There’s no rule that the host must be humble and polite.
This was a competition, and although it was the Baby Cup, it was still an official competition recognized by the Star Rock Federation. The moment the referee waved the flag, Lin Chuan gave his command, his expression calm and natural.
“Rooting.”
Sakura moved in response.
Rooting.
This is a basic skill that many Wood Attribute spirit beasts are born with, and even some spirit beasts that are not Wood Attribute but have special racial traits can learn and use it.
Rooting can be divided into two specific situations, taking Flower Leaf Leaf as an example.
One is the Rooting used in daily life.
This situation doesn’t require much skill proficiency; knowing it is enough, entry-level is fine.
In this daily life situation, after Flower Leaf Leaf plants herself in the soil, the part of her body in the soil will extend physical roots, fixing herself in place, and also allowing her to absorb nutrients and water from the soil over a larger area.
The other situation is when it is used in combat. This situation requires a higher skill proficiency for Rooting, at least proficient level; ordinary level is not enough.
In this situation, Flower Leaf Leaf will only extend mimetic root networks, composed of Wood Attribute energy, from the parts of her two plump little legs that include her feet.
These mimetic root networks will quickly penetrate the ground. As long as the ground is not steel plate or some special alloy material, these energy mimetic roots can drill into it and then quickly seize nutrients from the small area of soil where they are rooted in an almost plundering manner.
Then, because the roots are mimetic structures formed by Wood Attribute energy, they can be severed and regenerated at any time, which does not significantly affect the spirit beast’s movement.
These are the two situations for Rooting.
The higher the proficiency, the faster and more mimetic roots are generated, and the more efficient the mimetic roots are at absorbing nutrients from the soil.
Generally speaking, Rooting must be practiced to the proficient level to be used in combat.
Otherwise, if it’s at the ordinary or lower entry-level, the speed and quantity of energy mimetic roots generated are insufficient, making it difficult to absorb enough material nutrients to convert into stamina. Moreover, it will further affect the rhythm of the battle, making it easy for the opponent to find openings and weaknesses.
Sitting in the closest spectator stand to the arena was a Professional Beastmaster dressed in a black and white robe, the uniform of the Beastmaster Association. He was a very energetic young man with a buzz cut, around thirty years old, named Tang Heshan.
At this moment, Tang Heshan couldn’t help but exclaim, because he saw that Lin Chuan’s Flower Leaf Leaf’s Rooting was not just proficient level, but had reached expert level!
It had only been a full two weeks since his graduation and awakening, and he had already cultivated an expert-level skill? Even if it was a basic skill that Flower Leaf Leaf was born with, that’s still an exaggeration! Unless this Flower Leaf Leaf itself was exceptionally gifted, otherwise, Lin Chuan’s cultivation ability and level would qualify him as a genius even in major cities and prefectures.
While Tang Heshan could immediately discern the expert-level Rooting, ordinary spectators lacked such keen eyesight. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be ordinary spectators. Most of these spectators were unaware of the intricate details of this basic skill, Rooting, and its nuances, so they didn't react much after Lin Chuan issued his command.
However, this clearly did not include Sun Yinyin. Although she didn’t have Tang Heshan’s professional-level eyesight, she was well aware that Rooting needed to be at least proficient level to be usable in a competition. After all, she was a top-ten student in her year at Fifth Beast Taming High School.
With just the Rooting skill, Sun Yinyin realized that the young master of Lin's Farm, who was in the arena, was probably not simple.
Otherwise, how could he cultivate Rooting to at least proficient level in such a short time?
Even if this young master of a farm specializing in Flower Leaf Leaf cultivation received some assistance, it wouldn’t be that easy to achieve. At least, if Sun Yinyin put herself in Lin Chuan’s shoes, even with his background and basic conditions, she couldn’t imagine cultivating the Rooting skill to proficient level in just two short weeks.
Perhaps this Lin Chuan was another opponent no weaker than Ping Kai.
Sun Yinyin muttered to herself, her eyes lighting up with a glimmer of excitement.
“This opponent is worth fighting.”
Sun Yinyin whispered, then looked at the dog, ahem, werewolf, she had released beside her.
“Don’t you think so, Da Yin?”
Just as she asked this, Sun Yinyin suddenly froze.
She saw her dog, its dog eyes wide, its beast pupils vertically constricted, staring intently at the Flower Leaf Leaf in the arena, which was Lin Chuan’s Sakura.
That’s right!
It’s it!
It’s that Flower Leaf Leaf!
It was it, who called it a skinny dog in that promotional video!
It must be, blown up!
To prove it’s not a skinny dog!
“Awooo!!!”
Suddenly howling like a wolf, Da Yin was about to pounce and rush into the arena.
Fortunately, the moment she saw her dog’s abnormal reaction, Sun Yinyin had already prepared. At this critical juncture, Sun Yinyin swiftly and timely retrieved her dog into her ring Pet Space Device.
The spectator stands here were quite far from the arena, so only a few people, mostly Sun Yinyin’s relatives and classmates, noticed the situation. Although curious why Da Yin suddenly howled like a wolf, no one asked at that moment.
In the arena.
Sakura’s two small, round, chubby feet glowed a light green, which were countless root networks formed by Wood Attribute energy. These energy roots instantly drilled into the ground.
The next moment, specks of green light energy from all directions were absorbed into Sakura’s body along the energy roots, and then a hazy, misty glow enveloped Sakura’s entire body.
As an opponent, Wang Lu naturally wouldn't just watch. He immediately gave an order to his large blue turtle, ahem, Bishui Turtle.
“Guigui, use Water Gun.”
Bishui Turtle’s beady eyes immediately narrowed, and it opened its large turtle mouth. A water column as thick as an adult’s arm shot towards Sakura.
Bang!
The water column hit Sakura squarely, exploding into a mist of water.
Seeing this, Wang Lu couldn’t help but clench his fist in excitement, thinking he had won.
On Lin Chuan’s side.
Seeing the situation in the arena, he first breathed a sigh of relief, then became calm and composed.
Although Lin Chuan had been full of confidence before the match, believing he could easily win, after all, he had a cheat.
But!
Ultimately, this was his first real battle as a Beast Master, so how could he not be worried? What if his cheat was fake?
He was afraid that the opponent’s single skill would instantly kill his little darlings. After all, his two little darlings were light, soft, and easily pushed over—at least in his hands they were. Their squishy, soft bodies, how much damage could they withstand?
However, reality told Lin Chuan that he had completely overthought and worried unnecessarily. His cheat was real, a super VIP cheat, permanent and unbannable.
Not all Beast Masters are like Lin Chuan, a cheater who can add skill points like using skill books in online games, and who can, purely through talent and effort, raise his spirit beasts’ three basic skills to expert, expert, and expert levels in just two weeks.
Nor are all Beast Masters as talented or lucky as Ping Kai and Sun Yinyin.
In fact, most novice Beast Masters at this stage are truly noobs.
Just like this Wang Lu, and his large blue turtle, the Bishui Turtle.
Every spirit beast has a suitable cultivation method, and cultivation methods may also differ due to the Beast Master’s family conditions, background, and talent. In short, there is never a single best cultivation method, only the most suitable one.
Lin Chuan didn’t know Wang Lu’s cultivation philosophy for Bishui Turtle.
But if it were him, he would definitely focus on training Bishui Turtle’s basic physical fitness and strength. For attack skills, practicing only Bite would suffice, instead of starting with Water Gun, an elemental energy skill.
This Wang Lu obviously spent these two weeks making his Bishui Turtle practice the Water Gun skill diligently, which was evident from the speed of its skill release.
How to put it, the Water Gun skill, or rather, this type of energy-damage skill, doesn’t show much power until the spirit beast reaches Tier 1 and condenses its spirit core.
Hmm, this theory only applies to ordinary spirit beasts; certain spirit beasts with special talents or top-tier bloodline quality are exceptions.
For ordinary spirit beasts, the power of energy-damage skills is generally not great before reaching Tier 1.
Take this Bishui Turtle as an example.
It clearly hasn’t reached Tier 1. As for its exact level, Lin Chuan couldn’t tell just by looking, but he estimated it was between levels 7 and 9.
And the Water Gun it used was, at most, about the same force as a human using a watering can. This could be seen from the fact that it didn’t even make Sakura retreat half a step when it hit her.
As for the damage caused, Lin Chuan apologized.
Although the Water Gun it sprayed hit Sakura squarely, and even splashed water on her, causing Water Attribute damage, that small amount of damage was instantly healed by the nutrients Sakura absorbed from the ground through Rooting.
Both Sakura and Guoguo have three stages of tank mode.
The first stage is Rooting.
The second stage is Photosynthesis based on Rooting.
The third stage is Growth under the conditions of the first two.
Unfortunately, this large turtle in front of him couldn’t even break through Sakura’s first stage of tank mode.
The HP it deducted was less than one-tenth of the HP Sakura was recovering through Rooting at that moment.
Sakura’s perspective.
The little one blinked, feeling bewildered.
Such a thick, large water column, she thought it would be very powerful, she thought she would be overwhelmed, but it was just this?
The force of this Water Gun was even less than the strength Guoguo used when they wrestled and fought behind Lin Chuan’s back to decide who was the big sister.
To sum it up, skinny turtle! Too skinny!
How can there be such a skinny turtle!
Could it be the “turtle man” her Beast Master occasionally mentioned?
Sakura completely gave up resisting. She squinted slightly, beginning to enjoy the spray of the Water Gun.
This feeling was just like being watered daily.
However, it was even more comfortable, like getting a massage.
Alright, not bad. Sakura silently gave the blue turtle opposite her a thumbs-up, indicating that if this turtle and its owner ever lost their jobs, they could come to Lin's Farm to be waterers, and she could help them get a job.
“Sakura, stop enjoying yourself, let’s end this battle.”
Seeing Sakura start to enjoy herself, Lin Chuan quickly said.
Sakura looked back at Lin Chuan, asking with her eyes how to end it.
“Use…”
Just as he opened his mouth, Lin Chuan stopped.
Currently, Sakura only had one damage-type skill, the continuous damage Poison Powder, which was at entry-level.
Lin Chuan had originally intended to have Sakura use it at this moment, but he decided against it.
This opponent didn’t need Poison Powder at all. Although this turtle wasn’t great in other aspects, it at least had high defense and HP. This was an inherent attribute of turtle-type spirit beasts. If Poison Powder were used, with its scratch-like damage at entry-level, it would take an unknown amount of time to wear it down.
So, it’s better to change the approach.
Finish the battle quickly so he could go sell melon seeds, milk tea, and cola, and earn his little money.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Chuan had a flash of inspiration and made an upward flipping motion with his hand to Sakura.
Sakura instantly understood.
Then, taking advantage of the Bishui Turtle’s rest and breath-catching break after spraying water, Sakura scurried over with her short, chubby legs, huffing and puffing.
Sakura didn’t run fast, at least much slower than the dog and monkey before.
However, she was faster than this Bishui Turtle.
Well, the Bishui Turtle didn’t run at all. Due to the continuous Water Gun earlier, it was still panting and catching its breath.
As soon as the Bishui Turtle finished catching its breath, Sakura had already reached its side. Before the Bishui Turtle could react, Sakura grabbed the edge of its shell with her small, plump hand, and then, just like the hand gesture Lin Chuan had demonstrated earlier, she suddenly exerted force upwards and flipped it over.
Thud, rumble, rumble rumble rumble.
Very smoothly, Sakura flipped the Bishui Turtle onto its back.
The Bishui Turtle struggled desperately, its four legs flailing, trying with all its might to shake its shell and shift its center of gravity to flip itself back over.
However, after many attempts, the Bishui Turtle still failed; it couldn’t flip over at all.
Lin Chuan clicked his tongue, thinking, “As expected.”
As a turtle-type spirit beast, if it didn’t focus on cultivating its strength foundation and didn’t practice the technique of shifting its center of gravity in the early stages, this was the consequence: once it was flipped onto its back, it couldn’t turn over without external help.
Wang Lu was at a loss. He had originally wanted to use Rejuvenation Roar to cheer on Guigui, but now, he didn’t know what to roar, nor did he know how to command.
The audience was silent. The next second, a roar of laughter erupted, like waves, many spectators pulled out their phones to record this scene.
Even the referee in the arena, Zhuang Lan, had a distorted expression at this moment.
As a referee, especially one currently officiating a match, she couldn’t laugh. However, this was truly a bit unbearable. Fortunately, Zhuang Lan had undergone professional training. She swallowed hard, temporarily suppressing her laughter.
With a deep breath, Zhuang Lan refocused her attention on the match.
Zhuang Lan waved the flag in her hand twice. This was to remind Wang Lu that if he didn’t give a command soon, and if the Bishui Turtle remained flipped on its back like that, the countdown for passive play would begin.
Wang Lu’s expression froze, on the verge of tears. How was he supposed to command? You tell me how to command!?
10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds.
The 30-second limit for passive play finally arrived. Zhuang Lan immediately waved the flag signifying Lin Chuan’s victory.
“Match over! Player Lin Chuan wins!”