Beast Tamer Ascension
Book 5: Chapter 50: Zhou Banxian

Vol 5 Chapter 50: Zhou Banxian

The Cultivation Alliance had three main alliance leaders and eight deputy alliance leaders, making eleven individuals who could be considered the most powerful cultivators within the alliance. Each of them was an absolute leader in their respective cultivation world, worthy of being called a hegemon of their realm.

Among them, Li Tianyi was one of the three main alliance leaders and a disciple of the Fishing Elder. It was said that Li Tianyi was a genius the Fishing Elder had "caught" from a minor realm while fishing in the Void Sea, later sending him to the Pangu Continent for training.

For the Cultivation Alliance, the three main alliance leaders rarely involved themselves in matters of the Origin Realm. Most affairs concerning the Origin Realm were handled by one of the deputy alliance leaders - Zhou Banxian.

Zhou Banxian was currently the only known cultivator from the lower realms capable of independently generating immortal energy. His power was incomparably strong, lacking only the lifespan of a True Immortal while possessing combat strength nearly equal to an actual immortal, earning him the title "Half-Immortal."

"Li Tianyi!"

"Senior Zhou..." A massive phantom descended outside Li Tianyi's grotto-heaven, and Li Tianyi immediately went to greet it. He had anticipated that Zhou Banxian would personally come to inquire about the recent events in the Origin Realm.

"I ask you - what exactly is the deal with this fellow called Lin Jing?"

Li Tianyi smiled wryly. "Reporting to Senior..." He quickly recounted Lin Jing's background and experiences in detail to Zhou Banxian before adding, "I never expected Junior Brother Lin would be capable of subduing so many spirit creatures. His mobilization of Xianlin City's resources to revive the alliance's prodigies... was likely well-intentioned."

"Well-intentioned my ass!" Zhou Banxian roared. "This is clearly just an excuse to embezzle resources! The immortal sources in the city treasury could have trained a hundred stronger prodigies, yet he used them all to revive some worthless trash. Is he insane or are you?"

"These are my resources! Meant for cultivating more valuable prodigies, not to be wasted on random nobodies!"

Li Tianyi sighed. Everyone had their own values, and Senior Zhou wasn't entirely wrong.

"What use is reviving these failures who couldn't even protect their own lives in battles against peers?" Zhou Banxian snorted coldly. "Those without the strength to seize immortal sources deserve to die."

Sending prodigies to the Origin Realm was precisely so they could compete for large amounts of immortal sources, especially the premium-grade immortal sources that appeared every thousand years - resources Zhou Banxian demanded must be obtained. Normally, when alliance prodigies acquired premium-grade immortal sources, Zhou Banxian wouldn't allow them to use it personally but required them to hand it over in exchange for equivalent resources.

"Senior Zhou, even if Junior Brother Lin truly intended to embezzle, he would surely use it to strengthen himself. Many alliance prodigies have witnessed his capabilities - resisting Sheng Kun, repelling the Sea Spirit Beast. With such enhancement from immortal sources, he could better defend Xianlin City, easing your concerns about the city falling."

"Moreover, the Tianyuan Realm and Junior Brother Lin intend to join the Cultivation Alliance. They could then better assist you in competing for immortal sources."

Zhou Banxian continued sneering. "If only they'd be so obedient. Tell me - do you know the coordinates of Tianyuan Continent?"

Li Tianyi shook his head. "Even Tianyuan Realm cultivators don't know their own world's coordinates. However, I've informed them of several methods to contact the Pangu Continent from beyond their realm."

Lin Jing's sneer grew more pronounced. "So you're saying even if this cultivator decides to ignore the Cultivation Alliance, monopolize Origin Realm resources, and refuse to hand over immortal sources, the alliance would be powerless to stop him?"

"First, we can't locate his Tianyuan Realm. Second, currently the Cultivation Alliance has no one who can defeat him in the Origin Realm!"

"Junior Brother Lin... surely wouldn't do that?" Li Tianyi said.

"Wouldn't?!" Zhou Banxian scoffed. "Are you an idiot? Go fishing with your master already - you're useless as a young alliance master. Someone capable of subduing numerous Origin Realm spirit creatures must have ambition!"

"Do you know how he recruited Lady Nethersoil?"

Li Tianyi pursed his lips. "I beg for Senior's guidance."

"By making promises to those spirit creatures!" Zhou Banxian declared. "That fellow cultivates the Immortal Palace's Beast Taming Art which allows bonded beasts to be treated as one with himself. From another perspective, he might be able to contract Origin Realm spirit creatures and take them out!"

"For those spirit creatures, only such an offer would be tempting enough to make them follow him!"

"After his persuasion, if half the Origin Realm's spirit creatures defect to him, what place would remain for the Cultivation Alliance or the Heavenly Demon Sect? The Origin Realm's benefits are enormous, and the alliance couldn't threaten him. Do you really think he'd obediently follow the alliance's orders?"

Li Tianyi's expression turned grave. He hadn't considered these possibilities, but Zhou Banxian's words made him realize Lin Jing indeed had the capability to break away from the Cultivation Alliance. With these spirit creatures' support, he could monopolize Origin Realm resources and establish his own power.

A cultivation world joining the alliance sought more resources and assistance to resist the Heavenly Demon Sect. But if monopolizing the Origin Realm offered greater benefits than alliance membership, would Lin Jing and his world still want to join?

"I hadn't paid attention to the 《Beast Taming Art》 before... I recall the Guanming Realm also has this technique. Immediately retrieve this technique and have a group of prodigies practice it before sending them to the Origin Realm. We cannot let Lin Jing exclusively cooperate with Origin Realm spirit creatures!"

"Additionally, I'll send people to the Origin Realm to reclaim the city lord position from Lin Jing. This will reveal the extent of his ambitions."

Having said this, Zhou Banxian departed. Although this situation had somewhat exceeded control, he wasn't overly worried. Over the years, many uncontrollable incidents had occurred in the Origin Realm, all eventually resolved as he wished. He only hoped this beast-taming cultivator Lin Jing would know his place.

"Who among you is willing to serve as Xianlin City's lord in the Origin Realm and confront this Lin Jing?" Zhou Banxian transmitted his voice to numerous disciples.

"Disciple is willing to ease Master's burdens!" came a reply shortly after.

"They're coming."

Several days later, while Lin Jing was rapidly consuming immortal sources, he received reports that a cultivator claiming to be Zhou Banxian's disciple had entered the Origin Realm with Zhou Banxian's decree, seeking to meet the new city lord Lin Jing.

"I know of this Zhou Banxian - he's the strong cultivator responsible for Origin Realm affairs in the Cultivation Alliance. I've heard of him from others."

"His disciple... this doesn't bode well. My city lord seat hasn't even warmed up before being snatched away." Lin Jing spoke calmly.

Beside him, the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse, Dragon Carp, and Ice Soul Gu who were absorbing immortal energy all turned to look at Lin Jing.

As if we were the ones with ill intentions.