Chapter 114: Before Foundation Establishment

“I’m very sorry for causing Senior to expose your cultivation—”

Knowing the reason why Senior Divine Pine did not want to expose his cultivation, Lin Jing was extremely apologetic.

“It’s no matter,” Divine Pine said. “Since I promised to protect your Dao for a hundred years, I was already prepared to be exposed.”

“If anyone wants to use this old man to refine a body double, they’ll have to see if they have the skill. I wasn’t exactly raised to be a pushover.”

Taking this opportunity, Lin Jing asked about the doubt he had always held in his heart. Senior Divine Pine called himself a Plant Demonic Cultivator and possessed such high cultivation; what exactly was his history with the Second Generation Sect Master that he was willing to stay at the Beast Taming Sect and protect a Disciple like Lin Jing?

“Why do you want to know everything?”

“Knowing too much isn’t good for you. Just focus on raising your cultivation.”

“After three years of secluded cultivation, your cultivation hasn’t increased at all. I really wonder if you can reach Core Formation by the time the hundred-year limit is up,” Divine Pine doubted.

Lin Jing immediately shut his mouth and said no more.

After a long while, Divine Pine said, “Quite efficient. You can go out now. The true body of the Nan Shan Demon Emperor has been suppressed and killed. I just don’t know what price the Academy Cultivators paid to kill this aged Demon Emperor.”

“After all, a Demon Emperor near his limit might seem weak, but from another perspective, since he’s about to die anyway, he’ll make sure no one has a good time!”

“The Nan Shan Demon Emperor is dead?” Lin Jing didn’t expect the Academy experts to be so fast.

“Likely they encountered a strong expert who helped,” Divine Pine guessed. “It’s a pity that to protect you, I didn’t chase after him myself. Otherwise, a Demon Emperor’s body is full of treasures, not to mention he’s a Dragon demon.”

“But this Incarnation isn’t bad either. No wonder those two from the Demon Subduing Division wanted to use you as bait. How satisfying,” it chuckled.

Demon King, Demon Emperor, Demon Ancestor, Demon Sovereign—

Corresponding to Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Profound, Asking Dao.

The Bloodline of a Demon Emperor is far more terrifying than a Demon King Bloodline, especially for a supreme Demon Emperor with a widespread fierce reputation like the Nan Shan Demon Emperor.

Just now, many Academy experts moved out and the Hidden Dragon City barrier opened, shocking many Cultivators. Such a large commotion hadn’t appeared in Hidden Dragon City for a long time, and many were wondering what had happened.

After Lin Jing returned to the Academy, he was immediately invited to a meeting hall. At the head seat was a Goat-bearded Old Man who looked like a Mortal with nothing extraordinary about him.

On both sides below, two people sat on each side—the four Academy Soul Transformation experts Lin Jing had just seen.

As for the leading old man—

He was one of the three Vice Deans of Hidden Dragon Academy. He had actually rushed back at the critical moment. Lin Jing judged that the Nan Shan Demon Emperor was likely killed by him.

“You are Lin Jing?” The Goat-bearded Old Man observed Lin Jing and said, “A Longevity Physique… it really hasn’t appeared for a long time. No wonder the Nan Shan Demon Emperor went mad for it.”

“You’ve hidden it well, but unfortunately, the Yin Corpse Sect already has information on your Longevity Physique. We learned through retracing the Nan Shan Demon Emperor’s memories that it was the Yin Corpse Sect who told him.”

“Now, although the Nan Shan Demon Emperor is dead, your Longevity Physique information might still be sold to others by the Yin Corpse Sect. Little Cultivator, your future days won’t be easy.”

Lin Jing gave a bitter smile.

“Thank you, Seniors, for killing the Nan Shan Demon Emperor. As for the future, I can only take it one step at a time.”

“You don’t need to worry too much,” the Goat-bearded Old Man said with a smile. “That Protector of yours is quite extraordinary, being able to reach Soul Transformation against the odds as a plant in this era. With it protecting you, your safety shouldn’t be too compromised.”

“Furthermore, letting the Nan Shan Demon Emperor take advantage of a gap was also the Academy’s oversight. Hidden Dragon City will strengthen its defenses. As long as you stay within Hidden Dragon City, such things won’t happen again.”

After comforting Lin Jing, the Academy experts present let him leave.

After Lin Jing left, the atmosphere in the meeting hall instantly became heavy.

One of the Soul Transformation women looked at the Vice Dean and said, “Principal, this is an act of revenge by the Yin Corpse Sect.”

“I know.” The Goat-bearded Old Man’s expression was grim. “However, the Yin Corpse Sect wants to ‘Refine an Immortal Puppet’; we must not let them proceed smoothly. If it weren’t for the previous Demon Purge, we wouldn’t have discovered that there’s actually an ‘Immortal Beast Corpse’ in the Yin Corpse Sect. They want to refine this Immortal Beast Corpse into a Corpse Puppet. If they succeed, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

“Currently, most of the Ancient Kingdom’s experts are invested in wiping out the Yin Corpse Sect. Luring a Demon Emperor to invade Hidden Dragon City also shows that the Yin Corpse Sect’s situation is not optimistic.”

“As for this Longevity Physique—there’s no need for extra attention in the future.” The Goat-bearded Old Man shook his head.

A Longevity Physique at the Qi Training Stage is still easy to protect. Unless it’s a Yao Beast like the Nan Shan Demon Emperor who is near his limit, a Demon Emperor with vigorous vitality wouldn’t take a huge risk to catch a Longevity Physique.

But as the Longevity Physique’s cultivation grows, it will become increasingly difficult to protect.

For a weak Longevity Physique, its flesh isn’t very attractive to Yao Beasts with great Divine Abilities. Just like Divine Pine, he doesn’t have much of an interest in the current Lin Jing.

But if the Longevity Physique’s cultivation becomes high, even a Demon Sovereign would want it. Unless an Asking Dao Stage expert protects Lin Jing then…

Otherwise, Lin Jing’s path of cultivation… is destined to be bumpy.

Plus, the Longevity Physique’s cultivation is slow—

Except for third-rate Sects like the Beast Taming Sect that haven’t seen much of the world, general experts are really unwilling to put effort into nurturing one, because with a slight oversight, the Longevity Physique will be eaten.

Even this Principal didn’t have the thought of putting in all his effort to protect Lin Jing; it was too difficult and exhausting.

One can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot guard against a thief for a thousand days. Whether he can grow smoothly depends entirely on the Longevity Physique’s own luck.

Returning to the Immortal Cave, Lin Jing remembered that he had forgotten to ask Senior Divine Pine for a Pine Cone.

The commotion just now had caused the Dragon Carp to stop Alchemy and the Pine Leaf Squirrel to stop farming. The two fellows were looking out from the hilltop. Seeing Lin Jing return safely, they breathed a sigh of relief and hugged each other.

“Come, I’ll take you to perform Alchemy!”

Lin Jing reported the good news but not the bad. He grabbed the two little fellows and called for Divine Pine, eager to refine the Longevity Foundation Establishment Pill.

Since Senior Divine Pine’s cultivation was at Soul Transformation, his Pine Cone would surely be extraordinary.

If added to the Longevity Foundation Establishment Pill, one could hardly imagine how amazing the Pine Leaf Squirrel would be after using this pill to achieve Foundation Establishment.

“Do you want a Pine Cone?”

After Divine Pine’s Pine Cone form appeared, he sighed and said, “Come on, come on. After so long, you guys are finally going to reach Foundation Establishment. I’ve been waiting forever.”

“Please grant us a fruit, Senior, and protect us.” Lin Jing requested.

“No rush.” Having said that, Divine Pine scattered a small sapling in front of Lin Jing’s Immortal Cave. The sapling emitted a red light, which was quite eerie. “This sapling contains my root lineage and will produce a few Rank Three Pine Cones. You wouldn’t be able to refine ones of too high a Rank anyway. Besides…”

“It also has the effect of a Blood-Sucking Vine. Next, you kid just bleed to water it.”

“Okay!” Lin Jing had a look of determination as he looked at the Pine Leaf Squirrel. As long as the Pine Leaf Squirrel could achieve a perfect Foundation Establishment, everything was worth it.

“Senior, do you think it’s possible for the Pine Leaf Squirrel’s Bloodline Rank to surpass the King grade and reach the Demon Emperor Bloodline?”

“Impossible. It’ll be good if it can surpass that Dragon Carp’s Bloodline and get close to the current Ice Soul Gu. Of your three Pet Beasts, only the Ice Soul Gu, an Innate Gu King, has the possibility of evolving to an Emperor grade Bloodline during Foundation Establishment! The other two have too poor of an Innate foundation!”