Chapter 20: The Secret of Beast Island

“Who is it?” Chen Xi took the invitation with interest and began to read it. He had few acquaintances in the Immortal World, and as for the people on Beast Island, he had previously looked down on them, but now he mostly felt a sense of fear. It was the first time someone had properly handed over an invitation like this. Upon seeing the signature at the end, Chen Xi couldn’t help but smile.

As expected, it was a familiar face—the Daoist Ming Ling, who had spoken up for him during the evaluation. Chen Xi vaguely remembered others mentioning that Daoist Ming Ling was one of the three major arbiters in the Lower Three Immortal Realms and a very famous weapon refiner. While not as “highly respected” as the other two arbiters, he was particularly revered by loose cultivators.

Thinking back to Daoist Ming Ling’s behavior during the evaluation, Chen Xi unexpectedly felt a rare desire to befriend the old man. He decided to personally go and greet him.

“Young Chen, I hope I’m not interrupting,” Daoist Ming Ling greeted Chen Xi with a friendly smile as soon as Chen Xi stepped out of his cave residence.

“Not at all, Senior, you’re too polite. I didn’t have the opportunity before, otherwise, I would have visited you sooner. Thank you again, Senior, for speaking up for me during the Beast Island evaluation,” Chen Xi responded courteously, then invited him into the cave residence.

Daoist Ming Ling followed him inside.

“Young Chen, this place… seems rather lively?” Daoist Ming Ling paused slightly as he observed the courtyard, not immediately entering.

“It’s fine,” Chen Xi gestured for him to come in, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Chen Xi vaguely noticed that when Daoist Ming Ling saw the room full of kittens, his body seemed to stiffen for a moment, and even his gaze quickly shifted away.

So, he’s afraid of cats?

Chen Xi observed him a bit more closely but realized that Daoist Ming Ling’s tension lasted only a moment as he quickly returned to normal.

Perhaps it was a misunderstanding? After all, Daoist Ming Ling meant no harm. Chen Xi thought this and soon put the matter out of his mind. However, the Moonlight Celestial Beast, upon seeing Daoist Ming Ling, instinctively began to sharpen its claws on the stone table.

The way it stared at him was intense, much like a kitten staring at a butterfly fluttering by.

—

With a cup of lotus leaf wine and some appetizers, Chen Xi and Daoist Ming Ling chatted happily, their conversation feeling more like that of old friends despite their age difference.

Having been immortal for many years, Daoist Ming Ling was well-traveled and knowledgeable. In just a few words, he had clearly explained the current situation outside of Beast Island. Although Chen Xi was originally from the mortal realm, his speech was refined, and his understanding of the Dao was clear. Occasionally, a word or two from him brought new insights to Daoist Ming Ling.

“Overall, if you plan to stay on Beast Island, you’ll need to be more cautious. The Beast Island Secret Realm isn’t far from your cave, and many immortals have their eyes on this place. In a few days, Beast Island will likely be in turmoil. So, in my opinion, since you have no intention of getting involved, it might be better for you to move out now and find some peace.”

“Thank you, Senior, I’ll think it over,” Chen Xi nodded, not completely closing off the conversation.

Chen Xi could roughly guess Daoist Ming Ling’s intentions. He had probably come today to invite him to the Lower Three Immortal Realms.

With Chen Xi’s current abilities, establishing his own cave residence in the Lower Three Immortal Realms would be no problem. Furthermore, Daoist Ming Ling had mentioned that in the Lower Three Immortal Realms, not only would Chen Xi not be oppressed, but he would also become an extraordinary figure, greatly respected by the loose cultivators. After all, the position of an Celestial Beast was so important that no Immortal would want to offend a Beast-Taming with extraordinary skills.

Thus, Daoist Ming Ling persistently invited Chen Xi to the Immortal Realm of Craftsmanship, where he resided.

The Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm—where mastery in a single craft could make one a craftsman.

As the name implied, the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm was where artisans from the Lower Three Immortal Realms gathered. The Immortals living there, although all loose cultivators, each had their own unique skills. Some were adept at alchemy or weapon forging, while others had deep insights into talismans or farming techniques. In short, this domain was a sanctuary for those who didn’t want to be constrained by sects but instead honed their crafts. Daoist Ming Ling was one of the arbiters of this domain.

Looking at it this way, the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm seemed like a rather good place.

Seeing that Chen Xi was moved, Daoist Ming Ling quickly encouraged him further. Before he left, he specially said, “The moment I saw you during the evaluation, I really wanted to become friends. I hope you won’t reject me. I’ll be waiting for you in the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm…” He originally wanted to say “waiting for you,” but upon noticing the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s intense gaze on the stone table and the row of chubby kittens sitting neatly behind it, Daoist Ming Ling couldn’t help but shiver. The somewhat intimate words were immediately swallowed, replaced with the more polite “I will be waiting.”

He then excused himself, citing official business in the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm and quickly bid farewell to Chen Xi.

The eyes of these Celestial Beasts from Moonlight Clan were simply too dangerous, as if they might pounce and swipe a claw at him any second. Daoist Ming Ling inexplicably felt a chill down his back.

Chen Xi, preoccupied with his thoughts, didn’t notice this at all. However, the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts weren’t content to be idle and waved their fluffy little paws, which made Daoist Ming Ling feel even colder, causing his steps to hasten as he left.

—

Daoist Ming Ling’s visit was sudden, and his departure was just as swift. The Zefeng Cave Mansion returned to its usual tranquility. After seeing him off, Chen Xi began to seriously consider his future prospects.

Chen Xi calculated his popularity points. After the evaluation, he had gained an additional one million points. However, the increase had begun to slow down, with only occasional increments of ten or twenty points.

The reason was simple: the popularity on Beast Island had reached its saturation point. To go further, he would have to move to higher Immortal Realms. Especially in the Middle Three and Upper Three Immortal Realms, where the Immortals and Celestial Beasts were of a higher level, bringing in more popularity points. But if he stayed in the secluded Beast Island, there would be no way to connect with such higher-level beings.

Furthermore, Chen Xi’s survival in the Immortal World would ultimately rely on the skills granted by the dice.

In particular, the 【Heavenly Dao Fragment】 could only be beneficial the more he acquired. He had already realized over time that the 【Heavenly Dao Fragment】 were like cultivation methods in the Immortal World—once completed, they could lead to the Great Dao and might even surpass the so-called Immortal Emperors in power.

The problem was that he didn’t know when he would be able to complete the drawing.

As for the formation, it was the very foundation of Chen Xi’s livelihood and survival. Moreover, based on the state of the Moonlight Celestial Beast and the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, Beast Island, with its sparse spiritual energy, was no longer suitable for them. It was indeed time to leave the island, otherwise, staying there would be more detrimental than beneficial for their future cultivation.

With this in mind, Chen Xi made up his mind—he should go to the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm.

Once he made a decision, Chen Xi, who was always decisive, immediately began preparing for it.

While thinking about what to prepare, Chen Xi’s gaze inadvertently fell on the gift Daoist Ming Ling had given him. It was a small storage immortal artifact, not very spacious, but thoughtfully designed. Even someone like Chen Xi, a mortal without any spiritual power, could easily use it. Out of courtesy, he wondered if he should return the favor with some gift in kind.

Lost in thought, Chen Xi’s movements slowed down. But at this moment, a pair of soft, furry paws reached out from the side, and the soft pads gently pressed against the back of his hand. Chen Xi looked over and met the gaze of the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s green cat eyes, as if asking, “What are you thinking about?”

“About returning Daoist Ming Ling’s gift,” Chen Xi explained carefully as he rubbed its head. “Daoist Ming Ling has always been very polite to me, and once I go to the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm, I will likely trouble him with matters such as arranging a cave residence. So, I’m wondering what would be the most appropriate gift to give in return.”

What a waste of effort. The Moonlight Celestial Beast flicked its tail in disdain. Who cares about Daoist Ming Ling? As long as this master is well taken care of, there’s nowhere in the Immortal World we can’t go!

But seeing that Chen Xi was still bothered by it, the Moonlight Celestial Beast tossed a box out of its storage space and placed it in front of him.

“What’s this?” Chen Xi was momentarily stunned, holding the box in his hands, preparing to open it.

The box was made of high-quality warm jade, smooth and translucent, without a single flaw. The intricate hollowed floral patterns on the lid were exquisitely carved, giving it a luxurious and noble appearance. However, when he opened it, the object inside made him freeze in place.

Inside the box was a neatly woven vine cage, intricately twisted and spiraling upwards, occasionally interspersed with simple patterns made of white straw. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed entirely ordinary—a firefly cage.

The key point was that this firefly cage felt strangely familiar to Chen Xi. Because he was the one who had woven it.

A few weeks ago, seeing that the vines in the courtyard were growing well, Chen Xi had picked some and made a scratching post for the Moonlight Celestial Beast and the others. Later, seeing there were some leftovers, he casually wove this firefly cage for fun.

Since there were no fireflies in the Immortal World, the cage had never been used. He had also somehow lost track of it. Chen Xi originally thought he had discarded it, but unexpectedly, the Moonlight Celestial Beast had kept it.

“This won’t do!” Chen Xi was both amused and exasperated. Daoist Ming Ling was the arbiter of the Lower Three Immortal Realms, even though he was a mortal, he couldn’t possibly give someone a bamboo cage for insects as a gift.

Why wouldn’t it work? He might actually love it. The Moonlight Celestial Beast was very insistent, even forcing Chen Xi to quickly put the firefly cage away, alongside the invitation he had written for Daoist Ming Ling.

It was only because of the frown on his face that the beast was willing to part with the item. If it wasn’t stored away quickly, it might change its mind. After all, even though it was such an insignificant thing, it was still something Chen Xi had made with his own hands, and thus, it should belong to it personally.

—

Unable to defeat the stubborn cat, Chen Xi reluctantly followed the Moonlight Celestial Beast’s wishes and stored the firefly cage away. As for a gift, he could prepare a more thoughtful one later. As for the bamboo cage, he decided to give it to Daoist Ming Ling as a small ornament. Although it wasn’t particularly refined, it wasn’t a major issue. As for its use… after all, Daoist Ming Ling had never seen fireflies.

With this thought, Chen Xi let go of the matter. Seeing that the time had come, he left the Moonlight Celestial Beast and the others to guard the house and got ready to go to the Immortal Palace of Immortal Wuyi.

Chen Xi had always been grateful but distant toward Immortal Wuyi. After all, since his arrival on Beast Island, the external pressures and constraints he faced were mostly connected to Immortal Wuyi. If it hadn’t been for Immortal Wuyi’s constant meddling, Chen Xi wouldn’t have ended up in such a difficult situation.

However, even so, Immortal Wuyi, as the leader of the Immortals on Beast Island, had to give his approval for certain matters. For example, leaving the island.

Although Chen Xi had earned the right to leave the island after the recent Beast Island assessment, due to the unexpected deaths of Zhuang Fan and the annihilation of the Beast Taming family, the departure privileges hadn’t been issued on time. Later, when the situation calmed down, Chen Xi had forgotten to claim it, so the matter had been delayed. But now that he had decided to go to the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm, he had to take care of some formalities.

The sooner he got everything done, the sooner he could move on. With that in mind, Chen Xi quickened his pace toward Immortal Wuyi’s residence.

The journey was uneventful, and when Chen Xi arrived, Immortal Wuyi happened to be in his residence. Seeing Chen Xi, he was somewhat surprised. However, after hearing Chen Xi’s plan, Immortal Wuyi unexpectedly fell silent. After a full bowl of tea, he slowly spoke, saying, “I thought you knew, Young Chen, that the Sect Master Lingyun has taken quite an interest in you.”

“Thank you for the favor, but I am a free spirit, and I would feel more at ease in the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm,” Chen Xi responded. Hearing the subtle attempt to recruit him in Immortal Wuyi’s words, Chen Xi showed no outward reaction but inwardly sneered. These immortals must think he was foolish. Given how they had suppressed him earlier, he had generously chosen not to hold a grudge, but how could he possibly submit to them now? He simply refused outright.

“Since that’s the case…” Immortal Wuyi nodded with feigned regret, then changed his tone and said directly to Chen Xi, “I cannot allow you to leave the island.”

“Why?” Chen Xi furrowed his brow. “I remember the rules of Beast Island. As long as one passes the assessment and receives an invitation from the arbitrator, they are allowed to leave. Doesn’t this arbitrator include Daoist Ming Ling?”

“You can’t say it like that. There is such a rule, but you do not have the cultivation of a Golden Immortal or higher, so you do not meet the conditions for leaving the island,” Immortal Wuyi said with a serious expression. “The great formation for leaving the island is not ordinary. Even Earth Immortals can barely pass. You are a mortal, and your body is more fragile. Before the transmission could even begin, you might perish and turn to ashes. For your safety, I cannot agree to this request. Furthermore…”

Pausing, Immortal Wuyi played the emotional card, saying, “You’ve already become familiar with these celestial beasts on Beast Island. If you leave so suddenly, they surely won’t be able to adapt, and it will cause turmoil. After working together for so long, you can’t just watch us struggle, right?”

The hidden meaning was clear: he wasn’t going to let him leave. The mention of celestial beasts was laughable. Anyone could see that Chen Xi was planning to take the Moonlight Celestial Beast and the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts with him when he left. As for the other celestial beasts, he had never interacted with them—how could they be the ones who couldn’t adapt? Chen Xi coldly retorted, “So what you’re saying is that unless I join the Qingyun Sect, I can’t leave Beast Island?”

This was when the conversation completely broke down, and Immortal Wuyi no longer tried to hide his intentions. With a cold sneer, his celestial spiritual power erupted suddenly, and a powerful aura immediately filled every corner of the room.

“Young Chen, you should still be a bit more polite when you speak.”

“Mm…” Chen Xi staggered back a step, his blood surging from the sudden suppression, unable to control himself. It wasn’t until he activated the 【Defensive Aura】 in his system that he was barely able to block the force.

This was the power of a top-level Daluo Golden Immortal. Despite the various golden fingers provided by the system and the constant protection of the Moonlight Celestial Beast, when facing such a powerful immortal like Immortal Wuyi, Chen Xi still lacked the ability to resist.

His strength was still insufficient! Chen Xi straightened his body, his expression growing more vigilant, and he also summoned the Myriad Phenomena Chessboard.

However, Immortal Wuyi, sensing the situation, decided to stop while things were still under control and did not press the attack immediately. Instead, he made an innocent gesture and changed his tone to one of advice, as if speaking to a junior.

“Young Chen, look, you can’t even bear this small amount of my pressure. The formation to leave the island would only make things worse for you. Moreover, in the Lower Three Immortal Realm, there are many immortals, with all sorts of people. You’ll need a sect to protect yourself, won’t you? The Qingyun Sect has a special method of transmission with Beast Island, and its sect leader, Immortal Lingyun, is also the chief arbitrator of the Lower Three Immortal Realm. No matter how you look at it, it’s better than going to the Craftsmen’s Immortal Realm, which is poor and destitute.”

It was a direct threat. Immortal Wuyi’s neutral tone ignited Chen Xi’s anger, and his gaze toward Immortal Wuyi turned sharp.

“Think about it carefully and come back!” Unbothered by Chen Xi’s anger, Immortal Wuyi finished speaking and ordered his attendants to see him out. Although Chen Xi had always appeared dominant externally, especially after his brutal killing of Zhuang Fan, which had earned him authority among low-level immortals, in Immortal Wuyi’s eyes, the current Chen Xi was still a young genius with great potential but not strong enough to challenge him.

As for the mysterious abilities Chen Xi possessed, they certainly piqued Immortal Wuyi’s interest. However, knowing Chen Xi’s character—he would rather die than reveal his secrets—Immortal Wuyi thought it best to destroy him outright rather than let him become a future threat. If Chen Xi were to accidentally die, the Moonlight Celestial Beast would have no one to blame but fate.

With this thought, Immortal Wuyi quietly sent a transmission to his trusted subordinate, instructing him to give Chen Xi one last warning later.

—

“Master Chen, please,” came the voice of the subordinate Immortal, who appeared after receiving Immortal Wuyi’s message. Chen Xi initially said nothing and turned to leave. However, the Immortal followed closely behind him, clearly intending to escort him all the way back to Zefeng Cave.

“Is there something you need from me?” Chen Xi’s tone was unkind.

“There are a few things I’d like to say to you, Master Chen.” The attendant Immortal spoke respectfully. “In my opinion, it’s better if you don’t resist. The majority of the Lower Three Immortal Realm has fallen into the hands of the Qingyun Sect. No matter how powerful you are, it’s difficult to oppose half of the Lower Three Immortal Realm. It would be better to accept for now and make plans later.”

The way he spoke was almost like he was speaking from the heart, trying to ease the tense atmosphere between Chen Xi and Immortal Wuyi, giving him a way out. But Chen Xi sensed something different in his words.

He turned his head and silently scrutinized the man for a while. As expected, Chen Xi noticed that the jade pendant hanging from his waist was suspicious. The emblem of the Ying Dragon totem seemed to be a pass for entering the Lower Three Immortal Realm. If Chen Xi remembered correctly, this immortal had not participated in the previous assessment. So where did this jade pendant come from?

The immortal also noticed Chen Xi’s gaze and was quite generous. He casually took off the jade pendant and handed it to Chen Xi, smiling as he explained, “I joined a sect, so I was recommended. Just before you arrived, the immortal lord granted me permission to leave the island early.”

“Recommended by the sect?” Chen Xi, stroking the jade pendant in his hand, saw the character “Xi” clearly engraved on the back. He couldn’t help but smile sarcastically. “Don’t tell me your sect’s recommendation means they took my spot to Qingyun Sect?”

“It was arranged by the sect leader. I’m just following orders,” the immortal said respectfully, though his words seemed to carry a hidden meaning. It was as if he was warning Chen Xi that as long as Qingyun Sect did not approve, he would be stuck on Beast Island for life, unable to go anywhere else.

Whether as a beast tamer or a formation master, as long as you were on Beast Island, you would always be under the jurisdiction of Qingyun Sect.

“Heh, not bad. Qingyun Sect is indeed a great place,” Chen Xi nodded. Although his face still wore a warm smile, his heart was already filled with rage. “Did Immortal Wuyi teach you these words?”

“Yes, and what of it?” The immortal initially thought Chen Xi would explode with anger, but to his surprise, he simply asked calmly, and the immortal couldn’t help but subconsciously nod in admission.

“It’s nothing, just wanted to trouble you to deliver a message to Immortal Wuyi,” Chen Xi said as he patted the immortal’s shoulder, his tone growing even softer. “People make their own choices, but the heavens are watching. Some retributions aren’t immediate, the time just hasn’t come yet.”

With that, Chen Xi turned and walked away. As for the immortal, the moment Chen Xi patted his shoulder, he was so frightened that he almost wet himself. Although Chen Xi’s tone was light, there was a chilling undertone that made the immortal shudder involuntarily.

The words “People make their own choices, but the heavens are watching” were enough to stir deep fear in the immortal who had committed wrongs. Recalling the fate of those who had previously offended Chen Xi, he trembled even more, feeling that it was difficult to even walk back and report to Immortal Wuyi.

—

Zefeng Cave Mansion

As Chen Xi returned alone, he was immediately surrounded by the Moonshadow Celestial Beast, which was guarding the entrance.

“Xixi, Xixi, Xixi, are we moving?” One by one, the orange, chubby little creatures propped up their short legs and clung to the edges of his clothes, eagerly trying to climb up. Their sweet, honey-like voices instantly lifted Chen Xi’s depressed mood.

“I’m afraid we still have to wait.” After giving each of them a gentle rub, Chen Xi dragged the furry little creatures that clung to his clothes as he slowly made his way toward the Moonlight Celestial Beast.

“Back already?” The Moonlight Celestial Beast glanced up at him. Then, Chen Xi embraced it, and the beast lay on his body.

Chen Xi buried his head in the back of the Moonlight Celestial Beast and deliberately asked in a downcast tone, “What should I do? Immortal Wuyi won’t let me leave the island.”

“As soon as you come back, you’re acting spoiled!” The Moonlight Celestial Beast glared fiercely at Chen Xi, displeased, and swatted the back of his head with a paw.

Originally, it was standing perfectly fine, but with Chen Xi’s weight pressing down on it, the whole cat ended up lying on the stone table, making it look a little comical. However, upon hearing that Chen Xi was in a bad mood, it didn’t try to escape but instead kept swishing its tail up and down, showing signs of irritation.

“Wuyi is nothing. If you want, I can take you straight to the Upper Three Immortal Realm!”

Before it could convey its meaning to Chen Xi, it was interrupted by the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts, who were quicker.

“Wuyi is so bad. If Xixi became the master of Beast Island, could he directly punish him?”

“What do you mean?” The term “Master of Beast Island” piqued Chen Xi’s curiosity. He reached down to pick up the Moonshadow Celestial Beast that had spoken and placed it on his lap, asking more carefully.

“It’s the Beast Island Secret Realm. Don’t you know about it, Xixi? There are no treasures inside the Beast Island Secret Realm. The only benefit is that by passing the trial, one qualifies to receive the inheritance and become the Master of Beast Island.”

“Inheritance?” Chen Xi asked more questions and eventually understood something he hadn’t noticed before: the Beast Island Secret Realm was entirely different from what he had imagined. He had thought Beast Island was just a place lacking celestial energy compared to other parts of the Immortal Realm.

Through the Moonshadow Celestial Beast’s explanation, he realized that Beast Island was more like a small world in itself than just an island. Beast Island’s predecessor was a domain-type artifact called the Original Realm. It was originally created to be a sanctuary for weak celestial beasts. After the first Master of Beast Island perished, the island became ownerless and gradually developed into its current state.

As for the Beast Island Secret Realm, it was a special trial opened by the artifact in search of a new master. The trial took place once every hundred years, and those who passed could inherit the entire Beast Island.

“Seems interesting,” Chen Xi thought for a moment, and a plan quickly formed in his mind. He even came up with a way to uproot Immortal Wuyi, this malignant presence, once and for all.

As for talking with force?

Heh, unless Immortal Wuyi and Qingyun Sect’s strength were powerful enough to intimidate the entire Immortal Realm, it didn’t matter. In any world with people, it was always a world where people’s hearts could be controlled. He just didn’t have much time left and had to start preparing immediately.

With that thought in mind, Chen Xi, thoroughly enraged by Immortal Wuyi, walked into the cave mansion while plotting, determined to carry out an event that would shake the entire Three Immortal Realm…