I tamed beasts and achieved immortality in the world of cultivation.

The hall was unusually quiet for a moment.

Uncle Shentu's lips twitched as he watched his five spirit beasts, which he had raised for many years, gather around Chen Qing, their expressions even more affectionate than when they saw their master.

A moment later, Uncle Shentu suddenly burst into laughter.

"Okay! Okay!"

He stood up, strode over to Chen Qing, looked him up and down, his eyes full of admiration: "Yesterday Ruoqing told me that you led seventy or eighty spirit beasts out of the valley, and I didn't believe it. After seeing you today, I can see that your reputation is well-deserved."

Chen Qing cupped his hands in greeting: "Uncle-Master, you flatter me."

"You flatter me?" Uncle-Master Shentu pointed at the five spirit beasts. "Look at them, they're not even this friendly to me. You're a natural-born kid!"

Chen Qing didn't know what to say, so he just chuckled awkwardly.

Uncle Shentu waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down.

The two sat down, and the five spirit beasts dispersed, though their gazes occasionally fell on Chen Qing, full of curiosity.

Uncle Shentu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly spoke:

"Do you know the origin of Beast Taming Peak?"

Chen Qing only knew about it from other disciples, and shook his head, saying, "Please enlighten me, Uncle-Master."

"Twelve hundred years ago, Ancestor Wang Buhuo established my Beast Taming Peak lineage. When the Ancestor was in charge, we could be called the head of the ten lineages of Lingyun." Uncle Shentu said in a calm tone, "At that time, there were herds of spirit beasts on the peak and battle beasts like clouds. When we went out to fight or went down the mountain to train, each disciple had several spirit beasts with them, and we were very powerful."

He paused, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes: "It's a pity that the ancestor and nearly 80% of the elite disciples suddenly died in the 'Qingxu Secret Realm,' and the inheritance was cut off. Now, the Beast Taming Peak only has 27 disciples, and no more than 10 reside on the peak. Adding me, Shen Tu Yu, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, that's all we have."

Chen Qing remained silent.

This is precisely the biggest difference between the Canglan cultivation world and the cultivation world he knew in his previous life—

Mystery!

In this world, secret realms are not the cave dwellings of predecessors, but rather "interdimensional entrances" that appear randomly like underground nests. They are like dangerous double-sided mirrors, one end connecting to the Canglan Domain, and the other end leading to an unknown and terrifying world.

The secret realms are classified into five ranks according to their level of danger by cultivators in the Canglan Domain. The first rank corresponds to Qi Refining cultivators, the second rank to Foundation Establishment cultivators, the third rank to Golden Core cultivators, the fourth rank to Nascent Soul cultivators, and the fifth rank is enough to make even Deity Transformation cultivators tremble with fear.

A fifth-tier secret realm has only appeared once in history, and it took the Canglan Domain all its top cultivators a tremendous amount of effort to barely capture it.

After tens of thousands of years of mining, the spiritual veins on the surface of the Canglan Domain are almost exhausted. The remaining large spiritual veins are occupied by major sects such as the Lingyun Sect, while the smaller ones have fallen into the hands of various cultivation families and sects.

In addition, there are occasional places where spiritual energy emerges, such as the small Qi Refining stage family that Chen Qing's mother belongs to, which occupies a spiritual land near Yunzhou City.

The secret realm is rich in spirit stones and spiritual plants that are scarce in the outside world, and it is the hope for cultivators to defy fate.

Eight out of ten spirit stones used by Chen Qing for cultivation came from secret realms. Although Lingyun Sect occupies a large spiritual vein, it is a strategic reserve and is not easily used.

If it can be obtained from the secret realm, it will naturally not be used, just like the oil of his country in his previous life.

However, the secret realm is connected to another world. Once it is opened, high-level beings will surge out like a tide, slaughtering cultivators, massacring cities, and besieging mountain gates. Three thousand years ago, when the fourth-order Netherworld Secret Realm broke out, millions of mortals perished in the Rainbow Kingdom under the jurisdiction of the Secret Flame Sect, one of the seven righteous sects. It took the sacrifice of thirteen Nascent Soul ancestors from the seven major sects to barely seal it.

Therefore, when cultivators enter secret realms, it is never just for exploration, but to defend against enemies outside the country's borders, first to kill the enemy's head and break the teleportation array, nipping the crisis in the bud, and only then to seek opportunities.

To paraphrase the most widely circulated saying in the Canglan cultivation world:

If you hesitate for even a moment at the entrance to the secret realm, your homeland may become a hunting ground for alien creatures tomorrow.

Therefore, it is not uncommon in the Canglan Realm for a trip to a secret realm to destroy the inheritance of a peak and wipe out a force. The decline of the Beast Taming Peak is just one of countless tragedies.

Chen Qing sighed inwardly, "Twenty-seven people."

The entire main peak had only twenty-seven disciples.

Sword Echo Peak, where Xiao Chunan resides, is the most selective in its disciples, yet it still has no fewer than three hundred sword cultivator disciples in the Qi Refining stage. Danxia Peak, needless to say, has nearly ten thousand alchemy disciples, medicine boys, and miscellaneous servants combined.

The twenty-seven people from Beast Taming Peak were truly a deserted place.

Shen Tu Yu glanced at Chen Qing and suddenly laughed: "What, do you think it's shabby?"

Chen Qing shook his head: "This disciple dares not."

"So what if it's shabby? What's there to be ashamed of?" Shen Tu Yu laughed. "But don't worry, there are advantages to having fewer people. The rules of our Beast Taming Peak are different from other places."

Chen Qing's heart stirred: "Please enlighten me, Martial Uncle."

Shen Tu Yu said solemnly, "Although my Beast Taming Peak has declined, it is still one of the ten lineages, and it still has what it should have. Moreover, because there are few disciples, each disciple can choose their own spirit beast. However, the Beast Taming Peak lineage values ​​companionship with spirit beasts, not enslavement. If a spirit beast is willing to follow you, it is because it trusts you and treats you as family. If you betray this trust, you are not worthy to be a disciple of my Beast Taming Peak."

"In previous years, there have been disciples who entered the Beast Taming Peak and were later expelled."

Chen Qing nodded: "This disciple understands."

Shen Tu Yu looked at Chen Qing, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

After a moment, he spoke again: "I have seen your aptitude. You have three spiritual roots: earth, wood, and water. Your talent for cultivating immortality is only average."

Chen Qing smiled bitterly.

Having three spiritual roots does indeed make one an ordinary cultivator, neither particularly outstanding nor lacking in merit.

"However—" Shen Tu Yu changed the subject, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, "your talent for beast taming is the highest I have ever seen in my life."

Chen Qing's heart stirred, and he vaguely guessed what was going on.

Shen Tu Yu stood up, walked to the window with his hands behind his back, gazed at the distant sea of ​​clouds, and spoke slowly:

"From this day forward, you are officially a member of my Beast Taming Peak lineage and will call me Uncle Shentu."

Chen Qing was taken aback.

He thought Shen Tu Yu wanted to take him as a disciple so that he could, like Xiao Chunu, have a powerful patron.

This plot isn't right!

Shen Tu Yu turned around, saw the expression on Chen Qing's face, and laughed: "What, did you think I was going to take you as my disciple?"

Chen Qing said awkwardly, "That is indeed my guess."

"Take on apprentices?" Shen Tu Yu waved his hand. "I don't take on apprentices."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm: "I am everyone's Uncle Shentu, not just one person's master. All twenty-seven disciples of Beast Taming Peak call me Uncle Shentu. Everyone can come to me for guidance, and everyone can ask me to instruct them on spirit beasts."

Chen Qing: "..."

Looking at Shen Tu Yu's narcissistic "I belong to everyone" attitude, he was momentarily speechless.

Shen Tu Yu, completely oblivious, continued, "Besides, there are only so many people on Beast Taming Peak, why bother with personal disciples? We're all family, we can discuss things together, and raise spirit beasts together, isn't that great?"

Chen Qing took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and said, "This disciple understands."

"Good that you understand." Shen Tu Yu nodded in satisfaction, then walked back behind the desk and sat down, picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Alright, go down now. Let Ruo Qing arrange accommodations for you. You can stay at Beast Taming Peak from now on."

"By the way, on Beast Taming Peak, as long as the spirit beasts are unclaimed, you can raise whichever one you want. Just tell Ruoqing later. But don't be greedy—it's the rule on Beast Taming Peak that Qi Refining disciples can only raise a maximum of three. If you raise more, you won't be able to manage and it will only cause delays."

As he spoke, Shen Tu Yu tossed a booklet over: "This is the Beast Taming Secret Technique of my Beast Taming Peak. You can study it first. I'm going to Lan Kingdom tomorrow. Two new second-tier secret realms have appeared there, and our Beast Taming Peak needs to contribute. It's a good opportunity to take this little guy there for some training. If you don't understand anything, ask your senior sister. Don't let her young age fool you; she's almost fifty. She'll be more than capable of teaching you."

Chen Qing glanced at the iron-eating beast beside Shen Tu Yu, and then recalled Zhou Ruoqing's face, thinking to himself that it was just as he had imagined.

He stood up and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting:

"Thank you, Uncle Shentu."

Shen Tu Yu waved his hand and laughed, "Go ahead."

Chen Qing left the Beast Taming Hall, looked at the blue sky and white clouds outside the door, and took a deep breath.

From this day forward, he is a disciple of the Lingyun Sect – Beast Taming Peak.