Chapter 19
For his second animal companion, Qi Ping had originally hoped for one with high offensive and defensive capabilities—something that could hold its own in direct combat.
Creatures like the Armored Savage Bear or the Crimsonflame Tiger would have been ideal. Their frontline combat prowess would perfectly compensate for Qi Ping’s own lack of strength, and when paired with his Golden Marrow Bees, they could unleash devastating lethality.
For example, the Armored Savage Bear could engage the enemy head-on, while the Golden Marrow Bees exploited their speed to deliver venomous strikes.
If Qi Ping were even luckier and managed to share the bear or tiger’s physical or defensive talents—combined with the Wooden Shield Technique—his defensive and survival abilities would skyrocket.
However, such spirit beasts had one fatal flaw for Qi Ping: they were simply too large! And without a spirit beast pouch, keeping one by his side would be far too conspicuous.
It would be like broadcasting to every opportunistic rogue cultivator: “I’ve got something valuable here!”
Even if bandits didn’t target him outright, in a real fight, such a massive beast would easily draw focused attacks—possibly even inviting stronger enemies.
So, until he acquired a spirit beast pouch, Qi Ping had no intention of considering this type of companion—unless he stumbled upon an exceptionally suitable one.
As a compromise, he now sought a spirit beast that was easy to conceal yet still capable of holding its own in combat.