The Strongest Beast-Tamer (Transmigration)(GL) - Chapter 59

“Senior Sister Zi Han is probably still sleeping somewhere. We can’t find her. If you have something important, you might as well wait until she returns.”

“When will she be back?”

“It could be five days, ten days, or even a month. Once she disappeared for half a year. But she will definitely return before the finals begin.”

“Do you know where she usually sleeps?”

“She used to nap on the third floor of the library or near the restricted grounds. Sometimes she hides on other peaks in small corners. To be honest, none of us really knows where she goes. She changes her sleeping places often.”

Yi Xian finally understood why Zi Han was famous for sleeping. Just as gluttons swore to taste every delicacy under the heavens, this senior seemed determined to sleep in every famous place.

The other disciple noticed Yi Xian’s disappointment. “If you want, you can leave the item with me. I’ll give it to Senior Sister Zi Han when she returns.”

Yi Xian shook her head. The hammock was meant to be a gift given in person. If she handed it over later, it would lose its meaning. “Thank you for the offer, but I want to deliver it myself.”

When it came to tracking someone, the Beast Tribe excelled. Their noses were sharp enough to distinguish even Duanmu Ya’s male disguise. If Yi Xian had anything that belonged to Zi Han, she could easily find her. Unfortunately, she had nothing of the sort. “How am I supposed to find her now?”

Lord Yin Bao volunteered eagerly. “I can send my little followers to help.”

Speaking of Lord Yin Bao’s ‘followers,’ Yi Xian had witnessed quite a sight. Back when they were in the Beast Tribe’s lands, Lord Yin Bao could command countless mice thanks to its unique ability. After coming to the human realm, it had been chased and beaten by gold-eating mice and had felt humiliated. Later, because of a joke made by Yi Xian and Duanmu Ya, Lord Yin Bao had actually gone to gather new followers, although they were not the same kind as before.

The two little mice that helped Duanmu Ya take care of her courtyard plants were low-level Earth-element phantom beasts. Apparently, Lord Yin Bao had fought and defeated the Earth Spirit Rat King beneath Qingshan Sect. The victory had made the local mice submit to it, and it became their new king.

Sometimes, Yi Xian would see Lord Yin Bao return covered in bruises, never realizing it had secretly accomplished such a feat. She only discovered the truth when she noticed many adorable mice scurrying in and out of Duanmu Ya’s room, helping with small chores.

Yi Xian thought for a moment. “Tell them not to get too close when they find her. Be careful.”

Lord Yin Bao darted into a hole to summon its followers. Low-level phantom beasts had little intelligence and relied on instinct. Most disciples of Qingshan Sect would not even bother with such creatures. Killing them was effortless, yet ignoring them was even easier. That suited Lord Yin Bao perfectly.

Yi Xian did not underestimate them. She knew that during their journey to Qingshan Sect, fire ants had once wiped out an entire mercenary group without a sound. A single creature might be weak, but a swarm was a deadly force that few Human-level Beast Tamers could withstand.

Moreover, the little mice had once saved her life back in the Beast Tribe’s lands. Yi Xian resolved to treat them well from now on.

Lord Yin Bao worked quickly. Within a day, its mice had searched five peaks and finally found someone who looked like Senior Sister Zi Han. The woman was lying on a branch, sleeping soundly. After confirming it was indeed the infamous sleeping master, Yi Xian circled beneath the tree, deliberately stepping on dry twigs. The noise changed nothing. The woman continued to sleep deeply.

Yi Xian hesitated. Waking her seemed rude, yet if she left her like this, Zi Han might not wake up until the finals.

“Lord Yin Bao, please fetch Xiao Ya for me.”

“Squeak.”

Yi Xian used teleportation to reach the Beast Tribe’s camp. In front of Xiao Nan, she examined the large beast Lan Tong had hunted, then placed a pile of food beside the cub lying on a beast-skin rug. “Tell your mother this is in exchange.”

Xiao Nan rubbed against her leg and suddenly bit the hem of Yi Xian’s trousers, clutching her leg with her tiny paws.

Yi Xian realized that she had been neglecting the cub while focusing on her training. Seeing her pitiful face, she felt a pang of guilt. She put down the meat and lifted her gently. “Looks like you’ve gained some weight thanks to Lord Yin Bao’s company.”

The cub pawed her hand and stared at her expectantly.

Yi Xian touched her hind leg. “You don’t even need a splint anymore. Has your leg healed?”

The cub kicked with her other leg, refusing to let her check. Yi Xian held her firmly, running her hand along her paw. “It’s been a month. The bone should be healed. Why are you still limping?”

The little one drooped her ears and looked dejected.

Yi Xian stroked her head gently. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll take time to help you with recovery training. We’ll go slowly. You’ll be just as strong as before.”

Meanwhile, Duanmu Ya followed Lord Yin Bao to a deserted peak, glancing around. “Lord Yin Bao, didn’t you say Yi Xian was here? Where is she?”

Lord Yin Bao scratched its head in confusion, then led her to a large tree where Zi Han was asleep. It pointed upward with a squeak.

Duanmu Ya squinted and saw someone lying on a branch wearing Yunmiao Peak robes. “Oh heavens, isn’t that… her?”

While helping Yi Xian with her studies, Duanmu Ya had secretly looked into the people Yi Xian often mentioned, such as Xie Ying, Xie Yu, and Zi Han. Lately, the one she heard most about was this mysterious Senior Sister Zi Han. Remembering her reputation for violent temper when woken up, Duanmu Ya panicked. She grabbed Lord Yin Bao and fled. “Lord Yin Bao, listen to me carefully. Do not wake that woman up or we might not live to see tomorrow!”

Lord Yin Bao twitched its ears, slipped out of her hands, and ran in the opposite direction. Duanmu Ya froze for a moment, realizing she had no idea where to go without its guidance.

“Squeak squeak.”

“Xiao Ya, come help me.”

Yi Xian was carrying a large animal. She gathered dry leaves and branches, took out a full set of cookware from her storage pouch, and said, “Right, lend me a knife.”

Lord Yin Bao rummaged through its small satchel and pulled out a medium-sized blade. Yi Xian used it to slice the meat into neat pieces. “Xiao Ya, start the fire.”

Duanmu Ya looked around nervously at the towering trees. “If we light a fire here, what if we burn the forest down? Yi Xian, are you sure about this?”

Yi Xian had already cleared the area and asked Lord Yin Bao to dig a shallow pit. She piled the dry branches and leaves inside. “It’s fine. Go ahead.”

Duanmu Ya sat under Zi Han’s tree, tense as if sitting on thorns, while Yi Xian roasted the meat. “Yi Xian, aren’t you making too much noise? What if Senior Sister Zi Han wakes up angry?”

Yi Xian smiled quietly and sprinkled seasoning over the meat. “It’s been a while since I cooked. Try it and tell me if I’ve improved.”

Duanmu Ya hesitated, but after one bite, her eyes widened. The meat was tender and flavorful, rich but not greasy, with a pleasant spice. It was unlike anything she had tasted before. “It’s actually really good.”

Yi Xian walked around the tree, hanging several strips of meat to dry. She gave some to Duanmu Ya and Lord Yin Bao, then ate slowly, thinking of bringing a portion to Xiao Nan later. The cub must have missed her cooking.

The aroma filled the clearing. Duanmu Ya ate until she was stuffed. “Yi Xian, what kind of meat is this? It’s delicious.”

Yi Xian shook her head. Lan Tong always handled the hunting, and her prey was always of good quality. “I’m not sure, but eat as much as you like.”

“Mmm—”

“Ah!” Duanmu Ya nearly jumped out of her seat when someone dropped from the tree. Zi Han landed gracefully, still half asleep, her nose twitching as she sniffed the air. “Third-level Water Spirit Wolf meat. Smells wonderful. Too bad you’ve drained all the spiritual energy. What a waste.”

The two froze, staring at each other. Yi Xian was shocked. The beast they were eating was a third-level phantom beast. They had just roasted it for lunch.

Zi Han took a skewer and quickly threaded several pieces together. She sniffed again, then held it out to Yi Xian. “Give me some of that spice you used. If it satisfies me, I’ll forget you interrupted my sleep.”

Yi Xian added some seasoning. “It’s spicy.”

Zi Han devoured the meat rapidly. Within moments, all the skewers were gone, including the ones Yi Xian had hung to dry. “More.”

Yi Xian and Duanmu Ya hurried to roast the remaining wolf meat. By the end, the entire carcass was stripped clean, leaving only bones. The three of them had eaten barely one leg. The rest had disappeared into Zi Han’s stomach. Yet her flat abdomen showed no sign of fullness. Yi Xian stared in disbelief. Is her stomach a bottomless pit? “That’s all there is.”

Zi Han pouted, clearly dissatisfied.

Yi Xian thought for a moment and took out the hammock from her pouch. “Senior Sister, try this.”

The hammock was tied between two trees for balance. Yi Xian had tested it before, and even Duanmu Ya and the little cub had loved it, swinging gently like a cradle.

Zi Han jumped onto it at once. The hammock dipped slightly under her weight. She crossed her legs, rested her hands behind her head, and closed her eyes with a satisfied sigh. “Not bad.”

After speaking, Zi Han actually fell asleep again.

Duanmu Ya was stunned. She tugged on Yi Xian’s sleeve, waving her hands animatedly as if she had been possessed by Lord Yin Bao. Yi Xian patted her shoulder in understanding, quietly packed up everything, and even collected the wolf bones’ remains into her storage pouch before pulling Duanmu Ya along.

As they walked back, Duanmu Ya asked quickly, “Yi Xian, why didn’t you say anything?”

Yi Xian thought there was no need to rush. “I’m going to check on Xiao Nan. Tomorrow you should come with me to make more food. The more fragrant, the better.”

Duanmu Ya blinked in confusion. “You’re going again?”

Yi Xian nodded. “Of course. It’s not often I get a chance to bribe Senior Sister.”

When Yi Xian arrived at the Beast Tribe’s camp, she found many beastmen gathered around the cub’s hammock. The little one crouched on her own bed, growling in a childish but fierce tone. Among the crowd were beastmen of the Winged Tribe and the Water Tribe. The land-dwelling beastmen adored Xiao Nan, treating her like a treasure and often teasing her playfully. However, the Winged Tribe showed little sympathy. Even within the Beast Tribe, the two races were opposites, one ruling the skies and the other the ground.

Seeing the strange hammock, the Winged Tribe members could not resist trying it. Xiao Nan, however, was very possessive of the gift Yi Xian had made for her. Even Purple Yuanxiao had been hidden carefully beneath a layer of beast skin under her belly.

“What are you doing?”

“A human.”

Yi Xian glanced around. None of them were familiar to her. She walked forward, wondering where Lan Tong had gone again. That woman was never home and seemed unconcerned about leaving the cub alone. “Come, Xiao Nan. Let’s go home.”

One of the beastmen stopped her. “Human, is this yours?”

“Yes.”

Yi Xian scooped the cub into her arms, took the Purple Yuanxiao hidden beneath the beast skin, and placed it gently on the ground. She untied the hammock and the beast skin, putting both into her storage pouch. “Move aside.”

The man blocked her path. “May I trade something for that?”

Yi Xian refused without hesitation and ignored anything else he wanted to say. She carried Xiao Nan back to the tent. “Xiao Nan, have you been lying on it since I left? You haven’t come down at all, have you?”

The cub nudged Yi Xian’s storage pouch with her head, making her preference obvious. She really liked the hammock Yi Xian had made. Yi Xian smiled. “I think I should set up two posts inside the tent. You can stay indoors for now. When your leg has fully healed, you can go outside again. Lord Yin Bao, I’ll need your help with this.”

After listening to Yi Xian’s plan, Lord Yin Bao raised two sturdy earthen pillars in the middle of the tent. Yi Xian made sure the hammock hung low enough for the cub to climb easily.

The little one still avoided using her injured leg, clearly afraid of the pain.

Yi Xian realized this was not a good sign. She thought for a moment and took out a Dragon’s Tear from her storage pouch. “Xiao Nan, look at this.”

The cub tilted her head at the blue gem but quickly went back to pawing at the hammock. Her tail swished lazily as she kept all her weight on one leg.

Yi Xian had expected her to be fascinated by the blue gem. Not ready to give up, she took out another one, a larger crystal that a dragon had once dropped by accident. “Xiao Nan, look. Do you like this one?”

The gem sparkled like a bright pearl.

Xiao Nan turned and finally showed interest, moving her front paws off the hammock. “Awoo, awoo.”

Yi Xian smiled. “Do you want it? Then you have to put down your left hind leg and walk over to get it, all right?”

The cub whimpered pitifully, still standing on three legs.

Yi Xian hardened her heart. “If you want it, you have to walk here on all four legs. Otherwise, I’ll give this gem to Lord Yin Bao.”

Lord Yin Bao nodded in agreement, scratching its ear before reaching out to take the gem. The cub cried anxiously, but Yi Xian ignored her. “Come on, Xiao Nan. Walk slowly, step by step. Otherwise, the next batch of roasted meat and all the fun things will go to Lord Yin Bao instead.”

Lord Yin Bao cooperated perfectly. It pulled out a piece of roasted meat from the storage pouch and began to munch noisily right in front of the cub. Yi Xian watched as Xiao Nan drooled and limped hurriedly toward them.

“Left hind leg down,” Yi Xian instructed firmly.

But the little one still refused to set her injured leg on the ground. Yi Xian touched her gently. Seeing that the cub was not in pain like before, she asked softly, “Xiao Nan, it doesn’t hurt anymore, does it?”

The cub’s eyes were fixed on the roasted meat in Lord Yin Bao’s paw.

Yi Xian gave Lord Yin Bao a look. Understanding her cue, it quickly moved aside, though the smell of roasted meat still filled the air. Yi Xian held the cub close as she tried to run after Lord Yin Bao. While petting her, Yi Xian’s hand slid naturally down to the cub’s injured leg, rubbing softly. “Xiao Nan, you used to be such a brave little one. Be brave for me again, all right?”

The cub rested her head on Yi Xian’s knee, enjoying the gentle strokes. Her tense hind leg gradually began to relax.

Yi Xian thought that having Lan Tong around as an example would help, but the woman was nowhere to be found when needed. With a sigh, she continued to massage the cub. Soon, Xiao Nan was lying on her back with all four legs up, utterly relaxed. When Yi Xian playfully touched her paws, the cub resisted at first, then started to retaliate by scratching lightly.

They played together the entire afternoon until the cub finally showed some real movement.

Yi Xian decided the recovery would need to be gradual. Rushing it would only make things worse.

“Lately, Yi Xian has been sneaking off to a remote mountain. She’s probably training secretly. Should we make things difficult for her?”

“Every day?”

“Yes. We’ve followed her several times, but she keeps losing us. It started after the semifinals.”

“Then let’s go. It’s time she learned that there is always someone stronger.”

Yi Xian spent every day cooking new dishes, yet she discovered that Senior Sister Zi Han’s favorite food was always meat. Whether it was roasted or braised, Zi Han devoured it happily. Her appetite seemed endless. She would eat, sleep, then wake only to eat again, living a carefree life.

One of them cooked tirelessly, while the other enjoyed a life of leisure. This peaceful routine continued for days. Yi Xian remained unaware that others were following her, her mind occupied only with thoughts of what to cook next for her sleepy Senior Sister. She went through the recipes from her past life again and again, experimenting as she went.

At the foot of the mountain, a group of people wandered aimlessly. The man who had been following Yi Xian muttered, “Strange. How did she disappear so fast? One blink, and she’s gone. Could she have noticed me?”

Another person replied, “I don’t think so. I’ve followed her for days and found she often comes here. She really is fast though. Maybe it’s some kind of skill.”

Suddenly, someone sniffed the air. “Do you smell that?”

Everyone nodded. “It’s coming from up the mountain. Could someone be cooking here?”

The Qingshan Sect’s rules for food were strict. Cultivators who reached a certain level no longer needed to eat mundane food. Yet the smell was so tempting that even these disciples began to feel hungry.

Following the aroma, they found Yi Xian and Duanmu Ya preparing Zi Han’s meal. “Well, well. You two are cooking here? Have you forgotten the sect’s rules?”

Yi Xian’s expression was complicated, especially when she saw that the man leading them was Wen Xun, the one she had beaten before. He was from Mingwang Peak. “What rules?”

Duanmu Ya blinked in confusion, waiting for them to explain.

Wen Xun lifted his chin. “Qingshan Sect’s Inner Court Rule Eight—”

Yi Xian did not care to listen. Their appearance here was too suspicious. “I’m neither from the Inner Court nor from your Mingwang Peak. Why should I follow your rules? You suddenly show up here. What do you want?”

The location was secluded. If not for Zi Han’s habit of sleeping here, and Lord Yin Bao’s effort in finding her, Yi Xian would never have come to this peak. It was far too coincidental for these people to appear now.

Could it be that she was being followed?

Duanmu Ya glared at their white robes trimmed with gold, instantly recognizing Mingwang Peak’s disciples. “I’ve never heard of such a rule on Yundan Peak. You’re here to pick a fight, aren’t you?”

Wen Xun’s words were interrupted twice, his tone turning cold. “Since you two are so stubborn, we’ll just have to teach you some discipline.”

The group moved in unison. Two of them lunged at Duanmu Ya, while three surrounded Yi Xian. It was clear they had come looking for a fight.

Duanmu Ya fumed. “You blind fools. Do you even know who I am? If you lay a hand on me, I’ll make sure Mingwang Peak never gets another pill from Yundan Peak again!”

The threat worked. The two men who had gone for her stopped and exchanged glances before turning to join the others in surrounding Yi Xian.

Duanmu Ya was furious. Seeing them all ganging up on Yi Xian made her bl00d boil. “If you dare touch her, Yundan Peak will sever all ties with Mingwang Peak from this day on!”