Chapter 958: Third Round
Chapter 958: Third Round (Combined)
Just evolved last night, and now it's already trending. Are the paparazzi really that efficient these days... Qiao Sang was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered to reassure:
"Don't worry, they don't know what skills Qingbao has."
Yu Ke: "???"
Yu Ke fell silent for a few seconds, then hesitantly asked, "How does that relate to them knowing what skills Qingbao has?"
Qiao Sang replied, "Didn't you call to warn me that other contestants might know Qingbao has evolved and prepare accordingly?"
Yu Ke was taken aback, her voice suddenly rising:
"You're preparing to have Qingbao enter the match?!"
Qiao Sang was also taken aback. "Why else would you call to say it's bad news?"
"I was worried that the news of Qingfeng Ni evolving into a Clear Hidden Sprite would spread, and everyone would come to harass it." Yu Ke finished, then eagerly asked again:
"You really are preparing to have Qingbao enter the match?"
Qiao Sang nodded. "It has been training so hard lately, just to be able to evolve and participate."
"But Qingbao just evolved into a High-Class Beast Companion." Yu Ke couldn't help but express her concern.
As a loyal audience member of the Regional Tournament, she knew that High-Class Beast Companions were generally the weakest in the tournament. Only two years ago, a Beastmaster with a significant disparity in familiar strength sent out three familiars, two of which were General-Class and the last one Intermediate, and made it to the trending list.
Apart from that, the lowest-level familiar any contestant had sent out was a High-Class Beast Companion.
They were now down to the 108 finalists, and Qingfeng Ni had just evolved into a Clear Hidden Sprite. Even though the Clear Hidden Sprite was a Legendary Beast Companion, she couldn't in good conscience say that it would definitely win.
"Qingqing..."
Qingbao appeared beside the phone, and the wind around them intensified.
It was clearly unhappy with the human on the phone, fearing that its Beastmaster might take their words to heart.
Qiao Sang, noticing Qingbao, gently stroked its head. "I've already promised it."
Qingbao affectionately rubbed against her hand, and the wind instantly calmed.
Yu Ke moved her lips but didn't say anything more.
After a brief chat, Qiao Sang hung up and opened the trending list.
She saw the hashtag: #Qingfengnievolutionclearhiddensprite.
She clicked on it and found a video posted by an ID called Squatter Paparazzo. The video was shot from an overhead angle, capturing the scene of Qingbao's evolution last night.
The caption read: [After following Qiao Sang for days, I finally found her training spot. I didn't expect to capture such a major moment on my first try. Let me go viral!!!]
It seems I really have gone viral. I almost always use a Treasure Seeker's Spatial Shift to reach my training spot, yet this paparazzo managed to track me down and find the place. He must be quite skilled... I wonder how he managed to capture the scene without me noticing any unusual activity in the air last night... Qiao Sang reflected, then read the comments below:
[Dang! The last time I heard news was about Qingqing Ni, and now it's already a Clear Hidden Sprite!]
[Qiao Sang is awesome! Qiao Sang is formidable!]
[Turns out Qiao Sang really bonded with Qingqing Ni... I always thought it was just an internet rumor...]
[Squatter Paparazzo isn't good enough; he didn't even get a frontal view of Qingfeng Ni's evolution!]
[He did well enough, considering he managed to find Qiao Sang's training spot. Remember, Qiao Sang's movements are usually covered by the Ghost Ring King's Spatial Shift, making it very hard to track.]
Isn't Qiao Sang supposed to be living at the Beastmaster Center? Isn't she training at the Beastmaster Center's Training Field?
No, she probably doesn't want others to know what skills her familiar is training.
I wonder if I'll ever see Clear Hidden Sprite in a match during my lifetime...
Go follow Qiao Sang, and you'll be the first to know when she has a match.
What's Qiao Sang's ID?
This is Qiao Sang, absolutely verified.
The ID above is fake. The real one is @Genius Yoyomu.
Qiao Sang's ID is really modest. How can a prodigy describe her!
Can't Clear Hidden Sprite appear at this year's Regional Tournament?
It just evolved, so it's unlikely Clear Hidden Sprite will appear in a match this year.
Make a wish to see Clear Hidden Sprite at this year's Regional Tournament!
You should go to Qiao Sang's account and make the wish there.
Qiao Sang saw this comment and immediately thought of something. She exited the trending page and logged into her own account.
She saw that her new fans and messages were already at 99+.
She took a quick look and found that her fans had increased from twenty million to over forty million.
The comments were all:
Come and follow, wish for a child like Qiao Sang.
Where's Clear Hidden Sprite! Why are there no photos of Qingqing Ni and Qingfeng Ni!
This account is almost all Fire Pet Beast promotional photos. Where are the advertisers! Hurry up and find Clear Hidden Sprite for advertisements! Such a good business opportunity, and you're not taking advantage of it! Do I have to teach you?
Wish for Clear Hidden Sprite to appear at the Regional Tournament @Genius Yoyomu.
Legendary Beast Companion paired with the youngest B-Class Beastmaster in history, two words: perfect match!
Please! Let me see Clear Hidden Sprite! Even one photo would be fine!
Qiao Sang took a quick look and immediately understood that the additional twenty million fans were from Hollow Plains.
No wonder the fastest way for a Professional Beastmaster to gain fame is by participating in the Regional Tournament. Just two matches, and the number of fans increased so much... Qiao Sang thought to herself as she opened her private messages.
Many of the messages expressed admiration and support for her, as well as affection for Steel Treasure, Treasure Seeker, and Qingbao.
Of course, most of them were asking questions about Qingbao.
Some advertisers were also seeking collaboration.
Qiao Sang logged out of her account without responding.
She wasn't as desperate for money as before, so she wasn't in a rush to take on advertisements to earn money.
Qiao Sang put down her mobile phone, intending to go downstairs to update Qingbao's information, but then remembered that the last time she updated Fangy and Qingbao's information, it took a whole day. She decided to wait until the Beastmaster Center was about to close.
...
In the following days, Qiao Sang spent her mornings and afternoons watching matches. When it was almost time for the Beastmaster Center to close, she put on a cap and a mask, carefully recalled Fangy into her Beastmaster Codex, and set off for the Beastmaster Hall to collect her number and go to the appropriate window.
Before she could hand over her ID card, the staff member at the window's eyes lit up, and they whispered excitedly:
"Qiao Sang?"
I'm already so recognizable that even with a cap and mask on, and not holding Fangy, people can still recognize me... Qiao Sang "shushed" and handed over her ID card and Beastmaster Emblem.
The staff member immediately understood, nodded repeatedly, and took the ID card and Beastmaster Emblem to scan them.
"Are you here to update Qingfeng Ni's information?" the staff member asked softly.
"Of course." Qiao Sang nodded and asked, "Can we go to a private room for the verification?"
She was a bit worried that Qingbao's appearance might cause a commotion in the hall.
"Of course!" The staff member's eyes lit up even brighter than before, and he quickly said, "Please follow me!"
...
Two hours later, Qiao Sang emerged from the Beastmaster Center, looking exhausted.
By then, it was already dark.
She had never imagined that these staff members, who usually grumbled about working even a minute longer, would be willing to work overtime to watch Qingbao from every angle. Despite Qingbao's Evolution Chain being so clear, what should have taken just a minute to verify ended up dragging on for two hours. If she hadn't mentioned it, they would have probably stayed late into the night... Qiao Sang thought, feeling a bit drained.
She looked at Treasure Seeker. "Let's go."
"Xunxun~"
Treasure Seeker appeared, its eyes glowing blue.
The next second, Qiao Sang vanished from the spot.
At the same time, a few dozen meters away, a Ghost-type Companion Beast with a mostly purple body and eyes like red gems appeared, holding a camera.
It looked in the direction Qiao Sang had disappeared, pulled out a mobile phone from its bag, and made a call.
The call was answered.
It said, "Nighteye", then hung up and vanished again.
...
Suburbs, villa.
Qiao Sang appeared out of nowhere at the front gate and rang the doorbell.
"Guardfur Tiger", Guardfur Tiger opened the door and called out.
Footsteps immediately approached.
"Qiao Sang, why are you here so early today?" Yu Le came down the stairs, surprised.
"Tomorrow is the next round of matches, and I want Qingbao to get familiar with its newly awakened skills", Qiao Sang said.
Yu Le was clearly taken aback and exclaimed, "You're planning to let Clear Hidden Sprite compete?"
It seems your sister didn't tell you... Qiao Sang nodded.
Yu Le immediately cheered, "That's great! I'll get to see Clear Hidden Sprite in action!"
Qiao Sang smiled and asked casually, "Where's your sister?"
"She went to watch the match in person", Yu Le replied.
Qiao Sang remembered that Yu Ke had gone to the venue several times and wondered how she managed to get tickets. She said, "I'll go to the training ground first."
With that, she started walking toward the Open Training Ground.
"Wait!" Yu Le suddenly remembered something and ran in front of her.
"What's wrong?" Qiao Sang asked, puzzled.
"Have you seen the trending video about Qingfeng Nie's evolution?" Yu Le asked in return.
Qiao Sang nodded, "I saw it."
Yu Le looked serious, "That video was taken above this Training Arena. The paparazzi know the location, so it's not safe to train here. I'll go find a security guard to check it out!"
Guardfur Tiger, who had been listening, quietly walked toward the phone.
"No need", Qiao Sang said. "I'll check it out myself."
With that, she headed toward the Open Training Ground.
Guardfur Tiger silently put the phone back down.
Yu Le quickly followed.
Qiao Sang looked up at the sky, which was dotted with a few stars.
She formed the seal and summoned Fangy and the others.
"Is there anything up there?" Qiao Sang asked.
"Xunxun!" Treasure Seeker pointed to a spot high in the sky.
"Bring it down", Qiao Sang said.
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker teleported away, appeared in the sky, and stretched out its claws.
It caught a small, purple familiar.
Then, Treasure Seeker teleported back to Qiao Sang with the familiar in tow.
A Nighteye Ghost, an Intermediate Ghost-type Beast. Its unique eyes can see many things invisible to the naked eye, and it is said to be able to see ghosts... Qiao Sang looked at the familiar with red gem-like eyes and a camera around its neck, recalling its information.
No wonder I didn't sense any paparazzi last night when Qingbao was evolving. It turns out they were using a Ghost-type Companion Beast...
Indeed, if we're talking about potential paparazzi, Ghost-type familiars would rank first. Once their Invisibility skill reaches a certain level, they can hide objects they touch, allowing them to take photos right in front of someone without being noticed...
"You were the one taking photos! Where's your Beastmaster?" Yu Le demanded.
"Nighteye!" the Nighteye Ghost called out, its ruby eyes glowing red.
The next second, it vanished.
"How did it disappear like that?" Yu Le was both surprised and suspicious.
His first thought was: Could this Nighteye Ghost, like Qiao Sang's Ghost Ring King, have Psychic-type attributes?
"It was summoned away by its Beastmaster", Qiao Sang said calmly.
A Nighteye Ghost's eyes can emit waves that strengthen the bond with its Beastmaster.
It's likely that the Beastmaster received the signal and summoned it away.
"I see." Yu Le let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "It appeared and vanished so quickly. I almost thought it teleported."
Indeed, it had appeared and vanished in an instant, a move so smooth and without hesitation, truly befitting a professional paparazzi... Qiao Sang reflected, then turned to Treasure Seeker:
"For the next training session, use Substitute to guard against paparazzi from the air."
"Xunxun!" Treasure Seeker puffed out its chest, indicating it had the situation under control.
It then split into two, with the Substitute teleporting to the sky.
Seeing everything was ready, Qiao Sang said, "Let's begin the training."
"Qingqing!"
Qingbao appeared beside them, looking serious.
...
The next day.
Outside the Sky Beast Arena.
A woman in a business suit held a microphone and reported to the camera:
"It is now 8:50 AM on September 14th, Zhongkong time. We are at the Central Beastmaster Association, and specifically, the Tianan City Sky Beast Arena. After intense competition, the top 108 contestants of this Regional Tournament have been determined. Today, we will see the 108 contestants compete to narrow down to the top 54. Let's turn the camera to the arena to see which pairs will advance."
Inside the arena.
A man in a shirt, wearing a reporter's badge, addressed the camera: "We are at the Central Beastmaster Association, specifically inside the Sky Beast Arena, the venue for this Regional Tournament. The arena is already packed with spectators, and the contestants have mostly taken their seats in the contestant area."
As he spoke, the camera panned to the contestant area.
"Chen Tianqin has won three matches in a row in the first two rounds, making her a strong contender for the top three in this Regional Tournament."
"Then there's Zhu Yang, who turned the entire arena into a water arena in his last match, securing his position and leaving a lasting impression. He looks relaxed and confident today, suggesting he is optimistic about his next match."
The reporter's voice grew excited as he noticed someone:
"Qiao Sang has also arrived! As the strongest dark horse of this Regional Tournament and the youngest B-Class Beastmaster in history!"
"Whether it was the Steel Sword Falcon in the preliminary round or the Ghost Ring King in the top 108, she has shown her formidable strength. Her Royal Beast has yet to make an appearance, and we're all wondering if it will show up in this round of matches."
"Truly, it's something to look forward to!" (End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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