Successfully Crossing the Lake, First Meeting with Tang Ya!

A gentle breeze swept across the vast surface of Sea God Lake, stirring up wisps of damp, chilly mist.

Yun Yi stood tall and straight, and not even a trace of moisture had touched the hem of his moon-white combat outfit.

His pure white boots stood firmly on the hard bluestone pavement. Behind him, the narrow ice path formed from ultimate ice was collapsing and melting away at a visible rate.

A hundred meters away, Bei Bei was in an exceptionally perilous situation.

The footholds of ultimate ice were growing smaller and smaller, while the ice beneath his feet crazily cracked apart.

Crack!

The last thin layer of ice beneath his feet shattered completely.

Ripples from the lake reflected in Bei Bei's eyes as his sense of danger erupted.

Yellow, yellow, purple.

Three dazzling Soul Rings instantly rose from beneath Bei Bei's feet.

"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, possess me!"

Accompanied by a resounding dragon roar that tore through the heavens, violent blue-purple lightning burst from Bei Bei's body.

The moisture in the air was forcibly vaporized by the lightning, producing piercing explosions.

The sleeve on his right side exploded inch by inch. Dense, heavy dragon scales tore through his skin and rapidly covered his entire right arm, while chillingly sharp dragon claws shot from his five fingers.

"Thunderous Might!"

Bei Bei shouted sharply as the second yellow Soul Ring shone brilliantly.

He had no time to care about the expenditure of Soul Power. His right arm swung a ferocious half-circle through the air, and his lightning-covered dragon claws savagely smashed down at the lake below.

"Rumble—!"

Lightning collided head-on with the lake water! This was a direct clash between the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon and the waters of Sea God Lake.

Azure electric arcs raced wildly across the water's surface, blasting up enormous columns of water several zhang high.

The recoil traveled through his right arm and into his body, forcibly lifting Bei Bei's falling form nearly two meters upward.

Yet that height was still far from enough.

Thus, Bei Bei gritted his teeth in midair, his waist and abdominal muscles contracting violently.

The tip of his left foot landed precisely on the instep of his right foot. Lightning exploded between his feet, and he forcibly borrowed the momentum to complete a second jump.

His body flipped repeatedly through the air, carrying him another several dozen meters forward.

"Thunderous Fury!"

The third purple thousand-year Soul Ring suddenly flashed.

The lightning around Bei Bei's body surged to more than twice its former strength. He transformed into a lightning meteor trailing a blue-purple tail, charging toward the shore with the force of Mount Tai bearing down.

Bang!

His feet slammed heavily into the sandy ground, smashing out a pit half a foot deep as mud and sand scattered everywhere.

Bei Bei braced both hands tightly against his knees, his back bent like a bow as his chest heaved violently.

His heavy breathing was especially clear on the quiet shore.

He was soaked from head to toe, lake water dripping from his dark blue short hair into the mud.

His shoes had long since filled with icy muddy water, and the dragon scales on his right arm had dimmed due to excessive Soul Power consumption before slowly retracting into his body.

Simply crossing the lake had already consumed more than half his strength.

Yun Yi stood several steps away with his arms folded across his chest.

His deep black eyes quietly watched this top genius of the Shrek Outer Court.

Yun Yi had not acted this way to deliberately make things difficult for him.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was indeed the strongest offensive beast martial soul in the world, incomparably domineering. Yet precisely because of that fierce power, it was easy for a Soul Master to fall into the misconception of relying solely on brute force.

That seemingly casual walk across the ice earlier had actually been Yun Yi's practical lesson and special training for Bei Bei.

He had deliberately controlled his Soul Power output, keeping the ice at a critical point where Bei Bei could barely cope with it, yet had to remain tense at all times and mobilize the coordination of his entire body to maintain his balance.

He was forcing Bei Bei to focus on agility and adaptability in movement techniques.

In a true battle of life and death, brute strength might split mountains and shatter stones, but without exquisite technique to control it, one would ultimately become nothing more than a live target that exhausted itself too quickly.

Today's ordeal was meant to teach Bei Bei a lasting lesson: to learn how to combine the ferocity of lightning with nimble movement, use his brain more, and rely less on blind force.

Naturally, Bei Bei had no idea of the painstaking intentions behind the harsh trial he had endured.

He merely assumed that his grand martial granduncle's cultivation was profound and that his own strength was lacking, which was why he had crossed Sea God Lake in such a bedraggled state.

After quite a while, Bei Bei finally smoothed out the chaotic flow of energy within him.

He straightened up, shook his drenched hair, glanced down at his thoroughly soaked shoes, and revealed a bitter smile.

With a turn of his wrist, an ancient storage soul tool ring glimmered faintly, and a brand-new blue robe and pair of leather boots appeared in his hands.

He found a secluded spot behind some bushes and quickly removed his wet clothes.

"Good thing I brought spare clothes." Bei Bei tightened his belt and smoothed out the wrinkles at his collar one by one.

If he went to see Tang Ya looking like a drowned rat, the dignity of him, the Tang Sect's eldest senior brother, would be utterly disgraced on the spot.

Once he had tidied himself up, the two walked side by side toward the entrance of the Shrek Outer Court.

The morning light was splendid, and Shrek Square bustled with voices.

Students dressed in uniforms of various colors moved about in groups of three or five, hurrying along.

Yun Yi's moon-white combat outfit, paired with that flawlessly handsome face, made him stand out like a crane among chickens, repeatedly drawing bold, fiery gazes from the female students around him.

Yet his steps remained leisurely, as though no one around him existed.

Bei Bei walked half a step behind Yun Yi, his gaze constantly sweeping back and forth through the bustling crowd.

After passing through the long main road, the tall, imposing carved gates of the Outer Court finally came into view.

Bei Bei's steps abruptly halted, and a blazing light instantly burst from his dark blue eyes.

Beside the tall stone pillar to the right of the gate stood a slender, pretty figure.

She wore a neat light-blue combat outfit that perfectly outlined her youthful, budding curves.

Her smooth black hair was tied into a crisp ponytail, swaying from side to side behind her head as she stood on tiptoe and looked around.

Her fair, delicate face carried the playful cleverness unique to a young girl.

She was none other than Tang Ya, the current sect master of the Tang Sect.

An incomparably radiant smile appeared on Bei Bei's lips. Soul Power circulated beneath his feet, and his pace suddenly quickened.

From far away, Tang Ya's gaze also locked onto Bei Bei's figure amid the dense crowd.

She gave a delighted cry and hurried toward him with light steps.

The distance between them rapidly shrank.

Ten steps, five steps, three steps!

Bei Bei slowly opened his arms.

He had already pictured the sweet scene to come in his mind:

Before this grand martial granduncle, whose seniority was terrifyingly high and whose strength was absurdly overwhelming, he would share a tender, affectionate embrace with Tang Ya.

I can't beat you in strength, and I can't surpass you in seniority, but you're a bona fide bachelor!

Bei Bei secretly gritted his teeth.

His self-esteem, battered again and again today, had to be salvaged in this regard.

He would use this overflowing, sickeningly sweet aura of romance to make the single man beside him feel thoroughly sour, soothing his own badly traumatized heart in the process.

Like a joyful blue butterfly, Tang Ya lightly leaped closer.

Bei Bei closed his eyes lovingly, drawing his arms inward with force.

Yet there was no sign of the soft, fragrant body he had expected entering his embrace.

His arms firmly hugged nothing but air, and he nearly threw out his back from using too much force.

Bei Bei opened his eyes in stunned disbelief. His arms were empty.

Tang Ya nimbly completed a sliding step, slipping directly past the side of his open arms.

Her bright, lively eyes turned toward Yun Yi.

The girl's crisp, pleasant voice rang out behind Bei Bei, her tone filled with undisguised amazement and curiosity.

Tang Ya stared fixedly at Yun Yi's peerlessly handsome face and asked, "Handsome little brother, who are you? What's your name? Do you have a girlfriend?"