"Xiong Jun, you in particular."
"You and your clansmen are all simple-minded, all brawn, and bad-tempered to boot."
Di Tian looked at Xiong Jun, singling him out directly.
"..."
Xiong Jun's face darkened. He wanted to argue, but did not dare.
Had any other ferocious beast dared say that to him, he would have bared his claws already. As for Di Tian... he genuinely could not beat the bastard.
"Xiong Jun, where's your answer?"
Di Tian's gaze sharpened, his voice icy.
"Understood," Xiong Jun answered glumly.
Di Tian nodded slightly and waved to the assembled ferocious beasts. "If there's nothing else, go inform the major soul beast clans."
"Also, from now on, you must bring out heavenly treasures at regular intervals to help the young master increase his strength quickly."
Xiong Jun and the other ferocious beasts nodded.
Then they each offered Gu Yunxiao a greeting before leaving.
Once the ferocious beasts had left, Gu Yunxiao walked over to Di Tian. "Uncle Tian."
"Young master, what is it?"
Di Tian wore a solemn expression, his tone respectful.
"Uncle Tian, just keep calling me Yunxiao from now on. 'Young master' feels a little distant." Gu Yunxiao smiled faintly.
Ever since he had arrived in the Star Dou Great Forest, Di Tian had been his "guardian."
As such, he and Di Tian had a fairly good relationship.
"Young master, whatever the circumstances, propriety cannot be abandoned." Di Tian shook his head, refusing outright.
Gu Yunxiao felt rather helpless, but did not try to persuade him again.
Afterward, Di Tian left as well.
Gu Yunxiao stood by the lakeshore, looking melancholy, and could not help sighing. "From now on... we'll be superior and subordinate."
Although the "family" relationship between him and Di Tian would not change, a much stricter master-servant relationship now took precedence over it.
"Gu Yunxiao!"
Just then, a voice came from behind him.
Pulled from his thoughts, Gu Yunxiao turned around and looked at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion. A smile tugged at his lips. "Big Goldie."
"You... you called me Goldie again!"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion glared at Gu Yunxiao.
"...Got carried away." Gu Yunxiao stroked the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's large head and chuckled. "I won't do it again."
"Hmph. I'll trust you one more time."
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion huffed, then changed the subject, asking wistfully, "Gu Yunxiao, now that you're the young master of the Soul Beast Clan, will you use your position to settle private grudges?"
"Oh, right. I almost forgot."
"I've carried quite a few pots of blame for you over these past six years. I'll have to pay you back good and hard for every one."
Gu Yunxiao looked at the Three-Eyed Golden Lion with a beaming smile.
"You!" Irritated, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion bumped her head against Gu Yunxiao's stomach. "How can you be so petty?"
"I'm petty, all right. I hold grudges."
"If you dare bully me, I'll..."
"Cry?"
"You're the one who'll cry!" The Three-Eyed Golden Lion caught Gu Yunxiao's arm in her jaws without biting down, then huffed. "If you dare bully me, I'll stop talking to you!"
Gu Yunxiao was amused by the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's antics.
"That's fine. I'll keep talking to you."
Gu Yunxiao continued stroking the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's head.
Although a master-servant relationship had been added between him and Di Tian, his relationship with the Three-Eyed Golden Lion had never changed. They were still the same "bickering rivals" as ever.
"Hmph~"
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion gave a coquettish huff. She said nothing, but joy blossomed in her heart.
She could not help leaning a little closer against Gu Yunxiao.
By the lakeshore, a boy and a beast leaned against each other, chatting beneath the night sky.
Before long, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion fell asleep.
Gu Yunxiao grew sleepy too and lay down against the Three-Eyed Golden Lion to sleep.
Early the next morning.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion was still sleeping soundly, but Gu Yunxiao was already up.
After a quick wash, he ate some spirit fruits native to the Star Dou Great Forest to fill his stomach, quickly finishing breakfast.
"Young master!"
Just then, Bi Ji arrived at the Lake of Life and bowed to Gu Yunxiao.
Gu Yunxiao nodded and asked, "What are we learning today?"
"For the first month, all your time will be devoted to theoretical knowledge of soul beasts and cultivation."
"After the first month, you'll study theory every morning and practice combat in the afternoon. You may arrange your cultivation time yourself, young master."
"The theory lessons will cover every aspect of soul beasts, including their ages, characteristics, fighting methods, and living habits."
"To sum it up, young master, you need to learn more than eighty percent of the information about each soul beast."
"Today, our task is to become familiar with ten different soul beasts. We can adjust the number depending on how much you can absorb."
Bi Ji smiled faintly, radiating gentleness.
Before coming, she had already made preparations, selecting ten of the most common soul beasts from the outer reaches of the Star Dou Great Forest.
They would progress from simple to complex, increasing the difficulty little by little.
"Young master, are you ready?"
"Yes."
Gu Yunxiao nodded.
Bi Ji casually beckoned, simultaneously casting a meaningful glance into the dense forest behind her.
Then the ferocious beast Scarlet King emerged, followed by ten Crimson Demon Mastiffs, each carrying a soul beast in its mouth.
"Young master!"
Upon seeing Gu Yunxiao, Scarlet King bowed.
The Crimson Demon Mastiffs behind Scarlet King bowed to Gu Yunxiao alongside him.
Gu Yunxiao nodded slightly, smiling amiably. "Sorry for the trouble."
"It's no trouble. It's my duty."
Scarlet King shook his head, then added, "If you need anything, young master, simply call at any time. Your subordinate is always here."
"Mm."
Gu Yunxiao answered softly, his gaze settling on the ten soul beasts of differing shapes.
Scarlet King signaled to his clansmen with a glance, telling them to put down the soul beasts.
Then he led his clansmen in another bow to Gu Yunxiao before leaving, disappearing into the dense trees.
Even after being put down, the ten soul beasts trembled, not daring to bare their teeth at all.
Several powerful auras surrounded them.
"Young master, let's begin."
Bi Ji led Gu Yunxiao over to one of the soul beasts.
Gu Yunxiao studied it.
It was a baboon covered in brownish-yellow fur, with brown eyes, exceptionally long arms, sharp nails on its paws, and canine teeth protruding past its lips.
Judging by its features, Gu Yunxiao had an inkling of what it was.
"This is a ten-year Wind Baboon, a very common low-level soul beast. It isn't considered powerful within the Soul Beast Clan."
"We usually distinguish their ages by their height, fur, and eyes..."
Bi Ji's true form was a five-hundred-thousand-year Emerald Swan, and she was the strongest healer in the Star Dou Great Forest.
Thus, her understanding of the Soul Beast Clan was undoubtedly greater than that of the other ferocious beasts.
Di Tian had decided to have her teach Gu Yunxiao this knowledge after careful consideration.
Time trickled past, and who knew how long had gone by.
The Three-Eyed Golden Lion had woken up, but she did not disturb Gu Yunxiao, instead staying quietly nearby.
Bi Ji had already introduced nine types of soul beasts to Gu Yunxiao and was now introducing the last one.
Sure enough, learning theory with my own eyes makes it easier to absorb than I imagined. Gu Yunxiao nodded inwardly.
He had not only seen these soul beasts, but also felt them with his own hands, testing the stiffness of their fur, the firmness of their muscles, and more.
Before you continue