Chapter 990: Seventh round (two in one)

That night.

Yu Beast Center.

Room 2603.

Qiao Sang was half-lying on the bed, looking at the profiles of the players who had entered the top eight.

The top eight contenders had all been decided tonight, and tomorrow would be the competition to advance from the top eight to the top four.

With Chen Tianqin as a lesson, she was particularly meticulous when checking the information, but unfortunately, the content hadn’t changed much, as if everyone hadn’t hidden anything.

If it weren’t for a player’s Water-type Pet suddenly displaying a Thunder-type skill never shown before in the evening’s match, she would have almost thought that the previously found information was everything.

I really don’t know how such a famous Yu Beast Master, who is constantly tracked and reported by paparazzi, manages to hide things…

Qiao Sang sighed silently in her heart.

Suddenly, there were two ’thumps’ on the window.

Steel Treasure, who was on the tea table by the window, pulled open the curtain with its wing.

Qiao Sang turned her head and saw a bird-type Pet about thirty centimeters in size, holding up a phone with its left wing, pressed against the window, with a line of text scrolling across it:

【Qiao Shen, my Little Song燕 is a fan of Steel Sword Falcon. Can I let it take a photo with Steel Sword Falcon? If not, can I at least get a photo of Steel Sword Falcon for it?】

Little Song燕, a Beginner Flying-type Pet. When it’s happy, it likes to sing, and its singing has a refreshing effect. It is said that people who hear its song will instantly lose their fatigue, and even if they were very sleepy a second ago, they will become energetic the next second…

After Qiao Sang finished reading the text on the phone, the information about the Pet in front of her flashed through her mind, and her thoughts couldn’t help but wander.

I didn’t expect even Beginner Pets to use phones now. Could the text on it have been typed by it too…?

She was already used to Pet fans showing up at her door. She had encountered quite a few today in the suburban villa and in the corridor of the accommodation area.

Steel Treasure turned to look at its Yu Beast Master.

Qiao Sang understood Steel Treasure’s inquiring gaze and nodded:

“Open it.”

Only then did Steel Treasure open the window.

The yellow bird-type Pet jumped onto the tea table, its eyes glowing as it looked at Steel Treasure, completely a fan girl.

Steel Treasure was stunned for a moment by that look.

Qiao Sang asked:

“Are you a fan of Steel Treasure?”

“Steel Sword?”

Steel Treasure reacted, its expression surprised as it looked at the yellow bird-type Pet.

Its fan?

“Gege?”

Little Song燕 pointed to Steel Treasure beside it and chirped, asking if ‘Steel Treasure’ was its name.

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure nodded.

“Gege!”

Seeing that its idol was the one answering, Little Song燕 immediately became excited, nodding repeatedly, indicating that it was indeed its fan.

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure turned and chirped towards Xiao Xunbao.

“Xiao Xunbao~”

Xiao Xunbao quickly put down the snacks in its claws, teleported in front of Little Song燕, took the phone from its wing, skillfully opened the camera, and took a photo.

After taking the photo, it returned the phone to Little Song燕 and teleported back to continue eating snacks.

“Gege~”

Little Song燕 looked at the photo with its idol on the phone, its eyes curving, and suddenly began to sing loudly.

“Ge~ Gegege~ Gege~ Gege~”

Invisible sound waves rippled out.

Qiao Sang immediately felt all her sleepiness disappear.

Tooth Treasure, who had been yawning, suddenly stood up from the bed and became energetic.

Dew Treasure opened its eyes in the water tank, glanced at Little Song燕, and then closed them again.

Clear Treasure appeared, curiously looking at the singing Little Song燕.

“Xiao Xunbao~”

Xiao Xunbao put down its snacks and clapped for Little Song燕, providing great emotional support.

Steel Treasure looked at Little Song燕 thoughtfully.

“Gege~”

After finishing its song, Little Song燕 bowed, then flapped its wings and happily flew out the window.

“Steel Sword…”

Steel Treasure stood by the window, watching Little Song燕 fly away. Only when its figure completely disappeared did it close the window again and draw the curtains.

“What’s wrong?” Qiao Sang’s bond with Steel Treasure was now quite deep, and she sensed its inner doubts, so she couldn’t help but ask.

“Steel Sword?”

Steel Treasure chirped, asking if the bird’s song just now had a refreshing effect.

Qiao Sang nodded:

“Yes.”

She paused, then asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Steel Sword…”

Steel Treasure was silent for a moment, then chirped, indicating that it just felt that it was so late now, it should be bedtime, and it suddenly came to sing. If it couldn’t sleep tonight, would it affect its energy for tomorrow’s competition?

Qiao Sang was stunned, then said in a deep voice:

“You mean, someone deliberately sent it?”

She recalled another piece of information about Little Song燕:

Little Song燕, when happy, likes to sing. Its singing has a refreshing effect, but the duration is limited. Depending on the level of the song’s special ability, the duration will vary accordingly. After the refreshing effect wears off, the original fatigue will return twofold.

…

At the same time.

A private room in a tea restaurant near the Yu Beast Center.

“Gege~”

Little Song燕 happily flew in through the window.

On the sofa, a young man with thick eyebrows, looking only sixteen, saw Little Song燕’s appearance and said in surprise:

“The photo was successful?”

“Gege~”

Little Song燕 handed the phone to its Yu Beast Master and nodded happily.

Affected by the emotion, it couldn’t help but spread its wings, preparing to sing again:

“Ge~ Ge…”

The singing stopped abruptly.

The man with the stylish short ponytail on the other side of the sofa put a yellow berry into its mouth and said with a smile:

“I don’t want to be unable to sleep tonight.”

“Gege…”

Little Song燕 took a bite of the berry, instantly forgetting about singing, and happily gnawed on it.

“They really took a group photo!” The young man looked at the photo on the phone, full of surprise. Then he remembered something and regretted it immensely, saying heartbrokenly:

“If I had known Qiao Shen was so easy to talk to, I should have gone to her myself for a group photo. Maybe I could even have gotten an autograph.”

The man with the stylish ponytail said with a smile:

“She’ll take photos and give autographs to Pets that come to her, but she might not do the same for people who come to her. If you, like Little Song燕, directly go to someone’s living place, that’s a sasaeng fan, and she won’t give you a good look.”

“That’s true…” The young man sighed, then said gratefully:

“Brother, it’s a good thing you suggested letting Little Song燕 go ask for a group photo. Qiao Shen’s whereabouts are really hard to pin down. Every time after a match, she directly uses Space Movement to leave the venue, so you can’t find her at all.”

The man took a sip of tea and said:

“I also have a friend who happens to live where Qiao Sang trains. He said his Pet suddenly brought back Yan Jiaoou’s autograph and refused to take a bath no matter what, so I thought of letting Little Song燕 try.”

The young man was stunned:

“What does that have to do with it not taking a bath?”

The man laughed: “It’s said it was signed on its belly.”

The young man was taken aback, then burst out laughing:

“How could it be signed on its belly? Could it be that this Pet actively asked to have its belly signed?”

“I don’t know about that.” The man’s tone was amused.

The young man suddenly asked: “By the way, brother, how did you know Qiao Shen lives in 2603?”

The man said:

“Her living at the Yu Beast Center isn’t a secret. You can find it out with a little checking.”

The young man became worried:

“Qiao Shen should change where she lives. Everyone knows where she lives. What if they disturb her?”

The man smiled and didn’t reply.

A few seconds later, he looked at Little Song燕, who was eating the berry, and asked:

“Are you happy after taking the group photo?”

“Gege~”

Little Song燕 nodded repeatedly.

The man asked again: “Were you happy enough to sing?”

“Gege~”

Little Song燕 nodded.

The man smiled contentedly.

At this moment, the young man said:

“Brother, I couldn’t get a ticket for tomorrow’s live match. Can you ask Brother Yu if he can save a seat for me? He’s made it to the top eight, so it shouldn’t be hard for him to get a seat from the organizers.”

The man didn’t refuse:

“I’ll ask then.”

With that, he took out his phone, opened a chat interface, typed, and sent:

【Qiao Sang’s side is handled.】

It wasn’t intentional targeting; this was just a normal means of interference.

After all, among the remaining players, Qiao Sang’s living location was the easiest to approach.

…

Yu Beast Center.

Room 2603.

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure chirped, indicating that it wasn’t sure, just worried that if it couldn’t sleep tonight because of the song, its energy wouldn’t be good tomorrow.

It could tell that the singing bird was truly its fan, unless the other party was as good at acting as itself.

“You don’t have to worry about that.” Qiao Sang said, “Dew Treasure has Healing Light. It can just use it then.”

She paused, then added:

“However, it seems quite a few people know my room number. After the top four matches are over, I’ll still have to change places.”

Regardless of whether Little Song燕 was Steel Treasure’s fan, given that the curtains were drawn, it being able to accurately find her and even bring a phone meant it definitely wasn’t acting alone without its Yu Beast Master’s knowledge.

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure nodded in agreement.

It was quite satisfied with its Yu Beast Master’s caution.

Qiao Sang sensed Steel Treasure’s satisfaction, paused, and said with a smile:

“Do you think our bond has deepened again?”

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure flapped its wings, indicating ‘maybe’.

“Do you remember the place where you dreamt of evolving?” Qiao Sang asked.

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure’s expression became serious, and it nodded.

It remembered.

Although it had temporarily evolved when predicting the evolution location, it was still only in its High Level form. Even though the dreamt location was in the Yukong Beast Arena, it wasn’t the place where it officially evolved into its General-level form at that time.

“Yukong Beast Arena.” Qiao Sang stated the location of Steel Treasure’s evolution:

“If we’re matched with the opponent from your dream, I’ll let you participate.”

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure nodded solemnly.

Its own strength might be weaker in the team, but if it truly involved its possible evolution at that location and time, no matter how strong the opponent, it had to participate.

Qiao Sang’s gaze returned to her phone, searching for information, not daring to be careless.

The previous instances where Tooth Treasure and the others fulfilled Aodinihi’s prophecies regarding evolution timing and location made her realize that evolution wasn’t just about finding the prophesied location, but about using her known information to push this prophecy forward.

In other words, the outcome of this prophecy happens under the condition that she knows about the prophecy.

If she encountered the opponent from Steel Treasure’s dream, and she made a bad judgment or a mistake, causing Steel Treasure to appear in an inappropriate match, leading to the failure of the prophecy, it was also possible.

Of course, she wasn’t sure if Steel Treasure would evolve during this Regional Competition.

After all, it wasn’t impossible to have a second battle against the same opponent in the same location.

However, the location and person did have a chance to match up in this Regional Competition…

Qiao Sang looked at a name on the profile:

Wu Tianjiao.

Steel Treasure’s opponent in its dream, Thunder Flax Spirit, among all the players, only she had one.

…

8:30 AM.

Yukong Beast Arena.

“Hello, audience friends.” The reporter held the microphone and spoke to the camera: “I am now at the Yukong Beast Arena. All the players are in position, and the venue is packed. Today, we will be holding the competition to advance from the top eight to the top four. The dazzling fireworks have already been lit, offering blessings and respect to all the remaining players. There are only four spots in the top four. Who will claim these four spots? Let’s turn our attention to the field.”

The camera focused on the center of the arena.

The Host had already completed the preceding procedures and spoke:

“Let’s welcome the referee from the Yu Beast Notary Office.”

A giant virtual screen appeared out of thin air.

Fen Tongji split into two, his head floating into the screen and merging with it.

Eight photos quickly shuffled and then settled.

Fen Tongji’s head flew out of the screen, its color unchanged.

The eight players were divided into four groups. Qiao Sang immediately saw her group:

【Qiao Sang VS Yu Zhenyi】

Audience stands.

Area A, Row 6.

The cheering young man immediately quieted down when he saw the list, sighing:

“Brother Yu is so unlucky, he’s actually grouped with Qiao Shen.”

The man with the stylish short ponytail beside him glanced at him: “How do you know it’s definitely your Qiao Shen who will win?”

The young man spread his hands:

“Do I even need to think about it? Qiao Shen even defeated Chen Tianqin. I remember Brother Yu lost to him before.”

“Gege.”

Little Song燕 nodded in the young man’s arms.

That’s right, that’s right.

The man stopped talking and turned his gaze to the player area.

He didn’t expect Yu Zhenyi to actually be matched against Qiao Sang, but she didn’t seem to be in low spirits.

Could it be that Ice Emperor Ram used Healing Light?

Player area.

When Qiao Sang saw her opponent, her phone suddenly vibrated.

She took it out and saw that it was from Rong Yuhua:

【Yu Zhenyi.txt】

【It’s a freebie, no pressure.】

Qiao Sang thought for a moment and typed a reply:

【Thank you.】

She had to admit, the information provided by the other party was indeed much more complete than what she found online.

At least for the proficiency of Pet skills, she could only analyze it, not look it up.

Rong Yuhua replied instantly:

【Why so polite? I already consider you a friend. By the way, when will you officially join the Guo Yu Bureau for training?】

Qiao Sang: 【…Didn’t I tell you, twenty years later?】

Rong Yuhua: 【You’re lying to me! I don’t believe you!】

Qiao Sang: 【I’m not lying to you.】

If she became an A-grade Beastmaster within the stipulated time, she would directly participate in the competition.

Training at the Guo Yu Bureau would only happen if she didn’t become an A-grade Beastmaster twenty years later.

Qiao Sang ignored Rong Yuhua’s messages and opened Yu Zhenyi’s related file.

Yu Zhenyi, 36 years old, a B-level Beast Tamer, awakened on his own at twelve. This was his third Regional Competition, and his ace Pet was Master of Mimicry.