Chapter 86

“‘The Harvest Festival in Xizhou?’

It was the first time Mu Huiyue had heard this term.

Xie Qingwei opened a webpage on her computer to search for the keyword and then showed Mu Huiyue the event page from the official website.

This is a large-scale celebration held in Pingchuan City, Xizhou, every three years at the end of autumn, to celebrate Xizhou’s bountiful harvest.

One of the guardians of Dayan, the wood-and-earth dual-attribute mythical species, the Withered and Blooming Spirit Deer, which resides in Xizhou, will appear during this festival to bestow the [Harvest Blessing] upon Xizhou, ensuring that the land will have favorable weather, abundant crops, and prosperity for the next three years.

This is not a symbolic or commemorative event, but a real blessing granted by a mythical species with extraordinary power.

Xizhou places great importance on the [Harvest Festival]. In addition to the final blessing ceremony when the Withered and Blooming Spirit Deer appears, a series of celebratory activities will be held in the lead-up, to convey the joy of the harvest to the guardian god who has protected the land for millennia.”

“Most of these activities are aimed at regular tourists. After all, it is a grand festival held once every three years. In addition to the local population, it also attracts people from all over the country to watch. Over the past few decades, it has developed into one of the representative events of Xizhou.

Mu Huiyue saw one of the activities and immediately understood why Xie Qingwei had recommended this place.

The mythical species, the Ultimate form of the Withered and Blooming Spirit Deer, like other guardians of Dayan, possesses an S-level Domain of Descendants.

After all, it is difficult to maintain the existence of an Ultimate form for an extended period in the real world, so most of the guardian gods stay in their own realms most of the time.

The Withered and Blooming Spirit Deer’s S-level realm, the ‘Fenghe Basin,’ has an entrance located in Pingchuan City, Xizhou, and is filled with abundant wood and earth attribute energy.

Influenced by the nature of the Withered and Blooming Spirit Deer, the ‘Fenghe Basin’ is also full of vitality, home to many wild extraordinary creatures.

During the Harvest Festival held every three years, when the Withered and Blooming Spirit Deer awakens, it brings the blessing of the harvest. Extraordinary creatures born in the ‘Fenghe Basin’ during this period are always individuals with exceptional talent.

Born under the blessing of the harvest, these creatures naturally possess massive latent energy, with their physique, traits, core skills, and potential for racial growth far surpassing others of their kind.

As a result, the extraordinary creatures born during the Harvest Festival become excellent contract pets. One of the activities of the festival is to allow young and talented Beastmasters to undergo various trials and tests, ultimately reaching the ‘Fenghe Basin’ to form contracts with these extraordinarily talented young creatures.”

“Most of the extraordinary creatures in the ‘Fenghe Basin’ are wood or earth attribute creatures, making it easier to find the type of extraordinary creatures Mu Huiyue is hoping for—those at the initial stage of the monarch species.

Even without high-tier pets, individuals born in the Withered and Blooming Spirit Deer’s realm who have received the blessing of the harvest are still more adaptable to the [Harvest] skill compared to regular wood-type pets.

After reading the description on the official website, Mu Huiyue felt a bit excited and asked, ‘Is the trial to contract these pets open for anyone to join directly?’

‘Hmm… I think it’s aimed at intermediate Beastmasters below level 5,’ Xie Qingwei responded.

‘Also, Beastmasters from other states need a letter of recommendation, right…?’

Xie Qingwei tried to recall, instinctively reaching for the pocket where she usually kept her cigarette case, only to pull out a lollipop instead.

This wasn’t something she had put in her pocket. Xie Qingwei chuckled, realizing it must have been placed there by her guardian spirit.

A lollipop isn’t bad; mental workers need sugar, and its effect is no less than nicotine.

She unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth, then navigated the computer back to the previous search page for the Harvest Festival’s official website.”

Xie Qingwei’s gaze landed on the computer screen, and she said to Mu Huiyue, “Wait a moment, I’ll write you one.”

Mu Huiyue watched as she typed “University Research Project Team Recommendation Letter Template” into the search bar.

Professor Xie was not picky at all. She clicked on the first search result, downloaded the template, then replaced the key information with the details of the Dark Attribute Research Institute and Mu Huiyue, clicked save.

The whole process took less than five minutes.

The slender guardian spirit appeared behind her, watching as Professor Xie sent the recommendation letter to the committee’s email address listed on the Harvest Festival website. She also printed out a paper version, signed and stamped it, and handed it over to Mu Huiyue.

“Uuulululu…” (Isn’t this recommendation letter a bit too hasty?)

“This thing just needs to be usable, right?” Xie Qingwei said, biting the long stick of the lollipop and shaking the flimsy recommendation letter in her hand.

Mu Huiyue smiled. She didn’t mind what form the recommendation letter took.

Professor Xie was very casual about everything other than experimental data. As she said, it just had to be usable.

Mu Huiyue took the recommendation letter, and Professor Xie also mentioned some of the wood-type species suitable for selection in the secret realm.

As for whether Mu Huiyue could pass the trial before the contract, Xie Qingwei wasn’t worried at all.

Huiyue was an outstanding student in the Battle Department of Jing University. She had the most talented Beastmaster in her project group, and a mere trial exam like this was nothing to her.

…

After receiving the recommendation letter from Professor Xie, Mu Huiyue carefully studied the schedule for the Harvest Festival’s events and prepared to set off as soon as possible.

She took about a week off from school and made arrangements with the Battle Society to ensure she could leave without worries.

Wen Li was reluctant to part with her, but Mu Huiyue’s Beastmaster talents made it difficult for her to form a contract with wood-type beasts that were restrained by fire elements. Plus, she had just contracted the red fireworm, so her main time and energy would need to be focused on her new companion.

Therefore, Mu Huiyue had to go to the Harvest Festival alone this time.

Before leaving, Mu Huiyue smiled and hugged Wen Li, reassuring her friend in return.

She had long been used to traveling alone, and in fact, before meeting Wen Li, she had always been a solitary person.

Moreover, with her companions by her side, she didn’t feel lonely.

The Harvest Festival in Xizhou lasted for a long period of time, and Mu Huiyue booked a flight a few days before the contract trial began, traveling from the capital of Jingzhou to the provincial capital of Xizhou, Pingchuan City.

She was very curious about this region, which had been protected by the Kurogōre Spirit Deer for a thousand years and was home to many mysterious legacies.

As soon as she got off the plane, Mu Huiyue was stunned by the overwhelming Harvest Festival advertisements.

The airport was covered in massive banners promoting the festival, showcasing local specialties, foods, recommended travel experiences, unique pets, and cultural heritages. It was a sensory overload.

Xizhou was an agricultural powerhouse, and its modernization hadn’t been neglected. The city outside the airport was bustling, with towering skyscrapers in the city center.

Mu Huiyue took a taxi directly to the core location of the Harvest Festival, where the guardian deity, Kurogōre Spirit Deer, would appear after awakening to bestow blessings of a bountiful harvest upon the land.

The taxi quickly drove out of the city, leaving behind the concrete forest of skyscrapers. Vast golden wheat fields stretched out before her.

Pingchuan City, located in the expansive plains, was a major grain-producing area for both Xizhou and the entire Dayan Empire. The fertile farmland stretched endlessly, and during the harvest season, the view was particularly magnificent.

The crops grown here were mostly enhanced varieties optimized with extraordinary resources. Their yield was significantly higher and resistant to common pests, although they might attract some wild extraordinary creatures.

The weather was perfect, with sunlight shining on the golden wheat ears. Even through the glass, one could almost feel the warm, sweet fragrance of wheat as it was being roasted in the sun.

Mu Huiyue rolled down the car window and took a deep breath of the fresh air, filled with the scent of wheat.

The Harvest Festival venue was extremely lively. Most of the crowd here were tourists coming from the airport, and Mu Huiyue followed the crowd into the event.

There was a carnival-like atmosphere, with many temporary stalls and activity spaces set up in the spacious area. The variety was dazzling, and there were also many exhibits introducing the unique traditions of Xizhou.

There were numerous activities during the Harvest Festival, and Mu Huiyue grabbed a pamphlet at the entrance. She carefully examined the activities scheduled for different areas and times, feeling like she was strolling through a temple fair.

The contract trial for entering the S-level secret realm “Fenghe Basin” would take place in two days, making it one of the most anticipated events of the Harvest Festival.

The organizers had already started promoting the event early, and there was also a betting activity where people could support their favorite participants. The pamphlet even included introductions to several seed contestants.

The contract trial was aimed at Beast Masters below level 5, making it a kind of new competition for beginners. Aside from a few outsiders like Mu Huiyue, who had come with a recommendation letter, most of the participants in the trial were outstanding local Beast Masters from Xizhou.

Over time, the contract trial during the Harvest Festival seemed to have become an internal competition among Xizhou’s prominent families. After all, being able to contract the best pets in the sacred realm of the guardian deity, the Kurogōre Spirit Deer, and surpassing competitors from other families was a prestigious achievement.

The seed contestants listed on the pamphlet were almost all young Beast Masters from prominent families.

Mu Huiyue looked at it with interest for a while, then decided to head toward the contract trial activity booth and, with her two pets, check out some of the interesting projects listed on the pamphlet.

Just as she was thinking, a shadow suddenly swept past her, moving like the wind through the crowd, rushing ahead.

There was a chaotic commotion behind her, with people shouting and the sound of an unknown pet calling out.

“It’s a thief! Catch him—”

“Kuwahwah—”

The person running away was likely using some kind of shadow-based skill, not only moving at incredible speed but also slipping smoothly through the crowd like a shadow. The pursuers, on the other hand, were blocked by the crowd, making it difficult for them to catch up.

“Ellen.” Mu Huiyue softly called to her shadow.

The shadow beneath her feet immediately stretched several times its length, then disappeared into the shadows cast by the crowd, swiftly darting ahead in the blink of an eye.

Shadow-based skills are indeed convenient for escaping, but no one can outrun the speed of the card soldier in shadow stealth.

Before long, a scream pierced through the crowd, and everyone around looked toward the sound.

They saw an adult male tangled up in a mess, bound in place by dark, shadowy tendrils. The same shadow skill that had previously helped him escape had now backfired, as Ellen used his shadow stealth to manipulate it into ropes.

In his chest pocket, there was a trembling earth rat, an elite high-level Earth-type beast called the Earth Sovereign Rat. A well-bred individual of this species could master some low-level dark-type skills, ranging from D to C rank.

These low-level dark-type skills, used by non-dark beasts, were utterly powerless against the control of the Monarch Beast’s [Shadow Stealth].

“Besides that, the person also tightly gripped a small, oddly shaped hammer that seemed very unsuitable for humans, more fitting for a creature of smaller size.

Mu Huiyue thought the hammer looked somewhat familiar.

Isn’t this…

“Kuwaa!!—”

A small, lead-gray creature quickly darted over, leapt up, and snatched the small hammer from the man’s hand, cradling it in its arms as if it were a precious treasure.

The little creature was only as tall as a human knee, humanoid in shape, with lead-gray wrinkled skin covering its face and body. Mu Huiyue had never seen a supernatural creature like this before.

The size of the hammer, however, seemed just right for it.”

“Holding the hammer it had regained, the little creature’s eyes were filled with tears, its mouth curling into a ∩ shape, yet it still struggled to hold back the tears.

The small hammer emitted a soft glow in its hands, and a thin, translucent layer of metal began to appear over the creature’s body. It gradually solidified, forming a suit of steel armor that fit its body size and covered most of its skin.

Seeing it holding the hammer and fully armored in steel, Mu Huiyue finally recognized it.

Isn’t this a Forging Soldier!”