Hidden Beast Communication Mark

Hidden Beast Communication Mark

Inside the Ancestral Hall, two candles flickered brightly, making the entire hall seem all the more sacred.

Ye Jingcheng sat solemnly on a meditation cushion and finally removed the Jade Slip.

"Third Uncle, I've memorized it all!" Ye Jingcheng said, crushing the Jade Slip in one grip and reducing it to a pile of jade dust.

Having read the explanatory Jade Slip, he was even more shaken. The power and wonder of the Beast Communication Mark far surpassed what he had imagined.

For instance, in battle, a Spirit Beast could provide spiritual energy to a cultivator, or a cultivator could provide spiritual energy to a Spirit Beast...

"Drip a drop of blood essence onto this jade plate. This is the Family Jade Plate. It can form a layer of taboo in your mind, preventing other cultivators from soul-searching you!" Ye Xingliu took out the Family Jade Plate again.

Of course, Ye Jingcheng understood the unspoken part of those words.

If someone forcibly searched his soul, it would automatically explode.

Soul and spirit alike would be utterly destroyed.

This was also a characteristic of all family Jade Books and jade plates, as well as those of sects.

The Family Jade Plate was not large. Oval in shape, it was made entirely of mutton-fat jade and appeared exceptionally pure and flawless. Yet countless Spirit Patterns rippled across its surface like waves of spiritual energy, a truly wondrous sight.

Ye Jingcheng also drew out a drop of blood essence and let it fall onto the jade plate.

As the blood essence fell, ripples spread across the jade plate like those on a lake's surface.

The next moment, another Spirit Pattern appeared within the jade plate.

The instant that Spirit Pattern formed, Ye Jingcheng felt an indescribable change arise within his mind.

"Alright, Jingcheng. In the future, the family will recognize the inner family by Beast Communication Marks. Do not discuss important family matters with anyone else. If there is a suitable Spirit Beast in the future, you will likewise be qualified to compete for inheritance. Of course, our Ye Family also follows the Spirit Beast's choice..." After speaking, Ye Xingliu told Ye Jingcheng about several other taboos.

As well as some of the family's rules.

"Also, until you can conceal your Beast Communication Mark, do not leave the family mountain. You can go to the market once you've stabilized!" Ye Xingliu added before leaving.

Ye Jingcheng nodded. As he left the Ancestral Hall, he could not help turning back for one more look, only to see that incense had begun burning again at some point.

Blue smoke curled upward toward the heavens, gathering into an even broader, misty haze.

Inside the Ancestral Hall, Ye Haicheng had also appeared at some point.

Holding a small tower in his hand, he said to Ye Xingliu, "Strange. Today, the Beast Communication Tower consumed four times as much as an ordinary cultivator!"

"It is indeed strange. But Jingcheng's talent is quite good. He condensed Five Inches Two Fen!" Condensing one inch of Spirit Pattern in a Beast Communication Mark only meant one possessed the potential to communicate with beasts.

Even having three one-inch Spirit Patterns was the same.

Only when three one-inch marks gathered together to condense a three-inch Spirit Pattern could one truly be considered initiated, able to connect with Spirit Beasts without obstruction.

Most Ye Family cultivators were like this.

And if one had three three-inch Spirit Patterns, they could already be considered a fairly talented genius in the Ye Family.

Ye Jingcheng had a Five-Inch Beast Communication Mark, with two extra one-inch marks remaining. Naturally, he deserved Ye Xingliu's praise of "quite good."

"Besides, perhaps he truly can bring our Ye Family a surprise!" Ye Xingliu added thoughtfully.

Ye Haicheng nodded as well. He was very satisfied with Ye Jingcheng. Ye Jingcheng also had secrets, but there was no need for the Ye Family to investigate them. After all, the Ye Family itself was a family with secrets. If everyone probed too deeply, the family's cohesion would instead scatter like sand.

He then asked about something else. "How is the Blood Heart Pill testing going?"

"The pill was ground into powder and tested on Plain Rats, but there are no results yet. Although we encountered Rogue Cultivators over this batch of Blood Heart Pills, things still went relatively smoothly—almost too smoothly. As Big Brother said, there is still a considerable chance that something is wrong with them, though the medicinal properties are there!" Ye Xingliu replied.

"Get the results as soon as possible!" Ye Haicheng nodded.

The Ancestral Hall soon fell silent.

Returning to his small courtyard, Ye Jingcheng looked at the five-inch Beast Communication Mark on his arm. It remained clear, but the two smaller marks showed signs of fading. Startled, he immediately followed the instructions in the Jade Slip.

He sat cross-legged and channeled spiritual energy to nourish them.

From the Jade Slip, he had learned clearly that the Beast Communication Mark concerned his future cultivation through beast communication, as well as the speed at which he could use Spirit Borrowing and Beast Body.

Naturally, he did not dare delay. If the two smaller marks vanished, it would be a great loss.

Yet the next moment, he suddenly discovered that besides the Beast Communication Mark on his arm, the wondrous Ancient Book also bore a Beast Communication Mark a full Seven Inches long. Ye Jingcheng froze at the sight! Within that mysterious tower, the Ancient Book had evidently absorbed Beast Communication Marks as well.

But the next moment, Ye Jingcheng hesitated. He did not know whether he could control the Beast Communication Mark on the Ancient Book.

So he began nourishing it bit by bit with spiritual energy.

If it could be nourished, it could be used. It was itself a wondrous medium between heaven and earth.

As he poured in spiritual energy, the Beast Communication Mark indeed lit up a little.

"There's hope!" Ye Jingcheng was instantly overjoyed.

In other words, his Beast Communication Marks were actually Seven Inches, plus one five-inch mark and two one-inch marks.

He had also seen Ye Xingliu's Beast Communication Mark. It was only five inches long. This meant his talent exceeded even five inches, though he had relied on the Ancient Book.

But the benefits he could gain in the future would be utterly real.

Delighted by the Beast Communication Marks, Ye Jingcheng became even more diligent in cultivation. He had always been someone who could endure loneliness. Even with Four Spiritual Roots, he had strictly demanded much of himself.

Now that his talent and circumstances had improved, diligence remained his greatest weapon.

The days that followed grew even more tranquil for Ye Jingcheng.

Three hours refining pills, three hours nourishing Beast Communication Marks, two hours practicing combined attacks with the Crimson Flame Fox to improve his combat strength, and the remaining four hours spent cultivating.

Every day was fulfilling.

Until twenty days later, Ye Jingcheng awoke from cultivation.

At this point, the Li Fire Art had improved somewhat again, and his spiritual energy had grown more robust. This time, if he used the Ironwood Plate, he was confident he could activate it faster.

More importantly, the Beast Communication Mark on his hand could now be freely controlled, hidden beneath his skin or within his body.

The Crimson Flame Fox was now also more willing to nestle against his left hand, letting out chirps from time to time. Its crimson body had grown over three feet tall and more than four feet long, while its enormous tail had become even more luxuriant.

"Once you advance to First Rank Late Stage, it'll be time!" Ye Jingcheng could not help saying as he looked at the Crimson Flame Fox.

The Beast Communication Mark enhanced a cultivator's cultivation. Naturally, to a certain extent, the greater the gap, the faster the increase.

Ye Jingcheng was at Qi Training Stage 5. Once the Crimson Flame Fox advanced to First Rank Late Stage, it would help him break through to Qi Refining Late Stage more quickly as well.

After that, Ye Jingcheng continued following his usual habits and prepared food for his two Spirit Beasts. The Crimson Flame Fox still received the larger share, while the Jade Ring Rat received the smaller one.

The Crimson Flame Fox had to break through to First Rank Late Stage as soon as possible. As for the Jade Ring Rat, it did not matter much. At critical moments, it only needed to foresee danger.

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