Crushing Victory

"Hmph, I'd like to see what you can do against two Soul Elders at once. Xue Wu, Winter Snow Sacrificial Dance."

"Got it."

"Third Soul Skill, Winter Snow Sacrificial Dance."

As Xue Wu's voice faded, snowflakes began drifting slowly down around her. The snowy silk ribbons on her body circled around her, giving off waves of blue light, and she began to dance gracefully amid the snowflakes filling the sky.

In the past, when he and Shui Yue'er sparred against the two of them, Shui Yue'er had always been the one to interrupt Xue Wu. Although Shui Bing'er froze Shui Yue'er into an ice sculpture in front of Xue Wu every time, she had managed to interrupt Xue Wu a few times. Once Xue Wu completed Winter Snow Sacrificial Dance, they had no chance of winning.

But Yu Tianshuang remained utterly unmoved, simply standing where he was and watching Shui Bing'er, who was poised to strike.

"Dummy, are you stupid? Get close enough to use your ice wall and interrupt her!"

Shui Yue'er shouted anxiously from outside the arena as she watched Yu Tianshuang "daydreaming."

Hearing Shui Yue'er's shout, Yu Tianshuang curled his lips and said with absolute confidence, "It's fine."

Shui Bing'er nearly exploded with anger at his words, then laughed in fury.

"I'll turn you into a block of ice and let you come to your senses."

As time slowly passed, Xue Wu finally stopped dancing.

A hexagonal snowflake appeared on the ground, with Xue Wu at its center.

Shui Bing'er looked at Yu Tianshuang across from her and walked gracefully to the center of the snowflake. At once, the snowflake on the ground flashed with dazzling blue light, enveloping her.

When the light faded, cold air surged around Shui Bing'er, and snowflakes drifted down from time to time.

"First Soul Skill, Ice Seal."

With a light wave of her slender hand, dozens of Ice Seals shot toward Yu Tianshuang.

Watching the Ice Seals spread toward him from every direction, Yu Tianshuang casually summoned an ice wall.

Boom, boom, boom. The sound of dozens of Ice Seals striking the ice wall rang out, but they failed to shatter the wall Yu Tianshuang had casually summoned.

"So that's why you dared to be so confident. In the past, you couldn't have blocked this move without summoning all five ice walls. But I didn't expect to beat you so easily. Now you'll pay for your arrogance."

With that, an Ice Phoenix appeared behind Shui Bing'er, soaring with its wings spread.

The Ice Phoenix let out a cry and shot straight into the sky.

"Third Soul Skill, Extreme Ice Ray."

Looking at the ice wall in front of Yu Tianshuang, Shui Bing'er swept her slender hand downward.

The Ice Phoenix in the sky immediately spat a pillar of ice-blue light from its mouth toward the ground.

Boom! Almost in an instant, the ice wall in front of Yu Tianshuang shattered, and the ice-blue pillar of light continued sweeping toward him.

Seeing the ice-blue pillar of light right in front of him, Yu Tianshuang began condensing dozens of ice swords behind him.

"Second Soul Skill, Frost Sword Tooth Rain."

He pointed one hand at the Ice Phoenix in the sky, and the ice swords condensed behind him shot swiftly toward it one after another, cutting through the air with a series of swishes.

Boom! The first ice sword collided with the pillar of light in the sky with a roar. The dozens of swords that followed pierced through the ice-blue pillar in moments, then continued toward the Ice Phoenix without losing momentum. In mere moments, they shattered the Ice Phoenix in the sky.

By then, dozens more ice swords had condensed behind Yu Tianshuang.

Yu Tianshuang pointed one hand toward Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu and said, "Seniors, do you want to continue?"

Seeing her third Soul Skill shattered, Shui Bing'er's pretty face turned pale. Then she heard Yu Tianshuang's voice. Forcing down the Soul Power roiling from her shattered Soul Skill, she looked at Xue Wu and said, "Xue Wu, prepare the Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

"All right, the sparring is over."

Hearing Shui Xinrou's words, Yu Tianshuang let the ice swords behind him dissipate. He cupped his hands toward Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu. "Seniors, thank you for going easy on me."

Shui Bing'er's pretty face was covered in frost. She gave Yu Tianshuang a long look, then turned and walked away with a "Hmph."

"Oh my, you've gotten so strong, Tianshuang! You beat Bing'er even with Winter Snow Sacrificial Dance boosting her, and you almost forced us to use our Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Impressive! You'll have to protect your big sister from now on."

Seeing Xue Wu chatting and laughing with Yu Tianshuang without a care, Shui Bing'er cried out, "Xue Wu!"

"Oh, Bing'er's angry. Big sister can't talk to you anymore. Bye-bye!"

After Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu had walked away, Shui Yue'er's eyes lit up, and she immediately said, "Wow, dummy, how did you get so strong? My sister's turned us into blocks of ice countless times over the past two years. That really got it off our chests. That felt good!"

Ignoring the delighted Shui Yue'er, Yu Tianshuang turned to Shui Xinrou with a worried look. "Teacher, Senior Bing'er..."

Shui Xinrou waved a hand. "It's fine. Let her sort it out herself."

Another half a year passed. During that time, the sparring went from one against two to one against three when Shui Yue'er joined in, but Yu Tianshuang always won in crushing fashion. Even now, with the support Soul Master Yu Hairou joining in to make it one against four, it was still the same.

Shui Xinrou realized there was little point in continuing to spar like this, so she called Yu Tianshuang over. "You don't need to go to the Mimicry Training Ground to spar with them anymore. It won't help you improve, and it's the same for them. As it happens, the equipment and cultivation supplies our academy ordered from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect have arrived. I'm going to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect tomorrow to discuss payment with Sect Master Ning. Come with me."

"Teacher, I..."

"Think it over yourself. There are some things you have to face sooner or later. Go back and give it some thought. I'll wait for you at the academy gates tomorrow morning."

With that, she walked away with graceful strides, leaving Yu Tianshuang standing there with his head lowered in thought.

"Hey, dummy, what did Teacher say to you? I think I heard the name Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Is she taking you there for a visit? Let me tell you, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is really rich, and the pastries they serve are especially delicious. Eat a few extra when you get there. Of course, if you don't like them... pack them up and bring them back. I'll eat them for you."

His previously gloomy mood was swept away by Shui Yue'er's antics.

Early the next morning, at the gates of Skywater Academy, Yu Tianshuang looked at Shui Xinrou waiting beside a horse. He took a deep breath, raised his head and said with a bright smile, "Let's go, Teacher."