Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 973: Sairunba

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“Blazing Divine Lion has activated Blaze! He’s standing back up!” Tian Yiwan’s voice boomed from the commentary booth with clear excitement.

“It looks like this match belongs to Qiao Sang,” Tang Xueran noted with a smile.

The mechanical pet referee materialized on the arena floor once more. Floating beside the Phantasm Hate Fox, it conducted a brief inspection before signaling toward Qiao Sang and Yabao with a green flag.

A massive virtual display flickered into existence. Underneath Chen Tianqin’s profile, the image of the Phantasm Hate Fox faded from vibrant color to monochrome gray.

“Let’s offer our congratulations to Qiao Sang for securing the opening round!” Tian Yiwan declared.

The stadium erupted into a flurry of animated chatter: “LMAO, Chen Tianqin tried to force a double knockout by trading his Phantasm Hate Fox for that Blazing Divine Lion, but he didn’t count on the Blaze trait. He basically handed over a point for nothing.”

“Anyone with actual knowledge wouldn’t say that. Chen Tianqin isn’t necessarily behind. The lion’s Blaze is active, meaning its stamina is nearly depleted. Don’t forget, Chen Tianqin still has two King-level pets at full health.”

“Is this a showdown of traits?”

“It certainly seems so. Honestly, I only discovered the Mutual Destruction trait because of this fight.”

“How much longer can that Blazing Divine Lion keep Blaze going?”

“If I were in Qiao Sang’s shoes, I’d pull him back into the Beast Codex immediately to recover.”

“Once Blaze ends, the pet is left completely drained. It’s almost impossible to trigger it a second time. There isn’t enough time in a single match for that. Since recovery inside the Beast Codex is a slow process, it’s better to go all out while Blaze is active. He might even take a chunk out of Chen Tianqin’s next King-level pet before he collapses.”

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The official livestream was overflowing with rapid-fire comments: [Mutual Destruction is a broken trait. It actually forced a King-level pet a whole rank higher to trigger Blaze.]

[The scariest part is that without Blaze, the lion would be out. A General-level taking down a King-level? That’s stuff of dreams.]

[Chen Tianqin’s time at the National Bureau really shows. His tactics have leveled up, nearly trading his weakest link for the opponent’s powerhouse.]

[He kept that hidden well. We haven’t seen him utilize such an impactful trait in any of the earlier rounds.]

[That fox was his fourth contract. He rarely brought it out. It’s likely a trait that manifested after its recent evolution, or the press would have been all over it.]

[Qiao Sang misplayed! She should have led with Ice Emperor Ram! With Lubao out there, a single Healing Light would have fixed everything.]

[Please, it’s Mutual Destruction. The lion only stood up because of its own passive trait. If it were a skill, the pet wouldn’t have the energy to cast it unless the fox had energy left to fuel the connection. Since Healing Light is a skill, it wouldn’t have worked. The Ram would have gone down with the fox.]

[Don’t disrespect Ice Emperor Ram! Does your pet have Healing Light? Do you even know anyone with a pet that can use it? If you don’t understand the depth of Healing Light, stop pretending to be an expert.]

[The potency of the move is irrelevant; the issue is that it couldn’t be activated in that state.]

[You’ve never seen an Ice Emperor Ram face Mutual Destruction, so how can you be so sure?]

[...]

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Down on the field.

Chen Tianqin’s expression turned grim.

Ever since he learned that Qiao Sang was a candidate for the National Imperial Beast Battle Team, he had meticulously studied her footage. He was well aware that her Blazing Divine Lion possessed the Blaze trait.

However, unless a trait has reached S-rank, its activation is never a certainty. When his fox was struck down by the lion, it was an instant knockout; the lion should have fallen simultaneously due to Mutual Destruction.

Watching the fierce, burning beast across the field, Chen Tianqin took a deep breath to steady his nerves.

On the bright side, Blaze had been forced out. The effect is temporary. Even if the lion stayed for the next round, it wouldn't be a long-term threat. He looked toward the young girl. They say luck is a component of power, and Qiao Sang’s luck was certainly holding up.

“Yap yap...”

The heat radiating from Yabao was so intense it caused the air to shimmer and warp. Qiao Sang assessed Yabao’s status but didn't move to swap him out.

Recalling him now would extinguish Blaze and only provide a negligible amount of healing. It was far more effective to let him unleash his fury while the trait was active. His current offensive potential far exceeded what he’d have after a brief rest in the Codex.

“Qiao Sang is keeping Blazing Divine Lion on the field!” Tian Yiwan remarked.

“It appears she’s pushing for a second consecutive victory.”

Tang Xueran noted, “I’m curious to see the duration of this Blaze state.”

As they deliberated, a ten-second countdown appeared above the arena. The mechanical voice began the toll: 9, 8, 7... 3, 2, 1.

Chen Tianqin executed a hand seal. A massive, glowing crimson star array expanded across the floor. From it emerged a two-meter-tall humanoid pet standing on two legs. Its skin shifted between shades of red and cyan, and its arms were equipped with gleaming silver blades.

Qiao Sang quickly recalled the species data.

The moment Sairunba materialized, Yabao transformed into a bolt of fire, charging forward. Sairunba’s reflexes were sharp; it vanished instantly, reappearing in the air a hundred meters away.

But the moment it arrived in the sky, Yabao was already behind it. Opening his jaws, he condensed fierce flames into a massive spectral head of a Blazing Divine Lion that mirrored his strike.

Chen Tianqin, having studied Yabao’s tendency to use Fire Fang from the blind spot, didn't hesitate: “Rear Cut.”

Sairunba spun mid-air, the blade on its arm growing significantly as it slashed at the descending fire construct. The flaming head was cleaved in two, dissolving into sparks.

“Sai-run.”

Holding its follow-through, Sairunba looked ahead. Yabao was there, his teeth wreathed in fire as he bit down directly on the silver blade. With a single glance from Yabao and a sharp crack, the blade shattered into pieces.

Sairunba remained unfazed, teleporting away once more. When it reappeared, its arm pulsed with white light, and the silver blade regenerated instantly, good as new.

High physical power, Chen Tianqin noted internally.

Suddenly, the arena was filled with countless Blazing Divine Lions! They occupied the ground, the mid-air, and the high sky, saturating every corner of the battlefield. Chen Tianqin’s eyes widened.

The spectators were equally stunned. While Clone wasn't a rare technique, the sheer volume of majestic lions appearing at once was a breathtaking sight.

Qiao Sang gave the order:

“Press.”

Every single lion lunged toward Sairunba at the same time.

“Sai-run.”

Sairunba blurred its wrists, its blades expanding as it rotated in a whirlwind of steel. Any clone that drew near was sliced apart, vanishing into thin air immediately.

Chen Tianqin’s eyes darted across the field, searching for the true body.

During his scan, he noticed one lion staring up at the sky. The sunlight above seemed to grow unnaturally piercing.

With his seasoned instincts, Chen Tianqin realized the strategy. He made his move: “Long. Strike the real body.”

The blades in Sairunba’s grip glowed white and extended to twenty meters in length. They moved in a blur, clearing the remaining clones until only a dozen lions were left.

An invisible pulse of energy radiated from Sairunba, sweeping through the arena. As the pulse hit a specific target, Sairunba looked up.

“Sai-run.”

Sairunba locked onto Yabao, who was still gazing upward. Sairunba opened its mouth, a silver glow building in its throat before erupting into a beam. The silver light functioned like a cannon, tearing through the air and obliterating any duplicates in its path.

At that exact moment, a radiant golden fire erupted over Yabao. His wings snapped wide. The golden flames completely overtook the red of Blaze. With a powerful beat of his wings, Yabao turned into a golden streak, ascending higher into the atmosphere.

The silver beam was incredibly fast, covering a hundred meters in a heartbeat. Yet, Yabao’s golden form was faster, keeping the pursuing light just out of reach.

Seeing the golden light in the sky, Chen Tianqin realized the danger. His face drained of color as he screamed: “Stop it!”

Sairunba teleported, appearing directly above the golden streak. It swung its arms down, creating two twenty-meter silver blades that formed a massive X-shaped slash aimed at Yabao.

“Flash!” Qiao Sang commanded.

In the same breath, the golden light vanished, teleporting from beneath the blades to directly above them!

BOOM!

A massive explosion shook the stadium. The silver beam slammed into the crossed blades, sending a violent shockwave rippling through the air.

Simultaneously, the golden light crashed into Sairunba with devastating momentum!

“SAI-RUN!”

Sairunba shrieked. The golden light didn't stop, dragging it toward the highest point until they seemed to merge with the sun itself.

The view from below was blinding, more intense than the midday sun. While many didn't recognize the specific move, the raw power was undeniable. Experts in the crowd held their breath, anticipating the impact.

Chen Tianqin cursed under his breath and yelled: “Shift!”

But Sairunba was pinned; it couldn't initiate a teleport. The blinding "sun" plummeted from the sky with terrifying velocity. Sairunba felt a wave of intense pain and the sickening pull of weightlessness.

BOOM!

With a roar that shook the earth, the sun collided with the floor. A monstrous force tore through the stadium, pulverizing the ground. The arena collapsed inward toward the center of the impact, creating a crater so deep it looked like a hollow abyss.

The stadium fell into total silence.

From the bleachers, the crowd saw a figure standing tall within the crater, exuding an aura of pure dominance. Next to it, Sairunba lay motionless, eyes closed and limbs splayed in total unconsciousness.

Chen Tianqin looked on, his face pale.

After a few seconds of silence, Tian Yiwan spoke with deep reverence: “Blazing Divine Lion has unleashed Radiant Impact! A direct hit on Sairunba!”

As the announcement ended, the crowd finally found their voices. The air was thick with excitement as fans marveled at the display of power.

“Radiant Impact? What kind of move is that? It was incredible!”

“You’ve never heard of it? That’s a Super-tier Fire-type skill! It’s insanely powerful!”

“No way, the lion can use a Super-tier skill too?!”

“I didn't need the name to know that was Super-tier!”

“Unbelievable, Qiao Sang’s pets are on another level...”

“Is Sairunba done for?”

As the debate continued, the mechanical referee descended beside Sairunba. After a two-second count, it raised the green flag toward Yabao and Qiao Sang.

The virtual scoreboard updated. Sairunba’s image under Chen Tianqin’s name turned black and white.

“Yap yap...”

Yabao’s posture softened, his body beginning to tilt. Just before he could fall, Qiao Sang flicked her wrist, recalling him safely into the Beast Codex.

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