Are your abilities the same as your brother's? Nan Fusheng asked Xu Xiaoyan.
Xu Xiaoyan nodded lightly. "The same. Long-range attacks, elemental control. My first soul skill is Ice Wheel, just like my brother's. I'm a bit better at control than he is. I'm stronger at night."
Nan Fusheng smiled faintly. "Too bad it's not nighttime now. No matter. Just stay behind me when the time comes—I'll protect you. Let's just do our best."
"Mhm… mhm." Seeing Nan Fusheng's smile, Xu Xiaoyan's cheeks flushed, and she nodded quickly.
"Begin. Give it your all." Wu Zhangkong's voice rang out from a distance.
"Wulin, guess I won't be holding back then. Wahahaha!" Xie Xie let out a strange laugh, his figure blurring as he dashed toward Tang Wulin at incredible speed, clearly even faster than before the break. He might have said he spent the holidays having fun, but it was obvious he hadn't slacked off.
Gu Yue raised her hand, sending a fireball flying from far away. At the same time, a streak of green light landed on Xie Xie, and she began walking steadily toward the trio.
From this far? Can she even reach?
The two sides were fifty meters apart. From what Nan Fusheng knew, Gu Yue's fireball shouldn't be able to travel that far. But he didn't let his guard down—Gu Yue was not the kind of person to do something pointless.
Sure enough, she soon demonstrated the overwhelming control that came with her 305 spiritual power.
The fireball flew for ten meters, then suddenly split into five smaller fireballs in a straight line. The one in the back abruptly accelerated, smashing into the one in front, its fire element seeming to compress and merge into it, speeding it up and increasing its power.
The five collided in succession, quickly merging back into a single fireball—this time five times smaller and glowing a deep orange-red.
It rocketed forward like a cannon shell, aimed straight for Tang Wulin's chest.
The shrill sound of it tearing through the air left a dazzling tail of flame and ripples of distorted air in its wake.
Tang Wulin chose to meet it head-on. A violet light flickered in his eyes as he stepped forward with his left foot, his right fist punching out. Golden scales covered his knuckles.
Behind him, several Blue Silver Grass vines spread wide like a peacock's tail.
Boom! The fireball exploded, but not a single ember touched him—his power scattering the blast while the Blue Silver Grass shielded him from the flames.
At the same time, a purple soul ring appeared beneath his feet.
Purple? A thousand-year soul ring?!
Did he unlock another seal? Nan Fusheng thought. No, Wulin only gets a bloodline soul ring every two seals, and his strength hasn't grown that much… He must have had some sort of encounter this past month.
While he was still thinking, Xie Xie closed in. At ten meters away, he shouted, "Gu Yue!"
In the next instant, blinding light erupted, forcing Nan Fusheng's team to shut their eyes. Xie Xie darted past Tang Wulin, heading straight for Xu Xiaoyan.
It was their tactic: use light to blind, seal Nan Fusheng's first skill, then let Xie Xie—an agility-attack soul master—take out Xu Xiaoyan.
If Nan Fusheng and Tang Wulin ignored her, she'd be eliminated, reducing their numbers. If they tried to save her, the blindness gave him a shot to take down two people.
But Tang Wulin didn't bite—he charged straight at Gu Yue. If she were out, Xie Xie was no threat. As for Xu Xiaoyan's safety, Wulin didn't know her full capabilities, and with Nan Fusheng still there, he figured she'd be fine.
Nan Fusheng, even with her eyes shut, could sense Xie Xie. Buddy… do you misunderstand my skill? I've already said—if you're in my perception, you're in range. You think my spiritual power over a thousand is for show?
Instead of striking, he placed his hand on Xu Xiaoyan's shoulder. A flash of silver—and they teleported away from Xie Xie.
Spatial movement? And he can bring someone with him now? Xie Xie gaped. How the hell am I supposed to fight that? He switched targets, lunging for Tang Wulin's back instead.
Meanwhile, Wulin and Gu Yue were in a fierce battle—his Blue Silver Grass tanking her six-element bombardment as he tried to close the distance. She even managed to create a volatile ice-fire fusion orb, but Wulin's soul spirit smacked it away with its tail before stunning her with Purple Demon Eyes.
The deflected orb hit an unlucky would-be ambusher instead—Xie Xie.
Then, in a sudden burst of insanity, Gu Yue tried to close-range ice-freeze Wulin via teleportation, but Xu Xiaoyan finally made her move—summoning her Ice Staff, activating her first ring, and placing an Ice Wheel shield on Wulin's chest to block the strike.
Wulin's hand darted up, pinching Gu Yue's neck just enough to disrupt her elemental control.
And Xie Xie? He had it worse.
He never expected Gu Yue's fusion attack to come his way. He had been ready to team up with her, only to get blasted point-blank, experiencing true ice and fire.
Luckily, Nan Fusheng, ever the compassionate friend, spared him further suffering by using Consciousness Theft—knocking him out instantly.
And just as he collapsed, an Ice Wheel hit his back, freezing him solid.
Nan Fusheng turned in surprise to Xu Xiaoyan, who gave an embarrassed smile. "He just looked like he was in so much pain… I thought I'd help him get some relief."