Shenghuang spoke slowly, "Wang Dawei, this is just a friendly exchange between classmates. I'm simply curious about what kind of spirit beast Lin Guang contracted. With his blue-grade talent, he should at least have a matching-level beast, right? As for me, I only have a green-grade talent, and my contracted beast is merely green-quality. It'll take years before it can evolve. The gap between us isn't that big. Besides, opponents in the National Spirit Tamer League won't care whether you contracted your beast half a year later."
On the surface, that sounded reasonable.
It was only natural for higher-potential beasts (blue elite-grade) to challenge lower-potential ones (green excellent-grade).
But He Shenghuang's words were full of calculation. It sounded like praise, but it was actually setting Lin Guang up.
Contracting a blue elite-grade beast right from the start was unrealistic for almost anyone—even for those with blue-grade talent. It was like in Pokémon: no one's starter fully evolved from the very beginning.
Under normal circumstances, even if Lin Guang didn't lower his standards and managed to find a compatible beast quickly, it would most likely still be green-grade—at best one with a clear evolutionary path to blue without relying on a Miracle Master.
But if both were green-grade, then the half-year gap in level and training would be insurmountable.
Wang Dawei wasn't stupid. He sneered, "Cut the crap. Who doesn't know what you, 'eternal second place,' are thinking?"
"You just want to win once before combat class and spirit rune class start—using your family resources and level advantage, no matter what."
Shenghuang's expression shifted slightly. "What did you say?"
"I'll admit my family gives me tons of extra resources—dare you say yours doesn't?"
Wang Dawei went straight for a self-own—but his advantage was that he didn't care about saving face. He Shenghuang, on the other hand, still had an image to maintain as one of the school's "young masters."
Seeing more and more people gathering around, He Shenghuang's mind raced. Suddenly, he got an idea.
He shook his head and shrugged, pretending to be relaxed. "Wang Dawei, when will you fix that impulsive temper of yours? I wasn't finished speaking. Since the point of this match is to satisfy my curiosity, I'm willing to let Lin Guang choose the battlefield. I'll also put up some stakes."
"If Lin Guang's spirit beast can last one minute, I'll give him an aether crystal of the corresponding attribute. If it's a draw, I'll give him a first-tier energy potion from Umbrella Technologies."
"And if Lin Guang wins?" Wang Dawei suddenly smiled in a rather strange way.
"Uh…" Shenghuang froze for a moment—clearly, losing hadn't even crossed his mind. But he quickly recovered. "If he wins, anything sold in the city's Spirit Beast Mall that he can use—I'll pay for it on the spot."
"That's the line I was waiting for!"
Wang Dawei and Lin Guang exchanged a glance. The communication between them was instantaneous.
If Wang Dawei still didn't understand Lin Guang after that look, then no one in the world would.
That look clearly said—Lin Guang was already eager to fight.
Turning around, Wang Dawei suppressed the urge to mock him, afraid of tipping him off, and strode away. "Let's go. To the battle arena."
Lin Guang smiled at He Shenghuang and turned as well. His posture conveyed a single message:
—You're the challenger.
"Will he win?"
The two lackeys looked at Lin Guang's confident and composed demeanor and asked He Shenghuang nervously.
"Of course," He Shenghuang lifted his chin and smiled. "He'll win."
…
The battle arena was the largest facility in any Spirit Tamer school, and this experimental school was no exception. Water pools, artificial volcanoes, forests—every type of terrain was available. There were even modular platforms that could be rearranged to simulate complex environments, helping students adapt to real secret realms.
Outside of class, using the arena required a fee—though it was cheaper than outside. Each semester, students received a certain amount of battle credits on their cards. Class 1 not only got double the credits but also an additional 50% discount.
The only downside was that the arena was extremely popular. Outside of scheduled classes, students weren't allowed to use it as a training ground.
First-year students were limited to small arenas—about the size of two basketball courts.
Normally, around mealtime, the arena would be empty. But now, aside from Lin Guang and He Shenghuang, a crowd began pouring in, eager to watch the match during lunch break.
Lin Guang was already well-known for having blue talent but failing to contract a spirit beast. Shenghuang, as a high-profile "young master," also had plenty of attention. Naturally, this attracted students—and even some teachers—who had nothing better to do after lunch.
A third-year senior from the school team even volunteered to act as referee, taking a seat on the elevated platform.
Rumble!
Under the control of aether-powered mechanisms, the arena platforms shifted, flipped, and merged, finally forming a brown earthen field.
The referee waved a flag and announced loudly, "This match will follow restricted battle rules. Spirit beasts are not allowed to attack the Spirit Tamers directly, and Spirit Tamers are not allowed to enter the field. They may only command from outside."
"Both sides, send out your spirit beasts!"
The command zones were located on opposite sides of the circular field—simple areas marked by white lines, with no protective barriers.
Lin Guang and He Shenghuang stood in their respective zones, facing each other from afar.
Shenghuang stared at Lin Guang's glasses, which reflected faint light as he lowered his head. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see Lin Guang's eyes. A trace of cold malice surfaced in his expression.
Let's see if you can stay that calm in a moment.
"Come out!"
In the next instant, He Shenghuang raised his right hand. The horn-shaped mark on the back of his hand glowed faint yellow, and a brown calf about half a man's height appeared beside him.
Though still young, it was clearly well-trained. Electricity flickered across its fur, and its eyes burned with fighting spirit.
The calf lowered its head and affectionately rubbed against He Shenghuang's leg. He casually patted its head, never taking his eyes off Lin Guang, and said coldly:
"Where's your spirit beast?"