"Son of the Forest?" Qi Ping was surprised to hear those words. But thinking about the lore of the Mountain Sao, it made sense.
The Mountain Sao was a rare spirit beast, a type of simian. They looked incredibly ferocious—more terrifying than many actual predatory beasts. But in reality, beneath that frightening exterior, their nature was quite gentle. They loved spiritual fruits and small animals; they often helped little creatures in distress, meaning a Mountain Sao was usually surrounded by small animals.
In terms of abilities, they could manipulate rocks and trees, being dual-attribute beasts of Metal and Wood. When fighting in a forest, they could receive the blessing of the woods, much like those with the Nine-Colored Deer bloodline. In many ways, the Mountain Sao was similar to a Druid, though its range of abilities was narrower.
Because of its sensitivity to the breath of the forest, it could sense the aura of the Tri-Color Spirit—the combined essence of the Druid and the Three-Colored Deer bloodline—on Qi Ping. That was why it had instinctively blurted out those words.
The typical bloodline rank for a Mountain Sao was Rank 2 High-Grade, meaning it would usually peak at Rank 2 Perfection. But Qi Ping noticed this one hadn't undergone much of a bloodline evolution; it must have encountered some lucky chance to barely break through to Rank 3. Still, a Rank 3 beast was equivalent to a Golden Core cultivator!
"A Son of the Forest... in a way, you could say that," Qi Ping replied with a smile.
"You are a human... wait? You can understand me?" The Old Mountain Sao realized something and looked at Qi Ping in shock. It was using the unique language of its species, not a human tongue, nor was it using soul-telepathy. Yet, this human with the forest's breath understood it!
"It's just an innate talent of mine. Don't be surprised," Qi Ping explained.
He had a good feeling about this Old Mountain Sao. Through his Druidic perception, he couldn't detect any of the unpleasant scents he associated with malice. Coupled with the gentle nature of its species, Qi Ping was quite fond of it. He wanted to see if he could contract the beast.
However, he wouldn't use the 'Animal Companion' contract, but a standard 'Spirit Beast' contract used by cultivators. Qi Ping currently had no open slots for animal companions. Furthermore, while the Mountain Sao had dual talents, they weren't impressive enough for Qi Ping to prioritize them over high-potential creatures. Its age also meant its future potential was low. For animal companions, Qi Ping preferred creatures with high ceilings, unless he found a truly extraordinary talent.
Regardless, a Golden Core-level beast—even if its combat power was on the weaker side—would still be a massive help. But it all depended on the beast's willingness.
"So that's it. But why do you have the breath of the forest? And you give me such a kind feeling... my intuition says..." Perhaps because it had been imprisoned for so long, or perhaps because Qi Ping's aura was so comfortable, the Old Mountain Sao began asking one question after another.
Qi Ping wasn't annoyed. He answered every question about himself, the region, and the cultivation world, as long as it didn't involve his secrets. In turn, the Old Mountain Sao began to ramble about its own past.
It spoke of being born in a place called the Moon-Gazing Forest, where it lived with its mother and ate spiritual fruits every day. It had grown up in such a carefree environment. It had made many animal friends: a little sparrow, a yellow weasel, a little fox, and even a handsome young leopard!
But when it was a teenager, a group of murderous cultivators destroyed everything. Its animal friends died before its eyes, and even its mother, who had been with it always, was run through the heart with a sword to protect it.
Later, just as it was about to die at the hands of those cultivators, a white-robed youth saved it. It followed that youth as he traveled the world. The youth would have his wine, and the beast would have its share. That period of travel was one of its most beautiful memories. Its Rank 3 cultivation was achieved with that youth's help. They lived like that for a long, long time, witnessing all the warmth and coldness of the cultivation world.
But eventually, in an unexpected battle, the white-robed youth died. The beast had drifted until it ended up in this cage, where it hadn't seen the sun for years. It didn't know how long it had been; it only knew its once-strong body had withered, and its fur had turned white.
The Old Mountain Sao talked on, sometimes weeping loudly, sometimes laughing. Qi Ping didn't interrupt; he just listened to the story of a white-robed youth and a Mountain Sao wandering through the world. He had once longed for such a life, but because he feared death, he had suppressed that budding thought.
Their conversation lasted for half a day until the beast finally stopped.
"Can I recognize you as my master? I still want to see the cultivation world... but mostly, I want to eat spiritual fruits and drink wine, hehe," the Old Mountain Sao asked sincerely, looking at Qi Ping with longing.
"Of course you can. I can't say much about other things, but I don't lack spiritual fruits, and there will be plenty of fine wine!"
After that, Qi Ping released the Old Mountain Sao without hesitation. He did this partly out of trust, but also out of confidence in his own strength. With the bee swarm and the six-in-one Water-Fire array, the weakened beast was no match for him.
The Old Mountain Sao was surprised by Qi Ping's boldness—he had released a Rank 3 beast so easily. The subsequent contract ceremony went smoothly, and the Old Mountain Sao officially recognized Qi Ping as its master.
Once the contract was complete, Qi Ping pulled out a pile of spiritual fruits and had someone bring over several jars of wine. The beast didn't hold back, eating and drinking heartily. As it drank, its memories of wandering the world with wine surged back into its mind.
Qi Ping didn't disturb it, closing his eyes to rest. Breaking the Golden Core seal and contracting the beast had drained quite a bit of his energy. He needed to recover his peak state to face the coming battle.
Half a day later, a terrifying sword intent suddenly pierced the sky above Starfall City.