Bonded Enlightenment Art, Zilan's Pagoda

Though the orbs of light were small, anyone who looked closely could make out the distinctive shapes flickering within them.

The orb on the far left was pure white. Inside it, what seemed to be a miniature river flowed slowly.

The middle orb was dim, its points of light linked like stars, forming a constellation in the night sky.

The orb on the far right looked the most profound. The light within formed an ancient book, with what seemed to be characters and lines traced across it.

The [Gift of All Spirits] received after helping a pet beast evolve into a hidden form—was this a benefit of an S+ talent?

Lin Yuan could sense different energy fluctuations from each orb.

After examining them carefully, he felt that the pure-white one should be able to enhance his mental power as a Beast Tamer.

His mental power was not particularly high. A Beast Tamer's mental power generally only began growing after they contracted their first pet beast, benefiting from its feedback and the [Beast-Taming Space] that served as the connection and foundation for their river of mental power.

If growth depended on the former, there was nothing he could do. After all, his first [Beast-Taming Space] was still completely empty.

As for the third orb, it gave Lin Yuan the most mysterious feeling.

Its ancient air and that sense of knowledge flowing within it also stirred his heart the most.

If he was not mistaken, it should contain the inheritance of a [Beast-Taming Art].

[Beast-Taming Art] was a lifelong field of study for Beast Tamers, and a key factor in whether they could help their pet beasts raise their limits.

There were countless types, and the kinds of [Beast-Taming Art] different Beast Tamers could master depended heavily on their talents.

Lin Yuan had only mastered one so far: the [Contract Art]. All first-year high school students had to learn it, as it was essential for contracting a pet beast.

Lin Yuan did not know how great a reward came from helping a pet beast evolve into an entirely new hidden form with one hundred percent compatibility, but he quickly made his decision.

Choose the third orb.

There would be plenty of ways to improve his mental power and his pet beasts' strength in the future.

But a precious [Beast-Taming Art] might remain beyond his reach even if he sought it his entire life.

As though sensing Lin Yuan's will, the other two orbs slowly dissipated.

The final orb seemed to fly out of the panel, then drift gently to the space between Lin Yuan's brows, merging into him like mist.

Lin Yuan immediately felt a wealth of mysterious knowledge appear in his mind.

Ancient characters spun through his thoughts. The principles and methods of using mental power to cast arts slowly seeped into his existing knowledge like a gently flowing stream.

Lin Yuan slowly settled into an upright seated position. The three pet beasts beside him seemed able to sense his wondrous state as well.

They did not know what had happened to Lin Yuan, but they could all sense that it should be something good. In particular, an energy seemed to swirl around him that made them feel comfortable, and even filled them with longing...

That energy was like an ancient call, seemingly coming from somewhere far, far away, yet at this moment, so very close...

About an hour later.

Lin Yuan had absorbed the art.

The [Bonded Enlightenment Art] was a [Beast-Taming Art] he still found it hard to believe he had learned in just one short hour.

Back when he learned the [Contract Art], his teacher had spent an entire semester teaching it.

Even though he had been the first in his year to master it completely, it had still taken him nearly a month.

He immediately understood that the even more precious aspect of this [Gift of All Spirits] was that he could perfectly adapt to and master the power and knowledge he received in a short time.

Perhaps this gift was a reward for changing a pet beast's fate?

Looking over the applications of the [Bonded Enlightenment Art] again, he found that once he had mastered it, it was actually quite simple.

Even a fledgling one-star Beast Tamer like him could use it.

Its crucial prerequisite lay in the first two words of the [Beast-Taming Art]'s name—bonded.

Put simply, a bond meant affection.

Moreover, it was not limited to contracted pet beasts. Even a pet beast without a contract with Lin Yuan could receive this enlightenment, provided their bond was strong enough.

At this moment, Lin Yuan could clearly sense that he could use it on either Zilan or Linghuan beside him.

Zilan had grown up alongside him, and Linghuan had joined the household when he was six. Those bonds absolutely met the requirements.

As for Baishi, they had only met today, after all. That bond would have to build steadily, like a thin stream flowing on and on.

Besides this most important prerequisite, there was another restriction.

Lin Yuan could not use this [Beast-Taming Art] without restraint. Depending on his star rank as a Beast Tamer, his mental power, his mastery of the [Beast-Taming Art], and the level and strength of the pet beast receiving enlightenment, the art would also have a cooldown period.

As for the effects of enlightenment, the words in this ancient inheritance explained them clearly enough.

"Bonded Enlightenment Art: for the recipient, blend the bloodline of the body, the traits of the soul, and the character of the heart; let experience forge and shape them, until a new chapter unfolds, granting a new power born of the bond."

"As the art advances and the beast advances, so shall the ability advance."

As Lin Yuan understood it, the pet beast would gain a new [Trait]. The main factors determining this trait were the pet beast's own qualities, its original traits, its personality and character. Even its past experiences could influence it.

Moreover, as Lin Yuan became increasingly proficient in the [Bonded Enlightenment Art] and the pet beast grew stronger, the "bond trait" it gained would also grow.

Its value was enough to leave any Beast Tamer wide-eyed and tongue-tied.

An ancient inheritance had fallen upon Lin Yuan's shoulders through the [Gift of All Spirits].

He immediately felt a stronger sense of purpose in the role he seemed to be taking on—not only could he change the fates of pet beasts, but he could also receive the "favor" of those whose fates he changed, gradually altering the course of his own destiny.

Throughout Zilan's evolution, he had absorbed a great deal of the energy produced by [Spirit Energy Burst], and he was now brimming with vigor.

After thinking for a while, he decided to use this ability on Zilan first.

Linghuan's injuries had yet to heal. There was no harm in waiting until it had recovered to its best condition before granting it enlightenment.

He had sat upright here for an hour, and none of the three pet beasts had left.

Lin Yuan sensed their emotions.

Zilan and Linghuan were more worried, while Baishi felt a little surprised and curious.

After all, sitting there for over an hour without a word had indeed been a little inconsiderate.

They also shared another emotion—anticipation.

Was it because of the [Bonded Enlightenment Art]?

"Zilan, congratulations on successfully evolving into the form you love most and feel most comfortable in." Lin Yuan stroked Zilan's petals again. "And thank you for the gift you brought me."

To Lin Yuan, this [Beast-Taming Art] was, in a sense, a gift from Zilan as well.

After all, it was a gift born of her hidden evolutionary form.

"I'll give you a gift too," Lin Yuan said softly.

Then he guided the [Bonded Enlightenment Art] into motion. It flowed through his body, clumsily yet precisely, slowly gathering at his fingertip.

He gently tapped one of Zilan's petals.

That single touch drained a good deal of Lin Yuan's strength. His mind immediately faltered, his head went blank, and even his legs felt a little weak.

Fortunately, it had not consumed all his mental power and stamina, so he could still keep that weakness under control. Once he steadied himself, he immediately examined Zilan's current appearance.

Her form had not changed.

Her bearing, however, had changed slightly.

She had originally taken the shape of a Pagoda, but Lin Yuan had felt that this was merely the outward appearance of her form.

Now, however, the Pagoda was gradually becoming a tangible embodiment of the concept of a "Pagoda."

The phantom image of a Pagoda seemed to have truly appeared behind Zilan.

She still exuded that ethereal, immortal air.

Yet within this Pagoda, Lin Yuan sensed another emotion and atmosphere.

It seemed to carry a hint of "home."

Was it because of Zilan's devotion and her desire to protect the home?

Lin Yuan looked at her panel. A new trait had indeed appeared after her characteristics section.

Moreover, this trait shimmered with a faint yellow light, the same color as the characters traced across the book he had seen earlier.

[Pagoda]—this was the new trait Zilan had gained after receiving enlightenment.