Exploring the deep sea... Lu Ran was in awe. What a legend!
With his extraordinary physique, he could now engage in underwater activities to some extent. However, his activity time was limited.
Imagining himself exploring the deep sea for half a month like Gu Qingyi in one go, however, seemed unlikely. Even Super Beast Mimicry with a water-attribute familiar might not suffice! At the very least, a fusion skill with a water-attribute familiar would be necessary.
For now, Lu Ran could only hope that the creature hatching from the King Species familiar egg would have strong utility capabilities and not merely unparalleled combat power.
But that was a problem for another day. Hearing about the identity of that person with special abilities in the Imperial Capital had left Lu Ran utterly stunned.
With a sibling ranked as the second strongest in Xia, she undoubtedly lacked no resources, not to mention her high innate talent. She was a formidable opponent indeed.
Of course, Lu Ran also had his own advantages which was undoubtedly the Broken Horn of the Divine Deer, a national treasure, which had been integral in his training. He believed he was on par.
After Manager Ying left, Lu Ran casually opened a few group chats and saw that everyone was discussing the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad. Some were even calling Lu Ran out on the internet, asking for his opinion.
After all, he was the only fourth-generation beastmaster in Xia directly named by the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad. It was clear that this squad was attempting to climb the ranks by stepping on Lu Ran, trying to prove that Xia’s fourth-generation beastmasters were overrated.
Initially, Lu Ran didn’t care to respond to these comments. However, to avoid dampening morale, he decided he would challenge the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad publicly the following day.
He began replying to private messages from familiar people. For example, Fang Lan also asked for his opinion. Lu Ran conveyed the original words of Manager Ying.
“In a couple of days, I’ll meet them head-on.”
Fang Lan was thrilled. She loved seeing Lu Ran’s confident and dominant attitude. Unexpectedly, an unfamiliar call reached Lu Ran soon after.
“Dean Chu Yan?” Lu Ran was surprised.
“Student Lu Ran! Ah, wait, I should call you Professor Lu Ran now. The matter you entrusted to me has been finalized. Once the new semester begins, you’ll be able to establish your course.”
Although Lu Ran was not yet 18, his young age didn’t matter much. The faculty of Beastmaster University largely consisted of individuals in their twenties.
However, most were first, second, or third-generation beastmasters. Fourth-generation beastmasters like Lu Ran were exceedingly rare.
Teaching as a fourth-generation beastmaster meant having a unique skillset even before becoming a beastmaster. For instance, some second-generation beastmasters were born to beastmaster families.
They utilized the few years before contracting their first familiar to master extensive knowledge of secondary professions, aided by their families’ resources. These beastmasters held an advantage compared to fourth-generation beastmasters starting from scratch.
“Thank you, Dean Chu Yan.” Lu Ran smiled.
What excited him most wasn’t the professorial title but the lucrative salary attached to the position. When he learned the salary amount, Lu Ran’s heart melted.
It was far more rewarding than the Heavenly Familiar Ranking prizes. The funds would secure his research on dragon culinary arts.
“Of course, you’re the first known Dragon Chef! By the way, have you seen today’s news?”
“Yes, I have. The revival of the Tyrannosaurus... Quite impressive. There’s a chance the Eagle Federation will eventually find a stable evolutionary pathway for Dragon-attribute familiars.
“However, it’s alright. Give me some time, and I’ll evolve my Dragon Lizard into a pure dragon and discover a stable dragon evolution method myself.”
Dean Chu Yan agreed that Lu Ran, as a Dragon Chef, held far more potential than the Eagle Federation’s dinosaur research team. After all, the precedent of Emperor Flame Quake had already proven this approach’s feasibility!
To his knowledge, the Eagle Federation had expended an enormous amount of resources and gathered countless scientists and cultivators to collectively enable the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad’s dinosaurs to grasp the Dragon Intent.
Yet here, Lu Ran had achieved the same feat single-handedly. Clearly, Lu Ran was far more formidable.
The next day arrived, marking the second round of the freshman competition. As expected, Lu Ran was the first to compete, facing Gong Kaixin, a Combat Department freshman with a fusion of turtle and serpent familiars.
Gong Kaixin wore custom extraordinary equipment that significantly boosted his defense. In contrast, Lu Ran brought no protective items to the match. With Sudden Death King, its defense was naturally formidable, akin to martial artists specializing in body refinement in wuxia tales!
Bones of Steel! Will of Iron! Any attack capable of severely injuring him would be too much for Advanced Gear to defend against. Conversely, attacks that Advanced Gear could mitigate or block, it could easily withstand with its body alone.
Thus, Lu Ran reserved his sole equipment slot for the Firestorm Sword. If any danger approached him on the battlefield, he could simply strike it down in one blow. Offense as defense!
“Lu Ran seems to be in good shape!”
“Looks like he hasn’t been affected by the news.”
“Well, not necessarily. Becoming the center of attention online overnight must bring considerable pressure.”
As Lu Ran and Gong Kaixin stood on the field, the audience buzzed with discussion. Even Gong Kaixin couldn’t help but glance repeatedly at Lu Ran, wondering about his thoughts. To his astonishment, Lu Ran turned to the live-streaming camera.
“Before the match begins, I’d like to address a question. Yesterday, many people asked me about the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad. All I can say is that Dragon Intent varies in quality. I don’t believe the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad’s mass-revived dinosaurs can compare to my meticulously nurtured familiars.
“I also heard they’re setting up an exhibition at Limitless City to showcase the greatness of their dinosaur familiars. If I’m free in a few days, I’ll drop by for a sparring session.”
As Lu Ran finished speaking, the venue, filled with media outlets, erupted into a frenzy. The massive site instantly boiled over, echoing with gasps of astonishment.
“Damn! Lu Ran actually responded to the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad!”
“Impressive! Looking forward to seeing Lu Ran crush the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad!”
“Screw the Federation people. The first purebred dragon species is in Xia. Why should a bunch of dinosaurs be so arrogant?”
The atmosphere was electric. The crowd was cheering fervently for Lu Ran. Seeded contestants were also unexpectedly turning their gazes toward him.
This was about to get interesting. Even the three deans on the main platform paused in surprise, before smiling.
“Well said,” commented Dean Qin Ming.
“A familiar’s strength isn’t solely determined by its innate species. The beastmaster’s cultivation is key.”
Lu Ran’s response served as a small interlude. Soon, the second day of the competition officially commenced. Facing Lu Ran, Gong Kaixin dared not take any chances.
Though he also disliked the Tyrannosaurus Rex Squad, he wouldn’t openly declare his challenge as Lu Ran did. Winning would be fine, but losing would make him an international laughingstock.
He couldn’t understand why someone younger than him like Lu Ran had no fear of embarrassing himself if he lost. That would be terrifying.
But for Lu Ran, the answer was simple. Given the opponent’s prior provocation and Lu Ran’s connection to Yun Han who was one of the researchers involved in the revived dinosaur studies, he couldn’t just brush off the matter.
Sure, declaring his challenge to the world seemed a bit hot-headed. But what’s the point of being young if you’re not brash? Just go for it.
Even if he lost, he could just train harder and come back stronger. Lu Ran’s challenge not only gained him supporters in the live broadcast but also earned the respect of many on-site contestants.
Xia Ri, Pluto, Bai Ling, Dog King, and others paused briefly in surprise. In a remote corner, the girl with special abilities in a white cape also glanced sideways. Right now, however, the focus was on the showdown between Gong Kaixin and Lu Ran!