The Master of Beasts
Chapter 45: A Chance Encounter with Huo Lie

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: A Chance Encounter with Huo Lie

Along the way, He Yu remained silent. Only Chen Jiuge and He Jia conversed, though Chen Jiuge mostly asked He Jia about the situation in the Secret Realm.

"Mr. Chen, to tell the truth, I’m not very clear myself. I only ventured a little deeper when we were suddenly attacked by a group of Loose Cultivators. My sister and I took the chance to escape. I don’t know how the other Fellow Daoists we were with are doing now," He Jia said with some worry.

It had only been half a day, yet had the situation turned this dire? Chen Jiuge found it hard to believe. Were the Loose Cultivators around this San Guang Domain so outrageous?

"Mr. Chen, don’t doubt it. Unlike your Myriad Beasts Domain, within the San Guang Domain, the Bihai Immortal Sect and the Haidao Celestial Sect—these two major Sects—are striving for dominion. They not only recruit families with an Immortal presence but also do not spare Loose Cultivators. Thus, the reverence Loose Cultivators hold towards Sects here is particularly low," He Jia explained with a bitter smile.

"Indeed..." Chen Jiuge was at a loss for words.

The two of them silently passed through the fiery-red forest. At the edge of the forest, He Jia whispered, "Mr. Chen, please put away your two Flood Dragons. Once we go out, it’ll be the territory occupied by those Loose Cultivators."

Hearing this, Chen Jiuge said nothing and recalled both Flood Dragons into his Spiritual Beast Bag.

"Little Sister, check if there are any Loose Cultivators nearby," He Jia said to He Yu, who had been quiet all along.

He Yu nodded slightly, then closed her eyes. An invisible wave spread out in all directions. He Jia explained, "This is one of the He Family’s Secret Techniques. Unfortunately, only females can learn it. Otherwise, our family’s Old Ancestor wouldn’t have asked me to bring my little sister along."

Chen Jiuge expressed his amazement, "This Secret Technique is truly marvelous—too bad its restrictions are so great."

This Secret Technique would have been perfect for someone like Chen Jiuge, who preferred to keep a low profile. Unfortunately, he couldn’t possibly undergo the kind of fundamental change required to learn it; as the sole heir of the Chen Family, it was out of the question.

A quarter of an hour later, He Yu, drenched in sweat and her face full of terror, said, "Brother, so strong."

"What’s so strong?" He Jia asked, puzzled.

"There’s an incredibly strong person slaughtering those Loose Cultivators. It must be someone from the Myriad Beasts Sect. I also sensed the auras of several Spiritual Beasts," He Yu said, glancing cautiously at Chen Jiuge after speaking.

"People from the Myriad Beasts Sect? Mr. Chen, should we go and see?" He Jia asked.

Chen Jiuge pondered for a moment and decided to go. Chaos had erupted only half a day after their arrival in the Secret Realm, and his sect fellows were certainly more reliable than He Jia and his sister.

Because the aura He Yu sensed was very strong, the three of them proceeded with extreme caution. They took a full hour to cover three hundred li.

It was not until a furious roar reached their ears that He Jia spoke up, "Mr. Chen, if this person is from the Myriad Beasts Sect, that’s good. If not, we’re in danger."

"Okay, I’ll go ahead and check it out. You two wait for my signal," Chen Jiuge naturally understood He Jia’s meaning. If it was someone from the Myriad Beasts Sect, all would be well. If not, the three of them would find it hard to escape. They were naturally unwilling to take such a risk.

Suppressing his Spiritual Energy as much as possible, Chen Jiuge slowly approached until he saw the figure of the Fire Flood Dragon, and then the person behind it. Senior Brother Huo Lie?

Chen Jiuge hesitated for a moment before shouting, "Senior Brother Huo Lie?"

Huo Lie, who was clearing the battlefield, turned around upon hearing the familiar voice and exclaimed in surprise, "Eh, Junior Chen? What brought you here, and when did you reach the Nascent Soul stage?"

Huo Lie, his chatterbox trait activated, tossed aside the Storage Ring in his hand. He gestured to the blood-soaked Fire Flood Dragon, which had just concluded a massacre, struck a cool pose, and boasted, "How about that? Isn’t my Fire Flood Dragon fierce? These Loose Cultivators were really courting death to try and rob me!"

"No, Senior Brother Huo Lie, what are you doing here? Aren’t you from Green Dragon Peak? Wasn’t this group led by an Elder from Vermilion Bird Peak?" Chen Jiuge asked, confused.

"This matter is a bit complicated to explain. In short, it’s not just Vermilion Bird Peak; Xuanwu Peak also sent a few people. As for our Green Dragon Peak, only I came. This is because I’m planning to break through to the Divinity Transformation stage soon, and I thought I’d have enough time for secluded cultivation after this mission. That’s why I’m here," Huo Lie explained.

"But, Junior Brother, what’s your situation? When did you reach the Nascent Soul stage, and why are you in the Secret Realm again?" Huo Lie asked, puzzled.

Chen Jiuge briefly recounted what had happened recently.

Huo Lie complained, "Junior Brother, you actually broke through and didn’t even tell me! And why didn’t you come to Green Dragon Peak? Fire God even smelled its own kind on you!"

Chen Jiuge felt a bit embarrassed. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to go to Green Dragon Peak; his previous outburst of rage had been too humiliating. He also didn’t plan to contract that ’thing’. Moreover, with Yue Meng holding him back, he had barely managed to break through to the Nascent Soul stage and hadn’t had time to contract Bao Nu. The Red Flood Dragon’s potential had also considerably decreased.

"Forget it, Junior Brother. Which peak are you at now? Stick with me from now on. These Loose Cultivators here are truly audacious." Huo Lie glanced disdainfully at the corpses littering the ground.

"Hundred Herbs Peak. Thanks for looking out for me, Senior Brother Huo," Chen Jiuge said gratefully.

"It’s a small matter. What’s our relationship, anyway?" Huo Lie said nonchalantly.

After they finished catching up, Huo Lie had Chen Jiuge call out the two He family members they had just met. Looking at their awestruck faces, Huo Lie said bluntly, "Since my Junior Brother said you could follow, then you might as well come along."

Just as Huo Lie was about to ride his Fire Flood Dragon to continue their journey, he discovered that his own Fire Flood Dragon had actually run to Chen Jiuge’s side.

Meanwhile, Fire God glared at Chen Jiuge with its huge, bell-like eyes and said sullenly, "Hand over your two Flood Dragons."

Huo Lie said with some discontent, "Fire God, what are you doing?"

Fire God snorted indignantly and said, "Xiao Lie, you brat! You won’t even find me a female Flood Dragon. Can’t I find one myself?"

This declaration left Chen Jiuge and the other two exchanging bewildered glances. What in the world is with this Fire Flood Dragon? It doesn’t even look mature yet, how is it already looking for a female Flood Dragon?

Although it felt a bit improper, Chen Jiuge still released both his Fire Flood Dragon, Bao Nu, and the Red Flood Dragon.

Upon spotting Bao Nu, Chen Jiuge’s Fire Flood Dragon, Fire God immediately shoved the Red Flood Dragon accompanying her aside with its rump and sidled up ingratiatingly, "Little sister, what’s your name?"

Watching his Spiritual Beast’s disgraceful behavior, Huo Lie said awkwardly, "Uh, Junior Brother, this... this..."

"It’s fine, Senior Brother. Bao Nu’s Spiritual Wisdom isn’t very high. I forcefully enhanced her bloodline purity using ’Bloodline Transformation.’ Although I used a Wisdom Opening Pill, her intellect still hasn’t caught up," Chen Jiuge said, waving his hand to indicate it was nothing.

"So that’s how it is! No worries, I have a Wisdom Fruit!" Fire God exclaimed, and with a SWISH, it instantly produced a milky-white fruit.

Chen Jiuge, somewhat taken aback, accepted the Wisdom Fruit and asked, "Should I feed it to her?"

"Father-in-law, please feed her. This is a small token of your son-in-law’s affection," Fire God said, a fawning expression on its face.

What a ridiculous form of address! Chen Jiuge was thoroughly embarrassed. Senior Brother Huo, aren’t you going to manage your Spiritual Beast at all?

Chen Jiuge had no idea that Huo Lie was internally losing his mind, feeling utterly and completely humiliated.

After Bao Nu swallowed the Wisdom Fruit, her Spiritual Wisdom began to return to the normal level of a Nascent Soul stage Spiritual Beast. A voice like a little girl’s sounded out, "Master?"

"It’s me." Chen Jiuge was quite pleased to see this. This way, Bao Nu’s speed in practicing her Cultivation Method will increase. Being bullied by two early-stage Nascent Soul Loose Cultivators before was simply outrageous.

"Little sister, I’m your big brother Fire God," Fire God said, shamelessly sidling closer.

Watching the embarrassing display from Fire God, Huo Lie said weakly, "Junior Brother, let’s get on the road."

With those words, he summoned a crimson Unicorn and mounted it.

The Divine Fire Steed was a Unicorn possessing the Golden Crow Bloodline and formidable combat strength.