Chapter 339 - The Eleventh Beastmaster King

At that moment, only Happy and the vulture within the Flame Spirit Domain knew what was happening. They stared in shock at the domain, which resembled the netherworld of the Other Shore, burning with hellfire.

Opposite them stood a god of death. It was a huge humanoid deity surrounded by netherflame. It had a pair of massive black-flame crow wings. Its face was not human—its eyes were inhuman, and it bore a crow-like beak, exuding an aura of pure malevolence.

This was unmistakably the core of the domain skill from Lu Ran’s modified Flame Spirit Domain. After all, his opponent was a first-generation beastmaster. Even if the opponent lacked a domain, Lu Ran couldn’t bridge the big level gap by relying solely on his own Flame Spirit Domain to defeat him.

However, if Dark Crow’s Death Crow possessed Lu Ran while he unleashed the domain, things would be different. Lu Ran’s already formidable strength would undergo a qualitative transformation.

The reason Lu Ran hadn’t summoned both crows was that he needed one crow to possess him for reinforcement. Keeping it ready in a card allowed for faster possession than summoning it directly. This was what Lu Ran meant by using his domain to help his familiars master theirs.

This was also the source of the confidence that allowed Lu Ran to send out Dark Crow, who was not suited for arena battles, against a first-generation opponent.

Within the domain, Happy stared at the fiery crow-god phantom wielding a black-feathered sword.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

“Monster... Didn’t you promise to go easy on me?” A trace of fear welled up in his heart.

He had no idea what would happen next.

Will I end up like Jack... dying here?

The moment Happy’s fear overcame him, the huge Flame Crow God let out a sinister laugh.

“Flame of fear...”

In this domain, when an enemy’s heart harbored fear, flames that scorched the soul could ignite directly upon their spirit.

Meanwhile, outside the domain, Dark Crow, in its Curse Crow form, finally understood what was happening and pouted.

Hmph. You’re so boring, King. Taking both the first and last gates for yourself... Not giving me, the mighty crow general, a chance to shine. This grudge—No, how could I hold a grudge against my King?

It’s all my fault for being too weak to handle enemies alone...

Dark Crow wiped away its tears.

While the crowd was still reeling from the revelation that Lu Ran also possessed a domain, the domain shattered almost as quickly as it had appeared. However, unlike before, it wasn’t broken from within.

By the time everyone processed it, Happy and the vulture were already engulfed in black flames. One had crashed to the ground, ceasing flight, while the other stood motionless with eyes vacant.

The flames hadn’t harmed their bodies. Although the fire raged, not even their clothes were singed. Yet, their conditions spoke volumes.

“Are their... souls being burned?”

One spectator trembled in fear.

“Lu Ran really didn’t hold back at all...”

Another retorted, “What do you know? Getting taken out by a domain is still better than breaking free only to get finished off by that crow and turned into a pig, right?”

The rebuttal made sense, leaving others speechless. Some even began to suspect that Happy had deliberately held back in the domain to avoid becoming a pig.

Regardless, everyone was holding their breath at this moment, united in a single realization.

As expected, this first-generation beastmaster couldn’t escape Lu Ran’s unstoppable momentum either. It looks like the fifth gate is cleared.

No participants had ever bulldozed through five gatekeepers in such a devastating, unstoppable manner—or rather, this was the first time that the five gatekeepers had all been defeated. If Lu Ran were a second-generation beastmaster, this might have been seen as a normal feat.

However, Lu Ran was just a fourth-generation beastmaster. Not only had he defeated the strongest second-generation beastmaster during the tournament, but he’d also taken down a first-generation beastmaster.

“At this point, even an average member of the first generation—No, even some elite first-generation beastmasters might not dare claim they could defeat Lu Ran.”

High-ranking officials from various countries watching the tournament wore grave expressions.

Lu Ran’s rise had been too fast. Before, he could only match first-generation beastmasters through legion-type skills. Now, he could rival them even with individual familiars.

Given this, many felt that if not for Lu Ran’s status as a fourth-generation beastmaster with limited development time, he would undoubtedly have secured a seat among Blue Planet’s Ten Great Beastmaster Kings.

Considering his current potential, calling him the eleventh Beastmaster King of Blue Planet would likely draw little opposition.

“Referee.” On the field, Lu Ran glanced calmly at the referee.

The referee, startled, immediately announced Lu Ran’s successful clearance, making him the first beastmaster to conquer all five gates.

The world erupted once more. In Xia, countless beastmasters cheered, their gazes on Lu Ran brimming with respect, as if he were a god.

But at the same time, immense pressure settled on two particular individuals. Dean Qin Ming and Youxiong sat trembling in the audience, nearly kneeling in disbelief.

This kid is outrageous! How did he manage this...?

Although they were thrilled by the spectacle, they suddenly felt an overwhelming weight on their shoulders. If they failed to clear all five gates, would they be relentlessly compared to Lu Ran by their fellow countrymen...?

“Not bad.”

On the high platform, a large cat lazily stretched, its lips curling into a mocking smirk as it watched Lu Ran bulldoze through the tournament. The Eagle Federation’s scheming had backfired spectacularly.

With a light leap, it vanished from the railing, reappearing in front of two figures in the blink of an eye.

“Aren’t you President Pari of the Eagle Federation?” Manager Ying grinned at the young man and the utterly deflated elder behind him.

“Xia’s Guardian, Ying.” President Pari muttered.

“Here’s some free intel for you. The Eagle Federation’s council has decided to impeach you and replace you with the cyborg.”

Having said its piece, Manager Ying sauntered off.

It had long since uncovered who was targeting Lu Ran. Unfortunately for them, they’d provoked the wrong person. If its instincts were right, Pari losing his position as the Eagle Federation’s president would create disaster for him. His tenure had alienated many factions, and given the nation’s political climate, his downfall would likely invite fatal retribution from his people.

Had Pari been the Eagle Federation’s strongest beastmaster, things might have been different, but he wasn’t. As President Pari paled, Manager Ying departed, musing whether to ask Dark Crow to curse Pari remotely—just to ensure he didn’t evade his country’s judgment.

Lu Ran’s Alliance Tournament had concluded. Through it, he’d earned a new title as the Eleventh Beastmaster King. This spoke to his potential. The beastmasters of Blue Planet believed that given enough time, Lu Ran would undoubtedly join the ranks of the Ten Kings as one of the strongest.

After all, he’d already broken one king’s personal record. With his tournament over, Lu Ran retreated to rest, rushing to treat Captain Doofus and Sudden Death King.

After the treatment, he stepped out and ran into Manager Ying.

“Hehe.” Lu Ran beamed, feeling his grueling 20-day training hadn’t been in vain.

After dominating the tournament, the old president’s Kunpeng Feather was as good as his.

Although Manager Ying had expected Lu Ran to clear the tournament, certain moments still surprised it. But that was beside the point now.

“You must be happy, huh. Alright, you’ve had your glory. Time for serious business.”

“What ‘serious business’?”

Still grinning, Lu Ran gulped down a nutrient drink to replenish his energy. The possession-domain combo had nearly drained him.

“The level 3 Legendary secret realm! Hurry up and clear one, then head to the ascension realm. Aren’t you eager to get to Stellar Moon Federation?” Manager Ying said impatiently.

“Found a suitable Legendary secret realm yet?” Lu Ran asked.

Manager Ying shrugged. “Not really. No such luck this time. Just pick one that’s somewhat compatible. You’re soloing it anyway—the rewards won’t be bad regardless.”

Lu Ran shook his head. “No way. Save the ‘somewhat compatible’ ones for the Flood Dragon Squad. If there’s no perfect fit and we can’t wait, then find me the hardest one in theory. A tougher clear means a stronger boss, which means better abilities...

“That translates to better rewards. Even if the reward doesn’t suit my current familiars, it might fit future ones. If it’s good enough, I could even tailor a new familiar around it.”

“The hardest level 3 Legendary secret realm, huh...?” Manager Ying felt that it wasn’t a bad idea, given Lu Ran’s strength.

“Among level 3 Legendary secret realms, there aren’t even any Space or Dragon-attribute bosses. Picking the hardest isn’t easy. If only you were level 4.... There’s a Time-attribute boss in the level 4 Legendary secret realms. It is universally acknowledged as the hardest.”

Lu Ran was in a daze. “No rush. I’ll tackle it after my ascension realm.”

Manager Ying rolled its eyes. ”That’s over a month away. Let’s hope it’s still around by then. Forget that for now. I can’t definitively pick the hardest level 3 Legendary secret realm, but there are three notoriously tough ones. Take your pick.”

“Go ahead.” Lu Ran nodded.

“The first one’s boss is an Intermediate-Overlord Demon Starfish, with dual Water and Dark attributes. It dwells in the deep sea and has instant regeneration, making the realm unassailable so far.

“The second one’s boss is an Intermediate-Overlord Molten Crocodile, primarily Fire attribute. Its volcanic habitat makes it a nightmare as it can trigger eruptions mid-battle. Even elite squads strong in Water or Ice attributes struggle and risk being swallowed by lava.

“The third one’s boss is an Intermediate-Overlord Light Devourer, with dual Grass and Light attributes. Its stamina and recovery are insane, with no combat weaknesses. Unless you overpower it, victory is almost impossible. So, any interest?”