After a pause, she added, "The Bao Bao Servants are quite popular, but correspondingly, their price might be a bit steep."
Ye Xiangting replied, "Letâs take a look first."
While the two were chatting, Qiao Sang caught sight of a familiar area she had visited before.
When she spotted a certain familiar figure, she stopped in her tracks and said, "Mom, you go ahead and check it out first. Iâll come find you shortly."
"Alright." Ye Xiangting assumed her daughter needed to use the restroom and didnât ask further. She followed the staff towards the Bao Bao Servantsâ base.
Qiao Sang entered the Pet Beast Activity Hall.
She remembered that it was here she had encountered Little Treasure Hunter... no, to be precise, it was Little Treasure Hunterâs egg...
While reminiscing, an agitated voice rang out, "Donât try to pin this on me! I didnât even touch this egg just now!"
Qiao Sang followed the voice.
"Xun Xun!"
"Xun Xun!"
She saw the Treasure-seeking Ghost clutching a gray egg with yellow rings, crying its eyes out as it protested.
Beside it stood a young man, looking entirely baffled at the tearful display of the Treasure-seeking Ghost.
"Xun~"
At that moment, a small Treasure Hunter poked its head out of the Pet Beast Egg, glanced at the man, then up at the crying Treasure-seeking Ghost holding it, and its emotions were instantly infectedâit burst into tears as well.
"Xun Xun!"
"Xun Xun!"
A big and a small Treasure-seeking Ghost bawled loudly together.
Onlookers nearby, witnessing the scene, cast disapproving looks at the man.
The man felt the pointed gazes around him and his face flushed scarlet. "I seriously didnât do anything just now!"
"Gangzhan..."
Gangbao wore a puzzled expression.
Why, when the Pet Beasts cried, did humans blame other humans? Shouldnât they be annoyed and scold the Pet Beasts to stop crying?
The whole scene struck Gangbao with a sense of déjà vu... Qiao Sang walked over and cleared her throat. "Treasure-seeking Ghost, long time no see."
The Treasure-seeking Ghost glanced at her briefly but kept crying.
Qiao Sang sighed and called out,
"Little Treasure Hunter."
"Xun Xun~"
Little Treasure Hunter emerged.
"Xun Xun..."
The Treasure-seeking Ghost momentarily forgot to keep acting, its tears still hanging, dumbfounded as it stared at her.
"Xun Xun..."
Seeing the Treasure-seeking Ghost stop crying, the small Treasure Hunter also ceased its weeping.
Seizing the chance, the man hastily made his exit.
"Do you still remember me?" Qiao Sang said with a smile. "It was here where you helped me find Little Treasure Hunter."
"Xun Xun?"
Little Treasure Hunter was stunned for a moment, showing an expression of "Really?"
It didnât remember at all.
The little one carefully sized up the dazed Treasure-seeking Ghost before it, then suddenly imagined some scenarioâits eyes abruptly filled with tears.
"Xun Xun?!"
Could it be, are you my...
"Xun Xun!"
The Treasure-seeking Ghost raised its claw and cut off the thought, as if to say, "No, Iâm not."
"Xun Xun..."
Little Treasure Hunterâs tears immediately evaporated. So it wasnât.
"Xun Xun..."
The Treasure-seeking Ghost turned its gaze to the human in front of it.
It remembered now.
It hadnât expected this human to have raised that little Treasure Hunter so well...
To the point where it was stronger than itself...
If it recalled correctly, this form seemed to be its evolutionary formâs evolutionary formâs evolutionary form...
Could it be that a lot of time had passed?
For a moment, the Treasure-seeking Ghostâs expression felt distant.
"Xun~"
Half its body still inside the Pet Beast Shell, the small Treasure Hunter stretched out its arms as if asking for a hug.
Qiao Sang looked at it and thought of the Little Treasure Hunter from back then, her heart softening. She was about to put down Yaobao.
"Xun Xun~"
Little Treasure Hunter unexpectedly took the small Treasure Hunter out of its shell, instinctively comforting it, making exaggerated faces to amuse it.
"Xun~"
The small Treasure Hunter giggled gleefully.
Watching the scene unfold, the Treasure-seeking Ghostâs eyes shifted, its lips quivering as it was about to start crying again.
Having long been acquainted with its antics, Qiao Sang casually spoke up,
"Iâm currently out of contract slots."
"Xun Xun..."
The Treasure-seeking Ghost froze, its expression nearly breaking into a "tsk."
"You really shouldnât be pulling such stunts anymore," Qiao Sang said gently. "These days, many people have watched Little Treasure Hunterâs matches and become fans of itâfans of your whole species. I believe that in the near future, even if you donât resort to such tactics, plenty of people will come to contract with your kind voluntarily."
"Xun Xun~"
Little Treasure Hunter nodded earnestly.
Indeed, a lot of people liked it.
The Treasure-seeking Ghost eyed the human before it, but said nothing.
"Iâll be off now. Iâll come visit again if I get the chance," said Qiao Sang, stealing a glance at Little Treasure Hunter.
"Xun Xun~"
Understanding their Beast Tamerâs intentions, Little Treasure Hunter reluctantly handed the small Treasure Hunter back.
The Treasure-seeking Ghost quietly accepted the small Treasure Hunter.
Qiao Sang turned and walked away.
Little Treasure Hunter followed closely behind.
"Xun Xun..."
The Treasure-seeking Ghost watched the backs of Qiao Sang and Little Treasure Hunter, then looked at the humans around, engrossed in observing other Pet Beasts and never paying attention to theirs. After a moment of silence, it carried the small Treasure Hunter and left.
Finding a Beast Tamer in the futureâit would be better to seek out one who truly liked them.
Look at how well that fellow of its species, now an evolved form upon evolved form upon evolved form, was doingâjust because it was loved by its Beast Tamer. It had gotten so much stronger...