Celestial Beast Taming

The Zhenchong Commerce Association was originally an old, established faction that had only been promoted to a top-tier faction within the last ten years.

Among the top factions, it was considered new money.

Fu Hongning had always run the Zhenchong Commerce Association with a service-first mentality, allowing him to foster extensive goodwill.

After expanding the Zhenchong Commerce Association to the other Heroic Cities around Starlight City, its operations had been very successful, and it had established a firm foothold in those other cities.

As a result, many top factions in Starlight City, some with legacies spanning decades or even centuries, were quite willing to connect with Fu Hongning.

For a figure like Fu Hongning to address the young man before him as "Lord"...

And beside this young man stood Wen Tao’s Deputy, Xu Anjun.

The young man’s identity was all but confirmed. He had to be one of the three new Celestial Destiny Seekers.

Starlight City’s three new Celestial Destiny Seekers were each more mysterious than the last, and none had made many public appearances.

It was heard that only one of the new Celestial Destiny Seekers had recently attended a day of classes at Starlight Academy.

The emergence of three Celestial Destiny Seekers in Starlight City this year was a great thing for all the major factions within the city.

Basically, every faction was going all out, trying to send the outstanding members of their younger generation to study at Starlight Academy.

One could say that this crop of young descendants from Starlight City’s major factions was the luckiest generation yet.

They had a greater chance of being chosen by a Celestial Destiny Seeker to become a member of their six-person team.

In fact, when Fu Hongning first met Zhong Yi, he had deliberately introduced his son, Fu Wei, with this very hope in mind.

He just never expected that his little brat, Fu Wei, wouldn’t even know how to curry favor with someone.

He had come right out of the gate, smugly declaring that he was a Healing-type Guardian Beast Master with an A+ Level potential rating.

Fu Hongning had always been proud of Fu Wei’s potential, but to immediately emphasize his own Talent in front of a Celestial Destiny Seeker was simply too presumptuous.

Of course, this situation also arose because Fu Hongning didn’t know that Zhong Yi himself was a Healing-type Celestial Destiny Seeker.

If he had known, Fu Hongning wouldn’t have addressed Zhong Yi as "Lord Zhong Yi," but rather as "Lord Su Sheng Zhong Yi."

The title for Zhong Yi’s identity as a Healing-type Celestial Destiny Seeker, as well as Shen Xuan’s title, were already known to all the major factions in Starlight City.

Fu Hongning’s form of address for Zhong Yi led the representatives from the other major factions to a subconscious conclusion. They assumed Zhong Yi was the Combat-type Celestial Destiny Seeker with a potential rating of S—the one among the three new Celestial Destiny Seekers who had yet to make a public appearance.

And even though the young man before them was actually the one with the lowest potential rating among the three new Celestial Destiny Seekers, a Celestial Destiny Seeker was still a Celestial Destiny Seeker!

It was safe to say that every faction member present had developed the desire to proactively connect with Zhong Yi.

Zhong Yi gave Fu Hongning a friendly smile.

"Vice President Fu, we’ve met twice in one week. It seems we’re quite fated to meet."

Hearing Zhong Yi’s words, Fu Hongning, despite his usual composure, couldn’t help but break into a radiant smile.

He had mentioned their fated connection to cozy up to Zhong Yi.

For Zhong Yi to bring it up himself clearly meant he wasn’t averse to the attempt.

"Lord Zhong Yi, there are a full seventy-three species of Exotic Beasts for sale at the Exotic Beast Garden this time. Our Zhenchong Commerce Association is also one of the sponsors."

"Brother Xu probably isn’t too familiar with the Exotic Beasts on display. Why don’t you let me act as your guide? I can introduce the various species to you."

"I’m also planning to purchase some Exotic Beasts today. As a sponsor, I’ve already done my homework on all the beasts being exhibited."

As he said this, Fu Hongning shot a pleading glance at Xu Anjun.

Xu Anjun raised an eyebrow at the sight but didn’t say anything.

It was just as Fu Hongning had said; there were many species of Exotic Beasts on display at the Exotic Beast Garden.

And there were many that Xu Anjun didn’t recognize, some he had likely never even seen before.

Xu Anjun wouldn’t be able to serve as a proper guide for Zhong Yi.

With Xu Anjun already accompanying Zhong Yi, Fu Hongning’s offer to tag along and act as a guide was tantamount to encroaching on Xu Anjun’s opportunity to interact with Zhong Yi. Fu Hongning didn’t want Xu Anjun to misunderstand his intentions.

After meeting Zhong Yi at the Star Law Hall last time, Fu Hongning had wanted to host a banquet for Zhong Chenghuai and Xu Anjun.

Zhong Chenghuai didn’t attend, but Xu Anjun accepted Fu Hongning’s invitation.

After the banquet, Fu Hongning had deliberately given Xu Anjun a generous gift.

The generous gift was meant to maintain his relationship with Xu Anjun. He also hoped Xu Anjun might introduce him to Zhong Yi when an opportunity arose.

That was when he had heard Zhong Yi’s name from Xu Anjun’s own lips.

That was why Fu Hongning dared to make such a proposal in front of Xu Anjun.

The other faction members present hadn’t immediately stepped forward after hearing Fu Hongning call him "Lord Zhong Yi," and they had similar concerns.

"Lord Zhong Yi, Old Fu here isn’t just the Vice President of the Zhenchong Commerce Association. He’s also a scholar with a Four-Stars certification from our Starlight City’s Scholars’ Guild."

"He’s highly knowledgeable and has done extensive research on all kinds of Guardian Beasts and materials."

"If you’re looking for a guide, Old Fu is indeed an excellent choice."

With his All Things Exploration Ability, Zhong Yi didn’t need a guide at all.

However, Zhong Yi was interested in the idea of cooperating with the Zhenchong Commerce Association, so he didn’t mind Fu Hongning’s proactive approach.

"Vice President Fu, let’s go in together then."

"I only have an hour or two to look around the exhibition. I have other things to attend to shortly."

This afternoon, Bai Chen and Yu Juanjuan, two of Starlight City’s new-generation Celestial Destiny Seekers, were coming to visit him and Shen Xuan.