Beast Tamer Ascension

Vol 2 Chapter 42: The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor

On the Tianyuan Continent, one of the ten most perilous regions is the Mist Forest. Spanning half of the Ancient Celestial Kingdom's borders, this colossal forest is an unavoidable passage for anyone traveling from the kingdom to Qingzhou.

There had been attempts by great cultivators in the Void Profound Stage to construct a spatial teleportation channel between the Ancient Celestial Kingdom and Qingzhou, but the peculiar mists pervading the forest were even capable of penetrating space, often causing people to get lost in the void.

Thus, traversing the Mist Forest on foot was the only option, a path fraught with immense danger.

If the Ancient Celestial Kingdom is the land where human destiny converges, the Mist Forest serves as a paradise for demonic beasts.

To date, only the Lotus Pavilion is rumored to have a relatively stable method of crossing the Mist Forest. Many cultivators from the kingdom rely on accompanying Lotus Pavilion caravans when traveling to Qingzhou.

Deep in the Mist Forest, a colossal dragon resembling a mountain and covered in Malignant Plants suddenly opened its sun-and-moon-like eyes. It fixed its gaze on a human cultivator draped entirely in white corpse cloth, whose face was obscured.

“Protector Yuan Buyi of the Yin Corpse Sect greets the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor,” said the corpse-cloaked cultivator as he bowed.

“You of the Yin Corpse Sect... Are you planning to set your sights on my body?” The massive dragon’s voice rumbled, deep and menacing.

The protector smiled faintly. “Your Majesty the Demon Emperor overthinks. No one, not even the Yin Corpse Sect, would dare offend a demon emperor nearing the end of its life.”

“I’ve come today only to propose a deal. Your Majesty, are you interested in living another lifetime?”

The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor’s massive dragon eyes narrowed as it stared intently at the protector. “The Longevity Body of a human? After so long, another one with this physique has emerged?”

“Speak. What are your terms?” The dragon’s heavy breathing betrayed its excitement. Its days were numbered, and all means of extending its life had failed. But the Longevity Body… that might be different.

“The body of one of your molted dragon forms,” the protector replied.

The demon emperor snorted coldly, its tone dripping with disdain. So, it still boiled down to coveting its body!

“The information on the Longevity Body…”

“The Yin Corpse Sect guarantees to provide it exclusively to Your Majesty. Our sect's reputation, as you are well aware, is built upon never violating contracts. This has been the foundation of our standing for tens of thousands of years and our cooperation with all races.”

The demon emperor growled, “Speak then. Where is this Longevity Body? This deal, I will accept.”

The protector replied, “The Longevity Body originally belonged to a disciple of the now-dissolved Beast Taming Sect in the kingdom’s Great Wasteland Domain. The individual is currently in Hidden Dragon City within the Ancient Domain.”

“Hidden Dragon City?” The demon emperor let out another cold snort. “The city is guarded by Void Profound cultivators. Are you asking me to seek death?”

The protector chuckled. “Everyone knows that during its prime, Your Majesty’s cultivation was at the Half-Step Void Profound Stage, only a step away from the Refining Void Stage. Although your current realm has fallen, your spatial comprehension remains intact.”

“Allow me to offer Your Majesty a bonus piece of intelligence: the three deans of the Hidden Dragon Academy have been absent from Hidden Dragon City for the past two years, and they won’t be returning for a long time.”

“Currently, the academy is only guarded by some ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators. These individuals merely safeguard the academy and are not protectors of the Longevity Body.”

“Moreover, this Longevity Body is merely a small sect disciple, not the heir of a major family. The level of protection it enjoys will naturally be low. Those guarding the academy wouldn’t expend energy constantly monitoring his situation. As long as Your Majesty avoids the academy and acts within the city, they won’t react immediately.”

“With your skills, snatching the Longevity Body and escaping instantly should be within your grasp. Of course, there will be repercussions, but compared to extending your life into a seventh cycle, isn’t it worth it?”

“Of course, Your Majesty could also wait until the Longevity Body leaves Hidden Dragon City—if you still have the time and patience…”

Not long after, the protector left the Mist Forest and returned to a dark underground altar.

“Elder, the information about the Longevity Body has been passed to the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor,” he reported to a purple-haired elder lurking in the shadows.

“That demon emperor is nearing its end and surely won’t miss this opportunity. Using the Longevity Body as bait will undoubtedly cause chaos in Hidden Dragon City,” the elder remarked with satisfaction.

“This way, those three old monsters should return to Hidden Dragon City to deal with the situation.”

“A genius being taken by a demonic beast within the city… That would indeed be a major scandal for the academy,” the protector said.

“Exactly. Though our branch in the Great Wasteland Domain failed to capture the Longevity Body, passing the information upward was enough to make it useful. The only question is whether the demon emperor can successfully abduct the Longevity Body…”

“During its prime, the Southern Mountain Demon Emperor was at the Half-Step Void Profound Stage. Though its cultivation has now dropped to the Nascent Soul early stage due to age, its spatial comprehension remains formidable. Escaping Hidden Dragon City unscathed should still be possible,” the elder explained.

“After all, the city’s top cultivators are already being preoccupied by our sect’s forces. Since these kingdom experts have set their sights on undermining our ten-thousand-year plan, it’s only fitting that we create some trouble for them in return.”

Ancient Domain, Hidden Dragon City

The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor, once resigned to its fate and preparing to use its final strength to produce a descendant with its Demon Emperor Bloodline, was now rekindled with hope.

It stealthily entered the Ancient Celestial Kingdom, moving through the void toward Hidden Dragon City. Thanks to its profound spatial comprehension, cultivated at its peak, it avoided detection.

Upon confirming that no Void Profound cultivators were present in the city, the demon emperor was thrilled. However, to be cautious, it refrained from entering the city with its true body, fearing any hidden contingency plans left by a Void Profound expert.

“If there’s no Void Profound guardian, only ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators, I don’t need my true body. A Half-Divine Avatar will suffice to seize the Longevity Body,” the demon emperor decided.

Through its failing lifespan, the Longevity Body appeared to the demon emperor as a dazzling flame of vitality.

“Found it!”

The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor quickly locked onto Lin Jing, who had just left the Demon-Slaying Bureau’s immortal prison. Lin Jing’s aura was so enticing that it drove the demon emperor to madness.

Delicious!

From its hidden position in the void, the demon emperor struck. A massive vortex appeared in the sky, releasing demonic energy as a gigantic dragon claw reached out toward Lin Jing.

However, just as the attack began, the demon emperor sensed a terrifying pressure approaching.

“Who dares snatch what belongs to this old man?!”

The demon emperor was stunned. How had the academy’s Nascent Soul cultivators reacted so quickly? And more importantly, this person’s spatial comprehension was astonishing!

Before the demon emperor could react, its hundred-meter-long Half-Divine Avatar and extended dragon claw were entangled by towering tree branches, which appeared seemingly out of nowhere and tightly restrained it.

“This power…” The demon emperor’s expression grew grim.

“A Tree Spirit at the Nascent Soul Stage?! Why is there a tree deity here?!”

Among Nascent Soul cultivators, tree spirits were known to be immensely powerful. Their cultivation was against the natural order, and those who succeeded were incredibly formidable. In the current era, they even surpassed dragons of equivalent rank.

“The damned Yin Corpse Sect! Didn’t they claim the strongest protector around the Longevity Body was at most a late Nascent Soul demonic beast? Where did this tree deity come from?!”

Meanwhile, Lin Jing and Zhang Hu, overwhelmed by the immense pressure, stared as a massive dragon claw extended from the void, only to be pulled back by enormous tree roots.

“Damn fool! You’ve exposed my cultivation! Now I won’t have a moment’s peace again!” Shen Song, the divine pine, muttered angrily.

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