"Sister Bai Zhi, sister Bai Shao, shall we step out for a stroll?" Bai Zian suggested, having made up his mind, and summoned Baizhi and Baishao. He was ready to explore outside for potential opportunities.
Baizhi and Baishao readily agreed, and with that, Bai Zian proceeded to exit the City Lord's Mansion. He swiftly arrived at a bustling market in Bailin City, one of the three super-large markets that housed various auction houses and shops dealing in spirit beast materials.
However, instead of directly visiting the stores, Bai Zian chose to enter a teahouse, intending to gather information at a leisurely pace. Teahouses often attracted diverse guests, and eavesdropping on their conversations could yield interesting news.
As Bai Zian entered, the teahouse owner greeted him with a flattering smile, indicating his status as a regular customer. Ignoring the flattery, Bai Zian requested the usual and settled into a corner to listen to the patrons' discussions.
"I heard that Lightning Sand, a diamond-grade material, appeared at the Lan Lan City auction. Is that true?" one guest inquired.
"I was there! The auction was intense; even the Lan Lan City lord participated," another confirmed.
The teahouse buzzed with discussions about diamond-grade materials, achievements of young beastmasters, and tales of powerful individuals. Bai Zian sipped his tea, quietly absorbing the news.
Eventually, Bai Zian decided to leave, planning to verify his assumptions about the power of the beast. Before that, he practiced constructing a protective shield using the perfect shield construction method revealed by the [Eye of Apocalypse].
Days passed, and Bai Zian, now with a protective shield, felt safer. He then decided to venture out for two crucial tasks: finding the remaining materials for the Awakening Source Liquid and contracting a second beast.
Summoning his sisters, Bai Zian headed to Dongshi, one of Bailin City's three large markets. As he entered a teahouse there, the patrons discussed various topics, occasionally veering toward Bai Zian's family. Despite trying to remain inconspicuous, some guests brought up Bai Zian's name, speculating about his potential as a beastmaster.
Amused by the unintentional attention, Bai Zian enjoyed his tea until the conversations shifted away from him. Satisfied with the gathered information, he left the teahouse, only to be greeted by his enthusiastic younger brother, Fatty Yuan Potian.
"Bai Zian, where have you been? I've missed you!" exclaimed Yuan Potian.
After some banter, Fatty Yuan excitedly revealed that he had contracted a powerful beast. Bai Zian, without hesitation, guessed it to be the Iron Armored Ape arranged by his family.
"Sorry, I thought I could give you a surprise," Fatty Yuan apologized, realizing that Bai Zian had guessed correctly.
"It's a bit of a letdown. Originally, I aimed to discover a beast with greater potential."
"But my father disagreed. He insisted that I must form a contract with the Iron Armored Ape, or he wouldn't allow me to venture out and even threatened to break my legs."
In desperation, I had no choice but to contract the Iron Armored Ape."
Fatty Yuan expressed his helplessness, a tinge of distress evident in his tone.
In reality, the Iron Armored Ape, a long-standing tradition in the family, wasn't his first choice!
Fatty Yuan, however, found himself unable to defy his father, ultimately opting to form a contract with the Iron Armored Ape.
And so, this is where we find ourselves.
"Well, it's budget-friendly, and your Iron Armored Ape is indeed quite formidable."
"Utilizing your [Possession] talent and nurturing it properly will undoubtedly be a significant asset."
Bai Zian playfully punched him, casting an amused look at Fatty Yuan.
Honestly, for ordinary beastmasters, the Yuan family's Iron Armored Ape is undoubtedly a superior spirit beast.
The Iron Armored Ape boasts two distinctive features.
Firstly, exceptional defense.
Secondly, immense strength.
These traits are evident in its very name.
A combination of formidable defense and raw power, the Iron Armored Ape is a natural-born warrior.
Despite lacking additional attributes, the Iron Armored Ape's superior defense and strength result in a devastating combatant.
It's no wonder the Yuan family, with the aid of the Iron Armored Ape, not only reached the gold level but also attained the prestigious rank of senior generals in Bailin City.
Adding to the equation, Fatty Yuan's talent is noteworthy.
An A-level talent [possession].
[Possession]: Allows the pet beast to attach itself to the master, blending their powers and enabling the beastmaster to harness the pet's strength.
Fatty Yuan's talent in beast fighting is commendable.
This unique beast-fighting talent, coupled with the family's Iron Armored Ape, forms a formidable partnership in battle.
Despite Fatty Yuan consistently appearing aggrieved and resentful in front of Bai Zian, in the eyes of ordinary folks, he would still be considered a genius.
Yet, in the presence of Bai Zian, a super genius, Fatty Yuan refrains from being obstinate, fully aware that he can't afford to be.
Such is the predicament of Fatty Yuan.
Hence, Bai Zian's encouraging words.
"Alright, if Brother An says so, then I'll adhere to Brother An's advice."
Fatty Yuan nodded, stowing away the look of helplessness.
He always heeds Bai Zian's counsel.
"Oh, by the way, Brother An, it's a rare occasion that you're out today. How about we go and have some fun? I've found an entertaining spot."
Suddenly, Fatty Yuan's expression changed, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as if he had stumbled upon something exciting.
Bai Zian couldn't help but feel exasperated.
Knowing Fatty Yuan well, whatever he had in mind was unlikely to be a good idea.
To be honest, their past escapades weren't necessarily praiseworthy, but that was the folly of youth.
Now, as beastmasters, they couldn't afford the same luxury.
Moreover, Bai Zian had pressing matters at hand, leaving no room for frivolous activities.
"Let it go, I'm going to wander around the market and see if I can find anything interesting."
Bai Zian declined Fatty Yuan's suggestion without much ado.
Subsequently, Bai Zian strolled towards Market Street.
"Sure, you're the boss, and your decision is final."
"If there's anything you want to buy, let me take a look for you."
Fatty Yuan accepted Bai Zian's refusal with a nonchalant shrug.
Back in their carefree days, when they engaged in mischief, Bai Zian often took charge.
Given Bai Zian's disinterest in leisure now, Fatty Yuan didn't push the matter further.
Accompanying Bai Zian, Fatty Yuan naturally fell into step as they leisurely explored the street.
Bai Zian didn't dwell on the topic.
After all, having someone to converse with during a stroll was pleasant enough.
For a while, the two engaged in conversation while navigating the busy street.
However, Bai Zian's focus remained attuned to his surroundings, his attention primarily on detecting potential items of interest.
He had long activated the [Eye of Apocalypse] for detection purposes.
Speaking of [Eye of Apocalypse], Bai Zian recalled something noteworthy.
With his advancement to the black iron level, the detection range of the [Eye of Apocalypse] had significantly expanded.
During its initial awakening, Bai Zian could only detect within a 10-meter radius centered on himself.
Now, at the black iron level, Bai Zian could discern events within a 100-meter radius.
This expansive range enhanced the detection capabilities of the [Eye of Apocalypse].
To put it plainly, [Eye of Apocalypse] had undergone an upgrade!
As Bai Zian traversed the street, nothing within the shops escaped his scrutiny.
[Crystal nucleus of the black iron-level spiritual beast, Red Fire Dog, located 75 meters to the left.]
[Bronze-grade material, poisonous root, identified 55 meters to the right.]
[...]
As Bai Zian opened the [Eye of Apocalypse], notifications continuously popped up before his eyes.
This posed a challenge for Bai Zian.
With various notifications bombarding him, pinpointing what he needed became increasingly challenging.
Consequently, Bai Zian's pace slowed.
Fatty Yuan, trailing behind, grew curious about Bai Zian's actions.
Ultimately, Bai Zian had to resort to blocking the detection of resources below the silver level.
Indeed, [Eye of Apocalypse] could selectively block certain notifications.
Bai Zian was well-versed in this functionality.
Typically, he refrained from blocking prompts, as even lower-level items might possess unique qualities.
However, the incessant flood of notifications this time left Bai Zian with no choice.
A myriad of notifications continued to distract him.
Bai Zian, after some consideration, opted to block all notifications below the silver level.
Instantaneously, the world seemed clearer to Bai Zian.