Chapter 149 - 147: Spirit Crane on a Journey_l
“Similarly, Spirit Cranes under these life-threatening conditions, will not continue to mate and raise offspring.’1
“After all, they are not ordinary beasts, they have high spiritual intelligence, so although they cannot free themselves from restraint, they still have a certain degree of autonomy.”
Lu Xuan looked at Xu Yi and spoke slowly.
“Then according to Junior Brother Lu, how should we solve this problem?”
“It’s simple, reduce the stress on the Spirit Cranes, improve their living conditions, provide them more room for promotion, and give more care to the female cranes during breeding season.”
“Naturally, they would be willing to reproduce.”
When Xu Yi heard these words, he fell into deep thought for a moment.
“Improving their living conditions is the simplest solution, usually we need to find more disciples, try to feed them more spirit clams, spirit snails, and spirit fish etc., and we can also expand the area of the water marsh.”
“But I do not quite understand the part about providing the Spirit Cranes a space for promotion that Junior Brother Lu mentioned.”
“And, reducing the burden on the Spirit Cranes can be a bit difficult, after all the Sect is so vast, and many Outer Sect Disciples need a large number of Spirit Cranes for communication and transportation.”
Xu Yi said.
Without hesitation, Lu Xuan responded.
“The Spirit Cranes are tools, but they are not ordinary tools, for the most diligent Spirit Cranes, the senior brothers can give them things similar to Beast Spirit Pills.”
“Let them see that they can improve their strength and break through the restrictions on their own lineage as long as they work hard to earn Spirit Stones.”
“As for how to lighten their load, I do have a suggestion.”
“Brother, have you noticed that in certain areas there is a surplus of Spirit Cranes?”
“The number of cultivators coming and going in those areas is small, there’s no need for so many Spirit Cranes.”
“The senior brothers can conduct a survey to find out how many Spirit Cranes are needed in each location at different times of the day.”
“According to the results of the survey, we can arrange for more Spirit Cranes in popular areas, such as in the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall and the Dan Palace. For secluded areas, we can reduce the number of Spirit Cranes.”
Xu Yi’s eyes lit up:
“Junior Brother Lu’s suggestion is good. According to your method, we can save a lot of unnecessary deployments of Spirit Cranes, allowing them to rest and work at the same time, making them much more relaxed.”
“Brother, you flatter me.”
Lu Xuan humbly smiled and replied.
“If the conditions are right, we can also cooperate with the brothers in the Artifacts Palace and Array Palace.”
“We can create a small communication magic artifact, one for the Spirit Cranes and one for the Outer Sect Disciples, so the Spirit Cranes do not have to wait in one place.”
“When a disciple needs to ride a Spirit Crane, they can contact it through the artifact in advance, and a nearby Spirit Crane can quickly arrive for transportation.”
“We could even set up a formation, with functions like locating, contacting, controlling, etc.”
“After a junior brother submits a request to travel on a Spirit Crane through the artifact, the Spirit Beast Control Hall brothers in charge of the formation can know immediately. Based on the location of the junior brother, they can immediately inform nearby idle Spirit Cranes to proceed.”
“If done correctly, all Spirit Cranes will be in high-speed operation, with the same transportation distance, fewer Spirit Cranes are needed, and the efficiency of transport is higher.”
“Of course, this is just one of my thoughts. As for the formation and refining artifacts, I have no research and do not know the actual difficulty of realizing this.”
Lu Xuan said cheerfully.
“Junior Brother Lu is really creative, coming up with such brilliant ideas.”
“Other conditions are still manageable, but the requirements for the formation are quite high, probably only a Foundation Establishment Uncle Master specialized in formations can do it.”
“However, it’s definitely worth a try, if it can be done, Junior Brother Lu will have made a great contribution!”
Xu Yi marveled, praising Lu Xuan’s ideas.
“Haha, if we manage to create that formation, we can call it ‘Spirit Crane Travels’.”
Lu Xuan said jokingly.
Time passed quickly and ten days later, the sounds of crane cries filled the camp every night.
Nearly half of the forty or so female cranes were pregnant. Upon seeing this phenomenon, Xu Yi visited daily, investigating the remaining female cranes.
The results made him unable to stop smiling. In the meantime, he revealed to Lu Xuan that the formation and artifacts Lu Xuan recommended were in the process of being refined intensively. Soon, there would be earth-shaking changes in the way the Sect’s Spirit Cranes were used for transportation.
On the other hand, after Zhou Zheng Qing changed the methods in his camp, there were no more incidents of Spirit Cranes harming themselves.
This meant that the breeding rate of his two hundred Spirit Cranes didn’t increase much, but he could only accept this result reluctantly.
“Junior Brother Lu, we really owe you this time. The demand for Spirit Cranes at all locations in the Sect has already been counted in the Hall. In a few days, we will reduce their average transportation volume.”
In the camp, Lu Xuan and Xu Yi were walking side by side in the marsh.
“That’s great.”
Lu Xuan looked at the vast number of Spirit Cranes flying freely in the distance and a smile appeared on his lips.
“My mission here is done, it’s time to bid farewell to Senior Brother Xu.”
Xu Yi had already fully understood the methods Lu Xuan used to increase the breeding rate of the Spirit Cranes, and so he didn’t insist on Lu Xuan to stay and agreed.
Lu Xuan returned to his cabin, gathered up his belongings, then walked towards the marsh and land area, planning to call for a Spirit Crane to take him back to his cave dwelling.
“Chi-chi ~!”
Just as Lu Xuan was about to mount a Spirit Crane, a loud and clear call came from afar.
A tall and majestic Spirit Crane with pure white feathers flew over rapidly and landed next to Lu Xuan.
This Spirit Crane was nearly twice as large as an ordinary one, standing nearly ten feet tall, with jade-like white feathers that were three to four feet long when spread out.
“A Third Grade Spiritual Beast Spirit Crane! The bloodline of this Spirit Crane is extraordinary!”
Lu Xuan’s spiritual sense swept across the Spirit Crane and he couldn’t help but exclaim.
Most Spirit Cranes are of first-grade, with a few of exceptional bloodlines reaching second-grade, this was the first time he had seen a third-grade Spirit Crane.
“This is the Crane King — a Third Grade Spirit Beast — that governs all the Spirit Cranes in the marsh.”
Xu Yi, who had some understanding of the Spirit Crane’s consciousness, listened to the call of the tall Spirit Crane, his face changing rapidly.
“The Crane King wishes to personally send you on your way, Junior Brother Lu.”
Xu Yi’s tone was somewhat incredulous, as Lu Xuan — an Outer Sect Disciple at the Ninth Level of Qi Training — was being offered a ride by the Crane King who was equivalent to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment level.
“It seems that I have underestimated the influence of Junior Brother Lu’s methods on the Spirit Crane tribe.”
He said with a bit of envy.
Lu Xuan looked at the Crane King who had already crouched down and clasped his hands in thanks.
“In that case, thank you, Elder Crane.”
After saying this, he leaped onto the back of the Crane King, sat gently, and did not move.
The tall Spirit Crane let out a call, flapped its white wings, and soared into the sky.
“Chi-chi —”
Lu Xuan heard the calls of Spirit Cranes from behind him. He turned his head to look and saw the hundred Spirit Cranes he was taking care of closely trailing behind the Crane King, bidding him farewell in this manner.
Slowly, the number of Spirit Cranes behind him increased. Two hundred, three hundred…eventually, no less than a thousand Spirit Cranes trailed behind Crane King, filling the sky in a spectacular sight.
Lu Xuan waved at them.
“Try to have more baby Spirit Cranes when you’re free. I’ll come see you when I have the time..”