57: Kingfisher

Faced with the old man's probing, Chu Jingyu smiled lightly. "It's a pity, but this scale was found by chance when I was out. I only have this one. So, as you suggested, I'll choose the second method of sale and sell it here."

In response to Chu Jingyu's choice, the old man gave him a deep look, then instructed the middle-aged man standing behind the counter to write up the consignment agreement.

After both parties left their spiritual imprints on the two copies of the agreement, the old man took out an invitation and handed it to Chu Jingyu.

"This is an invitation to the Treasure Pavilion's auction in nine days. If nothing unexpected happens, this golden scale should appear at that auction. You can attend then."

Chu Jingyu accepted the invitation. Although it was hard, it felt like silk to the touch. "Thank you, Senior."

"If you need anything else, feel free to browse the Treasure Pavilion." The old man, leaning on his cane, raised his staff with the golden scale and shuffled away from the counter.

Chu Qinhui then led Chu Jingyu and Chu Shenghan onto the cloud platform and up to the third floor.

Seeing the various Source Beasts locked in cages, Chu Shenghan's already round eyes widened even more.

Chu Qinhui patted his daughter's head. "Xiao Han, see if there's any Source Beast here you like."

Chu Shenghan scanned the cages and then walked toward a row of cages filled with bird-type Source Beasts.

After wandering among them for a while, she stopped in front of a Source Beast that was only the size of a palm, emerald green all over, and looked delicate and exquisite.

[Cuiyin Bird], Mortal Rank Middle Tier, priced at one hundred and twenty Origin Rune Stones.

This price was fairly average among the Source Beasts on this floor—neither the most expensive nor the cheapest.

Chu Shenghan's gaze fell on her father and grandfather, silently telling them that she liked this Source Beast.

Chu Qinhui glanced at the [Cuiyin Bird] twice, then looked away. "Xiao Han, first come see if you like this one."

Saying this, he took Chu Shenghan's hand and walked toward the center of the hall. Soon, the father and daughter stopped in front of a slightly larger cage in the middle.

[Long Eyebrow Green Wing Sparrow]—this was the Source Beast Chu Qinhui had taken a liking to at first sight during his first visit to the Treasure Pavilion, thinking it suitable for his daughter.

Chu Shenghan looked at the Source Beast in the cage, a flash of admiration in her eyes, but when her gaze fell on the price behind the name on the cage's nameplate, she tugged at her father's arm.

"I don't like this Source Beast. The Cuiyin Bird from earlier was just fine." The price was ten times higher; even if she liked it, she couldn't afford it.

Seeing the Source Beast his son had chosen, Chu Jingyu stepped forward without saying anything, just silently knocked him on the head.

Not knowing how to manage a household, not understanding the cost of daily necessities—how many Source Beasts could that price buy?

In Chu Jingyu's view, even if it was a Different Rank Species Source Beast that could grow to Different Rank without a Bottleneck, it wasn't worth that price.

What Different Rank Species or Mortal Rank Species? Buy it, take it back, and have Ancestor Chu help check and evolve it. Wouldn't a Mortal Rank Species directly evolve into a Different Rank Species? And it would only cost a very small amount of Origin Rune Stones.

Seeing such a huge price gap between Different Rank Species and Mortal Rank Species, Chu Jingyu suddenly had a bold idea, though he wasn't sure if Old Ancestor Chu would cooperate.

If Old Ancestor Chu agreed, then their Chu family could have a steady stream of Origin Rune Stones coming in without even needing to take risks Beyond the Border.

Chu Jingyu cleared his throat and bent down to Xiao Han. "Alright, let's just pick that Cuiyin Bird."

He turned to the maid who had been following them since they arrived on the third floor. "We'll take this Cuiyin Bird. Also, pack a week's worth of food for it."

Seeing a Source Beast sold, the maid's smile became more genuine. "Very well, sir."

Seeing that his father had actually bought that [Cuiyin Bird] as his daughter's first Source Beast, Chu Qinhui felt a bit dejected. But the next moment, he slapped his forehead.

He walked over to Chu Jingyu and said in a low voice, "Dad, I left all the remaining Origin Rune Stones for Xiao Fan. We didn't bring that many this time. So, should we wait until after the scale is auctioned to buy the Source Beast?"

Chu Jingyu stopped walking, a creepy smile spreading across his face. "So you brought Xiao Han to look at Source Beasts today just to mess with her?"

Chu Shenghan also looked up at her father suspiciously.

"Of course not." Chu Qinhui quickly denied. "I just didn't expect that scale would be auctioned, so now we're in this situation. Sorry, Xiao Han."

Chu Shenghan gently shook her head, indicating it was fine.

Chu Jingyu resumed walking and waved the agreement in his hand at Chu Qinhui. "Don't worry, with this, we can buy on credit."

At the checkout area on the third floor, the maid had already transferred the [Cuiyin Bird] to a smaller cage, and beside it was a bulging cloth bag containing the bird's food.

"Sir, the total is one hundred and twenty-five Origin Rune Stones."

Chu Jingyu placed the agreement directly in front of the maid. "Can we buy on credit?"

The maid picked up the agreement and examined it carefully. Seeing the name left by the big shot in the pavilion with his spiritual imprint, a flash of admiration crossed her eyes.

That was the kind of agreement that only appeared for the last few items in the Treasure Pavilion's auction, personally drawn up by him. She hadn't expected these three to have such an agreement.

When she looked up, a warm smile spread across her face. "With such an agreement in hand, of course you can."

Saying this, she took out a ledger, wrote something down matching the agreement, and then turned the ledger toward Chu Jingyu.

"Master Chu, you just need to sign your name here."

Chu Jingyu did as instructed, leaving his name, and under the maid's watchful gaze, he took the [Cuiyin Bird] to the second floor of the Treasure Pavilion.

There, using the same credit method, they bought the two spiritual materials needed to treat the [Wood Spirit Crystal Pattern Python]. Fortunately, the two materials Ancestor Chu mentioned seemed easy to find and were very cheap.

After doing all this, the three generations left the Treasure Pavilion.

Chu Qinhui carried the cage, looking at the [Cuiyin Bird] inside with some disdain—or perhaps not disdain, but guilt toward his daughter.

His eldest son had initially contracted a Mortal Rank Species [Phosphorescent Butterfly], but it later evolved into a [Flower Medicine Butterfly], which his father suspected was a Different Rank Species.

As for himself, he had contracted a [Ginseng Baby], which even Uncle Sun found very precious, seemingly even rarer than a Different Rank Species.

Xiao Han's mother and younger brother had both contracted Different Rank Species Source Beasts. In the whole family, only Xiao Han had contracted an ordinary Mortal Rank Species. Chu Qinhui truly felt a lot of guilt toward his daughter.

A father knows his son. After leaving the Treasure Pavilion, Chu Jingyu said calmly, "Are you feeling that buying only a Mortal Rank Source Beast for Xiao Han is shortchanging her?"

Chu Qinhui's voice was a bit muffled. "Now only Xiao Han has an ordinary Mortal Rank Species Source Beast. I do have that thought."

Chu Jingyu shook his head slightly. "Then let me ask you, since Ancestor Chu formed a contract with our family, how many times has he evolved Source Beasts for us?"

Chu Qinhui thought for a moment. "Twice—once for the Flower Medicine Butterfly, and once for your Golden Armored Jade Pupil Beast."

"Then let me ask you again, how many Source Beasts has he seen in our family?"

"Six or seven kinds, I guess." Chu Qinhui said uncertainly.

"Excluding those unsuitable for evolution, and considering that Ancestor Chu quickly gave us the method to treat the Wood Spirit Crystal Pattern Python this time, do you want to guess whether he can evolve this Cuiyin Bird?"