Chapter 687: I've Finished Learning

Normally, taming a beast takes years of time, heartfelt connection, and selfless dedication; it's impossible to just beat it into submission like Zhang Xuan did.

Therefore, the bond between a tamer and their beast is extremely deep, and over long periods, they even cultivate together, merging their bloodlines.

This Rock Dragon Beast had accompanied the elder for who knows how long, and on top of that, it died for him. Clearly, in its heart, it had long regarded him as its closest companion, and no matter how difficult, it wanted to fulfill his last wish.

That... Purple-Winged Heavenly Eagle Beast isn't from the Beast Hall?

Zhang Xuan frowned.

Most spirit beasts in the Beast Hall are tamed by someone. Even without knowing beast language, there are ways for master and beast to communicate.

Now he wanted to learn beast language to understand the Rock Dragon Beast's dying words from this big fellow. The latter was naturally untamed; otherwise, he could just ask its tamer directly, without all this trouble.

An adult Purple-Winged Heavenly Eagle Beast is also at the Mortal Transcendence Eighth Layer, but this one has reached the Half-Step Ninth Layer. No one in our Beast Hall can tame it...

Half-Step Ninth Layer?

Yes, though it's only half-step, with its bloodline and strength, even some true Mortal Transcendence Ninth Layer experts are no match. Moreover, because of the Rock Dragon Beast's death, it holds a great grudge against humans and simply cannot be tamed...

The elder said.

"It's friends with the Dragon Rock Beast?" Zhang Xuan wondered.

"They're... lovers!" the old man hesitated, then said.

"Lovers?" Zhang Xuan suddenly understood.

Some powerful spirit beasts are often solitary, making it hard to find others of the same species. In such cases, they form bonds with another powerful life form as companions. Of course, whether such companions can continue their bloodline is uncertain.

It's merely spiritual companionship—fighting together, surviving together.

Even among humans, some dao companions are like this.

At high levels of cultivation, spiritual communication is paramount; procreation and physical pleasure are no longer valued.

Since the Purple-Winged Sky-Devouring Beast and the Dragon Rock Beast were lovers, it naturally cared deeply for it.

Having witnessed its partner's death with its own eyes, it naturally harbored resentment toward the old man, the master. No wonder it wouldn't tell him.

And the old man's single-minded pursuit of learning beast language was to communicate with it and resolve the grudge.

"Master, since the Purple-Winged Sky-Devouring Beast is the companion of your spirit beast, then why... does it come causing trouble every few days, ambushing the Beast Hall?" Han Chong, who seemed to know something about this beast, couldn't help asking.

"Ambushing?" Luo Qiqi looked over.

"Yeah, this big guy comes several times a month, raiding the Beast Hall and eating one or two spirit beasts or savage beasts. It's caused a lot of complaints. Every time, the Beast Hall spends a huge price trying to catch it, but its strength and speed are too great, too fast—they simply can't catch it..."

Han Chong explained.

Although he hadn't been at the Beast Hall of the Featherfall Empire long, he had seen many things.

Every month, this Purple-Winged Sky Eagle would raid the Beast Hall several times, stealing and eating spirit beasts and savage beasts, frustrating many people. But limited by its strength, even if the Beast Hall was helpless, there was nothing they could do.

Originally, they thought it was an unowned spirit beast that couldn't stand seeing spirit beasts dominated by humans. Now, it seemed it might be deliberately retaliating.

"It's unhappy about the Dragon Rock Beast being killed, so it deliberately comes to the Beast Hall to cause trouble. All these years I've studied beast language, hoping to ask it what it really wants!"

The elder shook his head, then couldn't help looking at Zhang Xuan: "Since you even know True Dragon Speech, do you also know some ancient beast language?"

True Dragon Speech, even for true dragons themselves, required learning from a specialist. Since the other party could teach the Eight Dragon Notes, could he have also taught ancient beast language?

Although he had just said he only knew a little, could it be a modest statement?

Zhang Xuan scratched his head: "Ancient beast language... I really don't know it!"

He had learned a few phrases back then, but when he spoke them, the spirit beasts roared uncontrollably and nearly went mad. He didn't know what they meant himself, so it was no different from not knowing.

"Don't know?" Hearing his confirmation, the elder's expectant eyes dimmed. He asked again: "Then... the Eight Dragon Notes?"

Even if the Purple-Winged Sky Eagle didn't have dragon bloodline, if this young man could truly speak dragon language, he might be able to communicate with it, make it obediently reveal what happened back then, and even tell why it was so hostile to humans and deliberately caused trouble at the Beast Hall.

"I... only know one syllable!" Zhang Xuan felt even more embarrassed.

The other party thought he really knew dragon language, but in fact, he had only learned one syllable. It was fine for scaring spirit beasts with dragon bloodline when he had nothing else to do.

But asking him to speak complete dragon language was definitely impossible.

"One syllable?" The elder swayed.

He had thought hearing the young man speak dragon language meant finding hope, but now it seemed no different from before.

"Forget it then..."

Shaking his head, the elder felt helpless.

Over the years, he had collected many books and specially studied ancient beast language, but this language was too difficult. Even for him, without guidance or a teacher, unable to distinguish truth from falsehood, he hadn't deciphered many phrases.

He had thought that with Han Chong's strong recommendation, he might learn something from the other party, but unexpectedly, he also didn't know.

"Actually... don't lose heart. Since you've studied ancient beast language for so many years, you must have collected many books. Could I borrow them to read? If I happen to gain some insight, who knows?"

Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Borrow and read? Insights?" The elder smiled bitterly. "You mean, study now?"

"Mm!" Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Do you know how difficult the ancient beast language is?"

Seeing that he indeed had this intention, the elder couldn't help shaking his head. "The beast language has been lost. Many of the records passed down today are vague, and quite a few are specious. Not to mention whether you can pronounce it—even if you can, do you know what it means? I've studied it for no less than fifty years, and still haven't made any progress. Now you look..."

Although he didn't finish his words, his meaning was clear: he thought the young man was simply fooling around.

He had studied it all his life and still understood nothing. If you could learn it just by reading a book, the ancient beast language wouldn't have been lost, leaving countless beast tamers desperate to restore it but unable to.

"I'm also very interested in the ancient beast language. I just want to take a casual look. If I can learn it, that's best; if not, there's no helping it..."

Knowing the other's concerns and thoughts, Zhang Xuan said.

"Alright, go on in. My thatched hut is full of books on the ancient beast language. Over the years, I've collected almost every record related to the beast language in the Huan Yu Empire..."

The elder, somewhat dispirited, waved his hand.

Although these books were collected with painstaking effort, they weren't anything crucial. Since the other wanted to look, it was no big deal.

"Thank you!"

Zhang Xuan clasped his fists, pushed open the door, and walked in.

Seeing his figure disappear from sight, the elder couldn't help shaking his head, his face full of disappointment. "Even if someone taught the ancient beast language, it would take years to learn. If it could be learned so easily, wouldn't these fifty years of my life have been wasted?"

He had thought that since the other could produce the sound of a true dragon, his temperament must be steady. Unexpectedly, he was still so impetuous.

The ancient beast language involved a major secret of the Beast Hall. If it were so easy to learn, these beast tamers wouldn't be so passive in taming spirit beasts.

"Teacher... is usually steady. Since he's going to read, he must have his own thoughts. Perhaps he can learn a thing or two!"

Hearing the doubt in the elder's words, Luo Qiqi couldn't help saying.

"Teacher? You are his student?"

Hearing the girl's address, the elder was startled and couldn't help looking over.

This girl, whether in cultivation or temperament, was outstanding, a standout among her peers. How could she acknowledge someone younger than herself as her teacher?

"Yes!" Luo Qiqi nodded.

"Just now I heard you call him Zhang Shi. Is the one who just went in a master teacher?" Seeing her admit it, the elder remembered Han Chong's words.

"Zhang Shi is a four-star master teacher, champion of the Ten Nations Union Master Teacher Tournament. This time he's going to the Hong Yuan Empire, probably to study at the Master Teacher Academy!" Han Chong thought for a moment and said.

The Master Teacher Tournament hadn't yet concluded when he left Ten Nations City, so he didn't know many details, but he had heard something about Zhang Xuan winning the championship and going to the academy.

"Champion of the Master Teacher Tournament?"

The elder was taken aback.

"Not only that, Zhang Shi is also a four-star beast tamer and a four-star medical master!" Han Chong quickly added.

"Four-star beast tamer?" The elder frowned. "Since he's a four-star beast tamer, he should know the difficulty of the ancient beast language. He can't be so frivolous..."

If he were only a master teacher and didn't understand beast taming, that would be one thing.

A four-star beast tamer was already an outstanding figure among tamers. How could he not know the difficulty of the ancient beast language?

If he knew, how could he say something so unprofessional as wanting to learn it?

"When he comes out, notify me, and I'll take you to see the hall master."

Shaking his head, no longer dwelling on the issue, the elder waved his hand.

"See the hall master? Teacher, are you going to help find a flying spirit beast?" Han Chong's eyes lit up.

"Mm, since he's a four-star master teacher and a beast tamer, if I can help, I naturally won't refuse. I recall the hall master still has a Mortal Transformation Realm Seventh Layer flying spirit beast. Although he never lends it out, if I go and ask personally, he might show some face."

The elder said.

"Thank you, Teacher..."

Seeing the teacher agree to help, Han Chong quickly nodded. Just as he was about to continue speaking, he heard the door creak open, and the young man walked out.

"Eh?"

Everyone was startled. The elder also frowned.

Hadn't he gone in to read and learn the ancient beast language? It had been less than ten minutes—why was he out already?

"Did you realize the ancient beast language isn't that simple? Don't want to study it anymore?"

The elder couldn't help asking.

Surely he had gone in, seen the vast sea of books, and backed down. Otherwise, why would he come out so soon?

"It is indeed very difficult, but it's not that I don't want to study it anymore. Rather..."

Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, then finally said.

"...I've finished learning it!"