Chapter 114: Before Foundation Establishment

"I am very sorry for exposing your cultivation, Senior..."

Knowing why Senior Divine Pine didn't want to expose his cultivation, Lin Jing felt extremely apologetic.

"No matter," the Divine Pine said. "Since I promised to protect your Dao for a hundred years, I was already prepared for exposure."

"If anyone wants to use me to refine an external avatar, they’ll have to see if they have the capability. I wasn't raised on meat."

Taking this opportunity, Lin Jing asked a question that had been in his heart: Senior Divine Pine claimed to be a plant-based demonic cultivator and possessed such cultivation, so what kind of history did he have with the second sect master that he was willing to stay in the Beast Taming Sect and even protect him, a disciple of the sect?

"Why do you want to know everything?"

"Knowing too much isn't good for you. Just focus on raising your cultivation honestly."

"You spent three years in seclusion and didn't gain an ounce of cultivation. I really wonder if you'll be able to form a Core when the hundred-year term is up," the Divine Pine doubted.

Lin Jing shut his mouth immediately, not saying another word.

After a long while, the Divine Pine said, "That was quite efficient. You can go out now. The Nanshan Demon Emperor’s true body has already been suppressed and killed. I just don't know what price the Academy’s cultivators paid to slay this aged Demon Emperor."

"After all, a Demon Emperor nearing its end may seem weak, but from another perspective, it was already going to die anyway, so it would make sure no one else had an easy time!"

"The Nanshan Demon Emperor is dead?" Lin Jing hadn't expected the Academy’s powerhouses to be so swift.

"They probably had help from a powerhouse," the Divine Pine speculated. "It’s a pity I didn't chase after it myself because I had to protect you. Otherwise, a Demon Emperor’s body is full of treasures, especially since it was a dragon demon."

"But this avatar isn't bad either. No wonder those two from the Demon-Slaying Division wanted to use you as bait. It feels great." It chuckled.

Demon King, Demon Emperor, Demon Ancestor, Demon Emperor...

Corresponding to Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Profound, and Questioning the Dao.

The bloodline of a Demon Emperor is far more terrifying than that of a Demon King, especially a supreme Demon Emperor with such a fierce reputation as the Nanshan Demon Emperor.

Just now, the movement of countless Academy powerhouses and the activation of the Qianlong City barrier had shocked many cultivators. Such a grand display hadn't been seen in Qianlong City for a long time, and many were wondering what had happened.

After returning to the Academy, Lin Jing was immediately invited to a meeting hall. Presiding over it was an old man with a goat beard, who looked as unremarkable as a mortal.

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

As for the old man at the head...

He was one of the three Vice Deans of Qianlong Academy. He had returned at the critical moment. Lin Jing judged that the Nanshan Demon Emperor was most likely killed by him.

"You are Lin Jing?" The goat-bearded old man observed Lin Jing and said, "The Longevity Body. It has indeed been a long time since one appeared. No wonder the Nanshan Demon Emperor would go crazy for it."

"You have hidden yourself well, but unfortunately, the Yin Corpse Sect already has information about your Longevity Body. We learned through backtracking the Nanshan Demon Emperor’s memories that it was the Yin Corpse Sect that told the Nanshan Demon Emperor."

"Although the Nanshan Demon Emperor is dead, information about your Longevity Body may still be sold to others by the Yin Corpse Sect. Your days ahead, little cultivator, will not be easy."

Lin Jing gave a bitter smile.

"Many thanks to all the seniors for slaying the Nanshan 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 chuckle. "Your guardian is quite extraordinary, actually managing to reach Soul Transformation against the trend as a plant in this era. With it protecting you, your safety shouldn't be too affected."

"Furthermore, it was the Academy’s negligence that allowed the Nanshan Demon Emperor to take advantage of the situation. Qianlong City will strengthen its defenses from now on. As long as you are within Qianlong City, such things will not happen again."

After pacifying Lin Jing, the Academy powerhouses let him leave.

Once Lin Jing left, the atmosphere in the meeting hall turned heavy.

One of the Soul Transformation women looked at the Vice Dean and said, "Dean, the Yin Corpse Sect is acting in retaliation."

"I know," the goat-bearded old man said with a grim expression. "But the Yin Corpse Sect wants to 'refine an Immortal Puppet,' and we must not let them proceed smoothly."

"If it weren't for the previous demon-clearing, we wouldn't have discovered that the Yin Corpse Sect still possessed an 'Immortal Beast Corpse.' They want to refine this corpse into a puppet. If they succeed, the consequences would be unimaginable."

"Most of the Ancient Kingdom’s powerhouses are currently committed to wiping out the Yin Corpse Sect. Luring a Demon Emperor to invade Qianlong City shows that the Yin Corpse Sect’s situation is not optimistic."

"As for this Longevity Body... there is no need for extra attention." The goat-bearded old man shook his head.

A Longevity Body at the Qi Refining stage is still easy to protect. Unless it’s a demonic beast nearing its end like the Nanshan Demon Emperor, a Demon Emperor with vigorous vitality would never take such a huge risk to capture a Longevity Body.

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

A weak Longevity Body’s flesh and blood don't hold much attraction for powerful demonic beasts. Like the Divine Pine, it doesn't have much interest in the current Lin Jing.

But if the Longevity Body’s cultivation becomes high, even a Demon Emperor might covet it. Unless a Questioning the Dao powerhouse protects Lin Jing then, his path of cultivation... is destined to be bumpy.

Plus, the Longevity Body cultivates slowly...

Except for third-rate sects like the Beast Taming Sect that haven't seen much of the world, ordinary powerhouses are truly unwilling to spend the effort to cultivate it, because with the slightest negligence, the Longevity Body will be eaten.

Even this Dean had no intention of going to great lengths to protect Lin Jing; it was too difficult and too tiring.

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 Body’s own luck.

Returning to his cave, Lin Jing realized he had forgotten to ask Senior Divine Pine for a pinecone.

The commotion earlier had caused the Dragon Carp to stop refining pills and the Pine-Leaf Rat to stop farming. Both little guys were looking out from the hilltop, and seeing Lin Jing return safely, they breathed a sigh of relief and hugged each other.

"Let's go, I'll take you to refine pills!"

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

Since Senior Divine Pine was at the Soul Transformation realm, one of his pinecones must be extraordinary.

If added to the Longevity Foundation Establishment Pill, one couldn't even imagine how astonishing the Pine-Leaf Rat would be after using this pill to establish its foundation.

"Are you looking for a pinecone?"

After the Divine Pine appeared in the form of a pinecone, it sighed, "Come on, come on. It’s been so long, you’re finally going to establish your foundation. You’ve kept me waiting to death."

"Please, Senior, grant us a cone and protect our Dharma," Lin Jing requested.

"No need to rush," the Divine Pine said. It scattered a small sapling in front of Lin Jing’s cave. The sapling radiated a red light, looking quite eerie. "This sapling contains my roots and will produce a few third-grade pinecones. You wouldn't be able to refine anything of too high a grade anyway. Besides, it also has the effect of a Blood-Sucking Vine. From now on, you, kid, will bleed to water it."

"Good!" Lin Jing looked determined as he looked at the Pine-Leaf Rat. As long as the Pine-Leaf Rat could establish a perfect foundation, everything was worth it.

"Senior, do you think it's possible for the Pine-Leaf Rat’s bloodline grade to surpass the King level and reach the Demon Emperor bloodline?"

"Impossible. It would be good enough if it could surpass that Dragon Carp’s bloodline and approach the current Ice Soul Gu. Of your three pets, only the innate Gu King, the Ice Soul Gu, has the possibility of evolving to the Emperor-level bloodline during Foundation Establishment! The other two have too poor an innate foundation!"