The air around the training ground shimmered faintly under the mid-morning sun.
Bai Tianlong sat cross-legged, regulating his breathing as the last traces of feedback from White Fang's breakthrough settled in his meridians. The dragon-blooded aura had done wonders for his cultivation — the second stage of Qi Condensation had been reached far earlier than expected.
Now, it was time to check on the other member of his growing beast retinue.
Little Yan, the young lion cub, stood not far away. Its fur glimmered faintly with red and golden streaks, the unique fusion of its fiery and thunderous heritage.
The cub had been diligently absorbing the beast product's like beast honey and beast milk Tianlong had fed it over the past week. Today, there was something different — a restless energy radiating from its small body, as if power was fighting to burst free.
Tianlong's brows lifted.
He's on the verge of awakening his talents…
A low rumble rolled from Little Yan's chest, and suddenly, sparks of lightning began dancing over his mane while faint tongues of flame licked at the edges of his fur. The elemental resonance was unmistakable — two distinct forces intertwined within one beast.
The surge of energy peaked in an instant. A ripple of soul-force passed through the bond they shared, and Tianlong's system interface flared to life in his mind:
> Beast "Little Yan" has awakened new talents.
– Talent Acquired: Fire Control (D-Rank)
– Talent Acquired: Thunder Control (D-Rank)
Tianlong allowed himself a rare smile. The Fire Control Talent meant Little Yan could shape and direct flames far beyond a normal elemental beast's ability, while Thunder Control would make his lightning faster, sharper, and more destructive. For a newly awakened beast, this was already remarkable.
But before Tianlong could even voice his approval, the cub tilted its head back and released a roar.
It wasn't loud by human standards, but the sound carried an unseen weight. The air around the cub shuddered; a faint golden shockwave radiated outward, making Tianlong's robe flutter. Somewhere deep in the bond, a name surfaced:
> Racial Skill Awakened – Lion's Roar
(Power scales with user's level; effects vary from stunning to disrupting enemy Qi.)
Tianlong's eyes narrowed. Normally, racial skills required time — months, even years — to awaken after contracting with a beast. But this… this was inherited from Little Yan's race, a dormant instinct that had simply been waiting for the right moment.
He nodded in satisfaction.
"Good. You'll be a true terror on the battlefield sooner than expected."
Little Yan puffed out his chest, clearly pleased with himself, sparks and flames still dancing over his small frame.
Tianlong glanced toward the horizon. Between White Fang's evolution and Little Yan's awakening, his beast team was growing faster than he had anticipated. But the world outside would not wait for him to be ready — and that creeping feeling from his master's earlier words still lingered.
Mid-stage Qi Condensation… a walk, he said…
A shiver ran down Tianlong's spine. Somehow, he doubted it would be a simple stroll.
---
Name: Bai Yan
Race: Beast
Species: Rosegold Flame Lion
– (Top-tier 4th Order Beast Lord Bloodline)
– (Contains a sliver of the Rosegold Flame Monarch Lion Bloodline)
– (Thunder & Fire Double Mutation)
Cultivation: None
Talents:
Fire Control – Rank D
Thunder Control – Rank D
Skills:
Lion's Roar (Power scales with user's level; effects vary from stunning to disrupting enemy Qi)
Potential: ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (2 Stars out of 10)
---
Bai Tianlong's gaze lingered on Little Yan's status for a few moments, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Just as he was about to close the status window, a faint ripple echoed through his Beast Taming Space.
Thump… thump… thump…
The Wide Eagle egg trembled softly, threads of golden light flickering across its shell.
Bai Tianlong turned his head sharply toward it, his brows raising in surprise.
"Hoh? You've matured again?"
Sure enough, the system's feedback confirmed it — the egg's incubation time had shortened.
What once required 170 days now only needed 140 days before hatching.
It seemed the progress of his own cultivation, along with the strengthening of his other contracted beasts, had quietly accelerated the eagle's growth as well.
---
After making note of the Wide Eagle egg's accelerated growth, Bai Tianlong decided not to waste any more time.
His body had been lagging behind compared to his spiritual cultivation — it was time to fix that.
He made his way straight to the Scriptures Pavilion.
Inside, the familiar scent of ancient scrolls and ink filled the air.
When the Pavilion Elder saw him and heard his request for a body training manual, the old man's eyes narrowed slightly before a smile formed on his lips.
"As a direct descendant of the Bai family," the elder said, "you have enough seniority to learn the secret body refinement technique of the clan."
From a locked jade cabinet, the elder carefully retrieved a golden-edged scroll, handing it to Tianlong.
"This is the Five Elemental Body Refining Technique. Practice well, and do not spread it."
Bai Tianlong blinked in surprise.
Five Elemental Body Refining Technique?
He had never heard of such a thing — not from his grandfather, not from his father, not even from his two elder brothers.
Returning to his courtyard, Tianlong was still puzzling over the scroll when a familiar figure appeared out of thin air — his master.
The man's sharp gaze swept over the technique once, and a faint chuckle escaped his lips.
"This technique… truly has some worth to be called a secret. I didn't expect your clan to have such a treasure."
Seeing Tianlong's questioning expression, his master explained:
"This method gives a small chance for anyone to gain an acquired physique. For those who already have an initiate physique, practicing it to the Foundation Establishment stage will almost certainly awaken their latent potential.
Perhaps your family feared you might fail to awaken a physique and didn't want to raise your hopes — so they never told you about this."
Tianlong tightened his grip on the scroll, his eyes glinting.
If there was even a small chance… he would take it.