If You Shoot a Sword, Isn't It an Arrow?!

"Chirp!"

It let out a shrill cry!

The Ice-Spine Hedgehog that had broken free from the ice crystal suddenly arched its body, aiming the ten ice spines on its back at Xue Mingqing.

The sharp ice spines gleamed as icy Soul Power surged through them...

The next second, a flash of cold light!

The spines snapped off all at once, then shot toward Xue Mingqing like deadly arrows, shrieking through the air!

Ten ice shards came hurtling at him, but Xue Mingqing showed no fear.

His waist, legs, and hips drove forward as one, and he lunged explosively.

Gripping the three-foot Snow Sword wreathed in a clear breeze, he charged straight at the incoming spines instead of retreating!

Soul Power surged through his wrist. Guiding the sword with a flick of his wrist, he sent the Snow Sword flashing through the air again and again!

A rapid series of sharp, metallic clashes rang out!

He knocked most of the incoming ice shards aside on the spot!

The few that slipped through, he narrowly avoided with movements so nimble they seemed almost impossible!

He tightened his grip on the long sword, and a cold gleam flashed in his eyes!

Soul Power poured furiously into the blade, making the Snow Sword blaze with cold light. With one sweep, it unleashed an unmatched, razor-sharp chill.

Wrapped in a piercing whistle as it cut through the breeze, it slashed toward the Ice-Spine Hedgehog's neck!

Watching from the side with her arms folded, Xue Ningxian raised her delicate brows and nodded to herself.

She approved of Xue Mingqing's physical prowess, reflexes, and battle sense. He was unquestionably invincible among those at the same level.

But...

As she watched Xue Mingqing slash at the Ice-Spine Hedgehog, the corner of Xue Ningxian's lips curled slightly.

This thousand-year Soul Beast was no easy prey to kill...

Sure enough, a split second before the deadly Snow Sword reached it, a humanlike flash of cruelty gleamed in the Ice-Spine Hedgehog's blood-red eyes!

Xue Mingqing caught it. His pupils contracted, and alarm shot through him!

But it was already too late!

"Chirp!"

It shrieked again.

The Ice-Spine Hedgehog slammed both forepaws into the ground, pouring its icy-blue Soul Power into the earth.

The next moment!

Ice spikes more than half a person's height erupted from the ground, their tips glittering with a razor-sharp chill!

They spread outward in a ring from the beast, closing in on Xue Mingqing!

As the spikes threatened to pierce him, Xue Mingqing frowned and brought the Snow Sword down in a fierce chop!

Clang!

A section of ice spike snapped off!

Using the recoil, Xue Mingqing forced his momentum to a halt. He tapped the ground with his toe and was about to retreat.

Seeing him pull back, how could the Ice-Spine Hedgehog let him get away?

If this detestable human wanted to kill it and take its Soul Ring, then he'd better be ready to die!

A vicious glint flashed in its beastly eyes. Cold light surged over its claws as it poured Soul Power into the ground once more.

In an instant, crack, crack, crack—

A freezing sound that sent chills down the spine rang out!

The already-sharp ice spikes grew even taller. Their tips glinted with a deathly sheen as they shot toward Xue Mingqing's heart!

Watching from the side, Xue Ningxian narrowed her beautiful eyes.

Her slender body tensed instinctively, ready to rush to Xue Mingqing's rescue at any moment.

She didn't think he could dodge this attack from such close range.

In truth, Xue Mingqing couldn't dodge it—but he had no intention of trying!

A split second before the ice spike struck, he held his sword crosswise before his chest!

With a turn of the breeze, amid whirling snowflakes—

The razor-sharp Snow Sword transformed in the blink of an eye into a solid, heavy Snow Shield!

The moment the shield took shape, the deadly ice spike slammed into it—

Boom!

A muffled blast rang out. Xue Mingqing had blocked the ice spike's full force with the Snow Shield, but his expression was grim.

As he tumbled down through the air, Xue Mingqing glanced at the shield.

A fist-sized dent had been driven into it.

His eyes narrowed. Having figured out a few of the Ice-Spine Hedgehog's tricks, Xue Mingqing flicked his wrist.

The Snow Shield spun in a circle, then reshaped itself amid swirling breezes—into a long bow made entirely of snow!

He raised the Snow Bow. With three sharp whistles, three Snow Arrows shot toward the Ice-Spine Hedgehog in unison!

Seeing the three Snow Arrows fly at it together, the Ice-Spine Hedgehog's pupils contracted!

It wasn't smart enough to understand why Xue Mingqing's Martial Soul could take so many different forms, but that didn't stop it from staying alert.

Almost as soon as the Snow Arrows came flying at it, the Ice-Spine Hedgehog curled up!

It relied on its instinct as a hedgehog, curling into a ball and exposing its tough outer shell.

As for the three Snow Arrows?

Three flashes of cold light struck the Ice-Spine Hedgehog one after another, leaving only three barely visible cuts on its shell.

Then they couldn't pierce any farther. They burst into scattered snowflakes, causing no real harm to the beast.

Xue Mingqing frowned.

It was obvious that a single Snow Arrow didn't do enough damage to inflict a fatal wound on the Ice-Spine Hedgehog.

And the Ice-Spine Hedgehog?

It seemed to realize that too. It uncurled, its blood-red eyes brimming with smugness and scorn.

It seemed to be laughing at Xue Mingqing's weakness, since he couldn't even break through its defenses.

Then it stopped paying attention to him and began channeling icy-blue Soul Power to restore the spines on its back—right in front of him.

It had utterly disregarded Xue Mingqing!

Realizing this, Xue Mingqing clenched his fists. He gripped the Snow Bow, at a loss for what to do.

But just then,

Xue Ningxian's cool, composed voice rang out.

"Why not give up?"

"Your Snow Sword can threaten it with a fatal wound, but you can't get close. Your Snow Bow lets you attack from a distance, but its single-target damage is too weak."

"You're exceptionally talented. Absorbing an eight-hundred-year Soul Ring would be well within your abilities. Why waste your time on this one?"

After watching him for a while, Xue Ningxian had gained a clear understanding of his abilities.

She wouldn't dare claim that Xue Mingqing could definitely absorb a thousand-year First Soul Ring.

But an eight-hundred-year Soul Ring, on the weaker side, was a sure thing for him.

It might not offer as much improvement as a thousand-year Soul Ring, but given his talent, an eight-hundred-year First Soul Ring would still let Xue Mingqing stand head and shoulders above his peers.

Even Xue Ningxian's own Soul Ring was the standard four hundred years.

And Xue Mingqing?

At her words, a glint flashed in Xue Mingqing's eyes.

Seeing this, Xue Ningxian thought he'd finally come around and was giving up on stubbornly fighting the Ice-Spine Hedgehog.

But the next second, Xue Mingqing spoke up.

"Mother, what was it you just said?"

Xue Ningxian raised a brow and answered with her arms still folded.

"You're exceptionally talented. An eight-hundred-year Soul Ring is well within your abilities..."

"Not that. The line before it."

Xue Ningxian frowned, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly.

"That your Snow Sword can hurt it, but you can't get close, while your Snow Arrows can reach it but can't hurt it?"

At that, Xue Mingqing's eyes lit up. He snapped his fingers in delight.

"Exactly!"

He raised the Snow Bow again and poured every bit of his tenth-level Soul Power into it. A faint, icy mist began to rise from the entire bow...

He set an arrow against the string and slowly drew it back...

Seeing this, the Ice-Spine Hedgehog, still gathering strength to regrow its back spines, flashed a look of disdain.

It used the same old trick, curling itself into a ball once more in an attempt to avoid Xue Mingqing's attack.

Seeing the Ice-Spine Hedgehog's move, Xue Mingqing didn't get annoyed this time.

A playful curve lifted the corners of his lips as he poured all his Soul Power into the Snow Bow.

At last, when the bow was drawn taut and had become a full moon of snow-white light, Xue Mingqing released the string!

Buzz—

Accompanied by a string twang that lingered in the air, a Snow Sword, solidified to the utmost degree...

It shot toward the Ice-Spine Hedgehog, wreathed in a piercing, icy gleam!

"If you shoot a sword, isn't it an arrow?! A Snow Sword is an arrow too!"