The Tang Sect is in Decline? That's Great!

"Who told you to insist on bathing in that lake..."

Bei Bei rolled his eyes, looking entirely innocent.

He had been urging her to hurry the whole time, but she was the one who wouldn't listen. Besides, bathing was one thing, but she hadn't even let him look.

Of course, he only dared to mutter these thoughts to himself. He was still under the probationary period of Teacher Xiao Ya; if he were expelled from the sect, he wouldn't even have a place to cry.

"..."

Tang Ya was speechless.

But as the Sect Master of the Tang Sect, she still had to maintain her dignity, so she glared fiercely at Bei Bei.

"Let's keep chasing!"

With that, Tang Ya took the lead and dashed forward. The Mandala Snake she was looking for was also in this area.

"Teacher Xiao Ya, wait for me!"

Seeing the young girl about to disappear into the woods, Bei Bei finally snapped out of it and hurriedly gave chase, shouting as he ran.

Unfortunately, their reckless playfulness had ultimately attracted a predator lurking in the shadows.

ROAR!!!

A roar exploded through the forest, scattering countless birds in terror.

A black shadow lunged from the grass, aiming to ambush the girl in front, but the next moment, a flash of lightning erupted, knocking the shadow back.

"It's a Mandala Snake! And a thousand-year one at that!"

Tang Ya focused her gaze, joy appearing in her eyes instead of fear. She tapped Bei Bei and pulled him behind her for protection.

"This must be the one from the intel. Bei Bei, I'm counting on you!"

This was her target for this trip; she hadn't expected it to deliver itself to her doorstep. It seemed the information from that mercenary group was accurate after all.

"Right! Take care of yourself!"

Bei Bei nodded solemnly, lightning surging around his body as a giant thunderous claw manifested on his right arm.

He stomped his foot and charged fiercely toward the Mandala Snake.

The Mandala Snake was entirely pink, and although it was only a little over two meters long, Bei Bei didn't dare to be the least bit careless.

In an instant, lightning snakes danced through the air. Bei Bei and the Mandala Snake became locked in a fierce struggle, and to everyone's surprise, they were evenly matched.

Tang Ya hid to the side, her Blue Silver Grass quietly spreading out to guard the perimeter, careful not to interfere.

"As expected of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul..."

She watched the battle ahead in awe.

A thousand-year soul beast was equivalent to a three-ringed Soul Elder, but generally speaking, the strength of a soul beast was far superior to that of a soul master of the same rank.

The Mandala Snake was a top-tier predator among poison-type soul beasts. That Bei Bei could fight a thousand-year Mandala Snake to a standstill was a testament to his reputation as a genius of Shrek.

"Sigh..."

Tang Ya looked at Bei Bei working so hard, a sigh escaping her heart as a trace of shame welled up in her eyes.

She was perfectly aware of Bei Bei's feelings for her.

Why would a descendant of the Sea God Pavilion Master join the long-declined Tang Sect? It certainly wasn't out of some sense of nostalgia.

If there had been any real sentiment, Shrek Academy wouldn't have stood by and watched when the Tang Sect was wiped out back then.

She had fled through a gauntlet of pursuit and actively sought refuge at Shrek Academy, which was how she had obtained their protection.

She had once been disappointed by Shrek Academy's attitude, but in the end, she had accepted it with resignation.

Bei Bei was her only chance.

Although it was shameful... she had no other choice.

She lacked the talent of her ancestors. If she wanted to rely on her own ability to take revenge, the hope was slim, unless...

A dark glint flashed in Tang Ya's eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.

No.

She had promised the elders of the Tang Sect that she would never do that. It was the power of a demon, and it would destroy the Tang Sect.

"What a nuisance!"

On the other side, Bei Bei's fighting spirit grew even more intense.

Battling a soul beast was completely different from sparring at the academy.

This Mandala Snake had undergone eleven molts; its skin was thick and its resilience was astonishing—it was even harder to crack than Xu Sanshi's turtle shell.

"However—that is all."

A flash of electricity sparked in Bei Bei's eyes as a strange purple soul ring suddenly lit up on his body.

Third soul skill, Thunder Fury!

As one of the twin stars of Shrek's outer courtyard, he, Lightning Bei Bei, did not hold his reputation for nothing.

What's more, in front of Xiao Ya, he didn't just want to win—he wanted to win beautifully!

Crackling!

Thunder rumbled in succession as Bei Bei's entire body was enveloped in blue-purple lightning. His robes fluttered, and illuminated by the electric glow, he looked like a god of thunder descended upon the world.

"Thunder Dragon Claw!"

A massive dragon claw swiped across the air, aiming straight for the neck of the Mandala Snake. The terrifying lightning exploded in the sky, making one's scalp tingle.

Facing this terrifying thunder, even the Mandala Snake dared not take it head-on. It opened its maw and spat out a cloud of pink poisonous mist, attempting to counter the attack with toxin.

Bei Bei's expression remained unchanged. Carrying the might of the thunder, he continued to swing his dragon claw, tearing the poisonous mist apart in an instant.

However, the next moment, a cry of alarm from Tang Ya came from behind—

"Bei Bei, look out!"

From within the poisonous mist, a blood-red arrow shot out silently. The angle was incredibly tricky, hidden perfectly in his blind spot.

Bei Bei's heart tightened. He instantly shifted his Thunder Dragon Claw from offense to defense, holding it before him.

Bang!

The blood arrow exploded, and the massive impact forced him back several steps.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Bei Bei stumbled backward, barely managing to steady himself, but a gray pallor rapidly spread across his face.

He looked down to see that the blue-purple dragon claw on his right arm had been eroded by the toxin, turning a bizarre shade of pink.

The poison was rapidly spreading up his arm and into his body.

His soul power drained away rapidly. Bei Bei felt his limbs go weak, and with a soft thud, he collapsed to the ground.

"Bei Bei!!!"

Tang Ya's face turned deathly pale. She rushed up from behind and caught the limp Bei Bei.

She scrambled to pull a pill from her Soul Tool and stuffed it into Bei Bei's mouth, failing to notice the Mandala Snake.

Swish!

The pink figure soared into the air, its thick tail lashing out like a whip, aiming straight for Tang Ya's back!

The sound of the air being torn was sharp and piercing as a pink whip-shadow streaked through the sky. If this strike landed, Tang Ya would be left mangled, if not dead!

At the critical moment—

Crack!

A bolt of blue lightning tore through the air, cutting in from the side at an incredible speed.

BOOM!!!

The Mandala Snake was sent flying by the sheer force of the collision, rolling several times on the ground before it finally came to a stop.

It steadied itself and raised its head, its snake eyes filled with ferocity and caution as it stared fixedly at the figure that had appeared out of thin air.

It was a boy of about twelve or thirteen.

Behind him, a pair of deep blue wings were unfurled, the tips and tail feathers adorned with golden thunder patterns. Every flap sent off fine, crackling currents of electricity.

Even more bizarrely, although the boy was clearly human, he radiated a dense aura of a soul beast.

The boy merely glanced at it, then flapped his Wind-Thunder Wings. In the next instant, he transformed into a bolt of blue lightning and shot into the sky, leaving behind only a ring of hissing electric arcs.

Too fast!

The Mandala Snake hadn't even seen how he moved before it heard a series of sharp, wind-tearing sounds from mid-air.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The blue lightning darted frantically between the treetops and the forest, every flicker accompanied by an explosion of thunder.

The Mandala Snake twisted its body desperately, trying to track its opponent's movements, but it couldn't keep up with such inhuman speed.

On the other side, after taking the antidote, Bei Bei had recovered slightly.

"So... so fast!"

He and Tang Ya looked in astonishment at the figure tangling with the Mandala Snake, their eyes filled with shock.

Although the Mandala Snake was known for its poison, it was also adept at speed. Yet, at this moment, it was being toyed with by that bolt of lightning.

Such terrifying speed... Bei Bei had only ever seen it in that senior sister from the Inner Court, but that senior sister was a Soul King!

What was this kid's background?

Bei Bei stared at the single, bright yellow soul ring on Jiang Yi, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Could this guy have used some secret technique to hide his soul rings?

"What are you standing there for? Go help him!"

Tang Ya suddenly patted his shoulder, urging him anxiously. She wanted to help, but she couldn't even catch a glimpse of the boy.

"I know..."

Bei Bei responded with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

However, just as he prepared to step forward, the battle came to an abrupt halt.

The streak of blue lightning suddenly solidified, and in the next instant, the Mandala Snake, still in the midst of dodging, was pierced through by the bolt.

Bang!

Following a sharp, muffled thud, the Mandala Snake's two-meter-long body was firmly pinned to a tree trunk by a silver beast claw.

Lightning surged from the claw into the snake's body with a crackling sound; the Mandala Snake twitched violently a few times before its aura instantly withered.

"Impressive!"

Bei Bei was the first to applaud, leading Tang Ya as they walked forward.

His gaze landed on the silver beast claw on Jiang Yi's right arm, a flicker of interest crossing his eyes.

Beastification!

Ten thousand years ago, this was an ability exclusive to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

However, with the progression of time, some top-tier beast Martial Souls could achieve similar effects through secret techniques.

But to achieve the effect displayed by the person before him, the level of control over one's Martial Soul must be truly terrifying.

To reach the seamless integration shown by this youth... Bei Bei asked himself if he could do the same, and the answer was no.

If not for the bright yellow Spirit Ring on Jiang Yi, he might have even mistaken the person standing before him for a humanoid Spirit Beast.

"You flatter me!"

Jiang Yi retracted his claw and turned to look at the two.

He flicked the blood from his fingertips, and with a flash of lightning, the silver beast claw transformed back into a slender, fair hand.

Based on his pet affinity, he could perform varying degrees of Spirit Beast fusion, which was equivalent to an alternative Martial Soul Fusion Skill; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken down the Mandala Snake so easily.

"Are you two from Shrek?"

Jiang Yi sized up the pair, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

At this point in time, a handsome man and a beautiful woman appearing here, combined with those poop-green outfits, made their identities obvious.

But... where was Huo Yuhao?

He scanned his surroundings calmly, yet found no trace of a third person.

"That's right!"

Before Bei Bei could speak, Tang Ya had already nodded eagerly. Her eyes shone as she looked at Jiang Yi, and she blurted out:

"Little brother, would you be willing to join our Tang Sect?"

Tang Ya blinked, rubbing her small hands together with an expectant look.

For some reason, the moment she laid eyes on this youth, she felt an inexplicable sense of affinity.

Handsome and powerful—this was clearly someone destined to be part of her Tang Sect!

"Xiao Ya!"

Bei Bei rolled his eyes from the side.

This youth clearly didn't come from an ordinary background; that level of skill and composure surely belonged to a direct disciple of a major power.

With the Tang Sect's current meager resources, why would someone like him join?

However, to his surprise, Jiang Yi did not refuse outright, but instead looked at Tang Ya with interest and asked.

"Tang Sect? Is it the legendary Tang Sect?"

"Hmph!"

Tang Ya shot Bei Bei a triumphant look before turning back to Jiang Yi with a confident expression.

Others might call her foolish, but she was actually sharp as a tack.

Jiang Yi's sleeves were slightly faded—that wasn't the original color of the fabric, and anyone who hadn't lived in poverty wouldn't notice such a detail.

"That's right! It's the very Tang Sect founded by the Sea God himself!"

Tang Ya puffed out her chest, her face filled with pride, though a hint of gloom soon crossed her pretty features.

"But I won't hide it from you: although the Tang Sect's legacy remains, today... I am the only one left."

"Wait, Xiao Ya, what about me?"

Bei Bei looked aggrieved—was he not a person?—but Tang Ya merely glared at him.

"You are still in the probationary period!!!"

"..."

Bei Bei instantly wilted, crouching to the side to draw circles in the dirt.

Jiang Yi watched the comical pair, his eyes thoughtful, though this seemed somewhat different from the original story.

He pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled and looked back at Tang Ya to ask.

"So, the Tang Sect has already fallen into decline?"

"Mm."

Tang Ya nodded heavily, her eyes turning slightly red.

"The foundation of the Tang Sect was seized; we don't even have a sect headquarters anymore..."

Back when the Iron-Blooded Sect annihilated the Tang Sect, watching the elders fall one by one before her—those scenes still made her heart ache like a knife whenever she recalled them.

However, unexpectedly, the next moment, Jiang Yi started to laugh and reached out a hand toward Tang Ya.

"That is truly wonderful!"

Tang Ya: ...???

Bei Bei: ...???