Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

This strict hierarchical control was clearly designed to prevent enemies from planting undercover spies.

And this tactic was indeed effective, at least in the case of Zhou Chun. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Let’s wait a bit longer, wait until Baibai is out of his weakness period, and then figure out a mission that allows for extended time outside."

With a glint in his eyes, Zhou Chun decided to play it safe and consider making contacts only after the Silver Lightning Python, Baibai, had recovered.

Now his biggest trump card was the "Ancestral Resurrection" technique. Without it, there was significant danger in traveling alone in this Wasteland Territory.

However, what Zhou Chun hadn’t expected was that, less than three months after he got beaten, the Great Protector Guan Cheng assigned him a new mission.

"Considering the time, your injuries should have mostly healed. The Golden Dragon Branch Altar has recently gathered a group of new sect members from the main temple. Join the other two envoys and ensure the safe return of these new sect members to the branch altar."

Inside the cave dwelling, after examining Zhou Chun from head to toe, Guan Cheng spoke in an indifferent tone about the reason for his summons.

Upon hearing this news, Zhou Chun couldn’t help but be moved.

Among the few contact methods provided to him by the Green Lotus Temple, there happened to be a usable one at the Golden Dragon Branch Altar.

The timing of this mission was perfect.

Yet, on the surface, he showed a hint of difficulty before saying, "Protector Lord, it’s true that my external injuries have healed, but my Spirit Pet has not yet recovered from its period of weakness. I fear that my own strength may not be sufficient and could delay matters of great importance to the sect!"

"I am well aware of your capabilities. Even without your Spirit Pet’s assistance, you’re no less capable than an average mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator. You are more than qualified for this task."

Guan Cheng waved his hand, dismissing Zhou Chun’s excuses.

Hall Master Li Tianxing had also said that more missions should be assigned to Zhou Chun to test his mettle.

This escort task for the new sect members was a good opportunity for such a test.

Seeing this, Zhou Chun immediately bowed his head and responded gravely, "Since Protector Lord places such trust in me, I shall do my utmost to execute this task."

"Then prepare yourself and set out with the team tomorrow."

"Yes, I shall obey."

The next day, Zhou Chun, fully prepared and carrying Xiao Tiger on his back, left the Golden Dragon Branch Altar gate and rode a Red-Eyed Dragon Sparrow to the White Dragon Branch Altar with the other two envoys.

As Xiao Tiger was still young and housed only a trace of spiritual power within him, it was not suitable to keep him in a Spirit Beast Pouch.

Zhou Chun didn’t feel comfortable leaving him alone at the Golden Dragon Branch Altar, so he had no choice but to take him along when leaving.

Yet a tiger cub only slightly over three months old, already weighing about thirty to forty pounds, did look quite odd riding on his back.

Therefore, not long after leaving the gate, one of the accompanying envoys couldn’t help but say to him, "I heard that Envoy Zhou got whipped with a Poison Whip two hundred times a while back because of this Winged Tiger cub?"

"Yes, Protector Guan believed that I contracted the Winged Tiger cub for my own personal gain, embezzling the sect’s public property, hence the punishment of a fine of ten thousand Spirit Coins and two hundred lashes with the Poison Whip."

Zhou Chun nodded, openly admitting to the incident.

Then, changing the subject, he looked at the envoy who had asked him and said, "Envoy Yang, what do you think? If you had been in my shoes at that time, would you have chosen to bring the Winged Tiger cub back and hand it over to Protector Guan, or would you have contracted it on your own first?"

"This..."

The Missionary Envoy, caught off guard by Zhou Chun’s counter-question, was at a loss for words for a long while.

Seeing this, Zhou Chun couldn’t help but laugh, then turned his gaze to the other envoy and asked, "And what about you, Envoy Song? What would you have done in my place?"

He used the honorific "you" because Envoy Song was a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator and the leader of their mission.

Upon hearing his words, Envoy Song replied solemnly, "If it were me, Song, of course, I would have presented the Winged Tiger cub to Protector Guan."

At this, Zhou Chun couldn’t help a self-deprecating laugh, "Ha-ha, it seems indeed I was in the wrong. The beating I endured was not unjust!"

Hearing this response, Envoy Song said sternly, "Of course it wasn’t unjust! Let me offer you a word of advice, Envoy Zhou. Since you have joined our sect, you should follow the sect’s rules in the future and not act as if you are still a Loose Cultivator, considering only yourself in everything you do!"

"I will bear Envoy Song’s teachings in mind," Zhou Chun replied, nodding his head without further comment.

However, he was quite satisfied internally.

At least from Envoy Song’s words, it appeared that the envoys held no suspicions about his former identity as a Loose Cultivator.

As long as he continued to behave like a Loose Cultivator in certain matters going forward, the suspicion Guan Cheng and Li Tianxing held against him would likely gradually reduce.

After all, a real spy would not possibly be a Loose Cultivator.

The direct distance from the Golden Dragon Branch Altar to the White Dragon Branch Altar was two to three thousand miles, but Zhou Chun and his party could not fly directly.

Because the Wasteland Territory was not only home to second-order Demon Beasts but also to third and even fourth-order Demon Beasts!

The areas where these third and fourth-order Demon Beasts roamed were no-go zones that even high-order cultivators of the Dragon Transformation Sect dared not enter.

Moreover, most of these Demon Beasts were protected by the Flood Dragon Clan in the Dragon Abyss Marsh, which did not allow high-level Dragon Transformation Sect cultivators to slay them at will. Continue your adventure at empire

Hence, whenever they encountered regions occupied by such high-order Demon Beasts on their path, they had to detour.

Fortunately, the journey didn’t carry a high risk since they were three Foundation Establishment cultivators traveling together, with a map for reference, even if the route was a bit longer.