C13 Demon Beast Farm

Chapter Twelve: The Demon Beast Breeding Grounds

Lin Xuan's excitement surged; he had witnessed the formidable power of the Falling Cloud Palm and was eager to try it out himself!

But as he glanced out the window, the night had already fallen, and he reluctantly shelved his plans.

At the break of dawn, Lin Xuan rose early, intent on practicing the Falling Cloud Palm.

Yet, Lin Xuan was hesitant to reveal his mastery of the technique, as it was bound to cause a sensation. He feared being captured and dissected for study.

Hence, practicing at the martial arts field was out of the question.

"Ah, that's right, the Lin Clan Elder assigned me to the service room, didn't he? That space should be ample enough for a perfect practice spot for the Falling Cloud Palm!"

With this thought, Lin Xuan departed the small courtyard and made his way to the service room on the Lin family's back mountain.

The term 'service room' was a bit of a misnomer; it encompassed nearly half the back mountain. It served to provide for the Lin family's hundreds of members' needs, from food and clothing to various tasks like tending to medicinal fields and the rearing and slaughtering of ordinary Demon Beasts.

The flesh of Demon Beasts was rich with vital essence, beneficial for enhancing one's constitution. Dozens of beasts were slaughtered daily to ensure each family disciple received a portion.

The supply from hunting in the Abyssal Forest alone couldn't meet the demand, necessitating artificial breeding and raising.

"Heh, it's no wonder the Lin family is the main house, one of the four great families of Sky Star City. This service room is leagues beyond the dilapidated place I stayed at in the branch family!"

This was Lin Xuan's first visit, and as he surveyed the area, he was taken aback by the village-like bustle of the back mountain, with people bustling to and fro.

"All these individuals are servants and laborers of the Lin family, dependent on the family for generations, their homes now forming a village."

As Lin Xuan pondered this, an unexpected figure approached from behind. He instinctively turned to look and recognized a familiar face.

"Lin Zifeng, what brings you here?"

The newcomer was none other than Lin Zifeng, a fellow selectee from the branch family alongside Lin Xuan. Known for his reticence, Lin Xuan was surprised to discover that Zifeng was quite knowledgeable.

"I've taken on a task from the Replacement Hall to gather herbs in the medicinal fields!"

Lin Zifeng spoke with a tranquil tone, his expression serene as a still lake. He nodded slightly at Lin Xuan and gave a respectful bow. "The elders of the Spiritual Medicine Pavilion are awaiting my return with the herbs, so I must be on my way."

"Understood, off you go!"

Lin Xuan nodded in response. His interactions with Lin Zifeng were limited, and this was their first conversation since his rebirth.

Once Lin Zifeng departed, Lin Xuan, guided by the local servants, met with the steward of the estate.

"Steward Lin, I've erred and been sentenced by Patriarch Lin Yue to half a month of hard labor here. I've come to report to you."

Before Lin Xuan stood a portly steward, clad in fine garments, lounging comfortably on a bamboo chair. At the sound of Lin Xuan's voice, he swiveled his head around.

"Who is this youngster? I don't recall ever seeing you at the Lin Residence."

The steward scrutinized Lin Xuan with a skeptical look, remaining seated.

"I am a disciple from the branch family," Lin Xuan replied with composure. "Thanks to my exceptional test results, Elder Lin Yue brought me to the main family for cultivation. Today marks my first day."

"Hmm, a branch family disciple, I see. Well, as a cultivator, you're certainly a cut above the common folk. Head over to the feeding grounds and slaughter some Demon Beasts for provisions."

"You'll find instructions there on which Demon Beasts to kill and how many. Off you go!"

The steward's gaze flickered with contempt, seemingly unimpressed by someone of Lin Xuan's humble origins, and he casually dismissed him to the most grueling of tasks.

Little did the steward know, this suited Lin Xuan perfectly. Inside, he was practically bursting with laughter.

Lin Xuan offered a slight bow and expressed his gratitude to the steward, "Thank you, Steward Lin, for looking after me. I'll get to my tasks now!"

With that, he disregarded the steward's puzzled look and made his way toward the deeper parts of the back mountain.

It took a while, but the portly steward eventually chuckled to himself, "Thanking me? Ha, could the lad be simple-minded?"

"No, that's not it. Perhaps it's his first time dealing with Demon Beasts, and he finds it quite straightforward. He must think I've been helping him out, hence the thanks..."

Unaware of the steward's quiet musings, Lin Xuan stepped into the Demon Beast Breeding Grounds nestled in the back mountain.

The expanse before him was vast, easily the size of several soccer fields, divided into numerous sections each housing different Demon Beasts. There was even a specially excavated pond for aquatic varieties.

Having pored over the 'Demon Beast Encyclopedia' the night before, Lin Xuan had familiarized himself with some of the most common creatures.

"The Brocade Chicken — a low-grade Demon Beast known for its plump and tasty meat, making it one of the easiest species to breed."

"These chickens look quite different from those on Earth in my past life; they're larger, with vibrant feathers concealing bone spurs that protrude like a hedgehog's when threatened."

"Their claws are particularly noteworthy — sharper and harder than any blade, they can easily cause injury."

"The Antlered Boar — another low-grade Demon Beast, armored with a thick layer of scales that ordinary blades can't penetrate. It's highly aggressive, fond of charging about, and a collision with an unsuspecting person could be fatal."

"The Duckbill Beast — also low-grade, bears some resemblance to the duck-billed platypuses of my previous life's Blue Planet. It's probably the least dangerous of all Demon Beasts."

"With negligible offensive capabilities and sluggish movements, they rely on their charm and playing dead to evade predators."

Lin Xuan now had a general understanding of the Demon Beasts before him. They weren't particularly menacing, and for him at this point, dispatching them posed no challenge — in fact, it was remarkably easy.

As Lin Xuan stood outside the fence, surveying the area, a burly man with his chest and stomach bare approached him, a look of confusion on his face. "Are you the Spirit Cultivator assigned to slay the Demon Beast today?"

Lin Xuan nodded in response, eyeing the towering figure before him. He could tell the man was merely an ordinary person, albeit with a notably imposing build.

"Okay, your job this morning is to take down five Armored Boars, twenty Jinxiu Birds, ten Duckbill Beasts, and twenty Scaled Fish."

"We'll handle everything after the slaughter!"

The burly man's voice was deep and resonant, exuding a sense of bravado.

"Sure, I'd appreciate it if you could show me the way, big brother."

"Follow me, then!"

Lin Xuan nodded again and quickly kept pace with the man, making their way into the interior of the breeding facility.

As they walked, Lin Xuan's curiosity got the better of him. "Big brother, don't we have any dedicated Spirit Cultivators for killing Demon Beasts at our farm?"

The man chuckled, "Oh, little brother, you're pulling my leg, aren't you? No Spirit Cultivator wants to get their hands dirty on such an unrewarding and grueling task. It's beneath them!"