Chapter 066: Subduing the River-Turning Crocodile (1)

Beneath the surface of the pool, radiant blue light flared from the array beneath the River-Turning Crocodile, casting a brilliant glow that nearly illuminated the entire area around the water. Amidst the violet luminescence of the glowing rushes, an ethereal blue radiance shimmered.

Zoe’s clouded eyes widened in shock, her voice trembling with astonishment as she shouted out, “The River-Turning Crocodile in the pool has successfully advanced!”

What?!

Everyone’s gaze snapped to the center of the pool, where the River-Turning Crocodile, half-hidden by the dazzling light of the advancement array, was visibly shrinking. Its limbs and head were morphing, and before long, it had become identical to the One-Star Divine Phantom Beast River-Turning Crocodile they had seen before!

Shen Duo was secretly alarmed—these two crocodiles were far too cunning. The first one, which had advanced earlier, had repeatedly launched sneak attacks, even at the risk of self-injury. It wasn’t just protecting the one in the pool as it advanced; it was deliberately buying time!

The crocodile in the water had used a special method for its advancement. By the time they cut off its supply of spiritual phantom energy, it had already stored up enough power by converting the magic crystals of lesser phantom beasts. It was only waiting for a safe moment to break through the barrier of advancement. While everyone was entangled with the other crocodile, it slyly seized the opportunity. With the group completely distracted, it had already succeeded in its breakthrough!

Fear and dread filled everyone’s eyes. The oppressive aura unleashed by the newly advanced One-Star Divine Phantom Beast nearly crushed all the phantom beasts summoned by the phantoms. Under the pressure of a beast one or even two tiers higher, their phantom beasts were simply incapable of fighting, which greatly diminished the phantoms’ combat ability.

It had been a struggle to contend with a single Divine Phantom Beast River-Turning Crocodile before, and now there were two. This was nothing less than a death sentence.

Now, the strongest in the field were Feng Jun, Shen Duo, and a nine-star Spirit Phantom Master from the opposing team.

Feng Jun and Shen Duo exchanged a look, both understanding that this was no time for concealment. These two crocodiles were exceptionally crafty, and they could also command the surrounding swarms of lesser phantom beasts—they must not be underestimated.

“I’ll take this one, you handle the other,” Shen Duo said, pointing toward the crocodile that had just completed its advancement in the pool.

A hint of surprise flashed in Feng Jun’s narrow eyes. Logically, the newly advanced crocodile should be the tougher opponent, while the other had already spent much of its strength fighting the group and was injured. Even with its stealth skills, its attack power had dropped significantly. He had intended to take on the one in the pool himself, but Shen Duo had spoken first.

Yet when he saw the unwavering determination in Shen Duo’s clear, dark eyes, Feng Jun simply nodded. “Be careful, Xiao Duo.”

A roar, heavy with suppressed fury, rolled out from the crocodile in the pool. The wounds it had sustained from earlier assaults had been completely healed by the light of the advancement array. Now, it crouched atop the water, its eyes aglow with green fire, fixed balefully on the crowd. Its claws, sharp as steel blades, glinted menacingly in the moonlight.

During its advancement, these despicable humans had nearly killed it. Now, it would ensure they died without a grave!

With another earth-shaking bellow, the crocodile lifted a forepaw. Faint blue phantom energy gathered at its claws, and with a savage swipe, it unleashed a barrage of spectral claws at the crowd!

Compared to this, the attacks from the previous crocodile were mere child’s play.

The earlier crocodile had mutated during its advancement. Though it gained a stealth skill of the wood attribute, its attack power had been greatly diminished—a balance enforced by the laws of the Holy Radiance Continent.

No one had expected the newly advanced One-Star Divine Phantom Beast to be so terrifying. All scrambled to muster their greatest abilities to evade its claws.

Even so, many were still injured. After all, a One-Star Divine Phantom Beast was equivalent to a One-Star Sky Phantom Master. The higher the tier, the more difficult the advancement, and the gap between a seven-star and eight-star Spirit Phantom Master was already vast—let alone a whole rank apart! For the lower-level phantoms, surviving such a ferocious assault was already a stroke of fortune.

Just as the crocodile prepared to strike again, the mimetic Winged Charger revealed its true form in an instant. Its massive iron wings spread protectively before the crowd, a mane of long white wolf fur encircling its neck, a single metallic horn crowning its head. With a thunderous wolfish roar, it exuded an awe-inspiring presence.

Shen Duo leapt onto the Winged Charger’s back, drew a longsword from his storage pouch, and activated the scroll within his core. Sword energy surged continuously from his body to his sword and arm, enveloping the blade in a vibrant green aura. In the air, several sword scars flashed, intercepting the River-Turning Crocodile’s spectral claws as they swooped toward Zoe’s group.

Meanwhile, beneath Feng Jun, a blue pentagram array erupted with blinding light. He vaulted into the sky, and as the pale blue halo around him faded, a strikingly handsome man in sleek black battle armor, with long sapphire hair, hovered above.

Feng Jun had instantly entered armorization!

With his left hand, he hurled a pale blue orb of phantom energy towards a particular spot. From within the violet glow of the rushes came a howl of agony—it was the other River-Turning Crocodile, still lurking in ambush, just about to strike. Feng Jun had spotted it, blasting it into the rushes. Its silver-white back was now a bloody mess as it writhed in pain.

Now, every casual blow from him was vastly different from before—his phantom beast, the Eight-Headed Serpent, had transformed into armor, and the power of phantom and beast were now combined, boosting his attack power to staggering levels.

Shen Duo watched Feng Jun’s formidable display, black lines forming on his brow...

Yet Feng Jun had not summoned the Little Blue, and had armorized directly. This, at least, concealed some of his strength, as others could not discern the nature of his bonded beast from his armored form alone.

The others were even more dumbfounded. The shock of the Winged Charger’s reveal was nothing compared to their awe at Feng Jun’s current power.

“This... this is the Sky Phantom Master’s armorization!” a rogue Spirit Phantom Master cried out in disbelief.

Armorization—the unique skill possessed only by Sky Phantom Masters and those above, allowing one’s phantom beast to become armor, fusing completely with its master for battle. It was the dream of every phantom master!

With Feng Jun’s armored form disabling the stealthy River-Turning Crocodile in a single blow, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. With such a powerful companion, at least their lives were safe for now.

Princess Doris, who had been under careful protection, stared in disbelief, eyes wide—she could not fathom that Feng Jun was such a formidable figure.

Hidden among the crowd, Songyan Songshi was struck dumb with shock, a flicker of envy glinting in his eyes.

When Feng Jun had first revealed his rank as a Sky Phantom Master, everyone had marveled at his strength. But at that moment, in the face of crisis, no one knew whether he possessed an equally formidable phantom beast. After all, for a beast to armorize with a master, it needed to be at least a Seven-Star Holy Phantom Beast.

Yet for ordinary phantoms, such resources as Holy Phantom Beasts were vanishingly rare. Otherwise, so many would not be risking their lives here to capture a mere Nine-Star Holy Phantom Beast River-Turning Crocodile.

The continent had countless phantom cultivators, many with exceptional talent, yet most could not contract beasts equal to their level. Nearly ninety percent of Spirit Phantom Masters could only bond with beasts a rank below themselves, not true Holy Phantom Beasts. There were many Sky Phantom Masters, but sadly, most did not possess beasts capable of armorization!

This only made the phantoms’ hunger for high-tier phantom beasts all the more intense.