Chapter 19: That Guy's a Simp
The first meeting with Qian Renxue, disguised as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, went quite smoothly.
Xiao Han demonstrated his strength and potential in front of Qian Renxue, proving he was a young man worth investing in.
He believed Qian Renxue would help him obtain the Encyclopedia of Immortal Herbs—not just because of who he was, but also because the force behind him, Tianshui Academy, was something she wanted to win over.
Of course, what Xiao Han wanted wasn't just that book.
He hoped that by getting closer to Qian Renxue, he could gather more information about Dugu Bo.
As long as Dugu Bo was still at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Xiao Han had no way of entering.
Only when Dugu Bo wasn't around would he have the chance to harvest the immortal herbs there.
This was a task he had to complete within the next three years. Time was running out.
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After leaving the palace, Xiao Han told Lin Zhiruo about his conversation with Xue Qinghe. Lin Zhiruo let out a long sigh.
"Xiao Han, I really didn't expect the Crown Prince to be willing to help you. But are you sure he can get that book from the Spirit Hall?"
"I believe he can."
Xiao Han couldn't reveal Xue Qinghe's true identity to Lin Zhiruo just yet.
Lin Zhiruo warned him,
"Xiao Han, even if he really gets you that book, don't get too obsessed with researching or seeking out those immortal herbs. The Soul Master Tournament is just over four years away. Training should be your top priority."
"Mom, I know what I'm doing. It's not like immortal herbs are easy to find. But they're powerful—stronger than whale glue. If young soul masters like us can take the right kind of herb, it can boost our training speed tremendously."
"Is it really that amazing?"
"Of course."
Lin Zhiruo suddenly grew serious.
"You brat, I'm warning you—don't keep thinking about the herbs in Dugu Bo's poison array. Even if there are rare treasures in there, it's not something you should covet. That's his territory. We barely escaped with our lives last time. You can't risk it again."
"Mom, you're overthinking. I wouldn't gamble with my own life."
"You think I don't know you? Just don't even think about it."
"Alright, alright. I'll listen to you."
Xiao Han didn't want to worry her, but in truth, he had no intention of giving up on the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well or the herbs.
He just had to wait for the perfect moment—when it was absolutely safe—to carry out his plan.
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A few days later.
Xiao Han returned to Tianshui Academy and shared the story of how he hunted the Ice Feather Swift in the Frozen Forest and gained the ability to fly with Shui Bing'er.
Shui Bing'er was both shocked and delighted.
"Xiao Han, you've actually gained flight! That's amazing."
"Yeah. Now I can soar freely through the sky, just like you. By the way, do you feel like you're about to break through level 30?"
"Not yet. But even if I do, I probably won't go to the Frozen Forest to hunt soul beasts right away."
Xiao Han was puzzled.
"Why not?"
"I made a promise to Xue Wu—we agreed to go together once we both reach level 30. She's already broken through to level 29 while you were away."
"I see. That's good, actually. You two seem to get along very well."
"Mm-hmm."
Xiao Han thought about Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu's Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
To perform such a skill, both the Martial Souls and the hearts of the two users must be in sync.
Though they didn't join the academy at the same time, they quickly formed a close bond after joining the new team.
Xue Wu currently had two soul skills:
First Soul Skill: Dark Cloud – controls the weather, summoning a patch of dark clouds.
Second Soul Skill: Rainfall – can only be activated if dark clouds are present; summons heavy rain that forms a wide curtain of water to drench enemies.
Though Xue Wu's first two skills lacked offensive power, they greatly supported her teammates by providing abundant water elements.
But Xiao Han knew that her upcoming third soul skill—Ice and Snow—would be a real game changer.
When activated, it would summon heavy snow and drastically lower the temperature in the area, weakening enemies and draining their soul power over time.
This skill would allow her and Shui Bing'er to unleash their Martial Soul Fusion Skill: Snowfall Dance.
"Bing'er, since you and Xue Wu are so close, have you considered trying a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with her?"
"Fusion Skill?"
"Yeah. She's a support-type soul master, and you possess the top-tier beast soul—Ice Phoenix. If you two are mentally in sync, the fusion could be incredibly powerful."
Shui Bing'er smiled gently, clearly intrigued by the suggestion.
"That's a good idea. Once we both hit level 30, we'll give it a try."
"Great. I'll go with you when the time comes to hunt soul beasts in the Frozen Forest."
"Okay."
As the two spoke, several other girls from the team came over.
Yu Hairou said,
"Xiao Han, we heard from Dean Lin that your third soul skill gave you flight. That's awesome."
Gu Qingbo added,
"Yeah, you're getting stronger by the day. We used to worry you'd end up being our rival!"
"Now that both you and Bing'er can fly, we won't be completely helpless against Thunderclap and Divine Wind Academies."
Thunderclap Academy was backed by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Their team was led by a captain with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul.
As a top-tier beast soul, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was known for its fierce physical power and devastating lightning attacks—making it a natural counter to water and ice elements.
That's why Tianshui Academy had repeatedly lost to Thunderclap in previous tournaments.
On top of that, Divine Wind Academy had also consistently suppressed Tianshui. Their team was composed entirely of wind-type soul masters known for their speed, and most had the ability to fly—making them extremely difficult to deal with.
With two members who could now fly, the current Tianshui team might finally break out of their disadvantage.
Naturally, everyone placed great hopes on Shui Bing'er and Xiao Han.
Shui Bing'er said,
"I heard from Dean Zhao that the captain of Divine Wind Academy, Feng Xiaotian, is also an innate full soul power user. He should be 19 this year—very powerful. Strangely, he didn't participate in the last tournament. I wonder why."
"Feng Xiaotian, huh?"
Xiao Han grinned.
"That guy's a total simp. He deliberately held himself back just to impress a girl—and he's been working on some self-created soul skill."
"Self-created skill? Anyone capable of developing something like that isn't ordinary."
"Yeah, I heard he actually succeeded. It's called Gale Demon Wolf Slash.
It's a powerful move—most people wouldn't stand a chance. If we want to beat him, we'll need to find a way to counter it."
(End of Chapter)
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