As soon as those words were spoken, everyone's gaze inevitably shifted toward Su Ping.
Beside him, Li Shu could no longer hold back.
"Zhou Shuchen, do you even have any shame? Let's not even talk about how Su Ping's Forest Wolf has lower racial potential than your Redfang Tiger. You've been contracted to your Redfang Tiger for over a month already!
"Su Ping hasn't even hit half a month yet! And on top of that, Redfang Tiger has elemental advantage over Forest Wolves. What the hell are you thinking?"
Once Li Shu said this, the expressions of several people turned strange.
This class monitor's pettiness was really something.
What's more, you were clearly the one who provoked things first. Then you overplayed your hand and got scared half to death by a beauty standing next to him. Now that the beauty's gone, you suddenly grow bold again?
Zhou Shuchen, however, paid no attention to any of this.
In this world, strength was the best reputation. Everything else was meaningless.
Right now, he wanted Su Ping—and everyone here—to understand that things were no longer the same as before.
He was now the master of a Commander-potential Redfang Tiger, a Beast Tamer with limitless prospects!
And Su Ping?
Aside from supposedly decent family conditions, there was nothing worth mentioning.
Zhou Shuchen's eyes were locked firmly onto Su Ping.
That infuriating man whose expression remained calm from beginning to end.
"What? Are you scared?"
Seeing that Su Ping had not responded, Zhou Shuchen deliberately put on a smug, overbearing expression.
However, Su Ping merely shook his head.
"It's not that I'm scared. It's just that you should think this through. My Forest Wolves are rented out. If you want to fight me, you'll need to pay."
Pay?
Zhou Shuchen stiffened for a moment, but quickly reacted.
"Hmph! That little bit of money means nothing to me. Just come!"
"Alright then."
Since someone was eager to get beaten, Su Ping naturally would not refuse.
Although, to him, fighting someone like this in a pet battle offered little benefit to either him or his pet beasts, money was still money—earning it from anyone was the same.
He slowly stepped onto the outdoor battle arena.
"Little Dot."
"Awwooo…"
Little Dot, already the size of a wolfdog, walked over to Su Ping's side.
Su Ping smiled and rubbed Little Dot's head.
He did not summon Xiao Qing.
Using Xiao Qing against Zhou Shuchen would truly have been bullying. Though, to be fair, this was already bullying—but again, money was money.
Xiao Qing and Little Dot were now at the same level, both Ordinary Sixth Rank.
Yet even when Xiao Qing had only been Ordinary Fourth Rank, it could already suppress Sixth-Rank Little Dot with ease. Under Poison Vine Strangulation, if Xiao Qing wished, it could kill Little Dot in an instant.
The terrifying poison alone was enough to render an opponent completely combat-ineffective.
A pet battle with such a disparity in strength was, in truth, meaningless.
After all—
Su Ping glanced at Zhou Shuchen's summoned pet beast.
A fiery red Redfang Tiger, no larger than a Pekingese dog. Though small, it already carried the bearing of a tiger roaring through the mountains.
But Su Ping could tell at a glance—
This Redfang Tiger was only Ordinary Third Rank.
Compared to wolfdog-sized Little Dot, the difference was obvious.
Zhou Shuchen failed to notice the realm disparity.
But Zhang Guowei and the man Zhou Shuchen addressed as "Brother Jin" in the audience clearly saw it.
The two exchanged glances, both seeing shock in each other's eyes—but neither spoke up.
To them, this was just children squabbling.
More importantly, although Zhou Shuchen was technically closer to them, the scene from earlier had left too deep an impression.
That woman who could summon a monarch-potential pet beast—what was her relationship with Su Ping?
These were the kinds of questions that only people seasoned in society would consider.
Speaking up now to warn Zhou Shuchen would be equivalent to offending Su Ping.
That was a losing deal.
Thus, at this moment, they wisely chose to remain silent.
As for Zhou Shuchen—
He was already completely carried away by excitement. How could he think of any of that?
No professional referee was needed. Once the safety staff saw that both sides were in position, they activated the energy barrier to prevent power leakage.
"Su Ping, I'll show you—I'm not the same as before!"
Looking at Zhou Shuchen, who was so excited he could barely contain himself, Su Ping honestly could not understand why this guy was targeting him so obsessively.
But he did not need to think about meaningless things.
Because in the next instant, with Zhou Shuchen's command, the somewhat babyish Redfang Tiger pounced forward.
"Go! Chi Yun—Flame Pounce!"
At the same time, a faint crimson glow spread over Zhou Shuchen's body.
His innate talent—Fire Element Affinity—could enhance his pet beast's combat power to a certain degree.
It was a fairly decent Beast Tamer talent.
At last, everyone saw why a Commander-potential Redfang Tiger gave Zhou Shuchen such confidence.
"Roar…"
A low growl echoed.
As Chi Yun leapt forward, sparks of flame flickered across its body, as if fire were about to envelop it completely.
"Ordinary Third Rank. Class Monitor's Redfang Tiger is growing pretty fast!"
"It's not just the level—it's the skill!"
A classmate in the crowd pointed out the key.
That's right. What had made Zhou Shuchen so smug earlier was precisely the fact that in just half a month, his Redfang Tiger had comprehended its racial skill—
Flame Pounce.
With that skill, it was a true transformation.
Fire element completely countered wood element—this was basic elemental suppression taught in school.
Not to mention that Redfang Tiger's racial potential was higher than that of a Forest Wolf.
In other words, in the eyes of most of the students present, aside from Li Shu—who had blind faith in Su Ping—even Yin Yin, who thought highly of him, did not believe a Forest Wolf could win under these circumstances.
The scorching heat of the flames was palpable even through the energy barrier.
Even as a juvenile, a Redfang Tiger was not something an ordinary low-tier pet beast could compare to.
Unfortunately—
While Redfang Tiger did indeed have elemental advantage over Little Dot, and higher racial potential,
Little Dot was not an ordinary low-tier Forest Wolf.
Forest Wolves had only two core combat skills.
One was Accelerated Growth, the other Vine Strangulation.
The former amplified the Forest Wolf's physical combat ability, similar to a size-multiplying technique.
The latter summoned vines to bind and strangle enemies.
Both were wood-element skills.
And any wood-element skill received amplification from the Heart of Wood!
Instantly, as it watched the Redfang Tiger pounce toward it, a glimmer flashed in Little Dot's eyes.
Its body suddenly expanded—growing another full circle larger.
Compared to standard beginner-level Accelerated Growth, the effect was leagues stronger.
It grew to the size of a small calf, as if it had instantly become an adult Forest Wolf.
In the animal world, under normal circumstances, size directly represented combat power.
As long as there were no absurdly overpowered supernatural abilities involved, the strength and speed granted by sheer size alone were enough to crush an opponent.
At this moment, that principle was on full display.
Facing the flame-wreathed "kitty" leaping at it, Little Dot did not hesitate.
Using the most straightforward method, it leapt forward as well—
First, it raised a paw and slapped the Redfang Tiger straight out of the air.
Then, moving even faster than the Redfang Tiger had been flying backward, it lunged forward—
Its massive wolf jaws clamped down on the flaming kitten in a single bite.
"Roar—mew!"
A shrill cry rang out.
Zhou Shuchen snapped back to his senses. Seeing that his Chi Yun had merely been knocked out by the slap and bite, he finally let out a breath of relief.
The detestable Forest Wolf even looked at Su Ping with an innocent expression.
At this moment, Zhou Shuchen—worthy of being the former class monitor—finally reacted.
His eyes burned as he glared at Su Ping.
"That's an Ordinary Sixth Rank Forest Wolf! It's not your contracted pet at all! Su Ping—you cheated!"
In an instant, all eyes turned toward Su Ping, staring at him in shock at the unbelievably swift end to the first pet beast battle.
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