Chapter 40: Excited Visitors
Lin Jin knew he couldn’t reveal his real name. With his current insignificant status, exposing his ident.i.ty would no doubt bring calamity upon himself.
But he needed a form of address too. When looking at the curator’s sign in his hand, Lin Jin decided that from now on in the visitation hall, he would be known as the ‘Curator’.
The curator of the Museum of Deadly Beasts.
He Qing nodded and retreated with satisfaction. Lin Jin tossed the rainbow scale up and it turned into a ray of light before being recorded in the museum.
“Rift beast, symphony jade dragon!”
“Recorded rift beasts 1/10.”
As a humongous specimen appeared, Lin Jin was gaping. No doubt the size of this ma.s.sive creature was the largest pet beast Lin Jin had ever seen. Although it was floating in the air, its estimated height was at least three feet tall with the width of two adults’ arm lengths. The creature was covered in colorful scales and had two horns on its head, four claws on each limb.
Lin Jin turned to the tablet’s description. This creature was born as a level three and its potential growth was up to level six.
Lin Jin was getting emotional. This world had too many rare creatures and different categories. There were even more powerful pet beasts and could all be recorded in the museum. When that time came, Lin Jin would definitely receive more rewards.
Just like this evaluation result from the museum, this symphony jade dragon had been cla.s.sified as a ‘rift beast’. Lin Jin had no idea was a rift beast represented but no doubt, it was more precious than rare beasts and mutated eggs.
If he could meet the reward standards, G.o.d knows what delightful achievement could he get?
At this thought, Lin Jin rubbed his hands together in glee.
Composing himself, Lin Jin glanced at the three people. He was now sure that due to visitor limitations, his guests couldn’t see images and descriptions of the recorded beasts. Otherwise, how could they look so calm with a gigantic specimen floating on air?
With a wave, Lin Jin recorded the specimen into the museum and asked, “What about the others? Do you have something you want to ask?”
Black Crow was still hesitating while out of thin air, a person suddenly appeared.
This person was wearing a peculiar scaled armor, s.h.i.+elding his body completely while a chameleon rested on his shoulders.
Black Crow’s pupils immediately dilated at the sight of him.
“So it was him. The Phantom Thief, Jiang Ziqi.” Clearly, Black Crow had heard of this man before.
Jiang Ziqi stepped up and bowed before speaking respectfully, “Curator, I’d like to ask if you know how to cure a pet beast’s grave illness.”
Lin Jin nodded. “If you can provide me the fur, scale, or blood sample of said pet beast, I can answer this question for you.”
He could see Jiang Ziqi’s body shudder before the latter said, “I didn’t bring it today. May I ask when can I return again so I could seek your guidance.”
“Uhm…” Lin Jin was just worrying about the answer when he felt the curator’s sign vibrate. Looking down, he saw another row of words.
“Visitation Hall opened once every seven days. Visitors can enter with their visitation signs.”
‘There really is an answer.’
Lin Jin read out this new description and Jiang Ziqi retreated with satisfaction. When the guests entered, hanging on their doors was a wooden number sign. His was number six.
He Qing was holding number five while Black Crow held number seven.
“Any other questions?” Lin Jin wanted to record more rare species so he asked kindly.
Black Crow was hesitant but finally couldn’t contain himself. After discussing it with the black falcon, he plucked out a feather and stepped up, asking respectfully, “Curator, sir, is there any way to help my black falcon evolve?”
It was obvious how much Black Crow desired to evolve his black falcon. He knew better than anyone else how terrifying a high-leveling pet beast could be. The man had many enemies. While his level four pet beast was enough to overpower most of his opponents, the strongest pet beasts in this world were not only level four.
If there was an opportunity to promote the black falcon to level five, Black Crow felt excited just thinking about how glorious it would be.
Only, in the past few years, Black Crow had sought guidance from experts and tried many methods but he couldn’t find a way to help his pet beast level up. This had now become his greatest wish.
This curator was oh-so powerful and could easily intimidate his black falcon. Perhaps the man could truly provide him with answers.
Lin Jin had read through the black falcon’s description. Truthfully speaking, there were several methods to evolve the creature but they were all incredibly difficult. After all, the black falcon’s potential was low and it was already a level four. Wanting to improve a near-perfect creature was harder than evolving lower-leveled pet beasts.
Although Lin Jin had the answers, he didn’t give them.
While he said he wouldn’t punish the man for being impertinent, that didn’t mean Lin Jin wouldn’t hold a grudge. So with a fling of his sleeve, Lin Jin said icily, “Guest number seven, you’ve attempted an a.s.sault in the museum today. While it’s your first offense and I can excuse a punishment, but I’ll have to incur a small penalty nonetheless. I can give you the evolution method for this black falcon but you will have to wait until the next time. Also, you have to bring me samples of at least twenty rare beasts, otherwise, don’t think about obtaining this method.”
Lin Jin knew how scarce rare beasts were. And to have the man collect fifty in a week was too difficult a task so twenty should be fine. By then, he’d be closer to getting fifty rare beasts recorded. After all, only at fifty recorded rare beasts would the museum award him with part two of the Beast Energy Formation.
As for how powerful this skill was, Lin Jin knew better than anyone after Xiao Huo had cultivated it. Moreover, among the methods to evolve Xiao Huo, if Lin Jin intended to promote the little guy with perfect evolution again, he needed the remaining Beast Energy Formation parts.
“Remember, the samples mustn’t be a repeat or they won’t be counted,” Lin Jin added.
Black Crow immediately registered it in his mind.
While this was a little troublesome, Black Crow knew that his life was spared today so he wouldn’t dare to ask for more. Also, this mysterious and almighty curator had said that there was a way to evolve the black falcon. He might just be speaking the truth.
His task was just to collect samples of rare beasts and wait for another seven days. That wouldn’t be a problem. He had been waiting for so many years, so what’re another seven days?
It was clear that he could only obtain so much from this first visit. A total of four rare beasts were recorded which included a ‘rift beast’ in the mix. This was already good enough.
Having spent quite some time here, Lin Jin now planned to leave.
“The museum is closing. Dear guests, please return through the wooden doors.”
After Lin Jin had spoken, the three guests quickly left through their own doors, holding onto their thoughts.
Black Crow opened to door and sure enough, there was a crack in the empty s.p.a.ce. He stepped through it without hesitation and the next moment, he returned to where he came from, the ancient immortal’s cave he and his comrades had found.
His surroundings were dark and the rift behind him had disappeared. Black Crow stood there for the longest time, no one knew what he was thinking. Just then, someone came over from a tunnel beside him.
This person had long robes covering his face, boils all over his arms. There was a stench on him, and following beside him was a large green centipede.
This centipede was taller than a man when it stood up, ghastly to look at.
“Black Crow, where did you run off to? Why couldn’t we find you anywhere?” this man immediately asked when he found Black Crow.
Black Crow turned, regaining his domineering aura. “Poison Centipede, do I have to report to you wherever I go? How’s the excavation of this immortal’s cave coming along?”
The man named Poison Centipede wasn’t bothered by Black Crow’s tone. After all, Black Crow was the strongest of the group.
“It’s not going so well. Rodent encountered some resistance and almost died down there.” Poison Centipede grinned maliciously. Even the lives of his comrades were nothing to him.
This was how their group worked. They only gathered for the sake of profit.
Black Crow was now eyeing that large green centipede, suddenly saying, “This centipede of yours is a rare beast, isn’t it? Quick, give me a drop of its blood.”
***
In some secret forest, the man nicknamed Phantom Thief, Jiang Ziqi was looking at the tiny mountain that was a ma.s.sive lizard in deep sleep muttered to himself, “For the sake of rescuing you, I need to take one of your scales. Let’s hope that the curator can create a miracle.”
Inside the palace of Jade Dragon Kingdom.
By now, dawn was breaking. However, the palace had fallen into chaos because their seventh princess suddenly went missing without a trace. The imperial guards were going crazy with anxiousness.
Just then, a guard shouted, “We’ve found the seventh princess!”
He Qing chased everyone out of the room with a random excuse, somehow managing to fool them for now. No one asked her about her disappearance for several hours anymore.
After all, she had returned safely.
At that moment inside her room, He Qing’s eyes were sparkling as she jumped up and down with joy.
“Xiao Die, not only did we go outside, but we even went to a mysterious place. With this visitation sign, we can head there every seven days. And this is only the beginning. Sooner or later, we can venture to the famous mountains and rivers outside. But before that, I have to help you evolve. When you reach level three and can change your shape at will, you can take me outside secretly to play.”
Just then, someone called out from outside her door, “Your Highness, the Sixth Princess has fainted again.”