Chapter 90

Before long, the organizers of the Harvest Festival officially announced the start of the contract trials.

All participating beastmasters and their accompanying pets entered the space connected to the Fenghe Stream region through the official connection points set up by Xizhou.

The Withered Glory Spirit Deer’s S-level secret realm, Fenghe Stream, is a long-term, stable secret realm in its descent phase, with the connection point to the current world located within Xizhou.

However, the Great Yan officials had concealed the exact location of the connection point. Typically, contact is made through secondary connection points like the one set up here, which then leads to the true entrance to the Fenghe Stream region.

The overlapping space in this interaction process is where the trial’s illusionary realm is located.

As long as one obtains the guardian crystal during the trial, they can enter the Fenghe Stream and contract the pet cubs born during this period.

The participating beastmasters vanished one after another into the connection point. At the same time, the giant screen at the venue displayed a timer showing the elapsed time within the trial’s illusionary realm, along with various stats for the competitors.

…

Mu Huiyue opened her eyes amidst a slight sensation of weightlessness.

The scene before her shifted from the bustling venue to an open wilderness under a blue sky with white clouds. For a moment, she even thought she had returned to her own beastmaster space.

Entering the trial’s illusionary realm felt quite peculiar, like a lighter version of a secret realm traversal experience.

She instinctively glanced at the data on her investigator bracelet. All the readings were very low. Not only did they fail to meet the standard for a secret realm, they couldn’t even maintain the data structure of the current world.

This was one of the reasons this space was referred to as the “illusionary realm.”

In fact, everything within the space was based on the Withered Glory Spirit Deer’s memory. Once leaving, everything would cease to exist, and only the memory would remain.

This was the creation-like spatial ability of the Earth Guardian.

The Little Cloud Dog and Card Fang Soldier were also teleported in along with her.

Before this, Mu Huiyue had already used the “Rest Hut” to adjust the state of her two beasts to their optimal condition. This recovery facility in her beastmaster space was also her strongest guarantee for the challenge of the seventh-level illusionary realm.

Each time they passed a level, Ellen and White Fang could use the “Rest Hut” to restore to their best condition, ensuring that they could give their all in battle during every level.

Mu Huiyue turned to look behind her, where there was a square wheat field about five meters on each side. It was nearing harvest, and each bundle of wheat was golden and full, weighing down the wheat stalks, with a very promising growth rate.

Floating above the wheat field was a set of numbers: [100/100].

This represented the remaining harvest in the wheat field. In the trial of the seventh-level illusionary realm, Mu Huiyue and her beasts had to protect this wheat field from harm.

Once the number above the wheat field reached zero, the contract trial would be considered over, and the challenger would enter the “Fenghe Flow” with the current level’s guardian crystal.

If the number above the wheat field was depleted and the first-level enemies hadn’t been defeated, the challenge would be considered a failure, and the challenger would be teleported back to the venue, unable to enter the “Fenghe Flow”.

Only after completely defeating the enemies in each level would the next level’s content refresh. To challenge the seventh-level illusionary realm, Mu Huiyue had to not only defeat each level’s enemies but also protect the wheat field from being completely destroyed.

This was Mu Huiyue’s first time experiencing such a competition format, and it felt quite fresh, like participating in an all-out battle in the wild.

The wheat field’s existence was also like the crystal in MOBA-style games—once the crystal was destroyed, the game was lost. Therefore, the strategy not only had to consider offense but also required attention to defense.

The clouds in the sky covered the sun, and the light in the illusionary realm dimmed. Mu Huiyue heard a faint buzzing sound, and in the distance, countless dark specks formed clusters that resembled clouds of shadows, continuously appearing at the horizon.

These weren’t real clouds but thousands of insects gathering together, creating a sound like a sudden downpour of buzzing.

The scene felt familiar.

Mu Huiyue turned to her companions: “Ellen, White Fang, are you ready?”

“Click.” (Of course.)

“Woof woo!” (Leave it to me!)

The tall skeleton and the majestic white-haired puppy on either side responded, full of confidence and battle intent towards their beastmaster.

Mu Huiyue smiled slightly and looked toward the approaching shadowy clouds.

The first level of the contract trial, begin!

The enemy attacking in the first level was the natural enemy of genetically modified wheat, the Feathered-winged Locust.

Mu Huiyue’s Investigator bracelet displayed the creature’s information.

Name: Feathered-winged Locust

Attribute: Insect

Race Level: Medium Elite

Growth Rank: /

Core Talent: Fierce Bite (Insect, D-level)

Race Introduction: A mutated insect-type extraordinary creature that emerged from locust plagues, they gather together to devour the leaves and roots of extraordinary plants. When acting in groups, their consumption is massive, making them one of the primary species to be prevented during extraordinary insect plagues.

Normal Hidden Energy Value: /

Due to the detection of too many individuals of the same species, the growth rank and normal hidden energy values fluctuate dynamically, generally concentrating around the juvenile stage.

A single Feathered-winged Locust may just be a tough insect, but when gathered into a cloud-like swarm, they become the nightmare of wheat harvest season.

If the swarms aren’t quickly dealt with, even if most of the locusts are eventually defeated, the trial will still be failed due to the wheat field being eaten away entirely.

Mu Huiyue stood at the front of the wheat field, facing not just forward but all around her, as Feathered-winged Locust swarms attacked from every direction. This was just the tip of the iceberg of the large locust plague that the withered and flourishing spirit deer had once encountered in its memories.

She roughly estimated the area affected by the locust swarms, and fortunately, it was still within the range she could cover.

“Ellen, use maximum power for intimidation!”

The pale-white skeleton stood still, a dense black mist swirling around it, forming a small cyclone.

After absorbing the effects of the Dead Mist Gem during this time, Ellen had entered the advanced growth stage, and his control over Intimidation was no longer comparable to what it had been during the national ranking competition.

The skeleton opened its jaw, and invisible energy waves emanated from it, rapidly expanding outward in all directions, creating a circle of visible, chilling wind pressure.

This also carried the influence of Soul Tremor. Although the two skills couldn’t be used simultaneously, Ellen was attempting to make their effects interact to further enhance their power.

The wave of intimidation swept across, and the flying locust swarms seemed to be pressed by an invisible force, hitting the pause button. They froze in place before slowly dropping to the ground.

Unlike when facing the Qiu Iron Worm earlier, this time there was no need for Baiya to deliver the finishing blow. All the locust swarms fell with a crash under the intimidation.

The last to land was an exceptionally large Feathered-winged Locust. Its massive abdomen cracked open, and a pearly white crystal fell out.

The Little Cloud Dog ran forward, picked up the crystal, and returned it to the Beastmaster’s side.

This was the first layer’s Guardian Crystal.

Mu Huiyue smiled faintly and took the crystal from Baiya’s mouth.

Behind her, the value above the wheat field remained at 100/100.

First layer trial, Mu Huiyue’s team passed with no injuries, achieving a perfect clear!

The scene in the trial illusion changed as the Feathered-winged Locusts disappeared.

This time, it was no longer a sunny and pleasant wilderness under a clear sky, but a hot and dry environment.

There seemed to be no moisture in the air, and the wheat stalks in the field had withered, drooping lifelessly.

Mu Huiyue frowned as she saw the value above the wheat field decrease slightly, changing to 99/100.

It wasn’t just the enemies’ attacks that could damage the wheat field; the changing weather also affected the crop yield. This layer had to be completed quickly.

The enemies of the second layer soon appeared in front of the wheat field: extraordinary creatures in the shape of rabbits, engulfed in high-temperature flames.

The Fire and Wind-elemental mid-tier elite species, the Flame Scorch Rabbits, like the Feathered-winged Locusts, enjoy gnawing on the roots of extraordinary plants. They run at incredible speeds, with sparks constantly drifting off their fur, making them highly likely to trigger chain fires in their wake—especially in such a dry environment like this.

Mu Huiyue ordered Ellen to return to the Rest Hut to recover, leaving this layer to Baiya to handle.

The Little Cloud Dog split into four identical Moon Shadows and used Shadow Step to charge towards the enemies.

When it comes to speed, Baiya, above the shadows, would not lose!

…

With the power advantage of her two pets, Mu Huiyue alternated using the Rest Hut, pushing through the first four layers of the trial illusions in one go.

The value above the wheat field reached 96/100, which seemed sufficient to sustain the remaining three layers of the trial.

It is said that from the fifth layer onwards, the difficulty of each layer increases exponentially, which is why few challengers in past Harvest Festivals’ contract trials have been able to break through the seventh layer.

Mu Huiyue looked at the enemies appearing in the fifth layer—extraordinary creatures she recognized.

The Ice and Wood-elemental sovereign species, Frozen Ancient Pine, along with its evolutionary form, countless Ice and Wood-elemental warrior species, the Crystal Ice Willows.

The trial illusion shifted into a freezing, bitter cold environment. The wheat seedlings in the field trembled, losing health faster than during the drought disaster.

This layer recreated a small portion of the cold disaster from the memory of the Withering Spirit Deer.

Not only does the severe cold affect the wheat field’s harvest, but the Crystal Ice Willows and Frozen Ancient Pine, being Wood-elemental creatures, also encroach on the field’s living space, accelerating the decrease in yield.

“Ellen, lead the attack. Baiya, watch the surroundings, don’t let the vines of the Crystal Ice Willows reach us.”

Mu Huiyue gave the command. The sovereign species are not simple opponents, so she chose to have both pets give their all together.

With the current rate of health loss in the wheat field, without special guardian-type skills, it was impossible to fully preserve the yield. The only option was to quickly defeat the Frozen Ancient Pine and minimize the losses.

The Baiya Soldier merged into the shadows, while the Little Cloud Dog used Shadow Step to leap into action, biting through the oncoming Crystal Ice Willows with its Ice Teeth.

In the frigid environment, Baiya’s Ice-elemental skills had also grown stronger, but they were still no match for the Ice-elemental Frozen Ancient Pine.

The thick pine needles turned to ice and shot out, but Baiya skillfully dodged, using the Moon Shadows to block attacks that could not be avoided.

“Click.” (Charge forward, little dog.)

A click sounded from the shadows as Ellen’s voice echoed. Baiya swiftly charged forward. After countless battles in the training ground, it shared an unparalleled tactical synergy with the Baiya Soldier.

It understood what Ellen meant. The Frozen Ancient Pine‘s core skill, Frozen Tundra, is a powerful area skill that can be activated early even during the monarch species phase.

Once the opponent releases this skill in the cold season, regardless of whether they can withstand it or not, the fragile wheat field is definitely doomed.

It was crucial to take down the Frozen Ancient Pine before it could activate Frozen Tundra!

The little cloud dog fearlessly charged into the wind and snow, pushing forward.

It soon reached a distance that the Frozen Ancient Pine could no longer ignore. The tree’s crystalline willow branches lashed out, shattering three illusionary Moon Shadows in quick succession.

The fourth Baiya passed under the willow branches, and the shadow behind it stretched four to five meters, before suddenly bursting into ghostly blue flames.

B-grade Fire-type Skill: Netherfire!

This attack, with its double attribute restraint, made the Frozen Ancient Pine recoil slightly, its thick roots shifting backward.

From the shadows, the Baiya Soldier emerged, raising its calcified black bone blade, and thrusting it straight into the middle section of the Frozen Ancient Pine.

Bone Spike Surprise Attack: Critical Hit!

Ellen’s judgment was spot on. While the Frozen Ancient Pine was scorched by Netherfire, it never moved its trunk and pine needles that were blocking the middle section—this was undoubtedly its weak spot!

The 3-second paralysis effect followed, and waiting for the Frozen Ancient Pine was the little cloud dog, poised for a surprise attack, along with the Baiya Soldier preparing to unleash another full-powered Netherflame.