Elemental Ice Ling Luochen (Part 2)

Boom—

On the Soul Arena, a massive pink lotus burst through the ground in an instant, swallowing the tiny figure below like a boa constrictor opening its jaws.

"Hua Yao wins this soul battle and earns one point!"

The referee descended from the sky and announced the final outcome of the match.

The lotus dissolved into pink specks of light, revealing Gu Fan. He scratched the back of his head, his expression tinged with regret. "I thought I'd improved lately, but I still lost to you."

Hua Yao smiled. "It was only a narrow victory. My Soul Power was nearly exhausted too."

"I'm heading to the Mimetic Cultivation Zone. Want to come with me?" Gu Fan invited her, with a hint of cautious probing in his voice.

Not suspecting anything, Hua Yao said, "Sure."

With the match over, the referee sniffed. He seemed to smell something sour. He was an Earth-Attribute Soul Douluo, responsible for refereeing soul battles and repairing the arena.

As the referee's Soul Power surged, earth and stone flew through the air. In only a short while, the place where the lotus had burst from the ground was restored to normal, leaving no sign that two high-level Soul Emperors had fought there.

"The next soul battle is about to begin! Both contestants, please enter the arena as soon as possible!"

Ling Bai rose from the resting area and stepped into the Soul Arena.

There were not many spectators, but his unfamiliar yet exceptionally handsome face, along with his young age, still sparked a wave of whispers. Most were asking one another who had seen this Shrek Inner Academy student before.

A woman entered the Soul Arena from the other side.

Even from a hundred meters away, her cool and aloof aura still enveloped Ling Bai.

So this was Elemental Ice...

Ling Bai looked at Ling Luochen across from him. She was breathtakingly beautiful. She was neither as fiery and dazzling as Ma Xiaotao nor as gentle and graceful as Han Ruoruo. Her unique air of standing apart from the world, proud and solitary as a plum blossom, easily left a deep impression on others.

"Ling Bai? Ling Luochen?"

Upon seeing the two who had entered the arena, a stunning red-haired woman in the audience froze for a moment.

Ma Xiaotao.

Rarely free from the need to worry about her evil fire going out of control, Ma Xiaotao had naturally rushed to the Soul Arena, intending to fight to her heart's content all day and earn a large haul of soul battle points. She had not expected to run into two familiar faces.

There was no need to mention Ling Bai. They had fought until the heavens darkened last night, and afterward, she had accepted his favor in curing her evil fire.

The connection between Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen had also begun with the Phoenix Evil Fire.

Ling Luochen possessed the Elemental Ice martial soul and was unquestionably the number one ice-attribute soul master in Shrek Inner Academy. In the past, Ma Xiaotao had asked her to help resolve her evil fire, but Ling Luochen had flatly refused.

A refusal was one thing. Helping was a favor; refusing was her right. Ma Xiaotao would not have resented Ling Luochen for that alone.

What truly drove Ma Xiaotao mad was the ridiculous reason Ling Luochen had given at the time!

She was a germaphobe!

Ma Xiaotao had nearly failed to suppress her evil fire out of rage!

Even thinking about it now made her breathing quicken!

Beat her up!

Beat her up hard!

However she beat me up yesterday, beat her up the same way today!

Ma Xiaotao cheered wildly for Ling Bai in her heart!

"Ling Luochen just broke through to Soul King, didn't she? This match will be... difficult for Ling Bai." Wu Ming frowned slightly.

As Chu Qingtian's guide, Wu Ming knew that his Soul Power was rank forty-seven. Ling Bai clearly looked at least three years younger than Chu Qingtian.

A low-level Soul Ancestor facing a Soul King meant an enormous gap in both Soul Power and experience. Moreover, Ling Luochen had already completed two years at Shrek Inner Academy, and her combat ability had further transformed. Wu Ming did not believe Ling Bai could be her opponent.

Han Ruoruo smiled softly, while Chu Qingtian lowered his head and stared straight ahead. The two maintained a tacit silence.

Han Ruoruo had personally witnessed Ling Bai versus Ma Xiaotao. The mighty Phoenix Soul Emperor had been beaten black and blue. As for Ling Luochen...

Easy peasy!

High in the sky, two figures overlooked the battle about to erupt in the Soul Arena.

"Elder Xuan, what brings you here today?"

Yan Shaozhe asked the man beside him, who held a chicken leg in his left hand and a wine gourd in his right.

Xuan Zi ignored him. He took a bite of the chicken leg before casting him a sidelong glance. "You little brat are sharp as a tack. Don't you know why I'm here?"

"Hahahaha..."

Yan Shaozhe tried to hide his embarrassment with laughter. Sure enough, that old monster Xuan Zi had sensed the vast and majestic holy aura of the Six-Winged Angel last night as well.

Xuan Zi gazed at the two below, chewing chicken as he spoke indistinctly. "Ling Luochen... I remember that girl. She was one of the reserve team members in the previous Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Master Competition, and she's provisionally one of this tournament's official Shrek Seven Monsters. Her martial soul is Elemental Ice. She was the team's primary control soul master, and she performed quite well in several matches."

Xuan Zi had led Shrek Academy's team in each of the past three Soul Master Competitions. The reserve team would often fight whenever Shrek Academy drew weaker opponents, concealing the official members' true strength. That was why Ling Luochen had left an impression on him.

Yan Shaozhe said blandly, "She isn't Ling Bai's opponent."

He remembered how Ling Luochen had angered Ma Xiaotao to the point of red eyes that day. As her teacher, he had a rather average impression of Ling Luochen, so he decisively chose Ling Bai's side.

"Nonsense. Isn't it perfectly normal for a Six-Winged Angel to fight above its rank?"

Unaware of the complicated history between Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen, Xuan Zi snapped irritably, "I want to see whether Ling Luochen can force Ling Bai to reveal more!"

"Uh, Elder Xuan is wise..."

Seeing that both contestants had entered the arena, the referee shouted, "White Badge Ling Bai versus Yellow Badge Ling Luochen! Begin!"

"A White Badge? A new student?"

Ling Luochen saw Ling Bai's face from afar. While marveling at how handsome he was, a trace of secret delight arose in her heart.

She had obtained her Fifth Soul Ring a month ago, greatly improving her strength. If she won this soul battle, she could advance from a Yellow Badge to a Purple Badge, moving one step closer to fulfilling the three major graduation requirements. And at a time like this, she had been matched against a new student...

A free win!

Then she would end this quickly!

With that thought, Ling Luochen's icy eyes suddenly shone. Her Elemental Ice martial soul was released, and five Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black—rose around her. A layer of granular ice crystals covered her exquisite body.

Her First Soul Ring flashed. Ling Luochen grasped at the air, and a staff nearly two meters long, entirely condensed from the Ice Element, appeared amid a blue halo.

First Soul Skill, Ice Staff!

The Ice Staff could reduce Ling Luochen's Soul Power consumption by twenty percent while increasing the casting speed and power of all Elemental Ice soul skills. It was an extremely powerful support soul skill.

However, Ling Luochen was far from finished. Her Second Soul Ring immediately lit up, and Ice Element rapidly formed into a suit of light-blue ice armor. Under the glow of Soul Power and sunlight, it reflected brilliant colors.

Second Soul Skill, Ice Armor!

As its name suggested, it was a soul skill that greatly enhanced defense. Ling Luochen's chosen martial soul path destined her to be a fragile mage, and the ice armor could help her withstand agility-attack soul masters who closed in on her.

Both her First Soul Skill and Second Soul Skill were support-type soul skills, which meant Ling Luochen's combat strength had been rather ordinary before reaching three rings as a Soul Elder. Yet once she passed that weak period, her accumulated strength would burst forth, making her exceptionally powerful!

Ling Luochen raised her staff toward the sky. In an instant, an icy-blue hue covered the heavens, while the pitch-black Fifth Soul Ring beneath her feet blazed brightly!

Dark clouds. A mass of dark clouds had actually formed above the Soul Arena!

Snowflakes drifted through the air, sharp as blades. They spiraled downward, transforming into a vortex of ice and snow that swept toward Ling Bai. The sound of clashing blades and swords rang from within the vortex!

Fifth Soul Skill, Ice Sky Fury!

A thin layer of ice covered the entire Soul Arena. With the Ice Staff augmenting Ice Sky Fury, the chill of Elemental Ice was enhanced to the point where it could slow even Soul Kings and Soul Emperors.

The instant Ice Sky Fury descended, the temperature within the Soul Arena had dropped to an utterly terrifying level. Combined with the omnipresent control of the freezing currents, Ling Luochen absolutely did not believe that any soul master below rank sixty could break through Ice Sky Fury's assault!

"She's gotten stronger."

Phoenix Flame rose from Ma Xiaotao's left hand, resisting the icy erosion of Elemental Ice. Though she hated to admit it, after breaking through to Soul King, Ling Luochen was now qualified to exchange several rounds with her!

On the other side, Wu Ming seemed to share some strange bond with Ma Xiaotao as fellow Inner Courtyard Living Volcanoes. She likewise used Golden Crow Holy Fire to warm herself. As a fire-attribute soul master, cold firmly ranked first on Wu Ming's list of most hated things. Feeling the power of Ice Sky Fury, Wu Ming became even more certain that Ling Bai could not be Ling Luochen's opponent!

Ice Mist spread across the sky above like a flat, surging tide. Ling Bai stood empty-handed amid the blizzard, frost hanging from his long eyelashes and snowflakes resting on his refined nose. His calm golden eyes reflected the Soul Arena ravaged by wind and snow, as well as the cool woman controlling the ice and snow across from him.

"Was he scared stupid?" Wu Ming blurted out.

Han Ruoruo and Chu Qingtian's eyes narrowed. They had initially believed Ling Bai would win, but not even using his martial soul was truly far too arrogant!

In fact, many Shrek Inner Academy disciples watching the battle, including the Soul Douluo referee, thought the same as Wu Ming. They believed Ling Bai, a new student, had been stunned by Ling Luochen and had temporarily forgotten to release his martial soul.

The referee took a deep breath, gathering all his Soul Power beneath his feet. His entire body was poised to move. He feared Ling Bai would be directly battered to death by Ice Sky Fury; if that happened, he would bear a huge responsibility!

He had worked so hard to earn a permanent position at Shrek Academy!

The referee firmly refused to lose it!

Only Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi, concealed in the sky, stared intently at Ling Bai. Veterans as shrewd as these two understood...

What they wanted to see was about to arrive!

The sky suddenly lit up. A golden domain crashed down, and the light of the Angel Holy Sword's swing was like a golden rainbow!

The instant the Angel Holy Sword slashed out, Ling Bai stepped forward. The sword mark rapidly extended, and at last, the Ice Mist, snowflakes, Ice Sky Fury, and even the dark clouds blanketing the Soul Arena were all cleaved in two by a single strike!

One slash scattered a hundred meters of sword radiance!

Evil-warding Slash!

"Impossible!"

Ling Luochen cried out. The calmness on her face and the pride in her heart seemed to have been cleaved apart along with Ice Sky Fury!

Fury, shock, disbelief!

These were all expressions Ling Luochen had never shown to outsiders!

"You... how did you do that?"

At this moment, Ling Luochen no longer cared about victory or defeat. She only wanted an answer!

A phantom of six wings emerged behind him. A pair of golden Angel Wings spread wide, and the constantly pulsing four Soul Rings—yellow, purple, purple, black—once again made Ling Luochen's pupils quake. Ling Bai rapidly closed in on her and smiled lightly. "An innate domain suppresses elemental martial souls. Sorry, Senior Sister, but this soul battle..."

...is my free win!

"Good, good, good! As expected of the Six-Winged Angel, the god among martial souls. Elemental Ice simply cannot make any waves before it!"

Xuan Zi laughed heartily. After taking a huge gulp of wine, he forcefully patted Yan Shaozhe's shoulder. "Shaozhe, the opportunity for Shrek Academy's fourth great rise has come. We must keep this little monster at the academy at all costs!"

"Elder Xuan, I want to as well!"

Yan Shaozhe smiled bitterly. "He is a disciple of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Snatching the Six-Winged Angel from Jian Mu Douluo is no easier than abducting a golden-grade second-awakening Body martial soul from beneath the noses of those old monsters in the Body Sect!"

"Jian Mu Douluo? That old Zhou is still alive?" Xuan Zi smacked his lips, a flash of wariness passing through his eyes.

Jian Mu Douluo, who had once fought alongside Dragon God Douluo Mu En against the Body Sect's two great champions, was certainly no easy opponent!

"Then we should put our heads together. How about this? I have an idea. Later, you and I will do this... and then that..."

"Mhm... mhm... We'll need you to step in, Elder!"

Yan Shaozhe secretly gave him a thumbs-up, sighing that having an elder at home was like having a treasure. The old comrade sure had plenty of ideas!

Each step led into the next—sneaky and devious!

In the Soul Arena, Ling Bai lightly flapped his Angel Wings and rapidly approached Ling Luochen like a golden phantom. The corners of his lips curled upward, and he was relaxed and delighted.

A free win!

The moment he learned that his opponent was Ling Luochen, the outcome of this soul battle had ceased to hold any suspense.

Not to mention that Ling Luochen only possessed rank fifty-one Soul Power—if she were rank sixty-one today, Ling Bai would still wag a finger at her.

Elemental Ice?

Not good enough!

The reason was very simple.

The Angel Domain carried holy power throughout its range. Holy power could equally suppress all non-ultimate attributes, continuously applying Angel Purification within the domain until only the holy elemental attribute remained.

Ling Luochen's Elemental Ice martial soul happened to consist of pure Ice Element. This meant that the soul skills she had painstakingly unleashed met the Angel Domain like ice meeting the blazing sun. After only a few exchanges, Elemental Ice would be purified away completely, and Ling Luochen's soul skills would naturally suffer a drastic reduction in power!

Seeing the figure drawing closer and closer, Ling Luochen unconsciously bit through her pale pink lip. Crimson liquid slowly trickled down from the corner of her mouth.

Ling Luochen paid no attention to such trivial details. Her gaze remained locked on Ling Bai, who moved like a phantom. Eleven-year-old Ling Bai was neither tall nor strong, looking instead like a delicate young nobleman raised in luxury. Yet this very person gave her a tremendous pressure unlike anything she had experienced in her eighteen years!

Her grip around the Ice Staff tightened tighter, veins bulging on Ling Luochen's fair hand!

"It's only a soul battle. Why go this far..."

The stubborn expression on her face told Ling Bai that Ling Luochen absolutely did not want to give up!

Given Ling Luochen's combat experience, Ling Bai did not believe she could not tell that defeat was already certain. This was not a fight to the death, yet Ling Luochen stubbornly chose to persist until the end, staking everything on one final effort!

Ice Mist and snowflakes began to swirl once more. Ling Bai shook his head.

"Such a stubborn person..."

Within the golden light, Ice Mist and snowflakes scattered apart. Everything in the sword radiance's path was torn to pieces. Once the Angel Holy Sword struck, it was like the roar of an enraged dragon!