Fang Qianyuan knew his own gifts well. A spirit creature with such distinctive traits as the Gale Berserker Wolf was simply the best choice.
I have extraordinary stamina and abundant spirit essence. Ordinary consumption is nothing to me, so I can ignore the shortcomings people criticize the Gale Berserker Wolf for and bring its strengths into full play.
And its innate ability to launch Gang Edge attacks is an exceptional gift, enough to take me beyond ordinary close-quarters combat and into the realm of spells.
Among this batch of high-grade spirit creatures available to choose from, none suits me better than the Gale Berserker Wolf. Even a supreme-grade spirit creature might not compare!
Only then did Fang Qianyuan truly believe that saying.
There was no best spirit creature, only the most suitable one. Only when a Spirit Tamer and a spirit creature complemented each other could their strength be fully unleashed.
Sensing the resolve in Fang Qianyuan's words, Gong Yuan was moved as well. "Very well. I'll put you down for it."
Fang Qianyuan asked, "Elder Gong, how long will it take for me to receive it?"
Gong Yuan smiled. "You're already getting impatient? I'll reply to the sect as soon as possible. If all goes smoothly, you'll receive it in three to five days at the earliest, or seven to eight at the latest."
Fang Qianyuan nodded.
Five days later, Cang Mountain Academy duly held a grand commendation ceremony, while also commemorating the disciples who had died.
They had chosen this date for two reasons. First, reporting to the sect and reviewing merits had to follow the proper procedures, which took considerable time. Second, it gave the injured disciples involved a chance to recuperate. It was already late September, and with Spirit Tamers' healing methods and the pill-making arts of their world, even those who had suffered injuries to their muscles and bones could now attend in person.
There was little of interest at the ceremony; everything followed the usual motions. Most of those who had not participated in the demon-suppression mission grew drowsy as they listened below the stage. But when the Institute Master officially announced that two members of the academy had distinguished themselves, turned back the raging tide, and kept the Training Institute's losses to a minimum, many disciples still burst into cheers.
Among those attending were plenty who had been involved, and each of them had friends and relatives. Through word of mouth, the events of that day had long since spread.
Naturally, they knew who the two people the Institute Master referred to were.
"I told you, rumors stop with the wise. Junior Brother Fang still got his share-a second-class major merit."
"All that talk about the Merit Hall being unfair-wasn't that just nonsense?"
Their standing was low, so they did not necessarily know about the twists and turns in the merit assessment.
Someone else sighed in admiration. "Two second-class major merits at once! How many years has it been since our Training Institute saw anything this glorious?"
"This really is wonderful!"
"Elder Ye, do you see? This is public opinion. If we hadn't awarded Fang Qianyuan that second-class major merit back then, wouldn't it have backfired?" The elder of the Heavenly Workshop Hall sighed at the sight as well.
"Hmph..." Ye Li snorted coldly. "What do these disciples know? If the announcement now were that my son had earned a second-class major merit and Fang Qianyuan a third-class major merit, they would have no objections either."
The elder of the Heavenly Workshop Hall smiled. "In that case, Elder Gong and Fang Qianyuan would have objections. Speaking of which, that boy is no lamp that burns oil sparingly. This Training Institute will have plenty of excitement to watch in the future."
Ye Li's face darkened, and he said no more.
The more he looked at Fang Qianyuan now, the more displeasing he found him.
Although Fang Qianyuan's actions had caused him no actual loss, all that talk about arguing his case on its merits in front of the Sect Envoy and the Training Institute's senior leadership made it clear that he intended to keep stirring things up to the bitter end.
He was a troublemaker who had thoroughly made both Ye Li and the Merit Hall lose face.
"That brat got off cheaply..."
Watching Fang Qianyuan and Ye Tianming go up onstage together to receive their rewards, Ba Ming was also consumed with envy.
"Now he's finally gotten his wish and has a high-grade spirit creature to use. Given his background, this is a chance to soar straight into the sky. His foundation is laid now," Luo De remarked beside Ba Ming.
"So what? A mere high-grade spirit creature isn't enough to remake him from flesh to bone. He got lucky this time and won it through luck, but a pheasant will always be a pheasant. It can't turn into a phoenix," Ba Ming said disdainfully.
Luo De gave Ba Ming a surprised look, somewhat puzzled as to why he seemed so resentful.
Besides Fang Qianyuan and Ye Tianming, who had distinguished themselves, Senior Brother Kong, Senior Sister Mi, and others also received minor merits of various classes.
In addition to distributing the rewards, the Training Institute divided up the spoils gathered during the demon-suppression mission on the spot.
They could hardly bring out so many bloody, stinking demon hearts, claws, fangs, hides, and other such things at the ceremony. Apart from rare and precious items, the Training Institute simply purchased everything at market prices and distributed the proceeds in spirit jade.
Fang Qianyuan received five hundred soul crystals, worth five pieces of low-grade spirit jade, along with shares from several items obtained by killing fourth- and fifth-revolution demon leaders, for a total of one hundred pieces of spirit jade.
Fang Qianyuan understood that the spoils he had earned by killing demons back then might not actually have been worth so much. The Training Institute had estimated their value generously.
This was a small gesture from the Training Institute to soothe the disciples involved, but everyone was plainly very satisfied.
At last, a final verdict could be delivered on this unexpected incident.
The final conclusion was that the natural disaster had struck suddenly and could not have been avoided, while the Training Institute's elders had provided capable leadership and acted decisively, preventing losses to the greatest possible extent...
Whatever the case, Fang Qianyuan had indeed gotten his wish. As soon as the commendation ceremony ended, he hurried back to the rear courtyard of the library to attempt spirit communion.
The high-grade Gale Berserker Wolf issued by the sect was, once again, a ready-made spirit creature that a high-ranking Spirit Tamer had captured beforehand and sealed inside a treasure artifact. Without much effort, Fang Qianyuan successfully merged it into his spirit sea.
The instant he succeeded, Fang Qianyuan felt a swirling gale envelop his entire body, setting his robes fluttering and his hair flying.
The spirit creature's will rose within him, carrying a measure of wildness and volatility. As though possessed of a life of its own, it tried to break free of his body.
This was a sign that the spirit creature was unfamiliar with its host and not yet in harmony with him.
But Fang Qianyuan supplied an unending stream of spirit essence, and soon soothed it with his vast spirit sea and pure spirit essence, persuading it to reside within him willingly and begin circulating its own power.
This took him several hours. Even after lunchtime had passed and Ding Long came to call him, he continued, so absorbed that he forgot food and rest.
Finally, before nightfall, Fang Qianyuan gradually grasped the temperament of this Gale Berserker Wolf spirit and established an initial connection with it.
At this point, Fang Qianyuan could finally wield its power freely.
This Gale Berserker Wolf spirit truly lived up to its high-grade rank. Its power was several tenths greater than that of the Blue-Eyed Gray Wolf Fang Qianyuan had previously communed with.
More importantly, it came with a protective gale that produced an effect comparable to gang qi, and by swinging its wolf claws, it could launch Gang Edge attacks resembling blade energy.
This was power on the level of divine abilities and spells.
Although it was far removed from the supreme might of ancient cultivators in legend, who could shift stars, overturn constellations, and reverse yin and yang, it could still be called a supernatural art of this age.
Fang Qianyuan clenched both fists, excitement flashing in his eyes. "Excellent! It worked!"