"Spiny Sea Lizard, Needle Burst! Water Cannon! Rolling Spike Attack!"
On the icy surface, a white-bellied sea lizard covered in gray-brown scales and sharp spikes had practically turned into a turret, unleashing attacks without pause.
On the other side, Jiang Xing tumbled and scrambled, fleeing in a sorry state.
Wait—Senior, didn't you say you'd go easy on me? Why are you suddenly calling out full attack combos?!
So this is what you meant by holding back—Water Cannon?!
Jiang Xing did everything he could, sliding across the ice to escape, on the verge of tears.
Su Muli's Pet Beasts all had Power Levels at Monarch Level or above. The Golden-Patterned Koi she had just contracted was only at Awakening Level, nowhere near enough to fight the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling.
So, she had specifically brought over a Pet Beast from her research institute—
This Spiny Sea Lizard, the base form of the Storm Sea Lizard.
At first, Jiang Xing really thought she was going easy on him. After all, without a contract, the coordination between Beast Tamer and Pet Beast would be weaker, and commands couldn't be transmitted instantly through a mental link…
But in the end, she gave him a harsh lesson in what true control looked like.
Even relying only on verbal commands, she still predicted all of Jiang Xing's actions, issuing instructions almost simultaneously and countering his moves perfectly, completely suppressing the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling's techniques…
If Jiang Xing hadn't worn the Macho Brace for over a week—improving his physique and making his body far more agile—he would have already been knocked into the water and defeated on the spot.
"Not bad physique," Su Muli praised lightly. "Next comes the finishing blow."
"Spiny Sea Lizard—Storm Crash!"
"LIZARD!!"
The Spiny Sea Lizard charged violently, turning into a gray blur as it slammed toward Jiang Xing.
To protect him, the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling immediately used Tackle, flying forward to intercept.
The two collided—clearly, the Spiny Sea Lizard's move was stronger. The Rainbow Dragon Hatchling was sent flying, its aura weakening, its body covered in wounds.
At that moment, Jiang Xing shouted—
"Dragonling!!"
In that instant, the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling opened its eyes. Within them, battle intent burned as its entire body erupted in radiant light—
In a flash, Unceasing Heart activated. Not only did its injuries rapidly heal, but its stamina was restored to its peak.
"Mu!!"
With a dragon's cry, it twisted midair and charged back at the Spiny Sea Lizard!
Bang!
The speed was too fast—before the Spiny Sea Lizard could react, it was sent flying a considerable distance.
"So this is Unceasing Heart?"
Su Muli had already read the thesis and knew the talent's effect.
But seeing the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling truly return from the brink—and at full condition—still left her inwardly astonished.
Pet Beasts possessed all kinds of abilities, including techniques that healed injuries and restored stamina.
Beast Tamers could also use similar items.
But a talent like this—one that locked in a full recovery in desperate situations—was far more outrageous than any of those.
"That's right! This is the unyielding heart born from a Golden-Patterned Koi that overcame its limits and leapt past the Dragon Gate!" Jiang Xing slid to a stop and shouted, "Go, Dragonling—True Dragon Dance!"
The original Dragon Ritual Dance involved mimicking the form of a soaring Azure Dragon, performing a ritual dance to gain boosts in strength and speed.
But after evolving, the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling had already become a true dragon-type Pet Beast, possessing a form similar to the Azure Dragon.
Thus, the Dragon Ritual Dance had transformed into True Dragon Dance.
By flying in a unique trajectory, it not only increased strength and speed for a short time, but also became a powerful charging attack—
There was no need to worship a true dragon.
It had already become one.
"Spiny Sea Lizard, use Needle Burst to interrupt its flight!"
Almost simultaneously with Jiang Xing's command, Su Muli issued her own.
A single full recovery wasn't anything unusual—plenty of opponents in matches used full-restoration items.
Knowing the talent's effect, she had deliberately conserved enough stamina for the Spiny Sea Lizard to deal with it…
And sure enough—
Su Muli's command ability was completely overwhelming.
Even after the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling returned to full condition, it was defeated again not long after.
"Dragonling, hold on!"
"Mu!!"
At Jiang Xing's shout, Unceasing Heart activated again.
Battle intent ignited—rising once more!
Su Muli frowned slightly. Two consecutive activations made this talent far more troublesome…
As expected, Jiang Xing's Rainbow Dragon Hatchling—being the first Golden-Patterned Koi to leap the Dragon Gate—possessed an unimaginably firm will. It wouldn't go down so easily.
Fortunately, each activation of Unceasing Heart drastically reduced its probability of triggering again.
It had already activated twice…
"Dragonling, believe in yourself!"
"Mu!!"
Watching the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling return to the battlefield once more—
Not just Su Muli—
Even the Spiny Sea Lizard was starting to go numb. Its will to fight plummeted.
What the hell is this thing?! Why won't it stay down?!
Facing a third revival, even a master of stamina management like the Spiny Sea Lizard began to tire.
Jiang Xing finally got a chance to breathe—and even started directing counterattacks, targeting Su Muli herself—
Chivalry? No way. Time for Senior to experience what it's like to scramble around on the ground!
However, Su Muli's combat experience was rich. She excelled at preserving herself under wild battle rules and had undergone systematic training—her physique was far superior to Jiang Xing's current state.
Gliding across the ice, she calmly evaded attack after attack. Rather than looking disheveled, it was almost like she was dancing.
Under her control, the Spiny Sea Lizard exhausted itself to finally drain the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling's stamina for a fourth time.
This time—even if the theoretical trigger probability was extremely low—Su Muli didn't dare trust probability anymore.
Just before the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling completely ran out of stamina, she gave the command—
"Spiny Sea Lizard—Intimidate!"
Unceasing Heart was a talent rooted in willpower.
Which meant—
If the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling could be made to feel fear or hesitation, weakening its fighting spirit, the activation probability would drop significantly.
At that moment, the Spiny Sea Lizard flared all its spikes and let out a roar filled with genuine ferocity!
This was a move capable of frightening enemies into retreat.
And against the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling—
It worked.
In that instant, it recalled its deepest fear—
Back in the fish pond, the frenzied jawfish tearing into koi—
And the distant, insurmountable Dragon Gate…
Fear resurfaced.
Exhausted, it began to fall toward the ice.
"Dragonling!!"
At that moment, the call echoed—not just in its ears, but in its heart.
The Rainbow Dragon Hatchling opened its eyes, seeing its slender reflection on the icy surface—and suddenly awakened.
It remembered—
It was no longer weak as before.
It had already defeated its enemies.
It had already surpassed the Dragon Gate.
It was…
A true dragon!
"MUUU!!!"
A defiant dragon's roar resounded as radiant light burst forth.
Its eyes burned with battle intent as it soared into the air.
Just as it was about to launch another attack—
It saw raised hands.
"I surrender."
Su Muli was speechless.
Four revivals. Even after being hit by Intimidate—four revivals.
Not even pretending anymore?
If you want to win that badly, fine—you take this match.
In the distance by the lakeshore, Li Lingyin watched the battlefield from afar.
She saw the older girl who had easily defeated her being overcome.
She saw the dazzling dragonling flying joyfully in the sky.
She was deeply shaken.
So this is what Beast Tamer battles are like?
Relying on an unyielding will—
Using bonds to defeat the opponent!
Teacher… she understood now.
…
On the other side of the ice, Jiang Xing looked at the flying Rainbow Dragon Hatchling and came to a realization.
Through their contract, he knew clearly—
When the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling fell for the fourth time, it was already completely spent.
Even with its will pushed to the limit, triggering the talent three times had drained it to the brink.
Instead—
It was the Spiny Sea Lizard's Intimidate that reignited its fighting spirit, allowing the fourth activation.
'Unceasing Heart is proof of the Rainbow Dragon Hatchling's will transformation—of overcoming its limits.'
'It does not fear trials of will. On the contrary, it draws strength from them.'
A flash of inspiration struck Jiang Xing.
In the Dragon Gate design he had created, the "leaping the Dragon Gate" itself had never been the true key to evolution.
The real core—
Was the courage and will of the Golden-Patterned Koi.
If a koi merely crossed the Dragon Gate without meeting the required threshold of will, it might fail to evolve.
So…
What if he added dragon pressure into the "Dragon Gate" as a trial?
Could he turn it into a true Dragon Gate—
Where any koi that successfully leaps through would guaranteed evolve?
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I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> patreon.com/TitoVillar
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