Chapter 121

As the end of the semester approached, Mu Huiyue began preparing for the High School Battle Preliminaries, shifting her focus back to battle training and nurturing her contracted beasts.

She already possessed a Level 5 Beastmaster Space, allowing her contracted beasts to break through to the Mature Stage.

Due to previously consuming an Experience Fruit, White Fang had naturally evolved along with its species advancement and successfully broken through. Ellen had reached Stage 9 of the Growth Phase, and at the current training pace, it would be able to break through to the Mature Stage before the preliminaries began.

Meanwhile, Harvey had advanced to Stage 8 of the Growth Phase. However, Mu Huiyue intended to deliberately slow its progress, preventing it from advancing to the Mature Stage too quickly.

The Nightmare Scarecrow had immense potential, and with the energy boost from its Harvest skill, its rank was rising at an exceptionally fast rate—almost surpassing the efficiency of the other two beasts despite their use of Experience Fruits.

However, rapid advancement wasn’t necessarily beneficial for growth. While wild extraordinary creatures might instinctively pursue evolution—since a higher rank meant greater latent energy and a stronger physique—for a contracted beast under human training, there were still many things Harvey needed to learn.

The total latent energy of a beast in the Juvenile and Growth Phases wasn’t particularly high. Even upon reaching Stage 10 of the Growth Phase, Harvey’s latent energy barely reached 100,000P.

But from the Mature Stage onward, each minor rank-up would bring an increase of nearly 100,000P in latent energy—essentially equivalent to the entire energy gain from the Juvenile to Growth Phase combined.

Similarly, after reaching the Perfect Form, each minor rank-up would bring an increase of nearly one million P in latent energy.

The Perfect Form is the domain of Monarch-class and Emperor-class species. Even if an ordinary Warlord-class species reaches its limit, it can barely touch the edge of one million P in latent energy.

As a High-tier Monarch-class species, Harvey faced no bottlenecks when advancing from the Growth Phase to the Mature Stage. Mu Huiyue hoped that before this minor evolution, Harvey could learn more move combinations and improve its proficiency, allowing its skills to advance in sync upon reaching the Mature Stage.

To slow down its rank progression, Harvey could utilize the unique effect of the Harvest skill.

By concentrating all of Harvest’s energy onto a single crop, it would rapidly accelerate the crop’s growth, consuming large amounts of latent energy while preventing it from receiving energy feedback from the farmland’s wide-area nourishment.

By keeping Harvey in this intensive Harvest mode, Mu Huiyue could temporarily suppress its rank progression while also fast-tracking the ripening of needed crops.

She specifically instructed Harvey to focus its Harvest ability on the “Five Metal Tree Seeds of Heaven and Earth,” minimizing its use on crops that could provide energy feedback.

As for Harvey’s skill training, Mu Huiyue had come up with a new plan.

Luo, the owner of Yanluo Bookshop, had sent over the latest quarterly business report, revealing that Xiaoshu’s teachable skill list had expanded significantly. Among the newly available skills, one in particular caught Mu Huiyue’s attention.

The C-rank Wood-element defensive skill, [Wooden Thorns], creates an invisible ring of thorns around the user’s body. When attacked, the attacker suffers the same proportion of damage in return.

This is commonly known as a reflect damage skill.

At the C-rank stage, Wooden Thorns can only reflect a portion of actual physical damage received and does not affect energy-based or mental attacks.

Later in its skill tree, Wooden Thorns can evolve into the B-rank Wood-element defensive skill [Spiked Armor] and eventually into the A-rank Wood-element defensive skill [Thorn Flow Barrier].

All of these skills not only provide strong defensive shielding but also completely reflect any damage the barrier receives back at the attacker.

The Nightmare Scarecrow has the forced taunt skill [Malicious Taunt] and the talent core [Scarecrow Substitute], which allows it to absorb fatal damage, making it a perfect candidate for a tank-shield role.

What’s stronger than a tank with massive HP and damage mitigation?

A reflect-damage shield that can heal itself and force enemies to attack it.

The Wooden Thorns skill line pairs perfectly with Harvey’s existing abilities to form an exceptional chain combo.

Imagine the Nightmare Scarecrow activating [Wooden Thorns] and using [Malicious Taunt] at the same time—what would happen?

If the opponent has no way to escape the taunt’s control, they will be forced to keep attacking the Nightmare Scarecrow, suffering constant reflected damage from Wooden Thorns, gradually accumulating their own demise.

Meanwhile, Harvey can use [Harvest] to regenerate itself, ensuring sustained survivability.

Even if the opponent manages to break through the Wooden Thorns barrier with a powerful attack, dealing what should be fatal damage to the Nightmare Scarecrow, the [Scarecrow Substitute] talent will absorb the hit, allowing the loop to restart once again.

Harvey wouldn’t even need to attack proactively—just standing in place would be enough to drain the opponent’s stamina until victory was secured.

This skill would also compensate for the Nightmare Scarecrow’s lack of mobility, making it a formidable force in 1v1 battles, capable of independent combat under any conditions.

A Trip Back to Changning City

Following the Exchange Conference, demand at Yanluo Bookshop surged, prompting plans for an expansion. Mu Huiyue decided to take a weekend trip back to Changning City to let Harvey learn [Wooden Thorns] and discuss the expansion project with Luo Yin.

A few days later, Mu Huiyue departed from the Capital Airport, returning to Changning City in Xingzhou.

Luo Yin, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, came to pick her up. As they chatted about the recent hot topics, she couldn’t help but sigh in amazement.

She had always known that Mu Huiyue was no ordinary person, but she never expected her to make such groundbreaking research achievements so soon after entering university.

It wasn’t just Yanluo Bookshop—skill training institutions across Changning City and even the entire Dayan Empire were experiencing a surge in demand following the release of her research report, driving a sharp increase in market prices.

Even the Xiaoyun Hound Breeding Base was thriving thanks to the Frost Night Battle Wolf, bringing back the bustling business it had in its early days.

Luo Yin, now highly proficient in managing her business, worked seamlessly with Xiaoshu and Xiaoyu. The C-rank skill [Wooden Thorns] was successfully taught to Harvey in no time.

Mu Huiyue spent a day at Yanluo Bookshop before heading to the Xiaoyun Hound Breeding Base the next morning. While exchanging insights with the breeders, she also gave them a chance to see firsthand what the evolved [Frost Night Battle Wolf] looked like.

Mu Huiyue stayed at Yanluo Bookshop for a day, then took White Fang to the Xiaoyun Hound Breeding Base the next morning. While exchanging insights with the breeders, she also let them see firsthand what the evolved [Frost Night Battle Wolf] looked like.

White Fang still remembered the breeders. As always, when facing anyone other than Mu Huiyue, it maintained the aloof and indifferent demeanor befitting its appearance, unmoved by the chorus of admiration and praise.

The words of praise it once longed for no longer stirred any emotions within it—they paled in comparison to the gentle reassuring touch of its Beastmaster.

After visiting its kin at the breeding base, Mu Huiyue headed to the Changning Dojo, hoping to see Parry.

However, upon arrival, she found that the Redflame Battle Wolf was unexpectedly not there.

Coach Li, upon seeing her, also marveled at how much the Xiaoyun Hounds had grown. Before Parry left, it had already learned of the Frost Night Battle Wolf’s evolution, and it had been deeply gratified by the news.

It was only then that Mu Huiyue learned—Parry had been recalled to Mu Tong’s Beastmaster Space.

Ever since then, Parry had remained by its Beastmaster’s side and never returned to the dojo.

Mu Huiyue couldn’t quite put her emotions into words, but from Parry’s perspective, it was probably mostly joy.

For so many years, it had never given up on evolving and battling—which, in another sense, meant it had never given up on its contract with its Beastmaster.

No matter what Mu Tong’s reason was for recalling Parry, if he could now truly acknowledge it, recognize its decade-long perseverance, and even be willing to fight alongside it once more in pursuit of evolution—then for Parry, that would be the best possible outcome.

The contract between a Beastmaster and a Transcendent Creature was a lifelong bond, one that could not be broken except by death.

From the bottom of her heart, Mu Huiyue hoped that Parry could rediscover the resolve it had held onto for all these years, and finally heal the regrets of the past.

…

A month passed quickly, and new changes took place within Mu Huiyue’s Beastmaster Space.

Under Harvey’s continuous one-on-one use of [Harvest], and after a month of great effort to suppress its advancement, the [Heaven and Earth Five Metal Tree Seed] had finally matured and produced its first fruit.

Amidst the vast farmlands, a lush fruit tree had emerged, and on its stoutest branch, a silver-gray fruit hung. Within it, a high-temperature furnace seemed to burn, faintly revealing a white-orange core.

Mu Huiyue plucked the [Heaven and Earth Five Metal Fruit] and turned to look at the gently swaying Night Demon Scarecrow beside her.

“You’ve worked hard, Harvey.”

“Shasha—” The Night Demon Scarecrow let out a gentle rustling sound. Being able to cultivate crops within the [Farmland] and bring a bountiful harvest to its Beastmaster was its greatest joy—it never felt like a hardship.

Mu Huiyue ruffled the crow perched on its arm. The touched crow hopped onto her shoulder, serving as Harvey’s eyes to perceive the outside world, and accompanied her toward the [Training Ground].

Mu Huiyue had already made her plans—she would use this [Heaven and Earth Five Metal Fruit] to upgrade the [Training Ground] in the ranch facilities.

The [Training Ground] was a designated area for pet beasts to practice battles and engage in daily training. Various simulated facilities could be set up inside, allowing beasts to freely unleash their skills without any energy consumption.

“All the details occurring within the training ground will be fed back to the Beast Tamer through meditation, creating an experience that feels as though they are there in person.

This is the unparalleled rapport and understanding Mu Huiyue has with her beasts, as well as the source of her powerful insight on the battlefield.

After the [Training Ground] is upgraded, the meditation feedback within the field will be enhanced, indirectly accelerating the Beast Tamer’s meditation progress.

Additionally, the simulation facilities in the field will be upgraded to a simulated arena, allowing the battlefield to no longer be limited to a standard layout but can transform into various different environments.

This allows the beasts to adapt in advance to battle environments altered by [Domain Skills], and learn how to fight in extreme conditions.

Through the upgraded [Training Ground], Mu Huiyue can better understand her beasts’ combat states and adjust training objectives in a timely manner.

The reason she chose to upgrade the [Training Ground] first is because, after a month of meditation feedback, she realized that the previous training methods were no longer suitable for the evolved beasts.

Beast evolution signifies a complete leap in life forms—size, attributes, skills, and habits all undergo significant changes, even completely overturning pre-evolution habits.

Ellen, who had evolved earlier, already possessed strong battle awareness and rich combat experience. After the evolution, despite the many changes, he quickly adapted.”

Mu Huiyue even felt that Ellen was not just adapting, but rather, the changes after his evolution had brought him closer to a past ideal state he once had, even more so than before his evolution.

She speculated that this might be similar to the situation with Harvey’s dream consciousness, where in the deeper layers of Ellen’s consciousness as a small skeleton, there might also be some special resonance with certain memories.

As for White Fang, after evolving from a small cloud dog to a Frostnight Battle Wolf, the changes in these traits became quite apparent.