Chapter 995: Top Four (two in one)

The entire arena erupted.

The whole place was filled with screams and cheers.

“Qiao Sang! Qiao Sang!”

“Qiao Shen! Qiao Shen!”

“Ahhh! So cool! I knew you’d make it to the top four!”

“Bond Evolution is so strong! Qiao Sang didn’t issue a single command throughout the match, but Steel Sword Falcon responded perfectly.”

“A General-level Pet using an Ultra-level skill is simply invincible among its peers, okay? When she sent Steel Sword Falcon out, I never thought she’d lose.”

“Seriously, compared to other Pets of the same level, Steel Sword Falcon just has a ‘I will win’ face.”

“Mainly because its size is big enough, right?”

“Don’t look at the size. Qiao Sang’s Ghost Ring King also won.”

“To be honest, the scene of it spitting into the water was even more shocking to me than the Holy Sword…”

“You don’t care what method it uses, as long as it works.”

“I was praising its quick wit!”

“This must have been Qiao Sang’s instruction. How would a Pet think of this?”

“If Qiao Sang doesn’t encounter Yuan Tianlong in the next match, the runner-up spot is definitely hers.”

“Not necessarily. I feel that the order in which Pets are sent out is also very important. Like Chen Tianqin’s match, he knew to use his weakest to challenge Qiao Sang’s strongest. It’s a pity that Raging Flames was triggered by Yan Jiaoou, but that’s also a matter of probability.”

“Top four, she should be the youngest top four since the Regional Competition began, right?”

Area A, Row Six.

“Ahhh! Qiao Shen! Qiao Shen!”

“Ge Ge! Ge Ge!”

The young boy and Little Song燕 cheered excitedly, forming a stark contrast with the stern-faced, silent man beside them.

Amidst a chorus of cheers, Steel Treasure remained expressionless, spreading its wings.

The purple feathers, which had just melted their ice casings, instantly gathered towards it, reinserting themselves onto its body.

The power of the bond truly isn’t just talk; their cooperation is becoming more and more seamless… Qiao Sang felt a slight sense of relief. With a wave of her hand, she recalled Steel Treasure into the yu beast codex.

The ground slowly opened, revealing an entrance passage.

A green bird-type Pet carried Qiao Sang down into the ground.

“Next up is the final match of the top eight into the top four…”

The passage closed, and the commentator’s voice from the arena disappeared.

Qiao Sang dismounted from the green bird-type Pet.

The Staff came forward, respectfully saying:

“Miss Qiao, after the last match concludes, we will proceed directly with the semi-final groupings. We will need you to come to the contestant area to watch the grouping live.”

Qiao Sang nodded:

“Alright.”

After speaking, she strode inside.

She wasn’t surprised by this. The rules of Regional Competitions in different regions were largely similar, but there were still slight differences. However, at the semi-final stage, it was consistent that the semi-final groupings would be announced in advance.

This was to better preheat the semi-finals and ignite the audience’s enthusiasm for watching.

Qiao Sang walked towards the backstage area.

After walking for about ten seconds, the sound of footsteps, “thump, thump, thump,” came from ahead.

Soon, a man who looked to be around twenty years old, wearing a white shirt, with a gentle demeanor and rimless glasses, appearing quite like a refined scoundrel, appeared before her.

Yuan Tianlong… Qiao Sang recognized the person walking towards her.

He was one of the contestants in the last match of the top eight into the top four.

Just as Qiao Sang brushed past him, Yuan Tianlong’s smiling voice rang out: “We meet again.”

Qiao Sang: “???”

She turned her head, looking at Yuan Tianlong’s gradually receding back, utterly bewildered.

Wait, have we met?

…

Contestant Area.

Qiao Sang hugged Ya!, found a random spot, and sat down.

She looked at the slender figure on the green bird-type Pet in the arena, and remembering the words she heard in the backstage passage, she couldn’t help but ask:

“Do you have any impression of him?”

According to the other party, they should have met, but Qiao Sang really couldn’t remember where they had met face-to-face.

She now had an eidetic memory and wasn’t face-blind; it was impossible for her not to remember talking to someone.

Moreover, the other party was Yuan Tianlong; even if she hadn’t signed up for the Regional Competition, she would have heard of him.

If she had met him, it was impossible for her not to remember.

“Ya! Ya!”

Ya! shook its head without thinking.

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure made a sound, indicating no.

“Xiao Xunbao…”

Xiao Xunbao followed its Yu Beast Master’s gaze, pondered, and then showed an expression of “I remember!”

Qiao Sang’s heart stirred, and she asked:

“Where did you see him?”

“Xiao Xunbao!”

Xiao Xunbao called out with certainty.

On the internet, everyone says he’s your strongest opponent in this Regional Competition.

Upon hearing this, Ya!’s expression, as it looked at the distant figure, instantly became serious.

Qiao Sang: “…”

At this moment, a match just concluded.

The light and shadow began to count down.

When the light and shadow disappeared, both sides formed seals, and two unusually massive figures appeared in the red star formation.

“Saw! Saw!”

A powerful roar echoed.

Qiao Sang looked at the Dragon-type Pet Beast with huge ears, a ring of saw-like patterns on its neck, a pair of enormous purple wings with jagged edges, a spiraling horn on its head, and two fangs visible on its lower jaw. She suddenly recalled the Saw-Sound Dragon that had helped her brain region break through to 50% in the past.

“Ya! Ya!”

Just as she was thinking, Ya! cried out, indicating that this guy looked very similar to the one that had knocked her out of the sky before.

Qiao Sang smiled, her first reaction being:

“That’s because they are both Saw-Sound Dragons.”

The King-level form of Little Sound Dragon is Saw-Sound Dragon.

Steel Treasure showed a thoughtful expression beside her.

Suddenly, an inexplicable thought flashed through Qiao Sang’s mind.

This was not her own thought.

Qiao Sang froze for a moment, looked at Steel Treasure, and asked: “Do you think they might be the same one?”

“Steel Sword…”

Steel Treasure also froze for a moment.

It clearly hadn’t said anything just now, nor had it communicated with its Yu Beast Master through consciousness. How did its Yu Beast Master know what it was thinking? Could it be that their bond was already so strong that its thoughts could be perceived without active transmission?

Steel Treasure’s expression unconsciously became serious.

This wasn’t a very good thing.

If this were the case, wouldn’t all its internal grumbling about its Yu Beast Master sometimes not being very smart be known?

Qiao Sang: “…”

I heard that… Qiao Sang conveyed with a resentful look.

Steel Treasure awkwardly turned its head away.

In the arena, the Energy Ball fired by the Saw-Sound Dragon exploded high in the sky, transforming into massive meteorites that bombarded down from the clouds.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!!!”

The enormous explosions abruptly halted Qiao Sang’s previous thoughts, and she focused entirely on the match.

Time passed by minute by minute.

In the passionate atmosphere, time seemed to pass quickly.

All matches concluded.

Yuan Tianlong undoubtedly won the match and advanced to the top four.

“Today’s matches have all concluded!” The Host, standing on a Flying-type Pet, appeared in mid-air and said into the microphone: “The top four contestants have been decided! They are contestant Wen Ruihe, contestant Wu Tianjiao, contestant Qiao Sang, and contestant Yuan Tianlong!”

Every time the Host announced a contestant’s name, the camera focused on the corresponding contestant.

A virtual screen appeared out of nowhere, providing a close-up.

Every time a contestant was shown, the entire arena screamed.

“In the final segment tonight, we will proceed with the semi-final groupings!”

As soon as the Host’s voice fell, the giant virtual screen instantly changed, displaying photos of the four contestants.

“Let’s invite the referee from the Yu Beast Notary Office!”

Fen Tongji waved to the audience, then split into two, his head floating into the virtual screen and disappearing.

“Do you think we’ll meet in the semi-finals?” A male voice, which she had heard not long ago, suddenly sounded from behind her.

Qiao Sang turned, glanced at Yuan Tianlong, then turned back to the giant virtual screen, and said:

“Possibly.”

Yuan Tianlong realized the young girl’s attitude was a bit cold, and he smiled:

“You didn’t recognize me?”

As soon as he said this, Qiao Sang abruptly turned back, carefully scrutinizing Yuan Tianlong, confirming that she truly hadn’t spoken to anyone with this face in real life, and was about to speak.

Just then, the miniature Saw-Sound Dragon next to Yuan Tianlong enthusiastically cried out:

“Saw! Saw!”

“Ya! Ya!”

Ya! widened its eyes, showing an expression of “So it was you!”

“Saw! Saw!”

Saw-Sound Dragon nodded.

Qiao Sang was momentarily stunned by the interaction between Ya! and Saw-Sound Dragon. Then she remembered the thought that had flashed through Steel Treasure’s mind earlier, and she said with surprise:

“Are you the Saw-Sound Dragon that was suddenly recalled by your Yu Beast Master when you were carrying me?”

“Saw! Saw!”

Saw-Sound Dragon nodded.

Qiao Sang looked at Yuan Tianlong.

Before she could even ask, Yuan Tianlong realized what she wanted to ask and said:

“I changed my appearance at the time.”

He then said with a helpless expression: “You know, when a Yu Beast Master has a certain reputation, it’s not very convenient to travel around.”

So it really was him… Qiao Sang recalled the scenes of herself being surrounded and photographed whenever she showed her face recently, and immediately felt a sense of empathy. Then she remembered that the other party’s Saw-Sound Dragon had helped her brain region break through to 50%, and her gaze towards Yuan Tianlong instantly became much friendlier. She said with some embarrassment:

“When you spoke to me backstage just now, I thought about it for a long time, and almost thought my memory had gotten worse.”

Yuan Tianlong smiled: “I forgot to tell you that I had changed my appearance.”

To be honest, he never expected that the person who could make Saw-Sound Dragon willingly carry her back then was actually a Yu Beast Master who had contracted a Qingyin Fairy, and so terrifyingly young, moreover, she had achieved such a good result as reaching the top four in the Regional Competition.

He himself had almost forgotten about it…

Qiao Sang asked curiously:

“What did you use to change your appearance?”

As a potential opponent, she had collected information on Yuan Tianlong. His Pets did not have appearance-changing skills.

“It was Nielian Guai (Clay Face),” Yuan Tianlong said. “I hired it, long-term.”

Nielian Guai (Clay Face), a common High-level Pet, had little combat power, but its face-sculpting ability was widely liked. It could spit out white mud that would attach to the face, be absorbed, and then, according to one’s preference, sculpt the desired face shape and features.

Although Nielian Guai (Clay Face)’s function was very good, it was rarely seen on the road due to its scarcity.

As expected of a rich magnate whose Pets were all Dragon-type, he could even hire a Nielian Guai (Clay Face), and for the long term at that… Qiao Sang sighed inwardly. She was about to ask how the other party managed to hire a Nielian Guai (Clay Face) through what channels.

The Host’s voice rang out at this moment:

“The semi-final list is out! Please look at the big screen!”

Qiao Sang turned her head and looked at the big screen:

[Yuan Tianlong VS Wen Ruihe]

[Wu Tianjiao VS Qiao Sang]

“It seems we’ll meet in the finals,” Yuan Tianlong said.

Qiao Sang heard his voice and turned, only to see that he had already stood up and left.

“Saw! Saw!”

Saw-Sound Dragon politely waved its claw, following its Yu Beast Master’s footsteps.

See you in the finals… Is he that confident in me…? Qiao Sang withdrew her attention, her gaze returning to the giant virtual screen.

Wu Tianjiao, among all the contestants, only she had a Thunder Flax Spirit.

And Thunder Flax Spirit was the Pet that appeared when Steel Treasure evolved in its dream.

“Steel Sword…”

Steel Treasure sensed its Yu Beast Master’s thoughts, its gaze falling on Wu Tianjiao’s photo.

…

Sunset.

Yu Beast Center.

The first thing Qiao Sang did when she returned to her room was to pack up and prepare to move.

“You’re not staying here anymore?” Mi Jiala asked.

Qiao Sang hummed, then briefly explained about Little Song燕 coming for an autograph, and seeing its Yu Beast Master sitting with her opponent in the arena, saying:

“It seems too many people know I’m staying here now. Since it’s already the semi-finals, it’s better to move somewhere else.”

Ye Xiangting, who was excitedly chatting with friends and family, heard the conversation, put down her phone, and became serious, asking for advice:

“Actually, quite a few people have approached me, hoping to invite you to stay, eat, and play at their places. Among them are hotel Staff, who said they hope you’ll stay at their hotel, with all food and lodging free. Several of them are five-star hotels, and I heard their security is very high. Many contestants choose to stay there. If you want to go, I’ll contact them.”

Qiao Sang said without thinking:

“Go!”

She paused, then added: “I want to choose the one closest to Yukong Beast Arena.”

For her current situation, money wasn’t important. It’s just that most good hotels were fully booked right now. Being able to stay for free in a hotel that would normally be impossible to book, thanks to her status as a contestant, was quite convenient.

“Alright.” Ye Xiangting picked up her phone: “I’ll contact them now.”

Qiao Sang continued to organize her belongings.

Xiao Xunbao took off its ring and helped put the organized items into the ring.

Mi Jiala sat on the sofa and casually asked:

“In that Steel Sword Falcon match, whose idea was it to spit into the water?”

“Steel Sword.”

Before Qiao Sang could answer, Steel Treasure actively called out, indicating it was its idea.

Mi Jiala looked over:

“It was you?”

“Steel Sword.” Steel Treasure nodded.

Qiao Sang said with a mix of emotion and pride: “I didn’t think of it at the time either, but that move was really effective.”

Mi Jiala smiled, rarely praising: “That’s a good move. It achieved its goal without consuming any energy. How did you think of it?”

Steel Treasure silently glanced at Lu Bao.

Lu Bao, feeling the gaze, looked up: “???”

Qiao Sang noticed their eye contact and quickly said:

“Because Lu Bao is also Water-type and usually very clean, Steel Treasure thought that all Water-type Pets might be as clean as Lu Bao, so it used that move.”

“Steel Sword.”

Steel Treasure nodded, indicating that was exactly right.

Lu Bao withdrew its gaze and continued training Ice Armor. (End of Chapter)