Would You Be Willing to Stay?

Skywater Academy.

The Frost Phoenix beat its Ice Wings, whipping up wind and snow as it soared high above the sky, radiating powerful spiritual fluctuations. Its Purple-Gold Phoenix Eyes looked down below.

Everyone in the academy raised their heads, staring at the Frost Phoenix that had appeared above the academy's reception hall.

This was—a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?

Huo Yuhao controlled the Frost Phoenix as it soared through the heavens, savoring the exhilaration of freely roaming the skies.

"Don't fly too high. My Soul Power won't hold out for long."

Hearing the familiar voice, Huo Yuhao immediately turned to look back.

Shui Bing'er had already awakened. She floated in midair with her knees drawn to her chest, her hair scattered about her, her gaze evasive.

Huo Yuhao looked away and was just about to guide the Frost Phoenix down.

"Don't just land directly from the air. That's dangerous. Listen to my instructions when we land."

Shui Bing'er reminded him again.

Flight-type soul skills were easy to take off with but difficult to land with. Even flying-type soul masters needed time to adapt before they could use them proficiently.

She herself could take off and land skillfully, but Huo Yuhao was the one leading this Martial Soul Fusion Skill. They were currently a hundred meters in the air—if anything went wrong, it would be disastrous.

She did possess a flying soul skill, but after the Martial Soul Fusion Skill was released, there would be little Soul Power left in her body. Moreover, she would have to bear Huo Yuhao's weight. Landing from such a height could easily lead to an accident.

"Mm. About how much longer can your Soul Power last?" Huo Yuhao asked.

"Less than thirty seconds," Shui Bing'er said.

"That's enough," Huo Yuhao replied.

Shui Bing'er: ???

Huo Yuhao immediately controlled the Frost Phoenix to circle through the sky, even flying beyond the bounds of Skywater Academy.

Seeing this, Shui Bing'er's emotions surged as she urged Huo Yuhao to stop at once.

The Frost Phoenix high in the air made a sharp turn and dove toward Skywater Academy ahead.

Shui Bing'er was beside herself with worry.

She only hoped Huo Yuhao could fly safely within the boundaries of Skywater Academy, and that her aunt would react in time to catch them.

Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, remained utterly calm, treating the Frost Phoenix like a large aircraft.

The enormous Frost Phoenix swept low over Skywater City, carrying a burst of frost in its wake and causing the city's residents to look up in succession.

What the hell was going on?

The Frost Phoenix dove low, rapidly closing in on Skywater Academy.

Shui Bing'er clenched her teeth.

She thought that falling from a height of a dozen meters would be manageable—her Phoenix Wings could still protect them both. But whether they could brake after building up such diving momentum was another major problem.

The Frost Phoenix entered the academy grounds.

"Land in the open Training Area. Hold on tight to me," Shui Bing'er reminded him.

"Mm," Huo Yuhao said.

The Frost Phoenix dived toward the open training grounds. As it neared the ground, its body swiftly dissolved into wind and snow, and two figures fell from within.

Shui Bing'er pulled Huo Yuhao into her arms as cold air gathered behind her, rapidly condensing into frosty Phoenix Wings.

However, her Ice Wings dispersed from lack of Soul Power before they could last long.

Huo Yuhao sighed softly, then wrapped an arm around her waist. A pair of Golden Butterfly Wings burst open behind him, instantly stabilizing their fall.

Shui Bing'er was completely stunned, her gaze at Huo Yuhao somewhat dazed.

Huo Yuhao held her by the waist as they quietly landed in the Training Area plaza.

Quite a few female students had gathered there. Seeing the handsome young man, bare-chested with a pair of butterfly wings spread behind him, holding their boss lady in his arms, they fell into deathly silence.

Huo Yuhao released his hold and set Shui Bing'er down, then took out a piece of clothing from the Wishful Hundred Treasure Pouch and draped it over himself.

This External Soul Bone on his back was troublesome. Every time he used it, his clothes exploded.

The gathered female students looked as though they had been injected with adrenaline, staring excitedly at the two of them in the center.

At that moment, Shui Qingyue arrived just in time with Xue Wu and Zi Ling.

Using her authority as the academy head, Shui Qingyue dispersed the female students gathered around them and led Shui Bing'er and Huo Yuhao away from the scene.

The headmaster's office.

Shui Qingyue sat on the sofa, her gaze flickering as she looked at the handsome young man seated across from her, her expression somewhat complicated.

Second Soul Ring—thousand-year.

The butterfly wings he displayed upon landing possessed the ability to fly.

His Martial Soul could fuse with Bing'er's Martial Soul to unleash a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

Judging from their perception, their Martial Soul Fusion Skill had been influenced by Huo Yuhao's Martial Soul and was a Spirit-type Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

Especially after learning from Bing'er that this Martial Soul Fusion Skill was actually led by him, she was even more deeply moved.

His Second Soul Ring was actually a thousand-year soul ring that broke the theoretical limit for soul rings.

This was a feat that not even Spirit Hall had accomplished—or rather, no one in the entire soul master world had ever broken this soul ring limit. Just how had he done it?

It was not as though no one had ever tried forcibly absorbing a thousand-year soul ring as their Second Soul Ring, but without exception, they had all exploded and died. Otherwise, such a case would not have been unheard of.

His so-called Spiritual Eye Martial Soul was likely not the full extent of his Martial Soul.

Bing'er had once said that when she first met him, there had been nothing unusual about her own Martial Soul. His change had come later.

Putting together everything that had happened before, she reached a rough conclusion:

He had obtained some kind of opportunity in the Northern Border, causing his Martial Soul to undergo some sort of mutation.

His original Second Soul Ring should have been a hundred-year soul ring. Most likely, that opportunity had caused his soul ring to evolve into a thousand-year one.

Perhaps this was precisely the root of why his Martial Soul could fuse with Bing'er's Phoenix Martial Soul.

His potential was limitless. No matter what, she had to keep him here if possible.

"Yuhao, would you be willing to join our Skywater Academy?" Shui Qingyue formally extended the invitation.

"Sorry, Dean Shui, but I don't currently have any plans to join an academy for cultivation." Huo Yuhao shook his head in refusal.

Shui Bing'er lowered her head slightly.

She had asked him this question long ago, only to be turned down at the time.

She simply had not expected that, even after confirming that they possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, he would still refuse so decisively, without even considering it.

"Those who possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill will cultivate faster if they cultivate together, and they will also have a higher ceiling and greater future prospects," Shui Qingyue could not help reminding him.

"To be honest, Bing'er and Xue Wu can also perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. In other words, Bing'er can perform Martial Soul Fusion with both of you." Shui Qingyue spoke with utmost seriousness.

"Mm." Huo Yuhao was remarkably calm.

His breezy attitude made Shui Qingyue somewhat anxious. It seemed as though he did not understand the value of this at all.

How could she have known that, in Huo Yuhao's era, Martial Soul Fusion Skills had still been fairly common?

A trio possessing two different forms of Martial Soul Fusion Skills was somewhat special, but to Huo Yuhao, it was nothing much.

Besides, the essence of their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was that Huo Yuhao's Blank Formless Martial Soul had "filled in" the innate deficiency of Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix—her innate level-nine Soul Power. It could only be considered a haphazard patchwork, not some innovative breakthrough.

Once he determined his Second Martial Soul in the future, this so-called Martial Soul Fusion Skill would most likely cease to exist.

Shui Qingyue worked hard to regulate her breathing.

"Yuhao, if you are willing to stay, Skywater Academy, along with the Heaven Ice Sect behind it, is willing to spare no expense in pouring resources into nurturing you."

Bing'er's Ice Phoenix Martial Soul had actually mutated from the Heaven Ice Sect's Ice Sky Sparrow Martial Soul. It was an anomaly by nature and might not be inheritable.

Although Bing'er and Xue Wu could also perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, they ultimately could not achieve a true "fusion."

Huo Yuhao was different. If he could be with Bing'er, the children they had in the future might be able to further stabilize this top-tier Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, perhaps even pass it down.