Beast Tamer Ascension
Book 5: Chapter 37: Reproduction is the Primary Productive Force

Vol 5 Chapter 37: Reproduction is the Primary Productive Force

"Hybrid Spirit Creature Technology???"

The crowd erupted in murmurs, finding the name of this secret technique rather peculiar. What nonsense was this?

"Sect Master, instead of researching how to get us out of the Origin Realm, you're playing with this 'Hybrid Spirit Creature Technology'... Can't you focus on something more important?" complained one of the spirit creatures.

Lin Jing chuckled and said, "You'll understand once you see this."

With a wave of his hand, the Wood-attribute Pine Leaf Mouse appeared before the group of spirit creatures. Narrowing their eyes, they examined the summoned creature before them.

"Everyone," Lin Jing continued, "Do you know what an animal's most fundamental instinct is?"

"Reproduction!"

"Whether they're demonic beasts or humans, reproducing offspring to continue their species and pass on their bloodline is an absolute instinct. Demonic beasts and humans can pass down their bloodlines and power generation after generation, combining the efforts of multiple generations to accomplish something."

"But most natural spirit creatures like us lack this instinct. We're not particularly enthusiastic about reproduction..."

"Of course, this doesn't mean we can't reproduce. Using our power to enlighten similar objects around us or on our bodies, granting them independent intelligence - this is how we view reproduction. But in reality, it's not true reproduction."

"I believe most of you here don't cultivate the spirit creatures you've enlightened as successors, but merely treat them as subordinates."

"Because you know the offspring you enlighten will never surpass you in talent, potential, or future achievements. You have no expectations for them - what you can't accomplish, they certainly can't either. Continuing like this only leads to each generation becoming weaker than the last."

"This is the difference between animals and spirit creatures. When animals reproduce, even if the parents are ordinary, there's a chance for bloodline mutations. Two ordinary humans might give birth to an immortal physique, two common demonic beasts might produce offspring with kingly potential - this is one reason animals are so enthusiastic about reproduction."

"Although the Heavenly Dao didn't grant us spirit creatures this ability, in exchange, we received much longer lifespans than ordinary animals. What takes animals multiple generations to accomplish, we can achieve within our own lifespan."

"But what if I told you I have a method to allow natural spirit creatures to produce offspring with talents and potential several times superior to our own? In such cases, would you be willing to nurture them? To entrust your ambitions and will to the next generation?"

"Consider this - currently in the Origin Realm, spirit creatures stand equal to demonic beasts and humans. But that's only because you all are the first generation of spirit creatures born from the Origin Realm, the most talented. You have the strength to contend with outsiders and outlast generation after generation of human prodigies. But no matter how long your lifespans, they're not infinite. Future generations of spirit creatures born in the Origin Realm will only grow weaker."

"Meanwhile, humans and demonic beasts maintain relatively stable inheritance through reproduction. In tens of thousands of years when you've turned to dust, even if the new talents entering the realm are only at the same level as current ones, the Origin Realm will present a completely different picture. Spirit creatures will become mere materials for their pill refining and artifact forging. Competing for Origin Sources? Don't make me laugh."

"You're saying you can help us produce offspring with better talents than ourselves? Impossible!!" Even the Nethersoil Saintess voiced her doubts now, finding this increasingly hard to believe.

The spirit creatures present had all existed since ancient times, born from the mountains and rivers of the Origin Realm gaining intelligence after billions of years of nurturing. Those conditions were nearly impossible to replicate - their enlightened descendants could never surpass themselves who had undergone eons of tempering.

"That's why I mentioned needing hybridization technology!" Lin Jing said seriously.

"Just like when demonic beasts take human form and produce half-demons with humans - these hybrids inherit talents from both sides, possessing greater potential."

"Through our own enlightenment and asexual reproduction, we indeed can't produce superior offspring because everything comes solely from ourselves with no external influence to drive bloodline evolution."

"But what if different types of spirit creatures could reproduce? If a mountain god could produce offspring with shared bloodlines from a lake spirit??"

"That's even more impossible," the spirit creatures retorted. Were they being taken for fools? The theory sounded nice, but how could it be done?

"Just watch."

Lin Jing took out a red stone. "Do you know what this is?"

"Flamegold - decent spiritual properties. If tempered in spiritual flames for a thousand years, it could develop intelligence. If enlightened with immortal fire, it could immediately gain sentience and become a metal spirit creature!" the mountain god immediately identified.

Lin Jing nodded, then produced a purple-gold stone.

"Purplegold Stone! That's from my cave - when did you take it?" the Lodestone Dragon exclaimed in surprise.

Purplegold Stones formed under constant baptism of Violet Heaven Divine Lightning, containing thunder properties. The Lodestone Dragon itself was a supreme-grade Purplegold Stone that had gained intelligence. Its method of reproduction was simply using its immortal thunder power to enlighten other Purplegold Stones.

"Pine Leaf Mouse." At Lin Jing's call, the mouse jumped onto his shoulder, its eyes radiating emerald green light like glazed immortal radiance.

"Could it be..." Feng Ning, who had been observing quietly, focused intently.

As the Pine Leaf Mouse gazed at the two stones Lin Jing had placed together, something miraculous happened. Under the glow from its eyes, the two spiritual stones bizarrely merged into one - a new stone interwoven with red and purple, fire and lightning!

This scene made the spirit creatures pause in astonishment.

This was one of the new evolutions of the mouse's Glazed Immortal Eye ability after Lin Jing enhanced it with immortal energy - it could now synthesize two different resources into a brand new item.

[Blazestone: Contains powerful thunder and flame energy. When detonated, its power is limitless. After absorbing heaven and earth's spiritual energy for a hundred years, it can develop intelligence and become a living creature.]

"Everyone, I'm sure you can see the energy contained in this Blazestone far surpasses what the Flamegold and Purplegold Stone could achieve separately. They've perfectly merged without damaging the materials' inherent spirituality like refining artifacts or pills would, still retaining the potential to develop intelligence."

"Isn't this perfectly merging two types of spirit creatures?" Lin Jing chuckled. "Do you still think producing more talented offspring is just a pipe dream?"

"Imagine taking a supreme-grade mountain vein from Vice Sect Master Mountain God and a handful of supreme-grade nethersoil from Vice Sect Master Nethersoil, merging them to produce offspring - how powerful would that be..."

Lin Jing himself was already excited, having decided to hybridize a supreme-grade spirit creature for himself. He was certain these spirit creatures before him would be equally tempted.

Sure enough, every spirit creature present now had eyes glowing red and green, staring hungrily at the Pine Leaf Mouse behind Lin Jing. What kind of immortal technique was this?!