Vol 5 Chapter 77: The Demon Emperor Arrives

For these sixty years, Lin Jing had never neglected having the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse research life and soul refinement. Unfortunately, all attempts ended in failure. This forbidden domain was truly not something easily achieved. Moreover, Lin Jing could never bring himself to have the Pine Leaf Mouse capture hundreds of mortals to sacrifice their lives for research purposes.

Thus, when Ouyang Hao mentioned the Refining Dao Sect, Lin Jing's heart stirred. The Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor was the greatest demonic cultivator in the Tianyuan Realm. Possessing the Heaven Refining Immortal Physique, his mastery over life and souls wasn't just unparalleled in Tianyuan - few across all realms could surpass him, especially given... the enhancements from his immortal physique.

Back then, the Tianyuan Realm's environment lacked anyone capable of restraining him, providing perfect conditions for his growth. One could say the turning point where the Immortal Alliance declined from prosperity was precisely when the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor harmed too many innocent cultivators and mortals, causing the alliance's fortune to backfire and giving rise to figures like the First Ancient Emperor in later generations, who sounded the horn of counterattack.

"If I could extract the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor's magical attainments..."

Lin Jing wasn't afraid of dangers upon returning to Tianyuan. With the Longevity Immortal Physique's extended lifespan and combined with the Heavenly Demon Physique, he could maintain his Seeking the Way realm in Tianyuan without issues. Even if his cultivation experience lagged slightly behind other Seeking the Way experts, he wouldn't be much weaker given his numerous killing techniques.

To evolve the Pine Leaf Mouse's Glazed Immortal Eye, this Tianyuan trip was necessary. Perhaps joining forces with the Demon Emperor and others to severely injure, capture, or seal the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor!

.............

Several days later.

Having made all arrangements, Lin Jing utilized his Heavenly Demon Physique to exploit dimensional loopholes and depart the Origin Realm from a little-known location.

Tianyuan.

Origin Realm Teleportation Ruins.

Despite Tianyuan's current chaos, this place remained guarded. The consciousness avatars of numerous Seeking the Way experts would never allow this site to fall, given its importance for the continuous supply of immortal energy.

Several days after Ouyang Hao's departure, ripples appeared in the teleportation array again, surprising the assembled Seeking the Way experts. When they recognized the newcomer, they all stood up.

"Lin Jing, why have you returned?"

The green-robed Lin Jing smiled at the experts, bowing respectfully. "Hearing of Tianyuan's current demonic disturbances, this junior has come to offer modest assistance."

The experts' lips twitched. Instead of safely remaining in the Origin Realm, he came to offer "modest assistance"? If he really wanted to help, sending more Origin Sources would've been far more useful!

"You're still as restless as ever!"

"Who told you to come back?" Among the consciousness avatars, the Demon Emperor's projection looked thoroughly annoyed. Hadn't they instructed Ouyang Hao to tell him not to worry about Tianyuan's situation? Once she ascended to Celestial Beast status, she could swat both the Heaven Refining Immortal Physique wielder and the Refining Dao Sect's Demon Ancestor like flies.

"Your Majesty needn't worry - I can still return." As Lin Jing spoke, his cultivation level rapidly dropped to Nascent Soul Transformation completion, as if deflating. "Moreover, this return trip serves another purpose..."

His gaze turned toward Qingzhou and the Demon Court's direction. He intended to strengthen the avatars left behind by the Pine Leaf Mouse and Dragon Carp. Before departing, they'd left these avatars in Tianyuan to work - after all this time, they should have accumulated considerable synthesis and alchemy experience.

Though their strength couldn't match the originals, after merging and synchronizing with the main bodies for a period, the avatars' power could increase somewhat.

"Lin Jing." The Seeking the Way experts studied him as the Second Ancient Emperor's consciousness spoke: "You realize that with Tianyuan's current warfare, even for just one person, we lack spare capacity to send you back?"

"The Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor's strength defies imagination. Just confronting him requires our combined efforts."

Lin Jing replied, "Then the solution is simply to conclude the conflict. As I said, I've come to offer modest assistance."

"You?"

"Thanks to the Ancient Emperor's blessings, I've cultivated the Longevity Immortal Physique in the Origin Realm, gaining over 200,000 years of lifespan. The Heavenly Demon Physique's side effects no longer concern me - I can use it freely."

"I can ascend to Seeking the Way while simultaneously controlling immortal artifacts through my spirit beasts. Which senior here dares claim they're definitely stronger than me?"

His humble yet confident smile made the experts' pupils contract. The Longevity Immortal Physique? 200,000 years lifespan? No other prodigy had brought back this information - perhaps none even knew.

"Patron Lin... has actually reached this stage?" The Sun Temple's Buddha Master looked shocked. They'd underestimated this prodigy who dominated the Origin Realm. Strangely, how could such talent emerge from tiny Tianyuan?

The Buddha Master calculated quickly. With Lin Jing's timely return coinciding with Qingzhou and the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom's fiercest battles, perhaps the Buddhist sect could invest their accumulated donations into supporting Qingzhou, building favorable connections.

"This guy..."

Seeing Lin Jing remain utterly composed before so many Seeking the Way experts gave them all a surreal feeling.

"If the seniors have no further instructions, this junior will take his leave."

"Any other matters can wait until we meet your true selves."

After a slight cupped-fist bow, Lin Jing summoned the Dragon Carp. Under the experts' watchful gazes, the carp's bloodline mutated, transforming into a divine dragon. Lin Jing seated himself upon its head and soared from the ruins into the clouds, heading straight for Qingzhou.

.............

Rather than choosing the speed-oriented Pegasus form, Lin Jing rode the combat-oriented divine dragon. Since Tianyuan wasn't as vast as the Origin Realm, reaching Qingzhou in any form posed no difficulty.

With Qingzhou embroiled in war, Lin Jing specifically chose the dragon form to eliminate threats along the way. From Ouyang Hao, he'd learned even his Immortal Prison Mountain stronghold had fallen, forcing relocation.

"Damn that Refining Dao Sect and Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor."

For Qingzhou's current cultivators, remaining safely within sect boundaries and protective arrays might avoid danger. But venturing out risked encounters with Refining Dao Sect demonic cultivators - amalgamated from three former demonic sects - who would extract souls, refine corpses, and implant curses.

Yet normal people couldn't afford perpetual seclusion, especially in commercially thriving Qingzhou where both rogue cultivators and sect disciples needed to earn money for living and cultivation expenses. Even those wanting to withdraw found themselves compelled by their sects to undertake external missions of demon-slaying.

As an enraged Lin Jing entered Qingzhou, beyond Tianyuan's borders, a sword-wielding female cultivator sitting cross-legged on a meteorite looked around in confusion.

Having spent sixty years reaching Tianyuan's coordinates, Demon Emperor Tianchou froze in disbelief.

"Where's the Tianyuan Realm on the star chart?"

"Was the chart wrong... or did I get lost again? Damn it! Can't these people do anything accurately?"