Lin Chuan was silent.
For a moment, he didn't know how to greet her.
Being stared at by three pairs of pitch-black, pupil-less eyes, like those of a ghost, the pressure on him was immense.
Seemingly sensing Lin Chuan's discomfort and embarrassment under pressure, Katori Chion, looking like a pure and elegant 20-year-old girl, chuckled softly.
Then, she gestured to the 6-year-old loli, Katori Chion.
The 6-year-old Katori Chion stuck out her tongue playfully at Lin Chuan, muttering 'Weakling, can't even handle this much pressure,' before grabbing the 4-year-old Katori Chion by both arms and dragging her away like a salted fish, into the void portal.
Whoosh, the portal closed in response and gradually vanished into thin air.
And so.
In the room, only Lin Chuan and the pure and elegant 20-year-old girl, Katori Chion, remained.
The 20-year-old Katori Chion could perfectly control her ghostly aura, and instantly, the pressure on Lin Chuan vanished without a trace.
"Would you like something to drink?"
Katori Chion asked.
Lin Chuan hesitated, then said:
"Just a glass of plain water is fine."
The next second!
A fair, delicate little arm reached out from the void, delivering a cup of hot milk.
It was placed right on the low table in front of Lin Chuan.
"Weaklings should drink milk."
After saying that, the little arm retracted with a whoosh.
Lin Chuan: ...
His fists hardened!
He really wanted to hit her.
Such a thought uncontrollably rose in Lin Chuan's heart.
The 20-year-old Katori Chion chuckled again, covering her mouth.
"I apologize, my younger self was truly mischievous, please bear with her, Lin Chuan."
"Of course, if Lin Chuan really can't stand it."
"I can grab her and you can hit her."
The 20-year-old Katori Chion said this, but Lin Chuan dared not take it seriously, and he also wasn't sure if he could beat that 6-year-old loli.
"Senior Katori's younger self, well, uh, was very interesting, very cute."
Lin Chuan said, slightly hesitant, uttering a compliment against his true feelings.
The next second!
A fair, delicate little arm reached out from the void again.
This time, the little arm gave Lin Chuan a thumbs-up, indicating it approved of his words.
"Chion is super cute~"
Hesitant to speak, then wanting to speak again, Lin Chuan's expression was extremely complex.
At this moment, Lin Chuan no longer knew how to complain or describe it.
This future Sealed Title Heavenly King, she must have been beaten a lot when she was young, Lin Chuan thought.
"Senior Katori, you invited me, may I ask if there's something you need?"
If they continued to chat idly, that loli might pull off some more outrageous stunts, so Lin Chuan proactively got to the point, asking.
Katori Chion poured herself a cup of tea, took a sip calmly and elegantly, and said:
"There's no particular purpose."
"I just wanted to chat with you, just casual talk, like strangers chatting."
"Presumably, Lin Chuan, you've already seen the situation of these Dongyang Beast Masters. They're truly an eyesore. When a normal one occasionally appears, one who hasn't been corrupted and had their Beast Master will worn down by worldly desires like wine, women, wealth, and power, I just want to invite them for tea and a chat."
Eyesore.
Lin Chuan repeated Katori Chion's descriptive word in his mind, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Indeed, the Dongyang Beast Masters he had just seen were truly an eyesore, extremely so.
But!
What Lin Chuan wanted to say was, wasn't all of this caused by them?
"You want to say it's all my doing?"
Lin Chuan had only thought it, not spoken it aloud.
However, Katori Chion seemed to have already known, directly speaking out Lin Chuan's current thoughts.
Lin Chuan was silent, his eyes lowered.
His silence proved that his thoughts were indeed as she said.
"Hehe, you could say that."
Katori Chion smiled noncommittally.
"I also had a hand in this."
"However, being in Dongyang, if you don't do this, if you don't go with the flow, there's no room for survival."
Katori Chion said.
Hearing this, Lin Chuan remained silent, slowly nodding.
Somewhat surprised, Katori Chion glanced at Lin Chuan, having expected him to refute her.
Expected him to refute her by saying, 'Don't make excuses for your evil deeds, no matter what others do, going with the flow is still your fault.'
If it were another hot-blooded youth of the same age, they might indeed refute Katori Chion and not understand her words, but Lin Chuan could understand. Having seen his past life memories, he understood this principle.
If everyone is corrupt, and an honest, incorruptible person comes along, wouldn't they be persecuted to death?
Katori Chion chuckled, thinking she might be able to chat with Lin Chuan a bit more.
"Then I'll also give you a small reminder, Lin Chuan, don't try to change the situation of the Dongyang Beast Master circle."
"Those families, while they wouldn't dare do anything to you, since you have the Star Rock Federation backing you, they could easily frame you with a crime through normal diplomatic procedures and deport you, or they could cause small hindrances during your travels. It wouldn't put you in danger, but it would make you very uncomfortable."
Lin Chuan: ...
His personality leaned towards being upright and sunny, but Lin Chuan wasn't a great saint who would help others simply because he saw their suffering. He had no intention of changing the situation of the commoner Beast Master circle in Dongyang to begin with.
However, Katori Chion's way of putting it still made him a little uncomfortable.
At the same time, Lin Chuan also picked up on something.
'Those, they'
Katori Chion used these two words to describe the Dongyang families, not 'we'.
This, also meant...
Before Lin Chuan could speak, Katori Chion, as if sensing his thoughts beforehand, smiled.
"That's right, I am not from a Dongyang Beast Master family."
"Speaking of which, Lin Chuan, you and I actually have a bit of fate. I have half Xingyan blood."
"Besides Katori Chion, I also have another name, Wang Chion."
Wang Chion?
Lin Chuan's heart skipped a beat. The surname Wang, in the Star Rock Federation, was both common and uncommon. Common because many people had the surname Wang, it was one of the largest surnames in the Star Rock Federation. Uncommon because among the five great Beast Master families of the Star Rock Federation, there was a 'Wang' family!
If Katori Chion were just an ordinary person, an ordinary Beast Master, Lin Chuan would absolutely not think too much.
But she was a future Sealed Title Heavenly King, so Lin Chuan couldn't help but think more.
Which 'Wang' was her other surname?
Katori Chion gave Lin Chuan a meaningful look.
"These are my personal secrets, so I won't tell you more."
Clearly, Katori Chion did not want to discuss this further, instantly cutting off Lin Chuan's budding curiosity.
Then, she changed the subject.
"Lin Chuan, what do you think of Dongyang?"
"An eyesore."
Lin Chuan answered using Katori Chion's earlier term.
Katori Chion chuckled, covering her mouth.
"Exactly, it's such an eyesore."
"However, Lin Chuan, you cannot deny that this is a very clever way of ruling."
"It allows almost all of the nation's resources to be concentrated and supplied to a very small portion of the population."
"Lin Chuan, those commoner Beast Masters you just saw are merely the bottom tier, just tools to help rule the masses."
"The upper echelon of Dongyang Beast Masters, the Ten Families, are not weak at all."
"Dongyang is one of the strongest human nations and powers besides the Three Great Nations."
Lin Chuan pondered.
Thinking about it, it was indeed true.
If just Ten Families consumed the entire nation's resources, how could the Beast Masters they nurtured not be strong?
It was just a pity that the commoners of Dongyang had almost no path to advancement.
"It is indeed a very clever way of ruling."
"However, I still prefer the ruling method of my homeland, the Star Rock Federation."
Lin Chuan, speaking from his background as a commoner, said this sincerely.
Katori Chion was silent. She didn't argue, for although Dongyang's ruling method was very clever, it could never compare to the Star Rock Federation.
Unbeknownst to them, a window had appeared in the room. Outside the window was not the scenery of the Lightbringer Society's hidden realm, but the actual outside world, the natural landscape on the outskirts of the capital city.
A gentle breeze blew through the window into the room, refreshing and pleasant.
With her pitch-black, pupil-less eyes, Katori Chion looked out the window, pursed her lips, and slowly began to speak.
"Which Beast Master from another country doesn't admire the Star Rock Federation?"
"Lin Chuan, do you know that even in the other two great human nations, the Tianlong Empire and the Holy Heaven Ancient Kingdom, not every common person has the opportunity to awaken Beast Master talent and become a Beast Master?"
Katori Chion said, her voice lingering.
Hearing this, Lin Chuan was stunned.
Weren't the Three Great Nations all nations of Beast Masters?
"It seems you don't know how great a nation your homeland, the Star Rock Federation, is."
"In the Star Rock Federation, as long as one is not a criminal who has committed extremely heinous crimes with severe societal impact, they can become a Beast Master!"
"Once a year, all 16-year-old children in the Star Rock Federation can undergo the awakening ceremony, awaken Beast Master talent with 100% success, and receive a free initial spirit beast suitable for contracting, becoming a Beast Master."
"Do you know how great, how noble this is? It drives common people in all other human nations who know about the Star Rock Federation's situation to mad envy and jealousy."
Katori Chion murmured.
Lin Chuan was inexplicably shocked.
All along, he had considered himself a Xingyan person, viewing things from a Xingyan perspective.
To him, the annual graduation awakening ceremony was nothing out of the ordinary.
However, viewed from the perspective of other nations, this matter...
Was so grand!
Even a Level 69 future Sealed Title Heavenly King was so astonished.
Lin Chuan realized with a jolt that he had previously been taking his blessings for granted.
"Lin Chuan, do you know what everything in the Star Rock Federation comes from?"
Her gaze returned from the window, and Katori Chion quietly watched Lin Chuan.
What did everything in the Star Rock Federation come from?
Everyone could awaken Beast Master talent and become a Beast Master; even the other two great nations couldn't achieve such a thing.
Resources? Systems? Or something else?
Lin Chuan pondered, but Katori Chion didn't let him think too long; she directly told Lin Chuan the answer.
"Because of the Qilin Emperor."
Qilin Emperor?
Lin Chuan knew that this was the Star Rock Federation's current and only Emperor-level Beast Master.
The current leader of the Star Rock Federation.
However, he did not know what the Qilin Emperor had done.
The Emperor rarely appeared on any television programs, nor was he reported by any news media.
The people of the Star Rock Federation only knew that such a leader existed, but almost no one knew about the Emperor's situation or what he had done.
"Some love wealth, some love power, some love fame."
"Only the Qilin Emperor, uniquely loves the people."
"The Qilin Emperor is also known as the Holy Emperor."
"The Holy Emperor dislikes others praising him everywhere; he says it makes him feel awkward."
"Therefore, even you Xingyan people rarely hear of the Qilin Emperor's deeds."
"It is the Holy Emperor who squeezes out a drop of his essence blood every year as the main material resource for presiding over the awakening ceremony. This is why everyone in the Star Rock Federation can awaken Beast Master talent, and the awakening success rate is 100%."
"You can understand it as sacrificing a Legendary-grade Holy Spirit every year as a ritual offering."
"The Holy Emperor, perhaps his strength is not as great as the Dragon Emperor or the Phoenix Emperor, but he is absolutely the most revered and worshipped Emperor in all human civilization circles."
"No matter which nation's Heavenly King or even Sealed Title Heavenly King, even a Beast Master who has gone astray and is utterly wicked, will hold him in reverence."
"It is the Holy Emperor's noble character, broad mind, and supreme sage-like virtue that created the Star Rock Federation, a holy land in the hearts of countless Beast Masters."
"Even aristocratic families and sects will bow down and willingly follow him."
"A nation where everyone has an opportunity, everyone has a path forward, that kind of nation is truly too beautiful."
At this moment.
Katori Chion seemed like a fangirl, falling into a state of obsession, fervor, and boundless reverence as she murmured.
Lin Chuan was silent, looking at Katori Chion with some confusion.
He had a feeling that Katori Chion, this half-Xingyan person, was even more Xingyan than he, a pure Xingyan person.
She was definitely a die-hard fan of the Qilin Emperor!
However, what the Qilin Emperor did was indeed worthy of others' worship and reverence.
...
Time passed quietly.
As long as the topic didn't involve the Qilin Emperor, Katori Chion was still very normal, very pure and elegant.
She told Lin Chuan a lot about the situation in Dongyang, including some matters concerning the Ten Families. She suggested that if Lin Chuan had the chance, he could go challenge them.
Engaging with the younger generation of the Dongyang Ten Families would certainly yield significant gains.
Moreover, the Dongyang Ten Families were incredibly wealthy. If he set up a wager, he could gain a huge amount of resources if he won, and there would be no loss if he lost. With the Star Rock Federation backing him, the Ten Families wouldn't dare pull any shady tricks, unless they wanted to die.
"Oh, by the way, Lin Chuan, you don't have anything planned later, do you?"
It was 5 PM, and Katori Chion suddenly asked Lin Chuan.
"No."
Lin Chuan shook his head. He was contemplating Katori Chion's suggestion, whether or not to go challenge the Ten Families.
"How about we have dinner together later? I'll introduce two people to you."
"You two should become friends."
Katori Chion said, blinking.
It was the pure and elegant 20-year-old Katori Chion, but at this moment, she actually seemed a bit like that 6-year-old loli.
Her pitch-black, pupil-less eyes even gave off a look of anticipation for a good show, an expectation for gossip.
This was clearly a weasel giving a New Year's call to a chicken—it meant no good!
Lin Chuan's eyelids twitched wildly, and his mouth twitched slightly as he said:
"Senior Katori, can I refuse? I'm a lone wolf with no emotions, I don't like making friends!"
"Da~me~!"
Katori Chion replied in Dongyangese.
She crossed her arms, forming a big 'X' for Lin Chuan.