A Strange Cat, a Purple Butterfly

The morning sunlight spilled across Lin Yuan's face.

He had been so tired the night before that he had fallen asleep without setting an alarm. When he checked the time, it was exactly eight in the morning.

In theory, this was his week-long break between his first and second years of high school.

He should have been able to rest to his heart's content.

But this world was different from the student life he had known in his previous life.

As a student aspiring to become an outstanding Beast Tamer, he had to make good use of practically every minute and second.

Still, Lin Yuan realized that the quality of his sleep last night had rivaled even the day he had eaten the [Spirit-Nourishing Fruit].

That proved the energy Zilan had released during her evolution truly had remarkable effects.

When he opened the door, Lin Yuan saw that Linghuan was already tending the [Purple Star Vine].

He said hello, hurried through washing up, gulped down some bread and milk, then rushed out.

The Pet Beast Alliance's Breeding Center was forty minutes from his home by public transport.

His teacher had booked him an appointment for nine sharp.

He did not want to be late.

Yuanming Pet Food Shop.

"Little Yuan, you should get some proper rest on your first day off. Why are you up so early?" Qin Bailing had already opened the shop and was arranging a pile of fresh [Purple Star Vine] branches and leaves by the entrance.

"The Purple Star Vine grew especially well today, and there's so much of it. Linghuan has already made three or four trips downstairs delivering it this morning. I need to call our regular customers and tell them we've got some high-quality stock today."

"Good morning, Grandpa Qin." Lin Yuan straightened his shirt. "I need to visit the Breeding Center today."

"I should be back to help you this afternoon. I have more free time this week, so you can take a break too. I haven't been looking after the shop much lately. You must be tired."

"The Breeding Center? Wonderful!" Qin Bailing looked up, his face brimming with smiles. "Bring another little pet beast into our Yuanming Pet Food Shop. Liven things up a bit."

"And don't worry about me, Little Yuan. I've been doing this for seven or eight years. I feel out of sorts whenever I go a day without coming to the shop."

"Go ahead with your plans. I'll be waiting for your good news."

Lin Yuan caught the bus.

Along the way, he watched the scenery stream past like flowing water, the people coming and going, and the occasional pet beast by the roadside. Gradually, his spirits relaxed.

Forty minutes later, Lin Yuan arrived at the Breeding Center.

It was an enormous complex of buildings.

Different kinds of young pet beasts were raised in different areas.

He had volunteered here for two weeks the previous semester and knew the place quite well. Naturally, he also knew where to find what he was looking for.

The [Spirit]-attribute pet beasts were housed in the southeastern part of the complex.

Lin Yuan quickened his pace. After confirming his appointment at the reception hall of the [Spirit Breeding Hall], he sat down in the waiting area.

He checked the time: 8:58.

He let out a long breath.

He was someone who strictly followed plans and schedules. For practically every appointment, he would arrive half an hour early to give himself time to prepare.

This was the first time he had reached his destination almost "right on the dot."

Just then, he noticed a staff member in protective clothing carrying a transparent pet carrier. Inside was a cat with spotless white fur.

Yet the kitten was currently "baring his fangs and brandishing his claws," furiously scratching at the glass. His angry little mewls reached Lin Yuan's ears.

Lin Yuan focused his gaze.

Several lines of information flashed across a panel.

[Still Spirit Cat]

[Attribute]: Spirit

[Quality]: Ordinary Upper-Grade

[Sex]: Male

Then the information cut off abruptly—the staff member had quickened their pace, seemingly eager to return the little pet beast to his home.

Two questions immediately sprang into Lin Yuan's mind.

First, ninety-nine percent of [Still Spirit Cats] were born with the [Tranquil Heart] trait. In other words, they were among the most emotionally stable pet beasts.

What he had just witnessed was highly abnormal in itself.

Second, the average quality of a newborn [Still Spirit Cat] was around Transcendent Mid-Grade, making them an excellent kind of pet beast. Why was that one only Ordinary Upper-Grade?

As soon as those two questions surfaced, Lin Yuan could not help craning his neck, hoping to get another look at what was going on with that [Still Spirit Cat].

But the staff member had already gone too far away.

Just then, a voice reached Lin Yuan's ears.

"Lin Yuan, it's time for your appointment. You may enter and follow your guide for today on a tour of the designated breeding areas."

Lin Yuan immediately returned to his senses and nodded.

He went through the designated entrance.

There, someone he had seen before appeared in front of him.

"Good morning, Senior Liu." Lin Yuan took the initiative to greet him.

"Hello, junior. Teacher Chen asked me to show you three kinds of pet beasts today and help you pick the one that suits you best."

"Thank you. Sorry for the trouble, Senior."

Senior Liu's full name was Liu Xing, and he was something of a star student at Puquan Experimental High School.

He had graduated a month earlier, placing second in the school on the College Entrance Exam. His admission to [Linhua Pet Beast University], one of the Chenlong Kingdom's ten leading beast-taming universities, had already been confirmed.

His chosen major was breeding.

Lin Yuan had seen the news on the school's honor roll not long ago.

He had not expected to run into him here today.

Liu Xing wore gold-rimmed glasses and had a distinctly affluent air. His work uniform identified him as an intern at the [Spirit Breeding Hall] of the Lin Hua City Pet Beast Breeding Center.

"Well, if Teacher Chen thinks so highly of you, you must have something special. I'll do my best to help you assess them today."

"Let's not waste any time, then. We'll start with the [Illusion Dream Butterflies]."

"Sorry for the trouble, Senior." Still perfectly polite, Lin Yuan followed him.

They passed two breeding areas belonging to other pet beasts before the home of the [Illusion Dream Butterflies] opened up before Lin Yuan's eyes.

It was a patch of brilliantly colored flowers.

About fifteen [Illusion Dream Butterflies] rested on different blossoms among them.

Even after sensing the two arrivals, they remained quiet. Only one fluttered its wings briefly; none of the others moved.

[Illusion Dream Butterflies] were gorgeous creatures.

These butterflies had no fixed coloring, but they shared one distinguishing mark: the outline of a moon on their wings.

Each gave off its own unique glow.

Simply standing there, Lin Yuan felt as though he had entered a dream. He even began seeing faint traces of illusory light.

However, he quickly turned his attention elsewhere—staring at [Illusion Dream Butterflies] for too long could easily leave someone mentally disoriented.

Fortunately, he had already taken in all their panels and committed them to memory.

Apart from differences in quality and level, they were essentially identical.

Their temperaments varied a little, but even those were largely alike.

The evolution paths displayed for every [Illusion Dream Butterfly] were also exactly the same.

[Illusion Dream Butterfly]

[Attribute]: Spirit

[Quality]: Transcendent Lower-Grade/Mid-Grade

[Traits]: [Spirit Dream], [Illusory Light]

[Evolution Paths]

Evolution path one: Illusion Spirit War Butterfly

Evolution path two: Phantom Evil Devourer Butterfly

Of those two evolution paths, Lin Yuan knew about the [Illusion Spirit War Butterfly].

But he had never even heard of the [Phantom Evil Devourer Butterfly].

Neither evolution path was marked as hidden, so these should have been evolved forms that had already appeared in this beast-taming world.

Perhaps they simply were not common in the Chenlong Kingdom.

Even so, he opened the smaller evolution-path panels and recorded all the required materials and conditions.

Every one of these "ordinary" evolution paths held value for Lin Yuan.

As for why none of these [Illusion Dream Butterflies] had a hidden evolution path, Lin Yuan had his own theory.

Watching Lin Yuan study each [Illusion Dream Butterfly] so carefully, Liu Xing silently approved.

Generally speaking, students who had only just finished their first year of high school could not manage this level of composure.

During his month-long internship, he had guided plenty of students who had come to inspect young pet beasts. Most could not contain their impatience. Before they had taken more than a few looks, they would already have rattled off a dozen questions and started asking how to form a contract.

Only when Lin Yuan finally looked away from the [Illusion Dream Butterflies] did Liu Xing speak.

"You're very patient, junior."

"Teacher Chen told me you have a real gift for assessing pet beasts, and the ability to back it up. Your knowledge of different pet beasts is far beyond that of someone who has just finished their first year of high school—even better than some graduating seniors."

"So let me test you. Of these fifteen [Illusion Dream Butterflies], which one has the highest quality? And which do you think is the gentlest and easiest to contract with?"

"Answer correctly, and I'll give you a little surprise."

Lin Yuan smiled faintly and answered at once. "The one beside the purple flower at the lower left has the highest quality of the fifteen. The moon outline on its wings is about a centimeter wider than the others', and it blends into the flowers best. Without looking a few times, you might not even spot it."

"And the best one to contract with is the one that fluttered its wings when we passed, then settled down again. That suggests it has a side to its personality that enjoys being around people, which is relatively rare among Spirit-attribute pet beasts."

Liu Xing watched as Lin Yuan gave the correct answers with scarcely a moment's thought—and his reasoning was entirely sound.

For a moment, he was stunned.

Had he not come up with those questions on the spot, he would have suspected Lin Yuan had memorized a question bank and zeroed straight in on the answers.

Naturally, Lin Yuan noticed Liu Xing's expression too.

In truth, he could have answered both questions easily even without the panels—his many years of professional experience in his previous life were no mere window dressing. Simple methods such as controlling variables and comparing key traits had long since become second nature to him.

And that was without even mentioning the panels confirming his answers.

Lin Yuan looked at Liu Xing with an "expectant expression," as though waiting for his reply.

"Well, Teacher Chen certainly wasn't exaggerating about your remarkable eye for pet beasts."

"These glasses are yours. If you spend a long time in the Spirit-attribute pet beast area, it's easy to look at these creatures a little too long and suffer negative effects."

"Put these on, and you won't feel uncomfortable later."

Lin Yuan looked them over. They were another pair of gold-rimmed glasses, identical to the ones Liu Xing wore—and from a name brand, too.

Functional glasses like these generally cost at least a thousand Alliance Coins.

Clearly, the star senior before him was probably one of those students who did not lack money.

After a moment's consideration, he accepted without protest.

After all, looking a little too long earlier really had left him slightly dizzy.

He could simply return them once today's activities were over.

Interestingly, the instant he put on the glasses, the purple [Illusion Dream Butterfly] with the highest quality actually flew out and came right up in front of Lin Yuan of its own accord.