Chapter 39: Hidden Dragon Academy

Hidden Dragon Academy? Cao Ziwei?

The major elders had strange expressions.

Looking toward the direction outside the sect, Elder Mo said, "Don't fight over them for now... As expected of the Hidden Dragon Academy, their actions are fast."

Soon, a man dressed as a teacher appeared on a mechanical fish, smiling at the Beast Taming Sect crowd.

"I am Cao Ziwei of the Hidden Dragon Academy. Greetings to all fellow Daoists of the Beast Taming Sect."

"I have come this time for this little friend who has just come out of the grotto-heaven." He looked at Lin Jing and the Pine-Needle Rat.

"He has already met the conditions to enter the 'Hidden Dragon Academy,' so I have come specifically to invite him."

"Greetings, Mr. Cao." Numerous elders bowed.

Seeing this, the few outer sect disciples shouted that it was absurd; there was actually an outside force coming to poach people.

And facing this situation, the many elders didn't seem to have much of a reaction.

"Little friend, do you know about the Hidden Dragon Academy?" the teacher asked Lin Jing.

Lin Jing was also a bit confused now. He said, "I've seen some introductions in books."

"Hidden Dragon Academy is the place in the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom for cultivating immortal officials..."

The teacher said, "Yes, cultivators of the Hidden Dragon Academy have the opportunity to become immortal officials. After passing the assessment, they can directly serve as the lord of a city. It is another system for becoming an immortal official."

"Of course, the entry conditions for the Hidden Dragon Academy are very harsh. However, since you, little friend, could be chosen by the grotto-heaven, you naturally meet these conditions."

"Then, I wonder if you have any interest in joining the Hidden Dragon Academy?"

Lin Jing shook his head and said, "I am very sorry, but I am a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect."

"That doesn't conflict," the teacher smiled. "Your sect master also studied at the Hidden Dragon Academy and served as a city lord for ten years in a city in the Great Desolate Domain."

"Now, isn't he still the sect master of the Beast Taming Sect?"

"Whether it's a Beast Taming Sect disciple or a Hidden Dragon Academy student, the identities can coexist. Many sect prodigies have studied at the Hidden Dragon Academy."

Lin Jing understood. This Hidden Dragon Academy was intended to bind the core figures and geniuses of various sects more deeply to the Ancient Kingdom.

After going there, even if they left in the future, they would be retired senior officials with national backgrounds! He looked at Elder Mo, and Elder Mo said, "Listen to what Mr. Cao says and decide for yourself."

The teacher smiled and nodded at Elder Mo, then said, "Little friend, you might not know much about the Hidden Dragon Academy. Joining the Hidden Dragon Academy is very beneficial for you."

"There, you have a deeper foundation than the Beast Taming Sect, and you can possess an 'immortal official resume' and learn Hidden Dragon Secret Techniques."

"Do you know about Hidden Dragon Secret Techniques?"

"They originate from the True Dragon Secret Techniques created by His Majesty the Ancient Emperor. They can allow cultivators with immortal official positions to mobilize the power of local dragon veins, enhancing their cultivation and combat power. In a locality, the reason why they can suppress lawbreakers across levels is because of these Hidden Dragon Secret Techniques."

"Besides this, Hidden Dragon Secret Techniques have many uses. For example, in the Beast Taming Sect, they can be said to be the best secret method for cultivating dragon-blood pet beasts in the entire continent, bar none."

"Of course, this Hidden Dragon Academy doesn't have to be joined. It all depends on your own wishes; there is no compulsion. It's just that, as a cultivator of the Tianyuan Ancient Kingdom, if you can have such a resume, your own cultivation in the future will undoubtedly be smoother."

"Do I have to make a decision now and go with you, Senior?" Lin Jing asked.

"No. I am just inviting you now. You can consider it for a few more days. You are currently at the fourth layer of Qi Condensation, which is a bit low. It won't be too late to go to the Hidden Dragon Academy when you are about to reach Foundation Establishment. There are better Foundation Establishment methods and better Core Formation methods there," the teacher said.

"Many thanks, Senior. I will consider it seriously." Lin Jing cupped his fists.

The Pine-Needle Rat flicked its Daoist robe and also cupped its fists slightly.

"If you have made a decision, you can crush this jade slip, and someone will naturally come to pick you up. If you give up the opportunity, just throw the jade slip away," the teacher said, then bid farewell to the many elders of the Beast Taming Sect.

As he left, these elders breathed a sigh of relief.

"This person... his cultivation should be above Nascent Soul," Elder Li said, a drop of cold sweat flowing down.

"I don't know if he has reached the Deity Transformation Realm," Elder Yu pondered.

And at this time, Lin Jing held the jade slip silently, looked at the elders, and sighed.

What is this situation? He didn't want to leave the sect, and he didn't want to be an official.

"Since it's a personal invitation from the academy, you should go," Elder Mo hesitated for a moment, then said. "Opportunities are rare. This Mr. Cao is right. The academy's foundation is indeed more profound than the Beast Taming Sect's."

"For example, Foundation Establishment methods that can cultivate postnatal special constitutions—they should have multiple copies there. These are things the Beast Taming Sect doesn't possess."

"If you build your foundation with the Beast Taming Sect's Foundation Establishment method, you might have to stay in the Great Desolate Domain for a lifetime. Perhaps it won't affect anything, but if you have the heart to ask for ascension, it might be a bit lacking."

"Elder Mo..." Lin Jing wanted to say that he was a Longevity Body and the Pine-Needle Rat was a rare beast, so it would be dangerous to go out.

"I know," Elder Mo said. "After the sect master and the others return, I will request a suitable Nascent Soul ancestor to guard you and live with you in the academy!!"

And in the academy, it would actually be safer.

"But before that, improve your own cultivation as soon as possible. It's best to reach the ninth layer of Qi Condensation!"

Since Elder Mo had said this much, Lin Jing and the Pine-Needle Rat looked at each other and didn't say anything more. If safety was guaranteed, then who would want to stay in one place all the time?

"Then can I go to Danxia Peak to practice first?" Lin Jing said.

"Come!" Elder Shen of Danxia Peak heard Lin Jing's words, and her face smiled as brightly as a Dragon Bone Flower.

"I'll take you back to Danxia Peak and pick a cave dwelling for you!"

Fearing that the elders of other peaks would continue to poach people, the Danxia Peak elder stepped forward directly to pull Lin Jing and walked away quickly, leaving the elders of other peaks quite speechless.

Is it worth it?

They also shook their heads and left.

Soon, only Elder Yu, Elder Li, and a few other newly promoted inner sect disciples remained on the mechanical fish.

Seeing this, Elder Yu was stunned. No, these disciples... are they really going to be thrown to him?

Danxia Peak.

Elder Shen arranged a top-notch cave dwelling for Lin Jing directly. Although there were no spirit fields, there was a pill-refining room connected to the earth fire.

"Many thanks, Elder Shen." Lin Jing looked at this old man.

"You're welcome. Although you have quite attainments in mechanical arts, pill refining is a brand new field, and you must work hard. This is the 'Fire Control Technique' essential for Danxia Peak disciples. Usually, limited by energy, Danxia disciples won't directly practice fire spells, but will find a fire pet to spray flames, and then use the Fire Control Technique to assist from the side to refine pills together."

"Since you don't have a fire pet at the moment, practice with the earth fire. Practice first, and if there's anything you don't understand, you can come find me. If you have any thoughts of cultivating a fire pet, you can also tell me, and I will pick a few pet beasts with excellent qualifications for you. Using beast fire to refine pills is ultimately stronger than earth fire." Elder Shen was very concerned about Lin Jing's situation. If other disciples' cultivation results were poor, they might be transferred to other peaks.

Not long after, Elder Shen left, leaving behind the Fire Control Technique jade slip.

After she left, Lin Jing and the Pine-Needle Rat looked at each other in the cave dwelling. Lin Jing said, "Forget about that academy for now. Let's think about how to refine pills first."

"Squeak!" The Pine-Needle Rat looked at Lin Jing. Are you looking for a new pet?

"Not for the time being," Lin Jing shook his head. "I can't even afford to raise one of you."

The Pine-Needle Rat nodded.

"However, earth fire is mortal fire, and the pill-refining effect is indeed poor, with an extremely low success rate. The True Qi of the Beast-Taming Art doesn't have fire properties, so it's not suitable for practicing fire spells."

"The purple flames of that Danding Sect female alchemist looked quite good for pill refining. If we also had exotic fire to assist in pill refining, that would be great."

Can't go and contract her... Lin Jing suddenly said, "To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools. I have it. Since spirit bamboo can spray water, there must be spirit plants that can spray fire."

He remembered that "Plant and Wood Collection" recorded a special fierce plant named "Fire Cloud Chili." Although its grade wasn't high, it could allow the life form that ate it to spit out flames. However, the side effects were also very obvious: it would burn the lungs and internal organs.

"You say that since spirit plants can mutate into fierce plants, then can synthetic fierce plants mutate into spirit plants that can spit out exotic fire and warm the five internal organs?"

"When that time comes, if you eat the synthetic Fire Cloud Chili, you can disguise yourself as a fire-type spirit beast and assist me in refining pills. There's no need to find any new fire pet at all."

The Pine-Needle Rat was stunned...

It held its storage bag well, as if it had made some kind of decision, and turned to leave the cave dwelling, but was pulled back by Lin Jing in the next second.

Squeak... squeak... squeak!

It gestured with its teeth and claws, indicating that Lin Jing should go find a fire pet to do the work. It wouldn't do it anymore. Letting a wood-type spirit beast spit fire—how damaging is that! ===== CHAPTER 40 =====