"I-I really became a Hundred-Year Soul Beast..."
The awakened Little Blue Silver Grass felt the aura emanating from within itself. It was delighted, but even more than that, it couldn't believe it.
Although last month it had felt its lifespan getting closer and closer to a hundred years, advancing from a Ten-Year Soul Beast to a Hundred-Year Soul Beast was no simple matter.
It was a leap in the level of life, and for Soul Beasts with impure bloodlines, it was especially perilous.
The slightest misstep could cause a backlash. At best, its lifespan would regress and it would suffer severe injuries; at worst, it would lose all intelligence and become an ordinary beast.
It thought its talent was decent and that it had a good chance of becoming a Hundred-Year Soul Beast, but it could never have expected to make the breakthrough so easily, simply by taking a nap.
"Congratulations, little one. I didn't expect you to break through so soon. I thought it'd take another month or two. Looks like you won't need the Hundred Herb Liquid I prepared in advance."
Xu Bai walked slowly up to Little Blue Silver Grass and looked at the clump of grass that was almost as tall as he was. He smiled lightly as he spoke.
That's right, it's you, kind benefactor! Hearing the familiar voice, Little Blue Silver Grass immediately came to its senses. Its leaves swayed, trembling with excitement. Kind benefactor, thank you. Without you, I could never have become a Hundred-Year Soul Beast so quickly. I-I'll definitely give you a hearty reward!
"A hearty reward?" Xu Bai looked intrigued. "Tell me, how do you plan to reward me?"
I'll... Little Blue Silver Grass began, then stopped short.
It had been so happy that all it could think about was rewarding its kind benefactor, but it hadn't considered how.
If Little Blue Silver Grass had a face, it would have been frowning miserably right then.
As a Soul Beast that was half wild and half domesticated, it couldn't bear fruit, and it had no treasures. Apart from its precious life and a body that would make cattle and sheep drool, it had nothing at all.
It really had no idea how to repay him.
Watching the thoughtful Little Blue Silver Grass, Xu Bai didn't rush it. He simply wore an interested expression, curious to see what kind of reward this Blue Silver Grass that had grown up under his watch would offer.
After a long time, Little Blue Silver Grass seemed to come up with an idea. Its vines shrank back a little, and it asked hesitantly, How about I keep you company while you sunbathe and moonbathe every day?
"Do you think that counts as a reward?" Xu Bai asked with a half-smile, feeling as if Little Blue Silver Grass were messing with him.
Ah~ That doesn't count as a reward? Though confused, Little Blue Silver Grass continued thinking.
A moment later, it spoke again. Then how about I talk with you every day and keep you company, so you won't be bored?
"That's what you think a reward is?" Xu Bai was speechless. He realized that he really couldn't understand the thought process of a blade of grass.
I can't bear fruit, and I don't have any treasures. The only thing I can do is keep you company and make sure you don't feel lonely... Little Blue Silver Grass's leaves swayed gently. It seemed a little embarrassed, but also rather unapologetic.
"Fine..." Xu Bai shook his head slightly.
As expected, he shouldn't have expected much from a reward offered by a blade of grass.
This wasn't some xianxia world, where spirits could cultivate into human form and offer themselves in marriage or anything like that.
Wait, Soul Beasts on the Douluo Continent could apparently take human form once they reached a hundred thousand years...
At that thought, Xu Bai glanced at Little Blue Silver Grass with a strange look. The abstract imagination of an adult began to run wild in his mind, but as soon as the thought surfaced, his rationality slapped him hard.
You're so starved you can't even leave a blade of grass alone? You're really that shameless?
Little Blue Silver Grass had no idea what was going through Xu Bai's mind, but it could hear the disappointment in his voice. Its whole body of grass immediately bristled with indignation. Then tell me, how do you want me to reward you?
Xu Bai came back to his senses and calmed the two sides of his mind that had nearly started fighting. "Become my Beast Taming Beast."
Your... Beast? Little Blue Silver Grass asked, confused.
"Exactly." Xu Bai nodded. "Just like that Little White Tiger. It's my first Beast Taming Beast."
Ah~ Does becoming your Beast Taming Beast count as a reward? Little Blue Silver Grass was even more confused.
Xu Bai frowned. "Why do you say that?"
Little Blue Silver Grass thought for a moment, then said, If I remember right, whenever that white tiger shows up, it's either eating or playing. And every time, you're either making food for it or on your way to make food for it.
Sometimes you even brush its fur and give it baths. If you hadn't said anything, I'd have thought you were the one repaying it...
After a pause, it added quietly, If you really like doing that, I can agree to become your Beast Taming Beast.
Xu Bai: ?????
"You haven't seen it when it's fighting. I'm rewarding it for its hard work." Xu Bai tried to keep his voice calm and avoid sounding so embarrassed and angry.
I see... Little Blue Silver Grass realized, then said solemnly, Then, to repay you, I'm willing to become your Beast Taming Beast.
"Good. It's a deal." Xu Bai nodded.
It's a deal! Little Blue Silver Grass replied.
After a pause, it asked, Does that mean I'm your Beast Taming Beast starting now? Or what do I have to do to become one?
"Later, once I break through to the next level, I'll make a contract with you." Xu Bai replied, then turned and went back inside to continue cultivating.
Little Blue Silver Grass had already become a Hundred-Year Soul Beast. He couldn't afford to fall behind, either. He needed to break through to level twenty as soon as possible...
Time passed. In the blink of an eye, another month went by. Xu Bai, who had been immersed in cultivation, suddenly opened his eyes. The aura around him shifted, rising abruptly to a new level.
"Level twenty. I finally broke through!"
He clenched his fist slightly, feeling the surge of power within him. Delight flashed in his eyes.
But the joy didn't last long before an unexpected change occurred.
Xu Bai froze, then hurriedly sent his consciousness into the Beast Taming Space.
The sight before him left him stunned.
The already enormous Beast Taming Space seemed to have expanded along with his breakthrough.
The expansion had stopped, and the Beast Taming Space was now a great deal larger. Its area had probably multiplied several times over.
As for the first one, it was still sound asleep. The earlier disturbance clearly hadn't affected it at all.
Xu Bai let out a soft sigh, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
He'd already been at a loss over how to create an internal cycle in the Beast Taming Space. Now that it was even larger, he was even more helpless.
"I really underestimated you when I called you an incomplete small world. If you keep growing like this, by the time I become a Titled Douluo, won't you have turned into an incomplete vast world?"
Xu Bai shook his head slightly and spoke wistfully. "Forget it, let's take it one step at a time. Creating an internal cycle for the Beast Taming Space is a long and arduous task. Now I've got another time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive job to deal with in the future..."
Muttering softly, Xu Bai headed straight out the door.
Now that he was level twenty, it was time to make a contract with Little Blue Silver Grass. This would also let him see just how proficient Little Blue Silver Grass was with "Tenacious."