Chapter 443 Little Lark Battles Seventh-Rank Amethyst! A Change of Force in a Desperate Situation, the True Dragon Appears!

Buzz!!!

The familiar sensation of spatial teleportation faded.

Jiang Yun was once again within that independent Trial Space.

The Bluestone Battle Stage beneath his feet remained the same, the energy barriers around him remained the same, and the white mist continued to churn endlessly outside the barriers.

But this time, Jiang Yun clearly felt a difference.

The bluestone ground beneath his feet was no longer the Common stone slabs from before, but was instead engraved with dense Ancient Formation Runes, each line glowing faintly and emitting a pressure from the Formation that was more than a level stronger than the fifth floor.

The murderous aura permeating the air was also more intense than ever before.

It was as if the space itself was warning intruders.

The challenge here was completely incomparable to the five floors below.

Jiang Yun stood in place, gazing calmly ahead.

Dozens of feet away, space was distorting violently.

A phantom slowly squeezed out from the distorted spatial rift, its silhouette turning from blurry to clear.

It was surprisingly a Vicious Beast phantom shaped like a cheetah but covered in dark gray scales.

Its size wasn't massive, about ten meters long, with slender and powerful limbs.

Every muscle was taut under the scales in a streamlined curve.

As if it could explode with terrifying speed at any moment.

A row of dark bone spikes grew along its spine from its head to the tip of its tail.

The tip of each bone spike glowed with a faint gray light.

Most startling were its eyes.

A pair of grayish-white vertical pupils on the left and right, with no emotional fluctuations in the pupils at all.

Only a Law power of extreme darkness flowed slowly within.

Jiang Yun's brow quirked slightly, a blue light flashed in his eyes, and Entry Manifestation was already activated.

[Shadow Hunter · Formation Projection]

[Realm]: Unactivated (Synchronizes after the Beast Tamer summons a beast)

[Attribute]: Dark

[Skills]: Shadow Shuttle, Shadow Tear, Dark Erosion Fang, Ghostly Shadow Clone, Shadow Canopy, Oblivion Strike

[Special Note]: This phantom is projected by the Ten Thousand Beast Battle Formation, perfectly replicating all the skills, attributes, and combat instincts of the Shadow Hunter during its lifetime. The phantom's Realm will be based on the highest Realm beast summoned by the Beast Tamer, increasing by nine minor stages from that baseline. This challenge is an exclusive trial for a Sun-Level treasure; no external assistance is permitted.

Jiang Yun's gaze lingered for a moment on the words "nine minor stages."

Good grief.

Nine minor stages.

The challenge for the Falling Star Rank top-tier treasure on the fourth floor was only four or five minor stages higher.

The fifth floor's Eclipsing Moon Rank treasure was six to seven minor stages higher.

This sixth floor Sun-Level challenge starts directly at nine minor stages higher.

Based on Little Skylark, who currently has the highest Realm among his beasts.

Calculating from gold rank eight peak, nine minor stages higher...

That would directly cross the threshold of Gold Rank Nine and Amethyst Rank.

Climbing all the way to Amethyst Seventh Tier.

Spanning more than an entire major Realm.

This kind of gap was no longer something a Divine Beast Bloodline could easily bridge.

Jiang Yun narrowed his eyes slightly.

With a thought...

"Little Skylark."

A silver-gray portal of light bloomed within the Trial Space, with sharp wind whistles and low thunderous rumbles pouring out simultaneously.

Little Skylark flapped its wings and flew out from the light portal, its twelve-meter wingspan unfolding in the air, its silver-gray divine feathers reflecting pale purple lightning under the dim light of the Trial Space.

Its pale gold eyes swept over the Vicious Beast phantom ahead.

It let out a low, wary, and clear cry.

The moment Little Skylark appeared.

The aura of the Shadow Hunter phantom opposite it surged wildly like a runaway horse.

Gold Rank Nine!

Amethyst Rank First Order!

Purple Crystal Second Stage!

Amethyst Tier 3!

Purple Crystal Level 4!

Purple Crystal Tier 5!

Amethyst Rank Sixth Tier...

Amethyst Seventh Tier...

That terrifying dark attribute pressure crushed down like something tangible.

The air in the entire Trial Space became thick and oppressive at this moment.

The Formation runes on the Bluestone Battle Stage flickered violently under the pressure, emitting a low buzzing sound.

Amethyst Seventh Tier.

It was exactly nine minor stages higher than Little Skylark's gold rank eight peak Realm.

An entire major Realm and nearly half another.

Jiang Yun's expression grew a bit more solemn.

This was the first time he had felt this level of oppression in the Trial Space.

The previous Vicious Beast phantoms couldn't even stand steady before Little Skylark.

They were simply vulnerable under the crushing weight of its Bloodline suppression and Wind-Thunder power.

But this one before him...

It wasn't that Little Skylark's Bloodline suppression didn't work.

Rather, the Realm gap had been stretched to an excessively wide margin.

The opponent didn't even need to compete with Bloodline.

Relying solely on its terrifying total volume of dark attribute spiritual power, it could dilute most of the Bloodline suppression's effects.

"Little Skylark."

Jiang Yun spoke within his Sea of Consciousness.

"This fellow's Realm is too high; going head-to-head might not be wise. However, your wings of the firmament can make your speed reach a level comparable to the Falling Star Rank, and it can also double your strength and defense. By using speed to maneuver and look for openings, can you kill it?"

Little Skylark's pale gold eyes were locked onto the Shadow Hunter phantom opposite it. It was silent for a breath before responding in the Sea of Consciousness.

A clear and steady Divine Thought entered Jiang Yun's mind.

"It is worth a try. Its speed is not as fast as mine, but its attack range is extremely broad. I need to first figure out its skill patterns."

"Good."

Jiang Yun nodded.

"Test its limits first; don't force a confrontation."

With a flap of its wings, Little Skylark's form suddenly turned into a blurred silver-gray stream of light, taking the initiative to attack!

It didn't use any skills.

It was just pure Wind Rush passive combined with the acceleration of Storm Wings.

But even this basic speed was already fast enough to be difficult to capture with the naked eye, leaving only a faint afterimage in mid-air.

The Shadow Hunter phantom opposite sensed Little Skylark's movement.

Its grayish-white vertical pupils suddenly constricted.

Its form suddenly vanished from where it stood.

It wasn't movement, but rather it had merged directly into the shadows beneath its feet.

Shadow Shuttle!

Little Skylark's dive missed its mark, but its reactions were extremely fast. It flapped its wings to make a sharp turn in the air while simultaneously sweeping its right wing. A blue-purple light of Wind and Thunder, like a sharp blade, slashed toward the shadows!

Within the shadows, the Shadow Hunter's form suddenly emerged.

It neither dodged nor avoided, but a thick dark light membrane suddenly rose around its dark gray scales.

Shadow Canopy!

That layer of light was like a flowing dark barrier, enveloping its entire body.

The Wind-Thunder light slashed against the Shadow Canopy, producing a dull explosion.

The light membrane shook violently, ripples spreading across its surface, but after just a breath, it returned to its original state, remaining unmoved.

And Little Skylark's attack hadn't even left a single crack in the light membrane.

Jiang Yun frowned.

Although Little Skylark's casual strike didn't involve its true form, it was still far beyond a normal attack.

Previously, on the lower floors when fighting those Vicious Beast phantoms in the same Realm or even a few minor stages higher, this level of Wind-Thunder light was enough to split an opponent in half.

But hitting this fellow's defensive skill, it didn't even leave a mark.

After the Shadow Hunter blocked this strike, a gray light flashed in its vertical pupils.

Its long tail suddenly whipped out, and dozens of pitch-black Shadow Blades shot out from the tip of its tail, raining down toward Little Skylark like a storm.

Shadow Tear!

Each Shadow Blade was about a foot long, with a thick dark attribute corrosive power swirling around the edges. They made a sizzling sound as they sliced through the air, as if even space itself was being corroded.

Little Skylark's pale gold eyes reflected the overwhelming Shadow Blades.

It flapped its wings repeatedly, its form twisting and turning in mid-air with an incredible agility.

The Wind Rush passive made its basic speed far exceed others in the same Realm.

And the active acceleration of Storm Wings was being pushed to its limit at this moment.

A silver-gray light and shadow could be seen weaving through the gaps in the sky full of dark blades.

Every turn was perfectly timed, grazing past the blade edges.

Not a single one of those many Shadow Blades managed to touch its feathers.

But Jiang Yun saw clearly that although the Little Fellow dodged beautifully, dodging and attacking were two completely different things.

Under the dense barrage of attacks, simply maintaining high-speed evasion had already consumed a large amount of its energy.

Where would it have the leeway to charge in for close-quarters output?

"Pull back and use Thunder Strike!"

Jiang Yun immediately ordered.

Hearing this, Little Skylark flapped its wings hard, its form suddenly soaring a hundred feet high, instantly escaping the range of the Shadow Blades.

The three purple feathers on its head stood tall, Wind-Thunder power gathered frantically, and a blue-purple thunder light orb rapidly formed at the tips of the feathers.

"Boom!!!"

A blue-purple thunder light pillar as thick as an arm descended from the sky, tearing through the dark space and striking directly at the Shadow Hunter below!

The Shadow Hunter's grayish-white vertical pupils narrowed slightly.

Its form merged into the shadows once again, but this time, the range of the thunder was simply too wide. Just as it entered the shadows, it was caught by the edge of the lightning and forcibly blasted out of its shadow state.

Shadow Canopy lit up once more, colliding head-on with the thunder light pillar!

"Rumble!"

The thunder crashed into the Shadow Canopy.

This time, it finally tore a small crack in the light membrane.

But as soon as the crack appeared, even more dark attribute spiritual power surged from the Shadow Hunter's body, repairing the crack in an instant.

And Little Skylark's Thunder Strike had already consumed a significant amount of spiritual power.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

Jiang Yun's gaze sank slightly.

It was effective, but the effect was negligible.

Relying solely on a war of attrition, with the Little Skylark's gold rank eight peak spiritual power reserves, it simply couldn't outlast a Vicious Beast phantom of the Amethyst Seventh Tier.

Just then, the Shadow Hunter suddenly opened its mouth.

Inside its tooth-filled maw, a cluster of pitch-black dark attribute energy was compressing frantically.

That cluster of energy was only the size of a fist.

Yet the destructive power contained within it made Jiang Yun's expression change drastically.

That aura was more terrifying than any previous attack!

"Little Skylark! Dodge!"

No sooner had Jiang Yun shouted than the black energy sphere in the Shadow Hunter's mouth shot out.

It did not fly toward the Little Skylark, but shot directly into the space above it.

The energy sphere exploded in mid-air with a boom.

It transformed into a dark shockwave that covered a radius of dozens of zhang.

It swept out in all directions, centered on the point of the explosion!

Nirvana Strike!

This move was not a targeted attack, but an area-of-effect blast!

The Shadow Hunter had clearly already judged the Little Skylark's speed advantage.

It had directly abandoned precision strikes, switching to indiscriminate area destruction!

The dark shockwave spread through the air like ripples of death.

Wherever it passed, even space itself developed fine cracks.

The Little Skylark was right in the Core Area of the shockwave's expansion.

Although it was fast, facing this kind of all-encompassing, no-blind-spot attack, dodging had become meaningless.

"Wind and Thunder Body Protection!"

Jiang Yun shouted in a deep voice.

The Wind-Thunder power around the Little Skylark suddenly erupted.

A blue-purple dual shield condensed on its body surface.

The counter-damage effect and defensive power of Wind and Thunder Body Protection were pushed to the limit at this moment.

At the same time.

Its wings of the firmament also suddenly unfurled.

The ancient Wind-Thunder patterns on the wing surfaces all lit up.

Forming a second defensive barrier.

"Boom!!!"

The dark shockwave slammed into the Wind and Thunder Body Protection, erupting with a piercing roar.

The blue-purple shield trembled violently, and countless fine cracks appeared on its surface.

But in the end, it did not shatter!

The remaining power of the shockwave was forcibly withstood by the shield.

The Little Skylark's figure was knocked back dozens of zhang in mid-air.

There were a few shallow scratches on its silver-gray divine feathers, but it hadn't suffered any substantial injuries.

Jiang Yun breathed a sigh of relief, but his expression remained grave.

It blocked it.

But just a single area-of-effect shockwave had forced the Little Skylark's dual defenses to the limit.

If it came again, the Wind and Thunder Body Protection probably wouldn't hold up.

Furthermore.

This wasn't over.

Seeing that the attack had failed, the gray light in the Shadow Hunter's vertical pupils grew even brighter.

Its figure split into three.

Shadow Clone!

Three completely identical figures lunged at the Little Skylark simultaneously.

Every figure had claws and teeth wreathed in thick dark corrosive power, launching a charge from three different directions with a screech that tore at the Soul.

The corrosive aura of the Dark Corrosive Fangs had not yet touched anything, but it already caused the surrounding air to emit a hissing, burning sound.

A Rare look of gravity appeared in the Little Skylark's pale golden eyes.

Three figures, six Dark Corrosive Fangs, attacking from three directions simultaneously.

This situation could no longer be solved by speed alone.

It wove through the gaps of the three figures' pincer attack with extreme peril; its left wing grazed past a Dark Corrosive Fang, its right wing was scraped by the energy of a second Dark Corrosive Fang leaving a shallow bloody scratch, and finally, it barely escaped from beneath the sharp claws of the third figure.

They fought for dozens more rounds.

The Little Skylark was indeed fast enough. Coupled with the dual bonuses of Wind Rush and Storm Wings, in terms of movement speed alone, even the Amethyst Seventh Tier Shadow Hunter couldn't catch up to it, and could only rely on area attacks and Clone pincer attacks to make up for the speed gap.

But that was as far as it went.

The Little Skylark's attacks could not pierce the Shadow Hunter's Shadow Canopy defense.

And while the Shadow Hunter's area attacks could threaten the Little Skylark, they were always just a hair's breadth away from hitting.

The two sides had actually formed an eerie stalemate in the Trial Space.

The Little Skylark couldn't take down the Shadow Hunter.

And the Shadow Hunter found it very difficult to kill the extremely agile Little Skylark.

But Jiang Yun knew clearly in his heart that this stalemate was most unfavorable for the Little Skylark.

Its spiritual power reserves were only at the gold rank eight peak level.

While the Amethyst Seventh Tier Shadow Hunter's spiritual power reserves were several times its own.

If this dragged on, the moment the Little Skylark's spiritual power was exhausted would be the moment of defeat.

The Little Skylark also realized this.

It transmitted a reluctant yet calm Divine Thought into the Sea of Consciousness.

"Master, my attack power is insufficient to break through its defense. Its Shadow Canopy has a strong immunity effect against attacks with spiritual power intensity lower than its own; my Wind-Thunder power is suppressed too much by the Realm gap. If we continue to fight, I will be defeated once my stamina is exhausted. Why not let Brother Dragon or that guy Netherworld take over."

Jiang Yun was silent for a moment, then nodded with a calm expression.

"Come down; you've done well enough."

The Little Skylark let out a low and reluctant cry.

Retracting its wings, its figure turned into a silver-gray stream of light and retreated to Jiang Yun's side.

It landed beside Jiang Yun, its pale golden eyes still locked tightly onto the Shadow Hunter opposite, Battle Intent still flickering in its eyes, yet tinged with a hint of helplessness and reluctance.

It wasn't that it lacked the strength to fight, but the essence of its power was suppressed too severely; there was no meaning in continuing the fight.

Jiang Yun reached out and gently stroked its feathers.

Then, with a thought, he recalled it to the Beast Taming Space to rest.

The Trial Space returned to a brief silence.

The Shadow Hunter phantom opposite lost its attack target.

The gray light in its vertical pupils slowly dimmed a little.

But it did not disappear.

As long as Jiang Yun summoned the next Beast.

It would activate again.

And this scene was taken in entirely by Liu Qingyun outside.

In front of the mystic light mirror.

Liu Qingyun's face, which had originally been livid, had somehow regained a smile.

And it was a very relaxed smile, with a hint of relief in it.

"This Ancient Wind-Thunder Divine Peng is indeed not simple."

He stroked his long beard, his tone full of admiration, but that admiration no longer held the heaviness from before.

"At the gold rank eight peak Realm, it was actually able to fight the Amethyst Seventh Tier Shadow Hunter for dozens of rounds without being defeated; based on this speed alone, it is enough to look down upon its peers. However..."

He changed the subject and drew a firm conclusion.

"No matter how fast the speed is, it cannot make up for the gap in power. Its attacks couldn't even break through the Shadow Canopy; continuing the fight would only be a waste of spiritual power. Elder Liu Lan, you saw it too; Grand Tutor Dongxuan has already recalled that avian."

He paused, a look of certainty appearing on his face.

"It seems this Grand Tutor Dongxuan is also a sensible person. Knowing he can't win this round, he is likely going to give up. A gap of nine Realms—is that so easily bridged?"

Elder Liu Lan did not speak.

She just quietly watched Jiang Yun's still-composed face in the mystic light mirror.

A voice in her heart was telling her.

The Clan Head was rejoicing too early.

After all, Grand Tutor Dongxuan still had a Beast with the True Dragon Bloodline that he hadn't summoned yet.

Its combat power looked stronger than this avian Beast no matter how one looked at it.

She did not open her mouth to refute.

She just looked at the mystic light mirror with a calm gaze.

Waiting for what would happen next.

And inside the Trial Space.

Jiang Yun stood on the bluestone battle platform.

His gaze looked calmly ahead at the Shadow Hunter phantom that was still radiating terrifying pressure.

The Little Skylark's attack power was indeed insufficient to break through its defense.

But just because the Little Skylark couldn't didn't mean other Beasts couldn't.

Little Fire's Realm was higher than the Little Skylark's.

After the soul crystal resonance today, it was already a genuine Peak Gold Rank 9, just one step away from the Amethyst Rank.

Moreover, it possessed the Pseudo-Dragon Bloodline, plus the burst capability of the Water-Fire Dragon Domain and Dragon Flame Burst Kill.

Its ability for direct confrontation was far higher than the Little Skylark's.

Having the Little Skylark retreat and swapping in Little Fire.

Was the correct solution for the moment.

However.

Jiang Yun narrowed his eyes slightly, calculating rapidly in his heart.

Just now, when the Little Skylark was at the gold rank eight peak, the Vicious Beast phantom's Realm was Amethyst Seventh Tier.

Little Fire was at the Peak Gold Rank 9, one small Realm higher than the Little Skylark, so wouldn't the Vicious Beast phantom's Realm synchronize according to Little Fire's Realm, reaching Amethyst Eighth Tier?

Being one small Realm higher was not necessarily a bad thing for Little Fire.

Perhaps it could use the pressure of the battle to push for a Breakthrough in its Realm.

Jiang Yun made up his mind, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers.

Hum!!!!

The golden light gate of the Beast Taming Space opened again before him.

This time, what surged out from the light gate was no longer Wind-Thunder.

But a wave of heat to the extreme, mixed with vast, heavy water vapor.

Water and fire merged, Yin and Yang complemented each other.

The moment this unusual aura spread throughout the Trial Space.

Even the surrounding white mist was steamed into distortion.

Inside the golden light gate.

A pair of majestic dragon eyes were the first to light up...