Shattered Self-confidence

When Beibei was less than five meters away from Qianran, he suddenly leaped, thrusting his right arm covered with scales towards Qianran. His right hand morphed into a dragon's claw, surrounded by coils of wind and a blue-purple arc.

Observing Qian Ran's intention for a direct confrontation, Beibei displayed a disdainful expression.

In the outer department, no one dared to face him head-on.

'The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was no ordinary martial spirit!'

'The Blue Lightning Tyrant Thuder Sect stood as the foremost offensive martial spirit in the mainland.'

At this moment, Beibei's explosive power had reached Soul ancestor level.

Qian Ran took his time, his right fist emitting a golden light as radiant energy converged toward it. He struck Beibei forcefully.

Boom!

The blue-purple electric arc clashed with the golden light power. The collision of the two fists produced a resounding roar.

Both individuals were pushed back a few steps.

All the freshmen present were stunned. Initially expecting Beibei to defeat Qianran effortlessly, they were surprised to witness Qianran holding his ground. The anticipated overwhelming force failed to materialize; instead, Beibei appeared to be at a slight disadvantage.

Despite Beibei's initial move advantage, he failed to capitalize on it.

"He's truly formidable." Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, and all the freshmen in Class 1 were astonished. Qianran had defeated a class genius earlier and now engaged in a 50-50 battle with a senior genius? Being assigned to the same class as such a remarkable individual left them unsure whether it was luck or misfortune.

Tang Ya's beautiful eyes sparkled with amazement as she observed Qian Ran's strength.

Aware of Beibei's power, Tang Ya recognized him as a representative genius in the outer courtyard.

Even Xu Sanshi, known for his defensive skills, would only dare to shield himself against an explosion of Beibei's caliber.

Yet, Qian Ran stood his ground against Beibei's formidable assault, and he wasn't at a disadvantage.

OMG!

No wonder Qianran exuded confidence. Perhaps he could truly defeat Beibei!

Wasn't the appearance of this man a miraculous bright spot in her life?

Now, perhaps he's poised to create another miracle.

The foremost genius of the first grade against the most formidable talent of the fourth grade!

If Qianran emerges victorious, he will become the shining star in the outer department, eclipsing other geniuses with his brilliance.

Tang Ya found herself eagerly anticipating it. The prospect of Qianran shining brightly brought a sense of excitement.

"You're quite impressive." Beibei wore an unflattering expression, forcing a smile.

'Qian Ran hadn't been felled by my punch? Even if I were to win today, it would be a less than satisfying victory.'

Having trained in the academy for four more years than Qian Ran, Beibei believed that, against an ordinary freshman, he could easily emerge victorious—even against the most exceptional geniuses among previous freshmen. However, Qianran proved to be different from his predecessors.

This strength was akin to a new lease on life?

"Likewise." Qianran rubbed his fist, the angelic power dissipating the lingering blue-purple arcs.

"Unfortunately, you'll still lose."

Beibei's second and third soul rings lit up simultaneously.

The first to radiate was the third millennium-level soul ring. As the purple soul ring gleamed brightly, a low roar erupted from Beibei's body. A potent blue-purple electric light enveloped him, scales spreading from his right arm to his right chest, intensifying his aura.

The fury of thunder.

Following this, the second soul ring flickered, unleashing thick serpentine electricity that exploded outward from Beibei's body.

Thunder.

However, at this moment, Beibei's aura surpassed its previous strength.

Beibei's soul power transformed into countless electric snakes, expanding and forming arrows of light and lightning that flashed through the air. They densely wove a net of thunder, enveloping Qianran's surroundings.

At this moment, Beibei regarded Qianran as a genuine opponent, holding no contempt for him.

If Qian Ran managed to block his attack once again, Beibei would become the subject of mockery in the outer department.

With the fury of thunder and thunderous force, Beibei had exhausted all his cards to swiftly conclude the battle.

"It's a pity that this strength falls short. While others may fear you, Beibei, I am not intimidated by you." Disregarding the main attribute of Beibei's soul power—light—Qianran harbored no fear.

The first soul ring illuminated, revealing a long sword slowly materializing in Qian Ran's hand. This sword was condensed with sacred fire, a soul skill enhancing the purification effect of Qianran's angelic soul power by 300%. Typically, a soul master struck by such a sword would experience a significant reduction in soul power.

If the target was an evil spirit master, especially with less advanced cultivation, the result could range from severe spirit damage to complete destruction.

The sacred sword struck Beibei's body, visibly dimming the lightning arc light covering him and weakening his overall aura.

"Continue."

Qianran's mouth curled into a smile.

While Beibei's thunder could instantly boost his combat effectiveness by about 50%, Qianran's sacred sword effortlessly nullified this enhancement.

At this moment, Beibei felt the rapid depletion of his soul power.

"Die!"

The thunder on Beibei's body subsided, concentrating at his feet. Beibei increased his speed, utilizing the Tang Sect's ghost shadow tracking technique to swiftly maneuver around Qianran. He raised his right hand and aimed a sweeping kick toward Qian Ran.

"Yo?" Qianran's martial spirit, a seraph, bestowed him with superior speed. Qianran evaded Beibei's sweep and delivered a powerful kick to Beibei's left leg. With an unstable base, Beibei lost balance and fell hard to the ground.

Qianran's sword pressed against his throat, drawing a faint line of blood. Any movement from Beibei, and the sword could easily cut his neck.

Beibei was undeniably strong. Even for Qianran, defeating him required effort, but that was the extent of it. From every perspective, Beibei lacked the capability to overcome Qianran.

Qian Ran wasn't Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao obtained his enhancements at the tenth level of soul power, and those plugins merely improved his talent without providing an immediate boost to his combat effectiveness. Qian Ran's situation was entirely different. With numerous advantages at his disposal, if he couldn't defeat Beibei, it might as well be like finding a tree and hitting him to death.

"Did I lose?"

Beibei's eyes stared blankly.

He had actually been defeated by a new student.

Yet, it wasn't an unjust loss. He hadn't underestimated his opponent and had deployed his potent trump card. Hoping to triumph over Qian Ran with lightning power, Beibei sought to defend his honor as the outer courtyard genius. He hadn't backed down at all, attributing the outcome, at most, to unfamiliarity with Qianran's soul skills.

However, even in a rematch, he might not secure victory against Qianran.

Qianran's strength was formidable. To be candid, Qianran stood as the most potent freshman in years.

At this moment, Beibei grappled with how to confront his own feelings. He genuinely fell short compared to Qianran. If Tang Ya favored Qianran, what reason did he have to impede her?

Beibei rose from the ground and walked away silently. His demeanor exuded a sense of decadence, his entire being devoid of its former radiance. It could be said that Qianran had shattered his self-confidence, emerging as a haunting figure in Beibei's heart.