Chapter 253 – Good Fortune Arrives in Pairs, the Unrivaled Temple Master - Part 1

The Holy Tree Temple’s city stronghold was divided into three gates. Though the first gate was the least affluent, it was still where the relatively wealthy with some background made their homes.

Leading five massive ebony marquises on leashes, Li Yuan strolled casually down the street. Now that he had decided to reveal his status as a sixth rank beastmaster, he no longer bothered hiding in the shadows.

Unfortunately, once people recovered from their initial shock at this sight, all that appeared to remain was raw fear.

“Mommy, those dogs are so scary!” On the street, a young child who had been walking with his parents jumped in fright at the sight of five towering silhouettes. He hid behind his parents, who themselves went pale, their mouths turning dry.

Wherever Li Yuan and his dogs passed, crowds scattered in tense silence, pushing and shoving to get out of the way. His good-natured and respectable reputation as the Cui Clan’s weaponsmith no longer mattered. Now, he was only someone to fear. The brutal aura of those five demonic beasts made everyone’s heart pound.

Suddenly, a little girl let out a sharp cry. She had accidentally locked eyes with one of the dogs, who focused on her with a savage, bloodthirsty, and almost predatory gaze. Terrified, she fell to the ground, her white legs getting muddied as her plaid skirt fanned out around her.

“D-don’t come any closer...!” the little girl cried out. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched the five fierce beasts draw nearer, the chill of their presence prickling her skin.

Li Yuan glanced at the girl, who was about the same age as his own daughter. He gave one of the ebony marquises a swift slap on the head and scolded, “No scaring people!”

The ebony marquis let out a whimper, then stuck out its tongue with an almost silly, dog-like pant.

Stepping forward, Li Yuan gently pulled the girl to her feet. “Don’t be afraid,” he said with a reassuring smile. “They just look big, that’s all.”

Still trembling, the girl tried to shrink away, but Li Yuan caught her hand and pulled her closer. “If you don’t believe me,” he added, “Try touching it. It won’t hurt you.”

She was clearly terrified, but curiosity gradually overtook fear. Seeing her hesitate, Li Yuan hoisted her up and settled her onto the back of one of the ebony marquises. Frozen stiff at first, the girl slowly realized the dog’s fur was soft, its body radiating a comforting warmth. Bit by bit, her tension eased, and she began to glance around curiously from her new perch.

“These dogs don’t bite,” Li Yuan called out with a grin. “There are four more seats if anyone else wants to try!”

Before long, a bold boy ventured forward and was helped up onto another ebony marquis. Soon three more children joined in.

The frightening spectacle of demonic beasts roaming the streets suddenly transformed into a heartwarming scene of children giggling on the dogs’ backs.

Li Yuan even bought snacks for the young riders, while their parents trailed behind with equal parts respect, awe, and relief as they watched him lead his dogs through the streets.

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Redcreek Moss Garden was a stretch of abandoned land lying between the first and second gates of the Holy Tree Temple’s city stronghold.

It used to be a residential area, but the buildings had long been torn down in preparation for planting a rare herb called Redcreek Moss. The soil conditions still weren’t right, so the site sat idle.

Over time, it had become a shortcut for certain back streets, one that Cui Huayin’s carriage had taken previously.

Now, in this damp soil mixed with gravel, someone had unearthed a grisly sight—a half-decayed corpse with its chest torn open, and a skull gnawed nearly bare. The remains lay on a straw mat, exposed for inspection.

“This was a sixth rank martial artist,” a green-robed man remarked, his expression grim as he examined the body. “Only someone at sixth rank would remain so intact after several days in the ground.”

His name was Jing Liuqu, a sixth rank martial artist from the Jing Clan who served in the city stronghold’s patrols. Standing next to him was another sixth rank expert from the Liu Clan.

The Liu Clan martial artist clicked his tongue. “I never would’ve guessed Master Li was hiding so much power... This poor fellow died such a horrific death. It seems the rumors about him being more than meets the eye are true.”

“Watch what you say,” Jing Liuqu warned, casting a sharp glance at him.

“Ahem. I’m only voicing my surprise. Seeing a sixth ranker get torn apart like this...well, it’s horrifying,” the Liu Clan member said.

Satisfied, Jing Liuqu signaled his men to move the corpse. They loaded it onto a cart and transported it back to the third gate.

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Before long, those remains were laid out before a handsome man in white with a carefree look on his face. It was Cui Wuji, the Cui Clan’s patriarch, and one of the Holy Tree Temple’s elders.

Cui Wuji examined the corpse, confirming that the person had indeed been killed by a canine-type demonic beast. He’d already been filled in on the details earlier by Cui Huayin.

Gathered around him were the similarly high ranking members of the Jing, Gu, Liu, Mu, Hua, and Xiang clans. Among these seven, the Mu, Cui, and Hua stood on the Gu Clan’s side, while the other three took the opposing stance. It was as though a line had been drawn right down the middle.

All of the major clans under the Holy Tree Temple were now present.

Formerly, the Guo Clan’s patriarch would have been part of this circle as well. But with both the Guo Clan’s patriarch and clan head dying in battle, their remaining descendants had only a temporary claim to a place behind the third gate. Should none of them reach the fifth rank in the future, the Guo Clan would surely be forced to leave.

Now, the seven stood silently, contemplating the gruesome remains.

“Hah, this old man has seen a lot, but this is new to me,” the Mu patriarch said at last. “It’s rare enough for a martial artist to master even one specialty apart from martial arts, yet Li Yuan has excelled in both smithing and beast taming at such a young age.”

“Forging weapons and taming demonic beasts aren’t casual skills that just anyone can pick up,” the Gu patriarch chimed in. “Haven’t you heard of the Four Extraordinary Arts—weaponsmithing, beast taming, puppetry, and alchemy? Anyone who masters a single one of those skills is welcomed as an honored guest by the great powers. Yet Li Yuan has somehow gained proficiency in both weaponsmithing and beast taming.”

“I’ve heard rumors that he used to be a beastmaster in a small county on the outskirts,” the Hua patriarch remarked. “Supposedly he could already control seventh rank demonic beasts back then. Clearly, he’s been hiding his abilities all this time.”

The seven exchanged polite words while secretly calculating their next moves.

Meanwhile, Cui Wuji wore the look of a territorial predator, laughing, “Well, he’s my clan’s son-in-law, after all. Hahaha!”

Outwardly, he kept calm, but inwardly he was elated. His Cui Clan had teetered near the bottom of the Holy Tree Temple’s Eight Great Clans. But with the Guo Clan in ruins and Li Yuan at his side, they might regain lost ground—even if the Cui Clan had lost Zhu Ban and was down to one and a half elders.

The Xiang patriarch, a sly smile curling his lips, spoke up. “A sixth rank weaponsmith who can craft fifth rank spirit artifacts and even produce some frightening quasi-domains... And a sixth rank beastmaster, too, with unbounded potential.

“If Li Yuan were to learn a fifth rank taming skill and succeed in subduing fifth rank demonic beasts—even just one, well...” He gave a short, suggestive laugh. “He alone would be worth an entire clan.”

The surrounding people fell momentarily silent. Everyone knew that powerful demonic beasts could command lesser ones, just like a lion leading a pride. If Li Yuan truly managed to tame a fifth rank demonic beast, he could field an entire demonic beast army of his own. This so-called

helpful

observation made everyone’s eyes gleam.

Cui Wuji hurriedly protested, “Elder Xiang, please don’t jump to conclusions. Who says a sixth rank beastmaster can automatically subdue a fifth rank demonic beast? That hardly seems possible.”

No one paid him any mind, though. They were all foxes seasoned by age and ambition; no one believed Cui Wuji’s attempt to downplay Li Yuan’s potential.

Just then, a strangely dissonant voice rang out. “Aren’t you all the least bit suspicious of Li Yuan?”

The others turned to look. The speaker was Liu Luzi, the matriarch of the Liu Clan—a woman clad in a somber black robe with faint red patterns at the cuffs. Time had not left wrinkles on her face. She was, after all, a long-lived martial cultivator. Yet her bearing exuded a cold, unsettling air, like a venomous snake slithering in the shadows. Liu Luzi was known for her mastery of poisons.

The patriarch of the Gu Clan, who was not Gu Xuejian but had a similarly close connection to Li Yuan, responded in a low voice, “Elder Liu, true geniuses often are full of mysteries. What are you trying to say? By now, everyone here knows that Li Yuan’s son, Li Ping’an, possesses innate shadow blood. Could a man who sires such a gifted child be ordinary?”

With an eerie smile, Liu Luzi replied, “If you’re so determined to defend him, I’ll keep it brief.” She glanced around before continuing. “He became a recognized weaponsmith in barely a year, and on top of that, he’s a natural at beast taming? Think about it, really think about it.”

Her thin lips curved in a mocking grin. The Gu patriarch narrowed his eyes. “Are you suggesting we lock Li Yuan up and interrogate him, to see if he’s harboring some miraculous treasure?”

Liu Luzi gave a quiet laugh. “I never said anything about interrogations. After all, we’re not reckless children, are we, Elder Gu? I’m just reminding everyone that a monster of his caliber might not exist in this world by chance. If he does, it might be because he’s carrying some extraordinary secret. And a treasure like that, in anyone’s hands—”

“Elder Liu!” The Gu patriarch fixed her with a frosty glare. “Do you have a personal grudge against Li Yuan? Or is it...” He glanced toward the Jing Clan’s representative, Jing Banfeng.

The Jing Clan was a special case. Their patriarch was a deputy temple master, Jing Baikou, while Jing Banfeng, present here, served as the clan head.

Jing Banfeng’s son had been killed as a consequence of Zhu Ban. The Jing Clan had also suffered public embarrassment and lost an ally when the Guo Clan collapsed—all tied, in some way, to Zhu Ban’s actions.

“It’s only natural that the Jing Clan would resent Li Yuan, given that he’s Master Zhu’s son-in-law,” the Gu Clan patriarch muttered.

Jing Banfeng glanced at Liu Luzi, then withdrew his gaze with a thoughtful expression before addressing the Gu patriarch with a faint smile. “No need to get angry, Elder Gu. Elder Liu was merely pointing out a possibility.”

He sighed. “Our forces in the west are taking a beating. The Lotus Cult and undying husks have countless tactics at their disposal. Now more than ever, we need to stand united. If Li Yuan truly possesses any treasures or secrets, shouldn’t he share them for the greater good?

“After all, if the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. If his secret can empower our Holy Tree Temple, we might just turn this war around. Yes, it would mean some sacrifice on his part, but of course our temple would compensate him and his son accordingly, don’t you think?”

As he finished speaking, the Gu patriarch was already rolling up his sleeves, poised to lash out. Jing Banfeng put on a placating smile. “Elder Gu, there’s no point in us fighting amongst ourselves. Let’s leave this to the temple master to decide once he emerges from seclusion. If Li Yuan truly has no hidden secrets, then he won’t be harmed, right?”

Standing nearby, the Xiang patriarch, aligned with the Jing and Liu, nodded in agreement. “I, too, suspect Li Yuan might be hiding something of great value. We should at least question him. It could strengthen the Holy Tree Temple.”

The Gu patriarch pointed at him, then at Liu Luzi and the Xiang patriarch, demanding, “What exactly are you all plotting?!”

Jing Banfeng kept the same mild smile. “The temple master is in closed-door cultivation. Once he’s out, we should let him make the call.”