Over the three hours of training, Purple Cloud's Electric Arc improved the most. Constantly moving at high speed and dodging attacks, Purple Cloud had effectively used the skill at high intensity without a single break.
Its skill proficiency rose from (1/100) to (25/100), and Purple Cloud went from only being able to dodge two energy attacks at once to easily evading three.
Electric Spark also improved considerably. With a full twenty-point increase in proficiency, Purple Cloud's use of the skill had become far more powerful than it had been at the start.
Its maximum range increased from five meters to eight, while the diameter of its blast radius doubled from one meter to two.
The last skill it trained, Self-Healing, improved somewhat less. This was mainly because, as Purple Cloud's Electric Arc proficiency increased toward the end of training, it was injured less and less often.
Constantly draining and replenishing its strength throughout the training also helped unlock Purple Cloud's potential. Its Growth Rank progress increased by twenty-two points, and its physique grew considerably stronger.
Seeing such results from a single Stamina Potion made Xu Ran all the more aware of how extraordinary the system was.
"The next time we get a potion like that, we'll do another special training session." On the way back, Xu Ran smiled and rubbed Purple Cloud's head. "Thanks for working so hard today. Get some good rest now!"
"Meow~" (Okay~)
Purple Cloud curled up lazily in Xu Ran's arms, feeling waves of exhaustion wash over it.
This exhaustion had nothing to do with stamina. It was mental fatigue from staying constantly on alert against attacks from every direction for three hours, something the Stamina Potion could not remedy.
Feeling the warmth of Xu Ran's embrace, Purple Cloud slowly closed its eyes, then rested against one of his arms and drifted off to sleep.
Noticing that the little one had fallen asleep, Xu Ran lightened his footsteps.
Before long, the Starfire Foster Shop came into view.
A glance at the entrance brought a look of surprise to Xu Ran's face.
He saw two familiar figures: Su Xiaoxiao and Lin Yue, who had come to the shop for grooming yesterday.
What were those two doing here?
"Xiaoxiao, the owner's closed up. How about we come back tomorrow?"
Standing before the Starfire Foster Shop's tightly shut door, Lin Yue shook her head helplessly.
"I guess that's all we can do." Su Xiaoxiao sighed.
They had already waited outside for a while and tried knocking on the door and calling for the owner, but received no response.
Clearly, the owner had most likely gone out.
With no idea when he would return, the two girls could hardly keep waiting there forever.
"When we see him, we should remind him to leave his contact information on the door when he goes out," Lin Yue muttered.
"That's a good suggestion. I'll remember next time." A calm voice came from behind them, making both girls turn around.
"You're finally-" Su Xiaoxiao cheered, but Xu Ran stopped her before she could finish.
"Shh-" He quickly pressed a finger to his lips, gesturing for silence, then pointed at Purple Cloud, fast asleep in his arms.
Su Xiaoxiao hurriedly covered her mouth. Beside her, Lin Yue had been about to speak, but immediately fell silent as well.
The three entered the shop in silence after opening the door. Xu Ran turned to the girls and lowered his voice. "Please wait a moment."
Then he carried Purple Cloud upstairs on tiptoe.
"He really is considerate toward his Contract Beast!" Watching Xu Ran leave, Lin Yue nudged Su Xiaoxiao with a grin.
"We're considerate toward our Contract Beasts too." Su Xiaoxiao stroked Little Flame, who was peeking curiously out of her arms, and smiled. "They're our lifelong partners, after all!"
While the girls chatted, Xu Ran settled Purple Cloud on the bed upstairs and came back down. "All right, what brings you two here?"
"Just to be clear, you only had your pets groomed yesterday. We can't offer you another grooming session so soon."
"We know, we know." Lin Yue waved a hand. "We're not here for grooming. We just have a question about it."
"Oh? Have your Contract Beasts had some kind of adverse reaction?" Xu Ran looked at the Blazing Fox and the Azure Wind Eagle.
Both little ones seemed perfectly fine.
"Of course not. Actually, it's just the opposite." Su Xiaoxiao quickly told Xu Ran what had happened during the afternoon's Skill Training Class. "Does your shop's grooming have some kind of special effect?"
"I think I understand why you're here." Xu Ran rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
First of all, he could be certain that grooming did not increase skill proficiency.
If it did, the grooming knowledge provided by the system would surely have mentioned it, and Xu Ran was certain it had not.
But according to the girls, their pet beasts had indeed performed better after grooming and earned higher scores on their skill tests.
If he ruled out the possibility that the two girls had worked harder than their classmates, then this really might have something to do with his shop's grooming.
What exactly was the connection...?
As Xu Ran pondered it, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck him.
"I think I know why," he said slowly.
"What is it?" Su Xiaoxiao and Lin Yue looked at him excitedly.
If grooming at Xu Ran's shop really could help improve their Contract Beasts' skills, then the price of 6,666 was not expensive at all. It was practically a bargain.
"If I'm not mistaken, it should be the effect of being in good form." Drawing on the beast taming knowledge he had gained from yesterday's reading and a little common sense, Xu Ran began to explain.
"We've all experienced this. When you're sweaty and sticky all over, nothing feels quite right. But after a shower, when you're fresh and clean, even your mind seems sharper."
"Or maybe your handwriting is usually average, but when you've just bought new stationery and write in a new notebook with a brand-new pen, you unconsciously make your handwriting a little neater."
"If the person sitting next to you during an exam has a cold and keeps blowing their nose, the noise might interrupt your train of thought. Even if you prepared well, you could end up with a disappointing score."
"Then there's also..."
Xu Ran gave several more similar examples before drawing his conclusion.
"So grooming can't directly improve a Contract Beast's skills. But afterward, the Contract Beast feels better than ever, which can allow it to perform beyond its usual level."
Was... that really it?
Su Xiaoxiao and Lin Yue exchanged a glance, somehow feeling that Xu Ran's explanation made a great deal of sense.
Although they had not received the answer they had hoped for, they had at least confirmed that their pet beasts' improved test scores were connected to yesterday's grooming.
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