Chapter Summaries

Chapter summary

Key events and plot points

• Chen Xuanbai grades Lin Yuan’s proposed team of Still Spirit Cat for attack, Water Armor Turtle for defense, and Wonderstar Grass for support. He approves Lin Yuan’s reasoning that a strong team depends on how its talents and attributes work together, not just on their ranks.
• Lin Yuan’s analysis earns a perfect score. Chen Xuanbai also discovers that the Still Spirit Cat has unusual, powerful traits—Heart Frenzy and Lion Spirit—and deducts marks from students who misidentified the cat’s traits.
• The class receives its assessment results. Lin Yuan ranks first overall with 378 points, placing first in every subject. Huang Zixuan comes second with 352 points, and Liu Mintian third with 349.
• Lin Yuan is pleased with most of his marks, though he regrets scoring only 81 in Resources. Huang thanks him for advising him to memorize classmates’ talents before the exam.
• Zhu Neng explains that the Resources assessment tested planning and judgment. Students were penalized for answering questions before checking what supplies they had, since a Beast Tamer must know their resources before allocating them. He also emphasizes conserving supplies without overlooking a pet beast’s happiness and emotional needs.
• Lin Yuan receives two bonus points for caring well for his pet beast. As the first-place prize, he is allowed to keep the resource box—which contains a piece of low-grade Transcendent Beast Gear.

Character development and interactions

• Lin Yuan demonstrates strong strategic thinking, broad knowledge, and effective pet-beast training. His success reinforces his reputation as the class’s standout student, while his concern about Baishi’s performance shows his bond with his pet beast.
• Chen Xuanbai recognizes Lin Yuan’s insight and the Still Spirit Cat’s unusual abilities, even quietly adjusting other students’ marks because of their mistaken assumptions.
• Huang Zixuan benefits from Lin Yuan’s study advice and expresses his gratitude, then earns second place.
• Zhu Neng uses the assessment to teach that resource management involves both preparation and empathy, not simply hoarding supplies or using them efficiently.

Significant themes

• Preparation and resource awareness: Effective planning begins with knowing what resources are available.
• Teamwork and compatibility: Talents and attributes become strongest when they complement one another.
• Empathy toward pet beasts: They have feelings and needs, and should not be treated as tools.
• Achievement and recognition: Lin Yuan’s results validate his knowledge and training, while also drawing the class’s attention.

Key events

• After the first-day assessment, the teachers explain how their subjects are graded and announce rewards for the top performers.
• Zhao Liang praises Lin Yuan, Liu Mintian, and Huang Zixuan for scoring above 90. Lin Yuan, the only student to score above 95, earns extra one-on-one instruction from Zhao Liang in either Beast-Taming Art or Nourishment Art, to be chosen within two weeks.
• Sun Xingtian explains that the beast practical exam tests resistance to mental pressure and instinctive use of abilities. He reveals that he used Pressure Art during the assessment and gives Lin Yuan’s Still Spirit Cat, Baishi, full marks for resisting the pressure and projecting its own presence. Lin Yuan wins a month of personalized combat training for Baishi.
• Chen Xuanbai awards Lin Yuan early entry to the High School Student Research Competition, along with extra guidance, for placing first in general knowledge. Most classmates are unimpressed by the research-focused prize, though Huang Zixuan is envious.
• Chen Xuanbai announces an additional, undisclosed reward for the student with the highest total score: Lin Yuan. He then begins the class’s first lesson of the new school year by reviewing the exam.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan is pleased by all three prizes, especially the research opportunity, which matches his interests and expertise. He is also eager to learn why he lost three points on Zhao Liang’s assessment.
• Baishi takes pride in being praised and in helping Lin Yuan win, though he misunderstands why Sun Xingtian considered his performance exceptional. Lin Yuan recognizes that Baishi’s difficult past has made him unusually resilient.
• Sun Xingtian’s assessment reveals Baishi’s potential, while Chen Xuanbai feels proud that he recommended the cat and considers making his own reward more tailored.
• The classmates respond with envy to the valuable personal instruction and combat coaching, but show little enthusiasm for extra academic research.

Significant themes

• Talent and recognition: Lin Yuan’s strong results earn him unusually generous, personalized opportunities.
• Partnership: Baishi’s instinctive effort to help Lin Yuan highlights the bond between Beast Tamer and beast.
• Growth through hardship: Baishi’s resilience reflects how past suffering can build strength, even without the individual realizing it.
• Theory and practice: The teachers emphasize that success requires both academic understanding and practical training.

Key plot points and events

• After Lin Yuan excels on a test, teacher Chen Xuanbai tells him that four teachers have approved a special reward: the blessing of the school’s guardian beast, the Puquan Enlightenment Turtle.
• Chen explains that her trait, [Enlightenment], can be used twelve times a year. It boosts a student’s and their contracted beasts’ comprehension by at least 20% for a full year, improving not only study but also mental power and insight into abilities. Lin Yuan, a second-year student, has been approved unusually early.
• Chen takes Lin Yuan to a secluded area near the library and Lake of Literary Thought. Using a wooden token, he opens a hidden realm containing a small cave and an artificial lake, where the turtle lives beside a statue of her former master.
• The enormous, upper-grade Monarch turtle surfaces. Lin Yuan sees her status panel and discovers that [Enlightenment] carries spirit authority. The chapter ends as he recognizes the trait’s extraordinary nature.

Character developments

• Lin Yuan moves from pleased curiosity about his prize to intense anticipation. His interest is both practical—gaining the yearlong boost—and driven by his fascination with seeing a Monarch-level beast.
• Chen Xuanbai acts as a proud mentor, revealing the significance of Lin Yuan’s achievement and guiding him to the turtle. His memories show that he, too, once received her blessing as a student.
• The Puquan Enlightenment Turtle is revealed as powerful but withdrawn. She remains deeply attached to her deceased master and finds comfort in the statue and memories of him, while retaining some interest in spiritually gifted students.

Significant themes

• Knowledge and comprehension: The turtle’s blessing represents learning as something that can transform both academic performance and personal ability.
• Legacy and devotion: The school’s success is tied to the turtle, while her continued presence is shaped by loyalty and grief for her former master.
• Hidden wonders: A familiar school setting conceals a secret sanctuary and a legendary creature.
• Achievement and recognition: Lin Yuan’s strong performance earns him an exceptional opportunity despite his weaker showing in one subject.

Character interactions

• Chen Xuanbai praises Lin Yuan, explains the reward, and builds suspense before revealing it.
• Lin Yuan respectfully questions his teacher and eagerly accepts the chance to meet the turtle.
• Chen guides him into the hidden realm, where Lin Yuan encounters the turtle—and learns through her panel that her gift is more remarkable than he expected.

Summary

• Lin Yuan receives the Enlightenment Blessing: Chen Xuanbai takes Lin Yuan to the hidden Puquan Enlightenment Turtle, hoping it will bless him and his pet beast, Baishi. The Turtle agrees after judging Lin Yuan’s unusually strong “Talent Aura”—a measure encompassing knowledge, aptitude, curiosity, and desire to learn.
• The Turtle’s Spirit Authority amplifies the gift: The Blessing normally improves comprehension by at least 20%, but the Turtle’s Spirit Authority lets it tailor the boost to a recipient’s Talent Aura. It also notices that Baishi, though only six months old, has a faint Talent Aura of his own.
• Lin Yuan and Baishi receive the Blessing: A warm, immersive light surrounds them for about ten minutes. The Turtle grows tired from using its Spirit Authority, then withdraws to rest. Lin Yuan’s panel reveals that both he and Baishi have gained a 40% increase in comprehension for one year.
• The visit remains secret: Lin Yuan thanks the Turtle and privately realizes the power of its Spirit Authority. When Chen Xuanbai assumes the boost was 20%, Lin Yuan does not correct him. Chen asks him not to publicize the Blessing and suggests he describe the visit to classmates as a tour of the school’s overlooked history. Lin Yuan agrees.
• A closing exchange: Before leaving, Lin Yuan asks Chen Xuanbai how Xiao Ying is doing, beginning to ask whether she has become more “lecherous” before correcting himself to ask about her color change.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan shows respect toward the Turtle, gratitude toward his teachers, and humility about how much remains to learn. He also keeps the true size of his Blessing private.
• Baishi is initially intimidated by the giant Turtle but relaxes when it looks at him kindly. He eagerly follows Lin Yuan’s example and receives the same comprehension boost.
• The Puquan Enlightenment Turtle is delighted to find a talented young human and intrigued by Baishi’s early curiosity. Its kindness toward both contrasts with Baishi’s fear of large beasts. Using Spirit Authority leaves it pleasantly tired.
• Chen Xuanbai is relieved when the Turtle accepts Lin Yuan and takes pride in his student. He advises Lin Yuan to keep the encounter discreet.
• The Turtle’s panel message suggests it has a long-standing relationship with an old friend, likely connected to the school, and that the school has finally found a promising talent.

Significant themes

• Talent and the desire to learn: Knowledge matters, but curiosity, aptitude, and reverence for the unknown also shape a person’s potential.
• Mentorship and opportunity: Chen Xuanbai guides Lin Yuan to a rare source of growth, while the Turtle recognizes and nurtures promise.
• Quiet secrets and hidden history: The school’s guardian and the Blessing remain concealed behind an unremarkable corner, reinforcing the idea that important wonders can be overlooked.
• Growth through humility: Even after receiving a powerful advantage, Lin Yuan sees the experience as a reminder of the long road ahead.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xuanbai reports that he followed Lin Yuan’s advice regarding Xiao Ying’s awakening of the [Demon] attribute. After administering a potion made from [Demon-Control Fruit] and [Demon Shadow Dew], Xiao Ying became calmer and stopped causing trouble at night.
• Chen reveals that Xiao Ying has fathered eighteen female cats, leaving him with considerable personal responsibilities. He plans to move to a larger home while continuing to focus on work.
• Determined to honor his promise to enter the Pet Beast Research Competition with Lin Yuan, Chen insists on preparing ten possible research topics within two days, despite Lin Yuan telling him not to rush.
• Lin Yuan reflects on the benefits of his new [Enlightenment] Blessing, which increases his comprehension by forty percent and should accelerate his learning, mental-power growth, and mastery of Beast-Taming and Nourishment Arts.
• He considers the importance of pet beast legacies. The [Puquan Enlightenment Turtle] supports Puquan High School’s reputation, while Liu Xing’s Lineage is searching for a successor to its powerful Overlord whale. Lin Yuan realizes that long-term prosperity depends on a stable, reproducible evolution legacy.
• Upon returning to Yuanming Pet Food Shop, Lin Yuan discovers that Qin Bailing and Linghuan have arranged a display of five newly supplied products from the Yellow Crane Tower Shop.
• The products include [Falling Star Vine], [Golden Arrival Liquid], [Kapok Cake], [Spiritheart Dew], and [Spirit-Nourishing Fruit], each supporting different attributes or improving mental and spiritual well-being.
• The Yellow Crane Tower Shop agrees to deliver fresh goods three times a week. However, the shop’s limited space forces Qin Bailing and Linghuan to move older products into storage, prompting discussion about expanding the store.

Character Developments

• Lin Yuan gains greater confidence in his future growth because of the [Enlightenment] Blessing and begins thinking more deeply about evolution, inheritance, and the responsibilities attached to rare pet beasts.
• Chen Xuanbai proves himself responsible and conscientious. Although embarrassed by Xiao Ying’s behavior, he accepts the consequences and remains committed to supporting Lin Yuan academically.
• Xiao Ying shows clear improvement after receiving the specialized treatment, suggesting that its Demon-attribute transformation is progressing successfully.
• Qin Bailing continues to manage the shop practically and warmly, while noticing Linghuan’s recent growth and increased appetite.
• Linghuan appears to have become significantly stronger, though the exact reason for its development is not yet explained.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and inheritance: Powerful pet beasts can determine the rise or decline of schools, families, and institutions. Maintaining a stable evolution path is essential to preserving that success.
• Responsibility: Chen Xuanbai accepts responsibility for Xiao Ying’s consequences, contrasting the pet beast’s reckless behavior with its tamer’s reliability.
• Growth through opportunity: Lin Yuan’s enhanced comprehension represents a major advantage that will widen the gap between him and his classmates.
• Balancing present and future: Lin Yuan recognizes the importance of future evolutionary legacies but reminds himself not to become distracted from his immediate goals.
• Expansion and development: Yuanming Pet Food Shop is beginning to grow, but its success creates new logistical problems, particularly limited space and dependence on outside suppliers.

Character Interactions

• Lin Yuan and Chen Xuanbai discuss Xiao Ying’s recovery and the upcoming research competition. Their relationship shows mutual trust, though Chen feels embarrassed that his student knows so much about Xiao Ying’s private misbehavior.
• Lin Yuan privately observes Chen’s sense of responsibility and finds humor in the contrast between Chen’s serious nature and Xiao Ying’s promiscuity.
• At the shop, Lin Yuan thanks Qin Bailing and Linghuan for preparing the new product display.
• Qin Bailing praises Linghuan’s recent strength and appetite while updating Lin Yuan on the Yellow Crane Tower Shop’s delivery arrangements.
• The group discusses the shop’s cramped layout and whether expansion is necessary to accommodate both the new merchandise and their longstanding customers.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Yuan reassures Grandpa Qin that he has plans to expand their pet-food shop, including using a Construction Duck crew and contacts supplied by friends. Qin Bailing praises Lin Yuan for managing so much while keeping up with school.
• In the Plant Room, Lin Yuan finds that Zilan has advanced to Transcendent Level 3 after receiving the Life-Soul Pendant. Although Zilan’s Evolution Path information has not updated, one Purple Star Vine is showing signs of evolving into a Purple Ghost Orchid—likely thanks to Zilan’s Treasure Mist trait.
• Lin Yuan opens his first-place assessment prize: a low-grade Transcendent Mind-Calming Bell. He fits it on Baishi, who appreciates the gift and feels newly motivated to work hard.
• Lin Yuan researches Beast-Taming and Nourishment Arts ahead of his next lesson. He hopes to learn a more effective Nourishment Art to accelerate his spirit-power growth, though he is also interested in unusual Beast-Taming Arts.
• The following day, teacher Zhao Liang introduces the Light Nourishment Art to Senior Year 2’s Kindling Class. He explains that it supplements the inefficient Night Nether Art by drawing on many kinds of light and can be combined with other Nourishment Arts. The class begins practicing by trying to sense sunlight.

Character development and interactions

• Lin Yuan shows increasing confidence as a shopkeeper and planner, while continuing to invest in his plants, pet beasts, and education.
• Qin Bailing expresses concern and gratitude for Lin Yuan’s burdens; Lin Yuan warmly reminds him that his help, especially cooking, has mattered.
• Zilan demonstrates rapid growth and begins influencing nearby plants to mutate. Lin Yuan praises her and encourages her efforts.
• Baishi remains uneasy about receiving so many gifts, but the Mind-Calming Bell helps it feel comfortable and eager to repay Lin Yuan through training.
• Zhao Liang is stern but encouraging, emphasizing the class’s goal of reaching 100 Spirit Value and presenting Light Nourishment as essential.

Significant themes

• Care and reciprocity: Lin Yuan supports those around him, while Qin Bailing and Baishi each want to return that care.
• Growth through support: Zilan’s development and the evolving vine, as well as Baishi’s improved outlook, reflect how resources and encouragement can unlock potential.
• Preparation and ambition: Lin Yuan plans for his business and seeks stronger arts to advance his abilities.
• Discipline and opportunity: Zhao Liang presents effective training as necessary for the students to meet their growth targets.

Key events

• Lin Yuan quickly memorizes and practices Light Nourishment Art, completing all three steps and several repetitions during class. The practice begins shaping his Spiritual World, though his limited mental power soon makes him tired.
• Teacher Zhao Liang is astonished: beginners usually need days to complete even the first step. Lin Yuan’s performance suggests an exceptional ability to learn these arts, so Zhao brings him to his office for a private lesson.
• Lin Yuan asks to learn an art that can regulate energy in pet beasts, which would support his Eye of All Spirits and help him diagnose and assist creatures such as Baishi and Linghuan.
• Zhao offers to teach him Purple Spirit Eye Art, a difficult technique that reveals and guides energy circulation in both animals and humans. In exchange, Lin Yuan must join Zhao’s team for the upcoming Chenlong Kingdom High School Spellcraft Competition.
• Lin Yuan accepts. After a three-hour lesson, he understands the art’s six-step process and its demanding training requirements. At dusk, Zhao invites him to attempt its first step.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan displays remarkable aptitude, curiosity, and confidence. He is eager to build his Spiritual World and chooses a technique that complements his talent and practical goals. He also considers the value of Zhao’s offer before agreeing to the competition.
• Zhao Liang shifts from teacher to mentor, impressed by Lin Yuan’s unusual learning speed and keen to test whether it applies broadly. He encourages Lin Yuan with access to an advanced art and a potential competitive opportunity.
• Their exchange is warm and respectful: Lin Yuan credits Zhao’s teaching, while Zhao responds with humor and sets a clear condition for the lesson.
• Other students are left practicing the basic art under assistants, unaware of how far ahead Lin Yuan has progressed.

Significant themes

• Talent and potential: Lin Yuan’s rapid progress raises the possibility that his ability extends beyond one specific art.
• Knowledge put to practical use: Lin Yuan seeks techniques that can aid pet-beast care, training, and research, not merely improve his own skills.
• Growth through mentorship and opportunity: Zhao’s instruction opens a path for Lin Yuan to strengthen his weakest subject while pursuing broader ambitions.
• Building one’s inner world: The Spiritual World is introduced as something that can develop from a basic space into an environment suited to a contracted beast.

Plot points

• Lin Yuan rapidly masters the first three steps of [Purple Spirit Eye Art], drawing a wisp of purple qi into his eyes. Zhao Liang is astonished: it took him nearly a month to achieve what Lin Yuan does in minutes.
• Though Lin Yuan’s mental strength runs low before he can finish the art, Zhao confirms the qi is stable and gives him supplies to complete the remaining steps. Impressed by Lin Yuan’s talent, Zhao agrees to provide future arts and materials and enters him in the school’s arts competition.
• Lin Yuan suspects his [Eye of All Spirits], improved comprehension, and prior practice with [Bonded Enlightenment Art] explain his unusually fast progress. He plans to use the art that evening to examine Linghuan’s healing tail more precisely.
• Zhao informs Chen Xuanbai that Lin Yuan has joined the arts competition and will attend extra lessons twice a week. Chen worries that the new commitment may draw Lin Yuan away from the research competition, so he decides to prepare more topics to keep him interested.
• At home, Lin Yuan uses [Purple Spirit Liquid] to complete the next step. His vision clears, and he tests the art on Linghuan, revealing the energy flow through the pet’s tail.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan shows exceptional aptitude and an eagerness to learn, while remaining practical about the free training resources. He also takes a more deliberate approach to Linghuan’s treatment.
• Zhao Liang shifts from uncertainty about Lin Yuan to strong confidence in him, offering substantial support and opportunities. His private disbelief contrasts with his restrained praise.
• Chen Xuanbai is pleased for Lin Yuan but feels competitive anxiety about losing the student’s attention; he responds by increasing his preparation.
• Lin Yuan and Zhao establish a regular teaching arrangement. Lin Yuan and Linghuan share a quiet moment of curiosity as Lin Yuan uses his new skill to inspect the healing process.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent and rapid growth: Lin Yuan’s progress challenges even an experienced teacher’s expectations.
• Mentorship and opportunity: Teachers invest in students in different ways, offering resources, instruction, and competitions.
• Competition for a student’s time: Zhao’s arts competition and Chen’s research competition create a mild professional rivalry.
• Knowledge applied to care: Lin Yuan learns not only for achievement but to improve his treatment of Linghuan.

Key plot points and events

• Using Purple Spirit Eye Art, Lin Yuan discovers that Linghuan’s stalled growth came from a break in the energy flow through its tail. The treatment panel now recommends guiding that energy with the technique, allowing medicine to be applied twice daily.
• Lin Yuan performs a second treatment that day. Though the technique drains his mental energy, Linghuan’s tail improves and it advances from Transcendent level 5 to level 6—its third level gained in a week after being stuck at level 3 for over two years.
• The following day, teacher Chen Xuanbai gives Lin Yuan twenty research topics and lets him skip class to study them. After reviewing the materials, Lin Yuan narrows his choices to Little Black Cats, Illusion Dream Butterflies, and Courier Birds.
• A news story about a Little Black Cat that fought a fire at Linhua University’s research laboratory catches Lin Yuan’s attention, revealing the origin of the topic “Little Black Cat genes and world-saving instincts.”

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan’s hypothesis that his panels reflect techniques he has learned appears confirmed: mastering Purple Spirit Eye Art changes Linghuan’s recommended treatment.
• Linghuan shows joy and gratitude at its growing control and improved lightness, then becomes concerned when it sees how exhausted Lin Yuan is. It responds by making pumpkin porridge for him, recalling a skill taught by its former mistress.
• Chen Xuanbai has clearly invested heavily in preparing the research materials, staying up late and giving Lin Yuan twice the ten topics expected. He is pleased by Lin Yuan’s enthusiasm.
• Lin Yuan approaches research selectively, favoring subjects he already understands or finds compelling, especially given his many other responsibilities.

Significant themes

• Knowledge applied through care: Lin Yuan’s mastery of a technique directly improves Linghuan’s health and development.
• Reciprocal affection: Linghuan’s gratitude and concern show that their bond is mutual, not merely practical.
• Broad-minded research: Chen Xuanbai’s topics connect pet beasts to social issues, real-world cases, and disasters rather than focusing only on evolution.
• Curiosity and purposeful choice: Lin Yuan values engaging research but also weighs his limited time and existing expertise.

Key events

• Lin Yuan reviews three possible research topics: Little Black Cats, Illusion Dream Butterflies, and Courier Birds.
• Reports on Little Black Cats suggest they frequently survive disasters, prompting Lin Yuan to wonder what—or whom—their survival instincts are really trying to protect.
• Cases involving Illusion Dream Butterflies show that sleep and dreams can produce unusual effects: one helped a comatose Beast Tamer awaken, another created perceived fragrances, and others shared nightmares or physical sensations with their owners. Lin Yuan suspects their development may depend on how they are raised, rather than every butterfly needing to become a combat-focused Illusion Dream War Butterfly. Zizi’s recent dreamlike sleep and the appearance of a question mark beneath its hidden paths may support this idea.
• The Courier Bird reports leave the strongest impression. They depict devoted workers who have no evolutionary paths and little social regard: a retired bird dies after revisiting its old stops; a contracted bird continues delivering to empty homes until it is confined; and another learns about medicinal herbs while caring for an elderly customer.
• The stories remind Lin Yuan of the Courier Birds that collect goods from his shop, including an older bird that may have become too ill or frail to work. He reflects that researching and changing a problem in this life could serve the same purpose as his earlier scientific work.
• When Chen Xuanbai asks for his decision, Lin Yuan chooses the Courier Bird topic.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan moves from curiosity about unusual pet-beast behavior to a clear sense of responsibility toward overlooked working beasts. His choice is driven by empathy and a desire to investigate their circumstances—not merely by academic interest.
• He also develops a new hypothesis about Illusion Dream Butterflies: their possible evolutionary paths may be shaped by their experiences and dreams.
• Chen Xuanbai supplies the case studies and later checks Lin Yuan’s decision. Their interaction is brief, with Chen Xuanbai acting as Lin Yuan’s mentor and Lin Yuan confidently stating his choice.
• Liu Xing’s messages about Zizi provide information that helps Lin Yuan connect the butterfly research to his own pet beast.

Significant themes

• Social hierarchy and neglect: Pet beasts’ occupations shape their status, leaving essential workers like Courier Birds undervalued.
• Devotion and identity: Courier Birds’ work is more than a job; their instincts and sense of purpose persist even after retirement or personal loss.
• Empathy and social responsibility: Individual stories move Lin Yuan to consider whether research can improve the lives of neglected beasts.
• Dreams, experience, and potential: Illusion Dream Butterflies may have gentler or unconventional possibilities beyond the combat path most Beast Tamers pursue.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Yuan selects Courier Birds for his research topic, despite Chen Xuanbai having prepared topics on Little Black Cats and Illusion Dream Butterflies.
• Lin Yuan reassures Chen by outlining a promising new direction for the Little Black Cat research: investigate how close, long-term bonds among the cats may relate to their unusual behavior.
• Chen reveals that Xiao Ying, his contracted Little Black Cat, is descended from the cat involved in a fire rescue Chen once experienced. The cat had come to save its friends and future offspring, not Chen and his colleague. Chen’s mood darkens when he mentions that one of his former Pet Beast Spaces became vacant, but Lin Yuan tactfully avoids probing.
• Lin Yuan suggests using Xiao Ying and its relatives for a long-term study of inherited and behavioral changes. Chen is impressed and begins considering the project for himself.
• Lin Yuan asks whether his former classmate Liu Xing can pursue the Illusion Dream Butterfly topic. Chen says research topics are open if no one has claimed the direction, and agrees that his name could be included if the work succeeds. Lin Yuan sends Liu Xing the case materials.
• Chen explains the initial needs for the Courier Bird study: research guidance, reference materials, and ten birds supplied through the school’s connection with the city’s Pet Beast Alliance. Lin Yuan volunteers to handle their care and asks to choose the birds himself.

Character developments

• Lin Yuan demonstrates initiative, research insight, generosity toward others, and confidence in shaping the project. He also shows sensitivity by not pressing Chen about his loss.
• Chen Xuanbai is supportive and increasingly impressed by Lin Yuan. He shifts from adviser to collaborator—and briefly wonders who is teaching whom. His fondness for Xiao Ying is tied to a memorable past experience and an unexplained loss.

Significant themes

• Mentorship and shared expertise: Lin Yuan contributes original research ideas, while Chen supplies institutional support and connections.
• Research as long-term observation: The chapter emphasizes studying relationships and change over time rather than relying on isolated cases.
• Care and emotional bonds: The Little Black Cats’ attachments may help explain their remarkable actions.
• Respectful compassion: Lin Yuan notices Chen’s grief but chooses not to intrude.

Character interactions

• Lin Yuan and Chen discuss research as equals, with Chen welcoming Lin Yuan’s ideas even when they redirect Chen’s own plans.
• Lin Yuan supports Liu Xing’s ambitions by finding him a suitable topic and offering help.
• Chen backs both students, offering resources for Lin Yuan’s Courier Bird project and allowing Liu Xing to pursue the butterfly research.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Xuanbai helps Lin Yuan choose a research topic involving beast behavior and experimental subjects. He emphasizes the importance of personally selecting the first subjects and establishing a control group. Lin Yuan plans to submit the paperwork and begin purchasing subjects with Liu Xing on Saturday.
• On his bus ride home, Lin Yuan considers obtaining faster transportation through licensed riding beasts or eventually riding his own contracted beast once he reaches the required Beast Tamer rank.
• Liu Xing messages Lin Yuan enthusiastically about changing his research topic. Inspired by Lin Yuan’s recommendation, Liu Xing plans to study the unusual effects of his Illusion Dream Butterfly, Zizi, and purchase twenty additional butterflies as a control group.
• Liu Xing reports that sleeping beside Zizi seems to have improved his appearance, causing his butler to ask whether he was wearing makeup. Lin Yuan suspects Zizi’s dreams and its fixation on beauty may be producing this effect.
• Over the next two days, Lin Yuan continues his classes, practices his two arts, and accumulates more purple qi. He also visits Huang Tao’s Fortune Dog, which has become more comfortable with him but still needs time to recover emotionally before it can evolve.
• Huang Tao has begun sitting with the Fortune Dog beneath the moon and quietly speaking to it, suggesting that its long-standing emotional wound is gradually healing. Linghuan is also nearly recovered from its illness, meaning Lin Yuan will soon be able to inspect its hidden evolution paths.
• During the first outdoor session of Beast Tamer Practical Exam, Sun Xingtian organizes students into groups for battle training and assigns teaching assistants to evaluate their beasts.
• Sun Xingtian keeps Lin Yuan and Baishi behind because Baishi’s unusually powerful trait would overwhelm the other students’ beasts. Instead, he plans to have Baishi train against his own Commander-level Flowing Cloud Wind Leopard.

Character Developments

• Lin Yuan: Becomes increasingly serious and organized about scientific research, recognizing that producing meaningful results is the best way to repay Chen Xuanbai. He continues balancing academics, research, beast care, and cultivation. His growing awareness of Zizi’s possible abilities also shows his talent for observing unusual beast phenomena.
• Chen Xuanbai: Despite exhaustion, remains a dedicated mentor who guides Lin Yuan’s research and handles the necessary administrative work.
• Liu Xing: Shifts from frustration with his old research topic to intense enthusiasm for studying Zizi. His personality remains eccentric and easily influenced by dramatic novels, but he is now motivated to conduct a more suitable experiment. He also continues raising Zizi and Jinjin with great affection.
• Huang Tao: Begins actively helping the Fortune Dog recover by spending quiet time with it and speaking to it, demonstrating emotional growth and a deeper bond with his beast.
• Fortune Dog: Gradually lowers its guard toward Lin Yuan and begins recovering from the emotional pain it has carried for more than a decade.
• Baishi: Although outwardly calm and obedient, internally panics at being matched against a Commander-level beast. Its restrained reaction highlights its disciplined nature and humorous contrast between appearance and actual strength.
• Sun Xingtian: Shows careful judgment as a teacher by protecting weaker students from being overwhelmed and choosing a suitable training partner for Baishi.

Significant Themes

• Mentorship and repayment: Lin Yuan views successful research as the proper way to repay Chen Xuanbai’s guidance and sacrifices.
• Scientific observation and experimentation: The importance of control groups, case studies, and firsthand observation is emphasized through Lin Yuan and Liu Xing’s research plans.
• Emotional healing through companionship: The Fortune Dog’s recovery illustrates how patience, trust, and shared time can heal long-standing trauma.
• Hidden abilities and evolution: Several beasts—Zizi, the Fortune Dog, and Linghuan—possess unexplored potential, reinforcing the theme that careful care and observation can reveal unexpected development.
• Humor through contrast: Liu Xing’s dramatic messages and Baishi’s dignified exterior versus its terrified inner thoughts provide comic relief.
• Growth through structured training: The outdoor practical lesson marks a transition from theoretical classroom learning to real battle experience.

Character Interactions

• Chen Xuanbai and Lin Yuan interact as mentor and grateful student, with Chen providing practical research guidance and Lin Yuan silently resolving to repay him through results.
• Liu Xing and Lin Yuan maintain a playful friendship, with Liu Xing enthusiastically sharing his research discoveries and Lin Yuan correcting his misuse of a literary quotation.
• Lin Yuan’s relationship with the Fortune Dog continues to deepen as it becomes comfortable enough to accept his presence and the use of his Purple Spirit Eye Art.
• Huang Tao and the Fortune Dog begin rebuilding their bond through quiet moonlit conversations.
• Sun Xingtian directly supervises Lin Yuan and Baishi, recognizing Baishi’s strength and arranging a special training match against his Flowing Cloud Wind Leopard.
• Baishi’s silent, panicked reaction to Sun Xingtian’s proposal creates a humorous contrast with the teacher’s casual confidence that the battle will be manageable.

Plot points and events

• Lin Yuan brings Baishi, his Still Spirit Cat, to a training session with Sun Xingtian and the Flowing Cloud Wind Leopard. Sun explains that the exercise will test both the pet’s abilities and Lin Yuan’s skill at directing it; the Leopard will act without guidance, while Lin Yuan may command Baishi.
• Lin Yuan has already learned how to bring out Baishi’s Heart Frenzy by stirring its fighting spirit. Baishi activates the trait immediately, far sooner than Sun expected.
• On Lin Yuan’s instruction, Baishi leaps from a tree toward the Leopard’s head. When the Leopard tries to evade using Cloud Concealment, Baishi triggers Lion Spirit, whose aura suppresses the feline Leopard long enough for Baishi to land.
• Remembering Lin Yuan’s warning about the Leopard’s uncombed hair, Baishi messes up its hairstyle. The Leopard’s vanity sends it into Heart Frenzy, causing it to lose control and release its suppressed strength.
• Sun recalls the Leopard before the confrontation escalates. Baishi is confused when its “opponent” disappears, but assumes it has won.
• Impressed, Sun admits he underestimated both Baishi and Lin Yuan, acknowledges that his training plan needs revising, and invites Lin Yuan to enter the second-year Beast Tamer Competency Competition for potential College Entrance Exam bonus points.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan shows that he has studied Baishi’s traits closely and can turn the Leopard’s vanity into a tactical advantage. He also gives Baishi clear, confidence-building guidance during the fight.
• Baishi demonstrates fast reactions, agility, and unexpectedly quick access to both Heart Frenzy and Lion Spirit. Its earnest loyalty makes it take Lin Yuan’s odd advice about the Leopard’s hair seriously.
• Sun Xingtian shifts from instructor to impressed observer as Baishi exceeds his expectations. He lets the trial unfold without directing his own pet, then stops it before the Leopard’s anger leads to a real fight.
• The Cloud Leopard, normally proud and preoccupied with its appearance, becomes an unwitting target of Lin Yuan and Baishi’s strategy. Its vanity turns a training exercise into a sudden grudge.

Significant themes

• Observation and adaptability: Knowing a rival’s personality and abilities can matter as much as raw strength.
• Partnership and trust: Lin Yuan’s understanding of Baishi, and Baishi’s faith in his instructions, shape the outcome.
• Potential beyond expectations: Baishi’s rapid growth challenges Sun’s assumptions about what a young pet can do.
• Humor through contrast: A serious test of combat skill is decided in part by the Leopard’s concern over its hairstyle.

Key plot points

• Lin Yuan tells Teacher Sun Xingtian he has already committed to the Research and Spellcraft Competitions and worries a third commitment will be too much.
• Sun persuades him to enter the Second-Year Beast Tamer Competency Competition. Baishi will receive ten months of dedicated training, school-provided resources, and Sun’s guidance; Lin Yuan will need only brief daily check-ins and a weekly review.
• Baishi is eager to compete and declares its desire to bring glory to Lin Yuan. Moved by its enthusiasm, Lin Yuan agrees.
• Sun outfits Baishi with training gear and sets a goal of raising it from Ordinary Level 6 to Level 10 within a month, preparing it for its first evolution.
• Sun informs Teachers Chen Xuanbai and Zhao Liang in a group chat. Chen is privately anxious that the new competition will distract Lin Yuan from the Research Competition, so he reaches out to a senior colleague to protect his plans.
• Lin Yuan is excited to begin his research project and arrange a Courier Bird. The next morning, he and Chen go to the Pet Beast Alliance breeding area to choose one—but Lin Yuan spots someone familiar.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan takes on a third competition, but for different reasons: Spellcraft offers useful instruction, the Quality Competition supports Baishi’s ambitions and Lin Yuan’s growth, and research is his deepest personal interest. He is also attentive to Baishi’s wishes.
• Baishi shows unusual determination and a strong desire to prove itself, eagerly accepting the path toward competition and training.
• Sun Xingtian demonstrates persuasive enthusiasm and quickly understands Baishi’s competitive nature. He offers substantial support while coordinating with Lin Yuan’s other teachers.
• Chen Xuanbai is tired from arranging Lin Yuan’s Courier Bird and research preparations. He worries that Sun’s competition will compete for Lin Yuan’s time, but hides his concern from his student.
• The teachers reveal friendly rivalry as they compete to guide Lin Yuan while ostensibly sharing a common goal.

Significant themes

• Ambition and shared success: Baishi’s wish to bring honor to Lin Yuan motivates his decision.
• Balancing commitments: Lin Yuan’s three competitions serve distinct goals, while his teachers worry about how he will manage them.
• Growth through support: Baishi’s structured training and Lin Yuan’s access to teachers and resources open new paths for both of them.
• Curiosity and personal passion: Despite his expanding commitments, Lin Yuan’s strongest enthusiasm belongs to research and discovering the unknown.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Yuan finds an injured Courier Bird at the Pet Beast Alliance’s delivery station. Her son tends to her anxiously, though she keeps urging him to work.
• Lin Yuan’s ability reveals that her right wing has not healed after a delivery accident. Without prompt treatment, she may lose the wing and soon die. A simple remedy could heal her, but the Alliance’s procedures and low-priority treatment system have delayed care.
• Tian Shan explains that the accident happened when a newly licensed flying beast strayed into the Courier Birds’ flight lane. The injured bird still completed her delivery before collapsing. Courier Birds routinely face exhausting work, poor conditions, and inadequate medical attention.
• Chen Xuanbai discusses his research on Courier Birds, whom researchers call “Cursed Pet Beasts”: they are born ordinary, cannot evolve, and are treated largely as tools. Their work gives them purpose, but can also exhaust them and shorten their lives.
• Lin Yuan selects nine birds for the research project, including the injured mother and her son, and chooses others across different age groups for comparison. He insists on including the injured bird despite her limited lifespan.
• For the tenth subject, Lin Yuan waits for a Courier Bird he recently befriended. When it arrives, he sees that its evolution-path entry has changed from blank to “None at present,” though he does not yet know why.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan moves from sympathy to action: he investigates the injured bird’s condition, challenges the assumption that she is not worth saving, and chooses her for his study. His “old friend” is the injured mother; the final bird is a “new friend” he previously helped.
• The mother Courier Bird is resilient and dutiful, pushing her son to work despite her own suffering.
• The son is devoted to his mother. He has been late to work while trying to care for her and feels guilty, but continues to prioritize her wellbeing.
• Chen Xuanbai frames the birds’ plight as a systemic issue and explains the research project’s purpose and selection approach.
• Tian Shan, an overburdened staff member, candidly describes the Alliance’s treatment delays and the emotional toll of caring for Courier Birds.
• The final Courier Bird recognizes Lin Yuan from their earlier meeting and is pleased to see him, reinforcing the personal bonds forming between him and the birds.

Significant themes

• Exploitation and inequality: Courier Birds are indispensable workers but receive low status, poor living conditions, and delayed care.
• Purpose versus harm: Work gives the birds satisfaction, yet relentless labor can drain their potential and shorten their lives.
• Compassion and individual worth: Lin Yuan rejects judging the injured bird by her usefulness or remaining lifespan.
• Systemic neglect: The Alliance’s procedures and quality-based priorities leave vulnerable animals underserved, while staff are also worn down by the system.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Yuan receives the final Courier Bird needed for his project. After hearing that the birds can either be borrowed for free or purchased for 8,000 Alliance Coins each, he decides to buy all ten.
• Chen Xuanbai initially offers to pay, but Lin Yuan covers the cost himself, using money from his recent Spirit Dew business. Buying the birds gives him control over them and will simplify matters if he succeeds in finding an evolution path.
• Chen secures a former research facility at the school for the birds and provides Spirit-Dwelling Pouches to transport them. Lin Yuan releases the birds into their new home, where they are initially bewildered by the better surroundings.
• Before planning the research, Lin Yuan treats an older Courier Bird’s long-standing wing injury with Spirit Dew and his Beast-Taming Art. The injury heals quickly, and the bird is able to fly again.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan shows compassion and commitment to the Courier Birds, buying them outright and prioritizing the injured bird’s recovery. His actions reflect both genuine care and his practical plans for the research.
• Chen Xuanbai supports Lin Yuan, arranging resources and a suitable breeding site despite the project’s limited school funding. He recognizes Lin Yuan’s determination and reconsiders whether the subject may be too emotionally difficult for a young researcher.
• The injured bird and its young companion respond strongly to Lin Yuan’s care. The mother regains hope and excitement when it can fly again; the younger bird, previously anxious about being abandoned, sees Lin Yuan’s healing as a miracle.
• The Courier Birds’ personalities emerge through their reactions: some are hardworking and eager to deliver, while others are resigned or prone to worry.

Significant themes

• Compassion and responsibility: Lin Yuan treats the birds as individuals rather than disposable research subjects.
• Hope and healing: The older bird’s recovery restores not only its ability to work but also its sense of possibility.
• Miracles and perspective: The young bird reinterprets its mother’s lesson that miracles have no color, associating the miracle of healing with the purple light in Lin Yuan’s eyes.
• Ambition balanced with care: Lin Yuan’s goal of studying Courier Bird evolution is paired with a desire to protect and support the creatures at the heart of his research.

Key plot points and events

• The Courier Birds celebrate when Lin Yuan heals the elderly bird, recognizing him as a compassionate Beast Tamer. Their joyful reaction reveals how strongly they value one another.
• Lin Yuan and Chen Xuanbai name several birds, including the recovered bird Yu Ning, her son Zi Ji, and the youngest, Nang Nang.
• Lin Yuan designs a preliminary long-term study of how Courier Birds’ relationships with humans affect them. He divides the ten birds into four groups: birds on their usual routes, birds meeting regular customers, birds allowed to choose their routes, and birds with an existing bond to Lin Yuan. He also proposes studying cooperation and family ties among the birds.
• Chen Xuanbai praises Lin Yuan’s research plan and ability to turn ideas into a practical study. Lin Yuan, in turn, stresses that he needs his teacher’s experience and support, and promises to see the Research Competition project through.
• After spending the afternoon assigning routes and preparing the birds, Lin Yuan returns home that evening. He wonders what tasks to give Yu Ning and Nang Nang, then prepares to complete Linghuan’s second treatment, which should fully heal it.

Character developments and interactions

• Lin Yuan’s healing earns the Courier Birds’ trust and affection. He also demonstrates strong observation, planning, and research skills, impressing Chen Xuanbai.
• Chen Xuanbai grows confident in Lin Yuan’s abilities, even thinking Lin Yuan might manage the project without him. Lin Yuan respectfully credits his teacher’s guidance and makes a sincere commitment to the work.
• The Courier Birds’ celebration shows their close-knit community and their shared concern for aging or sick companions.

Significant themes

• Compassion and trust: Lin Yuan’s treatment convinces the birds that he is genuinely kind.
• Community and belonging: The birds’ collective celebration highlights their loyalty to one another.
• Research and collaboration: Lin Yuan’s study plan combines careful observation with controlled variables, while his exchange with Chen Xuanbai shows the importance of mentorship.
• Responsibility and commitment: Lin Yuan takes the project seriously and promises to follow through.

Key plot points

• Linghuan’s recovery treatment is completed. Her damaged tail had kept her energy circulation disrupted and held her at Transcendent level 3 for years; once repaired, she advances rapidly, reaching level 9.
• Her tail markings shimmer, and she demonstrates an upgraded Spirit Tail trait: its red light can clean and refresh people and pets, ease fatigue, boost plants, and improve food.
• Linghuan’s status confirms that she has fully recovered, gained control over her emotions and body, and unlocked two hidden evolution paths.
• Lin Yuan examines her options. Mechanical Wise Bear is a high-grade Commander path involving invasive mechanical surgery, which he finds disturbing. Wonderfortune Bear has 99% compatibility and suits Linghuan’s hardworking, caring, orderly nature, though its core materials are unfamiliar. A more ordinary Red Spirit Raccoon path is also available.
• Lin Yuan had planned to use Bonded Enlightenment Art to grant Linghuan a new trait, but he has used too much mental energy today. He promises to give her a present the next morning.

Character developments and interactions

• Linghuan moves from illness and unstable emotions to feeling fully present and in control. She is grateful to Lin Yuan and realizes that even crying or choosing how to feel is now her own decision.
• Lin Yuan is relieved and moved by Linghuan’s recovery, seeing it—along with Zilan’s evolution and the shop’s success—as a new beginning for the pets his parents left behind.
• Linghuan happily heads to the plant room, likely to use her improved ability on Zilan, and privately decides to prepare a present for Lin Yuan as well.

Significant themes

• Recovery and renewal: A long-standing weakness becomes a source of rapid growth and a strengthened trait.
• Agency and identity: Linghuan’s cure restores not just her body but her ability to govern her own emotions and actions.
• Care and reciprocity: Lin Yuan’s devotion helps Linghuan recover, and she responds with gratitude and a desire to help him and Zilan.
• Ethical evolution: The contrast between the invasive mechanical path and the highly compatible Wonderfortune Bear raises questions about what kinds of transformation are acceptable.

Lin Yuan recovers his mental strength through the Purple Spirit Eye Art and observes that Baishi’s training under Sun Xingtian should soon help the lion use the energy stored from the Lionbright Fruit and grow stronger.
At home, Linghuan has recovered fully and reached Transcendent Level 9, with Spirit Tail at LV2. Linghuan has cleaned the house and crafted Lin Yuan a cooling bracelet from the essence of household plants and flowers. The bracelet can also use stored spiritual energy to clean Lin Yuan or a pet beast. Impressed by Linghuan’s initiative and creativity, Lin Yuan gives Linghuan a Bonded Enlightenment. Linghuan gains Wisdom Heart LV1, which improves intelligence, comprehension, creativity, and household efficiency. Linghuan immediately notices ways to make the already-clean hall even neater and prepares breakfast for the tired Lin Yuan.
Later, Lin Yuan searches for evolution materials. He can find the Intelligence Ginseng Fruit needed for Linghuan’s evolution, but not the Four-Leaf Wonder Herb. He also investigates Baishi’s hidden path to becoming a High-Grade Commander Spiritblast Mad Lion. Baishi must reach Ordinary Level 10, and his temperament must balance restraint with wildness. Lin Yuan can locate one required material, Bloodline Fusion Liquid, but not the Spiritblast Lion Fruit or Mad Lion Essence Blood. Since Baishi is training hard and may reach the required level ahead of schedule, Lin Yuan memorizes the materials and plans to seek help through his new contacts.
Character developments and interactions: Linghuan’s recovery and new trait reveal unusual intelligence and self-starting creativity; Linghuan’s gift and Lin Yuan’s enlightenment deepen their affectionate, mutually supportive bond. Lin Yuan continues to guide Baishi’s growth and plan ahead for both beasts, while remaining attentive to their well-being—especially warning Linghuan not to overuse Spirit Tail.
Themes: Growth through care and training; the value of intelligence and creativity; reciprocal affection between human and pet beast; and the challenges of planning ambitious evolutions when rare materials are difficult to obtain.

Key plot points and events

• Lin Yuan visits Liu Xing after leaving Baishi at school for extra training.
• Liu Xing gives Lin Yuan a handwritten list of novel recommendations as his promised “small gift.” Lin Yuan is underwhelmed but appreciates the effort—and notices Liu Xing has recommended Grandma and the Courier Bird for him.
• Lin Yuan gives Liu Xing about sixteen extra drops of Spirit Dew produced by Zilan through the Life-Soul Pendant. Liu Xing is thrilled by its potential value, but Lin Yuan steers him away from chasing investment profits and back toward research.
• Liu Xing describes his new research plan: investigate whether different dreams can lead Illusion Dream Butterflies toward different evolutionary forms. His parents have approved initial funding, and he has bought a hundred butterflies for testing.
• They check on Jinjin, whose health and appearance have improved under a nutritionist’s care and a better feeding routine.
• They visit Zizi, whose surroundings are flourishing. Lin Yuan discovers that its Illusion Dream trait now subtly beautifies nearby people and objects, and that reaching Illusion Dream LV2 will unlock an exclusive hidden evolution path.
• Lin Yuan praises Liu Xing’s care of Zizi, then says he has a Courier Bird research project and wants one to visit Liu Xing’s home daily to deliver items to his feys. He also has two questions for Liu Xing; the chapter ends before he explains them.

Character developments

• Liu Xing appears healthier, though tired from studying. He is increasingly focused and ambitious, pursuing Illusion Dream Butterfly research with family support and significant resources.
• Lin Yuan continues to guide Liu Xing’s choices, encouraging research over easy profit. He also recognizes the potential of Liu Xing’s experimental approach and of Zizi’s unusual trait.
• Jinjin is recovering well and becoming more comfortable, though it remains wary of Lin Yuan as a relative stranger.
• Zizi has grown fuller and developed a distinctive Illusion Dream effect that improves the appearance and presence of its surroundings.

Significant themes

• Thoughtfulness versus monetary value: Liu Xing’s handmade reading list may be modest, but it expresses sincere friendship.
• Mentorship and growth: Lin Yuan’s encouragement helps Liu Xing turn enthusiasm into purposeful research.
• Potential through experimentation: Different Illusion Dream directions may reveal new evolutionary paths, though doing so requires many specimens and considerable investment.
• Care and mutual improvement: Liu Xing’s attentive care benefits his feys, while Lin Yuan imagines both owner and fey becoming better together.

Character interactions

• Lin Yuan gently teases Liu Xing about his improved complexion and his novel recommendations.
• Liu Xing shares his research plans and his hopes of restoring pride to his family; Lin Yuan listens and considers the broader implications.
• Their visit to Jinjin and Zizi highlights Liu Xing’s growing skill as a caretaker and Lin Yuan’s ability to recognize unusual fey developments.
• Lin Yuan praises Liu Xing’s bond with Zizi, then asks for his help with the Courier Bird project.