First Encounter with a Spirit Beast, Capture Failed

A shadow fell on the tip of my shoe, and I didn't move. My breathing grew shallow, my heartbeat slowing in tandem. The fishy smell grew closer, mingling with the scent of grass and wood. It wasn't strong, but it was persistent. I kept my eyes closed, my palm flat against the stone, feeling the faint tremors in the ground.

The System gave a gentle shudder, and a line of text appeared in my sea of consciousness: "Detected high-level lifeform, spiritual pressure level: early third-tier."

I didn't open my eyes. Third-tier wasn't a small number. In the Primordial Wilderness, ordinary beasts were only first-tier, and those with awakened sentience reached second-tier. Whatever was in front of me had already surpassed the category of ordinary wild creatures. It stopped before me, its breaths steady, unhurried, as if observing me.

I slowly opened my eyes.

It stood five paces away, entirely silver-white. Its form resembled a deer, but it was leaner and longer than an ordinary deer. Its four hooves touched the ground silently, not even disturbing the moss. It had horns on its head, three-pronged like intertwined jade branches, emitting a faint glow. Its eyes were green, clear to the bottom, devoid of ferocity or fear, merely gazing at me.

It didn't move, and neither did I.

The stream continued to flow, the birds chirped as usual. But the air had changed, taut like a drawn bowstring. I could feel its aura, spreading outwards in ripples, like wind, yet not like wind. Each fluctuation caused my meridians to tingle slightly.

This thing could control spirits.

I made a judgment. To survive in a place rich with spiritual energy and to influence the surrounding environment, it was no ordinary spirit beast. If I could tame it, having it guard me during future cultivation would at least prevent me from being easily disturbed.

Once the thought arose, I couldn't suppress it.

I slowly raised my right hand, condensing spiritual power at my fingertips. The cultivation during this period hadn't been in vain; the energy in my Dantian was much more substantial than before. I didn't dare use a strong move, only quietly formed a "Spirit Binding Rope," as thin as a hair, colorless and transparent, sliding silently across the ground.

As soon as the spiritual power left my hand, its ears twitched.

It tilted its head, its gaze falling on my hand. My heart tightened. Before I could react, it let out a soft cry, not loud, but it made my eardrums ache. The faint vortex of wind around me suddenly accelerated, spinning like an invisible wheel.

"Snap!"

The Spirit Binding Rope snapped in mid-air, breaking into pieces and dissipating into the air like specks of light.

Before I could withdraw my hand, I was struck in the chest. It wasn't a physical object, but a stream of energy, pale green, sprayed from its mouth at extreme speed. I managed to dodge to the side, avoiding a direct hit, but my shoulder was still grazed.

I slid back three steps, my heels hitting a stone. My knees bent, and I almost fell to my knees. My throat felt hot, but I gritted my teeth and swallowed, bracing myself with my hands on the ground.

It didn't pursue.

It remained in its original spot, its green eyes fixed on me, showing no intention to attack, nor to leave. It seemed to be waiting for my next move.

I took a breath and touched my shoulder. My clothes were torn, and my skin burned. The blow wasn't heavy, but it was fast. I had been very careful when I made my move, almost without any fluctuation, yet it could sense it instantly, retaliate, and give me no chance.

This wasn't something I could deal with using brute force.

I slowly straightened up, letting my hands hang down, no longer condensing spiritual power. Seeing me stop, it finally turned. It lightly tapped the ground with its front hoof, leaped, and disappeared into the forest. Its movements were agile, its landing traceless, and in an instant, it vanished into the mist.

A faint, sweet fragrance lingered in the air, like grass after rain, or some kind of floral dew.

I stood still for a few moments, confirming it was truly gone, then slowly walked back to the large rock and sat down. The energy in my Dantian was a bit chaotic. Although the blow hadn't fundamentally injured me, the shockwave had directly impacted my meridians. I closed my eyes and began to regulate my breathing, gradually guiding the scattered energy back.

The System was quiet for a while, then suddenly another line of text flashed: "Target possesses elementary intelligence, behavioral patterns match 'wind-attribute youngling' characteristics. Recommend avoiding direct attacks in future encounters."

I opened my eyes and stared at the line of text for a long time.

So, it wasn't even fully grown. A youngling could already counter my Spirit Binding Rope. If it grew older, wouldn't it be even harder to deal with? And it could have continued attacking me just now, but it didn't. That soft cry was more like a warning than a killing blow.

It didn't want trouble.

But I made the first move.

I lowered my head and looked at my palm. My fingertips still felt numb from the dissipating spiritual power. The state of mind I had painstakingly achieved through cultivation was completely ruined by this rash move. I thought I had stabilized myself, but I was still too eager. My first reaction upon seeing a spirit beast wasn't to retreat, but to try and capture it. It was the same as my eagerness to break through previously, always thinking that a little faster would make me stronger.

And the result?

I lost again because of "speed."

I reached into my bosom and took out a jade slip, flipping open the very first page. Three rules were written on it: 1. Do not be greedy for speed. 2. Do not act recklessly. 3. Always reflect.

The handwriting was mine from last night, the ink hadn't even faded.

I placed the jade slip on my knee and reached out to touch the ruined spirit stone on my chest. It was cold, always against my skin. It reminded me of my past mistake, and now this stone had become a new lesson.

I took it out and placed it next to the jade slip.

One represented past failure, the other represented present recklessness.

I closed my eyes and began to regulate my breathing again. This time, I wasn't in a hurry to circulate the Heavenly Cycle, just wanting to expel the residual stagnation within my body. The injury on my shoulder throbbed, pulling with every breath. But I endured it, ignoring it.

Time passed slowly. The sun rose to its zenith, its light filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on the ground. The sound of the stream was still clear, and occasionally, insect chirps could be heard from afar.

I opened my eyes and looked in the direction it had disappeared.

There were only dense tree shadows and lingering mist.

I picked up the jade slip and flipped to the last blank page. I picked up my brush, dipped it in some water, and wrote two characters on the paper: "Spirit Beast."

Below that, I wrote another line: "Fast, intelligent, dislikes surprise attacks."

After writing, I thought for a moment and added a sentence: "Cannot be taken by force."

My brush tip paused, and I wrote on the last line: "Ask System how to communicate?"

My sea of consciousness was silent for a while.

The System replied: "Question type: Primordial Wilderness Ecology. Initiate Q&A mode? Correct answer reward: partial Beginner Spirit Beast Taming Guide; incorrect answer penalty: spiritual power circulation efficiency reduced by 20% for one hour."

I gripped the brush tightly, staring at the line of text.

An hour of reduced efficiency meant I wouldn't be able to cultivate properly. But if I didn't learn now, the next encounter might not just be a few steps back.

I took a deep breath and said in my heart, "Initiate."

The question immediately appeared: "Which of the following methods is most suitable for establishing initial contact with an un-tamed spirit beast?

A. Suppress with force, display strength B. Offer spirit food, maintain distance C. Direct contract, bind soul imprint D. Shout loudly, declare territory"

I stared at the four options, replaying the scene in my mind. It didn't eat my attack, nor did it flee too far; it simply warned me and left. This indicated it was cautious, but not aggressive. Creatures like this couldn't be subdued by force.

A was out. D was even more foolish; shouting a couple of times and expecting it to recognize you as its master? Dream on.

C was too aggressive. A soul imprint contract was a major undertaking, and any resistance could lead to backlash. With my current level, I might end up harming myself.

Only B remained.

I chose B.

My sea of consciousness lit up, and a System prompt appeared: "Correct answer. Reward issued, Beginner Spirit Beast Taming Guide partial scroll stored in your sea of consciousness."

Immediately after, a stream of information flooded my mind. It covered spirit beast habit classifications, methods for testing spiritual energy affinity, setting safe distances, common gestures of goodwill, and more. The content wasn't extensive, but it was all practical knowledge.

I closed my eyes and absorbed it for a while. When I opened them, my gaze had changed.

So, not all spirit beasts could be captured. Some were naturally free, detesting restraint, and forcibly subduing them would only create enmity. Truly becoming a companion beast often required prolonged interaction and mutual recognition.

I put away the jade slip and tucked the waste spirit stone back close to my body.

Then, I stood up and walked towards the edge of the forest.

I stopped where it had disappeared. I took out a small piece of spirit crystal condensed from morning dew from my sleeve—it had naturally gathered while I meditated last night. It wasn't precious, but it was clean and pure. I crouched down and gently placed it on a rock.

I didn't speak, nor did I channel my energy to cast spells. I simply took two steps back, turned around, and returned to sit by the large rock.

I wouldn't make a reckless move again.

But I wouldn't give up either.

I knew it was probably still watching.

I sat down cross-legged and closed my eyes to regulate my breathing.

My fingers rested lightly on my knees, my breath gradually becoming steady.

The wind rustled through the treetops, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance.

The corners of my mouth twitched slightly.