Upon hearing those words, Gu Mu and Liao Xun’s eyes lit up, “Can it be that senior granduncle intends to subdue it?”
The person before them was an incredible expert who had surpassed the Zhizun realm. No matter how domineering this giant fellow was in the lava, if he were to make a move personally, he would be able to kill it effortlessly.
“It is just a small savage beast, it’s not worthy of being my opponent!”
Zhang Xuan shook his head, revealing an expression full of disdain. However, on the inside, he was spurting blood.
Me, subdue it?
What a joke!
That is a Zhizun realm savage beast! Even if I were to face it on land, I will run as far as I can. To want me to subdue it…
If I were to really get closer, I would become a delectable meal for the other party.
“Then…”
The duo was perplexed.
“It isn’t easy for a savage beast to achieve a Zhizun realm pinnacle cultivation. It would be a pity to kill it!”
Zhang Xuan shook his head, and a benevolent expression appeared on his face, “Gu Mu, since you’re my junior, I’ll give you this opportunity to tame this savage beast! Once it becomes your tamed beast, harvesting the Crimson Flame Lotus Seed will be easy!”
“Me… tame it?”
Gu Mu was still wondering what ideas Zhang Xuan had in mind when he heard the other party’s words. He staggered and nearly blacked out.
Even on land, it would be difficult for him to defeat this massive fellow. To face him in lava was equivalent to courting death!
To talk about taming the savage beast… it would already be a huge blessing for him to not be the one who gets tamed!
“Senior granduncle, I know nothing about beast taming…” With a reddened face, Gu Mu shook his head hurriedly.
He had dedicated himself to the Way of Poison. Even though he had heard of beast taming, it was something very unfamiliar and foreign to him.
To tame a humongous fellow who has achieved the same cultivation realm…
Better not. I wish to live a much longer life.
“There’s no need to worry about that, I can guide you!” Zhang Xuan’s eyebrows shot up. With an imposing tone, he spoke, “Don’t you believe your senior granduncle?”
“I dare not…” Shuddering, Gu Mu hurriedly bowed. Then, unable to hold back his curiosity, he asked, “Senior granduncle… Can it be that you are well-versed in beast taming as well?”
Even though this senior granduncle of his didn’t appear much older than him, his mastery of poison far surpassed him, and his understanding of the Way of Medicine didn’t seem to be mediocre. Could it be that he is versed in the art of beast taming as well?
If that was the case, he would surely have been a legendary figure. But if that was the case, why hadn’t he heard of him?
“I know a thing or two!”
Nodding his head, Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back as he walked to the mouth of the volcano. The Lava Beast was swimming in the lava around the Crimson Flame Lotus, resembling a gigantic snake. To harvest the seeds, it was impossible for them to get close without alarming it.
Turning around, Zhang Xuan stared at Gu Mu. “This is a Zhizun pinnacle savage beast, and countless people dream of taming such a savage beast. This is a good opportunity, are you really reluctant to grasp hold of it?”
“I…” Seeing the other party’s serious expression, Gu Mu hesitated for a moment. Then, with a slightly reddened face, he asked, “Can I… really tame it?”
Taming a savage beast of the same cultivation realm meant that his fighting prowess would be increased twofold. In truth, he was tempted by the idea.
On top of that, if it were to consume the Crimson Flame Lotus Seed, it was possible that it would be able to break through its bottleneck. At that time, with the strength of the human and the beast in unison, he would have a much better chance at exacting vengeance.
Just that… Isn’t taming savage beasts a skill that only beast tamers are capable of?
Guide me?
Even if you were to guide me, it is impossible for me to become a beast tamer instantly and be able to tame this incredible savage beast!
“If you follow my instructions carefully, taming it shouldn’t be a problem!”
Sensing that the other party had been tempted by his offer, Zhang Xuan swung his sleeves and spoke indifferently, “The choice is yours. If you are unwilling to do so, we can drop the idea. It’s just a Zhizun realm savage beast, I can kill it effortlessly. However… If you miss this opportunity, there won’t be a second chance.”
“This…”
Gu Mu’s eyes flickered with hesitation and doubt. But eventually, he gritted his teeth and nodded, “Alright, senior granduncle. What should I do… Do I need to prepare anything?”
It was indeed a good opportunity for him. Not only did the savage beast rival him in strength, it did not fear poison. The moment he succeeded, his standing in the Xuanyuan branch would rise greatly.
Even though Gu Mu had never tamed a savage beast, he had seen others do so. He knew that a beast tamer would have to prepare numerous items beforehand so as to attract the other party’s attention and win its goodwill.
He would have to find a way to deepen his bond with it and gradually gain intimacy before it would submit to him.
“There’s no need for it, and there’s no time either!”
Zhang Xuan shook his head, “Since this fellow has decided to camp around this Crimson Flame Lotus, he must be extremely fond of it. No matter what it is that we prepare, it is impossible to be more attractive to it than this lotus. Besides, the lotus seed has already matured and it is ready for consumption. If we were to start making preparations now, by the time we’re done, it would have already eaten all of the seeds.”
“That…” Gu Mu was perplexed.
If we do not prepare any gifts for the Lava Beast, how will we attract its attention?
At this moment, the ‘senior granduncle’s’ voice sounded once more.
“It’s simple. You’ll jump down right now and beat it up. After that, I will tell you how you should tame it!”
“Beat it up?”
Gu Mu’s face turned green.
Other people would be thinking of ways to win the trust of the savage beast and move it. Yet, this senior granduncle asked me to attack it…
Won’t we incur this gigantic fellow’s wrath this way? Once this fellow bears hostility toward us, wouldn’t it become impossible for me to tame it?
More importantly… It is highly probable that I would be unable to return once I go down…
Are you sure that you are sending me to tame this savage beast, not to feed it?
Sensing his hesitation, Zhang Xuan knew what he was worried about. Thus, he reassured him, “Don’t worry, I’m here. It won’t be easy for that fellow to kill you.”
“Yes!” Gu Mu clenched his jaws.
That’s right, senior granduncle is a formidable figure who has surpassed Zhizun realm. With him here, how can I possibly be subdued by that mere Lava Beast?
Of course, if he were to know that this ‘senior granduncle’ of his had merely a Half-Zongshi cultivation realm and that he could easily crush him to death… He would probably burst into tears.
Having made up his mind, Gu Mu took in a deep breath and flicked his wrist. The next moment, a sword appeared in his palm. Pumping the zhenqi in his body, he slashed at the ground several times swiftly, and the firm granite ground was immediately cut into tiles of similar sizes.
There were roughly seventy to eighty tiles, and each of them was a square of a chi wide.
He stacked those tiles up and placed them before Liao Xun.
“Hall Master Liao, I’ll have to trouble you to build a footpath for me later on!”
“Alright!” Liao Xun nodded.
Even Zhizun realm pinnacle cultivators were incapable of flight. To fight with the Lava Beast from above the scorching lava, he had to build suitable footpaths.
By throwing these tiles into the lava, Gu Mu would be able to utilize the feedback between the granite and the lava to move about.
This is a feat that only Zhizun realm experts are capable of. A Zongshi wouldn’t even be able to tolerate the heat wave, needless to say, tread above the lava.
“Senior granduncle… I’ll be going down now!”
Now that the preparations were in place, Gu Mu took in a deep breath.
Zhang Xuan waved casually in response.
Hu!
Upon seeing the senior granduncle’s response, Gu Mu pumped his zhenqi to the maximum, and with a flick of his wrist, threw out a granite tile, and it landed on the surface of the lava. At the same time, he rushed forward and leaped toward the tile.
Stepping lightly on the tile, he was able to push himself upward once again.
Most Zhizun realm experts would have cultivated lightweight movement techniques, which allowed them to even tread across the surface of the water. As such, treading the denser lava wasn’t a problem at all.
Sou!
Seeing the other party starting to descend, Liao Xun immediately estimated his landing spot and threw a tile over.
As though a dragonfly treading on water, he stepped on the granite tile and leaped upward once more. Just like that, he quickly arrived before the Lava Beast.
“Let’s begin!”
Gathering the entire might of his body into his sword, Gu Mu roared and stabbed straight at the Lava Beast.
Since he was facing the Lava Beast, he had to give his all without reserve. Otherwise, the one who will end up dead would be him.
Roar!
Seeing that someone had made an attack against it, the Lava Beast flew into a rage. Roaring loudly, his bulky tail lashed out.
Hualala!
Magma splashed about the field with great force.
Before Gu Mu could reach the Lava Beast, he felt an overwhelming heat gushing straight at him. Gu Mu hurriedly twisted his wrist to turn the stab into a parry.
Ding!
The tail struck his sword, and the aerial Gu Mu was sent flying instantaneously as if he were a cannonball.
Sou!
After determining precisely the other party’s landing spot, Liao Xun swiftly threw a tile over for Gu Mu to step on.
Even though the both of them didn’t have any experience of working together, as a Zongshi realm pinnacle expert, Liao Xun wouldn’t commit a mistake in the simple job of throwing tiles.
“Senior granduncle, what do I do next?”
Not expecting the creature to be so formidable, as to be able to send him flying with a single strike of its tail, Gu Mu questioned in a panic.
“Give me a moment, I haven’t thought of it yet. You should continue for now…” Zhang Xuan waved his hands.
“You haven’t thought of what to do? Continue…?”
Gu Mu nearly failed to land on the tile and almost fell into the lava.
This senior granduncle is too unreliable!
It was just a moment ago that you claimed that you will guide me to tame the savage beast, that I should first engage it. The battle has already started, yet you have not come up with an idea…
Do you need to be so darned?
Hu!
Just as Gu Mu was feeling dismal, the provoked Lava Beast charged up to him, and its sharp dagger-like teeth abruptly closed in on him.
The attack came too swiftly, and Gu Mu didn’t have any time to evade. Thus, he could only face it head on with his sword.
Peng!
The sword came into contact with the Lava Beast’s sharp teeth. Feeling a numbness in his hands, Gu Mu was sent flying once again.
Lava flowed beneath Gu Mu. Even though he was able to move around using those granite tiles, without the solid earth for his feet to apply his force on, the strength he could exert dipped significantly. At present, he was only capable of displaying sixty to seventy percent of his full strength,
It was impossible to face the frenzied attacks of the Lava Beast in his weakened state.
“Senior granduncle, are you ready yet?
It took much effort before he managed to stabilize himself once more. He glanced at Zhang Xuan immediately to rush him, but what he saw was the other party standing on the spot with a blank expression, as though he was… daydreaming.
A chill surged into his heart, and at this, Gu Mu really cried.
If only he knew this senior granduncle of his was that unreliable, he would have never come down.
Now that this fellow was fixated on him, it was impossible for him to escape even if he wanted to. Will he really meet his end here?
“Forget it, I’ll go all out!”
Knowing that it was impossible for him to escape, he gritted his teeth and lifted his sword high up. Zhenqi flurried through his body as though a storm, and he sent the sword right down on the Lava Beast.
Peng!
When the two came into contact, Gu Mu was sent flying ten meters backward once more.
It was fortunate that Liao Xun was able to determine his landing points accurately each time with precise timing. Otherwise, he would have long fallen into the lava and be reduced to ashes.
Ding ding ding!
After crossing a few more blows with the Lava Beast, Gu Mu was already on the verge of collapsing. At this moment, a voice sounded by his ear.
“Alright, listen to my instructions!”
Turning around, he saw his ‘senior granduncle’ looking at him with a calm expression.
