36: Is your ghost orchid legal?

Bai Ye's next match was scheduled for the afternoon.

He spent the entire morning in the contestants' lounge, scrolling through the video of his previous match.

Looking at the constantly rising number of likes, he mused that even if he didn't become a professional Beast Tamer, he wouldn't have to worry about money if he switched to being an internet influencer now.

Occasionally, a few other contestants who had also advanced would take the initiative to come over and strike up a conversation, trying to get close to him while incidentally probing for the secrets of raising Xiao Lan.

Bai Ye only nodded politely and didn't say much.

These people weren't coming to him with the intention of making friends; they all wanted to figure out what Xiao Lan's weaknesses were.

Soon, the afternoon matches began.

The round of 32 advancement match.

Outside the arena, at the commentary desk.

"Good afternoon, dear viewers, and welcome back to the Sacred Dragon Cup competition site!"

Once it reached the advancement matches, it couldn't be as casual as the preliminary rounds; there would only be two contestants in the entire arena.

To prevent the audience from not understanding the match, there were also two commentators.

The enthusiastic host, Liu Yue, flashed a professional smile at the camera.

"Sitting beside me is still our old friend, Professor Hua from Xuandong Agricultural University, who specializes in researching flower-type Demonic Beasts."

Professor Hua had gray hair and wore reading glasses, looking refined and scholarly.

He smiled at the camera, acknowledging the greeting.

"Professor Hua, we have already produced our top 32 contestants."

Liu Yue continued:

"The one attracting the most attention is undoubtedly contestant Bai Ye, who used his Ghost Orchid to instantly defeat a Transcendence High-rank Ice Crystal Bird yesterday. What are your thoughts on him?"

Professor Hua pushed up his glasses and pondered for a moment.

"To be honest, I am shocked."

"I have spent my whole life researching Demonic Beasts like the Ghost Orchid. I dare not say I know every single evolutionary path and skill branch, but I know at least seven or eight out of ten."

"But the emerald green bat skill used by contestant Bai Ye's Ghost Orchid this morning looks very much like the Undead System's 'Night Demon Strike', but I can confirm that while the two skills look similar, they are completely different things."

"This has already exceeded the scope of my knowledge."

"Grass-attribute energy forming an Undead System skill shape, and it even possesses a life-force absorption effect; a similar skill is called Super Drain."

Liu Yue's eyes lit up.

"Do you mean that contestant Bai Ye's Ghost Orchid is truly an extremely rare mutant species, just as the netizens guessed?"

"That is a possibility."

Professor Hua nodded, pushed up his reading glasses, and the eyes beneath the lenses flashed with intense interest.

Plant-type Demonic Beasts are indeed very interesting.

"I am very much looking forward to his next match, and I hope to see more secrets about this magical orchid."

"Alright, let us turn our gaze back to the arena."

Liu Yue's voice rose high again.

"Contestant Bai Ye's opponent is the Genius teenager from Haiyan City, Zhou Yan! His beast pet is the Magma Giant Crab."

On the screen, a giant crab as large as a small hill, its body covered in hard volcanic rock shells, walked onto the arena with heavy steps.

A pair of giant pincers flashed with scorching red light.

It looked like it was not to be trifled with.

"The Ghost Orchid is going to be in trouble now; the Magma Giant Crab is Fire-attribute, perfectly countering the Grass-type."

"That's right, and the Magma Giant Crab is known for its defense and strength. I doubt Night Demon Strike can even break its defense."

"I'm betting on the Magma Giant Crab."

After a day of fermentation, Bai Ye had become the most controversial figure in this competition.

Those who liked him revered him as a dark horse war god.

Those who disliked him felt he was just lucky and hoped someone could take him down.

"The match begins!"

Following the referee's command.

"Magma Giant Crab, use Magma Jet!"

Zhou Yan launched a fierce attack right from the start.

He had clearly studied Bai Ye's match videos; he absolutely could not give the Ghost Orchid a chance to release Night Demon Strike.

The Magma Giant Crab opened its huge mouth, and a scorching pillar of magma blasted towards Xiao Lan.

The terrifying high temperature caused the surrounding air to distort, and the entire arena was dyed a shade of orange-red.

"It can't dodge it."

In the audience, those who didn't favor Bai Ye all wore gloating smiles.

At the commentary desk, Liu Yue also said nervously:

"Contestant Zhou Yan's strategy is very clear! Fire-type counters Grass-type, using a large-scale fire skill for suppression, not giving contestant Bai Ye any chance. How will contestant Bai Ye deal with this strike?"

Facing magma capable of melting steel.

Bai Ye still chose not to dodge.

Just as the magma pillar was about to engulf them.

Xiao Lan's body erupted with emerald green light once again, forming an emerald green barrier made of bats.

Boom!

The scorching magma pillar slammed fiercely into the green bat barrier.

Bai Ye frowned slightly; the Fire-type indeed countered the Grass-type, and his energy drain rate was far faster than when being attacked by ice spikes.

However...

Bai Ye looked up at the scorching sun; the energy recovery rate was actually faster than the consumption rate.

Now, they could really fight for a whole day.

"This... how is this possible?!"

Zhou Yan's eyes were practically popping out.

That was the Magma Giant Crab's full-power strike!

It was actually blocked by the Ghost Orchid's defense... no, that was clearly an attack-type skill?

And there wasn't even the slightest sign of energy weakening.

Is this Ghost Orchid of yours legal?

"It blocked it, my god! The Magma Giant Crab's Magma Jet was actually perfectly blocked by the Ghost Orchid's bat skill!"

Liu Yue's voice was filled with disbelief.

"Professor Hua, can a Ghost Orchid really control its skills to such an extent?"

Professor Hua adjusted his glasses, staring intently at the barrier made of bats in the center of the arena, his mouth slightly agape, unable to say a word for a long time.

He had researched Ghost Orchids his whole life, and he had never seen such an outrageous Ghost Orchid.

After a long while, he finally spoke with difficulty.

"This requires control over energy to reach a terrifying degree, and the consumption must be huge. I don't understand how it could sustain it?"

On the arena.

"Is this your full strength?"

Zhou Yan was so angry his face turned red, and he roared:

"Stop being smug! If you have the guts, don't act like a turtle hiding in its shell. Magma Giant Crab, use Crab Claw Smash."

The Magma Giant Crab took heavy steps, waving its huge pincers, and smashed fiercely towards the barrier.

Bai Ye didn't intend to go head-to-head with it.

"It's our turn."

As soon as he finished speaking.

In Zhou Yan's astonished gaze, Bai Ye and Xiao Lan actually took the initiative to rush out from the barrier!

"You... since you've lost your mind, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Zhou Yan sneered in his heart.

Leaving that turtle shell, let's see how you win.

"Magma Giant Crab, use Magma Domain."

He had long been guarding against this move from Bai Ye.

The Magma Giant Crab slammed its giant pincers onto the ground!

Rumble!

With it as the center, the arena floor began to crack, scorching magma gushed out from the fissures, and nearly half of the field turned into a sea of lava fire!

In such an environment, the Grass-type Ghost Orchid would suffer continuous burn damage, and its movement would be greatly restricted.

"Let's see how you fight now."

Zhou Yan looked triumphant; he had already blocked all of Bai Ye's advantages.

"Who said I was going to fight you?"

What?

Zhou Yan twitched his nose; a faint fragrance, different from the smell of sulfur, drifted into his nasal cavity.

He was terrified; countless pale pink dust particles had already quietly permeated the entire arena at some unknown time.

Mingled with the volcanic ash permeating the air, it was hard to detect.

"Dust Explosion!"

Bai Ye's voice was like the pronouncement of death.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

A series of earth-shattering explosions detonated simultaneously under the Magma Giant Crab's feet, on its body, above its head, and from all directions.

Violent energy, mixed with scorching magma, formed a destructive storm that completely engulfed the Magma Giant Crab's massive body.