Celestial Beast Taming

Chapter 446: Chapter 256: Evolve, Golden Lotus Brocade Pearl

After a few more days of rest, Zhong Yi would be able to explore the Second Level Secret Realm opened by the Wanyu Gambling Company again.

Even at its highest, the price of a Ten Thousand Years Forest Core that had just reached the ten-thousand-year mark shouldn’t exceed 3,000 Divine Origin Value.

After he finished exploring the Second Level Secret Realm from the Wanyu Gambling Company, Zhong Yi would have enough Divine Origin Value to bid on the Ten Thousand Years Forest Core.

If the final sale price exceeded 3,000 Divine Origin Value, then Zhong Yi wouldn’t have to bother bidding for it within the Lion Heart Association.

He could just find a way to look for a Ten Thousand Years Forest Core elsewhere in the future.

Even though a material like the Ten Thousand Years Forest Core was extremely useful to him, Zhong Yi had no intention of being a sucker!

Once the Soul-Controlling Flower awakened, Zhong Yi could go to the Wanyu Creation Company and get certified as a Creator.

That would give him another channel on the Virtual Source Network for acquiring high-end materials.

’Maybe the Wanyu Creation Company even has an older Ten Thousand Years Forest Core available for trade.’

"Taya, in ten days, I’ll transfer you 3,000 Divine Origin Value to bid on this Ten Thousand Years Forest Core."

"From now on, whenever you help me buy or win an auction for a material I need, I’ll give you a commission of one-thousandth of the final price."

Upon hearing this, Taya dropped to one knee before Zhong Yi, her expression a mixture of reverence and awe.

"Sir, it is my honor to be able to handle matters for you."

"How could I possibly accept Divine Origin Value from you?"

"If you don’t find me too dull, please feel free to command me as you see fit!"

Taya was very smart. She knew that if she accepted the Divine Origin Value from Zhong Yi, everything she did for him would be reduced to a mere transaction.

In the past, Taya had valued Divine Origin Value as much as her own life, but now, she was far more desperate to latch onto someone as powerful as Zhong Yi.

In truth, Taya’s own strength was not to be underestimated.

She even possessed the Yin-Yang Dusk Lion Bloodline, a rarity among the Dusk Lion Race that appeared only once every ten thousand years.

However, the Origin of her Yin-Yang Dusk Lion Bloodline had been damaged in an accident.

It had yet to be activated, which was why Taya had languished on the Virtual Source Network for so long.

Rather than remaining a low-level grunt for the Lion Heart Association, recruiting newbies in the starting district, Taya—an otherwise unremarkable presence on the Virtual Source Network—wanted to try and change her own fate.

Zhong Yi heard her out but didn’t respond immediately.

Although he hadn’t known Taya for long, he was very impressed with her competence.

Since he’d tasked Taya with searching for resources within the Lion Heart Association, she had sorted through and organized all of the association’s material transaction records from the past five years.

Zhong Yi greatly admired such a thorough and meticulous work ethic.

"If you want to make a name for yourself on the Virtual Source Network, you can’t just avoid dueling in the Soul of Battle at the Soul Fighting Bar."

"Once you reach 100 Soul Fighting Points, you can come talk to me again about what you just proposed."

Taya was overjoyed at his words; Zhong Yi hadn’t rejected her outright.

What he’d said was tantamount to giving her a chance.

But a bitter feeling welled up inside her when she recalled her own strength and how difficult it had been for her to win on the Soul Fighting Platform in the past.

But Taya quickly pulled herself together.

Her years of helping the Lion Heart Association with recruitment had allowed her to save up a small amount of Divine Origin Value.

Taya planned to spend all of her savings to improve her strength as much as possible.

’If I give it every ounce of my strength, it’s not impossible to reach 100 Soul Fighting Points.’

Zhong Yi had made this request because only in the combat environments of the Virtual Source Network could he use the Soul-Controlling Flower to inspect a target’s data.

Furthermore, reaching 100 Soul Fighting Points unlocked the ability to livestream a Soul of Battle.

Zhong Yi needed to use this to get a true assessment of Taya’s strength and Talent.

Even though Zhong Yi found Taya to be thorough and meticulous, if he was going to accept a subordinate and add a new member to the Soul Soil, he first needed to confirm that member’s Talent.

Taya had spoken with genuine sincerity.

When dealing with others, even from his position as an upper-ranker, Zhong Yi refused to treat lower-rankers as mere tools.

That was why he hadn’t simply brushed Taya off.

After leaving the Virtual Source Network, Zhong Yi opened his eyes on his bed.

He checked the time. It was exactly six in the morning.

Zhong Yi got out of bed, washed up, and changed into a blue and white color-blocked sweatsuit.

Then, Zhong Yi took out the Source Material Celestial Shuttle and activated it with his Soul Power.

Three Energy Transmission Platforms immediately appeared in his hand.

Zhong Yi placed the three Energy Transmission Platforms on his desk and circulated his Soul Power once more.

Two of the Energy Transmission Platforms vanished. The one Liu Shu had given him—the custom-made platform from the Chasing Light Dragon Palace—remained on the desk, just as before.

A large quantity of materials appeared on the desk before Zhong Yi, along with several Guardian Beasts, each housed in a special container.

From his exploration of the Second Level Divine Wood Secret Realm, Zhong Yi had only kept a single plant: a Storage Walnut Tree that Qiao Shuyu had said was extremely valuable.

At present, the Storage Walnut Tree was just a small sapling, not even half a meter tall.

For a strategic Guardian Beast of such value, Zhong Yi intended to provide it with the best possible environment for growth.

First, Zhong Yi carefully cleaned all the original soil from the roots of the Storage Walnut sapling. Then, he took out a Jade Basin that was a full meter in diameter.

He planted the Storage Walnut Tree in the Jade Basin using a special soil concocted by a Florist Worm, then soaked it thoroughly with Vitality Spring Water.

Later, once he had cultivated the Florist Worm into a Summer Worm, he would use the soil it concocted to nurture the Storage Walnut Tree.