Before heading out Althea packed some dry rations and other necessities. After everything was ready, she summoned Northem.
"Young Miss, what is your order?", asked Northem who was kneeling on one knee.
"Get up, next time you don't need to kneel before me", said Althea.
Getting up, Northem said, "As you wish Young Miss"
Althea nodded and said, "I will be going out to train in the mountains for a few days. I will be entrusting my mother's safety in your hands in case if anything happens, understood!"
Northem was slightly taken aback by Althea's words. He knew that Althea will be going out to train but all along he thought that he will be going out with her to ensure her safety because he is well aware of the dangers lurking in the hollow mountain range. Moreover, Furiana is inside the Baro clan so, who will be daring enough to harm the only daughter of the clan leader inside the clan.
After an internal debate Northem still decided to voice out his concern, "Young Miss, the mountain is filled with dangers. Won't it be better if I followed you besides, the Lady will be safe inside the clan"
Althea flicked a glance at Northem and he immediately shut up.
"You don't need to worry about me, just follow my arrangements"
"As you wish young miss" answered Northem. Even though he was worried about Althea he didn't dare defy her orders and thinking about how Althea brought many surprises to him during the journey and also by the way she handled Ryab, he was sure that Althea had some tricks up her sleeves or else she wouldn't be confident she will return unscattered from the Hollow mountain range.
After listening to an earful of concerns and warnings from her mother and grandfather, Althea quickly set out.
...
Inner region, Hollow Mountain Range
"Second Lady, are you sure we can find a talented Beast Tamer here", asked Gufian with a doubt.
"Did we find any in Withering Valley then!", instead of answering, Lady Tsiru threw him a question.
Gufian gave a wry smile and didn't question further. He had no idea what Lady Tsiru is up to. Almost all the geniuses and people from five great powers have gathered in and around Withering Valley, only they have come to Hollow mountain range. Gufian couldn't help but speculate that Lady Tsiru is up to something.
After some time, Lady Tsiru halted and said, "we are now at the periphery of the inner region of the Hollow mountain range. The reason why we haven't come across any young talents till now is that the inner region is filled with dangers and only those at senior level or above could walk in and out safely. If we want to find some geniuses we have to lurk around the outer region of the hollow mountain range"
With that Lady, Tsiru turned around and went towards the direction of the outer region. Everyone quietly followed behind her. Only Gufian furrowed his brows looking at Lady Tsiru's back and complained inwardly, 'then why did we waste our time lurking around in the inner regions of the hollow mountain range! Surely she is hiding something from us"
.....
Outer edges of the hollow mountain range
Althea was currently sitting on one of the tree branches. It has been two days since she set her foot inside the hollow mountain range. Due to her weak strength, she didn't dare to venture deep inside. Even though she had few tricks up her sleeves in case of imminent dangers she still decided not to take risks. Besides the main reason, she came here is to practice beast taming.
After a while, Althea heard a noise coming from the nearby bushes. She had already concealed her breath so no beast of human below the divine level can perceive her existence.
From a nearby bush, Althea saw a low-level Amethyst Hamster popping out its head and looking around. After making sure that there was no one in the vicinity, the Amethyst hamster slowly came out from the bush.
After waiting for two days, Althea finally found a low-level beast suitably for practicing her beast taming skills. Amethyst Hamster is a type of beast with zero combat abilities, it has a keen sense of smell for herbs and can aid the Beast Tamer in finding medicinal herbs. Though it is not an ideal beast for forming a contract, the beast tamers can make use of the Amethyst hamster if they came across it in the wild so that it can help them in finding precious medicinal herbs.
Beast Tamers can tame a beast only for a certain period depending on their strength and mental strength. A beginner or low-level Beast Tamers can only tame a beast for few minutes to one hour maximum.
If a Beast Tamer wants a certain Beast to follow them forever, they have to form a blood contract with the beast.
Althea slowly summoned her Golden spirit light on her palm and making use of the heaven-grade Beast Taming technique she had learned in her past life, she chanted a few words without making noise. One could only see her lips moving. After few seconds she slowly and quietly descends from the tree branch. When the Amethyst Hamster spotted Althea, it tried to go back inside the bushes but it was late as Althea flicked her index finger, and a small translucent golden-colored orb the size of a pill flew out from her fingertips and it directly went inside the head of the Amethyst Hamster.
The Amethyst Hamster was frozen on the spot and Althea was standing ten meters away from it. It was Althea's first time taming a beast, she doesn't know whether it will be a success or failure. Although she followed the instructions as written in the book and the heaven-grade technique she learned during her past life, she was still nervous. At the moment besides being nervous, she was also excited because the heaven grade beast taming technique she casually flipped through in her past life out of curiosity had now being put to use. Althea was very interested in Beast taming in her past life even though she didn't possess golden spirit light, she was always envious of Beast Tamers as they can have their contract beast which Althea longs for. But only Beast Tamers can form a contract with beast regretfully.
Fixing her gaze at the Amethyst Hamster, Althea slowly moved forward. Even if it failed she had already made mental preparation for it as it is her first time.
The Amethyst Hamster regained its composure and stared at Althea with its small and round golden eyes, then it made a small squeak and rushed towards Althea.
Coming near her foot, the Amethyst Hamster rubbed against Althea's shoes and started to run in circles around Althea.
"it succeeded!", Althea couldn't believe that she succeeded on the first try. Her eyes were beaming with joy.
As Althea was immersed in joy, few men emerged from the nearby woods.
"wo.. look who is here"
Althea quickly recollected herself and shot a glance at the newly arrived people and frowned.
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The Author has something to say: This Grandaunt is trying hard to update regularly.