126: Chapter 126 Skill: Stretching

The Lightning Rat used the skill Spark Flash.

A bolt of yellow lightning instantly vanished from the trio's sight, but Miao Sang merely twisted his chubby body slightly, springing up like a coil to dodge the Lightning Rat's pounce.

With all four paws off the ground, Miao Sang looked like a hairy balloon, with earthy yellow light floating around him, making the resemblance even stronger.

The electric light dissipated, revealing the Lightning Rat's form.

Before it could make its next move, the ground beneath its feet began to bulge upward, and sharp Rock Spikes sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain.

The Lightning Rat swayed its body, narrowly avoiding them.

Electric light flared from its lightning-shaped tail, and it charged like an arrow released from a drawn bow toward the landing Miao Sang.

"Meow—!"

Miao Sang instantly activated his Dragon-back Form, and the invisible sound waves from his non-threatening hiss enveloped the Lightning Rat.

The Lightning Rat's Electromagnetic Charge skill was interrupted by the War Cry; the gathered electromagnetism suddenly collapsed, leaving only its stiff and terrified form, successfully intimidated.

Miao Sang pounced forward, his fluffy little white-gloved paws flipping the Lightning Rat over and pinning its soft belly.

He licked his lips triumphantly, his gaze full of playfulness as he looked at the Lightning Rat, which was already in his grasp.

"I couldn't tell, but he's actually quite impressive!"

Mo Yu clapped in support: "Even though Lightning Rats are on the Earth Spirit Cat's menu, few can actually catch them.

As expected of your cat, he really does have some skill!"

He teased Yue Yun beside him.

Yue Yun was also caught off guard by Miao Sang's performance; hearing Mo Yu's words, he snapped out of it and gave a candid smile.

Xu Qingfang approached Miao Sang, squatting down to look at the Lightning Rat under his sharp claws, and asked, "Are you going to eat it?"

Miao Sang looked at Xu Qingfang with some confusion.

Someone is actually asking a Pet Beast that can't talk?

His own Beast Tamer must have hung out with him too much to become as unintelligent as he is now.

Miao Sang thought of his Beast Tamer, Yue Yun, and his gaze toward Xu Qingfang deepened slightly.

Completely unaware, Yue Yun and Mo Yu also leaned in, squatting on either side of Xu Qingfang, watching with great interest to see how the successful hunter Miao Sang would treat the Lightning Rat next.

Miao Sang was puzzled by the trio's actions.

The intimidated Lightning Rat regained consciousness; its small, black-bean-like eyes were full of fear, yet it didn't dare to struggle.

Not only was it suppressed by its natural enemy, but sharp claws were also pressed against its belly—what did it do to deserve this?!

The Lightning Rat wanted to cry but had no tears.

However, it didn't give up. Driven by survival instinct, its lightning-shaped ears suddenly burst with electric light.

Zzzzz—!

The electric arcs churned violently, swallowing Miao Sang in a surge of light. His orange fur visibly twisted and crackled, and a faint smell of burning drifted into the air.

"Oh no!"

Seeing Miao Sang being electrocuted, Yue Yun's eyes widened in anger.

His hand instantly reached into the churning electricity, accurately grabbing the Lightning Rat and pulling it far away from Miao Sang.

A phantom health bar appeared above his head—half due to Miao Sang's injury from the shock, and half because the Lightning Rat's stored electricity hadn't been exhausted and was still releasing its power.

Yue Yun had no mind for the Lightning Rat in his hand; instead, he looked at the charred Miao Sang with worry and heartache.

Miao Sang, whose orange fur had been smooth and shiny and who had looked round and adorable, lost his original charm, turning into a fat, charred cat with exploded and curled fur, as if he'd been caught in a bomb blast.

"Damned rat!"

Yue Yun cursed under his breath instinctively.

His grip tightened as if he were about to crush the Lightning Rat.

Miao Sang, though transformed by the shock, snapped back to his senses. His Aura did not diminish but instead increased, and a terrifying power surged within him.

His charred black fur clumped together, and the scabs on his lacerated skin fell off entirely amidst an earthy yellow light mixed with blood-red radiance surging from within.

Xu Qingfang and Mo Yu's eyes widened instantly.

Even Yue Yun, with his limited knowledge of Pet Beasts, recalled seeing this strange light on the night he was promoted to a Two-Star Beast Tamer.

This was exactly the phenomenon of Miao Sang learning a new skill!

The trio watched with bated breath.

Ignoring his remaining injuries, Miao Sang forced himself to stretch, and a layer of brilliant starlight emerged around him.

The starlight flickered, and he was completely refreshed.

The stubborn scars and electric arcs vanished. His bright orange fur with yellow stripes reappeared; aside from the color being even more vivid, he was as cute as ever.

"This is..."

Xu Qingfang and Yue Yun were completely bewildered, but Mo Yu was lost in thought, looking at Miao Sang as if he understood something.

Yue Yun quickly opened Miao Sang's panel.

[Name: Earth Spirit Cat]

[Species: Feline, Rock]

[Talent: Rock-Eating (Eating rocks restores state)]

[Skills: Rock Spike (Attacks enemies with Rock Spikes), War Cry (Intimidates enemies through roaring), Earth Origin (Enhances various attributes of the Pet Beast), Stretching (Clears negative status effects from the Pet Beast)]

[Potential: E]

Yue Yun suddenly understood and looked at Miao Sang in surprise.

The Stretching skill is undoubtedly a powerful purification-type skill. He hadn't expected Miao Sang, with E-grade potential, to possess it. Could this fellow, who does nothing but eat and sleep, actually be a Genius?

Yue Yun rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

Mo Yu saw through his thoughts at a glance and patted his shoulder with a smile: "Don't overthink it. Stretching is a fixed Awakening skill for the Earth Spirit Cat; it just happened to trigger now."

Ever since his last failure in front of Xu Qingfang and Yue Yun, Mo Yu had specifically researched Earth Spirit Cats in private.

Stretching and Earth Origin, as the two fixed Awakening skills of the Earth Spirit Cat, both provide good survival conditions in the wild, though they lack offensive power.

"Not bad either." Yue Yun smiled nonchalantly. "Anyway, I don't need him to fight. I'll handle the enemies myself. Right?"

The last sentence was directed at Miao Sang.

However, Miao Sang ignored Yue Yun completely, instead rubbing against his calf ingratiatingly and occasionally standing up to reach for the Lightning Rat in Yue Yun's hand.

Yue Yun felt a bit helpless toward this fat cat who had already forgotten the pain of his injuries, and couldn't help but shake his head with a smile: "You little glutton!"

The Lightning Rat's stored electricity was already exhausted, and it was now clinging tightly to Yue Yun's hand, unwilling to let go.

Being crushed to death by Yue Yun was better than ending up in a cat's belly.

Yue Yun didn't indulge the Lightning Rat; he squeezed it mercilessly and tossed it from his hand like a toy.

Miao Sang jumped up to bring it back to the ground. He had no intention of disemboweling or eating it, but instead pawed at it playfully, as if it were the best toy in the world.

Yue Yun fell silent.

He was a bit uncertain: "Are all cats like this?"

"Pretty much." Xu Qingfang nodded slightly. "The Earth Spirit Cats I saw at my grandmother's house were all like this. They don't eat the small animals they catch; they just play with them."

Yue Yun thought about it; it did seem to be the case.