Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 979: Aggro-Bust Sparrow King

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"Lubao remained completely unscathed despite being struck by the double-powered Blizzard!" On the commentary stage, Tian Yiwan’s expression was one of pure shock.

Tang Xueran narrowed her eyes in thought before speaking: "It is highly probable that Lubao possesses a trait like Ice Body or Ice Soul."

Ice Body: A trait that allows for the gradual recovery of status conditions during snowy weather.

Ice Soul: A trait that bolsters the strength of Ice-type techniques while providing total immunity to Ice-type damage.

As the commentators spoke, the audience quickly recalled the details of these two traits, sparking a wave of heated discussion throughout the stands.

"If it’s Ice Body, she should only be recovering status. Wouldn't she still be hurt by Ice-type skills?"

"Well, Blizzard is essentially a snowstorm."

"Is it possible that the level of this Ice Emperor Ram’s Ice Body trait is exceptionally high?"

"Could her Ice Armor simply be so durable that she avoided injury? Maybe a trait isn't involved at all?"

"There has to be a trait providing resistance to Ice-type moves. That Blizzard was twice as strong as usual."

"It’s definitely Ice Soul. The Ice Emperor Ram matches both criteria. Her Ice-type attacks seem far more potent and rapid than those of other pets."

"Come on, that's just the effect of the Ice Field Domain. Any skill gets a natural boost when used within its matching domain."

"Ice Soul is incredibly rare and typically exclusive to pure Ice-types. Since Ice Emperor Ram is also a Water-type, it doesn't seem likely."

"Just wait. We’ll know for sure if it’s Ice Soul if she can walk away after Wobbuffet reflects a Giant Ice Spike at her."

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On the battlefield.

Having weathered the Blizzard, Lubao watched her foe without launching a follow-up. Wobbuffet also remained stationary. Since it lacked significant offensive capabilities, its entire strategy revolved around waiting for the enemy to act first.

At that moment, Qiao Sang asked: "Want to give it a try?"

Lubao possessed the Water Absorption trait (negating Water damage) and Ice Body (negating Blizzard), supplemented by Energy Regeneration. Theoretically, she could wear Wobbuffet down by spamming Water-type moves and Blizzard, as the reflected damage wouldn't harm her. However, such a tedious grind wasn't the style Qiao Sang or Lubao preferred.

Qi Fuqing, having already deduced that a trait was protecting Lubao, had regained her composure. Her eyes glinted at Qiao Sang’s suggestion, and she smiled with a hint of challenge: "Try what? That massive, mountain-sized Giant Ice Spike?"

In her previous bouts, the Ice Emperor Ram had always followed an Ice Field Domain with a Giant Ice Spike—clearly her most devastating combination. This time, however, she had opted for Blizzard.

Qi Fuqing reached a conclusion. She believed the Ice Emperor Ram had used Blizzard specifically because her Ice Body trait was developed enough to ignore the blowback.

Words are a weapon in battle. Just as Qi Fuqing attempted to goad Qiao Sang into using the powered-up Giant Ice Spike, Lubao let out a cry: "Lu Di."

Qiao Sang grinned and answered, "You guessed correctly."

"Lu Di!"

Lubao let out a piercing shriek. A visible explosion of freezing mist erupted from her form, so violent that even her dense Ice Armor couldn't keep it contained. Sensing the coming move a second early, Wobbuffet clasped its hands together and began to glow blue, remaining perfectly still as it was encased in a block of ice.

If the opponent wanted an attack, she would provide one. Her experiment was already finished.

It was true that Wobbuffet could trigger reflection skills while frozen, but only after the icy prison surrounding it was shattered. The Giant Ice Spike is classified as a Special Attack, which Wobbuffet counters with Mirror Coat. Even if the energy is gathered internally, the reflecting mirror must be projected in front of the user—an action that requires the outer ice shell to break first.

Consequently, if the ice remained intact, the reflection would fail.

The real challenge lay with Lubao. She had never attempted to keep a target frozen while simultaneously striking it with a massive impact. Qiao Sang had planned for this scenario after identifying Qi Fuqing as a rival, but they hadn't had the chance to practice on a real field. This was Lubao’s first attempt at proving the theory.

Of course, failure wouldn't be the end of the world. Within her Ice Field Domain, Lubao could freeze anything with a mere thought, though it was energy-intensive. If this first strike missed its mark, they would lose their momentum.

Energy Regeneration requires time to work, and despite not being an attacker, Wobbuffet was still a King-level pet that could disrupt their rhythm if not kept under control.

The Giant Ice Spike manifested out of thin air, looming in the sky. A colossal shadow instantly swallowed the entire field.

Qi Fuqing felt a mix of shock and excitement, but a sudden sense of dread washed over her.

The opponent had summoned the enhanced Giant Ice Spike with such effortless ease.

While Ice Soul is rare and mostly seen in pure Ice-types, Qiao Sang and her companions frequently defied common sense. If a Blazing Divine Lion could possess the Moonlight Power trait, it wasn't out of the question for an Ice Emperor Ram to have Ice Soul.

"The Ice Emperor Ram has unleashed the same finishing move used against the Sweet Poison King!" Tian Yiwan bellowed.

"Can Wobbuffet manage to double-reflect the fall of this icy mountain?!"

BOOM! A thunderous roar rocked the entire stadium.

The Giant Ice Spike crashed down onto the arena with immense force. The ground shook violently, splintering and forming a massive crater. The crowd held their breath, eyes fixed on the ice mountain that dominated the stage.

The expected counter-attack—the mountain being hurled back at Lubao with twice the power—never happened.

The spectators exchanged looks of bewilderment. The mechanical pet referee hovered toward the side of the ice mountain.

The freezing mist surrounding Lubao began to fade. As the ice mountain dissolved, the temperature started to climb. Everyone could see Wobbuffet lying at the bottom of the crater, yet the ice shell surrounding it remained perfectly whole.

The cameras provided a close-up. Inside the frozen block, Wobbuffet was still frozen in its pose, hands together and eyes wide.

"Even after taking the impact of that terrifying 'Ice Mountain,' the ice encasing Wobbuffet didn't even crack!" Tian Yiwan said in amazement.

Qi Fuqing's pupils narrowed as she sensed Wobbuffet’s state. At that moment, the ice shell finally thawed. Wobbuffet’s eyes were replaced by swirls; it had lost consciousness.

Qiao Sang felt a surge of relief, though she kept her face set in a confident, calculated expression. Lubao remained poised and distant, her face showing no emotion, though the slight stiffness in her tail betrayed her inner tension.

After observing Wobbuffet for several seconds, the referee signaled toward Qiao Sang with a green flag. On the stadium's massive display, Wobbuffet’s portrait faded to black and white. Finally, Lubao’s tail relaxed.

"Wobbuffet has been defeated," Tang Xueran noted.

"Congratulations to Qiao Sang for taking the first round!"

The audience erupted into cheers.

"I knew Wobbuffet couldn't handle it! It couldn't survive a boosted Giant Ice Spike inside that Ice Field Domain."

"I remember Wobbuffet once reflected a Draco Meteor from a Nightmare Dragon. That was just as terrifying as the Blazing Divine Lion’s Meteor rain."

"It didn't even get the chance to reflect this time. It used Safeguard before being frozen, but that did nothing against such a defense-breaking hit."

"Wait, didn't you see? The Blizzard from earlier broke the ice shell, but this massive spike didn't."

"Holy cow, you're right! Did the Ice Emperor Ram intentionally strengthen the freezing effect on Wobbuffet?"

"It has to be! Usually, the ice shell on a target shatters when hit by the Ice Emperor Ram’s domain skills. This time it held firm, specifically to prevent the reflection. That is pure genius!"

"The freezing effect was never broken, which is likely why Mirror Coat couldn't activate," Tian Yiwan explained.

"To keep a target frozen while delivering such a heavy blow... the Ice Emperor Ram’s mastery over ice energy is simply staggering," Tang Xueran added with anticipation.

"I can't wait to see which pets they deploy next."

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With a flick of her wrist, Qiao Sang withdrew Lubao into the Beast Codex. Though the victory seemed effortless, maintaining the Ice Field Domain and the precise control over the Giant Ice Spike had drained most of Lubao’s energy. If the opponent brought out her ace now, Lubao would be at a disadvantage.

Qi Fuqing understood the situation the moment she saw the intact ice shell. She looked at the young girl across the field and gave a quiet, internal sigh.

Qi Fuqing recalled Wobbuffet and began to form a hand seal.

"10... 9... 3, 2, 1."

Both Beast Masters completed their seals simultaneously. Radiant red star arrays glowed on the floor as two enormous forms appeared.

"The second round is underway!" Tian Yiwan cried out.

"Qi Fuqing has called upon her ace, the Aggro-Bust Sparrow King, while Qiao Sang has summoned her Blazing Divine Lion!"

As soon as the Aggro-Bust Sparrow King manifested, it beat its wings with a thunderous sound and took to the air. Yabao, a veteran of aerial combat, vanished instantly, teleporting directly into the bird's path.

Yabao opened his jaws, and a massive head made of pure flame—a mirror of his own—formed in the air, snapping toward the approaching king of birds.

"Ao-bao!"

The Sparrow King showed no fear. Enveloped in a brilliant green aura, it accelerated to a blur, diving headfirst into the fiery gullet.

BOOM!

The fire head shattered into an explosion of sparks. Through the smoke and heat, the Sparrow King, still glowing with emerald light, tore through the blast and collided violently with Yabao. The sheer force of the impact sent Yabao flying hundreds of meters upward. The crowd looked toward the clouds, seeing only a tiny speck of green and red.

Qiao Sang looked up and gave a sharp command: "Bite."

Her voice, though not raised, reached Yabao’s ears perfectly. Despite the jarring pain, Yabao’s eyes burned with thrill. He snatched the Sparrow King’s wing, ignoring his own injuries, and sank his glowing teeth into the limb. For any flying pet, the wings are the ultimate vulnerability.

"Ao-bao!"

The strike was effective. The Sparrow King, scorched by the Fire Fang, let out a pained shriek. Suddenly, Qi Fuqing yelled: "Seismic Toss!"

"Ao-bao!"

The Sparrow King’s eyes grew fierce. It shifted its talons to lock Yabao in a vice-like grip, and a blinding white radiance flared from its feathers as it dragged Yabao even higher into the stratosphere.