Chapter Summaries

Xu Ran secured a late registration for the Battle of Ten Thousand Races and learned its rules before an argument over a botched grooming job caught his attention. He challenged Liu Yu’s claim that the Lion-Dragon Beast would have been clipped badly at any shop.

• Xu Ran learned registration had closed, but Sun Tianchao arranged for him to be added to the Battle of Ten Thousand Races.
• Xu Ran read the booklet about the contest’s ranks, Heaven-Climbing Platform, and rewards, then planned to watch earlier competitions with his contract beasts.
• Xu Ran and his contract beasts heard a customer accuse Liu Yu of ruining his Lion-Dragon Beast’s mane and tail during grooming.
• Xu Ran learned Liu Yu had cut away severe tangles and repeatedly trimmed uneven fur until the Lion-Dragon Beast was left patchy and nearly bald.
• Liu Yu denied responsibility and claimed any shop would have produced the same result, but Xu Ran objected.

Xu Ran challenged Liu Yu after the Cosmos Boarding Shop botched the Lion-Dragon Beast’s Grooming, and the customer rejected Liu Yu’s proposed artificial-fur solution. Xu Ran and Liu Yu made a bet over whether Xu Ran could groom the beast properly, with the loser owing the winner a year of business or labor.

• Xu Ran offered to groom the Lion-Dragon Beast again at his Starfire Foster Shop, and he revealed that the Association had invited his shop from Cloud-Gathering City.
• Zhang He confirmed Xu Ran’s background, convincing the onlookers that his shop was a leading Boarding Shop from Cloud-Gathering City.
• The Lion-Dragon Beast’s Beast Tamer asked Liu Yu for a solution, and Liu Yu proposed attaching artificial fur to the beast.
• The customer rejected Liu Yu’s plan after seeing the Lion-Dragon Beast’s resistance and asked Xu Ran to groom it instead.
• Xu Ran bet Liu Yu that he could groom the Lion-Dragon Beast properly; if Xu Ran succeeded, the Cosmos Boarding Shop would refer Grooming customers to his shop, and if he failed, he would work at Liu Yu’s shop for a year.

Xu Ran prepared to groom Zhou Hong’s Lion-Dragon Beast for their wager, while explaining to his Contract Beasts that he planned to give it a harmonious new style rather than restore its fur immediately. The chapter ended with Starlight and Can Can realizing the Earth Raccoons would see them at the shop the next day.

• Xu Ran agreed to groom Zhou Hong’s Lion-Dragon Beast at eight the next morning, and Liu Yu reiterated his confidence that Xu Ran would lose their wager.
• News of Xu Ran’s wager spread through Demonwood City, and a customer told Liu Fengyun about it at the Fengyun Boarding Shop.
• Liu Fengyun said he could not restore the Lion-Dragon Beast’s fur in one grooming session and guessed Xu Ran intended to give it a different style instead.
• Xu Ran told the Three Little Ones he would change the Lion-Dragon Beast’s style and explained that grooming should bring harmony to a Contract Beast’s appearance and condition.
• Xu Ran said they could visit the place Can Can had mentioned after work the next day, once he had groomed the Earth Raccoon Clan.
• Starlight and Can Can realized the Earth Raccoons would see them at the shop and feared being embarrassed.

Xu Ran groomed Zhou Hong’s Lion-Dragon Beast and transformed its botched haircut into a sleek new style, winning his bet with Liu Yu. Liu Yu agreed to refer grooming customers from the Cosmos Boarding Shop to the Starfire Foster Shop, while Xu Ran turned away new customers until the following day.

• Zhou Hong brought his Lion-Dragon Beast to the Starfire Foster Shop, and Liu Yu arrived to witness the grooming bet.
• Xu Ran washed and treated the Lion-Dragon Beast, revealing that the Cosmos Boarding Shop had left dirt in its fur and making the beast visibly enjoy the process.
• Xu Ran carefully trimmed and styled the Lion-Dragon Beast’s fur into a sleek, close-fitting coat, satisfying Zhou Hong and the beast.
• The onlookers admired the transformation and crowded around Xu Ran to ask about his shop and request grooming appointments.
• Liu Yu tried to leave, but Liu Fengyun and Xu Ran reminded him of the wager, so Liu Yu agreed to refer the Cosmos Boarding Shop’s grooming customers to the Starfire Foster Shop.

Xu Ran groomed the Earth Raccoon Clan, and Can Can apologized to its leader for frightening them the day before. Meanwhile, Liu Yu twisted the terms of his wager to limit the benefit to Starfire Foster Shop and rallied local competitors; Liu Fengyun proposed that Xu Ran join forces with the invited boarding shops, while the Ground Raccoon Clan Leader approached the curious Earth Rock Mice.

• Liu Fengyun met Xu Ran at Starfire Foster Shop while examining Zhou Hong’s groomed Lion-Dragon Beast, then left with Zhou Hong.
• The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader brought his Earth Raccoon Clan in for grooming, recognized Can Can, and learned that Can Can had frightened the clan; Can Can apologized.
• Liu Yu ordered Cosmos Boarding Shop to erase its grooming services, recommend several grooming shops instead of only Starfire Foster Shop, and seek discounts from local competitors to counter outside shops.
• Xu Ran groomed the Earth Raccoons, including their wary Ground Raccoon Clan Leader, who left more comfortable around humans and eager to return.
• Liu Fengyun showed Xu Ran Cosmos Boarding Shop’s notice and explained Liu Yu’s alliance with local shops, then invited Xu Ran to join the other invited boarding shops.
• The Earth Raccoon Clan celebrated its grooming, and its leader approached the visiting Earth Rock Mice.

The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader recommended Xu Ran’s Starfire Foster Shop to the Earth Rock Rat Clan, whose members arrived in force for grooming. Xu Ran discovered that Demonwood City recognition for his shop had risen to 2.3%, and suspected the wild supernatural creatures were responsible.

• The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader told the Earth Rock Mouse about Xu Ran’s grooming services and explained that grooming for small creatures cost seven Beast Tamer Points.
• Liu Fengyun proposed gathering outside boarding shops for a public grooming demonstration, and Xu Ran agreed while asking that it happen within two weeks.
• The Earth Rock Rat Clan arrived at the Starfire Foster Shop, and Xu Ran began grooming its members, starting with the clan leader.
• After spending the day grooming the Earth Rock Mice, Xu Ran checked his quest and saw Demonwood City recognition had reached 2.3%.
• Xu Ran considered what had raised recognition and suspected the wild supernatural creatures who had visited his shop.

Xu Ran suggested holding the joint public grooming demonstration at Demonwood Market and inviting wild supernatural creatures as customers, hoping to boost the shops’ reach. Liu Fengyun secured the other shops’ agreement and arranged the venue, leaving the event set for the following day.

• Xu Ran realized that wild supernatural creatures might count toward the Starfire Foster Shop’s name recognition after grooming the Earth Raccoon and Earth Rock Mouse communities.
• Liu Fengyun told Xu Ran that fifteen of the seventeen out-of-town boarding shops had agreed to a free public grooming demonstration in two days, with customers’ tips determining the most popular shop.
• Xu Ran approved Liu Fengyun’s plan and proposed moving the event to Demonwood Market, where wild supernatural creatures could also receive grooming and pay with resources.
• Liu Fengyun agreed to discuss Xu Ran’s suggestion with the other shop owners and considered holding the event on Sky-Piercing Main Road.
• The next morning, Liu Fengyun told Xu Ran that all the other shops had agreed and that the Beast Tamer Association had approved the venue for the following day.

Xu Ran attended the public grooming exhibition organized by Liu Fengyun and watched Qi Cang demonstrate his Stone Washing Method, while the local boarding shop owners met to plan how to undermine the event. The exhibition began successfully, but Liu Yu’s scheme to send difficult-to-groom contract beasts onto the stage threatened to sabotage the out-of-town shops.

• Liu Fengyun led Xu Ran and the other boarding shop owners to inspect the exhibition venue, and they drew lots for their grooming times.
• Xu Ran drew the fifth slot, while Qi Cang drew the first and prepared to demonstrate for the crowd.
• Qi Cang used Fire Flint and his Stone Washing Method to groom a Little Flame Monkey, earning its tamer’s satisfaction and a fifteen-thousand tip.
• Xu Ran stayed to observe the other shops’ grooming techniques and sent Purple Cloud, Can Can, and Starlight back to train, promising to take them outside the city the next day.
• Liu Yu warned the local boarding shop owners that the exhibition threatened their businesses and proposed sending difficult-to-groom contract beasts to pose as customers and expose the outsiders’ limits.

Local boarding shop owners arranged a difficult Exquisite Flower King for Xu Ran to groom, hoping to undermine Starfire Foster Shop’s reputation. As Xu Ran began treating it with help from Starlight and Can Can, the King felt an immense surge of power enter its body.

• Liu Yu and the local boarding shop owners chose an Exquisite Flower King that even Blackwood Dew could not fully groom as a challenge for Xu Ran.
• Du Huayan successfully groomed a Flowing Wind Bell despite its Beast Tamer having been sent by the local shops to disrupt the demonstration.
• Xu Ran took the stage as the local owners arranged for Mr. Zhao to bring out his Exquisite Flower King, while Li Tutu recognized Xu Ran in the crowd.
• Xu Ran examined the badly deteriorated Exquisite Flower King and learned that its grooming needs were exceptionally difficult to meet.
• Liu Fengyun spread the news that Blackwood Dew could not groom the Exquisite Flower King, lowering the audience’s expectations for Xu Ran.
• Xu Ran began grooming the Exquisite Flower King with Starlight and Can Can, and Starlight linked it to Can Can so a powerful surge of energy entered its body.

Xu Ran groomed an Exquisite Flower King that Blackwood Dew could not clean, earning a two-million-yuan tip and winning over the Demonwood City audience. He then groomed a wild Dream Demon, which left an unexpected crystal-clear clump that Xu Ran recognized as Dream-Weaving Silk.

• Xu Ran used Can Can's Earth-Type Power and Starlight's Chain of Fate to open the Exquisite Flower King's buds, then cleaned away the hidden grime and restored its blooms.
• The Exquisite Flower King's Beast Tamer praised Xu Ran's results and tipped the Starfire Foster Shop two million yuan.
• The audience applauded Xu Ran, while Liu Yu and the local Boarding Shop owners left after admitting their attempt to embarrass the outsiders had failed.
• A wild Dream Demon became Xu Ran's next customer, slept through its grooming, and was satisfied with its sleek fur.
• The Dream Demon placed a crystal-clear clump in the tip box, and Xu Ran recognized it as Dream-Weaving Silk.

Xu Ran received Dream-Weaving Silk from the Dream Demon and won the public grooming demonstration’s most popular boarding shop title, gaining publicity for Starfire Foster Shop. Twelve remained under house arrest in the Beast Domain, frustrated that two evolution materials were unavailable, while Xu Ran’s rising name recognition in Demonwood City set the stage for a trip outside the city.

• The Dream Demon gave Xu Ran Dream-Weaving Silk, the final main resource Twelve needed for evolution, and Xu Ran received a 500,000-yuan tip.
• Twelve waited in the Nightmare Beast King's territory for Xu Ran to come, then told Little Sixteen stories about the human city and learned that Dreamweaver's Shadow was unknown and the treasury's Dream-Weaving Silk had been used up.
• Xu Ran finished his grooming demonstration, received praise from other shop owners, and Starfire Foster Shop won the title of most popular boarding shop.
• Xu Ran saw Demonwood City's name recognition for Starfire Foster Shop rise to 8.4 percent and expected more customers after the event's publicity.
• Can Can reminded Xu Ran that the group should leave the city together after closing the next day.

Xu Ran's grooming shop drew a huge crowd after his public demonstration, and he helped Li Tutu recognize that Little Gold wanted to be treated as a partner rather than a pet. The day ended with Xu Ran accepting an unexpected new resident: a wild Foolish Badger that paid to board at his shop.

• Xu Ran opened the shop to a long queue of customers eager to try his grooming after hearing about his demonstration, and he groomed a Three-Tailed Yama Leopard with a sand bath.
• Li Tutu brought Little Gold, his Golden-Whiskered Mouse, for grooming, and Xu Ran noticed that Li Tutu treated it like a pet.
• After Xu Ran explained the difference between a pet and a contract beast, Little Gold told Li Tutu it wanted to be treated as a partner, and Li Tutu agreed to train and rely on it.
• A wild Foolish Badger entered the shop, paid Xu Ran with an Elite Rank Fighting Element Extraordinary Resource, and asked to board there.
• Xu Ran customized a living area for the Foolish Badger and served it a bowl of food, which it eagerly devoured.

Xu Ran sheltered the runaway Foolish Badger despite its Beast Tamer Kang Cheng coming to retrieve it, then took the Three Little Ones into the Demonwood Domain to investigate underground thunder. The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader warned that the area was dangerous, but Xu Ran and his contract beasts remained determined to explore it.

• The Three Little Ones met the Foolish Badger and learned that it was curious about whether they ever disagreed with Xu Ran.
• Kang Cheng arrived at the Starfire Foster Shop and identified himself as the Foolish Badger's Beast Tamer, but the Foolish Badger refused to leave with him.
• Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones entered the Demonwood Domain and followed Can Can's markers to the valley where it had sensed underground thunder.
• The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader invited Xu Ran and his pets to the Earth Raccoons' habitat, where they shared food and discussed the thunder.
• The Ground Raccoon Clan Leader revealed that approaching the underground thunder had trapped it in terrifying nightmares, then warned Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones to be careful.

Xu Ran and his three pets descended toward the underground thunder, where a guardian’s overwhelming power overwhelmed Starlight’s defenses and drew them into nightmares. Purple Cloud and Starlight recognized and overcame memories from their past, but the nightmare continued to reveal a terrifying enemy.

• Xu Ran planned a cautious descent with Can Can, Purple Cloud, and Starlight, relying on Starlight’s Star-Repelling Ring to counter the guardian’s nightmare ability.
• Can Can carried the group underground while Starlight strengthened and protected them, and they descended past four kilometers toward the thunder.
• The guardian sent a Monarch Rank force against their barrier, then unleashed a stronger power that bypassed it and dragged all four into nightmares.
• Purple Cloud relived the lightning strike that killed its companion, recognized the scene as a memory, and regained its true form.
• Purple Cloud saw Xu Ran, Starlight, and Can Can swallowed by lightning as a terrifying creature appeared before them.
• Starlight relived losing a foal race and learning it could never match ordinary creatures, then reclaimed its identity and declared it could now keep up with its companions.

Xu Ran and his Contract Beasts escaped a powerful guardian’s nightmares and met the guardian, who revealed that it protected Thunder Dragon Stones formed from a fallen Overlord Rank Thunder God Silent Dragon. Because Xu Ran had groomed its child, the guardian allowed him to choose one stone, and the group began searching the cavern.

• Starlight’s nightmare continued after its companions seemed to retreat beyond reach, while Xu Ran woke in a dream of his former life and said goodbye to his parents before the scene dissolved.
• The guardian watched the group through four mirrors and, after its child recognized Xu Ran’s beasts, agreed to meet them and let them take one Thunder Dragon Stone without damaging the dragon’s remains.
• Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones entered the cavern, where the guardian explained the stones’ origin and led them to the Thunder God Silent Dragon’s remains.
• Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones searched among more than a thousand stones, finding several large candidates before Starlight selected an unusual cloudy stone with no visible golden lightning.

Xu Ran and the Three Little Ones discovered a strange Thunder Dragon Stone that contained a lightning-absorbing paper bearing a possible clue to Purple Cloud’s Emperor evolution material, the Extinction Thunder Guide. The next morning, Demonwood City’s Beast Tamer Association arrived at the Starfire Foster Shop to investigate a report that Xu Ran was detaining someone’s Contract Beast.

• Starlight found an unusual Thunder Dragon Stone that absorbed Purple Cloud’s lightning, and Purple Cloud chose it over the others.
• The cavern guardian explained how Thunder Dragon Stones grew, gifted Xu Ran a rare, fully concentrated stone, and accepted his invitation to visit the shop for Grooming.
• At the shop, Purple Cloud cracked open Starlight’s stone and found a lightning-absorbing sheet of paper marked with a pattern Xu Ran thought might relate to the Extinction Thunder Guide.
• Starlight theorized the paper could be a map to a nearby location, so Xu Ran planned to compare it with maps from Demonwood City’s Beast Tamer Association.
• Two Association staff members came to the shop and said they were investigating a report that Xu Ran was maliciously detaining someone’s Contract Beast.

Xu Ran learned that the Foolish Badger had fled Kang Cheng because of his coercive treatment, and the Beast Tamer Association planned to help it leave his contract and board at Xu Ran’s shop. After receiving a map that failed to locate the Extinction Thunder Guide, Xu Ran groomed Dream-Chasing Apostle and learned that the Thunder God Silent Dragon had sighed toward the southwest before it died.

• Xu Ran explained to Zhou Rong and Xu Zhou that the Foolish Badger had chosen to board at his shop and refused to see Kang Cheng.
• Xu Zhou used the Star of Magic Power to communicate with the Foolish Badger and learned that Kang Cheng pressured it over the value of its resources and criticized its daily expenses.
• Zhou Rong said the Association could make Kang Cheng give up the Foolish Badger, and Xu Ran agreed to board it while the Association paid the fees.
• Zhou Rong gave Xu Ran a detailed map of the Demonwood Domain, but Xu Ran could not match it to the clue he suspected was a map to the Extinction Thunder Guide.
• Xu Ran groomed Dream-Chasing Apostle, which enjoyed its new appearance, then asked why the Thunder God Silent Dragon had died.
• Dream-Chasing Apostle said it did not know the cause, but the Thunder God Silent Dragon had sighed regretfully toward the southwest before its death.

Xu Ran postponed searching for the Extinction Thunder Guide outside the Demonwood Domain to prepare for the Battle of Ten Thousand Races, while the Three Little Ones secretly tried to cook him red-braised pork as a surprise. Their dish came out burnt, but Xu Ran tasted it and called it delicious.

• Xu Ran decided that he and the Three Little Ones would prioritize the Battle of Ten Thousand Races before exploring the dangerous territory beyond the Demonwood Domain.
• After hearing about the Foolish Badger's difficult life with Kang Cheng, the Three Little Ones resolved to do something for Xu Ran and secretly planned to cook him a meal.
• The Foolish Badger learned that it could leave Kang Cheng and remain at the Starfire Foster Shop, and it eagerly embraced the prospect.
• While Xu Ran meditated, Purple Cloud, Starlight, and Can Can used his phone and the Preparation Room to attempt red-braised pork through the night.
• Xu Ran found the exhausted Three Little Ones and their burnt dish the next morning, then tasted it and praised it as delicious.

Xu Ran learned that the Beast Tamer Association had dissolved Kang Cheng’s contract with the Foolish Badger, which immediately advanced to Commander Rank and was entrusted to the Starfire Foster Shop. After opening the shop, Xu Ran met a young customer whose Healing Spirit Mushroom wanted combat training, despite having focused almost entirely on Vine Slash.

• Xu Ran thanked the Three Little Ones for their homemade braised pork and sent them upstairs to rest after breakfast.
• Xu Zhou and Zhou Rong told Xu Ran that the Association had approved dissolving Kang Cheng’s contract with the Foolish Badger and took the beast to the Association.
• Kang Cheng protested the dissolution, but the Foolish Badger chose to end their contract, and the ritual severed their bond.
• The Foolish Badger advanced from Elite Rank to Commander Rank after the contract ended, while Xu Zhou showed it around the Association.
• A young customer brought his Healing Spirit Mushroom to Xu Ran for special training in Vine Slash, explaining that the mushroom refused to train its healing skills.

Xu Ran used a Sparring Puppet to make Du Tan's combat-loving Healing Spirit Mushroom practice its healing skills, then learned that Foolish Badger had inspired other ownerless Contract Beasts to seek boarding at his shop. He arranged to pursue Beast Tamer Association approval as its designated shelter and left Du Tan eager for his next class.

• Xu Ran had the Healing Spirit Mushroom fight a Sparring Puppet that deliberately exposed weaknesses, prompting the Mushroom to heal it repeatedly so it could resume fighting.
• Du Tan realized the puppet's method trained the Healing Spirit Mushroom's healing skills and left impressed by the Starfire Foster Shop's sparring service.
• Zhou Rong and Xu Zhou told Xu Ran that Foolish Badger had convinced several Contract Beasts at the Beast Tamer Association's Foster Area to seek boarding at his shop.
• Xu Ran offered the Association discounted boarding for ownerless Contract Beasts and requested a certificate naming his shop its designated shelter; Zhou Rong left to seek approval.
• Du Tan told Li Tutu that his Healing Spirit Mushroom had spent most of its session practicing healing, and he looked forward to Qi Yue's next class.