Divine Transcendence

"Is this a good or bad thing?" Yuan Ming asked with some uncertainty.

"It’s fifty-fifty. We’ll only know the outcome after it hatches. It might not even be able to hatch. If my sect’s Sixth Uncle were here, I could have him appraise it," Gu Qiuming pondered aloud.

Hearing this, Yuan Ming still felt that the likelihood of it becoming stronger was higher.

After all, Xiying had hidden this egg in Bi Luo Cave, taking years and having beast slaves collect countless demon beast blood to soak it in! It couldn’t possibly be just an ordinary winged bird!

"Brother Ha-Gong, name your price," Gu Qiuming spoke up, then added emphatically, "Whatever you say!"

"I’m not selling this item. I just want to entrust it to Zhenling Pavilion for help with hatching," Yuan Ming stated. Even though he was prepared for this, Gu Qiuming couldn’t hide the flash of disappointment in his eyes upon hearing Yuan Ming’s refusal to sell.

"You trust me, the chance of an aberrant species hatching a dud is definitely lower than producing a stronger spiritual beast. Instead of gambling on this yourself, it’s better to sell it for a good price, that way you’ll profit more," Gu Qiuming advised.

"This egg was a gift from a friend, it holds a different meaning for me. Even if it hatches a weakling, I’ll accept it," Yuan Ming said with a smile. How could he possibly sell the blood egg that Xiying gave him?

"Alright, since that’s the case, I won’t try to persuade you any further. However, let me be clear, this winged bird egg is no ordinary one. It can’t be hatched in Zhenling Pavilion. I’ll have to take it back to our Cultivation Sect, Precious Spirit Sect, to use a formation for hatching," Gu Qiuming explained.

"After the spiritual beast hatches, you’ll need to tame it quickly while it’s still young. If you wait until it’s grown, its wild nature will emerge, and taming it will be much harder," Gu Qiuming said.

"What’s the price for hatching it?" Yuan Ming inquired.

"According to the sect’s rules, hatching a spiritual beast egg using a formation will cost at least a hundred spirit stones. Since we’re friends, I’ll hatch it for you personally and take ten stones less. Ninety spirit stones, and the consumption of spirit stones by the formation is calculated separately. The price is the same even if it fails," Gu Qiuming stated.

"The price is acceptable," Yuan Ming nodded upon hearing this.

"Great! I still have some matters to attend to here, so let’s set off early tomorrow," Gu Qiuming said with a smile.

"If I may ask, where is Precious Spirit Sect located?" Yuan Ming inquired.

"On the other side of Ruins Swamp, not too far from here," Gu Qiuming replied.

"Good, then let’s set off early tomorrow." After agreeing, Yuan Ming left Zhenling Pavilion.

***

The next day, bright and early, Yuan Ming and Gu Qiuming set off on cranes towards Precious Spirit Sect.

Meanwhile, in Ruins Swamp, Hua Zhi was using vines to weave something resembling a rake plow, sitting on it while two three-foot-long black fish tied with vine ropes pulled it swiftly along.

On the way to Precious Spirit Sect, Gu Qiuming shared some basic information about the sect with Yuan Ming.

He learned that Precious Spirit Sect was located on the eastern side of Ruins Swamp, a small sect built along the swamp’s lakeshore, mainly specializing in the hatching and taming of spiritual beasts, with a history spanning hundreds of years.

In some ways, Precious Spirit Sect was similar to Bi Luo Cave, except it lacked the business of capturing spiritual beasts. Uniquely, although Precious Spirit Sect was a Cultivation Sect, it was primarily a ’Gu’ surname family clan that also absorbed many cultivators of other surnames.

***

Upon reaching the territory of Precious Spirit Sect, Yuan Ming first saw a series of exquisitely carved stone archways, neatly arranged and stretching for hundreds of yards.

Most of the archways were engraved with phrases like "Eternal Enterprise," "Glorious Moonlight," and "Heavenly Scenic Spot." Only the last and largest archway bore the words "Precious Spirit Sect" in bold and majestic characters, indicating the sect’s illustrious past and bolstering Yuan Ming’s confidence.

Standing under the archway and looking back, he saw buildings with white walls and black tiles nestled in dense forests along the lakeshore, their hazy beauty enhanced by the mist. From afar, he could hear the calls of rare birds and beasts emanating from the cluster of buildings.

After entering Precious Spirit Sect, Yuan Ming discovered that the sect, which resembled a town, was divided into many areas, each breeding different spiritual beasts. Although the numbers seemed small, the variety was vast, including both birds and beasts, each area shielded by a formation barrier. Along the lakeside of the swamp, there were also enclosures for aquatic spiritual beasts.

Gu Qiuming led Yuan Ming towards the inner parts of the sect, and many people they encountered along the way greeted Gu Qiuming, using familial titles like uncle and brother rather than senior or junior brother.

"Your winged bird egg is a bit special; I need to ask my uncle to take a look to avoid any mishaps," Gu Qiuming said as he led the way inside the sect.

"Sure," Yuan Ming had no objections. They passed through multiple arches and corridors to a secluded courtyard.

"My uncle is the law enforcement elder of Precious Spirit Sect, known for his strictness. When we meet him, I’ll do the talking, and you just listen. If you have any questions, you can ask me afterward," Gu Qiuming seemed somewhat intimidated by his uncle. Yuan Ming nodded.

"Nephew Qiuming seeks an audience with Sixth Uncle," Gu Qiuming called out upon reaching the courtyard gate.

"Come in and talk," a calm, slightly hoarse voice responded after a moment from inside.

Gu Qiuming gestured to Yuan Ming and led him into the courtyard.

***

Under an old pine tree with a strong presence, an imposing elderly man with white hair sat on a stone bench, his chin adorned with a short white beard, his eyes gleaming with wisdom as he read a scroll. Seeing the two enter, the elder’s brows furrowed slightly. Gu Qiuming knew he was displeased with bringing an outsider in, but as it concerned spirit stones, he quickly spoke up: "Sixth Uncle, my friend here has obtained a peculiar spiritual beast egg. My vision is limited, and I can only vaguely guess it’s a winged bird, but it’s red. I’d like you to take a look."

The elder’s interest piqued upon hearing this. "Among the younger generation, you’ve traveled far and wide for many years, and your judgment is not bad. If you say it’s a winged bird egg, it’s likely correct. Bring it here for me to see," the elder requested.

Gu Qiuming quickly signaled Yuan Ming, who understood and promptly took out the blood egg, placing it on the table. The elder’s gaze fell on the egg, and after a brief glance, he asked, "You got this egg from the Southern Border, didn’t you?"

"How did you know?" Yuan Ming asked in surprise. "This is a common winged bird egg, but it has been nurtured with the blood nourishment method, commonly used by beast tamers in the Southern Border," the elder explained.

"What is the blood nourishment method?" Yuan Ming inquired.

"Southern Border beast tamers, upon obtaining bird eggs, soak them in the blood of several demon beasts to imbue them with vitality after hatching. This red eggshell has merely absorbed the color of the blood. It needs to be hatched soon, or the embryo will starve if it’s away from the blood nourishment for too long," the elder glanced at him and said.

"Uncle, I want to use a formation to hatch this egg. What do you think?" Gu Qiuming tentatively asked. "It’s possible," the elder said indifferently, then fell silent. Gu Qiuming, along with Yuan Ming, thanked the elder and took their leave.

"Using a sledgehammer to crack a nut," the elder murmured.

As the two walked out of the courtyard gate, a young man in a brocade robe with handsome features, fair skin, and a lock of hair hanging over his forehead, giving him a somewhat unruly appearance, approached.

"Oh, isn’t this our one-armed third brother? You’re always out making a fortune; what brings you back today?" the young man said upon seeing Gu Qiuming.

Gu Qiuming merely glanced at him coldly, not bothering to respond, and left with Yuan Ming.

The young man seemed unconcerned, chuckling before entering the courtyard and respectfully greeting the elder: "Sixth Uncle."

"Qiulong! Why are you disrespectful to your cousin?" the elder looked at him disapprovingly.

"He’s just a one-armed cripple," Gu Qiulong said nonchalantly, sitting opposite the elder.

"Shut your mouth! He lost his arm fighting for the family," the elder’s expression darkened.

Clearly, Gu Qiuming wasn’t bothered by the earlier incident and cheerfully led Yuan Ming to a more remote courtyard.

***

The courtyard was deserted, with worn decorations, and the paint on the doorposts was peeling, suggesting Gu Qiuming hadn’t lived there for a long time.

"Brother Yuan, this is my residence. You can stay here for a few days. I need to go to the clan’s hatching chamber to hatch this bird egg for you," Gu Qiuming found Yuan Ming a room to settle in.

"How long will it take?" Yuan Ming asked.

"About ten days or so. Rest assured, when the winged bird is about to hatch, I’ll bring you there in advance. But for the next few days, we probably won’t see each other," Gu Qiuming said.

"No problem, I’ll settle in and wait for the good news," Yuan Ming smiled.

Gu Qiuming’s expression changed, seeming hesitant to speak.

"What’s wrong? Is there something amiss?" Yuan Ming asked.

"Nothing much, just that while I’m away, it’s best if you stay in the courtyard and please don’t wander elsewhere," Gu Qiuming said with some difficulty.

"I thought it was something serious, don’t worry," Yuan Ming laughed.

Afterward, Gu Qiuming left with the blood egg, and Yuan Ming walked around the courtyard for a while before bringing his fingers together and touching his forehead. Immediately, four soul crows flew out from his brow, spreading their wings and soaring into the sky, heading out of the courtyard.

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