Chapter 62: The Test Subject
Chapter 62: The Test Subject
"Um, this...young man...what's your name?" Li Qian looked at Huang Mao and asked.
He had subconsciously intended to call him "Little Huang Mao," but as the words reached his lips, he suddenly realized his mistake and quickly changed his phrasing.
Moreover, the man wasn't exactly "Little Huang Mao." Upon closer inspection, it was clear that he was at least in his late twenties.
If he were to address him, he should call him "Big Huang Mao."
Niu Fenjin heard Li Qian's somewhat awkward greeting and couldn't help but smirk.
You already said the word "little," don't think I didn't hear it.
Of course, at this moment, even if he had heard it, he could only pretend not to.
Otherwise, it would be even more embarrassing.
"My name is Niu Fenjin," Niu Fenjin said casually.
Li Qian quickly corrected himself and greeted him again, "Brother Niu, hello, welcome to the Sunray Breeding Base."
The man before him, Huang Mao Niu Fenjin, didn't seem very reliable, but since he was introduced by teachers Chu Xiran and Zhu Bingqing, he decided to trust him for now.
The two teachers wouldn't have recommended him without reason.
"Kid, this breeding base of yours looks pretty average," Niu Fenjin said as he followed Li Qian into the breeding base, scanning the surroundings before casually commenting.
Li Qian didn't mind his words.
Strictly speaking, his words were not incorrect.
His Sunray Breeding Base had indeed declined significantly after the passing of the previous breeder, as the late breeder's descendants had no interest in continuing the work.
There were no high-value companion beasts inside the base either.
It did look a bit shabby.
Li Qian smiled faintly and said calmly, "I've just taken over this breeding base, and I haven't had time to set it up properly. It's normal that it doesn't meet your standards, Brother Niu."
"Ahem..."
Li Qian, who had maintained his composure and politeness throughout, aside from the initial slip-up, didn't want to appear rude. He changed the topic, "Actually, for someone of your age to take over such a large breeding base is quite remarkable."
"This breeding base may look a bit run-down, but its scale and foundation are still intact. With dedicated management, it will surely flourish again."
Li Qian nodded slightly at these words.
This guy may not seem reliable, but once he started speaking, it was clear that he wasn't just a good-for-nothing.
Without wasting time, he got straight to the point, "Brother Niu, I believe you already know about the issue I'm facing from the two teachers."
Niu Fenjin nodded, "You want to learn the Frostfire Formation?"
"Yes!" Li Qian smiled and said, "Of course, it would be best if I could set it up inside my breeding base first."
"As for the required materials and compensation, Brother Niu, just name them, and I'll do my best to meet your demands."
Niu Fenjin waved his hand, "Materials and compensation are minor details. Since I've promised Teacher Chu, I'll do my best to set it up."
"Now I'm more curious about what you plan to use this Frostfire Formation for."
"Teacher Chu only mentioned that it's for assisting in breeding companion beasts, and didn't provide any specific details..."
Li Qian continued on this topic, "It is indeed for breeding. I want to use the Frostfire Formation to stimulate the energy within a companion beast, triggering an evolutionary opportunity."
Niu Fenjin's expression changed significantly as he listened to Li Qian.
Despite his young age, he was already researching breeding and could articulate such theories, which at least proved that he had learned well.
But upon further thought, this was normal.
If he were just fooling around, Zhu Bingqing and Chu Xiran wouldn't have sought his help otherwise.
"I see." Niu Fenjin agreed and began scanning the surroundings again, "Then, where do you plan to set up this Frostfire Formation?"
"Brother Niu, please follow me," Li Qian said, leading the way.
Niu Fenjin followed closely behind.
Before long, the two arrived at an empty space not far from the central pond of the breeding base.
Li Qian looked around and said, "It's here."
Niu Fenjin carefully examined the area for a moment before nodding in agreement.
There didn't seem to be any issues with this place.
"When it comes to array formations, what you learn from books always feels superficial!" Niu Fenjin withdrew his gaze and suggested, "How about this—we can set up the array while I explain it to you at the same time?"
"Sure!" Li Qian readily agreed.
Being able to learn through practice was something he eagerly sought.
Setting up the array formation wasn't something that could be done in a short time.
Therefore, after hosting Niu Fenjin for lunch at the Sunray Breeding Facility that day, the latter left.
Looking at the list of required materials provided by Niu Fenjin, Li Qian called for An Hou Nian.
An Hou Nian took the slip of paper from Li Qian and looked it over. He couldn't make heads or tails of it, but that didn't stop him from committing to fulfilling the task.
"I'll prepare everything as soon as possible," An Hou Nian assured him, then asked, "How many sets do we need?"
"Let's prepare three sets for now," Li Qian replied after some thought.
He wasn't sure if the Frostfire Formation would be damaged after the evolution. If it remained intact, they could simply replenish the energy stones and continue using it, which would be the best outcome.
If it did get damaged and became unusable, it wouldn't be a big deal.
The materials required for setting up the array weren't particularly rare or precious. At worst, they could always set up another array.
In any case, no matter what, three sets of materials would be enough for now.
Considering Niu Fenjin's expertise, the array formation shouldn't take long to set up once the materials were ready. Therefore, at this point, Li Qian had to start contemplating another issue.
Which companion beast should he choose as the test subject?
Theoretically, Ah Long, Liu Changfeng's companion, was the most suitable candidate. Its personality was similar to Qi Zai's, and its willpower was undoubtedly superior to that of other koi.
However, Ah Long was on the path to evolving into a Green Scaled Dragon. If they recklessly evolved it into a Frostfire Salamander, it might succeed, but if it failed, Li Qian would have to answer to Liu Changfeng for ruining Ah Long.
So, it was best not to tamper with the existing koi with potential that were on track to evolve into Green Scaled Dragons.
As for the koi that couldn't even master Waterfall Climbing, even if they took the second evolutionary path, their chances of success were likely low.
Given this, it was better to find a new test subject.
With this in mind, he took out his phone and opened the Companion Beast Mall, browsing through the listings.
As the name suggested, the mall would undoubtedly have companion beasts for sale.
Li Qian didn't waste time searching; he directly input the name of the koi and conducted a precise search.
Rows of information soon appeared on his phone's screen.
He scrolled through the listings and quickly found some koi with seemingly good potential in the mall.
In reality, for these koi to be listed in the mall, they must have had exceptional qualities.
At the very least, they were among the top-tier koi.
Moreover, with such a vast number of koi, even if it was like finding a needle in a haystack, there would still be plenty of exceptional ones.
After a quick scan, Li Qian discovered some promising candidates with decent potential.
Just then, he came across a koi with an intriguing description.
"Able to withstand the intimidation skill of a River Turn Crocodile for ten minutes without fainting."
Without hesitation, he paid for and purchased this koi.
The River Turn Crocodile had slightly lower racial potential than the Green Scaled Dragon, but even so, its intimidation skill was beyond what an ordinary koi could withstand.
This koi's ability to resist for ten minutes before fainting indicated that its willpower was far superior to its peers.
Buying it as a test subject was the most suitable choice.
Additionally, this koi's information gave Li Qian a new idea.
He wondered if he could use intimidation-type skills to train the willpower of the koi in the breeding facility.
As for himself and his parents, they didn't have any companion beasts with intimidation skills, but that wasn't a significant issue.
Whether it was the Lingwater City Beastmaster Association or Teacher Zhu Bingqing, they should be able to help.
Furthermore, he also had the support of his partner, the An family...
(End of Chapter)
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