I was terrified! Raising a colossal star beast in the Beast Taming World

Chapter 188 We're here to apply for a refund for minors.

The banquet hall of the main pavilion in Qingqiu was brightly lit.

Although described as a banquet hall, it is more like an antique palace. Twelve mahogany pillars support the high dome, and the pillars are carved with lifelike nine-tailed celestial fox totems.

A huge crystal chandelier hangs in the center of the dome, each crystal lit by foxfire, refracting a warm and dreamy light that illuminates the entire hall as if it were daytime.

The banquet has been set out. Three long rosewood tables are arranged in a triangular pattern, covered with brocade table runners embroidered with the Qingqiu emblem. Dishes of all kinds are served in a continuous stream, filling the air with their aroma.

The menu includes local delicacies from Lanzhou, as well as pastries and candied fruits made in Qingqiu. There are even a few rare ingredients that are said to have been airlifted from higher-level prefectures.

The servants of the Qingqiu fox clan moved about, serving tea and water. The twin-tailed servant who had shouted "I'm your fan!" outside earlier was now glued to the spot closest to Xue Youyou, his hands trembling with excitement as he held the dish.

The people of Lanzhiyuan sat at a long sandalwood table on the east side, with a variety of delicacies laid out in front of them, but few of them actually touched their chopsticks; they all looked wary.

Su Wanrou poked the crystal-clear pastry in front of her with her chopsticks, glanced at Lu Yutang, who shook her head, indicating that she shouldn't eat it yet.

However, Ning Xiaoman didn't care about any of that. She generously picked up a piece of honey-glazed roasted meat, chewed it a couple of times, and showed a face full of deliciousness. Then she nodded to everyone, meaning that it wasn't poisoned.

After seeing this, the people of Lanzhiyuan felt relieved and began to eat, but they only dared to eat the ones that Ning Xiaoman had tried.

Ning Xiaoman didn't mind and simply acted as a test subject, tasting each one one by one.

Sitting opposite Lanzhi Courtyard was the Qingqiu fox clan led by Su Yao. Su Yao had changed into a clean robe, and her eight newly grown tails were glossy and shiny. She would occasionally glance at the main table with a complicated look in her eyes.

The other seven Qingqiu foxes were even more direct. While eating their food, they openly stared at Xue Youyou and whispered among themselves about the shocking scene that had just unfolded in the square.

There were only two people at the main table.

Tu Shan Yue sat in the main seat, her nine tails casually draped over the back of the chair. She rested her chin on one hand and held a wine glass in the other, the Qingqiu Secret Wine in the glass gleaming with an amber luster under the light.

It had drunk quite a bit, its cheeks were slightly flushed, but its eyes were clearer than ever.

Xue Youyou sat in the guest seat. Due to Tu Shanyue's strong recommendation, she also picked up a glass of the same secret brew, took a small sip, and licked away the amber liquid on her lips with the tip of her tongue.

Hmm...it does seem pretty good.

Even Xue Youyou, who doesn't drink alcohol, could appreciate its exceptional quality.

Then, Xue Youyou feigned a boast: "This wine has power!"

Tu Shan Yue: "?"

What is this? This is just a very low-alcohol fruit wine, how does it have energy?

Tu Shan Yue emphasized earnestly, "This is just a specially made drink. Few people in our Qingqiu fox clan enjoy drinking alcohol."

Xue Youyou asked in surprise, "Then why are you blushing like a teapot?"

Tu Shanyue explained matter-of-factly, "That's because some aphrodisiac ingredients were added to the ingredients. If you drink too much, not only will your face turn red, but your whole body will turn red too!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Youyou's hand trembled, and she almost dropped her wine glass.

This is fucking addictive! And is it really okay to say it so openly?

"It's okay, it's just a tiny bit. That's the feeling of being slightly tipsy, you know?"

Tu Shanyue's gaze at Xue Youyou seemed to say—do you even understand?

Xue Youyou said, embarrassed, "...So, you didn't want to drink alcohol, but you wanted to be slightly tipsy, so you added aphrodisiacs to your drinks?"

Tu Shan Yue snapped her fingers and said, "Bingo! That's right!"

Then, Tu Shan Yue put down her wine cup, tapped the table with her fingertip, and cut to the chase: "Bai Xue Ji, let me ask you. Does your divine beast, Guang Han Zhan, have healing abilities?"

Xue Youyou also put down her wine glass, looked up at Tu Shanyue, and did not deny it: "Yes."

Tu Shan Yue's eyes lit up for a moment, but she quickly suppressed her excitement and continued to ask, "To be honest, the severed tail of us Qingqiu foxes is an extremely difficult wound to heal. Apart from the divine beasts Sheng Hua and Yu Ming, who specialize in healing, the only other way is to form a contract with a beast tamer and slowly repair it through the power of the contract. However, Qingqiu foxes that have formed a contract with a beast tamer are considered unclean and are expelled from the clan. Therefore, this is a choice we have to make out of necessity."

Tu Shan Yue covered her mouth and chuckled, "Oh ho ho—I thought Yao Yao would have to marry a beast tamer in this life, but I didn't expect you to miraculously heal it."

"Was it a coincidence, or were you sure?"

Xue Youyou didn't answer directly, but tilted her head and gestured to Su Yao at the opposite table: "What do you think?"

Tu Shanyue followed her gaze and glanced at Su Yao. The eight-tailed fox was using its newly grown tail to curl a wine glass and bring it to its mouth, its movements as practiced as if its tail had never been broken.

"So, it's one hundred percent?" Tu Shan Yue's voice carried a hint of heat that she herself didn't even realize.

Seeing that Tu Shan Yue seemed to need her help, Xue Youyou smiled slightly and said, "This is not a difficult matter for Guanghan Zhan."

Having received an affirmative answer, Tu Shanyue looked at Xue Youyou again, took a deep breath, and voiced the thought that had been swirling in her mind for a long time: "Are you interested in cooperating with me?"

Xue Youyou raised an eyebrow: "Cooperation?"

Tu Shan Yue's tone became serious: "You have no idea what the ability you displayed today means to the Qingqiu clan. The power of us Qingqiu foxes all comes from our tails; losing our tails is equivalent to becoming a cripple."

"Those elders in our clan who lost their tails for various reasons, no matter how powerful they once were, can only eke out a living now. This is an unimaginable torment for the long lives of us Qingqiu foxes. But your ability can allow them to see the light of day again."

As it spoke, it leaned forward slightly, and its nine tails unconsciously moved forward as well.

"If you can heal those elders in the clan who lost their tails, my status in the main family will rise accordingly. At that time, I can give you whatever you want."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao, sitting at the opposite table, nearly dropped her chopsticks into her soup bowl.

Although the people in Lanzhiyuan couldn't hear Tu Shanyue and Xue Youyou's conversation clearly, to the Qingqiu Fox with its excellent hearing, it was no different from speaking through a megaphone.

Having followed Tu Shan Yue for many years, this was the first time it had ever seen its young lady speak to someone in such an almost pleading tone. Tu Shan Yue, whose temperament was extremely wicked and who caused headaches for the clan's emperor, was now actually negotiating with a beast tamer from a lower-level state, and her posture was quite humble.

The other Qingqiu fox clan members who had followed Tu Shanyue to Yuelan Prefecture also stopped eating, and a subtle tension filled the air.

They all understood the weight of Tu Shan Yue's words—this was no longer a simple invitation to cooperate; it was a gamble on their future. If Xue Youyou agreed, their peaceful lives of the past hundred years would be completely shattered.

Xue Youyou remained silent for a moment.

She was quickly calculating in her mind. Qingqiu was not only a power in the upper-level state, but it had also been rooted in Yuelan Prefecture for a hundred years, with a deep foundation. If she could get in touch with them, it would definitely not be a bad thing for her.

After all, having one more friend is always better than having one more enemy.

She glanced at Su Yao, who was peeking at her from the opposite table while pretending to drink soup, and a slight smile appeared on her lips—she had to admit, the ears of the Qingqiu fox felt really nice to rub.

"Cooperation is negotiable."

Xue Youyou finally spoke: "However, I have a condition."

"you say."

Tu Shan Yue's face lit up with joy upon hearing this. She hadn't expected Xue Youyou to be so understanding, saving her the trouble of demonstrating her martial prowess.

Xue Youyou coughed lightly, her gaze fixed on Tu Shanyue's fox-like eyes. After a long silence, she finally spoke with difficulty: "Our Dean Lu Yuan embezzled public funds to gamble on your 'Big Green Duck' app and lost a full 10 billion... I hope you can return the money to her."

Tu Shanyue was clearly taken aback.

She blinked, and two of her nine upright tails slowly fell back down. Then she turned her head following Xue Youyou's gaze and looked at Lu Yuan, who was sitting in the corner of the table in Lan Zhi Courtyard, looking uneasy.

Lu Yuan almost slid off her chair when she was stared at like that. She reflexively raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, as if she had done something wrong.

Tu Shan Yue looked at Xue Youyou again, her tone carrying a hint of absurdity and amusement: "So you came to kick down my mountain gate tonight just to return this 10 billion?"

Xue Youyou nodded seriously: "Actually, our dean may seem mature on the surface, but he's still a child at heart. He hopes that minors can get a refund."

Tu Shan Yue: "..."

Su Yao: "..."

The entire fox clan of Qingqiu: "..."