I'm Just a Beast Tamer

Don’t be fooled by the Golden Lark’s small and delicate frame, which is far smaller than a Cloud Rock Eagle’s.

Its juvenile period is not short at all—twice as long as a Cloud Rock Eagle’s, taking nearly ten years to mature.

Yan Bocheng had originally thought that if Jiang Zuo could gain insights and summarize a taming technique within four years, it would already be considered incredibly fast.

Who would have known that in less than two years, Jiang Zuo would deliver the Gold Threaded Lark Breeding Method right to him.

How could he not be pleasantly surprised?

Yan Bocheng eagerly began to read it in detail.

Unlike the Cloud Rock Eagle breeding manual, the Gold Threaded Lark Breeding Method was nearly twice as thick.

There were many parts that Yan Bocheng couldn’t immediately comprehend on a cursory read.

"What a genius idea!"

But when he read the method for preventing Golden Larks from escaping, Yan Bocheng couldn’t help but slap his thigh in excitement.

Although Jiang Zuo had added a note saying the method might not be universally applicable, and Yan Bocheng hadn’t actually had anyone test it, he felt certain it would work after just one read-through.

If this didn’t work, then no other method in the world could.

"Come to think of it, this method isn’t complicated at all, but no one had ever managed to think of it before."

"Zhou Yong is truly a Beast Taming genius!"

After reading it again, Yan Bocheng couldn’t help but praise him once more.

"As it happens, we have another pair of Golden Larks incubating eggs right now. Let’s start preparing at once and have those old-timers test this taming technique!"

The Golden Larks were kept in an enclosed forest halfway up the mountain. Yan Bocheng went up to find the few old men in charge of raising them.

Currently, they were the only ones in the entire Black Tortoise Dao Sect capable of raising Golden Larks.

As for ordinary disciples, it wasn’t that no one wanted to learn, but all of them had ultimately given up in frustration.

"Is this the Gold Threaded Lark Breeding Method written by that genius, Zhou Yong?"

"To have gained such insights on taming in just two years... he truly is a peerless Beast Taming genius!"

"We’ve been raising Golden Larks for two or three hundred years, and it feels like we’ve wasted all that time."

The old men looked at the taming technique Yan Bocheng had brought and couldn’t help but smile wryly.

They could only say they had a little bit of experience in taming Golden Larks.

They could raise young Golden Larks and make them a bit less fearful of humans.

But as for reaching the standards mentioned in the taming technique, that was purely a matter of luck.

Only with extreme luck could they barely pass.

And when it came to stopping the Golden Larks from escaping, they were completely at a loss.

As they saw every single problem they had encountered while raising Golden Larks addressed one by one in the taming technique, the old men fell silent.

’If someone masters this taming technique, does that mean anyone could raise Golden Larks?’

One of the old men couldn’t help but wonder.

The reality wouldn’t be so simple, but he felt that as long as one didn’t give up and spent enough time, there was truly no one who couldn’t learn it.

’After all, no matter how difficult this taming technique is, could it possibly be harder than a Cultivation Technique?’

"Have you all had a chance to look it over? Let’s put the details aside for now. The first thing we need to decide is the most suitable location to build a new breeding ground with no Spiritual Qi."

Yan Bocheng said to the old men.

"To build a breeding ground without Spiritual Qi, we can use an Exorcism Array. However, the Spiritual Qi on Spirit Beast Peak is too dense. An Exorcism Array might not be able to completely isolate it."

"To completely block out the Spiritual Qi, we’ll need to find a place where it is weak."

one of the old men said.

The others nodded in agreement.

Yan Bocheng knew this was true, so he discussed the most suitable location with them.

Soon, they selected a valley not too far from Spirit Beast Peak.

...

「A few days later.」

「Siguoya.」

Siguoya was guarded year-round, and entry and exit required the permission of the person on duty.

That day at noon, a middle-aged man handed a Hand Order to the old man on duty.

The old man glanced at it, waved his hand, and let the middle-aged man enter.

The old man recognized him. Ever since Luo Cheng was condemned to Siguoya nearly ten years ago, this man would occasionally come to bring him some cultivation supplies.

Siguoya was not a place one could enter and exit freely. However, Luo Cheng’s master was the Second Elder, Yin Zhongkun, and his father had once performed a great service for the sect, so the old man turned a blind eye.

Siguoya was dotted with caves.

From within each cave, a strong, cold Evil Qi emanated.

While reflecting on one’s misdeeds at Siguoya, one had to constantly use Spiritual Power to resist this Evil Qi for most of the day.

Otherwise, the Evil Qi would invade the body, leaving one feeling unbearably cold and miserable.

But reflecting at Siguoya wasn’t entirely a bad thing.

While resisting the invasion of Evil Qi, the reflector’s Spiritual Power would be continuously refined, making it purer.

Even one’s physical body would be strengthened by the Evil Qi.

Luo Cheng was not someone content with the early stage of the Three Flowers Realm. After being punished and sent to Siguoya, he had calmed his mind and engaged in arduous Cultivation there.

However, Luo Cheng still paid attention to affairs of the outside world.

After opening and reading the letter brought by the middle-aged man, a cold sneer appeared on Luo Cheng’s face.

He wrote a few seemingly irrelevant lines, sealed the letter, and gave it to the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man carefully put it away and took his leave.

’In just two short years, he even managed to create the Gold Threaded Lark Breeding Method. He’s truly a once-in-a-millennium Beast Taming genius!’

’I just wonder if the Black Tortoise Dao Sect would feel the sting if such a genius were to die young!’

Luo Cheng thought with a cold laugh.

He had already sent the message out. Unless those people weren’t worried about such a genius emerging from the Black Tortoise Dao Sect, there was no way a mere ant at the third level of Qi Cultivation could possibly survive!

「One week later.」

「Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.」

"Is this information really true?"

Liao Shitong asked in disbelief, looking at the report in his hand.

Because of their special abilities, many sects tried to raise Golden Larks.

As a Beast Taming Sect, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect naturally raised them as well, and they were the best at it among all the sects.

But even so, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect couldn’t stop the Golden Larks from escaping.

Although the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect did have a method of forced beast taming.

Using this method, the Golden Larks wouldn’t escape, but their ability to predict danger would be greatly diminished, rendering them worthless.

And now, a cultivation waste that the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect had once looked down on had managed to compile a complete Gold Threaded Lark Breeding Method in just two short years.

Including the previous Cloud Rock Eagle taming technique.

Within a mere ten years, this person had already written taming techniques for two different Spirit Beasts.

Ten years—what a short time for a Cultivator!

Even if this person was only at the Qi Cultivation stage, he could still live for 150 years.

Moreover, it was foreseeable that the Black Tortoise Dao Sect would definitely find ways to improve this boy’s cultivation aptitude, pour vast resources into him, and raise his Cultivation at any cost.

Reaching not just the Dao Foundation, but even breaking through to the Divine Body Realm, wouldn’t be too difficult if the Black Tortoise Dao Sect was willing.

Not to mention various life-extending medicines, a Divine Body Realm cultivator alone had a lifespan of five hundred years.

With this boy’s terrifying Beast Taming Talent, in five hundred years, he could enable the Black Tortoise Dao Sect’s Beast Taming abilities to far surpass the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect’s.

"It should be true. Verifying it won’t be difficult."

Guan Songyang said with a sigh, his hands behind his back.

He was the Third Elder of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, specializing in foreign affairs.

"Then..."

Liao Shitong looked at Guan Songyang.

"This boy must not be allowed to live!"

Guan Songyang said flatly.

Throughout history, maintaining the position of the number one sect in a region has been exceptionally difficult.

And no matter the sect, the desire to eliminate the genius disciples of other sects would never change.

The key was only whether it was worth doing and whether they would actually act on it.

If this boy were an ordinary genius, it would be one thing; given the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect’s stature, they could tolerate his existence.

But as fate would have it, he was a Beast Taming genius.

His very existence threatened to shake the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect’s ten-thousand-year foundation.

And to make matters worse, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect had rejected him back then. Now, trying to poach him was an impossibility.

The only path left was elimination.

"It seems that’s the only way."

Liao Shitong sighed.

This was really a last resort. After all, if this person died, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect would undoubtedly be the prime suspect.

Without evidence, the Black Tortoise Dao Sect might not vent its anger openly at the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.

But in the shadows, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect would surely be targeted by the Black Tortoise Dao Sect.

If it were just the Black Tortoise Dao Sect, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect wouldn’t be afraid.

But having reached its current position, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect had already made countless enemies, both seen and unseen.

There would be no shortage of people who would take the opportunity to kick them while they were down.

Therefore, unless they had no other choice, the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect didn’t want to resort to such methods.

If anyone was to blame, it was that boy, for possessing such talent.

「Another month passed.」

"That kid signed up for the Black Tortoise Dao Sect’s decennial sect competition? With his third-level Qi Cultivation?"

"Indeed!"

"It seems fate has sealed his doom. Let him die in the arena!"

"A third-level Qi Cultivation facing a Dao Foundation cultivator... it would be perfectly normal for the Dao Foundation cultivator to slip up and accidentally kill him."

"My only fear is that the cultivator acting as referee will intervene and save him."

"Then we’ll make sure he doesn’t have time to act!"

In just a few words, Jiang Zuo’s fate was sealed by the elders of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.

...

If even the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect knew that Jiang Zuo had signed up for the sect competition, there was no way Yan Bocheng wouldn’t know.

The moment he received the news, he went to find Jiang Zuo.

"Nonsense! You’re only at the third level of Qi Cultivation! What are you doing entering the competition? What if you get careless and someone injures you!"

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Yan Bocheng scolded him bluntly.

If his opponents were in the Qi Cultivation realm, that would be one thing. Even against a late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivator, he could put up a fight with enough preparation.

But with a whole major realm between them, and given Jiang Zuo’s poor aptitude, he’d likely be blasted off the stage in a single move.

If he was unlucky, he could be severely injured.

Jiang Zuo was a great treasure in Yan Bocheng’s eyes now, and he didn’t want to see him in any danger.

No matter what, he had to stop Jiang Zuo from getting in the arena.

"Elder Yan, you don’t need to worry. I’m not being reckless. I signed up because I have some confidence,"

Jiang Zuo said with a smile, and with a flick of his hand, he summoned Xiaoqing.

"A late-stage, second-rank Spirit Beast?"

Yan Bocheng was immediately taken aback.

Jiang Zuo was only at the third level of Qi Cultivation. Where did a late-stage, second-rank Spirit Beast come from?

Jiang Zuo recounted the story he had prepared beforehand to Yan Bocheng, his tone slightly smug.

Yan Bocheng was speechless after hearing it. ’What kind of luck is this?’

A Spirit Turtle that was already at the late stage of the second rank right after hatching... that truly wasn’t a lucky find an ordinary person could stumble upon.

Jiang Zuo then had Xiaoqing cast a Cyan Spirit Shield spell on him. Yan Bocheng examined it closely, a look of surprise on his face.

"Fine. In any case, you must be careful. If things look bad, you have to concede immediately."

Knowing he couldn’t stop Jiang Zuo, Yan Bocheng didn’t insist.

With this Spirit Turtle around, and if he gave a special warning to the competition referees, there shouldn’t be any major problems.

With Yan Bocheng’s approval, Jiang Zuo breathed a sigh of relief.

If it were only for the Earth Core Flowing Fire, Jiang Zuo could have actually tried to negotiate with Yan Bocheng to trade for it directly.

But he also had a mission to make a name for himself by participating in the competition this time, so he had to take part.