"Grandpa, my gut feeling is tingling, something's up, and it's tied to spirit beasts," Bai Zian said, fixing his gaze on Bai Jingchong.
Bai Jingchong's face froze at the unexpected revelation. After a moment, he sighed deeply, his discomfort evident. "Surprisingly, your intuition hits the mark. Yes, my pet beast fell in battle," he admitted, though his demeanor betrayed little sorrow. As the city's lord, he couldn't afford to display weakness in front of his subordinates.
Bai Zian, understanding the delicate situation, offered comforting words before steering the conversation to the business at hand. "Grandpa, with your vacant imperial beast seat, have you considered what kind of beast to contract now?"
"A new beast? I'm thinking of acquiring a top-tier gold or stepping up to a diamond-level spirit beast directly," Bai Jingchong replied after some contemplation. As a high-level beastmaster, he wasn't confined to starting contracts with cubs or eggs. He had the privilege to contract fully grown beasts.
Bai Zian, pushing further, inquired, "Grandpa, what if there's a spirit beast cub with growth potential surpassing even diamond level? Would you consider it?"
"Beyond diamond level? Like an Amethyst level? Who wouldn't want to contract an Amethyst-level spirit beast cub?" Bai Jingchong responded, shaking his head at the rarity of such finds.
Smiling knowingly, Bai Zian produced a basketball-sized spirit beast egg. Recognition flashed in Bai Jingchong's eyes. "Isn't this the egg you bought in Scarlet Wing City? Why bring it out now?"
"Wait, Xiao An, could this egg have Amethyst-level qualifications?" Bai Jingchong asked, connecting the dots.
Bai Zian confirmed it, explaining his gut feeling led him to this rare find. Bai Jingchong, thrilled, hugged the egg tightly, momentarily lost in his dreams. Eventually, he composed himself, handing the egg back to Bai Zian.
"Xiao An, keep this spirit beast egg. When you reach the bronze level, make it your contract," Bai Jingchong said, prioritizing Bai Zian's potential over his own desires. Bai Zian, moved by the gesture, assured him of his capability to handle it.
The revelation that Bai Zian's own beasts had qualifications beyond diamond level surprised Bai Jingchong. He urged Bai Zian to contract the Amethyst-level egg, trusting his judgment. Bai Zian agreed, and Bai Jingchong, finally at ease, accepted the egg.
However, Bai Zian recalled his original purpose—to warn Bai Jingchong about the merging worlds. The conversation took a turn, and Bai Zian shared a strange precognitive vision of the two worlds colliding during the recent earthquake.
As Bai Jingchong processed this information, his face turned pale, realizing that their troubles were far from over.