Ten minutes later, Qin Shou returned to the arena once again.
This was the official match.
The referee deactivated the barrier, and Qin Shou glanced across at the aloof, handsome young man before him, inevitably muttering internally.
Handsome, aloof vibe, surname Ye...
Could he be the protagonist of this world?
As his thoughts wandered, Ye Ning slightly bent his body, then arched back and raised his right hand high, shouting, "Come out, my partner!"
Qin Shou's face immediately fell. What the... such a cringe-worthy move?
The Space Gate opened wide, and a gigantic bronze-colored monster roared as it emerged, instantly stirring up a violent gust.
Amidst the wind-blown sand and debris, Qin Shou waved forth a streak of azure Star Power, swatting away the flying rubble, finally getting a clear view of the enormous bronze beast.
The Classic of Mountains and Seas describes: A creature shaped like a sheep with a human face, eyes under its armpits, tiger's teeth and human claws, its cry resembling a baby's. Its name is Paoxiao, and it preys on humans.
The seven-meter-long beast before him bore an uncanny resemblance to the Taotie from the movie "The Great Wall."
A Bronze Beast Taotie, a monster that had originally appeared during the Old Era—perhaps that film "The Great Wall," like other monster movies, had integrated elements of this world.
For Ye Ning to successfully cultivate a Bronze Beast Taotie, he must have acquired its original genetic material!
Qin Shou thought to himself.
Meanwhile, with the Taotie by his side, Ye Ning gazed coldly at Qin Shou and confidently remarked, "Qin Shou of Class D, let me see if the Dragon Beast you've cultivated is truly as impressive as they claim."
"Alright, as you wish!"
Qin Shou resisted the urge to mimic Ye Ning's exaggerated pose and simply snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the Space Gate opened wide, and a terrifying dragon's roar erupted.
A ferocious dragon head stretched out from the Space Gate, immediately locking onto the bronze Taotie across from it.
The Taotie refused to back down, roaring furiously with saliva spraying in all directions.
The greedy snake's eyes flickered with fury as its lithe body swung and shot forth from the Space Gate, circling endlessly above Qin Shou's head.
The onlookers gasped in amazement at the sight of the Dragon Beast.
"Oh my god, this is the Dragon Beast—it looks just like the legendary true dragon!"
"Exactly, it's incredible! I want one too..."
"Stop dreaming. The cultivation of a Dragon Beast is absurdly demanding. It requires the fusion of over ten different genes. How many people in West City could possibly achieve that?"
"Indeed. Who would've thought that Qin Shou from Class D would possess such exceptional Beast Breeding Talent..."
The crowd buzzed with exclamations, and even Ye Ning's expression subtly shifted.
A Dragon Beast so closely resembling the mythical true dragon—this... how is this even possible?
Ye Ning ground his teeth in secret, a hint of jealousy flashing in his eyes.
No, I am the most talented Beast Tamer in West City!
At Ye Ning's thunderous command, the Taotie beast gathered strength in its limbs and abruptly launched itself forward, smashing the ground beneath its feet into shards as it hurtled toward Qin Shou amid a raging windstorm.
Qin Shou's face hardened. This beast's strength isn't beneath mine.
The next moment, the dragon's roar echoed across the arena.
The greedy snake dove down, as if emerging from an ancient legend, intercepting the charging Taotie before it could reach Qin Shou.
A resounding "Divine Dragon Tail" struck out, the mighty dragon tail whipping violently through the air with explosive force.
The bronze Taotie failed to evade in time and was struck directly. It was hurled backward, crashing into the ground and creating a shallow crater.
The bronze Taotie whimpered as it got back on its feet, a hint of fear now visible in its eyes.
Ye Ning's expression darkened, and he bellowed angrily, "You useless beast, get back in there!"
At his command, the bronze Taotie hesitated.
Frustrated, Ye Ning frantically pressed several buttons on his wristwatch, activating the Beast Taming Chip to forcibly control the bronze Taotie in battle.
Under the influence of the Beast Taming Chip, the eyes under the Taotie's armpits glowed an eerie green. Ignoring everything, it lunged forward once more.
The greedy snake, unfazed, met the Taotie head-on with its sharp fangs.
The Dangerous Seven Stars-level bronze Taotie had neither the rank nor strength to match the greedy snake and was quickly pinned to the ground and dragged mercilessly.
Ye Ning's anxiety grew, but suddenly he heard a voice sigh behind him.
"Sigh, Ye, Ye, you disappoint me greatly."
Ye Ning was startled.
Before he could turn around, a burst of azure dragon-shaped Star Power shot out and firmly restrained him in place, rendering him immobile.
With his familiar stealthy tactics, the Newborn Six Stars-level Qin Shou easily took down the Newborn Seven Stars-level Ye Ning.
"You... Qin Shou, you despicable sneak attack!" Ye Ning glared angrily at Qin Shou.
Qin Shou rolled his eyes, "Clearly you don't spend much time on the campus forums. Sneak attacks are practically my signature move."
"You..." Ye Ning was fuming.
Qin Shou turned to the referee and smiled. "Teacher, you can announce the results now."
The referee nodded, his demeanor unperturbed, evidently well-acquainted with Qin Shou's antics.
Although he could have won the battle fair and square, the kid just couldn't resist using sneak attacks.
"Qin Shou from Class D wins!"
Winning five consecutive matches, Qin Shou secured a spot in the semi-finals before returning to the Class D lounge to rest.
"Lao Qin, we've all been eliminated. The semi-finals are in your hands now."
"Yeah, Qin Shou, are you hungry? Should I order takeout for you..."
"Qin Shou, you've got to represent Class D properly..."
"Exactly, I've already prepped Cuihua's contact info for you..."
Qin Shou stared blankly at his classmates, enduring their childish and overly enthusiastic concerns with great difficulty.
Sigh, for the sake of our years of being classmates, I guess I'll let it slide.
Kids—they're off-limits.
A moment later, his number plate vibrated.
[Semi-finals: Wang Wu from Class A.] Read full story at novel✦fire.net
[Beast: Unihorn Saber-Toothed Tiger.]
Outside the arena, the students of Class D held up banners, cheering enthusiastically for Qin Shou.
On the field, Wang Wu summoned a black Unihorn Saber-Toothed Tiger and gave Qin Shou a cold, disdainful smile.
"I didn't expect you to defeat Ye Ning from Class B. Looks like not all of your Class D is trash."
Qin Shou maintained a blank expression, internally debating.
Forget it—too cliché for the storyline.
But saying nothing might make it awkward.
Better to stay silent. Just a kid. Let my fists do the talking.
Wang Wu grew angry at Qin Shou's lack of response, assuming he hadn't been heard. His face contorted with annoyance.
"Hey, I'm talking to you! Don't act all mute on me..."
Before he could finish, the Space Gate behind Qin Shou opened once more, and the Dragon Beast roared, releasing its awe-inspiring aura in all directions.
With a mighty roar, the greedy snake lunged straight at the Unihorn Saber-Toothed Tiger.
The Saber-Toothed Tiger fearlessly leapt high into the air, aiming to land on the greedy snake's back.
The greedy snake, seemingly anticipating the move, swiftly twisted its body and countered with a tail swipe, sending shockwaves through the air.
Once again, the Divine Dragon Tail struck true; the Unihorn Saber-Toothed Tiger was powerless as it was flung aside.
Meanwhile, Qin Shou quietly attempted to approach Wang Wu.
Wang Wu sensed something, abruptly turning to face Qin Shou with a cold smile. "Qin Shou, did you really think I wouldn't do my homework before this match?"
Qin Shou shrugged, unfazed.
With a circular motion of his right hand, he released a burst of dragon-shaped Star Power and leapt backward.
Head-on confrontation wasn't his strength against the Newborn Eight Stars-level Wang Wu.