"Looks like Brother Long is back!" Bei Bei smiled faintly. After recalling the Nine True Dragon Crowns, he left his room and slowly walked out of the hotel.
Compared to before, Long Aotian's aura was even sharper as he stood outside the door.
"Congratulations, Brother Long, on getting the fourth Soul Ring you wanted!" Bei Bei said with a smile.
"Haha! I can hardly wait to see what you're capable of!" Long Aotian laughed, pointing outside the town. "Let's go out there!"
Bei Bei nodded and followed him.
The two made their way outside, almost to the outskirts of Sunset Forest. They could fight here without disturbing anyone.
Bei Bei and Long Aotian stood a dozen meters apart. They exchanged a glance and summoned their Martial Souls at the same time.
A silver-white figure appeared behind Long Aotian. Four Soul Rings—yellow, purple, purple, and black—rose from beneath his feet.
As for Bei Bei, a high-pitched dragon's roar rang out.
A platinum dragon appeared behind him, radiating an ancient, terrifying dragon might that made one tremble.
A platinum dragon scale appeared on Bei Bei's forehead, and countless golden bolts of lightning coursed across his body.
He activated Dragon Transformation. Platinum dragon claws emerged as scales covered both his hands and arms, extending all the way to his back. He spread two enormous Dragon Wings!
Four pitch-black Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet, circling around him.
Seeing that Bei Bei possessed four Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, Long Aotian's expression didn't change in the slightest.
At that moment, his aura surged like a rainbow. He stood tall and spirited, silver-white light rippling around him.
He entered a state of Unity of Heaven and Man with his entire being, his body turning silver-white.
Bei Bei's aura was even more domineering, like that of an emperor.
After Martial Soul Possession, his pupils became golden dragon eyes, brilliant as a galaxy, radiating the proud might of a dragon.
Neither of them made the first move. Instead, each released their aura, clashing invisibly through their spiritual power.
During the half month he'd spent hunting for Soul Rings, Long Aotian had killed countless Soul Beasts. Now, a trace of savage, bloodthirsty menace clung to his aura.
The dragon might surrounding Bei Bei was domineering, yet it held the vast, radiant power of light.
The aura swirling between them made one's heart pound.
The next moment, both men moved, charging straight at each other.
Long Aotian raised a hand and pressed forward. A jade-white phantom palm shot toward Bei Bei.
Golden lightning coiled around Bei Bei's arm as he punched forward, his fist transforming into a golden Thunder Dragon Claw.
It was a simple probing exchange, but both had infused their attacks with their own understanding of intent.
Boom!
White light and golden lightning collided, producing a thunderous crash.
They had already rushed up close, almost face-to-face.
Long Aotian clenched one hand into a fist. White light clung to it as he threw a punch at Bei Bei.
The punch was fierce and unstoppable, filled with the resolve to fight heaven and earth.
Bei Bei didn't dodge. His Dragon Wings beat sharply behind him as he raised a dragon claw to meet the blow.
Boom!
A silver fist collided with a golden dragon claw, unleashing another deafening crash.
Both possessed immense strength, far beyond what their levels should have allowed. A violent gale swept across the area as white light and golden lightning burst in every direction.
Bei Bei's tall, powerful frame resembled that of a true dragon. The two rapidly traded punches, colliding fiercely several times before separating.
They were little more than silver-white and golden afterimages, moving at an almost unbelievable speed.
Grass, trees, and boulders were shattered wherever they passed.
In close combat, the two were evenly matched. Their fight was fierce beyond measure, and for a time, neither could gain the upper hand.
Long Aotian was secretly stunned. He possessed the Body Sect's combat techniques and had trained in its secret body-tempering arts since childhood, refining his physical strength to perfection.
Yet even so, he couldn't effectively suppress his opponent. In their clashes of physical strength, he even seemed to be at a slight disadvantage.
Bei Bei was equally taken aback. He had taken Whale Rubber since childhood and tempered his body in a high-gravity chamber. On top of that, he had the support of the Radiant Dragon King Martial Soul, yet Long Aotian could still withstand his attacks.
With their Battle Intent surging, both attacked fiercely, showing no intention of holding back.
In this situation, holding back would mean disrespecting the other person. Naturally, they fought with all their strength.
Long Aotian suddenly twisted his body, swinging one leg sideways like a long silver whip.
Bei Bei thrust both dragon claws forward, like the upper and lower jaws of a giant dragon, and clamped them down hard on Long Aotian's chest, knocking him back.
At the same time, Long Aotian's whip-like kick struck Bei Bei in the waist.
Bei Bei quickly shielded his side with a Dragon Wing, but the kick still sent him several meters away.
Each had taken a hit. They felt their blood and energy churn inside them, and suffered minor injuries. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of each man's mouth.
That was when the benefits of Life Gold came into play. Pure life force flowed from Bei Bei's forehead into his body, healing his churning blood and energy.
"Second Soul Skill, Bright Dragon Breath!" Bei Bei spewed a thick beam of golden lightning straight at Long Aotian.
Long Aotian also unleashed his second Soul Skill, "Golden God Fury."
His right arm twisted and reshaped itself into a long, dark-gold blade. He swung it fiercely, cleaving through the incoming beam of golden lightning, then continued charging toward Bei Bei.
"First Soul Skill, Radiant Dragon Claw!" Bei Bei controlled the golden lightning, winding it around his arm.
Platinum scales sprang open and stood on end, each one's edge razor-sharp, like countless short spikes.
Long Aotian's right arm was a golden blade, while his left was a golden hammer. He swung them at Bei Bei.
Bei Bei used his thickened arms, transformed by Dragon Transformation, to block. Sparks flew as the blade and hammer clashed against his platinum scales, ringing like metal striking metal.
"First Soul Skill, Demon Ape Transformation! Third Soul Skill, Dark Gold Power!"
Long Aotian grew a little larger, becoming even more massive. His strength and speed increased once more.
A layer of dark-gold light enveloped Long Aotian as well, making him seem almost metallic and even more resilient.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Radiant Dragon Body!"
Bei Bei's pitch-black fourth Soul Ring flashed. He grew several inches taller too, and fine golden dragon patterns appeared across his skin.
Every time the two collided, a tremendous crash rang out. The ground beneath their feet split into cracks, trees toppled, and earth and stone flew everywhere.
Long Aotian and Bei Bei collided fiercely once more.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Mad God Slash!"
Long Aotian finally unleashed his fourth Soul Skill, and his black Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring flashed.
His body grew even larger, reaching more than four meters tall. He raised both arms overhead. As dark-gold light blazed, his arms fused together, transforming into a giant axe.
Long Aotian leaned back slightly, then brought the enormous axe crashing down at Bei Bei!
Light radiated in every direction around Bei Bei, mingling with streaks of golden lightning. At his command, they condensed into a three-meter-long golden lightning halberd.