'However, since the system deliberately pointed this out, it's obviously not something achievable at levels one or two. Even if possible, the spiritual energy cost would definitely be no joke.'
Tian Shen opened his attribute panel instinctively. Seeing the meager ninety points of aura remaining, he sighed in frustration.
'How do I even increase this... stuff?'
Putting aside his daydreams, Tian Shen refocused on the formation imprints before him.
He was now a 1-star Formation Master. Though that didn't sound like much, he had already gained practical insights from the experience that had automatically integrated into his mind.
He was now a competent basic formation expert—able to arrange any 1-star Formation with ease.
Like someone who had studied formations for decades.
But...
As he looked at the formation on the wall before him, he couldn't help but be a little overwhelmed.
This wasn't some beginner's formation—it was at least a 3-star formation!
Even if he leveled up once more, he wouldn't be able to crack it.
"What a headache..."
Tian Shen scratched his head helplessly and sighed. For now, he gave up on the idea of entering the true Beast Taming Hall, instead shifting his focus to the surrounding bookshelves.
Time passed quietly.
Tian Shen still lacked deep knowledge about this world.
But these books were like an open gateway—a path to deeper understanding.
He eagerly absorbed the knowledge and common sense within them like a sponge.
"Tian Shen, what are you doing?"
A familiar, sweet voice startled him from his reading.
Turning around, he was surprised to see Feng Yin standing behind him.
"You? How did you get in here?"
Wasn't this the Beast Taming Hall?
Feng Yan had explicitly told him that Feng Yin wasn't supposed to know about this place.
"This is my home—why wouldn't I be here?"
Feng Yin gave Tian Shen a playful glare and walked over with light steps. She leaned forward and glanced at the book in his hand—
"The Glorious Travels of Yu Zheng"
A tale chronicling the adventures of a man named Yu Zheng as he journeyed across the continent.
"Pfft—!"
Seeing the title, Feng Yin burst into laughter.
Her eyes curved into beautiful crescents, overflowing with charm.
"That guy Yu Zheng? He's a total fraud! Half the stuff in that book is made up. He never even visited most of the places he claimed to have. He just collected stories from taverns, added some flair, and passed them off as his own!"
"Huh? It's fake?"
Tian Shen was stunned.
He had found the book surprisingly detailed and well-written, thinking the author must've been a veteran cultivator with vast experience.
Turns out… it was all secondhand stories?
"Eighty percent of it is nonsense!" Feng Yin said confidently. "Yu Zheng was only at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm—no way he survived in the kinds of places he wrote about. When his cultivation stagnated, he just wandered around cities and spun his adventures into fiction."
She added, amused.
"Still… I have to admit, he's a great storyteller. When I first read it, I was completely hooked. I wanted to be a traveler like him too!"
"Haha."
Tian Shen chuckled, then glanced at her curiously.
"Did you read all these when you were a kid?"
"Of course!"
Feng Yin beamed with pride.
"This was originally just a dusty storage room. I discovered it by accident, then cleaned and organized it all myself. Impressive, right?"
She puffed up proudly.
Before Tian Shen could answer, Feng Yin leaned in, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. Her eyes darted to the hallway beyond.
"What did Father tell you earlier? What's this big secret of the Beast Taming Sect?"
Tian Shen's expression turned a little strange. He couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Hmm… not bad."
"Ugh! You're teasing me again, aren't you?"
Feng Yin pouted and narrowed her eyes at him. Her delicate, charming face took on a playful glint as her pink lips curled.
Tian Shen's throat suddenly felt dry.
Those lips…
"W-what are you doing?"
Feng Yin's face turned red as she noticed Tian Shen's intense gaze. She looked flustered, the warmth in her cheeks making her skin seem to glow.
"Hmph! You're the worst!"
Flustered, she spun around and ran out of the room. From down the hall, her voice rang out.
"Don't just stand there staring! Father said it's time to eat!!"
"Huh..."
After Feng Yin left, Tian Shen let out a breath and returned to normal.
Sure, Feng Yin was undeniably a beauty.
But he wasn't the type to let lust cloud his judgment. He wasn't about to turn into a mindless fool just from a few teasing looks.
Or maybe not?
Well, who cares? She will be his to the taking soon enough.
He'd just needed a way to dodge her question, so he'd used a little misdirection to get her to leave on her own.
"Old man Feng is quite the schemer. He deliberately let her find this place on her own… and now she's been obsessing over a secret that was never hidden from her to begin with."
Shaking his head, Tian Shen walked toward the exit.
Time for food!
He was still just a Qi Refining cultivator. He didn't have the skill of abstaining from food through cultivation alone.
That was something only extremely powerful cultivators could do.
...
Leaving the outer hall of the Beast Taming Hall, Tian Shen saw Feng Yin standing not far away, waiting for him.
He smiled softly and took the initiative to approach her.
Amid her bashful shyness, Tian Shen gently reached out and took her small hand, leading her forward.
At first, Feng Yin appeared flustered and embarrassed.
But in the end, she couldn't bring herself to pull away.
She simply let him hold her delicate hand, her blushing face lowered, quietly following him without a word.
After a short while, Tian Shen paused and looked at Feng Yin—who resembled an ostrich hiding from the world, ears metaphorically covered, pretending to be invisible.
He couldn't help but tease.
"Feng Yin, there's a saying that beauty is tempting... and I must admit, your looks do stir my appetite a bit. But, I think your father might already be waiting for us. If we take too long and he comes looking... what if he sees us like this?"
"Nonsense!"
Feng Yin's expression changed instantly, like a frightened little kitten.