Beast Masters receive resource subsidies and mentorship benefits, whereas beast nurturers only receive mentorship benefits. Additionally, beast nurturers have a lot to learn and must go to the nurturing grounds for practical studies, leaving them no time to train their contracted beasts.
It's common for young people to aspire to become Beast Masters. Cao Xianzhi advised a few words, speaking favorably of beast nurturers, but Li Cunxu remained unmoved.
His goal has always been clear, to become a Beast Master.
A good beast nurturer requires ten years of training, similar to a doctor's career from the previous life. Although it is profitable, it demands extraordinary effort.
Advising someone to study medicine, may heaven strike down with lightning.
The same goes for beast nurturers; advising someone to study nurturing is equally irreversible.
Cao Xianzhi clapped his hands and said, "Everyone, please be quiet. Next, we will complete our second task, measuring contract slots."
Contract slots determine how many beasts a Beast Master can contract.
Contract slots are random; some people have a ridiculous number of slots, up to one hundred, while others don't have any at all.
Having talent but no contract slots means one can't contract beasts and naturally can't become a Beast Master.
One can increase contract slots using expansion items.
Expansion items are extremely rare; even a double purple talent genius like Chen Lu must contribute to the family to obtain them.
Gaining expansion items through school? At the Seventeenth Middle School where Li Cunxu is, they can't obtain a single expansion item because the school treasury doesn't have any. Even if there were, they'd be redeemed in advance by others.
Only resource-rich schools like Tongdu First Middle School can offer expansion items as rewards.
There are limitations on taking expansion items.
Taking the same type of expansion item, only the first one is effective; the second one is useless.
"I wonder how many contract slots I have?" Li Cunxu thought.
In the past life, players didn't have this worry; players' contract slots were fixed and uniformly twelve.
Though stated as twelve, in reality, it is six. The latter six require reaching the King level to unlock.
Cao Xianzhi carefully took out the contract slot tester from the safe.
"Number one, Xiang Bai."
Again a good start; Xiang Bai was tested to have nine contract slots.
The pass mark for contract slots is six since 6V6 battles exist. If one can't even gather six, how can they compete in battles?
"Number two, Wu Wei."
…
"Number twenty-nine, Chen Lu."
The testing was swift, and before long, the entire class was almost done with the testing.
The one with the most contract slots among them was Li Gou'Er, with a total of thirty-six slots.
When the results came out, Li Gou'Er jumped up in excitement. He initially thought he hadn't awakened his talent and thus couldn't become a Beast Master, but the results took a turn for the better.
Next was Chen Lu, who had fifteen contract slots.
Seeing her calm expression, she must have tested it beforehand.
With contract slot testers, as long as you have money, you could get one. As for Talent Awakening Stones, no amount of money or influence can buy them; they are only allowed in the hands of the league.
After school, the Talent Awakening Stones must be returned to the league immediately. Even one missing would lead to a major investigation.
"Number thirty, Li Cunxu."
It was Li Cunxu's turn.
He was not too greedy or hopeful regarding the number of contract slots, just wishing for six slots.
Cao Xianzhi looked at the results on the tester, "Three contract slots, huh? No, wait, it's actually two and a half."
Upon hearing only three contract slots, Li Cunxu's heart sank, and hearing two and a half, it sank further.
The students below didn't understand. Aren't contract slots complete? How come there's half?
Cao Xianzhi said, "You have a contract slot which is a rare and incomplete one, seen once in a hundred years."
The incomplete contract slot is very special and rare; it is incomplete, hence it cannot contract high-level or high-life-quality beasts.
It can only contract low-level, low-life-quality beasts, such as: Green Caterpillars, Red Weak Carp, Slime...
In other words, Li Cunxu has two complete contract slots, plus one incomplete contract slot.
Cao Xianzhi said, "Sorry, classmate, you have too few contract slots to become a Beast Master."
Li Cunxu replied, "I can use expansion items to increase my contract slots."
Cao Xianzhi checked Li Cunxu's file and shook his head.
Based on Li Cunxu's family circumstances shown in the file, Cao Xianzhi didn't think he could obtain any expansion items. Moreover, Li Cunxu didn't just lack one contract slot; he lacked three, meaning he'd need to take three expansion items worth a fortune to meet the basic requirement of six beasts for a Beast Master team.
Cao Xianzhi said, "Classmate, given your situation, the most suitable role for you is a beast nurturer."
Li Cunxu insisted, "No, I want to be a Beast Master."
This was not Li Cunxu being stubborn, but because the career of a Beast Master in the Divine Beast World is the path to greatness.
This is a world that values strength above all. With strength, you have everything.
And a Beast Master is synonymous with strength.
As for a beast nurturer? It's akin to being relegated to logistics.
Cao Xianzhi: "I'll report your situation to the school, but don't get your hopes up. Given your unique situation, with few contract slots, you're unsuitable to become a Beast Master. Having awakened the blue talent of a beast nurturer, it's very likely you will be forcibly transferred to the beast nurturer class."
Cao Xianzhi spoke very tactfully, 'very likely'? Does that mean I will certainly be transferred to the beast nurturer class?
Li Cunxu frowned, "Ignoring personal will, is the school this overbearing? Can I transfer to another school?"
Cao Xianzhi shook his head, "It's the same no matter which school you transfer to; they'd all move you to the beast nurturer class, making you a beast nurturer. This isn't about being overbearing; it's the league's policy."
The trend of aspiring to become Beast Masters is too intense; everyone wants to be a Beast Master, not a nurturer. Yet, society can't do without nurturers. To prevent potential nurturers from going astray, wasting their talent pursuing a Beast Master career with limited prospects, the league formulated a series of related policies.
Li Cunxu had a headache; two and a half contract slots disrupted his plans for the future.
Returning to his seat, Chen Lu softly consoled, "Actually, being a nurturer isn't bad; you don't have to venture out, and you can earn money while staying in the city."
Li Cunxu said, "I want to earn money by participating in competitions to raise my beasts. If I become a nurturer, I won't be able to join the competitions."
The school would periodically host some small competitions, and the rewards are quite generous. If Li Cunxu could win those rewards, he could grow quickly, snowballing.
These small competitions are organized for the Beast Master class students; the beast nurturer class students can't participate.
Nurturing is a profound discipline, requiring extensive learning. The school won't let the beast nurturer class students waste time on competitions where they are bound to achieve nothing, hindering their studies.
In fact, the school's approach is correct. Generally, nurturers are weaker than Beast Masters, and their study load is heavier. Participating in competitions only serves to let them run alongside others, wasting time and affecting their learning, so they simply won't let nurturers join.