Once it hatched, under normal circumstances, it could mature into a 4-star monster.
That was equivalent to a Core Formation-level beast!
Core Formation Realm!
An existence that had never even emerged in the Northern Domain where the Beast Taming Sect resided.
Although Tian Shen was confident he'd one day reach that realm himself...
If he could possess a spiritual beast companion at the Core Formation Realm before that, even when facing hostile Core Formation Realm cultivators, he wouldn't be hopeless!
...
"You may."
Feng Yan didn't hesitate.
"With your current strength and position, you've earned the qualifications to know about the Beast Taming Hall. But keep this secret. Even if Feng Yin asks, don't tell her."
"Understood, Sect Master. Feng Yin's cultivation is still too shallow. I would never endanger her by revealing such a thing."
Tian Shen promised with certainty.
"Good! Since you've given your word, I trust you won't go back on it."
"Come. I'll take you to the Beast Taming Hall now."
With that, Feng Yan turned and began walking away.
...
The Beast Taming Hall lay at the very heart of the Beast Taming Sect.
Halfway up the mountain, near the resting place of the Beast Spirit Sword.
This was also where the Sect Master's residence—the cave mansion of Feng Yan—was located.
"No wonder I've never heard of it. So the Beast Taming Hall is hidden within the Sect Master's cave. Aside from high-level elders or the Sect Master's own kin, no disciple would dare approach."
Tian Shen mused silently.
Led deep into the mountain by Feng Yan, they arrived at a seemingly ordinary two-story building.
Despite its simple appearance, Tian Shen could tell—
Although its architecture matched Feng Yan's cave mansion, this structure had clearly existed far longer.
It was obvious now: Feng Yan had deliberately modeled his own dwelling after the Beast Taming Hall to avoid suspicion and protect its secrets.
---
"This is the Beast Taming Hall."
"Inside, you'll find basic knowledge of beast taming and historical records of the Profound Sky Continent relating to the Beast Master Arts. Explore as you wish. Once your cultivation reaches the Foundation Establishment Realm, you can truly enter the core sanctum. I'll be watching your progress."
Hope flickered in Feng Yan's eyes.
Before Tian Shen appeared, he had long given up on grand aspirations.
All he wanted was for the Beast Taming Sect to survive under his watch—to maintain the status quo, and nothing more.
He sought no glory.
Only peace.
That way, he could face the ancestors with a clear conscience.
But Tian Shen's emergence had rekindled something long buried within him—ambition.
A disciple who had inherited the Beast Spirit Sword.
A cultivator capable of slaying 3-star beasts.
Even though Feng Yan was at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm—just one step away from Foundation Establishment Realm.
He knew that final step might remain forever out of reach.
But Tian Shen—
Tian Shen gave him hope.
Hope that the Beast Taming Sect could rise again.
Even if not to match the glory of other great sects, then at least to reclaim its former peak.
A Foundation EstablishmentbRealm Cultivator.
Capable of unlocking the Beast Taming Hall.
Capable of restoring the sect's ancient name—Beast Master Sect—and making it known once more throughout the Profound Sky Continent.
Feng Yan didn't dare wish for more.
When he had first become Sect Master, he'd been passionate and full of vision.
A hot-blooded middle-aged cultivator, brimming with ideals.
He had laid out grand plans for the sect's future...
But each plan failed, each failure a blow.
That idealism slowly died.
He became a man who merely endured, with no hope and no fire.
But now—
"Maybe… having a son-in-law like this isn't such a bad thing."
Watching Tian Shen step into the Beast Taming Hall, Feng Yan sighed.
The weary gloom faded from his face.
For a moment, he seemed to return to the days when he had first taken on the mantle of Sect Master.
...
Tian Shen stepped into the Beast Taming Hall.
The room before him appeared plain, yet something about it stirred him.
What drew his attention immediately was a wall at the deepest part of the chamber, etched with countless ancient symbols and runes.
He couldn't decipher them, but he instinctively knew—
This was the true entrance to the Beast Taming Hall.
Drawn forward, Tian Shen placed his hand on the wall.
"Patter!"
A soft sound echoed.
An attribute bubble unexpectedly dropped from the wall.
"What the—?!"
"A... Rainbow Attribute bubble?!"
"No way! Isn't the colorful bubble the highest grade there is? How could one drop so casually?"
Shock eclipsed even his surprise.
Could it be that the colorful bubble wasn't a high-level drop… but something special?
Before he could ponder further, the bubble dissolved into his body.
『Congratulations to the host for acquiring: Fragment of the Spirit Formation.』
『Would you like to convert the Fragment of the Spirit Formation into 100 Formation Experience Points?』
"Formation fragment? What's that used for? And what do Formation Experience Points do?"
Tian Shen asked inwardly as the system's prompt rang in his mind.
『The residual image of the formation has no direct use and can only be converted into formation experience. Formation experience contributes to the host's growth in the auxiliary profession: Formation Master.』
"Then exchange it."
Understanding its purpose, Tian Shen didn't hesitate to proceed with the conversion.
『Exchange successful.』
__________
『Auxiliary Professions』
『Auxiliary Profession: Formation Master』
『Level: 1 (0/1000 XP)』
『Note: You are currently a novice formation master, only capable of arranging the most basic Formations using physical materials. Upon leveling it up, you'll gradually unlock the ability to harness spiritual energy to deploy powerful formations directly, even without materials.』
__________
"Hiss—"
Tian Shen drew in a sharp breath.
Spiritual Qi had revealed yet another new use.
It could actually replace materials, allowing a Formation Master to construct Formations directly?
Even though he had just advanced to a Level 1 Formation Master, both the inherited knowledge from his predecessor and the experience from reading countless cultivation novels in his past life made one thing clear to him—
To set up a powerful formation, one typically required not only a wide variety of materials, but also ones that were incredibly rare and expensive.
If he could skip the step of gathering those materials…
How much time and effort would that save?