Beast Taming: Starting from Transmigration and Starting with a Cheat Code

"Who's outside? Come in!"

Inside the door, a deep yet undeniable voice rang out, its pace unhurried yet carrying an invisible pressure that penetrated the door panel and reached Qin Ming's ears.

Qin Ming raised an eyebrow, realizing that his fleeting emotional fluctuations and subtle movements had probably not escaped the perception of the array master inside.

Or perhaps, Old Sun had anticipated that he would arrive at this time, and the argument just now... might have been intentionally arranged for him to overhear?

Since things have come to this, there's no point in thinking about it anymore.

Qin Ming quickly composed himself, his expression returning to its usual calm and peaceful state. He raised his hand and knocked three times on the door, neither too hard nor too soft, before pushing the door open and entering.

"Mr. Sun, I'm sorry to bother you. I'm Qin Ming. I heard you were looking for me."

He entered the room, bowed slightly, and spoke with respect and tact.

The room was brightly lit, with simple yet elegant furnishings, and the air was filled with the scent of sandalwood and old books.

Behind the desk sat an elderly man with gray hair, who was none other than Vice President Sun Houpu.

He wore a simple, dark gray robe, his face etched with the deep lines of time, yet his eyes were exceptionally clear, like a deep well, calm yet containing immeasurable wisdom.

Maintaining a relatively youthful appearance is not difficult among the powerful group of spirit masters.

Old Master Sun's aged appearance often indicates several possibilities: he may have suffered severe internal injuries that are difficult to fully repair; his true age may have far exceeded the lifespan of an ordinary spirit master, and even spiritual power cannot completely conceal the traces of time; or perhaps... he simply does not care about his appearance and lets himself age naturally.

In Qin Ming's perception, the old man's aura was steady and profound, like a vast star map, its boundaries unfathomable.

He dared not draw any conclusions rashly, and could only become more vigilant, approaching this pillar of the array academy with the utmost caution.

Old Sun didn't exchange any pleasantries. His gaze lingered on Qin Ming for a moment. His gaze wasn't sharp, but it seemed to penetrate the surface and see something deeper.

After a moment, he slowly spoke, offering a concise yet weighty assessment: "You are very good."

At the same time, Qin Ming's peripheral vision quickly swept over another person in the room. It was the young man who had been emotionally agitated earlier and was now standing in front of the desk.

He was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, wearing a long robe with silver trim representing elite students of the Array Academy, and a gleaming badge on his chest that read "Quasi-Advanced Array Master". The complex array patterns on the badge showed its owner's remarkable strength and status.

After obtaining the "Intermediate Array Master" qualification, Qin Ming temporarily shelved his plan to advance to a higher level due to insufficient strength and physical limitations, and instead focused on broadening his knowledge and solidifying his foundation.

Therefore, he knew very well that to obtain the "quasi-advanced" certification at such a young age, one must be absolutely top-notch in terms of talent, hard work, and the resources behind them. They were undoubtedly a genius of formations with unlimited potential.

As Qin Ming sized up the other man, the young man's gaze was also fixed on Qin Ming. Especially after Old Sun's comment "very good," his eyes instantly became more complicated, a mixture of scrutiny, resentment, and a hint of aroused fighting spirit.

He took a deep breath, as if making a firm decision, and turned to Old Master Sun, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion: "Is he... the one you ultimately chose to replace me?"

Old Sun did not answer directly, but simply picked up the teacup beside him, took a sip, and remained calm and composed.

However, in such situations, silence is often the clearest answer.

Upon seeing this, the young man's chest heaved violently, then he abruptly turned to Qin Ming, his eyes sharp as knives, each word spoken with resounding force:

"I challenge you!"

Qin Ming: "..."

He couldn't help but raise his hand to rub his temples, silently screaming in his heart: Good heavens! What kind of mess is this?! Just what I feared most has come to pass!

He had indeed seen the annual exchange quota with Donglin Academy on the academy's bulletin board before, and knew it was an important matter, involving honor, resource allocation, and even some future opportunities.

However, he felt that his cultivation was still shallow and he was not a student of the Array Law Department, so he never thought about the quota being for himself, let alone learn about the specific selection criteria and procedures.

This situation... is simply a disaster that has fallen from the sky.

If he were to foolishly ask now, "What are we comparing?", the other party would probably perceive it not as an inquiry, but as blatant contempt and provocation.

But he really didn't know!

Qin Ming was conflicted and didn't respond immediately.

Perhaps mistaking Qin Ming's silence for cowardice or disdain for the challenge, the young man composed himself, stepped forward, and spoke with even greater fervor.

"Junior Brother Qin Ming, right? Going out for exchanges represents more than just personal honor and resources; it concerns the face and prestige of our Magic City Academy's array formation lineage!"

"This is ultimately a place where strength reigns supreme. If you truly have the ability to accept this spot, then please demonstrate your skills and earn everyone's respect!"

He paused, trying to calm himself, then extended a hand to Qin Ming and formally introduced himself: "Sun Yi, a prospective advanced array master, third-year student at the Array Academy. Please guide me!"

The matter has been brought to this point, and there's no way to avoid it now.

Qin Ming sighed inwardly. He extended his right hand, gave the other person a polite handshake, and then calmly replied:

"Qin Ming, a mid-level array master, is a first-year student at the Combat Academy. I wouldn't presume to offer guidance, but rather to learn from each other through friendly sparring."

An old man and two young men, in the "Yanzhenzhai" that was filled with the scent of sandalwood and books, suddenly found the atmosphere tense and subtle.

A contest over quotas, strength, and recognition seems inevitable.

As Qin Ming and Sun Yi left "Yanzhenzhai" one after the other, the room returned to silence.

In the shadows behind the bookshelf, the air distorted slightly, and a snow-white spirit sable with only its four black paws silently appeared.

He leaped lightly onto the edge of the desk, his icy blue eyes first glancing towards the doorway before turning to Old Sun. He spoke in a human voice, carrying the languidness and playfulness characteristic of felines: "Old Sun, you think so highly of this kid named Qin Ming?"

He tilted his head, his tail tip swaying gracefully. "Although he's limited by his age and cultivation, judging from his spiritual pressure and aura just now, his strength isn't 'hard' enough. He'll probably suffer a bit when he tries to compete with that brat Sun Yi in formations."

Old Master Sun was not surprised by the appearance of the spirit sable. He withdrew his gaze from the window, picked up an open, yellowed book of formations from the table, and said slowly:

"Strength is sometimes not just about superficial cultivation level and rank. Since he was able to see through and imitate the underlying formation of 'Illusion Realm No. 3,' he should have that ability."

"That thing...how is that possible?!"

The spirit sable's white fur bristled in small circles, its tail stiffening. "That's 'Illusion Realm Number Three'! A complex ancient magic array that even many high-level array masters find troublesome! And he's just a mid-level... and a freshman at the combat academy?!"

He muttered a few words under his breath, then leaped down, landing lightly. "No, the weasel can't sit still! Old Sun, you stay here, the weasel wants to go watch the fun!"

Before the words were even finished, the snow-white figure had already transformed into a blurry streak of light and vanished into the distance.