Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Invitation to Join the Alliance
The Common Defense Alliance was the general association for Beast Tamers of all professions on Blue Star, as well as the central governing body responsible for global operations. It was jointly formed by the nine great Beast Taming alliances.
Becoming an Alliance Member meant enjoying privileges unavailable to non-members, as well as shouldering greater responsibilities.
Joining the Alliance was an honor for every Beast Tamer!
"You’re right. Of course we can’t let you join the Alliance directly."
A smile flickered in Yan Dingyi’s eyes. "But we can help you become an Alliance Youth Team Member. The full name is the Common Defense Alliance Youth Vanguard. Do you remember the requirements to join?"
Su Zhi replied instantly, "Study diligently, practice Beast Taming with enthusiasm, endure hardship before seeking reward, and strive for the cause of Beast Taming?"
"You recited that well. As expected of a kid from No. 1 High."
Su Zhi: "..."
Su Zhi suddenly felt a surge of excitement.
The number of new members recruited into the Vanguard each year was fixed.
Plus, at his high school, different grades had different priorities. Usually, only second or even third-year students managed to secure one of the few available spots.
If he could get a spot now, not only would it lower the score requirement for his college admission, but the Vanguard’s various benefits and missions would also become available to him! And then...
’He could rack up even more Points!’
"But..."
Su Zhi thought it over, and his expression fell. "Don’t students need the principal’s official seal to join? If they block me..."
"Block my ass. Who gives a fuck about Fang Lihua."
Peng Kai crossed his arms. "We’ll just register you as a public applicant and bypass the school entirely. Hall Master Yan and I will stamp the papers for you. Don’t worry about all that other crap, just focus on training your Pet Beast!"
Seeing Su Zhi’s astonished expression, Yan Dingyi chuckled.
"Xiaokai is an official Alliance Member, and he gets one internal recommendation slot per year. As for me, I’m a committee member of the Huai City Alliance, which means I happen to have the authority to approve it..."
"Of course, we can only guarantee you a clear path up to the assessment. After that, when you’re facing the strict examiners for the Alliance Youth Team, you and your Pet Beast will be on your own."
Su Zhi’s expression shifted from shock to joy, and finally, to gratitude.
"Thank you both for recognizing my potential. I’ll work hard!"
Peng Kai pulled him right up. "It’s Fellow Daoist! I’m the one who should be learning from you."
"Haha... You’re right, Fellow Daoist Peng!"
"I’ve scheduled it for Saturday morning. That way you can skip your quiz. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been free."
Yan Dingyi tapped a few times on his phone. All set.
"Bring the application form here tomorrow and give it to me. After that, all you need to do is train hard."
"WOOF."
"Yu Bao says he will. Thank you, Uncle Yan."
"Quite the interpreter, aren’t you!"
The three of them laughed, filling the Fengyun Arena with a cheerful air.
Then, Peng Kai’s phone started ringing. BEEP BEEP.
"They’re calling again. Why are they so hung up on me attending this worthless meeting..."
Peng Kai sighed. "Let’s go, Uncle. If we don’t head over soon, those old geezers are going to get mad."
"You just lumped me in with them, you know."
"How could I? You’re an old demon..."
The group started walking out together. Suddenly, as if remembering something, Peng Kai stopped in his tracks.
"Oh, right! Fellow Daoist Su, you still haven’t answered my question!"
WHOOSH. Peng Kai dashed back to Su Zhi’s side, bowing humbly with an eager look in his eyes.
"Fellow Daoist, how exactly do you build a moveset for your Pet Beast? You don’t seem to build around the Core Skill, yet your Skills form a coherent system of their own! How on earth do you do it?"
’Can I really say I have a cheat system?’ Su Zhi glanced at Liu Junpo in the distance, then lowered his head in contemplation.
"The Core Skill isn’t the actual core of a Pet Beast’s training. The Pet Beast’s own traits and tendencies are. Center your strategy on the Pet Beast itself, not the Skills—that is my Beast Taming Dao."
"The Core Skill isn’t the core... The Pet Beast itself is..."
"The Pet Beast itself..."
Peng Kai’s eyes trembled and his breathing grew ragged, as if he had just gazed upon some indescribable, eldritch truth.
It was as if a glycerin suppository had been applied to his long-constipated mind; everything suddenly became clear in a torrential, unstoppable flood of insight!
Su Zhi asked impassively, "Fellow Daoist, have you had an epiphany?"
"Not yet... but it’s mind-blowing!"
Peng Kai’s expression was feverish.
"Brother Su! You’re a goddamn genius! A true genius!"
"Ah, you’re too kind, Senior..."
"Excellent! Coming to Fengyun Arena today was well worth it!"
Peng Kai let out a hearty laugh, all traces of the confusion he’d felt upon entering the arena now gone.
"You’re coming here to train tomorrow, right? I happen to be free for the next couple of days, so I’ll be back. We can discuss this in more depth then!"
"...Thank you very much!" Su Zhi glanced behind him at his *actual* training partner, Senior Brother Piao, who stood in silence with his hands in his pockets.
’Agreeing to train with someone else right in front of his training partner... this was basically a form of cheating, wasn’t it?’
Nearby, Diya was licking chili oil off its paws while staring intently at Yu Bao.
"SAH!"
’Don’t let your guard down just because it was a draw this time. I’ll definitely beat you next time.’
’And even if you offer me more of that delicacy known as spicy strips... I won’t go easy on you!’
"HSS... HSS..."
With a SWOOSH, Yu Bao whipped out a pack of spicy strips—one Su Zhi had just bought for him.
Diya instantly looked conflicted, tapping its claws together.
It snuck a glance at Peng Kai, saw he wasn’t looking, and hurriedly took the spicy strips, stashing them away stealthily...
Yan Dingyi remotely unlocked a black Mitsubishi Galant. Peng Kai recalled Diya to his Beast Taming Space and got into the back seat.
"See you tomorrow, Fellow Daoist Su!"
"Oh, see you!"
Su Zhi waved goodbye, watching as the sedan’s tires gripped the pavement and it sped off, disappearing into the vast night.
Immediately after, a Maybach emerged from the darkness and pulled up in front of Cao Mingyu.
"So—"
Su Zhi shot a dark look at Cao Mingyu. "There’s a front entrance, isn’t there? Why did we have to come through the sewers?!"
Cao Mingyu explained with a perfectly straight face, "Don’t you think coming through the sewer gives it that authentic underground arena vibe..."
"Vibe my ass!"
Su Zhi gave him a solid punch. THUMP.
Cao Mingyu got into the car, waving goodbye with shining eyes. "A pity it’s gotten so late. Su Zhi, let’s meet again another day!"
’No, let’s not...’ Su Zhi thought, watching the Maybach disappear into the night.
Finally, Su Zhi turned his gaze to the two people behind him.
One was Senior Brother Piao.
The other was the teary-eyed middle-aged man who had paid him ten thousand.
"Finished hobnobbing with the big shots and finally remembered I exist?" Liu Junpo gave a bitter smile.
’For some reason, it felt like being a neglected wife watching her husband come home after fooling around with other women...’
"I’m just messing with you. It’s good to have some powerful connections. That way you won’t be left high and dry if something happens. You did great!"
Liu Junpo patted Su Zhi’s shoulder.
"There’s probably not much more I can help you with from now on. But if you come to train, I’ll still be here. Teacher Zhou asked me to look after you."
Su Zhi nodded. "Okay! Thank you for looking out for me all this time, Senior Brother Piao!"
"Then you’d better hurry up and fix that skill progression~"
Su Zhi: "Shit."
"Alright, it’s getting dark. I’ll take you to your apartment building."
It didn’t take long for the two of them to hail a taxi.
Just as he was about to get in the car, Su Zhi seemed to remember something and hurried back to the teary-eyed man who’d given him the ten thousand.
Su Zhi smiled gently. "I did say I’d compensate you."
The man’s eyes grew misty. "Right, right!"
’How shameful,’ he thought. ’I was the one who started trouble, yet this young man isn’t holding a grudge...’
"Here."
Su Zhi pressed ten yuan into his hand.
"You’re probably broke now. Use this to get a cab home!"
"..."
The man was left utterly speechless, watching the taxi speed away...
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