The Master of Beasts

Since awakening, Chen Jiuge had been bustling about nonstop. Every day, he was either familiarizing himself with the new Eden Garden, polishing his cultivation, or finding time to extract Bloodlines from newly arrived Spiritual Beasts.

Meanwhile, Tian Que and Ming Snake, who had been taken away by the Sect Master, had a different experience. Initially, being taken away by someone whose mere presence could make a beast tremble, both creatures were terrified. However, upon arriving at their destination, they found it wasn't too bad. This intimidating person turned out to be quite kind, not only feeding them various rare Spiritual Medicines but also teaching them cultivation.

They had thought these pleasant days would continue indefinitely, but then things took an unexpected turn.

"You've eaten enough for the past month. Now, it's time to cultivate," Zhi Duoxing said with a smile, looking at the two little fellows who had been living comfortably.

"Cultivate?" Tian Que, still young, imagined it would be like cultivating with Chen Jiuge in Eden Garden—just a bit duller.

Ming Snake, however, understood more. Narrowing his eyes, he asked, "How do we cultivate?"

"You'll find out when the time comes," replied Zhi Duoxing, smiling but saying no more.

As Sect Master and a powerful Golden Immortal, Jun Linseng had his own Pocket World, which in some respects was even superior to Great Elder Ye Sheng's. However, Tian Que's cultivation was too low, so Zhi Duoxing simply opened a Secret Realm. "Go in," he said. "Someone inside will teach you."

Although Tian Que was still somewhat wary of strangers, this person had treated it surprisingly well recently—days filled with eating and sleeping—so it obediently entered.

Watching Tian Que disappear at the entrance of the Secret Realm, Zhi Duoxing turned to Ming Snake. "Your cultivation is barely sufficient to train in the Master's Pocket World. How much progress you make will depend on yourself."

Ming Snake maintained a cold, defiant gaze. As a Disaster Beast, calamity was its very nature. Even though the person before him was frightening, Ming Snake refused to bow his head.

...

"Wow, so beautiful!" Tian Que exclaimed upon entering the Secret Realm, marveling at the valley blooming with countless flowers.

But why does the scent of the flowers seem so intoxicating? Tian Que felt its head spin. It staggered a few steps, then collapsed, catching a glimpse of what looked like its mother's face just before losing consciousness.

The adult Luwu Lanxin—human-faced, tiger-bodied, with nine tails—stood observing the small, fainted creature. She crouched, prodded it a couple of times, and chuckled. "So this is the little Lu Wu I'm meant to guide? Tiny and quite adorable, but perhaps a bit silly?"

"Mother!" Tian Que cried out, waking from its slumber.

"Little one, I am not your mother. Just call me Aunt Lan," Lan Xin said to the creature before her, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.

Tian Que then noticed the beautiful lady beside the bed. Gazing at Lan Xin's exquisite face, it murmured, "So beautiful."

Hearing this, Lan Xin's smile widened. "You may be a little silly, but you're very honest," she praised. "Since that's the case, I'll take good care of teaching you."

Under Lan Xin's care, Tian Que's cultivation wasn't too strenuous. Ming Snake, on the other hand, was not so fortunate.

...

The unruly Ming Snake, having arrived at Jun Linseng's Pocket World, followed the path given by Zhi Duoxing toward its destination. Avoiding Spiritual Beasts clearly stronger than himself and surviving numerous life-or-death crises, he finally reached his destination: a desert.

Is this the scent of my kind? Ming Snake was somewhat surprised and unsettled. Unlike Divine Beasts, Disaster Beasts were far rarer; some Disaster Beast species in the entire Heavenly Realm couldn't even be counted on one hand.

"Are you the junior Jun Linseng asked me to mentor?" A colossal Ming Snake, Ming Lou, rose from the desert's center, vast enough to blot out the sun. Its sheer size was likely over a hundred times Ming Snake's own.

Ming Snake stared, dumbfounded, at this giant of his kind, stammering, "Y-yes, that's me."

Instantly, Ming Lou transformed into an ordinary-looking young man in yellow robes. Observing Ming Snake's demeanor, he shook his head. "Too cowardly," he said. "You're a disgrace to all Disaster Beasts."

"Jun Linseng agreed to let me out after he started mentoring you. So, I will instruct you properly. At the very least, you won't die in the process."

"Let's get started." Ming Lou casually plucked two scorpions from the desert, their cultivation comparable to Ming Snake's. He then imparted an inheritance to Ming Snake. "You can only use the inheritance I've given you. By the way, what's your name?"

"Ming Yujing," Ming Snake replied, feeling a surge of indignation; this elder of his kin clearly looked down on him.

"Remember the look in your eyes now. I hope you still have it later," Ming Lou said with a light laugh.

Having already endured several life-or-death crises, Ming Yujing had little physical strength or Spiritual Energy remaining. Forced to battle two Spiritual Beasts of comparable cultivation and realm, and restricted to using only the newly acquired inheritance, he was naturally at a disadvantage.

An hour later, Ming Yujing stood with wings defiantly spread, having traded injury for injury. Two lifeless scorpions lay beside him. He shot a provocative glance at Ming Lou.

"Getting cocky already? This is only the beginning," Ming Lou remarked, not at all angered by the unruly junior.

When three more scorpions appeared, Ming Yujing was plunged into a bitter struggle.

Ming Lou's teaching was straightforward: constant fighting without a moment's rest. Disaster Beasts are inherently bringers of blood and suffering. How could they grow without constant battle?

.....

Chen Jiuge was unaware that Tian Que had found itself another powerful backer, nor that Ming Snake was undergoing life-or-death crises. At that moment, Chen Jiuge only felt a headache.

Looking at Qi Daoyuan, who had caused trouble again, Chen Jiuge was speechless. You're a reincarnated Heavenly Immortal, a Fire Qilin no less! And your master in this life is the young lady from the direct lineage of the Zhu Family. It's one thing for you to hang around me all day, but why must you always cause trouble like a child? Don't they bother with educating children in the Desolate World?

Before Chen Jiuge could even suggest he return to Vermilion Bird Peak, Qi Daoyuan nonchalantly produced a Jade Scroll. "My fault," he said. "I'll atone. Here's a Magic Technique; it should be very useful to you."

Chen Jiuge took it skeptically. The loss Qi Daoyuan had caused this time was not insignificant. Calculated in Top Grade Spirit Stones, the damage probably amounted to millions—a sum no ordinary Magic Technique could compensate for.

He focused on the Jade Scroll. <i>Sky Blue</i>.

<i>Sky Blue</i>? Is this the <i>Sky Blue</i> from the Seventy-two Small Divine Powers? Isn't this a Wood Element Divine Power? And isn't he a Fire Qilin? Chen Jiuge was skeptical about the Divine Power's authenticity.

Qi Daoyuan said with some helplessness, "Don't look at me like that. It's genuine. And I didn't mean to cause you losses. Although I'm reincarnated, I still have to experience the mortal world anew. At my current age, I'm just an infant in the Qilin Clan. It's natural for me to be ignorant.

"And don't even talk about returning to Vermilion Bird Peak. Have you ever seen a child without playmates?"

This is probably just Qi Daoyuan's excuse, Chen Jiuge thought. But if this <i>Sky Blue</i> Divine Power is real, it could be worth more than my entire Eden Garden. I'll trust him for now. After all, he was a Heavenly Immortal in his past life; there's no reason for him to lie.