What Counts as a Surprise

The Giant Magnet Monster's central body was a huge round magnet, surrounded by five toy-like diamond-shaped magnets that floated around it like satellites orbiting a planet.

Overall, it resembled a star and looked extremely cool.

Its Monarch species rank, along with its three attributes of Thunder, Metal, and Psychic, were quite impressive as well, making it popular with many visitors. Its display booth was absolutely packed.

Seeing this, Jiang Xing did not go over to join the crowd.

There was still the second half of the assembly, and plenty of time to mingle.

If necessary, once the assembly ended, the Giant Magnet Monster's information would be registered in the Beast Taming Compendium.

Jiang Xing could simply look it up in the compendium later and figure out how to raise one himself...

After all, he had barely touched the twenty million in cash from the Golden-Veined Koi research funds.

With that much money, buying a few highly talented Little Magnet Beads would not be a problem.

Jiang Xing had dozed off for more than an hour earlier, and touring the exhibits had taken up plenty of time as well.

The first half ended quickly, and the visitors gradually left.

Li Lingyin also closed her booth and came over to Jiang Xing with the Rainbow Dragon Cub.

"Teacher, weren't you sleeping just now?"

"Ahem, it was too noisy to sleep well, so I just wandered around for a bit."

"?! That's so sly! I wanted to look around the exhibition too!"

Li Lingyin liked battling, that was true, but she also liked all kinds of Pet Beasts.

An Evolution Assembly like this, where she could admire so many brand-new Pet Beasts up close, was an incredibly rare opportunity.

Her teacher had actually left her at the booth while he enjoyed wandering around by himself... unforgivable!

Seeing the little girl's gloomy face, Jiang Xing guiltily rubbed her little red hat and comforted her. "It's fine. The second half is about to begin, and all the participants will be giving academic presentations then."

"You're my assistant, so you can sit in the audience and listen to the presentations..."

"That'll be much more comfortable than squeezing through crowds in line!"

Knowing she would not miss any of the exciting results, Li Lingyin nodded and reluctantly accepted his explanation.

Soon, the two followed the staff's guidance to the buffet restaurant for lunch and a brief rest, easing the fatigue from the first half.

During that time, the other scholars participating in the assembly gathered in small groups to chat.

Quite a few scholars also approached Jiang Xing and exchanged a few casual words with him.

At first, Jiang Xing thought they were engaging in pre-match trash talk. To his surprise, they really had only come to chat, and most of them simply expressed their expectations for him...

Jiang Xing could tell that they genuinely looked forward to his presentation.

Even researchers from places like the Sweet Sugar Research Institute and the Fusion Research Institute, who might become his competitors, were no exception. There was no hostility in their words, only curiosity and politeness.

This atmosphere was far too harmonious, wasn't it?

Jiang Xing had found it a little strange at first, but after chatting for a while, he understood why.

An academic assembly was not a Beast Taming battle. There was no need to clash head-on, much less fight one another.

Besides, everyone had completed their projects before attending the assembly. The stage of competition had already ended before it even began.

Nothing anyone said could affect the results, so what was there to mock?

More importantly, they were all top scholars. Rather than making enemies for no reason, it was better to think about how to draw inspiration from others' research and learn from them.

"The researcher's path really is relaxing."

Taking advantage of the harmonious atmosphere, Jiang Xing spoke a little more with Zheng Cheng, a researcher from the Fusion Research Institute, and expressed his fondness for the Giant Magnet Monster.

He successfully learned the details of the psychic field needed for the Little Magnet Monster's evolution.

Soon, lunch ended, and the academic presentation segment of the second half began.

This stage was held in the lecture hall, where many famous researchers, Breeders, and others had appeared in the audience.

They had not participated in the first half, entering instead as judges for the second half.

Among them, Dr. Al was seated in the very front row, drawing the attention of numerous researchers.

He was a true Beast Taming Doctor, a titan of the academic world!

After all, not every Pet Beast Scholar had a Beast Taming Doctor as a teacher like Jiang Xing did.

Some Pet Beast Scholars had grown step by step through their own love for Pet Beasts, or by applying to research institutes as assistants.

Seeing Dr. Al appear, these scholars regarded it as an opportunity and worked even harder to show themselves off, hoping they might get the chance to become his assistant.

As a result, the atmosphere throughout the academic presentations became far more passionate, with many speakers showing two hundred percent enthusiasm.

Unfortunately, they did not know that Dr. Al had only one purpose from the very beginning.

"Let us welcome Jiang Xing, the student of Dr. Xu and a rising researcher, to the stage to deliver his academic presentation!"

As the host made the announcement, everyone in the audience perked up.

Dr. Xu's student, combined with a True Dragon evolution form—those two factors together had made Jiang Xing one of the hottest rising stars in the research world lately.

And then there was the Rainbow Dragon Cub's Talent that had spread through the exhibition...

Everyone believed he was a strong contender for the best award at this Evolution Assembly!

The only one who could likely compete with him was the Sweet Sugar Research Institute's Variety Choco-Chicken.

After all, a Pet Beast with more than ten evolution paths was, in a sense, even rarer than a Quasi-God Species. It was an equally remarkable discovery.

Dr. Al also began to look forward to it.

He admitted that a Pet Beast like the Rainbow Dragon Cub was indeed quite good... but only quite good.

After all, it had not yet displayed all of its potential, and it might not necessarily evolve into a Quasi-God Species.

Without a Quasi-God Species as its upper limit, it would not be enough to contend with established Pseudo-Legendaries at the highest level of combat. Even if it could keep getting back up after being knocked down, it would merely be a little tougher.

At the very least, it would not bring him the "surprise" Old Xu had spoken of.

So what exactly did Old Xu mean?

As everyone waited in anticipation, Jiang Xing walked onto the stage.

Having removed his black cloak and wearing only white clothes, he looked like an energetic scholar—because that was exactly what he was.

Under everyone's gaze, he began to speak.

"Ever since Pet Beasts first appeared, humanity's curiosity toward these marvelous creatures has never stopped."

"Why do they evolve? What potential lies within them? How can we help them complete their evolution and display all their power?"

"It is precisely these questions that have driven us to study Pet Beasts, propelled the development of the Beast Taming World, and allowed countless Pet Beasts to shine..."

Everyone patiently listened to the opening remarks, but the longer they listened, the more something felt off.

Why did it feel like he was drifting farther and farther off topic?

He had even begun discussing the Heart Selection Theory, along with the many theories and Conjectures derived from it...

That was clearly a little off-topic.

After all, Jiang Xing's presentation was titled "The Evolution Method of the Rainbow Dragon Cub." The focus should have been on the Golden-Veined Koi.

The methods and theories used along the way only needed a passing mention. They were not students who did not understand such things...

Yet after saying so much in his opening, he had not even mentioned the Golden-Veined Koi once.

Had he taken the wrong script?

The audience exchanged glances, hesitating over whether to remind him, when Jiang Xing said, "...Among the many Conjectures of the Heart Selection Theory, Dr. Al's [Personality Conjecture] has always been a regret for many people."

"It clearly has a rigorous and complete process of argumentation, yet it lacks the most important thing: [evidence]."

"People have never found a Pet Beast for which personality was a necessary condition for evolution..."

Jiang Xing pressed the remote, and a projection lit up behind him.

Then he said, "Next, I will use [The Evolution Method of the Rainbow Dragon Cub] to complete the proof of the [Personality Conjecture]."

The moment those words fell, the entire hall erupted. Some scholars even shot to their feet.

Everyone had thought he was going to present an evolution method, but he had started proving a famous conjecture?!

Even Dr. Al's breathing caught as his eyes widened.

This... was the surprise Old Xu had mentioned?