Chapter 93

He gave an embarrassed smile: "I'll also be honest with Sister He. My talent for getting close to young beasts isn't without reason. When I was still in my mother's womb, my father deliberately cultivated me with a large amount of natural treasures, hoping I would have an extremely high talent for cultivation. After I was born, I underwent meridian cleansing at the age of three.

"But even now, my cultivation is only at the Eighth Rank of the Innate stage. This is because, while my talent allows me to gain the favor of young beasts, it also causes a continuous drain on my body."

"In other words, to continuously cultivate high-quality young beasts, a lot of resources are needed to replenish and benefit me. If these resources are insufficient, it will not only affect the quality of the young beasts but also lead to a decline in my own cultivation. This ability might even degenerate..."

"He Xiangming looked at him with genuine warmth, deeply moved, and put aside any remaining doubts.

"Feng Yin's words were clearly sincere, and he had even revealed his core secret to her. His talent, though seemingly a gift from heaven, was also the result of human effort.

"His parents originally intended to cultivate his extraordinary talent for cultivation, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it transformed into a unique ability to benefit young beasts. This ability, however, was not infinite; without a large amount of resources, it would be like a tree without roots or a stream without a source.

"Having obtained this secret, He Xiangming felt as if her heart was blooming with joy.

"She thought, 'The profit here is merely worldly gain, how can it compare to the status and future in the sect?'

"I was being too petty. Even if I give him all the worldly profit, what does it matter?

"All I need is to secure this person, to serve me alone, and the benefits will be immense.

"My goal is to rise to the peak within the sect, to achieve glory and wealth in the mortal world.

"There is no conflict at all.

"Before, I promised him luxury in the mortal world, but I let a bit of profit blind me before we even started. My vision and realm need to be honed, and I must not be so shallow in the future!

"Moreover, if I don't give him the resources, his ability will decline... That's unacceptable. Yes, this means that at a certain stage of our cooperation, I can control it at will."

"Thinking this, her heart felt as sweet as honey.

"This is good, this is very good.

"So she smiled brightly and said generously, 'Alright, alright, no need to say more. Sister will take care of everything, making sure you are comfortable. You just focus on training the young beasts.'

"Then she giggled, 'Why are you so timid, being so cautious? Don't talk about giving up profit so easily; it makes Sister seem petty. A bit of money, what's the big deal? It's nothing compared to our immediate rapport and mutual understanding.'

"Feng Yin made a relieved expression, scratching his head awkwardly, 'I was afraid Sister He would feel uncomfortable. The foundation of cooperation is fairness. I really feel that I'm getting too much benefit, which is unfair, so...'

"'You silly boy, why would I feel uncomfortable? Sister just likes you and is willing to share more benefits with you. What's the problem?'

"He Xiangming laughed and scolded.

"After this long talk, He Xiangming, apart from still having some lingering doubts about Feng Yin's background, had put all other concerns to rest. Her affection for this young brother had grown even more.

"After all, with their interests intertwined, Feng Yin naturally seemed more appealing.

"As long as he can continuously cultivate high-quality young beasts, my status in the sect will rise accordingly!

"This is a certainty.

"'Lingyun, what is your true background and origin...'

"He Xiangming finally couldn't resist and decided to be straightforward.

"But before she could finish her sentence, Feng Yin's face darkened, and an extreme sense of sorrow, loss, and despair emanated from him.

"It was a feeling of hopelessness, death, hatred, and loneliness, like the deepest silence.

"Feng Yin's face turned pale, and his eyes seemed to lose focus.

"After a long while, he said in a trembling voice, 'Sister He... Can we... not talk about this?'

"He Xiangming, already affected by the sorrowful atmosphere, quickly responded, 'Alright, we won't talk about it, ever.'

"Feng Yin's mood remained low for a long time, extremely depressed.

"To He Xiangming, it felt as if 'he was right in front of me, in this world, but his heart, his soul, his thoughts, everything about him, was in another world of his own.'

"This feeling was very clear and real.

"He Xiangming felt her heart aching.

"What kind of blow could make a young boy's heart so dead?

"This younger brother's background must be truly tragic, and his past must be truly painful.

"Why did I ask such a stupid question?

"He Xiangming tried to change the topic, but Feng Yin responded half-heartedly, showing no interest.

"When she shifted the conversation to the major sects and powers in the world, she unexpectedly saw Feng Yin's eyes light up, and his attention became unusually focused.

"Is he interested in this?

"He Xiangming's spirits lifted, feeling she had finally found a way to break the silence.

"Feeling guilty for bringing up his painful past, she was glad to have found a topic he was interested in.

"Could his enemy be one of those transcendent sects? That would explain his reaction... Because if that's the case, revenge would be too distant, a lifelong unattainable goal!"

"Only to hear Feng Yin say, 'Sister He mentioned the major sects, but I, a country boy, am quite ignorant.'

"He Xiangming smiled, knowing that her previous talk was general and not core secrets, mostly interesting stories and legends that were widely known in the countryside. This boy clearly wanted to hear more but was too embarrassed to say so.

"Who am I? I can see through your little tricks.

"But to break the ice, He Xiangming was happy to continue the topic.

"The sects in the world are as numerous as the hairs on a cow. Just in Yuezhou City where we are now, there are dozens of sects, large and small, and countless branches, stations, or outposts, like mushrooms after rain, with many interesting stories and legends..."

"He Xiangming watched Feng Yin's expression as she spoke.

"But seeing Feng Yin's calm face, unchanged, and even a hint of helplessness in his eyes, she naturally deduced that this wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"She sighed inwardly: It seems his enemy is one of those superpowers that dominate the world... Little brother, your fate is truly bitter.

"No wonder you chose the name Lingyun. Your true thoughts must have a deeper reason.

"Is it that you want to stand above the clouds one day to take revenge?

"But speaking of the true superpowers that stand at the pinnacle of the world..."

"As she spoke, she watched Feng Yin's expression, seeing his eyes light up like a torch.

"That look made her feel a bit startled, knowing she had hit a nerve.

"Indeed, he is interested.

"'Above the green clouds, there is a gate; the nine steps break the mortal world; if one is fortunate enough to enter, one becomes a cloud-dweller!'

"He Xiangming said, 'This is the standard for truly transcendent sects.'

"Feng Yin: '??'

"He was genuinely confused, not understanding what she meant.

"These existences, from one to ten, are ranked from one to ten. Although nominally the ranking is not sequential, in reality, everyone knows the order.

"Starting from one, it's a single hand.

"He Xiangming said, 'Throughout history, the most mysterious, powerful, and profound sect has always been the Heavenly Hand.'

"Feng Yin nodded, knowing this much.

"'One hand covers the sky, two palaces transcend the ordinary, three mountains stand together, four directions are boundless, five lakes reflect the moon, six paths are divine, seven sects shine like the sun, eight faces are icy mountains, nine stars trace the immortal path, and ten parts return to the origin!'

"'These are the ten levels of power, and our Beast Taming Sect is among the seven shining sects.'

"He Xiangming softly said, 'The ten parts returning to the origin refer to the ten major sects, whose members are spread throughout the world, including the槽帮, Beggar Sect, Salt Sect, Green Gate, Merchant Sect, Prostitution Sect, Gambling Houses, and others like the Escort Alliance, Boat Sect, and Water Association.'

"'The main feature of these sects is their large number of members, making them widespread and visible everywhere, deeply intertwined with the economy. However, apart from a few well-organized ones, most are independent, uniting in times of peace and scattering in times of chaos. To put it bluntly, many are just for show.'

"'The nine-star sects are much more formal, with the youngest having a history of four to five hundred years.'

"'The nine major sects, along with the seven shining sects and the eight icy mountains, have similar strength and depth, basically in the same tier. Of course, there are differences.'

"'The fourth, fifth, and sixth tiers are also in the same tier, so the competition among these three sects is very intense. Each sect aims to surpass the others.'

"'Among them, the four boundless directions—Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern Palaces—are four major families with a long history. Although they are listed alongside the five lakes and six paths, they are actually stronger.'

"'As for the three mountains and two palaces, they are on another level, truly transcendent powers beyond the reach of the mortal world.'

"Hearing this, Feng Yin couldn't help but ask, 'Are the other sects below them still under the control of the dynasty?'"