Things Are Getting Better, Cooldown Over

The power of space within the [Spirit Cage Ring] naturally flowed along Lin Yuan's pinky and into his spiritual world.

Lin Yuan guided a wisp of spiritual power, completing the bond with it.

After that, everything went as smoothly as flowing clouds and running water. He easily placed his schoolbag inside, and felt much more at ease.

Once the soul bond was completed, this kind of [Beast Gear] could not be used by anyone else unless its owner took the initiative to remove the soul imprint.

"Thanks again, Uncle Huang!" Lin Yuan clasped his fists in gratitude, his face full of smiles.

"Why don't you two continue chatting? I still have other matters to discuss." Huang Tao rose, patted Fortune Attraction, and recalled it to the [Beast-Taming Space]. "School starts soon. You'll still be classmates, so, Little Yuan, I'll have to trouble you to look after Zixuan."

He rose and hurried away. Compared with when he had first arrived, his entire state had improved tremendously.

"Brother Yuan, to be honest, this was the first time my father had brought me out for a business discussion. I was the one who asked him to." Once Huang Tao left, Huang Zixuan clearly relaxed considerably. "I realized that during the conversation between you and my dad, I couldn't understand most of what you were saying."

"I didn't understand it either, but I could feel his happiness. I've hardly ever felt that emotion from him. Thank you."

"Zixuan, your father must be very strict with you, right?" Lin Yuan asked.

Huang Zixuan nodded.

"But he must love you very much, too." Lin Yuan smiled.

"Enough, let's not talk about this anymore. I should also thank you for speaking up for me so many times, and for telling me Fortune Attraction's story." Lin Yuan picked up his chopsticks. "I'm hungry again. Let's finish the rest of the dishes."

"Mm." Huang Zixuan thought for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a set of test papers, his eyes shining. "My dad isn't here. I can finally ask you questions!"

"These past few days, I studied some of the general-knowledge subjects on the College Entrance Exam in advance, but there are so many things I don't understand. Can you explain them to me?"

Lin Yuan was taken aback, then nodded.

This was Huang Zixuan—a person who could devote ninety-nine percent of his energy to studying.

Lin Yuan had originally wanted to tell him that he needed to learn to balance work and rest, perhaps by reading some novels or something. But when he thought of Liu Xing, who became addicted the moment he touched one, he decided against it.

After all, he was still a high school student. It was better for him to study hard.

For some reason, Lin Yuan also felt a little envious of Huang Zixuan's pure state of mind.

An hour later.

"Brother Yuan, you're simply amazing!" Huang Zixuan's eyes gleamed. "If you took the College Entrance Exam this year, I'd say you might even get full marks in general knowledge."

"The College Entrance Exam doesn't only test knowledge. More importantly, it tests pet beasts, as well as the understanding and coordination between Beast Tamers and their pet beasts." Lin Yuan smiled. "School starts the day after tomorrow. See you in class!"

"Mm!"

Forty-five minutes later.

Lin Yuan returned to the Yuanming Pet Food Shop.

He felt as though he had finally set down the heavy burden pressing on his heart.

This was his first time negotiating for the future of this little shop.

It was also the first time in both his lives that he had gone through something like this.

Compared with studying and research, he found this much more difficult.

The initial background investigation, yesterday's study session and negotiations with Huo Yu, and today's direct "confrontation"—all of it was fresh to him.

It had also given him quite a bit of experience.

"Little Yuan, you're back!" Qin Bailing was counting the accounts, a cheerful smile on his lips. "Business was very good again today."

"And I don't know what's gotten into Linghuan these past two days. Its efficiency has improved so much. It was already several times faster at working than this old man, but today was even more astonishing. I barely had to do anything, and it had already taken care of everything."

"It even found time to weave flower crowns and make handicrafts. Little Yuan, do you think we should sell these flower crowns as products?"

Qin Bailing smiled. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes spread toward his graying temples, yet his spirit seemed especially vigorous.

"Grandpa Qin, you decide. You understand this better than I do." Seeing how visibly relaxed Qin Bailing was, Lin Yuan felt even better. "By the way, I finalized a pretty good deal today for the [Spirit Dew] produced by Zilan after her evolution."

"Over the next week, our shop will have five new entry-level products supplied by the [Yellow Crane Tower Shop]. We need to plan out some space for them in the shop over the next couple of days."

"What? Five entry-level products?" Qin Bailing immediately sprang up from his chair. "Little Yuan, you... how did you manage that?"

He had originally thought Lin Yuan was only going out to study with his classmates, just as he had over the past few days.

He never expected that without saying a word, the child would arrange and plan everything for the pet food shop.

"Grandpa Qin, I was just lucky. [Spirit Dew] is now a Transcendent-quality product, and it can bring us quite a bit of profit. Our Yuanming Pet Food Shop is about to become a two-star pet food shop."

"With more entry-level products, we may have more Customers coming in next. Fortunately, Linghuan has been in better shape lately. Otherwise, Grandpa Qin, you'd be even busier."

"Not busy, not busy!" The smile never left Qin Bailing's face. "Linghuan finished all the work today. I was even complaining that I had nothing to do. Having work is good! Having work is good!"

Looking at Qin Bailing's reddened face from smiling, Lin Yuan felt that all his efforts over the past few days had been worthwhile.

Moreover, Linghuan's improvement had surpassed his expectations. If things continued like this, then even if the shop became busier, they would still be able to handle it.

"Grandpa Qin, I had plenty of delicious food while I was out negotiating today. I specially ordered some dishes for you to try." Lin Yuan took several lunch boxes directly out of the [Spirit Cage Ring]. "You did so much extra work before my awakening ceremony, and you made meals for me every day, too. Thanks for all your effort."

Qin Bailing watched as Lin Yuan conjured the food and handed it to him, then even rubbed his eyes.

Becoming a Beast Tamer really was different!

"Thanks, Little Yuan!" Qin Bailing did not refuse. It was already evening, and he was indeed hungry.

"I'll go upstairs first and make some preparations for the start of school!"

"Go on, go on. Make sure to rest!"

After Lin Yuan left, Qin Bailing walked to a small table and opened the four lunch boxes.

"Food bought from an outside restaurant really does look good." He muttered under his breath as he picked up his chopsticks and grasped a plump piece of pork belly. After chewing a few times, his eyes lit up. "And it tastes unbelievably good, too!"

Not only that, but he soon felt his body warming up. He had not been very tired today to begin with, and now he was even more energetic.

What he did not know was that these were entry-level ingredients Lin Yuan had specially ordered for him, capable of nourishing the body. Since the bill was being charged to the Yellow Crane Tower Restaurant, Lin Yuan had not held back when ordering.

The food in just these four lunch boxes had cost eight or nine thousand Alliance Coins.

But Lin Yuan would never tell Qin Bailing. Otherwise, the old man would not eat even a single bite.

"Linghuan, stop weaving flower crowns for now and come eat something." Qin Bailing called out to it. "There's so much good food. An old bachelor like me can't finish it all by myself."

In the past, Linghuan probably would not have come over. It would only have immersed itself in its own work rhythm and world.

But now, things were different. After two consecutive days of treatment, it had completely mastered its own rhythm.

It bounced over to Qin Bailing, took a bite of meat, and little stars appeared in its eyes as well.

This delicious food was the second time it had eaten it in two days—the Little Master had also brought them plenty of delicious food when he came home last night.

Their Yuanming Pet Food Shop really was getting better, just as the Little Master had said!

The next day.

Lin Yuan planned to stay home and properly laze around, going nowhere.

After getting up early and applying medicine to Linghuan, he began coordinated training with Baishi.

In this world, pet beasts possessed [Traits]. But even two pet beasts of the same species, with the same trait and even the same level, would not necessarily fight in the same way.

That depended on the pet beast's own battle instincts, and even more on the Beast Tamer's acquired methods of cultivation.

Battles between pet beasts and strength assessments were also among the core subjects of the College Entrance Exam.

The knowledge Lin Yuan had taught himself over the past two years was not limited to identifying pet beasts and materials. He had also studied quite a bit of theory related to pet beast training in advance.

At that moment, he was conducting Special Training based on Baishi's inherent traits and its instinctive attack patterns.

For feline pet beasts, the focus was on jumping and claw strikes.

But besides those two, Baishi was also accustomed to adding biting attacks—a habit that should have come from the lion bloodline within its body.

As a Beast Tamer, one had to follow a pet beast's battle instincts and refine them. One could not deliberately cultivate it toward the direction one desired. This was something Lin Yuan had learned as well.

Lin Yuan's advantage was that he could see the real-time changes in the [Status] section of Baishi's panel and sense exactly what kind of fighting style it liked.

This even saved them the time needed to stop and communicate.

Lin Yuan's current training goal was to let Baishi activate the [Heart Frenzy] trait more naturally. This required training and acquired cultivation.

Also, using [Lion Spirit] still placed a slight burden on it, so Lin Yuan was teaching it the appropriate times to use that ability.

Two or three days of cooperative training had allowed Baishi to digest and absorb the [Lionbright Fruit] cake more quickly as well.

Its quality was still at the lower Transcendent grade, but its body had grown sturdier by several degrees.

"Meow... roar... meow!!"

At that moment, Baishi was racing through the hall, leaping, then biting at the training ball Lin Yuan tossed into the air.

It felt completely exhilarated.

After all, just a few days ago, it had been an unwanted, underdeveloped kitten that could only wave its paws during training. Today, it was already a nimble lion cat capable of leaping and flipping through the air!

Its cat life was about to begin shining brilliantly!

No, its lion life!

Sensing that Baishi's heart held nothing but joy, Lin Yuan naturally felt refreshed as well. This healthy relationship between a Beast Tamer and a pet beast was particularly important.

At that moment, Lin Yuan suddenly felt a sense of fullness in his spiritual world.

The cooldown for [Bonded Enlightenment Art] was over!

Then let Baishi's joy double once more!