Fire Li Strikes, the Qilin Treads the Heavens

"An Ice Jade Scorpion?" Huo Wu asked in surprise. "Little brother Ling Yun, do you know what kind of Soul Beast it is?"

"That's right. The Ice Jade Scorpion is a top-tier ice-attribute Soul Beast that lives in the Extreme North. Judging by its icy-blue tail, it's probably over thirty thousand years old.

I never expected to run into one here. It was probably drawn over by the sounds of our fight!"

"This Ice Jade Scorpion might have wandered from the Extreme North to the Ice Seal Forest. After all, this place isn't too far from the Extreme North."

Shui Bing'er spoke up as well. Just then, her pretty face suddenly turned red, and she said bashfully, "That reminds me, Ling Yun, could you get off me first?"

To stop the Ice Jade Scorpion from sneaking up on Shui Bing'er, Ling Yun had instinctively pinned her firmly to the ground with his large hand.

Although he was a little younger than Shui Bing'er, Ling Yun had taken thousand-year-old Whale Rubber. Even without using his Martial Soul, he was much stronger than she was.

Realizing what he was doing, Ling Yun awkwardly scrambled off her.

"Sorry, Bing'er. I was afraid that Ice Jade Scorpion would sneak up on you, so I..."

"It's all right. I don't blame you."

Shui Bing'er shook her head, her face flushed with embarrassment, then asked, "Anyway, what should we do now?"

"Heh, what else? Fight it, of course!" Ling Yun laughed, a hint of madness in his eyes.

"This beast is over thirty thousand years old. It's just right for my fifth Soul Ring!"

He did want to absorb a water-attribute Soul Ring, but ice and water were closely related. An ice-attribute Soul Ring would do in a pinch, especially since the Ice Seal Deer could also control ice.

As he spoke, Ling Yun had already summoned the Five Spirit Lock and was about to charge into battle with the Ice Jade Scorpion. But then Huo Li, standing behind them, spoke up.

"That won't work. Don't forget, Yue'er is still absorbing her Soul Ring. This Ice Jade Scorpion is a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. If you fight it, you'll inevitably get dragged into a prolonged battle. The commotion would be too great and would only disturb Yue'er."

Ling Yun thought he had a point. He was just about to ask what they should do when Huo Li spoke again.

"So I'll handle the Ice Jade Scorpion. I'll wound it as quickly as I can, and you, Ling Yun, just need to deliver the finishing blow. Also..."

Huo Li looked at Shui Qingyue and continued, "Qingyue, little sister, protect your daughter. Don't let the shock waves from the battle reach her."

Shui Qingyue nodded. "I understand, Big Brother Huo Li. I'll leave everything to you."

"Heh, a thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast won't be the death of me. Fire Qilin, Martial Soul Possession!"

Huo Li circulated his Soul Power and gave a low shout. A phantom qilin wreathed in blazing flames appeared behind him. It was his Martial Soul—the Fire Qilin!

Like the Fire Shadow and the One-Horned Fire Tyrant Dragon, it was a top-tier fire-attribute Martial Soul!

As soon as he released his Martial Soul, a wave of scorching heat swept toward the Ice Jade Scorpion, and the Soul pressure of a Soul Douluo descended in an instant.

"Whoosh..."

When it felt Huo Li's Soul pressure, panic immediately showed in the Ice Jade Scorpion's eyes. It seemed to realize it had provoked someone it shouldn't have, and tried to flee at once—but it was already too late.

After his Martial Soul Possession, Huo Li charged straight at the Ice Jade Scorpion!

As a scorpion, it wasn't very fast. By the time it reacted, Huo Li was already right in front of it, his boulder-sized fist slamming into its face.

With a bang, his mighty punch crashed into it. In an instant, the Ice Jade Scorpion was knocked back more than ten meters.

Seeing Huo Li advance with murderous intent, the Ice Jade Scorpion hurriedly swung its long, agile tail, thrusting it straight at him like a spear.

"Heh, a mere parlor trick."

Huo Li smiled faintly. He sidestepped the attack with ease, then stamped forward and charged across the snow toward the Ice Jade Scorpion!

But just then, the agile tail abruptly changed direction and stabbed toward Huo Li's back.

At the same time, the stinger at its tip glinted with a chilling sheen. In an instant, bone-piercing cold burst forth, as if to freeze Huo Li solid!

Huo Wu's face changed drastically. She hurriedly shouted, "Dad, watch your back!"

"Heh, don't worry, little sister. Dad will be fine."

Huo Wu looked back and saw Huo Wushuang smiling calmly. He continued, "He's a level eighty-six Power Attack System Battle Soul Douluo. A mere thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast can't hurt him!"

Just as Huo Wushuang finished speaking, a scorching heat surged skyward.

The Seventh Soul Ring beneath Huo Li's feet glimmered. In the next instant, his body blazed with fire and began to swell, until at last he transformed into a majestic Fire Qilin.

Not only did he completely evaporate the cold attacking from behind, he also sent the Ice Jade Scorpion flying dozens of meters, as if he were a massive truck.

Then Huo Li opened his enormous jaws and breathed out high-temperature flames, engulfing the Ice Jade Scorpion completely.

The Ice Jade Scorpion was only a thirty-thousand-year Soul Beast. How could it withstand Huo Li's Qilin flames? Before long, it was covered in burns and had passed out, on the brink of death.

And only ten minutes had passed since Huo Li released his Martial Soul!

Seeing Huo Li defeat the Ice Jade Scorpion with such ease, Ling Yun's spirits lifted. He murmured, "So this is the strength of a Soul Douluo? When will I be as strong as the dean?"

If he and Huo Wu's group joined forces, they might be able to defeat the Ice Jade Scorpion, but they definitely couldn't do it as easily as Huo Li.

Huo Li suddenly laughed and said casually, "All right, Ling Yun, go give it the finishing blow. This Ice Jade Scorpion is thirty thousand years old. I wonder if you'll be able to absorb its Soul Ring."

"Don't worry, Dean. I've already worked plenty of miracles. I'm sure I can do it again!"

Ling Yun smiled confidently. Having taken six Immortal Herbs, both his physical strength and mental power far surpassed those of ordinary people. Absorbing a thirty-thousand-year Soul Ring would be no problem.

With that, he took out a dagger and plunged it into the Ice Jade Scorpion's brain, ending its life instantly.

Then Ling Yun sat cross-legged. When the Ice Jade Scorpion's Soul Ring appeared, he released his Soul Power to draw it in and attach it to his Martial Soul.

In an instant, a terrifying surge of Soul Power and a Soul Shock poured out of the Soul Ring, battering his body and soul.

Even after taking six Immortal Herbs, Ling Yun couldn't help feeling a twinge of pain.

Fortunately, the pain didn't affect him. As he gathered his mental power to resist the Soul Shock that had erupted when the Ice Jade Scorpion died, the pain gradually faded.

In the end, Ling Yun safely made it through the dangerous period. All he had to do now was fully refine the Soul Power remaining in the Soul Ring, and the process would be complete.

Seeing this, Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, and the others nearby all breathed a little easier.

Just then, Shui Yue'er slowly opened her eyes, and her aura surged. After absorbing the Blizzard Bear's Soul Ring, her Soul Power had reached level forty-one.