The healing ability Cyan Treasure just demonstrated was easily comparable to, and perhaps even surpassed, the Angel Beast’s "Healing Hand" skill.

After seeing this, Wang Teng found it hard to ignore Cyan Treasure’s potential healing abilities.

He tugged on Gu Ming’s sleeve, pulling him into a corner. After glancing around to make sure no one was there, he asked:

"During the exam, if my Dumb Flower gets injured, can I come find you?"

Gu Ming rubbed his fingers together in a classic gesture for money.

Wang Teng understood instantly. "Don’t worry, I’ll pay you well for the treatment." He patted Gu Ming’s shoulder.

Just as Gu Ming was about to speak, a system notification popped up.

「You engaged in a practice battle with a classmate from the repeater class. The young Ah Kun sustained heavy injuries.」

「You carried the heavily injured Ah Kun into the infirmary, hoping for affordable treatment.」

「However, the Angel Beasts and Dr. Trees in the infirmary were too busy to attend to you.」

「Therefore, after the Time Dragon Cyan Treasure observed the Angel Beast’s healing abilities, it was struck by a sudden idea and used its Plant Life Light Wave to directly heal Ah Kun.」

「You purchased some healing herbs, spending a sum of money, and administered the treatment outdoors.」

「Ordinarily, a standard Plant Life Light Wave could not have healed Ah Kun’s wounds so rapidly.」

「But it possesses the Power of Time. It directly skipped the long recovery period of hospitalization and medication, instantly traversing time to restore the body to a perfect state.」

Gu Ming was a bit confused as he read the long block of text the system had just updated.

But the system’s next sentence made everything click.

It turned out that when Wang Teng had asked about treatment, the system informed him that his classmates were willing to trade Spirit Stones and other resources for Cyan Treasure’s healing services.

The moment Spirit Stone income was mentioned, all his sleepiness vanished.

In the real world, he had no other source of Spirit Stones. Even the funds he could "withdraw" from Teacher Zhang had a daily limit.

If he could turn his classmates’ money into his own Spirit Stones, that would be a beautiful thing indeed.

So, Gu Ming had originally planned to use that laser’s Life Energy for combat. Now, he’d changed his mind. If it could be converted into Cultivation Resources, Spirit Stones were undoubtedly the most appealing option.

"If it still has enough Life Energy, I can agree to treat him for you," Gu Ming said.

"This Laser Skill is inherently for combat. It’s quite fortunate that it can be used for healing just by lowering the power."

"Thanks. I’ll find you when the time comes," Wang Teng said, patting him on the shoulder.

Wang Teng had intended to keep this to himself.

But Gu Ming pulled Wang Teng back.

"If anyone else in our class gets hurt, you can let them know. If they find me, I can help with the treatment, but they’ll have to provide their own medicine."

This took Wang Teng by surprise.

"But I thought you couldn’t use your Laser Skill that many times?"

Wang Teng felt a little reluctant. After all, this was supposed to be his exclusive advantage, but it seemed Gu Ming had just seen a new opportunity.

’Could the keyword be money?’

The thought occurred to Wang Teng almost immediately.

After all, from the looks of it, Gu Ming had a sponsor backing his training. That didn’t mean he wasn’t short on cash, though. Earning a little extra on the side was always a good thing.

Besides, in the provincial exam arena, money could be converted into resources.

If this could help Cyan Treasure achieve a higher score, it would be a huge boon for Gu Ming. After all, his sponsor would be looking at his results.

Thinking it through, Wang Teng simply said:

"I’ll try."

Gu Ming added,

"For wounds like the one Ah Kun just had, I can handle as many as you can find. The energy consumption is minimal, and Cyan Treasure can replenish its Life Energy by eating Light Element Spirit Medicine."

It’s true that finding Light Element materials in the city is difficult, as they’re quite rare.

But in the provincial exam arena, you can find materials of every Attribute. The ones needed by Light Pet Beasts will naturally be there too.

Gu Ming had it all figured out. He would seize any chance to rake in Spirit Stones and not let a single opportunity slip by.

After this mental calculation, Gu Ming gained a much deeper appreciation for Cyan Treasure’s Laser Skills.

...

As seven o’clock approached, a school-wide announcement broadcasted, calling all teachers and students to gather on the athletic field.

The morning field was already packed with figures. The cries of countless Pet Beasts and the sounds of their movements wove together into a strange symphony.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound echoed from the sky.

It started faintly, but a minute later, the sound grew in intensity.

Everyone looked up. They heard the buzzing hum of the Bronze Giant Gate opening, a sound that pierced through the clouds.

Gu Ming felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

The sound was like the long, drawn-out cry of an ancient Giant Whale, echoing through the heavens—the shocking toll of a celestial gate being forced open.

The clouds churned, and a colossal bronze gate swung open amidst them.

The embossed Taotie Patterns on the doorframe flickered in and out of sight. At the door knocker, the illusion of a coiled Yinglong suddenly opened its vertical golden pupils and gazed down upon the students below.

From Gu Ming’s position below, the view was obscured by mist. He could only see the gate flickering in and out of existence. It wasn’t a local gate, but a Gate of Other Dimension opened by some great power in the distant capital city.

As the gate opened, a hundred-story staircase shimmering with golden light descended, extending all the way to the school.

The teachers led the way, instructing the students to step onto the staircase with their Pet Beasts.

The moment they set foot on the first step, everyone felt a change. One second they were at school, the next they were suspended in mid-air.

The school’s athletic field lay below them. In the distance, other staircases stretched out toward other schools.

Everyone was ascending, yet the stairs weren’t crowded. In fact, they seemed quite empty, as if each person was walking on their own separate staircase.

Gu Ming heard a teacher up ahead announce:

"These are the Hundred-Day Steps. Above is the Foundation Establishment Gate. Legend has it that ancient Pet Beasts would spend a hundred days training inside, evolving from Zero-star to One-star, and from One-star to Two-star."

"This is both an exam and an opportunity. The real test begins the moment you start climbing these stairs."

Gu Ming grew thoughtful. He let Ah Kun out of its water pouch, allowing it to climb the stairs alongside Cyan Treasure at his feet.

With each step it climbed, Cyan Treasure could feel the Dragon Pattern Tripod inside its body tremble slightly.

This perfectly resonated with the refinement process of its Hundred Days Foundation Establishment.

One step, two steps... all the way to the eightieth step.

The Foundation Establishment Platform within its body could now resonate to produce a clear Dragon Elephant Illusion.

Meanwhile, the Foundation Establishment Platform inside Ah Kun’s body had been in its final stages, not yet fully complete.

However, after it finished climbing the hundred steps, its internal Foundation Establishment Platform fully formed. It even manifested an illusion of a creature that was dragon-like, yet not quite a dragon, standing upon the platform.

The tripod was, of course, a Dragon Race’s Tripod, but it felt like it contained a mixed-blood dragon. It was as if it held the essence of a Dragon Race descendant born from the union of a Kunpeng and a True Dragon.

Gu Ming mused as he looked back at the Hundred-Day Steps. The school below had blurred into obscurity, and all around him were floating clouds.

Below him, his classmates were still ascending step by step. Their Pet Beasts were also moving, but they were clearly struggling, lacking the ease with which Ah Kun and Cyan Treasure climbed.

At the same time, Gu Ming spotted Lu You’s figure following closely behind. He could see her Mouse Treasure; its face was flushed, and it was panting slightly. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

It was feeling the strain, but not excessively so.

’It must be thanks to the Dragon Pattern Tripod Foundation Platform,’ the thought flashed through Gu Ming’s mind. He then led his two Pet Beasts through the Bronze Giant Gate.

Behind him.

Lu You finally reached the hundredth step. Seeing Gu Ming enter the gate, she clenched her fists and mustered her courage, speaking to her Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster:

"Let’s go. We’ll go in together."

Then, they all stepped into a brand-new world, finding themselves under a vast blue sky dotted with white clouds.

Before them stretched a vast landscape filled with towering mountains, wild forests, and soaring birds and roaming beasts. The air was thick with Spiritual Qi.

In the distance, several natural wonders sprawled across the horizon, creating a truly breathtaking sight.