Chapter 287: Chapter 279: Controversy, Mouse Treasure Two-star

It was well known that such rapid catalysis could typically only be achieved by a Life Grass Seed that a Pet Beast had personally refined.

For example, her Grass Spirit had refined several seeds within its body, which had long since fused with its Dantian. It could create multiple Grass Seed clones at any time, scattering them on the ground to grow and catalyze rapidly.

However, for a Grass Seed that was outside the body and hadn’t been internally refined, it required a true catalytic technique to manipulate.

To put it another way, it would normally take her Pet Beast several days to refine a Black Ghost Wood Grass Seed. Shortening that process to a single day was already a massive optimization and a highly targeted adjustment.

Yet Mouse Treasure’s performance was even more astounding, as if the Grass Seed had already been refined into a Life Grass Seed within its body.

Comparing the two, Jiang Jinling knew she had lost completely. ’There’s no way I can win.’

The nearby contestants were keeping a close watch on Gu Ming’s every move.

When they saw the Black Ghost Wood growing at an astonishing speed, their faces paled. All thoughts of competing with Gu Ming for first place in the Cultivation Technique category vanished.

Some contestants simply looked away and headed straight for the Night Demon Duck’s combat zone, hoping to score points in the battle portion of the exam.

...

RUMBLE...

The Hall of the Great Dao descended from the heavens, casting down a brilliant Tri-Colored Holy Light.

While this technique didn’t produce as much Holy Light as Gu Ming’s paper on arrays, it was still a highly innovative and powerful catalytic Cultivation Technique.

Gu Ming looked up at the merely Tri-Colored Holy Light and understood.

’This Cultivation Technique is being limited by my own abilities.’

’If I could perfectly replicate the catalytic Cultivation Technique the system described, it would have summoned a Seven-Colored Holy Light.’

’But this is fine, too.’

’The Cultivation Technique doesn’t need to be godly; it just needs to be good enough.’

’Based on my observations over the past six days, only Jiang Jinling and I have managed to produce a Tri-Colored Holy Light.’

’Even if someone here creates a technique that summons a Four-Colored Holy Light, they’ll only be one tier above me at most.’

’Besides, this isn’t a competition where only first place wins. As long as I finish in the top few, I’m guaranteed a spot in the next round.’

...

「Backstage.」

Elder Huo received Gu Ming’s paper immediately.

It wasn’t Gu Ming’s original manuscript, of course, but a transcription recorded by a Thousand-eyed Wind Bird.

As a High-star Beastmaster, he used his Divine Sense to read it directly and quickly grasped the wonders of this catalytic Cultivation Technique.

Since the exam question restricted the use of the Grass Element Spiritual Root, Gu Ming’s approach was similar to that of most contestants.

They all chose to nurture the seed by burying it in the soil, using the Spiritual Qi and high-concentration nutrients of the Eight-star Dao Field to complete its development.

The most crucial technique was to actively stimulate the Grass Seed to absorb energy on its own, rather than relying on a Pet Beast to provide the Life Energy for the nurturing and catalysis.

Although the general approach was the same, Gu Ming’s real breakthrough was his use of a Brain Array inscribed within the Pet Beast. This drastically lowered the barrier to entry for the technique and enhanced the catalytic effect severalfold.

This was why Mouse Treasure was able to shorten the Grass Seed’s growth time the moment it acted.

Upon reading the paper a second time, Elder Huo discovered another layer of ingenuity.

It was the intervention of external energy, which supplemented the Light Earth Energy cycle.

After all, Mouse Treasure itself didn’t possess a Light Spiritual Root.

While Cyan Treasure had a Light Spiritual Root, its own Grass Spiritual Root restricted its energy output.

So, the two Pet Beasts cooperated. Mouse Treasure acted as a vessel, receiving the Light Life Energy channeled by Cyan Treasure. They then fused their Mana to create a ripple that catalyzed the Grass Seed’s autonomous growth.

It had to be said that Gu Ming’s design was both audacious and precise.

His understanding and application of the Brain Array far surpassed that of every other contestant. Even the proctoring Array Masters backstage wouldn’t dare let their own Pet Beasts attempt such a novel Array.

The path of an Array Master heavily emphasized design and foundational knowledge, but innovation also required the impetus for bold experimentation.

But the older one gets, the more easily one becomes constrained by experience.

The young didn’t have so many reservations. They had the luxury of trial and error; at worst, they could just start over without much of a loss.

"This paper deserves an S Level rating," he mused.

In the audience, some of the teachers’ expressions soured.

"Unacceptable, unacceptable. His previous paper on arrays already received an S Level rating."

"While this Cultivation Technique has significant innovations, it can’t be called a massive breakthrough. It should be given an A+ Level rating."

"Yes, yes, I agree. An A+ Level rating is sufficient."

Many of the teachers present voiced their opposition.

Most of those who objected had connections to students in the examination hall.

They didn’t want to see Gu Ming walk away with a double S Level rating for two separate challenges.

Even if Gu Ming failed the Night Demon Duck combat assessment, a double S Level rating alone would be more than enough to secure him a spot in the international competition.

This made some of the teachers and judges with vested interests antsy, so they began working behind the scenes to suppress his score.

Furthermore, Gu Ming’s Cultivation Technique had only received a Tri-Colored rating from the Hall of the Great Dao, which didn’t create a significant gap between him and the others.

With many contestants yet to complete their papers, no one dared to make a final judgment. They continued to wait and see if a stronger Cultivation Technique would emerge from the remaining participants.

Elder Huo glanced over the crowd, his expression displeased. However, he didn’t say anything more and simply waited in silence.

「Several hours later.」

As more contestants submitted their Cultivation Techniques, another Tri-Colored Holy Light descended.

After some discussion, the judges believed this work was also qualified for an S Level rating.

But to assign it an S Level, it would have to be compared with the papers from Gu Ming and Jiang Jinling.

If this paper earned an S Level, then Gu Ming’s and Jiang Jinling’s designs would also have to be considered for the same rating.

The scoring thus reached an impasse.

Elder Huo looked at the judges with their vested interests and found the situation somewhat amusing. He didn’t make any special effort to correct or oppose them.

Compared to his previous forceful arguments, he now seemed exceptionally calm and amiable.

He was well aware of the deep political currents running beneath the competition.

In the current Beast Taming Society, which was thoroughly infiltrated by various factions, he could tell which power someone was speaking for just by listening to them.

He didn’t force the issue. As long as Gu Ming could secure an A+ Level rating for his Cultivation Technique and qualify for the international competition, it was enough.

Elder Huo wasn’t particularly worried about the upcoming combat assessment either.

He had sensed the energy and auras of the three Pet Beasts—Cyan Treasure, Mouse Treasure, and Ah Kun—and believed they all possessed formidable combat strength.

This was especially true for Cyan Treasure and Ah Kun. Cyan Treasure, in particular, seemed to have an exceptionally powerful Grass Seed hidden within it.

That aura was potent enough to make even Elder Huo take notice, but out of respect, he didn’t probe any deeper.

He only knew that the situation inside Cyan Treasure was complex. In addition to its profound Dantian Mana and an Inner Core, it also possessed a Great Dao Foundation that resembled the Dragon Race’s Bronze Tripod.

Among the judges present, some were also curious.

But no one discussed it privately. Instead, they vied to hand Gu Ming their business cards, inviting him to join their respective academies.

Rather than press him for answers on the spot, it was better to wait until he joined an academy to study him in detail.

Amid the light chatter, someone suddenly exclaimed that a Pet Beast was evolving.

It wasn’t rare for a Pet Beast to evolve during a competition. In previous years, some had deliberately suppressed their Pet Beast’s power just to have it advance during the event.

However, in the Eight-star Dao Field, the frequency of Evolution was indeed higher than usual. After all, no one wanted to miss such an opportunity.

Elder Huo looked over and saw that it was Lu You’s Pet Beast, a Mouse Treasure, that had completed its Super Evolution and was receiving a boon from the Great Dao.

The Mouse Treasure’s aura was now completely different from that of an ordinary hamster. It faintly showed signs of an activated Sub-dragon Bloodline, giving the impression that it was evolving from a hamster into an Earth Dragon.

However, according to its physical examination report, this Mouse Treasure had no Sub-dragon Bloodline DNA. It was a pure-blooded Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster.

’Could this be related to the Dragon Pattern Bronze Tripod inside its body?’