Celestial Beast Taming

’That meant I had to act first and take this new-generation Celestial Destiny Seeker from Starlight City hostage.’

’Whoever held this Celestial Destiny Seeker hostage would have all the leverage.’

’Otherwise, they could be backstabbed by the other at any moment!’

If Shi Mi had captured Zhong Yi first, then even if Qin Ruyue revealed herself as a traitor to the Purifying Moon Sect...

...and was no longer protected by the contract between the Purifying Moon Sect and the Xin Xia Federation, Shi Mi would have cut ties with Qin Ruyue without a second thought.

Without the restraint of the Purifying Moon Mother Gu, his chances of escaping with the Celestial Destiny Seeker were far greater than if he tried to escape with Qin Ruyue.

Shi Mi simply didn’t believe that Qin Ruyue would spare him once they left Starlight City.

The tail of the Melting Explosion Scorpion, which was resisting with all its might, was ensnared by seven or eight White Bone Centipedes emerging from the Desolate Centipede Prison Gate.

These long, slender White Bone Centipedes, like chains, began to spin rapidly in one direction.

The Melting Explosion Scorpion was never skilled in defense, and the high-speed rotation of the White Bone Centipedes brutally twisted its tail right off.

But even after suffering such a grievous injury, the Melting Explosion Scorpion remained steadfast, blocking the path of the Guardian Beast Vehicle.

Fu Hongning summoned another of his Guardian Beasts to continue obstructing Shi Mi.

The Melting Explosion Scorpion’s severed tail constituted an extremely severe wound to its Origin, one from which it could never recover.

However, Fu Hongning had already prepared himself for this outcome before choosing to protect Zhong Yi.

’If I can trade my future growth in power for the gratitude of this Celestial Destiny Seeker, Zhong Yi, toward the Zhenchong Commerce Association...’

’...then once Zhong Yi matures, that gratitude will benefit the Zhenchong Commerce Association for decades to come.’

’With the title of benefactor to this new-generation Celestial Destiny Seeker, I’ll also be considered a hero of Starlight City.’

In the world of adults, every choice is a trade-off made for personal gain.

Someone else, even knowing the benefits of protecting this new-generation Celestial Destiny Seeker, might not have been willing to gamble their future.

After all, for a Guardian Beast Master, Fu Hongning was still very young at just over forty.

Shi Mi noticed that the lesser spiders Qin Ruyue had released had already crawled into the vehicle’s cabin.

His hatred for the Melting Explosion Scorpion that had delayed him grew, and his attacks became even more vicious.

Using the same method as before, Shi Mi twisted off the Melting Explosion Scorpion’s massive pincer.

Zhong Yi watched the black, crystalline spiders crawling inside the cabin, yet he still chose not to activate his Instant Jade.

These two Mythical Tier Bizarres had their own agenda for him, and likewise, he had his own agenda for them.

’They were taking me hostage to ensure their smooth escape from Starlight City.’

’As long as I’m still within Starlight City, I’m perfectly safe.’

The moment the black, crystalline spiders entered the cabin, Zhong Yi had already begun to act out the terror of a youth under attack.

He didn’t give Qin Ruyue, who was outside the vehicle, any reason to suspect something was wrong.

These black, crystalline spiders spun an inky web, enveloping Zhong Yi in a cage of silk.

The very moment Zhong Yi was sealed within the web, a change occurred in the sky above Starlight City.

The sun was no longer the most dazzling object in the sky.

A colossal eye with an indistinct silhouette appeared in the sky.

Beneath this sky-blotting eye, the mountains, the rivers, everything in the world seemed to fall under some kind of Restriction.

The eye’s once-hazy pupil suddenly sharpened, its gaze falling precisely on the entrance to the Central District.

An aura of power, one that transcended the Mythical Tier, began to permeate the skies above Starlight City.

The moment the pupil of that sky-blotting eye focused, both Qin Ruyue and Shi Mi felt as if they had been seen through completely.

Qin Ruyue hastily ordered her lesser spiders to pull the web containing Zhong Yi in front of her.

Shi Mi stopped his assault on the dying Melting Explosion Scorpion and retreated to Qin Ruyue’s side.

He manifested two Ji Bone Clones, positioning them to the left and right of Zhong Yi within the web.

The Bone Spikes held by the Ji Bone Clones hovered over Zhong Yi’s head, less than ten centimeters away.

At the slightest hint of trouble, the two Ji Bone Clones could easily pierce Zhong Yi’s skull with their Bone Spikes.

Qin Ruyue stared at the giant eye in the sky, shocked that a powerhouse from Starlight City who was beyond the Mythical Tier had actually intervened.

They were completely disregarding the contract signed with the Purifying Moon Sect.

’Even if I did abduct a new-generation Celestial Destiny Seeker, it shouldn’t be enough to make a Celestial Destiny Seeker from Starlight City who is beyond the Mythical Tier openly break the treaty.’

’After all, I haven’t actually harmed this new-generation Celestial Destiny Seeker!’

’When a Mythical Tier Celestial Destiny Seeker died in Ximu City, Ximu City didn’t retaliate against the Mass Divine Sect’s White Mist Divine Hall.’

’Why is Starlight City so damn protective of its own!?’

Looking at Zhong Yi trapped in the Night Spider Web, Qin Ruyue felt a little more secure.

’If the powerhouse from Starlight City who is beyond the Mythical Tier really intends to attack me, I’m confident that before they can make a move...’

’...I can finish off this new-generation Celestial Destiny Seeker in the web, a boy not yet twenty years old.’

Seeing the terrified expression on Zhong Yi’s face, Qin Ruyue didn’t consider him a threat in the slightest.

Just then, the wind itself seemed to transform into musical notes, beginning to pulse with a unique rhythm.

A man in colorful robes suddenly appeared a short distance in front of Qin Ruyue.

On the man’s shoulder stood an exquisite, jewel-toned bird.

The bird’s tail feathers fanned out behind it, resembling a lute.

Its gently trembling tail feathers moved in perfect harmony with the rhythm of the wind.

Yan Han’s gaze wasn’t on Qin Ruyue or Shi Mi. Instead, he looked at Zhong Yi with a complicated expression.

This was the first time Yan Han had ever seen Zhong Yi, and he never imagined their first meeting would be under such circumstances.

Beyond the worry and anger in his eyes, there was mostly confusion.

’Why hasn’t Zhong Yi activated his Instant Jade when faced with an attack from Mythical Tier Bizarres?’

’The Beast Pattern inscribed within the Instant Jade could not only allow an Order Beast to teleport over long distances...’

’...the power bursting from the Beast Pattern itself could also form a protective force field around him.’

’Lin Zhuo and Wen Tao should have explained all of this to Zhong Yi when they gave him the Instant Jade.’

’Could it be that Zhong Yi didn’t have the Instant Jade on him!?’

’Otherwise, how could a young man in danger not immediately try to save himself?’

Even though Yan Han had never met Zhong Yi, he knew that anyone who could gain two points of Divine Origin Value from just two expeditions into a First Level Secret Realm was no fool.

After shifting his gaze from Zhong Yi, Yan Han spoke in a low voice.

"I hear you’re from the Purifying Moon Sect. I didn’t intervene when you were causing trouble in Starlight City before."

"Now, you’ve crossed the line!"

Before Qin Ruyue could speak, Shi Mi barked,

"Your power is beyond the Mythical Tier! On what grounds can you attack us?!"

"You can’t be unaware that your Xin Xia Federation signed a contract with the Crying Moon Goddess."

"Your Dragon Emperor himself agreed to that contract. Aren’t you afraid that breaking it will destroy the peace between the Xin Xia Federation and the Purifying Moon Sect?"

Hearing Shi Mi’s words, Yan Han’s gaze hardened.

Then, a simple Wind Blade formed from the Wind Element sliced the Desolate Centipede Prison Gate—which was still spewing out White Bone Centipedes—in two.

After it was split apart, fine wisps of wind instantly shattered the two halves of the Bone Gate into dust.

"So what if I tear up this bullshit contract?"

"If either of you harms so much as a hair on his head today, I will make you regret this decision."

"The Pathway Soul Pine in the Starlight City Prayer Tombyard won’t mind hanging two more guiding Soul Lamps."

Yan Han’s words made Shi Mi cry out in a near-hysterical panic.

The Pathway Soul Pine was an extremely malevolent, plant-type Guardian Beast of the Soul Element.

The Pathway Soul Pine would extract a living being’s soul and form it into a Soul Lamp in its canopy.

The living soul would be imprisoned within the Soul Lamp, endlessly toyed with and desecrated by the Pathway Soul Pine.

Then, bit by bit, it would feed the soul within the lamp to the Soul Ulcers that parasitized its body.

Even in death, no one would want their soul to be used as a toy by a Guardian Beast.

As long as the soul had not yet faded away, all the torment could be felt with perfect clarity.

The sensations of the soul were far more real than any physical pain.