Beast Tamer: After My Pet Space Mutated, I Became OP

Chapter 173: Thunderstorm Gale vs Blazing Flame Tiger

Ming Xi didn't visit the betting area of Limit Tower this time. After the initial novelty wore off, gambling felt like a stale egg tart to her - bland and unappetizing.

She went straight to the second floor.

Before leaving home today, Ming Xi had deliberately worn a face mask. These days, she often got recognized when walking outside.

Such were the troubles of fame.

It was like dealing with an ambitious mistress constantly scheming for status - hard to shake off yet somehow appealing.

"C41 to C50 Beastmasters, please line up in order and enter the preparation room."

Ming Xi checked her number tag - B44 - and stood up to follow others into the preparation room.

When verifying her identity, the staff member showed an expression of shock and disbelief.

"You're Ming Xi?"

Ming Xi lowered her mask to reveal her youthful face, flashing a bright smile. "That's me."

Seeing that delicate young face, the staffer's pupils contracted. He quickly lowered his head to compare her features with the photo on his screen.

When he looked up again, his eyes shone with excitement. "Miss Ming, are you certain you want to attempt the D-rank promotion assessment now?"

What had he just seen? A 14-year-old Beastmaster with three contracted beasts?

Was such a monster truly real?

Having worked at the Beast Taming Center for over twenty years, he'd encountered hundreds of remarkable individuals - but compared to this girl, they all seemed mediocre.

Fourteen years old. Three beasts. One already trained to advanced rank!

The word "impressive" had lost all meaning.

The staffer now fully recognized Ming Xi.

The Beastmaster of Thunderstorm Gale and Roxelia - the genius girl who became famous overnight!

Yet she'd already contracted a third beast?

If this news got out, Ming Xi's reputation as a prodigy would reach unprecedented heights.

And if she actually passed the D-rank Limit Tower challenge? That would be an unprecedented achievement!

Although...the odds were slimmer than rain turning red.

Ming Xi smiled without committing. "Just trying my luck. If I fail, it's still good experience."

The staffer considered this reasonable.

How many people passed the Limit Tower challenge on their first attempt?

Most succeeded through accumulated experience and repeated tries.

At her young age, she had plenty of room for trial and error. Even spending a year or two on the challenge wouldn't matter.

"You're absolutely right."

Nodding, the staffer proceeded to explain the rules since this was Ming Xi's first D-rank challenge attempt.

"Limit Tower D-rank promotion challenge rules: First, only one beast may participate, and it must be advanced rank or higher.

Second, Beastmaster and beast must consecutively clear four tower floors without using any items, potions, healing or recharging - violations result in immediate disqualification.

Third, opponents encountered will be Beastmasters of equivalent rank and floor level.

Fourth, participants may be selected as featured matches for the betting area..."

The rules largely mirrored the E-rank promotion, except requiring clearance of four floors instead of three, and the beast level requirement.

After attentively listening, Ming Xi summoned Golden Ingot.

Human and beast lay together in a large holographic pod.

A mechanical voice announced: "Beastmaster Ming Xi, commence D-rank promotion challenge?"

Ming Xi: "Confirmed."

"Please verify participating beast."

Golden Ingot was immediately locked in.

The next moment, they appeared before the familiar dark-blue tower.

Pushing open the doors...

"Beastmaster Ming Xi, beast Thunderstorm Gale. D-rank promotion challenge. Matching for Limit Tower Floor 1..."

"Match successful!"

As they stepped onto the enormous arena, their first opponent materialized across from them.

"Beastmaster Ming Xi versus Beastmaster Lin Guohua. Begin!"

Lin Guohua was a handsome man around 26-27 years old.

Seeing Ming Xi, his expression flickered with surprise - whether from recognizing her or her youthful appearance was unclear.

His combat beast was a ten-meter-long Blazing Flame Tiger.

The Blazing Flame Tiger was one of the general-level evolutions of Flame Tigers.

Flame Tigers have two evolution paths at advanced rank:

One leads to Blaze Tigers (remaining fire-type).

The other becomes Darkflame Tigers (fire/ghost dual-type).

Darkflame Tigers further evolve into Blazing Flame Tigers.

Compared to Fu Yifan's somewhat dopey big tiger, this Blazing Flame Tiger appeared majestic and intimidating.

Every strand of fur exuded the aura of a forest king.

Tough opponent right from Floor 1.

Ming Xi sighed inwardly - her B44 number really was unlucky.

44 - "try and die" in Chinese homophone.

Jokes aside, Ming Xi took the fight seriously.

Capitalizing on her opponent's distraction by her youthful appearance, she commanded Golden Ingot to strike first.

"Golden Ingot, Thunderbolt!"

Electricity coalesced into a dazzling sphere before crashing onto the Blazing Flame Tiger.

Arcs of lightning danced across its fur.

"Blazing Roar!"

Without awaiting orders, the tiger stomped forward and roared at Golden Ingot.

Roar - a normal-type intermediate skill enhancing the user's imposing aura while mentally assaulting opponents.

But Golden Ingot possessed the Immovable Vajra trait at sufficiently high rank to minimize such psychic effects.

Golden Ingot's hovering form only froze for 0.1 second before recovering - barely noticeable to those with average reflexes.

Lin Guohua frowned. "Fireball."

Ming Xi simultaneously called: "Electro Ball."

Both sides held back during this first floor, conserving energy for three upcoming battles.

This initial phase was about probing each other's capabilities.

Hence they deliberately chose lower-cost basic skills.

On the arena, a miniature sun-like fireball collided violently with a crackling electro ball.

The resulting explosion shattered the smooth arena floor into spiderweb cracks, filling the air with dust, sparks, and lingering electricity.

Visibility dropped sharply for both sides.

"Shadow Blade."

Shadow Blade - a ghost-type intermediate skill converting shadows into blades, enabling area attacks from any shadow.