Museum of Deadly Beasts

2

Just then, the young man burst out in fury, “Appraiser Lin, you’ve caused me a lot of grief. Back then, I took your consultation token and sought your advice only because I felt you were trustworthy. I thought you were a certified beast appraiser. But who knew…”

After a deep breath, he continued, “At that time, I was hesitant when it came to buying this pet beast because the seller was asking for such a high price. I come from a poor family. My parents even had to sell off our old house to raise enough money to purchase this pet beast. If you had told me this pet beast wasn’t worth forming a blood pact with, I wouldn’t have staked what’s left of my family’s fortune. Now, even with their life’s worth of savings gone, my parents are comforting me, saying I could still take the exams next year. But they’re penniless now. How can I still take the exams? You’ve ruined my family and destroyed my life!”

Upon hearing this, the crowd cast sympathetic looks at the young man.

It was true.

For someone born into a poor family, it was indeed difficult to venture into the path of a friar.

The man had invested his entire family’s fortune and put his hopes on Lin Jin’s statement because he believed in him. However, Lin Jin ended up introducing a worthless pet beast to him.

What Lin Jin did, really did appear to have destroyed this poor boy’s family and future.

Even if the young man wanted to form a blood pact with a new pet beast, where would he get the money to do so?

With a pained expression, Wang Ji said, “Everyone, now you understand why Elder Nan, Appraiser Tan, and I made this decision. Lin Jin has gone too far. Maple City’s Beast Appraisal Association admits responsibility for this mishap by banning such an incompetent beast appraiser from our premises. To prevent Lin Jin from committing a similar mistake again as well as to maintain our prestige.”

At this, the crowd nodded in agreement.

“Who said it was a mistake?”

Lin Jin suddenly got up and said to the enraged young man, “You have quite the nerve to return my grace with revenge. I got you this rare pet beast out of goodwill, and not only did you not thank me, but you’re attacking me instead.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” The young man immediately flared up in anger.

Wang Ji looked just as grim. “Lin Jin, you’re still trying to make excuses and spout nonsense at a time like this.”

Refusing to back down, Lin Jin turned to Wang Ji and said, “Whether or not it was an excuse, we’ll find out soon.”

Having said that, he turned back to the young man. “Do you remember what I’ve said to you back then? Even if you forgot, it was clearly written in the evaluation report I gave you with great detail. I said, this wolf beast is an above-average pet beast and you should form a blood pact with it at once and take good care of it. I’ve also advised you that you have to return within seven days for a follow-up, haven’t I?”

That young man was stunned and nodded. “That’s right. You did say that. But later on, I met Chief Wang Ji and he personally appraised it for me, only for us to find out that this pet beast was flawed.”

Wang Ji demanded harshly, “Lin Jin, stop trying to confuse us. What do you want to say?”

Lin Jin raised his voice and said, “When I appraised the pet beast for this man that day, I’ve stated clearly that this creature was above average and it was important for him to return within seven days. I’m asking you, why didn’t you return?”

The young man responded with anger, “I’ve been deceived by you once. Why would I let you deceive me again?”

“I deceived you?” Lin Jin was enraged as well. Lifting a hand, he summoned a spirit seal and slapped it onto the head of the young man’s wolf beast. In an instant, an invisible gust of air surged out, swaying the sleeves of the crowd as they watched on with astonishment.

They took another look at the wolf beast that was claimed to be worthless. Although its frame was still scrawny, its aura was now menacing and its gaze sharp. It looked like a completely different wolf compared to before.

The most incredulous part was how the wolf’s body was constantly disappearing and reappearing. It was an extraordinary sight.

“A rare beast!”

Those who were knowledgeable could instantly tell because only rare beasts could have such phenomenal powers.

In an instant, the crowd was shocked.

That young man was gaping, pointing at the wolf beast but not a single word could escape his mouth.

Wang Ji’s heart was thumping madly. His mouth was opened so wide it could fit more than one bun.

Nan Gongxian frowned while Tan Lin’s pupils dilated.

None of them expected such a turnout of events.

This time, it was Lin Jin who was furious.

“I deceived you? This pet beast contains the bloodline of a shadow wolf and is deemed an above average creature. Am I wrong? Back then, because I knew you came from a poorer family so I didn’t write out the details of this beast’s bloodline in case anyone with ill-intentions found out and caused you harm. Tell me, was I, Lin Jin, wrong for doing things in your best interest?”

The young man was pale, staring at his wolf beast that now had a completely different aura. He couldn’t speak.

Lin Jin spoke even louder, “I had you return within seven days so you could strengthen the bond with your pet beast and gradually nourish it with meat. After that, I would have used a secret method to activate its hidden bloodline. But what about you? Did you come back and see me?”

“I…” Sweat began to form on the young man’s head.

“You didn’t!” Lin Jin sighed. “I, Lin Jin, have a clear conscience, but I didn’t realize that I would be schemed against by scoundrels who turned facts upside down and forcefully called it a mishap. Still, I never tried to fight back, only wishing this matter would die down on its own while waiting for you to come to me.”

“Today, you finally showed up. But who knew that what I ended up waiting for was an order of banishment. This shadow wolf is such a rare creature but it ended up being mistreated by you. You must have barely fed it anything all this while. And not only did you berate it, but you also physically abused him. Pet beasts have spirits as well. Even if you’re bonded by a blood pact, if you treat it this way, it might retaliate against you and break free from its blood contract. Ultimately leaving you penniless and without a pet beast.”

Perhaps trying to prove that Lin Jin’s words were right, after the bloodline of this shadow wolf was activated, it let out a long howl.

In an instant, a bloody mist emitted from its body.

Just like something was cracking.

“Ah, this is…”

“It’s breaking the contract on its own! This shadow wolf was actually willing to hurt itself for the sake of breaking the blood pact!”

A pet beast forcibly breaking a contract on its own was a rare occurrence. It would only succeed when the pet beast was powerful enough to overcome the blood pact.

In other words, if the owner of the blood pact was too useless or if they abused the pet beast, this rare situation might happen.

And who knew that it would happen today before everyone’s eyes.

The young man stumbled backward out of fear. Seeming to have understood something, he immediately approached the shadow wolf, but the creature let out a low growl instead and took an aggressive stance.

The young man didn’t dare to get close so he could only kneel before Lin Jin.

“Appraiser Lin, I was wrong. I was wrong! Please help me find a way to form a contract with it again!”

Upon hearing this, the crowd shot disdainful looks at him.

Who was the one who ignored his pet beast? Who was the one who abused it and deprived it of food?

Now that he realized that not only was the pet beast not flawed but that it was also a rare beast with a unique bloodline, there was a complete U-turn in his attitude. He desperately wanted his pet beast back.

Didn’t his conscience hurt at all?

“This is impossible!” Wang Ji suddenly came to. He instantly cast a spell and activated his spiritual eye to appraise the shadow wolf.

However, the results made him draw a breath of cold air.

Lin Jin was right. This wolf was indeed, an above-average pet beast.

Chances are, the wolf beast’s bloodline was so deeply hidden that even he couldn’t evaluate it back then.

But how did Lin Jin manage to identify it?

Also, what was that spirit seal he had cast earlier? He actually couldn’t tell. Could the spirit seal have activated the wolf beast’s bloodline just like that?