Beastmaster: I'm really just a forest ranger

Chapter 422 Exclusive Champion Reward

The next morning, the warm sunlight shone through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a warm dappled light on the carpet in the hotel room.

Chen Yuan woke up naturally from a deep, dreamless sleep, slowly opened his eyes, and was momentarily dazed.

He habitually stretched out a big yawn, his bones making a comfortable, soft sound, and a long-lost sense of relaxation permeated his limbs and bones.

Since the start of the Donghuang Tournament, his spirit had been taut like a bowstring. Only now, with all the burdens finally lifted, did he realize how deep the fatigue he had accumulated was.

I slept soundly and peacefully, a feeling I hadn't experienced in a long time.

He sat up, his gaze unconsciously sweeping around the suite where he had stayed for several days.

When her gaze swept over the carpet by the window, she paused slightly, and a warm smile appeared on her lips.

Cola was lying on its side on the soft carpet, fast asleep, its light brown fur gleaming softly in the morning light.

Its two front paws were tightly embracing the gleaming Donghuang Tournament championship trophy, its furry cheeks were intimately pressed against the cool trophy, its mouth was slightly upturned, and a very soft purring sound came from its throat, obviously it was having a sweet dream.

Perhaps it continues to dominate and steal the spotlight in its dreams, or perhaps it drinks tons of cola, but it will never have a one-sided love dream like Electric Flying Cat, which is destined to have no outcome.

Seeing this scene, the last trace of unreality in Chen Yuan's heart gradually subsided.

The fact that he actually became the champion of the Donghuang Tournament still feels like a dream, but the texture of the bed sheet he touched and the real image of Coke holding the trophy clearly tell him that it was not all an illusion.

He shook his head, shaking off a moment of daze, and reached for his phone on the bedside table.

The screen lit up and was instantly flooded with notification icons for countless unread messages.

The dense red dots silently told him how much attention he was receiving. He glanced at them briefly, but instead of replying to them one by one immediately, he opened a few of his favorite news and social media platforms.

Sure enough, the top of the trending search list was almost entirely dominated by terms related to him:

#Donghuang Champion Chen Yuan#
#Analysis of Chen Yuan's Champion Pet Team#
#The First Donghuang Conference Concludes#
As if overnight, the entire Donghuang's attention was focused on him, and all kinds of analyses, comments, and congratulations filled every corner of the internet.

At this moment, Chen Yuan suddenly noticed that Jiang Wenning had changed the group name of Fruit Factory to 【Fruit Factory (with Donghuang Champion Edition)】 at some point, followed by a champion trophy emoji. He couldn't help but chuckle.

In the group chat, the three were enthusiastically discussing the exciting moments of last night's match, and Chen Yuan chimed in with a few words, creating a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

A short while later, Jiang Wenning sent a link: "Orange, look, you've been inducted into the Hall of Fame!"

Chen Yuan was slightly taken aback, then clicked the link, and his mobile browser automatically redirected to the official website of the Donghuang Beast Tamer Association.

The official website homepage is meticulously designed. On a solemn and dignified dark blue background, the most eye-catching banner features three dazzling and magnificent gold-plated characters: Hall of Fame.

He took a deep breath and clicked to enter.

The moment the page finished loading, a visually striking high-definition image filled the entire screen—it was that classic moment from last night's awards ceremony, where he held the championship trophy high, golden fireworks filled the sky, sparks landed on his shoulders, and Coca-Cola, Morning and Evening Fairy, Egg, and Youmi surrounded him.

Below the photo is a message engraved in solemn font:
The champion of the first Donghuang Beast Taming Tournament

Name: Chen Yuan

Place of origin: Xuanhe Town, Taibai County, Baokun City, Shaanxi Province
Road to the Championship Record: Undefeated

Pets featured: Blazing Sky Falcon, Wind-Riding Dog, Morning and Evening Flower Fairy, Azure Sea Spirit Lord

Looking at the clear text and my own image on the screen, an indescribable sense of solemnity and historical mission quietly welled up in my heart.

He quickly took a screenshot and saved the page.

He originally wanted to let the little ones come and see, but when he looked around, the room was quiet and the little ones were still sleeping.

Chen Yuan smiled slightly and said softly, "Get some rest. Thank you all for your help during this time."

Shortly after lunch, Chen Yuan's phone rang.

Chen Yuan answered the phone, and a capable voice came through the receiver: "Hello, Consultant Chen, this is a staff member from the headquarters of the Donghuang Beast Tamer Association. Your car has arrived downstairs at the hotel and is ready to depart at any time to collect your championship reward."

"Okay, I'll be right down."

At the hotel entrance, a low-key but sleek black luxury sedan, clearly specially modified, waited patiently.

The driver was a middle-aged man in an association uniform with a serious expression. Upon seeing Chen Yuan, he immediately and respectfully opened the car door.

Before long, the vehicle smoothly entered the bustling streets of the capital.

Chen Yuan leaned back in the comfortable back seat, gazing out the window.

Along the way, huge LED screens on the exterior of many skyscrapers and billboards in some bustling commercial districts were adorned with giant posters or animated images celebrating his victory, attracting pedestrians to stop and watch.

The buzz surrounding the championship is sweeping through the capital in the most direct way.

The vehicle did not stop in the city center, but drove straight out of the city.

As you pass through the bustling city, the skyscrapers gradually fall behind, the view opens up, and the outline of the distant, undulating mountains becomes clear.

The car quickly drove onto the winding mountain road, and as it climbed upwards, the scenery outside the window changed from a bustling city to a tranquil mountain forest, and the air became exceptionally fresh.

After driving for an unknown period of time, the vehicle finally entered a secluded valley nestled among mountains.

Inside the valley, there is a leveled open area with several low-rise buildings in a simple style that blend into the surrounding environment.

There was a strict checkpoint at the entrance to the valley. After a thorough inspection, the vehicle was allowed to pass and finally stopped in front of the gate of a gray building without any signs.

"Advisor Chen, we've arrived. Chairman Ye and the other contestants are already waiting inside." The driver got out of the car and opened the door for Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan nodded, got out of the car, took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air, and felt refreshed.

Looking around, he felt puzzled.

Why come to such a remote place to collect the reward?

Is the way the reward is distributed unusual?
With doubts lingering in his mind, he was silently led by a staff member into the seemingly ordinary building.

The interior was dimly lit, with winding passages and rough, unadorned rock walls, giving the feeling of stepping deep into the mountainside.

After passing through a heavy stone gate, a spacious circular hall suddenly appeared before us.

A soft light emanated from the center of the hall, while the surrounding walls were inlaid with unknown luminescent crystals, illuminating everything inside.

At this moment, there were already several figures in the hall.

President Ye, who presented him with the award last night, was standing with his back to the entrance, his hands behind his back, looking up at a certain spot on the dome of the hall, his face showing a thoughtful expression.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around, looking at Chen Yuan with a gentle smile on his face.

Not far from Chairman Ye, three other familiar figures also came into view.

Li Tianyun, arms crossed, leaned against the wall. Seeing Chen Yuan enter, he adopted a more relaxed posture and nodded to him. Su Lan, standing more upright, greeted Chen Yuan with a gentle smile, "Champion Chen Yuan, you're here!"

Ye Sheng, who was standing in a slightly distant corner, looked away from Chen Yuan. He subconsciously tried to avoid eye contact, but seemed to feel that it was inappropriate. In the end, he forced a stiff smile that was almost unrecognizable as a smile.

"Since everyone's here, let's hurry up and go in." After seeing that the four of them had arrived, Chairman Ye put his hands behind his back and slowly walked forward along the rock passage in front of him.

The four people were puzzled, but quickly followed.

Chairman Ye's voice rang out softly: "After this competition, I believe your lives will undergo earth-shattering changes, and the time that belongs to you will rapidly decrease, so I won't take up any more of your time. Let's get straight to the point."

"I'm sure you all remember that during the opening ceremony of the conference, a figure swept across the sky and lit the sacred flame." He paused, as if recalling that breathtaking scene, "That was one of the guardian deities who has a deep connection and cooperative relationship with our Eastern Empire—the Radiant Sky Dragon."

Upon hearing this name, Chen Yuan's heart stirred slightly.

He already knew about this from Captain Yao, but why did Chairman Ye suddenly bring it up?
President Ye continued, "The Radiant Sky Dragon possesses immense strength and stands at the pinnacle of pet beasts. In addition to protecting the territory of Donghuang, it also shoulders an important mission—guarding the Abyss Dragon Cave."

"And this is the entrance to the Abyss Dragon's Cave."

He stopped and turned to face the four people, his gaze becoming unusually serious:
"The Cave of the Abyss Dragon is no ordinary place."

"It is a small world of its own, inhabited by a wide variety of pure-blooded dragon pets. Even the weakest of these dragon pets has reached the quality of a leader, and each of them has amazing potential. They are the contract partners that countless beast tamers dream of."

It's a small world all its own?

Hearing this, Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow, feeling that the world after the spiritual energy revival had indeed become extremely unfamiliar.

His gaze swept over the four of them one by one, and he chuckled: "And this is the highest reward that the association is giving to you four, the top performers of this conference, as well as an encouragement and investment in your future path."

"I hope you can find a dragon-type pet here that resonates with you, making your path of beast taming even broader."

Upon hearing this, apart from Ye Sheng, who remained expressionless as if he already knew it, Chen Yuan, Li Tianyun, and Su Lan all showed varying degrees of shock and surprise on their faces.

A fiery light flashed in Li Tianyun's eyes, and his fists clenched involuntarily.

After the competition ended last night, he was planning to leave the capital overnight, but was told that he would need to stay for a while longer to collect his reward.

I never expected the so-called reward to be so generous.

Su Lan covered her mouth and smiled faintly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Apart from Chen Yuan, the other three have not yet contracted a fourth pet beast.

After all, their breakthrough to the Morning Star Beastmaster level happened just before the Eastern Emperor Tournament. Rather than contracting and nurturing new pets, they should focus on improving the combat power of their existing pets.

It's important to understand that contracting a pet is only the first step; the real challenge lies in converting the new pet into combat power.

Although Chen Yuan maintained a calm expression, his heart was in turmoil. Dragon pets were indeed a precious reward that could drive most beast tamers crazy.

However, what Chairman Ye said next subtly altered the nature of this surprise.

His gaze was fixed on Chen Yuan, and his tone was particularly solemn: "Advisor Chen, your reward is slightly different from the other three."

"They can rely on their own opportunities and strength to find and try to contract any dragon pet that is willing to accept them."

At this point, he changed the subject, "And as the champion of this tournament, you have a special right—you can form a contract with the direct descendants of the Radiant Sky Dragon."

He added, "The Radiant Sky Dragon itself is a powerful being of the quality of the Dawn Sun. Its direct descendants inherit most of its bloodline potential and are born with the quality of the Morning Star or even the Bright Moon. Their future growth is limitless."

Chen Yuan remained expressionless and nodded slightly.

He had faced the oppressive power of the Heavenly Dragon at close range, and Egg even had scales given to him by the Heavenly Dragon, so he was fully aware of its strength.

If it were possible to establish a contract with their direct descendants, it would certainly be a great thing.

However, his contract slots are full, and he needs to break through to the Bright Moon level to contract a fifth pet, which is still a long way off.

In addition, Egg is also a dragon-type pet of the Bright Moon quality, so this champion reward doesn't seem as tempting as he imagined.

As if he had already considered Chen Yuan's concerns, President Ye added at the end: "I remember that the Huangtian Jinlong has unhatched pet eggs. You can take them back and wait for them to hatch. At that time, you should have a new contract slot."

"Or we could take a cub back and raise it first. After all, dragon pets have long lifespans, so it's never too late to train one."

During the conversation, the group had already reached the end of the passage.

A massive stone gate, its surface engraved with intricate dragon patterns, stood prominently before us. The gate was tightly closed, exuding a heavy and mysterious aura.

Chairman Ye stopped in front of the stone gate, turned to the four people and said, "I'll see you off here. After you enter this door, you will understand what to do. Remember, dragon-type pets are powerful, but being in harmony with your own heart is more important. Good luck."

After saying that, Chairman Ye stretched out his hands and placed them on the eyes of the two dragon head reliefs in the center of the stone gate.

The next moment, the patterns on the stone door lit up one by one, emitting a deep hum. Accompanied by a rumbling sound, the incredibly heavy stone door slowly opened a crack inward.

Behind the door was not the cave or palace one might have imagined, but an utterly deep darkness that seemed capable of swallowing all light.

The darkness was so pure, so profound, that when you looked into it, you felt no sense of distance, only a chilling emptiness.

Chairman Ye stepped aside and nodded: "Go in."

Li Tianyun could no longer contain himself. He took a deep breath and took the first big step without hesitation. His figure was instantly swallowed up by the thick darkness and disappeared without a trace.

Immediately afterwards, Su Lan glanced at Chen Yuan, smiled slightly, and gracefully stepped inside, her figure also swallowed by the darkness.

Ye Sheng followed silently behind Su Lan, his steps steady, stepping into the darkness without the slightest hesitation.

Chen Yuan was the last to arrive. He glanced once more at Chairman Ye beside him, then at the mysterious darkness before him, and without further hesitation, stepped through the door.

Just as he was swallowed by darkness, a strong sense of weightlessness and dizziness suddenly struck him, as if the entire space was twisting and spinning.

The darkness before my eyes was not still, but transformed into rapidly flowing, bizarre bands and vortices of color.

This feeling lasted for a few seconds, or perhaps longer; the sense of time became blurred at that moment.

When the uncomfortable, twisting sensation suddenly disappeared, Chen Yuan's feet touched solid ground.

He steadied himself and looked straight ahead.

The scene before us has undergone earth-shattering changes.

It is no longer a dark mountain passage, no longer that ancient stone gate.

Above us was a clear, deep blue sky, dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the warm sunlight streamed down.

Beneath my feet stretched an endless, lush green meadow, the air filled with the refreshing fragrance of grass and earth, a vibrant and invigorating atmosphere that soothed the soul.

At the edge of the horizon, majestic and verdant mountains, shrouded in a light mist, stand silently on the horizon like giant dragons.

(End of this chapter)