Under the azure canopy above, the lake water appeared crystal clear and pristine. Sunlight danced across the gently rippling surface, creating the illusion of countless fragments of shimmering silver scattered across the water.
By the reservoir's edge sat a young man with his fishing rod cast into the lake. Beside him rested a water bucket that contained nothing but water, its emptiness almost mocking his efforts.
"Boss, can I extend my time? Give me another two hours," Chen Wei said unhurriedly, his tone carrying the confidence of someone who knew exactly what he was doing.
The reservoir owner's brow immediately furrowed upon hearing that all-too-familiar voice.
He looked up and, sure enough, there was that handsome young man again with his refined features and fair complexion. The owner quickly refused, "No extensions allowed for fishing here!"
Then he couldn't help but complain, "Speaking of which, it's really strange. Apart from you, kid, hardly anyone can catch the Red-tailed Goldfish in this reservoir. How's your luck today?"
[Name: Red-tailed Goldfish]
[Attribute: None]
[Race Level: Low Common]
[Race Skill: Water Leap]
[Description: A lake-dwelling ornamental dragonfish rumored to contain the faintest trace of dragon bloodline. With virtually no combat ability, almost no one would choose to contract this pet beast. However, it's beloved for its stunning appearance and often kept for ornamental purposes.]
After all, he was raising one at home. The detailed information about this pet beast immediately surfaced in Chen Wei's mind.
"My luck seems a bit off today," Chen Wei said helplessly.
"Not bad..." Upon hearing this, Boss Lin couldn't help but chuckle, then continued, "You've got one hour left. Go easy on me, kid. Don't catch several Red-tailed Goldfish like last time, or I'll go bankrupt!"
"No problem."
An hour later, Boss Lin looked at the single Red-tailed Goldfish in the water bucket, his face showing utter disbelief. "This is what you call going easy on me!"
"Four hours total, and I only caught one fish," Chen Wei said matter-of-factly. "Of course that's going easy. An angler never comes back empty-handed."
Boss Lin had never in his life encountered an angler who couldn't catch any other fish. Of all the fish in the lake, why did this kid have to target his Red-tailed Goldfish!
"Are you still buying?" Chen Wei lifted the water bucket in his hand, tilting his head with a cheerful smile.
"I'll take it. This Red-tailed Goldfish is slightly smaller than the ones from last time," Boss Lin said helplessly, rolling his eyes. "Last time, four fish cost 8,000 yuan total. How about 1,800 yuan for this one?"
"Sounds good." Chen Wei pulled out his phone and skillfully opened his Star Coin QR code.
The nearly tearful Boss Lin transferred the money to Chen Wei. This was truly bizarre—since when had the Red-tailed Goldfish in the reservoir become so easy to catch?
Although he could still make some profit by reselling them, to him, earning less was the same as losing money!
Boss Lin suddenly remembered something and looked up at Chen Wei seriously. "I remember you and that Zhicheng kid are classmates. You're entering your senior year this year?"
"Yeah, school starts tomorrow," Chen Wei replied, glancing at Boss Lin.
"If school starts tomorrow, then it's perfect timing to contract your initial pet beast."
Boss Lin raised his eyebrows and asked eagerly, "Have you chosen your pet beast yet? I've got connections for high-grade Transcendent-level pet beasts, with huge discounts!"
"No thanks, I can't afford that kind of pet beast." Chen Wei turned to glance at the Earth Wolf Dog not far from Boss Lin. "Instead of discussing this, you'd better get it some food. Look, it's eating dirt again."
Boss Lin tilted his head in confusion.
[Name: Earth Wolf Dog]
[Attribute: Earth]
[Race Level: Mid-grade Aberrant]
[Race Skills: Scent Detection, Rock Claw, Bite]
[Description: An Aberrant-level creature evolved from previously domesticated wolf dogs. It can obtain nutrition by consuming soil and excels at using its nose to search and detect enemy scents.]
"I was just being nice by recommending pet beasts to you. If you don't want them, fine. But let me be clear—three strikes and you're out. If you come here a few more times, I'll go bankrupt and be the one eating dirt!" Boss Lin shook his head and changed the subject.
"You're banned from fishing here!"
"Got it, won't come next time." Chen Wei turned and left the reservoir. Boss Lin's pet beasts weren't easy to obtain anyway, and Chen Wei had already set his sights on his initial pet beast long ago.
…
Chen Wei shouldered his backpack and carried the water bucket as he boarded the bus. The bus sped along its route and soon reached the city center. He got off and followed the crowd toward home.
After walking through street after street, his pace began to slow as he entered a dim alley. On the right side of the alley stood a run-down apartment building, surrounded by noisy restaurants selling food.
The apartment's front door stood open and unlocked. He climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, where on the left side was a cramped single room. The worn door bore the number 403—this had been his home for two years.
Lying on his comfortable bed, Chen Wei rested his right arm across his forehead. In the shadows, his eyes revealed traces of melancholy mixed with longing.
This world was extraordinarily unique, possessing a transcendent power known as Source Force.
Most animals and plants in this world could awaken higher intelligence and powerful talents because of it. Even elemental forces like wind, snow, thunder, lightning, flames, and flowing water could evolve into living beings.
Humans could also awaken supernatural abilities through Source Force. However, while ability users weren't weak, their power still fell far short compared to the naturally gifted exotic beasts.
Weak humans were regarded as ants by most exotic beasts, and some human tribes had to offer sacrifices to gain protection from powerful exotic beasts.
However, humanity's greatest strength lay in creation and application. Through long periods of development, humans discovered that absorbing Source Force from heaven and earth had a chance of awakening a beast-taming talent in their minds: the Source Star.
Through the Source Star, one could forcibly contract and capture exotic beasts, even forcibly control them. These powerful beings who commanded exotic beasts were revered as Beast Tamers.
Beast Tamers were far more powerful in combat than ability users of the same rank, so Beast Tamers gradually began to flourish while the number of human ability users dwindled.
Tens of thousands of years later, humans had established a brilliant beast-taming civilization. Unfortunately, exotic beasts remained the overlords of Blue Star, while humanity could only occupy a corner of the world.
Therefore, all major human nations shared a common dream: to explore the origin of all things, the World Pillar known as the Source World Tree.
If they could successfully explore and study the Source World Tree, perhaps humanity could become the true rulers of Blue Star.
Unfortunately, the area around the Source World Tree was inhabited by Blue Star's most powerful exotic beasts, with rumors of divine beasts capable of destroying heaven and earth dwelling upon the World Tree itself. To this day, no human powerhouse had ever reached the base of the Source World Tree.
Many scholars even speculated that Source Force might have originated directly or indirectly from the World Tree.
Currently, exotic beasts remained the rulers of Blue Star, occasionally launching attacks on human cities. Chen Wei's parents had perished twelve years ago during a King-level beast tide disaster.
Chen Wei had consequently spent a long period in an orphanage, only choosing to leave after reaching adulthood at sixteen and awakening his talent.
On Blue Star, everyone had three chances to awaken beast-taming talent—the Source Star—at ages sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen. Those who failed to awaken a Source Star after three attempts lacked beast-taming talent. Those who possessed beast-taming talent had a chance to awaken an innate talent simultaneously with their Source Star.
Source Stars encompassed the five elements, with each person choosing one of the five. Innate talents could only be awakened once—this was an iron law throughout Blue Star's known human history.
Not all Beast Tamers necessarily possessed innate talents, but those with innate talents were definitely Beast Tamers.
During the school's beast-taming talent awakening ceremony, Chen Wei had awakened the innate talent "Appraisal": the ability to detect exotic beasts' racial levels and potential, the effects of heavenly treasures and earthly materials, and even sense exotic beasts' emotions.
The talent Chen Wei awakened wasn't suitable for combat, but compared to the strange and bizarre talents his other classmates had awakened, it was actually quite decent.
His homeroom teacher, Teacher Zhou, had strongly recommended that Chen Wei develop toward becoming an appraiser, but Chen Wei had refused.
With his parents' inheritance, the single apartment room allocated by the state, plus the monthly pension he received, Chen Wei had accumulated a considerable sum of savings that he could use to purchase and nurture pet beasts.
He didn't want to become a professional appraiser. He wanted to become a powerful professional Beast Tamer, or even a Dragon Rider.