Battle Invitation

Just as Chen Wei was about to step out of the office, he suddenly heard Liu Muning's anxious voice from behind him.

"Mr. Chen, please wait!"

Liu Muning hurried over to Chen Wei's side. "The interview is over, and though this may be a little presumptuous, becoming a powerful professional Beastmaster isn't something simple."

"Yesterday happened to be the day for initial pet beast contracts in Water Mountain City. I assume you've successfully contracted your initial pet beast already. Would you be interested in having a pet beast battle with me?"

Chen Wei turned to look at Liu Muning. Before he could answer her invitation, he saw her smile again, as if trying to conceal something.

Liu Muning said, "It's only a simple exchange and sparring match."

The interview was clearly over, yet his new boss suddenly pulled this move. It was completely unlike the intellectual persona Chen Wei had sensed during the interview.

Chen Wei felt that the way today's interview had unfolded was very wrong.

He froze for a moment, then said in a somewhat surprised tone, quietly complaining, "You're joking, right? I'm just a student who's only just contracted a pet beast, while you're already a Master-level Beastmaster. Isn't the gap in our strength far too enormous?"

Having long suppressed the excitement in her heart, Liu Muning teased, "What, did you want to battle my main team? A battle at that level is far too early for you."

Chen Wei was somewhat bewildered. He blinked, trying to figure out how this had happened.

Why had his future boss suddenly invited him to a pet beast battle after the interview? What kind of strange development was this?!

"Don't worry. The pet beast I'll use is Crystal, who's only level ten in her juvenile stage."

There was no helping it. Apart from the newly contracted Crystal, Liu Muning simply had no pet beast weaker than her.

"My pet beast and I aren't fully familiar with each other yet. We definitely can't beat you." Chen Wei instinctively declined in a tactful manner.

"It's fine, it's only a sparring match. Besides, there's a prize. When I saw you appraising things just now, you seemed to like the Titanium Crystal Ragdoll very much." Liu Muning's voice unexpectedly softened.

"If you win the battle, how about I give you a Titanium Crystal Ragdoll for free? Even if you lose, it's no matter—I'll still give you a pair of source energy detection glasses as encouragement."

At that moment, Liu Muning's forthright words boomed through Chen Wei's mind. What kind of heavenly boss was this? She was giving away Titanium Crystal Ragdolls just like that—truly rich beyond all humanity.

If Chen Wei hadn't known that Liu Muning was the person in charge of Ragdoll Mall, and that Ragdoll Mall was a well-known enterprise in Water Mountain City, he might even have thought he'd run into some kind of new scam.

It had to be said, Chen Wei was tempted!

"It would be my honor to battle you. I hope you'll give me plenty of guidance."

Chen Wei's gaze suddenly changed. He gave Liu Muning a discreet glance, forcibly burying the doubts in his heart, then broke into a smile.

Liu Muning let out a soft laugh. Glancing at Chen Wei, she teased, "You changed quickly. Come with me. There's a professional battle arena on the top floor."

The crisp clack of high heels rang across the clean, tidy floor. Watching Liu Muning's back as she walked ahead, Chen Wei raised his eyebrows.

He was only an ordinary high school student. Whatever Liu Muning might be plotting, all he could do was respond to each move as it came.

Besides, she was offering far too much. He simply couldn't refuse!

Chen Wei followed Liu Muning to the battle arena on the top floor.

Battles between pet beasts had to take place in specially constructed battle venues, because only professional battle arenas had strict protective measures and medical support.

Every battle arena was equipped with at least one professional healer to promptly treat injuries sustained by the pet beasts on both sides during battle, preventing the pet beasts from falling into life-threatening danger.

Looking at the spacious battle arena before him and the healer standing by at all times, Chen Wei could not help sighing. The facilities here were far more luxurious than the school's battle arena. Was this the joy of being rich?

"Let Little Yun serve as our referee," Liu Muning said, looking toward the young secretary beside her, who wore a fitted shirt.

Hearing this, Gu Yun nodded in understanding. Then she walked to the referee's stand, cleared her throat, and spoke directly. "Are both sides ready?"

"I'm ready." Chen Wei nodded, his eyes holding a trace of anticipation and excitement as he looked at Liu Muning.

He had already told Color Spirit in advance that they would be fighting a difficult battle. At this moment, Color Spirit was brimming with confidence as she waited for his summons.

No matter what, this was a rare opportunity. Though he had no idea why things had developed this way, if he missed his chance to obtain a Titanium Crystal Ragdoll, he would regret it to death!

"I'm ready." Liu Muning nodded. Her crimson lips parted slightly, and a meaningful smile remained at the corners of her mouth.

Could it be him?

Whether it was or not, this was already the highest chance of success she had seen in all these years. There was only one thing she needed to do now.

"If you are ready, you may summon your pet beasts only after I begin the count of three. Please note that Beastmasters may only issue commands within their designated area and must not enter the arena to fight alongside their pet beasts."

After confirming that both understood the rules, referee Gu Yun blew a brand-new whistle.

"Both sides, prepare for battle!"

"Three... two... one..."

"Battle begin!"

The instant the referee's words fell, Chen Wei and Liu Muning simultaneously began communicating with their source stars and star rings to summon their pet beasts.

Pale blue light intertwined before Chen Wei, forming a cyan rune array. The standard-issue star ring on his hand flashed with blue light as well, and Color Spirit's figure swiftly appeared before him.

At the same time, a beautiful and elegant figure emerged from the red rune array before Liu Muning. It was the Titanium Crystal Ragdoll: Crystal.

Watching the red rune array vanish before him, Chen Wei's expression turned grave. While feeling immense pressure, he was also filled with extreme excitement.

Source energy was a strange supernatural power. Through continual cultivation, purification, and advancement, as one's source star evolved, the distinctive color source energy displayed externally would also continuously change.

The rank order of Origin Stars was blue, cyan, orange, white, red, gold, purple, black, and rainbow. That dazzling red radiance meant Liu Muning's Origin Star had reached the fifth rank.

This also meant that the opponent he was about to face was a genuine Master-level Beastmaster.

Chen Wei watched the Titanium Crystal Ragdoll before him with a solemn expression, then encouraged Color Spirit through their contract. "Come on! Color Spirit, the opponent is strong. We have to fight hard and win."

To make Color Spirit go all out, he raised the stakes.

"If you win this match, you'll get one extra enhancement every day from now on. Of course, if you lose, tonight's enhancement will be reduced by one."

"Eee!" (╬￣皿￣)=○ (No way!)

Already brimming with confidence, Color Spirit immediately widened her bright, watery eyes and fixed a sharp gaze on the fierce yet adorably cute Titanium Crystal Ragdoll.

"Eee? Eeeyah!" (▼ヘ▼#) (Failure? I absolutely won't allow it!)