When she mentioned Di Tian, the Auspicious Beast's tone carried a hint of resentment.
With Di Tian's strength, he could easily have stopped the battle when Xiong Jun began unleashing Dark Gold Dreadclaw like a madman. After all, that had gone far beyond the purpose of their spar.
But Di Tian had not. He had chosen to let Xiong Jun and Zeng Tian keep fighting to force Zeng Tian's potential to its limits.
That had indirectly led to his failure to stop Xiong Jun in time when he went berserk and unleashed Sky-Rending Claw. Had Zeng Tian himself not been a tough enough piece of iron, he would probably have been reduced to ash by that blow.
After all, aside from Di Tian, none of the Ferocious Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest could face Xiong Jun's Sky-Rending Claw head-on.
Never mind Sky-Rending Claw-even Xiong Jun's ordinary Dark Gold Dreadclaw was enough to give the Myriad Demon King, Zi JI, and the others a headache.
As for the Scarlet King, before learning from Zeng Tian, he could not withstand even a single Dark Gold Dreadclaw. All he could do was try to dodge.
"I'll be careful next time. This won't happen again."
Zeng Tian nodded as he spoke.
In truth, even he had not expected Xiong Jun to be so brazen as to dare use Sky-Rending Claw.
Without Sky-Rending Claw, his strength had been sufficient to handle Xiong Jun, though if the fight had dragged on, he would most likely have lost after exhausting his energy.
Just then, Bi Ji suddenly spoke.
"Zeng Tian, sorry for the trouble, but please check your body. I've already examined you and found nothing wrong, but that can't compare to what you can feel yourself.
If you find anything wrong, tell me immediately. I'll do everything I can to help you resolve it."
After the battle, Bi Ji had fully accepted Zeng Tian's status as Di Tian's successor, and she now felt much more goodwill toward this junior.
Hearing her words, Zeng Tian closed his eyes and began examining the changes within himself.
My level went up. Battle really is the best way for Pokémon to grow.
Soon, Zeng Tian discovered, to his surprise, that his level had risen from 53 to 54. Clearly, that battle against Xiong Jun, which had pushed him to his limits, had earned him considerable experience.
At his normal cultivation speed, breaking through this single level would have taken at least three or four months.
Huh? My body!
Suddenly, Zeng Tian noticed that his body seemed to have undergone some subtle changes. The sensation was extraordinary, almost as though his life itself had leaped to a higher plane.
Even his physical strength and the power of his flames had increased slightly.
If Zeng Tian's base stats had previously been less than half those of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, they had now reached roughly half.
That half was not to be underestimated. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion possessed a potent Golden Dragon Bloodline, along with the dual ultimate attributes of ultimate fire and ultimate light. Aside from the Silver Dragon King and Golden Dragon King, who were manifestations of the Dragon God, she was already near the pinnacle. Even Di Tian and Zi JI, both Pureblood True Dragons, did not surpass the Three-Eyed Golden Lion in terms of bloodline.
Moreover, the Auspicious Beast's cultivation had now reached the twenty-thousand-year level, and her base stats had risen accordingly.
Zeng Tian, meanwhile, was only Level 54, equivalent to roughly fourteen thousand years of Soul Beast cultivation.
In other words, Zeng Tian's current base stats were roughly seventy percent of those of an Auspicious Beast at the same level. Among Soul Beasts, few could boast higher stats than his.
On top of that, Zeng Tian possessed the unique mechanics of Pokémon, an extraordinarily rapid growth rate, a repository of inherited memories containing dozens or even hundreds of skills, and his one-of-a-kind Ability, Deep Crimson Blaze!
Together, these had enabled Zeng Tian to challenge Xiong Jun, who almost rivaled a human Level 99 Limit Douluo, while only at Level 54.
Now, Zeng Tian's combat strength would unquestionably rank among the very best even at Level 98.
"Oh, right, Zeng Tian!"
Recalling what had just happened, the young Auspicious Beast spoke to Zeng Tian, still shaken. "After Xiong Jun knocked you down with Sky-Rending Claw, you became so frightening! Bi Ji said your bloodline had reverted to its ancestral form. Your body and flames turned black and blue, and the aura you gave off was completely different from your usual one. It seemed incredibly savage."
At those words, a gleam flashed through Zeng Tian's eyes.
His body and flames had turned black and blue-wasn't that Mega Charizard X, one of Charizard's Mega Evolutions?
As for his aura becoming savage, Mega Evolution itself awakened the ancient power lingering within the bloodline. A little savagery was perfectly normal.
But without the bond with a Trainer, a Key Stone, or a Mega Stone to help him, how had he undergone Mega Evolution?
Could it be that, as long as certain conditions were met, he could undergo Mega Evolution all on his own?
If I can fully master this power of evolution, I'll definitely become stronger!
Zeng Tian thought to himself.
With a few exceptions, Pokémon in their Mega Evolution forms were far stronger than they had been before evolving.
If he could freely undergo Mega Evolution, his base stats might surpass those of the Three-Eyed Golden Lion at the same level, reaching the true pinnacle of Soul Beasts.
With his many powerful Special Moves added to that, what Soul Beast could still stand against him?
Bam!
Suddenly, Zeng Tian heard a tremendous crash behind him, accompanied by a violent tremor through the ground.
Zeng Tian turned and saw Di Tian, who had returned to human form, along with Xiong Jun, who lay on the ground howling in pain. Eerie blue flames still flickered from Xiong Jun's body from time to time.
"Zeng Tian, I'm leaving Xiong Jun to you. Whether he lives or dies is your decision."
Di Tian stood with his hands behind his back, his tone calm, but his words left every Soul Beast present stunned.
Looking at the dying Xiong Jun as he rolled endlessly on the ground, Zeng Tian frowned slightly and asked, "I can really do anything?"
"Of course. Since I've handed him over to you, the decision is yours. Even if you kill him right now, you are free to do so."
Di Tian spoke indifferently.
Although Xiong Jun's potential had become considerable after his bloodline awakened further, he still fell far short of Zeng Tian.
Besides, Xiong Jun was a troublemaker. If Zeng Tian truly wanted him dead, Di Tian would not mind exchanging Xiong Jun's life for Zeng Tian's sense of belonging to the Star Dou Great Forest.
Di Tian's words sent a shock through every Soul Beast present, for they could hear the unquestionable finality in his voice.
If Zeng Tian asked, Di Tian truly might strike.
Bi Ji hurriedly turned to Zeng Tian and pleaded, "Zeng Tian, please spare Xiong Jun's life. What happened wasn't what he truly wanted, either. Awakening his bloodline caused him to lose his reason, and that was why he did such a thing."
As an Emerald Swan, Bi Ji was unquestionably kindhearted, to the point of feeling compassion for all living things. More than anything, she could not bear to watch a life fade before her eyes.
For a moment, the atmosphere grew tense.