What does it mean when a pet evolves incorrectly?

Chapter 146 Showing the World What a Top Genius Is

Two days later, at dawn.

The morning mist in Qingyang Town, Qinglan City, had not yet completely dissipated, but Zhang Zhi had already tidied himself up neatly.

His navy blue uniform was perfectly pressed without a single wrinkle, and his epaulets were polished to a shine. He stood in front of the mirror, took a deep breath, and strode toward the police station in the center of town.

Although it was Saturday, there were few pedestrians on the street, and the wind blew a few sycamore leaves across the road.

Zhang Zhi walked through the empty streets, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of a college league promotional poster on the roadside: in the very center stood a black-haired boy with bright eyes and clear features, arms crossed, a smile that exuded an irrepressible confidence.

Zhang Zhi smiled as he looked at Lin Chen on the poster, and unconsciously quickened his pace, soon arriving at the detention center.

Logically speaking, only the staff on duty should remain at the office on Saturdays, but today it was very lively, with all members of Jiping present.

The members of the detention center gathered in twos and threes in the office area, all with smiles on their faces, whispering and discussing something, and there was a cheerful atmosphere in the air.

Zhang Zhi returned to his workstation and sat down, his fingertips tapping the table unconsciously, occasionally glancing up at the old-fashioned clock hanging on the wall.

The ticking of the needle was particularly clear in the quiet office area, and the more he listened, the more anxious he became, his back involuntarily tensing up.

"It's not like you're the one playing the game, why are you so nervous?"

Old Liu sat diagonally opposite him, slowly blowing on the tea foam in his thermos, not even lifting his eyelids, glancing at him sideways, his tone lazy.

1.1

1.1

lazy.

Zhang Zhi looked up at Lao Liu, who had a calm expression on his face, and couldn't help but sigh, "This is the first time I've seen someone I know stand on a national stage, especially since A-Chen fought alongside me before."

"By simple rounding, isn't that basically the same as me participating in a competition?"

He paused, then looked at Old Liu, "Brother Liu, aren't you nervous?"

Old Liu snorted lightly, took a small sip of warm tea, and didn't even lift his eyelids: "What haven't I seen over the years? What's there to be nervous about?"

Zhang Zhi couldn't help but point to his shirt collar and said quietly, "Then why are you wearing your clothes inside out?"

Old Liu's movements suddenly froze, his hand holding the thermos cup paused for half a second, then he retorted stiffly, "That's called individuality. What do you young people know?"

Zhang Zhi chuckled, his anxiety easing considerably.

A moment later, a staff member poked their head out from the other end of the corridor and shouted, "Director Li wants everyone to go to the conference room! The competition is about to begin!"

The crowd, which had been whispering, suddenly stirred. Those who had been waiting for a long time rose to their feet, their footsteps shimmering.

With a surge of energy, they rushed towards the conference room.

The conference room quickly filled up, and Zhang Zhi and Lao Liu were seated in the first row in the middle, next to Director Li Haotian.

A camera was set up in the corner directly opposite, and reporters and photographers who had come all the way from the city were already in place, their lenses pointed directly at the people in the front row.

Everyone suppressed their excitement, sat up straight, and focused their attention on the large screen in front of them, where a bright red countdown was displayed, ticking down second by second.

Seeing that it was almost time, Li Haotian stood up, faced the crowd, pressed his hands together, and said in a deep voice, "As per the instructions of our superiors, we are going to watch the group stage of the university league today. It's both a learning experience and a chance to cheer on our former colleague, Lin Chen."

As soon as he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted in the conference room.

Li Haotian smiled slightly and raised his hand to press down again: "Comrade Lin Chen worked diligently and conscientiously during his tenure, and is a model representative of our institute. His participation in the university league this time not only showcased his personal style, but also demonstrated the spirit of the people of Qinglan City Anti-Drug Bureau."

He paused, his tone tinged with emotion, "Also, I'd like to inform everyone that I will be transferred to the Municipal Criminal Investigation Bureau next week. Although I'm leaving, I've worked here for decades and am deeply connected to everything here. Thank you all for your recognition and contributions over the years..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhi's heart skipped a beat.

Just a few days ago, the Municipal Bureau issued a transfer order, and he will be transferred to the Municipal Bureau for promotion along with Li Haotian.

He knew who was responsible for all of this.

Just then, the countdown on the big screen reached zero.

The next second, the scene abruptly switched to the packed Binhai City Sports Arena on the screen, with colorful flags fluttering and crowds thronging the stands. The rousing voice of the host suddenly rang out, echoing through the conference room's speakers to every corner: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the University League!"

"The first match of the group stage of the university league is about to begin!"

In an instant, cheers as loud as a mountain collapsing and a tsunami swept through the venue and filled the entire conference room.

Amidst enthusiastic cheers, the panoramic camera from the top of the stadium slowly panned down from the highest circular stands, revealing a densely packed audience where even a crack was hard to find.

The audience held up support flags printed with the emblems of various schools and light boards with animal patterns, waving and shouting wildly at the camera, the sound so loud that the loudspeakers became distorted.

The camera pans down to the central battlefield, where two figures stand at their respective red and blue markers, facing each other across the distance.

The moment the two figures locked eyes, the thunderous cheers reached a new climax.

On the left stood a long-haired man with light blue dyed ends. He had a handsome face, a slender figure, and wore a ripped, shiny jacket with a studded belt—a very avant-garde look.

When the camera panned to him, he put one hand in his pocket and nodded casually toward the stands, his posture as relaxed as if he were just out shopping.

The host's voice filled the entire venue through the surround sound system: "First up is Shang Song, a contestant from Dongxing Beast Taming Academy!"

"He was one of the top eight players in the Eastern Freshman Exchange Tournament and also advanced to the group stage in the previous University League. During his time at university, he achieved excellent results in many competitions."

As the introduction ended, another round of cheers erupted from the stands.

Shang Song ignored the cheers around him, slightly raised the corner of his eye, and stared straight across the battlefield, which was dozens of meters wide, and locked his gaze on the black-haired boy opposite him.

Standing on the right, Lin Chen was tall and slender, wearing only a simple white sweatshirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing smooth and powerful lines in his forearms.

He stood there quietly, without changing his posture, like a pine tree firmly rooted in the ground, a stark contrast to the flamboyant pine tree opposite him.

"Shang Song's opponent is Lin Chen, who has been gaining even more momentum recently!"

The host's tone suddenly rose, and the moment the last word fell, the cheers in the entire arena almost lifted the dome.

Shang Song's lips twitched slightly involuntarily.

The host quickly followed with an introduction, speaking even faster: "As the youngest participant in the history of the university league, Lin Chen's experience is truly legendary."

"As of today, he has only been a Beastmaster for 124 days, but in this short period of time, he has not only independently researched two new evolutionary forms of pet beasts, but also won the championship in the Northern Newcomer Exchange Competition a while ago, and became the leader in first place by a wide margin in the preliminary rounds two days ago!"

"He's now standing on the battlefield in the group stage; his legendary journey may have just begun!"

In the meeting room of the detention center, as these introductory remarks were finished, Zhang Zhi had already clapped his hands until they were red, and his mouth was stretched almost to his ears.

Even Lao Liu took out his phone and pressed the record button, his wrinkled face beaming with joy.

Within seconds, the noise in the stadium subsided, and the spotlight shone precisely on the red and blue stands. All the audience's eyes were focused on the two people in the arena, holding their breath in anticipation.

Shang Song stood on the command platform, reached out and took off the lens cap of the action camera hanging on his chest. The metal cap made a very light, crisp sound as it struck the rivets on his shiny jacket.

He aimed the camera lens precisely at Lin Chen opposite him, and his magnetic voice slowly rang out: "Alright friends, now let me take you on an immersive first-person experience of participating in the University League. You should all be familiar with my opponent—Lin Chen, who's been making waves lately, a freshman who's only been in college for two months."

"I've watched all his publicly available battle videos these past two days. That Flame Spine Tyrannosaurus is indeed strong, and it has already broken through to the fourth tier."

But it's okay.

He raised his chin, his tone revealing a hint of arrogant confidence, "If it could defeat a Royal Griffin at Tier 3, then so can I. Today, I'll show you what real skill looks like."

As soon as he finished speaking, a thought flashed through his mind, and a dazzling summoning light bloomed in front of him.

As the light faded, a graceful Lanxi Sky Feather Goose stood in the center of the arena.

The Lanxi Sky Feather Goose is covered in white and blue gradient feathers. Its long neck curves gracefully, and its amber beak gleams warmly under the light. Its webbed feet are a translucent light blue. As soon as it landed, it gently shook its feathers, dropping a few tiny water droplets that looked like scattered diamonds under the light.

As a high-elite species with water and wind attributes, the Lanxi Sky Feather Goose is naturally moist, leaving faint wet marks at its feet when it walks, and creating fine vortexes when it flaps its wings, making it an excellent choice for ranged, attrition-based battles.

Almost simultaneously, the Radiant Moon Cat, enveloped in dazzling summoning light, slowly appeared.

Shang Song was visibly stunned the moment he saw the Radiant Moon Cat.

The next moment, he laughed out loud: "It seems that Lin Chen didn't take this match too seriously. Well, the price of underestimating your opponent is always painful."

"Let's inflict a crushing defeat on him."

"Beast tamers have to experience failures to grow."

Immediately afterward, with a thought, the Lanxi Sky Feather Goose raised its long neck and let out a clear and melodious cry.

A layer of soft water, like living silk, instantly wrapped around its body, and the water shimmered with a lustrous light under the lamp.

"Abundance - A classic buff skill for water-type pets."

The commentator's voice followed up promptly: "After use, it not only enhances the power of water-type moves but also slightly increases the pet's healing speed, making it a godsend for water-type pets' survivability. Shang Song is clearly adopting a defensive and counter-attacking stance from the very beginning!"

Shang Song's smile widened. He adjusted the camera's focus to capture the ripples of water flowing over the Lanxi Sky Feather Goose more clearly: "Although our opponent isn't that Flame Spine Tyrannosaurus, we can't let our guard down. With the Fengrun buff, the Lanxi Sky Feather Goose is practically invincible; this Radiant Moon Spirit Cat has no chance of winning."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Moonlit Spirit Cat lightly touched the ground with its toes, and its moon-white figure instantly turned into a blurry afterimage.

The Moonlit Spirit Cat was so fast that even the camera could barely keep up. There was only a gasp of surprise from the audience before it had already closed in on Lanxi Tianyu Goose.

In that instant, Lanxi Tianyu Goose didn't react at all. It was still gracefully swaying its neck when the figure of Huiyue Lingmao came into view. It was only then that it was suddenly awakened and subconsciously folded its wings that rippled with water.

But the speed of the Moonlit Spirit Cat was too fast. Its body, accompanied by the sound of tearing through the air, crashed heavily into the Sky Feather Goose of the Lanxi River. With a muffled "thud," the Sky Feather Goose of the Lanxi River shook violently, and the water ripples flowing around its wings were scattered and splashed in all directions, like bubbles that had been punctured.

Shang Song's smile froze instantly.

Before he could react, the Moonlit Spirit Cat's cat-like fists rained down like a storm, the wind from the punches carrying a faint buzzing sound, striking the feathers with dull thuds.

The soft feathers of the Lanxi Sky Goose were flung about, some still covered with wet droplets that shimmered messily under the light. It cried out in pain, its once elegant posture completely gone.

Shang Song reacted quickly: "Take off! Create distance!"

Lanxi Tianyu Goose flapped its wings with all its might, and the wind-elemental light surged on the edges of its wings, creating vortexes that stirred up the dust on the ground. It finally managed to break free from the close suppression of the Radiant Moon Spirit Cat and staggered into the air.

But just as it rose a few meters, a beam of light slashed from behind and struck its tail precisely.

In an instant, Lan Xitian let out a piercing scream of pain, her body swaying violently, and she barely managed to regain her balance.

The audience erupted in thunderous cheers, some whistling, others waving their light sticks wildly.

In the stands, Chu Kuang and He Zhang sat together, neither of them looking too happy.

As an eliminated contestant, Chu Kuang recalled the scene when the Rock Golem was ambushed by the Radiant Moon Spirit Cat, and a trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes: "Such speed."

During that battle, his only impression of the Moonlit Cat was that it looked like a ghost.

He Zhang sat to the side, his brows furrowed deeply: "Its attack rhythm is too smooth, one strike after another, giving the opponent no chance to breathe. This kind of pressure is too suffocating."

He paused, gazing at the Radiant Moon Cat from afar, his expression puzzled: "But why is the Radiant Moon Cat so strong too?"

"Won't he be distracted by raising both the Flameridge Tyrannosaurus and the Moonlit Spirit Cat at the same time?"

"This is the real world, not a mindless game where you can level up your pet with a single click."

At this moment, Shang Song on the field had already panicked.

All the tactical plans he had prepared beforehand became useless in the face of the Moonlit Cat's absolute speed.

But he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down quickly, and a thought flashed through his mind: "Water Blade Wave!"

Lanxi Tianyu Goose barely managed to maintain its circling posture, its wings flapping rapidly, unleashing a barrage of pale blue water blades that swept towards Huiyue Spirit Cat like a tidal wave.

The Moonlit Spirit Cat was so agile that Lanxi Tianyu Goose almost despaired. All the water blade waves just grazed its feathers and flew past without touching a single feather.

Immediately, the Moonlit Spirit Cat gently swung its paw, unleashing a beam of light!

boom!

The light blade slash easily shattered wave after wave of water blades, its momentum undiminished, as it roared towards Lanxi Tianyu Goose.

Lanxitianyu Goose sensed something was wrong and hurriedly flapped its wings, dodging left and right.

At the same time, the Radiant Moon Cat leaped into the air, instantly closing the distance with the Sky Feather Goose.

It grabbed the wing of the Lanxi Sky Goose and, using the force of its fall, pulled it down hard.

Lan Xitian Yu'e had no time to react and watched helplessly as her body continued to fall along with the Radiant Moon Cat until it crashed heavily onto the concrete ground.

After falling to the ground, Lanxi Tianyu Goose tried to flap its wings and struggle, but its wings were held tightly by the Radiant Moon Spirit Cat, and it could only stare blankly as the Radiant Moon Spirit Cat's claws rose again.

Bang bang bang!

The cat-like punches rained down like a storm, and Lan Xitian's goose cried out in pain, each cry louder than the last.

Finally, after the Moonlit Spirit Cat landed its last punch, Lanxi Tianyu Goose's wings drooped completely, its eyes closed tightly, its breathing became weak, and it fell into a coma.

[Defeat a Tier 3 pet and gain 12 experience points]

[Radiant Moon Spirit Cat Strength Level: Tier 3, Stage 5 (13/132)]

When the unconscious Lanxi Tianyu Goose was exposed to the camera, the entire Binhai City Arena fell into a deathly silence.

The Shang Song fans who were shouting the loudest before are now staring with their mouths agape, unable to close them for a long time.

The guide's words caught in his throat, and after a long pause, he finally managed to stammer, "This... is it over?"

In the conference room of the Qingyang Town Anti-Drug Management Office.

A staff member who had grabbed a bunch of snacks from the warehouse and was about to watch the game while snacking pushed open the door to the conference room, only to find Lan Xitian Yu'e already lying on the ground, unable to get up. He was stunned for a moment: "Huh? I've only been gone for a minute."

"This is way too short."

The lights on the arena's dome were so bright they made people dizzy, and Shang Song's ears were ringing.

He gazed at his prized Lanxi Tianyu Goose and fell into a long silence.

In order to deal with that Flame Spine Tyrannosaurus, he and Lanxi Tianyu Goose made full preparations, hoping to take this opportunity to win against a higher level and cause a sensation on the entire internet.

Why did Lanxi Tianyu Goose fall down before we even saw the Flame Spine Tyrannosaurus?

At that moment, looking at the still calm young man opposite him, he inexplicably recalled the host's earlier words: "Could it be that I will be the first step on his path to legend?"

After Lanxi Tianyu Goose was easily defeated by Huiyue Lingmao, Shangsong lost all his spirits.

He forced himself to calm down and summoned a second pet, but the difference in strength was obvious, and it was easily defeated by the Radiant Moon Cat in just a few exchanges.

"The referee suddenly blew his whistle and then waved down the flag that represented victory."

The commentator announced loudly at the opportune moment, "The first match is over!"

"Lin Chen, using his Radiant Moon Cat, easily defeated Shang Song in a two-on-one battle, advancing smoothly to the next round!"

"But viewers, the Flameridge Tyrannosaurus Rex we've been waiting for didn't appear in this battle!"

"We do not yet know the full extent of Lin Chen's overall strength."

Amidst cheers, Shang Song pointed his camera at himself and said in a deep voice, "As you know, regrets always accompany us throughout life."

He looked up at Lin Chen, who had a calm and collected expression, took a deep breath, and said slowly and deliberately, "When you are lucky enough to be admitted to the Beast Taming Academy, you will find that the brilliance of the top academies will make you feel suffocated."

"When you reach the pinnacle of the top academies, you will find that the Yan Du Academy and the Royal Academy are both shining brightly in the sky. Perhaps you are a true genius, the best among beast tamers, but you will find that standing in front of you is the most outstanding genius who has only been a beast tamer for four months, already possesses a fourth-tier pet, and has never been defeated since his debut."

The match sparked heated discussions online shortly after its conclusion.

What level is the Moonlit Spirit Cat?

"This had a huge impact on my worldview."

"So, he could actually advance to the group stage without relying on the Flameridge Tyrannosaurus?"

Lin Chen seemed oblivious to the post-match commotion. After the match, he returned to the players' lounge to continue watching the next game.

Today's matches were scheduled from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., a full twelve hours of intense competition, and we've only just finished the first match.

Lin Chen nestled on the sofa, watching the battles unfold on the screen.

As advanced beast tamers, Yun Chufei and Ye Xuan possessed fourth-tier pet beasts, making them virtually invincible in the group stage. They easily defeated their opponents and advanced to the next round.

Of the remaining two members of the school team, one was defeated and the other advanced, which is a pleasing result.

As for He Zhang and Wei Qing, who had clashed during the preliminary rounds, they both possessed fourth-tier pets. Although they were defeated by Lin Chen on the island, they dominated the other contestants, easily advancing through the rounds.

As time passed, a battle that took place in the evening completely shocked the entire audience.

Both sides are seeded players from top colleges: one is Sun She from Nanhua College, who ranked fifth among all players in the preliminary round;

On the other side is Chen Yun from Xuanye Academy, who ranked eleventh in the preliminary rounds.

The two were evenly matched, and they displayed an extremely high level of skill from the very beginning. Sun She's Blazing Lion clashed with Chen Yun's Azure Crocodile, and the steam from the collision of fire and water filled half the arena. The booming sound of the skills colliding made the glass of the arena tremble.

This was a fierce battle that lasted a full five minutes, leaving the field covered in charred marks, icy water stains, and craters.

In the end, both pets collapsed and fell into a coma.

Just then, Sun She suddenly laughed, waved his right arm, and shouted loudly to the entire audience, "You're lucky to witness its debut!"

The next second, a dazzling summoning light shot into the sky.

As the light faded, a colossal beast crashed down in the center of the arena.

The Xuan Yan Earthshaker was covered in a thick, dark blue-green carapace, the surface of which was covered with naturally formed rock folds. Its face was ferocious like a crocodile, with a broad snout and a mouthful of serrated teeth that gleamed with a chilling light. Its limbs were as thick as elephant legs, and every step it took made the ground tremble slightly.

It stood a full ten meters tall, with a three-meter-long tail covered in bone spiky feathers. Its intense aura instantly filled the entire arena, and the audience in the front row even felt their breath catch for a moment.

"This...this is a Mystic Earthshaker! A mid-level lord-level pet!"

At that moment, even the commentator's voice changed: "This is the first Lord-level pet to appear in this year's University League!"

In an instant, the entire audience erupted in cheers, the roar almost lifting the roof off.

All the contestants' eyes were glued to the live stream screen, and Lin Chen sat up straight.

"Medium-level lord..."

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