Sky City, Qingxiao City.
In Lin Xiao's mind, the same cultivation method appeared at once. His expression quickly twisted into something close to horror. As one of the outer-realm demon race, he was not a native of this world. Because of that, the racial barrier set by Heavenly Dao had no effect on him. Demon race techniques or human race techniques, he could cultivate either without restriction.
But Lin Xiao had never cared for this world's cultivation methods. He cultivated almost entirely in the outer-realm demon race's arts, only practicing a few techniques from Qingxiao Pavilion to keep his identity hidden.
At this moment, he could clearly see just how terrifying Yun Jin's modification truly was.
Judging by human cultivation standards, this demon race body-refinement method had originally been no more than a low Mystic rank technique.
But Yun Jin's improvement raised its grade directly to high Mystic rank, and even added profound subtleties on top of it. If cultivated to its highest stage, a cultivator could withstand the attacks of a Tribulation stage expert with nothing but their physical body.
This meant that beyond cultivating the spirit and the Primordial Soul, she had opened an entirely new road for all cultivators. Some cultivators might have ordinary spiritual roots and little potential in qi refinement. Others might have weak souls and no future in soul refinement.
Originally, these people would be doomed to mediocrity. But now, a new path of body cultivation stood before them. Even if this method had limits and could not reach the highest extremes, it was only one technique.
The Demon-Slaying Alliance had seized more than a few demon body-refinement manuals over the years. And this was just one Mystic rank text. If Yun Jin could refine an Earth rank body technique, or worse… a Heaven rank one?
By then, the human race's body cultivators might end up resembling the blood-flesh demon race even more than the demons themselves.
Lin Xiao's face darkened uncontrollably.
Yun Jin smiled brightly at him. "Pavilion Master Lin, I really ought to thank you for bringing out this demon race manual today. Without it, I never would have realized I had such talent. Surely, you saw from the very start that I could glean the body-refinement Dao for humanity from within a demon text, which is why you generously presented a blood-flesh demon race manual?"
Her eyes curved, her tone dripping with mock sincerity. "Such careful thought and sacrifice. Truly moving."
She even rubbed her eyes, feigning tears.
Everyone's gazes shifted toward Lin Xiao.
No matter how much he tried to control his expression, his face looked stiff, his movements wooden. Lin Xiao barely knew what nonsense left his lips. He muttered some half-hearted excuses, then quickly dismissed the crowd.
Yun Jin only kept smiling as she watched his retreating back.
Lin Xiao always tried to act calm and unruffled, as if everything were in his grasp. But this time, he could not maintain the facade. And this… was only the beginning.
Right now, Lin Xiao had no idea just how great a storm Yun Jin's revision would unleash across the world.
"Sect Master Yun," Hua Ran spoke with a complicated expression.
Before Yun Jin appeared, she had never imagined such talent could exist. After Yun Jin appeared, she could not imagine anyone else ever having it again. In all the heavens and earth, across the ages past and even into the boundless future, perhaps there would only ever be one Yun Jin.
Yun Jin chuckled. "Today's little affair is nothing worth brooding over. If any of you have manuals you'd like me to refine, feel free to bring them anytime. As for these techniques I've already improved, you may take them back with you."
Everyone hurried to retrieve their jade slips, each containing the altered manuals.
Almost at once, they scanned the contents. Even a rough glance was enough to make their hearts tremble with awe. So quickly, she had produced methods of such depth and brilliance.
Who exactly was this Yun Jin?
Even if she were a genius, wasn't this genius far too excessive?
Hua Ran could not help murmuring, "Could it be that Yun Jin is truly a god reborn?"
That phrase had first spread from the disciples of Wushuang Sect. Those disciples were notorious loudmouths, their favorite pastime boasting endlessly. To hear them tell it, Wushuang Sect was the greatest under heaven, all other sects mere trash. Even within their own sect, they were combative, never admitting inferiority. At worst, they'd wave it off with the saying "thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river."
But when they spoke of Yun Jin, their tune changed entirely. In their eyes, Yun Jin was omnipotent. Lin Xiao? Ji Wusi? None of them could even be mentioned in the same breath as their Sect Master.
When others pressed them to explain, to ask if Yun Jin was a great powerhouse reborn…
The Wushuang Sect disciples only scoffed, declaring without hesitation that their Sect Master was no mere reborn cultivator. She was the reincarnation of a god, and not of this world at all.
At the time, most people laughed it off. God reborn? Too ridiculous.
Above this realm was the Immortal Realm. Above that, the unfathomable Divine Realm.
Mortals had heard tales of immortals, even glimpsed relics from that realm. One corpse of a fallen immortal descending to the mortal world had created the Four Holy Lands. If even a corpse could do that, what kind of power must a living immortal wield?
As for the so-called gods above immortals? No one had ever seen such a being.
So when Wushuang Sect disciples claimed Yun Jin was a god reborn, most dismissed it as their usual bragging.
But now, looking at Yun Jin's miracles, many began to hesitate.
Immortals were powerful, yes, but cultivators could at least imagine that power, aspire to ascend into that realm.
But Yun Jin?
Her terrifying cultivation speed.
Two great Laws comprehended in mere months.
Secret techniques refined in the blink of an eye.
Even in the Immortal Realm, could such a figure exist?
Could Yun Jin truly be the reincarnation of a god?
For the first time, many began to wonder.
They had thought Wushuang Sect had no future. Yun Jin had offended Lin Xiao; surely neither she nor her sect could survive.
But think carefully. How many times had Yun Jin and Lin Xiao clashed already?
And each time, who was the one left suffering?
Never Yun Jin.
Most terrifying of all…
Did they not all witness it today?
The impartial Heavenly Dao itself seemed to favor Yun Jin.
When she made a request, Heaven obeyed. If she truly was a god reborn, then it all made sense. Only a divine being could make the Dao of an entire world tread so carefully.
Even Lin Xiao's most loyal lackeys, like Liu Hua, dared not open their mouths in her presence now. And those whose grudges with Yun Jin were shallow began rethinking. Should they really keep obeying Lin Xiao's orders to target Yun Jin? That was someone even Heavenly Dao showed deference to.
One by one, the crowd left, each lost in their own storm of thoughts.
Yun Jin, for her part, paid them no mind.
All of it only worked in her favor.
As for Heavenly Dao subtly aiding her, she found that only natural.
In her past life, when humanity and the demon race fought, Heaven had remained impartial, never interfering.
And in the end, the outer-realm demon race destroyed the entire world.
But now the world had been reset.
Heavenly Dao was already aware of the outer-realm demon race, already knew they had infiltrated the demon race of this world. To Heavenly Dao, the demon race was no longer truly of this world at all. And so, when the rules allowed, it did not hesitate to lend its strength to humanity—to Yun Jin.
This time, she had seized on the opportunity of the bet to give Heavenly Dao a chance to act. But it was a one-time trick.
Lin Xiao would never again accept such a gamble under Heavenly Dao's oath.
Inside his quarters, Lin Xiao sat with a tense face. He had already reported Yun Jin's refinement of a body cultivation method for humanity to the shard of the Devourer Demon God.
Now he waited for orders.
Before they could arrive, his face suddenly shifted.
The other three Holy Lands had jointly summoned a Holy Land Council.