Martial Soul Fusion Skill? Bing'er, come to my room every night for... exchanges...

"Second Soul Skill, Ice Ring Armor."

Shui Bing'er remained unhurried as a layer of crystalline ice armor instantly covered her entire body, forcibly isolating the power of that mental charm.

Immediately following, Shui Bing'er waved her jade hand:

"Third Soul Skill, Resist Ice Ring!"

An ice-blue halo erupted violently from within Shui Bing'er's body, forcibly knocking the approaching Hu Liena back several steps.

"Is all you can do is defend?"

Hu Liena steadied her stance and gritted her teeth.

"I am merely proving that I have the qualifications to remain in the Elite Class."

Shui Bing'er's tone remained indifferent.

A flash of irritation crossed Hu Liena's eyes as the fourth soul ring on her body suddenly lit up, its deep purple radiance flaring brilliantly:

"Don't get cocky!

Take this, Fourth Soul Skill..."

Shui Bing'er's gaze sharpened, and she likewise lit up her fourth soul ring. The surrounding temperature instantly dropped to freezing, and ice and snow faintly began to coalesce in mid-air.

Just as the two powerful soul powers were about to collide, a white figure flashed into the arena as if teleporting.

"Bang--"

Huang Yan struck out with both hands, his left hand igniting with dark red Evil Fire, his right hand transforming into a pitch-black dragon claw.

He crushed and suppressed the soul power fluctuations of both women simultaneously with a casual flick.

"Alright, the sparring ends here."

Huang Yan withdrew his soul power and said calmly.

Hu Liena was forced back half a step by the backlash, her eyes reddening as she glared at Huang Yan:

"You're protecting her again!

It was clearly me who had the upper hand!"

"I was just afraid the two of you would lose your tempers and get hurt, which wouldn't be good for anyone."

Huang Yan smiled helplessly and turned to look at Xie Yue.

"Xie Yue, what do you think?"

Xie Yue nodded, stepped forward, and said:

"Nana, stop.

Miss Shui's ice attribute is extremely pure, which to a large extent counters your charm.

To hold her own against your level forty-six while only at level forty-one, she is absolutely qualified to stay in the Elite Class."

"Xie Yue!

How can you speak for an outsider too!"

Yan was jumping up and down in agitation on the sidelines.

"I only look at strength."

Xie Yue glanced coldly at Yan.

Shui Bing'er retracted her Martial Soul, the cold air around her dissipating, and she gave a slight nod to Hu Liena:

"Many thanks for your guidance, Your Highness the Saintess."

Hu Liena bit her red lip hard, looking from Shui Bing'er to the composed Huang Yan, before stomping her foot violently.

"Suit yourselves!

I don't care anymore!"

With that, Hu Liena turned and ran out of the training ground without looking back.

"Nana!"

Yan glared fiercely at Huang Yan and hurried to chase after her.

Xie Yue sighed and said to Huang Yan:

"You, you just got back and you've already upset her.

I'll go check on them; you two sort yourselves out."

After the others had left, only Huang Yan and Shui Bing'er remained in the vast training ground.

Shui Bing'er looked at Huang Yan and asked softly:

"Did I... cause you trouble?"

"Trouble?

A small matter like this is no trouble at all."

Huang Yan chuckled softly, walked up to her, and stared at her with burning eyes.

"Compared to that, I just discovered something even more interesting."

Shui Bing'er felt somewhat uncomfortable under Huang Yan's gaze and took a slight half-step back.

"What is it?"

Huang Yan leaned in closer and lowered his voice.

"Just now, when you released your Martial Soul, the Evil Fire Phoenix within me... resonated very strongly with your Ice Phoenix."

Shui Bing'er's pupils constricted, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on the corner of her clothes.

"You... you mean your evil fire is about to erupt prematurely?"

"No."

A meaningful arc curled at the corners of Huang Yan's mouth.

"I mean, perhaps we could attempt a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

Shui Bing'er was stunned, her cold, clear eyes filled with disbelief.

"But you are fire, and I am ice. Our attributes are completely and extremely contradictory; how could it be possible to perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

"It is precisely because of this extreme opposition that, once the fusion succeeds, the power unleashed will be even more terrifying."

Huang Yan chuckled, his gaze confident.

"Besides, you felt the bloodline resonance just now, too. The key is not the ice and fire, but our shared 'Phoenix' bloodline."

Shui Bing'er hesitated for a moment; although she found it inconceivable, she still nodded.

"Then... how should we try?"

Huang Yan extended his right hand, palm facing upward.

"First, give me your hand. Release your Martial Soul and try to let our soul power converge; do not offer any resistance."

Shui Bing'er took a deep breath and gently placed her fair, icy-cold hand onto Huang Yan's broad, warm palm.

In an instant, two distinct streams of soul power—one ice, one fire—collided between their palms.

"Close your eyes and feel it with your heart."

Huang Yan guided her in a low voice while slowly stimulating the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul within him.

The dark red evil fire surged tentatively toward Shui Bing'er along their joined hands.

Shui Bing'er frowned slightly and let out a soft hum.

"Your flames... contain a very manic and sinister aura. It is trying to devour my soul power."

"That is the evil fire brought about by the defect in my Martial Soul."

Huang Yan gripped Shui Bing'er's hand tightly and said in a deep voice, "Don't be afraid. Try to wrap it with your Phoenix Ice, suppress it, and even... purify it!"

Shui Bing'er did not speak, but silently increased the output of her Ice Phoenix soul power.

A pure, ice-blue light spread along their joined hands, intertwining with the dark red evil fire.

At first, the two forces were still violently repelling each other.

But as two crisp phoenix cries rang out within them simultaneously, a miracle occurred.

Under the guidance of the Phoenix bloodline, the ice and fire actually formed a strange, balanced vortex.

And that manic evil fire, under the scouring of the Phoenix Ice, actually began to shed its impurities bit by bit, becoming pure!

A moment later, the two simultaneously severed their soul power connection and each took a half-step back.

Shui Bing'er panted slightly, a thin layer of sweat beading on her forehead.

"The soul power consumption is too fast... and the repulsive force is still very strong. I'm afraid it won't be that easy to truly execute a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

"But it at least proves that this path is viable, doesn't it?"

Huang Yan looked at the wisp of flame in his palm, which had become much purer, a flash of fanaticism in his eyes.

"Bing'er, your Ice Phoenix is practically tailor-made for me. Just now, the evil fire within me was suppressed significantly."

Shui Bing'er steadied her breathing and asked softly, "Then what should we do next?"

Huang Yan's lips curled into a meaningful arc as he leaned in a little closer:

"The beginning is always the hardest part. Since we've managed an initial fusion, the rest is just a matter of constant refinement."

"Starting from today, come to my room every night. We'll practice in private."

Shui Bing'er jerked her head up, a flicker of panic flashing through her ice-blue eyes:

"Go... go to your room?"

"What? Are you afraid I'll eat you?"

Watching Shui Bing'er's rare display of embarrassment, Huang Yan couldn't help but tease:

"Martial Soul Fusion requires absolute silence and focus, as well as an unreserved opening of one's heart. The training grounds are too crowded and chaotic; if we were interrupted and suffered a backlash of soul power, it could cost us our lives."

Shui Bing'er bit her red lip, avoiding Huang Yan's highly aggressive gaze, and replied in a low voice:

"...Alright, I understand."