After agreeing to the sparring match, Xu Ran checked the time and headed back into the grooming room to carry out the next stage of the Azure Wind Eagle's treatment.
With its wish to fight Purple Cloud granted, the Blazing Fox stopped making a fuss. It jumped out of Su Xiaoxiao's arms and padded gracefully into the lounge, first pressing the television's power button with a paw, then leaping onto the soft sofa.
It even picked up a bag of snacks, casually spat out a small puff of flame to burn open the seal, then scooped up the snacks with a paw and popped them into its mouth.
Su Xiaoxiao wasn't surprised in the slightest. Clearly, she had already witnessed this little tyrant's astonishing adaptability at home. She simply sat beside the Blazing Fox, picked up another bag of snacks, and watched television with it.
The Blazing Fox glanced at Su Xiaoxiao and swished its large tail, reluctantly shifting over to give her more room.
Purple Cloud remained on the counter with both front paws tucked beneath its chest, but the Blazing Fox had caught its attention, and it turned to face the lounge. It stared blankly at the fox's effortless movements, clearly never having seen anything so strange.
As it watched, it began to feel tempted, imagining itself sitting on the sofa with Xu Ran, watching television and eating snacks.
Time ticked by, and soon the grooming room's closed door opened again, bringing the girl and the two pets outside to a halt.
"Xiaoxiao! Come look at my Azure Wind Eagle!" Lin Yue rushed out of the grooming room, her voice brimming with excitement.
Perched on her shoulder was an eagle about a meter tall, its blue-green feathers so sleek beneath the lights that they almost shone.
The Azure Wind Eagle wasn't a Contract Beast renowned for beauty. It had an imposing physique, and Xu Ran's flawless grooming had elevated that imposing presence to a whole new level.
The down on its chest was fine and smooth, while each long feather on its outstretched wings had an edge as sharp as a blade. Its already athletic frame looked a full size larger after the Grooming.
Although this Azure Wind Eagle was still young, it already carried something of the bearing of a ruler of the skies.
For Lin Yue, the most astonishing thing was that her Contract Beast's complete transformation had happened right before her eyes.
The process had been a little strange, but judging by the results, this shop's owner was truly amazing!
"Wow!" Su Xiaoxiao couldn't help exclaiming at the majestic Azure Wind Eagle. Although she had confidence in Xu Ran's skills, she hadn't expected it to look so spectacular after grooming.
Then she sighed. "What a shame. If you'd come with me at noon, you might have gotten a spot in the competition too."
"It is a bit of a shame, but we're only in our first year of high school. We'll have more chances!" Lin Yue remained optimistic. "Since you're not getting any grooming done, let's head home. I want to give my parents a real shock."
At that, anticipation spread across Lin Yue's face.
"Uh... A-Yue, I might need to stay a little longer." Su Xiaoxiao pointed at Xu Ran, who had finished tidying the grooming room and was strolling out. "The owner and I agreed to have a sparring match."
Lin Yue said, "...Huh?!"
"Come on, come on! You can do it, Xiaoxiao!"
Outside the battle platform, Lin Yue waved both hands, her face alight with excitement.
After learning that Su Xiaoxiao and Xu Ran were going to spar, she was naturally in no hurry to head home.
On a beginner battle platform twenty meters to a side, Xu Ran and Su Xiaoxiao faced each other from a distance, with a burly referee standing between them.
Of course, they hadn't found such a professional battle venue just anywhere. Not far from Xu Ran's shop was a place called the Tianhong Arena, which offered battlefields for rent and professional referees to meet beast tamers' sparring needs.
"Both sides are ready!" the burly man called out, glancing at the two participants on opposite sides of the field. "If either side concedes or loses the ability to fight, that side loses. I'll count down from three, then the match begins!"
"Three..."
"Purple Cloud, stand over there and get ready to fight!" Xu Ran pointed at a circular area in front of him, the Contract Beast's starting zone.
"Meow~" (Leave it to me!)
Having just awakened as a supernatural creature, Purple Cloud was full of enthusiasm. It sprang lightly from beside Xu Ran's feet into the circle, its back arching slightly. Its mismatched pupils slowly narrowed to pinpoints, like abysses swallowing the distant Blazing Fox.
Crackle-crackle-
Supernatural energy surged rapidly through its body. Power leaked out involuntarily, filling the surrounding air with the crisp crackle of electrical arcs.
Across from it, the Blazing Fox refused to be outdone. It landed lightly in its starting zone from Su Xiaoxiao's arms, lifting its head high and raising its large, fluffy tail like a cloud at sunset as streams of flame swirled around it.
Whoosh-whoosh-
The rapidly heating air expanded in every direction, forcing the cooler air farther away and stirring up rolling waves of heat amid a low roar.
After its grooming treatment, the Blazing Fox felt better than ever.
It was now at the peak of its strength!
It would prove with a swift, decisive victory that fire was stronger than lightning!
"Two..."
"One..."
"Begin!"
With that shout, the referee darted backward, leaving the center of the battle platform to the two Contract Beasts about to clash.
The battle erupted the instant his voice fell!
"Purple Cloud, use Electric Arc!"
"Meow~"
Understanding immediately, Purple Cloud burst into motion, moving so fast it left afterimages in the air. Crackling electrical arcs traced its path.
In the blink of an eye, it covered five meters, rapidly closing in on the Blazing Fox.
Two-star skill, stardust level: Electric Arc!
"So fast!" Su Xiaoxiao was startled, but quickly regained her composure. "Little Flame, use Flame Wall!"
"Yip~"
The Blazing Fox narrowed its eyes slightly at the rapidly approaching figure and instantly spat out a swirling, explosive stream of flame.
The flames swiftly wove together in midair, forming a wall of fire a full three meters wide one meter in front of the Blazing Fox!
Two-star skill, stardust level: Flame Wall!
Terrifying waves of heat surged in every direction, leaving no doubt that even the slightest touch of that Flame Wall would inflict a dreadful burn.
Purple Cloud stopped short, a hint of hesitation crossing its face as the intense heat washed over it.
Fear of fire was instinctive for ordinary beasts. Having only just become a supernatural creature, Purple Cloud hadn't yet fully shed its old habits. Coupled with its lack of experience fighting other Contract Beasts, that caused it to make a mistake.
Fortunately, Xu Ran reacted quickly.
"Purple Cloud! Electric Spark!"
Its beast tamer's command instantly echoed through its mind via the Beast Taming Contract. Purple Cloud quickly snapped out of its daze. A violet light charged with lightning gathered in its mouth, then shot toward the flames filling its view!
Boom-
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