Chapter 42 - Unusual Reward (1/2)
”What I want are spirit beasts.”
It was Hei's answer to the sect leader's question. He didn't ask for other manuals or pills or other rare resources, he simply asked for spirit beasts.
This request silenced those present who were wondering between themselves the reason behind his decision.
Beast tamers were usually martial artists with little ability in melee or weapons combat, so they relied on their spirit beasts to fight.
Even though they knew that Hei was a beast tamer as he could command a beast like the albino buffalo, after today's matches, in their eyes, he was a martial artist talented in hand to hand combat and in using his weapon.
If rejecting the proposal to become one of the sect elders' personal disciples was in itself inconceivable, to ask for spirit beasts as compensation for it was even more absurd.
With his talent, Hei should have to concentrate on himself. Why was he asking for spirit beasts when he could fight alone?
But if it seemed for everyone a crazy choice to do, one that stretched the limits of believability, for Hei, it wasn't so.
Thanks to the inheritance of his parents, he had techniques not inferior to that belonging to the sect, and his unique method of cultivation allowed him to improve steadily.
With the spirit vein restored, he could instead grow his spirit grain and other resources to support his cultivation. He also planned to create a unique facility for planting rare spirit flowers that would earn him additional points of contribution. With those, he would buy every kind of resource he needed that were pills, weapons, or other valuables.
Therefore Hei really had no desire to ask those things. Hei knew he had the means to earn them for himself, and he wanted to see if he really could. However, spirit beasts were another story.
Growing up in a forest accompanied by animals and spirit beasts, Hei felt more at ease in their company. Over the years, he had learned to know more about human beings and had made friends with some of them. He had also accepted Lian as a member of his family. Still, he couldn't help but find it more comforting to stay out of people's eyes.
Being with animals and spirit beasts didn't give him the same awkward feeling that he had while being with humans. He didn't like spending time only with his two sisters and his mother, who were his family; he also loved spending a lot of time with the buffaloes by taking long walks with them on Shui's back. From time to time, he helped them wash and dry themselves as he did with Ye and Xing.
Therefore, he wanted to take other spirit beasts with him and make them live with him. But it wasn't just a desire to look for new companions, but it was instead the first step towards realizing the promise he had made to his mother - creating a home for spirit beasts in which their family could live peacefully.
Due to the matter with Shui and the other buffaloes, Hei had learned that not all people were friendly with such creatures. He also knew that many spirit beasts were captured and auctioned to the highest bidders.
Of course, many ended up falling into good hands and placed in a quiet and pleasant environment, where they could put their skills into use. Yet, many still ended up being brutally abused and died alone, forgotten by everyone.
Since he couldn't change things with his current strength, he could at least buy as many spirit beasts as possible and make them live with him. With his mother watching over the whole situation, there was no danger of them arguing with each other.
Lastly, having more spirit beasts and, therefore, more allies, was a preventive measure for the future. Many spirit beasts ended up victims of other spirit beasts or martial artists. If he gave them a place to grow quietly, he would have a considerable fighting force. Of course, he didn't plan to force them to fight, but he wanted at least that they could protect themselves and their homes.
”Spirit beasts? Can I ask the reason for your choice?” The sect leader asked on behalf of all the other elders.
Although it would have been stupid before the tournament, it was now a more than legitimate question. Initially, the sect leader and the elders wanted to recruit him for his young age and his ability as a beast tamer, never had they ever imagined he was so gifted for combat.
In their eyes, it was better if he completely forgot the path of beast tamer and concentrated only on improving his fighting skills. After all, it was inconceivable for them that someone would risk their future for some spirit beasts.
”Yes, I am extremely sure. I have no other wishes but that. But I don't want you to go and catch spirit beasts for me. I want the ones that have already been captured and are waiting to be sold at auction. I don't know how many spirit beasts are equivalent to becoming a personal disciple, so I refer to the judgment of the sect leader.” that said, Hei bowed again.
With this, he indirectly implicated to the sect leader and the elders that they had to buy spirit beasts with the sect's money, and it had to be a reasonable quantity, based on the present and future value that meant being a personal disciple.
The other elders who understood his intentions couldn't help but creased their eyebrows.
All of them had surpassed the rank of spirit apprentice and reached the spirit soldier rank. They were at the top of the power reachable on Rainbow Island. Only their peers had the qualifications to speak to them in that way. Yet now Hei was talking to them as if by equal.
His words still maintained a certain degree of respect but were more of a formality. Furthermore, his tone implied that it was in their interest not to play jokes on the matter, not to mention that it was a request made in the eyes of many witnesses.
It was really surprising for a boy still in the second stage, and some of them wanted to ask him further questions about it. But they were stopped by the sect leader who sent them a mental message through spirit power.
The content was straightforward - don't ask questions about it at the moment and do as the boy said.
The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth elders who weren't present at the incident last month were surprised at these words, but they did as requested while the rest, already more or less aware of the situation, remained silent.
Sighing between herself, the sect leader thought that she couldn't hide the fact there was a terrifying presence at Hei's side, and then she hastened to answer him.
”Of course a fair calculation will be made, don't worry. We will then convert your prize into a suitable amount of spirit stones, and with them, we will buy as many spirit beasts at an auction. Be assured. However, it isn't possible to predict the exact value of these spirit beasts in an auction. So you should come in person and choose yourself. Is this okay with you?”
To this, the faces of many inner members became ugly. Like any respectable sect, the Flower Sect had a remarkable heritage, and each year it would participate in the auction run by the kingdom in which they would sell the products generated during the year and buy what they needed. On those occasions, the sect leader took part, accompanied by the first and second elders, together with their personal disciples.
Even after rejecting the offer to become a personal disciple, Hei had managed to secure one of the most coveted privileges. It was also possible that something would be bought for him on that occasion, depending on his inner member ranking result.
The auctions were, in fact, a special occasion in which objects that were usually difficult to find would be put up for sale, and the only requirement to buy them was your own spirit stones' capacity. No matter which your background or your social position was, only those with the largest wallet would win.
”It's fine for me, I also prefer to be able to choose them personally,” Hei said briefly.