25: School Beauty and White Fox

Lin Chen turned his head, a little surprised to hear Yun Mengyao's direct words, and subconsciously responded, but then suddenly remembered that Cao Chuan and his family were still nearby.

"You two go about your business, we'll stay here with this brat for a while!" Father Cao said with a smile to the two; as experienced adults, they naturally understood the young couple's intentions.

"Alright then, don't rush back today. Have lunch here. It'll be a good chance for Cao Chuan and his Gray Bean Pigeon to bond, and I also have some matters I'd like to ask Uncle and Auntie for help with!" Lin Chen nodded and said.

"Okay! We understand. We'll trouble you for lunch then!" Mother Cao nodded with a smile, not being overly polite with Lin Chen.

Lin Chen looked at Yun Mengyao, led her out of the fruit orchard, and walked towards the fields.

The sudden solitude made both of them a little nervous. Lin Chen looked left and right, wondering what he should say. Yun Mengyao wasn't much better, clutching the little fox and continuously stroking its pristine white fur with her fingertips.

"Aww~~~" Seemingly uncomfortable, the dozing little fox let out a soft cry, immediately drawing both their gazes.

"Is this your initial spirit beast?" Lin Chen finally found a topic to break the silence and asked in a deliberately casual tone.

"Mm, isn't it cute?" Yun Mengyao nodded, held the little fox in her hands, and smiled at him.

Her stunning smile while holding the little fox made Lin Chen momentarily dazed, as if he had witnessed Daji's enchanting glance, and the entire world blossomed because of her smile.

He suddenly realized that spring seemed to have arrived.

"Lin Chen?" Yun Mengyao waved the little fox in front of him, pulling his wandering thoughts back.

"Huh? Sorry! You... uh... are very beautiful! I was mesmerized!" Lin Chen snapped back, scratching his head, a little embarrassed as he complimented her.

Such a direct compliment made Yun Mengyao's cheeks flush slightly, feeling a bit shy, yet with an irrepressible joy in her heart.

"Is that so? Then... would you like to see it every day?" Yun Mengyao lowered her head slightly and asked him softly.

Her voice carried a hint of imperceptible charm, making Lin Chen want to lose himself in it, and the delicate collarbone peeking from beneath her collar also took on a visible pink hue.

"Cough cough!" Such a direct statement made Lin Chen a little uncomfortable. He coughed twice, his gaze shifting to the little fox in her arms.

"That... this White Sound Fox has good potential!" A gleam flashed in his eyes as the little fox's attributes appeared before him.

【Name: White Sound Fox (Yellow)】

【Gender: Female】

【Attributes: Normal, Illusion Element】

【Level: Level 3】

【Talents: Bewitching Voice, Illusory Pupils, Insight】

【Skills: Claw Attack, Howl】

【Evolution Path 1: Heavenly Sound Fox (Evolution Requirements: Reach Level 27, master at least three sound-type skills, maintain abundant spiritual power, Echo Stone)】

【Evolution Path 2: Illusion Sound Fox (Evolution Requirements: Reach Level 36, master at least three Illusion Element skills and two sound-type skills, illusion stone)】

【...】

The White Sound Fox is an extremely rare spirit beast, difficult to encounter in the wild, generally only found in snowy mountain regions. It has snow-white fur and is highly intelligent.

They can learn almost all Normal-type and sound-type skills, understand human speech, and perceive human hearts. Some psychological counseling agencies even specifically employ White Sound Foxes for auxiliary therapy.

"Of course, Little White is a very rare spirit beast!" Yun Mengyao gently stroked the White Sound Fox, a serene and gentle smile on her face, though a hint of disappointment was unavoidable in her heart.

"Only a young lady from a Noble Family like the Yun Family could get a spirit beast like this!" Lin Chen said with a helpless smile. The White Sound Fox is worth tens of millions, and like the Green-Striped Snake, it's priceless and not something an ordinary Beast Tamer could afford.

"Lin Chen~~~" Yun Mengyao's smile stiffened, and she looked at Lin Chen with some embarrassment.

"What? I was just sighing. Cultivation emphasizes wealth, companions, methods, and land, and wealth comes first, you know. Starting with a White Sound Fox is a good thing for you!" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled, looking at Yun Mengyao. "I remember your Talent is also Bewitching Voice, right?"

"Mm!" Feeling that Lin Chen truly didn't mind, Yun Mengyao finally relaxed.

"Bewitching Voice can enhance the power of a spirit beast's sound-type and Illusion Element skills, and can even add vocal allure to Illusion Element skills. It's a perfect match for this White Sound Fox," Lin Chen said.

"Exactly. That's also why the family got me this White Sound Fox. The next spirit beast being prepared is a Dream Butterfly, planning to combine illusions with sound to create a large-scaleLost place for crowd control." Yun Mengyao nodded, directly revealing her family's plans for her.

Noble Families like theirs plan out their children's future growth paths from the very beginning, unlike Cao Chuan and Lin Chen, who decide what kind of spirit beast they can contract on the fly and then plan and adjust based on existing conditions.

"A Dream Butterfly? It's indeed a good combination with the White Sound Fox, but... have you ever considered another path?" Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, a hint of hesitation on his face.

He saw two different evolution paths from the White Sound Fox's evolution routes. The first was the traditional Heavenly Sound Fox path, which later evolves into the Divine Sound Heart-Soothing Fox, capable of maximizing the advantages of sound.

But the Floating Light Illusion Sound Fox on the second evolution path seemed to be able to develop in the Illusion Element direction. If that were truly the case, then perhaps a Dream Butterfly wouldn't even be needed. The Floating Light Illusion Sound Fox itself could support both the entire illusion and sound, truly bringing out Yun Mengyao's Talent advantage.

"Another path?" Yun Mengyao was startled, looking at Lin Chen with confusion.

"Mm..." Lin Chen nodded, thought for a moment, and then spoke. "This is something my parents told me when I was little. The White Sound Fox actually has another evolution path called the Floating Light Illusion Sound Fox. It not only requires the White Sound Fox to master sound-type skills but also powerful Illusion Element skills."

"This way, the evolved Floating Light Illusion Sound Fox will possess both powerful illusions and sound-type skills, which might allow your Talent to be better utilized. However, the evolution difficulty of the Floating Light Illusion Sound Fox is higher. If it ultimately fails to meet the requirements, it might all be for naught, and it would still evolve into a Heavenly Sound Fox."

Lin Chen didn't say that he saw it through his Eye of True Foresight. The information his parents told him lowered its credibility somewhat, but it wouldn't expose his Beastmaster Talent.

Upon hearing his words, Yun Mengyao's eyes also lit up. She looked at Lin Chen with sparkling eyes, a hint of an imperceptible smile on her face.

"Floating Light Illusion Sound Fox? Is it a new species of spirit beast? Or an evolution of the White Sound Fox? You're just telling me this, aren't you afraid I won't acknowledge it later?"

"Cough cough! Evolution isn't that easy. I've only told you the general method, not the details yet." Lin Chen felt a little embarrassed under her gaze, his heart fluttering slightly, and he touched his nose with a hint of guilt.

"Speaking of which, you just believed it? Aren't you afraid I'm tricking you? And I don't know the subsequent evolution of the Floating Light Illusion Sound Fox either."

"No, I'm not afraid! You can trust me enough to tell me the evolution method directly, so why shouldn't I trust you? As for subsequent evolutions, we'll definitely find them, right?"

Yun Mengyao's confident expression left Lin Chen a little speechless. They had known each other since junior high, so how could he not know her feelings? But it was precisely because he knew that he felt somewhat at a loss.

Having lived two lives, he was well aware of the disparity in status brought about by family background. The possibility of them ending up together was slim to none.

Moreover, he already had spirit beasts, so what did he need women for? Isn't it better to farm, fish, and pet rabbits on my farm?

Lin Chen's silence made Yun Mengyao's smile dim slightly. The girl holding the Fragrant Flower Rabbit lowered her head slightly, her voice a little low and self-reproachful.

"Lin Chen, I'm sorry."

"What's wrong? Apologizing suddenly..." Lin Chen was a little confused. Weren't they just chatting happily? Women are truly hard to understand!

"I didn't know about your farm's situation before... But don't worry, I've talked to my family, and the Yun Family won't interfere further. As for other Noble Families..."

At this point, Yun Mengyao's eyes were slightly red, and the apology and self-reproach on her face intensified, making Lin Chen sigh inwardly.

"This has nothing to do with you. We're just students. For such a large family to maintain and develop, it's naturally impossible to act impulsively," Lin Chen said to comfort her.

"But..."

"No buts. If you really feel bad about it, why don't you tell your family about the White Sound Fox's evolution method and see if they're willing to buy it back? You don't need much, just ten million. Consider it the main operating revenue of the farm."

Hearing Lin Chen's words, Yun Mengyao's lowered head suddenly shot up. She looked at Lin Chen with surprise, her voice filled with irrepressible joy and excitement.

"That's right! A brand new evolution path, its value is immeasurable! With this money, others won't be able to reclaim the farm!"

"So there you have it! You don't need to blame yourself. I'm fine!" Lin Chen raised his hand and touched her head with a smile. The intimate gesture, however, made both of them momentarily stunned.

"Mm!" Yun Mengyao softly responded, having long forgotten what else she wanted to say. The blush that had finally faded returned.

Lin Chen awkwardly withdrew his hand, wanting to say something, but then a rough knocking sound echoed in his ears, accompanied by arrogant shouts.

"Is anyone home at this broken farm? If not, we'll just open the door and go in ourselves!"

Both of them trembled, looking at each other with a hint of bewilderment. Lin Chen then subconsciously spoke.

"Are these people out of their minds? Didn't they see the huge doorbell on the door? Won't their hands hurt from knocking?"

PS: Updates are slow in the early stages. Friends who like it can add it to their bookshelf to 'raise' it. I'm writing and revising while also working like a draft horse. I have a lot of ideas, but this typing speed... I wish I could write faster~~~ Waaah~~~