Rebirth of the Prime Dragon Master
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 andBeast 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 Skillproficiency. Aside from that, you must also gain the Beast Taming Skill and Beast Curing Skill. Longago, beast evaluators from the Wild Spirit Land focused way too much on the Beast Evaluation Skilland they ended up neglecting the other two skills that are as crucial: the Beast Taming Skill andBeast Curing Skill. As a result, the following generations failed to receive proper training for thelatter. To be completely honest with you kid, having the ability to evaluate beasts is not really thatuseful. If you don't know how to heal and tame spiritual beasts, their strength and potential won'treally amount to much. Curing and taming are very crucial, especially at the earlier stages of thespiritual beast cubs. Spiritual beasts differ greatly from war beasts. They have a small understandingof human nature, and they are far more difficult to tame compared to war beasts. Beast tamers whoare able to control spiritual beasts are very rare to replace in the Wild Spirit Land. They are so muchsmaller in number compared to spiritual beast evaluators,” Sheridan explained carefully. He seemedto 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 downto the following generations?" Rocky asked, obviously confused.

Beast tamers are more of like the servants of the spirit-manipulated beasts. They need to be ofservice for the spirit-manipulated beasts to the best of their abilities. No one was willing to staywhere 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 thebeasts while touching them and reciting some words. They are more respected and admired byother 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 talentand 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 skillfulbeast evaluator first before you can obtain Beast Curing Skills. If someone does not have a goodcommand of their Beast Evaluation Skill, they cannot achieve Beast Curing Skills. Another reason theBeast Curing Skill got lost through the years is that most spirit manipulators from the Wild SpiritLand treat spirit-manipulated beasts as their tools. Once their spirit-manipulated beasts get injuredand lose their battling abilities, their masters will kill them at once and replace a new one. They do notopt for their curing. As a result, beast curers are left with no beasts to cure. Beast curers are nolonger 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, sofewer and fewer people are willing to learn the Beast Curing Skill. The people's opinion toward beastcuring 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 personnelhere are at best average. Also, the beasts here are inferior compared to others. Did you really preferfeeding these spirit-manipulated beasts over other jobs? I heard His Majesty invited you to be animperial feeder of high-class spirit-manipulated beasts. That is an opportunity most people willnever get," Rocky uttered, wondering about Sheridan's motive in staying in such a small militarycamp. 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'twant any of that. Priest Dean and I share the same skills, but we are very much different. We are thepolar opposites of each other. Do you think we could work alongside each other?" Sheridan askedwith a laugh. Then as if with a switch, his face turned grim. It was obvious he was hiding somethingfrom 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,” Sheridanreplied to Rocky's accusation.

"Uriah is injured greatly because its spiritual source is compromised,” Rocky explained with his eyesnarrowing.

"You truly have completed the Spirit Possession,” Sheridan said in awe. The fact that Rockymentioned Uriah's spiritual source suggested he indeed finished the Spirit Possession. Otherwise hewouldn'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 geton 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 almostconnected 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 youpresented me. I have always planned on taking in an apprentice. I want someone I can teach what Iknow, so my skills would be passed down and not get lost through the years. It was not easy replaceinga gifted fellow who satisfies my requirements. Now, I have you! You are going to be my apprenticewhether you like it or not,” Sheridan said. He was very determined to get Rocky to become hisapprentice.

"I've heard of people looking for teachers, but this is the first time I've seen someone coerceanother person to be their apprentice. You are forcing me, Sheridan." Rocky wouldn't let Sheridanget what he wanted so easily.

"Marin wanted to learn how to tame spirit-manipulated beasts, but I couldn't promise making hermy apprentice. She is skilled and on some level, very competent. However, she does not quite liveup to my expectations. If you learn the Beast Taming Skill, not only can you master the skills oftaming and controlling spirit-manipulated beasts, but also pull out their full potential. If in thefuture you get lucky enough, you might run into a spiritual beast. With the Beast Taming Skill, youcan tame it and get a lot from it. Of course, the chances are very low. But other people do not evenhave a chance,” Sheridan said excitedly. He noticed Rocky's reluctance and tried to convince himmore with the benefits that come along with learning his skills. He knew well enough that Rocky wasnot willing to learn the Beast Taming Skill and Beast Curing Skill if he would not gain anything fromthem.

"So Commander knows who you really are.” Rocky remembered how Marin mentioned Sheridan theother 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 hisplace and have a drink, so I have known Marin since she was a little girl. I planned to take Isis as myapprentice. She is smart and talented, quite perfect to learn the Beast Taming Skill and Beast CuringSkill. But she is only interested in learning military tactics, very much like her father. So she refusedme," Sheridan said regretfully. It would seem like he was still upset at Isis’ refusal to become hisapprentice.

"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 knowof.” Sheridan looked intently at Rocky, waiting for any hint of Rocky's willingness. It was not easydiscovering a perfect apprentice, so he would by no means miss this chance.