Chapter 254: I Tamed a Bird

“Quiet! Only ten spots are available for Shibei City in the Hanwu Kingdom, and they’re full for today. If you want to go, come back tomorrow to queue!”

“This one is for Jibei City in the Anyuan Kingdom. We still need three more people. Those who want to go, hurry up, or there won’t be any seats left!”

“We’re selling Red-tailed Fox cubs, mystic beasts of the Profound Realm here. If you’re interested in buying, come over quickly…”

At the front of the crowd, various voices clamored, creating a chaotic scene.

“The Xualluo Mountain Range borders ten kingdoms. The Beiwu Kingdom, Hanwu Kingdom, Tianxuan Kingdom, and others all come here for trade. Many people come daily, especially those traveling long distances. The Beast Hall only has a limited number of savage beasts, so with so many people, it’s impossible for everyone to get a ride. Most people need to queue in advance; some even wait for half a month and still can’t get a turn!” Yun Tao explained, looking at the noisy crowd before them.

“Can’t get a turn even after half a month?” Zhang Xuan was stunned.

He had long suspected that the Beast Hall couldn’t have enough savage beasts to meet the demand, but he hadn’t expected such a long wait.

If he had to wait here for half a month, he might as well ride the Golden Body Iron Money Leopard directly to the Tianwu Kingdom.

“Senior, don’t worry!” Seeing his expression, Yun Tao smiled. “As long as I pass the assessment and become an official beast tamer, I’ll be qualified to help you select a flying savage beast. You won’t have to wait around like everyone else.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

Every profession came with its own privileges.

For instance, alchemists buying pills at the Alchemist Guild not only received priority but also discounts.

It was the same for beast tamers.

While others had to queue for flying savage beasts, with a fixed number of slots issued daily, official beast tamers were different; they could ride directly without wasting time in line like everyone else.

“Then… let’s go complete the assessment!”

Seeing the long line of people queuing up, Zhang Xuan’s scalp tingled. He waved his hand dismissively.

“Alright, the beast tamer assessment is over there!” Yun Tao led the way.

The group strode forward. As others saw the tall, fierce Golden Body Iron Money Leopard beside Zhang Xuan, they quickly made way.

By then, the Golden Body Iron Money Leopard no longer emitted the sharp aura it had just after its breakthrough. Aside from its massive size, it didn’t seem much different from before, making people assume it was only at the Aperture Opening Realm.

However, even an Aperture Opening Realm savage beast was not to be provoked. It wasn’t because of its strength, but because this was the Beast Hall, and anyone able to bring such a massive creature must have significant connections. They were either an apprentice or an official beast tamer, and in either case, they were not someone to offend.

With no one obstructing them, they moved very quickly. Before long, they arrived in front of a huge room, where five large characters on the door read “Beast Tamer Assessment.”

Unlike the alchemist assessment hall, this one seemed much more spacious.

“There’s still some time before the assessment ends, so it’s not too late. Let’s go in!”

Thinking that he would soon pass the assessment and become an official beast tamer, Yun Tao’s eyes gleamed with excitement. He chuckled and was about to enter.

Before they could enter, a slightly mocking voice rang out.

Turning to look, they saw a young man swaggering over, accompanied by many subordinates and a massive Tiger-headed Beast.

This Tiger-headed Beast was even larger than the Golden Body Iron Money Leopard, and its aura was even more formidable, giving off a feeling that it could tear through the sky.

However, in terms of strength, it was somewhat weaker, only at the early-stage Aperture Opening Realm.

“That’s Zhu Jinhuang, the Sixth Prince of the Beichen Kingdom, and he has always been at odds with our prince…” one of Yun Tao’s subordinates sent a voice transmission, seeing Zhang Xuan’s confusion.

“Beichen Kingdom?”

A mental map of the surrounding areas appeared in Zhang Xuan’s mind.

Like the Hanwu Kingdom, Beichen was also a second-tier kingdom. Because its territory bordered Hanwu, friction was constant, making it one of the rival kingdoms. As royal members of two neighboring kingdoms, it was natural for them to harbor animosity toward each other.

“The conflict between them, actually… isn’t about territory, but rather…”

Before Yun Tao’s subordinate could finish, footsteps were heard, and another group of people approached.

“Jinhuang, how can you say that? Haven’t you seen the Golden Body Iron Money Leopard behind him? With that big fellow, he can certainly pass the assessment!” The white-robed young man leading the group chuckled, then frowned. “It’s just… this Golden Body Iron Money Leopard doesn’t seem very close to him. Could it be that it’s not his tamed beast?”

Though it sounded like he was helping Yun Tao, his slightly raised lips revealed a mocking intent.

“That’s Zhou Xuan, the Ninth Prince of the Qianyuan Kingdom, and he’s not on good terms with our prince either…” Yun Tao’s subordinate’s voice transmission continued.

The Qianyuan Kingdom was also a second-tier kingdom. It wasn’t too far from here, and although it didn’t border Tianxuan, it was adjacent to the Tianwu Kingdom.

“Oh, now that you mention it, I see!”

Noticing that the Golden Body Iron Money Leopard was not close to Yun Tao but instead stood right next to an unknown young man, Zhu Jinhuang smiled. “Yun Tao, you didn’t really fail to tame a savage beast and deliberately borrow one from someone else, did you? If that’s the case, I advise you to be careful. Once the Beast Hall finds out, you’ll be banned from assessments for life. Then, you’ll have no choice but to tuck your tail between your legs and leave quietly!”

The Beast Hall had clear regulations. If a beast tamer examinee used someone else’s savage beast, they would be banned from assessments for life once discovered. This meant they would never be able to pursue the beast tamer profession again.

As beast tamer apprentices, Zhou Xuan and Zhu Jinhuang naturally possessed keen eyesight. They could tell at a glance that the Golden Body Iron Money Leopard was close to Zhang Xuan but quite unfamiliar with Yun Tao. It was clearly not his tamed beast.

“Heh heh, if he can’t pass this time, how will he have the face to pursue Miss Mo Yu!” Zhou Xuan said.

“Pursue? I think he should just roll as far away as possible! A super genius like Miss Mo Yu is not someone a half-baked person like him can defile!” Zhu Jinhuang scoffed.

“I’m not qualified? You two aren’t necessarily any better than me. Stop talking nonsense here. If you’re capable, become a beast tamer first, then talk!” Seeing himself under attack from both sides, Yun Tao found it hard to hold his ground alone. He flicked his sleeve.

“Oh really? You seem quite confident! However, you’ll be crying later. The beast tamer assessment isn’t just about passing; it’s also about rating. Let’s see what rank you can get later!” Zhou Xuan said.

“You should worry about yourself instead. I’m afraid you won’t even achieve a third rank and will have to leave in shame!” Yun Tao retorted.

“You…” Zhou Xuan’s eyes narrowed. “I hope you’ll still be this confident after the assessment.”

“Hmph!”

The three faced off, refusing to give an inch. Their subordinates also glared at each other, none showing a pleasant expression.

Listening to their conversation, Zhang Xuan understood. Their conflict truly wasn’t about kingdom territories; it seemed to be about a woman named Mo Yu.

“Miss Mo Yu is a renowned genius among beast tamer apprentices. She’s taking the beast tamer assessment with our prince and the others, shining brightly. These princes all secretly admire her and compete among themselves, hoping to win her favor…” Yun Tao’s subordinate continued his voice transmission.

Knowing this reason, Zhang Xuan shook his head.

He had thought that as princes, they were vying over territorial disputes. He never expected it was all because of a woman.

“It’s Miss Mo Yu!”

“Look at the savage beast behind her…”

“So powerful!”

As the three were confronting each other, they heard a commotion around them. A slender figure slowly approached.

Behind this figure followed a tall eagle. With an iron back, golden wings, and eyes like lightning, it made people wary.

“A Profound Realm savage beast?” Zhang Xuan’s eyes narrowed.

This eagle had actually reached the late-stage Profound Realm, making it considerably stronger than the Golden Body Iron Money Leopard beside him.

Furthermore, its subtle aura gave off a sense of wind and thunder. It was likely no weaker than, and possibly even stronger than, the previous strange bird in terms of speed.

“Miss Mo Yu!”

Seeing this figure appear, Yun Tao, Zhu Jinhuang, Zhou Xuan, and the others’ eyes lit up. They hurried forward to greet her.

“She is Mo Yu?”

After observing the eagle, Zhang Xuan finally shifted his attention to the slender figure.

She was a woman of twenty-three or twenty-four. Her light green robe perfectly accentuated her graceful figure. Her delicate waist seemed as if it could be grasped with one hand. Her long, dark hair flowed down, complementing her fair skin, giving her an unusual beauty.

In terms of appearance alone, she was no less beautiful than Shen Biru, perhaps even more so. One could say she rivaled Zhao Ya after activating ten percent of her Pure Yin Physique.

She was indeed beautiful, but she seemed very aloof. She paid no attention to Yun Tao and the others.

“As expected of Miss Mo Yu, truly remarkable!” Zhu Jinhuang greeted her with a wide smile. “Only you could tame a Profound Realm Azure Eagle Beast, amazing, truly amazing!”

“Naturally! It’s just a small Azure Eagle Beast; for Miss Mo Yu, it’s child’s play, isn’t it?” Zhou Xuan also wore a fawning smile.

Regarding their compliments, Miss Mo Yu glanced at them. Her cold face showed no expression. Her eyes then flickered, spotting Shen Biru in the crowd. She paused, then walked directly toward her.

“You’re here for the beast tamer assessment too? Where’s Han Qiong? Didn’t she come?”

Her voice, though clear and pleasant, carried a sense of aloofness that kept others at bay.

“She didn’t come; I’m here accompanying a friend.” Shen Biru pointed at Zhang Xuan.

Miss Mo Yu glanced at Zhang Xuan, then swept her gaze past him as if he were air. Immediately, she turned her delicate body and, without another word, walked into the room.

Zhu Jinhuang and the others, ignored by her, showed no displeasure. They also followed closely inside.

“You know her?” Zhang Xuan didn’t mind Miss Mo Yu’s disregard. Instead, he looked at Teacher Shen beside him with curiosity.

“I met her once when I came here with Han Qiong last time.” Shen Biru nodded.

“Is she really just a talented beast tamer apprentice?” Zhang Xuan asked, puzzled.

Even if this girl was very beautiful and talented in beast taming, it shouldn’t warrant such a respectful attitude from the princes of three major kingdoms!

Whether Hanwu, Beichen, or Qianyuan, as second-tier kingdoms, even if beast tamers weren’t abundant, there were certainly quite a few. A mere apprentice shouldn’t make dignified princes act so humbly and willingly.

In a second-tier kingdom, let alone a beast tamer apprentice, even a Master Teacher apprentice probably wouldn’t command such status.

The higher a kingdom’s rank, the more respected its royal authority. Unless one was a high-ranked professional, they wouldn’t draw much attention. It wasn’t like the Tianxuan Kingdom, where a mere Master Teacher apprentice could command Emperor Shen Zhui’s respect.

“She’s indeed more than just a beast tamer apprentice. Han Qiong once mentioned that she has another identity… the Third Princess of the Tianwu Kingdom!” Shen Biru pondered for a moment before saying.

“A princess of the Tianwu Kingdom?” Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

That made more sense.

The Tianwu Kingdom was a first-tier kingdom, the undisputed overlord of the twelve surrounding nations.

A princess of this kingdom held a more esteemed status than even the kings of some smaller kingdoms. If one could marry her, the status of consort would undoubtedly be a great aid in future struggles for the royal succession.

It seemed Zhu Jinhuang, Zhou Xuan, and even Yun Tao all had this idea in mind.

However, for Zhang Xuan, whether she was a princess or not, it didn’t matter.

Relying on others was useless. The most important thing was oneself.

As the two spoke, they walked into the room.

Unlike the bustling exterior, the room inside was quite quiet. Only the few groups who had just entered were present.

“There are four examinees in this batch, and they’re all back. Who do you think will assess us?”

“Of course, it’ll be the Hall Master! He’s the highest-ranking Two-star Beast Tamer in the Beast Hall, and he supervises almost every assessment.”

“Yes, I heard the Hall Master’s assessments are very strict. I wonder if that’s true.”

“Regardless of whether it’s true or not, our prince has already tamed a savage beast and met the requirements. Passing shouldn’t be an issue.”

Upon entering the room, they heard quiet murmurs all around.

The three princes all brought numerous attendants. In contrast, Miss Mo Yu stood alone on one side, her delicate figure perfectly upright. A cold aura emanated from her, and surprisingly, no one dared to approach and disturb her.

“Judging by her tone just now, does she have a conflict with Teacher Han?” Seeing the Third Princess of the Tianwu Kingdom, who brought no attendants and appeared unapproachable, and recalling his previous conversation with Shen Biru, he couldn’t help but look at her.

“It’s not exactly a conflict. Teacher Han is also a beast tamer apprentice. Both of them spent some time in the Beast Hall. Since both are beautiful, they naturally developed a competitive mindset. I just didn’t expect her to assess to become an official beast tamer so quickly. Her talent is truly remarkable.” Shen Biru’s beautiful eyes showed surprise.

“Talent?” Zhang Xuan wondered.

“Assessing to be a beast tamer means high talent?”

“It seems you don’t know, Princess Mo Yu has been studying the beast tamer profession for less than a year!” Shen Biru said.

“Less than a year? That truly is exceptional talent!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

Although he didn’t know much about beast tamers, he knew a lot about alchemists. Since both professions were similarly ranked among the Upper Nine Paths, their difficulty must be considerable.

In less than a year, not only did she become an apprentice, but she was also assessing to become an official beast tamer. Her talent was indeed terrifyingly powerful.

“The most crucial thing is… not only has she studied the beast taming profession, but she’s also a One-star Alchemist, not far from Two-star! Most importantly… she’s also a Master Teacher apprentice. It’s said that she came here to assess as a beast tamer to temper her Heart of Tranquil Water. Once she qualifies, she can return and assess to become a One-star Master Teacher.” Shen Biru’s face was solemn.

“A One-star Alchemist? A Master Teacher apprentice?”

Zhang Xuan was stunned.

Although she was somewhat similar to him, he knew that her talent was indeed much higher than his own.

He had passed the One-star Alchemist assessment entirely through clever shortcuts and borrowed power. If he were truly asked to refine pills, he might at most concoct medicinal powder and wouldn’t even be able to produce ordinary pills.

To successfully assess as a One-star Alchemist at such a young age with genuine ability, and furthermore, to be a Master Teacher apprentice, it was no wonder she was called a genius; she was indeed very formidable.

As the two conversed, an old man walked in.

“Silence! I will be overseeing your assessment today!”

Seeing the man appear, everyone was startled.

“It’s Beast Tamer Hong from the Beast Hall? Why is he assessing us?” Yun Tao was also full of questions. “Logically, for an official beast tamer assessment, the Hall Master and others must be present, and a Two-star Beast Tamer must be presiding. Although Beast Tamer Hong’s status isn’t low, he’s only at the peak of One-star, so he’s not qualified to conduct the assessment…”

As if sensing everyone’s doubts, Beast Tamer Hong spoke. “Today, the Hall Master and others have important matters to attend to, so I will be conducting the assessment on their behalf! Rest assured, I will follow the procedures strictly and will not show any favoritism or engage in malpractice. So, there’s no need to worry. Besides, there are recording jade crystals around, continuously recording everything. As long as you meet the requirements, you will pass the assessment and become a member of the Beast Hall.”

“Yes!” Everyone nodded simultaneously and said no more.

Whether for alchemists or beast tamers, any professional assessment required on-the-spot recording for later review.

With this in place, even if one wanted to cheat, they wouldn’t dare.

“You are all beast tamer apprentices, and you have all passed the first stage of the assessment. You must already be familiar with the content and format of the second stage, but I will still explain it beforehand.” Beast Tamer Hong looked around. “The requirement for this stage is to tame a savage beast stronger than yourselves. While preliminary taming is sufficient, ranks will also be assigned.”

“The greater the difference in strength between the savage beast and your own cultivation, the higher the loyalty, and thus the higher the rank.”

“Normally, there are three ranks: one, two, and three. The higher the rank, the better your assessment score. Do any of you have objections to these rules?”

“None!” Yun Tao and the others quickly nodded.

“Very well, the assessment begins now. First up, Zhou Xuan!” Beast Tamer Hong looked over.

“Yes!” Zhou Xuan stepped forward.

“What did you tame?” Beast Tamer Hong asked.

“Reporting to Beast Tamer Hong, I tamed that Howling-toothed Wolf! An early-stage Aperture Opening Realm savage beast.” Zhou Xuan pointed, and his subordinate immediately brought forth a giant wolf over three meters long.

The giant wolf was entirely greyish-blue. Its sharp teeth protruded from its mouth, giving it an exceptionally ferocious appearance.

“Mmm!”

Nodding, Beast Tamer Hong took out a crystal ball and handed it over.

“This is the Heart-Questioning Crystal, used to test a savage beast’s loyalty. It displays a numerical value. For preliminary taming, the loyalty should be between fifteen and thirty. The higher the value, the higher the ranking.”

“Heart-Questioning Crystal?”

Seeing this item, Zhang Xuan secretly nodded.

When he learned about the Heart Torture, this was also the item used to test Liu Yang’s trust.

It seemed it could not only test a person’s trust, but also a savage beast’s loyalty.

It made sense when he thought about it. This item could create illusions in the mind of the person touching it, and by using virtual scenarios to determine the degree of trust and loyalty, it should be very accurate.

Similar to testing trust, Zhou Xuan first dripped a drop of blood into it, and then allowed the savage beast to communicate with it.

Before long, a value slowly appeared on the crystal: 20!

“In less than half a month, achieving a loyalty of 20 meets the standard for preliminary taming. Excellent, excellent! Ranked as Level Two!”

Beast Tamer Hong stroked his beard, nodding in satisfaction at the value displayed.

Finding a savage beast and then taming it, and achieving such loyalty in less than half a month, definitely qualified him to become a One-star Beast Tamer.

“The prince is indeed formidable!”

“Rated as Level Two, this hasn’t happened in the Beast Hall for many years, has it?”

“Yes, he’s too strong!”

Upon hearing the assessment results, the crowd below buzzed with discussion.

For the beast tamer assessment, Level Three was considered a pass. Achieving Level Two as a newly qualified beast tamer was definitely considered genius-level.

“Level Two, not bad, but I’m no weaker than you!”

Zhu Jinhuang was stunned that Zhou Xuan’s score was so high. He then smiled faintly and walked over.

Soon, his results appeared. His Tiger-headed Beast’s loyalty also reached around 20, ranking it Level Two.

“It’s Miss Mo Yu’s turn!”

“Miss Mo Yu’s beast is a flying savage beast, which is inherently difficult to tame. Add to that the fact that it’s a Profound Realm savage beast, and the bonus must be even greater!”

“Yes, her score will probably exceed Level Two.”

“For over thirty years, the Beast Hall’s beast tamer assessments haven’t seen a Level One result. Could she be the one to break this rule?”

Seeing Miss Mo Yu step forward, everyone looked on with nervous anticipation.

Achieving a Level One rank in the beast tamer assessment was akin to refining a perfect pill in an alchemist assessment.

Once successful, one would undoubtedly receive great attention from the Beast Hall, and various resources would be poured into their development.

Zhou Xuan and Zhu Jinhuang achieving Level Two results was already impressive, but Miss Mo Yu was clearly stronger. Everyone wanted to see if she could create new history.

Ignoring the murmurs around her, Miss Mo Yu stepped forward. With a wave of her fair hand, the massive Azure Eagle Beast slowly walked up to her.

Following the same procedure as the others, the test was quickly completed.

Loyalty: 40!

“Level One! It’s Level One!”

Upon hearing the rating, the room instantly erupted.

Everyone knew Miss Mo Yu was an unparalleled genius and would certainly achieve Level One, but hearing it confirmed still left them astonished.

“Heh heh, Yun Tao, it’s your turn now. We’ve all scored Level Two, and Miss Mo Yu even scored Level One. You were so arrogant just now; you’re not going to get a Level Three, are you? If so, I think you’ll be too embarrassed to show your face!” Zhu Jinhuang chuckled, seeing Yun Tao about to step forward.

“I think Brother Zhu still thinks too highly of him. Forget Level Three, I think… whether he can even pass the assessment is a question!” Zhou Xuan snorted coldly. “That Golden Body Iron Money Leopard definitely isn’t his, so where’s the savage beast he tamed?”

“That’s right, he wouldn’t have an untamed savage beast, would he?”

“If he doesn’t have a savage beast, that means he failed…”

Their voices were not concealed, immediately causing an uproar among the onlookers.

Even Miss Mo Yu couldn’t help but frown slightly, and looked over.

“Quiet!”

With a wave of his hand, interrupting the argument, Beast Tamer Hong looked at Yun Tao as he walked by. His eyes also filled with doubt, and he couldn’t help but ask, “What did you tame? Was it that Golden Body Iron Money Leopard?”

“No, that was tamed by Senior Zhang Xuan…” Yun Tao scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. “I… I tamed a bird!”