’Doesn’t this mean that as long as I provide the Florist Worms with enough nutrients, I can regularly collect their gastric pouches? I could then sell these pouches, filled with the Florist Worms’ Digestive Fluid, as commodities.’

The soil originally cultivated by the Florist Worm wasn’t quite enough for Zhong Yi’s needs.

The appearance of the Exclusive Trait, Extracorporeal Gastric Pouches, had greatly increased the Florist Worm’s productivity.

This allowed Zhong Yi to start selling these gastric pouches as a commodity in exchange for funds.

He could only imagine how desperately the factions that cultivated plant-type Guardian Beasts would covet gastric pouches full of the Florist Worm’s Digestive Fluid.

The surprises Zhong Yi received from the Gardener Worm’s evolution into the Florist Worm went far beyond the simple addition of the Exclusive Trait, Extracorporeal Gastric Pouches.

Due to the enhancement of its Bloodline, the Basic Skill Earthworm Oil Line went from secreting a large amount of earthworm oil to an excessive amount.

With its Bloodline elevated to the Florist Worm level, the oil’s effect on the soil was countless times more potent than before.

This oil had now become another valuable resource he could sell.

However, the changes to the Earthworm Oil Line skill weren’t enough to truly surprise Zhong Yi.

What truly surprised him were the changes to Earth Shield, the skill that had previously limited the Florist Worm’s value.

The nests built by the Gardener Worm had offered no benefits, but now, the nests built by the Florist Worm had the effect of accelerating seed germination.

It was a known fact that for many plant-type Guardian Beasts, the most difficult part of cultivation was getting their seeds to germinate successfully.

The germination-accelerating effect of the nests built by the Florist Worm’s split-off individuals could be stacked with the accelerating effect of the soil it cultivated.

Because of this change to the Earth Shield skill, Zhong Yi could specifically set aside some of the Florist Worm’s offspring.

He could have these offspring build nests to help the seeds of plant-type Guardian Beasts germinate quickly.

Alternatively, he could take orders from factions that specialized in cultivating plant-type Guardian Beasts, helping them germinate their difficult seeds.

All in exchange for resources and remuneration!

The moment he finished cultivating the Florist Worm, Zhong Yi received a feeling from the Soul-Controlling Flower, as if it were presenting a treasure.

It felt like a child who had just scored a perfect 100 on a test and was desperate for their mother’s praise.

Zhong Yi smiled and raised an eyebrow. A new Soul Taming Seed had finally coalesced.

Currently, there were a total of four Guardian Beasts that Zhong Yi could use a Soul Taming Seed on.

Contracting a Guardian Beast with a Soul Taming Seed didn’t require an inducing material like strengthening one with Flowing Soul Soil did.

’First things first,’ Zhong Yi thought to himself. ’Which of these four Guardian Beasts should I contract first?’

’The Blood-Beauty Peony hasn’t been cultivated yet, so even though the Blood Enchanting Bee Queen is a Foundation Level resource-producing Guardian Beast, there’s no need to contract it first.’

’I don’t have any Bizarre following me at the moment, so there’s no need to prioritize contracting the Moon Eyes Bellflower either.’

Zhong Yi weighed his options between the Illusion-tailed Fox and the Sunlight Thorn, ultimately deciding to use the Soul Taming Seed to contract the Illusion-tailed Fox first.

Actually, since he had acquired that pair of Thorny Sparrow Hunters from the Celestial Destiny Society’s Treasure Vault, the Sunlight Thorn’s priority should have been higher than the Illusion-tailed Fox’s.

Zhong Yi was preparing to move out of the Evolution Shop soon and live in his own Heaven’s Chosen Mansion in the Central District.

After being contracted, the Sunlight Thorn would need a permanent spot to take root in order to grow.

As a plant-type Guardian Beast with a strong sense of territory, re-rooting was not only extremely difficult but also required it to adapt to a new environment all over again.

It wouldn’t be too late to let the Sunlight Thorn take root after Zhong Yi moved into his Heaven’s Chosen Mansion and the Florist Worm had finished improving the soil.

At the Daytime Food Shop, Lin Zhuo had given Zhong Yi a Fate Moisture Laurel, a Guardian Beast on the same level as the Sunlight Thorn.

Like the Sunlight Thorn, the Fate Moisture Laurel was a reward for reaching a Secret Realm Exploration Level of ninety-five percent.

The Fate Moisture Laurel was an exceptionally outstanding Healing-type Guardian Beast. Any compatible Healing Element Guardian Beast Master would most likely be unable to resist contracting it.

However, Zhong Yi never had any intention of contracting the Fate Moisture Laurel, because its Abilities were just an infinitely weaker version of the Resurrection Celestial Lord.

Although the Fate Moisture Laurel’s Healing Ability was similar to the Resurrection Celestial Lord’s, it couldn’t activate a target’s Life Template like the Resurrection Celestial Lord could.

So, Zhong Yi simply treated the Fate Moisture Laurel as a Soul Base Material and planted it in his Soul Base.

Soul Base Materials grew much faster inside a Soul Base than they did in the outside world.

But because the Fate Moisture Laurel itself grew extremely slowly, it had only put out a few tender shoots after several days of being rooted in Zhong Yi’s Soul Base.

The Fate Moisture Laurel was the first Soul Base Material Zhong Yi had used, and it had taken root in his Soul Base.

It had indeed increased the recovery speed of the Life and Healing Energy within his Soul Base.

The Resurrection Celestial Lord was very interested in the Fate Moisture Laurel. Every time it left its palace, it would personally bring a handful of water from the Jade Spring that fell from the nine heavens to water the plant.

Now that he had decided to contract the Illusion-tailed Fox, Zhong Yi took out the Brown Crystal that sealed it.

Inside the Brown Crystal, an Illusion-tailed Fox, no bigger than a kitten, was sleeping peacefully.

Zhong Yi placed his hand on the Brown Crystal and infused his Soul Power into it.

The moment it came into contact with his Soul Power, a dense web of cracks instantly appeared on the Brown Crystal, spreading from the inside out.

With a light tap from Zhong Yi, the Brown Crystal completely shattered, revealing the Illusion-tailed Fox that had been sealed within.

Freed from the Brown Crystal’s confinement, the Illusion-tailed Fox, which had been sealed away right after its birth, immediately showed signs of opening its eyes.

Zhong Yi ignored the shattered Resting Crystal on the floor and carefully cradled the Illusion-tailed Fox in his arms.

Before this, Zhong Yi had deliberately made Lan Po leave the room.

After an Illusion-tailed Fox opens its eyes, it imprints on the first target it sees as its closest kin.

This target doesn’t have to be a person; other mammals with a normal heartbeat and body temperature would work just as well.

Even though Zhong Yi was going to use a Soul Taming Seed to contract the Illusion-tailed Fox, the Contract wouldn’t change the affection and attachment the fox felt for the first being it saw.

Soon, the Illusion-tailed Fox in Zhong Yi’s arms opened its eyes.

After its big, dewy eyes saw Zhong Yi, it immediately snuggled deeper into his embrace.

After opening its eyes, the first thing an Illusion-tailed Fox needs is to replenish its Energy.

Zhong Yi took out the Beast Milk he had prepared in advance.

Zhong Yi chose not to use a syringe to feed the Beast Milk to the Illusion-tailed Fox.

It was easy to make a newly-awakened Illusion-tailed Fox choke by feeding it Beast Milk with a syringe.

Zhong Yi scooped up some Beast Milk with a spoon and slowly brought it to the Illusion-tailed Fox’s mouth. After tasting the milk, its big, dewy eyes immediately lit up.

It stretched out its little paws, seemingly begging Zhong Yi for more in a cute way.

Zhong Yi never had much resistance to cute little things, so he hurriedly fed the Illusion-tailed Fox spoonful after spoonful.

After it finished the Beast Milk in the bowl, the Illusion-tailed Fox was clearly much more energetic than before.

It lay in Zhong Yi’s arms, chirping "genggeng," as if it saw Zhong Yi as its mother.

The Illusion-tailed Fox’s attachment to Zhong Yi immediately caused the Soul-Controlling Flower rooted in his soul to send out feelings of jealousy and envy.

It was like a child walking down the street with their mother, only for another child to suddenly rush up, burrow into the mother’s arms, and start calling her "Mommy."

Zhong Yi was already used to the Soul-Controlling Flower acting like a little pot of jealousy, and he was quite good at appeasing it.

Inducing the Illusion-tailed Fox’s Bloodline transformation with the Sealed Ice Crystal could be done either before or after contracting it with the Soul Taming Seed.

However, inducing the Bloodline transformation before the Contract would allow the Illusion-tailed Fox to undergo a Bloodline leap after it gained its element and grew its tail.

This was undoubtedly more beneficial for the Illusion-tailed Fox!

’But this little one has just opened its eyes, and now it has to absorb the tyrannical Ice Element from within the Sealed Ice Crystal. It’s bound to suffer a great deal to force its Bloodline to transform and grow a tail.’

But whether it was for the Illusion-tailed Fox’s own good or for Zhong Yi’s own principles as a Guardian Beast Master, strength had to be the priority.

’It has to endure the hardship!’

And yet, for this Illusion-tailed Fox, being able to endure such hardship right after birth was, in its own way, a stroke of good fortune.