I'm Just a Beast Tamer

Jiang Zuo now had a rough idea of who the hundred or so people were.

Most of them were geniuses from clans and sects of all sizes, the names of which Jiang Zuo had never heard.

There were also disciples from famous, major sects, but most of them had likely already left on their own.

The ones still by Jiang Zuo’s side, aside from Sikong Bing of the Celestial Sound Sect, included a young monk from Leiyin Temple and a youth from Sword Casting Manor.

Because of Master Leichan, Jiang Zuo took a closer look at the young monk.

The young monk was only at the Dao Foundation realm, and his dharma name was Ling Xu.

After speaking with the young monk, Ling Xu, Jiang Zuo learned that while Leiyin Temple was a major sect, it did not have a large number of disciples.

It was unlike other sects, which recruited disciples en masse and then selected the best from the pool.

When Leiyin Temple recruited disciples, they looked for not only Spirit Root Talent but also a Wisdom Root.

Naturally, very few disciples could meet these criteria.

However, any disciple accepted by Leiyin Temple was guaranteed a high starting point.

Although the young monk Ling Xu was only at the Dao Foundation realm, his own foundation was exceptionally solid. His combat prowess in a real fight would be nothing to scoff at.

Otherwise, he never would have been among the more than two hundred people who managed to escape.

As for the youth from Sword Casting Manor, he was at the mid-stage Divine Body Realm, and his name was Ou Mingquan.

Ou Mingquan was remarkably strong; among this group of over a hundred people, his power was likely second only to Jiang Zuo’s.

Jiang Zuo had noticed him during the great battle back in the Secret Realm.

Sword Casting Manor was located on the Ancestral Continent and was not counted among the Ten Great Sects.

But no one ever dared to underestimate the disciples of Sword Casting Manor.

Sword Casting Manor possessed Artifact Refining Skills that were second to none and had forged many famous Spiritual Artifacts. They had even crafted more than ten Spirit Treasures.

If that were all, it would be one thing, but Sword Casting Manor’s own power was also extremely formidable, in no way inferior to those great sects.

"Sigh... It seems the people from the Celestial Eye Black Pupil organization aren’t coming after us."

After they had traveled for a few more hours, Ou Mingquan suddenly let out a sigh.

"Ou, what do you mean by that?"

someone asked, confused.

"My apologies, fellow Daoists. The truth is, after I escaped the Secret Realm, I used a secret method to contact one of the seniors from my manor."

"One of my Martial Uncles from Sword Casting Manor has been secretly following us for the better part of the day."

"If anyone from Celestial Eye Black Pupil had dared to give chase, my Martial Uncle would have ensured they’d never return."

"Unfortunately, it seems the people from Celestial Eye Black Pupil were too cautious and didn’t pursue us after all."

"Master Ou, please show yourself!"

Ou Mingquan said with a smile to the group, then turned to the forest on his left and spoke respectfully.

As Ou Mingquan’s voice faded, a robust, though somewhat slovenly, old man appeared before everyone.

"Fellow Daoists, this is my Martial Uncle, Ou Fanghai."

"Master Ou, thank you for coming all this way personally."

Ou Mingquan briefly introduced the slovenly old man to the group.

"Master Ou Fanghai, a late-stage Dao Fruit Realm cultivator!"

"So that’s it! No wonder the people from Celestial Eye Black Pupil didn’t dare to pursue us!"

"Greetings, Master Ou Fanghai!"

Quite a few people had heard of Master Ou Fanghai, and they couldn’t help but look his way with excitement.

It wasn’t just because of his late-stage Dao Fruit Realm cultivation; rumor had it that Ou Fanghai had personally forged a fifth-tier Spirit Treasure!

Jiang Zuo, being less worldly, sent a mental message to Sikong Bing and finally understood the significance.

"To be abducted by Celestial Eye Black Pupil and still manage to escape... you all have some decent luck."

"Get on board for now. Once we reach Sword Casting Manor, we can discuss the other matters at length."

Ou Fanghai nodded, summoned a Flying Ship, and with a wave of his hand, ushered everyone inside.

Only after boarding the Flying Ship did everyone finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Now, they were truly safe.

The valley they had escaped from wasn’t actually that close to Sword Casting Manor.

It was just that the speed of Ou Fanghai’s Flying Ship was ridiculously fast.

Ou Mingquan explained that the Flying Ship was Ou Fanghai’s magnum opus, forged from numerous High-Tier Spiritual Materials. It was a high-grade, fourth-tier Flying Ship, just a single step shy of becoming a fifth-tier Spirit Treasure.

Ou Fanghai had come to retrieve them precisely because he possessed this Flying Ship.

A few hours later, the Flying Ship descended at the foot of a vast, sprawling mountain.

At the mountain’s base lay a continuous stretch of manors.

Looking down from the sky, they could see plumes of black smoke rising from various spots.

Once they landed, they could hear the ceaseless, overlapping clang of hammers on anvils.

Sword Casting Manor arranged a courtyard complex for the hundred-plus people to stay in.

The manor offered to help contact everyone’s sects and clans, and those who didn’t wish to stay could choose to leave.

However, anyone who intended to leave would have already departed, not waited until now.

After a night’s rest, Ou Fanghai summoned everyone to a large hall the next day to gather more information.

"So you’re saying that Mingquan, and everyone else here, managed to escape from the Celestial Eye Black Pupil’s Secret Realm entirely thanks to young brother Zhou Yong?"

Ou Fanghai said with great interest as he looked at Jiang Zuo, who was seated to one side.

He had already questioned Ou Mingquan last night; now, he was simply confirming a few details.

"I wouldn’t dare claim the credit. At the time, I just wanted to escape, and this was the only way I could think of. If we must assign credit, it doesn’t belong to me, but to the Relic of Master Leichan from Leiyin Temple. Without Master Leichan’s Relic, I could not have saved everyone, no matter how powerful I was."

"If I have to say, I was just extremely lucky to have come across this Jade Pendant and the Moonlit Night Heart-Purifying Technique, allowing me to break free from the brainwashing ahead of time."

Jiang Zuo shook his head slightly.

’This matter is far too entangled,’ Jiang Zuo thought. He knew things wouldn’t be simple, so he didn’t plan on hiding anything that didn’t need to be hidden.

’If I can’t explain everything clearly, what awaits me won’t be praise, but trouble.’

"To think that Master Leichan managed to cultivate a Relic... I truly never expected to find such a figure within the Celestial Eye Black Pupil organization."

Ou Fanghai nodded.

After Jiang Zuo’s additions, he had a general understanding of the situation.

"You may all continue to stay at Sword Casting Manor for a while. Most of your elders are already on their way."

"As for the cultivators still trapped in the Secret Realm, you need not worry. Sword Casting Manor has already sent word to sects of all sizes. Those with disciples trapped inside will come here to discuss how to rescue them."

After giving these instructions, Ou Fanghai had Ou Mingquan tend to the guests.

However, he called Jiang Zuo aside, and the two went to another room alone.

"Young brother Zhou Yong, our Mingquan’s escape from the clutches of Celestial Eye Black Pupil was undoubtedly thanks to you."

"We at Sword Casting Manor have always believed in repaying kindness. No matter what, we must express our gratitude to you."

"As you know, our Sword Casting Manor excels at forging all kinds of Spiritual Artifacts. If you wish, you may select a fourth-tier Spiritual Artifact from our treasury."

"Alternatively, if you provide the materials yourself, Sword Casting Manor will forge the Spiritual Artifact you desire free of charge."

Ou Fanghai said to Jiang Zuo with a smile.

The first of his two options was for Jiang Zuo to choose a fourth-tier Spiritual Artifact he liked.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The other option wasn’t really for Jiang Zuo, but for the Black Tortoise Dao Sect.

After all, Jiang Zuo couldn’t possibly come up with any significant Spiritual Materials.

The Black Tortoise Dao Sect, however, would certainly have a need to have a Spiritual Artifact forged.

"Master Ou, your manor must have Spirit Fires, correct? I’ll pass on the fourth-tier Spiritual Artifact. I was wondering, could you give me a third-tier Spirit Fire instead?"

Jiang Zuo said after a moment’s thought.

’The Nine Flames Reincarnation Technique has already refined two Spirit Fires,’ Jiang Zuo thought. ’Now that I’m at the Divine Body Realm, my progress with the technique will grind to a halt if I don’t refine more. Because of the Nine Flames Reincarnation Technique, my cultivation has progressed slowly over the past year since my breakthrough, even with dual cultivation with Sikong Bing.’

"A third-tier Spirit Fire... Very well."

Ou Fanghai said after a moment of consideration.

Although Sword Casting Manor had no shortage of Spirit Fires, a third-tier Spirit Fire was still a rare commodity.

Compared to other sects, Sword Casting Manor’s demand for Spirit Fires was much higher.

Furthermore, not all Spirit Fires were suitable for forging Spiritual Artifacts.

If an ordinary person had made this request, Ou Fanghai would have refused without hesitation; after all, even Sword Casting Manor’s own supply of Spirit Fires was tight.

But since the one asking was Jiang Zuo, Ou Fanghai thought it over and still agreed.

Sword Casting Manor was in the northern part of the Ancestral Continent, a considerable distance from the Black Tortoise Dao Sect.

However, the manor was extremely well-informed about news throughout the Cultivation Realm, big and small.

The previous night, after Ou Mingquan had recounted the events, Ou Fanghai had immediately ordered someone to look into Jiang Zuo.

He hadn’t thought much of it, but the investigation revealed that Jiang Zuo’s talent was truly extraordinary.

And from Ou Mingquan’s account, Jiang Zuo’s talent was far more formidable than what the files suggested.

Faced with such a talented member of the younger generation, Ou Fanghai didn’t mind making a good impression.

Sword Casting Manor was not one of the Ten Great Sects of the Ancestral Continent, but its illustrious reputation had much to do with its philosophy of conducting its affairs.

"This is our Sword Casting Manor’s unique third-tier Spirit Fire, the Glazed Pure Fire."

"The Glazed Pure Fire burns at an extremely high temperature, easily melting all kinds of Spiritual Materials and purging them of impurities."

"Every Artifact Refiner in the world dreams of possessing a wisp of Glazed Pure Fire."

A few hours later, Ou Fanghai brought Jiang Zuo a wisp of the Glazed Pure Fire.

"Thank you, Master Ou," Jiang Zuo said gratefully. "I’ll be using this fire for my cultivation. I will absorb it for my own use shortly and won’t let it be passed on."

Ou Fanghai nodded in satisfaction. ’It seems this Zhou Yong is no ordinary youth; he easily understood my underlying concerns.’

The Nine Flames Reincarnation Technique was already thirsting for Spirit Fire. That very evening, Jiang Zuo spent only a single night refining the Glazed Pure Fire.

After refining the Glazed Pure Fire, Jiang Zuo felt an incredible sense of ease as he circulated the Nine Flames Reincarnation Technique again.

Meanwhile, over the next two days, elders from the various sects and clans began arriving at Sword Casting Manor one after another upon receiving the news.

"Little Junior Brother!"

「Two days later.」

As Jiang Zuo was sipping tea in the courtyard, two figures rushed in impatiently.

Upon seeing Jiang Zuo, his newfound Senior Brother, Yu Ying, cried out in delight.

The other person was his master, Luo Taidong.

"Master, Third Senior Brother!"

Jiang Zuo immediately rose to his feet and greeted them respectfully.

"As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters! As long as you’re safe!"

Luo Taidong said, his voice thick with emotion as he looked Jiang Zuo up and down.