I Tame Beasts by Feeding

"Patriarch, we’ve confirmed that Yu Changsheng has arrived in Dongyang City."

Upon hearing this, Tang He’s calligraphy brush paused for a fraction of a second before he resumed his strokes. Without looking up, he said,

"Very good. Were there any complications? You weren’t discovered, were you?"

"I don’t think..." The black-robed Cultivator opened his mouth, about to say no. But then he recalled the final look Yu Changsheng had given him, and he hesitated.

"I... don’t think so?" the black-robed Cultivator said, his tone laced with uncertainty.

"’Don’t think so?’" Tang He’s brow furrowed slightly as he asked nonchalantly.

"That kid... he’s not as simple as he seems. His Spiritual Sense feels exceptionally sharp," the black-robed Cultivator said, lowering his head. His voice was faint, and he looked ashamed.

Although Yu Changsheng had revealed his Golden Core Divine Sense during the Inner Sect trials, not everyone was knowledgeable enough to recognize it. Aside from a handful of people, most just assumed Yu Changsheng had used some special trick.

Coupled with Elder Wei’s deliberate suppression of the news, and the fact that this place was so far from the Wanxiang Sect, Tang He naturally never would have guessed that Yu Changsheng possessed a Divine Sense comparable to that of a Golden Core Cultivator.

Their supposedly flawless surveillance had actually been detected the moment Yu Changsheng stepped into Dongyang City. He simply couldn’t be bothered to alert them.

"Spiritual Sense is sharp?" Tang He continued with his calligraphy, occasionally glancing up at the black-robed Cultivator before him and saying lightly,

"Even I have trouble seeing through your Shadow Merging Technique. How could a mere Qi Refining brat possibly notice? You must be overthinking things."

In the Wanxiang Sect, besides his master, Lu Ruikai, and Shen Xingchen, no one else knew that Yu Changsheng had reached Foundation Establishment.

Furthermore, Yu Changsheng had been deliberately using a Disguise Treasure Pearl to hide his Cultivation level during his journey. Thus, the Tang Family’s impression of him was still that of a mere Qi Refining Peak Cultivator.

’Even if he did notice something, so what? In the end, he’s just a wet-behind-the-ears kid.

’I couldn’t touch you in the Wanxiang Sect or Bright Moon City, but now that you’re on my turf... The heavens are high and the emperor is far away. Heh heh, if a little "accident" were to happen, wouldn’t that be perfectly normal?’

Tang He chuckled softly. The hand holding the brush unconsciously tightened, leaving a darker stroke of ink on the paper. A hint of coldness inadvertently flashed across his gentle face.

’Since you’ve come all this way, I must be a good host. You killed my brother and my son. Did you really think having a Tier Three Alchemist protecting you would keep you safe?’

’If it weren’t for his connections, what would that old fart Gongsun Yang even be?’

’How could I possibly let go of this grudge so easily?!’

Tang He sneered. As he recalled his painful losses, a look of anguish and hatred filled his eyes. He couldn’t stop his own Cultivation from erupting. The oppressive aura of a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator swept out like a vast ocean, suffocating and seeming to freeze the very air in the small study.

The black-robed Cultivator couldn’t help but tremble slightly, beads of sweat the size of beans dripping from his forehead. He was only at the Foundation Establishment First Layer, and his Cultivation had been boosted by unconventional means; only his Stealth Skill was truly impressive.

In truth, with Tang He’s level of Cultivation, killing him would be as simple as blinking. This was also why he hadn’t dared to rashly probe Yu Changsheng earlier.

Fortunately, the pressure didn’t last long. After a moment, Tang He returned to his calm and composed state. Amid the flickering lamplight, the ink on his paper was dark and bold.

’As a Beast Master, it’s only natural for him to come after hearing news of the Cyan Luo Beast. It seems my deliberate leak of this information wasn’t in vain, even if it has attracted so many other Cultivators and increased the uncertainty of me capturing the beast.

’But as long as Yu Changsheng takes the bait, it’s all worth it.’

Tang He mused for a moment, then continued speaking,

"Do this: release a rumor saying that traces of the Cyan Luo Beast have been definitively found again on Red Lake Mountain. At the same time, secretly contact some Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators and have them tail Yu Changsheng. As for the Foundation Establishment experts within the family, we won’t use them for now. Though the heavens are high and the emperor is far away here, it’s best not to leave any traces."

"I imagine that for the right price, those destitute Loose Cultivators won’t be able to refuse the job of dealing with a single Qi Refining Cultivator."

Tang He gave a cold laugh. In Dongyang City, Foundation Establishment experts were considered high-end combat power; even the entire Tang Family only had a few.

The fact that he was willing to deploy such a lineup to hunt Yu Changsheng was a clear indication of how seriously Tang He was taking him.

’This time,’ he thought, ’I imagine Yu Changsheng won’t be able to escape even if he grows wings.’

Tang He slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the killing intent within was completely undisguised. He applied force with his fingers, and with a flourish of draconic, dancing strokes, a single, large character appeared on the rice paper—

"Death!"

...

Meanwhile, Yu Changsheng slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air. A smile touched his eyes.

’So that’s what’s going on,’ he thought. ’The Tang Family... they’re willing to let news of the Cyan Luo Beast leak just for a chance to put me to death. It seems this hatred is irreconcilable.’

’But then again, this at least confirms that the news about the Cyan Luo Beast is real. That’s one piece of good news.’

From the very beginning, Yu Changsheng had been skeptical about the news of the Cyan Luo Beast.

Therefore, from the moment he entered Dongyang City, he had been exceptionally cautious, constantly probing his surroundings with his Divine Sense. After detecting the black-robed Cultivator’s surveillance, he had even placed a Point of Spirit on the man. Empowered by the Ten Thousand Spirits Technique, every single move the black-robed Cultivator made upon entering the Tang Mansion was laid bare for Yu Changsheng to see.

’This Ten Thousand Spirits Technique combined with my Divine Sense is just insane. It’s completely imperceptible, impossible to defend against, and doesn’t emit any Divine Sense fluctuations, making it hard to detect. It truly is a Divine Art for reconnaissance.’

’It’s just a shame that it’s hard to sustain. Otherwise, it would truly be a Divine Skill.’

Yu Changsheng sighed in admiration. The wonders of the Ten Thousand Spirits Technique truly astonished him. After a moment of gratitude toward Elder Wei, he fell into deep thought.

’Still, Dongyang City is full of a mix of characters right now. I need to be careful and not underestimate anyone. But... if you really think a few cannon-fodder Cultivators can take care of me...’

A cold glint flashed in Yu Changsheng’s eyes, and a bloodthirsty smile curled his lips.

’...then I don’t mind shaking things up in Dongyang City. This endless cycle of fighting and killing over grudges is so troublesome. It’s better to end things quickly.’

The sky was a canopy, dotted with stars. The bright moon hung high this night, shining with exceptional brilliance among the constellations.

Moonlight washed over the ancient city like water, adding a certain charm to the mottled city walls and pooling brightly in the bluestone alleys.

Pedestrians scurried about in a hurry, flustered. Under the cover of night, Loose Cultivators of all kinds began to emerge. Some seized the opportunity to kill for treasure, while others, wanted, fled for their lives.

A cool night breeze swept through, carrying with it the faint scent of blood. The atmosphere was solemn. Slaughter and tranquility blossomed in tandem; amidst the strange liveliness, countless Cultivators found themselves unable to sleep.

The night passed without a word.