Chapter 36: The Illusionary Path
Creating an illusion-based technique was no small feat, but Lin Jing believed it was possible.
Although still in the Qi Refinement Stage and unfamiliar with illusionary arts, using the Purple Dragonbone Flower as a foundation for innovation wasn’t entirely baseless.
With the added insight from the Golden Bodhi Tree, Lin Jing felt it was worth a shot.
If he succeeded, it would elevate his cultivation. Simply using the tree to refine existing techniques felt like a waste of its immense potential.
After centering himself, he consumed the Purple Dragonbone Flower.
One second… two seconds… three seconds…
Suddenly, the golden glow of the Bodhi Tree enveloped him, and an overwhelming aura began to rise from his body.
Lin Jing focused intently, immersing himself in his inner transformation.
He watched as the nutrients from the Purple Dragonbone Flower fused with his Beast Taming Qi, transforming it into a new, purple-hued spiritual energy.
"Not enough. I need to see more!"
His consciousness delved deeper, revealing the essence of his Beast Taming Qi.
What seemed like an already insubstantial energy was now breaking down into even smaller particles before his eyes. The nutrients from the dragonbone flower disassembled the invisible Qi into these micro-units, then restructured them into a vastly more complex form—a purple Qi.
Lin Jing’s mind raced as he tried to memorize the intricate structure of this newly formed purple energy.
But the purple Qi was volatile, attempting to escape his control as it coursed through his body. It wasn’t entirely his power yet.
"This energy isn’t inherently stronger than my own Qi. Its true power lies in its complex structure, which enhances its deceptive capabilities in the outside world."
Illusions thrive on deception.
This purple Qi was the perfect foundation for an illusion-based art.
Lin Jing understood what needed to be done.
Externally, the purple energy began to leak from Lin Jing’s body. Like before, it manifested as the skeletal form of a fearsome dragon, a transformation seemingly etched into the dragonbone flower’s lineage.
Perhaps the flower’s ancestors—flower spirits—once mingled with dragonkind.
"So, if I can disassemble my Qi and restructure it into this form, I could simulate the effects of consuming the dragonbone flower," Lin Jing theorized.
Once formed, the purple Qi could be shaped into various intimidating forms—whether the current skeletal dragon or others like the Four Seas Dragon Kings, Monkey King, or even Buddha.
These illusions would not only be incredibly lifelike but also project a level of menace far beyond his current cultivation.
"But how do I break down my Qi and reassemble it at will?"
At his current level, Lin Jing lacked the finesse to deconstruct his own Qi.
Fortunately, the Golden Bodhi Tree provided unparalleled support. Through sheer will and practice, Lin Jing’s consciousness visualized his Qi as a malleable force, allowing him to manipulate it with extraordinary precision.
"Without this tree, such precise control would be impossible."
With limited time, Lin Jing decided to drill relentlessly, repeating the process of disassembling and reassembling his Qi thousands—millions—of times. His goal was to engrain the method into muscle memory, much like an instinctive action.
As Lin Jing immersed himself in this process, the external world stirred in shock.
The sight of Lin Jing transforming into a massive skeletal dragon exuding terrifying demonic energy left the surrounding Beast Taming Sect disciples in awe.
"What technique is this?" muttered a Demon-Hunting Hall disciple, his contracted black panther visibly trembling.
"I’ve never seen anything like it in the Outer or Inner Sects," said He Yiming, temporarily setting aside past grievances to watch over Lin Jing.
"This purple dragon’s presence is leagues beyond that of the Myriad Beast Body, and Lin Jing isn’t even targeting anyone specifically," observed Senior Brother Ziran, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Could he be a demon?" Qin Caixin speculated, recalling Lin Jing’s peculiarities.
It wasn’t impossible. To the disciples, the notion of Lin Jing being a hidden dragon or demon in disguise seemed oddly plausible.
"But weren’t demons wiped out? Dragons, the apex of the demon clans... Could he truly be one?"
Even Lin Jing’s fellow sect members were at a loss. Meanwhile, Xu Zhizhi, busy penning a report on his heroic deeds, froze at the sight of the dragon’s flame-like eyes.
"What... is this? A secret art? A special constitution?" Xu muttered, shaken by the overwhelming sense of doom the dragon exuded.
Both the Silent Swordsman and the Violet Flame Alchemist, deeply focused on their own practices, couldn’t help but notice the transformation. They too were stunned.
This wasn’t something they had encountered in their earlier skirmishes with Lin Jing.
"If he had used this form in battle, thirty of us—or even three hundred—would have stood no chance," they concluded.
Had Lin Jing been holding back this whole time? Was this his trump card?
The Beast Taming Sect had long been dismissed as a third-rate sect, its disciples perceived as overly reliant on their spirit beasts. Yet, Lin Jing challenged that stereotype. His Pine Leaf Mouse was already impressive, but now Lin Jing himself seemed unfathomable.
Who was this enigmatic Beast Tamer?