Museum of Deadly Beasts Chapter 786 - Peace

Lin Jin, like everyone else, was taken by surprise by the battle's conclusion. His initial thought was that disrupting the synchronized fusion of the saint and Yan Shenjun's physical forms would merely strip Yan Shenjun of his saintly abilities, leaving him as a weakened profound immortal susceptible to Xiao Huo.

However, the moment this balance fractured, Yan Shenjun was violently consumed by the backlash from the saint's body, meeting a grim end.

This, Lin Jin surmised, was the dire consequence of tampering with the saint's immense power.

Fangs erupted from the serpentine form, devouring Yan Shenjun, yet seemingly still unsatisfied, the creature now turned its attention towards Lin Jin.

Lin Jin stood frozen, preparing to make a hasty retreat.

The creature's intentions remained a mystery. What if its hunger was not yet sated?

Lin Jin's apprehension was not unfounded. Observing Yan Shenjun's prior state, it seemed the serpent had attempted to consume him before, but an unexpected event intervened. It was possible Yan Shenjun had stumbled upon a fragment of the Heaven's Foundation Stone, using it to establish a precarious balance that allowed him to control the saint's body.

Otherwise, Yan Shenjun would have perished much earlier.

Lin Jin's speculation, while not entirely accurate, bordered on the truth. This revelation, however, introduced a new predicament: if a Heaven's Foundation Stone fragment could unlock control over the saint's body, then theoretically, anyone, including Lin Jin himself, could achieve the same.

Similar to Yan Shenjun, they could potentially harness the fragment to command the saint's form.

The prospect was undeniably alluring.

Lin Jin had personally witnessed Yan Shenjun's terrifying might and possessed the Museum of Deadly Beasts, granting him knowledge and capabilities far surpassing Yan Shenjun's. He could preemptively neutralize any emergent threats.

If he could also wield the saint's body, the immortal-devouring beast would cease to be a concern.

To be frank, the temptation gnawed at Lin Jin. Yet, he quickly regained his composure, reflecting on Yan Shenjun's brutal demise. He had seen firsthand the horrific end that befell Yan Shenjun. Even if Lin Jin could mitigate most dangers and maintain control over the saint's body, what guarantee existed against unforeseen eventualities down the line?

During his previous appraisal of the saint's body, Lin Jin had determined that while the Heaven's Foundation Stone fragment could suppress the entity, its control was not absolute.

Even with a minuscule failure rate, the outcome remained the same: annihilation.

After all, playing with fire invariably leads to getting burned!

After careful deliberation, Lin Jin rejected the idea. If even the museum's guidance couldn't ensure complete mastery, venturing down that path was foolhardy.

Furthermore, the prospect of merging with the saint's body was profoundly repulsive. The sight of the deformed serpent alone extinguished any lingering desire. It was akin to being forced to consume something utterly detestable, a vile dish teeming with filth and vermin. Who would willingly partake?

Certainly not anyone with sense.

Therefore, as long as the saint's body remained dormant and posed no threat, Lin Jin desired no part of it. Should it persist in its aggression, Lin Jin vowed to fight with all his might rather than succumb passively.

Flesh began to coalesce over the saint's colossal maw, sharp teeth retracting as the form twisted and reshaped itself into a humanoid figure.

The entity was a grotesque amalgamation of man and serpent, possessing a robust upper torso, three eyes, and four ears. An overwhelming, potent aura emanated from it.

"It is the saint himself," Tianzun declared.

By this point, the heaven-weaving spider had repositioned itself, standing sentinel beside the transformed creature.

Viewed solely from the waist up, the saint presented a visage of solemnity, exuding an imposing aura that inspired reverence. However, its lower serpentine half remained hideously malformed, resembling something demonic.

The harmonious convergence of righteousness and depravity within a single entity was baffling.

Lin Jin felt an intuition that this represented nature's principle of Yin and Yang, the embodiment of good and evil in unison.

Yet, the three eyes adorning the saint's upper body remained shut, as if in slumber. A peculiar observation followed: as the saint's upper half manifested, the serpent's oppressive aura seemed to diminish significantly, indicating a restored equilibrium.

Lin Jin pondered, 'This appears to be a manifestation of opposing forces in balance. The saint's upper body signifies righteousness, while its lower half embodies malevolence. Their coexistence adheres to the laws of heaven, and because it respects these laws, a state of equilibrium is achieved.'

In Yan Shenjun's case, his entire being was steeped in wickedness. By integrating the saint's nefarious lower half, even with the Heaven's Foundation Stone fragment maintaining a semblance of order, the collapse of this precarious balance was inevitable.

Lin Jin finally grasped the true situation. This meant that even if he hadn't vanquished Yan Shenjun, the latter's lifespan was drawing to a close regardless.

Just then, the saint made his move.

With his three eyes still shut, the saint offered a salute to Lin Jin before retreating. A spiderweb materialized behind him, and though Lin Jin couldn't identify the specific magic, the saint and the Heaven Weaving Spider vanished upon passing through it.

They were gone!

Nobody understood how they had arrived or why they departed. No one attempted to halt them, nor did anyone dare to voice their questions. However, the image of the saint saluting Lin Jin before leaving was etched in everyone's memory.

When Lin Jin approached, Tianzun inquired softly, "Mr. Lin, are you acquainted with the Heaven Weaving Saint?"

Lin Jin responded with a shake of his head.

Tianzun offered a smile filled with implied meaning, evidently unconvinced by Lin Jin's response.

While Tianzun could afford to ask, the others could not. Their gazes were fixed on Lin Jin with immense reverence, all because the Heaven Weaving Saint had acknowledged him.

To the assembled immortals, the saint was virtually a deity. Even Tianzun, the very progenitor of immortal cultivation, seemed like a mere child and an insignificant figure when juxtaposed with the Heaven Weaving Saint.

Lin Jin, finding no easy way to articulate the truth, chose simply not to explain.

Patriarch Xue Pao had been apprehended.

Miao Yan Zhenren and Xuan Yue Zhenren had not genuinely shown him leniency; rather, it was Patriarch Xue Pao's unique abilities that proved insurmountable. He had achieved a state of indestructibility, causing him to survive every assault from the profound immortals, be it slashes, flames, or lightning. Consequently, they were left with no alternative but to capture him.

Patriarch Xue Pao bore little resemblance to his former human form. Three Soul Anchoring Needles were embedded in him, he was securely bound by the Immortal Decaying Rope, and a Five Mountain God talisman was affixed to his person.

The talisman induced a sensation of being crushed by multiple mountains, rendering Patriarch Xue Pao barely able to draw breath, let alone contemplate escape. This torment was far more excruciating than death itself.

Lin Jin harbored questions for Patriarch Xue Pao, making his continued survival a fortunate circumstance. Nonetheless, with Lin Jin's present strength and abilities, even if Patriarch Xue Pao were at the peak of his power, he would have been no match.

In any case, Patriarch Xue Pao's fate was sealed the moment he fell into Lin Jin's grasp.

Lin Jin had expended a considerable amount of energy during his confrontation with Yan Shenjun. His intention was to recuperate within this extraterritorial domain, and both the Mystery Dao Sect and the Immortal Cloud Sect required reorganization of their establishments.

In addition to recovering his strength, Lin Jin engaged in conversation and games of chess with Tianzun. At other times, he dedicated himself to interrogating Patriarch Xue Pao.

He managed to ascertain the fundamental details of Yan Shenjun's successful fusion with the saint's body, which closely aligned with his prior suspicions.

Lin Jin's days settled into a comfortable rhythm as his most formidable adversaries were now neutralized. Yan Shenjun, Patriarch Xue Pao, and the leader of the Beast Deity Cult – these powerful figures were either deceased or incarcerated. With no imminent threats looming over Lin Jin, his existence returned to the serene state it had originally held.