The entire plaza fell into dead silence!
Everyone's mouths fell open, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at the six dazzling Soul Rings beneath Shui Bing'er's feet!
Especially the three pitch-black Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings. They were like three great mountains weighing on everyone's hearts!
"Six... a Six-Ring Soul Emperor?!"
"How is that possible?! She's only just turned eighteen!!"
"Three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings! How did she do it?!"
"My goodness... Her talent is even more terrifying than Young Master Yan's!"
The smiles on Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei's faces froze in an instant. They exchanged a glance, and both saw the deep shock and apprehension in the other's eyes!
An eighteen-year-old Soul Emperor, with three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings! Such talent was simply unheard of! Even the Golden Generation, whom Spirit Hall had spared no effort to cultivate, fell far short!
The confidence and smugness on Yan's face froze completely, too. As he stared at the six Soul Rings beneath Shui Bing'er's feet—especially the three black Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings—his pupils contracted sharply, and a storm raged within him!
How is this possible?! How could she already be a Soul Emperor?! And she even has three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings?! What has she been through these past six years?!
Shui Bing'er stood there quietly as the Ice Phoenix phantom behind her slowly beat its wings, radiating a piercing chill. She looked at Yan's face, etched with shock and disbelief, and the corner of her mouth curved into a cool, faint smile.
"Do you still think you can beat me?"
Her voice was like ice that had lain for ten thousand years, its bone-piercing chill beating against Yan's heart.
Yan opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but it felt as though something had lodged in his throat. He couldn't utter a single word.
The talent and strength he had always been so proud of seemed utterly pale and powerless before Shui Bing'er.
The battle had not even begun, yet its outcome seemed already decided.
The plaza of Skywater Academy was filled with cold air and drifting ice crystals.
Shui Bing'er stood quietly as the Ice Phoenix phantom behind her slowly beat its crystalline wings. The six Soul Rings beneath her feet pulsed gently, radiating a pressure that made hearts tremble.
She seemed to have become one with the surrounding ice and snow, like an ice goddess descended into the mortal realm—cool, noble, and untouchable.
Level sixty-two, a Soul Emperor.
That level of strength was beyond the reach of many older powerhouses, let alone the younger generation gathered here. And she had only just turned eighteen.
In the crowd, Leng Ningshuang stared wide-eyed at her most prized disciple, unable to believe what she was seeing. She opened her mouth to speak, but it was as if her voice had frozen in her throat.
She had always known that Shui Bing'er had made rapid progress over these past six years, but she had never imagined she had reached this level! A Six-Ring Soul Emperor! And she was only eighteen! Such talent was simply unheard of!
"Bing'er, when did she..." Leng Ningshuang murmured, her eyes full of shock and confusion. As her master, she knew nothing of her disciple's true strength.
Beside her, Shui Yue'er's mouth hung open and her eyes were round as saucers. It took her a good while to recover before she leaped excitedly into the air:
"Sister is amazing! A Six-Ring Soul Emperor! Hahaha! Let's see if that red-haired firebird dares to act so arrogantly now!"
Across from Shui Bing'er, Yan's face had turned utterly grim.
The Five-Ring Soul King strength he had always been so proud of seemed utterly pale and powerless before the terrifying pressure of Shui Bing'er, a Six-Ring Soul Emperor.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to save face, but it felt as though something had lodged in his throat. He couldn't utter a single word.
How is this possible?! How could she be a Soul Emperor?! She's only eighteen! Even if she'd started cultivating in the womb, she couldn't have advanced this fast!
Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei exchanged a glance, and both saw the deep shock and apprehension in the other's eyes.
An eighteen-year-old Soul Emperor with three Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings... Even Pope Bibi Dong had fallen far short of such talent in her day!
This Shui Bing'er must not be allowed to live! If she were allowed to fully mature, she would become a grave threat to Spirit Hall!
However, Shui Bing'er gave them little time to think.
"Since you're ready, let's begin."
Shui Bing'er's voice was as cool as an icy spring, devoid of the slightest emotion. She slowly raised her right hand, and an exquisite Ice Crystal Lotus formed at her fingertips, radiating a piercing chill.
"First Soul Skill, Ice Seal!"
She flicked a finger, and the Ice Crystal Lotus instantly became a streak of icy blue light, shooting toward Yan! Wherever it passed, the air seemed to freeze, crackling loudly!
Yan's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly circulated his Soul Power, and his First and Second Soul Rings lit up at the same time.
"First Soul Skill, Hell Magma Rush!"
"Second Soul Skill, Granite Rock!"
A torrent of scarlet magma and gray-white stone armor appeared at once, attempting to block the seemingly tiny Ice Crystal Lotus!
Yet before the overwhelming difference in strength and the clash of opposing attributes, Yan's resistance was utterly futile.
The instant the Ice Crystal Lotus collided with the torrent of magma, the scorching lava froze at a visible speed, turning into a twisted ice sculpture of flame!
Then, the Ice Crystal Lotus carried on unabated and slammed into the Granite Rock covering Yan's body!
Crack! Crack!
The sturdy stone armor shattered like thin ice! A terrifying chill instantly invaded Yan's body, freezing half of him into an ice sculpture!
"Ahhh—!" Yan let out a cry of pain. Like a kite with its string cut, he flew backward and crashed heavily onto the ground. Thick frost covered half his body, leaving him shivering all over and deathly pale.
One move!
Just one move! Yan, a Five-Ring Soul King, had been cleanly defeated by Shui Bing'er, a Six-Ring Soul Emperor!
The entire plaza fell silent.
Everyone stared blankly at the scene, their minds completely empty. They had thought Shui Bing'er might win, but they had never imagined she would win so effortlessly, so overwhelmingly!
Shui Bing'er slowly lowered her hand as the Ice Phoenix phantom behind her gradually faded away.
She looked down at Yan, lying on the ground with half his body frozen stiff. Her icy blue eyes held no pity, only cold indifference. "You've lost. Get out."
Yan struggled to get to his feet, but half his body was frozen stiff, and he could not muster any strength.
He lay on the ground, looking up at Shui Bing'er's cool, beautiful face. His eyes were filled with humiliation, anger, and a trace of... fear he refused to admit to himself.
He had lost. He had lost completely, without the slightest suspense.
But how could he just give up like this?!
He was Yan, a member of Spirit Hall's Golden Generation and a personal disciple of the Pope. When had he ever suffered such a terrible humiliation?! If he slunk back like this, how could he ever hold his head up in Spirit Hall? How could he ever show his face in the Soul Master World?!
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
Yan sneered at Shui Bing'er, his voice laced with a hint of crazed triumph. "You think defeating me means this is over? Hahahaha! You're too naive! Today, you'll agree whether you want to or not! Elder Ju, Ghost Elder, move!"
Before you continue