Beastmaster: I'm really just a forest ranger

Chapter 235 I can't possibly be killed in one hit, can I?
Monday, October 12.

Fire State.

"Brother, why hasn't Brother Chen Yuan arrived yet?" At the airport exit, Liu Jingyi peeked out, but still couldn't see Chen Yuan's figure.

Liu Jinglan's lips twitched, and he couldn't help but complain: "Everyone else calls him Brother Chen Yuan, but everyone else calls me Older Brother."

Liu Jingyi retorted sharply, "Brother, if you were as capable as Brother Chen Yuan, I could call you that too."

"I," Liu Jinglan opened her mouth, but couldn't speak for a long time. Finally, she could only say with a lack of confidence, "I will challenge him tonight. The Crimson Flame Bull has also improved during this time."

Liu Jingyi gave a light hum, turned her head to look at the Fiery Eagle perched on her shoulder, her smile bright and her tone light: "If that's the case, then we've made great progress during this time, don't you think, little eagle?"

"Wow~"

The Flaming Eagle lowered its head, letting Liu Jingyi stroke it.

Liu Jinglan snorted coldly and crossed her arms: "Your brother is one of the top ten young beast tamers in Huozhou, and he was one of the top eight contestants in this year's Blazing Fire Cup. He is a well-known figure wherever he goes."

"Haven't you seen the smiles on your parents' faces all this time?"

Haven't you noticed that your teachers and classmates have been treating you exceptionally well lately?

As he spoke, Liu Jinglan's lips curled into a confident smile as he reached out to pat his younger sister's hair.

Liu Jingyi raised her eyebrows, reached out and slapped her brother's hand away, while giving him a slightly resentful look: "Just because you've become famous, my teacher has been giving me double the homework lately, saying that he wants to learn from you and strive to become an excellent beast tamer as soon as possible."

Liu Jinglan reached out and tossed her hair, smiling as she asked, "Isn't that right?"

Liu Jingyi glared at her older brother: "Of course not. I don't want to be like you, training day and night to get stronger, without even time to go home to eat and rest. Lately, I feel like your hair is getting thinner and thinner."

She paused, then looked at the Flaming Eagle, a smile spreading across her face: "I just want to be happy and joyful with the little eagle every day."

Liu Jinglan put one hand in his pocket and said, "According to you, you'll never become stronger in your entire life."

Liu Jinglan puffed out her cheeks and retorted, "Who said you have to practice hard every day to become stronger?"

"Can this statement be questioned?" Liu Jinglan shook her head, her eyes full of incomprehension towards her younger sister. "Go ask Consultant Chen, which beast tamer doesn't train hard every day and be so busy that they don't even have time to rest."

"If a beast tamer becomes lazy, he will be abandoned by the talent he is so proud of."

"Consultant Chen will definitely agree with my opinion."

Liu Jingyi continued to refute: "I looked at Chen Yuan's WeChat Moments, and the videos he posted were all of the farm animals living a leisurely life."

Liu Jinglan smiled slightly and pressed his younger sister's head down: "Sis, you're still too naive. You only see the glamorous side in front of others, but you don't notice the hard work and exhaustion behind the scenes."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Take Runrun the duck on Consultant Chen's farm as an example. It may seem like it's just lounging in the sun all day, but it's definitely training quietly. It might even be the curliest one."

Seeing that her ideas were completely rejected by Liu Jinglan, Liu Jingyi turned her head away and decided to ignore her older brother.

Liu Jinglan kept repeating, "So, as one of the top eight contestants in the Blazing Fire Cup, it's necessary for me to instill the most correct principles in you."

"Training is the only way to get stronger."

Liu Jingyi turned her head again: "Brother Chen Yuan is the champion, I'll listen to him."

Liu Jinglan: "..."

After a long silence, Liu Jinglan said helplessly, "Even champions need to train. Consultant Chen will definitely agree with me."

"What are you talking about?"

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang in my ears.

The two turned around in surprise, and upon seeing the familiar figure, they exclaimed simultaneously:
"Advisor Chen!"

"Brother Chen Yuan!"

Then, Liu Jingyi glared at Liu Jinglan: "Brother, it's all your fault. You were so busy chatting that you didn't even see Brother Chen Yuan come out."

Liu Jinglan raised his hands: "Who told you to be so stubborn?"

After saying this, Liu Jinglan told Chen Yuan about the argument they had just had and asked for his opinion.

"Hmm," Chen Yuan said, meeting Liu Jingyi's hopeful gaze, and fell silent for a moment.

His training volume is indeed less compared to other beast tamers, but he can't possibly say that his situation is special and that he can cheat, right?

After careful consideration, Chen Yuan replied as tactfully as possible: "Every beast tamer has different pursuits. If you only want to spend a leisurely and peaceful life with your pet beast, and do not pursue a famous and prestigious career in the arena, then not training may be a good choice."

"But if you want everyone to remember your name, and you want to be stronger to protect yourself and your family, then training hard might be the best option."

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Jinglan put her hands on her hips and laughed loudly: "I knew Consultant Chen's idea was exactly the same as mine!"

After listening attentively to Chen Yuan's words, Liu Jingyi nodded and replied earnestly, "Okay, Brother Chen Yuan, I'll remember what you said."

Liu Jinglan's lips twitched.

Is this different from what you said?

Does that mean that even if the champion and the quarterfinalists say the same thing, the effect will be different?

After a long and tiring journey, they finally picked up Chen Yuan around dusk. The three of them then met up with Chang Yuhuan and went to a well-known local restaurant for dinner.

"I've already signed up. Our team name is 'Don't Count on Us.'" Liu Jinglan pursed her lips, her face full of disdain for the team name.

Chen Yuan was speechless for a moment.

Don't count on our team?
Great team name!
Liu Jingyi raised her hands high: "This is the name I chose. What do you think? Isn't it interesting?"

Chang Yuhuan's voice was magnetic: "Very interesting."

The two girls, one big and one small, gave each other a high five across the distance, and Chen Yuan and Liu Jinglan smiled helplessly.

Forget about the team name. Chen Yuan didn't even care much about the ranking in this points competition. As long as he could find the Blazing Flower and help it advance, the trip would be a success.

but.
A thought flashed through his mind, and Chen Yuan turned to look at Liu Jinglan, asking, "What are your expectations for the competition rankings?"

Liu Jinglan replied, "Try to get into the top five. The top five will be rewarded with a breeding resource needed for the Crimson Flame Bull."

"Okay, it should be fine." Chen Yuan nodded to indicate that he understood.

With his abilities and Liu Jinglan's help, making it into the top five shouldn't be a problem, even though there's still a burden.

Chang Yuhuan is not this burden.

Her Water Spirit Turtle has broken through to the second tier, and can play an important role in this wildfire-ravaged environment.

Liu Jinglan continued, "Our Fire State held the Blazing Cup last week. Most of the contestants who placed will participate in this competition, and there are even some powerful beast tamers from other places. The competition will definitely be fierce."

He paused for a moment, then spoke as if casually, his gaze towards Chen Yuan filled with anticipation: "But don't worry, I did make it to the quarterfinals, so I know a bit about the stronger players."

Chen Yuan smiled slightly: "Impressive. It's not easy to advance to the quarterfinals of such a large-scale competition."

Recently, the headquarters of the Beast Tamer Association released relevant documents regarding various Beast Tamer competitions.

Among them, the Taibai Cup held by the Beast Tamer Association of Baokun City is a Class B event, while the Dafeng Cup held by the Beast Tamer Association of Qin Province and the Liehuo Cup held by Huozhou are both Class A events. Various competitions held by various organizations and units are classified as Class D to Class C.

The Donghuang Tournament, currently in preparation, is undoubtedly an S-level event.

According to rumors, participating in competitions at various levels and achieving corresponding rankings will earn you points, and to participate in the national Donghuang Tournament, you must meet certain point requirements.

Liu Jinglan tilted her head slightly, smiled brightly, and waved her hand: "No, no, it was just good luck. I'm not as good as Consultant Chen."

Hearing the two exchanging pleasantries, Chang Yuhuan covered her mouth and laughed.

But Liu Jinglan knew that he was not flattering her; it was genuine admiration.

Although both the Dafeng Cup and the Liehuo Cup are A-level competitions, the overall level of beast tamers in Qin Province is undoubtedly higher than that in Huozhou, and the intensity of the competition is also greater.

In other words, if both are quarter-finalists, the former's achievement is definitely more significant than the latter's.

Moreover, Chen Yuan was the champion. Liu Jinglan had faced the champion of the Blazing Fire Cup before, and the latter's imposing performance left a deep impression on him, making him know that he was an opponent he could not defeat.

Consultant Chen's abilities are perhaps even superior to those of the champion, which makes Liu Jinglan admire him sincerely.

But admiration is one thing; as a beast tamer determined to become stronger, Liu Jinglan dares to challenge any beast tamer.

After finishing the meal, Liu Jinglan's eyes shone brightly: "Advisor Chen, do you still remember our previous agreement?"

Chen Yuan was speechless for a moment: "Huh?"

What agreement do I have with you, a man with thick eyebrows and big eyes?
Liu Jinglan quickly explained, "You promised me that we would have a pet battle if we had the chance."

Chen Yuan nodded in realization: "Of course I haven't forgotten about this."

Liu Jinglan excitedly stood up and was about to pull Chen Yuan outside: "The largest combat club in Huozhou is nearby. All the powerful beast tamers in our area fight here."

Unable to refuse such a kind offer, Chen Yuan had no choice but to agree.

Just consider it as digestion after a meal.

The group arrived at the gaming club, which was decorated in a distinctive ethnic style, and fell silent as they looked at the bustling lobby.

Isn't there too many people?

Liu Jinglan slapped his forehead and said regretfully, "Look at my memory! The competition starts tomorrow, and there will definitely be a lot of beast tamers warming up tonight."

"Sigh, there are too many people. We didn't make any reservations. Let's go find another gaming club."

Just as Liu Jinglan was about to turn and leave, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure among the passersby and waved excitedly, "Tiger, do you have an appointment?"

A burly figure turned to face Liu Jinglan. He was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with dark skin, and wore a coat. He grinned at the latter and said, "What a coincidence?"

Then, he strode over and gently patted Liu Jinglan's shoulder. Although he controlled his strength, it still made Liu Jinglan wince in pain.

"Of course I made an appointment."

Ignoring his throbbing shoulder, Liu Jinglan was overjoyed: "Let's have a match together."

"No problem." The burly man called Tiger nodded readily, then looked at Chen Yuan beside him and extended his right hand, "Is this perhaps your teammate?"

Liu Jinglan nodded: "Chen Yuan, my good friend, is from Qin Province. He came all this way, so I definitely have to be on his team."

After a pause, Liu Jinglan reached out to introduce Chen Yuan: "This is a friend I met at the Fiery Cup, Jiang Hu. He was also in the top eight, just like me."

"Hey, what's so great about being in the top eight?" Jiang Hu waved his hand, but the upturned corners of his mouth and the smile revealed his happiness at the moment.

Some contestants consider reaching the semi-finals or even the runner-up position a disgrace, while others regard reaching the quarter-finals, which they have worked so hard to achieve, as an honor.

At the same time, three people walked up behind Jiang Hu, two men and one woman, a very classic team combination.

After some conversation, it turned out that Jiang Hu had also formed his own team and was just taking advantage of the evening to warm up at the battle club.

The group headed towards the designated arena. Jiang Hu and Liu Jinglan walked in front, with Jiang Hu putting his arm around Liu Jinglan's shoulder and lowering his voice to say, "The rewards for this competition are very generous, and absorbing those wildfires will also be of great benefit to our pets."

"If your teammates aren't strong, it will be difficult to get deep into the Flaming Mountains, let alone achieve a good ranking."

He paused, then lowered his voice further: "Why don't you reconsider? Anyway, I have two teammates who were recruited temporarily. You and your sister might as well switch teams."

"Talk to your friend and explain the importance of this competition. Ask him to switch teams with that pretty girl."

"I heard that quite a few contestants have teamed up, and there are even beast tamers from other places. This competition is going to be very intense."

"But if the two of us team up, we can still fight for a top-ten finish."

The players who achieve a certain ranking in the Blazing Cup have all been tested in several real battles, and their true strength is far superior to some beast tamers who boast and market themselves all day long.

Jiang Hu had fought against Liu Jinglan many times and was very familiar with the latter's strength. If the two of them teamed up, even with a burden, it wouldn't have much of an impact.

Liu Jinglan turned her head to look at Jiang Hu, feeling a warmth in her heart, but replied with a smile, "Hu Zi, my friend is very capable."

"How good are they?" Jiang Hu curled his lip, his tone nonchalant. "Are they better than us top eight contestants?"

The words had barely left his mouth when the battle room came into view, and a staff member who had been waiting for a long time immediately came over: "Are you Mr. Jiang Hu?"

The group entered the spacious open-air battle room. Jiang Hu looked at Liu Jinglan and asked, "You guys go first?"

Liu Jinglan did not answer immediately, but turned to look at Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan laughed and said, "That's fine. Anyway, we're only fighting one match, so it should be over soon."

Since the battle room was booked by someone else, we can't waste too much time.

Chen Yuan and Liu Jinglan walked to opposite sides of the battlefield. The former had a calm expression, while the latter closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

After learning that Chen Yuan had won the Dafeng Cup, Liu Jinglan watched his match videos and came to a harsh conclusion—his prized Crimson Flame Bull was no match for the Flame Cloud Falcon and the Wind-Gathering Hound.

Seeing Liu Jinglan's alarmed reaction, Jiang Hu, who was talking with his teammates, turned to look at Liu Jingyi and asked in a deep voice, "Is your brother so serious?"

"Isn't this just a warm-up?"

The so-called warm-up is actually a friendly pet battle, which is also an opportunity to get to know and familiarize yourself with your teammates' pets so that you can cooperate better in the following competition.

If it's just a warm-up, why react like that?
If he remembers correctly, even on the field of the Blazing Cup, Liu Jinglan always had a carefree and cheerful attitude, and his mentality was very good among all the players. Even if he was defeated, he would face it with a smile.

Liu Jingyi chuckled: "Brother Hu, it's because I know I'm no match for Brother Chen Yuan."

Jiang Hu instinctively chose not to believe it, crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow: "Impossible, your brother was one of the top eight contestants just like me."

"Brother Tiger, are the top eight really that impressive?" Liu Jingyi raised her head, her blinking eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Before Jiang Hu could answer, his teammate spoke up first: "Of course he's amazing. There are only eight beast tamers as skilled as Brother Hu in the entire Fire State."

"In our Fire Continent, this is already the most skilled beast tamer."

Liu Jingyi nodded thoughtfully, then asked another question: "What about the champion? How amazing is the champion?"

Upon hearing this question, Jiang Hu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something. He raised his eyes, which were gleaming slightly, and said in a low voice, "The champion is of course the most powerful beast tamer in each region. Even if we were all tied together, we might not be his match."

"Oh," Liu Jingyi nodded in realization, muttering seemingly casually, "So Brother Chen Yuan is this amazing."

Chang Yuhuan stood aside and chuckled.

Jiang Hu blurted out, "Of course, every champion is amazing."

After saying that, he seemed to belatedly realize something, and suddenly turned his head to stare at the smiling Liu Jingyi, his voice hoarse: "What did you just say?"

Liu Jingyi raised her phone, which she had prepared beforehand. The screen displayed a page: "Warmly celebrate Chen Yuan's victory in the Qin Province Dafeng Cup!"
Below is a photo of Chen Yuan.

Jiang Hu's eyes widened, and his breathing became rapid. He kept glancing at Chen Yuan on the field and then at the photo on the screen, his expression becoming incredibly complex.

After a while,
Jiang Hu let out a long breath, forcibly suppressing his excitement. He moved closer to Liu Jingyi, forcing a fawning smile onto his face, and his usually rough voice softened: "Why don't you tell me more about this champion?"

Liu Jingyi tilted her head slightly, a proud smile on her face: "Okay, Brother Tiger, Brother Chen Yuan is an advisor to the Qin Province Beast Tamer Association."

The other three beast tamers quietly gathered around, pricking up their ears to listen carefully to Liu Jingyi's story.

In the center of the field, a fierce battle is about to begin.

Before the match began, Liu Jinglan said, "Advisor Chen, could I ask you for a favor?"

"Go ahead," Chen Yuan nodded with a smile.

"I hope you can send out the Flame Cloud Falcon. I want to see the difference between it and the Crimson Flame Bull."

By now, Liu Jinglan had long given up on the idea of ​​competing with Chen Yuan. After all, the gap between them was there, and he had to face reality.

However, both are fire-type pets, and the Crimson Flame Bull is already close to the third tier. Perhaps it can find a breakthrough opportunity under the pressure brought by the Flame Cloud Falcon.

Despite the vast disparity in skill, he and the Crimson Flame Bull possessed the courage and determination to face the challenge head-on.

No matter what, it's impossible to be killed in one hit, right?
(End of this chapter)