Vol 5 Chapter 82: The Deranged Demon Emperor

While still on the road, Lin Jing sensed Demon Emperor Tianchou's arrival in Tongtian City and couldn't help feeling extremely troubled. However, after some consideration, he still headed straight for the city. There was no avoiding this encounter with the Demon Emperor Tianchou.

He needed to personally assess Tianchou's strength, as it concerned both the fate of Tianyuan Realm and his own. The outcome was exactly as Lin Jing had anticipated. Back in the Origin Realm, even ordinary Inborn Immortal Physiques were like ants before the Demon Sect's Sacred Son. Here in the outer realms, even someone like the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor—a single immortal physique—was completely powerless against a powerhouse like Demon Emperor Tianchou.

Lin Jing felt overwhelming danger, yet when the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor was about to perish, he still intervened. Though useless for restraining Tianchou, the Demon Ancestor's refining experience was precisely what Lin Jing desperately needed. If Tianchou killed him now, who knew how long it would take to find another method to upgrade the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse's Glazed Immortal Eye?

"Holy Son of the Demon Court?" Finally making his appearance, the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor stared in shock at his savior—none other than Lin Jing, one of the three Longevity Bodies he'd been searching for.

Lin Jing wasn't at the Nascent Soul Transformation stage currently. To hasten his journey and stand a chance against such formidable foes, he'd burned his lifespan to leap two major realms, elevating his cultivation to the peak of Dao Inquiry. Simultaneously, he further sacrificed lifespan to activate his golden core divine abilities, fully unleashing the Divine Control Art to ensure his Beast Taming Path mastery could keep pace, also reaching Dao Inquiry level.

Even with all this, while Lin Jing felt somewhat confident facing the Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor, against Tianchou who treated the Ancestor like a chicken to slaughter, he had no certainty at all.

"You're that acting city lord from Xianlin City in the Origin Realm?" Tianchou also recognized her target, showing rare surprise. "When did you leave the Origin Realm? Through... the Heavenly Demon Physique? You actually possess the Heavenly Demon form too."

"Wait—not just the physique, but perfected demonic bloodline... Though well concealed. An incarnation?" After a moment, Tianchou suddenly laughed. "I see now. That Mo Yu was your avatar. What an unexpected harvest."

"Brat, did you return fleeing from the Heavenly Demon Realm's pursuit?" Lin Jing remained expressionless, while the petrified Heaven Refining Demon Ancestor and Tongtian Tower Master didn't dare move.

"Heavenly Demon Realm's pursuit? You mean Sacred Son Sheng E or that Dao Inquiry cultivator who practiced the Dao of Protection after soul-usurping a Nascent Soul cultivator? Both died by my hand."

Tianchou nodded. "If they failed to discover the Longevity Body and Mo Yu were one, indeed killing you would be difficult."

"Enough digressions, Your Majesty Tianchou. Let's discuss a transaction." Feeling the oppressive aura Tianchou radiated even without activating her Eight-Armed Heavenly Demon form, Lin Jing truly wished to avoid combat. Even all Tianyuan's Dao Inquiry experts combined would struggle against her. Under these circumstances, Lin Jing could only seek alternative solutions.

After much deliberation, he realized he might be the only bargaining chip available.

"Very well." Tianchou responded briskly, sheathing her greatsword. With one step that made Lin Jing's pupils constrict—moving faster than he could react—she appeared beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder and transporting them to an isolated void space.

"Speak, brat. What's your offer?"

Taking a deep breath, Lin Jing proposed: "I wish for Your Majesty to abandon invading Tianyuan Realm. There are countless lower realm cultivation worlds—losing Tianyuan means little. Moreover, I've already deployed a massive concealment array over Tianyuan. Though I don't know how you bypassed it, such capability must be rare even within the Heavenly Demon Sect."

"If Your Majesty simply claims Tianyuan couldn't be found, other demonic experts likely wouldn't locate it either. In exchange for abandoning the invasion, I'm willing to cooperate. My capabilities, as you've witnessed—I was the one who harvested this millennium's Origin Sources. Henceforth, I can deliver ninety percent of Origin Realm's immortal sources directly to you alone, bypassing the Heavenly Demon Sect."

Lin Jing believed this offer could tempt any powerhouse. Origin energy remained precious even for Dao Inquiry experts—why else would Zhou Banxian value it so highly? Though truthfully, he didn't intend to uphold this arrangement long-term. What Tianyuan needed most was time. Once he returned to Origin Realm and informed the "Fuzzy Immortal" that Tianchou coveted her immortal sources, he was certain the enigmatic being could devise a solution.

"Your terms are indeed tempting," Tianchou admitted. "But unfortunately... I've no interest in immortal energy. Your transaction is rejected."

Lin Jing's expression darkened as he prepared for battle.

"Don't tense up." Tianchou continued leisurely: "I don't need your immortal sources... I have a different proposal. Care to hear it?"

"All ears."

"I want you... as my disciple. Swear fealty to me, and I'll spare Tianyuan Realm. How about that?" Her piercing gaze locked onto Lin Jing's stunned expression.

"Becoming your disciple—you want me to submit to the Heavenly Demon Realm?" Lin Jing frowned.

"No." Tianchou extended a finger, smiling in a way that unsettled even Lin Jing. "No submission required. After all, you'll die eventually—none need know you truly became my disciple. Meanwhile, keep slaughtering our demonic cultivators if you wish..."

"What do you mean?"

"Know you how I obtained these Eight Heavenly Demon Arms? Before my fame, I invaded many cultivation realms. There, I discovered numerous talented cultivators. Deeming their deaths wasteful, I took them as disciples, imparting Heavenly Demon Sword Dao to maximize their potential."

"Once they reached mastery, I harvested them—taking their arms as keepsakes, letting them die meaningfully. You're unpolished jade—shattering you now would be regrettable. I came alone specifically to force out the Longevity Body, assessing if it merited sculpting. Never imagined the Longevity Body and Mo Yu were one. A delightful surprise."

"Become my disciple. I'll teach you Heavenly Demon Sword Dao. For one thousand years, Tianyuan remains untouched. After millennium, we duel. If you die, I obliterate Tianyuan. If you survive, you're free. But no tricks—I won't tolerate Tianyuan secretly allying with the Cultivation Alliance during this period. Agreed?"

This lunatic. This absolute psychopath. Staring at the demon emperor now beside him, Lin Jing couldn't comprehend her twisted reasoning.