Chapter 338: Beast Feed

“Grandpa!”

Dongfang Yudie clung to the arm of an old man with a white beard, calling him affectionately.

This was Dongfang Tie, the third elder of the Dongfang family! As a Rank-Ji Spirit Tamer, he was also a renowned expert in Jushi City.

However, the usually stern and impartial Dongfang Tie, who presided over the Punishment Hall and maintained a formidable presence among the clan members, quickly melted when he saw his granddaughter: “Haha… My dear granddaughter, why are you so happy today?”

“It’s about my cousin!”

Dongfang Diew chattered on. When she mentioned that Dongfang Suoming had actually drawn with a frost wolf using just a gray wolf, Dongfang Tie’s eyebrows twitched: “After the battle, what exactly did he say?”

“What’s wrong?”

Although Dongfang Diew had not yet gained much experience in worldly affairs, she was naturally bright and had memorized Wu Ming’s words quite accurately, which she now recounted.

“This young man… isn’t ordinary…”

Dongfang Tie quietly closed his eyes. He knew there were some Spirit Tamers in this world who were born with extraordinary combat talent, capable of exceeding their limits and creating miracles.

“What a pity… It’s just a gray wolf after all! The gap in their starting points will make him take so many detours before he finally realizes his potential?”

“Grandpa…”

Dongfang Diew tugged at Dongfang Tie’s arm, shaking it back and forth: “Suoming’s gray wolf looked so pitiful, all skin and bones. Why don’t we bring it over here and raise it together with Xiaobai?”

“Cough… cough…”

Before Dongfang Tie could react, a middle-aged man beside him nearly spat out his tea: “Diew, have you gone mad? Do you know how expensive Saro meat is? Besides… it’s just a gray wolf! Eating it would be a waste!”

“Dad, how can you say that? Although Suoming did refuse at first…”

As Dongfang Diew spoke, she became somewhat gloomy and started kicking a pebble.

“Hmph… At least he has some self-awareness!”

The middle-aged man, relieved about his wallet, nodded with a smile and saw the same expression in his father’s eyes.

…

“Steward, I want to exchange for ten jin of Saro meat, plus bone-strengthening powder, claw-grinding stones…”

Inside the steward’s hall, Wu Ming handed over a bag of spirit coins directly.

Within the Dongfang family, there was naturally also a supply hall specifically designed for new Spirit Tamers, offering food, combat techniques, and various other miscellaneous items. Its selection was even more extensive than what could be found outside!

Wu Ming had chosen to sell his loot outside yesterday because he didn’t want outsiders to know he had sneaked into the Xingying Mountains at night. Also, he wanted to keep a trump card hidden.

Now that these were just regular consumables, he could naturally handle them internally, and it would even be cheaper.

“Alright… That’s a total of three hundred spirit coins, exactly!”

The steward weighed the bag of coins, accurately estimated their number, then took out a cloth bag, quickly packed the items Wu Ming had requested, and handed them over the counter.

Wu Ming opened it on the spot, briefly checked the contents, nodded inwardly, and left the steward’s hall.

“It seems Dongfang Ba hasn’t started trying to harm me through this channel yet… But he’s part of the First Elder’s faction, with vast influence, so I still need to be cautious! If he’s not planning to restrict my resources, then he must be preparing to make a direct move? Timing-wise… it should be before the family’s small competition, aiming to have me expelled from the family?”

With his experience, it was extremely easy for him to guess the other party’s little tricks without any difficulty.

“Just… the cost of raising a Phantom Spirit… is really…”

Wu Ming’s mouth curved into a bitter smile. What he had bought today was only enough for five days for the gray wolf, even with the family’s internal discount.

If he were outside, it would cost another one or two layers more.

Such expenses were truly hard for ordinary novice Spirit Tamers to afford.

“But I’m providing the best conditions… Other Spirit Tamers would feed gray wolves with fresh beef, mutton, and milk, which would be slightly less expensive… It’s time to make some money…”

Since the gray wolf’s foundation was already weak, its cultivation couldn’t fall behind either!

And once high-level consumables were used, even with the three thousand spirit coins given by Dongfang Diew, it probably wouldn’t last long.

After all, besides daily food and drink, Wu Ming also planned to equip the gray wolf with combat techniques and prepare for its future evolution, which would be an enormous expense.

“Dongfang Suoming!”

At this moment, a voice came, cold and carrying a touch of punitive authority.

“Hmm? It’s actually Dongfang Ao and Dongfang Yue from the Punishment Hall. May I ask what you need me for?”

Standing before Wu Ming were two handsome and beautiful figures, dressed in uniform black Punishment Hall attire, looking sharp and imposing, their faces cold, their eyebrows stern. Ordinary Dongfang clan members would be frightened just by seeing them.

“It’s nothing major!”

Dongfang Yue’s voice was cold, her eyes carrying a trace of surprise.

Ordinary youths, even adult clan members, would immediately feel their legs go weak and their hearts quiver when suddenly confronted by Punishment Hall personnel, regardless of whether they had broken ancestral rules.

Yet this youth remained calm in the face of praise or blame; his composure alone was quite impressive.

“A pity… it’s just a gray wolf…”

Dongfang Yue’s eyes were filled with compassion: “Dongfang Ao and I will be leading the new Spirit Tamers into the Xingying Mountains in three days. Would you like to join us?”

“What? Dongfang Yue from the Punishment Hall is actually inviting Dongfang Suoming?”

Nearby, the originally gloating members of the Dongfang clan suddenly felt a pang of jealousy: “This is a perfect chance to enhance combat skills and collect resources! Dongfang Yue and Dongfang Ao were both in the top ten of the last family competition, and now they’ve both advanced to Rank-Bing Spirit Tamers. They can practically roam freely in the Xingying Mountains!”

“Why would such a good opportunity be given to that useless fellow?”

…

“Oh? Since Senior has personally invited me, I won’t decline!”

Wu Ming’s eyes flickered, and he smiled as he agreed.

“Good! Three days from now at dawn, gather at the main gate. Don’t be late!”

Dongfang Ao was very arrogant; he only spoke this one sentence from beginning to end, then turned and left with Dongfang Yue.

“It seems… this is the result of the foundation laid by Dongfang Diew, causing the Third Elder to hear of it and begin showing goodwill?”

In Wu Ming’s heart, he already had a vague suspicion.

The Punishment Hall recruited only experts. With Dongfang Ao and Dongfang Yue leading the way, it would naturally reduce many dangers in the Xingying Mountains. Such a good opportunity was something outsiders would strive for, so he couldn’t refuse either.

“Curses! It’s actually the Punishment Hall!”

After Wu Ming also left, Luo Geng in the shadows clenched his teeth, his face twisted with hatred: “With the protection of the Punishment Hall, there’s no way to deal with him during this training period!”

“No good! I must inform Brother Jiao immediately not to underestimate this kid!”

Luo Geng’s hatred burned fiercely as his figure quickly disappeared into the shadows…

…

Inside a small courtyard.

“Gulu! Gulu!”

The gray wolf devoured the Saro meat in large bites, emitting contented growls.

Its sharp incisors tore through the clearly marbled Saro meat, which looked like snowflakes. Its powerful bite crushed the meat, and in an instant, it had swallowed half a jin.

“What you’re eating isn’t meat, it’s spirit coins!”

Wu Ming felt somewhat depressed, then beckoned the gray wolf, which had finished eating: “Come here! Stretch out your paws!”

The gray wolf’s paws were fluffy and chubby, with pink paw pads underneath, and sharp, gleaming claws on top.

“First, take the bone-strengthening powder, then use the claw-grinding stone to sharpen your claws and teeth!”

The bone-strengthening powder was in a small package, resembling pearl dust, fine and smooth. However, after the gray wolf swallowed it, it whined pitifully, as if its entire body had become unbearably itchy.

“Itching means it’s working! Bone growth never comes without some hardship!”

Wu Ming picked up the claw-sharpening stone and started honing the gray wolf’s claws. The deep-seated itch was instantly soothed, making the gray wolf squint its eyes and emit a satisfied sound.

Moreover, after the bones had grown and the wolf’s claws were carefully sharpened, they became even whiter, longer, and sharper, dazzling to the eye.

“With such coordination, after ten more times, the gray wolf’s basic claws should be able to improve another level. However, these are all ordinary abilities, not techniques or combat skills…”

Wu Ming sighed.

What he most wanted to add for the gray wolf were various attribute abilities, techniques, and combat skills.

Claws, teeth, fur, and physical strength were all abilities inherent to beasts. Even after enhancement, it would only make them stronger than ordinary wild animals by a little.

For example, no matter how much Wu Ming strengthened this gray wolf’s claws, teeth, fur defenses, and fed it Saro meat to boost its stamina, at best it could evolve into a large gray wolf.

【Gray Wolf】(Common Species) — 【Large Gray Wolf】(Common Species)!

This was the gray wolf’s evolutionary path. If there were no accidents, it would evolve into a 【Large Gray Wolf】 when it advanced to the Rank-Bing level, and that would be it—this was the limit of common species!

Even if ordinary enhancements were done well, it would only make this gray wolf slightly stronger than other gray wolves, or allow it to evolve earlier, with a bit more strength than a regular large gray wolf after reaching the Rank-Bing level. That’s all there was to it!

“Advancing from the juvenile stage to the Rank-Bing level is a very important threshold for evolving into a large gray wolf. It’s too wasteful!”

Wu Ming patted the gray wolf’s forehead: “Your goal is to quickly reach the limit of common species, then learn techniques and combat skills, enhance attribute abilities, and strive to use the opportunity of advancing to the Rank-Bing level for racial evolution! Otherwise… I’ll have no choice but to give you up! Do you understand?”

“Aowww!”

Although this gray wolf’s race wasn’t impressive, it was quite intelligent, and it howled in response, showing its determination.

“Good! As long as you have that determination, I, as your master, will naturally provide you with the best conditions!”

Wu Ming entered the room and laid out the other purchased supplies.

“Three-star flower, one-stripe grass, lotus leaf dew… This is already the closest material combination I can recall…”

Wu Ming recalled the contents of the “Beast Taming Classic.”

The ancient Beast Taming Sect specialized in spirit beasts, and had unique methods for their cultivation, enhancement, and even mutation.

Wu Ming now wanted to concoct pills, specifically beast-feed pills designed for spirit beasts. According to the book, these pills were not only greatly favored by spirit beasts, but also convenient for storage and carrying, with no residue or toxicity. Long-term consumption could also enhance physical constitution, making them the best food for spirit beasts!