Chapter 4: The Master (Part 2)

Ou Chu smiled bitterly inwardly. He had forced himself to step forward this time, only to end up in a humiliating defeat. Just then, someone exclaimed in surprise, “Shier? Ah, it’s the young brother! When did you guys arrive at the West Symbol Gate? Hehe, I’m sorry I didn’t come to greet you.”
Guo Shier couldn’t help but laugh and said, “Uncle Wu, what are you doing here?”
Wu Qing knew how capable this boy was and said with a smile, “I live around here.” The moment he saw Ou Chu, he hurried forward to greet him, saying, “Elder Ou, hello.”
Ou Chu nodded and shouted at the onlookers, “Disperse! What are you all standing here for?”
Soon, the news that a child from the North Symbol Gate had defeated a master from the West Symbol Gate spread throughout the inner sect as people dispersed. Ou Chu became famous, though it was a rather unfortunate kind of fame.
Ou Chu asked, “Wu Qing, when did you return?” Someone interrupted, giving him a chance to respond. Since both of them were spellcasters and already familiar with each other, he relaxed a bit.
Wu Qing replied respectfully, “I’ve been back for almost half a month, hehe.”
Ou Chu nodded and turned to leave.
Wu Qing had just arrived and didn’t know what had happened earlier. He asked puzzledly, “What’s wrong with Elder Ou? He seems a bit unhappy.”
Eagle Demon laughed and said, “He challenged Shier and lost. How could he be happy?”
Wu Qing’s mouth dropped open; he couldn’t say a word. After a while, he asked, “Did Shier challenge him at a higher level?”
Eagle Demon replied indifferently, “Everyone here is at the master level. There’s no such thing as challenging someone at a higher level.” It wasn’t wrong to call Guo Shier a master—he indeed possessed master-level skills, thanks to the life symbol ball he owned. In this world, as long as one could openly defeat a master, they would earn the status and treatment of a master.
“Uh…”
Guo Shier said, “Enough, enough trouble. Fighting as soon as we arrive.” He went back into the Beast Pavilion.
Wu Qing was stunned for a while before scrambling after him. Not only was he curious, but he was also a bit excited. This guy wasn’t a good person either, and hearing this news filled him with schadenfreude.

This time, no one dared to stop them, nor did anyone dare to talk nonsense. Upon seeing Guo Shier, everyone showed a look of reverence on their faces. This kind of situation was common in Xi Fu Men—those with great strength would receive the respect they deserved. This was also why Ou Chu was angry; Guo Shier not only showed him no respect but also mocked him. How could he stay calm? If anyone in their sect dared to treat him like this, it would be seeking death, and he would kill them without hesitation.

Guo Shier walked up the stairs.

Qinshou Fang was a three-story stone building. The second floor was where various young beasts were sold, filled with steel cages covered in talismanic patterns designed to prevent the beasts from struggling. There were all kinds of birds and animals—this was the place Xi Fu Men’s disciples visited most often.

Wu Qing stepped forward, asking with a smug expression, “Young master, do you want me to be your guide?”

Guo Shier no longer disliked this guy at all, as he was sensible and only did what he could handle. Although he had left last time and missed the chance to enter the altar’s secret realm, thus losing an opportunity to advance, he also didn’t have to face the attacks of mutated talismanic worms or take any risks.

“Sure. Uncle Wu is from around here and should be familiar with this place. I’ll leave it to you then.”

Guo Shier had a sweet little mouth. As long as he wasn’t angry, he looked like a well-behaved child. Wu Qing couldn’t help but shiver—he knew well just how powerful Guo Shier was—and quickly said, “It’s no big deal, hehe.”

A painful roar came from somewhere.

Wu Qing laughed and said, “Shier, someone is extracting the essence of a beast. Are you interested in watching?”

Guo Shier replied eagerly, “Sure! Let’s go take a look!”

On a square stone platform blessed with talismans stood a steel frame, with a black iron-backed ape tied to it. A group of people gathered around. Ying Mo and Luo Zhan stepped forward, parted the crowd, and led Guo Shier inside.

Guo Shier was surprised. “A gorilla… Hmm, doesn’t seem like it…”

Wu Qing said, “This is an iron-backed ape, more precisely, a silver-brown iron-backed ape. Well, this one is quite good—tall and strong, a fine beast.”

A young man in his twenties stood naked in front of the iron-backed ape, covering his private parts with a small piece of animal skin. His body was covered in blood-red talismanic patterns. A beast talismanist held a talisman pen, dipped it in the blood flowing from the ape’s body, and kept drawing on the young man’s body.

Guo Shier wondered, “Isn’t this blood needs to be purified first?”

Wu Qing said, “No need. This is a blood guide. Only with it can one absorb the essence of wild beasts. Once the essence of a wild beast is absorbed, the person can advance to a Beast Warrior… Everyone, be quiet and don’t disturb them.”
The markings were drawn from the face down to the chest, then across the arms and back, and finally to the legs and feet. The Beast Talismanist occasionally cut open the Ironback Ape’s skin to let blood flow out.
Guo Shieru compared the differences between the Western Talisman School and the Northern Talisman School in his mind. From the perspective of the Talisman Warrior profession, there was a huge difference between the two. The Northern Talisman School relied on the power of talismans to unleash a person’s potential, while the Western Talisman School relied on the essence of wild beasts to boost strength and even use that essence to strengthen oneself.
“Do all those who advance to Beast Warriors have to do this?”
Wu Qing nodded. “Yes. The first time the essence enters the body is crucial. One must choose a wild beast suitable for themselves; otherwise, it will be difficult to advance later.”
Guo Shieru asked, “So, when he wants to advance to a Beast Master, he must choose a new wild beast?”
Wu Qing replied, “He can also advance directly, but if he can choose a stronger wild beast, it will be of great help for his advancement.”
Guo Shieru asked further, “Then to advance to a Great Beast Master… one must choose a Talisman Beast?”
Wu Qing said, “Not necessarily. Having a Talisman Beast is certainly good, but they are rare, and it’s very difficult to find a suitable one.”
Guo Shieru asked, “Has anyone ever found the essence of a mutated Talisman Beast?”
Wu Qing smiled bitterly. “Mutated Talisman Beasts? Heh, those can only be encountered in secret realms. Among the teams that are lucky enough to meet them, few manage to escape alive—most die completely. Let alone obtaining their essence.”
The Beast Talismanist finished the last mark and said, “Wait, don’t move around.” He stepped forward to Wu Qing and said, “Elder brother, you kept talking nonstop and almost disturbed me while drawing the talisman. Hmm, who are these people… from the Northern Talisman School?”
Wu Qing smiled at Guo Shieru and said, “This is my half-brother, Wu De, a Beast Talismanist from the inner sect.”
Guo Shieru nodded and said, “Pleasure to meet you.”
Wu De thought to himself, “This kid is so full of himself.”
Then Wu Qing introduced them, “This is a disciple of the inner sect of the Northern Talisman School, the Great Talisman Master Guo Shieru. This is his follower, the Great Beast Warrior Eagle Demon, and the Great Beast Warrior Luo Zhan…”
Wu De laughed and said, “Elder brother, stop joking. What a joke… A child? Heh, if he’s a Great Talisman Master, then I must be a Great Beast Talisman Master.”

Someone whispered, “Wow, is he the kid who just defeated Elder Ou?”
“…Yes, yes, I saw it with my own eyes… He’s so amazing…”
Wu Qing said, “Brother, I’m not joking.”
Wu De muttered to himself, “A Grand Spellcaster… joking… How is that possible…” He looked at Guo Shier with confusion, unable to understand how this kid could have advanced to a Grand Spellcaster—it defied logic.
Guo Shier patted his arm in a condescending manner, as it was difficult for him to pat Wu De on the shoulder, and said, “The runes on that person’s body have dried up…”
Wu De shuddered in fear and quickly stepped back, saying, “Oh, ah! I… I’ll go…” He rushed away in a panic.
Guo Shier shook his head. It seemed Wu De was quite timid, but he understood—it wasn’t a combat profession for Beast Spellcasters, so such behavior wasn’t surprising.
Wu Qing said, “I’m sorry. My brother has never left the inner sect and hasn’t seen much of the world.”
Guo Shier asked, “What’s his next move?”
Wu Qing replied, “Soul Extraction!”
Wu De gave a few orders to a Beast Warrior, then activated the runes on the stone platform beneath the iron cage. The runes quickly moved onto the Ironback Ape. The Beast Warrior held a blood-red dagger and waited quietly. When the runes covered the Ironback Ape’s body, Wu De shouted, “Go!”
The Beast Warrior swiftly swung his dagger across the ape’s neck. A spray of blood mist erupted, and under the guidance of the runes, it all fell onto the young man preparing to advance. The Ironback Ape let out a hissing sound; its neck being cut off prevented it from roaring.
At that moment, a red phantom of the Ironback Ape appeared, struggling as an invisible force pulled it out and slowly moved it toward the young man.
The moment the red phantom separated from the Ironback Ape’s body, Wu De deactivated the runes on the platform. The phantom seemed to cast a reluctant glance at its own corpse, opened its mouth wide in a silent scream, and then rushed into the young man’s body.
Wu De said, “It’s done! Congratulations, you’ve advanced to a Beast Warrior.”
The young man laughed foolishly, touching his body, overjoyed beyond words. Wu De continued, “It costs sixty thousand Grand Spell Coins in total. As for this Ironback Ape… you’ll have to pay the shopkeeper yourself.”
Guo Shier exclaimed in shock, “Damn! That’s so expensive!”
Wu Qing said, “This is actually cheap. This was a private job my brother took on. If it were done inside the inner sect, it would cost at least a hundred thousand Grand Spell Coins…”

The Eagle Demon said, “Yes, the most heartless ones are the rune masters—whether it’s the Northern Rune Sect or the Western Rune Sect, it’s the same!”
The young man reluctantly took out a rune storage bag and handed it to Wu De, saying, “There are 60,000 Great Rune Coins inside.” After Wu De took the bag, the young man added, “Give me the rune storage bag back; it’s borrowed.”
Wu De said disdainfully, “I know. Wait a moment.” He moved the Great Rune Coins from the bag to his own and threw the rune storage bag back, saying, “We’re even now.”
The young man thanked him and went behind with a attendant to bathe. Guo Shier said, “The people here are really resistant to the cold—going outside completely naked like this is amazing.” He wasn’t envious of anything else but their tolerance for cold.
Guo Shier continued with a sigh, “What an eye-opener. Heh, so this is how one progresses.”
Wu Qing said, “After the spirit enters the body, it still takes at least a year of training to fully integrate. Only then does one possess the true strength of a Beast Warrior.”
An attendant came to Guo Shier and said respectfully, “Esteemed guests, an elder from our Bird and Beast Pavilion has invited you all to meet with him.”
Guo Shier looked at Wu Qing.
Wu Qing’s expression immediately became serious as he asked, “Which elder is it?”
The attendant replied cautiously, “It’s Elder Chen Zhizhong.”
Wu Qing was shocked and quickly said, “Please lead the way.” He then explained to Guo Shier, “It’s an elder from the inner sect who’s inviting us.”