[POV Shift]
"This tiger is too scary!"
"Daddy, how can a tree be a pet?"
"This one is ugly, I want something cute."
Elder Jing was exhausted. He should have known there was something fishy when his wife smiled at him gently when he took Ying'er out.
"What's wrong if it's a little ugly? Raising pigs is easy. It is not picky about food, is loyal to the owner, and can be your weapon, shield, and mount when it's older. You know, your Martial Uncle Zhi's first spirit beast~"
"I can't hear what you are saying." Ying'er put her hands on her ears and swayed her little head. "I want a cute pet. A cute pet, cute, cute, cute."
"Okay okay. Stop now, we'll get you a cute pet."
Elder Jing picked her up and leapt to the sky. He left the Sect's Bestiary and headed towards the small forest at the foot of his mountain peak. There should be some small critters there. It's okay to wait for a few years to get her a proper Spirit Beast. Consoling himself, Elder landed on the clearing near an old camphor tree. He was about to release his divine sense and scan the area when Ying'er said, "Daddy, look!"
He followed in the direction her chubby finger pointed. There was a pile of rocks near the stream, nothing strange. Then, something caught his eye. Among the rocks, he saw a small tortoise shell. Before releasing his squirming daughter, he checked the tortoise shell for danger with his divine sense.
Menial disciples and outer sect disciples regularly surveyed the forest for spirit beasts or animals that got dangerous and either killed or caught them to be kept in the bestiary. But it is always better to be cautious. Not sensing any dangerous aura or malicious intent from the tortoise, he let Ying'er down.
She jogged as fast as her little legs allowed and squatted near the rocks. Then she started examining the shell. It was only as big as her palm, yellow-brown colored, with softly glowing green lines. Her father squatted beside her.
"Daddy, is he alive?" Saying so, she touched it with her finger and immediately withdrew.
"Yes. It's cultivating."
"I want him as my pet then. Look at how cute he is!" Feeling a little more brave, she gently patted the shell.
"You will be bored with it. Why don't we pick something lively?"
"I won't be. Please, Daddy, let me keep him."
"Okay okay, just remember this: make your mommy get you a new pet if you are bored. Don't bother me next time. Let's put him in Beast-taming pouch for now. I'll let him out at home." Elder Jing pointed his finger at the tortoise. Enveloping it in his True Qi, he placed it into the pouch on his waist.
"Let's go home now."
"Why don't we carry these stones too? Maybe they are his favorite bed."
The puzzled father wisely said nothing about tortoises having no concept of bed and placed a few rocks in his storage ring.
The poor tortoise in question woke up from his meditation in a dark space.
Nani? Did I break through? Thought it would take a little longer. Now what am I supposed to do here?
However, he didn't have much time to enjoy the soothing aura around him or figure out what to do in that space. After a few moments, a green glow surrounded and transported him out of the beast-taming pouch.
A notification box appeared before he could take a look around him:
[Status updated.
Name: Lin Tai
Species: Spiritual Tortoise
Faction: Qian Lin/Thousand Groves Sect
Days survived: 6
You have acquired Language Package 128735 (temporary). To acquire it permanently, stay in the Thousand Groves Sect for 300 days.]
I got a name? And joined a faction? How? Why?
Then the notification box vanished, and Lin Tai came face to face with his fears: Humans.
A chubby girl was looking at him with shining eyes. Beside her stood a middle-aged man in daoist robes, stroking his short black beard.
Don't panic. Everything is okay. I am now part of their sect, so they are not planning to eat me, right? Maybe they want to tame me as a pet. Yes! That must be it. I'm just a tiny tortoise, no nutritional value. Let's leave future problems to future me and act cute.
The tortoise seemed shocked when it stuck its head out of the shell. Elder Jing didn't know animals could be surprised. Must be my imagination, he thought. After a few moments it tilted its head to the side. This action drew a yelp from Ying'er.
"So cute… Lin Tai, do you like your name?" The torto… Lin Tai tilted his head to the other side, as if confused by the question. Ying'er carefully reached out to pat him on the head but decided to pat it in the shell.
"Lin Tai, Lin Tai, Lin Tai. That is your name." She pointed her finger at him, then pointed at herself. "Lin Ying, Lin Ying, Lin Ying. That is my name."
Lin Tai, seemingly oblivious to the introduction, started moving towards Ying'er at the slowest pace Elder Jing didn't know was possible. Are tortoises really this slow?
After what seemed like eternity, Lin Tai reached his new Master and affectionately put his forehead on her shoes. Ying'er carefully picked him up. Holding him near her face, she muttered,
"We will be friends."
Somehow, she felt he understood.
We will be friends. This could have been worse. At least my master is still naive and kind. I will hopefully get stronger and escape before she gets the idea of eating or refining me into some treasure.
"You are back. What did you pick for my Ying'er?" A warm voice with a hint of mischief came from the side. Lin Tai turned around and saw a true fairy from cultivation novels he read back on Earth. Master definitely took after her mother.
"Look, Mom, his name is Lin Tai." The little girl showed him on her palm.
"Tai as in Antai, peaceful, or as in Taihe, great harmony?"
At this sudden question, Ying'er looked at Lin Tai with a confused expression.
Why are you looking at me? Aren't you the one who picked the name?
"Stop teasing her, dear. She chose this name very carefully." Elder Jing came to her rescue. Patting her head, he urged her, "Let's go and give Lin Tai some water. He must be thirsty."
With the new worry, Ying'er forgot about the embarrassing situation and hurried to get water.
"Wasn't someone telling me that he will get a fearsome tiger as a spirit beast? Did it get scared and refuse to come?"
Now Ying'er ran away, Elder Feng teased her husband. He smiled helplessly.
"She's still young; don't be too concerned. When she gets a little older, she'll understand your intentions and ask you to pick her the fiercest one. Now, where did you find this tortoise?" She gently picked his hand and walked towards the pavilion.
"In the forest below. He's only a few days old but has already started cultivating."
It can live long enough if she gets attached to it. Elder Feng picked up the underlying meaning and replied in turn, "That's good then. I'll ask for someone to pick low-level spirit herbs to accelerate its cultivation."
"Will she get bored of him?"
"She's your daughter. You should be worried in case she throws a tantrum about not cultivating or practicing."
"That should worry you, Madam. Her training is on you."
Elder Jing used Earth Escape to save himself from a full-on palm strike of Heavenly Wind.
"Still a child," Elder Feng chuckled to herself. She used movement technique to move to Ying'er's side, who was currently squatting in front of a bowl. In the half-filled bowl, Lin Tai was lying leisurely.
"Ah Jin, is he drinking water?"
"I don't think so, Young Miss." The young boy in grey robes stood respectfully on the side, bowing to Elder Feng. She gestured for him to rise.
"Why is that?"
"I don't know, Young Miss." He scratched his head absentmindedly. "I heard that tortoises bathe in the water and drink from the same water."
Would you drink the water you used for a bath? Though we are animals, we have rights too! Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—don't bully a young spirit beast because he's weak. Thank God I can't speak yet. I would become a poor protagonist with this cliché line. But seriously, how can they do this to me? Considering I am already a spirit beast, don't I deserve better treatment?
"Get a shallow plate and put clean water in front of it."
"Yes, Elder Feng." After giving a quick bow, Ah Jin left to get a plate. Elder squatted beside her daughter. They sat in a comfortable silence, gazing at the baby tortoise lazily moving its limbs in the water. Soon the servant boy came back with a plate of water and put it near the bowl.
Ying'er took Lin Tai from the water and put him near the plate.
"This is clean water, Xiao Tai. Drink." Lin Tai slowly lowered his head and drank a few mouthfuls. Seeing him retreat his head, Ying'er looked at her with concern, as if saying, Why is he not drinking now?
"He's only this big. How much water can he drink? Don't worry, we'll put this plate near his nest, he can drink whenever he wants."
As Mother explained patiently, Lin Tai moved towards the bowl. Ying'er happily lifted him and put him in the bowl. After giving permission to leave to Ah Jin, Elder Feng took out 2 meditation cushions.
Lin Tai was done playing, but continued lazily flailing his limbs. You gotta give something back after all. If they wanted to relax while watching him have fun, they were welcome.