Chapter 96 - 94: Won in the Womb
The eleventh batch of three Seated Mountain Eagles was nearly ready for auction. These two extraordinary-looking Second Generation Seated Mountain Eagles were the twelfth batch Jiang Zuo had raised.
However, they hatched over a month later than normal Seated Mountain Eagles.
For comparison, Jiang Zuo had already picked out a Seated Mountain Eagle from Eagle Mountain a month prior.
By the time the two were born, that other Seated Mountain Eagle had already been growing beside the purple Jade Stone for a month.
The purple Jade Stone had a noticeable effect on the young eagle’s growth, but it wasn’t as significant as Jiang Zuo had imagined.
Previously, the purple Jade Stone had been used primarily by Great Black and Xiaoqing, so Jiang Zuo wasn’t entirely clear on its specific effects.
Now that he’d decided to let the Seated Mountain Eagles use it, Jiang Zuo could finally get a proper understanding.
The two Second Generation Seated Mountain Eagles began living beside the purple Jade Stone, along with the other young eagle.
After just half a month, the second-generation eaglets were already a bit larger than the eaglet that had hatched a full month before them.
Granted, the Second Generation eaglets were twice the size of ordinary ones at birth.
But birds grow incredibly fast in their first month, changing day by day, provided they have enough food.
Besides, this first-generation eaglet’s living conditions weren’t poor, and it was growing rapidly.
Despite this, it was surpassed by the two Second Generation eaglets in just half a month.
What was even more frightening was that at just one month old, as they began their first molt, the two Second Generation eaglets already possessed the strength of the Skin Refining realm.
A normal eaglet would take eight months to potentially reach an equivalent level of development.
From then on, the two Second Generation eaglets’ growth skyrocketed.
Two months later, when the two Second Generation eaglets were just three months old, they both achieved Great Success in Skin Refining!
By contrast, the first-generation eaglet, despite identical living conditions, would still need another month or two to reach the Skin Refining realm.
’This must be the difference in aptitude.’
Jiang Zuo clearly understood what it meant to have a head start in life.
In this world of Cultivation and the supernatural, the gap between a superior species that developed excellent aptitude in the womb and an ordinary one with poor aptitude was shockingly vast.
The differences between the second-generation and first-generation eaglets were established before they even hatched.
With identical living conditions after hatching, the disparity in their growth was staggering.
The four first-generation Seated Mountain Eagles were overjoyed to see their offspring performing so exceptionally.
After they began practicing the Blood God Skill, their progress, enhanced by the purple Jade Stone, was also quite apparent.
After observing the Seated Mountain Eagles cultivating beside the purple Jade Stone for several months, Jiang Zuo reached a conclusion.
The purple Jade Stone was very powerful, but its effects varied depending on the circumstances.
In general, the stronger the individual, the more effective the purple Jade Stone.
It was like when Great Black was with Xiaoqing as a Spirit Beast Egg; the nourishment was too potent for the weak to absorb.
The same was true for the Seated Mountain Eagles.
After the first few months of reaping the greatest benefits, the four adult Seated Mountain Eagles could only spend about two days a month near the purple Jade Stone.
The rest of the time, they preferred to be near the greenish-blue Jade Stone.
There were exceptions, however.
The two Second Generation eaglets, for instance, had been influenced by the purple Jade Stone in the womb. After hatching, they seemed able to stay beside it constantly, reaping enormous benefits.
As for the first-generation eaglet, Jiang Zuo suspected that once it passed its period of rapid juvenile growth, it would no longer be able to remain near the purple Jade Stone continuously.
Things turned out much as Jiang Zuo had predicted.
When the first-generation eaglet reached seven months of age, it began to voluntarily distance itself from the purple Jade Stone.
The two Second Generation eaglets, however, showed no signs of discomfort.
And though they were called eaglets, these two six-month-old creatures were already larger than a normal adult Seated Mountain Eagle.
Furthermore, their strength was on the verge of breaking into the Muscle Training realm.
At this point, Jiang Zuo had largely drawn his conclusions about the purple Jade Stone.
The purple Jade Stone’s effects were most potent on fetuses and infants, making it ideal for nurturing powerful offspring.
Its effects on adult Pet Beasts were also strong, but were limited by their aptitude.
As for himself, Jiang Zuo was constantly growing stronger, so he couldn’t be sure of the purple Jade Stone’s exact effect on him.
But that it was beneficial was beyond doubt.
When the two Second Generation eaglets turned eight months old, they both entered the Muscle Training realm.
Their bodies were even larger than their parents, who were also in the Muscle Training realm.
The terrifying part was that they were still growing.
The impact of aptitude on an individual was demonstrated in stark relief.
Soon, the twelfth batch of three Seated Mountain Eagles was a year and a half old.
Normally, it would be time to auction them off.
Of course, Jiang Zuo had no intention of auctioning them. He planned to keep these three Seated Mountain Eagles until they flew off to the Mysterious Island to fight for the fruit of the giant tree.
However, he still needed to grind for Beast Taming Reputation; he couldn’t let raising these Seated Mountain Eagles interrupt that.
So this time, Jiang Zuo prepared to auction four of the Seated Mountain Eagles that had returned.
Of course, the terms and conditions would have to be changed as well.
Before the auction began, Jiang Zuo did some advertising.
Not only on Fire Mist Island, but in Wangxiang Sea City as well.
This was because Jiang Zuo planned to hold the auction only on Fire Mist Island this time.
He had already made enough of a name for himself in Wangxiang Sea City over the years.
He didn’t need to hold the auction there anymore. As long as the news that reached the city was impressive enough, he could still gain Beast Taming Reputation.
"Seated Mountain Eagles in the Muscle Training realm? Four of them?"
"That’s right, Master Qianhai said so himself! The auction is just one week away!"
Although he was still young—not yet thirty—by consistently raising Seated Mountain Eagles year after year, Jiang Zuo had already earned the title of Beast Taming Master on Fire Mist Island and in Wangxiang Sea City, where people called him Master Qianhai.
"Muscle Training Seated Mountain Eagles?"
Upon receiving the news, a glint flashed in the eyes of both Zhou Ruhai, leader of the Nuhai Gang, and He Tieshou, leader of the Iron Palm Gang.
On this day, a rare sea of people packed into Huowu Town.
Many people wanted to see for themselves what a Muscle Training Seated Mountain Eagle looked like.
Before Jiang Zuo even arrived, the area before the newly constructed wooden platform was already packed solid.
"They’re here!"
As noon approached, four Seated Mountain Eagles flew in from the distant sky.
"They’re huge! Much bigger than the Seated Mountain Eagles from previous years!"
"They don’t just seem to be in the Muscle Training realm... it looks like they’ve even reached Great Success!"
The audience below clicked their tongues in amazement as they stared at the four enormous Seated Mountain Eagles.
"Everyone, up for auction today are these four Seated Mountain Eagles, all at the Great Success stage of Muscle Training!"
"However, Great Success in Muscle Training is not their limit. In time, they will be able to enter the Bone Refining realm."
"Therefore, I am adding a condition to this auction. If you cannot accept it, please do not participate."
Jiang Zuo wasted no time. Seeing that a large enough crowd had gathered, he began.
The crowd below immediately erupted in an uproar.
Great Success in Muscle Training wasn’t their limit? In time, they could even reach the Bone Refining realm?
"Master Qianhai, what is this condition? You’re not changing the refund policy you’ve had for years, are you?" someone asked impatiently.
"No! The refund policy is the same as always and will not change. If they fly away, you can still get a refund, just like before."
"The new condition is simple. They will need my help to advance to the Bone Refining realm. Therefore, they will have to return to my residence for two days each month to continue their Cultivation."
"If you cannot accept this condition, please do not participate in the auction."
Jiang Zuo shook his head as he stated the condition.
"Enough talk, Master Qianhai! Let’s start the auction!"
Hearing these terms, the people below could no longer contain themselves and began shouting loudly.
That condition was nothing. You couldn’t use a Seated Mountain Eagle constantly anyway, so losing two days a month was no problem at all.
The key point was that if a Seated Mountain Eagle advanced to the Bone Refining realm, its value would skyrocket.
After all, even within the Nuhai Gang, there weren’t many members who had reached the Bone Refining realm.
A Seated Mountain Eagle in the Bone Refining realm would be a massive deterrent to their enemies.
And so, the auction was more heated than ever before.
In the end, however, all four Seated Mountain Eagles were bought by the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang. The two gangs each paid around two hundred thousand taels apiece to take two eagles home.
’It seems the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang are preparing to make their move,’ Jiang Zuo mused, observing the two gangs’ actions.
For the past two or three years, there had been rumors that the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang were preparing to move against the smaller gangs on Fire Mist Island to drive them out and seize their resource-rich lands.
Jiang Zuo wasn’t surprised by this.
Both gangs had benefited immensely from the eruption of the Hundred-Year Earth Fire.
Over the intervening years, both gangs had likely converted those benefits into combat strength.
There was no point in a gang becoming stronger if it couldn’t then seize more benefits.
For years, the two gangs had been buying Jiang Zuo’s Seated Mountain Eagles at auction, undoubtedly preparing for this moment.
This time, they spent a fortune to each snap up two Muscle Training Seated Mountain Eagles. It seemed they could no longer hold back.
However, it was hard to say whether they would succeed.
The smaller gangs were no match for the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang on their own.
They were well aware of this, so they had formed a Gang Alliance.
Basically, if the two major gangs made a move, they would be facing the entire Gang Alliance.
「...」
News of Jiang Zuo auctioning four Seated Mountain Eagles from the Muscle Training realm quickly spread throughout Fire Mist Island and Wangxiang Sea City.
Upon learning that the Muscle Training realm wasn’t their limit and that these Seated Mountain Eagles would eventually advance to Bone Refining, the number of people who acknowledged Jiang Zuo’s Beast Taming skills increased dramatically.
After many years, Jiang Zuo finally received another huge influx of Beast Taming Reputation.
Not long after the auction, the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang acted in concert, launching a war against the smaller gangs on Fire Mist Island.
Because of the Gang Alliance, the conflict drew in and swept up nearly every gang on Fire Mist Island.
It was essentially the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang against all the other gangs on Fire Mist Island.
For a time, Fire Mist Island was plunged into a state of utter chaos.
Although the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang were stronger than the other gangs, victory would not have come easily under normal circumstances.
But in this great gang war, the Seated Mountain Eagles played a crucial strategic role.
By controlling nearly all of the Seated Mountain Eagles, the Nuhai Gang and the Iron Palm Gang had a crystal-clear picture of their enemies’ movements and actions.
They held every advantage in battle.
And while the gang war was still raging, another flock of Seated Mountain Eagles returned from the Mysterious Island.
The moment Jiang Zuo came into contact with these returning Seated Mountain Eagles, he sensed that something was wrong.