The Master of Beasts

Exhausted from the ceaseless Artifact Refining at the Dark Heart Workshop, Da Bai bitterly anticipated the arrival of his Brother Wang.

Almost there, almost there. It should take about three days to get here from Beast City, Da Bai calculated to himself, but a moment of distraction earned him a lash from the overseer.

Staring at the defiant Da Bai, the overseer sneered, "Thinking of rebelling?"

This person was the head overseer, a Loose Immortal. Da Bai couldn't beat him.

"You little thing, don't think being a Fire Qilin means anything here. You're useless! Just focus on your Artifact Refining. If you don't, it just so happens I've never tasted Qilin meat," the overseer arrogantly declared.

Damn it! When my big brother gets here, all of you are done for! Da Bai felt utterly stifled.

「...」

Wang Hai rushed to Jade Immortal City, perhaps feeling guilty toward his younger brother, and unleashed a devastating attack right away.

THUD!

A huge hole was blasted through the tranquil city walls of Jade Immortal City, and Wang Hai shouted arrogantly, "Where's my brother? Stewards, get out here!"

Ever since Jun Linseng had beaten him up last time—in a very humiliating way—Gunpowder had been feeling quite uncomfortable, always harboring a festering rage. But as a renowned Golden Immortal Artifact Refiner, he naturally couldn't lose face by taking it out on minor Cultivators.

Suddenly, a loud bang followed by Wang Hai's arrogant voice reached Gunpowder's ears, igniting his rage instantly.

Damn it, what riff-raff dares to cause trouble here? Does this mere Heavenly Immortal not know this is my territory? Gunpowder fumed.

Wang Hai genuinely didn't know. So what if Gunpowder was good at Artifact Refining? What did that have to do with his Spiritual Beast clan? The Qiongqi clan didn't even have Artifact Refiners among them.

So, Wang Hai got beaten up.

"Enough, enough, stop hitting me! I was wrong! Just return my younger brother to me, and I'll leave!" Wang Hai cried out as he scurried through the sky, covering his head.

Gunpowder had no intention of stopping. So what if Wang Hai was from the Qiongqi clan? He was the one who had started the trouble. Such an excellent target to vent on shouldn't be wasted.

With a kick that sent Wang Hai flying, Gunpowder felt immense satisfaction and decided to land a few more blows before sparing this ignorant junior.

Wang Hai was frustrated. He hadn't expected this backwater Immortal City to be presided over by a Golden Immortal. He had taken a beating for nothing. I'll just take the loss and get my little brother out of here, he had thought.

However, the old man before him showed no signs of stopping or releasing his younger brother. This infuriated Wang Hai.

If I can't beat you, I can still call for backup!

As a dazzling Sound Transmission Talisman flew out, a Qiongqi so enormous it blotted out the sky appeared behind Wang Hai.

Gunpowder, who had been closing in fast, skidded to a halt in front of Wang Hai.

The giant Qiongqi, seemingly just roused from sleep, yawned and asked, "Little Hai, what does your old man need to do for you? If it's nothing important, I'll be on my way. I've been feeling rather sleepy lately."

"Dad, someone hit me! A Golden Immortal!" Wang Hai whined. "It's this old guy right here!"

The giant Qiongqi's previously groggy eyes sharpened instantly.

The overpowering, fierce aura caused the Low Rank Cultivators of Jade Immortal City to collapse on the spot.

The manager of the Treasure Pavilion, sweating profusely, looked up at the Qiongqi in the sky and stammered, "Has Gunpowder lost his mind? Provoking a Qiongqi? Does he really think the Jiuyou Sect will go head-to-head with the Qiongqi clan for him?"

At this moment, Gunpowder felt even more bitter. It seems I was a bit too impulsive, he thought.

"Fellow Daoist, it was your son who, without any explanation, started destroying my Immortal City. That's why I stepped in to teach him a lesson," Gunpowder explained, pointing to the huge hole in the city wall.

The great Qiongqi waved his hand casually, and the entire city wall of Jade Immortal City crumbled.

"We Qiongqi enjoy destruction. Do you have a problem with that?" the great Qiongqi said dismissively.

"Fellow Daoist, don't go too far! This is the territory of the Jiuyou Sect!" Gunpowder retorted, incensed by the great Qiongqi's actions.

"The Jiuyou Sect? Very impressive, are they?" The great Qiongqi's gaze remained unchanged, as disdainful as ever.

If I don't defend my dignity now, I'll never be able to face my peers again! Gunpowder couldn't hold back any longer.

Wang Hai watched with a look of admiration as Gunpowder fearlessly charged his father.

「...」

This brutal beatdown left the Cultivators of Jade Immortal City drenched in sweat. Following the shattering of a colossal hammer, Gunpowder lay on the broken ground, his aura withered.

The great Qiongqi remarked dryly, "With such pathetic strength, you dared to make a move? Are you itching for a beating?"

Is my strength really that poor? I climbed up step by step from being a lowly Loose Cultivator. Even as an Artifact Refiner, my combat power is respectable among my peers! Gunpowder felt miserable.

But whether it was his physical body or his understanding of the Dao, everything was easily crushed by this Fierce Beast before him. The terrifying gap in strength left Gunpowder in despair.

"I've never tasted a Golden Immortal of the Human Clan before. You're a real saint for providing the opportunity," the great Qiongqi said, genuinely grateful. After all, no member of the Human Clan would provoke a Qiongqi without reason, let alone one at the Golden Immortal level.

As the great Qiongqi eyed him like a meal, Gunpowder lamented in sorrow and anger, I never imagined I would end up in such a plight!

"Fellow Daoist Wang, might you spare Gunpowder this once? He meant no offense," a robust voice called out from nearby.

"Oh, it's you. Which... ah, never mind, not important," the great Qiongqi, Wang Zuquan, responded nonchalantly.

"Fellow Daoist Wang, we crossed spears at Juedian Mountain before," Chi Dian said helplessly.

Wang Zuquan then recalled that brilliant spear light. "Ah, it's you!" he said, somewhat excitedly. "You're a very interesting member of the Human Clan. Fight me, and also compensate for the trouble caused to my son, then I'll agree."

「...」

In the void above, several Golden Immortals from the Jiuyou Sect looked down at the arrogant great Qiongqi with grim expressions. It had beaten one of their Sect's Golden Immortals and destroyed Jade Immortal City's walls, and now they were expected to pay compensation. Does it actually believe the Jiuyou Sect wouldn't dare wage war with the Qiongqi Clan?

"Agree to it," Jiang Zixiu, the Sect Master of the Jiuyou Sect, said calmly.

"You should have heard of this Qiongqi. His name is Wang Zuquan. He's the most promising of his generation to break through to the Immortal Daluo Golden Immortal realm. Both his father and grandfather are Immortal Daluo Golden Immortals."

"Offending them would undoubtedly mean full-scale war. Although our Jiuyou Sect isn't afraid, it's unnecessary. Besides, Gunpowder himself isn't entirely loyal to our Jiuyou Sect; it's not worth it."

"Let's listen to the Sect Master."

"So be it."

「...」

After hearing the affirmative reply, Chi Dian, the youngest in seniority, sighed helplessly. "Fellow Daoist Wang, let us battle in the heavens."

With the departure of the two Golden Immortals, Wang Hai approached Gunpowder with a smug look. "I told you to release my younger brother earlier. You just had to get addicted to beating him, didn't you? Did you really think I had no backers? If my father hadn't already stepped in, given my own temper, I'd have definitely taught you a lesson you wouldn't forget!"

Gunpowder nearly choked on his anger. Alas, his Dao foundation had been shattered by Wang Zuquan, and now he truly might not be a match for the Wang Hai before him.

「...」

Da Bai was overjoyed, but others were about to become very unhappy.

Facing a row of kneeling overseers, Da Bai took out a small whip and smiled excitedly. "Brother Wang, can I really hit them as I please?"

Wang Hai responded casually, "Sure. It's fine even if you beat them to death."

"HEHEHE!" Da Bai's savage laughter echoed throughout Jade Immortal City.

The overseers, restricted from using their Mana to defend themselves, were beaten black and blue. The most unfortunate among them were subjected to Da Bai's penchant for whipping buttocks. These Cultivators, who once carried themselves with an air of Immortal Energy, now had grotesquely swollen behinds.

"Ah, that feels much better," Da Bai said, contentedly tossing the small whip aside.

"Brother Wang, let's go."

He's not going to kill them? Wang Hai was surprised. My younger brother seems a bit too kind-hearted.

"Is that really necessary? I didn't suffer any real losses," Da Bai hesitated.

Wang Hai frowned upon hearing this. This younger brother of mine is too soft-hearted. It seems I need to take him out into the world to gain some experience.

Da Bai and Wang Hai departed. Before the overseers could even feel relief at having survived, a wave of inexplicable, overwhelming malevolent energy engulfed them, annihilating their Divine Sense and leaving behind only their battered, bleeding bodies.

Knowing his father's personality—that he wouldn't stop until he'd had his fill—Wang Hai only briefly plundered Gunpowder's treasury before stopping. After all, Gunpowder himself was still watching; it wouldn't do to go overboard.

Once Wang Hai had left Jade Immortal City with Da Bai, Gunpowder stared at his plundered, empty estate and nearly burst into tears. Are the Qiongqi really that destitute? They practically demolished my entire mansion!

「...」

Da Bai had intended to tell his Brother Wang that he would return to Eden Garden, but he couldn't resist Brother Wang's enthusiasm. Brother Wang just rescued me; it would be rude to refuse him outright, Da Bai thought. So, after a couple of symbolic refusals, he eagerly followed Wang Hai back to Beast City.

I'll still be able to do as I please in Beast City! Da Bai had assumed. However, he never expected this to become such a transformative experience.

Upon discovering Da Bai's kind heart and lenient nature, Wang Hai immediately arranged for him to fight in the arenas of Beast City upon their return. The goal was to toughen him up and hone his temperament through combat. Wang Hai planned to gradually increase the intensity, following the human principle of 'progressing step by step.'

Da Bai then endured a series of painful trials. This was especially true when Qi Zhen, from the Qilin clan, heard Da Bai was fighting in the arena. Qi Zhen reportedly rushed back from the Qilin ancestral lands, even abandoning his matchmaking interviews, all for the sake of venting his anger.

As ill luck would have it, Qi Zhen was a Water Qilin, a natural counter to Da Bai, the Fire Qilin.

「...」

"You're saying there was a battle between Golden Immortals in Jade Immortal City, and Da Bai was taken away by a Heavenly Immortal of the Qiongqi clan?" Chen Jiuge was slightly bewildered.

After dismissing the Disciple, Chen Jiuge issued several new missions.

Through multiple verifications, he finally pieced together the general situation. In short, Da Bai was safe and had likely returned to Beast City with Wang Hai. His date of return was uncertain.

In that case, I'll leave him be for now. When he gets tired of playing around, he'll come back sooner or later, Chen Jiuge considered his current tasks and decided to set aside his worries about Da Bai for the time being.

Chen Jiuge was currently engrossed in cultivating Jade Beasts—a new type of Spiritual Beast in which both the Sect Master and the Elders had shown great interest. They had provided him with abundant resources to accelerate the cultivation process, leaving Chen Jiuge incredibly busy.

Fortunately, the rewards were substantial, making the effort worthwhile. This was especially true after Chen Jiuge realized his Dao lay with Spiritual Beasts. He became increasingly focused on the process of extracting Spiritual Beast Bloodlines using his Golden Finger, striving to comprehend the true essence behind it.