As Blue Star’s highest Beast Tamer Association, each branch of the Common Defense Alliance naturally had its own battle arenas.

When Peng Kai led him in, Su Zhi’s mouth fell open in slight surprise.

The arena’s surface was a dark silver, with bright yet gentle spotlights positioned on all four sides. In the distance were spectator stands and rooms for one-way observation.

This quality, this standard... it completely blew the City League’s arenas out of the water!

"Don’t be so surprised. It’s perfectly normal for the Common Defense Alliance’s arenas to be better equipped than regular ones."

Peng Kai spoke in a relaxed tone as he walked to the side of the arena and began adjusting its parameters.

"The big shots like to sneak out for a stroll, and you never know when they’ll get a sudden urge to have a Pet Beast Battle. Regular arenas can’t handle their Three-star or even Four-star Pet Beasts."

Su Zhi nodded in sudden understanding.

’But... he just defeated 004 yesterday, and he sparred with Xue Ao this morning. Can Yu Bao really fight again...?’

Su Zhi glanced at Yu Bao with a hint of worry, only to find it staring intently at the arena, its eyes burning with anticipation.

"Woof."

"Ssa!"

The dog and the flame creature had their arms slung around each other’s shoulders, encouraging one another to fight well later. They chatted while they ate—you have a spicy stick, I have a spicy stick.

"Ssa!"

After they finished their spicy sticks, Diya waved its small, stubby claws and drifted over to Peng Kai.

Yu Bao also wagged its tail, trotted Bling Bling up to Su Zhi, and started tugging on his pant leg repeatedly.

"Alright, alright, I know."

Seeing the little guy’s eagerness, Su Zhi couldn’t help but laugh. "And here I thought your persona had changed to the Wise One..."

"Woof." Yu Bao gave a crooked smirk.

A true Wise One must not only be skilled at persuading others with reason, but also with physical persuasion.

"Fellow Daoist Su, are you ready?"

"Fellow Daoist Peng, we can begin!"

The match light turned from red to blue, and the arena officially activated as an Energy Barrier began to form around the perimeter.

Unlike the light-blue Energy Barrier from the City League, this one was a bright orange. One look was enough to tell it was on another level, with much stronger Defense Power.

After all, the ones who usually came here to play were old monsters; it would be a huge problem if an aftershock killed a spectator.

The battle was about to begin. The Alliance’s veteran elders also came to the spectator stands to watch this clash between the old guard and the new wave.

If it were anyone else competing, they naturally wouldn’t be paying this much attention.

But having witnessed Su Zhi’s skill with his Envoy’s Pet in the last assessment and watched the City League, the big shots had already marked Su Zhi as the most important newcomer to watch!

"Old Wang, who do you think will win?"

"I think Xiaokai has a better chance of winning. He’s on the national team, after all; he’s out of Xiaosu’s league. But Xiaosu should still put on a great show!"

"I don’t know, did you forget that Xiaosu fought Xiaokai to a draw at the very beginning? And during the City League, Xiaosu’s Pet Beast awakened a Core Skill. He’s in a completely different league now!"

"The City League is just kids playing house, though. Besides, Xiaokai has improved his training methods recently. He’s become a beast!"

"That’s true. Xiaosu is really amazing, actually. Even though he has no hope in this match, it’s only a matter of time before he surpasses Peng Kai."

"Xiaosu definitely has a great future ahead of him! He’s just not there yet. Everyone progresses at their own pace..."

The big shots chimed in one after another, all expressing their approval and expectations for Su Zhi, but none of them believed he would win.

After all, his opponent was Beast King Peng Kai, the man who had once won the World Youth Championship.

Su Zhi was just the champion of a small city’s first-year high school division. The difference in their status was still far too great.

"Xiaoya, what do you think?"

In the very back of the spectator stands, Yang Shuyue nudged Shao Ya, who was sitting beside her, with her elbow.

Shao Ya was holding Xiaoyue, watching the arena with a slightly unfocused gaze and a smile playing on her lips.

The nudge seemed to snap her back to reality. She blinked and said, "Hmm, Su Zhi, of course."

Hearing this, the elders in front of them stopped their idle chatter and shot knowing glances at Shao Ya.

"Is this what they call ’beauty is in the eye of the beholder’?"

"Ahaha, totally understandable~"

"What are you laughing at? They’re just innocent friends..."

Yang Shuyue also gave Shao Ya a teasing smile.

Shao Ya tilted her head and smiled, turning her gaze back to the arena without another word.

The match light turned from blue to green. The spar began!

"Diya, use Nether Flame Spike!"

’The strategy this time is a fast-attack blitz!’

Su Zhi instantly judged Diya’s intentions and commanded Yu Bao to counter: "Yellow Earth Wall to obstruct, Sandstorm to counterattack!"

"WOOF!"

In reality, even before Su Zhi gave the command, Yu Bao was already prepared to cast both Skills.

Their minds were as one—this was the ideal state between a Beast Tamer and their Pet Beast!

"WHOOSH— WHOOSH— WHOOSH—"

A series of Yellow Earth Walls erupted from the ground, spaced out along Diya’s path of attack.

Diya was fast, but the Yellow Earth Walls appeared even faster, successfully halting its charge.

At the same time, a Sandstorm was unleashed, surging and ricocheting between the Yellow Earth Walls as it blasted toward Diya!

"Ssa!"

Diya didn’t linger in the fight, immediately floating upward into the air.

Seeing Yu Bao pounce toward it as expected, Diya gave a crooked smirk—the kind a protagonist gives right before a classic comeback.

"BOOM!"

The moment Yu Bao drew close, a powerful, dark purple wave of energy erupted from Diya, sending ripples through the air.

—Ghost Shock, a Ghost Element Low Level Elite Skill that unleashes a powerful shockwave outward from the user!

"CRACK—"

The sudden explosion completely destroyed the line of Yellow Earth Walls stretching across the arena. Caught completely off guard, Yu Bao instantly collapsed into a pile of sand.

’It really was a Sand Shadow Guard.’

Diya’s expression was one of expectation as it looked toward the ground not far to its right. The real Yu Bao had indeed used the earlier Sandstorm to make its escape.