Chapter 111: Chapter 101 Rare Evolution (Part 1)

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But only Chen Xing truly understood that Taotie had already grown to its limit.

By the time winter vacation began, Taotie had reached the Energy Level limit of 38.

Since that day, the nutrient absorption from Intermediate Carnivorous Pet Food ceased to increase its Energy Level; instead, all excess nutrition went towards pushing its physical limits, doubling its growth rate each day.

It stopped growing only when it reached 22 meters, surpassing the minimum standard for rare evolution.

Unfortunately, it seemed unable to exceed the record set by Old Master Qiu’s Azure Sea Emperor Crocodile from his youth—a body length of 24 meters. It appears that the old master’s crocodile indeed had an exceptional talent.

Now, there might be only one way for Taotie to continue breaking through its size limit—wait for steak.

But with steak, body length would increase tenfold.

If Taotie grew to 25 meters, or even 30 meters or 40 meters, one could simply claim it had exceptional talent.

But growing to over 200 meters would be truly hard to explain…

Such a significant change in size would be too exaggerated, and Chen Xing never considered everyone around him a fool. The Stone Booklet was the foundation of his integrity; it couldn’t be exposed.

So Chen Xing was also waiting for a “suitable” opportunity, for Taotie to “reasonably” mutate.

Besides, without Intermediate Carnivorous Pet Food, Taotie’s aptitude was just average, showing a standard growth rate and ranking only as mediocre in his class.

It was the bloodline enhancement effect of the Intermediate Carnivorous Pet Food that slowly improved its aptitude, gradually raising it to its current level.

At the banquet, Chen Xing saw Qiu Qingqing, Old Master Qiu’s granddaughter, again.

Throughout the meal, Qiu Qingqing kept looking at Chen Xing, which didn’t inflate his confidence; he simply guessed that maybe as an outsider who visited her home frequently, he was causing her discomfort.

After the meal, when Qiu Qingqing came to chat with Chen Xing, he learned the reason.

“Last time during the Chuzhou Cup, even my dad went to watch your competition. Everyone says your Beast is very strong, so I want to feel it myself,” said Qiu Qingqing, her eyes full of fighting spirit.

“Alright, young Chen, give this young lady a lesson, so she doesn’t come across so haughty,” Old Master Qiu said.

“Hmm, I’m not weak. This year I won second place in the Chuzhou Cup, and you better be careful, my Beast is at full Energy Level,” Qiu Qingqing said with full confidence.

Chen Xing wasn’t surprised that Qiu Qingqing’s Beast Tamed creature was at full Energy Level; what was unexpected was that it had not evolved, “What grade are you in this year?” Chen Xing asked hesitantly.

“I’m in my second year of high school,” said Qiu Qingqing, who looked quite spirited, frankly.

“That’s very impressive,” Chen Xing sincerely praised. In the same second year of high school, Tian Xuechuan’s Beast was still at Energy Level 34, a whole four levels below Qiu Qingqing’s.

However, Qiu Qingqing felt that Chen Xing was mocking her.

After a moment of silence, Qiu Qingqing stared at Chen Xing and said, “My Beast Taming hasn’t been fast. I know some people’s Beasts have evolved once by their second year of high school. You’re a whole year younger than me, and your Beast Taming speed has caught up with mine, but I have the advantage of my family’s resources. If I’m considered impressive, then what are you?”

After thinking it over, Chen Xing honestly answered, “More impressive?”

Qiu Qingqing found it amusing.

“But in the second year of high school, you’re the first person I’ve heard of who has raised a Beast to an Energy Level of 38,” Chen Xing said.

At the same time, he silently added in his heart, not counting Old Master Qiu and Instructor Han, whose specifics I’ve never asked about.

Qiu Qingqing narrowed her eyes.

She had seen Chen Xing’s competition, and at that time, his Beast hadn’t evolved.

“Come on, let’s have a duel between Salty Bay Crocodiles,” Qiu Qingqing said to Chen Xing.

Chen Xing nodded; he too was curious about the combat power of a Beast from a great family with the same Energy Level and Species as Taotie.

The Qiu family had a private arena for sparring, located in the center of a lake on a large island with complicated terrain, which also featured a lake within the island.

Qiu Shangqing said, “Let me be the judge for you youngsters.”

At the lake’s edge, an Azure Sea Emperor Crocodile showed half its body above the water.

Qiu Qingqing summoned her Beast, and Chen Xing saw her Salty Bay Crocodile, which was cultivated differently than his.

[Species] Salty Bay Crocodile

[Attribute] Water

[Energy Level] 38

[Energy Level Limit] 38

[Body Length] 20.3 meters

[Body Weight] 49 tons

[Skills]

Primary Skill: Bullheaded Charge (Mastered), Iron Tail (Mastered), Water Devouring (Mastered)

Intermediate Skill: Mire (Mastered), Water Curtain Splendor (Mastered)

Advanced Skill: Earth Water Prison·Punishment (Adept)

Innate Skill: Death Roll (Adept)

Aside from Water Devouring and Death Roll, the rest of the skills differed from those mastered by his Taotie, and the skill levels were not as luxurious as he had thought, lacking even a Perfect-level skill.

But considering she was only in her second year of high school, it was quite luxurious.

[Species] Salty Bay Crocodile (Taotie)

[Attribute] Water

[Energy Level] 38

[Energy Level Limit] 38

[Body Length] 22.4 meters

[Body Weight] 64 tons

[Skills]

Primary Skill: Water Devouring (Transcended)

Intermediate Skill: Great Vortex (Transcended), Water Curtain Light Armor (Mastered)

Advanced Skill: Great Flood (Mastered), Deep Sea Assault (Mastered)

Passive Skill: Water Mimicry·Calm

Innate Skill: Death Roll (Mastered)

Her Beast’s skill composition leaned more toward offense, including its only Advanced Skill, which seemed to be an offensive skill—at least by its name.

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Both intermediate skills were terrain-restriction skills; such large-scale restriction abilities typically needed to be at least intermediate, or higher, to have sufficient limiting effects.

Thus, primary skills generally tended toward practicality or offense, or they might opt for short-distance movement abilities.

As a Beast Tamer skilled with Water Element Beasts, Chen Xing naturally had a strong familiarity with water-related skills.

Just a glance was almost enough for Chen Xing to infer the opponent Beast Taming Beast’s combat style.

Chen Xing also summoned Taotie, and the opponent’s Salty Bay Crocodile paused in surprise upon seeing Taotie, seemingly confronting a member of its own species that was bigger than itself for the first time.

“Since we both have Water Element Beasts, let’s settle this battle in the lake,” Qiu Qingqing challenged Chen Xing, with a fighting spirit twinkling in her eyes.

Chen Xing nodded in agreement, and the two Beast Tamers went to a lake at the foot of the mountain, facing each other.

The lake water shimmered, reflecting their images.

Qiu Qingqing raised her right hand and held up three fingers as she began counting down. Her voice was crisp and resolute, echoing over the lake surface.

“3.”

“2.”

“1!”

“Attack!” commanded Qiu Qingqing.

Her Beast Taming Salty Bay Crocodile opened its massive mouth, while in the surrounding void around Taotie, strands of sharp water blades crisscrossed in every direction, turning the surrounding lake water into encompassing blades, unceasingly shooting blades of water from the surface. These myriad blades of water, seen from a distance, resembled a fierce rainstorm aiming at Taotie.

Qiu Qingqing kept a close eye on the battle, wondering if the opponent’s beast would be instantly defeated.

“Charge,” echoed the distant voice of Chen Xing.

Qiu Qingqing furrowed her brow. A charge? A sprinting ability? She was confident that no movement skill could break through Groundwater Prison – Execution.

A forceful charge would only result in a stronger rebound.

It seemed the battle was over.

Since the opponent’s Salty Bay Crocodile was larger than hers, she had no intention from the start of relying on the usual combat method she was most accustomed to—physical crushing.

Instead, she was prepared to wear it down first, severely injuring Chen Xing’s Salty Bay Crocodile before engaging in close combat.

But in the next moment, she witnessed the array of water blades surrounding her suddenly empt, and then the lake water surged furiously.

The previously calm lake surface suddenly bulged, and a rolling giant wave turned into an angry dragon, bursting through the cage and charging straight toward her beast.

Deep Sea Assault!? Qiu Qingqing was taken aback, immediately recognizing the skill.

How could it be this skill? Wasn’t his beast supposed to have mastered Great Flood? How did it learn a second advanced skill?

The magic power within couldn’t be enough to simultaneously release two skills!

Groundwater Prison could only imprison physical bodies, having no effect on elemental forms.

In an instant, Taotie charged in front of the other Salty Bay Crocodile, the giant wave sweeping it directly into the water.

“Iron Tail!” Qiu Qingqing gritted her teeth, decisively issuing the skill command.

What did it matter if it was a face-to-face charge; at such a close distance, Deep Sea Assault couldn’t gather enough momentum, and even if it hit her own beast, it wouldn’t suffer much damage.

Moreover, her own beast was a Water Element as well, so the impact would be further reduced.

If needed, they would just switch to close-quarters combat!

The opponent might have a bigger build but wasn’t necessarily proficient in close combat; her beast, however, had been specifically trained in close combat tactics.

Her family, dedicated to breeding Salty Bay Crocodiles for generations, naturally had specialized training in their combat techniques.

The Salty Bay Crocodile, dizzied by the giant wave, heard its master’s command through a haze and roared instinctively, swinging its tail toward Taotie.

A faint black glow emanated from the surface of the huge tail.

Taotie took the blow without a sound and twisted its head to bite fiercely at the Salty Bay Crocodile.

“Death Roll!”

Simultaneously, “Death Roll!” the voices of both tamers landed almost at the same time.

The two Salty Bay Crocodiles turned their heads toward each other at the same time, their eyes filled with rage. They opened their gaping jaws and tore viciously at one another, with the air near their mouths warping and the water churning.

But it was clear to see that the vortex of air twisting near Taotie’s mouth was significantly larger.

“It’s over,” Old Master Qiu, observing from afar, discerned the outcome at a glance.

Chen Xing’s Salty Bay Crocodile was more robust, and its proficiency in the Death Roll skill was higher.

The head of Qiu Qingqing’s Salty Bay Crocodile uncontrollably twisted to the side bit by bit.

Its small eyes bulged, desperately trying to turn its head, only to be firmly clamped down.

This was an unprecedented sensation it had never experienced before.

As a crocodile, it had been subjected to a Death Roll.

Boom!!!

A huge wave exploded on the lake surface.

The two black shadows spun wildly…

…

“Will her beast recover?” asked Chen Xing, concerned.

“No worries, it’s a crocodile, after all; losing limbs is a common occurrence. It’s just missing its jaw, which can be reattached,” Old Master Qiu was clearly a man who had weathered many storms; such minor injuries didn’t faze him.

“Let’s go, the materials for your beast’s evolution are all ready. We’re going to evolve your beast.”

Chen Xing rode on a large ship, ultimately arriving at a secluded area in the center of the lake.

At the surface of this secluded area, a slowly rotating blue Secret Realm portal appeared.

Through the portal, one could see that the Secret Realm was a continuous expanse of water and sky.

After passing through the Secret Realm portal, they arrived at its other side.

All that met the eye was a vast azure, with no land in sight.

“This Secret Realm was where I discovered the heritage of the Azure Sea Emperor Crocodile,” Old Master Qiu reminisced. Back then, their family was just an ordinary wealthy merchant household.

“There’s no land here; this Secret Realm might be a section of the ocean severed from an Exotic Region.”