Cultivation starts with picking up attributes
Chapter 106: Ch-106: They need Connection, Not Domination

Chapter 106: Ch-106: They need Connection, Not Domination

The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the scarred landscape as the Beast Taming Sect began their journey home.

The air was thick with the mingled scents of smoke, earth, and the faint tang of lingering spiritual energy.

Though the war was won, the fatigue was etched deeply into the faces of every disciple and elder.

Feng Yin rode at the front, her gaze steady but distant, sword sheathed at her side.

The taste of victory was still sweet, yet tempered by the reality of what lay ahead. Reclaiming the Eastern Region was only the first step.

Tian Shen rode beside her, eyes scanning the horizon with a practiced wariness.

"The Demon Sect’s forces may be broken, but there will be others who hear of our victory. They won’t let us rebuild in peace."

Feng Yin nodded.

"We’ve made powerful enemies. But we’ve also made allies. The sects we sent envoys to—they’ve sent supplies and scouts to support us on this journey back."

Behind them, Elder Su walked among the disciples, her calm presence steadying the weary and the wounded alike.

The fox spirit, Little Mei, shifted between her human and fox form, keeping a keen watch on the paths ahead.

...

Days passed as the caravan wound through mountain passes and dense forests, the pace measured to allow the injured time to heal and spirits to rest.

At night, fires burned bright, and stories of the battle’s turning points were shared with laughter and somber remembrance.

One evening, as the firelight flickered against the pavilion walls of a temporary camp, Feng Yin found herself sitting beside Tian Shen.

His expression was softer in the quiet moments, a stark contrast to his fierce demeanor in battle.

"You fought with everything you had."

Tian Shen said quietly, his fingers tracing the scar on his forearm where a talisman’s backlash had struck.

Feng Yin smiled faintly.

"So did you. I never doubted us."

He looked into her eyes.

"I worry about what this victory means. We’ve disrupted a dangerous balance. The Eastern Region won’t forget, and the Demon Sect’s remnants will rally."

She squeezed his hand.

"Then we should prepare. We will rebuild ourselves stronger."

Her voice carried the weight of someone who had borne loss and hardship but refused to be broken.

...

By the time the group crossed back into the Northern Region, word of their triumph had already spread.

Disciples from scattered enclaves emerged from hiding, bearing gifts and news of renewed hope.

The ruins of the Eternal Talisman Sect were no longer a place of refuge.

They finally returned to their true home, the Beast Taming Sect.

Feng Yan stood before the crowd, his voice ringing clear as he addressed the reunited sect.

"Today, we reclaim not just lands, but our honor and our destiny. The Beast Taming Sect will rise from the ashes, fiercer and united."

The crowd cheered, and Feng Yin felt a fierce joy bloom in her chest.

Training intensified. Some elders led lessons on advanced techniques and battle formations.

Tian Shen worked with the spirit beasts, strengthening bonds and honing new combat tactics.

Little Mei taught stealth and reconnaissance, her lessons quick and sharp.

Each day brought new challenges but also new growth.

...

One crisp morning, a lone figure approached the sect’s gates. Cloaked and hooded, the visitor moved with a silent grace that caught the attention of the guards.

Feng Yin met the stranger in the main hall, curiosity sharpening her senses.

"My name is Lian Hua."

The visitor said, voice calm but carrying an edge of urgency.

"I come from the Azure Phoenix Sect. We have long watched your plight and your resurgence."

Feng Yan stepped forward.

"What brings you here?"

Lian Hua lowered her hood, revealing striking eyes alight with both determination and caution.

"To discuss something important."

Feng Yin exchanged a look with Tian Shen and Elder Su. The peace they had fought for felt fragile, and the path ahead darker than ever.

...

Gathered once more in the hall, the elders and leaders poured over Lian Hua’s warnings.

She spoke of a hidden faction in the Western Wastelands, cultivating forbidden arts and amassing power through dark pacts with ancient beasts long thought extinct. Also, they are tied with the Demon Sect.

Feng Yan’s expression darkened.

"Such beasts would disrupt the balance of nature itself. This is no longer a simple sect rivalry."

Feng Yin’s grip tightened on the edge of the table.

"Then we must face this threat before it spreads."

Tian Shen nodded.

"Our victory against the Demon Sect was only the beginning. The world is shifting, and we need to be ready."

...

In the following weeks, the Beast Taming Sect sent envoys to the Azure Phoenix Sect and other allied groups, forging alliances and gathering intelligence.

Feng Yin and Tian Shen trained harder than ever, pushing their Core Formation abilities over limit. Together, they explored deeper techniques.

Sect Master Feng Yan, meanwhile, prepared the disciples for guerrilla warfare and unconventional tactics, anticipating that future battles would not be won by strength alone but by cunning and adaptability.

...

One evening, beneath a sky flushed with the colors of sunset, Feng Yin and Tian Shen stood atop the highest tower of the sect’s rebuilt pavilion. The wind whispered around them, carrying the scents of pine and earth.

"How much longer before we face this new enemy?"

Tian Shen asked, voice low.

Feng Yin’s eyes scanned the horizon.

"Dunno, but Soon. But we’ll be ready. We have to be."

He pulled her close, the weight of the coming storm pressing on them both.

"No matter what comes, we face it together."

She rested her head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart.

"Together."

She agreed.

...

The night deepened, and the stars blinked into existence—silent witnesses to the resurgence of the Beast Taming Sect.

Feng Yan’s voice echoed softly in her memory: "The fire rekindled in our hearts."

It was no longer just survival. It was a promise.

A promise to protect, to rebuild, and to rise.

The road ahead was uncertain, but the Beast Taming Sect would walk it as one—fierce, unyielding, and alive.

...

The Beast Taming Sect had returned not only with victory, but with purpose.

Back at their own domain—the sun rose on a new Chapter. This time, it wasn’t survival that drove them. It was evolution.

Tian Shen stood in the courtyard, stripped to the waist, sweat gleaming along his shoulders as he faced a massive boulder marked and scratched.

His hand traced the air, glowing strokes trailing behind his fingers, forming intricate runes in midair.

With a breath, he struck.

A pulse of spiritual force, subtle and clean, flared outward. The boulder trembled—and then cracked in uneven line, splitting into six even pieces.

From the sidelines, several young disciples clapped in amazement.

"He didn’t even use a weapon..."

"Senior Tian Shen’s power is... terrifying."

Feng Yin walked past the group, arms folded, a smirk on her lips.

"He better be good. He’s married to me."

The disciples laughed, but there was awe in their voices. It wasn’t mockery anymore—they spoke with admiration, even reverence.

Not long ago, this courtyard had been abandoned. Now, it was alive with energy.

Wooden dummies reinforced with talismans stood in neat rows.

Beasts of all kinds roamed the periphery, some trained, some wild, but all respectful. Disciples sparred, meditated, and practiced formation control.

A new training regime had begun.

Feng Yan stood at the top of the pavilion, overlooking it all with a quiet pride.

"It’s beginning to feel like a sect again."

Elder Su stood beside him, sipping tea.

"It’s only the beginning," she said. "But it’s a good beginning."

...

Later that morning, Feng Yin led a group of disciples toward the spirit well—a newly cleared area where spiritual energy naturally pooled.

She wore a new robe, crimson trimmed with black, her sleeves inscribed with beast-commanding talismans. Her hair was tied high, her aura sharp and fiery.

"Your beasts are your allies," she said, speaking to a small group of teenage tamers. "But they are not tools. They respond not just to orders, but to your intent. Focus not only on domination—but connection."

A girl hesitated, trying to direct a three-tailed flame lizard that kept flicking its tongue disinterestedly.

Feng Yin knelt beside her.

"You’re trying too hard. You’re commanding it like it’s a soldier. But what does it need from you?"

The girl blinked.

"Trust?"

Feng Yin smiled.

"Exactly."

The girl took a deep breath, softened her stance, and extended her hand gently.

The lizard tilted its head, then padded forward and curled around her wrist.

Gasps rose around them. Feng Yin stood.

"Power is earned, not demanded. Remember that."

...

Meanwhile, in the ruins of the old talisman vault, Tian Shen worked with a team deciphering ancient scripts etched into jade slips.

Little Mei sat cross-legged on a pile of scrolls, munching on a roasted mushroom bun while observing his work.

"You know," she said between bites, "for someone who used to think talismans were boring, you’ve become quite the nerd."

Tian Shen didn’t look up.

"They’re still boring. But they’re useful. Especially when they explode."