Digimon: I really didn't want to be the Digimon Emperor!

This was purchased before heading to Huadu Training University. It can not only carry digital spirits and armor sheets, which can be used by swiping a card, but also store digitized supplies.

These three blank chips are filled with ancient data and weapon components, which haven't been processed yet. They can be given to the Gear Beast to take to the Evolution Research Institute tomorrow for preliminary sorting.

Later, after establishing a dedicated research institute for the Qilin Group with the Pengcheng Evolution Research Institute, it can be officially put into research.

These three high-end blank chips alone drained his pockets of four million!

Next, he also needs to prepare for replacing the built-in computing chip of the arc light machine.

The Arc Light Machine, donated by the Beast Tamer Association, is equipped with a high-end computing chip, more than capable of supporting the evolution of the puppy beast from its growth stage all the way to its peak maturity stage, and boasts powerful performance.

However, if one wants to go further and reach the Perfect level, this advanced chip will become a bottleneck in computing power, unable to handle the massive and complex data flow of Perfect level Digimon.

Top-tier computing chips... Currently, most of the top-tier computing chips with stable performance still have to be imported from the Divine Eagle Kingdom. The Eastern Kingdom cannot mass-produce them. As for the price, Cheng Yuan only inquired about it briefly, but he felt his heart skip a beat. He estimated that it would cost at least eight or nine million. This huge sum of money still depends on the Qilin Group making profits and distributing dividends as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, Cheng Yuan opened the Beast Tamer Association's internal store app.

The most prominent position on the homepage is pushing a preview of a new product called "Armored Egg (Trial Production Model)," with the Kirin Group logo next to it.

The pilot production line for the armored egg has been set up at the secret base of the Qilin Group and has begun initial production.

Currently, the trial sales are limited to the association's internal online store, employing a scarcity marketing and qualification verification model.

It is said that within the association and among professional animal trainers, this thing became an instant hit as soon as it was launched, and its popularity far exceeded expectations.

After all, this Armor Egg is a special item that allows both Rookie and Champion Digimon with Ancient Species bloodlines to potentially achieve "Armor Evolution," making it highly versatile. If successful, their combat power would immediately surge by one or two levels—who wouldn't be envious?

The huge demand instantly fueled a frenzy of speculation.

The current price on the black market has reached astronomical tens of millions, but there are no buyers.

To maintain market order and ensure the healthy development of this new technology, truly benefiting animal trainers rather than speculators, the Animal Trainers Association's business department quickly intervened and, in conjunction with the Qilin Group's business team, formulated sales rules:

Before production capacity is fully ramped up, all sales will be conducted through a lottery system, with mandatory binding to the Beastmaster ID. Private trading and resale are strictly prohibited, and the price will be strictly controlled in the range of 500-600 million per animal in the early stages.

The first batch of products will be directly purchased by the Pengcheng Animal Trainers Association and will be prioritized for use by the mature professional animal trainers of the Digital Armored Force.

The association's strategy is clear: first, equip the core, mature beast tamers to quickly form a group of "armored bodies" with mid-to-high-level combat power, thereby rapidly strengthening the official mid-to-high-end combat force.

Then, relying on this enhanced power, they will delve into the digital space and even the dark regions to obtain more of the core raw material for manufacturing armored eggs—"Digital Spirit Crystals".

With more raw materials, production capacity can be further expanded, ultimately reducing costs, lowering prices, and benefiting more animal trainers in their growth stage.

By then, the grassroots backbone of Dongda will experience a qualitative leap.

Many Digimon with limited talent and slow evolution can quickly gain considerable combat power through the shortcut of Armor Evolution, without having to endure the long years of accumulating data and waiting for natural evolution.

After all, the vast majority of armored creatures are a race that exists by nature for combat.

"The idea is right, but the initial price... is still ridiculously expensive." Cheng Yuan clicked his tongue.

As for the X antibody project, which he also provided, it is currently in the stage of collecting and stockpiling raw materials and laboratory trial production, and is far from being put into production and market.

"Xiaoyuan, dinner's ready! What are you daydreaming about?" Cheng's mother's voice came from the living room.

"Coming, coming!" Cheng Yuan responded, put away the Digimon, and got up to walk towards the dining room.

A simple meal of three dishes and a soup was laid out on the table, steaming hot.

Mr. Cheng had already sat down and was looking at the news on his phone.

The little dog obediently squatted on its own special soft cushion, with a small plate in front of it containing a "nutritional meal" carefully prepared using the high-purity data cubes that Cheng Yuan bought.

The Ancient Beast has already started eating, while the Gear Beast is munching on a high-grade sodium battery.

"Dad, Mom, I have something to tell you." Cheng Yuan shoveled a few mouthfuls of rice into his mouth and said, "I've decided on my university choice: Pengcheng Animal Trainer University."

Mr. and Mrs. Cheng exchanged a glance, their faces beaming with relief. They were usually busy with work and rarely surfed the internet, let alone knew about the rumors of the "secret admissions to the three top universities." In their simple understanding, Pengcheng Animal Trainer University was the best and most prestigious university in the area, and their son's admission was already a great honor for the family.

"Great! Great!" Cheng's mother beamed, putting several pieces of meat on Cheng Yuan's plate. "Pengcheng is great! It's close to home, and he attends a prestigious university! My son is truly promising!"

Cheng's father also put down his phone, his face beaming with undisguised pride: "Hmm, not bad. You must continue to work hard in college and not slack off. I heard that the competition for animal trainer college is extremely fierce."

"Don't worry, Dad, I know." Cheng Yuan nodded. Seeing his parents so proud and at ease with his "obvious" choice, he felt both warm and amused, and naturally didn't explain the grand story behind it.

"It's just..." Cheng's mother hesitated for a moment, then said, "The university town is quite far from our home, and it's not practical to travel back and forth every day. We were thinking of looking at houses nearby... but house prices have risen sharply in recent years, and we don't have that much cash on hand right now..."

Cheng Yuan quickly replied, "Mom, you don't need to worry about buying a house! I'll stay in the school dormitory for a while, and once I have some free time, I'll take care of the house purchase."

The amount of money he had was far from enough to buy a decent house in a place like the university town where land was incredibly expensive.

However, Digital Divine Song Studio was providing him with a steady stream of funding, and the Qilin Group was quickly getting back on track, so he would soon have enough cash.

After we buy a house some time later, I'll ask my parents to quit their hard jobs so they can enjoy their retirement.

After finishing his meal, Cheng Yuan returned to his room and logged into the official admissions system of Pengcheng Animal Trainer University.

After entering his admission ticket number and password, a beautifully crafted electronic admission notice appeared on the system interface, complete with a special "Secret Admission" watermark. He took a deep breath and, following the instructions on the notice, clicked the "Confirm Admission" button.

[Ding! Successful confirmation! Congratulations, Cheng Yuan, you have become a freshman of Pengcheng Animal Tamer University in 2025!]

Chapter 209 Taming the Great in Pengcheng

A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.

Over the next few days, Cheng Yuan spent quality time with his family and three beasts while remotely handling some of the early-stage affairs of the Qilin Group.

Although the main work was handled by the professional management team introduced by Xu Xin, and Zhao Lu also worked hard to learn and follow up, some decisions still required his approval.

Cheng Yuan and Zhao Lu were not worried that the management team would do anything underhanded.

On the one hand, these were acquaintances of Xu Xin; on the other hand, faced with the intimidation of a senior professional animal trainer and the prospect of future benefits, they would only do their best.

In this society, being able to get close to a professional animal trainer, especially one with unlimited potential, is an opportunity and a talisman that many ordinary people dream of.

Whether they choose to become a protected collaborator or an enemy blacklisted, they know exactly what to choose.

Time flies, and it's already the end of August.

On the afternoon of August 31, the sun was still blazing.

Cheng Yuan carried a bulging travel backpack, filled with some changes of clothes and daily necessities, indicating that he was traveling light.

The little dog perched energetically on his shoulder, curiously looking around.

"Are you sure you don't need us to see you off?" Mrs. Cheng asked, still a little worried as she saw him to the door.

"Really, Mom, it's not necessary. It'll only take an hour by taxi. The Animal Trainer University has a lot of rules; even if parents bring their children, they won't be able to get in, and it'll just cause trouble." Cheng Yuan waved his hand with a smile. "Don't worry, I can handle it."

"Remember to call and let us know you've arrived at school safely! Get along well with your classmates..." Mr. Cheng didn't say much, but his advice was sincere.

"Okay! Let's go!" Cheng Yuan waved, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for Pengcheng Animal Trainer University, located on the other side of the city.

Just as he expected, the gate of Pengcheng Animal Trainer University was far less magical and magnificent than that of Huadu Animal Trainer University, nor did it have the futuristic sci-fi atmosphere of Shanghai Animal Trainer University.

The school gate is designed in a simple and unpretentious manner. The most eye-catching feature is a huge natural landscape stone standing at the entrance, on which are engraved the seven powerful characters "Pengcheng Animal Trainer University". Apart from that, there are not many superfluous decorations.

In stark contrast to ordinary universities, a clear cordon was set up at the school gate, with dozens of staff members in security uniforms standing guard with solemn expressions, blocking all parents who tried to accompany their children inside.

No matter how worried, pleading, or even complaining the parents were, the security guards remained expressionless, strictly enforcing the rules without any room for leniency.

"Why can't I come in? Can't I help my child with their luggage?"

"It's our child's first time traveling far from home, so we wanted to take them in to see what the dorms are like..."

"Rules are rules, but people are flexible!"

Despite the complaints, no one dared to actually force their way in.

The uniqueness and authority of the Animal Trainer University and its related institutions are already widely recognized.

Cheng Yuan paid the fare, slung his bag over his shoulder, and easily made his way through the crowd toward the school gate.

"Excuse me, please show your admission notice." A security guard stopped him.

The security guard had sharp eyes and a calm demeanor, accompanied by a loyal Labrador, clearly indicating that he was also a beast tamer.

Cheng Yuan took the admission notice out of his backpack and handed it over.

The security guard took it and carefully examined its authenticity, especially the special anti-counterfeiting marks and the words "Secret Record." His eyes flickered slightly, and he became more scrutinizing.

Holding the admission notice, he turned and walked towards the new student reception desk on one side of the school gate.

Behind the workbench, several student council officers dressed in senior uniforms were busy at work.

The security guard handed the notice to one of the students who seemed to be in charge and whispered a few words to him.

The student leader glanced down at the notification letter, his face immediately showing surprise, and then he looked up sharply in Cheng Yuan's direction.

Soon, the student council member strode towards Cheng Yuan.

"Hey junior, not bad!" The student leader looked Cheng Yuan up and down, then at his almost empty hands, and patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "That's how animal trainers should travel light! Well done!"

He turned and shouted towards the workbench, "Someone come empty-handed to take this junior to complete the enrollment procedures!"

There were a few older students idling around the workbench, chatting and laughing. When they heard the noise, they looked over and realized that Cheng Yuan was neither a girl nor needed help carrying luggage. They immediately lost interest, and none of them wanted to move.

"I'll do it," a clear female voice rang out.

A female senior with a ponytail, looking neat and tidy, walked over from the side. She nodded to the student leader, then looked at Cheng Yuan and smiled slightly: "Junior, come with me, I'll show you around."

Cheng Yuan readily agreed: "Okay, thank you for your help, senior."

The senior student was accompanied by a white Gomamon, who was looking at the puppymon with curious big eyes.

Although Gomamon is quite strong, she is clearly not the type to carry bags and move luggage. Therefore, she is usually not assigned to reception tasks that require physical labor, but is responsible for "lightweight" freshmen like Cheng Yuan.

"What's your name, junior? My name is Wen Jiayi, I'm a junior in the Combat Command Department, you can just call me Senior Wen." Senior Wen introduced herself as she led Cheng Yuan into the campus.

"Hello, Senior Wen, my name is Cheng Yuan, a freshman," Cheng Yuan replied, while curiously looking around the campus environment of Pengcheng University.

Pengcheng University covers a large area, with lush greenery and wide roads.

Wen Jiayi was very responsible, constantly introducing the various buildings and facilities along the way to Cheng Yuan.

"That's the main building of the comprehensive teaching building; most of the theoretical courses are taught there."

"That's Arena 1, which is usually open to students but requires a reservation."

"That's the logistics center. You go there to exchange resources and repair Digivices."

"See that somewhat antique-looking building? That's the school history museum," Wen Jiayi said, pointing to a historical building not far away. "It records the founding history of our Pengcheng Animal Trainer University, the major events that have occurred, and the introductions and achievements of past prominent figures. It's very meaningful."

Cheng Yuan nodded: "It looks quite prestigious. Can we go in for a visit anytime?"

Wen Jiayi shook her head: "No. There are restrictions on entering the school history museum. Generally speaking, only when the tamer's partner Digimon reaches the Champion stage can they apply for entry."

"There are eligibility restrictions just to get into the school history museum?" Cheng Yuan asked, somewhat surprised.

“You need to gradually adapt to these rules,” Wen Jiayi explained. “In the Beast Tamer University, many facilities and buildings have entry requirements, which are usually linked to strength. For most facilities, once you reach the mature stage, you can basically enter. For those below the mature stage, some depend on professional privileges, but more on strength. If your strength is insufficient, you cannot use many core resource areas and training grounds.”

As she spoke, she subconsciously glanced at the little dog perched quietly on Cheng Yuan's shoulder. The little dog was looking around curiously, appearing obedient and adorable.

"Junior Cheng Yuan, how long has it been since your little beast evolved to the adult stage?" Wen Jiayi asked casually, roughly assessing Cheng Yuan's strength level in her mind.

"About five months," Cheng Yuan answered truthfully.

Upon hearing this, Wen Jiayi automatically labeled Cheng Yuan in her mind: Oh, he is one of the "coordinated students" who enjoy national subsidies and are uniformly signed with Digimon, not the kind of "pre-training students" who have family resources and have started to privately cultivate partners from an early age.

After more than five months, the puppy beast has probably accumulated a decent amount of data, but it is still some distance away from the late growth stage or evolution.

"Well, they're definitely among the better coordinators." Wen Jiayi's tone was gentle, with a hint of senior's concern. "But recently, the little dog beast race has become quite popular."

"Oh? Why?" Cheng Yuan asked cooperatively, though he actually knew the answer perfectly well.

Chapter 210 The Golden Key

"Because this year's high school class has produced a super genius! His initial partner was Snowballmon, which evolved into Puppymon, and then into the mature Gatomon. He's ridiculously strong, and he practically crushed all the high school students in the entire Pengcheng! I heard that even geniuses from other cities came to challenge him, but they all lost to his Gatomon." Wen Jiayi's tone was filled with amazement and longing.

"This rumor is going too far," Cheng Yuan thought to himself.

"Because of his existence, all the Digimon eggs for Snowballmon, Catmon, and Puppymon in the Digimon breeding centers are now sold out! Many people want to replicate his success. Junior, you're also a Puppymon, so you should pay more attention to that genius and learn from him."

She paused, then added, "However, someone as exceptional as him must have had phenomenal college entrance exam scores. He'd probably already been snapped up by those three top beast tamer universities in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, right? After all, the resources and platforms there are better." Realizing it might be inappropriate to discuss these top geniuses with a freshman, as it could dampen their enthusiasm, she naturally changed the subject.

"By the way, let me tell you something practical. This year, Pengcheng Animal Training University enrolled a total of 2735 new students, of which 1475 are majoring in animal trainers, which is more than a third more than last year!"

"So many people?" Cheng Yuan appropriately expressed his surprise.

"Yes, and although we expanded enrollment this year, the quality of our students has actually improved a lot," Wen Jiayi continued.

"According to the data submitted before enrollment, there are 52 students whose Digimon have reached the late Rookie stage, have full data, and are about to attempt to reach the Champion stage! That's more than double the number from last year! Our student council has these lists on file."

As she spoke, she glanced at Cheng Yuan's little dog and smiled, "I see that your little dog is full of energy and its data volume should be pretty good. Although it's not on the list of 52 people, I feel that if you work hard, you should be close to the later stages. Keep it up!"