On the surface, Lin Guang smiled as if completely unaffected by the oppressive atmosphere. But in his mind, a thought suddenly surfaced.
Although Spirit Taming Chronicle had roguelike elements, it still followed certain underlying rules. For example, in the game, taking down the underground black market of a city was always part of an extremely difficult questline—one that required strength capable of defeating an ordinary six-star Spirit Tamer.
He wasn't some extreme animal rights activist. But spirit beasts that once had owners usually ended up here because something had happened to their masters.
Seeing them being sold—and treated like this—still made him uncomfortable.
Before long, a nauseating stench of rot and blood drifted through the air ahead.
Instinctively pinching his nose, Lin Guang asked, "Ugh… Demon Realm Flower?"
"…Yes."
The masked man paused slightly, sounding a bit surprised.
The Demon Realm Flower—typically Green Excellent-tier—had saliva containing a wide variety of toxins. It could release a sweet fragrance that induced sleep, but under certain conditions (like combat or injury), it emitted a nauseating, foul-smelling toxic gas. Even air-purifying spirit beasts struggled to disperse it. It had nothing to do with actual demons—the name came purely from its grotesque appearance and stench.
Its main attribute was Poison, but it could also master Wind and Earth-type skills. It usually lived deep within inland mountain forests, making it relatively rare.
"Let's try another," Lin Guang said, shaking his head while holding his nose.
Losing seven years of dating prospects from high school to college was one thing—but he genuinely couldn't tolerate that smell or its nightmare-inducing appearance.
Besides, at such close range, his sensory talent showed no reaction at all—calm as still water. That meant they weren't compatible.
"Understood."
The masked man nodded stiffly and changed direction.
Soon, they arrived at a special enclosure made entirely of transparent alloy glass. It appeared empty, yet four cloaked figures stood around it, observing.
Given his knowledge, only a handful of spirit beasts required such containment. Combined with the empty appearance, Lin Guang blurted out:
"There's actually an Akarin Spirit here?"
"…Yes." The masked man's tone again carried a hint of astonishment.
The Akarin Spirit was a gaseous Ghost/Psychic-type spirit beast with Green Excellent-tier potential—rarer even than the Demon Realm Flower. It had no fixed habitat. While the illusions it created weren't particularly hard to dispel, its innate talent, [Unconscious Presence], caused others to subconsciously ignore its existence. If it deliberately hid, only certain spirit beasts or specially gifted Spirit Tamers could detect it.
For underground markets or covert operations, Psychic-type spirit beasts capable of creating illusions were essential. The Akarin Spirit could typically learn illusion techniques as early as level ten or so.
Beyond that, it was also a strong choice in its own right. Beginner Spirit Tamers usually had no countermeasures against it. Successfully contracting one would be highly advantageous.
These factors combined made its price rival that of Blue Elite-tier spirit beasts.
This particular Akarin Spirit was on consignment, clearly priced at 70,000 credits—that is, 7 million Great Xia currency—about a 30% markup. That was why the shop hadn't bought it outright; at auction, it would likely fetch around that price anyway.
The only question was… did Lin Guang actually have that kind of money?
The Lin Guang of before might not have had the courage.
But the current him… did.
Because he knew that the Akarin Spirit's next two evolution paths had not yet been publicly discovered.
Without hesitation, Lin Guang pulled out a card—
Not a bank card, but his student ID and identification.
That's right.
As an experienced internet surfer, he knew this place actually offered legal loans. The company was registered under one of Zhen Sheng City's major families.
The interest rates were also reasonable. After all, in a world with real supernatural power, loan companies didn't want to push Spirit Tamers into desperation.
Moreover, Zhen Sheng Experimental School was a prestigious institution, and Class One was its elite. Students like him were considered high-potential clients, making the shop willing to offer relatively favorable loan terms.
And in the worst-case scenario—they had plenty of ways to ensure repayment.
After putting on specialized protective gear, Lin Guang entered the enclosure. With the assistance of a Psychic-type spirit beast from the staff, he faintly sensed the Akarin Spirit right in front of him.
Calming his breath, he recited a lengthy incantation in Ancient Great Xia language. His spiritual power ignited, and a beam of contract light shot out from his chest—no, from his soul—enveloping the Akarin Spirit.
Behind the mask, the man's pupils shrank slightly as he took a deep look at Lin Guang.
Mastery-level? No… this is practically flawless—near perfect.
An Equal Contract using contract light instead of chains…
That would cost much more.
Ambitious.
The next moment, a strong sense of rejection surged forth. The white light trembled violently, on the verge of shattering, forcing Lin Guang to halt the ritual.
This was the sign of insufficient compatibility.
Lin Guang felt a trace of regret.
The manager who had approved the loan felt even more so.
"Nothing else?" Lin Guang asked.
"…Nothing."
For a moment, it almost seemed like the masked man hesitated.
Lin Guang didn't dwell on it. He decided to check out the materials section instead.
After all, that had been his main goal—the spirit beasts were just a side interest. He needed to keep his expectations in check.
From the outside, the materials area looked much smaller. Materials were categorized by attribute and stored in warehouse-like units of around 200 square meters each. The doors were tightly secured, monitored by both personnel and spirit beasts.
Naturally, Lin Guang wasn't allowed inside.
Letting just any Spirit Tamer in would be a joke—if something went missing and wasn't noticed until much later, who would take responsibility?
The masked man stopped in front of a storefront-like counter and gestured for him to enter.
The moment Lin Guang pushed the door open, he squinted slightly—the lighting here was finally bright.
Inside the modest shop stood a figure in a black robe behind the counter, wearing a pitch-black mask.
A muffled voice came from beneath it.
"Buying materials?"
"What do you have?"
Without a word, the man handed him a handwritten catalog—clearly compiled within the last few days.
Black market supply was unstable; updates were frequent.
Lin Guang's gaze turned sharp as he flipped through it, calculating silently.
As a newcomer with no purchase history or reputation, there's no way they'd show me their best stock… but even these first- and second-tier materials are already quite extensive.
Spiritbell Lily leaves… 30 credits per gram? Seriously? Psychic-type resources really are overpriced.
Ether Crystals—average prices vary by attribute. Water-type is cheaper. Makes sense, being near the sea.
Unprocessed Bloodflame Carapace… where the hell did they get this? Isn't the Bloodflame Behemoth native to the Federation? Did someone secretly sell molted shells behind their owner's back?
Even first-tier neutral Spirit Pattern Crystals… too expensive, and quality isn't guaranteed. Pass.
He flipped through the thin catalog, rapidly matching every item with the prices in his memory.
Wang Dawei's spirit beast is a White Phoenix Parrot… yeah, no choice. This step is necessary.
Checked online last night—the municipal store is out of Dreamdeath Mushrooms. But here, not only are they available, the White Phoenix Parrot essence blood is cheaper. It's just for skill acquisition anyway—material quality won't matter much.
Lucky you, man. When I make it big, others won't even get the chance to invest in me.
Lin Guang muttered inwardly.
With a snap, he closed the notebook and looked up.
"I've decided."
"Three Reverse Scales from Ditto Drakes, two fresh Dreamdeath Mushrooms, 100 grams of Whispering Butterfly powder—"
"And one drop of White Phoenix Parrot essence blood."
"I'll notify the warehouse."
Soon, the materials—faintly glowing with traces of ether—were brought before him. Lin Guang carefully inspected them, ensuring they matched both his research from the night before and his own memories.
"Seven hundred eighty credits."
Lin Guang nodded and paid without hesitation, using up most of the scholarships and grants he had saved over the years.
Yet he felt no regret.
Because this… was the starting point of everything he had planned.
Weighing the materials in his hand, Lin Guang stepped out. Guided by the masked man, he began heading back across the spirit beast zone.
But after only a short distance—
His steps suddenly stopped.
His heart… had started beating faster.
"…?"
His pupils contracted as he instinctively looked toward the front-right.
His heartbeat accelerated, pumping blood through his body like a sprinter at full speed.
It was an indescribable intuition.
Ripples stirred within his spiritual sea.
For the first time in half a year, his talent—silent and unmoving like a dead weight—
I was reacting.