Chapter 222

The matter of Cui Cheng being beaten spread quickly through the school.

Those lackeys who usually followed him around shouted, demanding to find the person who had struck him.

Those who had always disliked Cui Cheng but dared not act because of his powerful family, this time openly mocked him behind his back.

"Finally seeing him suffer a setback, I say it must be some hero who really couldn't stand him, stepping forward to give him a beating on our behalf!"

"And it's a female hero! I really admire such a person!"

After learning of this, the Cui family not only failed to cover up for him or investigate the true culprit, but instead scolded Cui Cheng as useless, unable even to beat a woman, wasting all the resources they had poured into him over the years.

And the principal, regarding Cui Cheng's explanation, remained silent, believing it to be a personal grudge.

If one were to say a spy had indeed infiltrated, the person most worthy of suspicion would naturally be Ye Xiu, who possesses an S‑grade talent; although his awakening ultimately collapsed, the destructive power of an S‑grade talent is still not to be underestimated.

The instigator, Lin Meng, returned to the real world, and after waiting only a day, she received a message from Ye Fan.

He had already inquired clearly about the rules of the Spirit Beast Garden, and immediately came to report to Lin Meng.

"Fairy elder sister, the sect strictly controls spirit beasts within; I am no longer an inner‑sect disciple, so I lack the qualifications to directly apply to the sect for purchasing spirit beasts, and can only settle for buying spirit beast eggs."

Raising spirit beast eggs requires great effort, for those eggs must each day absorb and consume heavenly materials and earthly treasures within a special formation; therefore the sect is quite willing to have disciples exchange equivalent materials for them.

As for spirit beast hatchlings that have already been successfully hatched, the exchange requirements are extremely high; first and foremost, one must be an inner‑sect disciple.

And adult spirit beasts are even rarer to encounter.

Ye Fan felt ashamed; he had already missed one inner‑sect disciple selection, and if another chance came later he would certainly have to take it seriously, otherwise he would be too unworthy of the fairy elder sister's cultivation.

Lin Meng, hearing this, was indifferent; on the contrary, she thought spirit beast eggs were good, because raising them from the egg would yield a higher rapport.

"Spirit beast eggs then—just get me two."

"Ye Fan, if you yourself have a favorite, remember to act quickly, lest someone else snatch it up; having a spirit beast as a companion is also good."

Ye Fan kept this in mind and immediately rushed to the Spirit Beast Garden.

That is a mountain next to the Herb Garden; from valley to peak it all belongs to the Spirit Beast Garden's territory, and it is overseen by a Golden Core‑stage elder and his dozen‑odd disciples.

Few disciples come and go to the Spirit Beast Garden, but Ye Fan visited twice in one day, naturally drawing attention.

"This junior fellow, are you looking to buy a spirit beast?"

Suddenly, a refined‑looking disciple approached Ye Fan; seeing him dressed in the garb of an outer‑sect menial disciple, there was no contempt in his eyes.

Ye Fan returned the gesture with a clasped‑hand salute.

"Senior brother, I would like to buy a spirit beast egg."

Chu Yunshan, hearing this, led Ye Fan inside while speaking enthusiastically:

"How should I address you, junior? I am Chu Yunshan, the senior senior brother of this Spirit Beast Garden, and I am on duty today."

"Chu senior brother, I am Ye Fan; I don't know the price of a spirit beast egg—is it exchanged for points, or can it be bought with spirit stones or other resources?"

Chu Yunshan saw that Ye Fan was not an inner‑sect disciple, thus knew he could only buy spirit beast eggs, and led him straight to the egg formation while saying:

"It depends on what quality you want, junior Ye; ordinary spirit beast eggs are cheap—one hundred spirit stones will buy one, while higher‑quality eggs require heavenly materials and earthly treasures, such as rare spirit herbs or medicinal pills."

Ye Fan listened, and upon arriving inside the tower, his eyes fell upon rows of beast eggs nestled in grass tufts.

They all lay within a Spirit Gathering Formation, nourished by the gathered spiritual energy.

Chu Yunshan introduced:

"The egg‑formation tower has three levels in total; naturally the lowest level holds the lowest‑grade spirit beast eggs, junior Ye—if you take a liking to any, you can simply pay spirit stones and take them away at any time."

"The eggs on the second level are of somewhat better grade, with the advantage that they can hatch immediately, costing three hundred spirit stones."

"Please, senior brother, take me directly to the third level."

Before Chu Yunshan could finish describing the third level, Ye Fan spoke up.

"The spirit beast egg for the fairy elder sister naturally must be the best."

Chu Yunshan stared, a little uncertain, and said:

"Junior, the spirit beast eggs on the third level are not cheap."

He did not look down on Ye Fan; he merely meant that to take away a third‑level spirit beast egg, one needed the master's nod of approval.

Chu Yunshan thought Ye Fan would not be able to produce anything worthy of the master's approval.

Ye Fan, however, spoke with full confidence:

"Senior brother, just lead the way; if I find something I like, I will personally provide heavenly materials and earthly treasures."

Although Chu Yunshan still harbored doubts, he nevertheless led Ye Fan up to the third floor.

The third level held only a dozen or so spirit beast eggs, each exuding a mysterious aura, even the patterns on their shells being out of the ordinary.

"Junior, you may come closer to look; choose the spirit beast egg according to your own feeling—your feeling will tell you which one resonates with you."

Ye Fan, hearing this, was at a loss; he didn't understand these matters, each spirit beast egg being protected by a formation and impossible to probe with mental power—how was he to choose?

Suddenly, he thought of something and hurriedly asked Chu Yunshan.

"Senior brother, which two in here look the best?"

Chu Yunshan, hearing this, stared dumbfounded, thinking he had misheard, and asked again.

"Junior, what did you just say? Good‑looking? Are you sure you want good‑looking rather than strong?"

Only those young ladies from aristocratic families like to keep useless but pretty spirit pets at their side—how could this junior also be looking for a spirit beast by that standard?

Ye Fan quickly shook his head, "Senior brother, you've misunderstood—these third‑level spirit beast eggs are certainly all strong; I just want the two best‑looking among them."

Chu Yunshan, hearing this, then nodded, stroked his chin, looked around, and pointed to one black and one white spirit beast egg.

"Those two, then—although our master does not allow the varieties of these spirit beast eggs to be disclosed, he once let slip while drunk that the spirit beasts inside those two eggs possess an ethereal beauty, making them naturally the best‑looking."

Ye Fan took a close look, and indeed the patterns on those two eggs were the most pleasing; he therefore nodded and said:

"I'll take them; please, senior brother, handle the notification."

"Junior, wait a moment; I'll go fetch the master right away."

Chu Yunshan said this and then left; Ye Fan stood outside the formation, thought for a moment, and clasped the pot of spirit rice to his chest.

Now he only has the cola and spirit rice given by the Immortal Sister, and the boiled eggs he can bring out; but boiled eggs are only useful for disciples who need Foundation Establishment, and cola is most effective for those at Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivation.

That Spirit Beast Garden Elder is a Golden Core cultivator; I suppose he wouldn't think much of it.

Moreover, when he came he saw vegetables planted in the mountains and a few ordinary chickens kept for meat, guessing that this Elder might still be a cultivator with mortal desires.

The spirit rice given by the Immortal Sister is unmatched under heaven; he doesn't believe any sect elder would dislike it.

After thinking it over, only the spirit rice remains.

But doing so would reveal that he has spirit rice; he only hopes the Garden Master is someone easy to deal with, willing to keep the secret for him temporarily.