The Thunderbolt Cheetah's body expanded for a moment, its veins glowing bright, then steadied as the power settled into its bloodline.
Lin Mu's expression softened with pride. "So you're taking the same path as me, Little Shrubby. Not merely enduring the storm, but ruling it."
Like master, like beast.
The fifth strike came, then the sixth, each larger and more violent.
The cheetah did not falter. Every bolt it consumed only made it stronger. With each clash, its speed increased, its body sharper, until its movements were nearly impossible to follow. The sky became its hunting ground, every bolt a prey that it devoured without hesitation.
By the tenth strike, the clouds had gathered into a colossal whirlpool, spinning faster and faster as lightning churned within. The pressure pressed down on the valley, cracking boulders and splintering trees.
Even Xiao Yin and Xiao Yang couldn't help but tremble, forced to retreat deeper into the protective qi Lin Mu spread around them.
