134: Zhuang Yanxin is a substitute

I'm afraid this time, they are still coming for Charlie.

Gu Xiaoyue didn't say a word and kept walking forward, wondering if it would be like last time, where Charlie's secret guards took care of it.

Although she had just passed the Legendary-level assessment, her current strength was no less than that of a Quasi-Legendary level.

However, for high-level Beastmasters, even if they all passed the assessment, there is a world of difference between different Quasi-Legendary levels.

The practical assessment for the Quasi-Legendary level involves five Rank-8 fierce beasts, and the strict requirement is at least four pets that are at the Mature Rank-6 mid-stage or higher.

Xiao Qi and Xiao Jiu are Mature Rank-8, while Qingqing, Yinglong, and Hou are Mature Rank-6 early-stage.

Actually, God-Rank Pets have high grades; Yinglong and Hou are not inferior to Heavenly-Tier pets at the Mature Rank-7 late-stage.

But rules are rules, and this is the biggest factor causing the gap in strength among high-level Beastmasters!

Many Beastmasters want to grind levels over time to raise their pets to the required level to pass the assessment.

This is not a problem, but the Legendary level is a watershed.

Because for the Quasi-Legendary level, it not only requires four Mature Rank-6 mid-stage pets, but also at least two that are Heavenly-Tier mid-grade or higher.

The requirements for the Legendary level are even higher: five Mature Rank-7 mid-stage pets, at least three of which must be Heavenly-Tier top-grade, and at least one must be Immortal Tier or Demon Tier.

If one wanted to establish their own faction with such strength, it wouldn't be impossible.

Therefore, whether it's the Chu family or the Shui family, the highest-level bodyguards are only at the Quasi-Legendary level.

Gu Xiaoyue was checking the people tracking them while judging that their level should be Quasi-Legendary.

A quarter of an hour had passed, and the killing intent had not diminished but rather intensified.

Gu Xiaoyue frowned; she was not certain of victory.

Charlie's shadow guards and the killers were similar in strength, so they were likely drawn away and wouldn't be in mortal danger.

She, Chu Li, and Shui Lingyu could all turn invisible to shake off the killers.

But they couldn't leave the main target as a sitting duck, so Gu Xiaoyue led Chu Li and the others into an alley.

"Senior, go invisible, we'll meet at the academy!"

Gu Xiaoyue said, then immediately used concealment and summoned Xiao Hei.

Xiao Hei, summoned while in a state of concealment, was also invisible.

She pulled Chu Li and Charlie, and they flashed into Xiao Hei's hidden space.

Hearing Gu Xiaoyue's words, Shui Lingyu did not hesitate, concealing his figure almost at the same time as Gu Xiaoyue.

"Hey, Yue, you are too strong!"

It was Charlie's first time entering a hidden space, and being able to use his pet's perspective to observe the outside made him feel incredibly excited!

Chu Li glanced at him with some disdain. Is this really the Duke's son? Why does he seem like a bumpkin who hasn't seen the world!

Gu Xiaoyue could understand; Charlie was once like a flower in a greenhouse, and the Duke letting them leave the Country of the Setting Sun was also a form of training.

"We'll wait here for a while."

She wanted to see if the hunters would realize it when they became the prey.

Two minutes later, a beautiful woman with blonde wavy hair also entered the alley.

Looking at the empty alley, the woman seemed to curse a couple of times, her expression angry as she clenched her fists.

"Do you recognize her?"

Gu Xiaoyue asked Charlie, only to see that guy shaking his head with a bewildered expression.

"If you don't recognize her, hurry up and take a photo to have someone investigate!"

She held her forehead, feeling a bit weary; a useless teammate is really hard to carry.

Charlie finally realized and took a picture of this beautiful foreign woman.

There was no signal in the hidden space, so he had to wait until they got out to send the photo to his subordinates for investigation.

Returning to Nanya, Shui Lingyu was waiting for them at the school gate.

Gu Xiaoyue did not reveal herself until they returned to Charlie's private dormitory, and only then did she bring Chu Li and Charlie out.

"If Shui Lingyu asks, just say you went into Chu Li's hidden space!"

She instructed Charlie, and Chu Li also understood that Xiao Yue had developed a barrier toward Shui Lingyu again.

He was actually a bit secretly happy.

Chu Li had always felt that the gentle Shui Lingyu was the type Gu Xiaoyue liked, and now he had to be even more wary of Charlie, this foreigner.

Back in her room, Gu Xiaoyue hesitated for a moment, but still called Shui Lingyu to tell him she had returned to her dormitory.

On the other end of the line, Shui Lingyu's tone held no confusion or disappointment; he just gently told Gu Xiaoyue to get some rest early.

His attitude made Gu Xiaoyue even more suspicious that she had wronged him.

Mu Chaohua had issued the bounty under someone else's instruction!

She must investigate this to the end!

Charlie, having passed the Quasi-Master level assessment, held his badge and showed it off to Allen.

"It's so beautiful! Allen, tell me, isn't the Quasi-Master level badge too beautiful?"

Allen's straight posture tilted slightly, "Yes, congratulations!"

Charlie fed the Three-Headed Dog and the Hydra each a Huanpo Lotus.

He had exchanged six in total with Gu Xiaoyue, just enough for them to reach Mature Rank-6.

He even felt that he could pass the Quasi-Legendary level assessment in the Dragon Kingdom!

"So cool!"

He wanted to pull Allen to dance, but was stopped.

"You should rest, sir."

Charlie made a face at him, spun around the room a few times, and then excitedly lay down.

He felt he was too wise to have chosen Gu Xiaoyue!

In the next room, Gu Xiaoyue was lying under the covers, still thinking.

Were those hunting Charlie really after his life, or were they trying to kidnap him to threaten the Duke?

Little Bear and Xiao Lan had already risen to Mature Rank-4; should she feed them Huanpo Lotus, or let them grow naturally?

Thinking and thinking, Gu Xiaoyue fell asleep.

Another month passed, and the time for team formation for the National Competition was approaching.

Director Wu called Gu Xiaoyue and Chu Li to his office, "What are your thoughts on this year's National Competition? Will Chu Li still be the team captain?"

"I will be the captain this year, and I have already finalized the participating members."

Gu Xiaoyue replied.

"Hmm," Director Wu picked up his teacup and took a sip, "You know there are some special circumstances this year, right?"

"I know. Charlie is also going to participate, which does conflict with my original plan. So this is what I was thinking—"

Gu Xiaoyue told Director Wu about the personnel configuration; besides Fang Xiaoyu, she wanted to bring Ye Wanrou and Chen Yixuan.

She also explained that the original lineup was intended to include Zhuang Yanxin, but if Charlie competes, she would make Zhuang Yanxin a substitute member, to be fielded when needed.

"Having a substitute member is not unprecedented. However, this is equivalent to having one extra person—how will the rewards be distributed?"

"For the team competition, my rewards can be given to her. For the individual competition, it will still depend on individual strength."

Gu Xiaoyue thought to herself, the rewards for this National Competition were all bought for me by Coach Huo; I have plenty of those supplies! No need to fight over it!

With Zhuang Yanxin as a substitute, she wouldn't need to play in the entire preliminary round, and with Chu Li and the others' strength, making it into the top five would be more than enough!

As the captain, she could just coast through, which made her happy just thinking about it!

Charlie's two pets were already Mature Rank-6, and he had booked the Master Beastmaster assessment a few days ago; his strength could not be underestimated.

If Lv Hao and Su Anxi didn't have Huanpo Lotus, their pets would at most rise to Mature Rank-5.

As for the others, without any special opportunities, it should be the same as last year, easily winning first place in the country.

Since Gu Xiaoyue had already arranged the team configuration, Director Wu let them go form their teams and start preparing for the National Competition.

Gu Xiaoyue and Chu Li saluted Director Wu and turned to leave the office.

She opened the door to leave and found Zhuang Yanxin standing right at the door of Director Wu's office.