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

The next morning.

Everyone gathered outside the small, secret area used for the competition.

This secret realm was specially opened up by the academy for large-scale competitions, with the entrance located on a stone platform at the end of the valley.

The stone platform was spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people standing at the same time, with huge light screens on both sides for projecting the live scene inside. At this moment, the light screens were not yet activated, and only occasional spiritual energy patterns flashed across their gray surfaces.

The five teams each occupied a corner of the stone platform.

The Yunlong Squad stood closest to the entrance, with the captain and vice-captain at the front. Captain Cheng Beichuan, a tall figure, stood with his arms crossed, calmly surveying the other teams. Vice-captain He Man stood half a step behind him.

The Southern Flame Team occupied the right side of the stone platform. Their captain, Yan Kun, was a burly man with dark skin and short, bristly hair. His Flame-Maned Lion had already appeared, lying at his feet, with sparks occasionally flying from its mane.

Most of the members of the Nan Yan team are physically strong and have a relaxed stance, but they maintain a distance from each other that allows them to support each other at any time.

The Beiyuan team stood on the left side of the stone platform, towards the back, with the five of them huddled together, seemingly still confirming the final tactical details.

Their captain, Zhong Yan, was a thin young man who wore glasses and had a habit of gesturing with his fingers in the air when he spoke.

The Beiyuan team's setup is heavily defensive, with two defensive spirit beasts already waiting by their respective masters. One is in turtle form and the other is in pangolin form, both of which are tough and resilient.

Unlike the three teams that are considered favorites to win the championship, the formation system is located on the outermost side.

Qin Ming leaned against the railing by the stone platform, his eyes half-closed, his aura calm and unassuming. Zhou Mu was right next to him; although the Illusionary Light Swan was invisible to the naked eye, Qin Ming knew he was there.

Fang Lie stood beside them, with the Flame-Patterned Leopard lying at his feet, the flames on the tip of its tail flickering with each breath.

Fang Lie kept his mouth tightly shut.

Fang Lie, who is straightforward and easily angered, listened to the discussions and disdain of others without saying a word.

Some of the words may not have been intentionally sarcastic, but anyone with a strength level of four could hear them clearly.

"The formation department formed a separate team this year, which was commendable. It's a pity they won't go far."

"Making it to the final round is already quite impressive. In the first few rounds, they relied entirely on avoiding combat and utilizing the terrain. Did they even engage in direct combat?" another person chimed in.

"We've faced each other before, in the second round of the qualifiers. Their reconnaissance is really impressive; they spotted our position early and moved immediately. We chased them for half the court but couldn't catch them."

"That means they've never fought before. Their reconnaissance is impressive, but the final round's arena is only a quarter the size of the preliminary rounds. Where can they possibly hide?"

A few people chuckled, not in mockery, but with a relaxed acceptance of the fact.

Fang Lie heard the entire conversation.

His fingers tightened at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. Sensing its master's emotions, the Flame Leopard's tail tip flickered, its color changing from orange-yellow to pale red.

But Fang Lie didn't move. He took a deep breath, loosened his fingers, and patted the Flame-Patterned Leopard on the head.

The flames on the Flame Leopard slowly faded back to their original color.

He recalled yesterday.

After Qin Ming completely won them over with his strength, he sat down in the rest area, stroking Keda's fur as he casually said, "Do you know what our biggest advantage is right now?"

Fang Lie quickly answered, "That's your trump card!"

Qin Ming shook his head. "Yes and no. We have the strength to win the championship, but only if we are not besieged by multiple forces."

His fingers ran slowly through the feathers of Ke Lai, his movements and his tone equally deliberate.

"In everyone's eyes, our team is the weakest. The Nan Yan team, the Bei Yuan team, and the Yun Long team all consider each other as their main rivals and don't take us seriously."

This is a good thing. If they had viewed us as a threat from the beginning and ganged up to eliminate us first, even if I could fight, it would have been very difficult for me to take on three opponents at once.

Lu Wuyan adjusted his glasses. "So yesterday you asked me to compile historical head-to-head data between the teams just to confirm their competitive relationships?"

Qin Ming nodded. "The Yunlong team and the Nanyan team faced off in the preliminary rounds, and the Nanyan team lost. From the Beiyuan team's perspective, it's possible that they will either prioritize targeting the Nanyan team or join forces to take down the Yunlong team first."

The three teams already have a system of checks and balances. We should try our best not to disrupt that system.

"That means playing it safe in the early stages and then unleashing your full power at the end."

Fang Lie's face immediately fell. "Why can't we still have a proper, satisfying fight..."

Qin Ming's lips twitched; he hadn't expected this team to have such a high concentration of fans of the violent, sweeping style.

Before Fang Lie could finish speaking, a chill ran down his spine. He slowly turned his head and saw Cang Xuan watching quietly. He immediately changed his mind.

"You're absolutely right! I totally agree! I'll be the first to disagree with anyone!"

The speed of his speech and the firmness of his attitude almost made Hodge, who was standing next to him, throw the Shadowcat out of his arms.

With the new leader's instructions in mind, Fang Lie calmed himself down. What did this little bit of frustration matter? They were going to be the ones laughing last!

However, Fang Lie felt two pairs of eyes on him.

Team Leader Qin and Team Leader Zhou, one on the left and one on the right, were both looking at him.

His smile froze.

Can the former and new captains please stop focusing on him? He didn't do anything!

He didn't cause any trouble; he even smiled. Why are you still looking at him?

Actually, Fang Lie was just feeling guilty. Zhou Mu was looking at him because Fang Lie was able to hold back his words, which he saw as a sign of relief that "the team member has finally matured."

Qin Ming looked at him, his gaze drawn solely to his red hair.

red.

Qin Ming's gaze lingered on Fang Lie's hair for a moment before shifting away.

He has a little red animal at home, which he hasn't seen in a long time and misses a bit.

However, with the match imminent, Qin Ming quickly pulled himself back to reality.

"On your marks, let the competition begin!" The proctor's voice rang out on the stone platform.

The screen lit up simultaneously, accompanied by rousing music, displaying a live feed of the entrance to the secret realm.

Members of the five teams entered the venue in turn.

The Yunlong team was the first to enter, with Cheng Beichuan leading the way and He Man bringing up the rear. The five of them filed in and disappeared into the light curtain at the entrance of the secret realm.

The Nan Yan team followed closely behind, with Yan Kun's Flame Mane Lion charging into the light barrier first. Its roar echoed at the entrance for a moment before being swallowed up by the secret realm.

In the third batch of the Beiyuan team, Zhong Yan walked in the middle of the group, guarded by two defensive spirit beasts on the left and right, forming a tight formation.

The last batch of formation system personnel.

Qin Ming stood up from the railing, and the light screen gradually engulfed the figures of everyone.

The stone platform fell completely silent.

The proctor stood in front of the screen, watching the group of energetic young people leave.

The images on the screen began to switch, moving from the entrance to various areas inside the secret realm.

The proctor was an elderly man over fifty, with gray hair but a sprightly spirit, wearing the standard proctor's robe of the academy.

His cuffs were embroidered with silver patterns that signified the examiner's status. Gazing at the screen, he sighed, "I wonder who will win this time."

No one responded.

The proctor paused slightly, glancing to his side out of the corner of his eye.

Standing next to him were the team leaders of several teams, one of whom had a bronze complexion and several old scars on his arm; he was his longtime friend.

However, the other party's expression was very unpleasant at the moment.

"What's wrong with you?" the old examiner asked quietly.

The burly man with bronze skin did not answer immediately. His gaze swept across the screen before he spoke after a moment.

"The West Pavilion's betting game was disrupted last night by a massive influx of points from the Array Court faction. The balance was completely shattered."

The old examiner's eyebrows twitched. He had certainly heard about the gambling in the West Pavilion, but he was in charge of invigilating the exam and couldn't participate, and he was also unaware that such a big thing had happened last night.

"Large amount? How large?"

The big man announced a number.

The old examiner couldn't help but furrow his brow. "Placing all your bets on the formation system?"

The big man nodded.

The old examiner paused for a moment, then said something completely unrelated to his current invigilation duties: "Has Old Xian struck it rich lately?"

"I don't know if I've made a fortune or not," the big man's lips twitched. "But you know the character of those people in the Array Formation Department. They're cunning and never do anything useless. The only reason they dare to bet so many points on the Array Formation Department is that they're certain the Array Formation Department will win."

His fingers tapped rapidly a few times on the control panel of the light screen.

"Go check out that formation-based squad and see what they're up to."

The view on the screen changed, zooming from a panoramic view of the secret realm to the area where the formation-based team was located.

The image is very clear, showing Zhou Mu directing his team to set up a complex formation, Lu Wuyan squatting on the ground adjusting the angle of the formation plate, and Fang Lie and Huo Qi completing their respective parts.

The veteran examiner's gaze swept across the screen, then he suddenly frowned. "Their strategy this time is quite bold."

In the scene, the formation-based team is setting up camp in a low-lying area, but Qin Ming is not in the team.

"Split into two groups." The old examiner expanded the view to the surrounding area. In the jungle about three kilometers away from the camp, a figure riding a white wolf was moving through the dense forest. The white wolf's steps were light and swift, its paws barely making a sound as they touched the ground, its silvery-white fur flashing through the shadows of the trees like a moving spot of light.

"A newcomer making their debut is actually wandering around outside," the veteran examiner commented. "Shall we take a gamble?"

His finger swiped across the control panel, bringing up the distribution of nearby teams.

The screen showed that the red marker for the Nan Yan team was moving in the direction of Qin Ming. The two teams' routes were marked as two lines on the screen, and based on their current speed and direction, they would meet at the edge of the jungle in about a few minutes.

"However, he's not very lucky; he's about to run into the Nan Yan team."

The burly man with scars on his arms did not look any better; he stared intently at the figure riding on the white wolf in the picture.

Qin Ming's face was somewhat blurred by the rapid movement, but the outline and figure gave him a strong sense of familiarity. He must have seen this person somewhere before.

"Why does this person look so familiar?" he muttered.

The old examiner glanced at him sideways. "You know him?"

"Not sure. I can't see his face clearly, but I have a bad feeling about him." The burly man frowned, deep furrows forming on his bronze forehead. "Where have I seen him before? This white wolf..."

He was still recalling, and the images on the screen were still progressing.

Within the secret realm.

Qin Ming rode a white wolf, moving lightly and swiftly through the jungle.

This jungle is the main terrain in the northern part of the secret realm. The trees are tall with layered canopies, and sunlight filters through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. The air is filled with the damp scent of earth and the fresh, green aroma of plant sap. Cang Xuan's steps are steady and fluid, and his four feet land almost silently with each step.

Wherever he passed, the grass and trees tilted slightly to make way for him, and then returned to their original state after he passed, just like the water closing up after a boat has passed.

Yesterday's break-in period was limited.

After discussing, Qin Ming and Zhou Mu reached a consensus: Qin Ming's beast-taming combat ability is comprehensive enough, with corresponding capabilities in attack, defense, mobility, and reconnaissance.

Forcing him into the team's fixed formation would actually limit his room to perform.

Therefore, Qin Ming will roam independently in the early stages. He will not leave the team, but will act as a mobile perimeter force, sweeping, scouting, and disrupting the camp.

Zhou Mu was stationed at the camp, where a complex formation was arranged according to the established tactics. Cang Xuan's clone would remain at the camp, serving as an information relay station between the two sides.

If the camp is discovered before the formation is completed, Qin Ming can use Little Fatty's spatial abilities to open a passage back to provide support.

If everything goes smoothly and the complex formation of the camp is completed, Qin Ming will be able to use the formation's power boost to sweep across the entire field with overwhelming combat strength.

As Qin Ming was pondering this, Cang Xuan slowed his pace.

The white wolf's ears perked up, his auricles turning slightly as he tried to detect sounds from a certain direction. His nostrils flared gently as he analyzed the scent particles in the wind.

"Qin Ming." Cang Xuan's voice came through the contract channel, steady and clear. "There is a powerful enemy a thousand meters ahead, suspected to be the Southern Flame Team."

Qin Ming extended his mental energy forward. After his breakthrough, his perception range had expanded considerably, but a distance of a thousand meters was still too far for mental energy detection.

He could only vaguely sense fire-attribute spiritual energy fluctuations in that direction, but he couldn't confirm whether it was an opponent or special terrain. However, he trusted Cang Xuan's judgment.

The match has just begun, and this is when the Nan Yan team is at its strongest. The Yan Zong Lion's explosive power is strongest in the opening stages, so it's not advisable to face it head-on.

But it would be a shame to miss their trail. The Nan Yan team is one of the favorites to win the championship, and keeping track of their real-time movements is crucial for making tactical decisions later.

Qin Ming also wanted to see the actual combat status of the Nan Yan team with his own eyes. What is written in the data and what you see with your own eyes are always two different things.

Qin Ming pondered for a moment.

"Follow carefully and keep your distance."

Cang Xuan strode forward.

The rhythm of my steps has changed. It's no longer the smooth, alternating pace of running, but a slower, heavier way of moving forward.

The footpad landed silently on the ground, and Cang Xuan even actively mobilized the power of the wood element, specifically choosing a path that could completely conceal Qin Ming and his own aura.

Cang Xuan moved silently through the dense forest like a ghost.

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P.S.: Thank you for your recent support and book reviews; this is a combined long chapter!