Affection leveled up again, Martial Soul Fusion Skill

The explosion in the ocean also caused a tremendous disturbance on the surface.

From Qiu Wanxi's vantage point, first came a muffled explosion, and then, inexplicably, a great hole collapsed into the sea's surface.

An enormous whirlpool formed as a result. The sailors in the cabin strained with everything they had to raise a Soul Power barrier, barely avoiding being dragged into it.

Qiu Wanxi did not join them, however. She was staring anxiously at the whirlpool.

That seemed to be the direction Bing'er and Lingji had pursued. Could something have happened to them?

They were both Skywater Academy's finest students, and she had been the one who insisted on bringing them to the ocean to hunt for Soul Rings.

Even the Disc Water Spirit Jellyfish had been her recommendation. That was why they had gone after it.

If anything happened to those two children, how would she answer to the dean and their families?

Just as Qiu Wanxi finally could no longer contain her anxiety and prepared to enter the water to investigate...

The whirlpool suddenly froze, turning the sea's surface into a funnel-shaped layer of ice.

A figure emerged from the funnel.

No, two figures.

Xiao Yao and Shui Bing'er were pressed tightly together, wings of ice and fire rising behind them.

Like a meteor falling in reverse, they shot skyward from the whirlpool's center.

Qiu Wanxi wept with joy, tears streaming endlessly from her eyes. "Thank goodness. Thank goodness you're all right."

Time turned back a few minutes, to when the seawater came rushing in.

Shui Bing'er and Xiao Yao were utterly powerless against currents several times stronger than before and could only hurtle helplessly into them.

Xiao Yao had not anticipated this. He had only wanted to defeat the Disc Water Spirit Jellyfish with his most powerful move and prevent any further complications.

Yet he had overlooked the difference between fighting in the sea and fighting on land.

You had to consider not only your own strength, but also how the ocean would respond.

This was probably why Qiu Wanxi had insisted earlier that they enter the sea and have a real battle with a Sea Soul Beast.

But it was too late to understand that now.

Shui Bing'er had already been struck by successive torrents, leaving her wounded all over and barely conscious.

Once she was dragged into the whirlpool's center, where the tearing force was even greater, she would undoubtedly die.

With no other choice, Xiao Yao could no longer afford to hide his abilities.

He kissed Shui Bing'er lightly on the forehead. "Sorry, senior sister. There's something I've been keeping from you."

"Hmm?"

Shui Bing'er's gaze was blank. Clearly, she was already slipping out of consciousness.

Even so, she still shielded Xiao Yao in front of her, afraid he would suffer more injuries.

Xiao Yao slowly returned to his original form, turning her blank stare into an astonished one. For a moment, the scene was rather comical.

But there was no time to explain so much now. Xiao Yao wrapped his arms around her in turn, and his body continued to change.

He grew rapidly, surpassing the height of several buildings in the blink of an eye.

His body turned black and white. Instead of scales, he had a thick layer of blubber to keep warm and withstand the water pressure.

A whale. This was the best solution Xiao Yao could think of in such a short time.

He would become a whale and use its thick blubber to defend against the whirlpool's torrents.

At the very least, he could shelter Shui Bing'er inside his body and keep her from harm.

It was not as though Xiao Yao could not use the Incomplete Chapter of the Seventy-Two Transformations to become other humans or Soul Beasts.

But his physical constitution and Soul Power would not change.

Under these circumstances, they really might not withstand a deep-sea whirlpool better than a whale.

Shui Bing'er's vision gradually darkened as Xiao Yao swallowed her into his mouth.

And at that moment, she was utterly stunned.

"Junior sister Shui Lingji is Xiao Yao?"

She could not believe it. One was the junior sister she spent every day with; the other was a boy she had met only once but felt very fond of.

How could they be the same person?

But reality lay before her eyes. However unwilling she was to admit it, this was the truth.

She could only think about it from another angle.

Why had Xiao Yao changed his appearance to study at Skywater Academy?

Had he coveted Skywater Academy's abundant water-attribute Soul Power?

No!

When they first met, Xiao Yao had already revealed his Martial Soul, a peculiar flame called the Fallen Heart Flame.

Fire-attribute Soul Power would be lucky not to be suppressed in a water-attribute environment.

Then was it for the Sea Heart Flame?

The Sea Heart Flame should be his Second Martial Soul. Had he come to Skywater Academy to develop it?

No!

She spent every day with him. If anything had changed about the Sea Heart Flame, she could not possibly have failed to sense it.

Was it for their teacher's Mirror Flower Water Moon Meditation Method?

That wasn't right either!

The first time he practiced the meditation method, he had nearly exposed his true identity.

Besides, she had not sensed any improvement in his cultivation speed when he practiced the meditation method. His rapid cultivation was entirely due to his innate talent.

Their teacher simply had not been watching him all along and did not know.

What else at Skywater Academy could possibly attract him?

Once every impossibility was eliminated, whatever remained, however impossible, was the only correct explanation.

He had come for her, or Shui Yue'er.

At the hotel, he had fallen in love at first sight with either her or her younger sister.

But they were at Skywater Academy, where all men were forbidden entry.

So he had changed his appearance, disguised himself as a woman, and even exposed his Second Martial Soul.

All just to enter Skywater Academy and see that person often.

And considering that Xiao Yao had never shown any interest in Shui Yue'er...

That person could only be her!

So Xiao Yao loved me this much!

Everything he had done during this time played through her mind.

He entered Skywater Academy for me!

He defied our teacher and proposed going to the ocean to obtain a Soul Ring for me!

He gave me two supreme treasures no less valuable than Soul Rings or Soul Bones!

He took me out to sea to hunt the Disc Water Spirit Jellyfish!

When faced with mortal danger, he exposed his identity and transformed into a giant whale just to protect me inside his body!

Xiao Yao knew nothing of Shui Bing'er winning herself over. All he felt was pain.

The torrents battered and tore at every inch of his skin, ripping the whale hide open.

Blood flowed unstoppably, only to be sucked away by the whirlpool like a pump.

His muscles were torn apart as well. Bones throughout his body were wrenched out of place, no different from comminuted fractures.

But just then, the Heavenly Book changed.

[Intimacy +10]

[Shui Bing'er's Intimacy has reached 80. Intimacy reward obtained: Martial Soul Fusion Skill-Ice and Fire Love Song. This reward does not require further gifting.]

[Shui Bing'er's Intimacy has reached 80. Intimacy reward obtained: three Great Rejuvenation Pills.]

The Great Rejuvenation Pill was a Daoist immortal pill that could work even on immortals, which showed just how powerful it was.

As long as a single breath remained, taking a Great Rejuvenation Pill could restore one to full health.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yao returned to his original form and swallowed a Great Rejuvenation Pill.

Immediately afterward, he performed the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Ice and Fire Love Song, together with Shui Bing'er.

The Ultimate Ice enhanced by the Martial Soul Fusion Skill froze the whirlpool, and a single wing grew from each of their backs.

Behind Xiao Yao was ice; behind Shui Bing'er was fire.

This represented their Soul Power merging into one, with no distinction between them.

The wings of ice and fire overlapped, and the two shot skyward, escaping danger.