Mingxi smiled brightly, "Big Sister, I want to soak in the Lei Chi with my pet. The cheapest, preferably free, kind. Is that possible?"

The Lei Chi in Leigong Mountain is not only for Thunder-elemental pets but also for Beast Tamers.

It is said that the lightning energy in the Lei Chi has an excellent body-tempering effect on humans, so not only Beast Tamers from the Jianghuai region frequently visit, but many Beast Tamers from other provinces and even foreign countries travel thousands of miles to Leigong Mountain just to soak in this Lei Chi.

The friendly smile froze on the front desk’s perpetually sweet face.

She had just completed one year of work at Thunder Pool Mountain Villa and it was her first time encountering such a... down-to-earth Beast Tamer.

The cheapest was already one thing,

but she also wanted it to be free.

Guest, may I ask if you were invited by the Thunder-Absorbing Water Python to cause trouble?

She Endured a smile: "I'm very sorry, Miss Ming, but we don't have any free Lei Chi available here."

Xiao Guniang, your abacus beads are practically hitting my face.

Mingxi didn't give up.

With a look that said, 'I don't believe you, you're probably trying to fool a poor little thing,' she asked, "Is there really none?"

The front desk shook her head firmly: "None."

Mingxi still didn't give up, clasping her hands together in a 'please, please' gesture, "Sister, I'm really poor. My parents are gone, and my family doesn't have money to support me in training my pet. I can only rely on myself."

"Could you please think hard for me? Don't you have any Lei Chi here that's been abandoned for a long time or is in disrepair?"

If she could, she wouldn't want to be so stingy.

But according to the guide, a normal hour in the Lei Chi costs 5,000 star coins per person.

If a pet was included, it would definitely exceed 10,000 star coins.

How much money did she have in total?

If she didn't humble herself and ask for help, she would only end up bankrupt.

Compared to going bankrupt, she felt asking for help was not a big deal.

Anyway, she was currently a minor, only 14 years old, at the age of a budding flower.

Some peers her age, even with irrefutable evidence of murder on the street, could be acquitted, and the state would even thoughtfully provide psychological counseling.

What was it to her to feign pity and beg for a free meal?

Compared to that, Buddha, God, and Guanyin Bodhisattva would definitely be more willing to forgive her.

The Golden Yuanbao beside her covered its eyes with its wings.

Unbearable to watch, truly unbearable to watch.

Front desk: "..."

She tried her best to maintain a smile: "I'm really sorry, Miss Ming, but our villa does not have any Lei Chi that has been abandoned for a long time or is in disrepair."

Actually, their Thunder Pool Mountain Villa's fees were not expensive.

Compared to rare items and super potions that cost millions, spending 5,000 star coins per person for an hour in the Lei Chi was truly negligible.

But as long as one could withstand the Impact of the lightning energy, an hour's soak had an effect comparable to a B-grade body-tempering potion.

A bottle of B-grade body-tempering potion costs 100,000 star coins on the market, and you also need a way to purchase it.

So soaking in the Lei Chi was definitely worth the money.

The reason the fees /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ were so low was twofold.

Firstly, the Lei Chi isn't something you can just soak in whenever you want; how should I put it, it's... a bit difficult to get along with. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Secondly, their villa is directly operated by the state and has a somewhat public service nature; the purpose of establishing the villa was not to make money from the Lei Chi.

In short, the fees were truly not expensive.

Perhaps this young lady was truly poor.

Looking at her clothes, her dusty and pitiful appearance, especially the cartoon backpack on her back, where the cartoon characters were peeling off.

She really didn't look like a child from a wealthy family.

The front desk thought for a moment and couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic.

"There's no free one, but two days ago, one of our guest's Gemmibos evolved into a Shi-level Gachiyado in No. 13 Lei Chi. At that time, most of its energy was consumed, and it needs to wait for the next lightning strike to be replenished."

"If you're willing, I can arrange for you to soak in No. 13 Lei Chi. The original price is 8,000 star coins, but I can give you a 50% discount using my internal employee price."

Mingxi's eyes lit up, but she didn't show it.

"Fifty percent off is still too expensive. You also said that most of the energy in that Lei Chi was consumed, which means its value is already less than half of the original."

She held up two fingers to the front desk, "So I think a 20% discount would be more appropriate."

The front desk's mouth twitched, thinking to herself that this child must have been a sugarcane seller in her past life.

She was too good at bargaining.

"...Thirty percent off, no lower than that."

Actually, it wasn't that she wouldn't agree, but 30% off was truly the internal employee's rock-bottom price.

Any lower and she would have to make up the difference herself.

Originally, No. 13 Lei Chi was not going to be sold externally again until the next thunderstorm; only their employees could purchase it at the internal price.

But her pet was not Thunder-elemental, and she herself had no interest whatsoever in lightning body tempering.

So she decided to give this internal purchase qualification to this Xiao Guniang.

Judging by the front desk beauty's expression, 30% off was probably the absolute limit.

Mingxi quickly calculated in her mind: the original price was 8,000 star coins, 30% off would be 2,400 star coins, so for her and Golden Yuanbao together, it would be 4,800 star coins.

"Thank you, big sister. Then we'll soak in this one."

The front desk also breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this; she was really afraid that this Xiao Guniang would continue to be unreasonable and feign pity.

"Alright, are both you and your pet going to soak?"

The front desk glanced again at the bird-like pet on the girl's shoulder; its appearance was very unfamiliar.

Mingxi nodded, "Yes, it's a Thunder Demon Bird."

"Alright, the deduction has been completed for you."

The front desk handed her a bag, "Inside are a disposable bathrobe, towel, insulated underwear, and an insulated hat. There's a washroom by the Lei Chi, you can change into them before entering the pool."

These were, of course, all prepared for Mingxi.

As for Golden Yuanbao, it didn't need any as a pet.

The front desk Xiao Guniang pressed the electric bell on her left hand.

Soon, the door to the small room behind her opened, and out bounced a translucent, plump pet that looked almost identical to the original form of Rimuru Tempest.

"Miss Ming, this is Zhongzhong Ling. It will guide you to No. 13 Lei Chi and be responsible for timing. If it takes out its bell and starts shaking it, that means you must come out of the Lei Chi."

Mingxi curiously examined this 'slime' several times. It seemed to be a functional Transcendent creature, completely different from the ridiculously powerful Rimuru Tempest, who came with a built-in cheat.

With infinite regret in her heart, she smiled like a morning glory on her face.

"Alright."

"Zhongzhong."

Zhongzhong Ling extended a slender hand from its jelly-like body and pointed forward.

Mingxi didn't quite understand, but it probably meant something like 'Guests, please follow this way.'

There was no need to bother her own pet for translation; she just followed along.

After walking for about ten minutes with Zhongzhong Ling, they finally arrived at their destination.

The closer they got to the Lei Chi, the more severe the tingling and numbing sensation Mingxi had felt before became.

Mingxi raised her hand and found faint currents flowing on her skin.

She then reached up and touched her hair; sure enough, every strand stood on end, faintly emitting a burnt smell.

Was it already so intense before even entering the Lei Chi?