CHAPTER 206 SHERIDAN TAKES ROCKY UNDER HIS WING
"I've heard quite a few things about the Beast Evaluation Skill. As for the Beast Taming Skill and Beast
Curing Skill, they're very foreign to me," Rocky admitted as he stroked his chin.
"Young one, for you to become a competent beast evaluator you must acquire Beast Evaluation Skill
proficiency. Aside from that, you must also gain the Beast Taming Skill and Beast Curing Skill. Long
ago, beast evaluators from the Wild Spirit Land focused way too much on the Beast Evaluation Skill
and they ended up neglecting the other two skills that are as crucial: the Beast Taming Skill and Beast
Curing Skill. As a result, the following generations failed to receive proper training for the latter. To be
completely honest with you kid, having the ability to evaluate beasts is not really that useful. If you don't
know how to heal and tame spiritual beasts, their strength and potential won't really amount to much. content rights.
Curing and taming are very crucial, especially at the earlier stages of the spiritual beast cubs. Spiritual
beasts differ greatly from war beasts. They have a small understanding of human nature, and they are
far more difficult to tame compared to war beasts. Beast tamers who are able to control spiritual beasts
are very rare to find in the Wild Spirit Land. They are so much smaller in number compared to spiritual
beast evaluators," Sheridan explained carefully. He seemed to be some kind of an expert in this field.
His grey hair also helped make him look wiser.
"If the beast tamers were as powerful as you said, why was the Beast Taming Skill not passed down to
the following generations?" Rocky asked, obviously confused.
Beast tamers are more of like the servants of the spirit-manipulated beasts. They need to be of service
for the spirit-manipulated beasts to the best of their abilities. No one was willing to stay where the spirit-
manipulated beasts stayed. These places were quite unpleasant for humans. However, things are
different for the beast evaluators. All they have to do is have a look at the beasts while touching them
and reciting some words. They are more respected and admired by other people. But beast tamers like
me are also well-respected by the people," Sheridan bragged.
A smile formed on Rocky's face. "What about beast curers? Are they much rarer than beast tamers?"
He asked.
"Yes. There are very few beast curers in the Wild Spirit Land. Beast Curing Skill demands great talent
and competence. Beast curers are also expected to be masters of Beast Evaluation Skills. Of course,
one cannot cure a spirit-manipulated beast if they cannot identify it. You must be a very skillful beast
evaluator first before you can obtain Beast Curing Skills. If someone does not have a good command
of their Beast Evaluation Skill, they cannot achieve Beast Curing Skills. Another reason the Beast
Curing Skill got lost through the years is that most spirit manipulators from the Wild Spirit Land treat
spirit-manipulated beasts as their tools. Once their spirit-manipulated beasts get injured and lose their
battling abilities, their masters will kill them at once and find a new one. They do not opt for their curing.
As a result, beast curers are left with no beasts to cure. Beast curers are no longer sought for their
services unless extraordinary war beasts or rare spiritual beasts get injured. Hence beast curers are
jobless on most days. It's very difficult to make a living out of their career, so fewer and fewer people
are willing to learn the Beast Curing Skill. The people's opinion toward beast curing has changed a lot
and they now consider it useless to learn," Sheridan explained hopelessly.
"You have such great skills. Why did you choose to stay in this small military camp? The personnel
here are at best average. Also, the beasts here are inferior compared to others. Did you really prefer
feeding these spirit-manipulated beasts over other jobs? I heard His Majesty invited you to be an
imperial feeder of high-class spirit-manipulated beasts. That is an opportunity most people will never
get," Rocky uttered, wondering about Sheridan's motive in staying in such a small military camp. If
Sheridan were as great as Rocky thought he was, there must be some kind of reason.
"Money and power don't mean anything to me. To live an extravagant life is not my goal. I don't want
any of that. Priest Dean and I share the same skills, but we are very much different. We are the polar
opposites of each other. Do you think we could work alongside each other?" Sheridan asked with a
laugh. Then as if with a switch, his face turned grim. It was obvious he was hiding something from
Rocky.
"Whatever. I'm not even sure if what you just told me was true or not," Rocky answered with a snort.
True or not, he was pleased with Sheridan's grudge against Priest Dean who he also despised.
"Kid, I'm also worried you haven't mastered the Spirit Possession. I think you're bluffing," Sheridan
replied to Rocky's accusation.
"Uriah is injured greatly because its spiritual source is compromised," Rocky explained with his eyes
narrowing.
"You truly have completed the Spirit Possession," Sheridan said in awe. The fact that Rocky mentioned
Uriah's spiritual source suggested he indeed finished the Spirit Possession. Otherwise he wouldn't
have known the term common spirit manipulators did not know of. The existence of spirit-manipulated
beasts' spiritual source was not common knowledge for spirit manipulators.
Rocky smiled shyly and pretended it was not a big deal. Well, it was.
"Good for you! I knew you were different. You passed my test. From now on, you are my apprentice.
You are talented and have great intellect. You can master the skills in about ten years. For you to get
on my level, I would say it will be in about twenty or thirty years," Sheridan uttered in excitement. He
was very satisfied with Rocky's performance.
"Hey! I never said I wanted to be your apprentice," Rocky said disapprovingly. His eyebrows almost
connected as his face distorted upon hearing Sheridan's words.
"The reason I taught you the Spirit Possession is to test you. I was satisfied with the results you
presented me. I have always planned on taking in an apprentice. I want someone I can teach what I
know, so my skills would be passed down and not get lost through the years. It was not easy finding a
gifted fellow who satisfies my requirements. Now, I have you! You are going to be my apprentice
whether you like it or not," Sheridan said. He was very determined to get Rocky to become his
apprentice.
"I've heard of people looking for teachers, but this is the first time I've seen someone coerce another
person to be their apprentice. You are forcing me, Sheridan." Rocky wouldn't let Sheridan get what he
wanted so easily.
"Marin wanted to learn how to tame spirit-manipulated beasts, but I couldn't promise making her my
apprentice. She is skilled and on some level, very competent. However, she does not quite live up to
my expectations. If you learn the Beast Taming Skill, not only can you master the skills of taming and
controlling spirit-manipulated beasts, but also pull out their full potential. If in the future you get lucky
enough, you might run into a spiritual beast. With the Beast Taming Skill, you can tame it and get a lot
from it. Of course, the chances are very low. But other people do not even have a chance," Sheridan
said excitedly. He noticed Rocky's reluctance and tried to convince him more with the benefits that
come along with learning his skills. He knew well enough that Rocky was not willing to learn the Beast
Taming Skill and Beast Curing Skill if he would not gain anything from them.
"So Commander knows who you really are." Rocky remembered how Marin mentioned Sheridan the
other day. She told Rocky that he could learn a lot from him.
"The Commander In Chief of the Crimson Dragon Group and I are friends. I used to come by his place
and have a drink, so I have known Marin since she was a little girl. I planned to take Isis as my
apprentice. She is smart and talented, quite perfect to learn the Beast Taming Skill and Beast Curing
Skill. But she is only interested in learning military tactics, very much like her father. So she refused
me," Sheridan said regretfully. It would seem like he was still upset at Isis' refusal to become his
apprentice.
"You seem to be very keen to have someone as your apprentice. No wonder she turned you down,"
Rocky joked.
"Cut the nonsense. From now on, you will call me teacher. I will teach you everything that I know of."
Sheridan looked intently at Rocky, waiting for any hint of Rocky's willingness. It was not easy
discovering a perfect apprentice, so he would by no means miss this chance.