Quickly striding into the house ahead, Su Bamboo raised her eyes forward and indeed saw a figure often appearing on TV. She smiled and took a few steps forward: "Master, Senior Master!"
Shi Gang was sitting on a chair. He raised his head upon hearing this and glanced at the newcomer, a smile appearing on his face: "Is this the disciple you’ve often praised?"
He nodded in approval: "Not bad, not bad, great spirit and energy."
Compared to the tall and burly Shi Gang, Shi Yu’s physique was much more normal, and his expression more gentle. However, the traces of training were still evident on his body through his white training clothes.
Shi Yu first glanced at Su Bamboo, then turned his head towards Shi Gang: "Brother, next semester, Xiao Bamboo will be going to Yunhua Beast Taming Academy to study. I’m not familiar with things over there, so you should look after her."
After a pause, he added: "Xiao Bamboo has a high talent. Given time, she will surely become an excellent Beastmaster."
Shi Gang spoke boldly: "Your disciple is essentially my disciple. Even if you didn’t say anything, I would still help take care of her."
Upon hearing this, Su Bamboo giggled and climbed up the ladder: "Thank you, Second Master!"
After a brief pause, Su Bamboo stepped forward, unafraid, with a voice distinct to a lively and cheerful girl, resounding in the hall: "Second Master, I really admire you. Starting from the Taibai Cup, you were invincible, defeating one opponent after another, and finally..."
Upon hearing the latter part, Shi Gang’s smile froze, and he spoke softly: "During the Taibai Cup, I only participated in the exhibition match with just one opponent..."
"Oh, oh, oh, sorry, Second Master, I remembered wrong." Without any sign of embarrassment, Su Bamboo quickly organized her words and continued, "Your performance in the Da Feng Cup was even more spectacular. No matter how strong or difficult the opponents were, you always found a way to win..."
The flattering words reached his ears, and Shi Gang’s rugged face gradually revealed a smile.
People are like this; even if they know the compliments are mere flattery, praise always sounds better than criticism.
Shi Yu smiled helplessly.
His eldest disciple was the cleverest—though young, she had garnered the adoration of many apprentices.
When Su Bamboo’s voice ceased, Shi Gang patted his leg lightly, a smile on his lips: "Actually, I’m not as impressive as you make me out to be. Many of those contestants were quite stronger than me; I just happened to be lucky, lucky..."
Su Bamboo shook her head: "Second Master, luck is also part of strength."
The smile on Shi Gang’s face grew wider: "As a Beastmaster, we can’t always rely on luck. Especially for you youngsters who have just become Beastmasters, always remember to train diligently and make your skills solid..."
Shi Gang rambled on for quite a while, seeing Su Bamboo nod seriously, his face showing an expression of "a promising disciple."
If he weren’t too lazy, he might consider snatching away such a clever and sensible disciple.
Suddenly, Su Bamboo’s voice pulled him back: "Second Master, you just said some contestants were stronger than you. I’m really curious, could you tell me about them?"
"Of course, no problem." Shi Gang readily agreed, but then a thought struck him. He looked deeply at Su Bamboo before him and smiled as if he had seen through everything: "You probably want to know about Advisor Chen, right?"
Upon hearing this, Su Bamboo was visibly taken aback, momentarily frozen.
How did Second Master see through her thoughts?
Seeing Su Bamboo’s reaction, Shi Gang verified his suspicion, and he chuckled softly: "As expected, you were beating around the bush just to inquire about Advisor Chen."
The reason was quite simple. Since Su Bamboo understood his performance in the Da Feng Cup, she must be aware of the other contestants, especially the most outstanding Chen Yuan.
She undoubtedly knew which contestants were stronger than himself.
Among them, the one most brilliantly performing, most popular, and most discussed was undoubtedly Chen Yuan.
Moreover, Chen Yuan was from Baokun City. Since winning the Da Feng Cup, he had become the idol of countless youths.
This time, returning to Weixian County, Shi Gang had been constantly pestered by relatives’ children to tell stories about Chen Yuan or even request his autograph.
"You want Advisor Chen’s autograph?" With various thoughts turning, Shi Gang gazed at Su Bamboo with a slight smile.
To this day, he’d long accepted being a supporting character beside Advisor Chen. Instead, every time he saw netizens compare him with Advisor Chen, he felt secretly delighted.
Su Bamboo’s eyes glowed, but she shook her head: "No, I’m not interested in autographs."
"I want to know just how formidable Advisor Chen is, and why every contestant who finishes a match with him doesn’t reveal dissatisfaction or disappointment, but rather has a peculiar expression."
"It’s like..."
"It’s like being relieved from suffering, becoming at peace."
Upon hearing these words, Shi Gang sank into a long silence.
He seemed to embody just this kind of reaction described by Su Bamboo.
At peace, indeed at peace.
After all, when facing off against Advisor Chen, it was typically being completely beaten with no power to retaliate.
If the match could end early, it would rather be a form of relief.
Thinking of this, Shi Gang revealed a helpless smile: "Because he’s a monster..."
For a long time,
Shi Gang and Shi Yu stood up and walked towards the training field, Su Bamboo lowering her head, following behind, mumbling continuously: "Advisor Chen is really strong..."
In her eyes, her Second Master, who reached the top four of the Da Feng Cup, was already a very, very powerful Beastmaster. Yet in the latter’s eyes, facing Advisor Chen was a form of torment.
This torment stemmed from the vast difference, from being unable to match.
Thoughts surging, Su Bamboo grew increasingly eager to advance to the academy soon, to become a powerful Beastmaster, and then face Advisor Chen on the field, ultimately...