Chapter 544: Burn It With Fire
The explosive energy simply sent Lin Jin flying. Lin Jin felt his vision spin. The painting’s world had begun to distort due to the immortal devouring beast’s appearance, filling the atmosphere with violent and chaotic energy, as if the universe itself was collapsing.
Lin Jin was cursing on the inside. Even in a painting, the Rank 9 immortal devouring beast was still so frightening. Lin Jin could barely withstand the chaotic energy it released.
Meanwhile, Daojun was engaged in a fierce battle with the immortal devouring beast. With a lift of his arm, Daojun had released three pet beasts, each boasting domineering auras.
Lin Jin didn’t actually appraise them but he estimated they were all at least Rank 7 and above.
Forget Lin Jin, even Patriarch Xue Pao shrunk back, trying not to breathe too loudly.
Right now, Lin Jin was in a similar position as Patriarch Xue Pao, but the latter had a nest he could return to. Lin Jin, on the other hand, did not. The clash of powerful energies threatened to rip him into shreds so out of desperation, Lin Jin released Xiao Huo.
With Xiao Huo to defend him, Lin Jin felt a little more secure.
Xiao Huo was letting his flames burn fiercely to fend off the chaotic energy. Lin Jin also decided to utilize the strength of his second pet beast. Blood seeped out of his body to form a bloody ball barrier, shielding him from the external forces.
Otherwise, Lin Jin couldn’t hold out much longer.
Just then, Lin Jin heard Shu Xiaolou’s voice.
“Lin Jin, burn that beast with fire!”
Lin Jin immediately turned to the source of this voice to see Shu Xiaolou being grabbed by one of the immortal devouring beast’s tinier arms. She was struggling incessantly.
Lin Jin didn’t have time to think too much. After invoking the Vulcan Edict, he removed the amulet and tossed it forward.
In an instant, a gigantic ball of flames carrying a mix of dragon, exotic, and phoenix fire, crashed forward like the burning sun, colliding against the Rank 9 immortal devouring beast.
While Lin Jin’s spell was amazing, it should still be insufficient to defeat a Rank 9 immortal devouring beast.
To his surprise, the immortal devouring beast simply ignited upon contact and flames engulfed it. Not only that but the entire world of painting was also set ablaze with flames burning everywhere.
“So that’s it!” Lin Jin now understood.
It didn’t matter how powerful this world was, it was still just a painting. It went without saying that fire was a painting’s worst nightmare.
Hence, Lin Jin’s Vulcan Edict worked wonders.
After comprehending this theory, Lin Jin knew why Shu Xiaolou had asked him to burn the creature. Indeed, if they wanted to escape, they had to burn this world down.
As the violent flames burned, the entire painting world began to collapse. Shu Xiaolou took this opportunity to escape and appear before Lin Jin in a flash. She then grabbed him before escaping from this crumbling world using the Cosmic Ink.
Inside Peach Blossom House, Shang’er stared at the painting that suddenly started burning for no reason. She was at a loss for what to do. Fortunately, before the painting was fully burned away, two rays of light were projected from the painting, and Shu Xiaolou emerged from it alongside Lin Jin.
“That was close, so close!” Shu Xiaolou patted her chest with a frightened expression.
Lin Jin’s expression was completely dark.
He stared at Shu Xiaolou, emphasizing each word as he asked, “What was that about?”
Lin Jin was furious.
That was way too reckless. When one enters a painting, they would become part of the art itself. If Lin Jin hadn’t used the Vulcan Edict to burn this painting out of desperation, he and Shu Xiaolou would have died in the hands of that Rank 9 immortal devouring beast.
That was too scary.
Even if it was just a painting and a mere facade.
“It’s my fault!” said Shu Xiaolou, who earnestly admitted to her wrongdoings.
According to Shu Xiaolou, she was just curious about what the painting said. Since Lin Jin didn’t respond to her question, she simply went inside as she usually did with every other painting that caught her interest.
That was how she would usually get the best answers.
To her surprise, the moment she went in, Shu Xiaolou was caught by the immortal devouring beast.
Thanks to her phenomenal abilities, she managed to turn back time inside the painting using blood ink. Lin Jin just happened to come inside that moment so he got to experience the painting again from the start and watch the entire process play out.
In a sense, what Lin Jin just experienced was the scene the painter himself had intended when he created this artwork.
“Don’t blame me! After all, I did find something while I was inside there,” said Shu Xiaolou before presenting two items to Lin Jin.
Both items had shocked Lin Jin.
One of them was a mask with the word ‘Dao’ on it. Lin Jin recognized this to be Daojun’s mask, but why would this be in Shu Xiaolou’s possession?
“I picked it up inside the painting,” Shu Xiaolou answered honestly.
How did she pick this up?
Lin Jin couldn’t even begin to describe the sense of helplessness he felt.
The other item was a ball of spiritual light. However, this orb was oozing malicious aura, reminding Lin Jin of the immortal devouring beast.
“What is this?” Lin Jin asked.
“The soul of a painting’s spirit!” Excitement flashed in Shu Xiaolou’s eyes. She gave Lin Jin the Dao mask before opening her mouth to swallow that painting spirit’s soul.
She ate it!
Lin Jin wanted to stop her but he didn’t know much about painting spirits so he held himself back.
“Who’d have thought I can find such a pure and powerful painting spirit’s soul in this painting. It’s better for me to eat it. Otherwise, once the painting spirit grows, it’ll surely harm the human world,” explained Shu Xiaolou righteously.
It was later that Lin Jin realized the painting spirit’s soul belonged to the immortal devouring beast. Because Shu Xiaolou had given life to the painting, the immortal spirit was awakened. If they had allowed it to remain there, it would likely trigger a catastrophe if the opportunity ever arises.
However, it was too late to say anything else. The painting was burned and the painting spirit’s soul had been gobbled up by Shu Xiaolou. It no longer mattered how powerful that thing was.
Lin Jin lamented inwardly about the burned painting, thinking it was such a pity.
The painting that came alive might still have untold secrets yet to be discovered. For example, something related to Patriarch Xue Pao.
Back then, Daojun was on his way to destroy Patriarch Xue Pao but incurred the Rank 9 immortal devouring beast instead before he could succeed.
Lin Jin had once fought Patriarch Xue Pao too so a grudge was now formed between them. According to Patriarch Xue Pao’s declaration, he would surely return to seek revenge.
Hence why Lin Jin said it was a pity. If only he could learn more about Patriarch Xue Pao from the painting.
Lin Jin shook his head and shifted his attention to the Dao mask.
According to Shu Xiaolou, as a painting spirit, she had the magical ability to give paintings spirituality. Many of the items in such paintings would then develop a spirit of their own.
These spirits could be brought outside by Shu Xiaolou.
Of course, only Shu Xiaolou was capable of such a feat in this world; no one else could ever hope to achieve it.
This mask was the perfect example of that. It was crafted using unique materials that made it appear out of place in this world. In spite of that, it truly existed in this dimension. Lin Jin could feel a spirit surging within as if the mask itself was magical.