32: The first appearance of the Grass-type Nightmare Assault

Early the next morning, the area outside the Sacred Dragon Cup arena was already packed with people.

This massive arena, capable of holding 100,000 people, was a landmark in Huanglong City.

Spectators, media, and Beast Tamers from all over had gathered here, ready to witness the duels of the young Geniuses.

Bai Ye and Lin Anan finally managed to squeeze from the crowded throng into the contestant passage.

"My god, there are way too many people!"

Lin Anan wiped the sweat from her forehead, exclaiming in amazement.

"It is a grand event that happens once every five years, after all."

Bai Ye remained quite calm.

He looked up at the massive holographic projection screen above the arena.

The screen was looping promotional videos of the tournament's hot favorites.

"The Genius of Haiyan City, Zhou Yan! Contracted beast pet, the 'Magma Giant Crab' with Outstanding High-Rank Aptitude!"

"The number one Genius of Fengcheng No. 1 High School, Feng Xiaoxiao! Contracted beast pet, the 'Storm Griffin' with Rare Intermediate Aptitude!"

The titles were shouted out one louder than the next, making people's blood boil.

The most eye-catching among them was a youth with a cold expression, his silver hair covering one eye.

How to put it...

Although Demonic Beasts existed in this world, colorful hair was actually quite rare.

Bai Ye felt the silver-haired youth might have a bit of chuunibyou.

"Ganglong High School, Long Ao, contracted beast pet, the 'Ironclad Steel Dragon' with Rare High-Rank Aptitude!"

On screen, the massive dragon, covered in silver metallic scales, let out a deafening roar toward the sky, the oppressive force almost piercing through the screen.

The Ironclad Steel Dragon, with dual attributes of Dragon and Steel, was offensive and defensive in one, had almost no weaknesses, and could be considered a peak existence at the Extraordinary Level.

At the same Rank, even Lin Anan's Wanyan Horse was no match.

"This Long Aotian... Long Ao, should be the favorite to win this competition."

Bai Ye analyzed while rubbing his chin.

"Yeah, he's practically a monster."

Lin Anan also clicked her tongue in astonishment.

"Bai Ye, are you confident?"

"Of course."

Bai Ye smiled. It was just Rare Aptitude, wasn't it? Who didn't have that?

"Attention all contestants, the preliminary round is about to begin. Please proceed to your designated competition zones according to your numbers!"

The broadcast voice echoed within the arena.

Bai Ye said goodbye to Lin Anan and walked into the contestant passage.

The passage was already filled with contestants.

Bai Ye found his designated Zone 7.

The rules for the preliminary round were simple, and very much in the style of Huanglong City.

A ten-person melee!

Ten contestants per zone, fighting in a chaotic brawl. The last one standing would advance to the next round.

Simple and brutal.

Bai Ye scanned his opponents.

Two at the Ordinary Limit, three at Transcendent Elementary, three at Transcendent Intermediate, and one at Transcendence High-rank.

It was a young girl wearing gorgeous clothes with a high ponytail, her beast pet was a Transcendence High-rank Ice Crystal Bird.

As expected of the Sacred Dragon Cup where Geniuses gathered, to think one could see a Transcendence High-rank so easily.

The university students previously in Xuxia Forest only had beast pets at the Transcendence High-rank level.

Only Chen Yang had a Transcendent Limit beast.

The girl was clearly the focus of this zone.

The Ice Crystal Bird's Aptitude was high, and its Rank was now the highest in the entire arena.

Give her some time, and she could completely eliminate everyone except Bai Ye.

As for Bai Ye, he was once again magnificently ignored.

"Hmph, a bunch of small fry."

The arrogant girl held her Ice Crystal Bird, scanned the crowd with disdain, and curled her lip without hiding it when her gaze landed on Bai Ye.

Bai Ye was happy to be ignored by them.

"Preliminary round, Zone 7, begin!"

As the referee gave the order.

The energy shield around the arena rose instantly.

"Ice Crystal Bird, use Ice Spikes to clear out the small fry!"

The arrogant girl struck first, a faint blue light appearing in her eyes as she used her Beast Tamer talent, aiming directly at everyone except herself.

The Ice Crystal Bird flapped its wings, and ice spikes fell from the sky like rain.

The advantage of flying beast pets was too great.

"Flame Dog, hurry and dodge, use Sparks to counterattack."

"Wind Blade Mantis, cut those ice spikes."

The other contestants also commanded their beast pets, dodging ice spikes while starting to attack each other.

Three Ordinary Limit beast pets were knocked out of the arena without even the ability to block.

Cooperateto defeat the Ice Crystal Bird first?

That didn't exist; who knew if others would stab them in the back.

Only Bai Ye held Xiao Lan in his arms, leisurely dodging the continuously falling ice spikes.

"Hahaha, that guy using a Ghost Orchid is definitely failing!"

"It's strange, it's the first time I've seen a Beast Tamer dodging attacks with their beast pet. He's probably the next one out."

A burst of laughter came from the audience.

Having watched many competitions, one could indeed see all kinds of Divine Beings.

Even the arrogant girl cast a surprised look at him.

But her mood was completely different from the audience.

Why couldn't she hit him?

Her Beast Tamer talent was called Spiritual Detection, which could share abilities with her beast.

She could clearly "see" every movement of the Ghost Orchid's Beast Tamer and predict his landing spot, yet the ice spikes kept missing!

Tsk!

The high-ponytail girl gritted her teeth and ordered again.

"Saturation attack! I don't believe I can't hit him!"

The ice spikes became denser, almost sealing off all evasion space.

Just at the moment when that curtain of death ice was about to completely submerge Bai Ye and Xiao Lan.

A burst of emerald green light suddenly erupted from Bai Ye's arms.

Dozens of green bats made of grass attribute energy appeared out of thin air, screeching and flying around to form an impenetrable barrier.

This was, of course, not something a beginner Ghost Orchid could do with Night Demon Strike; it was Bai Ye using Xiao Lan as a cover to release it himself.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Countless ice spikes slammed into the bat swarm, making a series of dull thuds.

The seemingly fragile energy bats actually withstood all attacks without a scratch.

"How is this possible?"

The arrogant girl's eyes were almost popping out.

That was an area-of-effect attack from a Transcendence High-rank Ice Crystal Bird!

To think it was blocked by a Ghost Orchid without any damage?

Also, that skill looked like the Undead System's Night Demon Strike. Could a grass attribute Ghost Orchid learn that skill?

This wasn't scientific!

The laughter in the arena came to an abrupt halt.

Many people stared dumbfounded at the emerald green bats circling Bai Ye.

"Is that it?"

Bai Ye's voice drifted out from behind the bat barrier.

He saw the girl stunned in place, raised his hand, and pointed from afar.

"Then, it's our turn."

"Night Demon Strike."

"What?!"

The high-ponytail girl's hair stood on end; an extreme sense of danger exploded from behind her.

Her Spiritual Detection warned her frantically; a few bats had hidden in the ice spike fragments and silently circled behind her.

"Ice Crystal Bird, quick, use Ice Wall to defend!"

She screamed.

But it was too late.

The bats, with lightning speed, pounced on the Ice Crystal Bird, their sharp fangs piercing deep into its neck.

The Ice Crystal Bird let out a shrill cry, its entire body's radiance dimming at a speed visible to the naked eye, its vitality being frantically drained by the bats.

Once its vitality was absorbed to a certain point, the Ice Crystal Bird could no longer flap its wings and fell directly to the ground.

The high-ponytail girl's mouth hung open, then she immediately reacted and ran to the Ice Crystal Bird in a panic.

"Don't worry, your beast pet is just drained. Feed it some supplements when you get back."

Bai Ye stepped forward and said to the high-ponytail girl.

It was just a competition; he couldn't possibly really hurt someone else's beast pet.

In the audience, there was a chorus of people gulping.

Everyone looked at the big screen, at the Ghost Orchid with wisps of the Ice Crystal Bird's vitality still lingering on its petals.

Is this fucking a Ghost Orchid?

In the arena, the remaining five contestants all subconsciously took a few steps back, creating a large distance from Bai Ye.

Their faces were filled with obvious wariness.

Are you kidding!

That was a monster Ghost Orchid that took out a Transcendence High-rank Ice Crystal Bird in one hit.

Who would dare fight it?

Those who had treated Bai Ye as a joke just a moment ago now felt their faces burning with pain.

"Does anyone else want to fight?"

Bai Ye asked calmly, shaking Xiao Lan in his hand as he scanned the arena.

Everyone he looked at couldn't help but shiver, commanding their beast pets to retreat further.

"..."

Fight?

Fight my ass!

Go up and be a snack for that man-eating flower that can release bats to absorb other people's vitality?

If those bats weren't absorbing the beast pet, but the Beast Tamer's own vitality...

Thinking that the Sacred Dragon Cup was theoretically a competition where even Beast Tamers could be attacked, they couldn't help but shudder.

"If you aren't fighting, then leave on your own."

"We admit defeat!"

The less courageous contestant was the first to shout out.

He didn't want his beast pet, or even himself, to be sucked dry by those eerie green bats.

With the first, there was a second.

The remaining contestants scrambled to admit defeat and left the arena as if fleeing.

In less than a minute.

The arena that originally had ten people was left with only Bai Ye.

"Zone 7, winner, Bai Ye!"

The referee was also stunned for a few seconds before hurriedly announcing the competition result.

Under the gaze of tens of thousands, Bai Ye calmly retrieved Xiao Lan into his beast taming space and walked off the field.

Not until his figure disappeared into the contestant passage did the entire arena erupt with a roar of discussion.

"Is that really a Ghost Orchid, using the high-Rank skill 'Night Demon Strike'? Did I see that wrong?"

"A Ghost Orchid at the Extraordinary Level can be cultivated, but a grass attribute Night Demon Strike... has any expert published a paper on this?"

"It must have mutated!"

"I announce that from today on, I am his fan. So cool, what was his name again?"

...

In the VIP box.

Qin Yue put down the pen in her hand and remained silent for a long time.

She was not wearing her standard combat uniform today, but had changed into a white dress, looking less cold and more like a gentle young girl.

The silver owl on her shoulder still looked cool, but a closer look would reveal there was no gleam in its eyes.

It was actually sleeping!

"Do you know this person?"

A middle-aged man in the uniform of the Huanglong City Association next to her couldn't help but ask.

He was the leader of the special observers sent for this competition.

"Hmm, I've met him a few times."

Qin Yue nodded, recalling the day at the trading market when Bai Ye confidently said he would win the championship.

His own talent plus a Ghost Orchid that had mastered a high-Rank Undead System skill.

No wonder he was so confident.

"Give me his file."

The middle-aged man's eyes became serious.

"Okay."

Qin Yue transmitted the information she had recorded.

The Luoxue City branch would certainly not directly block information about Bai Ye, but would choose to forge a report that was seven parts true and three parts false.

Otherwise, if others saw that information was blocked, even if they weren't suspicious, they would probably become interested.

The middle-aged man looked at the tablet, at the simple-to-the-point-of-absurdity information about Bai Ye, and fell into deep thought.

Initial beast pet, Ghost Orchid, Outstanding Aptitude.

Wait, a Ghost Orchid with Outstanding Aptitude?

The middle-aged man said in a deep voice.

"This Bai Ye is very likely to become the biggest dark horse of this Sacred Dragon Cup!"

...

On the other side, in the contestant lounge.

As soon as Bai Ye entered, he received a video call request from Lin Anan.

As soon as it connected, Lin Anan's excited, flushed face filled the entire screen.

"Bai Ye, you're too strong."

"That bunch of people who looked down on you, their faces are swollen from being slapped now."

"I've decided, Xiao Lan's status in my heart is second only to Fluffy. Is your Xiao Lan accepting applications for the president of her fan club?"

Listening to Lin Anan's machine-gun-like rainbow farts, Bai Ye felt a bit dumbfounded.

"Alright, alright, stay calm, it was just a basic operation."

"This is called a basic operation?!"

Lin Anan's volume went up another octave.

"Do you know that the entire arena's forum is exploding because of your Xiao Lan? The video of it releasing Night Demon Strike has already hit over 200,000 views."

Lin Anan wasn't even sure if the bats Xiao Lan released were really Night Demon Strike.

A Ghost Orchid that could use Night Demon Strike had too much research value.

It might even affect the market price of ordinary Ghost Orchids.

"Is that so?"

Bai Ye raised his eyebrows.

With a video with 200,000 likes, shouldn't he collect some copyright fees?