Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 977: The Sixth Round

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The media presence at the stadium erupted into complete chaos.

"Could you clarify the details of the negotiations? Is her recruitment into the National Bureau already finalized?"

"Was Qiao Sang the sole reason for your presence at these matches?"

"What is the timeline for her to begin official training with the squad?"

"How do you view Chen Tianqin’s defeat at the hands of Qiao Sang, considering he is also a National Bureau member?"

"Given your invitation for her to join the National Bureau, your expectations must be immense. What rank do you anticipate she will secure in this regional league?"

Tao Yunkai signaled for silence, glanced at her wristwatch to verify the time, and offered a composed smile.

"Qiao Sang is now an official member of the National Bureau. I have pressing engagements to attend to, so I will conclude the questioning here. Goodbye."

Following those words, she vanished instantly from the scene.

The footage cut to an end.

Qiao Sang scrolled through the digital comment section: [I called it! Every match Coach Tao attended featured Qiao Sang. She even vanished the moment Qiao Sang’s round ended. Her target was obvious.]

[Considering Qiao Sang’s power at her age, being recruited by the National Bureau is a given. Is anyone actually shocked by this?]

[The National Bureau is moving with incredible efficiency. They signed her before the tournament even reached its climax.]

[Incredible. Some international youth divisions are capped at age 20. If Qiao Sang enters those, it will be a total massacre!]

[There’s no chance Qiao Sang competes with children. Forget age; look at her combat prowess. She’s definitely heading straight for the Young Adult division.]

[Think bigger. With that level of raw talent, she might bypass the youth ranks entirely and join Team One’s main roster.]

[That’s impossible. She’ll get there eventually, but not today. You need to be an A-rank Beast Master at minimum to qualify for Team One.]

[I believe Qiao Sang has the potential for a Top 3 finish, or even the silver medal. Aside from Yuan Tianlong, she looks like the strongest contender in this grand prix.]

... Exiting the social media trends, Qiao Sang found herself instinctively reviewing his statistics once more.

Without question, he stood as the primary obstacle to the championship title.

She was no longer just a participant. Since both Lubao and Yabao had undergone evolution, she would be lying if she claimed she didn't crave the ultimate victory.

Nevertheless, the immediate priority was securing a spot in the Top 8.

Setting her phone aside, Qiao Sang felt a surge of ambition. She leaped from her bed, washed up quickly, and prepared to head out for training after a light meal.

Stepping out of the washroom, she spotted Little Treasure gripping a mirror, baring his fangs and practicing intimidating scowls. She asked with a hint of amusement: "What are you doing?"

"Xun xun~"

While maintaining his menacing reflection, Little Treasure chirped an explanation: he was attempting to stimulate his Dark-type energy.

Qiao Sang blinked in surprise. "Why are you trying to stimulate Dark-type energy?"

"Xun xun~"

Little Treasure lowered the mirror and turned toward her.

Qiao Sang found herself at a loss for words.

Initially, she thought he was being silly, but then she recalled Little Treasure’s history of clever deceptions—like the time he used a Substitute to play video games behind her back for ages. Reassessing his capacity for learning, she said: "That isn't the correct method to awaken the Dark attribute."

"Xun xun?" Little Treasure tilted his head, intrigued.

"To manifest more Dark energy, you must possess the Dark attribute inherently, master Dark-type skills, or consume resources infused with Dark energy," Qiao Sang explained.

She had reached a point where she could speak with authority on the intricacies of beast-taming.

"However," Qiao Sang noted, her expression turning serious as she looked at Little Treasure, "your core attributes are Ghost and Psychic, with Ghost being dominant. Your subsequent evolution follows that same path. As your Ghost-type energy matures, it becomes impossible for you to develop a Dark-type trait."

During the early growth phases, pets with branching evolution paths might manifest traits from secondary attributes. Yabao’s Moonlight Power was a perfect example. However, once an evolution line is locked in, any new traits must strictly align with the pet's existing attributes.

"Xun xun..."

Little Treasure processed this and let out a dejected sigh.

"Qing qing?"

At that moment, Qingbao drifted over, looking puzzled. She chirped, questioning if Little Treasure hadn't already mastered Taunt?

Taunt was, after all, a Dark-type skill.

Qiao Sang patiently clarified, "That occurred because Little Treasure’s evolution path hadn't been finalized yet. He had a potential Dark-type evolution back then. Furthermore, skills and traits operate differently. You can learn a Dark-type technique, but you cannot manifest a Dark-type trait if it isn't written in your genetic code."

"Qing qing."

Qingbao remained skeptical. She mentioned a pet she’d seen on television that had awakened a trait outside its primary attributes after reaching its final form.

Qiao Sang was surprised. "What kind of pet?"

"Qing qing."

Qingbao shook her head; she couldn't recall the species name.

After considering it for a moment, Qiao Sang guessed: "It is possible that the pet possessed a hidden evolution path for its later stages."

"Qing qing?" Qingbao looked on curiously.

"Xun xun..." Little Treasure answered with a shake of his head, indicating he didn't know either.

Qiao Sang, however, became lost in her own reflections.

Little Treasure’s known limit was the Emperor level. To compete in the future Interstellar Cup, an Emperor-level pet would be insufficient. She would eventually need to consult the special functions of her Beast Codex to see if a further evolution for Little Treasure was possible.

If a successful evolution occurred, it would be a form entirely unknown to the Alliance. She wondered if entirely new attributes might emerge then.

In modern beast-taming science, most paths are well-documented, with pets following routes tied to their core elements.

Only rare cases—like Yabao gaining a Psychic-type despite being pure Fire, or species like the Evergreen Worm and Bamboo Flower Snake undergoing the legendary Dragon-type transformation—require decades of specialized research.

Many pets hit a wall at a specific stage because the subsequent step involves a radical metamorphosis where attributes are gained or completely altered.

Qiao Sang soon realized she was getting ahead of herself. A species has a natural limit; not every creature can ascend to the God level. If they could, the legendary status of the Qingqing Ni would be meaningless.

Shaking off these thoughts, Qiao Sang said: "Put the idea of the Mutual Destruction trait aside for now. Let's eat and get to training."

"Xun xun..."

"Qing qing."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Gangbao flew to the intercom, checked the feed, and granted entry.

Ye Xiangting entered with several bags, her face beaming. "I’ve brought breakfast."

"Xun xun~" Little Treasure’s disappointment vanished instantly as he floated over with anticipation.

"What’s on the menu?" Qiao Sang asked.

"Just some steamed buns, soy milk, and specialized energy meals for the pets." As she spoke, Ye Xiangting set the containers on the table and began unpacking.

Qingbao hovered near the spread, sniffing the unfamiliar aromas of the new dishes.

"Yap yap..." Yabao, who had been dozing, caught the scent of the open boxes. His nose twitched, and his eyes flew open.

"Yap yap!" Spotting the food, he became fully alert, his tail wagging furiously as he charged toward the table.

Lubao climbed out of her water tank and approached the group with her usual grace.

Qiao Sang joined Yabao, grabbed a bun, and began to eat.

"The entire family is aware you’ve joined the National Bureau," Ye Xiangting said with a smile.

"Everyone is asking when we'll be hosting the celebration party."

"I won't be able to attend a party right now," Qiao Sang replied.

"Once the tournament concludes, I need to resume my journey for further experience."

Though clearly a bit let down, Ye Xiangting nodded understandingly: "Your training under your mentor is the priority. We can hold the banquet whenever you return home."

She chuckled as a thought occurred to her: "Actually, even if you did come back, I might be too busy to host it. The shop has been swamped since Yabao’s debut. I checked the cameras; the crowds are even bigger than when the news of Yabao’s new evolution path first broke."

Qiao Sang took a sip of her drink and asked, "Is it alright for you to be away from the shop?"

"It’s fine," Ye Xiangting waved the concern away.

"You are in the regional grand prix. Nothing takes precedence over supporting you in your matches."

In years past, she would have prioritized the shop to ensure she could fund her daughter’s training.

But today, Imperial Beast University provided all the necessary energy pellets, Yabao and Lubao had attained King-level status, and her daughter was a B-rank Beast Master. The daily earnings of the shop seemed trivial by comparison.

Touched by her mother's support, Qiao Sang found the breakfast tasted even better than usual.

---

The following day.

Yukong Beast Arena.

The stadium was a sea of spectators, the roar of the crowd reaching a deafening volume.

High above the field, a reporter sat perched on a flying pet, pointing a microphone toward a mechanical pet that served as a live camera.

"Greetings, viewers! I am reporting live from above the Yukong Beast Arena for the regional grand prix. Today marks the pivotal transition from the Top 16 to the Top 8. The competitors have arrived. Who will emerge victorious and secure their place in the quarter-finals?"

As the broadcast continued, the camera pet pivoted, zooming in on the designated area for the contestants below.

Contestant Area.

With only 16 participants remaining, the space felt vast. Many had brought their pets along to sit in the adjacent chairs.

Qiao Sang held Yabao, who was sporting a pair of sunglasses. Gangbao was perched on her shoulder. To her left, Lubao’s head emerged from a backpack as she sipped on recovery fluid. Little Treasure, draped in a black cape, occupied the seat to her right.

The other contestants stared in her direction. Some were amused; while it was common to have a companion pet present, Qiao Sang had brought nearly her entire team. Others were scanning the area for the Qinyin Fairy.

The rest watched Qiao Sang with mixed emotions—the girl who had dominated the headlines and secured a spot in the National Bureau before the tournament had even concluded.

The National Bureau maintained rigorous standards. Most entered this league hoping to be scouted by professional organizations or the Bureau for elite events.

While many found spots in clubs, National Bureau invitations were incredibly rare. Even a championship win didn't guarantee entry; the Bureau prioritized raw, monstrous potential over current rank.

The announcer moved to the center of the arena to open the day's events. After the standard greetings and guest introductions, she declared: "Following intense battles, our Top 16 are decided! Now, let us determine the match-ups for the Top 8. Please welcome the officials from the Beast Notary Office!"

A massive holographic screen flickered to life, showing the portraits of the 16 remaining trainers.

A Divide-Unify machine split into two components, its spherical sensors merging into the display. The photos began to shuffle at high speed. After ten seconds, they locked into pairs. The machine components withdrew, their indicators remaining neutral.

The crowd looked up in anticipation. Qiao Sang found her name in the third slot.

[Qi Fuqing VS Qiao Sang]

Qiao Sang studied the name and photo, immediately recognizing her opponent.

Qi Fuqing, age 37, a B-rank Beast Master. She was a veteran of the Lianbo and Beilun regional circuits with a strong track record. She was well-known in the professional community.

While lost in thought, Qiao Sang felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see the striking, elegant face of Qi Fuqing herself.

She gave a bright smile and said, "I'll see you on the battlefield shortly."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned to walk away.

"Ao-ao~"

Her avian companion—a white bird roughly 90 cm tall with a trio of crest feathers and a miniature bracelet—didn't leave immediately. It blew a playful kiss toward Gangbao before taking flight to follow its master.

Gangbao: ...

Aggro-Bust Sparrow King, a King-level Flying-type. It suffers from insomnia and becomes violently irritable when deprived of sleep. They exist in red, blue, and white variants, each viewing the others as enemies, with the white being the most uncommon... Qiao Sang watched them depart as the technical data automatically surfaced in her mind.