Beast Taming Starts with Ground Mushrooms

Chapter 8: Methods to Regain Confidence

The mushroom in Lin Yi's hand was only half the size of his palm, but the star array pattern under the mushroom's feet spread outwards, illuminating the entire spirit plant-type pet area with a blue light.

Time passed second by second. As the blue light gradually dissipated and returned to nothingness, a beast pet mark appeared between Lin Yi's eyebrows, exactly the same as the mushroom cub at this moment.

However, the mark only flashed a few times before completely disappearing from Lin Yi's skin... imprinted on the very center of the ancient gate covered with star patterns in his sea of ​​consciousness.

As expected, the contract was successful.

As the contract ended, Lin Yi felt a strange mental connection appear in his mind... a symbiotic bridge between the beast tamer and his beast pet.

At this moment, the mushroom seemed to have become a part of Lin Yi's body, and the natural connection seemed to be even closer than blood ties.

He could communicate with the mushroom without even speaking, but this communication would consume a certain amount of mental energy.

Lin Yi was a little excited.

From this moment on, he was a qualified beast tamer, no longer just a cow or horse feeding the beast pets.

However, Lin Yi's joy lasted only three seconds before he suddenly felt dizzy and weak all over, almost losing his balance. Fortunately, Wen Tao reacted quickly and caught his imagined future brother before Chen Shiqi could reach him.

"Why do I feel so listless after contracting the mushroom cub?" Lin Yi asked, puzzled. "Shouldn't the beast tamer receive a reward from the contracted beast?"

Why does my contract seem different from what's described in the book?

"Hmm... In theory, that is indeed the case. When a beast tamer contracts a beast pet, due to the establishment of a symbiotic relationship, a small portion of the beast pet's powerful spiritual energy and physical attributes will be fed back to the beast tamer."

As Chen Shiqi spoke, she couldn't help but glance at the mushroom-shaped creature in Lin Yi's hand: "Of course, if the contracted beast pet is weaker than the beast tamer in every aspect..."

Lin Yi instantly understood: "So... it was me who fed it back?"

Wen Tao nodded in agreement: "Logically speaking, that's true. In principle, it's currently weaker than you."

Lin Yi: Wang Defa?

He looked at the mushroom in his hand.

Having received the Beastmaster's support, Mushroom Cub's mental state was noticeably better than before.

It understood the conversation between the three, and subconsciously lowered its head, not daring to meet Lin Yi's gaze.

Lin Yi could only sigh inwardly. Oh well, it's his child after all. What mother wouldn't breastfeed her child?

With the contract ending and the pet acquired, the next step is to develop the evolution materials needed to raise the mushroom cub. Given the mushroom cub's current strength, evolution fluid is a good choice.

However, Lin Yi wanted to give Mushroom Cub the best of himself, such as higher-level evolution pills, energy blocks, and so on.

Of course, after asking Chen Shiqi about the price of the cheapest evolution pill in her shop and looking at the balance in his pocket, Lin Yi felt that since Mushroom was still in a weak evolution stage, evolution liquid seemed more suitable for it, and too good evolution items might have the opposite effect.

Besides the evolution fluid for his pets, Lin Yi also inquired about the nutritional supplements provided specifically for beast tamers, but immediately hesitated.

"Forget it, I won't replenish it for now. I'll buy it higher-level evolution nutrients when Mushroom earns money later."

In the end, despite his senior's broken bone, Lin Yi bought the mushroom at a rock-bottom price of 15,000 yuan. The school subsidy and the other 15,000 yuan were all used for the mushroom's evolution fluid cultivation for the next month.

As Lin Yi paid the bill, his heart was bleeding.

"This is just the beginning, and my savings of several years are gone just like that."

Thirty thousand yuan just went into my senior's pocket like that; it really hurt.

However, he also understood that Chen Shiqi hadn't made any money off him, and might have even lost a lot. This was not hard to detect from Wen Tao's eyes when they settled the bill.

After completing the handover procedures for the evolution fluid, Lin Yi also left the shop.

Outside the senior student's pet store.

"Brother Yi, can we add each other on WeChat? It'll be easier to keep in touch later, and I can go visit Mushroom whenever I miss it."

Wen Tao slyly stepped forward and asked Lin Yi for his contact information.

The drunkard doesn't mean wine.

How could Lin Yi not see through this guy's intentions? He practically threw abacus beads at Lin Yi's face.

"Brother Yi, that was great!"

Wentao added him as a friend, said goodbye, and the two went their separate ways.

However, he hadn't gone far when he turned back to look at Lin Yi. Their eyes met, and Wen Tao quickly smiled and waved. He then turned around and saved Lin Yi's WeChat contact as "[Potential Rival]".

After thinking for a moment, he added a sentence at the end: "[Danger level: one star]".

Seemingly feeling it was inappropriate, he changed one star to two. The extra star was considered a dangerous point related to the special relationship between Lin Yi and Chen Shiqi.

Wen Tao is a meticulous man. His method of contacting Lin Yi was not to cultivate any relationship, but rather because he would only feel at ease when his opponent was under his watchful eye.

Soon.

On the way to the Department of Spirit Plant Cultivation and Research, two figures, one large and one small, naturally appeared.

After contracting the mushroom cub, Lin Yi felt like he was walking on air.

Just kidding, I'm a genuine beast tamer now, and wonderful days are beckoning me. How can I not be excited?

Because Lin Yi's current beast tamer level is still very low, he cannot yet put the mushroom into his beast taming space like Chen Shiqi. Most of the students in the university who have beast pets with them are also low-level beast tamers, and freshmen like him naturally make up the vast majority.

Therefore, Lin Yi had no choice but to lead the mushroom-like creature on foot across the campus.

The appearance of the mushroom quickly attracted the attention of many passersby, especially some female beast tamers. Soon, several energetic girls gathered around.

"Look, look! There's a free-growing mushroom here!"

"Wow, it's so cute! It's the cutest ground mushroom I've ever seen."

"Hey kid, is that little thing down there your 'Ground Mushroom'? Can I touch it?"

Many beast tamers turned to look at the sound, and saw a handsome young man with a miniature beast pet following him in the afterglow of the setting sun. The pet was running hard on its short legs, which immediately attracted the attention of many beast tamers.

Even if everyone has never seen a free-range mushroom, they have at least eaten mushroom meat. They were all quite surprised that someone at Tiannan University had actually contracted with a free-range mushroom.

"It seems to be Jiang Yi from the spirit plant cultivation base. This guy actually went and contracted a mushroom-type beast pet?"

Not only the beast tamers, but also the beast pets following their masters stared at it. When they saw the mushroom cub, they were all slightly stunned, and then revealed a human-like expression.

The little mushroom was mocked.

Seemingly sensing the contempt in the eyes of those powerful beast pets, it instinctively lowered its head.

"Little mushroom, lift your head."

Lin Yi said softly.

The little guy glanced up at the big guy, and influenced by Lin Yi's symbiotic emotions, the mushroom cub subconsciously raised its mushroom cap a little higher. However, soon, as the faint sounds of the surrounding beast pets came, the little guy once again lowered its head.

Lin Yi sighed inwardly. It seemed that the most urgent task was not to teach the mushroom cub pseudo-native skills, but to help the little guy regain his confidence.

When the person and the beast arrived at the campus of the Department of Spirit Plant Cultivation and Research, it was already lunchtime.

Today, Lin Yi, unusually, did not rush to the cafeteria immediately, but instead eagerly returned to his own little corner of the world.

In the dormitory, he placed the mushroom on the 75cm high desk and stared at it intently. The little guy seemed to know that he had embarrassed Lin Yi just now, and his eyes were a little timid and evasive.

"Looks like I'll have to put in some effort."

Lin Yi thought to himself, but he couldn't think of a quick and effective way to help the mushroom regain its confidence. This was an unexpected situation, after all, who would have thought that a mushroom could be "inferior"?

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Yi had a sudden inspiration and decided to first eliminate this lack of confidence psychologically. After racking his brains for a while, he finally came up with the most convincing reason.

"Little mushroom, look at me."

Lin Yi extended a finger and lifted the mushroom cap of the little guy until their eyes met. Only then did he look at the little guy with serious eyes and earnestly try to persuade him.

"Little mushroom, remember this: you're no worse than those big guys outside. Do you know why?"

Mushroom: •.•?

Why?

"because…"

Lin Yi stared into the mushroom cub's eyes: "You have an advantage that none of them have. This advantage is enough to help you defeat more than 99% of the other races' pets."

Mushroom: ♡ω♡ Oh?

The little guy was taken aback at first, then his eyes filled with anticipation.

What advantages do baby mushrooms have that other mushrooms don't?

Lin Yi nodded emphatically, his tone unusually firm.

"This advantage is that Mushroom Cub has a master who is an exceptionally talented beast tamer."

"I'm the man they can never have in their lifetime!"

"No, it's an unattainable genius beast tamer!"

Mushroom Boy: •.•