The Cat's Story and Lin Yuan's Choice

"His story is pretty interesting." Liu Xing began to tell it.

"This Still Spirit Cat's mother gave birth to four offspring about half a year ago. She was a Nether Spirit Veil Cat—a Monarch-quality beast that had first evolved from a Still Spirit Cat into a Quiet Spirit Hidden Cat, then evolved again."

"She was one of the core beasts belonging to the deputy head of a powerful Lineage."

"High-quality, high-level beasts already had a fairly hard time producing offspring."

"Giving birth to four at once was harder still."

"And each of those four had its own traits."

"The Nether Spirit Veil Cat must have mated with a lion-type beast. One of their offspring was a lion-type beast born at the prestigious Low-Grade Commander quality, called a Frenzied Spirit Lion."

"A beast of that quality was an excellent choice for a second or even third contracted beast. It was soon bestowed on one of the Lineage's most promising members."

"The other two Still Spirit Cats were both Transcendent High-Grade. One even possessed a special Shade attribute, making it no less valuable than the Frenzied Spirit Lion."

"The last one was this fierce little Still Spirit Cat."

"Everyone said its siblings must have been so outstanding that they'd sucked away all its talent and essence. How else could it have ended up at only Ordinary High-Grade quality?"

"At first, the Lineage's Beast Breeders thought its appearance meant it must have inherited its father's lion bloodline too."

"Later, they discovered it really was just an ordinary—an all-too-ordinary—Still Spirit Cat."

"They studied it for nearly a month before realizing there was no saving the situation. It had no research value, and no one in the Lineage wanted to contract an Ordinary-quality cat."

"So they sold it at auction. Despite its Ordinary quality, the 'impressive pedigree' of a Nether Spirit Veil Cat mother and a Frenzied Spirit Lion sibling still fetched a hundred thousand Alliance Coins."

"The buyer wanted it for research, of course."

"But if the Beast Breeders of a powerful Lineage couldn't do anything, other Beast Breeders had even less chance."

"Anyway, it seems to have changed hands another couple of times before it was traded here to the Breeding Center as a resource a week ago."

"It was still an unusual Still Spirit Cat, after all. The Breeding Center naturally wanted to see whether it had any potential left."

"The answer, of course, was no."

"That Transcendent High-Grade Still Spirit Cat was priced at two hundred thousand Alliance Coins because of its exceptional quality. This one's quality had regressed, so it was priced at just fifty thousand."

"Even at that price, I didn't think anyone would buy it..."

"Just look at that build. Among Ordinary High-Grade beasts suitable as a first contracted beast, there are far better choices for the same price."

Liu Xing looked at the cat and shook his head helplessly. "Still, I feel sorry for it."

"Beasts are intelligent. What it's been through lately couldn't have been easy—sold by the Lineage, studied, experimented on, then passed from hand to hand. It can't have been happy."

"Compared with its three siblings, it's had a rough life."

"So after I learned what it had been through, I found it hard to get truly angry with it, even when it drove me up the wall."

"Beast Breeders are too calculating too often... Make the most of everything, beasts included. They put high-quality ones on a pedestal. Low-quality ones with unusual backgrounds interest them at first, but once they find nothing special, they cast them aside."

At that, Liu Xing went on, "Actually, I've already decided. If this Still Spirit Cat is still at the Breeding Center when my internship ends, I'm going to buy it and take it home."

"It's the beast that gave me my most embarrassing story, after all. I can't let it waste its whole life here. I really don't think anyone else will buy it."

Lin Yuan took another long look at Liu Xing.

Liu Xing had wanted to buy the Mist Spirit Spider because he'd seen its potential. As a Beast Breeder, he might be able to raise it into an entirely new species and make his career shine.

But Liu Xing hadn't seen anything unusual about this Still Spirit Cat. His embarrassing story clearly wasn't the real reason.

Lin Yuan thought Liu Xing was kind at heart. A Beast Breeder who took the time to learn a beast's history, then felt too sorry for it to leave it "suffering" at the Breeding Center, couldn't be summed up as merely "refusing to admit defeat."

But Liu Xing's wish probably wouldn't come true.

Because Lin Yuan had made his decision.

"Senior Liu Xing, I want this Still Spirit Cat." His voice was firm. "Teacher Chen always says that when you contract a beast, the key is 'fate.' Whether it's a connection at first sight or some unseen bond, it might mean something."

"Today was one of the few times I've overslept and nearly been late. But if I hadn't, I wouldn't have arrived at the entrance just as the staff were putting it into the glass case."

"Even while I was looking at the other beasts earlier, I kept wondering why this Still Spirit Cat was so unusual."

"And when I saw it, I felt even more certain." Lin Yuan continued, "I can sense the defiance in its nature, its wildness and resilience. Those are the qualities I want in my first beast. That's why I asked you for its story."

"After hearing it, I'm even more sure."

"Senior Liu Xing, if I told you I could make it the most extraordinary Still Spirit Cat in the world, would you believe me?"

Liu Xing froze.

To be honest, he didn't believe it at all.

But he couldn't crush a second-year high school student's ambition and enthusiasm.

More importantly, he truly didn't think this beast was suitable as Lin Yuan's first. Its potential and quality were both too low.

He had promised Teacher Chen he would help Lin Yuan today.

If Lin Yuan went home with this beast, how was that any different from Teacher Chen giving him an exam and him failing it?

"Junior, I believe in your determination, but I really don't recommend buying it."

"Any of the three I mentioned earlier would be much better."

"But choosing a beast—especially when it comes to that fate you mentioned—really does depend on the Beast Tamer's own feelings and judgment. So if you've thought it through, I won't argue."

"Are you sure? You're not choosing that Mist Spirit Spider?" Liu Xing asked solemnly.

"Yes." Lin Yuan's answer was short and firm.

"All right. For some reason, I'm actually pretty happy." Liu Xing stopped trying to lecture him.

"I don't know whether it's because someone's taking this kitten home, or because you're leaving that unusual Mist Spirit Spider behind."

"This Still Spirit Cat costs fifty thousand. With the ten-percent discount, that's forty-five thousand. Your starting funds are a hundred thousand. Do you want to buy some special materials too, or pay with your own money?"

"I'll pay with my own money. I can come back for materials when I need them."

"Mm, that makes more sense. I haven't the slightest idea what to recommend for this Still Spirit Cat anyway."

"Then I'll leave it with you. It's quiet most of the time, though it runs around when everyone's asleep. It usually ignores people, but as long as you don't force it to do anything, it won't be too fierce."

"Just pay at the Breeding Center's front desk afterward."

"As for contracting it, you can do that once you've gone home and formed a bit of a bond. Besides, it's only Ordinary High-Grade. As a One-Star Beast Tamer, you'll have no trouble contracting it."

Five minutes later.

Liu Xing put the Still Spirit Cat in a glass cat carrier and handed it to Lin Yuan, then turned to prepare the bill.

The kitten seemed used to being packed up and moved around. It knew it had probably been bought again.

It was moving to another home.

But as long as it didn't have to live among other Still Spirit Cats and put on an act, it could accept that.

It raised its head and gave Lin Yuan a lazy glance.

Lin Yuan looked into its silver-white pupils. There seemed to be little light in them.

He leaned close to the glass carrier and said softly, "You want to become a lion, don't you? I can help you."

At those words, its pupils widened slightly. A light flashed in its eyes, then faded again.

How could this human know about the little dream it entertained when it had nothing to do?

It was only an underdeveloped cat...

How could it become a lion?

It lowered its head and narrowed its eyes, seeming indifferent to everything again.

Liu Xing handed Lin Yuan the bill and a business card.

"Take this payment card to the front desk and pay. Once you do, the lock on the kitten's carrier will release, and you can take it home."

"And here's my business card. I think highly of you. If you ever have questions about your studies, feel free to ask me. You won't just make a good Beast Tamer—you have the potential to become a good Beast Breeder too."

"Maybe we'll even end up at the same university!"

Lin Yuan took the two cards. "Senior, you liked that Mist Spirit Spider, didn't you? I have a small suggestion."

"Oh?" Liu Xing's eyes lit up.