Within the Beast Taming Sect, Outer Gate Disciples and Servant Disciples carried out their activities at the foot of the peak.
After Lin Jing chose the Pineleaf Squirrel, Elder Mo used some unknown means to summon the two immortal cranes from earlier again.
Riding the immortal cranes, they soon reached the Outer Court at the foot of the mountain and landed in a scenic courtyard.
The courtyard had a pond and green trees. Carrying a sack of Spirit Stones on his back, Lin Jing had never imagined that his first pet beast would join him with its own funding. Meanwhile, the Pineleaf Squirrel stood on his shoulder, waving a paw in farewell to the big-sister immortal cranes.
"For the time being, you two will cultivate here."
"Even Outer Gate Disciples of the Beast Taming Sect have their own private courtyards."
"However, the outer sect's facilities are naturally inferior to those on the Inner Peak. So you must work hard at your cultivation and meet the assessment requirements for inner disciples as soon as possible-that is, the qi refining seventh layer."
"As long as either the disciple or their spirit beast reaches the qi refining seventh layer, they may take the Inner Gate Examination."
"I've already spoken to the outer sect elder. All you need to do now is wait. Someone will bring your introductory supplies."
"Thank you, Elder." Lin Jing cupped his fist in salute.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak!" The Pineleaf Squirrel also cupped its paws in thanks. This old man seemed awfully nice; he had even given them a cloth sack for their Spirit Stones.
"Mm..." Elder Mo hesitated.
Looking at Lin Jing with a sack of Spirit Stones on his back, he could not shake the feeling that this little squirrel was in for a miserable time.
Longevity body cultivation progressed extremely slowly. Speeding it up required vast amounts of resources. This sack of Spirit Stones might not survive...
Still, that was not his concern.
"Take this protective talisman and keep it on you. Ordinary monsters and cultivators won't be able to discern your constitution without special methods."
Before leaving, Elder Mo gave Lin Jing a jade talisman.
Lin Jing accepted the square jade talisman with heartfelt gratitude.
He felt that the Beast Taming Sect truly had a human touch.
A sect like this was worth its disciples striving for.
"All right, is there anything else you want to ask?" Elder Mo said.
"Elder Mo, I'd like to ask about Senior Brother Ouyang," Lin Jing said. He knew neither the people nor the place here in the Beast Taming Sect. Apart from Elder Mo, only Ouyang Hao, who was his age and knew his origins, seemed suitable to befriend.
"Ouyang Hao?" Elder Mo sighed. "He's one of the outstanding inner disciples."
"He's at the qi refining ninth layer, only one step away from foundation establishment and competing for a place among the true disciples," Elder Mo said. "Although I brought him back to the sect, the sect master favors him greatly. After he achieves foundation establishment, he may even become the sect master's disciple."
"Huh?"
Lin Jing asked cautiously, "Is our sect master a man or a woman?"
Elder Mo: "..."
"The sect master is a man. It's not what you're thinking. In any case, you'll learn the reason someday." Elder Mo did not want to say any more.
At this, Lin Jing sighed inwardly.
It seemed Senior Brother Ouyang was more talented than he had imagined.
He actually had a chance to become the sect master's disciple.
Unfortunately, inner disciples carried out their activities up on the peak, while Outer Gate Disciples were normally forbidden from going up the mountain. It seemed casual visits were out of the question.
Soon afterward, Elder Mo departed on an immortal crane.
Once Elder Mo was gone, the Pineleaf Squirrel leaped onto the stone table.
Lin Jing smiled faintly at the sight. "From now on, we'll be cultivating together. What should I call you?"
"Squeak," said the Pineleaf Squirrel.
"..." After a moment of silence, Lin Jing asked, "When will you be able to speak human language like Elder Black Bear and the immortal cranes?"
The Pineleaf Squirrel shook its head.
It indicated that it did not know.
"Looks like you don't have a name yet. Let me give you one." Lin Jing was ready to flex his creative muscles.
Before he could even begin thinking,
a crane's cry interrupted his thoughts.
It was another immortal crane.
It descended from the clouds, clutching a burlap sack, and set the sack on the stone table.
Lin Jing and the Pineleaf Squirrel looked at this "immortal crane."
The immortal crane looked back at them.
"What're you staring at?" the immortal crane asked in a gruff male voice.
"Delivery's here. I'm leaving."
Then he flew back into the clouds.
"Looks like the Beast Taming Sect's transportation and delivery services are all handled by immortal cranes," Lin Jing guessed.
"Horned oxen handle ground transport; immortal cranes handle air transport."
Lin Jing stepped forward and opened the sack. The Pineleaf Squirrel poked its head over as well.
Inside were a jade slip, a handbook, a set of Outer Gate Disciple robes, a token, ten Spirit Stones, and a bag of spirit rice.
The handbook was the Sect Handbook, which explained various matters Beast Taming Sect disciples needed to keep in mind.
The jade slip contained the cultivation method, the Beast Taming Art.
As for Spirit Stones, the Beast Taming Sect's full disciples were divided into three ranks: outer disciples, inner disciples, and true disciples.
Outer Gate Disciples received a fixed monthly cultivation allowance of one low-grade Spirit Stone, while inner disciples received ten.
Anyone who wanted more cultivation resources had to earn them by undertaking missions.
Such as mining, farming, or helping in the kitchen...
Because Lin Jing enjoyed special disciple benefits, his Spirit Stone allowance matched that of an inner disciple, and he received an extra bag of spirit rice.
"The Sect Handbook!" He picked up the Sect Handbook first and began reading. The Pineleaf Squirrel climbed onto his shoulder again to read along with him.
After reading for a while, he found that the most valuable information concerned the Beast Taming Art.
"Activate the jade slip, and the Beast Taming Art's cultivation method will appear in your mind."
"You can then follow a specific breathing method to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, draw it into your body, and transform it into beast taming true qi to nourish yourself!"
"Upon reaching the First Layer of Qi Refining, nourishment from beast taming true qi will cause the cultivator's body to produce a drop of special blood that can be controlled with true qi."
"Using that blood as a medium, press it against a spirit beast's forehead to complete a bloodline contract, linking your minds."
"The path of immortal cultivation consists of qi refining, foundation establishment, golden core, nascent soul, spirit transformation, void mystery, seeking the Dao, and ascension. This version of the Beast Taming Art supports cultivation up to the foundation establishment realm."
"After passing the true disciple assessment, disciples in the foundation establishment realm may learn the sect's many secret true disciple beast-taming methods and forge a Life-Bound Spatial Treasure to house their pet beasts..."
"Looks like I need to improve my cultivation as soon as possible," Lin Jing said.
"I can't learn any of the more powerful methods yet."
"Squeak!" The Pineleaf Squirrel nodded. It was already at the qi refining third layer, while Lin Jing still seemed to be a mortal. Improving his cultivation really was his most pressing task.
"Spirit Stones contain pure spiritual energy. With so many, I should reach the First Layer of Qi Refining very soon," Lin Jing said.
The Pineleaf Squirrel nodded again in agreement.
It picked up one of the Spirit Stones the sect had given Lin Jing and held it up, urging him to start cultivating.
It was still waiting for them to form their contract so they could work together, earn more Spirit Stones, and buy a Storage Bag.
The sect had taught it that disciples cultivating the Beast Taming Art could greatly enhance a spirit beast's abilities by using various beast-taming methods.
Lin Jing stopped dawdling and picked up the jade slip.
He closed his eyes and recited the corresponding incantation.
Soon, the jade slip flashed, and the cultivation information poured directly into his mind.
The Beast Taming Art, Qi Refining Section!
Nine layers in total.
At the first layer, he could contract a pet beast, and a portion of the pet beast's cultivation gains would feed back to him.
In addition, he could communicate mentally with his pet beast.
Upon reaching the seventh layer, he could also master beast-taming methods to transfer his own true qi to his pet beast, or have his pet beast transfer spiritual power or demonic power to him to rapidly replenish his true qi.
The Qi Refining Section of the Beast Taming Art contained only basic techniques, including how to use Spirit Stones-the fundamentals for advancing qi refining cultivation.
To cultivate other beast-taming methods, he would have to meet specific requirements and apply to the sect to learn them.
For Lin Jing, however, this basic Beast Taming Art was enough for now.
The jade slip's specific breathing method and techniques for cultivating with Spirit Stones were enough to let him step through the gates of cultivation.
He took a deep breath and picked up a Spirit Stone. The stone glimmered faintly in his hand, and a mysterious vortex of qi swirled around him.
However.
Neither Lin Jing, who was cultivating, nor the Pineleaf Squirrel, which was waiting for him to take his first step, seemed to realize that longevity body cultivation really was slow.
The Pineleaf Squirrel waited quietly for Lin Jing. After watching over him for a while, it began cultivating too.
Until...
Several days later.
Lin Jing used up all the Spirit Stones the sect had given him.
"I feel like I'm just a little short."
He turned his gaze toward the dumbfounded Pineleaf Squirrel.
After its brain briefly overloaded, the Pineleaf Squirrel tentatively picked up one of its hoarded Spirit Stones and asked whether Lin Jing needed it.
Moved, Lin Jing accepted it.
By the time half a month had passed since he joined the sect, Lin Jing had become increasingly proficient at converting spiritual energy.
But the resources the Pineleaf Squirrel had stockpiled for so long were almost exhausted too.
Only three or four Spirit Stones remained.
Yet Lin Jing still showed no sign whatsoever of succeeding at qi refining.
At the sight, the squirrel spirit's eyes reddened, and it completely lost its composure, flailing both paws wildly.
This was no longer a question of whether he was slow.
Those were Spirit Stones it had spent so long hoarding... And Lin Jing had eaten most of the spirit rice too.
It should never have offered him its Spirit Stones.
If it had tossed them into the pond outside, at least it would have seen a splash.
The Pineleaf Squirrel nearly burst into tears. Just then, at last, Lin Jing suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air. Vast vitality circulated from within him outward, and a drop of golden blood condensed inside his body. First Layer of Qi Refining—achieved!
After half a month, he had finally succeeded at qi refining!
Lin Jing drew a deep breath. This feeling... He looked at the Pineleaf Squirrel, unable to resist sharing his joy.
Only to find the Pineleaf Squirrel staring at him with a look that said it had nothing left to live for.
Lin Jing silently surveyed the Spirit Stone powder scattered across the ground and said, "Before long, I'll pay you back double!"
Whether the Pineleaf Squirrel heard him was unclear. Trembling, it cupped a handful of Spirit Stone powder.
"Squeak..."
Really?
Before you continue