Beastmaster: I'm really just a forest ranger

Chapter 300: News of the Bonfire Party and the Eastern Empire Conference
The night is deep.

A huge full moon hung in the dark blue sky, and the distant mountain ranges looked like a giant, crouching beast under the night sky.

Meanwhile, a large bonfire illuminated an open space near Xuanhe Village. The blazing fire crackled and leaped, licking the night sky and casting gentle, shimmering light on the faces of the people sitting around and their inseparable pets.

The hustle and bustle of the daytime competition had long since dissipated, and the air was filled with the aroma of roasted meat and the fragrance of burning pine branches, while laughter echoed in everyone's hearts.

This was the final project that Zhang Hao had planned long ago—a bonfire party.

When the competition ends, all participants and villagers can attend a grand bonfire party, using songs and dances to announce the complete conclusion of the first Qinling Cycling Competition.

As many netizens predicted, Chen Yuan lived up to expectations and became the champion of both the fun race and the speed race. The dramatic comeback by the Fallen Horned Beast at the last moment was also a hot topic among netizens.

This was the Fallen Horned Beast's first public appearance, and its performance was nothing short of perfect, leaving a deep impression on countless netizens with this majestic and powerful pet.

Many people considered forming contracts with other beasts of the same kind, but when they consulted relevant information and discovered that the Fallen Horned Beast only inhabited the core area of ​​the Qinling Mountains, they immediately gave up the idea.

The core area of ​​the Qinling Mountains remains a forbidden zone for the vast majority of beast tamers.

Many skeptical beast tamers ventured into the area, only to encounter dangerous beasts, suffering injuries or even death.

As the double champion of this year's riding competition, Chen Yuan was naturally the undisputed protagonist. However, instead of ostentatiously taking the lead, he casually sat cross-legged on the ground near the campfire, letting the bright flames illuminate his face with a relaxed smile.

The cold wind sometimes howls, and the fireworks sway in the wind, outlining the shape of the wind.

Most villagers are ordinary people, and even with a campfire for warmth, they cannot stay outside late at night and have to go home to rest early.

Some contestants were exhausted after two days of competition and went to rest early. Others had taken leave to participate in the competition and rushed back to work overnight after it ended.

Alas, even as a beast tamer, one can only manage a slightly higher-level ox or horse at best.

Chen Yuan squinted, leaning against the massive body of the Fallen Horned Beast as he sat on the ground, his head resting on its soft brown fur.

The animal that helped him win the championship is now resting with its eyes closed, its breathing steady. Occasionally, it flicks its thick tail, stirring up a cloud of snow dust, as if it is still reliving the joy of winning the championship in its dream.

Chen Yuan remained silent, enjoying the rare tranquility of the night with the Fallen Horned Beast. His fingers unconsciously stroked the soft mane on its neck, and the firelight danced in his calm eyes.

The sparks rested quietly on his shoulder, and his magnificent feathers shimmered with a deep and beautiful luster under the flames, while his tail feathers occasionally brushed against the back of Chen Yuan's neck.

"Ouch!"

Coke is always the best member of the atmosphere team wherever it goes, calling on the Paw Patrol members to play around the village.

It was very satisfied with the Paw Patrol's performance yesterday and decided to take them deep into the Qinling Mountains tomorrow to find some delicious fruit to enjoy.

When the Paw Patrol members got tired, Cola would flit around the campfire like a light brown whirlwind. Occasionally, it would come up to Chen Yuan and rub its fluffy head against the back of his hand, getting a tickle or two before running away contentedly.

In Chen Yuan's arms, the petite and adorable Sprite was dozing off—it curled up into a snowball, its fluffy, soft, snow-white fur glowing warmly in the firelight. Its deep blue eyes, as vast as the ocean, occasionally opened a slit, gazing blankly at the leaping flames, the bustling crowd, and the Coke boss running around everywhere.

It would occasionally let out a soft whimper, but soon it would fall into a deep sleep in Chen Yuan's arms amidst the noisy environment.

not far away,
Lu Ran leaned against a tree stump with his arms crossed, his slightly raised chin carrying an arrogance that didn't belong to the runner-up, but the bright firelight painted a soft, warm color on his sharp features.

The Red-hoofed Steed stood silently beside him, its fiery red hooves gleaming warmly in the firelight. Its gaze would occasionally fall on the sleeping Fallen Horned Beast, its eyes filled with complex emotions, its lowered gaze and its tail swaying forlornly.

As the beast tamer of the Red-hoofed Steed, Lu Ran keenly sensed the changes in the Steed's emotions.

He gently stroked the former's thick mane, but his gaze swept over the bright campfire, then over Cola running around it, and over Huohua preening his feathers on Chen Yuan's shoulder, finally settling on Chen Yuan himself. A fleeting, complex light appeared in his eyes, but in the end, he curled his lips into a smile and said arrogantly, "The competition is over, the champion has been born, so don't worry about the mistakes that happened during the competition."

"Come again next time."

Anyway.

He paused, raised his right hand, and threaded his fingers through his thick, dark red hair: "Anyway, he can't be the champion every time."

Zhuang Jianbai sat silently in a corner. Compared to the collapse of his Dao heart after his defeat, he had improved a lot and could even talk to other contestants calmly.

These were also two students from Yunhua Beast Taming Academy. Zhuang Jianbai chatted with them happily, constantly answering their questions about the path to becoming stronger.

As the undisputed number one in Yunhua Beast Taming Academy and a top four finalist in the Dafeng Cup, Zhuang Jianbai is qualified to answer questions.

The three chatted for a while, and one of the students suddenly started talking about his worries.

"Boss Zhuang, I'd like to know how to deal with the opponent who defeated me?"

Zhuang Jianbai smiled slightly and replied without hesitation: "No beast tamer is invincible. In the process of becoming stronger, we will always encounter opponents who are stronger than ourselves."

"Turn your frustration and resentment into motivation, and treat them as a benchmark on the road to becoming stronger."

"Go get close to him, go defeat him."

The student nodded thoughtfully and continued to ask, "I did do that, but I always lost when I challenged him and was easily crushed."

"I can no longer see any hope of defeating him; perhaps I will never be his match."

"Boss Zhuang, should I give up?"

Zhuang Jianbai's expression changed slightly, and he fell silent for a moment, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at Chen Yuan not far away.

It turns out that empathy truly exists in this world.

Another student noticed the change in Zhuang Jianbai's expression. He immediately thought of Zhuang Jianbai's encounter with Consultant Chen and quickly tugged at his companion's sleeve, lowering his voice to say, "Stop talking, let's change the subject."

"fine."

Zhuang Jianbai heard these words and raised his gentle eyes, a relieved smile appearing on his face: "Sometimes accepting the gap is also a great courage."

Both students were taken aback.

Bright flames danced in Zhuang Jianbai's eyes, and his voice was as leisurely as a cloud floating in the sky: "In this life, you will always meet someone more outstanding."

"If we can't defeat it no matter how hard we try, then let's accept that fact."

"It doesn't necessarily have to be about defeating him; following in his footsteps and moving forward is also a kind of courage."

The winter dog sat obediently beside Zhuang Jianbai. After listening to his words, it silently raised its head and stuck out its wet tongue to lick the latter's palm.

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

Zhuang Jianbai smiled in response to Yan Dongquan's comforting words, then pointed to the Sprite in Chen Yuan's arms: "You looked just like this when you were little."

The winter dog slightly raised its eyes, its deep blue eyes gazing at its small fellow dog with the gentle warmth of an elder, its tail wagging silently.

Yang Yue and Li Qing sat side by side, enjoying the snacks Zhang Hao had specially prepared for the bonfire party.

The Cloud Fox nestled quietly in Yang Yue's arms, its fluffy tail covering its paws, its off-white fur resembling flowing clouds under the glow of the fireworks.

Li Qing's scaly green snake was coiled obediently around her wrist, its tail resembling an exquisitely carved jade bracelet, its emerald green scales gleaming slightly in the firelight.

The Shadow Serpent lay docilely on Li Qing's lap, sometimes looking curiously at the campfire, sometimes glancing at Chen Yuan, its body faintly radiating a watery glow.

Whenever Chen Yuan noticed the gaze from the Shadow Serpent, his expression would freeze.

Li Qing smiled slightly and took out her sketchbook to record the heartwarming scene before her: a campfire and a crowd, as well as various pets nestled beside the beast tamer.

Zhang Hao was arguably the busiest person there; his hearty laughter was incredibly infectious, echoing in every corner.

He ran around distributing skewers, shouting, "Don't be shy, treat Xuanhe Village as your own home" and "Good Luck Farmhouse welcomes you."
A moment later, he moved closer to Chen Yuan, his eyebrows raised, and loudly recounted the exciting moments that the Fallen Horned Beast had contributed in the race.

A moment later, he ran up to the leader and revealed the idea that had been on his mind for a long time: "We can hold a bonfire party every week, allowing all the beast tamers who come to participate and giving them a sense of belonging." "The bonfire party can definitely be made into a major selling point for Xuanhe Village!"

The gray-armored wild boar followed silently behind him the whole time, trotting along with its thick, dark gray fur resembling a rough armor.

It would occasionally open its mouth to enjoy the roasted sweet potatoes that Zhang Hao threw to it, swallowing them without chewing, and then nuzzle Zhang Hao's thigh with its snow-covered nose to show affection.

As long as it doesn't pounce on him and start gnawing at him, Zhang Hao can tolerate all of the gray-armored wild boar's actions.

The dark blue night sky was filled with cheerful laughter, conversations, and the crackling of burning firewood. Amidst this rare and warm hustle and bustle, several sharp whistles suddenly shattered the tranquility of the night.

Bang!
Bang!
Several dazzling fireworks burst open against the dark blue sky, followed by countless streaks of fire trailing brilliant tails, cascading down like a shower of stars, illuminating the small world around the campfire.

At that moment, it seemed as if all the noise had disappeared.

Everyone couldn't help but look up at the sky, their smiles magnified and frozen in time, every pair of eyes filled with amazement reflecting the magnificent spectacle.

The Fallen Horned Beast behind Chen Yuan was suddenly awakened. It raised its huge head in a daze, looked at the dazzling fireworks, and let out a low and comfortable gurgling sound.

Cola, who had been running around the campfire, finally stopped and looked up at the fireworks, shouting excitedly as its tail swayed like a windmill.

Spark's golden-red wings shimmered in the light of the fireworks, as if draped in a flowing glow. It gracefully folded its wings and gradually approached Chen Yuan's left cheek.

Seeing the eldest sister's actions, the twin concubines, with indifferent expressions, silently pressed their lips against Chen Yuan's right cheek, feeling its cool touch.

Sprite, who was fast asleep, was also awakened by the dazzling light. She raised her little head in Chen Yuan's arms, her big eyes, which looked like solidified sapphire ice crystals, reflected the fireworks blooming in the sky. Her little mouth opened slightly in surprise: "Eek!"

Boss, did you see that?

This must be a fiery feast created by some powerful pet beast!

The Cloud Fox at Yang Yue's feet perked up its ears warily, its body trembling slightly, but Yang Yue patted its head to reassure it, and it then quietly began to admire the scene.

The scaly green snake coiled around Li Qing's wrist flicked its cold tongue and stared curiously at the sky; the ripple snake on her knee tilted its head slightly, its scales seemingly glistening with water.

The red-hoofed horse beside Lu Ran snorted, exhaling a small puff of white vapor, its tail tip ablaze with flames.

Zhuang Jianbai and Yan Dongquan nestled together, quietly watching the dazzling fireworks and enjoying the tranquility of the moment.

Zhang Hao pointed at the dazzling fireworks, put his hands on his hips, and showed a smug smile: "That's right, that's right, this was also specially arranged by me."

"What would a bonfire party be without fireworks?"

Right now,

The village of Xuanhe, which had been sleeping soundly at night, was awakened as dazzling fireworks, accompanied by loud bangs, climbed onto the windows of every household.

The startled children rushed to the window, gazing up at the flowing light, only to be stopped by the adults: "What are you looking at? We have to get up early tomorrow."

The children obediently went to bed, but turned their heads to look out the window, and every loud noise from the outside world exploded into the most dazzling fireworks in their hearts.

"Quack quack!"

Runrun Duck was the first to be woken up. It got up in a daze, and when it saw the culprit that woke it up, it stretched out its wings and pointed to the sky, cursing and swearing.

Anyone who disturbs the duck's sleep is a bad guy; he'll never find happiness in this life, just like Electric Flying Cat!

"Electricity."

Even with the loud noises outside, the Electric Flying Cat, lost in its sweet dreams, remained undisturbed. It tightly hugged the Ice Crystal Illusion Cat doll that Chen Yuan had specially gifted it, and the corners of its mouth gradually turned up.

It dreamed that it was on a date with the Ice Crystal Cat, a sweet and happy date.

Ironhead, steadfastly holding his post, silently looked up. As the fireworks reflected in his eyes, he frowned slightly and gripped the sharp blade in front of him.

It doesn't like things that are unexpected.

Fireworks may look dazzling and beautiful, but their loud noise will inevitably disturb the wild animals in the mountains.

If these wild animals were to riot as a result, it could potentially cause trouble for Xuanhe Village at the foot of the mountain.

As a result, the farm will inevitably be affected.

"Crack."

Ironhead Boy's sharp eyes scanned his surroundings, always on guard against the dangers lurking in the darkness.

Fireworks continued to bloom, and Lu Ran and Zhuang Jianbai appeared beside Chen Yuan at some point.

"Advisor Chen, you will be attending the Donghuang Conference, right?" Lu Ran stared intently at Chen Yuan's profile as his voice gradually rose.

Chen Yuan turned his head and looked over: "Is the Eastern Empire Conference about to begin?"

He had heard about the upcoming Donghuang Conference two or three months ago, but he still hadn't received any definite news.

Lu Ran smiled and said, "It seems there are things that Consultant Chen doesn't know."

Chen Yuan's lips twitched.

Does he appear to others as an omniscient and omnipotent being?
Lu Ran didn't keep them in suspense and directly revealed the information he had: "Before the Spring Festival."

Chen Yuan and Zhuang Jianbai both stared at Lu Ran.

"The Donghuang Conference will be held before the Spring Festival and is expected to last for one to two weeks."

Before the Spring Festival?
Chen Yuan's eyes flickered as he silently calculated the time.

It is now late December, and the Spring Festival is in early February, which means that there is only one month left before the opening of the Donghuang Conference.

"Advisor Chen, you will participate, right?" Lu Ran stared straight at Chen Yuan, his eyes blazing with undisguised fighting spirit, and repeated the question.

Chen Yuan's gaze swept over the little ones beside him, and the corners of his mouth gradually turned up: "Probably."

He initially resisted the tediousness and troubles of participating in the competition, but he gradually discovered the many benefits of participating: he could make new friends and obtain source points from each contestant.

Chen Momo would log on as promised whenever there was a match.

the most important is
Participating in the competition wasn't just his own decision; it was a shared wish among the children.

Their hard work and effort will shine brightest on the field.

Upon hearing Chen Yuan's reply, Lu Ran grinned, his eyes brightening: "Okay, I'll wait for you in the capital."

Zhuang Jianbai remained silent; he had already begun planning the special training schedule for the following month.

He will not be absent from this Donghuang Conference.

To be more precise, every excellent beast tamer will be present.

The campfire flickered gently in everyone's eyes, and countless sparks rose like fireflies, merging into the brilliant night sky;

The bonfire and fireworks illuminated the figures of people and their pets cuddling together, and laughter faded away with the smoke and returned to a gentle sound.

The night is getting darker.

(End of this chapter)