Chapter 278 - 246: Beast Taming Talent

Three batches of Grain Avoidance Pills, and not even a single Lower Grade one had been refined.

Given the results, there was really no need to continue testing Huang Mengyang’s Alchemy Talent.

He truly had no talent for Alchemy. If he possessed even a shred of it, he would have refined at least one Lower Grade Grain Avoidance Pill by now, especially considering he had the advantage of a higher Realm.

"There’s no need for me to waste the remaining Spirit Medicine."

"Very well." Fang Yun nodded. "Take a look at these two books on the basics of Artifact Refining. Five days from now, try to refine the simplest kind of Magical Artifact for me to see."

"Of course, Brother Fang Yun."

Unlike the test for Alchemy Talent,

when it came to Artifact Refining, Fang Yun wanted to personally watch Huang Mengyang’s process to get a better understanding of his talent.

「Five days later.」

Inside Lower-Grade Artifact Refining Room Seven.

Huang Mengyang was attempting to refine the simplest club-type Magical Artifact, a Lower Grade one.

As for the refining process... well, how to put it? Fang Yun had the sudden urge to bury his face in his hands.

With his experience, he could already tell that Huang Mengyang had no talent for Artifact Refining, either.

Throughout the entire process, Huang Mengyang felt that every single step was a struggle; nothing went smoothly.

He stumbled and fumbled through to the very end, but produced nothing.

"Brother Fang Yun, how did I do?" Unwilling to give up, Huang Mengyang asked with a sliver of hope.

Fang Yun shook his head. "This path isn’t for you, either."

"Alright..."

Huang Mengyang hung his head, crestfallen.

He desperately wanted to be like Brother Fang Yun, skilled in both Alchemy and Artifact Refining. But as it turned out, he had no talent for either.

"Don’t lose heart. You’re very talented when it comes to learning spells. From now on, you can spend more of your time on that."

Huang Mengyang’s talent for learning spells had been proven back in his second year at the Celestial Cloud Sect.

Among the disciples, his talent for spells was considered well above average.

With that kind of aptitude, he could absolutely focus more of his time on learning spells to improve his strength.

After bidding farewell to Fang Yun and leaving Artifact Casting Peak, Huang Mengyang went to Smoke Cloud Peak to find his sister, Huang Mengzhu.

He told his sister the results of his Artifact Refining talent test.

"No talent for Alchemy, and no talent for Artifact Refining, either." An idea suddenly struck Huang Mengzhu. "Mengyang," she suggested immediately, "perhaps you’re like your big sister and have a talent for being a Spirit Chef. Do you want me to help you test it?"

"Forget it." Huang Mengyang shook his head. "I have absolutely no interest in making Spiritual Food. I’d rather go raise Demon Beasts than cook."

"The path of Beast Taming? I think you should give it a try."

"Let me think about it..."

Failing to show even a sliver of talent for either Alchemy or Artifact Refining had been a huge blow to Huang Mengyang.

He had some interest in Beast Taming, but it couldn’t compare to his interest in Alchemy and Artifact Refining.

"I’ll give it one last try."

"Okay, I’ll take you to see Elder Han right now."

Han Fenglin was the second-in-command of Smoke Cloud Peak and also the strongest Beast Tamer in the Celestial Cloud Sect. Previously, when Fang Yun wanted to refine the Half-Hidden Spirit Boots, he had obtained some of the required Spiritual Materials from Han Fenglin.

As Xu Qingxuan’s Direct Disciple, Huang Mengzhu wielded considerable influence on Smoke Cloud Peak, making it very convenient for her to meet with Elder Han Fenglin.

Soon, with Huang Mengzhu leading the way, the two siblings met Han Fenglin.

"Ah, Mengzhu. Has Elder Xu been in seclusion recently?" Han Fenglin couldn’t help but ask.

Huang Mengzhu usually went to her master if she needed something. This was the first time she had taken the initiative to seek him out, so he immediately guessed that Xu Qingxuan must be in seclusion.

"No," Huang Mengzhu answered first, then immediately added, "Elder Han, I came to see you."

"What is it? Go on."

"I’d like to ask a favor. Could you test my younger brother to see if he has any talent for Beast Taming?"

Han Fenglin looked past Huang Mengzhu to Huang Mengyang, who was standing just behind her.

He agreed in a heartbeat.

"No problem!"

Huang Mengyang was a disciple with an Abnormal Spirit Root, after all. With such a high level of Spirit Root Talent, even if he showed no aptitude for any of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation, he would still be taken as a Direct Disciple by an Elder—and many Elders would be fighting for the privilege.

If Huang Mengyang tested positive for talent in Beast Taming, then the other Elders wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

Considering Huang Mengyang’s Spirit Root Talent, Han Fenglin thought to himself that as long as the boy had even a passable aptitude for Beast Taming, he would be willing to take him as a Direct Disciple.

"Then I’ll leave him in your care for the time being."

"Mm."

Huang Mengzhu gave Huang Mengyang a gentle nudge.

Taking the hint, Huang Mengyang quickly walked over to Elder Han Fenglin’s side.

Huang Mengzhu left a short time later, as she still had matters to attend to at the Smoke Cloud Pavilion. At this point, Han Fenglin was eager to start testing Huang Mengyang.

"Mengyang, come with me."

"Yes, Elder."

When it came to testing for Beast Taming talent, Han Fenglin was extremely thorough.

To get a rough measure of Huang Mengyang’s talent in Beast Taming, it would take at least seven days.

「Seven days later.」

Huang Mengyang was playing and roughhousing with an early-stage Tier One Raccoon Cat Demon.

After spending a few days together, the early-stage Tier One Raccoon Cat Demon had become this close to Huang Mengyang, all without a contract having been formed.

This alone was enough to prove that Huang Mengyang had a talent for the path of Beast Taming.

In fact, three days ago, Han Fenglin had already decided that he would take Huang Mengyang as his disciple as soon as the boy broke through to the Qi Refining Seventh Layer and became one of the sect’s Inner Sect Disciples.

"Mengyang, come here." Han Fenglin beckoned to him.

Huang Mengyang first sent the Raccoon Cat Demon off to play by itself before trotting over to Han Fenglin.