Chapter 339 - 301: Secluded Cultivation

Chapter 339: Chapter 301: Secluded Cultivation

If not for Tantai Feixue, the Cyan Simurgh Sect would just be a minor sect.

The Cyan Simurgh Sect’s headquarters wasn’t even built on a complete Spirit Vein.

Only the Spiritual Qi from a fragmented Spirit Vein emanated from beneath the ground.

The only reason Tantai Feixue had managed to reach the mid-stage Dao Fruit Realm here was because she’d had her own great fortuitous encounter.

Otherwise, reaching the initial stage of the Dao Fruit Realm would have been her absolute limit.

Jiang Zuo hid near the Cyan Simurgh Sect, using his Sight Rune Technique to monitor the entire sect daily.

By observing through the eyes of various small animals, Jiang Zuo quickly became more familiar with the Cyan Simurgh Sect than any of its own disciples.

「Divine Wood Sect.」

Tantai Feixue had been placed under house arrest in the Divine Wood Sect for a full three years.

Only then was she told she could leave.

"Sect Leader, why are you letting this woman go?"

"It’s true she was likely uninvolved in the incident, but regardless, she is that man’s Dao partner! That’s reason enough to make her stay and atone for his crimes by serving the sect!"

"The Divine Wood Sect is in a precarious position right now. We could have her perform some thankless tasks for us. We wouldn’t have to worry about her causing trouble."

An elder couldn’t help but interject.

"I have my own considerations in this matter. Do not bring it up again."

"Our top priority is to find a medium-grade Spirit Vein as soon as possible."

"Also, we must contact Elder Wu immediately."

He Daozhen waved his hand dismissively.

He had his own reasons for letting Tantai Feixue go.

He wasn’t about to explain them to anyone, however.

"Dongqin, has there been any trouble in the sect?"

The first thing Tantai Feixue did upon returning to the sect was summon Dongqin.

Before her departure, she had entrusted all sect affairs to Dongqin.

"Master, all is as usual. However, there are some matters that require your personal attention."

Dongqin replied respectfully.

"I see. Recount them for me one by one."

The Cyan Simurgh Sect was a minor sect, so there wasn’t actually much to deal with.

Over the next few days, it took Tantai Feixue only a little time to resolve everything.

"Dongqin, I am preparing to enter a life-or-death seclusion to break through to the Manifestation Realm."

"Continue managing the sect’s affairs. If you don’t understand something, discuss it with the elders."

"If I don’t reach the Manifestation Realm, I’ll forever be fish on the chopping block!"

A few days later, Tantai Feixue informed Dongqin of her plans.

For the better part of a decade, she had first been subdued by Jiang Zuo, and then held under house arrest by the Divine Wood Sect for three years.

She had only been able to return because He Daozhen, for some unknown reason, had let her go.

Otherwise, she had no idea when she might have regained her freedom.

Even though she could no longer dual cultivate with Jiang Zuo, and the cultivation speed in the Cyan Simurgh Sect’s Qingfeng Cave was quite average, she still had a chance of breaking through within a century.

A century wasn’t a long time for a Dao Fruit Realm Cultivator.

"Yes, Master. I wish you success in your cultivation."

Tantai Feixue nodded, then summoned the sect’s elders and announced her decision.

Naturally, the elders didn’t dare to object.

If Tantai Feixue managed to break through to the Manifestation Realm, it would be a huge boon for them as well.

Within Qingfeng Cave was Tantai Feixue’s private Cultivation Secret Room. It was protected by a simple Barrier Array, allowing her to cultivate without being easily disturbed.

The secret room had been vacant for over a decade. As Tantai Feixue entered and gazed at the cold, somewhat shabby chamber, her desire to break through to the Manifestation Realm grew even more intense.

She sat down, preparing to cultivate.

But just then, a large hand shot out from behind her, grabbing her shoulder.

Startled, Tantai Feixue was about to resist, but the hand’s power was astonishing, and it gave her an intensely familiar feeling.

When she spun around, she saw a somewhat unfamiliar face.

But those predatory eyes—Tantai Feixue was all too familiar with them.

’This man... he actually dared to come looking for me?’

Tantai Feixue was stunned by Jiang Zuo’s audacity.

’The Divine Wood Sect just released me! What if someone from the sect followed me here?’

However, she didn’t have time to dwell on it.

Jiang Zuo had already ripped her clothes, forcing her into an all-out battle with him.

"Aren’t you afraid He Daozhen will come after you for coming here?"

After their "great battle," Tantai Feixue couldn’t help but ask.

"If I dared to come, then I’m obviously not afraid of him."

Jiang Zuo smiled faintly.

His Spirit Beasts were spread out for a thousand miles around the Cyan Simurgh Sect.

Even if He Daozhen used his Ten Thousand Miles Manifestation to rush over, he would detect it instantly and be long gone.

"Then... are you here to dual cultivate with me?"

Hearing this, Tantai Feixue asked, her voice full of anticipation.

If she and Jiang Zuo continued to dual cultivate here, she could reach the Perfection stage of the Dao Fruit Realm in just over twenty years!

...

From then on, the two lived in seclusion within the secret room.

They spent most of their time each day on Cultivation.

Because the Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Garden had become three times denser, the Spiritual Qi transmitted through the passage from the garden had also grown richer.

As Tantai Feixue and Jiang Zuo dual cultivated, her Cultivation speed became much faster than anticipated.

She estimated that she could reach the Perfection stage of the Dao Fruit Realm in twenty years at most.

Tantai Feixue didn’t know where this Spiritual Qi came from, nor did she ask.

Every few days, after they finished their dual cultivation, Jiang Zuo and Tantai Feixue would engage in another "battle of the sexes."

Tantai Feixue granted his every request, ensuring he was utterly comfortable.

In addition to their dual cultivation, Jiang Zuo also drew Beast Patterns in her presence.

Whenever he did this, Tantai Feixue would just watch silently, never prying.

At this point, she wouldn’t have found it strange if Jiang Zuo was still keeping secrets from her.

「Five years after they began dual cultivating in the secret room.」

’This batch of Star Dust Birds has finally reached the fourth rank one after another.’

’Next, I’ll have them mutate into Star Void Birds and breed them!’

Jiang Zuo thought with a surge of excitement.

However, Jiang Zuo had no intention of letting Tantai Feixue witness the method he used to mutate Star Dust Birds into Star Void Birds.

Each time, he would summon the Star Dust Birds, injure them, and then use the Life Rune Technique to heal them.

During this process, Jiang Zuo would block Tantai Feixue’s Divine Sense, preventing her from perceiving the outside world.

Although Tantai Feixue didn’t know what Jiang Zuo was doing, she followed his instructions without the slightest desire to pry.

Right now, the only thing she was interested in was breaking through to the Manifestation Realm. She had no interest in anything else, especially not Jiang Zuo’s secrets.

As for his secrets, the more she knew, the worse off she’d be.

A year passed quickly, and Jiang Zuo had successfully mutated nine Star Dust Birds into Star Void Birds.

These Star Void Birds began to pair up to breed.

Jiang Zuo continued to mutate the remaining Star Dust Birds.

「Two more years passed.」

The number of Star Void Birds grew, reaching over thirty.

And with that, Jiang Zuo’s task of raising Star Dust Birds was complete.

The racial talent of the Star Dust Bird was the Seven-Colored Star Void Pupil.

After he obtained the Seven-Colored Star Void Pupil talent, he was surprised to find that he could now build the Racial Talent Cultivation Tower.

Jiang Zuo immediately constructed the Racial Talent Cultivation Tower in his Spirit Garden.

Within the Pet Beast Spirit Garden, a tall, gray tower instantly rose from the ground.

The appearance of the Racial Talent Cultivation Tower once again sent the many Spirit Beasts in the Spirit Garden into a frenzy of excitement.

’We can learn the racial talents of other Spirit Beasts through the Racial Talent Cultivation Tower?’

But after learning a bit more, many of the Spirit Beasts grew troubled.

They learned that it wasn’t as simple as choosing what to learn; learning another Spirit Beast’s talent required a certain degree of compatibility.

Furthermore, a second-rank Spirit Beast could only learn one additional talent, while a fourth-rank Spirit Beast could learn two.

If they broke through to the fifth and sixth ranks, however, they could learn another two.

’So a sixth-rank Spirit Beast can learn four racial talents in total.’

’It’s not a lot, but it’s enough.’

’The other Spirit Beasts can do as they please, but I’ll have to warn Great Black and the others not to learn talents randomly.’

Jiang Zuo mused, stroking his chin.

「The tenth year of their seclusion.」

Jiang Zuo gazed into his Spirit Garden, his heart pounding with excitement.

The first broods of Star Void Bird chicks had finally hatched.

As he’d hoped, the offspring of two Star Void Birds were indeed Star Void Birds, not Star Dust Birds.

And thanks to the Super Reproduction Tower, the Star Void Bird chicks were born as third-rank Spirit Beasts—an absolutely heaven-defying advantage!

Jiang Zuo immediately began raising the new Star Void Birds.

Once he obtained the Star Void Bird’s racial talent, Space Travel, he would no longer have to fear pursuit from Manifestation Realm Cultivators.

No matter how fast the Ten Thousand Miles Manifestation was, could it possibly be faster than Space Travel?

However, at that very moment, Jiang Zuo’s Cultivation finally reached the Perfection stage of the Three Flowers Realm. It was time to face his tribulation and break through to the Dao Fruit Realm!