C15 My Good Grandson Don't Cry Anymore

After saying goodbye to Zhang Liang and the others, Wang Yan handed the car keys to his nanny, Ms. Zhou, and hailed a taxi to return to the Wang family estate.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpa!" Wang Yan called out instinctively, then paused, feeling something was amiss. Why did he sound like a character from a children's tale?

"My dear grandson, you've finally decided to visit your old grandpa," the elder beamed, his expression warm and gentle, a stark contrast to the ferocity he displayed when he chased Third Uncle Wang Guangyao out for miles during the New Year festivities.

"I've been swamped with exams lately!" Wang Yan explained as he settled next to the old man, carefully avoiding any mention of needing money and instead shared anecdotes from school.

The old man had weathered many storms over the years, seen all kinds of people, and experienced all sorts of situations. He could read Wang Yan like an open book, knowing exactly what he was angling for without a word.

On the surface, the two foxes engaged in casual family chatter, but internally, each was biding their time, waiting for the other to show their hand.

Eventually, Wang Yan caved.

The old man had the patience of a saint and could wait days, even weeks, if necessary, but Wang Yan was desperate for cash.

"Grandpa, could you lend me some money? Dad's been so harsh, only giving me half a million a month. It's hardly enough for food and clothes, let alone warmth. To make ends meet, I've had to risk my life hunting ferocious beasts in the wilderness. It's been a harrowing ordeal, fraught with danger. We were lucky this time, but the Wang lineage was nearly wiped out," Wang Yan pleaded, his voice tinged with emotion as he covertly dabbed at his eyes.

The capsaicin from the chili extract he'd gotten from the System Store was overpowering. Having practiced the 'spicy palm' for so long, Wang Yan had learned to avoid touching his eyes with that hand at all costs, even while eating.

But this time, driven by his need for money, he took the gamble and immediately regretted it. The fiery sensation invaded his nostrils through his eyes, causing a flood of tears and mucus.

Yet, it wasn't just the physical discomfort that overwhelmed him. Memories of his previous life's loneliness and desperate struggle for survival surfaced unbidden, stirring a deep sorrow within him, and he began to weep uncontrollably.

And then, he erupted into loud sobs!

The sight of his grandson weeping uncontrollably took the old man by surprise. He had assumed the boy was merely lamenting his poverty, but now, seeing him in such distress, he wondered how much hardship he had endured lately.

Recalling Wang Yan's recent words about "starving and shivering," "living in constant fear," "facing endless crises," and "threats to his lineage," the old man's heart ached, quickly followed by a surge of rage.

Among the second generation of the Wang family, the youngest son was unreliable, the middle one preoccupied with quelling spatial rifts, leaving only the eldest to produce an heir.

It was bad enough they didn't coddle him, fearing he might "break if held too tightly or dissolve if coddled in their mouths." But to cut off his allowance, driving him into the perilous wilderness to hunt ferocious beasts, was utterly inexcusable!

Seething with anger, the old man wrapped Wang Yan in a comforting embrace before furiously dialing Wang Yuanwen's number and unleashing a tirade, "Wang Yuanwen, you scoundrel, you... damnation upon you..."

His rant left Wang Yuanwen utterly baffled, clueless as to what had transpired.

When the old man's fury finally seemed to ebb, just as Wang Yuanwen was about to inquire about the cause of the outburst, the line went dead.

Wang Yuanwen: "???"

Feeling miserable after the bewildering scolding, Wang Yuanwen pondered briefly and suspected it had to do with Wang Yan.

The old man had been retired for years, living a life of quiet cultivation in the ancestral home. It seemed the only thing that could provoke such wrath was the plight of the family's sole heir.

Upon calling a subordinate and learning of Wang Yan's whereabouts, Wang Yuanwen's own anger flared.

"That little rascal!"

He was so livid he nearly shattered his cup, his teeth itching with resentment.

He had hoped to bring the boy to heel, but instead, the youngster had sought refuge with his grandfather.

Where was the justice in that?

"Ruan Mei has been his childhood sweetheart, always so well-behaved and beautiful. Why won't she agree? Maybe I should resort to something drastic, like slipping her a potion?"

Wang Yuanwen stroked his chin stubble, feeling a twinge of guilt for considering such extremes.

"Then again, there's something off about that kid lately. I checked that little snake myself once. Aside from its lively eyes and clever appearance, and its striking color, there was nothing unusual. How did it evolve from a common variety to a leader? And the toxin in his body was so persistent, deeply embedded in his cell structure, intertwined with his genes. Even his second brother was at a loss. How on earth did he manage to cleanse it?"

"Did the genes mutate? Or is there some ancient creature at play..."

Wang Yuanwen paused, then decisively made the call to Wang Yi.

...

...

"Come on, my boy, no more tears," the old man soothed, patting Wang Yan's shoulder. But his attempt at comfort only made Wang Yan cry harder.

The old man, seasoned by decades in the martial world, had faced all manner of scenes, yet the sight of his grandson weeping uncontrollably left him unexpectedly disoriented.

As he wiped away Wang Yan's tears, the old man's own nose tingled with emotion, memories of his own tough childhood flooding back.

Orphaned at eight, shunned by relatives as if he were a curse, he had fought for survival alone.

Scavenging through trash, scrapping with stray dogs—he had endured countless hardships.

"Ah, the things you've had to bear over the years," he murmured, dabbing at the dampness in his eyes, only to realize his mistake.

Hot!

Unbearably hot!

The heat was making tears stream down his face uncontrollably!

Sensing something amiss, Wang Yan looked up to see his grandfather's tear-streaked face.

The two exchanged glances—one shocked, the other solemn—creating an eerily bizarre tableau.

The old man remained silent, and Wang Yan was at a loss for words.

After nearly two minutes of silence, Wang Yan's eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably.

He sensed danger, an intensely terrifying danger.

"Grandpa..."

Wang Yan's voice broke the silence as he contemplated making a run for it.

At this point, money was the least of his concerns.

The real question was whether he could leave this place unscathed.

"You little rascal, I'm your grandfather!"

The elder's voice boomed as he angrily flung his leather shoe at Wang Yan's backside.

...

...

"Man, you really don't hold back, do you?" Wang Yan winced, clutching the bank card in one hand and his sore behind with the other.

The bruise was just a localized injury, not the result of some energy or poison invasion that could be traded with the system.

Naturally, Wang Yan could opt for some potent spirit medicine with hefty side effects for a quick fix, then trade it off once he was healed.

"Got busted, but mission accomplished."

Tucking the bank card securely into his pocket, Wang Yan strode confidently toward the Loving Pet Breeding Center.

In a world dominated by beast tamers and spirit beasts, the business of trading and breeding these creatures was booming.

Centuries of evolution had given rise to innumerable shops specializing in the sale of spirit beasts.

And among them, the Loving Pet Breeding Center stood out as a leader.

Whether you needed melee, ranged, or a combination of both...

Offensive, defensive, or healing types...

If you had the cash, you could find it all here.

Even the more exotic spirit beasts were available for those who knew where to look.

Wang Yan was feeling lucky and hoped to find a suitable match. If not, he planned to check out the Beast Tamer Association.

"Hey, big guy, looking to buy a spirit beast?"

The moment he entered the shop, a piercing voice greeted him.

"Yep!"

Wang Yan responded offhandedly as he surveyed his surroundings.

The Loving Pet Breeding Center wasn't vast, under a thousand square meters, but it was packed with dozens of specialized metal cages, each housing a young spirit beast. Two rows of incubators held a variety of colorful eggs, and the area was lined with hundreds of different feeds and foods.

The spirit beasts might have been few in number, but they were of exceptional quality.

There was the dopey Armored Wild Boar, the boisterous White-Horned Frog, and the adorably petite Snow Spirit Fox.

Wang Yan took a few steps and peered into the water tank, spotting a spirit beast that shimmered like green jade.

"A Jade Crystal Cold Toad? I never expected to encounter such a rare spirit beast here!"

He exclaimed, realizing he had indeed found the right place.

"Big brother, what kind of spirit beast are you looking for? You must be familiar with the Caring Pet Breeding Base, given that you're here. There's nothing you can't find, only what you haven't thought of."

The sharp voice rang out again. Wang Yan scanned the area but couldn't locate the speaker.

"I need a fighter, the more powerful, the better," Wang Yan stated, continuing his search.

He wondered why the owner hadn't come out to meet him in person. It seemed quite impolite to have a conversation at a distance.

"A fighter with strong combat abilities? Are you not particular about the type?"

"I'm a pragmatist; the type doesn't matter to me. As long as it's strong in combat, that's all I need."

Wang Yan moved closer to the east as he spoke, following the direction of the voice.

He was determined to find out what the shop owner was up to.

"For sheer combat strength, I recommend the Giant Tooth Elephant. Tough-skinned and resilient, there's no elite spirit beast that can outlast it."

The voice offered guidance once more, seemingly leading Wang Yan.

"The Giant Tooth Elephant may be well-defended, but it's slow. It could easily become a sitting duck on the battlefield. Do you have anything else?"

"The Ironclad Rhinoceros, a leader in its class. It's both offensive and defensive, with impressive speed that can easily rip through the hide of a Giant Tooth Elephant."

"The Ironclad Rhinoceros is fast, but it lacks agility and struggles to change direction mid-charge. It's a potential option, but do you have any others?"

Wang Yan inquired as he walked.

Navigating through several aisles, he was now close to the source of the voice.

In less than twenty meters, he would finally meet the shop owner.

"If you're looking for a balance of attack, defense, speed, and agility, the options are limited. Most elite spirit beasts excel in one area, while a leader might cover two or three. For a truly versatile creature, you'd be looking at the stuff of legends—the dragon species."

The piercing squawk echoed once more. Wang Yan took two turns and skirted around a massive water tank, at last coming face-to-face with the "shopkeeper."

A vibrant parrot greeted him, fist-sized and plump, with a quirky tuft of feathers sprouting from its head.

Perched atop a mound of dried fruits, the parrot sat askew, several nut kernels laid out before it. With its sharp claws, the hard shells crumbled like paper, and it tossed the kernels into its beak with a rascally flair.

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