Sun Hongyi glanced at Li Qian when he heard this, but quickly shook his head. "I see your point. In fact, I’ve tried that before. Unfortunately, it had no effect."
He gave a helpless shrug and continued, "The reason I’m so insistent on this method is because... Ah Hai used it to evolve."
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Li Qian couldn’t help but frown. It seemed incredible. He asked again, "Ah Hai evolved using this method?"
He couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. Logically, if Ah Hai could use this method to evolve, it proved the path was viable.
But why was it the only one that could evolve?
When the same method was used on other Golden Pearl Buds, why did it always end in failure?
’That shouldn’t be happening!’
Li Qian couldn’t figure it out.
Sun Hongyi couldn’t figure it out either. In fact, this was the very thing that had been plaguing him.
Anyone would feel helpless when a proven, successful path could no longer be replicated.
"With the same evolution method, Ah Hai succeeded while other Pet Beasts failed. Could it have something to do with Ah Hai’s individual traits?"
Li Qian asked.
That wasn’t an impossible scenario.
Pet Beasts of the same species have individual differences, even if their Power Levels are identical.
Some Pet Beasts can master certain Skills right after evolving, some need to gain a few more Levels, and some can’t master them at all. These are the individual differences between Pet Beasts.
Normally, these differences aren’t very significant.
However, special cases do exist.
Li Qian’s implication was clear: What if Ah Hai was a special case, and it was only because of this unique status that it was able to evolve?
"That’s a possibility."
Sun Hongyi nodded slightly. "But I don’t think it’s very likely."
"By chance, I once encountered a wild Tidal Sea Spirit in a Dimension Plane. Its abilities weren’t that different from my Ah Hai’s."
"The minimal difference in their abilities post-evolution strongly suggests that Ah Hai’s evolutionary mutation was limited, falling within the normal range."
Li Qian nodded in agreement.
He understood the logic behind that.
But if that were the case, the situation was even more incomprehensible.
Li Qian couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
’It seems there’s a good reason why this final two percent of the Progress Value has stumped a Cultivation Master like Sun Hongyi for so long.’
Since he couldn’t figure it out, Li Qian decided not to dwell on it.
’With his Golden Finger, the last two percent of the Progress Value shouldn’t be a problem.’
’It’s just a matter of taking a bit more time.’
Having settled his thoughts, Li Qian chatted with Sun Hongyi and Sun Ruirui for a while longer. As it was nearly noon, he accepted the young lady’s enthusiastic invitation to stay for lunch.
After lunch, he wasted no more time and left Hongqiao Manor directly.
He wasn’t at all disappointed that he hadn’t gained any Inspiration Value from discussing the evolution method from Golden Pearl Bud to Tidal Sea Spirit.
Considering how long the problem had stumped Sun Hongyi, he was already mentally prepared for its difficulty.
Perhaps it wasn’t that the problem was difficult, but rather that the solution was unconventional and completely unexpected.
Once he gathered enough Inspiration Value, he might have a sudden breakthrough—that "eureka" moment where the answer you’ve been searching for high and low suddenly appears right before your eyes.
In a good mood, he returned directly to the Sky Realm Cultivation Base.
"Ruirui, what are your thoughts?" After Li Qian left, Old Sun suddenly asked in a meaningful tone.
"What do you mean?"
Sun Ruirui froze for a moment. When she realized what he meant, a blush immediately crept onto her pretty face. "Uncle, what are you talking about?"
"Brother Qian and I are just ordinary friends," she explained.
Sun Hongyi pouted with a hint of jealousy. "Ordinary friends, and you’re already calling him Brother Qian."
"It’s just what we young people call each other. You wouldn’t understand..."
Sun Ruirui drew out her words to placate him before quickly changing the subject.
"Oh, and don’t forget what you promised me earlier!"
"What was that?"
Sun Hongyi didn’t quite follow.
Sun Ruirui reminded him, "About teaching me Pet Beast cultivation, of course. You haven’t forgotten, have you?"
"If you go back on your word, I’ll just have to ask Brother Qian..."
"I’ll teach! I’ll teach! I’ll teach..." His niece Sun Ruirui’s words made Old Sun’s eyelid twitch, and he agreed without a moment’s hesitation.
’He had no choice. If he didn’t teach her, his precious little cabbage would throw herself right into another’s arms.’
’In truth, it wasn’t that Sun Hongyi wanted to play the villain and break up a happy couple. It was just that his niece’s "Ocean Calamity" Talent had implications that were too great.’
’He couldn’t be sure if Li Qian had ulterior motives, so it was better to block it first and ask questions later.’
At this thought, his sense of urgency grew even stronger.
’If his niece had already completely overcome the influence of the "Ocean Calamity" and could control her Talent, he wouldn’t interfere at all.’
’After all, once a Talent was fully developed, it was essentially fixed and much harder for someone with ill intentions to exploit.’
’Besides, with a Talent as terrifying as his niece’s, if it were truly developed, that kid Li Qian might not even be her match.’
’Then he wouldn’t have to worry at all.’
’And to be honest, with Li Qian’s cultivation Talent, he was... just barely worthy of their Ruirui.’
Li Qian, having already left Hongqiao Manor, naturally had no idea about the rich inner monologue Old Sun was having after his departure.
He had already returned to the Sky Realm Cultivation Base.
Upon his return, he didn’t check on Xiaohui’s training. Instead, he went straight to the White Castle and his personal quarters.
Li Qian once again began looking through the collection of books from Sky City. Shi Gui Fang had already scanned the materials into the Cultivation Base’s cloud database, and Li Qian had taken the opportunity to make his own copy.
Before he knew it, dusk was approaching. Li Qian had read numerous books related to the Golden Pearl Bud and the Tidal Sea Spirit.
However, his Inspiration Value hadn’t increased in the slightest.
Li Qian rubbed his eyes and glanced out the window. Just then, a familiar cry suddenly rang out.
"CHIRP CHIRP..."
Li Qian looked in the direction of the cry. Silhouetted against the afterglow of the sunset, the figure of a bird-like creature appeared in the sky outside his window.
When he saw the bird-like Pet Beast suddenly vanish, only to reappear several meters away a second later, he couldn’t help but exclaim in delight, "That’s... Instant Movement!"
"Excellent! You’ve finally learned the Instant Movement Skill!"
Watching Xiaohui fly rapidly toward him as if seeking praise, Li Qian couldn’t help but nod, his face filled with relief and satisfaction.