A Cat With a Past, The Final Lesson

Myriad Spirits Continent, Chenlong Kingdom, Lin Hua City.

Puquan Beast-Taming Experimental High School, Class 9 of Grade 1.

Warm sunlight spilled into the classroom, illuminating half of the blackboard.

Even warmer than the sunlight were the gazes of every student in the classroom.

At this moment, all of their attention was focused on the Shadow Witch Cat on the podium.

Ghostly figures, gleaming fur, amber-colored dual pupils, and the eye-catching purple glowing wizard hat perched upon its head.

Brows and the purple gemstone on its chest flashing brilliantly, it emanated a gorgeous purple radiance that outshone even the sunlight pouring through the windows.

Lin Yuan, sitting in the back row of the classroom, also wore an expression of intense fascination.

For besides the beast's outer appearance that everyone else could see, he could perceive far more information.

[Shadow Witch Cat]
[Attribute]: Dark
[Quality]: Transcendent High-Grade
[Gender]: Male
[Level]: Transcendent Grade 7
[Traits]: [Dark Claw], [Shadow]
[Personality]: Fickle, loves excitement
[Status]: Bored, thinking of Xiaohua, Xiaoli, Xiaoqing, and Xiao Ying next door
[Evolution Path] (Gray)

Lin Yuan's brow could not help but twitch.

Teacher Chen's beast...

Well, it was a cat with a past.

"Today is the last class I will be teaching you for Class 9 of Grade 1. After tomorrow's Awakening Ceremony, you will all advance to Grade 2," Teacher Chen Xuanbai's voice rang out. "You've been constantly nagging about wanting to see my beast, so today I'll satisfy your curiosity and pick one out to show you."

"Class is class, but questions must still be asked. Who can tell me the traits, quality, and what form the Shadow Witch Cat evolved from?"

This question was still a bit beyond the syllabus for most first-year students.

After all, the quality of the Shadow Witch Cat was not low, and first-year students were generally still at the stage of recognizing and studying Ordinary quality beasts.

There was only one person raising a hand: class monitor Huang Zixuan.

"Zixuan, tell us."

Huang Zixuan stood up and adjusted his glasses.

"The Shadow Witch Cat has two traits. [Dark Claw] provides strong claw-striking capability and can coat its attacks in dark-attribute corrosive energy to impair the opponent's mobility."

"[Shadow] greatly enhances mobility in darkness and allows it to briefly merge with the shadows, making its strikes untraceable."

"The quality of a Shadow Witch Cat is generally Transcendent Mid-Grade, with Transcendent High-Grade being quite rare. Judging by the quality of its fur, the teacher's cat should be of Transcendent High-Grade."

"Furthermore, the Shadow Witch Cat evolves from the Ordinary quality Little Black Cat."

"Not bad, not bad. All three questions answered wonderfully, and your observational skills are sharp," Chen Xuanbai nodded slightly.

"As expected of the monitor. His family runs the largest shop in Lin Hua City, yet he isn't the least bit spoiled and studies exceptionally hard," whispering broke out in the classroom.

"He'll definitely awaken an amazing talent during tomorrow's awakening ceremony!"

Chen Xuanbai continued asking, "Well, let's test you further. Aside from evolving into the Shadow Witch Cat, our Chenlong Kingdom has another evolutionary route for the Little Black Cat. Do you know what it is?"

Huang Zixuan's expression froze as he shook his head, "Teacher, I don't know..."

"You've already done very well." Chen Xuanbai kept a smile on his face, then turned his gaze toward the back row of the classroom, "Lin Yuan, why don't you answer this question?"

The gazes of the entire class instantly shifted onto him.

If Huang Zixuan was the model student of Class 9—one you could still hope to reach by striving—then Lin Yuan was in the "untouchable" tier.

Whenever there was a difficult question other students couldn't answer, he could always explain it. Over time, many teachers grew accustomed to calling on his name, even though he rarely raised his hand to answer voluntarily.

Lin Yuan slowly stood up, cast a few more glances at the Shadow Witch Cat, and then met Chen Xuanbai's eyes directly.

"Answering the teacher, the Little Black Cat has an even rarer evolutionary route, though its evolutionary requirements are much more difficult. The first recorded evolution occurred in Haid Island City at the southernmost tip of the Chenlong Kingdom."

"A Little Black Cat that loved basking in the sun from a young age mutated and evolved into the Sunshadow Spirit Cat. Its attribute also transformed from the original Dark attribute to the Light attribute, with a quality of Mid-Grade Commander—a tier higher than Transcendent quality."

Lin Yuan did not even need to think much as the answers tumbled straight from his lips.

Two years ago, he had gained the ability to see beast status panels.

Yet the evolutionary route section remained forever gray, displaying no information whatsoever.

Consequently, he had always proactively searched out and studied such information on his own, hoping to deduce the underlying reasons.

"Very good!" Chen Xuanbai couldn't help clapping, "Environmental mutation evolution—this is material taught only in the third year. You must study very hard outside of class, Lin Yuan."

And at this moment.

The other students in the class also joined in with Chen Xuanbai's applause, clapping their hands.

Whispers started up once more.

"Lin Yuan really is the great Lin! Do you know, ever since his parents passed away two years ago, he's still been running that Yuanming Pet Food Shop they left behind after class? Everyone only has twenty-four hours in a day, so how does it feel like his twenty-four hours are like forty-eight?"

"But I heard he has a really rare kind of housekeeping beast at home, the kind that can help with all sorts of chores and assist with running the shop. Maybe that saves him a lot of trouble?"

"Then you're still looking at it too superficially. A housekeeping beast at most just assists with chores; it's not some legendary divine beast that can instill knowledge. Lin Yuan's vast erudition can only be the result of his own hard work!"

The applause slowly subsided.

"Lin Yuan, I have another interesting question here. See if you can answer it."

"What are the general personality traits of pet beasts of the Shadow Witch Cat species, and what special preferences do they have?"

As soon as this question came out, someone down below couldn't help whispering:

"Here it is, it's here again! Teacher Chen uses asking a question as an excuse, but actually it's that segment where he tries to get answers or inspiration from the great Lin again!"

Lin Yuan glanced once more at this listless Shadow Witch Cat and smiled. "Reporting to Teacher, ordinary Shadow Witch Cats mostly have personalities that love quiet and solitude, enjoying moonlight and the feeling of isolation.

"But within the species, there are always some relatively abnormal individuals.

"I've read in some literature that a portion of Shadow Witch Cats are extremely fond of commotion. Placed in a bustling environment, they might actually grow better.

"What's more, Shadow Witch Cats of this type have an exceptionally strong desire to reproduce, so their special needs must be attended to at all times. Otherwise, incorrect nurturing methods might ruin their optimal growth period.

"Teacher, the fact that this one of yours was willing to be summoned in front of so many people and showed no negative emotions indicates that it rather enjoys the gaze of so many people. Perhaps it's just this kind of relatively rare existence?"

Lin Yuan spoke as if nothing were amiss, yet everyone in the classroom listened extremely attentively, and not a single person thought he was talking nonsense.

Chen Xuanbai suddenly recalled all sorts of experiences with his own Shadow Witch Cat and abruptly felt that what Lin Yuan said seemed to match up completely.

"What kind of literature is that? Why hasn't a teacher like me read it, while a high school freshman has?"

The thought that Lin Yuan had so solemnly stated in class that his black cat might have a strong desire to reproduce made him feel that this General Studies class provided just a bit too much knowledge.

He instantly summoned it back.

"Ahem, I've satisfied what you wanted to see. Next, I'll explain some basic points of knowledge to you."

"As well, starting next term I will serve as the General Studies teacher for the sophomore Kindling Class."

"I hope that after tomorrow's Awakening Ceremony concludes, some of you will still remain my students."

His gaze swept over Huang Zixuan first, then lingered on Lin Yuan for a full three to four seconds before he finally began his lecture.

The final General Studies class belonging to Class 9 of the freshman year had ended.

The crowd didn't have much time for sentimentality; they needed to make complete preparations to welcome tomorrow's Awakening Ceremony.

At that moment, in the empty classroom, only Lin Yuan and Chen Xuanbai remained.

"Lin Yuan, the other teachers and I have striven for a privilege for you based on your performance and grades over this past year."

"Under normal circumstances, to enter the Kindling Class, the awakened talent must reach at least Grade A, and specifically rank near the front among Grade A talents."

"However, as long as your talent reaches Grade B tomorrow, you'll be able to enter."

"Of course, the teacher believes that based on your various performances over the past year, awakening a Grade A talent won't be difficult, and you're even very likely to awaken a Grade S talent."

"Thank you, teacher!" Lin Yuan offered his heartfelt thanks, a brilliant light also flashing within his gaze.

Beast Tamer talent levels on the Myriad Spirits Continent were divided into five tiers, ranging from Grade D to Grade S.

Of course, Lin Yuan had heard that talents exceeding Grade S existed, but they were exceptionally rare.

What he had always been curious about was whether his ability to see pet beast stat panels was linked to a Beast Tamer's talent.

If this didn't fall within the scope of talent, and his innate talent wasn't very high, then his life as a Beast Tamer wouldn't be all that smooth.

"Here, accept this Spirit-Nourishing Fruit. Eat it before going to sleep tonight; it can soothe the mind and might be of some help with tomorrow's Awakening Ceremony," Chen Xuanbai said as he took it out. "Don't refuse. Your answer regarding the Shadow Witch Cat today can be considered doing me a huge favor."

"Besides, the teacher really does hope you can enter the Kindling Class. A student like you is one I'd like to teach for another two years."

Lin Yuan didn't refuse either.

He accepted the Spirit-Nourishing Fruit.

This was a certain pattern of interaction between him and Chen Xuanbai over the past year: Lin Yuan would occasionally give Chen Xuanbai some help and inspiration, and Chen Xuanbai would give him a small "gift."

Only this fruit could be considered the most valuable token of gratitude he had given all year, with a market price of around one thousand Alliance Coins.

Given Lin Yuan's financial situation, he wouldn't have bought one specifically for the Awakening Ceremony.

The Awakening Ceremony was of the utmost importance, and with everything being unknown, he wouldn't act coy or refuse any extra assistance.

"Teacher Chen, I also hope to be taught by you for another two years," Lin Yuan said sincerely.

Lin Yuan left the classroom.

Only Chen Xuanbai was left behind.

"Well, I'll knock off early today and go to the pet market to pick out a few female cats to bring home. Let's see if Xiao Ying still runs around everywhere tonight, and I'll be able to confirm whether what Lin Yuan said is right or wrong."

He turned off the fan and locked the classroom door.

In the empty classroom of Class 9 of the freshman year, only four heavy characters remained on the blackboard—

"Awakening Ceremony".