75. The Natural Barrier (Part 3)

◎“You want me to choose you?” Nods. ◎

The celestial boat pierced through layers of clouds, heading towards the distant southern frontier.

Hua Jin would occasionally come to find Ran Qinghe, either to introduce the scenery along the way or to talk about the situation of the Feifeng Sect, and sometimes they would just chat for a few minutes.

That day, Hua Jin leaned against the doorframe, watching Ran Qinghe stroking the spirit beast's fur, and lazily smiled:

"Qinghe, do you think what we're doing looks like we're eloping?"

Ran Qinghe didn't even raise her head, her hands continuing their work: "Young Sect Master, be careful what you say."

Hua Jin didn't mind, her gaze falling on the snowball on her bed, she raised an eyebrow: "This little thing is quite attached to you, but why does it look so familiar?"

Upon hearing this, the wooden figure lying on the bed lifted its eyelids and glanced at Hua Jin indifferently. That look made Hua Jin feel a chill for no reason.

"Really?" Ran Qinghe poked the wooden head, and before she could stop herself, she poked it so hard that it flipped over on its back on the bed.

Hua Jin couldn't help but laugh out loud, "By the way, is it male or female?"

Ran Qinghe raised an eyebrow slightly, "Spirit beasts also have male and female?" As she spoke, she reached out to pull at the wooden leg.

Hua Jin replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, everything is divided into yin and yang. If spirit beasts are not divided, then the Fei Feng cultivator will have no beasts to raise."

However, the harder Ran Qinghe tried to pry it off, the more it clung tightly to the soft bed and blankets, refusing to turn over.

Ran Qinghe suddenly realized that her actions were somewhat inappropriate. Spirit beasts are different from ordinary wild animals; they have consciousness and should be able to understand the seven emotions and six desires of the human world.

She belatedly realized that the spirit beast was perhaps shy, so she held out both hands. "The left one is male, and the right one is female. Which one do you choose?"

Hua Jin advised from the side, "To communicate with spirit beasts, one must be familiar with the Beast Taming Technique. You are doing this...", but before he could utter the words "may not work," Mu Tou decisively stretched out his claws and slapped Ran Qinghe's left hand.

Hua Jin's pupils widened in surprise, and he couldn't help but step forward to take a closer look. He had thought it was just a hybrid spirit beast, but who would have thought that it could understand human speech without using the Beast Taming Technique?

Ran Qinghe was face to face with it, so when she patted her left hand, it was the spirit beast's right paw that was raised.

Ran Qinghe immediately understood and grasped the spirit beast's paw. "No wonder it's so beautiful, it turns out it's a female beast."

Hua Jin chuckled, putting that strange feeling out of his mind: "By the way, we're almost at the Heavenly Barrier Cliff. Shall we go and see this legendary wonder of the cultivation world?"

Ran Qinghe unabashedly scooped the wood into her arms, ignoring its slight struggles, and stood up to reply, "Natural Barrier Cliff? What does that mean?"

The two stepped out of the cabin and stood on the deck again.

The celestial boat pierced through the clouds and mist, and a magnificent spectacle appeared ahead. Below the sea of ​​clouds, a sliver of light completely separated two lands: on one side were towering, towering cliffs, and on the other, a flat plain hidden beneath the clouds.

"This is the Heavenly Barrier Cliff. Because the terrain of Qingxiao and Feifeng is completely different, Qingxiao has many cliffs and Feifeng has many plains, the two sects use this Heavenly Barrier Cliff as the boundary."

"Once we cross this natural barrier, we will reach the territory of Scarlet Maple."

Hua Jin paused for a moment, then continued, "This is also why Fei Feng resides below Qing Xiao. If the two regions were to be exchanged, we might very well be able to become the leader of the Five Sects."

Ran Qinghe tilted her head slightly, seemingly puzzled: "Why are the strengths of the two sects related to the local area?"

Hua Jin put his hands behind his head and bowed slightly: "The clear energy above is spiritual energy, and the turbid energy below is turbid energy. Qingxiao is located in the high mountains, so it is naturally filled with spiritual energy. Feifeng is mostly plains with few high mountains, so although the area is large, there are few areas with abundant spiritual energy."

"That's how the cultivators in Mortal Valley are. They live at the bottom of the valley, where the turbid air suppresses the spiritual air. Wouldn't it be twice the effort for half the result when they cultivate?"

"But don't worry, I have already informed the sect leader, and she has arranged an excellent training place for you."

Ran Qinghe said sincerely, "Thank you for your trouble."

Hua Jin waved his hand casually, "I brought the academy's top student back. The sect leader is overjoyed, so there's no need to worry about it."

That night, in the guest room of the Immortal Boat, Ran Qinghe was meditating cross-legged. Mu Tou was curled up beside her knees, breathing evenly, seemingly asleep.

Suddenly, Ran Qinghe opened her eyes, remembering what Hua Jin had said earlier that day. An idea struck her, and she poked the wooden ear to wake it up. "Hey, can you understand everything I say?"

Wood opened his eyes and looked at her quietly.

"If you can really understand, then nod three times."

After a moment's hesitation, Mu Tou slowly nodded three times.

Ran Qinghe raised an eyebrow: "So smart? Can you write? Or is there some other way you can communicate with me?"

The wood shook its head and stretched out its claws, making a few empty gestures in the air to indicate that it was unable to do so.

Ran Qinghe thought for a moment, "Then you can either nod or shake your head."

"You come from Qingxiao?"

nod.

"Separated from their tribe?"

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded.

"Want to follow me?"

This time, Mu Tou looked straight at her and nodded solemnly.

Ran Qinghe seemed to be touched for a moment, and rubbed its head as if to cover up her feelings: "Then come along. But since you can understand human speech without using the Beast Taming Technique, you must not be an ordinary spirit beast. If you want to leave in the future... you can leave at any time."

Suddenly, the wood extended its claws, gently placed them on the back of her hand, and shook its head.

"Don't want to leave?" Ran Qinghe smiled. "Okay, then stay with me forever..."

Ran Qinghe was somewhat slow to realize that the wood's possessiveness towards her was a bit unusual. It would stand guard outside the door while she was cultivating, not allowing anyone to disturb her, especially Hua Jin.

Hua Jin couldn't even touch it; however she kneaded and rolled it, it would accept it without question.

Even its talent seemed extraordinary. When she made a mistake during her cultivation, it could sense the abnormality in time, jump onto her lap, extend its paw and place it on the back of her hand, slowly injecting gentle and pure spiritual energy.

Ran Qinghe was even more surprised and suspicious. She stared at the wood for a long time, then suddenly reached out and picked it up, holding it in front of her.

"What exactly is your background?"

If this spirit beast weren't female, she would almost suspect that it was a transformation by someone; its cold expression was exactly like that person's.

His wooden, glass-like eyes looked back calmly, without the slightest hesitation.

After staring at each other for a long time, Ran Qinghe finally gave up: "Never mind, maybe I'm overthinking it."

Before long, the celestial boat passed through a fiery red maple forest and slowly landed at the gate of the Crimson Maple Sect.

The red maple leaves covering the mountains and fields burned like flames, a stark contrast to the lush and cool green of Qingxiao and Jielutang, their intensity almost blinding.

The sect's buildings are built against the mountain, with red tiles and red walls, almost blending into the maple forest.

Hua Jin led Ran Qinghe off the immortal boat, where disciples were already waiting to greet them.

"Young Sect Master, you're back."

"This is Senior Sister Ran Qinghe. From now on, we will be fellow disciples. Give her your instructions and do not neglect her," Hua Jin said with unusual seriousness.

"Yes." The disciple replied respectfully, looking at Ran Qinghe with curiosity in his eyes.

Mu Tou followed closely at Ran Qinghe's feet, cautiously observing his surroundings.

"Your accommodations have been arranged at Tingfeng Garden." Hua Jin walked slowly ahead and introduced, "It is the residence of inner disciples. The spiritual energy is abundant and it is relatively quiet. You should like it."

"Settle down first. I have informed the sect leader that there will be a spirit beast contract ceremony in the sect in three days. At that time, you can choose a suitable spirit beast to contract with."

As Hua Jin spoke, her gaze fell on the wooden object, "Although you like this little thing, its origin is ultimately unknown."

Ran Qinghe bent down and picked up the wood: "Although it is intelligent, it does not seem to have any intention of making a contract."

The wooden figure in his arms stiffened slightly.

Hua Jin smiled and said, "I think so too. Although the spirit beasts at the Contract Ceremony are not as high as the Heavenly Rank, most of them are Earthly Rank or Profound Rank spirit beasts. There will definitely be one that catches your eye."

Ran Qinghe's lips curled up, and she uttered another sarcastic remark: "Didn't they say that you'd get a Heavenly Rank spirit beast as soon as you joined?"

Hua Jin lowered his head and sighed with a smile: "Actually, what that disciple said is not wrong. However, the Crimson Maple Heavenly Rank Spirit Beast is not chosen by the person, but by the beast. Who knows, one day you might wake up to find a Heavenly Rank Spirit Beast crouching in front of your bed."

*

Three days later, the contract ceremony was held at the Spirit Beast Mountain of the Crimson Maple Sect.

The mountaintop of Spirit Beast Mountain is filled with spiritual energy, and various spirit beasts lie or stand, some gentle and affectionate, others unruly and difficult to tame. Many disciples have been lingering here for a long time, carefully selecting their favorite spirit beasts.

When Ran Qinghe arrived, the mountain was already quite lively. Hua Jin greeted her, "Did you find anything you like?"

"Not yet." Ran Qinghe glanced at the spirit beasts along the way.

Hua Jin continued, "However, there is no need to rush. According to Fei Feng's custom, choosing a spirit beast is no different from choosing a Daoist partner. Once chosen, the cultivator is almost bound to the beast for life."

Ran Qinghe: "Can't we change the spirit beast?"

Hua Jin continued to speak eloquently: "It is not impossible, but if a spirit beast and a cultivator form a contract, the spirit beast's habits will change with the cultivator, and the cultivator will also choose different beast-taming techniques according to the spirit beast."

"Once the contract is formed between a human and a beast, their relationship becomes inextricably intertwined."

Wood, who was standing at her feet, was taken aback when he heard this.

A disciple stepped forward and introduced the fox in a serious manner: "This is the Crimson Flame Fox, which is most compatible with the Crimson Maple Spirit Technique."

"That's the Snow Eagle, a flying spirit beast that can travel a thousand miles a day. And there's the Xuanjia Turtle, whose shell can withstand a fatal blow from a cultivator in the Void Refinement stage."

Ran Qinghe looked at them one by one, but always felt that something was missing.

She walked up to a small, snow-white animal that resembled a deer, with a small, faint crescent-shaped mark on its forehead. Though proud, it was also beautiful.

"This is a Moonflower Beast. Its spiritual energy is pure, and it belongs to the Earth-rank spirit beast category. However, it is inherently difficult to tame and control," the disciple in charge reminded him at the right time.

Just as Ran Qinghe was about to take a closer look, the wooden figure at her feet suddenly stepped forward, blocking her from the Moon Beast.

"What's wrong?" Ran Qinghe asked, looking down.

Hua Jin raised an eyebrow: "It seems it doesn't want you to choose this one."

Ran Qinghe chuckled: "...You do know how to get jealous."

She walked around the wood and reached out to touch the Moon Beast, but the wood became anxious and gently bit the hem of her skirt, pulling it backward.

Unable to get through to the wood, Ran Qinghe had no choice but to temporarily abandon the Moonflower Beast and head towards another black panther. The panther was surrounded by faint lightning, indicating that it was quite powerful.

But then the wooden figure followed, blocking her path between Lei Bao and her.

Ran Qinghe sighed and continued to choose, but no matter which spirit beast she took a liking to, Mu Tou would obstruct her in various ways, either by blocking her way or by issuing a low warning to the spirit beast.

Finally, Ran Qinghe crouched down, grabbed it by the scruff of its neck, lifted it in front of her, and looked it in the eye. "What do you want?"

Wood's eyes were filled with complex emotions as he stared intently at her.

"You want me to choose you?"

nod.

"Then, shall we make a contract?"

Her response was silence.