The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 40: Stealing the Spotlight?

No Way! The little Black Bear officially became a global sensation. In particular, adorable photos of the little Black Bear lying on Mu Tian’s back, resting its head on his shoulder, and winking at the camera were widely shared and extensively reported by major media outlets. So cute! That was everyone’s first reaction upon seeing the news. Especially women with a strong maternal instinct—no one could resist the adorable, innocent gaze of the Xiao Hei or his irresistibly funny pose perched on Mu Tian’s back. They were all captivated and became fans. Even many people who aren’t usually fond of pets felt the urge to get one of their own after seeing the photos. “So cute, so adorable—I just want to pet it!” “My heart is melting—I want a cute, smart little bear like that, too.” “After seeing Master Mu’s little bear, I feel like strangling my cat, who spends all day drinking water from the toilet!” “Please, where can I buy a pet bear just like Master Mu’s little bear?” The internet is abuzz—not only are domestic netizens buzzing with discussion, but many people overseas, just like their Chinese counterparts, have been won over by the little Black Bear’s cuteness. Online, comments like the ones above are everywhere, with countless netizens discussing the little Black Bear and swooning over its cuteness. Meanwhile, on online stores, all kinds of Black Bear keychains and backpacks featuring the same design have become the best-selling items, and pet stores have emerged as the biggest beneficiaries. Three years ago, it was virtually impossible for the average person to adopt a Black Bear as a pet. After all, Black Bears are protected animals; adopting one privately was illegal—and unsafe, given that Black Bears are among the most ferocious wild animals. But in this day and age, the Animal Protection Law has been repealed. The reason is simple: animals no longer need protection. If possible, it would be best to ask God to enact a “Human Protection Act.” In this era, humans have lost their status as the Earth’s rulers—or at least are no longer as dominant as they once were. In many regions, it is now the powerful spirit beasts that reign supreme. So animal protection has become a joke. That said, even without animal protection laws, adopting a Black Bear is no easy feat. First, supplies are scarce; second, the risk is far too high. Beasts nourished by the spiritual energy of heaven and earth can suddenly begin to evolve wildly, causing their power to surge dramatically—and if an owner isn’t careful, they could lose their life at the claws of their own pet... Online, discussions about how to adopt a little Black Bear have become a trend, with the topic remaining incredibly popular and dominating the screens. However, it wasn’t long before some highly skilled cultivators revealed that Master Mu’s little Black Bear wasn’t just an ordinary cub—it was a powerful spirit beast. Don’t be fooled by its cute, adorable appearance that charms everyone; inside its round, tiny body lies an incredibly terrifying power. Just one swat from this little guy could likely kill a full-grown police dog. As soon as this post went live, it caused a sensation across the internet. Word spread that the little Black Bear wasn’t just cute—it also possessed terrifying power. Overnight, the little Black Bear gained even more fans. Cute and powerful—it really is the perfect pet. “Xiao Hei, can you really kill a police dog with a single swat?” Yang Chun held a bottle with one hand and handed it to Xiao Hei, then took the bottle back with his other hand as Xiao Hei cradled it in his paw. Since Mu Tian was equipped with a Spirit-Gathering Array, the spiritual energy there was immeasurably more abundant than outside. As a result, Yang Chun set up a room in Mu Tian’s villa to live in, practicing diligently every day. In less than a month, he had crossed the threshold into the realm of cultivators, becoming a cultivator at the first level of the Meridian Condensation Realm. The little Black Bear, holding the brand-new, full bottle, felt deeply satisfied and appeared extremely delighted; he didn’t resist Yang Chun’s embrace as he usually did. The little Black Bear seemed to understand Yang Chun’s words; its jet-black, bright eyes darted about, and it wore an extremely human-like expression of disdain, which left Yang Chun completely dumbfounded. Just then, Mu Tian came downstairs and had witnessed the entire scene. “Yang Chun, you really underestimate Little Black Bear, hahahaha! He’s angry—he thinks you’re looking down on him!” Yang Chun looked completely taken aback. Suddenly, Xiao Hei, the little black bear that had been lying quietly in his hands, was gone. Xiao Hei looked furious, snorting and making strange noises. Yang Chun apologized repeatedly, but Little Black Bear wouldn’t have it; he tugged at Yang Chun and dragged him toward the door. “Aowum!!!” “Roar!!!” Upon reaching the Sanjang Pavilion, the little Black Bear let out a furious roar. Though his voice was still childish, the domineering, awe-inspiring power that shook the heavens was impossible to conceal. As the Xiao Hei roared, the waters of the Three Lakes Region rippled endlessly, as if the region were a basin of water that the Xiao Hei had casually breathed upon, creating endless ripples. Even the two giant pythons—one green, one white—that had been meditating deep beneath the lake were startled by Xiao Hei’s dramatic display. They shot out of the water one after another, their heads held high, looking highly agitated. Seeing the scene and its impact, the little Black Bear was very satisfied and looked at Yang Chun with a smug expression. Yang Chun was speechless. He never would have imagined that such terrifying energy could be contained within the Little Black Bear’s tiny frame; he stared blankly at his master. Mu Tian smiled, picked up the little Black Bear that had been clowning around, and said to Yang Chun, “The little Black Bear is no ordinary spirit beast. According to some accounts, it’s actually a divine beast. Although it’s still in its juvenile stage, the power contained within it is truly terrifying—it cannot be judged by ordinary standards.” As he spoke, Mu Tian recalled the scene of the little Black Bear’s awakening. It had devoured such a massive amount of spiritual energy—even that terrifying tide of spiritual energy had barely been enough to satisfy it. It would be strange if the little Black Bear weren’t powerful. “Wow, Xiao Hei is the perfect choice for a pet—so cute and so powerful. It couldn’t be any better! Hahahaha, Master, he’s going to steal the spotlight during your class; everyone’s attention is completely drawn to him,” Yang Chun teased. “What can I do? Xiao Hei insisted on climbing onto my back, and I just couldn’t shake him off.” Mu Tian shook his head with a wry smile. The takeaway from yesterday’s class had been the lowest ever—not because he’d taught poorly, nor because there were fewer listeners. On the contrary, his lecture had been richer and more in-depth than ever before, and the audience was larger than usual. Yet, unfortunately, everyone’s gaze had been fixed on the little Black Bear. After all, it’s no big deal if they didn’t pay attention in class—they could just catch up by watching the video later, and it would have the same effect. It had to be said—Xiao Hei had stolen Mu Tian’s thunder. After pondering for a moment, Mu Tian came up with a plan. Steal my spotlight? No way! In fact, Mu Tian had had an idea a few days earlier: he was currently teaching the Daowen text, and teaching it only yielded White Star Sea Radiance. At this stage, White Star Sea Radiance was already sufficient; it was the Crimson Star Sea Radiance that was in the shortest supply. And to obtain the Crimson Star Sea Radiance, teaching cultivation techniques was the most effective method. In the past, Mu Tian had only taught the true essence of cultivation techniques one-on-one; he had never conducted a large-scale lecture before. Mu Tian’s plan was to host a massive live-streamed cultivation technique lecture for people all over the world! In an era where these cultivation manuals are held by only a select few, this is likely to cause a seismic upheaval!