Chereads / Beast Master Yuan / Chapter 6 - Beast Pen

Chapter 6 - Beast Pen

Red leaped onto his shoulder. Yuan smiled gently and patted its head as he walked toward his room.

He had no memory of when or how he had formed his contract with Red, but it had been with him for as long as he could remember. Red wasn't just his pet—it was his life-and-death companion.

Pets, especially contracted ones, were far more than mere beasts. They could feel their master's emotions, sense danger, and even save their lives in moments of peril.

A good bond between master and beast could enhance their cultivation speed, especially when their elements are similar.

This led to a rise in occupations like beast tamer, beast apothecary, beast evaluator, beast care, beast trainer, etc.

There was a famous saying in Amber Realm that to become a qualified Beast Master; a person has to become competent in every aspect of cultivation, which was very broad and almost next to impossible. 

Yuan's dream was to become a true Beast Master—a title few could achieve. He had spent years reading every book he could find, soaking up knowledge like a sponge. Today he had put that knowledge to good use for the first time.

As he settled into his room, Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. It was his first real achievement in front of so many powerful people, and only the thought of achieving something good has warmed him as he slowly fell into deep slumber. A smile hung on his lips even in his sleep.

*****

Next morning, Yuan completed his morning exercise and took a book to continue his reading exercise while Red lay beside him, resting peacefully.

The quiet atmosphere was suddenly broken when a small girl, no older than eight, sneakily entered the room. With a light step, she jumped onto the bed, startling Red. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she exclaimed, "Brother, let's go play!"

Yuan glanced at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Xu'er, we'll play later. I am studying right now."

Meng Xu'er charming face immediately fell, her eyes filled with disappointment.

"Brother, you are always studying! You never play with me. I won't talk with you." she huffed, crossing her arms. She turned her face away, trying her best to hide the tears that started to roll down her cheeks, as fast as raindrops.

Yuan sighed in resignation. He closed his book with a soft thud, set it aside, and stood up. Walking over to her, he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Alright, alright," he said with a small smile, "Let's go play."

Meng Xu'er eyes lit up instantly, and she beamed at him. Her tears disappeared as if they were never there. Without hesitation, she spread her arms wide, asking to be picked up.

Yuan chuckled softly as he picked her into his arms and hoisted her onto his back. "So, what do you want to play?" he asked as he walked toward the door.

Xu'er's voice bubbled with excitement. "Brother, I heard a new batch of beasts arrived yesterday. Let's go see them."

As usual, the first floor was bustling with activity. Like other beast pavilions, Menghao Beast Pavilion's main business was buying and selling spirit beasts and items related to beasts.

Menghao Beast Pavilion was a five-story building with a huge beast pen.

The first three floors were opened to the public for business. The fourth floor was used for special guests, while the last floor was where the pavilion master Menghao lived with Mother Bing. Beast Pen was where the new arrivals were hoisted.

Yuan nodded, and with Xu'er perched on his back, he walked toward the beast pen. The beast pen of the Menghao pavilion was expansive. There were around 100 well-constructed cells made with high-quality materials. They were used to keep dangerous and rare beasts in them.

In addition to the cells, there was a large open area where smaller and non-dangerous beasts roamed freely. The scene was a chaotic mix of hopping, trotting, and flapping creatures, each more colorful and exotic than the next.

"Young master, young miss", a few retainers and guards saluted as they approached the beast pen. Yuan nodded and began observing the different beasts with Xu'er in the pen. Xu'er was like a bundle of energy who knew nothing about exhaustion. She hopped down from his back and began pointing toward different beasts excitedly.

"Brother, look how big this fellow is. What is this beast called?" she pointed at one beast.

Yuan glanced at the beast she was pointing: a hulking creature with a thick, muscular frame. "Big-headed hound," he muttered, studying it for a moment. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a piece of paper, jotting something down.

The pen was filled with all kinds of beasts. Since a new batch had arrived yesterday, the pavilion's beast evaluators were hard at work, assessing and evaluating the new arrivals.

Yuan turned to one of the retainers and asked "Why are there so many beasts in this batch?"

The retainer replied respectfully. "Young Master, a few days ago, the City Lord hosted the annual hunting festival. Many people participated, and more beasts were captured than expected. Mistress ordered more to be brought in because of this."

"Young master, the City Lord Bai organized the annual hunting festival a few days ago. Many people participated in it, so more beasts' were captured than normal.

People from our pavilion also participated in it. Besides, mistress also ordered some from the City Lord Estate." the retainer replied. 

Yuan nodded, his curiosity piqued. The hunting festival was known for bringing in all sorts of creatures from the surrounding areas.

"Let's go, Xu'er," Yuan said, turning back to his sister. She had already begun hopping from one enclosure to the next, enthralled by the variety of creatures around her.

They spent the next few hours touring the pen, with Yuan observing a few beasts while Xu'er excitedly pointed out her favorites. However, he wasn't able to study them too closely—he didn't want to disrupt the evaluators' work. He made a mental note to come back tomorrow and study these beasts.

After a while, Yuan felt the pangs of hunger. "Xu'er, let's go and eat something," he said.

He knew she must be hungry as well. When he turned to check on her, however, he was left speechless.