Chapter 70: Performance Match

The award ceremony was scheduled after the performance match between Sha Duo and Gao Xulu.

Before Qiao Sang went on stage, a staff member specifically came to ask about her seat in the audience, saying they would invite her to the stage for the award ceremony.

This was different from the orderly way of going on stage to receive awards in her previous life.

Now, in this beast tamer society, most people preferred elaborate and flashy ways of making their entrances.

The Beast Tamer Competition was still relatively simple, with only the award ceremony being a bit more elaborate.

However, the Coordination Competition required the participants to be especially creative even when they first appeared on stage.

The difference was that in the Coordination Competition, the participants had to come up with their own ideas.

In the Beast Tamer Competition, the entrance methods were planned by the organizers, and the awardees only needed to wait quietly for their arrangements.

Qiao Sang returned to her seat, and before Bai Yunmiao could say anything, an enthusiastic uncle sitting next to her spoke up:

"Kid, which school are you from? You did really well, much better than my good-for-nothing son."

Just as Qiao Sang was about to answer, an aunt sitting in front turned around and asked, "Kid, are you here alone? Didn't your parents come?"

"Qiao, do you have any plans for the summer? If not, come to our Takugo Junior Pet Beast Full-Service Institution. Your Firefang can play freely and release its nature there. I'll give you a 10% discount," a young man sitting in front said.

For a moment, the surroundings were filled with people talking to her.

Qiao Sang responded to each of them.

She wasn't really used to interacting with so many strangers.

In her previous life, living in a fast-paced city, people had a strong sense of boundaries with strangers, and the atmosphere was cold.

Even if they lived in the same neighborhood, they might not greet each other when they met face-to-face.

But now, the strangers who spoke to her were genuinely warm and kind.

Qiao Sang understood that this was partly because she had won first place, but more importantly, people in her previous life had their own things to do.

Everyone had their own social circle.

This circle could be so small that once they left school, work, or home, they might not have anyone to chat with.

Because people didn't have much in common, they didn't have much to talk about.

But now, pet beasts had become a common point that tightly connected them.

When the background music started and the commentator announced the beginning of the performance match between Sha Duo and Gao Xulu, the people around her finally quieted down and focused on the arena.

"Qiao, you're even better than the graduates from our school. They probably wouldn't have won first place," Bai Yunmiao said with admiration.

"Don't flatter me. The truly strong ones at this stage probably didn't come to the competition," Qiao Sang said, removing the sunglasses from Firefang's face.

She had found the sunglasses on Firefang's face awkward for a long time.

"Fire?"

Feeling the change in vision, Firefang lowered its head and used its paw to take the sunglasses back and put them on again.

Qiao Sang: "..."

Who was the one who refused to wear them at first?

"Since it coincides with the Interstellar Cup, even if that's the case, among those who competed with you, Hou Xiangyu from Litan High School and Wei Wenyu who just got into Yong University, how old are you, and how many normal people..."

Bai Yunmiao's words were interrupted by Qiao Sang.

"Look, Sha Duo has sent out the Four-Path Swallow."

Bai Yunmiao immediately fell silent and looked at the arena.

The red star array in front of Sha Duo had just disappeared.

Before a beast tamer revealed their identity level badge, the color of the star array was the standard for the public to confirm the tamer's level.

F-level beast tamers had a white star array, E-level had a gray one, D-level had a green one, and C-level had an orange-yellow one.

Red was the mark of B-level beast tamers, or rather, it was proof that Sha Duo could contract with five pet beasts.

Gao Xulu's star array was also red.

Below her red star array, a pet beast about three meters long, with a red back, gray-white belly, and pure white wingtips and tail feathers, spread its wings and appeared on the field.

Moreover, most of its feathers had some strange patterns.

They didn't look like they had grown naturally but rather as if they had been deliberately carved.

Qiao Sang, with her limited knowledge, vaguely recognized these patterns—they were very expensive...

There were many professions related to pet beasts, and one of them was a pet beast spirit engraver.

They could use special techniques to draw patterns on pet beasts that produced various effects.

These patterns could accelerate energy accumulation, increase defense and attack power, or improve or suppress the pet beast's reproductive ability.

In short, there were many effects, but they had time and usage limits.

Official competitions did not allow pet beasts to have engraved patterns because this power was similar to using equipment, which was considered external power and not part of the pet beast itself.

However, this was a performance match, and no one would say anything even if the pet beasts wore equipment.

Because the performance match didn't need to determine a winner; it was enough to just show off a bit.

But some supporters of Sha Duo, like Bai Yunmiao, didn't understand.

"Gao Xulu is already stronger than Sha Duo, why did she send out a Flame Arrow Hawk with engraved patterns? Isn't that bullying?"

"Maybe the effect of the patterns isn't to increase strength," Qiao Sang guessed.

"You're right," Bai Yunmiao was immediately convinced.

Both of their attention was focused on the Four-Path Swallow and the Flame Arrow Hawk, which were already engaged in a fierce battle in the air.

Although the Four-Path Swallow was smaller than the Flame Arrow Hawk, its momentum was no less.

The two pet beasts clashed several times in a flash, releasing skills as if they didn't need energy.

After each skill collision, the two pet beasts would skillfully pull away and fly to another direction to attack each other, making the audience cheer with excitement.

Sha Duo and Gao Xulu did not issue any commands.

After about ten minutes of intense fighting, the Four-Path Swallow avoided a Flame Arrow Hawk's Air Flame and suddenly turned toward the audience seats.

The Flame Arrow Hawk followed closely behind, using a Flame Storm during the chase.

The Four-Path Swallow didn't look back but sensed the danger and dodged it with a wing movement.

It was very exciting, especially when the two flying pet beasts headed toward the audience seats, which intensified the excitement.

"Damn!"

"Mom!"

"Ah!"

"Help!"

The two pet beasts were heading toward the A-section audience seats, and the audience members crouched down, covering their heads, afraid of being hit.

The Four-Path Swallow flew very low, almost brushing past the audience.

Fortunately, the Flame Arrow Hawk behind it didn't release any more skills.

However, the two pet beasts chasing each other on the audience seats, lowering their flight height to be close to the audience, was more thrilling than a roller coaster.

Qiao Sang watched with bated breath.

Seeing the Four-Path Swallow about to reach the C-section, Qiao Sang held Firefang with one hand and pulled Bai Yunmiao down with the other.

In three breaths, the Four-Path Swallow appeared in the C-section audience seats.

Qiao Sang felt the intense air movement above her, and the Four-Path Swallow's passage made her ponytail sway violently in the wind.

Fortunately, the Four-Path Swallow soon flew away.

Qiao Sang let out a sigh of relief and just as she raised her head, her body suddenly left the seat and appeared dozens of meters in the air.

"Ah!"

"Fire!"

Qiao Sang was scared, but Firefang was excited.

Six seconds later, Qiao Sang appeared on the award stage, pale-faced, with Wei Wenyu standing beside her, equally pale.

"Now, I announce the beginning of the Bai Xin Competition award ceremony!"