Returning to the cave abode, the two summoned Ye Zhenji and Shui Linbo.
"Aunt, Master." Ye Zhenji entered first.
"Greetings to the two Ancestral Masters." Shui Linbo bowed respectfully.
Mo Tiange looked at her and smiled slightly. "I have already sent word to the Administration Hall to accept you as a nominal disciple. From now on, you may address us as Zhenji does."
Shui Linbo was taken aback, her eyes blooming with immense joy. She quickly kowtowed. "Thank you for your grace, Ancestral Masters."
Previously, although she managed the cave abode for them, nominally she was still just an ordinary Foundation Establishment disciple of Qingquan Peak. It was only because of her relationship with Ye Zhenji that she had the opportunity to serve the two Ancestral Masters and receive their support. Within the Xuanqing Sect, many Foundation Establishment disciples envied her and even gossiped behind her back, because she had no official status yet received things she shouldn't have.
But now, becoming the nominal disciple of a Nascent Soul cultivator, she had finally obtained the status she had long dreamed of. No one would ever question her identity and position again.
"You have managed the cave abode very well. Consider this your reward." Over the years, Shui Linbo had almost never entered closed-door cultivation, diligently managing their cave abode and handling miscellaneous affairs for them. They were not stingy people; granting her the status of a nominal disciple was merely a trivial effort.
"Yes," Shui Linbo said gratefully. "Linbo will certainly do her utmost to serve the Ancestral Masters."
"We've already said, there's no need to call us Ancestral Masters anymore."
Shui Linbo hesitated for a moment, then addressed them, "...Aunt, Master."
Mo Tiange nodded with a smile and turned to Qin Xi. "Will you do the talking?"
Qin Xi nodded and began, "There is something we need to tell you. You must be prepared."
Seeing Ye Zhenji and Shui Linbo standing respectfully before them, he continued, "The current situation is critical. Soon, the two of us will be leaving the mountain. Zhenji, you have reached Foundation Establishment perfection. It's time to prepare for Core Formation. It would be best for you to go out and gain experience as well. Only when your mental state cultivation is sufficient can you truly prepare for Core Formation."
"Yes, Master." Ye Zhenji readily agreed.
A slight smile appeared on Qin Xi's face, but then he added, "Let me be clear first. When you go out to gain experience, you won't be going with us."
"Huh?" Ye Zhenji was stunned. "Master, what do you mean?"
"It means you cannot travel the same path as us," Mo Tiange said. "You must rely on your own strength to survive in battle and find the opportunity for Core Formation."
"Really?" Ye Zhenji showed no worry; instead, he was eager. "Then where should I go? The south? Or the Tiandao Sect?"
"We'll discuss that later." Qin Xi shifted his gaze to Shui Linbo, who was standing to the side lost in thought. "Linbo, what are your thoughts?"
Shui Linbo hesitated briefly before saying, "Master, this disciple also wishes to go out and gain experience."
Qin Xi said, "Since you entered the sect, you have never ventured out. It is only right for you to go and gain experience. Cultivation is not something done behind closed doors. Without experiences, you cannot cultivate your mental state. If your mental state cultivation is insufficient, it will be difficult to advance. If you wish to form your Core, you truly do need to go out and experience the world."
"However—" At this point, his tone shifted. Shui Linbo looked up nervously, only to hear Qin Xi say, "You may go, but you cannot go together with Zhenji."
Shui Linbo was puzzled. "Why is that?"
Mo Tiange explained, "You are more resourceful than Zhenji. If you were together, it would not provide sufficient challenge for Zhenji's training. Therefore, separating would yield better results."
Shui Linbo glanced at Ye Zhenji, then turned back and nodded firmly. After a moment's thought, she added, "But, what about the affairs of the cave abode..."
"That's fine," Qin Xi said. "We'll have the Administration Hall send someone. Just organize the cave abode affairs properly and hand them over."
"Yes, this disciple obeys."
After giving their instructions and dismissing the two, Qin Xi said, "We should also make our preparations."
Senior Brother Xuanyin's meaning was that their departure might last for several years, even over a decade. Going completely unprepared would not do.
Mo Tiange stood up and suddenly sensed something. Touching the center of her brow, she entered the Xutian Realm.
The Breath of the White Tiger that had filled the entire Xutian Realm had vanished without a trace, replaced by a heavy, sharp aura.
Joy welled up in Mo Tiange's heart. She walked to the Spirit Beast House and called out, "Feifei?"
There was no answer for a long while, yet Feifei's aura was clearly present within the Spirit Beast House. Could it still be absorbing the Breath of the White Tiger? Back when Qin Xi absorbed the Breath of the Vermilion Bird, it took a very long time. Perhaps it was the same for Feifei.
She was about to turn and return to the cultivation chamber when she suddenly heard a light "creak" from behind. The door opened.
"Feifei?" Her face lit up with joy as she turned around.
The next moment, however, she froze.
"What do you think?" A clear, pleasant voice came, carrying Feifei's characteristic laziness and arrogance. But, but—
Why was there a person standing before her?
Mo Tiange pointed dumbfoundedly ahead. "You—"
"Me what?"
Mo Tiange blinked several times before confirming that what she saw was real and not a trick of her eyes.
Standing at the entrance of the Spirit Beast House was not the golden-furred Feifei, but a youth in yellow robes. This youth had a slender figure, elegant brows and eyes. The yellow robes set off his skin, making him appear as fair as snow. At the moment, he leaned lazily against the doorframe with his arms crossed. At first glance, it was hard to tell if he was male or female.
Mo Tiange stared for a long while. The first words out of her mouth were, "How come you're not female?"
The youth was taken aback upon hearing this, his fair face suddenly flushing red. He pointed at her. "You... you actually don't even know if I'm male or female?"
"I'm not a Feifei. How am I supposed to tell if you're male or female?"
The youth nearly choked on his breath. After being with her for over a hundred years, she still didn't know if he was male or female? What kind of master was this?
Mo Tiange continued, "Since you love beauty and have such a proud temperament, of course I thought you were female."
"Nonsense!" the youth said angrily. "Among you humans, it's the females who love beauty. Among us spirit beasts, it's the males who love beauty. If we don't love beauty, how can we attract females for mating?"
"Mating? Feifei, you're so direct. Are you looking for a female Feifei to mate with?" With this sentence, the topic was completely derailed.
"..."
A quarter of an hour later, the two sat facing each other in the cultivation chamber—this time it was truly two people, not one person and one beast.
Beside the tea table, water bubbled and gurgled on the small stove.
The youth—that is, Feifei after his Human Transformation—picked up the teapot and leisurely brewed tea. Even when he was in his beast form, he knew how to brew tea. Now, having taken human form, his movements were even more familiar and his posture elegant.
The aroma of tea slowly spread. Feifei lifted a teacup, held it before his nose to savor the fragrance, and revealed a satisfied, intoxicated expression.
"I say," Mo Tiange coughed lightly, "shouldn't you first explain what happened?"
"What about what happened?" Feifei focused on tasting the tea, replying absentmindedly.
"Of course, the matter of your Human Transformation." Mo Tiange stared at Feifei's face, as if trying to see a flower bloom there. "You clearly haven't advanced to the eighth rank. How can you have undergone Human Transformation?"
Before the eighth rank, even if a demon beast possessed astonishing strength, it was still just a demon beast. Only upon advancing to become an eighth-rank demon beast could it transform into human form.
This was common knowledge. Mo Tiange had never heard of any exceptions.
Yet the Feifei before her was clearly only at the seventh rank, yet he had successfully transformed. Moreover, there were no residual ears, no patches of fur remaining from his original form—not a single trace of a demon beast was left. Such a thorough transformation should belong to a tenth-rank demon beast, shouldn't it?
Feifei said, "What's so strange about it? The Five Spirits can undergo Human Transformation from birth. I absorbed the Breath of the White Tiger and had my body transformed by the White Tiger's bone, gaining a portion of the White Tiger's bloodline. Of course I can transform."
"...So that's how it is." Mo Tiange thought for a moment, then asked, "The Breath of the White Tiger is so intense. Why haven't you advanced to the eighth rank?"
"Is advancing in rank so easy for spirit beasts?" Feifei said. "Human Transformation at the eighth rank is like an insurmountable chasm for spirit beasts. Before the eighth rank, no matter how strong our power, we are still ignorant beasts. Once we reach the eighth rank, our spiritual intelligence awakens, and we become spirits among all living things. Such a feat, seizing the creation of heaven and earth, cannot be achieved without great opportunity. Little Fan's ancestor lived for five or six thousand years, yet still failed to advance to the eighth rank, didn't it? What makes us luckier than humans is that we spirit beasts have much longer lifespans and reproduce more easily. That's why we can produce no fewer eighth-rank spirit beasts than there are human Nascent Soul cultivators."
"Is that so? So, for you to advance to the eighth rank isn't that easy either..."
"That's not exactly true either," Feifei said, the corner of his lips curling up slightly. Paired with his delicate, almost feminine beauty, he could truly be described as having a face like a flower and the moon. "Recently, I consumed a lot of Blood-devouring Vines. Combined with the power of the White Tiger, advancing to the eighth rank is merely a matter of time for me."
After finishing a cup of tea, he glanced at her. "What's that expression on your face?"
Mo Tiange said, "For Little Fan and Little Huo, advancing to the eighth rank is also a matter of time." Living in the Xutian Realm with countless spirit herbs, it would be difficult for them not to reach the eighth rank.
Feifei pursed his lips and didn't reply. When it came to cultivation, it really wasn't his strong suit. If he hadn't coincidentally encountered the White Tiger, it would have taken him a very long time just to advance to the seventh rank.
Seeing his expression, Mo Tiange couldn't help but laugh. This fellow Feifei, though his personality was detestable, had one good point: he never spoke falsely. Even though Little Huo and Little Fan were stronger in cultivation than him, though unwilling, he would still admit it.
"Right," Mo Tiange asked seriously, "After absorbing the Breath of the White Tiger, have there been any changes in your body?"
Feifei looked up. "What do you mean?"
She said, "I know the Feifei clan has no means of combat. Their only innate talent is the ability to coexist peacefully with all demon beasts. But the White Tiger is known as the God of Slaughter, with a violent, murderous temperament and immense power. Now that you possess the White Tiger's bloodline, have you learned any innate spells?"
Feifei chuckled but didn't answer.
After leisurely finishing another cup of tea, he waved his hand. A golden light flew from his sleeve, nimbly circled, and the bamboo forest before them collapsed with a crash, startling Little Huo and Little Fan who were cultivating.
Mo Tiange was also startled. These bamboo had lived here for tens of thousands of years; their texture was hard, not ordinary at all. With just that light, effortless wave, Feifei had flattened an entire bamboo grove. This level of power was something even an ordinary Core Formation cultivator might not match.
The golden light leaped back. Feifei opened his hand and caught it. This shimmering, flowing golden light transformed into a slender blade in his palm.
Just by being near it, Mo Tiange could feel the violent aura emanating from the light blade, as if countless sword lights and saber shadows had gathered together, a murderous intent thickly permeating the air.
Feifei said proudly, "This move is called the White Tiger's Strike. Once I advance to the eighth rank, no ordinary cultivator will be able to withstand this blow from me."