Chapter 38
Zhang Xiaoxiao escorted Yu Tai into the Beast-Taming Sect like an overly attentive bodyguard, carefully protecting her every step of the way for fear she might bump into something.
The Beast-Taming Sect truly deserved its reputation as a sect famous for fighting with demon beasts. Its control over the creatures was extremely relaxed. Strange-looking demon beasts could be seen everywhere, along with several human-shaped beasts sporting ears atop their heads. Xia Mo stared without blinking.
This was its first time seeing so many of its own kind.
Yu Tai had no attention left for the Beast-Taming Sect’s scenery, however. The way she and Zhang Xiaoxiao walked had already stolen all her focus and completely ruined her plan to remain inconspicuous.
Zhang Xiaoxiao supported Yu Tai like an overeager young eunuch. Yu Tai said with a headache, “My injuries are already healed. Besides, cultivators aren’t that fragile.”
Zhang Xiaoxiao’s little face turned stern. “No, no. What if someone launches another sneak attack?”
Yu Tai thought, *We’re inside your own sect.*
The mention of the sneak attack infuriated Zhang Xiaoxiao. “That damned old man deserved to have his sect destroyed. That’s what he gets for hurting you without knowing right from wrong!”
Looking at Zhang Xiaoxiao’s angry little face, Yu Tai suddenly stopped.
“What if I told you that I killed Mo Xiaowei?”
Because Yu Tai’s veiled hat concealed her form, Zhang Xiaoxiao could not see her expression. But her voice was colder than ever before.
Zhang Xiaoxiao stopped with her, panic filling her face.
Yu Tai curled her lips at the sight, the curve faintly mocking.
“Shh! Benefactor, how can you say that out loud? What if the walls have ears? What if someone hears you?!” Zhang Xiaoxiao’s head swiveled frantically as she looked around, appearing ready to cry at any moment.
Xia Mo looked up at Yu Tai. “Chirp?”
It could clearly sense the change in Yu Tai’s emotions.
“I was joking.” Yu Tai suddenly laughed and tapped Zhang Xiaoxiao between the brows.
Something entered Zhang Xiaoxiao’s body through her fingertip, though the young woman felt nothing.
Zhang Xiaoxiao stared blankly for a second before sighing in relief. “Ah… You scared me to death.”
“Our sect has bear-shaped demon beasts like yours. Would you like to see them?” Zhang Xiaoxiao shifted her gaze to Xia Mo.
Yu Tai looked down at it. “Do you want to go?”
Xia Mo nodded hurriedly.
Its eagerness was so adorable that Zhang Xiaoxiao nearly suffered a cute overload.
It was probably lonely when it was always by itself. Surely it wanted to meet others that looked similar.
Demon beasts were all innocent and adorable by nature.
Xia Mo quickened its pace, visibly eager.
Wonderful! This panda would steal every last bite of their food! It all belonged to the mighty Xia Mo!
“Oh? Junior Sister, what brings you here today? And who is this?” The disciple guarding the demon-beast enclosure looked curiously at the concealed figure behind Zhang Xiaoxiao.
Zhang Xiaoxiao composed herself. “Um… A friend of mine. She came to visit.”
The disciple waved a broad hand. “I see. Go on in.”
Yu Tai had expected strict questioning. She had not imagined entering would be so easy.
The moment she stepped inside, Yu Tai thought she had entered a zoo.
Creatures flew through the sky, swam through the water, and ran across the ground, leaving her momentarily dazzled.
Calling it a demon-beast mountain would have been more accurate than a demon-beast enclosure.
There was no trace of artificial captivity, and the demon beasts enjoyed tremendous freedom.
However, the moment they entered, every beast that spotted Xia Mo vanished in the blink of an eye.
Yu Tai looked at Xia Mo proudly holding up its little head and shook hers helplessly.
Zhang Xiaoxiao noticed as well. “Strange. They’re normally as mischievous as monkeys when they see an outsider. Why are they so well behaved today?”
With the culprit beside them, Yu Tai followed Zhang Xiaoxiao along an extraordinarily quiet path without seeing so much as half a demon beast.
“We’re here!” Zhang Xiaoxiao pointed at a group of demon beasts drinking by the river.
They were Mowan Bears, named for their ink-black fur and the black flames they breathed.
The cultivator caring for them set down what he was holding and approached. “Isn’t this Junior Sister? It’s been a long time.”
Zhang Xiaoxiao waved. “Senior Brother Da!”
Yu Tai froze.
Had the Beast-Taming Sect’s eldest Senior Brother not died in Bishui Secret Realm?
Realizing the misunderstanding, Zhang Xiaoxiao explained, “Not *that* eldest Senior Brother, Benefactor. This Senior Brother’s surname is Da.”
The man reached them at that moment. He gave Yu Tai only a brief glance, his expression steady and his gaze free of the probing curiosity others displayed.
“Greetings, Fellow Cultivator. I am Da Di.”
Yu Tai nodded but did not answer.
After Zhang Xiaoxiao explained why they had come, Da Di crouched and examined Xia Mo.
“An extremely rare breed. Even I’ve never seen one.”
Zhang Xiaoxiao was surprised. If even Senior Brother Da Di did not recognize the demon beast, it had to be extraordinarily rare.
Xia Mo yawned at the human cultivator before it. “Chirp, chirp.”
*Hand over the food, or I’ll swallow those little bear cubs.*
Da Di grinned. “You’re a vicious little thing. Come here and see what you want to eat.”
Xia Mo: *Shocked.jpg*
“Chirp, chirp?” *You can understand this panda?!*
“So your kind is called a panda? I truly haven’t heard of the breed.”
Watching the human and panda conduct a perfectly coherent conversation, Zhang Xiaoxiao explained to the equally astonished Yu Tai, “Senior Brother has a special ability. He can communicate with demon beasts.”
She spoke with a smile, clearly proud of her Senior Brother’s unique talent.
Apart from Shu Li, this was the first human cultivator Xia Mo had met who could understand it. It was visibly excited.
Zhang Xiaoxiao led Yu Tai to the river so she could examine the Mowan Bears more closely.
They were not afraid of people and approached voluntarily when Yu Tai crouched.
Then Xia Mo, not far away and stuffing its mouth with Da Di’s special demon-beast feed, roared at them.
The poor Mowan Bears’ fur stood on end. They fled in a tumbling panic.
Da Di, their keeper, did not grow angry. He smiled and asked Xia Mo, “She isn’t your master, yet you like her very much.”
He could tell that Yu Tai was not the person contracted to Xia Mo.
Xia Mo nodded. “Chirp, chirp.” *I like her.*
“You’re quite possessive for a young girl.”
Xia Mo blinked. “Chirp, chirp?” *Why do I have to be a girl?*
Da Di froze at the question. “Demon beasts generally choose their own gender when they take human form. You’re rather small, so if you have no awareness of gender, you’ll usually become a girl after transforming.”
This was the first time Xia Mo had ever discussed its future human form.
Truthfully, it had never even considered the question before.
“Chirp, chirp.” *Then I want to be a boy.*
Da Di’s interest stirred. “Why?”
Xia Mo did not answer. It raised its head and looked toward Yu Tai, who stood by the river.
Because if it became a boy, it could do embarrassing things with Yu Tai just like Shu Li did.
Neither of them ever said anything, but they always looked so comfortable. Xia Mo wanted to try too, yet Shu Li said it should find a male demon beast.
Hmph. Stingy Shu Li! This panda did not want any of those smelly demon beasts.
Once Xia Mo became a boy, it could do comfortable things with Yu Tai.