Vol 5 Chapter 105: Chaos of Demons
Two months later.
The highly anticipated Beast Taming Grand Competition finally began.
The Beast Taming Mountain was bustling with excitement.
All cultivators were waiting for one figure—Lin Jing, the man who had left countless legends across the Tianyuan Continent a century ago.
Though a hundred years had passed and Lin Jing remained at the Nascent Soul Transformation stage, none of the visitors dared to underestimate him.
A total of forty-one participants had gathered for the competition.
A rather impressive number.
After all, the minimum requirement to enter was the Nascent Soul stage—only those who had reached this level could step into the Origin Realm.
Among these forty-one participants, twenty-four hailed from the Beast Master Sect, while the remaining seventeen came from other factions.Some were from scholarly institutions, some from sword sects, and others from Buddhist sects—regardless of their origins, each faction had brought their own Beast Masters.
As for the Beast Taming Art, it was no longer some closely guarded secret. Originally the core technique of a third-rate sect led by a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, its leaks had long since spread far and wide.
Notably, among these forty-one participants, sixteen had reached the Nascent Soul Transformation stage—a terrifyingly high number.
"The path of beast taming has truly flourished," Lin Jing remarked upon his arrival. Sect Master Xu Xiaoyao and Xu Qingyao, both at the Void Mystical Stage, showed him utmost respect, standing at his sides as he took center stage.
"Greetings, Elder Supreme!" The Beast Master Sect's elders and disciples all addressed Lin Jing with this new title. Given his current cultivation and power, even if he dared to claim the title of Holy Son, the sect master wouldn't dare address him as such.
After all, while outsiders might not know, Xu Xiaoyao—as Xu Qingyao's adoptive father—understood perfectly well that Lin Jing now possessed strength capable of slaying even those at the Dao Inquiry stage.
With such power, despite his relatively junior seniority, the only fitting position for Lin Jing within the sect was the unprecedented title of Elder Supreme.
"Elder Lin, all participants have arrived," Sect Master Xu informed him. Lin Jing nodded, then noticed an unexpected figure among the crowd—Yu Xun'er. He frowned slightly. Why had she come without consulting him?
Sensing the numerous Dao Inquiry experts secretly observing—the Demon Emperor, the Tongtian Tower Master, the Water Moon Island Master, even the distant Second Ancient Emperor—Lin Jing shook his head. Wasn't Yu Xun'er worried about exposure?
Perhaps she had her methods of concealment.
No matter.
"This Beast Taming Grand Competition will select eight individuals to accompany me into the Origin Realm," Lin Jing announced.
"To save time, we'll determine these spots through arena battles."
"I'll personally select eight cultivators I deem strongest."
"These eight will each occupy one of eight arenas. The remaining thirty-three may challenge them. Winners stay, losers withdraw. The final eight standing will join me in the Origin Realm."
As Lin Jing finished speaking, a Beast Master Sect elder with earth-manipulating abilities raised eight arenas across the mountain peaks, grinning at Lin Jing.
"You, you, you..."
Meanwhile, under the Ancient Emperor's selection, four individuals flew toward the same peak:
Gu Qianqiu of the Longevity Body, Lin Jing of the Qiankun Immortal Physique, Zhang Mingren of the Longevity Body, Qin Lei of the Thunder-Fire Divine Physique, Fang Baihua of the Seven Seasons Divine Physique, the Jiang siblings of the Twin Bodies, and a former Heavenly Demon Physique Nascent Soul cultivator.
Lin Jing sighed internally. After all this, only Wang Xiao could be considered an outsider—and even he didn't fully count, being an old acquaintance who'd notified him beforehand.
Among the present cultivators, sixteen had reached Nascent Soul Transformation, while others had Nascent Soul cultivation themselves but commanded Nascent Soul Transformation-level spirit beasts.
When Lin Jing announced his chosen eight, some of the other Nascent Soul Transformation cultivators maintained calm expressions but clearly harbored dissatisfaction—though only toward certain selections. Figures like "Wang Xiao of the Qiankun Immortal Physique" still commanded deep wariness.
No one understood why such a prodigy would bother participating.
He was utterly unchallengeable.
Rumors claimed he'd even defeated early Void Mystical Stage experts.
"Begin," Lin Jing declared.
Immediately, a Nascent Soul Transformation prodigy in Buddhist robes floated up, addressing the unknown Yu Xun'er: "Esteemed participant... might I request your guidance?"
Hidden observers—the Buddha Master, Dao Hui the Buddhist prodigy, and other Buddhist leaders—all focused on this monk. A talented cultivator who'd switched to beast taming mid-career, he'd contracted several sacred Buddhist beasts. His strength was undeniable. Had Lin Jing underestimated him?
Or perhaps he hadn't "donated" enough? The Buddha Master sighed.
Beneath this monk gathered four Nascent Soul Transformation-level sacred beasts: a divine lion, white elephant, peacock, and holy boar—proof of the Buddhist sect's substantial investment in their beast tamer.
Yet—
The obscure Yu Xun'er shocked everyone by summoning an identical doppelganger. With a single casual slap, this clone sent all four sacred beasts and the monk himself flying off the mountain, reduced to bloody smears.
"Contracting a clone as a beast shouldn't violate the rules, right?" Her soft words sent tremors through the spectators. Even the Beast Master Sect's prodigies and elders stared at her in disbelief.
"Who is this woman?!" The secretly watching Second Ancient Emperor sensed familiar energy from Yu Xun'er but found further probing impossible.
"A contracted clone? Can the Beast Taming Art achieve this?" The accompanying Buddhist experts couldn't comprehend it. Was this even possible? And even if so, how could the clone be so powerful?
Nearby, Wang Xiao of the Immortal Physique gaped—in all his years, he'd never imagined the Beast Taming Art could be used this way. He'd thought contracting a Fortune Dragon after the Second Ancient Emperor's modifications was already heaven-defying... but a clone? How?
All eyes turned to Lin Jing.
"No violation. It is indeed the Beast Taming Art," Lin Jing said casually. "Continue the matches."
Yu Xun'er's display proved too unnerving. The next challenger—from the Cloudsea Mountains' Witch God Sect—opted against facing her. Originally planning to challenge fellow outsider Gu Qianqiu to curry favor with the Beast Master Sect, the monk's fate made him reconsider provoking unknown entities.
Better pick safer targets.
Having thoroughly researched the Beast Master Sect's prodigies for this event, he knew:
Qin Lei of the Thunder-Fire Divine Physique and Fang Baihua of the Four Seasons Divine Physique were formidable, their contracted beasts being Lin Jing's own Dragon Carp and Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse—clearly recipients of the sect's finest resources.
The Jiang siblings of the Twin Bodies, though weakened when separated, wielded Lin Jing's Ice Soul Gu—best left alone. Rumor said they'd even followed Lin Jing during the Ancient Kingdom era, giving them formidable backing.
After elimination, only Zhang Mingren of the Acquired Demon God Physique seemed vulnerable.
"Fight!" He charged at Zhang Mingren.
"Honestly, it makes no difference who he picks," Lin Jing mused. This Witch God Sect cultivator's contracted beasts—the Ten Cloudsea Terrors—were decent. Yet his selected eight were truly a chaotic demonic gathering. Even the most harmless-looking, this Acquired Physique cultivator, had been personally trained by an otherworldly Dao Inquiry Demon Emperor...
A Demon Emperor who'd survived a failed attempt to infiltrate the Immortal Realm undoubtedly possessed unique capabilities.