Bei Bei was still a little too young.
With roughly the same resources invested in their training, Ye Qing would probably have been close to becoming a Soul Ancestor already, if he hadn't wanted to improve his soul ring configuration and didn't possess an ultimate attribute.
And with so many cheats backing him up, Ye Qing was fully qualified to say that soul power level wasn't everything.
In terms of base stats, whether strength, speed, reflexes, or resilience-all the numbers that determined a Soul Master's combat prowess-Ye Qing far surpassed Bei Bei.
Even though his soul power was two levels lower, the density granted by his ultimate attribute meant that his total reserves actually exceeded Bei Bei's.
Under those circumstances, what the hell was Bei Bei supposed to fight Ye Qing with? His head?
Tiger claws and dragon claws clashed again and again, but the result was a one-sided suppression of Bei Bei by Ye Qing. Punches, elbow strikes, knee strikes, whipping kicks-the two unleashed every combat technique they could use.
Unfortunately, when their techniques were about equal, the one with higher stats naturally held the absolute advantage.
The more Bei Bei fought, the more frustrated he became.
His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul had once enjoyed a reputation as the strongest beast martial soul, so why couldn't he even beat a Soul Master two levels below him now?
He had even used Thunderous Wrath and the secret Dragon Transformation technique, yet he still couldn't match Ye Qing.
"Since I can't beat you with punches and kicks, how about soul skills?" Bei Bei threw another punch, taking the opportunity to put some distance between himself and Ye Qing.
"When it comes to physical toughness, I really am inferior to you. But a fight between Soul Masters ultimately comes down to soul skills!" Bei Bei said seriously.
Ye Qing nodded slightly.
Indeed, that was how Douluo's turn-based game worked. You punched me, I kicked you. In the later stages, it was basically just two Soul Masters bombarding each other with soul skills, and whoever had higher stats won. The six Soul Master specializations from the early stages were essentially useless by then.
"Then let's settle this with one soul skill each," Ye Qing said.
A flash of lightning flickered through Bei Bei's eyes. "Just what I wanted!"
Immediately afterward, his dragon claw, already a size larger than his right arm, swelled again. The bluish-purple currents also turned dark gold.
It looks like Bei Bei really did absorb that Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear right arm bone, Ye Qing thought reflectively. Mu En hadn't told him where that soul bone had gone back then. He had merely guessed that it might eventually end up in Bei Bei's hands.
Now, the dark gold currents lighting up Bei Bei's right arm, coupled with that familiar, razor-sharp aura, confirmed his earlier guess.
"You're using a soul bone, so I'll use a soul ring. This is a perfect chance to see which soul skill is stronger when the soul ring and soul bone came from the same Soul Beast!"
Ding-
A deep black radiance abruptly spread outward. Vast amounts of soul power gathered in Ye Qing's hands, making both his arms glow dark gold.
Bei Bei also sensed the familiar aura of the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. Looking at Ye Qing's illuminated third soul ring, then at the dark gold soul power suffusing his own right arm, he suddenly understood something.
"So you actually obtained this soul bone during your soul hunt?" Bei Bei fell silent for a moment, then the same thought as Ye Qing's arose in his mind.
"I want to see too-whether your soul ring skill is stronger, or my soul bone skill has the edge!"
Crackle-
All the dark gold lightning suddenly drew back into his right arm, while his aura reached its peak. Bei Bei raised his right hand high, then swung it down fiercely.
"Thunder Terrorclaw-!"
Hiss...
Accompanying five razor-sharp streaks of dark gold blade light, the sound of air being ripped apart abruptly rang out. The lightning along their path even distorted the air.
Had it been a Dark Gold Dreadclaw external soul bone, the skill obtained would naturally have been the pure Dark Gold Dreadclaw. But as a right arm bone, once it fused with a Soul Master, its skill would combine with the Soul Master's own attribute and undergo slight changes.
Soul bones with fixed soul skills were another matter.
Clearly, after this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear right arm bone combined with the soul power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, its skill had mutated into Thunder Terrorclaw. Its power might not differ much from the original Dark Gold Dreadclaw, but it had gained the various properties of lightning soul power.
Facing Bei Bei's Thunder Terrorclaw, Ye Qing crossed his hands above his head, dark gold radiance suffusing both arms.
By absorbing this Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear soul ring, he had obtained the exceptionally powerful offensive soul skill he wanted. Unlike the Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear, which unleashed it with one arm, however, he needed both hands.
Naturally, its power was also doubled.
It was just that this soul skill consumed a little too much. Even with reserves approaching those of a Soul King, this twenty-thousand-year soul skill drained thirty percent of his soul power outright.
"Tsk, with this much power, will it cut Bei Bei straight into pieces?"
Feeling the terrifying soul skill charging in his hands, Ye Qing couldn't help worrying a little. But once he remembered that this was the Sea God Pavilion, and that he could put a shield on Bei Bei immediately after unleashing the skill, he had no more reservations.
"Dark Gold Nebula Rift!"
Ye Qing swung both hands down fiercely. Ten streaks of blade light crossed into an X and swiftly collided with Bei Bei's Thunder Terrorclaw.
Although both attacks were condensed from soul power, when Thunder Terrorclaw and Dark Gold Nebula Rift collided, they produced the cold clang of clashing blades. Sharp shock waves of soul power burst through the air, cutting crisscrossing lines through the surrounding grass and leaving it covered in deep gouges.
Both Ye Qing and Bei Bei stared intently at the point where Dark Gold Nebula Rift and Thunder Terrorclaw collided.
Although Ye Qing was certain he would win this exchange of ultimate attacks, he still wanted to see exactly how the battle would turn out.
From Bei Bei's perspective, their attacks were still locked together. From Ye Qing's perspective, however, Thunder Terrorclaw was clearly running out of steam. Before long, Dark Gold Nebula Rift would tear it apart.
Yet in the blink of an eye, both attacks dissipated simultaneously, leaving not even a trace behind.
Bei Bei looked stunned, while Ye Qing blinked in confusion.
"Hehe, you two little fellows. This is near the Sea God Pavilion, not a place for you to fight and spar." Mu En's helpless laughter rang out. Only then did they notice that he had been watching from a short distance away all along.
If a Limit Douluo didn't want two little Soul Elders to discover him, there was no chance he would let even a wisp of his aura slip out.
The disappearance of Dark Gold Nebula Rift and Thunder Terrorclaw had surely been Mu En's doing as well.
"Teacher."
"Great Ancestor!"
Ye Qing and Bei Bei withdrew their martial souls at the same time and bowed to Mu En.
"You two... next time you fight, remember to go to the Soul Fighting Arena. Otherwise, you're breaking school rules."
Before you continue