Beast Taming: Starting From Zero Chapter 1022: Leaving

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion rang out as the Witch Mystic Demon protected the youth, both of them crashing violently onto the earth.

Clouds of dust surged upward, while rocks scattered wildly everywhere.

The nearby Beast Tamers and their battling pets pulled back swiftly to dodge the shockwave.

Once the dust cleared and exposed the pair in the pit, the onlookers nearly burst into tears of happiness. Waves of relief from escaping doom spread across numerous faces.

"We won! We really won!"

"Are we... are we gonna survive?"

"Wild pets are still around! Team up to take them down first!"

The chaos-causing antagonist lay defeated, yet the feral pets lingered. Before anyone could vent frustration with a kick at the youth, they had to resume fighting the savage Ghost-type pets.

Though the count of wild pets stayed the same, the villain's downfall ignited hope within all hearts. Dark feelings dropped sharply, causing the Ghost Mist to thin out greatly.

Given the horde of wild pets and the total disorder, plus the Witch Mystic Demon's enormous bulk fully hiding the man underneath, nobody spotted the youth taking out a potion and feeding it into the Witch Mystic Demon's mouth.

Qingbao materialized next to her Tamer, fury still clear on her features.

Qiao Sang was on the verge of questioning how Qingbao had exited the Beast Codex by herself, but right then, she saw the Witch Mystic Demon underneath twitch slightly.

Just as the idea crossed her thoughts, Gangbao beat her wings down hard. Countless feathers shining purple launched like sharp purple knives.

As the purple blades neared within tens of meters of the Witch Mystic Demon, the beast suddenly whipped its head around.

A dark void opened right in front of it, swallowing all the hundreds of purple blades.

The spectators' expressions shifted in horror upon witnessing this.

One by one, they rushed to escape, widening the gap from the Witch Mystic Demon even while enduring strikes from wild pets.

Negative energy within the Ghost Mist surged upward.

"Wuwu..."

The Witch Mystic Demon gradually rose into the air.

The youth rose from the dirt and gazed at the girl overhead. Grimacing, he lifted his hands to weave seals. Realizing he couldn't call back Luminsora or the Water-Sealed Prancing Horse yet, he declared with iron resolve: "Absorb it directly."

The Witch Mystic Demon swiveled to eye the youth.

In a grave tone, the youth urged: "Don't hold back. If we delay until the foe returns, our shot might be gone forever."

The Witch Mystic Demon eyed the youth, then scanned the humans clashing with wild pets nearby. Detecting their dim life forces plainly, it cast aside doubt. Purple radiance flared in its eyes.

At once, the negative energy from the surrounding Ghost Mist rushed skyward, flooding into its form like a torrent.

Beyond that, tiny streams of energy lifted from each person close by, gathering toward it.

The crowd's faces wrinkled visibly with rapid aging, their forms weakening fast.

A crimson-gold ray streaked diagonally from above.

Another black hole materialized before the Witch Mystic Demon, devouring the beam entirely.

From her lofty position, Qiao Sang watched clearly as strands of energy ascended from the people and streamed into the Witch Mystic Demon's body.

Her heart dropped like a stone. She ordered: "Hit it again from various angles!"

Yabao parted his jaws, gathering crimson-gold power.

Little Treasure blinked behind the Witch Mystic Demon and extended his claws.

Gangbao transformed into violet light, stationed herself scores of meters off, and unfurled her wings.

Lubao released frigid icy breath.

Qingbao reverted to wind form, whipping up a fierce storm that barreled at the Witch Mystic Demon.

"Hatred Transfer!" the youth bellowed.

"Wuwu!"

The Witch Mystic Demon unleashed a piercing wail, sending waves of sinister energy exploding outward in every direction.

Everywhere the energy swept, humans and pets alike went blank-faced briefly, then fixed furious glares on the skybound figures.

Drained of life essence, the humans lacked power to act, but the wild pets pounced right away. They switched aims and rushed straight at the aerial assaults.

Yet within moments, the onslaughts shredded them, sending them plummeting with pained shrieks.

Despite the vast numbers of wild Ghost-type pets and those felled, most evaded the strikes and sped toward the sky figures.

 In a flash, Qiao Sang decided: "Sing!"

Silently, Lubao parted her mouth and sang: "Lu Di~ Lu~ Lu~ Lu Di~ Lu~"

Soundless waves spread outward.

All advancing Ghost-type pets halted. They glanced around puzzled, unsure why they attacked.

At the same time, the crowd's rage faded away, giving way to serene looks.

"What... what happened to me?"

"I feel like I have no strength at all..."

"I really want to sleep..."

"Me too..."

"I think I see my great-grandmother..."

The negative energy in the Ghost Mist plunged, its hue lightening markedly.

The youth's complexion drained of color.

Abruptly, a fierce wind gust lifted him skyward.

The Witch Mystic Demon's expression twisted in alarm, halting its energy intake.

"Bring him over." Qiao Sang commanded.

"Xun xun!" Little Treasure's eyes gleamed blue.

Instantly, the youth materialized next to Yabao.

Simultaneously, a black hole yawned at his former spot in the air.

"Wuwu!"

The Witch Mystic Demon burst from the void, glaring upward in seething fury.

"Don't worry about me! Keep absorbing!" Unfazed, the youth yelled downward.

The energy flow the Witch Mystic Demon had restarted wavered.

Baowuwu, who'd been shaking while gripping Qiao Sang's clothing, drifted to the youth. Radiating purple glow with a calm visage, she headbutted his nape.

The youth, snarling fiercely, whipped his head around.

Spotting Baowuwu, he stiffened. His rage evaporated in a blink, replaced by stunned blankness.

"Wuwu..."

Noticing her effort failed, Baowuwu floated back to Qiao Sang with her typical tranquil look.

Qiao Sang peered down at the Witch Mystic Demon and gently pulled Lubao’s tail.

Lubao got it at once. Gazing below, visible cold aura poured from her body.

Temperatures around plunged sharply.

The youth caught on. His features warped as he screamed: "Run!"

Too late. The Witch Mystic Demon stayed posed upward as thick ice encased it entirely with a sharp crackle.

Yabao's maw unleashed a precise crimson-gold beam straight down.

"Wuwu!"

A deafening BOOM erupted, smashing the Witch Mystic Demon into the soil amid its agonized howl.

Blazing fires and scorching waves burst forth.

Before Qiao Sang could speak, a radiant sword stretching almost fifteen meters formed over the fiery core.

"Holy Sword!" The youth paled. He lifted his hand to retrieve the Witch Mystic Demon into the Beast Codex.

But as his arm rose, blue light flashed in Little Treasure’s eyes. The youth froze mid-motion, gripped by invisible bonds, thrashing futilely.

BOOM!!!

The massive light sword crushed down onto the Witch Mystic Demon.

The ground below detonated in a massive blast.

"WUWU!!!"

The Witch Mystic Demon wailed in torment. Its sight dimmed. In its last instants, it gazed at its Tamer, past scenes whirling like a lantern show.

The last vision showed its stubble-bearded Tamer approaching, rasping: "I've found a way. As long as you absorb enough energy and evolve successfully, you can live."

"Wuwu, you must evolve. You must live!"

The Witch Mystic Demon gently shut its eyes.

---

"AH! AH!" Witnessing this, the youth's pupils shrank. Struck by deep trauma, he screamed in raw pain.

"You used the news of the Spirit-Passing Cat to lure everyone here and created chaos so that the Witch Mystic Demon could absorb their negative energy and life essence, even planning to absorb their Death Qi. Your crimes are monstrous. Once we are out, I will hand you over to the police." Qiao Sang stated deliberately, eyeing him.

The youth turned, eyes injected with blood, face twisted in rage. Brows furrowed in savagery, he roared: "What did I do wrong?! They were all going to die anyway! Is it so bad for them to leave one last bit of value before they go?! It's all your fault! If not for you, my Witch Mystic Demon would have finished absorbing the energy! It could have evolved! It could have lived! It's all you! It's all you!"

Mid-rant, he shattered the restraint and swiftly knotted hand seals.

"Xun xun..."

Little Treasure paused in shock, then intensified the blue glow in his eyes. Still, the youth powered through, veins bulging on his hands as seals continued.

Qiao Sang stayed composed, though a random notion crossed her mind:

While weaving seals, the youth sensed peril. His face soured; he halted and flicked his hand. Without pause, he whirled and shot toward where the Witch Mystic Demon had crashed.

Qiao Sang's eyes bulged in disbelief.

"Xun xun?!"

Little Treasure gawked too, equally shocked.

Suddenly, the atmosphere quaked. Fresh Secret Realm Cracks tore open one after another.

Right then, Mikayla materialized beside them, announcing: "We have to leave. The space here is very unstable now. It could be overrun by wild pets from the Secret Realm at any moment."

Qiao Sang curbed her questions. Nodding seemed imminent when she glanced below at the panicked, despairing crowd. "Can they leave now?" she inquired.

Mikayla dipped her head faintly: "Luminsora has fallen. The spatial lockdown it performed is gone."

Upon hearing, Qiao Sang gathered her voice and yelled: "Use your Guiding Threads! You can leave now!"

The crowd stirred at her words. Ecstatic survival joy flooded them.

"Fantastic! Fantastic!"

"We can leave!"

"Waaaah... I'm never looking for the Spirit-Passing Cat again after I get out."

People sequentially recalled pets, linked psychic power to Guiding Threads, and blinked away.

Quickly, over half below vanished.

Gales howled as dark clouds veiled the sky like mourning cloth. Mingled with Ghost Mist, darkness engulfed everything.

Still, numerous stragglers hadn't departed.

Qiao Sang's heart tightened. Before she could call out, a voice rose from below: "Senior! Do you have a Guiding Thread? If not, you can have mine!"

"Yeah, big shot! I noticed you don't seem to have a thread on your hand. I don't have many days to live anyway, so take mine!"

"Big shot, can you get out?"

Qiao Sang stilled, warmth flickering in her gaze. She shouted back: "I can get out! You all leave quickly!"

Only then did the rest infuse psychic power into threads and vanish.

Yet a handful lingered below.

No Guiding Threads graced their hands.

Those left wore masks of hopelessness and bitterness.

Most had gambled entry with scant life left. Not all possessed funds or ties for a Guiding Thread. They'd never anticipated survival, merely seeking the Spirit-Passing Cat in their final days.

Utter despondency spread; some abandoned all fight.

Ghost-type pets poured from Secret Realm Cracks.

"Do you still not want to go?" Mikayla queried.

"Teacher, do you have a way to take everyone here out?" Qiao Sang asked.

"I do." Mikayla replied.

"But the space here is very unstable. If we want so many people to leave at once, we must open the space wide. If we do, this entire space might completely collapse. The people would get out, but at best, these Ghost-type pets would remain trapped here. At worst, this place will become a Forbidden Zone, and a continuous stream of Ghost-type pets will pour out from here, and everyone outside will suffer."

Qiao Sang paused briefly. Then: "Lubao, Healing Soundwave."

Lubao's mouth opened, emitting song: "Lu~ Lu Di~ Lu Lu Di~"

Intangible waves emanated.

Feral Ghost-type pets ceased assaults. Despair and bitterness lifted from faces, serenity returning.

Mikayla glanced across.

"Let's go." Qiao Sang uttered solemnly.

Granting them peaceful finality was her utmost offering.

Mikayla pivoted, nodding to empty air nearby.

Spengami materialized.

"Jia jia."

A sudden arrival: a pet with two arms, two legs, three eyes—the forehead one red. Serene-faced, it cried out, conveying:

Qiao Sang went rigid. Its speech eluded her, but she knew the beast.

Masked Puppet, a Mid-level Ghost-type pet. Its middle eye can see through all illusions.