Don't Be Nervous, Just Relax

"Ah!"

Zhang Yun stood up and looked around, quickly spotting the sign for the Starfire Foster Shop nearby. "There's a foster shop over there. Let's go ask."

"Apart from high-end places like the Beast King Foster Shop that focus on fostering, most foster shops should offer grooming."

He spoke with confidence and headed toward the Starfire Foster Shop.

The Stone-Armored Dragon followed close behind, and the man and his beast soon entered the shop.

"Boss, how much do you charge for contract beast grooming?" Zhang Yun looked around as he asked, then his gaze settled on the price list.

"What the hell! Why don't you just rob people?"

"Our prices may be high, but all our services are worth the money." Xu Ran stood up from behind the counter and expertly used Appraisal on the Stone-Armored Dragon.

[Species: Stone-Armored Dragon

Attribute: earth

Growth rank: elite rank

Size: large

Grooming needs: ★★★★☆

Evaluation: its cumbersome stone scales have dulled its senses, but even a heart as hard as iron will flutter beneath the host's dexterous hands.]

Watching the Stone-Armored Dragon lumber along, Xu Ran nodded slightly.

It really was cumbersome.

"Worth the money at this price?"

Zhang Yun was skeptical of Xu Ran's claim.

His Stone-Armored Dragon was over three meters long, putting it in the large contract beast category. According to the price list, a single grooming session would cost 66,666 yuan.

It wasn't that Zhang Yun couldn't afford it, but wouldn't that make him a complete sucker?

Huh? Are those the fostering prices beside it?

Since he was about to board his Stone-Armored Dragon at another foster shop, Zhang Yun instinctively took a closer look. His expression darkened further.

What a rip-off!

The Beast King Foster Shop he had chosen was a high-end shop specializing in fostering, yet its prices were less than half of this place's!

"Roar?"

The Stone-Armored Dragon raised its head and looked at Zhang Yun in confusion.

Hesitation crossed Zhang Yun's face.

He was pressed for time. Once he had settled his contract beast into boarding, he would be leaving Qingzhou City with several companions.

There wasn't enough time to find another shop to groom the Stone-Armored Dragon. But remembering all the grueling training it had done for him recently, Zhang Yun still wanted to let it enjoy a comfortable bath before boarding it.

After all, he wouldn't see it for the next week.

"Fine, then. Give my contract beast a grooming session." Somewhat reluctantly, Zhang Yun scanned the code and paid. "This is the lounge, right? I'll wait here, then. Make sure you do a proper job."

"I will." Xu Ran smiled at the customer's reluctant expression.

Plenty of customers questioned his prices, but he believed this customer would change his mind once he saw the results.

"Come with me." Xu Ran beckoned to the Stone-Armored Dragon and led it into the Grooming Room.

On the counter, Purple Cloud looked away and watched the people passing outside the shop with a serious expression.

My Beast Tamer isn't here, so I have to watch the shop for him!

But come to think of it, will my Beast Tamer teach me a new skill after this grooming session?

I can't wait!

"That's right. Lie down here."

Xu Ran pointed to the grooming table specially prepared for large contract beasts, signaling for the Stone-Armored Dragon to climb onto it. After digesting the relevant knowledge flooding into his mind, he began preparing the tools it needed.

Soon, a sharp, curved hook appeared in his hand.

The thick stone scales on the Stone-Armored Dragon's back were the source of its powerful defenses, but they also caused it considerable trouble.

These scales constantly grew thicker, but their growth was irregular. Over time, the once-smooth scales gradually became uneven.

As those uneven scales overlapped, they left gaps that were extremely difficult to clean.

The grime in those gaps was difficult to remove completely. As more and more accumulated over time, it dulled the Stone-Armored Dragon's perception of the outside world, much like touching things through thick gloves.

Under Xu Ran's control, the tiny hook reached deep into the gaps between the stone scales. Its sharp tip drew out the accumulated dust, and whenever it encountered clumps of grime, it pierced them and pulled them from the depths of the gaps.

The metal hook occasionally scraped against the stone scales, producing a teeth-grating sound.

At first, the Stone-Armored Dragon kept its eyes closed, paying little attention. But as time passed, the vibrations from the hook touching its scales traveled through them into its body. Like the brush of a tiny feather, they brought a strange, tingling sensation.

"Roar~"

It couldn't help letting out a low growl and shifting its body in pleasure.

With its dulled senses, how long had it been since it had felt anything like this?

[Happiness points from the Stone-Armored Dragon +10]

[Happiness points from the Stone-Armored Dragon +10]

[From...]

Glancing at the Stone-Armored Dragon, whose eyes had narrowed in comfort, Xu Ran stretched.

This was his first time grooming a large contract beast, and a four-star grooming need was already quite high.

This was a big job, and it was bound to bring in plenty of happiness points.

At that thought, Xu Ran was filled with motivation.

With quick, practiced movements, he removed all the grime he could handle with the hook. As the grime disappeared, the Stone-Armored Dragon's senses gradually sharpened.

The tingling spreading through its entire body grew stronger, and its body trembled ever more intensely.

"Roar~~"

[Happiness points from the Stone-Armored Dragon +15]

[Happiness points from the Stone-Armored Dragon +16]

[From...]

Seeing the steadily rising happiness points, Xu Ran was startled.

This was only the first step of the grooming process, and each gain was already approaching twenty points.

In an instant, Xu Ran's gaze softened as he looked at the Stone-Armored Dragon.

Large contract beasts are where the real potential lies!

I'm going to give you a proper grooming today, no matter what!

Once he had removed all the grime the hook could handle, Xu Ran took a tool about the size of an electric shaver from the toolbox beside him.

It was a portable electric grinding wheel.

After plugging it in, Xu Ran pressed the switch. The grinding wheel began spinning at high speed with a low hum.

Next, he would grind down the Stone-Armored Dragon's stone scales.

Simply removing the grime treated the symptoms, not the cause.

Only by grinding the uneven stone scales back into a regular shape could he keep it in good condition for longer after its grooming.

This required care. He couldn't grind too much and weaken the Stone-Armored Dragon's defenses, and he also had to make sure the overlapping scales fitted snugly together.

Hearing the low hum, the Stone-Armored Dragon turned its head to look in confusion.

At the sight of the rapidly spinning grinding wheel, its body instinctively tensed, and nervousness appeared in its eyes.

"Don't be nervous. Just relax." Xu Ran patted the Stone-Armored Dragon's broad, thick back, then brought the grinding wheel toward a scale with an uneven surface.

"Screee-"

The moment the grinding wheel touched the stone scale, the sound turned shrill. Intense vibrations traveled through the scale into the Stone-Armored Dragon's newly sensitive body.

Its eyes flew wide open. The intense pleasure made its body shake violently. Its four short, stout paws clenched tight before going limp again, and its gaze gradually grew unfocused.

"Roar~~~"