Bo Saixi's reward: a Million-Year Soul Ring!

The third reward descended from the heavens.

A Golden Soul Ring appeared behind Bo Saixi.

Nine golden patterns lit up one after another.

The soul ring released no pressure at all.

Yet every drop of seawater above Sea God Island stopped flowing at that moment.

Bo Saixi gazed at the Million-Year Soul Ring behind her.

She raised her right hand.

The soul ring merged into her body.

The Sea God's statue released a golden pillar of light.

Bo Saixi's long hair fanned out behind her.

The Million-Year Soul Ring slowly rotated behind her.

Her soul power rose once more.

The Sea God origin and the Million-Year Soul Ring struck the barrier at the peak of level ninety-nine simultaneously.

The entire Sea God Island shook.

Golden text appeared in succession.

[Million-year god-bestowed soul ring successfully fused.]

[Soul ring skill: Sea God Judgment.]

[Soul ring skill: Ten Thousand Seas Return to the Current.]

[Soul ring skill: Sacred Tide.]

[Bo Saixi's combat power increased.]

[Within Sea God Island, Sea God Judgment can be briefly unleashed.]

Information about the three soul skills appeared across the sky.

Countless soul masters looked up at the Golden Ranking.

"Sea God Judgment?"

"Isn't that already a god-level soul skill?"

"Bo Saixi could already borrow the Sea God's power."

"Now that she has a Million-Year Soul Ring, her power has risen another notch!"

"The reward for fifth place really is more terrifying than the one for sixth."

In the Evil Demon Forest.

The Evil Emperor gazed at the golden divine ring above Sea God Island.

He voiced no objections.

The rewards Bo Saixi had received precisely compensated for her stagnant soul power level.

The Sea God's Heart gave her control over more of Sea God Island's origin power.

The Million-Year Soul Ring granted her a true god-level attack.

Defeating her on Sea God Island would now be far harder for the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King than before.

In the Far North.

The Snow Empress gazed at the three rewards on the Golden Ranking.

The Ice Empress raised both pincers.

"Bo Saixi should be stronger now that she's received a Million-Year Soul Ring."

The Snow Empress nodded.

"Her Sea God Domain has transformed as well."

"If she unleashes Sea God Judgment on Sea God Island, even I will have to take it seriously."

The Ice Empress looked at the Far North Divine Seal between the Snow Empress's brows.

"But you also have the God of the Far North divine position."

"Yes."

The Snow Empress did not deny it.

"She protects Sea God Island."

"I protect the Far North."

"Unless we must, we won't fight."

The Ice Empress nodded.

She did not want to see two powerful figures truly clash over their rankings either.

In the Star Dou Great Forest.

Gu Yuena gazed at Bo Saixi's rewards.

Her gaze lingered on the Sea God's Heart.

"The Sea God has begun reclaiming his power."

Di Tian's expression changed.

"My lord, now that Bo Saixi has received these rewards, could the Sea God use them to descend?"

"He won't descend directly."

Gu Yuena shook her head.

"But both the Sea God's Heart and the Million-Year Soul Ring will make Bo Saixi a more important representative of the Sea God in the mortal world."

"The stronger she becomes, the more stable Sea God Island's faith will be."

Di Tian lowered his gaze to the Golden Ranking.

"Will the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's Deep Sea God position come into conflict with the Sea God?"

Gu Yuena gazed out at the boundless sea.

"Sooner or later."

"The Deep Sea God position is linked to the Douluo Continent's deep sea origin."

"The Sea God holds a godhood in the Divine Realm."

"They aren't entirely the same."

Di Tian asked no further questions.

The Golden Ranking's bestowal of godhood upon soul beasts had already changed the old order.

The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King and Bo Saixi were also destined to clash again.

At Skywater Academy.

The golden radiance gradually faded.

Shui Bing'er turned back to Long Yao.

"Headmaster, has Bo Saixi finished absorbing her rewards?"

"Not yet."

Long Yao looked up at the sky.

"A million-year god-bestowed soul ring takes time to refine."

"Her soul power is also undergoing a conversion."

Shui Yue'er asked, "Can she break through to level one hundred?"

"No."

Long Yao answered bluntly.

"Soul power level is only the foundation."

"Without a true godhood, she still can't complete the transformation into a divine body."

"However, with the Sea God's Heart and the Million-Year Soul Ring, she now has the power to briefly contend with a god-level opponent."

Shui Bing'er looked down at her palm.

She condensed an ice crystal.

The ice crystal rested in her palm, its inner chill slowly swirling.

"Can my Ice Phoenix martial soul reach that level too?"

Long Yao looked at her.

"As long as you gain complete control over your martial soul, you'll have a chance."

Shui Bing'er raised her eyes.

"How long will it take?"

"Time isn't important."

Long Yao lifted his teacup.

"What you need to do now is make the Ice Phoenix truly respond to your will."

Shui Bing'er nodded gently.

She put away the ice crystal in her palm and walked back onto the lake.

Shui Yue'er followed her.

The lake water parted beneath their feet.

Shui Bing'er released her Ice Phoenix martial soul.

Ice-blue wings spread behind her.

Rather than immediately mobilizing her soul power, she closed her eyes and sensed the ice element over the lake.

An ice crystal rose from the lake water.

Then a second.

A third.

More and more ice crystals circled her.

Shui Bing'er raised her hand.

The ice crystals arranged themselves in the air, condensing into a complete ice lotus.

This time, not a single crack appeared in the ice lotus.

Its petals unfurled layer upon layer.

Cold spread across the lake.

Shui Yue'er stood on the other side.

She did not force her control upon the lake water.

Transparent streams wound around her arms, gradually forming a curtain of water.

The water curtain and the ice lotus drew closer.

The ice element and water element mingled.

The ripples on the lake slowly subsided.

Long Yao sat beneath a tree.

He watched the two cultivate without disturbing them again.

On the Golden Ranking.

Bo Saixi's name remained in fifth place.

All three of her rewards had now merged into her.

Above Sea God Island.

Bo Saixi slowly rose to her feet.

The Million-Year Soul Ring rotated behind her.

A golden trident mark appeared between her brows.

She raised her head toward the Sea God Hall.

"Lord Sea God."

Bo Saixi tightened her grip on her scepter.

"I will continue to protect Sea God Island."

Inside the Sea God Hall, golden radiance descended once more.

The power of faith from the entire Sea God Island converged upon her.

Bo Saixi closed her eyes.

The Sea God Domain slowly unfurled.

A golden ocean covered Sea God Island.

All the seawater surrounding the island came to a standstill.

On the Golden Ranking, the final lines of text slowly appeared.

[Bo Saixi's reward fusion complete.]

[Sea God Domain transformed.]

[Million-Year Soul Ring successfully fused.]

[Current combat power: the absolute limit below god level.]

The final words lingered in the sky.

Across the continent.

Bibi Dong, Qian Daoliu, Gu Yuena, the Snow Empress, and the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King all gazed at that line.

The absolute limit below god level.

That was the Heavenly Dao Golden Ranking's assessment of Bo Saixi's current strength.

By the lake at Skywater Academy.

Shui Bing'er withdrew her Ice Phoenix martial soul.

The ice lotus on the lake did not dissipate.

It floated quietly in the center of the water.

Long Yao looked higher up on the Golden Ranking.

The ranking of fifth place had ended.

The next moment.

The golden light belonging to fourth place began to gather above the heavens.

Above the heavens.

The golden light belonging to fourth place continued to converge.

The Golden Ranking did not immediately reveal the name.

Skywater Academy returned to peace.

At the center of the lake.

Shui Bing'er sat cross-legged atop the Ice Lotus.

The Ice Phoenix spread its wings, and large swaths of ice crystals hovered around her.

After several days of cultivation, her control over the ice element had improved greatly.

Now, she no longer needed to expend much Soul Power to make the surrounding ice element gather on its own.

Shui Yue'er stood on the other side of the lake.

A transparent stream of water slowly revolved around her.

The stream of water sometimes scattered and sometimes gathered.

Shui Yue'er did not force the stream to change direction, using only her Soul Power to guide it.

Long Yao sat beside the lake.

Several plates of pastries were laid out on the long table.

Beside the teapot was the Fruit Wine Shui Yue'er had just brought over.

Long Yao picked up the wine cup and took a sip.

Shui Yue'er immediately looked over.

"Dean, how does it taste?"

Long Yao set down the wine cup.

"Too sweet."

Shui Yue'er withdrew the stream of water and hurried to the shore.

"I added three kinds of fruit."

"All the teachers at the academy said it tasted good."

Long Yao glanced at her.

"How much sugar did you add?"

Shui Yue'er held up one finger.

Long Yao said nothing.

Shui Yue'er held up another finger.

"Actually, it was two spoonfuls."

Long Yao lifted his teacup.

"Use less next time."

Shui Yue'er immediately nodded.

"It's good as long as you're willing to drink it, Dean."

Above the lake.

Shui Bing'er opened her eyes.

The Ice Lotus beneath her slowly folded inward.

None of the ice crystals fell into the lake. Instead, they transformed into cold air and returned to her side.

Shui Bing'er came to the shore.

"Dean, I can now reclaim seventy percent of the ice element."

Long Yao looked toward the lake.

There were no traces of extensive freezing left behind.

Only a few tiny ice crystals still floated on the water.

"Keep practicing."

"This stage of cultivation will not be complete until you can reclaim all of it."

Shui Bing'er nodded lightly.

"Yes."

Shui Yue'er picked up the Fruit Wine on the table.

"Sister, you should try it too."

Shui Bing'er accepted the wine cup and took a small sip.

She paused for a moment.

"It really is too sweet."

Shui Yue'er looked at the wine jug in her hand.

"Next time, I'll add only one spoonful."

Long Yao did not join the sisters' conversation.

His gaze fell on Shui Bing'er.

The Ice Phoenix Martial Soul could already actively draw in the ice element from the world around it.

This change did not come solely from cultivation.

After the True Dragon Tower revived, the concentration of elements within Skywater Academy had continued to rise.

Shui Bing'er cultivated on the lake every day, and her own Martial Soul was slowly transforming as well.

Shui Yuerou walked over from a distance.

She held a stack of academy rosters in her hands.

"Dean."

Long Yao looked toward her.

"What is it?"

Shui Yuerou placed the top roster on the table.

"The academy needs to recruit new students this year."

"According to the rules of the past, we only accept female students with Water Attribute and Ice Attribute Martial Souls."

"Do we need to change the requirements this year?"

Long Yao opened the roster.

It recorded the number of students Skywater Academy had recruited in recent years.

The academy's requirements for Martial Souls and attributes were very high.

Not many people passed the assessment each year.

"The original rules do not need to be changed."

Long Yao closed the roster.

"Skywater Academy follows the path of water and ice."

"Recruiting students with other attributes will only affect the academy's existing cultivation system."

Shui Yuerou nodded.

"I'll make the arrangements according to the rules of previous years."

Long Yao pushed the roster back.

"Add an Elemental Affinity test to the entrance assessment."

Shui Yuerou stopped moving.

"Does the Dean plan to personally oversee the assessment?"

"No need."

Long Yao raised his hand toward the lake.

A drop of lake water slowly rose into the air.

The lake water condensed into a pale-blue Water Crystal.

Within the crystal, the Water Element continued to flow.

Long Yao lightly tapped it with his finger.

The crystal landed in front of Shui Yuerou.

"Have everyone taking the assessment touch the crystal."

"If they can make the crystal change, they possess Elemental Affinity."

Shui Yuerou caught the crystal.

The instant it touched her palm, layers of ripples rose within it.

"I understand."

She put the crystal away.

Watching this, Shui Yue'er immediately extended her hand.

"Vice Dean, let me try."

Shui Yuerou handed her the crystal.

Shui Yue'er held the crystal in both hands.

Vast streams of watery light surged from within the crystal.

The watery light coiled around her wrists and transformed into several tiny fish.

Shui Yue'er's eyes lit up.

"Dean, is my Elemental Affinity very high?"

"Acceptable."

Long Yao lifted his teacup.

Shui Yue'er looked toward Shui Bing'er.

"Sister, you should try too."

Shui Bing'er accepted the crystal.

The instant the pale-blue Water Crystal landed in her palm, a layer of frost covered its surface.

The Water Element within the crystal rapidly condensed.

A tiny Ice Phoenix gradually took shape.

The Ice Phoenix spread its wings within the crystal.

A moment later, the entire crystal had transformed into an icy blue color.

Shui Yuerou's expression changed slightly.

"Bing'er's Elemental Affinity has already reached this level?"

Long Yao looked at the Ice Phoenix within the crystal.

"Her Martial Soul is transforming."

Shui Bing'er raised her eyes.

"Can my Ice Phoenix continue to improve?"

"Of course."

Long Yao extended his hand.

The icy-blue crystal flew back into Shui Yuerou's palm on its own.

"A Martial Soul is not unchanging."

"When your control over the ice element reaches its peak, the Ice Phoenix will naturally transform along with it."

Shui Bing'er lowered her head and looked at her palm.

When she had touched the crystal just now, she had clearly felt the response transmitted by the Ice Phoenix.

That change had not been brought about by Soul Power.

It was the Origin of the Martial Soul awakening.

"I'll continue cultivating."

Shui Yuerou put away the crystal.

"Dean, I'll go arrange the recruitment matters first."

Long Yao nodded lightly.

Just as Shui Yuerou turned around, an Academy Steward hurried over from the distance.

The steward came to the lakeside.

"Dean, Vice Dean."

Shui Yuerou looked at her.

"What happened?"

The Academy Steward bowed.

"Yu Xiaogang has come again."

Shui Yuerou's brows immediately furrowed.

"Are Flender and Tang San there too?"

"Only Yu Xiaogang is here."

The Academy Steward paused for a moment.

"He has a Spirit Hall Elder Token in his hand."

"He demanded that the academy hand over Shui Bing'er and submit to a Spirit Hall investigation."

The lakeside fell silent.

Shui Bing'er did not speak.

Shui Yue'er had already turned to look toward the academy gates.

"How does he still dare to come?"

Shui Yuerou's expression darkened.

The incident last time had already been investigated and clarified.

Ma Hongjun had forced his way into the academy and attacked the Shui sisters.

Skywater Academy had not held Shrek responsible, already leaving them plenty of room.

Yet today, Yu Xiaogang had come knocking again with the Spirit Hall Elder Token.

"Make him leave."

Shui Yuerou made her decision.

The Academy Steward did not immediately withdraw.

"Vice President, Yu Xiaogang has already broken through the outer academy gate."

"The gatekeeper teachers tried to stop him, but he released his Martial Soul and injured two teachers."

Shui Yuerou abruptly turned her head.

"How serious are their injuries?"

"The two teachers were poisoned, but their lives are not currently in danger."

The Academy Steward lowered his head and said:

"Yu Xiaogang is heading toward the True Dragon Tower."

Shui Yuerou handed the roster to Shui Yue'er beside her.

"Take Bing'er away from here."

Shui Bing'er did not retreat.

"Vice President, this matter happened because of me."