Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 966: Fierce Battle

... Zeng Feitian’s expression darkened.

In most scenarios, a Beast Master can secure a victory even with a weaker team if they analyze the opponent's pets beforehand and prepare a meticulous strategy.

However, there are certain pet skills that remain insurmountable. Even if you dissect their logic, energy consumption, and execution patterns, you still find yourself completely powerless when facing them.

Ice Field Domain was precisely that kind of absolute technique.

A sense of helplessness he hadn't felt in years washed over him as he watched his Iron Battle Dragon remain trapped within the frozen landscape.

Yet, even with the Ice Emperor Ram restored to peak condition and his dragon re-frozen, Zeng Feitian believed a path to victory still existed. He had total confidence in the Iron Battle Dragon's defensive capabilities. Even if Qiao Sang attempted to replicate her previous offensive, the dragon could endure it.

The previous heavy damage had only occurred because the Iron Battle Dragon was caught while channeling a Dragon Pulse in its throat; this time, it was not in the middle of a charge.

Furthermore, the Ice Emperor Ram had already exhausted significant energy on two Ice Field Domains, a super-tier Healing Light, and various other techniques. Its Dantian must be running dry. Maintaining another domain would be nearly impossible.

Once that domain collapsed, the Iron Battle Dragon’s odds of winning would surpass those of the Ice Emperor Ram.

Steeling his resolve, Zeng Feitian regained his composure. He refrained from shouting a command immediately. Predicting the flow of battle, he expected Qiao Sang’s next strike to target the dragon's mouth again.

Allowing the dragon to simply absorb the impact was safer than attempting to condense energy for a counter-attack, which risked another internal detonation. The raw damage would be far more manageable.

As these calculations flashed through his mind, Qiao Sang gave her order: "Ice Spear, aim for the mouth."

Lubao remained stationary, yet a terrifying chill radiated from her form. In an instant, a massive ice spear, stretching over ten meters with a lethal tip, materialized and hurtled toward the Iron Battle Dragon!

Zeng Feitian’s composure finally broke, and he made a desperate gamble: "Flash Cannon!"

Since internal channeling was too dangerous, he hoped to manifest the skill directly in front of the dragon's jaws.

While Qiao Sang appeared calm, her pulse was racing. She understood that for Lubao to claim victory, this single strike had to carry every remaining drop of her Qi and energy!

Beneath the frozen exterior, a faint white glow flickered on the Iron Battle Dragon, but it failed to coalesce. The domain's freezing effect effectively severed its ability to gather external energy at a single point.

The gargantuan ice spear bore down on the dragon's head. Just ten centimeters before impact, the ice shell covering the mouth dissolved, creating a gap.

Following a thunderous BOOM, the massive spear shattered into countless fragments upon impact.

"Iron- !"

The Iron Battle Dragon barely let out a partial cry before the ice resealed its mouth, silencing it instantly. Without pause, another giant spear manifested before Lubao and launched toward the same target.

The spectators watched in utter disbelief, and the arena erupted into a frenzied roar.

During the previous exchange, the Ice Field Domain had collapsed after the mouth was targeted. This time, however, the domain remained perfectly intact. This implied that the domain could keep the Iron Battle Dragon imprisoned indefinitely, only opening a window at the precise moment of attack.

The audience’s respect for the complexity of this rare skill grew immensely in that moment.

One after another, giant spears were conjured. Each time a projectile reached the dragon, the ice vanished for a split second to allow the hit before sealing shut again. Watching the repetitive cycle, the crowd began to feel a wave of pity for the Iron Battle Dragon.

It was a relentless, one-sided execution. Despite being a legendary tank, the dragon would eventually reach its limit if it could only stand there and suffer.

"The Iron Battle Dragon is absorbing the full brunt of these attacks," Tian Yiwan noted from the commentary booth.

"I’m starting to suspect the dragon might already be unconscious, held upright only by the ice of the domain."

"Don't forget the Iron Battle Dragon possesses the Stamina characteristic," Tang Xueran pointed out.

"This trait boosts defense every time the pet takes a hit. Qiao Sang is likely aware of this, which explains why she’s having the Ice Emperor Ram maintain such a sustained assault."

Tian Yiwan asked the question on everyone's mind: "Is the Ice Field Domain truly an unbreakable prison?"

"It is incredibly formidable, which is why the Beast League designated it as super-tier," Tang Xueran explained.

"However, such techniques drain an immense amount of energy. Maintaining this for so long must be pushing the Ice Emperor Ram to her limits. Qiao Sang clearly intends to end this match right now."

Zeng Feitian shared that assessment. He watched the rhythm of the spears, trying to pinpoint the exact millisecond the ice shell dissolved.

In truth, he was no longer certain his dragon could withstand much more of this focused trauma to the mouth. He knew he couldn't just wait for the Ice Emperor Ram to run out of Qi. Even if it resulted in severe injury, the dragon had to attempt a breakout.

Feeling his pet's fading consciousness, Zeng Feitian took a sharp breath. As the next spear approached, he bellowed: "Condense!"

The ice melted away from the dragon's jaws, and the spear crashed into its target, sending shards flying. This time, the Iron Battle Dragon remained silent as the ice resealed the gap.

Lubao continued to radiate frost as yet another spear appeared. The stands were filled with whispers: "The Iron Battle Dragon looks finished. Why is she still attacking?"

"Yeah, it didn't even make a sound after that last strike."

"If it were truly defeated, Zeng Feitian would have recalled it to his Beast Codex or signaled the referee by now."

"True. As a B-rank Beast Master, he knows exactly how much his pet has left."

On the battlefield, Zeng Feitian’s concentration was razor-sharp. When the next spear was merely two meters away, he screamed: "Release!"

Despite being encased in ice, a brilliant white surge of energy gathered deep within the Iron Battle Dragon's gullet. As the light flared, the spear reached the critical ten-centimeter mark. The ice vanished. The spear struck. The Dragon Pulse detonated.

BOOM!!!

A cataclysmic explosion rocked the stadium. The resulting shockwave tore through the surroundings, shattering the ice shell into dust. The Iron Battle Dragon was blown back ten meters, its talons carving deep trenches into the arena floor as it fought for balance.

The frost on the ground began to melt, and the ambient temperature rose sharply.

Lubao stared at her opponent with a grim expression, noting that it was still standing. The Iron Battle Dragon forced itself upright, its dark eyes now bloodshot and filled with rage as it glared at her.

The crowd went wild. It seemed impossible that the dragon could still mount a counter-attack and shatter the domain after such a brutal sequence.

"Unbelievable! That dragon's endurance is god-like! It's still in the fight!"

"I don't think the explosion broke the skill. It looks like the Ice Emperor Ram finally hit her energy limit!"

"The Ice Field Domain has collapsed!" Tian Yiwan yelled into the microphone.

"The Iron Battle Dragon has broken free! After taking multiple spears to the throat, it survived and successfully launched a Dragon Pulse!"

Tang Xueran added her expert analysis: "A simple shockwave wouldn't be enough to dismantle the entire domain. If the Ice Emperor Ram had any energy left, the dragon would have been frozen again the moment the ice cracked."

Qiao Sang felt a genuine flash of respect for her opponent's tenacity. However, she didn't hesitate to give her next command: "Melt!"

Lubao was nearly empty, but the Iron Battle Dragon was on the brink of collapse. It lacked any recovery skills like Healing Light. After the damage it had sustained, it was likely incapable of even using its sonic abilities.

At her master's word, Lubao dove into a small puddle on the arena floor and disappeared.

Zeng Feitian’s jaw tightened. Knowing the Ice Emperor Ram was likely too drained for another domain, he exhaled and his gaze sharpened.

"Vibrate!"

Qiao Sang was stunned for a second. Then, a memory surfaced of a previous fight where the Iron Battle Dragon—then a Mad Iron Dragon—had used ground vibrations to flush out a burrowing opponent.

"Jump!" Qiao Sang yelled urgently.

The Iron Battle Dragon was capable of Earth Collapse. During the rain, Lubao could have retreated into the sky, but the weather had cleared.

She was now limited to the remaining patches of water on the ground.

The dragon's bloodshot eyes locked onto Lubao's estimated coordinates. Summoning its final reserves of power, it stomped the ground with devastating force.

The earth buckled beneath its feet. The entire stadium trembled as a pulverizing shockwave tore through the arena, launching debris and shattered stone into the air.

Eight meters in front of the dragon, a droplet of water suddenly expanded, and Lubao materialized in mid-air.

The spectators leaned forward, breathless: "What a move!"

"How did the Ice Emperor Ram get that close to the dragon?"

"Did the collapse hit her? She looks completely unfazed!"

Qiao Sang felt a brief moment of relief followed by crushing tension. Lubao was at the end of her rope. To win, they needed one final strike to the mouth.

Without the domain, they had to engage at close range. The dragon's movements were sluggish from its injuries and the previous rain, making it unlikely to dodge a point-blank hit.

They had exactly one shot at this.

"Lash him!" Qiao Sang screamed.

In truth, the command was unnecessary. Lubao hadn't been forced out; she had chosen to appear. As she manifested, her tail was already coiled and glowing with power. A massive torrent of water swirled around it as she whipped it toward the Iron Battle Dragon's open mouth.

Her speed was so great that the injured dragon couldn't evade. Its pupils constricted as its vision was overwhelmed by blue light. The trauma of the previous mouth attacks flickered in its mind.

With a surge of primal ferocity, the dragon opened its jaws and clamped down with all its might on the incoming Water Tail.

Crunch. Even though it was only a mid-tier technique, the raw power of a King-level pet made the impact devastating.

"Lu Di!" Lubao cried out in agony. The water energy detonated inside the dragon's mouth, but the beast refused to let go, maintaining a death grip on her tail.

Zeng Feitian breathed a sigh of relief. This had been an incredibly taxing battle, but the end was in sight. Just as he prepared to order a finishing Steel Punch, Qiao Sang shouted: "Stab!"

"Lu Di!!!"

Ignoring the pain, Lubao let out a piercing shriek. Suddenly, her entire body—including the tail trapped in the dragon's mouth—erupted with razor-sharp, freezing ice spikes.

Zeng Feitian’s eyes bulged in shock.

The Iron Battle Dragon’s pupils quivered. Its jaws flew open as it thrashed its head in sheer agony, its massive body swaying unsteadily.

Lubao seized the moment to leap back to safety. She watched her struggling opponent as she tried to gather energy for one last strike, but the Iron Battle Dragon’s eyes rolled back. Its thrashing stopped, and it began to fall.

With a heavy THUD, the dragon hit the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air.