"It worked!"
A moment later, the sound waves dissipated, and Zeng Tian broke into an excited smile.
Perhaps because Growl was the primary component, Scary Face's effect had been incorporated into it, allowing the sound waves to lower both attack power and speed.
The only pity was that Scary Face's energy had not been fully incorporated into Growl, weakening the sound waves' ability to reduce an enemy's speed.
"Since Growl is the primary component, I'll call this move Terrifying Growl."
Zeng Tian named his new move. As for the reduction falling short of his expectations, it would naturally improve as his proficiency with the move increased.
Meanwhile, the young Auspicious Beast, who had heard the commotion nearby, hurried over.
"Zeng Tian, was that your new skill just now? Its effects almost rival my Golden Dragon Pressure."
After reaching Zeng Tian's side, the Auspicious Beast asked curiously.
Upon hearing that sound, she had felt both her attack power and speed drop to a certain extent, which had been extremely uncomfortable.
Zeng Tian nodded slightly. "That's right. It's a new move I created by combining Scary Face and Growl. I call it Terrifying Growl."
"Terrifying Growl... I'm really envious of you. You're so clever that you developed a new skill this quickly."
Seeing Zeng Tian admit it, the Auspicious Beast could not help feeling a little dejected.
At this rate, catching up to Zeng Tian was out of the question. She would be doing well just to keep him from leaving her farther and farther behind.
Just then, Zeng Tian suddenly asked, "How is your Golden Dragon Flame Fist coming along?"
After learning more about her over the past several days, Zeng Tian had discovered that the Auspicious Beast possessed several skills, all of which were rudimentary applications of her bloodline abilities.
The first was Golden Dragon Fist. When she attacked with her foreclaws, a golden dragon-head apparition formed, greatly amplifying the strength and power of her strikes. The accompanying energy attack also extended her claws' reach.
The second was Golden Dragon Roar. An apparition of a giant golden dragon appeared behind her, providing the Auspicious Beast with substantial boosts while also being able to attack opponents independently.
Its sound waves could intimidate opponents with inferior bloodlines or lower levels, making it an all-around enhanced version of Golden Dragon Fist.
The third was Golden Dragon Burst, which produced several energy explosions centered on her. These explosions dealt considerable damage and could knock opponents back.
The fourth was Pride of the Golden Dragon, essentially a manifestation of bloodline pressure. She could use that pressure to immobilize a Soul Beast, and it had some effect even on hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts.
Aside from these, she possessed abilities such as extraordinary perception, physical enhancement, and control over golden flames, but these were passive abilities that could hardly even be considered skills.
In Zeng Tian's view, the Auspicious Beast relied far too heavily on her combat instincts and the tremendous strength bestowed by her golden dragon bloodline, completely neglecting the development of her ultimate light and ultimate fire. As a result, she could only fight battles where she already held the advantage.
Once she faced an opponent whom her strength could not overpower, the Auspicious Beast's combat ability would plummet.
Especially against opponents stronger than herself, she was practically powerless to resist, which should never have been the case.
After all, an ultimate attribute inherently granted the ability to fight above one's level. The Auspicious Beast possessed two ultimate attributes, ultimate light and ultimate fire. If she developed them properly, her combat ability would surely far surpass that of ordinary ultimate attribute wielders.
At that point, she could easily overpower hundred-thousand-year Soul Beasts even without relying on bloodline pressure.
Golden Dragon Flame Fist was the first skill Zeng Tian had modified for the Auspicious Beast.
Golden Dragon Fist relied almost entirely on her physical strength, yet even its slight use of ultimate light gave it considerable power. Adding ultimate fire would therefore increase its might enormously.
Zeng Tian had even thought of how to develop the move further.
With ultimate light and ultimate fire as its core and the Auspicious Beast's immense strength supporting them, a single punch would descend like a falling sun. Its blazing, overwhelming momentum would carry the golden dragon's imposing presence, delivering physical, energy, and mental damage of the highest order all at once.
If the Auspicious Beast could successfully execute the move as Zeng Tian envisioned it, her combat ability would increase at least threefold.
The same principle applied to Golden Dragon Roar. Adding ultimate light and ultimate fire would bring about a qualitative transformation, but forming an entire dragon placed greater demands on the user. The Auspicious Beast probably would not manage it anytime soon.
"Hehe, well..."
At Zeng Tian's question, the young Auspicious Beast chuckled and abruptly swung her right claw. A golden dragon-head apparition wreathed in golden flames emerged from it and hurtled toward him.
Zeng Tian reacted swiftly. His claws instantly lengthened, red flames curling around them as he slashed at the approaching golden dragon-head apparition.
Boom!
The next instant, a muffled impact rang out. Zeng Tian was knocked back dozens of meters, his feet carving two long furrows in the ground.
Once he came to a stop, Zeng Tian lowered his hands and said calmly to the Auspicious Beast, "Not bad. That punch was at least fifty percent stronger than before. You've progressed quite a bit faster than I expected."
"Hey, hey! What's that supposed to mean, Zeng Tian? You're really underestimating me. It's just adding my innate flames to Golden Dragon Fist. I can at least manage that."
Having completed her new skill and heard Zeng Tian praise her, the Auspicious Beast had been delighted, but his next remark had struck a nerve.
Did Zeng Tian really think she was that stupid?
It was just adding her innate flames to Golden Dragon Fist. Wasn't half a month enough?
Seeing the Auspicious Beast practically bristle, Zeng Tian could not help laughing. "I was wrong," he apologized.
She really was a little girl-and a rebellious one at that.
"That's more like it."
Seeing Zeng Tian apologize, the Auspicious Beast nodded in satisfaction, secretly pleased.
Let's see if this guy dared underestimate her again.
"Oh, right."
Suddenly, as though remembering something, the Auspicious Beast said to Zeng Tian, "You said you'd teach me Flame Charge once I learned Golden Dragon Flame Fist. You're not going back on your word, are you?"
Flame Charge?
Zeng Tian thought back. It seemed he really had promised her that to stop this young lady from pestering him while he trained.
He had thought it would take her at least a month to grasp the basics of Golden Dragon Fist, yet she had managed it in just half a month.
So why were Soul Beasts so poor at using their skills?
"Of course I'll keep my word."
Zeng Tian pondered for a moment, then said, "It's just that Flame Charge is rather difficult. If you want to learn it, it'll probably take quite a while."
"That's fine. Time isn't a problem. We Soul Beasts have plenty of it."
Hearing this, the Auspicious Beast immediately puffed out her chest and spoke unconcernedly.
After learning Golden Dragon Flame Fist, her attacks had grown even stronger, making speed her glaring weakness.
To avoid being kited by Zeng Tian in the future, the Auspicious Beast's desire to learn Flame Charge had reached its peak.
Even spending several decades on it would be worthwhile.