Beast Taming: My System is Bugged-Chapter 129 - 128: Painting the Pine

「At noon, in the Dao Field of the Pet Beast Store.」

Teacher Zhang saw the book Gu Ming was reading—

What role does photosynthesis play in the supernatural system?

It was a book from the Cultivation Element, and from the perspective of a Grass Element Pet, it was worth a read.

’But hadn’t Gu Ming said yesterday that he was going to look for books on Light Skills to study?’

’Photosynthesis just happens to have the word "light" in its name. It’s not a manual for Laser Skills.’

"Gu Ming, did you find a book?"

While the two Pet Beasts were practicing the Earth Shifting Technique, Teacher Zhang walked over to Gu Ming and asked, looking puzzled.

Lu You was also confused for the same reason; what Gu Ming was reading had nothing to do with Laser Skills.

Gu Ming, however, was engrossed in his reading. To be precise, his brows were slightly furrowed in concentration.

He was reading so intently precisely because much of the book’s content was completely different from the future knowledge he had absorbed.

This led to Gu Ming simultaneously learning two types of knowledge in his mind: one from the present and the other from the future.

When Teacher Zhang questioned him, Gu Ming just gave a vague, dismissive response before returning to his book.

In Gu Ming’s view, system notifications for experience points kept popping up:

[Your learning experience for has increased by 1.]

’A Beastmaster studying this would only gain theoretical knowledge.’ 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

’Trying to turn around and teach Cyan Treasure this skill would be extremely difficult, in his opinion.’

’And the more he studied, the more he felt that, unlike the Earth Shifting Technique, this wasn’t something Cyan Treasure could learn on its own with simple guidance.’

’It would probably require a teacher’s ability to imbue every word and action with profound meaning to transform this theory into a skill Cyan Treasure could learn.’

’Unless he could just buy a Visualization Image for this skill, which would save some of the learning cost.’

However, the skill this book involved was from the future.

Gu Ming had already checked the research paper databases, and there was no skill called "Plant Life Light Wave."

In other words, at this stage, the only way to research it was for Gu Ming to study it himself, and that was precisely the difficulty.

Seeing Teacher Zhang about to ask again, Gu Ming said, "Teacher Zhang, how about you read this book to Cyan Treasure?"

Gu Ming was just trying something subconsciously. He knew he didn’t have that kind of teaching ability, but Teacher Zhang did.

At present, the learning threshold for Plant Life Light Wave was clearly higher than for the Earth Shifting Technique.

Gu Ming handed the book to Teacher Zhang, who didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Are you sure? You want me to waste my time reading this kind of thing to Cyan Treasure?

"This is a book for the Cultivation Element path. Something like photosynthesis—is that even useful in international competitions?"

He thought about it for a moment. ’It actually might be useful.’

’But whether it would ever be on a test is another matter entirely.’

But seeing the expectant look in Gu Ming’s eyes, he could only brace himself, open the book, and start reading to Cyan Treasure.

He had a vague idea of what Gu Ming was getting at.

There was a difference between Gu Ming reading it and him reading it.

If Teacher Zhang read it, then even if Cyan Treasure was slow, the words from the book would still be imprinted in its mind.

So, he began to read, deliberately and enunciating every word, using his specialized Spiritual Technique for teaching to project the content into the minds of both Cyan Treasure and Mouse Treasure.

And now, the text popping up for Gu Ming was different:

[Your Pet Beast, Cyan Treasure’s, learning experience for has increased by 1!]

[Cyan Treasure: Pure Theory Study 1/100!]

[Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster’s learning experience +1]

’Well, what do you know,’ Gu Ming thought. ’Even the Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster is gaining experience.’

After reading for the entire afternoon, Teacher Zhang’s mouth was dry. He looked at the book and saw that four-fifths of it was still unread.

"I mean, is this really necessary?

"I think reading the first part of this book should be enough. Do you really want your Pet Beast to learn this purely theoretical stuff?

"I think it would be better for you to master it yourself and then personally guide Cyan Treasure on how to apply it during a match."

This was Teacher Zhang’s heartfelt advice.

But Gu Ming saw that Cyan Treasure’s "Pure Theory Study" progress bar was already halfway full, and he didn’t want to give up now.

But Gu Ming said firmly, "Please, Teacher. This is very important for Cyan Treasure."

Teacher Zhang sighed helplessly.

Since Gu Ming insisted, there was nothing more he could say.

Just then, the manager walked over and said,

"I’ve made an appointment with the Beastmaster who can create the Visualization Image. Have you finalized the concept for your Cultivation Technique’s Visualization Image?"

The Visualization Image for Gu Ming’s Spiritual Technique, "Cyan Pine," had not yet been refined.

After the manager’s reminder, Gu Ming realized he needed to find a place with a pine tree.

So, Gu Ming asked, "Manager Ruan, is there a place in the city where pine trees grow?"

Manager Ruan smiled. "I knew you’d be looking for a pine tree. I’ve already arranged a location for you. You can go there after school tonight to have it drawn."

Teacher Zhang was also curious about that Cultivation Technique and said, "I’ll go take a look as well."

Lu You hadn’t said a word the entire time, but since it was a Spiritual Technique, Teacher Zhang dragged her along with the group to witness the birth of the Visualization Image.

「That evening, the group arrived at a small villa.」

Manager Ruan had paid to rent it. She hadn’t come herself, as she was still at the store, and had only asked Gu Ming to video call her from the scene.

Gu Ming raised his hand and gave a light push. The wooden door swung open slowly, and he stepped into the small private villa.

The courtyard was lush with green trees and a carpet of grass. A rockery and a pond complemented each other, and the gentle gurgling of flowing water made a soft, pleasant sound.

In a corner of the courtyard stood a cyan pine, proud and straight. Its powerful, upright form was like that of a noble gentleman standing aloof from the world.

Its dense branches stretched out wantonly, leisurely extending over the courtyard wall as if trying to reach for the vast, boundless sky, to keep company with the drifting clouds and gentle breeze.

Gu Ming took a deep breath, his mental state reaching an unprecedented level of clarity and tranquility.

The Beastmaster who had come to help draw the Visualization Image was standing beneath the cyan pine in the courtyard. His back was to the group as he gazed up at the tree. The brush-like Painted Pet beside him emanated the aura of a Four-star Level, a considerably High-Level Pet Beast.

Standing there, the man seemed to have merged as one with the surrounding plants and trees.

Gu Ming could tell at a glance that he was a Grass Element Beastmaster.

The shaft and bristles of the Painted Pet’s body both possessed an indescribable, ineffable natural rhythm.

’Looks like the person Manager Ruan hired is no simple character,’ Gu Ming thought. ’I wonder how much she paid. Or maybe she didn’t pay at all, and he only came because he was interested.’

The man turned around, an intrigued smile on his face. "So you’re the creator of the Tri-Colored Holy Light Spiritual Skill? I didn’t expect you to be so young."

Gu Ming was about to ask his name, but the Painter waved his hand and got straight to the point. "Let’s just get started."

Gu Ming didn’t say anything more. He sat cross-legged under the cyan pine, closed his eyes, placed his clasped hands on his lap, and began to breathe quietly.

Before long, an aura like that of a cyan pine began to emanate from Gu Ming.

But it wasn’t that he had transformed into a pine; rather, it was a feeling of being pine-like, yet not a pine—a resemblance in spirit, not in form.

The cyan pine beside him swayed gently, as if brushed by a sudden spring breeze.

The Painter, holding his Pet Beast, became completely immersed. He seemed to see a great cyan pine standing upon the earth, and a figure resembling Gu Ming walking amidst the pines, standing firm and unmoving. No matter what violent storms raged through the mountains, or what celestial armies attacked, it stood tall and unyielding.

The Painter came back to his senses, the ink-wash landscape under his brush already complete.

The giant, pine-like figure had vanished from the painting, leaving only Gu Ming’s form behind, which made Gu Ming pause in surprise for a moment.