Chapter 349: The Evolution of the Coral Shrimp, the Hope of the Rainbow Dragon

Chapter 349: The Evolution of the Coral Shrimp, the Hope of the Rainbow Dragon

Ray Saint felt a bit lost.

He followed the small creature in front of him, even mimicking its every step as they approached the shore of the Water Heart.

Although he wasn't a professional breeder, having reached the Holy-Class level, he had extensive and comprehensive knowledge about pet cultivation.

Naturally, he had a deep understanding of water-type pet cultivation.

It was precisely because of this knowledge that Ray Saint, after walking with Su Ping for some time, still hadn't fully grasped what Su Ping had just said.

Eat it?

Let his own creature eat the Rainbow Coral Shrimp?

That's like throwing a meat bun to a dog. No, the Rainbow Coral Shrimp's size was too small to even fill a gap between teeth.

Could it be that the Rainbow Coral Shrimp ate the Water Dragon?

Was this kid just messing with him? Even though they had reached the Water Heart, Ray Saint still doubted Su Ping's intentions, as he had already instructed others to close the Water Heart for the day.

After all, in all his years, he had never heard of such a method of pet cultivation.

But seeing Su Ping's serious expression, it was clear he wasn't joking around.

So, was this little guy being serious? It wasn't that he didn't trust Su Ping, but if something went wrong and the Rainbow Coral Shrimp died, the loss would be immense.

Even a Holy-Class existence like Ray Saint couldn't help but feel a twinge of pain at the thought of losing such a rare aquatic pet.

The value of the Rainbow Coral Shrimp was evident. Its rarity couldn't be expressed by mere levels.

If it truly failed and was swallowed by that creature, wouldn't it be a waste of a heavenly treasure?

As Ray Saint's thoughts wandered, Su Ping had already reached the shore and was inspecting the surroundings with satisfaction. He turned to Ray Saint and said, "Senior, you can start now."

"Su Ping, are you serious? This is no joke. I don't know how you found the Rainbow Coral Shrimp, or where you got this idea from, but the risk is too great.

The Rainbow Coral Shrimp's body is incredibly fragile. Even an ordinary person, if they were to step on it, could crush it to death."

Ray Saint tried to persuade him one last time.

He was a Water-type Beastmaster, and a powerful Holy-Class Beastmaster at that.

He understood the immense value of the Rainbow Coral Shrimp to Water-type pets.

In the breeder world, there had always been people who wanted to separate the Rainbow Coral Shrimp from the ranks of pets, categorizing it as a special resource rather than a pet.

However, this idea had never been approved.

After all, in the outside world, the Rainbow Coral Shrimp had never shown any signs of evolution, but in Dragon City, based on research on dragon transformation, it was discovered that this creature had the potential to transform into a dragon.

That was why it hadn't been publicized; it was simply too rare to be widely known.

Additionally, the dragon transformation method in Dragon City wasn't suitable for all breeders in the Breeder Association to access and study.

However, Su Ping didn't seem to care about any of this. Listening to Ray Saint's advice, he smiled and said, "I never joke about such matters. I have my own plans, and you'll see them in action soon."

He wasn't joking, even though it might have sounded like it.

After receiving an affirmative answer, Ray Saint had nothing more to say. This brat didn't even care himself.

Moreover, even if the Rainbow Coral Shrimp was lost, it wouldn't be a significant setback for Su Ping.

As this thought crossed Ray Saint's mind, a light flashed within him.

A radiant glow emerged, and a dragon's roar reverberated throughout the entire Water Heart and its surroundings.

"Roar~"

The air became incredibly moist at that moment, and the water-type pets on the Water Heart trembled under the terrifying dragon aura.

Su Ping and Ray Saint witnessed the emergence of a blue-green figure on the shore.

The scales shimmered like flowing water, and the familiar dragon body coiled at the edge of the Water Heart, its massive head surveying everything, especially the unassuming Su Ping beside it.

The Water Dragon's true form!

And it wasn't the so-called Blue Dragon, the form the Water Dragon took before its evolution, but a true Element Water Dragon with Holy-Class potential.

Despite having seen dragons before, Ray Saint couldn't help but be in awe each time he encountered one of these magnificent creatures.

Su Ping narrowed his eyes, and a glimmer of aspiration flashed in his gaze.

When he went to the Imperial Capital and Dragon City, he would get one of these Water Dragons, no matter what. Aside from their awe-inspiring appearance, they were the ultimate symbol of the Dragon Kingdom's power and the reason for its resurgence to the peak of Blue Star.

"This is my Water Dragon, and its name is Shangshan."

Ray Saint introduced the Water Dragon that was looking down at Su Ping.

This time, it was Su Ping's turn to be surprised as he looked at Ray Saint.

Huh? Could this Ray Saint come up with such a profound name? Shangshan, the embodiment of the highest virtue, and the name 'Water as the Embodiment of the Highest Virtue'?

Su Ping looked at the Water Dragon in astonishment.

However, the Water Dragon showed no interest in his gaze. It turned its deep blue eyes away and even snorted, blowing a few bubbles.

It was clear that this creature's personality didn't match its name.

If not for its master's command, it wouldn't even spare a glance for such insignificant beings.

Su Ping wasn't surprised by the dragon's arrogance.

Initially, Master Zhu's Big Yellow had only allowed him to touch its dragon horn after they had spent a lot of time together, and that was mainly due to Zhou Tian's Five Elemental Body.

The current Water Dragon was no different.

Su Ping didn't expect the Water Dragon to acknowledge him, just as Qin Erlong's Wood Dragon hadn't acknowledged him before.

These dragons only respected strength and capability; anything else, whether it was flattery or groveling, was of no consequence.

Because to these guys, the 'ants' were supposed to be like this.

However, it didn't take long.

The water dragon named 'Shang Shan' was startled, and then his deep blue eyes stared intently at Su Ping. In his eyes, there was a very human-like look of uncertainty.

Su Ping smiled slightly, and his special talent, Dragon Aura, activated.

This talent, which was originally from the Divine Dragon Compendium, could emit an aura that targeted scale-type companion beasts.

The water dragon was a bit suspicious. Why was this human in front of him different from the usual ants?

Before it could think further, the human in front of him didn't say much, and then, with a splash, he jumped directly from the surface of the water and dived into the river.

Under the slightly hot weather, the cool river water of the Water Core refreshed Su Ping's mind and body.

With the double talents of Underwater Breathing and Dragon Aura, Su Ping's actions underwater were no different from those on land.

The aquatic companion beasts in the dark water, under the influence of the Dragon Aura, didn't dare to approach at all.

Of course, compared to Su Ping's weak Dragon Aura, the true Dragon Aura was still superior, and it was carried by the water dragon as it followed the Ray Saint into the water.

Those companion beasts in the water didn't even dare to resist, let alone escape, and could only shiver in the water.

The water dragon disdainfully glanced at these creatures, and then followed Su Ping, passing through the water barrier and arriving before the huge, enclosed group of rainbow corals.

Then, under the Ray Saint's soul command, he suppressed all of his Dragon Aura.

The colorful rainbow light illuminated the underwater area, making it even more dazzling than the land above.

It was like a giant neon light shining.

Compared to when Su Ping first found the rainbow coral worm, the scale of the rainbow coral had almost doubled.

The normal secretion speed was naturally not this fast.

This was the result of some special methods Su Ping found in the Breeder Association, using some valuable resources to feed the coral.

So, when it sensed Su Ping's aura, the rainbow coral's aurora flashed even faster, as if welcoming Su Ping's arrival.

However, Su Ping's mind moved, and he took out something from the Beastmaster Space.

Although the first stage of the rainbow dragon's evolution was so simple that even Su Ping didn't expect it, it wasn't as easy as letting the water dragon eat the coral worm.

There was still some preparation needed.

This was a strange flame.

Or rather, a seed that glowed with a faint blue light.

Its grade wasn't high, just a Marquis-level resource called the Lustrous Star.

It was a rare light-type resource.

But its function was actually quite simple; it could absorb and condense light into a physical form.

It was rarely used in companion beast cultivation.

However, at this moment, it was an essential item.

"Little one, I'm not playing a joke on you. I have a good grasp of this."

The mental communication wave passed through the coral group in the water and reached the heart of the rainbow coral worm.

The intelligence of insect-type companion beasts was naturally not impressive, and although the rainbow coral worm was rare, its grade was still low.

However, with a bit of understanding, it should be able to comprehend some things.

The Lustrous Star slowly bloomed, and then Su Ping took out the specially made food that he had been feeding this little creature.

And it was a specially made food with added energy.

As expected, after a while, a small figure crawled out from the crevices and holes of the coral reef, slowly making its way into Su Ping's palm.

This was a small worm, only the size of a normal person's thumb, but the colorful light it emitted was truly dazzling.

A mature rainbow coral worm was indeed a treasure for aquatic companion beasts in the water.

And at this moment, it lay obediently in Su Ping's hand as the water flowed around it.

The Ray Saint watched Su Ping with great interest.

In that instant, he suddenly felt that perhaps the little creature in front of him wasn't joking around.

Perhaps he wasn't just experimenting with such a precious little thing; maybe he really had some confidence?

As expected, the Lustrous Star appeared in Su Ping's hand, and as the rainbow coral worm was still enjoying the delicious food, the colorful aurora that bloomed from its body instantly enveloped it.

Under the influence of the Lustrous Star, this colorful aurora seemed to transform from light into a solid substance.

It became an opaque, colorful light shield, firmly enclosing the rainbow coral worm within.

But it wasn't over yet.

Su Ping once again broke off a piece from the huge rainbow coral reef beside him, and together with the light shield that enveloped the rainbow coral worm like a cocoon, it formed a 'coral egg' the size of a human head. Only then did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Then, he looked at the water dragon in the water beside him.

The Ray Saint extended his finger, and the water around them instantly parted, creating a blank space. Then, he spoke: "Su Ping, is this what you eat?"

Su Ping looked at the large water dragon under the Ray Saint's feet.

It was clear that the water dragon was reluctant to swallow such a large stone.

But when Su Ping called out 'dragon', this guy looked at him with satisfaction.

This water dragon, who had a high opinion of himself, even more so than Da Huang, opened his mouth, which was also formed by water flow elements, and swallowed the rainbow coral worm into his body.

Splash!

The water dragon, carrying Su Ping and the Ray Saint, returned to the shore from the Water Core.

The two of them and the dragon were clearly waiting at this moment.

And finally, the Ray Saint couldn't help but ask: "Su Ping, tell me the truth. Are you sure about this method you've been researching? How confident are you?"

Su Ping nodded without blushing, acknowledging his achievement, and then said, "If you're asking about the success of the evolution, I'm seven to eight-tenths confident. But whether this evolved form can further evolve into a true rainbow dragon, I can't say for sure.

(End of Chapter)The Ray Saint gave him a peculiar look. When did he ever say that it could potentially evolve into a Rainbow Dragon in the future?

The Four Seas Dragon Palace has researched this extensively, and if it weren't for the Dragon Gate's ability to detect the Rainbow Coral Worm's potential for dragon transformation, the Dragon Palace would have likely given up long ago.

This kid is quite bold with his words.

However, what are the chances of a successful evolution?

"You seem pretty confident. Tell me about it."

Su Ping didn't hold back. Regarding the cultivation direction and philosophy, with the answers at hand, it's not a matter of saying whatever he wants. "It's simple. After observing the numerous evolution and cultivation attempts by the Four Seas Dragon Palace, I noticed that the successful evolution cases of the Rainbow Coral Worm all occurred during the cocoon evolution process.

Although the Rainbow Coral Worm is rare and extraordinary, it's still an insect at the end of the day.

For insect-type companion beasts, metamorphosis or molting after cocooning is an inevitable process. This is the evolutionary principle of insect-type companion beasts."

The Ray Saint nodded in agreement.

Su Ping continued, "Therefore, the evolution of the Rainbow Coral Worm must take the form of cocoon evolution. There are many theories about this type of evolution, so I don't need to elaborate. Using the Lustrous Star and the food I fed it previously as the energy and cocoon resources for condensation, we can achieve two goals at once, and the attributes are perfectly compatible.

This can also be seen from the cultivation logs of the Four Seas Dragon Palace. Using light-based resources for cultivation enhancement is more effective compared to water-based resources. But what truly makes me uncertain is the connection with dragons.

In the cultivation logs, there were attempts to use dragon blood and various other dragon-related resources, but the results were mediocre. However, one essential condition for the evolution of the Rainbow Coral Worm is the presence of dragon breath.

Without dragon breath, despite the Rainbow Coral Worm's rarity, if it were cultivated solely using the basic insect evolution method of breaking out of a cocoon, someone would have likely succeeded by now. But that hasn't happened.

On the contrary, there are a few successful evolution cases of the Rainbow Coral Worm within the Four Seas Dragon Palace, although the final evolved forms... emmm... are not ideal. Nonetheless, this proves that dragon breath is necessary for the evolution of the coral worm."

Su Ping's explanation was subtle, but the Ray Saint understood.

Among the numerous evolution attempts by the Four Seas Dragon Palace, some might have improved the Rainbow Coral Worm, but certain abilities of the worm were lost during these evolution cases.

For example, the most crucial ability, the skill to radiate a rainbow aurora that merges with water, and the ability to secrete rainbow coral, were both missing in some cases.

Initially, the evolution and cultivation of the Rainbow Coral Worm were indeed very problematic.

However, what surprised the Ray Saint was that Su Ping had analyzed and deduced so much from these observations.

"In my opinion, those evolutions were too aggressive, resulting in an overly strong dragon breath. This completely erased the original traits of the Rainbow Coral Worm in a single evolution. Consequently, the evolved abilities of those coral worms were altered.

This might seem like a positive aspect from the perspective of dragon evolution, but it's the opposite. During the initial stages of evolution, when the Rainbow Coral Worm is at its weakest, the infusion of relatively powerful abilities that must be adapted to completely embrace the dragon breath causes these mottled abilities to affect the worm's foundation at the very beginning.

How can we expect the Rainbow Coral Worm to evolve into a true Divine Dragon with dual attributes of light and water under these circumstances? It's impossible to achieve evolution when its inherent abilities are already compromised.

Therefore, in my view, the first evolution of the Rainbow Coral Worm must involve dragon breath, but not excessively. A slight exposure to a water dragon of the same attribute, acting as an external wrapping entanglement for the 'surrogate' during the 'cocoon' stage, should be sufficient.

This method may seem risky, but it's the most reasonable approach I can think of. Moreover, even if it doesn't work, there won't be any significant loss to the Rainbow Coral Worm."

Su Ping's doubts, questions, and his own solutions left the Ray Saint feeling perplexed and astonished.

Is this true?

Could the previous evolution attempts by the Four Seas Dragon Palace for the Rainbow Coral Worm have such significant drawbacks?

And this kid figured it all out in just half a month?

Not only did he understand it, but he also found what he believed to be the solution?

It's hard to believe that just these words from Su Ping could instill such inexplicable confidence in the Ray Saint.

This confidence wasn't solely about whether Su Ping could successfully evolve the Rainbow Coral Worm for the first time.

After Su Ping's explanation, even the Ray Saint couldn't find a reason for the evolution to fail.

His confidence was in the potential existence of a dragon breed, the Rainbow Dragon, which the Four Seas Dragon Palace had previously theorized, and whether this kid could cultivate it.

A rare dual-attribute dragon breed of light and water!

If it's proven that it can be cultivated, not only the Four Seas Dragon Palace but the entire Dragon City would be shaken, right?

But whether it's truly possible isn't something that can be said lightly.

This time, the Ray Saint didn't say much more. Instead, his eyes darted around as he began planning something else.

The next moment, after nearly half an hour of waiting, the Water Dragon named Shang Shan, who had been somewhat bored on the shore, suddenly changed its 'expression.'

Before the two could react, it quickly opened its mouth and sprayed out a water bubble formed by a seven-colored light.

In the next instant, along with the radiant core of light, a ball of light containing the breath and glow of evolution was expelled from its mouth.

It gently landed on the shore of the Water Core.

The Ray Saint's eyes locked onto the radiant object, and even though he had guessed it, he still found it unbelievable:

The Rainbow Coral Worm had actually started evolving!

Could the kid's theory be correct?!

End of Chapter

Chapter end