Tianlian City, one of the unique cities of the Central Hollow Region.
It was known as a gathering place for countless pet beast tool forgers.
Anyone in the Central Hollow who wanted a customized tool for their beast would almost certainly co here.
After Mikayla packed lightly, the two of them ate lunch, then set off for Tianlian City.
---
Three hours later.
Tianlian City.
As Qiao Sang stepped out of the aerial passage, the difference in temperature hit her imdiately. Compared to Huantian City, it was easily ten degrees hotter, with the air already carrying the breath of early sumr. Many people were already wearing short sleeves.
Thanks to Yabao’s multiple feedbacks, Qiao Sang didn’t feel particularly hot herself. Too lazy to remove her jacket, she kept it on.
She ford hand seals and summoned Yabao and the others.
At once, the eyes of those around them fell upon Yabao.
The looks they gave were as if they’d just spotted a beast that dazzled them.
Just as Qiao Sang thought they had once again recognized her through Yabao,mguessing she must be the Beast Master who had contracted Qingqing Ni,ma middle-aged man in his forties, with a weathered face, stepped forward. He pointed to Yabao and asked:
“Hello. May I ask, what’s the species na of this pet beast’s initial form?”
He produced an old, battered pet beast identifier and, sowhat embarrassed, explained: “My device is already eleven years old, an outdated model. Normally I’d just scan directly, but it can’t recognize yours. So I had to ask.”
“Fire Fang Dog.” Qiao Sang answered, glancing at the identifier.
“Fire Fang Dog?” The man scratched his head.
“Never heard of that. Must not be stocked in every base, right? Could you tell where you bought it? I’d like to take my son there.”
His tone brightened as he ntioned his child: “My boy loves flying-types, but he also wants to contract a fire-type. I think he’d absolutely love your beast.”
Yabao puffed out his chest, secretly smug, at least this human had good taste.
Qiao Sang listened patiently, then asked, “It’s a beast native to the Yuhua Region. Would that be okay for you?”
Most Beast Masters preferred contracting beasts from their own region for peace of mind.
The man froze, then nodded quickly.
“That’s fine,mas long as my child likes it.”
Pausing, he added with a grin, “A fire-type with fla wings and looks this striking? There’s no second like it in the Central Hollow.”
Qiao Sang chuckled and gave him her mother’s shop number.
The man gratefully wrote it down, then left.
Watching him go, Mikayla remarked, “In this city, fire-types seem especially popular. Particularly those with both fire and flying attributes.”
Qiao Sang looked around—,mure enough, red-colored beasts dominated the streets.
Red fur usually ant fire-type. That was a given.
Turning back to Yabao, she sighed, “Looks like you’ll be quite the star here.”
“Yap!”
Yabao raised his head proudly, tail flicking. He felt he was popular everywhere.
Fine. Confident enough…
Qiao Sang climbed onto the enlarged Yabao’s back, setting navigation to the Beast Master Center.
“Xun?
Up in the sky, Little Treasure appeared, calling expectantly.
Where would he be popular?
Qiao Sang blinked, then laughed.
“Haven’t you always been well-liked?”
“Xun…”
Little Treasure pouted, unconvinced.
Not really…
Qiao Sang’s heart twinged with sympathy. She had always thought Little Treasure was carefree, quick to forget everything. Who would’ve thought he could be this sensitive?
After a pause, she said gently, “In the Cittia Region. The guardian god there is a ghost-type beast. Almost every Beast Master has one.”
“Xun…”
Little Treasure’s eyes lit with longing.
Qiao Sang smiled.
“After the regional tournant-”
She stopped, rembering her schedule was still dictated by Teacher Mikayla.
At that mont, Mikayla spoke up: “After the tournant, if you want to visit Cittia, then go. It’s like a paradise for ghost-types. There should also be resources there related to the Ghost Ring King. A trip would do you good.”
Qiao Sang glanced at her gratefully.
Clearly Mikayla had overheard her and Little Treasure’s conversation. Otherwise, by her usual thod, she would’ve relied on the Fate Spirit to test the next destination after the tournant.
Qiao Sang finished her thought, turning to Little Treasure: “After the regional tournant, we’ll go to Cittia.”
“Xun!”
Little Treasure spun in delight.
Mikayla watched with a gentle smile.
With Qiao Sang’s pace of progress, she felt there was no region where she wouldn’t continue growing.
---
Beast Master Center.
Third floor, Exam Office.
The dark-skinned examiner looked over the docunts, then at Yabao. His eyes flashed with admiration.
“This is a fire-and-psychic dual-type beast?”
So even the examiners here had a bias toward fire and flying-types… Qiao Sang nodded.
“Such a rare combination.” The man’s tone held envy.
“Just from the wings, I’d say it could fly even without psychic powers.”
“Yap!”
Yabao puffed his chest.
Of course!
“There happens to be a task well-suited for you.” The examiner said with a smile.
“Soon, there’ll be a tool-forging competition. Tool forgers will be required to use flas from different fire-type beasts in their refining process, to increase difficulty. Your beast seems perfect for this. Just let it provide flas to help them refine.”
A competition like that? Can’t they just refine properly, instead of borrowing others’ beasts? Qiao Sang thought but only nodded.
“I understand.”
She asked, “When does the competition begin? How many days will it last?”
“Check the task details backstage later.” The examiner replied.
---
Beast Master Center, Lodging Area, Room 901.
So… the competition is the day after tomorrow… lasting three days. That’s it? Pretty small scale…
Leaning on the bed, Qiao Sang scrolled through the task details, unable to resist muttering inwardly.
By now, she knew enough about other fields. A high-level tool forger could spend months, or even years, on a single tool.
“Xun?”
Little Treasure poked his head over, curious, what exactly would Yabao be doing?
Yabao turned, ears perked.
He didn’t know either.
“I guess it’ll just be using fla skills to help refine.” Qiao Sang reasoned.
“Xun?”
Little Treasure blinked at Yabao. Could he even refine tools?
“Yap…”
Yabao looked blank. No, he couldn’t…
“Refining is the tool forger’s job. You just provide flas.” Qiao Sang clarified.
Yabao exhaled in relief.
But Little Treasure kept asking questions: How exactly? Should flas be constant? What if it stopped midway? What if Yabao’s flas were too strong and ruined the tool? Could his ghost flas be used instead?
“Yap…”
Yabao’s anxiety flared again. What if he ssed up and ruined Qiao Sang’s mission?
“Still so many questions…” Qiao Sang sighed.
“The contest is to test the forgers. We just stand there and provide flas. Ghost Fire should work too, but it depends on the forger.”
“Xun!”
Excited, Little Treasure imdiately conjured a flicker of ghostly fire.
“Yap…”
Relieved again, Yabao relaxed.
Just then, a knock at the door.
A familiar voice: “It’s .”
A breeze swept past, turning the knob.
Mikayla stepped in, sat on the armchair.
“What task did you pick up?”
Qiao Sang explained briefly.
Mikayla chuckled.
“No wonder you’re here.”
“Huh?”
“Otherwise, with your habits, you’d already be en route to your mission.”
Qiao Sang scratched her cheek, embarrassed.
“I did fall behind before…”
Mikayla let it slide, producing a flyer.
“I happened to look into that competition. Here, see for yourself.”
Qiao Sang skimd it.
Why was she showing this? She wasn’t competing. Still, she feigned seriousness.
“Looks about right, sa event as my task.”
Mikayla smirked.
“Look at the first prize.”
First prize? Qiao Sang looked again.
2 million Alliance coins. A Fire-Refining Fruit.
Wait. Fire-Refining Fruit?!
So valuable?!
She had seen it in the Imperial Beast University’s exchange list, 50,000 points for one, capable of safely boosting a fire-type’s inner fla.
She’d once thought of redeeming one for Yabao, but her points fell short, and using her 'pick anything' privilege on it was wasteful.
Yet here, a three-day contest was offering one outright?
She couldn’t help but envy it.
Too bad she couldn’t forge… otherwise, she’d enter herself.
“One Fire-Refining Fruit can raise a fire-type at general level by a minor stage.” Mikayla explained.
“For your Fire Qilu, it could push it straight to mid-stage general.”
“Yap!”
Yabao froze, then burned with eagerness.
Qiao Sang hesitated.
“Do you an… I should sign up?”
Mikayla twitched a smile.
“To make a fool of yourself?”
Qiao Sang: …
“No. Since your mission involves this contest anyway, you’ll have the chance to et the champion. Talk to them. See if they’re willing to trade the Fire-Refining Fruit.”
Qiao Sang nodded.
“I’ll try.”
She wasn’t poor anymore, surely she could offer sothing tempting.
---
8:13 p.m., Indoor Training Ground.
Gangbao flared her wings, sending two blades of air slashing toward Qingbao.
Qingbao dissolved into wind, darting forward.
“Qing qing!”
She reappeared a mont later, calling out.
“Xun~”
Little Treasure’s eyes glowed blue.
Qingbao vanished and reappeared ters away.
Boom!
The air blades hit nothing, detonating.
“Qing qing…”
Qingbao shook her head at her master.
So, she could only control flowing wind, not solid forms. Qiao Sang noted that down ntally.
Her phone buzzed suddenly.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A chanical, disguised voice spoke: “Hello. I’m a forger entering the tool contest. I heard your fire-type beast will be in the blind fla selection. Could you tell its fla skills and proficiency? I can pay you.”
Qiao Sang blinked. So even tool forgers played dirty before competitions…
She asked flatly, “Can you win the championship?”
“…What?”
“I said, can you win?”
Silence. Then,
“I’m just an ordinary forger. I wouldn’t say champion, but knowing helps…”
Click.
Qiao Sang hung up.
If they couldn’t win, no point talking.
Annoying. How did they even get her number?
She tossed the phone aside and returned to training.
The regional tournant wasn’t far, she had to refine so combos soon.
---
The Day of the Tool Refining Contest.
Qiao Sang washed up, checked the navigation to the location, then floated out the window under Little Treasure’s psychic power, onto Yabao’s back.
Half an hour later, they arrived at a massive spherical stadium, futuristic in design.
Below, crowds surged, half the city seed to be gathered.
Even the sky was packed with flying-type beasts, the airspace unusually crowded.
Only then did Qiao Sang realize…
This contest might be far grander than she had imagined.
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