Although Li Kujie came from humble beginnings and his talent was much weaker than his own, he was truly a well-established master. Just relying on basic skills and his hard strength two tiers above him already put him at a significant disadvantage, and coupled with the poison, it was like being toyed with.

Every time he lost, he had to listen to Li Kujie boastfully give a long-winded analysis of his reasons for defeat and the problems at hand.

For someone as proud as him, this was not honorable.

However, the opponent was not a peer talent like Du Qing, so losing did not matter much. There was no need to lie to a senior, so he answered item by item: "I can't beat him for now, thinking of a solution."

Du Qing paused for a moment: "But I did learn something... something I never thought of before."

He said, "In a while, once I reach Three-Star, apart from their evolution and subsequent inheritance, I want to additionally pick a few skills and Spirit Pattern Study to learn, I have some ideas to try."

"...Oh? Not bad."

True Man Pu Xiang could tell that although Du Qing's tone was unpleasant, he was clearly not dejected after hitting a wall, but rather was thoughtfully addressing the issues, which relieved the old man's heart.

Many principles are not unknown or unclear to the people of the Celestial Star Sect, but Du Qing, as this generation's True Disciple, had always learned things astonishingly fast, hardly ever hitting walls except when facing talents with higher talent sequences, resulting in his peculiar heart nature.

To put it nicely, he was very opinionated; to put it bluntly, he didn't listen to others.

Giving hasty lectures easily backfires; one can only wait for experience to teach him what he must learn.

Originally, they intended to let Du Qing understand this through actual combat, but it seems that effort was saved now.

But he immediately added: "Then what about Lin Guang's actual combat performance?"

Du Qing was clearly stuck: "..."

"Hahaha—"

From the other end of the phone, True Man Pu Xiang laughed, clearly teasing Du Qing on purpose.

The young man turned his head and left: "If there is nothing else, I will go meditate first."

So, only Du Tingbei remained in front of the phone.

He was a bit embarrassed: "Ah Qing was rude, please don't mind, Elder."

"No harm done, the old man intentionally teased him away."

"I didn't expect that in just a few days, Ah Qing seemed to have changed."

"The old man truly did not expect, on a whim, sending him to the experiment would yield results so quickly." True Man Pu Xiang sighed slightly, "That young man named Lin Guang must have given him quite an impression."

"Quite impressive."

Du Tingbei hesitated but eventually spoke: "Elder Pu Xiang, regarding Lin Guang, there is an important matter."

"What is it?"

"A few days ago, Ah Qing told me…"

"That Lin Guang is very likely a spirit-favored one."

True Man Pu Xiang was silent for two seconds, his voice growing serious: "Is that true?"

"Several days ago, Lin Guang led an evolutionary experiment."

"That experiment succeeded, creating a replicable orthodox evolution type for the [Ice Fairy], and for the first time in Great Xia, a Legendary Level possession-type Spirit Beast appeared."

"If the paper is published and the news spreads, those ancient martial sects with long histories would likely be shaken."

Du Tingbei said: "Ah Qing told me that when he asked Lin Guang whether he was a spirit-favored one, the latter tacitly agreed."

"And his intuition told him that Lin Guang wasn't lying."

"…"

This time, True Man Pu Xiang said nothing, seemingly digesting this information.

When ordinary people hear the words "spirit-favored one," they might feel it's somewhat intangible and lacking substance.

Perhaps replacing it with "Spirit Beast Doctor" would be more comprehensible.

One must know that throughout Great Xia, there are currently less than forty Spirit Beast Doctors.

In ancient Great Xia, "doctor" was an official title, often referring to those who oversaw books and literature, knowledgeable in historical affairs, so several hundred years ago it held no such special concept.

And in those times of Great Xia, a Spirit Beast Doctor was referred to as a spirit-favored one.

In the eyes of some Four and Five-Star Evolution Miracle Masters, so-called Senior Researchers are mere "ordinary talents" without innate gifts or Special Abilities, who achieve similar results and social standings as themselves just through accumulated time and some luck.

But a Spirit Beast Doctor is a different concept.

Because as spirit-favored ones, they often have very strong talents, do not train slowly, and almost all possess Special Abilities applicable to their academic fields, not inferior to the core skills of those High-Star Miracle Masters.

On this foundation, possessing both the vast knowledge of a researcher and the hardware conditions of a strong Spirit Master…

It is said that Spirit Masters who ascend to the status of Spirit Beast Doctor are often the perfect form of a seasoned researcher and a veteran Miracle Master, sometimes accompanied by the identity of a strong fighter.

With these several buffs stacking, even the founding patriarch of the Celestial Star Sect, a Seven-Star Peak Spirit Master, would have to treat a Spirit Beast Doctor with respect if they emerged from the ground.

Du Tingbei paused, then continued: "...Ah Qing acted on his own today, giving two Golden Monkey Wine Peaches to Lin Guang."

"From what I know of this kid, he probably didn't think too much, just acting in accordance with what you said, wanting to smooth team relations without too much ulterior motive."

"But I feel…he actually did something right for once."

Finally, True Man Pu Xiang spoke, his tone growing serious.

"Indeed, this matter is crucial."

"High Sequence Talents generally have exceptionally accurate intuition."

"If Lin Guang truly is a spirit-favored one with the potential of becoming a Spirit Beast Doctor, then the greatest gain for the Celestial Star Sect's visit to Zhen Sheng City this time isn't the Tier Seven Secret Realm."

"Becoming his teammate and befriending him might be a once-in-a-century significant opportunity for Ah Qing personally, and even for the entire Celestial Star Sect."

He made a decisive decision once more: "Since that is the case, then I will decide again to take out five Wine Peaches."

He said in a deep voice: "Two for Ah Qing to maintain daily cultivation, and the remaining three you can give to Lin Guang depending on the situation."

What a grand gesture!

You must know, the Golden Monkey Wine Peach ripens once every five years and only yields about a dozen at a time. Adding the two given to Du Qing before, that's over a third of them!

The potency of this Golden Monkey Wine Peach is mild and gentle, even a Two-star Spirit Master can consume it directly.

Even if Du Qing is the only true disciple of this generation's Celestial Star Sect, which elder doesn't have a few descendants, all hoping to obtain one or two pieces.

Yet despite this, Pu Xiang True Man still offered three more without hesitation, just to please Lin Guang directly!

"Ah Qing is both simple and prideful; we have no such concerns. Make connections as needed. As Ah Qing's elder, you wouldn't lack interaction with them, so this task suits you well."

...

Meanwhile.

Bai Wu in the Daoist School also finished today's cultivation, and returned to the office from the Environmental Simulation Room, the chilling aura around him gradually dissipating. He then picked up his phone and looked at the message Li Kujie had sent earlier.

It was today's battle fee details.

The fees are settled daily, as they had discussed long ago.

"Fifty-six thousand credit points."

With the addition of a Du Qing, the fees, though substantial, were not unexpected.

In fact, they were slightly lower.

He nodded and began to inspect the details.

Then, the gaze of this stern man suddenly froze.

What is this -8000 under Lin Guang's name for?

Did this deduct from the battle fee?

Could it be that he won?!

How is that possible?

Was it Li Kujie's carelessness, or—

Yet at the next moment, a message following closely was suddenly sent.

Bai Wu's thumb quickly clicked the screen, glanced at the content, and fell silent for a moment.

"..."

Years of common sense and experience told him that the so-called geniuses, in front of someone like him, the owner of a school, could only be considered seeds, juvenile dragons.

A seed naturally has the potential to grow into a towering tree, and a juvenile dragon will also eventually have the day it roars across the world.

But that ultimately requires time.

He is now already sixty-three years old, having accumulated at the Five-Star Peak for a full seven years. In terms of a Spirit Master's lifespan, he is precisely at the most powerful and prosperous period of his life.

Even that Du Qing, whose talent ranking far exceeds his, with the backing of the resources and channels of his force, would take a good three to four years at least, and five to six years at most, to stand openly in front of him at this moment and initiate a challenge.

But at this moment, a doubt suddenly arose in his heart—when would Lin Guang catch up? And when would he surpass him?

And from any angle, it seems this time wouldn't be long.

He, who was once also called the most dazzling genius among the commoners of his time…

Has he really grown old?

About to be surpassed by the younger generation?

But at the moment when this sense of urgency and dislocation emerged from the depths of his heart.

The words Leng Shengnan had said a few days ago about evolving suddenly flashed through his mind.

Bai Wu suddenly understood something.

"I see."

He murmured.

Was it that he…became complacent with the status quo, lost the courage and sharpness of those days, thus remained stagnant?

The probability of surpassing the Six-Star barrier is extremely high. It's no exaggeration to say it's a near-death experience, with the so-called "inner tribulation" attaching itself, and those breaking through could instantly become ash alongside their contracted spirit beasts.

He always told himself that this hurdle must be accumulated to the limit, everything must be done most securely, to grasp even a sliver of hope to achieve True Man.

Indeed, he kept doing bitter cultivation, relentlessly accumulating resources.

But when did these actions begin as excuses to delay the destined moment, rather than to increase the success rate of breakthrough with a steel-like resolve to become True Man?

In this procrastination…his sword and heart had begun to gradually gather dust.

The current [intention] is still based on the time eleven years ago when his brothers passed away, Bai Wu went berserk, fighting in a frenzy filled with anger and grief in the demonic and beast tides.

He knew very well, the evolutionary path of the Ice Fairy he learned from Lin Guang a few days ago, is his most crucial chance, yet this situation only made him more fearful and riddled with distracting thoughts.

At this moment, no expression remained on the man's face.

He remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he took a deep breath.

In an instant, an indescribable determination and sharpness suddenly appeared in his eyes.

And…that intention which had already begun to form, once felt by Lin Guang.

—Realizing this now is not too late.

"A thousand miles of icefields, is it?"

"Just right."

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