8: Chapter 8 Town Crisis

The closer one gets to home, the more apprehensive one feels.

Qin Ce pushed open the courtyard gate with a hint of caution.

Inside the courtyard, a little girl about seven or eight years old with her hair in pigtails was playing on the ground. Hearing the movement and seeing Qin Ce enter, her eyes immediately lit up. She rushed over like a small cannonball, shouting, "Brother! Brother, you're back!"

Hearing such an enthusiastic voice, Qin Ce's heart relaxed. He squatted down with a smile and caught his sister, Xiao Jian, as she pounced on him. "Xiao Jian, have you been listening to Mom at home?"

"Yes! I've been very good!" Xiao Jian nodded vigorously, then asked impatiently, "Brother, did you succeed? Are you a Beast Tamer now?"

"Mm, I succeeded." Qin Ce rubbed his sister's hair.

"Wow! That's great!" Xiao Jian cheered, but then her little face fell. She tugged at Qin Ce's sleeve, her voice filled with hope and a trace of fear. "Brother, does that mean you can take me and Mom to live in the city soon? Aunt Wang said the city is very safe, with tall walls and many powerful Beast Tamer uncles patrolling... unlike here. Last time... last time Xiao Hu was snatched away by a big black bird that flew in from outside, and he never came back..." As she spoke, her eyes turned red.

Qin Ce's heart tightened.

Xiao Hu was the neighbor's child. Two months ago, while playing on the edge of town, he had been snatched by a demonized flying bird that swooped down from the sky...

He held his sister tight and made a solemn promise: "Don't worry, Xiao Jian. Brother will work hard. Once I graduate from the academy and reach Bronze Rank, I'll be eligible to apply for a residency slot in the city. I'll definitely take you and Mom to live in a big house and lead a stable life!"

"Really?" Xiao Jian's eyes sparkled.

"Really."

"Pinky swear!"

"Pinky swear."

As the siblings were talking, a gentle female voice came from inside the house: "Xiao Ce is back?"

Mother Qin walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron, her hands still stained with flour. She looked to be in her early forties, with features seventy percent similar to Qin Ce's. Although time had left its marks on her face, one could still see her youthful beauty.

She wiped her hands on her apron, her eyes filled with anticipation and nervousness. "Did everything go smoothly?"

"Mm, I succeeded." Qin Ce looked at his mother and pointed proudly at the Blue Luan tattoo on his chest. "And I even contracted a very good pet beast."

Su Wan's eyes instantly turned red. She stepped forward quickly, grabbed Qin Ce's arm, and looked closely at the exquisite Blue Luan tattoo, her lips trembling slightly. "Good... good... it's good that you succeeded! My son is a Beast Tamer! Xiao Jian, your brother is a Beast Tamer! Old Qin, your son is a Beast Tamer." She pulled both Qin Ce and Xiao Jian into her arms, her voice choking with emotion.

Qin Ce patted his mother's back to comfort her, but said, "Mom, I want to eat dumplings today."

Hearing this, Su Wan wiped her eyes vigorously and revealed a smile. "Alright, Mom will make dumplings for you today. Cabbage and pork filling, your favorite."

"Wow! Dumplings!" Xiao Jian cheered.

Afterward, Su Wan composed herself, took off her apron, and went out to buy groceries.

Qin Ce felt a warmth in his heart and was about to say something when his sister tugged at his sleeve. "Brother, where's your pet beast? Can I see it?"

"Alright."

Qin Ce nodded dotingly. With a thought, the tattoo on his chest glowed with a brilliant blue light. An elegant and majestic Blue Luan spread its wings and appeared on his shoulder, its blue-gold eyes curiously observing the new environment and Xiao Jian.

"Wow! What a beautiful bird!" Xiao Jian reached out in surprise, then felt a bit afraid. "Can I touch it?"

The Blue Luan seemed to sense Xiao Jian's goodwill and Qin Ce's emotions. It proactively lowered its head and gently rubbed its beak against Xiao Jian's outstretched finger, letting out a melodious chirp.

"Hee, it's so well-behaved!" Xiao Jian was so happy her eyes squinted into crescents.

"Its name is Blue Luan," Qin Ce introduced.

"Blue Luan? What a pretty name, just as pretty as mine. Brother, what does it eat? I'll go find some food for it."

"What does it eat?" At this, Qin Ce was stunned. From hatching yesterday until now, the Blue Luan didn't seem to have eaten anything.

It was still in its growth period; he seemed to have overlooked this.

Just then...

"Skree—!"

A sharp, ear-piercing cry came from above the town, carrying violence and greed!

"Vicious bird! The vicious bird is back!"

"Quick! Hide!"

"Ah, my child! My child!"

"Quick, notify the patrol team to save them!"

The town instantly fell into a panic.

Qin Ce's expression changed, and he dashed out of the courtyard.

In the sky above the town, a hideous giant bird with a wingspan of over three meters, grayish-brown all over, feathers like iron, and talons like hooks, was clutching a struggling and crying toddler, attempting to fly out of town!

Below, the child's mother had collapsed on the ground, wailing heart-wrenchingly. Several townsfolk held hunting crossbows and crude weapons but didn't dare to fire easily, fearing they might accidentally hit the child.

[Ding!] At that moment, a system prompt sounded in Qin Ce's mind.

[Emergency Quest: Urgent Rescue! Save the child from the talons of the Demonized Flying Eagle. Quest Reward: EXP +100, Pet Food *300]

Save the child.

Qin Ce immediately activated Appraisal on the giant eagle:

[Vicious Beast]: Demonized Flying Eagle (Mature Stage)

[Level]: Black Iron High-grade

[Potential]: Black Iron Low-Grade

[Attribute]: Metal

[Talent]: Iron Feathers

[Skills]: Dive Strike, Eagle Cry, Iron Wings

[Status]: Hungry, Smug, Wounded on the back of the neck

[Weakness]: Feathers on the scapula are hard, flight flexibility is insufficient.

[Evolution Opportunity]: Metal-type high-tier energy reinforcement

...

Comparing it to the Blue Luan's panel, this Demonized Flying Eagle's level and growth stage...

It was clearly far superior in strength, constitution, and agility compared to the recently hatched Blue Luan.

After all, one was a mature Black Iron Low-Grade, while the other was an unranked hatchling.

The gap in level was very real.

However, the Blue Luan possessed Solar-grade potential and the ten-fold attack boost from the Mythical-grade talent 'Breath Condensation'!

It wasn't without a fighting chance, but the risk was extremely high.

"Blue Luan."

Qin Ce looked at the Blue Luan and pointed at the Demonized Flying Eagle, about to ask for its opinion.

But in the next moment...

The Blue Luan raised its head proudly and let out a high-pitched cry. Without a hint of fear, a blue light surged in its eyes, and it soared directly into the sky.

...