Chapter 5: I Accidentally Became a Beast Tamer Because the Duck Bit a Spirit Tiger’s Butt
The next morning, Lin Feng awoke in a pile of dumpling wrappers, still basking in the glory of his accidental lunch with Sect Leader Mo Tianyun.
"Today's the day I really prove myself," he declared proudly, brushing off a sticky bun stuck to his robe. "No more disasters. Just good, solid cultivation."
Then the duck bit his ear.
"GAH! What is wrong with you!?"
"Quack."
It waddled away smugly, as if challenging the heavens itself.
---
Meanwhile, at the Beast Taming Grounds
Every month, outer sect disciples were allowed to observe the Spirit Beast Bonding Trials—a sacred event where senior disciples tried to form contracts with powerful beasts under the supervision of Beastmaster Elder Yu.
Lin Feng didn't intend to attend. He just followed the smell of grilled spirit pork skewers.
Upon arrival, he stood at the edge of the arena, holding a stick of meat in one hand and a half-conscious duck in the other (it had flown into a wall trying to chase a butterfly made of qi).
Inside the arena, a muscular senior disciple was locked in a fierce standoff with a gigantic Iron-Tail Spirit Tiger, its fur laced with silver and its eyes glowing with ancient fury.
The crowd murmured:
"That's the fiercest tiger in the sect!"
"It took down three disciples last week—and a carriage!"
"He's trying to tame it alone? He's insane!"
Just as the disciple charged, the tiger roared, leaped—
—and Lin Feng sneezed.
Hard.
His grilled pork flew into the arena.
The tiger turned mid-air, eyes blazing… and chomped the meat mid-flight.
"NOO—" the senior disciple screamed, "MY MOMENT!"
The tiger ignored him.
Instead, it padded toward the edge of the arena… straight toward Lin Feng.
"Uh…" Lin Feng said.
The duck hopped down.
Stared at the spirit tiger.
Then—without warning—it bit the tiger right on the butt.
"QUACK!"
The tiger froze.
The crowd froze.
The heavens may have frozen.
Then, unbelievably, the tiger whimpered.
And sat down.
Like a very large, very confused cat.
Right next to Lin Feng.
Then licked his hand.
Elder Yu stood with his mouth open for a full ten seconds before declaring:
"…By the ancient laws of Beast Affinity… that tiger has chosen its master."
A silence, then an uproar.
"What?!"
"HIM?!"
"THE DUCK BIT THE TIGER AND HE GETS CREDIT?!"
Lin Feng blinked. "Wait… I'm a beast tamer now?"
The duck quacked again, as if taking full responsibility for the situation.
---
Later That Day – Elder Yu's Office
Elder Yu, a stern woman with gray streaks in her hair and talon scars across her face, stared down at Lin Feng.
"You. Tamed. The Iron-Tail Spirit Tiger. With a snack and a duck."
Lin Feng shrugged. "Team effort."
The tiger—now named Mr. Whiskers by Lin Feng—was lying peacefully in the corner chewing on a log.
The duck sat on its head.
Elder Yu rubbed her temples. "Do you even know any beast-control techniques?"
"Nope. But I read a book on cat psychology once."
"That was a tiger."
"They're just big cats with more existential trauma."
Elder Yu stared.
Then sighed deeply.
"Fine. You are now… provisionally… a Beast Tamer Disciple."
Lin Feng blinked. "Is that a good thing?"
"It means the sect can't legally remove you from the beast grounds… in case the duck decides to bite something again."
---
Back at Lin Feng's Courtyard
Lin Feng lay in a hammock between two bamboo poles, sipping spirit-juice and watching Mr. Whiskers and the duck chase butterflies together.
"Not bad," he said to himself. "Lunch with the Sect Leader and I tamed a tiger."
The duck quacked triumphantly.
At that moment, a messenger ran in, gasping. "Lin Feng! The Sect Leader has summoned you! Urgently!"
Lin Feng sat up. "More food?"
"…No. He says you've been selected for the Heavenly Selection Trials."
Lin Feng blinked.
"Oh. That sounds… important. And probably dangerous."
The duck flexed its wings.
Mr. Whiskers roared.
Lin Feng sighed. "Well, boys… looks like we're moving up in the world again."
---