Chapter 99: A Promising Future

In the quiet study, Fang Qingyuan stared at the small wooden sword, lost in thought. Beside him, Jinbao lay at his feet, rolling over out of sheer boredom and exposing its fluffy belly.

’In Jinbao’s opinion, its master was great in every way. The only problem was how he was always getting lost in thought for ages at a time. Of course, things would be even better if he didn’t force it to cultivate and gave it delicious Flower Nectar every day.’

’The thought of Flower Nectar made Jinbao’s mouth water. It hadn’t had any for several days now. Did its master see it slacking off? Was he angry?’

At this thought, Jinbao peeked furtively at Fang Qingyuan. Seeing that Fang Qingyuan wasn’t paying attention, it nudged its body closer to his feet and rubbed against his calf, hoping to get his attention.

Feeling the movement at his feet, Fang Qingyuan skillfully freed a hand to stroke the little bear’s round ears. He casually scratched its head a few times, and the little bear let out a contented purr.

But Fang Qingyuan’s mind was not on Jinbao. He had just had a thought. ’If Little Wujie has a special Dao Body, and if I can figure out the ratio of the Five Elements Spirit Roots within him, does that mean I could acquire this kind of Dao Body for myself?’

For a Cultivator below the Nascent Soul Stage, a Dao Body was typically something one was born with, but it wasn’t unheard of for someone to successfully cultivate one later in life.

As far as Fang Qingyuan knew, Cultivators with a Dao Body generally had combat power far exceeding that of their peers at the same stage. Huo Hu’s ferocity, aside from his Huo Family’s secret Cultivation Technique, was likely also due to a special Dao Body.

However, the specific type of Dao Body one possessed was a Cultivator’s private secret. Unless they were extremely close friends, no one else would know. This was because a Dao Body didn’t just come with advantages; it also had weaknesses. If targeted by someone with ill intent, the owner would be at a great disadvantage.

The most urgent task was to figure out exactly what kind of constitution Little Wujie possessed. With this in mind, Fang Qingyuan had Qu Wei bring Little Wujie to him. He wanted to see for himself again.

Two years ago, Fang Qingyuan had checked Little Wujie’s aptitude, but at the time, he hadn’t paid close attention, his focus having been captured by the Liu family boy’s top-grade Gold Spirit Root.

Afterward, Fang Qingyuan had been eager to investigate the secrets beneath the Tea Garden, which led him to subconsciously overlook these two promising young cultivators.

’However, it’s not too late. I’ve already brought the Qu and Liu families under my governance. Even if other Cultivators see these two children, all they can do is drool with envy. Without my approval, they can’t simply take Liu Xun and Qu Wujie away.’

’If they tried, I would just have to report it, and the sect would back me up.’

’Forcibly seizing another Cultivator’s governed people is forbidden by the laws of the Great Zhou. While not as severe as stealing a talented infant, the offense still carries a heavy price.’

After Qu Wei brought his son over, he stood to the side, watching Fang Qingyuan with apprehension. Normally, he should have excused himself from such a matter, as this was business between Immortal Masters. A clear line existed between immortals and mortals, and as a mortal, he had no right to pry into an Immortal Master’s private affairs.

But this was his son, after all, and Little Wujie was still clutching his sleeve. Qu Wei simply couldn’t set his mind at ease, so he plucked up his courage and remained by their side.

Fang Qingyuan glanced at him but didn’t pay it much mind. Little Wujie was a bit timid in front of him, so having his father present might help keep him calm.

Taking out the Magical Artifact used for testing Spirit Root aptitude, Fang Qingyuan pressed the Token against Little Wujie’s forehead and began to channel his Spiritual Power into it.

Two years ago, Fang Qingyuan had used a drop of blood from Little Wujie’s fingertip. That was because Little Wujie didn’t have much Spiritual Power in his body back then. Now, two years had passed, and Little Wujie had accumulated some of his own.

’Possessing a Spirit Root allows one to connect and interact with the world. It’s not like you’re doomed to be a mortal for life just because you don’t have a Cultivation Technique. That old trope about living half your life before discovering you have a Celestial Spirit Root? That’s the kind of thing I’ve only ever seen in novels from my past life.’

’Even Spirit Beast Insect Beetles can cultivate on their own without a Cultivation Technique. Humans, who possess Spirit Roots and are considered the spirit of all creation, why shouldn’t they be able to as well?’

As the Spiritual Power Fang Qingyuan channeled into the Token took effect, the artifact began to emit lights of various colors.

The white light was the most intense, while the other four colors were slightly dim.

Fang Qingyuan’s brow furrowed as he saw the results. Little Wujie’s Five Elements Spirit Root values were: Metal, thirteen; Wood, twelve; Water, eleven; Fire, ten; and Earth, nine.

’These numbers are ordinary, yet interesting. It’s just that my own current Spirit Root aptitude already far surpasses this standard.’

’Since the end of the second war on Celestial Attraction Mountain, I’ve been using the Immortal Mansion to absorb the sealed Gold Spirit Power in my body. My Gold Spirit Root has now reached twenty-five, an increase of three points.’

’It’s still not as high as my Wood Spirit Root’s twenty-eight, but it’s not far off. My other three Spirit Root aptitudes are still the same, with no changes.’

’Throughout history, I’ve mostly heard of methods and techniques to *increase* one’s Spirit Root aptitude. I’ve never paid any mind to ways of *lowering* it.’

’Am I really going to look for a way to lower my own Spirit Root aptitude just to replicate Little Wujie’s Dao Body?’

At this thought, Fang Qingyuan let out a self-deprecating laugh. If he really did that, wouldn’t it be a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, putting the cart before the horse?

’Cultivation is the foundation; a Dao Body is just icing on the cake. Besides, the Dao Body that Little Wujie possesses might not even be suitable for me.’

’Something like Sword Intent is clearly more suited for the Cyan Lotus Sword Sect. As a Cultivator of the Beast Taming Sect, if I want to attain an Acquired Dao Body, I should be looking for the exceptional ones recorded by my own sect.’

’For tens of thousands of years, the Beast Taming Sect has stood firm in this world. According to the sect history I know, every few hundred or a thousand years, the Beast Taming Sect produces a figure who dominates the Cultivation Realm for over a century. These prodigies were explicitly recorded as possessing supreme Dao Bodies. Those are the ones I should be aiming for.’

’However, the existence of these Dao Bodies is a sect secret. Given my current status and position, wanting to access such information is indeed getting ahead of myself.’

’But as long as I remain in the Beast Taming Sect and my status rises, I’ll find out these secrets sooner or later.’

’Fourteen years ago, I was just an Outer Disciple of Tianshan Villa. In the span of a mere decade, I was promoted to an Inner Sect Disciple.’

’Now that Tianshan Villa has become the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect, my own status has risen with it. When I go out, even Cultivators from other sects treat me with respect.’

’In a few more years, once I advance to a Late-stage Qi Cultivation Disciple, my status as an official disciple of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect will be set in stone.’

’After that, the high-status, high-authority positions of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect—Steward, Elder, even a First Seat—would not be impossible to aspire to.’

’Leaning on the great tree that is the sect, as long as I outlive my peers, I’ll become the one with the most seniority.’

’Of the sect-mates who entered Tianshan Villa with me back then, fourteen years have passed, and I’ve already had to give funeral offerings for several of them.’

’As for me, as long as I’m alive, the future is full of promise.’