Exploration Permit Exam

"What is this?"

The next day, Xiao Xi, who was being played with by Huohuo, asked curiously as she watched Zhou Lu carry a large box inside.

"Huohuo's new pot," Zhou Lu said as he unpacked a large flower pot from the delivery box.

Upon seeing its new home, Huohuo immediately pushed Xiao Xi against the wall, then arched its body and crawled to Zhou Lu's side, extending its vines to demand it.

"That hurt~" Xiao Xi rubbed her head, pulling herself off the wall. She looked at Zhou Lu and Huohuo, who were happily repotting, and asked, "What are you using such a big pot for?"

"To carry things. I'm preparing to take the exploration permit exam."

Xiao Xi was surprised to hear Zhou Lu's words. "You're going to take the exploration permit exam now? Aren't you going to train more in the Secret Realm? The registration fee for the exploration permit exam isn't low for you, and if you fail..."

"Don't worry, I won't fail," Zhou Lu said with a confident smile.

Huohuo tried out the new pot and loved it because it could hold more things.

"This weight doesn't seem like something a normal Plant Spirit Beast could handle..." Xiao Xi mused, watching Huohuo's reaction. "Did Huohuo absorb some kind of skill?"

Zhou Lu chuckled.

"Carry?" Xiao Xi, being a Knowledge Fairy, immediately guessed the skill Huohuo had absorbed.

Seeing that Zhou Lu didn't deny it, she couldn't help but say, "The Dream Rain Flower's racial skill is indeed powerful. It's just a shame that the probability of evolving into a Spirit Beast is so low."

Only a few plants had been discovered over millions of years.

The C-Class Exploration Permit exam for grass-type Spirit Beasts was the day after the initial combat assessment.

Xiao Xi felt that Zhou Lu was being too hasty.

"Even after you graduate and no longer have the academy's resources, you don't need to pack your schedule so tightly."

"D-Class Secret Realms are already a waste for Huohuo," Zhou Lu said, stroking Huohuo's leaves. "I don't want to waste academic credits on this."

Besides...

Zhou Lu glanced at the system.

Logically, his taking the exploration permit exam should be a significant event, and knowing the system's usual behavior, such an event would definitely trigger a quest for Zhou Lu to prevent it.

However, he hadn't seen any system quests yet.

This might be similar to the initial combat assessment quest; because there was a clear time point, the system would issue a quest before the event occurred.

This meant that in the system's timeline, the exploration permit exam he was participating in should be the one seven days later, not the one today.

If that were the case, it would mean he had advanced his timeline by seven days.

The system was static, but people were dynamic.

Zhou Lu didn't intend to become stronger step by step according to the system's timeline. While it would make things easier and allow him to gain benefits from failed quests, it was too slow.

He didn't even know who the enemy was, or what their strength and influence were.

Ten years?

No, that was too long.

He wanted to become stronger faster, to become stronger than his original self in the system's timeline.

With this thought, Zhou Lu walked out of the dormitory with determined steps.

The large flower pot did put some pressure on Huohuo.

Its branches and leaves were pressed lower by the pot. To prevent the pot from tipping over and spilling soil, it had to exert more effort to keep its roots firmly gripping the pot.

However, Huohuo still refused to be put into a Beast Taming Card and insisted on following Zhou Lu to the Explorer Association.

After only a few steps, Huohuo had to use its vines to lift the drooping pot, like a little girl wearing a big hat, appearing clumsily cute.

Today's exploration permit exam was a special session for grass-type Spirit Beasts, so all the Beast Tamers who came to take the exam brought grass-type Spirit Beasts with them.

Grass-type Spirit Beasts weren't just plants; they also included many animal Spirit Beasts with grass and wood attributes.

Huohuo was very happy to see so many grass-type Spirit Beasts for the first time, cheerfully greeting them amidst the crowd of Spirit Beasts.

Amidst a group of animals, a moving flower pot naturally attracted a lot of attention.

At the Explorer Association here, the majority of those taking the exam at this time were third-year students who hadn't passed the previous year.

Taking the C-Class Exploration Permit exam in their third year meant they were already far behind their peers.

Therefore, even though Huohuo greeted them enthusiastically, it was met with indifference.

Some people even recognized Zhou Lu's identity as the perfect-scoring genius Beast Tamer who had shone brightly in the initial combat assessment yesterday.

Was he coming to take the C-Class Exploration Permit exam the day after the initial combat assessment ended?

What an arrogant genius.

Those with malicious intentions looked at Zhou Lu with a hint of malice, and some were already planning to mock him thoroughly as seniors after he failed the exam.

However, they didn't plan to speak up now. The Beast Tamer Academy never lacked geniuses, and they had been proven wrong by geniuses too many times to have learned their lesson.

At this point, they absolutely could not jump out and mock him.

What if this guy actually succeeded? Wouldn't they just look like clowns?

A master's emotions can affect their Spirit Pet.

Huohuo felt a little disappointed when its enthusiastic greeting received no response, its leaves drooping.

"Huohuo, we need to go register," Zhou Lu said to Huohuo as he walked towards the front desk.

Upon hearing its master's voice, Huohuo immediately perked up again, arching its body and following behind Zhou Lu.

"Hello."

The receptionist at the Explorer Association was a very beautiful young lady.

As soon as she saw Zhou Lu, she offered a very professional yet comforting smile. "How can I help you?"

Zhou Lu placed Huohuo on the table.

After steadying itself, Huohuo very politely greeted the receptionist with a (▽｀) expression.

"I might be using some items during the exam, so I need to register them in advance," Zhou Lu told the receptionist.

It was perfectly normal for Spirit Beasts to use items. As long as they weren't overly powerful weapons, the Explorer Association allowed Spirit Pets to use them in battle, but they had to be registered beforehand.

After all, this was an exam, and a certain level of fairness was necessary.

"Okay, I'll register them for you."

The receptionist took out a scanning device.

"Excuse me," the receptionist said, scanning the mushroom Huohuo had produced. "This is a prohibited item."

"But it's food," Zhou Lu said, unwilling to give up.

"It was removed from the edible list yesterday."

Damn, that judge was fast.

"Alright, then what about this?" Zhou Lu had Huohuo produce another item.

Looking at the steel canister on the table, the receptionist was silent for a moment. "Sir... the opponents in the Grass-type specialization matches are Fire-type Spirit Beasts. You brought a fire extinguisher..."

"It's a civilian device."

"But it's a fire extinguisher..."

"Does the rulebook say fire extinguishers can't be used during the exam?" Zhou Lu took out the examination charter for the exploration permit from his pocket.

Judging by the creases in the paper, Zhou Lu had already read it thoroughly. Many parts were even specifically highlighted and annotated.

"It's allowed, it's allowed," the young lady was close to tears.

Who brings a fire extinguisher to an exam? And the opponents were Fire-type Spirit Beasts, no less.

The receptionist eventually registered the item for Zhou Lu.

However, she kindly advised, "A regular fire extinguisher won't be able to extinguish the flames of a Fire-type Spirit Beast. You'd best not take the risk."

"I know that."

That's why I brought the latest Sticky Baby civilian fire extinguisher! It can extinguish open flames caused by a first-tier Fire-type Spirit Beast.

Li Yi's family actually had a higher-spec version, but unfortunately, it was military-grade equipment and thus a prohibited item for the exam.

Sorry! I have to pass the C-Class Exploration Permit exam as quickly as possible.

For that, I can only resort to some minor tricks.

Sneaking in an extra chapter update, requesting readers to help me with your follow-ups tomorrow!