Chapter Fifty-One: Demonic Technique!

Atop Tiandu Peak.

The Pine Leaf Squirrel stood beneath a sacred, towering golden-green pine tree, shivering uncontrollably.

Nothing was more terrifying than one’s food becoming a Spirit Monster and possessing higher magic power than oneself.

Even when facing the eagle or snake Lin Jing had transformed into, it had never been this horrified.

The Pine Leaf Squirrel trembled slightly, flicked its Daoist robe, pressed its paws together, and kowtowed.

The Beast Master was right; cultivation should be steady and one step at a time, otherwise there are too many variables… squeak… Beast Taming Sect Disciple Pine Leaf Squirrel pays its respects to the Sect’s Old Ancestor.

“I’m coming to help you!” As the Pine Leaf Squirrel kowtowed, another figure leaped up.

Receiving the Pine Leaf Squirrel’s call for help, Lin Jing immediately rushed toward Tiandu Peak, climbing up using both his hands and feet.

This place was a Sect Forbidden Land, where ordinary Disciples were not allowed to ascend. However, since the Pine Leaf Squirrel had gone up through legal channels, Lin Jing felt that as its Beast Master, following along was no big deal. Fortunately, Tiandu Peak exerted no pressure on him as a human.

After quickly climbing Tiandu Peak and seeing the Divine Pine before him, Lin Jing also fell silent for a moment.

If he remembered correctly, before the era of the Immortal Alliance, plants could indeed become Spirit Monsters. However, during the battle that destroyed the Celestial Palace, plant Spirit Monsters suffered the same fate as the Yao Race. To eradicate the rebels, the laws of the Tianyuan Continent were rewritten by the Celestial Palace, making the difficulty for plants to develop intelligence skyrocket!

Now, while there were many Yao Beasts capable of cultivating, the number of plant Spirit Monsters that could do so was far less than one-ten-thousandth of the beast race.

He hadn’t expected that the Tiandu Guardian God of the Beast Taming Sect would actually be a pine tree Spirit Monster!

“Lin Jing, the future Saint of the Beast Taming Sect, pays his respects to Senior.” Lin Jing bowed along with the Pine Leaf Squirrel. As for who had bestowed the title of Saint, one would have to ask the Black Bear Monster.

“There is no need to be nervous.” A moment later, a voice devoid of emotion echoed between heaven and earth.

“I have a Contract with your Sect’s Second Sect Master; I will not harm you.”

The Pine Leaf Squirrel breathed a sigh of relief, having been terrified that its food would eat it.

“Senior, we came because we heard the legend of the ‘Squirrel Leaping over Tiandu’.” Lin Jing explained the reason for intruding upon Tiandu Peak.

“The Pine Leaf Squirrel clan…” An invisible gaze seemed to fall upon the Pine Leaf Squirrel, making it feel restless.

“After so long, the Pine Leaf Squirrel clan has finally produced a little fellow with the potential of a Yao King. Its efforts were not in vain.” The Divine Pine seemed sentimental as it said, “I shall fulfill my promise and pass on the Dao and teachings.”

“Hmm?” The Divine Pine suddenly spoke, “You possess the Longevity Physique?”

It had only just realized that this Pine Leaf Squirrel’s Beast Master also seemed quite extraordinary.

Lin Jing was startled. This Sect Guardian God was truly formidable. He was still wearing the pendant Elder Mo had given him… yet his Physique was seen through with a single glance.

“No wonder this Pine Leaf Squirrel has such extraordinary potential. It turns out it signed a Blood Contract with a Longevity Physique, and its fate has been altered.”

The Divine Pine asked the Pine Leaf Squirrel, “What kind of technique do you desire?”

The Pine Leaf Squirrel was stunned. Was it really going to be taught a technique?

It fell into deep thought on the spot.

Finally… it glanced back at Lin Jing, then turned back with a look of determination.

It wanted… a longevity technique!

Just as the Divine Pine said, Lin Jing possessed the Longevity Physique, but it, the Pine Leaf Squirrel, was not a long-lived species.

Over these days, the Pine Leaf Squirrel had grown more and more accustomed to being with Lin Jing. To be able to Cultivate with Lin Jing forever, it pleaded with the Guardian God to grant it a technique for longevity!

It just didn’t know… if such a thing existed.

“That is not difficult. I have a Demonic Technique that I can modify and bestow upon you,” the Divine Pine said.

These words gave Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Squirrel quite a shock.

A Demonic Technique!

“Senior… our Beast Taming Sect is a Sect of the Righteous Path.”

“It is a Demonic Technique only from my perspective,” the Divine Pine said calmly. “This Demonic Technique involves plundering the essence of plants to increase one’s own Lifespan. Since I am a plant Spirit Monster, using it to plunder the lives of my own kind makes it a Demonic Technique. But for you humans and Yao Beasts, it is simply an ordinary Cultivation Technique.”

Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Squirrel understood, but at the same time, they gained a deeper understanding of the Tiandu Guardian God.

A demonic Cultivator!!!

Of course, from the perspective of a plant Spirit Monster.

No wonder the Divine Pine Old Ancestor remained calm in the face of a Pine Leaf Squirrel that ate pine cones; it was even more ruthless itself.

With that, a green light shone, and the name of a Cultivation Technique appeared in the Pine Leaf Squirrel’s mind!!!

“Azure Emperor Longevity Art”!

Sensing the wonder of this technique, the Pine Leaf Squirrel closed its eyes.

The Azure Emperor Longevity Art could absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi and convert it into Qingdi True Qi. Qingdi True Qi had the effect of controlling plants and plundering plant essence to convert into Lifespan.

However, each level of the Longevity Art had a certain limit on the Lifespan that could be converted; it was impossible to obtain Lifespan indefinitely.

Furthermore, as one’s power increased, ordinary plants would no longer suffice to provide Lifespan; Advanced Spiritual Plants or even immortal plants would be required.

“The Daoist technique has been passed on. Do you have anything else? If not, then descend the peak.” As the Divine Pine finished speaking, Lin Jing immediately said:

“Senior! Do you know of the Demon Suppression Pagoda? Do you know of the Buddha Light within it?”

“To be honest, Senior, we were training in the Demon Suppression Pagoda and only gained the ability to leap onto Tiandu Peak after being strengthened by the Buddha Light. However, this Buddha Light always gives me a strange feeling.”

The Divine Pine was silent for a moment before saying, “I know of this Buddha Light, and I have met its owner.”

“You need not worry; this Buddha Light is harmless.”

“This Buddha Light is his Buddha Core Divine Ability, which can develop the potential of low-level Cultivators. But most importantly, it can grant Cultivators a certain talent for Buddhist cultivation.”

“Back then, a group of monks entered the Ancient Kingdom primarily to proselytize. However, under the strict prohibition of the Ancient Kingdom, they did not dare to do so openly. They could only use this method of ‘granting opportunities’ to deepen the connection between low-level Cultivators and the Buddhist Sects.”

“After being strengthened by the Buddha Light, you and that Pine Leaf Squirrel will find that practicing Buddhist techniques and Spells yields twice the result with half the effort. That’s all there is to it. Those monks are simply hoping that low-level Cultivators will switch to practicing Buddhist laws because of this.”

“Through this subtle influence… they increase the number of Buddhist Disciples.”

“I see,” Lin Jing nodded.

“If you do not like the Buddhist Sects, I can help you erase your Buddhist talent.”

Lin Jing cupped his fists and said, “Thank you, Senior. As long as there’s no harm, it’s fine. In my view, Buddhist laws, Daoist laws, Confucian Arts, or Demonic Techniques are all just tools. I don’t have any particular prejudice.”

As a modern person, Lin Jing’s philosophy was that whether it was Buddha or Dao, as long as praying didn’t cost money, he could believe in them a little. Beating someone up with Daoist techniques is still beating them up, and the same goes for Buddhist techniques. Naturally, he would use whichever was more convenient.

“Aren’t you worried about being subtly influenced into becoming a Buddhist Disciple?”

I possess the Longevity Physique. Even if I convert to Buddhism, I can outlast everyone until I become a Buddha.”

The Divine Pine: “…”

“You… may leave.” The Divine Pine felt that this Longevity Physique was far too annoying. Back then, it had not hesitated to develop a Demonic Technique just to extend its life, yet this human was born with a long life. If he practiced the Dao, he’d be a Dao Ancestor; if he practiced Buddhism, he’d be a Buddha. It was truly infuriating… Coming down from Tiandu Peak, Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Squirrel were overjoyed. But before they had gone far, they heard a mournful cry from the summit—the sound of a Magpie’s wail.

Many figures were rushing toward the Task Hall. Lin Jing stopped an unfamiliar inner Sect Senior Brother and asked, “Senior Brother, may I ask what has happened?”

“The Magpies are wailing. An Inner Sect Disciple met with an accident while out on a mission. I heard it was the Mission Maniac, Senior Brother Ouyang Hao. He has been rescued and brought back, but his life or death is unknown!” As the other person finished speaking, the expressions of Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Squirrel changed. Senior Brother Ouyang?