"I apologize for exposing your cultivation, Elder..."
Knowing Elder Shen Song’s reluctance to reveal his cultivation, Lin Jing felt deeply apologetic.
"No problem." Elder Shen Song replied, "Since I promised to guard your path for a hundred years, I’ve already prepared for such exposure."
"If anyone wants to use me to craft an external body, they’d better see if they have the skills. I wasn’t raised on meat."
Taking the chance, Lin Jing asked about the long-standing doubts in his mind. Elder Shen Song claimed to be a grass-and-wood Demon Cultivator yet possessed such cultivation. What experience did he share with the second-generation Sect Leader that he willingly stayed at the Beast Taming Sect and even guarded a disciple like Lin Jing?
"Why do you want to know everything?"
"Knowing too much isn’t good for you; just focus on advancing your cultivation honestly."
"After three years in seclusion with no advancement, I’m really doubtful if you can achieve Core Formation within a hundred-year deadline." Elder Shen Song remarked skeptically.
Lin Jing immediately shut his mouth, no longer speaking.
After a long time, Elder Shen Song commented, "Quite efficient, you can leave now. The true self of South Mountain Demon Emperor has been suppressed and killed; it’s unknown what cost the academy cultivators had to pay for this."
"After all, a Demon Emperor nearing its end might appear weak, but from another perspective, if it’s about to die, no one should think they can comfortably survive!"
"The South Mountain Demon Emperor is dead?" Lin Jing hadn’t expected the academy’s strong forces to be so swift.
"Maybe they encountered a powerful helper," Elder Shen Song speculated, "It’s a pity I didn’t chase them for your protection, otherwise the Demon Emperor’s body would be full of treasures, especially being a Dragon Demon."
"However, this avatar isn’t bad; no wonder those two from the Demon Extermination Bureau wanted to use you as bait. It’s quite enjoyable," he chuckled. ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel~fire~net
Demon King, Demon Emperor, Demon Ancestor, Demon Emperor...
Corresponding to Nascent Soul, Divinity Transformation, Void Realm, and Dao Inquiry.
The bloodline of a Demon Emperor is more terrifying than that of a Demon King, especially an illustrious and matchlessly notorious Demon Emperor like the South Mountain Demon Emperor.
Earlier, countless academy powerhouses set off as the Hidden Dragon City’s enchantment was activated, astonishing many cultivators; such an operation hadn’t occurred for a long time in Hidden Dragon City, leaving many puzzled by what was happening.
After returning to the academy, Lin Jing was immediately invited to a conference hall; at the head sat an elderly man with a goatee, who appeared unremarkable.
On both sides below were two individuals each, the four Divinity Transformation experts Lin Jing had previously seen.
As for the elderly man leading...
He was one of the vice-deans among the three deans of the Hidden Dragon Academy, who had surprisingly returned at a critical moment. Lin Jing judged that the South Mountain Demon Emperor was likely slain by him.
"Are you Lin Jing?" The elderly man eyed Lin Jing, "Longevity Body, indeed hasn’t appeared for a long time; no wonder the South Mountain Demon Emperor went mad for it."
"You’ve hidden well, but unfortunately, the Yin Corpse Sect already had intelligence on your Longevity Body. We learned from the South Mountain Demon Emperor’s memories that it was the Yin Corpse Sect who informed him."
"Although the South Mountain Demon Emperor is dead, your Longevity Body intelligence might still be sold by the Yin Corpse Sect to others, making life tough for you, this small cultivator."
Lin Jing smiled bitterly.
"Thank you, elders, for slaying the South Mountain Demon Emperor... As for the future, I can only take it one step at a time."
"No need to worry excessively," the elderly man chuckled, "Your Guardian is quite exceptional, able to reverse attain Divinity Transformation in this era with a grass-and-wood body. With its protection, your safety shouldn’t be much affected."
"Moreover, the South Mountain Demon Emperor’s vulnerability was also an oversight of the academy. Hidden Dragon City will strengthen defenses henceforth; as long as you’re within Hidden Dragon City, such incidents won’t happen again."
After comforting Lin Jing, the academy powerhouses present let him depart.
After Lin Jing left, the atmosphere within the meeting hall turned heavy.
One of the Divinity Transformation women looked at the vice-dean and said, "Dean, this is the Yin Corpse Sect’s retaliation."
"I know." The elderly man’s expression turned grim, "But the Yin Corpse Sect wishes to craft ’Refined Immortal Puppet’; they mustn’t succeed."
"If not for the previous demon cleanse, we wouldn’t have discovered a ’Immortal Beast corpse’ within the Yin Corpse Sect; they wish to refine this Immortal Beast corpse into a Corpse Puppet. If successful, the consequences would be unimaginable."
"Currently, most strong experts in the Ancient Country are focused on annihilating the Yin Corpse Sect. Luring a Demon Emperor to invade Hidden Dragon City also shows the unfavorable state of the Yin Corpse Sect."
"As for this Longevity Body... no further attention is needed." The elderly man shook his head.
The Longevity Body at Qi Cultivation Stage is relatively easy to protect. Unless it’s a nearing-end demon beast like the South Mountain Demon Emperor, strong-blooded Demon Emperors wouldn’t risk capturing a Longevity Body."
But as the Longevity Body’s cultivation progresses, it will become increasingly difficult to shield.
The allure of a weak Longevity Body’s flesh for divine technique-capable Demon Beasts isn’t substantial, much like Elder Shen Song having little intent towards Lin Jing.
However, if the Longevity Body’s cultivation heightens, even the Emperor of Demons might covet it. Unless there’s a Dao Inquiry-stage powerhouse guarding Lin Jing, his cultivation path will inevitably be rugged.
With the Longevity Body’s slow training pace...
Apart from third-rate sects like the Beast Taming Sect lacking worldly experience, general strong experts wouldn’t willingly expend effort nurturing it, as any negligence might lead to the Longevity Body being consumed.
Even this dean doesn’t intend to exert efforts protecting Lin Jing, too difficult, too taxing.
You can’t always guard against thieves, whether the Longevity Body develops smoothly depends entirely on its own fortune.
Upon returning to his cave abode, Lin Jing realized he forgot to ask Elder Shen Song for a pinecone.
The commotion earlier had caused the Dragon Koi to halt Alchemy and the Pine Mouse to pause farming; both creatures were watching from the hilltop, finally relaxing upon Lin Jing’s safe return, hugging each other in relief.
"Come, I’ll take you to do Alchemy!"
Lin Jing brought joy without concern and dragged the two little beings, calling for Elder Shen Song and eagerly heading to refine the Longevity Foundation Establishment Pill.
Since Elder Shen Song’s cultivation was Divinity Transformation, his pinecone must be extraordinary.
Adding it to the Longevity Foundation Establishment Pill, imagining the effects once the Pine Mouse uses this pill for Foundation Establishment is beyond words.
"Do you need a pinecone?"
Transformed into a pinecone, Elder Shen Song manifested and sighed, "Come now, after all this time, you finally want to establish foundation – it’s driving me crazy."
"Please gift the pinecone, protect us," Lin Jing requested.
"No need to rush." With that, Elder Shen Song sowed a small sapling before Lin Jing’s cave abode, its red glow was rather eerie: "This sapling contains the essence of my roots and will produce several third-grade pinecones; a higher grade you can’t refine. Besides, it also has the effect of blood-fertilizing the vine, so you kid should pour your blood to nourish it."
"Alright!" Lin Jing showed resolute determination, looking at the Pine Mouse; if the Pine Mouse can perfectly establish foundation, everything would be worth it.
"Elder, is there a chance for the Pine Mouse’s bloodline level to surpass King rank, reaching Demon Emperor bloodline?"
"Impossible, exceeding the Dragon Koi’s bloodline and nearing the current Ice Soul Gu would be impressive. Among your three pet beasts, only the Innate Gu King’s Ice Soul Gu might evolve to Emperor-class bloodline during foundation establishment! The other two are innately lacking!"