"Hey… was that really necessary?!"
Staring at the monster that had entered, Lin Jing was left speechless.
This wasn't some righteous fairy storming the Yin Corpse Sect's hideout after all. Instead… it was a demon beast attracted by his physique?
A black bear that casually devoured Foundation Establishment cultivators from a demonic sect.
To be honest, if given the choice, Lin Jing really didn't want any kind of long-term cooperation with demon beasts.
Even if the other side was reasonable and agreed, the pain would still be his to bear.
Barely escaping the wolf's den, only to fall straight into the bear's jaws—Lin Jing felt mentally exhausted.
Enduring the foul, bloody stench wafting from the black bear's mouth, Lin Jing quickly organized his thoughts, preparing to explain the correct way to eat him.
During this time—thump, thump—his heartbeat sped up. His stiff body seemed to regain some mobility, but even so, he didn't believe he could escape.
"Great King, please hear me out—" Lin Jing began, determined to reason with logic and emotion alike.
But the very next moment, a familiar voice rang out, making his expression turn subtle.
"Elder Black Bear."
The Primordial Yang Physique man from before had somehow already walked out of the collapsed cell. As he brushed dust off his body, he cupped his fists respectfully toward the black bear demon.
"He's still just a mortal. Please don't frighten him. What if he dies prematurely?"
"Roar?" The black bear wiped the drool from its mouth, eyes rolling as it looked at him. "You've rendered great merit this time."
"All the demonic cultivators at this Yin Corpse Sect outpost have already been dealt with by me…"
"The aftermath will be handled by the Demon-Extermination Division. As for this fellow…" The black bear licked its lips and glanced at Lin Jing.
"I know," the Primordial Yang Physique man burst into laughter.
As he spoke, he turned and looked at Lin Jing warmly.
At this moment, Lin Jing had nothing left but silence.
This is…?
The man smiled at Lin Jing and said, "Brother, I know you have many doubts. Let me explain."
"I am Ouyang Hao, an inner disciple of the Beast-Taming Sect. To cooperate with a sect mission, I deliberately disguised myself as prey and infiltrated this Yin Corpse Sect outpost to provide intelligence."
"It was meant to be a long-term operation to draw out bigger fish, but I couldn't bear to see you die at a demon beast's mouth, so I contacted the sect early to close the net."
"Now that this branch outpost of the Yin Corpse Sect has been destroyed, you no longer need to worry about your safety."
Lin Jing lifted his head.
He looked at Ouyang Hao.
Then he looked at the black bear demon beside him, who had somehow produced a Daoist robe and draped it over its body.
On the back of the robe were characters that looked very much like the words "Beast-Taming Sect."
An undercover agent?
"Of course," Ouyang Hao continued, "our meeting was fated. You must have mistakenly entered the Yin Corpse Sect while seeking immortality. If that's the case, would you be interested in returning with me to the Beast-Taming Sect and becoming a disciple—cultivating through beast taming?"
"The Beast-Taming Sect?" Lin Jing knew it.
His life really wasn't meant to end here.
"Yes, the Beast-Taming Sect," Ouyang Hao said solemnly, as if sensing Lin Jing's caution. "Rest assured, we're a proper sect—an officially recognized righteous cultivation sect of the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom."
Lin Jing nodded, though he couldn't help thinking that the black bear's drool earlier didn't look very fake.
And the Beast-Taming Sect…
Just from the name, it sounded like they kept a lot of demon beasts.
Since his Longevity Physique was a supreme tonic for demon beasts—
Could life really be peaceful if he joined such a sect?
Lin Jing had doubts.
At that moment, the black bear elder turned its head and spoke, "Kid, do you still want to cultivate? If you do, joining the Beast-Taming Sect is your best choice."
"Though the Longevity Physique grants long lifespan, your cultivation speed is extremely slow, with no innate divine abilities and very ordinary combat power. If you cultivate normally, even with abundant resources, it would still take you a long time to reach Foundation Establishment."
"This physique is gradually disappearing. Aside from being hunted by demonkind, another major reason is how difficult cultivation is."
"So even if a Longevity Physique is discovered, most sects can't afford to raise one—the cultivation requirements are far too harsh."
"But the Beast-Taming Sect is different. Our path focuses on contracting spirit beasts and demon beasts. Cultivators primarily fight using their bonded beasts, and during the process of nurturing them, part of the beasts' cultivation gains are fed back to the cultivator."
"Therefore, for those whose talent or physique makes conventional cultivation too slow, the beast-taming path is the optimal choice."
"Compared to spell cultivators, sword cultivators, or body cultivators, the Beast Path suits a Longevity Physique far better."
"What do you think?" The Black Bear Elder stared at Lin Jing, laying out the pros and cons clearly.
"So that's how it is." Lin Jing understood.
No wonder the furnace brother abandoned his mission to call in the bear to save him.
Hearing it this way, the Longevity Physique and the Beast-Taming Sect's cultivation method really were a good match.
With an extended lifespan… quietly nurturing one beast after another, hiding behind the scenes while steadily growing stronger—it didn't sound bad at all.
"Seniors… I'm willing to join the Beast-Taming Sect," Lin Jing said immediately.
Whether the Beast-Taming Sect was truly reliable could wait. Right now, he had no other options.
He couldn't exactly go back to being a mortal.
After being trafficked to the Yin Corpse Sect, Lin Jing no longer wanted to wander the outside world.
Human hearts were dangerous.
Beast hearts were dangerous.
A Longevity Physique was walking Tang Monk flesh—far too risky.
Besides… his life had been saved by them.
A drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring—let alone a life-saving恩.
He would enter the sect and seek a chance to repay it.
"Good, good, good." Ouyang Hao smiled again upon hearing Lin Jing's answer. "In that case, you can call me Senior Brother Ouyang from now on. Let's return to the sect."
Finding a special-physique seedling for the sect was far more valuable than the reward from this mission.
Ouyang Hao looked at Lin Jing as though he were gleaming spirit stones—extremely pleasing to the eye.
"Alright, Senior Brother Ouyang… oh, right!" Lin Jing suddenly remembered something. "What about the Daoist temple that tricked me into coming here?"
Thinking of that old Daoist riding an ox, Lin Jing felt a surge of resentment.
The grudge of human trafficking was unforgivable. If not for encountering righteous undercover agents, he would've been finished.
He would remember this debt. And the Yin Corpse Sect as well.
Kindness must be remembered. So must hatred.
Once he became a great cultivator, he would wipe out this trafficking organization.
"You don't need to worry about that. The Demon-Extermination Division will handle it," the black bear said, scanning the surroundings. "This place isn't suitable to stay long. We don't know whether this outpost has already passed information about your Longevity Physique to higher-ranking Yin Corpse Sect cultivators. For safety's sake, we should return to the sect first."
"My master—Elder Mo Wuya of the Beast-Taming Sect—is already waiting for you. He's responsible for discovering special disciples. Ouyang Hao was found and recruited by him."
"You're both geniuses with special physiques. Once you enter the sect, your treatment will be better than that of ordinary disciples."
Lin Jing nodded. Still, bearing the Longevity Physique, he had a feeling that once he stepped into the cultivation world, danger would never be scarce.
Based on his role… should he raise a monkey to protect himself?