Beast Taming: My System is Bugged

Chapter 142 - 141: Threshold

Gu Ming had already started to make a name for himself at school. With his involvement in the Earth Shifting Technique, it was hard for anyone not to be interested.

But there was no use in being anxious. No one subscribed to *Earth and Wood Celestial Master*, so the students could only gather around those who had the *Flood Dragon Monthly Report*.

The cover of the *Flood Dragon Monthly Report* featured an illustration of the Little Cyan Snake performing a Breathing Technique. Beside it, a Beastmaster walked through an ink-wash landscape of rivers and mountains, with the faint silhouette of a Cyan Pine in the sky.

It was actually the front-page cover. Everyone exchanged glances.

It seemed Gu Ming’s new journal article had once again landed the front page of a Four-star publication. His prestige was now maxed out.

Because of this, everyone was even more curious about how shocking its contents would be.

As the students spread the journal open to read, their eyes were glued to its pages.

They had anticipated that Gu Ming’s Cultivation Technique might hold a pleasant surprise, or at least be cleverly conceived.

But they never would have imagined that the Cyan Pine Skill actually involved engraving an Array in one’s mind. Moreover, it was a version of the Tri-Colored Holy Light Technique recorded in the Hall of the Great Dao. It was beyond mind-blowing, making anyone who read it exclaim in awe.

Wang Zidong was still in the cafeteria eating when he saw many students holding copies of the *Flood Dragon Monthly Report*. Groups were huddled around, reading the article and letting out gasps of shock from time to time.

He frowned to himself and covered his ears. Everyone in that direction was discussing the journal.

Just then, a crowd suddenly surrounded him.

"Wang Zidong, where’s your apology?"

The ones who approached weren’t Gu Ming, but students from Class One.

They had just finished reading the commentary on the journal article, and without even having time to read it in detail, they had already become his devoted fans.

Wang Zidong sat there, his face flushing red.

People were all fanning the flames, demanding he apologize.

Wang Zidong clenched his fists and took a deep breath. "If he were here, I would apologize."

At that very moment, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.

"Gu Ming is here!"

"Wow, Gu Ming, your cover this issue is so cool!"

"Can we cultivate this technique too?"

In an instant, a flurry of voices erupted in the cafeteria.

Wang Zidong’s expression paled instantly, his face twisting.

The students from Class One burst out laughing. They all moved at once, grabbing Wang Zidong and half-pushing, half-pulling him, forcefully dragging him in front of Gu Ming.

Gu Ming was busy dealing with the enthusiastic crowd, which was even keeping him from getting his food.

Just then, the crowd parted, and some people hauled Wang Zidong over to him.

Gu Ming’s expression faltered for a moment. Cyan Treasure also poked its head out and perched on Gu Ming’s shoulder.

"Apologize!" fierce voices rang out from the crowd.

Wang Zidong’s face twisted again and again. Finally, gritting his teeth, he faced Gu Ming’s Cyan Treasure, bowed deeply, and said with a forceful nod:

"I’m sorry. I was rude that day."

After saying this, Wang Zidong’s face was beet red. He took his Red Fang Dog and fled in disgrace.

The scene was deeply embedded in his heart, pricking him like a needle. He bit his lip so hard it bled.

’I will teach Cyan Treasure a harsh lesson,’ he thought to himself. ’I have to get my revenge during the midterm exams.’

Meanwhile, Gu Ming, who was the center of attention, came back to his senses. He stroked Cyan Treasure and said, "How about that?"

The humiliation the Wang Family had heaped upon Cyan Treasure was now thrown right back in their faces.

However, Gu Ming knew that the grudge between him and Wang Zidong had now grown even deeper.

’Judging by his expression, he’s definitely not convinced,’ Gu Ming thought. ’But that’s fine. When you’re riding the wave as the top student in the grade, how can everything be smooth sailing?’

The competition had always been fierce. For that reason, Gu Ming wouldn’t stop. He would continue to press forward with Cyan Treasure.

Cyan Treasure held its head high with a look of pure satisfaction, wagging its little tail.

’So this is the taste of standing out from the crowd,’ it thought. ’It’s truly wonderful.’

But it also knew it couldn’t slow down its Cultivation. It couldn’t let the Wang Family humiliate its master again.

Gu Ming still wanted to get his food, but the enthusiastic crowd surrounding him made it impossible to move a single step.

Helpless, Gu Ming could only say, "At least let me get my lunch first."

"I’ll get it for you! I know what you usually order. It’s on me!"

Before Gu Ming could even refuse, the person had already rushed toward the cafeteria line to get his food for him.

Gu Ming could only turn his head to look for Lu You in the crowd. Lu You was also in line for food, but she had arrived later and was still at the back.

Gu Ming gestured to her, signaling that she should go ahead and eat first. There was no way they could have lunch together today.

However, just when Gu Ming thought Lu You would be able to keep to herself, a voice came from the crowd: "It’s Lu You!"

"How do you practice the Earth Shifting Technique?"

"My Earth Element Pet Beast wants to learn your Cultivation Technique too! Please, teach me!"

In an instant, a flurry of eager voices also erupted around Lu You.

This startled the severely socially anxious Lu You, causing her to shrink back repeatedly.

But more people were surrounding her now, and she couldn’t escape even if she wanted to.

And so, the two of them were surrounded by a throng of people in the middle of the cafeteria.

Someone also got food for Lu You, getting several times her usual portion and higher-quality dishes before bringing it to her.

At this point, Gu Ming had no choice but to explain the Cultivation Techniques with Lu You in the cafeteria.

But Lu You couldn’t get a single word out. She was like a jammed machine; her speech wasn’t just stuttering, it was as if her vocal cords were broken.

Everyone sobered up, realizing she really was terrified of social situations and they wouldn’t be able to get any real information out of her.

They were better off going to Gu Ming to hear about the latest Tri-Colored Technique—Cyan Pine.

Gu Ming began to hold an impromptu lecture. He beckoned to the student who had the *Flood Dragon Monthly Report*, asking him to bring the journal over.

Gu Ming opened it and saw that the Spiritual Technique "Cyan Pine" was printed right on the front page; the cover itself was page one.

"Everyone, if you want to cultivate this Spiritual Technique of mine, you must abandon the old concept of ’Transform into a Cyan Pine.’"

"You must maintain your own humanity and develop the potential of your Sea of Consciousness."

"This is not a simple Cultivation Technique that can be self-taught just by relying on a Visualization Image. The Array within it is the most important part."

Hearing this, the students looked confused.

’Engraving an Array in your mind... how do you do that?’

As for this Array business, even though the high school textbooks mentioned them, high school students who had actually learned how to perform Array Formation were as rare as a phoenix’s feather.

In reality, most people didn’t understand Arrays. Even if they wanted to learn, they would most likely just study until they became drowsy.

This deterred many of the more hot-headed individuals. They quickly realized that the new version of the Cyan Pine Skill was not something just anyone could learn.

Gu Ming had obtained the version from thirty-two years in the future, a time when society had already popularized Array Formation Techniques for everyone.

But in the current era, the barrier to entry for learning Arrays was still very high.

As Gu Ming continued to speak, he noticed that most of the crowd had lost half their interest. They backed away, making space for those at the rear who hadn’t heard to push forward.

At this, Gu Ming became thoughtful.

’The new Cultivation Technique has a high barrier to entry,’ he mused. ’So how did the Beastmasters of the future solve this learning problem?’

From what Gu Ming knew of the Cyan Pine Skill’s content, it didn’t include details on the preliminary studies.

He had learned it by replacing the *Cyan Pine Unmoving Technique* with *Cyan Pine*.