Bloodline Evolution

The nightmare was all fake... Over the next few days, Lin Jing practiced the Fire-Control Formula specifically to suit the refining methods for Spirit-Replenishing Pills and Soul-Ensnaring Pills.

As for the Pineleaf Squirrel, the trip into the Grotto Heaven had exhausted its stockpile, and it was desperate to stock up on ammunition again...

Under Lin Jing's firm insistence, however, it still devoted most of its time to cultivation.

Lin Jing felt that nothing else was likely to happen for the time being. Raising their cultivation was more important.

"Inner Gate disciple Lin Jing, someone has completed the mission you posted at the Mission Hall." An Immortal Crane landed outside Lin Jing's Cave Abode.

Lin Jing, who had been practicing the Fire-Control Formula, came outside and offered his thanks before hurriedly taking the Pineleaf Squirrel to the Mission Hall.

Apart from the Magpie Spirit, only one person in the Mission Hall was searching for suitable missions.

Dressed entirely in white, he radiated weakness and exhaustion even from behind. Lin Jing found him rather familiar.

"Senior Brother Ouyang?"

"Junior Brother Lin Jing?"

The man turned around, and they both recognized each other.

"I heard you entered the Inner Gate. I was planning to visit when I had time, but I never expected to run into you here."

"Are you picking up missions, Senior Brother?" Lin Jing asked.

"Yes," Senior Brother Ouyang said. "I just finished three missions, and now I'm planning to take another two to compete for this month's Task King title. Hong'er and I are both about to reach Foundation Establishment, so I need to save up more money. Then I can ask Elder Shen to refine two better-quality Foundation Establishment Pills."

"And you're here to..."

"Someone just completed a mission I posted." As Lin Jing finished speaking, something occurred to him.

"Senior Brother, you weren't the one who completed that mission to find Firecloud Chili seeds, were you?" He strongly suspected it.

"You posted that mission? No wonder the reward was so stingy." Senior Brother Ouyang froze, then said, "No, I mean, what a coincidence."

With that, he took out a bag of Spirit Stones. "Junior Brother, I can't accept your payment for this mission."

"I haven't given you a congratulatory gift for entering the Inner Gate yet. Consider these chili seeds my gift for your advancement."

"How could I accept that?" Lin Jing took the Spirit Stones. "But I really can't turn down your kindness, Senior Brother. I'd better accept than stand on ceremony."

The Magpie Spirit watched these two "men of feeling" and said, "Stop making a racket. Take your chili seeds, pick your missions, and get out."

In the end, Lin Jing took the chili seeds, while Senior Brother Ouyang Hao accepted a mission outside the sect to investigate disappearances at the Beast Pass.

After being forced to listen to a Good-Luck Song, the two left the Mission Hall. Senior Brother Ouyang suddenly asked in a guarded tone, "Junior Brother, I heard rumors that the light of a Grotto Heaven fell near the edge of the sect. And there's barely any information about this year's Inner Gate Examination. Tell me, did you encounter a Grotto Heaven during your examination?"

Lin Jing blinked. "You guessed right, Senior Brother."

"So it really happened!" Envy filled Ouyang Hao's face. "What exactly is a Grotto Heaven like? I'd love to go inside and see one myself."

"You'll have your chance," Lin Jing said. "Senior Brother, you have the potential for Ascension. It's only a matter of time before a Grotto Heaven chooses you."

"Indeed," Ouyang Hao said. "Then we'll revitalize the Beast Taming Sect together. It's settled."

"Speaking of which, now that you've entered the Inner Gate, you're a Special Disciple, and you've even been inside a Grotto Heaven..." He looked at the Pineleaf Squirrel in its Daoist robe, sitting cross-legged on Lin Jing's shoulder as it cultivated. "By rights, you should be able to apply to the sect for a Life-Bound Beast-Taming Spatial Treasure. Letting it cultivate inside a Spatial Treasure would be more efficient!"

"With your current standing, even though you aren't a True Disciple, you're better off than one. As long as a Golden Core elder approves, you can absolutely get one ahead of time."

The Pineleaf Squirrel opened its eyes. A Spatial Treasure?

"You have a point, Senior Brother..." Lin Jing thought for a moment. "I've only just entered the Inner Gate, and I've been busy learning the Alchemy Art these past few days. Once I have some free time, I'll ask Elder Mo about it."

They had already advised him to go to the Academy. Surely he couldn't head out without even a Beast-Taming Spatial Treasure to mark him as a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect.

"You're studying alchemy? Alchemy is good."

Senior Brother Ouyang said, "The sect has plenty of pills that can strengthen a pet beast's bloodline. You'll be able to refine them yourselves then."

"Unlike me. I joined Cloudgate Peak, a place where not even birds bother to shit. All they teach there is fighting."

"Oh, and although you surely know this already, I still need to remind you of something."

"You have a longevity body, so don't rush into Foundation Establishment. The same goes for it. Elder Mo must have reminded you both, right?"

"Barring any surprises, the little squirrel should reach Foundation Establishment before you. That process is its best chance to raise its bloodline grade. If it can achieve 'bloodline evolution,' that would be ideal."

"The reason Hong'er and I are working so hard on missions now is to build up enough reserves to attempt 'bloodline evolution.'"

"Still... I don't think there's any precedent in the sect for a Pineleaf Squirrel evolving to a 'king-level bloodline.'" He pondered this.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother. We'll take our time finding a way. There's still plenty of time."

Before the Demon Race vanished, there had been no distinction between spirit beasts and demon beasts. Spirit beasts had also been called demon beasts, and in those days, the Demon Race had divided the bloodlines of all beasts under heaven into several grades.

A vast gulf separated each grade from the next. They could even be considered different species.

Wild beasts without the aptitude to become spirits possessed mortal-level bloodlines and were known as mortal beasts.

Those with the aptitude to cultivate were all classified as spirit-level. Depending on their bloodline strength, demon beasts with spirit-level bloodlines and weaker aptitude would remain in the Qi Refinement Realm, while those with outstanding aptitude could successfully reach Foundation Establishment. The finest among them had a chance to form a demon core and become Great Demons whose might shook an entire region.

Without exceptional circumstances, however, the Demon Core Stage was the limit for a spirit-level bloodline.

The Beast Taming Sect's five basic spirit beasts possessed spirit-level bloodlines. Since they had been carefully selected, they had a strong chance of reaching Foundation Establishment before their lifespans ran out.

Forming a core... depended rather more on fate.

Joining the ranks of Nascent Soul Demon Kings was even more impossible.

Unless... their bloodlines evolved during Foundation Establishment, advancing from spirit-level to king-level. Then they could become kings among demons without obstruction, matching human cultivators in the Nascent Soul Realm.

Lin Jing looked at the Pineleaf Squirrel. Although his squirrel had acquired a treasure beast's divine ability, its bloodline grade had not changed. It was still spirit-level, and its constitution had not diverged much from that of other Pineleaf Squirrels.

If possible, he also wanted the Pineleaf Squirrel's bloodline to evolve to "king-level" during Foundation Establishment, giving it the potential to become a Demon King. Its Glazed Immortal Eyes should then be able to unleash even greater power.

Unfortunately... the Beast Taming Sect had no method for evolving a Pineleaf Squirrel's bloodline to king-level. To achieve that, Lin Jing could only seek an opportunity in the special spirit plants mutated by the Glazed Immortal Eyes and in his own longevity blood... using the Alchemy Art to combine them and refine a unique Foundation Establishment Pill suited to the Pineleaf Squirrel.