The Master of Beasts

"Master, I think we might be poisoned before we even reach the Fairy Sea," Yue Meng said, her face pale.

"What happened?"

Chen Jiuge turned his head and saw Da Bai collapsed motionless on the plate.

"Da Bai just had a bite," Yue Meng emphasized, holding up a finger to show that Da Bai had truly eaten very little.

Looking at the pitch-black dish, which was barely identifiable as spiritual beast meat, Chen Jiuge took a deep breath and said, "Let's go to the Grotto Heaven and get something else to eat."

"Hooray!"

Da Bai revived and cheered.

「Inside the Grotto Heaven.」

Chen Jiuge, munching on a mantis shrimp half as tall as a person, said, "We're going to the Fairy Sea in a few days to witness the birth of the Elves. Who wants to come?"

Ao Li, his fatherly instincts kicking in, was the first to raise his hand, followed by Sea God Jiao Yue, with Nian Yu close behind.

Seeing he was the only beast not raising his hand, Li Kui said with some disdain, "Then I'll go too."

"Good. It's in three days. Everyone get ready. I'll call you out then," Chen Jiuge nodded in satisfaction.

"Brother Chen, can Jiao Yue and I stay outside?" Nian Yu asked quietly.

"Yes, yes, those Merfolk are so annoying," Jiao Yue complained.

Chen Jiuge turned his head to glance at the Merfolk, who were sticking their heads out of the lake to sneak a peek. To them, Sea God Jiao Yue was like a deity, which was, admittedly, rather bothersome.

"Alright, then you two can come out with me. I'll get you a room as well," Chen Jiuge agreed.

When Xiao Qi learned Chen Jiuge was getting another room, he was so excited he practically danced, as if New Year's had come early. The Zi Jing Inn, which hadn't had a new paying guest in half a year, was so thrilled they nearly set off firecrackers in celebration.

Although their trip to the Fairy Sea to witness the birth of the Elves was still three days away, it didn't mean Chen Jiuge planned to stay cooped up in the inn for those three days.

Upon learning his major client wanted to go out for a stroll, Zi Jing promptly asked the idle Xiao Qi to lead the way.

"Xiao Qi, where did you say Flower Granny sells her Flower Nectar?" Chen Jiuge was curious about the taste of this nectar that Xiao Qi raved about.

"Ah, Guest, you want to buy Flower Nectar?" Xiao Qi asked, practically drooling.

"Yes, Xiao Qi, please lead the way."

Xiao Qi burst with immense enthusiasm, hyping up Flower Granny's Flower Nectar the entire way, raising the group's expectations.

After many twists and turns, they finally arrived at their destination.

It was a sea of flowers, at least in the eyes of an elf. In Chen Jiuge's view, it looked more like a large garden.

"Flower Granny, we've come to buy Flower Nectar!" Xiao Qi's loud voice echoed throughout the large garden.

"You're here, you're here! Really, Xiao Qi, you little glutton, can't you give an old woman a break?"

Chen Jiuge finally met the Flower Granny Xiao Qi had spoken of—an elderly Flower Elf. The small red flower on her head had already withered, leaving only a few pale petals. Her face was deeply wrinkled, resembling dry, gnarled wood.

"Are these people you brought?" Flower Granny looked at Chen Jiuge and the others in surprise.

Actually, Flower Granny didn't usually sell her Flower Nectar to outsiders. Xiao Qi had stumbled upon her place by accident once. Finding the child endearing, Flower Granny had sold him some nectar on that occasion, which led Xiao Qi to believe she regularly sold it.

"Yes, Flower Granny! I brought so many people, can you give me a discount?" Xiao Qi asked, gesturing with his small hands.

"Alright," Flower Granny said kindly.

"Come with me."

In the hall, after sending Xiao Qi away with a bottle of Flower Nectar, Chen Jiuge squinted at Flower Granny. This elf is no simple creature, he thought. That nectar was high quality, comparable to a Fifth Rank Spiritual Object.

Chen Jiuge couldn't discern Flower Granny's cultivation level, at least not without activating his Spirit Eye.

"You can probably tell my Flower Nectar isn't ordinary. I took a liking to this child, Xiao Qi, which is why I was willing to sell to him," Flower Granny explained.

Chen Jiuge nodded. They'd come all this way; it would be a shame not to taste it.

"This is the highest price I can offer." Chen Jiuge, noticing Flower Granny's fading Life Aura, presented a drop of Water of Life.

The potent Life Aura emanating from it startled Flower Granny. Words of refusal formed in her mouth but wouldn't come out.

"You want to trade this for my Flower Nectar?" Flower Granny was shocked. Is he kidding? I know the quality of my nectar. To earn this drop of Water of Life, I'd probably have to brew nectar until the end of time!

"Yes, they're all very much looking forward to it," Chen Jiuge smiled. He reached out to pat the two little ones' heads but found Jiao Yue's large head positioned between them. There goes my image of the dignified Sea God again, he thought, his estimation of her crumbling further.

"I'm afraid I don't have that much Flower Nectar," Flower Granny said with regret.

"Don't worry, as long as there's enough for us to have a taste, it's fine," Chen Jiuge said with a smile.

A quarter of an hour later, Flower Granny brought out all the Flower Nectar she had accumulated over the years. Sweating profusely, she said, "This is all I have."

Looking at the three large barrels of Flower Nectar, although its value still fell short of the Water of Life, the difference wasn't vast.

"This will do," Chen Jiuge nodded in satisfaction.

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony," Flower Granny said, eagerly drinking the drop of Water of Life.

The potent Life Aura caused the small red flower on Flower Granny's head to bloom with renewed spring vitality. Her previously dry skin regained its moisture, and her appearance transformed, reverting to that of a beautiful woman in her forties.

This miraculous change stunned everyone. Chen Jiuge knew the Water of Life could replenish a little elf's Life Force, but this transformation was still quite dramatic.