Chapter 2917: Absorbing a Beast Core

"Become a White Tiger?" Alex asked, both confused and surprised. "How does a normal beast become one? Do they get a chance to evolve?"

"They do," Bai Jingshen said. "Every single beast that is a disciple guard is given the chance to enter the Ancestral Bloodline pool and take their chances at becoming a White Tiger. Even if they fail, they end up with a better bloodline overall."

"Really?" Pearl asked in surprise. "That’s different from the one back in the lower realm, right?"

"The one back in the lower realm was an artifact that was mainly meant to do two things," Bai Jingshen said. "Help find someone with a strong White Tiger’s bloodline, and help evolve them. It wasn’t strong enough to improve someone’s bloodline if it was weak, which is why they had to find someone with a strong bloodline."

"Furthermore, that one was a far more crude version of this, so the chances of death for someone evolving are much higher there as well," he said. "While that risk is present here too, it is so few and far in between that it is considered more of an accident than anything. At the same time, you can also start with a very weak bloodline and don’t have to evolve in order to become stronger."

Pearl nodded with quiet understanding.

Alex nodded too and looked around. "Do all the beasts here have White Tiger’s blood in them?" he asked. "What about that giraffe? Or that crane?"

"Not all beasts have the bloodline," Bai Jingshen said. "Even if they do, it would be such a tiny amount that it would not matter in the end."

"Then?" Alex asked. "What do those beasts get? Surely they don’t get to enter the ancestral pool, right?"

"Those beasts are given a similar chance to become a White Tiger, or at least, part of it," he said. "They are given the chance to absorb the aura of a White Tiger, so that they may use it to fuel their Origins. That way, they too have a chance to become a White Tiger."

"Ah!" Alex said as he realized what he meant. "So they may transform into a White Tiger! Does it work? Is there a chance of failure?"

"It works, depending on what you think of as working," Bai Jingshen said. "They are given the chance to absorb our aura, but it also depends on their ability to understand the aura and absorb as much as they can. They end up with a varying degree of White Tiger as their Creation."

"I’ve seen some that are able to turn only their paws into that of a White Tiger’s and some that are able to fully turn into a White Tiger. Those that can turn fully into a White Tiger are allowed into the family and marry one of the first generation’s non-White Tigers, so that together they may birth a child with the bloodline."

Pearl listened to his great-grandfather’s explanation with a strange expression. "That sounds quite complicated."

"It’s not, when you get the hang of it," Bai Jingshen said. "Speaking of which, how is your Origin coming along? You did use the technique I gave you, right?"

"Yes," Pearl said.

"And no," Alex added.

Bai Jingshen’s eyes narrowed. "Is it yes or is it no?"

"It’s both, and better. We’ll explain once we have the chance. It will take some time," he said.

"Okay..." Bai Jingshen said. "At least you haven’t absorbed any aura, have you? I don’t want any of you choosing Creations without proper thought. I’m sure you have decided what two you want, but talk to me just in case. I’m thinking of getting you a beast core of a White Tiger, so that you can turn it into a Creation."

"A White Tiger?" Alex asked with a confused look. "Pearl is right here. If I need aura, I can get it from him."

"No, you can’t get it from Pearl. A White Tiger’s regular aura is different from a White Tiger’s beast core. A core is always far superior to a regular body."

"How’s that so?" Alex asked with quite a bit of curiosity. "Is it not the same?"

"Not at all," Bai Jingshen said. "With the body, you turn into the body and have a bloodline, but you don’t get the rest that makes a White Tiger a White Tiger. For example, our ability to improve our physical strength with cultivation alone is tied to our blood essence, which is tied to our beast core."

"When we die, you can use our core to then form a Creation that is the White Tiger’s core. You cannot use it actively, like transforming into a White Tiger, but you can use every aspect of a White Tiger other than the physical shape."

"That also includes all of our bloodline techniques such as our White Tiger’s Claws, White Tiger’s Steps, and White Tiger’s Roar. You can also greatly improve your Spirit roots as well. It is quite powerful, and I really want you to have it."

Alex stared with an awed expression. He had no idea such a thing was even possible.

’A beast core is quite powerful?’ he thought.

Behind him, Bladedance stood with a stunned expression as well. She couldn’t imagine that there was a White Tiger that was actively wanting to give away their core essence to her disciple.

Such a thing was never supposed to happen, especially with these proud beasts. What the hell was happening here?

"I..." Alex spoke. "I’ll have to think about it, brother Shen. I’m not really sure if I want it."

Bai Jingshen paused. "You’re not sure? There are so many advantages. Think of the body cultivation, the—"

"My body cultivation is already in the Divine realm and increasing. And I have a lot of ways to improve it further."

"Um, then think of the Spirit root," Bai Jingshen said.

"I already have a Supreme Metal root," Alex said, which surprised Bladedance in the back.

"Right," Bai Jingshen said. He considered the rest for a bit. "The... techniques?"

Alex simply shook his head.

"I see," Bai Jingshen said. "Then... I’ll let you think about it. Tell me what you want and I’ll try to get it."