CHAPTER 145: CHAPTER 139 HUNTING GROUND_3

The group of people at the heart of this matter had already left the Hunting Ground amidst laughter and cheerful chatter.

After the Merits were distributed, Yue Feng once again suggested meeting the owners of the two snakes. Ming Yujing was still hesitant when Bali remarked from the side, "It’s no big deal. Their strength is mediocre, and they can’t defeat Master anyway. Bringing them along should be fine. Besides, I’m starving! Can we go back and eat first?"

The trio, plus their heavily injured companion, were utterly exasperated by Bali’s bluntness. We know you’re telling the truth, but could you be a little more tactful? You’re making us sound completely useless!

Eventually, the four of them followed the two snakes to Chen Jiuge’s residence.

Sometime later, at Chen Jiuge’s home:

"You’re saying Yujing and Bali saved you?" Chen Jiuge asked, looking skeptical.

"It’s true! We’re alive thanks to Senior Brother’s Spiritual Beasts. Otherwise, we would have been in real danger," Yue Feng said, his face filled with relief. He continued, "It was incredibly dangerous. The enemy initially appeared to be a Demon General but transformed into a Great Demon General during the fight. They always say the Demon Clan, especially the Earth Demon Clan, are just brutes, but this time we actually ran into a cunning old fox."

Chen Jiuge glanced again at Ming Yujing, who had shrunk and was eating with sunglasses on, and then at Bali, who had burrowed into a pile of food and was devouring it enthusiastically. He was still somewhat disbelieving. However, the extra Merits on his Token proved it was true—his own Spiritual Beasts really had saved the four people before him.

"Gentlemen, I am an Elder from the Great Mountain Immortal Sect," Ye Xiu said, looking dispirited. "In the Hunting Ground this time... my junior martial brothers and sisters all perished there. I’m just here today to meet our lifesavers. I need to return to my sect to report this, and then I will come back to formally express our gratitude with gifts."

Chen Jiuge didn’t know how to comfort him. According to their account, Ye Xiu had helplessly watched his fellow disciples being devoured one by one by the Demon Clan, an experience that must have caused immense psychological trauma.

After Ye Xiu left, Yue Feng remarked thoughtfully, "Despite our Eldest Senior Brother’s great strength, which forced the Demon Clan to agree to the Hunting Ground’s establishment, the brutality within it... alas."

"Things are already much better," Chen Jiuge said. "If the Great Thousand Worlds used the same fighting methods as the small worlds, that would be a true disaster." He briefly imagined such a scenario, and his hair instantly stood on end.

"That’s unlikely to happen," Yue Feng said, shaking his head. "After all, the native Cultivators of the Great Thousand Worlds are very strong. Even the Demon Clan wouldn’t dare to be too presumptuous. It’s mainly the mortals who suffer the most."

"Yue Feng, do you know Yue Jun?" Chen Jiuge suddenly asked.

"Senior Brother, you know my older brother?" Yue Feng asked, pleasantly surprised.

"I suppose you could say that," Chen Jiuge replied, himself surprised by their relationship.

Aside from thanking the two snakes for saving their lives, the trio’s main purpose was to get to know Chen Jiuge. They reasoned that anyone capable of breeding such powerful Spiritual Beasts must either be incredibly strong themselves or possess top-tier breeding skills.

Chen Jiuge, on his part, thought that developing some connections wouldn’t hurt. After all, he aimed to become a master of Spirit Beast Breeding, and having more friends would make it easier to sell Spiritual Beasts in the future.

With mutual interest from both sides, Chen Jiuge conveniently invited the three into his residence for a meal.

There, the three of them saw a Fire Qilin.

"A Fire Qilin! Is this real?" Bai Jing screamed. She immediately tried to touch it, but Da Bai dodged with a swift movement, leaving her with a disdainful gaze.

Watching Bai Jing’s stunned expression, Chen Jiuge quietly leaned over and whispered a few words to her.

"Can that really work?" Bai Jing asked, skeptical. "A Fire Qilin is a Divine Beast! How could it submit just for some Spirit Stones?"

Ultimately, Bai Jing decided to give it a try. She approached Da Bai again, who was about to leave, and quickly said, "One hundred Top Grade Spiritual Stones if you let me pet you!"

"What did you say?" Da Bai responded.

Bai Jing thought Da Bai was angry and was about to explain. Instead, Da Bai leaped into her arms with a sudden pounce. "Pet all you want! I want three thousand Top Grade Spiritual Stones!"

With a cunning look, Da Bai decided to strong-arm her. Then, they heard Bai Jing’s delighted voice, "Only three thousand Top Grade Spiritual Stones? That’s so cheap!"

Damn, she’s a rich lady! Would changing my terms now damage my image? Da Bai was very conflicted internally.

"Senior Brother, is this also your Spiritual Beast?" Lin Cheng asked enviously.

"Yes, it is."

"Wait, is that a Martial Rat?" Yue Feng exclaimed in shock, seeing a Martial Rat shouldering a stick with a piece of meat slung from it, nonchalantly walking away. "Is this also one of Senior Brother’s Spiritual Beasts?" he asked eagerly.

"It’s one I’ve bred, but we don’t have a Contract."

"Senior Brother, could you sell it to me?" Yue Feng asked, his eyes full of expectation.

Finally, just as Yue Feng was about to kneel, Chen Jiuge allowed him to cut in line and sold him a recently bred baby Martial Rat.

Watching Yue Feng cradle the Martial Rat with a doting expression, Chen Jiuge, Lin Cheng, and Bai Jing all shivered. This guy’s taste is so peculiar!

"Hey, hey, hey! What’s with those looks?" Yue Feng said defensively. "I’m doing this for the White Tiger Peak’s Spirit Beast Martial Arts competition!"

"White Tiger Peak Martial Arts competition? What’s that?" Chen Jiuge asked, confused. I’ve never heard of such an event at the Myriad Beasts Sect.

Bai Jing explained with a disdainful expression, "It’s a competition his older brother organized. It’s specifically for testing the martial arts skills of Spiritual Beasts. They can’t use Spiritual Energy, and all competitors must maintain the same level of physical strength. It’s said the winner receives the title ’King of Martial Arts.’"

"Just a title?" Chen Jiuge found it hard to believe.

"Yeah, just a title. I really don’t understand what those people are thinking," Lin Cheng chimed in, equally baffled.

"You guys don’t get it! It’s a supreme honor!" Yue Feng declared reverently.

The other three exchanged glances and decided to drop the subject to avoid agitating Yue Feng further.

As they ate and chatted, Chen Jiuge was quite shocked when he learned the identities of the remaining two.

Yue Feng was Yue Jun’s younger brother. That identity alone was impressive enough.

Bai Jing was the direct heiress of the Bai Family. This wasn’t the Bai Family from White Burning Immortal City, but the one from Myriad Snakes Peak, a power second only to the Baili Family. Her family had more than one Golden Immortal in their ranks.

Lin Cheng was a member of the Lin Family. This was not the family associated with Lin En and Lin Jiu, but rather the Lin Family of the Jiuxuan Peak’s Peak Master. His family also boasted a Golden Immortal, though Lin Cheng, despite being from the direct lineage, wasn’t particularly favored.

When they learned Chen Jiuge was merely the disciple of a Heavenly Immortal Elder, they didn’t look down on him. On the contrary, their admiration grew. To be just a disciple, yet own so many rare and powerful Spiritual Beasts and even receive a Spirit Beast Breeding task from the City Lord Mansion—he’s truly impressive!