I'm Just a Beast Tamer

As someone faking his brainwashing, Jiang Zuo was full of secrets and didn’t want to bring any trouble upon himself.

If he accidentally let anything slip, he would be forced to flee.

The loyalty of these black-eyed believers was unquestionable. If he let his mask slip in the slightest, he’d likely be reported immediately.

Jiang Zuo had thought his excuse would be enough to get him through this.

But just then, a female Cultivator from among the brainwashed suddenly stood up.

The woman was simply dressed, but her figure and features were exceptionally striking. Her long, black hair was tied back in a high ponytail, lending her graceful posture a valiant air.

Yet, contrasting this valiant aura, her stunning figure emanated a certain seductive charm.

Even the male Cultivators, brainwashed into becoming diligent workhorses, couldn’t help but stare when they saw her.

"I don’t think you’re right! Just as Elder He said, bearing offspring is a very important contribution to the Master of the Black Eye!"

"And having children won’t take up that much of your time; you can easily do both!"

"I’m an Inner Sect Disciple of the Celestial Sound Sect and an Alchemist. I’ve read books within the sect on how to raise children."

"Once we have a child, you won’t have to worry about a thing. You can just leave the raising to me!"

"Therefore, Elder He, I implore you to let me and this man become Dao partners! That way, we can make the greatest possible contribution to our great Master of the Black Eye!"

The female Cultivator declared solemnly.

"Good! Well said! Zhou Yong, you shall become Dao partners with Sikong Bing!"

Elder He stroked his beard and smiled upon hearing this, showing no intention of consulting Jiang Zuo.

If it had been an ordinary person who thought like Jiang Zuo, Elder He wouldn’t have insisted on them finding a female partner.

But Zhou Yong’s marriage was an order from on high; he had to be matched with someone.

You could say this entire matchmaking event was set up just for Jiang Zuo.

The reason was quite simple.

The brainwashing of the Celestial Eye Black Pupil wasn’t completely foolproof.

Once a Cultivator opened their Sea of Consciousness and awakened their Divine Sense, there was a chance the conditioning would slowly fade, allowing them to regain their senses.

There had been many such cases in the past.

Of course, even if they did wake up, death was almost always the only outcome.

But for a special Beast Taming genius like Jiang Zuo, the leadership of Celestial Eye Black Pupil absolutely did not want him to wake up.

The preventative measures to keep someone from breaking free of the brainwashing were also quite simple.

If you made them marry and have children, truly integrating them into the organization, the chances of them breaking free of the conditioning would be drastically reduced.

As far as Elder He was concerned, his mission would be complete as long as someone became Dao partners with Jiang Zuo.

It didn’t matter who it was.

For a great beauty like Sikong Bing to volunteer was even better.

Hearing Sikong Bing offer herself to Jiang Zuo, the surrounding male Cultivators were all disappointed.

However, none of them stood up to challenge him for her.

"Thank you, Elder He!"

After thanking the elder, Sikong Bing strode over and sat down beside Jiang Zuo.

"Yes, Elder He."

Jiang Zuo was speechless, but he couldn’t refuse.

Sikong Bing had made herself perfectly clear. If he refused again, he’d risk arousing suspicion.

Besides, Jiang Zuo had a nagging suspicion that this matchmaking event had been aimed at him from the start.

So he didn’t say anything more.

As for a great beauty like Sikong Bing, he had no reason to complain.

Either way, he wasn’t the one getting the short end of the stick.

’As for children, that’s absolutely out of the question. Not in a million years.’

He glanced at Sikong Bing. Up close, he had to admit she was really something.

She was curvy in all the right places, a true feast for the eyes.

Even Jiang Zuo couldn’t help but feel a little stirred looking at her.

Since she was the one who had initiated this, Jiang Zuo didn’t hold back, reaching out and pulling her close.

His hand even began to wander, exploring her body.

’Might as well go all in on the act.’ Since Old He just wanted to find him a Dao partner, he’d act a little more lecherous to put the old man’s mind at ease.

Seeing Jiang Zuo’s actions, Elder He was indeed greatly satisfied.

’The mouth says no, but the body is honest! What man would refuse a real beauty by his side?’

But who would have guessed? Sikong Bing, the woman who had just grandly offered herself to Jiang Zuo for the sake of the great Master of the Black Eye, was now thinking this in vexation.

’This guy... I can’t believe he’s such a hypocrite! I was blind!’

But after making such a grand speech, how could she dare to resist now?

If she did, she would expose herself on the spot.

"Husband, why don’t we leave now?"

She felt that if they stayed any longer, Jiang Zuo would take full advantage of her.

Sikong Bing thought for a moment before speaking to Jiang Zuo with forced composure.

"Good."

Jiang Zuo had been wanting to leave for a while, so he had no objections.

The two left together, looking as if they couldn’t wait to get back and start making a baby.

Elder He chuckled at the sight.

"Where do you live, Husband?"

Wriggling free from Jiang Zuo’s wandering hands, Sikong Bing breathed a sigh of relief.

They had been hastily joined as Dao partners, but she knew nothing at all about Jiang Zuo.

She had assumed he was a man who shunned women for the sake of the Master of the Black Eye, but that was clearly not the case.

If she had known, she never would have chosen him.

But now, it was too late. Sikong Bing could only roll with it.

"Spirit Beast Mountain. You’ll live with me there from now on."

Jiang Zuo said casually.

He was used to living on Spirit Beast Mountain; moving was out of the question.

"Alright. But I’m a Pharmacist at the Alchemy Workshop. For the sake of the great Master of the Black Eye, I might be very busy and not come home often. I hope you understand, Husband."

Sikong Bing said.

’That... doesn’t sound quite like what she was saying earlier, does it?’

Jiang Zuo found it a bit strange, but he couldn’t be bothered to overthink it.

’Perhaps this was just what being thoroughly brainwashed looked like.’

Back at his residence, the two of them tidied up the house, making do with it as their bridal chamber.

"Husband, today is the day we become Dao partners. Where I’m from, we have a custom of drinking from cross-linked cups."

Sikong Bing took out two cups and poured wine into them.

Jiang Zuo nodded and drank a cup with Sikong Bing.

A moment after drinking it, Jiang Zuo collapsed onto the table.

’Finally, he’s out. When he wakes up, he should think we consummated our marriage.’

Sikong Bing breathed a sigh of relief at this.

The drug was from the Celestial Sound Sect, and this was her first time using it.

If it hadn’t worked, she wouldn’t have been able to escape his clutches tonight.

She moved Jiang Zuo to the bed, stripped off his clothes, and then covered him with a blanket.

Then, she sat to one side and began to meditate for her Cultivation.

The night passed quickly. Seeing the color of the sky and guessing that Jiang Zuo was about to wake, Sikong Bing went out to fetch a basin of cold water before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast for two.

"Husband, you’re awake."

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Sikong Bing waited until Jiang Zuo’s eyes fluttered open before speaking to him with a shy expression.

She then helped Jiang Zuo get dressed, and they ate breakfast together.

"Husband, I have to go to the Alchemy Workshop. I’ll be back in a while."

After saying this to Jiang Zuo, Sikong Bing left the house.

"Go ahead, wife. I have to go up to Spirit Beast Mountain to feed the Spirit Beasts later anyway."

Jiang Zuo nodded, his expression normal as he spoke.

Seeing this, Sikong Bing inwardly sighed in relief.

’It seems my plan was a success.’

’This Zhou Yong, although he seems a bit lecherous, is still focused on contributing to the Master of the Black Eye.’

’In that case, my life here won’t be too difficult.’

As Sikong Bing departed, Jiang Zuo watched her retreating figure, a look of great interest appearing on his face.

’I can’t believe there’s someone else here who isn’t brainwashed.’

’This woman is from the Celestial Sound Sect, her Cultivation is only at the late stage of the Dao Foundation realm, but the drug she concocted is truly impressive.’

’Anyone else would have been manipulated by her without even realizing it.’

He hadn’t expected Sikong Bing to drug him, only realizing it as the potion took effect.

However, once he realized it was just a drug that caused hallucinations, Jiang Zuo decided to feign being affected to see what Sikong Bing was planning.

Watching her actions, Jiang Zuo quickly figured out that Sikong Bing wasn’t brainwashed either.

Her reasons for wanting to become his Dao partner were also becoming clear.

She must have heard his speech and thought he was a man who had no interest in women, which was why she approached him.

If he had no interest in women, the chances of her being exposed would be greatly reduced.

’This works out well. We’re both just getting what we need.’

Jiang Zuo thought this arrangement wasn’t bad. He no longer had to worry about the Dao partner issue, nor did he have to worry about being exposed and reported.

With her own guilty conscience, it would be a miracle if Sikong Bing noticed anything amiss about him.

Putting the matter of Sikong Bing out of his mind, Jiang Zuo focused all his energy on his Cultivation.

Aside from tending to the Spirit Beasts, Jiang Zuo didn’t mention anything else.

His official excuse, of course, was that he needed to consolidate his Cultivation.

Sikong Bing generally only came back once every six months.

Each time she returned, she would give Jiang Zuo a dose of her drug.

Jiang Zuo played along, never exposing her.

As for coming clean and cooperating with Sikong Bing, Jiang Zuo never even considered it.

One can never be too careful. He had no idea what Sikong Bing’s plans were. If he revealed his secrets and something went wrong, she might rat him out.

In the blink of an eye, several years had passed since Jiang Zuo and Sikong Bing had become Dao partners.

In addition to his Cultivation, Jiang Zuo also began to rewrite some first and second-tier Spirit Beast Taming Techniques.

In the eyes of the Celestial Eye Black Pupil leadership, Jiang Zuo’s efficiency was astonishingly high.

Unfortunately, his Cultivation was still a ways off from the Divine Body realm. It looked like it would take him at least a decade, if not more, to break through.

Someone apparently couldn’t wait that long and sent a messenger to ask Jiang Zuo if he could tame a third-tier Spirit Beast.

Jiang Zuo immediately said he could try.

And so, Jiang Zuo was granted access to third-tier Spirit Beasts.

Although he was only in the Dao Foundation realm, Jiang Zuo’s power was more than a match for a third-tier Spirit Beast.

Taming a third-tier Spirit Beast would actually be a very simple matter for him.

But of course, Jiang Zuo wouldn’t do that. He wanted to use this third-tier Spirit Beast to stall for more time.

Submitting a few notes on his progress every now and then should be enough to appease the leadership of Celestial Eye Black Pupil.

And just as Jiang Zuo had predicted, although his progress in taming the third-tier Spirit Beast had slowed considerably...

...Wei Rulin was still very satisfied with the notes Jiang Zuo submitted.

His only slight regret was that Jiang Zuo and the disciple from the Celestial Sound Sect had yet to produce an heir.

「Several more years passed in the blink of an eye.」

On this day, Sikong Bing returned as usual.

But this time, after Jiang Zuo took the drug and collapsed...

...Sikong Bing didn’t wait around.

After moving him to the bed, she quietly slipped away, disappearing to parts unknown.