Spirit Ice Domain

Lin Feng lay on his back on the remaining ice, his chest rising and falling slightly. He closed his eyes and let out a long breath.

All that exertion had taken a considerable toll on him.

Ling Luochen lay quietly on top of him, fully conscious now.

She could clearly feel the warmth beneath her and the intimate contact between them, with nothing separating their bodies.

Her cheeks burned, and her thoughts were a tangled mess. She didn't dare look up at Lin Feng's expression, so she buried her burning face even deeper in the crook of his neck.

Silence spread around them, broken only by their faint, mingling breaths.

"Senior Sister," Lin Feng finally spoke first, his voice tinged with apology. "About just now... I'm sorry. I..."

"It's fine. I said I'd bear the consequences myself. I won't blame you." Ling Luochen quickly cut him off. Her voice was muffled, but held no anger.

After saying this, she gently rested her burning cheek against Lin Feng's shoulder. She hesitated for a long while before asking in a very soft, almost inaudible voice:

"Then... do you think Senior Sister is good?"

"Of course you're wonderful. You..." Lin Feng answered without the slightest hesitation. Though exhausted, his voice was clear and certain.

"...Mm." Ling Luochen interrupted him with a quiet murmur. His satisfying answer eased the tension in her body.

At last, she pushed herself up a little. Her ice-blue eyes gazed at Lin Feng's face in the dim light.

After watching him for a while, she seemed to have finally confirmed something—or perhaps she was simply following her instincts. Newly a woman, she slowly bent down over him again... In the ice cavern, only their mingled body heat and pounding heartbeats remained.

Much later, Lin Feng finally helped Ling Luochen completely stabilize the nascent source of that wisp of Mystic Ice Spirit Flame.

Only then did they part reluctantly and quietly straighten their clothes.

Once their breathing had settled, they left the lakeside ice cavern where so much chaos and unexpected intimacy had unfolded, and returned to the quiet shore.

"Lin Feng, thank you."

Ling Luochen gently clasped Lin Feng's hand. Beneath the moonlight, her ice-blue eyes looked especially clear, brimming with sincere gratitude and a trace of emotion that had yet to fully subside.

"I really don't know how I could ever repay you... Not only did I successfully master this ice flame, but my Soul Power broke through, taking me straight from level fifty-five to the bottleneck at level sixty. And, even more unbelievably..." She paused, her eyes flashing with barely contained joy and astonishment. "I... awakened a Spirit Ice Domain. You know how rare and powerful domain skills are. They're on par with an Ultimate Martial Soul and rank among the highest level of control Soul Skills."

Her voice held a dreamlike wonder. What she had gained far exceeded her expectations.

"Then I really must congratulate you, Senior Sister." Lin Feng smiled, sharing his own gains as well. "I gained a lot too. My Soul Power rose from level forty-seven to level fifty, so I've stepped into the Soul King ranks. And while helping you stabilize the ice flame, I learned quite a bit about your methods for controlling ice. I gained the Spirit Ice Domain too."

"Even though you gained a great deal as well," Ling Luochen said, shaking her head with earnest resolve, her grip on his hand tightening slightly, "I'll always remember this enormous debt of gratitude. No matter when, if you ever need anything, you can come to me."

"Good." Lin Feng nodded, then continued, "I do have an idea. I plan to establish my own sect in the future, and I'd like to invite you to serve as an elder. I'll keep the specific details and plans under wraps for now, and tell you when the time is right."

"Good. I accept." Ling Luochen agreed readily, without the slightest hesitation.

Ling Luochen's Soul Power had now surged past that of Chen Zifeng and Gongyang Mo, both level fifty-nine, making her indisputably the third-ranked member of this generation of the Shrek Seven Devils.

With the source of the Mystic Ice Spirit Flame within her and control over the rare, powerful Spirit Ice Domain, once she acquired her Sixth Soul Ring and officially advanced to Soul Emperor, her true combat strength might well surpass that of Dai Yueheng, the current second-ranked Power Attack System Battle Soul Emperor.

"If you don't have anything else to do, Senior Sister, I'll head back and get some rest," Lin Feng said, feeling the new strength within him along with a faint weariness.

"Mm." Ling Luochen answered softly, her ice-blue eyes fixed on him as emotions churned within them. At last, they became a clear whisper: "Thank you again, Lin Feng."

As she spoke, she stepped forward, wrapped her arms gently around Lin Feng's neck, and gave him a brief but tight embrace.

Her breath carried its familiar coolness, but there was unmistakable warmth in her arms.

The embrace lasted a moment. Then, as if she had finally drawn enough courage or comfort from it, she slowly let go.

"Get some good rest. See you tomorrow." She stepped back half a pace, smiling.

Lin Feng nodded and turned to leave.

Beneath the moonlight, Ling Luochen stood quietly beside the lake, watching his figure recede into the distance. The Ice Lotus mark between her brows shimmered faintly in the darkness.

On the way, Lin Feng suddenly remembered that his Soul Power had reached level fifty—the minimum threshold Mu En had mentioned for visiting the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

The thought dispelled some of his fatigue.

He didn't return to the dormitory. Instead, he turned toward the academy's east gate and went straight to the little shop Tang Ya ran.

"Xiao Feng? It's been ages since you last came by." Tang Ya was sorting the accounts behind the counter. When she looked up and saw him, a warm smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Xiao Ya." Lin Feng walked up to the counter and skipped the pleasantries, going straight to the good news. "My Soul Power has reached level fifty."

"Level fifty?!" Tang Ya's hands paused. She looked up sharply, eyes wide with disbelief.

She remembered clearly that not long ago, Lin Feng had only been a Soul Ancestor. His rate of advancement was simply shocking. After struggling through hardship herself, she had only reached level forty-four.

After her brief astonishment, joy spread across her face, then turned into a hint of hidden sadness and worry.

He was improving so quickly, while she...

"That's wonderful!" Tang Ya pushed aside her complicated feelings and smiled sincerely.

"Mm." Lin Feng nodded, gazing at her with determination. "Once I've obtained my fifth Soul Ring, we'll set out. We'll go to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well and find the Blue Silver Emperor for you."

Tang Ya was slightly stunned.

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well... The Blue Silver Emperor...

Although the Darkness Power inside her had been eradicated, awakening the Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline was her greatest hope for growing stronger in the future.

"Xiao Feng... thank you." Tang Ya parted her lips. She had a thousand things to say, but in the end, all that came out was a quiet, choked whisper. Her eyes quickly reddened and grew warm.

"Don't cry," Lin Feng said, his voice growing gentler as he reached out and softly wiped away the moisture at the corner of her eye. "Our sect leader can't let people see her like this."

Tang Ya could hold back no longer. She stepped forward and threw herself into Lin Feng's arms, winding her arms tightly around his waist and back as she buried her face deep against his shoulder.