Museum of Deadly Beasts Chapter 789 - Heaven’s Foundation Stone

Discovering the silence outside, Lin Jin and Tianzun decided to investigate further after a brief pause.

The cave, a complete dead end with no alternate passages, offered no escape route other than the way they entered, owing to the unique geological properties of the immortal mountain. Spells designed for subterranean excavation proved ineffective here.

With meticulous care, Tianzun conjured a spirit bird at the cave's entrance. This magical construct was tasked with surveying the surroundings, ensuring their safety. Should any peril be detected, they would remain sheltered within the cave.

Tianzun's expression turned to one of astonishment as he utilized the bird to scout the exterior.

“Come, let’s venture out,” Tianzun urged, guiding Lin Jin from the cave. Once outside, Lin Jin immediately grasped the reason for Tianzun's shock.

The landscape was carpeted with the massive carcasses of toads. These formidable creatures, however, were not intact; their remains were strewn across a radius of one hundred miles, presenting a truly terrifying spectacle.

A shiver traced Lin Jin's spine at the sight.

The sheer number of dead beasts was not the primary concern; rather, it was the identity of the entity capable of dispatching such a multitude of giant toads in so short a span.

After all, these were not ordinary creatures but Rank 8 immortal beasts. On the mainland, even a single one could incite widespread panic, being considered an invincible being. Yet, within the confines of the immortal mountain, they had met their end with such alarming ease.

“It’s the immortal devouring beast,” Tianzun declared gravely.

His assertion was a deduction, as only the Rank 9 immortal devouring beast possessed the predatory prowess to annihilate Rank 8 creatures with such facility. No other entity could achieve such a feat.

Hadn't history recorded a similar event when the immortal devouring beast preyed upon immortals?

The ease with which it accomplished this slaughter had resulted in an overwhelming defeat for its targets.

Lin Jin soon discovered corroborating evidence for Tianzun’s hypothesis. Beside the remains of a rock toad, a scale, as large as a grinding plate, lay discarded.

This scale, exhibiting a spectrum of five colors and possessing a thickness of three fingers, was incredibly resilient. A swift appraisal by Lin Jin confirmed its origin: it belonged to the immortal devouring beast. The discovery implied that the beast had sustained injuries during its hunt of these rock toads.

Observing Lin Jin’s deep contemplation while examining the scale, Tianzun approached to get a closer look.

“What is it?” he inquired.

Lin Jin responded, “The immortal devouring beast is exhibiting some peculiar behavior.”

Tianzun appeared perplexed. Despite his immense power and insight, he could not ascertain the condition of the immortal devouring beast merely by inspecting its scale, a feat that Lin Jin could accomplish.

“How peculiar?” Tianzun pressed further.

After a moment of reflection, Lin Jin articulated, “It seems to be losing its restraint recently.”

Tianzun found this statement baffling. How could a creature lose control when it was inherently uncontainable? The concept of losing control seemed nonsensical. To clarify, Lin Jin offered an analogy: imagine an individual who meticulously adhered to rules, suddenly ceasing to do so.

Tianzun's comprehension dawned, and his expression faltered. His mind raced with the implications.

This development was highly irregular.

The immortal devouring beast's designated purpose was the elimination of immortals. A deviation from this directive would undoubtedly prove problematic. Instead of its continued pursuit of immortals, Tianzun harbored a growing fear that the beast might begin preying on the innocent.

Wasn't this precisely what had occurred with the rock toads?

The creatures inhabiting the immortal mountain were not immortals; so why had the immortal devouring beast targeted them for slaughter?

“Perhaps this phenomenon is connected to the omens of the world’s end,” Tianzun ventured as a theory.

Lin Jin gave a solemn nod.

This aligned closely with the results of his own appraisals. Moreover, his latest appraisal of the immortal devouring beast had yielded additional crucial information.

It pertained to the creature's genesis.

Previously, Lin Jin had theorized that the immortal devouring beast's formidable power stemmed from its transformation from a fragment of a Heaven's Foundation Stone. The most recent appraisal largely substantiated this hypothesis.

Indeed, the immortal devouring beast had originated from a fragment of a Heaven's Foundation Stone.

Consequently, it wasn't solely the immortal devouring beast exhibiting signs of losing control; the Heaven's Foundation Stone itself was also implicated. Coupled with Tianzun's divination concerning the impending end of the world, Lin Jin had become convinced that the Heaven's Foundation Stone was malfunctioning.

During their journey to this location, Lin Jin had learned from Tianzun that the world purportedly possessed an extraordinarily long lifespan. This cosmic cycle, encompassing the initial state of chaos, the emergence of life, and its eventual return to chaos, was considered a single epoch. Each such epoch could span tens of millions of years or more, and its progression was immutable.

However, their current cycle was not supposed to conclude anytime soon. Based on Tianzun's calculations, approximately half an epoch remained before the universe reverted to its primordial state of chaos, a period estimated to be around five million years. A premature end was highly improbable.

Therefore, the source of the problem must lie with the Heaven's Foundation Stone.

With steady steps, Lin Jin and Tianzun ascended the towering mountain, each stride measuring its immense height. Although reaching the Heaven’s Foundation Stone might ordinarily demand centuries, their journey, aided by potent spells, was dramatically shortened to a mere few days. Such was the advantage of not being ordinary mortals.

They navigated several perilous encounters, successfully overcoming each one. On one occasion, they narrowly evaded detection by a formidable immortal devouring beast. This colossal creature was in the midst of a ferocious battle with a herd of immortal beasts, a spectacle that profoundly reshaped Lin Jin’s understanding of this world.

As their ascent continued, the beasts inhabiting the higher reaches of the mountain grew increasingly terrifying, with many approaching the pinnacle of Rank 9 power.

Tianzun shared a crucial piece of information with Lin Jin: these extraordinary beasts had not always resided in this place. Their gradual congregation here, he explained, had only occurred within the last two millennia. Though Tianzun intended no specific lesson, this revelation sparked a groundbreaking idea within Lin Jin.

These powerful beasts, Lin Jin reasoned, could not have materialized spontaneously. They must have infiltrated the immortal mountain through various hidden passages within the Nine-Heaven Realm. However, Lin Jin had previously encountered these beasts outside the mountain's immediate vicinity, and while they possessed considerable strength, they were significantly weaker than their mountain-dwelling counterparts.

This disparity led Lin Jin to a compelling conclusion: the beasts must undergo a profound transformation after entering the immortal mountain.

Consider, for example, the rock toads. Lin Jin recalled appraising one earlier; it was identified as a common Rank 6 fairy toad, frequently found throughout the Nine-Heaven Realm.

Yet, this seemingly ordinary Rank 6 beast had somehow advanced to Rank 8.

Its combat prowess had escalated by several significant tiers. Since these creatures lacked direct guidance within the immortal mountain, their evolution was entirely self-driven. This strongly indicated that the immortal mountain itself was the primary catalyst for their accelerated development.

This realization prompted Lin Jin to re-examine the evolutionary path for Xiao Huo’s Rank 9 advancement. The museum had never provided a specific method, leaving Lin Jin to devise one. However, drawing upon his extensive experience in beast appraisal over the years, Lin Jin now felt a strong intuition that he had discovered a viable way to facilitate Xiao Huo’s evolution.

The key to this breakthrough, he believed, lay within this very immortal mountain.

Xiao Huo, Lin Jin surmised, could only achieve Rank 9 evolution on this sacred peak. This implied that no other location in the known world possessed the unique properties required, as only the immortal mountain was capable of producing Rank 9 beasts.

This entire theory was Lin Jin’s own deduction; no one had explicitly informed him of this fact.

While his hypothesis remained unverified, Lin Jin felt an eighty percent certainty in its validity. It was astonishing that a problem which had perplexed him for over a year was now showing promising signs of resolution.

Furthermore, this potential solution was not a gift from the museum but a discovery born from his own intellect and dedication.

During their upward trek, Lin Jin observed a diverse array of flora and fauna dotting the mountainside. It was evident that the resident beasts had organically established a complete ecosystem and intricate food chain.

For Xiao Huo to evolve successfully, Lin Jin understood, the beast needed to acclimatize to this unique environment and eventually ascend to the apex predator status within the immortal mountain's food chain.

Much like the formidable immortal devouring beast.

“Lin Jin, behold. That is the Heaven’s Foundation Stone,” Tianzun’s voice announced, pulling Lin Jin from his deep contemplation. Following Tianzun’s gaze, Lin Jin observed a colossal, rectangular black stone situated atop the immortal mountain’s pinnacle, appearing to seamlessly connect the heavens and the earth.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this imposing black monolith was the legendary Heaven’s Foundation Stone.