Beast Taming: I'm Really Not a Cultivation Master

Chapter 385: Chapter 355: Wood Carving

”You want the evolution method I discovered?” Huang Xin was a bit stunned. He looked at Li Qian and asked for confirmation.

”Yes, the one for the Silver Crowned Red Feather Chicken.” Li Qian nodded and said bluntly, ”You can state your conditions.”

Li Qian’s words sent Huang Xin into silence. He was so caught off guard by the sudden request that he couldn’t quite process it.

He simply had never imagined a situation like this would occur.

He’d thought companies or organizations might approach him for a partnership, but he never expected the first one to be a freshman.

A freshman, just like himself.

”Alright, but what can you offer?” Although Huang Xin hadn’t gotten into one of the Eight Great, Thunder Beast Taming University was second only to them. His own qualifications and background were among the best. Having collected himself, he smiled and posed the question back.

Li Qian had no intention of beating around the bush and laid his terms out directly. ”The evolution method to turn a Three-tailed Cat into a Four-tailed Cat, or one Dominator-level Rock Giant. You can choose either.”

”...” Huang Xin fell silent once again at Li Qian’s offer.

It wasn’t that the terms were bad—they were too good.

So good, in fact, that they were completely unexpected.

The value of either choice far exceeded that of the Silver Crowned Red Feather Chicken’s evolution method. But that was exactly why Huang Xin didn’t choose immediately. ’There’s always a catch when something seems too good to be true.’

He looked at Li Qian, a smile playing on his lips. After a moment of thought, he spoke. ”I can give you the evolution method for the Silver Crowned Red Feather Chicken for free. I don’t need anything for it.”

Li Qian looked at Huang Xin, stunned. ”For free!”

Huang Xin’s response made Li Qian frown. He knew all too well that free things were often the most costly in the end.

To avoid being indebted to him, Li Qian still preferred a straightforward trade.

”I’m not sure that’s a good idea. After all, this is our first time meeting...” Li Qian said.

But Huang Xin waved his hand dismissively and said magnanimously, ”It’s fine. The evolution method for the Silver Crowned Red Feather Chicken has limited value anyway...”

Saying this, he scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.

”How about this? I won’t take the Silver Crowned Red Feather Chicken’s evolution method for free. I’ll agree to one condition: in the future, I will evolve one Pet Beast for you. Any Pet Beast is fine, as long as I’ve mastered its evolution method.” Li Qian looked at Huang Xin, his tone firm and leaving no room for debate.

If Huang Xin still refused, Li Qian was prepared to drop the matter entirely. He was confident that once he saw the evolved result, he could reverse-engineer the process before long.

Seeing Li Qian’s firm tone, Huang Xin no longer insisted and agreed to his terms.

Once the deal was struck, Huang Xin didn’t hesitate, immediately explaining the evolution method for the Silver Crowned Red Feather Chicken.

He revealed it right there backstage, speaking openly without any attempt at concealment.

After hearing Huang Xin’s explanation, Li Qian couldn’t help but let out a laugh. The evolution method was exactly as he had guessed.

The only difference was that Fire Cloud Grass was swapped for Silver Moon Crystal.

Li Qian had already suspected as much, but he had never figured out exactly which Extraordinary Resource was used.

To think it was Silver Moon Crystal!

After exchanging contact information and chatting a bit more, Li Qian left.

Watching Li Qian’s departing back, Huang Xin grinned. ”Shazhou Beast Taming University, Li Qian... Interesting, very interesting...”

...

On the evening of November 15th, after the competition, Li Qian, Fatty An, Lu Tianjiao, Sun Ruirui, and Mo Ziyu were strolling through Mo Yuan City together.

”Brother Qian, are you also researching the Nine-tailed Cat’s evolution?” Sun Ruirui asked suddenly as they walked.

Li Qian scratched his head, a little embarrassed. ”I’m just looking into it. I don’t have much hope of figuring out the Nine-tailed Cat. In fact, I’m already stuck going from Four-tails to Five-tails.”

”Don’t be discouraged, Brother Qian. I’m sure you’ll figure it out eventually...” The young girl, Sun Ruirui, seemed to have complete faith in Li Qian.

At her words, Li Qian was at a loss.

He did want to figure out the Nine-tailed Cat, but he was still a million miles away from making that a reality.

Nearby, Mo Ziyu remained expressionless, but she was scoffing internally.

’Looks like my little friend is truly a lost cause. She’ll believe anything.’

As the two of them were talking, something suddenly occurred to Li Qian. His expression turned a bit odd as he asked, ”So, is Professor Sun doing alright?”

”Him? He’s doing great. Eating and drinking just fine,” Sun Ruirui replied casually.

Li Qian coughed and continued, ”What I mean is, has he figured out the evolution method for Golden Wind and Golden Rain?”

When it came to the Tidal Sea Spirit, Old Sun’s research was already quite advanced. He was just one step away from discovering the final evolution method.

But without a little hint, that final step was no easy hurdle to overcome on his own.

After all this time, he wondered if the professor had managed to figure it out.

”PFFT!” Hearing Li Qian bring this up, the girl couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

The moment Li Qian heard her laugh, he understood the answer.

Mo Ziyu was a little curious and asked, ”What evolution method?”

Sun Ruirui glanced at Li Qian, who gave a slight nod. The young girl then began to explain, ”You’ve seen my Pet Beast, the Tidal Sea Spirit, haven’t you...”

Mo Ziyu nodded blankly at first, but the ice beauty quickly put the pieces together. ”Are you saying... that this Tidal Sea Spirit with Emperor-level Potential wasn’t evolved by Professor Sun, but rather...”

As she spoke, her gaze fell intensely on Li Qian.

Sun Ruirui let out an ”mm,” confirming Mo Ziyu’s suspicion. Beside them, Lu Tianjiao suddenly exclaimed, ”Holy shit!”

”Qianzi, don’t scare me like that! We’re talking about an Emperor-level Pet Beast!”

Li Qian had never mentioned this to him. Plus, since Li Qian himself didn’t have a contract with a Tidal Sea Spirit, very few people knew he was involved.

Anyway, Lu Tianjiao was certainly not one of them, which explained his massive reaction.

Li Qian ignored Lu Tianjiao’s theatrics, leaned in, and whispered a little hint into the young Sun Ruirui’s ear.

With that hint, Li Qian believed, Old Sun should be able to evolve the Tidal Sea Spirit without much more trouble.

As for whether Sun Ruirui would tell him, and when, that would depend on her mood.

The young girl listened to Li Qian’s hint, and a look of sudden understanding dawned on her face. ”Oh, so that’s how it works...”

”What ’so that’s how it works’? Can you two stop talking in riddles!” Lu Tianjiao demanded with a pout, looking thoroughly unhappy.

The young Sun Ruirui simply turned her head, walked off, and executed a masterful change of subject.

She walked over to a stall, picked up a wooden carving of a Pet Beast, and asked, ”Brother Qian, look, what’s this?”

”That’s a Celestial Kun Beast. It’s an Emperor-level Pet Beast with dual Water and Space attributes!” Li Qian identified the wooden carving in the girl’s hand at first glance.

He walked over with a smile, glancing at the other wooden carvings on the stall. Then, his steps suddenly faltered. At that exact moment, a familiar electronic tone sounded in his mind...

[Inspiration Value +3, Task Two: Red Feather Chicken Evolution Method, Current Progress: 98%!]