Vol 6 Chapter 43: Spirit King
"It seems significant changes have occurred in the Tianyuan Realm during my time on Earth."
Lin Jing stood poised in the sky, hands clasped behind his back as he observed the vast Tianyuan.
Though its landmass was countless times larger than Earth's, the world's structural integrity felt remarkably fragile.
There, taking a single step across a nation required effort, but here, it seemed mere thought could shatter the void and carry him anywhere.
Was this the so-called... essence in concentration?
"Yet over half this vast territory now belongs to the spirit creatures."
He had reigned supreme in the Origin Realm for five hundred years, during which he consistently implemented the "Spirit Creature Relocation Project," transferring massive numbers of Origin Realm spirits to the Tianyuan Continent.
At that time, Lin Jing had kept continuous watch over the Tianyuan Continent's development, and overall, no major changes had occurred.
But during his absence on Earth, three hundred years had passed in the Tianyuan Realm, and the transformations here exceeded anything Lin Jing had anticipated.The Tianyuan Realm had essentially become a miniature Origin Realm, with spirit creatures now controlling more territory than the realm's original inhabitants.
He descended slowly onto a mountain peak below, where within a mountain cave abode, a loose cultivator at the peak of Core Formation stage was cultivating. The cultivator appeared around five hundred years old, clearly having reached the lifespan limit for Core Formation.
"Failed..."
As Lin Jing landed, this white-haired Core Formation cultivator failed his final attempt to form a Nascent Soul within his lifespan limits. Thick death energy shrouded him as he calmly awaited death's approach.
When he saw a young man approaching him, he laughed freely: "Even with my protective arrays, I've still been discovered? Very well, lucky fellow, what little remains of this old man's possessions shall... fall to you."
"I ask you," Lin Jing looked at him. "What major events have occurred in the Tianyuan Continent over the past three hundred years?"
"Hmm?" Though nearing death, the Core Formation cultivator felt an undeniable pressure from the suddenly approaching young man. Under this pressure, his muddled consciousness cleared considerably, and he found himself answering involuntarily:
"The greatest event... the greatest event was the Spirit King's Dao Seeking, which caused both the continent's strongest individual and foremost power to change hands!"
"Spirit King?"
Who?
Didn't recognize that name.
"The Spirit King is the offspring of the Origin Realm's great spirit, Lady Nethersoil, and the Origin Realm's great spirit, Meteor Spirit Beast."
"Seven hundred years ago, it formed a contract with a Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom prodigy who possessed a Death God Body and came to Tianyuan."
Lin Jing knew nothing of this matter.
Over the centuries, far too many Tianyuan Realm prodigies had entered the Origin Realm, and far too many Origin Realm spirit creatures had been taken away.
He couldn't possibly remember each one, having delegated such matters to subordinates.
However, he did know about Lady Nethersoil and Meteor Spirit Beast having offspring—handled by the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse.
Lady Nethersoil had more than one such descendant.
She'd hybridized several dozen.
If it were Lady Nethersoil's offspring, it likely inherited her death talent, so entrusting it to a Death God Body for development in the Tianyuan Continent wasn't impossible.
Now it appeared this predecessor was quite special?
"Shortly after arriving in the Tianyuan Realm, this 'Spirit King' broke with its contractor, both parties dissolving their contract, and the Spirit King became a loose cultivator."
"For five consecutive centuries, the Spirit King remained relatively inactive."
"But just two hundred years ago, the Spirit King suddenly succeeded in Dao Seeking, achieving unprecedented power. It directly challenged the continent's strongest being, the ruler of the Demon Court, and at the initial stage of Dao Seeking, defeated the Demon Emperor who was at the peak of Dao Seeking!"
"Thus, the continent's strongest individual changed hands, with the Spirit King becoming the paramount power. Its strength compelled countless spirit creatures to acknowledge its supremacy."
"Those spirit creatures who followed it all succeeded in Dao Seeking within merely a century. Until now, the number of spirit creatures achieving Dao Seeking has far surpassed that of humans... Aside from showing some deference to the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom that nurtured it for a time and giving face to the former continent's leading power, the Demon Court, most territories of other powers have now been occupied by the Spirit King's Dao Seeking subordinates."
Lin Jing listened, quite surprised.
He wasn't astonished that spirit creatures could reach the highest echelons of Dao Seeking after unlocking their restrictions.
After all, within the Origin Realm, prodigies from all realms across the cosmos found their talents surpassed by many Origin Realm spirit creatures.
However, he hadn't expected the first spirit creature to mature wouldn't be among the first generation, but rather a hybrid second-generation spirit creature.
Spirit King, huh...
To achieve Dao Seeking in under a millennium and even defeat the immortal-blooded Demon Emperor while surpassing levels—Lin Jing felt genuinely curious about how such combat power was accomplished.
"This Spirit King is quite the genius."
If it were Lady Nethersoil's offspring, it likely inherited her death talent, so entrusting it to a Death God Body for development in the Tianyuan Continent wasn't impossible.
"Before the Spirit King achieved Dao Seeking, most spirit creatures practiced by attaching themselves to the Demon Court and other powers."
"But with the Spirit Lord's emergence, the Demon Court and other powers gradually lost their control over spirit creatures. Spirit creatures have effectively become the Tianyuan Continent's overlords. If this continues, will the Tianyuan Realm still be the Tianyuan Realm of old..?"
"Moreover, this Spirit King seems unsatisfied with Tianyuan alone and wishes to lead spirit creatures into the star realm..."
"Perhaps it's influenced by the cosmic bloodline in its veins, yearning for the stars. But one must understand that Tianyuan currently faces threats from all realms. If these spirit creatures leave Tianyuan and appear in the star realm, then the Tianyuan Realm's coordinates will soon be discovered. When that happens, it will bring endless disaster to the Tianyuan Realm..."
Lin Jing had initially heard that this Spirit King hadn't allowed spirit creatures to encroach on the Ancient Kingdom or Demon Court's territories and had held no particular opinion about it.
But now, hearing that this Spirit King had the audacity to consider leaving Tianyuan, his expression grew calm.
Indeed, once power loses restraint, it easily breeds suicidal ideas.
Whether the Spirit King interfered with other spirit creatures' choices or expanded its own influence, Lin Jing had no concerns—that was the privilege of "genius." But attempting to drag Tianyuan into irredeemable ruin? That, Lin Jing would not permit.
"For someone at merely Core Formation cultivation to understand all this and possess such insight is rather unexpected."
"Replying to Senior, that is because this junior..." After conversing this long, perhaps due to deathbed enlightenment, the Core Formation cultivator had realized the person before him wasn't some junior coming to plunder treasures, but rather a senior who had recently emerged from seclusion and knew little about recent changes in the cultivation world.
"This junior also came from notable origins, nurtured by family teachings in youth. Unfortunately, my family was destroyed by enemies due to offenses given. My aptitude proved dull, and after cultivating to this day, I've only reached Core Formation. Avenging them... remains hopeless in this lifetime."
Lin Jing departed. Shortly after Lin Jing left, the old man breathed his last breath.