The Mighty Mage-Chapter 418: Habitat

The blue caterpillar’s tiny ears perked up at the conversation, and it inched closer to listen.

"Yeah! I heard that because of her family background, she got special permission. She doesn’t have to stay in the dorms if she doesn’t want to."

"That is a balant lie! Gu Jin got the special permission solely because of her alchemy skills."

"Yeah, correct!"

"But it’s so unfair! There have been so many geniuses in alchemy already, why is she given special treatment?"

"Didn’t you hear? She had reached Earth Rank in alchemy!"

"What? That is impossible! "

The caterpillar’s eyes widened in horror. "What? She doesn’t live here?! Then where the hell am I waiting?!"

It let out a tiny, frustrated wail and flopped onto the ground. "I wasted so much time!"

But the caterpillar wasn’t about to give up.

Determined, it crawled away from the dormitory, plotting its next move.

He will find her and make a contract with her!

..........................................

Back at the Gu Villa

Long Yifan leaned back in his chair, watching as Gu Jin ate. He couldn’t help the victorious smile playing on his lips.

Progress.

She may not have admitted it outright, but she hadn’t rejected his cooking either.

That was already a small win in his book.

Gu Jin, on the other hand, was doing her best to ignore the man who had somehow weaseled his way into her home.

When dinner was over, she wiped her mouth and stood up.

Long Yifan, who was silent till now, suddenly stood up too and said,

"Miss Gu, I have some doubts in my alchemy homework. can you help me?"

"Busy." Gu Jin dropped a word and left.

Long Yifan followed her like a little lackey and said,

"Miss Gu, if you don’t mind, can you summon the chaos beast?? I can help you to look after it."

Gu Jin paused.

Thinking about Little White’s wilted appearance, she summoned the white lizard and showed it to Long Yifan,

"Why is it so dispirited?"

Long Yifan frowned as he examined the white lizard. Its once-bright scales seemed a little dull, and its usually lively eyes looked a bit sluggish.

He reached out a hand, but the moment he tried to touch it, the lizard swatted his fingers away with its tail and let out a disgruntled hiss.

"Oof—temperamental, isn’t it?" Long Yifan chuckled, pulling his hand back.

Gu Jin crossed her arms. "What do you want with my chaos beast?"

"I’m just concerned," Long Yifan said smoothly. "It doesn’t look well. Has it been eating properly?"

Gu Jin’s frown deepened.

"I feed it regularly," she replied.

Long Yifan knelt beside the white lizard, watching it closely.

"Maybe it’s not just food. Chaos beasts are unique. They need more than just energy-rich meals. They need an environment that suits them."

Gu Jin was about to retort when the lizard suddenly let out a small, tired whimper, curling its tail around itself.

A flicker of worry crossed her face before she quickly masked it.

Long Yifan caught it anyway. "See? It’s definitely not doing well."

Gu Jin sighed and crouched down. "Then what do you suggest?"

Long Yifan tapped his chin in thought. "For starters, where have you been keeping it?"

"My room."

He shook his head.

"That’s probably the problem. Chaos beasts need an environment that complements their natural energy.

If it’s been stuck inside, away from nature or a suitable energy source, it’s bound to grow weak."

Gu Jin hesitated. She hadn’t considered that.

Long Yifan took her silence as a sign to continue.

"Let me build a proper habitat for it. Something attuned to its needs."

Gu Jin narrowed her eyes. "And what do you get out of it?"

He placed a hand over his chest, feigning innocence.

"Miss Gu, must I have an ulterior motive for wanting to help?"

"Yes."

Long Yifan sighed dramatically.

"Fine, fine. If you insist on thinking so lowly of me, then I’ll be honest. Helping your chaos beast means you’ll owe me one, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll think a little better of me."

Gu Jin scoffed. "Keep dreaming."

Still, she glanced at the lizard and then back at him. After a long moment of consideration, she finally relented.

"I will agree to your one request. But don’t ask for forgiveness, dating, or any physical intimacy."

Long Yifan beamed. "Deal."

.............................

Meanwhile, far from the villa, the blue caterpillar skittered along a stone pathway, its tiny legs working tirelessly.

It had spent all this time waiting at the wrong place, but now, with this new information, it knew exactly where to go.

"Gu Jin... Just you wait!" the caterpillar muttered, determination blazing in its tiny eyes.

"I’ll find you, and you’ll have no choice but to form a contract with me!"

Just as it neared the Gu Villa, a barrier restricted it.

"Tch... I can’t get caught yet," the caterpillar muttered under its breath. "If those self-righteous humans find out who I really am, they’ll try to suppress me before I even get a chance to meet her."

It needed to be smart about this.

Slowly, the caterpillar retreated into the shadows, deciding to wait.

.....................

Long Yifan worked for an entire day and built a special habitat within Gu Jin’s courtyard.

Using an array of spiritual formations, he ensured the environment was enriched with chaotic energy, mimicking the natural conditions of a chaotic beast’s origin.

He stood back, admiring his work.

The once-empty patch of land now glowed faintly with runes embedded into the ground, gently pulsating with energy.

A small pond, shimmering with spiritual water, rested at the center, surrounded by exotic plants that radiated warmth and vitality.

Gu Jin, who had been watching silently, crossed her arms.

"Hmph, you’re more capable than I thought."

Long Yifan smirked. "You wound me, Miss Gu. I’ll take that as a compliment."

She ignored him and summoned Little White, who hesitantly crawled into the new habitat.

The moment its claws touched the ground, a visible change took place.

The dullness in its scales began to fade, replaced by a faint, healthy shimmer.

It let out a low, satisfied chirp before slipping into the pond, basking in the energy-rich water.

Long Yifan crouched beside the lizard, pleased with the results. "See? Much better."

Gu Jin watched her companion settle in with an unreadable expression before glancing at Long Yifan.

"Fine. You did well. I acknowledge that."

Long Yifan smiled, then he said,

"Now, can I ask for what I want?"

Gu Jin nodded hestiantly before reminding,

"You do remember the condition?"

Long Yifan smiled before saying,

"I just want a photo of you and with you."

Gu Jin narrowed her eyes at Long Yifan. "A photo? That’s it?"

Long Yifan grinned.

"What, did you think I’d ask for something outrageous?"

He leaned forward slightly. "I’m a man of simple desires, Miss Gu."

Gu Jin studied him for a long moment, searching for any sign of deception.

Finding none, she sighed and pulled out a small transmission device. "Fine. Just one."

Long Yifan’s face lit up as if he’d won a grand prize. "Alright, stand still."

Gu Jin crossed her arms, standing stiffly as Long Yifan held up a small jade artifact.

The artifact glowed faintly before a soft click sounded.

He examined the image and nodded in satisfaction. "Perfect. Now, one more."

Gu Jin’s eyebrow twitched. "One. I agreed to one."

"Yes, but this one’s different," Long Yifan said smoothly. "It’s with me. We have to be in the same frame."

Gu Jin exhaled sharply, clearly regretting her decision. Still, a deal was a deal.

"Fine. But make it quick."

Long Yifan beamed and stepped beside her, tilting the artifact again. As the light flashed, he suddenly leaned in slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Click.

Gu Jin turned to glare at him. "You—"

"It’s just a picture," he said innocently, tucking the artifact away. "Nothing inappropriate. I’ll cherish it forever."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. If that’s all, we’re done here."

Long Yifan chuckled but didn’t push his luck. "Of course. Thank you for your generosity, Miss Gu."

...........................

Meanwhile, outside the Gu Villa, the blue caterpillar was growing restless.

It had been waiting for an opportunity, and now, with nightfall settling in, it saw its chance.

The protective barrier shimmered faintly under the moonlight. The caterpillar assessed it carefully, its small eyes gleaming with intelligence.

"A direct attack will trigger alarms," it muttered. "I need another way."

It scuttled around the perimeter, testing for weak points.

Finally, near the servant’s entrance, it found a gap—a section where the energy pulsed slightly weaker than the rest.

"There!"

Focusing its power, the caterpillar’s body began to shrink even further until it was barely the size of a grain of rice.

It slipped through the gap with ease and landed softly inside the villa grounds.

Its tiny form quickly expanded back to its original small size, and it wasted no time scurrying through the garden, searching for its target.

"Gu Jin... Where are you?" it whispered, determination burning in its gaze.

Just as it approached the main residence, it felt a powerful presence ahead.