《Beast Taming: The Beginning of Hatching an Ancient Dragon》


 Chapter 1 - The Birth of the Ancient Dragon

    Chapter 1: The Birth of the Ancient Dragon


    In the residential area of the Ecological Research Institute in Red Rock City, Z Province, Eastern Glory Country, Blue Star Alliance, a black-haired, brown-eyed boy sat on his bed, staring intently at a small red kitten with a serious expression.


    Beside the bed stood a one-meter-tall incubator, its upper half round and scattered with large pieces of red and black eggshells.


    The boy, named Li Chang¡¯an, was a transmigrator from the Heavenly Dynasty¡­ no, a reincarnated individual from the Heavenly Dynasty.


    The small kitten before him was not a cat but an Ancient Dragon, known as the Infernal Flame Dragon.


    And now, this seemingly cute but terrifying little kitten had attached itself to him.


    This is how the story unfolded, beginning just a day ago.


    Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories from his past life had not yet awakened; he was just an ordinary high school student in Eastern Glory Country, Blue Star.


    Although his family was wealthy and his father held significant power, he was still a novice.


    Well¡­ to be precise, he was a novice in the field of beast taming.


    In Eastern Glory Country, young people who wished to register as official beast tamers with the Beast Taming Association needed excellent academic performance.


    The high school final exams were of utmost importance.


    As the final exams approached, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to contract a beast, so he ventured into an unofficial second-hand market.


    At a gambling egg shop, he spent all his savings of 1.2 million, accumulated over more than a decade, on a giant egg of unknown origin.


    The vendor boasted that it might hatch a dragon species, and the foolishly naive young Chang¡¯an believed him.


    After buying the egg, he rushed home excitedly and tested it with an instrument from his father¡¯s study.


    Lo and behold, it was a dead egg!


    Having never experienced the harshness of society, young Chang¡¯an was immediately enraged, and his intense emotions triggered the awakening of his innate talent.


    The talent that was supposed to awaken through a unified ritual after the second-year final exams went out of control.


    Unable to control the energy of his runaway talent, his consciousness was shattered by this power.


    Then, the memories of Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s past life awakened, and the personality and consciousness of his over thirty years of previous life absorbed and merged with the fragmented memories of young Chang¡¯an.


    Thus, the current Li Chang¡¯an came into being, along with the Ancient Dragon kitten that appeared by his side upon waking.


    After suddenly recalling a bit of young Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories, Li Chang¡¯an was devastated, not only by the unfortunate impression of his previous death but also by the cute creature before him.


    In his past life, Li Chang¡¯an had a six-figure income, a sister, a house, and both parents. He died during a company vacation from a blue-ringed octopus mixed into a grilled octopus dish.


    And the first thing he saw upon waking was what could be called a doomsday calamity.


    This left Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mind in a daze.


    Young Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories flooded in like a tide.


    The world he was in now was called Blue Star, similar to the name of the protagonist in an action game he played in his previous life.


    Blue Star was originally a planet with a development history similar to Earth.


    Until 570 years ago, humans around the world almost simultaneously discovered similar ancient ruins.


    But with it came the opening of void passages worldwide, leading to various ancient and terrifying creatures.


    Thus, the Great Cataclysm of Blue Star began.


    At first, the technological weapons of Blue Star¡¯s humans could not harm these ancient creatures, until humans discovered the method of contracting in the ruins.


    By combining technology with the power of tamed beasts, humans gained the ability to fight back.


    The era of the Great Cataclysm officially began.


    After 200 years of bloody struggle, humans finally managed to defend their homeland, even though it was now unrecognizable.


    Due to humanity¡¯s initial victory, the worlds on the other side of the passages briefly fell, and these worlds merged into Blue Star, causing the planet to expand hundreds of times its original size.


    At this point, the danger level of Blue Star was countless times more terrifying than during the Great Cataclysm.


    As the worlds from other dimensions continued to merge, humans realized that with their current strength and population, they could no longer hold such vast territories.


    The contraction of living spaces was inevitable.


    After the Great Migration was completed, many previously inhabited areas became forbidden zones, with unstable order, inconvenient transportation, and chaos seemingly imminent.


    Soon, the alliances of Blue Star¡¯s nations established the Hunter Guild and the Blue Star Council, and more and more beast tamers became hunters, venturing out to reclaim new homelands for humanity.


    At this moment, the era of the Great Cataclysm ended, and the era of hunters began.


    After 300 years of continuous hunting and expansion, humans once again gained a firm foothold on this new mother planet.


    With the improvement of social conditions, the population needed replenishment, and humans seemed no longer in need of frequent reclamation; they needed time to rest.


    Thus, fewer hunters were needed.


    After a long period of social stability, the era of hunters gradually ended, and a new era of beast taming emerged.


    The Beast Taming Association, established 50 years ago, replaced many functions of the Hunter Guild and became a symbol of the new era. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the Hunter Guild did not disappear; it still existed because there were many places in this world where human footsteps had yet to tread.


    As mentioned before, they also needed rest; humans needed to digest these living areas that had expanded dozens of times.


    Once they caught their breath, human expansion would begin anew, as recorded in history.


    Thirty years after the establishment of the Beast Taming Association, Eastern Glory Country completed the initial popularization of beast taming education.


    Now, 50 years after the establishment of the Beast Taming Association, after 20 years of filling in the gaps, beast tamers have become a common profession in Eastern Glory Country.


    Almost every Eastern Glory citizen contracts a tamed beast, and the older generation also keeps a weak tamed beast as a pet through a beast-binding ring.


    Nowadays, the simplest way for young people in Eastern Glory Country to become registered official beast tamers is through education.


    Passing the final exams of three years of high school and meeting the strength requirements of the tamed beast allows one to register as an official beast tamer with the Beast Taming Association.


    The first-year exams cover basic beast taming knowledge and beast nurturing, with internships during the summer to determine the second-year curriculum.


    The second-year exams include Chinese, mathematics, three beast languages, geography, and comprehensive biology, with a practical exam of preparing a basic beast food.


    Upon passing the exams, the school issues a probationary beast tamer qualification.


    Regardless of wealth, everyone heads to the Ecological Research Institute, where Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s father works, at the start of the summer to receive their initial tamed beast.


    Those who do not wish to participate must apply three days in advance.


    Born into a wealthy beast taming family but unable to get a head start, what torment!


    This is why young Chang¡¯an couldn¡¯t resist buying an egg before the second-year final exams.


    Along with the memories of the world¡¯s background came the identity of the small kitten before him.


    The Infernal Flame Dragon, the creator of Red Rock City¡¯s name, a member of the Ancient Dragon clan.


    The so-called Ancient Dragons are actually a commonly accepted term for a species of ancient beasts; they are not dragons.


    It¡¯s just that many Ancient Dragons have dragon horns, dragon scales, and other features, hence they are called ¡°dragons.¡±


    Ancient Dragons are beings that surpass the ecological niche of high-level pure-blood dragons, wielding the authority of nature, incarnating as natural disasters, sweeping across the land.


    Thus, they are also known as calamity beasts.


    The elite of the Ancient Dragon lineage can easily alter the natural environment of a large country within a month.


    These beings truly deserve the name of natural disasters.


    For example, the predecessor of the Infernal Flame Dragon before him, a calamity beast known as the ¡°Flame King.¡±


    Eastern Glory Country sacrificed a saint, three guardians, and numerous legendary beast tamers to finally bring down this Flame King.


    The city built on the site of the Flame King¡¯s fall is Red Rock City, where Li Chang¡¯an resides.


    The blood of the Ancient Dragon stained the earth red, and the soil of Red Rock City is different from other places, bright as blood but very fertile.


    This place is rich in fire-attribute tamed beasts, and outside Red Rock City lies a range of volcanic mountains.


    ¡°Meow?¡±


    The red kitten tilted its head, looking at Li Chang¡¯an with a pitiful expression, as if asking why he was ignoring it!


    For some reason, Li Chang¡¯an could sense the kitten¡¯s emotions.


    Suddenly, a bold idea emerged in his mind.


    Perhaps¡­

 Chapter 2 - Contract and Talent Awakening!

    Chapter 2: Contract and Talent Awakening!


    Why not try contracting this Ancient Dragon?


    Li Chang¡¯an searched through young Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories. It seemed there was no precedent for contracting an Ancient Dragon. Similarly, there was no mention of humans being unable to contract Ancient Dragons. At least, none of the numerous books in his father¡¯s study said it was impossible.


    Why not give it a try?


    There are two major challenges in contracting a beast: compatibility and spiritual power.


    In Eastern Glory Country, the standard unit for measuring spiritual power is called a ¡°Fu,¡± named after the divine measuring talisman used to gauge spiritual energy. An average adult without specialized training has a spiritual power of 1 Fu. To construct a soul contract, one needs at least 5 Fu.


    Young Chang¡¯an attended Red Rock First High School, where students underwent a physical examination every semester. According to the latest report, young Chang¡¯an¡¯s spiritual power was 9.5 Fu.


    Li Chang¡¯an and young Chang¡¯an shared the same soul, though their personalities differed. The personality from his past life had taken over the fragmented personality of this life, so constructing a soul contract was entirely possible.


    The second challenge was compatibility. If the compatibility between a human and a beast exceeded 10%, the success rate of the contract was 20%. For every 10% increase in compatibility, the success rate also rose by 10%. Higher compatibility not only increased the success rate but also enhanced the benefits of nurturing the beast in the future.


    For some reason, Li Chang¡¯an felt that his compatibility with the little creature before him was not low¡ªin fact, it might be very high. Was it because he had hatched it? Or something else?


    Watching the kitten affectionately nuzzle against him, Li Chang¡¯an gritted his teeth and picked up the clingy little creature. He looked into its large eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to construct a soul contract. Don¡¯t resist.¡±


    The kitten seemed to understand his words. Its less-than-20-centimeter body obediently squatted in his hands. It let out an intelligent meow, ¡°Meow~! (Okay!)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an inexplicably sensed the kitten¡¯s meaning, further confirming that his compatibility with this little creature was indeed high.


    He then dug through his fragmented memories and retrieved the part where young Chang¡¯an had practiced constructing soul contracts. After familiarizing himself with the process, Li Chang¡¯an and the kitten sat facing each other on the room¡¯s cartoon cat carpet.


    Following his body¡¯s instincts, Li Chang¡¯an channeled his spiritual power and began constructing a complex contract formation in his mind space¡ªthe Star Engraving Formation.


    This formation, derived from the exploration of ancient ruins, was the first choice for most beast tamers on Blue Star.


    When the Star Engraving Formation in his mind space was fully formed, Li Chang¡¯an suddenly opened his eyes and extended his index finger toward the kitten. The little creature cooperatively stretched out its soft paw and touched his finger.


    The power of the Star Engraving Formation flowed through his finger into the kitten¡¯s body.


    The kitten tilted its head, as if it had just realized something. ()


    Li Chang¡¯an waited for a while but received no feedback from the contract formation. A sense of unease crept into his heart. His spiritual power wouldn¡¯t last much longer.


    The kitten¡¯s claws pressed slightly harder, piercing Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s index finger. A drop of blood, red as jade, flowed from the cat¡¯s claw into its body.


    Li Chang¡¯an felt the strange sensation in his finger and his first thought was that he had been tricked by this adorable creature.


    Almost immediately, his spiritual power began to dissipate. The Star Engraving Formation in his mind space flickered, becoming highly unstable.


    In an instant, a dark red shadow emerged from Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s heart and stepped onto the Star Engraving Formation. The flickering formation stabilized instantly.


    At the center of the formation, a star mark extended into a sharp starburst, solidifying completely.


    The dark red shadow roared toward the sky, and Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mind space was filled with a apocalyptic scene. Volcanoes erupted, the earth split, and countless flames from hell shot into the sky, burning the heavens. The scene ended with a planet turning to ash.


    Thump~ Thump~ Thump!


    Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s heart pounded like an ancient war drum. A sense of innate killing intent and indifference surged from within.


    ¡°What the hell is this emotion? Am I really this irritable?¡±


    The culture ingrained in him from his past life in the Heavenly Dynasty, the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness accumulated over five thousand years, along with the basic morals instilled by nine years of good education, gradually suppressed this inexplicable emotion.


    By the time he fully suppressed it, the drumming of his heart reached its climax. A trace of ancient and noble aura flowed through the soul contract, affecting the kitten.


    In that moment, the kitten¡¯s eyes gained a spark of intelligence. The hidden pride in its noble bloodline was forever marked by the name Li Chang¡¯an.


    Li Chang¡¯an opened his eyes, then collapsed. The last thing he saw was the kitten¡¯s panicked expression and a familiar feeling.


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s a plant!¡±


    It was a talent awakening!


    A second talent awakening!


    The kitten circled Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s fallen body a few times, then lifted its head to sense the soul contract with him. Realizing Li Chang¡¯an was unharmed, it let out a human-like sigh of relief.


    It smoothed the fur on the carpet with its paw, found a comfortable spot near Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s head, yawned, revealing its pink tongue, curled up into a ball, and quietly fell asleep.


    Li Chang¡¯an dreamed he was in a desert, caught in a sandstorm. Without a mask, his nose felt unbearably itchy. Just as he was about to sneeze, he woke up.


    What greeted him was a small red cat covered in red scales.


    Li Chang¡¯an sat up abruptly, his heart pounding. He touched his chest.


    Was he okay?


    What about the contract?


    Li Chang¡¯an calmed himself and focused. A magnificent Star Engraving Formation floated in his mind space. At its center was a simple one-star mark, but the edges were adorned with intricate patterns that made him dizzy.


    Did the successful Star Engraving Formation in the textbooks look like this?


    Whatever, surviving was what mattered.


    A belated surge of excitement filled his nerves.


    I successfully contracted my first beast!


    And it¡¯s an Ancient Dragon!


    The sense of unfamiliarity with this world that Li Chang¡¯an had felt since waking up dissipated significantly. The feeling of being connected through the soul was indescribable¡ªlike finding a companion and water in a barren desert, bringing forth joy and relief.


    Oh, right, there was also the suddenly awakened talent. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Chang¡¯an suddenly remembered that he had awakened a talent before passing out. He immediately used the soul contract to check his status.


    [Name: Li Chang¡¯an


    Race: Human


    Strength Level: 0


    Talents: Dexterity, Heart of the Ancient Dragon.].


    Dexterity was the talent young Chang¡¯an had awakened, while his own awakened talent was the Heart of the Ancient Dragon.


    [Dexterity]: Allows for nimble use of hand movements.[Heart of the Ancient Dragon]: Maximizes affinity with Ancient Dragons, achieving 100% compatibility.


    Seeing the description of the Heart of the Ancient Dragon, Li Chang¡¯an finally understood why he had survived. With 100% compatibility, failure was impossible! And the sky-high affinity explained why the little creature was so affectionate toward him.


    As for the other talent, he couldn¡¯t find anything remarkable about it yet. It didn¡¯t seem particularly important.


    Oh, and there was also the little creature¡¯s status panel.


    After successfully contracting a beast, the soul contract could perfectly reflect most of the beast¡¯s information, functioning like an all-seeing eye. Of course, this only applied to one¡¯s own contracted beasts.

 Chapter 3 - True Name: Lyon Discator!

    Chapter 3: True Name: Lyon Discator!


    Li Chang¡¯an couldn¡¯t wait to check the little creature¡¯s status panel.


    [Name: Lyon Discator


    Race: Infernal Flame Dragon


    Attribute: ??


    Level: Infant Stage


    Potential: ???


    Abilities: ????


    Low-tier Skills: Infernal Flame (Contact Level), Flame Claw (Contact Level)


    Mid-tier Skill: Flame Spirit Coil (Contact Level)


    Status: Asleep.].


    Three skills? And one of them is a mid-tier skill!


    With all of young Chang¡¯an¡¯s knowledge, Li Chang¡¯an was shocked. He knew what this meant.


    Beast companions weren¡¯t like Pok¨¦mon from his past life. Infant-stage beasts usually didn¡¯t have powerful skills at birth. Most only had skills like ¡°Howl¡± or ¡°Tackle,¡± which were either used to loudly remind their caretakers to feed them or to physically nudge them for food.


    But this little creature was different. It was born with three attack skills, one of which was a mid-tier skill typically only learned by elite-tier beasts. It was practically screaming ¡°I¡¯m combat-ready¡± from the start.


    Moreover, unlike ordinary beasts, this little one had a true name. This was similar to high-level pure-blood dragons and other mythical races.


    Li Chang¡¯an lowered his head in thought. Indeed, he should give the little one a name, just in case. According to young Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories, true names didn¡¯t hold power but were tied to causality. This was especially true for humans and high-level races. If someone with ill intentions used a beast with special attributes to perform a curse ritual, a beast that had its true name revealed would be at a significant disadvantage¡ªpossibly even life-threatening.


    Forget it. He¡¯d wait until the little one woke up and ask for its opinion.


    Li Chang¡¯an carefully lifted the kitten and placed it on his bed, gently covering it with a small blanket. Then he left the room, went to his mother¡¯s studio to fetch some milk, and returned to his room to use his computer to look up more information about this world.


    After briefly browsing the web and combining it with the memories in his mind, Li Chang¡¯an felt somewhat reassured. There were no major events happening in Eastern Glory Country recently, so his life was secure.


    However, a fragment of memory caught his attention. While life was secure, his academic performance might not be. Li Chang¡¯an groaned and slapped his forehead. There was a final exam this Monday!


    With young Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories as a foundation, he wasn¡¯t worried about subjects like language, math, geography, or biology. Beast food preparation was also fine¡ªyoung Chang¡¯an had practiced it many times, and it was now second nature to him.


    The only problem was the beast language course. This was a real challenge for an otherworldly visitor like him. Even young Chang¡¯an, a top student, had struggled with this subject, let alone him.


    The beast language course in Eastern Glory Country¡¯s high schools included three major beast languages: Del, Slu, and Dragon. These came from three races that had formed eternal alliances with Eastern Glory Country. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Del originated from the Ailu race, Slu from the Yalie race, and Dragon from the Divine Dragon race.


    The Ailu were a small beast-human race, resembling upright cats but with intelligence comparable to adult humans. They were now found throughout Eastern Glory Country. For example, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mother¡¯s teahouse had an Ailu cat working as a pastry chef.


    The Yalie race wasn¡¯t as intelligent as the Ailu, typically having the mental capacity of a seven- or eight-year-old child, with occasional variant individuals reaching human-level intelligence¡ªthough these were rare.


    The Yalie were a medium-sized beast-human race, divided into quadrupedal hunting dogs and bipedal dog-headed humanoids. Most Yalie were the former, while the latter were variant individuals. Both could be contracted by humans. Adult Yalie could grow up to two meters tall, with variant individuals reaching over four meters. The current record was six meters and three centimeters.


    Unlike the Ailu, who provided life assistance to humans, the Yalie excelled in hunting and combat. They were invaluable allies to human beast tamers. A beast tamer with a Yalie companion was in a completely different league from one without.


    Finally, there was Dragon, the most difficult of the three beast languages. It originated from Eastern Glory Country¡¯s ally, the Sky Dragon Island. Although dragon language had many variants, only three had practical power: the Divine Dragon language of Eastern Glory¡¯s Divine Dragon race, the Dragon language of the Golden Orchid Empire, and the Ancient Beast language of the Ancient Dragon race.


    ¡°Practical power¡± referred to the ability to manifest effects through speech¡ªa language imbued with power.


    In high school beast language courses, Dragon language wasn¡¯t heavily emphasized. It was mostly used as a final exam question to filter those with an affinity for dragon-kind.


    With such little time, Li Chang¡¯an couldn¡¯t adapt to any of these languages.


    Just as he was groaning in despair, the little creature woke up, roused by the scent of the thermos on the computer desk.


    ¡°Meow! (I¡¯m hungry!)¡±


    A soft, childlike voice suddenly echoed in Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mind, clear and slightly groggy. His first thought was that the house was haunted, but he quickly realized¡ªoh, the little one was awake.


    Li Chang¡¯an turned around and saw the kitten struggling to stand up, then deftly climbing up his pant leg. Its small body skillfully flipped onto the computer desk, unscrewed the thermos, and began gulping down the warm milk.


    Li Chang¡¯an blinked. Why did this scene feel both unusual and yet perfectly normal? A newborn Ancient Dragon using a thermos so skillfully, and even drinking it by holding it? Weren¡¯t feline-like creatures supposed to lap up their drinks?


    ¡°Lyon, how do you know how to use a thermos?¡±


    The little creature finished the milk in one go, licking the white milk stains around its mouth. It then loudly declared, ¡°Meow! (Another cup!)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an chuckled and took the thermos from the kitten, fetching more warm milk from his mother¡¯s room. After downing two thermoses of milk, the kitten finally let out a milk burp.


    ¡°Meow? (Chang¡¯an, what were you saying earlier?)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an: ¡°¡­¡±


    After explaining his suspicions to the little one, the kitten responded matter-of-factly:


    ¡°Meow, meow! (I¡¯m Chang¡¯an¡¯s partner. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to know these things?)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an was taken aback. Memories flashed through his mind, eventually settling on a lecture he had attended. The lecture was about the effects of soul contracts.


    A beautiful lecturer from the province, dressed in office attire with sheer black stockings and black high heels, meticulously explained the intricacies of soul contracts. While most of his classmates were distracted by her appearance, young Chang¡¯an, the beast enthusiast, was completely absorbed in the knowledge.


    ¡°Hmm, she looked decent, but her figure was too slim to truly showcase the beauty of a pencil skirt,¡± Li Chang¡¯an objectively evaluated the memory.


    The lecturer had said, ¡°A soul contract isn¡¯t a master-servant contract. Although it carries a hierarchical nature, it¡¯s closer to an equal partnership. This means the soul contract is bidirectional. Especially for initial beast companions, young beasts are influenced by their tamer¡¯s personality and memories, making them more attuned to human society. Humans, too, are influenced by the bloodline hidden within their beasts. The higher the beast¡¯s tier, the greater the influence.¡±


    ¡°Many beast tamers who recklessly contract numerous beasts undergo drastic personality changes, even developing split personalities. This has led to the emergence of many distorted, insane, and anti-social superhumans.¡±


    ¡°The original evil God cult was to be led by such individuals. Therefore, every beast contract must be carefully considered. It¡¯s not just about compatibility¡ªtemperament, personality, and race must also be taken into account. Otherwise, I don¡¯t want to see your names on the Beast Taming Association¡¯s most-wanted list someday.¡±


    Recalling this, Li Chang¡¯an remembered the surge of causing massacre he had felt earlier. It must have come from the Infernal Flame Dragon¡¯s bloodline. He sighed in relief, glad he had suppressed it. Otherwise, his life in this new world would have taken a dark turn before it even began.


    No wonder schools advised students not to hastily contract their initial beasts. A bunch of emotionally immature kids encountering such influences would likely collapse and develop self-destructive tendencies, shouting, ¡°It¡¯s not me who¡¯s wrong, but the world!¡±


    Cases like his, where the influence was successfully suppressed, were exceedingly rare.

 Chapter 4 - Opening the Beast Taming Space!

    Chapter 4: Opening the Beast Taming Space!


    Li Chang¡¯an knew that the little creature hadn¡¯t lied earlier, and its peculiar behavior could be explained by the influence of the soul contract. So why didn¡¯t he have any memories of the ancient dragon itself?


    ¡°Meow! (I temporarily blocked them!)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an looked at the little one yawning repeatedly in his arms, feeling quite puzzled.


    ¡°Meow. (Some memories don¡¯t align well with human perspectives and could cause trouble, so I blocked them.)¡±


    Oh~!


    Li Chang¡¯an suddenly understood. Indeed, just based on the earlier killing aura, he could get a glimpse of the situation. The inherited memories of the Inferno Dragon were probably not very friendly.


    ¡°Can you sort out some of your dietary preferences and information about magical beasts?¡±


    Magical beasts referred to those creatures that hadn¡¯t been contracted by humans and remained wild and untamed. Those contracted by humans were called pet beasts, while those not contracted were called magical beasts. This fully reflected the moral standards of humans. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The little one finally gave a dizzy-eyed look and said, ¡°Meow. (Sure thing.)¡±


    Then it promptly fell asleep in his arms again.


    Li Chang¡¯an originally wanted to discuss a nickname for it, but the little one was just too tired. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to disturb it.


    No matter the species, young creatures are like this¡ªeating and sleeping, with very little time spent awake.


    Li Chang¡¯an placed the little one on the bed and initially planned to go downstairs to find some food. Suddenly, a stream of memories appeared in his mind, and this memory was continuously growing. It was information transmitted by the little creature!


    Li Chang¡¯an glanced affectionately at the sleeping kitten. Truly, my cat¡ªno, my dragon¡ªcan even work while sleeping.


    Based on the information from the little one, Li Chang¡¯an preliminarily sorted out three main categories: food-related materials, magical beast information, and language.


    Especially the language part, Li Chang¡¯an was pleasantly surprised to find that it included the three beast languages that would be tested in the final exam. Since it was a memory infusion, Li Chang¡¯an now had a firm grasp of the exam content, and the burden on his shoulders instantly lightened.


    Regarding the little one¡¯s future diet, Li Chang¡¯an fully realized the martial prowess of the Inferno Dragon clan. After birth, Inferno Dragon hatchlings consume nutritious mother¡¯s milk and high-quality volcanic rock. Even in the early stages of life, Inferno Dragon parents begin training their offspring¡¯s digestive abilities, using high-quality volcanic rock as the training material.


    Once the hatchling outgrows the infant stage and enters the awakening phase, during the racial talent awakening period, it must wean off milk and start consuming fire-attribute ores and meat.


    After leaving the awakening phase and officially entering the transcendent stage, the diet shifts to a mix of ores, meat, and some plants. At the elite stage, they consume Inferno Stones, which cost 10,000 Donghuang coins each, as daily food.


    Subsequent items like Crimson Lotus Stones, Dusk Stones, and even more outrageous things made Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s heart sink. Even for his family, such food expenses would be hard to bear.


    Li Chang¡¯an felt like crying but had no tears. To have the strength of an ancient dragon, one must first afford its food expenses. Fortunately, the early stages were manageable. Later, when the little one reaches the transcendent level and registers for a Beast Tamer qualification certificate, they can head to hunting grounds to gather resources, achieving initial self-sufficiency.


    Li Chang¡¯an sighed. He remembered that his family still had reserves of high-quality volcanic rock. His father, Li Mingxuan¡¯s main pet was a Crimson Flame Red Dragon, which also required high-quality volcanic rock in its diet. Although his father¡¯s pet usually ate at the research institute, funded by the state, there were still rest days. So, his mother, Mu Qingqing, always kept some in her studio.


    Li Chang¡¯an found a portion of reddish soil in the material box. This was high-quality volcanic rock collected from the volcanic groups of Red Rock City. Its fire-attribute energy was even more concentrated than low-grade fire crystals.


    When the little one woke up in the evening, Li Chang¡¯an added this high-quality volcanic rock to the warm milk. The little one happily squinted its eyes.


    ¡°Maomao, how does the volcanic rock taste?¡±


    Maomao was the nickname they had agreed upon. Originally, Li Chang¡¯an wanted to call it Red Fur, but considering the potential for an unfortunate old age, he opted for a more affectionate name.


    Maomao¡¯s cheeks puffed up as it crunched and chewed.


    ¡°Meow. (Tastes like restaurant food.)¡±


    A few black lines appeared on Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s forehead. He noticed that Maomao loved using internet slang from his memories. It seemed that the Li family¡¯s early education needed to be arranged promptly.


    After the little one finished dinner, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s frozen dumplings were ready. Under Maomao¡¯s expectant gaze, he reluctantly gave up half of his dinner and then painfully cooked another pack of instant noodles.


    Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s parents were usually very busy¡ªone occupied with experimental projects, the other with business. Li Chang¡¯an spent most of his time alone, so he learned to prepare his own breakfast and dinner from a young age. Now, as he ate his instant noodles, with Maomao engrossed in pork and cabbage dumplings beside him, it felt like the home had gained a bit more warmth.


    This was quite nice.


    After dinner, Maomao perched on Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s head. The little one had initially stayed on his shoulder but then moved to his head, feeling it had found the best spot. It liked to stay there without moving.


    Li Chang¡¯an had no choice but to let it be. He took a few Void Stones from his father¡¯s office and returned to his room to prepare.


    Void Stones were ores containing faint spatial energy, used by Beast Tamers to open Beast Taming Spaces. Yes, it was that commonplace Beast Taming Space from the novels of his previous life.


    On Azure Star, opening a Beast Taming Space was no simple task. It required a lengthy and intricate process to succeed. If one tried to force it open with brute strength, a staggering 80% injury rate awaited, along with a 40% chance of permanent disability.


    Therefore, every Beast Tamer needed extensive learning and knowledge to ensure they took each step carefully in their progress, avoiding unnecessary loss of life.


    The method Li Chang¡¯an learned was the sixth edition revised by the Donghuang Nation. The initial success rate was as high as 76%, a high rate that represented the experiences of countless Beast Tamers who had sacrificed their futures. In Donghuang, this was a common secret technique, but in other countries, it was exceptionally precious.


    Thanks to all the sages!


    Li Chang¡¯an silently expressed his gratitude and began preparing for the opening of the Beast Taming Space. A quiet space, Void Stones, an energy diversion array, and the smooth execution of the third set of national radio exercises were needed.


    Yes, radio exercises.


    In this world, radio exercises helped Beast Tamers activate their spiritual energy, allowing them to be more meticulous when opening Beast Taming Spaces, reducing the likelihood of failure.


    A basic energy diversion array cost ten Donghuang coins. The one Li Chang¡¯an held was the deluxe plus version, with three adjustable levels, priced at a discounted 9,996 Donghuang coins. It guided more life energy and was more stable.


    Originally, Little Chang¡¯an had bought it with his pocket money, just for this moment.


    After preparing, Li Chang¡¯an went to his backyard and activated the protective array of the yard. This array was a standard feature in the research institute¡¯s residential area, ensuring safety.


    Setting up the energy diversion array in the yard, Li Chang¡¯an activated the first level of the array and smoothly performed a set of national primary and secondary school radio exercises. Once the spiritual energy in his brain domain became active, he activated the second level of the array and instructed Maomao to keep watch outside.


    Li Chang¡¯an operated the basic meditation and guiding techniques taught at school. Strands of invisible energy threads slowly gathered around him.


    The opening of the Beast Taming Space had begun!

 Chapter 5 - The Golden Finger Makes Its First Appearance

    Chapter 5: The Golden Finger Makes Its First Appearance


    A vast amount of life energy was drawn from the void into Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s body through the array. Following his meridians, it gradually gathered at the space between his eyebrows. When the life energy condensed into a small sun, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s eyebrows twitched. It was time to absorb spatial energy.


    The spiritual energy in his brain domain guided the Void Stones placed on his thighs. Silver-gray energy collided fiercely with the glowing white life energy. The irregular energy surges caused sharp pain in Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s temples, but he endured it, forcing the two energies to merge.


    After about two and a half minutes, the spatial energy and life energy initially fused. The glowing mass, mixed with silver light, seemed to be nurturing life, as if something was about to burst forth. It seemed like this step could be concluded here.


    But Li Chang¡¯an knew the hardest part was just beginning. He needed to combine the soul contract with this fused energy. Only then could he summon his pet beast through the array at any time, and the soul contract would ensure the pet wouldn¡¯t get lost in the void while in the Beast Taming Space.


    Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s spiritual energy slowly dragged the Star Engraving Contract Array, merging it with the fused energy mass. The moment they touched, a loud boom echoed!


    In Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s brain domain, a white sun seemed to rise, akin to the Big Bang of the universe. A black singularity formed in his brain domain.


    Control it!


    Li Chang¡¯an clenched his teeth, using all his remaining spiritual energy to control the expansion of the black singularity. Finally, the Star Engraving Array scattered tiny starlights, assisting his spiritual energy in stabilizing the singularity.


    In the end, Li Chang¡¯an imprinted the Star Engraving Array onto the fused energy mass. Instantly, the fused energy mass expanded violently, and the black singularity continuously contracted. In this expansion and contraction, an illusory space was thus formed.


    ¡°Not enough energy!¡±


    This thought flashed through Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mind, and immediately, the concentration of life energy around him increased another notch. It turned out that Maomao, outside the array, had activated the third level of the array for Li Chang¡¯an.


    Nice! Maomao, well done!


    Li Chang¡¯an greedily absorbed all the life energy and the spatial energy from the Void Stones. Half an hour later, the illusory world had completely taken shape transforming into a radiant crystal sphere, with the Star Engraving Array reflected on its surface.


    A surge of energy rich with life essence flowed from Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s glabella (Between the eyebrows) spreading throughout his body.


    The Exclusive energy of a Beast Tamer¡ªCurse Force¡ªwas born!


    The Beast Taming Space was successfully opened!


    Li Chang¡¯an opened his eyes, his excitement evident. He had finally become a Level 1 Beast Tamer. Not one of those half-baked pretenders, but a true Beast Tamer with a Beast Taming Space.


    Maomao also let out a cry, transforming into a red shadow and slipping into the newly formed Beast Taming Space. Li Chang¡¯an was left baffled, standing there in a daze.


    Wasn¡¯t the Beast Taming Space supposed to only allow entry to pet beasts with the Beast Tamer¡¯s permission? What was going on with Maomao? S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he could react, Maomao had slipped in effortlessly. Could it be?


    Li Chang¡¯an remembered his talent, [Ancient Dragon¡¯s Heart], which made him 100% compatible with ancient dragons. Combined with the mutual influence of the soul contract, this meant Maomao was also 100% compatible with him. Entering his Beast Taming Space was like returning home.


    Fine, let it be.


    Li Chang¡¯an sighed helplessly. What could he do? The contract was already made, and breaking it was out of the question. He could only spoil this little creature.


    After opening the Beast Taming Space, Li Chang¡¯an still intended to call Maomao out. There was one more thing to do today¡ªdetermine the effects of Maomao¡¯s skills.


    Before Li Chang¡¯an could call Maomao out, his vision twisted. The courtyard scenery transformed into a blood-red thorn garden. As if guided by an unseen force, Li Chang¡¯an reached out his hand, and a booklet imprinted with blood-red thorn flowers appeared in his palm.


    The contract was complete!


    ¡°Oddity [Hunting Notebook] has confirmed the host¡¯s identity. Holder status: Temporary Holder.¡±


    ¡°Detecting the temporary holder¡¯s characteristics, the first page of [Hunting Notebook] is unlocked.¡±


    The booklet imprinted with blood-red thorn flowers automatically flipped open to the first page. The yellowish paper appeared somewhat ancient, and on the blank page, a heart-shaped pattern emerged.


    ¡°First function [Hunting Instinct] activated. The temporary holder can, by hunting supernatural creatures, potentially depriving their abilities or attributes to enhance themselves.¡±


    As soon as Hunting Instinct activated, Li Chang¡¯an felt his blood boiling, as if something had been deeply engraved into his very being. Yet, he remained unaware of this at the moment.


    ¡°Detecting that the temporary holder possesses calamitous power, satisfying the desires of the Hunting Notebook, the second page is unlocked.¡±


    Subsequently, the second page of the Manual  slowly opened. Unlike the first page, only the top of the second page displayed a room¡¯s pattern. Most of the page was blank, except for a small Dark red phantom that appeared at the beginning.


    ¡°Second function [Thorn Collection Room] activated. The temporary holder can store information about supernatural creatures they kill, plunder, or possess into the collection room.¡±


    ¡°The temporary holder can freely deploy this information, with a limit of ten times per day.¡±


    Then, the scene of the blood-red thorn garden disappeared from Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s sight, and he returned to his home courtyard.


    ¡°What just happened to me?¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an shook his head, suddenly noticing a blood-red thorn flower mark on the back of his left hand, which flashed and then vanished. Memories of the thorn garden flooded back.


    He realized he had been marked by something. The appearance of the Hunting Notebook was something that had accompanied Little Chang¡¯an for many years. It was a trinket Little Chang¡¯an had bought at a night market as a child, then forgotten about and never looked for again.


    It seemed it wasn¡¯t lost but had been inside him all along.


    ¡°Meow. (Chang¡¯an, that thing is not good.)¡±


    Maomao¡¯s warning echoed in Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mind. Of course, he knew the Hunting Notebook was no benevolent entity. Especially with phrases like ¡°satisfying¡± and ¡°possessing calamitous power,¡± it might as well have stamped ¡°Evil Faction¡± on its cover.


    But he had signed a contract with it. He vaguely sensed that if he told anyone about it, his fate would not be pleasant. For now, he would observe the situation.


    Li Chang¡¯an sorted through the information the Hunting Notebook had provided him. After browsing through it, his lips twitched. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t told his parents about this thing¡¯s existence.


    Before him, the Hunting Notebook had seven holders, all of whom had perished. Two of them died because they leaked its secrets . The Hunting Notebook had ten pages in total. Unlocking all ten would make one its true master.


    Unfortunately, the most impressive holder only unlocked seven pages before being caught in a war of destruction and dying.


    The Hunting Notebook also contained many warnings left by previous holders. The most common advice was not to rely too much on the Hunting Notebook, not to let it influence one¡¯s emotions, and to always act according to one¡¯s true heart.


    Li Chang¡¯an initially thought there was some profound meaning or a twisted story behind these warnings. That was until he sat on the grass, pondering, and casually plucked a white flower from the yard.


    ¡°Skill Stone [Ambush Technique] +1. Can be granted to: Li Chang¡¯an, Maomao.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an: ??!


    The white flower was a supernatural plant, possessing the rank of a supernatural being but lacking any lethal power, harmless to humans. Originally, it was an ornamental plant introduced to Red Rock City from the wild.


    However, after being bullied by other spiritual plants outside the city, the white flower, once inside the city, became uncontrollable. It easily encroached on the living space of ordinary plants, becoming a successful example of invasive species.


    Naturally, such invasive spiritual plants were common in the Li family¡¯s yard. Thus, this scene unfolded.


    ¡°So, the plundering of Hunting Instinct means stealing skills from supernatural creatures?¡±


    ¡°And the Hunting Notebook¡¯s abilities are limited. At least, Maomao¡¯s true name wasn¡¯t revealed, only the name I gave it.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an slightly relaxed, feeling that this ability wasn¡¯t particularly tempting. In Donghuang Nation, it was well-known that skills not only had rank differences but also proficiency levels.


    The levels of skill proficiency he knew were: Beginner, Apprentice, Skilled, Master, and Perfect.


    The gap between a Beginner-level skill and a Perfect-level one was even greater than that between low-tier and mid-tier skills.


    Having a skill without proficiency was like flowers in a mirror or the moon reflected in water¡ªa futile effort.


    That was until he plucked a few more white flowers, and the second page of the Hunting Notebook slowly opened.


    New chat¡­

 Chapter 6 - The Malice of the Golden Finger

    Chapter 6: The Malice of the Golden Finger


    ¡°Ah! Does the collection room also handle attribute upgrades?¡±


    On the second page of the hunting notebook, a small white flower mark appeared on the collection room.


    The mark was glowing, completely filled.


    ¡°Skill Stone [Stealth Technique] +1.¡±


    ¡°Skill Stone [Stealth Technique] +1.¡±


    ¡°Health Points +1.¡±


    A dozen white herbs contributed these three gains, with a slightly higher drop rate than the gacha game¡¯s up pool.


    The moment that bit of health entered Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s body, the weakness he felt after opening the beast taming space tonight was greatly alleviated.


    The first Stealth Technique was voluntarily experienced by Mao Mao, and unexpectedly, it turned out to be a precious aura-concealing skill.


    After delivering the other two skill stones to Mao Mao, according to human society¡¯s grading, Mao Mao¡¯s [Stealth Technique] had reached the mastery level.


    Only then did Li Chang¡¯an understand the true value of the words left by those predecessors.


    Which beast tamer could resist this!


    Wait, I must not be tempted.


    Li Chang¡¯an forcibly suppressed the spreading temptation in his heart, as if a devil was constantly whispering in his ear.


    Use it, use it.


    Using it would allow you to reach the pinnacle of the world!


    It took Li Chang¡¯an more than a quarter of an hour to suppress this temptation.


    He somewhat understood how those predecessors had met their end. Once trapped in the allure of enhancing abilities, it¡¯s hard to extricate oneself.


    Death is not far off then, as the holder is constantly urged by their desires to take risks, hunt stronger beings, and gain more attributes and stronger abilities.


    But doing this often, walking by the river, one is bound to get wet.


    They would eventually encounter a terrifying opponent beyond their capabilities, and then it¡¯s game over!


    That¡¯s how the previous holders died.


    Li Chang¡¯an lowered his eyes, his gaze filled with struggle.


    Use it, and fear falling into depravity.


    Don¡¯t use it, and feel unwilling.


    At that moment, Mao Mao¡¯s clear voice sounded,


    ¡°Meow? (Chang¡¯an, what¡¯s wrong?)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an shuddered, and the struggle instantly dissipated.


    His first words were, ¡°Mao Mao, you¡¯re not affected?¡±


    Mao Mao tilted its head, puzzled, ¡°Meow meow? (Affected by what?)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an blinked a few times, his eyes suddenly brightening.


    Right, he¡¯s a beast tamer!


    He¡¯s not some ancient emperor or great power with immense strength, just a small beast tamer.


    Most of his strength lies in his beast.


    If he can¡¯t control himself, he can transfer some of the pressure to his beast!


    Mao Mao is a perfect candidate.


    What¡¯s stronger, what attributes?


    Ancient dragon species are naturally at the top, overlooking all beings.


    The so-called pinnacle of the world is within their reach just by growing up.


    With a bit of effort, they can even become star-traveling behemoths.


    They are born in the palaces of ancient Rome.


    Such temptations mean nothing to them.


    Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s eyes grew brighter; he seemed to have found a bug in the hunting notebook¡¯s influence on emotions.


    Just resonate emotionally with Mao Mao.


    Coincidentally, beast tamers have a skill called Beast Resonance, which they can attempt to learn when breaking through to the intermediate level.


    Li Chang¡¯an thought it feasible; although his strength was insufficient, the basic conditions were met.


    Beast Resonance is a technique used by intermediate beast tamers to enhance their beasts.


    It requires the beast tamer to have sufficient curse power, mental strength, and a high level of intimacy with the beast.


    At least to the level where the beast is willing to open its soul to the tamer.


    And curse power isn¡¯t lacking either.


    The amount of curse power is related to the beast taming space.


    The larger the beast taming space, the more curse power it can hold.


    Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s initial beast taming space was 500 cubic meters.


    He had checked the data; most intermediate beast tamers¡¯ spaces are between 400-600 cubic meters, so he met the condition.


    This means he only needs to fill this level of beast taming space with curse power to attempt Beast Resonance with Mao Mao.


    After all, his intimacy with Mao Mao is very high, with a 100% compatibility rate.


    Having lived two lives and awakened his past memories, Li Chang¡¯an felt his mental strength had increased significantly.


    Although not surpassing the ceiling of low-level beast tamers, he was among the top.


    Moreover, in Beast Resonance, mental strength doesn¡¯t play a huge role.


    If curse power is the power source and intimacy is the start button, then mental strength is the software program.


    The amount of mental strength merely determines how long the software can run.


    He only needs to clear the negative emotions brought by the hunting notebook, which won¡¯t take long.


    Having decided, Li Chang¡¯an explained the situation and reasons to Mao Mao.


    Since they were going to perform Beast Resonance, it was better to be upfront than to hide it.


    To avoid any rift between them.


    Upon hearing Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s plan, Mao Mao showed no resentment but seemed quite interested in the effects of the hunting notebook.


    Li Chang¡¯an twitched his mouth; as expected of the ancient dragon lineage, even their interests are unique.


    Beast Resonance is simple; both parties open their souls, and the beast tamer enhances with curse power.


    That¡¯s all.


    The hard part is the step where both parties open their souls without defense; the rest can be easily done even by a novice beast tamer.


    Thanks to the Ancient Dragon Heart talent, Li Chang¡¯an and Mao Mao¡¯s intimacy was high, easily achieving Beast Resonance.


    Then, Li Chang¡¯an and Mao Mao began their initial attempts, choosing to first use skills to adapt.


    Under Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s guidance, Mao Mao gradually completed the intermediate skill [Flame Spirit Coil].


    [Flame Spirit Coil] is a skill that converts energy into a physical form to enhance physical attributes.


    They chose this because Mao Mao sensed Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s concerns through their soul contract.


    The exposure of their ancient dragon identity would put them in great danger, so hiding their identity was crucial.


    While the forward use of Flame Spirit Coil converts energy into a physical form, its reverse use can achieve the effect of converting physical forms back into energy.


    The ability to use it in reverse is also because the Prison Flame Dragon is inherently the emperor that suppresses flames; partial body elementalization is just a basic operation for it.


    After a long adjustment period between Li Chang¡¯an and Mao Mao, its pair of red wooden dragon horns turned into two dark red hairs hidden within the red mane on its head.


    The pair of dragon wings transformed into golden patterns embedded in the scales on its body.


    The scales on its tail completely turned into red fur.


    Only the scales on its torso still proclaimed its dragon lineage.


    Paired with the newly acquired aura-concealing skill [Stealth Technique].


    ¡°You now look like a red-maned lion that has just awakened its dragon bloodline.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an chuckled lightly; Mao Mao didn¡¯t mind, as long as it had Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s approval.


    Others¡¯ evaluations meant less to it than the harassment of a magma dragonfly. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Chang¡¯an then had Mao Mao try out Prison Flame and Flame Claw; Prison Flame is a dark red flame, exclusive to the Prison Flame Dragon.


    Its rank increases with the Prison Flame Dragon¡¯s strength; currently a low-level skill, it will become an intermediate skill once Mao Mao advances to the elite level.


    And so on.


    Most importantly, after skill advancement, the skill proficiency only drops by one level.


    Quite user-friendly, a testament to the Prison Flame Dragon lineage¡¯s innate stubbornness.[Flame Claw] is essentially the Prison Flame Dragon¡¯s version of Flame Claw, just with more destructive Prison Flame entwining around its claws.


    Not worth mentioning! (`¤Ø¡ä)¥Î!


    ¡°Mao Mao, are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Meow! (Ready!)¡±


    Mao Mao emerged from the beast taming space, standing face to face with Li Chang¡¯an.


    ¡°Alright, Beast Resonance!¡±


    As soon as the words fell, dark red flames erupted from Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s body, and Mao Mao¡¯s red fur now resembled flames.


    Radiating intense heat, swaying with the wind.


    In an instant, Li Chang¡¯an terminated the Beast Resonance.


    Not due to insufficient mental strength or curse power, but because his body couldn¡¯t handle it.


    His state was like driving a sports car for the first time, unaware of its horsepower, and flooring the accelerator.


    The initial speed was fast, but the car was about to fall apart.


    Because he and Mao Mao were interconnected, his strength was easily bearable for Mao Mao, but the power flowing back from Mao Mao was overwhelming.


    Once the Beast Resonance compatibility exceeded 50%, he felt a near-death sensation and immediately canceled the resonance.


    All distracting thoughts in Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mind vanished, replaced by the shock of nearly being overwhelmed.


    But this bug-exploiting method works!

 Chapter 7 - Family

    Chapter 7: Family


    To verify the sustainability of this bug, Li Chang¡¯an stayed up all night on this Saturday. Utilizing Mao Mao¡¯s night vision ability, he uprooted most of the white flowers from the green belts and lawns in the neighborhood. Through a shallow beast resonance, he elevated Mao Mao¡¯s newly learned Stealth Technique to perfection. With this perfected technique, Mao Mao now resembled a red-maned lion with awakened dragon blood, temporarily devoid of the awe-inspiring majesty of an ancient dragon. According to Mao Mao¡¯s own perception, its aura now fell within the realm of a hybrid dragon species.


    Despite pulling an all-nighter, Li Chang¡¯an felt little fatigue. The life force he gained last night, though not substantial, expanded his physical stamina. By six in the morning, he was still full of energy. In preparation for the next day¡¯s exam, while sorting through Xiao Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories, Li Chang¡¯an also prepared a vegetable salad for Mao Mao. This salad was intended for the practical exam on pet food preparation. Under Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s expectant gaze, Mao Mao reluctantly swallowed this wood-attribute vegetable salad. Mao Mao thought, ¡°Although I do consume plants like gunpowder grass and flame flowers, a full wood-attribute vegetable set is not my usual diet.¡± Fortunately, Li Chang¡¯an later compensated Mao Mao with three servings of warm milk and high-quality volcanic rock, which finally allowed the little cat to curl up on the bed and fall into a deep sleep.


    That day, Li Chang¡¯an took a short nap but otherwise remained active. In the evening, just as he was about to prepare dinner, he heard the sound of the door unlocking. Tap, tap, tap. Li Chang¡¯an recognized the familiar sound of high heels and the rustling of someone changing shoes at the entrance.


    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re back?¡±


    ¡°Xiao An, have you eaten yet?¡±


    A gentle voice came from the entrance.


    ¡°Not yet, I was just about to start cooking!¡±


    ¡°Let me see my son¡¯s culinary skills.¡± Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mao Mao, perched on the dining table, curiously looked towards the entrance. Is this Chang¡¯an¡¯s mother? She seems impressive! As a ancient dragon species, Mao Mao keenly sensed the hidden power of this mysterious woman. Through their soul contract, Li Chang¡¯an explained to Mao Mao, ¡°Both of my parents are King-level Beast Masters, corresponding to monarch-level beasts.¡± Mao Mao suddenly understood. Although monarch-level was nothing significant in its view, it was quite impressive from a human perspective. From the knowledge Mao Mao gained from Li Chang¡¯an, human Beast Masters are ranked from low to high as: Low-level Beast Master (Levels 1-3), Mid-level Beast Master (Levels 4-6), High-level Beast Master (Levels 7-9), and King-level/Legendary Beast Master. Li Chang¡¯an didn¡¯t know the ranks above that, but Mao Mao was aware of the beast levels beyond monarch-level.


    ¡°Wow, what a cute little cat,¡± said a woman in a red dress, attempting to pick up Mao Mao, who deftly dodged her. Mao Mao jumped onto the top of a nearby shelf, looking down at this elegant-faced woman. ¡°Meow, meow. (Even if you are Chang¡¯an¡¯s mother, I won¡¯t let you touch me. Only Chang¡¯an can hold me.)¡± Li Chang¡¯an put down the kitchen knife and walked out of the kitchen, saying helplessly, ¡°Mom, stop playing around, come and help.¡± The elegant woman, slightly disappointed, tied on an apron and entered the kitchen.


    This young and beautiful woman is Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mother, Mu Qingqing. She runs a high-end tea house and a tea shop. Due to her identity as a King-level Beast Master and the convenience it brings, Mu Qingqing¡¯s tea house has always been in a leading position in Hongyan City. Consequently, like Li¡¯s father, Li Mingxuan, she is often busy with work and has little time to spend with Xiao Chang¡¯an. Unlike his former self, Li Chang¡¯an does not resent his parents. As someone who has experienced much, he deeply understands that many things in this world are difficult to balance.


    Although Mu Qingqing was nearly forty, time had left no trace on her face. When facing her only son, Li Chang¡¯an, she occasionally revealed a mischievous side reminiscent of her youth. ¡°Oh, Xiao An, is that little cat outside something you brought home? I remember our family doesn¡¯t allow strays,¡± Mu Qingqing said, her phoenix eyes narrowing like a thousand-year-old vixen eyeing something of interest. Li Chang¡¯an remained calm, knowing that any sign of discomfort or timidity would only encourage her to tease him more. Ever since Xiao Chang¡¯an could remember, Mu Qingqing had been like this. He replied indifferently, ¡°Mao Mao¡¯s birth was just an accident.¡± ¡°From that dead egg you bought?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°A miracle!¡± Mu Qingqing smiled slightly while chopping vegetables, ¡°And how did you manage to complete the contract and beast space?¡± Li Chang¡¯an evenly placed the chopped cabbage and meat slices on a clay pot, adding small pieces of tofu, mushrooms, and several prepared fresh shrimps. He poured over the pre-prepared sauce, covered the pot, and let it simmer on high heat for half an hour. He explained, ¡°I couldn¡¯t just let a dragon species with ancient dragon blood roam around the house, could I?¡± This time, it was Mu Qingqing¡¯s turn to be unsettled. Ancient dragon blood? Could other magical beasts inherit that? Wait, she seemed to recall her husband mentioning that a few lucky ones could inherit a trace of ancient dragon blood, but these were even rarer than the ancient dragons themselves. And her own son had encountered one. Controlling her surprise, Mu Qingqing casually asked, ¡°Which ancient dragon¡¯s bloodline is it?¡± ¡°Which else? The Infernal Dragon.¡± Mu Qingqing drew out her response, ¡°Oh~.¡± Li Chang¡¯an, unable to stand the atmosphere, faced Mu Qingqing directly, ¡°Ms. Mu, has Comrade Li Mingxuan ever told you that your acting skills are quite poor?¡± Mu Qingqing burst out laughing but then, holding back her laughter, pretended to recall, ¡°Since I¡¯ve known him, probably not.¡± Li Chang¡¯an was speechless, ¡°The husband¡¯s discipline is lax!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it? Your father has learned his three obediences and four virtues well, I am quite pleased.¡± Li Chang¡¯an: ¡­


    After some playful banter between mother and son, they served a pot of stewed cabbage with tofu and a pot of boiled meat slices. The boiled meat slices were prepared by Mu Qingqing, who, with a lifespan of up to five hundred years, wasn¡¯t concerned about acne. Seeing the meal ready, Mao Mao jumped down from the top of the cabinet, scurried onto Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s lap, and eyed the spicy boiled meat slices eagerly. It pointed with its little paw, ¡°Meow! (Chang¡¯an, I want that!)¡± Ms. Mu Qingqing proudly placed her hands on her hips, ¡°Mao Mao, you have good taste, recognizing at a glance that this is my dish.¡± She had already learned from the kitchen that Li Chang¡¯an had named the little cat Mao Mao, and she was very curious about it. That¡¯s why she made the second dish a boiled meat slice, adding flame chili, a spiritual plant supplement. It definitely wasn¡¯t because she was craving something spicy. Li Chang¡¯an chose to ignore his mischievous mother, picking out a few slices of meat and bean sprouts and placing them on a small plate prepared for Mao Mao. ¡°Remember to eat the bean sprouts.¡± Mao Mao was somewhat reluctant, but as it ate the bean sprouts, a surge of heat emanated from them. The little creature couldn¡¯t resist and began to devour the food heartily. Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s eyes showed a look of realization as he picked up some of his own stewed cabbage with tofu. Mu Qingqing also showed a hint of regret; her child had grown up and was no longer easily fooled. The young Xiao An would have eagerly run over to taste a bite from her chopsticks, only to cry from the spiciness. Li Chang¡¯an caught the expression on Mu Qingqing¡¯s face from the corner of his eye and twitched his mouth slightly. How old are you? So childish!


    The pot of boiled meat slices was finished by both Mu Qingqing and Mao Mao. After washing the dishes, Mu Qingqing called Li Chang¡¯an into her studio. The first thing Li Chang¡¯an said was, ¡°The pure fragrant milk and high-quality volcanic rock are for Mao Mao.¡± Mu Qingqing waved her hand, ¡°I¡¯m not here to argue about that.¡± She stared intently at Li Chang¡¯an, as if suppressing something, and asked, ¡°Xiao An, have you awakened your talent?¡±

 Chapter 8 - Initial Analysis of Talent

    Chapter 8: Initial Analysis of Talent


    Li Chang¡¯an nodded noncommittally; he had already awakened twice.


    Mu Qingqing¡¯s face showed a trace of sorrow as she pulled Li Chang¡¯an into her arms.


    Choking back tears, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Xiao An. Your father and I have been too busy, leaving you to face this alone.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an was initially bewildered by his mother¡¯s sudden emotional shift.


    But a memory from little Chang¡¯an reminded him of a class about talent awakening.


    The class had mentioned that spontaneous talent awakening was not uncommon in the current Donghuang Kingdom.


    However, the unbearable pain during the awakening process led most children to choose to end their lives.


    Therefore, surviving a spontaneous awakening and maintaining an optimistic disposition was rarer than winning the lottery.


    Usually, such individuals awakened with powerful talents, a kind of compensation for their suffering.


    He understood Mu Qingqing¡¯s feelings now¡ªa mother¡¯s heartache upon learning that her child had faced life and death without her knowledge.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Mu Qingqing was sobbing uncontrollably, and Li Chang¡¯an had no choice but to wrap his arms around her waist and pat her back.


    The child who most wanted to hear these words was no longer here, and his memories were those of an adult.


    Although spontaneous talent awakening was painful, it wasn¡¯t enough to break him. After all, he had experienced death before, so he was somewhat accustomed to it.


    Once Mu Qingqing¡¯s emotions stabilized, Li Chang¡¯an asked, ¡°Mom, how did you know I had awakened my talent?¡±


    Mu Qingqing clung tightly to Li Chang¡¯an, unwilling to let go, and after a while, she said, ¡°You used to cut potatoes so slowly, but today you sliced meat so quickly and thinly, even more skillfully than a restaurant chef.¡±


    ¡°What else could it be but your talent?¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an raised an eyebrow. So that¡¯s where he had slipped up. He really shouldn¡¯t underestimate others.


    Seeing the subtle details, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s remaining pride as a reincarnator completely vanished.


    Mu Qingqing asked, ¡°Xiao An, what is your talent?¡±


    ¡°Manual dexterity¡ªit improves the agility of my hands.¡±


    Mu Qingqing¡¯s emotions had fully stabilized, and she began to draw on her experience and knowledge as a King-level Beastmaster.


    ¡°What do you understand about the operational mechanism of your talent? For example, when you were cutting vegetables, did you feel confident before holding the knife, or did your hands become more agile after holding it for a while?¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an grasped the key point. His mother wanted to know whether his dexterity led to mental clarity or if mental clarity enhanced his dexterity.


    The sequence was important. The former was just an ordinary strengthening talent, while the latter involved the mysterious realm of the mind.


    Li Chang¡¯an recalled the feeling he had while cooking.


    Although he had prior experience from his past life, it was only after he picked up the kitchen knife that he felt a sense of mastery.


    It was as if cutting vegetables was completely within his control, and his proficiency increased as he continued.


    It was like practicing a skill.


    Hmm? Practicing a skill?


    Skill proficiency!


    Li Chang¡¯an suddenly realized that this seemingly ordinary talent could bring him such a significant surprise.


    Seeing the look of surprise in Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s eyes, Mu Qingqing knew her child had grasped the key point.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve understood what I mean. This is the initial development and expansion of your talent, a required course at Beastmaster University.¡±


    ¡°Even the simplest physical enhancement has thousands of research papers dedicated to understanding it at the university level, let alone a talent like yours that awakened spontaneously.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an sighed inwardly. He really couldn¡¯t measure the professional expertise that Beastmasters had accumulated over centuries with his past life¡¯s experience of reading novels.


    With this in mind, Li Chang¡¯an became even more humble.


    He explained to Mu Qingqing the details of his talent, Manual Dexterity.


    ¡°Xiao An, your talent is much more powerful than I imagined. It¡¯s not about sequence or causation, but symbiosis.¡±


    ¡°Because your hand holds the knife, it stimulates your mental power, and the presence of mental power allows your hand to hold the knife better. The two reinforce each other, achieving an effect similar to accelerated thinking.¡±


    As Mu Qingqing spoke, her tone grew more excited. She could already imagine the glorious achievements her child would attain in the future.


    Li Chang¡¯an listened carefully, memorizing every word. These were the insights of a King-level Beastmaster, invaluable knowledge that couldn¡¯t be bought.


    Then Mu Qingqing asked, ¡°I can think of two paths that would suit you well. One is the Harmonizer path, and the other is the Hunter path. Which one do you want to choose?¡±


    Harmonizer? Hunter?


    Li Chang¡¯an recalled the descriptions of these two professions.


    Harmonizers were professionals who blended supernatural materials. Some focused on potions, others on weapons and ammunition, and some on cooking spiritual food.


    It was a profession aimed at harmonizing all things.


    Hunters were the most glorious profession of the previous era, equivalent to today¡¯s Beastmasters.


    They concentrated immense power within themselves, their skills bordering on the divine.


    A significant portion of the Donghuang Kingdom¡¯s territory had been claimed by Hunters.


    It could be said that without Hunters, the stable lives of the Donghuang people today would not exist.


    Since Mu Qingqing was also a master of cooking spiritual food, Li Chang¡¯an was quite familiar with the Harmonizer path.


    As for the famous Hunters, aside from the descriptions in books, he knew nothing else.


    ¡°Mom, can you tell me more about the Hunter path?¡±


    Seeing Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s cautious yet expectant expression, Mu Qingqing¡¯s low spirits lifted slightly.


    ¡°The Hunter profession has evolved significantly from what it was a hundred years ago, so the things you¡¯re worried about have likely been phased out by Hunters long ago.¡±


    ¡°Modern Hunters are allowed to have beast companions, not just allowed¡ªthey¡¯ve developed many techniques for coordinated attacks with their beasts.¡±


    ¡°It can be said that the new generation of Hunters is more open and powerful than you might imagine.¡±


    ¡°What you should worry about isn¡¯t outdated customs, but the Hunter Guild¡¯s assessments.¡±


    Mu Qingqing¡¯s slender willow-leaf eyebrows rose slightly. ¡°The Hunter Guild isn¡¯t as lenient as the Beastmaster Association. Their assessments are very strict.¡±


    ¡°Not only does your beast companion¡¯s strength need to pass, but your own skills must also be proficient.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an realized that this was essentially the Beastmaster version of a special forces soldier!


    A one-man army¡ªspecial edition for Canglan Star!


    If what Mu Qingqing said was true, then joining the Hunter Guild was indeed no simple task.


    Li Chang¡¯an said seriously to Mu Qingqing, ¡°Mom, I want both!¡±


    Only children make choices; adults take everything.


    Mu Qingqing: ¡­


    Of course, real-life decisions aren¡¯t as simple as Li Chang¡¯an saying ¡°I want both.¡±


    Mu Qingqing gave an on-the-spot lesson, teaching Li Chang¡¯an a new low-tier fire-attribute spiritual dish¡ª[Flame Bud Milk Soup].


    Although this dish was low-tier, its preparation process wasn¡¯t much simpler than some mid-tier spiritual dishes. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The main purpose was to see just how far Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s talent could go.


    Then, within two hours, Mu Qingqing¡¯s expression went through a rapid series of changes¡ªfrowning, seriousness, surprise, disbelief, and finally numbness.


    Li Chang¡¯an wiped the sweat from his forehead. On the dining table, Mao Mao was lying there, completely stuffed.


    Mao Mao: Help me up, I can still eat!


    In those two hours, he had made eight servings of Flame Bud Milk Soup. From stumbling at the beginning to becoming proficient later, he even managed to operate two pots simultaneously, producing two high-quality servings at once.


    Mu Qingqing truly recognized her son¡¯s extraordinary talent.


    This wasn¡¯t just accelerated thinking anymore; it was enlightenment, a state of unity between heaven and man.


    The first attempt was still within the realm of accelerated thinking, but by the second attempt, Mu Qingqing saw sparks of enlightenment in a 16-year-old.


    By the third and fourth attempts, the harmonious unity with the pots and pans reminded her that this was the state of unity between heaven and man that Harmonizers dreamed of.


    It seemed necessary to discuss the child¡¯s future with Old Li.


    Mu Qingqing covered her darkened eyes and told Li Chang¡¯an to go rest well, preparing for tomorrow¡¯s exam.

 Chapter 9 - Wen Miaohua

    Chapter 9: Wen Miaohua


    The next day, Mu Qingqing did not continue teaching Li Chang¡¯an. The two days were the final exams for high school, crucial for the children¡¯s future, so academic priorities came first. There would be plenty of time later to discuss future paths.


    ¡°Read the questions carefully, don¡¯t rush, and double-check your answers after finishing. Be thorough,¡± Mu Qingqing repeated several times to Li Chang¡¯an, just like most parents, as she dropped him off at school. If someone hadn¡¯t pulled him away, Li Chang¡¯an would still be stuck in Mu Qingqing¡¯sßë߶.


    This savior was a girl, dressed in a white summer shirt and a yellow-and-black plaid skirt. Her legs were clad in pristine knee-high socks, with a hint of pink showing through at the knees. The socks left a subtle indentation on her thighs, contrasting beautifully with the smooth, porcelain-like skin above.


    This girl was Wen Miaohua, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s only childhood friend. Similarly, Li Chang¡¯an was her only childhood companion. The two had known each other since birth, as Wen Miaohua¡¯s mother, Tang Xinyao, was Mu Qingqing¡¯s college best friend. Thus, the two families were very close.


    Although many classmates had been in the same class as Wen Miaohua since childhood, Li Chang¡¯an was the only one who stayed close to her. This wasn¡¯t just because of their family ties but also because Li Chang¡¯an was the only one who didn¡¯t find Wen Miaohua off-putting. Wen Miaohua was an ice-cold beauty, both literally and figuratively.


    ¡°Meow! Meow! (Oh~! Chang¡¯an, there¡¯s something interesting inside this person.)¡± Li Chang¡¯an had once thought Wen Miaohua had awakened some bloodline or talent, but now it seemed she had inherited a troublesome pet beast ability.


    Inheriting a pet beast ability means that after a new beast tamer contracts their initial pet beast, they might gain one of the pet¡¯s skills or talents. Researchers in Donghuang Country found that if a beast tamer contracts a pet beast before its awakening period, they are guaranteed to inherit one of the pet¡¯s abilities when it breaks through to the awakening stage. This is why the prices of popular pet beast eggs skyrocket every summer.


    ¡°Today, you seem a bit different,¡± Wen Miaohua said, her clear eyes fixed on Li Chang¡¯an. Her words flowed like a clear spring from a high mountain, crisp and distant.


    Li Chang¡¯an noticed a hint of curiosity in Wen Miaohua¡¯s eyes, something absent from Little Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories. In those memories, Wen Miaohua was cold and repressed, with only sweet cakes able to elicit any change in her.


    ¡°I just contracted my initial pet beast,¡± Li Chang¡¯an said, recalling the unknown attribute on his status panel. He hesitated, ¡°It should be fire-type.¡±


    Should?


    Wen Miaohua caught the key point but didn¡¯t press further. She didn¡¯t want to lose the only peer who could stay by her side. So, she simply responded with one word, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an looked at the girl, who was like a snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains, in surprise. It seemed he couldn¡¯t fully trust Little Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories. For instance, Wen Miaohua, in his perception, was emotionally delicate yet humble. This delicacy was hidden beneath her clear, spring-like eyes, untouched by worldly concerns. Her humility was concealed under her icy demeanor, almost imperceptible.


    Li Chang¡¯an instinctively pulled out an orange-flavored candy. Just as he wondered when this candy had ended up in his school uniform, Wen Miaohua¡¯s cool little hand had already taken it from him. She skillfully unwrapped it, the candy forming a small bump on her delicate face as she savored the sweet taste, her eyes narrowing like a contented hamster.


    Li Chang¡¯an could clearly sense Wen Miaohua¡¯s joy, albeit faintly. Having just accepted a mental-type talent, he could still perceive it.


    When they entered the classroom, the previously noisy room fell silent the moment Wen Miaohua stepped in. All the students dutifully began preparing their exam stationery and then filed out of the classroom.


    Li Chang¡¯an took the opportunity to gently touch Wen Miaohua¡¯s jet-black hair. Her ability combined both chilling air and pressure, which was indeed too much for a group of underage high schoolers.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, get your things ready. I checked; we should be in the same exam room,¡± Li Chang¡¯an said.


    The gloom in Wen Miaohua¡¯s eyes was replaced by Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s smile. She didn¡¯t know why her childhood friend had changed so much, but she lowered her head, a faint, cold yet warm smile tugging at her lips.


    This scene was witnessed by the classmates who hadn¡¯t left the classroom yet, and they all had one thought: Li, the top student, is truly a real man!


    The morning exams were Chinese and Math, which were no challenge for Li Chang¡¯an. Little Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories had already taken care of most of his academic concerns.


    By lunchtime, Li Chang¡¯an and Wen Miaohua found a quiet corner in the cafeteria to sit and eat. As a newly minted Level 1 Beast Tamer, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s senses were sharp, and he easily overheard the energetic high schoolers¡¯ chatter.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear? Class Monitor Wen got her head patted this morning!¡±


    ¡°Which Class Monitor Wen?¡±


    ¡°The ice queen from Class 3, Grade 2.¡±


    ¡°Oh, her! Who was the brave soul?¡±


    ¡°Who else? Li Chang¡¯an!¡±


    ¡°That Li Chang¡¯an who, along with Wen Miaohua, dominates Grade 2?¡±


    ¡°Yep, that¡¯s him.¡±


    ¡°Your Grade 2 life sounds tough. Has anyone ever outscored those two?¡±


    A bespectacled boy with short hair proudly replied, ¡°Nope.¡±


    Everyone groaned.


    Li Chang¡¯an noticed Wen Miaohua¡¯s ears turning slightly red¡ªwell, pink. Sometimes having excellent hearing wasn¡¯t such a good thing.


    ¡°Meow. (Chang¡¯an, I want to eat too!)¡± sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Chang¡¯an suddenly remembered he wasn¡¯t alone anymore; he had a family to take care of now.


    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll get it ready for you.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an took out a thermal lunchbox from his bag and placed it on the seat beside him. Inside was a large portion of Fire Sprout Milk Soup, made by Mu Qingqing that morning.


    A contract array flashed under Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s feet, and a small, dragon-scaled kitten appeared in his arms. He gauged its weight¡ªMao Mao was at least three times heavier than when it was born. At such a young age, it already showed the potential to be a heavyweight.


    The scene of Li Chang¡¯an summoning his pet beast caught many eyes, eliciting gasps. A girl who had just walked past their table shuddered and quickly fled.


    ¡°Whoa, a fire-type pet beast.¡±


    In Donghuang Country, novice Beast Tamers didn¡¯t contract flashy lightning, fire, or ice-type pet beasts right off the bat like in TV dramas, then ride off into the sunset. In this world, when choosing a pet beast, Beast Tamers had to consider compatibility, intimacy, and the pet beast¡¯s inherent traits.


    For example, a Flame Tail Dog, with its fiery tail, could accidentally burn its tamer or set the house on fire with a casual wag. Flame Tail Dogs were relatively mild; many fire-type pet beasts were temperamental and prone to attacking, leading to numerous injuries.


    Then there were lightning-type pet beasts with their risk of electric shocks, and poison-type pet beasts with their risk of poisoning. A Beast Tamer could easily end up in the hospital¡ªor worse¡ªif they weren¡¯t careful.


    And that¡¯s not even mentioning other special attribute pet beasts. Light and dark-type pet beasts were not only more eccentric but also posed higher risks. Soul, death, life, and dragon-type pet beasts required precautions that underage high schoolers couldn¡¯t handle.


    After all, to build intimacy with a pet beast, you couldn¡¯t wear an insulated suit to approach a lightning-type pet beast, or go gloveless to handle a poison-type pet beast, right?


    Thus, most novice Beast Tamers opted for gentler water, wood, and earth-type pet beasts. They were safer and easier to raise. After all, they could always contract more powerful pet beasts later; there was no need to rush.


    Wen Miaohua curiously eyed the red kitten quietly resting in Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s hands.


    ¡°It seems very obedient to you, unlike most fire-type pet beasts.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an smiled, ¡°Mao Mao is indeed well-behaved, but only with me.¡±


    Wen Miaohua nodded in agreement, ¡°Mine is the same.¡±

 Chapter 10 - Final Exams

    Chapter 10: Final Exams


    Although Wen Miaohua was quite enamored with Mao Mao¡¯s fluffy head, she clearly understood that it was an impossible dream. After all, her own lazy pet, who slept all day, still refused to let her mother or anyone else touch it. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mao Mao¡¯s well-behaved eating habits attracted the attention of many high school students in their adolescence. The girls were captivated by Mao Mao¡¯s adorable demeanor, while the boys were more interested in its fire-based attributes. However, no one dared to approach for a closer look¡ªWen Miaohua was still there!


    After eating its fill, Mao Mao obediently returned to the Beast Taming Space. This time, more students witnessed Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s contract formation being summoned and retracted, eliciting either bitter smiles or looks of admiration. Overall, they had fallen far behind the duo from Hongyan No. 1 High School, not just in academic performance but also in achievements within the Beast Taming field.


    Establishing a soul contract and opening a Beast Taming Space were both monumental challenges that stood as barriers to becoming a true Beast Tamer. Missing either meant one couldn¡¯t be considered a genuine Beast Tamer. Unintentionally, Li Chang¡¯an had shown off his prowess, though he himself was unaware of it. To him, forming a contract and opening the space weren¡¯t particularly difficult and hadn¡¯t posed any significant obstacles. Instead, it was the sudden appearance of the Hunting Notebook, with its deeply soul-corrupting allure, that had kept him on edge for several days.


    The second-year students watched as the formidable duo left, their meals tasting like cardboard in their mouths. Rumors spread that many students had cried after the afternoon geography and Beast Language exams, their morale shattered. Part of the reason was that this year¡¯s Beast Language exam was particularly challenging. Of course, this had nothing to do with Li Chang¡¯an¡ªMao Mao was simply part of his strength.


    The first day of finals concluded, and upon returning home, Li Chang¡¯an was treated to a lavish meal by his mother, Mu Qingqing, as a reward for his efforts. ¡°Your father will be back the day after tomorrow. We¡¯ll discuss your matters then,¡± she said. Li Chang¡¯an nodded in acknowledgment. Today, Mu Qingqing didn¡¯t teach him anything new, so he spent his time in the kitchen reviewing the basics of pet food preparation for the next day¡¯s exam.


    The second-year practical final exam required each student to prepare a basic pet food, which would be graded based on its quality and effectiveness. Students at Hongyan No. 1 High School had already chosen their specialization during their summer internship after the first year. This choice was crucial because, upon passing the exam, the Hongyan Ecological Research Institute would assign students to select a pet of the corresponding attribute. For example, if a student chose to make water-based food, they would be assigned a water-based initial pet.


    Some might wonder what would happen if a student awakened a fire-based talent during the awakening ceremony in the first semester of their third year but had chosen a water-based initial pet. The answer, as provided by Xiao Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories, was simple: it didn¡¯t matter. The initial pet wasn¡¯t chosen for its powerful attributes but for the practical abilities it could pass on to the Beast Tamer. Before reaching the King-level, only the initial pet could provide a 100% inheritance of its abilities. Thus, pets with single, practical skills and good racial talents during their awakening period became highly sought after.


    Take, for instance, the water-based Bubble Turtle. During its awakening period, it was most likely to possess a single skill: [Clear Water Healing]. Its racial talents included a high probability of [Water Therapy] or a rare chance of [Turtle¡¯s Breath]. The [Water Therapy] talent provided continuous healing effects in water-based environments, while [Turtle¡¯s Breath] was even more extraordinary¡ªit slowed the passage of time, effectively extending the user¡¯s lifespan by 100 to 150 years. As a result, Bubble Turtles were several times more expensive than some dragon-type pet eggs.


    There were many such examples. Many novice Beast Tamers from influential backgrounds weren¡¯t after powerful initial pets but sought abilities that, while mediocre on the pet, could shine brilliantly when inherited by a human. It was common for fire-based Beast Tamers to have water-based initial pets.


    Originally, Xiao Chang¡¯an had planned to contract a wood-based pet, preferably one with a plant-affinity talent. Unfortunately, that plan was no longer feasible. Li Chang¡¯an had chosen Mao Mao as his initial pet, and the ancient dragon¡¯s power far surpassed any other formidable abilities. Moreover, what if he inherited one of the ancient dragon¡¯s unique abilities? The benefits were numerous.


    Still, Li Chang¡¯an couldn¡¯t help but feel intrigued by the pets offered by the Ecological Research Institute. As the son of the institute¡¯s deputy director, he knew just how unique those pets were. Even if he couldn¡¯t inherit their abilities, contracting a wood-based pet with healing capabilities would still be a great choice.


    On Tuesday morning, the biology comprehensive exam concluded, and in the afternoon, the pet food preparation exam began. Second-year students gathered at the gymnasium entrance, entering in batches to take the exam. The sports field was occupied by third-year students, as it was also their day for mock combat exams. In a few days, they would face the real battle¡ªthe college entrance exams. For those pursuing the Beast Tamer path, the combat exam was of utmost importance.


    Li Chang¡¯an was in the third batch of students to enter the exam hall, while Wen Miaohua was luckily in the first batch. By the time the girl finished her exam, Li Chang¡¯an was already inside the gymnasium, waiting for his turn. When the second batch of students completed their exams, he moved to the station assigned to him by the draw.


    ¡°The basic pet food preparation exam is about to begin. All students, please¡­¡± After the teacher finished explaining the exam rules, which took about ten minutes, the exam bell rang, and all students, including Li Chang¡¯an, began their preparations in earnest.


    Li Chang¡¯an had three sets of ingredients for [Fresh Salad] laid out in front of him, as did everyone else. Each student had three attempts. Successfully preparing one dish earned 20 points, and only by completing all three dishes could a student achieve the passing score of 60. The prepared dishes would then be sent to a testing machine, which evaluated factors such as life energy, elemental content, and ingredient fusion to assign a score. Each dish could earn up to 10 points, totaling 30 points. The final 10 points were based on the speed of preparation. Completing a dish within ten minutes guaranteed at least 5 points.


    Li Chang¡¯an worked quickly. While others took ten minutes to prepare one dish, he finished all three in the same amount of time. His simultaneous preparation of three [Fresh Salads] left the patrolling invigilators stunned. Was this even allowed?


    At 9 minutes and 10 seconds on the gymnasium¡¯s overhead timer, a crisp bell rang out in the quiet hall. ¡°Candidate No. 33 has completed all preparations.¡± Li Chang¡¯an pressed the bell on his workstation, and after the invigilator confirmed his completion, the three [Fresh Salads] were collected and promptly sent to the testing machine. Due to the importance of food freshness, this was the only exam where results were announced on the spot.


    ¡°9.6 points.¡± ¡°9.7 points.¡± ¡°9.7 points.¡± ¡°With a preparation time score of 9 points, Candidate No. 33¡¯s final score is 98 points.¡± The mechanical voice announced Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s results, sending a ripple of shock through the students below. Even the invigilators were taken aback¡ªnone of them had seen such a high score in their years of teaching at Hongyan No. 1 High School.


    One invigilator, slightly dazed, turned to his colleague and asked, ¡°Old Ji, you¡¯re the history teacher. Has our school ever seen such a high score in this subject before?¡± The middle-aged, balding teacher named Ji pondered for a moment before replying hoarsely, ¡°No. The highest score since the school¡¯s founding was 96.8 points. The last time someone scored above 95 was twenty years ago.¡± In other words, they had just witnessed history.


    Some sharp-eared students overheard the teachers¡¯ conversation, and their hands faltered, nearly ruining their dishes. Fortunately, they managed to recover in time. The gap between people could sometimes be wider than that between humans and dogs. Many students silently thought to themselves, ¡°Li Shen is a legend!¡±

 Chapter 11 - Dominance Level

    Chapter 11: Dominance Level


    After two days of final exams, Li Chang¡¯an spent his time peacefully weeding in the neighborhood and occasionally training Mao Mao¡¯s skill, [Flame Spirit Entanglement], in the yard. He hadn¡¯t yet obtained his¼ûÏ°ÓùÊÞʦ (Apprentice Beastmaster) qualification, so he didn¡¯t even have access to the most basic training grounds and had to stay idle at home. Since it was summer vacation, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s mindset was much more relaxed. Not only did he thoroughly weed the white-flower grass in his own neighborhood, but he also contributed to the neighboring community.


    Finally, as the sun was about to set, the mark of the white-flower grass in the Thorn Collection Room lit up again. ¡°As expected, breaking through to the Mastery level requires 32 identical skill stones,¡± Li Chang¡¯an thought, his face filled with excitement. He was thrilled not only because he had confirmed the cost of breaking through the Mastery level but also because he had discovered that the skill¡¯s upper limit was not the Mastery level.


    From the breakthrough requirements of the [Hidden Ambush Technique], he knew that to advance a skill from the Beginner level to the Apprentice level, 2 identical skill stones were needed. Advancing from Apprentice to Skilled required 4 stones, from Skilled to Proficient required 8 stones, and from Proficient to Mastery required 16 stones. Now, he had confirmed that breaking through the Mastery level required 32 stones.


    Li Chang¡¯an and Mao Mao exchanged a glance and seamlessly entered a 10% Beastmaster Resonance state. With a mental command from Li Chang¡¯an, the mark of the white-flower grass in the Thorn Collection Room quickly dimmed and turned gray. A small whirlwind began to swirl around Mao Mao.


    ¡°Meow! (Oh, this feels so good! Life energy is pouring in!)¡± Mao Mao¡¯s excited voice made Li Chang¡¯an a bit worried, fearing that the Hunting Notes might have corrupted Mao Mao. However, after the phenomenon ended, Mao Mao seemed fine and even asked Li Chang¡¯an what was for dinner. Clearly, Mao Mao¡¯s appetite was currently more important than the Hunting Notes.


    Relieved, Li Chang¡¯an immediately checked Mao Mao¡¯s status through their soul contract.


    [Name: Lion Discator (Mao Mao)


    Race: Prison Flame Dragon


    Attributes: ??


    Level: Juvenile


    Potential: ???


    Talent Abilities: ????


    Low-tier Skills: Prison Flame (Beginner), Flame Claw (Beginner), Hidden Ambush Technique (Dominance Level)


    Mid-tier Skills: Flame Spirit Entanglement (Apprentice Level)


    Status: A little hungry.].


    Dominance Level!


    Above the Mastery level was the Dominance Level!


    Li Chang¡¯an immediately asked Mao Mao, ¡°What¡¯s special about the Hidden Ambush Technique now?¡± Mao Mao paused for a moment to feel it out, then said, ¡°Meow. (There is a big change.)¡± Immediately after, Mao Mao¡¯s aura fluctuated three times between that of a pure-blood dragon, a half-blood dragon, and a mixed-blood dragon.


    At that moment, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding. Dominance¡ªthis was what it meant! The ability to freely control the intensity of a skill. For Li Chang¡¯an and Mao Mao, this discovery was of great significance.


    It was a simple principle. If you ask someone who is tone-deaf to sing, it¡¯s easy to make them go from sounding terrible to just slightly less terrible. But if you ask a skilled singer or a singing champion to sing like they¡¯re tone-deaf, it¡¯s extremely difficult. Even if they manage to do it, the result will feel forced and lack the natural ¡°charm¡± of someone who is genuinely tone-deaf.


    The Dominance Level, however, allows a top-performing beast to become a ¡°straight-A student¡± who can control their performance at will. Li Chang¡¯an was very satisfied with this effect. In many battles, it¡¯s necessary to adjust your strategy based on your opponent. Against ordinary beasts, the pressure of a mixed-blood dragon is enough to make them back off. But if you encounter a stronger beast, Mao Mao would normally only be able to release its full aura, and it would be difficult to release a slightly weaker aura. Adjusting this would take time, which is impractical in battle.


    Now, Mao Mao could freely switch between different levels of pressure without needing any time to adjust. In battle, an enemy facing the pressure of a mixed-blood dragon might suddenly be hit with the pressure of a half-blood dragon at a critical moment. Li Chang¡¯an could already imagine the constipated expressions on the faces of the opposing Beastmasters or magical beasts. This was a skill that could create a guaranteed winning opportunity.


    Li Chang¡¯an was very satisfied with today¡¯s gains. On the way back, he pulled out a few more ¡°leftover¡± weeds and was lucky enough to find another Hidden Ambush Technique skill stone. However, his relaxed steps suddenly paused as he looked up at the unpolluted night sky of the Blue Planet. It turned out that there were levels above the Dominance Level. The mark of the white-flower grass in the Thorn Collection Room was still glowing faintly, indicating that there was still room for improvement.


    Li Chang¡¯an clenched his fist. It seemed that he was destined to become the White-Flower Grass King of Red Rock City! Mao Mao looked puzzled. Why had Chang¡¯an suddenly become so passionate? Oh, I know! This must be that symptom human cubs often have called ¡°Chuunibyou¡± (Middle School Syndrome)!


    Mao Mao suddenly understood, but then heard Li Chang¡¯an say solemnly, ¡°Mao Mao, I just felt that my pure personality was corrupted by the Hunting Notes. I need to use Beastmaster Resonance to calm down.¡± Mao Mao: ¡°¡­Guess not.¡±


    After a round of Beastmaster Resonance, Li Chang¡¯an felt refreshed and canceled his plan to become the White-Flower Grass King. When he returned home, he found a young man in the living room. He was slightly less handsome than Li Chang¡¯an but had a more mature aura. This was Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s father, Li Mingxuan, the deputy director of the Red Rock City Ecological Research Institute, a pillar of the Li family, a frequent user of the Thorn Crab-brand washboard, a loyal supporter of Hundred Birds instant coffee, and an angel investor in the Tianshan sleeping bag brand.


    Li Mingxuan was drinking tea brewed by Mu Qingqing, and as soon as Li Chang¡¯an entered, his gaze locked onto Mao Mao on Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s head. His intense gaze was unwavering, refusing to look away. Li Chang¡¯an calmly put Mao Mao back into his Beast Space, not even glancing at Li Mingxuan, and went straight into the kitchen to help Mu Qingqing prepare dinner.


    ¡°Meow? (Chang¡¯an, don¡¯t you like your father?)¡± Mao Mao asked through their soul connection. Li Chang¡¯an replied helplessly, ¡°He¡¯s probably thinking about how to study you, a rare species.¡± Mao Mao, curled up in the Beast Space, shrank its head and said softly, ¡°Meow. (Well, I don¡¯t like him either.)¡±


    The atmosphere at the Li family dinner was quite tense. Due to Little Chang¡¯an¡¯s memories, Li Chang¡¯an didn¡¯t have much goodwill toward Li Mingxuan, far less than he had for Mu Qingqing. Mu Qingqing was happy to watch the drama unfold; she wouldn¡¯t help her husband speak because he was indeed in the wrong.


    Unable to bear the silence, Li Mingxuan spoke up, ¡°I heard your initial beast is called Mao Mao?¡± Li Chang¡¯an picked up some food and responded indifferently, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What skills does it have?¡± Li Chang¡¯an slowly drank a bowl of soup, exhaled, and then calmly said, ¡°Prison Flame, Flame Claw, Flame Spirit Entanglement, and a stealth skill.¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°That many?¡± Li Mingxuan¡¯s eyebrows raised. Father and son had similar reactions at times. Aside from Prison Flame, the other skills weren¡¯t particularly special. Flame Claw and Flame Spirit Entanglement could be found in the skill lists of other beast species. ¡°Prison Flame! The records left in Red Rock City mention that this is a growth-type skill. It can advance to a top-tier skill as the beast¡¯s strength grows. Make sure Mao Mao practices this skill well; it¡¯s very important.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an nodded slightly but didn¡¯t respond further. Li Mingxuan opened his mouth, countless words stuck in his throat, and finally handed Li Chang¡¯an a business card. ¡°This is the phone number of the director of the Red Rock City Hunters¡¯ Guild. I¡¯ve already spoken to him. You can go directly to him when you¡¯re ready.¡± Li Chang¡¯an took the card and asked, ¡°So, you agree?¡± Li Mingxuan smiled, ¡°You¡¯re willing to strive for better opportunities. I¡¯m happy for you. Why wouldn¡¯t I agree?¡±


    Seeing the atmosphere ease a bit, Li Mingxuan asked, ¡°A week from now, are you still willing to go to the Ecological Park to get your second beast?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°The second beast isn¡¯t like the initial one. You can¡¯t just ignore its species and attributes. I see you¡¯ve chosen a wood-type beast. Do you have any specific one in mind?¡± Li Chang¡¯an swallowed his food and said seriously, ¡°Preferably a wood-type beast with healing skills.¡±


    Li Mingxuan nodded in satisfaction, not because of Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s choice but because of his serious attitude. Many Beastmasters had gone astray, only pursuing high-potential, strong-bloodline beasts. They didn¡¯t realize that the bond between humans and beasts was the strongest and most precious thing. Many geniuses only realized this when they were on the verge of breaking through to the King-level Beastmaster, and by then, it was too late. Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s attitude made him very happy.


    ¡°Recently, I heard from Xiao Wang that the casualties from beast fights in the Wood-type Zone C have decreased significantly.¡± After saying this, Li Mingxuan left the table. Li Chang¡¯an smirked. Even at home, he¡¯s still pulling this kind of act. Zone C, huh¡­

 Chapter 12 - The Master of Spiritual Cuisine

    Chapter 12: The Master of Spiritual Cuisine


    The final exam results were released a week later. Taking advantage of this period, Li Chang¡¯an devoted himself to meditation and cultivation, hoping to advance to the level of a Tier 2 Beast Master within the week. Unfortunately, progress in cultivation couldn¡¯t be rushed, especially since Li Chang¡¯an had only recently become a Tier 1 Beast Master. Without the aid of potions or Void Stones, his cultivation results were less than satisfactory. According to Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s estimation, given his talent, it would take him three months to fill his 500-cubic Beast Space withÖäÁ¦ (zh¨°u l¨¬, or ¡°curse power¡±).


    While working in Mu Qingqing¡¯s studio, Li Chang¡¯an used a simple spiritual power tester to measure his current spiritual power, which was around 16 ¡°·û¡± (f¨², a unit of measurement for spiritual power). This was still some distance from the 20 f¨² required to reach the threshold of a Tier 2 Beast Master. This increase in spiritual power was largely due to his constant resonance with his beast companion, Mao Mao, which indirectly trained his spiritual power.


    As for spell energy, the situation wasn¡¯t as favorable. Old Man Li had specifically warned him that low-tier Beast Masters (Tiers 1-3) should avoid using potions to aid their cultivation. Doing so could affect the purity of their spell energy and reduce their sensitivity to life energy. Only after advancing to the mid-tier Beast Master level, where the body undergoes a significant transformation and develops³¬·²Æ÷¹Ù (ch¨¡o f¨¢n q¨¬ gu¨¡n, or ¡°supernatural organs¡±), could one begin using potions. At that stage, the body gains the ability to resist and metabolize impurities in the potions, provided the impurity content isn¡¯t too high. High-tier Beast Masters have even more flexibility, as long as they don¡¯t overuse potions.


    Therefore, low-tier Beast Masters like Li Chang¡¯an should avoid relying on potions for cultivation, as it could harm their bodies. Since spell energy cultivation showed no immediate results, Li Chang¡¯an decided to focus on Mao Mao. By nurturing Mao Mao to the awakening stage and unlocking its racial talents, Li Chang¡¯an could receive energy feedback through their soul contract and inherit new abilities. This would allow him to complete most of his Tier 1 Beast Master cultivation. After that, a few weeks of focused training would be enough to break through to Tier 2.


    To achieve this, Li Chang¡¯an spent his time learning new fire-attribute spiritual cuisine recipes from his mother, Mu Qingqing. Initially, Mu Qingqing was surprised and hoped that Li Chang¡¯an would master the basic recipes before moving on to more advanced ones. However, when she learned that the new recipes were tailored to Mao Mao¡¯s inherited memories and would help create the most suitable food for the beast, her enthusiasm ignited. Crafting a custom diet for a beast with ancient dragon bloodline might provide her with new insights and help her overcome a bottleneck in her spiritual cuisine skills. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before each meal, Mu Qingqing and Li Chang¡¯an experimented with new spiritual cuisine recipes. Mu Qingqing took the lead, while Li Chang¡¯an acted as a messenger, relaying Mao Mao¡¯s feedback to her. Sometimes, he offered suggestions from the perspective of a human Beast Master. After five days of experimentation, they finally created a new spiritual cuisine set called the ¡°Lava Set.¡± This set could be upgraded to high-tier spiritual cuisine, but it wasn¡¯t the limit of the series. Due to time constraints and Mu Qingqing¡¯s newfound inspiration, the series hadn¡¯t yet reached the king-tier level. According to Mu Qingqing, who jokingly referred to herself as ¡°forever eighteen,¡± she needed some time to fully digest her inspiration and complete the king-tier version of the Lava Set.


    Watching his mother hurry off to her tea house research lab, Li Chang¡¯an realized that this recipe development had greatly inspired her. Perhaps soon, their family would have a second-tier Spiritual Cuisine Master.


    The ranks of Spiritual Cuisine Masters and other types ofµ÷ºÍʦ (ti¨¢o h¨¦ sh¨©, or ¡°harmonizers¡±) are similar to those of Beast Masters. They are divided into low-tier, mid-tier, and high-tier harmonizers, corresponding to the ranks of Beast Masters. Upon reaching the king-tier Beast Master level and creating a king-tier spiritual cuisine set, one could be called a Spiritual Cuisine Master. Note that it had to be a complete set, not just a single king-tier dish. Therefore, the assessment for master-level harmonizers at the king-tier was particularly strict, requiring the ability to independently create a full king-tier spiritual cuisine set. Mu Qingqing was a first-tier Spiritual Cuisine Master.


    Thanks to his conversations with Mu Qingqing during this period, Li Chang¡¯an finally learned about the realms beyond the king-tier Beast Master level. After the king-tier came the Throne-tier and Celestial King-tier Beast Masters, corresponding to second-tier and third-tier Spiritual Cuisine Masters, respectively. The skill progression of harmonizers was much slower than that of Beast Masters, so it was common for first-tier harmonizers to have Throne-tier strength, surpassing their skill level. Cases like Mu Qingqing¡¯s, where strength and skill matched, were rare and belonged to the realm of geniuses. If Mu Qingqing succeeded, her status and position would be among the top in the entire Z Province.


    Having a harmonizer master in the family was undoubtedly a great advantage! As Li Chang¡¯an marveled at his mother¡¯s illustrious career, he exchanged a sly smile with Mao Mao. Thanks to the constant feeding of fire-attribute spiritual cuisine, Mao Mao was now on the verge of breaking through to the awakening stage. Unlike ordinary beasts, which required time to digest and grow, theÓüÑ×Áú (Y¨´ Y¨¢n L¨®ng, or ¡°Prison Flame Dragon¡±) grew rapidly in its early stages. As long as it received sufficient energy, the Prison Flame Dragon could rely on its formidable digestive abilities and its unique body condition during its juvenile stage¡ªsomewhere between an elemental and a flesh-and-blood form¡ªto quickly grow out of its vulnerable infancy and awakening stages, ensuring its survival in the wild.


    This was exactly what was happening with Mao Mao. To prepare for the upcoming awakening stage, Li Chang¡¯an let Mao Mao rest for a day to grow peacefully. As he stroked the sleeping Mao Mao, Li Chang¡¯an felt a tinge of regret. This rapid growth only occurred during the juvenile stage of the Prison Flame Dragon. Once it reached the³¬·²¼¶ (ch¨¡o f¨¢n j¨ª, or ¡°transcendent level¡±) and entered its growth stage, its body would stabilize into a flesh-and-blood form, and its elemental transformation ability would only be achievable through skills. It would no longer be able to use the gap between its elemental and flesh-and-blood forms to achieve rapid growth. This was likely an evolutionary ability developed by ancient dragons to reduce the mortality rate of their young.


    After a day of rest, Li Chang¡¯an woke up early and prepared five servings of the low-tier Lava Set. The low-tier Lava Set consisted of only two items: the main dish, ¡°Lava Jelly,¡± and the drink, ¡°Fire Essence Liquid.¡± The Lava Jelly was made by combining liquefied low-tier fire crystals with magma fruit to create a jelly-like food. The translucent red jelly was sprinkled with finely ground, caramelized high-quality volcanic rock, which added essential minerals and improved the texture. The Fire Essence Liquid was simpler, made from the extracts of fire essence grass and crystal peach, with a bit of sugar added for flavor.


    Five servings of the Lava Set were enough to push Mao Mao into the awakening stage twice. Li Chang¡¯an donned a high-temperature protective suit and went to the courtyard, where he activated a protective formation. To avoid alarming others, he set the formation to its highest level, which included optical camouflage, scent masking, and soundproofing. Everything was ready; all that was needed was for Mao Mao to begin.


    Under Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s guidance, Mao Mao consumed two servings of the Lava Set. Ten minutes later, dark red prison flames began to emanate from Mao Mao¡¯s body, distorting the air with their terrifying heat. At this point, Mao Mao seemed to have a doppelg?nger, as a distorted figure appeared to hover over its body. As the surrounding temperature continued to rise, Li Chang¡¯an retreated to a safety barrier three meters away and activated a temperature isolation shield. Once the shield was up, he felt a wave of cool relief.


    Mao Mao let out a low, pained growl, as if something inside its body was hindering its progress into the awakening stage. Li Chang¡¯an frowned. According to Mao Mao¡¯s inherited memories, the awakening stage for a Prison Flame Dragon shouldn¡¯t be this difficult or painful. Could it be that, compared to wild Prison Flame Dragons, Mao Mao was missing something?


    ¡°Meow. (Chang¡¯an, I still need energy.)¡±


    Startled, Li Chang¡¯an decisively opened the temperature isolation shield and delivered two more servings of the Lava Set to Mao Mao. He also activated an energy-draining formation he had used once before. This formation, which cost 10,000 yuan and could only be used three times, was a rip-off! By the time Li Chang¡¯an exited the formation, his protective suit was already showing signs of melting, a testament to the terrifying heat of the prison flames. If he had stayed any longer, the suit would have been completely destroyed.


    After consuming the additional servings of the Lava Set, Mao Mao let out a loud roar, and the surrounding prison flames converged around it, enveloping its body. The awakening had begun!

 Chapter 13 - Awakening Period, Abilities Revealed!

    Chapter 13: Awakening Period, Abilities Revealed!


    The main task hasn¡¯t been tackled yet!


    Mao Mao naturally knew what the urgent matter was and immediately moved her body off Li Chang¡¯an.


    Ever since humans on Canglan Star gained the ability to contract with beast companions, whenever a new beastmaster nurtured their initial beast to the awakening period, Canglan Star, as the mother planet, would provide a special life energy known as ¡°Mother¡¯s Gift.¡±


    This energy deepens the bond between the beastmaster and their beast, significantly increasing the likelihood of the beastmaster gaining abilities from their beast.


    This is why, after nurturing the initial beast to the awakening period, the beastmaster can acquire the beast¡¯s abilities.


    Since the soul contract is bidirectional, the beast also receives a gift. Beasts with potential below the elite tier will have their potential raised to the elite tier.


    Beasts with potential equal to or above the elite tier can choose to enhance one of the following: racial talent, basic physical attributes, or a racial-specific skill.


    This has led to higher prices for those beast species whose racial skills or talents greatly benefit humans.


    Mao Mao sat obediently to the side while Li Chang¡¯an sat cross-legged, immersing his mind into the cerebral space.


    He continuously stimulated the soul contract imprinted in the beast space with incantation power. Finally, under the activation of a large amount of incantation power, the soul contract began to emit a faint starlight.


    Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s consciousness was also drawn into a mysterious space by the starlight.


    In this space, Li Chang¡¯an looked around but saw only darkness, nothing else.


    Until he looked down and saw a verdant planet continuously enlarging in his view.


    The vast, ancient, and vibrant aura filled his thoughts until his vision caught a majestic figure whose face was unclear.


    This majestic figure seemed to be separated from him by countless ages. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A gentle, benevolent hum reached him, and a fleeting shadow appeared before Li Chang¡¯an, marking the end of his journey.


    The scenery of the courtyard returned to his view, followed by a stinging pain throughout his body, which gradually escalated into a storm of agony.


    In the next second, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s fair skin turned as red as if it had been boiled.


    Having experienced life and death twice, he miraculously endured this sudden intense pain, feeling his bones undergoing repeated transformations.


    It was as if a steamroller was continuously crushing his bones, only for them to be reassembled by some force and then crushed again.


    His heart in his chest beat violently, no less intense than during the awakening of the Ancient Dragon¡¯s Heart talent.


    Li Chang¡¯an was engulfed in a tsunami of despairing pain, and Mao Mao wasn¡¯t faring much better.


    The newly born talent within her body also suffered repeated crushing.


    Both were in too much pain to even cry out, lying on the ground gasping for breath, letting fluids flow from their mouths and eyes.


    Li Chang¡¯an didn¡¯t know how long it had been when his vacant gaze caught the starlight descending in the night.


    Oh, it¡¯s evening.


    Then it hit him¡ªit¡¯s evening!


    Li Chang¡¯an quickly got up, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, and looked around.


    He found that Mao Mao had already woken up and was munching on lava jelly.


    ¡°How are you, Mao Mao?¡±


    ¡°Meow. (Not bad, no one¡¯s home, they haven¡¯t returned, I was hungry, so I ate first.)¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an: I was asking about your condition¡­


    But Li Chang¡¯an still breathed a sigh of relief and calmly checked the gains from this experience.


    [Name: Lyon Discator (Mao Mao)


    Race: Prison Flame Dragon


    Attribute: Purgatory


    Level: Awakening Period


    Potential: ???


    Talent Ability: Purgatory Core


    Low-tier Skills: Prison Flame (Proficient Level), Purgatory Claw (Contact Level), Ambush Technique (Dominance Level)


    Mid-tier Skills: (Flame Spirit Entanglement) ¡ú Scorching Prison Flame Mark (Mastery Level)


    High-tier Skills: Crimson Lotus Breath (Contact Level)


    Status: Hungry.].


    Mao Mao¡¯s panel had undergone a dramatic change, starting with the appearance of a new attribute¡ª¡±Purgatory.¡±


    An attribute never seen before; generally, the Prison Flame Dragon¡¯s attribute is fire-based. Even in Mao Mao¡¯s inherited memories, going back ten generations, this attribute was unheard of.


    Finally, according to Mao Mao, it traced back to the lineage starting from the original Prison Flame Dragon and found only fragments of information about the Purgatory attribute.


    Simply put, Mao Mao had reverted to her ancestral roots.


    Originally a Ancient Dragon, Mao Mao¡¯s reversion to her ancestral form truly makes one marvel at the wonders of the world.


    As for the Purgatory attribute, even Mao Mao didn¡¯t know the specifics, leaving it up to Li Chang¡¯an and her to explore in the future.


    The second change was the emergence of a talent ability, which, unexpectedly, was indeed unexpected.


    The Prison Flame Dragon has three major talents: Prison Heart, Prison Blood, and Prison Shadow.


    But there was no Purgatory Core.


    Li Chang¡¯an speculated that the Purgatory Core might be a talent of the original Prison Flame Dragon¡¯s third-generation descendants.


    Because Mao Mao felt that this talent had the potential to advance further, perhaps to the unique racial talent of the original Prison Flame Dragon.


    The effect of the Purgatory Core is simple: it combines all the advantages of Prison Heart and Prison Blood, along with high resistance and damage reduction.


    [Purgatory Core]: Purgatory-type skill power and energy recovery +500%, all attribute resistance and damage reduction +100%, own energy storage limit increased tenfold, any attack has a chance to attach a Crimson Lotus Mark.


    (¡°Crimson Lotus Mark¡± analysis: Engraves a Crimson Lotus Mark on the enemy, providing vulnerability and healing reduction debuffs.)


    Li Chang¡¯an exclaimed at its overpowered nature; the damage boost and mark attachment of Prison Blood, along with the recovery and energy limit increase of Prison Heart, were all elevated to a new level.


    And with the noble resistance and damage reduction, the already ridiculously high resistance of the Ancient Dragon was further enhanced.


    He could already imagine future opponents¡¯ beasts attacking, only to find they couldn¡¯t even leave a mark on Mao Mao¡¯s scales.


    How utterly shocking that would be for them.


    As for Mao Mao¡¯s mention of further advancement, Li Chang¡¯an speculated it might be due to the lack of integration with the final talent, Prison Shadow.


    Although it¡¯s a pity, Li Chang¡¯an was still self-aware; awakening the [Purgatory Core] was already a great fortune.


    Lastly, there were changes in Mao Mao¡¯s skills.


    The proficiency of the [Prison Flame] skill directly reached the proficient level. Mao Mao demonstrated the Prison Flame, which could now curve in mid-air.


    The skill [Flame Claw] was transformed into [Purgatory Claw] due to the influence of the Purgatory Core, with its tier unchanged but now more suited to Mao Mao.


    Similarly, [Flame Spirit Entanglement] was transformed into [Scorching Prison Flame Mark] due to the influence of the Purgatory Core, with its tier and proficiency unchanged.


    The effect is better than Flame Spirit Entanglement.


    [Scorching Prison Flame Mark]: Materializes a special Prison Flame, imprinting it on the Purgatory body in the form of flame marks, enhancing the power of the Prison Flame and body strength.


    Added an effect to increase the power of the Prison Flame, and it can also be used in reverse; Mao Mao can continue to disguise herself, and her size can revert to the previous kitten state.


    Of course, her weight remains unchanged.


    As for the high-tier skill [Crimson Lotus Breath], there¡¯s nothing special about it; it¡¯s just a high-power, wide-range spray of Prison Flame, with an increased chance to attach a Crimson Lotus Mark.

 Chapter 14 - Results Announcement and Pet Beast Acquisition

    Chapter 14: Results Announcement and Pet Beast Acquisition


    The specific effects of the Crimson Lotus Breath remained unclear to Li Chang¡¯an. He dared not let Mao Mao use it, fearing damage to his courtyard and harm to Mao Mao¡¯s foundation. After all, this was a high-level skill, challenging even for elite-level pet beasts, let alone a juvenile in the awakening phase.


    Thus, the Talent Awakening Ceremony concluded¡­ Oh wait, Li Chang¡¯an hadn¡¯t checked his own panel yet. Reminded by Mao Mao, he finally remembered to review the inherited abilities. Upon examining himself, he realized the significant boost from the inheritance ritual.


    First, his physical strength had improved. The excruciating experiences weren¡¯t in vain. He could now effortlessly lift Mao Mao with one hand. Next, his curse power and mental strength had surged. Good news: his 500-cubic pet beast space was 90% full. Bad news: it had expanded to 1000 cubic units. The struggle continues; more effort is needed.


    Li Chang¡¯an looked skyward, acknowledging the benefits of an expanded pet beast space¡ªgreater curse power capacity than peers, ability to handle stronger beasts, and a solid foundation for future pet beast world development. However, the downside was that a breakthrough that should have taken a week was now delayed by half a year¡ªa significant setback.


    Moreover, his mental strength had also improved remarkably, possibly from witnessing the entirety of the Azure Star. His perception, detection range, and mental solidity had greatly increased. He intuited that he might have surpassed the 20-token mental strength standard required for a Level 2 Beastmaster.


    Lastly, the ability inherited from Mao Mao surprised him¡ªit was [Prison Shadow]. This ability increased abnormal state resistance by 50%, agility by 50%, and added a double strike effect to all attacks, effectively doubling the attack power.


    The final piece of Mao Mao¡¯s talent evolution puzzle was actually within him! But if inherited from Mao Mao, shouldn¡¯t Mao Mao¡¯s talent be fully evolved? Why wasn¡¯t it? The gift from the mother planet wasn¡¯t theft but replication and sharing. Li Chang¡¯an recalled the shadowy figure from his vision¡ªwas that the [Prison Shadow] ability? First, the Hunting Notes, now this inexplicable talent. He felt targeted by some entity.


    Seeing Li Chang¡¯an frown, Mao Mao thought it had inherited a poor ability and apologized, ¡°Meow~ (Sorry, Chang¡¯an, is my skill too weak?)¡± Li Chang¡¯an chuckled, reassuring Mao Mao, ¡°No, your ability is powerful. I¡¯m just overthinking.¡±


    He explained the [Prison Shadow] to Mao Mao, who excitedly exclaimed, ¡°Meow! Meow! Meow~! (Chang¡¯an, that! That! That!)¡± Puzzled, Li Chang¡¯an asked, ¡°What?¡± Mao Mao excitedly shouted, ¡°Meow~! (Chang¡¯an, your talent!)¡± Which talent? Dexterity? Ancient Dragon Heart? Wait, Ancient Dragon Heart!


    Li Chang¡¯an understood Mao Mao¡¯s excitement. The Ancient Dragon Heart talent, with its perfect compatibility with ancient dragons and pet beast resonance, could potentially allow Mao Mao¡¯s talent to evolve fully if Li Chang¡¯an could withstand 100% perfect resonance. He realized that the shadowy figure might have bestowed the [Prison Shadow] to achieve this ideal outcome.


    Li Chang¡¯an grinned, ruffling Mao Mao¡¯s mane, ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Mao Mao, figuring it out so quickly.¡± Mao Mao, praised, shyly nuzzled Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s chest, giggling in their soul contract.


    The duo played in the courtyard, with Mao Mao shrinking to kitten size and perching on Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s shoulder. Despite Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s enhanced physique, his head couldn¡¯t support Mao Mao¡¯s current weight, so the shoulder was the next best spot.


    Given Mao Mao¡¯s persistent hunger, Li Chang¡¯an prepared five low-level lava meals, satisfying Mao Mao¡¯s increased appetite post-talent awakening. This was normal, though its appetite hadn¡¯t quintupled¡ªjust tripled. Not much¡­ ¡¯


    For Mao Mao¡¯s future, Li Chang¡¯an began practicing mid-level lava meals. Shortly after Mao Mao¡¯s talent awakening, Red Rock High announced the semester exam results. As expected, Li Chang¡¯an remained top, with Wen Miaohua close behind.


    The next day, qualified students were summoned to the school gate. Those who failed would retake exams a week later, joining the last batch of students from Red Rock City¡¯s high schools to choose pet beasts¡ªa minor penalty. Those who failed the retake would lose their chance to become Beastmasters, reassigned to ordinary classes in senior year to learn other life skills, as failing basic high school subjects disqualified them from scientific paths. They would attend vocational colleges, ensuring they acquired practical skills.


    Red Rock High arranged buses to transport students to the Ecological Research Institute. Not all buses carried students; some were reserved for the return trip, accommodating larger pet beasts and their masters. As students who had just completed soul contracts without developed pet beast spaces, these arrangements were necessary.


    Li Chang¡¯an, however, had no such worries. His spacious pet beast space eliminated concerns about overcrowding. Currently, his head rested on Wen Miaohua¡¯s shoulder as he slept soundly. He had pulled all-nighters since Mao Mao¡¯s awakening, primarily due to the [Prison Shadow] ability. He discovered that the ¡°shadow¡± in [Prison Shadow] was literal¡ªhis shadow also trained during cultivation. Enhanced by the mother planet¡¯s life energy, his curse power cultivation talent had improved, now doubled, making cultivation exhilarating. The visible growth in curse power captivated him, leading to sleepless nights of training. At this rate, the initially projected six months could shrink to two.


    Wen Miaohua¡¯s ears flushed with shyness, but she leaned slightly towards Li Chang¡¯an to make him more comfortable. Eventually, she too fell asleep, their heads resting together. They might have missed their stop if not for the driver¡¯s reminder.


    ¡°How did you fall asleep too?¡± Li Chang¡¯an asked, puzzled, knowing Wen Miaohua¡¯s strict sleep schedule. Wen Miaohua couldn¡¯t admit she was lulled by Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s warmth. Instead, she said, ¡°I stayed up late training.¡± Li Chang¡¯an eyed her skeptically¡ªhe didn¡¯t buy it. The young girl buried her shyness deep within, unwilling to reveal her true feelings.


    S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 15 - The Ecological Park

    Chapter 15: The Ecological Park


    ¡°Students who have chosen the Wood element, come over here!¡±


    ¡°Water element students, gather here!¡±


    ¡­


    Research institute staff, holding signs, called out loudly. Once the numbers were sufficient, they checked off names from their lists one by one.


    Li Chang¡¯an and Wen Miaohua had chosen different elements¡ªone Wood, the other Ice¡ªso they wouldn¡¯t meet in the ecological park.


    After confirming the attendance, two lead teachers and three research staff for each element led their respective student groups to an altar. The altar was inscribed with a silver array.


    A staff member explained, ¡°This is a short-distance spatial teleportation array. The ecological park covers 500 square kilometers. Without the teleportation array, it would take a whole day to walk across.¡± S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Now, does anyone have a history of spatial energy allergies?¡±


    All the students shook their heads. If someone were allergic to spatial energy, they wouldn¡¯t be able to open a Beast Taming Space. Without a Beast Taming Space, there would be no place to store large amounts of magical energy, and they would remain a Level 1 Beast Tamer for life. In that case, why even pursue being a Beast Tamer? It would be better to switch majors while there¡¯s still time.


    After repeatedly confirming, the staff confidently activated the spatial teleportation array. After several rounds of teleportation, everyone arrived at a serene valley.


    The valley was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with lush trees and an endless plain in the distance. On the plain, scattered black dots moved about.


    The staff took out a large bag from their backpack and distributed a special smart wristband to each student.


    ¡°This is a specially designed smart wristband, monitored uniformly by the Mechanical-type beasts in the institute. It comes with a protective energy shield that activates when your life is in danger. At the same time, rescue teams will quickly arrive at the coordinates sent by the wristband.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, it is strictly forbidden to use force when selecting beasts, unless the beast initiates a challenge. Otherwise, your selection qualification will be revoked.¡±


    ¡°After that, you¡¯ll probably have to buy beast eggs at your own expense.¡±


    The lead staff member showed a strange smile and said, ¡°Of course, I know some of you aren¡¯t short of money, but I still have to remind you.¡±


    ¡°If the above situation is deemed serious, it will be recorded in your file. You should know what that means.¡±


    Hearing this, some students who had initially been indifferent stuck out their tongues. This was indeed a price they couldn¡¯t afford. Having a blemish on their record would make it nearly impossible to get into a top university.


    Rich kids might have money, but they weren¡¯t foolish enough to risk their future by bullying young beasts.


    Seeing the threat had its effect, the staff shouted, ¡°Now, dismiss! Return here by 5 PM. If you get lost, use the smart wristband¡¯s markers to guide you.¡±


    As soon as the words were spoken, the two school teachers nodded, and over a hundred students scattered like birds and beasts, running toward the distant forest and plain.


    As for the risks of the wild, Donghuang Kingdom had been teaching wilderness survival training since middle school. Those who couldn¡¯t overcome this hurdle should give up on the idea of adventuring outside the city.


    Li Chang¡¯an headed straight for the Wood Element Zone C. With his father¡¯s connections, why would he dawdle?


    Seeing Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s clear goal, the staff¡¯s eyelids twitched. As expected of the vice director¡¯s son, his sense of purpose was clear!


    Along the way, Li Chang¡¯an encountered no danger. In fact, it seemed as if the dangers were consciously avoiding him.


    What was going on?


    Li Chang¡¯an was puzzled. Mao Mao, through soul communication, said, ¡°Meow? Could it be because Chang¡¯an hasn¡¯t suppressed his aura?¡±


    Suppressed his aura? What aura do I have?


    Thinking about it, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s expression grew serious. He did seem to have such an ability¡ªthe Prison Flame Dragon¡¯s talent, Shadow of the Prison. Even though it only affected him, it was still an ancient dragon¡¯s talent.


    Now, he was like a half-blood ancient dragon walking freely through the forest. How could the magical beasts living in the ecological park dare to provoke him?


    Realizing this, Li Chang¡¯an felt truly helpless. He had considered using the Hunting Notes to learn a stealth skill, but Mao Mao could ignore the soul contamination when adding skill points through the Hunting Notes. He, however, couldn¡¯t.


    As an adult who had experienced the complexities of society, the only thing Li Chang¡¯an had learned was self-awareness. Adding skills to himself was like an addict taking drugs¡ªonce you start, it¡¯s hard to stop.


    The soul messages left in the Hunting Notes all warned against over-reliance on the Hunting Notes. While attribute plundering was unavoidable in the process of becoming stronger, adding skill points to oneself should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. If you do use it, be prepared to be enslaved.


    Therefore, Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s initial excitement about his second beast dwindled. Compared to the second beast, he was more concerned about his own future.


    Forget it, let¡¯s just take a walk. Maybe I¡¯ll encounter a little guy who isn¡¯t afraid of me.


    Li Chang¡¯an completely relaxed and wandered leisurely through the Wood Element Zone. Although the beasts were avoiding him, thanks to his decent physical fitness, he still managed to see many rare Wood-type beasts.


    ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s even a Flower Vine Snake here.¡±


    The Flower Vine Snake was a pure Wood-type, non-venomous beast. Its scales were covered in moss, and it had a flower on its head. The type of flower varied depending on the environment where the snake was born.


    The Flower Vine Snake was highly sought after for its instant recovery and shedding abilities. These two abilities were also its talents. When the Flower Vine Snake received a fatal attack, it would use its slippery moss-covered scales to shed its skin and evade the attack. When it was on the verge of death, it would absorb the flower on its head, extracting the stored energy to achieve instant recovery.


    Both abilities were highly prized by humans.


    ¡°I wonder who this timid little guy will end up with.¡±


    Li Chang¡¯an circled around the trembling little snake in the cave and continued toward the plain. Along the way, he encountered a herd of Four Seasons Deer. These beautiful creatures were leisurely grazing.


    These deer were uncommon and classified as protected beasts. Only during this special period of selecting initial beasts was there a chance to contract them. For others, without sufficient authority, these treasures were out of reach.


    The Four Seasons Deer were also Wood-type beasts. Depending on their birth season, they were divided into Spring Antler, Summer Antler, Autumn Antler, and Winter Antler Deer. The evolved forms of the four types also had different attributes, all with the potential to surpass the Elite level and reach Commander level.


    The evolved form of the Spring Antler Deer, the Spring Flower Deer, was a pure Wood-type. Its light green fur was covered in flowers, hence its name. The Spring Flower Deer had strong healing abilities, and a few individuals with powerful life force could accelerate plant growth.


    The evolved form of the Summer Antler Deer, the Summer Flame Deer, was a dual Wood and Fire-type. Its fiery red fur made it more temperamental than other evolved forms. Its antlers, which would normally shed, became flame antlers that were extremely difficult to shed. This made the flame antlers highly valuable in the herbal medicine market.


    The evolved form of the Autumn Antler Deer, the Autumn Fruit Deer, was a dual Earth and Wood-type. Its pale yellow body had antlers that periodically bore fruits. The type of fruit depended on the spiritual fruit materials the deer consumed during evolution, making it a rare resource-type beast. Beast Tamers who were often short on funds could consider raising one, provided they had enough contributions.


    Finally, the rarest was the Winter Antler Deer. Since few fawns were born in winter, this type of beast was extremely scarce. Although the Four Seasons Deer were a supernatural species, their breeding season was in summer and autumn. Winter-born individuals were one in ten thousand exceptions.


    In Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s memory, only five Winter Antler Deer had been born in the ecological research institute in the past twenty years. Not only were they rare, but their strength was also among the best of the Four Seasons Deer. Their evolved forms were of two types¡ªWinter Crystal Deer and Winter Wood Deer. The former was a dual Wood and Ice-type, known for its powerful strength. The latter remained a Wood-type beast but had a powerful Monarch-level evolved form¡ªthe Blizzard Giant Wood Deer. This was the only Four Seasons Deer capable of evolving to the Monarch level, with the potential to reach High Monarch level.


    The conditions for evolving into a Blizzard Giant Wood Deer were harsh, and only a few successful cases existed. One of them was in the hands of Lin Feiya, one of the Eight Pillars of Donghuang, known as ¡°Snow-Filled Bow.¡±


    ¡°Meow. Chang¡¯an, we¡¯ve got a lead. Those antlered deer were chatting about a pair of very special beasts up ahead.¡±


    Mao Mao, who shared Li Chang¡¯an¡¯s soul vision, reminded him.


    Li Chang¡¯an: You even understand deer language!


    Mao Mao: o()q!