Rising from Small Cloud Rain Technique

Chapter 142: Chapter 139: Settling the Ant Colony

The coat of the Spirit-Seeking Rat was now more glossy, flickering with a ghostly light in the slightly dim underground.

Its previously cat-sized body had now grown to rival that of a small dog, much more robust.

Demon Qi was overflowing, and Golden Fur turned its head to look at Ji An, grinning to reveal white teeth and a red mouth, its eyes the size of broad beans glinting with a cold light.

The usually naive and ingratiating expression had changed, showing a bit of fierceness.

“It’s gotten inflated, switching faces quite skillfully!”

Ji An likewise bared his teeth and casually flung out a Bursting Fireball.

The animal nature of a demon beast would always erupt and manifest with the increase of its strength, needing some discipline.

Boom!

The explosion echoed in the narrow space, the violent blast creating a foot-deep hole in the ground.

Golden Fur popped its head out from the rock wall several yards away, its gaze showing awe, then it immediately shrank back, disappearing without a trace.

“Its Earth Element Technique can actually traverse rocks? Junior Brother, the bloodline foundation of your beast is quite impressive!”

Li Lingyu exclaimed. For an earth-element demon beast to be able to traverse the earth was remarkable enough, and for this Spirit-Seeking Rat to traverse solid stone just upon advancing to the Foundation Establishment Stage meant its bloodline was exceptional.

Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, and the child of a rat will dig a burrow. Many spells that demon beasts easily grasp would require a cultivator to reach a certain level to learn.

For instance, the Earth Element Technique requires a Foundation Establishment Cultivator practicing an Earth Element Cultivation Method to comprehend it to a certain extent to learn what is known as Earth Escape.

Generally, cultivators learn the Five Elements Escape Techniques in the Late-stage Foundation Establishment, by which time they have more options for either fleeing or attacking.

Ji An released his divine sense and immediately sensed Golden Fur roaming within the nearby layers of rock.

He sneered, taking out the Beast Taming Token and said:

“I’ve spent a lot to raise it, and just advancing it shows a ferocious rebellious side. Beast nature is hard to eradicate; it needs a good fixing.”

He began torturing the strand of Essence Soul sealed within the Beast Taming Token, causing Golden Fur to scuttle out from the underground, writhing in pain.

After some time, Ji An finished casting the spell and yelled sternly:

“Do you realize your mistake?!”

His cultivation was two realms above the beast’s, yet the other dared to show such a face, rebelling against him!

“Squeak squeak.”

Golden Fur supported itself on its hind legs, placing its forepaws together, continuously bowing in a plea for forgiveness.

The ferocity in its eyes was completely gone, replaced by a pitiful expression.

It deeply realized that the master was ultimately still the master—not something it could rebel against.

Watching the Spirit-Seeking Rat’s anthropomorphic actions, Li Lingyu’s lips subtly curved, stifling a laugh.

Ji An, through the Beast Taming Token, sternly educated Golden Fur and then said:

“Show off your current abilities.”

Demon beasts with untamed wildness often attempted rebellion after a breakthrough unless a blood covenant was embedded at birth, which is why the Beast Taming Token was necessary.

Those demon beasts living life and death with their masters require decades or even centuries of cultivation to achieve that bond.

The pitiful expression vanished from Golden Fur’s face, and it patted its belly with its paws—the moment to showcase its talents had arrived.

A row of three rock spikes suddenly rose from the ground, towering as tall as a person.

Previously, it could only summon a single rock spike, just over half a person’s height, but now its spell had significantly strengthened.

Ji An watched the cold light flickering on the rock spikes’ tips and nodded slightly.

If these rock spikes suddenly stabbed up from the ground, they might skew any demon beast’s belly, perhaps turning them into candied hawthorns on a skewer.

Golden Fur continued its performance, and a stone wall two yards long, one person tall, and a foot wide appeared sticking to the rock face. This spell had exhausted it considerably, leaving it panting heavily, leaning against the stone.

Finally, it condensed its Demonic Power on its surface, forming a soil-yellow Spiritual Power Shield that could offer it protection.

“Not too bad.”

Ji An evaluated, after all, it was not a demon beast renowned for combat, and with the Earth Element Technique, Golden Fur’s role in future battles remained that of an insidious character delivering surprise attacks.

“Squeak squeak,” Golden Fur ran to its master’s side, gently biting the hem of his Daoist Robe, nuzzling it ingratiatingly.

…

Three days later, Ji An arrived at Cui Bamboo Peak and showed his credentials, saying:

“Collecting the ordered Fire Crystal Ants.”

The disciple on duty quickly brought out a tray, on which lay a fist-sized oval white egg and a pale red Beast Taming Token.

“Junior Martial Uncle, the cultivation of the Ant Queen has reached the final step. You need to embed the Blood Contract so better control and communication can be achieved without always relying on the Beast Taming Token.”

Ji An nodded slightly, pricking his finger to squeeze out a drop of blood the size of a soybean, and then casting a spell.

In the air, the blood formed a mystical pattern, spiraling down to cover the white egg.

The white egg began to rhythmically swell, the color of the Blood Contract growing lighter, finally fully infusing into it.

Ji An sensed through his Spiritual Sense a weak and naive consciousness extending feelings of attachment to him.

A quarter hour later, the white egg suddenly cracked with a small fissure, which grew larger, and a fiery red ant emerged.

Its two antennae twisted skillfully, like two antennas searching for a signal.

Ji An extended his hand, and the ant quickly ran into his palm. He pressed on the ant’s shell with his finger, feeling it still somewhat soft.

A smile appeared at the corner of his mouth; the spiritual energy on Red Flame Peak was abundant, and in one or two years, the Ant Queen could mature and start laying eggs, at which time pine honey could be harvested.

However, the boundary of the nest needs to be outlined with the Ant Queen, preventing the ant colony from gnawing on the roots of the Spirit Wood.

The disciple brought out another thousand Fire Crystal Ants, all of which possessed demon power at the first-layer Qi Refining level, forming a ball of ants.

Ji An placed the Ant Queen into the mass, packed the ant colony in his Storage Bag, and left amidst the disciple’s respectful farewell.

…

Ningcui Cliff.

Ge Ying held a teacup, quietly listening to her disciple’s exposition on cultivation insights and feelings during cultivation.

She maintained this posture for a long time, seemingly forgetting to put down the cup. She remembered reaching this level only on the eve of breaking into the late-stage Foundation Establishment.

The disciple was currently only at the third-layer of Foundation Establishment, implying that after breaking into the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, his refinement speed for a Wood-elemental Spiritual Object would be much faster than cultivators of the same realm, and his cultivation would improve rapidly.

Ge Ying’s face showed a smile of approval, saying:

“I now hold greater expectations for your future growth; truth be told, you are the disciple I’ve taught the least.”

Previously, she thought this disciple had some hope of stepping into the Chao Origin Stage, but now she believed the probability to be at least two or three-tenths.

As his understanding of the Cultivation Technique Divine Intent grows deeper, the probability of breaking through to the Chao Origin Stage will further increase.

“Being able to be under the tutelage of a respected master is my greatest fortune.”

Ji An cupped his hands, speaking sincerely.

He had received high-quality Foundation Establishment Pills from his master, advancing his Foundation Establishment timeline by five years, thus enjoying the treatment of the second class.

He also gained insights into planting and alchemy, and although he did not receive much guidance in person, his master’s teachings have always accompanied him along the way.

Ge Ying’s eyes revealed a smile of gratified affection, growing increasingly satisfied with her disciple’s attitude.

She took out a blue jade box, with a Sealing Spirit Talisman affixed to its surface. Judging by the overflowing Spirit Light flowing from the talisman, its grade was not low.

“Inside are two seeds, which are seeds from that Tier Two Top-grade Spiritual Peach of the sect.

Red Flame Peak is also suitable for planting; try planting them and see what you can achieve.”

These are carefully selected seeds with the most vigorous life force over many years, holding promising potential to cultivate a Spiritual Peach Tree of Tier Two Upper Grade level in the future.

Ji An rose, and with a solemn expression, he took the jade box with both hands, saying gravely:

“Thank you, Master, for this gift; I once resolved to cultivate a few High-Tier Spirit Fruit Trees for the sect, starting with Spiritual Peaches.”

…

After maneuvering the Flying Shuttle back to Red Flame Peak, Ji An skimmed over the Red Cloud Pine Forest, searching for a suitable site.

After repeated comparisons, he decided to settle the ant colony in a crevice near the foot of Red Flame Peak, minimizing the risk of the colony expanding to damage the Spirit Pine’s roots.

Fire Crystal Ants secrete ant acid that can quickly corrode rocks without affecting their nest-building efficiency.

The Ant Queen reluctantly departed from his hand and was then guarded in the center by several Fire Crystal Ants, lastly burrowing into the crevice.

The Ant Queen was connected to Ji An by a blood contract, naturally more intimate with him than his other two beasts, and beasts under a blood contract would hardly betray their owner.

With the Fire Crystal Ants’ issue resolved, Ji An flew back to the Cold Pool and took out the peach seeds given by his master.

The peach pits were originally woody but felt warm to the touch, resembling meticulously carved Fire Jade.

Upon probing them with his Divine Sense, he immediately perceived the vigorous Fire Element Spiritual Energy and the vibrant life force dormant within the seeds, far exceeding any Spiritual Peach he had planted early on.

Ji An released the Jade Wood Transformation Skill, sprinkling crystalline green light dots, which funneled into the seed beside the peach pit endlessly, overwhelming the seed’s capacity to absorb entirely.

The dharma seal in his hand changed, releasing the Flame Fire Spell, with orange-red Spirit Light pooled in his palm, thread by thread weaving into the peach pit, seemingly provoking a joyful response from the seeds.

As night fell and the moon climbed above the tree branches, Ji An cleared a spot near the Spiritual Apricot Tree, planting the peach seeds.

After two days, two seedlings sprouted, their leaves green while the veins were red as the sunset.

…

Half a month later.

In the stone room, Ji An was drawing Flame Bursting Talismans, with the sect’s task due soon, and in a few days, the Diligence Hall would send someone to collect them, motivating him to hurry and complete the backlog.

Fortunately, he was only making Tier One Upper Grade talismans, his proficiency was high, and coupled with the sufficient Magical Power from his third-layer Foundation Establishment, the drawing speed was brisk.

After drafting forty to fifty talismans in one go, Ji An put down the Talisman Brush, pressing his temples.

For him, drawing Flame Bursting Talismans didn’t consume much Magical Power; the main drain was the prolonged focus that expended a lot of Divine Sense.

The recovery of Divine Sense can only rely on rest and quiet cultivation, which is the main reason cultivators cannot continuously mass-produce talismans.

Liang Hill walked in from outside, cupping his hands in greeting:

“Friend, the two Spirit Chefs I’ve selected have arrived today; do you want to meet them now?”

Ji An waved his hand, saying:

“It’s almost noon; have them each prepare four dishes as a trial, and we’ll taste them at lunch.

By the way, are their Spirit Fish farming skills up to standard?”

“Rest assured, friend, they’ve been cultivating Spirit Fish at Jade Water Lake for five years now, and the farming method here is quite mature; they simply need to follow the established procedures for cultivation.”