I Tame Beasts by Feeding

Yu Changsheng nodded in satisfaction. At his side, Steward Chang looked at the now-larger, fully-plumed Spirit Chicken Kings, overcome with emotion as he said admiringly,

"You know, you truly have a unique gift for raising Spirit Beasts. This Spirit Chicken Garden could almost rival the Beast Gardens of some Golden Core Elders."

"And when the new Spirit Chickens hatch next month, the numbers will go up yet again!"

"If only..."

Steward Chang trailed off, his gaze dimming slightly. It was unclear what had crossed his mind.

"If Junior Martial Uncle Han knew about this, I’m sure he’d be very happy."

Yu Changsheng raised an eyebrow, confused. He looked at Steward Chang inquisitively.

"What do you mean? What’s happened to Junior Martial Uncle Han?"

Yu Changsheng asked, a bad feeling creeping into his heart.

He knew of Junior Martial Uncle Han. He was the previous owner of the Spirit Chicken Garden, and Yu Changsheng had heard he’d been transferred to a station on the Wuzhou border, which was why he had sold the garden so cheaply.

"You don’t know?" Steward Chang asked in surprise. A moment later, understanding dawned, and he said softly,

"Junior Martial Uncle Han... he was killed in action."

Steward Chang’s voice was filled with sorrow, the regret in his eyes particularly stark.

"Killed in action?" Yu Changsheng froze, blinking. "How did it happen?"

"Well..." Steward Chang fell silent. "It’s very complicated. Our Wuzhou and the neighboring Qingzhou Province have never gotten along. For years, we held back. There were minor skirmishes, but nothing too serious."

"But ever since the current Emperor of Cang Country in Qingzhou Province took the throne, his attitude has been much more aggressive. He’s ambitious, and the border conflicts have escalated significantly as a result."

Yu Changsheng listened in silence, his expression thoughtful as he watched Steward Chang.

"In fact, it wasn’t just Junior Martial Uncle Han. I’ve heard many other Sect Disciples stationed at the border have died as well. The Cang Country’s Royal Family is stirring, eager for a fight. Who knows how it will all end."

Steward Chang rubbed the back of his neck and sniffled, his gaze turning to the Spirit Chicken Garden as if lost in thought.

"Fortunately for us in Wuzhou, we have the Three Gates and Six Sects. The three major powers among them—the Purple Rainbow Sect, the Profound Yin Sect, and the Seven Stars Sect—are holding the line, so the Cang Country’s Royal Family wouldn’t dare launch an all-out war so easily."

"Besides, it’s not just Wuzhou. Regions like Cangzhou also border Qingzhou Province. If a real war broke out, the powers in those other provinces wouldn’t miss the opportunity to get involved. In the end, both sides would just suffer devastating losses!"

Yu Changsheng remained silent. He’d heard of these powers, but he didn’t know the specifics.

"But don’t worry about it too much." Steward Chang glanced at Yu Changsheng with a reassuring look and patted his shoulder.

"Cultivators like us, who haven’t even reached the Golden Core Realm, are just relying on the Wanxiang Sect for protection. As long as the Wanxiang Sect stands, we’ll be fine."

"But if something major does happen..."

Steward Chang’s tone shifted, and his expression grew more serious.

"Changsheng, you’re an Inner Sect Disciple of the Wanxiang Sect now, after all. If something really were to happen, you might actually be sent out."

"In any case, it’s best to be prepared. All this talk is just talk. As long as you keep increasing your strength, you’ll have nothing to fear."

"I understand." Yu Changsheng nodded, taking the words to heart. He sighed inwardly at the news about Junior Martial Uncle Han.

BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ.

His Communication Jade Tube suddenly began to vibrate. Yu Changsheng swept it with his Divine Sense. After reading the message, he cupped his fist and bowed to Steward Chang. "Steward Chang," he said,

"I’ll have to leave this in your care. Elder Yun is summoning me, so I must take my leave. When we have a moment in the next couple of days, let’s make time to erect a memorial for Junior Martial Uncle Han..."

Steward Chang gave Yu Changsheng an appreciative look, nodded, and smiled faintly. "That’s very thoughtful of you. Since Elder Yun has summoned you, you should hurry. Don’t keep her waiting."

After bidding farewell, Yu Changsheng hurried toward the Elder Hall near the summit of Beast Taming Peak. Following the directions, he soon found Yun Hejing.

"Disciple Yu Changsheng pays his respects to Elder Yun."

Yu Changsheng bowed respectfully to Yun Hejing, his demeanor modest.

"There’s no need for such ceremony," Yun Hejing said, turning to face him. She offered a gentle smile, her expression kind. Gently helping him to his feet, she continued, "You are Elder Wei’s disciple. According to seniority, you don’t need to be so formal, especially now that you’ve reached Foundation Establishment."

As Yun Hejing spoke, she looked at Yu Changsheng, her beautiful eyes shimmering like autumn pools. Her faint smile was as pure and elegant as a lotus flower gracing the water’s surface.

But hidden in the depths of those lotus-like eyes was a profound astonishment.

"Still, your cultivation speed is truly remarkable. How long has it been, and you’ve already reached the Foundation Establishment Second Layer? It’s no wonder Elder Wei holds you in such high esteem."

"I was merely fortunate to have a few lucky opportunities. I also owe it all to my master’s excellent guidance."

Yu Changsheng kept his gaze lowered, his attitude remaining deferential.

Yun Hejing nodded. "Regardless, it’s true that your innate talent is astonishing. It’s a great blessing for you to have Elder Wei as your master."

"I’ve summoned you today because there is a matter I wish to discuss with you. I hope you’ll be willing to lend your strength and make a contribution to the sect."

"Oh?" Yu Changsheng was slightly surprised. "May I ask what it is, Elder Yun? If there is anything this disciple can do, I will not hesitate to do my duty."

Yun Hejing began, "Have you heard of the Spirit Dragon Sect?"

The Spirit Dragon Sect, like the Wanxiang Sect, was one of the Three Gates and Six Sects of Wuzhou. Yu Changsheng was, of course, aware of it.

He nodded in response. "I know a little about it."

"Good. Here is the situation. In three months, the Beast Taming Lineage from the Spirit Dragon Sect intends to send a delegation for an ’exchange.’ When the time comes, I will be selecting several Inner Sect Disciples to represent our Beast Taming Peak. I was wondering if you would be willing to participate?"

Yun Hejing asked, her voice gentle and free of any pressure.

"The Spirit Dragon Sect, like our Wanxiang Sect, is one of the Six Sects. It has a profound heritage, and its overall strength now slightly surpasses ours. You should know that here on the Martial Continent, the Beast Taming Lineage and Beast Masters are not considered mainstream, so few sects have established a Beast Taming Peak."

"However, our Wanxiang Sect rose to prominence through Beast Taming, thanks to our founding ancestor. In its heyday, its glory was boundless, and our Beast Taming Lineage was number one on the Martial Continent. The Spirit Dragon Sect, by contrast, is a new power that couldn’t have been mentioned in the same breath as us back then."

"In recent years, however, our sect’s Beast Taming Lineage has declined, while the Spirit Dragon Sect has shot to prominence and now vaguely threatens to overshadow us. To be blunt, this so-called ’exchange’ is just an excuse for them to put us down and prove that they are now the top Beast Taming power on the Martial Continent."

"Our Wanxiang Sect was founded on the art of Beast Taming. How can we simply step aside?"

Yun Hejing slowly shook her head, her tone placid. It was impossible to discern any joy or anger in her voice as she explained the situation to Yu Changsheng.

"I see," Yu Changsheng said, the pieces falling into place.

’In short, it’s just a fight for reputation,’ he thought. ’And for a large organization like a sect, reputation is a very important thing.’

’A good name means a stronger reputation, which plays a major role in everything from recruiting future disciples to the allocation of resources.’

"But who can we blame? Our Wanxiang Sect’s Beast Taming Lineage is suffering from a generational gap. We have very few Inner Sect Disciples in our lineage, and even fewer who are skilled enough to make a showing. That’s what gave them this idea."

Yun Hejing gave a helpless, slightly bitter smile, her tone self-deprecating.

"Our Beast Taming Peak may have declined to fifth place within the Wanxiang Sect, but if we’re truly trampled on, it’s the Wanxiang Sect’s reputation that gets tarnished. I fear the Sword Control Peak and the others will..."

"In any case, this exchange is very important. The main focus will be on the Inner Sect Disciples, as the Chief Disciples won’t be attending. If you can, I hope you will participate. I’m not asking you to win any specific rank, just that you do your best."

"Furthermore, this is a training opportunity for you. Now that you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, battling against other outstanding Beast Masters at the same Realm will be a valuable experience and a significant boost to your growth."

Yun Hejing gazed at Yu Changsheng. A gentle breeze swept past, rustling the dark strands of hair at her temples. With it came a delicate fragrance that wafted into Yu Changsheng’s nose.