Chapter 66 - Incredible Taming Ability

Once arrived at the back of the stage, Hei saw in a corner the cages containing the spirit beasts purchased by the Flower Sect. The Frisian Horse, the Java Rhinoceros, the Pygmy Hippopotamus, the couple of Hoatzin birds, the eggs of blue swallowtail butterflies, of monarch butterflies and silkworms and finally the Giant Forest Elephant. These were all the spirit beasts purchased by the Flower Sect at the auction.

Leaving aside the total price of each spirit beast, just for the total number of bought spirit beasts, the Flower Sect was the biggest purchaser. It surpassed even the sects, and martial artists specialized in spirit beasts taming, making these last as laughing stock. After all, a combat-oriented sect had surpassed them regarding the number and quality of spirit beasts the sects possessed.

So, that behavior didn’t go unnoticed, and in the back of the stage, there were many more people than usual. The various beast tamers had gathered behind the stage as soon as the auction was over. They wanted to take a look at the famous beast tamer brought by the Flower Sect. As beasts tamers, they thought that this mysterious person would go personally to check his/her purchases, considering the price spent on them.

And while they expected to see who knows what great character, all they could see was the sect leader of the Flower Sect and two youths behind her.

On seeing this, everyone was puzzled. Is it possible that the mysterious beast tamer, able to tame a spirit beast comparable to a sixth stage, could be one of those two youths?

"Hey, don't they look familiar? Aren't they the ones who brought the buffalo herd to the stables of the royal palace? "

"Now that you point it out, yes. They are. So is it possible that the famous beast tamer is really one of the two or both?"

Some of them had been present in the royal palace's stable while Hei was leading the buffaloes and carriages. Given Shui's presence, they still remembered the disappointment of seeing only two kids with the buffaloes.

Despite noticing the murmurs of the people around, Hei pretended not to notice it. He went on to where the cages were. And once he got there, he stopped in front of them.

"It is all right. Now that you are with me, you won’t be hurt. I promise you." Hei said using not human language but the spider one. Despite the species diversity, the language of various animals and spirit beasts were universally understandable to each specimen. Only humans and demons were excluded from this connection.

The spirit beasts inside the cages couldn’t help but be surprised because it was the first time that a human spoke in a language they could comprehend. Although it was possible to understand human language for them, it was something that required time and dedication. How would they have wanted to learn the language of those who had tied and locked them in a cage for no reason other than to be sold as a commodity?

Noticing their amazement, Hei repeated what he had said without blinking and finally got a reaction. The spirit beasts understood that it wasn’t a hallucination, but the human boy in front of them really knew how to speak their language. With excitement, they all gave a different answer - who asked to be released, who was doubtful because he too was a human, who asked to be reunited with its family.

To the side, the sect leader was looking with wide eyes. She knew that Hei was a good tamer and could communicate with spirit beasts. However, she didn't think he could do it with different types simultaneously. But if she was astonished, the beast tamers around were even more so. Their eyes almost came out of their sockets, and they had difficulty closing their mouths. A boy from the younger generation had succeeded in something that no tamer known to them in the past and present had ever been able to do.

After a series of discussions, Hei convinced the spirit beasts to follow him for the moment toward the stables where he could arrange them. Since Shui was there, an exemplary spirit beast, they would feel more at ease than here before the eyes of many humans.

"Sect leader, can you ask for the cages to be opened? And could you give me the eggs of butterflies and silkworms? Thank you," Hei asked calmly.

"Do you want to open the cages? Are you sure?"

Although she saw his ability to communicate with animals and spirit beasts, she was not sure if they really understood him or obeyed him.

"Don't worry. There are no problems. You have my word.” Hei replied, aware of the concerns of the sect leader.

The sect leader, having received Hei's reply, sighed and asked the staff of the auction to open the cages. These, at the sect leader request, couldn’t help but worry, not wanting to execute the request. After all, who could assure them that they wouldn’t be attacked once the cages were opened? Yet the demand was from the sect leader of one of the big five sects, if they disrespected such a person, their future could be considered practically over.

Annoyed by the staff's hesitation, the sect leader unsheathed her sword, causing panic among the people present, who thought she was offended by the reaction of the auction staff. But the sect leader waved her sword at the cages, breaking all the bars with a single sword stroke.

While the various martial artists had yet to recover from this action, the spirit beasts in the cages slowly came out and settled in line with their eyes turned towards Hei.

"Thank you very much, sect leader." thanked Hei with a slight bow. So he went to one of the auction attendants and took from his hands the containers with the butterflies' and silkworms’ eggs. Then, with a strange snap of his tongue, he motioned for the spirit beasts to follow him while Lian placed herself next to him, and the sect leader led the way in front of them.

"What the hell? Have they listened to him so obediently? So is he the famous beast tamer?"

"If he isn’t, who is? Have you not seen the reaction of the sect leader? The sect leader of the Flower Sect is known as a beautiful woman but with a cold attitude, uncaring about the things that happen to us miserable martial artists. Yet as soon as the staff was hesitating to carry out her orders, she drew her sword. It is clear that she considers that boy very highly."

Once Hei and his group left, the various people broke into a heated argument. Soon this episode spread to all the others present at the auction, generating not a little havoc, especially towards the great powers that knew the Flower Sect sect leader.

Meanwhile, Hei had guided the spirit beasts into the wing of the stable reserved for his sect. There, he arranged the new arrivals, leaving them under the protection of Shui, who reassured them of Hei's goodwill.

"Well, I'm going then. Don't worry, once we are done here I will arrange you in a quiet place where you won’t be hurt. Also, little one, don't worry. I'll definitely take you to your parents. Don't be afraid and rest for now." Hei reassured them, especially the giant forest elephant, who eagerly wanted to return to its parents.

Once settled in the stable, Hei returned with Lian and the sect leader to the royal palace. The sect leader led them into accommodation reserved for the two youths and left, recommending them to rest and settle down to be ready for the evening event.

When they entered the room, Hei arranged the butterflies' and silkworms’ eggs, wrapping them with a blanket in the room's bed, and placed them on a bedside table. Meanwhile, Ye and Xing had gone out from his body and were exploring the room while Lian sat on the bed, watching the two little spirit beasts playing.

‘What is it that worries you, my son?’ Bao Bei asked at one point from above his head.

Hei took his mother and put her on the bed while he also sat on the bed.

"The last auction item, that token. It seemed similar to what Lian and I received, but at the same time, it isn’t. I wonder what it is to aroused such a reaction in the sect leader."

"They seem similar to you because they have the same origin, they were given by the Artifact Spirit. But as far as actual functions are concerned, it doesn’t seem to have great effects except having a trace of the Artifact Spirit spirit power. It is also present in your token, but information about your age and your rating are engraved on yours. In the one present at auction, this information isn’t present. With regard to its true nature, the only thing you can do is ask the sect leader or one of the elders. Only they will be able to answer you." Bao Bei explained to her son.

During the auction, she examined each of the sold items. She wanted to see if there was something interesting to buy. However, there was nothing that could catch her interest. Therefore, she had also analyzed the auction's final I, and she had understood the token's origin in a single glance.

"Uhmm ... from the words of the sect leader, it doesn’t seem to be a secret to keep forever. At the right moment, she will tell us, but I don't know when that will happen. All right, let's leave it for now. They said we have a couple of hours or so. We should rest a little then. Ye, Xing, stop playing. Come to bed to rest a little."

Called up his two little sisters, Hei closed his eyes and fell asleep with Lian at his side and Ye and Xing in the middle. Bao Bei settled comfortably next to her daughters as she fell into a state of semi-sleep so that she could react to any eventuality.

*

After the assigned rest hours, it was time to go to the king's birthday celebration. For the occasion, Bao Bei had gotten busy to weave two elegantly elaborated silk tunics. With the help of Hei and Lian, she then refined her tunics and dyed them with the color they wanted.

Hei's tunic was a black long-sleeved tunic with golden edges on the left and silver on the right. Behind the back, there were like species of violet veins that formed the shape of a spider. Lian's tunic was a purple long-sleeved tunic. Hers had no large decorations, except for a pink lotus behind her back. Ye and Xing instead wore a small ribbon half golden half silver tied on their body.

Bao Bei chose instead to wear nothing. As a divine beast that had always lived in the wild, she didn’t have the habit of wearing something like a garment or other types of fabrics. But at the same time, she wouldn’t prevent her daughters from experiencing human customs if they wanted to do so.

When they were ready, they heard a knock at the door. It was the sect leader who had come to get them. Assured that they were ready, she led the two youths toward the rest of the group that was waiting just ahead. Then they arranged themselves in a row, according to their position in the sect. Then, they went towards the reception hall where they had been during the morning.

At the entrance, an emissary of the king was proclaiming the various guests who had arrived for the event. As one of the big five sects, the Flower Sect group was instantly made passed, and the man loudly proclaimed their arrival.

Compared to the morning, there were no significant differences. Everything was like before or almost. The large tables arranged along the walls had been set with large white tablecloths refined with tree and plant patterns. Above the tables had been arranged dishes and drinks of all kinds, prepared by the kingdom's best chefs.

In a short time, the remaining guests arrived at the reception hall, and the king could finally start the evening.

"Hi everyone, thank you again for coming here. I don't want to say too much, so you can eat without concerns. As far as the usual sparring competition between the younger generation is concerned, you will have the chance to test yourself later in the evening.” The king made a brief announcement and started the banquet but immediately left the room while the others concentrated on eating.

At that point, the sect leader turned to Hei and the other members of the younger generation.

"All right, you can go and eat too. Remember what I told you in the morning about the actions to take during this event. In no way do you have to bring disgrace to the sect. Do not cause accidents, but if they insist, you must answer at full power. Well, I leave you with the first and second elders. I have things to do now."

After that brief warning, the sect leader quickly turned away towards the direction in which the king had disappeared. It wasn’t just her. The sect leaders of other sects, as well as other influential people, were silently dismissing themselves to where the king had gone.

The people in the room were curious but didn't dare go check. From the outside, it seemed to be a meeting of the major influences of the kingdom. However, the subject in question was unknown; after all, the sects had no power to influence the administration of the kingdom. So it had to be about something that concerned the society of martial artists.

The first and second elders brought Hei and the others to the tables. They usually would have gone too, but they could certainly not leave their young promises so unattended. Even though they were in the royal palace, and a safe place with various presents, no place was ever safe for a martial artist except for their sect where they had full control.

Hei didn't pay much attention to that secret meeting and instead focused on eating. Together with Lian, he took various empty plates and filled them with food of all kinds. So they settled in an isolated corner of the reception room to eat. After all, he strongly doubted that he would be frowned upon for feeding two spirit beasts with the banquet food.

Therefore he had set himself aside so as not to generate too many complaints. Fortunately, he was a member of the Flower Sect, as well as the first of the inner disciples. So there weren’t many people willing to criticize him openly about why he was feeding some spirit beasts or why he had brought them with him.