Shui Bing'er furrowed her brow slightly, her tone still calm:
"I can accept your challenge.
But I can't agree to your condition.
Because... I'm staying here, and whether I leave isn't up to me."
But Hu Liena heard those words differently.
She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth:
"Are you bragging about how much he can't bear to let you go?!"
Seeing this, Yan immediately jumped in, pointing at Shui Bing'er and shouting:
"Nana, don't waste your breath on her!
She's just a vase who got into the class through a man's connections. Beat her and throw her out!"
"Yan, that's enough."
Xie Yue frowned and tugged at Yan, then turned to Shui Bing'er.
"Miss Shui, the Elite Class does have a tradition of sparring to establish one's standing. Nana just—"
"I understand."
Shui Bing'er cut Xie Yue off, a chill rising around her.
"Please instruct me, Your Highness the Saintess."
Just then, a lazy voice came from the entrance to the training grounds:
"It's quite lively for this early in the morning."
Everyone turned around and saw Huang Yan stroll in at an unhurried pace.
When Hu Liena saw Huang Yan, a flicker of panic crossed her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by stubbornness:
"Huang Yan, don't interfere!
This is between us women!"
Huang Yan ignored Yan's furious glare and walked straight to Shui Bing'er's side. He lowered his head and asked softly:
"Can you handle her?
Nana's a Level 46 control-type Soul Master, five levels above you."
Shui Bing'er nodded, her eyes shining with the pride of an Ice Phoenix:
"If we stop before anyone gets hurt, I can give it a try."
"Good."
Huang Yan took two steps back and smiled at Hu Liena.
"Nana, Bing'er just got here. A spar between you should be fine. Just watch how hard you hit her. Don't hurt her."
Hearing Huang Yan so blatantly take Shui Bing'er's side, Hu Liena laughed in anger, her eyes growing even redder:
"You care about her that much?
Fine!
Today, I'll see just what kind of skills the woman you brought back has!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, pink light burst from Hu Liena. Two yellow and two purple Soul Rings appeared around her.
"Hu Liena, Level 46 control-type Battle Soul Ancestor. Martial Soul: Demon Fox!"
Shui Bing'er's gaze sharpened, and an intensely cold aura swept across the entire training ground.
The phantom of an icy-blue phoenix soared into the sky, accompanied by two yellow and two purple Soul Rings.
"Shui Bing'er, Level 41 control-type Battle Soul Ancestor. Martial Soul: Ice Phoenix!"
Feeling the incredibly pure aura of ice, Yan, who had been sneering moments ago, immediately shut his mouth.
Xie Yue also looked shocked:
"A top-tier ice Beast Martial Soul?
No wonder..."
Huang Yan stood at the edge of the training ground, arms crossed, a faint smile on his lips:
"Begin. Let me see what you two can do."
Just as the two women faced off, ready to fight,
Huang Yan's expression suddenly shifted.
He clutched his chest, brow furrowing.
What was going on?
The Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul inside him was trembling violently!
Huang Yan's heart skipped a beat. His first thought was that the Evil Fire inside him was about to flare up early.
But he quickly calmed himself and sensed it carefully, only to realize that wasn't the case.
The Evil Fire wasn't out of control. What had stirred the Evil Fire Phoenix was the pure Ice Phoenix aura Shui Bing'er had released!
Is this a resonance between two Phoenix Martial Souls?
Huang Yan was secretly astonished.
That can't be right. In the original story, when Ma Hongjun met Shui Bing'er, he never had such a strong bloodline reaction.
But in an instant, Huang Yan understood the key.
Even Martial Souls of the same kind had bloodlines of different ranks!
His Evil Fire Phoenix was unquestionably far superior in bloodline and quality to Ma Hongjun's half-baked version.
Otherwise, how could the Evil Fire Phoenix rank alongside his First Martial Soul, the Dark Sacred Dragon, as one of his Twin Martial Souls?
It was like Tang San's Twin Martial Souls.
Ordinary Blue Silver Grass could coexist with the Clear Sky Hammer, the greatest weapon-type Martial Soul in the world,
because Tang San had the bloodline of the Blue Silver Emperor flowing through his veins. It simply hadn't awakened in the early stages.
"So that's it..."
A smile of dawning understanding touched Huang Yan's lips.
His Evil Fire Phoenix was in the same situation!
It should have been a stronger, more top-tier Phoenix form, but it had been tainted and suppressed by that mutated Evil Fire.
That was why it currently appeared as the "Evil Fire Phoenix."
If he could use Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix to completely purify the Evil Fire,
then his true Phoenix bloodline would fully awaken, and his Martial Soul would evolve into a true top-tier Phoenix!
And it wouldn't be the Fire Phoenix Ma Hongjun had evolved into after refining the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower in the original story.
After all, judging by the later events,
Ma Hongjun's Fire Phoenix Martial Soul could still evolve into the Ten-Headed Fire Phoenix.
Huang Yan guessed
that once the Evil Fire was purified and his true Phoenix bloodline emerged,
his Evil Fire Phoenix should be able to skip the "Fire Phoenix" form entirely and evolve into a Martial Soul on par with the Dark Sacred Dragon!
"A top-tier Phoenix Martial Soul..."
After thinking it over briefly, Huang Yan recalled Ye Xishui's Radiant Phoenix Martial Soul from Douluo II.
"First Soul Skill: Fox Charm Light!"
On the training ground, Hu Liena cried out, interrupting Huang Yan's thoughts.
An unusual pink light shimmered in her eyes, and an invisible mental wave shot toward Shui Bing'er.
"Trying to control me?"
Shui Bing'er's expression remained cool. Instead of retreating, she advanced.
"First Soul Skill: Ice Seal!"
In an instant, biting cold condensed. A thick layer of ice spread directly beneath Hu Liena's feet, trying to freeze her in place.
Hu Liena snorted and dodged with a flash, her figure moving like a ghost:
"Not bad. You react quickly!
But a five-level gap in Soul Power isn't so easy to make up for!"
Shui Bing'er formed a hand seal, her icy-blue eyes utterly unruffled:
"Level isn't everything, Your Highness the Saintess. Be careful."
Watching the two fight, Yan couldn't help shouting at Huang Yan:
"Huang Yan!
You see that, right?
Nana's strength is no match for this woman!
When she loses, you'd better make her leave the Elite Class, as the rules require!"
Huang Yan couldn't even be bothered to mock him.
If you like Hu Liena, you should want Shui Bing'er to stay in the Elite Class. Then you'd actually have a chance to play the lovesick fool around her!
Xie Yue frowned and cut Yan off:
"Shut up and watch the match.
Shui Bing'er's ice attribute is extremely pure, and her will is strong. Nana's charm will have a much weaker effect on her. It's still too soon to say who'll win."
Huang Yan felt the stirring Martial Soul inside him grow more eager and more active.
His eyes fixed intently on the icy-blue figure on the training ground, and he murmured:
"Bing'er, you really are my lucky star..."
Huang Yan thought he might be able to perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Shui Bing'er.
But he'd have to try it out slowly later.
On the training ground, icy blue and pink Soul Power clashed fiercely.
"Second Soul Skill: Fox Charm Light!"
Hu Liena moved lithely, trying to close the distance. A broad wash of pink light spread out, seeping toward Shui Bing'er from every direction.
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