Chapter 741: Dreams Transformed into Czech

"Xunxun~"

Little Xunbao happily teleported to her beast master's side, eager to tell her right away that she had learned Spatial Lock.

But when she saw Qiao Sang's sleeping face, she hesitated.

"Xunxun…"

Half a minute later, Little Xunbao floated out of the room in a good mood.

Forget it, her beast master was already asleep, so playing on the computer a little later didn't really matter. Besides, she had already learned Spatial Lock.

……

At 7:30 in the morning, Qiao Sang opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Little Xunbao's big face right in front of her.

Having gone through this situation countless times, Qiao Sang had built up strong mental resilience. She sat up, leaned lazily against the headboard, and asked:

"What's up?"

"Xunxun!"

Little Xunbao eagerly turned her paw pads upward, showing what was inside to her beast master.

Qiao Sang followed her gaze and saw a withered flower petal.

Having just woken up, Qiao Sang's mind wasn't fully clear yet. She stared at the petal for a few seconds.

Once she recognized what it was, her first thought was: Why are you showing me this?

Her second thought was: Holy crap, wait! Is this a petal from the Black Flower?!

Qiao Sang suddenly snapped awake, her gaze burning as she stared at Little Xunbao:

"You learned Spatial Lock?"

"Xunxun~"

Little Xunbao tucked away the withered petal and nodded with a slightly proud expression.

That's right.

"Impressive…" Qiao Sang was silent for a few seconds to digest the news, then praised sincerely.

Most of Tooth Treasure's and the others' high-level skills were awakened on their own through evolution. Even though she knew Little Xunbao was extraordinarily talented, the fact that she had learned Spatial Lock in just three days still shocked her a little.

Especially after the teacher's recent lessons emphasizing how much time, effort, and resources it would take for a pet beast to learn a high-level skill on its own if it wasn't awakened during evolution.

Originally, she had already prepared herself that Little Xunbao might not learn it even by the end of the semester…

Qiao Sang's gaze unconsciously fell on the white spirit pattern on Little Xunbao's body.

Could it be that the effect of this spirit pattern really is that incredible…

"Xunxun?"

Seeing that her beast master had said "impressive" and then gone silent, Little Xunbao finally couldn't hold back any longer and called out, asking whether she could play on the computer a bit more every day from now on.

Qiao Sang came back to herself and smiled: "Of course."

After a pause, she added: "One extra hour every day."

"Xunxun!"

Upon hearing this, Little Xunbao excitedly floated in circles around the room several times.

"Yaya…"

Tooth Treasure, still fast asleep, seemed to sense the commotion. His expression struggled for a moment, then he finally turned his head in another direction, his expression returning to calm as he fell back into deep sleep.

Qiao Sang leaned against the headboard, watching Little Xunbao still spinning in circles, and suddenly thought of something. She picked up her phone from the nightstand, found the contact information of Dean Li of the Spirit Pattern Academy, and typed a message:

【Are you free today? Could we meet to discuss the matter of drawing spirit patterns?】

If the effect of the spirit pattern really was that incredible, then it would be better to ask Dean Li to draw them for Tooth Treasure and the others sooner rather than later. After all, in one week, at Little Xunbao's learning efficiency, it felt like they could make a lot of progress…

……

In the air, on the back of a giant flying-type pet beast, Li Dongdong heard his phone notification sound, picked it up to check, and saw it was a message from Qiao Sang.

He was a little surprised.

After reading the content of the message clearly, Li Dongdong's spirits lifted. He replied while asking:

"Sterling, have you gone to find her yet?"

The man sitting in front asked in a puzzled tone: "Who?"

Li Dongdong finished replying to the message, put down his phone, and said: "Qiao Sang from the Beast Mastery Department."

Sterling was silent for two seconds: "No, I don't think it's necessary for me to find her. She doesn't have ground-type or rock-type pet beasts, nor does she have calculation-type or survey-type mechanical pet beasts. She's not suited for our Architecture Academy."

After a pause, he continued:

"Besides, she wouldn't come to our Architecture Academy either."

Li Dongdong clicked his tongue: "If you're afraid of being rejected, just say so."

"I'm not afraid of being rejected." Sterling calmly stated the facts: "Even the principal said she has the potential to participate in the Star Cup. A beast master her age who has reached this level of strength and has entered the Imperial Beast Mastery Academy should have a very clear goal. She shouldn't come to our Architecture Academy."

Li Dongdong smiled:

"I think so too, just like I think she shouldn't go to any other academy. Unfortunately, those guys don't think that way."

"We're all one of the Nine Great Academies—no one thinks they're holding anyone back." Sterling waved his hand: "Those guys from the Law Academy and the Pet Beast Archaeology and Cultural Relics Academy have good self-awareness and won't jump in to join the fun."

Yulian Dun University had a total of 20 academies, but among them, the nine academies—Beast Mastery, Coordination, Breeding, Mechanical, Props, Spirit Pattern, Medical, Journalism, and Architecture—held a leading position and were known as the Nine Great Academies.

"Do you know what I like about you?" Li Dongdong asked with a smile.

Sterling raised an eyebrow: "That I also have good self-awareness?"

"Hahaha…" Li Dongdong laughed heartily: "That barely counts as one point."

As he spoke, he suddenly thought of something, and his smile faded: "Actually, I still really hope Qiao Sang can stay at Yulian Dun University. After all, I genuinely think she has the talent to study spirit patterns."

Sterling said lightly: "The only one with the best chance of keeping her is the Beast Mastery Academy."

Speaking of the Beast Controlling Academy, Li Dongdong immediately snorted coldly, his face falling: "If Gilbert weren't so rigid, how could the person have been snatched away by the Imperial Beast Controlling Academy."

During the interview, Qiao Sang applied to Yuliandun University. As long as Yuliandun University filed her record first, what business would the Imperial Beast Controlling Academy have.

With even a little investigation, it wasn't hard to find that she was at Super Su Xing at the time.

It's all because of that old stick-in-the-mud Gilbert!

……

In a luxuriously decorated office.

The "old stick-in-the-mud" couldn't help but sneeze.

"Catch a cold?" Dean Anmalia across from him laughed.

"How could I catch a cold." Gilbert said flatly.

"What did you want to see me about so early?" Anjilia asked.

Gilbert looked at her: "I hope you'll give me that purebred Thunder Fragment Dragon egg."

Anjilia's expression shifted slightly: "What do you want the Thunder Fragment Dragon egg for?"

Gilbert didn't answer the question, but said: "You're planning to give the Thunder Fragment Dragon egg to Qiao Sang, right? Then you might as well give it to me."

Anjilia wasn't surprised that the other party knew about this. In fact, at their level, once they showed interest in something, there were plenty of people who would deliver the thing right to them.

She pondered for a moment, then thought of something and scoffed:

"You're planning to take the Thunder Fragment Dragon egg from me, then give it to Qiao Sang?"

Gilbert didn't deny it:

"If she's going to stay at Yuliandun University, then the most suitable place is our Beast Controlling Academy."

Anjilia took a sip of water from her cup and said: "Either way, the principal will arrange her into the Imperial Class. What difference does it make which academy she enters?"

"Don't forget, those who can enter the Imperial Class are all selected from our Beast Controlling Academy's graduate and doctoral students." Gilbert said: "And the ones who solve their practical problems are almost all mentors from our Beast Controlling Academy."

"What does that matter." Anjilia set down her water cup and said calmly: "In fact, even without you, with her talent, once she's in the Imperial Class, she'll be able to participate in the Star Cup sooner or later."

"You still don't understand what I mean." Gilbert said flatly:

"What I mean is, those monsters in the Imperial Class all come from our Beast Controlling Academy. Rather than hoping Qiao Sang participates in the Star Cup in a few decades, you'd be better off placing your hopes on that group of children."

"As long as you hand the Thunder Fragment Dragon egg over to me, I can have them promote your academy's patented props. You won't lack either fame or profit."

"Qiao Sang still has decades ahead of her, but the next Star Cup is only a few years away, isn't it."

Anjilia fell silent.

……

12 noon.

Qiao Sang knocked on the door of an office.

"Come in." A voice sounded from inside.

Qiao Sang pushed the door open and walked in, holding Like Ya Bao.

"What's wrong? Coming to find me so soon — have you already made up your mind?" Li Dongdong couldn't help but break into a smile.

Qiao Sang smiled awkwardly: "No, I wanted to ask you to help draw spirit runes for my other pets as well."

The smile on Li Dongdong's face instantly froze.

"The spirit runes you draw really work well." Qiao Sang hurriedly said: "Yesterday you helped Ghost Ring King draw a spirit rune that boosts comprehension, and it learned Space Lock in just one night."

Huh?

What did you say?

Li Dongdong's stiff expression turned into bewilderment.

His spirit rune let Ghost Ring King learn Space Lock in one night?

Are spirit runes that amazing?

How did he not know?

Li Dongdong was silent for a moment, thought of a certain possibility, and chose to be modest: "Your Ghost Ring King must have been practicing that move for some time. My spirit rune just happened to speed up its comprehension of it."

"No." Qiao Sang said sincerely: "By all accounts, it's only been learning for three days. It's your spirit rune that worked wonders."

"What? Three days?!" Li Dongdong slammed the table and rose, his voice suddenly shooting up in volume.

Then, realizing he'd lost his composure, he sat back down and tried to salvage his mature and steady image: "Sorry, I'm just a little surprised. After all, the materials I used for the spirit rune last time weren't the best, so logically the effect shouldn't have been this good."

"You're too modest." Qiao Sang said.

In her view, although Xunxun Palu was indeed clever, being able to learn Space Lock in such a short time absolutely had something to do with the spirit rune.

I'm really not being modest. In fact, I was just putting on an act… Li Dongdong started to speak, then hesitated.

Even with the topmost materials, it would be impossible to draw a spirit rune that lets a pet learn a high-level skill within three days. If such a spirit rune really existed, their Spirit Rune Academy would have long since become the most sought-after of all academies…

Li Dongdong took a deep breath and changed the subject:

"What spirit runes do you want me to draw for your pets?"

"Bing Ai Pa Lu."

Qiao Sang's eyes lit up. Before she could speak, Lubao jumped out of her backpack and called out.

It wanted one that speeds up energy absorption.

Qiao Sang swallowed the words she'd originally been about to say and translated: "Bing Ai Pa Lu wants a spirit rune that speeds up energy absorption."

"No problem." Li Dongdong nodded.

Helping pets speed up energy absorption had always been one of the most popular types of spirit runes among beast tamers.

"Yaya!"

At this moment, Like Ya Bao called out, indicating it wanted a spirit rune that boosts attack power.

Qiao Sang: "……"

"Cheng Yanqi also needs a spirit pattern for rapidly absorbing energy," Qiao Sang said.

"Yaya!"

Yaobao turned its head to look at its own beast master.

Wrong, it wants a spirit pattern that boosts attack power!

Qiao Sang glanced at it:

"Spirit patterns aren't allowed in those official large-scale competitions."

"Yaya…"

Yaobao shuddered at the words and turned to look at the human who specialized in drawing spirit patterns.

It still wants the one for rapidly absorbing energy…

"Anything else?" Li Dongdong asked.

The spirit pattern boosting comprehension on Little Xunbao was still in effect, but Steel Treasure… Qiao Sang formed a hand seal, and an orange-yellow star array lit up.

Soon, Steel Treasure appeared within the star array.

At this point, it was wearing a miniature shrinking bracelet, so it didn't take up the whole office space.

"What type of spirit pattern do you want drawn?" Qiao Sang asked, looking at Steel Treasure.

Steel Treasure had once traveled alone from the Lower Ten Districts to the Upper Ten Districts, seeing a great deal along the way, and naturally knew what spirit patterns were.

It thought for a moment and called out once.

"Gangzhan."

It wants the one that boosts comprehension.

Steel Treasure always kept its recent goal in mind — its clone hadn't learned it yet.

"Steel Slash Giant Falcon wants a spirit pattern that boosts comprehension," Qiao Sang translated.

So this is the Steel Slash Giant Falcon… Li Dongdong's gaze fell on the purple-feathered pet beast before him.

As the head of one of the nine academies of Yuliandun, as long as he set his mind to learning about something, it was naturally both efficient and thorough.

He knew the pet beast before him was an evolved form of the Steel Guard Falcon, and not a temporary evolution at that.

Gilbert… Li Dongdong gathered his thoughts, resumed his stern teacher's demeanor, and said:

"I need to know the exact body sizes of these pet beasts of yours. Spirit patterns have to be drawn according to the pet beast's own original body size to work at their best."

As for Little Xunbao… well, Little Xunbao was already that small to begin with… Qiao Sang deliberated for a moment, then reported the data from when Yaobao and the others had been registered and tested at the Beast Master Center:

"Cheng Yanqi 6.2 meters, Bing Ai Pa Lu 5.9 meters, Steel Slash Giant Falcon 7.6 meters."

Li Dongdong noted it down on the virtual screen and said, "Got it. Come back after school tomorrow afternoon — I need to prepare the materials for drawing their spirit patterns."

……

Half an hour later.

Yuliandun University.

Library.

Qiao Sang returned "Rare Pet Beasts · Complete" and prepared to swap it for another book to take back.

Her memory was now exceptionally good — taking in ten lines at a glance was no exaggeration; she practically had a photographic memory.

It took her only one evening to finish reading everything in "Rare Pet Beasts · Complete."

The content here was clearly incomplete — it only recorded rare pet beasts from Super Su Xing, with nothing about pet beasts from other planets.

In front of the display screen, Qiao Sang tapped open the keyword search and typed: 【Rare Pet Beasts】.

The relevant books appeared.

Her eyes swept over the options, and finally she tapped on "Illustrated Guide to Rare Pet Beasts."

A minute later, a familiar mechanical-system pet beast flapped its wings and flew over carrying the book.

Qiao Sang was just about to pick up the book when she spotted a familiar black-gold card on the tray.

This is… Qiao Sang picked up the card and glanced at it.

Holy crap! Isn't this my Federation Ding Shi Bank black-gold card?!

How is it here?!

Qiao Sang's eyes went wide, startled. She was just about to pocket it when she noticed something off.

That card had always been kept in Little Xunbao's ring — it couldn't possibly be here…

Besides, this wasn't her card's number…

What kind of genius even loses an unlimited black-gold card… Qiao Sang was impressed inwardly, and was just about to put the unlimited card back on the tray.

But she found that the mechanical-system pet beast in charge of delivering books had already flapped its mechanical wings and flown off without looking back.

"Mengmeng."

At that moment, a pet beast's voice sounded.

Qiao Sang followed the sound and looked down, only to see a pet beast about 30 centimeters in size, mostly pink in color, with an oval-shaped head that tapered in an arc toward the back of its skull, looking at her.

Qiao Sang immediately connected the pet beast before her with a certain pet beast from "Rare Pet Beasts · Complete."

Dream Transformation Jieke — a super-power-system Emperor-tier pet beast. As long as you sleep within a hundred meters of it, you'll only have sweet dreams that night…

Good lord, truly worthy of Yuliandun University — you can run into an Emperor-tier pet beast just by wandering around… Qiao Sang was dazed for a moment.

"Mengmeng."

Dream Transformation Jieke pointed at the black-gold card and called out again.

"Yaya."

Yaobao acted as translator.

This guy says this card belongs to its beast master.

A beast master who could dream into a Jieke having a card with no spending limit seemed perfectly normal… Compared to humans, companion beasts were sometimes more trustworthy. Qiao Sang didn't suspect anything and handed the black card over:

"Here you go."

"Mengmeng."

The Dream Jieke took it but didn't leave, instead pointing toward the single-person study room and calling out once.

"Yaya."

Like Ya Bao translated.

Its master invites you over, to express thanks.

Could this Dream Jieke communicate directly with its beast master in their consciousness, just like Gangbao? Qiao Sang was stunned for a moment, gathered her thoughts, and declined:

"No need to thank me."

"Mengmeng."

The Dream Jieke didn't give up, just stared at Qiao Sang like it would keep staring forever if she didn't agree.

Uh… Qiao Sang was silent for two seconds, then said: "Lead the way."

"Mengmeng."

The Dream Jieke curved its eyes and began leading the way.

Before long, the Dream Jieke stood at the door of a single-person study room and pushed it open.

What came into view was a familiar figure.

"You're here." The old man with half-white hair turned his head.

Principal Gilbert… Qiao Sang looked at the person before her, her face full of astonishment.

She never could have imagined that the one appearing before her would actually be the principal of the Beast Master Academy.

Qiao Sang froze for several seconds, then suddenly remembered something extremely important.

Good lord, he couldn't be here to poach her too, could he!