Cang Dragons were actually a type of sea-dwelling Demon Beast that looked quite ferocious. They had pointed heads, large mouths, sharp teeth, and scales that stood up like razor-sharp blades. Yet, this clan of Cang Dragons actually bore the surname Bai, and had such adorable names...
Mo Tiange turned her head away, suppressing her laughter for a long moment before turning back with a serious expression to address the old Cang Dragon. "You decide for me. Any one of your descendants will do."
Hesitation appeared in the old Cang Dragon's eyes. It glanced at the five young Cang Dragons with reluctance before turning back to her. "Human, you choose. They are all the same to me; I cannot make the choice."
Seeing its expression, Mo Tiange decided not to press the matter. She nodded and pointed. "Then, this one."
She had pointed at the smallest Cang Dragon, Bai Xiaofan.
Seeing it chosen, the other four Cang Dragons crowded around, chattering and roaring in a cacophony. They were using the Cang Dragon language, which Mo Tiange couldn't understand, but from their demeanor, she could guess they shared a deep bond and were reluctant to part.
Witnessing this scene, Mo Tiange couldn't help but smile. Since entering the world of cultivation, she had rarely seen such deep fraternal affection. Even though these were Demon Beasts, it warmed her heart.
The five young Cang Dragons roared and chattered for a good while before the old Cang Dragon let out a single roar, instantly silencing them.
The old Cang Dragon looked at the one called Xiaofan, motioning for it to swim closer. It then turned to Mo Tiange. "Very well, human. You may now form a Spirit Beast Contract with my child."
Mo Tiange looked at the small Cang Dragon before her. Its tail still bore a wound, and its gaze towards her was somewhat timid. She knew this little Cang Dragon had nearly perished by her flying sword and must harbor fear towards her.
But that was fine. Once the Spirit Beast Contract was formed, this little Cang Dragon would trust her.
Mo Tiange closed her eyes, gathering her Divine Sense. She had chosen this little Cang Dragon for two reasons: first, it was the weakest in cultivation among them, with a correspondingly weaker Divine Sense, making the contract formation easier; second, at just eight hundred years old, it had already reached the Fifth-Rank, indicating exceptional talent even among Demon Beasts.
Her Divine Sense touched Bai Xiaofan's. Under the immense pressure, Bai Xiaofan compliantly formed a subordinate Spirit Beast Contract with Mo Tiange. From this moment on, Mo Tiange was its master. They could not harm each other until the contract was dissolved or one of them perished.
Seeing Mo Tiange open her eyes and the fear fade from Xiaofan's gaze, the old Cang Dragon Bai Xiaoqing was astonished. "So quickly?"
The speed of the contract formation could only mean Mo Tiange's Divine Sense was vastly stronger than Xiaofan's. Xiaofan was a Demon Beast equivalent to an early Core Formation human cultivator. While a beast's Divine Sense couldn't match a human's, it wasn't that much weaker. Yet Mo Tiange was only at the mid Core Formation stage, just one minor realm higher.
Mo Tiange smiled and beckoned to Xiaofan. Xiaofan, still timid, was no longer afraid of her and obediently drew near. "Master, we have formed the contract. Can you give the spirit fruit to my grandfather now?"
"Of course." Mo Tiange tossed a healing pill into its mouth and said, "Wait here a moment."
With that, she touched her brow again. A few breaths later, she entered the Void Heaven Realm and plucked two Hundred-Result Fruits.
"Here, this is for you." Mo Tiange handed them over to the old Cang Dragon, along with the original one.
Seeing the three Hundred-Result Fruits, the eyes of the old Cang Dragon and the four young ones all lit up.
The old Cang Dragon carefully accepted them with its fin. A flash of white light, and the Hundred-Result Fruits vanished, stored away who-knows-where. Demon Beasts might not have Qiankun Bags, but they had their own storage spaces, which was even more convenient than for humans.
"Alright, I've given you what I promised. Can you tell me that secret now?"
Perhaps because of the Hundred-Result Fruits, or because Xiaofan had become her spirit beast, the old Cang Dragon's voice held a touch of respect. "I have already explained the matter in detail to Xiaofan. It will tell you."
Mo Tiange nodded. "That's fine too." Xiaofan was now her spirit beast; she wasn't worried about the old Cang Dragon going back on its word. "Then our transaction is complete."
The old Cang Dragon didn't reply, sighing as it looked at Xiaofan by her side. Then, the four young Cang Dragons began roaring again.
Xiaofan roared back in response. The five young Cang Dragons huddled together, rubbing heads and patting each other with their fins, seemingly expressing their sorrow at parting.
Mo Tiange smiled, watching their reluctant farewell without urging them.
After a long while, another roar from the old Cang Dragon interrupted their lingering sentiments. Under the old dragon's scolding, the four young Cang Dragons finally separated from Xiaofan. They lined up, each swishing their tails and slapping the water's surface, as if performing some sort of ritual.
Xiaofan watched them, then also began swaying its tail in rhythm with theirs.
After a good while, they stopped. The old Cang Dragon turned its head towards Mo Tiange. "Very well, human. You may take Xiaofan and leave."
Mo Tiange gave a slight nod, performing a Daoist salute towards them as a sign of respect. "On the day I pass from this world, I will bring Xiaofan back here to reunite with you all. If I am fortunate enough to advance to the Nascent Soul stage, then, should Xiaofan request it, I will dissolve the Spirit Beast Contract and return its freedom. I take my leave now."
The old Cang Dragon, with the four young ones, floated on the sea surface. Placing their fins over their chests, they lowered their heads to her—apparently a Cang Dragon salute.
Under the watchful gazes of the five Cang Dragons, one old and four young, Mo Tiange took Bai Xiaofan and flew towards the distant island, eventually disappearing over the horizon.
Returning to the island, Mo Tiange brought Xiaofan into Mo Yaoqing's cave abode and first treated its wound.
Xiaofan's injury wasn't severe. A Cang Dragon's armor was tough, and Mo Tiange wasn't particularly skilled with flying swords. The stab wound on its tail, while present, hadn't rendered it immobile. After taking the pill, the wound healed quickly.
"So amazing!" Xiaofan twisted its head to look at its tail where the wound had vanished, staring in astonishment. "It's gone so fast!"
Old Cang Dragon Bai Xiaoqing's voice sounded like that of an elderly human, while Bai Xiaofan's was like that of a human youth whose voice hadn't yet changed. At eight hundred years old, compared to a lifespan of tens of thousands of years, it truly was still a child.
Mo Tiange smiled and asked, "You don't have pills. If you get injured, how do you recover?"
Xiaofan said, "We have healing herbs on the seafloor, but they aren't very effective. There are also healing spells... Master, I've heard you humans all know alchemy. Those pills are miraculous, letting you advance quickly after taking them. Is that true?"
This made Mo Tiange laugh. "It's not that miraculous. It just makes cultivation faster and Advancement a bit easier."
"Wow, that's so much better than for us Demon Beasts." Xiaofan's voice was cheerful, and it looked at her with longing. "Master, then will I get to eat pills in the future?"
"Of course." Mo Tiange reached out and patted its head, which looked rather fierce. "You're my spirit beast; of course I'll give you pills." She then smiled. "By the way, I haven't asked. Does it matter if you leave the water?"
Cang Dragons were sea-dwelling Demon Beasts, naturally at their strongest in the ocean. However, if its spells were already fully formed, then its strength wouldn't be affected.
"It doesn't matter," Xiaofan replied. "Our Cang Dragon clan's spells are innate. And I'm already Fifth-Rank; I can survive without relying on water." It nudged its head forward. "Besides, Grandfather has taught me everything. I'm very smart; I remember it all."
Its voice held a hint of pride, like a child saying: Praise me, praise me!
Mo Tiange couldn't help but laugh, patting its head again. "If you're really that smart, then you remember all the secrets your grandfather told you?"
"Of course!" Xiaofan unceremoniously raised its head higher.
Mo Tiange laughed even more joyfully, giving its head another pat. "Alright, you're my spirit beast now. Let me take you to a good place."
Xiaofan blinked its eyes, looking at her full of confusion.
Without further ado, Mo Tiange wrapped an arm around Xiaofan's head. With her other hand, she touched her brow. The pearl emerged, she cast a spell onto it, and a few breaths later, both of them appeared within the Void Heaven Realm.
"Woof woof!" As soon as they entered, a golden blur charged over and threw itself into Mo Tiange's arms.
It was Feifei. She had entered the Void Heaven Realm twice just now but hadn't had time for it, leaving it feeling sulky.
Mo Tiange patted its head to soothe it. "Be good, Feifei. Feeling bored? How about playing with Xiaohuo for a bit first? There's a new friend too."
Xiaofan was currently staring with its slender eyes, astonished by the surroundings. It didn't understand how they had arrived here in an instant, and the Spiritual Qi in this space was so rich! It couldn't help but think, human magic was truly amazing!
"This is Xiaofan. This is Feifei."
Tugged by Mo Tiange on its claw, Xiaofan snapped out of it and stared at the golden, cat-like furball before it. It blinked, not understanding what this thing was. However, for a Demon Beast, something not of its own race usually meant prey. So, it leaped up, hovering in mid-air, and bared its sharp teeth at Feifei.
Although Feifei had been with Mo Tiange for sixty years and eaten many spirit herbs, perhaps due to its species' characteristics, it had always found Advancement difficult and was still only Fourth-Rank.
For Demon Beasts, the gap between Fourth-Rank and Fifth-Rank was significant. Especially since Feifei was not adept at combat at all; if Xiaofan simply swiped with its fin or tail, Feifei wouldn't be able to withstand it.
The two spirit beasts stared at each other. Just as a fierce light appeared in Xiaofan's eyes, Feifei suddenly extended its paw. A white light flashed on its claw as it touched Xiaofan's blue scales. Within the white light, the ferocity in Xiaofan's eyes gradually faded.
Even though it wasn't the first time she'd seen this, Mo Tiange still found it miraculous. Feifeis were indeed a wondrous type of spirit beast, born with the ability to coexist peacefully with many other beasts—an anomaly in the world of Demon Beasts.
Patting Feifei's head, Mo Tiange released Xiaohuo, who had been staying in her Spirit Beast Bag. "You two go play for now."
Xiaohuo, just out of the bag, also showed hostility towards Xiaofan, but under Mo Tiange's Divine Sense command, it was soon dragged off to play by Feifei.
"Xiaofan, why didn't you attack Feifei just now?"
Xiaofan's voice held some confusion. "I felt... it wasn't dangerous..."
Mo Tiange nodded. Feifei's special ability was indeed like that. She walked forward a few steps and beckoned. "Can you adapt to the Spiritual Qi here?"
Xiaofan nodded its head. "Mhm, the Spiritual Qi here is very comfortable..." At that moment, it saw the vast medicinal fields and its eyes lit up. "Master, is that..."
Mo Tiange stood by the stream, pointing at the large medicinal fields with a smile. "You're my spirit beast now. You can eat those spirit herbs if you wish, but you must be sure they won't harm you. From now on, this stream is yours. Get along well with Xiaohuo and Feifei; they are also my spirit beasts, understand?"
"Yes, Master."