Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 956: The Third Round

Qiao Sang remained stunned for a brief moment before regaining her composure to offer reassurance: "Don't worry. They aren't aware of the skills Qingbao possesses anyway."

Yu Ke: ???

A few seconds of silence passed before Yu Ke asked with a hint of hesitation: "Does their knowledge of Qinyin Fairy’s skills actually matter here?"

Qiao Sang replied: "Wasn't your call about the concern that other players would find out about Qingbao’s evolution and prepare for her?"

Yu Ke froze, her voice suddenly rising in pitch: "Are you actually planning to let Qinyin Fairy compete?!"

Qiao Sang was also surprised by the reaction: "If not for that, why would you call me saying something had happened?"

"My worry was that once the news of Breezewing Nini evolving into a Qinyin Fairy got out, she would be harassed by everyone."

After explaining, Yu Ke asked again with urgency: "Are you truly intending to field Qinyin Fairy in a match?"

Qiao Sang gave a hum of affirmation: "She has been pushing herself through training recently specifically to evolve and step onto the battlefield."

"But, Qinyin Fairy has only just reached the status of a High-level pet." Yu Ke could not hide her anxiety.

As a dedicated follower of the Regional Championships, she was well aware that High-level pets were essentially at the bottom of the power scale at this stage of the tournament.

Only two years ago, a Beast Master with a massive power gap between their team members became a trending topic because while two of their pets were General-level, the third was merely Mid-level.

Aside from that unique case, the lowest tier any competitor brought to the field was a High-level pet.

The competition had already reached the Top 108, and Breezewing Nini had only just completed her evolution into a Qinyin Fairy. Even though she was a legendary species, Yu Ke couldn't confidently claim that a Qinyin Fairy was guaranteed a victory.

"Qing qing..."

Qingbao materialized beside the phone, causing the local winds to pick up instinctively. She felt very displeased with the person on the other end, fearing her Beast Master might be swayed by the discouraging words.

Observing Qingbao's appearance, Qiao Sang reached out to stroke her head and said: "I already gave her my word."

Qingbao nuzzled her Beast Master's palm affectionately. Simultaneously, the turbulent winds around them died down instantly.

Yu Ke opened her mouth to argue, but ultimately, she remained silent.

After some brief small talk, Qiao Sang ended the call and checked the trending searches. She immediately spotted the tag #Qiao Sang’s Breezewing Nini Evolves into Qinyin Fairy#.

She tapped the link and saw the post originated from an account named [Paparazzo News]. It featured a video filmed from an aerial perspective, capturing the moment of Qingbao’s evolution the previous night.

The caption stated: [Breaking news! Qiao Sang’s Breezewing Nini has successfully evolved into the legendary Qinyin Fairy!]

Qiao Sang marveled at the speed of the news and scrolled through the comments below:

[No way! The last report said she was still a Breezewing Nini, and now she’s already a Qinyin Fairy!]

[God Qiao is incredible! God Qiao is unstoppable!]

[So the rumors were true, Qiao Sang really did have a Breezewing Nini... I thought it was just internet gossip...]

[This paparazzo is useless, there isn't even a clear front-view video of the evolution!]

[It’s impressive enough that he located Qiao Sang’s training grounds. Remember that Qiao Sang usually travels via Ghost Ring King’s Spatial Shift; she’s nearly impossible to follow.]

[Doesn’t Qiao Sang stay at the Pet Center? Why isn't she using the training facilities there?]

[Probably not. She likely wants to keep her pets' skill training a secret.]

[I wonder if I’ll ever get to see a Qinyin Fairy in a real match in my lifetime...]

[Just follow Qiao Sang; you'll find out the moment she has a scheduled match.]

[What is Qiao Sang’s official ID?]

[@I am Qiao Sang, it’s definitely the verified one.]

[The one above is a fake. Her real handle is @GeniusAgainAgainAgain.]

[God Qiao’s ID is way too modest. The word 'genius' doesn't even begin to describe her!]

[Can we please see the Qinyin Fairy play in this year’s Regional Championships!]

[She just evolved, so it’s probably not going to happen.]

[Making a wish: I want to see the Qinyin Fairy in action this year!]

[You should post that wish directly on Qiao Sang’s profile.]

Prompted by the comment, Qiao Sang exited the search and signed into her own account. She was greeted by notifications for new followers and messages that all read 99+.

A quick check revealed her follower count had leaped from 20 million to over 40 million.

The comment section was flooded: [Following so I can wish for a child as gifted as Qiao Sang.]

[Where is the Qinyin Fairy? Why aren't there any pictures of Breezewing Nini!]

[This profile is almost nothing but professional shots of a Fire-type pet. Where are the sponsors? Get the Qinyin Fairy an ad deal immediately! How can you miss such a massive opportunity! Do I have to explain business to you!]

[Hoping to see the Qinyin Fairy in the Regional Championships @GeniusAgainAgainAgain.]

[A legendary pet with the youngest B-rank Beast Master ever. Two words: Perfect Match!]

[Please! I need to see the Qinyin Fairy! Just one photo!]

Qiao Sang scanned the notifications and realized instantly that these 20 million new fans were all residents of the Central Hollow region.

Qiao Sang thought with amazement as she checked her private messages.

Many messages were filled with praise and support for her, along with affection for Gangbao, Little Treasure, and Qingbao. Naturally, the majority were inquiries regarding Qingbao. A few businesses were also reaching out for potential partnerships.

Qiao Sang logged out and chose to ignore them. She wasn't struggling for funds like she used to, so there was no rush to accept advertisements.

Qiao Sang set her phone aside. Her initial plan was to head downstairs to update Qingbao's records, but she recalled how it took an entire day to update the info for Yabao and Qingbao last time. Her motivation vanished instantly, and she decided to go when the Pet Center was close to shutting down for the night.

---

For the remainder of the day, Qiao Sang spent her morning and afternoon observing matches. As the Pet Center's closing time approached, she donned a baseball cap and a mask. She carefully withdrew Yabao into the Beast Codex and headed toward the Beast Hall. After taking a queue number, she approached the designated window.

Before she could even present her identification, the staff member’s eyes widened with excitement. They whispered in pleasant shock: "Qiao Sang?"

... Qiao Sang gestured for silence and handed over her ID card and Beast Master badge.

The staff member caught on immediately, nodding quickly, and began scanning the cards.

"Are you here to update the information for Breezewing Nini?" the clerk asked softly.

"That's right."

Qiao Sang nodded and inquired, "Is there a private room available for the verification process?"

She was concerned that Qingbao’s physical presence might trigger a scene in the public lobby.

"Of course!" The staff member's excitement seemed to double.

"Follow me, please!"

---

Two hours later, a visibly drained Qiao Sang exited the Pet Center.

The sun had already set, leaving the sky dark.

She hadn't anticipated that the staff, who usually hated staying a minute past their shift, would eagerly work overtime just to examine Qingbao from every possible angle.

Qingbao’s evolution path was well-documented. Verifying the evolution should have been a sixty-second task, yet they managed to stretch it out for two hours, Qiao Sang thought wearily.

She turned to Little Treasure: "Let's head back."

"Xun xun~"

Little Treasure appeared, his eyes radiating a blue glow. A second later, Qiao Sang vanished from the sidewalk.

Simultaneously, dozens of meters away, a Ghost-type pet with a purple body and gem-like red eyes appeared, clutching a camera. It stared at the spot where Qiao Sang had been, pulled a phone from its bag, and made a call.

Once the connection was made, it let out a "Yeyan," hung up, and faded back into invisibility.

---

Suburbs, Villa.

Qiao Sang materialized at the front gate and pressed the doorbell.

"Hu ji." The Hu Ji Tiger opened the door and let out a loud call toward the interior. The sound of approaching footsteps followed immediately.

"God Qiao, you're back quite early today!" Yu Le said as he came downstairs, looking pleasantly surprised.

"The next round is tomorrow. I want Qingbao to become comfortable with the skills she just awakened," Qiao Sang explained.

Yu Le was stunned and shouted: "You're actually going to let the Qinyin Fairy fight?!"

Qiao Sang confirmed with a hum.

Yu Le cheered instantly: "That's amazing! I'll actually get to see a Qinyin Fairy in a real match!"

Qiao Sang smiled and asked casually, "Where is your sister?"

"She’s at the stadium watching the live matches," Yu Le answered.

Qiao Sang thought to herself before saying, "I'm going to start training now."

With those words, she turned toward the outdoor training area.

"Wait!" Yu Le remembered something and rushed to block her path.

"Is something wrong?" Qiao Sang asked, confused.

"Have you seen the trending news about Breezewing Nini's evolution?" Yu Le countered.

Qiao Sang nodded: "I've seen it."

Yu Le’s expression turned grave: "That footage was taken from directly above this training ground. The paparazzi already know this location. It's not safe to train skills here. I’ll go have security perform a sweep!"

The Hu Ji Tiger, overhearing the talk, began moving silently toward the telephone.

"There's no need," Qiao Sang said.

"I'll handle the sweep myself."

She walked toward the outdoor training area. The Hu Ji Tiger quietly put the phone back down. Yu Le followed closely behind her.

Qiao Sang gazed up at the starlit sky. She performed the necessary hand seals and summoned Yabao and the others.

"Is there anything lurking up there?" Qiao Sang questioned.

"Yap yap..." Yabao looked upward, narrowing his eyes at the sky.

"Xun xun!"

At that moment, Little Treasure pointed toward a specific coordinate high in the air and gave a shout.

"Capture it," Qiao Sang commanded.

"Xun xun!"

Little Treasure used teleportation and reappeared high above, lunging with his paw. A small purple pet was suddenly revealed where he grabbed. Next, Little Treasure teleported back to Qiao Sang with the captured pet in his grasp.

.. As Qiao Sang inspected the pet with red-gem eyes and a camera strapped to its neck, its information flashed in her mind.

Indeed, when it comes to the potential for being a paparazzo, Ghost-type pets are unmatched. Once their invisibility skill reaches a high enough level, they can cloak any object they touch. They can snap photos right in front of someone's face without being detected.

"Aha! So you were the one taking secret photos! Where is your Beast Master!" Yu Le demanded.

"Yeyan!" The Night-Eye Ghost cried out, its eyes glowing a deep crimson. A moment later, it vanished.

"How did it just disappear?" Yu Le was taken aback.

The first thought that hit her was:

"It was recalled by its Beast Master," Qiao Sang stated calmly.

The eyes of a Night-Eye Ghost can broadcast waves that strengthen the bond with its Beast Master. Most likely, its owner caught the signal and performed a recall.

"Oh, I see." Yu Le relaxed and smiled.

"It vanished the moment its eyes lit up; I almost thought it was using teleportation."

.. Qiao Sang thought to herself. She looked at Little Treasure: "For the duration of the training, keep a substitute in the air to stop any paparazzi from getting close."

"Xun xun!" Little Treasure thumped his chest, signaling that she could count on him. He then split into two, and the substitute teleported high into the sky.

Seeing the preparations were complete, Qiao Sang said: "Let's begin the training."

"Qing qing!"

Qingbao appeared at her side, her expression focused and serious.

---

The Following Day.

Outside the Tianan City Sky Stadium.

A woman dressed in professional attire held a microphone, reporting live to the camera:

"It is currently 8:50 AM on September 14th, Central Hollow time. This is the Central Hollow Agency reporting from the Tianan City Sky Stadium. After a series of intense matches, the Top 108 contestants of this Regional Championship have been finalized. Today, we begin the matches to determine who moves from the Top 108 into the Top 54. Which competitors will be matched together and advance? Let’s move our cameras inside the venue."

Inside the arena.

"This is the Central Hollow Agency," a man in a dress shirt wearing a press pass told the camera. "I am standing inside the Tianan City Sky Stadium, the venue for this Regional Championship. As you can see, the stands are already packed with fans, and most of the contestants have taken their places in the designated area."

As he spoke, the camera panned across the contestant seating.

"Chen Tianqin dominated his matches in the first two rounds, sweeping three opponents using only a single pet. He is widely considered a top contender for the championship title."

"And then we have Zhu Yang. In his previous bout, he converted the entire arena into a Water Field, making himself practically untouchable. It was a spectacular performance. He looks very relaxed and confident today, clearly ready for the next challenge."

The reporter’s tone suddenly spiked with excitement as he caught sight of someone: "Qiao Sang has arrived! The most powerful dark horse of this Regional Championship and the youngest B-rank Beast Master in history!"

"Whether it was the Steel Sword Falcon during the preliminaries or the Ghost Ring King in the Top 108 qualifiers, she has displayed overwhelming power. Interestingly, her King-level pet has yet to make an appearance. I wonder if this round will finally give us a chance to see her King-level pet on the stage. The anticipation is truly building!"