Looking at the messages in the class group chat, Su Ping frowned slightly.
But he did not really care.
After graduating from school, in Blue Star's unique Beast Tamer society, those top-tier Beast Tamer academies were not places ordinary people could enter just because they wanted to.
Either one awakened an absolutely unique and powerful Beast Tamer talent—strong enough to be specially recruited the moment they became a Beast Tamer and contracted a Pet Beast—
Or, more commonly, one had to pass the Beast Tamer Professional Assessment.
Only after passing that assessment and registering with the Beast Tamer Association as an official professional Beast Tamer would one even have a chance.
Thus, for the vast majority of people, graduating from high school essentially meant stepping directly into society.
That Director Zhang was Zhang Guowei, the Dean of Studies at Linzhou No. 6 Senior High School, where Su Ping had studied.
Teachers at schools like this usually had some connections in society.
For students with decent talent and a chance of going further as combat-oriented Beast Tamers, he often acted as a middleman, helping them secure a "good path."
Naturally, he also earned considerable commissions from it.
Zhou Shuchen was a prime example.
With the Fire Affinity talent—a fairly good elemental combat talent—Zhang Guowei had used his connections with the Fire King Company to secure a Crimson Fang Tiger with Commander-tier racial potential, something ordinary people could hardly obtain.
In addition to an enormous down payment and long-term loans, Zhou Shuchen would also have to work for the Fire King Company.
In truth, after graduation, Director Zhang had approached Su Ping as well.
But Su Ping had refused.
On the surface, Su Ping's talent looked very ordinary.
What use was storing more Pet Beasts?
Everyone knew that wild Pet Beasts were extremely difficult to synchronize with their owners' intentions.
Moreover, the environment of a Beast-Taming Space could easily provoke unrest among wild Pet Beasts.
Even if you really stuffed dozens of wild Pet Beasts inside, what then?
When you released them, weren't you afraid they would turn around and tear you apart?
Because of that, this talent was often considered suitable only for logistical roles.
However, it was precisely because it was a logistics-type talent that it still had practical value—transportation, storage, and various supply-related tasks often required such abilities.
After all, transporting Pet Beasts—especially wild ones—was extremely dangerous.
Still, although Su Ping's family was far from wealthy—after all, their breeding base was barely kept afloat by rental income, which was already rather absurd in a Beast Tamer society—
Su An'yong would never go so far as to sell his son into indentured servitude just to obtain a Commander-tier first Pet Beast.
The existence of Xiao Qing—a rare bloodline mutation Forest Wolf that had gained the poison attribute—was proof enough.
A bloodline mutation was even more valuable than the difference between Elite- and Commander-tier racial potential.
Racial potential could be raised through evolution and high-level resources.
But attributes were another matter.
Although attributes could sometimes be acquired through special resources or potions, the risks were enormous.
A single mistake could cripple a Pet Beast—or kill it outright.
More importantly, Pet Beasts that possessed rare attribute mutations almost always had extraordinary racial ceilings.
It was not hard to guess why Zhou Shuchen was being so snide toward him now.
Most likely, Director Zhang had mentioned Su Ping's refusal to Zhou Shuchen—who practically treated Zhang Guowei as a guiding light and honorary father—and complained about Su Ping's "ingratitude."
Naturally, Zhou Shuchen would feel united against a common enemy.
Still too young, Su Ping thought, shaking his head.
He was not angry. If anything, he felt a bit of pity for Zhou Shuchen.
A first Pet Beast with Commander-tier racial potential was indeed precious to people like them.
But with Zhou Shuchen's talent, he could have gone directly to the Linzhou branch of the Beast Tamer Association and applied for an official loan.
There had been no need to pay a huge sum upfront and sign a contract to become someone else's wage slave.
Yet limitations in vision, perspective, and understanding had led Zhou Shuchen to this point—
Sold off, and probably still happily counting the money for someone else.
People like that, once they gained a little momentum, almost always became smug and self-satisfied.
"Damn, a Scythe Giant Centipede? That's a top-tier Commander-potential Pet Beast. If I had that chance, there's no way I'd refuse."
"But Su Ping's family probably doesn't lack Commander-tier Pet Beasts. It's normal not wanting to owe Zhang Guowei a favor."
"Owe him a favor? What could Director Zhang possibly want from you?"
"Well… that's true…"
"@Su Ping, Ping-ge, have you contracted a Pet Beast yet?"
Messages flashed rapidly in the group. Soon, someone directly tagged him.
After thinking for a moment, Su Ping decided not to keep lurking.
"Yeah. I contracted a Forest Wolf from my family's breeding base."
Before Li Shu—who had a pretty good relationship with Su Ping—could reply, that Crimson Fang Tiger avatar Su Ping was starting to dislike lit up again.
"A Forest Wolf? Isn't the racial potential cap only Elite-tier? Su Ping, looks like you're inheriting the family business then, hahaha! Congratulations, congratulations!"
Three exclamation marks in a row.
The mockery was obvious.
Look at this—Young Master Su, with such a big family background, and he still only contracted a Forest Wolf.
Sure, for ordinary students, a Forest Wolf with Elite peak racial potential was already a very good choice.
But in front of him—the proud owner of a Crimson Fang Tiger—it was clearly a notch lower.
During their school years, due to family background and capability, Zhou Shuchen had sometimes been less influential than Su Ping.
Back when he was first experiencing romantic feelings, even a girl he liked had rejected him for reasons related to Su Ping.
Su Ping truly had no interest in arguing with someone who got drunk on power the moment they gained a little advantage.
Trading barbs in a group chat was not his style.
Just then, however, a name and avatar that had never appeared before sent a message:
"@Su Ping, isn't there a Yuntian Pet Beast Battle Resort next to your place?"
"Yin Daxiaohua!!!"
"@Yin Yin, have you contracted a Pet Beast yet?"
"..."
The moment that cartoon fish avatar appeared, a flood of replies followed.
Yin Yin—the so-called school belle of No. 6 High.
Although Su Ping had always found it ridiculous and boring to rank a bunch of undeveloped girls as "school belles,"
And aesthetics were subjective anyway—a title was just a title—
Yin Yin was indeed quite famous.
"@Yin Yin, yes. It's right next to my place," Su Ping replied.
"@Su Ping, I'll be going there in a few days to train Pet Beast combat. I'll stop by your place while I'm at it—I've never seen a Pet Beast breeding base before. Is that okay?"
Su Ping frowned slightly.
But before he could respond, the group chat exploded again.
"Yin Yin, you're going to train Pet Beast combat? Let's go together!"
"Yeah! My Xiao Hong just reached Ordinary Rank Stage 2 and learned a racial skill. I've been itching to try it out!"
"Sure, sure, let's all go together!"
"Perfect timing. It's been over a month since graduation and we haven't really gathered properly yet…"
"..."
At this age, the pull of hormones was evidently irresistible.
And clearly, at this point, Su Ping's opinion was not particularly important.
After all, they were going to the neighboring Yuntian Resort.
His family's breeding base was merely a convenient side stop.
Shaking his head, Su Ping could not be bothered to read or reply further.
He exited the class group, tossed his phone aside, and focused his attention on the sleeping Xiao Qing.
He could clearly feel the aura within Xiao Qing steadily condensing.
Under the feedback of him as its Beast Tamer, Xiao Qing was on the verge of breaking through from Ordinary Rank Stage 1 to Stage 2.
A satisfied smile appeared on Su Ping's face as he slowly closed his eyes.
With his previously excited emotions settling down, he soon fell into a deep sleep.
Early the next morning, Su Ping abruptly opened his eyes.
After quickly taking care of breakfast and washing up, he checked the Myriad Spirits Codex.
Sure enough, under the Forest Wolf Codex's record log, a new entry had appeared:
[You spent a day in close interaction with two Forest Wolves. Forest Wolf Codex experience +7.]
But that was not the most important part.
The most important thing was—
After an entire night of cooling, the Heart of Wood potion had finally been completely finished.