Chapter 14: The Beast Tamer, Audefan

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Lei Hang turned and patted Shen Duo’s shoulder, comforting her, “Don’t take these despicable people to heart, or it’ll ruin your mood. But it’s best to stay cautious. If he dares come again, I’ll throw him out of the Blazing Flame Mercenary Camp myself.”

Shen Duo handed the longsword to Lei Hang, her smile gentle and sincere. If not for Lei Hang’s timely intervention just now, the consequences would have been unimaginable. “Brother Lei, I must thank you again. This is your sword.”

Lei Hang cheerfully pushed it back. “You handle it better than I do! Take it—it’s yours. I’m a Phantom Master, after all, and don’t need it.”

Shen Duo accepted without fuss, putting the longsword into her storage ring. Unlike others, she couldn’t use spiritual phantom energy, so she needed a weapon for self-defense. The sword felt perfectly balanced in her hand; it was an excellent choice. She didn’t know this sword was a gift from Lei Hang’s teacher, Luo Hui—a renowned alchemist of the Holy Radiance Continent. Weapons forged by Luo Hui were far from ordinary. Lei Hang, though apprenticed to Luo Hui, had no interest in alchemy. If not for Lei Lie saving Luo Hui’s life, the teacher would have long since expelled Lei Hang.

The mercenaries had dispersed. Many passing by greeted Shen Duo warmly, their excessive enthusiasm leaving her momentarily overwhelmed.

She glanced at Lei Hang beside her and asked casually, “Brother Lei, when will the Beast Tide happen?”

Lei Hang smiled. “Early this morning, mercenaries scouted deep into the Catra Forest. Low-level magical beasts on the outskirts, a hundred miles away, are already stirring. It’ll likely happen within the next couple of days. By the way, Shen Duo, if your Mercenary Guild task isn’t urgent, stay in camp and wait until the Beast Tide passes before returning to Luo City. When things quiet down, I’ll accompany you to submit your task.”

Shen Duo understood Lei Hang’s concern—he feared her strength wasn’t enough and that Shen Qing might scheme against her. She was deeply moved. In her modern life, she’d had comrades willing to live and die together; she hadn’t expected to find such true friends in this foreign world. She yearned to understand this world, and grand spectacles like the Beast Tide were rare opportunities. The Mercenary Guild’s task could wait; she’d stay and broaden her horizons. She nodded in agreement.

Lei Hang’s smile grew brighter when she agreed. He clapped her shoulder and led her away. “Shen Duo, come! I’ll show you the magical beasts our mercenary group captured yesterday. There are several three-star Fire Leopards—ferocious creatures. The beast tamers are working to subdue them.” As he spoke, Lei Hang suddenly paused and sighed, looking at Shen Duo. She gazed at him, puzzled.

“Shen Duo, if you could use spiritual phantom energy, I’d ask Uncle Ao Defan to tame a phantom beast for you,” Lei Hang said, his voice tinged with regret.

Shen Duo smiled unconcernedly, “It’s all right. Let’s go see the magical beasts first!” Back at the Shen family, she’d seen many high-level phantom beasts, but they were usually shapeshifted into pleasing forms beside their masters, rarely showing their true forms except in combat. She’d seldom seen genuine phantom beasts, let alone untamed magical creatures. She felt eager anticipation.

But halfway down the path, a mercenary rushed up, his face urgent as he spoke to Lei Hang, “Young Master, bad news. People from the Lava Mercenary Group have brought members of the Wei family to make trouble.”

Lei Hang’s cheerful expression turned serious at once. “Where are they?”

“They’re already at the main tent. The captain left not long ago and hasn’t returned.”

“Go call Uncle Lei Bai. I’ll head over right away.” The mercenary dashed off, and Lei Hang apologized, scratching his head. “Shen Duo, I won’t be able to accompany you. How about letting Zheng Wu show you the magical beasts?”

Shen Duo didn’t blame him. “Brother Lei, go ahead. I’ll just wander around.” After a few instructions to Zheng Wu, Lei Hang left, his face full of worry.

Seeing Lei Hang’s troubled look, Shen Duo knew there must be more going on. She asked Zheng Wu casually, not expecting an answer, “Why would the Wei family be with the Lava Mercenary Group?”

Zheng Wu sighed, watching Lei Hang’s tall figure recede. “Our Blazing Flame Mercenary Group ranks in the continent’s top ten, but we’re not yet among the elite. The Catra Forest Beast Tide task was issued by the Four Great Families. It’s an A-level mission; if we complete it, our group’s rank will rise, and we might join the continent’s top three mercenary groups. That would bring tremendous benefits to the group and its members. But competition is fierce. The task attracted many smaller groups, and even elite groups like the Lava Mercenary Group want a share. We took the task issued by the Shen family; the Lava Mercenary Group took the one from the Wei family. As you know, among the Four Great Families, the Shen and Wei families are rivals, equally matched. So, conflict with the Lava Mercenary Group and the Wei family is inevitable.”

Shen Duo hadn’t expected a high-level mercenary task to involve such complex family ties and fierce competition. She realized the Wei family’s presence was no simple matter.

Zheng Wu, realizing he’d said too much, smiled awkwardly and changed the subject. “Shen Duo, come, I’ll take you to Ao Defan. He’s been run ragged these days.”

Shen Duo didn’t mind the change of topic. She smiled slightly at Zheng Wu and followed him toward the eastern side of the camp.

From behind a giant red treasure tree in the distance, a young man in a blue robe stood with his hands behind his back, eyes filled with interest as he watched them. The cold smile on his lips was chilling.

Shen Duo and Zheng Wu soon arrived at a vast open area. Cages of various sizes and materials were scattered everywhere, most holding ferocious magical beasts. They roared and howled, but couldn’t break free of their restraints. The whole clearing was filled with the cacophony of beastly cries—some piercingly sharp.

From afar, Zheng Wu spotted a slightly plump, middle-aged man in pale purple Phantom Master robes in front of the tent, directing his subordinates to arrange the captured beasts by category. Zheng Wu ran over enthusiastically and gave the man a big hug. “Ao Defan, how have you been these days?”

Ao Defan, his belly slightly protruding, wore a look of distress. “Don’t even ask. With so many magical beasts suddenly brought in, I’m about to drop dead.”

Looking closely, Ao Defan indeed seemed exhausted, his complexion pale. Taming a magical beast consumed much mental energy—the higher the beast’s rank, the more it required. With the Beast Tide approaching, many creatures that usually hid deep in the forest had surfaced, and the Blazing Flame Mercenary Group had plenty of manpower. Just these past few days, they’d sent him a steady stream of beasts to tame.