Beast Tamer Ascension

Vol 2 Chapter 73: A Dire Omen

"Finally noticed me, have you?"

The mysterious girl in a white dress smiled faintly. As Lin Jing’s gaze landed on her, she leaped lightly to stand before him. A delicate fragrance wafted over, causing Lin Jing to frown. Suddenly, the girl grabbed his wrist.

Smack!

Lin Jing flung her hand off and immediately followed up with a Diamond Fist, but she casually neutralized his attack.

"Who exactly are you, and what is your purpose?"

The term Longevity Body flickered across her lips, making Lin Jing's expression change slightly. How did this woman know about his physique?

"Relax, I’m Bai Yuran, the 27th-generation disciple of the Tianji Pavilion. I mean no harm." She smiled as she clapped her hands. "I just wanted to confirm something. Seems like I was right."

"A Tianji Pavilion disciple?"

Lin Jing had considered many possibilities about her identity—perhaps someone from the Demon-Slaying Bureau, or even the foster daughter of the sect leader, or maybe someone from the Yin Corpse Sect—but he hadn’t expected her to be from Tianji Pavilion.

Still, it wasn’t completely unexpected. The Tianji Pavilion, known for their insight into all worldly matters, deducing his Longevity Body wasn't too far-fetched.

"What do you want from me?" Lin Jing asked. Tianji Pavilion disciples rarely roamed the cultivation world and were almost never involved in worldly affairs. Why would one suddenly show up at the Holy Son Inauguration Ceremony of the Beast Taming Sect?

Bai Yuran looked at him with an air of melancholy. "You, my dear young man, carry the Longevity Body. Your fate is bound to be turbulent, and in the future, countless beings aiming to become sovereigns will target you."

"What’s your angle?" Lin Jing shook his head. "This has nothing to do with your Tianji Pavilion, does it?"

"The Southern Mountain Demon Emperor, who suddenly appeared in Hidden Dragon City, was likely after you, wasn’t he?" Bai Yuran twirled a finger and smiled. "You were lucky to escape that calamity, but what about next time? Your luck won’t always hold out, will it?"

"What if," she continued, "someone could predict your future, letting you know months or even years in advance when crises will strike? Even with the Longevity Body, that would drastically increase your odds of survival, wouldn’t it?"

"Are you saying that person is you?" Lin Jing asked.

"Exactly!" Bai Yuran puffed out her chest proudly. "As the most outstanding disciple of the 27th generation of Tianji Pavilion, I want to collaborate with you, predicting the crises you’re destined to face. What do you think?"

Lin Jing’s face was unreadable. He thought to himself, When someone offers help for no reason, they’re either a thief or a schemer.

"Speak plainly," he demanded.

"I won’t lie to you," Bai Yuran replied. "Using Tianji Pavilion’s secret techniques to predict the future often comes at the cost of our own lifespan."

"Because of this, we don’t casually perform major divinations. However, since Tianji Pavilion exists in the cultivation world, it’s unavoidable that many powerful figures seek us out for predictions. Thus, within our secret techniques, there’s a little trick."

"If the person being divined cooperates, they can shoulder more than 99% of the lifespan loss for the divination, instead of the user."

"Do you understand now?"

Lin Jing nodded slowly. "So, during a prediction, you risk minor backlash from the heavens and lose some lifespan. But you found a loophole: make the target bear the brunt of the cost instead. Since I have the Longevity Body, losing a bit of lifespan means little to me. And in return, you gain cultivation insights from using the secret technique."

"Exactly!" Bai Yuran smiled. "Compared to the crises you might face, losing a tiny bit of lifespan is a small price to pay, right?"

Lin Jing remained silent, thinking. To her, I’m basically a walking cultivation resource. He sighed internally. Bai Yuran seemed convinced this was a win-win, but Lin Jing couldn’t bring himself to trust her just yet.

"Well, aren’t I just irresistible," he muttered bitterly. Without giving her a direct answer, he said, "Your identity is enough for now. The inauguration is about to begin, and I have a role to play."

"Think it over, little brother. I’ll even give you a free reading—there’s a major calamity in your near future!" Bai Yuran called out as Lin Jing left.

The Beast Taming Sect’s Central Plaza was abuzz. Several powerful demon kings and ancestors hovered above, their monstrous auras filling the air. As the elders summoned Lin Jing, he made his appearance.

"Is that him, Lin Jing?"

The Genius Rankings didn’t include portraits, so this was the first time many cultivators were seeing Lin Jing. He wore snow-white robes, his long black hair tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, swaying gently in the breeze. His unrestrained demeanor made him seem both carefree and strikingly handsome.

"This kid is terrifyingly strong."

Though Lin Jing concealed his cultivation level, the deep, glacial look in his eyes made even seasoned experts feel uneasy. The two disciples of the Myriad Beast Sect paid close attention to him but couldn’t discern much else.

The ceremony officially began. Lin Jing ascended the Hundred Step Cloud Ladder at a measured pace. Following behind him were the elders of the Beast Taming Sect, each carrying their beast-taming artifacts, their expressions solemn.

At the summit of the ladder, Lin Jing stopped. The Second Sect Master’s pet beast, Grand Ancestor Wang Batian, appeared in a humanoid form, holding an ancient tortoiseshell in his hands. His gaze fell on Lin Jing.

This was the sect’s Beast Treasure, a shell Wang Batian had shed in the past. Only when a Holy Son obtained the token of at least one demon king or ancestor would they be recognized as the sect’s true heir. Wang Batian raised the tortoiseshell and announced in a booming voice:

"Today, I formally appoint Lin Jing as the Sixth Holy Son of the Beast Taming Sect. May he carry the torch forward and bring glory to our sect!"

Lin Jing accepted the tortoiseshell. "I, Lin Jing, will live up to the expectations of my predecessors. I shall tame the Dao, protect the sect, and spread the light of our way across the heavens and realms!"

"Ha ha ha, excellent!" Several demon king ancestors laughed heartily.

"Such a grand occasion calls for some entertainment! Our newly appointed Holy Son, would any Great Wasteland geniuses dare challenge him?"

Lin Jing flicked his sleeve and took a seat at a floating cloud table, lifting a teacup.

"Challenges are welcome, but first, you’ll have to get through the core disciples. Not just anyone is worthy of facing me."

As per tradition, the sect’s core disciples would deal with the weaker challengers, preserving Lin Jing’s energy.

Meanwhile, Lin Jing idly toyed with the tortoiseshell Wang Batian had given him.

This thing is useless. I’d have preferred a Mechanical Bamboo Turtle.

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