Chapter 300: You Go Down and Beat It Up

Hearing this, Gumu and Liaoxun's eyes lit up simultaneously. "Could Grand-Uncle Master be planning to suppress it?"

The person before them was a super-figure, surpassing the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm. Even if this colossal creature roamed the lava, appearing invincible, he could effortlessly defeat or even slay it with a single move.

"It's just a minor savage beast; there's no need for me to personally intervene!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head, a dismissive look on his face, though inwardly he was rolling his eyes.

Him, act? What a joke! This was a savage beast at the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm. If he encountered it even on land, he would flee as far as possible, let alone attempt to suppress it. He feared if he truly went, he wouldn't be slaying it, but rather becoming its delicious lunch.

"Then..."

The two were puzzled.

"For a savage beast to cultivate to the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm is truly not easy. Killing it would disrupt the natural order!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head, a benevolent expression on his face. "Gumu, since you are my disciple's grandson, I will bestow upon you a great opportunity. Go down and tame this savage beast! Once it becomes your beast pet, collecting the Crimson Flame Lotus Seeds will be simple!"

"Me... tame it?"

He had been expecting some other solution. Hearing this, Gumu's body swayed, and he nearly fainted on the spot. This colossal creature would be difficult to defeat even on land; facing it in the lava would be certain death! Tame it? It would be good if he wasn't tamed by the creature instead...

"Grand-Uncle Master, I know absolutely nothing about beast taming..." Gumu's face reddened, and he quickly shook his head. He only knew how to use poison. While he had heard of beast taming, it was more that the beasts recognized him, not the other way around. Asking him to tame a creature of the same power level as himself... Forget it, he still wanted to live a little longer.

"It doesn't matter if you don't understand; I can guide you!" Zhang Xuan raised an eyebrow, an imposing aura about him without being angry. "What, you don't trust your Grand-Uncle Master?"

"This junior wouldn't dare..." Gumu trembled slightly, quickly bowed, and couldn't help but ask, "Grand-Uncle Master... do you also have knowledge of beast taming?" This Grand-Uncle Master didn't seem much older than him, yet his poison master level was so high, and he was skilled in medicine. Could he also be proficient in beast taming? If that were true, he would undoubtedly be renowned in the Beast Hall. How had Gumu never heard of him?

"I understand a little."

Zhang Xuan nodded, his hands clasped behind his back, and approached the volcano's crater. The lava beast before them resembled a colossal serpent writhing in flames, coiled around the Crimson Flame Lotus. Even attempting to gather the lotus would be impossible due to its presence.

He turned around and stared at Gumu. "This is a savage beast at the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm, one that countless people dream of making their beast pet. Such an opportunity, are you truly going to refuse it?"

"I..." Seeing Zhang Xuan's serious expression, Gumu hesitated for a moment, his face slightly flushed. "Can it... really be tamed?"

Taming a savage beast of equal strength would instantly double his combat power. To be honest, he was somewhat tempted. If a beast of this caliber consumed the Crimson Flame Lotus Seeds, it might also break through its current limitations. At that point, with both of them united, his chances of revenge would significantly increase.

But... wasn't taming savage beasts a skill exclusive to beast tamers? Guide me? Even with guidance, it would be impossible to instantly become a beast tamer and tame such a formidable savage beast, right?

"Follow my instructions, and taming won't be difficult!"

Seeing his interest, Zhang Xuan flicked his sleeve, his expression calm. "The choice is yours. If you're unwilling, then so be it; it's merely a Grandmaster realm savage beast. If you truly don't wish to, I can simply slay it myself. However... if you let this opportunity pass, there won't be a second chance."

"This..."

His face flickered between resolve and hesitation. After less than ten breaths, Gumu gritted his teeth. "Alright, Grand-Uncle Master, what should I do... Do I need to prepare anything?"

For him, this was indeed an excellent opportunity. Taming a savage beast of comparable strength, especially one immune to potent poisons, would significantly elevate his status in the Xuanyuan Sub-Temple if successful.

However, although he had never tamed a beast and didn't know much about it, he had witnessed others doing so. He knew that beast tamers needed to prepare many items beforehand to attract the creature's attention and gain its favor. Only by building goodwill could one gradually approach the beast, eventually leading to its submission.

"No need, and there's no time!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "This creature has been guarding the Crimson Flame Lotus for an unknown amount of time, which indicates its strong affection for it. Even the best prepared items won't surpass the allure of the lotus itself. Besides, the lotus seeds are already ripe and ready to be consumed. If you go back now to prepare items, it will likely have devoured them all before you even return."

"Then..." Gumu's face was filled with confusion. Without preparing items, how would he attract its attention? While he was still confused, he heard his "Grand-Uncle Master's" voice echo in his ears.

"It's very simple: jump down now, give it a good beating, and then I'll tell you how to tame it!"

"Give it a beating?"

Gumu's face turned green.

Others tamed savage beasts by first gaining their trust, then using various methods to influence them. Directly attacking... wouldn't doing that just infuriate the creature? With conflict and displeasure, how could he possibly tame it then?

Furthermore, and most critically... once he went down, he likely wouldn't be able to get back up. "Are you sure you want me to tame the savage beast, and not just go down there to feed it?"

Seeing his hesitation, Zhang Xuan knew what he was worried about and offered reassurance: "Don't worry, with me here, it won't be so easy for this creature to kill you."

"Yes!" Gumu gritted his teeth. That was true. Grand-Uncle Master was a formidable figure who surpassed the Grandmaster realm. With him watching, how could he possibly let Gumu come to harm? Of course, if he had known that his Grand-Uncle Master's true strength was merely half-step Grandmaster, a level he could easily crush, he wouldn't have thought that way. He would have undoubtedly burst into tears on the spot.

Having made his decision, Gumu took a deep breath. With a flip of his palm, a long sword appeared. His true qi circulated, and sword energy flared like a sharp ray as he continuously slashed the hard rock ground several times, instantly cutting it into thin, uniformly sized stone slabs. There were about seventy to eighty of them, each square and roughly a foot in length and width. He gathered them with a sweep of his hand, piled them up, and placed them before Liaoxun.

"Hall Master Liao, I might need to trouble you shortly to help me create footholds!"

"Alright!" Liaoxun nodded. Even at the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm, one couldn't fly. To enter the scorching magma and fight the lava beast, countless temporary footholds would be necessary. These footholds weren't fixed; he only needed to throw the stone blocks, and with the slight buoyancy generated by the rock touching the lava, he could walk on them without sinking. This was a testament to the immense strength of Grandmaster realm experts. A mere Master, by contrast, wouldn't even be able to withstand the intense heat, let alone advance.

"Grand-Uncle Master, then... I'm going down!"

With preparations complete, Gumu took a deep breath. Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

Seeing his agreement, Gumu circulated his true qi to its peak. With a flick of his wrist, a stone slab flew out first, landing above the magma, and he pursued it directly. Upon reaching the stone block, he lightly tapped it, using the recoil force to launch himself upward once more. All Grandmaster realm experts cultivated lightness martial arts; they could easily glide across water surfaces with minimal leverage, let alone the even more buoyant lava.

Seeing Gumu's strength wane and him beginning to descend, Liaoxun calculated his landing spot and threw out a stone slab in advance. Like a dragonfly skimming the water, Gumu tapped the stone block again, his body rising into the air, and continued forward. After seven or eight continuous leaps, he finally reached the lava beast.

"Begin!" With both eyebrows raised and all his strength concentrated, Gumu let out a loud shout and thrust his sword forward. Since he had initiated the attack, he couldn't hold back; otherwise, he would be the one to perish.

Seeing someone attack it, the lava beast roared in fury, its thick tail lashing out violently. *Splash!* Magma splashed and power surged. Before the attack reached him, Gumu felt a scorching heat blast his way. His wrist flicked, and he swiftly changed his move, blocking with his long sword.

The tail struck the sword blade, and with no leverage, Gumu's body shot backward like a cannonball. Liaoxun accurately gauged Gumu's landing spot and continued to throw out stone blocks to provide him with footholds, so there was no real danger. Although they hadn't cooperated much, Liaoxun was an expert at the pinnacle of the Grandmaster realm; simply throwing a stone was well within his capabilities.

"Grand-Uncle Master, what should I do next?" He hadn't expected the creature to be so powerful, sending him flying with a single tail lash. Gumu couldn't help but ask.

"Wait, I haven't thought of it yet. You continue..." Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Haven't thought of it? Continue..." Gumu nearly missed his footing on the stone block and almost plunged headfirst into the magma. This Grand-Uncle Master is far too unreliable! He had just told Gumu that as long as he fought this creature, he would guide him on how to tame it. The battle had already begun, yet he still hadn't figured it out... Does he have to be so deceptive?

As he fumed, the enraged lava beast charged, its razor-sharp teeth snapping down fiercely. The attack was incredibly swift, and Gumu had little time to react, so he could only thrust his long sword forward. The sword tip clashed against the lava beast, his arm went numb, and he was sent flying backward again. Below him was scorching lava with no solid ground to stand on. Although he could move by utilizing the stone blocks, Gumu's overall strength was significantly reduced, allowing him to exert only about sixty to seventy percent of his power. With such diminished strength, he was utterly unable to withstand the lava beast's frenzied attacks.

"Grand-Uncle Master, are you ready?" After finally steadying himself, he looked at Zhang Xuan again, only to see him standing still, seemingly lost in thought, as if... daydreaming. His heart sank, and Gumu genuinely felt like crying. If he had known this Grand-Uncle Master was so unreliable, he wouldn't have come down. Now that he was entangled with this creature, he couldn't escape even if he wanted to. He wasn't actually going to die here, was he?

"I'll risk it!" Knowing he couldn't escape, he gritted his teeth, raised his long sword again, and with true qi surging within him like a gale, he chopped straight down. The two clashed, and he was sent flying back over ten meters once more. It was fortunate that Liaoxun's strength was considerable and his timing for throwing the stone blocks was precise, always landing them exactly where Gumu needed them. Otherwise, Gumu would have likely fallen into the lava and been burned alive long ago, let alone defeating the creature.

*Clang, clang, clang!* After clashing for several more moves, just as Gumu's face showed intense struggle and he was about to give up, a voice sounded in his ear.

"Alright, now listen to my instructions!" He turned his head and saw his "Grand-Uncle Master" looking at him with a calm expression.