Chapter 1096: Qingbao's Weakness
Chapter 1096: Qingbao’s Weakness
Guest Area.
The Host spoke into the microphone:
"Clear Hidden Sprite’s Enchantment hit Meichouni accurately, but Meichouni shows no signs of falling for it."
As she spoke, she glanced at Leonard.
Leonard, catching the hint in her eyes, replied:
"If the target is hit by Enchantment but doesn't fall for it, there are generally two possibilities. One, Meichouni is the same gender as Clear Hidden Sprite. Two, Meichouni’s willpower and mental strength are extremely strong, resisting the Enchantment attack. Since Meichouni and Clear Hidden Sprite are at the same level, I lean more towards the first possibility."
"Weku", Weku Ghost called out from the side.
The translation synchronized in the Host and Leonard’s earpieces.
"This is actually a Meichouni that’s about to evolve", the Host said, surprised.
"Weku", Weku Ghost called out again.
Listening to the translation in her earpiece, the Host nodded slightly and reflected, "It turns out that the two leaves on Meichouni’s head growing over thirty centimeters indicate it’s in the Advanced late stage."
She then smiled and praised, "Weku Ghost, you spotted that right away. I feel like you could easily pass the Familiar Trainer certification now."
"Weku", Weku Ghost humbly called out.
Leonard, after some thought, said, "If Meichouni is indeed in the Advanced late stage and Clear Hidden Sprite is in the Advanced early stage, it’s possible for Meichouni to resist the Enchantment."
While the guests were engaged in their conversation, Qingbao reactivated Wind Transformation.
Meichouni shook its head, and a green gas spewed out from the two leaves on its head.
An even more intense stench immediately filled the arena.
Several familiars in work uniforms stood around the arena, emitting invisible waves that rippled across the front rows of the audience stands.
Healing Waves, these could prevent targets within the wave from falling into abnormal statuses.
However, they couldn’t eliminate the smell.
The audience in the front rows either held their breath or put on the masks they had prepared.
They knew this moment would come when they bought their front-row tickets.
Qingbao, covering her nose with a red face, was forced to reappear several dozen meters away from Meichouni.
Meichouni’s various powders and gases were indeed very effective against Qingbao, who had high air requirements. The stench, one of Meichouni’s racial inherited skills, released a large amount of foul gas that made the target hard to tolerate and could also put them into a poisoned state. Qiao Sang, holding her breath, spoke calmly:
"Mist."
Qingbao immediately emitted a pink glow.
At that moment, Meichouni extended its claws, and a green light appeared at its fingertips.
A rooty, green-glowing vine suddenly sprang from the ground beneath Qingbao, aiming directly at her.
Qiao Sang thought to herself, Normally, Qingbao’s reaction speed is good enough that I shouldn’t need to remind her.
Honestly, she still had a bit of uncertainty. After all, since bonding, she and Qingbao had fought too few battles, and her analysis of Qingbao was based on their time in the Hidden Realm and regular training.
As these thoughts flashed through her mind, Qingbao’s face turned red, and she continued to circulate her energy in mid-air without disappearing.
Suddenly, a third of the arena’s ground lit up with pink light.
At the same time, several green Vine Whips were just a centimeter away from Qingbao.
"Xunxun!" a Treasure Seeker in the Contestant Area called out loudly.
Just as the green Vine Whips were about to pierce Qingbao, she suddenly activated Wind Transformation and disappeared.
The pink light on the ground also vanished.
The green Vine Whips stabbed at empty air.
“Xunxun…” Treasure Seeker let out a sigh of relief and continued waving the cheer baton.
“Ya Ya?” Fangy turned her head and called out.
“Xunxun~” Treasure Seeker took off the Ring, pulled out a cheer baton, and handed it to Fangy.
Then it seemed to think of something and pulled out two more cheer batons, handing one each to Lulu and Steel Treasure.
Steel Treasure graciously accepted it.
Lulu gave it a brief, indifferent glance and didn’t take it.
“Xunxun…”
Treasure Seeker looked a bit disappointed. Just as it was about to put the cheer baton back into the Ring, Dragon King called out:
“Momo.”
Give it to me.
“Xunxun~”
Treasure Seeker was taken aback for a moment, then happily handed the cheer baton over.
“Momo!”
Dragon King, mimicking Treasure Seeker’s earlier actions, enthusiastically waved the cheer baton.
To help the younger generation bond, it was also important to get along well with their familiars.
Migala, witnessing this scene, took several deep breaths.
In the Guest Area.
“Clear Hidden Sprite has used Wind Transformation again,” Hostreflection commented. “The Wind Transformation trait is incredibly rare, even more elusive than Ghost-type Companion Beasts that can turn invisible. While Ghost-type Companion Beasts can become invisible, their physical presence remains. Wind Transformation, however, makes both the physical and spiritual forms vanish.”
“Facing such a tricky trait, I wonder how Meichouni will choose to attack next.”
Leonard said, “I’ve never seen a familiar with Wind Transformation before, but I know that those who can use it usually have a high affinity for air. In this regard, Meichouni actually has an advantage over Clear Hidden Sprite.”
“From the way Clear Hidden Sprite was forced to reappear twice, it’s clear that if Meichouni continues to release noxious gases, it won’t be able to maintain its Wind Transformation status.”
“Weku,” Wekughost called out.
After hearing the translation in his earpiece, the Host said:
“Wekughost is right. Clear Hidden Sprite also successfully cast Misty Field, a skill that can prevent familiars in the arena from falling into abnormal statuses for a certain period.”
“Even if Clear Hidden Sprite can’t maintain its Wind Transformation status, it won’t be affected by Meichouni’s powder-based skills.”
“Overall, Clear Hidden Sprite still has the upper hand.”
“Weku,” Wekughost nodded in agreement.
The crowd watched the arena intently, with few people talking, especially in the front rows, for fear of accidentally inhaling any of the gases that were faintly wafting over.
“Xunxun!”
“Momo!”
“Ya Ya!”
In the Contestant Area, Fangy followed Treasure Seeker and Dragon King, waving the cheer baton.
The arena was filled with a noxious stench.
Meichouni continued to release green gas.
Qingbao reappeared once again.
Its face, no longer flushed, was now twisted in a look of extreme discomfort, clearly indicating it was no longer holding its breath.
Suddenly, a strong gale blew in Meichouni’s direction, causing the two leaves on its head to sway wildly.
Meichouni had to use its lower body to maintain its balance.
It seemed Qingbao had inhaled some of the noxious gas and was now furious, but this also presented an opportunity. Qiao Sang issued the command:
“Fairy Wind.”
So far, Fairy Wind was Qingbao’s most powerful attack skill. With the combined effects of the gale and the Fairy Aura, this move’s power would be significantly enhanced.
If Meichouni were to hit Qingbao head-on, even if it didn't knock him out, it would certainly deal a severe blow.
Qingbao, hearing his Beastmaster's command, instinctively opened his mouth, but the overwhelming stench rushed in, causing his face to contort in horror as he quickly clamped his jaws shut.
Seizing the opportunity, Meichouni raised its Short Toe, and a green glow appeared at its fingertips.
Several green Vine Whips suddenly shot out of the ground, piercing toward Qingbao.
At the same time, it released more green gas from its body.
Qingbao sensed the danger and the Wind Transformation vanished.
But in the next second, he couldn't bear it and reappeared.
His position hadn't changed much, almost in the same spot.
"Bang!"
A loud noise echoed as the green-glowing Vine Whips struck Qingbao hard.
"Qingqing!"
Qingbao let out a blood-curdling scream and was sent flying backward.
This... The crowd fell silent for a moment, then the spectators in the back rows began to murmur, while those in the front rows remained quiet.
"Qiao Sang gave the command, why didn't Clear Hidden Sprite use Fairy Wind as instructed?"
"Turns out a B-Class Beastmaster's familiar doesn't always follow commands. For some reason, that makes me feel a lot better..."
"Actually, Qiao Sang might not be a B-Class Beastmaster. She might just have a B-Class Beastmaster's Redstar Array."
"Why did Clear Hidden Sprite suddenly stop listening to Qiao Sang? They were so well-coordinated yesterday."
"If Clear Hidden Sprite had used Fairy Wind just now, Meichouni would have been the one injured."
"I thought Qiao Sang was a sure win, but now it seems uncertain."
In the Guest Area.
The Host asked:
"Mr. Leonard, what do you think about Clear Hidden Sprite not following Qiao Sang's command?"
Leonard pondered for a moment and replied:
"I mentioned earlier that familiars capable of Wind Transformation generally have a high sensitivity to air quality. It's possible that Clear Hidden Sprite couldn't tolerate the surrounding stench, so it didn't execute the command."
The Host laughed and said:
"It seems that Contestant Qiao Sang and Clear Hidden Sprite haven't been bonded for very long."
A professional Beastmaster, even if their command is something the familiar is reluctant to do, the familiar will still execute it out of trust. In this case, she can only explain it by the short bonding time.
In the Contestant Area.
"Fangy"
Fangy put down the cheer baton.
Why did Qingbao get attacked just as it was cheering...
On the field.
Qingbao's tolerance has its limits. Qiao Sang immediately recognized Qingbao's weakness and quickly gathered her thoughts before speaking:
"Clear the stench with the Fairy Wind."
Mentioning Fairy Wind, Qingbao couldn't bear the toxic gas rushing into its mouth when it opened. But if the purpose of using Fairy Wind was to disperse the toxic gas on the field, she believed Qingbao could endure it.
"Qingqing..."
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Qingbao's eyes lit up, and it struggled to float up again, opening its mouth.
The foul-smelling toxic gas rushed in.
This time, Qingbao's face was still grim, but it managed to endure it.
A pink gale filled with Fairy Energy spewed from its mouth, dispersing the green gas and rushing toward Meichouni.
At the same time, the green Vine Whips that had emerged from the ground earlier didn't dissipate but changed direction and continued to attack Qingbao.
Just before hitting, Qingbao's Wind Transformation vanished.
On the other side, Meichouni crossed its claws in front of it.
Dozens of green Vine Whips suddenly shot out from the ground around it, intertwining to form a protective shield around its entire body.
The pink gale filled with Fairy Energy swept over the green Vine Whip shield but failed to break it.
Clearly not a Beastmaster, but still knowing that an attack Move can also be used for Defense—truly Intelligent... Qiao Sang reflected for a moment.
However, while this method can be used for Defense, it also makes one an easy target.
The Fairy Wind dissipated, and the green Vine Whip forming the protective shield began to unravel at the top.
Qiao Sang, with her keen eyes, saw this and immediately said:
"Move."
Qingbao spread its arms wide, and a dazzling seven-color light instantly burst forth from its body.
At that moment, the green Vine Whip retreated into the ground, revealing Meichouni's shadow.
The seven-color light enveloped it.
"Meimei!"
Meichouni let out a blood-curdling scream and flew backward.
"Evil Wind", Qiao Sang immediately said.
Upon hearing this, Qingbao opened its mouth and rapidly maximized its internal energy.
A pink Fairy Gale immediately surged from its mouth, sweeping toward the still flying Meichouni.
The fierce Gale completely enveloped Meichouni.
"Meimei!"
Meichouni screamed again, flying out of the Arena and collapsing unconscious.
Qingbao looked at its opponent from a distance, its expression displeased, with the Gale swirling around it.
The green gas that had lingered on the field finally dissipated.
The audience in the front row let out a sigh of relief, some starting to talk and others removing their masks.
"I knew Qiao Sang Contestant would win."
"I almost thought Meichouni would win, but Qiao Sang Contestant's strength is undeniable. She turned the tide, or else the thought of Meichouni winning and me still sitting in the front row tomorrow would be a bit scary."
"Clear Hidden Sprite looks so obedient on the surface, but it turns out to be quite rebellious, not even listening to the Beastmaster's command. It almost lost the match."
"Only a B-Class Beastmaster has the ability to turn the tide. Most familiars that don't listen to commands wouldn't win a match."
"I don't think we can entirely blame Clear Hidden Sprite. Under that smell, using Skills that require opening the mouth is a form of torture. I could even smell it a bit with my mask on."
A familiar wearing a Referee Badge appeared beside Meichouni, looked at it, and then raised a green flag toward Qiao Sang and Qingbao.
"Let's congratulate Qiao Sang Contestant on winning this match!" the host announced promptly.
She then asked:
"Do you have any comments on this result, Weku Ghost?"
"Weku", Weku Ghost called out.
The host, listening to the translation in her earpiece, nodded slightly and said:
"Clear Hidden Sprite's Fairy Wind seems to lack mastery, but it caused fatal damage to Meichouni. Its attack power is much stronger than it appears, suggesting that Clear Hidden Sprite likely has a Trait that enhances its attack power."
She added:
"I think Weku Ghost's analysis is very insightful."
Leonard said:
"I anticipated the result of this match, but not the process. However, this is a necessary journey for all Beastmasters and their familiars. Even a B-Class Beastmaster can encounter a familiar that doesn't follow commands."
"So everyone, don't be discouraged if you face this situation. I believe these issues can be resolved through training and experience."
Meichouni was carried away.
Treasure Seeker's eyes glowed blue, and Qiao Sang and Qingbao disappeared from the field.
In the Contestant Area.
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker floated beside Qingbao and called out happily.
"Ya Ya!"
Fangy called out, indicating a good performance.
Dragon King wanted to criticize. In its view, Qingbao's performance was not good. If Qiao Sang hadn't stabilized the situation, they would have definitely lost the match. However, to maintain good relations, it reluctantly called out:
"Momo."
Indeed, that was nice.
"Qingqing."
Qingbao wasn't as happy as expected. It felt that if it had listened to its Beastmaster earlier and used Fairy Wind, it wouldn't have been attacked.
Qiao Sang noticed Qingbao's low spirits and consoled it:
"You didn't listen to my command, but you couldn't stand that foul smell. Your instincts made you prioritize stopping the smell first. But don't worry, we can enhance your endurance through training to avoid such issues in the future."
"Qingqing..."
Qingbao first showed a touched expression, but then it heard the second part and felt a chill.
It couldn't be what it thought, could it...
At that moment, Migala asked:
"Watch the match or go back directly?"
Qiao Sang thought for a moment and replied:
"I won't watch the match, but before we go back, I'll find Meichouni first."
...
After a simple healing, Meichouni walked out of the venue with a dejected look, accompanied by a familiar covered in spikes.
"Meichouni!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind.
Meichouni turned around, and her expression changed when she saw the running girl.
"Why didn't you talk to me when you saw me today?" Qiao Sang asked with a smile after stopping.
"Meimei..."
Meichouni looked at a loss.
The spiky familiar glanced at Meichouni and then at Qiao Sang, wisely staying silent to avoid interrupting.
"You did a great job in today's match", Qiao Sang praised.
"Meimei..."
Meichouni blushed at the compliment.
Qiao Sang continued:
"I remembered that you gave me flowers a while ago, and I haven't given you anything in return."
As she spoke, she took out a bouquet of pink flowers from behind her back.
She had bought them from a shop inside the venue.
"Here, take these", Qiao Sang said.
Meichouni stood there, staring at the bouquet in shock.
Qiao Sang added seriously:
"I know you are at the Advanced stage, close to Evolution. I hope you can evolve into the form you desire."
She paused and then added:
"Of course, no matter which form you evolve into, I hope you know that you are beautiful."
With that, she pushed the bouquet a bit closer.
Meichouni, a high-tier Grass-type Beast Companion, has two Evolution forms. One is the Sweet Flower, which is beautiful and emits a sweet fragrance, and the other is the Stinky Flower, which is ugly and has an unbearable smell.
Almost ninety percent of Meichounis evolve into the latter because the Evolution condition for the former is to possess a certain level of beauty and genuinely believe in one's own beauty.
This condition is extremely difficult for a Meichouni, who is often unpopular and avoided by others.
"Meimei..."
Meichouni took the bouquet in a daze.
"I hope that when we meet again, we can greet each other like we used to", Qiao Sang said with a smile.
"Meimei..."
Meichouni looked at the human in front of her and nodded blankly.
Qiao Sang turned and left.
Meichouni stood there, staring at her retreating back.
"Prick."
The spiky familiar called out, surprised.
It didn't expect this B-Class Beastmaster to be so kind.
Meichouni snapped back to reality.
Looking at the bouquet in her hands, she called out:
"Meimei?"
Am I really beautiful?
The spiky familiar didn't hesitate and called out:
"Prick."
Of course.
This guy might smell bad, but it is indeed beautiful.
Meichouni sniffed the bouquet in her hands, then lifted her head and looked at the glass wall nearby.
Her reflection was clearly visible.
Deep red eyes, slender arms, the two leaves on her head swaying, and the fresh flowers in her hands.
The fragrant flowers seemed to harmonize perfectly with her.
At that moment, Meichouni realized clearly that she was beautiful.
The next second, a blinding white light suddenly shone from her reflection in the glass wall.
Many people stopped to watch.
The spiky familiar, seeing the scene, widened its eyes and opened its mouth in shock.
Did it... Evolve?!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
