The northeast corner of the training grounds was home to a sprawling bamboo grove spanning over ten acres. A gentle breeze rustled through the bamboo, creating a soft, whispering sound.

As soon as Wei Yun entered the grove, the light dimmed noticeably. The surroundings grew quiet, with only the occasional sound of dewdrops slipping from bamboo leaves and falling with a faint drip.

After wandering through the grove for a while, Wei Yun finally chose a relatively open area deep within the bamboo forest to serve as a training site.

Now that Mira was his spirit beast, Wei Yun had to quickly strengthen her.

There were several methods to improve a spirit beast’s strength, which could broadly be categorized into five main approaches:

1. Combat Advancement

2. Training Development

3. Feeding Spirit Cores

4. Ability Potions

5. Special Spirit Beast Food

These were the most practical methods, though other approaches existed, they were less suitable for beginners.

Combat was the fastest way for spirit beasts to break through to higher ranks. Each time a spirit beast advanced, its attributes: strength, agility, stamina, and even skill potency would increase. The extent of these improvements depended on factors such as the beast’s race, quality, and bloodline, which were also a key factor to determining whether a spirit beast could fight opponents of higher levels.

Training, on the other hand, involved honing the beast’s abilities. The effectiveness of training varied based on the beast’s potential, and while training could also lead to breakthroughs, the likelihood was much lower.

At Mira’s current level, she was far too weak. Even with Wei Yun’s support, she likely couldn’t defeat the weakest wild spirit beasts.

Under these circumstances, Wei Yun naturally prioritized training. Once Mira grew stronger, he could shift the focus to combat with training as a secondary activity.

Training spirit beasts generally focused on three areas:

1. Improving physical attributes.

2. Refining mastery over skills.

3. Developing combat instincts.

Additionally, a spirit beast’s effort and dedication were directly tied to training effectiveness. Wei Yun would need to be strict during training to prevent Mira from slacking off. If bad habits formed now, they’d be hard to correct later.

After surveying a large boulder nearby, Wei Yun shook his head. While Mira was exceptionally gifted, she was still a cub. Her fangs and claws weren’t yet hard enough to handle such a tough surface and would likely get damaged in the process.

Instead, Wei Yun pointed to a sturdy green bamboo stalk and said, "Mira, bite the bamboo!"

As a beast-type spirit beast, Mira had an instinctive drive for battle. At Wei Yun’s command, she sprang toward the bamboo, baring her still-developing fangs.

Rip—

The moment she bit into the bamboo, Mira chewed with force, creating a crunching sound. By the time she landed, the bamboo was marked with several deep bite marks.

The green bamboo was resilient, and biting through it in one attempt was impossible. It would require repeated effort.

“Don’t stop, keep going!” Wei Yun said sternly.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Reluctantly, Mira jumped up again and resumed gnawing at the bamboo.

Wei Yun didn’t give the signal to stop, leaving Mira no choice but to keep biting the bamboo, repeating the action over and over.

As the novelty of the task wore off, Mira began to grow irritated. The bamboo didn’t taste good, and before long, she became noticeably impatient and started biting with less force.

After observing the shallower bite marks left on the bamboo, Wei Yun immediately recognized the issue. His expression turned sharp as he shouted, “Mira, no slacking off!”

Startled by his tone, Mira flinched and immediately bit into the bamboo with full effort again, not daring to hold back.

Crack—

After enduring over a dozen bites, the three-meter-tall bamboo finally gave way and toppled to the ground.

“Well done!” Wei Yun praised, his tone warm. Encouragement was essential to keep her motivated during training. Sticking rigidly to a monotonous routine might work short-term, but over time, spirit beasts could develop a resistance to training.

Hearing Wei Yun’s praise, Mira’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She instinctively tried to grin but winced as her teeth ached.

Mira’s baby teeth weren’t yet fully developed. Though she successfully bit through the bamboo, the effort caused her gums to bleed. However, with continued training, her fangs would grow stronger at a faster rate.

Spirit beasts, having evolved from wild animals, not only possessed extraordinary abilities but also far surpassed ordinary beasts in their healing capabilities.

Even so, no matter how fast she recovered, some downtime was still necessary.

“Open your mouth,” Wei Yun instructed.

Following his lead, Mira obediently opened her small mouth, revealing two rows of sharp baby teeth. Her upper and lower jaws each had two pointed fangs. Although they were still immature, they exuded an intimidating air.

Upon inspection, Wei Yun saw that Mira’s teeth were slightly worn, and her gums were bleeding.

Relieved that the injuries weren’t serious, Wei Yun noted that Mira’s strong recovery abilities would allow her to heal quickly. However, he decided that until she fully recovered, she shouldn’t continue practicing bite-based techniques, as it would only worsen the damage.

The more severe the injury, the harder it would be to heal.

Without hesitation, Wei Yun adjusted Mira’s training regimen. Instead of focusing on biting, he switched to Swiping Claw.

“Mira, use Swiping Claw!” Wei Yun commanded.

Mira leaped at another bamboo stalk, her paw pads extending to reveal small but sharp claws. Mid-air, her forelimbs crossed, and her claws slashed downward.

Swish! Swish!

The attack sent bamboo shavings flying. Shallow and uneven claw marks appeared on the bamboo’s surface.

Without waiting for instruction, Mira jumped up again, repeating the Swiping Claw attack and leaving more scratches on the bamboo.

“Mira, aim for the existing claw marks! It’ll make it easier to cut down the bamboo!” Wei Yun said, taking the opportunity to guide Mira’s combat instincts during training.

Combat wasn’t child’s play. At best, it could lead to injuries; at worst, it could be fatal. Combat strength was critical, but combat instincts were just as important. Only by combining the two could a spirit beast reach its full potential.

As the saying goes, sweat more in training, bleed less in battle. This was a matter of life and death, so Wei Yun took it very seriously.

Growl!

Mira let out a soft but determined roar, her focus sharpening. She locked onto the existing claw marks and continued honing her Swiping Claw skill.

With repeated practice, Mira gradually improved her accuracy, consistently targeting the same marks and deepening the wounds on the bamboo.

Swish! Swish! Crack!

Before long, the bamboo creaked under the strain and fell to the ground.

Like her teeth, Mira’s claws had taken some damage from repeatedly cutting through the tough bamboo. Even her paw pads now bore several tiny scratches.

“Mira, let me see your paws,” Wei Yun said, pulling out a jar of ointment he had prepared in advance.

The Wei family, with its centuries of heritage, had accumulated significant resources.

The ointment, Green Healing Balm, was a family specialty. Compared to similar products on the market, it offered superior recovery effects.

Of course, it was also quite expensive. However, every Beastmaster in the family received a monthly supply as part of their benefits.

As Wei Yun applied the balm, Mira immediately felt the pain in her paw pads subside, replaced by a cooling sensation.

With the combination of her natural healing ability and the balm’s potent effects, Mira’s wounds were fully healed after just a short rest.