Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 7: Desert-Tailed Fox

"Is there something you need?" Qiao Sang was forced to halt and inquire.

"I wouldn't have wasted my time coming here if you hadn't been so slow," the girl grumbled.

Knitting her brows slightly, Qiao Sang replied, "If I recall correctly, you didn't step forward when your number was called."

The girl’s irritation only intensified.

"I would have been the final person served if you hadn't rushed up there! Do you realize I would have made it in time if you had just stayed in your seat for two more seconds?"

Qiao Sang found herself at a loss for words.

She attempted to walk past the girl to leave. Despite being fifteen, Qiao Sang possessed the mindset of an adult.

To her, the girl blocking her path was merely a child dressed in a high school uniform.

However, before she could get very far, the girl darted in front of her again, cutting her off.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Qiao Sang met her gaze and asked with composure, "Are you looking for a fight?"

Why use words when a physical confrontation could settle the matter?

While debating with a brat felt pointless, delivering a swift lesson seemed far more effective.

"What?" The girl was caught off guard by the suggestion.

"If you want to fight, we can go outside. Otherwise, move out of my way." Qiao Sang possessed slightly upturned phoenix eyes that usually gave her a pleasant look when she was relaxed.

But when her expression turned cold and humorless, she projected a sharp, intimidating aura.

After hesitating for a moment, the girl took note of Qiao Sang’s school uniform before glancing at the Fire Fang Dog and the Fat Dove. Steel herself, she snapped, "Fine, let's fight!"

The pair relocated to a small clearing situated behind the Hanggang Beastmaster Center.

The area was modestly sized, with a few individuals scattered about training their own pet beasts.

Surveying the surroundings, Qiao Sang asked with a hint of surprise, "Don't you think this is a bit too out in the open? Shouldn't we find a more private spot?"

The girl let out a mocking laugh.

"What's the matter? Getting cold feet?"

Qiao Sang simply tilted her head.

"I was merely trying to spare you the embarrassment. But if you're set on this location, so be it."

"Bring it on!" The girl stepped to the side, assuming a combat stance.

Seeing her opponent ready herself, Qiao Sang moved the Fire Fang Dog to the side.

As the girl raised her hands to begin forming a seal, she was suddenly interrupted by a leg sweeping toward her head.

Acting on pure reflex, she ducked and shielded her head, dropping into a crouch.

The rush of air from the kick whistled just above her.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Xu Linglan exclaimed, breaking into a cold sweat.

Scrambling to her feet, she retreated several steps, staring at the younger girl in shock.

The force of Qiao Sang's kick was so intense that Xu Linglan was certain she would have suffered a concussion had it landed!

Qiao Sang maintained an innocent expression. "Didn't you say you wanted to fight?"

Xu Linglan was stunned into silence. She suspected Qiao Sang had done that maliciously, but she couldn't prove it.

"Beastmasters use their beasts to battle! Who actually fights with their own hands?" Xu Linglan yelled.

Qiao Sang paused for a second before noting, "I haven't received my official Beastmaster certification yet."

Xu Linglan was speechless.

Regardless of formal paperwork, she had already established a bond with a pet beast, making her a Beastmaster in every practical sense!

Deciding to stop talking, Xu Linglan rapidly formed a seal. A white star array ignited on the pavement, and a pale figure materialized within the light.

The presence of her pet beast bolstered Xu Linglan’s confidence.

"As a Beastmaster, I fight like one. Or are you too scared to pit your beast against mine?"

The aggressive girl before her was clearly a novice. There was no way the Fat Dove, a mid-level beast, belonged to her. It had to be the juvenile Fire Fang Dog she had recently bonded with.

Meanwhile, Xu Linglan’s own White Sand Fox had successfully evolved into a Desert-Tailed Fox just the day before.

She didn't see how this girl could possibly win.

The Desert-Tailed Fox, the evolution of the White Sand Fox, was typically a mild-tempered creature. Unlike its previous form, which was known for its aesthetics, this fox possessed a tail over two meters long—five times its body length—which served as its primary weapon.

As Qiao Sang observed the white, extraordinary creature with amber eyes, the data she had studied just yesterday flooded her mind.

The Desert-Tailed Fox was a mid-level beast. In contrast, the Fire Fang Dog was not even a month old and lacked any formal training.

Victory was impossible.

Qiao Sang reached that conclusion instantly.

Given the massive gap in power, she refused to let the Fire Fang Dog endure a one-sided thrashing.

"Fat Dove, you take this one," Qiao Sang said, turning to the bird waiting nearby.

"Coo." The Fat Dove ruffled its feathers and obediently stepped forward to face the Desert-Tailed Fox.

Xu Linglan gave a mocking sneer. "That creature doesn't even belong to you, does it?"

Qiao Sang didn't bother denying it and simply nodded.

"Hmph, it doesn't matter who owns it, I'll still come out on top," Xu Linglan boasted.

She believed that a borrowed beast would never follow orders as effectively as one's own. Even if they were both mid-level, Xu Linglan was confident in her victory.

"Desert-Tailed Fox, use Quicksand!" Xu Linglan commanded, aiming for the first strike.

"Desert!"

The fox cried out, its massive tail shimmering as it began to glow with a brown, earthy light.

"Fat Dove, take flight," Qiao Sang ordered calmly.

Just as the Fat Dove prepared to launch, a flash of red fur streaked across the clearing. It slammed into the Desert-Tailed Fox, successfully disrupting the Quicksand technique before it could activate.

The Fat Dove remained on the ground, its head tilted in total confusion.

It was the Fire Fang Dog. Qiao Sang blinked, staring at the small red figure in surprise.

"Yap!"

"Yap yap!"

The Fire Fang Dog barked at Qiao Sang with clear irritation.

Qiao Sang could feel the dog's frustration and anger through their bond.

The little Fire Fang Dog was furious!

Sensing these raw emotions, Qiao Sang felt her throat tighten as she prepared to speak.

"That's cheating! You used a sneak attack to make it a two-on-one fight!" Xu Linglan screamed in rage.

While her fox had evolved, Xu Linglan's mental capacity was only at 7%, meaning she was nowhere near the second awakening required to bond a second beast.

The Desert-Tailed Fox was mid-level, but so was the Fat Dove, and the bird had a natural elemental advantage as a flyer. Adding the Fire Fang Dog to the mix—even as a low-level beast—meant facing high fire-type offensive power. A two-on-one battle put her at a severe disadvantage!

Xu Linglan glared at the younger girl, teeth clenched.

Not only was this girl violent, she was underhanded!

Qiao Sang stood frozen for a few moments as a sudden realization hit her.

Two against one?

Why hadn't she thought of that before?

This was a brawl, not a sanctioned tournament. Winning was the only goal, and there were no rules forbidding it.

Since the Fire Fang Dog was determined to fight anyway, this was a perfect opportunity to test its limits and verify her theories.

Qiao Sang looked at the grumpy little puppy and smiled. "Fire Fang Dog, come over here."

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