The man scrutinized Yun Jin from head to toe, his gaze deep and unreadable.
With a wave of his hand, the vast white space shifted in an instant. Flowing streams, a small bridge, pavilions, and rippling lakes appeared, transforming the void into a picturesque Jiangnan landscape.
Another casual wave, and a teapot with steaming cups appeared upon the pavilion's table.
"Sit." The man had already taken his place within the pavilion.
Yun Jin's eyes narrowed slightly.
This…
Creation from the void?
No, not quite.
If this truly were creation from the void, then this Spirit Beast King would not merely be a king of beasts, but the ruler of the entire world.
Suppressing her surprise, Yun Jin walked forward and sat opposite him.
The man regarded her with interest. "You clearly have many doubts. Why do you not ask?"
Yun Jin smiled lightly. "If Senior wishes to explain, naturally you will."
He arched a brow. "Why not make a guess?"
Yun Jin did not refuse. Calmly, she said, "True creation from the void is a power only immortals and deities possess. Senior may be mighty, but not to that level. This ability is not yours, but the ability of this temple."
A flicker of surprise crossed the man's eyes before he chuckled. "Sharp indeed. Correct, this temple is an immortal artifact. Within it, I may transform all things."
Yun Jin merely nodded, unsurprised—she had already suspected as much.
"The world knows of the four great Holy Lands, each holding an immortal artifact. Yet few realize that ten thousand years ago, our Spirit Beast Forest had already obtained one." Pride glimmered in the king's gaze. "I have seen those four immortal artifacts with my own eyes. Compared to this temple, they are not worth mentioning.
The strongest treasure in the mortal world is none other than this temple!"
Yun Jin responded casually, "Is that so."
The man narrowed his eyes. "What, you do not believe me?"
"I do." Yun Jin tilted her head slightly, curious. "Only… is this temple truly yours, Senior? To me, it feels as though it has yet to acknowledge a master."
The man showed no anger. He nodded. "Indeed. Though wondrous, when this temple descended into this realm, it lost its most vital treasure pearl. Palatial artifacts like this always have a control core. Only by refining that core can one fully command the temple. I have labored for ten thousand years, managing to control only a few minor functions. It cannot yet be called true ownership. For millennia, I have searched for the pearl, but without success."
Treasure pearl?
Yun Jin's expression shifted faintly.
The Spirit Beast King had said this temple descended ten thousand years ago. And that its treasure pearl was missing…
"Yun Mu," Yun Jin called within her mind, "didn't you once say that ten thousand years ago, a certain immortal artifact fell upon Luoyun Mountain? That it looked like an ordinary stone?"
Yun Mu nodded solemnly. "Master. That immortal artifact of Luoyun Mountain is very likely the treasure pearl of this temple."
Yun Jin's heart stirred.
The man's eyes fixed on her. "What are you thinking? Could it be you know where the pearl lies?"
Yun Jin only smiled. "This junior merely finds such secrets fascinating, nothing more."
She had no intention of revealing Luoyun Mountain. Lin Xiao had told her the Spirit Beast King possessed both a Xuan Yin Crystal and a Tian Zhao Stone. Perhaps this secret could be used as leverage to trade for them.
To Yun Jin, even an immortal artifact was not necessarily as important as restoring the Tai'a Sword.
The king, unconvinced she truly knew anything, smiled amiably. "Try the tea."
Yun Jin lifted the cup and took a sip. "Good tea."
The man toyed idly with his cup. "Others of your kind have visited this temple before. Each time, I treated them with courtesy, never slighting anyone. Yet my hospitality has always been mistaken for weakness."
His tone suddenly chilled. At once, the scenery shifted again. The pavilion dissolved into a vast roaring sea, and the two of them now sat atop a cresting tidal wave.
The waves surged like mountains, yet Yun Jin sat steady as stone, her figure unmoved.
The king stared at her intently. "Do you think I dare not kill you?"
He suddenly stretched out his hand. From Yun Jin's body, the bead Liu Li had once given her surfaced into view.
She had once worn it openly, but after realizing its peculiarity, she kept it hidden. To think he still sensed it.
The man caught it, a mocking smile curving his lips. "Humans and spirit beasts, coexisting in peace, never trespassing upon each other. That was the covenant signed ages ago. In all these long years, we spirit beasts have never broken it. But you humans…"
His gaze sharpened into knives. "Centuries ago, your kind began plotting. In every corner of the Spirit Beast Forest, secret tunnels have been uncovered. Beneath the ground, countless spirit beasts have been flayed and broken, their wails echoing through the darkness. Had those humans not slipped recently, I would still be kept in the dark! Yun Jin! With your race acting so, what do you have to say?"
The sea roared higher in his fury.
Yun Jin met his glare calmly. "I have heard that Senior provides certain passage beads, and those who carry them may enter the core region to obtain great fortune. The humans who caused trouble this time, were they not carrying such passage beads?"
The man's eyes narrowed. "The leader this time was Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn of the Beastmaster Sect. The others were Beastmaster Sect prodigies who held those beads. I treated Cheng Feng as a guest, inviting him to tea, yet the young humans he brought were inexplicably attacked by the cub of a Tongtian Hou.
I have since issued a grand summoning decree to all beasts. Here within this temple, before the eyes of ten thousand spirit beasts, I will personally execute these humans! For centuries, my kin have been hunted and tormented by humans. This blood debt must be paid! Afterward, I shall personally lead our armies to the Beastmaster Sect to demand justice!"
Murderous intent seethed in his every word.
Yun Jin's expression did not falter.
He studied her. "You remain so calm?"
Yun Jin answered evenly, "It is not calmness, Senior. Only that the recent events bear too many suspicious threads. Even I can see it. Surely you, with far greater wisdom, have long since sensed it. The Beastmaster Sect and the Spirit Beast Forest have been allies for ages. Their cooperation has always been deep, and the very foundation of the Beastmaster Sect lies in spirit beasts. The greatest Beastmasters form bonds of true kinship with their beasts, their hearts as one. If they truly slaughtered spirit beasts in secret, it would sever that bond.
They would never again walk far upon the Beastmaster's path. To risk that for a mere temporary gain in body refinement? The price is far too steep. I daresay the turmoil in the Spirit Beast Forest was deliberately orchestrated, meant to incite conflict between your kind and mine. You yourself saw the same truth. That is why you did not kill Cheng Feng Zhēnzūn immediately. That is why you are even willing to discuss so much with a mere junior like me. Am I right?"
The man regarded her in silence. Then he laughed.