Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

The days passed and finally Liam had advanced in cultivation, reaching 1-Star of the fourth realm!

He had advanced the night before, four nights away from his group's departure date for the promotion test at the Ironham Runemasters Association. Not surprisingly, his breakthrough came after a cultivation session with Isa, their fifth cultivation session since the first time.

They were both busy individuals, with various responsibilities in sect missions, orders from their masters, professions, and other matters. Isa in particular didn't take advantage of cultivating with Liam to strengthen herself. For her, the experience was more pleasurable than beneficial, which forced her to continue with her normal meditations.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

But she was stronger because of her cultivation with Liam, having already reached the peak of her level, a breakthrough she hadn't previously expected without a few months of meditation.

Anyway, after making progress the night before, he managed to cultivate with some of his other partners, before resting until this morning.

At the joint breakfast at his residence this morning, something most of them always attended, he announced his progress to his companions before leaving the house.

Following alongside Toby, Felicity, and Nance—the two women who had last joined them in City Two and were under his command at the Law Enforcement Hall—they went to the City One Beasts Hall.

Electa and Jane were scheduled to carry out activities in City Seven that morning, while the rest of the group under Liam's command at the Law Enforcement Hall was distributed according to the current activities under his supervision.

The only ones free at his disposal were precisely the three next to him that morning, the two women with their black clothes and masks that completely concealed their identity, and only Liam and Toby with their faces showing.

Arriving in City One, Toby broke the momentary silence from the time they left City Two. "Chief, I've already booked my promotion exam. I'll take the first stage when we return from your challenge in Ironham and if all goes well, a few days later, I'll leave my position."

"Oh? Then I wish you good luck." Liam didn't see any problems, having already learned a lot from the man. He was also interested in Toby leaving his side before his escape from Demon Gate.

Liam asked the man a few questions about what things would be like after Toby's promotion, and the man told him how the sect would appoint a new First Officer to his position. It wouldn't be someone as strong as he was an experienced and strong First Officer for his position. But Toby said that Liam wouldn't need someone like him and would do well commanding newcomers.

Liam wasn't worried about having a less competent subordinate than Toby. He actually appreciated Toby's words, adding some of the information from this conversation to talk to his wives later and update his escape plans a little.

So they arrived inside the Beasts Hall, a coliseum even larger than the one in City Thirteen, but with a similar enough construction for Liam to easily locate it. Even so, Toby guided him towards the area where prized disciples could claim the beasts they were entitled to.

This was a wing at the top of the coliseum, where one would have to speak directly to one of the hall's administrators to get final approval for access to their rightful beast.

After speaking to a secretary on the highest floor of the building, Liam heard his name called by a beautiful woman, directing him to enter the office of the Elder in charge of the coliseum alone.

"Division Chief Liam Porter..." A woman sitting in a large armchair, her back turned to the view inside the coliseum, said as she read Liam's name on a document above him. "I was expecting you to take a few more months, maybe a whole year. I see now that I underestimated your talent."

She took her eyes off the outdated document, looking at the good-looking, tall and strong young man dressed in the flashy red suits that every Division Chief loved to wear.

"The Elder flatters me. I've merely used the opportunities the sect has given me," Liam said respectfully, complying with the norm with no intention of prolonging this conversation unnecessarily.

The Elder wasn't there to probe Liam further either and after a good look at the newly promoted Spirit Sky cultivator; she threw three medallions in his direction, each with a unique symbol on it. "Choose the beast you're going to take today. Or do you plan to take all of them?"

Your journey continues on empire

"I'll only take one, Elder. I choose Starlight Mammoth." Liam said, taking the medallion that bore the symbol of this valuable beast, before throwing the other two back to the Elder. Until he decided to take his other two beasts, he couldn't keep these lockets.

The Elder looked curiously at Liam. Of the three beasts he was entitled to, each had some kind of characteristic that stood out from the others. One had a very strong defense, another had very advanced mental power, and another had very powerful speed. His choice of defense over speed and mental power caught the Elder's attention.

"Very well. You can give your medallion to the person in charge of the cages. He will guide you to the place where your beast awaits you." She put her medallions back, not questioning Liam's motivation.

Meanwhile, Liam thanked her with a gesture of greeting, but internally, he could only think of Starlight Mammoth.

This was a breed of animal with extreme physical capabilities, the key factor being its defense, the most important thing for Liam today.

'If one day I'm surrounded by cult hunters, having the defensive powers of a Starlight Mammoth could end up saving my life!' He thought on his way back to his group, with whom he was soon descending the coliseum stairs to the underground level of the building.

Toby and the women with him saw the symbol on the medallion Liam had placed around his chest and understood the beast he had chosen.

Starlight Mammoth was a prehistoric creature of great fame, characterized by its silvery coat and long, shimmering fangs, capable of glowing in the dark.

They lived in realms where magic and nature coexisted without the interference of cultivators, in the domains separating the territory of the legendary dragons and the human domains. They were supposed to be the protectors of the secrets of star magic, but also of elements that were difficult to master.

The powers of the Starlight Mammoths could vary with each member of the race. Some would simply have absurd physical strength and endurance, but others would have some other more prominent special abilities. Overall, however, they had a range of common characteristics, and some variable special powers, such as starlight manipulation, night invisibility, star shield, and indestructible tusks.

The common characteristics were great strength, capable of lifting tens of tons, even at low level; raw power, capable of trampling enemy defenses and destroying opponents several levels stronger; absolute defense, capable of withstanding, according to the books, attacks from beings up to an entire realm stronger than them.

But there were disadvantages too. The ability of these creatures to move was very restricted and one would naturally become slower when receiving the physical bonuses that would come from a Spirit of such origin.

They didn't question Liam, aware that each Spirit Master knew what was best for them. But Liam's wives, in particular, looked at him and thought about the deeper meaning of his choice, obviously directed towards the escape they would soon make.

Liam could already fly, because of the Silver Winged Leopard. He had a Spirit focused on cultivation, responsible for his immense speed of progress. As well as a fighting Spirit with mixed abilities of close combat, mental confusion, and speed. Now he was about to get a being of great defensive ability and formidable strength.

They also needed to think carefully about their next Spirits!

For a long time, their goal had been to get their third Spirit. But they'd only had three Spirits for a short time and it was time to think about the next step, something they hadn't prepared for before.

This was less so for Felicity, who hadn't experienced the opportunities of advancing so quickly under Liam's influence, and more so for Nance, who was very close to reaching the fourth realm, too.

So they arrived at Starlight Mammoth's cage in the Beasts Hall, where a large 10-meter-tall beast was trapped in the largest cage in the underground part of this immense coliseum.

The person in charge of the cells was already at their side when he stopped in front of the cell's entrance door and said to Liam, "Are you ready, Division Chief Porter? I don't want to scare you, but this big guy behind me is a 2-Star Spirit Sky beast, and will generate a Sage-grade, Low-level, almost Middle-level one. Maintaining it without having at least a 4-Star Spirit Sky Realm cultivation is going to be very difficult."

The Elder in front of Liam couldn't sense the young man's cultivation because of his Division Chief uniform, but he could see the record of the boy invoking his right there today. Liam definitely wasn't ready—That was this Elder's opinion!

"We'll help you get the beast's Spirit, but don't forget that you'll be alone with it and your other Spirits once it enters your body. If you can't master it, or your soul can't withstand its power, don't blame us for what might happen!"

Liam nodded in confirmation that he was aware of what could happen to him. "Don't worry, Elder. I take full responsibility for this decision. You can go ahead."

The Elder sighed, opening the cage and letting Liam make his way to where the Starlight Mammoth weakened by the formations in the area was available for him to initiate the Spirit Pact!