The Lightning Rat was still in shock after being brought back to life. However, it soon regained consciousness that time. After a second of hesitation, the Lightning Rat dashed toward the huge insect as commanded.
The huge insect was infuriated, since its prey had escaped twice from its mouth. When the Lightning Rat was about to arrive, the huge insect spat out a sort of white secretion that spread out like a spider's web, completely trapping the Lightning Rat.
Once its prey had been captured, the huge insect wiggled over and tore the Lightning Rat apart with the sharp claws.
"Revive!"
"Attack, again!"
Su Ping brought the Lightning Rat back to life immediately and told it to strike at once.
In just a blink, the Lightning Rat had been brought back to life again and again and killed by the huge insect over and over. At the eighth time it rushed on to face the web spat out by the giant insect, the Lightning Rat flashed over and disappeared on the spot in an instant, only to re-emerge somewhere further apart.
"Thunder Flash!"
Su Ping shivered from fear. Was the ghost laughing?!
Was that one of the 10 special skills for Astral Pets of the thunder family, "Thunder Flash"?
Su Ping wondered if he was hallucinating.
How could a Lighting Rat at the first rank comprehend a special skill of the thunder family that was so rare it was unimaginably precious?
Su Ping was surprised and confused.
Not even all of the advanced Astral Pets of the thunder family, such as those of the seventh or eighth rank, could master a top-level special skill of such rarity!
Besides, this Lightning Rat was just average, even poor, so to speak. The Lightning Rat might not even be able to learn the middle-rank pet skills of the thunder family, not to mention comprehend the special skills!
Su Ping kept his attention on the fight to observe.
After the sudden rush, the Lightning Rat came close to a side of the huge insect in the twinkling of an eye. The Lightning Rat had found a perfect soft spot. Lightning was generated around its body as the Lightning Rat smashed into the soft flesh on the side of the huge insect.
The huge insect fell to the ground immediately. There were some burns at its fleshy spot.
However, the insect was not yet entirely incapacitated. Instead, stimulated by the sharp pain, the insect began to twist and turn violently. Soon, it crawled back up and launched a strike at the Lightning Rat at a faster speed.
Having released all the energy, the Lightning Rat was tired so it was moving slowly. It died again after the huge insect's strike that trapped it.
"Revive," Su Ping said quickly.
The Lightning Rat came into being on the ground again. It was no longer confused and puzzled as before, as if it had gotten used to this fresh start after withstanding a short period of pain.
Faced with this traumatized insect, before Su Ping gave any orders, the Lightning Rat had dashed over to continue the unfinished battle.
Attack, injury, death, and revival.
After more than a dozen rounds, the huge insect finally fell, dying with anger and unwillingness because it could no longer defeat the never-dying Lightning Rat.
In the latter rounds, Su Ping never saw the "Thunder Flash" again; it seemed that such an attack was only a flash in the pan.
He felt sorry and a bit disappointed. That being said, he knew that as long as what he saw was real, then the Lightning Rat could do it again in the future, since it had already succeeded once!
Having taken care of the giant insect, Su Ping was able to catch a break. At the very least, he wouldn't have to be eaten up by the giant insect and experience that disgusting way of dying.
"Now I see that this place is dangerous indeed, but the training is productive."
Su Ping took a look at the Lightning Rat sprawled on top of the giant insect, exhausted. After the little guy was brought back to life, its crafty movements were faster and more agile. The Lightning Rat even employed deceptive movements to sneak up on its opponent.
The battle lasted only about 10 minutes, even though the Lightning Rat was lingering between life and death. It was incredible that the Lightning Rat could achieve such a stunning progress within such a short period.
Perhaps, after three days, the Lightning Rat's strength could advance rapidly!
Suddenly, Su Ping was filled with anticipation; finishing the quest was not entirely without hope.
"Come on, little guy." Su Ping patted the Lightning Rat on its little head. He stood up, ready to search for the next target.
Tired!
A feeling of reluctance came from the Lightning Rat.
Su Ping was surprised.
But recalling the arduous fight the Lightning Rat had put up to kill the giant insect, Su Ping felt he could empathize.
"Take some time to recover your strength first." Su Ping offered a kind smile.
The Lightning Rat, who was still lying on the back of the giant insect, looked up with low spirits. It was suddenly seized by a strange feeling as it glanced at the smiling face that was moving in closer.
Before the Lightning Rat could think, it felt a dull pain rushing in.
"Revive."
Looking at the Lightning Rat that came into being again on the ground, Su Ping asked with a grin, "Has your strength recovered yet?"
Su Ping had already noticed that every time after the Lightning Rat was brought back to life, it would return to its prime state without any signs of fatigue associated with excessive energy consumption from previous battles.
Therefore, this was the best way to recover.
The Lightning Rat's hair stood on end. This human smile was deeply engraved in its mind at this moment.
"Hiss!"
The Lightning Rat showed its teeth, as if warning Su Ping against such behavior.
Su Ping put down the claw he harvested from that giant insect. The claw was indeed sharp. He was able to impale the Lightning Rat with just a bit of strength. The claw could be regarded as a handy weapon.
"There, there. Let's go." Su Ping stroked the Lightning Rat's head.
The Lightning Rat ground its teeth ferociously. If it weren't for the restrictions of the contract, the it would have bitten this master to death.
…
…
Three days later.
A towering mountain in the Thunder Cloud Realm.
Cloud and mist curled around the mountainside with steep hills and cliffs. The splendor and magnificence formed a landscape painting of the deserted land that was tranquil and beautiful.
On an unassuming boulder, a couple of petty lives were engaged in a fierce battle of life and death!
"Hurry. Use 'Thunder Shadow Image' to distract it."
"Circle around to its back from the side."
"Use 'Thunder Slash' to strike its side."
Su Ping was standing by the boulder to communicate and give instructions telepathically.
Two figures in front of him, one big, one small, were fighting an intense fight.
The big one was a cockroach-shaped monster the size of an elephant. The quick and agile being was covered with a stone carapace in the color of lime and claws like sharp stone awls that grew out from its abdomen. This was a type of Astral Pet living in this land of boulders, and an earth family Astral Pet that was rarely seen in the Thunder Cloud Realm. For Astral Pets of the thunder family, those from the earth family were their arch enemies.
The small figure was the size of a regular domestic cat with purplish hair and electric arcs around its body. Its hair had wild curls like sharp needles. This was the Lightning Rat.
Buzzing!
Lightning surged. All of a sudden, the Lightning Rat charged toward the stone cockroach monster.
Out of instinct, the stone cockroach monster chased after the Lightning Rat.
However, right at this moment, a lighter purple flash whooshed by and appeared behind the stone cockroach monster.
Soon, the stone cockroach monster felt something was off. The Lightning Rat that was covered in electric arcs was running forward but that figure was getting fainter and fainter, until it was reduced to a half-transparent shadow formed by lightning.
It was an afterimage!
Abruptly, the stone cockroach monster sensed danger. It turned around quickly, only to see a ray of glaring purple light within its sight.
The Lightning Rat jumped up high from the ground. Lightning was gathering in increasing density around it, gradually forming a sharp blade that had concentrated strength.
Pff!
The blade of lightning fell. The soft spot between the gaps of the side carapace of the stone cockroach monster could not withstand this cut. The stone cockroach monster was cut into two!
Green blood spilled out onto the boulder.
"Perfect!" Su Ping snapped his fingers.
The Lightning Rat was able to kill this Astral Pet of the earth family that was a grade higher with only one life. The Lightning Rat was forging ahead by leaps and bounds, several times stronger than three days before.
It was a fact.
Just then, in his mind, he had received the prompt message from the system. The quest had been completed.
"I didn't know that we could do this within three short days…"
Su Ping exclaimed to himself. This was hardly imaginable.
That being said, to achieve such an improvement, both the Lightning Rat and Su Ping had devoted considerable effort. They had experienced different ways of dying for over a hundred times and the Lightning Rat had even experienced over a thousand deaths.
"Quest accomplished. Cultivation Plane closing…"
"Disconnecting host from the Thunder Cloud Realm…"
"Removing host and pet's temporary contract…"
"Prepare for return…"
In the next second, darkness fell into his eyes.
When the light came back to his world, the familiar scenes of the pet store emerged before Su Ping, as if a lifetime had passed.