Beast Taming: Invincible Breeder-Chapter 205 - 180: Crystal Shrimp Soldiers

Chapter 205: Chapter 180: Crystal Shrimp Soldiers
The palaces of a king-level Dragon King are usually grand and imposing, but the palaces of a Crystal Dragon focus more on beauty.
The Crystal Palace before us is so beautiful, it’s beyond the mortal world.
Li Cunxu speculated that the palace in front of him probably belongs to the Crystal Dragon.
Crystal Dragons are relatively friendly to humans. With good luck, one might even obtain some of their treasures; Li Cunxu plans to explore.
Approaching the Crystal Palace, Li Cunxu saw an array of transparent and dazzling Crystal Shrimp Soldiers.
Li Cunxu was a bit envious of these Crystal Shrimp Soldiers.
Crystal Shrimp Soldiers can condense Spiritual Energy Crystals of the ordinary type (non-elemental) from ordinary water.
Spiritual Energy Crystals can be used to temporarily replenish spiritual energy in battle.
Ordinary-type (non-elemental) Spiritual Energy Crystals are universal; other attribute beasts can absorb them, but converting them into corresponding attribute spiritual energy will consume some of the energy from the Spiritual Energy Crystals.
To avoid wasting energy from Spiritual Energy Crystals, one needs to absorb spiritual energy corresponding to its attribute. For instance, a fire-type beast absorbs fire-type Spiritual Energy Crystals, a water-type beast absorbs water-type Spiritual Energy Crystals...
Getting other attribute Spiritual Energy Crystals is simple, just give a Crystal Shrimp Soldier a corresponding-level Spirit Core to evolve it into an attribute-specific beast.
For example: A Black Iron-level fire-type Spirit Core used on a Black Iron-level Crystal Shrimp Soldier will evolve it into a Fire Crystal Shrimp Soldier.
A Gold-level water-type Spirit Core used on a Gold-level Crystal Shrimp Soldier will evolve it into a Water Crystal Shrimp Soldier.
Apart from making Spiritual Energy Crystals, Crystal Shrimp Soldiers also venture out to scavenge for treasures on their own.
When it comes to treasure picking, Crystal Shrimp Soldiers are quite adept.
They possess a divine skill from the invisibility skill called "Crystal Concealment."
Finding someone using Crystal Concealment requires being two major levels higher than the user and possessing an insight-type skill.
In other words, if a superclass beast uses Crystal Concealment, a king-level beast cannot see through it. It requires someone of a rank level higher than king-level, a Venerable King, with an insight-type skill to find the concealed individual.
If among the Crystal Shrimp Soldiers, a Crystal Shrimp General evolves, it will construct a Crystal Teleportation Pool, allowing all Crystal Shrimp Soldiers to learn "Crystal Teleportation," a divine skill for escape.
No matter the distance, they can teleport back to the Crystal Palace where the teleportation point is set.
The cost, however, means the further the distance, the more Spiritual Energy Crystals the teleportation point consumes.
Besides, they have an inexplicable sense of treasure.
Li Cunxu learned why treasure chests from shipwrecks were empty; they had all been taken by the Crystal Shrimp Soldiers.
"But why didn’t the Crystal Shrimp Soldiers take the Green Seed Gourd?"
Li Cunxu looked down at the Green Seed Gourd in his hand with confusion.
The Green Seed Gourd is undoubtedly a treasure, even a top-class treasure. By reasoning, the Crystal Shrimp Soldiers shouldn’t overlook such treasures, right?
Li Cunxu thought for a long time but couldn’t figure it out, so he stopped thinking about it.
The reason was actually simple. The previous generation of the Green Seed Gourd grew into a form known as the Green Dusk Gourd, which produced a substance called Green Dusk Qi. This Qi can make divine treasures self-seclude, turning them into ordinary items, even invincible to appraisal by the best appraisers.
The owner of the Green Dusk Gourd died, and the Gourd, having lost its owner, reverted to seed form. However, before reverting, it contained some Green Dusk Qi, attaching to the Green Seed Gourd, preventing the Crystal Shrimp Soldiers from sensing it as a treasure.
The self-seclusion ability of the Green Dusk Qi is formidable, meaning in battle, it can nullify enemy weapons and artifacts. The one possessing the Green Dusk Gourd should have made a legendary name, but fate was not on their side, as their first voyage led them into the mystic fog blockade of the Great Mist Celestial Whale.
Thus, before the Green Dusk Gourd could shine in front of everyone, it was lost.
"Crystal Shrimp Soldiers serve as both printing machines (for Spiritual Energy Crystals) and treasure hunters. Whoever owns them is destined for wealth."
"However, I probably won’t be able to subdue them."
The Crystal Shrimp Soldiers have a master, and their master is the owner of this Crystal Palace, the Crystal Dragon.
Li Cunxu swallowed his greed.
Li Cunxu saw the Crystal Shrimp Soldiers, which also meant the Soldiers saw him.
The Crystal Shrimp Soldiers, with large pincers gripping Crystal Long Spears, aggressively swam towards Li Cunxu.
Li Cunxu summoned several large water balls to contain them.
The five patrolling Crystal Shrimp Soldiers were only bronze-level, and it was rather easy for Li Cunxu to bind them with Xiaoruan’s gold-level power water balls.
Wanting to meet the Crystal Dragon, the outer-patrol Crystal Shrimp Soldiers pose a trap.
Absolutely cannot kill the Crystal Shrimp Soldiers, or it would mean eternal enmity with the Crystal Dragon.
This trap has fooled countless players before.
Meeting the Crystal Dragon has its pitfalls, don’t provoke or kill the Crystal Dragon.
If provoked, the Crystal Dragon, an auxiliary-type beast with weak combat prowess, might not beat you, but it can call for reinforcements, summoning a horde of dragons to swarm you.
The Crystal Dragon is the wealthy tycoon of the Dragon Realm with a unique method of summoning dragons, by scattering crystals and treasures, instantly attracting lots of dragons. Those with ample treasures can even call upon king-level and above dragons.
Killing a Crystal Dragon brings a special dragon grudge curse, unique to the Crystal Dragon Race. Those marked by this curse will have many treasures spread by other Crystal Dragons to hunt you down, equating to being on the Dragon Race’s wanted list.
The Dragon Race is keen on such bounties, for completing one offers massive treasures, enticing the gem-loving dragons.
Li Cunxu continued towards the Crystal Palace, feeling increasingly uneasy as if something was missing.
Encountering many Crystal Shrimp Soldiers along the way, all were contained by water balls; their strength was too weak, the highest only silver-level, irrelevant to stopping him.
Reaching the palace, Li Cunxu was disappointed not to see a Crystal Diamond Crab.
Crystal Diamond Crabs and Crystal Shrimp Soldiers both serve the Crystal Dragon.
It seems this Crystal Palace’s Crystal Dragon isn’t doing well, lacking a Crystal Diamond Crab, Li Cunxu had hoped to trade with the Crystal Dragon for some Crystal Diamonds.
Crystal Diamond Crabs and Crystal Shrimp Soldiers share a similar nature, one producing Spiritual Energy Crystals, the other Crystal Diamonds.
Crystal Diamonds are valuable, as consuming them can enhance potential.
However, there’s a prerequisite; being able to digest Crystal Diamonds.
Crystal Diamonds are fundamentally mineral polymers, generally digestible by earth-type beasts, and in addition, beasts with strong digestive abilities can digest them.
Crossing the crystal steps, Li Cunxu saw a majestic Crystal Shrimp General with its pincer gripping a large Crystal Long Spear, fiercely leading a group of silver-level Crystal Shrimp Soldiers.
Li Cunxu frowned. He had already entered the palace; why hadn’t the palace’s master appeared yet?
Crystal Dragons as a whole have a strong sense of cleanliness, so logically, they’d come out to drive me out if they found me dirtying the palace.
Li Cunxu considered one possibility — maybe the Crystal Dragon is not home?