The Tianjing Sword Shows Its Might: Ice Soul!

Meng Hongchen sat down beside Gu Ming, blinked her big, sparkling eyes, and said with a smile, "Hello there. Mind if we get acquainted? I'm Meng Hongchen, a student at the Sun Moon Empire Soul Engineer Academy."

Gu Ming silently raised his head, a hint of helplessness crossing his face.

He didn't understand.

He was just having a meal. How had that led to a beautiful girl striking up a conversation with him?

I forgot... this girl is a sucker for a pretty face, the only girl in the entire story whose morals follow someone's looks. She's also one of the story's most beautiful women.

A beauty lover's tastes were just that simple and unpretentious.

He immediately held out his hand. "Just call me Gu Ming."

"Gu Ming?"

Meng Hongchen's beautiful eyes widened when she heard it. "What a lovely name! Who gave it to you, your father or your mother?"

Gu Ming remained silent.

What kind of Tang Ya behavior is this?

Seeing that he wasn't responding, Meng Hongchen asked, "Could I invite you to have dinner with us? We have lots of friends over there, and I could introduce you to all of them. They're all students at the Sun Moon Empire Soul Engineer Academy."

"Would you like to make some new friends?"

Remembering that he still had a mission, Gu Ming declined.

"Ah!"

Meng Hongchen was at a loss after being rejected. Usually, she was the one turning others down. This was the first time someone had rejected her.

The disappointment rising in her heart really didn't feel good.

But as a sucker for a pretty face, she certainly wouldn't give up so easily, so she invited him again.

Gu Ming refused again.

Just then, Xiao Hongchen ran over from the terrace, grabbed Gu Ming's sleeve, and said darkly, "Boy, you dare turn down my little sister? Do you know how famous I am at the academy?"

Gu Ming gave Xiao Hongchen a long look, then shoved him away. "You're a real bully. I'm leaving. A good dog doesn't block the road, so stop showing off in front of me."

That dismissive gesture, however, infuriated Xiao Hongchen, who loved showing off.

Meng Hongchen hurriedly grabbed her brother. "Forget it, Brother. Don't go offending people. I was being a little presumptuous."

Those words sent Xiao Hongchen's anger soaring. He raised his hand and shouted, "Boy, stop right there!"

"What do you want?"

Gu Ming frowned, immediately sensing danger.

Xiao Hongchen flexed his wrists and said in a low voice, "Do you dare fight me? If you win, I'll live with my tail between my legs from now on."

Gu Ming glanced at Xiao Hongchen when he heard that.

Someone with four rings was challenging him simply because his cultivation was lower and he looked easy to bully.

Doesn't Xiao Hongchen know that soul power level doesn't decide everything? The harder fist speaks the truth.

With three rings, he could pin down and thrash Yan Feng, the Holy Spirit Cult's greatest genius. He could just as easily beat Xiao Hongchen, who was approaching five rings, into the ground.

Fine. There's no harm in fighting one of the Sun Moon Empire's Twin Stars and seeing where my limits lie.

Gu Ming pointed at the hotel floor. "Here or outside? If it's here, you'll pay for whatever gets broken. But if it's outside, you're going to lose face spectacularly."

Xiao Hongchen narrowed his eyes, sensing the other boy's contempt.

This brat is looking down on me!

He wanted to see just what gave this boy the confidence to fight him.

Without another word, Xiao Hongchen pointed at the grounds outside and shouted, "Whoever chickens out is the other's grandson! I'm going to teach you a lesson!"

In the blink of an eye, the two reached the open space below and stood more than ten meters apart.

Their duel also drew quite a crowd of spectators.

Meng Hongchen anxiously nudged Xu Tianzhen and said in a soft voice, "Tianzhen, I think I've caused trouble. How can we stop them from fighting? What if my brother hurts him?"

Xu Tianzhen rolled her eyes. "Miss Meng, you're only realizing now that you've caused trouble? With your brother's personality, someone is bound to teach him a lesson sooner or later. But they're not fighting just because of you."

"I get the feeling they want to have a match and see who's stronger."

Meng Hongchen let out an "Ah" and looked at the two in the arena. Both their gazes burned with fighting spirit.

Only then did she realize that she had merely lit the fuse.

But can Gu Ming really beat my brother? What if he loses? Will he ignore me the next time we meet? What if Brother ruins that handsome face? How will he face anyone at the academy afterward?

The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. Meng Hongchen simply stopped thinking and decided to watch who was stronger, her brother or Gu Ming.

Meanwhile, in the arena.

Xiao Hongchen stared at Gu Ming, a smile curling his lips.

Four rings against three. He held the advantage.

He couldn't understand where Gu Ming, with his three rings, had found the courage to fight a soul engineer. Didn't he know that soul engineers were invincible below seven rings?

Today was the perfect chance to teach Gu Ming a lesson and bolster his reputation in Mingdu.

Xiao Hongchen immediately said, "Surrender now, and I'll let you off. After all, me beating you would be like a father beating his son. You're just a weak little three-ring Soul Elder."

Gu Ming chuckled and pointed at the ground. "Kneel and kowtow, and I'll let you off."

"Damn you!"

Xiao Hongchen flew into a rage. He pulled an Energy-Gathering Hand Cannon from behind him and began firing at Gu Ming.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!

Beams of energy glowing white flew toward Gu Ming.

Yet Gu Ming evaded Xiao Hongchen's attacks with just a few blindingly fast sidesteps.

As he dodged, Gu Ming didn't forget to taunt him. "Show-off, is that all you've got? I haven't even started taking this seriously."

Xiao Hongchen erupted in fury. "Bastard, you haven't even activated your martial soul! Don't get so full of yourself!"

"First Soul Skill, Metal Control!"

"Second Soul Skill, Gold Boiling!"

"Third soul skill, Stillness Condensation!"

Activating three powerful soul skills at once, Xiao Hongchen's aura instantly surged to its peak. Densely packed metal cannon barrels sprouted all over his body and fired terrifying Soul Guidance Rays at Gu Ming.

With those three formidable soul skills amplifying them, the Soul Guidance Rays became utterly terrifying.

Boom, boom, boom!

Gu Ming had to retreat dozens of meters to escape the danger. Watching the Soul Guidance Rays relentlessly pursue him, he finally grew serious.

Dedicated soul engineers really are formidable!

It seemed he would have to show his opponent a few tricks.

Gu Ming opened his right hand, and a Tianjing Sword appeared in it. Facing the unavoidable Soul Guidance Rays, his soul power surged violently, and he swung his sword straight at them.

"Ice Soul!"

A dragon's cry rang out as the phantom of an ice-blue dragon charged forward, opening its enormous maw to devour the Soul Guidance Rays and instantly forcing countless spectators back.

The ice-blue dragon then swept toward Xiao Hongchen to devour him.

At that moment, Xiao Hongchen's mind went blank.

What is that?

A weapon martial soul released a dragon phantom, and it's even made of tangible energy? That defies science!

Suddenly, Xiao Hongchen snapped back to his senses. His Fourth Soul Ring lit up, and he shouted, "Fourth Soul Skill, Gold Sacrifice!"

At that moment, he burned his own soul power, pushing his soul tool's output to its absolute limit.

Boom—!

The enormous cannon barrel on his shoulder fired a Super Energy-Gathering Soul Guidance Ray, which collided with the Ice Dragon.

Boom, boom, boom...

The Ice Dragon surged forward without stopping, devouring the Super Energy-Gathering Soul Guidance Ray.

Xiao Hongchen's expression changed drastically. Terrified, he collapsed to the ground, helpless as the Ice Dragon swept toward him to swallow him.

"Awooo!"

With a roar, the dragon bound Xiao Hongchen up like a rice dumpling, then instantly exploded.