In the underground battle room of the manor.
The environment here is not as neat and clean as the training room, which has all five basic elemental attributes and can be switched as needed at any time.
The battle room is just an ordinary terrain with a slightly larger space.
Of course, it's not a bare, empty white board battleground with only a few lines drawn, like many small Baby Cups.
Within the battle room, there are still many obstacles, such as huge rocks, broken wood, collapsed building walls and alleys, small puddles, and even flattened soda cans, plastic bottles, and smelly trash cans.
Overall, it looks like a disaster scene after a storm and earthquake swept through, very messy and chaotic.
Although the environment is so bad, as a battleground for Spirit Beasts, it can be called perfect.
You can unleash ultimate skills and throw skills however you want; anyway, the place is already like this, so there's no need to clean up.
...
The secret competition before the match resulted in a loss.
She was locked in the metal attribute training room and didn't rest well all night.
Now, she still has thick dark circles under her eyes.
However, Guo Di's aura showed no weakness whatsoever.
She had already applied a lucky buff in advance.
Without concealing her figure, Guo Di stood on a broken wall of rock, looking down at the cherry blossom quietly standing in the open area on the opposite side of the arena.
You despicable little tea hussy, I'll show you some color right now!
Let you know why flowers are so white! That's right, they're white! Flower Spirit's flowers should be white; what the hell is pink?!
Evil heresy!
I, Guo Di, will definitely take you down today!
Guo Di thought to herself.
Although not a professional referee, Lin Chuan still acted the part quite well.
Just like the referee during the previous Xiao Qingkong Cup, Lin Chuan confirmed with Guo Di and Cherry Blossom whether they were fully prepared.
After receiving affirmative answers from both Spirit Beasts, Lin Chuan gently patted White Snow's fluffy big head, which was beneath him.
White Snow opened her dragon mouth wide and inhaled forcefully, her mouth and cheeks puffing out.
The next second, she exhaled a stream of green air in the center of the arena, halfway up.
Normal Tier, Wind Dragon Breath!
The green airflow converged into a ball, spinning rapidly.
Then it exploded, turning into a wind wave that blew outwards in all directions.
At the same time, the Guo flag and Cherry flag in Lin Chuan's hands were waved down simultaneously.
“Guo Di versus Cherry Blossom, no-rules battle, begin!”
Lin Chuan shouted this loudly, then rode White Snow to a higher altitude. Wan Wan was at this height, concentrating intently on the scene below, memorizing every moment.
A faint white mist enveloped Cherry Blossom.
If the opponent's level was lower than Cherry Blossom's, or their mental focus was insufficient, this thin Illusion Attribute white mist would cause the opponent to subconsciously ignore Cherry Blossom's presence, allowing Cherry Blossom to gain the first strike.
However, although Guo Di's bloodline tier was lower than Cherry Blossom's, her actual level was 25, which was higher than Cherry Blossom's!
What's more, in this battle,
How could Guo Di not concentrate?
Let alone 100%, Guo Di was concentrating 1000% of her attention.
The moment Lin Chuan shouted the word 'begin'.
Guo Di made the first move.
It wasn't the Rooting, Photosynthesis, Growth combo.
Not to mention that this underground battleground didn't have natural or simulated sunlight, even if it did, Guo Di didn't plan to fight a war of attrition with Cherry Blossom.
Both of them were good at shield-healing tactics, and an attrition war would be endless.
Most importantly, fighting a war of attrition with Cherry Blossom, who was skilled in illusions, meant having to be extremely careful and vigilant at all times, like guarding against a thief.
Guo Di wasn't confident that she could completely defend against Cherry Blossom's almost omnipresent illusions.
Prolonging the battle would definitely not benefit her in the slightest.
If Guo Di wanted to win this match, she only had one tactic!
Quick attack!
Strong attack!!
Discard all defense, abandon all recovery, and unleash damage fiercely!!
Give Cherry Blossom no chance to cast Illusion Attribute skills, and directly drown Cherry Blossom with tons of damage.
Cherry Blossom's illusions were indeed strong.
But they couldn't be activated instantly; they required a certain amount of preparation and activation time.
Lin Chuan recently bought many Bomb Fruit inheritance materials from the academy's resource library.
Currently, both Cherry Blossom and Wan Wan have inherited Bomb Fruit. Of course, their proficiency in Bomb Fruit cannot compare to Guo Di's. Guo Di's Bomb Fruit skill has reached Master Tier, coupled with her inherent super high adaptability and excellent comprehension of Wood Attribute energy.
Guo Di is now adept at using Bomb Fruit, and instant casting is no problem for her.
Other Spirit Beasts must be very careful when casting Bomb Fruit, otherwise, they will blow themselves up.
Guo Di can now easily manipulate it and even create flowers, which is not a metaphor but literally creating flowers.
Guo Di can control the energy to form the shape of flowers and even petals, not just limited to the peach shape.
Three white flowers floated over, turning into a sky full of petals, falling like a storm.
Every petal exploded upon landing.
This was an advanced version of the mother-child Bomb Fruit.
Exploding Flower Rain!
Exploding Flower Rain was a Combination Skill secret manual that Lin Chuan found in the academy's secret manual library, suitable for Guo Di.
However, Lin Chuan hasn't exchanged it yet.
Because it costs 300 academic credits, which he doesn't have right now.
However, Lin Chuan had already told Guo Di about the principles related to Combination Skills, based on his and Wan Wan's analysis and understanding.
He wanted to see if Guo Di could develop it herself with her comprehension, which would save 300 academic credits.
Exploding Flower Rain is a Combination Skill of Flower Leaf Dance and Fruit Bomb.
The Wood Attribute energy generated by each exploding petal will remain active for a period of time and accumulate in the surrounding environment, which can continuously increase the power of Bomb Fruit and other Wood Attribute skills, essentially creating an area that enhances the power of Wood Attribute skills.
Currently,
Guo Di only grasped its form but not its essence; she managed to create the form of Flower Leaf Dance but could not yet create the field effect that enhances Wood Attribute skill power.
Cherry Blossom's expression also became solemn.
Although she had evolved back into her Flower Spirit form,
And her bloodline tier unexpectedly reached General Tier Lower Level, giving her attributes a qualitative breakthrough compared to before.
However, facing Guo Di's explosive output, she dared not be careless.
If she were overconfident and took the hits head-on, falling into a rigid state and being forcibly controlled by Guo Di's output, then being drowned alive by endless Bomb Fruit would be highly probable.
Cherry Blossom took half a step back.
The next second, countless vines burst from the ground beneath her feet, surging wildly like mad pythons, intertwining and crossing each other.
How could a Master Tier Vine Armor Shield be so inconvenient?
It was no longer limited to the shape of a shield.
Any desired shape, any desired mode of operation, could be woven and controlled through the Vine Armor Shield, following her will.
These vines could be said to have become external organs, wielded as easily as limbs.
Dozens of vines intertwined, forming a terrifying giant maw similar to a man-eating plant.
The giant maw opened wide and directly swallowed all the petals that filled the sky.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
Explosions, continuous and unending.
The Wood Attribute energy, compressed to its extreme, surged out, directly tearing Cherry Blossom's Vine Armor Shield into pieces.
Guo Di's eyes flickered.
Only you can use Vine Armor Shield? Only you are Master Tier?
Even if you can, even if you are Master Tier.
You should also know that there are differences even among Masters!
Vine Armor Shield is a purely Wood Attribute skill. I don't have your talent in Illusion Attribute, but in Wood Attribute skills, how could I, Guo Di, lose to you, you despicable little tea hussy?!
One, two, three, four, five.
A total of five vine giant hands rose from the ground beside Guo Di and swept towards Cherry Blossom.
Two of these vine giant hands, like mad pythons, directly grabbed Cherry Blossom's vines and forcefully tore them apart, directly ripping open Cherry Blossom's shield.
The remaining three Vine Armor giant hands violently slammed down with loud thuds.
They actually sent Cherry Blossom flying.
One of Cherry Blossom's own vines burst from the ground and timely transformed into a vine net to catch Cherry Blossom, preventing her from being violently thrown to the ground.
Outside the arena, Wan Wan, who was responsible for recording every detail of this battle, couldn't help but shiver.
During daily training and sparring, neither Guo Di nor Cherry Blossom ever displayed their true combat abilities; they always stopped short.
Before this, Wan Wan only thought that the Vine Armor Shield skill was very sturdy and its defensive capabilities were reliable.
She never imagined it had such a terrifying side.
Originally, Wan Wan thought that since it was already Level 15 and had even awakened its species-exclusive skill, Immortal Art: Creative Mode, it might not be much worse than Guo Guo and Sakura, Lin Chuan's initial spirit beasts; even if it couldn't win, it wouldn't lose too badly.
However, now, upon seeing the endless vines coiling, biting, and tearing at each other like giant pythons in the arena.
Just the probing exchange had already shaken the massive battleground.
Wan Wan completely understood the gap between it and Guo Guo and Sakura.
Whether it was Guo Guo or Sakura, to defeat it, they might not need to directly engage; a single vine could whip it to death.
Even Lin Chuan was startled at this moment.
Since coming to the Sixth Academy, he had either been copying books or studying like crazy, and he hadn't experienced a truly full-power battle yet.
Normally, when nurturing Guo Guo and Sakura, he would give them the best resources and the best training environment, letting them train diligently on their own.
Lin Chuan believed they wouldn't slack off, at most, he would occasionally guide them on the usage of skills.
For example, using the Vine Armor Shield as an external arm was a suggestion Lin Chuan gave to Guo Guo and Sakura.
However, Lin Chuan didn't expect it.
Guo Guo and Sakura had developed and used the Vine Armor Shield to this extent.
Now, Lin Chuan saw Guo Guo and Sakura's full-power battle.
Compared to their performance in the Secret Realm assessment, their combat power had increased too much, or rather, they were completely on a different level, a different tier.
Now, whether it was Guo Guo or Sakura, Lin Chuan felt they had the strength to face that 3rd Tier Terror Puppet Giant alone.
Even if they couldn't win, they wouldn't be instantly defeated; they could at least fight that Terror Puppet Giant for two hundred rounds.
The situation on the field kept changing.
Ultimately, Guo Guo, specialized in Wood Attribute, had superior control over the Vine Armor Shield.
Countless vines intertwined, forming a massive wooden dragon that completely tore apart the vine man-eating plant erected by Sakura.
However, at some point.
Pink flowers had quietly bloomed all over the entire battleground.
That was!?
The scattered vine fragments of Sakura's Vine Armor Shield, torn apart by Guo Guo, covered the ground!
Pink flowers had actually bloomed on them.
The flowers swayed, and a faint pinkish-white Illusion Attribute energy quietly filled the entire field.
Rosemary Illusion Incense!!
At the same time, those flowers were like small loudspeakers, and a faint singing voice emanated from them.
Bewitching Sound!!
Guo Guo understood Sakura's Combination Skill, Illusion Dream Realm, even better than Sakura did.
Rosemary Illusion Incense, Bewitching Sound, and Illusion Eye—these three skills were integrated; if all hit, even it wouldn't be able to easily break free from the illusion and would be directly controlled to death.
Now, it had already been hit by two.
Therefore, it absolutely could not be hit by the third, Illusion Eye.
Guo Guo, standing atop the vine wooden dragon, immediately closed its eyes; it would rather abandon its vision at this moment.
The vine wooden dragon slowly coiled, encasing Guo Guo into a large vine ball, protecting it within.
One flower, another flower, and yet another.
Like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, the entire field was covered in pink flowers.
The sea of flowers swayed, and soft singing echoed.
Thin, hair-like vines continuously climbed onto the large vine ball.
Sakura quietly appeared amidst the pink sea of flowers.
She smiled gently.
What if it temporarily protected itself? It would still have to come out eventually.
If it couldn't break the illusion, and couldn't kill it with brute force at the very beginning.
Then, it could only be slowly consumed and controlled to death.
Checkmate!
However, just as Sakura was smugly thinking she had won the battle at that moment.
Suddenly!
The huge vine ball exploded.
Endless Wood Attribute energy surged out, and Guo Guo rushed out from within.
What's going on?
Even if it didn't get hit by the final Illusion Eye, Guo Guo was still hit by Rosemary Illusion Incense and Bewitching Sound.
It shouldn't have broken free from the illusion in just two breaths!
What's the situation?
Sakura was puzzled, but instantly, when she saw Guo Guo's disheveled state, with multiple wounds on its body as if it had been hit by a Bomb Fruit, Sakura understood the situation.
Guo Guo had actually used a Bomb Fruit to blow itself up, using the pain to forcibly break free from the double control of Rosemary Illusion Incense and Bewitching Sound.
On Guo Guo's side.
It knew that ever since it was hit by Rosemary Illusion Incense and Bewitching Sound, subsequent illusion controls would come one after another.
The opportunity left for it, perhaps, was only this one!
A huge Bomb Fruit, as big as a basketball, was held in Guo Guo's hands as it rushed towards Sakura.
Yi ya ya!!
(This Emperor Guo, I'm exploding with you, little Tea Princess!!)
There was no avoiding it, no dodging it; there wasn't even time to control Guo Guo with illusions now.
Sakura also became fierce.
You chuunibyou little sister dare to explode, do I, this young lady, not dare!?
Bomb Fruit, though not as master-grade as yours, I have mastered it now too!
Sakura also conjured a fist-sized Bomb Fruit.
Colliding head-on with Guo Guo.
Sakura's Bomb Fruit was, of course, not as good as Guo Guo's Bomb Fruit; they were simply not on the same scale.
However, Sakura, by detonating it prematurely, also caused Guo Guo's basketball-sized Bomb Fruit to explode in a chain reaction!
Boom!!!
The ground shook, and endless Wood Attribute energy swept out in all directions like ocean waves.
Even White Snow, who was in mid-air, was blown backward by the wind, tumbling awkwardly in the air. Lin Chuan almost fell, but fortunately, he managed to grab White Snow's neck in time. Wan Wan was directly swept away, her entire Transformation body shrinking into her main body, "new fairytale compilation".
Even the ground of the manor felt the tremors of this explosion.
The Gardener Chickens in the garden looked around in confusion.
Underground battleground.
The smoke and dust gradually dispersed.
Sakura was in a complete mess, completely losing her elegant and dignified posture.
Her materialized roots dug into the ground, continuously drawing in water and nutrients, and at the same time, Sakura had her eyes closed.
This was Rooting plus Sleeping, and both were at the master level.
Sakura was like this, while Guo Guo lay supine on the ground.
Around its body, countless materialized roots also dug into the ground, its eyes tightly closed, also in self-recovery.
However, compared to Sakura, Guo Guo's injuries were still more severe; it was completely unable to stand up at this moment.
After recovering a bit, Sakura came to Guo Guo's side.
Guo Guo seemed to sense her; its eyes slightly opened a slit, and it raised one hand.
Sakura took it.
Guo Guo: Yi ya ya.
(How about it, this Emperor Guo, not weak, right? Don't think that because you reincarnated early, don't think that because your bloodline tier broke through to the Monarch Tier, you can be arrogant and conceited, and completely defeat this Emperor. On the path to becoming Emperor, arrogance and conceit are always the biggest taboos. Little Tea Princess, you still need to keep working hard.)
Sakura: Ying ying ying.
(Emperor Guo's lesson is well-taken.)
Indeed, as Guo Guo said.
At the moment of its evolution and breakthrough yesterday, with a Monarch Tier Lower Level bloodline, Sakura did indeed have the thought that it could completely overwhelm Guo Guo, who only had a General Tier Upper Level bloodline.
But now, Sakura was sobered.
From beginning to end, in terms of will and perseverance, Sakura was inferior to Guo Guo.
It had only reincarnated one step ahead of Guo Guo, and evolved one step ahead of Guo Guo, otherwise, what right did it have to win against Guo Guo?
This battle.
Before the match, with its underhanded tactics, it won.
It messed with Guo Guo's mindset, preventing Guo Guo from resting well at night.
However, in the actual battle, it was still pushed to the brink by Guo Guo, almost successfully achieving a 1-for-1 trade.
Its proud illusionary arts, the Combination Skill Illusion Dream Realm, failed to stop Guo Guo at the crucial moment.
If this were a true life-and-death struggle, it could not absolutely guarantee a win against Guo Guo.
At this moment, Sakura shed its pride and impatience.
Guo Guo: Yi ya ya
(Then, the Master's safety is temporarily entrusted to you. When I return from reincarnation, I will reclaim my imperial throne.)
Sakura: Ying ying ying.
(Leave it to me.)