Chapter 323: Qiao Sang vs. Xu Yixuan

The moment those words fell, the unconscious Wind Hawk floated to the surface of the water.

“Qiao Sang from Shengshui High School wins!”

When the referee announced the match result, the audience exploded.

“What the heck?! Can someone explain what kind of skill that was?!”

“So Shadow Control can be used like this?!”

“Love it! This is way too cool!”

“Shengshui High’s students are built differently! Just look at that performance, it’s on another level entirely!”

While students and parents unfamiliar with advanced skills were in a frenzy, those with more experience and the school leaders who had studied Qiao Sang remained relatively composed.

“This Treasure-Seeking Demon has already mastered the Shadow Control skill to such a versatile degree, not just for offense but also for defense and control. It’s hard to believe a high schooler can get their pet to wield an advanced skill this well…”

“If it weren’t up against the Treasure-Seeking Demon, Wind Hawk’s speed alone would have overwhelmed any opponent. What a shame it faced such a monster.”

“What’s there to pity? They’re in the same group; they’d have faced each other sooner or later.”

“You think this mastery of Shadow Control, developing it into a three-dimensional tactic might mean it’s beyond just proficient?”

There’s a saying:

No skill is useless, only beast trainers are.

Any skill, if mastered and enhanced creatively, can break away from stereotypical usage.

But such mastery requires an incredibly high level of skill.

When people began to suspect the Treasure-Seeker’s proficiency in Dark Shadow Control surpassed ordinary levels, their expressions became complicated.

In the back row of the audience, a middle-aged man in black anxiously pulled out his phone and made a call.

“Principal! We’ve got a serious problem!”

This man was none other than Old Li, who had previously reported intelligence about Qiao Sang to Litan Beast Taming High during the preliminary rounds.

---

Qiao Sang easily claimed victory in her second match against Lei Lei.

As the competition progressed, many contestants had already faced their second match.

“This Wu Chang guy has ridiculous luck.” Xu Yixuan said enviously as she watched a Sensory Bird battling a Cyan Moon Butterfly in the arena.

“This is his fourth match today, and every time, his pet’s attributes and the terrain have been advantageous.”

“It’s just luck. Skill is what truly matters.” He Ditao said dismissively.

“I checked the rankings. He was at the bottom of those who advanced from the preliminaries. If the group stage hadn’t been held at his school, he’d definitely have been eliminated.”

The group stage followed a round-robin format, meaning every contestant would eventually face one another.

Preliminary scores were publicly transparent. Contestants in the top 15 of their group were almost guaranteed to advance, while those ranked 16–18 were at risk.

Luck is part of strength

, Qiao Sang mused. If possible, she wouldn’t mind that kind of luck where money seemed to fall into her lap.

As time ticked on, it was finally time for Qiao Sang’s second appearance.

“Let’s welcome Qiao Sang and Xu Yixuan from Shengshui High!”

Yes, Xu Yixuan.

Being in the same group, facing each other was only a matter of time.

Although they were from the same school, individual competition meant they were rivals.

However, since 18 contestants from each group could advance, Qiao Sang had no qualms about going all out.

“I’ve wanted to compete against you for a while now.” Xu Yixuan said seriously as they walked toward the arena.

Qiao Sang blinked. “Don’t we spar during training?”

“That’s different.” Xu Yixuan said, flashing a smile.

“I mean a serious match.”

Qiao Sang raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, so you’ve been slacking off during training? Does Mr. Sun know about this?”

Xu Yixuan: !!!

You’re a devil!

Just as they were about to part ways and head to their respective sides of the arena, Qiao Sang paused.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take this match seriously too.”

Xu Yixuan stared blankly at her before breaking into a smile.

As soon as the two stepped onto the stage, the audience roared.

One was Xu Yixuan, a contestant who had consistently placed in the top three provincially over the past two years. The other was Qiao Sang, a superstar seed contestant.

Both hailed from Shengshui High, the top-ranked beast-taming school in Hanggang City. The anticipation for their match was palpable.

“Who do you think will win?”

“Probably Qiao Sang. Her Flame Hound isn’t just fire-type; it also has psychic abilities. Its attack power and speed are top-notch. Pair that with her Treasure-Seeking Demon’s Shadow Control, both of her pets are overpowered.”

“It’s hard to say. Xu Yixuan is undeniably strong, with two extra years of experience. Plus, since they’re from the same school, she probably knows Qiao Sang’s weaknesses well.”

“Well, Qiao Sang probably knows Xu Yixuan’s weaknesses too.”

As teammates who had trained together, they were certainly familiar with each other’s vulnerabilities. If either failed to exploit that knowledge, it would be inexcusable.

When the referee signaled them to summon their pets, Qiao Sang formed a hand seal.

A green star array glimmered as a light blue figure appeared within.

“Lu.”

Lubao swished her tail, exuding an aloof demeanor.

Xu Yixuan: !!!

What the hell!

This is still the group stage! Did you really have to summon Ice Qiya?! Is this necessary?!

A rare species casually brought into a match?

Xu Yixuan’s chest tightened.

This was a rare pet! If it got injured, wouldn’t she end up in the police station? And this was a live broadcast, everyone was watching!

Moreover—

Xu Yixuan glanced at her Flame Hound with despair.

She had expected Qiao Sang to summon the Flame Hound for a fiery battle.

Instead…

While Xu Yixuan was panicking, the audience was abuzz with excitement, confusion, and chatter.

“What kind of pet is that? Doesn’t look local to Yuhua.”

“Damn! I almost forgot Qiao Sang had a third pet with her Flame Hound and Treasure-Seeking Demon stealing the spotlight!”

“Mom! I want that pet for my next one!”

“Yeah, and I want you to ace your exams, but do you see that happening?”

“Man, this

genius

title really doesn’t lie. Look at this, definitely a water-type!”

“Quick, search it online! Flame Hound and Treasure-Seeking Demon are hard to beat, but this third one might be her weakest link.”

“Got it!”

Many people whipped out their phones to take pictures or scan the pet for information.

Meanwhile, the terrain had morphed into a field scattered with large rock obstacles.

“Lu.” Lubao glanced at the Blaze Hound in front of her, determination flickering in her eyes.

This match had to be a victory!

“Chirp!”

The referee’s whistle barely faded before Lubao opened her mouth, enveloping the battlefield in a thick, white fog.

At the same time, a shocked, high-pitched voice echoed from the audience.

“A rare species?!”