This was the first time he had seen his own Pet Beast exert itself so diligently in using its healing abilities. Even when he occasionally hurt himself and had the Healing Mushroom help him heal, the creature was reluctant to use its healing spores.
He suddenly turned to look at the calmly composed Xu Ran, a hypothesis gradually forming in his mind.
Could it be⦠this was the real training method?!
Under the Healing Mushroomâs efforts, the puppetâs wounds healed at an accelerated pace, visibly closing up rather quickly, until they were completely healed.
Witnessing the puppet return to motion and stand up, the Healing Mushroom clapped its hands and shouted with excitement.
âGu!â
Dispensing with its healing power, the Healing Mushroom stepped back and transformed its hands into long knives, pointing obliquely at the puppet, adopting a posture that invited battle.
Now, the battle could resume!
Facing the Healing Mushroomâs challenge, the puppet swayed its body and then, holding a long spear, responded without hesitation.
Once again, the two clashed in battle, engaging in a spirited bout that lasted over ten rounds. Then, the puppet was once more sent flying by the Healing Mushroomâs slash, leaving behind a massive wound.
The Healing Mushroom paused, its previously unbridled joy in combat abruptly stalled, causing it immense discomfort.
Unable to endure, it rushed forward and performed a triple healing sequence on the injured puppet.
Battle, injury, healing, battleâ¦
This cycle repeated over and over, while the onlooking Du Tanâs expression grew more and more animated.
Engrossed in the action, the Healing Mushroom itself failed to realize that it spent far more time healing the puppet than it did fighting it.
This wasnât training for Vine Slash at all, it was training for healing skills!
As an observer, Du Tan saw clearly that the puppet, with its superb combat skills, made the Healing Mushroom drool over it like a lecherous wolf spotting a beautiful woman.
But in the actual combat, the sparring puppet was as fragile as a sheet of paper, and after a bout of fighting, just when the Healing Mushroom was nearing the height of enjoyment, it would intentionally expose a flaw, allowing the Healing Mushroom to grievously wound it.
Yes, intentionally expose a flaw!
After watching a few more times, Du Tan completely realized that the puppetâs combat skills were flawless on purpose.
Not only that, its injuries were also very difficult to heal.
Comparing the Healing Mushroomâs healing intensity to the puppetâs recovery condition, Du Tan could easily judge that healing it was two or three times more challenging than normal healing.
Faced with such a patient, the Healing Mushroom would have never been willing to heal it proactively in the past.
But!
The puppet could!
With the constant temptation of âheal now and continue fighting,â the Healing Mushroom not only wanted to heal it but was highly proactive in doing so!
The training methods of this Foster Shop were too clever!
In an instant, Du Tan felt guilty for his prior misunderstanding.
âIt looks like youâve figured it out.â Seeing Du Tanâs look of sudden realization, Xu Ran smiled and patted his shoulder, âSo, the next round of sparring training is up to you.â
âAlright⦠eh?â It wasnât until Xu Ran had disappeared from view that Du Tan suddenly realized there was a problem.
Sparring⦠wasnât that supposed to be done by the staff of the Foster Shop?!
However, turning his head, he looked at the Healing Mushroom, which was still eagerly involved and hadnât realized it had been tricked, and Du Tan let out a sigh internally.
Forget it, thatâs not important.
ââââââ
Having perfectly resolved the issue of the first sparring client who came to the door, Xu Ran was in a very good mood.
And no sooner had he returned to the store on the first floor, seeing Zhou Rong and Xu Zhou come back, his mood improved even further.
âHas the contract been dissolved?â Xu Ran asked curiously.
âIndeed, the contract has been dissolved,â Zhou Rong nodded in confirmation, âStarting today, the Combat Badger and Kang Cheng no longer have a contract.â
âThis is certainly good news for the Combat Badger,â Xu Ran smiled brightly.
âOnly, Boss Xu, you should be careful too,â Zhou Rongâs voice paused slightly, âKang Cheng is not a very forgiving person. After this ordeal, he is definitely going to harbor resentment towards you and your Foster Shop.â
âThat doesnât matter,â Xu Ran waved his hand dismissively, âHeâs just an Elite Level Beast Master, what can he do to me?â
âAnyway, I am in the right.â
Zhou Rong nodded slightly.
His thoughts were not much different from Xu Ranâs.
âAlright, letâs not talk about that,â Xu Ran said with an indifferent smile, âWhat about Combat Badger? When is it coming back?â
âRegarding thisâ¦â Upon hearing Xu Ran mention Combat Badger, Zhou Rongâs expression turned somewhat strange, and he couldnât help but turn to look at Xu Zhou.
Hmm? Was there some other complication?
Noticing the change in Zhou Rongâs expression, Xu Ran raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
âLet me explain,â Xu Zhou cleared his throat and stepped forward, âBoss Xu, I want to know how many more Pet Beasts your shop can accommodate at the moment?â
âOur current capacity is fifty. Since no other residents are here besides Combat Badger, we can accommodate forty-nine more,â Xu Ran answered without hesitation and then glanced at Xu Zhou, âWhy do you ask?â
âWell then, that reassures me,â Xu Zhou let out a slight sigh of relief, and then his expression turned somewhat helpless, âHereâs the thing: after dissolving Combat Badgerâs contract, I took it for a round at the Beast Master Association.â
âAnd then⦠we went to the Beast Master Associationâs Foster Area. Combat Badger lived there before its contract with Kang Cheng.â