Unable to Cultivate, I Can Only Raise Soul Pets Chapter 1

Upon finally regaining his senses, Wang Che perceived a peculiar sticky sensation coating his face.

It felt like being covered in something soft and viscous. Yet, to his surprise, Wang Che, who had endured tens of thousands of years of solitary cultivation, found a strange comfort in the feeling.

He suddenly stiffened. Could this be the fabled Immortal Transformation Pool, a place one supposedly enters upon ascending to the Immortal Realm?

Did this signify his chance to shed his mortal form and embrace an immortal body, pristine and impervious to all malevolence?

‘Have I finally conquered the heavenly tribulation?’

The very instant this thought crossed his mind, a subtle surge of energy coursed through his being. Wang Che’s eyes snapped open, his mind snapping back to reality.

The first sight to greet him was an emerald-hued bug, no larger than a child’s palm, diligently expelling a white substance directly onto his face.

Upon closer inspection, he discerned that the coating was, in fact, white silk. However, the bug’s excessive output had caused the threads to degrade into a thick, cloying mixture.

The small creature was undeniably cute, boasting a disproportionately large head adorned with two glass-like eyes. Its body was short and green, with several yellow markings on its abdomen and white protuberances near its torso.

After a period of observation, Wang Che finally pieced together the situation.

The bug before him was merely an ordinary green caterpillar!

If this truly was the legendary Upper Realm Immortal World, it would imply that Wang Che’s efforts over the past ten millennia had been utterly in vain.

He fell into a moment of thoughtful silence.

How could he, having failed to overcome the tribulation, possibly reach the Immortal World?

“It’s alright. It’s perfectly fine even if I failed.”

Taking a deep breath, he casually flicked the green bug away with his fingers.

“Ssss!” With minimal effort, the bug was sent tumbling, revealing its pale yellow underside. It writhed from side to side, struggling to right itself.

Realizing the futility of its efforts, the caterpillar tilted its head, regarding Wang Che with an expression of bewilderment.

“I might have faltered in my Tribulation Transcendence,” Wang Che declared, his determined gaze lifting from the struggling bug. “But I still possess the accumulated experience of tens of thousands of years in immortal cultivation. I have mastered countless immortal cultivation techniques and divine powers, spanning from the Qi Refinement realm all the way to the Immortal Ascension realm. I lack nothing.”

“Furthermore, I hold knowledge of innumerable distinct civilizations. Even in an era where spiritual energy is so scarce and tenuous as it is on Earth, I remain confident in my ability to cultivate once more, all the way to the Immortal Realm.”

“I shall undoubtedly ascend and achieve a breakthrough in this lifetime!”

As he reaffirmed his resolve, Wang Che began to organize his thoughts.

‘Martial soul? Could this be a world of martial souls? Soul Land? Or perhaps martial artists? Regardless, I am familiar with all of these! I have spent over 1,000 years on Earth, after all!’

‘Soul beast, soul pet? Contract Soul Master? Wait, something feels amiss… It’s fine, I can handle it as long as there is spiritual energy to be found…’

...

A sudden realization dawned upon him.

Wang Che grasped the nature of this world.

In ages past, humanity here had learned to awaken the power of their martial souls, drawing strength from the very heavens and earth. Simultaneously, numerous other life forms coexisted in this world.

Nourished by the world’s soul power, these creatures possessed innate strength and exceptionally long lifespans, being known as soul beasts.

However, since the emergence of humankind approximately 10,000 years ago, this world became a theater of ceaseless conflict.

Humans, by hunting soul beasts, acquired soul rings and soul skills to augment their martial souls. Conversely, soul beasts would hunt humans to achieve mutation and evolution.

This dynamic inevitably led to countless historical clashes between the two species.

This much Wang Che understood.

Yet, everything drastically shifted without warning roughly three millennia ago.

After breaching the world’s barrier, the Soul Demons and Dark Beasts from an alternate dimension launched a brutal assault. Neither humans nor soul beasts were spared; the invaders decimated their numbers until only a fraction remained.

But just as the world’s inhabitants teetered on the brink of extinction, the two dominant species reached an accord, forging Soul Contracts and uniting their forces. This newfound alliance unleashed immense power!

Rebirth through destruction, and resurrection through nirvana…

The invaders from the alternate world, unable to withstand the onslaught of attacks, were repelled, and the world slowly returned to its former state of peace.

Following that monumental battle, a millennium of progress had paved the way for the world's current reality.

The level of civilization now mirrored that of Earth, a planet once visited by Wang Che.

However, in this era, Contract Soul Masters stood as the central figures.

This was the outcome of a unification between species, where humans forged life contracts with soul beasts, leading to increased lifespans. These contracts also provided soul rings, instrumental in cultivating one's own martial soul and enhancing overall power.

Concurrently, soul beasts thrived under this nurturing system, gaining the sentience necessary for their evolution.

Thus, humans and soul beasts became integral partners in a relatively short time.

“So, this world has become akin to the world of Poké(soul beast)mon? It’s quite different from what I envisioned… but it matters not. I am, after all, an immortal cultivator.”

Wang Che now possessed a foundational understanding of the world he inhabited.

He glanced towards the green caterpillar beside him, realizing he had already formed a soul contract with it not long ago.

Wang Che would commence this new life at the age of 18, marking the beginning of his second high school semester. By the world's regulations, individuals aged 18 and above were eligible to form life contracts with soul beasts.

Furthermore, all students received a soul pet egg by the winter break of their third year in high school. With good fortune, this egg might contain a rare soul pet.

Yet, the majority of these gifted eggs harbored only common soul pets.

For those dissatisfied with their assigned eggs, the option to purchase one from the soul beast cultivation base existed, though such an expense was often beyond the reach of ordinary families.

Upon forming a life contract with a soul pet egg, a segment of its vitality was transferred to the human, bolstering their martial soul's strength and extending their lifespan.

In return, the human contracted would bestow a portion of their own soul energy upon their nascent soul pets.

Consequently, upon hatching, the soul pets would attain a degree of intelligence and sentience.

It was through this very process that the sealed memories of the Immortal Cultivator within Wang Che's soul were reawakened, granting him comprehension of his current surroundings.

After all, only a fragment of his soul had persisted due to his failure in transcending the tribulation. This remnant had drifted through the cosmos, its memories lost for a time, before finding rebirth in an unknown world.

However, all those forgotten recollections now returned to him in full.

At that precise moment, the door creaked open, and a tall, middle-aged man with a stern, weathered countenance entered.

Upon noticing the green caterpillar lying upside down, the man's brow furrowed slightly. “Little Che,” he began, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment, “I am aware that your soul pet turned out to be the most ordinary, the most useless… green caterpillar, which must have caused you considerable unhappiness and dissatisfaction. Nonetheless, that provides no justification for mistreating your soul pet in such a manner.

“Moreover, you have yet to awaken your martial soul. If you were to diligently nurture this green caterpillar and fortify the ancient contract, it would significantly enhance your innate soul's potential.

“And once your martial soul awakens, you too can become a Contract Soul Master in the future.

“However, if you continue to neglect your soul pet as you are now, you will struggle to grow stronger even after graduating in your third year of high school. The awakening of your martial soul will likely not proceed favorably either…

“The earliest ordinary Contract Soul Masters in ancient times were all bestowed the title of Heavenly Kings. Consider the Jade Dragon Heavenly King, for instance. His initial soul pet was a simple koi fish, considered entirely ornamental. Yet, as he ascended to become a Heavenly King, that koi transformed into a formidable dragon-type soul pet, the White Jade Dragon!

“With six months remaining until graduation, you must apply yourself diligently…”

The middle-aged man’s tone softened considerably. Perhaps he sensed that his example had been somewhat unrealistic.

He understood that his son could not truly be compared to such a legend.

Moreover, the koi’s evolution into a White Jade Dragon was attributed to a confluence of highly specific circumstances.

The conditions required were exceedingly demanding, necessitating vast quantities of rare materials, and most crucially, it placed an immense strain on the soul contractor's martial soul.

Nevertheless, its occurrence had been possible.

As for this green caterpillar…

“Sigh, never mind. It is my failing as a father,” the middle-aged man murmured, his voice heavy with regret. “I am truly sorry that I lack the means to procure a superior soul pet egg for you.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Che gave it a moment's thought before responding, “It’s alright. To be honest, the green caterpillar isn’t that bad.”

Confused, the middle-aged man paused, casting a suspicious glance at Wang Che.

After a brief study of his face, the man fell silent for a few seconds before nodding. “Very good. I’m pleased you think so.”

He continued, “There’s still half a month until school resumes. You might start seeing your classmates with their own young soul pets, but don’t compare yourself to them. Treat them as you normally would, understand?”

Wang Che nodded, thinking to himself, ‘I’ll commence cultivation tonight. Whether I’m a Contract Soul Master or not is irrelevant.’

If not for his inherently good-natured disposition, he wouldn’t have even responded to this middle-aged man, who was purportedly his father in this world.

Within the Immortal Cultivation Civilization, especially among ascension-level immortals like Wang Che, the vast majority were ancient beings who had forgotten the mortal world after enduring tens of thousands of years. Though not entirely devoid of emotion, their feelings differed from those of ordinary humans.

However, Wang Che was an anomaly. Having cultivated for millennia, he delighted in traversing the universe and observing diverse civilizations, finding great joy in immersing himself in their ways and experiencing their myriad emotions.

He yearned to comprehend the myriad Great Dao inherent in each world.

Tragically, just as he had managed to grasp the Great Dao, he was dragged down by a cosmic heavenly tribulation.

Meanwhile, Wang Jianguo, observing Wang Che’s calm demeanor, felt a mixture of pleasure and worry.

Knowing that further words would be futile, he eventually left the room.

Before long, night descended, cloaking the sky in darkness.

Gazing at the countless stars outside the window, Wang Che felt an increasing sense of tranquility.

Instead of immediately cultivating, he resolved to utilize the eighteen years of memories ingrained in his mind to understand this world better.

He could sense a profound abundance of soul force permeating this world.

This indicated that the spiritual energy here was exceptionally potent, suggesting this was no ordinary realm.

He then settled his mind, focusing his thoughts in preparation for cultivation.

Simultaneously, the green caterpillar persistently tried to inch closer to Wang Che, only to be repeatedly nudged away. He was determined to cultivate now.

‘I can commence now.’

Wang Che’s mind was as placid as undisturbed well water; he was in the perfect state.

‘Ssss!’

The green caterpillar suddenly wriggled its way to Wang Che, using its head to gently nudge his thigh. Its large eyes gazed at Wang Che with longing.

“Go away, go away. I don’t have time for you right now,” Wang Che stated, aware of the green caterpillar’s intentions. It was, after all, a newborn creature. Due to the life contract, it had likely developed intelligence and sought interaction.

Rejected by its own Soul Contract Master, the green caterpillar silently retreated, taking small, hesitant steps. After moving away, it observed Wang Che from a distance, its initially upright body relaxing. The caterpillar then turned over, exposing its pale yellow belly as it looked helplessly at the ceiling.

Without much concern for his soul pet, Wang Che returned to his cultivation.

In his mind, he selected the most effective Qi refining method.

He began to cultivate. The process required minimal effort, as he was already intimately familiar with it.

Until…

Several hours later.

The sky began to lighten, heralding the arrival of a new, beautiful day. Wang Che’s eyes suddenly snapped open, and he collapsed onto the ground, staring at the ceiling with utter despair.

After a night of attempting cultivation, he had finally grasped a crucial realization: In this world, cultivation was impossible!