The Door-Opener Knocked, Buying Materials

Huang Zixuan had just contracted his first pet beast that morning: a Transcendent High-Grade Wood Element pet beast, [Wonderstar Grass].

At that moment, he was working on bonding with it.

[Wonderstar Grass] had a blue seed perched on its head, like an adorable little bundle tied with a knot.

Pale green all over, it squinted contentedly as it enjoyed the pet food Huang Zixuan fed it.

[Wonderstar Grass] was one of the few pet beasts whose plant traits did not completely restrict its movement even in its early stages, and it also possessed considerable combat support abilities.

It had the classic evolution path of [Wonderstar Grass]—[Radiant Wonderleaf]—[Radiant Wonderflower].

It was an excellent match for his S-rank talent, [A Hundred Grasses Flourish].

Building a bond with a plant-type pet beast was considerably harder than with one of flesh and blood.

Classes would begin in a few days. He hoped not only to complete his teacher's assignment, but also to deliver a more outstanding performance.

His phone screen lit up.

He had received a message from his father. As he read it closely, a trace of confusion appeared on his face.

Of course he knew Yuanming Pet Food Shop. It was the pet food shop Lin Yuan ran.

An unbidden worry surfaced. Was his father planning to expand the shop, grow the business, and swallow up some of the pet shops out in the suburbs?

He hoped that was not the case.

He actually held Lin Yuan in great respect.

His classmate had entered the school with the highest scores in their year.

Huang Zixuan had always ranked second in Class 9 of their first year.

At first, he had secretly burned with competitive spirit, hoping to surpass Lin Yuan someday.

But that thought had vanished after about three months—because he realized the gap was simply too wide.

Yet Lin Yuan treated everyone in their class kindly. Whenever they had questions, he helped answer them, breaking knowledge down into bite-sized pieces and teaching them in the easiest way to understand.

He kept nothing to himself and held nothing back. Many classmates even felt he was more of a teacher than some of their actual teachers.

Throughout the entire year, their class had held the highest average scores in their grade in almost every subject. All the students, and even some teachers, believed Lin Yuan deserved a large share of the credit.

Huang Zixuan had initially ranked around the top twenty in their year, then settled comfortably into the top five.

He felt that Lin Yuan's help was a major reason for that, too.

He had mentioned this to his parents and even asked whether they could work with Yuanming Pet Food Shop to help Lin Yuan earn some more money.

But because the pet food shop only had a one-star rating, they had refused.

He knew the pet food shop was currently Lin Yuan's only source of income.

If his father's business ambitions robbed Lin Yuan of his financial support, he would feel terribly guilty, even though such decisions were beyond his control at present.

He thought as he walked, unease creeping into his heart. For some reason, he was even more nervous than he had been that morning when using [Contract Art] to contract [Wonderstar Grass].

"Zixuan, summon your [Wonderstar Grass] and let it try this flower dew."

Huang Zixuan was a little bewildered. Wasn't this supposed to be about the pet food shop? Why was his father suddenly asking him to feed his pet beast flower dew?

Still, his father would not harm him.

The instant [Wonderstar Grass] was summoned, its eyes locked onto the glass bottle holding the [Spirit Dew].

As Wood Element plant-type pet beasts, they were the most sensitive to resources like this.

Huang Zixuan carefully squeezed out a drop, and [Wonderstar Grass] opened its mouth.

Then it gave a blissful "chirp, chirp." But the nourishment seemed a little too rich, making it want to lie down immediately for a lovely nap.

It also suddenly felt that its contracted Beast Tamer treated it wonderfully, feeding it such precious, delicious flower dew.

After contracting a pet beast, a tamer could sense its condition and emotions.

Naturally, Huang Zixuan was amazed.

Still, he quickly pieced the clues together.

He knew Lin Yuan's family had two pet beasts: one produced [Purple Dew], and the other tended the shop.

The drop [Wonderstar Grass] had just consumed clearly was not ordinary [Purple Dew]...

That meant Lin Yuan had probably used his newly awakened talent to bring about a change in his family's plant pet beast, allowing it to produce this superb-quality product.

His eyes immediately lit up.

His spirits brightened, too. If that was the case, his earlier worries had clearly been unnecessary.

"Zixuan, I remember you mentioning this Yuanming Pet Food Shop. Isn't it run by the family of that 'academic god' classmate you told me about?" Huang Tao asked.

"Yes, that's right." Huang Zixuan nodded.

"This [Spirit Dew] is a new product they only listed today. I tested it, and its effects are astonishing." He glanced at the big yellow dog beside him. "Even Big Yellow's old injuries showed very faint signs of healing."

"And this is only a Transcendent-grade product, yet it can accomplish things that some Commander-grade or even Monarch-grade products can."

"It costs thirty thousand Alliance Coins for 0.5 milliliters—ten drops. I think it could easily command an even higher price."

"I've already sent a message expressing interest in a partnership through their shop's backend, but I imagine other people will be contacting him through that channel, too."

"If you're on good terms with him, help me ask him or his family whether we could arrange a face-to-face meeting. A partnership could benefit both sides."

Huang Zixuan had already roughly guessed why his father had called him over.

Now that it was confirmed, his mood improved even more.

"Okay, Dad. I'll contact him and let you know as soon as he replies," Huang Zixuan said, a faint smile appearing on his face. It soon faded, however. "But Dad, he's helped me a lot, and we'll still be classmates for the next two years."

"If you really do meet with him, I hope you won't put too much pressure on him."

Huang Zixuan did not know how to phrase it more tactfully, so he decided to speak his mind.

Huang Tao gave him an interested look, then considered it before saying, "All right. If we get a chance to talk, you can come along."

Deliveries arrived fastest within Lin Hua City.

Thus, Huang Tao and Liu Xing had already responded accordingly.

The other four buyers had also received their products one after another and begun trying them.

Their reactions were much the same as Huang Tao's and Liu Xing's.

All of them recognized the product's exceptional quality and intended to buy more, only to discover it had sold out.

After messaging the shopkeeper, each made plans of their own.

At Lin Yuan's home.

He had begun receiving payments from different customers two hours earlier.

And just now, the final payment had arrived.

One hundred eighty thousand Alliance Coins were in his account!

It had been a little faster than he expected.

Of course, feedback from the various customers had also been arriving through the shop's backend messaging system.

Most asked about stock availability and when the product would be listed again. Some also asked whether there was a private sales channel.

Three customers hoped to meet in person right away to discuss further cooperation on this product, or to purchase it at a higher price.

Two of them were in Lin Hua City.

One customer went by [Handsome Liu Xing].

His reply was simple: he would personally visit Yuanming Pet Food Shop tomorrow.

Lin Yuan paused when he saw that username.

Was this Liu Xing the same Liu Xing he had met yesterday?

Probably not. That adjective did not fit.

Another customer was also a shop: [Linhua Yellow Crane Tower Shop].

Its message was very direct: they hoped to arrange a face-to-face meeting for a mutually beneficial partnership, as this product deserved a higher selling price.

The remaining customer was a perfume shop from the neighboring Huaixiang District. Its message was much the same as Yellow Crane Tower Shop's.

Lin Yuan had not expected this "door-opening brick" to make itself heard so quickly.

However, until Zilan's level increased or [Spirit Dew] reached LV2, her basic daily production would remain fixed at twenty drops, or one milliliter.

Overproduction would damage her foundations. That had happened before, and Lin Yuan certainly would not let Zilan do it again now.

As things stood, he definitely could not handle so many partnerships.

He could only choose the best option.

But for now...

He finally had money!

And the money would keep flowing in!

He had started selecting the three products he needed two hours earlier.

With his ten-percent discount, the little money he had previously saved, and the Alliance Coins the research department had transferred yesterday...

He had just enough to buy them!

And then, the course of treatment for Linghuan and Baishi...

Could begin!