The dark gold terrorclaw bear flew into an utter rage, wildly swinging its right paw. Pitch-black claw shadows crisscrossed through the air, shattering rocks and snapping trees in half wherever they passed.
But the gap between it and a Titled Douluo was like a heavenly chasm.
She Long moved like a phantom, his spear striking from unexpected angles as he steadily wore down its strength. He avoided the dark gold terrorclaw bear's vital points, targeting its joints, waist, and belly instead. Every thrust of his spear tip left another wound on its body.
More and more wounds covered the dark gold terrorclaw bear. Blood stained its dark gold fur red, and its movements gradually slowed.
An incense stick's worth of time later, a wet puncturing sound rang out.
The spear pierced the dark gold terrorclaw bear's right shoulder with pinpoint precision. Violent lightning surged into it, instantly paralyzing half its body.
The dark gold terrorclaw bear gave a defiant roar and struggled to rise, but wounds covered its body and blood pooled beneath it. Having lost too much blood, it no longer had the strength to support its massive frame.
"Little Fei!" She Long called in a low voice. "Now!"
Zhang Fei had been waiting for this moment.
"First soul skill, Golden-Armored Body!"
His deep yellow soul ring abruptly lit up. Golden dragon scales covered his entire body, instantly doubling his strength and defense.
At the same time, he curled his right hand around empty air. The jet-black Eighteen-Foot Snake Spear materialized in his palm, arcs of electricity crackling along its shaft.
This was a trick Zhang Fei had worked out over the past two years.
Unlike Bibi Dong's and Tang San's twin martial souls, which were both beast martial souls or both tool martial souls and could not be used simultaneously, his were different types.
Through constant practice, Zhang Fei had therefore learned to use his beast martial soul's possession and his tool martial soul at the same time.
He drew a deep breath, drove off with his legs, and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Though the dark gold terrorclaw bear lay on the ground, its ferocity had not diminished. Its remaining left eye fixed on Zhang Fei as it let out a threatening growl.
Without hesitation, Zhang Fei gripped the spear in both hands, aimed at the dark gold terrorclaw bear's left eye socket, and thrust down with all his might!
Squ elch!
The spear tip pierced its pupil with perfect accuracy, punching through its skull and straight into its brain.
The dark gold terrorclaw bear's enormous body abruptly stiffened. Its limbs twitched a few times before it fell completely still.
A deep purple soul ring slowly rose from its corpse, radiating dense, domineering fluctuations of soul power.
Zhang Fei pulled out his spear, a smile spreading across his face. "Done."
She Long walked over and patted his shoulder. "Not bad. Hurry and absorb it. I'll stand guard."
Zhang Fei nodded, withdrew his Eighteen-Foot Snake Spear martial soul, and sat cross-legged, leaving only his golden dragon martial soul active.
Guided by his will, the deep purple soul ring slowly drifted over, circled once above his head, then plunged into his body.
In an instant, energy several times more violent than what he had experienced while absorbing the Golden-Armored Dragon Lizard erupted within him!
The dark gold terrorclaw bear's soul power was incomparably domineering. Carrying a savage will to destroy heaven and earth, it rampaged through Zhang Fei's meridians.
Zhang Fei's entire body shook violently. Veins bulged at his temples, and his clenched teeth grated together.
But this time, Zhang Fei had far more experience than when he had absorbed his first soul ring.
His meridians, tempered by ice and fire, along with the foundation he had honed over two years, allowed him to withstand the impact steadily.
He drove the Advanced Meditation Method at full power, circulating his soul power round after round as he gradually tamed the violent energy, absorbed it, and made it his own.
Time ticked past.
Two hours, four hours...
Only when the sun sank in the west and golden evening light spilled through the canopy did Zhang Fei's aura finally stabilize.
As the last trace of violent soul power was completely refined, two soul rings, one yellow and one purple, slowly pulsed beneath his feet, their light complementing each other.
Zhang Fei was just about to open his eyes when-
"Aaaah!!!"
A tearing pain ripped through his right palm, as though something were about to burst out of his flesh!
"What's happening?!"
He looked down and saw his right palm deforming at a speed visible to the naked eye, his bones giving off sharp cracking sounds.
Then five razor-sharp claws suddenly sprang from his fingertips!
Each claw was half a foot long and curved in a sleek arc, its edge gleaming with a chilling light that made the heart tremble.
"Is that... an external soul bone?!" She Long's eyes widened, and even his voice changed pitch.
Zhang Fei stared at the transformation of his right palm, stunned at first before wild joy surged through him.
An external soul bone! It really was an external soul bone!
Among soul bones, external soul bones were the rarest, because they could evolve as a Soul Master grew. Their value even surpassed that of a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone!
Could I be a child of fortune too?
"Hahahaha!" Zhang Fei could not help bursting into laughter. "The dark gold terrorclaw bear really didn't disappoint me!"
He stood and casually swung his right palm. His five claws swept through the air, trailing streaks of dark light.
The wind from his claws swept across a nearby rock half a person's height, instantly slicing it into several pieces, their cut surfaces as smooth as mirrors.
"What incredible penetration..." Zhang Fei drew a sharp breath.
She Long came closer too, his eyes filled with shock. "What are its effects?"
Zhang Fei felt it out, then said excitedly, "It boosts attack power by fifty percent and penetration by twenty percent. And it can grow as my soul power increases! At its highest, it can boost attack power by a hundred percent and penetration by fifty percent!"
She Long drew a sharp breath, then burst into laughter. "Good! Well done, lad! Your luck simply defies the heavens!"
A hundred-percent boost to attack power, coupled with fifty-percent greater penetration, meant that in the future, a single swipe from Zhang Fei would make the defenses of Soul Masters at his level seem like paper!
And if his right palm could undergo Dragon Transformation in the future, with the enhancement from this external soul bone layered on top, its strength and penetration would be enough to tear heaven and earth apart.
Zhang Fei gazed at his dark gold right palm bone, liking it more the longer he looked.
"Since it came from a dark gold terrorclaw bear and can tear heaven and earth apart, I'll call it the 'Sky-Rending Claw'!"
"Sky-Rending Claw..." She Long repeated the name and nodded. "Certainly a domineering name."
With a thought, Zhang Fei retracted the Sky-Rending Claw. His right palm returned to normal, though faint dark gold markings remained visible beneath his skin.
She Long handed him a crystal ball. "Here, test your soul power."
Zhang Fei pressed his hand against the crystal ball and poured in his soul power. It instantly blazed with dazzling light.
"Level twenty-two!" She Long nodded in satisfaction. "You jumped two levels. Not bad. What's your second soul skill?"
At the question, Zhang Fei gave a low shout. "Second soul skill, Dark Gold Dragon Claw Hand!"
His purple soul ring abruptly lit up. Fine golden dragon scales instantly covered his arms, and his fingers transformed into sharp dragon claws.
The Sky-Rending Claw on his right palm fused perfectly with the dragon claws, taking on the form of a dark gold dragon claw and radiating a domineering aura that could break through anything.
He casually swiped at another nearby boulder.
Boom!
The boulder burst apart beneath his claws, sending shattered stone flying!
Zhang Fei stared at his right palm, his face filled with delighted surprise. "Dark Gold Dragon Claw Hand transforms both hands into dragon claws for attacks, boosts strength by two hundred percent, and adds an extremely powerful penetrating effect! Combined with the Sky-Rending Claw, its power can rise another notch."
Watching beside him, She Long felt his eyelids twitch. He remained silent for a long moment, then raised his hand and smacked Zhang Fei on the head again.
"Ow! Grandpa, why did you hit me again?!" Zhang Fei wailed, clutching his head.
"You little brat, your luck is so good that even I'm jealous! What's wrong with letting me give you a smack?" She Long scolded with a fond smile.
Zhang Fei merely chuckled and rubbed his head, not daring to answer.
She Long looked up at the sky. "All right, it's getting late. Let's head back to Heaven Dou City now."
"Sure!"
The two launched themselves off the ground, becoming streaks of light as they raced toward Heaven Dou City, soon disappearing into the dusk.
Before you continue