The Master of Beasts

Every night, they took turns dragging other Spiritual Beasts to its cave mansion to drink and listen to it brag. By day, they would just lie around like dead bodies until nightfall, and then start a new cycle. Indeed, having Spirit Stones made one quite brazen.

"What? You want me to herd cattle?" Da Bai looked at the message in his hands, incredulous. I'm the mighty Fire Qilin, herding cattle? Is that appropriate? It's highly inappropriate!

However, Da Bai didn't dare talk back to Chen Jiuge. Thus, he decided he shouldn't be the only one to suffer.

「An hour later」

Qi Daoyuan came over with a displeased face, saying, "What's up? I'm about to start closed-door cultivation. I'm really busy."

"Closed-door cultivation?" Da Bai's eyes lit up. "I know a perfect place for that."

"Really now?" Qi Daoyuan looked skeptical; this guy was notoriously unreliable.

"Don't you trust me? I'm your big brother," Da Bai said indignantly.

"Go on, go on. It's more like I'm the big brother. I'll trust you for now."

...

"This is the perfect place for closed-door cultivation you told me about?" Qi Daoyuan said, his face darkening.

Although Da Bai felt a bit guilty, years of sharpening his rhetoric outdoors weren't for nothing.

"Just tell me, isn't the Spiritual Energy thick here, and isn't it quiet?" Da Bai said with an air of righteousness.

The Spiritual Energy of the Heavenly Bull Realm was naturally rich, and with only two people in such a vast pasture, it was indeed quiet.

It does seem so, Qi Daoyuan thought, observing the quietly grazing Blood Battle Cattle; it indeed didn't seem half bad.

Hence, Qi Daoyuan was tricked by Da Bai, the crafty fellow.

...

Chen Jiuge, of course, was unaware of Da Bai's maneuver. He had only intended to punish him and never expected Da Bai to drag his good brother along. If Chen Jiuge had known about this, he would have had to admit, "That's Da Bai for you."

The Pocket World of a Golden Immortal was naturally not simple. However, considering Chen Jiuge had only recently broken through to True Immortal, the Elders had already preemptively removed the True Immortal Level Spiritual Beasts from the Heavenly Bull Realm.

From now on, every time Chen Jiuge cultivated a True Immortal Level Spiritual Beast, he would receive a substantial reward. Such treatment would be unthinkable if not for his master and grandmaster being Golden Immortals, along with the support of the Sect Master.

Simply clearing out the Spiritual Bulls in the Heavenly Bull Realm had taken Chen Jiuge several years. If he had truly been raising and cultivating them alone, he felt his path as an Immortal would end there—he would definitely have been worked to death.

"That's about right," Chen Jiuge noted, watching the Loose Cultivators busily working. "We don't have quite enough manpower yet, but it should barely suffice. Later, I can issue some tasks from within the peak to help cultivate some Low Rank Spiritual Plant Masters."

"Boss, there are some issues I think you should really focus on," Su Mei urged, pushing up her gold-rimmed glasses with a serious face.

As for where she got the glasses, Da Bai had brought them, of course. He had a particular flair for such things and knew how to enjoy life even more than Chen Jiuge, who had lived in a technologically advanced world in his previous life.

"Let's hear it."

"Boss, before that, I have a question. Do you have any plans to establish a power or, shall we say, build a new family for yourself?"

Establish a power? A family? Chen Jiuge paused. I haven't really considered this.

"Yes, Boss. With your current strength, status, and position, you can definitely establish a power no less than one led by a Heavenly Immortal. As for the family, we can talk about that when you have offspring."

Chen Jiuge fell into thought. Should I really establish my own power?

The Myriad Beasts Sect actually didn't forbid its disciples from establishing powers. It even encouraged it, as this would indirectly strengthen the sect's foundation. This was a good thing. As for rebelling—don't even joke about that.

Don't we count as one already? Chen Jiuge felt a bit confused. I suppose I've already established a power, haven't I?

"Well, how should I put it? I feel it doesn't quite have that sense. Boss, the main workforce for your external enterprises still primarily consists of people from those two small worlds. It's not that these people are bad; it's mainly that their potential is too low."

"Moreover, we're short on people and still need to sift through the Loose Cultivators, which is astonishing to me. Normally, a power would have a lot of backup talent," Su Mei complained.

"Tell me your thoughts," urged Chen Jiuge. Hearing Su Mei's explanation, it does seem like there are some issues.

"It's simple. First, recruit some people with cultivation potential from the mortal world. Given your status in the Myriad Beasts Sect, this should be easy. Second, the people from those two small worlds also need guidance. With someone to direct them, their progress in switching cultivation methods would be much faster. These could become your ready-to-use manpower."

"Finally, Boss, you should name your own power," Su Mei reminded.

"The name is not urgent. You discuss it with Li Qiwen and give me a general framework to see if it's feasible. If it is, I'll consider it," Chen Jiuge said. Having no experience in this area, he decided to take a look first.

...

Chen Jiuge didn't know just how attractive the prospect of establishing a power was to Su Mei and Li Qiwen.

One was an outcast from the Triple Sect, the other a woman who had clawed her way up step by step from a small world. Coupled with their many years in positions of high authority, even cultivators like them could develop ambitions. Of course, this ambition wasn't about overthrowing Chen Jiuge to take his place.

After all, without Chen Jiuge, everything for them would just be a fantasy, and they might even be hunted down by the Myriad Beasts Sect's Law Enforcement Team.

「A week later」

Chen Jiuge looked surprised at the sudden arrival of his parents.

"Why have you two come?"

"We had to come! We heard you were going to establish a power. As parents, how could we not come and help?" Hua Yu said urgently.

"Ah? How did you know about this? I haven't even decided yet!" Chen Jiuge said, baffled. Is the news spreading that fast?

"You silly child! Now that you've become an Immortal, you look down on us old folks, do you? Starting to despise us?" Hua Yu said, looking like she was about to cry.

Chen Jiuge was speechless. Is that what I meant?

「A quarter of an hour later」

Chen Jiuge finally managed to soothe Hua Yu and, in doing so, also made the decision to establish the power.

"Boss, this is the rough idea Li Qiwen and I have," Su Mei said, handing over a stack of documents.

Chen Jiuge looked at the documents, almost an inch thick, and ultimately lacked the courage to open them. "You handle it," he said feebly. "These two are my parents; they will be joining you. However, the main plan should still be led by you two."

Chen Jiuge's parents were not skilled in management. They were simply excited because Chen Jiuge could now start his own family lineage.

As for the name of the power, Chen Jiuge named it—the Chen Family of Exotic Beasts.

Exotic Beasts represented the main feature of the power: the various rare and exotic beasts cultivated by Chen Jiuge.

As for Chen Family, my surname is Chen. What else could it be?

In such a hasty manner, the Chen Family of Exotic Beasts, which would later become paramount in the Heavenly Realm, was established.

...

"Everyone, brace yourselves! From now on, we are people of the Chen Family of Exotic Beasts! Don't disgrace me!" Ye Xiaotian shouted at the members of the caravan.

"Is it true? I never thought I could become a True Immortal, and even a member under a direct disciple of a Golden Immortal from the Myriad Beasts Sect?" a guard escorting the caravan said, shocked.

"Who said you are? I heard that you need to accumulate enough Merit first. Those old hands who had accumulated significant Merit before have already been made official members. I heard that upon becoming official, they're gifted a Spiritual Beast with a Bloodline of at least Fifth Rank!" another guard said, full of envy.

"GASP! A Fifth Rank Spiritual Beast?"

As the news spread, all cultivators already working under Chen Jiuge's enterprises were boiling with excitement. This was especially true after an incident where one cultivator, who had vowed to defend the goods at all costs during an attack and successfully held out until backup arrived, was rewarded with a Flood Dragon cub. Everyone grew incredibly fervent, almost wishing for some clueless Tribulation Cultivators to show up at their door so they could display their might and earn Merit.

...

A year after the power was established, Su Mei briefly reported the previous year's Spirit Stone income and the scope of the power's influence.

"You're saying that compared to before the establishment of the power, the annual Spirit Stone income has nearly doubled?"

"And when did this power's influence cover the entire Myriad Beasts Domain?"

Chen Jiuge found it hard to believe. Isn't this progress a bit too much?

"Boss, once their sense of belonging increases, Loose Cultivators who have hope burst forth with tremendous enthusiasm, especially when the owner of this power is an Immortal with limitless potential," Su Mei said meaningfully.

Chen Jiuge was silent for a while before saying, "I'll leave it to you and Li Qiwen then. I will exchange some Treasures to help you achieve True Immortal status. Don't be afraid to spend; I can afford to support two True Immortals."

"Then, I thank you here, Boss," Su Mei said, a slight smile touching her lips.