Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

Robert looked very good with his 4-Star Spirit Earth cultivation, which Liam could sense wasn't far from reaching 5-Star. Getting the Silver-Winged Leopard's Spirit would definitely close the small gap that was missing for this man's soul to advance in level.

After a few causal comments in which he answered about his serial adventures and barely had time to breathe, Liam saw the man become a little more serious after hearing about Electa and Mary joining the faction in his absence.

"That's why I called you here today," Robert said in a more restrained tone, his breathing inaudible and his words paused. "As I told you before, your primary service in gaining the support of Leopards would be to join the hunt for the Silver-Winged Leopard.

When we spoke last time, I thought it would be at least a year before we would have to hunt for it. The beast's hibernation period is long and contrasts with the seasons. It had just fed and gone into hibernation just before you joined the sect, so I thought we'd have some time before the hunt.

However, competitors in City Thirteen and even in other cities have also found out about the beast. Some of them are the enemies you've been dealing with, and your recent actions have spurred them on to speed up their plans.

Now, they're already working to force the Silver-Winged Leopard to end its seclusion prematurely, which will naturally lead to a factional war outside the city."

When Robert paused, Liam didn't know if he should say anything. Maybe he should say he was sorry for causing the problems that led to the acceleration of the awakening of such a powerful beast?

Smoking a cigar, Robert said, "I'm not here to blame you or shift the responsibility. Even if you hadn't been involved, the hunt for the Silver-Winged Leopard would have started early and been incredibly hectic.

It is highly sought after by Spirit Masters—some desire it as their third Spirit, while others simply want to eliminate it to prevent people like me from exploiting its powers. Additionally, the leopard's body and Arcane Crystal hold great value, capable of making a faction wealthy overnight.

The purpose of our meeting this afternoon is to discuss your role in the upcoming hunt."

"I see." Liam finally opened his mouth, willing to do what he could to help this man get the Silver-Winged Leopard.

Even if Robert had helped him out of self-interest, it didn't change the fact that the Guardian Sphere had saved him twice and was now protecting Mary. That alone was enough to make Liam feel indebted to the man.

"What do I have to do?" the boy, dressed in a blue cloak and beige trousers, asked.

The man puffing on his cigar took his time and said, "Nothing for now. Just get ready for my signal." Robert tossed Liam a small pendant. "When it vibrates, it's time to move. Go ahead and get permission to leave town. When the time comes, there won't be time for bureaucratic procedures."

"All right. I'll do it urgently."

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"Your task will be to assist in the hunt for the Silver-Winged Leopard. Originally, I thought I could use your strength in a year, by which time you should have matured as a sect member and Spirit Master. But you were as fast as our enemies, and fortunately, you seem to be ready now." Robert smiled as he touched on this point.

"Then prepare for a chaotic battle outside the city in a month at the most.

Take the time to prepare your two friends. The girl Mary, leave her in the city, but Electa can join us if you want."

"All right, I'll plan it with them."

Robert inhaled the smoke from his cigar, and as the smoke poured out of his nose, he said, "As for the Abyss Matriarchs and the Crimson Rebels, don't think too much about them. They'll try to act against you when we hunt the Silver-Winged Leopard. You just have to watch out for Emerald Owls."

Liam shook his head. He already knew that. "Tomorrow I'll go to the Arena and see what they plan to do against me after everything that's happened. Fortunately, their leader is injured, so maybe I'll have another week before there's any trouble with him."

"We will be ready to support you. I've already assigned two new men to help you in emergencies. But you should be able to handle the problems along the way." Robert smiled, aware that Liam was no longer a second realm cultivator.

But not wanting to scare the boy, he said nothing about what his superior had told him before Liam entered the office.

Liam was not surprised by Robert's smiling comment and agreed that he was better able to deal with his problems.

As he talked to Robert, he could feel the Mana Mask stabilizing at a higher level. However, he didn't show his satisfaction with his progress to the second phase of the technique. He still wanted to see it in action with the summoning of one of his Spirits.

'I will meet Electa later and see where it takes me.'

"... That's all I wanted to talk to you about today, Liam." Robert got up and escorted Liam out of his office. "I hope to see you in action out of town soon."

"Unfortunately, we have nowhere to run... Anyway, see you later. I'll be ready for your call."

As Liam left, Robert heard footsteps behind him and looked at the general leader of Leopards, the faction leader in the inner wing of the sect.

"This boy is more talented than I first thought," said the purple-eyed Officer, who wasn't wearing his mask at the moment.

While Leopards were a large faction in City Thirteen, they were a smaller faction in the sect's inner wing, with only a dozen Officers in their group.

But the leader of the group, a 1-Star Spirit Sky Spirit Master, a man on the verge of becoming a First Officer, saw potential in Liam.

"He managed to hide his cultivation from me in the middle of your conversation," the man with the pale face and inaudible breathing said, with an interested look in the direction Liam had left.

Robert frowned as he looked at the old-looking man standing in the middle of his office. "Is this serious, Officer?"

"It looks like he's advanced the mastery of his level concealment technique. Mana Mask, that's his technique.

From now on, he will hide the level of one of his Spirits from opponents whose strength is close to that of the strongest outer disciples in the city. As for his actual cultivation, only someone stronger than me could notice him now."

Robert was shocked. He knew Mana Mask, after all, he also had a technique to hide his cultivation, and he had read the Mana Mask book before choosing his own technique. But this man didn't know anyone who could hide their cultivation from people of an entire cultivation realm stronger than them!

"How is that possible?"

"He must have his own secrets." The man's eyes narrowed while his lips formed an arch. "Reaching such a level so quickly is extraordinary. He must have experienced something surreal."

"What should we do? Perhaps it would be better for the growth of the faction to take him to the inner wing, Officer."

The purple-eyed man disagreed. "No, not yet. He can help you with the hunt for your third Spirit and show me more of what he's capable of.

We'll wait until the Silver-Winged Leopard hunt. Then I'll decide whether to take him to City Four or leave him here for a while longer."

Robert sighed, but since Liam seemed genuinely interested in contributing to the faction, he wasn't worried that the young man's accelerated growth would hinder them.

"He's a Runemaster... If he reaches Third Class, he could be the change we hoped for with my promotion to the inner wing." Robert sat with a smile on his face, thinking about the future.

The Officer agreed. "We will certainly be able to do a lot more and my promotion to First Officer will be closer. Keep an eye on him and don't let him die. I'm off on another foreign mission, but I should be back in the sect before the leopard hunt."

"I'll do my best."

Before leaving, the man looked back at Robert and left a warning to the man. "Watch the movements of the Peak Thirteen Officers. The Guardian may be keeping an eye on Liam, just as we are. Most of the Officers aren't capable of feeling what I can, considering how well the boy controls the Mana Mask. But someone else might have already noticed his advance."

"I'll keep an eye out, Officer."