CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 42: THE SQUIRREL LEAPS TO TIANDU

"Watch closely, everyone, our sect’s first Pine Leaf Demon King! Are you heading to Elder Mo now, Junior Brother?"

"If you’re going, I can join you. I have some matters to ask Elder Mo as well."

"Alright." Seize the moment without waiting, Lin Jing decided to ask Elder Mo whether he could have a Beast Taming space artifact.

The Pine Leaf Squirrel perked up, not caring about being a demon or king, eager for the space artifact.

"Then let’s go, and on the way to Lotus Peak, I’ll introduce you to the inner peak scenery."

"Are we walking there, Senior Brother? When can we ride Immortal Cranes? Do we have to wait for True Disciple?" Lin Jing added.

"You think anyone can just ride them? You need Spirit Stones! As long as you pay Spirit Stones, even a servant disciple can ride. Without them, even True Disciples can’t, because the Sect Leader’s wife looks after that clan!"

Lin Jing already knew but was testing if Senior Brother Ouyang had splurged on that; if he could hitch a ride, he’d rather not walk.

Both were quite frugal, deciding to walk to Lotus Peak to find Elder Mo. However, as cultivators, even without using Wind Techniques and other auxiliary spells, they moved quickly with great speed.

As they hurried along the hanging suspension bridge amidst the clouds, Senior Brother Ouyang introduced the inner peak scenery to Lin Jing.

"That’s the Nine Dragon Waterfall." Senior Brother Ouyang pointed to the distance, where the roaring waterfall sounded like thunder, cascading over the emerald cliffs and red rocks, resembling nine white dragons descending from the heavens, an incredibly stunning sight.

"A peculiar spot at Nine Dragon Peak, it has a special Dragon Blood Carp. If one can make it over Nine Dragon Waterfall during the Qi Cultivation stage with their own strength, they’ll successfully reach Foundation Establishment and transform into a dragon fish."

"Actually, my intention for seeing Elder Mo this time is related to the new pet beast I want to contract after Foundation Establishment..."

...

"See that purple mist rising over there? That’s the Purple Cloud Spring."

"Senior Brother, what’s the use of this hot spring?" Lin Jing hadn’t seen separate records of it in the books.

"Many female disciples love bathing here regularly; avoid going there without reason, it can lead to fatal incidents."

...

"That’s the Hundred-Step Cloud Ladder..."

...

"We’re almost at Lotus Peak. This is the ancestor of your Pine Leaf Squirrel."

Passing through Cloud Cultivation Peak, the Pine Leaf Squirrel looked at Ouyang Hao, wondering how he could mock squirrels with such thick eyebrows and big eyes.

Lin Jing looked over to see a peculiar stone on a not-so-high peak, resembling the Pine Leaf Squirrel, with its tail dragging, seemingly trying to leap over the giant abyss and rise to one of the Beast Taming Sect’s main peaks, Celestial City Mountain.

"He’s not mocking you." Lin Jing said, "That truly is your ancestor."

Pine Leaf Squirrel: ???

"Does the Beast Taming Sect not teach you spirit beast history courses? Besides, this is your species history." Lin Jing looked at the Pine Leaf Squirrel.

"It’s not taught that comprehensively..." said Senior Brother Ouyang beside them.

Lin Jing explained to the Pine Leaf Squirrel, "A long time ago, the Pine Leaf Squirrel clan was not a member of the Beast Taming Sect, just an ordinary species with a low chance of awakening intelligence."

"Due to harsh living conditions and many natural enemies, one Pine Leaf Squirrel climbed up to the Beast Taming Sect, seeking immortality and protection for its tribe."

"It met an immortal at Celestial Capital Peak who set a test, promising to teach magic if it leapt from Cloud Cultivation Peak to Celestial Capital Peak."

"Your ancestor started working day after day, attempting to leap onto the high peak to seek the immortal guidance."

"But reportedly, even in the end, it didn’t succeed, turning into a stone in a jumping posture, staying there forever."

"Although it didn’t pass the test, an immortal of the Beast Taming Sect admired its steadfast pursuit of the path, bringing the Pine Leaf Squirrel tribe into the sect and enhancing their bloodline, laying the foundation for them to become one of the sect’s five basic spirit beasts."

Lin Jing learned this from the books, and figured the so-called immortal was likely an ancestor of the sect, certainly not a true immortal. But in the view of the Pine Leaf Squirrel at the time, they seemed like an immortal."

After hearing the species origin, the Pine Leaf Squirrel was startled.

"Junior Brother, you really know a lot." said Senior Brother Ouyang, "You must’ve read many books at the outer sect."

"Yes, I simply like reading and understanding more things," said Lin Jing. "Having read thousands of books, I’m fearless wherever I go."

"Indeed, but there’s one more thing you surely don’t know," Senior Brother Ouyang laughed.

"What is it?"

"That celestial being at Celestial Capital Peak wasn’t human but one of the guardians of the Beast Taming Sect, and they’re still there!"

"I told you, since the second Sect Leader, the sect abandoned the old way of enslaving pet beasts, and disciples chose to live alongside them equally."

"The second Sect Leader loved making friends, and that celestial being was his close friend while alive."

"Upon the second Sect Leader’s death, he signed a contract with them—not a Beast Taming contract—agreeing that the guardian would protect the sect for a millennia, assisting in times of crisis."

"Conversely, the sect designated Celestial Capital Peak, one of the three mountains with the richest Spiritual Qi, as their cultivation site."

"Within the sect, of the several Nascent Souls, only the current Sect Leader, the fifth Sect Leader, is at the Nascent Soul Stage; the rest are pet beasts from previous sect leaders. Compared to human Beast Taming Cultivators, the Demon Kings have much longer lifespans due to their unique species traits."

"And the celestial being at Celestial Capital Peak is the only one who hasn’t signed a Beast Taming contract with any Nascent Soul Cultivator but remains in the sect. They haven’t intervened yet because the sect hasn’t faced any significant crisis, remaining hidden at Celestial Capital Peak for cultivation. Without the Sect Leader informing me, even True Disciples or some elders might not know."

"I see." Lin Jing nodded.

This must be what’s called an Honored Guest Elder.

Come to think of it, the Beast Taming Sect is quite the den of demons.

Almost all above the Nascent Soul Stage are Demon Kings!

That’s alarming; indeed, visiting Hidden Dragon Academy is necessary. Wait, if only the Sect Leader is a Nascent Soul Cultivator, wouldn’t the one protecting me be a Demon King?!

"Senior Brother Ouyang, you know a lot too." He praised reciprocally, for now overlooking any resemblance the Beast Taming Sect has to a demon sect.

"Not really, I wasn’t even going to mention this; it just came to mind while passing by. The Sect Leader once told me that this guardian of the sect had made a promise to the Pine Leaf Squirrel clan."

"Oh?"

"The Pine Leaf Squirrel clan could inherit the will of their ancestor jumping on Celestial Capital Peak; if successful, the promise remains valid, and teachings will be imparted."

"However, over the years, many Foundation Establishment stage Pine Leaf Squirrels have emerged, trying various means but failing to leap onto Celestial Capital Peak. A strong pressure in the sky there prevents normal jumping."

"Hence over time, this promise was no longer taken seriously; it seemed unrealistic. The Sect Leader speculates that the guardian might have said it casually without intending actual guidance, as the test is too difficult."

"Of course, you can try when you have time; what if you succeed? Reportedly, the difficulty of this leap correlates with cultivation level: lower cultivation, lower difficulty; higher cultivation, higher difficulty. Regardless of cultivation level, anyone can attempt it."

As Senior Brother Ouyang finished speaking, Lin Jing’s Pine Leaf Squirrel took out a large red leaf from its storage pouch and flew from Cloud Cultivation Peak towards Celestial Capital Peak.

Seeing this, Senior Brother Ouyang was dumbfounded, "How can your Pine Leaf Squirrel fly with leaves?"