Without delay, they jumped into the giant crater, looking at the motionless Yasenia, who was looking at the corpse.
Kali asked with a faint frown. "Are you okay?"
Yasenia looked at them and then smiled widely. "It feels so refreshing!"
They all blinked, confused. Yasenia laughed while her tail wagged. "Finally, I can fight an opponent that can't kill me with one hit, or I can kill with one hit! Hahaha. I feel liberated!"
The girls smiled wryly. Yasenia took in a deep breath. "Each time I thought I could have a good fight, I was always blocked, be it on the Sect inauguration day or in the War, because I had to guide our army! How nice it feels to fight a normal Epoch Core cultivator? Should I go hunting cultivators instead of treasures?"
The girls who felt the strength of that initial arrow had their lips twitching. 'That was not a normal Epoch Core, dear. But we won't say anything. We don't want to ruin your beautiful and refreshed smile.'
Tatyana smacked her big, jiggly butt and laughed. "Don't be silly. Did you even ask which power this person was from?"
Yasenia blinked twice and looked at him to see if any spatial accessories remained, but they were all destroyed. So, she answered, unsure. "Isn't he from the Five Fang Serpent clan? He looked like one of those."
The girls stifled their laughter while Tatyana sighed. "What if he is working for other people, and they are trying to incriminate them?"
Yasenia's tail dropped, and she looked at her with a pleading expression. "Mom, can you not let me rejoice for a second? I haven't fought against a humanoid of my level for five years! You know… You should… Let me savor my kill."
Tatyana lifted an eyebrow playfully. "Ah, yes, because your enemies will stop and wait because you are tired or happy, right?"
Yasenia wanted to cry but had no tears. 'She is so strict.'
But it was something Yasenia loved because it meant that she cared, so she just nodded with a sigh. "I understand. I'll be careful the next time."
Tatyana chuckled and tip-toed to pat her head.
After jumping out of the crater, they looked around to see if he came alone and searched for other traces, but they found nothing.
Therefore, they continued their journey in a random direction.
While traveling, Yasenia suddenly remembered that she had to ask something. "Right, Mirrory, is there a universal way to clarify beasts by realm? All the places I've been have different ways of calling them, so it is a bit confusing. Moreover, calling them Dantian Spiritualization beasts or similar feels like it's not right. After all, someone who doesn't know the Spiritual Cultivation Path would probably be confused."
Mirrory nodded. "They can be sorted by core realms and with sub-levels from one to ten. For example, your daughter, Kaleina, is considered a sixth-level mortal core beast. You, Kali, and Cecile are a bit strange to qualify because instead of developing like beasts since birth, you started with a human body and then became complete beasts. However, the three of you have a beast core, and that beast core has a level. So, it's also possible to classify you."
Valeria agreed. "I would not use the core system for them. Using normal cultivation systems is fine, I think."
Mirrory. "Well, their cultivation level and beast level are not the same. If they unlock all three cultivation methods plus the beast core method, they will eventually cultivate four paths, making them unmatched in the same realm."
Kali was curious. "Which are the different core levels?"
Valeria answered. "Mortal Core is the first, and it is equivalent to the First cultivation realm. Then, you have the Evolved Core, Mind Core, Fusion Core, Legendary Core, Mythical Core, and Star Core. Star Core is the equivalent of Tatyana's cultivation realm with her main body. And above those, there is another entirely different system which makes no sense learning now."
Yasenia blinked and focused on her dantian, finding her own Beast Core, the [Primordial Energy Core] treasure that fused with her natal core. Natal cores were the innate cores of the beasts.
After focusing on it, she felt energy pulsing from it as a profound aura surrounded it. Then, she asked. "Can Cecile, Kali, and I develop our beast cores now?"
Mirrory smiled. "Of course, you can, but remember that beasts can't cultivate like cultivators. They become stronger naturally, and eating other beast's energy cores or treasures is ideal to increase that speed. Usually, the mind has to be developed to avoid cultivation deviation, similar to normal cultivation. However, it's unnecessary for all of you who have a strong mind because of the normal cultivation, so you can advance without bottlenecks."
Mirrory added. "That passive absorption is something you've been doing since day one, by the way."
Yasenia tilted her head strangely. "When?"
Tatyana was who answered with a smile. "Don't you remember what you learned from your first tribulation?"
Yasenia answered. "That my tail can passively absorb energy… Wait." Yasenia's eyes widened, and she asked. "That's it!? That strange trait was my beast core passively absorbing energy all along?"
The three seniors nodded, leaving Yasenia speechless. Cecile and Kali focused on their beast limbs for a second and similarly felt energy being absorbed by them.
Yasenia pondered and commented with a strange expression. "Then… Couldn't I have cultivated both ways since the beginning and become stronger much quicker?"
Mirrory nodded. "It should be possible."
Yasenia's expression became a bit crumpled. "Why didn't you tell me earlier!? I've lost thirty years of cultivation!"
Kali and Cecile also had strange expressions while looking at the seniors.
Tatyana laughed. "How old is your beast core, dear? You need to let it develop naturally before gobbling other cores so that purity and balance are not corrupted."
Yasenia relaxed. "I see. So, were you going to tell me when I could start improving it by other means?"
The three seniors answered simultaneously. "No."
Yasenia almost tripped while running. "Why!?"
The seniors, Ebirah, Sierra, Evelyn, Angel, and Andrea, laughed aloud while the three Beast girls in the group looked constipated. Kali sighed. "I've been betrayed by my own summon."
The phoenix began looking around, searching for beasts, while the dragoness asked. "So, can I start consuming Beast cores now?"
Tatyana shrugged. "I have no idea. Although the [Beast Physique Pill] allowed you to mature in body, I have no idea about the core."
The other two seniors agreed.
"Why can't you know?"
Mirrory sighed. "Girl, your Natal Beast Core has fused with the [Primordial Energy Core] and, therefore, gone through an evolution. We can't tell when your core is "mature" because it is unique unless a few decades or centuries pass."
Yasenia sighed. "My body is so complicated."
Valeria felt her lips twitch. "Only now, you realize?"
"What about Cecile and Kali? They don't have strange mutations like mine, no?"
Valeria smiled. "They are both mature and perfectly ready to consume other beast cores."
Cecile asked with her usual cold expression. "Why didn't you tell us?"
The three seniors frowned, and Tatyana asked. "What's the rush? It has only been a bit over two years. Let your bodies stabilize by themselves. Eventually, hunger for cores will come to you naturally, and that's a signal of your body telling you that you can start eating cores."
Yasenia suddenly remembered that strange breakthrough she had in the past and realized that it must've been her Beast Core entering a new level.
Andrea commented. "So, according to your evaluation, Ebirah is considered a Fusion Core beast, right? Which level is she?"
Tatyana nodded. "According to Mirrory, that's right. She should be a level seven Fusion Core beast. The same for Sierra."
Yasenia asked. "How do I measure my core's level?"
Mirrory commented. "Stop for a second. I'll give you the information."
They all stopped running, and Mirrory tapped the foreheads of every girl, inserting the knowledge right into their minds.
It was effortless to digest this kind of information, and they gained a new understanding of the World in a few seconds.
The dragoness and the other girls suddenly felt the World around them gain another layer, becoming more profound and mysterious.
They then looked at the beasts in the group and saw an extra aura calmly swirling around them besides their cultivation, bloodline, and other similar auras.
Sighing in admiration, Evelyn commented. "This World is really profound and mysterious."
Valeria was beside her and patted her head. "This is nothing but scratching the surface, little Evelyn."
Evelyn nodded and looked up thoughtfully and attentively. Valeria blinked, clearly feeling the gaze of the girl locked in her large breasts.
Being double her height and following Yasenia's body proportions, Valeria's chest was almost large enough to surround Evelyn's torso.
After analyzing the auras, Yasenia commented. "So, we are all in the Fusion Core realm, Sierra and Ebirah are at the seventh level, Kali and Cecile are at the fourth level, and I am at the… second level?"
Yasenia frowned and then pouted, her tail tapping the ground. "Why am I so low-leveled?"
Cecile smirked and quipped. "Weak."
Yasenia snorted and flicked her tail with a huff, sending a silver crescent attack and killing a sneaking Mind Core beast.
Valeria smiled. "The lower the core level, the better. That means it needs much more energy to upgrade, making you stronger at the same level."
Yasenia's frown relaxed, and she smirked at Cecile, lifting one eyebrow.
Cecile crossed her arms and huffed.
Ebirah approached and dug out the core, which was the size of a fist, from the beast Yasenia had casually killed. She looked at it closely and commented. "Oh! I know these. Mom had given me a few of them one year ago, telling me to eat them slowly. But… This one looks very disgusting."
Ebirah trotted and presented it to Yasenia with both hands.
Yasenia smiled softly and patted her head, making Ebirah giggle happily.
The dragoness had naturally caught many beasts and collected a lot of Beast Cores, but she never looked at them closely and just threw them in her ring or in the Astral Sky Shop for the disciples to have something to buy.
She leaned forward and sniffed it curiously. A rancid scent entered her nose, and her stomach tensed, making her retch. "Ugh. What is this!? It smells so nasty." Yasenia threw it at Kali and asked with dripping disgust in her voice. "Am I really supposed to eat these? Yuck."
Kali and Cecile also did something similar, and their noses scrunched, finding it similarly inedible.
Tatyana and the girls laughed at their reaction, and Andrea smiled. "Maybe this is why they never thought about it. These low-level cores probably taste and smell horrendously for then."
Cecile got thoughtful and decided to brave up and eat it.
Yasenia was horrified. "Sweetheart, what are you doing? Spit it out! How can you eat something so disgusting?"
Cecile didn't need to be told by Yasenia. After she ate it, her body literally convulsed once, and she puked it out. Cecile's cold voice was heard. "Disgusting."
Then, she rinsed her mouth and approached Yasenia to sniff her and lick her neck to cleanse the odor and taste left behind in her nostrils.
Yasenia was not even mad and patted her back, hugging her closely. "Oh, sweetheart, you've suffered."
Seeing the relatively young beasts struggling to understand themselves was a very amusing sight, making them laugh again.
Sierra smiled, having known this for a long time because she was a wild beast. "I used my allowance to buy a few high-level ones. The high-level cores are very tasty, Yasenia. Once you find one, you'll realize they are very nice to eat."
Yasenia believed her and then sighed. "Well… another thing to be concerned about. From now on, it seems that I need to keep the cores that I find appetizing. I can also use the channels I've developed with the sect to buy a few high-level ones."
Cecile nodded and separated, feeling satisfied with Yasenia's lingering scent and taste in her mouth. "I agree."
After that, they all dove deeper into the Secret realm without any eventful things happening.
The outer rings of the secret realm had nothing that interested them, but they didn't ignore everything, collecting treasures to carry back to the sect.
All treasures were Earth rank and below, though, but it was a good stack of items to fill the Astral Sky Shop.
It wasn't until they went pretty deep and two days later that Yasenia finally caught the scent of something interesting.
********************************************************
Evelyn: New information!
Kali: We've finally learned to classify beasts!
Tatyana: Well, it wasn't that important before. But now that little treasure is growing as a beast, it's a proper time to reveal it.
Author: That's right. I summon you!
Luke S.: Hello!
Kali: Oh? Another new person? Welcome.
Luke S.: Thank you, Kali.
Luke S.: Evelyn, this question is for you.
Evelyn: Go ahead!
Luke S.: How many bikinis have you made for Yasenia, and have you made any for the others?
Evelyn: Hehe~, quite a few! Look, look! This one is my favorite!
Yasenia: …
The girls: …
Luke S.: …
Evelyn: What?
Yasenia: That's two strings in a V shape with three small patches of cloth that would barely cover anything…
Evelyn: Yes!
Yasenia: Yes!? That would let my penis in the air! No, not to mention my genitals, my areolas wouldn't even be half-covered!
Evelyn: That's the point!
The rest: …
Evelyn: Well, this might be a bit revealing.
Luke S.: A bit!?
Evelyn: Hmm… I have a few with a more conservative design.
Andrea: Why do I feel like not trusting you?
Evelyn: Look, this is the design!
The rest: …
Tatyana: That's small, even for micro-bikinis... I approve!
Yasenia: *Ignoring Tatyana* Love… Have you forgotten that I have a penis? The lower section looks so tight that even if I didn't have a penis, my labia would be marked! Not to mention, the top parts would barely cover my breasts.
Evelyn: That's the point! Seeing your pussy marked while your delicious dick and breasts jiggle around, almost slipping out from the poorly covered cloth but still covered because of the magical ability I've given them not to slip, is a dream come true!
Angel: A-Actually, seeing you in those… um…
Yasenia: …
Author: Cough, is this enough?
Luke S.: I can imagine the rest, thanks.
Author: And that's all for today! Bye-bye!