Reborn to Be A Beast Master

C30 – A Girl’s Thoughts

After all, she was just a girl.

Comforted by Bai Tian, Moo Shuqin and Zou Xinrui quickly regained their spirits and, filled with curiosity, began to pepper Xie Yang with questions about the wilderness.

They knew Xie Yang had spent time hunting in the wilderness recently.

Their surprise and admiration for him were evident. They never missed an opportunity to ask him to share his stories.

Bai Tian, too, was intrigued.

As a Beastmaster, she knew her future would inevitably lead her into the wilderness to battle ferocious beasts.

The topic was of great interest to her.

After about ten minutes, everyone had gathered.

One by one, they boarded the bus.

Bai Tian and Xie Yang took seats together, while Moo Shuqin and Zou Xinrui settled into seats across the aisle.

With the engine’s roar, the bus slowly pulled away from the school.

Roughly an hour later, the bus had left Lakeshell behind and ventured into the wilderness.

The urban landscape of towering buildings gave way to the stark expanse of the wilds.

Excitement buzzed among the students. They pressed their faces to the windows, eyes wide with wonder at the view.

Their astonishment was understandable.

In an age where the wilderness teemed with countless ferocious beasts, stepping outside the safety of the city was no small feat.

A moment’s carelessness could spell mortal danger.

Only Beastmasters dared to traverse the wilderness alone; ordinary humans typically required military or Beastmaster escorts.

Case in point, two Bronze Beastmaster teachers sat at the front of the bus, tasked with ensuring the students’ safe arrival in Nightbay.

Given these conditions, it was common for many young people to reach adulthood without ever leaving their birth city, fueling a potent curiosity about the wilderness.

Bai Tian was no exception.

She had originally chosen a seat by the aisle to chat with her friends, but now, eager to take in the view, she knelt on her seat, leaning against the window.

Unaware of how this looked to others, her posture suggested an intimacy as if she were nestled in Xie Yang’s embrace.

Xie Yang squirmed with discomfort.

Bai Tian was so close he could catch the subtle scent of her perfume.

Despite his mature mindset and previous life’s experience with dating, his current physical inexperience, not to mention his youth, left him feeling awkward.

Bai Tian quickly regained her composure after the initial rush of excitement. Once she cooled off, she became acutely aware of her unseemly posture. Her cheeks flushed as she stole a glance at Xie Yang, then she hastily retreated to her seat, feigning nonchalance.

No sooner had she settled in than she caught Moo Shuqin and Zou Xinrui giggling behind their hands. Her face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she shot her two friends a reproachful look. Unfazed, Moo Shuqin and Zou Xinrui simply smiled back at her.

A moment later, Zou Xinrui tugged at Moo Shuqin’s sleeve and whispered, “Shuqin, do you think Bai Tian has those kinds of feelings for Xie?” Moo Shuqin paused, then with a hint of hesitation, replied, “Perhaps.”

Girls have a keen sense for these things. Though Bai Tian had often spoken of Xie Yang as if he were a brother, her recent mentions carried a different tone and expression. It’s possible she hadn’t even noticed the change herself.

“But aren’t they family?” someone asked.

“They don’t share a drop of blood,” came the reply.

“So, you’re saying Bai Tian actually has feelings for Xie?”

Moo Shuqin shot Zou Xinrui a knowing look and teased, “Xinrui, are you worried Bai Tian might steal Xie away from you?” Zou Xinrui’s face turned beet red, and she was at a loss for words.

After a lengthy pause, she managed to retort, “I don’t believe for a second that you don’t have feelings for Xie!”

Now it was Moo Shuqin’s turn to blush.

Meanwhile, Xie Yang was oblivious to the girls’ conversation. Once Bai Tian was seated, he breathed a sigh of relief and shifted his focus to the System Panel. His recent hunting expeditions had paid off, leading to the activation of two new achievements.

Skill Proficiency: A pet’s skill usage reaching over 100 times earns 300 achievement points and a Soul Crystal.

As Xie Yang had predicted, both the pet’s abilities and Soul Techniques came with their own set of achievements. These would become a crucial source of achievement points for him moving forward. “It’s a shame I haven’t managed to complete the Ten Thousand Beast Slash achievement,” he thought with a hint of regret. Despite having slain numerous ferocious beasts recently, the elusive 10,000 mark remained unbreached. Opportunities to rack up achievement points through mass extermination events like the worm tide were exceedingly rare. Regular hunting simply didn’t cut it in terms of efficiency.

Lost in thought, Xie Yang absentmindedly flipped to the pet panel. The prolonged battles had paid off, with Jennie and Rock Ghost both seeing notable increases in their Growth Points. Jennie’s had risen to 47%, propelling her to the sixth layer of the fourth rank. Similarly, Rock Ghost’s Growth Points had climbed to 25%, reaching the same rank and layer. The marked improvement in both pets’ strengths was a clear indication that they had met Xie Yang’s objectives.

“The achievement point rewards are still of no use to me,” Xie Yang mused, his gaze reflecting his contemplative mood. The Soul Crystal, a reward from the achievement points, had been consumed, boosting his Soul Strength to 9.8. Xie Yang had been holding onto his achievement points, harboring different intentions for their use.

Currently, achievement points served three primary purposes: enhancing one’s physical and soul attributes, increasing a pet’s Growth Points, and unlocking new pet skills. Xie Yang had yet to tap into the first option. He didn’t need to—his physical and soul attributes were already being fortified through the use of Physique-improving Crystals and Soul Crystals from the achievement rewards. There was no need to squander his valuable achievement points on that.

As for the pets’ Growth Points, Xie Yang preferred to boost them through combat and the consumption of natural treasures. While this method was slower, it was a trade-off he was willing to make to conserve his achievement points. However, unlocking pet skills was a different matter; that could only be achieved with the use of achievement points.

Currently, pet skills can only be unlocked using achievement points, a critical factor in enhancing a pet’s combat strength—a detail not to be overlooked. After careful thought, Xie Yang resolved to allocate future achievement points toward unlocking his pets’ abilities.

Xie Yang was judicious with his points, conserving them for Growth Point increases only when he had a surplus or faced dire circumstances. He anticipated the need for achievement points would only escalate over time. Minimizing their use was prudent, as Xie Yang placed greater emphasis on long-term progress over immediate gains.

Coming back to the moment, Xie Yang’s gaze returned to the System Panel. With the Growth Point elevated, his two pets were now eligible for skill unlocks. Jennie’s ability, Sigh of Snow Girl, demanded 200 achievement points, while Rock Ghost’s Earth Thorn required 100. Without hesitation, Xie Yang unlocked both skills.

With these tasks completed, Xie Yang shut down the panel, reclined in his chair, and closed his eyes to rest. As time slipped by, noon arrived, and the outlines of buildings came into view for all to see.