Before witnessing it firsthand, Lin Chuan couldn't have imagined such a thing.
Is this how Dongyang Beast Masters control their beasts?
Instead of contracting a spirit beast that has just passed its infancy and is in a period of rapid growth, then investing resources, carefully nurturing it, and having the Beast Master and contracted spirit beast grow together.
They directly use demonic creatures, erasing their sentience through an unknown contract, leaving only the bare minimum of instinct, and then driving them.
Is this a Beast Master or a Slave Master?
Lin Chuan was filled with emotion. Living in the Star Rock Federation, he had grown up surrounded by warmth and beauty, without much of the darkness of human nature; at most, there were only some trivial matters.
However, the situation in the Dongyang Alliance...
These ten Beast Master families truly went to extremes.
Even though 16 is the most suitable age for awakening, they don't tell the public, only saying that anywhere between 10 and 30 years old is fine, and one must pay 2 million Dongyang coins, which is 1 million star rock coin when converted, for one awakening opportunity. Furthermore, if one fails three consecutive awakenings, they will never succeed.
On top of that, they even manipulate the awakening ceremony. As far as Lin Chuan knew, the awakening ceremony was definitely not as painful as Chai Tianqi and the others made it out to be.
A 100% successful awakening ceremony has now been turned into a very low probability event.
The ten Beast Master families kept the entire Dongyang Alliance in the dark, spreading such a false way of Beast Mastery.
Then, in conjunction with those butler and maid groups, luxurious villas, and using worldly pleasures, wealth, and power—an incredibly extravagant life—they further corrupted the will of these commoner Beast Masters who already had little hope for the future, completely controlling them.
Ultimately, they divided the resources of the entire Dongyang Alliance.
After all, these commoner Beast Masters who took the wrong path basically couldn't advance, and they wouldn't need those high-level resources, would they?
Even if they did, it would be a very, very small amount.
At this moment,
Lin Chuan was incredibly grateful that he was born in the Star Rock Federation, not the Dongyang Alliance.
Otherwise, as a commoner, he would have no way to rise.
"Lin Chuan-sama, please follow me. Next, I will take you to the Mission Hall."
At Yuki Yurika's call, Lin Chuan gradually came back to his senses.
Though a storm raged in his heart, Lin Chuan maintained his calm and indifferent demeanor. He nodded slightly and followed Yuki Yurika to continue touring the Lightbringer Society's base.
The Mission Hall, Beast Master Shop, Training Ground, Battle Rooms—all kinds of equipment and facilities were available.
Aside from spreading and guiding the wrong way of Beast Mastery, the Lightbringer Society was not much different from the Beastmaster Association in the Star Rock Federation.
From around 9 AM, the tour continued until 2 PM.
Lin Chuan, accompanied by Yuki Yurika, explored every non-restricted, non-secret area of the Lightbringer Society that he was allowed to visit.
During this time, Lin Chuan also observed several combat matches between Dongyang Beast Masters, including what were called 'advanced' Beast Masters' exciting battles.
The situation was exactly as Lin Chuan had expected.
It was completely a chicken pecking at chicken fight, even uglier than the Baby Cup in the Star Rock Federation.
This was normal.
After all, the commoner Beast Masters of Dongyang mostly used demonic creatures whose sentience had been erased, leaving only a hint of instinct.
Many times, these demonic creatures couldn't even understand slightly complex command orders, so how much combat power could they have?
And the so-called 'advanced' Beast Masters merely had their enslaved demonic creatures change from Tier 1 to Tier 2; the skill effects in their fights were cooler and more powerful, but in terms of skill proficiency, none of them surpassed the ordinary level.
The most crucial point was that these so-called 'advanced' Beast Masters, as Beast Masters themselves, hadn't grown much; the strongest among them were merely stuck at level 9, still mortals who hadn't broken through Tier 1, hadn't condensed a spirit core, and hadn't truly embarked on the path of Beast Master transcendence.
At most, they were a bit stronger and had better recovery abilities, akin to professional athletes among mortals.
"Lin Chuan-sama."
Returning to the main hall, Yuki Yurika bowed to Lin Chuan and said softly and gently:
"It's over."
"Does Lin Chuan-sama have any other questions? Is there anything else you wish to know about the Lightbringer Society's situation?"
Lin Chuan paused, then gently shook his head.
"Then, Lin Chuan-sama, what are your plans next?"
Yuki Yurika asked again.
Lin Chuan looked around at the Lightbringer Society's base, recalling everything he had just seen and witnessed.
After a sigh of emotion in his heart, Lin Chuan shook his head slightly, indicating that there was nothing else he wanted to delve deeper into.
After pondering for a while, Lin Chuan suddenly said:
"Jiecheng-xiaojie, please take me to see that Katori, senior."
The other party was a quasi-Heavenly King, but Lin Chuan was not a Dongyang person, so there was no need to address her as 'sama'.
Even if the other party was also from Star Rock, or even a Heavenly King of Star Rock, according to the customs of Star Rock people, there was no such subservient address as 'sama'.
Lin Chuan thought for a moment and decided to use the address 'senior'.
"Alright, please wait a moment, Lin Chuan-sama."
Yuki Yurika took out her phone and dialed a number. Lin Chuan vaguely heard what sounded like a very childish voice on the other end of the line.
About half a minute later, Yuki Yurika hung up the phone and said directly to Lin Chuan:
"Katori-sama will be here shortly."
Lin Chuan: ?
That's it!?
And, wasn't he going to pay his respects?
Why was the other party coming here?
This isn't appropriate, even if he's from the Star Rock Federation, it shouldn't be like this.
A quasi-Heavenly King personally coming to see a small fry less than Tier 2?
"I apologize, Lin Chuan-sama, before you actively requested to see Katori-sama, I could not reveal Katori-sama's situation to you. But now that you have actively requested it, I can tell you."
"Katori-sama is here right now."
"In fact, Mr. Lin Chuan, you have already seen Katori-sama several times just now."
Lin Chuan: ??
Just as Lin Chuan was confused, a small hand patted Lin Chuan's lower back.
Lin Chuan turned his head.
He saw a little girl, 1.3 meters tall, the same height as Sakura, who was currently hidden by illusion and silently guarding Lin Chuan's side, appear behind him.
Sakura was also startled; she had no reaction, no awareness, of this human little girl who suddenly appeared! Wan Wan, floating on the other side of Lin Chuan, also hidden by illusion, widened her eyes, seemingly wanting to clearly see and remember this little girl.
However, no matter how hard Wan Wan tried, she could never record the little human girl's appearance or demeanor.
Her eyes could clearly see her image, but she simply couldn't engrave it into her memory knowledge base.
Lin Chuan: ???
"No need to look, it's me, it's me!"
"I am the Katori senior you want to see. Hm hm~"
The little girl put her hands on her hips, full of arrogance.
What the heck?
This little sprout was the Katori-sama Yuki Yurika spoke of?
A quasi-Heavenly King?
The founder of the Lightbringer Society?
Lin Chuan glanced sideways at Yuki Yurika.
He saw Yuki Yurika nod slightly, and at the same time, she bowed deeply to the little girl.
"Good afternoon, Katori-sama."
"Hm hm, you did well."
The rabbit-eared little sprout waved her hand.
Yuki Yurika respectfully took two steps back, then bowed again, and left.
However, everything that happened here seemed invisible to the other people around them, as not a single person paid attention to this side.
Only at this moment did Lin Chuan come back to his senses and re-examine the little girl in front of him.
Overall, she looked about 6 years old.
She had pigtails tied into twin buns, wore a cute ruffled children's dress, and a rabbit-eared hat on her head. As she tugged at the hat's dangling pom-poms, the rabbit ears would bounce up and down.
At first glance, there was nothing special; she was just a very cute human child. But upon closer inspection, many terrifying details could be found.
Especially!
Her eyes were too unique.
They had no pupils, and the whites of her eyes were completely dark, like a ghost's.
This little girl, Lin Chuan suddenly realized, he had clearly seen her several times just now, and he had an impression of her, so why did he forget her in an instant?
He only remembered her now that he saw her again.
Lin Chuan suppressed his heart, which had begun to accelerate unconsciously, and tried to maintain a humble yet firm demeanor, saying in as calm a tone as possible:
"Senior? Katori senior?"
"Hm hm, that's right, it's me. However, I don't really like the address 'senior'; it makes me sound old. If possible, please call me Chion, my little cutie!"
The little girl emphasized.
She tugged at the pom-pom by her ear, and the rabbit ears on her hat immediately bounced twice.
Lin Chuan: ...
This senior, aside from her appearance, seemed to have a very unique personality as well.
Chion?
So, the senior's full name is 'Katori Chion'?
"Katori senior."
Lin Chuan didn't know what was wrong with him; it was as if he was possessed.
At this moment, a rebellious thought arose in his heart, indicating that he simply wouldn't call her 'little cutie', but would insist on calling her 'senior'. What could she do about it?
Katori Chion stamped her foot in anger.
Without any barrier, completely unlike a first meeting, Katori Chion pounced on him and launched a flurry of wild punches at Lin Chuan.
There was no harm, just like a younger sister playfully teasing her older brother.
"You scoundrel, you scoundrel, you scoundrel! If you don't call me little cutie, I'll tear you to shreds!"
Lin Chuan almost burst out laughing. A quasi-Heavenly King, that's all? He could handle her with one hand.
Something's wrong, something is very wrong!!
Lin Chuan knew in his heart that his thoughts were completely incorrect. No matter how childish the little girl's appearance or how comical her behavior, he shouldn't have such mischievous and offensive thoughts. Yet, the reality was that he completely couldn't control the urge to play along with the little girl.
Lin Chuan reached out and, with just one hand, pressed down on Katori Chion's head.
Thus, this comical scene unfolded.
Lin Chuan, using the advantage of his long arms, held Katori Chion's head, keeping her at arm's length, while Katori Chion vigorously swung her wild, flailing punches.
After flailing her wild punches for a long time without effect, she only tired herself out.
Katori Chion finally gave up.
"Scum, scum, you ungrateful little scum!"
Katori Chion stomped her foot, cursing and muttering.
Finally, she let out a heavy hmph, then suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Lin Chuan's hand, and dragged him away.
Lin Chuan wanted to resist in his heart, but in reality, he had no ability to resist at all.
After reflexively recalling Sakura and Wan Wan into his Beast Master Space, Lin Chuan was thus pulled away.
Katori Chion dragged Lin Chuan, got into the elevator, and went directly to the 7th floor.
7th floor!?
Lin Chuan was startled again.
When Yuki Yurika took him on the tour just now, they also rode the elevator, but there was no 7th-floor button at all!!
How could a 7th floor suddenly appear?
Is this a ghost?
Lin Chuan came back to his senses and saw the elevator display jump directly from 1 to 7.
The next moment, the elevator doors opened.
A little girl's room, filled with cartoon dolls, appeared before him. There was even a person inside.
Her appearance was extremely similar to Katori Chion, but she was younger, seemingly only 4 years old. She was holding a black ghost troupe-shaped doll, and her pair of dark, pupil-less eyes stared over, giggling.
"You're here, Big Brother."
The little girl spoke, her voice ethereal and clear, yet with an eerie double tone.
Instantly, Lin Chuan was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; his hair stood on end.
"Stop messing around!"
Katori Chion ran over and smacked the little girl on the head.
Immediately, Lin Chuan's chilling sensation disappeared.
And the little girl, meanwhile, hugged her head and squatted down, crying, "Boo hoo hoo."
"Six-year-old, you bully me! You hit me! I'm going to tell twenty-year-old me!"
Saying that, the little girl suddenly threw the black ghost troupe in her hand at Katori Chion.
Then she actually reached out into the void and pulled out a door, a horizontal sliding door in the Dongyang style, which she simply pulled open horizontally and slipped into.
A moment later, a twenty-year-old looking woman, with hair as disheveled as a bird's nest, wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt, stumbled out of the void door. She was holding a half-empty beer bottle, looking like she had just gone through a breakup, crying sadly and completely drunk.
"What's the big deal, it's just a fight. Four-year-old, don't you know how naughty and mischievous you are? Isn't it normal for you to get hit?"
"Six-year-old, little brat, weren't you out playing today? Why are you back?"
The girl looked at the little girl wearing the rabbit-eared hat.
The little girl pointed at the completely dumbfounded Lin Chuan beside her.
"He's here."
The 20-year-old girl paused, then awkwardly scratched her head.
"Um, wait a moment, okay?"
Saying that, the 20-year-old girl retreated back into the void door. The void door closed with a whoosh, and in less than half a minute, it opened again.
The girl emerged wearing a clean and tidy plain black home dress, her hair neatly combed. Her soft, black, shoulder-length hair was like satin ribbons, and her face had light makeup, giving her a very pure and elegant feeling.
Of course, that's assuming one doesn't look at those dark, pupil-less eyes.
Staring directly into those eyes would only cause one's thoughts to sink into a swamp, gradually stagnating, unable to pull oneself out.
Overall, her appearance couldn't be described as stunningly beautiful or peerless, but she was very pleasant and attractive.
Among all the women Lin Chuan had seen so far, if he were to rank them by beauty, this girl would be in second place, only below An Qianqian, pushing Yuki Yurika to third place.
Wait?
What's going on?
Lin Chuan found that the beauty ranking he had just made in his mind, where the girl in front of him was in second place, suddenly, with a 'thump', jumped to first place, smashing An Qianqian's phantom with a punch and trampling her down.
At this moment,
No matter how Lin Chuan thought about it, the girl in front of him was the most beautiful human girl he had ever seen.
Even though the truth was that An Qianqian was more beautiful.
Yet, the answer in his heart was that the girl in front of him was more beautiful.
The girl narrowed her eyes, smiling charmingly, with a cunning look as if to say, 'What are you thinking? I have no idea.'
Then, she picked up the 4-year-old little girl.
"As you can see, this is me at 4 years old. You can call her Ghost Doll."
"This is me at 6 years old. You can call her Little Brat."
The girl pointed to the rabbit-eared hat-wearing little girl beside her.
"And I am me at 20 years old. We are all fragmented souls of the main body."
Saying that, all three simultaneously looked at Lin Chuan with their dark, pupil-less eyes.
"We are all Katori Chion."
"Beast Master Level 69, Ghost attribute, Quasi-Heavenly King."
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Lin Chuan, a student from Xingyan Federation Sixth Academy."