« Qin... »
Xie Jinshui était bien informé ; il comprit immédiatement que Qin Duhuang allait traverser l'Épreuve du Ciel ! Qin Duhuang allait faire sa percée, n'est-ce pas ? En plein milieu de la guerre ?! S'il réussissait, il deviendrait un guerrier aux familiers de combat légendaire !
Après l'étonnement initial, les guerriers aux familiers de combat titrés de la famille Qin furent saisis d'allégresse. La famille Qin allait avoir un guerrier aux familiers de combat légendaire ! Bien que beaucoup des leurs soient morts, y compris leur ancien chef de famille Qin Feiyu, voir Qin Duhuang percer laissait encore beaucoup de gens en larmes. Enfin, la famille Qin allait avoir un guerrier aux familiers de combat légendaire ! Boum~~ ! De sombres nuages s'amassèrent et le tonnerre gronda. On aurait dit que le Serpent Ailé se rappelait quelque chose d'horrible. Sifflant, le Serpent Ailé fit demi-tour et s'enfuit au lieu de s'approcher de Qin Duhuang. Peu après, le Serpent Ailé avait fui les sombres nuages. Debout sous les sombres nuages se tenaient Qin Duhuang et les autres guerriers aux familiers de combat titrés de la famille Qin. Qin Duhuang était mécontent de voir ce Serpent Ailé fuir. Cependant, il ne le poursuivit pas. Il pouvait dire que les sombres nuages s'étaient verrouillés sur lui. Le sentiment indicible dans son esprit lui disait comment traverser l'Épreuve du Ciel.
« Il faut que vous sortiez d'ici ! » cria Qin Duhuang aux gens autour de lui. Les guerriers aux familiers de combat titrés de la famille Qin reprirent leurs esprits. Ils se hâtèrent tous de s'éloigner, de peur que leur présence n'interfère avec Qin Duhuang. Ils avaient entendu certains secrets sur l'Épreuve du Ciel.
Finalement, la famille Qin allait avoir un guerrier aux familiers de combat légendaire !
S'ils devenaient la cause de l'échec de Qin Duhuang, ils passeraient le reste de leur vie dans la misère.
Alors que les guerriers aux familiers de combat titrés de la famille Qin quittaient la zone, les sombres nuages grossirent de plus en plus vite, atteignant bientôt plusieurs milliers de mètres de diamètre.
Des éclairs zébrèrent les sombres nuages. La lourde pression fit sentir à Qin Duhuang qu'il était forcé d'affronter le ciel et la terre tout seul. C'était l'Épreuve du Ciel. Il regarda vers le ciel. Roooar !
Une bête hurla au loin.
Qin Duhuang regarda autour de lui. Le Scorpion Tempête se précipitait vers lui. Derrière lui, cet énorme mammouth gisait au sol, immobile.
Le Scorpion Tempête avait-il gagné ? Qin Duhuang fut heureux de ne voir que quelques blessures sur le Scorpion Tempête. Il ne savait pas que le roi des bêtes que lui avait vendu était si redoutable. Le Scorpion Tempête n'avait pas seulement contenu le mammouth, il l'avait réellement tué. « C'est le moment idéal. Viens te joindre à moi ! » cria Qin Duhuang. Il n'avait aucune idée s'il survivrait à l'épreuve. Il ne s'y était jamais préparé car il n'avait jamais pensé avoir une chance de son vivant. Boum- !
Les sombres nuages étaient prêts. Le diamètre avait atteint environ cinq mille mètres. Un tourbillon apparut au milieu des sombres nuages. Un épais éclair était prêt à frapper.
Qin Duhuang cria en mobilisant sa puissance astrale. Il emprunta de l'énergie au Scorpion Tempête via la synchronisation d'énergie. Il brandit à nouveau son épée.
Avec un boum, l'éclair craqua, entourant Qin Duhuang d'innombrables étincelles électriques. L'électricité le choqua jusqu'à l'engourdir. Il agita à nouveau son épée, voyant que le second éclair arrivait. Boum ! Boum ! Le troisième éclair suivit de près le second. Roooar !
Le Scorpion Tempête bondit vers l'éclair. L'énergie du Scorpion Tempête se transforma en une tempête qui dispersa l'éclair. L'éclair disparut, révélant Qin Duhuang. Il était sur le dos du Scorpion Tempête, à genou. Ses cheveux étaient en désordre et il devait s'appuyer sur l'épée dans sa main.
Les éclairs continuaient de tomber. « Monsieur... »
Les guerriers aux familiers de combat titrés de la famille Qin regardaient nerveusement.
Si Qin Duhuang échouait, sa chance de devenir un guerrier aux familiers de combat légendaire serait perdue ! De plus en plus d'éclairs s'abattaient. Qin Duhuang sentit qu'il allait exploser ; il était incapable de rassembler plus de force. Il lutta pour regarder vers le ciel, ne voyant que davantage d'éclairs s'abattre.
Roooar !
Une silhouette cramoisie sauta vers le ciel. C'était le Singe de Feu Féroce. Il se jeta sur l'éclair et fut ensuite écrasé au sol.
Un autre éclair allait tomber. Cette fois, ce fut le dragon qui intervint pour le bloquer.
Tout comme le Singe de Feu Féroce, le dragon mugit en encaissant l'éclair pour Qin Duhuang. Les guerriers aux familiers de combat titrés qui étaient occupés à se battre ne purent s'empêcher de jeter un coup d'œil. Assister à une personne traversant l'Épreuve du Ciel les inspirerait plus tard. Qin Duhuang fut ému en voyant que le dragon et le Singe de Feu Féroce l'aidaient. Il rassembla toute sa force et cria vers le ciel. Boum ! !
L'éclair s'abattit sur lui. Qin Duhuang et le Scorpion Tempête sur lequel il se tenait accueillirent la frappe de l'éclair ensemble. La lumière éblouissante illumina ciel et terre. Alors que le dernier éclair tombait, Qin Duhuang et le Scorpion Tempête s'effondrèrent au sol. Il y avait plusieurs marques de brûlure sur la carapace du Scorpion Tempête. Même s'il était un roi des bêtes, l'Épreuve du Ciel était trop forte pour lui. Les sombres nuages se dissipèrent. Enfin, c'était fini. À cet instant, un filament de force descendit des sombres nuages et pénétra en Qin Duhuang avant qu'il ne puisse réagir. C'était une force qu'il n'avait jamais connue auparavant ; elle s'infiltra dans tous les recoins de son corps et sa puissance astrale bouillonna. Qin Duhuang se regarda. Les brûlures sur sa peau guérissaient rapidement. Pendant ce temps, la force qui entrait en lui était vaste et majestueuse. Une aura extraordinaire émanait de lui. Rang légendaire ! Qin Duhuang lui-même fut surpris. Était-ce là la force d'un guerrier aux familiers de combat légendaire ?
Majestueuse comme la mer, vaste, sans fin ! Il sentit qu'il pouvait même contrôler le vide !
Éblouissant ! C'était ce dont il avait rêvé !
« Ah !! »
Qin Duhuang ne put s'empêcher de crier. Il ne s'était jamais senti si libéré. Il était capable de saisir à volonté toute l'énergie stockée dans le ciel et la terre.
Après s'être calmé, la première chose qu'il fit fut de jeter un coup d'œil au Serpent Ailé au loin. Déterminé, Qin Duhuang dirigea le Scorpion Tempête vers l'endroit où se trouvait le Serpent Ailé. Le roi des bêtes sauvage était moins apeuré depuis que l'épreuve était terminée. Il chargea en avant en voyant Qin Duhuang et le Scorpion Tempête approcher. Bang !
Le Scorpion Tempête généroura deux ouragans dans les airs avec ses pinces. À son commandement, les deux ouragans fouettèrent le Serpent Ailé. Qin Duhuang était plein d'intention de tuer. Il partagea sa puissance astrale avec le Scorpion Tempête qu'il chevauchait.
Roooar !
Le Scorpion Tempête devint plus puissant que jamais. Il accéléra jusqu'à devenir un flou pour s'écraser sur le Serpent Ailé. Le familier attrapa la bête ailée avec ses pinces et l'arracha du ciel. Le Serpent Ailé se tortilla et s'enroula autour du Scorpion Tempête. Debout sur le mur d'enceinte, Xie Jinshui était aux anges après avoir vu Qin Duhuang réussir. Il était encore plus heureux de voir que le familier de combat de Qin Duhuang prenait clairement le dessus. Soulagé, Xie Jinshui ordonna aux autres de faire de leur mieux pour contenir le Dragon Flamme Cyan. Les guerriers aux familiers de combat titrés des autres cités-base étaient stupéfaits et ravis d'avoir vu l'Esprit Furieux atteindre le rang légendaire aujourd'hui. Ils se battirent encore plus fort. Dès que Qin Duhuang aurait achevé ce Serpent Ailé, il pourrait les rejoindre et achever le Dragon Flamme Cyan ensemble ! Le côté est était sécurisé ! « Nous avons un guerrier aux familiers de combat légendaire. Chargez !! » « Les gars, tuons ces salauds ! » Le moral et l'esprit des guerriers montaient ; ils invoquèrent plus de familiers de combat et se battirent de toutes leurs forces. Les bêtes sauvages qui s'étaient jetées sur les pics de pierre furent forcées de s'arrêter. D'innombrables cadavres gisaient au sol, y compris ceux de bêtes sauvages, d'humains ainsi que de familiers de combat. Tandis que les bêtes sauvages subissaient de lourdes pertes, un guerrier humain mourait chaque seconde !
Wild beasts and battle pets were nothing different, except that the former was wild and the latter domesticated, having also befriended humans. In that battle, corpses piled together and blood flowed in a stream. Xie Jinshui was even calmer by then. He was able to see in the distance how Qin Duhuang and the Storm Scorpion had gained complete control over the Winged Serpent which was riddled with wounds. Come on, Qin! Xie Jinshui prayed. While everything seemed to have been stabilized, people heard some shouts all of a sudden. Following that, behind the wild beasts, the ground cracked; a gigantic creature emerged from that fissure, one that looked like a centipede. As soon as the huge centipede appeared, it swooped down on two titled battle pet warriors which soon cried out in pain; that was the only thing that could ever come out of their mouths. Their battle pets stopped fighting and stood among the wild beasts, confused. That was the outcome when battle pets lost their bond with their masters.
Everyone on the battlefield was scared and pale. Xie Jinshui could hardly believe that. Beast kings again? There were two of them!!
Were all five beast kings attacking the east side?
It was unlikely!
Were they never able to detect all the beast kings? Xie Jinshui was trembling, in anger and fear. The titled battle pet warriors were stunned into stillness.
They were having a hard time as it was, just to stall one Cyan Flame Dragon. How come there were two more? How should they continue? Many people had given up hope. The Qins' titled warriors who had returned to help were in despair. Qin Duhuang had broken through to the legendary rank but he could not stop so many beast kings!
How could all five beast kings be there at the same time? They had heard that the north side also had beast kings!
Qin Duhuang, who was still fighting that Winged Serpent, was alerted by the two shouts. Startled, he took a look and what he saw threw him into endless despair.
He could not help but shout, “That is not possible...”
On the outer wall, after being dazed for a moment, Xie Jinshui came back to his senses. He took out his phone and called his contacts on the other sides.
If the other sides didn’t have to deal with beast kings, he could mobilize some people to have them help out! “General Lin, how is the north side?” “Sir, we have... three beast kings here!”
Clap.
The phone was dropped. Xie Jinshui’s head was blank. Three beast kings on the north side? Five were here. That would make the total number of beast kings... eight! He had not even checked with the south and west side yet! “Why? Why are there so many beast kings?” Xie Jinshui was having a mental breakdown. Eight beast kings and the Otherworld Heavenly King would easily topple a Class A base city! Why would so many beast kings gather to attack the Longjiang Base City?!
He could not understand!
The Longjiang Base City was just an ordinary tier-two base city! Why were so many beast kings here?
Roar!
Roar!!
Xie Jinshui could not take it. As the two beast kings joined in, the wild beasts that had slowed down launched another round of vicious attacks.
The two beast kings cleared up the path like two tanks.
The titled battle pet warriors and their battle pets at the ninth rank were unable to stop the two beasts at all. The volunteering titled warriors from other base cities didn’t know each other well; they couldn’t have built a formation or cooperated as the Qin family did. They had to face the beast kings alone. Soon, some titled battle pet warriors were slaughtered by the beast kings! The two beast kings charged forth. The titled battle pet warriors had to retreat as they fought. There was nothing they could do! In the distance, Qin Duhuang was losing patience. He wanted to go and help but the Winged Serpent had not died yet, even though it was overwhelmed. After all, it was a beast king, a creature that would not die so easily. It would take him a long time to finish it. Boom~~!
While everyone was at a loss, the ground began to shake.
Even the outer wall was shaking! To their dismay, people saw another massive thing running toward them from inside the base city. The energy readings of that thing told people that it was another beast king!
“Have the beast kings... breached the city?”
That was what many were thinking. However, the next second, that behemoth jumped up to the sky and a stone column grew under its feet. The beast king flew over the outer wall and joined the battle outside. “...Mr. Su?”
Xie Jinshui recognized that beast king.
It was ’s ride!
The Qin family and the government’s titled battle pet warriors recognized the beast king as well. Was going to help them? They looked for but they didn’t see
him.
Beep.
Xie Jinshui’s phone was ringing on the ground. He picked it up in a hurry. The call was from “Sir, I heard that there are three beast kings in the east. I’m afraid that is too much for you so I sent over my ride. Has it arrived?” sounded worried. Xie Jinshui was brought to tears. It turned out that had already sent over his battle pet when three beast kings had appeared on the east side. ’s battle pet just didn’t get there that quickly. probably had not been told that there were five, not three beast kings on the east side!
But Xie Jinshui didn’t tell him that. He took a deep breath and said, “Mr. Su, thank you. Your battle pet has just arrived. Qin just broke through to the legendary rank. I think we may be able to save the east side!” “... Legendary rank?” While he sat in the Pixie Pet Store, could hardly believe what he had just heard. Qin Duhuang made the breakthrough. What a surprise. Also, if he did, that would mean that he would be able to control a battle pet at the Void State!
was overjoyed. He had a beast king at the Void State!
But he couldn’t transport that beast king to the outer wall, so Qin Duhuang would have to go to his store and buy it. But at the moment, didn’t think Qin Duhuang would have any time. He wondered if the wild beasts would stop for a while; that would give Qin Duhuang a chance to go to the store and buy the battle pet.
“When things stabilize over there and Mr. Qin has time, tell him to come to my store. I will give him another beast king,” said.
Xie Jinshui was stunned. Another beast king?
had other beast kings?
Even though he was shocked, Xie Jinshui said yes on behalf of Qin Duhuang at once. He hung up the phone. The Swamp War Crocodile had jumped outside of the wall. It stomped on the wild beasts and charged toward the two beast kings.
The three beast kings broke into a big fight. The ground trembled. The wind howled. The sky crackled!
The three beast kings were using all sorts of legendary skills against each other. The destruction was happening at such a scale that no other wild beasts dared to get close. The space would be cleared wherever the three beast kings moved to fight. Qin Duhuang was relieved to see the Swamp War Crocodile. To his amazement, he realized that while fighting against two, the Swamp War Crocodile was gaining upper hand!
Beast kings were not all alike. Qin Duhuang had not been able to tell before that day.
But that beast king was vastly more powerful than his Storm Scorpion!
That Swamp War Crocodile was too awesome!
It was ’s ride!
The titled battle pet warriors from other base cities were frightened by the crocodile and only then did they realize the beast was on their side.
The local battle pet warriors had heard things about the crocodile and they could have a faint idea about the master of the crocodile. Everyone was thinking that the Longjiang Base City’s demise was just around the corner. However, at this critical time, it turned out that other strong forces were hiding in the base city!
Whose battle pet was that?
It was clear that it didn’t belong to Qin Duhuang, who had just reached the legendary rank. Otherwise, he would have summoned it right away. Could there be another legendary battle pet warrior in the Longjiang Base City?
Once again, some battle pet warriors who had been thinking about retreating because of the desperate situation were feeling hopeful again. Charge! Charge!!
Everyone was shouting. The battle pet warriors’ morale was rising, thanks to the sight of the Swamp War Crocodile overwhelming two beast kings. Emboldened by this, all the titled battle pet warriors charged at the wild beasts and began a killing spree.
At the store inside the base city. was sitting in the store with Tang Ruyan, Zhong Lingtong, and a Zhong family elder.
Of the trois Zhong family elders that had visited the base city, two had gone to help while another stayed behind in the store. To be exact, he was just there for Zhong Lingtong. If and when the Longjiang Base City was breached, he would take Zhong Lingtong away with him at once.
Sitting with them were some government operatives and some devices. The operatives would inform as soon as they detected the presence of the Otherworld Heavenly King. was able to learn about the situation outside thanks to them. He ordered the Swamp War Crocodile to help as soon as three beast kings appeared on the east side. Just after he finished the call with Xie Jinshui, the operatives told him that there were two more beast kings on the east side! “Three at the north and five at the east, two at the west and one at the south!” ’s face became clouded. The temperature in the store began to freeze.
Silence prevailed.
The operatives wore grave expressions.
The Zhong family elder was so afraid that he was barely able to breathe.
Up until that moment, there were eleven beast kings in total! However, the Otherworld Heavenly King had yet to make an appearance! The number of beast kings had more than doubled!
There were eleven beast kings! Even a top-level base city would have to think about evacuating and relocating its residents in such a situation. A base city would need several legendary battle pet warriors to survive such a disaster!
Also, the legendary battle pet warriors would have to be at a senior level, not new ones like Qin Duhuang! After all, the new legendary battle pet warriors lacked experience and beast kings as their battle pets. But some senior legendary battle pet warriors would only have beast kings as battle pets! One legendary battle pet warrior was able to sign contracts with ten pets!
A senior legendary battle pet warrior could have 10 beast kings as battle pets and together they would be able to survive in such a situation!
“On the east side, we have Qin Duhuang, the Storm Scorpion and the Swamp War Crocodile; they can count as three legendary battle pet warriors. The Swamp War Crocodile should be able to stabilize things soon. The east side is ok...”
took a deep breath. He opened a swirl. The Dark Dragon Hound jumped out. While hesitating, made up his mind eventually. “Go to the north side and help the Ye family.”
The Dark Dragon Hound understood the order. It woofed, as a way of saying yes. patted its head and told it to leave right away. He had to. The Ye family would be unable to deal with three beast kings alone! The Ye family had one beast king but it was merely at the Ocean State; not quite powerful. The best that beast king could do was to stop one beast king. The remaining two beast kings could cripple the defense of the north side. didn’t send out the Inferno Dragon because he was worried.
He was worried that without him there, his battle pets would meet mishaps.
He wasn’t worried about the Swamp War Crocodile.
But the Inferno Dragon had just reached the beast king level. He was afraid that the Inferno Dragon could be killed by other beast kings without him on the site.
He was less afraid about the Dark Dragon Hound which was an expert in running away and in using defensive skills. It might not be able to kill the beast kings but it would protect itself well!