Chapter 597: secret key

Under the cover of night, the plane landed smoothly.

Passengers began to disembark.

Qiao Sang, Tang Yi, and Qu Zhuo joined the bustling crowd and left the airport.

This time, Qu Zhuo didn’t call a taxi; instead, he formed a hand seal and summoned his Kui Bo Eagle.

The three of them sat on the Kui Bo Eagle and ascended high into the sky.

Below, the night was dazzling, with Pet Beasts carrying people or Flying, moving like a flowing stream.

Without the wild Pet Beasts crashing about, Qiao Sang felt the speed of travel had significantly increased.

Suddenly, Tang Yi asked:

“Teacher, I heard Zhongkong University has a private Secret Realm. Is that true?”

A private Secret Realm? Qiao Sang subconsciously perked up her ears.

“It’s true,” Qu Zhuo said with a smile. “If you were taking the assessment on Blue Star, the Secret Realm test would take place in the Secret Realm under our school’s name.”

“Secret Realms can be private?” Qiao Sang finally couldn’t help but ask.

Tang Yi looked at Qiao Sang in surprise, as if he hadn’t expected her not to know even that.

Qu Zhuo didn’t think too much of it and explained:

“There are many conditions for owning a private Secret Realm. Our Zhongkong University put in a lot of effort to get it approved. Besides us, some aristocratic families and organizations also have their own private Secret Realms.”

“These Secret Realms, in addition to resources, also contain some Pet Beasts that are simply not available on the market. Some families’ Pet Beasts are impossible for others to contract because they were obtained in the family’s private Secret Realm.”

At this point, Qu Zhuo suddenly remembered something and looked at Qiao Sang:

“I remember that this year’s National Campus Pet Beast League champion in the third-year high school section has a prize: a key to enter the 16th Secret Realm.”

Wait, the 16th Secret Realm? Why does that sound so familiar… Qiao Sang was stunned.

The champion’s prize, besides a gold trophy, was also a white cylindrical crystal with a string attached.

The leader had told her about the latter’s purpose during the awards ceremony, saying it was a key to enter a certain Secret Realm.

But at the time, she was immersed in the joy of winning the championship and didn’t pay much attention to the details.

Now that she thought about it, what that leader said seemed to be the 16th Secret Realm.

The 16th Secret Realm, why does it feel like I’ve heard it somewhere else… Qiao Sang fell into a reverie.

Past scenes replayed in her mind, segment by segment.

Suddenly, her memory paused on a certain image.

Qiao Sang’s eyes lit up.

She remembered!

Mu Zhen Auction!

Qingfeng Compass!

Qingqingni was in the 16th Secret Realm!

Holy cow, this Secret Realm not only opens only once every thirty years, but it’s also private?!

Doesn’t that mean that even if she had the Qingfeng Compass and waited until its opening two years later, if she didn’t get the prize for winning the National Campus Pet Beast League, then her 900 million would have been spent in vain?!

Qiao Sang remained silent for a long time after thinking about this.

Since it’s private, why did that auction house even auction off the Qingfeng Compass? Didn’t they consider that an ignorant “nouveau riche” might get mixed in… Qiao Sang felt inexplicably disheartened for a moment and asked:

“The 16th Secret Realm is a private Secret Realm, so why are there still keys circulating outside?”

Qu Zhuo patiently explained:

“Private means that the Secret Realm has been approved by the country for the user’s exclusive right of use. Once a Secret Realm is private, how it’s used is entirely up to the user. For example, many courses at our Zhongkong University’s private Secret Realm are held inside, so as long as you’re a student of our school, you basically have a chance to enter.”

“And some aristocratic families’ private Secret Realms are specifically for their own family members to enter.”

“There are also some private Secret Realms that deliberately release a few slots outside each year, in exchange for resources that are usually difficult to obtain, or to exchange favors.”

“The 16th Secret Realm is private to the Spiritual Mark Center, and it only opens once every thirty years. The resources accumulated inside can be said to be very abundant. The next opening is less than two years away. I think the country got hold of this slot as a reward for the champion precisely because of this.”

Qiao Sang thought to herself that they were quite thoughtful.

Qu Zhuo then shared some more knowledge about Secret Realms.

In the midst of their casual conversation, Sainan High School arrived.

Qiao Sang jumped off the Kui Bo Eagle, then remembered something and turned to ask:

“Teacher, if I don’t get into Zhongkong University, will I still have a chance to battle you again in the future?”

Qu Zhuo paused, then smiled:

“You need to have confidence in yourself.”

…

Back at the dormitory.

Qiao Sang flopped onto the soft, large bed.

“Ya…”

Yabao yawned, lay on the ground, closed its eyes, and fell asleep within a minute.

Lubao walked out of the room and into the living room, wanting to train.

Xiao Xunbao, who was about to play on her phone, looked at Lubao’s back, gritted her teeth, and followed her out.

Qiao Sang turned her head and saw Steel Treasure feeding spicy peppers to Chan Chan Stone.

After staring for two seconds, Qiao Sang hesitated and said:

“Steel Treasure, why do I feel like your feathers have gotten a bit thinner again?”

“Gang gang.”

Upon hearing this, Steel Treasure didn’t stop feeding the peppers and simply chirped, indicating it was nothing, just that it had plucked a few itself.

Qiao Sang’s eyebrow twitched: “Why are you plucking your feathers?”

“Gang gang.”

Steel Treasure didn’t hide it.

It felt that the opponent Yabao fought had a very cool move, so it wanted to try it.

Even without mentioning the opponent’s species name, Qiao Sang knew Steel Treasure was talking about the Steel-Shredding Monkey.

I feel like you don’t think the Steel-Shredding Monkey’s move is cool, but rather that it’s cool because it won against Yabao… Qiao Sang silently grumbled, then said:

“Try it if you want, but pluck fewer feathers. After all, your defense is largely related to your feathers. If you really want to try, just pluck one, try it, then pick it back up and keep using that one for practice.”

“Gang gang.”

After listening, Steel Treasure’s eyes lit up, and it nodded, thinking this method was excellent.

It was a good thing for her Pet Beast to have a direction for learning, and Qiao Sang didn’t intend to stop it.

Now that the assessment was over, she needed to get back into her previous study rhythm.

At times like these, if Pet Beasts don’t need to be managed and have the motivation to become stronger on their own, it saves a lot of trouble, and she can devote more attention to her studies.

Thinking of this, Qiao Sang suddenly sat up from the bed, went to her desk, and opened her textbooks.

All-nighter!

Stay up late!

Study!

At the same time, outside the dark window.

A pitch-black Pet Beast, resembling a stone, was on a tree, watching the Chan Chan Stone being fed peppers inside the house, and slowly shed two lines of crystals.

…

The next morning.

Under the Healing Light, Qiao Sang’s dark circles completely faded.

After a simple wash-up, breakfast, and changing into her school uniform, she took Yabao and the others to the outdoor training ground she often used.

Then she turned to Xiao Xunbao.

“Xiao Xunbao!”

Before she could even speak, Xiao Xunbao showed an “I understand” expression and disappeared from the spot.

Qiao Sang sensed Xiao Xunbao’s location and knew it had successfully reached its study spot.

It’s grown up, it’s really much less worry… Qiao Sang sighed inwardly, then walked towards the classroom.

The end.