The Black Chili

Lin Jing actually knew something about the three true disciple secret arts and the ten core secret arts. Beyond those, the sect had dozens of ordinary beast-taming spells, most of which had been created by the third sect master.

The first generation had founded the sect, the second had reformed it, and the third had created its arts. Every sect master had possessed extraordinary talent.

However, he had no intention of cultivating the ten core secret arts just yet. Despite his longevity body, his cultivation realm was too low, lagging far behind his pet beast. Even if he learned them, their strengthening effect on the Pineleaf Squirrel would be limited.

With that energy, he would be better off learning Mechanism Art or the Alchemy Art, which would do more to strengthen both the Pineleaf Squirrel and himself.

As for the three true disciple secret arts, those were indispensable. Whether it was the Fusion Secret Art or the Beast Transformation Treasure, each offered an enormous boost to the cultivator himself.

The Beast Transformation Treasure, in particular, reminded Lin Jing of a certain immortal.

When Yang Jian released the Howling Celestial Dog, the books always described it as "invoking the Howling Celestial Dog!" And what people generally "invoked" were magical treasures.

Once he learned the Beast Transformation Treasure, he could "invoke the Pineleaf Squirrel!" too.

"Elder Mo, once I return, I'll temper my physique, train my soul, and refine my true qi," Lin Jing said.

"You want to learn them all!" Elder Mo said. "But that's no problem. You have plenty of time, after all. You'll learn them all sooner or later."

"Neither of you has anything else to discuss, then? If not, hurry back and cultivate. This old man has work to do as well."

"Elder Mo!" Lin Jing added, "This disciple obtained a fierce plant seed, and I'd like Elder Black Bear to taste its effects later."

After a moment of silence, Elder Mo said, "Has he offended you lately...? Still, it would indeed be dangerous for you to taste it yourselves. I'll send him to find you later."

"He's followed this old man for years. Even without great achievements, he's put in plenty of hard work. Remember to leave him alive."

After visiting Elder Mo, Lin Jing and Senior Brother Ouyang parted ways. One returned to his cave abode, while the other left the sect to carry out the "Investigate Missing Beast Livestock" mission he had just accepted.

On the way back to the cave abode, Lin Jing and the Pineleaf Squirrel passed the spot where they had tried leaping across Tiandu. The Pineleaf Squirrel still couldn't stop thinking about leaping over the cloud-capped summit.

Something its ancestors had never achieved...

If it pulled it off, wouldn't it deserve a page of its own in the family genealogy?

"You definitely can't leap across with your physique alone unless you advance to a demon king bloodline. I told you to practice the Flying Leaf Technique before, but you wouldn't. Regretting it now, aren't you?"

The Pineleaf Squirrel's red Flying Leaf Technique was certainly powerful, but it had always relied on the miraculous properties of the Red Flying Leaf.

It controlled the Red Flying Leaf through mental power, which had room to grow. If the Pineleaf Squirrel trained regularly and improved its mental power, it would certainly be able to unleash greater speed and force when controlling the flying leaf. Crossing in a single leap wouldn't be impossible.

"Squeak..." The Pineleaf Squirrel took off its cumbersome Daoist robe.

It indicated that it would practice as soon as they returned.

"Since there's oppressive pressure there, once we get back, I'll use Myriad Transformations to simulate a demon king's intimidating aura and help you train your mental power." Lin Jing smiled.

"But before that, let's go back and ripen the Firecloud Chili seeds!"

The concentration of spiritual energy on the Inner Peak truly was beyond anything the outer peaks could offer. Whether for cultivation or spirit plant growth, everything progressed much faster here than at the foot of the outer sect's mountain.

Another thing that pleased Lin Jing was that Elder Yu hadn't cut off his meals from the Outer Sect Canteen just because he had advanced to the inner sect. He still had the Immortal Crane deliver meals on schedule every day, greatly easing the burden of cultivation for Lin Jing and the Pineleaf Squirrel.

Time slipped by, and the Pineleaf Squirrel successfully ripened the first-tier fierce plant, the Firecloud Chili. Its yield was low, however: a single chili plant produced only twenty Firecloud Chilies.

"If spirit plants become that vicious after fusion, what'll happen when you fuse fierce plants?" The Black Bear Monster arrived as promised, bringing along the little white rat at the qi refining ninth layer from last time. At the sight of the bright red chilies, the rat's vision went black. Before it had even tasted one, it fainted from fright.

Across from him, Lin Jing said to Elder Black Bear, "Things reverse when pushed to the extreme. Spirit plants become fierce plants, so according to my analysis, fierce plants will most likely become spirit plants."

"Go on, Little Pine. Use the Glazed Immortal Eyes," Lin Jing instructed the Pineleaf Squirrel. Looking at the Firecloud Chilies scattered on the ground, it took a deep breath, removed the bamboo-leaf eye mask that kept its eyes cool, and activated Glazed Immortal Eyes!

Most of the fiery red chilies vanished, and in their place appeared... one pitch-black chili.

That eerie color made Elder Black Bear turn toward Lin Jing. This is the spirit plant you were talking about?

It's even blacker than I am!

Good thing I was smart enough to bring that little white rat from last time!

He shook the little white rat awake and said, "White Rat Spirit, see that black chili? Eat it. If you survive, I'll give you a tremendous opportunity!"

Although the White Rat Spirit was afraid, faced with the threats and promises of a demon core stage great demon, it had no say in its own fate. It could only crawl toward the black chili, trembling all over.

"Don't be afraid! It's just a mutated first-tier fierce plant. You're already at the qi refining ninth layer, so what are you scared of? The little flame an ordinary chili spits out is only mundane fire. It's not even as strong as the fire common folk use to heat their brick beds! It probably won't be very strong after mutation either!" the Black Bear Monster encouraged it.

Hearing that, the little white rat mustered its rat-sized courage, closed its eyes, and swallowed the revolting black chili.

The cave abode... fell silent.

The Black Bear Monster, Lin Jing, and the Pineleaf Squirrel all stared fixedly at the little white rat, watching for changes.

The next instant, the little white rat looked toward the Black Bear Monster and opened its mouth, startling him. He thought it was about to spit fire at him.

Huh! Nothing came out!

"Ha? The mutation failed this time, didn't it?" After a moment of surprise, the Black Bear Monster chuckled. It seemed even a treasure beast's divine ability could fail.

But before the Black Bear Monster could laugh for long, his expression abruptly changed. He felt a scorching heat in his soul. Quickly examining himself internally, he discovered a cluster of black flames burning from within his body outward.

The flames did not burn his flesh. Instead, they ignited upon his soul, insubstantial and elusive!

"Netherworld Ghostfire! The Netherworld Hall's demonic cultivators use it specifically to burn souls!" he exclaimed, hastily extinguishing the flames, his eyes filled with terror.

"Destroy it! Destroy it! Hurry up and destroy it!" He hastily yanked out the remaining Firecloud Chilies along with the chili plant. "Don't make this stuff again! This is ghostfire, a core spell of the Netherworld Hall. It'll be bad if the Demon-Slaying Bureau mistakes this for our Beast Taming Sect colluding with a demonic sect. Our reputation with the Demon-Slaying Bureau isn't particularly good to begin with!"

Seeing Elder Black Bear's nervous expression, Lin Jing and the Pineleaf Squirrel froze. Ghostfire?

"Elder Black Bear, can this ghostfire be used to refine pills?"

"If you refine pills with ghostfire, are you planning to feed them to the living or the dead?" Elder Black Bear glared. "Consider this old bear begging you. Don't grow this stuff again. Even if we aren't demonic cultivators, it'll be a real hassle if someone sees it, unless you want to go undercover in a demonic sect too."

"Don't you want a special flame for refining pills? I'll find you some beastfire to use for now. Be good, and don't secretly grow this stuff again."

Lin Jing and the Pineleaf Squirrel wore perfectly obedient expressions. Since it was dangerous, they wouldn't grow it anymore. Absolutely not.

Elder Black Bear looked at the still-living little white rat and said, "You did well. I hereby appoint you the exclusive pill-testing attendant of Lin Jing, the Beast Taming Sect's future holy son. Now that's a tremendous opportunity, isn't it?"