"Is something the matter?"
The gentle intimacy that had been on Shui Bing'er's face vanished the moment she saw who had arrived.
She stopped, still holding Li Jiuxuan's hand, and looked coolly at the group of students from Blazing Fire Academy and Godwind Academy.
Feng Xiaotian gave a slight nod. The humble manner he had shown while chasing after Huo Wu had completely faded, replaced by the confidence and sharpness of someone who looked down on his peers.
"I've long admired the name of Shui Bing'er, the Skywater Sect's chief disciple. I also know you're the strongest among the younger generation in the sect. I, Feng Xiaotian, would like to challenge you to a fair one-on-one spar."
As soon as he said this, the Godwind and Blazing Fire students behind him erupted into hushed chatter, every gaze fixed on the two of them.
Huo Wu in particular watched Feng Xiaotian and Shui Bing'er with a cold sneer. She was Blazing Fire Academy's top genius, and her fiery, competitive nature made her exceptionally eager to win.
In her eyes, she had just as much confidence as Feng Xiaotian and Shui Bing'er, those two prodigies. So she regarded their impending duel with a measure of scrutiny.
Feng Xiaotian paused, then continued in a steady voice full of confidence. "I mean no offense. I simply want to test my strength against a powerful opponent. If Chief Shui agrees, we can stop as soon as one of us lands a hit, without damaging our relationship."
At his words, not even a ripple stirred in Shui Bing'er's cool eyes. She glanced down at Li Jiuxuan, whose hand she was holding, then looked up. "Sorry, I don't have time right now. I have to go back and cook for my younger brother."
Her words left everyone stunned for a moment.
Younger brother?
Then they all looked at Li Jiuxuan.
The child, whose face still held a hint of childishness, wore the same cool, emotionless expression as Shui Bing'er. And he was dressed in clothes in the same colors as those of the Skywater Sect.
It was quite a surprise.
After all, their chief disciple was a peerless beauty with skin like ice and bones like jade, an air of elegance, and even a hint of aloof pride. Yet she was going to cook for a boy?
...Li Jiuxuan was just as stunned.
Feng Xiaotian wanted to fight Shui Bing'er?
"..."
Shui Bing'er now had the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow as her foundation, and her ice attribute had reached its ultimate limit.
That aside, whatever transformations the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow had brought to Shui Bing'er's Martial Soul and body—
Her Soul Power alone had already reached level forty-one.
A twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor with the Ultimate Ice attribute.
Feng Xiaotian, even if you let your Gale Demon Wolf's Consecutive Slash hit a hundred and eighty times,
it still wouldn't withstand even a moment of the Extreme Cold Domain...
"May I ask if this young brother is a guest visiting the Skywater Sect?"
Feng Xiaotian asked politely, a refined smile on his face.
The Skywater Sect's reputation had been rising, and many powerful figures on friendly terms with the sect sent their descendants there to visit and study.
Some of the children of Soul Douluo could even stay at the Skywater Sect temporarily as guests.
"His name is Li Jiuxuan. He's my younger brother, not a guest."
Shui Bing'er immediately corrected Feng Xiaotian's description of Li Jiuxuan.
"Not a guest?"
Feng Xiaotian was taken aback. Could he be her biological younger brother?
But he had never heard anything of the sort.
All he had heard was that she and Shui Yue'er were sisters.
Where had this younger brother come from?
Even the students from Godwind and Blazing Fire Academies behind him grew increasingly curious about Li Jiuxuan.
But just as Feng Xiaotian was about to press further, Li Jiuxuan suddenly asked, "Senior Brother Feng, what level is your Soul Power now?"
His childish voice rang clearly across the plaza, making Feng Xiaotian set aside his doubts for the moment.
He gave a light laugh, his tone relaxed and self-assured. "I'm level thirty-four now, an agility-attack-type Battle Soul Ancestor!"
And it wasn't just Feng Xiaotian.
All the students from the two academies behind him, apart from Huo Wu, wore looks of admiration.
Among their generation, his talent was outstanding. He had initially possessed Innate Full Soul Power, after all.
His innate Soul Power had even been one level higher than Shui Bing'er's!
But when Shui Bing'er and Li Jiuxuan heard this, they both fell silent.
"..."
Shui Bing'er took Li Jiuxuan's hand and started to leave. "Sorry, I don't have time today. My younger brother's hungry. If you want to fight, come back tomorrow."
Feng Xiaotian's expression turned serious. He darted forward and blocked their way again. His tone was still polite, but his stance was unyielding. "Chief Shui, I won't take up much of your time. It's just a normal spar between people of the same generation, and we'll stop as soon as one of us lands a hit. But if you keep avoiding me, the students from our two academies may think the Skywater Sect's chief disciple doesn't even dare accept a challenge—and that you might not be as impressive as the rumors say..."
At this, the students behind him exchanged knowing looks and whispered among themselves. Even Huo Wu crossed her arms and watched Shui Bing'er with disdain.
A sect's prodigy stood beneath everyone's gaze. Someone in her position couldn't simply keep avoiding challenges. After all, who wouldn't want to see just how strong they were?
Shui Bing'er's eyes darkened, but Li Jiuxuan gently slipped his hand free from hers and stepped forward. Looking at Feng Xiaotian, he said, "How about this? I'll trade a few moves with Senior Brother Feng first. If you win, you can challenge my sister afterward."
As soon as Li Jiuxuan finished speaking, the plaza at the Skywater Sect's front gate fell silent for a moment. Everyone turned to look at him.
A child who looked barely a hundred and thirty-five centimeters tall, and only six or seven years old, was actually offering to fight in Shui Bing'er's place—to face Feng Xiaotian, a level-thirty-four agility-attack-type Battle Soul Elder?
It was like throwing an egg against a rock.
"Little brother, do you understand the difference in levels between Soul Masters? I'm already a level-thirty-four Soul Elder. You're still so young. If I make a move, I'm afraid I might hurt you."
Feng Xiaotian shook his head with a faint smile.
He didn't seem contemptuous. He simply thought Li Jiuxuan was too young and didn't understand how things worked.
"That's all right. It's only a spar, and we'll stop as soon as one of us lands a hit. Besides, I've already reached the Soul Grandmaster level. Just think of it as asking Senior Brother Feng for a few pointers." Li Jiuxuan smiled.
"A Soul Grandmaster?"
At those words, everyone froze for a moment.
If this boy had reached the Soul Grandmaster level at such a young age, he could be considered one of the very best geniuses.
But he was still so young, and there was a gap between their levels. No matter what, he didn't seem like a match for Feng Xiaotian.
Shui Bing'er looked at Li Jiuxuan too, but she only tilted her head slightly at her little brother, her expression faintly puzzled.
Li Jiuxuan just grinned and nodded.
He figured that since Feng Xiaotian was so persistent, he might as well accept the challenge. He couldn't let them look down on the Skywater Sect.
Besides, his hands were itching...
Training was training; actual combat was actual combat!
True peak strength could never be forged through training alone.
Shui Bing'er sighed helplessly in her heart, then looked up at Feng Xiaotian. "Very well. If you defeat Xiao Jiuxuan today, I'll fight you."
At this, Feng Xiaotian immediately brightened.
"Do you mean it?"
Shui Bing'er nodded. "If you can win, I won't refuse."
Feng Xiaotian immediately changed his tune and invited Li Jiuxuan to fight. "All right, little brother. Come and fight me!"
Now that Shui Bing'er had relented, what reason was there to refuse?
As long as he, Feng Xiaotian, defeated Shui Bing'er, Huo Wu would be his woman!
Before you continue