Chapter 5: Handsome to the Point of Suffocation

The Golden Crow set in the west, leaving only the clear, cloud-filled sky, reflecting a cinnabar red that gradually turned orange, flickering in and out of sight, dyeing half the sky red.

Before nightfall, Li Zhangsheng arrived at the Li Family Manor.

The Li Family Manor sat facing south, with a pair of mighty stone lions twelve feet high placed at the entrance; lanterns on both sides of the gate cast dim, yellow halos of light that rose and fell with the wind.

On both sides of the open vermilion gates, four servants stood in two rows, trying their best to stand straight; they were tall and sturdy, holding long staves, looking quite imposing.

The efforts of over a dozen generations had made the Li Family prosperous, with hundreds of clansmen alone, and countless servants and attendants, making them one of the notable powers in Luo City.

"Young Master Changsheng, you've returned!"

As soon as they saw Li Zhangsheng, several servants hurriedly bowed respectfully; the Li Family valued rules, and even though Li Zhangsheng's parents were both deceased and his status in the clan was not high, he was ultimately a master, and furthermore a Monster Tamer, so he was hardly someone the servants could bully.

Li Zhangsheng nodded and stepped through the gate.

Upon entering the manor, he saw pine shadows slanting across the path, pavilions and waterside gazebos, with flowing water splashing and gurgling, reflecting the dim lamplight; the tree branches were thick and intertwined, swaying on the water's surface to cast imposing shadows.

Scattered throughout the waterside gazebos were various strange stones, some crystalline and translucent, clear as ice, reflecting one's features; others were lush and green, soaked in emerald shadows, as if they were preserved jade; some were like coiled dragons and crouching tigers, others shaped like ancient pines, and still others like colorful phoenixes soaring or mysterious dragons spitting pearls, with natural textures interwoven into exquisite pictures.

The Li Family Manor appeared to be over a thousand acres in size, but if divided equally, it was actually not that large.

Soon, Li Zhangsheng arrived at a small courtyard in the northeast corner, which was also where he usually lived.

The small courtyard was not large; upon entering, there was a winding veranda, with cobblestones paving the path beneath the steps, and the courtyard was surrounded by white walls, filled with clusters of flowers and lush greenery, adding a touch of color.

As soon as he stepped into the small courtyard, Li Zhangsheng saw his second uncle, who was lying lazily on a chair, his right hand supporting his chin, eyes slightly closed, giving one the feeling of being half-asleep.

His second uncle was named Li Haoqiong, handsome in appearance, wearing a black long gown that set off his jade-like skin, with three long strands of beard under his jaw and long hair draped uninhibitedly over his shoulders, possessing quite the air of a wild scholar.

Judging solely by his looks, his second uncle was naturally quite eye-catching; in his youth, he was the dream lover of the women of Luo City, though compared to Li Zhangsheng, he was still slightly inferior.

If one had to use a metaphor to describe it, it was like the difference between "toppling a state" and "toppling a city," with a clear distinction in grade.

In Li Zhangsheng's impression, his second uncle was lazy, liked to take advantage of others, and had no demeanor of an elder. Perhaps it was because Li Zhangsheng had displayed handsomeness and charm far exceeding his own when he was young, leading Li Haoqiong to often "bully" the then-young Li Zhangsheng under the guise of "education."

Of course, the so-called "bullying" was all good-natured play.

However, in Li Zhangsheng's view, Li Haoqiong's "evil deeds" were truly too numerous to record!

"Oh, Changsheng is back!"

Seeming to hear the movement, Li Haoqiong opened his eyes and stretched lazily, revealing a sleepy look, though while observing Li Zhangsheng, he paid more attention to Aixi, who was being held in his arms.

For some unknown reason, when watched by Li Haoqiong, the usually lively and active Aixi instantly quieted down and even shrank further into Li Zhangsheng's arms.

This was purely the instinct of a beast!

"Hey, it looks quite good; no wonder you looked down on the 'trash' provided by the family and risked going to the wilderness alone! By the way, what quality of Spirit Beast is it?"

Li Haoqiong's eyes became increasingly sharp; his observation skills were strong, and after just a few glances, he noticed Aixi's extraordinary nature.

"Superior Quality!"

Li Zhangsheng did not hide it, nor was there any need to; Aixi was his Life-Bound Demon Pet, and no one could snatch it from his hands, not to mention that Li Haoqiong had watched him grow up, and the two had a good relationship.

Of course, Li Zhangsheng would not reveal his special ability to anyone; this was the foundation of his survival.

"Superior Quality!"

Li Haoqiong widened his eyes slightly, unable to maintain his posture any longer; he had never expected that Li Zhangsheng would return with a Superior Quality Spirit Beast after being out for only a few days, and it was even a fierce beast, a White-Fronted Tiger!

However, he was well-informed after all, and he quickly restrained his surprised expression, saying full of praise: "Good, good, good! Worthy of being my, Li Haoqiong's, nephew, you have quite the demeanor your second uncle had back in the day!"

Superior Quality Spirit Beasts were extremely rare; even with the Li Family's foundation, they did not number more than one hand, and Li Haoqiong was one of those who possessed one.

In Li Haoqiong's view, Li Zhangsheng being able to contract a Superior Quality Spirit Beast must have had something to do with luck, so naturally, he had no other thoughts.

"Second Uncle is bragging again!" Li Zhangsheng pursed his lips, unable to help but complain inwardly; he had already heard about Li Haoqiong's glorious achievements back in the day many times, for example, when Li Haoqiong first started out, he accidentally stepped on a small snake that had just hatched, and only after contracting it did he realize it was a Superior Quality Spirit Beast.

Listen to that, what kind of nonsense is that!

After chatting with his second uncle for a few sentences, Li Zhangsheng went to his room, threw his luggage aside, and lay on the bed, not wanting to move.

For the past few days, Li Zhangsheng had been walking on the edge of danger, and whether day or night, his entire spirit had been in a state of tension, so naturally, he had not rested well.

The thrills and hardships involved were naturally something outsiders could not understand.

Now that he was back home, his mindset inevitably relaxed, and he couldn't help but feel exhausted, wanting to have a good sleep.

However, Li Zhangsheng did not sleep; instead, he closed his eyes to rest for a while before forcing himself to open them.

Li Zhangsheng washed his face and stood in front of the Mirror, looking at the flawless face in the reflection; he was stunned, immersed in that 360-degree perfect, dead-angle-free handsome face, and for a moment, his breathing almost stopped.

After a long while, Li Zhangsheng used his tenacious willpower to barely shift his gaze and began to breathe in fresh air in large gulps.

Damn, this is simply a permanent charm spell; he felt like he was almost being turned!

After taking care of his personal hygiene, Li Zhangsheng released his Mental Power, and after confirming no one was peeking, he took a thick book from the bookshelf nearby.

The "Fairy Illustrated Handbook" contained a large amount of information about Spirit Beasts; judging by the old state of this book, it had almost been worn out by Li Zhangsheng.

To tame a Demon Pet, one must first understand it; besides memorizing the basic information of the Demon Pet, one must also be clear about the skills the Demon Pet can master and its strengths and weaknesses.

However, Li Zhangsheng did not immediately look for the information on the White-Fronted Tiger; instead, he pinched the thick cover with two fingers and flicked the cover a few times with his other hand. Soon, the thick cover split open a gap, and from the interlayer of the cover, a touch of gold was vaguely visible.

(End of chapter)