Chapter 444: The Impact of Level Differences

Chapter 444: The Impact of Level Differences

As soon as Li Qian saw Duan Kong return, he immediately asked, "Teacher Duan, what creature was that just now? It sounded quite eerie."

Duan Kong gazed ahead and replied, "A Netherworld Jellyfish, a dual-attribute companion beast of the Water and Undead types. It's not particularly strong in combat, but its ability to confuse and escape is quite extraordinary, making it a troublesome opponent."

Upon hearing this, Li Qian instantly understood the deeper meaning, "Teacher Duan, do you mean that the creature wasn't killed in the recent battle?"

"It's not easy to kill a Holy Spirit-ranked Netherworld Jellyfish, and if we linger too long, we might attract the swarm of its kin."

Duan Kong shook his head and honestly explained, "So, I just had the Undead Bone Dragon drive it out of our flight path."

"That's good. After all, for us, the most important thing is to arrive safely. Moreover, the extraordinary beings in the dimensional plane are endless." Li Qian agreed.

After this brief interlude, the airship continued its journey without any reduction in speed.

With the "Sage Kong" from Jiangnan Beastmaster University on board, the initially anxious passengers calmed down.

With such a formidable figure present, they were certain their trip would reach its destination safely.

Around 3 a.m., the airship finally arrived at Heiyu City, and the sky remained as dark as ink upon their arrival.

"Heiyu City differs from Shuihua City in that it's built on a much safer environment, so it's a medium-sized city, larger than Shuihua City." Duan Kong explained after they reached their destination.

Even without Duan Kong's explanation, Li Qian could sense that despite the early hours in the dimensional plane, the streets were still bustling with adventurers."

"Teacher Duan, where are we headed next? Straight to the dimensional rift?" Li Qian asked as they walked side by side after leaving the airship base.

Duan Kong pointed ahead with a mysterious smile, "No need to rush. We've traveled far and wide, and we're about to reach the shallow dimensional plane. Let's take a break."

"Okay." Li Qian thought for a moment, finding Duan Kong's suggestion reasonable, and nodded in agreement.

With a plan in mind, Li Qian quietly followed Duan Kong as they walked through several blocks before turning into an alley with a distinctively different style.

As Li Qian observed the residential area they had entered, a big question mark formed on his forehead, "Should we look for a hotel or inn to rest?"

Naturally, Li Qian thought of these two options for rest, or even going to the headquarters wasn't out of the question.

After all, Duan Kong's identity was well-known.

In response to Li Qian's question, Duan Kong's smile widened, "Now that we're in Heiyu City, why would we go to a hotel or inn?"

"Let's just go to my place."

As he spoke, Duan Kong led the way.

"What?"

Li Qian was momentarily stunned by this statement. After a moment, he exclaimed in surprise, "Teacher Duan, you have a place here in Heiyu City?"

"Is it strange that I bought a house here?" Duan Kong turned and asked.

Li Qian quickly waved his hand, "Not strange, just unexpected."

Duan Kong pointed ahead, "With the constant travel between dimensional planes, it's more convenient to have a home base here."

"When we get to my place, my wife will prepare a meal. After eating and resting, we'll set off again in the morning." Duan Kong continued with the arrangements.

Li Qian, still processing the surprise he had just swallowed, couldn't help but ask, "Your wife is here too?"

"Of course, a home needs a woman's touch." Duan Kong stated matter-of-factly.

Unconsciously, as they conversed, they had entered a new neighborhood.

Here, the houses were neatly arranged, mostly two or three-story bungalows. The streets were clean, and even the greenery was well-maintained.

Clearly, this was an upscale residential area meticulously planned by the authorities.

After scanning their irises to enter the residential area, they walked without pause. Soon, they reached their destination—a three-story bungalow with an iron gate that slowly opened upon their iris scan.

Before Li Qian could even react, a crisp, pleasant voice called out, and along with a fragrant breeze, a graceful, slender figure appeared.

Before Li Qian could gather his thoughts, the graceful figure leaped into Duan Kong's arms, "Honey, how long has it been since you last visited?"

"About half a month, I think!" Duan Kong patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"How can you even say that? It's been half a month since you last came," said the beautiful figure with a hint of resentment.

Li Qian couldn't help but chuckle at the scene, but his heart couldn't help but stir.

The woman before him should be the "Shiniang" that Master Duan Kong mentioned, but this Shiniang was completely beyond his expectations.

She had a classic oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, cherry lips, and a pair of lively, big eyes that made her look no less stunning than a top-tier beauty like Irina.

What was even more remarkable was her figure—tall and slender, with alluring curves, also of the highest caliber. She wore a red silk dress, looking both chic and charming.

Of course, this situation was a bit unexpected, but it didn't shock Li Qian. What truly shattered his perception was that the Shiniang before him was incredibly young.

At first glance, she looked to be in her early twenties.

Standing next to Master Duan Kong, they didn't look like a couple at all. Instead, more people might believe they were father and daughter.

"Ahem!" After a moment of awkwardness, Master Duan Kong coughed lightly twice, glanced at the slightly dazed Li Qian, and introduced, "Meiyi, let me introduce you to Li Qian, a student from Sha Zhou Beast Taming University. He's a rare cultivation genius we encounter once in a century."

After introducing Li Qian, Master Duan Kong introduced the young woman before them, "Li Qian, this is your Shiniang, Zhu Meiyi. You can call her 'Shiniang Meiyi'."

He spoke with ease, and there was not a hint of embarrassment or shyness when he introduced her, as if it were a common occurrence.

Li Qian felt like his values were being challenged. He tentatively asked, "Shiniang Meiyi, you look so young, like a fresh university graduate."

"Haha..." Shiniang Meiyi laughed heartily at Li Qian's words, "It's not as exaggerated as you say. I graduated over three years ago."

Although Li Qian's expression didn't change much upon hearing this, his heart was already calculating.

It had been three years since her graduation, which meant she was around twenty-five years old, going by normal time.

At this thought, Li Qian couldn't help but mutter to himself: What a cradle-snatcher!

"Li Qian, now that you're here, feel at home. Don't be shy," Shiniang Meiyi said warmly. "Okay, you two chat, and I'll go prepare the meal."

As soon as Shiniang Meiyi finished speaking, she took her leave.

After Shiniang Meiyi left, Li Qian couldn't help but give Master Duan Kong a thumbs-up, "Master Duan, you're amazing. How did you manage to win over Shiniang Meiyi?"

"Ahem!" Master Duan Kong coughed twice after hearing this, then continued, "To be honest, your Shiniang Meiyi took the initiative to pursue me."

"I thought about it for a long time, even rejected her several times, but in the end, I was moved by her sincerity and agreed."

Listening to these words, Li Qian felt like he was hearing a foreign language, "What does that even mean?"

Master Duan Kong was pursued by Shiniang Meiyi, and he had even rejected her multiple times. Li Qian could only wonder, what was her motive? Seeing Li Qian's look of disbelief, Master Duan Kong chuckled, "Don't give me that look. I'm not lying."

"In fact, if I weren't so principled and had better self-control, by now, there might be more than just your Shiniang Meiyi here."

Sighing, he continued, "Li Qian, you still don't have a clear understanding of the impact of power levels."

Seeing Li Qian's questioning gaze, Master Duan Kong went on without pause, "My current power level is at the Holy Spirit Apex, the Imperial Rank, and the Holy Spirit Rank. The gap between each major power level is vast, like the difference between clouds and mud."

"Of course, the gap between the Legendary Rank and the Holy Spirit Rank is still incomparable. This is the way of Beast Taming. The higher the rank, the greater the difference between each level."

"Moreover, in the art of Beast Taming, each level's name is not without reason. The Imperial Rank is the King of Humans. Even with overwhelming power, one remains an ordinary mortal."

"The Holy Spirit Rank is different, as its name implies. It transcends the ordinary and enters the realm of the divine. Once a Beast Taming Master reaches the Holy Spirit Rank, their body, tempered by energy, will possess various divine abilities."

"In essence, they begin to transform into an extraordinary being."

Taking advantage of Shiniang Meiyi's absence in the kitchen, Master Duan Kong took the opportunity to educate Li Qian, "Don't be fooled by my age. I'm one hundred and forty-eight years old, and your Shiniang Meiyi is actually not much younger. In the end, there's a high probability that I'll be the one setting up her ancestral tablet."

Duan Kong's words hit Li Qian just as hard as when he saw Teacher Mei Yi throw herself into the former's arms.

Indeed, the age gap that seemed so exaggerated now would be negligible if stretched over their entire lifespans.

If the age difference were ignored, then Teacher Mei Yi's proactive pursuit of Teacher Duan Kong wouldn't seem so absurd.

At least for Teacher Mei Yi, there were benefits to be gained, such as Teacher Duan Kong's influence, access to extraordinary resources, and experience for level-ups.

Of course, this was a rather utilitarian view. Besides this, one couldn't ignore the possibility that Teacher Mei Yi had fallen in love with Teacher Duan Kong at first sight or over time.

After all, admiration for strength is a human nature.

As Li Qian was lost in thought, Duan Kong dropped another bomb, "This is just the Holy Spirit Rank. If one advances to the Legendary Rank, the situation will change dramatically."

"After advancing to the Legendary Rank, the lifespan of a human Beastmaster will experience another qualitative leap."

"To my knowledge, there are no Legendary Rank Beastmasters who have died of old age among human Beastmasters!"

After Duan Kong finished speaking, he fell silent, but the impact on Li Qian was like a thunderclap in a calm sky, instantly stirring a storm.

"Until now, there hasn't been a Legendary Rank Beastmaster who has died of old age..." Li Qian mulled over these words, quickly catching the hidden meaning.

Humans have had Legendary Rank Beastmasters for at least two thousand years, as far as Li Qian knew.

This meant that the lifespan of a Legendary Rank Beastmaster exceeded two thousand years.

When viewed from this perspective, the age difference between Teacher Duan Kong and Teacher Mei Yi was insignificant.

In a daze, Li Qian enjoyed a dinner that doubled as breakfast, prepared by Teacher Mei Yi, and then went to the bedroom she had arranged for him to rest.

However, lying in bed, his mind buzzed incessantly.

D

However, perhaps due to the fatigue from the journey, after tossing and turning for a while, he finally fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, around nine o'clock, Li Qian woke up from his sleep, checked the time, and felt a bit anxious, "Damn, it's so late already!"

He quickly freshened up and left the bedroom. After a few steps, he encountered Teacher Mei Yi, who was holding a basin of water.

"You're awake, Li Qian." Teacher Mei Yi saw Li Qian, flicked her bangs, and greeted him.

Li Qian asked, "Teacher Mei Yi, where is Teacher Duan Kong?"

Teacher Mei Yi smiled, "He just woke up. I'm going to help him freshen up."

Hearing this, Li Qian couldn't help but marvel: Teacher Duan Kong sure is living the life.

In the old calendar era, only emperors could enjoy such treatment.

If Senior Irina or Bai Bingbing could serve him like this, just thinking about it... no, better not think about it, or he might start daydreaming!

After having another fairly sumptuous breakfast at Teacher Duan Kong's place, Li Qian left the small villa with him.

"Teacher Duan Kong, it's not necessary. The rest of the journey is relatively safe. You can stay here with Teacher Mei Yi," Li Qian tried to decline Duan Kong's company.

However, he was firmly rebuffed, "Since I brought you here, I am responsible for your safety until the end."

In the end, unable to persuade Duan Kong otherwise, Li Qian agreed to his company.

Through the dimensional rift in Black Feather City, it didn't take long for the two of them to arrive in Lan Yu City. Seeing the dim sunlight, Li Qian couldn't help but exhale deeply.

After so many travels, they had finally reached the shallow dimensional plane.

"In the dimensional plane corresponding to our Jiangnan Beastmaster Academy, especially this shallow dimensional plane, there are four large cities, and Lan Yu City is one of them."

Looking at the bustling Lan Yu City, Duan Kong smiled, "To facilitate mutual support and rapid personnel movement, teleports have been built between these four large cities."

"Later, we will directly use the tele Port to head to Green Mountain City."

Li Qian nodded slightly, remembering that in the dimensional plane corresponding to Sha Zhou Beast University, there were only two large cities, Yun Tian City and Flying Frost City, and there was no spatial array connection between them.

From this perspective, the development gap was quite noticeable.

Due to Duan Kong's status, they were not obstructed at all and easily passed through the tele Port to Green Mountain City for free.

Upon arriving at Green Mountain City, they immediately headed to the Governor's Office.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end