pavilion,¡± Tian Huihua said calmly.


    ¡°W-when did you find me?¡± Bai Yuran stammered.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been following you since you left for the Great Wastnd.¡± Tian Huihua stared at her impassively.


    Bai Yuran took a step back, forcing a smile. ¡°I just gave Lin Jing a divination. I wanted to¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Tian Huihua interrupted, shaking his head. ¡°Discovering the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Holy Son¡¯s secret was your chance encounter, and our master allowed you to pursue it. But now that your divination has tied this matter to the Yin Corpse Sect, you cannot involve yourself further.¡±


    ¡°Why not¡­?¡±


    ¡°This escapade has earned you some credit,¡± Tian Huihua replied. ¡°The Yin Corpse Sect possesses the corpse of a celestial beast. They¡¯ve long sought to refine it into a puppet. However, their efforts have been repeatedly thwarted by the Ancient Celestial Kingdom¡¯s interference. One of their ancestors even lost his body in the process.¡±


    ¡°Is he the one targeting Lin Jing?¡± Bai Yuran asked, startled.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± Tian Huihua replied.


    ¡°Why would he want to seize Lin Jing¡¯s body? That seems¡­ unusual.¡±


    ¡°Our master suspects the Yin Corpse Sect lost a crucial resource needed for refining the celestial corpse. Without it, they can¡¯t continue their project. Your divination suggests they may be seeking a substitute.¡±


    Tian Huihua exined, ¡°Refining and controlling a celestial corpse requires not only immense death energy but also a delicate bnce with life energy. By targeting Lin Jing¡¯s Longevity Body, they aim to integrate its vitality into the process, turning their failure into an opportunity. However, this is only spection.¡±


    ¡°The Demon-ying Bureau has been informed and should already have experts protecting Lin Jing. His choice to head for the Air Domain rather than return to the academy aligns with their ns. Letting the Yin Corpse Sect ancestor think there¡¯s hope for possession is the best way to draw him out. The bureau likely wants to capture him alive.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Moreover, Lin Jing appears to have a powerful protector by his side. You needn¡¯t worry about him.¡±


    Though Bai Yuran nodded, her curiosity remained piqued.


    ¡°Is this the ce, Senior?¡±


    Dayster, in the Air Domain, Lin Jing stood atop a snowy peak, gazing at the pristine white expanse below. Beneath the snowline, hardy nts like snow lotuses dotted thendscape. Despite the chill, the area seemed no different from other snowy mountains.


    ¡°It¡¯s luck that brought us here,¡± Senior Pine said after surveying the mountain. ¡°For thousands of years, this ce seems to have gone unnoticed. For cultivators practicing ice techniques, this would be an ideal spot for a sect, a family, or a cave abode.¡±


    ¡°Most extreme cold regions are already upied. Finding a wild one like this is rare. Don¡¯t be fooled by appearances, though. Beneath this mountain lies a frozen pool, and that pool connects to a cavern¡ªa true extreme cold region!¡±


    ¡°Long ago, an Iceheart Snow Lotus grew here, gaining sentience from the cold energy.¡±


    Lin Jing was intrigued. ¡°Senior, are you saying that Iceheart Snow Lotus is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Dead,¡± Senior Pine replied curtly. ¡°And before you ask, it wasn¡¯t me. A group of cultivators refined it into avatars to reach the Nascent Soul Transformation Stage. I happened to witness it and avenged the lotus.¡±


    ¡°What happened to its remains?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 81: Reasoning

    Vol 2 Chapter 81: Reasoning


    ¡°Container, your strength is still too weak. Directly absorbing your nutrients would hinder your cultivation and ultimately affect me as well,¡± the Ice Soul Gu stated with calm logic. ¡°It¡¯s better to consume external resources, like the extreme cold here or that fish, rather than depleting you directly.¡±


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t even need to analyze the situation; the Ice Soul Gu had already outlined the pros and cons with wless reasoning.


    ¡°You make a good point, but that fish is yourpanion, not your food,¡± Lin Jing replied, his expression dark.


    ¡°What I intend to feed you is this.¡± Lin Jing retrieved the Myriad Beast Circle and pulled out a Mosquito Beast that had absorbed Longevity Blood.


    The Ice Soul Gu sensed the Mosquito Beast and fell silent for a moment, seemingly unimpressed.


    ¡°I prefer food with ice attributes. This mosquito doesn¡¯t suit my tastes,¡± it finally said.


    Lin Jing clenched his fist. ¡°The me Dragon Carp is fire-attributed. Why did you find it appealing?¡±


    ¡°Eating too much cold food isn¡¯t good for my system. asionally, I crave something warm. My organs told me so,¡± the Ice Soul Gu muttered.Lin Jing nodded. That¡­ sounded reasonable.


    Reasonable, my *ss!


    Annoyed, he threw the Mosquito Beast into the cold pool. The me Dragon Carp immediately swam over and swallowed it. Unlike the Ice Soul Gu, it could refine the Mosquito Beast¡¯s metallic essence with its me Refinement ability, facing no digestion issues.


    ¡°You should learn from it¡ªat least it¡¯s not picky about food.¡±


    The Ice Soul Gu scoffed disdainfully, clearly unimpressed by the me Dragon Carp.


    Sensing the gu¡¯s emotions, Lin Jing suddenly smirked. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re underestimating it. How about a little wager?¡±


    ¡°A wager?¡± the Ice Soul Gu tilted its head in curiosity.


    ¡°This me Dragon Carp is your key partner. It can assist you in growing stronger. Let¡¯s settle this: the two of you will fight. If it wins, you¡¯ll acknowledge its strength and stop treating it with contempt. You¡¯ll also obediently train and provide it with your support.¡±


    ¡°And if it loses?¡± the Ice Soul Gu asked.


    ¡°If it loses, it¡¯ll stop interfering and follow your lead. All decisions will be yours to make,¡± Lin Jing proposed.


    The me Dragon Carp froze, stunned by this sudden challenge. Fight the Ice Soul Gu? Was this a joke?


    The carp was confident it could crush Lin Jing in an instant, let alone the spider. ¡°It¡¯s doomed to lose,¡± it dered smugly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin, then,¡± the Ice Soul Gu said, releasing the me Dragon Carp.


    In the next moment, the cold cavern was filled with a terrifying chill as the snow-white spider fully emerged. Its icy blue eyes locked onto the me Dragon Carp in the pool below, where the fish appeared dumbfounded by its rival''s overwhelming aura.


    Boom!


    The Ice Soul Gu unleashed its strength. Its eleventh-stage Qi Refinement cultivation,bined with the bloodline of a Gu King, released a frigid wave that even Lin Jing found life-threatening.


    The me Dragon Carp trembled under the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s predatory gaze.


    ¡°It woke up, and it thinks it can rece you,¡± Lin Jing calmly exined to the carp, which began to shake with fury.


    Without waiting for further provocation, the Ice Soul Gu pointed a sharp, crystalline leg at the carp, releasing a torrent of bone-chilling cold that surged toward it. Though the carp was at the tenth stage of Qi Refinement, its bloodline and cultivation couldn¡¯t withstand the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s superior power.


    But just as the spider felt certain of its victory, it noticed something strange about the carp¡¯s trembling¡ªwas it fear, or¡­ rage?


    ¡°<em>Suck it!!!</em>¡±


    The me Dragon Carp roared, producing several jade bottles seemingly out of nowhere.


    Grade-Three Pills!


    The carp devoured them one by one:<ul><li aria-level="1">Primordial Essence Pill: Temporarily boosted its strength to Foundation Establishment.</li><li aria-level="1">Frozen Heaven Pill: Granted unparalleled resistance to ice and snow.</li><li aria-level="1">zing Sun Pill: Amplified the power of its fire-based techniques.</li></ul>


    Despite its low cultivation and bloodline, the carp¡¯s resourcefulness turned the tide. As it swallowed the pills, its aura skyrocketed. Fiery dragon-shaped mes coiled around its body, elevating it to the peak of Foundation Establishment for a brief period.


    One pill to swallow, and the heavens bow to my will!


    With a ferocious re, the me Dragon Carp erupted with fiery might. Under the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s stunned gaze, it transformed into a zing dragon, its searing mes vaporizing the frigid cold in an instant.


    Momentster, the carp emerged victorious, leaving the Ice Soul Gu crippled and sprawled at Lin Jing¡¯s feet. ¡°Weakling,¡± the carp snorted before retreating to a quiet corner to endure the side effects of its pills.@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing shook his head at the battered spider. ¡°You might be powerful, but you¡¯ve learned an important lesson today. The cultivation world is merciless. Even a seemingly foolish and weak me Dragon Carp can pull out unexpected tricks and crush you.¡±


    ¡°From now on, listen to me. I¡¯ll ensure you avoid unnecessary suffering.¡±


    The Ice Soul Gu didn¡¯t argue. Though its wounds healed rapidly in the icy cavern, its pride had been thoroughly shattered.


    ¡°You still look unconvinced,¡± Lin Jing observed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you one more chance.¡±


    He gestured to the Suspended Gourd hanging at his side. ¡°Inside this gourd is anotherpanion of yours. It¡¯s excellent at cultivating spiritual nts. If you can defeat it, I¡¯ll let it grow Ice Spirit nts here to provide you with food. The other terms remain the same. What do you think?¡±


    The Ice Soul Gu raised its head, surprised by Lin Jing¡¯s generosity. ¡°You¡¯re actually giving me another chance?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t lose this time,¡± it said confidently.


    Without hesitation, Lin Jing sent it into the Suspended Gourd.


    It never came out again.


    Later, while Lin Jing savored a few bites of Hundred Flower Immortal Honey and practiced the Art of Shedding, he nced at the Beast Taming Space and discovered the Ice Soul Gu bound once again. The Pine Leaf Mouse had used wooden strips to restrain it and was directing it to create icy storage boxes for its hoard of spiritual fruits.


    ¡°Was it worth it?¡± Lin Jing sighed, shaking his head.


    Seeing that the Ice Soul Gu hadn¡¯t triggered any unique divine abilities through his Longevity Body, Lin Jing knew it would struggle to rise above its current limitations, no matter how extraordinary its bloodline might be.

 Book 2: Chapter 82: Thunder Pine

    Vol 2 Chapter 82: Thunder Pine


    Despite its impressive strength, the Ice Soul Gu was no match for the me Dragon Carp and the Pine Leaf Mouse at this stage.


    The me Dragon Carp, whilecking the bloodline strength of the Ice Soul Gu, had always been part of the team as a counter to it. Thanks to its innate talent in alchemy, it had stockpiled a variety of pills specifically designed to suppress the Ice Soul Gu.


    As for the Pine Leaf Mouse, its bloodline had evolved to rival that of the Ice Soul Gu. Its cultivation was far superior, making a direct confrontation a one-sided ughter.


    That said, the Ice Soul Gu wasn¡¯t weak. As an artificial creation, it could only unleash its full potential when paired with a skilled Gu Master. Among Lin Jing¡¯s three contracted beasts, only the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power could perfectly merge with Lin Jing¡¯s True Qi, creating a synergy that exceeded the sum of its parts.


    Additionally, at the Qi Refinement stage, a Gu¡¯s abilities were far from fully developed. Once the Ice Soul Gu reached Foundation Establishment and its Gu King bloodline fully awakened, its power would skyrocket. However, the other two beasts were also on the verge of breakthroughs.


    The me Dragon Carp had yet to reach Foundation Establishment. Once it transformed into a dragon upon breaking through, its growth wouldn¡¯tg far behind the Ice Soul Gu.


    Meanwhile, the Pine Leaf Mouse had an arsenal of resources: the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, the Divine Tree Seal, and warehouses full of Divine Tree fragments. Not to mention its Blood Mosquito Army and the Demon King True Form Talent, both of which offered incredible growth potential.


    The Ice Soul Gu wasn¡¯t weak¡ªit was simply surrounded by freakishly strongpanions.With these two monsters aiding Lin Jing in ¡°early education¡± for the Ice Soul Gu, Lin Jing was confident it would quickly learn to understand its ce.


    Settling down in the icy cavern, Lin Jing began practicing the Art of Shedding. He also sent a telepathic message to the Pine Leaf Mouse:


    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Let the Ice Soul Gu return soon to focus on its main task¡ªFoundation Establishment.¡±


    Lin Jing was sure that after being bossed around by the Pine Leaf Mouse for a while, the Ice Soul Gu would obedientlye back to absorb the extreme cold energy and prepare for its breakthrough. Its bloodline-born pride had likely been worn down to nearly nothing.


    Meanwhile, the Divine Pine guarding the frozen pool above sensed the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s awakening.


    ¡°Good thing I¡¯ve been cultivating this Longevity Body well. If it were any other container, the Ice Soul Gu might have already taken over,¡± it mused.


    ¡°Now, all that¡¯s left is to wait for that old monster from the Yin Corpse Sect. I wonder if he¡¯ll manage to find this ce¡­ and if he dares to show up.¡±


    The days passed. Lin Jing and hispanions trained in the icy depths for more than half a month, while the Divine Pine stood vigil above.


    Finally, the long-anticipated disturbance urred. The Divine Pine, now appearing as a floating pinecone, snapped to attention as dark clouds gathered in the sky.


    Under the ckened heavens, a coffin floated ominously. Standing atop its spectral image was a diminutive figure in a ck robe, staring down at the frozen pool with a lifeless gaze.


    ¡°It seems the Longevity Body is here,¡± the figure muttered.


    ¡°Those fools failed to bring it back to headquarters. It always falls to me to clean up their mess.¡±


    The ck-robed figure¡¯s gaze shifted,nding on the Divine Pine. ¡°A sentient tree acting as a protector? No wonder the target dared to leave the academy.¡±


    ¡°Scram!¡± A wave of spiritual pressure emanated from the figure¡¯s soul, attempting to force the Divine Pine to withdraw.


    Despite having lost his physical body, this ancestor of the Yin Corpse Sect possessed Void Mystical Stage cultivation. Compared to the Divine Pine¡¯s Nascent Soul Transformation Stage, he held an overwhelming advantage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste my soul energy. Leave within three breaths, and I¡¯ll spare your life,¡± the ancestor threatened.


    The Divine Pine chuckled, its voiceden with mockery. ¡°Yin Corpse brat, are you talking to me? Your cultivation may be higher, but I¡¯m much older than you. Didn¡¯t anyone teach you to respect your elders in the demonic path? If anyone should leave, it¡¯s you! I haven¡¯t even decided whether to consume this Longevity Body yet¡ªyou think you¡¯re entitled to it?¡±


    ¡°You court death!¡± the ancestor snarled, stunned that a mere Nascent Soul cultivator would dare provoke him.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll refine you along with the Longevity Body!¡± With a flick of his arm, the coffin¡¯s shadow released a surge of deadly energy.


    However, just as the attack began, a loud crackling sound echoed. The ancestor¡¯s eyes narrowed in shock.


    From beside the pinecone, a massive pine tree had appeared. Though its cultivation was also at the Nascent Soul Transformation Stage, this tree radiated golden-green light interwoven with arcs of lightning.


    Golden lightning snaked across its trunk, spreading a massive vortex of clouds above. Thunder rolled ominously within.


    ¡°Void Mystical brat, you¡¯ve experienced tribtions, haven¡¯t you?¡± the Divine Pine asked,ughing sinisterly. ¡°For us spirit trees, attracting tribtions is far too easy. My Thunder Pine avatar just triggered one. I hope you enjoy it!¡±@@novelbin@@


    The ancestor¡¯s expression turned grim. Lightning tribtions were deadly to Yin Corpses. In his current weakened state, getting caught in one would leave him gravely injured, if not outright destroyed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember this!¡± he hissed, preparing to flee.


    But before he could, countless Thunder Pines sprouted across the snowy mountain, forming a vast Wood-Sealing Formation that trapped him in ce.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to sacrifice something to catch the wolf. Losing this avatar is a small price to pay for eliminating a Void Mystical Yin Spirit. Besides, learning from the tribtion¡¯s impact on my avatar will benefit me,¡± the Divine Pine muttered.


    The ancestor struggled, breaking through the formation in mere moments. But those moments were enough. The connection to the Thunder Pine avatar drew the tribtion¡¯s wrath upon him.


    Both the Thunder Pine and the Yin Corpse Sect ancestor were engulfed in a torrent of divine lightning.


    As the Divine Pine¡¯s avatar crumbled under the assault, it showed no sadness, only curiosity. ¡°I wonder if that old corpse brought enough treasures with him¡­¡±


    Boom!


    While the ancestor endured the relentless tribtion, the Divine Pine concealed its true body and transmitted a message to the void.


    ¡°Hey, you in the shadows. You¡¯re from the Demon-ying Bureau, right? Hands off¡ªthis one¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already sacrificed an avatar and risked attracting the tribtion myself. Don¡¯t expect me to do your dirty work for free!¡±


    From the void, a voice responded, tinged with amusement. ¡°You¡¯re a bold little tree. Do you even know who you¡¯re talking to?¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 85: The Twins

    Vol 2 Chapter 85: The Twins


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Thunder Pine asked when it noticed Lin Jing staring intently at his token.


    ¡°Nothing much. A Demon-ying Guard discovered a Yin Corpse Sect stronghold, and I received the intel,¡± Lin Jing replied.


    ¡°Are you nning to raid that stronghold?¡± Thunder Pine guessed his intention.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Jing said, clenching the token tightly. ¡°The report says two individuals with special physiques are imprisoned there.¡±


    ¡°I recall that¡¯s how the Beast Taming Sect rescued you from a Yin Corpse Sect stronghold back then,¡± Thunder Pine said.


    ¡°Indeed. The nearest Demon-ying Bureau branch should have also received the intel. If luck is on their side, those two will be saved. However, this is a rare opportunity for me to take revenge against the Yin Corpse Sect with my own hands. It¡¯s just a small stronghold guarded by a Core Formation demonic cultivator, but even an empire¡¯s downfall can begin with an ant nest.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Consider it a test of your abilities. Go ahead,¡± Thunder Pine said approvingly. ¡°But I won¡¯t intervene unless a Nascent Soul shows up.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Lin Jing activated the token, which pointed him toward the stronghold.With the Ice Soul Gu sessfully reaching Foundation Establishment and its bloodline elevated from King-tier to Emperor-tier, Lin Jing¡¯s strength had risen significantly. His cultivation advanced from Qi Refinement Stage 11 to Stage 12, just as the Child Immortal had predicted. Combined with his other trump cards, he felt confident in his ability to handle the Core Formation cultivator guarding the stronghold.


    Lin Jing soared into the sky, transforming into a streak of blue light as he flew toward his target.


    In a secluded valley near Qianxun City¡­


    A ck-robed elder stood before the lifeless body of a Foundation Establishment Demon-ying Guard, a gaping hole in the guard¡¯s chest. The elder casually waved a hand, and the body disintegrated into ash.


    Behind him were two gray-robed Yin Corpse Sect cultivators escorting a young boy and girl, both bound by a spell. Tears welled in the captives¡¯ eyes as they saw the fallen Demon-ying Guard.


    ¡°Master, it seems the Demon-ying Bureau has discovered us. Should we evacuate immediately?¡± one of the gray-robed cultivators asked.


    ¡°No need,¡± the elder said. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged the transaction with the buyer here. Changing the location now would be too troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Complete the trade quickly, and then we¡¯ll leave. Your efforts in capturing these two have beenmendable. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re rewarded after the deal,¡± the elder promised.


    ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Though they felt staying was risky, the two gray-robed cultivators dared not disobey.


    The young captives, a boy and a girl with simr features, were Qi Refinement cultivators. Despair filled their eyes as they anticipated their grim fate. The captors, meanwhile, marveled at their good fortune¡ªsnagging a pair of Twin Physiques so effortlessly.


    The Twin Physique manifests only in twins. Individually, it has no effect, but when the twins fight together, their minds synchronize, allowing them to share techniques and amplify their strength exponentially. This made them formidable in battle.


    Suddenly, a beam of white light pierced through the heads of the two gray-robed cultivators, killing them instantly. A Core Formation Demon-ying Guard, d in crimson armor and exuding righteousness, appeared in the sky.


    Seeing him, the elder cursed their luck for not insisting on relocating the trade. The young captives¡¯ despair briefly gave way to hope.


    But that hope quickly turned into horror.


    ¡°You arrived quickly,¡± the Yin Corpse Sect elder said coldly to the Demon-ying Guard. ¡°Next time, keep your subordinates in line.¡±


    ¡°That one was new and foolish. He¡¯s paid the price with his life, hasn¡¯t he?¡± the guard replied. ¡°The usual deal: I¡¯ll destroy this stronghold, and you take the twins.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Your spoils are already inside the stronghold,¡± the elder said indifferently.


    The twins froze in fear, their hearts sinking into a frozen abyss. They never imagined that the Demon-ying Bureau¡¯s guards¡ªdedicated to eradicating evil¡ªwould coborate with their captors.


    Struggling futilely against their bonds, they realized they were mere goods in this transaction.


    Unbothered by their thoughts, the Demon-ying Guard remained focused on his cooperation with the Yin Corpse Sect. Over the years, he had used his position to secretly feed them information in exchange for rewards. This arrangement had allowed him to rise from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation, his path far smoother than the perilous battles he once endured.


    As the trade nearedpletion, a strangeugh echoed from the sky.


    Thunder Pine, observing the scene from above with Lin Jing, couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Well, this is interesting. I wonder what you think of all this?¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s expression remained cold. ¡°What¡¯s there to think about? This ismon enough.¡±


    ¡°Except now there are two Core Formation enemies instead of one.¡±


    ¡°At least they¡¯re only early-stage Core Formation,¡± Lin Jing said calmly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    Neither of the Core Formation cultivators had sensed Lin Jing¡¯s presence due to hisyered concealment techniques. It was only when Thunder Pine¡¯sugh drew their attention that they noticed him.


    ¡°A Qi Refinement cultivator?¡±


    Both were puzzled by the sudden appearance of such a low-level intruder. However, with their deal exposed, they shared a single thought: eliminate him.


    ¡°Die!¡± the Demon-ying Guard roared, his eyes shooting twin beams of white light¡ª the same technique that had killed the gray-robed cultivators earlier.


    Lin Jing raised his hand, and a surge of icy energy spread from his arm, freezing the beams mid-air. Snowkes began to drift down, and the twins looked up at Lin Jing with a mix of awe and disbelief.

 Book 2: Chapter 87: Battling Core Formation

    Vol 2 Chapter 87: Battling Core Formation


    The swarm of blood mosquitoesunched relentless suicidal attacks, leaving the two Core Formation cultivators, one a leader from the Yin Corpse Sect and the other a branch head of the Demon-ying Bureau, in utter disarray. Neither had ever encountered such an eerie blood-path technique that mimicked the characteristics of the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast.


    Despite their Core Formation cultivation, the sheer number of blood beasts, attacking without regard for life, left them unnerved. After eliminating hundreds, the relentless assault made them realize this was a battle they couldn¡¯t afford to prolong.


    Initially, seeing Lin Jing as a mere Qi Refinement cultivator, the pair had struck with confidence. However, they soon discovered this was no ordinary Qi Refinement practitioner. Not only did he harbor a powerful Gu insect, but he also had a Foundation Establishment-level pet beast proficient in spatial arts!


    Realizing that Lin Jing wasn¡¯t easily subdued, the two began to negotiate.


    ¡°Fellow Daoist, we have no grudge with you. Extermination will bring you no benefit. If you force us to the brink, we¡¯ll shatter our cores and unleash our divine abilities. Neither of us will walk away alive!¡±


    Surrounded by the blood mosquito army, the two Core Formation cultivators exuded a menacing aura as the power of their cores surged.


    ¡°If your goal is the Twin Physiques, you can have them. But if you push us further, no one wille out unscathed.¡±


    Standing protectively before the twins, Lin Jing regarded the trapped cultivators above. He didn¡¯t think they were bluffing.Having witnessed the devastating power of the Crimson Armored Guard¡¯s Core Formation divine ability earlier, Lin Jing knew that even with the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s fusion, he couldn¡¯t fully withstand such an attack.


    Core Formation divine abilities were a double-edged sword. Using them inflicted wear on the core, which could take decades of secluded cultivation and rare healing treasures to repair. Shattering the core entirely would drop a Core Formation cultivator to the Foundation Establishment stage, a state from which most never recovered.


    The two cultivators¡¯ threat to unleash their most destructive divine abilities, even at the cost of shattering their cores, was a clear message: Lin Jing should back down to avoid mutual destruction.


    ¡°Full-powered divine abilities, huh...¡± Lin Jing¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as he weighed the threat.


    For Core Formation cultivators, divine abilities were their ultimate trump card, rarely used in battles unless the disparity in power was immense. That two Core Formation cultivators were threatening a Qi Refinement-stage opponent with such measures was almost unheard of.


    Lin Jing responded with actions instead of words, making it clear he was unafraid. The Pine Leaf Mouse continued directing the blood mosquito swarm, while Lin Jing raised his right hand,unching spider silk toward the pair.


    ¡°Watch out! Those threads areced with terrifying Gu poison. It almost controlled me. Even using my divine ability, I could barely suppress it. Don¡¯t let it touch you!¡± the Yin Corpse Sect leader shouted, wary that the Crimson Armored Guard might be Lin Jing¡¯s puppet and turn against him.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Let me tell you something,¡± Lin Jing said, his fingers deftly manipting the white threads. ¡°Even if you suppress the Gu poison now, it¡¯s only temporary. Without me, there¡¯s no cure. The poison will spread until it freezes your soul. Do you still want me gone?¡±


    The Yin Corpse Sect leader¡¯s expression faltered as Lin Jing¡¯s words struck home. This Gu insect was unlike anything he had seen. It had not only usurped control of his refined corpses but also infiltrated him through their spiritual connection.


    ¡°Since you insist on courting death, don¡¯t me fate,¡± he snarled.


    The sect leader stopped evading and reached for the iing spider silk. As his body exhibited more corpse-like features, he activated a secret art: <em>Corpse Transformation</em>. This technique temporarily converted his physique into that of a corpse puppet, enhancing his resistance to negative effects and mitigating the Gu poison¡¯s influence.


    Even so, the transformation pushed his body to its limits, cracks appearing across his form as his corpse-like state deepened. Seizing the spider silk, he nned to capture Lin Jing and force a cure for the poison.


    However, before he could act, a chilling gust swept through the battlefield. A spatial ripple appeared, and Lin Jing, along with the Pine Leaf Mouse and the Twin Physiques, vanished.


    The sect leader froze, scanning the area with his spiritual sense, only to find no trace of Lin Jing or the twins. The swarm of blood mosquitoes, now without the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s guidance, continued their frenzied attacks, driven solely by instinct.


    High above, concealed by an illusion, Lin Jing observed the scene below.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty quick on your feet, kid,¡± remarked the Divine Pine, watching the scattered red leaves. It was clear that Lin Jing¡¯s strategy was to avoid the divine abilities entirely. Though powerful, a divine ability was useless if it couldn¡¯t hit its target.


    The two Core Formation cultivators had issued hollow threats. Without a guaranteed strike, activating their divine abilities would be pointless.


    Furthermore, Lin Jing had cleverly used the Gu poison as a counterthreat, forcing the Yin Corpse Sect leader into a corner. To survive, the sect leader now had no choice but to capture Lin Jing alive.


    The sect leader¡¯s Core Formation divine ability, when unleashed, had amplified his strength twofold. While Lin Jing couldn¡¯t match him in directbat, his spatial arts and illusionary tactics left the leader struggling.


    ¡°Drawing out just one of their divine abilities is enough,¡± Lin Jing murmured as he watched below.


    Enraged by Lin Jing¡¯s disappearance, the Yin Corpse Sect leader annihted countless blood mosquitoes with a sweep of his corpse banner. His gaze shifted to the Crimson Armored Guard, and with a roar, his Five-Element Corpses surrounded the guard. In a sh, his w pierced the guard¡¯s chest.

 Book 2: Chapter 88: Followers

    Vol 2 Chapter 88: Followers


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    The Crimson Armored Demon-ying Guard¡¯s pupils shrank as he was suddenly attacked by the Yin Corpse Sect cultivator.


    ¡°Wondering why I didn¡¯t chase that brat?¡± The sect leader sneered. ¡°Having activated my <em>Heavenly Corpse Transformation</em> to its full potential, I can¡¯t allow you to walk away with the spoils.¡±


    ¡°After this battle, my cultivation will likely drop to the Foundation Establishment stage. But if I can secure a Core Formation corpse puppet, it won¡¯t be aplete loss. With my talent, advancing to the Nascent Soul stage was never an option anyway.¡±


    ¡°A Core Formation corpse puppet will allow me to condense a high-quality Corpse Core and attain a false core with little hindrance.¡±


    The Yin Corpse Sect leader''s tone was cold. ¡°That brat may have escaped, but now that I¡¯ve regained control of the Five-Element Corpses, I¡¯ll deal with you first.¡±


    ¡°No need to worry. My <em>Heavenly Corpse Transformation</em> willst long enough to finish you off. Afterward, I¡¯ll find him and kill him too. I¡¯ll even preserve your reputation.¡±


    Having gained a surge of power, the first thing the sect leader did wasunch a sneak attack on the Crimson Armored Guard. Observing this, the Divine Pinemented disdainfully, ¡°At least the Yin Corpse Sect brat is acting sensibly. That Demon-ying Guard, rxing his guard around a demonic cultivator¡ªwhat an idiot.¡±¡°Was this part of your n, too?¡± the Divine Pine asked Lin Jing.


    ¡°It was a possibility I ounted for,¡± Lin Jing replied calmly. ¡°That¡¯s why I returned control of the Five-Element Corpses to him¡ªto enhance his strength. Yin Corpse Sect cultivators are different. Even if they drop to the Foundation Establishment stage, they can form false cores and turn enemies into corpse puppets to bolster their power.¡±


    ¡°With such an increase in strength, it was almost certain he¡¯d target the Demon-ying Guard first. Ideally, the guard would have reacted and realized the sect leader would betray him, leading to mutual destruction. Unfortunately, the guard didn¡¯t catch on and thought I was still the shared enemy.¡±@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Still, this situation is easier to handle. Once his divine ability runs out, I can finish him off. And even if I leave now, he¡¯s already infected with the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s poison. He won¡¯t live long.¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s eyes shed. The fate of the sect leader was sealed, much like what had happened to Senior Brother Ouyang years ago. The Ice Soul Gu¡¯s poison was incurable.


    The Divine Pine and Lin Jing¡¯s telepathic exchange went unnoticed by the Twin Physiques, who remained paralyzed with fear. Although they had escaped the Yin Corpse Sect, they now found themselves in the hands of what appeared to be a demonic cultivator from the Gu God Sect.


    ¡°Senior, since he¡¯s doomed anyway, why not finish him off now?¡± the girl stammered nervously.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it yourself?¡± Lin Jing asked. ¡°Haven¡¯t you killed anyone yet?¡±


    Killing the Crimson Armored Guard would likely alert the Demon-ying Bureau. Lin Jing suspected this guard wasn¡¯t the only one colluding with demonic sects. Perhaps his time would be better spent elsewhere.


    ¡°Then the spoils of war are mine,¡± the Divine Pine sighed,menting that these early-stage Core Formation cultivators weren¡¯t challenging enough for Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing was about to respond when, suddenly, a pine tree branch pierced the chest of the Yin Corpse Sect leader below. Blood streaked across his eyes as he realized he had been outyed from the start.


    With both Core Formation cultivators dead, Lin Jing retrieved a jade token. Though he had several Demon-ying Bureau tokens, only this one could establish contact.


    The token had been given to him by Cold Moon Sword Immortal Feng Ning, a disciple of the Void Mystical Sword Ancestor from the Heavenly Sword Gate. While Feng Ning herself was only at the Core Formation stage, her status meant even top cultivators showed her respect.


    Rather than act alone, Lin Jing decided to report the internal corruption to someone reliable.


    Activating the token, a familiar voice echoed in his mind.


    ¡°Lin Jing? You¡¯ve finally activated this jade token. Have you changed your mind about joining the Demon-ying Bureau?¡±


    The voice belonged to Feng Ning.


    ¡°No, Senior Feng,¡± Lin Jing replied. ¡°I¡¯ve already joined under the invitation of Senior Tongzi Xian.¡±


    ¡°Tongzi Xian personally invited you?¡± Feng Ning¡¯s surprise was evident.


    Lin Jing briefly exined the circumstances of his joining and the incident involving the collusion between the local Demon-ying Bureau and demonic sects. Feng Ning¡¯s tone turned cold.


    ¡°Well done. This isn¡¯t just a problem with one bureau branch; it¡¯s likely a widespread issue across the Air Domain. I¡¯ll contact my associates in the Bureau to investigate. Handling this alone might be too much for you.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded.


    ¡°But to think you could take on two Core Formation cultivators as a Qi Refinement practitioner... If word spreads, it will shock the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°It was the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power,¡± Lin Jing said. ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think I could manage that with just my Qi Refinement cultivation.¡±


    ¡°True, I know the strength of Beast Taming cultivators depends on their beasts. Still, many won¡¯t care about those details. They¡¯ll only see ¡®Qi Refinement defeats Core Formation¡¯ and the fame thates with it.¡±


    Feng Ning chuckled. ¡°Let them talk. Fame can be useful. And thanks to exaggerated stories like these, hidden techniques like the Hidden Dragon Arts remain relevant.¡±


    Lin Jing agreed. Clever maniption of rumors often kept hidden techniques thriving.


    Ending the conversation, Lin Jing resolved to remain cautious around government-affiliated cultivators to avoid betrayal.


    Turning to the Twin Physiques, he finally addressed them.


    ¡°Introduce yourselves. How did the Yin Corpse Sect capture you, and what makes your physique special?¡±


    The young man stayed silent, paralyzed by fear, but the girl mustered the courage to reply.


    ¡°We¡¯re from the Jiang family of Tianshui City, and we possess the Twin Physique. We were captured during a trip outside.¡±


    ¡°Twin Physique?¡± Lin Jing murmured.


    The Divine Pine interjected, ¡°That¡¯s a rare physique with many uses. Kid, why not do a good deed and grant them an opportunity? Take them in as humanpanions. After all, a Holy Son can¡¯t only have animal partners, right?¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 89: The Sub-Gu

    Vol 2 Chapter 89: The Sub-Gu


    "Human pets! Yes, I want to take human pets!"


    As soon as Divine Pine said this, Ice Soul Gu was the first to agree.


    After reaching Foundation Establishment, Ice Soul Gu had gained confidence that it could defeat the Pine Leaf Mouse and Dragonblood Carp.


    But after witnessing how Pine Leaf Mouse controlled a swarm of Blood Mosquitoes, Ice Soul Gu suddenly realized it wascking something.


    The Dragonblood Carp had pills that could greatly boost itsbat power.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse had hoarded plenty of battle supplies and had many trump cards.


    Only Ice Soul Gu, freshly born, had nothing.


    It believed this was the key reason it had lost to the Pine Leaf Mouse and Dragonblood Carp before.So, to strengthen itself, Ice Soul Gu¡ªprompted by Divine Pine¡ªdeveloped the idea of taking "human pets."


    Lin Jing indeed had the ability to take "human pets."


    This ability was embodied in the Ice Soul Gu itself.


    As the emperor of all Gu, Ice Soul Gu could not only use Gu poison to directly control other beings, but it could also "nurture" Sub-Gu.


    A Sub-Gu was essentially a miniature version of Ice Soul Gu,pletely controlled by the mother Gu and possessing a weaker version of its abilities.


    Ice Soul Gu could imnt a Sub-Gu into another person, granting them power while also controlling them.


    In truth, Ice Soul Gu had only just awakened and had not yet fully utilized its abilities, which was why it had been bullied by Pine Leaf Mouse and Dragonblood Carp in turn.


    "Even a Sub-Gu of the Ice Soul Gu contains power that most cultivators cannot bear. At the very least, they would need to have an Ice Spirit Body or a Fire Spirit Body."


    "But even with an Ice Spirit Body or a Fire Spirit Body, their abilities would still be too one-dimensional. An Ice Spirit Body can indeed maximize the power of the Ice Soul Sub-Gu, but an extreme cold force isn''t necessarily a good thing. Ice upon ice¡ªif the body can''t handle it, it will only be a burden and could even freeze itself to death."


    "For example, look at you now. After merging with the power of Ice Soul Gu, your body and appearance have changed drastically. This is a sign that your body is struggling to adapt. If you use it too frequently, your body will eventually copse."


    "Byparison, someone with a Fire Spirit Body would make a better vessel for the Ice Soul Gu. They may not be able to fully unleash its power, but at least their body would remain stable."


    "Therefore, to perfectly wield the Ice Soul Gu, the ideal host would possess both Ice and Fire attributes. That way, they could fully integrate with the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power while also having the means to suppress it."


    "But possessing both Ice and Fire attributes is incredibly rare. Just like you¡ªyou¡¯ll have to form a contract with the Dragonblood Carp in the future to gain fire-rted abilities."


    "However, Twin Physique cultivators are an exception. Since the two share a mind and power, they could potentially be cultivators who simultaneously wield both Ice and Fire abilities. Most cultivators can only practice a single technique, but Twin Physique cultivators, thanks to their shared power, can cultivate two techniques at once."


    "You can have one of them train in a powerful Ice-based technique, and the other in a powerful Fire-based technique. Then, you imnt the Ice Soul Sub-Gu into them. That way, they will be your sharpest des¡ªthe rare few who can fully unleash the power of the Ice Soul Sub-Gu!"


    "Of course, this is just one way to utilize the Twin Physique," Divine Pine chuckled. "As the vessels nurture the Sub-Gu to greater strength, the mother Gu, much like Beast Taming Sect cultivators, will receive power feedback from the Sub-Gu and grow even stronger!"@@novelbin@@


    "Not a bad method to cultivate the Ice Soul Gu!"


    "I see..." Lin Jing hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.


    Even if Twin Physique cultivators were the ideal vessels for nurturing Ice Soul Sub-Gu, wasn''t this essentially forcing them onto the demonic path of Gu cultivation?


    That would be wrong.


    Unless... they agreed willingly.


    Seeing that Zhu Rui had remained silent for a long time, the Twin Physique siblings were starting to panic.


    Then, Ice Soul Gu spoke again: "Tianshui City, the Jiang n."


    "What level of cultivation family is that?"


    "A Golden Core early-stage ancestor exists within the Jiang n," the twin sister replied.


    Lin Jing nodded. "No wonder you two were targeted by the Yin Corpse Sect. A single Golden Core ancestor likely isn¡¯t enough to protect you."


    "You two have two choices. One, I send you back to your family."


    "Or two, you follow me, and I will give you power."


    The twins exchanged rmed nces. Their minds were connected, so they didn''t even need to speak or look at each other to understand each other''s thoughts.


    "He... he says he¡¯ll send us back?"


    "Don''t believe him! We''ve seen too much. There''s no way he¡¯d let us go back safely. He¡¯ll definitely kill us to silence us!"


    "He¡¯s testing us¡ªto see if we¡¯ll obey. His goal must be the same as the Yin Corpse Sect. He wants our bodies!"


    ...


    "Senior, please don¡¯t kill us! We¡¯re willing to serve at your side..." The twins pleaded desperately.


    "...Who said anything about killing you?" Lin Jing said tly. "Think carefully. If I send you home, at most, I¡¯ll make you forget a few things."


    "But following me isn''t necessarily a good thing either. However, if you obey, it won¡¯t take long for you to be the strongest cultivators in your n."


    "Senior... May we ask what we would have to do if we followed you?" The twin brother swallowed nervously.


    Lin Jing chuckled. "Nothing much. You¡¯d just serve as vessels to raise two Gu. Don¡¯t worry¡ªwith your physiques, as long as you cooperate, these Gu won¡¯t harm you. In fact, they will be your greatest partners."


    The twins'' vision darkened.


    Gu vessels?!


    "...We will follow you, Senior. We won¡¯t return home," the twin sister spoke nervously.


    Compared to falling into the hands of the Yin Corpse Sect, they found the idea of being in the Gu God Sect slightly more eptable.


    If the Yin Corpse Sect captured them, they would either be possessed or turned into corpse puppets.


    But the Gu God Sect... at worst, they would just have to deal with poisonous insects.


    "Are you certain?" Lin Jing asked.


    "We are. We wish to follow you, Senior," the twins confirmed after a brief exchange of thoughts.


    "Good. In that case, let¡¯s first go to your n. You should at least check in and reassure them before we leave the Air Domain," Lin Jing said casually.


    "...We can actually go home and check in?" The twins were stunned.


    "I told you¡ªI¡¯m a good person."


    The twins nodded frantically.


    "By the way, what techniques have you been practicing? Do they have elemental attributes?" Lin Jing asked.


    He looked at the twins¡ªthey were both at the seventh stage of Qi Refinement and around fifteen or sixteen years old. Their cultivation wasn''t too high.


    "Senior, we practice our family¡¯s ¡®Nine-Turn Pure Essence Technique.¡¯ It is a non-elemental technique that focuses on fast cultivation speed."


    "Hmm." Lin Jing nodded. "For now, stop cultivating. Prepare to abandon your current technique and start anew. The ¡®Nine-Turn Pure Essence Technique¡¯ is neither good nor bad, but it won¡¯t suit your future path."


    "I will find new techniques for you to rece it."


    But as he said this, Lin Jing fell into deep thought.


    Where could he find powerful Ice and Fire cultivation techniques?


    It seemed he¡¯d have to go searching.

 Book 2: Chapter 90: Target 6

    Vol 2 Chapter 90: Target 6


    Tianshui City, Jiang n¡ªone of the city''s three major cultivation families.


    At present, the Jiang n was in chaos. The family¡¯s greatest hope, the twin siblings, had been missing for half a month.


    "I told you long ago¡ªwe should¡¯ve found a powerful master for Qi''er and Lin''er and sent them to a great sect for training! But no, you insisted on keeping them in the n! Now look¡ªan ident has happened!"


    In the Jiang n¡¯s main hall, a middle-aged man was berating a crying woman.


    ¡°How was I supposed to know this would happen? I just wanted them to stay home longer to develop a sense of belonging to the family!¡±


    ¡°If we sent them to a sect so young, they¡¯d take another master as their closest kin. By then, would they even recognize the Jiang n? Would they still remember their parents? They¡¯d only see their sect and their master, not their own father and family.¡±


    ¡°Besides, you agreed to this at the time. Now it¡¯s suddenly all my fault?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no point arguing now. I just hope they ran off to y and lost track of time. But if they¡¯ve been targeted by the Yin Corpse Sect¡­ The family has been searching for so long. Where could they have gone?¡±The Jiang n Patriarch clenched his fists. The Jiang siblings¡¯ Twin Physique had never been publicly revealed¡ªthey had been kept hidden. But the Yin Corpse Sect was known for their secret methods of detecting special physiques. If the twins had encountered Yin Corpse Sect cultivators, then they were in serious trouble.


    "Patriarch! Patriarch! Young Master and Young Miss have returned!"


    Just as the patriarch and his wife were ovee with anxiety, a guard¡¯s urgent shout came from outside. The two of them rushed out in an instant.


    At the same time, Jiang Qi and Jiang Lin stood trembling at the gates of their family estate under Lin Jing¡¯s escort.


    They had never expected to return home after being captured by the Yin Corpse Sect.


    "Could he really be a good person¡­?"


    "Watch what you say. With his strength, he could wipe out the entire Jiang n effortlessly. Do not say anything unnecessary."


    "For the safety of our family, we must keep quiet."


    "Qi''er! Lin''er!!!"


    Just as the twins were struggling with their thoughts, their parents arrived in a sh. Their mother and father anxiously examined them.


    Both were at thete Foundation Establishment stage, which wasn¡¯t exactly weak. Lin Jing withdrew his gaze.


    "...Mother..." The twins'' eyes welled with tears.


    At this moment, the Jiang couple finally turned their attention to Lin Jing. But before they could speak, Lin Jing said:


    "They were captured by the Yin Corpse Sect. By chance, I rescued them. I brought them back today so they could reassure you of their safety. After this, I will be taking them with me to train outside."


    "What?!"


    Upon hearing that their children had indeed been taken by the Yin Corpse Sect, the couple was shocked.


    However, Lin Jing looked like a mere Qi Refinement stage young cultivator¡ªhow could they fully believe his words?


    Jiang Lin quickly spoke up, "Father, Mother, what Senior said is true! He saved my brother and me. We¡¯ve already agreed to follow him for training, so please don¡¯t worry. Senior is incredibly powerful¡ªnot even Golden Core cultivators are his match!"


    "Gol¡ª"


    The Jiang Patriarch was about to say something when Lin Jing suddenly furrowed his brows and looked in a certain direction.


    At the same time, deep within the Jiang estate, an elder meditating in seclusion suddenly found his hair covered in frost.


    His eyes snapped open in shock.


    "Qi Refinement stage? Impossible! I merely used my divine sense to probe him, yet it felt like I had plunged into an abyss of extreme cold¡ªmy consciousness was nearly frozen! This person¡¯s strength is definitely no weaker than mine!"


    <em>Buzz!</em>


    The elder instantly appeared outside.


    Seeing Lin Jing, he immediately cupped his fists and said, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist. Many thanks for rescuing my Jiang n¡¯s twins. May I ask for your esteemed name?"


    Jiang Lin looked at the elder and pondered for a moment.


    Since he had no intention of stealing away another family¡¯s disciples and he wasn¡¯t some human trafficker, he figured he might as well leave a name. That way, they would be less worried.


    He took out a jade token from the Demon-ying Bureau and said, "Demon-ying Bureau, Zhu Qing. Besides this¡­ I have another identity."


    "Jiang Lin?"


    The Jiang Patriarch suddenly froze, then looked at Jiang Lin more carefully.


    Her cultivation, her age¡ªcould it be...?


    With disbelief in his eyes, he asked, "Could it be that you are Rank 87 on the Genius Rankings¡ªJiang Lin of the Beast Taming Sect?!"


    "Oh? He knows you?"


    Lin Jing and Jiang Qi both turned toward the patriarch.


    "I do! I do! She is at the eleventh stage of Qi Refinement and, along with her contracted beast, has broken through the extreme limits of Qi Refinement! Who wouldn¡¯t recognize her in the cultivation world?"


    The Jiang n Master was astounded.


    Originally, he had doubted that Jiang Lin had truly been saved from the Yin Corpse Sect.


    But now that he knew Lin Jing¡¯s identity, he immediately understood¡ªJiang Lin <em>definitely</em> had the ability to do so.


    "In that case, I wish to take Jiang Qi and Jiang Lin with me. n Master Jiang, what do you think?"


    "This is their fortune!" The Jiang Patriarch immediately agreed.


    "I have long wished to find a great sect for them to join. For them to catch Young Master Lin¡¯s attention is a great blessing!"


    "Indeed."


    Now that they knew Lin Jing¡¯s identity, even the Jiang n¡¯s elder had no objections.


    Lin Jing gave him a terrifying feeling.


    If just one Qi Refinement cultivator could give him such pressure, there <em>must</em> be even stronger protectors behind him.


    Following such a genius could only bring benefits to Jiang n¡¯s descendants.


    The twin siblings were a bit stunned.


    They hadn¡¯t expected their parents and ancestor to send them away so quickly.


    Lin Jing smiled faintly.


    "Since that¡¯s decided, I won¡¯t stay long. I¡¯m in a hurry to leave. Now that the Jiang n knows they¡¯re safe, I¡¯ll take them with me."


    The Jiang n members were surprised by Lin Jing¡¯s urgency.


    The Jiang elder gestured to the patriarch, who immediately understood and handed over a storage bag.


    "We have yet to properly thank you for saving Jiang Qi and Jiang Lin. Please ept this token of gratitude."


    "No need."


    Lin Jing grabbed the storage bag and tossed it to Jiang Lin.


    "Consider it their training resources."


    With that, he nced at the twin siblings.


    These twin vessels were the best gift he could receive...@@novelbin@@


    With two excellent vessels for nurturing his Sub-Gu, Lin Jing was truly ready to return to the academy.


    He had been away for so long¡ªhis luxurious cave dwelling had been left empty. Who knew how many Spirit Stones had been wasted?


    Now, he needed to enter seclusion at the academy and consolidate the gains from this journey.


    He still remembered what Mr. Cao had said¡ªtwo years from now, Tianji Pavilion would invite all the top geniuses topete in the <em>Genius Rankings Battle</em>.


    The rankings would be reshuffled.


    To ensure that the Dragonblood Carp received enough <em>Hidden Dragon Fortune</em> to undergo a perfect transformation, Lin Jing had to seize this opportunity and take first ce on the Genius Rankings!


    After leaving the Jiang n, Lin Jing knocked out the twins and prepared to return to the Ancient Domain.


    Before departing, he retrieved thetest Genius Rankings and took another look.<ul><li aria-level="1">Rank 3: Yan Xiangbei, disciple of Fire Domain¡¯s Pill Refining Valley. A refining genius who once broke through the limits of Qi Refinement. He possesses the Innate Artifact Master Physique and is now at Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. Capable of wielding high-grade magic treasures beyond his level and has in a Golden Core cultivator.</li><li aria-level="1">Rank 2: Mo Qianyi, disciple of Mystic Domain¡¯s Divine Machine Manor. He possesses the Innate Exquisite Physique and once shattered the limits of Qi Refinement. Now atte Foundation Establishment, he is a mechanized arts prodigy who has used mechanical formations to destroy multiple powerful demon beasts.</li><li aria-level="1">Rank 1: Chen Zhong, disciple of Spirit Dao Sect in the Dao Domain. He has the Innate Dao Physique and extraordinaryprehension ability¡ªhe even unlocked the <em>Spell Spirit Origin</em> of the <em>Gravity Technique</em> during his Qi Refinement stage. Now at Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.</li></ul>


    Lin Jing gazed at the list.


    If he wanted to im the top spot, these three would be his biggest obstacles.

 Book 2: Chapter 91: Advancement

    Vol 2 Chapter 91: Advancement


    When the Jiang Family twins woke up from theira, Lin Jing and the others had already arrived at the Ancient Domain.


    As soon as they regained consciousness, the twins felt sore all over, as if their bones were about to fall apart.


    The Thunder Pine¡¯s flying speed was too fast, and the twins¡¯ cultivation was too low to withstand the pressure, resulting in them being overwhelmed. Knocking them out directly had actually spared them from some of the pain¡ªafter all, Senior Divine Pine wasn¡¯t about to concern itself with thefort of some random passengers.


    ¡°Senior, where are we?¡± The fact that they were still alive after waking up was already a relief for the twins.


    ¡°The Ancient Domain, Hidden Dragon City,¡± Lin Jing replied, gazing at the vast immortal city ahead.


    ¡°We¡¯ve actually arrived at the Ancient Domain?¡± Jiang Lin was utterly astonished.


    Just like how many people in Lin Jing¡¯s past life yearned to visit the capital, cultivators from other regions were naturally curious about the central domain of the Ancient Kingdom.


    ¡°Hidden Dragon City¡­ could it be the legendary city where the Academy is located?¡± Jiang Qi asked excitedly.Countless cultivators yearned to enter the highest academy of the Ancient Kingdom¡ªit was even more prestigious than joining a top-tier sect.


    ¡°Looks like you know quite a bit. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a student of this Academy,¡± Lin Jing said. ¡°For the next few years¡ªmaybe even ten or several decades¡ªyou two will be cultivating here.¡±


    ¡°If you do well in your cultivation, I might even arrange for you to enter the Academy as well!¡±


    Gaining admission to Hidden Dragon Academy only required a rmendation from a Nascent Soul cultivator and passing an assessment. With Lin Jing¡¯s current status, securing a rmendation was no trouble at all.


    ¡°We¡­ we could enter Hidden Dragon Academy too?¡±


    At that moment, the Jiang twins suddenly started to believe that Lin Jing might not be a bad person after all.


    After all, how could someone with ties to such a sacred ce as Hidden Dragon Academy possibly be a demonic cultivator?@@novelbin@@


    Even though Lin Jing practiced blood-path demonic arts, raised Gu worms, and likely intended to use them as hosts for his parasites, perhaps there was some misunderstanding in all of this!


    The twins exchanged a nce, feeling that their situation might not be as dire as they had initially thought.


    ¡°Here, take these.¡±


    In the next instant, Lin Jing¡¯s hands surged with icy energy, forming two tiny spiders, each norger than a fingernail.


    Swoosh!


    Before the Jiang twins could react, the little spiders shot into their mouths and slid down their throats into their bodies.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    The twins immediately clutched their throats, bending over and retching violently.


    ¡°These are the Gu worms that will soon reside inside you. They¡¯re currently in a dormant state and won¡¯t cause you any harm for now,¡± Lin Jing exined calmly.


    ¡°For now, find a ce to settle down in Hidden Dragon City. Once I find suitable cultivation techniques for you, I¡¯lle back.¡±


    ¡°When that timees, after cultivating the new techniques, you¡¯ll be able to harness the power of the Gu worms. Your strength will undergo aplete transformation.¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s expression remainedposed. These two Ice Soul Lesser Gu were carefully nurtured by the Ice Soul Gu over a long period. They had the potential to ascend to the Gu King bloodline. As long as the twins used them well, they had a real chance of reaching the Nascent Soul stage in the future.


    After speaking, he transformed into a streak of light and disappeared, leaving the Jiang twins drenched in cold sweat.


    At this point, whether Lin Jing was a good person or not no longer mattered¡ªnow that the Gu worms were inside them, they had no choice but to obey.


    Hidden Dragon Academy


    Before Qing Emperor returned, Lin Jing immediately retreated to his own cave dwelling.


    Returning to his alchemy site and his personal vegetable garden, both the Dragonblood Carp and Pine Leaf Mouse felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.


    By now, the Dragonblood Carp had fully grasped the advantages of mastering a skill. If it hadn¡¯t learned alchemy, there was no way it could have defeated the Ice Soul Gu, which was an entire minor realm above it.


    Now that the Ice Soul Gu had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, the Dragonblood Carp was eager to establish its own Foundation andplete its dragon transformation. It also wanted to refine even stronger pills¡ªones it could use against the Ice Soul Gu in the future.


    ¡°Senior, could I trouble you to help mature the Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi, the Nine-Life Exquisite Grass, and the Cloud-Hidden Orchid?¡± Lin Jing asked within his cave.


    These three supreme-grade spiritual nt seeds were obtained from the Beast Taming Sect.


    Among the seven spiritual seeds, the Divine Pine had taken four, while Lin Jing kept three. The Divine Pine had already matured its four seeds and refined them into Avatars to deal with the Void Mystical Ancestor of the Yin Corpse Sect.


    Lin Jing¡¯s three seeds, however, remained in their undeveloped form. While the Pine Leaf Mouse could mature spiritual nts, its current Foundation Establishment stage cultivation meant it would take an incredibly long time to do so.


    ¡°I carried you on my back, protected you, exhausted my strength maturing four spiritual seeds, and even used them to forge Avatars to fight your enemies. Do you take me for a workhorse?¡± the Divine Pine grumbled.


    Lin Jing forced a smile. He knew Senior Divine Pine had helped him immensely this time. Originally, those four supreme-grade spiritual seeds were meant to be refined into top-tier Avatars, but instead, they had been sacrificed in battle.


    And in the end¡­ it was Lin Jing who reaped the rewards from the Demon-ying Bureau.


    ¡°Then please rest, Senior. These three seeds aren¡¯t urgent¡ªI¡¯ll have the Pine Leaf Mouse handle them,¡± Lin Jing decided. He resolved not to rely too much on the Divine Pine from now on.


    ¡°That¡¯s the right mindset,¡± the Divine Pine remarked. ¡°Maturing spiritual nts is also a form of training. Let it handle it.¡±


    ¡°When it was still at the Qi Refinement stage, it had already reached minor sess in the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, allowing it to surpass ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators in wood-element mastery. Now that it has reached Foundation Establishment, a minor sess in the Longevity Art is no longer sufficient. You should find a way to help it achieve major sess.¡±


    ¡°With major sess,bined with its bloodline, it will possess the wood-element mastery of a Core Formation spirit creature. Whether inbat or in maturing spiritual nts, it will be invaluable.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Jing nodded. Improving the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art was actually quite simple¡ªit just required absorbing the life essence of nts.


    However, with its current cultivation, ordinary nts¡ªeven first or second-rank spiritual nts¡ªwere no longer sufficient to help the Pine Leaf Mouse progress.


    Previously, they had used abination of the second-rank Malignant nt, the Bloodsucking Vine, along with Longevity Blood to rapidly cultivate arge number of high-quality Malignant nts, which allowed the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Longevity Art to reach minor sess.


    Now, if they wanted to push it to major sess, relying on the Bloodsucking Vine alone would no longer be enough.


    They needed a vast quantity of higher-grade spiritual nts and Malignant nts¡ªquantity first, then quality!


    Lin Jing sneaked a nce at Senior Divine Pine. Of course, the fastest method would be to have the Pine Leaf Mouse absorb Divine Pine itself¡­ but he wouldn¡¯t dare suggest that.


    ¡°Two years¡­ I wonder if that¡¯s enough to push the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Longevity Art to major sess.¡±


    ¡°The top contenders on the Genius Rankings are all capable of ying Core Formation cultivators¡ªI can¡¯t afford to be careless. I must ensure the Longevity Art reaches major sess!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also time for the ¡®Dragon Pce Organization¡¯ to give back.¡±


    Instead of outright purchasingrge quantities of high-grade spiritual nts, Lin Jing had a better method¡ªhis own Dragon Pce Organization!


    The members of the Dragon Pce Organization came from various cultivation sects and families, each with their own supply of spiritual resources. Having them procure the nts would save him a tremendous amount of effort.


    In return, they needed arge supply of Rising Dragon Pills to nurture their dragon pets. Lin Jing could simply use those pills as a form of trade.


    With this monopolized barter system, he could acquire what he needed at a much better rate than buying everything himself.

 Book 2: Chapter 92: Decision

    Vol 2 Chapter 92: Decision


    That very day, Lin Jing sent a message to Xu Zhizhi, summoning the Dragon Pce¡¯s strategist.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back,¡± Xu Zhizhi remarked. ¡°You missed a ss!¡±


    ¡°No big deal,¡± Lin Jing replied. The gains from this trip were far more valuable than attending a couple of Academy lectures.


    News from the Great Wastnd didn¡¯t spread easily to the Ancient Domain, so Xu Zhizhi simply assumed Lin Jing had gone back to visit his hometown. He had no idea that Lin Jing had be the Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect, secured numerous resources, and, more importantly, ventured out with the sole purpose of helping the Ice Soul Gu reach Foundation Establishment.


    After this trip, Lin Jing¡¯s strength had reached an entirely new level. Before the Ice Soul Gu had established its Foundation, he and the Pine Leaf Mouse were already formidable opponents for anyone below the Core Formation stage. But now, even an ordinary Core Formation cultivator wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to handle.


    ¡°Nothing major happened while I was away, right?¡± Lin Jing asked. It would be absurd if the Dragon Pce copsed the moment he left, following in the footsteps of the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s downfall.


    ¡°No issues at all. Ever since you ranked on the Genius Rankings, more and more people have been joining the Dragon Pce, and no one dares to cause us trouble,¡± Xu Zhizhi said with a grin, fanning himself. ¡°The freshman admissions areing up soon¡ªI¡¯m nning to make a grand entrance!¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Lin Jing nodded and continued, ¡°Xu, I need you to handle something for me. I require arge amount of high-grade wood-element materials¡ªthird rank or higher, with strong life energy. Announce to the Dragon Pce members that they can exchange these materials for Rising Dragon Pills.¡±¡°In addition, I need a fire-attribute cultivation technique and an ice-attribute cultivation technique¡ªboth must be high-quality, at least capable of supporting cultivation up to the Nascent Soul stage. I¡¯ll also use Rising Dragon Pills for trade.¡±


    ¡°As for the exchange rates, we¡¯ll determine them based on the quality of the spiritual nts and cultivation techniques,¡± Lin Jing concluded.@@novelbin@@


    The Rising Dragon Pills¡ªcreated through years of synthesis and mutation of spirit nts by Lin Jing, the Dragonblood Carp, and the Pine Leaf Mouse¡ªhad be his most valuable trading currency.


    Xu Zhizhi pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°Getting the spiritual nts won¡¯t be a problem, but high-level cultivation techniques¡­ Cultivation techniques capable of supporting cultivation to the Nascent Soul stage are important inheritances for sects. I doubt many students here have the authority to trade them.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded in understanding. A Nascent Soul-level cultivation technique was indeed quite valuable. Even the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art that Divine Pine had imparted to the Pine Leaf Mouse only reached the Nascent Soul level when cultivated to perfection.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t due to ack of potential in the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art¡ªit was simply a technique designed specifically for nt-type creatures, not for beasts. The version Divine Pine had given to the Pine Leaf Mouse was an adapted version, allowing it to cultivate but at a cost¡ªthe technique¡¯s upper limit was significantly lowered.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s worth a try. Some sects have deep foundations and may have umted various techniques beyond their own lineage,¡± Lin Jing said with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m sure some people would rather put their ¡®useless¡¯ techniques to good use. After all, a Nascent Soul-level technique alone doesn¡¯t guarantee a Nascent Soul breakthrough¡ªbut a king-tier bloodline dragon pet has a very high chance of evolving into a powerful Demonic General.¡±


    Soon after, Xu Zhizhi left to distribute the sect-wide mission on Lin Jing¡¯s behalf.


    With that settled, Lin Jing set the Dragonblood Carp to work refining Rising Dragon Pills, while the Pine Leaf Mouse focused on gathering special ingredients for the pill refinement process.


    For the Dragonblood Carp, the next two years wouldn¡¯t involve anybat training¡ªjust pure alchemy.


    The more pills it refined, the more spirit nts the Pine Leaf Mouse could obtain, which would, in turn, allow it to advance the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art to greater mastery.


    If the Pine Leaf Mouse could achieve this breakthrough, Lin Jing would have a much greater chance of securing first ce on the Genius Rankings. That, in turn, would grant him enough Hidden Dragon Fortune to help the Dragonblood Carp perfect its dragon transformation.


    If the Dragonblood Carp wanted to catch up to the emperor-tier bloodline of the Ice Soul Gu, then using a vast amount of Hidden Dragon Fortune to trigger its evolution was absolutely crucial.


    In the end, everything the Dragonblood Carp was working for¡­ was for its own benefit.


    After Lin Jing exined this, the Dragonblood Carp could only lower its head and grind away at refining pills.


    As for the Genius Rankings Battle, Lin Jing had no intention of letting the Dragonblood Carp participate.


    Even though it had reached the extreme stage of Qi Refinement, it still wasn¡¯tparable to the true geniuses of the rankings as long as it hadn¡¯t fully transformed into a dragon.


    Thus, the true main forces of the Genius Rankings Battle would be Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    And if things got too dangerous¡­


    If even Lin Jing himself struggled to handle an opponent, then there was no way he could afford to expose the Ice Soul Gu!


    Of course, while revealing the Ice Soul Gu might put Lin Jing in a precarious situation, looking at it from another perspective¡ªthe Ice Soul Gu was one of the legendary Ten Rare Gu. Publicly disying it would bring significant fame to Lin Jing.


    Aside from helping the Pine Leaf Mouse evolve, there weren¡¯t many areas where Lin Jing himself actually needed Hidden Dragon Fortune. As someone with the Longevity Body, his cultivation speed was already absurdly fast¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to rely on fortune to improve hisprehension.


    However, the newly acquired Heavenly Demon Physique technique was an exception.


    This technique was incredibly difficult to cultivate. Many experts estimated that fully mastering it at the Nascent Soul stage would require a massive amount of fortune energy.


    That meant securing first ce on the Genius Rankings was non-negotiable.


    Considering all this¡­ Lin Jing found himself somewhat willing to expose the Ice Soul Gu, depending on the circumstances.


    Of course, the reason he wasn¡¯t too concerned about potential risks was simple¡ªafter the Genius Rankings Battle, he would retreat into seclusion in Hidden Dragon City for decades, making full use of his cave dwelling¡¯s duration.


    As long as he stayed within the Hidden Dragon Academy, his safety would be almost guaranteed.


    ¡°Besides advancing the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, my next priority will be breeding more mosquito beasts.¡±


    Lin Jing took out the Myriad Beast Circle gifted by the Myriad Beast Sect. With two Myriad Beast Circles in his possession now, he could incubate and control even more mosquito beasts.


    These mosquito beasts weren¡¯t just food for the Dragonblood Carp¡ªthey would also serve as the sacrificial energy sources for his mosquito-powered mecha.


    In theing weeks, Lin Jing nned to further refine his mosquito-powered mechanical constructs, strengthening his arsenal ofbat techniques.


    While controlling the mosquito swarm directly was already powerful, their individual strength was too dispersed. A more focused method of harnessing their power would allow him to create a wlessbat system.


    ¡°However¡­ all of this is just external power.¡±


    ¡°The most important thing is¡­ my own cultivation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m currently at the peak of Qi Refinement Twelfth Stage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just one step away from Qi Refinement Thirteenth Stage, a realmparable to the Ancient Kingdom¡¯s strongest bloodline geniuses.¡±


    ¡°But this final step is proving incredibly difficult.¡±


    ¡°At this point, unless I obtain immortal-grade resources, I won¡¯t be able to advance further in the Qi Refinement stage.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t progress through ordinary cultivation anymore.¡±


    ¡°And relying on pet feedback is no longer an option.¡±


    ¡°Since I¡¯m still at Qi Refinement, my contracted beasts¡ªthe Pine Leaf Mouse and the Ice Soul Gu¡ªare limited to early Foundation Establishment due to the constraints of the Beast Taming Contract. Unless I break through first, they won¡¯t be able to advance further.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ should I wait for an opportunity to push for Qi Refinement Thirteenth Stage?


    Or should I break through to Foundation Establishment immediately?¡±


    ¡°If I break through, I can finally learn the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s true inheritance techniques¡ªmy strength will skyrocket, and the Pine Leaf Mouse and Ice Soul Gu will also have a high chance of advancing to mid orte Foundation Establishment. Winning first ce on the Genius Rankings would be nearly guaranteed.¡±


    ¡°But if I remain in the Qi Refinement stage, my power will be limited¡­ yet there¡¯s a major advantage.¡±


    ¡°If I manage to take first ce while still in Qi Refinement, my fame will skyrocket, granting me even greater fortune.¡±


    Lin Jing fell into deep thought.


    Should he challenge the Genius Rankings as a Qi Refinement cultivator, proving himself against all odds?


    Or should he establish his Foundation now¡ªand crush his opponents effortlessly?

 Book 2: Chapter 94: The Starry Cosmos Turtle

    Vol 2 Chapter 94: The Starry Cosmos Turtle


    The Jiang twins never expected that Lin Jing would have them join the <em>Demon-ying Bureau</em> as Gu Masters!


    And Gao Sheng never expected that instead of teaming up with him, Lin Jing would toss him two Gu cultivator rookies.


    He wasn¡¯t a babysitter!


    "Brother Gao, their situation is rather special," Lin Jing transmitted his voice directly to Gao Sheng and briefly exined what had happened in the <em>Air Domain</em>.


    Hearing this, Gao Sheng¡¯s face darkened, and rage red in his heart.


    Although he had been a yboy in his youth, he took great pride in being from a family of demon yers and considered the <em>Demon-ying Bureau</em> his home.


    Now that he knew the Bureau had such corrupt elements within it, he was furious.


    Forcing a smile, he looked at the Jiang twins and said, "I never imagined you two went through such an ordeal. On behalf of the <em>Demon-ying Bureau</em>, I apologize. The fact that such scum exist within the Bureau is a disgrace to my grandfather¡¯s leadership. When I return, I will make sure to have a word with him!"Jiang Qi & Jiang Lin: ???


    Lin Jing nearly choked on his own breath.


    "Anyway, don¡¯t worry! I promise you, most of us in the Bureau are dedicated to eradicating evil. From now on, follow my lead! Whether it''s corrupt officials within the Bureau or demonic sects outside, we will cleanse them all together!"


    Gao Sheng put his arms around the twins, as if afraid they¡¯d misunderstand the Bureau.


    Lin Jing smirked slightly.


    Though Gao Sheng was unreliable in many ways, his background ensured that the Jiang twins would be well taken care of.


    Being by his side would provide both protection and legitimacy for their identities as Gu cultivators.


    And knowing Gao Sheng¡¯s enthusiastic nature, he certainly wouldn¡¯t mistreat them.


    "We¡¯ll do as you say, Senior," the twins responded, still unsure of the situation butpletely trusting Lin Jing¡¯s arrangements.


    After handing them the cultivation techniques, Lin Jing and Gao Sheng left.


    Once they were away, Gao Sheng returned to his "serious" demeanor andined,


    "Brother Lin, you tricked me! You said you were just visiting the <em>Great Wastnd</em>."


    "Not to mention running into the <em>Nascent Soul Elder of the Yin Corpse Sect</em>¡­."


    "And I¡¯ve never even met my grandfather¡¯s sworn brother, but <em>you</em> actually met him!"


    "Oh, right, what rank of Demon-yer did he give you?"


    Lin Jing took out his <em>Demon-ying Bureau</em> medallion.


    Six demonic heads were engraved on it.


    It was an eerie design¡ªalmost resembling a demonic sect¡¯s relic rather than an official Bureau token.


    "Sixth Rank."


    Gao Sheng¡¯s eyes went green with envy.


    A <em>Sixth-Rank Demon-yer</em>!


    Most <em>Demon-ying Bureau</em> branch leaders at the Golden Core Stage were only at the Seventh Rank.


    With this medallion, Lin Jing could directlymand certain lower-ranked squads in the Bureau.


    Gao Sheng also had simr authority, but only because of his grandfather¡ªhe hadn¡¯t actually earned it himself.


    "It¡¯s a pity that the Bureau¡¯s ranking system isn¡¯t connected to the <em>Imperial Cultivation Official System</em>. Otherwise, you could use this rank to train in the <em>Hidden Dragon Secret Arts</em>," Lin Jing remarked, putting the medallion away.


    "Even so, it¡¯s already impressive!"


    "Next time you visit your family, make sure to take me along. From now on, the <em>Beast Taming Sect</em> is my home too!"


    "Damn, missing out on meeting the <em>Nascent Soul Demon Cultivator</em> still stings!" Gao Sheng sighed.@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing rolled his eyes. "You <em>wanted</em> to meet an old monster from the <em>Yin Corpse Sect</em>?"


    "If it weren¡¯t for that <em>Tianji Pavilion</em> disciple warning me, and if Divine Pine¡¯s descendants hadn¡¯t prepared for the encounter, we¡¯d all be dead."


    "Speaking of which, Bai Yuran is pretty impressive. Did she go back to <em>Tianji Pavilion</em>?"


    "If she wants to follow you, just let her. A squad with a <em>Tianji Pavilion</em> disciple, you, and me? We¡¯d be <em>demon-hunting legends</em>!" Gao Sheng practically drooled at the thought.


    Lin Jing remained silent for a moment before saying, "We¡¯ll see. The <em>Genius Rankings Battle</em> is in two years¡ªwe¡¯ll probably meet again then."


    "In that case, I¡¯ll join you!" Gao Sheng dered.


    "Do as you like. But the twins are your responsibility now. Once they reach Foundation Establishment, theirbat strength¡ªenhanced by the <em>Ice Soul Sub-Gu</em>¡ªwill be formidable. You won¡¯t find better squadmates elsewhere."


    "Of course, no problem! But taking two <em>Gu cultivators</em> into a demon-hunting squad still feels a bit <em>off</em>."


    "What¡¯s so strange about it? Honestly, the <em>Beast Taming Sect</em> was unjustly suppressed," Lin Jing said, his tone indifferent.


    "Think about it¡ª<em>Demonic Fortune</em> outweighing <em>Human Fortune</em> is such a big deal? <em>Demon-ying Bureau</em> high-rankers have all practiced <em>demonic arts</em>, haven¡¯t they?"


    Over the years, the Bureau had destroyed countless demonic sects and confiscated countless dark cultivation techniques.


    Some of these, like the <em>Heavenly Demon Physique</em>, were undoubtedly studied and cultivated by Bureau leaders.


    As long as the techniques didn¡¯t harm the empire¡¯s fate or break fundamentalws, there was no reason to destroy them outright.


    Gao Sheng coughed awkwardly.


    "That¡¯s why power is such a great thing! Why do you think my father named me <em>Gao Sheng</em>?" (<em>"Soaring High"</em>)


    "And why do you think my father chased after my mother for 520 years, married into her family, and even changed his surname?"


    With the twins settled, Lin Jing focused on his closed-door training.


    He had decided to participate in the uing <em>Genius Rankings Battle</em> while still at the Qi Refinement Stage.


    If, after the battle, he still hadn¡¯t found an opportunity to break into the Thirteenth Level of Qi Refinement, he would simply establish his Foundation at the Twelfth Level instead.


    During this time, although he couldn¡¯t train in the <em>Beast Taming Sect¡¯s</em> heritage techniques, he focused on perfecting:<ul><li aria-level="1"><em>Thousand Transformations</em> (his self-created technique)</li><li aria-level="1"><em>Buddha-Demon Pearl</em></li><li aria-level="1"><em>Diamond Fist</em> (both Buddhist techniques, rtively easy to master)</li></ul>


    As for the <em>Heavenly Demon Physique</em>, he would continue cultivating it, but he wasn¡¯t confident about mastering it within two years.


    As the seasons passed, <em>Dragon Pce</em> thrived.


    Thanks to its influence, a steady flow of rare spiritual nts was being sent to <em>Pine Leaf Mouse</em>.


    At the same time, <em>Rising Dragon Pills</em> were constantly being distributed among <em>Dragon Pce</em> geniuses.


    Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art improved rapidly.


    Meanwhile, <em>Dragon Pce</em> members who were raising dragon pets also advanced at an astonishing rate.


    Some were even willing to sacrifice their <em>Hidden Dragon Fortune</em> and pour resources into their dragon pets¡ªresulting in bloodline enhancements that neared King-tier.


    At some point, <em>Dragon Pce</em> had be a major power within <em>Hidden Dragon Academy</em>.


    With Xu Zhizhi¡¯s efforts, many new students eagerly joined the faction, all wanting their own dragon pets.


    Lin Jing, the faction¡¯s founder, hadn¡¯t even needed to show up in person.


    The bigger <em>Dragon Pce</em> grew, the more geniuses it attracted.


    And the more resources it acquired, the faster Lin Jing advanced.


    Menial tasks?


    He just delegated them to <em>Dragon Pce</em> members through "sect missions."


    Finally.


    As Lin Jing approached his thirtieth birthday, <em>Tianji Pavilion</em> sent word.


    He had received an invitation.


    These invitations weren¡¯t just sent to geniuses already ranked on the <em>Genius Rankings</em>.


    They were also sent to those whom <em>Tianji Pavilion</em> deemed <em>worthy</em>¡ªtalents who had never sought fame but possessed immense potential.


    Some of these cultivators had been in seclusion for years or even decades.


    Many weren¡¯t interested in reputation.


    But even so, <em>Tianji Pavilion</em> had prepared massive incentives to lure them out.


    They were determined to make the next <em>Genius Rankings Battle</em> a spectacle.


    "First ce on the <em>Genius Rankings</em> will receive a blessing from <em>Tianji Pavilion¡¯s</em> sacred beast¡ªthe Starry Cosmos Turtle?"


    "The Starry Cosmos Turtle¡­ a legendary beast with awakened Cosmos Dao abilities¡­ one of <em>Tianji Pavilion¡¯s</em> strongest hidden assets!"

 Book 2: Chapter 97: The Power of the Future

    Vol 2 Chapter 97: The Power of the Future@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Tianji Pavilion has arranged amodations for all of you. There¡¯s still time before the Genius Rankings Battle begins, so make sure to get some proper rest.¡±


    Mr. Cao didn¡¯t press for details.


    The demonic aura surrounding the group was slowly dissipating, and frankly, it was best not to pry into other people¡¯s affairs.


    Upon reaching Tianji City, Lin Jing left the exhausted students behind and headed straight for Tianji Pavilion.


    With the uing Genius Rankings Battle, Tianji Pavilion was bustling with visitors. Cultivators from all over crowded the entrance, seeking divine guidance, while dozens of guards maintained strict security over the pavilion.


    ¡°Please! Just let one of the Pavilion Masters read my fortune! My Daopanion has been missing for three years¡ªI need to know where she is!¡±


    A disheveled Foundation Establishment cultivator pleaded desperately at the gates.


    ¡°Move along,¡± a guard barked, shoving him away without hesitation.A passing cultivator pped the man on the shoulder.


    ¡°Your wife ran off with another man. Give it up¡ªTianji Pavilion doesn¡¯t deal with petty issues like this.¡±


    ¡°Your wife ran off! Not mine!¡±


    The desperate cultivator and the nosy passerby immediately started brawling, only to be arrested by the city guards momentster.


    Lin Jing shook his head.


    The vast majority of visitors to Tianji Pavilion came seeking divination, including Nascent Soul and even Soul Transformation cultivators.


    As Lin Jing approached the pavilion¡¯s entrance, a guard stepped forward to block his path.


    ¡°I am Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect,¡± he stated. ¡°I am a close friend of Bai Yuran, a 27th-generation disciple of Tianji Pavilion. She invited me here.¡±


    The guard studied Lin Jing for a moment, then seemed tomunicate telepathically with someone inside the pavilion.


    After a brief pause, he nodded.


    ¡°You may enter.¡±


    Lin Jing cupped his fists.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Inside, Tianji Pavilion resembled a vast starry sky, with murals of constetions covering its walls.


    ¡°Holy Son, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    A voice, soft yet ethereal.


    Lin Jing looked up.


    A white-robed maiden, as if descending from the cosmos itself, appeared before him.


    Bai Yuran smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to ept my proposal, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Lin Jing met her gaze seriously.


    ¡°Actually, I came to thank you for that divination.¡±


    ¡°Without it, I might have¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, cut the act.¡±


    Bai Yuran rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You obviously came because you need something from me again.¡±


    Lin Jing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Bai Yuran smirked.


    ¡°Let me guess. You want to know what the Starry Cosmos Turtle¡¯s blessing actually does. That¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡±


    Lin Jing was genuinely surprised.


    ¡°As expected from a Tianji Pavilion disciple!¡± he said in admiration.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªI do want to know. But I really dide to thank you as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­And I brought a gift.¡±


    Bai Yuran chuckled.


    ¡°Come with me. This isn¡¯t the ce to talk.¡±


    Tianji Pavilion ¨C Cloudwatching Pavilion


    A serene balcony high above the clouds.


    Lin Jing and Bai Yuran sat facing each other.


    Bai Yuran spoke first.


    ¡°The Starry Cosmos Turtle¡¯s blessing isn¡¯t just one blessing¡ªyou can actually choose from several.¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s rted to the Dao of Space-Time, it can bestow almost any type of blessing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also quite adept at blessings beyond that.¡±


    ¡°As I expected.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded.


    ¡°It matches what I predicted.¡±


    ¡°You came straight to me the moment you arrived in Tianji City, asking about the final reward for the Genius Rankings Battle¡ªwhich means you must be determined to win first ce.¡±


    ¡°If you do win, you could ask the Starry Cosmos Turtle to shroud you from fate itself.¡±


    ¡°If it does that, even someone at the Soul Transformation Stage would be unable to track you down unless you deliberately revealed yourself.¡±


    ¡°For a creature like the Starry Cosmos Turtle, that¡¯s practically effortless.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Lin Jing agreed.


    Still, his greatest concern remained: his Longevity Body.


    His life force was far too overwhelming, making him as conspicuous as a zing sun in the dead of night.


    Even if he cultivated a technique to mask his presence, he wasn¡¯t sure if it would be strong enough once his cultivation advanced further.


    At that point, he wouldn¡¯t even need to be tracked¡ªhis very existence would be impossible to hide.


    Bai Yuran grinned knowingly.


    ¡°¡­Aside from that.¡±


    She smirked.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t broken through to Foundation Establishment yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re trying to reach multiple levels of Extreme Stage in Qi Refinement, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°The deeper your Qi Refinement foundation, the stronger your Foundation Establishment breakthrough.¡±


    ¡°And when cultivators like you¡ªwho possess special physiques¡ªbreak through, those physiques will experience major enhancements.¡±


    Lin Jing nodded.


    This was simr to beasts reaching Foundation Establishment, which was the optimal moment for bloodline evolution.


    For human cultivators, Foundation Establishment was one of the most crucial breakthroughs in their cultivation journey.


    Even Nascent Soul or Soul Transformation wouldn¡¯t bring as drastic an improvement to their physique as Foundation Establishment.


    Cultivators ssified physique development into three stages: Minor Achievement, Major Achievement, and Perfection.


    His Longevity Body, Beast Taming Physique, and Ice Soul Physique¡ªnone of them had even reached Minor Achievement yet.


    Improving these physiques required vast resources¡ªfor example, strengthening the Ice Soul Physique demanded arge amount of ice-attribute spiritual materials.


    However, Foundation Establishment provided a one-time boost to all physiques.


    If he could umte enough foundation before breaking through, he could save years'' worth of resources, allowing him to focus entirely on cultivating techniques and spells instead.


    Bai Yuran leaned forward.


    ¡°I have a solution.¡±


    Lin Jing raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I already told you¡ªthe Starry Cosmos Turtle can bestow any blessing rted to Space-Time Dao.¡±


    ¡°One of them is the ability to borrow power from the future.¡±


    ¡°The Power of the Future?!¡±


    Bai Yuran nodded.


    ¡°For example¡ªwhen you reach Core Formation, your Golden Core will automatically develop a divine ability based on your true energy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an ability you would normally only acquire in the future.¡±


    Lin Jing understood immediately.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that the Starry Cosmos Turtle can let me ess that divine ability early¡ªeven while I¡¯m still in Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Of course, since you don¡¯t have a Golden Core yet, you wouldn¡¯t have the mana needed to use the ability.¡±


    ¡°But if you can find a way to generate that power, you could unleash a Core Formation divine ability while still in Foundation Establishment.¡±


    ¡°This is what it means to borrow power from the future.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s one catch,¡± Bai Yuran warned.


    ¡°This only lets you ess your predetermined Core Formation divine ability early¡ªit does not give you an extra divine abilityter.¡±


    ¡°So when you actually reach Core Formation, you won¡¯t gain a new ability.¡±


    Lin Jing processed this carefully.


    ¡°Got it. You¡¯re saying that if I cultivate the Beast Taming Art, I¡¯ll normally gain one drop of Contract Blood upon reaching Foundation Establishment.¡±


    ¡°But by using the Starry Cosmos Turtle¡¯s blessing, I could obtain that drop early, while I¡¯m still in Qi Refinement.¡±


    ¡°This means I could contract another beast right now and use its breakthrough feedback to push myself even further in Extreme Stage Qi Refinement!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 99: Blood Kill Tower

    Vol 2 Chapter 99: Blood Kill Tower


    "Lin Jing, huh?"


    At the Genius Rankings Battle, thanks to the relentless promotions by the <em>Dragon Pce¡¯s External PR Agents</em> (hired by Xu Zhizhi), even the top-ranked geniuses were now familiar with Lin Jing¡¯s name.


    Xu Zhizhi had spent a fortune on this¡ªthough he didn¡¯t pay for extra publicity, he had given each promoter a highly valuable entry ticket to the battle.


    "Interesting. I hadn¡¯t noticed him before, but now that I¡¯ve taken a closer look, this <em>Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect</em> really isn¡¯t simple. Should I quickly refine a treasure specifically to counter beast tamers?"


    Among the audience, an orange-haired man grinned. He was Yan Xiangbei, the third-ranked genius on the <em>Human List</em>, from <em>Burning Immortal Valley</em> of the Fire Domain.


    Although Lin Jing was already ranked on the Genius Rankings, he was only in the low twenties. That wasn¡¯t enough to draw serious attention from the top contenders.


    But after the rankings were updated again, Lin Jing''s position was now 25th ce.


    Lin Jing, disciple of the Beast Taming Sect from the Great Wastnd Domain, Qi Refinement 11th Stage.Broke the extreme limit of Qi Refinement alongside his pet beast. Possesses a Foundation Establishment pet beast. Easily defeated two Core Disciples from the Myriad Beast Sect of Qingzhou, both at the Peak of Foundation Establishment!


    Even though <em>Tianji Pavilion</em> had deliberately concealed details about Lin Jing¡¯s <em>Longevity Body</em> and <em>Blood Path Techniques</em> to protect him, his record alone was already quite shocking.


    "Qi Refinement 11th Stage¡­ making the rankings at Qi Refinement level..."


    On a floating stone tform, a young man in a ck-and-white Daoist robe spoke slowly.


    Because Lin Jing had not publicly demonstrated his breakthrough to Qi Refinement 12th Stage, the rankings were still slightly outdated.


    "The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s techniques rely on pet beasts providing cultivation feedback. That might be how he reached Qi Refinement 11th Stage."


    "Normally, a cultivator at Qi Refinement 10th Stage already hasbat power equivalent to early Foundation Establishment. Qi Refinement 11th Stage would be on par with mid-Foundation Establishment."


    "This Lin Jing has reached Qi Refinement 11th Stage himself, plus he has a Foundation Establishment pet beast. Ranking in the twenties is indeed impressive. But I wonder if he has already reached Foundation Establishment?"


    "If he has, then with the foundation of Qi Refinement 11th Stage, his power would be terrifying. And if he¡¯s contracted a second pet beast by now, then he really needs to be taken seriously."


    The one speaking was Chen Zhongdao, the top-ranked genius on the Human List.


    "That said¡­ my <em>Spell Spirit Origin</em> is quite simr to a pet beast in function. I wonder if Lin Jing can force me to reveal its full power?"


    Among the top ten on the Genius Rankings, every single one of them could fight Golden Core cultivators despite being at Foundation Establishment.


    Now that they had analyzed Lin Jing¡¯s information, even the best-ranked geniuses acknowledged <em>Dragon Pce¡¯s Lin Jing</em> as a formidable opponent.


    After all, breaking into the rankings at Qi Refinement alone was impressive enough. If he had already reached Foundation Establishment, he would be an absolute nightmare to deal with.


    However, what they didn¡¯t know was¡­ Lin Jing was still at Qi Refinement Stage.


    Moreover, now that he had discovered a method to reach Qi Refinement 13th Stage, he had no ns to advance to Foundation Establishment anytime soon.


    The next few matches proceeded rtively normally. Most geniuses fought using their sect or family techniques¡ªnobody pulled a stunt like Gao Sheng.


    Until¡­


    "Match Six: Cao Yi from ck Wind Mountain."


    "Versus: Zi Linger from Dan Ding Sect."


    ck Wind Mountain was a sect located in the dangerous bordends. Its disciples specialized in wind techniques and relied on unique environments to cultivate. Because of this, they rarely left their territory.


    Cao Yi was ranked somewhere in the 90s on the Genius Rankings. He had entered this battle mainly to protect his spot from dropping out of the top 100.


    He descended onto the arena, wrapped in ck wind.


    Upon hearing that his opponent was an alchemist¡ªand that she wasn¡¯t even ranked¡ªhe immediately assumed this would be an easy win.


    However¡­


    When he saw Zi Linger step onto the stage, holding a Pill Rabbit, he fell into deep thought.


    "Wait¡­ you¡¯re not part of <em>Dragon Pce</em> too, are you?" he asked cautiously.


    He had heard the name <em>Dragon Pce</em> so many times from the audience that his ears were practically bleeding.


    "Why is everyone obsessed with that stupid student organization? Have they never seen the world before?"


    Zi Linger responded indifferently, "Now that you mention it¡­ yes, I did join."


    Cao Yi: "¡­"


    "Don¡¯t worry," Zi Linger said, smiling. "I¡¯ll go easy on you."


    The Pill Rabbit in her arms twitched, ncing at Cao Yi¡¯s beast¡ªa Dragonblood Rabbit.@@novelbin@@


    "Wait¡­ you have a King-tier bloodline beast too?" Cao Yi muttered.


    Silently, he took out a handful of pills and shoved them into his beast¡¯s mouth.


    The Pill Rabbit had been maintaining a gentle, docile appearance using its Mimicry Pill.


    But the moment it swallowed the pills, it transformed¡ªits muscles bulged, its long ears became dragon horns, and a faint red glow filled its eyes.


    Standing on its hind legs, it was actually taller than Cao Yi himself.


    Zi Linger¡¯s Pill Rabbit immediately sensed a dangerous presence. It quickly summoned two white wind formations, unleashing twin wind dragons toward the opponent.


    Unfortunately for her, Cao Yi¡¯s Dragonblood Rabbit, after consuming a ridiculous amount of power-enhancing pills, had reached a level of brute force thatpletely defiedmon sense.


    "ROAR!!!"


    With a single leap, it shredded through the wind dragons with its ws.


    It then lunged at the Pill Rabbit, which quickly raised a wind barrier for defense.


    But the Dragonblood Rabbit simply punched through the barrier, sending the Pill Rabbit and its owner flying out of the arena.


    "ROAR!!!"


    The victorious Dragonblood Rabbit then beat its chest in triumph¡ªonly to fracture its own ribs.


    Unfazed, it calmly pulled out a Bone Mending Pill, swallowed it, and continued acting like nothing had happened.


    The crowd was speechless.


    "What the hell is this? What kind of monster is that?!"


    Even the alchemists in the audience were dumbfounded.


    "Wait a second¡­ isn¡¯t <em>Dan Ding Sect</em> supposed to be famous for fire control techniques and alchemy mes? Since when did they start feeding experimental pills to their beasts and letting the beasts do the fighting?!"


    This was the second shocking match featuring a <em>Dragon Pce</em> member.


    First, Gao Sheng.


    Now, Zi Linger.


    One thing became clear¡ªthebat style of Dragon Pce members waspletely unorthodox!


    It was as if Lin Jing, the <em>Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect</em>, was corrupting geniuses from other sects, dragging them all into the Beast Taming Path!


    Yet¡­ no one could deny that both Gao Sheng¡¯s and Zi Linger¡¯s Dragonblood Beasts were terrifyingly strong.


    A thought began creeping into the minds of many cultivators¡ª


    <em>"Damn¡­ I wish I had a beast like that."</em>


    Finally, Lin Jing¡¯s match was announced.


    "Match Forty-Two: Lin Jing, Beast Taming Sect."


    "Versus: Qi Yuan, Blood Kill Tower."


    The audience erupted with excitement¡ªfinally, <em>Dragon Pce¡¯s leader</em> was about to fight!


    But then someone frowned.


    "Wait¡­ Blood Kill Tower? Isn¡¯t that an assassin organization from Qingzhou? How are they even allowed in the Genius Rankings Battle?!"


    Lin Jing nced at his opponent and chuckled.


    "So, you¡¯re here to advertise your sect too?"

 Book 2: Chapter 100: Fighting Fire with Fire

    Vol 2 Chapter 100: Fighting Fire with Fire


    "So arrogant."


    "But if it''s Blood Kill Tower¡­ they might actually have the strength to back it up."


    "My sect''s secret technique requires the Monster Core of a beast that resides in the Misty Forest. Every time we try to obtain one, we suffer heavy casualties. I wonder how much Blood Kill Tower would charge for the job..."


    Though few knew Qi Yuan, the reputation of <em>Blood Kill Tower</em> had spread even to the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, proving its fearsome renown.


    A <em>transformed Blood Kill Tower</em> facing off against the Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect?


    Many spectators were highly invested in this match.


    Lin Jing, however, simply shook his head at Qi Yuan¡¯s words.


    "You¡¯re not lucky. Instead, you should consider whether Blood Kill Tower has somehow offended Tianji Pavilion, leading you to face me so early.""The <em>Myriad Beast Sect</em> from Qingzhou once came here with the same arrogance¡­ and they were utterly crushed."


    "Tianji Pavilion¡¯s first-round matchups are randomly selected. Who you face is part of your luck¡ªand luck is a form of strength," Tian Huihua interjected, casting Lin Jing a nce. "The second round will group contestants based on their first-round performance, turning into a multibatant melee. This ensures that true talent isn¡¯t buried due to an unlucky first-round matchup."


    "In other words, this round is partly a test of fortune. If you encounter a strong opponent too soon and get eliminated without showing your true strength, you¡¯ll just have to ept it as bad luck."


    "In the second round, multiple participants will be ced in the same arena for a battle royale. Only those who oust others in chaotic battles will advance to the third round!"


    "Then let¡¯s see whose luck runs out first."


    Qi Yuan¡¯s eyes narrowed. "Summon your pet beast."


    He had already sensed that Lin Jing was still at Qi Refinement Stage¡ªhe hadn''t broken through to Foundation Establishment. However, as a Beast Tamer, Lin Jing¡¯s real strengthy in his pet beasts. The rankings had already made it clear that he had at least one Foundation Establishment beast.


    The audience noticed this too.


    Why was Lin Jing still in Qi Refinement?


    Since he had already reached the extreme limit of Qi Refinement, he could have advanced to Foundation Establishment before the tournament, making himself far stronger.


    Why enter the Genius Rankings Battle while holding back his breakthrough?


    Yet Lin Jing remained unfazed.


    "<em>I don¡¯t need a pet beast to deal with you.</em>"


    Qi Yuan¡¯s expression darkened.


    At that moment, he vanished.


    The entire arena went silent.


    Even Golden Core cultivators in the audience couldn''t track him.


    "<em>Spatial Concealment Technique!</em>"


    "This Blood Kill Tower genius has mastered spatial arts at Foundation Establishment Stage?! That¡¯s insane!"


    "Is it because of a special space-rted physique, or is hisprehension just that terrifying?"


    "No wonder Blood Kill Tower¡¯s reputation spread across Qingzhou¡­ Who can defend against space techniques?"


    The top-ranked geniuses in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom frowned at this development.


    Spatial abilities were universally troublesome.


    "Why hasn¡¯t Lin Jing summoned his pet beast yet?"


    "Against an opponent who can disappear, having an extra set of eyes is crucial!"


    "Is he really nning to fight a peak Foundation Establishment assassin while still in Qi Refinement?"


    Yan Xiangbei, the third-ranked genius from <em>Burning Immortal Valley</em>, scoffed. "Even if he''s at Qi Refinement 11th Stage, that¡¯s impossible."


    Among the audience, some students from Hidden Dragon Academy flinched, recalling a certain pine leaf mouse that had once stolen their storage bags.


    "<em>Space techniques, huh?</em><em>That¡¯s nothing new.</em>"


    Sure enough¡ª


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t even turn his head.


    Without speaking a word, he raised a single hand, summoning a storm of red flying leaves around him.


    <em>Flying Leaf Technique!</em>


    <em>SHING!</em>


    A crimson streak cut through the air.


    The spectators had just been scanning for Qi Yuan¡¯s whereabouts¡ª


    And suddenly, blood sprayed into the air.


    Qi Yuan reappeared, his arm shed open. He stared at Lin Jing in disbelief.


    "<em>He actually detected my position...?!</em>"


    Cai Sidao murmured, "Let him show his full power."


    For Lin Jing, entering this battle wasn¡¯t just about victory¡ªit was about prestige.


    A weak opponent wouldn¡¯t help him make a name for himself.


    So, if his opponents weren¡¯t strong enough¡ª


    He¡¯d simply restrain his own strength, forcing them to fight at their full potential.


    That¡¯s why, as a Beast Tamer, he refused to summon his pet.


    He was deliberately making things harder for himself¡ªto get people talking.


    d in white robes, Lin Jing stood with his hands behind his back, his aura ethereal and unshaken.


    He didn¡¯t even spare Qi Yuan a second nce.


    "<em>Full power¡­?</em>"


    "<em>Then don¡¯t die. I don¡¯t want to be disqualified.</em>"


    A murderous glint shed in Qi Yuan¡¯s blood-red eyes.


    His spatial technique had been countered¡ªbut he had far more up his sleeve.


    Blood-red energy erupted from his body, his floating crimson hair whipping in the wind.


    The sheer killing intent radiating from him formed a scarlet storm, swirling with the souls of in beasts and humans alike.


    "<em>Blood Shura Armor!</em>"


    The stormpressed, condensing into a blood-red suit of armor around his body.


    He brandished his short sword and charged at Lin Jing, the intensity of his murderous aura multiplying tenfold.


    Even Golden Core cultivators in the audience visibly paled.


    "<em>That¡¯s a secret technique that strengthens killing intent!</em>"


    "Qi Yuan¡¯s cultivation level hasn¡¯t increased, but his killing aura has undergone a qualitative transformation. Even high-level Foundation Establishment cultivators might be paralyzed by fear!"


    "Such demonic arts¡­"


    Yet¡ª


    The moment the killing intent surged toward Lin Jing¡ª


    A golden radiance blossomed around him.


    Instead of resisting the attack¡ª


    He absorbed the killing aura.


    Lin Jing¡¯s calm voice echoed through the battlefield:


    <em>"I, Lin Jing, despise demonic cultivators like you the most."</em>


    <em>"This killing aura of yours¡­ what difference is there between it and demonic techniques?"</em>


    As he spoke¡ª


    A divine Buddhist glow erupted from his body.


    Qi Yuan staggered, his expression shifting in horror.


    "Buddhist Arts?!"


    A Beast Tamer... wielding Buddhist Techniques?!


    And that wasn¡¯t all.


    The audience collectively froze as they finally sensed Lin Jing¡¯s cultivation.


    "Wait¡­ Qi Refinement 12th Stage?!"


    Qi Yuan¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Lin Jing¡¯s spiritual aura had the power ofte Foundation Establishment!


    And his Buddhist Light was utterly devouring Qi Yuan¡¯s killing aura!


    In truth, Lin Jing had long been studying Buddhism to refine his own power.@@novelbin@@


    His Buddha-Demon Pearl and Diamond Fist were natural counters to Qi Yuan¡¯s killing arts.


    Raising his hand¡ª


    Lin Jing summoned eighteen golden palm imprints into the sky.


    One by one, they rained down.


    Qi Yuan¡¯s sword shed through several, but ultimately¡ª


    He was sted dozens of meters back, his Blood Shura Armor shattered, and blood spewing from his mouth.


    Standing tall, Lin Jing pressed his palms together.


    <em>"May you walk the righteous path and cease your killings."</em>


    The crowd was stunned.


    Even Gao Sheng and Bai Yuran, who knew about Lin Jing¡¯s demonic arts, were utterly speechless.


    The most shocking thing wasn¡¯t just that Lin Jing used Buddhist Techniques¡ª


    It was that he had reached Qi Refinement 12th Stage.


    This was an unprecedented feat, save for the Ancient Imperial Princes, who had the Boundary-Breaking Bird to push them to Qi Refinement 13th Stage.


    Now, the top-ranked geniuses finally understood.


    They had underestimated Lin Jing.


    And some among the audience even began murmuring:


    <em>"A sect with such a Holy Son¡­ how could the Beast Taming Sect be called heretical?"</em>


    Meanwhile¡ª


    Gao Sheng just stood there,pletely dumbfounded.


    <em>"Wait¡­ what if he starts using his demonic techniques next? What will you guys think then?!"</em>

 Book 2: Chapter 101: Chaos Battle

    Vol 2 Chapter 101: Chaos Battle


    The young genius from Blood Kill Tower in Qingzhou had mastered the Spatial Concealment Technique, and his killing aura could shake even Core Formation cultivators. Such strength was extraordinary, even among the ancient kingdom¡¯s prodigies.


    At first, many believed Lin Jing would struggle in this fight. But to their shock, this Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect, a man with a beast¡¯s visage but a Buddha¡¯s heart, transformed into a Buddhist prodigy, disying profound mastery of Buddhist techniques.


    The Buddhist sect mainly operated in the far western deserts beyond the ancient kingdom. It boasted countless powerful figures, rivaling even the entirety of Qingzhou. If Lin Jing were truly a Buddhist prodigy, then suppressing a Blood Kill Tower cultivator would indeed be no challenge.


    Coupled with his outrageous cultivation at the twelfth stage of Qi Refinement, some even began specting:


    "Has Lin Jing abandoned the Beast Taming Sect and switched to cultivating Buddhism because of the sect''s closure?"


    "The Buddhist sect has always wanted to spread its teachings in the ancient kingdom. High monks often bestow fortunes upon fated individuals. Could Lin Jing have been chosen by an esteemed Void Mystical Stage Buddhist master? Otherwise, how else do you exin his overwhelming Buddhist aura? I¡¯ve seen monks who have formed their Buddhist Core, but none had such a powerful Buddhist presence!"


    "If a Buddhist master helped him, reaching the twelfth stage of Qi Refinement wouldn¡¯t be impossible. After all, Buddhism excels at unlocking potential. No wonder he founded Dragon Pce and shared his Beast Taming insights so freely¡ªhe''s no longer focusing on that path. Buddhism is now his true weapon!"


    As the crowd spected, Lin Jing had already left the arena.Master Tian Huihua from Tianji Pavilion, the host of the Genius Rankings Battle, gave Lin Jing a deep look, sensing that thispetition would be quite interesting.


    "To some extent, these people aren¡¯t entirely wrong," Tian Huihua thought. Thousands of years ago, a Buddhist monk had aided the Great Wastnd in subduing demons. That monk had since reached the Void Mystical Stage. If Lin Jing had received his blessing within the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, then indeed, he had some ties to a Void Mystical Stage monk.


    However, while Lin Jing had been blessed by a Buddhist master, giving him exceptional talent in Buddhist arts, his true power came from thebination of the Buddha-Demon Pearl and the Ice Soul Gu. By using himself as a vessel to nurture demons and leveraging the Ice Soul Gu, he refined his Buddhist abilities to an extreme.


    Upon returning, Gao Sheng looked at Lin Jing enviously.


    "In just two years, you''ve cultivated Diamond Palm to this level¡ªeighteen strikes in an instant, each strong enough to suppress a perfected Foundation Establishment demon. Even my Grand Enchantment Technique isn¡¯t that terrifying."


    Lin Jing smirked, "Then how about I teach you Diamond Palm, and you teach me the Grand Enchantment Technique?"


    Gao Sheng: "???"


    "You think I need you to teach me Diamond Palm? I''m notcking in techniques!"


    "But if you want to learn the Grand Enchantment Technique¡­ you could always marry into the Gao family."


    "I''m good, thanks." Lin Jing tly declined.


    For the past two years, he had been training in Buddha-Demon Pearl and Diamond Palm, constantly strengthening his body. The intense physical cultivation had significantly enhanced his physique, making his body as tough as that of a Foundation Establishment body cultivator.


    This was crucial for Lin Jing. While most physiques could endure some injuries in battle, his Longevity Body was a different case. If he bled or lost a limb inbat, it wouldn¡¯t just be a minor setback¡ªit could be a death sentence. His blood would likely attract even more enemies, turning the battle into a disaster.


    Thus, Lin Jing¡¯s philosophy was clear: build his defense as strong as possible. Body cultivation could not be neglected.


    Once he perfected Diamond Palm, he nned to start training in Buddhist Golden Body, which offered even greater defense!


    "Forget Buddhism for a second," Wang Xiao interjected, his expression shifting as he studied Lin Jing. "I want to know about the twelfth stage of Qi Refinement..."@@novelbin@@


    He couldn¡¯tprehend it. He had reached the tenth stage of Qi Refinement before Foundation Establishment, which had already allowed his Heavenly God Physique to enter its early stage.


    From his perspective, Lin Jing must have a unique physique. Otherwise, reaching the twelfth stage of Qi Refinement before Foundation Establishment was simply unfathomable. He even suspected that Lin Jing might fully mature his physique before reaching the Nascent Soul Stage!


    Lin Jing chuckled, seeing the confusion on the faces of his Dragon Pce members.


    "Just assume I was blessed by a powerful Buddhist figure."


    Now that he thought about it, many spectators indeed believed he had switched to Buddhism. It made sense¡ªhis Diamond Palm was too extraordinary. It was natural for people to misinterpret.


    "Alright, let''s focus on the matches."


    The rest of the first round of the Genius Rankings Battle went smoothly. Unfortunately, spectators were disappointed because the top ten ranked geniuses didn¡¯t go all out. Most matches were one-sided dominations.


    Not long after, the first round concluded. Standing in the sky, Tian Huihua announced:


    "Of the eighty-seven defeated contestants, all are eliminated. Tianji Pavilion will assess their performances and determine their new rankings on the updated Genius Rankings."


    "In seven days, the second round willmence. The remaining sixty-four participants will be divided into eight groups, with eight people in each group."


    "In each group, all eight contestants will enter the stage simultaneously for a chaotic battle. Thest person standing will advance to the third round."


    "Tianji Pavilion will post the groupings across Tianji City tomorrow morning. You have seven days to gather intelligence on your opponents. This is your preparation time¡ªuse it wisely."


    Tian Huihua smiled. He was eager to see how these geniuses would perform in the uing chaotic battles.


    Some well-known prodigies might even face group assaults. While unfair, that was exactly what Tianji Pavilion wanted to witness. After all, in realbat, absolute fairness didn¡¯t exist. Surviving an unfair battle required true skill.


    "A chaotic battle in the second round, huh?"


    The audience buzzed with excitement. An eight-person free-for-all meant survival depended on overall ability.


    "That guy from Blood Kill Tower is so unlucky. If he hadn¡¯t been eliminated early, his Spatial Concealment Assassination Technique would have made him perfect for this round."


    "Well, luck is part of strength. He showed what he needed to. Even though he was eliminated, his ranking on the Genius Rankings shouldn¡¯t be too low. His performance was just... embarrassing. What did hest? Seven or eight hits under the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Holy Son¡¯s Diamond Palm? Hahaha!"


    While the first round had some excitement, the audience clearly anticipated the second round far more. The grouping by Tianji Pavilion promised thrilling chaos.


    For the participants, however, the pressure was immense.


    "Let¡¯s go."


    Lin Jing turned to his Dragon Pce members. "The strongest won¡¯t necessarily advance, and the weakest won¡¯t necessarily be eliminated. When the battle starts, just have your beasts draw fire."


    "With our month of special training, they don¡¯t feel pain anyway."


    Dragon Pce members: ...


    Tianji Pavilion clearly wanted to see if any geniuses could outwit stronger opponents and survive through cunning. Sometimes, strategy was more valuable than sheer cultivation.


    "<em>Sigh... does this mean I have to start working?</em>" Xu Zhizhi sighed.


    Lin Jing nodded.


    "Yep. Come with meter¡ªthe organization has a mission for you."

 Book 2: Chapter 102: The Weapon Master Physique

    Vol 2 Chapter 102: The Weapon Master Physique


    ¡°So many?!¡±


    Back at their residence, Xu Zhizhi took the storage pouch that Lin Jing tossed to him. Sweeping it with his spiritual sense, he was instantly stunned.


    As far as he remembered, Lin Jing had been exchanging Rising Dragon Pills for high-grade spiritual nts at Dragon Pce for the past two years. By all ounts, he should have spent a fortune on those trades¡ªso how did he still have so many pills left?


    ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t tell me your alchemy dragon carp hasn¡¯t slept for two years?¡±


    Lin Jing replied matter-of-factly, ¡°With Awakening Pills, who needs sleep?¡±


    Xu Zhizhi froze. ¡°You¡¯re saying it never slept? Even Ziling¡¯er¡¯s pill rabbit doesn¡¯t have it that bad!¡±


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± Lin Jing chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s mostly because practice makes perfect. Our sess rate in refining Rising Dragon Pills is ridiculously high now.¡±


    And besides¡­ they nevercked materials.¡°¡­Alright,¡± Xu Zhizhi muttered, still half-suspicious that Lin Jing was overworking his pet beast. Then again, he wasn¡¯t exactly a kind Beast Tamer either¡ªhe was constantly shaving fur off his own creatures.


    ¡°Work with any auction house you want,¡± Lin Jing instructed. ¡°I want all of these Rising Dragon Pills sold within seven days. Then, take the spirit stones we earn and buy as many third-grade and above spiritual nts in Tianji City as possible.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy enough.¡± Xu Zhizhi didn¡¯t mind helping Lin Jing¡ªmostly because Lin Jing paid him. Every time, he¡¯d give Rising Dragon Pills aspensation, unlike his stingy master, who worked him to the bone for free.


    ¡°¡­But if I handle this, I won¡¯t have time to prepare for the Genius Rankings Battle,¡± Xu Zhizhi hinted, eyeing Lin Jing expectantly. This time, one measly pill wouldn¡¯t cut it.


    ¡°Not a big deal,¡± Lin Jing replied. ¡°You weren¡¯t going to qualify anyway.¡±


    Xu Zhizhi: ???


    ¡°Lin, my brother, even if you¡¯re speaking the truth, do you have to be so blunt?!¡±


    ¡°Just you wait¡ªthirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west bank! Thirty years from now, you¡¯ll see me in a whole new light!¡± Xu Zhizhi dered indignantly.


    Lin Jing chuckled. ¡°That phrase was practically made for you. Given your potential, once you be a city lord and gain an official position,bining your Hidden Dragon Arts with political fortune, you¡¯ll be unstoppable. The Earth Rankings will definitely have your name in the future.¡±


    Xu Zhizhiughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been studying the ssics of sages for years, all to secure a high-ranking government post someday. Hopefully, I can rise swiftly through the ranks!¡±


    The third stage of the Hidden Dragon Arts directly tied strength to one¡¯s official position¡ªthe higher the rank, the stronger the cultivator. Lin Jing had no doubt that the Earth Rankings would be Xu Zhizhi¡¯s domain one day. After all, climbing the politicaldder without a background took time, and even with talent, patience was required to reach the top.


    Soon, rumors spread throughout Tianji City¡ªDragon Pce members relied entirely on Rising Dragon Pills to train their beasts.


    Even more shocking, a massive number of Rising Dragon Pills were now appearing in Tianji City¡¯s auctions.


    Lin Jing, however, paid no attention to any of this.


    His focus was on the second-round matchups for the Genius Rankings Battle, just announced by Tianji Pavilion.


    If it were one-on-one, he wouldn¡¯t be worried at all. After all, for him, ¡°one-on-one¡± was actually a gang fight¡ªhe had too many allies.


    But an eight-person free-for-all?


    Given how much attention he¡¯d drawn, he was almost certain that he¡¯d be the prime target for everyone in the match.@@novelbin@@


    He had to be cautious.


    ¡°First group¡­¡±


    ¡°Second group¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re in the eighth group,¡± Long Dan murmured after checking the list. ¡°Apart from you¡­ the ¡®weakest¡¯ in your group is¡­¡±


    She hesitated.


    ¡°¡­Lin Huixin, ranked eighth on the Genius Rankings.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Lin Jing frowned.


    ¡°Why am I getting matched up with this guy right away?¡±


    ¡°Well, at least now you won¡¯t be the one getting ganged up on,¡± Long Dan sighed. ¡°It¡¯ll probably be him instead. But honestly¡­ he¡¯s a tough opponent. I didn¡¯t expect to face him this early.¡±


    Lin Jing had a feeling Tianji Pavilion had done this on purpose.


    After all, as a Beast Tamer, he relied heavily on external forces¡ªhis pets, formations, and talismans. So now, they paired him against someone who specialized in external forces.


    Yan Xiangbei, a disciple of Burning Immortal Valley in the Fire Domain, was a legendary artifact refiner with the Innate Weapon Master Physique.


    This Innate Weapon Master Physique was a God Physique, ranked 87th on the Physique Rankings, even higher than Wang Xiao¡¯s Heavenly God Physique.


    The Heavenly God Physique allowed Qi Refinement cultivators to control wind, rain, lightning, and even draw upon starlight¡ªalready an absurd ability. When breaking through to Nascent Soul, those with this physique had a 100% sess rate due to their deep connection with thews of nature.


    Yet even that was ranked below the Innate Weapon Master Physique.


    This physique granted its bearer the ability to refine and control magic artifacts far beyond their cultivation level while using minimal energy to activate them.


    That one ability alone¡­


    Was enough to make every single past bearer of this physique surpass Heavenly God Physique users.


    ording to rumors, Yan Xiangbei, despite only being at Foundation Establishment Perfection, had already refined a high-grade magical artifact¡ªsomething no ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator should be able to use.


    Even Core Formation cultivators couldn¡¯t fully activate a high-grade artifact¡ªtheir spiritual energy would be instantly drained, leaving them exhausted or even dead. And worse, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to control the artifact¡¯s power properly.


    But Yan Xiangbei, thanks to his Innate Weapon Master Physique, could do the impossible.


    Because of this, even Core Formation cultivators avoided fighting him head-on.


    Meanwhile, geniuses across Tianji City were preparing for their battles.


    Including Yan Xiangbei.


    Inside a cave dwelling, the orange-haired youth silently examined the matchup list in his hand.


    ¡°The most noteworthy opponent¡­ is Lin Jing from the Beast Taming Sect.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ not enough of a threat to make me use my high-grade artifact.¡±


    Although his physique allowed him to use high-grade artifacts at a low energy cost, it wasn¡¯t without limits¡ªhis Foundation Establishment realm was still too low. Even a single activation drained him heavily.


    That¡¯s why, in normal battles, he only used mid-grade and low-grade artifacts. Thanks to his physique, a low-grade artifact in his hands could perform like a mid-grade one.


    As for his high-grade artifact¡­


    That was reserved for Chen Zhongdao, the number one genius, and Mo Qianyi, the second-ranked genius. Against those two, he¡¯d need to go all out.


    ¡°Should I refine a weapon specifically to counter beast tamers?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve studied the Myriad Beast Circle from the Myriad Beast Sect before. Since Lin Jing defeated a Myriad Beast Sect disciple, that means the circle alone isn¡¯t enough to suppress his pets.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll modify it. I¡¯ll remove the ability to tame beasts and strengthen its suppression effects instead.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, since he might have powerful Buddhist techniques, I need a way to break his Buddhist aura. The simplest method? Desire Maniption.


    ¡°Good thing I have a Harmony Sect artifact from Qingzhou. I¡¯ll enhance it further.¡±


    ¡°¡­But something still feels missing.¡±


    At that moment, a transmission token buzzed.


    Yan Xiangbei read thetest intelligence and chuckled.


    ¡°As expected. ording to my academy contacts, Lin Jing¡¯s pet actually has spatial abilities.


    ¡°No wonder he was able to counter that assassin from Blood Kill Tower.


    ¡°In that case¡­ I¡¯ll prepare one more artifact to disrupt space.¡±


    Seven days wasn¡¯t much time, but he was ready.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin refining.¡±


    Yan Xiangbei smirked. With so much preparation, he couldn¡¯t see any way he would lose.

 Book 2: Chapter 103: Gathering of Geniuses

    Vol 2 Chapter 103: Gathering of Geniuses


    ¡°We¡¯re rich, we¡¯re rich¡­¡±


    A few dayster, after the first batch of Rising Dragon Pills was sold, Xu Zhizhi immediately went to find Lin Jing, only to discover that he was in seclusion.


    ¡°He''s really diligent. Well, it makes sense¡ªhis next match is against Yan Xiangbei. That¡¯s definitely tough!¡± Xu Zhizhi sighed, unsure if Lin Jing would be able to win.


    He felt that unless Lin Jing broke through to Foundation Establishment before the second round, he probably wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. No wonder Lin Jing had urged him to sell the pills quickly!


    Once the Dragon Pce contestants suffered a collective defeat, the pills would surely drop in price.


    At this moment, inside the inn room, Lin Jing was actively preparing for battle.


    The first thing he and Pine Leaf Mouse needed to do was check the Mosquito-Powered Mech, just to avoid any mechanical failures at a critical moment.


    His opponent had a high-grade magic artifact¡ªa terrifying force. Lin Jing didn¡¯t want to engage in a direct confrontation.Sure, merging with the Ice Soul Gu would give him a fighting chance, but it would also ce an immense burden on his body. He wasn¡¯t willing to take that risk.


    As for Pine Leaf Mouse, even though it possessed the True Form of a Demon King, it still wouldn¡¯t be a match for a high-grade magic artifact unless the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art was fully mastered.


    In summary, Lin Jing didn¡¯t want to overburden himself, the Ice Soul Gu, or Pine Leaf Mouse, risking severe injuries that could affect future battles.


    So¡­ the Mosquito-Powered Mech had to take the stage. Even if it got destroyed inbat, Lin Jing wouldn¡¯t feel bad about it¡ªhe could always build another one.


    Most of its materials were synthetic creations from Pine Leaf Mouse, simr to the pills he sold. There was no need to worry about expensive repair costs.


    Seven days passed in a sh.


    During this time, the spectators were thoroughly entertained. The eight battle tforms sparked endless debates among cultivators, expanding their horizons. Many even purchased rare pills leaked from certain contestants, making the trip well worth it.


    On the main stage of the Genius Rankings Battle, Tian Huihua announced the lineup for the first battle royale match.


    ¡°Chen Zhong of the Spirit Dao Sect, Xiao Chen of the Purple Heaven Sword Sect, Changsun Sheng of the Tianluo Gate¡­¡±


    As the eight names were read aloud, seven of them looked absolutely miserable. Ever since the matchups were revealed a few days ago, they hadn¡¯t had a single good night¡¯s sleep.


    ¡°You all should be thanking me. Thanks to my Fortune Physique, your luck improved, and you managed to avoid Chen Zhong,¡± Gao Sheng joked as heughed with the contestants from Hidden Dragon Academy and Dragon Pce.


    This Chen Zhong was currently ranked first on the Genius Rankings. Encountering him was a nightmare.


    ¡°I heard that achieving a Spell Spirit Origin requirespletely mastering a spell. This Chen Zhong is only at Foundation Establishment, yet he¡¯s aplished something that even many Nascent Soul and Soul Formation cultivators fail to do¡­¡±


    Yuan Jing of the Heavenly Sword Gate had originally thought his swordsmanshipprehension was extraordinary. He had even grasped Sword Intent, making him one of the top talents. But now, he realized that Chen Zhong was on another level entirely.


    ¡°He possesses the Innate Dao Physique, ranked neenth on the Physique Rankings. It grants an enormous boost to spell cultivation. Plus, the Spirit Dao Sect supposedly owns a rare Insight Fish¡­¡± Ziling''er sighed.


    If this man had been born in the Era of Immortal Pces, he might have had a high chance of ascending.


    The first battle royale featured two top-tier geniuses:<ul><li aria-level="1">Chen Zhong, ranked first on the Genius Rankings</li><li aria-level="1">Xiao Chen, ranked eighth on the Genius Rankings</li></ul>


    Although Xiao Chen didn¡¯t possess an Innate Divine Physique, he had cultivated the Innate Sword Physique andter awakened the Acquired Thunder Spirit Physique, meaning he possessed dual physiques¡ªa rarity in itself.


    As the battle began, the other seven contestants immediately targeted Chen Zhong without even needing to discuss it beforehand.


    ¡°Gravity Art.¡±


    Chen Zhong simply closed his eyes slightly.


    A terrifying gravity field erupted around him, centered on his position, forcefully repelling and suppressing every opponent!


    It was a spell technique¡ªGravity Art.


    In an instant, space warped, as if the heavens were copsing. Every magic artifact and spell was instantly crushed into nothingness.


    The seven attackers were all mmed to the ground, their bodies glued to the tform, their bones audibly fracturing. Blood leaked from the corners of their mouths.


    ¡°Spirit Dao Sect, Chen Zhong¡ªvictory.¡±


    Tian Huihua nced at Chen Zhong, whose Dao Eyes were now open, before announcing the result.


    Chen Zhong calmly flew back to his seat.


    This scene left the remaining contestants breathless.


    After all, Chen Zhong hadn''t even summoned his Spell Spirit Origin yet!@@novelbin@@


    Simply using his own mana to cast a basic Gravity Art had been enough topletely overwhelm Xiao Chen, a dual-physique genius ranked eighth, leaving him utterly unable to stand.


    ¡°So this is the Innate Dao Physique. Even though I¡¯m from the same Sword Domain as Xiao Chen, I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against him. But even he couldn''tst a single move against Chen Zhong¡­¡± Yuan Jing was speechless.


    ¡°Ð¡Ôª×Ó, don¡¯t stress too much. Your Heavenly Sword Gate still has Cold Moon Sword Immortal Feng Ning, who¡¯s ranked first on the Earth Rankings. You don¡¯t have to carry the sect¡¯s honor alone. Besides, you¡¯re only twenty-something, the youngest among us.¡±


    Gao Sheng patted his shoulder.


    Indeed, Heavenly Sword Gate was the top sword sect of the Ancient Kingdom. The sect¡¯s strongest genius wasn¡¯t Yuan Jing, but Cold Moon Sword Immortal Feng Ning, who had automatically risen to first ce on the Earth Rankings after the previous leader surpassed sixty years of age.


    The most anticipated contestant of the second battle royale was Mo Qianyi of Shenji Manor.


    A female mechanist, she dressed inly, her yellow cloth robe making her look like amoner. In stark contrast, the other female cultivators were ornately dressed and impably groomed.


    This group also included the genius ranked tenth.


    However, Mo Qianyi quickly proved why the top three were on an entirely different level.


    Even without deploying her famous mechanized formation, she effortlessly crushed her opponents using only a single Celestial Shot Chariot.


    Through her Exquisite Physique, she connected directly to the Soul Core of her mechanical creations. The Celestial Shot Chariot fired forty-nine arrows, each carrying magic artifact-level power, imbued with attributes like gold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, yin, yang, and poison.


    The arrows moved ording to her will, shattering every opponent¡¯s defense before automatically returning to the chariot after impact, whether damaged or intact.


    After a light pat on her Celestial Shot Chariot, Mo Qianyi vanished from the tform and returned to her seat.


    In the process, an heir of Ice Extinction Ind and a King-Blooded Flood Dragon were both eliminated, making them the first casualties from Dragon Pce.


    ¡°What a pity,¡± Lin Jing sighed.


    Against true geniuses, even King-Blooded Dragon Pets were insignificant.


    Fortunately, he had urged Dragon Pce members to showcase their pets early. Now that the Rising Dragon Pills were sold out, there was no way he¡¯d allow refunds.


    ¡°An Innate Exquisite Physique is ridiculously powerful. This basically lets her control dozens of magic artifacts at once. Weapon Master Physiques focus on quality, while the Exquisite Physique is about quantity. And thanks to her mechanized creations, her energy consumption is minimal¡­¡±


    Xu Zhizhi turned to Lin Jing. ¡°Are you ready for Yan Xiangbei?¡±


    Lin Jing nodded as the next match was announced.


    ¡°Yan Xiangbei of Burning Immortal Valley, Lu Tong of the Divine Movement Sect, Lin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect¡­¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 104: Mosquito-Powered Mech

    Vol 2 Chapter 104: Mosquito-Powered Mech


    On the battle tform, the eight geniuses arrived one after another.


    After witnessing the previous two battle royales, they all understood one thing¡ªYan Xiangbei was undoubtedly the most formidable opponent in their group.


    Anyone ranked among the top three on the Genius Rankings was no pushover. There was a high probability that Yan Xiangbei could single-handedly defeat all seven of them.


    "What are you looking at? Juste at me all at once."


    Yan Xiangbei spoke indifferently as he noticed the wary gazes of the other contestants.


    If Chen Zhong and Mo Qianyi could defeat seven opponents alone, then he could do the same.


    However, what made Yan Xiangbei feel a bit annoyed was that despite preparing so many magic artifacts specifically to counter Lin Jing, this guy still refused to break through!


    Among these seven opponents, the only one he had originally taken seriously was Lin Jing¡ªbecause he had expected Lin Jing to reach Foundation Establishment before the match.¡°Everyone, attack!!¡±


    The moment the match started, Lu Tong of the Divine Movement Sect shouted.


    As someone ranked within the top ten, he had no qualms about ganging up on Yan Xiangbei.@@novelbin@@


    After giving themand, he vanished into the sky, executing his sect¡¯s famed movement technique.


    "Damn it! He told us to attack, then ran away himself!"


    One of the contestants cursed upon seeing Lu Tong disappear.


    Disciples of the Divine Movement Sect were known for their incredible speed and mastery of escape techniques.


    "Who said I ran? Don¡¯t be ridiculous."


    A voice echoed from above.


    "Our Divine Movement Sect doesn¡¯t rely only on evasion."


    ¡°Heaven-Treading Step!¡±


    A massive foot, dark as ckened steel, suddenly descended from the sky, aiming directly at Yan Xiangbei.


    A terrifying ck aura swirled around it, causing cracks to appear on the arena floor beneath Yan Xiangbei.


    "What kind of spell is this?"


    Spectators gasped as they watched the giant foot descend.


    "I know! It¡¯s a battle between an Innate Weapon Master Physique and an Acquired Foot Qi Physique!"


    A young cultivator blurted out excitedly, only to have an elder beside him quickly cover his mouth.


    One did not casually mock geniuses ranked among the top ten!


    "How foolish."


    Despite the overwhelming pressure of the descending foot, Yan Xiangbei¡¯s battle armor gleamed with brilliant light, shielding himpletely.


    Without a hint of concern, he casually summoned a flying sword¡ªa simple low-grade magic artifact.


    For any genius on this stage, possessing a low-grade magic artifact was basic.


    Even though low-grade artifacts were generally reserved for Core Formation cultivators, the top-tier prodigies present could wield them effortlessly.


    However, Yan Xiangbei was different.


    In his hands, a mere low-grade flying sword surged with power, instantly rivaling the might of a mid-grade artifact.


    As the sword streaked through the air, it pierced straight through the foot¡¯s center, causing the massive construct to shatter into a storm of ck clouds.


    "Useless, absolutely useless."


    Lu Tong felt frustrated.


    He had failed to restrain Yan Xiangbei, yet the other contestants were just standing there, doing nothing!


    "Fine, I¡¯ll take care of it myself."


    Yan Xiangbei suddenly split into four identical copies.


    While he couldn¡¯t control arge number of artifacts as easily as those with an Exquisite Physique, he had mastered a secret technique topensate.


    "Weapon-Master Avatars."


    Each of the four copies wielded one or two low-grade magic artifacts, but despite their supposed quality, all of them radiated the power of mid-grade artifacts.


    The sky lit up as a storm of magic artifacts surged forward.


    One of the flying swords even ignited with a strange blue fire, increasing its speed and destructive power exponentially.


    "me-Sacrificing Technique!"


    By burning and sacrificing artifacts, one could temporarily boost their power¡ªat the cost of permanently destroying them.


    With a sh of the ming sword, a figure hidden among the clouds groaned in pain and plummeted from the sky.


    Even with his superior speed, Lu Tong couldn¡¯t evade the attack in time.


    Meanwhile, the other contestants struggled against Yan Xiangbei¡¯s relentless assault.


    One by one, they fell.


    ¡°As expected, he¡¯s unbelievably strong.¡±


    Spectators were thrilled, but soon, they noticed something strange.


    One person was still standing.


    Lin Jing.


    Yan Xiangbei¡¯s mental attack artifact, a delicate jade sculpture of a celestial maiden, had been aimed at Lin Jing.


    However, even after defeating six others, the jade sculpture still failed to affect him!


    Instead, as a small squirrel appeared on Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder, a massive wooden box materialized out of thin air, sealing the jade sculpture inside.


    "What?!"


    Yan Xiangbei¡¯s connection to his artifact was suddenly severed, and he turned toward Lin Jing in disbelief.


    ¡°Impossible¡­ This artifact was crafted by the Harmony Sect of Qingzhou. Even Core Formation female cultivators would struggle to resist its effects. How did you¡­?¡±


    Even the spectators were stunned.


    The top three prodigies had been expected to dominate effortlessly, yet the one resisting the longest wasn¡¯t another top-tier genius¡ªit was a mere Qi Refinement cultivator!


    ¡°Look! Lin Jing truly possesses incredible Buddhist discipline! Even a Harmony Sect artifact couldn¡¯t shake him!¡±


    A Buddhist disciple in the audience marveled.


    But then¡­ Lin Jing casually revealed the real reason behind his resistance.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple¡ªheat expands, cold contracts.¡±


    Lin Jing held up a frost-covered finger, his voice calm.


    ¡°They say warmth ignites desire, while cold preserves rity. And the Ice Soul Gu¡­ is extremely cold.¡±


    "What nonsense are you talking about?!"


    Yan Xiangbei scoffed.


    There was no way that simple ice techniques could counter a high-grade mental attack artifact.


    All four of his avatars turned toward Lin Jing, their hands summoning even more artifacts.


    A tiger-shaped seal infused with Demon Emperor blood, capable of suppressing beast bloodlines.


    A bell that could distort space, restricting teleportation techniques.


    ¡°Looks like you prepared quite a few counters for me.¡±


    Lin Jing sighed. Honestly, he hated being taken too seriously.


    "Of course I did."


    Yan Xiangbei raised four weapons¡ªan axe, spear, de, and cauldron¡ªthen ignited them with sacrificial fire.


    To deal with Lin Jing¡¯s strange abilities, he willingly sacrificed four artifacts!


    The audience was shocked.


    Even Gao Sheng, known for his wealth, was speechless.


    "Damn it! This is just burning money at this point!"


    BOOM!!!


    In the next instant, a massive, humanoid mechanized creation appeared behind Lin Jing, shaking the ground.


    Standing dozens of meters tall, its sleek, dark-red exterior blended modern technological aesthetics with ancient mechanical artistry.


    The audience froze.


    What the hell was that?!


    Not a Nascent Soul Avatar.


    Not a puppet.


    And then Lin Jing stepped inside the mech, sealing himself inside its cockpit.


    ¡°This is a special mechanized creation¡ªthe Mosquito-Powered Mech!


    ¡°You have artifacts to counter beasts and space techniques¡­ but do you have anything to counter a mech?!"


    Yan Xiangbei''s face darkened.


    The audience was in chaos.


    And Mo Qianyi of Shenji Manor, an expert in mechanized constructs, was deep in thought.


    "Wait¡­ is this thing even an artifact¡­?!"

 Book 2: Chapter 105: Unscathed

    Vol 2 Chapter 105: Unscathed


    A Beast Tamer who knew Buddhist techniques and mechanized arts, yet had never actually been seen taming a beast!


    This was the thought running through the minds of every cultivator present.


    However, Lin Jing strongly disagreed with that sentiment.


    Strictly speaking, he wasn¡¯t actually the pilot of the Mosquito-Powered Mech.


    He had merely assembled the machine using mechanized techniques, but he couldn¡¯t control it himself.


    The real pilot was Pine Leaf Mouse.


    So, in essence, he was still taming a beast¡ªit was just that his beast was piloting the mech!


    Of course, some refused to acknowledge that this mech was a mechanized construct at all.High-level mechanized constructs always contained a Soul Core, allowing a mechanist to control them with their spirit.


    For example, Mo Qianyi¡¯s Celestial Shot Chariot contained a Soul Core, which she linked to her Exquisite Heart, allowing her to directly manipte its transformations.


    This was somewhat simr to how a cultivator refined and activated a magic artifact, but instead of channeling Qi, a mechanist controlled it with their spirit.


    But this massive mech had no Soul Core¡ªso to Yan Xiangbei, it couldn¡¯t possibly be a mechanized construct.


    Lin Jing, however, disagreed.


    After all, Pine Leaf Mouse was controlling the mech through its spirit, much like how it controlled Red Flying Leaves.


    Its connection to the mech¡¯s woodenponents was entirely spiritual.


    If controlling a machine with one''s spirit was the defining characteristic of mechanized constructs¡­


    Then why wasn¡¯t this mech considered one?!


    "Take this!"


    Zzzzzzzzzt!!!


    Up until now, the Mosquito-Powered Mech had only passively defended and counterattacked.


    But now, as its power surged to full capacity, a massive blood-colored longsword materialized in its hand.


    A weapon forged entirely from blood essence!


    The thirty-meter-long blood de sliced through the air, shing toward Yan Xiangbei!


    Faced with this terrifying attack, Yan Xiangbei reacted instantly, summoning a mid-grade magic artifact¡ªa miniature gate-shaped talisman.


    Fueled by his Divine Physique, the tiny gate expanded, forming threeyers of phantom barriers in front of him.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The blood sword struck, tearing through the first barrier¡­ then the second¡­ and finally shattered the third, sending Yan Xiangbei flying backward.


    As he crashed onto the tform, he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "One attack¡­ it took threeyers of my defenses to finally stop it?!"


    "This level of blood essence power surpasses ordinary Core Formation body cultivators. And the worst part¡­ its blood energy isn¡¯t depleting at all!"


    Clutching his chest, Yan Xiangbei retrieved his gate-shaped talisman and decided to switch to offense.


    With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a mid-grade flying sword.


    "Go!"


    Yan Xiangbei formed a hand seal, and the flying sword shot toward the mech¡¯s chest.


    But then¡ª


    The Mosquito-Powered Mech¡¯s mouth suddenly opened.


    A violent gust of blood energy surged forth, filling the air with a nauseating crimson mist.


    The flying sword¡¯s momentum slowed immediately, then was blown back, forcing Yan Xiangbei to recall it.


    "What the hell is this thing?!"


    Even with his Divine Physique, he still couldn¡¯t enhance his mid-grade artifacts to match the sheer power of the mech!@@novelbin@@


    The pressure was immense.


    The audience had fallen intoplete silence, their gazes fixed on the tiny creature piloting the massive mech.


    "How dare you!!"


    Yan Xiangbei¡¯s eyes narrowed as his instincts screamed danger.


    At that moment, to everyone¡¯s shock¡ª


    The Mosquito-Powered Mech¡­ self-destructed.


    Because what kind of mech wouldn¡¯t have a self-destruct system?!


    BOOOOOM!!!


    A monstrous crimson explosion engulfed the entire battle tform.


    By the time the smoke cleared, Lin Jing and Pine Leaf Mouse were already hovering high above the battlefield, gazing down at the massive, fiery explosion below.


    A single red leaf had carried them into the sky at the perfect moment.


    The audience was stunned.


    Even the high-altitude wind currents were twisting under the sheer force of the explosion.


    "Well¡­ I¡¯d say that counts as defeating a powerful opponent without taking any damage."


    High above the battlefield, Lin Jing¡¯s hair flowed in the wind as he calmly observed the aftermath.


    Pine Leaf Mouse wiped the sweat from its forehead, looking exhausted.


    Yep, totally unscathed.


    Except¡­ the mech died a very tragic death.

 Book 2: Chapter 106: Shenji Manor

    Vol 2 Chapter 106: Shenji Manor


    No one had expected that the moment Yan Xiangbei activated his high-grade magical treasure, Lin Jing would decisively choose to self-destruct his mech rather than continue fighting head-on.


    In the arena, white mes spread in all directions, debris scattered everywhere. Yan Xiangbei stood there, covered in blood, looking utterly miserable. His aura was weak, and his mana waspletely drained.


    Activating a high-grade magical treasure had already required his full effort, yet instead of using it for offense, he was forced into defense.


    He stared at the now-obliterated mech, which had been blown to nothing¡ªnot even dust remained. A smile crept onto his face, but it was a self-deprecating smile. He had lost¡­ to a Beast Tamer. And that Beast Tamer had defeated him¡­ using a mechanized construct.


    No¡­ no, that wasn''t right. His opponent''s pet beast¡¯s spatial movement had been the true key to his defeat!


    But so what? In the end, he still lost.


    "You win." Standing on the stage, Yan Xiangbei withdrew his Extinction Treasure Lantern and looked at Lin Jing, who was slowly descending. Before losing consciousness, his gaze drifted toward the audience.


    The cultivators from Burning Immortal Valley who had apanied him were all in disbelief, unable to ept what had happened.As the strongest prodigy of the Ancient Kingdom¡¯s greatest artifact-refining sect, he had actually lost to a disciple from a third-rate sect that had been sealed off?


    This was something they couldn¡¯t even have imagined before.


    "Thanks for the match." Lin Jing looked at his opponent but didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it before an announcement rang out:


    "The winner of Group Three¡ªLin Jing!"


    As these words echoed through the arena, the audience was still reeling from the aftermath of the powerful explosion, the blinding light still lingering in their eyes.


    "He really won?"


    "Is it over? The third-ranked prodigy lost?"


    "Was that an upset?!"


    "Incredible. Lin Jing nned this perfectly! The moment Yan Xiangbei activated his high-grade magical treasure, he was left with no energy to use a space-restricting treasure. At that moment, Lin Jing only needed to abandon his construct, using its final detonation to drain Yan Xiangbei''s mana¡ªsecuring victory!"


    "This Lin Jing¡­ he¡¯s ruthless. That mech was incredibly powerful. If it were me, I definitely would¡¯ve wanted to fight head-to-head with the high-grade magical treasure. But he¡­ just gave it up like that."


    "But he won, so it was all worth it. After this fight, he¡¯s practically guaranteed a spot in the top five of the Genius Rankings, maybe even the top three!"


    The cultivators fell into silence, as if witnessing the rise of a new, supreme prodigy. The most terrifying part? Lin Jing stood there on the arenapletely unscathed.


    Many of the other prodigies were secretly pleased with this oue.


    With his high-grade magical treasure, Yan Xiangbei had been a massive threat. But now that he was eliminated, he wouldn''t make it to the third round. And Lin Jing? He had lost his powerful mech in the battle, meaning hisbat strength had taken a major hit.


    The audience believed there was no way Lin Jing could have another mech of that caliber.


    Even if he could rebuild it, it wouldn¡¯t be something he could aplish in a short time. Crafting another would require immense mental effort, and the rare materials needed were undoubtedly in short supply.


    With Yan Xiangbei gone, Lin Jing would soon be famous across the Ancient Kingdom. But for some prodigies, defeating a weakened Lin Jing in the next round was an incredibly tempting opportunity.


    After bing the Group Three victor, Lin Jing returned to his seat to rest. Even though he hadn¡¯t done much personally¡ªhis Ice Soul Gu had helped him resist the enchantment treasure, and his Pine Leaf Mouse had piloted the mech to dodge explosions¡ªhe still felt mentally exhausted.


    "That guy¡­" The Dragon Pce cultivators stared at Qingdi in silence.


    They wanted to ask¡ªsince when had Dragon Pce been renamed "Mechanized Dragon Pce"?


    The matches continued.<ul><li aria-level="1">Group Seven Winner: Zhao Jia, ranked seventh on the Genius Rankings, hailing from an ancient cultivation family. He had joined the Academy at a young age and had be a City Lord by seventy-one. As a cultivator with the Innate Spring Source Physique, his mana was endless and he had mastered countless spells to near perfection.</li><li aria-level="1">Group Five Winner: Another major upset¡ªthe fifth-ranked prodigy lost. The victor was a hidden prodigy invited by Tianji Pavilion, a disciple of a Nascent Soul perfection-stage rogue cultivator, possessing the Innate Five Elements Physique¡ªa physique on par with thebination of all five major elemental physiques, ranking on the Physique Rankings.</li><li aria-level="1">Group Six Winner: Another upset. The victor was not a native of the Ancient Kingdom but a disciple from Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, who possessed the Innate Poison Physique. He had spent fifteen years training in the Cloud Sea Mountains before returning to the kingdom, immediately making a name for himself.</li><li aria-level="1">Group Seven Winner: No surprises here. The seventh-ranked prodigy managed to im victory, though with great difficulty. He was another former Academy student and was currently serving as a City Lord.</li><li aria-level="1">Group Eight Winner: Wang Xiao, a cultivator from Dragon Pce, possessing the Innate Heavenly God Physique. He had already reached Foundation Establishment Perfection, and with his King-Blood Battle Tiger assisting him, he became one of the only two Dragon Pce members to enter the third round. His battle wasn¡¯t too difficult¡ªhis Battle Tiger took on most of the damage for him, leaving the audience once again appreciating the benefits of pet beasts.</li></ul>


    Among the eight final winners, four were Academy graduates, further proving the Academy¡¯s immense influence.


    "The third round will follow a challenge-style format."


    Tianji Pavilion would randomly select one contestant to serve as the Arena Master, forcing them to ept challenges from other prodigies. Losers would be eliminated, and the final standing Arena Master would be the overall winner of the tournament.


    "Heaven''s Regret Flower" announced that the third round would take ce in seven days.


    Unlike the chaotic eight-person free-for-all, this round ced greater emphasis on both luck and endurance.


    Whoever became the first Arena Master would be in serious trouble. They could face seven consecutive battles, and even the strongest prodigy might notst to the end.


    However, in the end, the Starry Cosmos Turtle''s Blessing would not be given to the winner of the tournament, but to the contestant ranked first on the updated Genius Rankings, determined by Tianji Pavilion based on overall performance.


    "Seven days¡­ I should be able to convert all my Spirit Stones from the auctioned Rising Dragon Pills into high-grade spiritual nts by then."


    "If my Pine Leaf Mouse is lucky, its Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art will reachpletion in time!"


    "If it fully matures, the Pine Leaf Mouse will gain the nt maniption abilities of a Core Formation-stage Wood Spirit, andbined with its Demon King True Form and Spatial Techniques, it might surpass my mosquito-powered mech..."@@novelbin@@


    From the current tournament battles, Lin Jing felt that the strongest opponent was likely the Innate Dao Physique prodigy. He wasn¡¯t sure if Pine Leaf Mouse alone would be enough to counter him.


    As he was heading back to prepare for the third round, a group suddenly intercepted him.


    At the front stood the second-ranked prodigy, Mo Qianyi, along with a group of Shenji Manor cultivators.


    Behind her were several Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators, though Lin Jing didn¡¯t sense any hostility.


    "Miss Mo, is there something you need?" Lin Jing asked. Seeing her dressed in simple robes, calling her ''Fairy Mo'' felt a bit strange, so he opted for a more casual address.


    He had already guessed why they were here.


    "Saint Lin," Mo Qianyi said, "Shenji Manor is interested in the design blueprint of your construct. Of course, we wouldn¡¯t take it for free. Name your price¡ªanything within Shenji Manor''s ability, we can provide."


    She paused, then added with a slight smile:


    "As a Beast Tamer, perhaps you''d be interested in our techniques to grant intelligence to mechanized beasts, turning them into living constructs? If you¡¯re interested, we can discuss further."


    Meanwhile, beneath Divine Pine, a Dragon Carp suddenly sneezed.

 Book 2: Chapter 107: The Mechanical Turtle

    Vol 2 Chapter 107: The Mechanical Turtle


    "Mechanical life?"


    "You mean¡­ a mechanized beast can develop sentience?" Lin Jing asked.


    The in-robed Mo Qianyi smiled. "If magical treasures can, why not mechanized beasts?"


    "Fair point, but I assume the methods differ," Lin Jing responded.


    He didn¡¯t reject Shenji Manor''s offer outright.


    The mosquito-powered mech had strict requirements for use, but high-level cultivators from Shenji Manor might find a way to ovee them.


    Its true power came from its energy source¡ªthebination of the Blood Devil Vine, a mutated demonic nt, and the Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast¡¯s blood, which created a terrifying fission reaction that fueled the entire construct.


    The Cloud Sea Mosquito Beast wouldn¡¯t be difficult for Shenji Manor to obtain, considering their Void Mystical Ancestor guarded their legacy.As for the Blood Devil Vine, if Lin Jing was willing to supply it, Shenji Manor could replicate his unique energy reactor.


    However, there was one major issue¡ªonce the Blood Devil Vine absorbed blood and transformed into Blood Mosquitoes, only Lin Jing¡¯s Pine Leaf Mouse could control them!


    Without the Pine Leaf Mouse, the Blood Mosquitoes would attack indiscriminately¡ªeven Lin Jing himself had been targeted before. Getting them to cooperate willingly was no easy task.


    But looking at it another way¡ªif someone found a solution to this issue, the mosquito-powered mech could be a widely usable war machine.


    Though Lin Jing hadn¡¯t found such a solution yet¡­


    Moreover, since his Pine Leaf Mouse held absolute control over the Blood Devil Vine, he didn¡¯t have to worry about others using it against him.


    A Deal Worth Making


    From Lin Jing¡¯s perspective, this trade was worth considering.<ul><li aria-level="1">Shenji Manor could research a method to allow others to control the mech, saving him the trouble.</li><li aria-level="1">He was genuinely interested in the mechanized beast lifeform that Mo Qianyi had mentioned.</li></ul>


    After all¡­ besides the mosquito-powered mech, he had another, more traditional mechanized beast in his storage space.


    "Saint Lin, you¡¯ve heard of Ingenious Soul Cores, right?" Mo Qianyi asked. "Most high-level mechanized constructs require a Soul Core for better control."


    "Yes."


    "The Soul Core is the key to granting sentience to mechanized constructs. We have a method in Shenji Manor to evolve Soul Cores into full-fledged consciousness!"


    Lin Jing raised an eyebrow. "Then why haven¡¯t I heard of sentient mechanized constructs being used by Shenji Manor?"


    Mo Qianyi chuckled. "You¡¯re from the Beast Taming Sect, so you should understand¡ªconsciousness is a double-edged sword. While it allows mechanized constructs to act autonomously, it also makes them harder to control. Most mechanists prefer directly controlling their constructs rather than trusting their intelligence."


    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, the Beast Taming Sect has had cases of pet beast rebellion, right? Many mechanists in Shenji Manor fear simr risks, so they prefer constructs without willpower."


    Lin Jing nodded.


    "The method to create sentient mechanized beasts was developed by one of our ancestors," Mo Qianyi continued. "But very few mechanists actually use it. Currently, only a handful of guardian constructs left behind by our ancestors possess true consciousness."@@novelbin@@


    "If you¡¯re willing to trade the design blueprints of your mech, Shenji Manor will give you a mechanized beast blueprint capable of reaching the Nascent Soul stage¡ªand even help it develop sentience."


    Mo Qianyi¡¯s lips curved into a knowing smile.


    "Tell me, Saint Lin¡ªwouldn¡¯t you like to know if the Beast Taming Art of your sect could form a contract with a mechanized beast that has true self-awareness?"


    The Negotiation


    Lin Jing smirked.


    "Interesting." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "But you¡¯ll be disappointed. Even if I give you my blueprint, you won¡¯t be able to replicate it. There¡¯s a key material in the construct that only I possess¡ªit¡¯s the core of its power, defense, and sustainedbat ability."


    "Of course," he added casually. "I could provide you with some of that material. But the method to control it is unique to me. I can¡¯t pass it on. You¡¯d have to figure out your own method."


    Mo Qianyi turned to the Shenji Manor elders beside her, silentlymunicating with them.


    In truth, she hadn¡¯t made up her mind yet¡ªher proposal regarding mechanized beast intelligence had not been pre-approved by the elders.


    As someone who had trained in mechanized arts since childhood, Mo Qianyi was deeply fascinated by Lin Jing¡¯s new type of construct. Her love for mechanized arts made her eager to study it.


    The elders of Shenji Manor exchanged nces and nodded.


    If the material was from the Tianyuan Continent, they refused to believe they couldn¡¯t find a way to control it.


    Shenji Manor was the second most advanced force in material studies across the continent.


    If they had the material, they were confident they could replicate it or create an alternative!


    Mo Qianyi turned back to Lin Jing.


    "Name your conditions," she said.


    Lin Jing smiled. "Just as you suggested¡ªI want a blueprint for a Nascent Soul-stage mechanized beast. And the secret method to grant it sentience."


    Mo Qianyi shook her head. "The blueprint? Yes. The secret method? No. We won¡¯t hand it over directly. But once you build the mechanized beast, we can help awaken its consciousness for you. Alternatively, we can give you a special construct that will allow you to gradually upgrade the Soul Core over time."


    Lin Jing wasn¡¯t surprised. He had expected them to refuse.


    He had purposely asked for something he knew they wouldn¡¯t agree to, so he could bargain for something else instead.


    "In that case," Lin Jing said, "I have one more condition."


    "If Shenji Manor figures out how to control the special material I mentioned, you have to share that method with me."


    "Agreed."


    "Then we have a deal."


    Mo Qianyi didn¡¯t bother haggling any further.


    "Shenji Manor has over a hundred different Nascent Soul-level mechanized beasts to choose from," she said. "What kind do you want?"


    Lin Jing stroked his chin, then extended his hand.


    Light shimmered.


    A two-meter-tall mechanized turtle appeared, standing on its hind legs. It wielded a heavy cannon on each shoulder and gripped a Mechanical Bamboo Rifle in its hands.


    "This is¡­" The Shenji Manor elders scrutinized the construct.


    "A mechanized turtle?"


    So Lin Jing really was a mechanist!


    It was no wonder he had agreed to the trade¡ªhe already owned a mechanized beast!


    "Do you have any blueprints for turtle-type mechanized beasts? I want to upgrade this one," Lin Jing said.


    He was a sentimental person.


    Though this Mechanical Bamboo Turtle had long outlived itsbat usefulness, reduced to helping the Pine Leaf Mouse water spiritual nts, it was one of his earliest constructs.


    It had been his first¡ªhis second, if he counted his early failed experiments.


    It was, in a way, the elder predecessor of his mosquito-powered mech, carrying the hard work and dedication of his early cultivation years.


    Mo Qianyi studied it for a moment. "Yes, we have two Nascent Soul-grade turtle-type mechanized beasts."


    "One is the Wave Turtle, a water-element construct. It specializes in water escape techniques, assists cultivators in underwaterbat, and can manipte tidal wavesrge enough to flood a city."


    "The other is the Mountain Turtle, an earth-element construct. It has monstrous defensive capabilities, can self-repair by consuming minerals, and serves as a fortress-type construct, shielding its master from harm."

 Book 2: Chapter 108: The Completion of a Divine Art

    Vol 2 Chapter 108: The Completion of a Divine Art


    "A turtle-type mechanized beast¡­ it''s dual-element, water and wood, right? In that case, the Wave Dragon Turtle would be a better choice. After all, you already have a defensive construct¡ªyour mech," Mo Qianyi suggested.


    Lin Jing, however, shook his head. "Besides these two, is there anything else? Something more unique?"


    Neither of the options appealed to him.


    The Shenji Manor elders twitched their beards in exasperation¡ªthis kid had quite the appetite! Even a Nascent Soul-grade mechanized beast wasn¡¯t good enough for him?


    What did he want, a Nascent Soul Transformation-level construct?


    That wasn¡¯t even up for debate. Nascent Soul Transformation-level mechanized beasts were Shenji Manor''s foundation, and no way would they trade one away.


    Mo Qianyi hesitated before speaking. "There is one¡­ a Core Formation-level turtle-type mechanized beast. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d be interested. It has spatial attributes."


    "Your other pet beast cultivates spatial techniques, right? You should understand how powerful that is. A spatial attribute construct is as valuable as a Nascent Soul-grade beast.""Butpared to the Nascent Soul-grade options, this Spatial Turtle is even harder to build and upgrade. And¡­ it¡¯s not meant forbat."


    Spatial abilities¡­


    Lin Jing''s interest was piqued. "What can this Spatial Turtle do?"


    He wasn''t concerned about itsck ofbat capabilities¡ªhe had plenty of firepower already.


    Mo Qianyi exined, "It''s called the Longevity Treasure Turtle, and its ability is treasure-hunting."


    "This mechanized turtle possesses an innate ability to sense treasures. Additionally, like a storage artifact, it contains a vast internal space¡ªevenrger than any known storage treasure."


    "It doesn¡¯t need a mechanist to control it. The Longevity Treasure Turtle can roam freely in search of treasures, collecting anything it finds into its internal space, and then returning to its master."


    "Whether it''s a single Spirit Stone, a discarded magical artifact, or a rare spiritual herb, it will gather anything valuable it detects."


    "Due to its spatial nature, it possesses a trait simr to that Blood Kill Tower prodigy¡ªthe Void Concealment Physique. Even Nascent Soul cultivators would struggle to detect it."


    "Furthermore¡­ because of its spatial abilities, it can enter small pocket dimensions, hidden realms, and ancient ruins to retrieve high-level magical treasures."


    Lin Jing''s eyes flickered. "Truly a treasure-hunting turtle¡­ but why is it called the <em>Longevity</em> Treasure Turtle?"


    Mo Qianyi sighed. "Because it''s best at finding longevity-extending treasures."


    "The mechanist who created it was an ancestor of Shenji Manor whose lifespan was nearing its end. He deeply understood the importance of longevity, so he built the Longevity Treasure Turtle. It was designed to only return once it had found a longevity-enhancing treasure."


    She paused before adding, "But such treasures are incredibly difficult to find. Even after creating more of these Longevity Treasure Turtles, one of them spent twenty years searching before finally bringing back a single spiritual ginseng that extended life by a hundred years."


    Mo Qianyi smiled wryly. "The only good thing about mechanized beasts, however, is that they don¡¯t age. Unlike normal demonic beasts, as long as they are maintained and repaired, they can search for eternity."


    "That¡¯s true," Lin Jing agreed.


    A mechanized beast¡¯s lifespan depended entirely on the durability of its materials. While normal materials would deteriorate over time, regr maintenance and part recements could extend a construct¡¯s lifespan indefinitely.


    Mo Qianyi looked at him. "So, have you decided?"


    Lin Jing smiled.


    A mechanized turtle that could find longevity treasures¡­ what an ironic match for him.


    Though he didn¡¯t need longevity-enhancing treasures himself, as someone with the Longevity Body, he would inevitably watch his friends grow old while he remained young.


    Using such treasures as gifts during festivals¡­ wasn¡¯t a bad idea.


    But more than that¡­


    What truly mattered was giving his first mechanized beast sentience¡ªletting the turtle that had been by his side open its eyes and see the world.


    "I¡¯ll take the Longevity Treasure Turtle blueprint," Lin Jing decided.


    Though it would be harder to craft and upgrade, the main difficultyy in acquiring spatial materials.


    Coincidentally, Pine Leaf Mouse might be able to help with that.


    After all, the original mechanized turtle had been made using materials provided by Pine Leaf Mouse.


    If the new version was also built using Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s resources, then it would truly be aplete cycle.


    Besides¡­ Pine Leaf Mouse seemed to have a natural talent for treasure hunting as well.


    Would the Longevity Treasure Turtle inherit that ability after gaining sentience?


    "Then it¡¯s decided," Mo Qianyi said.


    "We¡¯ll make preparations andplete the trade after the Genius Tournament ends. No issues?"


    Lin Jing nodded.


    "For the transaction, shall we use Lotus Pavilion¡¯s Contract Scrolls?"


    "Agreed."


    With the deal finalized, Lin Jing and Mo Qianyi separated to prepare for the next round of the Genius Tournament.


    The Completion of the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art


    The deal with Shenji Manor hadn¡¯t slowed Lin Jing down.


    Under his instructions, Xu Zhizhi continuously delivered high-grade spiritual nts over the next few days, rapidly consuming the Spirit Stones he had earned from auctioning the Rising Dragon Pills.


    Inside his Beast Taming Space, Pine Leaf Mouse, now d in Daoist robes, radiated an overwhelming aura.


    It grabbed a high-grade spiritual nt, instantly draining it into a withered husk before tossing it aside.


    Who could have imagined a wood-element spirit beast cultivating this brutally?


    This was the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art¡ªa technique that absorbed life force to extend one¡¯s own.


    For five days, Pine Leaf Mouse absorbed and refined spiritual nts without pause.


    Finally, its body began to change.


    Seated cross-legged, its life force surged like a flowing spring, reshaping its form and granting it new life.


    Ordinary squirrels only lived ten years at most, and even a cultivated squirrel spirit wouldn¡¯t live longer than a human cultivator of the same rank.


    But now, Pine Leaf Mouse had defied that fate.<ul><li aria-level="1">When it first achieved minor mastery of the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, its lifespan increased by 500 years.</li><li aria-level="1">After consuming a Longevity Foundation Pill, it evolved into a Longevity Variant, gaining another 500 years.</li></ul>


    As a Foundation Establishment-stage Pine Leaf Mouse, it now had a thousand-year lifespan¡ªnearly matching Lin Jing himself.


    Even as a Longevity Body cultivator, Lin Jing¡¯s Qi Refinement-stage lifespan was barely over a thousand years.@@novelbin@@


    However, due to his Ice Soul Gu parasite, his life force drained at an exceptionally slow rate.


    Lin Jing estimated that he would live far longer than the standard for his physique¡ªpossibly over two thousand years.


    And now¡­


    Pine Leaf Mouse had finally achieved full mastery of the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art¡ªextending its lifespan by another thousand years.


    It now had two thousand years to live.


    For a mere squirrel, this lifespan potential had already surpassed countless Demon Kings in the Beast Taming Sect, many of whom had survived for millennia only because they were long-lived species like turtles, elephants, parrots, and dragons.


    But Pine Leaf Mouse¡­


    With just a single cultivation breakthrough, its lifespan had skyrocketed to the same level as ancient demonic beasts.


    "Congrattions," Lin Jing said sincerely, sensing Pine Leaf Mouse''s breakthrough from his inn.


    At least now, he didn¡¯t have to worry about it dying of old age too soon.


    He had always feared that, as someone with the Longevity Body, he would outlive all of his contracted pet beasts.


    But now¡­


    Perhaps he and his pets could find a way to ascend together¡ªbing immortals and living as long as the heavens themselves.

 Book 2: Chapter 109: Finally, Beast Taming

    Vol 2 Chapter 109: Finally, Beast Taming


    The wooden lot with Lin Jing¡¯s name fell out, leaving the entire audience momentarily stunned. If this was truly a random draw, then whoever became the first arena master wouldn¡¯t have mattered. But after the Tianji Pavilion cultivator explicitly stated that the first arena master was highly likely to be someone with great fortune and the ultimate champion of the Genius Rankings Battle, this result suddenly seemed rather uncanny.


    "How could it be him? In just seven days, it¡¯s almost impossible to repair a destroyed mechanized construct. Could he really have a second or even third one? If that¡¯s the case, that would be truly terrifying."


    "Even so, it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s destined to be first. I don¡¯t believe any mechanist can outmaneuver the geniuses of Shenji Manor, nor do I believe that any mechanized construct could surpass the legendary Innate Dao Physique or the Spell Spirit Origin! One¡¯s own strength is the foundation of everything."


    "Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions too soon. Master Tian Huihua also said it¡¯s only ¡®possible¡¯ that he has a chance. These things are unpredictable¡ª even true divinations aren¡¯t always 100% urate, let alone a mere lot draw."


    The spectators discussed fervently, while the contestants also appeared puzzled.


    Especially those who had been eliminated by Lin Jing¡ªthey hadn¡¯t yet left Tianji City. One of the geniuses from the Assassins¡¯ Tower, upon seeing that Lin Jing was now a strong contender for the championship, suddenly felt his earlier frustration of being eliminated dissipate. First, Lin Jing had defeated the third-ranked genius, and now he was likely to win it all. In that case, losing to him didn¡¯t seem so disgraceful after all. At least this way, he might not be punished by the Assassins¡¯ Tower¡ª after all, his opponent had simply been too terrifying.


    Yan Xiangbei also furrowed his brows, eager to know whether Lin Jing really had more of those so-called mechs hidden up his sleeve.


    As confusion spread among the crowd, Lin Jing let out a sigh, feeling somewhat troubled.The first arena master, huh¡­


    Although he was determined to im first ce¡ª there was no way he would give up the Precious Beast¡¯s Blessing¡ª the thought of enduring a grueling gauntlet of challenges left him feeling exhausted already. After all, he had to staypletely focused¡­ to avoid getting injured.


    Seven consecutive battles. To aplish that while remaining unscathed would require an immense amount of effort.


    "If I disy overwhelming strength from the start, maybe some geniuses will give up challenging me. Would that make things easier?" Lin Jing pondered.


    Then, under the silent gazes of the Dragon Pce disciples, his figure flickered and instantly appeared on the arena tform.


    Whoosh!


    As Lin Jing materialized, seven pairs of sharp eyes locked onto him.


    "Then I¡¯ll take on the role of the first arena master," Lin Jing dered.@@novelbin@@


    He looked toward Master Tian Huihua, who smiled back at him. While Tian Huihua didn¡¯t know what trump cards Lin Jing was hiding, he was certain that Lin Jing indeed carried the fortune of a champion. No wonder his little junior sister had taken a liking to him¡ª inviting Lin Jing to participate in the Genius Rankings Battle had clearly been the right decision.


    "So, he wasn¡¯t bluffing after all. Good thing I spent so much time introducing him to the Starry Cosmos Turtle¡¯s blessing," another disciple from Tianji Pavilion remarked casually, sitting among the spectators. Seeing Lin Jing chosen as the arena master, he smirked slightly, curious to see what other tricks this Longevity Body cultivator had in store.


    "Who will challenge him?"


    Tian Huihua scanned the crowd.


    Chen Zhong and Mo Qianyi didn¡¯t react immediately, especially Mo Qianyi¡ª having just struck a deal with Lin Jing, challenging him first would seem too ungrateful.


    "I still don¡¯t believe he can win first ce. I¡¯ll wait for him to be eliminated and then challenge the next arena master," Mo Qianyi shook his head.


    "I¡¯ll challenge him!"


    The first to respond was the fourth-ranked genius, Zhao Qingquan!


    Heughed heartily. Others might worry that bing the second arena master meant facing relentless challenges and excessive energy depletion, but he wasn¡¯t afraid!


    As an Innate Spring Source Physique cultivator, his mana recovery was astonishingly fast¡ª his true essence flowed endlessly. He never had to worry about exhaustion. Moreover, having mastered a secret healing technique, he could recover from injuries at all times, making him a well-rounded powerhouse.


    Although he knew he could defeat Lin Jing, the current spotlight on Lin Jing intrigued him. Zhao Qingquan wanted to experience Lin Jing¡¯s strength firsthand.


    "City Lord of Qingquan City, Zhao Qingquan. Junior, please enlighten me!"


    Zhao Qingquan, also a student of the academy, though not yet graduated, stepped onto the arena and bowed to Lin Jing.


    "Please," Lin Jing responded calmly, looking at his senior.


    Seeing Zhao Qingquan step up, the other geniuses watched intently. Among the four prominentpetitors, aside from Chen Zhong, who wasn¡¯t confident about defeating He Zimei, even Mo Qianyi¡ª ranked seventh¡ª had confidence in defeating Zhao Qingquan.


    Ranking was one thing, but every genius developed at a rapid pace. Missing a single moment of enlightenment or an additional technique could easily change the rankings.


    What made Zhao Qingquan particrly formidable was that he was a city lord who had achieved multiple feats of merit. This year, his city had even been renamed Qingquan City in his honor. Furthermore, in all his ranked battles, he had never once revealed his eighth-stage Hidden Dragon Secret Technique, which further strengthened his advantage.


    At this point, no one knew Zhao Qingquan¡¯s true limits.


    "Indestructible Immortal Gang!"


    As soon as the battle began, a fierce azure wind surged, forming a protective barrier around Zhao Qingquan. Standing amidst the wind, his hair danced, and he gazed at Lin Jing with an expression ofposure.


    "The Indestructible Immortal Gang is one of my Zhao family¡¯s top-tier defensive techniques. Our ancestor once used this technique to withstand an attack from a Grand Dao cultivator. I wonder how itpares to your mechanized constructs¡¯ defenses?"


    "Indestructible Immortal Gang?!"


    Many in the audience were shocked by the spell Zhao Qingquan had just unveiled. This was indeed one of the Zhao family¡¯s ultimate defensive spells, rumored to be strong enough to withstand the attacks of immortals if cultivated to the highest level. However, due to its extreme difficulty and mana consumption, even within the Zhao family, very few had ever sessfully learned it. Without the mana reserves of a Core Formation cultivator, one couldn¡¯t even sustain the Indestructible Immortal Gang for a few seconds.


    "So that¡¯s it¡ªhe¡¯s mastered a new spell!"


    Yan Xiangbei took a deep breath, sensing the strength of the Immortal Gang. Its defense already surpassed the protective artifacts he himself had. If he were to attack Zhao Qingquan, without using a top-tier magic treasure, he likely wouldn¡¯t be able to break through it.


    The most terrifying part was that Zhao Qingquan seemed capable of maintaining this defense indefinitely!


    In such a scenario, the only way to defeat him would be to strike with enough force to break through the Immortal Gang and do so faster than his true essence could replenish. That was an incredibly difficult feat.


    "This remains to be seen."


    Facing Zhao Qingquan¡¯s question, Lin Jing simply shook his head.


    "My mech has already been destroyed, so I won¡¯t be able topare it with Brother Zhao¡¯s technique," he said.


    At those words, Zhao Qingquan was visibly surprised. Without that terrifying mech, how did Lin Jing n to im first ce?


    Lin Jing smiled slightly, seeing the doubt in his opponent¡¯s eyes.


    "Since we¡¯ve reached the final round, I suppose it¡¯s time to reveal my true strength," he said.


    "Though my cultivation is still low, and I have yet to master the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s three core secret arts, I have devoted myself to nurturing my pet beasts and have achieved considerable sess in that regard."


    "Pine Leaf Mouse."


    "Go and test Brother Zhao¡¯s Indestructible Immortal Gang. Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s as formidable as the legends say."


    As Lin Jing spoke, the robe-d squirrel, previously seen only assisting with spatial movement techniques, slowly appeared on his shoulder.


    "Wait¡­ he¡¯s finally going to use beast taming in battle? But this squirrel¡­ doesn¡¯t seem nearly as impressive as that mech!"


    The audience was momentarily dumbfounded.

 Book 2: Chapter 110: The Squirrel Was His Trump Card All Along!

    Vol 2 Chapter 110: The Squirrel Was His Trump Card All Along!


    The Pine Leaf Mouse was simply too small. For most demonic beasts, the stronger their bloodline, therger their body.


    Moreover, its cultivation level was too low¡ª only at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Everyone''s understanding of this squirrel was limited to its mysterious spatial abilities. Without those, Lin Jing would¡¯ve struggled to defeat Yan Xiangbei.


    Though its space maniption had been the key to turning the tides, the real factor that had forced Yan Xiangbei into a desperate situation had been Lin Jing¡¯s bizarre mechanized construct.


    Now, without that terrifying firepower and defense, Lin Jing¡¯s strength had, in the eyes of the crowd, dropped significantly. Was he nning to break through the Indestructible Immortal Gang with a mere Diamond Fist? Impossible.


    "That squirrel spirit¡¯s appearance is rather peculiar," some cultivators noted. Unlike ordinary squirrel spirits, this one had ears and a tail that resembled nt structures.


    "It¡¯s certainly unusual. Then again, if it weren¡¯t special, no ordinary squirrel spirit could possibly learn spatial techniques."


    There were too many strange demonic beasts in the world, so the cultivators didn''t dwell on the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s nt-like characteristics. Among the geniuses, Mo Qianyi murmured, "Is Lin Jing nning to use that squirrel spirit to break through the Indestructible Immortal Gang?""If it had a space-tearing technique, it might be possible," Yan Xiangbei muttered to himself. "But its spatial abilities are still rudimentary at best. During my fight with Lin Jing, I realized toote that the squirrel¡¯s spatial techniques require a medium to activate. At that level, it can¡¯t possibly execute an offensive spatial attack."


    Unfortunately, the pressure during battle had been too overwhelming for Yan Xiangbei to notice the red leaf in time. If he had, he might have changed the oue.


    Now, everyone was waiting to see how Lin Jing nned to use a mere Foundation Establishment squirrel spirit to break through an Indestructible Immortal Gang supported by the Spring Source Physique.


    And that wasn''t even all Zhao Qingquan had.


    On the arena tform, Zhao Qingquan waved a single hand. Outside the protective Immortal Gang, a colossal sword formed purely from true essence emerged in the sky, radiating the ferocious power of the White Tiger. The sword''s presence was overwhelming, and as it descended, many in the audience gasped in recognition.


    It was one of the Zhao Family¡¯s top-tier offensive techniques¡ª the White Tiger Divine Sword!


    Under Zhao Qingquan¡¯s control, the massive sword plummeted toward Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    The pressure it exerted was immense, far more terrifying than even the murderous aura of the Assassins¡¯ Tower genius.


    Most assumed that Lin Jing would use spatial techniques to evade the attack.


    But then¡ª somethingpletely unexpected happened.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, rather than retreating, leapt from Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder andnded on the arena floor, standing firm against the overwhelming pressure.


    Then¡ª its body began to expand at an unimaginable speed!


    As it grew, a mysterious wooden material spread across its body. This material continued to grow and pulse with an exaggerated vitality, as though a divine tree was sprouting from within the Pine Leaf Mouse!


    BOOM!


    In an instant, its size increased to over a hundred meters tall, its massive form towering over the arena.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse had transformed into a colossal squirrel, its entire body seeminglyposed of ancient, living wood!


    The Squirrel Colossus still resembled its pre-evolution form, but now, its body was covered in branches, and those branches bore countless pinecones, making it look like a divine tree merged with a demonic beast.


    It was no longer a flesh-and-blood creature, but a being of nt life!


    Its entire lifeform had changed!


    "What the¡ª?!"


    The transformation was so rapid that the audience barely had time to react. They could only gape as, in its giant wooden hands, the Pine Leaf Mouse caught the White Tiger Divine Sword¡ª and then, with a crisp snap, broke it in half.


    Zhao Qingquan''s pupils contracted sharply.


    That White Tiger Divine Sword was a technique capable of challenging Core Formation cultivators¡ª and the squirrel had just shattered it with ease!


    And then, an even more terrifying scene unfolded.


    A third eye opened on the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s forehead¡ª its Pinecone Third Eye!


    From that eye, pure life force condensed into a beam of radiant white light, which sted straight toward Zhao Qingquan inside the Indestructible Immortal Gang.


    BOOM!


    A deafening explosion shook the arena, sending a massive cloud of smoke and debris into the air.


    As the smoke cleared, everyone saw that severalyers of the Indestructible Immortal Gang had been destroyed.


    Within what remained of the Immortal Gang, Zhao Qingquan stood, his expression frozen in shock.


    That attack¡­ had breached his defenses?!


    And that squirrel¡­ was still only at the Foundation Establishment Stage?!


    Zhao Qingquan took a deep breath, forcefully stabilizing his defenses.


    But then¡ª


    Lin Jing, standing atop the Squirrel Colossus, smiled slightly.


    "Not bad. As expected of the Innate Spring Source Physique," Lin Jing said. "But¡­ can you withstand this next attack?"


    Golden Buddhist light surged around Lin Jing¡¯s body.


    The audience gasped as, from the Squirrel Colossus¡¯s back, a hundred enormous wooden arms sprouted, each radiating a divine golden glow.


    Some of the hands clenched into fists.


    Others spread into open palms.


    Each radiated a sacred powerparable to a Core Formation cultivator!


    Under the golden light, the Squirrel Colossus looked like a divine Buddhist statue!


    But Lin Jing was not the only one with a Buddhist affinity¡ª the monks of the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda had granted both him and his Pine Leaf Mouse a Buddhist talent.


    Now, by activating the seventhyer of the Beast Taming Art, Lin Jing was able to transfer his Buddhist power to his Pine Leaf Mouse¡ª allowing it to merge this energy with its overwhelming wood-element control to create a fusion technique.


    Hundred-Armed Demon Buddha Statue!


    Abined ultimate move¡ª executed by Lin Jing, the Beast Tamer, and his Pine Leaf Mouse!


    Zhao Qingquan''s jaw ckened.


    An ominous feeling welled up inside him.


    He instantly activated his Hidden Dragon Secret Technique, temporarily boosting his cultivation from Perfected Foundation Establishment to Early Core Formation.


    But¡ª@@novelbin@@


    Toote.


    A hundred golden Diamond Fist palms rained down upon the Indestructible Immortal Gang.


    One strike. Two strikes. Three. A hundred. A thousand!


    Under the relentless barrage, the Indestructible Immortal Gang began to shatter and reform at an rming pace.


    The battle had turned into a terrifying contest of offense and defense, causing the watching geniuses to instinctively hold their breath.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s attack speed was simply too fast.


    Having mastered the Evesting Emperor''s Longevity Art, it possessed the power of a Core Formation-level nt spirit.


    But unlike a Core Formation wood cultivator, a nt spirit did not manipte external nts¡ª its own body was the nt!


    Thus, the Hundred-Armed Buddha Statue was as easy for it to control as a natural extension of its limbs.


    After an uncountable number of blows¡ª


    The Pine Leaf Mouse finally ceased its assault.


    The arenay in ruins.


    Zhao Qingquan¡¯s Indestructible Immortal Gang had beenpletely destroyed.


    Hey at the bottom of a massive crater, surrounded by rubble, his pupils nk and unfocused, his mouth frozen in disbelief.


    Zhao Qingquan had lost.


    Even Chen Zhong took a deep breath, his gaze snapping toward Lin Jing atop the Squirrel Colossus.


    "This¡­ is a Demon King True Form?! At this level, its bloodline rivals a Royal Dragon Cub!"


    The audience fell silent.


    Then¡ª


    The arena erupted with shouts of astonishment!

 Book 2: Chapter 111: The First Clash

    Vol 2 Chapter 111: The First sh


    The transformation of the Pine Leaf Mouse deeply shocked the other prodigies. After mastering the Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, the true form of the Demon King Pine Leaf Mouse was even more ferocious than the Mosquito-Powered Mech from before. Beneath its massive hundred-meter body, a hundred colossal arms sprouted, each fist and palm radiating power far beyond the Foundation Establishment stage.


    Even with the aid of the Hidden Dragon Arts, Zhao Qingquan had temporarily boosted his cultivation to Early Core Formation, yet he was still ruthlessly crushed by this gigantic colossus. The spectators suspected that this behemoth¡¯s strength was already formidable enough to challenge the Earth Rankings of the Genius List.


    "This... actually makes me feel like I don¡¯t want to face it..." A Mid Core Formation elder took a deep breath. Unlike Zhao Qingquan, who only had Core Formation-level mana butcked the corresponding divine abilities, this elder could fully utilize Core Formation Divine Abilities. Yet even he felt an instinctive dread toward this colossus.


    Many spectators gasped in disbelief. No wonder Tianji Pavilion had dered that Lin Jing had the fortune to win the championship. Now, with the Demon King Pine Leaf Mouse''s true form disyed before them, they spected that even Chen Zhong, the top prodigy, would struggle against it.


    "The true form of a demonic beast is a symbol of its innate potential, just like Heavenly Physiques among human cultivators¡ªno, even rarer than that! It¡¯s said that it might rival the boost granted by a Nascent Soul Dharma Form. Right now, it¡¯s like a Foundation Establishment cultivator manifesting a Nascent Soul Dharma Form, whereas Zhao Qingquan is merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator who temporarily gained Core Formation-level strength but hasn¡¯t acquired any Core Formation Divine Abilities yet. How could he possibly be a match?"


    "But that¡¯s not even the most terrifying part. A Foundation Establishment early-stage beast should, in theory, struggle to control such a powerful true form and would at most be able tounch crude attacks. However, what¡¯s truly shocking is how skilled it is at controlling its true form! Those hundred wooden arms¡ª even a Core Formation wood-element cultivator wouldn¡¯t be able to wield them so effortlessly!"


    "When unparalleled strength is paired with absolute control, that is when a creature bes truly terrifying..."


    The cultivators present were all stunned by the sheer power and precision of the Pine Leaf Mouse. Even some Nascent Soul cultivators found themselves taken aback¡ªit was almost unimaginable that such devastating strength was being unleashed by a mere Foundation Establishment-stage demonic beast."Whoa, whoa..." Wang Xiao, the winner of Group Eight, took a deep breath. He found it hard to believe that a man-raised pet beast could reach such heights.


    "This guy..." A disciple from the Myriad Venom Sect, who had recently returned from the Cloud Sea Mountains, furrowed his brows. Looking at the golden colossus, he doubted whether his poison arts could even erode its Buddha-like resilience. The odds seemed slim, and the wooden-like body of the Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t seem susceptible to poison either.


    As for Lin Jing, the Beast Tamer... The disciple nced at him again and felt that even if he could break past the colossus, it would be nearly impossible tond a direct attack on Lin Jing himself¡ªespecially since that squirrel also wielded spatial techniques.


    "I can¡¯t challenge him for now..."


    The strength of a Five-Element Physique prodigyy in their mastery over five different elemental arts, allowing them tobine them into even stronger divine abilities. However, after witnessing the synergy between the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s wood-element and Buddhist-element techniques, this prodigy suddenly realized that his ownbination spells were... mediocre byparison. He¡¯d probably be annihted instantly under the barrage of those thousand fists.


    Unless he could fully master his Five-Element Physique, allowing his five-element techniques to cycle in harmony, he stood no chance¡ª but that would take a long time.


    For the moment, all the major prodigies hesitated to challenge Lin Jing¡¯s terrifying demonic pet. They didn¡¯t see a path to victory. If the difference in strength was small, they wouldn¡¯t mind taking a shot. But after seeing how Lin Jing effortlessly crushed Zhao Qingquan, they had to admit¡ªthe gap was simply too vast.


    Even Mo Qianyi, ranked second among the prodigies, hesitated slightly. Now it made sense why Lin Jing had so casually traded away his mech designs¡ªbecause to him, the mechs weren¡¯t even that important.


    This squirrel was the real monster, stronger than thousands of troopsbined!


    Mo Qianyi had the urge to test her strength against it, but her gaze first shifted toward Chen Zhong, the top prodigy. At this moment, the first-ranked prodigy had Dao patterns flowing in his eyes, filled with unexpected excitement and battle intent.


    "The world truly has countless geniuses. Before today, I never imagined that a Beast Tamer could reach such a level. Fellow Daoist Lin, allow me to challenge you next!"@@novelbin@@


    Chen Zhong''s body seemed to defy gravity as he floated into the arena, rising to the same hundred-meter height as Lin Jing, maintaining his gaze at an equal level¡ªwithout touching the ground.


    The top prodigy, Chen Zhong, had stepped into the arena!


    The audience''s hearts pounded. This was it! This was what they had been waiting for!


    "A battle between the foremost prodigies..."


    "It¡¯s finally happening!"


    Leaf Mouse, standing on the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s shoulder, smiled. "I hope no one else challenges me before I get to crush Lin Jing."


    He knew Lin Jing¡¯s limits¡ªthe question was whether he needed to reveal even more trump cards to handle this.


    "Go!"


    Lin Jing flicked his wrist. In an instant, a horizontal gravity wave transformed into a shockwave, surging toward the towering Pine Leaf Mouse. Though the Demon King True Form had greatly amplified its strength, it had also slightly reduced its agility.


    Faced with Lin Jing¡¯s attack, the Pine Leaf Mouse could only respond with Diamond Palm Fists. But when its Buddhist fists shed with Lin Jing¡¯s gravity wave, the sheer force shredded the gravity field into a blur.


    "Incredible! That squirrel is insane¡ªitpletely ignored Lin Jing¡¯s gravity technique!"


    "Wait... could it be... the legendary Innate Dao Physique is finally being tested?"


    Suddenly, realizing that gravity magic was ineffective, Lin Jing¡¯s palm began to glow with a star-shaped, ethereal entity.


    The entity was entirely golden, traced with white patterns, and the moment Lin Jing summoned it, a thunderous boom erupted. It was as if the sky was copsing¡ªthe Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s punches froze in mid-air.


    Its massive body suddenly stopped moving, as though locked in ce.


    "D-d-d-dazed!"


    At that moment, even its hundred colossal arms began to crack under the overwhelming gravity, breaking off from its body one by one.


    "That¡¯s... a Spell Spirit Origin?"


    Everyone turned to look at the golden spiritual entity in Chen Zhong¡¯s hand.


    Chen Zhong had finally unleashed his Spell Spirit Origin, and its sheer power left the audience in shock.


    And this was merely a basic gravity spell¡¯s Spell Spirit Origin¡ªyet it hadpletely immobilized the terrifying Demon King True Form that had shaken the entire arena moments ago.


    With its arms shattered and its body paralyzed, the Pine Leaf Mouse no longer held its invincible aura.


    "So, this is all it amounts to?" Chen Zhong shook his head. "It seems... my Spell Spirit Origin is still superior. But I must admit, making me use it¡ªthat alone is worthy of pride."


    "Mm?"


    Just as he spoke, Chen Zhong suddenly froze¡ªas if sensing something unexpected.

 Book 2: Chapter 112: No Hope in Sight

    Vol 2 Chapter 112: No Hope in Sight


    "I was wrong¡­ The First Prodigy truly lives up to his name. I actually entertained the thought that Lin Jing might defeat him¡­ but now that I think about it, how could that even be possible? One is the prodigy of the Spirit Dao Sect, the greatest sect of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, while the other is merely the Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect, a third-rate sect..."


    "Raising a pet beast to this level is already a miraculous stroke of fortune for the Beast Taming Sect, but in the end, the gap in foundation between the two sects is simply too vast!"


    With the Spell Spirit Origin unleashed, Chen Zhong hadpletely immobilized the Pine Leaf Mouse, leaving it struggling in ce. Under the immense gravity, its arms crumbled one by one, until only its main body remained, barely holding on due to its incredible physique.


    For a human cultivator, such gravity would be outright lethal.


    Chen Zhong turned his gaze toward Lin Jing, and the spectators followed.


    Yet Lin Jing remained seated atop the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s shoulder, seemingly unaffected!


    Around him, shimmering kes¡ªlike falling snow¡ªdrifted in the air, creating a mesmerizing aura that made him appear mysterious and untouchable.


    "Hmm?"Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes narrowed in confusion.


    The gravity field had even crushed the Pine Leaf Mouse, yet Lin Jing himself waspletely unaffected?


    "It¡¯s happening again... That strange ice energy! What exactly is it?" Wang Xiao from Dragon Pce muttered.


    "Wait a second¡­ That power can ignore Chen Zhong¡¯s gravity technique?!" Yan Xiangbei was stunned. Previously, Lin Jing had used this very ice power to bypass a Harmony Sect treasure, but he hadn¡¯t given it much thought. Now, however, it seemed far more peculiar.


    "No matter how much one refines this technique, Fellow Daoist Chen, you''re not actually manipting true gravity¡ªyou¡¯re merely simting it with true energy. Since it''s only true energy and not the force of Heaven and Earth itself, as long as I find the right method, I can negate it."


    Lin Jing sat calmly upon the Pine Leaf Mouse, speaking as if exining something mundane.


    His body continuously emitted frost energy, freezing the true energy forming the gravity field around him.


    "Pine Leaf Mouse!"


    At Lin Jing¡¯smand, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡ªdespite its initial struggle¡ªgradually began moving again. Though slow, it stretched out its arms and reached toward Chen Zhong.


    The arena fell into a dead silence.


    But then, with a mere snort, Chen Zhongpressed the gravity field, causing the giant arms to copse again, fractures spreading like cracks in ice.


    Yet what shocked Chen Zhong next was that, in the blink of an eye, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s true form regeneratedpletely¡ªits immense life force allowing it to heal at astonishing speed. Again, it raised its arms toward Chen Zhong.


    "Your Demon King True Form must be exhausting¡­ how much longer can youst?"


    Chen Zhong positioned hisary Spell Spirit Origin high in the sky, crushing the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s arms once more.


    With just one ability, he hadpletely suppressed the Pine Leaf Mouse.


    But despite this, his gaze remained fixed on Lin Jing, frowning deeply.


    "Indeed¡­ I underestimated the Spell Spirit Origin."


    "I thought my Pine Leaf Mouse could withstand at least some of it, but now I see¡­ its cultivation is still too low. If it had reached Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, it might have had a chance."


    Lin Jing shook his head. Under this terrifying gravity, the Pine Leaf Mouse was burning through its energy at an rming rate. Soon, it would lose the ability to maintain its Demon King True Form, making resistance against the Spell Spirit Origin¡¯s gravity even harder.


    "So, you must have other trump cards, right?" Chen Zhong stared at the snowkes drifting around Lin Jing, speaking calmly.


    A mere ice technique couldn¡¯t possibly counter his gravity spell so easily.


    "Well, well¡­"


    Meanwhile, in the Dragon Pce faction, someone muttered hesitantly, "Could it be¡­ is he actually going to use that?"


    Wang Xiao and the others turned their attention toward Ice Soul, instantly understanding what was being implied.


    "I was hoping not to use it. But it seems¡­ he¡¯s still too weak after all."


    Ice Soul sighed.


    The conversation between them confused the audience¡ªwhat were they talking about?


    "Whatever it is, it doesn¡¯t matter. At this level, there are almost no techniques that can defeat a Spell Spirit Origin!"


    The elders and disciples of the Spirit Dao Sect were brimming with confidence. Lin Jing was impressive, but Spell Spirit Origins weren¡¯t something that could be easily ovee.


    And yet, at that moment, they suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold creeping over them.


    "...I have no choice, then."


    Lin Jing stood up from the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s shoulder.


    In that instant, the temperature of the entire arena plummeted.


    Though it wasn¡¯t enough to harm the audience, it felt like winter itself had descended upon them.


    Lin Jing slowly descended from the Pine Leaf Mouse, and in that moment, he activated the power of the Ice Soul Gu.


    His true energy merged with the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power, and in an instant¡ª


    His ck hair turned white.


    His dark eyes became an icy blue.


    Snow-white strands danced in the frozen wind, and what truly stunned the spectators was that, at that moment¡ª


    The entire gravity field was instantly frozen solid.


    Above the arena, a massive, towering phantom began to take shape¡ª


    A colossal ice spider, stretching high into the clouds, with countless frosted legs piercing the edges of the stage.


    Its entire spectral form, forged from pure cold, hadpletely frozen the gravity field¡ªand for the first time, Chen Zhong¡¯s soul trembled in fear.


    "I suppose, as long as I freeze the entire gravity field, the match is decided, isn''t it?"


    Lin Jing¡¯s snow-white hair fluttered in the frigid air as he spoke calmly.


    And just as he finished speaking¡ª


    The freezing had already taken effect.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse instantly regain full mobility.


    "You¡ª!"@@novelbin@@


    Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes widened in shock, staring at Lin Jing as if he were an impossible existence.


    "Gu Insect Fusion¡­ You¡¯re housing a Gu in your body?! That power level¡­ This is one of the Ten Rare Gu¡ªthe Ice Soul Gu!"


    Chen Zhong couldn¡¯tprehend it. How could Lin Jing possess something like this?


    As Chen Zhong¡¯s shout echoed, the entire arena fell into chaos.


    "Ten Rare Gu?!"


    "The Ice Soul Gu?! But every Rare Gu carries the bloodline of the Gu King! Once they mature, they rival Nascent Soul cultivators!"


    The most terrifying thing about Gu techniques was that a Gu Master could fuse with their Gu, unleashing power beyondprehension. A Nascent Soul-level Gu, when fused, could even wield Void Mystical power!


    It was said that, at the height of the Gu God Sect, all Ten Rare Gu were in their possession. Each one granted its user Void Mysticalbat prowess.


    And yet, now, one of them was in the hands of a mere Qi Refinement cultivator?!


    And he could perfectly control it?!


    If that were true...


    Then¡ª


    After a thousand frozen punches, Chen Zhong was finally knocked backward, barely saved by his Spell Spirit Origin, which formed a protective repulsion field around him.


    Despite avoiding fatal injury, his expression was hollow.


    "I''ve lost."


    Even if he didn¡¯t know how Lin Jing got the Ice Soul Gu, he could no longer see a way to win.

 Book 2: Chapter 113: The Third Contract

    Vol 2 Chapter 113: The Third Contract


    Just as Lin Jing had anticipated, disying overwhelming strength would make the other prodigies abandon even the thought of resisting.


    Under his gaze, even Mo Qianyi hesitated, uncertain of how she could possibly defeat him.


    Fighting a mechanized cultivator was notoriously difficult because one had to break through their manyyers of mechanized defenses to strike them directly. However, for Lin Jing, who possessed the Ice Soul Gu, this was hardly an issue.


    High-level mechanized cultivators formed a direct connection between their mind and their mechanical creations, linking them through a soul core. Yet, the toxic energy of the Ice Soul Gu could travel through this very connection, delivering its poison to the cultivator.


    In other words, their greatest strength became their fatal weakness!


    "Looks like the Starry Cosmos Turtle¡¯s blessing is out of reach," Mo Qianyi sighed.


    In truth, when she first saw Chen Zhong¡¯s Spell Spirit Origin, she had already started doubting her ability to defeat him.@@novelbin@@


    Yet, in the blink of an eye, someone even stronger than Chen Zhong had emerged!Now facing Lin Jing, she had no illusions about the gap between them.


    If the second-ranked prodigy had already recognized the insurmountable difference in strength, how could the others not see it?


    The remaining prodigies quickly came to terms with reality¡ªchallenging Lin Jing now would only humiliate themselves. Winning would be impressive, but if they lost, they¡¯d be ridiculed forcking self-awareness.


    Not everyone had the courage to challenge someone far stronger than themselves. Such individuals were rare.


    ¡°No one else?¡± Tian Huihua chuckled, watching the silent prodigies.


    With the top prodigy reced, and someone contracting one of the Ten Rare Gu, this Genius Rankings Battle had proven well worth hosting.


    "If there are no more challengers, then the final champion of this Genius Rankings Battle is¡ªLin Jing of the Beast Taming Sect! Three days from now, the Tianji Pavilion will release an updated Genius Rankings, based on the performances in this battle!"


    ¡°Wait, no way¡­ Are you telling me the final champion is actually¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is there even any doubt? Didn¡¯t you see his strength?¡±


    A nearby cultivator took a deep breath and looked at Lin Jing, who floated above the icy battlefield, his presence almost ethereal.


    ¡°That guy¡­ contracted one of the Ten Rare Gu!¡±


    "If you¡¯ve studied history, then you¡¯d know just how much trouble the Ten Rare Gu caused the Ancient Celestial Kingdom in the past. Countless powerful cultivators perished trying to eliminate the ten Gu Masters who controlled them."


    "The Gu God Sect¡­ is not weaker than the Spirit Dao Sect, the number one sect of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom. In fact, it might even be stronger. The Ten Rare Gu were originally their lost relics. Now that one of them has resurfaced¡­ this guy is in danger. The Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect will have a rough road ahead."


    "The Gu God Sect will never allow something like this to remain outside their control. The moment a Rare Gu is born, they will stop at nothing to retrieve it."


    As the audience whispered among themselves, they could already envision the storm Lin Jing was about to face.


    The Ten Rare Gu were even rarer than Spell Spirit Origins, but they were also an incredibly dangerous burden.


    Lin Jing remained expressionless, hovering above the battlefield, sensing the cautious gazes of the prodigies and the murmurs of the audience.


    Of course, he understood their concerns.


    But the moment he obtained the Ice Soul Gu, its exposure had been inevitable. Since it couldn¡¯t be hidden forever, he might as well use it to cement his dominance.


    At that very moment, Lin Jing felt the power of the Hidden Dragon Seal surging, its fortune energy growing at a terrifying rate¡ªand this was before the official rankings were even updated!


    His blue eyes flickered toward Tian Huihua, as if to say:


    "You revealed this much about me just to boost your Tianji Pavilion¡¯s newspaper sales¡­ so I assume I¡¯ll be taking first ce in the rankings, right?"


    Though it was eight versus one, he was a Beast Tamer. It was perfectly fair to use all of his contracted beasts!


    "What a terrifying prodigy¡­ Longevity Body, Ice Soul Gu¡ªcan he even survive long enough to reach the Nascent Soul Stage?"


    Tian Huihua met Lin Jing¡¯s piercing gaze, feeling a strange sense of curiosity.


    Meanwhile, within the Academy¡¯s faction, Mr. Cao, who had been watching the entire battle, sighed deeply.


    ¡°No wonder Tian Huihua went to such great lengths to ensure Ice Soul participated in the Genius Rankings Battle¡­¡±


    As someone proficient in fortune-reading, Mr. Cao had always known Lin Jing was exceptional. However, even his insight fell shortpared to the Tianji Pavilion¡¯s foresight.


    He never would have expected that the talent he discovered in the Great Wastnd would climb to first ce on the Genius Rankings.


    Countless Academy prodigies had achieved this before, and even Mr. Cao himself had once been ranked first in his youth.


    But back then, thepetition was nowhere near as fierce as it was now.


    "The Ice Soul Gu¡­ so that¡¯s his fortuitous encounter."


    For someone not born into a great sect, such achievements were impossible without a stroke of fortune.


    Mr. Cao privately sent a transmission to the other Academy elders:


    "In theing days, protect Lin Jing. I will try to persuade him to return to Hidden Dragon City via teleportation array. Now that the Ice Soul Gu has been exposed, his return journey will be anything but peaceful."


    The other elders silently nodded.


    At the very least, the Spirit Dao Sect disciple didn¡¯t take first ce this time.


    The Academy elders had always disliked the Spirit Dao Sect¡¯s unwillingness to join their ranks and cultivate using Hidden Dragon fortune energy. Seeing one of their own surpass the Spirit Dao Sect prodigy was deeply satisfying.


    With the Genius Rankings Battle concluded, Lin Jing returned to his inn and immediately sought out Senior Pine to request a Dragon Carp to warm his body.


    "You really know how to put on a show," Senior Pine chuckled. "You went beyond your limits with the Ice Soul Gu, just to scare those prodigies, didn¡¯t you?"


    Normally, Lin Jing only partially merged with the Ice Soul Gu, fusing its cold energy with his true energy. Even then, it was painful.


    But this time, Senior Pine had seen himpletely merge¡ªbody, mind, and soul¡ªwith the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power.


    As a result, even his soul had suffered frost damage, not just his physical body.


    ¡°I had no choice,¡± Lin Jing sighed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see how powerful that Spell Spirit Origin was? Even after inheriting your bloodline and mastering your divine techniques, my Pine Leaf Mouse still couldn¡¯tpletely counter it.¡±


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t fully merge with the Ice Soul Gu, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to crush that guy.¡±


    At Lin Jing¡¯s words, the Pine Leaf Mouse, who was snacking on sunflower seeds, spat out a shell in protest.


    "Don¡¯t me me! You¡¯re the one with a low cultivation level! If you had reached Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, we wouldn¡¯t have struggled so much¡ªyou could¡¯ve fought a hundred rounds on your own!"


    Senior Pineughed heartily at the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s response.


    "Well, at least now you have no choice but to rely on the Ice Soul Gu. Now that it¡¯s been exposed, the Gu God Sect¡¯s cultivators will surely emerge soon¡­ Heh heh heh."


    Lin Jing rolled his eyes.


    It didn¡¯t matter¡ªhe had already decided to seclude himself in the Academy for at least sixty years.


    He wouldn¡¯t leave unless the Academy copsed¡ªwhich, realistically, wasn¡¯t happening anytime soon.

 Book 2: Chapter 114: Renowned Across the Ancient Kingdom

    Vol 2 Chapter 114: Renowned Across the Ancient Kingdom


    "Congrattions."


    The visitor was indeed Mo Qianyi. Upon seeing Lin Jing, she immediately offered her congrattions, though her expression remained neutral.


    "I should thank you for not continuing to challenge me; otherwise, I might not have been thest one standing," Lin Jing said, inviting her inside.


    "There¡¯s no need to say that. Even if all six remaining contestants had challenged you in session and one of them eventually wore you down, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that your overallbat strength was the highest among all participants."


    "Besides, based on what you showed, I don''t believe you hadn''t anticipated that scenario. Would you really have been worn down and defeated?"


    Lin Jing simply smiled without answering. Who knew? But he did have onest trump card¡ªone he saw no need to use. Even if he had exhausted himself and copsed, it wouldn''t have mattered.


    After all, what he wanted was to be ranked first on the Genius Rankings, not necessarily to be the final victor of the Genius Battle.


    "Judging by your expression, did I hit the mark?" Mo Qianyi smirked. A Beast Tamer proficient in Mechanized Arts, capable of dual-cultivating Buddhist and Demonic techniques¡ªwho knew how many more hidden cards he had?"Heh, let¡¯s just finish our deal." Lin Jing shifted the topic. "I¡¯ve already prepared the mech design blueprints and its core materials."


    "And my item, have you prepared it?"


    Mo Qianyi took out a contract scroll and said, "This is a contract from Lotus Pavilion. Let¡¯s sign it first to guarantee the transaction."


    ¡ª


    Shortly after, Tianji Pavilion released thetest Genius Rankings.


    This particr ranking was especially anticipated due to the Genius Battle. Not all cultivators could personally visit Tianji City to watch the event. Most cultivators in their respective regions simply awaited the rankings to be announced.


    ¡ª


    Wastnd Domain, Hundred Flower Valley, Beast Taming Peak


    "Say, your Holy Son should have participated in the Genius Battle that Tianji Pavilion broadcasted, right? I wonder if Holy Son Lin made it into the top twenty?"


    A petite, adorable Hundred Flower Valley female disciple chattered away as she strolled alongside a Beast Taming Sect disciple, her mouth never stopping.


    Ever since Lin Jing had disyed his formidable strength during his Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony, the rtionship between the two sects had grown much closer. Hundred Flower Valley disciples no longer saw Beast Taming Sect as beggars and even treated them with genuine friendliness.


    This left Beast Taming Sect disciples ecstatic, shouting praises for their Holy Son.


    "He should be fine, right? Junior Brother Lin is extraordinarily talented. I think he might even make the top ten." Senior Brother Ziran of Beast Taming Sect chuckled, scratching his head.


    "Really? Senior Brother Ziran, I heard you once entered a Cavern Heaven with Holy Son Lin. Is that true?" The adorable girl leaned in, herrge eyes filled with curiosity.


    Under her gaze, Senior Brother Ziran gulped.


    Just then, a streak of rainbow light shed across the sky above Beast Taming Peak.


    "Eh? Senior Sister Teng??"


    Inside the rainbow light was a Hundred Flower Valley disciple wearing robes embroidered with a yellow butterfly pattern. Upon hearing her junior sister call out, she stopped briefly.


    "Senior Sister, aren¡¯t you supposed to be guarding the mountain gate? Why are you here at Beast Taming Peak?"


    The petite girl asked curiously.


    Taking a deep breath, the Yellow Butterfly Disciple held a stack of newspapers and said, "Thetest World Report is out. I came to deliver a copy to the elders of Beast Taming Sect."


    "The Genius Battle has ended? Senior Sister, what¡¯s Holy Son Lin¡¯s rank?"


    Both the petite disciple and Senior Brother Ziran eagerly awaited the answer.


    "Lin Holy Son¡­ I¡­" The Yellow Butterfly Disciple still looked utterly dumbfounded, unable to express herself properly. Instead, she simply tossed them a newspaper.


    "They can read it themselves... I¡¯m leaving."


    "I hope their hearts can withstand the shock¡­"


    When Senior Brother Ziran and the male disciple from Hundred Flower Valley grabbed the paper and read it, their pupils shrank.


    "F-First ce???"


    Momentster¡ª


    Hundred Flower Valley was in an uproar.


    No matter what people were doing, they were all startled by the deafeningmotion.


    At Beast Taming Peak, there was an eruption of wild howls and bestial roars, so much so that slower disciples thought all of Beast Taming Sect¡¯s contracted beasts had gone into heat simultaneously.


    "OOOOHHH!!!"@@novelbin@@


    The Demonic Beast Ancestors of Beast Taming Sect revealed their true forms, roaring in delight.


    "I told you he could do it!"


    "This Holy Son was the right choice!"


    "Genius Rankings, First ce! Even though it''s only the Human List, anyone who¡¯s reached first ce on this ranking¡ªunless they die prematurely or exhaust their lifespan¡ªhas always reached the Nascent Soul Stage!"


    "With the fortune he brings alone, Beast Taming Sect should be able to rise again. The potential of a first-ce Genius Ranking talent should be more than enough to surpass us old folks, right?"


    ¡ª


    Genius Rankings - First ce: Lin Jing


    Cultivation: Qi Refinement Stage 12


    Age: 29


    Affiliation: Beast Taming Sect


    Profile: First ce in the Genius Battle. Contracts two beasts¡ªone is a Squirrel Spirit possessing the True Form of a Demon King and powerful Buddhist Arts, the other is one of the Ten Rare Gu of the Gu God Sect¡ªthe Ice Soul Gu. Defeated the previous Genius Rankings leader, Innate Dao Physique Chen Zhong, proving himself unrivaled beneath Core Formation!


    ¡ª


    "Too bad it¡¯s just fortune. The Longevity Body makes it hard to convert that potential into actual strength¡­"


    One of the Demonic Beast Ancestors sighed in sorrow. Every previous first-ce Genius Ranking holder had stably reached Nascent Soul, but with a Longevity Body, things were much less certain.


    Especially now that he also carried the negative effects of one of the Ten Rare Gu.


    "Send him a letter. Tell him to stay put in the academy and not roam around. The sect can manage fine without him for now."


    Grand Elder Wang Batian shared the same thoughts as Lin Jing himself¡ªhe should stay in the academy and develop for a hundred years first.


    ¡ª


    Meanwhile¡ª


    Deep inside Hundred Flower Valley, the Valley Master read the newspaper under Elder Fang¡¯s watchful gaze.


    Hearing the Beast Taming Peak¡¯s wildmotion, Elder Fang sighed in regret.


    "I told you, I told you, Valley Master, you missed out on a heaven-sent opportunity."


    "But at least we established goodwill by giving him a bottle of Hundred Flower Honey and a secret technique."


    "First ce¡­ huh?" The Valley Master¡¯s gaze flickered.


    In all these years of close ties between Hundred Flower Valley and Beast Taming Sect, when had thetter ever produced such a monstrous genius?


    "But¡­ Ice Soul Gu? Is Beast Taming Sect serious about this?"


    She frowned. Being knowledgeable in insect cultivation, she was keenly aware of just how dangerous the Ten Rare Gu were.


    ¡ª


    Tianji City


    With Lin Jing¡¯s first-ce ranking, Tianji Pavilion sent him an invitation.


    "Come with me. Master asked me to bring you to receive Senior Starry Cosmos Turtle¡¯s blessing. You must be satisfied now, right?"


    "I thought you were still at Qi Refinement Eleven, trying to break through to Qi Refinement Twelve, but you¡¯re actually challenging Qi Refinement Thirteen now?"


    Bai Yuran clicked her tongue.


    "It¡¯s thanks to the Ice Soul Gu, right? With this, you should unlock your third contract slot. Have you already found a pet beast strong enough to help you break through?"


    Lin Jing smiled at Bai Yuran.


    "Of course I have. In fact, I entered the Genius Battle just for its evolution. Let¡¯s hope everything goes smoothly."


    This was the day he had waited for¡ªthe day his Dragon Carp would leap over the Dragon Gate.

 Book 2: Chapter 115: The Starry Cosmos Blessing

    Vol 2 Chapter 115: The Starry Cosmos Blessing


    Under Bai Yuran¡¯s guidance, Lin Jing arrived at Tianji Pavilion for the second time.


    Inside the grand hall, Tian Huihua was already waiting. He had the air of a mystic fraudster, smiling as though lost in thought.


    "Senior Brother." Bai Yuran greeted him with a slight bow before asking, "I¡¯ve brought him. Where is Master?"


    "Senior Tian." Lin Jing also bowed respectfully.


    Tian Huihua smirked, "Master calcted that he and the Longevity Body are ipatible. It¡¯s best if they don¡¯t meet, so I¡¯ll be the one taking him to see Senior Starry Cosmos Turtle."


    "Huh?" Bai Yuran was momentarily stunned. "The Longevity Body shes with Master?"


    "Doesn¡¯t seem like it. More likely, Master just doesn¡¯t want to see Senior Starry Cosmos Turtle. After all, his heart isn¡¯t too strong."


    Bai Yuran nodded in understanding.Lin Jing, on the other hand, waspletely confused.


    "Has Bai Junior Sister already exined the blessing process to you?" Tian Huihua asked, turning to Lin Jing.


    "She exined it long ago. He wants to borrow the Power of the Future." Bai Yuran added, "With Senior Starry Cosmos Turtle¡¯s abilities, that should be no problem, right?"


    "We¡¯ll find out once we ask."


    "But before we go, Beast Taming Sect kid, no matter what you hear next, don¡¯t take it to heart."


    Tian Huihua waved his sleeve, and a surge of power enveloped them¡ªSpatial Shift.


    Before Lin Jing could even process what was happening, they had already arrived at the top floor of Tianji Pavilion.


    ¡ª


    The room was vast and empty, with only a single stone table in the center.


    Atop the table sat a small ck turtle, gazing up at the starry sky.


    Its shell was embedded with countless colorful gems, resembling stars in a miniature night sky.


    "Senior."


    Upon seeing the turtle, Tian Huihua immediately covered his ears and said, "I¡¯ve brought him. He¡¯s the first-ce winner of the Genius Battle."


    "Longevity Body... what a shame you didn¡¯t inherit any talent. Otherwise, you¡¯d be far more suited to lead Tianji Pavilion than those old men."


    Starry Cosmos Turtle slowly turned its head toward Lin Jing, making him pause in silence.


    Lin Jing coughed lightly and said, "Greetings, Senior. I wish to borrow a Foundation Establishment contract power while still in Qi Refinement Stage, essentially forming a drop of Contract Blood ahead of time. Is this possible?"


    "Easy."


    Starry Cosmos Turtle replied nonchntly, "A trivial matter. When ites to Time and Space Dao, not even that Ancient Emperor brat canpare to me."


    Lin Jing fell silent again before stepping forward and extending his hand.


    The small turtle floated into the air and gentlynded on Lin Jing¡¯s palm.


    In the next instant, a mysterious transformation urred within Lin Jing¡¯s body.


    To his amazement, a third drop of golden Contract Blood condensed instantly inside him, yet his cultivation remained at Qi Refinement Stage.


    It was as if the Contract Blood had appeared out of thin air¡ªa truly mystical process.


    "It¡¯s done. Remember, this blood is something you were destined to condense in the future. You¡¯ve simply borrowed it early. Once you reach Foundation Establishment, you won¡¯t be able to acquire this drop again."


    "Understood, Senior!"


    With the blessingplete, Starry Cosmos Turtle turned back to the sky and muttered, "Now, let me continue my nap. I was dreaming that the Ancient Kingdom¡¯s fortune is about to be depleted. I need to finish the dream to see what happens next."


    Tian Huihua unplugged his ears and waved his hand. "All done? Then we¡¯ll take our leave, Senior. Rest well."


    ¡ª


    Shortly after, Lin Jing reunited with Bai Yuran and the others.


    "Senior Brother! Dragon Carp¡ªdid it seed?"


    "It worked," Tian Huihua confirmed. He then turned toward Dragon Carp and smirked.


    "Bai Yuran¡¯s younger self had quite a sharp tongue. I assume you heard everything she was saying?"


    "Just some trivial gossip." Dragon Carp replied casually.


    "Good, that¡¯s a relief," Tian Huihua sighed in relief.


    "Well, as long as it worked." Bai Yuran didn¡¯t dwell on the mystery and instead turned to Lin Jing excitedly.


    "So, Holy Son, what¡¯s your next move?"


    "As far as I know, you joined the Demon-ying Bureau, right? How about¡ª"


    "Hold on."


    Lin Jing suddenly interrupted, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.


    "From what I¡¯ve heard, Tianji Pavilion disciples undergo 50 years of astrology training and 30 years of fate-reading, for a total of 80 years of cultivation before they¡¯re allowed to travel. Bai Yuran, you¡¯ve only trained for 20 years, correct?"


    "That means¡­ you still have 60 years of closed-door cultivation ahead. And I¡¯m also nning to retreat in the academy for a full cycle of 60 years. So let¡¯s talk about cooperation¡­ in six decades!"


    Lin Jing smiled.


    Bai Yuran froze on the spot.


    "Are you kidding me?!"


    She nearly coughed up blood.


    The only reason she had sought out Lin Jing was to avoid 80 years of closed-door training by using his Longevity Body for faster cultivation.


    And now, he was nning to shut himself away for 60 years too?!


    Lin Jing hurriedly exined, "The further one progresses in cultivation, the harder it bes. Bai Yuran, you can steadily advance with your current training. Wouldn¡¯t it be wiser to seek my help only when you hit a bottleneck?"


    "Besides, I¡¯m still in Qi Refinement, and I n to remain secluded in the academy. What dangers could possibly find me?"


    "He¡¯s right," Tian Huihua agreed.


    "But¡­ but¡­" Bai Yuran pointed at herself. "Sixty yearster, I¡¯ll be an old woman! I¡¯m not a Longevity Body like you!"


    "Nonsense," Tian Huihua chuckled.


    "In 60 years, you¡¯ll probably have reached Nascent Soul Stage. With a lifespan of over a thousand years, you¡¯ll still be a child by cultivation standards."


    Bai Yuran rolled her eyes. Since Lin Jing wasn¡¯t interested in cooperating early, she had no choice.


    "Fine. Once I finish my closed-door training, I¡¯lle find you in the academy. You¡¯d better still be around by then!"


    "Hehe, I promise." Lin Jing nodded.


    "In that case, farewell for now. The academy elders have been secretly watching over you the whole time. They won¡¯t feel at ease until you safely return."


    Tian Huihua smiled.


    Lin Jing nodded once more. He was just as eager to return to the academy¡¯s safety.


    But before that¡­


    ¡ª


    Leaving Tianji Pavilion, Lin Jing quickly returned to his inn and pulled Dragon Carp aside.


    He condensed the Contract Blood and presented it to the beast.


    Upon seeing it, Dragon Carp¡¯s breath quickened.


    "So fragrant!"


    "Calm down," Lin Jing reassured. "I already told you¡ªyou are my third contract beast. No one else can take your ce."


    "But aren¡¯t you still missing materials for a Mechanized Turtle?"


    At that moment, Divine Pine suddenly materialized and muttered, "A Mechanized Turtle won¡¯t keep you warm in the winter, though."


    "That¡¯s irrelevant."


    Lin Jing pressed the Contract Blood onto Dragon Carp¡¯s forehead.


    In the next moment, a wave of warmth surged through his body.


    Although his cultivation remained unchanged, the side effects of using the Ice Soul Gu¡ªcold limbs¡ªinstantly disappeared.@@novelbin@@


    "Not bad."


    Just as Lin Jing was marveling at the effectiveness of contracting a fire-attribute beast, Dragon Carp suddenly froze, its eyes shing as if recalling something.


    Its thoughts drifted back to the waterfall in Beast Taming Sect, where it had once meditated beneath the pool.


    An infinite starlight illuminated the water¡¯s surface, cascading down onto its body.


    BOOM!


    A sudden change erupted within Dragon Carp¡¯s body.


    Not only had its bond with Lin Jing deepened¡­


    Something else was happening.


    "Wait¡­ what¡¯s going on?"


    Even Divine Pine widened its eyes in shock.

 Book 2: Chapter 116: An Unexpected Gain

    Vol 2 Chapter 116: An Unexpected Gain


    "Rare Beast?"


    "A mutation?!"


    Lin Jing, still in the midst of his contract with Dragon Carp, suddenly opened his eyes, a look of astonishment shing across his face.


    He could clearly sense the changes happening to Dragon Carp.


    It was the exact same phenomenon that had urred when he contracted Pine Leaf Mouse, causing it to mutate into a Rare Beast.


    "Wait¡­"


    Lin Jing''s expression froze.


    Was Dragon Carp also mutating into a Rare Beast just because of the contract?!Dragon Carp''s mouth trembled slightly, its expression tense as if it were awakening some kind of special power.


    Seeing this, Lin Jing took a deep breath.


    Before this contract, he hadn¡¯t given much thought to Rare Beast mutations.


    Though Elder Mo had mentioned that contracting a beast while possessing a special physique could increase the probability of mutation, Lin Jing had always assumed that Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s mutation was just a lucky ident.


    After all, when he contracted Ice Soul Gu, nothing happened¡ªno mutation, no change.


    That had led Lin Jing topletely set aside the idea of Rare Beast mutations this time.


    His only focus had been to contract Dragon Carp and help it undergo its Dragon Transformation.


    But now, this unexpected change had given Lin Jing a huge surprise¡ªone that made him reconsider his own circumstances.


    "Could it be that¡­ I have some kind of physique that naturally triggers beast mutations?"


    "The reason Ice Soul Gu didn¡¯t mutate into a Rare Beast might be because Gu worms have a unique life form that prevents them from awakening Rare Beast abilities¡­ Or maybe it was just had bad luck."


    Ice Soul Gu: ???


    "But if creatures like Pine Leaf Mouse and Dragon Carp, which have normal life cycles, contract with me and have a high probability of mutating into Rare Beasts¡­"


    "Then why am I even calling myself Longevity Body? I should be calling myself Rare Beast Body instead!"


    Lin Jing¡¯s breathing quickened.


    With Pine Leaf Mouse, he already understood the power of Rare Beasts.


    Now, he only wanted to know¡ªwhat kind of Rare Beast ability would Dragon Carp awaken?


    Would it be a support ability? Abat ability? Or something entirely new?


    ¡ª


    A Moment Later¡­


    The contract waspleted, and Dragon Carp''s eyes gleamed in a daze.


    A massive wave of inherited knowledge surged into its bloodline.


    Ancient memories surfaced in Dragon Carp¡¯s mind as if awakening atent ancestral ability.


    It instantly understood everything.


    ¡°BO!!!¡±


    Dragon Carp''s dazed gaze turned sharp and fierce.


    Rare Beast Ability: [me Emperor]


    Effect: Allows the fusion of multiple types of fire, drastically enhancing their power.


    ¡ª


    "An offensive ability, huh¡­?" Lin Jing murmured.


    ¡ª


    Inside the sealed chamber, Dragon Carp activated its top-tier beast fire¡ªDragon Scales Fire.


    Dragon Scales Fire took the form of ovepping scales, its mes coiling like a soaring dragon, radiating immense heat.


    Apart from that, Dragon Carp also possessed Ghostfire, a demonic me specialized in burning souls.


    Ghostfire was ck, chaotic in form, resembling twisting spirits. Its eerie nature made it highly unsettling.


    These two mes hadpletely different properties:<ul><li aria-level="1">Ghostfire couldn¡¯t be used for alchemy to refine pills like the Rising Dragon Pill.</li><li aria-level="1">Dragon Scales Fire couldn¡¯t be used to refine demonic pills like the Pain Pill or Demonic Smoke Pill.</li><li aria-level="1">They couldn¡¯t coexist and certainly couldn¡¯t fuse¡ªuntil now.</li></ul>


    With the me Emperor ability, Dragon Carp¡¯s two unique mes began to merge.


    Within moments, a ck dragon-like me roared into existence.


    The ck Dragon me coiled around Dragon Carp, dark mist rising from its body as its power surged dramatically.


    "Interesting."


    Divine Pine, who had been observing from the side, murmured in fascination.


    "In terms of quality, this me is alreadyparable to that Extinction Wildfire."


    "The one inside Yan Xiangbei¡¯s high-grade magic treasure?" Lin Jing asked.


    During his battle against Yan Xiangbei from Burning Immortal Valley, the opponent had used a top-tier foreign fire fueled by his high-grade magic treasure, possessing terrifying destructive force.


    "Yeah, that one was strong. If a Nascent Soul cultivator refined it, it could be used as a deadly trump card¡ªit¡¯s definitely top-tier."


    "But in terms of potential, this ck Dragon me isn¡¯t inferior. Once Dragon Carppletes its Dragon Transformation and reaches Foundation Establishment, its power might even surpass the Extinction Wildfire used in the tournament."


    "And this isn''t even the full potential of its ability, is it?" Divine Pine asked.


    Lin Jing nodded.


    Exactly.


    Right now, Dragon Carp could only control two different mes.


    But what if it could control three, four, or even more than ten different types of fire?


    The mes it fused could be even more terrifying.


    It might even reach the level of Celestial Fire, a me strong enough to resist Tribtion Lightning!


    Unlike Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Rare Beast ability, which focused on material synthesis, Dragon Carp¡¯s ability was pure destruction.


    No¡ªnot just destruction.


    A powerful me could be an invaluable tool for alchemy and artifact refinement!


    A grin slowly formed on Lin Jing¡¯s lips.


    The next step¡ªgather more unique mes for Dragon Carp to refine!


    ¡ª


    ¡°Bo¡­¡±


    At the same time, Dragon Carp¡ªnow surrounded by ck Dragon mes¡ªturned its sharp gaze toward Pine Leaf Mouse and Ice Soul Gu.


    It wanted a fight.


    A spar, a duel, a battle of abilities.


    Seeing this, Divine Pine fell silent for a moment.


    Then, it finally spoke.


    "You¡­ You brat¡­ what are you even?"


    "This Longevity Body of yours¡­ is it truly just that?"


    "Two Rare Beasts as contracted pets¡­ Your luck is absolutely ridiculous."


    Divine Pine suddenly thought of a possibility and turned toward Lin Jing with a serious expression.


    "Are you¡­ a reincarnated immortal?"


    Lin Jingughed.


    "Impossible."


    "At most, I¡¯m the reincarnation of an unlucky guy. Whatever Icked in my past life, I¡¯m making up for in this one."


    "Scammer," Divine Pine muttered, still unable to understand.@@novelbin@@


    ¡ª


    Back at Tianji City - Interdomain Teleportation Array


    Holding his meditation staff, a gourd hanging from his waist, and dressed in white robes, Lin Jing couldn¡¯t stop smiling.


    Mr. Cao, standing beside him, shook his head.


    "You look way too pleased."


    "Then again, reaching first ce on the Genius Rankings¡ªyeah, I suppose it¡¯s something to be happy about."


    "Of course," Lin Jingughed.


    "Here, the Hidden Dragon Fortune is constantly umting. In just one day, I¡¯ve gained as much fortune as I used to in an entire year!"


    Unfortunately, once he turned 30, he¡¯d be removed from the rankings.


    And as for the Earth List, which allowed geniuses under 60 topete¡­


    With opponents like Cold Moon Sword Immortal Feng Ning, who could already y Nascent Soul cultivators at Core Formation Perfection, Lin Jing wasn¡¯t eager to join that battlefield just yet.


    He¡¯d retreat for ten years first¡ªuntil all of his beasts reached Perfected Foundation Establishment.


    But his happiest gain from this trip?


    Aside from Divine Pine, he couldn¡¯t tell anyone just yet.


    "Time to head back to the academy," Mr. Cao nodded.


    Lin Jing agreed.


    And so, he chose the Interdomain Teleportation Array.


    It was expensive, but also extremely safe.


    Moreover, the process itself was a great opportunity toprehend spatialws.


    Or so they had been told.


    ¡ª


    But the moment Lin Jing and Pine Leaf Mouse arrived back at Hidden Dragon City¡­


    "That was way too fast. I didn''t feel anything at all."


    They had been scammed by the Ancient Kingdom¡¯s marketing tactics.

 Book 3: Chapter 1: Qingzhou

    Vol 3 Chapter 1: Qingzhou


    <em>Crack!</em>


    A turbulent stream suddenly froze over as a surge of frost erupted into the air.


    Shatter!


    From within the frozen surface, a fist punched through the ice.


    ¡°Where the hell did I get teleported to?¡±


    The ice split apart, and a young man with short ck hair climbed out.


    With a single sweep of his divine sense, he immediately grasped everything within a few kilometers.


    This young man was none other than Lin Jing, who had been teleported to an unknown location by the Celestial Pce Teleportation Compass!As soon as the teleportation ended, Lin Jing took stock of his surroundings.


    Since this was a random teleportation, if what Senior Pine said was true, and he ended up in the den of some high-level demonic beasts, then his life would be as good as over.


    On the Tianyuan Continent, the domain of demonic beasts was hardly any smaller than that of humans¡­


    The Misty Forest, the Cloud Sea Mountains, and the Western Desert Snow ins¡ªeach was ruled by a Beast Emperor at the equivalent of the Dao-Seeking Stage, overseeing a vast empire of monsters.


    Fortunately, a quick scan of his divine sense confirmed that he wasn¡¯t so unlucky. He had merelynded in an uncharted forest.


    There were no significant threats within a few kilometers¡ªnot even a single Foundation Establishment-level beast.


    ¡°A forest¡­¡±


    Just knowing that he was in a forest wasn¡¯t enough for Lin Jing to determine his exact location.


    As he pondered his situation, three contracted beasts¡ªPine Leaf Mouse, Fire Qilin Dragon, and Ice Soul Gu¡ªemerged one after another, reacting to the sudden teleportation.


    ¡°Hey! Hey!!¡±


    ¡°Roar!!!¡±


    "Good thing you three are linked to me through our contract, treating us as one entity¡­¡±


    With his contracted beasts by his side, Lin Jing felt slightly reassured.


    Senior Pine had also been teleported to an unknown location and could no longer protect him. If he had been separated from his beasts as well, his remainingbat power would have left him feeling utterly defenseless.


    ¡°This damnpass.¡±


    Lin Jing checked his Myriad Beast Circle once more and confirmed that his mosquito beast swarm had indeed been stripped away. He cursed under his breath.


    Without them, his Mosquito-Powered Mech was temporarily useless.


    Thankfully, mosquito beasts weren¡¯t exactly rare. As long as he could return to Hidden Dragon Academy, he could easilymission an instructor to help him capture a few from the Cloud Sea Mountains. Once he had a breeding pair, they¡¯d multiply quickly. ???N??¦¥?


    Still, given the current unknown circumstances, even if he had the mech, he wouldn¡¯t dare use it¡ªit would make him an instant target for the Demonic Sect.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    Lin Jing recalled Senior Pine¡¯s warning¡ªthis teleportation was likely orchestrated by the Yin Corpse Sect and the Gu God Sect.


    Although the Yin Corpse Sect¡¯s demonic cultivators imed they were retaliating against the academy¡¯s interference in their grand scheme, no one on Lin Jing¡¯s side believed that was the whole truth.


    Chances were, they were after his Longevity Body.


    ¡°You think the Gu God Sect has a way to track you down?¡± Lin Jing asked Ice Soul Gu.


    ¡°No idea¡­ Maybe I should fake my death and go into hibernation?¡± Ice Soul Gu whimpered, clearly terrified.


    For all its usual arrogance, it wasn¡¯t willing to risk being captured by the Gu God Sect.


    Better to cry inside the body of a Longevity Body cultivator than tough in the hands of a Gu Sect parasite master.


    Just like birds choose the best tree to nest in, Gu creatures do the same.@@novelbin@@


    Ice Soul Gu firmly believed that Lin Jing¡¯s potential would surpass the entire Gu God Sect. The sect only had one Gu God at the Dao-Seeking Stage, after all.


    If Lin Jing grew strong enough, not only could he devour the Nine Rare Gu, but he might even surpass the Gu God himself one day.


    ¡°Then go ahead and fake your death. Keep your aura hidden at all costs.¡±


    "Our next major goal¡­ is to get back to the Ancient Celestial Kingdom as soon as possible.¡±


    Lin Jing opened his palm, revealing a golden leaf that Senior Pine had given him before the teleportation.


    Senior Pine had imed that this leaf could help mask his presence from fate-divining techniques, making it harder for powerful cultivators to track him down.


    But just how effective it was¡­ Lin Jing wasn¡¯t entirely sure.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s gotta be useful to some extent. Senior Pine managed to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage unnoticed and hide in the Beast Taming Sect for so many years without being discovered¡ªhe definitely has some tricks up his sleeve.¡±


    ¡°With this leaf,bined with my Shedding Art and Thousand Transformations Technique, I just need toy low and avoid exposure. At least in the short term, the two Demonic Sects shouldn¡¯t be able to track me¡­ If they do, well, that¡¯s just my bad luck.¡±


    Lin Jing took a deep breath and recalled Pine Leaf Mouse and Fire Qilin Dragon into his Myriad Beast Circle.


    For now, he needed to minimize the use of his Beast Taming Abilities to avoid drawing attention.


    His body slowly floated upward. While extending his divine sense to scout ahead, he transformed into a streak of rainbow light and flew toward the outer edges of the forest.


    During this time, his appearance and body shape gradually changed¡­


    Returning to the Ancient Celestial Kingdom was the priority, but first, he needed to figure out where he was.


    If he was already within one of the kingdom¡¯s regions, that would make things much easier.


    After flying for a while, though he hadn¡¯t yet left the forest, Lin Jing finally spotted a living person.


    A mid-stage Qi Refinement teenager, no older than fifteen or sixteen, was wandering alone through the forest, seemingly searching for something.


    Lin Jing sighed in relief.


    In situations like this, the worst thing would be not encountering anyone at all.


    As long as there were people around, it meant civilization wasn¡¯t too far away¡ªat least he hadn¡¯t ended up in some forsaken death trap like the Misty Forest.


    <em>Whoosh!</em>


    A sudden gust of wind roared through the air.


    Descending from the clouds, Lin Jingnded directly in front of the startled youth.


    The moment he saw Lin Jing¡¯s disguised ordinary-looking form, the Qi Refinement teenager felt an overwhelming pressure.


    Foundation Establishment!


    Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees, bowing his head.


    "Junior greets Senior! I didn¡¯t know you were cultivating here¡ªI have disturbed your meditation. I deserve to die for my offense!"


    "I swear this is all I have¡ªplease, have mercy!"


    He hastily took out a few Spirit Stones as an offering.


    Lin Jing scoffed internally.


    <em>If only the Yin Corpse Sect had been this respectful.</em>


    He had spent a decade training quietly in the academy without stepping foot outside, yet he still got dragged into this mess.


    <em>Damn it all.</em>


    A silken thread shot out and pierced the youth¡¯s body.


    Instantly, the boy¡¯s eyes zed over as Ice Soul Gu took control of his mind.


    ¡°Where is this ce?¡± Lin Jing asked.


    In a monotone voice, the youth replied, ¡°Senior, this is Senluo Path, one of the Sixteen Paths of Qingzhou, just outside Ling City, within the Evergreen Forest.¡±


    Qingzhou!


    Lin Jing looked up at the sky.


    So he had ended up in Qingzhou¡­


    Not exactly a demonic beast stronghold, but returning to the Ancient Celestial Kingdom from here wouldn¡¯t be easy either.


    Since the Misty Forest¡¯s fog disrupted divine sense and spatial travel, no teleportation arrays existed between Qingzhou and the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    To return, one had to physically traverse the Misty Forest.


    And that was demonic beast territory¡ªfull of terrifying creatures who called themselves emperors and ancestors.


    Only Lotus Pavilion had a rtively safe trade route through the forest, supposedly thanks to some kind of deal with a powerful beast.


    But under current circumstances, with the Yin Corpse Sect and Gu God Sect on high alert, even disguising himself and traveling with Lotus Pavilion¡¯s trade caravan wouldn¡¯t be entirely safe.


    And to make things worse, Qingzhou was actually the Yin Corpse Sect¡¯s main base of operations.


    In this situation, returning safely to the kingdom seemed nearly impossible.


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t Sect Master Xu Xiaoyao and Senior Brother Ouyang Haoe to Qingzhou with Lotus Pavilion to make a name for themselves?¡±


    ¡°¡­But given the current situation, meeting up with them might not be the best idea. Staying hidden and waiting for Senior Pine to find me seems like the safer option.¡±


    Lin Jing sighed.


    If only he had already cultivated the Heavenly Demon Physique.


    With at least four thousand years of lifespan to burn, he wouldn¡¯t have to be so damn cautious all the time.


    If he had reached Core Formation, with a lifespan nearing ten thousand years,bined with the Heavenly Demon Physique, he¡¯d feel far more secure.


    But s, he hadn¡¯t.


    Gazing at the controlled youth, Lin Jing asked, ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing alone in this forest?¡±

 Book 3: Chapter 2: Thousand Illusions Mountain

    Vol 3 Chapter 2: Thousand Illusions Mountain


    Under Lin Jing¡¯s control, the Qi Refinement teenager spilled everything.


    His name was Lin Yun, a member of the Lin n from Ling City.


    Though hecked any special physique, he had an exceptional mastery over True Energy, allowing him to execute techniques with extraordinary finesse.


    For the past few months, Lin Yun had been experiencing a strange recurring dream¡ªone that hinted at a great opportunity hidden within the Evergreen Forest.


    At first, he dismissed it as a mere dream. But after having it more than ten times, he started to suspect that a high-level cultivator was using dreams to bestow him with a fated chance.


    So, he came to the forest to seek it out.


    ¡°What an idiot¡­¡± Lin Jing shook his head, retracting the spider silk before instructing Ice Soul Gu to erase the boy¡¯s recent memories. Then, he turned and left.


    ¡°What opportunity? As if it¡¯s real¡­¡±¡°The so-called opportunity he¡¯s talking about is most likely a scam.¡±


    ¡°They lure a so-called ''genius'' like him out of his n, deceive him into venturing deep into the wilderness, and then¡ª<em>bam</em>¡ªkidnap him. ¡­No one understands being abducted better than <em>I</em> do.¡±


    Having personally experienced the Yin Corpse Sect¡¯s attempt to kidnap and sell him, Lin Jing had zero faith in these so-called fated opportunities¡ªthey were just borate traps.


    Yet, as he continued flying forward, he suddenly halted in midair.


    His gaze locked onto a cave entrance, concealed beneath a dense canopy of trees.


    At first nce, the mountain appeared utterly unremarkable, but Lin Jing, whose mastery of Illusion Arts was second to none, could easily perceive the illusion formation concealing the cave.


    He hesitated for a moment before flicking out a strand of spider silk, dragging a manual out from within the cave.


    The grandiose name of the technique momentarily stunned Lin Jing.


    Wait¡­ <em>was there actually</em> an opportunity here?


    But as soon as he flipped open the manual and read its contents, he fell silent.


    Yeah. No thanks.


    ¡°To cultivate this technique, one must first sever their roots. Only by severing your roots can you y immortals! I, the Rootless Immortal, spent two hundred years perfecting this divine technique during my Core Formation stage. s, my lifespan is running out, and I can no longer see this divine art reach its full potential¡­ I hereby leave it in this ce, awaiting a fated sessor. If you have found this, it means your talent is as extraordinary as mine. Remember my name¡ªRootless Immortal! May you master this Immortal-ying Art and, with great determination, defy the heavens and sever the Dao!¡± ?????B¨§?


    Lin Jing flipped through a few more pages before confirming¡ªthis was apletely useless technique.


    Without hesitation, he tossed it back into the cave.


    If that Qi Refinement kid had found this so-called opportunity, he likely wouldn¡¯t have cultivated it anyway.


    Shortly after, Lin Jing arrived in Ling City.


    Qingzhou was divided into sixteen regions, simr to the Nine Domains of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom. Each region was home to numerous cultivation sects and cities.


    However, unlike the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, Qingzhou was far more chaotic. Demonic cultivators ran rampant, which was precisely why the Yin Corpse Sect had established its main base here.


    Beyond that, sects like the Harmony Sect, which specialized in flesh trade, and assassination organizations flourished here far more than in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    Of course, while there was no imperial government, cultivators who ughtered mortals indiscriminately or used them for cultivation experiments were still hunted down and exterminated by rival sects.


    Especially if the mortals in question resided within a sect¡¯s territory.


    After all, cultivators don¡¯t just appear out of thin air.


    Cultivation sects needed arge mortal poption to produce talented disciples. Whether they wanted these disciples to inherit the sect¡¯s Dao or simply use them as cheapbor, they needed people.


    Thus, when demonic cultivators massacred mortals for their own cultivation, orthodox sects saw it as a direct attack on their foundation.


    Lin Jing gathered more information upon arriving in Ling City.


    He learned that Thousand Illusions Mountain was located in Senluo Path, one of Qingzhou¡¯s Sixteen Paths.


    The weakest faction in Senluo Path was called Senluo Hall, which had no Void Mystical Stage cultivators overseeing it.


    However, Senluo Path was also home to three first-rate factions, each with Nascent Soul-level powerhouses:<ul><li>Myriad Beast Sect</li><li>Flower Sect</li><li>Thousand Illusions Mountain</li></ul>


    ¡°¡­Right, I almost forgot¡ªSenluo Path is where the Myriad Beast Sect of Qingzhou is located.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    Lin Jing wasn¡¯t sure whether the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s Deputy Sect Master and his two disciples had returned from the Ancient Celestial Kingdom yet.


    Those three knew him to some extent.


    But as long as he avoided using techniques that could expose his identity, he should be fine.


    Originally, Lin Jing had nned to head for Tongtian Path, the strongest path in Qingzhou, ruled by the most powerful human faction¡ªTongtian Tower.


    Tongtian Tower was a pill-refining faction.


    Qingzhou had always been renowned for its herbs and alchemy, far surpassing the Ancient Celestial Kingdom in pill refinement techniques.


    And the most prestigious alchemy faction in Qingzhou was none other than Tongtian Tower.


    Rumors imed that Tongtian Tower housed a sentient Celestial Pill.


    Just a trace of its aura could grant a cultivator a massive surge in battle power.


    The Tower Master was said to be so powerful that even among Dao-Seeking cultivators, he ranked among the strongest¡ªentirely thanks to this Celestial Pill Spirit.


    One of the reasons why the Ancient Celestial Kingdom had never annexed Qingzhou was because of this very Celestial Pill Spirit.


    Even if the Ancient Emperor could harness the power of national destiny, the Celestial Pill Spirit wasn¡¯t to be trifled with.


    At the very least, Tongtian Tower wouldn¡¯t be subjugated as easily as the Ancient Emperor had subdued other sects in the past.@@novelbin@@


    Lin Jing had originally intended to go to Tongtian Path because of its thriving alchemy scene.


    Where there was alchemy, there were bound to be many exotic mes¡ªpowerful mes used for refining pills.


    If he could find a me that burned lifespan, he could use it to cultivate the Heavenly Demon Physique.


    But now, he had changed his mind.


    Even if he found such a me, obtaining it with his current strength and wealth would be nearly impossible.


    Moreover, Tongtian Path was crawling with high-level cultivators.


    With his current Illusion Dao abilities, he wouldn¡¯t be able to hide his Longevity Body for long.


    His enemies weren¡¯t only the Yin Corpse Sect.


    There was another Longevity Body cultivator in this world¡ªone who was currently imprisoned within a powerful demonic beast n in Qingzhou.


    Instead of rushing to Tongtian Path, Lin Jing decided it would be safer to first improve his Illusion Arts in Senluo Path.


    Thousand Illusions Mountain was a sect specializing in illusions, led by a Nascent Soul Ancestor who was in permanent closed-door cultivation.


    Day-to-day sect affairs were managed by the Sect Master, who was half-step Nascent Soul, bordering on Semi-Divine Realm.


    The sect possessed not only the Thousand Illusions Codex, but also two powerful secret techniques:<ul><li>Inverse Void Art</li><li>Beast Intent Manifestation</li></ul>


    These two techniques made Thousand Illusions Mountain¡¯sbat style unique among illusion sects.


    Their disciples manifested illusions of powerful beasts, using their aura and ferocity to inflict mental and spiritual damage on enemies.


    Lin Jing smirked.


    ¡°Illusion beasts still count as beasts, right?¡±


    ¡°And if they¡¯re beasts¡­ I can tame them.¡±


    ¡°¡­That works.¡±

 Book 3 Entering the Sect

    Vol 3 Chapter 3: Entering the Sect


    A few dayster, Lin Jing arrived at the Thousand Illusions Mountain Sect in Senluo Path.


    On the way here, he had already done thorough research on the sect.


    Unlike in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, where sects only epted disciples once every few years, most sects in Qingzhou recruited new members at all times.


    Thousand Illusions Mountain was no exception.


    They had an entire mountain peak dedicated to entry examinations, where potential disciples were tested.


    The test was divided into two categories:<ol><li>The Mortal Examination ¨C for those without cultivation</li><li>The Cultivator Examination ¨C for rogue cultivators seeking to join</li></ol>


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t bother concealing his mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation.Having too low a cultivation would make it harder for him to gain ess to Thousand Illusions Mountain¡¯s techniques.


    However, regardless of whether one was a mortal or a rogue cultivator, the most important part of the examination was the Illusory Heart Formation.


    This was a powerful illusion formation set up by a high-ranking sect elder.


    Anyone who entered would have their true intentions exposed¡ªif they sought to join Thousand Illusions Mountain for impure reasons, they would lose their sanity and reveal their true self.


    ¡°An illusion formation, huh¡­¡±


    Lin Jing wasn¡¯t particrly worried.


    It wasn¡¯t because of his own mastery of the Illusion Dao, but because of the Ice Soul Gu within him.


    With Ice Soul Gu¡¯s ability to freeze his mind, illusions had little to no effect on him.


    ¡°You wish to join Thousand Illusions Mountain?¡±


    At the foot of Ascending Immortal Peak, a fat elder in a purple Daoist robe stroked his beard as he scrutinized Lin Jing.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment at such a young age¡­ quite the talent. Why do you wish to join Thousand Illusions Mountain?¡±


    Lin Jing replied respectfully, ¡°Senior, I am an orphan. Since childhood, I followed my master in cultivation. However, not long ago, my master passed away. Before he died, he told me that I had a talent for the Illusion Dao and advised me to join Thousand Illusions Mountain to be a powerful cultivator.¡± ?????§£§¦S?


    ¡°A rogue cultivator, huh? What was your master¡¯s name? And yours?¡± the Core Formation elder asked.@@novelbin@@


    ¡°My master went by the name ¡®Daoist Huang Song¡¯. As for me¡­ my name is Huang Yu.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of him.¡± The elder scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. ¡°There are far too many nameless rogue cultivators.¡±


    ¡°But with your level of talent, as long as you pass the Illusory Heart Formation, joining Thousand Illusions Mountain will be no problem.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    The elder let out a dramatic sigh.


    ¡°A genius like you? We have plenty. And since you¡¯re joining midway, without someone to guide you, even with your talent in Illusion Dao, bing a core disciple won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Jing clenched his jaw¡ªbut inside, he knew exactly what this meant.


    With a bleeding heart, he took out a pouch of mid-grade Spirit Stones and handed it over.


    ¡°Senior, this is just a small token of my respect. I hope you can¡­ guide me a little.¡±


    The elder weighed the Spirit Stones in his hand and chuckled.


    ¡°You rogue cultivators always do this kind of thing.¡±


    ¡°Once you officially join Thousand Illusions Mountain, you must never continue such habits! But¡­¡±


    ¡°Since you are so eager to pursue the Dao, I¡¯ll make an exception this time.¡±


    With a satisfied grin, the elder pocketed the Spirit Stones and continued,


    ¡°You can skip the other tests. Just walk through the Illusory Heart Formation. If you pass, I¡¯ll immediately arrange for you to be an Inner Mountain Disciple.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ I¡¯ll also grant you one free entry into the Divine Beast Hall.¡±


    The elder grinned as he gestured toward a stone pathway leading down the mountain.


    ¡°Go on. It¡¯s only a hundred meters.¡±


    Using the alias ¡®Xin Feng¡¯, Lin Jing nodded in acknowledgment.


    <em>At least this elder isn¡¯tpletely corrupt¡ªhe takes bribes, but he does his job well.</em>


    Lin Jing¡ªJing Lin¡ªreversed, it bes ¡®Yu Huang¡¯¡­ symbolizing my ambition.


    <em>Emperor of Beast Taming.</em>


    Lin Jing passed through effortlessly.


    From his divine sense, this Illusory Heart Formation only had an effect on cultivators below the Nascent Soul Stage.


    His own mastery of Illusion Dao was already high enough to render it useless.


    Of course, Lin Jing¡¯s Illusion Dao talent wasn¡¯t normal.


    He hadprehended it beneath the Golden Bodhi Tree¡ªa level far beyond what ordinary cultivators could achieve.


    If Nascent Soul-level rogue cultivators wished to join Thousand Illusions Mountain, they likely wouldn¡¯t even need to walk through the formation. The Sect Master himself would personally negotiate with them.


    ¡°Well done.¡±


    The fat elder in purple robes appeared before Lin Jing in a sh, grinning.


    ¡°Huang Yu, was it? Wait here¡ªI¡¯ll summon a disciple to bring you inside.¡±


    As he spoke, he took out a jade token and infused it with spiritual energy.


    Before long, a streak of rainbow light shot out from Thousand Illusions Mountain toward them.


    During this time, Lin Jing received a technique manual from the elder.<ul><li>Cultivating this technique allows one¡¯s spiritual energy to naturally carry the properties of Illusion Dao.</li><li>Depending on mastery, it can deceive the divine sense of cultivators one or two realms higher.</li><li>Illusions cast with this energy can cause massive spiritual damage.</li><li>Using Illusion Dao techniques in conjunction with this technique results in greatly enhanced effectiveness.</li></ul>


    The elder smirked and advised,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what cultivation technique you¡¯re practicing now, but you should consider switching while you¡¯re still at a lower realm.¡±


    ¡°To master Illusion Dao, having a proper Illusion Dao technique is essential.¡±


    ¡°If you cast illusions using ordinary energy, you¡¯ll only achieve sixty percent of their full potential. But with Thousand Illusions True Energy, their effectiveness will double!¡±


    ¡°I understand, Senior!¡± Lin Jing responded sincerely.


    But deep down, he had no intention of switching techniques.


    He had no ns to pursue Illusion Dao for the long run¡ªhe was simply using it as a temporary cover in Qingzhou.


    For someone like him, who found cultivation incredibly difficult, the Beast Taming Art suited him far better.


    Besides, while the Thousand Illusions Codex was decent, it couldn¡¯tpare to his self-created technique¡ªThousand Transformations Technique.


    His Thousand Transformations Technique could already deceive Nascent Soul cultivators while still in the Qi Refinement Stage.


    Of course, its current w was that it only created deception.


    Unlike Thousand Illusions True Energy, which could cause direct spiritual damage, his illusions had no real offensive power.


    That was precisely why Lin Jing had infiltrated Thousand Illusions Mountain¡ªto fill in this gap and further refine his Illusion Dao techniques.


    ¡°Second Uncle, you called for me?¡±


    The fat disciple who arrived was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    His round body and shifty eyes made him seem far from trustworthy.


    The elder red at him.


    ¡°How many times have I told you?! Call me Elder You while in the sect!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Ahem¡ªElder You! What are your orders?¡±


    ¡°This is Huang Yu. He just passed the examination and joined Thousand Illusions Mountain as a rogue cultivator genius.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s qualified to enter the Divine Beast Hall. Take mymand token and hand it over to Elder Qin, the guardian of the hall.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Second Uncle!¡± The fat disciple grinned.


    Then, he turned to Lin Jing, shing a wide smile.


    ¡°Junior Brother Huang! Since you entered the sect through my Second Uncle, I¡¯ll be looking after you from now on.¡±


    ¡°Come, let me take you to the Divine Beast Hall!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 118: A Decade of Foundation Establishment

    Vol 2 Chapter 118: A Decade of Foundation Establishment


    When Lin Jing reached the thirteenth stage of Qi Refinement, he barely had time to feel joy before his entire body felt as if it was about to explode¡ªhis body swelling as if it couldn''t contain his energy.


    ¡°Proceed with Foundation Establishment.¡±


    Sensing Lin Jing¡¯s condition, Senior Pine immediately spoke up.


    ¡°It seems your body simply cannot withstand the power of Qi Refinement Stage Thirteen. Quickly,press your True Qi and begin Foundation Establishment.¡±


    ¡°You are not one of those special physiques capable of carrying massive amounts of True Qi. Although the Ice Soul Gu has strengthened your body to some extent, bearing the power of Qi Refinement Stage Twelve was already your limit.¡±


    ¡°By pushing your limits with Thunder Dao techniques, you forced your breakthrough to the thirteenth stage, but you won¡¯t be able to remain at this level for long. Still, your goal has been achieved¡ªbegin your Foundation Establishment now!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Without hesitation, Lin Jing sat down, not even sparing a moment to congratte the Dragonblood Carp on its evolution. He had to begin his own breakthrough immediately. Reaching Foundation Establishment from the thirteenth stage of Qi Refinement required no pills, no rare treasures¡ªhis unparalleled foundation alone was the greatest aid he could ask for.External resources were just support, but Qi Refinement Stage Thirteen was his foundation! Of course, at this point, there was no way to umte more¡ªit had already reached its peak.


    Seated cross-legged, Lin Jing resembled the center of a ck hole, his surroundings whirling into a storm of thirteenyers of Qi Refinement energy. Immense spiritual energy from heaven and earth surged into his body, causing his expression to contort in pain.


    ¡°You three.¡±


    Senior Pine, ever the worrier, turned to the Pine Leaf Mouse, the newly evolved Fire Qilin Dragon, and the Ice Soul Gu.


    ¡°Protect him. Use the power of your contracts to transfer your True Essence to him and help himpress his True Qi. Once hepletes Foundation Establishment, you will also be able to break through.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve all absorbed far more resources than your current cultivation stages allow. Once the contract¡¯s suppression lifts, your breakthroughs will be even more dramatic!¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse had absorbed an immense amount of high-grade wood-elemental life essence...


    The Ice Soul Gu had absorbed an entire region of extreme cold energy...


    The Fire Qilin Dragon had devoured vast amounts of Hidden Dragon Fortune and the blood of a Dragon Emperor...


    Their current early Foundation Establishment stage was far from their true potential.


    As Lin Jing began his breakthrough, their cultivation realms would undergo a second explosive surge.


    ¡°ROAR!!!¡±


    The Fire Qilin Dragon, now wielding Dragon Emperor blood, effortlessly controlled its body size, shrinking to the thickness of an arm before settling beside Lin Jing.


    The Ice Soul Gu, after throwing a nce at the Fire Qilin Dragon, silently emerged to guard Lin Jing, refraining from disturbing his breakthrough.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, too, sat down beside Lin Jing.


    The three beasts encircled him, entering their own closed-door meditation, refining the vast reserves of power they had umted.


    ¡°This kid is too greedy.¡±


    Observing Lin Jing¡¯s condition, Senior Pine muttered to himself.


    ¡°Qi Refinement Stage Thirteen¡­ He¡¯s clearly struggling. If he had advanced to Foundation Establishment from Stage Twelve, it would¡¯ve been effortless. But now, coupled with the burden of his Longevity Body, it will take him years of seclusion to stabilize his Foundation Establishment.¡± ?????¦Â§§S


    ¡°However, if he seeds, the benefits will be unimaginable. I wonder how much his three physiques will improve¡­¡±


    ¡°In any case, this old man has worked hard for too long. Time for a good nap¡­¡±


    Hidden Dragon City, Hidden Dragon Academy.


    It had been ten years since the Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect and academy student Wei Fang imed victory in the Genius Rankings Battle, securing first ce on the list.


    Since that battle, Lin Jing had vanished into seclusion. It was as if he had evaporated from the world.


    Many spected that he was hiding in the academy to evade the Gu God Sect¡¯s demonic cultivators.


    They were half-right.


    Even within the academy, Lin Jing had not shown his face once.


    For ten whole years, not a single student or teacher had seen him.


    The barrier outside his cave abode, coupled with Senior Pine¡¯s vignt protection, prevented all visitors from approaching.


    ¡°He¡¯s in seclusion, attempting Foundation Establishment.¡±


    That was the only response Senior Pine gave to anyone who came looking.


    Lin Jing¡¯s old friends were baffled.


    ¡°People have gone into seclusion for ten years to break through to Core Formation, even Nascent Soul¡­ but Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment? What kind of Foundation Establishment is he doing?¡±


    At the Academy¡¯s Dragon Pce stronghold.


    The now Core Formation realm Xu Zhizhi had long since graduated and be the lord of a city in the Ancient Domain. Still, he asionally returned to the academy to check on the Dragon Pce¡¯s development and maintain connections.


    Lin Jing¡¯s hurried departure into seclusion had left behind very few Rising Dragon Pills, and he hadn¡¯t had time to pass on the pill¡¯s refining method.


    As a result, despite Lin Jing¡¯s legendary first-ce ranking in the Genius Rankings, the Dragon Pce had stopped mass-recruiting.


    No longer an organization that nurtured young cultivators by helping them raise powerful dragon pets, the Dragon Pce had instead be an elite faction¡ªa gathering ce for prodigies who wished to forge connections with Lin Jing.


    The dragon pets had be little more than a status symbol.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you two.¡±


    Xu Zhizhi nced at the siblings before him.


    ¡°Mid Foundation Establishment¡­ Both of you have reached this stage, yet Lin Jing still hasn¡¯tpleted his breakthrough? Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Senior Lin is cultivating some kind of profound divine technique. How could wepare?¡± The Jiang Family Twin Physique siblings smiled bitterly.


    They were the very same twins Lin Jing had rescued from the Air Domain ten years ago, the ones who had nurtured the Ice Soul Lesser Gu.


    After following Gao Sheng for a decade, they had reached mid Foundation Establishment and had even entered Hidden Dragon Academy, taking charge of the Dragon Pce in Lin Jing¡¯s absence.


    Ever since they learned the truth about Lin Jing¡¯s contract with the Ice Soul Gu, their devotion to him had only deepened.


    But¡­


    He had been in seclusion for far too long.


    ¡°Hopefully, that¡¯s the case. Ten years¡­ The first-ce ranking on the Genius Rankings has changed three or four times¡­¡± Xu Zhizhi sighed, looking toward Lin Jing¡¯s sealed cave abode.@@novelbin@@


    For Nascent Soul cultivators and beyond, ten years was nothing.


    But for the Genius Rankings, which focused on cultivators under thirty at Foundation Establishment¡­


    Lin Jing was already a legend of the past.


    Many new first-ce holders had sought out this legendary figure to challenge him¡ªonly to find that they couldn¡¯t even see him.


    Lin Jing had no idea he had been cultivating for ten years.


    In his meditative state, time had lost all meaning.


    He had sessfully reached Foundation Establishment some time ago. Now, he was stabilizing his realm, allowing his surging True Essence to settle.


    Compressing his True Qi had been far more difficult than expected.


    However, with each sessivepression, he could feel himself improving beyond imagination.


    His Longevity Body was no longer merely beginning to take shape¡ªit was now approaching perfection.


    His lifespan had skyrocketed to five thousand years, rivalling even Void Mystical cultivators.


    This was the terrifying effect of Foundation Establishment at Qi Refinement Stage Thirteen on special physiques.


    His Ice Soul Physique and Beast Taming Physique had also fully matured, granting him frost power rivaling Core Formation cultivators and the ability to suppress Monster Core-stage beasts without his contract beasts'' help.


    However¡­


    As expected, Foundation Establishment did not grant him another Contract Blood.


    It seemed he would have to reach Core Formation before contracting another pet beast.


    Lin Jing opened his eyes.


    ¡°Mid Foundation Establishment¡­ As expected.¡±


    Beside him, his three pet beasts remained in deep cultivation.


    Pine Leaf Mouse - Late Foundation Establishment.


    Ice Soul Gu - Late Foundation Establishment.


    Fire Qilin Dragon - Late Foundation Establishment.


    ¡°Ten years?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Might as well stabilize my realm a bit longer.¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 119: Emerging from Seclusion

    Vol 2 Chapter 119: Emerging from Seclusion


    Though Lin Jing had vanished from the world for ten years, his legend never faded.


    A decade ago, he had exhausted all his Hidden Dragon Fortune to aid the Dragonblood Carp¡¯s evolution. But over the years, that fortune had umted once more, now brimming with power.


    This time, however, it had nothing to do with the Fire Qilin Dragon. Having already awakened its Rare Beast Divine Ability and achieved Emperor-tier bloodline, the Hidden Dragon Fortune could no longer provide significant benefits to it. Instead, Lin Jing nned to use it for his own cultivation.


    His first priority¡ªBeast Weaponization Technique.


    This secret art allowed contract beasts to transform into various weapons and equipment.


    The morepatible the pet and the weapon form, the greater the power they could unleash.


    It was a technique that Foundation Establishment disciples of the Beast Taming Sect rarely bought artifacts for¡ªnot because they couldn¡¯t afford them (though many were indeed broke from raising their beasts), but because this secret art turned their pet beasts into their strongest weapons.


    Lin Jing had wanted to learn this for a long time.Right now, he didn¡¯t particrlyck offensive weapons. What hecked was a strong defensive artifact.


    As a Longevity Body cultivator, his own defenses had to be near-invincible¡ªbut he also needed a top-tier defensive artifact to further enhance his survivability.


    Thus, he nned to master this technique and turn one of his contract beasts into armor to absorb damage in battle.


    And for that¡­


    Who better than a dragon?


    Even without fully mastering the technique, Lin Jing was certain that the Fire Qilin Dragon, with its Dragon Emperor bloodline, would have defensive power surpassing most mid-grade artifacts if transformed into armor.


    Moreover, this wouldn¡¯t be just armor¡ªit would be battle armor. d in the me Qilin Armor, andbined with his me Control Art, Lin Jing could wield the beast¡¯s fused mes both offensively and defensively.


    And if he fused it with the Ice Soul Gu¡¯s power, he wouldn¡¯t even have to worry about the bacsh from frost energy anymore.


    The mere thought of donning the me Qilin Armor filled Lin Jing with anticipation.


    Wasting no time, he opened the Beast Weaponization manual and began cultivating.


    Within a few days, using his fortune-convertedprehension, Lin Jing fully grasped the technique.


    Compared to Heavenly Demon Physique, this technique was far easier to cultivate¡ªafter all, the three core secret arts of the Beast Taming Sect were interwoven with the Beast Taming Art, making them much more essible. ??£Á??¦Â§¦?@@novelbin@@


    Seeing that his three pet beasts were still consolidating their breakthroughs, Lin Jing continued his seclusion, diving into the Heavenly Demon Physique.


    However, after half a month, despite burning ten years¡¯ worth of umted fortune, he hadn¡¯t made a single breakthrough.


    ¡°No wonder only two people in the Demon-ying Bureau have ever mastered this in thousands of years.¡±


    ¡°This is probably the hardest technique I¡¯ve ever tried cultivating¡­¡±


    Lin Jing sighed.


    ¡°If only I could borrow the Golden Bodhi Tree again. Compared to that, the fortune¡¯sprehension boost is still too weak.¡±


    Opening his eyes, Lin Jing sensed little progress¡ªbut during this time, his three pet beasts had finally stabilized their cultivation.


    With their overwhelming foundations, the power surge from their continuous breakthroughs had been enormous. It had taken them a long time just to fully control it.


    ¡°If they weren¡¯t protecting me for the past decade, they probably would¡¯ve reached Core Formation by now¡­¡±


    Lin Jing mused.


    By now, the geniuses from thest Genius Rankings Battle had likely all reached Core Formation. He wondered if, in his current state, he could stillpete with them.


    The Ice Soul Gu was the first to awaken¡ªits innate talent made it exceptionally quick at mastering its newfound strength.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse opened its eyes next. With its Evesting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, its control over its power was exceptional.


    The Fire Qilin Dragon, despite its years of refining pills and honing its control, was thest to stabilize. Having evolved thetest, it needed more time to adapt to its drastically enhanced strength.


    ¡°How¡¯s everyone feeling?¡±


    The Ice Soul Gu asked.


    Immediately, all eight of its sub-Gu stirred restlessly within.


    ¡°Fight! Fight! Fight!¡±


    The Fire Qilin Dragon soared into the air, its fiery gaze locking onto the Ice Soul Gu and Pine Leaf Mouse. Clearly, it was very satisfied with its newfound power.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse, however, wasn¡¯t interested.


    After a quick nce at the spiritual nts it had cultivated¡­ its expression turned despondent.


    ¡°So many of them have withered¡­ Ten years without care¡­¡±


    Heartbroken, it hurriedly burrowed back into its gourd, hoping to revive some of them.


    The Ice Soul Gu didn¡¯t acknowledge the overexcited ¡°stupid fish¡± either. Instead, it focused on sensing its sub-Gu.


    ¡°I can feel it¡ªtwo of my sub-Gu have reached mid-Foundation Establishment. If only they werete-stage as well¡­ If I could reim them now, I¡¯d reach the perfect Foundation Establishment!¡±


    The Ice Soul Gu muttered to itself, eager to advance first among them.


    The progression fromte-stage Foundation Establishment to perfection wasn¡¯t a dramatic leap¡ªit was a gradual refinement of True Essence.


    Once a cultivator reached their limit, they could beginpressing their True Essence and attempt Core Formation.


    Sess meant forming a Golden Core, gaining Core Formation divine abilities, and stepping into the ranks of the true powerhouses.


    Failure, however¡­


    At best, it resulted in severe injuries.


    At worst¡ªdeath.


    For this reason, many weaker or less confident cultivators chose to condense a False Core instead. Though inferior to true Core Formation, False Core cultivators were still far stronger than those at Foundation Establishment, creating a clear gap in status.


    However, for the Ice Soul Gu, reaching perfect Foundation Establishment meant it could attempt Core Formation anytime¡ªand its chances of sess were absolute.


    Since it was unlikely to defeat a Rare Beast with an immortal¡¯s inheritance at its current level, it prioritized advancing its realm as quickly as possible.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Hearing this, Lin Jing murmured,


    ¡°The Jiang Twins have already raised the Ice Soul Lesser Gu to mid-Foundation Establishment¡­ That¡¯s the same realm as me now.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go check on them.¡±


    With that, Lin Jing retracted the Ice Soul Gu into his body.


    The Fire Qilin Dragon froze.


    Wait, what? You¡¯re not going to fight me?


    ¡°ROOOAR!!!¡±


    It blinked, momentarily stunned, before realization dawned¡ªLin Jing simply didn¡¯t dare fight it anymore.


    ¡°Fine. You¡¯re the strongest now. If you want to fight, I¡¯ll find you a proper opponent outside.¡±


    Lin Jing pulled out his Meditation Staff, withdrew the Fire Qilin Dragon, then shrank the staff into a pendant, stringing it on a thread of spider silk around his neck.


    ¡°Senior Xu, are you leaving?¡±


    At the Dragon Pce Assembly Hall, the Jiang Twins¡ªnow the leaders of Dragon Pce¡ªbid farewell to Xu Zhizhi.


    ¡°My city¡¯s still a mess. I need to return.¡± Xu Zhizhi sighed.


    ¡°But as always¡ªthe moment Lin Jing emerges from seclusion, let me know.¡±


    The Jiang Twins nodded, but just as they were about to respond, their expressions changed abruptly.


    They had felt a reaction from their sub-Gu.


    ¡°Xu Zhizhi, long time no see. Looks like you finally reached Core Formation¡ªGolden Core early-stage. Impressive.¡±


    A familiar voice echoed from outside the Assembly Hall.


    Xu Zhizhi took a deep breath before eximing¡ª


    ¡°Damn it, you¡¯re finally out!¡±


    ¡°Do you have ANY idea how much of a mess I¡¯ve had to clean up because you didn¡¯t leave behind enough Rising Dragon Pills before you vanished?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait. Ten years of seclusion¡­ And you¡¯re STILL only at mid-Foundation Establishment?!¡±

 Book 2: Chapter 120: The Former Legend

    Vol 2 Chapter 120: The Former Legend


    "Sorry about that, it was a sudden situation." Lin Jing chuckled and said, "As for my cultivation level... it''s hard to exin."


    He then turned to look at the Jiang siblings. Jiang Qi had grown from a boy into a handsome young man, dressed in a striking red feathered robe, exuding an extraordinary aura. Jiang Lin had also matured, her blue dressplementing her icy temperament, making her look like a celestial maiden in the snow.


    Seeing Lin Jing, the two were overwhelmed with excitement and immediately bowed in unison. "Senior."


    "But mid Foundation Establishment is too low. You''re at the same level as them!" Xu Zhizhi was at a loss for words. Shouldn''t he at least be at perfected Foundation Establishment by now?!


    "My talent isn''t great, can''t be helped." Lin Jing smiled.


    Because he had gained extra lifespan through his breakthroughs, he didn''t feel particrly troubled. Once his Heavenly Demon Physique was fully cultivated... everything would change.


    "The number one on the Genius Rankings is calling himself untalented..." Xu Zhizhi was speechless.


    "Rtively speaking... Xu, I''ve been in seclusion for ten years. Did anything major happen?" Lin Jing asked."Well, actually, yes. First of all, this Dragon Pce¡ªif you want to keep it running..."


    "I know about that." Now that he was out of seclusion and nned to stay in the academy as an "eternal student," he certainly wouldn''t let Dragon Pce dissolve.


    "Another thing you might be interested in is the Beast Taming Sect." Xu Zhizhi¡¯s gaze flickered as he continued, "Five years ago, the Ancient Celestial Kingdom and the Snow ins went to war again."


    "The Great Wastnd, being close to the Snow ins, may eventually turn into a battlefield!"


    "A war..." Lin Jing muttered. "Another one, huh? I wonder how big it will get this time."


    Conflicts between the Ancient Celestial Kingdom and the Snow ins were nothing new.


    The kingdom wasn''t just after the fertilends of the Snow ins¡ªit wanted to conquer the entire region.


    This was closely tied to the Second Ancient Emperor.


    The First Ancient Emperor had destroyed the Immortal Alliance, founded the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, andid its foundation, earning boundless glory.


    The Second Ancient Emperor, chosen as the sessor when the First Emperor neared his end, had always sought to surpass his predecessor in achievements and power.


    Rumors said he wanted to unite the entire Tianyuan Continent under his rule, believing that expanding the kingdom¡¯s borders would enhance his True Dragon Secret Art, allowing him to surpass the First Ancient Emperor.


    And the Snow ins had be his first target after ascending the throne.


    However, even conquering the Snow ins alone was an immense challenge.


    The Snow ins tribes revered four totem guardian beasts, eachparable to Dao-Seeking Stage cultivators. Moreover, they thrived in the harsh and frigid environment, making the Snow ins Cultivators exceptionally powerful. ????§£??


    The Ancient Celestial Kingdom justified the war by iming that the Snow ins Cultivators were being deceived and controlled by these beasts and that the kingdom was acting to "liberate" them from their rule.


    Because of this, the Ancient Celestial Kingdom and the Snow ins had remained in conflict.


    "The Beast Taming Sect is under sect closure, so it shouldn''t be forced by the Sect Regtory Office to send disciples to the battlefield. Unless the Snow ins breach the Great Wastnd¡¯s defenses, we probably don¡¯t need to worry about it."


    At this level of war, Lin Jing felt it was beyond him to concern himself¡ªhe would just leave it to fate.


    "There aren''t many other major events. Oh, right, the Genius Rankings¡ª since you dropped off the list, a few new number ones havee and gone. The current first ce is also a student at the academy. He¡¯s challenged you at Dragon Pce multiple times, but you were in seclusion. The Jiang twins probably know more." Xu Zhizhi shrugged and looked at them.


    "The Genius Rankings, huh?" Lin Jing turned to the Jiang twins. "Are you two on the rankings yet?"


    "And... aside from Demon-ying Bureau missions, you two mostly rely on the Ice Soul Gu, right? But to truly reach the rankings, you¡¯d need to use it at full power, and you don¡¯t seem confident in doing that." Jiang Qimented.


    "Who¡¯s the current Genius Rankings'' number one?" Lin Jing asked.


    "A newer student at the academy, Zhao Qingyue from the Cultivation Zhao n," Jiang Qi replied. "She¡¯s rted to Zhao Qingquan, the Spring Source Physique cultivator you defeated in the Genius Rankings Battle. If we¡¯re talking lineage, she¡¯s technically his younger cousin. But her talent far surpasses Zhao Qingquan¡¯s¡ªshe has the Supreme Yin Physique, a Divine Physique that grants her the phenomenon of Bright Moon Divine Radiance."


    "She¡¯s probably looking to avenge her cousin. Since you¡¯re both in the academy, she¡¯s challenged you repeatedly."


    "Senior, this Zhao Qingyue is strong. Her current cultivation is perfected Foundation Establishment, and her Divine Physique Phenomenon, Bright Moon Divine Radiance, is even stronger than a Core Formation Divine Ability!" Jiang Lin added. "Because of this phenomenon, she might be even stronger than Chen Zhong, who had the Innate Dao Physique, when he was at Foundation Establishment!"


    "The Cultivation Zhao n... No wonder they¡¯re the second strongest cultivation family in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, right after the royal family. They really do have a lot of freakishly talented members." Lin Jing mused. Then, he chuckled.


    "If she wants a challenge, let¡¯s give her one. One of you go call her over. Tell her Lin Jing will be waiting for her outside Dragon Pce. I¡¯d like to test out some new techniques myself..."


    Xu Zhizhi immediately perked up andughed. "Oh, this is gonna be fun. The current Genius Rankings'' first ce versus the former first ce from ten years ago? Feels a little like bullying, but since she¡¯s confident, I¡¯ll go let her know."


    "Go on, then~" Lin Jing waved him off, then turned to the Jiang siblings. "While we wait, I¡¯ll give you two some pointers on using your Gu techniques."


    Zhao Qingyue¡ªknown as the Bright Moon Celestial Maiden. Many in the cultivation world believed she would be the next Cold Moon Sword Immortal.


    She had always been diligent, cultivating tirelessly from a young age. Upon her debut, she swiftly took first ce on the Genius Rankings, bing famous across the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    However, she carried an obsession.


    "You¡¯re strong, but I still feel like you¡¯re not quite at the level of Lin Jing, who defeated my cousin back then."


    And the reason?


    Her cousin Zhao Qingquan had a terrible habit of running his mouth and making himself incredibly annoying.


    "Lin Jing came out of seclusion?"


    Zhao Qingyue, dressed in flowing white robes, exuded an ethereal and pure radiance as she stepped forward. Her graceful posture resembled willow catkins drifting in the moonlight, swaying gently in the wind. Her face was as wless and luminous as a full moon. Even Xu Zhizhi nearly found himself lost in her presence.


    "Bright Moon Celestial Maiden, you should be thanking me. The moment the Pce Master emerged from seclusion, I told him about you first." Xu Zhizhi smirked. "Are you really sure you want to challenge him? He¡¯s ridiculously strong."


    "Take me to him." Zhao Qingyue had been waiting for years. Who would have thought Lin Jing would remain in seclusion for so long?


    Even if Lin Jing had already broken through to Core Formation, she still wanted a battle.


    But when she arrived outside Dragon Pce and saw Lin Jing¡ªat mid Foundation Establishment¡ªshe froze, deep in thought. She hadn¡¯t expected that after ten years, his cultivation would still be so low.


    Seeing his level, Zhao Qingyue deduced that his contract beasts must also still be at Foundation Establishment, given how Beast Taming Sect techniques worked. Since his own level was so low, his beasts couldn''t have reached Core Formation either.


    "Why is his cultivation so slow? Fine if he¡¯s slow, but even his beasts? Did he just sleep for ten years?" Zhao Qingyue was baffled.


    Lin Jing¡¯s beasts were equally innocent. Helping him break through had taken them over nine years¡ªhonestly, not much different from sleeping for a decade.


    "This is the Bright Moon Celestial Maiden, huh? Truly a proud daughter of heaven." Lin Jing stopped his conversation with the Jiang twins and looked at his challenger.


    "Your cultivation..."


    "No need to worry about that. Since you¡¯re eager to fight, let¡¯s begin." Lin Jing said. "You¡¯re the younger one, so you can make the first move."


    "...You''re only ten years older than me. Stop acting ancient." Zhao Qingyue was speechless¡ªespecially since his cultivation was lower than hers.


    "This celestial maiden respects the elderly and cherishes the young. You go first¡ªlet me see those so-called Ten Rare Gu that once defeated an Innate Dao Physique cultivator." Zhao Qingyue¡¯s expression remained calm, but she had long been eager to test out the "demonic cultivation techniques" she had heard so much about.


    "Alright..." Lin Jing couldn''t exactly refuse the kind gesture of such a ''respectful'' junior. Besides, he wasn¡¯t entirely proficient in his new techniques yet¡ªgoing first worked just fine.


    He nned to experiment with Beast Weaponization first. If she wanted to see the Ten Rare Gu, she''d have to get past his weaponized beast first.


    "Be careful, Celestial Maiden... this technique might be quite powerful." Lin Jing¡¯s voice was calm.


    The next moment, a ripple of fire-tinged spatial energy appeared before his chest.


    Inside his Beast Taming Artifact, the Fire Qilin Dragon suddenly felt an unfamiliar, overwhelming beast-taming force surge through its body. This strange sensation made it feel as though it was being reshaped and reforged!


    Wait... he wasn¡¯t summoning it to fight?


    He was... turning it into a weapon?!


    "Armor is tooplicated... let''s start with a simpler weapon first."


    Lin Jing reached into his Beast Taming Space with his right hand. The next instant, apanied by an earth-shaking burst of fire, a long spear materialized¡ªa spear with a me-shaped spearhead, its shaft adorned with intricate carvings of a fire dragon¡¯s head.


    As this transformationpleted, countless fire threads flickered around Lin Jing''s body, coalescing into a phantom fire dragon that wrapped itself around the spear. The temperature in the area soared dramatically.


    "Not ice, but fire???" Zhao Qingyue was momentarily stunned, as were the Jiang twins.


    Only Xu Zhizhi immediately understood¡ªit was Lin Jing¡¯s contract beast, the me Dragon Carp!


    BOOM!


    Though it wasn¡¯t frost power, Zhao Qingyue didn¡¯t dare underestimate this fire. The Fire Qilin Dragon, a beast with Demon Emperor bloodline atte Foundation Establishment, had been transformed into a weapon. Whenbined with Lin Jing, a monstrous Qi Refinement Thirteenth Stage Foundation Establishment Beast Tamer, the resulting power sent an instant warning through Zhao Qingyue¡¯s mind.


    She had originally thought¡­


    <em>This battle is going to be difficult.</em>


    But the next moment, her pupils shrank as her thoughtspletely shifted¡ª


    <em>Lin Jing... doesn¡¯t even know how to use a spear?!</em>


    He simply swung it in a wide arc, and mid-swing, a ck me erupted from within the spear!


    Everyone present turned pale.


    "Ghostfire?!"


    Everyone knew Lin Jing practiced demonic cultivation techniques, but since the Demon-ying Bureau vouched for him, it wasn¡¯t a huge issue.


    However, no one knew that he had also mastered the Ghost Annihtion Art of the Netherworld Hall.


    Even more terrifying¡ª


    The Ghostfire fused seamlessly with the fire dragon mes on the spear¡¯s exterior, merging into an overwhelming ck inferno. It took the shape of a ck fire dragon, clinging to the spear, instantly doubling its power!


    Zhao Qingyue¡¯s body tensed instinctively in warning.


    Rare Beast Ability¡ªme Emperor!


    Lin Jing hurled the spear directly at Zhao Qingyue.


    Her expression changed drastically as she instantly unleashed her strongest Divine Physique Phenomenon¡ªa radiant full moon appeared behind her, casting down boundless divine light.


    However, the moonlight, which was said to be as powerful as a Core Formation Divine Ability, was instantly devoured by the ck mes!


    BOOM!


    Lin Jing¡¯s attack shattered her Divine Physique Phenomenon, obliterated her protective True Essence, and sent her hurtling backward. A searing impact struck her abdomen, leaving a charred crater on her robes.


    "Ugh!" She coughed up several mouthfuls of blood before managing to stabilize herself midair. Clutching her abdomen, she stared at Lin Jing, who was also floating and had already retrieved the spear back into his hands.


    A wave of utter disbelief surged through her.


    It wasn¡¯t just her¡ªXu Zhizhi and the Jiang twins werepletely dumbfounded as well.


    They knew Lin Jing was strong¡­ but they hadn¡¯t expected this.


    Even Lin Jing himself was a little surprised.


    <em>As expected, the secret arts of the Beast Taming Sect still suit me best...</em>


    "The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Secret Art¡ªBeast Weaponization¡­ That contract beast¡­" Zhao Qingyue¡¯s mind was in turmoil.


    She had expected victory.


    She had expected defeat.


    But she had never expected¡ª


    <em>She couldn¡¯t even withstand one hit?!</em>


    Was this man a monster?


    Was that beast... a newly contracted one?!


    <em>He didn¡¯t even use his first or second contract beast, and I already lost?!</em>


    <em>The gap between me and the number one from ten years ago... is this vast?</em>


    "...A little carp that hadn¡¯t even been contracted before. But it has since leaped over the Dragon Gate and be my third contract beast."


    Lin Jing gazed at the younger prodigy with a calm expression, his grip firm around the spear.


    "Celestial Maiden, would you like to continue?"@@novelbin@@


    He was quite satisfied with the power of Beast Weaponization.


    If weapons were this effective...


    <em>Then turning a contract beast into armor would be just as formidable.</em>

 Book 2: Chapter 121: Unable to Learn

    Vol 2 Chapter 121: Unable to Learn


    Zhao Qingyue left.


    She now understood the gap between her and Lin Jing.


    Perhaps ten years ago, it was uncertain whether the past Lin Jing and the current number one on the Genius Rankings were stronger or weaker.


    But now, Lin Jing had reached Foundation Establishment, contracted two Rare Beasts and a Rare Gu, and in a battle against opponents of the same level¡ªhe was nearly unmatched.


    "I¡¯ve never seen Celestial Maiden Bright Moon look so miserable before..." Jiang Lin murmured as she watched Zhao Qingyue¡¯s retreating figure in a daze.


    "Senior is just too strong..." Jiang Qi swallowed hard, his respect for Lin Jing deepening even further.


    Beside them, Xu Zhizhi was feeling quite pleased. He was now certain¡ªLin Jing was the most promising powerhouse he had ever befriended.


    When he eventually became Heavenly Minister, Lin Jing would be his greatest backing!In fact, he was even starting to suspect that even the legendary Ten Celestial Physiques might not be able to match Lin Jing in a same-level fight.


    The Innate Dao Physique and the Supreme Yin Physique were both ranked among the top twenty physiques in history, yet Lin Jing had defeated both. Perhaps only the top ten Celestial Physiques, known as "destined to ascend," might be capable of challenging Lin Jing.


    But such supreme talents were extremely rare. Thest time one appeared was five thousand years ago.


    Xu Zhizhi sighed. Even within Lin Jing¡¯s lifetime, it was uncertain whether he would ever encounter a Celestial Physique prodigy.


    Then again, perhaps that was for the best. Whenever a Celestial Physique emerged, it wasn¡¯t just the prodigies of that era who were overshadowed¡ªeven ancient monsters from past generations couldn¡¯t escape their shadow.


    Not meeting one wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.


    "Have the students from my cohort all graduated?" Lin Jing asked.


    "No, Gao Sheng still hasn¡¯t graduated," Xu Zhizhi replied. "That guy says that once he graduates, his family will force him into arrangements, so he¡¯s been deliberately staying on as an academy student, just wandering around."


    "Alright, forget about him then." Lin Jing shrugged.


    "So, what¡¯s your next move?" Xu Zhizhi was curious. "Are you applying for graduation? With your strength, you could easily be a city lord in the Ancient Domain. You wouldn¡¯t be sent to some remote area¡ªthe path of promotion would be wide open for you!"


    "I don¡¯t n on it for now."


    Although an official position would allow his Hidden Dragon Secret Art to advance further, Lin Jing felt that the current stage of the technique was sufficient.


    The third level of the Hidden Dragon Secret Art, which enhanced cultivation speed, wasn¡¯t something he urgently needed. More than anything,pleting his Heavenly Demon Physique was the priority.


    The Immortal Child had once said that a Nascent Soul-stage cultivator with a Heavenly Demon Physique could burn a thousand years of lifespan to gain ten years of Void Mystical-level power.


    This kind of return was absolutely insane.


    And for Lin Jing, who already had a five-thousand-year lifespan at Foundation Establishment, sacrificing a thousand years was nothing.


    If he could master the Heavenly Demon Physique, even if his base cultivation was slightly lower and his breakthroughs were slower than normal cultivators, his life-burning power-ups wouldpletely outss the Hidden Dragon Secret Art. ????§à???s?


    But right now, his biggest problem was¡ª


    He couldn¡¯t learn it.


    "I''m going back into seclusion," Lin Jing dered.


    He nned to retreat for a few more years until he hadpletely grasped the Heavenly Demon Physique.


    "Again?!?" Xu Zhizhi almost spat blood. <em>You just came out!</em>


    "Before I do, I¡¯ll make sure there are enough Rising Dragon Pills avable." Lin Jing grinned.


    "Fine, whatever." Xu Zhizhi sighed. Lin Jing could do whatever he wanted¡ªgeniuses had their own way of cultivating.


    The Fire Qilin Dragon had just reached its seventh task before undergoing Foundation Establishment Dragon Transformation¡ªcontinuing alchemy training.


    At its current strength, Lin Jing suspected that the Rising Dragon Pills it refined would be of even greater quality.


    And for the Pine Leaf Mouse, which had already reachedte Foundation Establishment and had perfected the Longevity Technique, gathering alchemy materials had be much easier.


    As for Lin Jing himself¡ª@@novelbin@@


    He devoted everything to his Heavenly Demon Physique cultivation.


    Lin Jing had burned through most of his ten years'' worth of Hidden Dragon Fortune.


    But unfortunately, when it came to the Heavenly Demon Physique¡ª


    He still barely understood it.


    "Pathetic."


    At this point, even Senior Divine Pine had woken up. Having observed Lin Jing¡¯s training from the start, the tree spirit now found it incredibly boring.


    It was more eager than Lin Jing himself to see what kind of power the Longevity Body would unleash when paired with the Heavenly Demon Physique. Surely, it wouldn¡¯t be inferior to a Celestial Physique, right?


    "Kid, if you¡¯re getting nowhere, switch things up," Divine Pine finally spoke, seeing that Lin Jing¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, on the verge of going insane from frustration.


    "This shouldn''t be so difficult¡­"


    "The process is simple¡ªyou just reshape the heart with True Essence, cultivate a Life-me that burns lifespan, and use the heart as a cauldron, refining your lifeforce into a cultivation-enhancing pill..."


    "I¡¯ve sessfully reshaped my heart ording to the technique, but why can¡¯t I cultivate the Life-me?"


    Lin Jing focused inward, staring at his now pitch-ck heart¡ªthe core of the Heavenly Demon Physique. Did he modify something incorrectly?


    "Talent is talent," Divine Pine scoffed. "That Thousand Transformations Technique of yours¡ªon paper, it¡¯s simple. All it does is restructure spiritual energy. But think about it¡ªaside from using the Golden Bodhi Tree to master it, has anyone else ever seeded?"


    Lin Jing sighed. He decided to take the tree¡¯s advice and train other techniques for now to clear his mind.


    He sat cross-legged, his life aura weakening until he appearedpletely lifeless, as though he had sumbed to death in meditation.


    "I¡¯ll practice Shedding Technique and Thousand Transformations for now."


    For him, these two techniques were equally important at the moment.


    With five thousand years of lifespan, his life energy had be overwhelmingly radiant¡ªa beacon to anyone with spiritual perception. Fortunately, he had learned the Shedding Technique from Hundred Flower Valley, allowing him to suppress his lifeforce aura.


    But even that wasn¡¯t enough.


    His mastery of the Shedding Technique wasn¡¯t deep enough to fully suppress a five-thousand-year lifespan. However, if hebined it with the illusionary effects of Thousand Transformations, the two techniques together would allow him to fake his own death with near-perfect deception.


    "Senior Divine Pine, in my current state, at what level could someone still detect me?"


    "At Qi Refinement, your Thousand Transformations could deceive even Nascent Souls. Now that your True Qi haspressed into True Essence, your Illusionary Path arts are even stronger. You could probably fool a Nascent Soul cultivator now."


    "Unless a Nascent Soul expert who specializes in spiritual detection makes a full-force probe, almost no one below the Void Mystical Stage could sense you."


    "Hmm¡­ If you had used your Hidden Dragon Fortune to master these two techniques instead of struggling with the Heavenly Demon Physique, you might have even been able to fool Nascent Soulspletely..."


    "Then I¡¯ll keep training Shedding Technique and Thousand Transformations for now. As for the Heavenly Demon Physique¡­" Lin Jing hesitated. "It¡¯s supposed to be trainable without external aid, but¡­"


    "Senior, what if I find a me that also burns lifespan, let my Fire Qilin Dragon refine it, and then study it from there? With its me Emperor Beast Physique, it can easily refine and manipte exotic mes, and I can observe its properties in detail."


    "Wait¡ªforget that for now. Something¡¯s happened."


    Just as Lin Jing was waiting for Divine Pine¡¯s response, the void suddenly trembled¡ª


    And Divine Pine¡¯s shocked voice echoed in his mind.

 Book 2: Chapter 122: Heaven and Earth Reversed (End of Book Two)

    Vol 2 Chapter 122: Heaven and Earth Reversed (End of Volume Two)


    Divine Pine let out a startled cry, but before Lin Jing could fully grasp what was happening, an unprecedented surge of Void Mystical energy erupted within the academy.


    A suffocating pressure filled the air as chaotic spatial energy spread across the sky, turning the once-clear heavens above Hidden Dragon Academy into a vast, murky gray void.


    In an instant, dozens of towering Nascent Soul manifestations, Heaven and Earth True Souls, and even Void Mystical phenomena appeared. The sheer chaos of it all sent every student within the academy rushing outside, eyes filled with rm as they looked up in disbelief.


    "Who dares invade the academy?!"


    Powerful academy elders scanned their surroundings.


    At the center of the academy, the three Void Mystical Deans floated above their respective Void Mystical treasures, their immense spatial powers rippling outward as they tried to break through the spatial distortion trapping the academy.


    All three deans were Void Mystical cultivators, and Lin Jing even recognized the goateed Vice Dean among them from a previous encounter.


    At this moment, however, all three wore grim expressions¡ªtheir shock was not because of an invader¡­It was because even with theirbined strength, they could not break through the spatial lock engulfing the academy.


    Something like this should have been impossible¡ªunless¡­


    A Dao-Seeking cultivator had intervened.


    But Dao-Seeking cultivators were extremely rare, and even if one did make a move, why would they target a single academy?


    Though Hidden Dragon Academy was important, it was not an Ancient Celestial Kingdom core stronghold.


    "It¡¯s not a Dao-Seeking cultivator¡­ it¡¯s the Celestial Pce Compass."


    Suddenly, the white-haired female dean detected the source of the spatial anomaly.


    In the void, a projection began to take form.


    A shadowy figure stood atop a white celestialpass, his features obscured by thick, swirling death energy.


    But the three deans immediately recognized the signature of his power¡ª


    "Yin Corpse Sect."


    A cultivator from the Yin Corpse Sect had arrived, wielding a supreme spatial artifact.


    "That¡¯s right," the shadowy figure said, his voice dripping with malice. "I trust you¡¯ve been well."


    "I should thank the three of you for repeatedly interfering with my Yin Corpse Sect¡¯s ns. Today, I havee to return the favor!"


    "This Celestial Pce Compass¡­ surely you recognize it?"


    "Nine Infant Demon Lord, you seek death!"


    The Grand Dean roared in fury, shattering the projection with a single strike.


    But it was toote¡ª


    The Celestial Pce Compass had already activated.


    A terrifying, formless spatial force swept across the academy, and before anyone could resist¡ª


    Students began vanishing into thin air.


    Even the Nascent Soul-ranked professors were powerless¡ªone after another, they were forcibly teleported away.


    "We¡¯re screwed! This is a relic from the Celestial Pce ruins! It was supposed to be in the hands of the Gu God Sect! How the hell did the Yin Corpse Sect get it?!" ????¦Â¨º??


    As Divine Pine desperately tried to resist the teleportation force, it flooded Lin Jing¡¯s mind with crucial information.


    "Senior Divine Pine¡­!"


    "It looks like the Gu God Sect and the Yin Corpse Sect have joined forces," Divine Pine growled.


    "This Celestial Pce Compass is an ancient teleportation artifact¡ªit has no offensive power, but its teleportation ispletely random and uncontroble.


    "Even Void Mystical cultivators, who specialize in spatial arts, can¡¯t break its teleportation force in time¡ªand once you¡¯re caught, no one can intercept the teleportation before itpletes."


    "Everything covered by thepass¡¯s power is randomly scattered to different locations. At first nce, this might seem like a harmless gimmick, but in the right circumstances, it¡¯s an unstoppable method of removing targets.


    "And right now, you are the primary target!"


    "Hidden Dragon City has Void Mystical protectors and is near Ancient Celestial City. Even if the three great demonic sects attacked with full force, they couldn¡¯t capture you without risking destruction.


    "But the Gu God Sect wants your Ice Soul Gu, and the Yin Corpse Sect wants your Longevity Body¡ªand you¡¯ve been hiding inside the academy all this time."


    "If they can¡¯t capture you in the city, then they¡¯ll just forcefully teleport you away instead!"


    "Sure, the destination is random¡ªbut once you¡¯re out of the academy¡¯s protection, the odds of them tracking you down are infinitely higher.


    "Not to mention¡ªthis chaos also scatters the academy¡¯s students all over the continent, disrupting the academy¡¯s influence across multiple sects as an added act of revenge!"


    "Listen up, kid! You have some resistance to the teleportation force, but not for long. Take this!"


    Divine Pine hurled a leaf into Lin Jing¡¯s storage bag.


    "This will help you conceal your fate to some degree. It won¡¯t make you impossible to track, but it¡¯ll take much longer for anyone to pinpoint your location.


    "Now pray to fate that you don¡¯t end up in some demonic sect or a beast¡¯s nest!!!"


    Before Lin Jing could even respond¡ª


    He vanished.@@novelbin@@


    The Celestial Pce Compass¡¯s power hadpleted its work.


    Under Divine Pine¡¯s watchful gaze, the artifact¡¯s spatial energy tore through the academy.


    Even Lin Jing¡¯s contract beasts weren¡¯t spared.


    Because only beasts directly bound to Lin Jing¡¯s contract were considered one entity with him, his secondary beasts, stored within his Myriad Beast Circle, were forcefully ripped away¡ª


    Each one randomly scattered to an unknown destination.


    Lin Jing felt like he was bleeding internally as he was forcibly teleported away.


    Before disappearing, he red at thest location of the Yin Corpse Sect¡¯s cultivators.


    "Damn Yin Corpse Sect."


    "They disturb my seclusion¡­ they steal my beasts¡­ this grudge will not be forgotten."


    Divine Pine also cursed aloud¡ª


    "Damn it! A Longevity Body? Of all things?!"


    Momentster¡ª


    Even Divine Pine failed to resist the teleportation force.


    It, too, vanished from the academy, its destination unknown.


    That day¡ª


    A shocking event rocked the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    The Yin Corpse Sect, wielding an ancient celestial artifact, hadunched a devastating attack on Hidden Dragon Academy.


    Hundreds of elite prodigies, professors, and schrs¡ª


    Forcibly teleported to unknownnds.


    Some were lucky, stillnding within the Nine Domains of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom.


    But over eighty percent werepletely lost¡ªtheir whereabouts unknown.


    The Ancient Celestial Kingdom, though vast, was only one part of the Tianyuan Continent.


    Beyond ity the Misty Forest, the Cloud Sea Mountains, Qingzhou, Martial Emperor City, the Snow ins, the Western Desert, and even the Boundless Sea beyond the continent¡­


    After a random teleportation, the chances of remaining within the kingdom were low.


    Enraged, the Ancient Emperor wanted to retaliate¡ª


    But with the ongoing war against the Snow ins, he couldn¡¯t spare the forces to hunt down the missing prodigies or strike back at the demonic sects.


    Meanwhile¡ª


    With the academy prodigies scattered, the Gu God Sect began hunting for the Ice Soul Gu.


    The Yin Corpse Sect, armed with body-tracking artifacts, started searching for special physiques among the lost students.


    With the kingdom at war, the demonic sects resumed their disruptions.


    Hidden Dragon Academy shut down.


    Their new mission¡ªrecover their lost prodigies.

 Book 3: Chapter 4: The Portrait

    Vol 3 Chapter 4: The Portrait


    ¡°Senior Brother You, I¡¯ll be relying on your care in Thousand Illusions Mountain from now on.¡± Lin Jing handed over a small pouch of Spirit Stones, hoping to build a good rtionship.


    After introductions, he learned that the chubby young man was named You Wanli and was from the same cultivation family as Deacon You, who had just overseen the disciple recruitment.


    ¡°No problem at all! Junior Brother Huang, you¡¯re too polite.¡± Senior Brother You was delighted and said, ¡°Honestly, there¡¯s nothing too special to worry about in Thousand Illusions Mountain.¡±


    ¡°Just remember¡ªwhenever you go out, if you see disciples from Myriad Beast Sect or Flower Sect, beat them to death and rob them blind!¡±


    ¡°Our Thousand Illusions Mountain has a deep-seated grudge against those two sects! They¡¯ve stolen several of our Spiritual Veins!¡±


    ¡°As for Myriad Beast Sect, they¡¯re beast tamers¡ªbrutal and savage! There¡¯s not a single good person among them. Tell me, what kind of decent person tames beasts? Demonic beasts are living creatures too! Unlike us in Thousand Illusions Mountain, who merely use illusions to simte demonic beasts in battle.¡±


    ¡°And Flower Sect? Even worse! On the surface, they¡¯re a sect that maniptes nts and flowers, but in reality, they encourage their disciples to hide their identities, marry into small sects and cultivation families, drain them dry, scam them out of betrothal gifts, seize family fortunes¡ªeven use secret techniques to siphon their Dao partners¡¯ cultivation!¡±


    ¡°Many disciples of our Thousand Illusions Mountain have fallen for their tricks! Ah, the downfall of men¡ªdesire!¡±Lin Jing put on an enlightened expression and said, ¡°I, Huang Zhuo, shall never coexist under the same sky with Myriad Beast Sect and Flower Sect!¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± You Wanli nodded. ¡°Since you just joined Thousand Illusions Mountain, the sect won¡¯t assign you any tasks for the first three years. You¡¯ll have time to switch your cultivation techniques and train in our sect¡¯s arts.¡±


    ¡°Use these three years to strengthen yourself.¡±


    ¡°Besides waiting for sect missions, you can also join one of the sect¡¯s specialized halls. For example, Illusionary Assassination Hall, which specializes in raiding other sects and seizing resources on behalf of Thousand Illusions Mountain.¡±


    ¡°The disciples of Illusionary Assassination Hall enjoy top-tier benefits, but their mortality rate is also sky-high. If you¡¯re not strong enough, it¡¯s best to think twice before joining.¡±


    ¡°Another good option is Demon-Illusion Hall. Our sect has a powerful artifact¡ªthe Demon-Illusion Mirror¡ªwhich records the power of demonic beasts and preserves their images. These can then be used by sect disciples to hone their illusion techniques.¡±


    ¡°However, disciples of Demon-Illusion Hall must infiltrate battlefields of Demon Kings and above, use illusion techniques to conceal themselves, and record their fights. If your mastery of illusions isn¡¯t good enough, you¡¯ll likely be discovered by these terrifying creatures and die on the battlefield¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more¡­¡±


    As the two flew forward, You Wanli continued introducing the various halls of Thousand Illusions Mountain. Lin Jing was intrigued¡ªthis sect was truly unique, with many of its branches focused on the art of illusionary beasts.


    Their next destination?


    The Divine Beast Hall.<hr>


    ¡°The outermostyer of the Divine Beast Hall holds 300 statues of powerful Demon Kings, carefully selected by our sect. The middleyer contains 36 statues of different Demon Emperor species, while the innermostyer features three primordial ancestral beasts from legendary bloodlines, whose power rivals Void Mystical Stage cultivators.¡± ????¦­???¨§?


    ¡°When you enter, you¡¯ll only be allowed to observe the Demon King statues in the outeryer. As for the Demon Emperors and the Primordial Beasts? Forget about simting them¡ªjust looking at them might be enough to shatter a Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s soul.¡±


    ¡°Since Second Elder sent you directly to the Divine Beast Hall, you must have some foundation in illusions, right? If you can manifest just 10% of a Demon King¡¯s essence in your illusion within seven days, then this trip will have been worthwhile. Whether it¡¯s the Illusionary Assassination Hall or Demon-Illusion Hall, they¡¯ll be fighting to recruit you.¡±


    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t get greedy! Choose a demonic beast that resonates with you the most and study it thoroughly!¡± You Wanli reminded.


    Lin Jing nodded.


    Manifest 10% of a Demon King¡¯s presence?


    Hah¡­


    Back in the Qi Refinement Stage, he had already used his Thousand Transformations Technique to perfectly replicate the full presence of a Nascent Soul-level Demon King!


    Since that¡¯s the case¡­


    Let¡¯s see if I can imprint all 800 Demon King images from the Divine Beast Hall into my memory in just one day.<hr>


    Inside a vast pce, an elder of Thousand Illusions Mountain received an official decree. With a flick of his sleeve, the small door to the Divine Beast Hall opened.


    ¡°He only has one day.¡± The elder stated.


    You Wanli turned to Lin Jing and said, ¡°Junior Brother Huang, good luck.¡±


    ¡°Many thanks.¡± Lin Jing cupped his fists and stepped into the Divine Beast Hall.<hr>


    The hall was enormous. Statues of over a hundred demonic beasts lined both sides of the chamber, while another hundred were depicted in paintings on the walls.


    Lin Jing¡¯s gazended on the closest bear demon statue.


    As he stared at it, an illusion surged in his mind¡ª


    A massive Bear King, cloaked in dark golden lightning, raised its enormous paw to swat at him!


    The bear¡¯s palm expanded, blotting out the sky, then mmed down¡ª


    BANG!


    Lin Jing¡¯s consciousness was forcefully pulled back to reality.


    Without sufficient mastery of illusion techniques or cultivation, just looking at these statues could cause a mental bacsh.


    ¡°All the demonic beasts recorded here have at leastte-stage Nascent Soul cultivation. Their bloodlines are absurdly powerful. If they didn¡¯t meet these conditions, the elite cultivators of Thousand Illusions Mountain wouldn¡¯t even bother preserving their images.¡±


    Lin Jing scanned the hall.


    Even if he perfectly simted all these Demon King images, it wouldn¡¯t be of much use to him.


    After all, his Thousand Transformations Technique could already partially manifest the presence of Senior Thunder Pine, a Nascent Soul Divine Pine. Even if it was just an illusion, it was far more powerful than these Demon Kings.


    He nced toward the deeperyers of the hall.


    If he could enter further and observe the Demon Emperor and Primordial Beast statues, that would be far more beneficial.


    But with his current status as a mere disciple, there was no chance of stepping past that closed door.


    ¡°The technique used to perfectly imprint a demonic beast¡¯s presence into paintings and statues is worth studying. If I can master it, I could create illusions in specific locations to trap or deceive enemies.¡±


    Lin Jing found something worth learning and began to study.<hr>


    Seven dayster.


    In Thousand Illusions Mountain¡ª


    After escorting Lin Jing into the Divine Beast Hall, You Wanli had returned to his cave abode. His only task left was to retrieve Lin Jing once he was done and send him back.


    ¡°Seven days have passed¡­ I wonder how much Junior Brother Huang has gained from this experience?¡±


    Just as You Wanli was about to set out¡ª


    A powerful sect-wide decree echoed across Thousand Illusions Mountain.<blockquote>


    ¡°All disciples, hear this! If you encounter the man from the painting, report it to the sect immediately. A reward of a magical artifact will be granted.¡±</blockquote><blockquote>


    ¡°His name is Lin Jing. Foundation Establishment cultivation. A Beast Taming Sect disciple from the Ancient Kingdom. Skilled in Beast Taming Arts, Buddhist techniques, and mechanized constructs. He possesses a pet squirrel, and his body harbors one of Gu God Sect¡¯s Ten Rare Gu¡ªIce Soul Gu¡­¡±</blockquote>


    You Wanli looked up.


    A massive scroll floated above Thousand Illusions Mountain, disying a portrait of a young man dressed in white, with a gourd at his waist, an extraordinary aura, and striking features.


    Behind him was a faint shadow¡ªhis blue-eyed form infused with the Ice Soul Gu.@@novelbin@@


    At that very moment, simr portraits were appearing in multiple sects¡­


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Just as Lin Jing stepped out of the Divine Beast Hall, he looked up at the sky¡ª


    Where his own wanted portrait was floating.


    He fell into deep thought.

 Book 3: Chapter 5: The Prodigy

    Vol 3 Chapter 5: The Prodigy@@novelbin@@


    ¡°Junior Brother Huang, you¡¯re out!¡±


    Outside the Divine Beast Hall, a streak of light descended. You Wanli saw Lin Jing staring at the massive portrait in the sky and muttered, ¡°Who is this guy? What kind of trouble did he stir up for Thousand Illusions Mountain to go this far in searching for him?¡±


    ¡°If only I could track him down... a magical artifact as a reward¡­¡± You Wanli sighed in envy.


    ¡°Senior Brother You, it¡¯s best not to dwell on it,¡± Lin Jing advised. ¡°That man, just like those Myriad Beast Sect cultivators, is a Beast Tamer. He¡¯s certainly no good. And his connection to the Gu God Sect is murky at best¡ªprobably a ruthless character. It¡¯s best not to get entangled in his fate.¡±


    Looking at the wanted notice, Lin Jing felt a chill run down his spine.


    Was this issued by the Yin Corpse Sect, or was it a missing person notice from the Ancient Kingdom?


    It shouldn''t be from the Ancient Kingdom, right?


    After all, the academy had lost so many geniuses, there was no reason for them to search only for him.Even if he had immense talent, he came from a small sect with no background. If the Ancient Kingdom were searching for missing disciples, they¡¯d prioritize people like Zhao Qingyue¡ªthose with both talent and elite lineage.


    Besides, Qingzhou was the stronghold of the Yin Corpse Sect. Here, strength ruled, and demonic cultivators thrived far more freely than in the Ancient Kingdom.


    Even if the Yin Corpse Sect was despised, there was no denying its dominance¡ªthese minor sects with only Nascent Soul cultivators standing guard were nothing to them.


    Even the Demon-ying Bureau in the Ancient Kingdom was rumored to have secret dealings with demonic sects. In Qingzhou, it was even moremon for righteous sects to have connections with the Yin Corpse Sect.


    If the Yin Corpse Sect wanted Thousand Illusions Mountain to put out a bounty, would they dare refuse?


    Now, Lin Jing¡¯s only concern was:


    Did the Yin Corpse Sect already know he was in Qingzhou?


    Or were they casting a wide, posting the bounty in multiple ces¡ªCloud Sea Mountains, and other regions as well?


    Lin Jing figured that if the Yin Corpse Sect had the means to use that kind of random teleportation treasure, they must have ways to track someone down as well.


    The question was¡ª


    How precise was their tracking?


    Finding a general location was one level of divination. Pinpointing an exact spot was another level entirely.


    Fortunately, Lin Jing had the special leaf from Senior Thunder Pine, which helped conceal his presence.


    But relying on a single leaf topletely fool two major demonic sects was unrealistic.


    The Yin Corpse Sect and the Gu God Sect might have already figured out that he was in Qingzhou¡ªor perhaps even specifically in Senluo Path.


    Still¡ª


    One thing was certain:


    The Yin Corpse Sect had hit a wall in their search.


    If they already knew where he was, they wouldn¡¯t need to mobilize other sects to help find him.


    Changing his name, altering his appearance, switching to illusion techniques, and hiding his Beast Taming skills¡ªall of these had been the right decisions. ??????¦Â§¦?


    As long as this wanted status remained active, Lin Jing absolutely couldn¡¯t reveal his Pine Leaf Mouse or Ice Soul Gu.


    Thankfully, back in the Ancient Kingdom, he hadn¡¯t showcased his illusion abilities much, so they weren¡¯t listed on the wanted notice.


    This gave him a window of opportunity.


    Now, his alchemy skills would also be crucial for blending in while traveling through Qingzhou.


    As Lin Jing was lost in thought, a voice suddenly rang out.<hr>


    ¡°This kid speaks sense.¡±


    The voice came from deep within Thousand Illusions Mountain.


    ¡°This scroll was given to our sect by Senluo Hall. The man in the portrait has nothing to do with us. No matter what he has done or who he is, it¡¯s best not to meddle.¡±


    ¡°The Ten Rare Gu¡­ who knows? Just getting close to him might already turn you into one of his puppets.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, I heard that ten years from now, this man won¡¯t just be the number one Core Formation genius of the Ancient Kingdom¡ªbut he¡¯ll be able to y Core Formation cultivators while still in Qi Refinement!¡±


    The voice came from Elder Qin, who had been meditating beneath the Divine Beast Hall. He looked toward You Wanli.


    ¡°Elder Qin,¡± You Wanli bowed respectfully, his face filled with shock. ¡°This guy is that powerful? Compared to him, even Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s core disciples seem like weaklings.¡±


    ¡°Well, the Ancient Kingdom is the center of the cultivation world, after all¡­¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Elder Qin turned to You Wanli, ¡°One day has passed. You remember his name was Huang Yu, right? Go see how much he gained from the Divine Beast Hall.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out if he¡¯s truly gifted in illusions¡ªor if he just bribed his way in through Deacon You.¡±<hr>


    You Wanli nced at Lin Jing reassuringly, signaling that he shouldn¡¯t worry.


    After all, Elder Qin had epted gifts from the You family as well.


    Even if Lin Jing¡¯s performance was poor, he wouldn¡¯t be punished too harshly.


    Lin Jing cupped his fists slightly.


    This Nascent Soul early-stage elder was already as strong as the Sect Master of the Beast Taming Sect.


    However, Lin Jing wasn¡¯t too concerned.


    With his current illusion mastery, fooling anyone below the Nascent Soul Transformation Stage was effortless.


    But¡ª


    Since Thousand Illusions Mountain was a sect that specialized in illusions, he couldn¡¯t be careless.


    There was a chance that some Nascent Soul elders might be able to see through his disguise.


    So, he kept his illusion techniques fully activated, pushing his abilities to their absolute limits.


    Normally, maintaining an illusion required a certain amount of True Energy.


    But to perfect his illusion to an extreme degree, he was now consuming ten times the usual amount¡ªan enormous drain on his resources.


    Even with his strong foundation, maintaining such an intense illusion for an entire day wouldpletely drain his energy.


    Fortunately, his Pine Leaf Mouse, Fire Qilin Dragon, and Ice Soul Gu were constantly supplying him with True Energy, acting as his personal energy batteries.


    At this rate, Lin Jing even felt that just maintaining this state for a few years could dramatically improve his illusion mastery¡ªeven without actively training.


    Too bad his three spirit beasts had to remain hidden.


    For now, they could only serve as power sources.<hr>


    ¡°Disciple has gained significant insights!¡±


    With that, Lin Jing activated his True Energy.


    A strong gust of wind swept across the ground, and a towering demonic monkey illusion emerged!


    It was massive and menacing, with a ferocious expression.


    Its body was covered in reddish-brown fur, and its head, chest, arms, legs, and tail burned with evesting white mes, making it look like a creature born from a pale inferno.


    ¡°ROAR!!!¡±


    The monkey demon let out a deafening roar.


    The moment You Wanliid eyes on it, he was briefly stunned.


    Even Elder Qin showed a rare look of surprise.


    ¡°This¡­ White Abyss Monkey King¡­¡±


    ¡°One of the 300 Demon Kings in the outeryer. Its cultivation is half-step Nascent Soul Transformation, and its tyrannical white mes make it the most difficult Demon King to replicate.¡±


    ¡°You managed to capture two-tenths of its essence in just seven days?¡±


    ¡°Genius! This is pure genius!¡±


    ¡°Deacon You has finally done something right¡ªbringing a true illusion prodigy into our sect!¡±


    ¡°If you switch to our sect¡¯s techniques, you might even be a true disciple in the future!¡±


    Elder Qin was deeply impressed.


    Lin Jing, on the other hand, put on an excited expression¡ªbut deep down, he remained calm and calcting.


    He had to show enough talent to be valued¡ª


    But not so much that it became excessive.


    If he truly wanted to, he could manifest all 300 Demon Kings perfectly, one by one.


    But for now¡ª


    That level of skill was best kept hidden.

 Book 3: Chapter 6: The Outsider

    Vol 3 Chapter 6: The Outsider


    "Thank you for the elder''s praise." Lin Jing kept up his act, unexpectedly enjoying the feeling.


    His mastery of illusion techniques was impressive... It really seemed perfect for infiltrating other sects and stealing their spells.


    "It''s your own talent." Seeing a gifted disciple put Elder Qin in a good mood.


    Truthfully, Lin Jing''s excellence had little to do with him, but after guarding the Divine Beast Hall for years and witnessing too many dim-witted disciples, Elder Qin felt utterly drained.


    He had cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, so his own talent had once been outstanding. That¡¯s why he simply couldn¡¯tprehend¡ªwhy was the basic illusion of transforming into a demonic beast so difficult for so many people? Was it really that hard?


    He was just sick of stupidity. So seeing a disciple who could skillfully apply the fundamentals of illusionary transformation put him at ease.


    "The White Abyss Monkey King, huh..." Standing nearby, You Fangli was also astonished by Lin Jing¡¯s talent¡ªit far surpassed his own back then.


    At this rate, in the future at Thousand Illusions Mountain, who would be taking care of whom was now up for debate."When you return, continue refining your illusionary beast transformation in the image of the ''White Abyss Monkey King!''"


    "When your illusion can fully disy the presence of a Demon King, you¡¯ll qualify topete for the rank of Core Disciple."


    "If you make it to Core Disciple status, you¡¯ll gain the right to observe the ''Demon Emperor''s Statue'' in the deeper chambers of the Divine Beast Hall!"


    "You have great talent. This old man looks forward to the day you return to the Divine Beast Hall." Elder Qin chuckled.


    Lin Jing¡¯s face flushed, seemingly thrilled at the praise and recognition...<hr>


    Not long after, You Wanli escorted Lin Jing back to the inner mountain, to a cave residence designated for him.


    The spiritual energy conditions were decent, butpared to his previous academy cave residence, it was far inferior... which reminded Lin Jing of the remaining decades of usage rights he still had there.


    "Junior Brother Huang, for now, you should cultivate here," You Wanli advised.


    "With the talent you¡¯ve shown, it won¡¯t be long before someone invites you to join one of the sect halls. When that happens, just join whichever hall reaches out to you first¡ªdon¡¯t refuse, don¡¯t dy." He patted Lin Jing¡¯s shoulder in encouragement. ?????????s


    "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother You."


    You Wanliughed heartily. "No need to thank me. Did Second Elder give you your Inner Sect disciple token along with your cultivation technique? With that token, you can enter the Inner Sect''s Scripture Pavilion and select three high-grade illusion techniques to practice for free."


    "Don¡¯t forget to im them..."


    After You Wanli left, Lin Jing dropped his polite smile.


    "Illusion techniques, huh..."


    He didn¡¯t linger in his cave residence and immediately made his way to Thousand Illusions Mountain''s Inner Sect Scripture Pavilion.


    He hade to Thousand Illusions Mountain for these very things¡ªthere was no reason to waste time.


    As an Inner Sect disciple, he had unrestricted ess to basic illusion techniques. However, most basic illusions involved transforming into people or scenery, and with Lin Jing¡¯s current mastery of illusion arts, he had no need for them.


    Only high-grade illusion techniques could be of use to him now.


    After careful selection, he chose three techniques: <strong>Soul Infusion Art, Spirit-Piercing Method, and Layered Illusion Technique.</strong>


    Each of these techniquespensated for gaps in his illusion arts from different angles.


    The <strong>Soul Infusion Art</strong> was the very technique that allowed the Divine Beast Hall¡¯s countless demonic beast statues and murals to exude lifelike presence!


    It allowed an illusionist to bind illusions to a vessel and keep them anchored to a location. This meant he could create powerful illusions to deter enemies from entering the sect¡ªor even use illusionary imprints to store and transmit information.


    The <strong>Spirit-Piercing Method</strong> was what he trulycked. Most illusion techniquescked offensive power and could only deceive or disorient opponents. To cause real damage, he had to rely on his target being timid orcking mental fortitude.@@novelbin@@


    But with this method, he could infuse his illusions with his own spiritual power. When an enemy encountered a terrifying illusion, in the moment their mind wavered, he could strike directly at their spirit, dealing immense damage.


    This technique could even bebined with the <strong>Soul Infusion Art</strong>, allowing statues and murals imbued with illusions to carry a hidden spiritual attack.


    Finally, the <strong>Layered Illusion Technique</strong> was the most critical¡ªit was the key to strengthening his illusions.


    Thousand Illusions Mountain had a famous defensive formation called the <strong>Thousand Illusions Array</strong>, where intruders would be trapped inyers uponyers of illusions. Even after breaking one, another would take its ce¡ªfirst the second, then the third... up to a thousandyers.


    This kind of endless deception could drive people insane.


    The <strong>Layered Illusion Technique</strong> operated on a simr principle, allowing an illusionist to create <strong>doubleyered illusions</strong>.


    Currently, Lin Jing used only a <strong>single</strong>yer of illusion to disguise himself. If someone broke through it with spiritual sense, they would see his true form.


    But if he mastered the <strong>Layered Illusion Technique</strong>, he could seamlessly apply a <strong>second illusion</strong> over the first.


    Even if an enemy dispelled the initial disguise, they might still not see his real face¡ªonly another false identity he had prepared beforehand. This would drastically improve his safety.


    With the three techniques in hand, Lin Jing hurried back to his cave residence, preparing to enter seclusion for a while...


    <strong>"Seems like the Yin Corpse Sect isn¡¯tpletely useless after all."</strong>


    Upon returning, Lin Jing noticed something interesting¡ªhis <strong>Hidden Dragon Fortune</strong>, which had been nearly depleted due to cultivating the Heavenly Demon Physique, was surging again.


    After thinking for a moment, he realized¡ªdamn it, wasn¡¯t the Yin Corpse Sect spreading bounty notices to hunt him down?


    In a way, they were boosting his reputation!


    Just like earlier¡ªElder Qin had showered him with praise.


    <strong>"My fortune in illusion cultivation is here."</strong><hr>


    <strong>Meanwhile...</strong>


    Amidst the endless chaos of the void, a <strong>pinecone</strong> drifted aimlessly, its situation utterly miserable.


    "This damn Celestial Pce Compass was supposed to randomly teleport me somewhere in Tianyuan Continent¡ªnot into a sealed void ruin! Where the hell am I?! I need to get back!!!"


    "Does this ce even count as part of Tianyuan Continent?"


    "And why the hell is this void barrier so damn hard to break through..."


    Looking at the ancient war-torn ruins surrounding him, <strong>Divine Pine</strong> struggled but couldn¡¯t pierce through the void barrier. He had no idea where the Celestial Pce Compass had thrown him.


    <strong>"This is the World Boundary Wall. The ce you''re in is the boundary fissure of the Tianyuan Realm,"</strong> a voice suddenly echoed.


    A <strong>withered remnant soul</strong> emerged from the void ruins, staring directly at Divine Pine.


    <strong>"You are not a native of this realm, which is why you can''t pass through easily. In fact, your arrival here may be due to the realm rejecting your existence¡ªhence your spatial teleportation failed."</strong>


    Then the soul hesitated before throwing out a series of rapid questions:


    <strong>"Wait a minute... You''re not a native, yet your entire being is drenched in the aura of this world. Are you a tree that smuggled itself into the Tianyuan Realm and reincarnated to blend in?</strong>


    <strong>"Or were you beaten so badly by a powerhouse of this world that you had no choice but to reincarnate as a pine tree to hide?</strong>


    <strong>"Wait¡ªcrossing realms illegally? Are you from the Demonic Sky Sect? That sect that loves invading cultivation worlds?"</strong>


    A string of usations poured out.


    "...F***, I¡¯m just a tree." Divine Pine stared at the remnant soul.


    <strong>"Who the hell are you? Me, Demonic Sky Sect, an outsider?!"</strong>

 Book 3: Chapter 7: The Illusionary Assassination Hall

    Vol 3 Chapter 7: The Illusionary Assassination Hall@@novelbin@@


    <em>"Of course, it doesn''t really matter what your identity is. Pine Tree, my friend, do you want to return to the Tianyuan Realm?"</em>


    <em>"Though tracing back to your origins, you''re not a native of this realm, you''ve already absorbed its aura. As long as your cultivation reaches the Void Mystical Stage and you gain mastery over stronger spatial forces, you''ll have a chance to cross the World Boundary and return to Guanyuan Realm."</em>


    <em>"However, trying to ascend from this chaotic void ruin to the Void Mystical Stage is no easy task. But I¡­ I''ve wandered here for who knows how many years. I understand this ce well. If you have my help, you might just reach the Void Mystical Stage in a short time!"</em>


    Divine Pine sneered. <em>"I don¡¯t care what my identity is, but shouldn¡¯t you introduce yourself first? What''s your purpose?"</em>


    The remnant soul sighed. <em>"Just a pitiful soul who failed to ascend in another cultivation realm. I managed to preserve a sliver of my soul, but I got lost in the void, unable to find my way home, nor enter any other cultivation world¡­"</em>


    <em>"So, I need to attach myself to you and enter the Tianyuan Realm together. With your identity as a reincarnated Demonic Sky Sect cultivator, you should be able to smuggle me in as well."</em>


    <em>"I need you to help me reincarnate into this cultivation world, just like you did, bing half a native of the Tianyuan Realm. This is my only path to survival, and I hope you understand¡ªI¡¯m simply trying to stay alive."</em>


    <em>"I can swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao: after you help me, whatever you choose to do in the Tianyuan Realm¡ªwhether ruling this world or reopening the path of ascension¡ªI will assist you."</em><em>"In return, if you agree to this deal, you must also swear an oath. After I help you find the opportunity to step into the Void Mystical Stage, you must fulfill your promise."</em> The remnant soul''s tone became neutral once again.


    <em>"You¡¯re a demon beast! Not human!"</em>


    After a brief silence, Divine Pine suddenly realized the true nature of the remnant soul¡ªit was actually the transformed soul of a demon beast.


    <em>"Interesting. It¡¯s been how many years since a demon beastst appeared in the Tianyuan Realm? The Sect Master and his disciple from the Beast Taming Sect have probably been longing for the secret art of demonization for ages..."</em>


    <em>"Alright, I agree. Now tell me, how do I reach the Void Mystical Stage in this godforsaken ce?"</em>


    <em>"Within ten years¡ªdo I have a chance?"</em>


    Divine Pine asked. If it had to rely on its own cultivation, it would take at least a few thousand years to reach the Void Mystical Stage. By then, the opportunity would be long gone.


    By that time, the Longevity Body would have been imed by someone else¡ªnot from old age, but simply because someone would have harvested it already.


    Divine Pine had been nurturing the Longevity Body for so long precisely for the Longevity Blood that Lin Jing had promised him upon reaching perfection.


    He could not tolerate returning to the Tianyuan Continent only to find out that Lin Jing had already been <em>devoured</em> by someone else.


    As for whether this so-called failed ascender''s remnant soul would cause trouble in the Tianyuan Continent¡­ Divine Pine couldn''t care less.<hr>


    A Few Days Later


    Perhaps due to the Golden Bodhi Tree unlocking his talent, or maybe due to his solid foundation in illusion arts, Lin Jing easily mastered the three illusion techniques he had imed.


    There wasn¡¯t the slightest difficulty.


    Cultivating illusion techniques felt even easier than practicing Buddhist teachings.


    Inparison, cultivating the Heavenly Demon Physique was like gnawing on a piece of rock-hard bone.


    <em>"Just mastering them isn¡¯t enough. Next, I need to refine these three techniques even further..."</em>


    "When the time is right, I''ll simte the aura of True Illusion Essence and disy even greater strength and talent topete for the position of Core Disciple at Thousand Illusions Mountain." R¨¤????¨ºs


    Sitting cross-legged in his cave, Lin Jing¡¯s eyes flickered with determination.


    These three illusion techniques were never his true goal ining to Thousand Illusions Mountain.


    His real goal was one of the Core Disciple secret techniques¡ªthe Inverse Void Art!


    It contained the principles of real and illusionary transformation, a secret technique capable of temporarily turning illusions into reality!


    However, only Core Disciples could ess this secret art. As an Inner Sect disciple, he had no chance of learning it yet.


    Moreover, it was said that Inverse Void Art could only be cultivated in a special Illusory Paradise within Thousand Illusions Mountain¡ªa ce just like the Divine Beast Hall, serving as the sect''s hidden foundation. Only Core Disciples could enter.


    As for the other Core Disciple secret technique, <em>Beast Intent Manifestation</em>, which allowed illusionists to perfectly replicate the presence of powerful demon beasts, Lin Jing didn¡¯t need it as much.<hr>


    <em>"Is Junior Brother Huang here?"</em>


    Just as You Wanli predicted, within a few days, someone from the sect sought him out.


    The visitor was Zheng, a steward of the Illusionary Assassination Hall.


    His purpose, of course, was to recruit Lin Jing into the Illusionary Assassination Hall.


    To avoid unnecessary trouble, Lin Jing epted the offer.


    Originally, he had wanted to join the Demon-Illusion Hall.


    That hall¡¯s disciples were basically "battlefield reporters"¡ªtheir tasks mainly involved secretly recording footage of powerful demon beasts, granting them much more freedom.


    But the Illusionary Assassination Hall¡­ it was practically a battlefield unit, constantly fighting against disciples from the Myriad Beast Sect, Flower Sect, and other sects over resources and territories. It was far too high-profile for his liking.


    <em>"Our Illusionary Assassination Hall needs talent like yours. For now, just focus on your cultivation and take your time switching to our hall¡¯s techniques. We won¡¯t assign you any missions in the short term."</em>


    <em>"However, if you want to rise to the rank of Core Disciple, you¡¯ll need more than just personal strength¡ªcontributions are a must. And our Illusionary Assassination Hall is the fastest ce to earn those contributions!"</em>


    <em>"Once you¡¯ve switched techniques,e find me."</em> Steward Zheng chuckled, patting Lin Jing on the shoulder.


    He had high hopes for Lin Jing¡¯s potential.


    After all, even Elder Qin had acknowledged his talent.


    <em>"Understood, Steward Zheng."</em>


    Lin Jing had no other choice. However, being part of the Illusionary Assassination Hall did bring him some advantages¡ªit meant fewer disturbances.


    Clearly, the hall leaders had already discussed among themselves before deciding to recruit him¡­


    This was exactly why Senior Brother You had advised him to join whichever hall reached out first.


    Now, with no more distractions, Lin Jing could focus on his cultivation at Thousand Illusions Mountain.


    The sect¡¯s core area was hidden within a massive illusionary formation, offering a degree of fate concealment, making it an excellent hiding ce.


    This was precisely why Lin Jing had chosen Thousand Illusions Mountain as his temporary refuge...<hr>


    Time flew by¡ªone year passed in the blink of an eye.


    Despite constantly feeling on edge, nothing unexpected happened.


    For an entire year, Lin Jing had poured all his energy into cultivating illusion arts.


    Soul Infusion Art, Spirit-Piercing Method, and Layered Illusion Technique¡ªhe had mastered them all to perfection.


    His ability to simte illusions had improved drastically.


    When he first arrived at Thousand Illusions Mountain, he could only maintain his own disguise while manifesting one powerful demon beast illusion.


    But now, after a year of rigorous training, he could simultaneously conjure illusions of ten Demon Kings!


    With these illusions, paired with Spirit-Piercing attacks, even Core Formation cultivators who failed to see through his deception could suffer severe mental trauma.


    However, this method was still unstable.


    Until he mastered "Inverse Void Art", he couldn¡¯t truly fight Core Formation cultivators head-on.


    <em>"It¡¯s time to consider advancing to Core Disciple."</em>


    Wearing the golden disciple robes of Thousand Illusions Mountain, Lin Jing stepped out of his cave and flew toward the Illusionary Assassination Hall.


    With his improved illusionary mastery, his disguise was stronger than ever.


    Since that was the case¡­


    It was time to take the next step.

 Book 3: Chapter 9: The Demon Ancestors Ruins

    Vol 3 Chapter 9: The Demon Ancestor''s Ruins


    Outside Ling City, in the Evergreen Forest.


    "Damn that Lin Tian!"


    Yanran, a disciple of the Flower Sect, furiously kicked a rock and punched a tree, looking like an aggrieved little wife. Her delicate face twisted with anger, contorted into a fierce expression.


    The hem of her crimson dress fluttered as shended atop a mountain peak, muttering to herself, "I can''t just leave like this."


    The Flower Sect¡¯s secret technique for siphoning half a cultivator¡¯s cultivation required time to set up... She had been so close topleting it and achieving her goal. But who could have expected that young master of the Lin family to sever the connection at thest moment, causing the technique to fail?


    Against a cultivator who practiced the <em>Immortal-ying Art</em>, she had no confidence in attempting the secret technique again.


    The effort she had already invested wasn¡¯t the main issue¡ªwhat truly mattered was that this failure would be a stain on her reputation, aughingstock among her fellow sect sisters.


    Wiping a leaf between her fingers, Yanran calmed her expression and spoke to herself, "I just have to make myself look like the victim. From the Lin family''s perspective, this would be entirely Lin Tian''s fault. As his properly wedded wife, I am the aggrieved party. I can use this as leverage to demand a hugepensation from the Lin family before leaving¡ªotherwise, I''d be at a loss.""Yes,pensation."


    <strong>Rustle...</strong>


    Just as Yanran was plotting how to further exploit the Lin family''s wealth, the surrounding forest suddenly filled with rustling sounds. Heavy breathing, deep and menacing, apanied the noise, making her frown.


    "Demonic beasts? But isn''t the Evergreen Forest supposed to be free of strong demonic beasts?" She expanded her spiritual sense outward to investigate. Through her divine perception, she scanned the area and immediately saw the source of the disturbance.


    And then¡ªshe screamed in panic.


    "A Demon Core Stage beast?! How is there a Demon Core Stage beast in this ce?!"


    Yanran¡¯s pupils shrank instantly, her instincts screaming danger. Within her spiritual sense''s reach, a colossal tiger covered in jet-ck fur prowled among the trees. Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting dappled patterns upon its body¡­


    Under the probing of her divine sense, the tiger demon suddenly lifted its head. Its piercing gaze cut through theyers of mist in the forest, locking onto its prey with terrifying precision.


    <strong>Run!</strong>


    That was the only thought left in Yanran¡¯s mind. Her heartbeat pounded wildly, but before she could even retract her divine sense, the ck tiger let out a thunderous roar.


    <strong>"ROARRRR!!!"</strong>


    The entire forest trembled with the beast¡¯s deafening cry. The sheer force of the roar made Yanran¡¯s consciousness blur, her body going weak and limp.


    "I''m done for," she thought despairingly. Never had she imagined that she would encounter a Demon Core Stage beast¡ªand worse, that she wouldn''t even have the chance to flee.


    As the tiger demon approached her, she mustered what little strength she had left and screamed, "What kind of demonic beast are you?! I am a disciple of the Flower Sect! If you eat me, the Flower Sect will never let you off!"


    "The Flower Sect has many Nascent Soul elders, and even a Soul Transformation Sect Master¡ª"


    <strong>"Enough with your ''Flower Sect'' this and ''Flower Sect'' that,"</strong> an unexpected voice interrupted.


    From behind the tiger demon, a figure emerged¡ªLin Jing.


    He patted the massive tiger''s side, and in an instant, the beast¡¯s form dissolved into nothingness.


    "So this is what it¡¯s like using an illusionary beast in battle. Didn¡¯t expect it to be so easy," Lin Jing mused, rubbing his chin as he observed the stunned female cultivator before him. ??N???¨ºs


    "Him..."


    The Flower Sect disciple stared at Lin Jing in a daze before murmuring, "Thousand Illusions Mountain?"


    Lin Jing wove strands of spiritual energy together, binding the severely weakened Yanran. In the process, he noticed something surprising¡ªording to the intelligence from Thousand Illusions Mountain, Yanran was supposed to be at Early Foundation Establishment, yet she had already broken through to Mid Foundation Establishment!


    Not that it made much difference¡ªshe was still too weak. Lin Jing had no trouble crushing her mental defenses.


    Realizing her attacker was not actually a demonic beast but a fellow human, Yanran sighed in relief. Though she was still unable to resist, she quickly adopted a pitiful expression.


    "Senior Brother, what are you doing?" she whimpered.


    "This must be some misunderstanding¡­"


    Even while bound, Yanran arched her chest slightly, entuating her curvaceous figure. Like a seductive viper, she slowly slumped to the ground, raising her tear-streaked face to look at Lin Jing with a pitiful, glistening gaze.


    <strong>BAM.</strong>


    Lin Jing knocked her out with a single punch.


    "You''re using this to test Thousand Illusions Mountain disciples?" Lin Jing muttered, utterly unimpressed. He had no interest in falling for a seductress¡¯s tricks.<hr>


    <strong>A few dayster.</strong>


    Lin Jing personally escorted the Flower Sect cultivator¡ªwho had plotted against the disciples of Thousand Illusions Mountain¡ªback to the sect.@@novelbin@@


    When Deacon Zheng received the news, he was overjoyed.


    "Good! This is even better than I expected¡ªswift, clean, and perfect! You managed to capture her even after she reached Mid Foundation Establishment? I knew I didn¡¯t misjudge you!"


    With such a valuable trophy, Lin Jing immediately earned Deacon Zheng¡¯s high regard.


    After ordering subordinates to throw the Flower Sect enchantress into the Thousand Illusions Mountain dungeon, Deacon Zheng turned back to Lin Jing, smiling.


    "I remember you have quite the talent with illusionary beasts, especially that White Abyss Monkey King you manifested?"


    "You must have some special connection to monkeys¡ªotherwise, why is it that out of all the demonic beasts, you always bond with monkey-type ones?"


    Deacon Zheng¡¯s tone was teasing, but Lin Jing felt a bit embarrassed. He thought back to his childhood days spent watching <em>Journey to the West</em>.


    "Deacon Zheng is correct¡­ I¡¯ve always been fascinated by monkeys. Sometimes, I even ignore beautiful women in favor of them," Lin Jing admitted sheepishly.


    "Good, then consider this your fortune."


    "Most disciples of the Illusionary Assassination Hall start with basic missions¡ªterritory disputes, guarding spiritual mines, and the like. These missions are dangerous, though the sect doesn¡¯t treat these disciples unfairly. However, they offer limited personal growth."


    "But you¡ªI''ve decided to assign you a far more valuable opportunity."


    "Three months from now, the <em>Demon Ancestor¡¯s Ruins</em> will open. Disciples from the Myriad Beast Sect, the Flower Sect, and Thousand Illusions Mountain will all enter. This ruin was left behind by a Void Mystical Stage Demon Ancestor. It contains both opportunities and dangers, and conflict with disciples from other sects will be inevitable."


    "With your abilities, sending you on ordinary missions would be a waste. If you can distinguish yourself in the <em>Demon Ancestor¡¯s Ruins</em>, earning enough merits to qualify for the Core Disciple trials should be within your reach!"


    "<em>The Demon Ancestor¡¯s Ruins¡­?</em>" Lin Jing''s expression shifted.


    "Indeed. A being worthy of the title <em>Demon Ancestor</em> possesses blood so powerful that a single drop can birth an entire race of its kind¡­ The owner of this ruin was a <em>Primordial Relic Beast</em>, one with the bloodline of the <em>Zhuyan</em>. It had no kin of its own, so as its lifespan neared its end, it created this ruin."


    "Those who perform well inside may inherit its legacy¡ªand be one of its kind."


    "This Demon Ancestor sought to ensure its bloodline, techniques, and martial arts would be passed down after death."


    "And¡­ it doesn''t discriminate between species."


    "No matter what race you belong to, as long as it deems you worthy, it can make you one of its own."


    "However, transforming high-level beings requires immense energy. That¡¯s why only those below the Core Formation Stage can enter."


    "For this reason, even the Senluo Hall has chosen not topete with us for this opportunity," Deacon Zheng concluded with a smile.


    <strong>Senluo Hall</strong>¡ªan elite faction led by a Void Mystical cultivator, with only Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation members. No weaklings among them.

 Book 3: Chapter 10: The Observation Team

    Vol 3 Chapter 10: The Observation Team


    Over the next few days, Lin Jing learned more details about the from Deacon Zheng.


    "Among the three sects, a small number of disciples have already obtained a trace of the Zhuyan bloodline. However, the majority of our disciples aren¡¯t here for that¡ªnot everyone wants beast blood in their veins."


    "The disciples of the Myriad Beast Sect aim to grant their pet beasts even the slightest trace of Zhuyan¡¯s lineage, allowing them to cultivate powerful demonic techniques, spells, and combat arts."


    "As for , we seek to study the , hoping that one day, we can perfectly reconstruct the Zhuyan through illusions. As an ancient relic beast, its strength surpasses even the three imprinted in the deepest halls of the Divine Beast Palace."


    "When the time comes, your only goal will be to observe and analyze the form, spells, and martial arts."


    "Since you''ve already mastered simulating the , you might gain some unexpected insights in the ruins. It may not be the same species, but at the end of the day, they¡¯re both primates¡­" Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And what about the ?" Lin Jing asked.


    "They¡¯re just here to sabotage us," Deacon Zheng sneered. "A bunch of wenches. When you enter the , make sure to deal with them the same way you did today¡ªmercilessly take them down!"


    "I specifically chose you for this expedition because you seem to have a talent for handling Flower Sect enchantresses."


    Lin Jing remained silent.


    Truthfully, he wasn¡¯t particularly eager to enter the , but refusing wasn¡¯t really an option.


    This seemed like the fastest path to becoming a , and if all the competitors were cultivators, his expertise in would still allow him to compete.


    "I won¡¯t disappoint you, Deacon Zheng," Lin Jing said, clasping his hands in salute.


    A few days later, the name spread across . Many disciples heard that an had emerged in the , joining the and even capturing a Flower Sect enchantress alive.


    Killing a cultivator of the same rank? Many could do that.


    Capturing one alive? That was far more difficult. Usually, only someone with a much higher cultivation level could pull that off.


    But according to the Flower Sect disciple¡¯s confession, this had perfectly simulated a great demon, suppressing her in an instant. This further cemented his reputation as a true prodigy.


    Meanwhile, Lin Jing himself had entered seclusion once more.


    Three Months Later.


    gathered 100 elite disciples. Their cultivation levels ranged from to . Among them, 95 were disciples, while five were ¡ªall key figures for this expedition into the .


    The ruins had been discovered by three sects ten years ago. The initial exploration yielded some gains, but none of the sects had obtained the grand opportunity that could reshape their power structure.


    Thus, after much discussion, the three sects agreed to send 100 disciples every seven years to explore it again. This would be the eighth expedition¡­


    "Depart!"


    From airship, a Sect Master led the team, accompanied by several .


    Below, the 100 disciples were divided into seven squads, each led by a acting as captain.


    Among them was a female known as .


    "Now, let me explain our squad¡¯s mission," she announced.


    "Senior Sister Ning, just say the word¡ªwe will follow your every command!" a youth eagerly proclaimed.


    Senior Sister Ning nodded and continued, "Based on the last two expeditions, every group of entrants will begin in the same ."


    "In this grand hall, a drop of Zhuyan¡¯s blood will materialize. Shortly after, it will take form as a Junior Zhuyan at Early Foundation Establishment cultivation." ???????§£¨º????


    "Only by defeating this can we pass the first trial."


    "Although its cultivation is only , its actual combat strength is overwhelming. It takes the combined efforts of over a hundred cultivators to bring it down."


    "Once slain, the ruins will distribute traces of to all participants based on their contribution. When absorbed, this blood enhances the physical body. If one continues to accumulate and refine enough of it, they will develop a ."


    "Those who inherit this bloodline will gain exceptional physical strength, becoming similar to those with rare physiques like the , , and . They will no longer be considered pure-blooded humans."


    "This can be considered a fortuitous opportunity¡ªbut it¡¯s not suitable for disciples."


    "Our mission is not to obtain ! There is no need to participate in the battle."


    "Instead, we are here to observe the in combat. Because it is merely a projection, won¡¯t work. We must rely entirely on our own perception and memory."


    "During this process, some Flower Sect disciples may abandon the battle against the to disrupt our observations. Pay them no mind¡ªother squads will handle them. Our duty is to focus entirely on the battle."


    "As long as we can recreate even one percent of the divine essence, the sect will grant us immense rewards."


    "If, however, another sect''s disciple breaks through our defenses, only then should we stop observing and eliminate the intruder."


    Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.


    "As for the second trial," Senior Sister Ning continued, "after passing the first, we will enter another . This time, another will appear, but unlike the first, this one will wield a weapon and utilize martial arts."


    "In the first trial, the relies solely on brute force. But in the second trial, it will be far more difficult and cunning."


    "However, upon defeating it, aside from the , the weapon it wields will be granted to whoever lands the finishing blow."


    "That being said, these weapons are not particularly valuable¡ªthey are merely mid-tier magical artifacts."


    "Thus, our duty remains the same: observation. We must commit its martial techniques and battle essence to memory through illusionary arts!"


    "As for the third trial¡­"


    Lin Jing listened intently, gradually gaining a clear understanding of his role in this expedition.


    His mission was simple: observe the battles between the other disciples and the , committing its combat patterns and divine presence to memory.


    Only in the most critical moments would he be allowed to take action¡ªeither against rival sect disciples or against the itself.

 Book 3: Chapter 15: How Could the Sect Not Prosper?

    Vol 3 Chapter 15: How Could the Sect Not Prosper?


    Inside the ruins, Senior Sister Ning Yao, the leader of Thousand Illusions Mountain¡¯s Second Team, stared blankly at Lin Jing, who stood beside the Zhuyan Phantom. She spoke in a hushed tone, still in shock.


    So strong¡­


    What¡¯s going on with this Huang Yu?!


    At that moment, Lin Jing finally regained his composure. He let out a small smile, cupped his hands, and addressed his "fellow senior brothers and sisters."


    What a group of good people!


    Without them, comprehending the Zhuyan Phantom and slaying the third-trial Zhuyan would have taken him much more effort!


    Several Thousand Illusions Mountain Core Disciples immediately surrounded him with questions.


    Although Lin Jing had some reputation within the Inner Sect, to these Core Disciples, he was still an unfamiliar face.


    Except for Senior Sister Ning, who had thoroughly reviewed his background, the other team leaders had no idea who he was.


    They were still in disbelief¡ªWhere had this guy even come from?!


    But before Lin Jing could respond, space distorted around them¡ª


    The ruins had shifted into the fourth level.


    Compared to the third level, this fourth-level Zhuyan had undergone another transformation.


    This time¡ª


    It was no longer at the early Foundation Establishment.


    It had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment!


    Its body was massive!


    Immediately, tension spread through the group.


    Senior Sister Ning took a deep breath and made her decision:


    "Understood!"


    Lin Jing had no desire to continue the challenge either.


    With their current manpower, unless he revealed all three of his contracted beasts, they stood no chance against this fourth-level Zhuyan.


    Moreover¡ª


    If he inflicted too much damage on the Zhuyan, it might alter his bloodline into a Zhuyan variant!


    The Beast Taming Sect was already leaning more towards demonic fate than human destiny. Lin Jing had no real desire for the Zhuyan Bloodline.


    Perhaps the later trials had even greater inheritances¡ª


    But he had no intention of standing out too much. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He chose to quit while ahead.


    Whoosh.


    Lin Jing exited the ruins.


    The other Thousand Illusions Mountain disciples took one last look at the Peak Foundation Establishment Zhuyan, swallowed hard, and decided that their expedition was already a success. ???????§£¦¥s?


    Under the command of the various Core Disciple leaders, they all withdrew from the ruins.


    As the Thousand Illusions Mountain disciples emerged, Huan Gongming, the sect master of Thousand Illusions Mountain, immediately moved to protect them all.


    Hovering in the air, he gazed at them and demanded:


    "Which disciple comprehended the Zhuyan¡¯s true presence?"


    His eyes swept across the group, burning with intensity.


    One by one, all Thousand Illusions Mountain disciples turned to look at Lin Jing.


    "Him?"


    Not just them¡ª


    Even the Myriad Beast Sect and Flower Sect cultivators shifted their focus onto Lin Jing.


    And¡ª


    None of them recognized him.


    He wasn¡¯t one of the renowned prodigies of Thousand Illusions Mountain!


    Lin Jing cupped his fists and responded:


    "Reporting to the Sect Master¡ªthis disciple, Huang Yu, successfully manifested the Zhuyan Phantom with the protection of my fellow senior brothers. I was also fortunate enough to slay the third-trial Zhuyan and obtain an inheritance technique."


    Immediately, a Nascent Soul elder from Thousand Illusions Mountain¡¯s Illusionary Assassination Hall stepped forward.


    "Excellent, excellent, excellent!"


    Huan Gongming spoke three consecutive praises, his excitement barely contained.


    Then¡ª


    His Nascent Soul manifestation erupted outward.


    He raised his gigantic spectral palm and glared coldly at the Vice Sect Master of Myriad Beast Sect and the Sect Master of Flower Sect.


    "The three sects agreed to explore the ruins together. Regardless of which sect gains more, no one should harbor resentment. Are you two sore losers?"


    His tone was sharp¡ª


    The moment he sensed killing intent from the two Nascent Soul Perfection cultivators, his aura turned deadly.


    It was clear¡ªif they couldn¡¯t give him a satisfactory answer, he was ready to fight.


    The other Nascent Soul elders of Thousand Illusions Mountain immediately released their own spiritual manifestations, creating a tense standoff between the three sects.


    "Heh¡­ of course not."


    The Vice Sect Master of Myriad Beast Sect and the Sect Master of Flower Sect quickly suppressed their killing intent and forced a smile.


    However¡ª


    When their eyes landed back on Lin Jing, their thoughts were clear.


    This boy cannot be allowed to live.


    A disciple who had comprehended the Zhuyan Phantom¡­


    In the future, he would surely become a great enemy to the Myriad Beast Sect and Flower Sect!


    They absolutely could not allow Thousand Illusions Mountain to raise this disciple to the Nascent Soul level!


    "Hmph."


    Huan Gongming coldly snorted.


    They had entered the ruins with three hundred Foundation Establishment disciples.


    Now¡ªonly one hundred seventy remained.


    The casualties among the Myriad Beast Sect¡¯s pet beasts were even more devastating.


    All three sects had suffered severe losses.


    However¡ª


    The survivors had undergone tremendous trials and gained valuable experiences.


    The chances of these disciples reaching Core Formation had increased significantly.


    Between a Foundation Establishment cultivator and a Core Formation expert, every sect valued the higher realms more.


    Huan Gongming dispersed his manifestation, turned to the disciples, and commanded:


    "Thousand Illusions Mountain disciples¡ªboard the flying ship. We return to the sect."


    "Huang Yu of the Illusionary Assassination Hall¡ªcome with me and report your findings."


    "From this day forward, you are a Core Disciple of Thousand Illusions Mountain."


    Under Huan Gongming¡¯s orders, Lin Jing followed him into a private chamber.


    Inside¡ª


    Lin Jing explained his thought process in constructing the Zhuyan Phantom and even manifested it again.


    Huan Gongming nodded approvingly.


    However¡ª


    Huan Gongming could tell that Lin Jing had not fully comprehended the true presence of a Demon Ancestor Zhuyan.


    Instead, he had used a clever technique to create an illusion that mimicked its presence.


    Still¡ªfor a mere Foundation Establishment disciple, this was already a monstrous feat.


    Huan Gongming stroked his beard and sighed.

 Book 3: Chapter 16: Hoping to Escape

    Vol 3 Chapter 16: Hoping to Escape


    Huan Gongming had high hopes for Lin Jing.


    "After returning to the sect, leave behind the Zhuyan Phantom and immediately enter the Thousand Illusions Paradise to learn the Inverse Void Art. I also want to see what kind of power a Zhuyan Phantom, transformed from illusion to reality, will possess¡­ As for the Three Heads and Six Arms Technique, there''s no rush."


    The Three Heads and Six Arms Technique was well-known across various ancient texts, practiced by both humans and demons alike.


    Its core was to grant the user three heads and six arms, allowing for the perfect control of multiple weapons and magical artifacts, significantly boosting combat prowess.


    However, the disciples of Thousand Illusions Mountain did not rely on weapons or magical artifacts, nor was the sect''s foundation built upon them. Moreover, this technique was said to be incredibly difficult to master, so Huan Gongming didn¡¯t have high expectations for it.


    Compared to the Three Heads and Six Arms, what he truly looked forward to was the Zhuyan Phantom¡ªafter all, phantom beasts were the cornerstone of Thousand Illusions Mountain!


    Although Lin Jing¡¯s Zhuyan manifestation was incomplete, it was a solid start. Using this as a foundation, with years of exploration in the Demon Ancestor¡¯s Ruins, they would eventually create a Zhuyan Phantom with a complete divine presence!


    "Understood." Lin Jing sighed inwardly.


    ..........


    After his journey to the Demon Ancestor¡¯s Ruins, Lin Jing successfully obtained the status of a core disciple.


    Ascending to core disciple status meant he could immediately begin learning the Inverse Void Art, which made him happy. However, the sect master of Thousand Illusions Mountain intended to wait for the Nascent Soul Patriarch to emerge from seclusion and introduce him as the patriarch''s disciple. That part, Lin Jing was not too thrilled about.


    "I''m not the hope of the sect."


    "I''m here to steal techniques."


    What worried him now was that while his illusion techniques could deceive even perfected Nascent Soul illusion cultivators, he had no guarantee they would fool a Nascent Soul cultivator who had spent a thousand years refining the Illusionary Path.


    After all, this wasn¡¯t just any Nascent Soul cultivator¡ªit was one who specialized in illusions.


    If his deception worked, everything would be fine. But if his identity was exposed, he would be in deep trouble.


    Thousand Illusions Mountain was still searching for him¡ªnot out of their own will, but under pressure from others. Lin Jing didn¡¯t dare gamble on what would happen if their patriarch saw through him¡­


    After all, no one would want to keep a fugitive from the Yin Corpse Sect, a walking disaster, right next to them.


    "As soon as I master the Inverse Void Art, I need to run. I can''t wait for Thousand Illusions Mountain¡¯s Nascent Soul Patriarch to leave seclusion."


    Upon returning to Thousand Illusions Mountain, Lin Jing immediately used the Soul Infusion Art to imbue the Zhuyan Phantom¡¯s divine presence into the sect.


    Then, wasting no time, he took the Inverse Void Art cultivation manual and entered the sect¡¯s training paradise.


    This was a naturally occurring illusionary realm.


    Both real and false, both solid and ethereal.


    Cultivating illusions here provided tremendous benefits. It was said that the Inverse Void Art could only be successfully cultivated within this place.


    Meanwhile, as Lin Jing entered the Thousand Illusions Paradise, his second identity¡ªHuang Yu¡ªwas making waves in Senluo Path.


    Inside the Demon Ancestor¡¯s Ruins, the fact that he had "perfectly" materialized the Zhuyan Phantom, an ancient relic beast, spread like wildfire. Every sect, big and small, within Senluo Path had heard of the genius disciple from Thousand Illusions Mountain. ????????§§?


    Even the Senluo Hall, a faction composed entirely of weak cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, had heard of the illusionary prodigy named Gongming.


    Many believed that Thousand Illusions Mountain was destined to become a core force within Luosha Sect in the future.


    Of course, the place where Gongming¡¯s name was mentioned the least was Luosha Sect itself.


    Meanwhile, Thousand Illusions Mountain gained a Zhuyan Stone Statue.


    Anyone who locked eyes with it felt as if they were staring at an incredibly terrifying primordial beast, sending chills down their spine.


    Despite the phantom beast within the statue only possessing mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, it gave off a presence more frightening than a Nascent Soul Demon King.


    This statue became a new study object for the core disciples of Thousand Illusions Mountain. Yet the more they observed it, the more shocked they were¡ªnone could understand how someone at mid-stage Foundation Establishment had achieved this.


    And without a solid foundation in Thousand Transformations, fully replicating the Zhuyan Phantom was no easy task. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ..........


    Three months later.


    The sect master, Huan Gongming, stood outside Thousand Illusions Paradise, frowning in confusion.


    Logically speaking, since Lin Jing had comprehended the divine presence of the Zhuyan Phantom in such a short time within the Demon Ancestor¡¯s Ruins, there was no reason why it should take him this long to learn the Inverse Void Art in the paradise.


    The longest any core disciple had ever taken to learn it was two months.


    Could it be that transforming the Zhuyan Phantom from illusion to reality was more difficult than expected?


    With the intent to offer guidance to "Huang Yu," Huan Gongming entered the Thousand Illusions Paradise¡ªonly to find it completely empty.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    The sect¡¯s hope had already escaped.


    Two kings cannot coexist. Lin Jing didn¡¯t dare gamble on what would happen if he met the Thousand Illusions Mountain patriarch, so he chose the safest option¡ªvanishing.


    His goal was accomplished. That was enough!


    .............


    Meanwhile, on the road from Senluo Path to Tongtian Path, Lin Jing used the Layered Illusion Technique to overlay another identity on top of Huang Yu.


    Now, he appeared as a Foundation Establishment realm alchemist, wearing the robes of a Firecloud Pill Sect disciple.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if Thousand Illusions Mountain would brand him a traitor, but either way, compared to Yin Corpse Sect, Thousand Illusions Mountain was far weaker.


    At most, their strongest cultivator was a Nascent Soul, and it was unlikely that the Nascent Soul Patriarch would personally hunt down a disciple who left without explanation.


    If they sent a Nascent Soul cultivator after him, it was even less likely they¡¯d find him.


    Even if Lin Jing openly flaunted Huang Yu¡¯s identity, leaving traces and using Thousand Illusions Mountain¡¯s techniques everywhere, there was no way Thousand Illusions Mountain could track him.


    So being labeled a traitor of Thousand Illusions Mountain? He could live with that. It was certainly better than being a Longevity Body cultivator infested with rare Gu.


    Now, disguised as an alchemist, even if someone powerful saw through his first identity, they would only discover Huang Yu¡ªhis true self, Lin Jing, was buried even deeper.


    While it might not fool absolute powerhouses, any extra layer of security was worth the effort.


    "Waiter, bring me a pot of Spirit Brew."


    Stopping in a small town outside Senluo Path, Lin Jing tossed down some Spirit Stones and listened in on the tavern¡¯s chatter.


    In Qingzhou, there was no Tianji Pavilion¡¯s World Report, so tavern gossip was often the best source of information.


    He was searching for news about Exotic Flames¡ªhis top priority was finding a flame that burned lifespan to enhance his Fire Qilin Dragon.


    As he listened, he overheard his own name¡ªHuang Yu, Lin Jing¡ªcome up repeatedly.


    Then, someone exclaimed,


    "Did you hear? Lin Jing, the fugitive every sect is after¡ªhis sect, the Beast Taming Sect, has people in Qingzhou too!"


    "Half a year ago, Luosha Sect tried to capture some Beast Taming Sect cultivators to interrogate them about Lin Jing, but guess what¡­ they got wiped out. And they had a Nascent Soul cultivator!"


    "What? Isn''t Beast Taming Sect just a Nascent Soul-level sect from the Ancient Celestial Kingdom? How did they destroy Luosha Sect?"


    "Because the Demon Court¡¯s Holy Maiden is Beast Taming Sect¡¯s sect master''s daughter¡ªXu Xiaoyao! Luosha Sect was obliterated by the Demon Court! Can you believe it? The daughter of some small sect master from the Ancient Celestial Kingdom is actually one of the Demon Court¡¯s Holy Maidens!"


    Lin Jing nearly blacked out.


    He had avoided the Beast Taming Sect in Qingzhou to keep them out of trouble¡­


    And now he found out they had already allied with a power stronger than Yin Corpse Sect?!

 Book 3: Chapter 17: The Demon Court

    Vol 3 Chapter 17: The Demon Court


    "Greetings, fellow Daoists."


    "I am but a wandering alchemist. By chance, I overheard your conversation just now and found it quite interesting. Would you mind if I joined in?"


    "Since fate has brought us together, allow me to cover the cost of this meal."


    As Lin Jing listened in, the group suddenly changed the topic, discussing a widowed female cultivator who had lost her husband. Feeling speechless, he stepped forward, hoping to steer the conversation back on track.


    He truly knew little about the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s movements in Qingzhou, the sect master''s adopted daughter, or this so-called Demon Court.


    The three cultivators at the table were all at Foundation Establishment and looked like rogue cultivators based on their attire. They turned to look at Lin Jing.


    "You''re treating?" The bearded man who had been speaking earlier was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.


    "You said it yourself¡ªfate has brought us together. No need for you to pay, Daoist friend. Sit down. Ask whatever you want. Are you interested in that widow too?"


    "Please, Daoist friend, we''re all the same kind of people here. No need to be polite," added the other two.


    "In that case, I¡¯ll gladly accept," Lin Jing coughed lightly before sitting down.


    "However, that¡¯s not what I wanted to ask. It¡¯s about your previous discussion. I overheard you mention that the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s sect master has a daughter with half-demon blood, and I¡¯m quite curious¡­ Does that mean she has half-demon race bloodline or just half-demonic beast bloodline?"


    Although both were referred to as half-demons, the distinction was vast!


    Before the Immortal Palace was destroyed, demonic beasts could transform into humans and were collectively known as the demon race.


    There were no reproductive barriers between demons and humans, and their offspring were known as half-demons.


    Half-demons inherited the best traits of both races, making them incredibly powerful.


    These half-demons had half demon race bloodline. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after the ancient Immortal Palace sealed off the demon bloodline, the demon race completely vanished.


    As a result, half-demons with demon race blood also disappeared. Over time, demons and half-demons struggled to reproduce. Even when they did, their offspring were merely pure-blooded humans, with no trace of demonic ancestry.


    With the demon race extinct, the definition of half-demon changed over time.


    Now, the term referred to humans who had undergone a transformation¡ªwhere their human blood was partially replaced with beast blood through special methods.


    However, this type of half-demon was completely different from those with true demon race bloodline.


    For example, the Zhuyan Ruins Lin Jing had previously explored had methods to alter bloodlines, but even if successful, it only granted demonic beast traits, not true demon bloodline.


    Thus, over the years, the term half-demon had come to have two distinct meanings.


    Lin Jing was aware that Sect Master Xu Xiaoyao had a daughter¡ªan adopted one¡ªbut he didn¡¯t know much about her. He only knew that she had left for Qingzhou a long time ago. ????????¨§?


    At the time, he had wondered whether sending a young girl to Qingzhou alone was too dangerous.


    But now, it seemed that the sect master¡¯s daughter had some connection to the Demon Court.


    And if this Beast Taming Sect senior sister only possessed half-demonic beast bloodline, Lin Jing doubted that the Demon Court would value her so highly.


    After all, while humans with beast bloodline were rare, they weren¡¯t unheard of.


    Many cultivators had beast-like traits simply because their bodies contained traces of demonic beast bloodline.


    Yet, since the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s senior sister had become one of the Demon Court¡¯s Holy Maidens, Lin Jing was inclined to believe that she wasn¡¯t just an ordinary half-demon.


    It was likely that she possessed half-demon race bloodline.


    Only then would the Demon Court, which sought to revive the demon race, take interest in her.


    But that raised another question¡ªhadn¡¯t all demon race bloodlines disappeared?


    The bearded cultivator took a sip of his wine and said,


    "Of course, she has half demon race bloodline!"


    "Relying on beast bloodline alone¡ªeven if it''s demon ancestor bloodline¡ªwould never be enough to become a Demon Court Holy Maiden."


    "That place is one of the strongest demonic beast forces, with a Demon Emperor overseeing it¡­"


    "I heard that all three Holy Maidens of the Demon Court have half demon race bloodline!"


    "You¡¯re wondering how that¡¯s possible, right? Didn¡¯t the ancient Immortal Palace seal off demon bloodlines, making it impossible for new demons to be born?"


    "Exactly." Lin Jing nodded.


    "I¡¯ve gossiped about this with others before," the bearded cultivator continued.


    "Those three Holy Maidens were only recognized by the Demon Court in recent decades¡ªthey weren¡¯t part of some ancient tradition. So, is it possible that over time, the world¡¯s rules, rewritten by the Immortal Palace, are starting to weaken?"


    "After all, the Immortal Palace has been gone for so long. Who¡¯s to say their alterations to world laws were truly permanent?"


    "Maybe full-blooded demons still can¡¯t be born, but half-demons¡ªthose with half demon race bloodline¡ªare starting to reappear. And this Beast Taming Sect¡¯s sect master¡¯s daughter? She had ancestral demon bloodline within her, and as the world¡¯s rules loosened, her bloodline mutated, triggering a reversion to her ancestral form!"


    "Reversion to an ancestral form¡­ That does make sense," Lin Jing muttered.


    It was possible that the sect master¡¯s adopted daughter had awakened her half-demon bloodline at some point, catching the Demon Court¡¯s attention and prompting them to bring her to Qingzhou for cultivation.


    That could explain why she had left for Qingzhou at such a young age.


    Perhaps, when she was born, she already exhibited signs of her half-demon heritage, leading her parents to abandon her, allowing the sect master to take her in.


    Regardless of the details, it was clear that the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s senior sister was thriving in Qingzhou. No wonder the sect master had brought a group over to establish themselves there.


    For a brief moment, Lin Jing considered visiting the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Qingzhou branch to see the sect master.


    But he quickly dismissed the idea.


    The sect master''s adopted daughter had likely gained her status due to her half-demon race bloodline, making her politically valuable within the Demon Court.


    However, she wasn¡¯t the only Holy Maiden¡ªthere were two others like her.


    While she might have the authority to wipe out a Nascent Soul-level sect, she likely didn¡¯t hold absolute power.


    For someone like Lin Jing, who possessed a Longevity Body, approaching the Demon Court was too dangerous.


    The court was filled with powerful demonic beasts, and there was no guarantee she could protect him.


    If she had been a Holy Maiden of a human faction, even one of the Three Great Demonic Sects, like the Netherworld Hall, he would have considered seeking refuge.


    But the Demon Court¡¯s Holy Maidens?


    Too risky.


    Not just the beasts¡ªeven she might want to eat him.


    The Beast Taming Sect¡¯s downfall was no accident.


    "¡­Sigh." Lin Jing let out a long sigh.


    The world was vast, yet without strength, nowhere truly felt safe.


    Still, keeping the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s Qingzhou branch as a backup plan wasn¡¯t a bad idea.


    They were probably looking for him, too.


    ..........


    In the end, Lin Jing set out for Tongtian Path, one of the Sixteen Paths of Qingzhou.


    His goal was simple¡ªform his core before anything else.


    A month later, he left Senluo Path and entered Qingming Path. Unlike Senluo Path, which lay on Qingzhou¡¯s outskirts, Qingming Path was rich in spiritual herbs and renowned for alchemy.


    Lin Jing had intended to head straight to Tongtian Path, but along the way, he discovered something interesting in Qingming Path¡ªprompting him to pause his journey.

 Book 3: Chapter 18: The Wandering Alchemist

    Vol 3 Chapter 18: The Wandering Alchemist


    "A shop, huh¡­"


    Lin Jing set his sights on Qingming Commerce Guild''s trading district.


    In the chaotic land of Qingzhou, renting a storefront here would provide a rare place of order.


    With a Void Mystical-stage cultivator overseeing the Qingming Commerce Guild, no one dared cause trouble in its trading district.


    Even if Lin Jing, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, displayed treasures tempting enough for Nascent Soul cultivators, they wouldn¡¯t dare break the rules maintained by the Commerce Guild.


    And as a business organization, the Commerce Guild valued its reputation above all else¡ªthey likely wouldn¡¯t covet his low-grade treasures either.


    Of course, none of this was absolute.


    But as long as Lin Jing carefully balanced the value of the items he revealed, this place would serve as an excellent temporary base.


    "Qingzhou has too many unique spiritual plants."


    "I can collect some and have Pine Leaf Mouse fuse them in the Beast Taming Space, see if anything useful emerges to strengthen my foundation."


    "Then, using those fused herbs, I can develop some novel, specialized low-grade pills."


    "With these pills, I¡¯ll establish a unique alchemy market."


    "And when the time comes, the key currency for purchasing these pills won¡¯t be Spirit Stones¡ªit¡¯ll be Exotic Flame intelligence! Or, even better, the Exotic Flames themselves."


    Lin Jing felt that searching for flames alone to strengthen his Fire Qilin Dragon and refine his Heavenly Demon Physique was too inefficient.


    Recalling his experience in establishing the Dragon Palace at the academy, an idea struck him¡ª


    Why not use alchemy to have others gather the flames for him?


    And in Qingzhou, the Qingming Commerce Guild¡¯s trading district would be the perfect stage for this plan.


    "Besides, with my current illusion techniques, I can even manifest the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator if necessary."


    "At the right moment, I can create the illusion of having a Nascent Soul master, deterring petty troublemakers."


    "With this dual-layered protection, I¡¯ll have plenty of time to steadily increase my strength."


    Having made up his mind, Lin Jing followed the map he had "acquired" from Thousand Illusions Mountain and set out for Tianqing City, the second-largest city in Qingming Path.


    The largest city, Qingming City, was ruled by a Void Mystical-stage cultivator¡ªtoo risky to visit.


    But Tianqing City was only overseen by a Nascent Soul cultivator, making it relatively safe. He didn¡¯t have to worry about his illusions being casually exposed.


    After all, not every Nascent Soul cultivator was as skilled in illusions as Thousand Illusions Mountain¡¯s patriarch.


    ..........


    Tianqing City ¨C Qingming Commerce Guild Trading District S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A young alchemist, dressed in Firecloud Pill robes, arrived at the shop rental office.


    Inside, a bald Golden Core elder sat behind a counter, casually toying with a mechanical lock. Without looking up, he spoke lazily:


    "Renting a shop?"


    "Yes. I am a wandering alchemist looking to rent a place to refine pills, rest, and sell my creations."


    Lin Jing met his gaze directly, showing no signs of submission despite being a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator facing a Golden Core expert.


    "Mid-stage Foundation Establishment¡­ What grade of alchemist are you?"


    "Eighth-grade."


    Hearing this, the elder paused briefly before breaking into a smile.


    "Not bad¡ªso young, yet already a third-grade alchemist. Impressive. Who is your master? Do you have alchemy certification?"


    "My master is Fire Dragon Pill Sovereign, a rogue cultivator. No official certification¡­" Lin Jing replied, then extended his hand.


    "But¡­ is this enough?"


    A miniature flame furnace appeared at his fingertip, a hundred layers of fire waves swirling around it, dazzling in its brilliance.


    "Third-tier fire control technique¡­" The elder nodded in approval.


    "That¡¯s enough."


    A third-grade alchemist could refine third-grade pills.


    Generally speaking,


    First-grade pills were for Qi Refinement cultivators.


    Second-grade pills were for Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    Third-grade pills were for Golden Core cultivators.


    A Foundation Establishment cultivator who was also a third-grade alchemist was far rarer than ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even some Golden Core cultivators who couldn¡¯t refine pills would treat them as equals. ??????????£Â¨º?


    Thus, by revealing his third-grade alchemist status, Lin Jing had no need to act subservient to a Golden Core cultivator¡ªthis was exactly how a true alchemist of his caliber would behave.


    More importantly, he had called his master a "Pill Sovereign."


    Usually, only Nascent Soul cultivators or fifth-grade alchemists could use the title "Sovereign."


    As a result, the elder immediately became much friendlier¡ªregardless of whether Lin Jing was lying, it cost him nothing to treat him with respect.


    Of course, Lin Jing could refine third-grade pills.


    But if he combined Fire Qilin Dragon¡¯s fused Exotic Flames, he could actually refine fourth-grade pills as well.


    However, he deliberately underreported his abilities¡ª


    A Foundation Establishment cultivator refining fourth-grade pills would be far too shocking.


    Moreover, he hadn¡¯t planned on selling fourth-grade specialty pills anyway.


    "How long do you plan to rent?" the elder asked.


    "The minimum rental period is one month."


    "I¡¯ll take six months."


    The Qingming Commerce Guild trading district had an immense flow of customers. While renting a store here was expensive, as long as his products were high quality, he wouldn¡¯t lose money.


    "Let me check¡­ Ah, there¡¯s one available alchemy shop¡ªthough the location isn¡¯t ideal."


    Lin Jing nodded.


    "Location doesn¡¯t matter. Good pills attract customers, even in the deepest alley. As long as the price is fair, I¡¯ll take it."


    "Excellent!" The elder smiled.


    "I¡¯ll draft the rental contract immediately!"


    ..........


    Lin Jing smirked¡ªhe had complete confidence in his pills.


    The Rising Dragon Pill was proof enough.


    However, he couldn¡¯t sell it here, as it had already been auctioned in the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, making it too recognizable.


    Similarly, common market pills were widely available¡ªunless he lowered his prices drastically, customers would just buy from major alchemy stores.


    Thus, to make his shop stand out, he needed to develop unique pills.


    Of course, he already had several exclusive pills that had never been publicly revealed.


    Unlike the Rising Dragon Pill, these hadn¡¯t been auctioned before.


    For example¡­ Pain Pill.


    But that was a demonic pill, which meant its market was too niche. He dismissed the idea.


    Instead, the most promising candidate was likely Gluttonous Pill.


    He and his group had used this pill frequently, refining it from Golden Spirit Rice.


    Golden Spirit Rice was the first special spiritual ingredient ever synthesized by Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Glazed Immortal Eyes, known for its digestive-enhancing properties.


    When refined with other ingredients, it eliminated side effects and became far more effective.


    Normally, a Foundation Establishment cultivator consuming a fourth-grade spirit herb would need years of closed-door meditation to fully absorb its power.


    But with Gluttonous Pill, all they had to do was consume a large dose beforehand, and in just two days, they could fully absorb the spirit herb¡¯s energy.


    Even more outrageously¡ª


    Even a Qi Refinement cultivator could use Gluttonous Pill to safely consume high-grade pills.


    Lin Jing had personally tested this when he force-fed a Qi Refinement first-layer insect a third-grade pill¡ª


    Normally, it would have exploded from excess energy.


    But thanks to Gluttonous Pill, it perfectly absorbed the pill¡¯s effects and even underwent a bloodline evolution.


    For young elites or lucky cultivators struggling to absorb high-tier resources, this pill was priceless.


    If Lin Jing weren¡¯t a Longevity Body cultivator, he might have reached Nascent Soul already using this pill.


    Before long¡­


    A new shop opened in Tianqing City¡¯s trading district¡ª


    "Nameless Vessel Pavilion."


    While its shelves displayed common first, second, and third-grade pills priced in Spirit Stones, the shop¡¯s centerpiece was:


    Gluttonous Pill.


    Effect: Allows low-level cultivators to safely consume high-grade pills with no side effects.


    Price: Not sold for Spirit Stones!


    Only exchangeable for Exotic Flame intelligence or actual Exotic Flames.


    "No matter the grade of the flame, as long as my Fire Qilin Dragon has Flame Emperor Divine Ability, it can absorb and convert it into power."


    "In Qingzhou, it¡¯s the only beast I can openly train¡ªpriority is getting it to Golden Core stage!"


    As Lin Jing sat in the back of the shop, observing his Pine Leaf Mouse planting seeds and Fire Qilin Dragon refining flames, he plotted his next moves¡­


    Just then, his first customer stepped through the door.

 Book 3: Chapter 19: Sacred Fire Lotus

    Vol 3 Chapter 19: Sacred Fire Lotus


    Tianqing Commercial Street.


    A blue-robed youth at the early Foundation Establishment stage stood at a corner, staring at the newly opened pill pavilion with a sign that read ¡°Nameless,¡± his face filled with doubt.


    ¡°Father, you mean here?¡±


    ¡°This new pill pavilion is in such a remote spot with little foot traffic. It doesn¡¯t seem like a place that would have anything good.¡±


    ¡°What do you know? In my prime, your old man was a fifth-grade alchemist and a Nascent Soul powerhouse. Even though I¡¯m now just a lingering remnant soul, my past experience tells me this pavilion must have some very special pills.¡±


    ¡°If my guess is right, this pill¡­ will be of great use to you. But you¡¯ll have to go in and see for yourself.¡±


    The blue-robed youth stood at the street corner. No one was around him¡ªhe was conversing with the remnant soul within his body.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Hearing his father speak so confidently, the youth nodded and stepped into the Nameless Pill Pavilion.


    Once inside, he found the shop¡¯s setup to be quite simple, and the owner didn¡¯t look like an experienced alchemist at all. Instead, he was just a young man lounging on a rocking chair, casually flipping through a book.


    His cultivation wasn¡¯t much higher than the youth¡¯s.


    That young man was Lin Jing.


    Lin Jing glanced at his first customer with a flicker of surprise but quickly returned to his book, showing no intention of greeting him.


    What he was reading wasn¡¯t some miscellaneous novel, but a book titled Records of Qingzhou, detailing various aspects of the region. Back in the Ancient Kingdom, he had read many books, but most of them were about that land. Now that he was in a new place, he naturally needed to catch up on local knowledge¡ªpower distributions, forbidden zones, rare plants, and spirit beasts¡­


    ¡°Go there.¡±


    Following the remnant soul¡¯s instructions, the blue-robed youth walked directly to where the Gluttonous Pill was stored.


    Seeing the description of the golden pill, his pupils contracted, and the remnant soul inside him stirred.


    ¡°As expected! It¡¯s a pill that aids in absorbing spiritual treasures!¡±


    ¡°How strange¡ªI¡¯ve never seen a pill like this before. Its grade isn¡¯t high, yet its efficacy seems extraordinary¡­ Among digestion-aiding pills, the highest quality available on the market is the third-grade Transformation Essence Pill, but this golden pill feels even superior to that!¡±


    ¡°The most crucial point is that the Transformation Essence Pill requires at least a perfected Foundation Establishment cultivation to consume without issues. But this pill¡­ its medicinal power is incredibly mild. Even Qi Refinement cultivators could take it without any burden¡­¡±


    ¡°What a waste. Such a precious pill, yet this pavilion just leaves it out so casually without proper preservation. Its medicinal properties are probably leaking away¡­ But if they weren¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have discovered this Gluttonous Pill.¡±


    The blue-robed youth¡¯s expression shifted.


    ¡°Father, can this thing¡­ help me digest the inheritance you left behind?¡±


    ¡°Mm. One alone won¡¯t be enough, but if you acquire a large number of them, you¡¯ll be able to quickly absorb the treasures I left you instead of waiting until you reach Core Formation.¡±


    The remnant soul continued, ¡°If you do, you¡¯ll definitely have a chance to compete for that spot!¡±


    ¡°But this Gluttonous Pill¡­ it¡¯s not for sale. It can only be exchanged for an Exotic Flame.¡±


    The youth hesitated. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They didn¡¯t have anything like that.


    ¡°In my treasure hoard, there is a Sacred Fire Lotus. If you consume it, there¡¯s a chance you might refine an Emerging Lotus Heart Flame¡­ However, the Sacred Fire Lotus is a fourth-rank spiritual item, and due to its extreme rarity, it¡¯s worth even more than an ordinary fifth-rank spiritual item! I¡¯m afraid that if you use such a treasure for this transaction, you¡¯ll invite trouble.¡± ?£Á??????¦¥?


    As father and son conversed, Lin Jing, still reclining in his chair, suddenly closed his book and said,


    ¡°Sacred Fire Lotus¡­ Emerging Lotus Heart Flame¡­ but that¡¯s just a regular flame with no healing properties, right?¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s simple inquiry made the blue-robed youth freeze in place, his face stiffening as he looked up in shock.


    At the same time, the remnant soul within him abruptly stopped their telepathic conversation, staring in disbelief at the young shop owner, who was merely at the mid Foundation Establishment stage.


    Both of them were stunned¡ªhow could someone at Lin Jing¡¯s level possibly hear their soul-to-soul communication?


    ¡°No need to be alarmed. I mean no harm. I just have a sharp perception when it comes to souls¡ªI wasn¡¯t intentionally eavesdropping.¡± Lin Jing chuckled.


    With his Contract Blood ability and the Ice Soul Gu, souls like the one hiding in the youth¡¯s body couldn¡¯t escape his detection. If he wanted to, he could even extract and freeze it with ease.


    ¡°Young friend, your talent is remarkable¡ªyou actually noticed my existence.¡±


    After a moment, the remnant soul inside the youth no longer hid, slowly manifesting into a spectral form. ¡°Even most Nascent Soul cultivators wouldn¡¯t detect me, yet today, a mere Foundation Establishment youth managed to.¡±


    ¡°I not only know you¡¯re hiding inside him,¡± Lin Jing said calmly, ¡°I also know why you ended up in this state.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it was the Netherworld Hall, wasn¡¯t it? I can see traces of Netherworld Ghostfire burns on your soul¡­¡±


    ¡°You were severely injured by a demonic cultivator from the Netherworld Hall, but because of your special soul-related physique, you barely survived¡­ Your soul cultivation is exceptionally high, which is why you felt safe hiding inside him.¡±


    Lin Jing continued, ¡°And after becoming like this, it seems you had no other trusted people to look after your child. Though you left him plenty of treasures, his current cultivation isn¡¯t enough to fully absorb them. That¡¯s why you set your sights on the Gluttonous Pill. Did I get anything wrong?¡±


    The remnant soul was stunned, then asked in shock, ¡°May I ask how to address you¡­?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. I¡¯m just a nameless wandering alchemist. I have no interest in your feud with the Netherworld Hall. I¡¯m only here fulfilling my master¡¯s orders and training for a while.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re interested in the Gluttonous Pill, feel free to trade that Sacred Fire Lotus for it. I won¡¯t leak your affairs.¡± Lin Jing said casually.


    The remnant soul let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Then I must thank you, young friend. Your deductions are correct. If we exchange the Sacred Fire Lotus for the Gluttonous Pill, how many pills would you be willing to offer?¡±


    Lin Jing rubbed his chin and said, ¡°First, bring me the Sacred Fire Lotus. I¡¯ll need to examine its quality.¡±


    The blue-robed youth cupped his hands slightly and then, together with the remnant soul, left the pill pavilion.


    Outside, the youth wiped cold sweat from his forehead. ¡°Father, could he be from the Netherworld Hall? Only someone from there would be so knowledgeable about souls and Netherworld Ghostfire¡­¡±


    The remnant soul sighed, ¡°No, he¡¯s likely just an alchemist interested in soul-related flames. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have made such a trade offer. Your father possesses the Soul-Extinguishing Physique. If he trained under a powerful alchemist, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for him to recognize it.¡±


    ¡°No matter what, this is someone we can¡¯t afford to provoke.¡±


    ¡°For now, we can only trust that he means no harm.¡±


    ¡°When we get the Gluttonous Pill, you must immediately absorb the treasures I left you. Use those high-tier items to unlock your potential and enter Tongtian Tower. Your family is not a place for you to stay long-term. Hah¡­ your so-called ¡®relatives¡¯¡­ if you remain, they will strip you clean sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll guide you to retrieve the treasure. Be careful, let me possess you¡ªwe must not let anyone know I left behind more wealth.¡±


    ¡°An auspicious start¡­¡±


    After the father and son left, Lin Jing muttered to himself.


    The Emerging Lotus Heart Flame¡ªa healing-type Exotic Flame.


    For his future Fire Qilin Dragon, which would serve as his armor and take hits for him, it would be extremely useful!

 Book 3: Chapter 20: The Longevity Body鈥檚 Intimidation

    Vol 3 Chapter 20: The Longevity Body¡¯s Intimidation


    After seeing off his first distinguished guests, Lin Jing continued lounging and reading.


    One person, three pets¡ªexcept for the Ice Soul Gu, all were exceptionally busy.


    The Ice Soul Gu had no choice but to seal itself in ice and enter a dormant state, feigning death to avoid being traced by the Gu God Sect¡¯s special techniques. After all, it originally belonged to the Gu God Sect, and it was best to be cautious.


    Meanwhile, the Fire Qilin Dragon was inside the Meditation Staff pendant, which had been converted into a pill-refining chamber, diligently producing pills. Most of the Nameless Pill Pavilion¡¯s stock, including the Gluttonous Pill, currently depended on its efforts.


    As for the Pine Leaf Mouse, it was the busiest of them all.


    Inside its Suspended Gourd, it was cultivating three supreme spiritual seeds¡ªNine-Sun Divine Lingzhi, Nine-Life Exquisite Grass, and Cloud-Hidden Orchid!


    Each of them was a treasure ranked even higher than the Sacred Fire Lotus from earlier.


    At present, none of them had matured. Even though the Pine Leaf Mouse had mastered the Everlasting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art, it had yet to fully ripen a single plant.


    Had Lin Jing known he would be separated from Senior Pine, he would have had the elder expedite the process back then. Now, he could only watch helplessly as they remained unusable.


    Currently, the Pine Leaf Mouse was prioritizing the cultivation of the Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi.


    This divine lingzhi was a fifth-rank fire-attribute treasure. According to Senior Pine, once the Fire Qilin Dragon reached Core Formation, consuming it would be enough to propel it from early Core Formation to Core Formation Perfection, granting it the potential to break through to Nascent Soul.


    Lin Jing¡¯s plan was simple:


    While ripening the Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi, he would gather multiple Exotic Flames to help the Fire Qilin Dragon condense a formidable Flame Monster Core upon reaching Core Formation.


    At that point, the Fire Qilin Dragon would be contractually bound at early Monster Core stage. But that was fine¡ªby then, the Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi likely wouldn¡¯t have matured yet.


    During that time, Lin Jing would focus on his own Core Formation breakthrough.


    Once the Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi was fully matured, the Fire Qilin Dragon could consume it, instantly advancing from early Monster Core to Nascent Soul stage. With its Demon Emperor Bloodline, there would be no bottleneck in this breakthrough. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ultimately, Lin Jing, as a Core Formation cultivator, would wield Nascent Soul-level power by combining Fusion Secret Art and Beast Weaponization techniques with the Fire Qilin Dragon!


    Paired with the beast¡¯s brutal divine abilities, even Nascent Soul cultivators would struggle to oppose him.


    And if Lin Jing successfully cultivated the Heavenly Demon Physique as well, then with his extended lifespan, he would gain the ability to challenge top-tier experts by burning his own life force!


    After all, at that point, he would likely have nearly ten thousand years of lifespan to burn¡­


    He would already be unmatched below Nascent Soul, and by combining that with Lifespan-Burning Demon Arts, anyone who dared to covet his Longevity Body would pay a steep price. ?¨¤£Î?????¨§£Ó


    His Longevity Body would become both a trap and a weapon¡ªif someone attempted to capture him, not only would they deplete his longevity, but they¡¯d also face his devastating counterattacks.


    Losing the bulk of his longevity wouldn¡¯t be a concern. If they hesitated to make a move, fearing his retaliation, then his plan had already succeeded.


    Apart from ripening the Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi, the Pine Leaf Mouse had another crucial task: finding its own path to Core Formation!


    Lin Jing¡¯s own Core Formation would still depend on the boost from his contract beasts.


    Additionally, for the Glazed Immortal Eyes to evolve and gain the ability to synthesize non-plant resources, the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s Core Formation needed to be unique.


    It had to regress from an ordinary Leaf Mouse into a Seven-Element Origin Mouse!


    And the key wasn¡¯t the Treant Pill!


    The Treant Pill, one of the reference formulas used to develop the Longevity Foundation Pill, was a medicine that allowed a body to integrate plant organs.


    These plant organs were the key.


    Just like how the Sacred Fire Lotus and Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi were both plants and fire-attributed at the same time, Lin Jing needed to find four suitable plant-based organs containing metal-wood, water-wood, fire-wood, and earth-wood properties and fuse them into the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s body.


    Once these five elements formed a balanced cycle around wood, the Pine Leaf Mouse would have the potential to condense a Five-Element Monster Core, granting itself full mastery over five attributes.


    Lin Jing didn¡¯t know if this would trigger an evolution in the Glazed Immortal Eyes, but the Five Elements Dao was overwhelmingly powerful, so it would undoubtedly benefit the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s growth.


    However, selecting these plant-based organs was no easy task.


    Since he needed to refine Treant Pills using them, they had to exist in large quantities to allow for multiple trial-and-error experiments.


    Thus, high-tier spiritual plants like the Sacred Fire Lotus and Nine-Sun Divine Lingzhi had to be ruled out.


    They were precious, but Lin Jing and his group weren¡¯t yet capable of modifying such advanced plants into Treant Pills.


    On the other hand, ordinary first- to third-rank plants weren¡¯t strong enough.


    That was where the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s own synthesis ability came in.


    For example, the Firecloud Pepper¡ªoriginally just a first-rank Malignant Plant, but after synthesis, it produced Netherworld Ghostfire, making it more rare and powerful than even high-tier spiritual plants!


    Thus, Lin Jing needed to search Qingzhou for low-rank plants with fire, water, metal, and earth attributes, allowing the Pine Leaf Mouse to synthesize them and determine which would best serve as organ materials for its Treant Pill transformation.


    For the metal-wood attribute, Lin Jing had already found a candidate¡ªthe Reflective Diamondwood, synthesized from the Mosquito-Powered Mech¡¯s outer shell!


    This Diamondwood could reflect most of the damage it received back to its attacker, making it an ideal choice for the Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s transformed skin in its Demon King True Form.


    If no better metal-wood option was found, Diamondwood would be his first choice.


    As for fire, water, and earth-based plants, he hadn¡¯t found any suitable ones back at the academy. Now that he was in Qingzhou, he had resumed his search.


    Qingzhou was rich in unique spiritual plants, offering far more choices than the Ancient Kingdom.


    ¡°Fellow Daoist, the 100 Explosive Fruits and 100 Sun Herbs you ordered have arrived.¡±


    A cultivator from a nearby spirit plant shop approached. Rather than a true customer, he was a shopkeeper from a neighboring spiritual herb store.


    Before opening the pill pavilion, Lin Jing had placed an order with them for two second-rank fire-attribute plants, spending a significant number of Spirit Stones.


    Both were Qingzhou specialties.


    The Explosive Fruit was a Malignant Plant, similar in effect to Spirit Bean Bombs¡ªwhen subjected to a strong impact, it detonated like a fireball, capable of killing Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    When Lin Jing had initially ordered 100 Explosive Fruits, the shopkeeper had hesitated for a long time, wondering what Lin Jing planned to do with them.


    As for the Sun Herb, it was a spirit herb that enhanced fire-attribute spiritual energy. Consuming it while cultivating fire-elemental techniques under the sun significantly boosted efficiency.


    Lin Jing wanted to see how these two plants would change when synthesized with the Glazed Immortal Eyes¡ªwould they, like the Firecloud Pepper, generate a new Exotic Flame?


    If so, the Fire Qilin Dragon would gain yet another upgrade.


    ¡°The goods have arrived. Let¡¯s begin synthesis.¡±


    Inside the gourd, the Pine Leaf Mouse paused its ripening process, removed its straw hat, and looked up, its gaze sharp and intense.

 Book 3: Chapter 21: The False Core

    Vol 3 Chapter 21: The False Core


    ¡°I wonder if this will yield anything good¡­¡±


    Lin Jing sighed as he placed a hundred Explosive Fruits and a hundred Sun Herbs into the Suspended Gourd.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse was full of confidence.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already synthesized so much junk¡ªsomething useful has to come out eventually, right?¡±


    ¡°If nothing good comes out this time, we¡¯ll just use the Blood Devil Vine as the ¡®water-wood¡¯ attribute organ material to simplify things. It does have a bit of that demonic cultivator flavor, but there¡¯s no denying its effectiveness.¡±


    With this decision, both Reflective Diamondwood and Blood Devil Vine were set as the metal-wood and water-wood attribute materials!


    Since he already had enough of these materials stockpiled, there was no need to buy, plant, or synthesize anything new.


    That meant only the fire-wood and earth-wood attributes remained. Once those were settled, the Five-Element Organ Transformation would be complete.


    Even if his luck was terrible, only two elements were missing¡ªit was just a matter of time before he found the right materials!


    ¡°Alright!!!¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse didn¡¯t care either way. It eagerly scurried to the edge of the Sun Herb pile, eyes burning with excitement. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Sun Herb was orange-red, resembling clover, radiating a gentle warmth akin to sunlight.


    Under the Glazed Immortal Eyes¡¯ gaze, the hundred Sun Herbs quickly vanished. A moment later, an intense light shone, and a single mutated Sun Herb appeared¡ªits deep red leaves flickered with tiny glowing spots.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse scratched its head, staring at the speckled Sun Herb, lost in thought.


    Lin Jing, sharing its vision, also fell into contemplation.


    [Mutated Sun Herb: A plant attuned to the power of the sun. Upon consumption, the user¡¯s body will temporarily reach temperatures comparable to the surface of the sun¡­]


    ¡°A Malignant Plant. This has to be a Malignant Plant. How did a perfectly fine fire-attribute cultivation herb mutate into something like this?!¡±


    Lin Jing¡¯s mouth twitched.


    A body reaching temperatures near the sun¡¯s surface¡­ even with protective energy, low-level cultivators would just evaporate on the spot!


    ¡°Ugh~¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse shrugged. What could it do?


    ¡°This won¡¯t work¡ªit can¡¯t be used as one of your organs. Your core element is wood, and your ability to endure high temperatures is weak. You won¡¯t be able to convert that heat into an attack.¡± ??N¨¯?¨§????


    Lin Jing shook his head and turned to the Explosive Fruits.


    Since these were already Malignant Plants, he had a good idea of what they might turn into.


    Moments later, the ordinary apple-like Explosive Fruits underwent a transformation¡ªnot in color, but in shape. They were now covered in spikes, resembling red durians.


    [Mutated Explosive Fruit: Has lost its explosive ability and is now edible¡­]


    Seeing this, Lin Jing¡¯s eyes lit up. But the next moment, he fell silent.


    [Upon consumption, the user gains a one-time enhanced self-destruction ability. They can choose to detonate any organ¡­ or their entire body. The explosion carries extreme fire energy.]


    ¡°Oh, wonderful. Another Malignant Plant turned Demonic Plant. Instead of a fruit that explodes on its own, now we have a fruit that helps the user self-destruct.¡±


    Lin Jing looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Ugh~¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse shrugged again. What could it do?


    Wasn¡¯t this always the case?


    Rubbing its eyes, it popped a few vision-enhancing spiritual fruits into its mouth.


    It was exhausted.


    These two synthesis attempts had both failed. Qingzhou¡¯s plants weren¡¯t any better than the ones from the Ancient Kingdom.


    Or were they?


    ¡°¡­Actually, this self-destruct fruit¡­ might work as an organ.¡±


    Lin Jing suddenly changed his evaluation.


    The Pine Leaf Mouse: ¡°???¡±


    The mouse took a step back, pointing at its own body. Did it look like something that could self-destruct?


    Lin Jing glanced at it.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t for your real body. Your Demon King True Form is a wooden squirrel colossus covered in branches and pinecones. Aren¡¯t those pinecones technically part of your body?¡±


    ¡°When the time comes, just blow those up.¡±


    ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve already mastered the Everlasting Emperor¡¯s Longevity Art. According to Senior Pine, you should be able to condense wooden clones now. Even if your main body can¡¯t explode, your clones should be able to, right?¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse¡¯s mouth hung open.


    Wasn¡¯t this a little too ruthless?!


    Lin Jing sighed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no choice. If we aren¡¯t ruthless to ourselves, the demons and beasts out there won¡¯t go easy on us. If we don¡¯t want to be swallowed whole, we have to be even crueler.¡±


    The Pine Leaf Mouse furiously scratched its head. Self-destruct organs? Was that even practical?!


    Lin Jing picked up the speckled Sun Herb and the Self-Destruct Fruit.


    ¡°Next, we¡¯ll mass-produce the Self-Destruct Fruit and integrate it into the Treant Pill to give your pinecones the Flame Detonation attribute.¡±


    ¡°The speckled Sun Herb won¡¯t go to waste either. It¡¯ll be the core material for a new pill formula.¡±


    ¡°The Gluttonous Pill alone isn¡¯t enough to dominate the market. If consuming this synthesized Sun Herb grants a body temperature close to the sun¡¯s surface, even Core Formation cultivators won¡¯t be able to withstand it¡­ But if someone can control this power, it won¡¯t just be a Malignant Plant for suicide¡ªit will become a mystical artifact that grants them a high-temperature spell!¡±


    Lin Jing began pondering.


    Could it be used for False Core Alchemy?


    ¡°¡­It might work.¡±


    ¡°If I can refine this into a False Core! With the Fire Qilin Dragon assisting me, it could be possible!¡±


    ¡°For those who have no hope of forming a real Core, or those who have fallen from Core Formation back to Foundation Establishment and can¡¯t form a second Core, they often turn to alchemy or secret techniques to create a False Core in place of a real one.¡±


    ¡°Although a False Core lacks the growth potential of a true Core and cannot reach the Nascent Soul stage, some False Cores contain incredible power. When activated, they can unleash abilities on par with Core Formation divine techniques.¡±


    ¡°The Core Formation stage is all about refining and perfecting Core divine abilities. Using them wears down the Core, requiring long periods of seclusion to restore it¡ªor costly pills to repair it¡­ Only after reaching Nascent Soul can a cultivator freely use their divine techniques without worry.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why powerful False Core techniques aren¡¯t only sought after by Foundation Establishment cultivators who can¡¯t reach Core Formation.¡±


    ¡°Even those who have already formed a real Core wouldn¡¯t mind refining an additional False Core for extra security.¡±


    ¡°In battle, they could rely on the False Core, preserving their real one until they reached Nascent Soul.¡±


    ¡°After all, unlike a real Core, a False Core doesn¡¯t fear damage. If it gets destroyed, they can just refine another one.¡±


    ¡°If I can seal the high-temperature energy within a False Core, forming a Solar False Core¡­ Its temperature would be close to the sun¡¯s surface. In the Core Formation stage, it would be an absolute trump card. Few would be able to withstand its power.¡±


    Lin Jing picked up the speckled Sun Herb.


    ¡°This is a perfect opportunity to research alchemical pills that assist in Core Formation.¡±


    That was the real priority¡­


    If nothing unexpected happened, his own breakthrough to Core Formation would require the aid of pills.


    His three contract beasts might not be enough to push him forward.


    The further he advanced, the harder it became for a Longevity Body to cultivate.


    He would need to refine a pill to assist in his Core Formation.


    This False Core Alchemy¡ªright now, it was the perfect training ground.

 Book 3: Chapter 22: Tongtian Tower

    Vol 3 Chapter 22: Tongtian Tower


    The next day.


    Lin Jing used Hidden Dragon Fortune to deduce the pill formulas for the "Self-Destruct Treant Pill" and the "Solar False Core."


    This was a common method for him.


    Just like the Rising Dragon Pill, Gluttonous Pill, and Pain Pill, they were all created this way.


    First, he would use Hidden Dragon Fortune, combining it with his knowledge of alchemy to deduce possible formulas.


    Once he came up with a few suitable ones, he would throw the formulas and ingredients to the Fire Qilin Dragon for testing to see if they could actually be refined.


    If the pills could be successfully made, he would then test them on lab rats. If the effects matched his deductions, then a new pill was officially created...


    ¡­


    "Is the Grandmaster here?"


    Inside the Nameless Pill Pavilion, Lin Jing lay on a wooden chair, seemingly asleep, but in reality, he was deducing pill formulas in his mind.


    The blue-clothed youth who had taken an interest in the Dining Pill the previous day had returned, calling out for Lin Jing.


    He was panting heavily, his face tense, sweat dripping.


    "Did you bring the Sacred Fire Lotus?" Lin Jing opened his eyes. This youth¡­ he was probably too well-protected in his daily life, appearing a bit naive.


    Luckily, his father was still maintaining himself in a remnant soul state. Otherwise, this boy¡¯s path to growth would be incredibly difficult. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I brought it, Senior."


    He carefully took out a stone box, revealing a platinum-colored lotus that looked like it was made of flames. Lin Jing glanced at it and said, "Good quality, well-preserved. It seems your father is quite an accomplished alchemist and knows how to store spiritual herbs perfectly." ?£Á??£Â??


    "You flatter me. Compared to your master, I am nothing. If I¡¯m not mistaken, this Gluttonous Pill must be an original creation of your master. In Qingzhou, in terms of effectiveness, your master has likely reached the pinnacle¡ªno one can surpass him."


    The remnant soul within the blue-clothed youth slowly spoke, fully confident in its judgment. This Gluttonous Pill had an unimaginable effect in helping lower-level cultivators absorb high-level resources.


    Lin Jing said, "Alright, how many Dining Pills do you want in exchange for this Sacred Fire Lotus?"


    The remnant soul pondered for a moment, then said, "Whatever amount you are willing to give."


    "The ingredients for this Dining Pill may not exceed the second rank, but the refining method is extremely refined, at least the work of a third-grade alchemist. Combined with its astonishing effects and rare properties, its value could easily rival an ordinary fourth-grade pill. Name your price. Supply and demand determine worth, and we trust your judgment."


    Lin Jing chuckled. It seemed they were willing to take a slight loss in order to establish a good relationship with him.


    "There are ten bottles here, totaling one hundred Dining Pills. Take them. I heard you have a large inheritance to absorb. If it¡¯s not enough, you can use Spirit Stones to buy more from me later¡ªconsider it a benefit." Lin Jing said.


    "Many thanks, Master." The remnant soul laughed heartily, while the blue-clothed youth quickly added, "Xia Yan thanks Master."


    After completing the transaction, Lin Jing sent them off and casually tossed the Sacred Fire Lotus into his meditation staff pendant.


    The Sacred Fire Lotus was a fourth-rank fire-attribute spiritual plant, but due to the presence of exotic flames, its value rivaled that of a fifth-rank plant. With a Foundation Establishment cultivation, it would normally be difficult to absorb such a treasure. Even if the Sacred Fire Lotus was gentle in nature and the cultivator shut themselves in for decades to refine it, they would still struggle to completely absorb its power.


    However, the Fire Qilin Dragon was an exception. With its emperor-tier fire-type bloodline, it could refine the Sacred Fire Lotus in no time, even without relying on the Gluttonous Pill. And if it did take the Dining Pill, the process would be even faster.


    Before long, after consuming a small amount of Dining Pills, the Fire Qilin Dragon completely absorbed the power of the Sacred Fire Lotus. Its body radiated layers of white lotus-shaped flames as its cultivation surpassed both the Pine Leaf Mouse and the Ice Soul Gu, reaching Small Perfection of the Foundation Establishment stage¡ªjust a step away from Core Formation!!!


    "Roar!!!"


    Inside the meditation staff, the once small Dragon Carp let out a sky-shaking roar.


    "No rush. With your current state, you should be able to refine a few more exotic flames. When your body can no longer withstand more, then you can break through to Core Formation." Lin Jing remained relaxed on his wooden chair, planning everything out as he awaited the arrival of the next "fire delivery boy."


    ¡­


    Tianqing City, Summer Clan of a Cultivation Family.


    The youth, Xia Yan, secretly entered a hidden underground chamber, concealed by a special formation.


    Holding a hundred Gluttonous Pills, he walked down the steps and whispered, "Father, is this enough?"


    "Definitely not."


    "But if we focus on absorbing the most important things, it will barely be enough."


    The remnant soul materialized in the underground chamber. In the next moment, five objects radiating treasure light floated around it.


    "You have an Acquired Fire Spirit Body and are currently in Early Foundation Establishment. At your current level, there is no way you can pass the trial of Tongtian Tower. Whether you enter through alchemy or strength, you have no chance."


    "If you fail the trial, staying in the Summer Clan means you¡¯ll never reach Nascent Soul in this lifetime."


    "I had originally paved the way for you, but unfortunately¡­"


    "The Sacred Fire Lotus was meant for you. If it had produced ''Lotus Heart Flame,'' it would have been invaluable for both your alchemy and cultivation. But under the current circumstances, that¡¯s no longer our priority. The Gluttonous Pill is what you need the most right now."


    "This is a fourth-grade Fire Spirit Pill I refined. It will allow your Acquired Fire Spirit Body to reach perfection and greatly enhance your power. Normally, it should only be consumed at the Core Formation stage, but with the Gluttonous Pill, you can take it directly. While the effect may not be fully optimized, it will still significantly boost your Extinguishing Spirit Physique."


    "This is a fourth-rank spiritual plant, the ''Tornado Flower.'' Absorbing it will perfect your cultivation of the ''Tornado Technique''..."


    "This is¡­"


    The remnant soul introduced each treasure one by one as the youth consumed the Gluttonous Pills, rapidly absorbing and refining them. His cultivation soared from Early Foundation Establishment toward greater heights. The remnant soul watched with satisfaction.


    "The pill¡¯s effect is indeed remarkable¡­"


    "At this rate, in less than half a month, he will completely refine these five treasures¡­ reaching Perfection of Foundation Establishment¡­ and achieving near-perfect control over all his powers. Just in time for the Tongtian Tower trial."


    ¡­


    For the next several days, Lin Jing continued deducing pill formulas and waiting for buyers.


    However, whether due to bad luck or other reasons, while a few more customers came seeking the Gluttonous Pill, none could offer exotic flames or relevant information that satisfied Lin Jing.


    Aside from the first deal, most traders at best could offer "low-grade beast flames" for exchange. These flames were far inferior to Dragon Scales Fire¡ªcompletely useless. Even if Lin Jing used the Flame Emperor¡¯s ability to merge them, they wouldn¡¯t amount to much and would only waste his divine abilities.


    Just like that, half a month passed. Lin Jing hadn¡¯t made another major trade for the Gluttonous Pill, only selling common practice pills. Special cases like the father and son of the Summer Clan were rare. Plus, due to limited stock, Lin Jing hadn¡¯t actively advertised and was relying solely on the Dining Pill¡¯s fragrance to attract knowledgeable buyers¡ªmaking business even slower.


    "The commercial street seems especially quiet today¡­"


    During his break, Lin Jing stepped outside for fresh air and overheard passersby talking.


    "Let¡¯s go, no point hanging around here. The Tongtian Tower is recruiting disciples in Tianqing City. Wonder how many genius seedlings will be chosen this year¡­"


    "I heard that the major clans like the Summer Clan, Zhu Clan, and Fan Clan have sent a lot of their juniors. Let¡¯s go watch."


    "Tongtian Tower¡­" Lin Jing murmured.


    It was rumored that the Tongtian Tower frequently recruited disciples from top-tier immortal cities. However, it had too many high-level cultivators, including many at the Void Mystical Stage and even Dao-Seeking Stage. It wasn¡¯t an entity he should get too involved with.


    However, the recruiters in Tianqing City were unlikely to be too powerful¡ªprobably at most Nascent Soul.


    "The Summer Clan¡­ That boy, Xia Yan, is probably from the Summer Clan. The ''quota'' his father mentioned¡ªis it a Tongtian Tower disciple quota?"


    "If so, he might end up promoting my Gluttonous Pill during the trial¡­


    "I wonder if any Tongtian Tower cultivators will take notice. As the top alchemy force, they must have information on higher-level exotic flames. There''s some risk, but if it''s just ordinary Tongtian Tower disciples, it might be worth engaging with them."


    Lin Jing returned to his house and lay back down.