Chapter 98 Settling the Spirit Beast

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled over Purple Bamboo Peak, dyeing the entire mountain in a warm orange-red hue.

Outside Cold Jade Palace, Lin Waner and Lin Qianxue sat on the stone steps, staring blankly at the sunset. Lin Waner propped her chin in her hands, her stomach growling several times, yet there was still no sign of Revered Master and Senior Brother coming out of the bedchamber.

“Shallow Snow, what do you think Revered Master and Senior Brother are actually doing? It's been four hours already.”

Lin Qianxue glanced at her expressionlessly. “I don't know.”

“Sigh—” Lin Waner let out a long sigh. “I'm so hungry. How about we go get something to eat first?”

“Wait for Senior Brother.”

Lin Qianxue was concise.

“But...” Lin Waner was about to say more when her eyes suddenly lit up. “Right! Those Spirit Beasts!”

She stood up abruptly, dragging Lin Qianxue along as she ran toward the side hall.

“Let's go check on those Spirit Beasts! Didn't Senior Brother say they'll be living on Purple Bamboo Peak from now on? We need to arrange a place for them to stay!”

Being dragged along, the expressionless face of Lin Qianxue finally showed a hint of movement—helplessness.

Inside the side hall.

A dozen or so Spirit Beasts were temporarily settled here. Although called a side hall, it was actually an independent courtyard covering several acres, originally used for storing miscellaneous items. Now, the clutter had been piled into corners, freeing up a large space for these new 'residents.'

The Golden-Haired Lion lay on the ground, listlessly licking its paws. It was a rank five Spirit Beast, equivalent to a human Cultivator at the Golden Core Stage, and was quite well-known at Beast Taming Peak. It had originally followed its Revered Master, Zhou Lie, to show off its might, only to end up detained here; its mood was very complicated.

The Demon Flame Wolf curled up in a corner, its eerie green eyes warily scanning the surroundings. It was a rank four Spirit Beast, not as strong as the Golden-Haired Lion, but superior in speed and ferocity, and it also had a fearsome reputation at Beast Taming Peak.

The Thunder Eagle perched on a roof beam, preening its feathers. It was a rank five flying Spirit Beast capable of manipulating lightning, possessing significant combat power. At this moment, it was using its sharp eagle eyes to look down upon this unfamiliar courtyard from its high vantage point.

There were also Blazing Flame Foxes, Vajra Apes, Mystic Water Turtles... over a dozen Spirit Beasts of various sizes crowded into the side hall, the atmosphere subtle.

When Lin Waner pushed the door open and entered, the gazes of all the Spirit Beasts snapped toward her simultaneously.

“Wow—”

Lin Waner’s eyes sparkled as she rushed straight inside.

“So cute! They're all so cute!”

She ran up to the Golden-Haired Lion and reached out to pet its head.

The Golden-Haired Lion's eyes turned cold. It opened its bloody maw, revealing sharp fangs, and let out a low growl.

Roar—

The roar made the windows of the side hall buzz, and a fierce aura rushed toward her.

Lin Waner was stunned for a moment, and then—

Smack!

She slapped the lion's head.

“Don't be mean!”

The Golden-Haired Lion's head tilted from the slap, and it was dazed.

It was a rank five Spirit Beast! Equivalent to a human Golden Core Stage Cultivator! It had actually been slapped into a daze by a seemingly weak little girl?

Its eyes widened, and just as it was about to get angry, it suddenly felt a terrifying aura emanating from Lin Waner's body.

That was the unique pressure of the Primal Water Body when automatically activated—a suppression originating from deep within the Bloodline. For Spirit Beasts, it was even more frightening than a cultivation suppression!

The Golden-Haired Lion's pupils shrank violently, its four legs went weak, and it collapsed directly onto the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

“Good boy.”

Lin Waner patted its head with satisfaction before turning to the other Spirit Beasts.

The Demon Flame Wolf immediately prostrated itself, flat on the ground.

The Thunder Eagle flew down from the roof beam and landed at Lin Waner's feet, as well-behaved as a domestic chick.

The Red Flame Fox curled into a ball, covering its head with its tail, shivering.

The Vajra Ape held its head in its hands and crouched in a corner, not daring to move.

The Mystic Water Turtle pulled its head directly into its shell, pretending to be a rock.

Standing at the doorway and watching this scene, Lin Qianxue's lips twitched slightly.

This girl Lin Waner usually looked silly, but once Spirit Beasts were involved, she seemed like a different person. That level of affinity was surprising even to someone with an Innate Sword Heart like her.

“Shallow Snow, come look!”

Lin Waner picked up the Red Flame Fox and waved excitedly to Lin Qianxue. “This little fox is so pretty! Its fur is so soft!”

The Red Flame Fox shivered in her arms but didn't dare to struggle.

Lin Qianxue walked over and reached out to pet the Red Flame Fox's head. The fox glanced at her, and then—

Sensing that sharp Sword Intent, its eyes rolled back, and it fainted straight away.

Lin Qianxue: “...”

Lin Waner: “...Shallow Snow, you scared it.”

“No.”

Lin Qianxue said expressionlessly, “It's too weak.”

Lin Waner looked at her speechlessly, then at the fainted Red Flame Fox in her arms, and decided to change the subject.

“By the way, Shallow Snow, how do you think we should arrange these Spirit Beasts?”

Lin Qianxue thought for a moment. “Senior Brother said to keep them, so we keep them.”

“But where will they live?”

Lin Waner looked around. “This side hall is big, but it's for storage after all; it's not suitable for long-term living. And these Spirit Beasts have different habits—some like heat, some like cold, some like water, some like mountains... they can't all be crowded together, right?”

Lin Qianxue fell silent.

She indeed hadn't considered this problem.

Just as the two girls were worrying, a lazy voice came from the doorway.

“Oh, you're all here?”

Su Ye stepped into the side hall, followed by Yun Yuzhen, whose blush had not yet fully faded. Yun Yuzhen was wearing a neat moon-white dress and had rearranged her hair, but a lingering hint of spring remained in the corners of her eyes and brows, making it obvious to anyone what had just happened.

However, Lin Waner and Lin Qianxue both sensibly pretended not to notice.

“Senior Brother! Revered Master!”

Lin Waner ran over holding the Red Flame Fox and said excitedly, “Senior Brother, do these Spirit Beasts really belong to us now?”

“Of course.”

Su Ye nodded, scanning the Spirit Beasts in the side hall. “But they need to be settled properly. They can't stay crowded in here forever.”

He walked up to the Golden-Haired Lion and looked down at it.

The Golden-Haired Lion had just recovered from Lin Waner's pressure. Seeing Su Ye approach, it instinctively wanted to bare its teeth, but suddenly it felt an even more terrifying sense of oppression than Lin Waner's.

It was the aura of the Supreme Bone!

For Spirit Beasts, this suppression originating from deep within the Bloodline was more terrifying than any cultivation suppression!

The Golden-Haired Lion's four legs went weak, and it prostrated itself again, head to the ground and tail tucked, shivering uncontrollably.

The other Spirit Beasts were even worse off, each lying on the ground, not even daring to lift their heads.

Su Ye nodded with satisfaction.

“Not bad, quite sensible.”

He turned to look at Yun Yuzhen. “Revered Master, is there a suitable place on Purple Bamboo Peak to settle these Spirit Beasts?”

Yun Yuzhen thought for a moment. “There is a valley in the back mountain that has been uninhabited for years, and the Spiritual Qi there is quite dense. With a little modification, it should be able to house these Spirit Beasts.”

“The back mountain?”

Su Ye's eyes lit up. “Let's go take a look!”