Genius Beast Tamer

[Read the full text of this error-free, first-release novel – your best choice!]

It took Han Wuxie and his two younger brothers four hours to walk out of the large forest. It took them about half an hour to leave the forest and they arrived at the city gate of Ancheng.

The guards at the city gate looked at the three children with some confusion.

The oldest of these three children was probably only ten years old, and the other two were probably only four or five years old. Judging from their clothes and appearance, they didn't seem to be children from poor families. But if they were children from wealthy families, why would no one be following them?

"Where are you from?" the guard asked.

Han Tianci and Han Xingyu were very well-behaved. They knew that at this time, saying too much would only lead to more mistakes, so it was better to let their older sister do the talking.

Han Wuxie smiled slightly, exuding a noble and refined air. She said politely, "My two younger brothers and I are originally from the city. This morning, I took them hunting outside the city, but we got lost in the forest, so we are only returning now."

Han Wuxie was nervous as she said this, unsure if the guard in the morning was the same person as the guard at night.

She and her brothers were so conspicuous that if they were the same person, the lie would be easily exposed. It was a risky thing to do, but she remembered that the gatekeepers of Han Family Mountain used to work in shifts, one shift from morning until noon.

"They left the city early this morning?" The guard was somewhat skeptical. If three children like these left the city in the morning, the eldest brother should have told him when he took over the shift.

"We went out in a carriage early this morning, but the coachman got separated from us, so we came back on our own," Han Wuxie said with his usual refined smile.

"I see." The guard nodded and said with concern, "You should go home now. It's getting dark, and your families must be very worried about you."

Han Wuxie felt a warmth in his heart. This guard, who looked dark-skinned, had such a bright and warm heart. It turned out that there were good people in the mortal world too.

It was already dark on the streets of the city. Mortals are not like immortals; they need to rest, so there were not many people on the streets.

"Sister, these houses all look like they could collapse at any moment," Han Tianci said worriedly, looking at the surrounding buildings. "I wonder how many people in the mortal realm are crushed to death by houses every year?"

Han Xingyu teased, "You country bumpkin, aren't you being too pessimistic? Although the houses here don't look very sturdy, their construction seems to be quite ingenious and mysterious. They shouldn't collapse easily."

Han Wuxie pursed her lips, trying not to laugh, afraid of embarrassing Tianci. She patiently explained, "Although houses in the mortal realm aren't like those in the immortal realm, built with large blocks of bluestone and earth-based magic, they do have their own unique techniques. They use four beams and eight pillars, mortise and tenon joints, a combination of hemp and mortar, and are decorated with carved beams and painted rafters. The buildings are constructed of earth and wood, forming a self-contained system that has been passed down for thousands of years. Don't underestimate them; perhaps the surrounding houses are hundreds or even thousands of years old."

"Hundreds of years, thousands of years?" Han Xingyu was also a little confused. "I've heard demons who ascended from the mortal realm say that the mortal realm often experiences earthquakes, floods, and other terrible things! I've heard that many, many people die. Won't these houses collapse?"

"Tch, you were just laughing at me, but now you're acting like a country bumpkin yourself!" Han Tianci sneered from the side.

Han Wuxie, with his erudition, replied, "Some high-quality materials can withstand earthquakes. With four beams and eight pillars, the walls may collapse but the house won't crumble. Before building a house, mortals first dig trenches, then lay a layer of mortar and soil at the bottom in a 3:7 ratio. After that, they build horizontal foundation walls on top of the foundation layer, completing the foundation for the beams and pillars at this stage. The builder must reserve space on the foundation walls according to the size and shape of the house to install column bases, which will serve as the foundation for the pillars. After that, the beams and pillars are installed. The process of building houses in the mortal realm is complex, but it is also very sturdy."

"Sister, how do you know so much about the mortal world?" Han Tianci asked with admiration.

Han Wuxie smiled modestly and said, "I only looked at the books in my great-uncle's study. It seems that everything is recorded in his study, and many of them are handwritten notes. The things I saw about the mortal realm were all in handwritten notes, and the handwriting was also my great-uncle's own. I think my great-uncle may have come to the mortal realm."

"Oh?" Han Xingyu said incredulously, "Uncle Wan has been to the mortal realm? Really? If I had known this, I should have asked him. I wouldn't be so clueless now, like a country bumpkin."

Han Wuxie smiled slightly and shook his head, saying, "If we ask about matters of the mortal realm, and he asks us why we're asking about mortal matters, how should we answer?"

Han Xingyu said smugly, "I told you I was just curious!"

Han Wuxie smiled wryly, "Do you think that with Uncle's wisdom, he'll believe us if we simply answer 'I'm curious'? Even if he does, if we ask too many questions, we'll still give ourselves away, and then he'll definitely know that we plan to descend to the mortal realm!"

Han Tianci nodded vigorously and said, "Sister is right! Unlike some people, they're brainless!"

"Who are you talking about!" Han Xingyu roared.

"What are you doing!" Han Tianci glared and said, "I'm your brother! It's one thing if you don't call me brother, but now you talk back to me no matter what I say. Do you have any manners? Be careful or I'll teach you a lesson!" He waved his hand and made a spanking gesture.

Han Xingyu shuddered at the memory of that horrific meal of her buttocks and quickly changed the subject, asking, "Sister, where are we sleeping tonight?"

Han Wuxie smiled and said, "There are inns in the mortal realm where people can stay. We'll go into any place that has the word 'inn' written on it."

At Yuelai Inn, Han Wuxie led his two younger brothers in and walked in confidently.

"No rooms available, no rooms available." The shopkeeper, engrossed in keeping accounts, didn't even look at the newcomer and casually dismissed him.

"No rooms available?" Han Wuxie frowned slightly. They had already looked at four or five inns, but none of them were full. Were there so many outsiders in Ancheng?

"Yes, go quickly." The shopkeeper waved his hand and said, still keeping his head down and taking notes.

"Sister Wuxie, I'm so sleepy." Han Xingyu wrinkled her little nose, looking a little aggrieved.

Han Tianci frowned and said, "Sister, we've been searching for almost an hour, and none of the five inns have any rooms available. If we keep searching, it'll be dawn soon! Is there something fishy going on?"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper retorted angrily, "What kind of trickery is this! We're open for business; are we going to pretend we don't have rooms when we do? That's just foolish—not wanting to make money!"

After speaking, he raised his head, looked at the newcomer, and was slightly taken aback.

The girl in the lead had bright eyes and white teeth, and naturally exuded the aura of a superior. The two children, about four or five years old, were also present. One of them had an elegant demeanor and looked well-behaved and cute, while the other had yellow hair and a gloomy gaze. How could someone so young give off such a strong sense of murderous intent?

These three children are definitely not ordinary people!

A whirlwind of thoughts struck him, and the innkeeper hurriedly said politely, "Miss, gentlemen, I just heard you say that you've already looked at many inns?"

"What's going on?" A tall woman emerged from the room behind the shopkeeper. She looked to be in her early thirties, with phoenix eyes and red lips. She wore an embroidered dress with the collar slightly open, exuding a unique and captivating charm.

"Oh, it's the boss!" the shopkeeper said respectfully. "Boss, these three children want to find a place to stay, but all the rooms we have are already occupied."

The female shop owner sighed, "I don't know what's going on today, the celestial phenomena are abnormal!"

The innkeeper said, "I overheard some guests drinking and talking. It seems that the prime minister observed the stars and learned that there were visitors from outer space. The Ziwei star is pointing south, which is directly towards our Yuzhou."

The female innkeeper nodded knowingly and said, "No wonder so many people entered Ancheng this afternoon. The inns in Ancheng are probably all full now. These three children are so young; we can't just leave them to sleep on the streets, can we?"

The shopkeeper looked at Han Wuxie and the other two with some sympathy and said, "Boss, how about...?" He hesitated, seemingly in a dilemma.

The female shopkeeper frowned slightly, her expression showing displeasure, yet also some struggle. After a long while, she sighed and said, "Let them stay there, just don't disturb the furnishings." After saying that, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes. Without giving Han Wuxie and the others another glance, she turned and went back to the room behind the shopkeeper.

---Aside---

Tianci and Xingyu, newcomers to the city, are a bit of country bumpkins, and many funny things will happen in the future.