Red-tailed Fox

Zhou Lu arrived relatively early, with only about ten people ahead of him.

He sat in the waiting area, watching the live broadcast of the exam on the screen.

At the end of each month, the Explorer Association would publicly announce the list of Beast Tamers who obtained exploration permits that month. Along with the list, they would also release the combat recordings from the exams.

However, such official, policy-driven announcements generally didn't attract much attention. The playback volume for these videos was even less than a fraction of that for a regular beast-taming competition.

This time, for the grass-element specialization, the Beast Tamers had to face a Rank 1 Red-tailed Fox.

Although both were Rank 1, the Red-tailed Fox was a completely different concept from the Chipmunk.

As one of the most mainstream fire-element Spirit Beasts today, the Red-tailed Fox was powerful and elegant. Even without learning other skills, it had already established a solid footing in the mainstream solely based on its racial skill, Flame Dash.

Coupled with its appearance, which surpassed that of most Spirit Beasts, it was very popular among Beast Tamers.

The Red-tailed Fox designated as the target for this exam was a Rank 1 Spirit Beast at level 15, considered a mid-strength Spirit Beast that could be encountered in C-Class Secret Realms.

According to the Growth Projection classifications, levels 0 to 9 were pre-metamorphosis common creatures, levels 10 to 19 were Rank 1 Spirit Beasts in their Metamorphosis Stage, levels 20 to 49 were Rank 2 Spirit Beasts in their growth stage, and level 50 was a Rank 3 Spirit Beast.

Generally speaking, the higher the rank, the more levels required for evolution.

And levels couldn't be simply stacked with materials. If evolution and advancement tested a Beast Tamer's ability to collect materials and intelligence, then leveling up tested a Beast Tamer's ability to nurture their Spirit Beasts.

Zhou Lu had come to take the exploration permit exam immediately after finishing his own, and hadn't had a chance to perform a Growth Projection for Huohuo yet. However, he estimated that Huohuo's level was definitely not 15.

As they were talking, a new round of exams had already begun on the large screen.

The exam venue was located within a simulated secret realm. The elegant figure of the Red-tailed Fox moved swiftly through a forest of red leaves.

This red-leaf forest was the Red-tailed Fox's advantageous terrain.

The red maple trees were rich in oil, and the falling maple leaves could expand the range and power of the Red-tailed Fox's fire skills.

The Beast Tamer's objective was singular: to defeat the Red-tailed Fox.

Using a grass-element Spirit Beast to battle a Red-tailed Fox in its advantageous terrain was clearly unwise.

The Beast Tamer undergoing assessment also understood this, so he immediately took out a piece of dried meat to lure the Red-tailed Fox out of the red-leaf forest.

However, although the Red-tailed Fox in the exam arena didn't have a Beast Tamer present, it was ultimately a Spirit Beast. Ordinary dried meat had limited appeal to it.

There was no other way. To protect the safety of the examinees, the association couldn't possibly release a wild Spirit Beast. All the Spirit Beasts used were contracted Spirit Beasts. Their owners would constantly monitor the arena and immediately recall their Spirit Beasts if any danger arose.

The Beast Tamer clearly hadn't expected the Red-tailed Fox to be indifferent to the dried meat, and immediately became anxious.

The Red-tailed Fox was also known for its high speed. He didn't dare to let his Spirit Beast or himself attract the Red-tailed Fox's attention, so a stalemate ensued.

As the exam's end time drew closer, he had no choice. Gritting his teeth, he had his Spirit Beast unleash Entangling Vines to provoke the Red-tailed Fox.

But this was definitely not a wise move.

The Red-tailed Fox was extremely sensitive to spiritual energy fluctuations, especially those of grass-element power.

Therefore, as soon as his Spirit Beast released its skill, the Red-tailed Fox easily burned through the vines and had already locked onto the Beast Tamer's location.

Not good! I need to run!

By the time he had this thought, it was already too late. A red shadow flashed, and the Red-tailed Fox appeared right in front of his face.

The exam had failed.

Watching the senior student's dejected expression, Zhou Lu mused: the most crucial part of this exam was actually how to attract the Red-tailed Fox's aggro.

While ensuring his own safety, lure the Red-tailed Fox into a terrain that was advantageous to him.

In the exam scenarios, there was one with a grass-element-amplifying grassland. But honestly, in a grass-element versus fire-element battle, even with terrain amplification, the double damage from elemental disadvantage amplification wasn't something a Rank 1 Spirit Beast could easily overcome.

Moreover, that grassland was still some distance away from the red-leaf forest, even exceeding Huohuo's current Vine Step's maximum range.

Zhou Lu didn't think that with Huohuo's current movement speed, he could attract the Red-tailed Fox and then have enough time to reach the grassland.

This terrain was prepared for fast grass-element Spirit Beasts.

The assessments were very fast.

After all, among the third-year students, those with genuine Beast Taming talent or family backgrounds had already obtained their C-Class Exploration Permits last year.

Beast Tamer was a rare profession in this era that could achieve class transcendence. Precisely because of this, it had also become the most brutal profession.

Only true geniuses, without family backgrounds, could forge their own path through hard work in Beast Taming academies.

In two hours, apart from students who forcibly passed the exam by leveraging their Spirit Beasts' level advantage, few managed to pass.

Zhou Lu also noticed some issues.

They were very diligent, but their efforts were completely in the wrong direction.

Beast Tamer combat, especially in the wild, was never that rigid. Why were they so fixated on that dried meat? Did they buy it from the same shop?

As Zhou Lu was thinking this, the broadcast called Zhou Lu's number.

It was his turn.

"Huohuo, get ready to go on stage." Zhou Lu looked at Huohuo beside him.

Huohuo obediently climbed into Zhou Lu's arms:

(≧w≦)

Upon entering the preparation room, a staff member at the door handed Zhou Lu a document, which was safety-related.

"If you encounter any danger, don't push yourself. Press your bracelet immediately," the staff member instructed as they opened the door for Zhou Lu. "Our Beast Tamers will recall the Red-tailed Fox at the first opportunity."

"Understood," Zhou Lu nodded.

Beyond the door was a dilapidated, collapsed building.

Standing at the spawn point and looking into the distance, the Redleaf Forest, where the Red-tailed Fox was located, was not far from here.

Huohuo appeared very nervous.

It had always been the most afraid of fire, yet now it had to face a fire-element Spirit Beast head-on.

Vines were continuously inserted into the flowerpot, drawing out a bit of transparent mucus.

This was the Sticky Baby's mucus, which Huohuo had specifically squeezed from the Sticky Baby.

The Sticky Baby's mucus not only possessed extreme stickiness but also had excellent fire-resistant properties.

Smear, smear.

Huohuo used its vines to smear the mucus all over its body, then extended a vine and patted Zhou Lu's leg.

Does Master want some?

Looking at the mucus on Huohuo's vines, Zhou Lu couldn't help but laugh. "No thanks. I don't want to end up bald."

Huohuo had fur, which could resist a certain amount of stickiness, but he couldn't.

Seeing its master refuse, Huohuo disappointedly swayed its leaves.

"Alright, Huohuo," Zhou Lu pointed towards the lake next to the Redleaf Forest and said, "You go prepare there first, and I'll go pull the monsters."

He paused, then pointed to Huohuo's vines and said, "Wrap a vine around my waist. When I give the command, you pull me back."

With that, he crouched down and walked towards the direction of the Redleaf Forest.

First update... Three updates today, please continue reading!