Parry?

(This chapter came out early because I have something to do tonight, and I don't quite trust the scheduled posting.)

Early the next morning, Qian Daoliu took Lin Huai to the Soul Beast Forest.

They picked a Slime that was over seven thousand years old.

They returned to Spirit Hall at noon.

That afternoon, Tian Yue was curious about Lin Huai's Second Soul Skill.

Lin Huai, however, wore a strange expression. He hadn't expected his Second Soul Skill to be this one, either.

"Let's just have a match. You can get a good feel for it."

Tian Yue immediately took a step back, her face full of suspicion.

"You want to beat me up?"

"Of course not. I'll only use my Second Soul Skill and no others."

Hearing that, Tian Yue was eager to give it a try.

She immediately used Martial Soul Possession and charged at him with a Soul Skill.

After using Martial Soul Possession, Lin Huai stood perfectly still.

Just as Tian Yue's fist came flying at him, his Second Soul Ring lit up.

The Prosthetic Blade in Lin Huai's right hand traced a strange arc.

Clang!

Tian Yue felt herself gently pushed aside. She froze for a moment.

Lin Huai had already brought his blade to her throat.

After he lowered it, Tian Yue looked bewildered.

"What just happened?"

"My Second Soul Skill is called—Highest Good is Like Water. It can deflect all physical attacks."

Tian Yue had definitely felt her fist being pushed aside.

But it seemed like more than just that.

"No, it wasn't just deflected."

Qian Daoliu chimed in.

"Yue'er is right. After deflecting a physical attack that hasn't been released, Xiao Huai's Second Soul Skill creates a trace of pressure that affects the attacker."

"Even I would lose focus for a moment under that pressure."

"So this Soul Skill isn't just a defensive skill. It can also be considered a powerful control skill."

Tian Yue stared at Qian Daoliu and murmured,

"If even Grandpa Qian can be controlled, doesn't that make him invincible?"

Qian Daoliu patted Tian Yue on the head.

"Not quite. If your opponent reacts faster than Xiao Huai, then the control effect might as well not exist."

"Besides, you can use attacks that are launched from a distance, or close-range attacks imbued with an element."

"As long as Xiao Huai can't withstand the elemental splash damage, he won't choose to use his Second Soul Skill."

After thinking it over, Qiangu Yichen spoke.

"Although that's true in theory, pulling it off would still be difficult."

"Against an opponent of the same rank, the best counter is still long-range elemental attacks."

Kuang Zhan said helplessly,

"But if they're the same rank and don't have strong control skills, then normally they can't even hit Xiao Huai!"

Qian Renxue, who had been watching from the side, looked intrigued too.

"So, in a fight against someone of the same rank or even a higher rank, Xiao Huai is invincible?"

"Xiao Huai, want to try a match with me?"

Lin Huai was also surprised that his Second Soul Skill had given him the divine ability to parry.

Only after talking with Malenia had he learned that his Second Soul Skill was originally supposed to be Waterfowl Dance.

But she'd noticed that Lin Huai had his own insights into the Flowing Water Sword Technique, different from hers, so she hadn't passed on the sword technique shaped by her own understanding.

"Sure, but I'll have to use my Martial Soul!"

Qian Daoliu wanted to see his granddaughter's fighting ability too, so he looked at Lin Huai.

"That's fine, but only your Martial Soul can enter the fight. You can watch from the sidelines."

Lin Huai summoned Malenia, then went to stand beside Tian Yue.

Malenia pointed her blade toward the lower right and took up a stance.

Qian Renxue used Martial Soul Possession, then lit up her Fourth and First Soul Rings in succession.

"Holy Light Amplification!"

"Angel Assault!"

After using her Fourth Soul Skill to strengthen herself, a golden shield appeared over her right fist.

With the acceleration from Angel Assault, she charged straight at Malenia.

Qian Daoliu wanted to cover his eyes with his hand. He'd forgotten to tell Xiao Xue that this Martial Soul had terrifying combat instincts.

Just as the golden shield on Qian Renxue's right hand was about to hit Malenia—

Clang!

The scene was exactly the same as before.

Only this time, Tian Yue had been replaced by Qian Renxue,

and Lin Huai by Malenia.

Qian Renxue's brows lifted slightly. She hesitated as she said,

"Isn't that Xiao Huai's Soul Skill? Even if she can use it too, Xiao Huai didn't even release a Soul Ring!"

Lin Huai brought a fist to his mouth.

"Ahem—"

"Let me explain. My Soul Skills come from Malenia."

"So whatever I can do, she can do too, and whatever I can't do, she can. She just needs to use up my Soul Power."

Qian Renxue looked at the tall beauty holding a blade, then at the mutated Eight-Winged Blazing Light Holy Angel behind her.

For a moment, she couldn't even tell which one was the god-level Martial Soul.

She murmured,

"This Martial Soul is ridiculous!"

Lin Huai smiled slightly, wanting Qian Renxue to try Waterfowl Dance.

"Sister Xiao Xue, want to try again?"

Qian Renxue snapped out of it and glared fiercely at Lin Huai.

"Come on. This time I'm ready."

Qian Renxue lit up her Second, Fourth, and Fifth Soul Rings all at once.

An illusory Angel Holy Sword appeared in her hand, and a golden barrier surrounded her.

Malenia leapt on one foot like a waterfowl, then flashed to a spot right in front of Qian Renxue.

She followed with four consecutive slashes at incredible speed.

Qian Renxue's barrier shattered after the first hit. She managed to block only one of the next three slashes with the Angel Holy Sword from her Fifth Soul Skill. The remaining two struck her.

Of course, Lin Huai had given the signal, so the cuts only opened shallow wounds.

Taking advantage of the pause after the four slashes, Qian Renxue hurriedly used Angel Assault to escape Malenia's attack range.

Malenia lunged forward again, closed in on Qian Renxue, and struck twice more,

hitting her right in the back.

Qian Renxue didn't even have time to wonder why Malenia, who was clearly still in the middle of a follow-up move, could suddenly rush over to her.

The third phase of Waterfowl Dance began.

Qian Daoliu shook his head. It seemed he'd have to send Xiao Xue to the Sun Moon Continent to train her combat instincts.

He lit up a black Soul Ring, and a Holy Light barrier appeared behind Qian Renxue.

All three strikes of the third phase, along with a blade of energy, landed on the barrier.

Lin Huai could barely keep the corners of his mouth from lifting.

That's it! Just like that.

Waterfowl Dance has no soul unless you're dodging in a panic!

Qian Daoliu looked at Lin Huai, signaling him to take out the medicine Yue Guan had given him.

Lin Huai hurriedly recalled Malenia and took out a glass bottle.

He jogged over to Qian Renxue.

He poured the milky-white liquid over her wounds.

Looking at Qian Renxue's tattered clothes and the lovely sight of the milky-white liquid he'd smeared over her,

Lin Huai stared blankly for a moment.

So alike. They were so alike!

As expected of a medicine specially prepared by Yue Guan. After a moment, the liquid turned clear, and only tiny cuts remained on Qian Renxue's skin.

"Don't worry, Sister Xiao Xue. There won't be a single mark left by tomorrow."

Qian Renxue didn't respond at all. She stood rooted to the spot, dazed.

Qian Daoliu said to Lin Huai and the others,

"Spend the rest of your time looking around. Consider it half a day off. We'll continue training tomorrow."

Then he swept Qian Renxue away with him.

Lin Huai could still see Qian Renxue's dazed expression in his mind.

Looks like Qian Daoliu still had to help Qian Renxue process what had happened.

"Let's go. I haven't had a proper look around Spirit City yet."

They left the training ground.

Tian Yue asked,

"Xiao Huai, what skill did Malenia use just now?"

"Waterfowl Dance!"