Level Forty-Five

Bing Yekong reacted swiftly, raising the Tianshuang Sword before him to block. Yet the tremendous force still drove him back several steps, leaving his palm numb. He shook out his hand and was about to attack again when he caught sight of Shui Bing'er from the corner of his eye.

At some point, Shui Bing'er had already circled around to the Ice Phoenix's rear flank.

A spear condensed from Ultimate Ice had formed in her hand, aimed at the vulnerable spot where the Ice Phoenix's neck joined its body. One yellow and two purple Soul Rings lit up beneath her feet.

"Now!"

Bing Yekong shouted as he swung the Tianshuang Sword down fiercely. A massive sword aura dozens of meters long roared forth, cleaving straight toward the Ice Phoenix's head. Forced to raise its head to defend itself, the Ice Phoenix exposed its vulnerable neck.

A sharp gleam flashed through Shui Bing'er's eyes. The ice spear in her hand shot forth, becoming a streak of icy blue light that pierced precisely through the Ice Phoenix's neck.

The Ice Phoenix let out a mournful cry. Its enormous body convulsed several times as its life force rapidly drained away. Its magnificent ice-blue feathers gradually lost their luster, and its huge body crashed onto the icy rocks, scattering shards of ice into the air.

A pitch-black Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring slowly rose from its corpse.

Shui Bing'er hurried forward. Bing Yekong had already put away the Tianshuang Sword and nodded at her. "Sit down and begin absorbing it. I'll stand guard for you."

Taking a deep breath, Shui Bing'er sat cross-legged before the Ice Phoenix's corpse and circulated her Soul Power to draw in the Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring. The black Soul Ring slowly descended and settled around her body.

The moment Soul Power surged into her body, Shui Bing'er's brows tightened sharply. The Soul Power contained within a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Ring was many times more immense than that of a hundred-year or Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Even with her foundation in Ultimate Ice, she still felt waves of swelling pain in her meridians.

Bing Yekong sat down behind her and pressed both hands against her back. Ultimate Ice Soul Power flowed into her body and began merging with her own. The two streams of Ultimate Ice, sharing the same origin, came together, instantly relieving more than half the pressure within Shui Bing'er. Under Bing Yekong's guidance, the violent Soul Power gradually became docile.

But the real challenge still lay ahead.

Within Shui Bing'er's Sea of Spirit, the Ice Phoenix's remnant soul had already taken shape. With an enraged shriek, it lunged at her spiritual form. Shui Bing'er's spiritual form took on the shape of an Ice Phoenix and confronted the remnant soul.

Though the Ice Phoenix's remnant soul contained only a trace of consciousness, it had once been a ten-thousand-year soul beast, and its remaining will was still formidable. It spread its wings and pounced fiercely at Shui Bing'er's spiritual form, carrying an utterly savage ferocity.

Shui Bing'er's spiritual form collided with it. Their spiritual powers clashed violently in midair, and a fierce wave of dizziness swept over her. Her spiritual form nearly shattered from the impact.

Just then, an icy blue radiance lit up from the depths of her Sea of Spirit.

Bing Yekong's spiritual form arrived with sword in hand. The Tianshuang Sword gleamed with chilling light, and the sword intent of Ultimate Ice dyed the entire Sea of Spirit in a cold blue glow. He strode before Shui Bing'er's spiritual form and blocked the Ice Phoenix's remnant soul.

"Your opponent is me."

Bing Yekong's sword intent erupted instantly. A brilliant chill flared from the Tianshuang Sword as sword aura infused with Ultimate Ice and Dragon King pressure swept out like a storm, slashing directly at the Ice Phoenix's remnant soul. Feeling that irresistible pressure, the remnant soul let out a terrified shriek and tried to flee, but it was already too late.

A streak of sword aura pierced precisely through its core.

The Ice Phoenix's remnant soul released a miserable howl, then cracked apart like shattered ice, dissolving into specks of light within Shui Bing'er's Sea of Spirit.

Shui Bing'er felt as though something in her mind had shattered with a crash. Immediately afterward, an incomparably cool power surged into her Sea of Spirit, swiftly repairing every corner that had been damaged by the earlier shock. Her consciousness gradually cleared, and the Soul Ring's power began deeply fusing with her martial soul.

Time passed second by second.

Bing Yekong withdrew his hands and slowly opened his eyes. He could feel the Soul Power within Shui Bing'er rising at an astonishing rate as the Ice Phoenix Soul Ring's power was perfectly absorbed by her.

Finally, just as Yang Wudi finished his sixth pouch of dry tobacco, Shui Bing'er's aura suddenly surged.

Level forty-four. Level forty-five.

Her Soul Power stabilized firmly at level forty-five.

Shui Bing'er opened her eyes. Ultimate Ice Soul Power churned around her like a tide for an instant before completely withdrawing into her body. She raised a hand and condensed an ice crystal in her palm. Its form was entirely different from before; within the ice crystal's core, the faint phantom of a Phoenix could be seen spreading its wings and soaring.

"I did it." Shui Bing'er looked at the ice crystal in her palm, a radiant smile blooming across her lips. "My fourth soul skill... is very powerful."

Bing Yekong rose to his feet, stretching his slightly stiff body as he smiled. "We can test it properly on the way back. Let's leave first. Staying around the smell of blood too long invites trouble."

Yang Wudi tucked his tobacco pouch into his belt, rose, and patted the ice chips from his knees. "Let's go, let's go. These old bones of mine are about to freeze apart."

Shui Bing'er stood and walked to Bing Yekong's side. Then, suddenly, she reached out and gently took his hand.

Bing Yekong looked down at her, then at their clasped hands. He did not pull away, only silently tightened his grip.

The wind and snow still filled the sky as the three figures gradually traveled farther across the snowfield, soon vanishing into the endless white expanse.

Shui Bing'er glanced back at the Ice Phoenix's remains and silently offered her thanks. Then she turned away, followed Bing Yekong's footsteps, and began the journey home.

After returning from the Far North, their days resumed their usual rhythm.

During the day, Shui Bing'er attended classes at Skywater Academy as usual. At night, she returned to cultivate with Bing Yekong. Yang Wudi spent every day in the alchemy room tinkering with his jars and bottles. Whenever the mood struck, he would drag Dugu Bo into a fight, collapsing the rockery in the rear courtyard twice. Shui Qingrou would then smilingly "invite" them outside the city to spar.

Everything continued moving forward in an orderly fashion.

That evening, the night was as usual, with moonlight like silk. Bing Yekong came to Shui Bing'er's room as he always did. The two sat cross-legged facing one another, their palms pressed together. Their Soul Power flowed naturally, and they soon entered that familiar, harmonious state of cultivation.

Ultimate Ice Soul Power formed a complete circuit between them, flowing round after round. Each circulation was smoother and more seamless than the last. Shui Bing'er's mind intertwined with Bing Yekong's, and the thin connection within their Sea of Spirit had grown several times thicker than before, like two vines entwined so tightly that they could no longer be separated.

Bing Yekong closed his eyes, savoring the wondrous sensation brought by the mingling of their Soul Power. Just as he prepared to guide it through the next cycle, an unusual feeling suddenly rose from the depths of his dantian. It was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, sending ripples spreading outward in circle after circle.

He abruptly opened his eyes.