Clear Sky Battle Power, New Beginning (3)

"Spirit beasts start to cultivate from the time they're born, separated into ten year, hundred year, thousand year, ten thousand year, and hundred thousand year levels. Crossing between each level, to spirit beasts, is a qualitative change. After a spirit beast's cultivation breaks through ten thousand years, their intelligence will improve quickly, and after a certain point, they won't be inferior to humans."

"In some sense, spirit beasts are linked to us Spirit Masters' spirits, even though the cultivation age limit decides their strength, their own innate talent is equally important. Just like Spirit Masters with full innate spirit power like you, who are stronger than common tenth ranked Spirit Masters even at that time. The spirit beast's species is like a spirit's quality. But, this isn't absolute.

"As the spirit beast's cultivation finally reaches the hundred thousand year level, any spirit beast will reach a remarkable stage. In practice there's very little difference in strength between spirit beasts of this stage. Like your Xiao Wu, originally she was only a Soft Boned Rabbit, but after her cultivation reached the hundred thousand year level, she wouldn't be inferior even to a Titan Giant Ape on the same level. However, having reached the hundred thousand year level, spirit beasts must also face a choice."

Tang San focused his attention on listening carefully. Tang Hao's description of hundred thousand year spirit beasts was something not even Grandmaster had spoken about.

To him, this was like an all new area.

"The position of hundred thousand year spirit beasts among other spirit beasts is like that of Title Douluo among Spirit Masters. Having reached the summit, at this time, their strength is extremely formidable. In one against one, it would be very difficult even for Title Douluo to defeat them. They might even be killed. But, with intelligence not inferior to humans, they face a choice of two paths at this time."

"One path is to maintain their strength, and go on like that. Having reached the hundred thousand year level, they're already an existence opposing Heaven, and even the most powerful hundred thousand year spirit beasts can at most only live for another thousand years. After a thousand years, they will inevitably die. And the other path, is nevertheless the risky path. That is to change shape."

"Change shape?"

Tang San looked at Tang Hao with astonishment.

Tang Hao nodded, saying:

"That's right. Changing shape. Taking the shape of a human. Because, among all organisms, humans have the greatest potential."

"After taking human form, the spirit beast has to cultivate anew. If they can cultivate to the Title Douluo Level, and again smoothly break through the hundredth rank pass, their lifespan will no longer be restricted, reaching eternal life. Becoming an existence like a god."

Tang San said:

"Then wouldn't all spirit beasts make this choice? Living forever, I think this is a goal all creatures pursue."

Tang Hao calmly said:

"Among the small number of hundred thousand year spirit beasts, do you know how many take the second option?"

Tang San shook his head.

Tang Hao said:

"According to the accounts of our Clear Sky School, among known hundred thousand year spirit beasts, less than one in ten pick the second choice."

Tang San astonished said:

"Why? Didn't you say that by choosing the first option, they can only live for a thousand years? With the second path they can live forever. Why wouldn't they take it?"

Tang Hao laughed coldly,

"How would it be that easy? Spirit beast cultivation is an unknown number of times more difficult than for humans. After choosing to take human form, it's irreversible. In other words, after taking human form, unless the hundred thousand year spirit beast is killed, it's impossible to again take beast form. Their true form would change into the human form's spirit, and all their previous abilities would disappear completely. Their spirit power must be regained bit by bit. Even though their cultivation speed is a lot faster than that of normal humans, and have no need to go killing spirit beasts to gain spirit rings, they must be in contact with humans during this cultivation process, must feel the aura of humans, or they will be unable to progress."

"Moreover, choosing this road, their lifespan will be the same as humans. If they can't break through the hundredth rank within a human's lifespan, then they will only be able to live for a hundred years. A thousand years and a hundred years, you should understand what the majority of spirit beasts choose."

"Even more, even though normal Spirit Masters won't notice human form hundred thousand year spirit beasts, as long as a Spirit Douluo or higher level observes carefully, they will still be discovered. Especially in front of Title Douluo, they won't have any way of hiding. The reason why Xiao Wu was never discovered, was because of carrying that flower. That bizarre flower concealed her aura, making her always safe together with you. It was because that flower left her side today that her identity was exposed in front of the Supreme Pontiff and those others."

"Consider, confronted with a hundred thousand year spirit beast, and moreover a weak little human form hundred thousand year spirit beast, would those people from Spirit Hall let her go?"

"After taking human form, a hundred thousand year spirit beast's cultivation will be split into three stages. Before their spirit power has reached the sixtieth rank is the immature phase, in this phase, Spirit Masters of the Spirit Douluo level and higher can discover them. After the sixtieth rank, they will become a lot safer, and will also require even closer contact with humans. This is called the mature stage. Even Title Douluo will be unable to tell what they are after they've gained sixty ranks of spirit power. Therefore, hundred thousand year spirit beasts can also be said to truly have become human at the sixtieth rank. By then there's already no difference between them and humans in any way."

"And after reaching the ninetieth rank, a hundred thousand year spirit beast's cultivation will enter the final divinization phase. Just like us human Title Douluo, they attack that undying eternity."

"Undying eternity."

Tang San repeated Tang Hao's words. To him, this phrase wasn't particularly meaningful. Undying? Could people truly not die?

He didn't want to think too much on this. Right now, his mood was already gradually recovering from the excitement of seeing his father and Xiao Wu leaving.

At least, the original certain death situation turned into him and Xiao Wu being alright due to his father's appearance, this was already a very good outcome. Or one might say, another beginning.

"Then that means, Xiao Wu chose to change shape, and moreover, she's still a hundred thousand year spirit beast in the immature phase?"

Tang Hao nodded,

"Just so. Even though she's a hundred thousand year spirit beast, observation suggests that before she took human shape, she probably never left the place she cultivated. Her heart is as blank as paper. Consequently, she's actually no different from any ordinary girl, just that if she dies, a spirit ring and spirit bone will appear."

Tang San nodded silently. Originally, after he saw that Xiao Wu was a spirit beast, his heart had also struggled. But just as Tang Hao said, in his heart, Xiao Wu was neither human nor beast, but his little sister, and there was also that hazy love.

Tang Hao said in a low voice:

"I've already told you what you want to know. From here on out, before you gain my approval, I will carry out a series of special training for you. Choosing the path of a Spirit Master, relying on high-sounding words to appear in front of Spirit Hall, you're already without a way out other than growing more powerful. Otherwise, you will never be able to do more than live in the darkness like a rat. Rest. Recover as fast as possible, afterwards I'll bring you somewhere."

Finished speaking, Tang Hao slowly closed his eyes.

"Dad."

Tang San suddenly called out.

"En?"

Tang Hao didn't open his eyes.

Tang San clenched his teeth, but still asked the question he most wanted to know the answer to,

"Was mom killed by Spirit Hall?"

Tang Hao's whole body jolted, his eyes abruptly opening, his strict gaze like two flashes of lightning in the night.

The light of his father's gaze on him, Tang San even felt stabs of pain.

A fiercely fluctuating mood flashed across Tang Hao's face,

"I said, there are still many matters you don't need to know about. If you want to learn everything, become strong as fast as possible, reach the level I require."

This was the last thing Tang Hao said to Tang San this night. Tang San also didn't ask anything else, and father and son sat next to the fire like that and started to cultivate.

Early the next day, having eaten some simple rations, Tang Hao brought Tang San away. After a night of rest, Tang San's durable body had already recovered by more than half, only the itchy feeling on his back growing even stronger. He knew that the Eight Spider Lances were regenerating within.

Tang Hao returned to his previous taciturn appearance, not speaking, only stepping forward with large strides. Following behind him, Tang San had to condense his spirit power to be able to keep up.

Tang Hao walked in the direction of Heaven Dou Empire. On the way, he didn't walk on roads, but turned to find complicated terrain to pass through. For the first several days, Tang Hao's speed wasn't too fast.

But along with Tang San's body recovering, Tang Hao's speed forward began to accelerate. By the time Tang San had completely recovered, he had to condense all of his spirit power to be able to keep up with his father.

Because they advanced so quickly, Tang San was already unable to tell where they were heading. By the seventh day, he no longer knew where they were, and could only approximately feel that they were somewhere within the borders of Heaven Dou Empire.

The time Tang Hao stayed to rest was only four hours each day, and the remaining time was all travelling. Practically each day would bring Tang San close to the limits of his body.

However, having once experienced Grandmaster's hell training, along with his body recovering completely, he still managed to endure.

After half a month, Tang Hao finally stopped.