Mingxi took a deep breath, rapidly pondering countermeasures. "Poison against poison... it seems Bright Crystal is a bit weaker, plus the fire element counter... I guess I have to get close."

"Prison Break."

Bright Crystal raised its head, its large, bright eyes showing no fear; instead, they burned with even more frenzied battle intent!

The scars on its body and the greenish hue of the poison seemed to become its medals!

Mingxi's gaze met its unique single eye, filled with many emotions.

That little fierce beast, once longing to wander, now had its own distinct style.

"Narrow Encounter, Spring Surge."

"Prison Break—!"

Bright Crystal let out a roar completely unlike its usual self!

Its muscles instantly bulged, and while its size didn't giantize, its density and sense of power surged.

Its pupils were tinged with crimson!

The Plague and pain hadn't weakened it at all; instead, they had stimulated it!

The Narrow Encounter trait allowed it to erupt in desperate situations.

Spring Surge allowed its strength to continuously increase.

"Rock Lock, trap it!" Mingxi commanded.

Bright Crystal slammed its fists into the ground, and countless stone pillars shot up, attempting to confine the elusive Burning Flame Succubus within a certain range.

"Overheat! Solar Flare!"

Overheat, a Heavenly-Rank skill of the fire element, was considered the inverse skill of Absolute Zero, a fire-element domain skill.

Solar Flare, on the other hand, was a Heavenly-Rank skill of the fire element, using the Transcendent creature's own energy core as a singularity to continuously create fire explosions. Because it resembled sunspot explosions, it was named Solar Flare.

In the absence of God Rank, in the minds of many Beast Tamers, Solar Flare was one of the strongest fire-element skills.

But before this, this Burning Flame Succubus had never used this skill.

Clearly, Nino also had a big trick up her sleeve.

Overheat + Solar Flare, wasn't this the sun itself?

In an instant, the Burning Flame Succubus erupted with astonishing heat, flames enveloping its own body to form a giant fireball. The surrounding rocks instantly melted and shattered!

Before Mingxi could give an order, Bright Crystal unleashed its full aura, pushing off the ground, its small body launching like a cannonball.

It directly charged into the explosively burning 'sun'.

Mingxi didn't stop it; she could sense Bright Crystal's thoughts, so she knew exactly what it wanted to do.

Poison Official.

As its trump card skill, Poison Official's effect of altering the opponent's perception was almost unsolvable, but its drawbacks were equally obvious: distance and activation time, and no poison-element skills could be used during the activation time.

Although with increased proficiency, Poison Official's activation time had now been shortened to two minutes.

But during this process, Bright Crystal was required to remain close to the opponent, and the distance still couldn't exceed a hundred meters.

Staying within the central range of Overheat and Solar Flare for two minutes was no different from actively seeking death!

"Prison Break!!"

Bright Crystal, deep inside the fireball, was fearless, its body covered in energy resisting the continuous corrosive damage of Overheat.

Impervious to Weapons, Heavy Punch.

Flying Kick, Backhand Hammer.

Firm Chokehold, Violent Headbutt.

And the new skill, Nine-Ring Burst Kill, awakened not long ago.

It no longer used other elemental skills, fully leveraging its advantages of small size, agility, and close-quarters combat.

Mingxi could feel its body being rapidly corroded by fire poison; not only was its body suffering destructive damage, but its energy was also being consumed at an unimaginable speed.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Deafening sonic booms roared from within.

From time to time, Bright Crystal's and Burning Flame Succubus's cries would also be heard.

"Boom!!!"

Flames and fists collided and annihilated each other wildly at extremely close range!

People could only vaguely see a small figure waving its fists in the flames, each strike carrying the power of a Heavy Punch and a desperate ruthlessness.

This was entirely a fighting style of trading injuries for injuries!

Its skin was scorched, its crystal head and waist bones were cracking, but it seemed to feel no pain!

The Burning Flame Succubus also seemed stunned by this suicidal fighting style.

Its flames scorched the opponent, and insane explosions bombarded the opponent.

But no matter how severely injured the opponent was, its fists landed solidly on its body every time, continuously inflicting damage!

"Now!"

Mingxi's voice trembled.

Two minutes was very short, and two minutes was also very long!

It felt like a blink of an eye, yet also like thousands of years had passed!

Hearing Mingxi's voice, the energy that Bright Crystal had been slowly spreading towards the Burning Flame Succubus instantly retracted.

"Buzz—"

The Poison Official's poison, in the form of eroding consciousness and senses, completely enveloped the Burning Flame Succubus.

The burning, exploding flames extinguished almost instantly.

And the Burning Flame Succubus squatted blankly in the rubble, which was destroyed like a battlefield from World War II and still flickered with sparks.

In its clear, college-student-like eyes, only curiosity about the world remained. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

It had evidently forgotten who it was.

"What's going on?!"

Sounds of bewildered surprise erupted from the audience.

Gu Guai Zhen Guan, a special existence where only one was allowed in heaven and earth; even Mingxi, its Beast Tamers, couldn't claim to fully understand this species.

Let alone others.

The Poison Official skill was barely known even to scientists specializing in mythical Transcendent creatures.

So at this moment, almost everyone was baffled by the Burning Flame Succubus's abnormality.

"Did the Burning Flame Succubus get hit by some kind of mental skill?"

"It seems a bit foolish."

"Such clear, such stupid eyes."

In the commentary booth, Britney opened her mouth, then finally looked silently at Xie An Yan, who was calm beside her.

"Big Sister Xie, do you know what skill Prison Break Fate Official just used?"

This question broke the vicious cycle that had started with her, with Xie An Yan passively accepting, and both of them trying to snatch each other's 'job' from the beginning.

Xie An Yan immediately felt a sense of complete relief.

More satisfying than chugging a bottle of ice-cold cola on a hot summer day!

She was never afraid to contend with any commentator on the commentary desk; tearing each other apart, cursing, fighting, she welcomed it all.

But someone like Britney, who was so lukewarm and tormenting, truly made her feel Xie.

Neither too light nor too heavy.

It made her uncomfortable.

So Britney's compromise was even more refreshing than unblocking her Ren and Du meridians.

She cleared her throat, "If my judgment is correct, Bai Yujing, or rather, Prison Break Fate Official, just used its racial skill, Poison Official, on the Burning Flame Succubus."

Britney was stunned: "Poison Official, is it a poison-element skill? What rank?"

"It's poison-element, and its rank is Heavenly-Rank."

Because she had received Mingxi's approval, revealing this information would not violate their agreement. However, she did not explain the drawbacks and specific abilities of Poison Official.

This was one of Bai Yujing's trump cards.

Until Mingxi and Ba Bao lifted the championship trophy, she wouldn't say a word even if it killed her!

Britney wanted to dig out more information, but Xie An Yan guarded it strictly; apart from basic information, she was unwilling to say even one extra word.

She literally reeled in the person like a hooked fish.

While the audience was utterly perplexed and Nino tried to awaken her pet's intelligence with the power of bonds—

"Mountain Press!"

At Mingxi's command, Bright Crystal's body suddenly grew larger, and at the same time, it leaped up, its body becoming incredibly heavy, smashing down on the Burning Flame Succubus with immense force!

"Yan Bao! Dodge quickly!"

But the Burning Flame Succubus, whose senses were eroded by Poison Official and whose cognition was altered to the level of a paramecium, no longer knew how to 'dodge.' It turned its head blankly and grinned at Nino on the command platform.

Like a goofy puppy.

Pure and innocent.

Nino: "..."

"Bang!"

Bright Crystal's Mountain Press solidly struck the Burning Flame Succubus!

Another large pit appeared on the devastated battle stage!

The Burning Flame Succubus let out a shriek.

Its body went limp like mud, and after its eyes spun like mosquito coils for a moment, it officially collapsed to the ground.

"Prison Break!"

Bright Crystal's eyes, bright like headlights, were like rapidly cooling rocks. During those two minutes, the continuous damage from Overheat and Solar Flare had actually drained its stamina long ago.

It could still insist on using Mountain Press solely by relying on that indomitable fighting will.

Now, seeing its opponent fall, the will supporting it dissipated.

The crimson in its eyes faded.

Its body returned to its three-head-tall form.

It fell straight backward.

Motionless.

The entire venue was silent.

Although the two pets fell one after another, the time interval was too short.

If neither pet could get back up within the referee's ten-second countdown, then the result of this round would be a draw, just like the previous round.

Although for Mingxi, a draw was already a victory.

The intelligent referee had already started the countdown: "Ten, nine, eight..."

Nino and Mingxi both stared intently at the battle stage. Even though they knew the outcome was set, neither of them intervened to end the round for their pets.

...four, three, two...

Just at the second-to-last second, just when everyone thought it would be another mutual destruction—

The small, charred body's finger suddenly twitched.

Then, under countless shocked gazes, Bright Crystal, smoking, charred, fragmented, and almost unrecognizable, used its almost shapeless arms to slowly, inch by inch, tremblingly push its body up from the ground!

Its legs trembled violently, but it finally stood up!

Wobbly, yet like an unyielding monument of rock!

A defiant fierce beast!

It opened its cracked lips, letting out a faint but clear hoarse sound: "Prison Break...!"

"One! Time's up! Burning Flame Succubus has lost its combat ability! Round three, Prison Break Fate Official wins! Nino Abby VS Mingxi, total score 1:3!"

As the referee announced the verdict.

Applause!

A tsunami of applause almost swept through the entire Starsea Cup venue!

This applause was dedicated to Nino, who stopped at the top eight, and her outstanding pets.

Even more, it was dedicated to Bright Crystal's fearless, fighting-to-the-last-moment, iron will that created a miracle with astonishing perseverance!

The second the referee announced the result, Mingxi jumped down from the command platform and quickly walked to Bright Crystal, who was still wobbling.

"Xiao Zaizi, was it really necessary to go all out like that?"

Her face was filled with heartache and helplessness as she quickly formed hand seals, summoning Little Silver Flower and the equally heavily injured Black Pearl.

During the match, other unlisted pets could not be summoned, even for treating retired pets.

However, the Starsea Cup organizers provided healing-type pets to assist with treatment.

But for Mingxi, having another pet treat Black Pearl was not as good as waiting for the match to end and having Little Silver Flower treat them all at once.

After all, not every pet could have Heavenly-Rank healing skills.

"Prison Break!"

Bright Crystal raised its hand and hugged the girl's thigh, leaning against her softly, its voice weak but its tone still domineering as it retorted.

I absolutely cannot lose to that stupid fish!

The stupid fish fought two rounds, overcoming two major ranks to defeat even Venerable-level pets. If it, in a battle of the same rank, ended in a draw, where would its face ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ be?

No way it's a draw!

Mingxi: "..."

Just knew it would be like this.

On the other side of the battle stage, Nino also came to the Burning Flame Succubus's side, similarly summoning her Angel System pet to treat the Burning Flame Succubus.

Silence, loneliness, despair, like a wolf abandoned by the whole world.

Mingxi frowned.

Picking up the now lively Bright Crystal with one arm and carrying the heavily snorting, deeply sleeping Black Pearl with the other, she paused slightly as she passed Nino:

"Meeting such wonderful pets, do you really think you're so miserable?"

Mingxi disliked the melancholic coldness on this person, as if there was nothing left in the world she cared about.

But she clearly had such excellent and loyal companions!

With this thought, Mingxi shook her head and walked off the battle stage with her pets.

After all, she was an irrelevant person.

Saying those extra words was purely for those few pets.

...Nino stood stunned, watching the girl's retreating back, speechless for a long time.

Was she really wrong?

The match against Nino Abby was just a brief encounter for Mingxi, a gathering that quickly dispersed.

Like countless passersby.

Insignificant.

The top eight was just the beginning; the quarter-finals were this afternoon!

For the remaining contestants, it was the truly crucial battle, signifying who could truly enter the finals and contend for the supreme throne.

Mingxi quickly cleared everything related to Nino Abby from her mind, waiting for the top eight pairings to be announced.

Meanwhile, the other top eight single-player matches were also decided one after another.

Lu Meiti Yaliya vs. Gurnalan, Lumiti won.

Wu Ling Shuang vs. Bing Mei, Bing Mei won.

Assam vs. Xiao Zhi Na Yue, Xiao Zhi Na Yue won.

Ji Lan vs. Aisting, Ji Lan won.

Nino Abby vs. Mingxi, Mingxi won.

Feng Fang Fang vs. Katrina, Feng Fang Fang won.

Finally, there were Chu Kuangsheng and Green Field Star contestant Yue An Sheng Hu.

Instructor Chu ultimately stopped at the top sixteen. His dream of meeting Mingxi at the peak as teacher and student ultimately could not be realized.

Although he failed, Litrubang underwent another exclusive evolution in this battle, which meant that Litrubang was not far from officially evolving into a Venerable-level pet. At that time, Chu Kuangsheng would also become an SSS-level Beast Master.

If Mingxi hadn't certified by then, he would become the youngest SSS-level Beast Master in the Alliance's history!

No mistake.

Because Chu Kuangsheng was only 43 this year!

...In the lounge, Mingxi was making her final preparations when a polite knock came from the door.

Fu Yifan opened the door, and outside stood a young man with a hearty smile and a carefree, dashing aura in his brows.