The Bald Kappa clapped its hands together above its head, leaped fiercely, and plunged into a spectral and eerie black river, which slithered like a large serpent towards Xiaoruan.

Ghost River Ghost Hand, necromancy type, lord technique, a field skill; when trapped by the ghost river, the overall strength is suppressed, and when caught by the ghost hands in the river, speed drastically reduces and stamina depletion increases.

Apart from suppressing opponents, Ghost River Ghost Hand can also control the river to collide with the opponent, inflicting high collision damage, but simultaneously, the pet beast also endures the reactive damage from the collision.

"Xiaoruan, cut it with Cyan Lotus Sword Blade."

The ghost river surged forth like a giant serpent, fierce with ominous aura, as Xiaoruan calmly swung the tender green blade of spiritual energy gathered from the wood element in its hand. The enormous sword light cleaved out, tearing the ghost river apart with an unmatched sword edge.

The Bald Kappa let out a shriek inside the ghost river, dissipating into smoke.

Fortunately, this was a battle in the virtual arena; if it were real, the Bald Kappa would have truly met its demise from that strike.

If the Bald Kappa hadn't controlled the ghost river to crash into Xiaoruan, that attack would not have been fatal, but it did control the river. By merging into the river, it controlled the direction of the ghost river; with them as one, if the ghost river got hurt, so did it; if the river was unharmed, so was it.

Li Cunxu shook his head slightly.

The failure of the Bald Kappa was due to the strategic miscalculation in the Beast Master's guidance and command.

Ghost River Ghost Hand, as a field skill, should not be used as an attack skill.

While some field skills can be utilized as attack skills, Ghost River Ghost Hand is not among those types!

If the Bald Kappa hadn't used Ghost River Ghost Hand to attack, it would not have lost so badly, being defeated in one strike.

As for victory? There's no way it could have beaten Xiaoruan, whose strength had drastically increased after collecting taxes for several months—Li Cunxu estimated it could now hold its own against an average Gold level combatant.

The public spectator channel was bustling.

"Oh my god! Won again."

"One-hit kill, another one-hit kill."

"How could the tenth-ranked Faceless Black Robe be so weak? It feels like I could do it too."

"Shut up above, you can say Faceless Black Robe has poor character and likes lowering ranks to bully lower-ranked individuals, but you definitely can't say he's weak; if he's weak, what does that make me, having lost to him?"

...

The Faceless Black Robe stared blankly; he... he lost again, and again with just one move. Supporting himself with his hands, he kneeled, utterly devastated.

Faceless Black Robe summoned his final beast, the Red-haired Strange Monkey.

Red-haired Strange Monkey, covered with dense brown-yellow fur except for its hairless head, with a face and head as red as Marvel's Red Skull, looked extremely peculiar.

"Another bald pet beast, the Faceless Black Robe has such strange tastes, contracting only bald beasts. Wait, it might not be a preference, but instead due to an innate talent, that he only contracts bald beasts."

Li Cunxu searched his mind for which Beast Master talent required contracting bald beasts.

"Could it be the legendary talent [Disciplined Strong]?"

[Disciplined Strong]: By exercising discipline, the pet beast is not limited by potential, with the downside being baldness.

This talent doesn't necessarily require contracting bald beasts, but contracting bald beasts is the best choice.

Appearance anxiety is something pet beasts might have too; non-bald beasts becoming bald due to a Beast Master's talent could hold a grudge against the master.

Originally bald beasts wouldn't have this worry.

"Shouldn't be, as his pets are not of the long-lived types."

As self-discipline training leads to more strength, the longer the lifespan, the more time for discipline; thus a Beast Master with Disciplined Strong talent would not choose based on talent and potential but based solely on longevity.

"Legendary talent [Ultimate Brilliant Brain]?"

[Ultimate Brilliant Brain]: Bestows the Beast Master and pet beast with an exceptionally brilliant brain.

This talent would lead to reduced hair volume, eventually bald.

"Not that either, as those with Ultimate Brilliant Brain are born doctors, born researchers, and prime targets for the Four Divinities' assassination. The alliance would protect them closely, keeping them from the limelight as much as possible."

"Additionally, Faceless Black Robe isn't smart enough, and neither are his pet beasts, not matching the characteristics of the Ultimate Brilliant Brain talent."

"Legendary talent [Conceptual Baldness]?"

[Conceptual Baldness]: Grants absolute defense to the bald head.

Even a casual strike from the Four Divinities would leave the Conceptual Baldness intact, though the body wouldn't have such conceptual absolute defense, resulting in one's physical form being obliterated but with the skull remaining.

While the first two talents require a period to become bald, this talent causes instant baldness upon awakening.

"Nor is it, as the Gale Vulture's previous use of its bald head to attack Xiaoruan failed to withstand Xiaoruan's counterattack, inconsistent with Conceptual Baldness's absolute defense."

"Epic talent [Protruding Bald Head]?"

[Protruding Bald Head]: Hardens the head, enhancing skills using the head, with the enhancement multiplier determined by major rank: one-time at Black Iron, two-time at Bronze, three-time at Silver...

"Is it that? Not too sure, let's observe the next battle."

"Battle commence."

At the referee's command, the Red-haired Strange Monkey dashed out swiftly.

"Iron Head Skill."

The Red-haired Strange Monkey's bald head gleamed, rushing at Xiaoruan. Xiaoruan leaped aside, and the Strange Monkey's head struck the ground, plowing a long trench.

"Gale Vulture favors headbutting, and Red-haired Strange Monkey also likes headbutting, so the Beast Master likely has Protruding Bald Head talent," Li Cunxu pondered.

"Xiaoruan, finish it, Ultimate Lunge."

Lunge skill, Black Iron level, nothing special in moves, but breaking limits twenty times makes it anything but ordinary.

Among Xiaoruan's many skills, the one with the highest proficiency was the Lunge skill.

Since every Slime could learn the Lunge skill and use it, Xiaoruan could collect Lunge skill experience tax from every Slime.

Previously, Xiaoruan couldn't use the Lunge skill freely because using it against others would also backfire, and the Slime body was too weak.

Now Xiaoruan could use it freely as it had four layers of defensive skills.

However, it couldn't use its most powerful lunge due to its immense power, which would backfire even with four defenses.

With those words, Xiaoruan instantly lunged, crashing into the Red-haired Strange Monkey that still had its head stuck in the soil, plowing the earth, and the Monkey had no defense, being blown into a bloody mist.

Li Cunxu achieved victory, moving up one rank into the freshman top ten.

The Faceless Black Robe sank kneeling onto the ground, eyes vacant with frustration.

He lost.

If someone else had defeated him, it wouldn't have hit him as hard.

Being defeated by Li Cunxu was different because Li Cunxu did it with just a Slime, and it was a shameful one-versus-three.

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