Meng Yiran pushed through Qian Yu's ice and closed in on him, transforming into a python as she tried to wrap tightly around him.
Qian Yu merely smiled.
He switched his Martial Soul to its second form: the 98K.
Qian Yu fired two shots at Meng Yiran, each ringing out with a sharp crack.
Meng Yiran deftly dodged both with her footwork. Seeing that Qian Yu's attacks were so straightforward, she immediately felt a little more confident.
She accelerated again, using her Martial Soul's movement technique to close in on Qian Yu.
Qian Yu, however, remained unhurried. He unleashed his Second Spirit Skill—Sky Full of Dancing Bullets.
Qian Yu controlled the bullets, making them explode. The two bullets detonated around Meng Yiran, one just ahead of her and the other behind.
At the same time, the Ultimate Ice attribute carried by the bullets froze everything. It froze all the moisture in the surrounding area.
Before long, Meng Yiran was frozen solid and unable to move.
"Yiran, we surrender!" Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch were both caught completely off guard by Qian Yu's move. Before they could react, Meng Yiran had already lost—and without warning, too. Just a moment earlier, she had still been able to dodge Qian Yu's attacks with her footwork.
Yet in the next instant, she was unable to move.
Just as Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch stepped forward to examine Meng Yiran,
Sword Douluo came forward and said to them, "You two, we've won the match. We'll gladly accept these two Spirit Beasts."
"Hmph. You can have the Spirit Beasts, but first you have to get my granddaughter out of this frozen state." The Snake Matriarch's eyes were cold as she addressed Qian Yu and Sword Douluo.
The Snake Matriarch had clearly rejected Dragon Duke's suggestion that Qian Yu become her granddaughter's husband. That boy has no idea how to treat a young woman with tenderness. The Snake Matriarch fumed inwardly.
"All right." Qian Yu was completely unfazed by the Soul Power pressure from Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch.
He walked up to Meng Yiran, channeling the power of the Divine Eye into his palm. Before long, he had drawn the frigid aura out of her body.
"Whew."
"Qian Yu, what was that attack of yours? Why couldn't I move at all just now?"
As soon as Meng Yiran was freed from the ice, she curiously grabbed Qian Yu and peppered him with questions, completely forgetting that she had just challenged him to a duel.
"That's a secret of mine. I'm afraid I can't tell you."
Meng Yiran tried to reach out and grab Qian Yu's arm, but he deftly dodged her.
"Hmph. If you won't tell me, then you won't. It's not like it's anything special!" Meng Yiran said, putting on a haughty expression without losing heart.
"This young lady keeps her word. Since I lost the match, those two Spirit Beasts are yours." Meng Yiran waved a hand at Qian Yu as she spoke.
"As if you needed to tell us. Those Spirit Beasts were ours to begin with."
Meng Yiran edged closer and closer to Qian Yu.
Ning Rongrong stepped forward at just the right moment, positioning herself between Meng Yiran and Qian Yu. She snapped back at Meng Yiran.
"Hmph." Seeing Ning Rongrong and the other girls all step forward together, Meng Yiran wisely retreated to Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch's side.
She glanced back at Qian Yu, her words carrying a deeper meaning. "Qian Yu, just you wait. Next time, I'll definitely beat you."
Meng Yiran spoke to Qian Yu with an unmistakable implication. Then she left with Dragon Duke and Snake Matriarch.
"Yiran, what do you think of that boy, Qian Yu?" On the road, Dragon Duke Meng Shu asked Meng Yiran.
"Qian Yu's pretty impressive. It's just that he really doesn't know how to..." Meng Yiran seemed to be recalling her duel with Qian Yu. Before she knew it, her face had turned red.
"Then how about making him my granddaughter's husband?" Seeing that Meng Yiran blushed whenever Qian Yu came up, Dragon Duke Meng Shu immediately teased her.
"Grandpa!"
Back with Qian Yu's group,
Sword Douluo had Ye Lingling absorb the 1,700-year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Spirit Ring first.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin raised his hand and drew the hovering 1,700-year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Spirit Ring toward Ye Lingling. Wrapped in a pale-purple glow and a chilling aura of Soul Power, it drifted slowly toward her. His voice was steady, like a sword sliding into its sheath. "Lingling, this Spirit Ring is compatible with your Nine Heart Begonia. Draw it into your body first."
Ye Lingling nodded and raised her slender hand, forming a pale-pink Soul Power barrier. The Spirit Ring followed the pull and coiled around her wrist. As purple light seeped into her meridians, her brows furrowed slightly, but she held firm.
Sword Douluo stood to one side. His steel-blue sword trembled, spreading a pale-green sword aura that warded off the stray Soul Power around them. He said solemnly, "Guard your heart meridian and follow the flow of Soul Power. The Nine Heart Begonia is rooted in healing. Don't let the beast soul's ferocity disturb your Martial Soul Origin."
Pale-purple and pink light intertwined around Ye Lingling. She closed her eyes and focused, allowing the Spirit Ring's power to slowly merge with her body.
At last, the pale-purple 1,700-year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Spirit Ring condensed into a stream of light and sank into Ye Lingling's brow.
Pink light blazed around her. The phantom of the Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul unfolded behind her, its three petals shimmering with a lustrous glow. Her third Spirit Ring settled firmly beneath her feet, purple light twining with pink as Soul Power surged through her meridians like spring water. She had firmly entered the Soul Elder realm.
Sword Dao Chen Xin's stern brows relaxed as he nodded. Ye Lingling raised her slender hand, gathering a ball of light woven from pink and purple. A lively trace of beast-soul power was wrapped in its warmth.
"Third Spirit Skill—Begonia Healing Pulse." She spoke softly. The ball of light landed on a nearby green stone, and the fine cracks on its surface slowly smoothed out as though nourished. "It can heal severe wounds across a group, restore vitality, repair damage to the meridians, and increase healing speed by 30%."
Qian Yu and the Divine Eye watched Ye Lingling's Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul closely.
This was the first time Qian Yu had seen the Nine Heart Begonia, a legendary Martial Soul of the continent.
When he heard Ye Lingling say that it increased healing speed by 30%,
Qian Yu couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath.
"What a Martial Soul that makes even the heavens jealous."
Looks like I'll have to find a chance to get her to join the Feather Gate. That's the only way the Feather Gate can keep growing stronger.
In Qian Yu's spiritual sea, the Divine Eye was just as intent on observing the wonders of the Nine Heart Begonia.
The Divine Eye was quite curious about this extraordinary Martial Soul, of which only two could exist on the continent.
But after watching for a long time, it still couldn't understand the mysteries behind it.
It could only stare blankly alongside Qian Yu. "Kid, didn't you establish a sect? Recruit this young woman. She'll be a huge asset to you and the Feather Gate."
The Divine Eye offered Qian Yu the same suggestion.
"Mm, I know." Qian Yu was well aware of the Nine Heart Begonia's strength.
He just needed to wait for the right moment to recruit Ye Lingling.
After successfully absorbing the Spirit Ring, Ye Lingling's Soul Power reached level 32.
Compared to Zhu Zhuqing, she was clearly far behind. Ye Lingling also wanted to grow stronger as quickly as Dugu Yan and Zhu Zhuqing.
But she didn't know whether Qian Yu would help her.
Dugu Yan had noticed all of this. In fact, she had invited Ye Lingling this time with the intention of recruiting her into the Feather Gate.
Now, it seemed the moment had finally come. All that remained was for Dugu Yan to spell it out.
After Ye Lingling succeeded,
Sword Douluo arranged for Ning Rongrong to absorb the 3,800-year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent Spirit Beast.
Sword Douluo was still worried about her absorbing a Spirit Ring beyond her limits.
But seeing how eager Ning Rongrong was, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.
All he could do was turn his gaze toward Qian Yu.
Qian Yu responded with a reassuring look.
"Divine Eye, get to work." Qian Yu called out to the Divine Eye in his spiritual sea.
Before you continue