"Talent: Insight, Rating: F level."
"Insight: You can view the basic information of pet beasts."
These cold words appeared on the screen, chilling Li Qingzhou to the bone, like a harsh winter wind.
An F-level talent was the lowest possible rank. People with F-level talent were essentially at the bottom of the beast master class. In history, there had never been an F-level beast master who managed to rise to prominence. They remained obscure and at the bottom of society.
The scene suddenly erupted with chatter.
"The genius academic prodigy has fallen!"
"It's a shame to see such a genius brought down."
"Fate is fair. If it gives you one thing, it takes away another. He couldn't have everything."
"Unbelievable! The school's top genius awakened an F-level talent. I can already picture the news headlines."
"This is wild—it even breaks historical records."
The students whispered among themselves, some feeling regretful, others gloating, while a few were simply curious or indifferent.
Li Qingzhou could sense all the different emotions directed at him, realizing just how many layers of feeling human eyes could convey.
His face flushed with embarrassment, and his fists clenched tightly.
Life is full of ups and downs—one moment you're full of confidence, and the next, you're faced with utter despair.
"Don't get discouraged. Adjust your mindset," said Zhou Ling, the homeroom teacher, patting him on the back.
Li Qingzhou nodded numbly and returned to the line under the sympathetic and regretful gazes of his teachers and classmates.
As time passed, the ceremony continued, with some students celebrating their talents and others mourning their failures.
Before long, all the students from Class 2, Grade 3 had completed their tests. Zhou Ling led them back to the classroom.
Li Qingzhou sat in his seat, his expression vacant.
Was this some kind of cruel joke from the universe? It was bad enough that he didn't have any cheat abilities after transmigrating into this world, but now he had awakened the most useless talent.
**Insight.** A talent that was basically useless.
The beast-control era had advanced to the point where almost all pet beast information was readily available. For a small fee, anyone could buy a smart detection bracelet that would reveal the basic details of any beast they encountered.
And his "Insight" talent was basically the same thing as a smart detection bracelet. He had awakened a talent, but it was as if he hadn't.
The classroom buzzed with discussions about the awakening ceremony, and the focus, of course, was on Li Qingzhou. After all, the fall of a genius made for excellent gossip. Every so often, a classmate would glance in his direction, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Li Qingzhou was well aware of their thoughts.
It wouldn't take long before news of his low-ranked talent spread throughout the entire school. The idea of a once-revered academic genius awakening the weakest, most useless talent was both ironic and humiliating.
"Hey, genius! What kind of talent did you awaken?"
"F-level, 'Insight,' same as my smart detection bracelet!"
"He really is a genius—so unique!"
Wang Li sauntered over to Li Qingzhou's desk, sitting casually on the edge, clearly intent on mocking him.
His group of friends soon gathered around, joining in the jeering.
Wang Li was the worst student in the class, but he came from a wealthy family, which gave him a certain amount of sway. Li Qingzhou had never liked Wang Li's behavior, and the two had clashed more than once.
Up until now, though, Wang Li hadn't dared to cross the line too far. After all, everyone believed that Li Qingzhou would become a powerful beast master one day, and once that happened, he would be able to rise far above someone like Wang Li. The rich bully had enough sense to avoid making an enemy out of someone with potential.
But the situation had changed. The once-promising genius had fallen, and Wang Li's own D-level talent now gave him an edge. Even without his family's influence, he could now stand above Li Qingzhou.
Li Qingzhou narrowed his eyes at Wang Li and, with a hoarse voice, said, "Get lost."
"Oh, look at the temper on you! Times have changed, boy!" Wang Li said, smirking. He ran his fingers through his greasy, yellow-dyed hair, then picked his nose, wiping the filth onto Li Qingzhou's face in an attempt to humiliate him further.
But before Wang Li could finish, Li Qingzhou grabbed his wrist and twisted it sharply.
"Ow, ow! It hurts!" Wang Li cried, squirming in pain.
Li Qingzhou had spent years training his body, and as the basketball team's captain, his strength was undeniable. Dealing with someone like Wang Li was easy.
"What are you guys waiting for? Help me!" Wang Li shouted to his friends, urging them to step forward.
But Li Qingzhou tightened his grip and glared at the group, his cold, furious eyes sending a clear message.
Wang Li's friends hesitated. Despite everything, Li Qingzhou's reputation as a top student still commanded some respect.
"I was wrong, okay? Let go, please!" Wang Li pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes as the pain intensified.
"Get out of my sight," Li Qingzhou said, releasing him.
Wang Li fell off the desk, landing awkwardly on the ground. Cradling his wrist, now marked with five angry red finger marks, he backed away.
"Just wait. Once I contract a beast, you'll regret this! Just you wait!" Wang Li spat angrily, clutching his wrist as he limped out of the classroom.
The room fell silent. No one dared talk about Li Qingzhou anymore.
A few moments later, Zhou Ling walked back into the classroom and announced, "Get ready. This afternoon, we're heading to the breeding base."
The students who had successfully awakened their talents cheered in excitement.
According to school protocol, students who had awakened beast-control talents could visit the breeding base to choose a pet beast and attempt to form a contract. Once they succeeded, they would officially become trainee beast masters.
The higher the student's talent level, the better the chances of contracting a strong beast. On the other hand, lower-level talents had a much harder time contracting powerful creatures.
Each student had three chances to form a contract at the base. If they failed all three times, they would no longer be allowed to select a beast from the base.
There were two other ways to acquire pet beasts. One was to purchase them from private breeding facilities, though the cost was exorbitant and out of reach for most people. Additionally, there was no guarantee that the contract would succeed.
The second way was to capture wild beasts. This method involved tracking and weakening a wild beast in the wild, then attempting to form a contract. However, this process was extremely dangerous, especially for beginners.
---
The students from Class 2, Grade 3, who had awakened their talents, lined up at the door of the breeding base, waiting for their turn to enter.
Li Qingzhou stood at the back of the line, lost in thought. Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation, and without warning, his "Insight" ability activated on its own.