The Lucky One Chosen by the Jade Pendant

Li Junyue had never encountered anything like this before.

So as not to disturb his wife and child while meditating that night, he had specifically cleaned out the storage room today—only to find an old Jade Pendant inside.

He remembered this Jade Pendant.

It was something that had caught his eye at first glance when he and his wife had gone traveling together for the first time, at an antiques market.

The Jade Pendant had not been expensive, only fifty yuan, yet it had witnessed him and his wife journey from their student days to the present.

Li Junyue did not actually like wearing things like Jade Pendant necklaces, but that night, as if possessed, he put it on and began to meditate.

Holding his breath and focusing his mind, he had just entered a meditative state when, completely unaware, the Jade Pendant began to bloom with waves of fluorescent light. Flowing radiance covered the entire storage room.

The next moment, fluorescent light filled his vision, and a distant voice that somehow seemed right beside his ear spoke: "A newcomer?"

In a hazy gray space, Li Junyue regained his sight. He looked around in terror and confusion. Years of professional habit made him take deep breaths again and again, and after a long while, he finally calmed down.

Seeing the two dazzling points of light in his field of vision, he had initially wanted to test the waters with a few words. But being a man of considerable experience, he held back his impulse and merely fell silent.

"Don't worry, we mean no harm."

The unfamiliar voice paused, amusement woven into its tone. "We're just lucky ones chosen by the Jade Pendant."

Then another bright, lively female voice rang out. "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I can vouch for that. I'm one of them."

Li Junyue frowned and lowered his head to examine the Jade Pendant on his chest. At last, he asked tentatively, "The Jade Pendant?"

"I'll explain." Jiang Wenning took it upon herself to explain things to the newcomer. After rattling off a whole lot, Li Junyue's expression gradually shifted from confusion to contemplation.

"That truly is incredible." Li Junyue gripped the cold Jade Pendant, already more than half convinced by Jiang Wenning's explanation.

As a grassroots police officer, he could more or less tell truth from lies.

He took another deep breath, steadying his excited emotions, then took the initiative to ask, "Are you both Beast Tamers?"

His voice was low and filled with the weariness of a corporate drone, utterly lacking a young person's vigor and vitality.

"Of course." Jiang Wenning answered quickly, her voice sweet.

"Can you tell me what kind of initial pet beast I should contract?" After hesitating again and again, Li Junyue finally asked.

"Um..." Chen Yuan could not answer that question.

After all, his circumstances at the time had been limited. There had only been one Extraordinary Creature around him that he could contract, leaving him no room to choose.

"Try to choose one whose personality matches yours." Worthy of being a first-batch student of the Beast Taming Academy, Jiang Wenning answered without hesitation. "A Beast Tamer's personality determines their style of cultivation, training, and battle. Choosing an initial pet beast whose personality matches yours will let you achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"Thank you for your answer." A flicker passed through Li Junyue's eyes as he thanked her sincerely.

After a brief pause, he politely asked, "How should I address you two?"

"Jiang Wenning."

"Chen Yuan."

Li Junyue froze, looking as though he wanted to speak but stopped himself. "Those are your real names? Wouldn't that..."

If he were in this situation, he would never reveal his real name.

"I understand your concern. I've considered that question too." Chen Yuan spoke up at the right moment. "It's fine for now, but if more newcomers join in the future, there may inevitably be people with ulterior motives."

"All of us using our real names does seem a little risky."

Li Junyue nodded to himself.

"How about we use code names for each other?" Hearing this, Jiang Wenning's beautiful eyes lit up, and countless names of mysterious organizations' code names involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

Chen Yuan nodded. "Sure."

"We could use liquor names, like Tequila, Pisco..." Jiang Wenning looked excited as she rattled off several code names in a row.

Chen Yuan hurriedly waved his hands. "Those code names sound seriously ill-omened."

"Then..." Jiang Wenning tilted her head and thought for a moment. Suddenly, light flashed in her beautiful eyes. "How about fruit?"

Without waiting for either of them to respond, she made her own choice. "I'm Yuzu."

Chen Yuan did not care much about this sort of thing. He shrugged. "Then I'll be Orange."

"Watermelon." Li Junyue was brief and to the point.

"Great!" Jiang Wenning abruptly stood up from her bed. The light-blue cat beside her glanced at her with amber-like eyes, then swiftly looked away. "Then from now on, we're members of the Fruit Factory."

Chen Yuan laughed helplessly. "Fine, whatever you say."

"What does Uncle Watermelon think?" Jiang Wenning asked.

A dark line appeared across Li Junyue's forehead as he gritted his teeth. "I'm only thirty. Don't call me uncle!"

Then he let out a soft breath. "You're not even twenty yet, are you?"

Jiang Wenning giggled. "Wrong guess! I'm twenty-two this year. I only graduated not long ago."

Li Junyue could not help recalling the evaluation of college students—clear-eyed and foolish—and muttered softly, "No wonder."

"By the way, Jiang Yuzu, do you know how to grow Spiritual Plants?" Chen Yuan suddenly remembered something.

"Grow Spiritual Plants?" Jiang Wenning was taken aback.

"Yes. I accidentally obtained a Spiritual Plant, and I'm planning to grow the remaining pits at home. I don't know whether that'll work." Chen Yuan explained simply.

"It should be fine, right?" Jiang Wenning's tone was uncertain. Resting her right hand against her chin, she thought for a moment before continuing, "After the Spiritual Tide returned, the soil also came to contain a certain amount of spiritual energy. That's why the vegetables and fruit grown now taste better and are more nutritious than before."

Chen Yuan nodded thoughtfully.

"If you're in a hurry, I'll look up relevant information tomorrow," Jiang Wenning added.

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

"It's nothing. I'm just curious—does this Spiritual Plant work on pet beasts, or on Beast Tamers?" Jiang Wenning asked curiously.

Chen Yuan was slightly stunned. "There are ones meant for Beast Tamers too?"

"Of course." Jiang Wenning explained, "Some Spiritual Plants can strengthen a Beast Tamer's mental power and physical fitness."

Chen Yuan nodded instinctively, then his eyes suddenly lit up. "Come to think of it, I caught a Golden Crucian Carp today. After eating it, I felt like both my body and mental power improved a little."

Li Junyue, who had been frowning the whole time, suddenly widened his eyes.

"That's a type of spirit fish. I'm not entirely sure what specific variety it is, but it's an excellent tonic for both Beast Tamers and pet beasts."

After saying that, Jiang Wenning blinked, a trace of envy in her voice. "You really are lucky. Spiritual Plants, spirit fish—you've run into every good thing there is."

She sighed. "Unlike me. I may have money, but without the right channels, I still can't buy any of these."

Chen Yuan: "..."

Li Junyue: "..."

After a long while,

Li Junyue, having stopped meditating, sat blankly in the storage room. He stared at the ceiling above for a very, very long time. At last, he let out a long breath and crept back into the bedroom.

In the pitch-black darkness,

He gently kissed his wife's forehead, restrained excitement threaded through his voice. "Honey, life is going to get better and better from now on."

"I promise you."