When Flower Leaf Leaf upgrades to Level 20 and advances to Tier 2, it will naturally evolve into Flower Spirit unless there are special circumstances.
However, there are also ways to evolve Flower Leaf Leaf into Flower Spirit before it reaches Tier 2.
Of course, only Spirit Beasts that have reached Level 19, already close to the evolution critical point, can undergo a special ritual for early evolution. If it's Level 18, or even lower at Level 17, the ritual won't work. If forced to evolve, even if successful, it will lead to a decrease in the evolved Spirit Beast's bloodline tier.
Taking Flower Spirit as an example, a typical Flower Spirit is of the Middle General Tier. If Flower Leaf Leaf's level hasn't reached the critical point of Level 19 and is forced to evolve early, then after evolution, the Flower Spirit's bloodline tier might only be Lower General Tier.
Regarding this knowledge, it belongs to the confidential knowledge of the Beastmaster Association and requires Beast Master points to obtain. Some even more precious and advanced knowledge requires the identity of a Professional Beastmaster to have purchasing authority.
As a common Spirit Beast, the knowledge for Flower Leaf Leaf's early evolution, the 'Spring Flower Ritual,' clearly does not belong to that extremely precious and advanced knowledge, and does not require the identity or authority of a Professional Beastmaster.
Even so, Lin Chuan still expended a huge amount.
Of the 10 million prize money from the Xiao Qingkong Cup, nearly 6 million was spent on the Spring Flower Ritual.
This! This was also Lin Chuan's biggest trump card prepared for this Secret Realm assessment.
Was it worth it?
Clearly, he only needed to wait one more month, and both Guoguo and Sakura could naturally evolve. It was like spending 6 million to buy a one-month limited evolution experience card.
Before this, Lin Chuan actually had some hesitation, feeling it wasn't worth it.
Because even without evolving, the cooperation of Level 19 Guoguo and Sakura, with Expert Grade Bomb Fruit plus Normal Grade Assistance, and with buffs like Growth and Flower Leaf Dance added, the current test pile damage had already reached 2713. This is the skill damage that a Tier 2 Level 5 or so explosive offensive Spirit Beast can achieve.
As long as he seized the timing of his dive attack, he could completely instantly kill Li Zeyu's Tier 2 Level 1 Mutated Blue Feather Eagle. Xu Ru's Purple Crown Black Crystal Moth's mobility was not as fast as the Mutated Blue Feather Eagle, so it was even less of a problem.
However, now, personally witnessing Sakura's evolution.
Lin Chuan felt it was worth it!
Not only was it worth it, but it was a massive profit!
...
When an ordinary Flower Leaf Leaf evolves into a Flower Spirit, although it gains an Illusion Attribute, it generally cannot comprehend Rosemary Illusion Incense.
Subsequently, to learn Illusion Attribute skills, the Beast Master would have to invest a large amount of resources, and more importantly, acquire skill manuals. A Beast Master must either get into a top Imperial Beast University or join a certain Hall, otherwise, they simply won't make any progress in the Illusion Attribute.
However, Sakura is different!
Even as a Flower Leaf Leaf, she had already displayed her Illusion Attribute talent, and now, as an evolved Flower Spirit, her Illusion Attribute talent has completely unfolded.
This is also the reason Lin Chuan chose Sakura for early evolution instead of Guoguo.
Sakura's early evolution allows her Illusion Attribute talent to be realized and developed.
As for Guoguo, at most, it would just be an increase in all attributes, and the attack damage of its Bomb Fruit would be a bit stronger.
This bit of damage can be completely compensated by the evolved Flower Spirit Sakura using Assistance.
Now, it has proven that Lin Chuan's choice was not wrong.
As Sakura evolved, she fulfilled her exceptional Illusion Attribute talent, comprehending the Illusion Attribute skill Rosemary Illusion Incense, and even its skill proficiency was directly at Normal Grade, not Entry Grade.
At this moment, she even relied on this newly comprehended skill to completely block the Terror Puppet's Demon Attribute mental pollution.
In the eyes of all the candidates of the Assault Team and their Spirit Beasts.
The surrounding environment seemed to have a filter applied. The dimly lit foreign nameless town, with its terrifying atmosphere, transformed into a natural landscape filled with birdsong and flowers. Green grass sprouted, and flowers bloomed along the roadsides.
Even on the Terror Puppets themselves, vibrant flowers bloomed, and many Terror Puppets even had a small white flower stubbornly growing from their heads, swaying in the wind.
This made the originally menacing and terrifying Terror Puppets instantly appear extremely comical, amusing, and adorably ugly.
It was as if a horror game had suddenly been patched with a children's version, where bloody scenes were turned into healthy green tomato juice, the terrifying ghosts chasing you put on ugly and funny cartoon skins, and the dripping cleaver chopping at you became a fragrant big chicken leg.
Thus, the Demon Attribute power was isolated by Sakura's Illusion Attribute power, filtered, and most of the mental pollution was blocked.
Before this, the Terror Puppet's Demon Attribute mental pollution had caused all the candidates of the Assault Team and their Spirit Beasts to become stiff, reducing their combat power by at least 30%.
And now, everyone and their Spirit Beasts felt comfortable all over, as if a thousand-pound armor had been lifted.
Although there was still a slight feeling of unease, their breathing was smooth, their bodies were no longer stiff, and the energy flow within their respective Spirit Beasts was unhindered.
Combat power, fully restored!
Instantly, the previously deadlocked, or even slightly disadvantaged, battle for the Assault Team was completely reversed.
Once the Terror Puppets lost their Demon Attribute mental pollution ability, with their stiff movements and inability to release skills, they were no match for the candidates' Spirit Beasts. As for the 5-meter tall Terror Puppets that could release skills, they were targeted and divided among big shots like Li Zeyu and Xu Ru, who possessed Tier 2 Spirit Beasts, or a few other smaller figures whose combat power was clearly much stronger than those around them. Ordinary Assault Team members couldn't even snatch a kill.
Lin Chuan, for his part, naturally wouldn't be idle.
He was waiting for an opportunity!
Even without Chen Yulu's reminder, Lin Chuan knew that when these Terror Puppets were eliminated to a certain extent, they would inevitably merge again, transforming back into the giant puppet giant from before. This was an inevitable trend, because that was its true body.
He had already done his part in supporting the team, even far exceeding expectations.
As long as the examiners behind the scenes weren't blind, then Lin Chuan's contribution score in this Assault Team would definitely be number one, even far surpassing Captain Chen Yulu.
Next, he also wanted to claim the BOSS's head.
Well, this BOSS's head should belong to him, who contributed the most.
However, the other members of the Assault Team would obviously not agree.
After all, this wasn't an ordinary game raid where loot could be amicably negotiated and distributed. This was a Secret Realm assessment, a crucial trial that would determine the future direction of their lives!
As long as there was a possibility, no one would give up the BOSS's head.
So, Lin Chuan could only use his own method to snatch this head, which rightfully belonged to him, the biggest contributor to the team!
Indeed, it was just as Lin Chuan had expected.
When 70% of the Terror Puppets were eliminated, a swirling mass of dark, ethereal mist formed in mid-air, and the scattered wooden fragments on the ground were gathered and sucked into it.
The next moment,
The Terror Puppet Giant reappeared.
However, its aura was extremely weak, and it could barely stand. As soon as it landed, it stumbled twice and then fell backward into the trap pit again.
"Roar, roar, roar."
The Terror Puppet Giant let out a final roar of impotent rage.
The Demon Attribute energy spread out one last time, sweeping the surroundings. However, it was easily blocked by the Rosemary Illusion Incense barrier released by Sakura, and no one was affected.
At this instant, whether it was Li Zeyu, Xu Ru, or other capable candidates, they all commanded their Spirit Beasts to unleash their strongest attacks, determined to seize this final blow!
However, Lin Chuan, who had been waiting for this opportunity, made the first move!
He applied the Spiritual Wood Heart talent to Sakura, activating its ability to amplify Illusion Attribute skill effects.
With a flash in his eyes, Lin Chuan shouted.
"Rosemary Illusion Incense!"
It was still a concise skill name command.
However, the current rapport between Lin Chuan, Guoguo, and Sakura allowed them to instinctively understand the meaning contained within Lin Chuan's simple command.
Before this, Rosemary Illusion Incense was mainly used to apply a filter, isolating the mental pollution effect caused by the Terror Puppet Giant's Demon Attribute power.
But now!
This time, the Rosemary Illusion Incense released by Sakura actively began to infiltrate all the protected candidates and their Spirit Beasts.
Although Rosemary Illusion Incense has "incense" in its name, it is not an illusion caused by smell, but rather a hallucination triggered by Illusion Attribute energy, perceived comprehensively through sight, smell, and touch.
Unprepared, in an instant, everyone and every Spirit Beast, except for Lin Chuan and Guoguo, became entranced.
They seemed to be in an boundless natural landscape.
Green grass grew abundantly, flower seas bloomed, birds flew, and butterflies danced. Everything was dreamlike, like a fairyland, and everyone unconsciously became immersed in it, becoming dazed and foolish.
At this moment, Guoguo bounced up.
Guoguo, 65 centimeters tall, was held up high above Sakura's head by the 1.2-meter tall Sakura.
Assistance!
True, complete, Tier 2 Wood Attribute energy overflowed from Sakura's body, surging madly into Guoguo's body.
Lin Chuan also applied his Spiritual Wood Heart to Guoguo, activating the effect of enhancing Wood Attribute skills!
Guoguo felt swollen and painful all over.
Tier 2 Wood Attribute energy was still a bit difficult for its Tier 1 body to bear.
Fortunately, Guoguo's basic defense attributes were already maxed out, and its advanced cultivation had reached its racial limit.
At the same time, upon sensing Guoguo's abnormality, Sakura immediately reduced the power of her energy transmission, lowering the original 100% output to around 60%.
Thus, Guoguo was able to fully absorb all the Tier 2 Wood Attribute energy transmitted by Sakura, and combined with the effect of Lin Chuan's Spiritual Wood Heart, the Tier 2 Wood Attribute energy became even more concentrated and purer.
Concentrating its spirit, it channeled, gathered, compressed, and transformed all the Tier 2 Wood Attribute energy from its entire body, enhanced by the Spiritual Wood Heart, into a Bomb Fruit.
An Expert Grade Bomb Fruit!
A peach-shaped energy sphere, two meters in diameter, glowing with brilliant emerald green light like a small sun, was held high by Guoguo and thrown into the trap pit.
There was a momentary pause, as if time itself had stopped.
The next instant!
Earth and rocks flew, and the ground shook!
Endless Wood Attribute energy erupted from the trap pit like a volcanic eruption.
A pillar of emerald green energy shot up into the sky.
The massive tremor awakened the two Tier 2 Spirit Beasts that had landed on the ground.
The Mutated Blue Feather Eagle and Purple Crown Black Crystal Moth were the first to break free from the Rosemary Illusion Incense. They were still confused about the situation and could only return to their masters' sides first.
They let out anxious cries and continuously shook and gently bumped their masters.
With the efforts of the two Spirit Beasts, Li Zeyu and Xu Ru successively woke up from the illusion.
Dizzy, both of them were holding their heads.
However, they quickly recovered their senses.
Looking at the situation in front of them, the trap pit had been completely obliterated.
The Poison Powder, venom, strong acid, and poison needles inside had all been completely washed away and purified by the excessive Wood Attribute energy.
Inside the trap pit.
Only a mess remained, just scattered wood chips, and a total of 5 glittering golden score beads and a small pile of purple and red score beads lying there!
Looking around, everyone else was still in the illusion.
Only Lin Chuan and his two Flower Leaf Leaves—well, one of them had already evolved into a Flower Spirit—had completely disappeared!
Li Zeyu and Xu Ru, neither of them were fools, and they instantly understood the situation.
At the critical moment of delivering the final blow to the BOSS, Lin Chuan had fiercely backstabbed everyone in the Assault Team.
However, could Lin Chuan be blamed for this?
If they had Lin Chuan's ability, they would also backstab everyone and monopolize the BOSS's head.
What?
Rewards for defeating the BOSS?
Defeating the BOSS, which allows you to avoid being chased and eliminated by the BOSS and safely pass the remaining survival time of the Secret Realm assessment, is the greatest reward!
What's more, it was agreed from the beginning that after defeating the BOSS, everyone would compete as they wished.
The key now is that Lin Chuan not only took the BOSS's head but also ran away!
So, what now?
Chase Lin Chuan?
How could that be possible!
No one could withstand the illusions of Lin Chuan's Flower Spirit at this stage! Coupled with the other Flower Leaf Leaf's Bomb Fruit, facing them alone would be a certain death.
Unless they formed another 40-person Assault Team to crusade Lin Chuan.
Otherwise, any team of fewer than 10 people would be eliminated.
If they fell into an illusion, just like before, they wouldn't even be able to run away.
Moreover, Lin Chuan did not take all the spoils of war; he left behind 5 golden score beads! And a small pile of purple and red beads, totaling about 8000 points.
5 golden score beads!
Almost simultaneously, Li Zeyu and Xu Ru took action.
They commanded the Mutated Blue Feather Eagle and Purple Crown Black Crystal Moth to clear the field, trying to eliminate surrounding candidates before they recovered from the illusion.
At the same time, Li Zeyu's Nether Lightning Bat and Xu Ru's Tunneling Worm rushed towards the golden score beads in the trap pit.
The Nether Lightning Bat flew faster, ultimately only snatching 3 golden score beads.
Xu Ru's Tunneling Worm had an advantage at this point, because the Nether Lightning Bat could only hold or bite things with its two small claws and mouth.
Able to dig and tunnel, the Tunneling Worm directly dug a small hole under the golden score beads, letting them fall into the hole, snatching 2 golden beads and a portion of purple and red beads, with a total score of about 1600 points, slightly higher than Li Zeyu's 3 golden beads worth 1500 points.
Li Zeyu clicked his tongue in displeasure, while Xu Ru smiled without speaking.
The two exchanged glances.
Then, just like Lin Chuan, who had already fled, they each found a direction and quickly retreated from the scene.
About 2 minutes later.
The other fortunate candidates who weren't targeted and eliminated by the Mutated Blue Feather Eagle and Purple Crown Black Crystal Moth woke up from the illusion.
Looking at everything before them, with Lin Chuan, Li Zeyu, and Xu Ru nowhere to be seen, everyone belatedly came to their senses.
In the trap pit, only a small pile of purple and red beads remained, barely enough for each of the remaining candidates to get 100 points.
"The big fat sheep! Ran away!"
Zheng Yu gritted his teeth, unwillingly.
In fact, the chubby Zheng Yu had secretly conspired with several other candidates from the Assault Team long ago.
They were just waiting for the moment they collectively defeated the BOSS, and while big shots like Lin Chuan, Li Zeyu, and Xu Ru hadn't recovered, they would directly surround them. One person might not be a match for a big shot, but a group of people could certainly overwhelm a big shot.
Beat the big shots, snatch the score beads, especially from Lin Chuan, that big fat sheep.
Everyone could have a bright future!
Wouldn't that be wonderful!
Who knew that before they even had a chance to surround and backstab the big shots, they were backstabbed by the big shots first!