144: Determined not to be a big injustice

Ying Long's tone was weak, as if she had been hit quite hard just now.

"I want to soar freely in the sky, I don't want to turn back into a pet egg!"

Gu Xiaoyue sneered, "This time last year, you and Dihun received my heart blood and formed a contract.

Over this past year, although I haven't taken care of you with my whole heart, I have always prioritized you whenever I had anything good!

Now that you are at the mid-stage of the eighth tier of maturity, if I just let you go free like this, how many people would you harm?"

She spoke cryptically, but the actual meaning was: You agreed to the contract, and now that your wings have hardened, you want to leave and treat me like a sucker?

Ying Long didn't answer, but instead began to sob in a low voice.

"Crying won't help. Either honestly be my pet beast, or turn back into a pet egg and go stay in the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool!"

Gu Xiaoyue didn't want the pet beast she had raised to turn into a sharp blade pointed at her.

Hou rolled her eyes from the side, "I say, Ying Long, when you asked for Hanxing Grass, I knew you were going to pull this stunt!

What are you thinking? You look down on those with Heaven-tier talent, and now that you've finally encountered one with Immortal Tier talent, you're still acting up!

If you switch to contract with someone else, will it be as good as this environment?"

Seeing that Hou was also nagging her, Ying Long couldn't help but roar, "I just want to soar freely and come out to fight, what's wrong with that?

I've been cooped up in the Yu Beast Space for a year, and have only gone out once or twice. It's killing me!"

So it was because there were too few opportunities to fight?

Gu Xiaoyue held her forehead, feeling a bit speechless.

She thought for a moment and apologized, "I'm sorry, my strength isn't strong enough yet, so I really can't let you fight more.

Once you reach Monarch-level in the future, you won't be able to avoid fighting even if you want to!

Besides, if you want to fly, my Yu Beast Space should be big enough for you, fly as much as you want!"

Ying Long glared at her with some annoyance.

"You think it's so easy to upgrade to Monarch-level? You need thousand-year snow ginseng!"

"I know, I'll look for it! If it's not outside, I'll go to the dungeon to find it. I will definitely get you to Monarch-level!"

Ying Long turned her face away again, "How long do I have to wait? If it's too long, I won't do it!"

"It's not like you haven't stayed in the Ten Thousand Year Cold Pool for ages, now you're acting all high and mighty!"

Hou couldn't watch anymore, and Xiao Lu also shook her head.

"Then let's do this. Ten years—oh no, five years. Within five years, if I can't find the thousand-year snow ginseng, I'll set you free.

But I won't release you as a ferocious beast, but rather help you choose a Beastmaster you like."

Gu Xiaoyue set this five-year agreement. If she couldn't find the thousand-year snow ginseng, she would find a Beastmaster that Ying Long liked to contract with.

This was already her biggest concession!

Ying Long pouted; she didn't want to be contracted at all.

Hou was right; if she changed contractors, the environment of the Yu Beast Space might not even be as good as Gu Xiaoyue's!

But looking at the current situation, it was impossible for Gu Xiaoyue to let her exist as a wild beast.

However, if Gu Xiaoyue could really find the thousand-year snow ginseng, she could continue to develop upwards.

But there was no rush to tell Gu Xiaoyue; after all, even Lord-level required rare treasures to upgrade to.

"Alright then, it's a deal."

Ying Long stood up, tugging at the wounds on her body, and let out a hiss of pain.

Gu Xiaoyue hadn't expected that this beast-beating whip would be so awesome!

Xiao Qi leaned in, "That's it? You're not afraid she'll betray you?"

Gu Xiaoyue shook her head. If she didn't listen, she'd just whip her again!

The beast-beating whip might not guarantee that Ying Long would be obedient for a year, but a whipping was real, tangible pain.

She asked Xiao Lan to cast Water Therapy on Ying Long.

Xiao Lan felt a bit aggrieved; he had been tormented quite badly by Ying Long just a moment ago.

Gu Xiaoyue took out several bags of snacks, distributed them, and soothed their emotions.

She prided herself on being fair to everyone.

But now that there were twelve pet beasts, how could she treat them all equally?

Gu Xiaoyue withdrew her consciousness and began to meditate.

The ruins of the Yu Beast Space needed her to use Mental Power to repair them.

The next day, Gu Xiaoyue's team trained at Chu Li's private training ground.

Shui Lingyu came to find her and handed her a fruit.

"This is—"

Gu Xiaoyue knew this was a qibao berry, a material for upgrading pet beasts to Lord-level.

Not only did the growth level need to be sufficient, but for a pet beast to upgrade to Lord-level, it required a qibao berry.

Upgrading to Monarch-level required thousand-year snow ginseng.

Gu Xiaoyue didn't understand why Shui Lingyu would suddenly give her one of these.

"A birthday present."

Shui Lingyu said indifferently. Although he had also been busy with the National Competition recently, he had felt Gu Xiaoyue's distance.

"I already said I didn't want a birthday present."

Gu Xiaoyue pushed the qibao berry back toward Shui Lingyu, with no intention of accepting it.

Shui Lingyu's eyes dimmed slightly, and his tone was somewhat mournful.

"But you accepted Junior Chu's weapon."

Gu Xiaoyue was speechless; the matter of the bounty order had not yet been concluded.

Chu Li and Shui Lingyu were both her combat partners; she really shouldn't treat them differently.

Gu Xiaoyue really wanted to ask Shui Lingyu directly if he was the one who instructed Mu Chaohua to place a bounty on her.

The words reached her lips but she swallowed them back.

What if Shui Lingyu actually admitted it? How would she handle herself then?

Gu Xiaoyue smiled awkwardly and took the qibao berry.

She immediately took out a Huanpo Lotus and handed it to Shui Lingyu.

"Then thank you, Senior. Please accept my return gift as well."

Although she couldn't produce materials as precious as the qibao berry at the moment.

Once the truth about the bounty order came to light, she would naturally return the favor to Shui Lingyu many times over.

Shui Lingyu took the Huanpo Lotus and said gently, "Lately I've felt that Xiao Yue has been somewhat distant from me. I hope it's just my imagination."

Gu Xiaoyue nodded, feeling conflicted inside.

"Yes, there have been too many things going on recently. Senior, you are overthinking it."

They chatted for a while longer before Shui Lingyu said goodbye and returned to his own team to train.

Watching Shui Lingyu's departing figure, Gu Xiaoyue sighed and returned to her own team.

Returning to the dormitory at night, Gu Xiaoyue received a message from Xiao Han: [National Competition]

She frowned. Was the Xiao Family planning to make a move against her during the National Competition?

That would truly be quite troublesome.

After all, she had to help Charlie get a score in the National Competition as the foundation for the battle for the title.

Subsequently, she received a call from Qin Shao, notifying her that she could participate in the quasi-legendary level assessment tomorrow.

Not only her, but also Ye Wanrou and Chen Yixuan; they were for the advanced Beastmaster assessment.

Early the next morning, she asked Charlie for leave.

"Hey Yue, I want to go too!"

Charlie protested to her, wanting to go to the assessment with her.

"I'm taking an assessment, why are you joining in the fun!"

Gu Xiaoyue was somewhat worried that if Charlie left Nanya Academy, he would be targeted by the Dark Night Baron's people again.

"Stay in the academy and be at ease. I'll be back in half a day."

Charlie agreed with a wronged expression. Gu Xiaoyue and Chu Li arrived at the Beastmaster Association on time.

"Hmph, I've spent so long in the library, I don't believe I won't pass!"

Ye Wanrou rubbed her hands together, looking like she was ready to fight the Beastmaster assessment!