Chapter 160 Chapter 160
An assessment for beastmasters?
Xia Muqing nodded thoughtfully.
This was actually quite rare, as both on Blue Star and in other dimensions, the strength of a profound beast had always been a key criterion. Anyone who could cultivate a powerful profound beast would be considered an excellent beastmaster, and as long as there were no major issues in other areas, there were generally less stringent requirements.
This is also the reason why Xu Feiying was so angry when she posted the video online with such a bad attitude, but there were still a lot of netizens following her - after all, the Leviathan is tall and majestic, and visibly powerful.
Black Snake: "Hiss."
"I care about different things than they do. Some scumbags, no matter how strong they are, are simply unworthy of being a Beastmaster! As for you, I don't need to test your strength, but I want to know..."
The black snake spit out a bright red tongue, its scarlet pupils glowed with a faint light, and its gaze was fixed on Xia Muqing, but it also seemed to penetrate her body and look into the long and painful past.
"I fully support you," Xia Muqing said seriously. "If I were to set it up, I would also tend to include more assessments for Beastmasters, rather than simply a competition of combat prowess."
"hiss……"
[In that case... then, the assessment begins.]
…
“Ding Dong——”
"Welcome!"
It was a sunny afternoon, the wind was roaring, and the roads were bustling with traffic. Xia Muqing, who had hurried over, parked her bicycle and pushed open the door to Zhu Ning's training center.
"Here you are, Xiaoxia?" Zhu Ning waved at her with a smile. "The shop has been busy lately. Thank you for your hard work."
"No," Xia Muqing said with a smile. "Business is booming, and I couldn't be happier. Besides, I love hanging out with these little guys."
She touched the nine-tailed cat that jumped out and rubbed her with its tail, then turned around and added some nutrients to the golden cage. Looking at the two lovebirds eating happily with their beautiful feathers raised high, she felt an indescribable satisfaction in her heart.
Zhu Ning stroked the lovebird's soft back and said, "By the way, Xiaoxia, you're going to take your subject test soon, right?"
"Has the contracted profound beast been chosen?"
Xia Muqing shook her head: "Not yet."
"Don't worry," Zhu Ning said mysteriously, "I've prepared a great gift for you. I've already ordered it, and it'll arrive tomorrow."
"Don't be so polite to me. With you here, business has more than doubled. I was planning to give you a bonus!"
Xia Muqing never imagined that Zhu Ning's so-called "big gift" was actually a very expensive and rare mystical beast cub.
It was a palm-sized green snake, covered with strange patterns all over its body. It huddled in a corner of the cage, staring at her with its scarlet eyes, hissing and spitting out its bright red tongue.
It looks a bit scary.
But Xia Muqing had worked at the breeding center for so long, interacting with all sorts of young profound beasts, that she certainly wouldn't judge a cub based solely on its appearance. Quite the contrary, through those crimson, vertical pupils, she detected a well-hidden nervousness and fear that completely contradicted the green snake's appearance.
Is this little guy also longing for his own beastmaster?
Xia Muqing opened the iron cage, not caring at all about the sharp teeth bared by the Qingbi Ming Snake. She raised her hand and gently stroked the little snake's cold head: "Hello, the patterns on your body are so beautiful. Can I call you Xiaoqing?"
"……hiss!"
The pupils of the Green Jade Snake constricted and it suddenly pounced towards her.
The beastmaster delivering the goods was startled and screamed loudly: "Be careful, this guy has a very fierce temper and is very aggressive!"
Xia Muqing shook her head: "It's okay, it won't attack me."
Just as she said, the Green Jade Snake's sharp fangs landed on Xia Muqing's wrist, but it only touched her threateningly, not even a drop of venom falling. Xia Muqing smiled and held the timid little snake in her palm: "See, I was right, wasn't I?"
"My name is Xia Muqing, and from today on, we are partners!"
…
“…”
“…………”
Inside the cave of the Yiyuan Secret Realm, Lord Fengluo, Little Golden Dragon and Nether Butterfly were divided into three positions, staring at the Black Snake with unfriendly expressions.
Just after the assessment was announced, the black snake's pupils suddenly turned a faint dark gold, and strange, swirling patterns silently emerged, like a black hole capable of swallowing up consciousness. Then, Xia Muqing froze in place, her eyes blank, motionless.
Lord Fengluo had been paying close attention to Xia Muqing's condition. Seeing this, his pointed ears quickly stood up and he bared his teeth at the black snake in a deterrent manner: "Awoo!"
【What did you do to the master?! 】
The black snake glanced at it and snorted coldly: "Don't be nervous. This is my skill, Nightmare Realm. It can create a virtual illusion, setting a test for the beastmaster and the mysterious beast that are trapped within it."
The Nether Butterfly also stared nervously: "Ah?"
"How do we know what illusions you've set up? What if they harm the master? Mental damage is the most terrifying. I understand that!"
"..." The black snake couldn't help but rolled his eyes, "hiss."
[You panic after being away from your master for a while. I really despise you domesticated mystical beasts. Okay, okay, I'll grant you access to the illusion. Let's watch it together, okay?]
As soon as the words fell, a translucent projection similar to a water curtain unfolded in the air.
The three little creatures watched Xia Muqing diligently working in the projection. Lord Fengluo and the little golden dragon all turned back to look at the Nether Butterfly—after all, in the spiritual realm, the Nether Butterfly was the expert. The Nether Butterfly fluttered its beautiful wings and carefully spread its spiritual network to completely encircle Xia Muqing. After a thorough inspection, it whispered to its two companions, "Ah!"
[Looking at it now, there's nothing wrong with it. This skill is a bit like my 'Dream Entering'.]
Lord Feng Luo: "...Awoo."
[We can't relax either. Let's all watch the screen carefully and don't miss a second.]
The three little ones were so focused that even the Yin-Yang Butterfly's eyes almost bulged out, fearing that Xia Muqing would suffer even the slightest harm in the illusion. Then, they watched helplessly as Xia Muqing returned to a time before she started school. Not only did she lose all her memories of spending time with the three of them, she was unable to contract the Gale Dog, and the illusion forced upon her a baby Azure Dark Snake.
“……!”
Seeing that scene, Lord Feng Luo jumped up on the spot!
A mysterious ice-blue current gathered around it, rapidly rotating like the tip of a sharp knife, and the cold murderous aura faintly transformed into the roar of a storm - even when it fought Leviathan before, it had never been so angry!
“Ouch!”
[Bad snake, I'll fight you! ! ]
The black snake dodged to the side a little guiltily, rolled its eyes a few times, and moved aside awkwardly: "Hiss."
[Ahem...why are you so nervous? This illusion is fake. Once she emerges, her memory will return! Besides, this is part of the assessment, so don't mess with her!]
The little golden dragon also blew his whiskers and glared: "Ah!"
[What the hell is this an assessment? It's obvious you're bringing in some illicit stuff!]
It turned around and exhaled at the Nether Butterfly: "Xiao Zi, you don't know, this fellow has been coveting our master for a long time! Before, when Brother Feng was evolving in the other dimension, it shamelessly came close to us and wanted to be our master's contracted profound beast!"
Nether Butterfly: “!!!”
The three mysterious beasts gnashed their teeth at the mysterious snake. If Xia Muqing hadn't been still immersed in the snake's mental environment, they would have really wanted to rush forward and beat the mysterious snake to the ground. How disgusting! They actually used this method to test their beastmasters!
The black snake was very tough: "Hiss."
"You guys insisted on watching it. If you can't handle it, can I turn off the illusion?"
That was even more impossible. The three little ones shook their heads in unison. Although they were furious, they still had to keep a close eye on the illusion to prevent the black snake from secretly doing anything.
The situation on both sides was extremely tense, and a low pressure filled the cave. At this moment, a small figure slipped in from outside the cave, climbing the rock wall and just happened to see this scene.
It looked at the two sides that were on the verge of a fight, then curiously glanced at the water curtain in the air, and its gaze fell on Xia Muqing in the center of the screen. The flower bud on her head swayed, opening and closing as if blown by the breeze.
…
At this moment in the illusion, time was passing very quickly. Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Xia Muqing had already started basic training with the Qingbi Ming Snake.
The cub was in its growth phase, and Xia Muqing, who had saved every penny to feed it a rich, nutritious meal, had grown to half a meter in the blink of an eye. After a few days of getting along, even though it had a cold temperament, Xia Muqing had warmed it up considerably. Although it usually stayed away from her in a proud and reserved manner, it would occasionally lower its head and rub the back of Xia Muqing's hand affectionately.
Seeing these scenes, the blood pressure of the three little ones outside soared.
However, when it came time for training, the Azure Dark Snake didn't perform at a level commensurate with its price. For some reason, it was a very slow learner. Xia Muqing patiently guided it for an entire afternoon, but it still hadn't mastered even the most basic "venom spray."
Outside the illusion, the little golden dragon taunted without hesitation: "Ahhh."
[How stupid, big snake.]
[We don't have to struggle as much as you to learn skills! I even mastered the incredibly difficult 'Leaping Dragon Gate' in just one night!]
"..." Lord Feng Luo lowered his head, not wanting to expose the fact that the little koi couldn't learn normal skills and was hiding in the room crying secretly. He also whispered, "Awoo."
"Hmm... That's right. I'm learning skills pretty quickly. Master always praises my quick comprehension."
Lord Fengluo also chose to forget that he was initially too timid to hit the barrier during basic training. Only the Nether Butterfly, unaware of the two elder brothers' dark history, waved its antennae in support: "Yaaaaa!"
[That's right, I also learn a lot of skills quickly. Many times, I can understand them on my own without the master's instruction!]
This was true. Ever since the little caterpillar had regained its consciousness, it had been an undisputed genius. Compared to it, the Swift Dog and the Koi Fish would have to stand aside, not to mention the languishing Azure Snake in the illusion. So, the three little ones looked at the Black Snake with disdain, full of disgust.
"..." The black snake was furious and said, "Hiss!!"
This is an illusion, an illusion! It's an act!
It wanted to see the Beastmaster's attitude when training wasn't effective, whether it would blame or even abuse the contracted beast! It's a genius, isn't it? Who the hell isn't a genius?!
The black snake was so angry that it cursed and cursed. The cave was filled with a roar and a hiss. Only in the corner, a small figure lowered its head in shame and embarrassment, its green vine covering its red petals.
Are we all geniuses? Alas, it is really stupid and learns skills very slowly.
Although the big tiger said that it only needed to have fun in the park and help everyone when needed, they were both mysterious beasts. Seeing the other cubs making rapid progress, even though it advanced once with everyone's help, its strength was still at the bottom, and it couldn't even defeat the unevolved little guys...
Oh, how embarrassing.
The little mysterious beast in the corner drooped its head, hugging the small flower bud on its head tightly. It suddenly didn't want to stay in the cave anymore. The tiny vines moved slowly, trying to quietly leave this sad place -
Suddenly, a gentle and comforting voice came from the illusory water curtain.
"Okay, Xiaoqing, let's not rush and take our time."
"Don't be discouraged. Every mysterious beast has its own area of expertise. You just haven't found your shining point yet. Today's training ends here. Let's take a break tomorrow. I'll take you out to play, okay?"
...So gentle!
The little mysterious beast in the corner suddenly turned around and opened its eyes wide.
It stared blankly at the water curtain, watching Xia Muqing holding the little green snake in her palm. Those gentle words were like stones thrown into the lake of her heart, rippling beautiful ripples.
——Big Tiger said that human beastmasters are very vicious. They will ignore the damage caused to the mysterious beasts and use external forces to forcibly increase the strength of the contracted mysterious beasts. They will also abandon the mysterious beasts that do not meet their psychological expectations like garbage.
The big snake suffered this loss, which is why it hates humans so much. A mysterious beast with a dull talent like it should stay away from them and never get close to them.
...But it seemed like none of their words were right. Far from scolding or beating the little green snake, the girl in the water curtain worried about its confidence being shattered, and spent a long time trying to soothe it. Inside the cave, the black snake's eyes were filled with complex emotions, while the Fengluo Monarch and the other beasts raised their heads proudly.
“Ouch!”
Humph, they actually thought of testing their masters in this way. It’s a complete waste of effort!
Back then, it was a returned "defective product", but its owner still took good care of it and gradually explored its potential.
The little golden dragon nodded in agreement, made a face at the black snake, and spit out a string of golden bubbles.
[Stupid snake, are you jealous? Hehe, our master is definitely the best beastmaster in the world—there are too many specific details to bother showing off to you.]
The three profound beasts chattered back and forth, their praises endlessly. Even if they were to dwell on Xia Muqing's virtues for three days and three nights, they wouldn't be able to finish. Their descriptions vividly portrayed a kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and reliable beastmaster, and the little profound beast in the corner listened intently, its eyes sparkling.
Next to it, the black snake had a dark look in its eyes and was swinging its tail in anger.
“Hiss!”
[Let's read on! This doesn't explain anything right now!]
The dark red patterns on its body suddenly flickered several times, transforming into twisted lines, and time within the water curtain was accelerated again—
In the blink of an eye, Xia Muqing appeared in the school infirmary.
The Green Jade Snake on the hospital bed was pale, with its scales a sickly dark red. It lay there motionless, seemingly dying.
Nearby, the school doctor used various instruments to test the condition. He then turned to Xia Muqing and sighed, "Student, your profound beast has been training too intensely lately. It's exceeded its physical limits and has suffered irreversible damage."
"You—sigh. Even if it's for the subject placement test, you can't exploit your own profound beast like this."
Outside the water curtain, Fengluo Lord and other beasts exploded instantly when they heard the words.
“Ouch!”
[Nonsense! Cheating, this is blatant cheating—the master would never do such a thing. How can you throw dirty water on her?]
The black snake glared back, not wanting to be outdone: "Hiss!"
[Illusion, illusion, understand? Of course, a special situation must be set up, otherwise how can it be considered an assessment?]
Inside the water curtain, the doctor continued to sigh, "Unfortunately, there's no way to save you. Your profound beast's foundation has been damaged. I'm afraid you won't achieve much in the future."
"You... Sigh, I know this news is cruel to you, but for the sake of your studies and your future, I advise you to get a new Xuan Beast as soon as possible."
"It just so happens that you haven't been in contact for very long, right?"
This news was like a bolt from the blue to the young Azure Dark Snake in the illusion. Its reddened eyes darkened instantly, and it shrunk back into the bed with all its strength, baring its fangs warily. It stared at the doctor and Xia Muqing with a terrified and aggressive look.
"Actually... I know some special channels." The doctor stood up, drew the curtains and closed the door. In the dim room, he lowered his voice to Xia Muqing, "The Azure Snake is very rare. Unlike the cubs of ordinary species, there are people willing to buy it at a high price even if it is useless."
"You should have paid at least this much, right? I remember your family wasn't well off—if you buy it back at this price, you can still buy a better cub. How's that?"
The doctor made a gesture to Xia Muqing.
The price is indeed not low, equivalent to two hurricane dogs, three koi fish, and six caterpillars.
Several mysterious beasts present: "..."
Nether Butterfly: "...Eh?"
[Honestly speaking, doing this is an insult to the owner.]
As it said, Xia Muqing responded without hesitation: "You said this, aren't you afraid that I will report it to the school?"
The school doctor grinned: "Look at what you said, this is a way for both of us to benefit, right? Besides, you are just a little girl..."
He glanced at Xia Muqing's thin arms and legs with a bit of disdain.
Then he got beaten.
Xia Muqing was agile and swift. She grabbed him with her backhand and threw him to the ground. She turned around, took her little snake, and ran straight to the principal's office.
“…!” Outside the water curtain, even the black snake was stunned. “Hiss?”
【She is so tough? 】
Lord Fengluo raised his head high and said, "Awooo."
"I didn't expect that, did I? Master has been practicing martial arts for a long time. She often said that even a beastmaster couldn't hold us back."
Black Snake: "...hiss?"
[This only solves the doctor's problem. Xiaoqing's injury hasn't been healed yet!]
[Hehe,] Little Golden Dragon curled his lips, [So you call Xiaoqing, and you still say that this isn't smuggling in some illicit stuff?]
The plot on the screen is still progressing. Xia Muqing takes the Qingbi Ming Snake to seek medical treatment everywhere, but all she gets in return is shakes of the head and sighs again and again.
The Azure Dark Snake's gaze dimmed gradually through countless futile attempts, no longer possessing the proud look it had at the beginning. Xia Muqing watched with such pain that her hair practically turned white with worry on the screen. She persisted in running around, rushing to the Beastmaster Association to look up the exchange list. Even when Zhu Ning offered to give her a new mysterious beast, she refused.
"I'll find a way to help Xiaoqing recover," Xia Muqing said. "I know Xiaoqing really enjoys fighting, so she wouldn't be happy in a garden or a rest home."
"I've created a recipe myself, but I'm still short of a few rare ingredients. I'm still collecting them—don't worry, Xiaoqing. I'll make sure you emerge victorious on the battlefield!"
At this moment, all the mysterious beasts fell silent.
Even the most discerning black snake had to admit that it saw Xia Muqing's unwavering devotion to her companions, a heart so radiant and dazzling. The little black beast in the corner was already tearing up. Hot drops of water dripped down the veins of the leaves, like crystal-clear dewdrops, dripping and disappearing into the gravel.
An instinctive thought, one it had never had before, quietly emerged at this moment, causing its heart to beat violently.
If, if it could become the contracted profound beast of the beastmaster in the illusion...
What a happy thing that would be?
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