Did That Count as an Indirect Hug?

The moment he finished speaking, under Ling Yun's control, green vines burst from the arena, surrounding Shui Bing'er and the other six girls. Some had even begun to coil around the girls' calves.

It was a shame the Divine Wood Ape couldn't share its sense of touch with its vines. Otherwise, feeling up the girls' calves would probably have felt pretty good to Ling Yun...

"So you're not purely a fire-type Soul Master, and you can even turn into a monkey. Is that a Soul Skill similar to Martial Soul Avatar?"

Though surrounded by vines, Shui Bing'er remained perfectly calm. She merely spoke in an even tone.

"Yue'er, use your third Soul Skill and tear these vines apart!"

"No problem."

Though Shui Yue'er was rather carefree, there was no denying she was a genius. At just twelve years old, her Soul Power had already reached level thirty-two.

The third Soul Ring beneath her feet shimmered faintly. Then a chill suddenly spread out from her, engulfing the entire arena.

"Third Soul Skill: Extreme Cold Tornado!"

In an instant, Shui Yue'er parted her lips and exhaled a bone-chilling storm of ice. It swept in every direction, freezing Ling Yun's vines solid.

She exerted a little force, and the vines shattered into pieces in the blink of an eye.

"You destroyed my vines that easily!"

Ling Yun frowned slightly. He hadn't taken the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass yet, so the vines he created couldn't withstand ice and fire.

Looks like I need to get my hands on the Immortal Herbs at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well as soon as possible, Ling Yun thought.

At the same time, Shui Bing'er called out, "Sisters, together! Let's eliminate that Soul Master named Ling Yun first."

"Understood!"

At Shui Bing'er's command, everyone except Xue Wu surged forward, charging straight at Ling Yun.

"Heh, if you want to eliminate Ling Yun, you'll have to ask whether my brother and I agree first. Huo Yun, Huo Yu, remember to cover us!"

"Understood!"

In a flash, Huo Yun and Huo Yu leaped into the air. Their Soul Rings glimmered beneath them, and they spat out blazing fireballs that shot toward the female Soul Masters from Skywater Academy.

Yet faced with the fireballs raining down from above, Shui Yue'er and the others showed no fear. They pressed on, charging at Ling Yun without hesitation.

Shui Bing'er's lips curled into a smile. "Shooting fireballs? A mere parlor trick. Second Soul Skill: Ice Ring Armor!"

Suddenly, Shui Bing'er activated her Soul Skill. Blue light flashed in her hands as she fired one icy-blue orb after another, striking Shui Yue'er and the others.

As the orbs entered their bodies, a layer of sturdy ice armor appeared over each of them.

When Huo Yun and Huo Yu's fireballs hit the armor, the flames were extinguished at once. Meanwhile, Ling Yun was completely surrounded by the five female Soul Masters.

Just as Shui Yue'er and the others rushed forward, Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang suddenly joined the fray. The hot-tempered Huo Wu threw a punch at Shui Yue'er, and the Soul Ring beneath her feet flashed.

"First Soul Skill: Flame Fist!"

Flames surged, whipping up a wave of heat, as Huo Wu's scorching punch shot straight at Shui Yue'er.

After three months of training, Huo Wu's Soul Power had now reached level thirty-nine. Just how scorching was her punch?

The mere gust from it made Shui Yue'er feel as though she were about to be roasted. She was just preparing to retreat when a curvaceous figure appeared in front of her.

"Giggle, don't be afraid, little Seventh! Your big sister's here. Second Soul Skill: Cold Water Body Protection!"

"Sister Hairou!" Shui Yue'er cried out in surprise.

The newcomer was named Yu Hairou. Her Martial Soul was a Coral Barracuda, and she was a level-thirty-eight Power Attack System Battle Soul Elder. Her strength was hardly inferior to Huo Wushuang's.

At Skywater Academy, only Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu were more advanced than her.

Yu Hairou activated her Soul Skill, and icy Soul Power surged from her body, forming a shield of cold water.

Though her cultivation was inferior to Huo Wu's, water overcame fire, and Yu Hairou easily withstood Huo Wu's attack. The two began to fight, locked in a stalemate.

Huo Wushuang held off two of the weaker Soul Masters, but Shui Yue'er and another Soul Master named Shen Liuyu charged at Ling Yun.

Shui Yue'er giggled. "Classmate Ling Yun, be careful. Your big sister here is really strong!"

"Funny, I'm not weak either!"

Ling Yun's lips curled upward. Power of Wood Spirit poured out of him, turning into slender thorny vines that whipped toward Shui Yue'er and Shen Liuyu.

"Power of Wood Spirit: Thorn Lash!"

"It's no use. Third Soul Skill: Extreme Cold Tornado!"

Shui Yue'er used her third Soul Skill again, freezing the oncoming vines solid.

But Ling Yun didn't mind. His only goal was to slow the two of them down long enough to transform into the Flame Crane. He gave a low shout.

"Five Spirits Power, transform!"

His second Soul Ring lit up. In an instant, the Divine Wood Ape vanished, replaced by the mighty figure of the Flame Crane.

After transforming into the Flame Crane, Ling Yun shot into the sky and released a scorching pressure of Soul Power, keeping Shui Yue'er from approaching.

They were both cranes, but the Flame Crane Ling Yun had transformed into was far more powerful than the Fire Crane Martial Souls of the Huo brothers.

"Heh, so you finally used a fire-type Soul Skill?" Shui Bing'er said with a light laugh. How could he join Blazing Academy without any fire abilities?

At the same time, Ling Yun called to Huo Qingyang, "Senior Qingyang, could you boost my power?"

"No problem!" Huo Qingyang grinned and activated his Soul Skill. The Fire Star Martial Soul in his hand glimmered faintly.

"Third Soul Skill: Flame Amplification!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a streak of red light entered Ling Yun's body. In an instant, Ling Yun felt his fire power rise by thirty percent, allowing him to breathe even hotter flames.

"Fire Spirit Power!"

Ling Yun spewed out a torrent of flames that shot toward the people from Skywater Academy like a fire dragon.

Boosted by Huo Qingyang, his flames were searing hot. The female Soul Masters couldn't withstand them and retreated one after another, while the Ice Ring Armor on their bodies gradually melted.

Seeing this, Shui Bing'er frowned and thought, This won't do. Looks like I'll have to step in.

In the blink of an eye, Shui Bing'er soared into the sky, unleashing an Extreme Cold Storm as she charged straight at Ling Yun.

With her top-grade Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, Shui Bing'er could release icy chill with ease even without using a Soul Skill.

"Just what I wanted!"

Shui Bing'er came at him fiercely, but Ling Yun didn't retreat. Instead, he charged forward, his wings blazing as he flew toward her.

Boom!

In an instant, ice and fire collided fiercely in midair, letting out a piercing boom. For a time, the two fought to a standstill.

Seeing this, Huo Yun said at once, "Little brother, let's go help Ling Yun. Once we defeat Shui Bing'er, we're sure to win!"

"Okay!" The two of them flew toward Shui Bing'er.

But Shui Bing'er merely sneered. "Naive. First Soul Skill: Ice Seal!"

She used her Soul Skill, and in an instant, the two men were frozen into ice statues and dropped from the sky.

"Senior brothers, go deal with the others. I'll handle Senior Shui Bing'er."

As he spoke, Ling Yun ignited the fire within him and charged toward Shui Bing'er at full speed.

"Flame Crane's ultimate move: Fire Crane Sky Fall!"

"Bring it on! Third Soul Skill: Resist Light!"

At the same time, Shui Bing'er charged toward Ling Yun, wrapped in biting cold.

Watching the two collide in midair, Shui Yue'er suddenly had a daring thought.

If they're doing that... did that count as an indirect hug?