Chapter 1570: Chapter 1571: An Accident

After patrolling with Qi Chen at the plaza for the entire morning, it was time for lunch break. Feng Yuan wrapped up his duties at the plaza’s security office and turned to Veronia, asking,

“Would you like to join us for a bite to eat?”

“No, I have to take them back; you don’t need to wait for me.”

Shaking her head, Veronia said as she left with a group of Spirit Beasts. Watching them leave, the person in charge of registration awkwardly smiled. If they didn’t know Veronia was a Divine Beast, being able to command a large group of stray Spirit Beasts would still be quite impressive. After all, not everyone can direct a large herd of stray Spirit Beasts.

Back at Fu Yun District, Feng Yuan found the place quite different from his last visit. Most of the dining establishments were shut. Scratching his head, Feng Yuan asked,

“What’s going on here?”

“Resource scarcity; naturally, the restaurants have to temporarily close. I already reminded you of this.”

Glancing at Feng Yuan, Agunas replied irritably. Earlier at the security office, Agunas had asked him if there were any official canteens here, but Feng Yuan insisted on coming here himself.

As Feng Yuan looked around, he realized there really weren’t many people around. Just then, he noticed a noodle shop still open for business and excitedly said,

“Look, there’s one right there! Let’s go and grab something to eat!”

Upon arrival, Feng Yuan noticed the shop owner was roughly the same age as Qi Chen, and scratching his head in surprise, he said,

“I didn’t expect…”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

With a wry look at Feng Yuan, Qi Chen immediately said, and the young girl laughed softly, saying,

“Actually, this shop was opened by my grandma. It’s just that the area hasn’t been quite safe these past couple of days, so I’m covering for her. What would you like to eat? Although I don’t cook as well as my grandma, my food isn’t bad either.”

“Is that a Star Spirit Fox?”

Then Feng Yuan noticed the Spirit Beast by her feet and cried out in surprise, examining it more closely, he asked in astonishment,

“Is that your Beast Tamer?”

“What, doesn’t it look like it?”

Looking at the Star Spirit Fox on the floor, who seemed to be up to something, the girl smiled lightly and said. At this, the Star Spirit Fox turned its head towards the girl, mewling before walking up to her and rubbing its head against her.

Seeing this, Feng Yuan was confident that it was indeed her Beast Tamer, but he couldn’t help but ask,

“No, Star Spirit Foxes are quite rare; I didn’t expect that you actually…”

“Haha, this shop was my grandma’s idea to open. We didn’t really support it, but since her Beast Tamer is here to help, we didn’t interfere much unless, like these days, it became unsafe.”

“Then why do you continue to operate the shop? Closing for two or three days shouldn’t have much impact, right? It looks like you don’t really need this bit of income.”

“This shop has been around since before Fu Yun District was built. Back then, my grandpa was running it. They have too many memories tied to this place, so… Although the current situation isn’t ideal, it’s still relatively safe, right? At least that Snake Woman hasn’t appeared in the city recently.”

Sighing, the girl smiled self-mockingly and said,

“Grandma is just worried that if she closes the shop now, her old friends might think something happened to her, so she insists on coming here. However, we’re all concerned she might encounter trouble if she comes alone, so in the end, I’m the one who came to look after the shop for a while.”

“Hearing you say that, does that mean you’re actually stronger than the elders?”

Looking at her skeptically, Feng Yuan asked, as time is the strongest enhancer, unless one can’t break through evolutionary limits, otherwise the power of Spirit Beasts grows over time, the only difference is the pace.

Of course, those who evolve too slowly and can’t advance aren’t considered. The higher the level, the rarer the Evolution Material required is. Even with enough accumulation, without the materials, evolution is still impossible.

“Of course not, but Xiao An and the others have come too; I just sent them to help carry some things earlier.”

Chuckling, the girl said she dared not keep the shop open simply due to her own strength. Strictly speaking, her strength was quite a bit weaker than her grandma’s, but a Beast Tamer doesn’t have to be beside a Beastmaster to unleash all its power, so they came along too.

Not letting the elder come was because they were worried she might face an accident if a fight occurred, considering her age, she’s no longer as agile as the young.

During the small talk, Feng Yuan and Qi Chen each ordered their own food and waited. Occasionally, an elderly person or two would stop by, greet the girl, and inquire about the elder’s whereabouts. Seeing this, Feng Yuan understood that what the girl stated was indeed the truth.

“What brings you here? With the whole city under restrictions, travel must be pretty inconvenient, right?”

Finding some time, the girl curiously asked Feng Yuan and the others. Glancing at the girl, Feng Yuan blinked and said,

“Couldn’t it be that we happen to live nearby?”

“Isn’t the school currently requiring students to stay on campus? If you really lived nearby, why would you be looking for food outside?”

The girl chuckled as she took a good look at Feng Yuan and said,

“Could you be students from Maomu Academy? If that’s the case, you must be here on an academy mission, right? Judging by your age, you should be freshmen, so… Probably a patrol mission?”

“Why would you think that? Couldn’t we be Maomu University students?”

“Because university students leaving campus should be heading back home rather than eating out. Only academy students, living on campus altogether, might not know about the recent regulations.”

Upon hearing her words, Feng Yuan scratched his head and asked doubtfully,

“What regulations? Has something weird happened again?”

“Of course not, it’s just that grains and vegetables are being supplied on an emergency basis now. Unless, like us, you have Beast Tamers capable of self-sustenance, no dining establishment can open.”

“The markets are closed?”

Feng Yuan asked in surprise, then the girl nodded and said,

“That’s why I said you’re likely academy students, yet even freshmen can be tasked with missions here?”

“You, are you also an academy student?”

Noticing that her understanding of the academy seemed thorough, Feng Yuan couldn’t help but ask. She chuckled and nodded, saying,

“That’s right, I just happened to be on leave to handle some affairs, but then this happened. However, even without a leave of absence, Shangjing seems to be going through a similar predicament as Maomu.”

The revelation that she was an academy student didn’t surprise Feng Yuan. The Star Spirit Fox, such a rare Spirit Beast, isn’t something just anybody can choose. Before he corrected his previous error, that Spirit Beast’s strength would weaken relative to its level due to an incorrect evolution path. Only the Star Spirit Fox on the correct evolution path has substantial potential.

However, the resources for it are also quite costly. Feng Yuan even suspected if Qi Chen and a Star Spirit Fox took a liking to each other, he might not have the courage to choose it. Simply put, he’s afraid he’d become a burden, knowing that without Evolution Material, it’s very hard for a Spirit Beast to evolve purely on its own abilities.

Noticing that Feng Yuan’s gaze fell on the Star Spirit Fox, the girl smiled and said,

“If it weren’t for Chen Xin pointing out that treacherous scheme, it might have embarked on the wrong path. I heard she’s attending high school right here in Maomu City.”

Listening to her recount Chen Xin’s story, Qi Chen sneaked a glance at Feng Yuan, only to find that he had no reaction, just as if he didn’t know Chen Xin at all. This guy was truly putting on a convincing act, Qi Chen thought secretly.

After finishing the meal, as there was still plenty of time before their afternoon patrol, Feng Yuan suggested to Qi Chen,

“How about we wander around nearby?”

“There’s probably nothing much to visit now. Most of the stores are already closed.”

“Otherwise, should we just find a place to nap? The Big Cat didn’t come with us.”

Yawning, Feng Yuan said, looking around, and Agunas flicked its tail, saying,

“If you’re really yearning to stroll, why not go find Vero…”

At that moment, a rumbling sound was heard, and Agunas’s expression changed, looking towards the source of the sound. A giant tower emerged from the ground, so colossal that even from the plaza, one could see the enormous towering structure rising in the distance.

“Is that… in the academy’s direction? Agunas, go and have a look!”

Solemnly, Feng Yuan looked at Agunas and said. He wanted to see it himself, but today’s patrol duties weren’t finished yet, and he didn’t wish to quit mid-way. Although he wasn’t concerned about earning the money, the implications weren’t favorable, and besides, Agunas heading there alone would suffice.