On the Hook

Su He swam far away. The air beside Feng Yi Ju warped, and a figure emerged—a young man dressed like a scholar.

"Sect Leader Senior Brother, why not use this opportunity to place a restriction on it?"

Private vengeance, destroying Jing Shui Mountain—there was reason enough.

Feng Yi Ju shook his head. "That technique just now belonged to Martial Uncle Ge's camel, didn't it?"

The scholar fell silent. This meant Martial Uncle Ge was standing behind this turtle as well. Why was someone from Beast Taming Valley not thinking of subduing and controlling it, but instead proactively building a good relationship with it? The only one who had wanted to control it had just been beaten to death by him.

It was hard to accept that a Dragon Turtle could not be brought under one's command.

Feng Yi Ju smiled and patted the scholar's shoulder. "Winning someone over cannot rely solely on restrictions. Have you ever seen a divine beast subdued by restrictions?"

Feng Yi Ju even suspected that divine beasts possessed an innate power of purification. Perhaps if they devoted all their efforts to placing a restriction on the Divine Turtle now, then when it purified its bloodline and truly transformed into a Dragon Turtle, the restriction would very likely be cleansed away by the Dragon Turtle Bloodline. At that point, they would inevitably be locked in a never-ending battle with the Dragon Turtle.

Perhaps that was how Great White Temple had been destroyed three hundred years ago.

Three hundred years as sect leader had taught him one truth: only interests could sustain relationships. No emotion could remain unchanged for hundreds or thousands of years. Only profit was eternal.

Why had the Azure Dragon of Profound Heaven Sect and the Vermilion Bird of Vermilion Bird Sect remained in their sects for thousands, even tens of thousands, of years? The sect elders who had once been connected to them had long since passed away. Was it not interests that held them together? Divine beasts suppressed a sect's fortune and ensured its inheritance continued unbroken. The sects worshiped the divine beasts, attending to their clothing, food, lodging, and travel with meticulous care.

It was a win-win arrangement, each taking what they needed. Before profit, what did a few minor frictions matter? Had no disciple of Profound Heaven Sect ever set their sights on the Azure Dragon? Then where had Profound Heaven Sect's Dragon Control True Art and Dragon God Armor come from?

"Tell Peng Ze to build the Listening Sea Lake dojo to Hall Master standards. If it can purify its bloodline and advance to the Second Realm, raise it to chief-seat standards. If, upon advancing to the Second Realm, it condenses a complete Dragon Turtle Bloodline and achieves the Dragon Turtle Dao Body, treat it according to sect leader standards—standards above the sect leader would not be out of the question either!"

Now that he had decided to support it, Feng Yi Ju was not stingy in the slightest.

The scholar frowned slightly. He wanted to speak, but in the end said nothing. He bowed to accept the order. "Yes, Senior Brother."

Senior Brother would listen to their suggestions, but once he gave an order, it could not be changed. In truth, over the past three hundred years, every decision Senior Brother had made—even those that sounded unreasonable—had later proven to be correct.

"Light the Divine Turtle Life Lamp. Announce it to the entire sect," Feng Yi Ju added.

Only disciples of Azure Origin Sect who had reached the Spirit Awakening Realm, condensed an Intent Pearl, and could fly through Sword Control would light a Life Lamp in the Life Administration Hall. They were known as True Disciples.

Lighting the Life Lamp meant truly acknowledging the turtle's identity. Should anyone scheme against it without cause again, it would be treated as fellow disciples harming one another. The sect rules would descend without mercy.

The scholar bowed in assent. Feng Yi Ju waved a hand, signaling that he could go make the arrangements.

The scholar stepped back. After taking two steps, he finally voiced his doubt. "Senior Brother, the Divine Turtle now bears a grudge. What if it immediately leaves Azure Origin Mountain?"

Feng Yi Ju shook his head. "That turtle is clever, no less so than an ordinary person. Perhaps it does not like Azure Origin Sect, but it will never leave."

"Why?"

"Azure Origin Sect indeed has all manner of problems, but Azure Origin has rules. Even I cannot act wantonly. But if it leaves Azure Origin, the cultivators outside will not speak to it of rules. A Dragon Turtle's flesh, bones, and turtle shell—every part is a supreme treasure."

To those Rogue Cultivators and cultivators from other sects, could a divine beast be comparable to even an inch of their own advancement? The scholar suddenly understood. After offering a few flattering words, he bowed to Feng Yi Ju, turned, and departed on his sword.

Feng Yi Ju chuckled. How could Junior Brother fail to understand this? He was pointing it out to him: since the turtle could not leave Azure Origin, why not hold it in check a little?

Junior Brother was still too young. The greatest taboo in dealing with others was to sit on the fence.

Either see it through to the end, or do not do it at all. Since he could not guarantee the restriction would succeed, and it would also displease Su Hua Nian and offend Elder Ge, he might as well refrain from doing it altogether and be thoroughly generous. He could ease his relationship with the Dragon Turtle. They did not need to become friends, but there was no need to make enemies.

The fishing rod in his hand suddenly dipped. Feng Yi Ju reeled it in and lifted the catch, his delight growing. "On the hook!"

Two Green Fish thrashed wildly on the line. It was a double hook on a single line—both fish had bitten at once, and both were now in the jar.

As the east began to pale, Su He returned to Su Hua Nian's pool.

The crisp autumn chill on the mountain had grown ever more intense. In past years, he would already have entered hibernation by now. This year, too, it was time to prepare for hibernation.

He truly did not want to hibernate. He had not consumed enough food, his next evolution had Not Yet arrived, and hibernating now would be a waste of time.

Especially now that he had just obtained a cultivation art, Su He wanted even more to find somewhere quiet and cultivate.

Unwillingly, he let out a long cry. "Aang~"

"You still need to hibernate." Xia Da Li emerged from nowhere. He had understood the meaning in Su He's cry.

Beast Language was a wondrous thing. It had nothing whatsoever to do with animal cries; a donkey's lips and a horse's mouth not matching was no great problem. It was perfectly normal for Beasts to communicate across species. Animal cries themselves carried a kind of intent that could only be conveyed among Beasts.

Cultivators who did not cultivate the Beast Transformation Scripture could never understand Beast Language, no matter what. But once one cultivated the Beast Transformation Scripture and gained a beast body, Beast Language would come naturally without needing to be specially learned.

Su He looked towards him in confusion.

Xia Da Li said, "You evolved too quickly. In a single year, you went from a Little One to your current form. Your body has yet to adapt to the previous evolution when the next one arrived. You must understand that divine beasts differ from cultivators. Divine beasts themselves possess divine abilities. Your turtle shell and scales should each possess their own divine abilities, but you have not awakened them. You need to hibernate once, completely relax your body, and let it adjust itself."

Su He blinked. There was such a thing? "Do you have a place to hibernate?" Xia Da Li asked. If not, he would bring him back to Beast Taming Valley. Beasts were naturally meant to belong to Beast Taming Valley! Su He gave a long cry in the direction of Listening Sea Lake.

Xia Da Li fell silent for a moment. "Is that so? The Sect Leader personally went to apologize to you?"

Sect Leader Senior Brother had finally acted normally for once? Xia Da Li shook his head and stopped thinking about him. He said to Su He, "Before hibernating, completely master the Turtle Beast Long Breath Art. Keep the cultivation art circulating throughout your hibernation. That way, when the Heart Aperture Dao Body condenses true blood, it will work with your body's recovery and allow your bloodline to advance further."

He wondered how gifted this turtle was. If its talent was high enough, one winter would be enough for it to soar.

Yet Heaven's Dao had its own fairness—every peck and every drink had its cause.

The blind would surely have keen hearing; the lame would naturally have skillful hands. Since it already possessed a Divine Beast Bloodline, its talent could not possibly be too high. Otherwise, where would fairness be? How could anyone else go on living?

"Talent Thunder Sound." Su Hua Nian's Cool and Aloof Voice sounded from nearby.

"Hm?" Xia Da Li froze.

Su Hua Nian repeated, "This turtle has Talent Thunder Sound." So-called Talent Thunder Sound meant that even the image displayed by the testing token was no longer enough to describe how high its talent was; it was already accompanied by resonating sound.

The sound was often related to the tester's own attributes.

Only Green Snake, Gu Lin, and Feng Ya Ya knew of Su He's test. To keep Su Hua Nian safe, she had directly suppressed the test results.

But now that the matter of Su He being a divine beast had been made public, those with ill intentions who ought to have acted had long since made their moves. Adding one more Talent Thunder Sound hardly mattered.

When there were too many lice, one stopped fearing the itch.

For a moment, Xia Da Li failed to react. He looked at Su He, then at Su Hua Nian.

"Talent... Thunder Sound?"

Su Hua Nian gave a slight nod.

Xia Da Li's breathing abruptly quickened.

Talent Thunder Sound!!!

How long had it been since he had heard those words? Three Hundred Years Ago, when their generation had entered the sect, Su Hua Nian had displayed it during her test. Six of the Ten Immortal Sects had come then, wanting to take Su Hua Nian away.

If Su Hua Nian's Father had not been the previous generation's chief of Sword Washing Pond, the Azure Origin Sect would have had no reason at all to keep her.

His breathing grew ever more hurried. Suddenly, he raised his head to stare at the bright moon: How utterly unfair was this thieving Heaven!

How could all manner of blessings fall upon a single turtle at once? Luckily, he was a turtle. If he were human, wouldn't they have to pair him with some peerless Fairy as well?

No, I have to go—leave at once!

This turtle had to belong to Beast Taming Valley. He needed to return immediately and contact Elder Ge. This turtle disciple—he had to take him as a disciple, whether he wanted to or not! Even if the chief of Beast Taming Valley said so, it would be useless if Feng Yi Ju came!