The Strongest Beast-Tamer (Transmigration)(GL) - Chapter 44

The semifinals arrived on schedule. Aside from the ongoing attention on the top senior brothers and sisters of each peak, a few dark horses emerged from the dueling arenas of Districts One, Three, Five, and Eight. All were new disciples accepted into the Qingshan Sect this year.

Among them were two especially controversial newcomers. Their unpredictable moves and hidden trump cards had left fellow contestants in a state of turmoil. Even a fifth-stage Earth-level senior from Mingwang Peak had been defeated.

“Yi Xian, Yi Xian, you’re famous now, did you know?”

“Famous for what?”

The current bracket followed a round-of-sixteen format. This would be Yi Xian’s sixth match. Perhaps due to luck, her opponents had mostly been slightly older new disciples or senior brothers and sisters just a year ahead. The toughest fight had been against that senior from Mingwang Peak.

It was only because he had underestimated her that she found the opportunity to win.

Duanmu Ya said, “You know what they’re saying now? Oh, that’s the new girl who defeated a Mingwang Peak inner court senior. She’s making Yundan Peak proud.”

Yi Xian chuckled at her exaggerated tone. “Compared to the other peaks, Yundan Peak folks are easy to please.”

Duanmu Ya shook her head. “It’s not about being easy to please. We’re just realistic. Our strength as alchemists lies in refining high-quality pills, not in defeating beast tamers from Mingwang Peak. But you, Yi Xian, you should keep taming powerful phantom beasts. Becoming the strongest beast tamer is what you’re meant to do.”

Everyone had different pursuits and walked different paths.

Her words struck Yi Xian like a beam of clarity. These past days, she had been pushing herself to train relentlessly, like cramming before an exam. She had ventured into the secret realm to prepare for the arrival of that brute Lan Tong, to prove to Qingshan Sect and Lan Tong that she would not be a soft target.

But what about the path ahead? She had never truly planned it out. Right now, she was walking blindly, one step at a time.

Yi Xian looked at Duanmu Ya. “The strongest beast tamer?”

“Yes. You’ll become a divine-level beast tamer. I’ll strive to become a ninth-grade alchemist. Then we’ll both be the strongest. We won’t have to fear those fools from the savage lands ever again.”

Yi Xian recalled how the two of them had once fled in chaos through the Beast Tribe Territory, surviving by the skin of their teeth. “Alright.”

Duanmu Ya was still riding the excitement when they heard the announcement. “Yi Xian, it’s your turn.”

Sixth Match: Yundan Peak’s Yi Xian vs. Blazing Flame Peak’s Xie Jiu.

As soon as Xie Jiu stepped onto the stage, his eyes lit up at the sight of her radiant little pony. “Wow, that phantom beast of yours really stands out. It’s majestic. If it were just a bit bigger, it’d be perfect.”

Yi Xian narrowed her eyes. He was not the first to eye her pony.

Completely unaware, Xie Jiu circled the pony like a collector admiring a rare artifact. “It even has wings? Where did you tame it, miss? How about—ow!”

The little pony had far less patience than Yi Xian. It immediately hurled one glowing orb after another straight at Xie Jiu.

Letting out a yelp, he had no choice but to release his own phantom beast, a blazing-maned lion larger than the pony. It charged with a ring of fire encircling its feet.

Yi Xian and the little pony split their tasks. The pony kept Xie Jiu occupied while Yi Xian, relying on her agility, focused on the lion. Due to the layout of the arena, the proud and powerful lion often leapt too far when charging at her. Every time, it scrambled to brake before falling off the edge. Its clumsy panic brought roars of laughter from the crowd.

Xie Jiu, meanwhile, was blinded by the pony’s relentless barrage. He could only glimpse flashes of red and white crossing before him. Thinking the audience was laughing at them, he barked, “What kind of support light spirit is this? So pure! Blazing Flame, blast her down!”

Yi Xian glanced back to see the translucent light barrier covering most of Xie Jiu’s body. The little pony kept circling in midair, shifting angles to bombard him with light. She dodged the lion’s fiery traps and found time to amplify the pony’s glowing orbs.

Seeing his lion fail repeatedly, Xie Jiu tried to attack himself. But the moment he gathered flame, he sensed something off. His vision tilted. The crowd’s laughter intensified.

Why were they laughing so hard? Was it really that funny?

The blazing-maned lion, now teetering at the edge, leapt and swiped, trying to grab its master. But it failed. Xie Jiu floated farther and farther away, wrapped in a glowing orb. The lion, dejected, howled and leapt off the stage after him.

Yi Xian watched the light barrier carry Xie Jiu beyond the arena boundary. About ten seconds later, it burst midair, sending him tumbling to the ground. The spectators quickly scattered.

“Not bad. He lasted three or four seconds longer than the last one.”

The little pony held its head high, trotting down from the high ledge with a calm grace before disappearing into Yi Xian’s sea of consciousness.

The one most thrilled by the outcome was Duanmu Ya. She clutched Yi Xian’s arm excitedly. “Yi Xian, what’s that move called? The one where your pony threw him off like that?”

Yi Xian had developed the idea from a bubble attack used by a fourth-stage water-element phantom beast. She had hoped to eliminate opponents without life-threatening battles. So the light orb was non-offensive. “It’s more like a defensive barrier.”

“A barrier? So if there’s a third-party attack, it might reduce some of the damage?”

“I haven’t tested it.”

“Then let’s try it after the competition ends.”

“Of course. By the way, I think Nian Yunyin also has a match today. Let’s go watch.”

Duanmu Ya immediately pouted. “Yi Xian, you have a match tomorrow. You should rest. Let’s not go.”

“What if I end up facing Nian Yunyin in the next round?”

“You’ll definitely win. Just have your pony use that move to throw her off the stage.”

Yi Xian didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. “She knows everything about me. But I know nothing about her trump cards. If we face off, the outcome is uncertain.”

Though reluctant, Duanmu Ya went with her. “What is a formation master even doing in the secret realm?”

Yi Xian was curious too. If Qi Yun truly managed the entire Qi family business, she could have anything. Why come to Qingshan Sect disguised as Nian Yunyin? Or had she mistaken Qi Yun for Nian Yunyin?

If Qingshan Sect had to vote on the most troublesome contestant in the semifinals, it would be none other than Nian Yunyin from Tianji Peak. Every opponent who had faced her left the stage looking drained, unwilling to even mention her name. Her duels were deemed the most drawn-out and tedious.

When they arrived, only a few spectators remained. Some even had their arms crossed and eyes closed, resting.

Duanmu Ya asked around and learned Nian Yunyin’s match was next. Yet the arena was already half-empty, and the remaining people were complaining about her frustrating battle tactics.

Duanmu Ya shook her head. “Yi Xian, pray you never have to face her. How could she use such despicable tricks?”

In her earlier matches, Nian Yunyin had won by delaying for time until her formations were complete. Later opponents tried blitzing her with powerful moves from the start. But her stockpile of defensive treasures countered everything. Before anyone noticed, the formation was already in place.

Once her array was activated, her opponents could only panic outside the barrier. Their spells and curses scattered through the air, completely useless.

Yi Xian finally understood why her foes looked so miserable. Nian Yunyin truly had the ability to sit calmly within her array while everyone outside failed to touch her. Cunning though it was, using your own methods to achieve your goal is still skill.

Duanmu Ya muttered in agreement. “Next time, I need to ask my master for some tools to break through arrays. If I ever run into such a slippery formation master, I’ll—”

Yi Xian teased her. “You could ask your dear Qi Yun for some anti-array weapons. She must have them.”

At the mention of Qi Yun, Duanmu Ya’s face turned awkward. “The young miss is so busy. She wouldn’t have time for trivial things like me. She’s managing the whole trading house.”

Yi Xian gave her a sympathetic look. “Her legs really can’t walk anymore?”

Duanmu Ya replied quietly, “That period was so hard for her. After her spirit root was destroyed, she underwent a transformation. The shock must have hit her deeply. Her temper grew strange. The entire Qi family started finding her hard to deal with. I always thought she was pitiful. But lately, she’s started to scare me.”

Yi Xian didn’t push her any further. “The match is starting.”

Ever since a formation master had appeared in the dueling arena, everyone had adopted one strategy. The moment the fight began, they would try to blast her off the stage.

Yet few could actually pull it off.

Tianji Peak’s Nian Yunyin versus Hongxiu Peak’s Mu Qing.

Yi Xian noticed neither of them spoke. That girl launched a direct attack on Nian Yunyin the moment she stepped onto the stage. Several long, flowing streams of water surged toward her from all directions. Nian Yunyin crossed her feet swiftly, avoiding one of the streams. In a smooth counter, she flung several spheres of varying colors at her opponent.

With Yi Xian’s sharp eye, she recognized them as thunder, fire, earth, and metal spirit spheres.

It was the first time Duanmu Ya had seen Nian Yunyin’s layered defensive skills. She was stunned, jaw agape. “That works? Really?”

She wanted to know how Nian Yunyin could use small formations to condense different elemental forces into spheres. If released by surprise, they were nearly impossible to defend against. Every move was a delightful shock.

Just like that time in the secret realm…

Yi Xian instinctively touched her ear. Then she saw Nian Yunyin take a direct hit from an ice shard. She was almost eliminated. Unexpectedly, Nian Yunyin snapped the shard off her arm with her fingers and escaped the next strike with a movement that flowed like calligraphy strokes. Yi Xian abruptly stood. “Her footwork!”

Duanmu Ya blinked. “What footwork?”

Yi Xian tried to get a clearer look. Then Nian Yunyin shattered several more elemental spheres. When the earth sphere burst, the battlefield filled with jagged earth spikes, tangling up Mu Qing’s movements.

Taking the chance, Nian Yunyin placed six yellow jades around herself.

The moment the formation activated, the outcome was sealed.

On the way back, Duanmu Ya didn’t say a word. Not until they returned to the small courtyard on Yundan Peak did she let out a heavy sigh, as if the world owed her a great debt. “Yi Xian, do not face her.”

Yi Xian couldn’t help imagining herself in that girl’s position, simulating all the possible responses Nian Yunyin might have. “I might not lose. Maybe I could move her out of the dueling arena before she reacts.”

Duanmu Ya burst into laughter and nodded. “Yes, toss her out of the arena first.”

Fortunately, in the matches that followed, Yi Xian did not encounter Nian Yunyin. Nian Yunyin, on the other hand, had the misfortune of meeting Mingwang Peak’s senior disciple Xie Ying. Xie Ying didn’t waste a word. As soon as the match began, she summoned a level-six phantom beast, a Thunder Spirit Roc. That massive bird dodged Nian Yunyin’s thrown thunder spheres and hurled her clean out of the ring. The whole battle lasted about ten seconds.

They said the crowd was too stunned to react until Xie Ying left the stage. Only then did thunderous cheers erupt.

As Duanmu Ya animatedly recounted Xie Ying’s sheer dominance, she seemed ready to cheer herself. Yi Xian began to feel a little sympathy for Nian Yunyin. “Losing a match or two doesn’t matter. Nian Yunyin should still make it to the finals.”

Perhaps it was Lord Yin Bao’s lucky charm. Yi Xian seemed unstoppable through her dozen or so matches. The hardest opponent was a senior from Mingwang Peak. The rest were mostly light-hearted newcomers like Jie Jiu. She hadn’t encountered any of the rising dark horses. Just like that, she made it to the finals.

A month of nonstop matches had drained everyone. Fortunately, the Qingshan Sect finals were set for half a month later, giving Yi Xian and the others time to recover and prepare.

Duanmu Ya visited Yi Xian’s place regularly, swinging Lord Yin Bao wildly. “Yi Xian, how’s this little mouse not awake yet? It’s been asleep for more than half a month.”

Yi Xian rescued Lord Yin Bao from Duanmu Ya’s grasp and tucked it back into the little bed she had made. “It swallowed two beast cores in a row. Who knows how long it’ll take to digest them? But once it wakes, it won’t be bullied again.”

Duanmu Ya’s eyes lit up. “Two beast cores? Yi Xian, do you think your little pet might awaken two spirit roots like us? That’d be amazing.”

Yi Xian thought she was too optimistic. Both beast cores had come from that double-headed earth spider and were the same color of earth yellow. It was probably just a single root. “Xiao Ya, is Qingshan Sect’s library open to outsiders?”

Duanmu Ya knew Yi Xian had been eager to read. She had already arranged it. “Yes, but all books, including cultivation methods, must be read on the first floor. Nothing can be taken outside.”

Yi Xian used Duanmu Ya’s borrowing pass to visit the library. It had three levels. The first was open to the public, while the second and third were reserved for inner disciples. Even the first level had a vast selection of introductions to beast tamers, warriors, and many topics popular among humans. She flipped through many books, but most were theory. None explained her skill of retrieving items across distances or closing gaps with ease.

She tried to go to the second floor. As she climbed the stairs, the library rejected her and bounced her back to the first floor. Her pass did not match the required identity. The absurdity of the system left her speechless.

She studied Duanmu Ya’s pass thoroughly, her resolve only growing stronger. She had to stand out in the finals. Only then would she qualify to become an inner disciple and gain access to higher floors.

At the stairway to the third floor, a group of people stood around a young woman, looking down.

“The senior sister is watching something?”

“Someone who shouldn’t even be here. Go check which peak she belongs to and what she just borrowed.”

“Understood.”

…

After Yi Xian returned, she became obsessed with cultivation. Training by day, practicing skills by night. Without Lord Yin Bao around to act as a test subject, Duanmu Ya’s previous offer to help had gone unfulfilled.

One day, bored out of her mind, Duanmu Ya volunteered to act as the test subject. “At most, I’ll just float once. Don’t worry. I have fire spirit, I won’t get hurt.”

Yi Xian gave in. “Better close your eyes. Open them only when I say so.”

Little Pony’s light spirit was pure, and its brilliance matched the sun in intensity. The continuous projection of light balls could easily damage the eyes. Ordinary people needed a week to recover, while others might take two or three days at best.

Duanmu Ya said, “Yi Xian, tell Little Pony to go easy. I don’t like pain.”

Yi Xian laughed, “Just think of it as a sunbath.”

Duanmu Ya blinked. “Huh? What’s a sunbath?”

The light felt so pleasant on the skin that the targets did not resist. Yi Xian used that moment to toss them all out of the dueling ring.

Yi Xian kept count as Little Pony cast light balls. It took twenty continuous projections to form a human-sized sphere. The sphere lasted only ten seconds, but that was already a great improvement from before.

“Xiao Ya, it’s ready.”

“Wow, Yi Xian, I didn’t float! What’s this thing?” Duanmu Ya poked at the thin membrane in front of her. “It’s bouncy, like a bubble. Should I try breaking it from the inside?”

“Give it a try.”

Yi Xian was curious as well. Would an attack from inside make the shield collapse faster? As expected, Duanmu Ya’s little fireball had become much stronger after absorbing that thousand-year spirit grass, and it burst the light spirit shield into dust.

The flames even reached Yi Xian, burning off a small strand of her hair.

Duanmu Ya scratched her head awkwardly. “Uh—”

Yi Xian felt a little disappointed. The shield was too fragile. But then she rallied. “Nian Yunyin was right. I’m just too weak. I need to advance within these fifteen days.”

Duanmu Ya perked up and offered her specialty, the alchemist’s method of leveling up. “Last time you advanced, I was in seclusion. This time, I’ll prepare top-quality Marrow Cleansing Pill. You struggled before because your body hadn’t been cleansed since awakening your spirit root. This time, I’ll make sure it’s thorough.”

Yi Xian thought it sounded like a bath. “What’s marrow cleansing?”

Duanmu Ya scratched her head, dodging the question. “You’ll find out soon.”

She bustled about, even dragging over a massive wooden tub. She built a fire under it. The whole thing felt like an alchemy session. “Xiao Ya, are you planning to refine me into a pill?”

Duanmu Ya giggled. “No, I’m fortifying your body. You’ll be stronger than ever.”

Yi Xian had heard that term from Lan Tong before. When they searched for the shape-shifting herb, it was also used to strengthen young cubs.

Duanmu Ya filled the tub with medicinal herbs and boiled it until the room was thick with fragrance. Then she urged Yi Xian to undress and get in. She handed her a pill. “This is the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Take it. You’ll have to stay inside for three days and nights.”

Yi Xian took the pill. “Anything else I should know?”

Duanmu Ya hesitated. “No matter how painful it gets, you must endure. After three days, it will all be worth it.”

Yi Xian brushed it off. She was used to pain, and injuries no longer frightened her. How bad could it be? Yet by the end of the first day, she almost cursed out loud. The pain felt like every tendon and bone was being broken inch by inch. Her head throbbed without pause. There was not a single moment of relief. Her lips bled from biting down, and her fingers carved deep lines into the edge of the tub.

Duanmu Ya added herbs, stoked the fire, and encouraged her with words.

On the second day, Yi Xian asked her for a towel. She bit into it and endured all three days without making a sound. When it ended, she felt like a ruined shell. She could not even raise her arm to hit Duanmu Ya.

Duanmu Ya pinched her nose, fanning away the awful smell. “You can smell that, right? That’s the Marrow Cleansing Pill’s effect. From now on, use the light spirit to cleanse your organs. The pill only works once.”

Yi Xian no longer wanted to see that bucket of pitch-black water. She was filthy and bl00d-streaked. She asked to wash up.

Duanmu Ya had a new tub prepared with fragrant herbs. She sat outside while Yi Xian bathed and chatted with her. Suddenly, she stopped mid-sentence. “Yi Xian, I have bad news.”

Yi Xian felt refreshed after the bath. Her whole body felt lighter than ever. “Tell me.”

Duanmu Ya nervously fidgeted with her fingers. After much hesitation, she decided honesty was best. “Yi Xian, don’t panic. I just heard… the Beast Tribe participants for the finals have already arrived. They’ve set up camp just a hundred meters outside Qingshan Sect.”

Yi Xian’s mind went blank.