My mind soars through different potential ways to get through this situation.

A few options immediately come to mind. Most of which involve giving exorbitant gifts that they could use for their own cultivation and taming. The main question that comes up is what type of gift should I give, and how far should I go?

Although I’m already planning on giving extremely valuable gifts to them, I can’t go too far. If I give them something that’s too good, they’ll have someone that’s a high enough level that I can’t detect to follow me.

Obviously, since I’m heading to something that’s clearly valuable, I likely will either get it stolen from me, or in the best-case situation reported on to others.

And I suspect that this is not something that anyone should really know about.

With that in mind, I think I have the perfect choices.

Of course, while I’m standing here and they’re sitting, the surrounding people are looking worried.

The young woman who had led me around today quickly asks me the question on all of their minds.

“Young Master James… is everything alright?”

I let my face grow tense as I throw out some bullshit.

“Unfortunately, it is not. I’ve just received a notification for my master that there’s something urgent I will need to complete.”

I can see panic cross their face as they wonder what they might have done. As might be natural, they’re assuming that they had done something to offend me. Of course, since their leaders specifically told them to make sure I stay here, the assumption would be that they had messed this up.

Naturally, that would not go well for them.

“Don’t be concerned, as this is simply something personal that my master had said he would notify me about. I realize your leaders are on their way and it’s regretful that I won’t be able to meet them. I know this me leaving so suddenly will put you in a bad position. So that I can show my sincerity, could you hand me some paper?”

They initially freeze at my words, but then rush to move according to my words, to not further ‘displease’ me. Almost all of them are hurrying to grab non-contract paper, as it just wouldn’t be the woman who would be in trouble for this.

While they do that, I motion to a few of the creatures carrying ingredients to come over. I take out a sizable quantity of ingredients and materials, which should help with spirit beasts’ cultivation. Not only that, but I also bring out anything that might help with taming them in the first place.

Unlike how I do it, normally a person has to win over a spirit beast. For some creatures, having a regular source of food in a way to safely cultivate is enough for them. Others require certain ingredients and actions performed for them in order to win them over. And in some situations, you have to subdue the creature and force them to recognize you.

For each of these, there should be some ingredients that can help with that and making the whole taming process easier for them.

While I’m still getting these ingredients out, they quickly come back with the paper. After they hand it to me, I immediately begin the list of ingredients I’m giving them. My scan catches that some of their mouths fall agape, mostly from the experienced members of their group.

As seems to happen every time something shocking happens, several of them whisper about the different ingredients they see.

“Is that the nine dragons ascending root?!”

“Could it be? He’s giving a whole bundle of Three Turns Silk, only able to harvested from a Middle Drip spider? How could someone harvest that much?!”

“They say that just a taste of the 12 divines rock powder could make a sky devouring lizard yours in under a minute… Where could he have found this?”

I’ve become a little too used to this sort of thing. Even now I’m droning out their words.

No longer paying attention to their exclamations of shock, I move my attention over to the extra empty sheets of paper before me.

I quickly use my scan to review potential sets of information the taming group might not have access to yet.

The focus is mainly on picking information that would be reasonable to find out with a large amount of research and time.

After that, I narrow the list down to the range of creatures that I’ve tamed in the jungle. The reasoning for this, is to explain some creatures I’ve tamed, that the Guild wouldn’t believe can be tamed.

At least until they gain intelligence, at least.

An example would be the worm. Though this one is an intelligent spirit beast and I can communicate with them via my taming contract ability, most tamers wouldn’t have access to such a convenient thing. So, it would be tougher for them to truly tame such a creature, unless they were high level.

By which time it would likely be more effective to go for a different type of creature.

In reality, the worms actually are really easy to tame and can be really convenient to use in a low-level fight if paired with a good tamer.

As they are intelligent, if you give them a certain mix of plant, soil, and animal refuse, they’ll follow you like a puppy. Continue to give them it and they’ll protect you with their life.

Not only that, but if you work with them enough, they’ll be able to follow simple to complex orders easily.

What makes them useful is that they can grow to massive sizes, increasing both in mass and density using their inborn Qi abilities, though they rarely do so above ground. In fact, even in life-or-death situations, they normally wouldn’t use the ability.

They actually only used it for collective defense with a now extinct species of underground creatures, as an old evolutionary trait.

When a person gives them the mix, it activates this old trait and makes them considered like brothers. A bond only further reinforced as you give them more.

It makes them highly receptive and their normally lethargic nature becomes inquisitive and attentive.

The only way they could have discovered this is with a contract that allows a form of telepathy. Those types are normally needed to communicate with creatures that cannot communicate or understand human speech.

A much more expensive contract than the norm.

Most tamers wouldn’t use the expense on such a small and normal looking worm, that typically does nothing.

So, it makes sense they would have never discovered this.

It isn’t an amazing creature, but it is something that could be a simple and effective choice for beginner tamers.

In fact, the original purpose of this group is to nurture and provide resources for new and experienced tamers. Which includes training aspiring ones. So that they will turn around and support the group later on.

There are, of course, other creatures that also can fit this role, but this adds another one to the list that they can use.

And this is the information is on only one of the 20+ creatures that I have.

For each of these creatures, I list a method that could reliably get a similar creature of the same species on a tamer’s side.

After organizing all the information on the sheet, I then put a note that I was very pleased by the work that the workers for the group were doing and that that’s part of the reason I was happy to give this gift. Also, that I’m looking forward to putting in a formal application to join the group.

After that, I put it in an apology letter on my needing to suddenly leave and take care of an urgent issue.

I quickly notify the staff that I must leave now, while telling them to secure the documents and give them to the leaders when they arrive. I include to not share any of the information with anyone else outside the group.

After a quick glance at the information and seeing all the ingredients that I’ve left out, they quickly move all the creatures to housing facilities while storing away the information.

Five of the creatures can condense their bodies into smaller forms and choose to accompany me for protection, while being stealthy about it.

The turtle, who looks like a shield on my back. Legs, arms, and head tucked in.

The earthworm, who shrinks and hides in my pocket.

The strange pairing of a giant frog, and a carp who lives in the frog’s mouth. The frog stays in the pocket with the earthworm, who gives off uneasy vibes.

And finally the walking plant, who when I tried to leave it, condensed its form and wrapped its entire body around mine like a vine.

Under my clothes.

…

I’m really trying not to think about it.

After a few words of temporary goodbye to my creatures and grabbing some ingredients and a prepared bag from them, I turn to the staff.

I instruct them to transfer the rest of the creatures and items to the sect. That if any of them leaves the group before the transfer, it is fine and not to hold them back.

I give them the appropriate amount of money, which, to my surprise, they quickly deny. They state that I’ve already given enough and that they are happy to help.

Feeling a little pleased that I can keep the money that I will surely need for later, I move on to my final request.

I tell them I need to not be followed and if they could ensure that no one does so, it would be appreciated.

I then do a series of jumps to get to the city.

Now to find a way to get in the city secretly.