The Purple Crystal Python’s Breathing Technique had no Divine Charm. In fact, Ah Kun’s and Mouse Treasure’s techniques were the same, both lacking that spark of true Divine Charm.

But this was just a hurdle in the process of improving their Cultivation Techniques, one they would cross sooner or later.

So, after receiving the system prompt, Gu Ming and Lu You began searching the vicinity for a path up the mountain, all the while discussing the two new Pet Beast Breathing Techniques they had just witnessed.

"What did you think after seeing those two Pet Beasts?" Gu Ming asked.

Lu You was currently pondering the approach of ’first, use an Array to lower the threshold, then refine the energy circulation pathways based on the Pet Beast’s unique traits.’ The scene she had just witnessed sparked a new idea.

She had seen the aura of nature on the Grass Spirit, and it was utterly unique.

Meanwhile, her and Gu Ming’s Pet Beasts currently lacked such an aura.

"Hmm, I just thought of something. Didn’t we solve that ’Walking on Water’ competition problem before?

"We could use a Memorization Array to help the Pet Beasts remember that Divine Charm..."

Lu You’s voice trailed off, and she looked toward Gu Ming.

Gu Ming had clearly thought of the same thing.

The system’s new plot development happened to mention that the Memorization Array in the Sea of Consciousness could be used to help a Pet Beast commit a coveted Dao Charm to memory. This would allow it to fuse the Breathing Technique, the Kunpeng Devouring Secret Technique, and others into one, which, through repeated trial and error, could be forged into an exclusive Breathing Technique.

Lu You provided the inspirational spark, and the system supplied the specific method for modification.

Gu Ming continued modifying the two Pet Beasts’ cultivation frameworks. He integrated the Memorization Array from the Sea of Consciousness into the overall Breathing Technique, while also activating the computation Array in Ah Kun’s mind.

This consumed a great deal of Ah Kun’s mental energy. The energy cost of the Breathing Technique rose, and the amount of Mana it could refine decreased.

But the priority was to get the Cultivation Technique fully operational. Optimizing the balance between Refining Mana and the Breathing Technique itself could come later.

Following this new direction, Mouse Treasure also began to inscribe a Memorization Array and a computation Array in its Sea of Consciousness.

Fortunately, with Ah Kun setting a precedent, Gu Ming and Lu You worked together on the modifications, and their progress was incredibly fast.

Lu You proposed the circulation pathways for the technique, while Gu Ming was mainly responsible for providing guidance.

Gu Ming followed up with detailed modifications. Each minor suggestion he made was like a divine touch, illuminating the minds of the two Pet Beasts and shattering the bottlenecks that had held them back.

The proctoring teachers had been watching for some time. They noticed many difficult points in the two Pet Beasts’ Cultivation Techniques—problems that should have stumped a student for days—yet Gu Ming resolved them one by one with a Flash of Inspiration.

’He’s modifying the Cultivation Technique like a runaway train. It’s ridiculous.’

’In just one day, he’s already improved the technique’s completion from 50% to over 80%.’

A night passed, and the three squads were still trapped on the third level of the Array.

As time went on, the talented students from behind began to arrive at the 400-meter-high point on the mountainside.

Gu Ming, however, remained focused on improving the Cultivation Technique. As long as someone else was climbing, he could use the system’s plot to find the path, so he wasn’t in a hurry to set off.

The Array’s traps on this level were worth mentioning.

Here, Gu Ming again felt the temperature differences. In certain areas, trees would draw in Cold Qi and transform it into sharp blades, sweeping at any Pet Beast that passed. Even he had to be cautious. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

The system prompts, however, told a different story:

Because the two Pet Beasts’ Breathing Techniques didn’t incorporate Fire Spiritual Qi, the system constantly prompted that they were being defeated and were on the verge of death, only to suddenly spring back to life.

Gu Ming didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he watched the system’s plot updates, which went up and down like someone doing sit-ups.

「The fourth day of the exam.」

Over five hundred people were now stuck on this level. The area two to three hundred meters below was even worse, a disaster zone with three to four thousand contestants all told.

The entire mountain was crawling with students.

Conversely, those who had stayed outside the mountain to refine their Cultivation Techniques now had no way to get on it.

It was easy to go down the mountain now; people would clear a path for anyone descending.

But climbing up had become difficult. No one was willing to cede any Space, so the only way up was to fight your way through.

This made the sounds of battle below even more frequent. Within a single day, several thousand clashes had taken place.

As a result, three to four thousand contestants were injured, with over a thousand of them suffering serious wounds and being forced to withdraw from the competition.

Those who couldn’t fight their way through retreated outside the mountain. They were holding a grudge, planning to find medicine, heal their wounds, and try to break through again.

Gu Ming calculated the time. The provincial competition would end in just three days.

According to information from Teacher Ling, by the fourth day of last year’s competition, many people had already completed the first task, and a few had even completed the first two.

This year, however, no one was even close to finishing the first task. Everyone was champing at the bit, constantly improving their Breathing Techniques.

Moreover, when they weren’t fighting, everyone frequently exchanged notes on modifying their Breathing Techniques with the Beastmasters around them.

When it came to creating Breathing Techniques, everyone was on the same starting line.

Everyone, that is, except for Gu Ming, the original creator of the Cultivation Technique.

As Gu Ming passed by one spot, he saw someone had already taken out some exquisite golden paper and begun to write their Cultivation Technique thesis.

The Breathing Techniques their Pet Beasts cultivated already possessed Divine Charm. Gu Ming didn’t approach, merely sweeping his Divine Sense over them to inspect their theses. He found they were repeatedly referencing the Green Treasure Breathing Technique, writing and editing simultaneously in an attempt to lower their plagiarism score.

They were well aware that the Divine Charm of their own Breathing Techniques was a far cry from the all-encompassing Realm of the Green Treasure Breathing Technique. At best, their scores would be passable, a long way from excellent.

A thesis was something a first draft was meant to be revised. There was no such thing as a perfect Cultivation Technique, only a Breathing Technique that was constantly being improved.

Meanwhile, the students from the Forest Valley, who were making the fastest progress, saw their Cultivation Techniques improve daily.

The Grass Spirit’s breathing was now as smooth as if it had merged with nature, full of Divine Charm.

Whenever the Grass Spirit passed by, the surrounding trees would sway unconsciously, as if laughing with joy.

Ah Kun and Mouse Treasure had initially used it as a reference, but now they were gradually moving beyond imitation and forging their own paths.

Back to the challenge presented by the Array.

This third level of the Array was outrageously difficult. The students had concluded that its core was a Mist Array, supplemented by dangerous, attack-oriented Spirit Tree guardians.

Over five hundred people were stuck at the 400-meter mark as if hitting an invisible wall. They couldn’t advance and had to constantly be on guard against the Spirit Trees’ attacks, a truly torturous experience.

Meanwhile, Gu Ming’s Pet Beasts, having ’died and been reborn’ multiple times in the system’s plot, finally enabled the Memorization Array to take effect:

Ah Kun committed the true meaning of ’dying and coming back to life’ to memory. Its breath now carried a trace of the suffocating sensation of drowning, as if it wanted to make other Pet Beasts suffocate along with it.

As Mouse Treasure traveled underground, it began to treat its Earth Escape Technique like a fish swimming through water, becoming like an ’Earth Dragon Breathing.’ It used its body to stir the subterranean Earth Spiritual Qi, causing it to flow into its mouth on its own.

Both Pet Beasts’ Memorization Arrays had captured a unique Divine Charm. Though it was just a Flash of Inspiration, it was incredibly precious.

Gu Ming immediately had them focus on this Divine Charm as their main path, gradually solidifying the Breathing Technique and intensifying their Cultivation.

The Thousand-eyed Wind Bird, observing the entire process, grew increasingly astonished.

By the fourth day of the exam, the signs were already clear as to which contestants would be able to solve the first problem.

A Breathing Technique that could produce Divine Charm could most likely be perfected to 80 or 90 percent completion.

Those who couldn’t grasp Divine Charm had basically no chance.

The proctoring teachers’ statistics revealed that only a dozen or so contestants on the mountain had Pet Beasts that had developed Divine Charm. The rest were either still struggling or had only grasped the most superficial aspects of the Green Treasure Breathing Technique.

’It looks like in this year’s provincial competition, only the first problem will be solved. No genius is going to be able to crack the second one, the Array problem.’

Several of the High-star Level Beastmaster authorities shook their heads.

The number of geniuses who emerged each year was already small. Those who were truly impressive could be counted on one hand in the entire province.