CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 39: HIDDEN DRAGON ACADEMY

Hidden Dragon Academy? Cao Zhiwei?

The faces of the great elders were peculiar.

Looking in the direction outside the sect, Elder Mo said, "You all stop fighting for now... As expected of the Hidden Dragon Academy, they act swiftly."

Soon, a man dressed as a teacher appeared atop the mechanical fish, smiling at the members of the Beast Taming Sect.

"I am Cao Zhiwei from the Hidden Dragon Academy, greetings to fellow cultivators of the Beast Taming Sect."

"I am here for the young friend who just emerged from the Grotto Heaven." He looked toward Lin Jing and the pine leaf mouse.

"He has met the criteria to enter the ’Hidden Dragon Academy,’ so I came specifically to invite him."

"Greetings, Mr. Cao." The elders saluted.

Several outer disciples saw this and cried out in disbelief that an external force would come to recruit people.

Moreover, in the face of such a situation, the elders seemed to have no reaction.

"Young friend, are you aware of the Hidden Dragon Academy?" the teacher asked Lin Jing.

Lin Jing now also had some confusion and said, "I’ve read some introductions in books."

"The Hidden Dragon Academy, is a place where the Celestial Essence Ancient Country cultivates Immortal Officials..."

The teacher said, "Yes, cultivators from the Hidden Dragon Academy have the opportunity to become Immortal Officials. After passing the assessment, they can directly be appointed as the lord of a city, which is another system of becoming an Immortal Official."

"Of course, the entry conditions for the Hidden Dragon Academy are very stringent, but since you were chosen by the Grotto Heaven, you naturally meet these conditions."

"So, are you interested in joining the Hidden Dragon Academy?"

Lin Jing shook his head and said, "Sorry, I am a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect."

"That doesn’t conflict." The teacher smiled and said, "Your sect leader also once studied at the Hidden Dragon Academy and served as the city lord of a city in the Great Wilderness Domain for ten years."

"Now, isn’t he still the sect leader of the Beast Taming Sect?"

"Whether you are a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect or a student of the Hidden Dragon Academy, the identities can coexist. Many sect prodigies have studied at the Hidden Dragon Academy."

Lin Jing understood that this Hidden Dragon Academy aimed to deeply bind the core figures and talents of various sects with the Ancient Country.

Once you go, even if you leave in the future, you’re still a retired official with a national background! He looked at Elder Mo, who said, "You listen to Mr. Cao and make your own decision."

The teacher smiled and nodded at Elder Mo, then said, "Young friend, you may not fully understand the Hidden Dragon Academy. Joining it is highly beneficial for you."

"It has a deeper foundation than the Beast Taming Sect, providing the ’Immortal Official resume,’ and teaching Hidden Dragon Secret Techniques."

"Do you know the Hidden Dragon Secret Techniques?"

"They originate from the True Dragon Secret Technique created by His Majesty the Ancient Emperor. They allow cultivators with Immortal Official positions to mobilize the local dragon vein power, enhance cultivation, and battle prowess, governing a city, and suppressing malefactors, because of this Hidden Dragon Secret Technique."

"Besides, the Hidden Dragon Secret Technique has various uses. In the case of the Beast Taming Sect, it is arguably the best secret method on the continent for cultivating dragon blood pet beasts, bar none."

"Of course, joining the Hidden Dragon Academy is not mandatory, it’s all up to your personal will. However, as a cultivator of the Celestial Essence Ancient Country, having such experience will undoubtedly make your future cultivation smoother."

"Do I have to decide now and go with the senior?" Lin Jing asked.

"Not at all. This is just an invitation; you can consider it for some time. Currently, your Qi Cultivation is at the fourth level, a bit low. You can wait until you are about to establish your Foundation Establishment before going to the Hidden Dragon Academy; it’s not too late, as it has better Foundation Establishment and Core Formation methods." The teacher said.

"Thank you, senior, I will think about it seriously." Lin Jing clasped his fists.

The pine leaf mouse flicked its robe and also clasped its fists slightly.

"If you decide, you can crush this jade slip, and someone will come to fetch you. If you give up, just discard the jade slip." After the teacher finished speaking, he bid farewell to the many elders of the Beast Taming Sect.

As he left, the elders finally took a deep breath.

"This person... his cultivation should be above Nascent Soul." Elder Li broke a cold sweat, saying.

"Uncertain if he has reached the Divinity Transformation Realm." Elder Yu pondered.

At this time, Lin Jing, holding the jade slip, looked silently at the elders, sighing.

What is this situation? He doesn’t want to leave the sect or become an official.

"Since the academy personally invited you, just go." After some hesitation, Elder Mo said, "The opportunity is rare, and Mr. Cao’s words make sense; the academy indeed has a greater foundation than the Beast Taming Sect."

"Such as the Foundation Establishment methods to develop post-natal special constitutions, they should have several at the academy, which the Beast Taming Sect does not possess."

"By establishing your foundation with the Beast Taming Sect’s method, you may remain in the Great Wilderness Domain all your life, perhaps it doesn’t affect much, but if you seek the Dao and ascension, it may be insufficient."

"Elder Mo..." Lin Jing wanted to say that he has a Longevity Body, and the pine leaf mouse is a Treasure Beast, which is dangerous to go outside.

"I understand." Elder Mo said, "When the sect leader and others return, I will request a suitable Nascent Soul Ancestor to protect you and live with you at the academy!!"

Moreover, within the academy, safety is even greater.

"However, before that, you should quickly improve your cultivation, preferably reaching the ninth level of Qi Cultivation!"

Seeing Elder Mo speak up to this point, Lin Jing and the pine leaf mouse exchanged a glance and said no more. If safety is assured, who wants to stay in just one place?

"Then shall I go to Danxia Peak for cultivation first?" Lin Jing said.

"Come along!" Elder Shen of Danxia Peak heard Lin Jing’s words, her face beaming like the Dragon Bone Flower.

"This old lady will take you back to Danxia Peak and find a dwelling for you!"

For fear that other peak elders would continue recruiting, the Danxia Peak elder quickly grabbed Lin Jing and left, making the other peak elders quite speechless.

Really?

They also shook their heads and left.

On the mechanical fish, only Elder Yu, Elder Li, and a few newly promoted inner sect members remained.

Seeing this, Elder Yu was stunned, no, are these disciples... really thrown onto him?

...

Danxia Peak.

Elder Shen immediately arranged a high-grade dwelling for Lin Jing. Although it had no spirit fields, it connected to an alchemy room with earth fire.

"Thank you, Elder Shen." Lin Jing looked at the elder.

"No need to be polite. Although you have some attainments in mechanisms, alchemy is an entirely new field, and you must work hard. This is the ’Fire Control Technique’ required for Danxia Peak disciples. Ordinarily, due to limited energy, Danxia disciples won’t directly practice fire methods; instead, they will find a fire pet to breathe flames, then assist with the Fire Control Technique to co-refine pills."

"Since you currently don’t have a fire pet, practice with earth fire. You start your training, and if you don’t understand anything, come find me. If you have an inclination to cultivate a fire pet, tell me, and I’ll help you select a few fire pets of excellent aptitude. Beast fire alchemy is ultimately stronger than earth fire." Elder Shen showed great concern for Lin Jing, noting that if other disciples are ineffective in cultivation, they might be transferred to other peaks.

Not long after, Elder Shen left, leaving behind the Fire Control Technique jade slip.

After she left, Lin Jing and the pine leaf mouse exchanged glances within the dwelling. Lin Jing said, "Forget about the academy for now, let’s consider how to make pills first."

"Squeak!" The pine leaf mouse looked at Lin Jing, is he going to find a new pet?

"I don’t have such plans for now." Lin Jing shook his head, "I can’t even afford to raise one of you."

The pine leaf mouse nodded.

"However, earth fire is just mundane fire; its alchemy effect is indeed poor, with a very low success rate, and the True Qi of the Beast Taming Technique lacks flame properties, unsuitable for fire method cultivation."

"Like that Pill Furnace Sect’s female alchemist’s purple flame, its pill-making effect looks quite good. If only we had different flames to assist in alchemy."

It’s not like I can contract her, right... Lin Jing suddenly said, "To do a good job, one must first sharpen one’s tools. Got it, since spirit bamboo can spray water, there must be spirit plants that spray fire."

He recalled that in the Complete Collection of Flora, there was a special fierce plant named "Fire Cloud Pepper," which, although of low grade, could make creatures spew fire upon eating it, but the side effects were also apparent, causing internal burns.

"You say spirit plants might mutate into fierce plants, could synthesized fierce plants have the potential to mutate into spiritual plants that can spit out abnormal fire and warm the five viscera."

"At that time, once you’ve eaten the synthesized Fire Cloud Pepper, you can masquerade as a fire-type spirit beast, assisting me in alchemy without needing to find a new fire pet at all."

The pine leaf mouse was stunned...

It took its storage bag as if making some decision and turned to leave the dwelling. However, in the next second, Lin Jing pulled it back.

Squeak... Squeak... Squeak!

It bared its teeth and claws, indicating that it’s better to let Lin Jing find a fire pet to do the work. It’s so damaging for a wood-type spirit beast to spew fire.