Chapter 12: Testing Attributes

"What a pity. If it were in the past, attribute fruits wouldn't have been so expensive, and we would have accumulated quite a few over time. But recently, due to the influx of beast tamers into Infinite City, these fruits have become extremely scarce, monopolized by major factions."

"All in all, while awakening an attribute can greatly enhance a pet beast's combat strength, there's no need to rush. Just wait a little while. Once the wave of newcomers subsides, the market should stabilize, and by then, you'll likely have saved enough crystal coins to purchase one," said White Dragon of the Waves.

"Alternatively, you could choose to join the official forces… They typically provide a free attribute awakening benefit."

"Free attribute fruits?" Lu Ran finally heard something promising.

"As if! They have other methods."

"Which method is better for a pet beast?"

"Obviously, the paid attribute awakening fruit is superior." White Dragon twitched at the corners of his mouth. "Isn't that obvious?"

Getting something for free was already a luxury—why hope for more?

"Fine." Lu Ran sighed. He would naturally choose the method that was best for his pet beast. After all, it wasn't like he couldn't afford attribute fruits.

Everything was for laying a strong foundation for Ha!

"Well, I've explained enough for now. My beast-taming ID is 7386—let's add each other as friends. If you change your mind, you can contact me anytime." White Dragon of the Waves found Lu Ran to be quite a quick learner. As expected of a student—their adaptability was exceptional.

Moreover, in his eyes, Lu Ran was also quite vigilant, clearly not trusting him entirely. That was good. People like that were less likely to meet an early demise in the secret realms.

"Thank you," Lu Ran said.

"You're welcome. Oh?" White Dragon glanced at the time and exclaimed in surprise, "It's getting late. Time to clock out. Since I'm already playing the role of a good Samaritan, I might as well see it through. I'll take you to the nearest attribute stone. It just so happens I'm heading that way for dinner. Some of the restaurants in Infinite City have truly exquisite cuisine—you should try them if you get the chance, though they're pricey!"

"Let's go, little Lu." With that, he straightened his clothes and prepared to leave.

Lu Ran hesitated briefly before finally following along.

…

"Despite Infinite City's vastness, the number of beast tamers is still relatively low. Moreover, combat-type beast tamers rarely appear in public, as they are constantly training to strengthen their abilities. The ones who are most active within the city tend to be life-type beast tamers…"

"This isn't even the central district yet, so there are even fewer people around…"

As they walked, White Dragon of the Waves continued to explain things fluently, as if he had recited this information countless times before. He had likely given the same lecture to many newcomers.

Lu Ran listened in silence. He was just about to ask about the difference between combat-type and life-type beast tamers when something caught his attention.

At last, after arriving in Infinite City, he had encountered a third and fourth person!

At the edge of a quiet street, beneath an ancient tree towering dozens of meters high, two figures stood before a massive, two-meter-tall stone.

The first was a mature woman, likely in her late twenties, dressed in professional attire—about the same age as White Dragon. The second was a young man, seemingly around Lu Ran's age.

Judging by the young man's weathered, rough skin and simple clothing, he likely came from the countryside. What truly confirmed White Dragon's assumption, however, was the pet beast standing beside him…

A massive boar, nearly as tall as a person, with coarse brown fur and long, menacing tusks!

Such creatures weren't available for contract in the city!

White Dragon was slightly intrigued. He wondered whether this boar had undergone a genetic regression after being contracted or if it had already been a wild boar before the contract was made.

Some domesticated animals, after forming a contract, tended to experience a reversion to their ancestral state—such as pigs turning into wild boars or dogs reverting to wolves.

In any case, a wild boar's combat prowess far surpassed that of the domesticated pets found in the city. This kid had drawn an excellent starting hand!

With a beast like that, clearing the beginner's trial secret realm should be a breeze.

"Flower, is that a new recruit?" White Dragon clearly recognized the professional-looking woman. Seeing her with the young man, he immediately understood the situation.

Just like himself and Lu Ran, she was a veteran guiding a newcomer through the attribute test.

"White Dragon." The woman in the black stockings and professional attire smiled slightly at him. "That's right. I got lucky today—this one scored a C-level rating, quite a promising recruit. I brought him here to test his attributes."

"C-level?!" White Dragon's eyelids twitched. That was some good fortune. If he managed to bring such a talented recruit into the organization, the bonus would be significant. Unfortunately, when he had asked Lu Ran about his score earlier, the latter had been evasive—he suspected it wasn't high.

After all, Lu Ran's age and demeanor suggested he was a privileged city kid. Given his disheveled appearance, it was already remarkable that he had lasted even a single day.

"You got lucky too, picking up a newcomer," Flower teased.

"Haha, indeed." White Dragon introduced them casually. "This is 'Pen of Blossoms,' my colleague. And this here… is 'Passerby A,' a newcomer."

Upon hearing White Dragon's introduction, Flower and the young man with the boar exchanged glances before nodding.

"And this is 'Pig Farmer'… Yes, his ID is literally just 'Pig Farmer,'" Flower said, feeling that young people these days were truly peculiar.

One after another—did no one take names seriously anymore?

"Ah, well, at least it suits his pet beast. So, it's a Rock-type?" White Dragon glanced at the attribute stone, which had developed a layer of petrification, then looked at the snorting wild boar.

"Not bad. A Rock-type boar has strong potential if trained well."

"You should try it too." White Dragon gestured toward the large stone, addressing Lu Ran. The attribute stone had a grayish-white hue, and in one spot, a rough, dirt-like protrusion had formed due to the previous test's petrification effect.

"Attribute stones have a unique composition. Just have your pet beast attack it, and it will react based on the beast's latent attribute. Once we determine the attribute, you can select the most suitable awakening method."

"The basic attributes include Wind, Rock, Lightning, Grass, Water, Fire, and Ice."

"Generally speaking, if an attribute stone turns to stone upon impact, the beast possesses Rock affinity. If it heats up and glows red, it's Fire; if it becomes damp, it's Water; if it frosts over, it's Ice… Each attribute manifests differently—you understand, right?"

"Of course, beyond these common elements, there are rarer attributes like Light and Dark, but those are incredibly rare."

"I see." Lu Ran nodded. It sounded straightforward enough.

"Go ahead and try it." Flower encouraged him.

Even though she and Pig Farmer had already finished their test, they remained to observe Lu Ran's results.

Eager to uncover Ha's attribute, Lu Ran extended his hand, summoning his contract's black card.

"Pet beast—summon!"

A glowing summoning array appeared on the ground, radiating a dazzling brilliance. The next moment, with a loud "woof," a massive husky emerged.

"A husky?"

No one seemed particularly surprised.

In cities, most chosen beast tamers started with domesticated pets—cats or dogs.

Compared to a wild boar, using a pet dog to clear the beginner's trial was certainly an uphill battle.

Judging from the husky's breed alone, Flower and White Dragon concluded that Lu Ran's beginner rating likely wasn't high.

"Ram into that stone," Lu Ran instructed without hesitation.

"Woof!!" Ha nodded, eyeing the massive attribute stone. Gathering energy, it surrounded itself with a dim white light before charging forward.

"Not bad," Flower and White Dragon remarked, slightly surprised.

It already had a basic grasp of using its internal energy—clearly, Lu Ran hadn't survived the beginner's trial by sheer luck alone.

Pig Farmer and his boar also turned to watch.

Bang!

A flash of white light burst forth as Ha's head made direct contact with the attribute stone.

And then, a piercing wail echoed.

"AWOOO!"

Ha clutched its aching head, clearly in agony.

"Damn it…" Lu Ran sighed. "Why'd you hit it so hard? Do you two have some kind of grudge?"

Feigning indifference, he ignored the baffled gazes of the other three.

Soon, their attention shifted back to the attribute stone.

The area Ha had struck now bore several sharp, white gashes—like knife marks.

"Scratches… Wind attribute?" White Dragon mused.

"Wind, huh?" Lu Ran muttered. "How's that as an attribute?"

"Quite good," Flower replied. "Wind beasts are known for their exceptional speed. It's said that even creatures incapable of flight can eventually learn to soar using Wind techniques…"

A flying husky…

Lu Ran glanced at Ha, who was still rubbing its head, and chuckled.

Not a dumb dog… a crazy one. Somehow, that didn't surprise him.