A cultivation facility named Qing Mu opened quietly in Shanhai City. If it were an ordinary shop, such a move would be akin to waiting for bankruptcy, given the remote location.
However, this facility was run by a senior cultivator, selling elite-level spirit beasts, primarily insect-type spirit beasts. Reservations could be made through the official website, and all qualifications were complete.
As a result, many ordinary families or those with some savings, especially those with children about to graduate, were intensely monitoring the facility's information daily.
Wang Mu priced the various spirit beasts at the median. The Cultivator Association had suggested prices for spirit beasts of different grades and species, which cultivators generally followed.
At a basic level, this was to protect the rights of cultivators. At a higher level, it ensured that buyers could still acquire spirit beasts. Some cultivation masters' facilities released only one slot every few years, selling a lord-level spirit beast through public means. Tens of millions would enter the lottery for a chance to buy — it was terrifying.
Wang Mu had participated in such lotteries when he was young but had never succeeded.
Now, what he managed fell within the low-level spirit beast category, so there was no need for such extreme measures. He simply offered online reservations and offline sales. Reservations were already open, but direct sales would have to wait at least half a month.
Wang Mu had spent several million purchasing a large amount of materials from the association to cultivate spirit butterflies.
A great advantage of insect-type spirit beasts was their strong reproductive ability; they could produce hundreds at a time. In nature, survival of the fittest meant few would survive, but this was a cultivation facility, with Wang Mu providing meticulous care.
Recently, Wang Mu's life had been incredibly fulfilling. The moment he opened his eyes, he went to the ecological zone to check on the Green Leaf Worms. The moment he closed his eyes, he slept until the next day. Aside from having a meal with his family after returning from the assessment, Wang Mu had not left the cultivation facility at any other time.
Finally, fifteen days later, all the Green Leaf Worms from the same batch began to pupate. At this moment, Wang Mu finally had time to rest. All one hundred online reservation slots were used up, and reservations could not be refunded.
Wang Mu was quite surprised. He knew the cultivation industry was a seller's market, but the demand was still a bit exaggerated.
Some buyers also came offline. The intelligent robot registered everyone. Among them, twelve people signed contracts and paid deposits, while others scheduled visits before making a purchase.
Wang Mu rubbed his forehead. Actually, the intelligent robot could handle most situations. He disliked having others interfere with his life, so he dismissed the idea of hiring service staff.
It just required him to set up a few more things himself. Thinking of this, Wang Mu sent a mass message through the backend, asking the one hundred and twelve people to come to the cultivation facility over the next two days to select their pupae and determine the emergence time. Buyers were required to be present at the time of emergence.
This was a special requirement set by Wang Mu to ensure that the initial bond between the spirit beast and the beastmaster was strong. As for himself, as a cultivator, he had been personally involved since the Green Leaf Worms hatched. After these spirit beasts emerged from their pupae, they would already have Level 3 sharing.
Adding a regular follow-up procedure and interacting a few more times in the future would allow them to reach Level 4 or 5, which was enough to share most spells.
Regarding follow-ups, this was actually a feature every cultivation facility had. The association claimed it was necessary, but cultivators rarely had time to deal with it properly. Most simply instructed buyers to come for periodic check-ups and then left it at that.
Wang Mu hoped his actions would not be considered "involution" by his peers.
The announcement stated that those who arrived first would choose first. As a result, 87 people scheduled to come the next day. They would queue at the back door, receive a number, and enter one by one.
The remaining people would arrive the day after. Since the earliest emergence time was the day after that, there was enough time.
After sorting everything out, Wang Mu directly called Wang Lingfeng. It took a few seconds to connect.
"Hello, is that Xiao Mu? I just got back to the city. What's up?"
The voice was loud, with a lot of background noise. Wang Mu kept it short: "Dad, come to the cultivation facility tomorrow. You're busy, so I'm hanging up."
Wang Lingfeng was queuing at the city gate. After hanging up, several people nearby started talking.
"That was Xiao Mu, right? Is he opening for business tomorrow and asking you to help?"
Wang Lingfeng was surprised. "How did you know?"
The people nearby "betrayed" him.
"We know the name of your family's cultivation facility. Is it that hard to find online? Old Zhang's daughter is about to graduate, and he had to prepare a spirit beast, right? Half a month ago, I saw Old Zhang make a reservation."
Zhang Tiancheng looked speechless. "I was planning to surprise Brother Wang tomorrow, but you guys ruined it."
"Brother Wang, can I queue up in the middle of the night?"
After thinking about it, Wang Lingfeng shook his head. "I'm familiar with those spirit butterflies. Xiao Mu told me he cultivates each one meticulously, and the difference in quality is extremely small, only discernible by a cultivator. We're amateurs, so there's no need to rush for the first pick."
"Besides, I remember Xiao Mu said he would pay attention to follow-ups and provide training advice later."
Zhang Tiancheng thought about it and agreed. "Alright, then I'll go after I wake up."
He had experienced this before. Back then, he queued up overnight to be the first to choose, but everything looked the same. He got dizzy trying to pick and finally just chose the one that looked most pleasing to the eye.
Ordinary people did not need to overcomplicate things.
After passing through security, Zhang Tiancheng asked Wang Lingfeng, "Brother Wang, are you still planning to go out during this time?"
Wang Lingfeng replied without hesitation. "Of course. My Phoenix-Eyed Butterfly is just a little tempering away from advancing."
Lu Lin explained from the side, "Xiao Mu is starting out as a senior cultivator now, with boundless prospects. It is dangerous out there. Can you bear to make him worry?"
"Based on what I know about this kid, he will definitely make arrangements for you. Let's rest for a week this time and decide after thinking it over at home."
This time, Wang Lingfeng did not immediately answer. He thought about it carefully. It seemed true. This aloof brat, Xiao Mu, was actually quite arrogant and domineering. Since childhood, he had not looked at his peers properly and had always had his own plans. He would not let others interfere, and he had achieved everything he set out to do.
If Xiao Mu planned something for him too... well, he could not think of a reason to refuse.
At this moment, Wang Lingfeng could not help but show a simple smile. The others jeered in mock disdain, but only they knew the envy in their hearts.
Wang Mu had always been the "child of other people." They had watched him grow up. From the age of five or six, when other children were mischievous, he had been actively studying, year after year without rest.
Half a month ago, when they heard Wang Lingfeng drunkenly say that his son had passed the assessment and become a senior cultivator, they felt both incredulous and that it was only natural.
When a person had both talent and exceptional hard work, who else would succeed if not him?
Thus, they accepted it naturally and without jealousy. After all, they could not even be sure they could have endured ten-plus years of rigorous study themselves. What right did they have to be jealous?
However, compared to Wang Mu, their own children were miserable.
After washing up at home, Wang Lingfeng took his dinner to the cultivation facility. Wang Mu was not surprised. He knew his father's personality. As expected, Wang Lingfeng's first words were, "I came to take a look. Do you need any help?"
Wang Mu looked at the Phoenix-Eyed Butterfly perched on Wang Lingfeng's shoulder and said directly, "Give Xiao Jin to me. I will give it some good stuff. You go to the simulation room and choose a Green Jade Butterfly. You can pick others if they suit you better. Take this."
He handed over a tablet containing detailed information about the spirit beasts.
Xiao Jin was the name of the Phoenix-Eyed Butterfly, a name given by Wang Lingfeng, which was quite uninspired. It had been with Wang Mu for many years. Without Wang Lingfeng's command, it flew over naturally.
Phoenix-Eyed Butterfly (Adult): Level 3
Bloodline: Elite
Talent: Mental Power Amplification (Low-Intermediate)
Innate Spell: Phoenix Eye (Mastered) (Cannot be shared)
Spells: Psionics (Proficient), Mental Blade (Mastered), Mental Fortification (Proficient), Mental Pierce (Proficient)
Sharing Level: 5
Wang Mu glanced sideways. Xiao Jin had mastered two more skills. It seemed it was truly close to breaking through. He decided to give it a final push.
Share: [Mental Scan]
The golden butterfly suddenly stopped flapping its wings, then turned into a golden streak, moving away from Wang Mu. Distortions appeared around it, and immense mental power raged, creating a pit in the ground.
Fortunately, the disturbance lasted only a few seconds. After it ended, the Phoenix-Eyed Butterfly's mental power rapidly spread, and it pupated on the spot. It was about to advance.
Wang Mu was about to pick it up when a figure rushed over. It was Wang Lingfeng. Wang Mu instantly understood that Xiao Jin must have conveyed the information to him.
At that moment, Wang Lingfeng was ecstatic. He had initially been shocked by the spirit beast information displayed on the tablet, especially when he saw a Green Jade Butterfly that had mastered the intermediate spell "Leaf Storm." He was already a little lost in thought.
After all, intermediate spells were very complex, and mastering them could help a spirit beast break through to the fourth rank. Just then, Xiao Jin's voice had sounded in his mind: "Master, I am about to break through."
Then his mental power had increased slightly, and he had rushed out. Sure enough, he saw the pupating Xiao Jin.
"Dad, Xiao Jin has now learned Mental Scan. Breaking through is normal. Take it to rest first and wait for its transformation."
Wang Lingfeng reacted quickly. He remembered what the academy had taught and asked, "Did you give Xiao Jin a Mental Scan spell crystal?"
Wang Mu shook his head. "Do not overthink it. Even if I gave it a spell crystal, it would take time to digest. How could it be so fast? What I gave it was my understanding."
Wang Lingfeng was relieved, grateful he had not needed to use a spell crystal. Intermediate spells were extremely precious, and outside the association and academy, there were almost no circulation channels.
However, after hearing Wang Mu's words, he did not react immediately. What did "my understanding" mean? After all, it was the spirit beast, not Wang Mu, that needed to learn the spell.
Wang Mu understood what his father was thinking and explained calmly. "Have I not also learned Xiao Jin's Psionics and Mental Pierce?"
"Mental Scan is also a mental power application. Although it is more complex, my mental power has been growing steadily for years. It was not difficult to learn."
Wang Lingfeng accepted this explanation. He was used to Wang Mu's extraordinary capabilities.
His spirits lifted, and he became excited. "Then are you able to teach skills to spirit beasts? And it is the Mental Scan skill. I am afraid many people will come looking for you."
Other skills were fine, but Mental Scan was especially valuable. For beastmasters who needed to venture outside, it was practically a cheat code. It was no exaggeration to say it could give them a second life.