Chapter 89

“The next day was the day of the Harvest Festival [Contract Trial].

This was one of the most anticipated events during the entire Harvest Festival. Not only were the locals of Westzhou excited, but tourists from all over also looked forward to witnessing the new generation of Beastmasters showcasing their skills.

Mu Huiyue had submitted her recommendation letter and registered for the event two days prior. The organizers had sent her a link to her email, congratulating her on her successful registration and explaining the rules of the Contract Trial in detail.

The purpose of the Contract Trial was to allow outstanding Beastmasters who passed the trial to form a two-way contract with the high-quality beast offspring that would be blessed by the Withered Glory Spirit Deer during the Harvest Festival.

Therefore, the trial method was not limited to combat. As long as it demonstrated the Beastmaster’s cultivation philosophy and the bond with their beasts, it could be considered part of the trial.”

“In recent years, the content of the Harvest Festival Contract Trial has always been [Earth Guardian], and this year was no exception.

According to the official explanation, this is a trial illusion created by the Withered Glory Spirit Deer based on its past memories.

The illusion exists in a compressed, alternate space between the present world and the ‘Fenghe Basin’. It is divided into seven layers, with increasing difficulty. Each layer features enemies that the Withered Glory Spirit Deer has encountered over long periods of time—enemies that have threatened the land and wheat fields.

The trial participants must protect the land and wheat fields from these dangerous extraordinary creatures in successive waves of attacks.

By reenacting the battles the Withered Glory Spirit Deer has faced in the past, the process of becoming an [Earth Guardian] also helps gain the favor of the beast offspring born in the ‘Fenghe Basin’.

During the trial, the participating Beastmasters can challenge the [Earth Guardian] illusion at will within a set time frame. Each time they pass a layer, they will receive a corresponding layer’s Guardian Crystal.

At the end of the trial, all Beastmasters who have obtained Guardian Crystals can enter the ‘Fenghe Basin’ to seek out and form contracts with their desired beasts.

Generally, the higher-level Guardian Crystals are more likely to attract high-level, high-potential beast offspring.

In past trial records, there have even been instances where the awakened Withered Glory Spirit Deer itself appeared and directly blessed the participants, causing the beasts involved in the trial to evolve on the spot and awaken new powerful skills.”

After reading the rules introduction, Mu Huiyue casually searched for records of past Harvest Festival contract trials.

The contract trial is limited to young beastmasters under level 5 who show potential, with a maximum combat power limit of three mature pets.

However, it is rare for a level 5 beastmaster to reach this level. Even for second-generation beastmasters with exceptional talent and ample resources, it is almost impossible to cultivate three mature pets before reaching level 5.

Moreover, beastmasters who can cultivate three mature-level pets wouldn’t stay at level 5 for long.

What’s more, most participants in the contract trials are aiming for pet cubs, and if the three contract slots are already filled before the trial, how can they contract new pets?

Therefore, the combat power limit for participants should be two pets, with one reaching maturity.

The illusionary realm set up by the Withered Glory Spirit Deer is likely designed with this difficulty in mind.

Mu Huiyue had carefully planned it out. With Ellen and White Fang’s current strength, combined with her beastmaster talent, she could definitely attempt the seventh level.

In the trial, each participant sees the same illusionary realm. The audience cannot know the specifics of the illusions but can see the level each participant is on and the status of their protection of the wheat fields.

Once the trial ends and the participants enter the “Fenghe Basin,” there will be a contract broadcasting system with V-type beastmasters providing live commentary, showcasing the scenes from the secret realm, and the pets each participant ultimately contracts.

Mu Huiyue arrived at the venue where the contract trial was being held.

The place was already filled with many participants, and the bustling crowd was lively.

She saw the large screen projection displaying the competition status, which showed each contestant’s accompanying pets, their clearing time, the level they were on, as well as the number of people betting and the current odds.

Mu Huiyue remained silent. The people of Xizhou really did enjoy these little betting activities. In yesterday’s preliminary match, there were even audience members who spontaneously took bets on the winners.

She glanced at her own odds, which were in the middle range—most of the foreign participants fell into this tier.

Mu Huiyue thought for a moment, then raised her collar and put on a hat to cover most of her face. She walked toward the front desk to purchase a support ticket for the contestant number, directly buying the maximum limit of 1000 bets.

It would be silly to pass up an opportunity for a small profit when it was right in front of her.

After purchasing the support ticket, Mu Huiyue spotted Han Ruoyun among the contestants, who was accompanied by a hammer-wielding soldier pet.

There was also another person with her, and the two were discussing Han Ruoyun’s other pet, which looked like a creature loaded with a cart of coal.

The bracelet’s guidebook displayed information about the creature.

[Name]: Fire Coal Cart

[Attribute]: Fire Element

[Race Level]: Mid-tier Battle General

[Growth Rank]: Growth Stage 6

[Talent Core]: Hot Wind (Fire Element C-class)

[Race Description]: A fire-element extraordinary creature born from burning coal, it feeds on flames and minerals. It is the evolved form of the Coal Flower and can rapidly raise its internal temperature to achieve high heat capable of melting steel. The coal in the cart is a secretion of the Fire Coal Cart, and a small piece can burn for several days.

[Normal Hidden Power Value]: 38,425P

The Fire Coal Cart is an essential pet for forging and smelting. The carbon it secretes is a highly efficient and clean-burning energy source. In recent years, there have been factories specially raising Fire Coal Carts to collect coal. Mu Huiyue was not surprised that Han Ruoyun had contracted a Fire Coal Cart.

“Not bad, Han Ruoyun. Your hammer-wielding soldier is about to break through to maturity, and now you’re pulling out a growth stage 6 pet?”

The person next to Han Ruoyun spoke, clearly complimenting her, but there was a hint of sarcasm in their tone.

This person also happened to be someone Mu Huiyue knew—a genius researcher from the Original Wood Research Institute, currently a first-year student at Yunzhou University, Lin Lin.

“Mu Huiyue!” Han Ruoyun spotted her first and waved to greet her.

“Kuwah!” The hammer-wielding soldier next to her also waved its hammer in the same manner.

Mu Huiyue smiled and picked up White Fang as she walked toward the two.

Ellen, as usual, was in her shadow.

Lin Lin also saw her, crossed her arms, and tilted her chin slightly in acknowledgment, “Long time no see, Mu Huiyue.”

“Hello, Lin Lin,” Mu Huiyue nodded slightly in greeting.

Lin Lin was accompanied by two pets. One was a Forget-Me-Not Grass with the special skill Inverted Space, and the other was a Wood Element mid-tier Battle General species, the Mycofungus, which had appeared in the Kuma Xi inventory video.

Yunzhou’s geographical location is right next to Xizhou, and Lin Lin, who specializes in wood element research, would certainly not miss an opportunity like the Harvest Festival contract trial. Like Mu Huiyue, she participated through a recommendation letter from her research institute.

Mu Huiyue looked around the crowd of participants and spotted many familiar faces.

For example, the beastmaster of the Bala Flower, Lu Ai from Lihzhou, as well as other graduates from Lishang High School.

There were also many people from Yunzhou University and Xizhou University, where Han Ruoyun was from.

They were all beastmasters skilled in using wood element pets and would certainly not miss the once-in-three-years opportunity to contract high-quality wood element pets.

After exchanging a few words, another familiar face spotted them and came over with their own pets.

It was Xu Chenglu, also from neighboring Yunzhou.

The Red Line Tortoise slowly followed him, and in the two months since they last met, the volcanic rock on its shell had developed quite a bit, radiating intense heat and forcing its way through the crowd, clearing a path for its beastmaster.

“Hello, everyone,” Xu Chenglu waved in greeting. “I didn’t expect everyone to be here. It feels like we’re still in the national ranking competition.”

Lin Lin, also from Yunzhou, knew him as well. Seeing him, she raised an eyebrow and looked at Xu Chenglu, “Mu Huiyue I can understand, but what are you, a fire-element tortoise expert, doing here at the Harvest Festival? Aren’t you worried your tortoise will burn the little flowers and plants?”

The Red Line Tortoise shook its head and let out a small burst of flame from its back, indicating that it was a gentle tortoise and wouldn’t burn the flowers and plants.

“…But there are Earth Element pets in the Withered Glory Spirit Deer’s secret realm as well,” Xu Chenglu said helplessly. Lin Lin’s sharp tongue didn’t spare anyone.

“Well, the Angry Lava Black Tortoise also has Earth Element attributes, so I want to try contracting an Earth Element pet to deepen my understanding of evolved types,” Xu Chenglu explained.

“Besides, as long as we pass the contract trial, we can receive the Withered Glory Spirit Deer’s harvest blessing in the secret realm, right? This doesn’t have any attribute restrictions. Everyone is aiming for their main pets to reach maturity, and with the Harvest Festival just in time, of course, we should make an effort to take advantage of it.”

That was the truth. Many of the participants here were also hoping to receive the Withered Glory Spirit Deer’s special blessing in the secret realm.

“How many levels are you planning to clear, Mu Huiyue?” Han Ruoyun looked at the black-haired girl next to her.

Mu Huiyue shrugged, “Since I’m already here, of course my goal is to clear all seven levels.”

Han Ruoyun laughed heartily. As expected, Mu Huiyue gave that kind of answer.

Mu Huiyue continued, “I wonder what kind of pet can be contracted from the seventh level’s guardian crystal?”

“For the seventh level crystal… it can be considered the highest-level engagement gift,” Xu Chenglu replied with a hint of envy in his voice. He only had the Red Line Tortoise as a pet, so it was likely impossible for him to challenge the seventh level.

He had seen Mu Huiyue’s strength during the national ranking competition, and there was a real chance she could break through the seventh level trial.

“Aside from the Withered Glory Spirit Deer itself, the seventh level’s crystal can be used to contract any extraordinary creature in the Fenghe Stream region. No one would dare refuse you.”

Lin Lin took over, “The seventh level is not as easy as you think… But, I agree with you. Since we’re here, we might as well give it a try.”

The genius researcher looked meaningfully at the familiar faces in the crowd.

“Then, how about we have a little competition?”

“Let’s see who can truly break through the seventh level.”

“Of course!” Han Ruoyun raised an eyebrow, “In a beastmaster battle, we might not be guaranteed a win, but for the Earth Guardian trial, people from Xizhou won’t lose to outsiders.”

“I’m fine with that,” Mu Huiyue replied. She had just bought 1,000 support tickets for herself, and no matter what kind of trial it was, she had absolute confidence in her and her pets’ strength.

The three of them exchanged a brief look, and then smiled at the same time.

Only with evenly matched competitors would the competition become truly interesting.