Chapter 18: Clash of Prodigies

"Ahhhhhhh!"

With a "boom," the spirit bean exploded in the Black Bear Monster's mouth. As black smoke poured from its mouth and nose, its mental state exploded as well.

"Ahhhh!"

It looked angrily at Elder Mo, Lin Jing, and the dumbfounded Pine-Needle Mouse.

This...

Lin Jing and the Pine-Needle Mouse were terrified. Such an enticing spirit bean actually exploded upon entry?

Good thing they hadn't eaten it themselves!

"I did say I felt the spiritual energy fluctuation of that spirit bean was a bit strange. It actually turned into a 'fierce plant'!" Elder Mo sighed. Spirit plants possess many nutrients, while fierce plants are not only lacking in nutrition but are also extremely dangerous.

A bean that explodes is clearly a fierce plant...

"It makes me so mad, you knew it was a fierce plant and still let me eat it!!!" the Black Bear Monster raged.

"A spirit bean created by a Pine-Needle Mouse in the Qi Refining stage, what are you afraid of as a beast that has formed a demon core? Failing to notice it only shows your vigilance is not up to par!" Elder Mo snorted.

The Black Bear Monster gnashed its teeth but was powerless to refute, feeling it was still too naive.

"Alright, you can go back to sleep." No longer paying attention to his pet beast, Elder Mo recalled the Black Bear Monster and looked at Lin Jing and the Pine-Needle Mouse with a rare look of interest.

"Not increasing quality, but changing properties. Not bad, not bad. Although it's not a top-tier divine ability, it's not bad at all!"

"Are the Glazed Immortal Pupils not considered a top-tier divine ability?" Lin Jing felt these Glazed Immortal Pupils were already very powerful.

"You underestimate rare beasts too much." Elder Mo laughed and said, "The divine abilities awakened during the mutation of a spirit beast into a rare beast are likely inherited from immortals in the Immortal World. Compared to this stone-to-gold trick, there are many more powerful rare beast divine abilities."

"Like the Ancient Imperial Clan, they have a rare beast called the 'Boundary-Breaking Bird,' which can help cultivators break through their cultivation limits. Under its blessing, an Ancient Imperial Prince with peerless talent not only reached the unprecedented 'Qi Refining Level 13' but also cultivated a 'second and third physique' during the Foundation Establishment stage, possessing three special cultivation physiques in one person."

"And the Spirit Dao Sect also has a rare beast called the 'Enlightenment Fish.' The reason the Spirit Dao Sect has so many cultivators who can cultivate 'Spell Primordial Spirits' is largely thanks to the Enlightenment Fish."

"Besides that, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion... the Lotus Chamber of Commerce..." Elder Mo listed many rare beasts he knew of, all held by top forces.

Of course, rare beasts can be very strong, and ordinary ones can be very ordinary. According to Elder Mo, there are rare beasts that only awaken bizarre divine abilities and are thus recorded in ancient books. For example, there was a rabbit demon that awakened the Hundred Fragrance divine ability, capable of emitting over a hundred types of immortal scents. As a result, it was caught and eaten by a Soul Transformation monster not long after. The cooking methods were varied, and it is known in history as the Hundred Fragrance Rabbit, the number one delicacy of the ages.

"In short, those rare beasts with heaven-defying abilities possess divine abilities that can influence high-level cultivators even when they are weak. By comparison, its spirit beans and red flying leaves have not yet escaped the 'Qi Refining stage,' but even so, it's not bad. One shouldn't be too greedy," Elder Mo said.

"Yes." Lin Jing chuckled and said, "Elder Mo, can we sell the resources it synthesizes within the sect to earn some spirit stones?"

As he spoke, he mentioned the effects of the golden spirit rice.

Elder Mo shook his head after listening: "I don't suggest you do that. The golden spirit rice you mentioned, compared to ordinary spirit rice, is magical, but it's not without substitutes."

"For instance, among Grade 1 and Grade 2 pills... there are pills that aid digestion, which Beast Taming Sect disciples can purchase with sect contribution points. Besides that, the exploding spirit beans, other than being more deceptive, can essentially be replaced by attack talismans."

"It must consume quite a bit to use the Glazed Immortal Pupils. Rather than selling resources, I suggest you keep the synthesized resources for your own use! This saves the process of exchanging for resources from the sect and indirectly counts as earning spirit stones."

"Putting your mind into earning spirit stones will inevitably affect your focus on cultivation. Rest assured, from this moment on, I will increase your disciple benefits again, so you won't have to worry too much about resources."

"Thank you, Elder Mo." Lin Jing was one to listen to advice.

"Just focus on improving your cultivation," Elder Mo said. "And you are a Longevity Body, so there's no need to be too impatient. In this process, learning more things and reading more books will be more beneficial for your future travels in the cultivation world."

Lin Jing nodded. Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, "Elder Mo, you went out this time to investigate the Yin Corpse Sect, right? What was the result?"

"No result," Elder Mo said. "However, the Yin Corpse Sect should have no time to pay attention to you for now."

"I learned from a friend who serves in the Demon Suppression Division that the Heavenly Origin Grand Assembly is imminent. Prodigies from major sects are out training, and the Demon Suppression Division and major top sects will increase their efforts to strike at the Yin Corpse Sect. They are currently hiding and have no time to spare."

"Oh, by the way, do you know about the Heavenly Origin Grand Assembly?"

"I don't..." Lin Jing shook his head.

"The Heavenly Origin Grand Assembly is a grand event of the Heavenly Origin Ancient Kingdom, held once every sixty years. At that time, cultivation sects and families from the nine regions of the ancient kingdom will participate, and the Ancient Emperor will also personally attend."

"During the assembly, prodigies from major cultivation sects will be arranged to compete in spell battles. Forces that perform outstandingly will be favored by the True Dragon of Luck, increasing the sect's fortune."

"The Sect Master is not in the sect recently because he took several inner sect disciples to the Ancient Region to train, preparing for the Heavenly Origin Grand Assembly a year from now."

"Of course, for such a grand event, our Beast Taming Sect has always been just a supporting role. Top immortal sects like the Spirit Dao Sect and the Heavenly Sword Gate are the protagonists. But even so... we must fight for it! If you don't fight, why cultivate?"

Elder Mo said, "When I was young, I also participated in the Heavenly Origin Grand Assembly. Unfortunately, compared to those true prodigies, my performance was mediocre, and I could only be a supporting character. At that time, I made a grand wish that one day, I would make the name of our Beast Taming Sect resound throughout the Heavenly Origin!"

"After I grew old, I knew that with my own talent, it would be difficult to achieve this goal, so after losing hope of forming a Nascent Soul, I retreated behind the scenes to cultivate disciples, hoping to train more excellent juniors for the sect."

"Are you curious why the Pine-Needle Mouse mutated and became a rare beast?"

"When you entered the sect, I didn't tell you that anyone with a special cultivation physique has a tiny probability of causing their pet beast to mutate when forming a blood contract!"

"Because of this intelligence, I applied to the Sect Master for a large amount of resources, specifically to find those immortal seedlings with special cultivation physiques and dig them into the Beast Taming Sect. Unfortunately, from elemental spirit bodies to the Origin Yang Body like Ouyang Hao, a total of six disciples with special cultivation physiques failed to cause their pet beasts to mutate!"

"And you... Longevity Body, and the Pine-Needle Mouse, are the first and only one among the disciples I dug up who finally caused a pet beast to mutate!" Elder Mo laughed heartily. "Now, when the Sect Master returns, I finally have something to account for."

"This Heavenly Origin Grand Assembly might not work, but the next one, even if your Longevity Body cultivates slowly, with the help of a rare beast, you will definitely be one of the protagonists. You should clash with those immortal sect prodigies and raise the prestige of our Beast Taming Sect."

"As for now... isn't the Dragon Ascension Festival coming soon? I see the Pine-Needle Mouse's red flying leaves are quite extraordinary. You should perform well at the Dragon Ascension Festival and show your talents as much as possible. The sect has its rules; only in this way will the sect treat you as the future of the Beast Taming Sect and cultivate you with all its might."

"Don't go picking at the scraps of sect missions anymore. At the Dragon Ascension Festival, if you can come out on top, there will be resources, and there will be storage bags." ===== CHAPTER 19 =====