The Master of Beasts

Leaving Da Bai in Jade Immortal City wasn't Chen Jiuge's original intention. The main reason was that the Sect Master had acted too quickly; before Chen Jiuge could even react, they were already in Eden Garden.

"Should we go pick him up?" Jiao Yue suggested.

"Forget it, forget it."

Both Chen Jiuge and Yue Meng shook their heads.

As for whether Da Bai would run into any trouble, Chen Jiuge didn't quite believe it. That little fellow was very clever. Besides, he was as thick as thieves with that Qiongqi from Beast City. Who knew how many one-time Communication Talismans he had? It would be astonishing if he encountered any trouble.

Wen Ruo looked somewhat helplessly at the two, who were acting like children, and said, "We should still send someone to inform him. Just post a task in the Mission Hall later; it won't cost that many Spirit Stones."

"Let's listen to Senior Sister then. Yue Meng, you go," Chen Jiuge said, handing his Token to Yue Meng.

Yue Meng looked at Chen Jiuge with disbelief, as if to say, 'You're really making me run errands?'

"Ao Li, you go." Ao Li, who had just emerged, looked completely bewildered, wondering what he was supposed to do.

「Eden Garden」

Chen Jiuge gazed at the familiar courtyard, a hint of satisfaction appearing on his face. Indeed, there's no place like home.

"Who are you? How dare you come to my Eden Garden to steal things?" A sturdy little black dog appeared at the courtyard entrance, barking excitedly.

Before Chen Jiuge could react, the little black furball reared up on its hind legs, revealing surprisingly well-developed muscles, and launched a valiant charge.

「A quarter of an hour later」

Chen Jiuge looked at the muscular dog he had strung up on the large tree by the courtyard entrance, then at Black Eye, who looked thoroughly ashamed. He felt his head spin a little.

"Ziteng, are you telling me this... unique little creature is really Black Eye's son?" Chen Jiuge was still somewhat incredulous.

Chen Ziteng replied in a clear, bright voice, "Yes, this is Little Black. He's already almost three hundred years old."

Chen Jiuge felt it was necessary to convene a Spiritual Beast assembly to specifically criticize Black Eye. It was still a child itself, yet it had already become a father! This set a very bad precedent.

Looking at the assembled Spiritual Beasts, Chen Jiuge stood up and smacked the table. "I've been on this training journey for a considerable time. I wouldn't be surprised by anything that happened in Eden Garden. But for some Spiritual Beasts to be secretly having offspring—that's simply not right."

"Firstly, you're all still young. Having offspring so early is detrimental to your bodies and not conducive to your future cultivation."

"Secondly, having offspring is one thing, but why would they turn out like *this*?"

Chen Jiuge simply couldn't understand why Black Eye, such an obedient beast, could give birth to Little Black, such a rebellious pup.

All the beasts eyed Little Black, still hanging there and not yet let down, their minds drifting elsewhere.

"Especially you two, Ao Yi, War Song, do you have anything to say?" Chen Jiuge called them out by name.

Ao Li proudly said, "Don't worry, Master! The Fire God's cultivation is inferior to mine. I won't let him succeed, and I'll remain pure until I reach maturity."

"Good. What about you, War Song?"

War Song stood up, trembling, and stammered, "Actually... actually..."

"Actually what?" Chen Jiuge's eyes glinted dangerously.

"Actually, Little Flower is pregnant too," War Song admitted somewhat sheepishly. "She only conceived in the last few years. We originally planned to give everyone a surprise just before the birth, but with Master back, we couldn't keep it hidden."

Chen Tingting, who was taking notes, was so shocked that the small notebook in her hand slipped and fell to the ground with a soft thud.

Chen Jiuge looked at War Song's shy expression, somewhat at a loss for words. This was a happy event, wasn't it?

"I... I have something to say too," Black Eye suddenly heaved a sigh of relief and, raising a paw, said.

"Speak."

"Actually, Bi Yan is pregnant again. My second child should be on the way soon."

Chen Jiuge was speechless. Glancing at the group of Spiritual Beasts offering their congratulations, he said weakly, "Alright then, who else is expecting?"

After a full quarter of an hour passed with no more confessions, Chen Jiuge finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Good, good. Only two."

No, what's good about that? I leave for one trip and come back to three new children! Chen Jiuge, having come to his senses, was utterly speechless.

"Now, bring your mates to me."

With the matter settled, Chen Jiuge planned to first use his Golden Finger to examine their bloodlines. He had to sort things out, as they were, after all, the offspring of his own Spiritual Beasts.

Though, does this mean I'm a grandfather now? Chen Jiuge recalled those in his previous life who treated their pets like children, and a terrifying thought suddenly struck him.

"Bi Yan's bloodline isn't bad. After some refinement, it could nearly reach the Sixth Rank. Little Flower's situation is similar, within my expectations. Little Black's bloodline, however, is a bit lacking." Chen Jiuge felt dissatisfied.

Over the years, Black Eye's Hellhound bloodline had long surpassed the Seventh Rank limit, no less inferior than those of so-called Immortal Beasts and Divine Beasts; in fact, it was even superior to the average Divine Beast bloodline. But even after Chen Jiuge had refined it with his Golden Finger, Little Black's bloodline was only at the Seventh Rank limit. The difference was quite significant.

"Master, what's wrong?" Seeing Chen Jiuge's frown, Black Eye and War Song grew nervous and asked in a panic.

After Chen Jiuge explained the situation, both beasts heaved a sigh of relief.

Chen Jiuge asked, puzzled, "Isn't Little Black your child? What do you mean by this reaction?"

Black Eye replied with frustration, "That fellow isn't cut out for herding, nor is he fit to take over my duties. He's always fooling around with Yue Li. Now, I'm just hoping this younger one can shoulder the responsibility."

Chen Jiuge was speechless. Where did you learn all these terms from past lives? If you weren't a dog I've raised since you were a pup, I'd think you were a transmigrator too.

At this point, Wen Ruoshui had something to add. Guard duty was boring. He had once been tricked by a disciple returning from a minor world into buying a huge collection of television series from a technological world. Wen Ruoshui had now become a bona fide modern, civilized individual and had even introduced these marvels to Eden Garden, significantly raising the cultural level of all the beasts.

"Forget it, forget it. Deal with your own child yourself," Chen Jiuge said, feeling somewhat weary.

Watching the entire process, Wen Ruo chuckled. "Well, this ought to be considered a good thing, right? After all, they're only young in mental age. Physically, they're already mature Spiritual Beasts."

"Being able to have offspring so easily is a sign of great luck."

"Go see your two disciples. They're really doing well."

Wen Ruo's words reminded Chen Jiuge that he still had two disciples.

"I nearly forgot about them. I'm truly an irresponsible master. Fortunately, I have Senior Sister to help," Chen Jiuge said gratefully.

Wen Ruo simply smiled and said nothing.

Zhang Dahu, possessing the Tiger Evil Spirit Body, had directly embarked on the path of Body Refinement. Since the Body Refining Techniques of Hundred Herbs Peak weren't suitable, Wen Ruo had personally gone to White Tiger Peak, the peak renowned for the strongest physical cultivators, to acquire a top-tier Body Refining Technique for him.

The White Tiger Roaring Sky Scripture was a cultivation technique highly suitable for those with the Tiger Evil Spirit Body. In just a few hundred years, Zhang Dahu had charged straight into the Divinity Transformation Realm. If Wen Ruo hadn't required him to meticulously polish his foundation, he would likely already be at the Returning to Void stage.

While his progress was undoubtedly aided by the abundant resources of Eden Garden, it was also a clear testament to Zhang Dahu's diligent cultivation.

Zhang Xi pursued the path of Qi Cultivation and also trained as a Spiritual Plant Master. With the enhancement from her Heart of Wood, her cultivation speed was not slow, and she too was now in the Divinity Transformation Realm. However, she still lagged slightly behind Zhang Dahu's arduous cultivation.

Watching his two disciples cultivating from a distance, Chen Jiuge didn't disturb them. He had initially taken them as disciples purely due to fate. Now that they had both achieved so much, he felt content.

"Senior Sister, let's go," Chen Jiuge said with a smile.

"Aren't you going to catch up with them, Junior Brother?" Wen Ruo asked in surprise.

"No, let them focus on their cultivation. I'll gather everyone for a meal tonight; it won't be too late to see them then. I won't disturb them now," Chen Jiuge said with a somewhat wry smile.

"Alright."

Life in Eden Garden was always so relaxed and pleasant: teasing the Spiritual Beasts, instructing his two young disciples.

Occasionally, his Senior Brother and others would visit, so life wasn't dull.

"It's just... isn't this too comfortable? Will it dull one's fighting spirit?" Chen Jiuge sighed.

"That depends on what your Dao is, Junior Brother," Wen Ruo said.

"Senior Sister?" Chen Jiuge looked at Wen Ruo behind him, somewhat surprised. "Didn't you say you were going shopping with Wen Ruoshui?"

"I thought about it and realized there wasn't anything I particularly wanted to buy, so I came back," Wen Ruo said softly.

"My Dao is the Dao of plants and herbs, the Dao of Spirit Plants. That's why I can stay at Hundred Herbs Peak. As long as I perceive the growth of various Spirit Plants, my cultivation can rapidly advance. So, what about you, Junior Brother?"

Gazing at the Spirit Flower blooming in Wen Ruo's hand, Chen Jiuge fell into deep thought. What is my Dao? The Power Dao? Probably not. Although I sometimes enjoy the feeling of raw power, that is, after all, a man's inherent nature. I'm not someone who lives for constant fighting and killing; I couldn't become like my Senior Brother, a Body Refining Immortal who proved his Dao through strength. The Life Dao, then?

Recalling the various Spiritual Beasts that had come into his life, the diverse Spiritual Beast Bloodlines that had flowed through his awareness, and the days spent bickering with Yue Meng and the others, a faint smile touched Chen Jiuge's lips.

"Senior Sister, thank you. I think I might understand now."

In the following days, although life seemed much the same as before, the Spiritual Beasts always felt their master had become even kinder, as if he were slowly becoming one with all the Spiritual Beasts in Eden Garden.

It was ten years later when Wudao Tian came for his second visit.

"Junior Brother, you've already comprehended your Dao? This aura... it feels like the Life Dao," Wudao Tian remarked, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I had hoped you would also follow the Power Dao, Junior Brother. That way, I would have an equally matched opponent."

Still, with such remarkable Spirit Beast Breeding talent, it would have been a pity not to pursue the Life Dao.

"Junior Brother, I've come this time because there's something I need to trouble you with," Wudao Tian said, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Senior Brother, is there any need for such formality between us?" Chen Jiuge replied, feigning displeasure.

"The main issue is that this matter concerns Flower Fairy Valley," Wudao Tian said, shaking his head. If it were his own affair, he would have spoken directly.

"Please tell me, Senior Brother."

"Do you remember Hua Jianyu, the True Inheritor from Flower Fairy Valley who accompanied us back then?"

"I remember."

"Didn't she receive a token from the Great Elder, allowing her to take away any beast, provided it was acknowledged by a Divine Beast? So many years have passed, and still, no Divine Beast has acknowledged her, so she's on the verge of giving up. After she found out that her junior martial sister and I had become Daoist partners, she entrusted me with finding the best Spiritual Beast short of a Divine Beast for her."

"How would I know about such things? I was just thinking, didn't Black Eye have offspring? That little one's aptitude surely can't be too bad. Of course, if you're unwilling, Junior Brother, then just forget it. I merely thought that since she's a True Inheritor of Flower Fairy Valley, following her wouldn't be a disadvantage for the cub."

Chen Jiuge pondered for a moment and decided to ask Black Eye for its opinion, since it concerned its cub. If Black Eye was willing, it would be acceptable for Little Black to go with Hua Jianyu. If not, then so be it; he could still afford to raise him.

However, this also made Chen Jiuge realize a problem: his contracted Spiritual Beasts would all have descendants sooner or later. He couldn't possibly keep all of them and their offspring indefinitely. In that case, he would eventually have to take responsibility for finding them masters. What a troublesome prospect!