Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 1000: Lubao vs. Red Warm Dragon

"Warm!"

The Red Warm Dragon slammed its left front claw onto the ground.

Right away, intense flames burst forth from the earth around its foot, swiftly spreading like serpents toward the spot where Lubao had crashed.

Lubao, freshly knocked airborne and smashed into the dirt, couldn't respond in time. The blaze erupting directly under her hurled her skyward yet again!

"Lu Di!"

Lubao cried out in agony while her sturdy Ice Armor broke apart in the air.

Cheers exploded from Yuan Tianlong's fans filling the stadium. As those shouts reached its ears, the Red Warm Dragon's rivalry ignited, its face lighting up with thrill.

"Warm!"

It threw its head back and bellowed. Crimson fire suddenly flared over its form, turning it into a blazing bolt of radiance. At breakneck pace, it covered hundreds of meters and crashed savagely into Lubao before she hit the surface.

The last bits of Lubao's Ice Armor exploded into shards, scattering over the arena floor.

"Lu Di..."

Lubao bore the burning torment, clenching her jaws to channel her power. The crystal on her brow started emitting a soft azure glow.

Meanwhile, the Red Warm Dragon whipped its head, sending two twisting fire blades, roughly ten meters each, whirling from its fiery brows at top speed, slicing precisely over Lubao's frame.

The dim azure glow faded, cutting off the Healing Light.

With a thunderous "BOOM," the fire detonated on Lubao. The fiery blast wave tore through her form.

"Lu Di!"

Lubao shrieked in torment once more.

The live broadcast overflowed with cries of sorrow.

[Nooo! Ice Emperor Ram!]

[Damn, this Red Warm Dragon's strikes come way too quick...]

[It hits her every time before she even lands. That's overkill!]

[Ah! Goddess Qiao! Fight back! Quick, fight back!]

[No chance to fight back. At this strike rate, Ice Emperor Ram gets no opening to unleash skills.]

In the stadium.

... Qiao Sang's expression darkened.

As her mind raced, the Red Warm Dragon morphed into a fiery dash and lunged once more.

To block Lubao from deploying Ice Field Domain, Healing Light, or Energy Regeneration, the foe kept unleashing these almost instant-launch abilities.

Yet zero-frame moves have limits. The Red Warm Dragon kept repeating the same handful of attacks.

Qiao Sang's gaze intensified as she yelled: "Body Guard!"

The battered Lubao eyed the approaching fiery streak, her own eyes narrowing sharply.

BANG!

The blaze rammed forcefully into Lubao. She flew backward, yet the flames clung to her at point-blank range.

"Lu Di!"

"Warm!"

Painful yells echoed. Not only Lubao's, but the Red Warm Dragon's too.

From the wide-angle shot, precisely when the Red Warm Dragon collided with Lubao, countless razor-sharp, translucent ice thorns erupted from her body, piercing the "fiery streak" that had barreled into her.

The crowd drew in a collective breath, imagining the sting for the Red Warm Dragon. Its cheering supporters fell quiet at once.

King-level beasts are enormous, and the volume, reach, and keenness of the ice spikes formed on Ice Emperor Ram struck fear visually.

"The Red Warm Dragon's Flame Charge struck Ice Emperor Ram!" Tian Yiwan called out with fervor.

"Yet Ice Emperor Ram countered with Ice Spike Guard, jabbing straight into the Red Warm Dragon!"

"This clash left both sides wounded." Tang Xueran chimed in.

"The Red Warm Dragon will probably hesitate on close-range moves from here."

Out on the field, thanks to Ice Spike Guard, the Red Warm Dragon and Lubao were locked in place together for the moment, inseparable.

... Yuan Tianlong's mind whirled, and he promptly ordered: "Dragon Tail."

"Warm!"

The Red Warm Dragon clamped its claws around Lubao firmly, then hoisted its tail, ringed with metal, upward. The huge, mighty tail abruptly shimmered with silvery-white radiance and lashed ferociously at Lubao.

... Qiao Sang pressed her lips together and commanded: "Water Tail!"

Lubao lashed her three lengthy tails, now encased in azure water flows, swelling to several times their girth as they swung toward the Red Warm Dragon.

BOOM!

A tremendous blast resounded. Amid the fierce shock blast, Lubao and the Red Warm Dragon hurtled apart. The spot they'd occupied crumbled to dust.

Both creatures gouged deep trails in the soil. By comparison, the Red Warm Dragon soared farther.

"The Red Warm Dragon unleashed Dragon Tail, and Ice Emperor Ram countered with Water Tail!" Tian Yiwan bellowed.

"They've clashed once more!"

Tang Xueran reflected: "Judging by the force of those techniques, Ice Emperor Ram's Water Tail packs more punch than the Red Warm Dragon's Dragon Tail."

Tian Yiwan nodded: "Water beats Fire, and Ice Emperor Ram clearly masters Water Tail far better than the Red Warm Dragon handles Dragon Tail."

 Yuan Tianlong glanced at the injured Ice Emperor Ram, clawing the earth to remain steady. Surprise hit him.

Beyond the Ultimate-level Water Tail, the beast's resilience went beyond what he'd anticipated. Even after such grave damage and without a single Healing Light, she followed Qiao Sang's orders with lightning speed.

It appeared past rivals hadn't forced Ice Emperor Ram to her full potential; they'd merely worn down her stamina.

"Warm..."

The Red Warm Dragon heaved breaths, staring at its far-off foe. Abruptly, it caught the nearby human voices rooting for it.

Amid those roars, the Red Warm Dragon's battle fervor reignited. The fire on its brows blazed fiercer.

Qiao Sang's thoughts clicked in 0.01 seconds, sparking an inspiration. She hollered: "Sing!"

The Red Warm Dragon raised its left front claw. Just as it prepared to smash it down, a tune like an ocean sprite's lullaby filled the air: "Lu~ Lu Di Lu~ Lu Lu~ Lu Di~"

Unseen sound ripples spread out.

"Warm..."

The Red Warm Dragon hesitated. Its flaming brows dimmed suddenly, losing their fury. Numerous onlookers holding their breath also saw their faces relax.

 Qiao Sang felt a rush of joy inside.

At the same instant, Lubao grabbed the chance. Icy mist visibly poured from her frame.

Yuan Tianlong gave the directive: "Claw!"

The now-calm Red Warm Dragon kept raising its left claw. Rather than pounding, its claw gleamed silver, and it raked itself fiercely.

Right then, ice encased it completely, locking it in that stance.

"Ice Emperor Ram has unleashed Ice Field Domain anew!" Tian Yiwan announced rapidly.

"She started with Healing Soundwave, hitting hard to stun the Red Warm Dragon and sap its will to battle, then landed the Ice Field Domain successfully!"

Tang Xueran noted: "Contestant Yuan Tianlong made the dragon strike itself with Dragon Claw, probably to jolt it back to fighting form through pain."

Tian Yiwan exclaimed: "Who knew Ice Emperor Ram kept this trick up her sleeve."

On the battlefield, Lubao held back from striking right away. She stood firm, her forehead gem shining blue, enveloping her whole body in glow.

Yuan Tianlong assessed swiftly. 

"Hellfire Charge." Yuan Tianlong directed.

Hellfire Charge, blending Hellfire and Flame Charge. During the Flame Charge sprint, Hellfire bursts from below. It hampers the enemy's mobility while boosting accuracy and strength. It's the mightiest combo the Red Warm Dragon has displayed yet... Qiao Sang's brain sifted the details.

Yuan Tianlong belonged to those expert tamers who issued straightforward orders, trusting fully in their beast's might.

Remembering the clips of this technique, Qiao Sang's features shifted. She cried: "Maximum!"

She was certain the Red Warm Dragon could shatter the ice even in its battered state.

The azure light around Lubao faded, leaving her looking fully restored. She fixed her gaze on the iced dragon, her form igniting with blue radiance anew. But now, it wasn't the soft healing blue.

As the blue flared, frost around Lubao swelled. The next instant, a colossal "ice mountain" vast enough to blanket the arena loomed overhead. Darkness cloaked the whole stadium.

... Yuan Tianlong calculated fast.

Energy Regeneration differs from Healing Light; it's not immediate. This gap let the Red Warm Dragon land a blow.

A dazzling fire surge detonated at the dragon's spot. The scorching gust rushed out, cracking and vaporizing the ice layer instantly. Amid the dancing fire shadows, the Red Warm Dragon's outline wavered.

The Red Warm Dragon turned into a hazy fire streak, disappearing from position. As the "fire streak" surged, flames detonated underfoot, hurtling toward Lubao quicker than the beast.

"Armor, Freeze!" Qiao Sang uttered swiftly.

She gripped her fists tight. A near hit loomed, but Ice Spike Guard was off-limits now. Should the dragon connect before the "ice mountain" dropped, defense was key.

For the enlarged mountain could only dissolve on command, not contract. Using Ice Spike Guard would impale the dragon but leave Lubao open to her own mountain's crush.

Dense Ice Armor formed over Lubao. At once, frost crept over the "fire streak," yet the dragon's heat was overwhelming. The pale frost melted away as soon as it formed.

BANG!

Fire burst at Lubao's location. Then, the fiery streak pounded into her with full force!

"Lu Di!"

Lubao wailed as she soared away, her Ice Armor crumbling on impact.

BOOM!!!

A earth-shaking crash followed as the ice mountain plummeted onto the arena. The floor quaked hard, caving deeper.

The spectators held still. After a beat of quiet, Tian Yiwan said:

"The Red Warm Dragon escaped the Ice Field Domain and nailed Ice Emperor Ram with Hellfire Charge, but the ice mountain flattened the Red Warm Dragon too."

He breathed out, "Yet another trade of blows. Could this seal the outcome?"

While they talked, warmth rose and the mountain dissolved. This marked the quickest fade for the mountain post-impact.

The viewers understood the reason and looked to Lubao. She sprawled gravely hurt, lids shut, apparently out cold.

Next, Yuan Tianlong summoned: "Nuannuan."

"WARM!!!"

From the crater's heart, a mighty bellow replied. The Red Warm Dragon, cloaked in fire, vaulted free.

Its supporters went wild. "I knew it! The Red Warm Dragon takes the win!"

... Qiao Sang's spirits dropped. She at last grasped the hopelessness others knew against Yabao's Blaze. Right when you believe the foe's finished, they burst with superior might.

A uncommon wave of irritation hit Qiao Sang.

All at once, she spotted Lubao's tail quiver.

. "Avalanche!"

Avalanche: When struck by a foe's attack, it rebounds double the harm.

Lubao's eyes flew open. She stayed down, just glaring at the fiery silhouette. Her brow gem lit blue.

A blanket of white crashed down. The ground fractured. An avalanche of frost and snow, resembling a gigantic glacial monster, tore the arena apart, surging at the Red Warm Dragon with relentless power, set to demolish all in its path.

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