"I only just contracted my Pet Beast, and you want to bring out a Royal Griffin to fight my servant-level Red Fox?" Chu Yi frowned, staring at Xiao Chen as he spoke coolly.
"MEW!" Bika bared its teeth, a gesture that, to outsiders, looked inexplicably cute rather than menacing.
"No, I’ll use my second Pet Beast, which is also servant-level. If you insist, I can use the Royal Griffin too." Xiao Chen’s gaze shifted from Chu Yi to Chen Xi. As he looked at her delicate, pure face and graceful, curvaceous figure, a hint of burning greed flashed deep within his eyes. "After all, the Beast Taming battle affects our junior sister’s scores. I’m also doing this for her own good, to prevent her from being deceived by some smooth-talker, which might damage the academy’s reputation."
Chen Xi worriedly hugged Chu Yi’s arm, her soft curves pressing against him slightly. With a gentle gaze, she said, "Senior, let’s just forget it."
"Fine." Ignoring the soft and comfortable sensation, a hint of amusement flashed in Chu Yi’s eyes. He feigned a momentary rush of anger. "Let’s go to the Beast Taming duel platform! Why would I, a Super Talent, be afraid of you?"
"MEW!" That’s right, that’s right! Bika seemed to affirm, sticking its tongue out at Xiao Chen and tugging at its cheeks to make a funny face. BLEH BLEH BLEH...
"Damn fox, I’ll skin you later," Xiao Chen threatened, his gaze turning cold. He simply couldn’t believe Chu Yi had contracted a Pet Beast; otherwise, why wouldn’t he put it into the Beast Taming Space? In the space, a Pet Beast shares spirituality with its Master, and cultivation progresses faster.
Soon, their Beast Taming duel had attracted a great deal of attention. Xiao Chen was, after all, among the top ten third-year students and possessed a high-level elite Pet Beast, making him a prominent figure. On the other side was Chu Yi, who had been laying low for two years since being kicked out of the Starfire Sequence last month. The buzz surrounding him was no less than Xiao Chen’s.
"Are these two for real?"
"I heard they’re fighting over a junior sister."
"The ancients didn’t lie; women are nothing but trouble, only slowing down the speed at which I draw my sword."
"Ugh, is that the stereotype you have of girls? Can’t guys be burdens too?"
"Chu Yi seems so confident. Does he actually have a powerful Pet Beast?"
The crowd was puzzled. Could Chu Yi really have contracted a Pet Beast? Had his confidence swelled so much that he’d actually seek out Xiao Chen for a spar?
On a large platform, fifty meters in diameter, two Pet Beasts clashed. A vast spiritual explosion swept over the entire arena! It was a Thunderbolt Mouse versus a Wood Guard Palace, both elite-level. The duelists were two of the top ten third-year students. Upon learning that another duel was set to take place behind them, they immediately stopped their match and made way.
The young woman recalling her Wood Guard Palace was named Yuan Qiu. She had an exquisite face, a tall stature, and a close-fitting dark outfit that accentuated her well-developed figure. Complemented by her fair, tender skin, her gallant Female Knight aura drew frequent gazes from the nearby young men.
"Chu Yi?" Receiving a water bottle from a female fan, she glanced at Chu Yi, one of the protagonists of the upcoming Beast Taming duel, and was slightly taken aback.
"So this is the legendary campus heartthrob; he’s really handsome." A group of girls nearby nodded in agreement, quickly succumbing to his good looks.
"His eyes are so bright, like a woven piece of the starry sky."
"Hehe, I remember you confessed to him when we were first-years, didn’t you, dear?" a friend teased.
The teased girl blushed instantly. "Weren’t you all the same? Even Sister Qiu too... Uh, sorry, Sister Qiu."
Yuan Qiu’s pretty face darkened. Two years ago, in the first flush of youth, she had thought Chu Yi would make a suitable companion, but he had rejected her. After that, they had minimal interaction. Occasionally, when Chu Yi found himself in trouble, Yuan Qiu would intervene, only to depart swiftly once the matter was resolved, leaving behind a dashing silhouette. Hmph. Yesterday you ignored me; today, I’m out of your league, she fumed internally.
Right now, Chu Yi was about to have a duel with Xiao Chen. Yuan Qiu’s first thought was, Is Chu Yi being threatened? Then, she reconsidered. As a Female Knight dedicated to eradicating evil and promoting good, I should handle this. I can’t let the weaker party be bullied.
"Chu..." Yuan Qiu began to speak, but then she saw a pure-looking junior sister clinging tightly to Chu Yi’s arm, pulling him into her embrace. Who is she? Yuan Qiu wondered, her almond eyes narrowing.
"Xiao Chen, why are you dueling him? Has he managed to contract a Pet Beast?" The young man recalling the Thunderbolt Mouse, named Zhang Feng, was a good friend of Xiao Chen. He looked curious, and upon seeing Chen Xi, a flash of admiration appeared in his eyes, hinting he understood the situation.
Tsk, fighting over a girl? What a cliché, Zhang Feng mused. Unlike me, I’m too engrossed in cultivation to be anything but hopelessly single. He touched his ordinary, charmless face, consoling himself.
"It’s fine, just a battle between servant-level Pet Beasts." Xiao Chen waved his hand dismissively, glanced at Chu Yi opposite him, and said calmly, "Before we duel, how about we make a bet? If I happen to lose, I’ll cover the materials for your Red Fox’s next evolution phase."
Chu Yi withdrew his hand from where Chen Xi clutched his arm to her chest. Seeing the innocent junior sister’s puffed cheeks and dissatisfied gaze, he feigned deep thought. "Are you sure you want to bet that big?"
Xiao Chen chuckled. "The Red Fox’s highest first-phase evolution is merely a mid-tier elite Fire Demon. How strong can that possibly be? Stronger than my high-elite Royal Griffin?" His words dripped with contempt for the Red Fox.
"MEW MEW!" Bika leaped off Chu Yi’s shoulder, its fluffy fox tail acting as a cushion for a safe landing. It bared its teeth at Xiao Chen. Laugh all you want! I’ll scatter your ashes if you keep it up!
"Indeed, the Red Fox has low potential. They’re very common in the wild. I don’t know what Chu Yi was thinking."
"Its skills are only Spark and Scratch. My Mud Crab at least has Bubble Attack."
"What a cute Red Fox Cub! Its fur is orange-gold, so rare!"
The onlookers also weighed in, most considering the battle’s outcome a foregone conclusion. More observant individuals noted that the Red Fox’s fur was exceptionally beautiful, perhaps hinting at a trace of lineage from another fox tribe.
"Come out, Mighty Monkey!" Xiao Chen commanded.
With a flicker of red light, a monkey, 1.4 meters tall and wearing boxing gloves, appeared. It surpassed the Red Fox in both stature and strength. It was a high-level servant, martial-type, Mighty Monkey. This Pet Beast had great potential and could evolve into a Leader-tier Great Ape King.
"What? It’s actually a Mighty Monkey?"
"As a Civilian Beast Tamer, I’m so envious! Such a rare Pet Beast would cost at least a million Federation coins, if you could even find one."
"You’re dreaming! Even if you have the money, you can’t just get one. It takes special privileges to own it."
"Xiao Chen is a third-generation Beast Tamer! I’m so envious; jealousy is making me hideous..."
"Why should the efforts of his three generations lose to your mere ten years of Beast Taming?"
Amidst the crowd’s gasps of amazement and envious gazes, Xiao Chen crossed his arms, shot Chu Yi a haughty glance, and then scanned his surroundings. The airs of a Beast Taming Family scion—so simple, so unpretentious... and utterly tedious.