Beast Tamer Ascension-Chapter 16Book 5: : The Pledge
Vol 5 Chapter 16: The Pledge
"I forgot to introduce myself earlier. I am Shangguan Ming. You may address me as Administrator Shangguan or Senior Brother Shangguan."
"In truth, we share quite some connection. If you truly hail from the Tianyuan Realm, we might even be considered fellow disciples of the same sect... because I come from the Tianming Realm—Tianming Immortal Palace." Administrator Shangguan revealed his identity with a faint smile.
Upon hearing this, both Lin Jing and Gu Youran were momentarily stunned.
Tianming Realm!?
What a coincidence!
No—this was no coincidence. Given that they'd revealed their origins from the Tianyuan Realm, it wasn't surprising for a prodigy from Tianming Immortal Palace to appear.
Except... this Shangguan Ming seemed unaware that the Immortal Palace of the Tianyuan Realm had been annihilated tens of thousands of years ago!
What "fellow disciples" could there possibly be?
However, given Shangguan Ming's enthusiastic demeanor, Lin Jing and Gu Youran saw no need to elaborate.
After all... they bore no enmity toward the Immortal Palace.
The Immortal Palace had been destroyed by the Immortal Alliance, and the Immortal Alliance had been wiped out by the Ancient Kingdom. In a way, the Ancient Kingdom had even avenged the Immortal Palace.
"Greetings, Senior Brother Shangguan. I am Lin Jing, a practitioner of the Immortal Palace's Beast Taming Art."
Lin Jing chuckled, noting inwardly that the group of Tianming prodigies he'd previously humiliated hadn't yet entered the Origin Realm to relay intel about Tianyuan.
"Beast Taming Art..." Senior Brother Shangguan nodded. "Then let this junior brother undergo the assessment. No need for courtesy—summon all your contracted beasts at full strength."
"Aside from me, other administrators are observing this match. Even the head of the Administration Hall is watching."
"If Junior Brother's performance catches the hall master's eye, you might directly join the Administration Hall. This would also facilitate the Tianyuan Realm's future application to join the Cultivation Alliance."
Even without Shangguan Ming's words, Lin Jing had no intention of holding back. After all, he wanted his true self to attain a high position within the Cultivation Alliance's branch in the Origin Realm.
To gain status, one had to demonstrate sufficient strength.
And—military achievements.
Lin Jing's expression remained unchanged as he faced Shangguan Ming, but before him, a pale gray vortex of spiritual power swirled into existence. From within the vortex, the rigid corpse of a young man was abruptly summoned!
Not the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse.
Not the Dragon Carp.
But a corpse.
The moment this corpse appeared, the observing cultivators collectively gasped. Even Gu Youran's eyes widened in shock.
This... wasn't this the Heavenly Demon Sect prodigy who had pursued her?
Lin Jing had actually refined him into a zombie!
A Heavenly Demon Sect cultivator capable of chasing Gu Youran—a Postnatal Immortal Physique holder—and serving under Sheng Kun was undoubtedly no weakling.
Most of the Cultivation Alliance members present recognized his face instantly.
Thus, the moment he was summoned, an uproar erupted.
"Heavenly Demon Sect's Sacred Son—one of Sheng Kun's Hundred Demon Generals—Mo Luo!"
"He... how is this possible?"
"This form... a zombie?! You must be joking. When did Mo Luo get—"
The instant Lin Jing summoned Mo Luo, many cultivators were stunned. A few even suspected Lin Jing had allied with Heavenly Demon Sect forces to assault the Cultivation Alliance.
However, upon closer inspection, they realized Mo Luo was long dead—completely transformed into a zombie.
Yet this only amplified their shock. Mo Luo's strength and notoriety were well-known. Though not comparable to the personal disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect's higher echelons, among the sect's prodigies, he was far from weak—his power rivaled that of the Cultivation Alliance's administrators!
"This Heavenly Demon Sect cultivator ambushed me upon my arrival in the Origin Realm, coveting the dragon veins I carried. I killed him in self-defense."
"Having slain even a demonic prodigy, Senior Brother need not suspect me of being a Heavenly Demon spy."
"Now, allow me to command him in battle against you." Lin Jing smiled faintly.
"Aren't you... a beast tamer?!" Shangguan Ming blurted out, though his greater confusion was how Lin Jing—at only the early Nascent Soul Transformation stage—could have killed Mo Luo.
For a moment, his suspicion toward Lin Jing's identity resurged.
"Taming beasts, plants, or corpses—all fall under the Control Dao. My Beast Taming Art has long evolved beyond its original form through my modifications," Lin Jing explained.
"Does Senior Brother still suspect we're demonic spies? If we were, I wouldn't bother deploying a Heavenly Demon corpse in battle. I merely heard the Cultivation Alliance offers substantial rewards—even immortal energy—for slaying Heavenly Demon Sect members, hence my display."
"Moreover, the demonic cultivators sent to the Tianyuan Realm were all exterminated by this fairy's elders. Thus, we couldn't possibly be affiliated with the Heavenly Demon Sect."
"Aside from us two, eight other cultivators from Tianyuan arrived, though they've yet to reach Xianlin City. Senior Brother may verify this later."
Hearing Lin Jing's composed explanation, Shangguan Ming nodded, temporarily choosing to believe him.
But the next moment, his expression abruptly changed as realization struck.
The other Cultivation Alliance administrators also paled, recalling something critical.
"Quick! Recall and seal that corpse!!!"
At Shangguan Ming's sudden warning, Lin Jing feigned confusion. The administrator urgently explained:
"The Sacred Son of the Heavenly Demon Sect made a vow to his Hundred Demon Generals—to ensure their loyalty, he promised vengeance upon their deaths!"
"Sheng Kun possesses a void beast capable of tracking the corpses of his Hundred Generals. Mastered in assassination and Heavenly Demon Crossing, its strength surpasses even the Generals—I'm no match for it! Destroy that corpse immediately, or you'll never escape that beast's gaze within the Origin Realm!"
Shangguan Ming feared he was too late—too many here already knew Lin Jing had killed Mo Luo. Though none could comprehend how he'd achieved this...
[It's... already too late.]
Shortly after Lin Jing produced the demonic corpse, spatial ripples shimmered outside Xianlin City. A pitch-black mantis-like demon emerged from the void, its eyes gleaming crimson as it launched a lethal slash toward Lin Jing's head.
Time seemed to freeze. Every spectator's heart leaped to their throats. The void beast's Heavenly Demon Crossing was terrifyingly swift—even the observing administrators failed to react, including Shangguan Ming standing before Lin Jing.
[I initially thought the mountain god killed Mo Luo... planned to let it go. But since it's a human cultivator...]
The void beast's bloody blade neared Lin Jing's neck—yet the instant their eyes met, the creature suddenly stiffened, suppressed by overwhelming beast-controlling energy.
In that moment, the void beast comprehended the mockery in Lin Jing's gaze and the smirk on his lips.
"Audacious, to attack within an alliance stronghold. Overconfident in your Heavenly Demon Crossing? I was just concerned one demonic corpse wouldn't suffice as my pledge... but adding the Sacred Son's pet should be... adequate."
Lin Jing had naturally extracted this intel from Mo Luo. This was all deliberate—a public display of slaying demonic forces to gain greater trust and authority within the Cultivation Alliance.
Simultaneously, a smug-looking red carp materialized before Lin Jing, prepared long in advance!
"!!!!!" It roared contemptuously at the would-be assassin, its body erupting with world-shaking flames. Solar Essence Fire and Geocentric Flame—both at immortal-grade—instantly formed a celestial furnace, engulfing the momentarily paralyzed void beast. The ensuing heatwave blasted even Shangguan Ming a hundred meters away before he could intervene.
"This—!!!" The abrupt reversal left everyone dumbfounded.
"The void beast!"
"That was Void Assassination Art—it really came! But... it failed?"
"Wait... were those immortal flames?!"
None had anticipated this beast tamer possessing a contracted beast wielding dual immortal fires. Now they understood how Lin Jing could subdue Mo Luo.
For he had just instantly suppressed even the Sacred Son's pet!
"How is this possible...?" Shangguan Ming, sent flying by the Dragon Carp's fiery shockwave, wore an expression of utter disbelief. That demonic pet had been immobilized by beast-controlling energy—just what level had this guy's Control Dao reached to affect the Sacred Son's creature?!
"Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother—though slightly belated. Fortunately, this void beast proved... underwhelming." Lin Jing stood calmly beside the Myriad Flame Cauldron, then turned to Shangguan Ming. "Shall we continue?"
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