I Choose Bing'er to Live

After Shui Bing'er got up, Ye Xiaofeng shrugged. After staying completely still all night, his shoulders were a little sore.

"Get yourselves ready. We're heading up the mountain together," Ye Xiaofeng said as he stretched and walked outside.

Outside the cave, the cold was still bone-piercing. But obtaining soul rings made it all worthwhile. After climbing for an entire morning, they discovered a two-thousand-year Snow Lotus on a snowy mountain.

They had searched everywhere without finding it, only for it to fall into their laps without effort. They prepared for battle.

"First Soul Skill, Dark Cloud. Second Soul Skill, Rainfall." Xue Wu unleashed two skills in succession.

"First Soul Skill, Extreme Cold Storm." Shui Yue'er released her first soul skill.

"We can't use brute force against it, or we won't be able to obtain its soul ring. Bing'er, restrain it!" Seeing the thousand-year Snow Lotus trying to escape, Ye Xiaofeng hurriedly said.

"First Soul Skill, Ice Seal." Shui Bing'er sealed off every escape route.

"Wu'er, hurry!" Ye Xiaofeng held the Seven Kill Sword and stared intently at the Snow Lotus. If it tried to flee, he would immediately use One Sword Throat Seal.

The thousand-year Snow Lotus was not as domineering as the Ice Emperor Scorpion. It was soon killed by Xue Wu, and the absorption process was relatively gentle and easy. She succeeded very quickly.

"Sister Xue Wu, what is your third soul skill?" Shui Yue'er asked curiously.

"Look. Third Soul Skill—Floating Snow." Thousands of ice spikes appeared in the sky and instantly struck the ground, like a volley of ten thousand arrows.

"That's so powerful," Shui Yue'er exclaimed. This skill was not much weaker than her Ice Burst Technique.

"Congratulations, Master. You have successfully helped Xue Wu and Shui Yue'er obtain their third soul rings. Reward: Simulated Soul Ring skill and an increase of five Soul Power Levels," Xiao Bing's voice sounded.

Ye Xiaofeng broke through to the rank of a level-40 Soul Ancestor. Four thousand-year purple soul rings slowly rose beneath his feet, leaving Xue Wu and Shui Yue'er utterly stunned. Shui Bing'er was also slightly surprised, though she knew some of Ye Xiaofeng's secrets.

"Xiaofeng, you..." Xue Wu was so shocked that she did not know what to say.

"I have a Simulated Soul Ring skill. It can simulate not only thousand-year soul rings, but also ten-thousand-year and hundred-thousand-year ones," Ye Xiaofeng said with a smile.

The four soul rings beneath his feet then turned ten-thousand-year black, followed by hundred-thousand-year crimson.

"So that's how it is. I was wondering how someone like you could possibly be so strong!" Xue Wu said indignantly as she looked at Ye Xiaofeng.

"Still, your Simulated Soul Ring skill is pretty good for scaring people," Xue Wu added, twisting the knife.

"Hey, Wu'er, I helped you obtain your soul ring. It's fine if you don't thank me, but why are you always going against me?" Ye Xiaofeng said helplessly.

"Did you even do anything just now?" Xue Wu said with a smile, clearly unwilling to let him off.

"I was controlling the overall situation," Ye Xiaofeng said. He truly had not made a move, but he had been preventing the thousand-year Snow Lotus from escaping.

"Tch, you really have thick skin," Xue Wu muttered with a pout.

"Since our mission is complete, let's hurry back to the academy," Shui Yue'er said happily.

"Then let's go back. Remember to keep my secret," Ye Xiaofeng said as he looked at Shui Bing'er.

Shui Bing'er nodded in agreement, but she felt a faint sense of loss. Returning to the academy meant Ye Xiaofeng would leave the academy—and leave her.

On the way back, everyone spoke noticeably less. Shui Bing'er did not say a word from beginning to end.

When they returned to Peach Blossom Garden, Xue Wu and Shui Yue'er immediately perked up.

"It feels so good to be back. I never want to go to a damned place like the Extreme North again," Xue Wu complained.

"Me too. I'm going to take a hot bath first," Shui Yue'er said in agreement.

"I'm coming too," Xue Wu said to Shui Yue'er with a smile.

"How about I give you two a free scrub?" Ye Xiaofeng said lewdly. Just thinking about it felt exciting.

"Get lost!" The two of them rejected him and returned to their respective rooms without looking back.

"Hehe, I was joking. Don't take it too seriously. Bing'er..." Seeing that Xue Wu and Shui Yue'er were ignoring him, Ye Xiaofeng turned around, intending to flirt with Shui Bing'er. But Shui Bing'er gave him no chance and returned to her room without looking back.

He was left alone in the spacious courtyard. Ye Xiaofeng entered his room, took out a jar of wine, then came to a bench beneath the Peach Blossom Tree and sat down.

A breeze passed by, and the falling peach blossom petals drifted like snow. Ye Xiaofeng drank as he looked up at the sky, his heart filled with sorrow.

He had thought wine could drown his sorrows, but instead, drinking only made them worse. As he drank himself into a drunken haze, Shui Bing'er appeared before his eyes.

"Bing'er, why are you here?" Ye Xiaofeng asked drunkenly.

"Can't I come look at the Peach Blossom Tree?" Shui Bing'er said with a smile.

"I thought you came to keep me company. Hehehe," Ye Xiaofeng said with a sorrowful laugh.

"I can keep you company now. Don't you have something you want to say to me?" Seeing that Ye Xiaofeng was drunk, Shui Bing'er seized the opportunity to ask what lay deep in his heart.

"Then what do you want to ask? I can tell you anything," Ye Xiaofeng said drowsily.

"Why do you insist on leaving?"

"I told you before—it's to become stronger. Only by becoming stronger can I protect the people I love."

"You're already outstanding. You have Twin Martial Souls and extraordinary talent. In the future, you can even break through to the realm of a Titled Douluo," Shui Bing'er said comfortingly. She understood that Ye Xiaofeng was exceptionally talented, and there would surely be a place for him among the future Titled Douluo.

"Bing'er, wait for me to come back." Ye Xiaofeng drunkenly hugged Shui Bing'er.

Shui Bing'er did not ask any more questions. She quietly held Ye Xiaofeng until he fell asleep, then helped him back to his room and onto his bed.

Shui Bing'er did not leave. She stayed by the bed and quietly watched him, eventually falling asleep without realizing it.

Late at night, Ye Xiaofeng opened his eyes and saw that Shui Bing'er had fallen asleep. He got up, scooped her into his arms, carried her onto the bed, covered her with a blanket, gently caressed her tender face, and kissed her forehead deeply.

It was time for him to leave. The moment Ye Xiaofeng turned around, tears slowly streamed down Shui Bing'er's face. Ye Xiaofeng had been pretending to be drunk and asleep all along, but wasn't Shui Bing'er doing the same?

Neither of them wanted to make the other sad, but this was the only way. Ye Xiaofeng could not let go of Shui Bing'er, and Shui Bing'er could not bear to leave Ye Xiaofeng.

But reality was cruel, and they could only make this choice. Ye Xiaofeng slowly walked out and gently closed the door.

Ye Xiaofeng left the room and glanced at Xue Wu and Shui Yue'er's doors before leaving Peach Blossom Garden without looking back.

The academy was empty in the dead of night. Ye Xiaofeng headed straight for the main gate. After leaving the academy and walking a short distance into the woods, he suddenly sensed killing intent around him.

Suddenly, an ice spear shot toward Ye Xiaofeng's back. He dodged the fatal strike with a quick flash step.

"Who are you?" Ye Xiaofeng saw only a masked person.

"And who are you?" the masked person asked.

"I am a student of Skywater Academy. Please show mercy," Ye Xiaofeng said. From the masked person's voice, he could tell she was a woman.

"If you were a student, you could have applied to a teacher to leave during the day. Sneaking out in the middle of the night, you must be up to no good." The masked person did not listen to Ye Xiaofeng's explanation.

"Second Soul Skill—Ice Palm." The masked person attacked directly, giving Ye Xiaofeng no chance to explain.

"Second Soul Skill—Sweep the Thousand Armies." Ye Xiaofeng immediately used the Seven Kill Sword to block.

"How is that possible? So that's how it is. Then I have even more reason not to let you live. Third Soul Skill—Ice Fist." The masked person became increasingly interested in Ye Xiaofeng.

"Fourth Soul Skill—Momentary Trace."

"Third Soul Skill—One Sword Throat Seal." Ye Xiaofeng released two skills in succession, first using his fourth soul skill to freeze space, then attacking with his third soul skill.

The masked person was clearly stronger than him. If he allowed her to drag this out, he would die at her hands. He had to turn the passive into the active.

Just as Ye Xiaofeng's sword pierced toward the masked person's throat, she broke through his fourth soul skill.

"Martial Soul Avatar—Titan Snow Demon King." Just as the masked person was about to defeat Ye Xiaofeng, Shui Bing'er rushed over.

"First Soul Skill—Ice Seal."

"Second Soul Skill—Ice Ring Armor."

"Third Soul Skill—Repulsion Ice Ring."

Shui Bing'er unleashed three skills in succession, blocking the attacking power of the Titan Snow Demon King Martial Soul for Ye Xiaofeng.

"Bing'er, why are you here? Leave, now! You shouldn't have come!" Ye Xiaofeng said urgently. The other party was a soul master above level seventy. Once she used her Martial Soul Avatar, there was no way they could escape.

"Kid, you're quite lucky with women. I'll give you a chance. Only one of you can live," the masked person said mockingly.

"Let her leave. Once she is safely gone, you can kill or torture me as you please." Seeing Shui Bing'er come to save him, Ye Xiaofeng was already satisfied. His own life no longer mattered.

"Kid, are you really not afraid of death?" the masked person asked in surprise. She had thought Ye Xiaofeng would abandon Shui Bing'er and escape alone.

"I am. Anyone would be afraid of death, but I have no other choice," Ye Xiaofeng said helplessly.

"Teacher, have you had enough?" The moment Shui Bing'er saw the Martial Soul Avatar, she knew it was Wang Yan. But upon hearing Ye Xiaofeng's words, her heart instantly melted. She did not want to watch her teacher continue tormenting him.

"Teacher?" Ye Xiaofeng thought he had misheard.

"You useless girl," Wang Yan said as she removed her veil. She had wanted to make things difficult for Ye Xiaofeng a little longer, but Shui Bing'er had exposed her.

"Teacher, isn't this a bit too much?" Ye Xiaofeng was speechless. It was one thing for Xue Wu to keep setting him up, but why did even his teacher want to do it?

"If I didn't test you, how would I know you possessed Twin Martial Souls so rare they appeared only once in a century? If I didn't test you, how would I know how sincere you are toward Bing'er? Kid, you've hidden yourself well," Wang Yan said teasingly.

"Teacher, I had no choice. You know how important Twin Martial Souls are. If things go wrong, I could lose my life," Ye Xiaofeng said. Before Wang Yan, he was like a child who had made a mistake.

"As for the Twin Martial Souls, Teacher, please keep it secret." Ye Xiaofeng did not want anyone else to know.

"Don't worry. I'll keep it for you. Where are you going?" Wang Yan continued asking.

"I want to go to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. You know that my other Martial Soul is the Seven Kill Sword. If I want to train in swordsmanship, I need someone to guide me. In the current soul master world, only Sword Douluo Chen Xin possesses the Seven Kill Sword Martial Soul, so I must go find him," Ye Xiaofeng said resolutely.

"Kid, it won't be easy if you want to take Sword Douluo Chen Xin as your master." Wang Yan knew that even meeting a Titled Douluo was no simple matter, let alone becoming his disciple.

"How will I know unless I try? I hope Teacher will allow it," Ye Xiaofeng said solemnly.

"Since you've made up your mind, what use is there in trying to keep you? Get lost. If you run into trouble someday, remember to come back." Wang Yan spoke and left the woods.

"Thank you, Teacher," Ye Xiaofeng said with a smile. Only Ye Xiaofeng and Shui Bing'er remained in the woods.