The female sales rep had been sending Spirit Grass for a whole week, and Lin Chen also prepared to return with the Plowhorn Beast.
"...There are benefits to being older, Xiaobai has already gained intelligence, awakened a skill, and it was quite early, awakening in the fifth month."
As they bid farewell, the female sales rep finally didn't mention anything about a loan; instead, she gave serious advice.
This surprised Lin Chen a little.
The earlier the intelligence awakening, the better the Spirit Beast's bloodline and the stronger its talent.
Lin Chen couldn't wait to go back and look seriously at the situation with the Plowhorn Beast, but as soon as he walked out the door, he saw the cleaning lady dragging out a bag of chicken feathers.
Thinking of the Bloodline Golden Hand, he asked the female sales rep, "Can I have these chicken feathers?"
The female sales rep was taken aback, looking at Lin Chen with confusion.
Although these chicken feathers were worthless, the store's rule was that they were to be sent to the recycling center. What did Lin Chen want with them?
Nevertheless, she was willing to help, since Lin Chen had bought the store's unsellable goods.
The female sales rep went forward and spoke a couple of words with the cleaning lady, and soon Lin Chen received the chicken feathers, thanked her, and left.
....
The city where Lin Chen resides is called Jiuxing City, not a major city, but it has some history.
The "Nine" in Jiuxing is taken from the Nine-Tailed Divine Fox, and legend has it that here, in the Late Taichu, was the nest of the Nine-Tailed Divine Fox.
However, now on Blue Star, the bloodline of Divine Fox spirit beasts is severely polluted, and evolving to Great Success with six tails is already quite good.
As for the Nine Tails, it's just a legend.
So, although this place was the origin of the Divine Fox, it has long since declined into a small town.
Running back home, Lin Chen couldn't wait to summon the Plowhorn Beast.
His home is quite remote, an inheritance left by his old father; despite high offers from merchants, Lin Chen didn't sell it.
For a man, home is a root, no matter how small or shabby it is.
The house indeed wasn't much, a low one-story building, but in front was an open space.
Lin Chen had thought it over; when he contracted a cow, he would fence the yard and plant crops.
"Come out, Plowhorn Beast."
Lin Chen called softly, knowing it was a bit childish, but for some reason, he still called out instinctively.
Then a white light array appeared, and Xiaobai the Plowhorn Beast slowly appeared beside Lin Chen, its eyes a bit bewildered.
Seeing each other again, both felt slightly nervous.
They knew their relationship was special, so they both wanted to leave a good impression on each other, as this was a good start.
Thinking about it, Xiaobai took the initiative to extend its head, remembering how Lin Chen always patted its head in the pet store, instinctively thinking Lin Chen liked to pat heads.
Lin Chen paused for a moment, then understood and smiled, deciding to be a father who wouldn't disappoint, and patted its head.
"I heard you've already grasped a skill, you can practice it here, I'll go chop some wood and make a yard."
Lin Chen thought for a moment, meeting for the first time, he shouldn't reveal his true nature, leaving a good impression.
Parents do the work, kids should just focus on learning.
"Moo~"
"You want to help?"
"Moo moo~~~"
Xiaobai stood up, pointing at its horns, indicating it could chop wood.
Lin Chen thought for a moment, realizing that working could also train skill proficiency, so he brought it along.
The skill proficiency of Spirit Beasts is divided into four levels:
Entry-Level, Mastery, Perfection, Divine Enlightenment.
The place to chop wood wasn't far, many hills around the outskirts.
Lin Chen found a tree of moderate size, about ten centimeters in diameter, and said to Xiaobai, "Try using your skill on it."
"Moo~~"
Xiaobai nodded, full of energy, starting to use its skill.
Then the horns gradually glowed and changed color, from black to white, followed by its feet stomping firmly on the ground, with its front hooves slightly lifted.
Rev up the engine~~~
Stomp stomp~~~
The front hooves suddenly stomped back, kicking up clouds of dust, and Xiaobai's speed increased, slamming into the tree trunk.
Though it was called Iron Horn Impact, it was actually similar to a body slam, except the destructive power was focused on the horns.
When the horns touched the trunk, there was a snapping sound, and the trunk broke in half.
"Impressive, Xiaobai."
Lin Chen immediately shouted in appreciation.
Xiaobai glanced back at Lin Chen, feeling quite pleased.
Everyone loves compliments, even cows.
Lin Chen stepped forward and touched the trunk; the fracture was smooth in some spots, the force indeed was quite good.
Lin Chen took out a ruler from who knows where and recorded it.
As a data analyst, Lin Chen had a catchphrase:
"People lie, but data doesn't."
So, Lin Chen liked to record data in everything he did.
When done recording, Lin Chen turned back to Xiaobai, "Using skills more often will improve your proficiency..."
He turned around to see Xiaobai facing away, scratching its head with its hoof.
Lin Chen immediately worried, thinking perhaps the impact injured its head?
Upon closer inspection, Lin Chen realized he misunderstood.
Xiaobai was diligently dusting off its horns; it couldn't wait any longer.
Alright.
Cleansiness... is understandable.
Xiaobai turned back, smiling again, afraid of wasting time, and continued ramming trees.
Meanwhile, Lin Chen sat on the ground, pulling out the chicken feathers he brought back, ready to start his next plan.
At this moment, Xiaobai turned back and suddenly remembered something.
It seemed Lin Chen mentioned chopping trees together, but never brought an axe or knife, or even suggested it.
Lin Chen was probably trying to train it.
Xiaobai thought so, unwilling to believe its Beastmaster would trick it, and went back to work diligently.
.....
[Fighting Rooster]
[Intermediate Mortal Beast]
[Dominant Bloodline: Fighting Rooster 55.55%, Ice Feather Chicken 23%, Cyan Hill Chicken 11.45%]
[Hidden Bloodline: 0.0001%]
[Polluted Bloodline: 21.4499%]
Touching the chicken feathers brought back, Lin Chen's mind rapidly flashed through a lot of data.
"The sales sister didn't lie to me, there really is 0.0001%, but I don't know if it's the bloodline of the Phoenix."
Lin Chen paused, recalling the female sales rep's words.
She definitely couldn't see the bloodline percentage, so it was a stroke of luck.
However, this was an exception.
Many chicken feathers didn't have hidden bloodlines, and even if they did, it was very little, at most 0.01%.
Lin Chen was very patient, touching each chicken feather one by one, spending the entire afternoon doing so.
Though dull, Lin Chen was long accustomed to it, as the majority of time in his past life was spent facing stacks of tedious data, trying to find logic within, which was the most critical task.
Finally, when there were about forty to fifty feathers left, a miracle happened, Lin Chen found an extraordinary feather:
[Fighting Rooster]
[Intermediate Mortal Beast]
[Dominant Bloodline: Fighting Rooster 45.55%, Ice Feather Chicken 33%, Cyan Hill Chicken 11.45%]
[Hidden Bloodline: 5%]
[Polluted Bloodline: 5%]
Lin Chen was thrilled, recalling something; the sales rep once told him, a "Chicken King" was recently brought in, priced at eight hundred thousand.
Now it seems, these could very well be its feathers.
Lin Chen kept this one, turned back, and found Xiaobai, the young calf, already panting heavily.
Lin Chen quickly went over, patted its head, and said seriously, "Hard work is essential for success, but one must also know how to balance work and rest."
Speaking, he offered the Spirit Grass to it.
Xiaobai was immensely moved, looking at Lin Chen more favorably.
"Let's head back," Lin Chen gazed at the wood on the ground, feeling it was enough.
But mainly, he wanted to try this chicken feather, to purify the bloodline within and see what effect it would have on Xiaobai.