Chapter 135 - 129: Equal Standing
The Golden-Winged Eagle unleashed its power, as did the Red Refining Snake. In an instant, their auras surged to their peak.
The Red Refining Snake tumbled through the air, raising its head high. A look of pride appeared in its serpentine eyes; not even the exploding Thunderbolts around it could diminish its arrogance in the slightest.
Endless black Flames seemed to appear from nowhere, rising from the Red Refining Snake’s tail, belly, head, and scales. The Flames seemed to possess a spirit of their own. They weren’t wild or rampant, but flickered strangely, appearing and disappearing, carving out their own territory amidst the Sea of Fire and Thunderbolts!
Wherever the black Flames went, the Thunderbolts retreated and the Sea of Fire wavered. The ground itself strangely corroded and blackened. It was as if the fire contained a virulent poison; even the Red Flame Leopard’s eyes flashed with fear.
And that wasn’t all. As the Black Wind and Poisonous Fire appeared, a green light suddenly shone. Like emerald waves, ancient trees shot up from the ground, their trunks twisting and intertwining as they soared toward the sky, filling the void and becoming the third breathtaking element in this world.
In an instant, that small space was filled with a blade-like Black Wind, the ground was covered by Poisonous Fire, colossal trees reached for the heavens, Thunderbolts webbed the sky, and Flames stood like a forest.
In particular, Yu Changsheng’s three Spirit Beasts attacked in a way that seemed independent yet was intrinsically connected. The whistling Black Wind fanned the Poisonous Fire, making it burn even fiercer. The raging Poisonous Fire caused the giant trees to burst into flame. And the swaying of the giant trees, in turn, added to the Black Wind’s power!
Invisible waves of energy linked the three Spirit Beasts, causing their auras to grow even stronger, forming a self-sustaining Cycle.
"Resonance? Is this... a combination array? One specifically for Spirit Beasts?"
Elder Chen’s pupils contracted, his face a mask of shock.
That’s right. This was a Spirit Beast Level 4 Array! After their recent period of training, the three Spirit Pets were finally able to use it in concert.
’It’s a pity, though. This Array seems to be lacking some momentum—it’s missing a pole. Otherwise, this Yu Changsheng might actually... Still, to be able to get his hands on a Spirit Beast combination array like this, could it be...’
Elder Chen’s insight was incredibly sharp; he had spotted the Array’s imperfection in an instant. But for Yu Changsheng, this was more than enough.
Just as the array formed, Miao Wenlun finished gathering his power. The Red Flame Leopard’s might reached its zenith. With a roar, the Sea of Fire that had been swirling around it and through the air collapsed, transforming into a torrent of heaven-shaking meteors that smashed toward the ground.
The Drum Thunder Beast did the same. For a moment, its body flared with lightning. Amidst the blur, arcs of electricity condensed into Thunderbolts, forming one soul-stealing, violet-blue Thunder Spear after another. The tips of the spears crackled with electricity. There were nearly a hundred of them, packed densely together, hurtling toward Yu Changsheng amidst the fiery meteors!
A sharp light glinted in the Golden-Winged Eagle’s eyes. With a clear cry, the Black Wind crescents rapidly solidified. With a flap of its wings, it was the first to charge into the sky-blanketing sea of fiery meteors!
The Red Refining Snake also leaped. As it opened its cavernous maw, the Poisonous Fire on the ground paused for a moment before rolling back, merging into flower-like bursts of Flame that flew into the air and exploded one by one!
Amidst the dazzling spectacle, the Colorful Star Deer stomped a hoof and gently shook its antlers. The Wood Sea swirled and grew before it, voluntarily plunging into the Flames. One part of it formed a barrier to block the Thunder Spears, while another part became fuel. In an instant, the Black Wind surged, and the sparks of fire burned even brighter!
BOOM! RUMBLE!
The void rang with constant explosions. Under the fierce Energy Shock, cracks began to appear on the Array’s barrier, looking as if it was about to shatter.
Elder Chen’s expression changed. He quickly cast some Magic to stabilize the Array, his heart pounding in secret as he watched the battle rage within.
The Sea of Fire exploded, and Thunderbolts threatened to destroy the world. If not for Elder Chen’s reinforcement, the ground would have been riddled with holes. The figures of the Red Refining Snake and the Golden-Winged Eagle weaved violently through the chaos, endlessly tangling with the Red Flame Leopard.
The Colorful Star Deer darted left and right, dodging the Drum Thunder Beast’s attacks while simultaneously conjuring giant logs that shot toward the beast, cutting off its movements.
Yu Changsheng wasn’t idle either. Performing a Finger Technique, he repeatedly teleported to dodge the overwhelming fiery assault. As his Spiritual Power surged wildly, a dark red ball of Flame slowly floated up before him. With a wave of his hand, it shot toward Miao Wenlun, exploding one by one.
Miao Wenlun’s expression shifted slightly. Sensing the terrifying energy contained within, he pulled out dozens, even hundreds, of Talismans. Upon activation, layers of an earthy-yellow protective shield enveloped him.
’Damn it, is that the Fireball Skill? How can it be this terrifying?’
Miao Wenlun cursed inwardly. The next moment, the fireballs struck his shield. In the blink of an eye, more than ten layers of the shield shattered, and the subsequent fireballs were already upon him.
Seizing this brief reprieve, Miao Wenlun closed his eyes, his Spiritual Power surging.
"Riding the Wind! Riding the Clouds!"
Wisps of white mist appeared and coiled around Miao Wenlun’s feet. His speed increased dramatically, leaving a trail of afterimages as he dodged the remaining fireball attacks.
At the same time, Miao Wenlun waved his hands, scattering dozens, or even hundreds, of Talismans. They all burst into flames, transforming into a dense barrage of Sword Qi that flew toward Yu Changsheng.
"Wooden Shield!"
Yu Changsheng’s expression remained unchanged. A hard, ancient-looking shield materialized before him, easily blocking the incoming Sword Qi. Even the few strands that managed to get around the Wooden Shield and strike his body were barely an itch.
They were just Low-tier Talismans. Though there were many, their individual power was mediocre and posed no real threat to Yu Changsheng.
"Soul-Breaking Nail!"
At Yu Changsheng’s thought, the Soul-Breaking Nail appeared in his hand.
SWOOSH!
Propelled by his Divine Thought, the Soul-Breaking Nail spun, transforming into a streak of black light that tore through the air toward Miao Wenlun’s forehead.
Miao Wenlun tapped his toes, his body becoming even faster and more agile as he tried to dodge the attack.
But no matter how he dodged, the Soul-Breaking Nail was like a maggot clinging to bone, drawing ever closer. The feeling that his soul was about to explode grew more and more intense.
Meanwhile, Yu Changsheng launched his Fireball Skill again, aiming straight for Miao Wenlun.
Miao Wenlun’s face soured. For the first time, he found himself in a truly difficult situation.
As a genius among Beast Masters, he had spent most of his time on Beast Taming. While his own strength wasn’t bad, it was leagues apart from the power of his beasts.
Normally, this wasn’t an issue. Relying on his powerful tamed beasts, most enemies were defeated before they could even get close. But now, with his Drum Thunder Beast and Red Flame Leopard tied down, the drawback was painfully obvious.
With a wave of his hand, Miao Wenlun had no choice but to continuously throw Talismans behind him, trying to block Yu Changsheng’s attacks while he darted toward his Spirit Beasts.
"Thousand Thoughts Slash!"
A bolt of Divine Sense, sharp as a thunderous sword, stabbed into Miao Wenlun’s Sea of Consciousness.
"Aargh!"
Miao Wenlun felt a sharp pain sear through his mind. His steps faltered, and in the next second, the Soul-Breaking Nail appeared before him!