The Jade Dragon Festival celebration was nearing its end and folks began to leave the temple. However, what they witnessed today would be the topic of their conversations into the future.
Even after seeing their pet beasts evolve, the five lucky owners still felt as if it had all just been a dream. Each one of them would be experiencing a new life starting today. Whatever life they lived before this, it was all irrelevant now.
This was a shift in destiny.
Regular folks could take up jobs of a higher class with Rank 2 pet beasts while one could easily set up a new faction, thanks to the strength of a Rank 3 pet beast.
Five of them had even been eyed by some of the palace officials, who were ready to communicate with the lucky winners after this.
Leaving these menial matters aside, Lin Jin was now ready to depart. Having undergone this torturous ordeal since dawn, he was beyond exhausted. Truth be told, he could have put on an act while evolving those five pet beasts one by one, so that he could awe the audience as if it was a talent show.
But he didn’t.
He couldn’t be bothered. He simply used a pat, together with the pulse-seeking technique and his spirit energy to help the pet beasts evolve. Perhaps only he was the only person in this entire world who could use such an evolution method.
Just as he was ready to leave, he turned to see He Yu and He Qing approaching him.
“Appraiser Lin!” He Qing greeted. Lin Jin smiled back at them and paused in his tracks.
He Qing and Lin Jin could be said to be well acquainted with each other. They even met the last time when Lin Jin was here. However, the same could not be said for He Yu, who remained unconscious at that time, so her meeting with Lin Jin didn’t count. This would be the second time they saw each other.
The first time was several months ago at Maple City. Back then, Lin Jin was still a Rank 1 beast appraiser with a terrible reputation, and now, he was ‘Jade Dragon’s Supreme Appraiser’.
“Ah, nice to see you, princesses!” Lin Jin saluted.
“Please be at ease, Appraiser Lin,” said He Yu, who then bowed at him. “I would like to thank Appraiser Lin for saving my life. I’ve previously communicated to my father, my wish of thanking you personally at Maple City.”
Despite being sisters and looking somewhat similar, He Qing and He Yu had completely different personalities. He Yu was well-mannered and was a stickler to rules and customs. She wouldn’t even look at a person straight in the eyes. He Qing, on the other hand, didn’t care much for these made-up rules. Lin Jin was sure that if it weren’t for the people around them, He Qing would have brought him somewhere to talk their day away.
“Since we’re able to meet today, I don’t think Your Highness needs to make the trip to Maple City, yes?” Lin Jin asked with a smile.
“That won’t do!” He Qing started to panic. “We finally got a chance to leave the palace and travel. How could you not let us come?”
“You’re coming too?” Aware that He Qing was a playful lass who hated being locked up behind the palace walls, Lin Jin poked fun at her.
“Of course I’m going! Appraiser Lin, don’t you speak of this before father or he’ll retract his decree,” He Qing whispered.
“Deary me, mind your manners please, He Qing,” reproached He Yu. However, whilst feigning an air of indifference, she was casually stealing glances at Lin Jin. Her trick was, however, instantly exposed by He Qing.
“Wait a second, weren’t you looking forward to the trip as well? If you’re gonna act this way, I’m going to leave you behind and go on my own.”
He Yu stomped her foot in anger. Angrily, she pulled on He Qing’s robe.
“Hahaha, Yu’er, Qing’er, what are you girls talking about?” His Majesty He Qian made his way over smilingly.
Noticing that his two daughters were conversing with Lin Jin, His Majesty deliberately waited a while before joining their conversation. He Qian already knew of He Qing’s friendship with Lin Jin. In fact, he knew that the girl was acquainted with ‘Curator’.
Whatever happened inside the palace walls, He Qiang would find out about it sooner or later.
Once every week, the seventh princess would go missing for a while at night. At times, she would be gone for two hours, sometimes more. He Qing thought she had concealed her disappearances well, but how could she ever hide anything from He Qian? He Qian speculated this must be Curator’s doing.
He was baffled by the sudden evolution of He Qing’s pet beast. Later on, he learned that it had probably something to do with Curator, so after some bit of probing, he came to know that Curator had a phenomenal ability that allowed him to transport people to a mysterious place.
It was probably thanks to this technique that he was able to control the villainous experts too.
When He Qian first learned of this, he was worried that He Qing would be at a disadvantage since she was a young girl. But then, he asked her palace maidens in secret and they confirmed that Seventh Princess’ chastity was still intact, so He Qian knew he had been thinking too much. After a little more contemplation, he considered this a huge advantage. His plans weren’t something mere mortals could dare to imagine. Though, what if he intended to take his daughter in as his disciple?
Even if that wasn’t the case, the fact that she was chosen by him was good enough.
In any case, it was an opportunity. Furthermore, He Qian knew where his shortcomings were. As Emperor of Jade Dragon Kingdom, though he may seem invincible, He Qian knew how the world was filled with even more powerful individuals. The Emperor of an intermediate country like him wasn’t even worth mentioning compared to these people. Any person who owned a Rank 5 pet beast or was a Rank 4 beast appraiser could afford to dismiss him.
For this exact reason, He Qian had to work harder.
“Right, Yu’er, didn’t you have something you were going to help Appraiser Lin with?” He Qian suddenly asked. He Yu seemed to have recalled that too, but it was apparent that she was too shy to make the request directly.
“Appraiser Lin, since my daughter is too timid to ask, allow me to make this request on her behalf.” He Qian straightened up and said, “I’m sure that Appraiser Lin is aware that my sixth’s daughter has been ill since a young age so she had never formed a blood pact with any pet beast. If Appraiser Lin hadn’t helped us a while ago, she would have been gone from this world. Now that she has recovered, I’m seeking a pet beast that might suit her. Since Appraiser Lin is an expert in this field, we’d like to request your service.”
This was a request to appraise and select a pet beast for He Yu, and then he would help her form a blood contract.
These were basic skills that all beast appraisers were required to have.
Since He Qian had spoken, Lin Jin couldn’t well reject the invitation. Moreover, this was too simple a task so Lin Jin agreed to it without second thoughts.
“Great. Appraiser Lin must be tired now. Rest well and I will send someone to headquarters tomorrow to escort Appraiser Lin into the palace.”
Now that He Qian was letting him go, Lin Jin took the opportunity to bid goodbye. Both He Qing and He Yu seemed unsatiated but they dared not say anything else.
Upon returning to headquarters, Lin Jin sat down and took a sip of tea before finally starting to unwind.
‘I’ll never participate in this Jade Dragon Festival ever again,’ Lin Jin thought to himself.
He would rather fight a deadly battle.
As it got dark outside, someone delivered a packed meal to him. There were exquisite dishes, a bottle of aged liquor, and some dessert. However, Lin Jin was more concerned with the person who made the delivery.
It was Appraiser Tan Xun.
“Appraiser Tan, I can’t have you do this!” After opening the door, Lin Jin quickly took the box of food from Tan Xun’s hands.
Tan Xun smiled. “I was just thinking of meeting you so I brought it along with me.”
His tone was casual and nonchalant.
In headquarters, the person Lin Jin was closest to and respected the most was Appraiser Tan. Even though his beast appraising skills were far above Tan Xun’s, Lin Jin’s respect for him remained.
