Research Enriches Three Generations, Beast Taming Impoverishes a Lifetime

Although Dr. Xu was a mentor in Water-Type Beast Research, he rarely appeared at the university.

Most of the time, he stayed at his own research institute—

It was an institute built in the outskirts. The main building was not large, covering roughly ten thousand square meters, but the surrounding "backyard area" was astonishingly vast.

Five entire mountain peaks, two forests, and a vast lake as broad as the sea all belonged to the institute.

They formed the [Beast Ecological Reserve] established by Dr. Xu, where the Pet Beasts he had studied and taken in, along with their clans, were specially raised amid an extraordinarily rich ecosystem.

And that was only the tip of the institute's iceberg!

He also controlled more than ten Secret Realm spaces of varying sizes, each with its own distinct ecology, like miniature worlds.

These Secret Realms and reserves together made up the complete [Xu Hai Research Institute].

"This is the power of a Beast Taming Doctor."

As Jiang Xing headed to the institute, he saw those wondrous Pet Beasts lounging by the roadside and basking contentedly in the sun. Tears of envy flowed from the corners of his mouth.

After all, he was still freeloading off the university's free fishponds and experimental equipment for his research.

He had even sent the ninety evolved Golden-Veined Koi he had previously cultivated to a senior's breeding farm for consignment sale after recording the research data, due to insufficient space and lack of funding.

Thus, after the world line changed, only ten unevolved Golden-Veined Koi remained in the fishpond.

If Jiang Xing had such a huge backyard too, he would not have needed to send them away. He could have kept and raised them himself.

I want to claim some land too. I want a huge villa too!

The voice in Jiang Xing's heart was also the desire of every Beast Taming researcher.

After envying the power of a Beast Taming Doctor for a while, Jiang Xing entered the institute and met Dr. Xu in the study.

Jiang Xing had sent a message beforehand to explain why he had come.

Dr. Xu did not ask many questions. He accepted the first draft of the paper and began reading it immediately.

After some time, he put down the paper, fondly examined the Rainbow Dragon Cub floating in midair, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Combining our country's ancient myths with Pet Beasts that only emerged in the past few centuries is a bold and novel line of thought. It is highly inspiring."

"The experimental design is also commendable. Not only does it align with the principles of Pet Beast Evolution Studies, but more importantly, it lets people see your own thinking rather than mere textbook recitation."

"Very good."

"Although the paper is not yet complete, this still counts as completing the assignment. I'll apply to the university for a special scholarship for you later. It is a reward you deserve."

"Thank you, Professor!"

Yuzhong University's scholarships were divided into several tiers.

The scholarship Jiang Xing received last year was fourth-tier, totaling two hundred thousand in cash and five hundred thousand in research funding that could be applied for.

The special scholarship, however, offered as much as two million in cash, while the available research funding rose to five million. It was practically a windfall from heaven!

With this funding, when Jiang Xing cultivated the second batch of Rainbow Dragon Cubs, he could go all out and select higher-quality, more suitable resources. Combined with the Berry Blender, it could greatly accelerate the progress of his research!

This was a huge profit!

Jiang Xing was overjoyed and could not help asking, "Professor, can I apply for the scholarship funding in advance?"

"To improve the paper's data?" Dr. Xu nodded. "No problem, but it's a little too little. With the results you've achieved so far, you can apply for more funding."

"Too little?" Jiang Xing was stunned. Two million in prize money plus five million in funding, and that was still too little?

"Of course." Dr. Xu reopened the paper and began listing the expenses.

"Researching the evolution conditions of the Rainbow Dragon Cub requires a Dragon Attribute move. That is a perfectly reasonable request... and information on Dragon Attribute moves is generally worth ten million."

"With that alone, you can apply for ten million in funding, or a complete set of Dragon Attribute move information."

Jiang Xing's eyes widened, and he instinctively said, "But I already borrowed the move information for [Dragon Sacrifice Dance] from Senior Sister Su..."

Dr. Xu asked, "Then did you use a Dragon Attribute move during your research?"

Jiang Xing nodded. "I did."

"Then isn't that enough?" Dr. Xu shook his head slightly. This student's ideas for his paper were clearly so bold and novel. Why could he not wrap his head around this at a time like this?

"Your research requires a Dragon Attribute move, and the funding you are applying for is also the normal value of a Dragon Attribute move."

"And once you complete the research and publish the results, allowing the university, the association, and countless Beast Tamers to benefit from it, isn't that what matters?"

"As for how you obtained the Dragon Attribute move during your research and how you saved funding, those are your own matters... They are not important at all, and no one will care."

Jiang Xing's eyes widened.

Could it work like that?

Dr. Xu continued, "For example, I possess many Pet Beasts, resources, and move manuals..."

"Does that mean I cannot apply for any funding when conducting research? Must I pay entirely out of my own pocket, then contribute the results afterward?"

"Must scholars donate their family fortunes and work for love?"

"If that were the case, how many people would still be willing to become scholars? How would Beast Taming Studies develop?"

"Therefore, all of this is a compliant process."

"If you included some high-value resources unrelated to your research topic when applying for research funding, using them to fraudulently obtain more funding... that would be embezzling research funds, and you would be held accountable."

After listening to Dr. Xu and combining it with the memories in his mind, Jiang Xing finally understood—

This was a feature of the Beast Taming World.

For the development of the Beast Taming World, and to prevent certain knowledge from being monopolized by individuals and factions,

the vast majority of research related to Pet Beasts would ultimately be publicly published and registered in the Beast Taming Compendium, where anyone could consult and study it. At least when it came to Pet Beast knowledge, monopolies did not exist.

Those great families that monopolized certain Pet Beasts usually controlled a Secret Realm and a Pet Beast clan, holding the source of that Pet Beast's production in their grasp.

As a result, research related to Pet Beast evolution was basically "public research," rather than "private research."

Patent rights did not belong to individuals or groups, but to all Beast Tamers.

Such rules obviously harmed scholars' interests—results painstakingly researched were simply handed over to the public. Who could stand that?

Thus, as compensation, scholars in the Beast Taming World held extremely high status. Research funding was fully provided by every nation and was exceedingly generous, allowing scholars to profit from it with ease.

Moreover, all kinds of academic conferences were frequently held and various awards were granted, all to reward those top scholars.

"To sum it up, patent rights were exchanged for another form of compensation..."

Jiang Xing suddenly understood. By his previous way of thinking, offsetting funding with his own knowledge or even using scholarship money to make up missing research funds...

he had essentially been using his own money to conduct research for others.

Once he fully understood, Jiang Xing stopped fretting over being a "funding thief" and instead began learning about research funding from Dr. Xu—

In the future, he was going to publicly publish the evolution method of the [Rainbow Dragon Cub]!

For such precious evolution knowledge, should he not charge more?

Yes, Jiang Xing fully understood now that Beast Taming Doctors were no saints.

On the contrary, Dr. Xu possessed such a vast territory and raised so many Pet Beasts. The daily upkeep alone was an astronomical expense. He had to find ways to make money.

Finally, after his mentor's earnest instruction,

Jiang Xing's research funding soared from the original five million to seventy million. Even the money for purchasing an experimental site had been included.

Looking at the various detailed funding items, each pushed right to the limit,

Jiang Xing was stunned.

He finally understood why Senior Sister Su could own a research institute before even graduating—

And this was only experimental funding. It did not include methods of making money such as predicting price increases in related resources and Pet Beasts based on a paper's contents, stockpiling supplies in advance, partnering with breeding farms, hatcheries, and Beast Taming families, and so on...

Compared to Beast Tamers next door, who scrimped and saved every day, competed in all kinds of battle tournaments, ventured into dangerous Secret Realms, poached high-potential young beasts... risking life and limb, only to spend it all on Pet Beast training.

If researchers wanted to cultivate Pet Beasts, they only needed to apply for a project called [Researching the Evolution Form of XX Pet Beast]. Not only would they spend no money, they could even earn some on the side.

Jiang Xing had finally attained enlightenment.

Research enriches three generations, Beast Taming impoverishes a lifetime.

Brothers, doing research is the right path!