6

After parting ways with Chen Tao, Lin Kai didn't immediately enter the nearest shop but wandered around for a long time. 

Instead of rushing into the biggest shop, he looked for a small shop and soon found one.

In one of the streets, there was a tiny shop selling a few herbs. The shop was so small that Lin Kai almost mistook it for a street vendor's stall. 

Looking at the few shelves that had the same small plant, Lin Kai stopped as his eyes looked at the small wooden board placed on the top shelf.

[Drgonleaf: 60 copper for one, 1 silver for two]

Lin Kai hesitated for a while. He had seen this same plant in almost every single herb shop. The most interesting thing about this plant was its shape and size. 

It was the size of one's palm with a single leaf on it. Even its stem was thin, almost like a straw that could break at any moment. 

He didn't know if he could merge this plant, but he was willing to take a risk. After all, one needs to spend money to make money. 

Walking forward, he stood up in front of the shop hesitating for a while. Even though he had decided to buy it, he still had no clue which was the better one.

The shopkeeper who was dozing off immediately put a smile on his face as soon as he noticed someone arriving in front of his shop. But after looking at the robe the boy wore in front of him, he let out a helpless sigh.

"What is this?" Ignoring the reaction of the old man, Lin Kai stepped forward, bringing his face close to the plant, trying to smell it, but there was no smell.

"This is called Drgonleaf." Unlike the man at the counter inside the Beast Hall, the old man wasn't annoyed by Lin Kai. On the contrary, he found the young boy in front of him quite amusing. 

Since there was no customer at his shop, he was more than willing to accompany Lin Kai for a chat. 

"It doesn't look like a dragon though." 

As soon as Lin Kai spoke, the old man shook his head with a smile. "That is because these Dragonleaf were harvested after six months.

Only the Dragonleaf which are hundreds of years old looks like Dragons."

Lin Kai nodded his head as he opened his mouth in amazement like a child his age would do. 

"How do you know which ones are six months old and which ones are a hundred years old?"

This was the question that puzzled him the most. In his eyes, all these plants looked the same. 

"Come, take a look at this one." Picking up a Dragonleaf, the old man brought it closer to Lin Kai's face. "See these silver veins? These are only formed when a Dragonleaf reaches the age of six months. 

These silver veins will gradually form a gold circle around the leaf. That is when you know that a Dragonleaf is one year old. Ten years will form ten golden circles before merging into a purple circle.

Then every ten years a new purple circle will form before all the purple circles will merge at hundred years, forming a dragon."

Were it any other time, the old man wouldn't have answered the questions in so much detail. But today, he was willing to. Perhaps because the one asking was a young boy, who was the same age as his grandson, perhaps because he was feeling bored or perhaps it was both of these reasons. 

Lin Kai on the other hand was constantly nodding his head. He too didn't expect the old man to speak in such details. But since the old man was willing to speak, then he was more than willing to listen.

"What do you use them for?" Pointing at the dragonleaf, Lin Kai asked once again with the curiosity of a young boy who had just begun to explore the world. 

"These plants are used by the Martial Artists and Beast Masters for training. Fresh ones can be eaten by beasts and martial artists while the dry ones are crushed and then used for various tonics."

The moment the old man finished speaking, Lin Kai's eyes flashed for a moment. He had decided to buy this thing. If he could merge it, he would undoubtedly be making a profit. But if he could not, then he would use this for himself. Perhaps, it would have some effect on him. 

Making up his mind, Lin Kai placed the entire money pouch in front of the old man. 

"Give me four of them." 

The old man who was still answering Lin Kai's answer with a smile was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect the seemingly young boy; a servant of the Cai family would take out two silver for things he didn't know about. 

At this moment the smile on his face disappeared, as he looked at the young boy in front of him carefully. But the only thing he saw was an expressionless face which seemed uncanny for such a young boy. 

"Sure." Standing up, he picked up four fresh Dragonleafs before carefully wrapping them in a cloth. He didn't give any advice to the young boy in front of him or ask him to think twice. Since he was a shopkeeper, it was his job to sell items regardless of the person in front of him. After all, he too has a family to feed. He didn't have the luxury of worrying about the others. 

.

.

After getting the Dragonleaf, Lin Kai didn't waste another second there. He walked out of the street into the main path before entering the Beast hall again. There were times when he wanted to just merge the Dragonleaf, but he held himself back. After all, no one knows whether there are any prying eyes near him. 

Sitting on a wooden bench, Lin Kai waited for almost two and a half hours. Without anything to accompany him, it was hard for him to sit there in silence. So much happened today that he just wanted to doze off for a moment. 

If not for the fact that the Beast Hall never closed, he might had to find a place outside. 

"Sorry for the wait." It was at this moment that a voice woke him up from his daze. 

"Umm..." Rubbing his eyes, Lin Kai looked at Han Ji. However, the moment his eyes landed on him, Lin Kai's breath stopped for a moment.

At this moment, on the left shoulder of Han Ji was a green spider as big as his head. 

"What the..." If not for the fact that Han Ji was caressing the spider softly, Lin Kai would have jumped up in fright. In his previous life, he had seen some big spiders, but none of them were as frightening as the one in front of him.

Not only the spider was pitch green, but it was also covered in a spiky shield-like structure. It was as if this thing in front of him was the combination of a spider with a crab's shell.

"....." Finding himself at a loss for words, Lin Kai just kept quiet. He was waiting for Han Ji to speak while constantly looking at the spider, as if afraid the thing would attack him suddenly. 

"Let's go... It is my treat today." Noticing Lin Kai's expressions, Han Ji almost laughed out loud. When he saw the spider for the first time, his reaction was the same as Lin Kai's. In a sense, he was even worse than Lin Kai. 

"Umm..." With a nod, Lin Kai walked alongside Han Ji, though there was a constant sense of caution in his actions. 

.

.

It didn't take long before the two of them were sitting inside an empty restaurant on the corner. The only person besides the two of them was the girl serving them food. 

Even her eyes were filled with awe and jealousy while looking at Han Ji. 

"What's going on?" After ordering the food, Lin Kai asked Han Ji with narrowed eyes. 

Han Ji didn't reply immediately but gulped down a mouthful of wine before speaking slowly. 

"Remember when you asked me if there was a way that a servant like us could escape from the Cai family? And at that time, I told you there was no way..."

"Well...

Actually, there are some ways that one can be free. This here..." Touching the spider he spoke further "This here is one of the ways that one can be free."

"A Beast Master?" Lin Kai spoke with narrowed eyes.

"So you know about it?" Han Ji exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.

"Someone was generous enough to tell me a few things." Lin Kai nodded.

"I guess it was someone from the Golden Bowl Gang." Within a few words, Han Ji already pointed out the identity of the person. 

"You know about them?" Now it was Lin Kai's turn to ask questions. Even though he knew the chances of Chen Tao telling him lies were minimal, he still wanted to get a second opinion. 

"Almost everyone knows about them. They usually deal with things like information and deliveries. 

If you are in need of something and can't find it in the market. You can just submit your request at one of their branches."

"I see." Lin Kai didn't speak further but just nodded his head. "What about this thing here?" Pointing at the spider, he asked the question that he had been holding back for a long time. 

"It's my contracted beast." Han Ji had a smile on his face as he gently touched the spider. As if sensing Lin Kai's confusion, he asked "How much do you exactly know about the Martial Artists and Beast Masters?"

Lin Kai thought for a moment before shaking his head. "I only know that if one had the talent for either of them, then they would be free."

"Did you check your talent at the Beast Hall?" It was Han Ji's turn to speak. "How was it?"

"Terrible." Just one word from Lin Kai was enough to describe his current situation and the lack of talent he had. 

"Forget it." Shaking his head, Han Ji gulped down another mouthful of wine. "Since you are not fated, it is a waste of time."

Han Ji shrugged off the topic in a few words. If before he was willing to speak, then after knowing about Lin Kai's situation, he lost all interest in it. 

"...." Lin Kai too didn't ask any further. He could feel the changes in Han Ji's attitude towards himself. Before he tested his talents, this guy was willing to explain everything to him. But the moment he knew about the results, he did a complete one-hundred-and-eighty turns. 

For a moment, Lin Kai even doubted that this man deliberately brought him here just to test his talents. 

Both of them sat there in silence, waiting for the food to arrive. While Lin Kai waited for the food, Han Ji on the other hand kept on gulping down wine one glass after the other.

"Before joining the Cai family, what did you use to do?" Even though Lin Kai didn't want to, he still found a topic to reduce the awkwardness of the moment. And now that the man in front of him was drunk, he was willing to give it a try. 

"Oh... *hic. Let me tell you...

*Hic... I used to be an information dealer. Like those guys from the Golden Bowl Gang."

As soon as Lin Kai heard it, his hand holding the water glass which was about to touch his lips stopped in midair as Lin Kai's eyes narrowed into slits. 

He didn't speak but gulped down a mouthful of water while waiting silently for the food. If he wanted to talk before this, then at the moment he had no intention of doing so.

"Your food." 

It didn't take long before the girl arrived with food. 

After his arrival into this world, this was the first time that Lin Kai had such a luxurious meal. There were more than four dishes of meat along with three different vegetable dishes. 

At this moment, Lin Kai had no thoughts other than eating. 

Within moments, the dishes on the table were swept clean. It wasn't until the third round that his stomach was full. 

Satisfied, both of them stood up before walking out. Lin Kai's eyes occasionally glanced at Han Ji who took out a gold coin from his pocket on the counter.

.

. 

It didn't take long before the two of them returned inside the Cai family's area. 

After handing the robes, Lin Kai bid farewell to Han Ji who was now talking with the guards before walking back to his home.

It was only after reaching back home that he let out a sigh of relief before lighting up the candle and placing the newly bought Dragonleaf on the bed. 

After making sure that everything was in its place, Lin Kai sat in silence. There were many thoughts rushing through his mind as he began to think about his first conversation with Han Ji.

And the more he thought about it, the darker his expression got. 

"Nice job." Lin Kai only spoke two words before letting out a hollow laugh and picking up the Dragonleaf carefully.

This was the moment that he had been waiting for. It would either be a success, or he would go bankrupt. 

Without waiting any further, he raised his hand before gently moving it towards the screen in front of him.