Visiting Skywater Academy

Just as Ying Chengfeng was about to strike the other three people on the arena, they all spoke up in succession.

"Stop, stop!"

"I don't want the spirit bone, nor do I want any benefits. We can help you deal with the Skywater Academy team."

"Exactly! The Skywater Academy team has impressive strength; we can help pin some of them down."

Ying Chengfeng withdrew his hand and said calmly, "I don't really like owing favors."

"It's fine, we're just playing for fun," one man said politely.

Seeing this, Ying Chengfeng did not make things difficult for the remaining three.

Since the other party was willing to join the fray and help voluntarily, he had no objections.

Once the melee was over, it would be time for the team competition.

Ying Chengfeng's four-person team was the winner of the melee group and only needed to face the winner of the team competition.

While the team competition was underway, they could take this time to rest and recuperate.

There were sixteen teams in the team competition, divided across four arenas.

The final four could be selected that very day.

The ultimate winner would be decided the next day.

The day after that, the battle between the melee group winner and the team competition winner would take place.

After selecting the final victor, the ultimate showdown would be held the day after that.

"What a hassle." Ying Chengfeng calculated that he still had to wait for three days.

Ying Chengfeng looked at his three temporary teammates, thought for a moment, and took out one hundred Gold Soul Coin.

"Consider this my treat for your drinks. Just gather again in three days."

After saying this, Ying Chengfeng intended to find an inn to stay in for a few days.

"Don't we need to practice together? It will be stressful fighting the Skywater Academy team in three days, right?" one of the temporary teammates asked.

"No need. Just fight according to the extreme solo combat style," Ying Chengfeng said. "Besides, you can't really build chemistry in three days anyway."

With that, Ying Chengfeng was about to leave.

However, a figure appeared before him.

It was the cold, aloof woman who had taken Shui Bing'er away three years ago.

"Something the matter?" Ji Qingyi immediately stood in front of Ying Chengfeng, staring directly at the cold woman.

"I am the dean of Skywater Academy," the cold woman said. "My name is Shui Qinghan."

"So it is the Dean. Is there something you need?" Ji Qingyi asked, being slightly more polite.

Shui Qinghan got straight to the point: "You all must be honored guests of Martial Soul Hall, right? I would like to invite you to visit my academy."

Ji Qingyi narrowed her eyes slightly and said, "Do you think we are from Martial Soul Hall?"

Shui Qinghan smiled faintly and said, "Just a guess. To be able to cultivate such outstanding spirit masters, it must be Martial Soul Hall."

As she spoke, Shui Qinghan took a few extra looks at Ying Chengfeng, while also casting some glances at Qian Renxue and Yu Feiyan.

"A visit?" Ji Qingyi hesitated slightly.

At this moment, Ying Chengfeng spoke up: "Since the Dean has extended such a warm invitation, how could we refuse?"

Ji Qingyi looked at Ying Chengfeng with curiosity, not understanding why her son, who usually disliked trouble, had agreed.

Ying Chengfeng cast a smile toward his mother, Ji Qingyi, but remained silent.

Thus, Shui Qinghan led the way.

Before long, she brought them to where the Skywater Academy team was located.

Shui Qinghan began to introduce them: "These are the most outstanding students in our academy."

Ji Qingyi glanced over; they were much like the group from three years ago, just with a few different faces.

Some of the students she had seen three years ago were still in the team now.

Shui Qinghan asked again: "How do they compare to the students of your generation in Martial Soul Hall?"

Ji Qingyi could not answer this question immediately.

After thinking for a moment, she said, "It's hard to say; the ages don't match up."

Ji Qingyi looked at Shui Bing'er and Xuewu and said, "These two are quite good. At the same age, they should be no weaker than the most outstanding batch from Martial Soul Hall."

"Is that so?" Shui Qinghan seemed quite satisfied with this answer.

The group walked and chatted.

It was mostly Shui Qinghan asking questions.

And Ji Qingyi answered them selectively.

"Are you preparing to leave the Far North?"

"Yes, we've been out for long enough."

"Will you be participating in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament in a little over a year?"

"It's hard to say for now."

"Oh? So, you aren't the team members selected by Martial Soul Hall for this year's tournament?"

"I'll know when I get back." Ji Qingyi did not give a definitive answer.

However, since they were going to be guests, she felt compelled to answer a few questions.

As long as the questions weren't excessive, Ji Qingyi didn't feel too much aversion toward them.

Before long, the group arrived at the Skywater Academy.

As the most prestigious Soul Master Academy in Skywater City, the cultivation environment here was excellent.

However, it was primarily suited for Soul Masters with ice-type Martial Souls.

Naturally, the Martial Souls awakened by the people here were almost all related to the ice element.

Shui Qinghan arranged accommodations for Ying Chengfeng and his companions before leaving under the pretext of being busy with official duties.

Ying Chengfeng was assigned to a quiet courtyard on the east side.

The place was nestled between mountains and water, with a waterfall and a cold pool right next door.

Feeling bored, Ying Chengfeng decided to wander around.

Upon reaching the edge of the cold pool, he saw two girls cultivating on top of the mountain where the waterfall originated.

They were none other than Shui Bing'er and Xuewu.

The two were practicing their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

Within the area where they were practicing, vast amounts of snowflakes began to drift down.

Xuewu had a tall, slender figure, and she danced barefoot.

After a while, both girls had exhausted a great deal of their soul power.

They sat down together to rest.

But soon, they began to coordinate and practice again.

Two streams of soul power collided once more.

By this time, Ying Chengfeng was already standing atop a tall cedar tree.

He watched the two girls' practice in silence.

He took out a flute and began to play.

His flute music stirred up a breeze, carrying a certain artistic conception that merged into the soul power of Shui Bing'er and Xuewu.

The two streams of soul power, which had previously been somewhat repelling, unexpectedly fused together.

Suddenly, the snow fell even more heavily.

Every snowflake was filled with aggression.

It felt as though anyone who got close would be frostbitten, and those with weaker strength would be frozen solid.

"Where is that flute music coming from? It actually helped us complete our Martial Soul Fusion Skill?!"

Xuewu was still lost in her dance, but Shui Bing'er had already reacted.

She looked around and spotted Ying Chengfeng playing the flute from atop the cedar tree.

At this moment, Ying Chengfeng finished his melody and looked toward Shui Bing'er.

He then leaped down and landed in front of her.

"Thank you," Shui Bing'er said first, then asked, "How did you do that?"

Ying Chengfeng smiled slightly and replied, "Your coordination was already quite perfect; I merely provided a little guidance."

Shui Bing'er fell silent for a moment.

Xuewu had also walked over to Shui Bing'er's side.

At this point, Shui Bing'er asked again, "Why help us? Aren't you planning to defeat us at the Soul Master tournament?"

Ying Chengfeng nodded before saying, "Purely out of curiosity about how strong a Martial Soul Fusion Skill can be."

In Ying Chengfeng's personal understanding:

Soul skills are weaker than Martial Soul Fusion Skills, which in turn are weaker than domains.

Of course, domains also vary in strength.

Some domains are so weak they are no different from soul skills.

At this moment, Ying Chengfeng spoke up, "Since you have already mastered a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, would you like to have a match with me now?"

As he spoke, Ying Chengfeng added, "How about the winner gets to make one request?"