"How is it?" Kylin asked in a deep, calm voice, his expression unchanged.
Kent slightly nodded and replied, "It's familiarizing itself with a stronger version of itself. It'll come out soon."
Upon hearing this, Kylin's expression softened, and he couldn't contain his excitement. Without hesitation, he moved his massive body and positioned himself to peek into the secret chamber.
As he saw the third one, now much larger than the first and second, Kylin's eyes filled with shock and joy. He couldn't help but murmur to himself, "It really worked?!"
Just then, the third one opened its eyes after absorbing the power, its excitement evident. It shot out of the chamber and immediately approached Kylin, affectionately nudging him with its head while emitting a few excited cries.
Seeing this, Kylin's heart swelled with affection. He gently nodded in approval. The first and second, on the other hand, looked at Kent with eyes full of envy, jealousy, and longing, silently waiting for their turn.
Being the mother, Kylin couldn't help but notice the reaction of the other two. After a moment's thought, he turned to Kent and said, "You truly have great skill. As per our agreement, you and your three companions may leave unharmed."
Kent bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Your Excellency. We shall take our leave now."
The task of exploring the secret realm had been completed, but Kent still wanted to discuss the issue of the Scarlet Fire Mine with Kylin.
However, he couldn't bring it up himself, or he would fall into a passive position in the negotiation. If he acted like he had no attachment to the place, Kylin would be more rational and fair in their discussions.
Sure enough, seeing the strong desire in the eyes of the first and second, Kylin couldn't bear to send them away. Moreover, his appearance here was temporary. Soon, he would leave and find a new place, as staying here would attract unwanted trouble.
He didn't want to let Kent leave just like that. He had to seize this opportunity. If possible, he was even willing to pay a high price to help the other two evolve to the lower-tier Saint rank.
Moreover, Kylin had an audacious thought. If Kent could evolve creatures to the lower-tier Saint rank, could he possibly also evolve them to the mid-tier or even top-tier Saint ranks?
This was an important question. If Kent could do that, it would be extraordinary. To secure the future of his three children, Kylin might even offer Kent a contract for all three of them.
Of course, he doubted whether Kent would reveal such information. The young human didn't seem foolish enough to share everything.
As these thoughts flashed through Kylin's mind, he suddenly spoke up, calling out to Kent.
"Human, I have something to discuss with you."
Kent had anticipated this, but still feigned ignorance. "Please, Your Excellency, speak."
Kylin, confident in his status and strength, didn't beat around the bush. "I still have two children. Would you be able to help them evolve to the lower-tier Saint rank as well?"
Kent was momentarily stunned by the directness of the question but soon wore an apologetic expression, shaking his head in a way that showed his difficulty. "I must admit, Your Excellency, I do have the ability to help your two children evolve."
"However, as you saw earlier, the time it took for the third child to evolve was very short. This was thanks to my unique secret technique. It's fast, effective, and without any side effects, but it puts a strain on my body. I will need some time to recover."
Kylin nodded thoughtfully and didn't insist, realizing Kent made a valid point.
"Since that is the case, I won't push you. However, once you're fully recovered, remember to help my children evolve," Kylin said.
Kent immediately agreed without hesitation, but inwardly, he cursed: Old fool, who doesn't know there's no such thing as a free lunch? You think I'll let you get away with this? Even the King himself wouldn't accept it, let alone me!
"Of course, Your Excellency. However, I also have three beasts of my own, and my girlfriend's and my family's beasts are also waiting for my help. I will prioritize your children as much as possible, I promise. Rest assured," Kent declared, though his words subtly implied: Everyone has their own responsibilities. Why should I help you for free?
Even though Kent had said it so smoothly, Kylin didn't take offense. After all, his request had been rather excessive.
"Alright, Human, I will trust you for now. But of course, this favor won't come without a price. I will give you some compensation in return. How does that sound?" Kylin said.
Kent's expression brightened immediately. Now that Kylin had made this offer, he couldn't let the chance slip by. He had to seize the opportunity—otherwise, it might never come again.
"Your Excellency's love for your children is truly unparalleled. Since you've graciously offered, I'll have no choice but to help," Kent said, after considering it for a moment. "But may I ask what you can offer in return?"
Kylin glanced around the massive palace, which felt somewhat empty. He had been sleeping here for over three thousand years, and much of his wealth had been depleted during that time. The valuable treasures he kept were for his own use, and his three children were waiting for their rewards. He had very little to offer.
After a moment's hesitation, Kylin thought of something and turned to Kent. "How about the Scarlet Fire Mine?"
Kent was surprised. He had indeed been eyeing the Scarlet Fire Mine, but he hadn't expected Kylin to bring it up so directly. Could this be fate?
He responded quickly, "This mine contains an immense amount of fire energy—it's a vast resource that would be very useful to humans. However, I prioritize strengthening myself first. The rest of humanity comes second. Besides, the mine is so large, I wouldn't be able to carry it away with me. It would be quite a hassle."
"You make a valid point," Kylin agreed, sighing inwardly. Kent was right. However, regarding the second issue, Kylin had a solution.
"Human, your name is Kent, right?" Kylin asked.
"Yes, Your Excellency, what is your command?" Kent responded respectfully.
"I won't beat around the bush. Let's make a deal. If you can help my two children evolve in the next two months, I will give you the entire Scarlet Fire Mine," Kylin said bluntly.
"Of course, this does not include the high-grade Scarlet Fire Ore, but I will have all the remaining ores in the mine moved out of the secret realm, saving you the trouble of having to repeatedly enter to mine it."
Kylin emphasized, "So, what do you think?"