: 20 Million! No Haggling!

As the succubus's voice fell, the entire altar fell into dead silence.

The eyes of the three were fixed on her in unison.

Under such a gaze, a touch of shyness appeared on the succubus's face...

But her body subtly moved away from Aster's side, and even quietly shifted half a step in Shane's direction.

Betrayal!!!

Aster felt like he was struck by lightning, frozen in place.

In this world, a Beastbond's betrayal of its master is more absurd than the sun rising from the west!

One must know, to a Summoner, a Beastbond is akin to the "parent" who gives them life.

The vast majority of Beastbonds would rather die in battle than betray their master.

But this succubus in front of him...

Aster stared at her intently.

That innocent and charming face still appeared harmless to humans and animals alike.

But at this moment, in his eyes, it seemed like a meticulously disguised facade...

Underneath it was nothing but calculation and greed!

But the next second, Aster suddenly laughed.

Is it a blessing in disguise?

Rather than keeping a ticking time bomb at his side, it's better to see her true colors as soon as possible!

So what if it's an Epic-level Tamed Beast?

His Golden Finger can cultivate more than just this one!

Even if he changes to an ordinary Beastbond, under his cultivation, it can reach the peak given enough time!

"Interesting."

Aster chuckled lightly as he shook his head:

"It seems some people... no, some beasts, don't even understand the most basic loyalty."

On the other side.

Shane was initially stunned, then his smile became even brighter.

"I've long heard that the succubi are exceptionally intelligent; today it truly lives up to its reputation!"

"Miss Succubus, as long as you're willing to follow my son, the Cheneys will spare no resource in cultivating you!"

As he said this, he did not forget to look hypocritically at Aster:

"This classmate of yours, if your Beastbond says so, you wouldn't... make things difficult for her, would you?"

"Nonsense!"

Evan King, having taken in the whole scene, stepped forward abruptly and cursed angrily.

Retired from the battlefield, Evan despised Shane's oppressive behavior.

"The 'Draconian Beast Taming Technique' clearly states that Beastbond transactions must be personally consented to by the Summoner! When did a Beastbond get to decide?"

He turned to look at Aster, his gaze sharp as a blade:

"As long as you shake your head today, no one will think about taking her away!"

This sentence once again focused everyone's attention on Aster.

The wind on the altar suddenly stopped.

Aster slowly turned his head, looking at the succubus whose eyes were filled with pleading, yearning for freedom.

This Beastbond... is she so eager to leave him?

He suddenly laughed, a laugh filled with sarcasm and relief.

"Boss Cheney," Aster's voice was frighteningly calm, "I agree to this transaction."

Joy appeared simultaneously on Shane and the succubus's faces, but before they could relax—

"However..."

These two words instantly made their hearts jump into their throats.

"The price is doubled, twenty million."

—Boom!​

This figure was like a shocking bolt of lightning, causing Shane's face to change dramatically.

One must know that a normal Epic-level Tamed Beast fetches around eight million on the market.

Offering ten million was already considered an overpriced purchase, yet this kid dared to raise the price on the spot!

"Bro, this price..."

Shane suppressed his anger, attempting to negotiate.

"No bargaining."

Aster directly interrupted him, his voice as cold as ice:

"If Boss Cheney is unwilling to pay this price..."

"I'd rather send her to be destroyed!"

Crack!​

The facade on the succubus's face instantly collapsed.

As a Spiritual Type Beastbond, she could clearly feel the killing intent in Aster's words—

This man is serious!

"Ugh..."

Facing death, she could no longer maintain that pitiful look.

She looked at Shane in terror, eyes full of pleading.

This was her only chance for survival!

And Shane's face was indecisive.

To him, twenty million wasn't much, but being played by a novice like this left him feeling choked.

He squinted his eyes, sizing up the young man in front of him; the other's "certain victory" posture only fuelled his anger further.

But thinking of his son, he forcibly swallowed his resentment.

First, secure this Beastbond, then as for the rest...

The days to come are long.

"Fine, I agree to your terms!"

Shane nearly ground out these words through gritted teeth.

Aster said nothing more and deftly lifted the temporary contract with the succubus.

Once saved, the succubus immediately gave Shane a grateful look, her voice sickly sweet:

"I will surely assist your son earnestly~"

Having accomplished his objective, Shane snorted coldly and left with the succubus.

While Mr. King looked at Aster, who seemed somewhat lost in thought, he sighed lightly and patted his shoulder:

"I've seen this kind of thing often, but a Beastbond betraying its master..."

He shook his head, "This is indeed a first."

"However, it might not be a bad thing."

"At least you've seen her true colors. With this money, you can totally go choose an excellent-level Beastbond and cultivate it well."

"Thank you, Mr. King."

After bidding farewell to Evan, Aster walked out of the summoning altar alone.

The sunset stretched his shadow long, and the exotic buildings and various Beastbonds walking along the street served as a constant reminder that this was no longer the world he once knew.

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the complex emotions in his heart.

The most urgent thing right now is to contract a Beastbond as soon as possible—

No matter the talent!

"Without a Beastbond, I can't even participate in the intra-school selection ten days from now..."

Aster murmured to himself, his brow furrowing involuntarily.

The "college entrance examination" system in this world was completely different from the previous life.

The harsh three-round elimination system, with the first round being the intra-school selection held in ten days.

Only the top one hundred from each academy could advance, and now even his eligibility to compete was hanging by a thread.

Thinking of this, Aster couldn't help but clench his fists.

If that succubus hadn't betrayed him, ten days would have been enough for him to gather materials to complete the first cultivation...

With further enhancement of the Epic-level succubus, even if he couldn't clinch first in the school assessment, he could still get into the top ten.

But now...

His knuckles turned white from exertion, he forced himself to calm down.

"At least there's still the twenty million..."

This large sum is enough for him to buy an excellent-level Beastbond from the Beastbond Trading House.

Although it couldn't compare to the succubus with Epic Talent, he now had no other choice.

Aster raised his hand to hail a taxi pulled by a bipedal drake and, after getting into the carriage, spoke in a deep voice:

"Driver, to the largest Beastbond Trading House in Lythos!"

...

...

: Fallen Angel

The Beastbond Trading House is the largest trading house in Lythos, responsible for controlling the circulation of alternate space resources.

They not only sell various types of Beastbonds captured from alternate spaces but also offer rare materials, evolution potions, and even exotic treasures.

Aster Grant stood in front of the grand entrance of the Beastbond Commerce Guild, looking up.

The entire building is pyramid-shaped, divided into five levels, each corresponding to a different level—

Common, Elite, Excellent, Epic, Legendary.​

Of course, the top "Legendary Level" area is often vacant, with only a few rare materials from alternate spaces occasionally on display for people to admire.

As for the fourth-level "Epic Level" area, it only contains a few epic materials, with prices so high they are shocking.

Aster Grant did not stop on the first level and went directly to the third level—

The Excellent Level Beastbond Zone.

In the spacious hall, dozens of Beastbonds of various forms were locked in specially made energy cages, with each labeled with detailed information and price.

Aster Grant's gaze swept over them, and their attribute panels automatically appeared before his eyes—

[Black Serpent]

[Talent: Excellent Three Stars]

[Level: Tier Zero]

[Skills: Poisonous Fang Bite]

[Spirit Cat]

[Talent: Excellent One Star]

[Level: Tier Zero]

[Skills: Agile Evasion]

...

The prices of these Beastbonds generally ranged from five hundred thousand to a million, the higher the talent, the more expensive the price.

Aster Grant finally paused in front of a wolf-like Beastbond.

This was the highest talent on the entire third level—

[Dire Wolf]​

[Talent: Excellent Three Stars]

[Attributes: Wind Element]

[Level: Tier Zero]

[Skills: Gale Claw Strike]

[Cultivation Suggestion: Wind Spirit Grass, Hurricane Crystal...]

Looking at these Beastbonds with only one skill each, Aster Grant furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

Although Excellent Level Beastbonds were already considered a good choice, compared to the epic-level Succubus, the gap was indeed huge.

Moreover, he had twenty million in funds, enough to pursue a higher upper limit!

"Hello, do you have other Beastbonds in the Beastbond Commerce Guild?"

He stopped a staff member, unwilling to give up, and asked.

"Hello, guest, what is displayed is all the Beastbonds our guild has obtained this year."

Excellent Talent...

He stared at the Dire Wolf, and a three-star talent was already rare in the eyes of ordinary Beast Tamers.

But having seen the panel of the epic-level Succubus, the Beastbond with this talent had no attraction to him.

Furthermore, cultivating such a Beastbond to the level of a Succubus might not even be doable within twenty million.

However, just as he turned around in disappointment...

The staff member suddenly called out to him.

"Wait! There's another place..."

Aster Grant suddenly turned, his movement so quick that the staff member unconsciously took half a step back.

"Where?"

The staff member was startled by Aster Grant.

"It goes like this, because we only display the latest Beastbonds we acquire each year."

"And those that didn't sell in the past years are uniformly managed at the logistics department."

"But...guest, please don't hold too much hope, after all, those Beastbonds are the leftover substandard goods."

Hearing this news, the hope that had just ignited in Aster Grant's heart died again.

How could those leftover substandard goods possibly still have Beastbonds of decent talent?

But adhering to the principle that since he was here, Aster Grant hesitated for a moment and decided to go see the logistics department.

Even if he gained nothing from the logistics department, he could return to the third floor to contract with the Dire Wolf.

"But you'll have to hurry, or they will soon be sent for destruction."

...

Logistics Department.

The lighting was dim and oppressive.

A silver-haired girl curled up in the corner, hugging her knees tightly, burying her face deep in her arms.

Around her, several Beastbonds of various forms were also quietly awaiting their fate.

A Shadow Leopard missing a leg, a Spirit Fox born blind...

They were the leftover substandard goods that no one took for a whole year.

"It's time."

The metallic hinges let out an ear-piercing wail, as a young man in uniform pushed open the door and entered.

Today was the day of Beastbond summoning in Lythos, and it was also the doomsday for these Beastbonds.

The guild was not a charity; having kept them for a year was already kind enough.

Destroying them would still recycle some materials, making the best use of them.

Hearing the footsteps, the Beastbonds stood up blankly.

But the most eye-catching was still the silver-haired girl.

When she raised her head, her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her exquisite face was set with a pair of amber eyes, making her look like an angel that had descended from the heavens.

No—

She was an angel!

The staff member sighed.

A year ago, this epic-talent angel caused a sensation when she descended upon Lythos.

Unfortunately, her congenital defects made her inferior even to ordinary Beastbonds, let alone able to upgrade through contracting.

Such a "defective product" had minimal recycling value left.

"Let's go!"

Just as he was about to lead the way, a rapid series of footsteps approached from afar.

"Wait!"

Out of breath, Aster Grant burst into the room, his hair soaked with sweat.

He had been searching through the labyrinthine Beastbond Trading House for a whole half-hour before finally reaching this secluded logistics department.

His gaze swept around the room and was instantly drawn to that silver figure.

The attribute panel instantly popped up:

[Angel (Lazuli)]

[Status: Uncontracted (Wings cannot be contracted)]

[Talent: Epic Nine Stars]

[Level: Tier Zero]

[Skills: Holy Light Judgment, Wings of Heaven, Divine Lament]

[Special State: Congenital Defect (Wings) (Negative Status: Unable to Level Up)]

[Cultivation Suggestion: Use Angel's Feather, Radiant Star Dust, Holy Spirit Stone (Repair Injuries)]

Aster Grant's pupils suddenly contracted.

An Epic Nine Stars talent Beastbond?!

This was the highest talented Beastbond he had seen so far...

Just one step away from the Legendary Level!

Furthermore, generally, Epic-level Beastbonds have only two skills, but Lazuli...

She had as many as three skills!

Just that...

His gaze unwittingly shifted to her back.

Where there should have been a pair of holy wings, it was now completely empty.​

That was the reason she was overlooked!

But the system gave a repair solution:​

Angel's Feather*1, Radiant Star Dust*3, Holy Spirit Stone*1.

And these three materials, the Beastbond Trading House happened to have them all!​

Aster Grant's heart pounded violently.

She's the one!​

This was the Beastbond he was seeking!

As long as he healed her injuries, her talent would completely overshadow the Succubus!

Aster Grant took a deep breath and slowly walked over to the staff member.

"Hello, I want to buy that angel. How much is she?"

Upon hearing this...

Lazuli's pupils suddenly contracted.

She slowly raised her head, her amber eyes reflecting the figure standing in the light.

Was he...talking about her?

Over three hundred days and nights, she had curled up in this dark corner, countless times holding hope, countless times disappointed.

In the end, she became numb, not even daring to hope that someone would look at her again.

But at this moment—

That unfamiliar human actually pointed at her.

Her heart felt like it was being tightly clenched by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

Did he...really know what he was choosing?

A waste that couldn't even fly...

Her nails dug deeply into her palm, yet she felt no pain.

Lazuli lowered her head, her silver hair falling, hiding her slightly reddened eyes.

Clearly...she shouldn't have expected anything more.

But why...does her heart still ache?

....

...