Chapter Five: Qi Training First Layer!

Within the Beast Taming Sect, Outer Sect Disciples and Utility Disciples were active at the base of the peak.

After Lin Jing chose the Pine Leaf Squirrel, Elder Mo used some unknown method to summon the two Immortal Cranes from before once again.

Riding the Immortal Cranes, they quickly arrived at the Outer Court at the foot of the mountain, landing in a scenic courtyard.

In the courtyard, there were ponds and green trees. Lin Jing carried a bag of Spirit Stones; he never imagined his first Pet Beast would come with its own funding. Meanwhile, the Pine Leaf Squirrel stood on his shoulder, waving its paw at the Immortal Crane sisters.

“For the coming period, you will Cultivate here.”

“Even Outer Sect Disciples in the Beast Taming Sect have their own individual courtyards.”

“However, the facilities in the Outer Sect are certainly not as good as those on the inner peaks. So, moving forward, you must Cultivate diligently to reach the Inner Sect Examination standards as soon as possible, which is the Latter-stage Qi Training Realm.”

“As long as either the Disciple or the Spirit Beast reaches the Latter-stage Qi Training Realm, you can participate in the Inner Sect Examination.”

“I have already informed the Outer Sect Elder. For now, you just need to wait; someone will come to deliver your entry resources.”

“Thank you, Elder.” Lin Jing cupped his fists in salute.

“Squeak, squeak!” The Pine Leaf Squirrel also cupped its paws in thanks, feeling that this old man was quite kind, even giving them a cloth bag to hold the Spirit Stones.

“Mhm…” Elder Mo hesitated, as if wanting to say something more.

Looking at Lin Jing carrying the bag of Spirit Stones, he couldn’t help but feel that the little Squirrel was in for a rough time.

The cultivation speed of the Longevity Physique was extremely slow. To make faster progress, it required a massive amount of resources. This bag of Spirit Stones might not survive… however, that was not his concern.

“Take this amulet and keep it on you. Ordinary demons and Cultivators won’t be able to detect your Physique without specific methods.”

Before leaving, Elder Mo gave Lin Jing a Jade Talisman.

Taking the square Jade Talisman, Lin Jing was very grateful.

He felt that this Beast Taming Sect was quite warm and human.

Such a Sect was worth a Disciple’s struggle.

“Alright, do you have anything else to ask?” Elder Mo said.

“Elder Mo, I’d like to ask about Senior Brother Ouyang.” Lin Jing asked. He was a stranger in a strange land at the Beast Taming Sect; besides Elder Mo, only Ouyang Hao, who was of a similar age and knew his background, was suitable for him to associate with.

“Ouyang Hao?” Elder Mo sighed. “He is an outstanding figure among the Inner Sect Disciples.”

“At the Qi Training Ninth Layer, he is only one step away from Foundation Establishment and entering the ranks of the True Disciples.” Elder Mo said, “Although I was the one who brought him back to the Sect, he is highly favored by the Sect Master. After Foundation Establishment, he might even become the Sect Master’s Disciple.”

“Ah?”

Lin Jing asked cautiously, “Is our Sect Master a man or a woman?”

Elder Mo: “…”

“The Sect Master is a man. It’s not what you’re thinking. Anyway, you’ll understand the reason in the future.” Elder Mo didn’t want to say more.

Hearing this, Lin Jing felt emotional.

It seemed Senior Brother Ouyang’s talent was higher than he had imagined.

To think he had a chance to become the Sect Master’s Disciple.

Unfortunately, Inner Sect Disciples were active on the peaks, and under normal circumstances, Outer Sect Disciples were not allowed up the mountain. It seemed he wouldn’t be able to visit normally.

After a while, Elder Mo left on the Immortal Crane.

Once Elder Mo was gone, the Pine Leaf Squirrel jumped onto a stone table.

Seeing this, Lin Jing smiled slightly. “From now on, we will Cultivate together. What should I call you?”

“Squeak.” The Pine Leaf Squirrel responded.

“…” Lin Jing was silent for a moment before saying, “When will you be able to speak human language like Black Bear Elder and the Immortal Cranes?”

The Pine Leaf Squirrel shook its head.

Indicating it didn’t know.

“It seems you don’t have a name yet. Let me give you one.” Lin Jing intended to show off his skills.

Before he could think.

A crane’s cry interrupted his thoughts.

It was another Immortal Crane.

It came from the clouds, clutching a sack, and placed it on the stone table.

Lin Jing and the Pine Leaf Squirrel looked at this “Immortal Crane.”

The Immortal Crane also looked at them.

“What are you looking at?” The Immortal Crane spoke in a gruff male voice.

“The items have been delivered. I’m leaving.”

Then, it flew back into the clouds.

“It seems the Beast Taming Sect’s travel and delivery services are all handled by Immortal Cranes,” Lin Jing guessed.

“Horned Bulls are for land transport, and Immortal Cranes are for air transport.”

Lin Jing stepped forward and opened the sack, and the Pine Leaf Squirrel poked its head in too.

Inside the sack were a Jade Slip, a manual, a set of Outer Sect Disciple robes, a token, plus ten Spirit Stones and a bag of Spirit Rice.

The manual was the “Sect Manual,” which introduced matters that Beast Taming Sect Disciples should pay attention to.

The Jade Slip was the Cultivation Technique, the “Beast Taming Art.”

As for the Spirit Stones, formal Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect were divided into three levels: Outer Sect, Inner Sect, and True Disciple.

Among them, Outer Sect Disciples received a fixed cultivation resource of one Low-Grade Spirit Stone per month, while Inner Sect Disciples received ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

If one wanted more cultivation resources, they had to earn them by performing missions themselves.

Such as mining, farming, helping in the kitchen… Because Lin Jing had special Disciple treatment, the number of Spirit Stones he received was equivalent to that of an Inner Sect Disciple, plus an extra bag of Spirit Rice.

“Sect Manual!” He first picked up the Sect Manual to read, and the Pine Leaf Squirrel climbed onto his shoulder again to join him.

After reading for a while, the most valuable information was related to the “Beast Taming Art.”

“By activating the Jade Slip, the cultivation method of the ‘Beast Taming Art’ will surface in your mind.”

“Then, you can follow a specific breathing technique to absorb Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, integrate it into your body, and transform it into Pet Control True Qi to nourish yourself!”

“After reaching the Qi Training First Layer, the Cultivator’s body, nourished by Pet Control True Qi, will give birth to a drop of special blood that can be manipulated by True Qi.”

“Using the blood as a medium and pressing it against the Spirit Beast’s forehead will complete the Bloodline Contract, linking the spirits of both parties.”

“On the path of cultivation, there are Qi Training, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Profound, Asking Dao, and Ascension. This volume of the ‘Beast Taming Art’ can be cultivated up to the Foundation Establishment Stage.”

“Foundation Establishment Stage Disciples, after passing the True Disciple examination, can learn many True Disciple beast taming secret arts within the Sect and refine a Natal Space Magic Treasure to store their Pet Beasts inside…”

Lin Jing said, “It seems I need to increase my cultivation as soon as possible.”

“I can’t learn any of the more powerful techniques yet.”

“Squeak!” The Pine Leaf Squirrel nodded. It was already at the Qi Training Third Layer, while Lin Jing still looked like a Mortal. For Lin Jing now, the real priority was indeed increasing his cultivation.

“Spirit Stones contain pure Spiritual Qi. With so many Spirit Stones, I should reach the Qi Training First Layer very quickly,” Lin Jing said.

The Pine Leaf Squirrel nodded again in agreement.

It picked up a Spirit Stone that the Sect had given to Lin Jing and held it up, gesturing for Lin Jing to hurry up and Cultivate.

It was still waiting for them to form a Contract so they could work together to earn more Spirit Stones and buy a Storage Pouch.

The Sect taught that Disciples who cultivated the Beast Taming Art, when combined with various beast taming techniques, could significantly enhance the abilities of their Spirit Beasts.

Lin Jing stopped dawdling and picked up the Jade Slip.

Closing his eyes, he began to recite the corresponding mantra.

Soon, the Jade Slip flickered, and cultivation information flooded directly into his mind.

Beast Taming Art, Qi Training Chapter!

A total of nine layers.

At the first layer, one can form a Contract with a Pet Beast, and a portion of the Pet Beast’s cultivation results will be fed back to the Cultivator.

Besides that, the Cultivator can communicate mentally with the Pet Beast.

By the seventh layer, one can master beast taming techniques to transfer their own True Qi to the Pet Beast, or have the Pet Beast transfer spiritual or demonic power to themselves to quickly recover their own True Qi.

The Qi Training Chapter of the Beast Taming Art recorded basic techniques, including how to use Spirit Stones, which were the fundamental skills for strengthening one’s Qi Training cultivation.

To Cultivate other beast taming techniques, one could only apply to the Sect for study after meeting specific standards.

For Lin Jing, this basic Beast Taming Art was enough for now.

The specific breathing technique included in the Jade Slip, along with the techniques for using Spirit Stones to Cultivate, were enough for him to step through the door of cultivation.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed a Spirit Stone. The Spirit Stone in his hand flickered slightly, and a mysterious vortex of air swirled around him.

However.

Neither Lin Jing, who was currently cultivating, nor the Pine Leaf Squirrel, who was waiting for him to begin his journey, seemed to realize that cultivating with a Longevity Physique was indeed very slow.

The Pine Leaf Squirrel waited quietly for Lin Jing. After guarding him for a while, it also began to Cultivate.

Until… a few days later.

The Spirit Stones the Sect had given to Lin Jing were all used up by him.

“I feel like I’m just a little bit away.”

He began to look at the dazed Pine Leaf Squirrel.

After its brain overloaded for a moment, the Pine Leaf Squirrel tentatively picked up the Spirit Stones it had hoarded and asked if Lin Jing wanted to use them.

Lin Jing accepted them, touched.

Until half a month after entering the Sect, Lin Jing became increasingly proficient at transforming Spiritual Qi.

However, the resources the Pine Leaf Squirrel had hoarded for a long time were also nearly exhausted.

Only 3 or 4 Spirit Stones remained.

Yet Lin Jing still showed no sign of succeeding in his Qi Training.

Seeing this, the Squirrel spirit’s eyes turned red, and it completely broke down, waving its paws wildly.

This was no longer a question of whether it was slow or not.

The Spirit Stones it had hoarded for so long… and most of the Spirit Rice had been eaten by Lin Jing too.

It shouldn’t have offered to give him the Spirit Stones.

If it had thrown them into the pond outside, at least it would have seen a splash.

The Pine Leaf Squirrel almost burst into tears. Just then, finally, Lin Jing suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. A majestic vitality circulated from within, and a drop of golden blood condensed inside his body. Qi Training First Layer, achieved!

In half a month, he had finally succeeded in his Qi Training!

Lin Jing took a deep breath. This feeling… He looked at the Pine Leaf Squirrel, unable to resist sharing his joy.

But he only saw the Pine Leaf Squirrel looking at him with a face full of despair.

Lin Jing silently looked at the Spirit Stone powder on the ground and said, “Before long, I’ll pay you back double!”

The Pine Leaf Squirrel, not knowing if it had heard him, tremblingly held a handful of Spirit Stone powder.

“Squeak…”

Really?