Beast Taming: My System is Bugged-Chapter 73 - 72: School Reward, a Pension Contract?
Before classes started in the morning.
The school’s broadcast echoed throughout the campus, announcing Gu Ming’s achievement.
"Student Gu Ming and Teacher Zhang Yunpeng’s jointly developed ’Green Treasure Breathing Technique’ has been published in the Four-star journal, *Flood Dragon Monthly Report*, pioneering a new path for the Cultivation of Low-star Pet Beasts. Its threefold integration and multi-Attribute compatibility is a national first for Low-star Techniques. We hereby commend this achievement and encourage them to continue their great work!"
Gu Ming, sitting in the classroom, suddenly felt a little restless.
The entire class turned to look at him in unison, their faces filled with astonishment.
The students sitting closer even got up and rushed to Gu Ming’s side, begging him to let them see what a Breathing Technique was.
"Holy crap, Mingzi! You secretly wrote a paper and didn’t include me!"
His deskmate, Wang Teng, exclaimed. Just yesterday, he had been calling him Gu Ming, but today he’d already switched to the nickname Mingzi.
As he looked at the Little Cyan Snake, he suddenly remembered the time Gu Ming had dinner with Teacher Zhang a while back.
’Does customized nurturing come with this kind of perk? They just customized a whole new Cultivation Technique?’
’In that case, I should find Teacher Zhang and ask him to take on a side job for me too.’
Thinking this, Wang Teng immediately took out his phone and sent a text to his family.
At that moment, the entire class’s attention was on Gu Ming. Few people noticed Teacher Zhang’s contribution.
「Elsewhere.」
A chorus of congratulations also rang out in the teachers’ office.
They had known about the Green Treasure Breathing Technique’s existence before the students, but not many truly understood the Cultivation Technique. Most assumed it was just something Teacher Zhang had casually whipped up.
It wasn’t until the Four-star journal publication was announced to the entire school that everyone realized Teacher Zhang’s capabilities.
Compared to the clueless students, the teachers had a much better idea of who was behind this Cultivation Technique.
’How old is Gu Ming? His experience couldn’t possibly compare to Zhang Yunpeng’s.’
’This Cultivation Technique was, in all likelihood, researched by Teacher Zhang alone.’
’Cyan Treasure was, at best, just the successful test subject. The kid just got lucky.’
"Congratulations, Teacher Zhang!"
"Teacher Zhang, your Cultivation Technique is incredible! Do you think my son’s Pet Beast could learn it too?"
"Teacher Zhang..."
In an instant, Teacher Zhang was surrounded by everyone and couldn’t get away, so he could only stand there grinning foolishly.
Ling Jun watched as Zhang Yunpeng was praised to the heavens. She also had a copy of the Visualization Image and had been studying it for days.
’Who would have thought? The once-obscure Teacher Xiaozhang, with no notable achievements to his name, is suddenly famous.’
She shook her head, not knowing if she was envious or jealous.
Just then, her phone rang as well.
She glanced down and saw it was a call from the school administration. They had probably just caught wind of the news and were calling her to ask about the student, Gu Ming.
’Looks like today will be busy.’
She turned and left, taking the call outside the office.
「...」 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
"Teacher, you were looking for me?"
Gu Ming had been in the middle of class when, unexpectedly, his homeroom teacher, Ling Jun, suddenly appeared at the back door and called him out.
Not knowing what it was about, Gu Ming could only follow his homeroom teacher out.
The students behind him stared with burning gazes. The current top-ranked student in the class, Zhou Ruoyun, looked particularly pale, the pressure on her immense.
The other students might not have known what the homeroom teacher wanted, but she and a few of the other top-ranking students around her had a vague idea where Gu Ming was headed—the principal’s office.
"Didn’t you just get published in a journal? The principal wants to see you. He’s giving you an extra scholarship. It’s great news," his homeroom teacher said with a smile, leading Gu Ming upstairs to the principal’s office.
A hint of joy appeared on Gu Ming’s face. ’Good things really do come in pairs. Not only have I gained some fame, but now there’s a cash reward too.’
’If only this cash could be exchanged for Spirit Stones.’
At this thought, Gu Ming glanced at the system.
*Your Four-star journal publication has attracted the attention of the Qing Lake High School principal. He has decided to discuss the matter of a retirement contract with you.*
Huh?
A re... retirement contract?
Gu Ming frowned, sensing something was off.
’The system has some cognitive impairment; I definitely can’t take it completely literally. In reality, it probably means a talent contract.’
He’d heard that many students in the honors class had signed talent contracts, receiving over ten times his daily Cultivation Resources.
Gu Ming didn’t need that many resources. Even though the Little Cyan Snake was practicing the Entry Level Elephant-Swallowing Demon Technique, there was still a limit to what it could digest.
Judging by his current savings, he could completely afford to support it and didn’t need any external help.
Thinking of this, Gu Ming quietly slowed his pace to fall a step behind his homeroom teacher, silently taking out his phone to contact Teacher Zhang: "The principal wants to talk to me about a talent contract. Come quick!"
At school, the only adult Gu Ming trusted was Teacher Zhang; he didn’t really trust anyone else.
After sending the message, Gu Ming quickly entered the principal’s office on the top floor.
Inside, a warm, gentle light filled the room.
The wall to the right was covered with the school’s honor plaques and photos taken with various extraordinary Pet Beasts.
Principal Ling sat behind a large desk, a kind smile on his face as he rose to greet him.
"You’re here! Student Gu Ming, have a seat!"
In a corner of the office, a strange beast covered in dark golden scales lay quietly.
It resembled a leopard but had a pair of translucent, phantom-like wings. A faint light flowed along the edges of the wings, and its breathing produced a soft hum that stirred the flow of Earth Spiritual Qi in the air.
It was rumored to be a Five-star Pet Beast, the Golden Scale Leopard, which possessed a minuscule amount of Dragon Race bloodline, giving it a noble status.
Gu Ming sat down with Cyan Treasure in tow, his gaze drifting involuntarily toward the Golden Scale Leopard, his eyes filled with curiosity.
This was the first time he had seen a Five-star Pet Beast so up close.
He couldn’t feel the Pet Beast’s pressure from its Realm, perhaps because it was hidden while it slept.
Principal Ling noticed Gu Ming’s gaze and, with a hearty laugh, began to introduce the Pet Beast’s extraordinary abilities to him.
"You must have noticed those wings, right? They aren’t natural. They developed through a later Evolution. They’re called Phantom Spirit Wings..."
With the Phantom Spirit Wings, the Golden Scale Leopard could instantly accelerate in flight, transforming into a golden stream of light as it streaked across the sky.
What amazed Gu Ming the most was that the wings weren’t solid but were condensed from Earth Spiritual Qi.
If the Golden Scale Leopard spun in mid-air, it could condense and fire off a volley of solid earthen spikes, which would shoot down from the sky with astonishing power.
Gu Ming listened to the principal, imagining the Golden Scale Leopard’s air superiority, and nodded to himself.
Leopards were already kings of the short-distance sprint on land. With wings, this one was skilled in both ground and air combat, making its fighting capabilities terrifyingly strong.
As for the even more crucial power from its Dragon Race bloodline, the principal didn’t elaborate, instead smiling as he steered the conversation back to Gu Ming’s journal publication.
When it came to business, Gu Ming didn’t hesitate to bring out Cyan Treasure and have it demonstrate the complete Breathing Technique process for the principal.
Both the homeroom teacher and Principal Ling watched with rapt attention as Cyan Treasure coiled up, opened its mouth to perform the Breathing Technique, simultaneously training and performing Refinement.
A few minutes later, Cyan Treasure gently spat out a mottled Spiritual Energy Ball, which flew out the window. A loud BOOM echoed from outside, kicking up fierce gusts of wind.
The Golden Scale Leopard didn’t even open its eyes. Only its whiskers twitched from the wind. A commotion like this was nothing to it.
Principal Ling stared at the Spirit Wind blowing in from outside, his gaze profound as if he were evaluating the characteristics of the Cultivation Technique as displayed by this Spiritual Power.
After watching for a dozen or so seconds, he leisurely retracted his gaze and said with a laugh, "Excellent, excellent! Truly worthy of being a top student of our Qing Lake High School!"
"The school has always cherished and nurtured talent. We’ve decided to reward you with fifty thousand in cash as encouragement."
"Furthermore, there’s also a talent contract. The Cultivation Resources involved are all top-tier and will help you advance unimpeded on the path of Beast Taming, allowing you to raise Cyan Treasure to Two-star even faster. Why don’t you take a look and see if you’re satisfied with the contract?"
However, just as Principal Ling finished speaking, before Gu Ming could even look at the contract, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
