Seeing Yu Tianchen immediately assume a fighting stance,
Shui Bing'er could only suppress her shock at Yu Tianchen's First Soul Ring being a Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Her expression turned serious.
The Yellow Soul Ring circling her body suddenly lit up.
"First Soul Skill!"
She stepped forward. Frost spread across the ground beneath her at a visible speed, while a cold gleam flashed in her hand. She swung sharply in Yu Tianchen's direction.
"Ice Seal!"
The streak of cold light struck Yu Tianchen. Countless ice crystals rapidly began forming from his feet upward, intending to seal him away completely.
But just then, the faint purple markings on Yu Tianchen's body lit up, and wisps of thunderous energy spread from them.
The ice crystals climbing over him hadn't even managed to solidify before they were shattered to pieces.
Yu Tianchen carefully sensed his current condition.
Shui Bing'er's Soul Skill had taken effect on him. Aside from feeling cold, he hadn't been affected at all.
Was this Azure Thunder Tyrant Body's extreme resistance to opponents of the same or lower level?
Damn, that was impressive!
On the other side, seeing her Soul Skill have no effect on Yu Tianchen, Shui Bing'er couldn't help but widen her eyes.
"This... you... this..."
"Wait."
"Why doesn't my Soul Skill work on you?"
If her opponent had been a Soul Elder or a Soul Ancestor, someone far above her level, she would have accepted her Soul Skill having no effect. She might even have thought it was perfectly normal.
But you're only three levels above me. What gives?
Even if having a Thousand-Year Soul Ring as your first one was a little ridiculous, that still shouldn't make my Soul Skill completely useless!
"It's not a good idea to talk during a fight."
Yu Tianchen opened his eyes. Behind him, the Five Thunder Shock Drums were linked together by bolts of lightning. He smiled slightly at Shui Bing'er.
"Be careful."
"I might be a little fast."
With that, Yu Tianchen's figure flashed as he charged rapidly toward Shui Bing'er.
Shui Bing'er's expression changed in alarm. Without hesitation, she beat her wings and flew into the sky, putting distance between herself and Yu Tianchen as frost gathered in both her hands.
"I refuse to believe my Soul Skills really have no effect on you at all!"
She gave a sharp shout, swept her hands through the air, and sent two successive streaks of chilling light crashing toward Yu Tianchen.
Yu Tianchen made no attempt to dodge. He charged straight into both streaks of cold light.
Ice crystals formed around his feet, but they didn't slow him down in the slightest.
Seeing that her Soul Skills still had no effect on Yu Tianchen, Shui Bing'er was clearly starting to panic.
She wanted to use another Soul Skill, but after releasing three Soul Skills in a row, she had almost no Soul Power left. Even her Martial Soul Possession had become unstable, and she swayed unsteadily in the air.
"Something's wrong. She seems to be running out of Soul Power."
Noticing Shui Bing'er's unusual state in the air, Yu Tianchen frowned.
Without hesitation, he drew on the lightning within the Five Thunder Shock Drums and leaped toward her.
With the lightning's help, he reached Shui Bing'er's height with ease.
Watching Yu Tianchen charge at her wreathed in lightning,
Shui Bing'er, who was already struggling to steady herself, panicked even more.
In her frantic flapping, her already unstable Martial Soul—unsteady from her dwindling Soul Power—was finally withdrawn altogether.
Shui Bing'er's face turned pale, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
But the next moment, she seemed to collide with something warm. The weightless sensation she'd expected never came. Instead, a strange tingling sensation spread through her body.
She cautiously opened her eyes.
Right before her was Yu Tianchen's handsome, sunny face.
Shui Bing'er froze for a moment.
Then she heard Yu Tianchen's somewhat helpless voice by her ear:
"Tell me, how much longer are you planning to stare?"
Shui Bing'er snapped back to her senses and realized that they had already returned to the ground.
And she was still being carried in Yu Tianchen's arms, bridal-style.
A blush quickly spread across her pretty face, and she hurriedly climbed out of his arms.
But as soon as she reached the ground, the tingling sensation still hadn't faded. Her legs went weak.
Yu Tianchen swiftly steadied her.
"Are you all right?"
He asked Shui Bing'er, puzzlement creeping into his expression.
Even if she'd run out of Soul Power, she shouldn't be this weak, right?
Could he have hurt her when he landed?
That didn't make sense either. He'd landed as steadily as could be. How could Shui Bing'er have been hurt?
"I'm fine. I just feel a little tingly all over..."
Shui Bing'er wasn't sure what was happening to her either, and her face showed the same confusion.
"Tingly?"
Yu Tianchen froze for a moment.
Could it be because he'd kept his First Soul Skill active?
After thinking it over, he silently deactivated both his Soul Skill and Martial Soul, then said without changing his expression,
"Don't worry about that for now. Sit down and recover your Soul Power."
"Okay."
Shui Bing'er nodded and didn't give it any more thought.
Just as she was about to sit cross-legged, the sound of something heavy hitting the ground came from nearby.
At the noise, Yu Tianchen and Shui Bing'er both looked toward it.
They saw Shui Wusheng standing at the edge of the woods, staring blankly at the two of them.
Beside him lay a small ox with horns jutting out like the crescent moon.
"Father!"
Seeing her father return, Shui Bing'er called out happily.
Shui Bing'er was in high spirits.
But Shui Wusheng was not in high spirits at all.
"You... you two..."
He pointed at them, trembling slightly.
Just then, someone coughed.
Yu Yuanzhen, who had been watching the entire scene from the sidelines, walked over.
"I just had your daughter absorb that Ice Bird's Soul Ring."
"My grandson was curious, so the two of them had a spar."
"Surely City Lord Shui doesn't mind?"
After Yu Yuanzhen explained, Shui Wusheng's expression eased.
So it was just a spar.
Thank goodness, thank goodness.
He'd almost thought his little darling had been taken advantage of.
"Thank you, Sect Master, for watching over my daughter while she absorbed her Soul Ring. It was only a spar, so of course I approve."
Shui Wusheng bowed to Yu Yuanzhen, then picked up the ox-type Soul Beast that had fallen to the ground and offered it to Yu Yuanzhen.
"His Excellency Thunder, I've taken care of what you asked."
"This Soul Beast is called the Thunder Great Horned Ox. Its meat is tender and delicious, with a firm, springy texture. Eating it will benefit Thunder-attribute Soul Masters, so it's a perfect match for your request."
"Since my daughter has already absorbed her Soul Ring under your watch, may we leave now?"
Yu Yuanzhen lowered his head to inspect the Thunder Great Horned Ox, which was about the same size as the Ice Bird, and nodded in satisfaction.
"Not bad. This Soul Beast is indeed quite suitable."
He lifted the Thunder Great Horned Ox and looked at Shui Wusheng.
"If you want to leave, then leave. But your daughter seems to get along quite well with my grandson."
"Why not stay and have a meal with us before you go?"
Before you continue