17: Chapter 17 Even Beast Tamers Form Factions

"Qin Ding, school is over. We should take our Beasts home."

A familiar voice rang in his ears. Still not fully awake, Qin Ding seemed to sense a warmth lingering on his face for a few seconds.

It felt like someone was pinching his cheek.

He hurriedly opened his eyes to see Bai Muxue standing in the aisle beside him, her eyes slightly curved as she stared intently at him.

"So hardworking. Why do I get the feeling that your Mental Energy will reach Tier 2 before long?"

Hearing this, Qin Ding's eyes flickered. He felt around for a moment, then whispered.

"Just about. I feel like my Mental Energy might break through to Tier 2 in about a week."

As soon as these words were out, Bai Muxue's pupils shrank for a moment. She subconsciously looked around, trying to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Fortunately, the result was reassuring, but her heart was far from calm.

She was a liberal arts student, planning to pursue the path of cultivation. This way, she could save a considerable amount of money for both Qin Ding and herself in the future. But precisely because she was on the theoretical track, she understood all too well what Qin Ding's words meant.

It took Qin Ding fifty days to break through to Tier 1. Such speed could be considered fast across the entire Federation. And now, it had been just over fifty days since Qin Ding broke through to Tier 1 Mental Energy.

He was telling her that he felt he could break through to Tier 2 Mental Power within a week? This was simply shocking.

One had to know that under normal circumstances, it was standard for a Tier 1 Beast Tamer to take half a year to break through to Tier 2. Regarding the breakthrough from Tier 1 to Tier 2, the Federation's average breakthrough time was about eight months.

In other words, normal people usually only broke through to Tier 2 Mental Power after graduating from Beast Taming High School.

Yet Qin Ding, with more than a month left in the semester, was saying he would break through to Tier 2? One had to remember there was still a one-month vacation after the semester ended!

"If that's the case... couldn't Qin Ding possibly reach Tier 3 Mental Energy and contract a second Beast before his studies at Beast Taming High School end?!"

Instantly, Bai Muxue was shocked by her own thought. Her eyes revealed both joy and worry. After a moment of contemplation, she whispered.

"So fast. I would be very satisfied if I could break through to Tier 2 Mental Power before the start of next semester."

Qin Ding was stunned for a moment, his voice softening. "That is not your strength. When it comes to academics, I couldn't compare to you even if there were ten of me. Don't be anxious about such things."

"Hmm-hmm~ That is true. I feel much better now."

"Let's go. Let's go pick up our Beasts."

Beast Taming Class 1 Iron Garden.

Li Dong lowered his head with a gloomy expression, watching his Brocade Fighting Chicken excitedly and aggrievedly point at the just-woken Big Black over there, while repeatedly making pecking motions.

He seemed to understand something, especially when he saw that Big Black had been woken up by the White Fox. Li Dong seemed to be triggered by something.

"You mean, that black dog stole your food?"

"Cluck cluck!"

Seeing his Brocade Fighting Chicken nodding excitedly, Li Dong took a deep breath. His face was gloomy, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, yet he didn't notice at all.

The pent-up anger completely transformed into hatred at this moment.

"Qin Ding, one day, I will return all the humiliation you've given me..."

"Let's go."

Inside the Iron Garden.

The Fire-Treading Tiger casually glanced at Li Dong's retreating back before looking away.

It had seen and killed many people like this. In the past, when it was still a cat and followed Instructor Liu Jun into the wilderness, it had slaughtered quite a few people with ill intentions.

It could only be said that the path of a Beast Tamer relied on killing and competing. Resources relied on competition, while prestige and reputation relied on killing. As for whether to kill humans or Beasts, most of the time, Beast Tamers had no choice.

"Woof."

[I've slept enough. The meat is just bits of broken bones and scraps of skin left, I don't want it. That Pink Pig, come over and carry me.]

"Oink oink."

Remembering the agreement, the Pink Pig shook its head and walked over to Big Black, lying down. The next second, Big Black leaped up, then turned to look at the White Fox, who was still standing on the ground looking up at it.

"Woof?"

[What are you still standing there for?]

Get on?

The White Fox blinked and looked at Big Black for a while. After a moment of hesitation, it climbed up along the Pink Pig's tail. The Pink Pig didn't mind at all.

As a nearly adult Pink Pig, let alone carrying a dog and a little fox, it wouldn't have a problem even if you asked it to carry a person.

"Oink oink."

"Woof."

[Let's go, to the garden entrance.]

Soon, the scene of a Pink Pig carrying a black dog and a white fox instantly attracted the attention of the students who had come to pick up their Beasts, each of their faces filled with surprise or astonishment.

"Wait... isn't that Pink Pig Wan Kang's Beast? Is Wan Kang that close with Qin Ding and Bai Muxue? His Pink Pig is acting as a mount for Qin Ding and Bai Muxue's Beasts?"

"I don't know... they must be close, right? Otherwise, it wouldn't be like this, would it?"

"You really can't tell. Qin Ding, this Beast Tamer, is someone who dares to cultivate all day in class. His Beasts are all unique."

"Heh, I don't think so. Look, isn't Wan Kang coming now? The owner himself looks completely bewildered."

Instantly, everyone's gaze was drawn by what the last person said, and they all looked towards Wan Kang.

"My pig is being ridden by a dog and a fox?"

Witnessing it with his own eyes, Wan Kang's first thought upon seeing this scene was not anger, but a feeling of incomparable absurdity, mixed with some curiosity.

What happened in this Iron Garden while I was away? What could make his Beast willingly act as a mount for other Beasts?

He didn't understand, but he knew his Pink Pig very well. The current Pink Pig was in its growth stage; to put it bluntly, it was gluttonous and lazy...

"Hmm? Could it be that Qin Ding or Bai Muxue's Beasts used their own blood food as a trade with my Pink Pig?"

This thought suddenly popped into Wan Kang's mind, and the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, because it was exactly the kind of thing his pig would do.

The sharp-eyed Big Black immediately spotted Wan Kang, who was staring blankly at this side from the crowd.

"Woof."

[Little Fox, the pig's owner has come to pick it up. We can't follow them home. Let's go.]

The White Fox, leaning against Big Black, raised its head and also saw Wan Kang, who had come to pick up his Beast. It immediately jumped off the Pink Pig with Big Black.

Wan Kang: ...

Taking a complicated look at Big Black and the White Fox, Wan Kang could basically confirm his guess: one of them, Big Black or the White Fox, had fed his Pink Pig.

But if that was the case... let them ride for a while then. After all, it was a trade. In the end, it seemed like he had actually profited?

And most importantly, he didn't have any friction with Qin Ding, so there was no need to cause trouble over such a thing. Therefore, having figured it out, Wan Kang left with the Pink Pig without looking back.

He didn't say a word.

However, as he turned, he saw Qin Ding and Bai Muxue, whose expressions were a bit unnatural. He nodded to them and then walked away quickly, the Pink Pig huffing and puffing as it followed behind, shaking the fat on its body that wasn't yet very abundant.

Qin Ding: ...

Bai Muxue: ...