Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

Hearing the words, Asher turned to see who was speaking. It was a young man with a buzz cut, seemingly in his early twenties.

Next to him stood his companion, also around the same age, with freckles dotting his face.

Apart from Asher, these two were the youngest people present.

The unfriendly gaze Asher had sensed earlier had come from them.

Noticing Asher glancing in their direction, the buzz-cut youth snorted heavily, his provocation written all over his face.

As for the freckled youth, though he also looked down on Asher, he had no intention of outright provoking him. When their eyes met, a series of emotions—social death, embarrassment, and discomfort—flashed across his face.

Seeing this, Asher couldn't help but smirk.

'Interesting—contempt mixed with social anxiety?',Asher was now curious. What kind of image did these people have of him to harbor such resentment?

Asher couldn't understand and attempted to communicate with Harry through eye contact… but failed.

As it turned out, although the two had come together, they had no tacit understanding whatsoever.

On the contrary, the elegant older woman and the overly muscular man with a physique like a double-door refrigerator both looked at Asher with a bit of surprise.

Hmm... At this age, boys typically couldn't tolerate provocation.

Faced with the buzz-cut youth's and the freckled youth's scornful gazes, plus those unkind words, how could anyone not blow up?

Unexpectedly, Asher's composure far exceeded their expectations.

With their discerning eyes, they could easily tell whether someone was feigning indifference or genuinely unbothered.

In Asher's case, he was truly unaffected.

Calm.

Poised.

And this demeanor stemmed entirely from his confidence in his own abilities.

Realizing this, the elegant woman and the muscular man exchanged a glance. In that moment, their evaluation of Asher skyrocketed.

Regardless of what heights he might achieve in the future, just based on his current achievements and composure… Asher was destined for greatness.

For a moment, whether it was the ever-smiling elegant woman or the stern double-door man, both looked at Asher with genuine respect.

The buzz-cut youth hadn't expected Asher to remain so calm after hearing his words.

After a brief pause, he angrily said, "What's with the act? No wonder people say you're just..."

"Felix, stop talking. The teachers are right there." The freckled youth noticed Harry frowning and quickly tugged at Felix's sleeve.

Reminded of their presence, Felix noticed too.

But instead of shutting up, he became even more indignant, muttering, "Stop talking? Why shouldn't I speak? Devin, let go of me!"

"Not only will I speak, but I'll also say it loud and clear." Felix shook off his companion's hand and pointed at Asher, unleashing his frustration:

"We're both quasi-Stage 3 Beastmasters, recognized students of Teacher Kelly. Next year, we'll be attending an advanced Beastmaster academy as prodigies."

"We earned our place here through hard work."

"What about him?

"No skills, no strength—just a bunch of hyped-up nonsense. Bringing him along is no different from dragging along dead weight."

"If they brought him, they might as well…"

Felix didn't get to finish his sentence before being cut off.

"How do you know Asher is incapable?" Though Asher stayed silent, Harry had already lost his patience.

Before arriving, Harry had repeatedly explained the situation with Asher in the group chat.

He had anticipated that these two students might still look down on Asher, but he'd given Asher a heads-up. He figured Asher wouldn't mind some minor friction.

Harry trusted Asher's magnanimity.

However, he hadn't expected these two to come in guns blazing.

Especially their insinuation that they were speaking out for others—Harry couldn't just sit back and watch.

"Kelly, control your students." Harry frowned, looking at the double-door man.

Kelly gave his students a sharp, cold look. "Shut up. This isn't the place for your nonsense."

"Strictly speaking, as long as I, Teacher Maxine, and Teacher Harry approve, anyone can join this extracurricular exploration team. Your opinions don't matter."

"Besides, whether you'll officially become my students next year is still uncertain. Where do you get the nerve to act arrogant in front of me?"

With just a few words, the two fell silent. Felix and Devin dared not say another word.

"What about an apology?" Clearly, Kelly wasn't letting them off so easily.

Felix seemed like he wanted to argue, but Kelly gave him no chance. "Forcing your biased assumptions on someone, spouting nonsense without knowing the truth—don't you think you owe an apology?"

"If you're unwilling to apologize, you can leave now. This extracurricular activity won't suffer from the absence of two people like you."

Felix and Devin: "!"

"We're sorry!" they said in unison.

Devin's freckled face showed genuine remorse as he glanced at Asher.

Felix, on the other hand, was furious but dared not vent at Asher anymore. He looked as though he might explode from holding it in.

Under different circumstances, Asher might have teased, "Felix really lives up to his nickname."

But now...

Asher: "?"

'Wait a minute.'

Asher looked at Kelly with wide eyes.

Bulging biceps, chest muscles that couldn't be hidden under his shirt—this rugged physique and tough demeanor… And his name was Kelly?

He couldn't wrap his head around it.

'Shouldn't that name belong to the elegant woman instead?'

The woman noticed Asher's questioning gaze and couldn't help but smile. "Young professor, don't look at me. I don't have such a gentle name."

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Maxine Hart, a teacher of Extraordinary Biology and Practical Combat at South China Advanced Beastmaster Academy. You can just call me Teacher Maxine."

As she spoke, she gave a warm smile and patted Kelly's massive chest. "And this is Kelly Byers, my colleague, responsible for courses on the care and treatment of beasts."

Kelly's face flushed slightly, his ears turning red. He nearly broke his stoic expression.

In contrast, Maxine, with her gentle appearance, seemed more like the troublemaker.

Asher: "..."

"The two of you have quite the contrast," Asher said, chuckling as he quickly accepted this reality.

The world was full of wonders.

Happiness was key.

Maxine hadn't expected Asher to adapt so quickly. As she withdrew her hand, there was a hint of disappointment in her expression. "Oh? You accepted it so fast? I thought bringing a newcomer like you would let me have some fun… I mean, see some amusing reactions."

"Teacher Maxine, that's enough." Harry adjusted his glasses, clearly exasperated.

And in that moment, Asher realized something: behind Maxine's gentle demeanor was a playful troublemaker who must be approached cautiously.

Best not to offend her lightly.

The conversation between Asher and the three teachers flowed smoothly. In contrast, the flat-headed youth Felix and the freckled youth Devin, who had arrived first, were largely ignored.

Even if they wanted to join in, there wasn't a suitable opening.

A short while later, two more people arrived. Both were around thirty, looking energetic.

At just one glance, Asher could tell that the newcomers weren't familiar with anyone here—not even as much as he, who had only just met Teachers Maxine and Kelly.

'Could they be members of a hired exploration team?'

"Let's all sit down first and discuss the route into the Forbidden Zone," Maxine suggested, after the two arrived.

She introduced everyone present briefly.

Harry: responsible for analyzing and documenting the habitat environments of beasts they found.

Kelly: responsible for logistical support.

Maxine: responsible for ensuring the safety of the entire team within the Forbidden Zone.

Asher: utilizing his expertise in pet evolution to collaborate with Harry on recording and analyzing any beasts potentially related to the Sunshine Sunflower.

Felix and Devin: Kelly's students, here to learn while assisting Maxine with security.

Two unnamed members of the Bluestone City Forbidden Zone exploration team: mainly providing their rich field experience to support Teacher Kelly with logistics.

Eight people. For a temporary exploration team venturing into the Forbidden Zone, this number wasn't too many but not too few either.

However, among them were two ordinary people who weren't Beast Masters: Harry and Kelly.

Upon realizing this, Asher's expression became even more complicated.

'What the...'

The three teachers forming the team—two men and one woman—felt like the classic hot-blooded anime group dynamic.

And now he learns that the two men are delicate flowers, while the only woman is the real heavy hitter?

"Are you worried about safety, Little Professor? Don't be scared~" Maxine noticed Asher's odd gaze lingering on the two men and assumed he was concerned. She chuckled and flicked her voluminous curls. "I'm a fifth-tier Beast Master. Although advancing further is tough, my strength should put your mind at ease."

"A fifth-tier Beast Master, plus four second-tier ones, is more than enough to keep these people safe."

She winked at Asher after saying this.

"Teacher Maxine, you're already a fifth-tier Beast Master?" While no longer worried about safety, Asher was quite shocked.

Unbelievable.

A fifth-tier Beast Master?

The kind with six contracted beasts?

Beast Masters stationed in the Forbidden Zone are typically at this level.

With her here, there's absolutely no need to worry about safety anymore.

They weren't even here to hunt.

As long as they didn't provoke any wild beasts, just entering and leaving should be safe under the protection of a fifth-tier Beast Master.

The two newly arrived members also looked stunned upon hearing Maxine's admission of her strength.

Alright, fine.

They'd better focus on logistics.

In their thirties and still only second-tier Beast Masters, how could they even compare?

"Teacher Maxine's strength is indeed trustworthy—top-notch." Harry gave Asher a thumbs-up. "We just need to focus on our research."

"Although our primary target is that beast resembling the Sunshine Sunflower, if we encounter other creatures along the way, we could also study them briefly."

With that, Harry pulled out a small notebook and pen from his pocket, scribbling away furiously.

"Actually, besides the Sunshine Sunflower, I'm also somewhat interested in the Bean Flower."

"And with the season of Waving Verdant Grass over, I'd like to observe the impact of its disappearance on beasts in the Forbidden Zone…"

Muttering to himself, Harry launched into a long monologue.

Maxine wore a disdainful expression.

Kelly turned his head away.

Felix and Devin tried to chime in but were completely ignored by Harry.

Harry directly addressed Asher: "Come, come, Asher. Take a look at this. Any thoughts?" He handed his notebook to Asher.

The ignored Felix and Devin: "..."

A gust of wind blew past, sending a chill down their spines.

Felix watched as Asher seamlessly joined Harry's discussion, his face darkening with unconcealed resentment.

"What are you sulking about?" Maxine, leaning against Kelly's solid chest, crossed her arms and smirked.

"He and Professor Harry aren't discussing anything we don't understand." Felix blurted, venting his frustration. "I just can't stand that guy acting all high and mighty…"

Maxine chuckled even more. "High and mighty? Which eye of yours sees him as such?"

"And you think you understand what they're discussing?" She laughed again.

"Not to mention the depth of your understanding—just look at the age gap. He's a high schooler. You're about to graduate from university. Did you forget that gap, or did a dog eat it?"

"Could you have reached his level in high school?"

"If not, shut up on this trip. I won't bother addressing your petty jealousy or supposed sense of justice."

"Even if it's about supporting the younger generation, do we need your permission to choose whom to support?"

The crew-cut youth, Felix, felt his face burning hot.

Whether it was Maxine's words or the gaze directed at him, it felt as if she had completely seen through him—through every thought hidden deep inside.

Originally, Felix had wanted to say something to defend fairness, but the words were stuck in his throat.

All he could do was mutter to himself… "Asher's achievements?"

"Ha!"

"Impossible!"

"Just a mere high school student… It had to be a scam or some god-making effort forcibly propped up by NY City."

Maxine had said all that needed to be said.

These hot-headed youngsters, clouded by jealousy, refused to believe her, and there was nothing more she could do.

Let them be.

The more they hit hard walls, the sooner they'd wake up.

If they didn't wake up, they'd end up bruised and battered.

Society always has its way of delivering a fair and harsh blow to those who refuse to bow down.

The group did not rush to set off that day but stayed at the hotel to rest.

Everyone had traveled from different places and needed to adjust.

In the afternoon, Asher released both his contracted beasts.

The other beast tamers also released their small beasts.

Compared to common beasts like Spirit Cats, Fire Ants, Plush Puffs, or Little Lion Beasts—products of the South China region's beast-breeding bases—

Asher's Little Raven and Cat-Worm immediately became the center of attention.

"Is this… a Oriental Peacock?" Maxine abandoned her earlier game with a muscle-bound beast and approached Little Raven.

She maintained a safe distance from Little Raven—

A distance that ensured the bird wouldn't feel uncomfortable but also allowed her to observe it closely.

For the N+1th time, Asher patiently explained, "Yes, it's originally a Oriental Peacock."

Little Raven perched on Asher's leg, tilting its head toward Maxine. The tuft on its head bobbed twice in the wind.

With so many people and beasts in the room, Little Raven's aura was slightly suppressed.

Little Raven: └(￣^￣)┐

'I must let all these beasts know who the real boss here is!'

Then… taking advantage of Asher's distraction, Little Raven pounced like a hungry tiger toward the other beasts.

Felix's Spirit Cat and the freckled youth Devin's Plush Puff became its first targets.

Spirit Cat: "Meow meow meow!"

'What did the cat do wrong?'

'Why attack the cat without reason?'

QAQ

Plush Puff: "Chirp! Chirp chirp!"

'Help! I'm gonna die!'

Little Raven: (>v·*)

'I'm hitting you two!'

'Don't think the bird didn't hear!'

'Bullying my tamer?'

'Evil!'

'Evil!'

'This bird will serve righteous justice!'

The Spirit Cat and Plush Puff, dragged into this mess because of their tamers, were left teary-eyed.

The Spirit Cat was at low-level Tier 5, and the Plush Puff at mid-level Tier 4. They were already slightly weaker than Little Raven, not to mention Little Raven had awakened a portion of its bloodline. It could even fight above its level, let alone deal with two weaker creatures.

Little Raven: 'One slap for each!'

'This year, the bird is the undisputed No.1!'

Cat-Worm, who had been about to jump in to fight alongside its big sister, froze in shock.

Cat-Worm: QwQ

'Big Sis is too powerful!'

'There's no chance for the dragon to show off!'

Felix and Devin, equally stunned by Little Raven's display of strength, couldn't help but exclaim.

"Wait? What level is this bird?"

"Spirit Cat, fight back! You're a cat; you're supposed to catch birds."

Felix shouted encouragement to his Spirit Cat, his eyes filled with disbelief.

A Tier 5 low-level Spirit Cat, partnered with a Tier 2 tamer, can't beat a bird of a formal beast tamer?

I's this a joke?'

"You're not going to intervene? If you don't, your Oriental Peacock might suffer." Maxine smiled at Asher while gesturing toward Felix, who was itching to join the fray himself.

Asher shook his head.

"Little Raven is just playing; it doesn't mean any harm."

But if the other side makes a move… well, Asher silently lit a candle for the Spirit Cat in advance.

Sure enough, Felix couldn't hold back.

If he couldn't badmouth Asher, could he at least teach Asher's pet a lesson?

Little Raven noticed Felix's intent.

But rather than fear, it seemed to be getting even more excited.

Little Raven glanced at Cat-Worm.

'Didn't you want to help earlier?'

'Here's your chance!'

'That fluffy thing is all yours!'

'This household can only have one fluffy creature, and it's going to be the bird.'

Little Raven had long disliked Plush Puff's snowy white, fluffy fur.

But between the Spirit Cat and Plush Puff, the former was clearly the priority.

Little Raven generously passed the task of thrashing Plush Puff to Cat-Worm.

Cat-Worm: ヽ⁠(⁠*ﾟ⁠ｰﾟ⁠*⁠)⁠ﾉ

'Awesome!'

'Let's go!'

'The dragon is always the most badass one!'

The Plush Puff, who got kicked out of the match by Little Raven: "?"

Its head felt dizzy.

Before it could figure out what was happening, a heavyweight contender came crashing down on it like Mount Tai.

Plush Puff: "!"

"Chirp!"

"Chirp chirp!"

'So fast, so fast!'

'Huff… It's getting hard to breathe!'

Facing Plush Puff, the Catworm fully unleashed a cat's subjective initiative, directly treating Plush Puff as its yarn ball. Under the playful torment of Catworm's seven legs, Plush Puff was already dizzy and disoriented.

It tried to resist... but failed.

This thing could use poison.

And the toxin wasn't something Plush Puff, a poison-type beast, could easily withstand.

After just a few moves—

Plush Puff completely lost its combat ability and lay flat, becoming the Catworm's new toy.

"My fluffball!" Freckled youth Devin let out a tragic wail as he watched from the sidelines, substituting his own feelings for Plush Puff's.

On the other side, Felix had a frustrated, "you're hopeless" expression.

A dignified second-rank Beastmaster's pet beast couldn't even beat the pet beast of a licensed Beastmaster?

In the end, didn't it still rely on him?

Being provoked face-to-face by a licensed Beastmaster's pet beast, having the urge to retaliate was understandable, right?

Flat-headed Felix, known for his stubbornness, picked Little Raven as his target for attack.

"Spirit Cat, pounce!"

The battle began… and ended.

The Spirit Cat had just leaped toward Little Raven when it triggered Little Raven's passive skill—King's Eye.

A true hero kills with their eyes (crossed out).

"Meow-ow!"

The searing flames of the Dance of Fire engulfed the Spirit Cat, causing it to let out a pitiful cry.

Although the Spirit Cat had learned a fire-attribute skill, it wasn't a fire-attribute beast and couldn't resist the damage caused by fire-attribute skills.

This backlash knocked the Spirit Cat out immediately.

In an instant, the room fell silent.

The two hired logistics personnel, Kelly, and Maxine all turned to look at Little Raven and the Spirit Cat.

"Spirit Cat?" Things were developing way too fast.

It was nothing like Felix had imagined.

He had prepared excuses for what to say if the bird got hurt, but he didn't expect his own Spirit Cat to be the first to collapse.

Felix: "???"

'What just happened? Who am I? Where am I?'

"You…!" Felix hurriedly picked up the Spirit Cat and turned to demand an explanation from Asher.

The next second—

A powerful aura swept through the entire room.

If others merely brushed past this strong aura, Felix was the only one in the room, including all the pet beasts, to face it directly.

For a moment, Felix's mind went blank.

In his vision, all he could see was Little Raven, wings spread, revealing dazzling gold and crimson feathers beneath, with an unmatched, piercing gaze.

Those gold and crimson eyes were filled with disdain, as if looking down on Felix from an unreachable height, as if saying: 'This is it?'

Felix: "…"

Felix's heart began to race uncontrollably.

Faster and faster, as if it might leap out of his chest any second… Flat-headed Felix's stubbornness vanished, leaving him so flustered he could barely breathe.

"Little Raven, that's enough." At this moment, Asher walked up behind Little Raven.

In a mother hen's embrace, he picked up the imposing Little Raven, who had spread its wings to threaten Felix.

He folded its wings.

Hugged it in his arms.

Little Raven: "?"

The aggressive aura from earlier instantly plummeted.

Little Raven tilted its head.

(￢_￢)

'Fine, fine.'

'What can a bird do? It likes its Beastmaster.'

Little Raven extended its wing and patted Asher's arm twice.

The overwhelming aura lingering in the room dissipated completely.

Asher stepped forward and picked up the Catworm, which was still toying with Plush Puff.

"That's enough; any more, and Plush Puff really won't make it." Saying this, Asher glanced at Plush Puff… feeling a bit guilty.

Just a little bit.

It wasn't clear whether it was due to the toxin or the Catworm's antics, but Plush Puff's once-pristine white fur had turned a dull gray, with streaks of black and purple.

Asher turned his head.

A battle… if you could even call it that, was bound to have a few accidents, wasn't it?

With this thought, Asher quickly carried his two mischievous little ones and left the battlefield.

The two hired logistics personnel breathed a sigh of relief, and the freckled youth Devin also exhaled deeply.

Then—

A loud "thud" echoed from the suite.

It was Felix, who had relaxed so completely that his legs gave out, his knees hitting the floor with a bang.

Devin: "…"

Devin looked around but saw no one willing to help. Out of camaraderie, he stepped forward to assist Felix—only to regret it immediately.

With a retching sound, Felix vomited all over Devin just as he was about to help.

The bond of brotherhood ends here today.

In any case, after this ordeal—

Felix didn't dare provoke Asher anymore.

The little Spirit Cat's burns were soon treated with Mr. Kelly's help.

The little Spirit Cat returned to being a lively and bouncing creature again.

However, the poison in Plush Puff was a bit tricky to resolve. Fortunately, Kelly, their logistic support, was reliable enough to fully detoxify Plush Puff in no time.

Thanks to this, Asher finally had a peaceful environment.

Whether it was because Felix realized Asher wasn't as he imagined or simply didn't want to embarrass himself further, Felix avoided lingering in Asher's presence for more than three seconds all night.

Even the freckled young man, Devin, who had previously shown disdainful glances at Asher, became so quiet that he could not be quieter.

Noticing this, Asher shook his head helplessly.

"Invincible… Truly lonely," Asher remarked with a sigh.

"Hm?" Maxine looked at Asher and curved her lips into a pleased smile. "Invincible? Want to spar with me? I'm very interested in your beasts—both of them."

The Oriental Peacock that evolved already exhibited considerable power.

What about the other one?

Maxine couldn't help but feel curious.

Don't underestimate Catworm—it might not have showcased any flashy abilities.

But that's only in comparison to Little Raven.

The aura Little Raven unleashed in the end was simply terrifying.

Even Maxine, who wasn't Little Raven's target, felt the sharp, needle-like prickling sensation on her skin.

That wasn't something an ordinary beast could achieve.

And Catworm? It hadn't even broken through the fourth tier yet. It was merely a third-tier mid-level beast and could treat a fourth-tier Plush Puff like a toy?

That was even more ridiculous than Little Raven.

"I'm joking," Asher said seriously, as if the words he had just spoken hadn't come from him.

Maxine snorted softly.

Fight a fifth-tier beastmaster?

Sorry.

Asher was impressive, but not that impressive.

Others: "…"

Not impressive enough?

Asher was already incredibly impressive.

This afternoon, Little Raven had already demonstrated its power to everyone.

Everyone also knew that Little Raven's level was fifth-tier mid-level.

Yet—

A first-tier beastmaster was only required to have one fifth-tier beast and two third-tier beasts.

Asher was just one step away from becoming a first-tier beastmaster.

As soon as Asher opened his third beast contract slot through meditation, he would officially be a first-tier beastmaster.

But how old was Asher?

In short, even Devin, who initially disliked Asher, now looked at him with admiration.

———

After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms.

Due to a limited number of suites, there weren't enough for all eight people to have their own room. Except for the three teachers and Asher, the others had to share rooms, two per room.

As soon as Felix entered the room, he huffed heavily and glared at Devin. "What was with that look you gave him earlier? Awe? What are you in awe of?"

He started with a fiery interrogation.

"I just think he's really skilled in beast cultivation," Devin replied unaffectedly as he sat on the bed. "At first, we disliked him because we thought he took Dustin's place—"

"Someone who didn't seem to have any real ability, likely just flaunting a fake reputation, and used connections to push Dustin out."

"If Dustin had been able to join the teachers, it would've been a great extracurricular opportunity to help her advance from intern researcher to level-five researcher."

"But facts speak louder than words. Beast cultivation and evolution may differ, but the fact he raised a beast to the fifth tier during high school is truly remarkable."

Felix frowned deeply. "What nonsense are you spouting? We agreed to stand against that guy, and now you're switching sides? No loyalty at all!"

"Those achievements might not even be his. The cultivation could've been done by someone else. Maybe it's his family's wealth or some Alliance sponsorship. There are tons of possibilities."

Devin shrugged and turned to change into pajamas, ready for bed.

"You just dislike him. You've already labeled him in your mind, and nothing I say will change that. So let's not bother discussing it anymore."

With that, Devin walked into the bathroom without sparing Felix another glance.

Felix: "…"

What a cold, heartless world!

He simply felt Asher didn't deserve his position.

So what if he was strong?

Did it have anything to do with researching beast evolution?

Being the strongest beastmaster didn't mean being the best evolution researcher. Besides, Asher wasn't even the strongest beastmaster yet.

Felix silently swore: No! He had to seize the opportunity to expose Asher's "lack of real talent".

To show everyone that Asher had no genuine expertise in beast research.

But just as he made this decision, images of Little Raven's majestic golden-red eyes flashed in his mind. Felix shuddered and… lost all nerve.

Felix: 'Sleep! Sleep! My brain isn't clear tonight. Things will make sense tomorrow morning.'

'But this matter isn't over yet!'

———

The Next Day

Asher woke up early, meditated with Little Raven and Catworm for about 30 minutes, and opened his eyes feeling refreshed and alert.

Using meditation to activate his groggy brain worked better than cold water.

"Little Raven, morning." Asher rubbed Little Raven's head with his left hand and kissed its forehead in greeting.

He turned to rub Catworm and kissed the center of its forehead. "Good morning, Catworm!"

"Meow!"

'I'm a dragon!'

'A dragon!'

Catworm's day began by correcting Asher's use of its name.

Catworm? No! It was the mighty, majestic Cat Dragon!

"Meow~ Meow~"

"Meow~ Meow~ Meow~"

Catworm then turned to Little Raven.

'Big Sis was so cool yesterday!'

'The dragon should learn from Big Sis. Protect the beastmaster!'

'The dragon didn't perform well enough yesterday.'

Little Raven patted Catworm.

'It's okay.'

'Take your time.'

'Getting stronger is a process.'

'You're doing great too.'

The two creatures happily chatted. Both were in great moods, while Asher, sitting between them, felt slightly conflicted.

Seriously?

They thought their strength wasn't enough and wanted to work harder?

The Plush Puff and little Spirit Cat they toyed with yesterday would probably cry if they heard that.

Asher opened his mouth to say something… but ultimately gave up.

Forget it.

It's better for other people's beasts to take a beating than his own.

Asher reached a perfect agreement with his two beasts.

After a quick wash-up, Asher took Little Raven and Catworm downstairs for breakfast. They then returned to the suite, packed their bags, and prepared to head out.

With three teachers and their work IDs, entering the forbidden zone was much easier this time.

All they needed to do was complete a simple registration process.

Nearly two months later, returning to the forbidden zone in Bluestone City, Asher couldn't help but sigh.

"It looks completely different from how it did during the New Year. All the Waving Verdant Grass is gone."

The Waving Verdant Grass, which used to be everywhere on the outskirts of the forbidden zone, was now completely gone.

"Hmph, can't even afford Waving Verdant Grass…" Felix muttered under his breath, though he dared not speak louder. Only Devin heard him.

Devin sighed.

Forget it.

No point arguing.

"You came here to harvest Waving Verdant Grass?" Harry asked in surprise. "It's not some rare herb. If you need it, just buy some—it's too much hassle to pick it yourself."

Both Maxine and Kelly agreed, nodding in support.

If money could solve the problem, why waste time?

"Hm?" Upon hearing this, Asher seemed to think of something. "Wait… Has the Bluestone City Beastmaster Alliance or the Cultivator Association announced any new updates?"

Everyone froze.

New updates?

What kind of updates?

Asher glanced around, confirming that no one else was nearby, then explained, "I discovered something special about the Waving Verdant Grass. I wasn't sure back then, so I reported it to Vice President Kerson of the Cultivator Association."

Asher recounted the incident.

There had been no news from Kerson's side so far, but sharing it with Harry and the others didn't seem like a problem.

They were all in the same circle, after all.

Selling the same piece of news to multiple parties for favors was understandable, right?

Especially since Asher was the one who made the discovery.

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Harry and Maxine's eyes instantly lit up. Even the usually stoic Kelly showed a hint of interest.

"Affinity? It can affect herb quality?" Harry exclaimed incredulously. "Seriously?"

She had never heard of such a thing.

Asher spread his hands. "Now that the Waving Verdant Grass is gone, I can't be sure. Maybe Vice President Kerson already has results?"

Harry: "Exactly! I'll message that guy as soon as we're back."

"Count me in," Maxine added.

If this was true… why hide it?

Did the Beast Association want to monopolize the discovery?

No way!

Not a chance!

Asher smiled faintly.

It didn't matter to him, anyway.

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