“Is that the Phantom Mist Sovereign?” Liu Yi asked in a hushed voice.
Wan Yulian was right; this was indeed a 'pseudo-Advanced pet' with unstable energy.
She could clearly see the chaotic energy flowing across the Phantom Mist Sovereign's body, with some mycelial threads even broken.
Even so, the 'Advanced pet's' energy still made Ziyue and Chiying tense.
Liu Yi quickly formulated a plan: “Ziyue, first use Extreme Cold Storm to freeze the water surface and restrict its movement. Chiying, once the mycelial threads are frozen, attack its main body with Dragon Starfall.”
Ziyue nodded, and energy began to gather around her.
Chiying leaped from Liu Yi's shoulder, its crimson eyes fixed on the Phantom Mist Sovereign in the center of the pond.
“Begin!”
Ziyue unleashed Extreme Cold Storm, and a violent blizzard instantly swept across the entire pond.
The pond water froze at a visible rate, and the Phantom Mist Sovereign's dangling mycelial threads were firmly locked in ice.
The Phantom Mist Sovereign let out a piercing shriek, its fungal mass violently swaying, trying to break free from the ice.
“Chiying!”
Chiying unleashed Dragon Starfall; burning meteorites appeared out of thin air, streaking with fiery tails as they slammed into the Phantom Mist Sovereign.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
The shockwaves from the explosions shook the surrounding trees, and cracks appeared on the ice surface.
The Phantom Mist Sovereign was hit directly; a large hole was blasted open in its purple fungal mass, sending viscous, slimy matter splattering.
“Effective.”
But the next moment, the Phantom Mist Sovereign suddenly contracted violently, then abruptly expanded.
New mycelial threads rapidly grew from the blasted wound, and the broken threads reconnected.
Even worse, the Phantom Mist Sovereign seemed to have been completely enraged.
Countless mycelial threads shot out from beneath the ice, launching at them like sharp arrows.
“Ziyue, Frost Path!”
Ziyue quickly laid out a Frost Path, allowing Liu Yi to move rapidly and dodge.
Chiying, meanwhile, weaved nimbly through the mycelial threads, occasionally spraying venom to corrode the attacking threads.
Liu Yi keenly noticed the change in the Phantom Mist Sovereign's attack pattern; the seemingly chaotic mycelial assaults actually concealed a hidden order.
“Retreat!”
Ziyue immediately laid out a new ice path beneath their feet. The moment they moved, dozens of sharp mycelial threads suddenly shot out from where they had just stood.
Chiying seized the opportunity, its Poison Fang precisely biting through two incoming mycelial threads.
Purple viscous fluid splattered from the breaks, landing on the ice with a sizzling, corrosive sound.
“Watch out for that liquid!” Liu Yi warned.
She quickly scanned the battlefield, noticing that the energy flow across the Phantom Mist Sovereign's body was becoming increasingly chaotic; continuous regeneration was draining a vast amount of its energy.
“Ziyue, focus your attacks on its core.” Liu Yi pointed to the faint purple light visible in the center of the fungal mass. “Extreme Cold Storm.”
Ziyue took a deep breath, and a blizzard once again swept across the pond. The cold wind, carrying sharp ice crystals, cut through the Phantom Mist Sovereign's body like a thousand tiny knives.
The Phantom Mist Sovereign let out a painful shriek, its mycelial threads wildly thrashing in an attempt to defend, but its movements were sluggish because a part of it was frozen by the Extreme Cold Storm.
Liu Yi seized the opportunity to replenish some energy liquid for Chiying, and Dragon Starfall was unleashed again, the burning meteorites accurately striking the center of the fungal mass.
“Boom—”
The fiery light of the explosion sharply contrasted with the extremely cold storm.
After a dazzling white flash, the Phantom Mist Sovereign's massive body suddenly exploded, purple viscous fluid raining down like drops.
Liu Yi hastily raised her backpack to shield herself.
Suddenly!
The last few mycelial threads, lurking underwater, shot out like venomous snakes, instantly coiling around Liu Yi's ankle and pulling her down forcefully!
Ziyue reacted immediately, pouncing and striking the mycelial threads with Ice Blades.
Chiying also darted over, its Poison Fang savagely biting the coiling mycelial threads.
But it was too late; more mycelial threads surged from the cracks in the ice, dragging them all into the frigid pond.
The last thing Liu Yi saw was Ziyue's desperate outstretched claws and Chiying's crimson eyes, before she was completely swallowed by darkness.
The biting pond water flooded her nostrils. Liu Yi struggled to surface but was ensnared ever tighter by the mycelial threads.
Just as her consciousness began to blur, she vaguely felt Ziyue's fluffy body press against her, and Chiying's tail tightly wrapped around her wrist.
...
The people in the cave suddenly noticed that the purple mist outside was slowly fading, gradually returning to its normal white color.
“The purple mist is dissipating!” Jin Yan exclaimed with surprise. “Liu Yi succeeded!”
Wan Yulian quickly walked to the cave entrance, but her brow furrowed tighter. “But... why isn't she back yet?”
Once the mist had fully cleared, Wan Yulian quickly checked if her communicator was working again. She pressed the button and finally heard a connection tone: “This is the Misty Wetland Secret Realm Management Office, please report your situation!”
“I am Intermediate Breeder Wan Yulian! An Advanced pet, the Phantom Mist Sovereign, appeared in the Secret Realm. The purple mist has now dissipated, but Beast Tamer Liu Yi, who went to deal with it, is missing! There are also injured individuals in the cave; we request immediate assistance!”
From the other end of the communicator, there was a rapid tapping of keys: “Location received. The rescue team will arrive shortly. Please keep communications open and do not act without authorization.”
Hanging up the call, Wan Yulian turned to Jin Yan and Jia Yangping: “The Management Office told us to wait for rescue.”
“Wait?” Jin Yan frowned. “It’s been a while since the mist changed. Logically speaking…”
“I know,” Wan Yulian said, clenching her fist. “But our pets are all injured. Acting rashly would only cause more trouble.” She took a deep breath. “However, we can scout near the pond first, and then lead the rescue team directly there when they arrive.”
The three quickly gathered their equipment.
As they passed through the thinning mist and reached the edge of the pond, the sight before them made all three gasp simultaneously.
The pond surface was covered with a thick layer of ice, scattered with charred meteorite craters and purple viscous fluid.
The surrounding trees were toppled in disarray, their trunks covered in corrosive marks.
Most alarming was the huge hole in the center of the ice, with several broken mycelial threads still clinging to its edges.
“The battle traces are still fresh.” Wan Yulian crouched down, carefully using tweezers to pick up a mycelial thread and place it into a sample vial. “Judging by the ice layer's thickness, it must have been created by Liu Yi's Silver Snow Fox.”
...
A biting chill permeated her bones. Liu Yi abruptly opened her eyes, coughing out several mouthfuls of frigid pond water.
Through blurry vision, she saw two familiar figures anxiously circling her.
“Ziyue, Chiying.” Her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.
Ziyue and Chiying immediately came closer, gently touching Liu Yi's cheek with their cold noses and dragon horns, their eyes filled with worry.
Liu Yi struggled to prop up her upper body, water droplets dripping from her hair.
She looked around, finding herself in a natural rock cave surrounded by water.
The water surface above her head shimmered faintly, yet it seemed separated by an invisible barrier, impenetrable.
The air inside the cave was damp, and glowing blue moss covered the rock walls, providing a faint illumination in the darkness.
Liu Yi reached out and touched Ziyue's soaked fur, then gently stroked Chiying's dragon horn, confirming they were safe and sound.
Rate on N.U.
