This was Gu Ming’s second Pet Beast—Ah Kun.

It had completely blended into its surroundings, even synchronizing its breathing with the surrounding airflow.

It controlled the moisture on its body with extreme precision, letting it coat its fish-like surface and act as a lubricant.

As it weaved through the trees, it was perfectly silent, moving with the wind, completely unnoticed.

Ah Kun waited patiently for the perfect moment. Just as Feng Huaxue raised her hand, preparing to have her Pet Beast unleash the Ice Wind Sword Technique...

...and the Snow Wind Butterfly was fully focused, ready for battle...

It opened its mouth, and a long-condensed Water Ball materialized within.

SWOOSH—

A High-pressure Water Gun shot through the air, so fast that the sound of it breaking the wind lagged half a beat behind.

Unfortunately for them, the Water Gun was launched from their blind spot. They had no time to react at all.

The exhausted Snow Wind Butterfly had only just heard the whoosh of air when the precise Water Gun struck its abdomen, sending its entire body flying backward.

"Now!"

Gu Ming gave the order.

Cyan Treasure was already coiled and ready. It opened its great maw and poured the last of its Life Energy into a Storm Ball.

At the same time, its Poison Fangs secreted venom that mixed into the Storm Ball, which was then hyper-compressed and enhanced by its Grass and Wood Flood Dragon Power.

With a deafening BOOM, the enhanced Storm Ball shot out like a cannonball, hurtling straight for the off-balance Snow Wind Butterfly.

To the people on the scene, it looked as if the Snow Wind Butterfly was actively flying over to take the enemy Pet Beast’s ultimate move head-on.

BOOM!

The shockwave from the explosion rocked the entire battlefield, making ancient trees tremble and sending dust flying.

The Snow Wind Butterfly was hit directly. The Holy Dragon Poison instantly invaded its body, seeped into its blood vessels, and went straight for its heart.

When the venom, imbued with Holy Light, came into contact with Mana, Cyan Treasure treated it as heresy, and a white flame for the Purification of Heretics was born.

Ice and fire are a classic example of mutual counters.

If the ice is stronger, it can extinguish the fire.

If the fire is stronger, it will in turn melt the solid ice.

It was a contest of both sides’ energy intensity and the depth of their Daoist Skills.

The Snow Wind Butterfly had already fought many battles and was physically exhausted. How could it have any strength left to fight against the Purifying Fire?

What little Ice Element Mana it had left in its body rapidly melted away, becoming fuel for the flames.

The pain made it let out a heart-wrenching screech. Black, scorched marks appeared on its crystalline, ice-blue wings as the white Holy Fire erupted and set them alight.

The scene looked just like a moth flying into a flame!

"No!"

Feng Huaxue screamed.

She hastily turned to her teammate. "Quick, have the Thunderbolt Pony provide support!"

"Hurry, save the Snow Wind Butterfly!" her teammate shouted anxiously.

The Thorny Electric Unicorn Little Horse Beast, its body crackling with purple lightning, moved on command. With its four hooves wreathed in blinding bolts, it charged toward the center of the battlefield at astonishing speed.

However, just as it was about to reach the Snow Wind Butterfly, the ground suddenly shook violently!

BANG!

A two-meter-high earthen wall shot up from the ground. The Thunderbolt Pony couldn’t brake in time and slammed right into it.

That wasn’t all.

Dumb Flower had already recalled the several Leaf Blades it sent flying earlier.

It snatched them up and, less than half a second later, hastily flung them like throwing knives at the Thunderbolt Pony.

CLINK CLINK CLINK—

The Thunderbolt Pony had just gotten back up when it was struck by the flying leaves and pinned to the earthen wall. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Nice one!"

Wang Teng shouted excitedly.

He saw the inconspicuous Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster press its paws to the ground. More soil surged up like a living thing, and in the blink of an eye, it had buried the Thunderbolt Pony until only its unicorn horn was showing.

Far in the rear, the second squad from Yangyang High School came to a halt.

Their captain, Lin Xiuyuan, the top student who always wore a smile, was now frowning—a rare sight. "No need to go save them. The match is decided."

After the Thousand-eyed Wind Bird announced the final result, Lin Xiuyuan led his team onto the battlefield, looking at the fallen Snow Wind Butterfly and the Little Horse buried in the dirt with only its unicorn horn showing, its body trapped underneath.

This was Mouse Treasure’s handiwork. The Snow Wind Butterfly had already lost its ability to fight and was not buried.

However, the unicorn-horned Thunderbolt Pony still had some fight left in it; burying it was a precaution against a last-ditch counterattack.

They waited until the Thousand-eyed Wind Bird swelled in size against the wind. It then instructed Mouse Treasure to release the seal of earth trapping the Pet Beast.

Only then did Mouse Treasure loosen the soil, allowing the Thousand-eyed Wind Bird to carry away the two Pet Beasts and two people.

Feng Huaxue and Zhang Meng were both unconvinced and wanted to protest, but the Thousand-eyed Wind Bird told them to shut up and come back for the test after their injuries healed.

Their voices grew fainter and fainter overhead until they faded to nothing.

The captain from Yangyang High School cupped his hands in a salute toward Gu Ming. "May I ask your name, fellow student?"

"Gu Ming, from Qing Lake High School."

Gu Ming returned the gesture and introduced Wang Teng and Lu You.

"I am Lin Xiuyuan from Yangyang High School. I was wondering if I might have the honor of discussing a deal with you?"

Gu Ming raised an eyebrow. "I’m listening."

"This Spirit Medicine garden, how about we develop it together?"

Lin Xiuyuan gestured to the lush Spirit Medicine Field behind him. "I’ll take thirty percent, you take seventy. We can take turns guarding the garden."

The suggestion surprised both Wang Teng and Lu You; they thought it was a pretty good offer.

But Gu Ming, his expression unreadable, took a step forward. "And what if I refuse?"

Lin Xiuyuan immediately took a step back and said with a wry smile, "Then we’ll have no choice... but to fight."

Although that’s what he said, his backward step and tone of voice clearly revealed his reluctance to fight again.

Just then, a system plot notification appeared in Gu Ming’s mind:

「Bargaining victory! The other party is offering all the Spirit Medicines.」

「Requires only the promise of providing support in one future battle.」

「The ’stall owner’ has seen Cyan Treasure’s potential, recognized the fluctuation of the Power of Time that emerged during that great battle, and has decided to bet on you as an investment.」

A look of astonishment crossed Gu Ming’s face, and he fell into deep thought.

’This Power of Time stuff is complete nonsense. Cyan Treasure didn’t even use its Plant Life Light Wave move, so where would any Power of Time fluctuations come from?’

’Mastery of Wood Escape is an application of Life Energy. It has nothing to do with the Time Element.’

’I have to be critical of the system’s nonsense. It must be that the other side is wary of my team’s strength and doesn’t dare to force a confrontation when they’re low on both Physical Strength and Mana.’

He glanced at his own Pet Beasts.

Cyan Treasure’s breathing was still steady, but Mouse Treasure was panting nonstop. Dumb Flower’s leaves were stuck back in place, and it looked a little listless.

Only Ah Kun, who hadn’t attacked much and had succeeded with a sneak attack, still had over ninety percent of its Physical Strength and Mana, its combat readiness still at its Peak.

’We might not lose another fight, but my teammates’ Pet Beasts would have their Physical Strength completely drained.’

’More importantly, the Spirit Medicine garden needs someone to stand guard.’

’If we had an "ally" to help watch over it, we could free ourselves up to do more important things, like treating the injured and earning cultivation points.’

"You guys stay here and keep watch."

Gu Ming said suddenly.

"We take eighty percent, you take twenty. Agree, and it’s a deal."

Lin Xiuyuan’s two teammates behind him looked displeased and were about to speak.

But before they could, Lin Xiuyuan cut in and agreed directly. "Alright. We’ll take the small loss. It’s a deal."