Beast Taming: My System is Bugged

Chapter 141 - 140: Who Has the Journal?

’Arrays... It’s about arrays again.’

Looking at the information that appeared from the system, Gu Ming easily made the connection to the Cyan Pine Skill he was practicing, which involved the wild maneuver of the Brain Array Carving Technique.

Something that would be mainstream in the future was considered a taboo in the current era.

The vast majority of people would avoid it like the plague; only the boldest, most cutting-edge researchers would possibly dare to experiment with these novelties.

This led Gu Ming to think, ’It seems these new-era Cultivation Techniques have a strong connection to arrays.’

’Should I study arrays as well in the future?’

Gu Ming’s fingers tapped lightly on the desk, lost in thought.

It wasn’t as if the field of arrays was completely stagnant.

However, its development had indeed entered a slow period. There were occasional major accomplishments, but none were truly groundbreaking.

Gu Ming originally thought the Cyan Treasure Breathing Technique had nothing to do with arrays. Who would have guessed that it required a large number of Pet Beasts, combined to a certain scale, to form an array? Only then could the technique’s true, new-era characteristics be fully unleashed.

This was no longer something Gu Ming could undertake alone; it required a group of people to cultivate this technique.

At this moment, Gu Ming was looking at the Achievement Points the system had awarded him earlier.

The more people cultivated the Cyan Treasure Breathing Technique, the more Achievement Points he received.

He had previously thought it was purely for the sake of his own underdog story, to give him a sense of accomplishment from turning the tables.

Now it seemed the system was also far-sighted, having anticipated that the Cyan Treasure Breathing Technique would require more Pet Beasts cultivating together to be pushed into a higher Domain.

Of course, it was also possible Gu Ming was overthinking things and the system had no such intention.

It was just a coincidence that allowed Gu Ming to glean this information about future arrays here in the classroom.

As Gu Ming looked over this Cultivation Technique, Wang Zidong from Class Two next door wore a gloomy expression.

He had already seen a group of people run over to Class One to listen to Gu Ming’s lecture, but he had no intention of going over and subjecting himself to Gu Ming’s disdain.

After all, he had been defeated by Gu Ming in that battle.

And now, he still hadn’t apologized to Cyan Treasure.

Although the terms of the challenge stipulated that the loser had to do so, he had no intention of taking the initiative to humiliate himself as long as Gu Ming didn’t come looking for him.

After all, he was from the Wang Family. For a member of the Wang Family to actually lose to a Little Cyan Snake in the monthly exam competition, it was simply outrageous.

Losing to Fang Leng or other Beastmasters with Four-star Potential Pet Beasts would have been one thing.

It wasn’t that the Wang Family couldn’t handle a loss, but losing to a Little Cyan Snake... He felt deeply wronged and humiliated.

When he returned home, he didn’t even dare to look his dad in the eye.

Even now, his shoulders and back still ached faintly.

Those were the marks from his father’s whipping. Every time he thought of it, he couldn’t help but tremble.

RRIIING!

The bell for class rang.

The students from Class Two had to return, their faces full of regret.

They hadn’t actually heard the content of Gu Ming’s formal lecture.

However, during the break, the students from Class One were free to move about.

So the Class Two students returned to their classroom with these scattered bits of knowledge about the Breathing Technique, whispering to each other and frequently zoning out. The teacher at the front had to repeatedly call their names and was on the verge of an outburst.

Wang Zidong sat in his classroom and took a deep breath, hearing discussions all around him about the features and intent of the Breathing Technique.

Although he couldn’t bring himself to face Gu Ming, he had to admit that the Cyan Treasure Breathing Technique was an incredibly powerful Cultivation Technique for Low-star Pet Beasts.

His family’s professional analysts had already weighed the pros and cons, concluding that this was a secret weapon that could change the tide of the college entrance exams.

By learning this Breathing Technique, one could gain incredible combat Endurance for the college entrance exams.

At that time, you could wear down your opponent with sheer Endurance, as long as you didn’t face a Pet Beast with a higher Skill Level in the technique. And that was just one of the Cyan Treasure Breathing Technique’s combat applications.

The Wang Family’s professional analysts had already gone through the footage provided by the exam proctors frame by frame, breaking down every combat ability Cyan Treasure had used during the monthly exam on the back mountain.

Their research revealed that the Storm Ball used by Cyan Treasure was actually an offensive Skill that came with the Breathing Technique.

It was something any Pet Beast lacking a ranged attack could learn.

Although the Mana cost was a bit high, it was nevertheless a good ace-in-the-hole offensive option.

Of course, some had also noticed that Cyan Treasure’s Mana was abnormal. Its reserves were far greater than what the recovery effects of its Breathing Technique could account for.

Wang Zidong’s previous mention of Cyan Treasure’s delayed Evolution had attracted the Wang Family’s attention.

Outsiders speculated that Cyan Treasure might be preparing for a mutated Evolution, which would explain its increased Mana.

You could say that in the eyes of the major families, Gu Ming was almost completely transparent. Most information about him had been dug up and was being studied under a microscope.

As a result, Wang Zidong had been hearing about Gu Ming so much lately he was sick of it; he himself was growing quite impatient.

Just then, someone behind him said, "Here, this is a letter for you from Gu Ming."

Wang Zidong’s face fell. He said, "What is it?"

He opened it to see only a few short words: "Where’s your apology?"

This stunned Wang Zidong.

Just what he was afraid of.

In reality, this was a letter written by a student from Class One who admired Gu Ming and had taken the initiative.

They all knew that Gu Ming and Wang Zidong had made a challenge, and the loser still hadn’t apologized to Cyan Treasure.

This was exactly the kind of scene that drama-loving onlookers enjoyed most. How could they not fan the flames?

Wang Zidong’s expression could only darken.

Sitting not far away, Fang Leng glanced in their direction. He wasn’t interested in the Cyan Treasure Breathing Technique, as his Pure Energy Pet couldn’t use a Cultivation Technique meant for Pet Beasts with respiratory organs.

The second and third periods passed.

Just when everyone thought the news about Gu Ming might die down a little, the school-wide broadcast suddenly blared to life.

The announcer’s voice, full of passion and soaring emotion, echoed throughout the entire school:

"Congratulations to Gu Ming, a student in third-year Class One, for his original Cultivation Technique, ’Cyan Pine,’ being featured in the Four-star journal, ’Flood Dragon Monthly Report’..."

Fang Leng couldn’t hear the rest of the broadcast clearly.

He turned to the Shuiliuliu beside him, took out an Elixir that enhanced energy purity, and resumed his pill-fueled Cultivation.

He knew Gu Ming might be heading for the competition circuit, which was a different path than his own.

But the thought that the Little Cyan Snake could go off to the competition circuit while his Shuiliuliu was stuck in the dog-eat-dog world of the college entrance exams... it made a fire of inexplicable anger ignite in his heart, just as it had for Wang Zidong.

’I have to crush him in the midterms.’

’Thinking about competitions, are we? Let’s see what you score on the midterms!’

’It’s just a Little Cyan Snake. Once Shuiliuliu evolves to One-star, beating him will be a piece of cake.’

However, the midterm exam grounds were much larger, and whether they would even run into each other was another matter.

Just when everyone thought the broadcast about Gu Ming’s new journal feature was over...

...the school broadcast once again announced in a soaring, emotional voice:

"Congratulations to Lu You and Gu Ming, students in third-year Class One, for their creation, the ’Earth Shifting Technique,’ being featured in the Two-star journal, ’Earth and Wood Celestial Master’..."

This time, the students of Class Two completely lost it.

"The Earth Shifting Technique got into a journal too?"

"What the heck is ’Earth and Wood Celestial Master’? Never heard of it!"

"Someone go buy it! Hurry up and get a copy so we can see!"

Amidst the commotion, the students couldn’t sit still and rushed to the security office where packages were received.

There was a pickup point for journal subscriptions there, but after shouting around, the students discovered that no one subscribed to the Two-star journal, ’Earth and Wood Celestial Master’.

Someone did subscribe to the Four-star journal, ’Flood Dragon Monthly Report’, though.

Speaking of which, they had Gu Ming to thank for that.

The reason anyone subscribed to this Flood Dragon Species journal was that Gu Ming’s "Cyan Treasure Breathing Technique" had become a hit in its pages, and people wanted to follow up on the development papers written by other big shots researching the technique.

Who would have thought that Gu Ming’s paper on a Spiritual Technique would also be published in a Flood Dragon Species journal? It was a pure coincidence that they got to read both at once.

The students unable to get their hands on the ’Earth Shifting Technique’ paper grew desperate, waving cash in the air and shouting:

"No one has ’Earth and Wood Celestial Master’? I’ll pay whoever goes off-campus and buys it for me!"

"I will! I will!"

Several students took their Pet Beasts and rushed out the door. As soon as they were outside, they saw a construction crew approaching, carrying a red banner.

Including the previous banners, there were now three banners hanging at the school gate, all bearing Gu Ming’s name.

The students who had gone to get the journals looked at each other, feeling that the school they thought they knew had suddenly become unfamiliar.