The Master of Beasts

Da Bai and Qi Daoyuan weren't the only ones reduced to mere laborers; the Silver King was too.

Since the end of the Beast Breeding Competition, the Silver King's days were consumed by eating and sleeping, with occasional visits to his beloved concubines. His life was one of utmost ease. Yet, even such a fulfilling life could grow dull and lose its luster over many unchanging years.

Seeking excitement, the Silver King began to patrol the skies above Eden Garden daily, looking for opportunities.

Heaven does not forsake a determined 'eagle.'

After several months of aimless wandering, the Silver King finally found his chance.

Currently, Eden Garden's inhabitants, aside from the Cultivators Chen Jiuge and Chen Tingting, consisted only of a group of Daoist Soldiers and Spiritual Beast employees. Most of the time, Chen Jiuge himself was engrossed in Cultivation, only occasionally emerging to extract some juvenile Bloodlines to enhance the ecosystem's diversity.

And the Silver King's opportunity lay with Chen Tingting.

After Li Qiwen's departure, Chen Tingting was responsible not only for handling Disciples arriving to purchase Spiritual Beasts but also for arranging the work schedules for the Spiritual Beast employees. Even distributing wages to the Spiritual Beasts fell to her, along with purchasing various supplies for those Spiritual Beasts who possessed Spirit Stones.

These supplies were usually delivered to the gates of Eden Garden by Disciples from the Affairs Hall and then received by Chen Tingting. The Silver King had witnessed this routine many times but remained curious about what these items actually were.

This day, Chen Tingting, as usual, received the goods purchased by the Spiritual Beast employees, delivered by the Affairs Hall. Just as she was about to summon the employees to distribute the supplies, she suddenly sensed that her Little Flower was on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm.

Anxious, Chen Tingting carelessly placed the Storage Bag on a table in the courtyard used for registration. Storage Bags had poor spatial stability and could easily be destroyed by Heavenly Tribulation, so it wasn't advisable to carry them during such events. Besides, with no outsiders in Eden Garden and Spiritual Beasts rarely frequenting that area, there was little risk of trouble.

Once Chen Tingting was out of sight, the Silver King swooped down, seized the Storage Bag, and probed it with his Divine Sense. So much!

Piles of Spirit Food like small hills, numerous Magic Jade Scrolls, and an assortment of Magic Artifacts instantly dazzled the Silver King's eyes.

After enjoying his spoils for three days, and with Chen Tingting's search proving fruitless, she finally reported the matter to Chen Jiuge.

Watching the Light Returning Technique replay the scene of the Silver King snatching the Storage Bag and fleeing, Chen Jiuge's expression instantly darkened.

The individual items in the Storage Bag weren't exceptionally valuable—mostly Spirit Food bought by the Spiritual Beast employees. The Magic Jade Scrolls were quite ordinary, and most of the Magic Artifacts were playthings they had bought for their own children. However, their cumulative value was considerable, and the Silver King's actions were truly deplorable.

Chen Jiuge even considered severing his Contract with the eagle. However, considering the blood the Silver King had shed for him during the Beast Breeding Competition, Chen Jiuge decided to give him a chance to redeem himself.

「...」

Upon returning to Eden Garden as laborers under Yue Meng, Da Bai and Qi Daoyuan were whisked away to the Gravel Forest by her before they even had a chance to see Chen Jiuge.

There, they saw a majestic silver eagle, laden with goods of all sizes, making it look at least two sizes larger. Getting closer, Da Bai exclaimed, "HISS! Are you the Silver King?"

The Silver King rarely interacted with Chen Jiuge's other Spiritual Beasts but still recognized them. His weathered eagle eyes reflected Da Bai's form. "Ah, Da Bai, it's you. You're out."

"Stop chatting! This delivery is urgent. If we're late, Spirit Stones will be deducted, and our work period will be extended!" the Golden Iron Back Ape Commander interjected callously.

Just as Da Bai was about to rebuke the once-timid Commander, Yue Meng interrupted, "Working off your debt is only natural. The same goes for you two. Your term ends when you've repaid thirty thousand Merit. Hurry up and follow me."

"Sister Yue Meng, may I ask what the Silver King did?" Da Bai asked, trying to curry favor. "He's delivering goods, right? Why isn't he using a Storage Bag?"

Yue Meng looked at the two with a hint of pity and slowly recounted the Silver King's story, concluding, "He was simply courting death. But you two aren't much better. After all, the Silver King's debt only amounted to eight thousand Merit, while yours is thirty thousand." She then tutted.

Da Bai and Qi Daoyuan exchanged an uneasy glance. When they saw the three-meter-high Alchemy Furnace, their anxiety peaked.

"Alright, let's get started," Yue Meng said, her eyes gleaming as she looked at her two prime laborers.

「...」

As the saying goes: a worker has a worker's spirit; once you start working, you lose your freedom.

After three long months of labor, Da Bai, Qi Daoyuan, and the Silver King finally had the same day off.

These three months of hardship had forged a strong bond between the Three Beasts, making them the new 'Iron Triangle' of Eden Garden.

In the Spirit Lake District, two small boys and the Silver King, who had barely managed to transform into a half-eagle man, sat on the ground, drinking away their sorrows.

"Yue Meng is really getting out of hand!" Qi Daoyuan fumed, downing a large gulp of wine. "All this talk about rush jobs... making us work twelve hours a day, stoking the fire for eight of them, and on top of that, eating those Elixirs—who even knows what's in them! It's downright bullying!"

The Silver King, his rough edges smoothed by suffering, stretched out a still incompletely transformed hand to pat Qi Daoyuan. "Bro, don't be angry. I fly for ten hours a day and haven't said a word. You guys just tend the fire; it's much easier than my job."

"Easier?" Da Bai wailed, pointing at himself with tears in his eyes. "The side effects of that new Elixir are pure torture for a beast! Look at me, I still stink. If I hadn't borrowed some perfume from Black Eye's wife, I'd be too embarrassed to drink with you today."

It was indeed a pitiful sight. Qi Daoyuan and the Silver King exchanged a look and quickly raised their cups to console him.

Due to the bitterness in their hearts, the Three Beasts didn't use their powers to dispel the alcohol and soon began to feel its effects.

Qi Daoyuan, not being an official member of Eden Garden, boldly suggested, "What if we ambush Yue Meng and that Golden Iron Back Ape Commander and teach them a lesson?"

Hearing this, Da Bai instantly shook his head. "No way! I wouldn't dare. I'm not going. I wasn't even here today."

Watching Da Bai scamper off, Qi Daoyuan looked at the Silver King. The Silver King earnestly advised, "Brother Daoyuan, we really can't do that."

After they parted unhappily, Qi Daoyuan's resolve only intensified. I was a Heavenly Immortal in my past life! I can't let a mere rabbit bully me like this!

Fueled by drunken courage, Qi Daoyuan found a club, planning to ambush Yue Meng and knock her out that night.

「That evening」

Qi Daoyuan's miserable shrieks echoed throughout Eden Garden, as did Yue Meng's furious roars.

The next day at work, Da Bai looked at Qi Daoyuan with some sympathy. Qi Daoyuan's eyes were blackened, his face a mess of purple and blue, and his backside had swollen impressively. "You actually went through with it?"

"Hmph! I'm not like you cowards!" Qi Daoyuan retorted, trying to sound tough.

"Sigh... I drank too much yesterday," Da Bai said, then shamefully covered his face and hurried away. "When I heard your plan, I just ran. I forgot to tell you—Bali is completely loyal to Sister Yue Meng. He sleeps right beside her at night. Brother, I really let you down!"

Qi Daoyuan stood frozen to the spot, watching Da Bai retreat. Damn you, Da Bai! I'll remember this! If I don't get revenge for this, my past life as a Heavenly Immortal was a complete waste! he muttered.