Museum of Deadly Beasts

With this in mind, Lin Jin was dumbstruck.

‘Isn’t this too much of a coincidence?’ Lin Jin thought. Now that the immortal emperor’s hand spell had been pierced through, the spell was considered broken and Lin Jin could move again. He summoned Xiao Huo back at once and let the blood ghost form a blood barrier above them.

He felt a little safer by doing this.

By now, the shadow had begun dueling the immortal emperor in the sky. The shadow was wielding an ice sword, and god knows where she got it from. In Lin Jin’s opinion, the water must have come from the Four Ocean Gourd and it had condensed with ice energy.

The painted immortal emperor may be ferocious, but the shadow was fiercer.

Lin Jin then realized something else. Since this shadow could move on her own, why did she have to stay hidden all this while?

He watched the daunting battle happening above. The strength of their spells could easily destroy the immortal pavilions up there so this wasn’t a battle Lin Jin could get involved in.

Despite the many questions, this mysterious yet powerful shadow was obviously helping Lin Jin, something he could tell since she destroyed the immortal emperor’s hand spell.

Her motives aside, it was a fact that she just saved their lives.

At first, Lin Jin worried for the shadow, but seeing how she had the upper hand after borrowing the Four Ocean Gourd’s strength, he simply relaxed.

Meanwhile, Shu Xiaolou seemed to be able to merge with the painting realm soon.

Compared to the shadow whom he knew nothing about, Shu Xiaolou was definitely more trustworthy. So Lin Jin was hoping that she could speed up and take control of the Unending Nature Landscape. Because that would be most reassuring.

By then, even if they couldn’t win, they could escape. Being able to control the Unending Nature Landscape, Shu Xiaolou could just seal off this layer and then bring them back to the first layer. She could even bring them out safely.

And this was the advantage of controlling the Unending Nature Landscape.

The battle above them grew increasingly fierce, the clouds a hundred thousand miles away even blasted through. Some were even drenched with water and then frozen up, turning them into a land of ice.

Although Lin Jin only caught glimpses of the battle’s effects, he was more than awed.

“Now those are people I don’t want to offend,” he muttered to himself. All he could do now was wait. Also, the shadow had taken his Four Ocean Gourd, so he definitely had to get it back afterward.

Time slipped away. Lin Jin couldn’t see the intense battle anymore but could still hear the dull rumbles coming from far above.

There would even be light shining from in between the clouds sometimes.

Suddenly, a loud rumble thundered from above. Then, everything fell silent.

The commotion had been so loud earlier so this sudden silence felt uncomfortable. Lin Jin was stunned as he could sense something was wrong.

The battle in the sky had clearly ended with an outcome decided.

Yet, Lin Jin had no idea who won.

“Shu Xiaolou, aren’t you done yet?” Lin Jin immediately turned to Shu Xiaolou. By now, only a little bit of her form remained, with ninety-nine percent of her body having merged with the painting realm’s core. She should be done very soon.

Then, Lin Jin sensed something behind him. He turned around to see the shadow holding a bleeding head, standing behind him.

It was quite a frightening scene to greet.

Lin Jin had no idea when the shadow got behind him, proving just how discreet the shadow was. To the extent that even Lin Jin’s pet beasts hadn’t noticed her either.

Also, the head she was holding wore an imperial crown. It obviously belonged to the immortal emperor that once stood on the highest layer of heaven.

‘Oh my god! She killed the immortal emperor?’

Although it wasn’t the real immortal emperor but a fake that possessed the actual being’s aura, it was still the invincible immortal emperor. Someone that Lin Jin couldn’t even take one hit from was killed by this shadow.

For a moment there, Lin Jin dared not move. Xiao Huo let out a low growl, clearly apprehensive of the shadow as well.

Of course, if the shadow actually wanted to do something to them, they couldn’t stop her at all. Lin Jin didn’t think such a scary being actually existed in this painting.

If she managed to get out, she might become the world’s strongest creature.

Even Miao Yan Zhenren and Xuan Yue Zhenren might lose to her.

However, Lin Jin then compared the shadow to the Rank 9 immortal devouring beast and felt relieved. The shadow may be strong, but she might be weaker than the immortal devouring beast.

Now, the shadow was only standing three feet away. Lin Jin could only see the outline of her face but not her actual features. The shadow looked down at the Four Ocean Gourd in her hand before handing it to Lin Jin, seemingly disheartened. Then, she hugged the immortal emperor’s head with both arms before walking away.

Lin Jin wanted to say something but swallow his words instead.

What should he say?

Staying quiet at a time like this was obviously the smarter move.

Perhaps he might miss out on many secrets and some of his doubts can never be cleared because of this, but holding his tongue ensured his safety.

The shadow was hugging the head as if it was her lover. From this, Lin Jin was sure the shadow was crazy. And the person who would try to communicate with something that wasn’t sane or human would be just as much of a lunatic.

Lin Jin liked to think he was sane so he’d rather not risk it.

As he watched the shadow’s back profile, Lin Jin figured that her flowing robes must have been extravagant. And the ribbons she wore did resemble that of the Immortal Palace’s empress’ outfit.

Lin Jin had seen the immortal emperor’s portrait on an immortal tomb before, so he naturally saw the immortal empress’ portrait as well. At this instant, Lin Jin actually found similarities between the two.

He wasn’t being random because only a lover would hold the immortal emperor’s head like it was a piece of treasure. And who was the immortal emperor’s beloved?

It must be the immortal empress.

Also, Lin Jin remembered something else. At the Immortal Empress Spirit Pond in the extraterritorial land, the Four Ocean Gourd had sucked the spirit pond dry. Back then, Lin Jin was almost pummeled by the crowd of immortals because of this so he remembered it rather vividly.

That spirit pond had been the immortal empress’ spirit pond.

With this, he found another connection with the immortal empress. In addition, the shadow was able to wield the Four Ocean Gourd with much proficiency.

And Lin Jin linked this back to the immortal empress yet again.

Of course, these were merely his speculations. All of a sudden, he felt vague cold energy emitting from the Four Ocean Gourd. He lifted the gourd to see it undergoing changes.

The mouth of the gourd was emitting dark blue ice energy. Lin Jin activated it slightly and an icicle that felt intensely frigid shot out.

The Four Ocean Gourd had been refined again.

Lin Jin figured it must have happened when the shadow was using it.

And this further enforced his previous speculation that the shadow was the immortal empress.