Vol 5 Chapter 53: The Demon Emperor Cultivation Plan

"Are you telling me all the resources are gone? Not a single bit left?"

Yang Lin wasn't listening to Lin Jing's excuses. All he wanted to know was whether any resources remained.

"All gone." Lin Jing replied with a smile.

"Fine, fine, just fine." Yang Lin repeated the word several times before his expression darkened. "Alright, I won't hold you accountable for misusing the immortal treasury resources."

"But you must redeem yourself through meritorious service."

Yang Lin did some mental calculations. Over three years, between Lin Jing's personal embezzlement and distribution to those spirits, the resources had long been exhausted. Trying to recover any now seemed impossible.

As a man who knew when to bend and when to stand firm, since the immortal treasury resources couldn't be recovered and he couldn't afford to break with Lin Jing and Lady Nethersoil's faction, he needed to find compensation elsewhere. Only then could he avoid being beaten to death by his master.

"What fault have I committed?"

"Fine, no fault, only merit." Yang Lin said through gritted teeth. "I've long heard of City Lord Lin's capabilities. When the premium immortal sources emerge in a few years, Junior Brother Lin will surely have great chances of obtaining them!"

"City Lord Lin, do you have designs on the premium immortal source?"

Lin Jing didn't deny it: "Indeed I do, and plan to seize it."

"Perfect." Yang Lin said. "I hope after obtaining it, City Lord Lin will hand the premium immortal source over to me! More accurately, to the alliance!"

"Of course, not for free."

"The alliance will provide equivalent resources in exchange—immortal pills, artifacts, techniques, even immortal dao companions are possible."

"The premium immortal energy produced from this source is difficult for ordinary cultivators to utilize. Only in my master Zhou Banxian's hands can it reach maximum potential against the Heavenly Demon Sect's experts!"

"In the past, premium immortal sources obtained by alliance talents in the Origin Realm were typically handed over in exchange for equivalent resources. As City Lord Lin is new to the alliance, you might be unfamiliar with this custom. What are your thoughts?"

Since the treasury resources seemed irrecoverable, Yang Lin's sole demand now was utilizing Lin Jing's combat strength to secure this premium immortal source—only then could he provide an adequate account.

And if Lin Jing dared refuse... well, that would at least divert his master's wrath.

"Agreed." Lin Jing still smiled.

"Agreed?" Yang Lin was stunned by the easy acceptance.

"Indeed." Lin Jing said. "Since it's an equivalent exchange where I suffer no loss, and it helps the alliance better resist the Heavenly Demon Sect, why not?"

Yang Lin's eyes sharpened with suspicion, finding it hard to believe these words came from someone who had embezzled the immortal treasury.

"Rest assured." Lin Jing smiled as he walked past Yang Lin. "Neither I nor the Tianyuan Realm have any intention of opposing the Cultivation Alliance. We wouldn't commit such short-sighted mistakes."

"We will operate according to the rules."

Of course, this assumed Lin Jing could actually seize it in the first place.

......

Yang Lin wasn't being perfunctory—the current situation differed from before.

Previously, he coveted the millennium premium immortal source because it could likely help the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse and others become Celestial Beasts.

But after obtaining numerous ordinary immortal sources from Lady Nethersoil and the immortal city treasury, Lin Jing realized they weren't far from Celestial Beast status even without that premium source.

Thus, that particular premium source wasn't absolutely necessary for personal use anymore.

If he could exchange it for more useful treasures from the Cultivation Alliance, Lin Jing could accept that.

However, rather than handing it to the alliance, Lin Jing had developed alternative plans should he obtain it.

"The Cultivation Alliance doesn't have Tianyuan Realm's coordinates. Even if we ignore them, Tianyuan wouldn't be affected."

"But the Heavenly Demon Sect genuinely possesses our coordinates, having already dispatched cultivators beforehand."

"Now with my high-profile actions in the Origin Realm, I might have drawn the sect's attention to the Tianyuan Continent prematurely."

"Although Tianyuan has many Seeking the Way experts, if the sect dispatches demon-blooded ones of that level, few in our realm could withstand them."

"The primary purpose Tianyuan's experts sent us here was to quickly establish contact with the Cultivation Alliance and secure their assistance..."

"But what if Tianyuan could independently resist the Heavenly Demon Sect? Wouldn't that make the alliance unnecessary?"

Walking through the void, Lin Jing knew the alliance resisted the sect mainly through eleven exceptionally powerful cultivators—the alliance's main and deputy leaders.

Tianyuan certainly lacked experts of that caliber.

Not the First Ancient Emperor.

Not even the Demon Emperor.

But if Tianyuan could produce someone rivaling an alliance leader's strength, they wouldn't need to fear the sect.

Moreover, joining the alliance would carry more weight if Tianyuan had such a powerhouse. Currently joining without one would relegate them to middle-tier status, mere cannon fodder. But with a leader-level expert, they'd enter as high-ranking decision-makers with real authority.

Thus, Lin Jing now believed neither personal use nor alliance exchange represented the optimal use for this premium source.

"The Demon Emperor."

"As a Rare Beast with combat-type Rare Beast Divine Abilities, her strength is astonishing. But her bloodline remains constrained by lower realm rules, preventing her breakthrough to immortal rank."

"Using immortal energy to activate Rare Beast Divine Abilities can elevate bloodlines. If the Demon Emperor used this premium source, she could certainly become a Celestial Beast and reach new heights."

"Though it's uncertain whether she could then rival the alliance's deputy leaders."

"But being fellow ascension-level experts, they'd at least share cultivation realms. Even if gaps remained, they wouldn't be vast—perhaps just lacking some suitable immortal artifacts?"

Lin Jing's thoughts grew active. Concentrating resources to forge Tianyuan a standard-bearer seemed best. With such backing, he could more easily dominate the Origin Realm for millennia...

"How exactly to ensure the Demon Emperor reaches deputy leader-level strength..."

He had to laugh at himself—destined to be a beast tamer indeed. Not content with just training his own spirit beasts, now he had to cultivate a Demon Emperor-level ruler of the monster court...