Vol 5 Chapter 45: Emergency Appointment

Chaos reigned throughout Xianlin City. The Sea Spirit Beast's invasion had purposes beyond just expelling Li Tianyi from the Origin Realm.

High above the city, Li Tianyi battled the Sea Spirit Beast while simultaneously balancing an enormous watery comet in his other hand, dominating the aerial battlefield. Collisions between chaotic light and primordial ocean energy shrouded the entire immortal city in mist.

Below, countless water spheres floated in the air, each containing defeated alliance cultivators. These spheres drained the life essences of human and demonic beast practitioners alike, continuously feeding power to various oceanic monsters.

"How delicious human life essence is," came a voice from the void sea. A massive octopus connected to the spheres with its tentacles. Though some cultivators recognized the threat and attempted to unite against it, they found themselves overwhelmed by the horde of monsters protecting the creature.

This was the Octopus Ancestor, an elder-class monster under the Sea Spirit Beast's command. Its terrifying ability allowed it to extract life essences from humans and demonic beasts, then redistribute them to strengthen other sea creatures.

"Ugh...ugh!" Under the Octopus Ancestor's control, hundreds of talented cultivators had already become nutrients. Dozens more, severely wounded but not yet dead, struggled helplessly within their watery prisons, watching their life forces slowly drain away.

Among the trapped were two Tianyuan Realm cultivators. Wan Renzong, successor of the Martial Emperor, had lost an arm in battle. His blood dyed the water sphere crimson as he weakly punched at his prison with his remaining strength. But fists that could shatter mountains struck the watery surface as harmlessly as cotton.

"Damn it..." Wan Renzong's heart filled with despair. Were it not for his body cultivation making his life essence exceptionally resilient, he would have already become a dried husk.

Nearby, a blue-robed female cultivator fared slightly better within her watery prison. But as a surprised sound echoed, Shui Lingsu, head disciple of Water Moon Immortal Isle, felt her blood run cold.

"Oh? Another 'Origin Body' type? No wonder you've lasted this long," the Octopus Ancestor remarked, having noticed Shui Lingsu. Water Moon Immortal Isle possessed techniques for cultivating acquired Origin Bodies - physiques capable of forming pacts with the ocean to control its most fundamental powers. This made the seas their absolute domain within the Tianyuan Realm, where even the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom couldn't breach their island stronghold.

Yet against the Sea Spirit Beast's oceanic monsters - literal manifestations of the sea - Shui Lingsu's origin power proved nearly useless. Though her Origin Body had allowed her to resist dissolution longer than others, the Octopus Ancestor's gaze now sealed her fate.

"It's over," Shui Lingsu thought with dread as dozens of tentacles suddenly pierced her water prison, binding her completely.

"Kill me...and he won't spare you," the desperate woman managed to say, recalling her island master's words - if facing mortal danger in the Origin Realm, she could seek Lin Jing's help.

"Who? Li Tianyi? Hahaha! He can't even save himself!" The Octopus Ancestor laughed uproariously.

"Me."

The laughter died instantly.

"These two...have decent luck."

At some point, the Heavenly River enveloping the city had been breached by a massive hole. From beyond the opening came a voice both Wan Renzong and Shui Lingsu recognized instantly. Others across the battlefield, like Gu Xinghe, also identified the familiar voice.

BOOM!

Before the speaker appeared, a pair of bullhorn-like artifacts shot through the air toward the Octopus Ancestor. The protecting sea monsters instinctively moved to block, but the horns struck with terrifying force. Any monster grazed by their power instantly vaporized into mist, utterly annihilated.

"Celestial Beast! Ancestor!"

As two figures entered the city, the Octopus Ancestor paled in shock. Intelligence suggested Lin Jing of the Longevity Body should still be recovering from injuries, and his control over the Celestial Beast had seemed quite limited based on his battle with Demon Yu.

Yet now, Lin Jing strode into the city with hair half-black and half-white, his life-and-death energy rivaling Void Mystical Stage spiritual power. The Octopus Ancestor realized with horror that this man showed no signs of injury whatsoever. His terrifying spiritual power connecting him to the Celestial Beast seemed inexhaustible as the ocean itself.

Moreover, Lin Jing had achieved the ability to weaponize the Celestial Beast's natural armaments as artifacts. The bullhorns transformed into beams of light that pierced straight through the Octopus Ancestor's body. In its death throes, the creature dissolved into water and fled. Lin Jing paid no further attention - he had bigger prey in sight.

The imprisoned cultivators fell from their shattered water prisons like rain. Seeing Lin Jing's return, Wan Renzong, Shui Lingsu and others inexplicably relaxed, as if they'd found their pillar of strength.

"Longevity Immortal Physique! Haha, junior brother, you've grown stronger again!" Li Tianyi laughed upon sensing Lin Jing's current state, his previously dimming eyes regaining their spark.

"In your current condition, you should be able to freely control the Celestial Beast's form now?"

"This guy..." The Sea Spirit Beast glared at Lin Jing, this unexpected variable in its plans.

Suddenly, it felt Li Tianyi's power surge.

"You've come at the perfect time! As Young Alliance Master of the Cultivation Alliance, I hereby appoint you acting city lord of Xianlin City! You must lead the alliance forces arriving later to repel these monsters! We cannot let Xianlin fall!"

"You..." Lin Jing looked up at the figure battling the Sea Spirit Beast while balancing the comet, realizing Li Tianyi had likely reached his limit after days of combat. Not that he was about to lose, but that he could no longer suppress his breakthrough!

His arrival seemed to lift a weight from Li Tianyi's shoulders.

"Alliance members have already returned to Pangu Continent. Reinforcements will arrive as soon as possible. Junior Brother Lin...Xianlin City is in your hands now. I'll use my remaining strength to seal away part of the Sea Spirit Beast's power!"

With Lin Jing here, Li Tianyi could finally act without reservation. Though unsure exactly how much stronger Lin Jing had become, in this critical moment, he could think of no other cultivator capable of resisting the Sea Spirit Beast.

If Lin Jing could hold out just a little longer, it would buy Pangu Continent more time to prepare. Given the circumstances, Li Tianyi