After returning to Shrek Academy, Lin Yi did not head straight for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Instead, he decided to observe things for a few days.
However, those few days of observation revealed signs that made his brows furrow slightly.
Ning Rongrong and Oscar seemed... a little too close.
During breaks in training, Ning Rongrong would naturally take the canteen Oscar handed her, and the two would chat and laugh together. At meals in the cafeteria, they often sat together too. Ning Rongrong would even pick the dishes she disliked into Oscar's bowl, and Oscar would accept them all with a foolish grin. Now and then, their eyes would meet, carrying a familiarity that went beyond ordinary friendship and... a faint, budding affection.
Lin Yi stood beneath the shade of a tree at the edge of the training ground, watching them with an expressionless face.
It wasn't that he had romantic feelings for Ning Rongrong. At least, not at present.
His engagement to Ning Rongrong was more a union of sect interests, an expectation and trust placed in him by Sword Douluo and Ning Fengzhi.
He had promised his teacher that he would protect Ning Rongrong.
In his eyes, Oscar had decent talent and might accomplish a great deal in the future. But at this stage, whether in strength, background, or character, he was nowhere near a suitable match for the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, let alone its future sect master.
Such premature, unrealistic feelings would only become a hindrance on Ning Rongrong's path of cultivation and might even cause her trouble in the future.
More importantly, this concerned Lin Yi's standing in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
If Ning Rongrong really got involved with Oscar, what would Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo think of him? He had no intention of losing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's support!
"Looks like I need to knock some sense into him," Lin Yi thought to himself. He had always been direct in his dealings and disliked beating around the bush.
That afternoon, once training ended, everyone went their separate ways.
Lin Yi seized the opportunity and stopped Oscar on his way back to the dormitory alone.
"Brother Lin... Lin Yi?" Oscar was surprised and a little nervous to see Lin Yi standing there with a calm expression.
His Soul Power Level had risen quickly, but when he faced this unfathomable disciple of Sword Douluo, he always felt an invisible pressure.
Lin Yi wasted no words. He met Oscar's gaze, his tone calm but leaving no room for argument. "Oscar, stay away from Rongrong."
Oscar froze. A flash of panic crossed his face, quickly replaced by stubbornness. "Brother Lin Yi, what... what do you mean? Rongrong and I are just good friends..."
"Good friends?" Lin Yi's lips curved into a faintly cold smile. "Some lines can't be crossed under the excuse of being 'good friends.' Remember who you are, and remember who Rongrong is. She's the young miss of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and she's my fiancée."
"Fi... fiancée?!" Oscar was struck like a bolt of lightning, his face turning deathly pale. Ning Rongrong had never told him about this!
"Looks like she didn't tell you." Lin Yi watched Oscar's dazed expression, his voice still cold. "Now you know. Put away those thoughts you shouldn't have and focus on cultivation. Otherwise..." He left the sentence unfinished, but the warning in his eyes sent a bone-deep chill through Oscar.
Just then, a blue figure stiffened slightly around the corner nearby.
Tang San had happened to pass by and had heard every word of Lin Yi's warning to Oscar.
His brows drew together, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
Lin Yi glanced toward the corner where Tang San was hiding but did not call him out. Having said what he came to say, he turned and left, leaving Oscar standing there alone, dejected and stunned.
Tang San emerged from around the corner. He looked at Lin Yi's departing figure, then at Oscar's pallid face, and stepped forward to pat his shoulder. "Xiao Ao, are you all right?"
Oscar snapped back to his senses and grabbed Tang San's arm, his voice trembling. "Xiao San... was what he said true? Is Rongrong... really his fiancée?"
Tang San was silent for a moment. He had actually guessed as much from Ning Rongrong's occasional hesitations, but having it confirmed still weighed heavily on him. He nodded. "I'm afraid so. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Sword Douluo's lineage are closely connected, and Lin Yi is Sword Douluo's only disciple. An engagement wouldn't be surprising."
"How could this happen..." Oscar lowered his head dejectedly, fists clenched so tight that his nails nearly dug into his flesh.
Seeing his friend in pain, and remembering Lin Yi's overbearing warning, Tang San felt a surge of indignation. He said gravely, "Xiao Ao, don't lose heart! So what if there's an engagement? Feelings are between two people! As long as Rongrong is willing, nobody can force her! Come on, let's find Boss Dai and the others and talk this over!"
Tang San led the dispirited Oscar to the dormitory, where Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun were resting, and recounted everything he had heard.
"What? His fiancée? That Lin Yi actually threatened Xiao Ao?!" Dai Mubai exploded as soon as he heard. He slammed his hand on the table. "Who does he think he is? Does being Sword Douluo's disciple mean he can do whatever he wants?"
Xiao Wu was even angrier, practically jumping in outrage. "That's outrageous! Rongrong has the right to like whoever she wants! What gives Lin Yi the right to interfere? And he threatened someone, too! Xiao San, we absolutely can't let him bully Xiao Ao and Rongrong!"
Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, but a trace of agreement flashed in her cool eyes.
Ma Hongjun scratched his head, looking troubled. But when he saw Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu seething with indignation, he muttered, "Exactly. Xiao Ao's our brother. We can't let him get bullied."
"Let's go! We'll make Lin Yi explain himself!" Dai Mubai swept his arm through the air and led the group toward Lin Yi's residence, full of righteous fury.
Ning Rongrong was resting in her room, but the commotion outside caught her attention. She came out and saw all her friends heading toward Lin Yi's residence with grim expressions. Her heart lurched; she could guess what had happened. She bit her lip and quietly followed them.
Lin Yi had only just returned to his room when he heard hurried footsteps outside and the undisguised fluctuations of Soul Power.
His brows lifted slightly as he rose and opened the door.
Dai Mubai and Tang San stood at the front, with Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and Ning Rongrong bringing up the rear, her expression conflicted. They were all gathered outside his door, looking ready to demand an explanation.
"Is something the matter?" Lin Yi's expression did not change. His gaze calmly swept over them.
Tang San stepped forward. As the team's core strategist, he spoke first. His tone was fairly restrained, but his eyes were sharp. "Lin Yi, we just heard that you warned Oscar to stay away from Rongrong because you're her fiancée—"
"Yes." Lin Yi admitted it outright, without the slightest attempt to evade the question.
His ready admission made Dai Mubai burst out angrily. "Lin Yi! Don't go too far! Rongrong has the right to choose who she wants to be with! You may be Sword Douluo's disciple, but you have no right to interfere with her feelings!"
Xiao Wu immediately jumped in, hands on her hips. "Exactly! Who do you think you are? Are you bullying people because of your background? What's wrong with Oscar? He's a food-type Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power! There's no guarantee his future achievements will be any less than yours, just because you're Sword Douluo's disciple!"
Zhu Zhuqing said nothing, but her cool gaze made her support clear.
Ma Hongjun glanced between the two sides and spoke with difficulty. "Brother Lin Yi, well... you can't force feelings. Xiao Ao's our brother. We have to stand by him."
Ning Rongrong stood at the back with her head lowered, both hands clutching the hem of her clothes. Her face was pale, and she didn't say a word.
Her heart was in turmoil. On one hand, she had a vague fondness for Oscar. On the other, she was in awe of Lin Yi and understood that she was bound by a sect engagement. She had no idea what to do.
Oscar summoned his courage and lifted his head to meet Lin Yi's gaze. His voice still trembled slightly, but his eyes held a determination he had never shown before. "Lin Yi! I know I'm far beneath you in strength and background right now! But I like Rongrong, and I'm sincere! I'll cultivate hard and grow stronger! One day, I'll prove that I, Oscar, am worthy of Rongrong! I won't give up!"
What a stirring sight: a hot-blooded young man defying the powerful and fighting for love!
And Lin Yi had played the part of the "villain" who relied on his background to tear two lovers apart to perfection.
Looking at the furious crowd and Oscar, who was declaring he would "overcome everything with love and hard work," Lin Yi suddenly found the whole thing a little absurd and... almost laughable.
He had only meant to knock some sense into Oscar, make him face reality, and keep him from indulging in unrealistic fantasies that might hold him back and affect Ning Rongrong. He had also wanted to protect the sect's dignity and his own.
How had he become a tyrant who had committed every evil under the sun, bullying people through his connections, in their eyes?
Tang San's claim that "Oscar's future achievements might not be any less than yours" was especially baffling.
They had no idea what kind of existence they were facing. Triple Martial Souls, Innate Soul Power at level thirty, a Million-Year Soul Ring, a treasure trove of Immortal Herbs... No matter how hard Oscar worked, some chasms were determined by talent and fortune. They couldn't be crossed through sheer perseverance alone.
Lin Yi's gaze passed over the furious Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu, the composed Tang San and Zhu Zhuqing, and Ma Hongjun, who looked a little timid but was trying to stand firm. Finally, it fell on Ning Rongrong, who kept her head lowered and wouldn't look at him, and Oscar, whose face was set with stubborn resolve.
Suddenly, he smiled, but there was no warmth in it—only a faint trace of mockery and coldness.
"So, in your eyes, knowing that someone is engaged and still trying to come between them is the right thing to do?" His voice was not loud, yet everyone heard him clearly. "Do 'feelings' and 'freedom' give you the right to ignore promises and responsibilities?"
He turned his gaze to Tang San and Dai Mubai. "You think this is helping your friend? That you're standing up for justice?"
At last, his eyes fixed on Oscar. His tone suddenly sharpened, carrying an unquestionable authority and pressure.
"Fine. Very well. If you think stealing another man's fiancée is perfectly reasonable, and you think I, Lin Yi, am 'harassing' her and 'bullying people with my connections'..."
He paused. His aura did not fully erupt, but the Soul Power fluctuations of a Soul Emperor, along with the extreme cold emanating from his Ice Dragon Martial Soul deep within, seemed to make the surrounding air congeal.
"Then so be it. I hope you remember what you said today. And I hope that someday, if someone steals the woman you love, you'll be just as 'open-minded' and 'respectful of her freedom to choose.'
"Don't blame me, Lin Yi... I did warn you today!"
With that, he ignored their suddenly changed expressions and even angrier glares, turned around, and slammed the door shut.
Silence fell outside.
Dai Mubai's face was livid, Tang San's brows were drawn together, Xiao Wu was stamping her feet in anger, Zhu Zhuqing's gaze had grown even colder, and Ma Hongjun's mouth hung open.
Oscar clenched his fists, while Ning Rongrong kept her head lowered, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Lin Yi's last words had pierced everyone's heart like a cold thorn.
Dai Mubai and Tang San in particular both had someone dear to them.
Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing had a complicated relationship, while Tang San cherished Xiao Wu as dearly as his own life. Lin Yi's words were an unmistakably sharp provocation and curse.
"Bastard! I really want to beat the hell out of him," Dai Mubai growled, punching the wall beside him.
Tang San held him back and shook his head, his expression grave. "Boss Dai, calm down. We may have been a little impulsive about this... None of us can match him right now."
After this incident, the atmosphere at Shrek Academy suddenly became subtle and tense.
Dai Mubai and the others hardly spoke to Lin Yi anymore. Ning Rongrong became even more evasive and quiet around him. Only Oscar, after the initial humiliation and anger, trained even harder, the fighting spirit in his eyes growing ever brighter.
Lin Yi stood alone by the window, watching the dark night outside, his face expressionless.
He hadn't expected things to develop this way. He had actually become a "villain" in other people's eyes.
But he didn't regret it.
Some lines had to be made clear.
Some positions could not be left ambiguous.
As for whom Ning Rongrong would ultimately choose... he didn't really care.
What mattered to him was the standing in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect that this engagement represented.
"Looks like it's time to go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and find some peace," he murmured, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "As for the Immortal Herbs... you won't get a single one."
This world ultimately revered strength. If Tang San's father weren't who he was, how could Shrek Academy possibly value him so much...
Early the next morning, Lin Yi left Shrek Academy without delay and headed once more to Dugu Bo's residence near the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
Dugu Bo was a little surprised to see Lin Yi return so soon, but remembering the "agreement" they had made the day before, he still invited him inside.
"Back so soon, kid? Have you come up with any ideas about this old man's poison?" Dugu Bo asked with a trace of expectation.
Lin Yi shook his head and got straight to the point. "Senior's poison needs to be dealt with over time. It can't be cured in a day. I came today to borrow the Ice Eye at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well for cultivation."
A hint of disappointment flashed through Dugu Bo's eyes, but he said nothing more and only grunted. "Come with me!"
With Dugu Bo, its master, leading the way, passing through the multicolored poisonous miasma was much easier. Once again stepping into this wondrous place, Lin Yi felt the surging energy where ice and fire intertwined, and the gloom left by the farce at Shrek soon dissipated. Only power was an eternal foundation.
He went straight to the chilling white Ice Spring, cold enough to freeze even the soul.
The closer he got, the more he could feel the pure, utterly concentrated energy of ice. For someone bearing three ice-attribute Martial Souls—the Snow Lotus, the Ice Dragon, and the Ice Phoenix—it was undoubtedly a perfect cultivation ground.
Dugu Bo brought him to the spot and told him, "Be careful. Don't fall into the spring or melt away."
Then he went to the Fire Spring on his own, using its searing energy to suppress the poison stirring within him.
He wasn't worried that Lin Yi would cause any damage. With Sword Douluo's connection to the place, the kid cared more about keeping it intact than he did.
After Dugu Bo left, Lin Yi found a flat ice platform at the edge of the Ice Spring and sat down cross-legged.
He did not immediately begin cultivating Soul Power. Instead, he sank his mind into his body and focused on the third Martial Soul he had always deliberately hidden and never used—the Ice Phoenix!
And upon the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul rested the Million-Year Wisdom Soul Ring, glowing with a faint platinum radiance and containing spiritual power vast as the sea!
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's sacrifice had brought him more than an increase in Soul Power Level and a strengthening of his Ice Phoenix Martial Soul. More importantly, it had granted him its boundless spiritual power and the Soul Skills bestowed by the ring itself! Since he had been surrounded by people in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and Shrek, he had never carefully examined or tested them. Now, in the absolutely safe and perfectly suited environment of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, the time had come!
He cautiously roused a sliver of the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul's power and connected his spiritual power to the Million-Year Soul Ring.
Humm—
As if an ancient god that had slumbered since time immemorial had awakened, the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul let out a clear cry that echoed only in his spiritual world. Light flowed through the platinum ring, and the details of three distinct Soul Skills branded themselves deep into his soul, as if by instinct!
First Soul Skill: Ice Phoenix Feather Garment!
Effect: Combines extreme ice-attribute Soul Power with immense spiritual power to condense a dreamlike, ice-blue garment of phoenix feathers over the body.
The garment mainly provides powerful spiritual defense, effectively resisting, weakening, or even reflecting mental attacks, illusions, spiritual assaults, and intimidating pressure.
It also offers some defense against physical and energy attacks, but is relatively weaker in those areas. Its defensive strength is directly tied to the user's spiritual power, and it can appear or vanish at will.
Second Soul Skill: Ice Spirit Impact!
Effect: Highly compresses the user's powerful spiritual energy and fuses it with the intent of extreme cold, forming an invisible, intangible, yet bone-chilling spiritual shock wave that directly attacks an opponent's Sea of Consciousness.
At worst, it causes mental distraction, freezes the victim's awareness, and slows their movements; at worst, it damages the victim's mind, throws their consciousness into chaos, or even annihilates their soul outright! This Soul Skill is activated discreetly and is extremely difficult to defend against. Its effect depends on the difference between both sides' spiritual power and their degree of control over it.
Third Soul Skill: Spirit Detection!
Effect: Spreads the user's spiritual power outward in a fan or sphere, like a vast web, forming a domain under the user's absolute control.
Within this domain, everything—whether a tangible object, energy fluctuation, living presence, or even the movement of dust in the air—appears in Lin Yi's mind in three dimensions, with extraordinary clarity and precision! By reading the flow of energy and the trajectories of moving objects, he can even predict an opponent's attack paths and changes in technique in advance! The detection range expands as his spiritual power grows stronger.
Taking in the detailed information about these three Soul Skills, even Lin Yi, with his steady temperament, couldn't stop his heart from surging with excitement!
They were incredible! So these were the Soul Skills granted by a Million-Year Soul Ring?
Ice Phoenix Feather Garment made up for the weakness that a support-type Soul Master feared most—mental attacks. It could even be called the nemesis of spiritual-type Soul Masters!
Ice Spirit Impact was an extremely rare and powerful offensive spiritual attack, impossible to guard against and worthy of being called a trump card!
Spirit Detection was an even greater divine skill! Whether for keeping watch, finding an enemy's weakness, predicting attacks, or moving through complicated environments, it had an irreplaceable role! It was practically a weakened version of an "all-seeing eye"!
Moreover, because the Soul Ring came from the hundred-million-year cultivation base of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, its essence was extraordinarily high. As Lin Yi's strength continued to grow—both his Soul Power Level and his spiritual power—these three Soul Skills would grow enormously in power, defense, range, and effect as well! They were not fixed, but possessed tremendous potential for growth!
"Brother Sky Dream, that really is a generous gift..." Lin Yi murmured inwardly, feeling genuine gratitude toward the seemingly unreliable Million-Year Ice Silkworm.
He suppressed the urge to immediately test his offensive Soul Skill and quietly activated the third one first—Spirit Detection!
Humm!
An invisible, intangible wave of spiritual power spread outward from him, like quicksilver spilling across the ground. In an instant, everything within nearly five hundred meters of him became crystal clear in his mind, more detailed than what his eyes could see!
He "saw" the spring at the bottom of the Ice Spring, where the essence of ten-thousand-year black ice had gathered, its energy swirling like a vortex. He "saw" the minute changes in the way Dugu Bo's dark green poisonous aura intertwined and clashed with the Fire Spring's energy. He "saw" the patterns on every Spirit Grass leaf along the valley walls and sensed the rhythm with which they absorbed the energy of heaven and earth. He "saw" the flight paths of several flying Soul Beasts beyond the poisonous miasma and could even predict the angle of their wings' next beat!
The feeling of having everything under control was simply wonderful!
This was only his initial grasp of the skill, and his spiritual power had not yet fully adapted or developed. He believed that as his proficiency and spiritual power increased, its range would continue to expand and its precision would grow even greater!
Once he was familiar with Spirit Detection, he focused his thoughts again and quietly manifested the first Soul Skill, Ice Phoenix Feather Garment, over his body.
An ice-blue energy garment, condensed entirely from spiritual power and ice-attribute Soul Power, appeared from thin air. It was both magnificent and noble, radiating a faint chill and spiritual fluctuations.
He felt as though his Sea of Consciousness had been protected by a resilient, icy barrier. External distractions and negative emotions could barely intrude.
He tried throwing a punch at the rock wall beside him. The garment absorbed part of the impact, but as expected, its physical defense was not nearly as impressive as its spiritual defense.
Still, it was more than enough!
That left the second Soul Skill, Ice Spirit Impact.
He'd need to find a Soul Beast or Soul Master to test it on...
Before you continue