The book began with an explanation of the Dark Beasts.
A great deal of the books was damaged but it was not hard to comprehend.
"Dark Beast, the Night Terror, and the Mighty Jaguar of the Dark. It had many names and was mainly the property of an ancient family..."
Hmm the part about the Imperial Family of the Vast Expanse seemed to be redacted. Whoever wrote the book made sure to only tell of its origin without exposing the owner. I guess the influence of the Imperial Family was too great at the time for an author to be afraid of even mentioning the name.
The book continued.
"They were an extremely powerful beast that could only be tamed by the owner's family, they were almost impossible to raise anywhere else due to a great weakness the Dark Beasts had. Their inability to live where there is light. Making them completely useless in a region where sunlight could shine. Though they can resist the lights from fire and no natural light sources, once their skin is exposed to Sunlight they burn to ash in seconds."
I know that part.
"Yet, what made them fearsome was not their battle prows, but their ability to blend in with the shadows, and their ability to work and function as deadly guards to that family's treasure room. Dark Beasts when raised right can recognize one owner for life, and will give their lives for the owner. Once given a command they will take it to the limit of their ability or the extent of their lives. They are forever loyal, and extremely smart. Their bodies can grow almost infinitely strong by consumption of powerful heavenly treasures. Yet their glaring weakness remains as creatures that cannot sustain sunlight. If only they were not weak to this element, they would have been a force to be reckoned with in battles.
The owning family had tried to conscript its Dark Beasts many times in battle, though they emerged victorious in many a fight, the moment the sun element is introduced, the wars would turn upside down. Thus the owning family completely removed them from battle. And on the chance that someone might find a way to fix such a weakness, they had the ability to impose a full ban on the raising of Dark Beasts.
At one point the owning family did a full scale search and retrieval of every Dark Beast in the Vast Expanse, to the point that the dark beasts no longer existed anywhere but in the domain of the owner family.
Rumors state that all the retrieved Dark Beasts have been placed in a separate domain where they are to never leave. Though it may be just a rumor, many cultivators searched long and wide for this hidden domain where the Dark Beasts were kept to no avail. And with many thousands of years since the disappearance of that family, there is no hope to ever finding a surviving lineage of the Dark Beasts.
The Dark Beasts also share an inheriting link to the Heavenly Dark Tigers. Though the latter are rare to see in the world, they have been confirmed to be the descendant of the Dark Beasts. Though comparably the Dark Beast is far stronger than the Heavenly Dark Tiger. The Heavenly Dark Tiger does not suffer from the same weakness to light. On the other hand, the Heavenly Dark Tiger has a great curiosity that caused many of them to perish in their younger years. Only the stronger and luckier species of the Heavenly Dark Tiger could survive long enough to sprout wings and rule over a domain.
'Wow, this book actually has more information on the Heavenly Dark Tiger than the others I've read,'
I kept reading and learning more about the Dark Beasts and realized why Kyu was not growing up.
"It's their Diet. The Dark Beasts feast on the flesh of demonic creatures and enjoy Heavenly Fruits. But those are rare to find. Demonic Creatures aren't an issue to find though. So I think I should take Kyu to hunt soon," I nodded to myself and continued reading. Understanding more about the Dark Beasts' favorite habitats, their nature and their way of life.
Sadly a Dark Beast needs a spouse to further improve its ability, and with the extinction of Dark Beasts, it will be hard to have Kyu surpass its limitations.
For now, I cannot solve this issue, since it needs to Dual Cultivate with another of its race. Even if there was a Dark Beast alive I doubt Kyu would even be a perfect match since they are both different even if they were the same lineage.
Ah this is going to be cumbersome.
I closed the book and placed it back, then left the library. Surprised still at not having seen the person who kept asking me to remain quiet despite going through every corner of the library.
"You took your sweet time," said the elder at the door.
"Why, is there an issue?" I asked.
"Not really, but you've been summoned, you should go and meet the sect master, he is asking for your presence," the elder said.
I frowned at the statement, what does the Sect Master even want with me? But I can't ignore this summon.
I clasped my hands at the elder "Thank you for your time and understanding, I'll be off."
"Good luck lad," he said and went back to dozing off.
I walked out of the Beast Hall and up towards the main road that led to the top of the mountain. The sect Master's hall was at the top of the mountain from what I understand.
Surprisingly there were not many disciples going this way. It was actually empty. Not even guards asked about my identity when I stopped in front of a modest-looking shed.
"C'mon in," I heard.
I opened the door to the shed and found a simple-looking room inside. It had a desk, a bed, and a table with two chairs.
On the table was a pot of tea and two cups, and the jade box that elder Xian brought earlier.
There was a young-looking man inside, he looked barely above the age of twenty, but his attire was not the same as that of the rest of the sect members. His was actually a full black robe with gilded hems. He had a large belt around his waist that was displaying the symbol of the Poison Sect. A giant Serpent devouring its own tail.
"Ouroboros..." I muttered.
"Oh, what is that?" asked the person who I presume to be the sect master.
"Oh...It's a mythical creature, it's a snake so great that it represents the infinite. It is biting on it's own tail to represent a full circle without beginning or end." I said.
"It sounds interesting, where did you hear that?" asked the sect master.
"An old man told me the tale of it. It is but the myths of mortals," I said.
"Mortals have their own wisdom, they see the world differently than we do, but it does not mean that what they see is wrong, it is a different perspective."
"I wouldn't deny that," I said.
"Good, have a seat," the sect master said.
I sat in front of him and he poured me tea.
"Thank you for your generosity," I said as I held the cup forward and then took a sip.
The taste was... heavenly, I could feel a great surge of southing Qi going down my throat, it felt like I was a man that spent years in a desert only to find a cold throat southing oasis."
"This is... a great tea," I said.
"It should be, the leaves of this tea take a hundred years to process," he said.
"Oh... why would the Sect Master give me such a great gift?" I asked.
The sect master smiled, perhaps because I guessed his identity immediately, but it wasn't that hard to be honest. After all, his clothes didn't particularly hide it.
"This is not enough to repay your gift to the sect. I've also requested that the sect will award you with enough merit points for the Soul Wrenching Poison Pill," he said.
"All of that, for that kind of pill?" I said.
"You speak as if the Soul Wrenching Poison pill wasn't even that hard to make," he said as he took a sip from his tea.
"Not to blow my own horn, but it really isn't," I said.
"Oh, I like a confident person. However, do you have the confidence to back up your claims?" he asked.
"If it's pill making, I'm sure I can do a great job making anything below the King Class Realm," I said.
The Sect Master frowned, "You don't seem to be lying, which is rather peculiar. Since you don't even have the ability to process Saint Qi, how can you make something far above your cultivation stage?" he asked.
"Alchemy and cultivation are two different things, I can bypass the limitation of Saint Qi by knowledge of alchemy," I said.
This is basically bullshitting, if I were tasked to make a Saint Qi pill I'll have my original body make it, there is no way Shen Mo can support the pressure of Saint Qi materials.
"Good, then perhaps you can figure out what I want you to make," he said as he placed a small pouch full of herbs in front of me.
I looked at the materials and frowned.
"Demon Visage Pill. This is... not something easy..." I said.
The sect master's eyes widened. "You actually figured out the pill just from the materials, I'm even more impressed now, but why do you say it's not easy, I thought you were confident," he said.
"Oh, not for me, I can make it, but it won't work for you," I said.
The Sect Master frowned, "Why do you say so?" he asked.
"Because you in your current condition, if you were to consume the Demon Visage Pill, you will undoubtedly die," I said.
The sect master stood up and faced away from me.
"In all my years cultivating, It's the first time I've seen someone speak this way. You, who haven't been a cultivator for even a fraction of my lifespan, speak of things like this so casually, one would think you're an old foggy who possessed the body of one of my sect members," he said.
'Oh shit...'
"But, that's not possible, your soul though dark and sinister looking is still yours, as I see that it has not been tampered with," he said.
'Well, thank god for the Soul Shackling Seal. No way anyone who isn't proficient in Imperial Inscription could understand how I'm possessing this body,'
"But you seem to have knowledge far beyond your age. Indeed, I had the feeling that the Demon Visage Pill will probably kill me the moment I consume it, but," he said as he pulled the sleeve on one of his arms.
He revealed a demonic-looking imprint, it looked like a burn mark.
"If I don't get rid of this, forget death, even my soul won't survive," he said.
"Yeah, I know," I said.
"So you understand why I have to risk my life and take the Demon Visage Pill, even if the success chance is low, it is better than death," he said.
"Nope, I still don't get it, why risk your life like that when you can get rid of that Demon Brand in an even easier and less painful manner," I shrugged.
The Sect Master frowned, "Child, I humored your antics enough since you have done a great deed for the sect, don't push your luck, what many experts couldn't figure out, through your knowledge I doubt you can provide an 'Easy' fix, don't grow too complacent the world isn't as good as one might think," the elder said clearly pissed at my nonchalant attitude.
I sighed then stood up, "Give me your arm," I said.
"What do you intend to do," he said as he handed me his arm, "Many doctors have tried many things and failed I doubt that you can even fully unders- "
"Done, now you're all cured up," I said.
"..."
The sect master looked at his arm, there was nothing there anymore, then he looked at me.
"What?"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l