Chapter 423 - 322: Becoming a Family
Upon hearing the voice, Nanli spun around to see Fang Qingyuan leaning against a tree, smiling at her.
It was only then that the Foundation Establishment Bear Beasts beside Nanli noticed the presence of a human Cultivator. They immediately bared their fangs and roared.
But before they could pounce on Fang Qingyuan, Nanli pecked them a few times. The Bear Beasts howled in pain, their aggressive posture deflating instantly.
Only then did Nanli dart to Fang Qingyuan’s side, lowering her head to nuzzle his shoulder.
Fang Qingyuan patted Nanli’s long, slender neck. He hadn’t seen her in years, and she had certainly put on a little weight. However, compared to her days in the Qi Cultivation stage, she had also grown much more beautiful.
The fiery red feathers on Nanli’s body gleamed with a brilliant luster. She was immaculate, and even her gait was elegant—nothing like the crude, wild beasts of the Barbaric Wilderness.
Although Fang Qingyuan had never seen how beautiful Nanli’s mother was, descriptions in ancient texts depicted adult Nanming Firebirds as having slender bodies with tail feathers wreathed in flame. When they flew, they left a trail of tassel-like fiery motes, glowing brilliantly. When it came to looks, Nanli was destined to be the most beautiful of his four Companion Beasts.
After calming Nanli, Fang Qingyuan followed her toward the center of the Barbaric Territory, where the lair of the Golden Reng Bear, Bear Wind, was located.
Fang Qingyuan had chosen to come in person this time to see if he could find a suitable Land Realm for his Core Formation in Bear Wind’s territory and to discuss a potential collaboration.
Fang Qingyuan had reservations about attempting his Core Formation elsewhere. At present, Bear Wind, a Nascent Soul Ancient Beast, was the only one with whom he had some connection, so he decided to try his luck.
Nanli cheerfully led the way, and wherever she passed, the local beasts gave her a wide berth. It was clear she was living quite well here.
「One day later」 They arrived at Bear Wind’s lair. It was the same deep, dark cave. He had left in a hurry last time; nearly twenty years had passed since then.
Here, however, Nanli’s influence was not enough. The Bear Beasts guarding the cave entrance refused to accommodate her. Frustrated and with negotiations proving useless, Nanli returned to Fang Qingyuan’s side, dejected.
Seeing this, Fang Qingyuan chuckled. With a flick of his banner, he released Jinbao.
After landing, Jinbao did a somersault. He then took in the scene, ambled forward, and proceeded to give the guards a piece of his mind. A flurry of bear-speak followed, and the exchange between them seemed surprisingly cheerful.
Seeing Jinbao, a relative of their patriarch, the Bear Beasts naturally didn’t dare to block his way any longer. They quickly scattered, clearing a path.
Fang Qingyuan followed behind Jinbao, feeling quite at ease. He didn’t forget to offer some gifts to Bear Wind’s attendants. From his Immortal Mansion, he brought out large quantities of Flower Nectar, preserved fruits, and cured meat—all top-quality goods meticulously prepared by humans. The Flower Nectar was rich, the fruits were sweet, and the meat was fragrant.
After giving away several thousand pounds of goodies, ’the next time I come, these Bear Beasts should clear the path for me automatically,’ he thought.
This time, Fang Qingyuan left Nanli outside. The cave’s interior was not a suitable place for her. Bear Wind was a Nascent Soul Ancient Beast, after all. He was already stretching his luck by going in, relying on his connection through Jinbao. Nanli’s connection was even more tenuous. Although Bear Wind probably wouldn’t mind, it was better to be cautious.
As he navigated the winding underground tunnels, Fang Qingyuan could feel the Spiritual Power growing denser the deeper he went. This place was an Earth Spirit Vein. The concentration of Spiritual Qi he had sensed from the surface was only Tier-3, but by the time he was halfway down, he felt it had already surpassed the upper limits of high-grade Tier-3.
’No wonder Bear Wind likes to sleep deep underground,’ Fang Qingyuan mused. ’It’s partly out of boredom and partly for his cultivation.’
Expecting a Nascent Soul Ancient Beast like him to cultivate diligently was unrealistic. They would rather spend that energy getting a little more sleep.
The further down he went, the denser the Earth Qi became. Eventually, Fang Qingyuan felt as if he were completely submerged in an ocean of Earth Qi.
The last time he was here, Bear Wind had whisked him and Jinbao along at great speed, so his perception of this place hadn’t been nearly as profound.
After walking for a while longer, Fang Qingyuan could faintly hear Bear Wind’s thunderous snores. The moment he registered the sound, it stopped abruptly. After a pause of more than ten breaths, a massive bear face appeared right in front of him.
Fang Qingyuan quickly activated his Mind Divine Techniques, and then he heard Bear Wind’s question:
"Why’re you here? What do you want from me?"
Looking at Bear Wind, Fang Qingyuan didn’t state his request immediately. Instead, he took out a tome and said to the great bear:
"This is a Secret Technique that allows Spirit Beasts to refine their Horizontal Bone and learn to speak. I wonder if Elder Xiong would be interested in taking a look?"
Bear Wind’s eyes shifted. He drew the tome from Fang Qingyuan’s hand with a flick of his paw, then looked at the Cultivator, waiting for him to continue.
"You just need to press it against your forehead, and the information will be transmitted directly to you."
Bear Wind glanced at Jinbao, who still looked as goofy as ever, then pressed the tome to his own forehead. A moment later, a flicker of joy crossed Bear Wind’s face. He then tried to open his mouth, and a true human voice emerged:
"You... are... very... kind."
Fang Qingyuan quickly replied that it was nothing. The Secret Technique for refining the Horizontal Bone wasn’t a particularly rare classic. Within the Beast Taming Sect, while not every member had a copy, any Cultivator who reached the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment would find one, hoping their Companion Beast might learn to speak after reaching the Golden Core realm.
The Jade Scroll Classic stored a vast vocabulary and all its definitions. Once this information was transmitted to a Spirit Beast, and once it refined the Horizontal Bone in its throat, it could begin to speak immediately without the trouble of having to learn.