Doehring Cowart was taken aback when he heard Linley say that. He hurriedly said, "There's no need to bother your teacher over something so minor. Grandpa Doehring is here. Do you really think I'd let that little Shadow Mouse bite you?"
Doehring Cowart was feeling a little troubled. Ever since he'd awakened, Zhao Nan had been putting him down. Now that he'd finally gotten a chance to show off his abilities, it had nearly gone to waste because of his own mistake.
After persuading Linley to hold off, Doehring Cowart immediately said, "Little Linley, don't you want to try taming a magical beast yourself and get your teacher to praise you?"
Linley was only eight years old. Though he was already quite capable, he was still a boy at heart. When he heard that Zhao Nan might praise him, he exclaimed, "Grandpa Doehring, of course I want my teacher to praise me!
"But didn't you say the little Shadow Mouse might bite me if I made even one mistake?"
"Haha, little Linley, don't worry. If you do as I say, there won't be any problem at all.
"But this method of mine is a rather clumsy one. You'll need to be patient and not rush things."
After saying that, Doehring Cowart explained his method to Linley: "Little Linley, Shadow Mice are omnivorous magical beasts. They eat stones, bones, and even meat, but meat is still their favorite, especially cooked meat.
"That's based on my past experience taming magical beasts."
After Doehring Cowart finished speaking, he gave Linley a moment to take in what he'd heard, then continued, "So first, go up Mount Wushan and kill a small animal. Then roast the meat and leave it on the ground some distance away.
"Remember, don't try to approach it. Just give it food each time and wait for it to come to you on its own."
Then he added with a smile, "If you approach it first, you might frighten it and provoke an attack!
"But if it comes to you, there won't be any danger."
"Though this method is a little clumsy, it's the safest one."
After hearing Doehring Cowart's advice, Linley understood. The method might be clumsy, but it was undeniably the simplest and most convenient.
Still, Linley was a little worried. "Grandpa Doehring, what if the Shadow Mouse runs off?"
Linley thought the method would work, but he was still concerned.
Doehring Cowart pondered Linley's question before answering, "I can't say for sure. It depends on luck, but I don't think the little Shadow Mouse will leave anytime soon."
Linley nodded to show he understood, then said he'd go catch some small prey to feed the little Shadow Mouse.
As he spoke, Linley ran outside.
Fortunately, as an Earth Element mage, Linley could walk without making a sound, so he didn't wake the little Shadow Mouse.
When he reached Mount Wushan, Linley soon spotted a wild rabbit grazing with its head down.
Without a word, Linley recited a spell, and a stone spike impaled the rabbit.
After killing it, Linley picked up the rabbit and headed back to the ancestral hall.
"Linley, why didn't you roast it first?
"Shadow Mice like meat, but roasted meat is their favorite," Doehring Cowart asked when he saw what Linley was doing.
"Grandpa Doehring, I don't suppose you've ever had to coax a child," Linley said as he ran.
Doehring Cowart was taken aback. He didn't have any children. Why would a mighty Saint-level Magus ever need to coax a child?
"Uh, no," Doehring Cowart admitted.
Linley chuckled. "I'm always coaxing little Wharton. Let me tell you, you shouldn't give children the best things right away. Otherwise, they'll demand something good every time, or even ask for something better.
"That Shadow Mouse is gnawing on stones right now. If I give it raw meat, it'll be delighted. I'll feed it raw meat for seven or eight days, then give it roasted meat. It'll be even happier."
Doehring Cowart understood at once.
After all, he was an old hand at dealing with people, so he understood the principle. It just hadn't occurred to him at first.
Meanwhile, Zhao Nan had naturally noticed Linley and Doehring Cowart's actions from the back mountain. He'd also spotted Bebe, the God-Eater Rat, long ago, but he didn't pay them any mind. He simply watched Linley quietly.
Outside the ancestral hall!
"I wonder if that Shadow Mouse will eat food from someone else," Linley whispered. He took a deep breath, then slowly entered the ancestral hall.
Linley moved carefully, taking each step without a sound.
Linley was now a fourth-level warrior. Even without making a sound, he could still move very quickly.
Linley entered the room where the ancestral hall had been earlier. He saw only rubble and fallen leaves, but no sign of the little Shadow Mouse. He couldn't help asking Doehring Cowart, "Grandpa Doehring, where did the little Shadow Mouse go?
"It's only been a little while, and it's already gone!"
At Linley's question, Doehring Cowart flew out of the Coiling Dragon Ring again.
Just as Doehring Cowart emerged, before he could say anything, they heard a familiar sound: something gnawing on stone.
Linley and Doehring Cowart both looked toward the sound and saw the little Shadow Mouse gnawing away at a stone.
When Linley saw it, he couldn't help smiling, though he made no sound.
But soon, Linley reached the outside of the room where the little Shadow Mouse was. He gently nudged the doorframe with his foot, making the faintest sound.
At the noise, the little Shadow Mouse shifted and vanished from where it stood, reappearing more than ten meters away.
It then lifted its head and swept its small, pitch-black eyes around. That was when it spotted Linley standing at the doorway.
The moment it noticed Linley, its eyes filled with wariness.
Linley saw the wary look in the little Shadow Mouse's eyes. He put on a friendly smile and said to Bebe, "Here, have some meat!"
As he spoke, Linley tossed the rabbit down a short distance from Bebe.
Bebe didn't understand human speech, but he could sense the kindness in Linley's smile and understand what Linley meant by his gesture.
Although Bebe understood Linley's smile and gesture, he didn't move at all. He simply watched Linley in silence.
Seeing that Bebe still hadn't moved, Linley kept telling himself, Don't rush. Don't rush.
Before you continue