Conquer Shui Bing'er!

Ying Chengfeng cast a faint glance at Shui Bing'er.

Then, he chuckled, "Are you actually being picky?"

Ying Chengfeng stood up, stretched his limbs, and said, "Do you have any area-of-effect attacks?"

"I do!" Shui Bing'er nodded earnestly.

A handsome curve tugged at the corner of Ying Chengfeng's mouth as he said, "Then I'll play along with you."

With that, he drew his sword and walked to an open space.

"Use your area-of-effect attack on me."

Shui Bing'er walked to the opposite side of Ying Chengfeng, an ice-blue phoenix manifesting behind her.

"Watch out!"

She issued a warning, and instantly, countless ice arrows hovered around her.

These ice arrows shot violently toward Ying Chengfeng.

Ying Chengfeng's slightly narrowed eyes lifted open.

He did not even use his Wind Domain.

He raised his sword and swung it continuously.

Every sharp ice arrow was blocked by him.

A rhythmic "clinking" sound filled the air.

After one round of attacks, Shui Bing'er was shocked to find that she hadn't even touched the hem of Ying Chengfeng's clothes.

"Is this sword your Martial Soul?" Shui Bing'er asked.

"It is," Ying Chengfeng replied, adding, "Continue. Attack with your full strength."

Hearing Ying Chengfeng say this, Shui Bing'er held nothing back.

Immediately, her soul power surged outward.

The surrounding temperature dropped even further.

Snowflakes in the air condensed into even sharper ice arrows.

"Release your soul rings, or I can't guarantee I won't hurt you."

Shui Bing'er warned him again, already poised to strike.

Countless ice arrows no longer hovered by her side but instead surrounded Ying Chengfeng.

"Now this is interesting," Ying Chengfeng said, feeling a spark of genuine interest. "It seems I have to get a little serious."

Despite his words, he still did not unleash his domain.

He simply gripped his sword a little tighter.

Opposite him, Shui Bing'er frowned and said, "Still not releasing your soul rings?"

"There is no need," Ying Chengfeng looked at her and said, "As long as you defeat me, you may leave."

"Fine!"

At these words, Shui Bing'er cast aside her reservations.

Since the opponent was being so arrogant, she would simply have to oblige him.

The next moment, countless ice arrows attacked Ying Chengfeng from all directions.

Although there were many, their speed was not particularly fast, nor was their power overwhelming.

Ying Chengfeng increased the speed of his sword swings, leaving behind trails of afterimages.

Countless ice arrows were shattered by his blade.

"That's not right!"

The beautiful woman watching from the sidelines discovered something terrifying.

All the shattered ice arrows were converging in one direction.

The others followed her gaze and saw a sword.

A sword made of piled ice and snow, unfinished.

It had no hilt, only a blade.

The blade was massive.

"How is this possible?!"

The others from Skywater Academy were completely stunned.

They all stared at Ying Chengfeng, who was still swinging his sword.

"Such exquisite control—how is he doing it?"

At that moment, everyone from Skywater Academy felt a chill shoot from the soles of their feet straight to their scalps.

That chill was far more intense than the temperature of this frozen, snow-covered land.

Shui Bing'er, currently locked in combat with Ying Chengfeng, also sensed the anomaly.

Seeing that sword nearing completion, she froze instantly, forgetting even to press her attack.

"Why stop? We're almost there," Ying Chengfeng's voice rang out, tinged with slight dissatisfaction.

Hearing this, Shui Bing'er shook her head with a bitter smile. "I cannot defeat you."

"I know."

Ying Chengfeng nodded. "But first, help me finish this piece of work."

At these words, Shui Bing'er offered another wry smile.

She had truly been struck hard this time.

From the day she awakened her Martial Soul, everyone had called her a genius.

She had believed it herself, too.

Among her peers, she had no equal.

Yet now, she had been defeated so easily by a boy who looked even younger than her.

The opponent hadn't even revealed his spirit rings.

From the very beginning, the outcome of this duel had been set in stone.

Shui Bing'er simply couldn't accept it.

Yet, feeling helpless, she said, "If you had told me you were this strong, I wouldn't have sought out this humiliation."

A hint of grievance even appeared on her face.

This was the first time she had ever shown such an expression.

Ying Chengfeng, however, said indifferently, "Did I not? It was you who insisted on challenging me."

"Since you didn't help me finish the work, you can help me build the house instead."

Shui Bing'er did not refuse, but instead looked at Ying Chengfeng with a strange gaze.

"What exactly is your cultivation realm? And how old are you, really?"

Ying Chengfeng took three seconds to ponder this question.

"I suppose I'm ten."

"Suppose?" Shui Bing'er frowned slightly.

So, she had been easily defeated by someone two years her junior.

And what was with that "suppose"?

Ying Chengfeng didn't offer much of an explanation, saying, "Don't dwell on it. You only need to know that losing to me is nothing to be ashamed of."

"Nothing to be ashamed of?" Shui Bing'er felt it was quite shameful.

She stood in the snow, silent for about a minute.

Only then did she speak. "I'll help you finish your work, or help you build your house."

As she spoke, her tone shifted. "But I want to join you all."

"Hm?" Ying Chengfeng frowned slightly, tilting his head to look at her.

"Is that not allowed?" Shui Bing'er asked, feeling somewhat uneasy.

Ying Chengfeng then looked toward the beautiful woman.

At this moment, the beautiful woman was also at a loss for what to do.

Was the little princess of the Shui family going to run off with someone?

How was she supposed to explain this when she returned?

The key was that Ji Qingyi, who could suppress her, was also present.

She dared not act rashly.

She could only cast a pleading look toward Ying Chengfeng.

But Ying Chengfeng didn't understand it at all.

He assumed the beautiful woman was begging him to keep Shui Bing'er.

This put him in a difficult position.

Seeing the troubled expression on Ying Chengfeng's face, Shui Bing'er said:

"Although I am not as good as you, I am stronger than your two companions."

Ying Chengfeng couldn't help but smile; he didn't know where Shui Bing'er got her confidence.

Admittedly, Shui Bing'er was stronger than Yu Feiyan was at the moment.

But compared to Qian Renxue, she was still far from enough.

Qian Renxue cast an unfriendly glance toward Shui Bing'er.

Could this good-looking girl be planning to compete with her for Ying Chengfeng?

Absolutely not!

At this thought, Qian Renxue stood up abruptly.

"You say you're stronger than me?" Qian Renxue said, her tone sharp.

Seeing this, Ying Chengfeng felt a touch of helplessness.

He sighed as he looked at Qian Renxue's hostile expression.

The six-year-old Little Xue'er had been cuter, with her big, round, adorable eyes.

She had possessed a face that was easy to deceive.

The nine-year-old Qian Renxue's eyes held more restraint and coldness; she was full of youthful charm and no longer so easily fooled.

Ying Chengfeng walked to her side and whispered into her ear:

"If you reveal your Martial Soul, we might have to silence the witness."

Qian Renxue pouted, dissatisfied, "But she said she was stronger than me."

At this moment, Qian Renxue looked unconvinced, itching to display her strength and prove herself.

However, upon hearing that she would have to kill to cover her tracks, she held back.

At this time, Shui Bing'er continued, "Well? Can I join you?"

Ying Chengfeng pondered for a few seconds, a thought occurring to him.

Since the other party was so eager to join, he might as well agree for the time being.

If Shui Bing'er stays, that beautiful woman must stay as well.

They shall all stay to build houses; not a single one of them is leaving!

With that decided, Ying Chengfeng nodded, "You can."