Finally, Lin Jin figured out the answer to the question.
Blood pact.
The key was in their blood pact.
Beasts who had formed blood pacts couldn’t turn into monsters and it was the same the other way around. Monsters couldn’t form blood contracts with humans. This was a fact clearly written in the Museum of Deadly Beasts.
As Lin Jin knew about the Beast Energy Formation as well, Shang’er’s hesitance faded away. She made up her mind and agreed to show Lin Jin the temple deep inside the mountains.
However, they had to wait until Little Nine made a full recovery.
Lin Jin estimated that the foxes’ level of cultivation for the Beast Energy Formation had exceeded part three. At the very least, Beast Energy Formation Part Three was no longer useful for Shang’er.
She didn’t need it, and neither did Little Five. But the rest of the litter, Little Six, Little Seven, Little Eight, and Little Nine needed it. Maybe it was because they possessed near-human intelligence, or perhaps they were ‘ordered’ by Shang’er, these little foxes scrambled over without warning and kneeled before Lin Jin.
Lin Jin feigned confusion but Shang’er decided to cut straight to the chase when she knelt down before him. “Sir, please take pity on us. We sisters were originally wild beasts who stumbled upon a chance at cultivation. Once we’ve embarked on this path, there’s no turning back. All these years we’ve been searching arduously for a way to advance but to no avail. Today, we were fortunate enough to meet you, Sir. You seem well-informed of this cultivation technique, so please sympathize with our grueling quest and enlighten us. We would like to study under your guidance and honor you as our teacher. If ever do we violate this sacred bond, may the heavens punish us.”
Having said that, she bowed low, prostrating before Lin Jin.
The little foxes mimicked her movement and prostrated as well.
Lin Jin was at a loss of what to do.
“Please get up. It’s not that I don’t want to teach you, it’s just that what I know… is equally limited…”
Halfway through, Lin Jin suddenly figured that he had no reason to reject them.
While it was true that he had limited knowledge of the Beast Energy Formation, it didn’t mean his knowledge wouldn’t eventually grow. If the number of rare beasts he recorded continued to increase, he would obtain the successive Beast Energy Formation cultivation techniques as well.
In addition, the ‘Demonic Transformation’ he had just received was a complete set of the many monster-dedicated spells available. This set included thirty-six spells and simply offering one spell was enough for the receiving monster to treasure it dearly.
The only issue here was how local authorities everywhere would kill monsters on sight, treating them as harbingers of disaster.
Although these little foxes were monsters, they were awfully kind. And considering how easily they were able to locate and obtain berries and spirit herbs, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that this forest provided them with a source of food. In other words, they do not feast on humans. Little Five in particular even saved a human. It was hard for one to claim that these foxes had the tendency to harm a human being.
‘Forget it!’
Lin Jin made a decision.
“Get up. I can teach you the knowledge you are seeking, but there’s no need to swear allegiance to me.”
Thrilled, the little fox cubs were about to get up when Shang’er snapped at them, frightening them back into their kneeling positions.
“Sir, Shang’er was secretly exposed to this world ten years ago and have since read as many books as Shang’er can find. Shang’er understands the need for courtesy, justice, and shame. Shang’er also understands the need to respect one’s teacher, so if Sir is willing to teach, taking in even a single word from you makes us your students. We ought to know our place and show respect.”
Lin Jin smiled, amused by how these monsters actually had more manners and courtesy than some human beings.
“Alright, if you want to become my students formally, then so be it.”
It was considered an approval.
After all, it was beneficial to Lin Jin as well. Shang’er alone possessed incredible prowess as a Rank 4 monster. At the present stage, even if Goldy and Xiao Huo worked together, they still couldn’t leave a scratch on her. Lin Jin may find himself needing assistance from an expert like her someday.
The only thing upsetting for Lin Jin was how, after so much work here and there, it was mostly just him helping everyone else out.
All the cultivation methods he obtained were for beasts only. He hadn’t gotten anything useful for himself.
His only considerable gain was the pulse-seeking technique. However, it obviously wasn’t sufficient to rely solely on this one technique.
Hence, Lin Jin was keen on searching for the temple in the mountains Shang’er had mentioned. Perhaps he would discover hints that would lead him to the individual who had been living in seclusion there previously.
And what if the traces belonged to an immortal?
At the thought of immortals, Lin Jin felt his body shudder with excitement. His mind was filled with otherworldly skills like soaring in the skies and breathing underwater.
After checking the time, Lin Jin told Shang’er he would return by tomorrow night to change Little Nine’s medicine. He would also teach them some of the cultivation techniques then.
Carrying Goldy in his arms and getting onto Xiao Huo’s back, Lin Jin hurried back to Maple City before dawn broke.
Tonight’s adventure was simply too bizarre. Lin Jin wondered if it was the effect of those berries but he didn’t even feel an ounce of drowsiness.
Back at the Beast Appraisal Association, Lin Jin was still wide awake and vigorous.
He carefully put away the spirit herbs and the ginseng the foxes had given him. Lin Jin wasn’t short on cash for the time being. He had received several hundred taels from helping the Zu family in beast appraising back then and he had just had a pay raise, making his salary sufficient enough to cover his daily expenses.
As for the materials required for Xiao Huo’s evolution, he would leave it to the visitors of the Visitation Hall to gather them for him.
It was another busy morning of appraising and treating beasts. Everything was done systematically.
Zhao Ying, Lu Xiaoyun, and Han Dong were learning quickly. After all, they were working under Lin Jin’s personal guidance. When Lin Jin was evaluating beasts, he would simultaneously explain the techniques and knowledge involved to help them understand their job better.
There were rumors that the trio tidied up the evaluation reports Lin Jin wrote every day just for the sake of studying them later on. It would be an odd occurrence if any of them didn’t show signs of improvement by now.
Hence, whenever he came across some simpler evaluations or treatment procedures, Lin Jin would let the trio take over.
Among the three of them, Zhao Ying was no doubt strongest in terms of knowledge. Based on Lin Jin’s evaluation of her performance, she was even worthy of having her own consultation hall.
By noon sharp, an apprentice came looking for Lin Jin, saying that the chief was requesting an urgent audience with him.
Ever since Tan Lin officially took office, Lin Jin hadn’t seen her. Speaking of which, Tan Lin was quite a capable individual. In just a few days, she managed to set in stone, ground rules that applied to the entire Maple City’s Beast Appraisal Association. Things were so much better now compared to when the association was under Wang Ji’s dictatorship.
In addition, Lin Jin heard that Tan Lin had made a formal request to headquarters, asking to increase the number of official beast appraisers allowed in Maple City’s branch. After all, compared to the neighboring cities around, Maple City’s Beast Appraisal Association’s granted amount of official positions were too pitiful in comparison.
Other associations had at least four official positions and some even had over ten positions.
This would have been an impossible task if it were up to that wretched Wang Ji, but Tan Lin was different. She had connections and a reliable network, so while the mission seemed initially unfeasible, it was almost in the bag.
Tan Lin was not in her consultation hall but at the main beast appraisal hall. Just as Lin Jin found it odd, he noticed many people gathered outside the main hall. Among them were quite a few unfamiliar faces.
Suddenly, Lin Jin spotted Gao Jiang hurrying over as well.
Upon seeing Lin Jin, Gao Jiang deliberately ignored him and picked up his pace, entering the main hall before Lin Jin.
Lin Jin maintained his leisurely pace. By the time he entered, he could see Tan Lin ‘conversing merrily’ with a few people.
These people all had beast patterned sleeve guards. At least four of them were Rank 2 beast appraisers.
On the surface, it seemed like a harmonious gathering, but once inside, Lin Jin could smell explosives. And the stench was quite intense at that.
When she saw Gao Jiang and Lin Jin entering successively, Tan Lin got up at once, saying, “Chief Xu and fellow appraisers, allow me to introduce you. These two are the official beast appraisers of Maple City, Appraiser Lin Jin, and Appraiser Gao Jiang.”