The worse you are, the stronger you become: My summoned beast is a photographer.

Stepping into the luxurious Executive King Room, the stunning views of the Arman River unfold before your eyes. The hotel is situated halfway up a hill, offering panoramic vistas of the entire city stretching along the valley. This is a characteristic of medieval architecture—defense was always paramount; wealthy people preferred to live on high ground, overlooking their territory while remaining easily defensible.

After several days of travel, Ming Luochen jumped onto the bed, sinking into the soft velvet quilt, and let out a satisfied sigh: "Finally, I can get some rest." He stretched out his limbs like a cat lying on its back, too lazy to even move a finger.

Aura wasn't bothered by the journey; she was just there for show and felt no pressure whatsoever. She walked to the window, the long, slender horse casting an elegant silhouette in the afternoon sun, quietly observing the capital's cityscape. In the distance, several white sailboats glided slowly along the Alman River, their sterns leaving long trails in the water. The restaurants lining both banks were adorned with various awnings—red, white, blue, and green—like rows of colorful mushrooms, creating a romantic atmosphere. Faintly, music and laughter could be heard carried on the wind.

Ming Luochen stood up and walked towards Aura, habitually patting her enormous horse rump. His flippant tone carried a hint of mischief: "Wife, want something more romantic?"

Aura smiled faintly, glancing helplessly at Ming Luochen. Her amber eyes held both doting affection and reproach: "Aren't you afraid of shortening your lifespan?"

Even though he had already investigated and found that excessive marital behavior was wrong, he was still so lecherous that Aura was a little wary and worried that his lifespan would be too short. She reached out and brushed the stray hairs from his forehead, her fingertip lightly touching his brow.

"Isn't youth all about making mistakes?" Ming Luochen put his arm around Aura's neck, stood on tiptoe, and said softly with a mischievous smile, "Especially you, you make me want to keep making the same mistakes."

Always those flirtatious words, Aura smiled sweetly as he pulled her down, feeling her lips meet his. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, her large hands covering his back, pulling him into her embrace.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting warm shadows on the carpet as the two of them basked in the warmth. The room was quiet, save for their breathing and the distant sound of boat horns echoing from the river; all was enveloped in a tender tranquility.

Ming Luochen lay on the bed, resting his head on Aura's arm, staring blankly at the crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

Aura turned to the side and traced circles on his stomach with her fingers. Because of their extremely high level of spiritual resonance, she knew what he was thinking.

Now he has only one regret—that is, not having a child who shares their bloodline.

To realize this wish, you might need 3125 S-grade crystals or 50 SSS-grade crystals.

During this time, Ming Luochen had considered many methods: buying them with money would be an astronomical sum—3125 S-grade crystals, equivalent to the seventy small goals mentioned by Boss Wang? With that kind of wealth, one could directly climb onto the Forbes list. He had also considered spirit gathering arrays, hunting SSS-grade alien beasts, waging war, or making money off nobles… but all seemed somewhat like a drop in the ocean, a long and arduous road ahead.

The burden on his shoulders was too heavy. He kissed his wife on the forehead, got up, and prepared to go to the main city of Erster to take a look. After all, there were definitely more opportunities in the capital than in first-tier cities: "Come on, come with me for a stroll in the streets."

"Now?" Aura glanced at the sky outside the window. The sun was already setting, but there were still one or two hours before it got dark.

"Now," Ming Luochen jumped out of bed and started putting on his coat, "we've come all this way to the capital, wouldn't it be a waste not to go out and explore?

Aura shook her head with a smile, got up and straightened her dress, then helped Ming Luochen adjust her collar: "You, you just do whatever comes to mind, don't push yourself too hard."

The two left the hotel and walked along the stone path on the hillside towards the city. The scenery of the inner ring of the capital was much more refined than that of Herma. People who could afford to live in the inner ring were almost certainly not well-off families, and their living environment was vastly different from that of the outer city.

Ming Luochen held Aura's hand as they walked through the crowd, looking up at the orcs who were more than twice his height. He couldn't help but sigh, "I already felt short enough in Helmar, but now that I'm in the capital, I feel like a hobbit."

Aura smiled gently: "You're much cuter than a hobbit."

The two wandered aimlessly, without any navigation, but Ming Luochen's gaze kept sweeping over the street signs. He was looking for something.

Finally, at the corner of an intersection, he saw a wooden sign with a picture of a gold coin and a sword on it, and the words "Dragon Blood Arena - Betting Area" written below.

Ming Luochen's eyes lit up, and he pulled Aura along that way.

"Honey, it's better not to gamble." Aura frowned, her steps hesitant.

"It's not gambling, it's investing," Ming Luochen corrected her, pushing open the wooden door.

Inside the door was a large hall, with posters for various competitions plastered on the walls, and a huge magical blackboard displaying real-time odds. Several orcs were placing bets around the counter. When they saw a centaur leading a human in, they merely glanced at him before continuing to study the odds.

Ming Luochen walked to the counter, standing on tiptoe to reach it. The fox-eared woman behind the counter glanced down at him and gave him a professional smile: "Sir, which match would you like to bet on? Today there's the martial arts preliminary round, tomorrow is the liberal arts final, and the day after tomorrow is the martial arts preliminary round."

"The Martial Arts Competition?" Ming Luochen became interested when he heard about the competition that his wife most wanted to win and become famous.

The fox-eared girl took out a flyer and handed it to him: "The Martial Arts Competition is held after the Liberal Arts Competition. They are similar in nature, but the participants are basically the most outstanding third-year martial arts students from universities across the country. Each school only has three spots, and they are all top-notch combatants selected through multiple rounds of competition."

Ming Luochen took the flyer, glanced at the rules on it, and frowned slightly.

Aura leaned closer for a glance, a hint of longing flashing in her eyes, but it quickly dimmed again.

"Wife, do you want to participate?" Ming Luochen noticed the change in her expression.

Aura shook her head, her tone calm: "I'm not qualified. Only third-year students can register for the Martial Arts Competition, and only the top three martial arts geniuses from each university can participate. I'm only a second-year student, and I haven't even made it into the top 100 in Pudi Yale's martial arts rankings."

Aura's combat skills have always been the best in her class, but the main course in her second year is summoning and training summoned beasts. After the division into academic and martial arts tracks in the second half of the year, the martial arts track begins to upgrade under the guidance of teachers. In her third year, she basically relies on herself to improve, preparing for the exams to advance to a specialized academy.

Although his wife didn't say anything, Ming Luochen could sense her disappointment.

Military studies are far more dangerous than academic studies. In this nation where strength reigns supreme, rankings in military studies are far more important than those in academic studies. This is because those who excel in military studies can earn the title of knight, which is the foundation for obtaining a noble title; while academic studies lead to entry into the lower house of government, and the two are completely separate—nobles with titles cannot enter the lower house, and members of the lower house cannot obtain titles or land.

Moreover, the participants in the martial arts competition are judged not only on their combat experience, but also on their summoned beasts, their own skills, level, equipment, and battle record.

Previously, when Aura and Orion sparred, even though she had mastered the martial arts of Blue Star, the difference in their levels was too great, and the gap in their basic attributes was too wide. It was like a child throwing a tantrum, unable to cause any substantial damage.

The geniuses who can participate in the Martial Arts Competition are basically all above level 20. Aura is only level 5 now, and she only gained experience by going hunting with her father in her spare time since she was a child.

Data and experience provide a theoretical risk assessment, but the most immediate danger lies in the possibility of being severely injured or even killed during a martial arts competition. No one can predict the consequences of a moment's carelessness or oversight.

Ming Luochen fell silent.

Seeing his low spirits, Aura comforted him, "It's okay, when I'm in third grade next year, maybe I'll be able to..."

"We don't have to wait until next year. We can try the preliminary rounds." Ming Luochen suddenly spoke up, his tone firm. "Wife, listen to me. The Martial Arts Competition is similar to the Liberal Arts Competition, right? Besides the top three from each university qualifying for the competition, there are also non-university participants—as long as they register at the Knight Academy and are under eighteen, they can participate in the National Junior Warrior Ranking Competition as individuals or through their martial arts school. If they make it into the top 100, they can participate in the Martial Arts Competition."

Besides the top three students from each university who can participate in the Martial Arts Competition, geniuses from outside universities can also participate. This category belongs to participants from the general public. As long as they register at the Knight Academy, they can participate in the National Junior Warrior Ranking Competition as individuals or martial arts schools. Those who enter the top 100 can participate in the Martial Arts Competition.

Generally, non-university martial arts participants consist of five categories: The first category is racial geniuses with short lifespans, who simply do not have enough time to complete a full academic program at a regular university; the second category is self-taught geniuses from impoverished families who enter society early to earn a living and compete for special admissions to key universities for free; the third category is groups institutionally deprived of their qualifications and unable to enter universities, such as slaves and geniuses oppressed by higher-ranking nobles; the fourth category is people whose families have access to top-tier educational resources, who do not need to enter universities to study; and the fifth category is people with special identities, such as genius orcs from other countries—like merfolk from the sea or ant-men from underground.

Each major city has its own martial arts ranking list. However, to prevent the nobility from monopolizing it, the National Junior Warrior Ranking Tournament in the Imperial Capital requires registration directly at the Knight Academy, and it is one of the most anticipated events of the year.

As a martial arts fanatic, Aura clearly remembered the details of the Martial Arts Competition from Ming Luochen's memory, and she was even planning to buy tickets to watch the competition.

The National Little Knight Ranking Tournament is a type of title defense competition held annually at the Imperial Royal Arena, serving as a preliminary round for the Grand Martial Arts Tournament. It consists of one to one hundred arenas, and each participant has one entry, freely choosing any one of those arenas to challenge. The victor becomes the new title holder, enjoying a thirty-minute rest period during which they can accept challenges from others or continue challenging higher-ranked title holders. Losing results in no change of ranking, while winning swaps rankings, making it a veritable free-for-all.

The competition typically lasts fifteen days, plus a three-day final defense battle. During the final defense battle, the rankings are basically fixed, and the defending champion only has one chance to challenge, while newly registered contestants can only challenge those ranked 90th to 100th, and only by winning can they continue to challenge for a higher ranking.

The last three days are also the most dangerous time of the challenge, especially for the defenders ranked 90th to 100th. In order to conserve their energy and avoid being maliciously worn down, they will kill the challengers.

The first fifteen days are a protection period during which malicious harm is prohibited; however, the final three days are a battle of resolve, where the rule against killing is nullified. For challengers in this final three-day battle, a great deal of determination and courage is required.

"We can give it a try first, and if it doesn't work out, we can always admit defeat and surrender. After the liberal arts competition is over, we'll go to the secret realm to level up and prepare for next year's martial arts competition." Ming Luochen also wanted to fulfill his wife's wish. He had the talent skill of hard control, and he was capable of freezing his opponent and making them admit defeat.

Aura hesitated. She didn't care about herself, but her man was too weak, and he had to participate in the school's liberal arts competition: "Isn't this too dangerous? The battle to protect them has already begun; it's very dangerous."

"It's alright, I'll surrender," Ming Luochen comforted her, then turned to the fox-eared girl, "Can we place our bets on the arts competition now?"

"Sure. There are two betting options: single-round betting and three-round doubling-down betting." The fox-eared girl patiently explained, "Three-round doubling-down betting only works if all bets are correct, and the multiplier is 8 times the original."

Ming Luochen nodded and asked, "How do we place the bet?"

The fox-eared girl flipped through the records, pointing to the numbers on the magic blackboard: "Tomorrow is the Liberal Arts Competition. Currently, the favorite is Amos from Royal Noble High School, with odds of 1 to 1.2. Morton from Rifttooth High School is 1 to 3.5. Eleanor from Keller High School is 1 to 4. The others are all above 10 to 1. If you choose your favorite contestant, for example, bet on Amos to win first place in the third round, wagering 1,000, you will receive 1,200 after the competition."

"What are the odds for the Aura game at Pudi Yale High School?" Ming Luochen asked excitedly, the game was quite simple.

The fox-eared girl paused for a moment, then looked down at the system records—Aura's ranking was quite low; she wasn't a popular contestant. Her school, Pudi Yale Academy, was just a prestigious academy in a first-tier city: "Aura of Pudi Yale Academy..."

Ming Luochen nodded expectantly: "Yes, Aura, Aura of Pudiyeru. What are her odds?"

The fox-eared girl checked in the system, her expression somewhat subtle: "Currently it's... 1 to 2."

"How much?" Ming Luochen thought he had misheard. "Isn't it 1 to 10? How can it be so low?"

"1 to 2." The fox-eared girl repeated, her tone slightly apologetic, "Because her summoned beast's registered intelligence is in the hundreds, so... the odds are relatively low."

Ming Luochen took a deep breath and turned to look at Aura. [For the first time, she felt that being affirmed by someone was a terrible thing.]

Aura looked completely innocent, listening to Ming Luochen's inner monologue, a smile playing on her lips—her dream of making a name for herself and making a fortune was shattered: [Why are you looking at me? It's because you're so smart.]

"That's too low." Ming Luochen was somewhat disappointed; his dream of getting rich overnight had been shattered. "Even if I bet on all three rounds correctly, I won't make much money."

"It's not that low. The odds are 1 to 2 for one round, and if you choose to double your bet after three rounds, the odds are 1 to 16 if you get all three rounds right."

"That's fine then." Ming Luochen reluctantly took out a crystal card from his pocket—it was part of the travel expenses that Huo Lun had advanced, plus some money he had saved before, totaling two hundred gold coins—and slapped it on the counter.

"I'm betting two hundred gold coins on Pudi Yale College, Aura, and first place in all three rounds."

The fox-eared girl was stunned for a moment, and several orcs who were placing bets next to her also turned their heads and looked at him as if he were crazy.

"Sir, are you sure? Two hundred gold coins is no small sum," the fox-eared girl kindly reminded him.

"Confirmed." Ming Luochen smiled mysteriously. "You'll know after the competition ends the day after tomorrow."

After completing the formalities, Ming Luochen led Aura out of the betting area, in high spirits, his steps even lighter.

"Honey," Aura said with some worry—two hundred gold coins were their entire start-up capital for their little family. "What if we lose them?"

"I can't lose." Ming Luochen said confidently. "Have you forgotten how many points I got on the test? The final is the day after tomorrow, and I'm going to make those bookmakers cry from their losses."

"But..." Aura wanted to say something, but Ming Luochen stuffed a piece of sugar cake he had just bought into her mouth.

"No buts." Ming Luochen tiptoed and kissed her on the cheek. "Come on, let's go to the Knight Academy to register and participate in the Little Knight Ranking Battle."

Aura followed him, and seeing his expression, she finally gave in. She chewed on a sugar biscuit, feeling a warm glow inside.

She knew that Ming Luochen did all this not for money, but to fulfill her wish to become a mother and continue the family bloodline.

Moreover, participating in the ranking battle—which he didn't actually want to participate in—was also for her sake, to let her stand on the stage she had always dreamed of.