Chapter 5: Appraising Beasts in the Countryside

His method of identifying beasts is quite unique; he does not use beast talismans, nor does he open magical eyes, and he does not even form magical seals. He simply touches the beast pet with his hand, then takes up a pen and writes his conclusions on the prepared paper

However, the long queue in front of me is indeed quite intimidating

Becoming a formal beast appraiser has become her obsession. There is also a shortcut to becoming a formal beast appraiser, which is to obtain 'recommendations' from various local branches. In this case, based on her score from the last exam, which was just one point short, she could be granted an exception to become a formal beast appraiser.

Recalling the past, Jia Qian gritted her teeth

It is strange to say that perhaps because of this matter, Jia Qian has been brooding over it. In the following two years of examinations, she did not perform well and returned empty-handed without being admitted. It is as if a person at the peak, after passing this stage, begins to descend.

Yet she was unwilling to accept this, and she blamed it all on Lin Jintou.

In my memory, my former self held a great deal of respect for Wang Ji and bore no grievances against him

The private competition between Lin Jin and Zhang He quickly spread, and many people in the association were discussing it

The speed is somewhat unrealistically fast

Only the officially certified veterinarians of the local association have openings, and she can only obtain this recommendation if that is the case. President Wang Ji is fully supportive of her; now she just needs to force Lin Jin out or find a way to make the other party make a mistake, thereby canceling their official qualification. In this way, her path to advancement can be cleared.

Alchemy is a fundamental skill for beast appraisers. Unfortunately, Lin Jin does not know how to do it. Fortunately, Zhao Ying is present, so Lin Jin shamelessly requests this apprentice beast appraiser to assist with the alchemy while he himself appraises beasts.

He just borrowed some silver from Zhao Ying, and according to the method used in the museum for treating Xiao Huo, he chose a prescription that involved relatively easy-to-obtain medicinal materials, went to purchase the materials, and then prepared the elixir

Throughout this journey, Lin has been holding his blood contract beast, Little Fire, in his arms. He inquired with Zhao Ying, who could only discern that Little Fire was in a state of extreme hunger, and also asked why he was not feeding the beast.

Looking at the seemingly endless line in front of her, Zhao Ying could only feel a tingling sensation on her scalp

In the Beast Appraisal Master Association of Hongye City, there are officially only two full positions, one of which is occupied by Lin Jin, while the other is held by a formal beast appraiser named Gao Jiang, who is the young master of the Gao family, one of the three prominent families in Hongye City. The Gao family has deep roots and significant influence in Hongye City, to the extent that even the president, Wang Ji, must treat the leader of the Gao family with respect. Therefore, Lin Jin, who lacks any backing or foundation, naturally becomes the 'soft persimmon' in the eyes of Jia Qian and Wang Ji, and also a stumbling block on Jia Qian's path to ascendancy.

Going to the countryside for beast appraisal is indeed a thankless task. Even apprentice beast appraisers usually do not wish to go; firstly, there is little profit to be made, and secondly, it is genuinely exhausting

The forest is filled with suffering that one knows all too well; it is not that there is no food provided, but rather that it cannot be ingested at all. The little fire is not eating anything at the moment

Originally, as a formal member of the appraisal team, Lin Jin should not have been required to attend such matters. However, since Wang Ji sought to suppress him, naturally, all the dirty and laborious tasks were handed over to him.

Red Leaf City Beast Appraisal Association

Opposite her are her subordinates, who are specifically tasked with gathering information for her

Lin Jin, I am most aware of your abilities. We were classmates back then. If it weren't for my health issues that caused me to withdraw from the exam midway, how could you have taken advantage of the situation

... ...

"Did Zhang He really lose to that Lin?" Inside an elegant tea house, a beautiful woman with a graceful figure frowned. Beside her, a beast pet, a white-scaled python as thick as a human waist and measuring ten feet in length, also sensed its owner's displeasure and flicked its long tongue.

... ...

Jia Qian is on a downward trajectory

Lin did not think much of it; after all, it was just beast appraisal. He himself was not skilled in it, but with the presence of the ferocious beast museum, it should not be a significant issue

At that time, she and Lin Jin participated in the formal examination together, but due to health reasons, she had to withdraw midway. Coincidentally, several other capable candidates also encountered issues, which ultimately allowed Lin Jin to take advantage of the situation

"Alright, I understand!" The woman waved her hand, signaling the other person to leave. Then she leaned forward, her posture lazy yet exuding a unique charm characteristic of women. Her curvaceous figure was soft and supple, resembling that of her beast companion, a beautiful serpent.

It must have been a stroke of luck; I heard that Lin Jin passed the official beast appraisal exam back in the day simply because he got lucky with the questions. Otherwise, with his abilities, he wouldn't have passed even after ten more years of trying

These individuals, either leading, carrying, or dragging their respective pets in cages, seek appraisal. At first glance, it appears chaotic, with a cacophony of human voices and animal sounds, creating a lively atmosphere

Having no money in his pocket, he arrived at Changping Town and borrowed some from Zhao Ying to purchase the necessary medicinal materials

However, Lin Jin did not know how his beast pet was injured, nor was there any information in the memories he had acquired. Nevertheless, it was not a problem, as he had the Beast Museum at his disposal. He possessed more than a dozen treatment methods, and any one of them could eliminate the injuries and ailments of his beast pet

The reason is likely that Xiao Huo was injured

Wrong, what Lin Jin won was... Let me tell you, the process was quite spectacular...

Since we have come, we shall make ourselves comfortable

Although the little fire beast pet may not be particularly impressive, it is still my bonded beast, and I must take good care of it

She harbors resentment towards Lin Jinyou

Is Lin Jin still daring to be so high-profile now

Thus, in terms of status, there is almost no difference from a formal beast appraiser; her reputation and influence have already surpassed Lin Jin. Most people believe that in terms of beast appraisal techniques and knowledge, she is more than capable of overshadowing Lin Jin, who is a person of empty reputation.

"Master Lin, did you... did you offend President Wang?" Zhao Ying asked in a hushed tone, her curiosity piqued.

What? Zhang He actually discerned the hidden bloodline within the beast pet, that is remarkable, but why did he still lose

Is it true? Lin Jin can actually see even the hidden bloodline attributes, that's too exaggerated

However, obtaining recommendations requires a prerequisite condition

Jia Qian, a trainee beast appraiser at the Red Leaf City Beast Appraiser Association, ranks first among the trainees in the association, with a score that significantly surpasses that of Lin Jin, a formal beast appraiser.

It is also because of this that Lin Jinshi relies on luck, and the rumors that he is not as capable as his reputation suggest have spread.

Lin shook his head

Lin Jin is known as a Beast Master, but it is widely recognized that his reputation does not match his abilities. If compared to other apprentices, he would certainly win, as even a dead camel is larger than a horse. However, Zhang He is not an ordinary apprentice; he is ranked among the top three. In the most recent evaluation, the top three apprentices have already surpassed Lin Jin. Furthermore, the president is personally guiding Zhang He, and he is growing rapidly, likely surpassing Lin Jin in skill. Moreover, if he were not confident, how could he possibly challenge Lin Jin? Therefore, I suspect that Zhang He will win.

"Isn't it? Can you guess who won?"

It is of no consequence; relying on luck to appraise beasts is destined to be short-lived. The previous beast appraisal incident has already alarmed the higher-ups of the association. At most, within half a month, they will arrange for an inspector to come. By then, Lin Jin's official qualifications will undoubtedly be revoked, and I only need to wait another half month. Moreover, Lin Jin has been dispatched to Changping Town for beast appraisal, which is a thankless task. With only half a day's time, if he appraises too few, the villagers will be dissatisfied; if he appraises too many... Hmph, even if he is exceptionally skilled, he only has two people, one of whom is a novice girl. No matter how hard he works, how many beast pets can he appraise? Therefore, it will inevitably provoke the villagers' dissatisfaction. If this matter is exaggerated and reported, Lin Jin will have no chance of turning the situation around. Tsk tsk, when it comes to tormenting people, President Wang truly is unmatched.

They are helping the people here identify beasts on the main street of Changping Town, which is already overcrowded. This activity is organized by the Beast Identification Association, and each identification only symbolically charges ten copper coins. Therefore, each time, it attracts many people to have their beasts identified. On ordinary days, there are at least six or seven apprentice beast identifiers present, but this time, there are only the two of them. Not to mention half a day's time, even an additional day would not be sufficient to handle it all

Have you heard? Master Lin Jian and Zhang He are publicly competing in beast appraisal