Chapter 661: Getting Beaten Up

Elma reached out and pinched Qiao Sang’s arm, testing its firmness. She nodded and said, “Not bad, with this level of firmness, we can start training.”

As she spoke, she looked at the Spike Fist Kid nearby.

“Start with just 20 kilograms of force.”

“Fist!” The Spike Fist Kid cried out, then turned around and picked up a pair of red boxing gloves to put on.

What’s it doing…?

Qiao Sang suddenly had a bad feeling.

The next second, her premonition came true.

Elma said, “Don’t worry, this level of force won’t hurt you.”

Qiao Sang: …

“Are you ready?” Elma asked.

Qiao Sang was silent for two seconds, then got into a horse stance.

“Ready.”

Elma nodded at the Spike Fist Kid.

In the next moment, the Spike Fist Kid launched a punch at her.

Qiao Sang’s body swayed slightly, and only one thought echoed in her mind:

It actually doesn’t hurt that much…

Suddenly, she remembered something and quickly reminded, “Don’t hit the face.”

“Fist!” The Spike Fist Kid cried again, signaling it understood.

It didn’t stop, treating Qiao Sang like a punching bag and hammering away.

At first, Qiao Sang could barely withstand the force and struggled to keep her footing. But after nearly ten minutes of continuous pummeling, she could already stay as steady as a mountain.

Well… as steady as a mountain while being beaten up.

Elma didn’t forget her coaching duties:

“To improve your defense, you have to train your skin first, then the tendons, and finally the bones. Right now, your goal is to enhance your shock resistance.”

“Although your skin is hard now, the impact you’re taking is real. Once you get used to this force, you won’t need to apply skunk venom. When your skin adapts further, we’ll apply venom again to increase the intensity of the impact training.”

“Once you can take punches with 200 kilograms of force, the first round of training will be considered complete.”

At this point, her face beamed with a smile.

“You’ll need at least 30 sessions to see results in this round. How about you get a training card? If you pay for the whole course in advance, I can give you a 20% discount.”

Qiao Sang responded without hesitation, “Sure, I’ll get the card.”

Elma’s smile deepened.

Then she thought of the Steel Guardian Falcon beside them and said:

“The Steel Guardian Falcon should train too.”

You just said that…

Qiao Sang asked curiously, “Will it train the same way I do?”

Gangbao looked toward the human called Coach Elma.

Elma shook her head.

“Of course not. As a mid-tier Steel-type pet, it can’t follow your training method.”

“It’s a bond-evolved pet. During battle, you two share pain perception. It needs to fight opponents stronger than itself and get injured. As you feel that pain, your defense will naturally improve.”

Qiao Sang: …

Like I didn’t know that already!

Unwilling to give up, she asked, “Isn’t there another training method?”

Elma answered seriously, “This is the fastest way to improve your defense. Bond-evolved beastmasters are always the toughest among their peers, this is why.”

Toughest

… Qiao Sang fell into thought.

Elma continued:

“You can also take supplements to strengthen bone density, and add toughness-enhancing agents to your bath daily. Trust me, your defense will improve at an astonishing rate.”

“If you train like this every day and use the supplements, I think we can finish the first round in just 15 sessions.”

Fifteen sessions… one per day means 15 days…

Qiao Sang pondered while still taking hits from the Spike Fist Kid.

She had to admit, she was tempted.

There wasn’t anything especially urgent right now, and time was valuable. If she could save some, it’d be great.

She could get more done…

Besides, Gangbao had limited combat experience. She could use this opportunity to hone her skills and quickly raise her proficiency. And as long as she could endure, she’d also improve her own defense, two birds with one stone.

Even if she ended up with internal injuries, it was fine, Lubao was around after all…

Qiao Sang gritted her teeth.

“Alright, we’ll do it your way.”

Gangbao gave her a look, as if saying:

Still have to take the pain, don’t you?

Qiao Sang caught the look, averted her gaze awkwardly, and felt a bit humiliated.

Elma chuckled.

“Then let my Skunk be its opponent.”

She was about to call over the skunk when Qiao Sang declined, “No need, let my Ghost Ring Phantom do it.”

After all, if it’s just training, might as well let Little Treasure do it. He was nearby, and she could supervise.

Lately, he had been getting lazy, spending too much time on the computer, especially in contrast to Lubao.

So it’s called Ghost Ring Phantom

… Elma glanced at the ghost-type pet she hadn’t been able to name before.

“But Steel Guardian Falcon has to spar with a stronger opponent.”

“Xun xun?!”

At that moment, Little Treasure was clearly unhappy.

He widened its eyes, floated in front of Elma, and angrily gestured:

Open your eyes! I’m stronger than that bird!

Elma didn’t understand his gestures, only that the Ghost Ring Wraith was angry. She cautiously took a step back.

Qiao Sang coughed: “My Ghost Ring Ph

antom is a high-tier pet.”

High-tier?

Elma looked at the small grey pet in surprise.

Such a small high-tier pet?

“Xun xun!”

Little Treasure folded his arms, turned his head with a cold snort.

“Sorry.” Elma apologized.

“I didn’t know it was high-tier.”

“It’s okay. He’s a Blue Star pet, you wouldn’t know.” Qiao Sang replied with a smile.

Elma froze.

A Blue Star pet?

Blue Star?!

“Fist.”

Just then, the Spike Fist Kid dropped its fists and stopped attacking.

Elma snapped out of her thoughts, then looked at the time and said:

“The venom’s hardening effect is wearing off. You can rest a bit and we’ll resume later.”

“Okay.” Qiao Sang moved her arm as she replied. Once the skin wasn’t hard anymore, it didn’t really hurt, but she still felt that soreness from being punched.

As she moved, she remembered Gangbao.

“Go ahead and start.”

She then looked at Little Treasure and said, “Just keep using Brick-Breaking.”

Among Little Treasure’s offensive skills, aside from the high-level Psychic Headbutt, Brick-Breaking had the lowest proficiency. With that move, Gangbao should be able to hold on for a while.

“Xun xun.”

Little Treasure nodded and instantly forgot the earlier incident. He floated to the side and called out, ready to begin.

“Gang Guard.”

Gangbao took position across from Little Treasure.

In the next second, Little Treasure raised his paw and struck Gangbao with a solid beam of white energy.

Gangbao didn’t dodge.

She understood the purpose of this training.

Qiao Sang silently screamed “Holy sht that hurts”*, but she managed not to cry out.

“Gangbao, it’s a sparring match. You can move a little.” Qiao Sang said after the pain subsided.

Getting hit in battle and standing still to get hit, they were different.

The former trained defense and other skills, while the latter was just about enduring pain and building up resistance.

“Gang Guard.”

Gangbao instantly understood her master’s point. She body turned a shiny iron-gray, absorbing most of the force from Little Treasure’s Brick-Breaking.

Qiao Sang felt deeply comforted.

Then, Elma looked over in shock:

“How did your ghost-type pet learn a fighting-type move?”

Qiao Sang replied, “I had it learn by breaking tiles.”

That simple?!

But it’s a ghost-type!

Elma was dumbfounded.

Even though the beastmasters here were all elite, with quality pets, she had never seen a ghost-type that could learn a fighting move…

A ghost-type from Blue Star that knows Brick-Breaking…

Steel Guardian Falcon’s latest evolution…

At that moment, Elma suddenly realized, the girl in front of her might be one of the more exceptional individuals even among the upper class.

---

An hour later, training ended.

During that time, Qiao Sang went through three rounds of venom application and beatdowns.

Elma handed her a fancy gift bag:

“There are seven bottles of fitness supplements and seven bottles of toughness agents inside. Drink one fitness supplement per day, and add one toughness agent to your bathwater daily. One per day.”

Qiao Sang asked, “How much?”

Elma smiled, “Since you’ve enrolled in my class, it’s all included. Just keep choosing my course next time you come.”

No wonder it’s the second most expensive one…

Qiao Sang accepted the bag.

“Got it.”