Mikayla’s hand stopped mid-seal.
Boss, what are you even talking about…? Yuan Jiewen looked over in confusion.
Helping the wild pet beasts turn this river into clean water?
Was she planning to use Water Conversion to drink the filth while simultaneously casting Healing Light to cure it?
That...that was impossible, right?
The Water Carapace Warrior still didn’t speak.
But the gloom in its eyes lessened a little, showing a look of go on.
By now, Qiao Sang could read pet beasts’ micro-expressions fairly well. Even though the Water Carapace Warrior hadn’t spoken, she could see the slight wavering in its eyes.
Qiao Sang felt a weight lift off her chest, she was more confident in continuing the negotiation.
She covered her nose and mouth.
“Using Water Conversion on these people, you could never fully drain out this pollution. But if you let us leave later, I can help you clear it.”
Mijala stared at the foul, reeking, black river that stretched endlessly, thinking, was Qiao Sang just stalling for time with words?
But stalling for what?
She really couldn’t see what her student was aiming at.
The Water Carapace Warrior finally spoke, calling once, meaning: And how will you do that?
Yabao translated in sync.
Perfect… Qiao Sang didn’t answer directly. Instead, she looked toward Lubao and gave her a small nod.
Lubao froze for a moment under her beastmaster’s gaze, then understood. She cried out once and approached the foul-smelling river.
At once, every gaze, human and beast alike, turned toward her.
Including the Water Carapace Warrior.
Lubao looked down at the river that reeked so strongly it made her want to gag.
But thinking of the stench, she forced herself not to breathe deeply.
She raised a trembling paw and lowered it slowly.
Just before her paw touched the water, she stopped, glancing back at her beastmaster.
“Lubao, it’s up to you!” Qiao Sang understood her hesitation and gave her an encouraging look.
Our safe exit from this secret realm depends on you!
Lubao looked back, her eyes gradually firming.
She shut them tight, then thrust her trembling paw into the filthy water.
The Water Carapace Warrior watched expressionlessly, its gaze still tinged with shadow.
But the very next second, as if sensing something, its face went slack, like it had gone dumb.
The pitch-black surface of the river began to glow with rippling rings of eerie blue light.
One after another, wave after wave spread outward.
Yuan Jiewen stared at the sight, then suddenly sensed something. He cautiously inhaled, then moved to Lin Shi’s side and whispered: “Hey… doesn’t the air smell a little less rotten to you?”
Mikayla kept her eyes fixed on the water, entranced.
After two or three seconds, she finally murmured: “That’s… purification.”
Yuan Jiewen knew the skill well.
Purify negative states. Purify curses. Purify filthy water. Different elements, different effects, but all under the same name, Purification. It was always a test question back in school.
“So it’s Purification… no wonder Boss dared to say she could handle water this foul…” Yuan Jiewen said in dawning realization.
That her pet beast knew Purification was both surprising and not.
Surprising, because cleansing polluted water was a super-tier variant of the skill, extremely rare, not something even a high-level water-type with great talent could necessarily learn.
But since it was Boss’s pet, well, she had just frozen an entire host of water-types and their skills in an instant, and rained down apocalyptic fire. In that light, it felt completely reasonable.
After all, she was Boss.
Healing Light was already a super-tier skill. What’s another one on top of that?
Mikayla’s expression, however, was far more complicated.
Because she knew Qiao Sang’s background all too well.
At this moment, digesting the scene before her, only one thought echoed in her mind: Another super-tier skill…
That General-level pet beast, Lubao the Ice Aipalu, now had three super-tier skills.
Blue light ripples spread out in wave after wave.
The pitch-black river gradually lightened to a dark gray.
Suddenly, bubbles rose to the surface, weak wild beasts, their bodies spotted black from corruption, emerged one by one, staring at Lubao as she purified.
Whoa, there were this many wild beasts hidden in the river?!
Qiao Sang’s heart tensed but when she saw their frail condition, she froze.
Only creatures trapped long-term in such pollution would look …
Sweat beaded on Lubao’s forehead as her eyes opened. She pulled her paw out.
The glowing ripples vanished.
One after another, the water-types stared at her eagerly.
Their eyes were filled with reverence, as if gazing at a sudden god.
Lubao blinked, a little stunned by their looks.
Beneath the unseen depths, the spreading current finally faded away.
The Water Carapace Warrior cautiously swam to shore, movements as gentle as if afraid to frighten someone.
It looked at Lubao, silent for two seconds, then called out in a restrained voice.
Gone was its earlier arrogance.
Lubao ignored it, slowly walking back to her beast master’s side.
Only then did the Water Carapace Warrior turn its gaze on Qiao Sang, its expression heavy, as though lost in thought.
What’s with that restrained voice… hey, and why are you giving me that look? Qiao Sang muttered inwardly, glancing toward Yabao.
Yabao understood immediately and translated at the right time.
He’s asking if Lubao can stay.
Trying to steal my beast?!
She immediately said: “No, we’re together.”
The Water Carapace Warrior stared at her for two seconds, then sighed, showing compromise, and called out.
Yabao looked at his beast master.
He says you can stay too.
“We had a deal: I help purify this pollution, and you let us leave safely.” Qiao Sang said firmly.
The Water Carapace Warrior’s demeanor had softened greatly, it responded to everything now.
It glanced at the river, still murky gray, and called once: It wasn’t fully purified.
“This water’s too filthy, it can’t be cleansed in one go.” Qiao Sang waved a hand.
“You know, just now during the fight, Lubao burned a lot of energy. She needs rest before she can help again.”
The Water Carapace Warrior looked at Lubao again, then suddenly raised its voice in a long cry.
At once, all the river’s water-types perked up, diving beneath the surface.
“Boss, isn’t it basically impossible to cleanse the whole river?” Yuan Jiewen whispered as he approached.
“It’s fine. A little is better than nothing. Let’s just see how far we get.” Qiao Sang said.
Truthfully, she also doubted Lubao could cleanse such a polluted, vast river so quickly. Beyond the sheer scope and filth, Lubao’s purification skill was still beginning-level. But there was no other way.
If they wanted the Water Carapace Warrior to release them, and actually talk, this was the only path.
And judging by how much softer its attitude had grown, after a few more attempts, proper communication might finally be possible…
Five minutes later, spotted and unspotted water-type beasts suddenly surfaced from both sides of the river.
Qiao Sang squinted, and saw each was carrying plump tree fruits.
Some bore them on their backs, others held them high, but none let them touch the filthy water.
At that moment, a commotion came from above.
Flying-types of all shapes swooped down, clutching tree fruits of different colors in their beaks.
Even the yellow serpent-types she’d seen before appeared, dozens of them.
Each carried something in its mouth, dropping them down. Discover more novels at novel·fire·net
In moments, wild beasts from every direction converged on the spot.
The sight was truly magnificent.