Ten minutes of preparation time passed.
With a gunshot, a red flare was fired into the sky by Qian Gu Lidai, exploding into a brilliant display of fireworks.
The match officially began!
The position had been set up.
But this did not mean they had to hunker down in their position.
It didn't mean they had to wait for the opponent to attack and fight a defensive counterattack.
They could also take the initiative to attack.
Probing the opponent's strengths and weaknesses and gathering intelligence was also crucial.
Whether it was a regular match or a wild fight like this, unless there was a huge disparity in strength between the two sides, allowing one to crush the other regardless of tactics, the first priority was always to gather as much intelligence about the opponent as possible while ensuring one's own safety.
Only by mastering sufficient information and intelligence could one firmly control the initiative of the match.
"Guoguo, guard me. Sakura, go scout and test the opponent's strength," Wan Wan, who had Transformed into Lin Chuan, commanded calmly.
Her understanding of Lin Chuan and her superb acting skills made Wan Wan's portrayal of Lin Chuan almost flawless.
Even if Lin Chuan's parents were present, unless they engaged in conversation or physical contact, they would probably not be able to distinguish this was a fake for a while.
Sakura nodded slightly.
The next moment, illusory smoke also enveloped Sakura's body.
Both Sakura's and Wan Wan's Transformation skills were of Ordinary Grade.
The difference was that Sakura learned and mastered hers through a skill manual, while Wan Wan's Transformation skill was gained through skill points. The actual effects might not differ much, but in terms of skill release speed and Illusion Attribute energy utilization efficiency, Sakura surpassed Wan Wan by a lot.
It took Wan Wan about 10 seconds to Transform into Lin Chuan's appearance.
Sakura, however, only took two breaths, less than 3 seconds, for her appearance to change, becoming a red and white mottled fox.
This was the most common spirit beast in the Thousand Valley Secret Realm, the Fire Fluff Fox.
After completing her Transformation, Sakura, acting as a scout, darted into the forest.
...
This forest.
It wasn't small, nor was it particularly large.
Following the general direction Qian Gu Shu had entered the forest, Sakura explored for about 5 minutes and then discovered Qian Gu Shu's tracks.
Was it confidence or arrogance?
Qian Gu Shu didn't hide but stood under a tree, accompanied by a black fox about 1 meter tall with two tails!
Almost simultaneously.
When Sakura found Qian Gu Shu.
A black crow spirit beast also discovered Wan Wan and Guoguo, who were Transformed into Lin Chuan's image.
Black Flame Crow, Commander Grade superior bloodline, Level 22, Fire and Dark Dual Attribute.
Wan Wan stared at the opponent, quickly observing various physical details to gather relevant information.
"Caw! Caw, caw!!"
The Black Flame Crow's sharp gaze fixed on Wan Wan and Guoguo, emitting an extremely unpleasant cry, a laugh-like mockery. Perhaps in its eyes, Lin Chuan, who only had a spirit beast less than Rank 2 protecting him, was easy to bully.
The next moment.
It swooped down from mid-air, its entire body enveloped in black flames, and attacked directly towards 'Lin Chuan'.
Wan Wan quickly retreated two steps.
Guoguo simultaneously turned his body sideways, shielding her.
At Guoguo's feet.
Countless vines burst from the ground, growing rapidly and instantly weaving into a large net, blocking the Black Flame Crow.
At the same time, a deep emerald energy orb condensed between Guoguo's small, chubby hands.
A Bomb Fruit was shot out, hitting the Black Flame Crow squarely.
Accompanied by a loud rumble, the Black Flame Crow shrieked in pain from the explosion.
More vines surged out, forming a large hand that grabbed towards the Black Flame Crow.
Injured, but the Black Flame Crow's reaction was still very fast. Enduring the pain, it flapped its wings frantically and flew back into the high sky. At this moment, it dared not underestimate Guoguo. Circling high above, the Black Flame Crow spat several fireballs at Guoguo, but they were easily shattered by the large hand woven from vines controlled by Guoguo.
Finally, the Black Flame Crow could only let out two resentful 'caws' before flying away.
On the other side.
Sakura, who had found Qian Gu Shu's tracks, also launched a probing attack.
Rosemary Illusion Incense quietly spread, and pink and white flowers bloomed all around, with a faint singing voice emanating from them.
"Woo woo, meow!!!"
The black fox with two tails beside Qian Gu Shu let out a sharp, warning cry.
It was clearly a fox, but it ended with a cat's meow.
Evidently, this fox's bloodline had something special about it.
It was not a natural spirit beast but a new species of spirit beast created by the Qian Gu Family through cross-species breeding and bloodline fusion experiments.
Even the Three Great Nations did not have relevant archival data.
"Are they here?"
Qian Gu Shu murmured.
The next second, Qian Gu Shu felt a dizzy spell, and then his vision became blurry, distorted, and dark, as if covered by a black curtain.
Qian Gu Shu instantly realized that he had fallen into an illusion.
Such a powerful illusion effect! Qian Gu Shu was inwardly startled.
As a member of the Qian Gu Family, although he was not a Beast Master who specialized in illusion arts, Qian Gu Shu had been exposed to and understood illusion arts through osmosis.
Yes, Qian Gu Shu was a Fire Attribute Beast Master.
He had only told Lin Chuan he was an Illusionist to create psychological pressure on Lin Chuan.
The path of illusion, even for noble family members, was not something everyone could walk.
Not everyone had enough spiritual power and aptitude.
Illusion Attribute skills were too profound, too mystical. Even with skill manuals and relevant Synergy Dances, not everyone could learn them.
Despite not being an Illusionist, Qian Gu Shu had been undergoing resistance training against illusions since childhood.
Basic illusion skills cast by ordinary Rank 2 spirit beasts.
If they weren't Expert Grade or higher, they basically had no effect on him. Expert Grade would affect him, and only Master Grade could make him hallucinate so quickly.
In other words, the opponent's basic illusion skill.
Was Master Grade!!
Cold sweat broke out on Qian Gu Shu's forehead. He realized he had underestimated Lin Chuan.
Even among the talented Beast Masters of his generation in the Qian Gu Family who specialized in Illusion Attribute, none had cultivated their basic Illusion Attribute skills to Master Grade at this point.
Without hesitation, Qian Gu Shu took out a bottle of black, viscous, unappetizing-looking potion from his storage bag and drank the entire bottle directly.
This was concentrated bitter syrup.
A special food potion made by the Qian Gu Family to enhance one's illusion resistance.
The potion quickly took effect.
Qian Gu Shu's forehead veins throbbed, and his blurry, distorted, dark vision gradually returned to normal.
Exhaling deeply, Qian Gu Shu felt a sense of urgency in his heart.
He almost didn't break free from the illusion.
He was almost instantly killed.
"Xiao Hei, can you find the opponent?"
Qian Gu Shu asked in a low voice.
The two-tailed black fox beside him let out another low growl, a mix of whines and meows, as it vigilantly surveyed its surroundings.
Finally, its pair of vertical pupils fixed on a certain direction.
However, very quickly, its taut nerves relaxed again.
Woo woo meow meow, the black fox whimpered softly.
The synchronization frequency between Qian Gu Shu and the black fox had clearly not reached 80% for telepathic communication.
However, their tacit understanding was not low, and Qian Gu Shu could barely understand the 'woo meow' language.
"They left?"
Qian Gu Shu asked gravely.
The black fox continued to stare in that direction for a moment, then finally nodded slightly.
Qian Gu Shu breathed a sigh of relief, but the tension in his heart did not subside.
He had thought that a civilian Beast Master from the Star Rock Federation, even if he was a student of the Sixth Academy, couldn't be that strong.
Who knew that the opponent's spirit beast, which was only here for reconnaissance and probing, had almost instantly killed him.
"Caw, caw, caw!"
Just then, the Black Flame Crow, also their own scout, flew back, squawking frantically.
Seeing the Black Flame Crow's scorched feathers from the explosion, Qian Gu Shu's brows furrowed even tighter.
The opponent's scout had almost instantly killed him.
And their own scout had almost been defeated.
His own strength seemed to be much lower than Lin Chuan's.
Fortunately, it was a 3+1 match; he was not without a chance.
The black two-tailed fox, named Dual-tailed Cat Fox within the Qian Gu Family, was his initial contracted spirit beast. The Black Flame Crow was his second spirit beast. Both spirit beasts were currently Level 25 and 22, respectively, while his third spirit beast was only Level 15, and he had not arranged for it to participate in this match.
However, besides these three formally contracted spirit beasts, Qian Gu Shu also had other spirit beasts.
These were the spirit beasts he had raised and trained before he awakened his Beast Master talent and formally became a Beast Master.
Some of those spirit beasts had been raised incorrectly or had become useless and were not worthy of being formally contracted by him.
There were also spirit beasts that had been cultivated without error, but their levels were too high. If he contracted them, the energy feedback from a single level-up might cause him to explode. In such cases, he either had to wait until his Beast Master level increased before contracting them, or completely give up on them.
A fox, four meters long, with fiery red fur and a ring of flames burning around its neck, was released by Qian Gu Shu.
This was his last 3+1 spirit beast, one of his practice spirit beasts.
A spirit beast that was cultivated without error but was too high level.
The evolved form of Little Flame Fox.
Prairie Fire Fox, Level 34, Commander Grade mid-tier bloodline, Fire Attribute.
...
Lin Chuan's true body was currently hidden in the position, between two crossed fake trees woven from Vine Armor Shield by Guoguo and Sakura. If one didn't observe thoroughly and carefully, it would be impossible to find him.
He was gathering information from the outside world through his contract and telepathy.
After a brief contact and probe with Qian Gu Shu.
Lin Chuan realized that he seemed to have overestimated his opponent.
He had thought Qian Gu Shu would be similar to Zhou Tianque and Feng Yingge, but he hadn't expected such a significant gap.
His combat style and actions were not cautious enough.
He already knew Lin Chuan was an Illusionist before the match started; no matter what, he should have hidden himself well, right?
He just stood brazenly under a tree. Was this arrogance, or was he looking down on Lin Chuan?
If he had any defensive skills, shouldn't he have activated them first?
Did he have to wait until he was encountered to activate his shield? To prepare his defenses?
Just now, with that posture.
Qian Gu Shu was almost instantly killed by Sakura.
One could only say that there were differences even among noble family members.
The gap between the Three Great Nations and smaller nations was indeed significant.
At this moment, Lin Chuan's brows suddenly furrowed.
Through telepathy, through Sakura's perspective, Lin Chuan saw Qian Gu Shu riding a Prairie Fire Fox, galloping towards their direction.
The key was the rank aura emanating from this Prairie Fire Fox.
Rank 3!!
!