Chapter 212: Spirit Beast Transformation
"The scenery is so beautiful, and the Spiritual Qi is so abundant. Can I choose one of these eight peaks to live on? I can pay rent with Spirit Stones."
At that moment, Qin Susu gazed at the scenery of the cave mansion, feeling the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Her spirits lifted, and she was filled with a deep sense of longing.
If she could practice her Cultivation here, with a Tier Two Peak Spiritual Vein all to herself, her progress would surely increase dramatically.
"Of course. You can pick any of the eight peaks. Besides, there’s no need for rent between us."
Zhang Chi smiled and agreed at once.
Even if she hadn’t mentioned it, he would have brought it up.
After all, even now that he had reached the Golden Core realm, her Charm Demon Jade Liquid would continue to be effective.
If they kept at it for a few hundred years, it might even be possible to elevate the quality of his Golden Core to the legendary Celestial Grade.
Besides, Cultivation wasn’t meant to be pure suffering. A little enjoyment, relaxation, and companionship were essential—and good for one’s mental health.
"Really? That’s wonderful!"
Qin Susu was overjoyed.
He Shi and the others couldn’t help but feel envious, but none of them made a similar request.
Although they were Zhang Chi’s subordinates, they couldn’t expect to live there for free. Besides, this was a private space for Zhang Chi and Qin Susu; it wouldn’t be appropriate for them to move in.
The same went for Zhong Yu and Yan Tengfei.
However, with powerful families backing them and their status as the Sect’s True Inheritors, they were hardly in need of Spirit Vein Cave Mansions.
In fact, they were already starting to benefit from their connection to him.
Their connection to Zhang Chi, a Top Grade Golden Core cultivator, and their shared status as Master Jian’s disciples—not to mention their good rapport—directly resulted in a significant improvement in how both their families and the Sect treated them.
The same was true for He Shi, Li Ruohai, and the others. The Sect now clearly valued them more than before.
Soon, the cave mansion was clean. The group celebrated with drinks, and everyone gave Zhang Chi a housewarming gift.
Even Jian Jinfeng accepted an invitation, chatting with the group for a while before she left.
In the past, Jian Jinfeng would never have participated in such gatherings of the younger generation. For one, it was beneath her status, and for another, she simply lacked the time or inclination.
But with her extended Lifespan, she was in an excellent mood. She also valued Zhang Chi more and more, which was why she’d made an exception.
In fact, the improvement in her treatment by the Sect was even greater than what Li Ruohai and the others had experienced.
After everyone had their fill of fun and departed, Zhang Chi and Qin Susu celebrated again in their own special way.
As it turned out, Zhang Chi discovered that the Charm Demon Jade Liquid did indeed improve the quality of his Golden Core. Although the effect was minuscule, it was real, and the cumulative impact over time would be impossible to ignore.
The only issue was that he was now at the Golden Core realm while Qin Susu was only at Foundation Establishment. The gap in their Cultivation had widened once more, meaning Qin Susu would have to work hard on improving her physical conditioning again.
After Qin Susu returned to her own cave mansion, Zhang Chi finally had time to set up his Thousand Illusions Locking Array outside the peak’s cave mansion before placing the Eye of the Spirit Spring inside.
Of course, the Nine Peaks Cave Mansion itself had a Mountain Protection Array, and it was a Tier Three Array.
Zhang Chi had already inspected it and found no signs of tampering, but he was still habitually cautious.
Afterwards, Zhang Chi finally sat cross-legged in the Cultivation Quiet Chamber and began to practice his Cultivation, circulating the Nine Flames Spirit Devouring Technique.
Half an hour later, he opened his eyes. He checked the change in his Spiritual Power and found that the combination of the Tier Three Middle Grade Spiritual Vein and the Tier Three Low Grade Eye of the Spirit Spring was indeed extremely effective.
ROAR!
Then, he activated the Divine Whale Devouring Sea Technique. A spectral image of a Giant Whale suddenly materialized, roaring as it opened its maw and inhaled.
WHOOSH!
Instantly, the sound of a rushing tide echoed through the room. The excess Spiritual Qi that had gathered in the cave mansion was directly devoured by the Divine Whale Devouring Sea Technique, stored away for future use.
"Go on. From now on, you’re free to roam the Nine Peaks Lake area!"
Next, Zhang Chi went outside the cave mansion. With a grand wave of his hand, he released all three of his Spirit Beasts.
The three Spirit Beasts cried out joyfully, circled Zhang Chi once, and then shot off to frolic.
The three Spirit Beasts’ appearances had changed dramatically after their breakthrough, making them completely different from their original forms.
They were pitch-black all over, covered in scales that shone with a metallic luster. Their claws and fangs were incredibly sharp, their venom was even more potent, their wingspan was well over a hundred feet, and their pupils were a pale gold.
Strictly speaking, they were no longer Spirit Snakes, but veritable Flying Spirit Beasts.
They didn’t belong to any known species of Demon Beast. However, considering they were now respectable Tier Three Demon Beasts, Zhang Chi had given them proper names: Flying Dragon No.1, Flying Dragon No.2, and Flying Dragon No.3.
"These are those three Golden Core Level Demon Beasts?"
The appearance of the three Spirit Beasts immediately startled Qin Susu. She flew over to Zhang Chi in a hurry and, upon discovering they were his Spirit Beasts, she breathed a sigh of relief, her curiosity now piqued.
"That’s right," Zhang Chi said with a nod. "The six Spirit Snakes I borrowed from you all before were their previous forms. It’s just that three of them died during the breakthrough."
The existence of these three Spirit Beasts was no longer a secret, so there was no harm in telling Qin Susu.
"I see," Qin Susu said, the realization dawning on her. "I suspected at the time that they were related to those Spirit Snakes, and I even suspected all those Spirit Snakes were yours."
With a mere thought from Zhang Chi, the three Spirit Beasts flew back to get acquainted with Qin Susu.
The two of them then rode the Spirit Beasts, soaring for a few laps. It was a completely different experience compared to flying on their own.
The experience was especially thrilling for Qin Susu, as the Spirit Beasts flew much, much faster than a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
Moreover, these Spirit Beasts already possessed considerable intelligence. Knowing Qin Susu’s status, they intentionally showed off, which only enhanced the effect.
SWISH!
After playing around for a while, Qin Susu went to her Cultivation, the three Spirit Beasts continued to frolic, and Zhang Chi went alone to the Inheritance Hall.
He had just earned an opportunity to redeem a Top Grade Cultivation Technique, as well as the chance to redeem an Upper Grade Cultivation Technique that came once every ten years. The Sect had already granted him the one for the current decade in advance.
He planned to see if there were any suitable Cultivation Techniques worth acquiring.
Furthermore, as a Nascent Soul Seed, his status and privileges had been greatly enhanced. He could now directly enter any of the archive chambers without needing a Steward from the Inheritance Hall to open the doors for him.
This included the chamber where the Demonic Cultivation Techniques were stored.
As a Golden Core Powerhouse, he wouldn’t face any trouble even if he openly entered to select a Demon Technique.
The other Disciples would simply assume he was studying the Demon Techniques for reference.
This time, he planned to go and see if there were any other Demon Techniques he could cultivate.
After all, even though he now had a Spiritual Vein and other assets, he still needed to find a way to accelerate his Cultivation speed.
Otherwise, he might not even reach the Nascent Soul realm in his lifetime. Even if he managed it, he would likely be four or five hundred years old, and the Nascent Soul realm would probably be his final limit.
But now that he had formed a Top Grade Golden Core, his initial, smaller goals had been raised. He was no longer satisfied with merely reaching the Nascent Soul realm.
To increase his Cultivation speed, Demonic Cultivation Techniques were undoubtedly a promising avenue to explore.
"Greetings, Junior Martial Uncle Zhang!"
The moment Zhang Chi arrived at the Inheritance Hall, cultivators hurried to bow, their expressions filled with utmost respect.
The eyes of many cultivators shone with admiration.
Clearly, news of Zhang Chi forming a Top Grade Golden Core had spread throughout the entire Sect in the past few days.
Though most cultivators had never met Zhang Chi in person, many had inquired about him, and some had even seen portraits of him.
This was especially true for the disciples on duty in the Inheritance Hall, as they were the most likely to run into him.