Chapter 97 - Sparring King

Gu Qingyi and Ying had realized by now that Lu Ran was unusually bold. Even after experiencing something like that, he could still crack jokes. And this wasn’t even considering that the highest-ranked beastmaster so far was only at level 5.

Whether Legendary-grade beastmasters even existed was still up for debate. If they did, what kind of beastmaster would truly deserve the title of "Legendary"? Someone who contracted an entire lineup of Legendary species?

“Stop joking around!”

Gu Qingyi advised, “Let’s focus on preparing for the Beginner Stage Ascension Realm. The difficulty of ascension realms is highly unpredictable. Sometimes, it’s harder than Hell-level; other times, you can clear it effortlessly.

“It’s impossible to foresee what kind of mission the realm will require. When you have time, review the history of the beastmaster empire. Most low-level breakthrough ascension realms occur in a beastmaster world tied to that empire.”

“Exactly,” Manager Ying added. “As mentioned, the legends of the four Supreme Divine Dragons also originate from that world.

“However, even for beastmasters from there, it’s only a legend. So, regarding your mother’s message, finding part of the Death Dragon’s body won’t be easy.”

“Is that so?” Lu Ran paused.

Alright then. The beastmaster empire...

Lu Ran had seen that name in the background descriptions of various realms.

It seemed to be a nation with an ancient feudal structure, where beastmaster culture dominated. Since the ascension realm reflected human civilization, there would definitely be NPCs of much higher rank than the participants.

This might be the challenge Dr. Gu and the others had mentioned. If he could ally with them, he might complete the mission quickly. But if he got on their bad side, he could end up dead on the spot.

These NPCs weren’t limited to human projections; extraordinary beings could also appear. Reflecting on this, Lu Ran realized it could get complicated.

If the realm restricted levels, all beastmasters and beings within it would be at the same level, giving him and Captain Doofus a fair advantage. But if it simulated a complete world, luck would play a huge role.

“Don’t stress too much,” Gu Qingyi said, noticing Lu Ran’s pensive expression. “In most cases, it’s straightforward. Only rarely do bizarre problems arise.”

“Alright!” Lu Ran nodded.

He would take it one step at a time. Sooner or later, he had to face it.

***

That day, Gu Qingyi left Green Sea City. After arranging a bodyguard for Lu Ran, she felt more at ease.

Carrying videos and a stack of skill cards, Gu Qingyi headed to visit Xia’s strongest beastmaster. He was also the chairman of Xia’s Beastmaster Alliance and the only one to have become a top-ranked beastmaster at an advanced age. Since Lu Ran had entrusted such valuable resources to the government, she planned to negotiate some benefits for him.

“Who would’ve thought that the genius I casually picked up would have such a complex background?” Gu Qingyi murmured as she departed Green Sea City.

Still, it was a good thing. With Lu Ran on her side, the higher-ups wouldn’t be able to take him away. Whether it was his exploration of armed evolution, his pursuit of dragon-type evolution, or his bond with the undead, Lu Ran’s potential was limitless.

Among the fourth-generation beastmasters, Gu Qingyi believed Lu Ran was the one she was most optimistic about.

***

“They’re all gone.”

After seeing off Dr. Gu, Ying the shopkeeper also left. She said she would stay in Green Sea and open a shop, instructing Lu Ran not to seek her out unnecessarily. She assured him she would monitor his safety at all times.

“Seriously, I thought it would be close protection...” Lu Ran muttered.

Why not just move into the house? What was the point of opening a shop? It wasn’t like he... well, he actually couldn’t afford it.

After everyone left, Lu Ran lay alone on the sofa, sighing softly. But before long, he was back to his energetic self.

He glanced at Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King beside him and said, “You two did well.”

Finally able to relax, Lu Ran recalled their bravery when Crimson Earl had impersonated an assassin earlier. He wasn’t surprised Captain Doofus would risk his life for him.

But Sudden Death King, usually terrified of dying, hadn’t run away. Instead, it had fought alongside Captain Doofus. To be honest, Lu Ran was deeply moved.

Though annoyed they hadn’t followed his orders, Lu Ran felt more satisfied than when he’d finally acquired the undead skill card he’d coveted for so long.

Perhaps the most basic joy of a beastmaster was knowing their familiars truly cared for them.

“Sudden Death King, I didn’t misjudge you. For your hard work this time, when you do eventually die suddenly, I’ll use this skill card to bring you back...”

???

Sudden Death King was stunned.

“Rawr!!!”

It stepped back, shaking its head furiously. It would never die suddenly!

Mom wanted them to find the Death Dragon, not for him to

become

the Death Dragon!

“Woof!”

Captain Doofus was only concerned about when they could take down that vampire.

I will remember this grudge...

Even if they were allies now, it had dared to mess with them, so it had to pay.

“Level 51 and considered first-grade. Even at that grade, it couldn’t escape The Other Shore. That organization is more formidable than I thought,” Lu Ran murmured.

Previously, he had been focused on building his strength but hadn’t felt a sense of urgency.

Now, thinking it through, in this world where spiritual energy was reviving and danger was everywhere, rapidly increasing his power was imperative.

“I’ll settle Sudden Death King, and then, Captain Doofus, we’ll head back to Limitless City and keep grinding the Hell-level secret realms to earn enough for our Rare meal expenses.

“You aim to master Energy Projection Manipulation soon, and I’ll strive to master Blizzard Sword Intent. Hopefully, we can do this before entering the ascension realm.

“When we emerge from the ascension realm, we should receive the next contract card. When that happens, I’ll contract Sudden Death King and grant him the Red Lightning Trait.

“Sudden Death King, your mission is to increase your level to level 20 within these 40 days! Then, I’ll merge two traits into you, and together with Captain Doofus, we’ll dominate the freshman competition at Beastmaster University and claim the most valuable rewards.

“Let’s set a small goal first—becoming the strongest fourth-generation beastmaster.”

Lu Ran thought that if he could win the freshman competition, he would probably be the strongest fourth-generation beastmaster in Xia.

As for around the world, he’d likely be among the top-tier of fourth-generations too. However, he didn’t dare claim he’d definitely win as he still needed to train Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King as much as possible.

He took out his phone, giving himself no time to relax, and dialed another number. He needed to secure some resources from the newly-appointed chairman.

***

“

Achoo!

”

Inside a landmark building in Green Sea City, Zhao Chen, the chairman of the Green Sea Beastmaster Association, was reviewing the list of young beastmasters in the city.

Maybe he sneezed because someone had been thinking of him. Not long after, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in!”

Zhao Chen looked up, and to his pleasant surprise, he saw that Lu Ran, the King of Green Sea, finally had time to stop by.

With a smile, Zhao Chen said, “Lu Ran, it’s good you’re here.”

“I’ve been busy challenging secret realms.” Lu Ran smiled.

He didn’t mention the recent events, as they were beyond what Zhao Chen could handle. Dr. Gu would take care of that.

“Uncle Zhao, I’ve arranged the matter we discussed before.”

“Really?” Zhao Chen was thrilled.

As expected of the Green Sea King, Lu Ran worked quickly!

He now understood Lu Ran’s prowess. While other cities were still troubled by wild extraordinary beasts, Lu Ran could casually summon several Superior-level raid bosses to serve as sparring partners for the beastmasters of Green Sea City. The King of Green Sea title was indeed fitting!

“As if I’d lie. I’ll choose seven powerful mutant beasts to serve as sparring partners for the fourth-generation beastmasters in Green Sea City. They each have different attributes, and they’re all level 10 or higher, so they’ll definitely meet your requirements.”

“Excellent!” Zhao Chen laughed.

“With this, the beastmasters in Green Sea City will surely shine at Beastmaster University.”

Lu Ran smiled. “I hope so. However, six of these familiars are tasked with patrolling the wild areas of Green Sea City, so their availability may be limited.

“But there’s one lightning-attribute lizard that will be particularly free, so make sure to arrange some intense training with it. Give it plenty of opponents. If one person can’t beat it, let them team up to fight it. Don’t hold back.”

“Uh, alright!”

Zhao Chen didn’t see a problem with that.

Beastmasters often teamed up to tackle stronger bosses. They could use it to improve their coordination.

“But the food expenses for these mutant beasts...”

Lu Ran grinned at Chairman Zhao Chen before saying, “Make sure they’re well-fed, especially that lizard. One meal with Rare ingredients a day isn’t asking too much, right?”

Though Lu Ran was planning to grind realms soon to earn meal money for Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King, he felt that feeding two familiars with the highest level of support was a bit challenging.

After all, Sudden Death King needed dragon-type resources, which were incredibly expensive! Since that was the case, he couldn’t let Sudden Death King sit idle. He’d have it act as the Sparring King for Green Sea City’s beastmasters, while the city provided meals.

He’d take care of the Rare dragon-type food, while Green Sea City provided basic meals with Rare ingredients. He’d be doubly supported.

“

Ah... um...

” Zhao Chen was stunned.

What kind of lizard needs meals with Rare ingredients?

He couldn’t even afford that!

However, as an old fox, he soon caught on. Was Lu Ran referring to his upcoming familiar?

“That’s not a problem!”

Green Sea City had been designated a special testing area, and Zhao Chen had arrived with substantial resources specifically intended for Green Sea’s beastmaster field development and talent cultivation, so using them on Lu Ran’s familiar was perfectly justifiable. Suddenly, Zhao Chen picked up the document on his desk.

“By the way, would you like to see the list of individuals from Green Sea City intending to apply to Beastmaster University?

“I’m planning to gather them for a motivational meeting this afternoon. Since you’re the strongest fourth-generation beastmaster in Green Sea City right now, would you like to say a few words to encourage them?

“Be a role model. Having a spiritual role model would definitely help their progress.”

“Me? I’ll pass.”

Lu Ran quickly declined.

“I have social anxiety.”

“Maybe ask Fang Lan instead. She’d make a great role model,” Lu Ran said.

“What’s the plan? I’ll go gather the Seven Beast Generals and start their training this afternoon.”

“Seven Beast Generals!?”

Zhao Chen was startled and looked at Lu Ran.

What kind of name and what kind of team was this?

“Slip of the tongue. I’ve been influenced by that crow...”