Chapter 205: Chapter 164: Third Round of the Competition—Pet Beast Evolution
"Curse?"
"Master, please tell me what’s going on."
Ye Bai raised an eyebrow, recalling in the intelligence report that there was a tool called "Love without a Price," the only thing that could lift the curse from Master Jiang.
"This curse is actually a result of our sect peering into too many people’s destinies."
"When the curse flares, it lasts for three days and nights, like countless burning coals searing you."
"Heaven doesn’t wish for too many to interfere with fate."
"That’s why every time I diagnose, I need the most beloved items of these people."
"Because I’ve discovered that only love can slow down the occurrence of the curse."
"However, there is currently no way to completely eradicate the curse."
"To extend my life by thirty years, I am already very happy."
"Ye Bai, since you have become my disciple, I must set three rules with you."
"First, keep a low profile, do not let others know you are my disciple."
"Second, if there is anything you cannot resolve, contact me directly. Our sect believes in repaying grievances and kindness alike."
"Third, you must read the entire Exotic Beast Encyclopedia, and using your talent, memorize it all."
"Only when you have completed reading the Exotic Beast Encyclopedia and have a sufficient knowledge base, will you be a true heir."
"During this process, I will also teach you some of our sect’s methods for treating exotic beasts."
Before Master Jiang finished speaking, the Paper Puppet gracefully walked in.
"Someone is starting to look for Ye Bai outside, let him go out first."
Ye Bai nodded, listening to the master’s teachings was like listening to Tang Monk recite scriptures.
"Has everything been settled?"
Master Jiang said coolly.
The Paper Puppet nodded, "It’s been settled."
"Next, we’ll wait for the bullet to fly a little, allowing things to ferment completely."
Master Jiang said coldly, "Those two old folks, meddling when I want to take a disciple, afraid they’re missing out on benefits for their relatives."
"Our sect’s inheritance is ours to give to whom we please, it’s not up to them."
"Before, my lifespan was limited, I couldn’t be bothered to argue with them."
"Now that my lifespan has abruptly increased so much, there are many things I can do."
The Paper Puppet is Master Jiang’s contracted pet beast, and it sensed when Master Jiang’s lifespan increased. Just in time, someone was looking for Ye Bai, so it barged in to find out what was going on.
Looking at the rejuvenated Master Jiang, a hint of tenderness appeared on the Paper Puppet’s face.
Great, I can still accompany old Jiang a while longer.
When Ye Bai left the Secret Realm, he saw Director Su and Tian Tian walking up together.
Their expressions were not too good.
"The second round of assessment didn’t go well, there are very few from Jiaying City who advanced to the third round."
"Many people said they couldn’t treat exotic beasts and handed in blank papers."
"Ye Bai, you didn’t do many experiments, but getting a high enough score to advance to the second round shouldn’t be a problem, right?"
Director Suna asked Ye Bai.
In fact, Shen Mountain Middle School didn’t have a good track record in the Young Qilin Cup competition.
So Principal Liu wanted at all costs to nurture students who could achieve good results in the Young Qilin Cup.
He would provide these students with resource support.
The result was that the students he had painstakingly cultivated all drew questions on treating pet beasts that were too difficult, panicked, had a mental block, and handed in blank papers.
At this moment, Ye Bai suddenly remembered that once the Young Qilin Cup ended, everyone here would be captured by the Evangelical Association.
Looks like I must send an email to President Zhang’s secret mailbox, in the name of Y, to alert President Zhang in advance about this.
President Zhang is Ye Bai’s senior uncle, and if something this major happens on his watch, it’s very likely he’ll be demoted completely.
But a disaster can also turn into a good thing, it depends on how it’s handled.
The Evangelical Association and Resurrection Association are too rampant and must be taken down.
Two days passed quickly.
In the end, unsurprisingly, Ye Bai took first place in the second round of the competition.
The third round is about pet beast cultivation, which means promoting pet beast evolution.
"Hello everyone, there are only fifty spots in the third round."
"So we are ranked based on scores."
"First place is Ye Bai, his judgment and treatment of exotic beasts were excellent, so he received a score of 95.27."
After hearing his high score, Ye Bai didn’t pay much attention to the following names, because the third round began very quickly.
Everyone returned to the competition area, and at this time, a large truck drove into the square.
The truck was loaded with green cabbage worms.
Cabbage worms are somewhat similar to Hundred-Change Silkworms, as both are genetically unstable pet beasts.
Currently, they have two evolutionary paths: Cabbage Butterfly and Pollen Moth.
Experts speculate they also have multiple evolutionary paths, yet many remain undiscovered.
At this moment, Grandpa Li opened the back of the truck, and countless cabbage worms poured out like a tide.
"Ye Bai, you come and choose your cabbage worm first."
"This is your prize for being first."
The committee members said to Ye Bai.
Ye Bai then used the Eye of Insight.
He noticed that some of the Cabbage Worms had four Evolutionary Paths.
They could also evolve into King Butterfly and Phoenix-tailed Butterfly.
But with a quick glance, Ye Bai found one particular Cabbage Worm that could evolve into Vajra Butterfly.
[Vajra Butterfly: A Pet Beast that evolves after the Cabbage Worm devours a large amount of metal, possessing the trait of "sharp-cold." Similar to Sword Butterfly, it has extremely strong aggressiveness.]
At that moment, Ye Bai didn’t choose a Pet Beast, but instead focused on the committee members.
"I would ask the examiners to explain the rules for the third assessment."
"Only then will I have enough time to select an appropriate Cabbage Worm for experimentation."
"After all, without rules, nothing can be accomplished."
"It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to pick a Cabbage Worm before clarifying the rules."
Ye Bai’s words were somewhat tactful, but anyone with insight could tell he was implying the committee lacked rule clarification.
After hearing Ye Bai’s words, the originally eager students calmed down.
They collectively cooled off and directed their inquisitive gazes toward the examiners.
"Haha, this assessment is about assisting the Cabbage Worm’s evolution."
"According to our Provincial City Pet Beast Union and Cultivator Union’s investigation, the genes within Cabbage Worms are diverse."
"It is highly possible, like the Hundred-Change Silkworm, to have multiple Evolutionary Paths."
"Therefore, the third round of competition will study the diversity of Cabbage Worm evolution."
"The needed materials are readily available, so feel free to experiment boldly."
"The total time is half a month."
"The grading criteria will be based on who can introduce new concepts and cultivate an entirely new Evolutionary Path for Cabbage Worms."
"We will score based on rarity and the healthiness of the cultivation."
"Ye Bai, you should have heard our requirements clearly now."
"You can start choosing a Cabbage Worm."
Upon hearing this, Ye Bai selected a relatively large Cabbage Worm.
This Cabbage Worm, as Ye Bai noted earlier, could evolve into a Vajra Butterfly.
The evolutionary method involves devouring various minerals; the better the quality and higher the purity of the minerals, the higher the Attack Power and Defense Power of the Cabbage Worm will be after evolving into a Vajra Butterfly.
While Ye Bai was storing the Cabbage Worm in the Beast Card, his classmates were abuzz with discussion.
"The Pet Beast to be cultivated this time is a Cabbage Worm; why is it so simple?"
"Simple, that’s exactly what makes it difficult."
"Everyone has cultivated Cabbage Worms before."
"Everyone knows what Pet Beast they can evolve into."
"Therefore, it’s difficult to introduce new concepts, and that’s the purpose of the Provincial City Pet Beast Union."
"They want to discover entirely new Evolutionary Paths for Cabbage Worms."
"So the third assessment is for everyone to brainstorm."
The students whispered among themselves; some found it difficult, and others found it simple.
But almost invariably, those who found it difficult were the top students.
They hadn’t not cultivated Cabbage Worms; precisely because they had, they found it quite challenging.
These students could cultivate excellent Cabbage Butterflies and Pollen Moths, but asking them to innovate was a bit of a challenge.
However, the Young Qilin Cup is a Pet Beast cultivation competition, which includes studying Pet Beast evolutionary paths.
The essence of hosting this competition by the Flame Country Alliance is to discover outstanding researchers through the competition and provide them with sufficient resources for support.
It’s said that the champion of the Flame Country’s Young Qilin Cup could also receive special research funding from Flame Country.
Ye Bai didn’t bother with the classmates who wore worried looks.
In his eyes, since he had made up his mind, he would proceed diligently.
This is also a great opportunity for him to shine; if he can achieve first place at the provincial level and then publish his discovery of the Giant Rock Butterfly and Thunderlight Butterfly Evolutionary Paths,
he would instantly become a hot new star in the Flame Country research community.
Ye Bai returned to the lab, where there was now a laptop that allowed Ye Bai to place orders.
Bone Powder, large quantities of metal minerals, a crusher, and a vibration machine.
This kept the committee’s logistics department busy, but they didn’t dare slack off.
After all, Ye Bai was the first in the first two rounds, and he had published numerous papers, participated in the research of the Hundred-Change Silkworm, and had his name on the second authorship of studies on the Star Wave Butterfly and Blood Poison Moth.
The logistics team believed that there was a good chance Ye Bai would be first in the third round as well.
Soon, the materials he needed were delivered.
Ye Bai prepared a dozen batches of materials in total.
However, this time, without siphoning excessive energy from a Sunflower Emperor, Ye Bai had to conduct the experiment very carefully.
After all, he only had the Cabbage Worm as an experimental subject; if it died, his results would instantly be deemed unqualified, and the advantage gained in the first two rounds would vanish.
The Bone Powder was prepared to enhance the Cabage Worm’s constitution, as Ye Bai first needed to strengthen its bone structure.
This way, after the Cabbage Worm devours metal, it won’t be paralyzed by an inadequate bone structure that can’t support its weight.