Immortality and Cultivation: Starting with Improving Spiritual Root Aptitude

Upon hearing this, Wu Fan turned around and saw a figure in cyan walking towards him in the morning light. Her figure appeared plump and shapely in the sunlight, and the jade pendant at her waist swayed gently with her steps, making a tinkling sound. The person who came was Bai Ruanqiu.

She strode up to Wu Fan, her gaze first sweeping over Niu Dazhuang standing to the side before settling on Wu Fan. She reached out and handed him a spirit beast pouch, saying in a calm tone:

"I heard you set off for Falling Star Valley today. This is something my elder sister asked me to give to you."

As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Ruanqiu flicked her wrist, and a fluffy little creature fell into her arms.

It was a tiger cub the size of a kitten, with fluffy fur and light blue stripes on the tips of its ears; it was the cub of the "Cloud Tiger".

"This is a Cloud Tiger cub."

Bai Ruanqiu gently stroked the cub's head with her fingertips, her voice softening slightly. "When the Bai family attacked the Deng family, they captured a male 'Cloud-Following Tiger.' The clan mated it with a local tiger-like spirit beast, and it produced four cubs. My elder sister got one, and knowing you were going on a long journey, she specially asked me to bring it to you."

The tiger cub seemed shy, huddled in her arms, its little head buried in her clothes, only its wet, amber eyes peeking around, looking adorably innocent.

Bai Ruanqiu looked up at Wu Fan, her eyes holding a hint of amusement, yet also a touch of seriousness:

"To be honest, I really don't understand what's so good about you, you taciturn person, that makes my clanswoman care about you so much, even giving you such a good thing. Although this Yun Conghu is a hybrid, it has a mid-grade bloodline and is born with wind-attribute supernatural abilities. With careful nurturing for decades, it will definitely become your powerful helper."

Wu Fan was startled; he had long heard of Yun Conghu's reputation.

Mature Cloud Tigers are far more powerful and vigorous than ordinary tigers and mythical beasts. Their fur is as white as snow, and their bodies are surrounded by light gray or silver-black cloud-like patterns, hence the name "Frost-striped Tiger".

Its bloodline originates from the superior bloodline spirit beast "Snow Howling Wind Tiger" of the Northern Snow Kingdom, which is a rare monster with both ice and wind attributes and is not native to the Chu Kingdom.

Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, the Golden Core Ancestor of the Li family of Miluo Beast Taming obtained a purebred male Snow Howling Wind Tiger by chance, and then made it breed with various tiger-type spirit beasts.

Among the many descendants, the ones with the most stable bloodline and the best appearance are the offspring of the hybrids with the Mountain-Eating White Tiger.

Although its bloodline has been reduced to the middle grade, it is still among the best of the middle grade, and it has completely inherited the wind attribute of the Snow Howling Wind Tiger. This is the origin of the Cloud Tiger.

The Cloud Tiger's wind-attribute supernatural abilities are unparalleled. It possesses the ability to control the wind, and when it runs, its four feet generate wind. Its speed and agility far surpass those of its kind. It can burst through short distances like a swift wind, and it can also glide low in the air on the wind. It is an excellent spirit beast for cultivators to travel.

In addition to their outstanding appearance, the Li family often sells those with inferior bloodlines as precious spirit beasts, with prices often reaching hundreds of spirit stones, and those with innate talents fetching even higher prices.

The fact that the Deng family was able to possess a male Cloud Tiger suggests that they purchased it from the Li family at a high price, intending to raise it as a guardian spirit beast. However, before it could advance to the second tier (corresponding to the Foundation Establishment stage of a cultivator), the family was destroyed by the Bai family, and the Cloud Tiger became the Bai family's spoils of war.

However, the bloodline concentration of the Yun Conghu that the Li family used for sale was certainly limited. The truly high-quality bloodline had long been reserved for the clan's own use.

The one in front of us has undergone another crossbreeding. Even though it still has the title of a mid-grade bloodline, its concentration is probably greatly reduced, roughly comparable to a cultivator with a mid-grade spiritual root but only twenty or so strands of spiritual essence.

Similar to the spiritual roots of cultivators, the bloodline of demonic beasts affects the efficiency of absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth. However, the more crucial aspect of the bloodline of demonic beasts is that it directly limits the upper limit of advancement.

Most demonic beasts with mid-grade bloodlines have difficulty condensing a demon core, and the Foundation Establishment stage is the theoretical end of a demon's life.

Even so, a mid-grade bloodline cub with wind-attribute supernatural abilities is still a valuable gift.

A warm feeling welled up in Wu Fan's heart. After several years, the eldest daughter of the Bai family was still secretly watching over him and even sent him such a valuable gift. Even with his calm and composed nature, he could not hide his emotion at this moment.

He took the spirit beast pouch and then carefully took the cub from Bai Ruanqiu's arms, his movements gentle.

The cubs, sensing the unfamiliar scent, immediately tensed up, curling up and letting out soft cries, their limbs struggling slightly.

Bai Ruanqiu immediately reached out and gently patted its back to comfort it.

"Zhaofu, don't be afraid. This is your future master. Be a good boy and listen to me."

Perhaps it was because Bai Ruanqiu's breath was still there, or perhaps it was because Wu Fan's calm aura was reassuring, but Zhao Fu gradually stopped barking. Its amber eyes narrowed into slits, and it nuzzled its little head against Wu Fan's palm, showing a hint of intimacy.

"Is it called 'Bringing Good Fortune'?"

Niu Dazhuang, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but burst into laughter and joked, "This name sounds like a guard dog, not at all like a tiger."

Bai Ruanqiu glared at him instantly, her tone carrying a hint of reproach:

"What do you know! This name was personally chosen by my elder sister, and it has extraordinary meaning."

Niu Dazhuang's smile vanished after being glared at by her. He scratched his head and shut his mouth sheepishly.

Bai Ruanqiu ignored him and turned to explain to Wu Fan:

"My elder sister chose the name 'Zhao Fu' (招福) because she hopes it will accompany you, bring you good fortune, and protect you from disasters. May your path to immortality be smooth and peaceful."

Wu Fan nodded, carefully putting "Good Fortune" into his spirit beast pouch, his expression sincere as he looked up:

"Thank you for your generous gift, Miss. Please also convey my gratitude to Fellow Daoist Bai."

Bai Ruanqiu smiled gently, her brows and eyes relaxing slightly, and raised her hand to say goodbye:

"I won't delay your journey any longer. I wish you a safe trip to Falling Star Valley and that all your wishes will be fulfilled."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Bai."

Wu Fan felt a warmth in his heart. Although he and Bai Ruanqiu had some disagreements before, he could now hear the sincerity in her words, so he immediately bowed slightly.

After standing up, he nodded to Niu Dazhuang.

After bidding farewell to the two again, Wu Fan made a hand seal, and a palm-sized cyan flying boat flew out of his storage bag, transforming into a length of about ten feet upon landing.

He leaped onto the flying boat with a light touch of his toes, glanced back at the two people standing there, and waved goodbye.

"Big brother, take care!!!"

Niu Dazhuang waved his hand and shouted loudly, his voice echoing through the mountains for a long time.

Wu Fan nodded in response. Then, a flash of spiritual light appeared around the flying boat, and it instantly transformed into a streak of azure light, speeding towards the rising sun and quickly disappearing into the end of the layered mountains.

Niu Dazhuang gazed at the direction where the green mango had disappeared, standing there for a long time, his face full of reluctance.

Bai Ruanqiu stood quietly to the side, gazing at the drifting clouds in the sky, a complex light flashing in her eyes, lost in thought.

The morning breeze in the mountains still blows, carrying a melancholy air, as if it were still warm from the recent parting.

Unbeknownst to anyone, in a secluded corner not far from Yunxi Manor, Bai Ruanyu stood leaning against the railing, her gaze following the departing blue light, murmuring softly:

"Bon Voyage."

Ultimately, she didn't have the courage to say goodbye to Wu Fan in person, fearing that if they met, she would no longer be able to suppress the feelings she had held in her heart for several years.

She stood there quietly until she could no longer see any green light, then slowly withdrew her gaze, her eyes filled with only a faint sense of loneliness.

At this moment, Wu Fan had already traveled far away from Yunxi Mountain on a flying boat.

The road ahead is long and arduous.

He gazed at the still-continuous mountain range in the distance, and the flying boat sped up even more, heading towards the direction of Falling Star Valley Market.

(Please, fellow cultivators, have mercy and don't let me raise this book!!!)

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