Chapter 183

Early the next morning, Lin Zhangqing got up to check the Spirit Beast Bag.

Seeing that all the Purple Crystal Scorpions had woken up and had all successfully advanced to the late first stage, Lin Zhangqing felt relieved.

He hurriedly took some shredded demon beast meat from his storage bag and threw it into the Spirit Beast Bag for them to eat.

He also threw in a thousand spirit stones for them to gnaw on; the little fellows had just advanced and needed to be well-nourished.

After doing this, he sat down with peace of mind and began to practice the Five Elements Chaos Sutra. One hour later, he finished his cultivation.

He couldn't help but release one Purple Crystal Scorpion and held it in his hand to study it, discovering that its body size was a bit larger than before, with a length of about fifteen or sixteen inches.

The purple color was clearly deeper than before, and the tail needle was over three inches long, flashing with a cold light, looking even more frightening and lethal.

Its body also emitted the spiritual pressure fluctuations of the late first stage. It felt heavy in his hand, and he could feel waves of chilliness, though he didn't know if that was because it had been gnawing on ice crystals recently.

Lin Zhangqing checked its body, and the little fellow's eight eyes kept watching him; he didn't know if it had become smarter because it had advanced.

When Lin Zhangqing checked its body, it was actually able to anticipate his next move and cooperate.

Lin Zhangqing was pleasantly surprised. Fearing that it was just a fluke for this one, he changed to several others in succession, and they were all much the same.

There was no need to look at the rest; Lin Zhangqing already knew that those he hadn't checked should be the same.

This was impressive. Being able to anticipate his movements naturally meant they could also anticipate an opponent's movements. Such a group of smart, invisible little cuties would definitely be enough to give Lin Zhangqing's enemies a hard time.

He just didn't know if they had become smarter because they had consumed the Hundred Flowers Drunken Soul Wine to advance, or if their spiritual intelligence would have increased during a normal advancement, or perhaps both.

He would have to observe this more closely in the future; it was still too early to draw a conclusion now.

Because the Purple Crystal Scorpions had advanced to the late stage and had become so smart, Lin Zhangqing was in an incredibly good mood, so when the two were drinking tea and chatting, Chen Zi Ya could sense it.

She couldn't help but ask: "Senior Brother, is there some good news today? You look a bit different from yesterday! You're in such high spirits!"

Lin Zhangqing laughed: "My Junior Sister truly has a discerning eye and a clever heart; you saw it instantly. You are indeed my good and virtuous helpmate."

Hearing Lin Zhangqing teasing her again, Chen Zi Ya blushed, glared at him, and couldn't help but press: "What good news is it that makes you this happy? Hurry up and tell me."

Lin Zhangqing stopped teasing her, directly released a Purple Crystal Scorpion from the Spirit Beast Bag, and held it in his hand for Chen Zi Ya to observe.

"Is it because this spirit scorpion has advanced?" Chen Zi Ya observed it carefully and immediately understood, asking with some surprise.

Lin Zhangqing nodded and corrected her: "It's that all the spirit scorpions have advanced. Now they are all at the late first stage."

Lin Zhangqing didn't mention that the Purple Crystal Scorpions had become smarter; only the master who frequently interacted with them would have a clear sense of that, and there was no need to specifically mention it.

But he had to tell Chen Zi Ya about the scorpions' advancement. After all, she frequently stayed with him, so it would be impossible to hide it from her. It was better to just say it now so there would be fewer reservations about using them in the future.

Moreover, Chen Zi Ya was the Dao companion Lin Zhangqing had chosen. Although they weren't married yet, some small secrets should be shared between them.

Chen Zi Ya opened her eyes wide in surprise: "Then aren't they even more formidable? Before, they could deal with Qi Refining cultivators with a single sting; now, perhaps they could even deal with Foundation Establishment cultivators!"

Lin Zhangqing shook his head: "That probably won't work yet. If a Foundation Establishment cultivator flies up, they won't be able to do anything, so their main opponents can still only be Qi Refining cultivators."

"However, once these little fellows advance to the second stage, it will be different. I believe they will bring me even more surprises then!"

Chen Zi Ya nodded; she believed this deeply. When they were in the secret realm, these little fellows had protected her, a memory that was still fresh in her mind. In the secret realm, those twenty-four spirit scorpions had also been her reliance, giving her a great sense of security.

She herself liked them very much. Of course, the little scorpions could be said to be the most formidable spirit insects she had ever seen, and she believed they would be even more extraordinary once they reached the second stage.

"Senior Brother, what are these spirit scorpions called, and why did they advance so quickly?" Chen Zi Ya asked curiously.

"They are called Purple Crystal Scorpions. Look at them; their whole bodies look like purple crystal. Isn't that very descriptive?"

"They advanced so quickly because these little fellows truly grew up eating spirit stones. Every other day, it's a portion of superior spirit crystals, and gnawing on spirit stones is a daily routine."

"Every year, just raising them requires tens of thousands of spirit stones, and that's without them advancing to the second stage. If they really reach the second stage, the expenses will probably triple or quintuple!"

Chen Zi Ya was shocked upon hearing this. She hadn't expected them to be so formidable, and their spirit stone consumption was also formidable. If it were her, she wouldn't be able to raise them for two years.

"Senior Brother, it seems these little fellows are a bottomless pit! I was originally thinking of asking you for some to raise once they breed offspring in the future."

"Now it seems I'd better forget it! I can't afford to raise them!"

Lin Zhangqing sighed: "Yes, I don't dare to raise any other spirit beasts that consume too many resources. Like that Mystic Tiger cub I bought at the stall square last time, I don't dare to raise it; I'll send it to my younger sister to raise when I get home! Also, Junior Sister, you don't need to raise Purple Crystal Scorpions yourself. If you need them in the future, you can just come and borrow some from me; you have the experience anyway."

Chen Zi Ya laughed: "That's truly great. Senior Brother must cultivate them well. When the little scorpions are even more formidable in the future, borrowing them will be even better for protecting me."

"Now it seems my Purple Lightning Mink is easier to raise; the annual cost is probably only a few hundred spirit stones."

"However, it's still too small now and is growing its body; it just eats and sleeps, and sleeps and eats."

"I don't know when it will be able to help out. In this regard, it's far inferior to the Purple Crystal Scorpions."

"When it gets a bit bigger, you can start training it. This can allow it to form the habit of obeying commands from a young age."

"It can also cultivate and increase the rapport between the spirit beast and you," Lin Zhangqing began sharing his experience in raising spirit beasts.

Chen Zi Ya began to earnestly ask for advice, and Lin Zhangqing shared all the various games he played with Chu Yi with Chen Zi Ya to see if they would provide her with any inspiration or help.

It was clear that Chen Zi Ya was very interested in beast taming, but Lin Zhangqing himself was only a dabbler.

The only thing he could present, the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Taming Sutra, had been written down by Chen Hu, and its authenticity was questionable. Even Lin Zhangqing himself didn't dare to practice it, so he was even less willing to share it with Chen Zi Ya.

After Lin Zhangqing shared all his knowledge regarding spirit beast training and cultivation with Chen Zi Ya, he stopped discussing the topic.

Instead, he asked about Chen Zi Ya's arrangements for the coming period: "By the way, Junior Sister, how long do you specifically plan to stay at home this time? Do you have any plans?"

Chen Zi Ya thought for a moment and said: "Probably about half a year! I want to spend more time with my parents and family. In these next few days, I also plan to take the family to stroll around Nanhe County town."

"I'll also go see my sister's family while I'm at it. After all, I don't know when I'll be back next time!"

Lin Zhangqing nodded; now he had an idea. The two chatted for a while longer, and when the time was about right, Chen Zi Ya returned.

Since Chen Zi Ya had returned, Lin Zhangqing tidied up, activated the Illusion Array and the Spirit Gathering Array, and began to practice various spells.

His time every day was roughly scheduled to ensure nothing was wasted. Soon, two hours had passed, and Lin Zhangqing had completed his spell practice for the day.

(End of chapter)