Lao Mountain Daoist

Template: Ostrich

Life Level: Level 1

Attributes:

Strength: 10

Agility: 17

Constitution: 12

Perception: 16

Charisma: 7

Skills: Bite

After several days of testing, Ling Qing successfully recorded the Ostrich template.

It was unexpected, yet within reason, that Wild Shape restricts innate swimming and flying abilities.

Creatures like goshawks and white cranes are born to fly, whereas the ostrich, despite still being a bird, has evolved to be born to run.

Even chickens and ducks are superior to them; at least within the knowledge of the Druid heritage, Ling Qing is unable to transform into a chicken or a duck.

This implies that chickens and ducks are considered birds capable of flight.

Ling Qing checked the prerequisites for the Five Animal Frolics and, as expected, with all five forms complete, he had fully satisfied the requirements to upgrade it to the Grandmaster level.

Now, the only shackle limiting his upgrade was a lack of sufficient experience.

Next, he would follow his original plan and strive for experience.

Upon learning that Ling Qing was preparing to leave, the villa staff bid him farewell with some reluctance.

After all, during the half-month he had been there, the animal park, which usually saw frequent accidents, had been remarkably peaceful.

Those who practiced Imitative Boxing were quite bold; relying on their martial arts, they would occasionally provoke the beasts in the park.

The result was either that they would enrage the beasts and injure them, forcing the veterinarians to treat the animals while simultaneously soothing their aggrieved emotions.

Or, they would get bitten by the beasts, be rescued by the staff standing nearby, and then the staff would have to soothe the beasts' furious emotions.

The main task was soothing the irritable emotions of the beasts, which was something Ling Qing could do with ease, having been able to make tigers and deer coexist peacefully.

Now, suddenly returning to the chaotic days of the past made them feel somewhat unaccustomed.

"Knock, knock!"

"Please come in, the door is unlocked."

Ling Qing had just finished packing his luggage when he heard someone knocking at the door.

With a creak, the door was pushed open, and he saw Tian Yong and Zhang Zhe walk in, accompanied by a round, chubby Daoist with a festive smile on his face, dressed in a magnificent Daoist robe.

"Ling Qing, are you leaving already?"

Seeing Ling Qing's packed luggage, Zhang Zhe asked.

"Yes, I've finished observing everything; there's no point in staying any longer."

Ling Qing gestured for the three to sit on the bed while he sat on a meditation cushion.

Since they last parted, they had kept in touch, and both men knew Ling Qing was here to practice the Five Animal Frolics.

They had also been busy digesting their previous gains, trying to find ways to refine the Clear Heart Ring they had obtained, so they hadn't had time to visit him.

Neither of them came from families lacking money, so there was no need for them to come to the crowded and noisy villa.

As for how the two families divided the spoils, that had nothing to do with Ling Qing.

"Are you two finished with your business?"

"Thanks to the help of Fatty Zhu, look."

Zhang Zhe rolled up his sleeve and shook his wrist in front of him to show off.

A brilliant, golden-yellow copper ring was jumping up and down with his movements, occasionally flashing with a refreshing and calming charm.

"It hasn't been fully refined yet, though. Once it's completely refined, it won't be so conspicuous, and I'll be able to retract it at will."

Zhang Zhe touched it happily.

"Alright, stop showing off. Ling Qing, this is Zhu Guang; he has something he wants to discuss with you this time."

"Discuss with me?"

Ling Qing looked at the perpetually beaming Zhu Guang with some confusion, while not forgetting to stand up to greet him.

"Hello, Ling Qing."

Seeing this, Zhu Guang also stood up, his hands, resembling white jade radishes, grabbing Ling Qing's hand and shaking it up and down.

"Hello, hello. My name is Zhu Guang, and I call myself Daoist Treasure Aura."

Whoa!

What a name!

What a Daoist title!

However, Ling Qing looked him up and down and found that he truly lived up to his name and title.

To be able to cultivate such an aura and maintain a good personal friendship with Tian Yong and the others, he must surely come from a wealthy family.

"It's like this."

After exchanging greetings, Zhu Guang continued, "I won't hide it from you; a large-scale Time Fragment is about to open again soon.

We've pulled some strings and have confirmed that we will definitely be able to enter.

But there are quite a few demons and ghosts inside, so we would like to purchase the Ghost-Repelling Pill you have on hand."

In the previous dungeon, Ling Qing had received a total of eleven Ghost-Repelling Pills as part of his identity gift.

He carried the highest-quality one on his person and kept ten in his medicine chest.

At the time, he had first given one to Tian Yong and the others for self-defense, and after arriving at the graveyard, everyone ground up the remaining five and smeared them onto their weapons.

Later, although they encountered fierce ghosts, they didn't even get the chance to use the Ghost-Repelling Pills before Daoist Wenxi struck them into ashes with a single bolt of heavenly lightning.

Thus, everyone still had the one they kept for self-defense.

"I checked earlier; there is information about the Ghost-Repelling Pill online. Surely the Special Affairs Department has also collected the formula, so it shouldn't be hard to refine, right?"

Ling Qing asked, feeling somewhat puzzled.

It had been gifted to him along with medical knowledge, and he had never really paid much attention to it. How could it turn out to be a treasure after all?

Zhu Guang gave a wry smile and said, "I won't lie to you. I examined your Ghost-Repelling Pill and compared it; the ones prepared by the department aren't even as effective as the ones you gave Brother Yong and the others, let alone the one you have on you.

Of course, it's not that the department doesn't have pills with similar or even stronger effects, but they are all reserved for internal use, and I can't get my hands on them right now."

He then patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, just name whatever you want. Since I dare to call myself Daoist Treasure Aura, I've got a few things up my sleeve."

Zhu Guang patted his chest, looking at him with an expectant expression.

"I can vouch for that. The benefits he stands to gain from entering this time will certainly be substantial, so Ling Qing, you don't need to be polite."

Ever since Zhu Guang spoke up, Tian Yong, who had been standing to the side in silence to avoid suspicion, added, "Besides, with us there, we certainly won't let you suffer any losses."

Hearing their words, Ling Qing pondered for a moment and asked, "If I want to enter this dungeon, what are the conditions?"

The three men looked at each other upon hearing this. They had anticipated this outcome before coming, but it wasn't that they were unwilling; it was just that...

"Brother, I'll be honest with you. Actually, anyone can enter this dungeon, but not everyone can get in." Zhu Guang gave another wry smile.

"This dungeon is located at Mount Lao in Shandong Province, the very place from the well-known 'Lao Mountain Daoist'. Anyone within the vicinity of Mount Lao on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month has a chance to enter.

But the probability is extremely low. During the last opening, because there was no anchor, there were many tourists and locals, yet only five people managed to get in."

"The reason we are certain we can enter is that someone obtained an anchor from inside and used special means to ensure success."

At this point, Zhang Zhe spoke up to explain, "But firstly, the number of people is limited, and this matter has wide-reaching implications. It has leaked out to a certain extent, and there are many people competing for it.

Secondly, the department doesn't want too many people involved, so they have set some conditions: one must have the means to deal with ghosts and monsters.

Mainly, without the means to deal with ghosts, it is extremely dangerous once you go inside.

You must know that if you die in a dungeon, you really die, and your very bones will be left behind inside."