Chen Wan was quite surprised by Yuan Ming’s appearance. After inquiring, she learned that Yuan Ming had taken on the task of taking care of Huo Chen’er, and her face naturally showed excitement.

“Yuan Ming, there are some things… maybe I shouldn’t say, but I still think I should remind you.” After looking at Yuan Ming for a long time, Chen Wan hesitated and said.

“Chen Senior Sister, just say it.” Yuan Ming guessed what she was thinking and wasn’t surprised, so he said.

“It’s good to be ambitious as a cultivator, but as a disciple of the Fire Refining Hall, you should focus more on refining and cultivation.” Chen Wan hesitated for a moment and said.

Yuan Ming’s expression remained unchanged when he heard this, and he smiled and asked, “Senior Sister Chen thinks I have ulterior motives for taking on this task?”

Chen Wan was taken aback by his directness.

“It’s not easy to tame a beast. As a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall, your Master won’t agree to you taking on this task.” Chen Wan didn’t continue the conversation and said to herself.

“Senior Sister, rest assured, I understand the reasons behind it all. I have made thorough preparations before coming here.” Yuan Ming said confidently.

“You… forget it, since you have made up your mind, I won’t say much. I will take you to see Master.” Chen Wan sighed and said.

“Thank you.”

Yuan Ming followed her into the bamboo forest and walked through a winding path, arriving in front of a courtyard built with green bamboo.

The courtyard was not too big, but the overall layout was very exquisite. The outer wall was wrapped in bamboo weaving, and inside were several bamboo buildings with steeply sloping roofs, neatly arranged.

“You wait here, I will go in and inform Master.” Chen Wan said to Yuan Ming.

“No problem.”

Yuan Ming waited outside the courtyard for a long time before Chen Wan returned and opened the bamboo door.

“Come in.” Chen Wan greeted, and Yuan Ming followed her into the courtyard.

The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, filled with fine white gravel in the gaps. In the southeast corner of the wall, there was a finely crafted table and chairs made of white marble. A person in red clothes was sitting there.

Unlike the last time they met, the Third Sect Master was not wearing red armor today, but a loose, fiery red robe. A golden silk ribbon was tied around her waist. In her gentle temperament, there was a hint of laziness.

“I have seen the Third Sect Master.” Yuan Ming stepped forward and saluted.

The Third Sect Master glanced at him and furrowed her brows slightly, “The task you took today?”

“Yes.” Yuan Ming nodded.

After speaking, he felt that the Third Sect Master’s question was a bit strange.

“As a disciple of the Beast Taming Hall, what confidence do you have to take on this task?” The Third Sect Master said coldly.

“Yesterday, I studied the books on taking care of spirit beasts in the Return to Storage Pavilion. I believe I can help alleviate the difficulties for the Sect Master.” Yuan Ming said.

Upon hearing this, Chen Wan’s face changed slightly. Just by reading a few books, Yuan Ming dared to take on this task. His courage was too great, wasn’t it?

Sure enough, after hearing this answer, the Third Sect Master’s face darkened and said, “If you really want to take on this task, at least go to the Beast Taming Hall to listen and learn for half a month before coming back.”

After saying that, she waved her hand and gave Yuan Ming an order to leave.

Yuan Ming, however, seemed rooted to the spot and did not move.

Seeing this, Chen Wan couldn’t care about hiding their previous relationship as acquaintances anymore. She kept making eye gestures at him, hoping he would know better and not offend the Master.

However, it was as if Yuan Ming didn’t see it at all and said, “Master, since I’m here, I naturally have confidence in being able to handle it. Why not let me try? Seeing is believing, after all.”

The Third Sect Master glanced at him, pondered for a moment, and asked, “Do you really have confidence?”

“You’ll know once I try.” Yuan Ming said.

“Do you understand the nature of Huo Chen’er?” The Third Sect Master frowned and asked.

“The common characteristic of fire attribute spirit beasts is that they like the sun and dislike the shade. Before reaching adulthood, they are mostly active and like to run and chase. After reaching adulthood, they become more restrained but more aggressive. Huo Chen’er is not yet an adult and is in the active stage. It can be properly tamed, but it should not be forcibly confined, as it will hinder its natural development and affect its future achievements. I think…” Yuan Ming spoke confidently.

After saying these words, the Third Sect Master’s expression gradually eased.

She then asked a few more questions, and Yuan Ming answered them fluently, earning a slight nod from the Third Sect Master. Although there was surprise in her eyes, there was more admiration.

Chen Wan, on the other hand, was stunned. She never expected that in just over half a month since he started, Yuan Ming had already mastered so much knowledge about beast taming.

She couldn’t help but sigh in her heart. Perhaps Yuan Ming would have a better development if he went to the Beast Taming Hall to cultivate?

But as soon as she thought of Kun Tu in the Beast Taming Hall, she immediately dismissed the idea.

At this moment, the Third Sect Master said, “No matter how much theoretical knowledge you learn, it still depends on practical results. If you can call Huo Chen’er over from my hand, I will give you this task.”

“Okay.” Yuan Ming readily agreed.

With the previous experiences as a foundation, he believed that it shouldn’t be difficult for him to do this.

After all, Huo Chen’er had eaten his Fire Essence Jade before. As the saying goes, it’s hard to bite the hand that feeds you. Huo Chen’er shouldn’t refuse him.

Chen Wan, on the other hand, shook her head secretly.

Huo Chen’er was a very peculiar creature. It was the senior brother who had been with the Master the longest, but every time he tried to lure it with Fire Essence Jade and Flame Crystals, it would ignore him, let alone a stranger like Yuan Ming.

Just as she expected, the Third Sect Master patted the red spirit beast bag hanging from her waist, and a flash of red light appeared. A fiery red figure suddenly appeared out of thin air and was grabbed by the skin on its neck by her, hanging in mid-air.The newly released Huo Chan’er, a fiery marten, immediately kicked its four legs in a frenzy, venting its dissatisfaction at being confined in the spirit beast pouch.

After struggling for a while and realizing it couldn’t escape from the grasp of the Third Cave Master, it finally gave up like a defeated rooster, drooping its head and lying down, no longer resisting.

At this point, the Third Cave Master gestured to Yuan Ming to call Huo Chan’er.

Yuan Ming nodded and softly called out, “Huo Chan’er.”

The previously dispirited marten, upon hearing the voice, immediately struggled to turn its neck and looked at Yuan Ming.

“Did it really respond?” Chen Wan was somewhat surprised at this scene.

She had tried calling Huo Chan’er in the past, but at most she would only receive a roll of the eyes, rarely getting a direct response.

A smile appeared at the corner of Yuan Ming’s mouth as he beckoned to Huo Chan’er.

The Third Cave Master timely released her grip.

Suddenly free, the marten darted out the moment it hit the ground, leaping over the bamboo wall and disappearing.

The three people by the stone table looked at each other, the scene momentarily silent.

“So it is…” Chen Wan’s previous guess was confirmed, she thought to herself.

A hint of disappointment flashed in the Third Cave Master’s eyes as she said, “It seems your attempt has failed, I…”

Before she could finish her sentence, a fiery shadow leapt back over the wall. The moment it landed, it climbed up Yuan Ming’s leg and darted onto his shoulder.

The returning marten, as if stepping on hot coals, darted back and forth on Yuan Ming’s back and shoulder without stopping, but its head kept rubbing against his cheek, showing a very intimate demeanor.

Seeing this, Chen Wan was stunned.

“Last time I thought it was an accident, but it seems it really has a natural affinity for you,” the Third Cave Master was also surprised.

Yuan Ming extended his arm, and Huo Chan’er immediately climbed up and sat in his palm.

“Huo Chan’er, come back.”

The Third Cave Master had never seen it so obedient. As its master, she couldn’t help but feel competitive.

To everyone’s surprise, Huo Chan’er turned its little head, looked between her and Yuan Ming, then at the spirit beast pouch on the Third Cave Master’s waist, and chose not to return.

Even the Third Cave Master was somewhat unsettled by this.

She first turned her wrist, and a dark gold token appeared in her palm. After thinking for a moment, she put it away.

Then, she reached into another exquisite white pouch at her waist, and a semi-transparent red crystal appeared in her hand.

The moment it saw the crystal, Huo Chan’er’s eyes lit up. It leapt from Yuan Ming’s hand towards the crystal.

However, the moment it leapt, someone grabbed the skin on the back of its neck and lifted it up.

The enticing red crystal disappeared before its eyes.

Huo Chan’er immediately cried out in dissatisfaction, struggling with its claws and teeth.

The Third Cave Master tossed it away.

Yuan Ming reached out and caught Huo Chan’er in his arms.

“For the next month and a half, I will be in closed-door cultivation to refine a magical tool. I’ll leave Huo Chan’er in your care. The reward for the task will be settled after the period,” the Third Cave Master said.

“Alright.” Yuan Ming was delighted. He put Huo Chan’er on his shoulder and immediately bowed in gratitude.

At this point, the Third Cave Master took off a silver-white pouch from her waist and tossed it to Yuan Ming.

Seeing this, Chen Wan raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Third Cave Master, what is this?” Yuan Ming asked in surprise as he caught it.

“There are some fire crystals and fire jade in it. Feed Huo Chan’er one a day… at most two,” the Third Cave Master said after a moment’s thought.

Yuan Ming nodded, pulled at the bag’s opening, and tried to open it.

To his surprise, he found that he couldn’t open the bag.

Seeing this, the Third Cave Master said, “This is a storage bag, it’s not opened by brute force. I’ll teach you a refining mantra, try to refine it.”

Yuan Ming didn’t understand why the storage bag couldn’t be opened by force, but he just nodded.

The Third Cave Master immediately began to recite a mantra of about three hundred words.

After reciting it, she quietly watched Yuan Ming, waiting for him to ask questions. However, Yuan Ming just lowered his gaze, seemingly deep in thought.

Huo Chan’er was still restless, darting back and forth on him.

However, after waiting for a while, Yuan Ming still didn’t ask any questions. Seeing this, the Third Cave Master couldn’t help but frown.

(End of Chapter)