Seeking Immortality In The World Of Cultivation

As a Golden Elixir Master,

True Monarch Fei Hu gradually realized during his typical confrontations that the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Tiger no longer served any purpose.

Instead of keeping it by his side, turning it into his own weakness, only to be killed with a casual strike by another Golden Elixir Master in a future great battle,

it would be better to consecrate it within the Family, treating it as the protector spirit beast and continue cultivating it.

Perhaps, in doing so, this Foundation Establishment Spiritual Tiger might one day step into the Golden Core Realm and once again become an asset to the Family.

However, if so,

the dharma title of True Monarch Fei Hu would also become a hollow reputation.

As a result, True Monarch Fei Hu had always been looking for an opportunity.

An opportunity he could take advantage of with his Beast Controlling Skill to capture a Golden Core Realm spirit beast.

In the area influenced by the Golden Snake Sect, the Beast Controlling Skill is almost an essential technique for every cultivator.

Not just True Monarch Fei Hu, but most other Golden Elixir Masters felt the same.

And for this reason, as soon as a Golden Core demonic beast appears within the scope of the Golden Snake Sect, it immediately becomes a target for countless individuals.

The Golden Core demonic beasts that grow in the wild mountains and rivers,

are not like the mindless demonic beasts from the Demons Realm.

In the Demons Realm, those mindless demonic beasts lack intelligence, so even if you use the Beast Taming technique to subdue them into Golden Core spirit beasts,

they are unable to obey their master’s commands and cannot be utilized like regular spirit beasts.

The unintelligent ones, resembling blocks of wood, are essentially useless to anyone.

The Golden Core demonic beasts that grow in the wild mountains and rivers, however, are a different story.

Those that have matured in the wild possess exceptional intelligence and have even refined their throat bones to speak the human tongue.

If one uses the Beast Controlling Skill to subdue such a creature into a Golden Core spirit beast, it could instantly enhance the strength of a Golden Elixir Master significantly.

A Golden Elixir Master aided by a Golden Core spirit beast naturally sees a tremendous increase in power.

But, how rare are Golden Core demonic beasts?

He Song had previously heard from Su Qian’s letter that a Golden Core demonic beast appeared in Cloud State, but he never learned the follow-up to that news.

Ordinarily, with what He Song knew and had seen within the Cultivation World, even Foundation Establishment demonic beasts were exceedingly rare,

let alone Golden Core ones.

The scarcity of wild demonic beasts naturally resulted in a small proportion of cultivators who possess spirit beasts throughout the Cultivation World.

And this was the very reason why True Monarch Fei Hu had such a smooth journey ever since he subdued a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Tiger while still at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Having what others lack is an advantage.

However, although wild Golden Core demonic beasts are scarce, they are not non-existent.

He Song once learned from a letter sent by Su Qian that one had appeared within the territory of Cloud State.

Regrettably,

At that time, He Song was merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage and, even with knowledge of this news, couldn’t get involved.

Yet this also indirectly proved that, although rare, wild Golden Core demonic beasts did indeed exist.

It was just that for some reason, he had never encountered one himself.

Perhaps this situation was related to the fact that He Song usually traveled underground using Earth Tunneling or crossed the skies aboard a flying boat.

Even though He Song had never directly encountered a Golden Core demonic beast,

True Monarch Fei Hu, by a stroke of serendipity, discovered the existence of one within the sphere of influence of Purple River State.

Several months ago, True Monarch Fei Hu stumbled upon the presence of that Golden Core demonic beast by chance.

It was a Twin-winged White Tiger.

At first sight of this Twin-winged White Tiger, True Monarch Fei Hu, whose dharma title already contained the words ‘Fei Hu,’ felt an intense longing.

His dharma title was ‘Fei Hu.’

And here before him appeared a Twin-winged White Tiger.

“This tiger is fated to be mine!”

Upon seeing the Twin-winged White Tiger, True Monarch Fei Hu’s mind was ablaze with such thoughts.

However, as a Golden Elixir Master, True Monarch Fei Hu knew that, relying solely on his own power, it was virtually impossible to contend with this Golden Core demonic beast.

Not to mention subduing the Golden Core demonic beast and making it his spiritual beast.

If he rashly approached it without sufficient strength, it was likely that he would only be paving the way for someone else.

In that case, it would certainly be a loss not worth the gain.

Rather than that, it was better to temporarily leave and, after devising a good plan in the future, seek out this Golden Core spirit beast again.

Therefore, even though True Monarch Fei Hu was aware of the existence of this Golden Core spirit beast at that time, he didn’t act recklessly.

Instead, he merely left a Tracking Skill on it and then quietly left the place.

Only after returning to Zichuan Prefecture Government did True Monarch Fei Hu begin to ponder how he could possibly make the Golden Core demonic beast his own.

Unfortunately,

even though True Monarch Fei Hu had reached the Golden Core Realm, and his cultivation had even broken through to the Golden Core Middle Stage,

without assistance from others, it would be very difficult for him at the middle stage of Golden Core to quietly subdue a demonic beast of the Golden Core Realm.

That’s why True Monarch Fei Hu, when previously inviting He Song to visit him, subconsciously adopted an overtly welcoming attitude.

Because, at the time, True Monarch Fei Hu held the mindset that any Golden Elixir Master could potentially be of help to him, regardless of who they were.

With the Twin-winged White Tiger in mind, True Monarch Fei Hu naturally thought of quickly subduing it, lest complications arise over time.

Previously, True Monarch Fei Hu had considered asking other Golden Elixir Masters within Zichuan Prefecture Government to assist him in capturing the Twin-winged White Tiger.

But being in Zichuan, he had a fairly good understanding of the other Golden Elixir Masters within the Zichuan Prefecture Government.

These people wouldn’t get up early without a profit, wouldn’t release the falcon without seeing the hare—each and every one of them was a sly old fox.

Asking for their help to capture the Twin-winged White Tiger would likely come at a high price, and there was even the risk of betrayal.

Inviting their help was absolutely out of the question unless it was absolutely necessary.

And it was at this time

that He Song arrived at the place.

Although before He Song revealed his identity, True Monarch Fei Hu did not know if He Song could be of any help to him,

since he had come all the way, a grand welcome wouldn’t be too much trouble after all.

As a Golden Elixir Master and the Ancestor of the Zhao Family, it only took a command from True Monarch Fei Hu, and the Zhao family would naturally obey.

This was also the reason why He Song had previously encountered such an enthusiastic welcome.

Now,

when True Monarch Fei Hu truly learned from He Song that He Song had merely been passing by and coincidentally needed to stay in the area for a while,

True Monarch Fei Hu’s gaze toward He Song naturally became even more eager.

Passing by is good.

Staying is great.

In this case, he only needed to make the most of the time He Song was still there to build a good relationship, before asking for his help.

Perhaps He Song, considering his generous offer, would agree to help him?

Although he still knew that, even if He Song joined in, the two of them were fundamentally unable to confront a Golden Core demonic beast.

To truly confront a Golden Core demonic beast and have a chance to subdue it, at the very least, the combined effort of four Golden Elixir Masters was needed for a significant chance of success.

Otherwise,

a Golden Core demonic beast with intelligence could simply flee.

In such a scenario, even if He Song agreed to help him,

he still needed to do as he had previously planned, by inviting other Golden Core cultivators from Zichuan to assist together.

However, with the presence of He Song, an outsider, at least it would make the other Golden Core cultivators in Zichuan think twice before being too utterly demanding or even betraying him later on.

The presence of He Song could disrupt the familiarity among the Golden Core cultivators within Purple River,

preventing them from easily banding together against him.

Moreover, by publicizing He Song’s identity as described by He Song himself, his status could make others more wary.

If he could also rope in another Golden Elixir Master who usually got along very well with him…