Beast Taming: I'm Really Not a Cultivation Master

Chapter 306: Chapter 277: Undying Fire Phoenix and Thunder Flame Cloud Lion

The next day, Li Qian changed into the standard-issue uniform and, like the other students from Xianya Garden, headed to Training Ground 1 to assemble.

Thanks to Lu Tianjiao having shown him around the campus, Li Qian had some familiarity with Shazhou Beast Taming University. At the very least, he knew how to get to Training Ground 1.

’So many people.’ Arriving at Training Ground 1, Li Qian glanced around and saw that the vast training ground was jam-packed with people.

This was the first time Li Qian had gotten a direct sense of just how many students were in his year.

It seemed the difficulty of getting into one of the Eight Great was relative. Across the entire Federation, with so many applicants, the acceptance rate for the Eight Great was indeed quite low. However, when all the admitted students gathered in one place, the number was still quite impressive.

Since university courses were freely chosen based on credit requirements and one’s own situation, there wasn’t really a concept of ”classes” or homerooms.

Naturally, there were no positions like homeroom teachers, class monitors, or youth league secretaries. The entire university was organized by college, and besides the course instructors, there were only counselors.

Counselors for each college were assigned based on student population. A college like the Cultivation College—not too big, not too small—had a total of three counselors assigned to it.

Right now, the three counselors were standing at the very front of the crowd. Each was in charge of two columns, guiding the students into formation.

Li Qian looked around, picked the line managed by a middle-aged female counselor who seemed rather approachable, and joined it.

The counselors for the other two pairs of columns were an attractive woman and a handsome young man, who naturally drew a crowd of new students. This left his line considerably less crowded.

Li Qian paid it no mind. After joining the line, he let his mind wander and started thinking about other things.

From the occasional murmurs around him, he managed to pick up a little information about the counselor for his two columns.

This middle-aged female counselor was called ”Teacher Wu,” but as for her full name, no one seemed to know.

He wasn’t sure how long had passed. Li Qian hadn’t checked the time and was just standing there, going with the flow. When he felt the atmosphere around him quiet down, he looked up in confusion and was surprised to see that a number of people were now standing on the main platform.

The man at the lead was in his fifties, with an elegant bearing and a refined air. His salt-and-pepper hair added a touch of world-weariness to his appearance.

In his youth, he must have been a classic handsome man. Even now, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a handsome older gentleman.

The handsome man pressed his hands down, projecting a powerful presence. At his gesture, the entire training ground grew noticeably quieter.

He walked to the front of the platform, scanned the assembled new students, and then spoke into the microphone, his voice booming. ”Hello, students! Hello, geniuses! Hello, future pillars of our society!”

The handsome man spoke with an extraordinary bearing, his voice steady and unhurried. ”Thank you for choosing Shazhou Beast Taming University. Shazhou Beast Taming University is proud of you, and we hope that in your academic life ahead, you will also be proud of Shazhou Beast Taming University.”

”Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Park Ji Yong, and I am the principal of our Shazhou Beast Taming University...”

Li Qian had been drowsily listening to the handsome man’s speech, but after hearing his self-introduction, he suddenly remembered something and a look of realization dawned on his face.

’So the ”Old Pu” that Comrade Lao Sun and Senior Li Sukuai mentioned was him—the principal of Shazhou Beast Taming University.’

After that, Principal Park spoke for another half an hour or so, mostly about the history and honors of Shazhou Beast Taming University. Of course, it was an unavoidable procession of platitudes, motivational fluff, and grand promises.

As someone who had lived two lives, Li Qian had heard this kind of talk more times than he could count. He listened until he nearly fell asleep right where he stood.

After Principal Park finished, a few other leaders took their turn, verbosely wasting about another hour. Just when Li Qian thought the pointless opening ceremony was finally about to end, the university suddenly pulled out its trump card, stirring a deep-seated desire in the hearts of all the students.

Amidst the cries of birds and the roars of beasts, two Pet Beasts had appeared at some point in the sky above the open-air Training Ground 1.

One was an avian Pet Beast, its body covered in crimson Feathers. The moment it rose into the sky, it was like a small sun, and a searing heat washed over the crowd.

Li Qian recognized this Pet Beast. He had read about it in some ancient books.

”An Undying Fire Phoenix, a Pet Beast with Saint Spirit Level Peak Potential...” Li Qian couldn’t help but murmur to himself as he watched the Undying Fire Phoenix circle in the air.

This Undying Fire Phoenix was no simple creature. Its Racial Potential was just a hair’s breadth away from the Legendary Level. If one poured every resource into cultivating it, while the probability was minuscule, it wasn’t impossible for it to break through its Racial Potential Limit and advance to the Legendary Level.

Of course, once Potential reached this level, forget breaking the Racial Potential Limit—even taking a single small step forward was incredibly difficult. The resources required were simply staggering.

This was different from Dominator Level, or even Emperor Level beasts. The higher the Racial Potential, the harder it was to break through its limits.

In truth, for a creature of this level, it was already an incredible feat to realize its full potential without any waste.

In another part of the sky above Training Ground 1, a second Pet Beast was roaring. It was a lion—a majestic lion, its body covered in purplish-red, cloud-like patterns.

”A Thunder Flame Cloud Lion!”

Similar to the Undying Fire Phoenix, its Racial Potential was also terrifying, reaching the astonishing Tier Eight Holy Spirit, just a notch below the former.

For a moment, the cry of the phoenix and the roar of the lion echoed off each other in the sky above Training Ground 1, leaving the new students below utterly dumbstruck, at a loss for words.

The vast majority of them didn’t even recognize these two Pet Beasts. But not recognizing them didn’t stop them from feeling the terrifying power of the two creatures.

Besides, it didn’t matter if they didn’t recognize them; someone would naturally provide an explanation. And just as Li Qian expected, a broadcast soon echoed across Training Ground 1.

”Students, do not be alarmed. These are the Guardian Beasts of our Shazhou Beast Taming University: the Undying Fire Phoenix and the Thunder Flame Cloud Lion. They are both Holy Spirit-level Pet Beasts and have rendered illustrious service to humanity in battle...”

The broadcast was met with a wave of sharp, indrawn breaths.

For the vast majority of students, a Holy Spirit-level Pet Beast was an unattainable dream.

To contract a Pet Beast with such Potential in one’s lifetime would be enough to soar to the very top and enter the ranks of the truly powerful.

Li Qian glanced from the Undying Fire Phoenix to the Thunder Flame Cloud Lion in the sky and instantly understood the university’s purpose in doing this.

’It’s simply to inspire the students and motivate them to study and train harder.’