"No feeling?"
"How could there be no feeling."
Lin Jing was incredulous.
The phenomenon appeared, and you said there's no feeling.
"Squeak…" The pine squirrel retorted confidently.
It indeed felt nothing.
Lin Jing paused, suddenly realizing.
"Perhaps the divine technique awakened is too powerful, and with your current cultivation, you can't grasp it."
"You need to work hard on your cultivation."
Pine Squirrel: ???
It slightly opened its mouth, knowing its talent was good, but still not as optimistic as Lin Jing.
Having successfully reached the first level of Qi Cultivation, Lin Jing was in a good mood.
But perhaps due to the pine squirrel's low level, he temporarily didn't feel any beast taming feedback.
"Oh right." Lin Jing didn't dwell on this matter.
He suddenly recalled that, according to the "Sect Manual", outer disciples who successfully cultivate Qi have an opportunity to go to the outer sect's Scripture Pavilion to select a basic magic to learn.
He was very curious about what kind of spells were in the Scripture Pavilion of the Beast Taming Sect's outer sect.
Since entering the Beast Taming Sect, it was Lin Jing's first time leaving his courtyard, and besides him, he also brought along the pine squirrel.
At this moment, the pine squirrel also needed a break to relieve its complex feelings.
On the way, they encountered quite a few other outer disciples dressed in green robes, but there was no interaction between them.
Following the map on the last page of the sect manual, Lin Jing and the pine squirrel soon arrived at their destination.
In front of the pavilion, ancient trees surrounded, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves, intertwined with the occasional crane calls from the clouds, making one feel relaxed and as if their spirit was cleansed and purified.
In a nearby pavilion, three to five disciples were discussing cultivation, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.
"This is the place…"
Just as Lin Jing was about to enter the pavilion, someone stepped out first.
"Junior Brother Lin!" A familiar weak voice called out, and Lin Jing looked at the person in surprise.
Wearing white robes, he looked slightly thin, with eyes revealing deep exhaustion and helplessness… who else could it be but Senior Brother Ouyang?
"Senior Brother Ouyang? What are you doing here?" Lin Jing was surprised.
"I'm on sect duty, stationed at the outer sect's Scripture Pavilion, responsible for organizing spells and assisting outer disciples in selecting spells," Ouyang Hao chuckled.
"What a coincidence, it seems you've successfully cultivated Qi, quicker than I expected. Are you planning to select a spell? Do you need my help analyzing it?"
"Senior Brother Ouyang, you still love analyzing, this task suits you well," Lin Jing said.
"There's no helping it, I'm low on resources, buying supplements every day is too costly in spirit stones, so I have to take on more tasks." Ouyang Hao shook his head awkwardly.
"Let me take you inside."
Saying this, he invited Lin Jing into the pavilion.
As they entered the Scripture Pavilion together, the surrounding outer disciples suddenly started whispering among themselves.
"Who is this outer disciple? He seems familiar with Senior Brother Ouyang. What's their relationship?"
"Senior Brother Ouyang is always amicable to everyone, isn't he?"
"It's different; Senior Brother Ouyang actually went out to greet him. He's an outstanding inner sect member rumored to be able to compete for the True Inheritor position. He wouldn't treat just anyone like this, they must have a deep relationship."
"This Senior Brother Ouyang... is he really impressive?" a newly admitted disciple asked curiously.
"Of course, Senior Brother Ouyang has contracted a Fox Demon. Such a demon beast can absorb human Yang energy. Did you see his demeanor? You got it, right? The Fox Demon must have been cultivated fiercely by him…"
......
Inside the Scripture Pavilion.
The first floor.
Ouyang Hao introduced:
"The first floor here stores books that can be borrowed directly, like the continent's history, ancient country's history, sect's history, you can find them all here. Let's go to the second floor to select a spell."
He pulled Lin Jing along enthusiastically.
"At the first level of Qi Cultivation, you can select a basic magic…"
"Actually, the outer sect's Scripture Pavilion doesn't have very good beast taming techniques. Generally, outer disciples choose to learn small spells that can nurture a pet's roots, bloodlines, spiritual power to assist the pet's growth."
"These are considered the most mainstream and suitable for Beast Taming Sect disciples."
On the second floor, Senior Brother Ouyang pointed to a prominent section of a bookshelf lined with jade slips.
Titles like "Spirit Nurturing Technique" and "Qi Nourishing Technique" in the introductions basically explained spells where a disciple uses their True Qi to nurture a pet's spirit and vitality, though some could be used personally.
Lin Jing looked towards another bookshelf.
The spells like "Fireball Technique," "Object Manipulation Technique," "Entanglement Technique," "Water Arrow Technique," and "Quicksand Technique" seemed much more normal.
"Senior Brother Ouyang, what about these?" Lin Jing asked.
Hearing this, following Lin Jing's gaze, Senior Brother Ouyang chuckled.
"It's not that you can't choose them, but these are only useful to cultivators themselves and useless for pet beasts. Generally, spirit beasts can't learn them either."
"Like your Pine Leaf Mouse, it's very hard for it to learn the Wood-based Entanglement Technique. Even if you learn it, it won't help much."
"In most cases, they still have to rely on their own innate abilities."
"Those precious spells that can be taught to spirit beasts are mostly collected in the inner sect."
Senior Brother Ouyang looked at the Pine Leaf Mouse, which puffed up its cheeks in defiance.
"In short, these 'normal spells' are only suitable for human cultivators to learn, but for us Beast Taming Sect disciples, what's 'normal' is actually a huge trap."
"Most of us in the Beast Taming Sect are not suited to cultivate mainstream techniques, so when we do, it often results in twice the effort for half the reward."
"And since one's energy is limited, it's better to invest all your limited energy in nurturing pet beasts, enhancing their power, and then awaiting their feedback, which is often more efficient than cultivating yourself."
"If the pet beast is something like a Battle Ape or Horned Ox, you can choose auxiliary spells to nurture their physique. If it's like the Pine Leaf Mouse, you can choose auxiliary spells to nurture their spirit."
"Of course, if you're really curious, Junior Brother Lin, choosing one 'normal offensive or defensive spell' is also fine."
After all, you live a long life, so your cost of trial and error is low... Ouyang Hao muttered to himself.
"I see..." Lin Jing hadn't made a choice, but the Pine Leaf Mouse quickly waved its hand and squeaked, "Squeak!!!"
It suddenly recalled that Lin Jing's cultivation speed was so slow that learning a normal cultivation technique would already be painstaking, let alone getting distracted by learning offensive spells... Isn't that life-threatening?
"Oh right!" At this moment, Ouyang Hao seemed to think of something and clapped his hands, "When choosing spells, Junior Brother Lin, pay attention to 'spell potential'."
"Spell potential?"
"Yes, in the sense that the chosen spell should ideally accompany you throughout your life. The Object Manipulation Technique, for instance, is basic, but even cultivators at the Nascent Soul Stage might still use it. Comparatively, some basic spells are easily discarded once cultivation levels up."
"I wonder if you've ever heard of the Technique Elemental Spirit, Junior Brother?"
Technique Elemental Spirit? Lin Jing looked at him and shook his head.
Ouyang Hao said, "When a spell is cultivated to the extreme, it can give birth to an elemental spirit with consciousness."
"Our Beast Taming Sect is located in the Great Wilderness Domain of the Celestial Essence Ancient Country on the Celestial Essence Continent. Although we're considered a first-rate sect in the Great Wilderness Domain, within the entire Celestial Essence Ancient Country, we're only third-rate."
"And the largest sect in the Celestial Essence Ancient Country, the Spirit Dao Sect, focuses on Taoist spells. It is said that within this sect, many cultivators have comprehended the true meaning of spells and pushed them to the extreme, allowing their practiced spells to give birth to True Spirits.
"Technique Elemental Spirits can communicate with the cosmic energy, attack autonomously without relying on the cultivator's mana, and even be passed down to assist future cultivators in practicing corresponding spells, or even protecting their path."
"One could say it's an 'alternative pet beast' born from spells." Ouyang Hao marveled, "Cultivators like Master Xuanwu of the Spirit Dao Sect, who cultivated a Black Tortoise True Spirit with the Black Tortoise Shield spell, have power far superior to ordinary Treasure Beasts!"
"Perhaps you might cultivate a Technique Elemental Spirit in the future and become the first in our sect!" Senior Brother Ouyang laughed, "As long as you are dedicated enough! Focus on one spell, and understand it for half your life."
Lin Jing understood that Senior Brother Ouyang meant to say that he could just rely on living long and letting time do the work.
With a lifespan at least ten times that of a normal cultivator, focusing on refining one spell indeed makes it easier to master a spell thoroughly.
"You should give it a try." Senior Brother Ouyang became increasingly convinced, saying, "If your cultivation efficiency is too slow, you can always switch later."
"Is it really reliable that any spell can give birth to an elemental spirit?" Lin Jing doubted.
"Theoretically, yes." Senior Brother Ouyang said seriously.
Lin Jing pointed to a spell.
"Contraception Technique."
"What about this one?"
Ouyang Hao glanced at it and was stunned.
"Contraception Technique," a spell Beast Taming Sect disciples practice to prevent their pet beasts from messing around outside.
After all, pregnant and post-pregnant pet beasts lose significant vitality, which is detrimental to their cultivation.
"If cultivated to the extreme, could it give birth to a contraception elemental spirit?"
"Uh..." Senior Brother Ouyang said, "P-possibly?"
"Doesn't seem reliable." Lin Jing shook his head.
His gaze swept across the bookshelves, Technique Elemental Spirit...
"Better start with properly nurturing the pet beasts!"
Saying this, Lin Jing walked over and picked up a book titled "Spirit Nurturing Technique," a basic recovery spell that uses True Qi to nourish the spirit and alleviate fatigue.
The Pine Leaf Mouse's innate ability can accelerate the maturation of spirit plants, a process that consumes a lot of spiritual power and mental energy.
This technique can help it share some of the consumption and speed up the growth of the spirit plant, which relates to Lin Jing's grand plan for self-sustaining resources because he consumes way too many resources himself!
Secondly, he intended to learn more about cultivation techniques besides his own practice. He had just seen many books related to alchemy on the first floor, and this little recovery spell for alleviating mental fatigue would also be useful for himself in the learning process.
To sum it up, this spell can not only assist pet beasts but is also suitable for himself to quickly absorb alchemical knowledge. To use blood as a component in alchemy, he needs a good foundation, so it wouldn't do to not even know the uses of some materials.
"This... How did your brain suddenly become normal?" Senior Brother Ouyang was puzzled. Based on his impression of Junior Brother Lin, he didn't seem like the type to choose a normal spell! He almost thought Lin Jing would choose the "Contraception Technique"!