The Clan Leader's Lesson

Five Poisons Sect.

Ascension Platform.

A temporary guest courtyard.

More than a dozen members of the Li Family sat around a blazing bonfire, its light illuminating each of their faces.

All of them wore black robes with wide sleeves.

Just from their outfits, they were indistinguishable from the Five Poisons Sect disciples who had received them.

Li Shuidao could clearly feel the palm-sized Jade Toad clinging to his waist. It was cool and slick...

Everyone sat together for dinner: meat wrapped in flatbread, accompanied by wine.

As they ate, Li Haimo cleared his throat and spoke loudly. "Disciples, you have now successfully obtained your Spirit Companions. A Spirit Companion is essential to cultivation. You must protect yours well. Don't end up like me, losing your Spirit Companion and finding your cultivation impossible to advance, stuck at the Spirit Integration Middle Stage until you die of old age."

"Clan Leader, if we lose our Spirit Companion, can't we get another one?" Li Shuilang asked with clasped fists.

"Of course you can, but my Spirit Companion was a sea fish. To get another, I'd have to find a fish of the same species. And sea fish can't leave the ocean. Unless I reach the Void Nascent Realm and can store it inside Sumeru, I can't travel around inland with it." Li Haimo explained.

After hearing this, everyone felt somewhat reassured.

"Your Spirit Companions can catch snakes, insects, rats, and mice on their own, but they'll struggle to grow if that's all they eat. They need Spiritual Objects to grow. That's common knowledge in the Cultivation World. Only when your Spirit Companions grow can your cultivation advance with them..."

"You've spent two years cultivating at the Cultivation Hall, so you should already know the methods for cultivation after obtaining a Spirit Companion. I'll go over them again; don't complain that I'm nagging." Li Haimo's expression was stern.

"We thank the Clan Leader for his guidance." Li Shuilang and the others answered together.

A warm look flashed through Li Haimo's eyes. "Good. Listen carefully. Once you've obtained a Spirit Companion, you're no longer ordinary mortals. You're now cultivators at the Spirit Awakening Early-stage. Your Spirit Companions will change your constitutions and let you sense the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth. Within five years at most, you'll have Mana and enter the Spirit Awakening Middle-stage. From now on, you must feed your Spirit Companions yourselves, and you'll have to procure all the resources needed to do so."

"There are only two ways to obtain cultivation resources: either learn to curry favor with your own master and earn their rewards, or take part in the sect's trials and risk your life!"

"The Five Poisons Sect is ruthless, and brutal sect trials can happen at any time. All you have to do is sign up to take part. But your old uncle advises you to wait until you have some Divine Abilities before joining a trial. At least then, you'll have a better chance of surviving." Li Haimo warned them gravely.

"Don't worry, Clan Leader! We'll be cautious and never act recklessly." Everyone spoke in unison.

"What I'm about to say is the most important of all. It concerns whether you'll survive after joining your masters' sects. You must remember it!" Li Haimo said solemnly.

At once, everyone pricked up their ears and listened intently.

Li Haimo patted the clothes of Li Shuilang, who sat beside him, and asked, "What is this?"

Everyone glanced at it and immediately answered, "The Five Poisons Sect's uniform."

"Why does the Five Poisons Sect wear such loose robes?" Li Haimo asked.

"To hide our Spirit Companions," Li Shuilang replied.

Li Haimo nodded, then continued, "Why hide your Spirit Companions inside your clothes instead of showing them?"

"Could it... be because it would be indecent?"

"Maybe so we can catch enemies off guard."

Everyone offered their guesses.

Li Shuidao nodded gravely. He knew why the robes were loose, but didn't act clever by saying it aloud.

"You're all wrong!" Li Haimo said. "I just told you that Spirit Companions need to devour Spiritual Objects to grow quickly. Do you remember?"

"Of course."

"Good! Then let me tell you: the Spiritual Objects I mean aren't the Purple Poison Powder you refine. The Five Poisons count as Spiritual Objects too, and they're the most effective kind."

"Do you know that the Five Poisons can serve as Spiritual Objects for one another and devour each other? A scorpion can greatly improve its cultivation by eating a gecko, because in the Five Elements, earth generates metal. A snake can also improve its cultivation by eating a centipede, because wood generates fire. A centipede can eat a toad because water generates wood... Even when their attributes don't match, devouring another poisonous creature can still bring a small improvement. But that little gain isn't worth your senior brothers risking their lives to kill you and seize your Spirit Companion. After all, the Five Poisons Sect's rules aren't just for show."

"But what if your Senior Disciple Brother happens to have a golden scorpion as his Spirit Companion, and happens to be stuck at the Spirit Awakening Late-stage, unable to advance? When he learns that your Spirit Companion is a gecko, do you think he'll kill you? He'll do everything he can to get rid of you and eat your Spirit Companion, so he can break through his bottleneck!" Li Haimo's tone was calm, but his words held a faint warning.

Everyone exchanged looks, marveling at the depth of Li Haimo's wisdom. Now they understood why the people of the Five Poisons Sect wore loose robes, with their Spirit Companions hidden inside. It was for self-protection, to prevent conflicts between fellow disciples from turning into bloodshed.

"Clan Leader, if someone's Spirit Companion is exposed and their senior brother pressures them, could they hand over their Spirit Companion to save their own life?" Li Shuilong asked quietly.

"If you do that, your Dao Path ends right there," another person said, looking astonished.

The clansmen immediately cast scornful looks at him. Some even jeered outright. "That's right! You hand over your Spirit Companion as soon as someone pressures you? What a coward. Why cultivate immortality at all? You'd live longer if you went home and farmed."

"Exactly! How can you have so little backbone?"

"If anyone did that, tell us when you come back. We, the Li Family, will fight him!"

"Right! We'll beat that bully to death!" The Li Family clansmen were riled up in an instant, their faces twisted as they shouted threats.

Only then did Li Shuilong realize what a stupid question he had asked. He was a member of the Li Family, part of a Cultivation Family. Anyone who wanted his Spirit Companion would kill him to keep him quiet. Why would they let him live?

It was impossible!

Begging for mercy would still mean death.

Li Haimo raised a hand to quiet everyone, then chuckled. "Your ability to bend without breaking is pretty good. But if your Spirit Companion is destroyed, your Dao Path ends..."

"Don't think you can just get another Spirit Companion. Do you think you're still a mortal who can go to the Five Poisons Cave again?"

"If you go to the Five Poisons Cave a second time, it'll explode at once, and you'll die without a grave. And right now, you don't have even a trace of Mana, nor do you know a single Divine Ability or Daoist art. Do you have what it takes to catch a demon-beast-level Jade Toad in the wild?"

Li Shuilong immediately clasped his fists. "This junior was wrong."

"Remember this: never expose your Spirit Companion lightly, unless you already have enough power to protect yourself!"

"This isn't your family. No one here will treat you well without expecting anything in return. You must see things clearly if you want to live a long life."

"Fortunately, the Five Poisons Sect's loose black robes are not only roomy enough to conceal poisonous creatures, they also block their scent. As long as you hide your Spirit Companion inside, anyone who means you harm won't be able to tell what kind it is."