Lu Fan's family continued to grow as his fifth and sixth wives gave birth to children with strong elemental affinities. The fifth child had a promising water spiritual root, while the sixth showed a robust earth root. Lu Fan was now even more convinced of his theory that his choice of cultivation arts for each wife influenced the spiritual roots of his children.
Over the following months, Lu Fan's efforts to expand his cultivation network began to pay off significantly. He collected 30 mid-grade spirit stones from his spirit spring, along with an additional 10 mid-grade spirit stones from selling low-grade herbs to the family. With his newfound wealth, Lu Fan invested in some essential items: an Earth Escape Talisman for swift and concealed travel, a beast bag to carry tamed beasts, several Level 1 mid-grade talismans, and a Level 1 high-grade talisman. This preparation set him back 30 mid-grade stones, but he was now well-equipped for future ventures.
Growing the Spirit Garden and New Experiments
He continued to nurture his herb gardens, patiently waiting for the next harvest. Finally, after 13 months, his efforts yielded a rich bounty of herbs and spirit stones. His spirit stone pool had grown to 40 mid-grade stones, and his Level 2 spirit plants were thriving, forming a crucial part of his resource stockpile. During this time, he also experimented with another ambitious idea.
While visiting a mortal town, Lu Fan acquired a pregnant mare and secretly fed her a mortal-level wind beast stone to see if it would impact the foal's development. When the mare finally gave birth, Lu Fan found himself with an unusual brown foal with white legs, showing faint traces of spiritual Qi. The foal had developed as a Level 1 low-grade beast, equivalent to a Qi cultivator at the early stages—a rare find from a mortal horse.
Forming a Bond with the Foal
Realizing the potential of this foal, Lu Fan decided to form a pact with the young beast. While spells could work for this purpose, Lu Fan preferred the efficiency and effectiveness of talismans for bonding, especially with Qi-grade beasts. He used a mid-grade beast controlling talisman to establish a link with the foal, strengthening their connection and allowing him to sense the animal's emotions and instincts.
Through the bond, Lu Fan could understand the foal's feelings and needs, and he began training it in earnest. With patience and care, he aimed to raise this young horse into a valuable companion. Its wind-aligned abilities could make it an agile and swift beast, useful for travel and perhaps even for combat.
Plans for the Future
With a growing family, valuable resources, and an expanding collection of spiritual plants and beasts, Lu Fan knew his next step was crucial. He was considering the journey to the Sword Sect to purchase the high-level beast blood required for the next phase of his body-tempering art. But for now, he focused on refining his skills, nurturing his family, and strengthening the bonds with his newly tamed foal.