Library of Heaven’s Path

Back on Coax Ridge, the Demon Cinque Beast had been a bandit of the region. Even the Alliance Head Residence and the Beast Hall were unable to do anything about it. Those who dared challenge it were either killed or pummeled and thrown to some remote corner of the world.

Yet, this fellow actually dared to try and tame it. He could be considered lucky to have survived until now!

Roar!

Waving the spirit beast blood essence and storage ring with its claws, Demon Cinque Beast roared once more.

”Cough cough!”

Zhang Xuan coughed before translating sheepishly, ”It wants you to drink the spirit beast blood essence...”

As Demon Cinque Beast was his tamed beast, he could communicate with it directly through his soul even if he didn’t comprehend beast language. It wasn’t too difficult for him to understand such simple expressions of the other party.

”Drinking the blood essence of a spirit beast...” Wei Changqing burst into tears.

Spirit beast blood essence was only effective against spirit beasts! If a human were to drink it, not only would it be ineffective, he might even find scales or hair growing all over him, as though a monster... or in the worst-case scenario, it might even spell death!

After all, not everyone possessed Heaven’s Path zhenqi to neutralize the violent energy contained within the blood essence.

Roar!

Seeing no movements from the person under it, Demon Cinque Beast roared once more as it opened the jade bottle and tried to stuff it in the other party’s mouth.

”Zhang shi, save me! I-I won’t try to tame it anymore...”

Wei Changqing’s face immediately paled in fright, and his soul nearly drifted out of his body.

Judging from the other party’s vigorous actions, it seemed as though the Demon Cinque Beast wanted him to eat the jade bottle on top of the spirit beast blood essence. If he didn’t beg for mercy now, he would be dead soon.

What the heck is this?

He confidently declared that he would tame the other party’s spirit beast, but... this huge fellow simply refused to follow conventions.

There was no spirit beast, even tamed ones, who could resist the allure of Consonant Spirit realm spirit beast blood essence. Upon sight, they would immediately fawn on him in hopes of obtaining it. Yet, this huge fellow thought of it as trash, and even tried to feed it to him...

Will you be glad only after I’m dead?

To think that a 4-star beast tamer would end up crushed under a spirit beast and be tamed by the latter instead, what in the world was this...

Seeing that Wei Changqing would really die if this were to go on, Zhang Xuan reprimanded, ”Alright Demon Cinque, that’s enough!”

”Roar!”

With a disappointed look, Demon Cinque lifted its claws and walked over to the side of the stage. As for the storage ring and the jade bottle of spirit beast blood essence, it didn’t seem like it had any intentions of returning them.

You must be jesting, these are my spoils of war. You want me to return them? Dream on!

”Cough cough!”

Spewing another two mouthfuls of blood, Wei Changqing struggled to his feet with a ghastly white face.

He hadn’t even begun his taming when he was already left on the verge of death by a spirit beast. If word were to get out, he would be too ashamed to call himself a beast tamer... He would simply be mocked!

He hesitantly turned around to look at Demon Cinque Beast, hoping to get back his storage ring and spirit beast blood essence, only to meet the latter’s glare instead. A shiver went down his spine.

How could he possibly get back his stuff like that? The other party’s glare seemed to be saying, ”It is already out of utmost benevolence on my part that you’re still breathing now.”

Tears streamed down Wei Changqing’s face.

I am here to find prestige... Why does it seem like I’m only embarrassing myself here?

”It seems like you didn’t obtain the slightest loyalty from my tamed beast... Is there any point pushing on with the duel?” Zhang Xuan asked.

The winner of the duel would be the one who managed to induce a higher Loyalty Level from the other party’s tamed beast. Since Wei Changqing didn’t obtain the slightest shred of loyalty from Demon Cinque Beast, he was already fated to lose. There wasn’t any point in continuing with it.

”Of course we should go on. Beast taming hinges on luck; you might not fare any better than me. If you were to fail as well, it could end in a draw...”

Wei Changqing gritted his teeth as he spoke.

There wasn’t much time left. Even though he wasn’t able to tame Demon Cinque Beast, the other party might not be able to win the loyalty of the Beryline Spirit Beast.

It might just end in a draw!

At the very least, he would be able to retain some of his dignity this way.

”Are you certain?” Zhang Xuan asked the other party with a peculiar expression.

”Of course!”

Seeing the Zhang Xuan’s expression, Wei Changqing thought that the other party was unconfident. Regaining his confidence, he sneered coldly, placed his hands behind his back, and turned to his tamed beast, ”Beryline Spirit Beast, Zhang shi over here will be trying to tame you. As long as you stand your ground and get back at him for me, I’ll give you whatever you want when we return home. I can even find a suitable Ancient Bloodline to induce a Bloodline Evolution for you...”

”Roar!”

Hearing its owner’s promise, Beryline Spirit Beast’s large eyes gleamed in determination as it hurriedly nodded its head.

”Shameless! How can one be so shameless!”

”Indeed. Zhang shi told Demon Cinque Beast to cooperate with him, and yet he actually told his tamed beast to not give in no matter what happens! How is Zhang shi supposed to tame the Beryline Spirit Beast like that?”

”That is cheating!”

”This is supposed to be a fair duel, and yet, he gave his tamed beast such orders. Does he have no dignity?”

...

Hearing Wei Changqing’s words, a huge uproar broke out amidst the crowd below.

Zhang shi had told Demon Cinque Beast to cooperate with you. You were the one who lacked the capability to do so and ended up being beaten up instead!

And now that it is the other party’s turn, you actually gave such orders to your tamed beast, even offering a huge incentive for it...

Do you have any pride?

Since this is a duel of beast taming, the conditions should at least be fair. What happened to the magnanimity a master teacher should possess?

”Embarrassing, how embarrassing!”

The various elders of the Zijin Sect clasped their faces. They didn’t expect a genius of their sect to resort to such underhanded tricks.

What is this...

With this, even if they were to win the Master Teacher Tournament, they would be too ashamed to face anyone.

...

”I’ll be starting then!”

Seeing that the other party hadn’t given up yet, Zhang Xuan shook his head with a bitter smile before turning to look at Beryline Spirit Beast.

”Roar!”

Roaring furiously, Beryline Spirit Beast, like Demon Cinque Beast, tried to crush Zhang Xuan under its claws.

It had seen how its master had suffered under Demon Cinque Beast, and it intended to get back at Zhang shi for this.

However, it only possessed a cultivation of Transcendent Mortal 4-dan primary stage. It couldn’t pose any threat to Zhang Xuan at all.

With a sidestep, Zhang Xuan dodged the attack and retaliated with a slap.

Pah!

A resounding slap struck Beryline Spirit Beast’s giant face. Before that giant fellow could react, it was already twirling in the air before being face-planted into the ground, leaving behind two gigantic, twitching feet exposed.

Zhang Xuan possessed the strength that rivalled even a Consonant Spirit realm intermediate stage expert, a might exceeding two million ding. Even a Spirit realm low-tier weapon would shatter before such immense might! If not for him holding back, Beryline Spirit Beast would already be crippled at this point.

Not to mention, the other party’s movement was too fast for it to even perceive, let alone retaliate. Beryline Spirit Beast stood no chance against Zhang Xuan from the very start.

”What?”

”With a single slap, he actually face-planted a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan spirit beast?”

”How much strength does it take to achieve such a feat?”

Everyone was flabbergasted.

Spirit beasts were blessed with superior physiques. With their powerful might and formidable defense, human cultivators of the same cultivation realm were hardly a match for them. In other words, this Transcendent Mortal 4-dan primary stage Beryline Spirit Beast would be match for even a Transcendent Mortal advanced stage cultivator.

Yet, it was actually face-planted helplessly into the ground with a single slap... What kind of monstrous strength did Zhang shi possess?

Isn’t that a little… way too fearsome?

Below the stage, the lips of Wu Tianhao, who had been recovered from the building and was currently spectating the duel, twitched in fright.

He thought that it was only a stroke of fortune that the other party managed to throw him off the stage. If he had been a bit more careful, he would not have lost. But at this moment, he realized that... it was a stroke of fortune that he was only thrown into the sky! If the other party had directed that slap at him then...

... his head might not have been attached to his neck right now...

”You said that he’s weak in physical duels?” Wu Tianhao glanced at his friend. ”I’ll sever my friendship with you!”

”...” Wu Tianhao’s friend.

...

”Wait a moment. While Zhang shi does have the upper hand in a physical duel, if he continues to beat Beryline Spirit Beast up like that... how can he win the other party’s loyalty?”

”That’s right!”

”If Zhang shi fails to induce the slightest bit of loyalty in Beryline Spirit beast, won’t the duel end in a draw?”

”Damn it, Zhang shi should have been the winner. Once a draw occurs, things will get troublesome!”

After recovering from the shock, everyone came to a realization.

In a conventional beast taming process, one would take out alluring treasures that a spirit beast couldn’t reject to win its goodwill.

On the contrary, beating up a spirit beast would only result in an irreconcilable grudge with it.

As a 4-star beast tamer, Zhang shi should of aware of this! Why did he lay his hands on Beryline Spirit Beast then? Not to mention... his blow was exceptionally heavy!

Such actions would only incur the resentment of Beryline Spirit Beast. Not only would he not win the Loyalty Level of it, he would even be hated.

”Haha, let’s see what are you going to do now...”

Not expecting Zhang Xuan to be so reckless as to lay his hands on Beryline Spirit Beast, Wei Changqing nearly burst into laughter.

He had spent two entire years offering all kinds of treasures for the other party to choose, even hunting and sleeping with it before he managed to tame it.

Yet, this fellow actually sent such a heavy slap to it! Given Beryline Spirit Beast’s proud nature, it would be a huge blessing if it didn’t charge up to tear him apart.

To achieve a positive Loyalty Level under such a situation? Impossible!

Even though he failed to obtain the loyalty of Demon Cinque Beast, the other party also failed with Beryline Spirit Beast. If so, it would be a draw!

In fact... in terms of good will, he might even be said to be the winner!

Dang!

Just as Wei Changqing was trembling with delight, a tong sounded-an incense’s time was up.

An incense’s time was only a rough gauge for the duration of a match, but even so, it meant that the competitors should start wrapping up to determine the winner.

Zhang Xuan didn’t have any time to resort to any tricks anymore. It could be said that Wei Changqing was in a safe position already.

Humph!

Didn’t you all say that I should admit my defeat, and that I would surely lose?

Look, I’ve managed to achieve a draw with even the strongest contender of the tournament. Let’s see what else can you say...

The more he thought about it, the more excited he felt. Turning to the young man before him, he spoke proudly, ”Zhang shi, since you failed to tame Beryline Spirit Beast and I failed to tame Demon Cinque Beast, why don’t we call it a draw?”

”A draw?”

”Indeed. In fact, given how you laid your hands on Beryline Spirit Beast and incurred its resentment, it can be said that you’ve already lost in terms of good will...” Wei Changqing said.

You all spoke of magnanimity? Here it is!

It should have been clearly Zhang shi’s loss, but I allowed him to go off with a draw...

”Resentment?”

Just as Wei Changqing was still immersed in his delight, the young man before him shook his head and kicked the gigantic legs twitching above the ground. ”What are you feigning death for? Hurry up and acknowledge your new master!”

Huala! Roar!

Following which, Beryline Spirit Beast hurriedly plucked itself out of the ground, rushed to Zhang shi excitedly, and knelt down. It cuddled up to Zhang shi with its head, as though a cute pug fawning over its master.

”What?”

Wei Changqing’s body stiffened, and his eyes nearly fell to the ground.

How could this be?

Didn’t the other party just beat it up? Why was it acknowledging the other party as its master now?

Can anyone tell me what in the world is going on?!