"Sure."
Bai Shao nodded without questioning Bai Zian about the investigation into the female student. With a swift movement, Bai Shao disappeared, executing Bai Zian's instructions.
Bai Zian paid little attention to the unfolding events. He trusted Bai Shao to handle the investigation and provide him with Qiaogubai's information when ready. Once the briefing concluded, Bai Zian headed directly to the north gate of Candlelight City.
As per the intel Bai Zian gathered, the small volcano housing the Candle Flame Spider was just north of the city. Exiting through the north gate would reveal the volcano's location.
Soon, Bai Zian arrived at the small volcano, accompanied by a middle-aged man from the Bai family's security team. This unassuming team, named the Huan Team, handled various tasks, ensuring Bai Zian's safety during his ventures.
Despite Bai Zian's preference for stealth, the security team was visible this time due to a unique circumstance. Candlelight City had set up a checkpoint around the volcano, requiring advanced registration and ticket purchases for entry. Bai Zian, having just contracted his first beast, lacked the proof to enter alone. Consequently, a member of the security team acted as his guarantor.
Entering the volcano was a bit of a hassle, but Bai Zian managed it eventually. As he crossed the boundary, he sensed the rising temperature and saw hot air emanating from the volcano's peak.
Bai Zian started his search and quickly located a Candle Flame Spider, a peculiar brownish-gray spider with a candle-like organ emitting a small flame on its back. Utilizing the Eye of Apocalypse, Bai Zian gathered information on the spider.
Race: Candle Fire Spider (Fire)
Boundary: Fifth-order (Not entering the stream)
Talent: Candlelight (F)
Qualification: Elementary black iron
Skill: Wei Wei Candle (White)
The spider seemed relatively weak, especially for a beastmaster like Bai Zian. Summoning his White-Scaled Fish, Bai Zian revealed its prowess.
Race: White Scale Fish (Water Type)
Boundary: Third-order (Not entering the flow)
Talent: Royal Speed (S), Power of Yin and Nether (S), Water Rupture (A)
Qualification: Intermediate King
Skills: Waterproof Speed (Purple), Water Erosion (Purple), Water Rupture (Blue), Water Gun Impact (Green), Foam Layer (Green)
The White-Scaled Fish, born as a third-order spirit beast, was more than capable of handling the Candle Flame Spider. Bai Zian explained to his fish and ordered it to attack, showcasing its Water Gun Impact skill.
The enraged Candle Flame Spider met its end as the water column struck, causing it to explode into fragments on the ground. *
"With one swift move, the white-scaled fish effortlessly dispatched the Candle Flame Spider."
Bai Zian found himself a bit surprised at the ease with which the third-order white-scaled fish defeated the fifth-order Candle Flame Spider. The combat prowess of the white-scaled fish exceeded his expectations.
However, what truly astonished Bai Zian was the extraordinary effect of the white-scaled fish's skills. Typically, a water gun's impact would pierce a hole, but the Candle Flame Spider exploded into fragments, resembling ignited explosives. Bai Zian attributed this to the A-level talent [Break of Water] possessed by the white-scaled fish.
Water Rupture: It can add the effect of Rupture Impact to attack-type water-based skills.
The realization that this talent enhanced the destructive power of water-based attacks fascinated Bai Zian.
"Yet, I need to find a stronger Candle Flame Spider. Only higher-strength spirit beasts can challenge the white-scaled fish and aid in its growth," Bai Zian mused.
His primary goal was to train the white-scaled fish during this visit to the Candle Volcano. A one-shot kill wouldn't contribute much to its development.
Simultaneously, Bai Zian aimed to refine his own skills. The white-scaled fish, with its five unique skills, required gradual mastery. Skill proficiency varied among different spirit beasts, and Bai Zian intended to hone his companion's abilities.
Bai Zian made a decision, taking the white-scaled fish deeper into the Candle Volcano for a new round of hunting.
Time passed swiftly, and a week elapsed in the blink of an eye. When Bai Zian reappeared, his clothes were no longer pristine, bearing signs of a week-long hunting expedition within the Candle Volcano.
In just seven days, the white-scaled fish's strength underwent a remarkable transformation.
Race: White Scale Fish (Water Type)
Boundary: Sixth-order (Not entering the stream)
Talent: Royal Speed (S), Power of Yin and Nether (S), Water Rupture (A)
Qualification: Intermediate King
Skills: Waterproof Speed (Purple · Beginner), Water Erosion (Purple · Beginner), Water Burst (Blue · Skilled), Water Gun Impact (Green · Xiaocheng), Foam Layer (Green · Xiaocheng)
(Xiaocheng is like small success or level of ''achievement'')
The white-scaled fish had ascended from the third order to the sixth order, progressing through three levels in just a week.
If the students from Mine Rock City knew, they would be astounded. It had taken them a year to elevate their pet beasts to the fifth or sixth rank, whereas Bai Zian accomplished this in a mere week.
The white-scaled fish's rapid growth was due to its inherent potential as a king-level spirit beast and the accelerating effect of Bai Zian's mythical beast-controlling space.
As Bai Zian considered the white-scaled fish's continued growth, he estimated that it would persist until the fish reached the black iron level, entering a prolonged period of development.
Bai Zian's dedication to providing the best resources for the white-scaled fish contributed to its impressive growth. The Bai family, recognizing the benefits of the white-scaled fish's progress, allowed the security team to ensure a regular supply of food for the creature.
Despite the small gain in its rank, the white-scaled fish's skill training results were even more significant to Bai Zian.