After hearing Xu Zhengyang's words, Bei Bei instead grew exceptionally serious. The mysterious man before him might not have as much Soul Power as he did, but his overall presence was no weaker. He was definitely a formidable opponent.
"Who exactly are you? Why have you come to Shrek City?"
Xu Zhengyang smiled. "Shrek City is open to every faction on the Douluo Continent. Isn't anyone allowed to visit? What, do you have to sort visitors into friends and enemies? Besides, in what capacity are you asking that question?"
Bei Bei said, "I'm a student of Shrek Academy. Shrek Academy is my home, and I won't allow anyone to harbor hostility toward Shrek."
"This might be a little unfair to you, but I'd like to ask for a few pointers now and see whether you really have the ability to justify your arrogance."
Bei Bei had originally thought that if Xu Zhengyang had no particular backing, he could recruit him into the Tang Sect and even help him join Shrek Academy. That would strengthen the Tang Sect.
But judging by what he had just said, Xu Zhengyang clearly would never join the Tang Sect. He even seemed averse to both Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect. He was an enemy, not a friend.
Hearing Bei Bei's words, a trace of disdain appeared on Xu Zhengyang's face. "Do all you people from Shrek Academy like to cloak yourselves in such high-sounding righteousness? Don't forget, not every faction in this world fears your Shrek."
Anger appeared on Bei Bei's face. "This isn't a question of fear. Shrek Academy is the spiritual pillar of the Douluo World. Without Shrek Academy, the entire Douluo Continent would have fallen into disaster long ago. No one can deny those contributions."
As his words fell, Bei Bei lunged at Xu Zhengyang and threw a punch straight at him. Even so, the punch seemed to hold something back, as though he was testing Xu Zhengyang's strength.
Xu Zhengyang showed no fear and likewise raised his hand to punch. Their fists collided in midair. Xu Zhengyang did not budge, while Bei Bei instead retreated three steps.
Bei Bei's eyes filled with surprise. He had considered his physical prowess the strongest among his peers, yet judging by their strength now, he was actually slightly inferior to Xu Zhengyang.
"Well done. It's been a long time since I've met an opponent as strong as you. I'd like to test your true strength."
With that, Soul Power flickered over Bei Bei's body, and his right arm rapidly enlarged. Blue light flashed around him, and amid that swirling light appeared a massive blue dragon: his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul.
After summoning his Martial Soul, Bei Bei's speed, strength, and even defense all increased considerably. In particular, the blue lightning covering his body possessed tremendous destructive power. His fighting strength had multiplied compared with before he summoned his Martial Soul.
But Xu Zhengyang showed no fear. Both hands instantly curled into claws, and his iron claws seized straight at Bei Bei.
Over all these years, Xu Zhengyang had been desperately tempering his body while also practicing spearmanship. In the process of practicing spearmanship and tempering his body, he had also gained a certain command of unarmed techniques. In particular, the Tiger-Head Zhan Gold Spear was roughly ten centimeters in diameter, making it impossible to grip with his fingers alone; he instead needed to hold it with his palms. As a result, besides spearmanship, Xu Zhengyang was also quite accomplished in claw and palm techniques.
In an instant, Xu Zhengyang's hands, like claws of refined iron, collided with Bei Bei's claws. Bei Bei's right hand had swollen, already resembling dragon claws. Not only had his claws become sharp, but the lightning also wreaked tremendous destruction on their surroundings.
Unfortunately, his opponent was Xu Zhengyang. Having tempered himself through extreme cold and poisonous miasma, Xu Zhengyang possessed a body far tougher than an ordinary person's. Even against lightning, he had tremendous resistance.
The two moved swiftly, each technique striking toward the other's vital points. Perhaps because this was a spar, neither delivered killing blows. In less than a few minutes, they had already exchanged dozens of moves, with neither gaining the upper hand.
Compared with Xu Zhengyang's composure, Bei Bei appeared exceptionally surprised. He could clearly sense that his opponent was only a Grand Soul Master, yet against a Soul Elder like himself, the other man was not at any disadvantage at all-and he had not even summoned his Martial Soul.
"Friend, be careful. I'm going all out now."
This was Bei Bei's first Soul Skill: Thunder Dragon Claw, also the optimal first Soul Skill that generations of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had discovered through exploration.
Facing those terrifying dragon claws as they raked toward him, Xu Zhengyang's expression shifted slightly, but there was no fear in his eyes. Instead, he seemed a little excited. He had fought Soul Beasts so many times, but this was his first battle against a Soul Elder-and one with a top-tier beast Martial Soul at that.
Xu Zhengyang abruptly changed the shape of his right hand, bringing his index and middle fingers together and tightly curling the other three. All his Soul Power gathered in his index and middle fingers. In particular, those two fingers, his palm, forearm, and elbow formed a straight line as he thrust fiercely forward.
The strike looked simple, yet it possessed the boundless intimidation of a tiger. As it shot out, it was like a blow that shattered stone and startled the heavens, like a fierce tiger bursting from its cage.
This was a move Xu Zhengyang executed by concentrating Soul Power in his forearm and fingers and applying spearmanship. His entire arm became like a long spear, driving a forceful thrust straight into Bei Bei's Thunder Dragon Claw.
Though Bei Bei's Thunder Dragon Claw was powerful, Xu Zhengyang's spear technique drove straight into the dragon's heart, instantly piercing through the entire Thunder Dragon Claw. Even the lightning and Soul Power filling the air seemed to suffer a heavy blow, shattering into fragments.
This was the first form Xu Zhengyang had developed through his many years of studying spearmanship: Tyrant's Furious Collapse. It combined the fundamental spear techniques of jolting and thrusting. Once the thrust was unleashed, the spear shaft would shudder, disrupting the opponent's balance and even shattering the enemy into pieces.
Before Bei Bei could react, the terrifying force contained in Xu Zhengyang's Tyrant's Furious Collapse seemed to ignite the air, driving straight along the Thunder Dragon Claw toward Bei Bei's right arm.
At this critical moment, Bei Bei also displayed his astonishing combat skill. His right arm swiftly turned, and he abruptly flipped like a sparrowhawk, narrowly avoiding Xu Zhengyang's Tyrant's Furious Collapse.
Even so, the clothing covering Bei Bei's right arm and hand was torn to shreds by that terrifying force, and even a faint red mark appeared on his arm.
Bei Bei's eyes were filled with astonishment. Even after he used Thunder Dragon Claw, the man before him had destroyed it in a single move, without even using a Soul Skill. This showed just how terrifying his opponent's physical prowess was. Even in strength, the very thing Bei Bei took the most pride in, his opponent far surpassed him.
There was a hint of regret in Xu Zhengyang's eyes as well. If he had been holding a long spear, or even the Tiger-Head Zhan Gold Spear, he could at least have severely wounded Bei Bei. Using his right arm to execute spearmanship ultimately left him limited by its length.