Vol 6 Chapter 2: Earth

The illusory spirit said: "One year is enough time. After all, the Heaven's Mandate has already been conceived. Once conceived, it will almost immediately select a Mandated One. Perhaps even as we speak, the Heaven's Mandate of the ancient Immortal Realm has already chosen some Earth old-timer as the Mandated One... if such old-timers even exist."

"Wait a moment." Lin Jing couldn't help but ask: "If we go there and actually encounter this situation..."

"Does that mean the Mandated One isn't permanent, and the Heaven's Mandate can be transferred?!"

"Hehe..." The illusory spirit chuckled: "Not bad. What's so heaven-destined about it? The Heaven's Mandate will indeed choose a Mandated One it favors, but how could we cultivators ever resign ourselves to such predestined arrangements."

"In the Immortal Realm, someone long ago developed the 'Heaven's Mandate Stripping Technique'. As long as the Mandated One hasn't yet proven themselves as an Immortal Emperor, the Heaven's Mandate can be stripped from them and transferred to oneself."

"Before sending you three to Earth, I will impart the Heaven's Mandate Stripping Technique to all of you. Regardless of which of you three obtains the Heaven's Mandate, if the other two have the capability, they can seize it for themselves. I don't care who the Heaven's Mandate initially chooses—whoever ultimately possesses it will be the one the Emperor cultivates, the Mandated One who will oppose the Demon Lord."

Lin Jing took a deep breath and asked: "What cultivation levels do the other two have?"

"That I cannot tell you. Nor can I tell you who they are. But what I can say is that both of them entered different cultivation worlds earlier than you. After all, you were the last dying person summoned here from Earth by the Emperor."

This... Lin Jing's gaze sharpened. Theoretically, even if they started cultivating earlier than him, their cultivation should still be limited due to the Longevity Body and shouldn't be very high.

Even if, worst-case scenario, the other party had already reached the Dao Inquiry cultivator stage, Lin Jing wasn't particularly worried.

He could break through to the Void Mystical Stage at any time. With the Heavenly Demon Physique, obtaining Dao Inquiry combat power would be effortless. Plus, with the countless foundations he had accumulated in this Origin Realm, Lin Jing couldn't see what advantages the other two could possibly have against him.

To be honest, besides himself, he had never heard of any powerful Longevity Body practitioners among either the immortal or demon factions.

It was even possible that the other two most likely hadn't even left their own cultivation worlds. After reasoning it through, Lin Jing set his mind at ease. It seemed he shouldn't encounter any major dangers on Earth.

"Give me three days to prepare, then I'll go with you back to the ancient Immortal Realm..."

"Also, thank the Emperor for me..."

Lin Jing's gaze became distant. With this opportunity before him, he actually very much wanted to go back and see for himself.

After his disappearance, were his family members doing well...

Regardless of the Immortal Emperor's motives, since he had given Lin Jing a new life and the chance to see his family again, Lin Jing couldn't disappoint him.

But before that, what Lin Jing needed to do was pass on his throne to someone trustworthy to hold down the Origin Realm in his stead.

This person, Lin Jing had long since chosen—another Longevity Body practitioner, Gu Qianqiu.

Since he was about to leave now, it was time for Lin Jing to deliver the promised Celestial Beast corpse and other items to her. Besides that... there was also the Dark Origin Source, to ensure that the Tianyuan Realm could still continuously obtain resources from the Origin Realm.

"Are you leaving?" When Lin Jing arrived, Gu Qianqiu seemed to have already sensed it. Over the past few decades, she had felt Lin Jing growing increasingly weary of the unchanging Origin Realm.

"Yes, I'm leaving the Origin Realm in your hands from now on." Lin Jing tossed her a spatial pouch and said: "But I'm not returning to Tianyuan next—I'm going somewhere else. Everything I need to entrust to you is recorded there. From now on, you'll be fully responsible for liaising with the Tianyuan Realm."

"Are you afraid?"

Gu Qianqiu spoke passionately: "With all the top-grade immortal energy you've gifted me over the years, plus that meteor's assistance, if I can't hold the Origin Realm, I'll bring you my head."

Lin Jing smiled: "No need to be so serious. I won't be showing myself in the outside world for now. Before leaving, I'll create some commotion in the Origin Realm. For a short time at least, no one will discover I've left the Origin Realm."

"Alright, have a safe journey." Gu Qianqiu didn't ask more questions, and Lin Jing didn't offer more explanations. After meeting briefly, they parted directly.

Lin Jing then conspicuously visited the Star Dust Realm once more. After that, very few people knew that this overlord who had dominated the Origin Realm for five hundred years had already quietly left this place...

Some time later.

Ancient Immortal Realm, Earth.

China.

Atop a certain perilous mountain peak, a figure appeared out of thin air. Lin Jing still couldn't quite believe that merely passing through a gate had actually returned him to Earth.

"This is... Mount Huangshan within Anhui Province? Not too far from home." Standing atop a mountain peak, Lin Jing felt somewhat astonished. He now had a clearer perception of the words spoken by the Emperor's servant. Previously as a mortal, he hadn't sensed it, but now he could preliminarily determine that Earth's spiritual energy had already begun recovering even before his transmigration.

Within the Huangshan area, spiritual energy had accumulated to quite rich concentrations. With sufficient talent and appropriate cultivation methods, reaching Foundation Establishment would definitely be possible. Forming a Golden Core might still be somewhat challenging though.

"Truly worthy of being the ancient Immortal Realm. The spatial barrier is indeed more robust. Attempting spatial teleportation would consume dozens of times more energy than in the Origin Realm... Better to honestly travel by sword flight." Lin Jing shook his head, realizing that the best mode of transportation on Earth might likely be sword flight. Both the Heavenly Demon Crossing and the spatial spells he'd gained from comprehending the Spatial Flying Leaf seemed somewhat ineffective here.

"However, if I break through to the Void Mystical Stage, it might become easier." Lin Jing had been stuck at the Nascent Soul Transformation Stage for too long. He immediately set up formation arrays on the spot and chose to break through to the Void Mystical Stage right away.

With the Time Dao Immortal Banner, matters like cultivation wouldn't waste too much of his actual time. Higher cultivation would also make it easier to obtain the great mandate.

"You've been holding back for so long—if you want to break through, you can start now." Lin Jing also unusually summoned the Pine Leaf Mouse and the others, who had begun suppressing their realms through hibernation. These little fellows... found realm suppression much more difficult than Lin Jing did.

However.

Before Lin Jing could begin his closed-door cultivation, he sensed a spiritual energy fluctuation rapidly approaching him...

It was actually a cultivator, probably only at the qi training stage. Lin Jing understood—when he first arrived, he hadn't controlled his aura properly or adapted to the environmental changes, allowing cultivators training on Mount Huangshan to detect something extraordinary about this place, making them think some spiritual treasure had appeared.

"Just as well. I'll first use this person to understand Earth's current cultivation world landscape."

Moments later, a yellow-skirted young woman speeding through the clouds landed before Lin Jing. When she discovered there was no spiritual treasure but rather a youth dressed in ancient-style blue robes, the young woman was visibly startled.

In the next instant, her expression changed dramatically. She immediately bowed and apologized: "I didn't know a senior was cultivating here in solitude. This junior will take her leave immediately."

She turned to leave, inwardly shocked. Someone with higher cultivation than herself—could they be a Foundation Establishment old monster...