Vol 5 Chapter 83: Borrowing the Pill
No wonder Demon Emperor Tianchou had always been a loner with no friends or disciples—her twisted nature explained everything. Lin Jing took a deep breath. It wasn't that she lacked disciples, but rather that the ones she secretly nurtured always ended up being killed by her own hand. What kind of perverse hobby was this?
Those eight Heavenly Demon arms actually came from her personal disciples? Lin Jing had assumed they were cultivated through her own efforts. Clearly, he hadn't grasped the true essence of demonic sect powerhouses.
"Fine..."
At this critical juncture, any tactic to buy time would suffice. A thousand years was more than enough—plenty could change in that span. This arrangement didn't differ much from his original plan.
"Good disciple." Demon Emperor Tianchou smiled. "When you impersonated my successor using the Mo Yu identity, you caught my interest. Pity so many others want you dead—I couldn't very well steal their prey."
"The current outcome pleases me... Never before have I granted a disciple such lengthy preparation. Considering your Longevity Physique and the difficulty of your cultivation path, I expect you to truly reach the Dao Inquiry realm within this millennium for our duel."
"Those realms boosted by the Heavenly Demon Physique remain too immature."
Suddenly, an ethereal black greatsword materialized within Lin Jing's body. "This is my Sword Dao seed," the demon emperor declared. "Comprehend it to elevate your swordsmanship and point your blade toward Dao Inquiry."
"My first gift to you."She then glanced at the nearly frozen world outside. "You want to hunt that creature, don't you? I'll cripple his power for your slaughter—my second gift."
Beautiful!
Outside, the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor had long contemplated escape despite not understanding the situation. But as a sword light flashed, his pupils contracted—most of his cultivation had been severed, plummeting him to Nascent Soul Transformation realm. Blood sprayed from his mouth.
"Many thanks... Master."
Lin Jing clasped his fists slightly. "In a thousand years, I won't disappoint you."
"On my way here, I discovered a cultivation realm near Tianyuan called Tianming—already affiliated with the Cultivation Alliance. I'll annihilate Tianming first and observe Tianyuan from there. So behave, dear disciple."
"At this distance, a single sword stroke from Tianming could bisect this Tian Continent."
After a final penetrating glance, Demon Emperor Tianchou tore through the void toward Tianming Realm.
"Understood." Lin Jing sighed. Tianming Realm's proximity to Tianyuan—how close exactly? After all these years, neither realm had detected the other.
"Whew..."
With the demoness gone, Lin Jing exhaled, his robes drenched in sweat. Thank the heavens for her twisted hobbies—otherwise Tianyuan would've been doomed.
"Now Tianming bears the brunt..."
He mourned briefly for Tianming Realm, though its cross-realm teleportation array to Pangu Continent meant alliance leaders might intervene. Such matters exceeded his paygrade as a minor cultivator.
As the void split again, Dai Lan emerged. Lin Jing now realized the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor had mastered not just sword cultivation but temporal arts too—the time flow between void and outer world had been perfectly synchronized.
This meant if he failed to match her strength in a millennium, true peril awaited.
Lin Jing refused to die or let Tianyuan fall. He must rapidly enhance his power and devise countermeasures against Demon Emperor Tianchou.
"Where's the demoness?"
Emerging, Lin Jing found the Tongtian Tower Master and Pill Spirit still tense—they'd witnessed the terrifying Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor being toyed with in two moves.
What unimaginable power could so thoroughly humiliate an Inborn Immortal Physique?
"Seal."
Ignoring their questions, Lin Jing first activated the Immortal Binding Chains to restrain the crippled demon ancestor. Against a Dao Inquiry cultivator's control, the weakened foe stood no chance.
"Damn you!"
"Traitor! Consorting with outsiders—you're Tianyuan's Judas!!"
Lin Jing stored the screaming captive before addressing the tower master and Pill Spirit.
"For now... the danger has passed."
"Only temporarily—a thousand years' reprieve. I struck a deal with Demon Emperor Tianchou."
"But when the millennium ends, Tianyuan's invasion becomes inevitable."
"What?!" The tower master nearly fainted. A thousand years seemed long, but for aged Dao Inquiry experts like them, it changed little.
"They're coming."
Lin Jing's gaze shifted as other Dao Inquiry experts arrived—the Yin-Yang Whale, Dragon Emperor of the Vast Forest, and Demon Emperor.
"Lin Jing!" The Demon Emperor knew this troublemaker would appear.
Preempting questions, Lin Jing announced, "The Demon Emperor Tianchou situation is temporarily handled. Meanwhile, the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor has been crippled, leaving the Refining Dao Sect leaderless. Elders, please purge their remnants."
"I'll explain the Heavenly Demon Sect matters later."
Approaching the tower master, Lin Jing met the once-unapproachable mighty expert's gaze as an equal.
"Tower Master, I have an impertinent request."
"I wish to borrow the Pill Spirit's assistance for a thousand years of cultivation."
The sentient Pill Spirit, a relic from Immortal Palace called "Nine Revolutions Divine Pill," possessed universal effects—power amplification, cultivation boost, healing, talent enhancement, and accelerated training.
Just as the demon ancestor had sought specific benefits, Lin Jing needed the spirit to empower the Ice Soul Gu. At Nascent Soul perfection, extracting the crippled demon's Dao Fruit would prove challenging without amplification.
Additionally, while less urgent, transforming the Demon Emperor into a Celestial Beast would proceed faster with the spirit's aid.
The tower master remained silent, but the Pill Spirit floated forward independently.
"Old man, I'm going with him. Take care of yourself."
"The Holy Son's side seems safer than yours. Mainly he's got more Origin Sources—no worries about my pill essence depleting. Go on, shoo."
"You wretched pill—!"
The tower master's nose twitched in anger. While immortal energy was indeed preferable, must it be so eager to leave?