Dual Cultivation: Beasts and Women!

The façade of the structure was adorned with 80 arches, their overlapping curves creating a mesmerizing pattern. Crafted from a warm, light brown stone, it exuded an air of timeless elegance. Atop this circular marvel, statues of mythical creatures stood proudly.

Surrounded by golden and silver fences, the place was guarded by at least two dozen Officers, with a few outer disciples coming and going from the area.

Despite the stunning vista and the evident sturdiness of the surroundings, the Beasts Hall's efforts fell short in containing the pungent odor of manure within the coliseum.

'The Beasts Hall was the designated area where the sect's beasts were both created and taken care of. Safely concealed within the towering walls of the coliseum, which reached an impressive height of 70 meters, resided a vast array of over two hundred creatures.

The primary functions of the magical creatures in the Beasts Hall are twofold. First, they are used for training, assisting novice individuals on the Path of Spirit Masters in confronting and understanding the abilities of various beasts. However, in exceptional circumstances, these creatures may also be awarded as prizes to deserving disciples.'

Liam's eyes narrowed as he walked back towards his destination, through the fenced area and towards the main entrance of the coliseum.

'Some beasts in the coliseum are said to be of Ancestral-grade, Advanced-level.' He wondered how interesting it would be to gain a Spirit of that quality.

What did it mean to be an Ancestral-grade, Advanced-level Spirit? Several things. The higher the level of a Spirit's quality, the faster its growth rate, the better its absorption of Arcane Crystals, and the more solid its strength.

As Liam already knew, not every creature of the same level had the same strength. Even leaving aside the advantage that certain types of creatures might have over others because of the nature of their natural abilities—offensive, mental, defensive, movement, support, and so on—creatures of the same level could have very different strengths.

Talent and magical quality helped to differentiate this.

However, as previously mentioned, there were generally no significant variations within the same level for most creatures. Only a few managed to surpass this fact, be it among the Spirit Masters or between magical creatures and Spirits.

But there were methods to counteract one's talent and be one of those exceptions. Among these methods, having good Spirits was an interesting alternative.

'I'm unsure about the amount of crystals Thal'Korr requires. Therefore, I must find the most optimal Spirit to accompany me as I progress to the third realm!'

Liam followed the signs around the entrance to the coliseum, which led to several areas. The options included the cage wing, the garbage wing, the food wing, the administration, the grandstand, and the fighting platform.

Liam went straight to the administration wing. There, he came across a 40-square-meter room with several gadgets useful for disciples to track their time in the area.

Besides these artifacts, which Liam was sure worked because of runes, there was also a reception counter.

"I'm here to inquire about my role as assigned by the Hall Lord," he said as he handed his badge to the Officer on the other side of the counter.

The man dressed all in black took Liam's ID and immediately saw what this boy was supposed to do. "Your 5 hours a week at the coliseum will be in the cage wing. When you are ready to complete this task, report to your assigned wing. The work will be done in one go, so be prepared to spend your assigned five hours here."

Liam comprehended the situation, retrieved his badge, and promptly departed from the administrative area, which encompassed a corridor and multiple separate rooms.

'So, I need to finish my role all at once... I believe it's best to do it today. I anticipate that my remaining five hours in the Battle Hall will be similar. That way, I can finish my weekly duties by tomorrow and have a whole five days to train and improve my strength.'

In addition to it, he had the task of collecting Arcane Crystals. There were magical beasts living freely in the fjord and on the peaks surrounding this magnificent headquarters.

Any disciple in Liam's position could leave the cities in the area and go hunting for such crystals in the surrounding forests. They had an area of over 300 square kilometers to roam freely, which was within the acceptable limits for outer disciples.

Was there any kind of guarded border in the sect? Yes, and no.

There were guards to prevent enemies from infiltrating the sect. But these men were not positioned to stop disciples from escaping.

What would stop outer disciples from escaping were the monsters native to the jungle that surrounded the headquarters. This place was in the heart of a powerful monster-dominated area, where even creatures of the fifth realm could be found!

Leaving the safe area where outer disciples could go was more dangerous than defying one's superiors in one of the sect's 13 cities!

Liam had learned this from his readings about the sect, so he didn't plan to flee the Demon Gate like that.

With a month ahead to fulfill the mission of gathering Arcane Crystals, his plan was to devote the initial 20 days to strengthen himself in City Thirteen. Only then would he dare to embark on his journey beyond the city limits.

According to him, the outskirts of the cities posed the greatest danger. Not only were there magical creatures, but there were also unattended disciples. Any conflicts between disciples would be more discreetly concealed in the rural areas!

Liam headed straight for the cages, passing through several corridors from which he could see parts of the city, but very little of the coliseum itself.

After about 11 minutes of walking, following the internal signs at the end of each corridor, he reached an underground area lit by torches.

Liam frowned as he noticed the absence of magic lamps and the presence of torches in the area.

With each step, the metallic sounds of the grates merged into a dissonant symphony, echoing through the corridor. As he continued forward, his eyes caught sight of the stone floor abruptly disappearing. Leaning closer, he observed the earthy expanse stretching ahead, just beyond the corridor's end.

After using his mana to enhance his vision, Liam noticed the corridor he was traversing came to an abrupt end just a short distance ahead. To his dismay, there were no additional torches illuminating the path forward.

'What's wrong with this place?'

He took the next step as his two Spirits opened their eyes in the boy's soul space.

Liam glanced upward, a sense of unease washing over him. 'Wasn't this place much larger than it was supposed to be?' His gaze couldn't reach the ceiling as towering black bars encased it, creating an expansive labyrinth of cages.

The air was chilly, while there was a feeling of tension, as if something was about to happen.

Liam narrowed his eyes as he tried to see what was inside these cells, but strangely, all he saw was darkness.

However, the boy couldn't ignore the undeniable truth conveyed by the sound that reached his ears. The underground location was filled with an abundance of creatures, their body parts colliding with the metal bars, producing a cacophony of distinct sounds.

Liam proceeded further, as he had noticed on the previous sign that the office of the Lord of the Cages was situated at the end of this path.

But in the middle of his maze-like path, a creature the size of a house suddenly jumped out of the darkness and appeared at the edge of its cage.

Liam stood at the very edge of the winding path, his gaze fixed on the looming corner ahead. Suddenly, a creature materialized before him, its presence jolting him with a shock. His eyes grew wide as he stumbled backward, the ground seemingly giving way beneath him.

His mouth dropped open in astonishment as the creature came into view. It resembled a fox, but with an eerie twist—three piercing eyes, vibrant orange fur, and fiery horns adorning its head. The creature's gaze locked onto him, its eyes filled with a ravenous hunger.

One of the creature's paws slipped through the gaps in the cage and, for a moment, Liam thought he was going to die.

He felt time slipping away, as if it had slowed to a crawl. He instinctively raised his arms to shield his body, his eyes darting away in terror.

In that moment, he caught sight of a dozen monstrous beings, their grotesque appearance sending shivers down his spine. Their eyes glimmered with a murderous glint.

His heart raced, thumping in his chest, while his clothes clung to his skin, drenched in a sheen of sweat.