Mind-Calming Bell, Light Nourishment Art
"Don't worry, Grandpa Qin. I've already made arrangements," Lin Yuan said with a smile.
He had discussed it with Liu Xing and Huo Yu at Liu Xing's house a few days earlier.
He had also asked Huang Tao for advice the day before yesterday.
Their pet food shop was in the suburbs, and quite a few storefronts on the same block still stood empty.
They could even expand and renovate his shop with one of the currently popular Construction Duck crews, as long as they obtained the necessary approvals and certificates from the Pet Beast Alliance.
Huo Yu and Huang Tao had even given Lin Yuan contact information for people experienced in handling such matters.
As long as he had the money, it would not be difficult.
"Little Yuan, these past two years really have been... hard on you," Qin Bailing said with a sigh. "You've kept up with your studies and handled so many other things without missing a beat."
"It's a shame I can't do more. All I can do is help look after the shop..."
"Grandpa Qin, don't talk nonsense. Count how many dinners you've made me over the past two years," Lin Yuan said with a smile.
"Haha, all right, all right. I won't make a fuss. I'll look forward to it!" Qin Bailing continued. "I'll get back to the accounts, then. It's your first day back at school, so you're probably tired. Get some rest."
"Mm."
Lin Yuan went up to the second floor.
He checked on Zilan in the Plant Room first.
Ever since Zilan had received the Life-Soul Pendant, she had been giving it her all.
After just a few days, he could already see how much better she was growing.
Lin Yuan took a look. Sure enough, her level had risen from Transcendent Level 2 to Transcendent Level 3.
With over a decade's worth of accumulated energy and the boost from high-quality Beast Gear after her evolution, Zilan's progress was rising like a boat on a swelling tide.
But the information on her [Evolution Path] still had not refreshed.
After talking with Zilan for a while and being made to drink another drop of Spirit Dew, he looked around the Plant Room.
This place needed to be expanded too. Then he could bring in more Purple Ghost Orchids and Purple Star Vines.
The conditions for growing those plants were not especially complicated.
As he worked through his plans, he kept an eye on the surrounding Purple Star Vines.
Suddenly, he spotted one whose purple blossoms looked different from all the others.
They were darker, with an air of quiet elegance.
He immediately thought of the accounts he had read about Purple Star Vines advancing to become Purple Ghost Orchids.
A careful comparison confirmed that this one was developing in exactly that direction!
Zilan's Treasure Mist trait could promote the growth of nearby plants and increase their chances of mutation.
He had not expected to see the first signs after only a few days.
"Zilan, you've done well." Lin Yuan went back to her and stroked her petals.
Back in his room,
Lin Yuan took the reward he had won for placing first in the Beast Tamer Resources assessment out of his Spirit Cage Ring.
He opened the box.
He sorted the materials by type, then turned his attention to the Beast Gear before him.
He recognized it, of course: a low-grade Transcendent Mind-Calming Bell.
It was among the easiest pieces of Transcendent Beast Gear to make, yet its market price was still around a hundred thousand Alliance Coins.
As a reward for placing first in the assessment, it had exceeded Lin Yuan's expectations.
Clearly, now that they had entered Senior Year 2, the school was pouring even more resources into their Kindling Class.
The Mind-Calming Bell's effect was simple: it helped a pet beast train without distraction, automatically screening out some external pressures and negative influences.
For Baishi, who was about to begin "specialized training" with Sun Xingtian, it was naturally the icing on the cake.
Lin Yuan summoned Baishi and placed the Mind-Calming Bell against Baishi's neck. It latched on at once, as firmly as a magnet to metal.
Baishi tilted the head to one side, puzzled.
What nice thing had the Beast Tamer given me this time?
I'd gotten so much lately!
Any more, and my guilt would spill over!
But now that I'm wearing this, why does even the air around me smell a little sweeter?
Baishi narrowed the eyes in approval.
Mm. I'll just have to work even harder to repay the Beast Tamer!
Lin Yuan checked on Baishi and smiled helplessly.
Baishi's life this past week had been worlds apart from everything before it.
The pet beast still struggled to feel worthy of it all.
For most Beast Tamers, giving their contracted pet beasts the best and most suitable things was only natural.
But old habits could not be changed in a day or two. Fortunately, Baishi was still young, and that mindset could still be nurtured.
Baishi bounded out with the "new toy."
Lin Yuan did not know whether Baishi was going to find Zilan or train.
But he was glad Baishi felt free to be completely at ease in their little home.
He still had plenty to do himself.
An hour later,
he finished updating the information on the Online Shop.
Then he began searching for information on Beast-Taming Arts and Nourishment Arts.
Compared with his knowledge of pet beasts and basic Beast Gear, Lin Yuan was a complete novice when it came to arts.
If the Gift of All Spirits had not granted Zilan the Bonded Enlightenment Art after her evolution, his understanding would still have been limited to the surface.
He had Zhao Liang's class tomorrow.
Zhao Liang would teach the students their first lesson on arts in Senior Year 2.
After that, Lin Yuan could claim the reward Zhao Liang had promised him: the chance to choose a Beast-Taming Art or Nourishment Art he wanted to master and learn it from him.
His current Nourishment Art was the most basic of the basics. If he could choose a better one, his spirit power would grow considerably faster for a while.
But he also had his eye on certain unusual Beast-Taming Arts.
The next day.
Senior Year 2, Class 1's Kindling Class.
Zhao Liang stood before the lectern in a crisp suit and his scholarly glasses, with nothing else to hand.
With a wave of his hand, a line of text appeared on the screen.
[Nourishment Art] — [Light Nourishment Art]
"Class, as the teacher responsible for Beast Tamer Competency, I'll keep this brief. My job from here on is to teach you Beast-Taming Arts and Nourishment Arts."
"My primary goal is for every one of you to reach 100 Spirit Value before the end of the second semester of Senior Year 2."
"Your talents have awakened, and you've contracted your first pet beasts. Your Spiritual Worlds have expanded, so you can learn better Nourishment Arts now."
"Back in Senior Year 1, you all learned a little of the Night Nether Art."
"It's simple. Anyone with hands can learn it."
At that, the students' eyebrows twitched...
Was it really that simple? Even Lin Yuan, the fastest in the entire year, had taken a month to learn it.
But Zhao Liang looked so stern that the students only grumbled inwardly. None dared make a sound.
"The Night Nether Art is gentle. While you sleep at night, it lets you draw a trace of spirit power from the energy of the world after dark to help increase your own."
"But it's far too inefficient. If that's all you know, you won't reach 100 Spirit Value by the second semester of Senior Year 2. You won't reach it even by the second semester of Senior Year 3."
"I know some of you come from well-off families. Your parents may have prepared suitable Nourishment Arts for you after your talents awakened."
"What you learn in private is your business. But today's Light Nourishment Art is one you must learn, and one you must devote more effort to throughout Senior Year 2."
"To nourish light means to seek out the light between heaven and earth, from the sun and moon high above to the tiny glow of a firefly."
"Through that light, you connect with the spiritual energy of the world and draw energy into your Spiritual Worlds."
"This Nourishment Art embraces all rivers as the sea does. It can work hand in hand with any other Nourishment Art you've learned, are learning, or will learn in the future."
"There must be light in your Spiritual Worlds."
He spoke softly, but each rise and fall of his voice sent a tremor through every student's heart.
Lin Yuan, too, began to look forward to it.
Half an hour later.
"All right. I've taught you the basic method and principles."
"First, guide light into spirit. Use your spirit power to form a connection with different kinds of light."
"Second, draw spirit into the Spirit Urn. Bring that light into your Spiritual World."
"Third, turn light into spirit. The longer you can sustain that light in your Spiritual Worlds, the more spiritual energy you can draw from the world, and the faster your spirit power will grow."
"Now look out the window and feel the sunlight."
"You need to find the pull of that light."
"The first step is the easiest. Let's see whether any of you can complete it here in class today."