The Master of Beasts

Regardless of Li Qiwen's thoughts, Chen Jiuge first had to prepare the necessary items for the mass breeding of the Silver Iron Chickens.

The Third-Rank Silver Iron Chickens were not recorded in the Myriad Beasts Record, meaning they were genuine Mutant Spiritual Beasts. If he could mass-breed them and enhance their abilities, he might achieve a good ranking in the Beast Breeding Competition held a century later. This would bring him one step closer to earning the title of Spirit Beast Breeding Master.

Setting those thoughts aside for now, today, the eagerly awaited War Song finally emerged.

「Fierce Beast Mini World」

"I told you not to go there! Now we're really done for," Yang Huan said, his face sullen.

"What's there to be afraid of? Come on, brothers, let's take it on!" Yue Li said disdainfully.

With a sudden stop, the other four beasts halted in unison and looked toward Yue Li. "Go ahead."

Yue Li, irritated, looked at the four beasts and bolstered his courage loudly. "You bunch of cowards! If I have to go, I'll go!"

Just as his words fell, a massive figure appeared before the five beasts.

A gigantic Minotaur, over a hundred meters tall, appeared before them, wielding a huge Wolf Fang Club.

Yue Li swallowed hard and asked, "Am I really going?"

"Go ahead."

Seeing his four heartless brothers, Yue Li let out a shout. His figure swelled to several tens of meters, and a giant rabbit's Giant Spirit Dharma Form materialized behind him. Wielding a ten-meter-long bone club, he leaped forward and smashed it down on the Minotaur's head.

As a Fierce Beast that had undergone Divinity Transformation, the Minotaur still acted mostly on instinct. Not sensing any threat from the "little thing" before it, it didn't dodge.

It brushed off the bone fragments from the shattered club and roared loudly. With a dull, screeching sound, the huge Wolf Fang Club struck the unprepared Yue Li, instantly turning him into a meteor that vanished from sight.

"Brothers, I'll go on ahead! It's up to you guys now!"

Watching Yue Li disappear into the sky, Ao Yi said angrily, I thought this rabbit was going to fight to the death! I didn't expect him to be the first to slip away.

The five beasts had provoked Divinity Transformation Fierce Beasts here many times. If this Minotaur hadn't reached the peak of Divinity Transformation, the five of them wouldn't have been chased into such a sorry state. They simply couldn't win.

"Forget it. I'll lead the attack. Ao Yi and Ao Li, you two distract it. Yang Huan, find an opportunity to launch a surprise attack," War Song said seriously.

"No problem!"

War Song, taking the lead, immediately employed his most powerful technique: Demon Ape Transformation. His fifty-meter stature, though only half the Minotaur's height, looked as if it could withstand a few blows. The two Flood Dragons soared into the air, blasting Dragon Fire at the Minotaur's face, while Yang Huan, the Phantom, vanished from sight.

"Eat my staff!"

BANG!

As their weapons clashed, War Song's arm muscles bulged, his face turning red. The two Flood Dragons in the air were about to exhaust nearly all the Dragon Fire they could muster, and Yang Huan swung his twin blades so fast they created numerous afterimages.

The Minotaur stood bathed in flames, seemingly unharmed. Well, not entirely unharmed—its face had darkened considerably, and numerous new wounds had appeared on its ankles. It was probably quite painful, as the rings around its eyes were now red.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

With four consecutive bangs, the four beasts were sent flying in the direction Yue Li had disappeared. The Minotaur, having successfully dealt with the four "small things," cheered. Its body began an involuntary victory dance—a rather unsightly spectacle that the five beasts thankfully missed.

When the four beasts crashed back to the ground from mid-air, Yue Li was just hoisting a large snake, planning to fill his belly.

"How did you guys get back so fast?" Yue Li asked with a goofy look.

"What do you think?" War Song, the toughest and highest in Cultivation among them, was the first to recover. He discontentedly snatched the large snake and took a fierce bite.

The two recovered Flood Dragons also expressed their dissatisfaction with Yue Li's earlier actions. Yang Huan, the most fragile of them, was spitting blood and gasped, "I... I don't think I can go on, brothers. I think I need to leave first."

The other four beasts looked at each other. Setting aside their bickering, the bond forged over decades of fighting in this small world was very deep. After a brief silence, Yue Li shouted, "Then let's go back together! Wait for me, I'll bring over those mounts I spotted earlier!"

Not long after, amidst Yang Huan's sounds of spitting blood, Yue Li returned leading five Fierce Beasts resembling triceratops. Their Cultivations were also impressive, all at the late Nascent Soul stage.

"Old Yang, hang in there! Mount up first, then activate it!" Yue Li said, helping Yang Huan onto the back of a Fierce Beast. Then, the other four beasts, along with Yang Huan, activated their Tokens.

Soon, a beam of light descended. Just as they were about to leave, it seemed their new mounts hadn't been included. War Song yelled, "Bring our mounts! We have Merit! Our master will pay!"

The other four beasts, even Yang Huan who was still vomiting blood, joined in the shouting.

Elder Tian, who was personally guiding the five beasts' extraction, smiled. Interesting little fellows, he thought. "Alright, let's bring them all along then."

THUD!

Five large figures appeared in the hall. The Tokens had already healed all the beasts' injuries. Disciples were still lined up to send their Spiritual Beasts for training. Seeing the sudden appearance of the five arrogant Spiritual Beasts, one complained, "Whose Spiritual Beasts are these? So unruly! Someone take them away, quickly!"

"Can you even bring Fierce Beasts out of this Secret Realm? Don't they know the rules?"

The five beasts, intent on skipping out on the payment, ignored the crowd and steered their five Fierce Beast mounts wildly towards the hall's exit.

Elder Tian was momentarily stunned but quickly guessed the five beasts were trying to "dine and dash." Somewhat amused, he caught them and then informed Chen Jiuge.

The five beasts, now restrained by Elder Tian, communicated frantically with their eyes.

What do we do?

Will Master beat us?

Probably not, right? We've reached the peak of Nascent Soul! We've worked so hard!

These mounts shouldn't be too expensive, right? They just eat grass.

We're doomed, we're doomed! I knew we shouldn't have insisted on the mounts!

Pathetic! the other four beasts thought in unison, looking scornfully at Yang Huan. If it weren't for you caving, we could have played inside for much longer! Now you're the first to want to give up! Despicable! Utterly despicable!

Receiving the message, Chen Jiuge hurried over. He instantly saw the five rascals restrained in mid-air, their eyes twitching erratically as they frantically winked at Yang Huan.

"Martial Uncle Tian," Chen Jiuge greeted, somewhat awkwardly.

"Martial Nephew Chen, these five Spiritual Beasts of yours are truly something else! They even tried to skip out on the bill," Elder Tian joked.

Mortified, Chen Jiuge asked, "Elder Tian, for these five Fierce Beasts you brought out... how much Merit is it?"

"No need. This small world is under my jurisdiction. After all, I am an Elder. It's just five Nascent Soul Fierce Beasts. Martial Nephew, just take them," Elder Tian said magnanimously.

"No, that wouldn't be right," Chen Jiuge objected, not wanting to take advantage.

"Just take them. Or is Martial Nephew looking down on me?" Elder Tian feigned displeasure.

Chen Jiuge had no choice but to accept.

Behind Chen Jiuge's small figure trailed five large Fierce Beasts. The five dispirited Spiritual Beasts led their new mounts, returning to Eden Garden in a gloomy procession.

"You lot..." Chen Jiuge sighed, pointing at the five beasts, a look of exasperation on his face.

Watching Chen Jiuge leave without another word, the five beasts grew uneasy. Is Master angry? they wondered.