The demon’s might on the first floor, Lin Jing didn’t feel anything; he simply rated it less potent than a Peach Blossom Spirit Pill.
He stepped forward toward the stairs leading to the second floor, waiting for the mystical light to rain down and fortify his mind and spirit.
However, he waited for quite a while, his steps growing ever slower, and the so-called mystical light failed to appear. Instead, more waves of demon power seeped from the walls on this floor, causing Lin Jing to frown.
The pine leaf mouse sensed something was off, poking out from the monk’s hat and nudging Lin Jing. Why was it different from Elder Mo’s description? Where was the opportunity? Could it really be that Lin Jing’s crow mouth was right, and they would indeed encounter trouble as soon as they arrived?
There’s absolutely no way...
Lin Jing hesitated, taking a small step back, contemplating whether they should return for now.
Thinking back, cultivating should be steady and methodical, with progress made one step at a time.
The pine leaf mouse agreed, and after saying this, Lin Jing turned around and started walking back, firmly suppressing his curiosity.
Unfortunately, an anomaly did occur as the demon power that spread started coalescing into a snake. However, this snake was so small it looked like a loach, appearing exceedingly weak, as if on the brink of death within the next second.
"High monk, halt!" cried the black loach.
Lin Jing halted his stiff steps, looking bitterly at the black loach.
Lin Jing pondered in his mind.
Tentatively, he said: "After so many years, it seems it’s time to strengthen this tower’s seal."
"High monk!" The black loach was startled: "This little demon knows its mistake, please grant this little demon a chance to repent!"
"The tower’s seal is still very firm! This little demon has paid a vast, painful, and irreparable price... just to let a sliver of awareness seep out, it cannot cause any real impact ah."
"Sealed here for years, this little demon has sincerely repented, pleading for the high monk to release the mystical seal; I am willing to acknowledge you as my master, transform into a demon servant, accompany you, and turn over a new leaf."
Lin Jing gazed coldly at it, his expression gradually becoming arrogant.
"Bold fiend, still trying to confuse the mind of others!"
"This doesn’t seem like your sincere repentance."
The pine leaf mouse’s heart pounded faster in the hat, Beast Master, what are you doing?
"Ah!" The demon steeled its heart: "This little demon understands, willing to disclose the location of the ancient treasure as a token of loyalty."
On hearing this, Lin Jing felt there must be some secret involved and looked at the Snake Demon impassively.
"The treasure of this little demon lies at the junction of the wasteland and the void domain, the ’Celestial Yin Mountain,’ but, only I can open the treasure entrance; you high monk can go and search, if found, you can come and take me as your servant, and I willingly offer all obtained from the Grotto Heaven!"
Before Lin Jing could speak, a golden mystical light suddenly pierced through the high tower walls enshrouded by the waves of demon power, illuminating the entire floor of the mystical tower.
Accompanied by the Snake Demon’s sharp wail, a phantom image took shape within the mystical light.
A handsome young white-robed monk.
He looked at the loach-like Snake Demon, then at Lin Jing, pondering slightly.
"You, you, you..." The black loach was terrified upon seeing the white-robed monk, but the monk simply sighed, saying: "So many years have passed, yet Undying Profound Serpent, your perception has diminished so greatly."
"After exerting so much effort, merely to let a sliver of consciousness seep out and seek help from a ’Qi Cultivation Cultivator’ distorted as a ’high monk’?"
"If your past subordinate Demon Kings knew, I wonder how they would mock you." The white-robed monk finished speaking, and the black loach was stunned, looking closely at Lin Jing, yet still seeing nothing.
It was only after the white-robed monk waved that the illusory True Qi that enveloped Lin Jing and his company dispersed.
Seeing the once seemingly omnipotent enlightened high monk turn into a young Beast Taming Cultivator, the black loach uncontrollably rolled a few times in the water, leaving an awkwardly silent atmosphere.
"Beast Taming Sect Disciple..."
"Qi Cultivation Stage..."
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!" The black loach suddenly flew into a rage, its fury reaching an unmatched level, and it yelled at the innocent-faced Lin Jing: "Damn Beast Taming Sect, damn you, a Guardian Dao Cultivator, practicing illusion techniques!! You’ve angered me!"
"Damn you, damn boy, wait, when I get out, I will certainly tear you limb from limb, and annihilate your entire Beast Taming Sect!"
It shouted, then was purified by a wave of mystical light, leaving Lin Jing with an utterly innocent expression.
Heaven can witness, he was entirely innocent, only chatting a few words with this old demon, completely a victim, having done nothing.
From where did such immense resentment from the other side arise?
"It was because of the Buddhist aura you conjured that it decided to make a desperate bet. After all, only Buddhist means can unravel the mystical seal on this tower." The white-robed monk stated.
"The high monk you conjured had immense power, allowing it to see hope in breaking the seal; after all, your conjured image is only the second Buddhist Cultivator to enter this tower over the years."
"Junior Lin Jing from the Beast Taming Sect greets Senior." Lin Jing wanted to slap himself twice, why on earth transform into Fa Hai.
"No need to be uneasy."
"The fact that a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect has refined such a profound illusion technique surely indicates significant changes outside... This is merely a wisp of my consciousness; I sealed it here precisely for situations like today’s."
"Thousands of years ago, it was an indomitable great demon; who expected that now, to break the seal, it would be reduced to such a pitiful state, crawling to beg a Qi Cultivation Cultivator for help." The white-robed monk found it amusing.
Lin Jing was speechless, anyone sealed for thousands of years would go insane, right?
The Monkey King was only imprisoned for 500 years.
"Young friend, there is now both good news and bad news; which would you like to hear?" the white-robed monk continued with a smile.
Lin Jing felt a sudden jolt, sensing some ominous foreboding.
"Senior, what is the bad news?"
"The bad news is, my consciousness was sealed within the mystical tower; untangling it signifies loosening the entire seal structure of the tower, meaning the effect of imprisoning the demon will progressively weaken."
"This precaution was intended for activation much later, when it truly had the capability to break the seal, not to frighten all parties due to illusion techniques prematurely." The white-robed monk shook his head at the unanticipated outcome.
Lin Jing’s face darkened.
So the Demon Suppression Tower is indeed loosening?
"That will only be decades later, don’t blame yourself or worry, just report truthfully to your sect."
"Although its abilities are peculiar and hard to kill, its cultivation is not high, and it is easy to suppress. With the Demon Extermination Bureau here, there is no harm."
"Perhaps you would like to hear some good news." The white-robed monk said: "The ’treasure’ Undying Profound Serpent mentioned earlier was from its early years, where it stumbled upon a Grotto Heaven, killed the young talents from several major sects, obtaining several rare plant seeds from it."
"Back then it was hunted by several major sects, besides it wreaking havoc, they also sought to acquire treasures from the Grotto Heaven; however, back then, no matter what, it wouldn’t disclose anything, yet today it softened to a mere Qi Cultivator. It’s understandable it would be furious upon realizing it was deceived."
Let it be angry, Lin Jing didn’t care; after all, there wouldn’t be another meeting opportunity.
"The news of this treasury could be of certain usefulness to your Beast Taming Sect, though whether the intelligence is true is for you to discern." The white-robed monk advised.
"Thank you, senior, for the guidance." Lin Jing took a deep breath; as long as it wasn’t all bad, that was what mattered, especially with that ruler... Heaven-Dominating Ancestor looking quite fierce.
"Young friend entered the Demon Suppression Tower presumably for the mystical light; since so, I shan’t let your journey be in vain. This mystical light is indeed a Divine Technique of my Buddhist Pill with effects that strengthen the mind; I see young friend has affinity with the Buddhist path, and if you wouldn’t mind, I’d bestow you a fortunate meeting, as it is through this fate we meet."
The young monk smiled, and without waiting for a response from Lin Jing or the pine leaf mouse, shone a myriad mystical light down upon them.