Chapter 2660: Chapter 2660
These high-ranking officials spare no expense when it comes to recruiting talent.
Yet Ye Liuyun couldn’t care less about the meager resources offered to him.
He explained to Lin Fengzhi, "I never intended to stay in one place for long. Living in the city is far less appealing than hunting down beasts. It’s not about the benefits—it’s just my nature. I’ve already made up my mind to leave and track down some beasts."
Of course, Ye Liuyun couldn’t reveal his true motives, so hunting beasts served as a convenient excuse. Besides, he was subtly hinting to Lin Fengzhi that he could easily acquire resources by capturing beasts, making it clear that Lin couldn’t possibly afford to keep him.
With Ye Liuyun’s skills, a single trip out to capture a few Celestial Realm beasts and selling them would earn him far more than serving under someone else—not to mention the freedom it offered.
"I understand, Master Ye. With your abilities, resources are hardly a concern," Lin Fengzhi replied hastily. "But since you’ve come to our Willow Grove Dynasty, having a patron is better than none at all. I don’t expect you to stay here permanently, nor do I need you to tame beasts for me. Just hold the title of Beast Tamer under my name—come and go as you please, stay away as long as you like. Every month, I’ll send you a generous sum of resources via teleportation array as tribute.
When your services are needed, we’ll negotiate the price case by case. And in the future, if you ever require assistance, I’ll do everything in my power to help—free of charge. What do you say?"
Lin Fengzhi’s proposal was practically groveling. It imposed no restrictions on Ye Liuyun while offering him free resources.
Ye Liuyun immediately saw through his scheme—Lin wanted to tie him down, preventing him from aiding others. By controlling access to Ye Liuyun’s services, anyone seeking his beast-taming skills would have to go through Lin first.
Still, Ye Liuyun agreed. After all, the terms made little difference to him. Once he left, he likely wouldn’t return.
"Perfect!" Without hesitation, Lin Fengzhi paid Ye Liuyun a full year’s worth of resources upfront, handing over a substantial amount of divine crystals.
Then, he broached another topic: "I’ve been planning to organize a hunting competition for the noble youths of the court. Since you’re heading out to capture beasts anyway, why not join us?
My daughter has mentioned many times how much she admires your skills. She’d love your help in taming a beast as her mount. And with several princes and princesses participating, they’ll surely seek your services as well. Why not make some extra profit while you’re at it?"
I’ve already prepaid Master Ye for my daughter and several other key figures’ fees. As for the beast taming costs for the rest, Master Ye can either quote them directly or let me handle the pricing on his behalf.
"Since it’s just a small detour anyway, Master Ye, would you do me the honor of accompanying me? Consider it a personal favor."
Ye Liuyun found his request quite courteous and thought it wouldn’t hurt to tag along—after all, it was an easy job with good rewards. So he agreed.
Satisfied, Lin Fengzhi took his leave and immediately began making arrangements. Under his daughter’s name, he extended invitations to princes, princesses, and other young nobles from influential families to participate in this hunting competition.
The invited royalty and elites, of course, understood Lin Fengzhi’s intentions. Still, they found the idea refreshing—far more exciting than yet another banquet—and eagerly accepted. Naturally, they also prepared the ferocious beasts they wanted Ye Liuyun to tame for them.
Lin Fengzhi wasted no time dispatching troops to the designated planet to set up the campsite and other necessary preparations.
Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun took the opportunity to explore the local merchant guild. On the sly, he released Tong Xin, Qiong Qi, and Lin Luoyi to assess the craftsmanship of local weaponry and alchemy.
Tong Xin and Qiong Qi purchased several locally forged treasures and flying vessels for further study. They concluded that while the forging techniques were mediocre, the enchantments were remarkably advanced.
Lin Luoyi, however, only took interest in a few rare pills imported from the southern regions. But since their prices far exceeded their worth, she merely noted their effects before returning to research them on her own.
Ye Liuyun also visited a local tavern, treating his companions to a lavish feast and stocking up on food and wine for later.
Over the past few days, he had also used his Scarlet Eyes to control several individuals, extracting valuable insights about the Twin Dynasties Star System’s history, deepening his understanding of the region.
Lin Fengzhi worked swiftly—within days, everything was ready. He then boarded his golden eagle, bringing along Ye Liuyun, Lin Xiaoxiao, Lin Tong, and Lin Moyu, heading straight for the hunting planet.
During the journey, Lin Xiaoxiao, surprisingly, dropped her earlier aloofness and eagerly questioned Ye Liuyun about various beasts.
Though Ye Liuyun was no true beast tamer by local standards, he had plenty of experience with pets, demonic beasts, and even housed numerous ferocious creatures in his spatial world. If he ever encountered something unfamiliar, he could always consult them on the spot—so nothing truly stumped him.
This only deepened Lin Xiaoxiao’s admiration for Ye Liuyun, while Lin Moyu was practically green with envy. Yet with even Lin Fengzhi treating Ye Liuyun with such courtesy, he dared not speak a word against him—leaving him to stew in silent frustration.
Several times, Lin Moyu had tried to probe Ye Liuyun’s true cultivation level, hoping to decide whether he could secretly strike during the hunt. But each attempt was deftly sidestepped by Ye Liuyun, who clearly had no intention of answering. When he persisted, Lin Fengzhi sent him a sharp mental warning, forcing him to back off. His resentment toward Ye Liuyun only festered, convinced that even Lin Fengzhi’s reprimand was the man’s doing.
Ye Liuyun, however, couldn’t have cared less about such a minor figure. He chatted and laughed freely, unbothered—yet revealed nothing about himself, keeping his secrets locked tight.
Gradually, Lin Fengzhi began to realize there was more to Ye Liuyun than met the eye—perhaps even more unfathomable than the man he’d first encountered. Intrigued, he joined the conversation, steering it toward the battles between the northern and southern factions.
Noticing Ye Liuyun’s keen interest, Lin Fengzhi elaborated further, only to discover that the man was shockingly well-versed in military tactics, grasping every detail instantly. The discussion grew more animated, with Lin Fengzhi even sketching terrain maps in midair with his qi atop the golden eagle, reconstructing past battles.
Though Ye Liuyun mostly listened, his occasional remarks struck right to the heart of the matter. In comparison, Lin Moyu’s insights paled—utterly outmatched.
At times, Ye Liuyun even anticipated strategies Lin Fengzhi hadn’t yet mentioned, warning him of potential vulnerabilities before they arose.
By the end, Lin Fengzhi’s amazement had turned to unease. A gnawing suspicion took root: *Could Ye Liuyun be a spy sent by the south?* He resolved then and there to investigate the man’s background thoroughly upon their return.
If Ye Liuyun proved trustworthy, he’d have stumbled upon a rare treasure.
And if not?
Well, then he’d have caught himself an even greater prize.
