Conquering Shui Bing'er!

Ying Chengfeng glanced at Shui Bing'er indifferently.

Then he chuckled. "So now you're being picky?"

Ying Chengfeng stood up and stretched his limbs. "Do you have any area attacks?"

"I do!" Shui Bing'er answered with a serious nod.

The corners of Ying Chengfeng's mouth curved into a handsome smile. "Then let's play."

With that, he drew his sword and walked to an open patch of ground.

"Use your area attacks on me."

Shui Bing'er also walked to stand opposite Ying Chengfeng, an ice-blue phoenix appearing behind her.

"Watch out!"

She gave him a warning, and countless ice arrows immediately floated around her.

The ice arrows shot fiercely toward Ying Chengfeng.

Ying Chengfeng's slightly narrowed eyes lifted a fraction.

He didn't use the Wind Domain.

He raised his sword and swung it repeatedly.

He blocked every single sharp ice arrow.

They rang out with a series of clinks and clanks.

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

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

"Yes." Ying Chengfeng replied, "Keep going. Attack me with all your strength."

Hearing Ying Chengfeng say that, Shui Bing'er stopped holding back.

Her Soul Power surged outward.

The temperature around them dropped a little further.

Snowflakes in the air condensed into sharper and sharper ice arrows.

"Release your Soul Rings. Otherwise, I can't guarantee I won't hurt you."

Shui Bing'er warned him again, ready to unleash her attack.

The countless ice arrows no longer floated beside her. Instead, they surrounded Ying Chengfeng.

"Now that's a little more interesting." Ying Chengfeng showed a hint of interest. "Looks like I'll have to take this a little seriously."

Though he said that, he still didn't use his domain.

He merely tightened his grip on the sword a little.

Across from him, Shui Bing'er frowned. "You still won't release your Soul Rings?"

"There's no need." Ying Chengfeng looked at her. "If you defeat me, you can leave."

"Fine!"

Hearing that, Shui Bing'er no longer had any reservations.

Since he was so overconfident, she could only oblige him.

In the next instant, countless ice arrows attacked Ying Chengfeng from every direction.

There were many arrows, but they weren't especially fast, nor were they particularly powerful.

Ying Chengfeng swung his sword faster, leaving streaks of afterimages.

He smashed countless ice arrows apart.

"Something's wrong!"

The beautiful woman watching the fight noticed something terrifying.

All the shattered ice arrows were gathering in one direction.

The others followed her gaze and saw a sword.

A sword piled together from ice and snow, still unfinished.

It had no hilt, only a blade.

The blade was enormous.

"How is that possible?!"

The other members of Skywater Academy were completely stunned.

One by one, they looked at Ying Chengfeng, still swinging his sword.

"How could he have such precise control?"

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

That cold was far more chilling than the freezing temperature of the snowy landscape.

Shui Bing'er, fighting Ying Chengfeng, also sensed that something was wrong.

When she saw the nearly completed sword, she froze, even forgetting to attack.

"Why did you stop? It's almost done." Ying Chengfeng's slightly displeased voice rang out.

Hearing that, Shui Bing'er gave a bitter smile and shook her head. "I can't beat you."

"I know."

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

Hearing that, Shui Bing'er smiled bitterly again.

This time, she truly felt crushed.

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

She had thought so too.

Among her peers, she had no rivals.

And now, she had lost just like that to a boy who looked even younger than her.

He hadn't even revealed his Soul Rings.

From the very beginning, this contest's outcome had been set.

Shui Bing'er really couldn't accept it.

But there was nothing she could do. "If I'd known you were this strong, I wouldn't have humiliated myself by challenging you."

She even looked a little aggrieved.

It was the first time she had ever made such an expression.

Ying Chengfeng simply said, "Didn't I tell you? You were the one who insisted on challenging me."

"You haven't helped me finish my piece, so you can help me build a house instead."

Shui Bing'er didn't refuse. Instead, she looked at Ying Chengfeng strangely.

"What level are you, exactly? And how old are you?"

Ying Chengfeng took three seconds to think about it.

"I suppose I'm ten."

"You suppose?" Shui Bing'er furrowed her brow slightly.

So she had been easily defeated by someone two years younger than her.

And what did he mean, "suppose"?

Ying Chengfeng didn't explain further. "Don't dwell on that. Just know that losing to me isn't shameful."

"It isn't shameful?" Shui Bing'er felt thoroughly humiliated.

She stood in the snow in silence for about a minute.

Then she spoke. "I can help you finish your piece, or build your house."

As she spoke, she changed the subject. "But I want to join you."

"Hm?" Ying Chengfeng frowned slightly and tilted his head to look at her.

"Can't I?" Shui Bing'er asked nervously.

Ying Chengfeng looked toward the beautiful woman.

The woman was completely at a loss too.

The little princess of the Shui Family was going to run off with someone?

How was she supposed to explain this when she got back?

And the worst part was, Ji Qingyi was there, and she could easily overpower her.

She didn't dare act rashly.

All she could do was give Ying Chengfeng a pleading look.

But Ying Chengfeng didn't understand at all.

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

This put him in a difficult position.

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

"I may not be as strong as you, but I'm stronger than your two companions."

Ying Chengfeng couldn't help but smile. He had no idea where Shui Bing'er had gotten that confidence.

To be fair, Shui Bing'er was stronger than Yu Feiyan was right now.

But she was still nowhere near Qian Renxue's level.

Qian Renxue shot Shui Bing'er a hostile look too.

Was this pretty girl trying to steal Ying Chengfeng from her?

Absolutely not!

At that thought, Qian Renxue abruptly stood up.

"You said you're stronger than me?" Qian Renxue asked in a hostile tone.

Seeing this, Ying Chengfeng felt rather helpless.

He saw Qian Renxue's hostile expression and sighed.

Little Xue'er at six had been cuter, with big, round, adorable eyes.

She'd had a face that looked easy to fool.

At nine, Qian Renxue's eyes had grown more reserved and cool, giving her a distinctly girlish air. She wasn't so easy to fool anymore.

Ying Chengfeng walked over to her and leaned close to her ear, speaking softly:

"If you reveal your Martial Soul, we might have to kill them to keep them quiet."

Qian Renxue pouted in displeasure. "But she said she's stronger than me."

At that moment, Qian Renxue looked completely unconvinced. She was itching to show off her strength and prove herself.

But when she heard they might have to kill them to keep them quiet, she held back.

Shui Bing'er continued, "So, what do you say? Can I join you?"

Ying Chengfeng thought for a few seconds, then came up with an idea.

Since she wanted to join so badly, he might as well agree for now.

If Shui Bing'er stayed, the beautiful woman would have to stay too.

They could all stay and build houses. Not a single one of them was leaving!

With that thought, Ying Chengfeng nodded. "Sure."