I Tame Beasts by Feeding

"Well..." Yu Changsheng lowered his gaze, a hint of hesitation on his face. He looked up at Yun Hejing, let out a soft breath, and gave a wry smile.

"Since you’ve put it that way, Elder Yun, of course I’ll go. It’s just... I know my cultivation is still lacking, and I’m afraid I’ll bring shame to the Sect. That would be terrible."

"Don’t worry about it. It’s the participation that counts." Yun Hejing waved her hand with a gentle smile. "Besides, I believe in your abilities. As for everything else, just do your best."

"The Spirit Dragon Sect is coming on strong this time, but the rewards for this friendly competition will be just as generous."

Yun Hejing paused, her smile enchanting.

"If you can defeat a disciple from the Spirit Dragon Sect, you’ll not only receive Sect Contribution points but also gain rewards from the Spirit Dragon Sect itself."

"Alright, then." Yu Changsheng agreed, a little surprised.

"In that case, use these next three months to prepare. With Elder Wei away, if there’s anything you don’t understand about your cultivation, or any resources you need, don’t hesitate to tell me."

Yun Hejing breathed a sigh of relief, her face breaking into a wide smile.

"That won’t be necessary for now, but thank you, Elder Yun," Yu Changsheng replied after a moment’s thought, politely declining.

"Alright. Take your time and prepare. There’s no need to rush your cultivation. Just proceed at a steady pace."

Despite her words, after she finished speaking, Yun Hejing waved a hand over her Storage Pouch. A Jade Bottle materialized in her palm, and she offered it to Yu Changsheng.

"Think of this as a small token of my support. Take it."

Although Yun Hejing had high hopes for Yu Changsheng, she knew in her heart that his Realm was currently too low. At only the Foundation Establishment Second Layer, it would be incredibly difficult for him to achieve victory in this competition.

But she had seen his talent for herself. As long as something was beneficial to him, she was willing to try it. Even if the Wanxiang Sect were to lose the competition, the experience would still broaden his horizons.

Yu Changsheng’s expression grew solemn and a warmth spread through his heart. He didn’t say much more, but his features softened noticeably. He cupped his fist and said softly, "Thank you, Elder Yun, for taking such good care of me."

With that, Yu Changsheng didn’t refuse and placed the Jade Bottle into his Storage Pouch without looking to see what was inside.

"You’re the one who’s worked hard for it; my help has been minimal," Yun Hejing said humbly. After a few more pleasantries, Yu Changsheng took his leave.

’The Spirit Dragon Sect arrives in three months. I’ll have to give it my all.’

As he flew back to his residence, Yu Changsheng’s mind was a jumble of thoughts.

’The Spirit Dragon Sect’s Beast Taming Lineage rose to prominence after our Wanxiang Sect’s. I wonder how they differ from us... who’s stronger and who’s weaker?’

’Still, at my current level, I can handle opponents at the Early- and Middle-stages of Foundation Establishment. As long as they aren’t some kind of freakish prodigy, it shouldn’t be a major issue.’

’But as for Late-stage Foundation Establishment or Peak Inner Sect Disciples... that would be a tough fight.’

Yu Changsheng had some confidence in his own strength, but he knew better than to let it become blind arrogance.

’A duel between Beast Masters ultimately comes down to their Spirit Beasts. My advantage, however, lies not only in my beasts but also in my own personal strength. In the time I have left, I should focus on helping the Golden-Winged Eagle advance its stage.’

’With three Second-stage Spirit Beasts at my side, I’ll be much more secure.’

As Yu Changsheng finished his thoughts, his cave residence came into view. To his slight surprise, Li Minghan was waiting at the entrance. The moment he saw Yu Changsheng arrive, he hurried over.

"Senior Brother Li? You’re here! You should have sent word. Have you been waiting long?"

Yu Changsheng graciously welcomed Li Minghan, showing him into the courtyard and personally brewing some tea.

"I just got here myself. I mainly came to pay a visit, but there’s something else I needed to talk to you about."

Li Minghan chuckled. Now that they were meeting again, the two were much less formal and more familiar with one another.

"This is a fine residence you have. It’s quiet, the Spiritual Qi is dense... a great place to rest and cultivate."

Li Minghan said admiringly as he glanced around.

"It’s just a place to live. If you like it, Senior Brother Li, you should come by more often," Yu Changsheng said with a humble shake of his head.

Li Minghan smiled and nodded. "About that Wind Bird you mentioned a while back... I’ve been looking into it for you."

At Li Minghan’s words, Yu Changsheng’s interest was piqued. He leaned in a little, raising an eyebrow with a hint of delight. "Does that mean you have news?"

"Well..." Li Minghan scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Actually, not yet," he said sheepishly. "Wind Birds are quite rare to begin with. Even though I’ve been keeping a special eye out, I don’t think anything will turn up in the short term."

"At the end of the day, my branch of the Ten Thousand Beasts Tower is just a minor one with limited authority. Even if another location gets one in stock, they’ll give priority to the major branches."

Li Minghan gave a wry smile, then looked at Yu Changsheng and took a deep breath. "It can’t be helped. For a Spirit Beast that’s in such high demand, I can’t get first dibs. My apologies."

"It’s alright. I understand." Though Yu Changsheng was a little disappointed, his expression didn’t change. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Thank you for the trouble, Senior Brother Li. If there aren’t any, then that’s that. I’ll figure something else out."

Hearing this, Li Minghan breathed a sigh of relief. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing.

"There’s definitely no hope for a Wind Bird anytime soon. However, we did just get a new Second-stage Spirit Beast in yesterday. I thought you might be interested, so I didn’t immediately offer it to anyone else."

"I mainly wanted to ask if you thought it might be a suitable substitute for the Wind Bird."

"Oh? What kind of Spirit Beast? Tell me about it," Yu Changsheng said, taken aback for a moment as his earlier disappointment began to fade.

’A Tier Two beast isn’t easy to come by.’