Beast Taming: My System is Bugged

In reality, it was an Evolution Method still in its exploratory phase and not yet widely implemented. Yet, in the system’s words, it was already "fully developed" and "progressing smoothly."

Stability was certainly a good thing, meaning Gu Ming could also induce Cyan Treasure’s evolution to Two-star through battle, but the moment Gu Ming saw the words "Foundation Establishment," he was rooted to the spot.

The reason was simple.

As a Descendant of Yan and Huang, the blood of Cultivation Immortality flowed through his veins.

Beastmasters couldn’t cultivate, but if their Pet Beasts could, that counted as Cultivation Immortality too.

Gu Ming took a deep breath and said, not quite answering the question, "Teacher, I want to choose the newest one."

The implication was that he was choosing the Foundation Establishment Method.

The system understood Gu Ming’s meaning and updated:

"You stubbornly choose the Foundation Establishment Evolution Method. Teacher Zhang shakes his head; he just knew you, Old Deng, wouldn’t accept getting old and would insist on practicing the newest method. He can only inform you of the dangers of the Foundation Establishment Method."

In reality, Teacher Zhang was a bit stunned. He hadn’t expected Gu Ming to choose the Emotional Resonance Method.

"Gu Ming, that’s not realistic. Emotional Resonance is the evolutionary path for psychology Masters.

"Even if you started studying university-level Pet Beast psychology right now, cultivating that emotional bond would take years at a minimum.

"You also have to participate in the competition. You won’t make it in time."

Teacher Zhang earnestly explained the drawbacks of Emotional Resonance to Gu Ming—he simply didn’t have that kind of time to cultivate the bond.

Furthermore, it was an evolutionary path with few success stories. You might invest over a decade into the relationship, and by the time the emotional bond is finally strong enough, the Pet Beast’s body would have grown old, losing any chance to evolve.

On the system’s end, however, the topic was the dangers related to Foundation Establishment.

"Constructing the Foundation of the Great Dao requires ’building materials.’ There are no Foundation Establishment materials for a Time Dragon on the market. You are walking a path no one has ever tread. Once you fail, it will be crippled for life, with no chance of recovery."

"Foundation Establishment is divided into three stages: Energy Storage, Molded Foundation, and Solid Foundation."

"Each stage carries an enormous risk of failure. Among Pet Beasts that choose Foundation Establishment, the failure rate for even high-Potential Pet Beasts is as high as eighty percent, to say nothing of a Pet Beast like the Time Dragon. Teacher Zhang is repeatedly trying to dissuade you, hoping you will return to a normal Evolution Method..."

Gu Ming persisted in chatting with Teacher Zhang, constantly refreshing the system’s notes on the Foundation Establishment Method.

Even though Gu Ming didn’t understand what Foundation Establishment was, he was slowly starting to grasp the general process.

After reading everything, a hint of worry appeared on Gu Ming’s face.

Gu Ming was not the kind of Beastmaster who saw his Pet Beasts as tools; he genuinely considered Cyan Treasure a member of his family.

If Foundation Establishment was truly that risky, he would never send Cyan Treasure to its death.

Seeing Gu Ming seem to reconsider, Teacher Zhang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said,

"This material is still a bit too advanced for you. It’s good to be aware of it, but it’s not necessarily going to be on the competition exam."

Cyan Treasure listened in the entire time, flicking its little snake tail as it looked back and forth between its master and Teacher Zhang.

「Back at home.」

Gu Ming was still deep in thought, his head lowered.

Foundation Establishment was just too tempting. Gu Ming found it incredibly difficult to give up on and was torn by indecision.

Cyan Treasure slithered onto the Fish Tank, nudged open the bag of Fish Food, and dropped a few dozen pellets into the water, striking up a conversation with Ah Kun in the process.

Ah Kun noticed its master’s conflicted expression and, assuming something unpleasant had happened, immediately asked Cyan Treasure what was going on.

Flicking its tongue, Cyan Treasure told Ah Kun about the topic of Evolution.

Ah Kun understood. ’So that’s what Master was worried about.’

’Honestly,’ it thought, ’this is a good problem to have. There’s a perfectly good example of Mana-based Evolution right here, yet Master wants to choose a breakthrough method with fewer success stories. He seems to be overthinking things.’

However, Ah Kun was in no position to judge whether its master was right or wrong. It could only flap its fins and try to guide Cyan Treasure, encouraging it to be more proactive.

"You’re the key to resolving Master’s dilemma. He wants to give you the best Evolution Method, but only you know what kind of Evolution you truly want.

"Go learn about Evolution, find the answer you desire most, and then tell Master what you think."

Ah Kun blew bubbles, chatting with Cyan Treasure in the language of fish for a full ten minutes.

Cyan Treasure had a moment of clarity, having learned a great deal from the old Grouper Fish.

’Sure enough, it’s good that it’s not the only pet in the house. Ah Kun’s opinion is really useful.’

It was a shame the master couldn’t usually take Ah Kun along. After all, it was still an ordinary fish that couldn’t leave its Fish Tank, and it wasn’t yet time for its Evolution.

Wriggling its body, Cyan Treasure slithered into the living room. Gu Ming was at the dining table eating. It slithered onto the table, and his parents, as well as Gu Ming, all looked over.

All three of them smiled and reached out to stroke its head.

Cyan Treasure nudged their hands away with its head and flicked its tongue, indicating that it wanted to use the phone to look at research papers on the latest Evolution Methods.

Mr. and Mrs. Gu were stunned for a moment. ’What’s going on?’

’Cyan Treasure wants to study something?’

’But can it even understand any of it?’

Gu Ming was a bit surprised too, not understanding what Cyan Treasure was up to, but he handed over his phone anyway.

Figuring Cyan Treasure probably couldn’t navigate a website, he first helped pull up the correct one and then searched for the relevant research papers.

The newest research was on Emotional Resonance Evolution, but most of it was still in the developmental stage. This meant the findings were only applicable to a researcher’s individual Pet Beast and hadn’t been scaled up to the entire species, much less multiple species.

"Why are you looking at this?" Gu Ming asked after setting it up, placing the phone in front of Cyan Treasure.

Cyan Treasure straightened its serpentine body and seemed to state righteously that it wanted to choose its own Evolution Method so its master wouldn’t have to worry.

Gu Ming was speechless.

’Can you even read this?’

"What’s going on here?"

His parents also took notice and pressed Gu Ming for an explanation.

Gu Ming wanted to ask more questions, but with his family pressing him, he could only respond to his parents and didn’t have a chance to question Cyan Treasure.

And just like that, the time it took to finish the meal passed.

When Gu Ming finished answering his family’s questions and looked back at Cyan Treasure, he saw that it was completely absorbed, a look of deep concentration on its face.

[Foundation Establishment Evolution Method Experience +1]

Suddenly, a notification like that appeared over Cyan Treasure.

Seeing this line of text, Gu Ming’s hand, which had been reaching for the phone, suddenly froze.

’That’s right, I have the system,’ he thought. ’How could I forget its bug-like abilities?’

’The system’s greatest talent is twisting reality, treating something that isn’t a certain method as if it were, and even granting experience just for observing it.’

Right now, Cyan Treasure was looking at a successful case study of an Emotional Resonance breakthrough, something that had absolutely nothing to do with the Foundation Establishment Evolution Method from thirty-two years in the future.

But in the system’s eyes, it was studying the most cutting-edge evolutionary theory. Therefore, the experience was being added to the Foundation Establishment Method.

Seeing this, Gu Ming didn’t move, simply watching the research paper along with Cyan Treasure.

The Black and White Long-Armed Ape stood nearby, wearing an apron. Its thick arms moved like a whirlwind across the dining table, clearing away the dishes in an instant.

Ever since the family came clean about it, the ape no longer had to hide. Now, it was in charge of clearing the dishes, as well as grocery shopping and cooking.

After coming back from washing the dishes in the kitchen, it found Gu Ming and Cyan Treasure still staring at the phone, scrolling through the research paper.

It was time for their post-meal military-style training.

The Black and White Long-Armed Ape walked over to the dining table and slapped its solid, massive pecs. It had intended to start Cyan Treasure’s training, but then it saw Gu Ming raise a finger to his lips, making a "shhh" sound.

The Black and White Long-Armed Ape stared with its large, round eyes, stopped its chest-thumping, scratched its head, and stood to the side to watch the phone.

’What’s so interesting about that thing, anyway?’