Hundred-Thousand-Year External Soul Bone

Shui Bing'er carefully sensed it, and information about this soul skill naturally surfaced in her mind.

It was a skill that combined control and offense, with mental restraint and freezing effects.

"Mm, I felt that too. It's an incredibly powerful soul skill."

"As a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, I can grant you two soul ring skills, as well as a hidden skill—Heart of the Phoenix. It is a boosting skill that can increase all your attributes fivefold when activated. However, at present, it can only be used when I take your place."

Shui Bing'er nodded repeatedly, both startled and delighted.

This soul skill sounded even more powerful.

Xu Feng continued:

"You should have sensed the soul bone too, right?"

With a thought from Shui Bing'er, she felt a strange warmth around her shoulder blades, as though something were quietly growing there.

"A pair of wings?"

"That's right—the Wings of the Phoenix. A genuine Hundred-Thousand-Year External Soul Bone. It is currently in a dormant state, but you can release it whenever you need it."

Shui Bing'er carefully sensed it.

External Soul Bones differed from ordinary soul bones. They could evolve alongside a soul master's growth and possessed an extremely high potential ceiling.

And this pair of External Soul Bones was already a powerful existence at the Hundred-Thousand-Year level.

Originally, after Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix Martial Soul Possession, she could fly at low altitudes, but it consumed a great deal of Soul Power and could not be sustained for long.

Now, with this pair of Hundred-Thousand-Year External Soul Bones, she could not only soar freely through the skies, but also maintain a state of low Soul Power consumption.

Moreover, this pair of External Soul Bones granted her two powerful soul skills.

One was an offensive skill: Thousand Ice Phoenix Feathers.

When activated, the feathers on the wings could transform into countless ice blades, dealing area-of-effect damage to groups of enemies. They could also condense into feather blades for more powerful single-target attacks.

The other was a defensive skill: Phoenix Wing Armor.

When activated, the wings wrapped around her entire body and transformed into ice crystal armor, capable of blocking soul skill attacks below the Hundred-Thousand-Year level. It also came with an ice-feather explosion counterattack effect.

Shui Bing'er felt dizzy.

A Hundred-Thousand-Year soul ring, a Hundred-Thousand-Year External Soul Bone, and the soul of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast fused with her Martial Soul in symbiosis...

All of it felt like a dream.

"Bing'er."

Xu Feng's voice pulled Shui Bing'er from her shock.

"Remember, don't tell anyone about my sacrifice to you for now, except your grandfather."

"Alright, I understand."

Shui Bing'er understood Xu Feng's concerns.

This state of integrated symbiosis was far too special.

If word got out, it would likely cause unforeseen trouble.

"Your grandfather has been waiting outside for a long time. He must be worried about you. Go quickly."

"Mm."

Shui Bing'er's consciousness slowly withdrew from the Ice Field Illusion.

In the valley, the morning light gradually brightened.

The ice crystals on Shui Bing'er's eyelashes melted, turning into tiny droplets that slid down.

She slowly opened her eyes.

Her eyes, already as clear as icy lakes, had become even deeper now, faintly shimmering with an icy blue radiance.

The invisible barrier vanished instantly.

"Bing'er! How are you? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? How do you feel?"

Leng Jun rushed to Shui Bing'er's side almost instantly.

He fired off a string of questions, his hands trembling as he held her shoulders and carefully examined her from head to toe.

Shui Bing'er broke into a smile.

"Grandfather, I'm fine."

Leng Jun carefully sensed her condition and discovered that his granddaughter's aura was indeed steady and powerful. Her Soul Power had clearly increased, yet there was none of the instability that came from a sudden surge in strength.

The weight in his heart finally lifted.

"Then what about Senior Ice Phoenix? Did he really become your third soul ring?"

"Mm, the sacrifice went smoothly."

As Shui Bing'er spoke, she stood up and moved her body a little.

She could feel the immense power flowing through her body, yet she controlled it with ease and felt no discomfort whatsoever.

"Grandfather, I feel so much stronger. Senior Ice Phoenix's sacrifice went smoothly, but it restrained its Soul Power. So my third Soul Ring is still at the thousand-year level, and I gained a powerful soul skill: Eye of the Ice Phoenix."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shui Bing'er could not help but release her martial soul.

The Ice Crystal Phoenix was still like a phantom, but it had become more solid than before, and the aura it gave off was far more powerful.

Yellow, yellow, purple—three Soul Rings rose from beneath Shui Bing'er's feet in sequence.

As the third Soul Ring suddenly lit up, an icy blue mark appeared on Shui Bing'er's forehead.

She could clearly sense that everything within her line of sight had become much clearer.

The tremendous increase in strength made Shui Bing'er appear even more confident.

Seeing Shui Bing'er like this, Leng Jun's eyes were full of gratification.

A thousand-year third ring would keep Shui Bing'er from revealing her strength too early and bearing enormous pressure.

"Good! Good! Good! Bing'er, your Ice Phoenix seems even more powerful than my martial soul."

"Grandfather, Senior Ice Phoenix's sacrifice caused my martial soul to evolve."

"No wonder. This is the Eye of the Ice Phoenix, isn't it?"

Leng Jun pointed at Shui Bing'er's forehead.

"Yes, Grandfather. It is a skill that combines control and attack, with mental restriction and freezing effects."

"Truly marvelous! This soul skill suits you perfectly."

"There's something even more impressive."

Shui Bing'er was a little excited.

She focused her mind, wanting to try out the External Soul Bone she had just obtained.

As Soul Power surged, a pair of translucent icy blue feathered wings slowly spread from her back.

The wings were not large, with a wingspan of around three meters. They were entirely formed from clear, crystalline ice and refracted rainbow-colored light in the morning sun.

"This is... an External Soul Bone?"

Leng Jun's eyes widened.

Every Soul Bone was extraordinarily rare, a priceless treasure.

Countless Soul Masters went their entire lives without obtaining a single Soul Bone, including many powerful Title Douluo.

Leng Jun had once hunted an ice-attributed soul beast with fifty thousand years of cultivation. He had been fortunate enough to obtain a left leg bone.

Shui Bing'er's pair of Soul Bones was clearly not from an ordinary body part.

The Soul Bones most likely to come from an Ice Phoenix were the skull and wings.

With these wings, Shui Bing'er would gain the ability to fight at high altitude, giving her a clear advantage in the air.

Moreover, External Soul Bones possessed immense potential. They could evolve as a Soul Master's strength increased, and their upper limit was exceptionally high.

"Grandfather, these are the Wings of the Phoenix. Let me show you."

Shui Bing'er controlled her wings and gave them a gentle flap. Her body slowly lifted off the ground and flew upward.

"Bing'er, be careful."

Watching his granddaughter fly through the air, Leng Jun's eyes suddenly grew moist.

"Daughter, do you see?"

"Bing'er... has encountered an incredible opportunity. She is growing stronger, growing up. She will be able to protect herself..."

At last, Shui Bing'er experienced what it felt like to soar through the sky.

The endless glacier stretched out beneath her gaze.

Everything on the ground looked so tiny.

After flying for a while, Shui Bing'er returned to the ground and folded away her wings.

"Grandfather, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

Leng Jun wiped his eyes and revealed a gratified smile.

"Grandfather is just too happy. Tell me, what other changes have you experienced?"

"So many! This External Soul Bone gave me two powerful skills. Come on, let's talk as we walk."

"Alright."

Shui Bing'er linked her arm through her grandfather's and walked toward the valley entrance...