Beast Taming: Starting From Zero

Someone's Looking For You

"By the way, Big Thighs…” Fang Sisi started to say something.

“Can you stop calling me Big Thighs?” Qiao Sang interrupted her.

“Then how about I call you Beautiful Thighs?” Fang Sisi suggested.

Qiao Sang: “…”

Under Qiao Sang's deadly glare, Fang Sisi finally changed her tone, “Qiao Sang, have you already contracted a pet beast?”

No newly awakened Beast Master could resist the temptation to contract a pet beast as soon as possible.

Qiao Sang nodded without denying it.

“So, you…”

Just as Fang Sisi was about to continue asking, the noise in the classroom abruptly quieted, as if someone had pressed the mute button.

Looking up, she saw that it was the homeroom teacher who had arrived…

In the next second, Fang Sisi’s face turned pale.

Oh no, oh no, she hadn’t finished copying her homework!

“We’ll gather on the playground in five minutes,” The homeroom teacher said, glancing in Qiao Sang's direction after speaking.

Wencheng Junior High School’s over 4,000 students and 300 teachers were all gathered on the playground, forming a dense crowd.

“Why is the entire school here?” Fang Sisi, standing behind Qiao Sang, poked her with her finger.

“No idea.” Qiao Sang replied.

Since the third years were in the middle of intense preparations for exams, they generally didn’t participate in morning assemblies with the first and second years.

Even when the school called for a gathering, there were always one or two classes that were exceptions.

Qiao Sang glanced up at the stage and saw that all the top school officials were present, including the principal, vice principal, and head of teaching.

This was a rare occurrence at the usual morning assemblies.

Principal Chen Yongfeng was on stage, giving his usual old speech. Every time he spoke at an assembly, it was the same few lines, nothing new.

Qiao Sang felt bored and didn’t pay any attention to what was being said on stage.

After ten minutes, the sound of thunderous applause filled the air, and Qiao Sang instinctively joined in.

A petite figure from the third year walked onto the stage.

“Respected teachers, dear students, hello everyone, I’m Dai Shushu from Class 9 of the third year. It’s an honor…”

What Qiao Sang thought would be an ordinary assembly turned out to be a personal commendation ceremony for Dai Shushu.

Qiao Sang had never interacted with Dai Shushu, but she had heard plenty about her from others and knew a bit about her.

Dai Shushu came from a poor family and was the only student in the school receiving financial aid.

She had been the top student for three consecutive years and was later self-awakened and recommended to a Beast Master high school. She was the typical inspirational figure.

“What’s the point of being recommended? With her family situation, can they even afford a pet beast?” A boy standing to Qiao Sang’s right said sarcastically.

“Neither of her parents are Beast Masters, so how did they manage to have a self-awakened Beast Master as a child?” Someone else remarked.

Qiao Sang was a bit surprised. With the development of the Beast Master society, people had long realized that the children of Beast Masters were more likely to become Beast Masters themselves.

The higher the level of the Beast Masters, the more likely they were to have children with high innate abilities.

Conversely, if both parents were ordinary people, the chances of their children becoming Beast Masters were only 2%.

Even if ordinary people had a slight chance of producing a Beast Master, the odds of producing a self-awakened one were incredibly slim.

Qiao Sang’s curiosity was piqued, and she started paying closer attention to the speech.

“This opportunity to be recommended to Shengshui High School wouldn’t have been possible without the help of my teachers…”

Qiao Sang’s eyelashes twitched.

Both she and Dai Shushu were self-awakened, and now, with Shengshui High School in the picture, it was hard for Qiao Sang not to compare herself to her.

The comparison left her feeling a bit disheartened, and she quickly lost interest in listening.

Back in the classroom, Qiao Sang focused solely on her studies.

As a third-year student approaching the high school entrance exams, all the coursework had already been covered, and now it was all about reviewing and doing practice papers.

[Over 3,000 years ago, disaster struck: earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and other cataclysmic events plunged the world into an apocalyptic state. Which Beast Master stopped this catastrophe?]

[A. Chen Jiading]

[B. Sen Xiaoman]

[C. Wang Wenyu]

[D. Wang Yao]

Qiao Sang had seen many questions like this over the past few days. The chaos that occurred over 3,000 years ago wasn’t a natural disaster but a man-made one.

It was Wang Yao who had used his pet beast to create the disaster. As an SS-level Beast Master, he had the power to alter nature itself.

With each awakening of the Beast Master’s codex, Beast Masters would gain some life force feedback from their pet beasts when they reached D-level, which would affect their lifespan and physique.

As their level increased, the feedback became stronger.

Unless directly attacked, it was difficult for them to be harmed by mere aftershocks.

Wang Yao, with his SS-level Beast Master physique, managed to break through the Alliance’s encirclement and even killed 223 Beast Masters, including 11 S-level Beast Masters.

Becoming an S-level Beast Master required at least a century of effort, and the Alliance suffered heavy losses.

Later, the SS-level Beast Master Wang Wenyu returned from Yantian Star and finally subdued Wang Yao, but in that battle, five of his long-standing pet beasts were killed.

After that, Wang Wenyu went into seclusion.

This question was easy to get wrong if you didn’t read it carefully.

This question had appeared in the last mock exam, and Qiao Sang had chosen D, not because she hadn’t read the question properly, but because she thought the pattern "three long, one short" was the answer.

This time, she changed her answer from last time.

“Qiao Sang, someone’s looking for you,” A girl sitting by the door called out.

Qiao Sang looked up and saw a girl in a faded school uniform smiling at her from the doorway.

“It’s Dai Shushu! Since when did you know her?” Fang Sisi asked in surprise.

Dai Shushu was a popular figure in the school, naturally attracting the attention of her classmates, and many heads turned to look.

“I don’t know her,” Qiao Sang said, equally puzzled.

She walked out.

“What’s up?” Qiao Sang asked, confused.

She was sure that her previous self hadn’t had any interactions with Dai Shushu. One was a top student, the other a low achiever, and they weren’t even in the same class.

With graduation approaching, she couldn’t think of a reason why Dai Shushu would want to talk to her.

“I’m here to apologize on behalf of my mother for what happened last time." Dai Shushu said.

She had a delicate appearance, and due to malnutrition, she looked fragile, as if a gust of wind could blow her away.

“What happened?” Qiao Sang raised an eyebrow.

“Didn’t your mother tell you? Last Friday, my mom said some unpleasant things to your aunt. There were teachers around at the time, so I couldn’t intervene. Did your mother go back home alright?” Dai Shushu asked in a soft voice.

Qiao Sang was silent for a moment before asking, “What did your mom say?”

Dai Shushu showed an apologetic expression.

“Just some harsh words. My mom didn’t mean it. Your mother also said some things.”

She paused, then added, “It’s just that the teacher saw they were about to start fighting and asked your mother to leave. I felt a bit guilty about it.”

Qiao Sang’s face was expressionless. “The teacher asked my mother to leave. What does that have to do with you?”

Dai Shushu smoothed her hair.

“The teacher wouldn’t have asked her to leave if it weren’t for me.”

“I see.” Qiao Sang said, then asked again,

“What exactly did your mom say?”

Dai Shushu lowered her head. She was already shorter than Qiao Sang, so with her head down, her expression was hidden.

“My mom said that your poor grades were because you lacked a father’s discipline and that you only awakened by sheer luck. She also said that with your mother being so fierce, it’s no wonder she got divorced.”

She looked up, her expression innocent. “So, did you really awaken on your own?”

Qiao Sang looked at Dai Shushu for two seconds, then smiled and said, "Yes, is there anything else?"

Dai Shushu slightly lowered her gaze and shook her head. "No, that's all."

Qiao Sang turned and went back to the classroom.

As soon as she sat down, Fang Sisi leaned over. "What did Dai Shushu say to you? Your face looks terrible."

"Does it really look that bad?" Qiao Sang asked.

"Yeah, you were frowning so much you almost scared me." Fang Sisi teased.

Qiao Sang wished she had a mirror to check her expression.

Fang Sisi continued to press, "What did Dai Shushu want?"

"Nothing important." Qiao Sang replied, picking up her book again.

Fang Sisi wanted to ask more but, seeing that Qiao Sang didn't want to talk about it, she kept quiet.

After the morning classes ended, Qiao Sang packed up her things and went to the office of the third-year teachers.

"Teacher, I need to take a leave," Qiao Sang said, staring at the teacher’s thick hair.

Her homeroom teacher stood up abruptly.

Another female teacher in the office immediately turned her gaze to Qiao Sang.

The homeroom teacher tried to maintain composure.

"Do you know what you're saying? There are only a few days left until the high school entrance exams, and you want to take a leave? I haven't even asked you to write a self-reflection for skipping class last time."

Qiao Sang replied seriously, "Teacher, if you don't grant me leave, I'll just skip class again. I’ll write the reflection later."

The homeroom teacher felt his temple throbbing. "Does your family know you're asking for leave?"

Qiao Sang didn't answer.

The teacher took a deep breath, sat back down, and said earnestly, "If you don't want your mother to come to school again, then go back to class. I admit I was wrong about accusing you last time, but even if you've awakened your beast-taming abilities, you can't neglect your studies. The exams are just a few days away."

Qiao Sang smiled.

"Teacher, you were at school last Friday when my mom came, right?"

The homeroom teacher paused and replied, "Yes, I asked your mom to come in to explain why you were skipping class."

Qiao Sang tilted her head and asked, "Then why was she sent out of the office?"

The homeroom teacher froze, his expression complex, assuming that Qiao Sang’s mother had told her about the incident, and he didn’t know how to respond.

He shared an office with the homeroom teacher of Class Nine.

That day, Dai Shushu and her mother came to the school, coinciding with Qiao Sang's mother’s visit.

Dai Shushu had just been recommended for admission to Shengshui High School, and even the Dean of Students came to congratulate her.

Naturally, the office's attention was focused on Class Nine.

When Qiao Sang's mother explained that her daughter had been so excited about contracting a pet beast after awakening her abilities that she forgot to ask for leave, the teachers were all quite interested.

Everyone in the office turned their attention to her, and after a few questions, all of Qiao Sang's background came out.

Dai Shushu's mother made a few snide remarks, and Qiao Sang's mother started arguing with her.

Dai Shushu cried.

As the school's star student, no one wanted her to feel mistreated, so the Dean asked Qiao Sang’s mother to leave.

The homeroom teacher considered himself a responsible teacher.

He wasn’t skilled at socializing, but he had worked diligently for over 20 years to finally become a homeroom teacher.

However, over time, the initial enthusiasm he once had had faded away, and now he didn't dare to stand up for a student's parent when they were treated unfairly.

Still, he felt he hadn't done anything wrong. He had just been a bystander and saw no need to explain the situation to a child.

The homeroom teacher paused and said, "She wasn’t sent out; she was asked to step outside to cool down."

Qiao Sang smiled. "I understand. But that little ' cooling down put my mom in bed sick. You know our family's situation. I'm the only one who can take care of her."

The teacher’s attitude softened. "How long will you need?"

"Until she recovers," Qiao Sang replied.

The homeroom teacher hesitated and then said, "Make sure to come back as soon as possible. The exams are very close."

Qiao Sang nodded, turned, and left.

As he watched her walk away, the homeroom teacher, still concerned, added, "Study hard at home, too. The exams are coming up soon. Once your mom is a bit better, come back quickly."

Qiao Sang glanced back at him and smiled. "Teacher, your wig is crooked."

The homeroom teacher: "..."

The female teacher: "..."

---

Hanggong Xiangzhen Beast-Taming Battle Club.

"How much does it cost to hire a beginner sparring partner for a day at your club?"

"Hello! Our sparring partners are charged by the hour. A beginner costs 1,000 alliance credits per hour. If you book for a whole day, we can offer a 2% discount," The receptionist said with a smile.

Beast-taming battle clubs can provide different sparring partners based on the client's needs.

As one of the more popular industries today, these clubs have spread to neighborhoods large and small.

In some publicly listed beast-taming battle clubs, you can even hire an S-level beast tamer as a sparring partner, provided you can afford it. However, there aren't many clubs of that caliber.

Xiangzhen Beast-Taming Battle Club was already the fifth club Qiao Sang had visited.

She had visited so many beast-taming clubs for one reason: She didn't have enough money...

Qiao Sang touched the small amount of money in her pocket, hugged her Fire Fang Dog, and quietly walked out.

Feeling lost, she didn’t know where to go next.

Initially, she had a laid-back attitude toward Shengshui High School. If she could pass the special admission exam, great; if not, she still had Sixth Beast-Taming High School as a backup, so it didn’t seem like a big deal.

But now, she really wanted to get into Shengshui High School.

In 10 days, Shengshui High School's special admission exam would take place.

Given her current level, she wasn’t even sure if she could meet the minimum passing score.

To be admitted, the second through fifth places had to score 50 points higher than the minimum score, and Qiao Sang wasn’t confident.

As such, she could only secure the minimum score advantage by placing first in the special admission exam.

Having made this decision, she realized she needed to accelerate the training of her Fire Fang Dog.

Although the Fire Fang Dog was a fire-type pet beast with strong attack power, it was still a young cub without much battle experience.

The easy win last time was mainly due to the 2-on-1 advantage and the opponent's slow reaction.

If she went into the special admission exam like this, winning first place seemed unlikely.

She only had 10 days left. Staying in school would be a waste of time, so she decided to study on her own while training the Fire Fang Dog.

Thanks to her special ability, she could significantly improve the Fire Fang Dog's combat skills through battles in a short time.

Qiao Sang had a solid plan, but once she stepped out, she felt lost.

There were many pet beast battle competitions and venues, but they all had requirements. Some competitions required a certain level of beast-taming proficiency.

Beast-taming competitions are meant to generate revenue through viewership and ticket sales.

Newbie beast tamers generally have only one low-level pet beast, so their battles are predictable and unexciting.

If the audience isn’t interested, the organizers won’t bother holding the event.

Qiao Sang checked and found that the next competition in Hanggang City, where F-level beast tamers could participate, was on June 30.

The organizers had timed it perfectly. By then, all third-year students would have finished their entrance exams and contracted their pet beasts.

There would be a large group of newly minted beast tamers eager to sign up, not to mention their parents, teachers, and various friends and family members as a built-in audience, ensuring decent viewership.