Chapter 12 — The Monarch’s Ember, The Forbidden Path — Bi Zhenyu's Journey
In the quiet stillness of his courtyard, Bai Tian Long sat cross-legged beneath the star-strewn sky, his breathing calm, his gaze inward.
"First... let's take a look at the little guy's status," he whispered, his voice barely louder than the breeze.
The system screen shimmered to life before his eyes. As if awakened by his will, the Eye of Knowledge pulsed gently, revealing golden script that hovered in midair. The details formed one by one—until the complete profile of the cub glowed before him.
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Name — ???
Race — Beast
Species — Rosegold Flame Lion
(Top-tier 4th Order Beast Lord Bloodline)
(Contains a sliver of the Rosegold Flame Monarch Lion Bloodline)
(thunder&fire double mutation)
Cultivation — None
Skills — None (Requires advancement to 1st Order Beast Servant Realm)
Potential — ★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (2 Stars out of 10)
[Each star represents a bridge of ascending potential. Two stars signify a faint chance of reaching the Immortal Realm.]
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Bai Tian Long's eyes widened slightly. His breath caught.
"A monarch's flame, buried in a cub's body…"
The bloodline was rare—a direct descendant of the Flame Monarch Lion, one of the ancient beast kings of fire. Though the cub looked frail and underfed, it carried the heritage of nobility. Bai Tian Long could sense it—a sliver of royal will burning under the weak appearance.
But that wasn't all.
Double mutation… Fire and Thunder?
The Eye of Knowledge offered another insight. The cub's bloodline had undergone two mutations, now manifesting conflicting elements: Flame and Lightning.
Yet without proper nourishment and cultivation, the two forces were suppressing each other rather than harmonizing. It explained the cub's thin frame—its body was fighting itself just to stay alive.
Despite this, in the Beast Taming Space, the cub stood with quiet pride. Its head was held high, its small mane crackling with faint golden sparks. It was not defiance—it was dignity.
Bai Tian Long smiled faintly.
"Even the weakest among kings... is still royalty."
And for him—someone who had awakened the rare Space Strengthening Talent—this was perfect.
With that talent, he could only nurture two beasts of noble rank for now. And now, one of them was chosen.
One beast of the Monarch bloodline.
And the other… a Saint-grade egg wrapped in lightning and space qi.
"A Monarch and a Saint... That's my starting point."
He clenched his fist lightly. "Heaven didn't abandon me after all."
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The Path of the Imperial Beast Tamer
Then, his memory turned to the Imperial Beast Taming System—the true path of cultivation for those who walked with beasts.
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Imperial Beast Tamer Realms:
1. Imperial Beast Taming Student
2. Imperial Beast Taming Expert
3. Imperial Beast Taming General
4. Imperial Beast Taming Lord
5. Imperial Beast Taming King
6. Imperial Beast Taming Emperor
7. Imperial Beast Taming Sovereign
8. Imperial Beast Taming Saint
9. Imperial Beast Taming Ancestor
(Note: Some sects or regions may follow altered naming conventions.)
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Unlike typical cultivators, an Imperial Beast Tamer advanced not through pure energy refinement but through symbiotic growth with their contracted beasts.
Each beast, once bonded, formed a contract star inside the tamer's Beast Taming Space. The more the beast grew, the brighter the star shone. But to truly grow in realm, the Beast Taming Space had to evolve too.
The contract stars weren't just records of bond—they acted as energy filters, spiritual ventilators, and feedback nodes between beast and master. But the true power began with the formation of a Sun—the symbol of growth, ascension, and control.
"Stars for beasts… the Sun for the tamer... and one day, moons for the world."
A radiant hunger burned behind Bai Tian Long's eyes.
This was just the beginning. Two beasts. Two stars.
But one day, he would raise an entire constellation—a universe within him, of beasts, will, and glory.
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Far away from Hidden Mist Island, under the thick canopy of an ancient, mist-wreathed forest, a lone figure raced through the overgrown trail.
Bi Zhenyu, now reborn as Bi Zhen, clenched his jaw as his blade sang through the air. With each movement of his sword, flashes of elemental qi burst outward—flames, stone, water, wind, and wood blending in swift strikes.
Five Elements Sword Technique. Foundation of my former legacy…
He was headed toward one of the most heavily concealed locations tied to the Bai Clan: the Emergency Hidden Treasury—a storehouse prepared by the ancestors to support future geniuses during times of calamity.
This forest, long since abandoned, was anything but empty.
A Steel-Furred Fang Boar erupted from the underbrush, its tusks glowing with spiritual light.
"Peak Ninth Grade Qi Condensation," Bi Zhen muttered. "But still… a beast."
He stepped forward, his blade dancing with sparks. With a sudden arc, he invoked one of the five signature variations.
"Falling Flame Wind Slash!"
The air ignited, a spiral of flame and wind crashing into the beast. With a roar, the boar staggered—then collapsed.
Bi Zhen didn't stop. More beasts would come. More would challenge.
"I need to reach the treasury… and survive long enough to benefit from it."
He remembered the stories.
Spirit Condensation Elixirs, Nascent Soul Stabilizers, Qi-Gathering Stones, Treasure Armor, and even a rare fragment of a Thunder Law Crystal—rumored to be hidden deep within.
"If I can get all the treasures… I'll have the foundation to charge all the way to the Nascent Soul Realm again. And this time… even further."
But most importantly… he sought the spiritual marrow dew, a rare healing essence that could finally begin healing the deep-seated wounds in his soul caused by his failed reincarnation attempt.
"I must reach the 13th Stage of Qi Condensation… I failed last time, stuck at the 12th."
He paused as five cultivators stepped into his path—robbers, likely sensing the qi surging from his battle earlier.
They grinned. Peak Ninth Grade Qi Condensation.
He didn't speak.
His sword gleamed.
"Time to test the hidden potential of the Five Elements Thunder Sword."
Thunder crackled. Wind howled. And Bi Zhen stepped forward—not as a boy—but as a shadow of the Nascent Soul cultivator he once was.
This forest would remember his name.