In the following days, this magical technique known as the Great Technique of Controlling Man had become a game of sorts for the spirit beasts in this area. They would often find themselves mysteriously flying up and dropping back down.

Occasionally, they would abruptly stand up with both feet. Not only did these spirit beasts not feel any fear, they actually felt excitement. In the end, when those pet.i.te beasts saw Bai Xiaochun, they would immediately run over to him, yearning for Bai Xiaochun to play with them.

On the other hand, the spirit beasts which had enormous bodies, such as the Scarlet Flying Tiger, often noticed Bai Xiaochun standing beside it, constantly extending his finger out while muttering some chants. And often, Bai Xiaochun would start to sigh and silently walk away with a depressed expression. After seeing Bai Xiaochun had already walked away, those spirit beasts that had enormous bodies were flabbergasted, wondering what Bai Xiaochun was doing.

After one month, Bai Xiaochun had no choice but to temporarily give up on the Great Technique of Controlling Man.

“Once this technique is successfully cultivated, it will definitely shake the heavens and earth. I will temporarily take it slowly and wait until I get stronger. I would definitely be able to cultivate it then!” Bai Xiaochun had some unwillingness, but after only achieving little success even after a month, he couldn’t help but lament and slowly bury this ability in the bottom of his heart for now. Whenever he thought of continuing to cultivate the Water Nation Technique, he uncontrollably looked at his wings.

“When the old woman from the North Bank gave me this Magnetic Yuan Pearl and the wings, she said that this contained the secret art of attraction and repulsion…” Bai Xiaochun’s eyes shone brightly and put the wings in front of him, beginning his research. After many days, he sighed and could only bury this in the bottom of his heart, leaving it for later.

Only now did he manage to thoroughly close his heart, and begin to fully concentrate on cultivating the Water Nation Technique.

Time pa.s.sed, and unknowingly, Bai Xiaochun had almost spent two years in the North Bank. The Rearing Beast Seed behind the courtyard had already grown to about one zhang, but unfortunately, it still hadn’t bloomed. However, Bai Xiaochun had estimated that the day that it would bloom was not very far.

The aura of his Water Nation Technique had gradually gotten stronger under his continuous cultivation. Every time he activated it, there would be loud booming sounds and a mysterious force, which seemingly looked as if it wasn’t part of this world, would descend in all directions.

Bai Xiaochun had already finished observing every single one of the more than nine hundred different spirit beasts. He practically knew every beast like the back of his palm, but unfortunately, his Spirit of Life hadn’t formed yet.

“Could it be that I haven’t observed enough spirit beasts? I should go observe some stronger spirit beasts.” Bai Xiaochun muttered to himself for a long time. He looked at the Ancient Beast Abyss and hesitated for a moment. He felt that the Ancient Beast Abyss was too dangerous. After thinking for a while, his eyes shone brightly as he suddenly raised his head, looking at the four mountain peaks of the North Bank.

“There are the mountain guarding spirit beasts of the North Bank’s four mountain peaks!”

The four mountain peaks of the North Bank all had a strong spirit beast that lived on the hilltop. They were the guardians of the mountain peaks. Although they were not as strong as the Heaven’s Edge Ink Dragon, they were still extraordinary.

Every few days, they would occasionally go out of their mountains and dance in the sky or howl towards the sky. When they shook the earth, they would attract many disciples that were filled with envy and consternation.

During this period of time when Bai Xiaochun was in the North Bank, he had also seen this many times. In particular, there was the Seven-Coloured Phoenix from the Iridaceae Mountain, which was already stapled in his mind.

After he made up his mind, Bai Xiaochun hurriedly left the Hundred Beasts Courtyard. When he walked past the Testing Stage, he saw the sculpture of a spirit beast. This wasn’t the first time that he saw this sculpture, however, every time he saw it, he would have a kind of feeling that could not be explained. This was also a phenomenon that would occur to other disciples.

Even Bai Xiaochun had carefully observed it, however, he was left empty handed. Due to this, he gradually stopped paying attention to it, and would only subconsciously sweep his gaze over it when he walked pa.s.s it.

Bai Xiaochun stopped paying attention to the sculpture and decided to go to the Iridaceae Mountain before doing anything else. He currently had a load on his mind, and when he was walking, he suddenly turned vigilant. The Magnetic Yuan Wings instantly appeared on his back, and his body charged out several zhangs with a whoosh.

At the exact moment when Bai Xiaochun flew off, a shadow instantly appeared in his previous location, and a shocking sound in a high tone, as if it was the sound of teeth forcefully grating that could make one’s heart palpitate, resounded out.

This sound wasn"t soft, it even caused a sonic boom in the air! It could be imagined how much energy was needed to make this happen, and how much hatred was needed to cause such a frightening aura to be released during the grating of teeth.

Unexpectedly, the shadow was a big black dog. Its body length exceeded one zhang, and it was like a cow, except that its whole body was skinny and shriveled. Its fur was fluffy like a wild dog.

At this moment, it had a malevolent expression as it stared at Bai Xiaochun, with great amounts of saliva dripping from between its teeth. It also had a red glow in its eyes, as if it was mad.

Bai Xiaochun was scared until his whole head was full of sweat. He suddenly turned his head and immediately saw this big black dog; he was immediately stunned for a moment, before instantly recognising it.

“Isn’t this Beihan Lie’s Nocturnal Beast, you…” However, before Bai Xiaochun could finish speaking, that big black dog quickly left with a whoosh. Since it couldn’t attack Bai Xiaochun, it just fled a thousand li.

When Bai Xiaochun was slightly confused, the many disciples of the North Bank also recognised that big black dog; they took a deep breath and started talking to each other in a a hushed tone.

“Senior Beihan’s Nocturnal Beast is too pitiful, Senior Beihan can’t keep it anymore, and no one dares to get close to it, even the elders find it pitiful...

“Yeah, after that incident, this Nocturnal Beast is constantly wandering around our North Bank. I even saw it standing on a hill, staring blankly at the night sky, appearing very melancholic.”

“It’s so pitiful, no wonder it wants to sneak attack Bai Xiaochun…”

Bai Xiaochun blinked his eyes. After hearing what the disciples said, he also felt apologetic in his heart. Looking at the direction where the big black dog ran off to, Bai Xiaochun decided not to pursue this issue.

“I also had no choice. When I went out to fight at that time, I also asked Beihan Lie to surrender. When I make a move, even I am truly afraid.” Bai Xiaochun sighed and turned around to walk to the Iridaceae Mountain.

With his ident.i.ty as an Honourable disciple, he could still walk through many areas without any worry or obstruction, even if it was the North Bank. After carefully walking to the Iridaceae Mountain, he didn’t get too close to the cave on top of the mountain. Instead, he found a rock that was distant from it, and sat down there in a cross-legged position, silently waiting.

He waited for three days. On the morning of the third day, a phoenix cry that seemed as if it could tear apart the sky was suddenly let out. When bursts of seven-coloured light was radiated from the cave on the mountaintop, a Seven-Coloured Phoenix elegantly flew out, spreading its wings in midair. The morning sunlight fell on its body, and a resplendent seven-coloured brilliance was reflected. Bai Xiaochun, who was watching from the side, felt his mind tremble. He faintly felt that there was a frightening power inside this Seven-Coloured Phoenix’s body, and if it exploded out, even if he had cultivated the Undying Silver Skin to the Great Success stage, he would not be its match at all.

When he was staring at it, Bai Xiaochun branded the image of the phoenix deep into his heart. He continued observing it, until one incense stick’s worth of time pa.s.sed, and this Seven Coloured Phoenix slowly flew back into its cave, ignoring Bai Xiaochun.

Bai Xiaochun took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was sketching the appearance of the Seven-Coloured Phoenix in his mind. He continued waiting, and five more days pa.s.sed. It was morning again, and the Seven-Coloured Phoenix appeared again.

Time pa.s.sed, and Bai Xiaochun had stayed on the mountaintop of the Iridaceae Mountain to observe the Seven-Coloured Phoenix for several months. He only returned to the Hundred Beasts Courtyard once in a while and would quickly rush back.

Most of the disciples of the Iridaceae Mountain heard about this matter, and they were flabbergasted. Most of them didn’t care about it, but there were some inner sect disciples that were lost in thought, and some had conjectures in their hearts.

This lasted for another month. Now, the degree of Bai Xiaochun’s observation of the phoenix was now down to the smallest detail. Only then did he leave and go to the Setting Sun Mountain.

The mountain guarding spirit beast of the Setting Sun Mountain was a black-coloured Three-Eyed Black Crow. The body of the Three-Eyed Black Crow exceeded two zhang, and it had black threads surrounding all over its body that twisted into nothingness. The times that it had appeared was not much, only once or twice within a month.

Every time it went out, not only was its speed extremely fast, it would also set off achain of lightning. Also, it would only come out at night, and would never come out during daytime.

To observe this Three-Eyed Black Crow, Bai Xiaochun was fully concentrated at night. Finally, after three months, he had seen the Three-Eyed Black Crow for a total of five times. Every time it"s body entered in vision, he would gaze steadily at it, immersed in his observation. Gradually, it seemed like the signs that his Spirit of Life would be born became even clearer.

The mountain guarding beast of the Sky Mountain wasn’t a bird, but an enormous lizard. The movement speed of this lizard was slow, but its aura was extremely strong. It was the most suitable beast for Bai Xiaochun to observe, as every time it went out of its cave, it would stand on the tallest rock on the Sky Mountain, motionlessly looking into the distance.

Bai Xiaochun looked at it from a distance, unceasingly observing it. After a few months, the degree of observation that he had towards this lizard exceeded the Seven Coloured Phoenix, and even more exceeded the Three-Eyed Black Crow.

As for the spirit beast guarding the Ghost Tooth Mountain, it was even more mysterious. Perhaps, it could not even be called a spirit beast. It was a Mountain Ghost, and it appeared as if it was made out of countless spirit beasts, turning the mountain range into a spirit, which later formed a consciousness, calling itself the Mountain Ghost.

This was a figure that possessed a human shape and had black fur all over its body. It had human’s eyes, but had a mouth that resembled a wolf’s mouth above its forehead. It had two twisted horns on top of its head, and a snake’s scales on its upper body. A tiger’s head was sticking out of its chest, and it had a long tail behind its body.

Its hand would forever be holding a ghastly pitchfork made out of bones, and every time it appeared, clouds and mists would appear in the sky, covering the sun and moon, causing its eyes to glow in the pitch-black darkness.

Bai Xiaochun’s heart was alarmed, and he was trembling in fear after seeing it. He could feel that the other party knew of his existence, but simply ignored him due to the disparity between them. Instead, it was standing on the mountaintop, facing the sky and soundlessly roaring.

During this roar, the countless stones on the Ghost Tooth Mountain were slightly trembling. After a long time, the Mountain Ghost returned to its cave. Only then did these stones turn back to normal.

Time pa.s.sed. Bai Xiaochun was immersed in his observations, and was continuously moving back and forth between the four peaks of the North Bank. In his mind, the feeling that the Spirit of Life was about to be born got even stronger, however, it was stuck on a certain part of his body, and was unable to break through.

The disciples of the North Bank slowly found out that Bai Xiaochun was observing the mountain guarding spirit beasts. There were some people that did not understand why he was doing this, but some inner sect disciples like Xu Song and Beihan Lie, after doing some research, felt a rumble in their hearts.

“He is cultivating the Water Nation Technique!” This was the answer that was guessed by many inner sect disciples of the North Bank. This was because only the Water Nation Technique required the pract.i.tioner to spend a long time observing spirit beasts.

“The Water Nation Technique, the top notch secret technique of the Spirit Creek Sect that is as equally famous as the Nightwalker Technique… If different people cultivate it, they will have different outcomes. There are some that are extremely strong, and there are some that are extremely weak.”

“Since Bai Xiaochun is observing spirit beasts, this means that his Spirit of Life hasn’t been born yet…”

“Who knows what his Spirit of Life will be…”

When the inner sect disciples of the North Bank were making guesses, the time that Bai Xiaochun had spent observing the spirit beasts of the four mountains had reached one year.

In reality, during this past year, not only were the inner sect disciples paying attention to him, even the Ancestors and Elders of the four peaks, as well as Li Qinghou, were secretly paying attention to the progress of Bai Xiaochun’s Water Nation Technique.

They were also flabbergasted, because normally, just observing the beasts in the Hundred Beasts Courtyard was enough to form the Water Nation Technique’s Spirit of Life. But it seemed that it wasn’t enough for Bai Xiaochun. However, even if it wasn’t enough, adding on the mountain guarding beasts of the four peaks should’ve been enough. But, against their expectations...it wasn’t enough.

“Bai Xiaochun’s Spirit of Life is actually this hard to form!”

“The Spirit of Life varies for each different person. It follows the heart’s hidden world, and creates an unfathomable Spirit Illusion…”

“Bai Xiaochun’s Spirit of Life, what will it be..."

When everyone was paying attention to him, Bai Xiaochun finished his observation of the mountain guarding beasts of the four mountain peaks and blankly walked in the North Bank. He discovered that observing any longer would have no effect. There was definitely a strong feeling, as if he could birth the Water Nation Technique’s Spirit of Life in his mind at any moment, but it needed just a bit more to break through.

But this bit... appeared to have no bound.

Bai Xiaochun was at a loss. He didn’t know what he should do, and was currently quietly walking through the North Bank. When he walked past the Testing Stage, he unconsciously looked at the Testing Stage’s sculpture of that spirit beast.

This had been seen by him many times, but every time he saw it, he would just have that feeling that could not be described. However, this sculpture that was hard to gain enlightment from, the instant he looked at it, made his step pause. His entire body was shaking as an inconceivable look appeared in his eyes.

4th guaranteed chapter of the week.

Edited by: Arch, MantouInv