Wei Yun’s pupils contracted slightly, and his heart skipped a beat. “You… how do you know?”

He couldn’t believe it. How had his second uncle, Wei Jianfeng, found out about the Nature Sprite? All his careful planning, the stealth, the secrecy… Did this mean someone else might know too? His thoughts became a jumbled mess, and unease crept into his heart.

Wei Jianfeng smirked knowingly and said, “If you don’t want others to find out, don’t leave a trail. Yesterday, when you had your servants collecting fertilizer, it piqued my curiosity. So, last night, when you went out, I decided to follow you… discreetly, of course. Don’t give me that look! Blame your lack of skill. If I make up my mind to stay hidden, do you think your ‘little tiger’ could possibly detect me?”

Coughing lightly to ease the tension in the air, Wei Jianfeng continued, “The moment I saw that patch of withered bamboo, I started suspecting it might be nurturing a Nature Sprite. By the time I watched everything you did, I was certain of it. And now, seeing you come here looking for me? Your intentions are obvious! Here, take this.”

He stretched out a hand, and a small pouch appeared seemingly out of thin air before being casually tossed toward Wei Yun.

This wasn’t a trick or sleight of hand. Wei Jianfeng owned a storage artifact, a rare treasure capable of holding items in a separate dimensional space.

Wei Yun hurriedly caught the pouch, fumbling slightly. He stared at it in confusion and then looked up at his uncle. “Second Uncle, you’re not interested in the Nature Sprite?”

Considering the immense value of a Nature Sprite and its incredible auxiliary abilities, most Beastmasters would go to great lengths to obtain one.

Wei Jianfeng waved dismissively, his expression indifferent. “If someone else had found it, I’d probably have taken it without a second thought. But you’re my only nephew. Do you think I’d rob you of your chance? It’s just a Nature Sprite, it’s not a big deal.”

His nonchalant attitude left Wei Yun momentarily speechless. He was deeply curious about his uncle. Wei Jianfeng was always so mysterious, his true strength unknown even within the family. But everyone had their secrets. Wei Yun didn’t press further. Instead, he thanked his uncle, bowed respectfully, and left the courtyard.

Watching Wei Yun’s retreating figure, Wei Jianfeng muttered under his breath, “Don’t think I’m being stingy, kid. Relying too much on others will only hinder your growth. And if you can’t grow stronger, how will you avenge your parents?”

On his way back to the bamboo grove, Wei Yun opened the pouch. Immediately, a dazzling green light spilled out, momentarily blinding him.

Inside were dozens of wood-attribute spirit cores, each radiating a vibrant emerald glow. Compared to the low-tier spirit cores he’d used earlier, these were significantly larger. The largest one was the size of an infant’s fist and practically radiated power.

“This… this is a second tier commander spirit core!” Wei Yun gasped, his eyes fixed on the largest core.

He had seen Second-tier cores before, but even the best of them paled in comparison to the energy contained within this one.

To put it into perspective, spirit beasts were generally classified into three major classes: servant class, warrior class, and commander class. Each of these classes was further divided into three stages: low, mid, and high, indicating their rank within the class. It was also rumored that there might be even higher classes beyond commander class, but Wei Yun had no knowledge of them, as such beasts were beyond the scope of his experience.

Only by slaying a Commander-rank beast could one acquire a Commander spirit core, which spoke volumes about Wei Jianfeng’s strength.

The corresponding Beastmaster rank for hunting such a beast would typically be Fourth Tier, though it wasn’t unheard of for a particularly skilled Third-Tier Beastmaster to manage it.

Wei Yun took a deep breath to calm his excitement. If the Nature Sprite absorbed all these wood-attribute spirit cores, its quality might undergo a complete transformation.

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At the same time, the sheer value of these cores weighed on him. For someone of his current standing and strength, this pouch represented an unimaginable fortune. He had no idea how he would ever repay this debt.

Soon, Wei Yun returned to the bamboo grove and headed straight for the Nature Sprite’s host bamboo. Without hesitation, he buried the spirit cores near its roots, ensuring they would be fully absorbed by the sprite embryo.

“I’ve done all I can. All that’s left now is to wait.”

Wei Yun muttered to himself. Knowing he had done everything possible to ensure the sprite’s survival, he decided not to linger in the grove. After all, he was exhausted from the previous night’s work, and the foul stench of sweat and fertilizer clinging to his body was becoming unbearable.

Stretching lazily, Wei Yun made his way back to his courtyard. After cleaning himself up, he didn’t go straight to bed but instead began meditating to refine his spiritual power.

Every time Mira advanced in rank, Wei Yun received feedback that accelerated his own cultivation progress. This time was no exception. By the time he finished his session, he had refined a 13th star of spiritual energy within his mental sea.

Once he refined 36 stars, corresponding to the Heavenly Constellation Number, he would be eligible for a breakthrough to the next rank as a Beastmaster.

Of course, the further he progressed, the more difficult the refinement process would become. Even so, at his current rate, Wei Yun estimated he could complete this stage in less than a year.

Time passed quickly, and ten days went by in the blink of an eye.

During this period, Wei Yun adhered to a strict routine. Each day, he trained Mira rigorously while keeping a watchful eye on the Nature Sprite, ensuring nothing went wrong.

Under Wei Yun’s meticulous training, Mira’s growth was remarkable. In just ten days, her progress was visible to the naked eye, and she had developed a respectable level of combat power.

SPIRIT BEAST INFORMATION:

· Name: White Gale Tiger (Juvenile Stage)

· Realm: First Tier, stage 6

· Species: High Servant

· Quality: High

· Bloodline: White Tiger (Inferior)

· Attribute: Wind

· Status: Healthy

· Weakness: Lightning

· Mastered Skills: Bite, Swiping Claw, Tail Whip, Shadow Clone, Tailwind

Compared to ten days earlier, Mira’s size had increased significantly. Though still a juvenile, she now measured 1.5 meters in length. Her eyes gleamed with intelligence, and her bearing exuded a hint of majesty.

Mira had also learned two new skills: Tail Whip and Tailwind.

Additionally, her Swiping Claw skill had reached mastery, fulfilling the prerequisite for unlocking Crushing Claw. Wei Yun expected her to master this advanced skill soon.

Around noon on the 10th day, a dramatic change occurred. The bamboo hosting the Nature Sprite began to emit a radiant glow, as if it had transformed into a piece of jade.

“This is bad! I need to hide the phenomenon!” Wei Yun’s heart sank as he realized the growing intensity of the glow could attract unwanted attention.

He quickly smeared wet mud over the glowing bamboo to dull its radiance, but it was only a temporary fix.

Determined, he began transplanting additional bamboo to form a dense barrier around the glowing stalk. Unless someone inspected the area closely, they wouldn’t notice anything unusual.

However, by late afternoon, another phenomenon occurred. The bamboo began to release faint pulses of energy, rippling outward like a beacon.

“Damn it!” Wei Yun ruffled his hair in frustration. “It’s just a Nature Sprite! Does it have to make such a fuss?!”

If this continued, all his efforts might end up benefiting someone else.

Left with no choice, Wei Yun extended his spiritual power in an attempt to suppress the energy waves.

At first, it worked, but as time passed, his head began to throb from the strain. Soon, his face turned pale, and he could no longer hold on.

“This is bad!” Wei Yun thought bitterly. If he couldn’t stop the energy waves, it wouldn’t be long before nearby clansmen noticed. Even with his uncle’s support, the Nature Sprite’s value was too great, it would slip out of his grasp.

“I need help. Uncle Jianfeng is my only chance!” Gritting his teeth against the pain, Wei Yun forced himself to head toward the courtyard.

Unbeknownst to Wei Yun, the expanding energy waves triggered a small, hidden rune in the nearby void. The rune flickered briefly before vanishing.

Back at his courtyard, Wei Jianfeng, who had been dozing against the willow tree, suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. His gaze turned toward the bamboo grove.

“So, it’s finally happening… Good thing I prepared for this in advance, or that kid would’ve been in serious trouble.”

Stretching lazily, Wei Jianfeng stood up. A mere thought later, his figure vanished into thin air.

In the blink of an eye, Wei Jianfeng appeared in front of the panicked Wei Yun, startling him.

“Uncle, thank goodness you’re here! Quick, help me suppress the energy waves!”

“Relax, kid,” Wei Jianfeng said, raising a hand to calm him. The usual playful smirk was gone, replaced by a rare look of solemnity.

Without waiting for Wei Yun to say more, Wei Jianfeng moved swiftly. Strange runes began glowing on the ground, forming a magnificent purple six-pointed star. The formation pulsed with dazzling light.

As a terrifying roar echoed through the grove, an oppressive pressure swept through the area, making Wei Yun feel as though a mountain had been placed on his back. His face turned pale, and he struggled to breathe.