Candlelight City, Mayor's Office
An elderly man hurriedly entered the mayor's mansion, accompanied by a thin black iron beastmaster. This timid and frail young beastmaster was the one who interrupted Bai Zian's negotiation earlier.
"Butler Li, why did my uncle summon me? What's going on?" The skinny beastmaster asked the mayor's housekeeper, visibly puzzled.
The housekeeper responded, "Master Biao, you will find out soon."
The skinny beastmaster, still focused on finding the beautiful woman he had seen earlier, felt annoyed by the sudden summons. However, he had no choice but to comply.
"Master Biao, you will know when you arrive," the housekeeper replied hastily.
Upon entering the mayor's mansion, the skinny beastmaster was surprised to find the young man he had clashed with earlier seated in the first place. Even more unexpected was the mayor of Candlelight City standing beside the young man, not daring to take a seat.
"It's over, I've stepped into trouble!" The skinny beastmaster turned pale, realizing he had underestimated the situation.
The mayor of Candlelight City, in a fit of anger, scolded the skinny beastmaster, "Little beast, roll over here!"
In response to the mayor's command, the skinny beastmaster, now distressed, approached the mayor.
"Little bastard, using my reputation for your own gain! Today, I'll teach you a lesson for your audacity!" The mayor wielded a rattan and struck the skinny beastmaster on the back.
Bai Zian observed the scene with indifference, not intervening in the punishment.
After the mayor's chastisement, he presented a gilt-gold incomplete crystal core, asking Bai Zian if it was the one he sought.
"Good," Bai Zian nodded approvingly and then turned his attention to the battered skinny beastmaster lying on the ground.
"I told you that you'd willingly hand it over to me," Bai Zian remarked casually as he pocketed the incomplete crystal core.
Preparing to leave the mayor's mansion, Bai Zian didn't engage in further conversation. The mayor hurriedly offered a backpack as a form of apology, containing crystal cores and spirit beast materials. Bai Zian accepted the compensation without hesitation and left the premises under the escort of the mayor.
Only after Bai Zian's departure did the mayor return to the hall, leaving the skinny beastmaster groaning in pain on the floor.
"Usually, I've been lenient with you, which is why you find yourself in this predicament now," the mayor scolded the skinny beastmaster. "Improve your memory, or face the consequences."
The skinny beastmaster, in agony, inquired about Bai Zian's identity. The mayor, suspecting his nephew harbored thoughts of revenge, sternly warned him against any such notions.
"Stinky boy, after you recover, go to the military camp for some discipline. You are not allowed to step out without my permission," the mayor declared firmly.
The skinny beastmaster, horrified by the prospect of military camp life, pleaded with his uncle to reconsider. However, the mayor remained resolute, sentencing his nephew to endure the harsh training of the Candlelight City barracks. And so, a painful new life began for the skinny beastmaster.
The skinny beastmaster found himself tossed into the military camp for training, courtesy of the Candlelight City mayor.
Bai Zian, oblivious to these developments, showed no interest whatsoever. This whole affair was just a minor episode in his life.
After securing the incomplete king-level crystal core and giving the skinny beastmaster a much-needed lesson, Bai Zian swiftly departed from the mayor's mansion. Now, he stood at the Candlelight City train station, preparing to return to Bailin City.
Kaka!
A centipede-shaped spirit beast, resembling steel with blade-like toes, slowly glided into the train station - the Thousand Bladed Centipede Train, bound for Bailin City.
Without hesitation, Bai Zian, accompanied by Qiaogubai, boarded the Thousand-Blade Centipede Train, this time occupying a private carriage. His experiences had elevated him beyond the need for ordinary accommodations.
"After we reach Bailin City, Sister Bai Zhi will assist you in handling formalities. Meanwhile, take this opportunity to cultivate your bond with the mutant candlelight spider cub," Bai Zian instructed Qiaogubai. With summer vacation in full swing, he aimed to resolve Qiaogubai's matters during this downtime.
He specifically emphasized limiting Qiaogubai's interaction with the Bai family to mitigate potential issues arising from her extraordinary luck talent.
During the journey, the mutant candle flame spider spirit beast egg that Qiaogubai had contracted hatched, turning her pet into an official mutant candle flame spider. Qiaogubai couldn't be happier, and Bai Zian, though a bit bemused, didn't comment much.
The rest of the journey was uneventful, with only inconspicuous spirit beasts attempting to challenge the Thousand Bladed Centipede Train, all futile against its gold-level defenses.
Upon reaching Bailin City, Bai Zian felt a wave of emotion at the familiar sights. The entire experience had taken longer than anticipated, over 20 days, nearly a month.
He headed straight home, leaving Qiaogubai in the capable hands of Bai Zhi to attend to her affairs.
Returning to the City Lord's Mansion, the servants joyfully spread the news of Master Zi'an's return. Soon, Bai Zian's parents were at the door.
"The experience is back? It seems you've grown a lot," Father Bai Chengzhi remarked, a mixture of seriousness and joy in his eyes.
"Xiao An, you're quite tanned. It's too dangerous to venture into the wild alone," expressed Mother Lu Caiyun, her concern evident.
Bai Zian assured them he was fine, postponing his recount until after freshening up. Lu Caiyun promptly instructed the kitchen to prepare Bai Zian's favorite dishes.
After a satisfying meal, Bai Zian shared his experiences, omitting the more dangerous details to spare his mother's worry. Bai Zhi returned, informing him that the city lord requested his presence.
Heading to the office center, Bai Zian joined Bai Jingchong, who inquired about his experiences with a knowing smile.
Bai Jingchong had already received reports from the security team, and Bai Zian's growth rate astonished him. The contract with the White Scaled Fish, barely a month old, had propelled Bai Zian to the ninth order of inflow, on the brink of becoming a black iron beastmaster.
This exceptional progress, achieved in a fraction of the time it took others, left Bai Jingchong thoroughly impressed. However, what truly astounded him was Bai Zian's true combat power.