Immortal through Beast Taming-Chapter 640 - 2: Stepping Off the Chessboard

Emperor Donghuang Immortal smiled.

"Although the Demon race has reopened the Ascension Passage, as an Immortal Emperor, it’s difficult for me to use mana to interfere with the lower realm, but projecting a trace of consciousness is still easily done."

"Young friend, I knew I hadn’t misjudged you. Thanks to your extermination of the Celestial Demon in the lower realm, you forced the Demon race to reopen the Ascension Passage. Still, young friend, you should be clear about their intention in doing so, right?"

Lin Jing nodded.

"All they want is to draw me into the Immortal Realm, so the lower realm will be devoid of obstacles."

"Exactly," Donghuang Immortal Emperor said, "Therefore, I’d like to ask you, young friend, to give up Ascension and eternally guard the lower realm. Whenever the Demon race intends to encroach upon it, you will eradicate them completely."

Lin Jing replied, "Before coming to the Cultivation Realm, I was already gravely ill. It was Emperor who granted me a second life, a favor too great to repay. I am willing to forever guard the lower realm, but I have one request."

"Speak, please."

"Guarding the lower realm is no issue for me, but my friends and my... pet beasts..." Lin Jing glanced at the Pet Beasts resting and recovering in his Primordial Spirit space after the battle and began, "I can guard the lower realm, but they do not possess Celestial Destiny, Longevity Immortal Bodies, nor Immortal Bodies; their lifespans don’t even reach a tenth of mine. Inevitably, they’ll pass away before me."

"Such talents wasted in the lower realm would be a pity."

"I wish for my friends and pet beasts, should they choose Ascension to the Immortal Realm, to be safe in the Immortal Realm, at the very least... not be caught in the crossfire due to my enmity with the Demon race."

"As for those pet beasts of mine choosing Ascension to the Immortal Realm, I wish for them the same. I can remain in the lower realm, but their talents should not be hindered, and I hope those who don’t choose Ascension can receive the same lifespan as I."

"Without their companionship, the lengthy years ahead could drive me... mad."

"Your request is reasonable," Emperor Donghuang nodded, "Is that all? Only this request?"

Lin Jing shook his head, "Beyond that, I feel there’s another reason the Demon race reopened the Ascension Passage."

Emperor Donghuang raised a questioning "Oh?".

"Ancient Celestial Realm, Earth," Lin Jing said, "During the annihilation of Demon Generals, I discovered one of the four Exotic Domain Immortal Emperors who besieged the Ancient Celestial Court was the progenitor of the Demon race. Earth’s Spiritual Qi is reviving and the Demon race has long been eyeing Earth, intending to retrieve the Clan’s Demon Artifact from the Celestial Emperor’s Tomb."

"Perhaps, the Demon race is using this opportunity to focus on retrieving the Clan’s Demon Artifact. If successful, they’ll become more challenging to defeat; merely guarding the lower realm addresses symptoms, not the root. Only by completely eradicating the Demon race can tranquility between the realms be assured. If they retrieve the Clan’s Demon Artifact, then... eradicating them will become even harder." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

As Lin Jing finished, Emperor Donghuang immediately grasped the significance, not realizing the Demon race’s reach extended to Earth.

"Your thoughts," he inquired of Lin Jing.

Lin Jing replied, "Earth is currently amidst Spiritual Qi revival, the Heavenly Dao is incomplete, supporting only Cultivators under the ’Immortal Realm’; I can still traverse between realms, exterminating any enemies with designs on Earth."

"But..."

"Once Earth restores its rightful Ancient Celestial Realm state, it will become the new ’Immortal Realm’!"

"A newly complete Immortal Realm won’t allow for easy traversal, by then, if I wish to guard the lower realm, I cannot ascend to the ’Ancient Celestial Realm’, if I want to safeguard the Celestial Emperor’s Tomb, I need to ascend, reaching True Immortal Realm, then returning to the lower realm to ward off the Demon race will be difficult."

"Having ’Celestial Dao Treasure’, the Demon race is quite capable of sealing an Ascension Passage. Thus, letting their Immortals go to Earth, while blocking others, is indeed doable; by then, Earth may fall under Demon race territory."

"Indeed so, the Demon race might abandon the Cultivation Realm for the Ancient Celestial Realm," agreed Emperor Donghuang, noting the Demon race’s groundwork in the lower realm over countless years, making it unlikely they’d forsake it.

Nonetheless, an oncoming Ancient Celestial Realm would also be a treasure trove and not beyond their desires.

The reopening of the Ascension Passage further facilitates Demon race grasping the Ancient Celestial Realm.

And with the Demon Lord’s Celestial Dao Treasure, just as Lin Jing mentioned, holds a measure of domain control, making other forces’ True Immortals and Immortal Monarchs’ journeys to Earth hard compared to those of Demon race powerhouses.

In the future, the Cultivation Realm’s situation might replicate in the Ancient Celestial Realm.

While Lin Jing remains singular.

Unable to simultaneously protect both the Cultivation Realm and Ancient Celestial Realm...

Lin Jing clasped his hands in greeting, "I have a strategy."

"It’s widely known, without Celestial Destiny, an avatar cannot sever from the main body to independently ascend to the Immortal Realm."

"In contrast, the Ancient Celestial Realm is currently in a damaged state, vastly different from a complete Immortal Realm, with my avatar and true form stationed in the lower and Ancient Celestial Realms respectively; they won’t be affected."

"Possibly establishing my avatar in the Ancient Celestial Realm pre-recovery, stationed until its complete restoration."

"Ultimately, let the avatar sever from the main body and become immortal in the Ancient Celestial Realm, thus not affecting the main body as it guards the lower realm while allowing time for the avatar to plan, accumulate its foundation, and repel potential invading Demon race to Earth."

"Of course, the avatar lacks Celestial Destiny, and being ’imperfect’, no doubt has limited potential; if the Demon race indeed sends Immortal Monarchs or Supreme Immortal Kings to Earth, a lone avatar might have difficulty resisting."

"Thus, concerned for Ancient Celestial Realm’s peril and to halt Demon race ambition, I wish... Immortal Realm to support me, providing my avatar ample resources, sufficient at least for a Supreme Immortal King’s achievement, facilitating rapid ascension to Immortal King status in the Ancient Celestial Realm to vanquish any adversary."

Lin Jing realized Immortal Realm powers would certainly expect him to remain in the lower realm, unable to refuse; hence, he seized this moment to demand resources from the Immortal Realm.

Then, leveraging Earth, the Ancient Celestial Realm, allowing the avatar’s ascension... nay, even becoming Immortal Emperor.

By stepping out of the lower realm’s game board, he hoped one day to stand alongside Demon Lord and Emperor Donghuang among those making moves.

Whether an avatar to the Ancient Celestial Realm or pet beasts’ ascensions.

The main body with avatar and pet beasts remaining on the lower realm would surely have a predetermined outlook, with life bound as pawns opposing the Demon race by Celestial Emperors.

Of course, severing the avatar from the main body, superseding several major realms, to be first among Immortal Emperors, is unprecedented, Lin Jing gambled entirely, thus necessitating, acquiring sufficient resources beyond Ancient Celestial Realm’s fortune... insufficient!

Emperor Donghuang pondered for ages, "Your strategy is feasible."

He cared little for Lin Jing’s ideas, as long as the Demon race could be countered, it was adequate.

"What do you wish for? Speak freely, whatever can be granted will be given to you."