You Cultivate, I Farm

Chapter 367: Night Entry into the Beast Enclosure

After viewing the images on the two Water Mirror Talismans, the juvenile Four-winged Thunderstorm Tiger became significantly more subdued, no longer exhibiting the violent and untamable behavior of before. It flew leisurely back to its own enclosure, appearing deeply preoccupied.

"Such graphic violence... Could this traumatize the young spirit beast?" Lu Xuan pondered quietly to himself. He realized that the films he had shown to the spirit beasts were far from wholesome. Previously, to encourage reproduction among the Snarling Shadow Beasts, he had shown them the "Blissful Heart Sutra," which was unsettling from start to finish.

And now, the Four-winged Thunderstorm Tiger had been subjected to scenes of bloodshed and horror, especially disturbing was the segment where a cultivator dissected its kin, delivering a significant psychological shock.

"Regardless of the film's genre, if it solves the problem, it's a good film. Anything else probably wouldn't have been as effective," Lu Xuan reasoned to himself.

The effect of showing the Water Mirror Talismans to the Four-winged Thunderstorm Tiger was profound. Throughout the subsequent taming process, it never again displayed any of its previous violent behaviors, obediently completing every task and request from Lu Xuan.

It could be said to perform exceptionally well, even qualifying to compete for the top rank among the Sky Sword Sect's spirit beasts.

During their training phase, the juvenile beasts didn't return to their respective dwellings after daily training but instead stayed inside the stone hall, which housed numerous beast enclosures surrounded by simple formation restrictions. Lu Xuan activated these at night to prevent the beasts from wandering out and causing trouble.

In the dead of night, the Lion-Bird Beast juvenile remained in its enclosure, eyes wide open, trying hard to recall the knowledge Lu Xuan had imparted during the day. The more it thought, the more confused it became, its mind a whirlpool of chaos.

"Roar!" Feeling its head grow heavier, it couldn't help but let out a low growl and headbutt the wall.

Suddenly, a gentle voice reached the ears of the Lion-Bird Beast juvenile, carrying an infinite power that calmed it instantly.

The speaker was Lu Xuan, who had noticed the beast's growing sense of inferiority and decided to enter the beast enclosure at night to help it overcome this issue.

Emerging from the shadows with a smile, he looked at the Lion-Bird Beast.

"During our training sessions these past few days, I've noticed you're burdened with heavy thoughts, unable to fully immerse yourself in the training. Therefore, I came specially to see if I could help resolve this issue for you," Lu Xuan said softly, his voice carrying the power to soothe the beast's heart.

The Lion-Bird Beast's gaze brightened considerably, looking gratefully at Lu Xuan and nodding emphatically.

"Let me ask you directly, do you feel inferior because of your mixed heritage and lower status compared to others?" Lu Xuan asked bluntly, having sensed this from the beast's demeanor.

The Lion-Bird Beast juvenile was taken aback, Lu Xuan's words piercing straight to the heart of its insecurities.

From a young age, it had been aware of its differences, its odd appearance, and noticeably lower intelligence compared to its peers, often being called a mongrel by the cultivators of the Sky Sword Sect.

This had fostered a growing sense of inferiority as it matured.

"Your body harbors the blood of two distinct high-grade spirit beasts."

"Have you ever considered, while the combination of these bloodlines might superficially be termed 'mongrel,' another term for it could be 'hybrid'?"

"The difference between the two is that the former doesn't exhibit any unique traits, whereas the latter combines the strengths of both families."

"Thus, you should have more confidence. After all, you embody the advantages of both bloodlines, not just their flaws," Lu Xuan paused before continuing.

"I've noticed you seem to struggle with understanding my words and your memory and comprehension abilities are slightly inferior to other spirit beasts."

"But I've also observed a great virtue in you: simplicity of mind and diligent focus," Lu Xuan reframed the Lion-Bird Beast's lower intelligence as a positive trait.

"Among all the juveniles, you are the most diligent. Diligence can make up for lack of intelligence, and as long as you persist, you will not be inferior to the other spirit beasts."

"Most importantly, your physical strength is perhaps the strongest among all the spirit beasts. You should be more confident."

"Believe in yourself, you will be the most outstanding!"

Lu Xuan brewed a potent and aromatic 'chicken soup' for the Lion-Bird Beast's soul.

Focusing on the juvenile, he sensed its mindset shift

from an initial "I can't do it" to a hopeful "Can I really do it?"

With a slight smile, Lu Xuan felt like a caring grandfather, meticulously nurturing a seemingly hopeless protagonist.

"Alright, let's consolidate today's training content. If there's enough time, we'll also explore the power hidden within your bloodline."

The Lion-Bird Beast nodded vigorously, its eyes filled with determination.

Thus, Lu Xuan made frequent night visits to the beast enclosure, giving the Lion-Bird Beast extra lessons. Despite its lower intelligence, the juvenile never disappointed him, persisting in its efforts without falling too far behind the others.

A month flew by.

Lu Xuan hovered in the air, surveying the numerous spirit beasts below.

"You've all made remarkable progress in your training over this period, which pleases me greatly."

"Today, we'll conduct a small pop quiz, focusing mainly on two aspects: checking your grasp of the training content and assessing your combat capabilities."

Spirit beasts need strong combat abilities, whether for guarding the sect's key locations or undertaking external missions, to avoid unexpected situations.

With this in mind, the selected juveniles were all grade four, with the potential to reach the mid to late stages of Foundation Establishment in strength.

Lu Xuan divided the more than ten juveniles into four groups to select the top eight, then compete for the first place.

The Four-winged Thunderstorm Tiger, Lion-Bird Beast, and Seven-Colored Pheasant Demon, which Lu Xuan was particularly interested in, all smoothly made it into the top eight.

The first two had aerial advantages; the Four-winged Thunderstorm Tiger excelled in lightning magic and was unmatched in speed, easily advancing through the ranks.

The Lion-Bird Beast relied on its formidable physical strength to defeat one opponent after another.

As for the Seven-Colored Pheasant Demon, its illusionary capabilities were overwhelmingly powerful. During combat, it used illusions to conceal itself while drawing its opponents into endless illusions, effortlessly overcoming them.

In the semifinals, the Four-winged Thunderstorm Tiger faced off against the Seven-Colored Pheasant Demon.

Caught off guard, the Thunderstorm Tiger juvenile fell into an illusion, struggling to free itself. This ignited its innate fierceness, summoning endless thunder from its body to reveal the hidden Pheasant Demon in the corner.

Next, the Lion-Bird Beast clashed with the Black-Horned Spirit Rhino. Both were physically strong, one excelling in offense and the other in defense. In this battle of spear against shield, the Lion-Bird Beast narrowly emerged victorious.

The final showdown was set: Four-winged Thunderstorm Tiger versus Lion-Bird Beast!

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