The morning air outside the Lin Family Beast Boutique was usually quiet, filled only with the disappointed sighs of customers who couldn't find high-grade battle beasts. But today, the atmosphere was electric. A simple, hand-painted sign hung over the door, written in Lin Xuan's precise, elegant script:
"BEAST RESTORATION CENTER: We heal what others cannot. Success guaranteed for all beasts under 5-stars."
Inside, the shop had been transformed. Lin Yue had spent the night polishing the old wooden counters and organizing the few remaining spirit herbs. Lin Chen had set up a small laboratory in the corner, her eyes hidden behind specialized goggles as she monitored a vat of glowing, silver liquid—the first batch of Lunar-Silk Elixir.
Lin Xuan sat calmly behind the main counter, the Moon-Glow Larva resting on a velvet cushion. To the casual observer, it looked like a decorative jade ornament.
"Xuan'er, do you really think people will come?" Lin Yue asked, her voice trembling as she smoothed her apron. "The city's Tamer Union usually sends injured beasts to the Royal Hospital or Iron-Claw's clinics."
"Tamers are pragmatic people, Sister," Lin Xuan replied, his gaze fixed on the street. "They care about two things: results and cost. Iron-Claw's serums are expensive and often leave scarring on the beast's spiritual core. We offer a perfect recovery."
As if on cue, the bell above the door chimed.
A tall, rugged man in battered steel armor walked in, carrying a small, limp creature wrapped in a bloody cloak. It was a Blaze-Tail Fox, its signature fiery tail now a dull, ash-gray.
"I heard the rumor," the man grunted, slamming a bag of credits on the counter. "The Iron-Claw manager says you've got a 'freak bug' that heals. My fox took a hit from a Venom-Spined Urchin. The Royal Hospital said she'll never fight again. Can you fix her, or are you just another scammer looking to pick a Tamer's pockets?"
Lin Xuan didn't flinch at the man's tone. He stood up, his movements fluid and confident. "Place her on the pedestal."
The man obeyed, his eyes filled with a desperate, suppressed grief.
Lin Xuan tapped the cushion. "Xiao Yue, work."
The Moon-Glow Larva didn't just secrete silk this time. It stood up on its hind prolegs, its violet spots pulsing with an intense, rhythmic throb. A mist of silver light began to emanate from its body, filling the room with the scent of fresh rain and ozone.
[Skill Activated: Lunar Restoration (Overdrive)]
The man gasped as he watched the silver mist sink into the fox's fur. The black, necrotic veins caused by the venom began to recede, turning from a sickly purple back to healthy crimson. Within minutes, the fox's tail flickered, then erupted into a vibrant, healthy flame.
The little beast let out a joyous yip and leaped into its master's arms, licking his face with vigor.
The Tamer stared at his beast, then at the tiny green larva, and finally at Lin Xuan. His hands shook as he grabbed his credits. "The Hospital wanted 50,000 credits for a surgery that might fail. You... you did this in three minutes."
"The price is 5,000 credits," Lin Xuan said coolly. "And a favor: tell everyone at the Tamer Union that the Lin family is back."
The man didn't just pay; he bowed. "My name is Iron-Hand Lu. If the Lin family ever needs a blade in the dark, you have mine."
By noon, the street outside the shop was packed. Word had spread like wildfire. A "Trash-tier" caterpillar that could heal 3-star injuries better than a 6-star potion was the kind of gossip that moved faster than a Lightning Hawk.
As Lin Yue handled the growing mountain of credits and Lin Chen collected data on different beast species, Lin Xuan noticed a figure lingering at the edge of the crowd.
She was a woman dressed in a high-collared black cloak, her face obscured by a veil. But the Tamer's Eye didn't need to see her face.
[Target: Unknown]
[Spiritual Rank: 5-Star (Peak)]
[Primary Beast: Shadow-Stalker Butterfly (Poison/Spatial)]
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed. A 5-star Tamer wouldn't be here for a simple healing session.
"Sister Yue, take over for a moment," Lin Xuan whispered. He walked to the back of the shop, toward a small, private consultation room. The veiled woman followed him without a word.
Once the door was shut, she pulled back her veil, revealing a face of cold, sharp beauty. "My name is Sect Master Hua of the Hidden Petal Sect. I didn't come here for healing, Lin Xuan. I came because of your beast's origin."
Lin Xuan leaned back against the wall, the Moon-Glow Larva narrowing its amethyst eyes on his shoulder. "I'm listening."
"You think you have a Moon Silk Caterpillar," Hua said, her voice like cracking ice. "But that silk... that's not just lunar energy. It has a trace of the 'Ancient Insect Emperor' bloodline. If the Association finds out you've awakened a Forbidden Path beast, they won't just buy your shop. They will lock you in a research cage for the rest of your life."
Lin Xuan felt the system in his mind buzz with a red alert.
[Ding! Hidden Interaction Triggered!]
[New Path Branch Detected: Path 201 - The Emperor's Chrysalis (Forbidden).]
[Warning: The Host is being observed by a 'Protector of the Sect'. Recommendation: Establish an alliance or eliminate.]
Lin Xuan smiled, a dark, predatory tilt of his lips that made even the 5-star Sect Master feel a chill. "Lock me in a cage? Many have tried to contain the wind, Sect Master Hua. Tell me, why are you telling me this instead of calling the Tamer Association?"
Hua looked at the tiny larva, then at the young man who seemed to possess the soul of an ancient sovereign. "Because my sect's guardian beast—the Millennium Butterfly—is dying. It cannot evolve. The records say only an 'Insect Sovereign' can unlock its final form. If you help me, the Hidden Petal Sect will be your shield against Iron-Claw and the Tamer Association."
Lin Xuan walked toward her, his presence expanding until he seemed to dwarf her in the small room. He reached out and touched the hilt of the dagger at her waist.
"I don't need a shield, Sect Master," Lin Xuan whispered, his eyes glowing with violet light. "I need a partner. You provide the rare insect eggs I need to fill my five extra slots, and I will give your butterfly a god-tier evolution."
Hua's breath hitched. "You... you can really evolve a 5-star beast?"
"I can do things that would make the 10-star Tamers scream in terror," Lin Xuan replied.
He looked down at the Moon-Glow Larva. The next step wasn't just healing. He needed to find his second insect. And with the Hidden Petal Sect's resources, he was no longer just a small-town breeder. He was a player on the global stage.
"Deal," Hua said, her voice trembling.
Lin Xuan stepped back, the mask of the polite brother returning instantly. "Excellent. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a long line of customers and a corporation to bankrupt."