Chapter 29 – The Talent of This Pair of Childhood Sweethearts is Just Too Strong

[Name]: Rock Ghost

[Level]: Tier 4, Stage 4

[Skills]: Earth Spike, Stone Shot Volley, Clay Bomb

[Divinity Path, next Evolution Form: Spirit of the Earth, requirements: Growth Rate 100%, Superior Earth Element Essence x30, Spirit-Bearing Stone x3]

“Tier 4, Stage 4, huh.”

A flicker of delight passed through Lin Ze’s eyes.

Xiao Xue was also Tier 4, Stage 4, but that was the result of her Growth Rate reaching 20%.

From this perspective, Rock Ghost’s potential seemed even greater than Xiao Xue’s.

“But…”

Lin Ze glanced at Rock Ghost’s fierce and menacing face.

Compared to now, it was much cuter when it was still a Stubborn Stone Monster.

Perhaps that was the price of growing stronger.

Lin Ze shrugged and continued looking at the skills below the panel.

[Earth Thorns]: Advanced skill of ‘Earth Spike’. Summons multiple earth spikes from underground to deal Earth-type damage to enemies. Unlock requires 20% Growth Rate and 100 Achievement Points.

[Stone Burst]: Advanced skill of ‘Clay Bomb’. Condenses Earth Element to create a stone imbued with explosive energy, which is then hurled at the target, causing massive explosion damage upon impact or landing. Unlock requires 50% Growth Rate and 200 Achievement Points.

[Rock Guardian]: Defense-type skill. Summons Earth Element stones that orbit around the user for protection, blocking attacks from any direction. Unlock requires 70% Growth Rate and 300 Achievement Points.

[Boulder Impact]: Advanced skill of ‘Stone Shot Volley’. Condenses Earth Element to create a massive boulder, which is then hurled at the enemy. Unlock requires 80% Growth Rate and 300 Achievement Points.

Just like Xiao Xue, Rock Ghost also had four new skills.

“Too bad, I’ve spent most of my Achievement Points, so I can’t improve any further.”

Lin Ze could only close the panel with regret.

But soon, his spirits lifted again.

This trip to Deathknell Canyon had yielded extremely satisfying results.

He now had two Tier 4 Pet Beasts outright.

This level of strength was even greater than most Bronze Beast Tamers.

At the very least, Loda was far inferior to him.

“There’s still about twelve days before heading to Ningjiang City—enough time to raise both Pet Beasts’ strength another notch.”

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll head to the wilderness every day, completing Bounty Missions to earn money while farming Achievement Points and raising the Pet Beasts’ Growth Rate.”

Lin Ze quickly formed a plan in his mind.

The Beast Tamer Association was highly efficient.

On the second day after the Insect Tide incident, the relevant Mission Rewards were transferred to Lin Ze’s account.

A full 3.7 million Credit Points.

The reward for killing Deathknell Beetles alone was over a million.

The rest was the reward for killing the Deathknell Striker and resolving the source of the swarm uprising.

Combined with his previous savings, Lin Ze now had over 5 million Credit Points on hand—enough to be considered fairly well-off.

Of course.

For a Beast Tamer, that amount of money was hardly worth mentioning.

In the following days.

Lin Ze devoted all his energy to improving his strength and earning money.

He hunted while farming Achievement Points and “grinding levels by killing monsters.”

Time flew by rapidly amidst the busy schedule.

Soon.

The day to head to Ningjiang City arrived.

Early in the morning.

Lin Ze and Guan Ning bid farewell to Guan Chongshan and his wife, who were reluctant to see them go. Carrying large bags and small parcels, they took a taxi to Pinghai No. 1 High School to gather.

All students who had applied to Ningjiang Academy were assembling at the school gate.

Then they would all board the school bus together and head to Ningjiang City.

It was still before eight o’clock.

A large crowd of students had already gathered at the school gate.

At a rough estimate, there were no fewer than fifty people.

The air was thick with restless energy.

The students were either excited and expectant, or nervous and uneasy.

Without exception, all of them felt their hearts churning at the prospect of the upcoming trip to Ningjiang City.

After all, if they could successfully pass the admission assessment of Ningjiang Academy,

they would be able to stay in Ningjiang City and become a member of this top-ten Beast-Taming Academy in the Federation.

After graduation, they would step into the elite class of society.

On the contrary, if they failed, they would have no choice but to return to Pinghai City in disgrace.

Everyone present was a young person with high spirits, and no one was willing to accept that outcome.

Getting off the bus, Lin Ze took the initiative to carry both of their luggage.

“Bro, don’t carry everything yourself. Give me some too.”

Guan Ning tried to take the luggage from Lin Ze’s hands.

Lin Ze sidestepped to avoid her and said jokingly, “No need, I’ve got this. I can’t bear to see you tire yourself out.”

The result of having a Constitution of 5 points was strength far beyond that of an ordinary person.

With Lin Ze’s current strength, let alone a little luggage, even carrying a small car on his shoulders would be no problem.

Hearing this, Guan Ning’s face flushed slightly, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

In the past, Lin Ze would also joke around with her, and she hadn’t thought much of it back then.

But ever since that day after the Apprentice Assessment, whenever she heard similar words, she couldn’t help but feel her heart race and her cheeks burn.

“Bro really, why does he always say things like this.”

The girl secretly chided him, yet deep down, she couldn’t help but want to hear more.

It was truly contradictory.

On the other side.

With Lin Ze’s arrival, the noise at the school gate suddenly rose by a notch.

Many students cast glances at Lin Ze.

Their gazes were extremely complex—astonishment, reverence, awe, envy… and so on, all mixed together.

Over the past few days,

the Insect Tide incident at Deathknell Canyon had already spread like wildfire within the Beast Tamer circles of Pinghai City.

Almost every Beast Tamer knew that a high school student named Lin Ze had turned the tide during the Insect Tide, single-handedly taking down the Tier 4 Ferocious Beast king, the Deathknell Striker.

This incident had caused a huge sensation.

Lin Ze’s reputation as a genius had also spread like wildfire.

By now, he had long become a prominent figure at Pinghai No. 1 High School.

Many students in the lower grades had taken him as their idol.

Students of Pinghai No. 1 High School might not know who the principal was, but they definitely knew Lin Ze.

“Ah Ning, Brother Lin!”

Zhang Xiaoyun and Liu Siyan trotted over, raising their hands in greeting.

With some ulterior motive, the two girls had been visiting Guan Ning’s house quite often these past few days, “coincidentally” meeting Lin Ze a few times.

Under their deliberate attentiveness, their relationship had now become familiar, and their conversations were much more casual than before.

As soon as they met, Zhang Xiaoyun complained to Guan Ning:

“What should I do, Ah Ning? I’m so nervous. What if I don’t get into Ningjiang Academy? Then I’m done for!”

Liu Siyan didn’t say anything, but it was clear she was also feeling anxious and uncertain.

“If only I were like you, Ah Ning, and my Pet Beast had successfully evolved too.”

Zhang Xiaoyun said with an envious expression.

During the time since Guan Ning had passed the Apprentice Assessment, her Pet Beast, the Demon Flame Bird, had successfully evolved into the Blazing Flame Dragon Bird.

Its Level had subsequently broken through to Tier 2, Stage 9.

With strength like that, it was practically a pre-reserved spot for enrollment at Ningjiang Academy.

Passing the exam to get into Ningjiang Academy was almost a foregone conclusion.

As for Lin Ze, there was no need to even mention him.

If someone with a Tier 3 Pet Beast couldn’t pass the exam, that would be the real surprise!

At the thought of this, Zhang Xiaoyun and Liu Siyan couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.

This pair of childhood sweethearts were far too talented!