Ice Phoenix

"Teacher, what is the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament? And what does it mean to be a reserve team member?"

"The Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament is a competition between Soul Masters under the age of twenty-five from across the continent. It's held every five years by the Heaven Dou Empire, the Star Luo Empire, and Spirit Hall. This tournament starts in four years, and third-year students will represent the academy. To be honest, I'm not optimistic about this tournament, so I want you to take part in the one after it. Bing'er and you have given me hope for the next tournament, and the academy's long-cherished wish rests on it as well. With your two top-tier ice-attribute Beast Martial Souls, you and Bing'er are bound to make waves at the tournament."

When she finished, Shui Xinrou looked at Yu Tianshuang with sparkling eyes.

"I understand, Teacher. I'll work hard at cultivation."

"Mm, don't put too much pressure on yourself. If it doesn't work out next time, Bing'er will still be young enough to enter another tournament. All right, it's getting late. Go back and rest."

Yu Tianshuang sat cross-legged on his bed, cultivating his Soul Power.

With the Purple Seal, I'll have twice as much time as others to cultivate my Soul Power. Even so, compared with Soul Masters of a higher level than me, I'm not at much of a disadvantage. Whether it's the total amount of Soul Power or physical strength, I'll only have more and be stronger than them. My much lower level can also mislead them, making them lower their guard and look down on me. All they'll have over me is one extra Soul Skill. As for Soul Skills, besides my Self-Created Soul Skills, I also have the Ice Heaven Sword Scripture.

Yu Tianshuang and Shui Yue'er had only just entered the classroom when Chen Xiaoling called out to them.

"You two don't need to attend class this morning. Go find Dean Shui Xinrou at the Mimicry Training Ground."

The two of them had barely set foot in the classroom when they turned around and walked back out.

"Hey, dummy, what do you think Auntie wants with us? Do you think it's because I had you buy up all the egg rolls this morning, so the students behind us couldn't get any, and they went to Auntie to tell on us? Is she calling us over to deal with us?"

"How awful! How could those guys have the nerve to tell on us? I had you line up early in the morning too! How can they have the nerve to complain when they got up late themselves?"

When she finished, she puffed out her cheeks, looking both indignant and furious.

Yu Tianshuang smiled helplessly at Shui Yue'er's cute expression.

"Don't worry. Teacher wouldn't be so bored that she'd pull us out of class and call us over for something so trivial. There must be something else. We'll find out when we get there."

Before he and Shui Yue'er reached the Mimicry Training Ground, they spotted several familiar figures in the distance.

"Sister! Sister Xue Wu! Sister Hairou!"

Seeing the familiar figures, Shui Yue'er waved and called out to them from afar.

"Sister, Sister Xue Wu, Sister Hairou, what are you doing here?"

Xue Wu, whose short sky-blue hair gave her a dashing look, said in confusion, "Don't you two know? Dean Shui Xinrou called us reserve team members here to get to know one another."

"What's the reserve team?"

Shui Yue'er asked, utterly bewildered, as though lost in a fog.

"All right, now that everyone's here, come on in."

Shui Xinrou's voice came from inside the Mimicry Training Ground.

The group exchanged glances. Without another word, they headed inside.

"The five of you are the reserve combat team members the academy has selected so far. You're here to prepare for the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, get to know your teammates ahead of time, and improve your teamwork."

Looking at them, Shui Xinrou slowly explained why she had called them here.

"Why don't the five of you introduce yourselves, so everyone can get to know one another? Bing'er, you first."

Shui Bing'er nodded, then spoke in a gentle, soft voice. "Shui Bing'er. Martial Soul: Ice Phoenix. Level twenty-three Control System Soul Grandmaster."

"Xue Wu. Martial Soul: Delicate Dancing Snow Satin. Level twenty-one Power Attack System Soul Grandmaster."

"Yu Hairou. Martial Soul: Coral Barracuda. Level twenty-one Support System Soul Grandmaster."

After the three finished, they looked at Yu Tianshuang and Shui Yue'er.

Yu Tianshuang spoke first. "Yu Tianshuang. Martial Soul: Frost Dragon. Level eleven Power Attack System Battle Soul Master."

"Shui Yue'er. Martial Soul: Jade Dolphin. Level thirteen Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master."

Seeing that the five had finished introducing themselves, Shui Xinrou nodded and said, "Bing'er, have a practice match with Tianshuang and Yue'er."

"Seriously, Auntie? How could the two of us possibly beat Sister? Aren't you just bullying me?"

Shui Xinrou didn't answer. She merely gave Shui Yue'er a level look.

"All right, all right. Hey, Sister, go easy on me, okay? Don't freeze me up."

Seeing that her attempt to turn the tables had failed, Shui Yue'er spoke to Shui Bing'er as though resigning herself to her fate.

The two sides slowly walked to the center of the Mimicry Training Ground and faced each other. Shui Xinrou stood between them, glanced at both sides, and said, "Begin."

"Reign over the frosted heavens." Yu Tianshuang slowly raised his left hand and made a loose grasp toward the sky. Snowflakes suddenly began drifting down from the once-clear sky, and a great dragon wreathed in a frosty presence appeared above his head. With a roar, the Frost Dragon then swooped down from the sky into Yu Tianshuang's body. A purple Soul Ring floated around him. Having completed his Martial Soul Possession, Yu Tianshuang looked coldly at Shui Bing'er across from him, who had likewise completed hers.

"A purple Thousand-Year Soul Ring!!!" the three exclaimed at the sight of the Soul Ring rising around Yu Tianshuang.

"Surge forth, Jade Dolphin."

A yellow Soul Ring also appeared around Shui Yue'er as she completed her Martial Soul Possession.

At the same time, Shui Bing'er pressed her hands together and lowered her head slightly, as though in prayer. A ripple of Soul Power came from her, and a faint six-pointed snowflake ice array slowly emerged, centered beneath her feet.

An ice phoenix with its wings folded slowly appeared from the six-pointed snowflake ice array. Once it had fully emerged, its folded wings snapped open, and the temperature around Shui Bing'er plunged.

"Ice and Snow Drifting, a thousand li of silence."

"Be careful. Our Shui Family's Martial Soul was originally the Ice Bird, but I inherited the Jade Dolphin from my father's side. On the day Sister's Martial Soul awakened, the whole family was shocked, because his Martial Soul had mutated from an Ice Bird into a top-tier ice-attribute Martial Soul, the Ice Phoenix. It was the first time in hundreds of years that the family had seen a Martial Soul mutate into an Ice Phoenix. Sister has received the clan's attention in every way since she was little. Before you came along, the First Soul Ring Sister absorbed was a nine-hundred-year Hundred-Year Soul Ring at the limit. That limit Hundred-Year Soul Ring gave this Soul Skill of hers a unique trait: lock-on. At the first ring, she has a control skill with a lock-on trait. I think you understand what that means. And Sister's talent is hardly inferior to yours. She's even managed to make this Soul Skill instantaneous."

After listening to Shui Yue'er, Yu Tianshuang wore an unprecedentedly grave expression.

"A control skill with lock-on that can also be cast instantly. That really is troublesome."

Shui Bing'er's cool face showed no change when her younger sister revealed the details of her Soul Skill. She merely looked at Yu Tianshuang and Shui Yue'er with her beautiful, picturesque eyes.

"I'll go hold her off first. Take the chance to find an opening and control her. Sister's first Soul Skill has one weakness: she can't lock on to what she can't see."

With that, Soul Power surged beneath Shui Yue'er's feet, and a layer of frost covered them.

"First Soul Skill, Wind-Treading Snow-Shadow Steps."

After releasing her first Soul Skill, Shui Yue'er charged toward Shui Bing'er like the wind.

Seeing her younger sister charging at her, Shui Bing'er's pale purple lips curved into a faint smile. She then extended a slender hand, and a cluster of ice appeared from it, shooting swiftly toward the approaching Shui Yue'er.