Beast Tamer Ascension

Chapter 56: I’m Really Not a Demonic Cultivator

The night was silent and still.

Lin Jing stood outside the closed doors of the Lotus Pavilion in Snow Moon City. Inside resided Hua Qiandao, the Pavilion Master—a cultivator with a Fire Spirit Body.

Thinking back, it was strange for someone cultivating fire-element techniques to come to a freezing city like Snow Moon City for business. It suggested ulterior motives.

Moreover, Senior Brother Ouyang had purchased yang-nourishing pills from this man, meaning they’d had direct contact. Coupled with the current situation, Hua Qiandao was the prime suspect. While it was unclear how he’d learned about the rare Gu or obtained methods for refining its lesser offspring, everyone had their own fortuitous encounters, making him the most likely culprit.

“Senior Divine Pine… any findings?” Lin Jing asked.

The Divine Pine scanned the area with its spiritual sense but didn’t detect Hua Qiandao’s presence. However, something else caught Lin Jing’s attention—a young man riding a white dragon-horse aimlessly through the snow.

“What are you doing here?” Gao Sheng asked, trotting closer.

“I should be asking you the same thing,” Lin Jing retorted.

“I still think the Lotus Pavilion is suspicious,” Gao Sheng said, frowning. “My father is Nascent Soul, my maternal grandfather is Soul Formation, and my entire family are Golden Lotus-tier customers of the Lotus Pavilion. While I personally don’t care, every time I visit a city, the local Pavilion Master always comes to greet me. But Hua Qiandao hasn’t even shown his face. What’s he so busy with? Suspicious—very suspicious.”

“Even the Golden Core City Lord isn’t as busy as him!”

Gao Sheng laid out his reasoning, pointing out Hua Qiandao’s peculiar behavior.

“For once… that makes sense,” Lin Jing nodded.

“You agree this time?” Gao Sheng said, surprised.

“Well, if your grandfather is Soul Formation, everything you say must be right,” Lin Jing quipped, astonished by the extent of Gao Sheng’s background. “And frankly, I’m starting to suspect Hua Qiandao myself.”

“Finally, we agree!” Gao Sheng beamed. “Also, I’ve investigated—Hua Qiandao is nowhere to be found tonight. I suspect he realized his scheme was about to be exposed and fled upon hearing that a genius investigator like me had arrived.”

“Fleeing seems unlikely. More likely, his plan has reached its final stage,” Lin Jing said, gazing at the moon. As snow continued to fall, countless thread-like lines began descending from the clouds, resembling a vast spider web weaving itself across the sky.

Gao Sheng looked up and gasped, his mouth slightly agape. “Spiders—so many spiders!”

On the white web spanning the entire city, fist-sized spiders began hatching, each radiating significant demonic energy. The spiders dropped from the web and attacked any living being they encountered. Several lunged at Lin Jing and Gao Sheng without warning.

“What the hell are these things?” Gao Sheng exclaimed, brandishing his fan. With a powerful wave, a terrifying gust obliterated the incoming spiders.

“These are… parasitic Gu,” Lin Jing muttered, pulling out his Mechanical Bamboo Rifle. With a thunderous shot, the spiders attacking him were blasted to pieces.

“Whoa, Brother Lin! What kind of treasure is that?” Gao Sheng’s eyes lit up, captivated by the weapon.

“Shouldn’t you be more concerned about what these things are?” Lin Jing shot back, scanning the area. The number of spiders was staggering—thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, swarmed the streets. This was just what he could see at a glance; the entire city was likely overrun.

“You mentioned parasitic Gu earlier?” Gao Sheng’s expression darkened.

Parasitic Gu were a rank below lesser Gu. If lesser Gu were commanders, parasitic Gu were soldiers. They typically appeared en masse when a Gu King was about to emerge, siphoning nutrients to support the newborn Gu King.

“There really is a Gu King…” Gao Sheng muttered.

At that moment, a beam of icy light streaked across the sky. City Lord Tang Qinghan descended beside Gao Sheng, his face grim. “Young Master Gao, are you all right?”

“I’m fine!” Gao Sheng replied. “City Lord Tang, a Gu King is about to emerge in Snow Moon City!”

The spiders, seemingly sensing that Lin Jing and Gao Sheng were formidable, redirected their attacks elsewhere, scattering through the city.

“There’s likely a Gu God Sect demonic cultivator hiding in the city!” Gao Sheng declared. “Their goal must be to refine the Gu King.”

His expression shifted as he recalled his earlier suspicions—Tang Qinghan was the most probable suspect. He subconsciously retreated behind his dragon-horse.

“Fear not, Young Master Gao. I will protect you,” Tang Qinghan reassured, though his scalp tingled with dread. His political career felt as fragile as the spider silk above. Nevertheless, he prioritized Gao Sheng’s safety, dispatching his guards to contain the chaos in the city.

“It’s the rare Gu preparing to be reborn,” Divine Pine informed Lin Jing through spiritual communication. “Hua Qiandao is likely hiding, waiting for the Gu to emerge so he can absorb its power and escape.”

“Senior Divine Pine, can you locate him?” Lin Jing asked. “He’s only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if he absorbs the Gu, he shouldn’t be a match for you.”

“With you here, he won’t be able to absorb it,” Divine Pine said, chuckling.

Lin Jing’s expression turned peculiar as an unsettling thought crossed his mind.

Suddenly, dazzling blue light surged through the spider web above. Directly overhead, a tiny spider, no larger than a fingernail and made entirely of ice crystals, began to form. Though small, its aura radiated extreme cold, freezing even the raging blizzard and making time itself seem to slow.

“Is that…?” Gao Sheng’s pupils shrank. “Could it be the Ice Soul Gu, one of the ten legendary rare Gu of the Gu God Sect? It was thought to have vanished for a thousand years. Why is it reborn here?”

“The Ice Soul Gu?” Tang Qinghan’s expression turned grim. Each of the Gu God Sect’s ten rare Gu was a calamity. If it fell into the hands of a demonic cultivator, it would become an unparalleled threat.

“Where’s the Gu God Sect’s demonic cultivator?!” Tang Qinghan barked, on high alert.

But before anyone could react, the Ice Soul Gu shot downward like a streak of icy light, piercing directly into Lin Jing’s body.

“Damn, I’m going to turn into a demonic cultivator!” Lin Jing inwardly screamed.

“Even if a Fire Spirit Body or Primordial Yang Body were suitable hosts, nothing compares to a Longevity Body,” Divine Pine said, amused. “With your life force and nutrients, the Ice Soul Gu would naturally choose you over any other prepared host.”

“Let it enter your body. It’s the key to resolving the Ice Gu poison affecting your Senior Brother. Don’t worry—I’ll seal it inside you, preventing it from absorbing your energy. This is also an opportunity for you. Didn’t you once say all techniques, even demonic ones, are just tools? Once you’re strong enough, you can refine it. I’ll handle the Demon-Slaying Bureau.”

“I didn’t mean it literally!” Lin Jing snapped as bone-chilling cold erupted from his body. The ice energy rivaled Foundation Establishment levels, transforming his hair to snow-white and his eyes to icy blue. Gao Sheng staggered back in shock.

“So it’s you! You’re the Gu God Sect demonic cultivator! The Gu King merged with you!”

“Demonic cultivator my !” Lin Jing growled through gritted teeth. Moments later, a pine cone-shaped seal appeared on the back of his hand, stabilizing the energy. His hair and eyes reverted to their original state.

Meanwhile, in a hidden cavern elsewhere in the city, Hua Qiandao watched the Ice Soul Gu’s rebirth with joy—until it failed to choose him as its host. His face turned red, and he spat blood before collapsing.

“My Gu! My ten-years-in-the-making Gu! The Gu manual lied! Why didn’t it choose my Fire Spirit Body?!”

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