novelbin Chapter 510 - 383: Winter
Chapter 510 - 383: Winter
The spellblast at the back mountain turned into a "playground," and in the end, under Corbin Crowley’s icy stare and Rhys Blackwood’s silent pressure, the culprits Malachi Arcanus and Soren Phoenix had to fill it back up, looking utterly miserable as they did so.
A bunch of little cubs were still bouncing around on the freshly filled dirt, but were promptly carried away, one in each hand, by their own fathers.
...
When the last leaf of late autumn fell, Luna Sutton used 200 faith points to break through to Foundation Establishment.
If she’d tried to break through naturally, who knows how many years or months it would’ve taken.
Zeke Veridian, Corbin Crowley, Rhys Blackwood, Mael Valerius, and Soren Phoenix had all reached the Peak of the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining, just a hair’s breadth from breaking through to Foundation Establishment.
Malachi Arcanus had also progressed to the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining.
Even Kian Sterling, who was the weakest, had managed in just a short time to advance from the Ninth Level of Qi Refining to the Eleventh Level.
And he still had to juggle spell practice and managing matters in Beast King City.
The cultivation speed could be considered truly fast.
With seven freaks in the family, if she didn’t work hard herself, she’d soon be the bottom of the food chain.
Luna sat cross-legged by the Spiritual Spring in her spatial space. The moment the spiritual power in her dantian condensed into a liquid vortex, all the plants around her began to sway despite the windless air.
She opened her eyes slightly, a flash of green flickering in their depths. Using her Divine Sense to check her body’s transformation, the corners of her mouth lifted in satisfaction.
With her cultivation in the Foundation Establishment Stage, she could finally try Sword Flight.
She planned on buying a flying sword—just imagining soaring across the sky on a sword sounded way too cool.
Even better if she got herself a new sword technique too, to boost her power a bit.
Her mind dove into the system’s spatial space.
Gazing at her balance of sparkling faith points: 2375, she felt in top spirits.
"Hey, System, open the faith points shop. I wanna shop!"
Her system replied from within her mind.
"Okay, Host."
The system’s light-screen swished open, and a dazzling array of goods made Luna dizzy with choices.
Regular Low-grade Flying Sword, 300 faith points (buy one get three free, includes sword scabbard, sword bag, sword-cleaning cloth)
Mid-grade Flying Sword·Flowing Light, 500 faith points (comes with one sword tassel)
Top-grade Flying Sword·Green Frost: 800 faith points (comes with Sword Control Technique)
Jinghong Sword Technique, Profound Rank Middle-Grade: 500 faith points.
Luna studied the shop screen, her finger swiping the virtual display: "Hey System, this ’Jinghong Sword Technique’ sounds really intimidating—how good is it?"
The system instantly popped up a demo: "Host, watch this."
On the screen, a green sword light swept by like a dragon or startled swan, the mountains and stones splitting wherever it passed. "Comes with bonus movement technique for extra flair—perfect for showing off your immortal poise. Cough, I mean, great for displaying elegance."
Her lips twitched. She couldn’t help but picture Zeke Veridian with that immortal aura, holding a long sword and totally showing off.
"That one, then."
She made a quick decision, "And I want that Green Frost Sword too."
Her finger suddenly paused on a certain product. "Wait, what’s this Spirit Plant Compendium?"
"Ding, Host’s got a great eye!"
The system instantly switched to its salesman voice, dripping with flattery: "Buy the Spirit Plant Compendium now for just 998, and get ten random spirit seeds as a freebie. Don’t miss out, don’t walk away—"
"Enough!"
She almost choked from the hard sell. "Speak normal words."
The system instantly returned to normal: "It identifies all properties and planting methods of spirit plants. And since you have the Wood Element Ability, it works even better with that~"
Final shopping list:
Green Frost Sword (800)
Jinghong Sword Technique (500)
Spirit Plant Compendium (998)
Total: 2298 faith points
Seeing the Compendium’s 998 faith point price tag, her heart ached. She hesitated, stuck between buying or not.
If she didn’t, she’d be annoyed if she found good stuff but couldn’t recognize them.
If she did, it was so expensive—all her hard-saved faith points would be wiped out again.
Luna agonized for a long while, but finally gritted her teeth and went through with the purchase.
She comforted herself: this was an investment in her future, and with the compendium, she could maximize her Wood Element Ability.
After the faith points were deducted, her dashboard now showed a pitiful 77 points left.
But in front of her, three new items appeared: the Green Frost Sword, Jinghong Sword Technique, and Spirit Plant Compendium.
The system stared at the pitiful remaining 77 points and wailed: "Host, you really are a ’living paycheck to paycheck’ type! You could at least save a little spending money!"
The way the system’s attitude flipped, you’d think it wasn’t the same shameless huckster from moments ago.
Luna couldn’t be bothered with this damn system. No, actually, it should be called the Greedy Goblin System.
She fiddled with the Green Frost Sword—cold to the touch, the blade clear as autumn water, chilly but contained.
Then she flipped through the Spirit Plant Compendium, full of detailed descriptions and illustrations of exotic spirit herbs and flowers.
The compendium was so detailed, it was almost insane.
Finally, ten plump, spiritual-energy-filled spirit seeds landed in her palm, brimming with vitality.
Not that she recognized any of them, so she planted them all in her Spatial Spirit Field, alongside the three other rare seeds.
Nearby stood the Jianmu tree, now already as tall as an adult, lush, thriving, radiating spiritual energy.
She noticed new drops of Spirit Dew forming on the leaves—crystal clear, sparkling brilliantly.
Her eyes lit up. She quickly ran back to the wooden house and grabbed a clay bowl to collect them.
Counting the droplets of Jianmu Spirit Dew at the bottom, she tallied eight—just enough for Rhys Blackwood’s eight little snake cubs.
The three little phoenixes and two young dragons had already had theirs, so they were out of luck.
As for Kael, Kael Shadowend, Frey, Barrett Arcanus, Fintan Arcanus, and Zora—those cubs still hadn’t tried Jianmu Spirit Dew; they’d have to wait their turn.
In the days that followed, Luna’s life went on as usual, but she frequented the back mountain more often to practice her swordplay.
Every now and then, she’d hop on the flying sword to zip around. At first, her flying was a mess—couldn’t control it well at all.
She often plowed straight into the forest, or the sword flew off without her, and she’d tumble out of the sky halfway.
Thankfully, Foundation Establishment Cultivators already had tough flesh—after a fall, she’d just ache for a while but wouldn’t get seriously hurt.
Even better, after a few rounds of practice, she quickly got the hang of it. Her flights became smoother and she hardly ever fell anymore.
When Corbin Crowley, Rhys Blackwood, Kian Sterling, and Zeke Veridian heard Luna had reached Foundation Establishment, saying they weren’t jealous would be a total lie.
Of course, they were also genuinely happy for her.
But the happier they got, the harder they trained, all dead set on breaking through to Foundation Establishment ASAP.
As for their own kids, they just dumped them all on Lyle Sutton.
Lyle didn’t mind playing babysitter to a group of cubs. All day long he took them out to fool around—if not fishing in the river, then raiding bird nests in the woods.
Sometimes he’d even take them hunting, calling it "cultivating their predatory instincts," but really, he just wanted to play himself.
Other beastmen in the tribe noticed too, often sending their own kids over as well, saying, "They can learn so much from the leader!"
In reality, they just wanted a break from parenting duties.
Lyle didn’t mind at all—however many there were, he took them all on, as long as the parents didn’t care if their cubs ended up wild after all that play.
Thus, the once small group at the back mountain—
Gradually turned into a mega daycare, cubs running wild everywhere.
Luna, riding her flying sword across the back mountain, would spot her own dad with a head of messy, rooster-like hair, a gaggle of little cubs trailing behind, big ones leading the small, scampering all over the place.
From time to time, the excited howls of the cubs and Lyle’s booming laughter echoed through the hills.
She twitched at the corner of her mouth and quietly steered her sword a little farther away, scared her dad would see her and drag her back as free labor.
The rest of the tribe saw Luna zipping around the sky on her flying sword. They were amazed but didn’t overthink it—just figured The Beast God had granted her a new blessing.
Completely clueless that it was all cultivation business.
The old priest had to know, though—one glance and he could tell his own disciple had reached Foundation Establishment, his heart burning with jealousy.
Shame his own aptitude was limited. Making it to the Eighth Level of Qi Cultivation was already thanks to this disciple, and he figured that was where he’d top out in this life.
This year, the snow season arrived fiercely and fast. Thick snow piled high on branches, weighing them down, and layer upon layer covered the ground.
All you could see was white stretching to the horizon; the biting cold in the air was worse than any before.
Every household in the tribe sealed up their doors and windows, keeping a fire burning, and still, the cold snuck in everywhere.
The eight snake cubs went into hibernation as soon as snow season began.
Even with the doors and windows closed, the fires burning, and thick, soft furs on the floor—
Luna still worried they’d get cold; the cubs were just too little.
So, once the snow season hit, she placed the eight hibernating snake cubs into the wooden house in her space.
The spatial space was spring-like year round, no fear of them freezing.
As for Kael, Kael Shadowend, Frey, Zora, Fintan Arcanus, Barrett Arcanus, the three little phoenixes, and the two young dragons—they carried on outdoors as usual.
Cubs are naturally energetic; being cooped up in the space year round was no good, they’d get seriously bored.
Not everyone needs to hibernate like snakes, after all.
Of course, if it got truly freezing outside, Luna would have them stay in the space a while.
One thing worth mentioning—
Rhys Blackwood didn’t hibernate this year either. He hid in his room all day, determined not to come out until he broke through to Foundation Establishment.
Other than for food, water, and the usual, he stayed shut in.
Corbin Crowley, Kian Sterling, Zeke Veridian, Malachi Arcanus, Soren Phoenix, Mael Valerius—all did the same.
Except for meals and bathroom breaks, they all just holed up, focused on cultivation.
Even when it was their turn to share Luna’s bed, they hid away cultivating in their rooms instead.
As if they’d forgotten time, the sun and moon, even their own "night shifts."
One by one, they’d gone as pure as monks, desires wiped clean—eating, sleeping, and meditating, nothing else.
Not even bothering with their own kids—after all, Lyle was taking care of them.
Luna couldn’t help twitching her mouth. Finally, she had some peace and quiet, so she just left her beast husbands alone.
Every day she was either cultivating or playing with the kids.
With her cultivation, she barely even noticed the cold anymore.