Mr. Bai’s gift

The so-called "Heart-Unity Ring" was a Magical Artifact personally crafted by Emperor Sanmo.

In appearance, it looked like a circular gateway emitting blue light, and a Yao Beast only needed an instant in the real world to pass through it.

However, in that very instant, it would experience countless realistic illusions indistinguishable from reality.

The content of the "Heart-Unity" test was naturally to see whether the Yao Beast would commit any acts that would harm its master under various extreme situations.

This "Heart-Unity Ring" was difficult to craft, and in their haste, the Beast Taming Sect had only managed to produce one.

Although the time required to complete the test was short, the number of Yao Beasts in the Beast Taming Sect was simply too large.

This included not only the life-bound Yao Beasts of the various Disciples, but also a large group of masterless Yao Beasts engaged in manual labor, responsible for tending to spiritual fields, and guarding the Sect.

Although they were called masterless, all these Yao Beasts were under the enslavement of the Beast Taming Sect.

Controlling them was none other than the Beast Taming Sect's supreme treasure, the [Myriad Beasts Wheel].

It was said that the [Myriad Beasts Wheel] was carved with the patterns of almost every Yao Beast in the world.

Furthermore, even newly born species of Yao Beasts would appear on it shortly thereafter.

When a Yao Beast was born, its Divine Soul would be branded by the [Myriad Beasts Wheel], and from then on, for all eternity, it would be unable to escape the control of the wheel.

It was said that this supreme treasure was originally brought out from the Southern Underworld Sacred Beast Mountain by Emperor Sanmo and handed to the Beast Taming Sect's founding Ancestral Master, "Wan Shi Yong."

And it was from the [Myriad Beasts Wheel] that Wan Shi Yong comprehended the [Beast Taming True Art].

However, while the [Myriad Beasts Wheel] possessed all sorts of incredible powers, it also had many fatal flaws.

It had to be used on newborn Yao Beasts.

Furthermore, any Yao Beast whose Divine Soul was branded by it would be in the immense agony of the "Wheel's Suffering" at every moment.

Consequently, their intelligence could not fully develop, and they could only perform simple tasks.

Taming beasts for battle required a connection of hearts and minds.

Only then could one command them as easily as one's own arm and unleash maximum combat power.

One must know that in battles between Cultivators of the same rank, every single detail could influence the outcome.

If the controlled Yao Beast was not very intelligent, it was practically like severing one's own arm.

Therefore, the Cultivators of the Beast Taming Sect relied on the [Beast Taming True Art] to slowly raise their own life-bound Spirit Beasts from a young age.

They would never consider directly selecting those Yao Beasts controlled by the [Myriad Beasts Wheel].

This also led to the Beast Taming Sect falling into an extremely difficult situation after the great calamity where the Law could not be cultivated together arrived.

Fortunately, the evacuation operation was personally overseen by Emperor Sanmo, and in front of this white-haired, long-browed elder, neither humans nor beasts dared to act presumptuously.

The "Heart-Unity Ring" tests were carried out in an orderly manner.

By the end of the first day, only a fraction of the total number of Yao Beasts had been processed.

In other words, it was estimated that it would take nearly half a month to complete the selection.

The Yao Beasts that passed the screening embraced their masters, weeping, and were the first to enter the [Myriad Beasts Ark].

Before long, they would board this flying Magical Artifact, leave the Xuanhuang World, and head to an unknown Small World to take refuge.

As for those who failed the test, despite how much they were loath to part, they were still forcibly separated from their masters.

It was said that these Yao Beasts would be temporarily detained, and once the entire Beast Taming Sect had safely evacuated, they would be set free.

When the testing reached the seventh day.

That evening, Xu Ke, who had disappeared for the entire day, suddenly found Li Fan, looking flustered.

"Little Black, it's bad! You need to run away quickly."

Li Fan, who was cultivating the [Creation Furnace Skill] with his eyes closed, opened his eyes, cast a glance at the other, and remained indifferent.

Xu Ke added, "I'm not joking with you this time. If you stay any longer, you will really lose your life. Forget about me, you need to sneak out of the Beast Taming Sect immediately."

Li Fan opened his mouth and yawned.

Xu Ke immediately became anxious: "Little Black, did you even hear what I said? I heard from Senior Brother Lu Ya today that…"

"The Yao Beasts that didn't pass the test won't be set free as promised. Instead, they will all be executed. Right?" Li Fan said, cutting him off.

Xu Ke was stunned: "You… how did you know?"

"Could it be that you eavesdropped on our conversation, Little Black?" A trace of surprise flashed across Xu Ke's Face.

"I can figure that out with my claws; why would I need to eavesdrop?" Li Fan lifted his head, looking disdainful.

"Not to mention how many Sect secrets these Yao Beasts originally belonging to the Beast Taming Sect know. The evacuation from the Xuanhuang World concerns the life and death of the Beast Taming Sect; if word leaks out, who can guarantee that the Yao Beasts won't hunt them down to the Small World? When that time comes, there will be nowhere to run, and it will be a disaster of Sect-annihilation!"

"That Emperor Sanmo is not some kind-hearted person who is soft-hearted. He was able to take the method of enslaving his own kind and pass it on to humans…" A dangerous glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes.

"In short, these Yao Beasts must all die!" Li Fan said coldly.

Li Fan's words were resonant and forceful.

After a long while, Xu Ke finally reacted. He stared blankly at Li Fan: "Since you guessed it all, Little Black, why are you still so calm? Aren't you afraid?"

Li Fan held his head high and chest out, staring fixedly at Xu Ke, and demanded: "What a joke, what do I have to be afraid of? Could it be that I wouldn't pass that so-called Heart-Unity Ring test? Do you have so little confidence in me, kid?"

Caught off guard by Li Fan's Aura, Xu Ke actually dared not look him in the eye. He stammered: "That's not how it works. Nothing is absolute, what if…"

Li Fan flapped his wings, flew onto Xu Ke's head, and gave him a fierce claw: "There are no 'what ifs'!"

He said decisively.

Xu Ke wanted to say more but held back. Although he was very anxious in his heart, he knew this strange bird's stubborn temper very well, so in the end, he did not try to persuade him further.

Waiting anxiously for three days, Xu Ke finally waited for the day when Little Black was to take the test.

Under incredibly nervous gazes, Li Fan walked into the "Heart-Unity Ring."

Time seemed to stand still in that instant.

The next moment, the Heart-Unity Ring suddenly erupted with a gentle blue light; that was the sign of successfully passing the test!

"Ah! Little Black, you're amazing!" Xu Ke screamed and rushed in front of Li Fan, wanting to give him a fierce hug, but was mercilessly kicked away by one of Li Fan's claws.

"Test passed. Next." Lu Ya looked at Li Fan with some surprise and announced.

Five days later, when all the Yao Beasts of the Beast Taming Sect had completed the "Heart-Unity Ring" test, the [Myriad Beasts Ark] was already loaded to the brim.

It was about to set sail towards an unknown home.

"Senior Brother Lu Ya, aren't you coming?" On the deck, Xu Ke looked curiously at Lu Ya, who was standing at the bow of the ship, and asked with his head tilted.

Lu Ya reached out and patted Xu Ke's head: "Someone has to stay behind. The Ten Immortal Sects also need Face, you see. If we don't even pretend, it wouldn't be good to provoke others' anger."

Xu Ke nodded, half-understanding.

"You go. The future of the Beast Taming Sect depends on you."

Tying a red string around Xu Ke's right wrist, Lu Ya said with some reluctance in his eyes.

"Wow, this is a red string woven by Mr. Bai!" The unique knotting style on the red string allowed Xu Ke to recognize its origin at a glance.

Back when they were in the dilapidated temple in Ningyuan City, whenever a child was cured by Mr. Bai after falling ill.

Mr. Bai would always tie such a red string on their wrists, praying for peace and safety in the future.

Xu Ke raised his hand, placed the red string before his eyes, and looked at it again and again.

Li Fan also stared at the red string, an indescribable feeling welling up in his heart.