After a day of rest, the sky finally cleared the next morning. The people in the caravan, their nerves still raw from the recent shock, set off again.

Along the way, everyone maintained a strange silence, and they encountered no more bizarre or dangerous incidents. Finally, on the third day, they arrived at the capital of the "Autumn Cloud Empire"—"Golden Harvest City"!

Due to the difference in their destinations, the large caravan Zackov belonged to separated from Zhong Shenxiu and his group. They exchanged few words upon parting; perhaps everything that needed saying was already understood.

After traveling for nearly another hour, they finally delivered John's small caravan to its destination. Before leaving, Zhong Shenxiu inquired about the location of the "Dark Guild" and then led his team toward it.

Throughout this journey, Zhong Shenxiu and his group noticed something quite interesting: there was a surprisingly high number of magical beast shops lining the streets, and people were seen everywhere walking with their own magical pets. It was clear that magical pets were thoroughly mainstream here!

The "Dark Guild" was easy to find; asking anyone would lead them there. After about half an hour, Zhong Shenxiu and his group finally reached the "Dark Guild" within the city.

Zhong Shenxiu wasn't here to inspect; he intended to stay for a while. Firstly, the materials needed to reconstruct Paige's physical body were almost gathered, and he required a quiet place. Secondly, the newly discovered utility of the "Bandwave" also warranted further research. Of course, there was one final point: staying here meant not spending a single coin! (A wry chuckle!)

Entering the Guild, one could see the staff working with commendable orderliness. While not exactly packed, there was a steady stream of customers coming and going.

Just as Zhong Shenxiu was surveying the scene, a somewhat familiar figure suddenly appeared within his line of sight.

She was a very experienced, mature woman, likely the sales manager, currently instructing a service attendant behind a counter.

After a brief moment of thought, Zhong Shenxiu finally recalled who this woman was: her name was Linobyly. She used to be a service attendant at a hotel before being recruited by Canny into the "Dark Guild." After several years, she had ended up here! "Canny, do you remember her?" Zhong Shenxiu asked Canny beside him, pointing toward Linobyly.

Canny was momentarily stunned, then looked toward Linobyly. After staring for quite some time, she only felt a vague sense of familiarity but couldn't quite place the woman.

She certainly didn't possess Zhong Shenxiu's formidable memory and eyesight. So many years had passed. The youthful maiden Linobyly had transformed into a professional woman; these few years were enough to cause seismic changes in an ordinary person, so Canny not recognizing her was understandable! "She looks familiar, but I can't place where I've seen her," Canny finally admitted, giving up her recollection, and then surprisingly, she walked toward Linobyly.

At that moment, Linobyly was guiding the attendant on how to better promote products. Suddenly, she sensed footsteps behind her, someone approaching, so she stopped speaking, turned, and looked.

The instant she saw the person approaching, she froze completely!

Unlike Canny, she recognized the sister who had shown her such kindness and insight years ago with a single glance! While Canny had left an unforgettable impression on her, the fact that Canny’s appearance hadn't changed was key to her quick recognition.

The attendant beside her watched their manager with utter bewilderment. She couldn't understand what was wrong with her manager—hadn't she just been emphasizing the need to greet incoming guests with a smile? But now...

"Hello, have we perhaps met before?" Canny offered a friendly greeting first.

However, Linobyly remained frozen like a statue, which only deepened the attendant’s confusion. Just then, an exclamation burst from Linobyly’s lips, and she suddenly strode forward several steps, grasping Canny’s hand, her voice filled with excitement and disbelief: "Sister, how could you be here?" Canny smiled briefly at her, then said with slight embarrassment, "I apologize, my memory isn't very good. Have we met before?" Linobyly wasn't disheartened that Canny didn't remember her; instead, she became even warmer. "Sister, do you recall? I used to work at the front desk of a large hotel. Later, you handed me a business card and invited me to join the 'Dark Guild'!"

Hearing this, Canny didn't react much, but the attendant standing nearby nearly gasped aloud. The manager was invited to join the "Dark Guild" by this stranger? Heavens! What was this woman's status to possess such authority? Could she be someone from headquarters?

While the attendant was lost in wild speculation, Canny finally recalled Linobyly and exclaimed, "I remember now, your name is Linobyly, right? I can hardly believe how much more mature you've become! I almost didn't recognize you!"

Linobyly was about to say more when she suddenly realized she was still gripping Canny’s hand—a highly presumptuous action. She immediately panicked, apologizing profusely while quickly creating a little distance between them!

This wasn't a casual chat; this was during working hours, and Canny was her superior. From any perspective, she should maintain a demeanor that was dignified and composed.

Canny certainly understood her tension. With a slight smile, she instead took Linobyly's hand back and said, "There's no need to be so formal with your sister; it makes me uncomfortable!"

Saying that, she leaned down and whispered something into Linobyly's ear, which instantly caused Linobyly's expression to change. She stared blankly in Zhong Shenxiu’s direction. Good heavens! The true owner of the "Dark Guild" was here—what an immense event this was!

At that moment, Linobyly felt her heart nearly stop beating. Surely, any member of the "Dark Guild" would react the same way upon hearing this news. "I told you, there’s no need to be nervous!" Canny consoled her, then took Linobyly’s hand and led her toward Zhong Shenxiu and the others.

The attendant, meanwhile, wore a wooden expression, still trying to process what Canny had just said to their manager that caused the usually relaxed manager to tremble so intensely?!

The "Dark Guild" had plenty of vacant rooms, and under Linobyly’s arrangement, accommodations for Zhong Shenxiu and his group were quickly settled.

Then, at Canny’s request, Linobyly acted as their guide, leading the group around the city streets. While it appeared to be mere wandering, it was actually purposeful; the direction they were heading was guided by the "Stone Search Compass"!

Zhong Shenxiu wanted to ascertain the exact location of the "Soul Anchoring Stone" while taking the opportunity to learn about the local customs and culture. "Linobyly, why are there so many magical beast shops here?" Charlotte inquired. Women, it turned out, made friends very easily; that much was undeniable!

"Ah, this is mainly because the Beast Tamers in the 'Autumn Cloud Empire' are very famous, much like how swordsmen are particularly renowned in our 'Winter Moon Empire'!" Here, even those who aren't Beast Tamers almost all possess their own magical pets!" Linobyly explained with a smile, having shed her initial formality.

"Beast Tamers?" Richell’s brow furrowed. She was of the Beastkin race. Did this so-called "Beast Tamer" refer to those who domesticated people like her?

"Yes, here, the status of a 'Beast Tamer' is very high. Every Beast Tamer becomes nobility. Depending on their level of strength, the grade and number of magical beasts they can control vary," Linobyly elaborated.

Richell relaxed upon hearing it concerned magical beasts. The others, however, became interested. Tia curiously asked, "Sister Linobyly, what is the maximum number of magical beasts that so-called 'Beast Tamer' can control?"

"Well... I'm not entirely sure. It is rumored that the head of the 'Tilary Family' can control over a thousand magical beasts of Grade Five or higher. Whether that rumor is true, I don't know," Linobyly replied with an embarrassed smile. Only that many? Tia muttered inwardly.

She knew her Brother Xiu could control hundreds of thousands of magical beasts, all stored in her sister Robin’s bracelet, and the lowest grade among those hundred thousand beasts was above the Mythic rank!

"The Tilary Family? What is that? Are they famous?" Charlotte casually interjected.

"Yes, extremely famous! In the 'Autumn Cloud Empire,' they are recognized as the foremost noble family. More importantly, all Beast Tamers originate from this family!" Linobyly stated with a solemn expression.

After a pause, she pointed to the magical beast shops lining the streets. "All these magical beast shops you see are the property of the 'Tilary Family'! You could say that over ninety-five percent of the magical beast shops in 'Golden Harvest City' belong to the Tilary Family!"

"That impressive? Then I really want to see what kind of family they are!" Charlotte joked with a smile.

"The direction we are currently heading is toward the manor of the 'Tilary Family'!" Linobyly said something that immediately caught Zhong Shenxiu’s attention. Could the "Soul Anchoring Stone" be inside this 'Tilary Family' estate?!

Inside the "Tigri Family" estate.

A servant hurried up to a pavilion and stopped before a fifteen-year-old boy sitting leisurely inside. "Young Master, the new tutor we hired for you has arrived!"

The boy didn't move, merely glancing at the servant with his eye, then stating in a thoroughly arrogant tone, "Did you hire another group of good-for-nothings? Some of them can't even beat me, yet they claim to teach me? Go tell those people to spar with the manor guards. If they can't even beat a guard, tell them to scram quickly. I don't have time to play games with them!"

After saying this, the boy paid no more heed to the servant’s earnest persuasions. He was extremely frustrated right now. Why were none of the tutors hired for him any good? Was a genius like him simply destined for boredom?!

(Darn, it seems Zhong Shenxiu and his group are heading this way...) To be continued. To find out what happens next, please log in to... more chapters, support the author, support legitimate reading!