Beast Tamer Association Headquarters.
It was still the same office.
Only this time, there were several more people inside.
Qin Xiaoxue, having rushed back from the outskirts in a flurry, pushed the door open. Her eyebrows lifted slightly as she glanced around the room.
Aside from her grandfather, there were two familiar—yet not particularly close—faces.
"Xiaoxue, you're back," Qin Erlong said with a smile as he stood up.
Qin Xiaoxue nodded, her expression cool and detached, casting a brief glance at the other two present.
One was a balding old man who appeared to be about the same age as Qin Erlong. The other was a middle-aged man in his thirties, wearing a face full of ingratiating smiles.
The one who spoke first was the latter. Facing Qin Xiaoxue, who had already sat down, he said respectfully:
"Miss Qin, I'm truly sorry about what happened last time. I, Sun Chaoju, on behalf of Wolf Den Breeding Base, apologize to you. I've brought your cultivation fee back with me.
Additionally, if you don't mind, Wolf Den is willing to provide a second attempt at cultivating Accelerated Casting for free."
Qin Xiaoxue frowned slightly and looked toward Qin Erlong.
The old man hurriedly waved his hand.
"That wasn't my idea. Old Liu heard about this matter and called Sun Chaoju over. He heard you'd be coming today, so he brought him along."
The balding old man also smiled and said:
"Xiaoxue, this incident is partly my fault. Your grandfather didn't explain clearly who the cultivation was for, and you didn't mention either me or your grandfather when you went. It's normal that Xiao Sun made a mistake.
But don't worry—this time, I'll personally guarantee it. There definitely won't be any issues. If—"
He hadn't finished speaking when Qin Xiaoxue impatiently interrupted and turned to her grandfather.
"What about the thing I asked you about on the phone? Any news?"
The balding old man froze awkwardly and stopped talking.
Qin Erlong coughed lightly and said:
"Yes, it's the Tianyun Group's chairwoman—Dong Muyun. Her background is not simple. Why are you asking about her?"
Qin Xiaoxue frowned but didn't answer.
Tianyun Group?
Not just in Linzhou—this was a well-known name even across Jianghai Province, and even nationwide. What kind of connection could such a big shot have with that brat?
Although Qin Xiaoxue was usually straightforward and hot-tempered, her upbringing meant she was far from ignorant.
Still, with outsiders present, she didn't press further.
She looked at Sun Chaoju, whose face was plastered with a flattering smile, and said impatiently:
"Keep that money for yourself. The contract was clear—I'm not short of that bit of cash.
As for going back to your place for further cultivation? Forget it. I've already found another breeding base to cultivate Mu Tou. I won't trouble you any further."
The balding old man quickly said with a smile:
"Xiaoxue, you mean that Wood Heart Breeding Base in the suburbs, right? Your grandfather already told us about it. That base does have a long history—back in the early days, they also promoted Wood Heart cultivation.
"But over several decades, only a handful of wolves ever developed it, and those were contracted cubs—not cultivated directly. No one has ever successfully cultivated Wood Heart outright. Xiaoxue, don't let yourself be fooled by bad actors."
Qin Xiaoxue glared at her grandfather, then looked at the balding old man and frowned.
"Do I look like someone who's easily fooled?"
The old man's smile stiffened, his expression turning awkward.
Qin Erlong stepped in:
"Xiaoxue, mind your tone. Grandpa Liu is just worried about you."
Worried about me?
At the end of the day, it was all about her identity.
The thought made Qin Xiaoxue feel irritated. Interacting with these people—who treated beast cultivation purely as business and social maneuvering—was truly exhausting.
If she had a choice, she almost missed Su Ping's presence—pungent wolf dung smell and all.
At least that guy genuinely loved beast cultivation and treated it with sincerity.
Besides, whether she'd been scammed or not—didn't she know that herself?
Just looking at how Mu Tou had gained several pounds over the past few days made it obvious that Su Ping had spent quite a bit on food alone.
The contract was clear: if cultivation failed, she wouldn't pay a single cent for materials or labor.
What could she possibly lose?
On the contrary, the real one who had been scammed was probably this man in front of her—who had pocketed her three million only because he learned of her identity.
But she had no intention of explaining herself.
After all, Su Ping hadn't finished cultivation yet, and Mu Tou hadn't learned Wood Heart. There was nothing to prove.
Her silence only emboldened the others.
Sun Chaoju hurriedly added:
"That's right, Miss Qin. I've looked into it as well. That Wood Heart Breeding Base—the old owner already left Linzhou. Now it's just a kid who just graduated.
"A fresh graduate—what could he possibly know? He probably can't even grasp basic cultivation principles."
Qin Xiaoxue's brow furrowed deeper.
"I also graduated only a few years ago. Boss Sun, that's a bit condescending."
Sun Chaoju smiled ingratiatingly.
"How could you compare to ordinary people, Miss Qin? You're a top graduate from the Magic Capital Academy, and the granddaughter of Chairman Qin—"
"Yes, Xiaoxue," the balding old man chimed in, "if someone could really cultivate Wood Heart in Forest Wolves—even with just a 30% success rate—I'd personally issue them a Junior Breeder certification.
"With a 50% rate, I'd grant a Senior certification. If it's any higher, then not only that—next year's Breeder Conference, they'd absolutely represent Linzhou as a core contender…"
"Enough."
Qin Xiaoxue waved her hand impatiently and stood up.
"If there's nothing else, I'm leaving. As for what I asked you about on the phone earlier, tell me when you have time."
She gave her grandfather a brief nod and decisively cut them off.
Just then—
A crisp chime rang out.
It wasn't a phone call, but a message notification.
Very few people had Qin Xiaoxue's private number. Anyone who could message her was someone she knew well.
She took out her phone—and froze.
"Xiaoxue, what is it?" Qin Erlong asked, puzzled as his granddaughter suddenly stopped.
Qin Xiaoxue's expression turned incredibly complicated and strange.
She glanced at Chairman Liu from the Breeder Association, then at Sun Chaoju—the so-called certified Intermediate Breeder from Wolf Den.
Then, with disbelief, she said:
"Su Ping says… Mu Tou's training and cultivation are complete. He told me to go take a look."
The moment those words left her mouth—
The entire office fell into dead silence.
"That's impossible!"
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