"Everyone knows about sacred and divine beasts, and many are aware of methods to cultivate sacred beasts, but unfortunately, these techniques are useless for ordinary people, much like summoning tomes which they know of but can't contract," Granny Wendy said with a slight smile. "To understand these methods, we must first comprehend what defines a sacred beast."
Eddie, along with Sophia, Yehken, and the Ly brothers, all listened attentively, while Haye Yew continued to snore loudly in his sleep.
Granny Wendy didn't mind the sleeping Haye Yew and looked at Eddie and Sophia, nodding slightly.
Yehken suddenly thought that perhaps it was because of Eddie and Sophia's presence that Granny Wendy was willing to share such secrets, which would normally be inaccessible to ordinary students.
Granny Wendy explained:
"A sacred beast isn't just a specific type of creature or a level, but rather a state of ability. Any beast with high intelligence, regardless of its rank - ordinary, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, or diamond - can be considered sacred."
" Of course, it's rare for beasts below platinum to achieve high intelligence. "
"Apart from natural beings like ten-level creatures that have lived for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, it's extremely difficult for ordinary beasts to reach the sacred level. "
"The key characteristics of sacred beasts are their ability to speak human language and learn human skills. When your beasts reach that level, you'll understand that the sacred realm is just the beginning of their peak."
"What about divine beasts?" Eddie asked, wondering if the Blood Queen, with her intelligence and ability to speak the Abyssal language, qualified as a sacred beast or was on the verge of evolving into one.
"I don't know much about divine beasts," Granny Wendy admitted, pausing briefly before continuing, "It is said that, like sacred beasts, divine beasts also possess high intelligence. However, their defining difference is the possession of a summoning tome!" Her words made Eddie jump in astonishment.
Possessing a tome?
Does having a summoning tome define a divine beast? Could Little Wenli be...
"Divine beasts can have summoning tomes? How is that possible?" Yehken and the Ly brothers were equally astonished and incredulous.
Granny Wendy gently waved her hand, signaling Eddie to sit down: "I'm not entirely sure about the specifics. Whether it's fact or rumor, you'll have to explore that realm yourself when you reach it."
Feeling nervous about Granny Wendy possibly noticing something unusual about him, Eddie quickly steered the conversation back: "Could you elaborate more on sacred beasts?"
"Apart from their high intelligence, ability to learn, and speak, sacred beasts have another capability: transformation into human form. Regardless of their original form, be it lions, eagles, or something else, they can transform, evolving to possess human-like bodies, speak our language, and learn our skills. The more powerful the sacred beast, the more perfect its human form becomes, indistinguishable from us at the ninth rank. If they were to sit here in class, we wouldn't be able to tell they're not human," Granny Wendy explained, astonishing Eddie.
Creatures like the Blood Queen, Little Wenli, the Barbarian Bull Shadow, and even Thorny Flower were becoming more human-like over time, not just in strength but also in intelligence and emotions.
Was the cultivation process of the Golden Crown Thorny Queen actually the process of nurturing a sacred beast?
Could sacred and divine beasts be more than just nine-star or ten-star creatures, with various ranks within?
"How are sacred beasts ranked?" Eddie asked eagerly. "Is it like first rank, second rank, third rank, and so on?"
Granny Wendy nodded affirmatively: "Unlike ordinary beasts, sacred beasts are divided into nine ranks. Even a mature first-rank sacred beast is equivalent to an ordinary level nine beast in strength... but their power is so immense, far beyond ordinary warriors' imagination, that it's unnecessary for them to know these details. These ranks are generally referred to as nine stars, which is entirely different from ordinary beasts' levels. When your beasts reach that realm, you'll understand."
Yehken and the Ly brothers listened in awe. A first-rank sacred beast with the strength of a level nine ordinary beast? How terrifying would a ninth-rank sacred beast be? And above that, divine beasts...
"In addition to divine beasts, is there a higher existence?" Eddie asked, curious about the mysterious being that instantly killed the Dark Gold Demon Shadow.
"It is said that above divine beasts, there exists a realm of 'Super Divine Beasts,' inherent life forms beyond the reach of ordinary warriors. Legend has it that once every hundred thousand years, Dragon Ascend Continent sees the birth of such a lucky individual. But these are just legends; there are no records of super divine beasts. As for super divine beasts, I don't have any understanding. Let's focus on sacred beasts," Granny Wendy concluded.
"Super Divine Beasts..." Eddie pondered. Could the being that instantly killed the Dark Gold Demon Shadow while he was unconscious be such a creature? Could he, a traveler from another world, not originally from Dragon Ascend Continent, be that once-in-ten-thousand-years lucky individual? It seemed unlikely for a transmigrator like himself.
The one thing he was sure of was Little Wenli, who possessed a diamond tome, might be a divine beast or even a super divine beast. Despite being a transmigrator without inherent traits, his chance encounter with Queen Bell, who had been sealed for millennia, and their joint nurturing of Little Wenli, seemed to align with the criteria for a super divine beast.
Eddie resolved to cultivate Little Wenli regardless of her true nature. He believed that once he advanced further in his cultivation of the formless sword qi, he would be able to unlock the sacred tome and reveal its secrets.
Granny Wendy's wise eyes swept over Eddie's face, and she smiled slightly: "Many know how to cultivate sacred beasts, but lack the ability to do so. Listen, perhaps you can succeed in cultivating one!"
Sophia, thinking she might not be capable but her brother with the Blood Queen surely could, listened eagerly, hoping for the possibility.
"To cultivate a sacred beast, it's best to start with a life-guardian beast, as it never truly dies or betrays. If not, any type of beast can work. The process involves continually upgrading and transitioning the beast, increasing its intelligence, and evolving it into a human form. This applies to all types of beasts."
"In the Heaven-Reaching Tower, there are tasks involving the World Tree where one can obtain the Fruit of Wisdom, a method for cultivating sacred beasts."
Granny Wendy explained. "Another way is concocting special elixirs to enhance their intelligence. Additionally, in the first layer of the tower, the Zodiac Chambers, completing challenges with 100% completion earns rewards from ancient laws, enhancing the beasts' intelligence. "
"Completing all twelve chambers might grant enough wisdom to cultivate a sacred beast. This daunting challenge seems designed for nurturing sacred beasts – no wonder it's so brutal! Once a warrior succeeds, they can't repeat the challenge but must move on to the next chamber. "
"After completing all twelve, they can progress to the second layer's Heaven, Earth, and Human Halls, with similar rewards. Higher levels offer even more difficult tasks and World Tree missions. As the elders say, 'The greater the effort, the greater the reward.' "
"Cultivating a sacred beast involves countless arduous challenges. The more battles your beast undergoes, the higher it will ascend. There are no shortcuts in training; it's all up to you and your dedication."
Eddie, Sophia, and Yehken were enlightened by Granny Wendy's words. Although they hadn't stepped into that realm yet, they now knew of a higher level and a more fascinating world awaiting them.
Dragon Ascend Continent was just the beginning; the higher levels of the Heaven-Reaching Tower were the true battleground for the strong.
For three days, they attended Granny Wendy's classes, gaining a wealth of knowledge. Eddie's understanding of beasts and tactics improved significantly, marking a genuine starting point on his path to strength.
Granny Wendy's teachings were less helpful for Yehken and the Ly brothers due to their lower power levels, but for Eddie, almost every word she spoke clarified his doubts and aided his growth.
"Today's class ends here. To practice what we've learned, I'm assigning you a task: go to the Abyss of Despair and bring back a Starlight Azure Grass. If you succeed, I'll bless your beasts with a one-time luck enhancement using my Lucky Talent," Granny Wendy announced.
This task seemed specifically meant for Eddie, as the others, including Sophia, lacked the ability to venture into the Abyss of Despair for the grass.
Eddie understood her intention to help him improve. "You have one month. Let's meet here again in a month," she said, nodding and leaving.
A month?
Did Granny Wendy think it would take him at least a month to retrieve the Starlight Azure Grass from the Abyss of Despair?
What kind of place was this abyss?
Despite his preparedness, Eddie was startled by the challenge.