79: He doesn't deserve it.

Su Ze sized up the speaker for a few moments. He was slightly chubby and looked sixty to seventy percent similar to the Zhu He from just now.

If nothing was amiss, this should be the older brother Zhu He had mentioned, Zhu Zhi.

After scanning the other five people, Su Ze understood why this man was so eager to test him.

Because this guy, whom Xu Yao called a man of the hour three years ago, was actually the weakest among the five!

This meant that once Su Ze joined, he would be the one forced out, missing his chance for the Beast Taming Grand Competition.

The reason for this was simple: although Zhu Zhi was the most outstanding senior student, Beast Taming University allowed students to delay graduation for two years!

For people whose talent was already similar, a year or two was enough to widen the gap significantly.

Three of these five people were Sixth Year students who had delayed graduation for two years specifically to participate in this Beast Taming Grand Competition.

Another was a Fifth Year student who had delayed for one year. Only Zhu Zhi was within the normal four-year academic system.

However, being able to reach this level already spoke volumes about his talent.

If given another two years, he might have been the strongest among the five.

After all, not everyone had the help of a system like Su Ze; contracting a Diamond-rank Demonic Beast was enough to let someone catch up to years or even over a decade of bitter cultivation.

But unfortunately, the Beast Taming Grand Competition was this year, and Zhu Zhi had no more time left.

That was why he was so resistant to Su Ze's sudden appearance.

“Principal Xiao Xu, the Beast Taming Grand Competition also tests the strength of each Beast Taming University; it represents the university's face,” Zhu Zhi said, looking at Su Ze with unfriendly eyes.

“Aren't you afraid of losing face for the school by letting a first-year freshman go?”

Under Zhu Zhi's difficult questioning, Xiao Xu spoke up on Su Ze's behalf from the side: “You can't put it that way. Although Su Ze has only just enrolled, you must have all heard of his strength.”

“Contracting a Diamond-rank Demonic Beast, taking out an entire squad of Fusang Dark Guards, and even recently pulling out many of the Fusang Dark Guards' hidden nails in Great Xia.”

“I ask you, could any of you have achieved such feats?”

The group fell silent for a moment, then Zhu Zhi gritted his teeth and said, “Principal, surely you aren't unaware? Everyone outside is saying his Diamond-rank Demonic Beast died in battle. Without the Diamond-rank Demonic Beast, does he still deserve it?”

Xiao Xu looked at Su Ze and said, “Those are all rumors from the outside. Student Su Ze has never personally admitted it, and I believe in him.”

“But...”

Before Zhu Zhi could finish, Su Ze, who had been silent and enjoying the show, interrupted: “On that point, Principal Xiao Xu, I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. I have indeed lost my Diamond-rank Demonic Beast.”

“But only temporarily,” Su Ze added in his mind.

Xiao Xu was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a low sigh: “Is it true? What a pity... what a pity...”

Beside him, Zhu Zhi was instantly overjoyed. He had sent his younger brother to harass Xu Yao just to force Su Ze to act so he could gauge his true situation.

He hadn't gotten any useful news then, but it seemed he still had to rely on himself in the end!

Zhu Zhi said excitedly, “Principal, you heard it too. He admitted himself that he no longer has a Diamond-rank Demonic Beast. Without the power of that beast, what does a first-year freshman have to compete with us?”

“Principal, you should take back your order. He doesn't deserve to represent the school in the Grand Competition.”

Before Xiao Xu could speak, they heard Su Ze say slowly, “It's true that I've lost my Diamond-rank Demonic Beast, but to deal with someone of your level... I'm afraid I won't even need it.”

“What did you say?!” Zhu Zhi was furious, but it was inconvenient to make a move in Xiao Xu's office.

At this point, Xiao Xu stepped forward and said, “This matter is easy to resolve. Let your strength do the talking. Go to the school's arena for a sparring match. Whoever wins joins, and the other is pushed out. Isn't that simple?”

He looked at the two of them, seeking their opinions.

Su Ze shrugged and said, “I have no objection.”

His demeanor actually made the cautious Zhu Zhi feel a bit uneasy, but in order to participate in the Grand Competition, he still nodded in agreement.

After all, anyone who could participate in the Beast Taming Grand Competition was represented as one of the best of the younger generation in Great Xia.

Therefore, everyone would receive rewards.

Though they were just a generous amount of quenching thought beads, level forty or fifty monster beast crystal cores, and Silver grade or Gold-rank beast taming eggs.

These rewards weren't much to the great families; they were all after the first-place prize, the wutong fruit.

But for the Zhu Family of Beishan City, getting a participation prize was a huge profit.

The group left the Administrative Building's office and found a vacant arena at the Stadium.

The other four also followed along; they wanted to see what the current combat strength of Su Ze and Zhu Zhi was really like.

On the way, Zhu Zhi also ran into Zhu He, who had changed his clothes but still had a bruised and swollen face.

“Why are you here?” Zhu Zhi asked.

“Brother, I finally found you! Look at that guy Su Ze, he beat me into this state!” Zhu He began to complain and cry as soon as he arrived.

“These injuries on you, were they all done by Su Ze?” Zhu Zhi asked, his anger burning.

“That's right! Not just my face, he even kicked my butt! It wasn't my butt he was hitting, it was your face he was slapping, Brother!” Zhu He said with tears and snot running down his face.

But in reality, Su Ze had only used Darting Water Spear to flush him into the pig trough, and he indeed landed on his rear.

However, the injuries on his face were all caused by his little lackeys hitting him to wake him up.

At this moment, the lackeys tugged at Zhu He's clothes from behind again.

He wiped away his tears and snot and asked back in confusion, “What's wrong?”

The few people pointed behind Zhu Zhi and whispered, “Look quickly, he's right behind your brother!”

Only then did Zhu He see Su Ze standing not far behind Zhu Zhi, even waving at him in greeting. He was so scared he retreated several steps in a row.

He asked stutteringly, “Bro... Brother, why... why is he here too?”

Zhu Zhi shook his head at his terrified younger brother: “It’s fine. I’m going to spar with him in a bit and get revenge for you!”

Then he lowered his voice and said, “How did he beat you? What beast did he use? Tell me everything!”

Zhu He immediately told his brother all the information he knew.

Zhu Zhi breathed a sigh of relief after listening: “A Gold-rank turtle beast? Level twenty-something?”

“No wonder he could beat you like this, but... that's all there is to it!”

With the information provided by his brother, Zhu Zhi was full of confidence for the upcoming match.

Soon, the two were lined up at either end of the arena, with Xiao Xu temporarily acting as the referee.

This also drew a lot of people to watch the match.

“Look, look! The Principal is actually acting as the referee!”

“Who's on the arena? To actually have such great face!”

“I know them! One is the top senior student, Zhu Zhi, and the other... seems to be the strongest freshman in history who contracted a Diamond-rank Demonic Beast, Su Ze!”

“Su Ze? That's him? Didn't they say his Diamond-rank Demonic Beast died? He still dares to spar with a senior?”

“Could it be that the news spreading outside is all fake?”

...The crowd discussed fervently.

Zhu Zhi also said to Su Ze, “I won't show mercy just because you're a junior. Whatever state you beat my brother into, I will return it in kind!”

Su Ze also nodded and said, “Don't worry, I guarantee I'll make you two brothers match!”

“Hmph!” Zhu Zhi snorted coldly.

At Xiao Xu's command, the two began to summon their beasts.

Golden summoning patterns appeared behind Zhu Zhi as he opened his beast taming space, indicating his beast was also Gold-rank.

However, behind Su Ze, a white light shone brightly.

“Is this Silver grade?”

“It seems the rumors outside aren't false; something did happen to his Diamond-rank Demonic Beast. But it's not to the point of using a Silver grade beast, is it? I remember he also has a Gold-rank beast?”

Zhu Zhi also frowned; this was different from the intelligence he had gathered. But the weaker Su Ze was, the better it should be for him.

“Wait!” At this moment, among the other four people by the arena who were going to participate in the Grand Competition, one said, “This light is much more dazzling than Silver grade. This isn't Silver, it's platinum-level!”