It didn't want to change. It couldn't change.

Lin Yuan hadn't expected a single question from him to stir such a powerful reaction in this old dog, who seemed to have long since made its peace with the world.

But that emotional upheaval also added more detail to the text in the [Status] section of its panel—

[Fortune Dog] had a strong defense mechanism surrounding the secrets in its heart. Once triggered, it would immediately display a stress response.

It had undergone ten attempts at evolution, all of which had failed, leaving it with numerous hidden injuries. It had also been examined by at least a hundred Beast Tamers with [Spirit]-attribute talents. Through repeated clashes with such Beast Tamers, it had gradually learned how to hide its troubles.

And it had gradually come to detest these humans who tried to pry open the lock on its heart and force it to change.

It didn't want to change. It couldn't change.

Reading this, Lin Yuan felt a headache coming on...

What on earth had this old dog been through?

How could just one or two key words provoke such a violent reaction?

Ever since he had awakened his dual talents, the [Status] section for every pet beast would change according to its emotional fluctuations. If there was a problem, it would also provide a specific solution.

This was the first time Lin Yuan had seen only the problem, without any way to solve it.

An affliction of the heart...

This concerned its inner world, something the eyes couldn't see.

"Fortune, be good. Calm down." Huang Tao was momentarily bewildered too.

The last time Fortune had barked this loudly was two months ago, when he had invited a four-star healer to his home. Nothing he did could soothe Fortune enough to stop the barking, and it had even passed out from hyperventilating.

At that thought, Huang Tao hurriedly recalled it into his Beast-Taming Space.

The private room immediately fell quiet. Only the [Wonderstar Grass] kept looking left and right, wondering where Uncle Big Dog had gone. But it promptly toddled over to Huang Zixuan's feet, nestled against him, and fell asleep again within seconds.

"Sorry, Yuan... Fortune isn't usually like this," Huang Tao said apologetically.

"It's all right." Lin Yuan waved a hand, turning things over in his mind.

The three of them ate in silence, and the atmosphere suddenly grew a little awkward.

Unless Huang Tao brought it up, Lin Yuan couldn't keep pressing him. That would be too presumptuous.

Five minutes later, Huang Zixuan broke the silence. "Dad, Yuan really is amazing. Even before he awakened his talent, plenty of teachers found inspiration in what he said, especially when it came to his understanding of pet beasts and his sensitivity toward them."

"Now he's awakened the A-rank [Living Creature Affinity]. When it comes to talents for sensing thoughts and emotions, it's second only to that S-rank [Instant Spirit Thought]."

"Maybe he really can sense Fortune's emotions. What if something really is bothering it, and it just doesn't want to tell us?"

In truth, Huang Tao had been distracted the whole time.

He knew what circumstances would make his [Fortune Dog] lose control.

What troubled him was the word "troubles" in Lin Yuan's question.

What troubles could it have that he didn't know about? Or rather, that Fortune didn't want him to know about?

Lin Yuan had also been thinking all this time.

The information that had appeared in the [Status] section before the [Fortune Dog] was recalled was actually very useful.

Especially the words, "It didn't want to change. It couldn't change."

His keen intuition immediately told him that its belief that it "couldn't change" lay at the heart of its affliction.

When it came to pet beasts, Lin Yuan's philosophy was to respect their wishes and let them live in whatever way felt most comfortable to them.

But just now, Lin Yuan had encountered something he had never experienced before—he had sensed in a pet beast the tragic resolve to reach the end of its life rather than change anything.

And a sense of... steadfast determination to protect something.

This was what it wanted too. But when it was "ill," was what it wanted... necessarily right?

Huang Tao came back to himself. "Sorry, I was thinking about something else just now. Yuan, since Zixuan trusts you so much, I'll speak frankly."

"Over the years, plenty of people have wanted to do business with me. A few of them have made a point of looking into my past, hoping to use Fortune as a way to strike a deal with me and get better terms."

"And that works on me. As long as Fortune can live better and be happier, I'm happy too."

"You've been watching it ever since you walked in. I'm sure you've specifically looked into my history with Fortune."

"You're very clever. But at the end of the day, we're here today to discuss business. This deal won't have much impact on Yellow Crane Tower Shop's business. I just want to make Fortune's last two years a little better, so it does matter to me."

"Before I tell you about Fortune in detail, there's one question I have to ask you very seriously."

"When you said you could sense its troubles, did you genuinely notice something unusual, or were you making it up to get better terms?"

Huang Tao's voice remained warm, his words unhurried. Yet compared to the earlier atmosphere, the private room suddenly seemed tense.

Huang Zixuan grew nervous beside him. This was the familiar feeling his father gave him.

But this time, he felt he had no standing to speak up for Lin Yuan. Although he had always thought Lin Yuan was remarkable, this answer mattered deeply to both his father and Fortune...

Lin Yuan knew that using the [Fortune Dog] as an opening to secure a better outcome in the negotiations had been his intention from the start. It was only human nature.

He also knew there was no way Huang Tao, who had spent years in business and dealt with countless people, wouldn't notice.

Of course, he would never lie to get a better result. Both the faint emotions he had sensed and the concrete information on the panel confirmed all of this.

And during those five minutes just now, Lin Yuan had actually made his own decision.

"Uncle Huang, I wasn't making it up. I did sense something. And between the moment it started barking at me and the moment you recalled it into your Pet Beast Space, I sensed even more emotions."

Lin Yuan looked into Huang Tao's eyes as he spoke.

Huang Tao set down his chopsticks and stared into Lin Yuan's eyes for a full five seconds. Then, finally, a smile touched his lips.

It was also the first expression to appear on his face that day.

"All right. Tell me what you sensed first, and then I'll see how to respond."

"Okay." Lin Yuan nodded. "When Fortune barked at me, I sensed its panic and fear."

"It wants to spend the last stretch of its life in peace. It doesn't want even the slightest change."

"It doesn't want to change. It... can't change."

"The burden on its heart is very heavy. I think that's the root of its unwillingness to change."

"I can feel that inner conflict."

"It's like Zilan, who produces [Spirit Dew] for my family. She didn't want to evolve before, either, because of discomfort, because of something weighing on her heart."

"If we resolve what's troubling it, maybe it can happen. Maybe... it can live longer."

Huang Tao was a little dazed by this. It was the first time he had heard such an explanation.

"It doesn't want to change?"

His voice held an almost imperceptible tremor. "But both before and after we formed our contract, I could sense that it wanted to live longer!"

"I contracted it so it could live longer."

"I had it attempt evolution so it could live longer."

"I bought it more medicinal herbs and spiritual treasures so it could live longer too."

At those words—

Lin Yuan froze for a moment as well.

"Uncle Huang, tell me—is Fortune waiting for something? Waiting in the same body, in its unevolved form, for something that still hasn't come?"