The earlier Thunder Dragon Claw was just a probing attack. If the Mandala Serpent thought it had dodged and charged forward, the true trap lay in the second soul skill — the Thunderstorm Strike. Once covered by electricity, the Thunder Dragon Claw would chase from behind. Even if it couldn't deal a devastating blow to the Mandala Serpent, the paralysis caused by the lightning would give Beibei the upper hand.
However, the strength of a millennia-old soul beast was no mere boast. As the electricity closed in, a plume of pink mist erupted from the Mandala Serpent's mouth, releasing an aroma ten times more potent and sweet than before.
Tang Ya and Huo Yuhao quickly retreated, fearful of contamination. For the first time, a trace of worry appeared on Tang Ya's delicate face.
The thunderbolt formed by the Thunderstorm Strike was sprayed by the pink toxic mist, and like being doused with water, its power remained but instantly fragmented.
The Mandala Serpent revealed its ferocity, suddenly lunging upward in midair, forcibly smashing into the electricity. It actually broke a gap in the Thunderstorm Strike and, while flying out, swung its tail. The tip glowed bright pink, striking the pursuing Thunder Dragon Claw and shattering Beibei's first soul skill.
Still, Beibei's attack wasn't entirely ineffective. As one of the strongest beast soul warriors, his attack power ranked among the top for his level. Though the Mandala Serpent was fierce, after breaking through two major thunder soul skills, a dense layer of lightning aura appeared on its body. It stiffened, losing momentum and failing to continue its assault after landing.
Beibei did not pursue either. The pink toxic mist spread through the air, and he dared not get even a trace on himself. As he swiftly retreated, he produced a porcelain bottle, poured out a pill, swallowed it, and then tossed the bottle to Tang Ya.
Tang Ya caught the bottle with one hand, emptied two pills out, swallowed one herself, and fed the other to Huo Yuhao.
"Beibei, let me help you," Tang Ya said, taking the pill.
Beibei shook his head. "This guy's tough. We'll have to prepare for a long battle. The fight's energy waves might attract other soul beasts. Keep an eye around; I'll handle him myself. And protect Yuhao."
It was time to pitch in! Huo Yuhao thought to himself as he quickly activated his soul power and infused it into his spiritual eyes. His deep blue eyes shimmered with a faint golden light, and a pale white soul ring rose from beneath his feet.
On the surface, nothing else seemed to change, but the next moment, both Beibei and Tang Ya's bodies trembled, their eyes filled with shock.
To their gaze, time appeared to slow. Everything around became extraordinarily clear, and vast streams of information instantly flooded their minds. Beibei, staring at the Mandala Serpent, could sense the exact distance between them, even detecting the subtle strength fluctuations in every muscle on the serpent's body. Every minute detail was vividly clear in his mind's eye.
Both Beibei and Tang Ya immediately thought of Huo Yuhao. Was this his first soul skill? How could it be so miraculous?
A single ten-year soul ring producing such an incredible effect — perhaps Yuhao's soul spirit held more potential than they had imagined.
They credited the astonishing ability to Huo Yuhao's mutant soul spirit, unaware that he was actually using not one but two soul skills, one of which dated back a million years.
Only a powerful soul master like Beibei, combined with this psychic insight, could fully maximize the advantage of such enhanced vision.
Suddenly, a deep rumbling exploded from Beibei's body. Intense blue-purple electric light surged around him, scales rapidly spreading from his right arm to cover his right chest, and his aura instantly surged. His third soul ring, a purple one, shone with dazzling brilliance.
The millennial soul ring skill: Thunder's Wrath.
Though young, Beibei possessed immense battle talent. Supported by Huo Yuhao's psychic detection and mental sharing, he knew his moment had come. Unsure how long Huo Yuhao could maintain this, Beibei immediately unleashed his strongest ability with full force.
Blue-purple lightning swirled around his right hand, where a Thunder Dragon Claw twice the size of before reformed. Yet this time, Beibei did not launch it directly. Instead, he vanished in a flash and lunged at the millennia-old Mandala Serpent.
The serpent was cunning too. Sensing the danger from Beibei's aura, it suddenly hesitated. It sprayed a cloud of poisonous mist at Beibei's face before turning to flee.
"Hmph!" Beibei snorted coldly. His gaze deepened, and fragmented electric sparks burst from his body, dispersing the poison. At the same time, his right-hand Thunder Dragon Claw struck the air to the left-front.
This was when Huo Yuhao's psychic detection fully manifested. Because he shared his mental insight with Beibei, Beibei could accurately predict the Mandala Serpent's movements.
The serpent leapt, heading exactly toward Beibei's left-front escape path — where a tremendous suction force suddenly appeared, as if the serpent ran headfirst into it.
The huge pull instantly neutralized the serpent's momentum, dragging it straight toward Beibei.
In the face of death, the Mandala Serpent exploded with energy. Bright pink light flared from its head as a sharp, hissing scream pierced the air. The flower-like protrusion atop its head burst open, and a spray of pink blood shot toward Beibei.
But once again, Beibei anticipated the attack. Just before the protrusion exploded, his right-hand Thunder Dragon Claw thundered forward, exploding right at the moment of detonation on the serpent's body.
The pink blood spray shattered only a few inches from him, but Beibei was drenched in cold sweat.
Because the Thunder Dragon Claw, upon contact with the pink blood, instantly turned pink itself — a sign that his soul power was being corrupted. If it struck his body, it might erode his own flesh...
If not for his foresight in intercepting the blood spray with a ranged attack, things could have been much worse.
In a flash, Beibei surged forward. The Thunder Dragon Claw materialized on his right hand. This time, the millennia-old Mandala Serpent had no means of resistance left. Beibei's right claw grasped precisely at its vital spot. Though the serpent tried to coil its body to entangle him, Beibei unleashed a terrifying burst of thunderous lightning from the Thunderstorm Strike, electrocuting the beast into unconsciousness.
The millennial Mandala Serpent was known for its brute strength and lightning-fast speed. But in the hands of Beibei, who wielded an immensely powerful soul spirit, its defenses were rendered insignificant. With the fury of Thunder's Wrath coursing through him, Beibei's dragon claw crushed the serpent's head with a crackling sound. The bones seemed on the verge of shattering at any moment.
"Xiaoya," Beibei growled lowly.
Tang Ya naturally wouldn't miss such an opportunity. She hurried over with Huo Yuhao, and a half-foot-long throwing knife appeared in her hand. She thrust it directly into the serpent's mouth that Beibei had pried open, ending the life of the ancient beast.
A ring of purple soul aura slowly formed from the serpent's severed head. Only then did Beibei finally exhale in relief, the electric glow gradually subsiding.