The surrounding sounds gradually faded, replaced by a strange hum, as if she had passed through some kind of barrier.
When the light dispersed, Liu Yi found herself in a forest of ice crystals.
Towering ice trees stretched their branches, their leaves translucent blue flakes.
The ground was covered with a layer of fine ice crystals, crunching softly underfoot.
Ziyue excitedly spun around on the icy surface, leaving behind a trail of plum-blossom-shaped paw prints.
She lifted her head and took a deep breath, her fur bristling slightly, clearly very well-adapted to the environment here.
Liu Yi looked around and noticed a small path paved with ice crystals not far away, winding deeper into the forest.
She checked her silver bracelet, and after confirming it was functioning correctly, decided to explore along the path.
"Let's go, Ziyue."
The girl and the fox proceeded along the Ice Crystal Path, and the surrounding scenery gradually changed.
A blue Ice Crystal Butterfly flew past Liu Yi, its wings adorned with tiny white specks of light.
Ziyue extended a paw, but the Ice Crystal Butterfly deftly avoided it, landing on an ice branch nearby, its antennae quivering slightly, seemingly observing them.
Liu Yi didn't stop.
According to Gu Zheng's explanation, contracting a pet required mutual consent; it couldn't be forced.
She wasn't in a hurry; the seven-day exploration had just begun.
Moreover, for her second pet, she wanted to contract one with a different attribute.
The path opened up into a wide ice lake.
The lake's surface was smooth as a mirror, reflecting the ice crystal canopies above, breathtakingly beautiful.
In the center of the lake was a small ice island, where clusters of glowing blue plants grew.
Liu Yi pointed to the ice island and said to Ziyue, "Let's go take a look over there."
Just as she was about to step onto the lake's surface, Ziyue suddenly pricked up her ears, turning vigilantly towards the bushes on the right.
"Bingbing!"
The bushes rustled, and a figure emerged.
It was a fawn-like pet, currently observing them with curiosity.
Liu Yi raised her Beast Encyclopedia and pointed it at it.
【Little Bell Deer, General + Psychic-type pet, Junior stage, with a racial potential up to Saint rank. It has creamy white fur, light blue spots on its back, slender limbs, and translucent crystalline branched antlers that haven't fully grown. It has excessive curiosity, a strong desire to explore glowing/sounding objects, and a fondness for beautiful things.】
The Little Bell Deer slowly approached them, glanced back and forth between Liu Yi and Ziyue, then let out a cry.
"Lingling?"
Liu Yi looked at Ziyue, "What is it saying?"
"Bingbing."
It's asking about your Beast Taming Space development progress.
Though a bit confused, Liu Yi still submerged her consciousness into her Beast Taming Space to check, then said, "21%."
The Little Bell Deer took a step back after hearing this, letting out a surprised cry.
"Ling... lingling?"
This time, without Liu Yi needing to ask, Ziyue automatically translated:
"Bing... bingbing?"
R-really? You're not lying to me?
Liu Yi grew even more confused. "Why would I lie to you?"
The Little Bell Deer shook its head in disappointment and sighed.
"Lingling, lingling, lingling."
"Bingbing, bingbing, bingbing."
Liu Yi understood.
It turned out that the elder of this Little Bell Deer tribe had instructed them that if they were looking for a contractor here, they should seek out someone who looked young and whose pet appeared powerful.
This was because the faster and higher a Beast Tamer's Beast Taming Space development progress, and the higher the level of the contracted pet's evolution, the more feedback the Beast Tamer received, allowing them to maintain a youthful appearance.
Furthermore, according to their elder, Beast Tamers qualified to enter this Secret Realm to contract pets usually had a Beast Taming Space development progress of at least 50% or 60%.
That's why the Little Bell Deer was somewhat incredulous upon hearing Liu Yi say her Beast Taming Space development progress was 21%.
Liu Yi fell silent for a moment. If everyone who had previously entered the Myriad Realm Secret Realm was a powerhouse of her sister's caliber or higher, then the Little Bell Deer's reaction was understandable.
However, official rewards often defied logic. Since she, a Trainee Beast Tamer, had received this reward, and her previously drawn Destiny Card also indicated that the contracting location for her second pet was here.
She was sure to encounter her own destiny.
Seeing no signs that the Little Bell Deer wanted to leave immediately, Liu Yi spoke, "Can you tell us about the situation in this Secret Realm?"
"Lingling, lingling."
The Little Bell Deer looked at Liu Yi and Ziyue again, then took a few steps closer, almost pressing against them.
Ziyue's translation this time was a bit hesitant.
"Bingbing... bingbingbing?"
It says yes, but after it's done, can you play with it for a while?
Liu Yi thought for a moment. There was no harm in bringing the Little Bell Deer along for now, and the Little Bell Deer was more familiar with the environment here.
She nodded. "Okay."
"Lingling! Linglingling!"
The Little Bell Deer began to chatter animatedly, gesturing with its front hooves, making its story exceptionally vivid.
"Bingbing! Bingbingbing!"
Ziyue translated in real-time.
...
Through the Little Bell Deer's description, Liu Yi learned that the Myriad Realm Secret Realm was roughly divided into several main areas: the Ice Crystal Lake Region, the Ethereal Glow Forest, the Lava Mountain Range, the Storm Plains, the Thunderous Chasm, the Dragon Blood Wasteland, and a Central Sanctuary.
Aside from the Central Sanctuary being inaccessible, each region was home to different pet tribes.
In each region, pets with racial potential up to Sovereign rank and Saint rank could be contracted as long as both parties were willing.
However, pet tribes with racial potential up to Supreme rank in each region were different; one needed to complete the trial tasks set by their tribe to be eligible to contract their young.
Liu Yi turned to look at the small ice island in the middle of the ice lake, where clusters of glowing blue plants grew, and said hesitantly:
"This ice island... it wouldn't happen to be where a Supreme-rank tribe in the Ice Crystal Lake Region holds its trials, would it?"
The Little Bell Deer tilted its head and let out a cry.
"Lingling..."
"Bingbing..."
It seems so...
Then the Little Bell Deer cried out again.
"Lingling."
"Bingbing."
But that's not an ice island; it's a sleeping pet!
Liu Yi: ?
Although it was called a small ice island, for humans, this "small" ice island was already very large. A pet of such a massive size would at least be a King rank pet or higher.
Liu Yi suddenly fell silent, remembering she had just been about to go and investigate this pet.
She looked earnestly at the Little Bell Deer. "Thank you."
The Little Bell Deer didn't quite understand why, but it was still quite happy.
However, judging by the environment here, the trial tribe in this ice lake should also be Ice-type.
Liu Yi decided not to consider it for now and wanted to check out other regions first.
Rate on N.U.
