The Master of Beasts

At Jun Linseng's rallying call, the small Eden Garden now gathered a full six Golden Immortals and at least ten Heavenly Immortals.

Chen Jiuge was completely unaware of this, nor did he have the energy to pay attention.

Soaking naked in the Golden Lotus Birth Pool, Chen Jiuge felt as though his body was being torn apart by the tremendous spiritual energy. It was then healed by the life force emanating from the Golden Lotus, a continuous cycle of tearing and healing. His Body Refinement cultivation began to surge wildly, instinctively invoking the "Green Vine Immortal Body."

On the first day, he reached the late phase of Body Refining Divinity Transformation and the middle phase of Qi Cultivation Divinity Transformation.

By the third day, he achieved Body Refining and Returning to Void, and late-phase Qi Cultivation Divinity Transformation. The lightning from the Heavenly Tribulation didn't affect Chen Jiuge at all; in fact, it was even less intense than the tearing sensation from absorbing the vast spiritual energy.

On the seventh day, his Qi Cultivation also broke through, smoothly advancing to Returning to Void.

After one month, Body Refining Great Mahayana was achieved, and the originally brilliant golden pool water had begun to fade imperceptibly.

After three months, Qi Refining Great Mahayana.

Half a year later, Chen Jiuge reached his limit. His spirit could no longer bear the strain. If he continued to force his cultivation, he feared his spiritual energy would run rampant or he would suffer Qi deviation.

Naked, Chen Jiuge stepped out of the pool, slipped on a vestment robe, and looked back at the still-glistening golden water, lamenting, "If I could have persisted for a few more years, I probably could have become an immortal directly. Such a wasted opportunity, alas."

"Not bad, not bad. Late-stage Mahayana Body Refinement, early-stage Mahayana Qi Cultivation. Old Ye, your Golden Lotus Birth Pool is amazing! Can I borrow it?" Jun Linseng was somewhat envious; this was essentially a divine artifact for nurturing family disciples. He wondered why Old Ye, who didn't have any descendants, had created such a thing.

"Hmph, don't even think about it. The reason he could enhance his cultivation without any hidden dangers is that I added a Yin Yang Creation Fruit. I only had one of those treasures. If you put someone else in now, the Heavenly Tribulation's lightning would turn them to ash," Ye Sheng said calmly.

"A Yin Yang Creation Fruit! TSK TSK TSK, you were generous enough to put such a treasure in there. Be honest, do you have offspring out there somewhere?" Jun Linseng's words caused everyone to look at Ye Sheng in unison, surprised that the Great Elder, with his earnest-looking thick brows and big eyes, might be keeping a beauty hidden away.

"Is what Brother Sheng saying true?" Silver Flower tightly clutched Ye Sheng's sleeve.

"Sigh, no. It was meant for you," Ye Sheng sighed.

Silver Flower was a being born of heaven and earth. Ideally, like Divine Beasts, her lifespan should have been far longer than that of the Human Clan, without the need to undergo the so-called Life Span Tribulation. However, it was uncertain if some accident had occurred, because Silver Flower's lifespan was just like that of the Human Clan, and she even needed to undergo the Life Span Tribulation.

Originally, Ye Sheng's plan was that if Silver Flower truly perished, as a being born from heaven and earth, she would leave behind a trace of her core essence. With the help of the Golden Lotus Birth Pool, he might be able to cultivate Silver Flower anew. As for whether the new incarnation would still be Silver Flower, it no longer mattered to Ye Sheng; at least the Silver Lotus would still exist.

Silver Flower, somewhat moved, said, "There's no need for such measures. Even immortals experience birth, aging, sickness, and death like mortals—isn't that what you often tell me?"

Ye Sheng fell silent.

Observing the somewhat awkward atmosphere, Jun Linseng said, breaking the silence, "Shouldn't we let Jiuge cleanse Silver Flower of her Demon Clan bloodline now?"

"Exactly," Ba Tianba blurted out. He'd wanted to say it much sooner, but Lan Tian, beside him, kept stopping him.

"Alright, Jiuge, you give it a try," Jun Linseng said to Chen Jiuge.

Watching the stunningly beautiful Silver Granny before him, Chen Jiuge took a deep breath and said, "Silver Granny, please relax and don't resist me. I will do my best to eradicate the Demon Clan bloodline."

"Alright, you don't have to be nervous either. Even if it fails, it's okay," Silver Flower said gently. Her heart's knots had been completely untied after meeting Ye Sheng. If not for the contamination of the Demon Clan's bloodline, she might have directly achieved Earth Bursting Golden Lotus and become a Golden Immortal.

Taking Silver Flower's hand, Chen Jiuge used the Golden Finger to see the Demon Clan's bloodline.

It was a bloodline that pulsed with a sanguine glow, filled with various dark energies. Upon it, a colossal Demon God seemed to loom, roaring, though it was too indistinct for Chen Jiuge to see its face clearly.

Can I really extract this thing? Chen Jiuge wondered apprehensively.

The moment he touched the Demon Clan's bloodline, Chen Jiuge's mind was flooded with a multitude of evil thoughts. Then, a sacred Silver Lotus suddenly smashed fiercely against the Demon God on the bloodline, allowing Chen Jiuge to regain his senses.

Forcefully pulling the Demon Clan's bloodline outward, Chen Jiuge felt for the first time how exhausting it was to extract a bloodline.

After countless back-and-forth tugs, the Demon God suddenly let out an enraged roar and then dissipated.

In the eyes of Ye Sheng and the others, Chen Jiuge's appearance was quite alarming.

First, his eyes suddenly turned red, and he emitted an evil aura; then a flash of white light shot past, and the evil aura vanished. This cycle repeated—appearing, then vanishing—sending everyone's emotions on a wild rollercoaster.

SWOOSH.

With the Demon Clan's bloodline extracted, Chen Jiuge immediately collapsed to the ground, feeling completely drained, as if he were about to die.

Held by Jun Linseng, Chen Jiuge gasped intermittently, "Mission... accomplished." Then he promptly fainted.

The instant he fainted, a realization struck Chen Jiuge: in the future, if anyone asked him to extract a bloodline from someone of a higher realm, he would absolutely refuse. It was a life-or-death matter! Thankfully, Silver Granny's bloodline happened to be sacred, countering the Demon Clan's, and the Demon bloodline itself was like rootless duckweed, lacking a true anchor. Otherwise, the indistinct Demon God within that bloodline might have roared him to death!

"It's okay, he's just mentally and spiritually exhausted. He just needs a good rest," Jun Linseng said with relief after scanning him with his Divine Sense.

"That's good, that's good. We owe a lot to young Jiuge this time," Silver Flower said gratefully.

As the one directly affected, Silver Flower was naturally the first to know when the Demon Clan bloodline vanished. Turning her head, she smiled at Ye Sheng. "I'm going to undergo my Tribulation, Brother Ye. I want you to be my protector."

Ye Sheng, stunned for a moment, suddenly realized Silver Flower was about to undergo her Golden Immortal Tribulation. He burst into loud laughter. "Good, good, good!"

Watching the two walk away, Jun Linseng looked at the fainted Chen Jiuge with some confusion, thinking, This Causality Divine Power has such a strong effect, completely removing the Demon Clan bloodline. That's different from what the Sect records describe. Well, he's our own disciple, so it's fine. A little secret is normal. But after this, Silver Flower should be with Ye Sheng. That will add a Golden Immortal to the Sect, and I should also make a gesture.

Then, looking out at Eden Garden beyond the small courtyard, Jun Linseng clapped his hands. "I've got it! This is how I'll give Jiuge a surprise."

"What's the Sect Master up to?" Ba Tianba and Lan Tian were startled by Jun Linseng's sudden action.

Jun Linseng looked at the two with a smile. "I have a plan. You two will do this... and this..."

"Great idea, we agree. As for the materials, we'll provide them," Lan Tian assented.