First Soul Skill, Extreme Cold Ice Blade

Li Jiuxuan's gaze sharpened. He didn't hesitate for a moment.

He lightly tapped the snow with his foot and darted forward. The pressure of the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul stirred faintly within him as he unleashed his Innate Full Soul Power without reservation.

The Frost Saber-Toothed Tiger lay in a pool of blood, its chest heaving violently. It was already at the end of its strength. Though its blood-red eyes still held a trace of ferocity, it could no longer struggle.

"Boom!"

A punch landed, crushing the Frost Saber-Toothed Tiger's skull inward.

Its skull shattered, blood sprayed, and it died for good.

Shui Bing'er lowered her hands, and the long ice sword dissolved into flecks of ice. Looking at Li Jiuxuan's back, she wore a hint of expectation in her eyes. "Steady your mind, guide your Soul Power, and draw the Soul Ring into your body."

Shui Yue'er and Xue Furong also held their breath, their gazes fixed on the enormous Soul Beast corpse.

A dark-yellow Soul Ring slowly rose from the Frost Saber-Toothed Tiger's body.

A fearsome, peerlessly sharp aura radiated from it, mingling with the chill. It was precisely the Power Attack attribute most compatible with the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul!

Li Jiuxuan took a deep breath and half-closed his eyes. Using his own Soul Power as a guide, he gently summoned the dark-yellow Soul Ring.

"Bzz!"

The Soul Ring stirred at his call, transformed into a streak of light, and settled firmly around his feet!

In an instant, wild yet pure ice-attribute Soul Power surged into his body like a bursting flood, coursing through every limb and bone. Bone-piercing cold and overwhelming power collided within him!

The Ice Dragon King Martial Soul roared inside him, actively devouring and digesting the foreign energy, making it his own.

He could clearly feel a new power awakening in his blood.

A Soul Skill perfectly attuned to ice, sharpness, and overwhelming Power Attack was taking shape in his mind.

Seeing this, Shui Bing'er couldn't help smiling softly.

"Success!"

The cold wind swept over the snowy ground. The Yellow Soul Ring stabilized around Li Jiuxuan, its light flowing as it merged with the faint aura of the Ice Dragon King emanating from him.

At that moment, he successfully broke through to become an eleventh-level Soul Master!

"Wow, Xiao Jiuxuan, what's your first Soul Skill?" Shui Yue'er chirped as she skipped over and circled him, her eyes shining with curiosity.

Li Jiuxuan's lips curled upward.

He raised one hand and pointed it diagonally toward the southern sky.

"First Soul Skill, Extreme Cold Ice Blade!"

In an instant, cold air and Soul Power gathered in the sky, forming a gigantic, dazzling dragon-patterned ice blade so cold it stung. It was about thirty meters across!

It stirred up wind and snow as icy power filled the air, driving the temperature all around them down another degree.

"Slash!"

Li Jiuxuan gave a soft shout, and the enormous dragon-patterned ice blade came crashing down. It cleaved through the howling snowstorm, leaving only a vast blue-white scar that stretched across the sky.

The dragon patterns shone along the blade, like an ancient Dragon King come to life. Bearing a ferocious might that could suppress all things, it slammed into the ground!

The thunderous crash shook the Far North Ice Plains. Ice and snow erupted, sending countless shards and waves of cold air surging skyward!

The hard, frozen earth was cleaved open, leaving a jagged fissure several meters deep.

After the dragon-patterned ice blade vanished, a wave of frigid air surged out, instantly freezing the trees on either side into crystal!

They seemed to have become eternal ice sculptures.

"What power!"

Even Shui Bing'er's cool, composed face showed astonishment. This dragon-patterned ice blade had cleaved through everything, and it even carried a freezing effect!

This Power Attack System skill even had the abilities of a Control System skill.

Some people had Twin Martial Souls. Did that make this a Twin Martial Soul Master?

It seemed no system could define Xiao Jiuxuan!

Shui Yue'er and Xue Furong were just as astonished. The Power Attack ability of the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul was truly formidable, and, more importantly, it was accompanied by terrifying control abilities.

Even Shui Bing'er's top-grade Beast Martial Soul, the Ice Phoenix, seemed less dazzling than the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul.

If Xiao Jiuxuan reached the Titled Douluo rank one day, the title of Number One Beast Martial Soul would surely change hands.

No wonder the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect was so intent on claiming him. His innate talent and bloodline were unbelievably powerful!

"Even the strongest young generation in Spirit Hall can't compare to Xiao Jiuxuan, if you ask me."

Shui Yue'er's eyes gleamed brightly. She stepped forward and patted Li Jiuxuan on the shoulder, clearly believing in the young boy.

"Keep cultivating hard."

Shui Bing'er thought so too. She wondered whether Li Jiuxuan would be able to compete in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament three years from now.

But he would only be nine then.

And he would also have to enroll at an academy. Judging by their teacher Shui Yuerong's attitude, Skywater Academy would never admit male students. Who knew which lucky academy would claim this prize in the future?

"I will, Sister!"

"Let's go, back to Skywater." Shui Bing'er smiled and held out her hand to Li Jiuxuan.

Li Jiuxuan went around Shui Yue'er and caught up with Shui Bing'er, walking beside her.

Shui Yue'er was taken aback. Seeing them walking so close together, she puffed out her cheeks. "Wait for me! Xiao Jiuxuan, I'll hold your other hand!"

Before Li Jiuxuan could ask what she meant, she firmly took his free hand.

And so, beneath the falling snow,

two big sisters led a little boy by the hand as they strolled through the sunset's afterglow.

Xue Furong had worn an expressionless face throughout the journey.

But now, watching the three of them walk together in such warmth, she somehow felt the corner of her mouth lift ever so slightly.

The four of them walked back toward Skywater Academy. They had found a Soul Ring without much trouble that day and hadn't encountered any high-level Soul Beasts causing trouble.

Besides, most people wouldn't pick a fight with anyone wearing Skywater Academy's uniform.

Skywater Academy fiercely protected its own, and every girl there was under the protection of the dean, Shui Yuerong.

If anyone laid a hand on them, they'd have to consider whether they could bear the wrath of an eighty-sixth-level Soul Douluo.

After leaving the Frozen Forest, they soon reached the snowy wilderness outside Skywater City.

The temperature and snowstorms here weren't as terrifying as those in the Frozen Forest.

But cold winds sometimes swept through, and many trees were laden with snow and ice, blocking their view and obscuring their sense of direction.

"Wait!"

As they passed through a stretch of snowy woods, Li Jiuxuan sensed something was wrong. The previously gentle snowfall had suddenly turned wild and violent.

"What is it?"

Shui Yue'er asked.

"Someone's out there..."

It was Shui Bing'er's voice.

She let go of Li Jiuxuan's hand and shielded the others behind her, beginning to summon her Soul Power.

Shui Yue'er focused her mind and looked ahead. Soon, she spotted them too—there really was someone there!

Among the snowy trees, three figures wreathed in fierce lightning suddenly leaped down from the branches, scattering the accumulated snow.

The moment they landed, the thick snowpack caved in with a crash. Purple-blue lightning crackled over their bodies, completely blocking the forest path.

There were three of them, all dressed in purple-blue sect robes.

The leader was a middle-aged man with an arrogant expression, his brows radiating an innate air of dominance and contempt.

His gaze swept over them and locked directly onto Li Jiuxuan, whom Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er were shielding between them.

"Found you, the boy with the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul..."