He Really Did That-I'm Crying!

Xu Ran looked at the Happiness Points the Steel-Armored Rhino kept providing, then at its dazed eyes after eating the food he had prepared himself, and fell silent.

This definitely wasn't his fault.

There had to be something wrong with the recipe the system had given him.

Meanwhile, seeing his Contract Beast in a state he had never witnessed before and sensing the intense satisfaction constantly flowing back through their Beast Taming Contract, Du Heng wore an expression of disbelief.

How on earth had the young owner done it?

Wasn't this a little too amazing?

Then again, wasn't there something a little off about the Steel-Armored Rhino's expression?

No, his mind must have wandered somewhere it shouldn't.

Once the Steel-Armored Rhino finished happily wolfing down its meal, Du Heng stepped forward and patted its big head. "I'll be leaving now. I'll come see you when I have time. You can also tell me through our Beast Taming Contract whether you're doing well here."

"Roar-"

A trace of intoxication still lingered in the Steel-Armored Rhino's eyes after its meal as it bobbed its big head and swayed its rear and tail.

It loved the surroundings here, and the food was more delicious than anything Steel-Armored Rhino had ever tasted. It couldn't have been happier to stay!

"Young owner, I'll leave my Steel-Armored Rhino in your care." Du Heng took a deep breath and turned to Xu Ran.

"Don't worry. I'll take good care of it." Xu Ran beamed.

With the Steel-Armored Rhino's meal finished, the Constitution Points earned through Drugging had arrived.

[Host: Xu Ran

Contract power: first tier

Contract Beast: Purple Cloud [View details]

System skills: [Fur Plucking (C-rank)] (1/100) [Drugging (D-rank)] (0/100)

Contract Beast skills: [★★Ice Storm] (Cannot be taught)

Constitution Points: 7 (Available)

Happiness Points: 463

System upgrade experience: 300/1000]

Although he was puzzled that using Drugging this time hadn't increased its skill experience, he was still delighted at the thought of raising Purple Cloud's Growth Rank progress by seven points so easily.

After all, even with a Stamina Potion, Purple Cloud could only gain around twenty points of progress from three straight hours of training, and that rate would decline as its growth progress increased.

Aside from the Constitution Points, the Happiness Points provided by feeding couldn't be overlooked either.

Although feeding yielded fewer Happiness Points than grooming, a Contract Beast normally only needed grooming once every ten days or two weeks, while the Steel-Armored Rhino needed two meals every day!

At that moment, the way he looked at the Steel-Armored Rhino changed completely.

Du Heng fell silent for a moment.

Why did it feel as though there was something a little odd about the way the young owner looked at his Contract Beast?

Never mind. He was probably imagining things.

"I'm off!"

Looking back every few steps, Du Heng finally left the first basement level.

"Steel-Armored Rhino, make yourself at home here from now on." Xu Ran patted its big head, then turned and entered the Preparation Room.

He was going to prepare a meal for Purple Cloud.

[To improve the efficiency of this feeding, the system will grant the host knowledge related to "Lightning-Chasing Cat Species Nutrition."]

Time to get to work!

"Meow~" (I'm so bored~)

Sprawled on the shop counter, Purple Cloud let its head droop lazily.

The human Beast Tamer called Du Heng had left quite a while ago. Why hadn't its own Beast Tamer come back up yet?

Judging by Du Heng's satisfied expression, his Steel-Armored Rhino had probably been boarded in the first basement level, right?

Was its Beast Tamer feeding that big fellow?

Purple Cloud felt a little jealous as it imagined its Beast Tamer holding food up to the Steel-Armored Rhino's mouth.

That treatment was supposed to be reserved for it!

It reached a paw into the nearby food bag and scooped a few purple candy beans into its mouth, then suddenly paused.

Could feeding other people's Contract Beasts also let its Beast Tamer teach it new skills?

At that thought, anticipation filled its eyes, along with guilt over what it had been thinking earlier.

Its Beast Tamer was doing all this for it!

"Meow~" (My Beast Tamer is the best!)

"What's the best?" Xu Ran asked casually as he pushed open the back door and entered the shop, catching Purple Cloud's exclamation.

Purple Cloud quickly raised its head and looked toward his voice. A moment later, its gaze landed on the food bowl in Xu Ran's hands.

With its keen sense of smell, it instantly caught the powerful, irresistible aroma.

Compared with that aroma, both canned cat food and the purple candy beans it had just eaten seemed utterly unremarkable!

Wh-what was this?!

"Here! I prepared some new food for you. Want a taste?" Seeing the hungry longing in Purple Cloud's eyes, Xu Ran placed the bowl in front of it.

"Nom!" For the first time, Purple Cloud abandoned all table manners, burying its head in the bowl and devouring mouthful after mouthful.

Watching the little creature's satisfied expression, Xu Ran smiled. "Since you like it so much, I'll make this kind of food for you from now on."

"Meow~~"

Purple Cloud nodded contentedly and was about to keep eating when it suddenly froze.

What had its Beast Tamer just said?

He had made this food himself?!

It jerked its head up and looked at its Beast Tamer in confusion.

"Meow?" (If you can cook this well, why did you keep buying food elsewhere?)

Faced with Purple Cloud's pointed question, the corner of Xu Ran's mouth twitched.

He hadn't known how to do this before, either...

But he certainly couldn't explain it to Purple Cloud that way.

"Because I didn't have any Azure Jade Fruit before." Xu Ran quickly found a seemingly reasonable excuse. "You need it to prepare this food."

Understanding dawned on Purple Cloud.

Recalling the danger it and its Beast Tamer had encountered after leaving the city to gather Azure Jade Fruit, Purple Cloud was overwhelmed with emotion.

Its Beast Tamer had taken such a huge risk just to prepare more delicious food for it!

He really did that-I'm crying!

After finishing the meal, Purple Cloud felt a little stronger.

As expected of food its Beast Tamer had poured his heart into!

Seeing that Purple Cloud's physique had increased by one point on its panel, Xu Ran nodded slightly.

As expected of a recipe from the system. The results were immediate!

"Now for the fun part: adding points." Xu Ran gave a mysterious smile.

Adding points? What was that?

Remembering that its Beast Tamer had just come up from the first basement level, Purple Cloud's eyes lit up.

"Meow?" (Is it a new skill?)

"Not a skill, but it's something that'll help you." As Xu Ran spoke, he began making adjustments.

[Contract Beast: Purple Cloud

Species name: Lightning-Chasing Cat

Attribute: lightning

Growth rank: transcendent rank (167/500) [+]

Species rank: commander species

Skills:

[★★Electric Spark (Stardust Level)] (37/100)

[★★Electric Arc (Stardust Level)] (40/100)

[★★Combat Instinct (Stardust Level)] (22/100)

[★Self-Healing (Stardust Level)] (26/100)

[★Blood Rage (Stardust Level)] (11/100)]

While checking the change in its growth progress earlier, Xu Ran had noticed a clickable plus sign beside it.

Now, after seven consecutive clicks, Purple Cloud's growth progress became (174/500), while the balance of Constitution Points on his personal panel returned to zero.

Purple Cloud: "!!!"

This feeling of getting stronger and stronger... was sooo awesome!