The Blast Flame Lizard whipped its red-scaled tail in a vicious sweep.

A scorching, sulfur-scented heatwave exploded outward.

The roiling dust cloud was split as if by an invisible blade, revealing the cracked, scorched earth beneath.

Gu Ming squinted, his eyes stinging from the heat. The acrid, metallic scent of burning filled his nose and throat.

’That beast actually roasted the ground around its feet into a field of lava—a patchwork of black and red, all semi-solidified magma.’

"Mouse Treasure, watch out!"

He saw Mouse Treasure rush in for close-quarters combat and couldn’t help but sweat for it.

’Honestly,’ he thought, ’I don’t like its chances.’

’This thing is much stronger than I imagined.’

An earthy-yellow light flared within Mouse Treasure’s mismatched eyes.

Clad entirely in Earth Armor, its front claws wreathed in a brown halo, it leaped down from above. The Dragon Pattern Tripod inside its body trembled, and the phantom of an Earth Dragon materialized behind it.

Earth Dragon Stomp!

Its paws slammed into the Magma Shield the Blast Flame Lizard had hastily thrown up. The collision produced a thunderous BOOM.

At the same time, the patchwork of black and red magma on the ground shattered, and an invisible shockwave kicked up a cloud of dust.

The seismic wave from the two Pet Beasts’ clash sent a numbing vibration through the soles of Gu Ming’s and the others’ feet, nearly knocking them over.

He stared at the spiderweb of cracks on the ground. The power behind Mouse Treasure’s strike was as breathtakingly impressive as a real Earth Dragon.

’If that strike can break through the Magma Shield...’

CRACK!

The sharp crack of the crimson barrier splitting made both him and Lu You hold their breath.

Magma trickled down the web of fissures, branding scorched holes into the earth below.

"Did it work?"

Wang Teng’s cry of surprise had barely left his lips.

The Blast Flame Lizard’s tail was already sweeping back, trailing sparks.

Lu You’s pupils contracted. She clapped a small hand over her mouth.

The shield hadn’t broken, it had only cracked halfway!

And her Mouse Treasure was about to be hit by the counterattack!

"Cyan Treasure! Move the ground under it!" Gu Ming suddenly shouted.

In the nick of time.

The molten ground beneath the Blast Flame Lizard’s feet suddenly churned. A geyser of magma erupted, shifting its position and throwing it off balance.

At the same time, the soil beneath the hamster’s paws swirled into a vortex of quicksand.

A wave of earth molded itself to its paws. Mouse Treasure reacted instantly, subconsciously activating its Earth Shifting Technique. It took control of the soil Cyan Treasure had manipulated, using it to lift its paws and propel its round body into a hasty retreat.

The crimson tip of the tail arrived a split-second later, brushing past the hamster’s upturned whiskers.

Mouse Treasure’s mismatched eyes reflected the droplets of magma, now just inches away. It saw two of its own whiskers curl and char from the searing heat.

"SQUEAK—"

Having narrowly escaped death, it let out a quavering shriek.

It scurried back to Lu You’s side, its small, warm body still trembling, its heart hammering in its chest.

This was the second time since its battle with the Red Flame Flood Dragon that it had fought with such reckless, all-out abandon.

"Nice work."

Gu Ming gave Mouse Treasure a thumbs-up without turning around, his eyes still fixed on the Blast Flame Lizard.

As he watched the creature, his gaze met Zhou Lie’s.

Zhou Lie had to admit, for a split second there, he thought his Blast Flame Lizard was done for.

The bladed leaves launched by Dumb Flower had already sunk into the gaps in the Blast Flame Lizard’s scales, and crimson, magma-like blood had spurted out.

The leaves were coated in Dumb Flower’s venom and should have poisoned the lizard quickly.

But Zhou Lie’s worried expression quickly morphed into a grin. He laughed out loud. "Is that all you’ve got? Poison is useless against fire! It won’t work even if it gets inside!"

The Blast Flame Lizard mirrored its master’s arrogance with a toothy grin.

It wasn’t even in a hurry to deal with the blades embedded in its flesh. Only after its master began to laugh did it shake its body and, protected by its shield, methodically pull out the eight leaf-blades one by one.

With each blade it removed, blackish-red blood oozed from the wound, accompanied by a billow of white steam.

That hazy white mist wasn’t steam from its magma-like blood hitting the air. It was the venom Dumb Flower had injected being boiled away into vapor.

"The venom’s useless," Wang Teng said, his throat tight. He took a step back, ready to retreat.

The pale mist billowed upward, only to be vaporized a second time upon contact with the Magma Shield, purifying it completely.

But Cyan Treasure was still here. ’Maybe there’s still a chance?’

Cyan Treasure lay draped over Gu Ming’s shoulder, the tip of its tail trembling involuntarily. It could clearly sense that every drop of venom that had penetrated the lizard’s scales was being incinerated into plain water by its boiling blood.

This sense of helplessness reminded it of facing the AI-simulated Red Flame Flood Dragon during its Dream Training.

Before a powerful Fire Element Pet, no matter how many seeds it sowed or how much poison mist it sprayed, everything was devoured by the flames.

The Blast Flame Lizard was clearly a Pet Beast that had mastered its own flame Power, skillfully using its body’s heat to vaporize the poison.

Gu Ming could feel Cyan Treasure’s muscles tense and tremble slightly.

"Calm down..."

He gently pressed the pad of his finger against the back of Cyan Treasure’s neck. "Did you forget our special training in the dream? We still have a trump card left to play."

Zhou Lie suddenly let out a sharp whistle. He was done playing games with weaklings; it was time to get serious.

The Blast Flame Lizard’s vertical pupils contracted in unison as a dangerous red light began to glow in its throat.

Gu Ming and Cyan Treasure felt their blood run hot as an immense wave of heat washed over them.

It was the prelude to an Explosive Flame Breath!

"Cyan Treasure, convert to fire-resistant tree seeds! Bind it!"

Gu Ming commanded.

At his command, Cyan Treasure remembered the results of its special training against the Red Flame Flood Dragon. It instantly understood what its master meant by their "trump card."

Cyan Treasure sprang to the ground. It tapped its serpentine tail on the earth, channeling its Wood Escape Flood Dragon Power.

The Grass Seeds buried deep in the earth, along with the fully grown vines and mushrooms, all began to tremble in unison.

Amid a dense popping sound, like countless beans bursting, their root systems pierced through the soil. A transformative power surged through the earth, conducting itself into every single Grass Seed.