Volume 1, Chapter 24: A Tiny Pocket Dimension, Yet Home to Such a Pair of Curiosities

Lin Yao was, of course, very interested in the Rose Treasure.

However, the Rose family hid their treasures all over the globe, and they were certainly not foolish enough to leave signs saying "the treasure is not buried here." The treasures hidden in various locations were almost impossible to find. Even if someone discovered their whereabouts, those who lacked the Rose family's bloodline might not be able to enter to claim them. And even if one managed to break into the vaults, without knowledge of the correct routes and methods, they might not be able to navigate the layers of traps and trials required to retrieve the items successfully.

As Lin Yao recalled the information regarding the Rose Treasure, Xia Yumeng shared a piece of news that took him by surprise.

"Lord Lin Yao, I have actually discovered a Rose Treasure near Northwind City."

"Moreover, that treasure has been sealed for over five thousand years! According to the Rose family's public promise, they will not pursue anyone who retrieves a treasure that has been sealed for more than five millennia."

"It is a gift from the Rose family to Beast Masters across the globe!"

Xia Yumeng’s words naturally piqued Lin Yao’s interest. This was also the brilliance of the Rose family. Treasures buried for a long time often had their concealment and protective measures severely degraded by the passage of time, making them easier for later generations to discover. If the Rose family did not state their position, outsiders who took their treasures would inevitably feel anxious, fearing retaliation and being forced into opposition against the family. However, by making a public declaration, the Rose family ensured that those who took the treasures would instead be grateful for their generosity. After all, the treasures were no longer considered ownerless items, but rather gifts bestowed by the Rose family.

While Lin Yao used his [Shadow Beast Master] talent to manifest his twelfth Shadow Werewolf, he asked casually, "Are you certain you have found a Rose Treasure?"

This time, Xia Yumeng was left speechless. Her rosy lips were parted in an exaggerated "O" shape, wide enough to easily fit an egg. She stared at Lin Yao, completely stunned and filled with disbelief. When the beast had appeared beside Lin Yao just now, there had been no summoning circle, nor any fluctuations of summoning energy; the beast had simply materialized out of thin air. The lack of a summoning circle meant Lin Yao had not performed a summoning ritual, and the lack of energy fluctuations meant he had not released it from a beast ring or a beast space.

If the hypothesis weren't so outrageous, Xia Yumeng would have suspected that Lin Yao had "hand-crafted" this Shadow Werewolf himself. And yet, the reality was that, in a sense, this Shadow Werewolf truly was "hand-crafted" by Lin Yao.

Xia Yumeng asked with a face full of astonishment, "Lord Lin Yao, this beast is...?"

Lin Yao waved his hand dismissively. "Pay it no mind; I obtained it through special means."

Having said that, Lin Yao waited for Xia Yumeng to answer his previous question. He spoke of the Shadow Werewolf's origin with nonchalance, but Xia Yumeng’s heart could not settle for a long time. Fortunately, she remembered the business at hand. Taking a deep breath, she began to earnestly explain the situation regarding the Rose Treasure.

"Lord Lin Yao, I have indeed found a closed-type interdimensional rift nearby that contains a Rose Treasure."

Lin Yao naturally understood what a closed-type interdimensional rift was. Simply put, it was a small, pocket-sized dimension with its own interior world. In contrast, standard interdimensional rifts connected to worlds inhabited by alien races and beasts, which were extremely dangerous.

Lin Yao pondered for a moment and said, "If you want me to accompany you to explore this Rose Treasure, tell me everything you know."

Xia Yumeng nodded vigorously. "Yes, my lord! I guarantee I will tell you everything I know without reservation!"

Meanwhile, within the pocket dimension Xia Yumeng had mentioned, two groups of people were locked in a tense standoff. Among both factions were individuals Lin Yao recognized.

In the group on the left, Lin Yao’s acquaintance was Xia Mengying, the young mistress of the Rose family's fourth branch, who was mounted on a Whirlwind Fire Wolf. In the group on the right, his acquaintance was Old Wang, a former member of the Broken Blade Hunter Squad. Old Wang had since joined the Greedy Wolf Hunter Squad. He and the other five Beast Masters of the Greedy Wolf squad were currently staring down Xia Mengying’s group of six.

However, both sides knew the other was not to be trifled with, so they remained highly restrained, neither side daring to act rashly.

Qin Tanlang, captain of the Greedy Wolf Hunter Squad, pondered for a moment before saying coldly, "Zhao Wuji, have you thought this through? Are you sure you want to go against me for the sake of an outsider woman?"

His gaze was icy as he continued his threat, "Old Wang has joined our Greedy Wolf Hunter Squad now, and you know what he is capable of. If you truly provoke me, it will be effortless for me to target you personally or your Northwind Zhao family."

The Northwind Zhao family was a behemoth in Northwind City, nearly equal in stature to the Northwind Wang family. However, Zhao Wuji was not yet qualified to act on behalf of the Zhao family. He was the second son of the direct line; unless his older brother met with an accidental death, there was no chance of him inheriting the family. Yet, Zhao Wuji was ambitious and capable, while his older brother was inferior to him in every respect. This had caused some improper thoughts to germinate in Zhao Wuji’s mind. Over the years, he had been extensively building connections with various forces to pave the way for his future.

As for the Rose family, Zhao Wuji had long since established a good relationship with them. This time, he had hoped to use the opportunity to befriend a young mistress of the Rose family, never expecting her to get into such a major conflict with the Greedy Wolf Hunter Squad.

After weighing the options carefully, Zhao Wuji decided to concede. He was currently in the early stages of a rapid rise, and it would be extremely detrimental if the members of the Greedy Wolf Hunter Squad were to remain his enemies. However, Zhao Wuji did not intend to burn his bridges completely. He gave Xia Mengying an apologetic look and said to Qin Tanlang:

"I can refrain from intervening in your conflict, but I still hope you can resolve this dispute through negotiation. For the next fifteen minutes, I would like Captain Qin and his men to remain exactly where they are. As for Miss Xia Mengying, she may go anywhere she wishes. I hope Captain Qin will grant me this favor."

Zhao Wuji’s words were nothing more than an attempt to have the Greedy Wolf Hunter Squad give him face and buy Xia Mengying fifteen minutes of escape time. After that, he would no longer involve himself in the conflict between her and the squad.

Qin Tanlang thought for a moment and nodded, though he said coldly, "Your face isn't worth that much. I will only wait here for three minutes!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Mengying glared at Zhao Wuji in annoyance. Seeing that he remained indifferent, she had no choice but to urge her Whirlwind Fire Wolf to flee at top speed. Zhao Wuji and his men had not helped her for free; they had received many benefits from her. She had never expected these bastards to back out at such a critical moment!