"’If those are from people... just how many have died?’"
Li Changsheng stared at the cooking smoke rising from the Beast Valley and murmured to himself.
Remembering the two bodies in the cliff crevice, he turned and walked over.
He commanded the swarm of insects to move rubble and fill the gap until no trace of the burial remained, only then did he stop.
"’I hope everything will be alright.’"
Li Changsheng shook his head and returned to his small courtyard.
Although his impression of the Beast Valley had changed drastically, one thing remained the same: he still had to feed the Tusked Pigs.
After a quick wash, he began to prepare the feed for the Tusked Pigs.
CHOP, CHOP...
Cooking smoke rose, and the sound of chopping vegetables echoed from inside the house.
Just as Li Changsheng was preparing the pig feed, a jade vessel shimmering with a soft white light sped in from the horizon.
On the jade vessel stood two men dressed in blue robes, their chests embroidered with a bright yellow mountain.
One of them, a man who looked to be around forty, was explaining something to a younger, more fresh-faced man beside him.
The young man seemed to hold the older one in high regard, listening with a compliant expression and nodding repeatedly.
When the man finished speaking, the young man asked curiously, "Martial Uncle Lu, are they considered disciples of our Cyan Yang Sect?"
Lu Ping smiled faintly and asked in return, "Nephew Liu, what do you think? Are they?"
Liu Feng frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "I suppose they are?" After a pause, he explained, "Without them, how would our Beast Soul lineage have so many Spirit Beasts to use?"
Lu Ping’s smile remained, neither nodding nor shaking his head. He continued to ask, "Have you ever seen any of our martial brothers who were promoted from the rank of Beast Slave?"
Liu Feng was taken aback. He thought carefully, and it seemed he really hadn’t.
"No."
Liu Feng shook his head.
Lu Ping asked again, "Nephew Liu, what is your Spirit Vein?"
Liu Feng didn’t understand what Steward Lu meant, but he answered truthfully, "A dual-attribute Fire and Wood Redwood Spirit Vein. Why do you ask, Martial Uncle?"
Lu Ping praised, "Your Spirit Vein aptitude is considered top-tier among the sect’s many disciples." He paused, then added, "You especially have the aptitude to become an Alchemy Master, but it’s a pity our Cyan Yang Sect has no heritage in alchemy."
Upon hearing this, Liu Feng’s disappointment was written all over his face.
Lu Ping didn’t want to discourage this young genius of the Beast Soul lineage, so he quickly changed the subject. "Nephew, do you know what kind of Spirit Veins the Beast Slaves have?"
Liu Feng took the bait, shaking his head in confusion.
Lu Ping said flatly, "Waste Veins, Crippled Veins, and Attributeless Spirit Veins."
"Those with Waste Veins can only ever linger in the early stages of Qi Cultivation. Those with Crippled Veins can only reach Mid-Qi Cultivation, with no hope of reaching the later stages."
"As for Attributeless Spirit Veins, one can continue to cultivate, but there’s a hidden danger. Whether practicing or using Cultivation Techniques, one is extremely susceptible to backlash, so they’re also considered a type of Crippled Vein."
"What? They’re all Waste Veins and Crippled Veins..."
Liu Feng’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Surprising, isn’t it?" Lu Ping chuckled. "I was just like you when I first came to collect the Spirit Beasts."
"So, when we get to the Hundred Beasts Valley, don’t be polite with them. They are destined to walk a different path from you."
Liu Feng nodded blankly, not knowing what to say.
Lu Ping paid him no mind, steering the Flying Ship straight toward the Beast Valley.
Hundred Beasts Valley.
Two great halls stood at the valley’s entrance: the "Law Enforcement Hall" and the "Scripture Tower."
The Scripture Tower was a three-story pavilion.
At that moment, two men were sitting opposite each other on the top floor.
One was portly with a ruddy complexion, dressed in the robes of a wealthy merchant. The other was burly with a dark complexion, wearing a Profound Black Brocade Robe.
The two were Tan Hu, the Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall, and Jin Fang, the Pavilion Master of the Hidden Technique Pavilion.
Tan Hu spoke with worry, "Brother Jin, do you know the Steward coming to the Beast Valley this time?"
Jin Fang shook his head. "I don’t. It’s always been Steward Wu in the past. I don’t know why they sent someone different this time."
"Will he notice something is wrong?" Tan Hu asked worriedly.
Jin Fang shot him a sidelong glance and said flatly, "Wrong? What could be wrong?"
"The numbers!" Tan Hu said urgently.
"Too many people died this time. Even though they were all just cultivators with Waste Veins and Crippled Veins, if this gets out, we’re finished."
Jin Fang thought he was making a mountain out of a molehill. He raised an eyebrow and asked nonchalantly, "How many died this time?"
Tan Hu answered truthfully, "Almost all of the newly promoted Beast Slaves died within two days, and nearly a hundred of the older disciples died as well."
Jin Fang’s expression changed dramatically. He shot to his feet, stared directly at Tan Hu, and demanded, "What did you say!"
"How could so many have died?"
Seeing Tan Hu’s evasive gaze, Jin Fang suddenly understood.
He finally understood why Tan Hu had sent thirty percent more Spirit Stones. He had assumed it was because the Beast Valley had a good harvest this year, but he never expected that Tan Hu had just gotten greedier.
Jin Fang collapsed back into his chair, his mind a chaotic mess.
Tan Hu was also filled with regret. He had only given his subordinates a few hints, but he never thought it would lead to a twenty percent reduction in the Beast Valley’s Beast Slave population, with the new disciples being almost completely wiped out.
Tan Hu said urgently, "Brother Jin, hurry and think of something! How are we going to cover this up?"
Jin Fang suddenly snapped out of it. He shot Tan Hu a fierce glare and began to ponder how they could smooth things over.
A moment later.
Jin Fang looked at Tan Hu and suddenly said, "A few days ago, I recall you mentioning you have a Wolf Demon that just advanced to the Vein Condensation Realm?"
Tan Hu paused, then nodded. "A mutated Blood Wolf that a Beast Slave offered me a long time ago. It cost me a great deal to raise it to the Vein Condensation Realm."
A ruthless glint appeared in Jin Fang’s eyes. "If I remember correctly, the last demon disaster in the Beast Valley was over a decade ago, wasn’t it?"
Tan Hu froze for a second, then, as if realizing something, a look of reluctance washed over his face. "I’ve raised that Blood Wolf for ten years. I was preparing to refine it..."
Before he could finish, a terrifying pressure erupted within the pavilion.
CROAK...
A deep, muffled cry echoed in all directions.
Jin Fang’s pupils turned into vertical slits, and the massive silhouette of a golden toad appeared behind him, staring intently at Tan Hu.
Tan Hu thought he was about to attack. The character for "King" (王) appeared on his brow as his body swelled at a visible rate, sprouting hair as stiff as steel needles.
In the blink of an eye, he had transformed into an upright demon tiger, its amber eyes revealing a ferocious gaze.
"’Fuck! He’s also advanced to the Third Layer of Vein Condensation, and he can even fully use Bloodline Demon Transformation!’"
Looking at the golden-yellow tiger, a flash of astonishment crossed Jin Fang’s pupils as he cursed inwardly.
Seeing his threat had failed, his aura rapidly subsided, and the toad silhouette behind him vanished like a soap bubble.
Tan Hu also reversed his transformation, returning to his human form.
Watching Tan Hu get dressed, a look of resignation flashed in Jin Fang’s eyes. He said, "Release your Blood Wolf. I’ll cover some of your losses."
"Half," Tan Hu said, his face expressionless.
Jin Fang gritted his teeth and nodded. "Fine."
He didn’t see the flash of delight in Tan Hu’s eyes.
"Go quickly. Any later and it’ll be too late," Jin Fang urged.
Tan Hu nodded without another word and turned to head downstairs.
Jin Fang, still uneasy, shouted at Tan Hu’s back, "Remember, don’t let too many people die! Otherwise, neither of us will escape the sect’s punishment!"
"Alright."
Tan Hu gave a wave of his hand, exited the Hidden Technique Pavilion, and turned toward the manor next to the Law Enforcement Hall.
"Welcome back, Master."
"Master."
Along the way, servants bowed respectfully one after another.
Tan Hu remained expressionless. After entering the study, he waved his sleeve, and the door swung shut.
He walked to a bookshelf, placed his hands on a porcelain vase, and twisted it gently.
With a series of clicks from a hidden mechanism, the bookshelf moved aside, revealing a dark tunnel in the floor.