The Strongest Beast-Tamer (Transmigration)(GL) - Chapter 58

The Xie Family was considered one of the great clans of the Silver Moon Empire, primarily engaged in business. Unlike the Qi Family of the Sunlight Nation, which focused on trade, the Xie Family specialized in the sale of various phantom beasts. If a talented Beast Tamer was born within the clan, they could enter the Xie Family’s Phantom Pavilion to purchase a suitable beast for the younger generation. In addition, the Xie Family managed fighting arenas across the empires, which were immensely popular among the newer Beast Tamers.

Yi Xian hesitated for a moment before asking, “Xie Yu and Xie Ying… they’re brother and sister, aren’t they?”

Duanmu Ya had heard of the Xie Family before. “They should be. However, Xie Yu doesn’t have a good reputation. My father mentioned that the Xie Family is rather different from other clans. They value daughters more than sons, so men’s status is lower. Take Xie Ying, for example. She’s the second daughter of the Xie Family’s main branch, while Xie Yu is the second son of the eldest son. Not only is his position in Mingwang Peak inferior to hers, but even within the Xie Family, he ranks beneath her. Have you ever heard anyone in Qingshan Sect call ‘Senior Brother Xie Yu’? It’s always ‘Senior Sister Xie Ying.’”

Yi Xian still had many doubts. “Could it be because Xie Ying is simply stronger than Xie Yu? This world values strength above all, doesn’t it?”

Duanmu Ya nodded. “You’re not wrong, but cultivation begins with early nurturing. Look at my family. Because my dual roots awakened early, I got whatever I wanted as a child. Even my father treated my mother better because of me. He even went to the Xie Family’s Phantom Pavilion to buy a beast compatible with my attributes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t establish spiritual communication with it at all.”

Yi Xian pondered. Xie Yu’s words and behavior, coupled with Xie Ying’s strange expression when they met, finally made sense. Xie Ying had likely been shocked to see someone she believed dead, someone who had perished among the Beast Tribe, now standing alive before her.

Duanmu Ya noticed Yi Xian zoning out. “Yi Xian, why didn’t you just throw him out of the arena today? If he holds a grudge, he’ll probably go whining to Xie Ying.”

Yi Xian thought to herself, Let him. Sooner or later, I’ll drag out whoever was responsible for the original body’s death. There’s a saying that one doesn’t fear thieves stealing, only fearing thieves coveting. Anyone who had been plotting her life in secret would not be forgiven.

Duanmu Ya’s words proved prophetic. After being humiliated by Yi Xian, Xie Yu grew angrier the more he thought about it. His wounds still throbbed faintly with pain, fueling his rage until he stormed toward Xie Ying’s courtyard.

“Junior Brother Xie, Senior Sister is in seclusion and cannot receive guests.”

“Guest? Open your eyes and see who I am. I’m her brother. What kind of sister refuses to see her own brother? Tell her I have something important to discuss. If she ignores me, she’ll regret it.”

“This…”

“Well? Hurry up and announce me!”

After being humiliated by Yi Xian, Xie Yu hadn’t expected to face rejection again at his own sister’s courtyard. Furious, he kicked a tree in her garden twice, then smashed a stone bench for good measure. Still not satisfied, he raised his foot to destroy the table as well.

When Xie Ying arrived, the first thing she saw was his pitiful display. She glanced at him coldly. “The finals are approaching. Instead of cultivating, you come here to cause trouble? What are you doing?”

Xie Yu snorted. “Finals? What’s there to worry about? It’s just fighting a few clueless idiots. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of them?”

Xie Ying didn’t bother arguing. Her gaze swept over him indifferently. “So you lost? That’s even more reason to train. Otherwise, when you’re defeated by those ‘clueless idiots,’ you’ll bring shame not only to Mingwang Peak but to the Xie Family as well.”

At the mention of the family name, Xie Yu’s arrogance faltered slightly. “She’s still alive.”

Xie Ying turned around. “And?”

He frowned. “You’re not surprised at all. Isn’t that strange? She used to be lazy and useless, but after disappearing for three years, she’s suddenly awakened the Light Root. Aren’t you even a little worried? It’s like she’s a completely different person.”

Xie Ying’s expression didn’t change. “What are you trying to say?”

Xie Yu hesitated for a long time before muttering, “If they find out that Xie Xian is still alive, they’ll definitely bring her back to the family. After that, who knows what will happen? Should we…”

Xie Ying arched an eyebrow. “Should we what?”

Xie Yu grew frustrated. “Stop pretending, Xie Ying! You did what you did back then, so you should know that if she’s alive, she’ll come back for revenge. When she was a useless fool, the family still treated her well. If they learn she’s awakened as a Beast Tamer, things won’t go well for us. It’s better to eliminate her before she grows stronger and before they realize she’s alive.”

Xie Ying’s tone was light and detached. “Oh? I did such a thing? What kind of thing was that?” She shook her head with mock regret. “Xie Yu, you’ve been in the Xie Family all these years, yet you still haven’t understood one thing.”

Xie Yu’s face darkened. “What are you talking about?”

Xie Ying’s eyes gleamed faintly. “Even if you went to Grandfather right now to speak ill of me, he wouldn’t care. Do you know why? Because I’m stronger than you. Stronger than her, too. In this world, only the strong have the right to speak. Understand?”

Xie Yu stared at her in disbelief. “You’re insane. You’d just let her live and grow stronger? Xie Ying, you’re crazy.”

“I don’t have time for your nonsense. Don’t come here again unless it’s important. I’m entering seclusion.”

Xie Yu stood there dumbfounded for a long time. His rage simmered until it burned within him. “Damn her. Acting righteous after what she’s done. Xie Ying, you’re ruthless.”

But when he recalled Yi Xian’s calm, almost mocking expression in the arena, fury clawed at his chest again. He couldn’t breathe. “No. I absolutely can’t let her return to the Xie Family.”

In the third-to-last match, Yi Xian arrived at the arena only to find someone already there, lying on her back, fast asleep. The familiar frame and white robe patterned with golden clouds made Yi Xian’s bad feeling grow stronger.

When the referee saw that both contestants had arrived, he announced, “Yunmiao Peak’s Zi Han versus Yundan Peak’s Yi Xian. The match begins.”

Yet the woman inside the arena didn’t move an inch, still asleep as if dead to the world. Yi Xian’s expression twitched. After a moment’s thought, she sat down cross-legged to cultivate quietly. She even created a protective barrier around herself and summoned Little Pony to stand guard. If anything happened, she’d know immediately.

Time passed.

Those watching outside began to doze off. Inside, nothing changed. The referee himself almost nodded off, but when he realized both women were still unmoving, he hesitated. Clearly, he knew Senior Sister Zi Han’s temper well. After some internal struggle, he decided not to wake her and continued waiting.

Fortunately, Yi Xian had plenty of patience. After some time spent meditating, she opened her eyes to check. The two of them had stayed like that from day until night. The audience had long since dispersed, and Yi Xian was left alone under a light orb glowing like a small lantern. As for Zi Han, she simply turned over, irritated by the brightness, and fell back asleep.

Yi Xian sighed inwardly. “…”

The referee was dumbfounded. “What should we do in this situation?”

Yi Xian, having met all kinds of odd opponents by now, was not surprised. “Let’s wait,” she said with a weary smile.

She still had another match tomorrow afternoon. If Zi Han was still asleep by morning, she would have no choice but to use some measures to wake her up. After all, she could not afford to delay any of her remaining matches.

“Eh? What are you doing here?”

“Senior Sister, did you sleep well?”

The senior rubbed her eyes and yawned as if she had not slept enough. “I suppose so. If it weren’t for this light, I could have slept even better.”

Yi Xian deliberately acted against her words. She infused energy into the Light Sphere, making it blaze brightly across the dueling arena. Even the unlucky referee who had dozed off was startled awake by the radiance. “Since everyone’s awake now, shall we begin?”

Zi Han gazed at her sleepily. “You can’t do it. You should surrender.”

Yi Xian had not been angry the last time, but this time her mood soured. “As the senior disciple of Yunmiao Peak, you should show respect to every opponent who stands before you. Even if my spiritual power is weak and I am far inferior to you, I ask that you at least take this battle seriously.”

She had waited too long for this match, not to be dismissed with a single ‘you can’t do it.’

Zi Han almost stepped off the stage, but Yi Xian’s words made her pause. Tilting her head slightly, Zi Han looked puzzled. “Even if it means being beaten, you still want to fight? I won’t hold back.”

Yi Xian quickly cast away her hesitation. The chance to spar with a true expert was rare and valuable for her cultivation. Even if it meant losing the next match in the afternoon because of exhaustion, she accepted it willingly. “Fight.”

Zi Han blinked once. “Very well, as you wish.”

The moment her words fell, a sharp creaking sound spread through the entire arena, like mice gnawing on dry biscuits. Yi Xian glanced down and saw that within a blink, the dueling platform was sealed under a pristine layer of ice. The air temperature plummeted.

Zi Han’s voice was calm. “Welcome to my Ice Domain.”

Yi Xian sensed danger immediately. The arena was entirely frozen, leaving her no place to flee. Beneath the icy surface, something darted around with inhuman speed.

Lord Yin Bao’s triangular spikes pierced down sharply but failed to penetrate the frozen layer.

Zi Han pouted. “I told you, you can’t do it.”

Yi Xian had encountered a water-type Beast Tamer before. Duanmu Jie’s ability had been somewhat similar, but could water freeze this quickly? Before she could think further, the ice began to stir again. Cracks formed around her feet as icy spikes shot up toward her face with deadly precision.

In a single exchange, Yi Xian became a figure drenched in bl00d. Each spike that pierced her skin was both chilling and agonizing.

No matter how she dodged, she could not escape. It was as if invisible eyes watched her every step, predicting her movements before she made them.

Zi Han stood with her arms crossed in a corner of the arena. The ice beneath her feet remained untouched. “Don’t waste everyone’s time. Surrender. In my Ice Domain, you cannot escape.”

There was nothing flawless in this world. Likewise, no ability was perfect. Yi Xian believed that Zi Han’s Ice Domain must have a weakness. She just had to find it.

She forced herself to calm down and observed closely. Beneath the surface, the distribution of icy spikes was uneven, scattered irregularly across the field.

One thing was certain. Every step she took triggered an attack. The spikes reacted to her movement, striking upward the instant she landed.

Lord Yin Bao bristled, its tail fur standing on end. In Zi Han’s domain, most of its attacks were dissolved instantly, and its claws were wounded by the erupting spikes. Even its evasion slowed.

Yi Xian sighed and summoned it back into her pouch. “Be careful not to get stabbed.”

The spikes darted beneath the ice like fish in water, occasionally breaking through the surface to breathe. Yi Xian experimented with a few steps, deliberately exaggerating her motions. When she twisted mid-step, the spikes missed her narrowly. After several short teleports, she managed to evade attacks, though triggering one often caused a chain reaction that left her struck again.

Zi Han watched her stagger awkwardly across the arena. “What are you doing?”

Yi Xian licked the bl00d from her lip. “Testing how not to get hit.”

Zi Han nodded once. “Then let’s change the rules.”

She pressed her palm down, and the sluggish spikes below suddenly came alive. They moved densely beneath the ice, so many that Yi Xian’s scalp tingled. If these were worms or biting fish instead, the sight would have been unbearable.

“Rise.”

The instant the spikes burst through the surface, Yi Xian abandoned restraint. She clasped her hands together as her Light Spirit and Lightning Spirit merged. The explosion that followed roared through the arena, shaking even the drowsiest spectators awake. They rubbed their eyes, staring wide-eyed at the battle below.

Zi Han only squinted from the dazzling light, closing her eyes for a heartbeat. She did not retreat. Instead, she lifted her hand, and the countless ice spikes below melted into fluid motion. The streams of water intertwined into a shield that absorbed the explosion’s shockwaves, then with a light push, hurled the force back toward Yi Xian.

Yi Xian’s barrier shattered. The backlash of her own blast flung her across the stage. When she finally hit the ground, she understood clearly that Zi Han had barely exerted any effort. That single hand had turned the entire battle into a profound lesson.

Zi Han said, “Not bad. Next time, try breaking this move.”

It took Yi Xian a moment to grasp her meaning. Grateful, she bowed deeply. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”

Zi Han waved dismissively and yawned as she walked away. “I’m too sleepy. I need a good place to nap.”

…

At dawn, Yi Xian walked back with Zi Han’s Ice Domain still on her mind. It was likely similar to the Water Domain that Bao Tanxin had mentioned. Both expanded their influence across the arena, controlling the entire field. Yet Bao Tan’s technique required his beast’s assistance to occupy space bit by bit. Zi Han’s mastery was absolute. Within moments, she had seized control of everything, overwhelming Yi Xian without a chance to resist.

These duels had made Yi Xian deeply aware of the chasm between Heaven-level and Human-level tamers. Against opponents like Senior Brother Cheng Bang or Senior Sister Zi Han, resistance felt futile. Their power itself imposed pressure that could not be defied.

“Yi Xian! What happened to you?” Duanmu Ya’s shocked voice broke through her thoughts.

“What’s wrong?”

Yi Xian glanced down. Her clothes were soaked in bl00d, her body riddled with punctures from the icy spikes. The wounds were deep. “It’s fine. Senior Sister Zi Han held back.”

Every strike had avoided her vital points, landing instead on her limbs and muscles. The precision only deepened Yi Xian’s respect. “By the way, Xiao Ya, do you know what level Zi Han has reached?”

Duanmu Ya shook her head. “She’s a mystery. She’s quiet and low-key. She gives all sect missions to Mingwang Peak and Blazing Flame Peak. It seems her only pursuit in life is sleep. She never gets enough.”

Yi Xian healed her injuries again and again. The sight of her wounds was almost terrifying. Remembering Zi Han’s parting words, she smiled faintly. Still, she could not impose on her senior. “Xiao Ya, can you help me find something that makes sleeping extra comfortable? I want to make a hammock.”

Duanmu Ya’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea! Then I can sunbathe on it like you said, right?”

Yi Xian covered her face. “Then make two. No, better make three.”

Duanmu Ya eagerly gave suggestions. As the spoiled second miss of the Duanmu family, she knew precisely what materials made the softest bedding.

After treating her wounds and resting half a day, Yi Xian returned for her next match.

This was a crucial duel. Duanmu Ya worried for her, and Nian Yunyin scolded her for wasting energy against Zi Han earlier.

Yi Xian disagreed. The battle had given her a new idea. If not for the coming match, she would have tested it in private.

Yundan Peak’s Yi Xian versus Mingwang Peak’s Wen Xun.

Yi Xian still stood a chance against Earth-level Beast Tamers below the fifth stage. When both sides summoned their phantom beasts, her Little Pony immediately drew attention. The once-small celestial horse had grown magnificent, its spiral horn gleaming as it moved with the same noble grace as its parents. Its shining wings were adored by the sect’s female disciples. Unfortunately, Little Pony existed only in soul form. Otherwise, everyone would be lining up to pet it.

“Yi Xian.”

“Hm?”

The man’s sudden use of her name startled her. Wen Xun smiled warmly, dimples showing, but that only made Yi Xian wary. In her experience, strangers who smiled the brightest often hid the deepest motives.

Her Light Spirit had healed most of her injuries, but her spiritual energy was still low. She needed to end this fight quickly.

Her opponent was a fire-type Beast Tamer, and his phantom beast, a firebird, attacked first, breathing flames at her. Yi Xian casually blocked with her Light Spirit. She had grown adept at countering such attacks since her bouts with Duanmu Ya’s small fire dragon.

Clasping her palms, Yi Xian and Little Pony moved in sync. In an instant, beams of sacred light shot around the arena, creating a grand display of Light Baptism. The entire stage was bathed in a brilliant white light. Then came a piercing scream. Wen Xun was flung out of the barrier, his protective shield shattered.

…

Afterward, Xie Yu cursed furiously. “Useless fool! I told you to teach her a lesson, not to get beaten yourself!”

Wen Xun’s leg still bore a charred wound from lightning. “That woman fights dirty. Her beast blinded me with that blinding light. I couldn’t open my eyes, then heard crackling sounds everywhere. When I finally looked, she was holding a Lightning Spirit Orb.”

Xie Yu frowned. “A Lightning Spirit Orb?”

Wen Xun nodded. “An offensive weapon that stores lightning energy. I heard it was created by the Qi family of the Sunlight Nation and even auctioned once. Many Beast Tamers with weak spiritual power use them now. They can be life-saving in battle.”

Xie Yu’s face darkened as he recalled how Yi Xian had humiliated him in his own duel using the same trick. “Get me two of those orbs. I’ll test their strength myself.”

Wen Xun smirked. “No need to be so angry, Senior Brother. If she fails to enter the Secret Realm, we can deal with her outside. If she gets in by chance, we can make sure she never comes out.”

Xie Yu considered it and agreed. If Yi Xian lost in the finals to a Beastman, no one would pay attention to her. But if she somehow entered the Secret Realm, it would be easy to ensure she stayed there forever.

Yi Xian knew nothing of the schemes forming against her. Her mind was filled only with the hammock design she imagined. With only one match left, she handed the task to Duanmu Ya.

Duanmu Ya dragged Nian Yunyin along to help. Together, they followed Yi Xian’s design and finished a hammock using the softest fur from a gentle beast for padding. The ropes were woven from threads spat by a Vajra Beast and silk spun by Lord Yin Bao. After hanging it between two trees, Duanmu Ya climbed in to test it.

“Wow, I don’t know how Yi Xian thought of this. It’s so comfortable when it swings.”

Without warning, Nian Yunyin jumped up beside her. The two ended up pressed close together, their legs touching and their arms brushing against each other. Duanmu Ya wanted to kick her off, but just as she lifted her foot, Nian Yunyin caught her leg swiftly. “What are you doing, Xiao Ya? So eager to throw yourself into my arms?”

Duanmu Ya kicked again. “Throw yourself, you pervert!”

Nian Yunyin trapped her leg playfully, and their struggle turned into an intimate tangle with one pressed above and the other below. Just as Nian Yunyin leaned closer for a kiss, Duanmu Ya conjured a fireball and hurled it at her. Nian Yunyin dodged with a laugh. “Xiao Ya, don’t start a fire! If you burn it, I’ll have to help you put it out.”

Duanmu Ya, furious from repeated teasing, chased after her shouting, “Who wants your help, Nian Yunyin, you scoundrel! Don’t you dare run!”