5000-Year Ice Wind Horse!

This time, as if intentionally testing Xue Mingqing, the ice sealing the soul beast shattered into pieces before it even hit the ground!

The next second...

With a shrill neigh, an Ice Wind Horse over three meters tall, its body ice-blue with a mane of flowing cyan-green wind and five Clear Wind Whirl Rings around its neck, landed heavily on the floor!

The moment it landed, its pitch-black eyes scanned the surroundings.

Aside from Xue Mingqing, Zhang Lexuan, and Xue Ningxian, who was strolling over slowly from behind, there was no one else in the City Lord's Hall.

It possessed intelligence and could see clearly.

Zhang Lexuan and Xue Ningxian did not need its soul ring...

Then...

Fixing its gaze on Xue Mingqing, the only one in the hall who required a soul ring, an uncontrollable, surging fury rose within the Ice Wind Horse's eyes...

Since this human brat wanted its soul ring, it would not go down without a fight!

Tossing its head and neighing again, the Ice Wind Horse slammed its icy hooves into the ground, its entire body radiating an aura of wind and snow, a blend of extreme cold and biting sharpness...

In an instant, clusters of snowflakes, carried by fierce, swirling winds, transformed into crazed, spinning Ice Wind Saw Blades that whistled toward Xue Mingqing!

Seeing this, Xue Mingqing muttered to himself that it was as expected.

The Ice Wind Horse was a relatively powerful soul beast from the Far North, possessing both ice and wind attributes, naturally gifted in speed and elemental manipulation.

Whether it provided a boost to his speed or the passive ability to control ice and wind, it would be an excellent choice for his second soul ring.

Narrowing his eyes and steadying his breath, Xue Mingqing remained calm, the swirling wind around his sword surging once more.

He gripped his blade, stepped forward instead of retreating, and unleashed a Cyan-Blue Cold Radiance as he slashed toward the Ice Wind Horse!

Along the way, every Ice Wind Saw Blade spinning toward him froze the moment it touched the Cyan-Blue Cold Radiance.

Only after the radiance had passed did those frozen blades react, exploding behind him like brilliant Ice and Snow Fireworks!

Witnessing this, Zhang Lexuan gasped in secret.

She knew that as someone being fully cultivated by Shrek Academy, Xue Mingqing's talent and strength were exceptional, but—

She never imagined Xue Mingqing could be this monstrous!

A five-thousand-year Ice Wind Horse was equivalent to a human soul master between level 30 and 36.

If one considered that a soul beast's physical constitution was generally far superior to a human's, that number could likely be even higher.

Yet, facing such a powerful opponent, Xue Mingqing, who was only level 20, dared to charge forward without a hint of fear.

Judging by his stance, he even seemed to have the upper hand in suppressing the beast.

How could she not be shocked?

A level 20 soul master trading blows with a level 30 enemy, not only unafraid but actually gaining the advantage—this just wasn't right, was it?

And what of Xue Ningxian?

She strolled over, fashionably late, and watched Xue Mingqing clash with the Ice Wind Horse. Her cyan-green phoenix eyes held only the calm of "this is how it should be."

Glancing at Zhang Lexuan, whose beautiful eyes were wide with shock, Xue Ningxian couldn't help but smile.

Heh... young girls just aren't as steady as she is...

She chuckled softly, seemingly having forgotten that half a year ago, she had been just as shocked herself.

At this moment, seeing Xue Mingqing charging with a sword wreathed in hurricane winds, ready to slash at its neck, the Ice Wind Horse's eyes turned cold.

It whipped its head around, its powerful control over ice and wind elements erupting!

It condensed the wind and snow into a rapidly growing ice wall in front of itself, attempting to block Xue Mingqing's advance.

After creating the wall, the Ice Wind Horse tilted its head back. Above it, a cyan-blue point of light gathered the wind and cold energy from the air, growing denser and stronger, ready to deal a heavy blow while Xue Mingqing was caught off guard!

However, just as the Ice Wind Horse was charging its attack, its ears twitched.

It seemed to have heard something...

"Hurricane Sword Art, First Form: Wild Storm Slash!"

With a low roar, the ice wall created to block the attack shattered instantly amidst a burst of cyan-green light!

And, amidst the scattering ice powder filling the sky, a young man wielding a snow-white sword lunged at it with a fierce slash!

Seeing this, the Ice Wind Horse's pupils constricted, its soul nearly fleeing in terror. How could it understand what was happening?

Startled, it instinctively retreated on all four hooves while firing the Snow Wind Light it had been charging at its head toward Xue Mingqing!

The icy beam whistled through the air, piercing toward him!

Watching the condensed, two-finger-thick beam of icy death shoot toward his head, Xue Mingqing remained calm. Maintaining his charge, he tilted his head slightly.

In an instant, the beam of death grazed his cheek, leaving behind only a frozen, cracked wound...

Having dodged the Ice Wind Horse's attack with ease, Xue Mingqing's gaze grew deep.

He gripped the Snow Sword in his hand, fusing his soul power, physical stamina, and sword intent into one, erupting in a single, instantaneous burst!

Sorrowful Wind Howling Soul-Severing Life, the sword passes nameless... leaving only sorrow!

"Hurricane Sword Art, Third Form: Gale... Break!"

"Hiss?!?"

Amidst the youth's high-pitched sword chant.

Amidst the fearful wail of the Ice Wind Horse.

Xue Mingqing slashed through the creature's body with a blade carrying an unparalleled cyan radiance.

The strike passed through, but his momentum remained unchecked; he shot forward ten meters before landing steadily on his feet.

Exhaling a long, murky breath, Xue Mingqing twirled the Snow Sword and flicked the blade with a casual, lingering touch.

Hum—

With a delicate, fragmented chime, the Snow Sword shattered instantly, dissolving into a sky full of drifting snow motes.

And the Ice Wind Horse, frozen in place, seemed to synchronize with the shattering of the sword, or perhaps only just realized its fate, as dozens of cyan sword slashes erupted across its body.

It wailed...

Deep, bone-exposed gashes burst open across its hide, blood gushing like a pillar, and with that, it perished...

A moment later, a deep purple soul ring, representing five thousand years of cultivation, slowly rose from the corpse of the Ice Wind Horse.

Having watched the entire battle, Zhang Lexuan turned her head in a daze, glancing at Xue Ningxian beside her.

"Uh... Auntie, is Little Brother Mingqing... always this monstrous?"

Xue Ningxian remained as calm and indifferent as ever, nodding as if she had expected it all along.

"This is normal for the brat."

"Though... I didn't expect him to be able to one-shot a 5,000-year Ice Wind Horse without any pressure."

Hearing Xue Ningxian's assessment, Zhang Lexuan turned her head, looking at the cross-legged Xue Mingqing with a complex expression, unable to stop herself from biting her lip.

To have such cultivation at such a young age... with you like this... how am I supposed to catch up to you and repay your favor...

Closing her eyes, Zhang Lexuan let out a deep, soft sigh, finding herself momentarily speechless.

Xue Mingqing was unaware that his full-powered outburst had already stirred up a massive storm in the hearts of his mother and Zhang Lexuan.

In truth, for Xue Mingqing, killing the Ice Wind Horse had not been as effortless as the two women perceived.

Only he knew that in this battle, he had essentially unleashed his full strength...