Cody, do you know each other? Yang Feng asked, conveniently disregarding her last sarcastic remark.
Yes, Cody and Little Black replied in unison.
Curious, Yang Feng pressed further. What are you two talking about?
Cody responded dismissively, You don't need to know.
Ignoring Yang Feng, Cody turned to Little Black. Yang boy is your master's elder brother, so he will definitely help both of you. Just don't tell that little girl about me.
Yes, yes! Little Black said excitedly, looking eagerly at Yang Feng.
Yang Feng opened his mouth to ask another question but stopped, already imagining Cody's sarcastic retort. He sighed and decided against it.
"Brother, I already told you about my relic. Now tell me about yours!" Yang Lan's sweet voice pulled both Yang Feng and Little Black out of their 'meeting.'
Yang Feng smiled warmly and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Of course, but mine isn't as good as yours," he said with a doting tone.
(Cody: Hmph.)
(Little Black: Master's brother is very brave.)
Yang Lan tugged his arm eagerly, her eyes full of anticipation.
Yang Feng hesitated for a moment before taking out Cody, who was disguised as the Nine Element Divine Codex.
He had considered showing Yang Lan Cody's true form, but Cody had been adamant. Her final words had sealed the decision:
If you want to tell your sister about me, go ahead. But be ready to pay a certain price.
The word price had sent chills down Yang Feng's spine, making him abandon the idea altogether.
(Cody: And he thought I can't handle him.)
Yang Feng explained his nine-element affinity and how it restricted him to contracting wild-line creatures.
Yang Feng thought about it and finally decided to tell others that His pet level is restriction in exchange for Nine-Element affinity. As for cultivation technique, he has the genesis. In this way he can have a reasonable excuse about his pet grades.
Excitedly, she asked about his contracted beast.
Yang Lan was stunned speechless, And he said his relic is not as good as mine.
She then excitedly asked about Yang Feng's pet.
Yang Feng froze at her question, then quickly looked around, finally spotting Pearl beneath him.
Pearl was flushed red and gasping for breath. Yang Feng's expression turned guilty as he carefully picked him up.
When everyone saw him retrieving Pearl from underneath himself, they were stunned.
"Is this how you take care of your pet?" Yang Lan huffed, snatching Pearl from his hands. She cradled the exhausted creature gently while glaring at Yang Feng.
Yang Feng glanced around awkwardly.
Mayuri looked at him with disdain, even the usually stoic Bing Yan had a strange expression in her eyes, and his mother was smiling at him with amusement.
Scratching his head, Yang Feng stammered, "I was so excited about your arrival that I didn't notice Pearl..."
Yang Lan and Mayuri both rolled their eyes at him.
Yang Lan turned to Pearl. "Are you okay? If he treats you badly again, come to me. I'll teach him a lesson!" She punctuated her words with a light slap to Yang Feng's arm.
Yang Feng rubbed the spot, looking wronged but staying silent.
As the siblings talked, Zi Xuan, Bing Yan, and Mayuri excused themselves to visit Zi Xuan's room.
***
In Zi Xuan's room:
"Sister Xuan, do you really want Little Lan to go to the Skyfire Beastmaster Institute too?" Bing Yan asked, her tone laced with confusion.
"Yes," Zi Xuan replied simply.
Bing Yan frowned. "But aren't you the best person to teach her? You share the same attributes, and your expertise is unparalleled in this field."
Zi Xuan shook her head. "It's not the right time for them to know my identity," she said calmly.
The two then shifted to lighter topics.
Meanwhile, Mayuri, browsing on Zi Xuan's Star Watch, paid no attention to the conversation. Her thoughts were filled with plans to explore and have fun.
***
By the afternoon, Bing Yan and Mayuri took their leave, leaving Yang Lan free to drag Yang Feng through the bustling city streets.
***
That night:
Yang Lan chose to stay in her mother's room, just as Ao Xing.
From yesterday onward, neither his mother nor anyone else had mentioned Ao Xing's departure, a silent acknowledgment of Yang Feng's feelings.
On his bed, Yang Feng tried forming energy threads with his meager reserves of energy. Every time he was about to succeed, but the threads would collapse in the end.
He was practicing the skill Pearl had provided: Silken Thread.
Silken Thread: Allows Beastmasters to weave their energy into fine threads, enabling better energy control and serving as both a tool and a weapon.
Cody had called it trash. However, she'd added, "If used properly, this trash can become a really perverted skill."
Yang Feng wasn't sure if she was serious or just mocking him, but he kept trying, only to fail repeatedly.
Running low on energy, he decided to switch to cultivating Genesis.
As he meditated, Cody materialized above him, same scene repeated as last night.
The first stage of Beastmaster cultivation was straightforward: part of the energy gathered during cultivation was absorbed by the Beastmaster, while other part was shared with their pet, strengthening the bond between them. Once the bond reached a certain level, telepathic communication became possible, Indicating that Beastmaster has reached second level.
Yang Feng's ability to communicate with Cody and Little Black telepathically was only possible because of Cody's unique connection, acting as an intermediary.
***
Three Days Later. At the space station:
Yang Feng, Yang Lan, and Zi Xuan sat in the waiting area. Three days had passed, and today, they were set to leave for the Skyfire Beastmaster Institute with Sheng Li.
Yang Lan had already told Yang Feng of her decision to join the institute. He wasn't surprised—he had even planned to ask Sheng Li for help if Yang Lan wasn't admitted.
"Teacher Sheng is here," Yang Feng said, spotting Sheng Li entering the waiting room.
He and Yang Lan rushed over.
"Teacher Sheng, you're finally here!" Yang Feng greeted him warmly.
Sheng Li smiled kindly and turned to Yang Lan. "And who might this lovely young lady be?"
Yang Feng introduced his sister and mentioned her plans to join the institute. Sheng Li was stunned but quickly masked his surprise, silently cursing the investigation department for their incompetence.
Outwardly, he maintained a professional smile. "Wonderful! Let's head out. The ship departs in fifteen minutes."
Zi Xuan approached to bid farewell. Hugging her mother tightly, Yang Lan's eyes filled with tears.
***
The spaceship, a metallic white saucer emblazoned with a fiery emblem stood like a majestic beast.
As they boarded, Yang Feng glanced back at his mother one last time, his eyes misty. Yang Lan waved, tears streaming down her face.
The ship took off smoothly, so much so that Yang Feng barely felt any motion.
Once in space, he saw a bright white star in the distance, encircled by three glowing rings.
"Skyfire Beastmaster Institute, here I come!" Yang Feng declared, clenching his fists.