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The choice is made. You grit your teeth, mentally spur your Horse while supplying the last of your energy with your <span class="mu-s">Hawk's Alacrity</span> burst-of speed kind of skill.
Each step of the gallop resonate in your chest, flaring your pain. It's good you trained <span class="mu-s">Mental Resistance</span> with Dhundan : this amount of pressure, of overtaking pain... You can handle.
The pain is present. You acknowledge it as the signal of something going wrong, to take care, but it doesn't cripple you.
The Bejewelled Burning Hammerhoof Horse doesn't notice you until it's too late, and you slam the bead on the Spiritual Beast's flank.
You release your will on your astral self and your consciousness is pulled back to your body.
The various energy-rich horsehair in your left hand; the scroll on your lap, and the bead in your right hand : this was a bountiful harvest.
Still, one which had a cost on your health. Yeah, better have someone check you out. But that can wait, right?
You beeline to Ryota's room. He's working on paperwork.
"Sect Master. I have a request.
I found a Horse Spirit. I'd like to trade it. I also have a few materials. I can give three, but I might need one or two in exchange.
- <span class="mu-s">You know a cultivator isn't expected to stumble upon Spiritual Beasts like on pebbles, right?</span>"
Ryota is half amused, half unbelieving of your luck.
"<span class="mu-s">I'll show you the sect's coffers. What do you need?</span>
- Horse Spirit."
Better leave the exact details blurry. You're not sure you want to share the secret of Spirit Fusion.
It is to be expected, but the coffer are not as stocked as you would have liked. One spirit, however, match your need.
>Traded Bejewelled Burning Hammerhoof Horse for <span class="mu-s">Silver Shield Horse</span>
You can't help but think those are the sect benefits. In raw value, you lost a bit in the trade. But the opportunity and usefulness outmatch the cost.
Repeat for the few hundred of kids in the branch (although you're an extremely... productive... one), and benefits are raking in.
It's also easier to accomplish your goals. Better take advantage of those benefits while you still can.
In exchange for the excess Horse Hair, Ryota got you some Shield Instinct Lotus Seeds.
On one hand, you might aim for a better spirit, more aligned to your strength and needs.
On the other, you want to dismiss the awfull feeling of being on a race against time itself. You conduct the ritual immediately in your Immortal Cave.
You draw the familiar formation...
Wait. It's notably different than the Spirit Fusion Formation. You're not good at formations; thus why you never noticed the change.
The cogs of your mind spin. The Primordial Wolf knows of it, maybe told by a fused wolf spirit after its cultivator death?
He imparted the knowledge in your mind through his Scion? Makes sense; explain how Ryota didn't figured it out immediately.
Still, this time the ritual goes without a itch. Good.