C13 A True Genius.

The room was shrouded in silence.

It took over ten seconds before someone couldn't resist whispering.

"He's incredible!"

That remark shattered the silence, sparking a flurry of excitement among the crowd.

"He actually pulled off the challenge!"

"What was that skill? It's insanely powerful!"

"Superior grade difficulty! I never imagined I'd see someone conquer it with my own eyes!"

A stream of exclamations followed.

Everyone was engulfed in profound amazement.

Until today, they couldn't have fathomed anyone passing the superior grade test, especially not an eighteen-year-old high school student.

It was beyond belief!

Qin Ai gazed at Xie Yang on the screen, dumbfounded. It took him a while to exhale deeply.

"I didn't expect it to turn out this way."

Shui Zhongzhen, standing next to him, was equally unable to conceal his astonishment.

Both were esteemed silver Beastmasters, seasoned and worldly.

They had encountered numerous young Beastmasters with exceptional gifts.

Ordinary prodigies no longer amazed them.

Yet, they had never before seen a prodigy like Xie Yang.

At just eighteen, Xie Yang had already conquered the superior grade Apprentice Assessment. They had never before witnessed someone of such formidable strength and talent.

"He's a true prodigy," Qin Ai remarked, his tone laced with awe.

"What a shame he's still a student. Otherwise, I'd recruit him to our Beastmaster Association branch in a heartbeat. Missing out on a talent like him now, I might never get the chance again."

Shui Zhongzhen nodded in agreement.

Having seen Xie Yang's prowess, his previous skepticism had vanished, replaced by sheer admiration.

For a moment, he was filled with a sense of regret for the talent that might slip away.

Alas, Xie Yang was set on attending the Beastmaster Academy, making it impossible for him to join the Beastmaster Association.

Once Bai Tian and the other two girls snapped out of their initial shock, they were swept up in a wave of elation.

The trio embraced, hopping around in a frenzy of excitement.

"Xie is too amazing! To tackle the superior grade difficulty!"

"I've made up my mind! Xie Yang is my idol from now on!"

Bai Tian watched her two close friends with a beaming smile. Their excited cheers filled the air, mirroring the immense joy in her heart.

Up until this morning, she had assumed Xie Yang was simply accompanying her to the Beastmaster Association. The thought of him participating in the Apprentice Assessment, let alone conquering the superior grade challenge, had never crossed her mind. The scene unfolding before her seemed almost dreamlike.

She looked up at Xie on the screen, her eyes gleaming with bright light.

Unaware of the excitement outside, Xie Yang was engrossed in the System Panel before him. Following his triumph, a reward was promptly bestowed upon him. A wave of invisible yet palpable energy instantly shrouded him, leaving him feeling invigorated—a sensation reminiscent of merging with a Soul Crystal.

Revisiting the System Panel, he noted a significant boost—his soul attribute had surged by five points. And this was merely the start.

A warm surge emerged in his abdomen, transforming into a vibrant life force that coursed through his body, refining and fortifying him hundreds of times over in a fleeting moment. As the sensation faded, Xie Yang's physical attribute had risen by three points.

Xie Yang's stats were now as follows:

Physical Strength: 5.0 / Soul Strength: 7.8

Level: Apprentice

Soul Power: 780/780

Soul Technique: None

Pet: Ice Crystal Soul

Achievement Points: 3

A smile flickered across his face as he absorbed the figures on his personal panel. Normally, enhancing Soul Strength was a daunting task. Beyond the use of precious treasures for tempering, Soul Strength typically grew through diligent, gradual cultivation.

The Beastmaster Association's official data indicated that apprentice Beastmasters usually had a Soul Strength ranging from 2 to 5. Only a select few who passed the higher-level assessments could reach a Soul Strength of about 6 after consuming substantial treasures.

With a Soul Strength of 7.8, Xie Yang's abilities soared beyond the norm. He eclipsed his peers and could even hold his own against some Bronze Beastmasters with lower Soul Strength. His physical prowess was exceptional too, surpassing that of the Bronze Beastmasters.

Please select the pet you wish to enhance with additional Growth Points!

A mechanical voice jolted Xie Yang awake.

He then recalled that one of the rewards from the baptism was a '30% Growth Point increase for a specified pet beast.'

Without hesitation, Xie Yang chose the Ice Crystal Soul, his only pet beast.

In an instant, the Ice Crystal Soul shimmered with a brilliant light.

Name: Ice Crystal Soul

Type: Ice

Level: Third Rank, First Layer

Growth Point: 84%

Skills: Ice Awl, Ice Breathing, Extreme Ice Chain

This was part of the Queen's Route. Its next evolutionary form was the snow girl, requiring the following conditions: 100% Growth Point, 20 Middle Rank Ice Element Essences, and 1 Heart of Ice.

"It's advanced to the third rank!"

Xie Yang was ecstatic.

The power difference between a second-rank and a third-rank pet beast was incomparable.

A third-rank, first-layer pet beast could easily take on four or five second-rank, ninth-layer pet beasts.

The disparity in their strength was immense.

Undoubtedly, this enhancement had significantly boosted his power.

"Truly, a superior grade baptism yields a remarkable increase in strength!"

"And it's even granted me the ability to place a second pet beast!"

For a Beastmaster to expand their roster of contracted beasts, the sole path was to clear the Beastmaster qualification exam and receive the baptism from the Stone Tablet of Origin.

There was no alternative.

Moreover, they had to secure at least a higher-level baptism.

Many Beastmasters would delay their assessment until they felt confident in their strength, only then facing the more challenging levels of the exam.

It's important to note that there are restrictions on the level of pet a Beastmaster can contract in the second pet slot—the maximum level cannot exceed the third rank.

"It looks like I'll need to make time to visit the pet store and find a suitable pet to contract."

Xie Yang mused.

As the baptism concluded, a prompt announcing the achievement completion popped up.

Apprentice Beastmasters: You have passed the Apprentice Beastmaster Assessment and completed your first baptism. You've earned an achievement, along with 200 achievement points and a Soul Crystal x1 (completed, reward pending collection).

Xie Yang promptly claimed his reward.

As soon as he completed the task, his vision blurred unexpectedly.

Regaining his bearings, he opened his eyes to discover he had returned to the real world.

"Brother!"

Barely on his feet, Bai Tian rushed over with joy and wrapped her arms around his.

Moo Shuqin and Zou Xinrui approached, their eyes filled with admiration as they gazed at him.

All around, people turned their attention his way.

Expressions of shock, envy, and awe painted their faces.

In that moment, Xie Yang was the center of everyone's attention.