Qiao Sang didn't even have time to start reasoning.
The girl beside her couldn't help but argue upon hearing Shi Gaofeng's words: "Huan Shui Baby basically relies on its transformation ability to take on missions. Now that you've given me a one-star bad review, how am I supposed to take on missions?"
"Besides, weren't you very satisfied when you saw Huan Shui Baby transform back then?"
In the mission market, Huan Shui Baby relied on its unique characteristics to take on exclusive missions.
If there were bad reviews, its transformation ability would be questioned. If it had to switch to missions that any water-type pet could do, the rewards and competitive pressure would certainly be different from before.
Giving a bad review to Huan Shui Baby's unique trait truly felt like cutting off someone's livelihood.
It was no wonder the girl had cornered him at the school gate just to get him to change the rating.
Qiao Sang actually understood her actions; after all, few people could endure having their source of income cut off.
"You have the nerve to say that! If I hadn't seen that Huan Shui Baby's transformation looked the part, and if you hadn't guaranteed that Huan Shui Baby would absolutely not speak that day, would I have let you take the mission!" Shi Gaofeng shouted angrily. "If you hadn't made that guarantee, would I be in such a miserable state right now!"
The girl's momentum involuntarily weakened: "Even so, you can't just give a one-star bad review. This will make others question my Huan Shui Baby's transformation ability."
"Heh." Shi Gaofeng sneered. "I can be given a one-star bad review, so why can't you?"
Why make things hard for a one-star review with another one-star review...
Just as Qiao Sang was quietly eating popcorn on the side and reflecting in silence, Shi Gaofeng suddenly turned and asked, "Qiao Sang, right?"
The girl simultaneously looked over with a pitiful gaze.
Qiao Sang remained silent for two seconds, took out her phone to check the time, and suggested, "There are 16 minutes left until assembly time. How about you two chat more later?"
...
Training ground.
Shi Gaofeng stood with his heels together, body straight as a board, eyes looking straight ahead, striking a military attention posture.
"Did you hear everything I said?" Zheng Guoping asked expressionlessly.
For a person who usually had veins popping and was as irritable as thunder, sometimes being expressionless was the most terrifying thing.
Shi Gaofeng knew this well. He straightened his posture and answered loudly
"I heard! Cleaning the toilets for a month! I guarantee I will clean the toilets until they are spotless, so that everyone feels like they are using their own home toilet when they go!"
Qiao Sang's mouth twitched slightly.
Zheng Guoping ignored him and turned to discuss today's arrangement: "Your training for the last stage is mostly complete. Next, you need to train in 'subtraction' for your pets' skills."
Subtraction? Qiao Sang was stunned for a moment.
Zheng Guoping continued, "Sometimes in pet battles, being more ferocious isn't always better; it requires strategy. If you encounter a Beast Tamer of similar level during a competition, it actually becomes a contest of tactics."
"The purpose of this training is to deceive the opponent's eyes, making it impossible for them to detect your true strength."
"I'll give you one week. Everyone must practice the proficiency of their pet's strongest attack skill until they can freely switch levels."
Qiao Sang immediately thought of the battle between Ya Bao and the Scale-Control Sucker during the Baixin Competition.
The Scale-Control Sucker had controlled its originally Great Success level telekinesis down to a Small Success proficiency, which was why she had been willing to struggle a bit at the beginning.
Such situations were common in Beast Taming competitions.
As long as it didn't involve breaking the rules, contestants were allowed to do whatever they wanted.
Some Beast Tamers used trash talk to break the opponent's mental state.
There were even publishers who released a "Complete Guide to Trash Talk," and the sales weren't low.
Some Beast Tamers would have their pets pretend to be heavily injured and collapse, only to deliver a fatal blow once the opponent lowered their guard.
These were all tactics.
What Zheng Baolong—Zheng Guoping—was talking about now was also a type of tactic: hiding one's strength.
Since the levels of the pets deployed by everyone were transparent and public, the only thing that could be hidden to trick people was information regarding skills.
To be honest, Qiao Sang felt there was no need for her to practice.
The campus competitions were for middle school students; she was confident she could crush them with raw power without needing these tricks.
But since they were all on the same school team, she couldn't be the only one not practicing while others did.
When free training time arrived.
Qiao Sang went to the side and said to Ya Bao, "Let's try to lower the power of Fire Fang by one level."
Ya Bao's most powerful attack skill was Meteor Rain, but its proficiency was only at the Entry level, so it couldn't be lowered further. She could only practice Fire Fang, which currently had the second-highest power.
"Ya."
Ya Bao nodded.
In the next second, two sickle-shaped flames filled with a terrifying aura appeared before Ya Bao's two sharp fangs.
It failed... Qiao Sang fell into deep thought.
A Perfection-level Fire Fang and a Great Success-level Fire Fang were qualitatively different.
The latter merely covered the fangs in flames, while the former changed the form entirely.
Thinking about it carefully, she had never heard of a skill that changed form as proficiency increased, only to change back as energy output decreased.
When in doubt, ask the teacher... Qiao Sang quickly gave up thinking and brought Ya Bao to Zheng Baolong to ask about her confusion.
Zheng Guoping was stunned for a long time: "You're saying the Flame-Listening Hound's Fire Fang has undergone a qualitative change in form, and you don't know how to change it back?"
Qiao Sang nodded.
Zheng Guoping took a deep breath, suppressing the shock surging in his heart and the strong urge to shout "Holy crap," and tried to speak in a normal tone: "Have the Flame-Listening Hound use Fire Fang for me to see."
To change form, Fire Fang had to at least reach Perfection proficiency. For a 15-year-old's pet to reach that level—wasn't that nonsense!
"Ya Bao." Qiao Sang turned to Ya Bao.
"Ya."
Ya Bao instantly understood its Beast Tamer's meaning and quickly condensed two sickle-shaped blazes using energy.
The crimson, violent flame energy nearly blinded Zheng Guoping.
Qiao Sang asked, "Teacher, what should I do now?"
Zheng Guoping was completely dazed. Truly, it really was a Perfection-level Fire Fang...
The only skill his own pet had reached Perfection proficiency in was a basic skill. He remembered clearly that on the day it broke through to Perfection, his son had just turned one...
Zheng Guoping's expression was vacant. How old was Qiao Sang again...
"Teacher? Teacher Zheng?" Qiao Sang called out twice.
Zheng Guoping snapped back to his senses and took a while to find his voice: "Just don't practice it. Skills that have undergone a qualitative change in form basically cannot change back."
Qiao Sang was stunned: "Then what should I do now?"
Zheng Guoping remained silent for a few seconds before speaking: "How about you just play for a while?"
Qiao Sang: "???"
...
6:16 PM.
Tianjing Garden, No. 1075.
Qiao Sang said to Ya Bao, "From now on, spend some time every day learning Teleportation from Little Treasure. I believe you'll learn it very quickly."
Qiao Sang wasn't worried at all about whether Ya Bao could learn Teleportation. If it could learn the advanced skill Meteor Rain, why would it struggle with Teleportation?
"Ya!" Ya Bao was also full of confidence.
In the next second, Ya Bao tilted its head.
"Ya?"
What is Teleportation?
Qiao Sang: "..."
You don't even know what Teleportation is, where on earth does this confidence come from!
Qiao Sang turned and said, "Little Treasure, show it."
"Xun~"
Little Treasure nodded cutely, then vanished into thin air and appeared on the ceiling, then vanished again and appeared on the sofa.
"This is Teleportation," Qiao Sang explained in simple terms. "Remember that time you fought the Scale-Control Sucker? It kept disappearing and appearing in other places because of Teleportation."
"If you learn it, you can be just like it."
"Ya!"
Ya Bao's expression instantly became serious.
Actually, Ya Bao had already realized the effect of the skill when Little Treasure used Teleportation, but its Beast Tamer's words deepened its determination to learn.
Qiao Sang was very gratified; Ya Bao had never made her worry when it came to training.
"Little Treasure, I'll leave it to you then," Qiao Sang said, looking at Little Treasure.
"Xun~"
Little Treasure patted its chest with an expression that said "leave it to me."
...
Qiao Sang returned to her room to read.
Although she wanted to secure her admission to a top academy by winning the National Campus Beast Taming League, she still had to read these books.
After all, even if she was confident she could win, it was better to be safe than sorry...
To be safe, she had to make dual preparations; she couldn't let her academic scores slip.
After reading for half an hour, Qiao Sang got up and went to the living room to check on Ya Bao's training progress.
As soon as she entered the living room, what met her eyes was Ya Bao gritting its teeth, limbs straining, and its face scrunched up.
"Xun!"
"Xun!"
Little Treasure was on the side cheering it on.
Qiao Sang's right eyelid twitched; she had a bad suspicion.
This Little Treasure fellow isn't teaching Ya Bao how to release Five-Grain Qi, is he... Qiao Sang took a deep breath and asked in a soft tone, "What are you two doing?"
"Ya!"
Ya Bao let out a strained cry.
It was almost there!
"Xun xun~"
Little Treasure floated in front of its Beast Tamer, seeking credit.
...Qiao Sang couldn't help but facepalm and said helplessly, "Ya Bao, stop for a moment."
"Ya!"
Ya Bao's limbs trembled slightly.
It was almost there!
Qiao Sang: "..."
That sounded like someone saying a fart was almost coming out...
"Xun xun?"
Little Treasure blinked, its eyes filled with confusion.
Weren't they learning Teleportation? It was almost learned, so why stop?
Don't get angry, don't get angry, the child is still young and doesn't know better... After chanting this in her heart, Qiao Sang looked up and said earnestly
"Did you forget? I told you before that you didn't learn Teleportation by farting. Besides, you tried it later, and it had nothing to do with farting."
"Just teach Ya Bao the feeling of Teleportation and how to use the energy in the body."
"Xun..."
Little Treasure tilted its head.
But that's exactly how it learned Teleportation...
She was wrong; she shouldn't have let Little Treasure teach Ya Bao Teleportation. It's only a month old, what could it possibly understand? It seems the Teleportation matter has to be put on hold... Qiao Sang conducted a deep self-reflection.
"We'll talk about Teleportation later, you two—"
Qiao Sang's voice stopped abruptly. She looked at Ya Bao, who had suddenly vanished from before her eyes and appeared by the mirror. Her body instantly froze completely, and for a long time, she couldn't utter a complete sentence: "Ya... Ya..."
"Ya!"
Ya Bao let out an excited cry.
In the next second, it appeared out of thin air right in front of Qiao Sang.
Qiao Sang: "!!!"