Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

Sometimes, giving gifts isn't necessarily about the price tag.

If the friendship isn't there, a costly gift can only increase the psychological pressure, making it difficult to accept with ease.

Zhou Chun's decision to give this gift was also a kind of test.

If Luo Qingni insisted on not accepting it, it would mean that their friendship hadn't reached that level, and he would have no choice but to regretfully take it back.

That was why he chose to give the gift privately.

Even if rejected, it wouldn't result in public embarrassment.

And indeed, Luo Qingni was currently caught in a dilemma.

She had actually prepared the materials to craft her Lifebound Dharma Treasure, and the Spirit Materials for the Dharma Treasure were not inferior to the Spirit Wood Core that Zhou Chun had given her.

However, this Spirit Wood Core, whether used to merge into her Lifebound Dharma Treasure to increase its power, or to craft another Dharma Treasure, was an excellent treasure, truly a rare find.

If she refused this significant gift today, even if she wanted to exchange equivalent Spiritual Objects with Zhou Chun in the future, he might not be willing to do so.

Moreover, such a refusal would be akin to slapping her own face, risking his disdain.

Yet if she accepted the gift, it would mean acknowledging Zhou Chun as a close and dear friend, which for someone she had only recently met, could be both good and bad in unpredictable ways.

After all, she had neither seen Zhou Chun's true appearance nor knew his real name.

Thus, after hesitation, she looked at Zhou Chun with a complex expression and let out a deep sigh, "Taoist Friend Zhang, this truly puts Qingni in a difficult situation!"

Hearing her speak thus, Zhou Chun immediately sensed trouble.

To avoid an outright refusal and ensuing awkwardness, he quickly put his backup plan into action.

He earnestly bowed to Luo Qingni and said, "Taoist Friend Luo need not have such concerns. Zhang truly only wishes to thank Taoist Friend Luo and befriend you, without any ulterior motives!"

"If Taoist Friend Luo finds it difficult, then consider this object as an exchange for a favor, the favor of a Golden Core Stage Alchemy Master, which is far more useful than such a Spiritual Object!"

Exchanging the Spirit Wood Core for a favor, this was his fallback strategy.

Although it also carried a hint of coercing agreement, it was undoubtedly more acceptable.

Sure enough, upon hearing his words, Luo Qingni's expression relaxed, and she smiled, "Then Qingni will shamefully accept it!"

With that, she indeed accepted both the Spirit Wood Core and the millennium Treasure Medicine.

Afterward, Zhou Chun chatted idly with Luo Qingni, seeking some insights into Core Formation, and then took his leave.

Three days later, Luo Qingni personally visited and handed over the "Mountain Soul Pearl" she had exchanged.

"Is this the 'Mountain Soul Pearl'? It really is extraordinary!"

Back in his cave dwelling, Zhou Chun bid farewell to Luo Qingni, turned around, and picked up the "Mountain Soul Pearl" to carefully examine it.

It was as large as an ostrich egg, with a yellow-clay color, its brilliance concealed, appearing like an ordinary ball of yellow clay.

But it should not be underestimated.

For it was born from the gathered essence of Earth Veins and was extremely precious and rare.

Furthermore, it was genuinely heavy, a small ball of yellow clay seemed to contain an entire mountain within. Zhou Chun needed to support it with Mana just to hold it.

Just this fact alone revealed its extraordinariness.

Moreover, in terms of quality, it should be regarded as a top-tier material for Dharma Treasures, not only matching the Spirit Wood Core Zhou Chun had given to Luo Qingni but possibly even more precious and certainly not comparable to a millennium Treasure Medicine.

However, because the Spiritual Power inside was too stable and rigid, it was not suitable for use as material for a Lifebound Dharma Treasure.

If it cannot be used as a Lifebound Dharma Treasure material, the value of such a Dharma Treasure material would doubtless be greatly diminished, since Refiner Grandmasters were exceedingly rare and not just anyone could afford one.

And due to the "Mountain Soul Pearl"'s properties, even ordinary Refiner Grandmasters might not be confident of crafting it into a Dharma Treasure.

Thus, more often than not, this item was used as a material to aid Magical Beasts in Breaking Through the Realm.

In fact, the birthplace of a "Mountain Soul Pearl" is typically guarded by higher-order Earth-attributed Magical Beasts.

The "Mountain Soul Pearl" in Zhou Chun's hand, upon closer inspection, bore some cracks, likely from the encounter when it was initially obtained, resulting in damage during the battle with the Demon Beast, making it even less suitable for crafting Dharma Treasures.

Yet for aiding a Magical Beast in Breaking Through the Realm, this was not a major issue.

After carefully examining the "Mountain Soul Pearl," Zhou Chun nodded in satisfaction and said, "Considering the quality of this 'Mountain Soul Pearl,' if Stone could use it to advance to a higher-level Magical Beast, his Divine Skills would certainly be impressive, and his path to reaching the Fourth Order would be much smoother!"

"Now it all depends on its own destiny!"

Finished speaking, he entered the specially constructed Spirit Beast Room in his cave, released the Golden Armor Rock Turtle, and let it swallow the "Mountain Soul Pearl" to slumber within.