The Strongest Beast-Tamer (Transmigration)(GL) - Chapter 23

After arriving in Guata City, Lord Lu instructed her subordinates to arrange housing for Yi Xian’s group, then dismissed everyone else. The cub registration, she said, would be announced later.

Since they had come from the same city, Yi Xian’s family and Hu Qing’s family became neighbors. Soon after, You Yu and several beastmen from other cities moved in as well, including that same white lotus woman who had taken such a dislike to Yi Xian during the journey.

Yi Xian was busy tidying the room when she noticed the beastman who had escorted them pulling Lan Tong aside for a private talk. A short while later, that beastman left looking pleased with himself.

Lan Tong returned carrying a small piece of beast hide, just enough to make a modest loincloth for their cub.

“Why did he give you beast hide?” Yi Xian asked.

Lan Tong handed it over. “Challenge.”

Yi Xian turned the word over in her mind. “That day, you challenged that big lion, yet now he’s the one giving you beast hide?”

Lan Tong’s tone was filled with pride. “Spoils of war.”

Yi Xian could only think, “So this beast never loses a deal. Others have to give her something just to fight her, and even after she wins, they have to pay again.”

She chuckled softly and chose not to expose the truth. She suspected it was less a prize and more a form of compensation.

“How’s the little fox’s leg? Will it limp?”

“It won’t.”

Lan Tong’s firm answer reassured Yi Xian somewhat. After all, that little fox had fought to protect her cub. Otherwise, it might have been the little one who lost a leg.

Lately, the cub had been depressed, barely eating. Even her favorite dried fish remained untouched, with five whole pieces going to waste. It worried Yi Xian deeply. She dug through her things and found a cloth ball she had made earlier, trying to coax her to play. The cub batted at it a few times, chased it briefly, then lost interest. Even she could tell the difference between the lifeless cloth ball and the lively purple yuanxiao.

Yi Xian had thought about asking Lan Tong to catch another one, but Lan Tong shook her head. The purple yuanxiao, she said, had only ever been seen once near Crescent Lake. It was unlikely to exist elsewhere.

A rare treasure indeed, no wonder it drew envy.

Just thinking about it made Yi Xian’s hands itch. She wanted to hit someone.

The next morning, You Yu and Shi Jia invited her out. From the moment they entered Guata City, the two had been curious about its differences from their old home. The stone houses here were far sturdier and more refined than the crude huts they were used to. Unable to contain their excitement, they brought their cubs to explore early the next day.

Yi Xian agreed. Her cub had been listless lately, and she hoped some playtime with other children might lift her mood. Besides, Yi Xian wanted to learn more about local trade and prices, which was valuable knowledge for someone planning an escape. She refused to remain ignorant next time.

The streets of Guata City were lined with workshops of different shapes and sizes, including square, rectangular, and even oddly rounded ones.
You Yu dragged them into each shop, loudly voicing her amazement and gesturing animatedly, much like an old lady discovering a grand manor for the first time.

Yi Xian merely gave each shop a cursory look. Though the craftsmanship was rough, the goods weren’t as bad as she had imagined. There were weapons, herbs, ugly clothes, and all manner of small trinkets.

The only problem was the currency. These workshops used copper coins, a dull grayish metal. After asking around, Yi Xian learned about the local system, which consisted of gold, silver, and copper coins. One gold was equal to one hundred silver, and one silver was equal to one hundred copper.

During her time in Kus City, she had only seen people trade food or materials directly. Hunters bartered meat for herbs, and herbs were gathered from Komo Forest. At first, Yi Xian had thought she’d fallen into a primitive world. But now she realized civilization here still existed, just… differently structured.

With that realization, her mood lightened.

She also noticed that entering the city required a toll. Guata City was not one of the Beast Tribe’s grand capitals and was more like a small town. Compared with the remote wilderness of Kus City, this place was only a modest improvement. Even so, Yi Xian decided that her priority should not be escape but saving money.

Lan Tong could hunt and eat whatever she caught, but Yi Xian couldn’t. If she ran into a beast larger than herself, she’d end up as dinner instead of making one. And bringing her cub along made that impossible.

“Wow, this thing costs ten copper coins!”

“No wonder my mate said dried meat isn’t worth much here. If we’re going to live here, we’ll need to find work.”

Reality hit fast. You Yu and Shi Jia exchanged worried glances. “We should have asked that herb shop whether they buy Bleeding Vine Grass,” You Yu sighed.

Shi Jia frowned. The thought of her mate Hu Qing reminded her of danger. “They probably do. Should we go back and ask?”

Yi Xian didn’t have the heart to crush their hope, though she doubted it. The herbs she saw in those shops were far superior in quality. Simple bl00d-stopping herbs were likely too common. Unless they could find pristine and rare herbs, it would not be worth selling, and she preferred to keep those for herself.

That path was a dead end.

Instead, Yi Xian wandered with her cub. The little one chased her own tail, a fluffy and adorable sight. When she had first transformed, she was no larger than a hand, with a pink nose and short fur like a newborn pup. Now she was growing fast, looking more and more like a young lion cub, almost catlike.

“Awoo.”

“Little Lan.”

The cub suddenly dashed off, her tiny legs moving fast. Yi Xian sighed and followed. I’m walking my pet… No, she’s walking me.

“Don’t run off.”

“Roar.”

Yi Xian wasn’t sure what had caught the cub’s attention, but she picked her up and looked around. Ahead was a building filled with cubs and guarded by beastmen. It looked secure, like a nursery or cub training center.

Maybe this was where her cub would go one day.

Lan Tong returned home before dusk, following the scent of roasted meat wafting from inside. Her stomach rumbled involuntarily. She pushed open the door and saw a beast leg and a large pot of fish soup on the table.

The cub was lying on the floor, devouring food with oil dripping from her mouth. She gave Lan Tong a brief glance before diving back into her meal.

Yi Xian waited until Lan Tong finished an entire platter of roast meat before saying, “I want to make food to exchange for copper coins.”

Lan Tong looked up, her cheeks puffed like a pufferfish. Yi Xian could barely hold back her laughter as she pushed a bowl of sour fish slices toward her.
“If one piece of roast meat can be traded for one copper coin, do you think anyone would buy it?”

Lan Tong chewed more slowly, thinking. After a brief pause, she took out a handful of copper coins, more than ten in total, and placed them in Yi Xian’s hand. “For you. Make it for me every day.”

Yi Xian blinked. “…Talking to you is exhausting.”

She was not one to give up easily. That night, she pestered Lan Tong relentlessly until she agreed to help her gather ingredients. Of course, Yi Xian paid a heavy price for that persistence. The next morning, her back ached so badly that she could barely move.

Still, for the sake of saving money, she refused to quit. Rising early, she explained her plans to Lan Tong. She wanted fresh meat that was flavorful and tender, either grilled or stewed for variety. Fish was best, since both the cub and the little fox loved it. Other cubs would surely enjoy it too.

The key, though, was seasoning. Yi Xian resolved to search for ingredients like chili that could enhance flavor. She would need Lan Tong’s help for that.

Setting up near the cub training center, Yi Xian built a small stall with a stone pot and a makeshift grill. Timing everything carefully, she roasted meat while the cub sat beside her, wide-eyed and obedient. Occasionally, the little one stared longingly at the food, her blue eyes soft and pitiful. Yi Xian gave her tiny bites, afraid of upsetting her stomach.

“That smells amazing. What is it?”

“Awoo!”

In no time, the air was thick with aroma, drawing a crowd.

Once people began asking questions, Yi Xian seized the chance to offer samples. When they tasted it, she announced her prices. Some left right away, but others hesitated, tempted by the irresistible scent. Parents picking up their cubs lingered too, and with the little ones howling excitedly, it became a lively scene.

Many came for seconds. Before she knew it, Yi Xian’s entire stock had sold out. Clutching a pouch of jingling copper coins, she felt the same pride as the first time she had ever earned money in her previous life. It was far more satisfying than Lan Tong’s earlier handout.

Each day, Lan Tong supplied the meat while Yi Xian handled cooking and sales. They worked in quiet harmony. Yi Xian even thought of bringing Shi Jia and You Yu in to help. That would save them from worrying about their future.

One afternoon, Yi Xian was cooking at her stall, surrounded by noisy beastmen, while also trying to control her cub and manage the grill. She was getting frustrated and worn out. “I’ll definitely ask Shi Jia and You Yu to join tomorrow,” she muttered.

“What would you like, roast meat or fish?” she asked a customer.

“Well now, what’s all this?”

Yi Xian jerked her head up. She had never expected to see this person here. Her face must have looked utterly stunned.