"If we are to be self-sufficient, then the planting speed and scale of our cultivation must increase, and some rare plants require more than just an ordinary Minister of Agriculture to sustain."
Dong Yuanqiu, Tao Anchun, Cao Jiang, and others listened and couldn’t help but sigh, realizing the intricacies involved.
It seemed that the previous Supervisor’s failure was not just due to bad luck.
Zhao Xing took over Ji An’s words: "Beyond the Military Doctor and Military Minister of Agriculture Officer, large islands also recruit musicians and Dance Masters, playing music to soothe war beasts’ emotions and performing dances to inspire their fighting spirit, while Martial Artists and Priests serve as training partners."
"During the Beast Tamers’ competitions, success was visible, but it wasn’t the work of a single person. Any powerful Beast Tamer had a strong support team behind them, silently making tremendous efforts."
Ji An said, "Indeed. Ten years ago, our Seven Star Island recruited a fifth-rank Minister of Agriculture from Shangluo College, and thanks to him, we have maintained Seven Star Island’s ’Intermediate Island’ status."
"Mr. Zhao, in your Twin Dragon Horse Supervisor team, if you didn’t employ a Beast Tamer, then were you also responsible for the Divine Feeding Department?"
Zhao Xing shook his head: "No, Mr. Tao is in charge."
Tao Anchun felt somewhat ashamed, as he was indeed responsible for the Divine Feeding Department, but in reality, many of the rare plants had been cultivated by Zhao Xing.
Mountain Cat, Tiger Flood Dragon, and Qingluan, he hadn’t raised any of these personally.
One could say that Zhao Xing single-handedly brought the Twin Dragon Horse Supervisor team to the preselection, and they still had to rely on Zhao Xing and his war beasts to compete in the arena.
Moreover, the Twin Dragon Horse Supervisor team didn’t even have a proper Veterinarian; the Doctor Wen Mujin they brought this time was merely acting as a Veterinarian!
After chatting for a while longer, the officials from the Twin Dragon Horse Supervisor team seemed a little dispirited.
The excitement of competing hadn’t even started and was already diminishing.
Compared to Ji An’s setup, except for Zhao Xing, they had nothing worthy of mention.
One might even say they were pathetically weak.
Ji An seemed to notice the Twin Dragon Horse Supervisor team’s embarrassment and didn’t bring it up again.
After a moment of silence, Ji An pointed ahead: "Mr. Zhao, up ahead is Tianjing City. Flying southwest to Jiannan Mountain, you’ll find my Kaiyang Hall."
The flatboat landed within Kaiyang Hall in Tianjing City.
Kaiyang Hall spanned a thousand acres, surrounded by four manors belonging to Seven Star Island.
The manors had artificial lakes to facilitate aquatic war beasts.
The buildings were constructed tall; Zhao Xing confined the Tiger Flood Dragon and Qingluan in Tuquan Palace here, together with the exotic beasts of Kaiyang County, while the Mountain Cat stayed in the guest room with him.
They arrived on December 2nd, and the competition started on December 4th.
With two days left, Zhao Xing didn’t go out, staying in Kaiyang Manor.
The theme of the preselection was ’Winter,’ lasting an entire month.
The competition format consisted of several parts, not just fights.
"From December 4th to 11th, these seven days will be the ’Flag Capture Competition.’
"Three hundred fifty thousand exotic beasts will leave the arena area to seize ten thousand flags on the island."
"Seizing a flag allows one to advance to the next round."
"The Flag Capture Competition ends on the 11th, and the next day begins the ’Survival Competition.’"
"Then, third-rank Ministers of Agriculture will take action, disrupting the Heavenly Time and Earth Advantage of Tianjing Island."
"For another seven days, the island will be desolate, and apart from human activity areas, there will be no other supply points, except a few locations where food supplies are stored."
"Under harsh conditions, with significant primordial energy consumption, and facing attacks from competitors, lasting seven days would be extremely difficult."
"However, if one finds it unbearable, the Beast Tamer can recall the war beast to the arena."
"The Survival Competition ends on the 18th, and on the 19th, the ’Ice Training’ begins immediately. The arena is underwater, starting from the northern offshore of Tianjing Island, circling east, south, and west around the island, returning to the starting point."
"It lasts ten days, and right after that, there will be a large airborne battle."
"Exotic beasts cannot land and must continuously fight in the air, which is a test of endurance and combat strength."
"Finally, only the top three thousand will pass the preselection."
"Sigh." Zhao Xing looked at the competition rules and couldn’t help but sigh.
The elimination rate was really high.
Out of three hundred fifty thousand exotic beasts, only three thousand would pass the preselection.
The preselection was already one in a hundred, and these competing exotic beasts had already been screened by the Divine Chosen Department once before.
"Ao Tian, can you handle this?" Zhao Xing looked at the Mountain Cat chewing on a fish and couldn’t help but worry.
"Meow~" Sensing its master’s emotion, the Mountain Cat put down the fish and walked over, rubbing against Zhao Xing’s shoulder.
"Good, I believe in you." Zhao Xing smiled, "But if you can’t handle it, make sure to follow my orders and return, you hear?"
In Tianjing City, Dragon Lion Hall, the stronghold of Dragon Lion Island, the largest island in the western Purple Cloud Islands.
At this moment, the Dragon Horse Supervisory Director, Tong Wan Yang, was conversing with his deputy, Yu Pengcheng.
"The top ten islands from the last competition are keeping their strength hidden this time, not sending out any formidable war beasts," Yu Pengcheng analyzed, "Though they are all fourth-rank, only four of them possess divine-level bloodlines, ranging from divine-level first to third stage."
"Jiulong Bay sent an early-stage fourth-rank, divine-level first-stage bloodline, Emperor Crocodile."
"Dragon Spring Island sent a mid-stage fourth-rank, divine-level first-stage bloodline, Spirit Rhinoceros."
"Bear Island sent a mid-stage fourth-rank, divine-level second-stage bloodline, Frost Howling Giant Bear."
"Heart Rock Island sent a mid-stage fourth-rank, divine-level third-stage bloodline, Hostile Soul Dragon."
Tong Wan Yang glanced at the list and tossed it aside, laughing: "Looks like everyone just wants to develop peacefully this time, daring not to fight as fiercely as before."