"Crack—"
The icy seal around Shui Bing'er split apart with a sharp, ringing sound. Frost mist burst into the air, scattering like shattered glass.
Opposite her, Huo Wushuang's eyes gleamed a hellish red. Flames coiled around him, his aura surging wild and fierce. Behind him, a fiery dragon's phantom roared into being, its wings unfurling with menace. Without another thought, he lunged straight toward Shui Bing'er.
"Big Sis—watch out!" Shui Yue'er's anxious cry pierced through the roaring flame.
"Yue'er, get back!" Shui Bing'er's palm flicked out, a soft wave of spirit power flowing from her hand. It wrapped around Shui Yue'er like a breeze and gently tossed her out of harm's way.
Six spirit rings spun to life around Shui Bing'er—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black. The air howled as her spirit essence ignited. A majestic Ice Phoenix unfurled behind her, its feathers glimmering in blinding blue light.
Five years. It had been five years since that day—five long years since she'd last seen Lu Yuan. She was no longer the young woman he'd met. Now, she was a Soul Emperor. Her strength surpassed even Feng Xiaotian's, enough to earn her the respect and leadership of her entire team. And all of it—every step of her growth—had begun with that miraculous herb Lu Yuan had given her five years ago.
"Second Soul Skill—Ice Ring Armor!"
With a burst of cold energy, a thin yet impenetrable layer of blue armor wrapped her body. Frost crept from her feet to her shoulders in a heartbeat, coating her in crystalline sheen.
Huo Wushuang didn't hesitate. He roared, stomping hard, the ground cracking beneath him as flames erupted in his wake. His speed exploded, and in an instant he was upon her.
The third spirit ring beneath Shui Bing'er's feet shone brightly. A blue halo rippled outward, expanding like a shockwave. The moment Huo Wushuang touched it, he was blasted back as if struck by a tidal wave of ice. His body skidded across the ground, leaving scorched trails in the frost.
But Huo Wushuang was relentless. With a guttural shout, he blasted forward again, molten energy pulsing through his veins. The floor beneath shattered under his weight as he thrust both hands in front of him—crimson light gathering at his palms. The power compressed into a single deep-red orb that shot out like a cannonball, streaking toward Shui Bing'er at deadly speed.
"Third Soul Skill—Radiant Guard!"
Before the attack could hit, a shimmering blue shield materialized in front of her. The orb slammed into it with a deafening thud, dispersing harmlessly into a cloud of sparks and smoke.
Behind the shield, another figure appeared—tall, steady, lightning flickering in his eyes.
Yu Tianxin.
He raised a hand, the air crackling faintly around him. Though he hadn't advanced as quickly as Shui Bing'er, he had still earned the title of Soul King. Proud and determined, he stood beside her, ready to fight.
A piercing cry echoed overhead. Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix spread its wings again—alive, majestic, cold enough to freeze breath itself. Its feathers shimmered with pale light as it soared upward fifty meters, before striking down with one massive, glowing wing.
"Sixth Soul Skill—Glacier Storm!"
A black light flashed across her sixth ring. Then, from the heavens, ice-blades rained down in sheets—needle-thin, sharp as despair, cutting through the very air with shrieking sound.
"Whhhhrrrrrr—"
The storm of blades fell relentlessly upon Huo Wushuang.
Yu Tianxin lifted his hand, spirit power swelling. "Fifth Soul Skill—Blue Lightning Dragon's Wrath!"
Energy poured from his core, forming a vast blue-violet dragon that coiled behind him. Crackling with electricity, it let out a fierce roar before surging forward, crashing toward Huo Wushuang like a living bolt of thunder.
But Huo Wushuang met them head-on.
Fire gushed from every pore on his body, his muscles expanding, veins bulging like cords. His hands morphed into claw-like appendages. Red scales slid up his arms as a fiery dragon formed above him—a beast of pure flame nearly five meters long.
"Rooooaaaar!"
The fire dragon's roar shook the air as it smashed into the oncoming ice storm. The clash was cataclysmic—ice and flame colliding, scattering sparks, steam, and shards of frost everywhere.
But Huo Wushuang pushed through it, roaring, unstoppable. The veins in his neck pulsed as if about to burst. He looked more beast than man.
"Chi—chi—chi—" Ice blades sliced into his flesh, leaving bloody burns across his arms and chest, yet he didn't slow. He tore through them, eyes wild, charging directly at Shui Bing'er.
Yu Tianxin's lightning dragon wrapped around him again, trying to restrain him—but after only a few seconds, it shattered under the overwhelming force. The explosion sent Yu Tianxin staggering backward, gasping for breath.
"Don't come any closer!" Shui Bing'er shouted. Panic rippled through her tone—not for herself, but for him. She and Yu Tianxin were already giving it their all. No one else should get caught in this.
"Fifth Soul Skill—Frostbound!"
Raising one hand, she drew a glowing pattern in the air. Freezing energy surged, condensing faster than sight could follow. From her fingertips, a concentrated blue beam fired straight forward.
"Pfff!"
The ice beam pierced through Huo Wushuang's left shoulder. Crimson blood splattered across the frozen battlefield. The blow made him stagger for an instant, but even wounded, he charged on—untamed and unstoppable.
His flaming fist, large as a hammer, came barreling toward her.
Shui Bing'er didn't retreat. Her eyes were calm, steady, even as the heat distorted the air. She spread her palms, summoning her first soul skill again—a final shield of ice between her and death.
"Bang—!"
The fiery punch shattered her defense instantly. The blast sent her flying like a doll, crashing to the ground. Ice fragments exploded around her. Yu Tianxin coughed up blood, collapsing nearby from the shockwave alone.
Before she could even land, the shadow of another flaming fist loomed over her again.
Then—
Thud!
A single kick smashed straight into Huo Wushuang's forehead. The impact thundered out like a gong. His body was thrown backward, drilling into the ground and leaving behind a deep crater.
Shui Bing'er blinked in disbelief, lifted into strong arms before she could crash.
"Lu Yuan?!"
Her breath caught. The warmth of the arms around her, the faint metallic scent of sword steel, and that familiar, steady heartbeat—she hadn't felt them in years.
He smiled down at her, brushing a few locks of hair from her cheek. "Ha… long time no see, Bing'er."
Her heart trembled. Five years' worth of memories surged like a tide—but before she could speak, her eyes widened again.
"Watch out!"
Huo Wushuang, unbelievably, was already forcing himself up again, flames burning hotter, insanity dancing in his eyes.
Lu Yuan's gaze hardened. "Third Soul Skill—Sword Formation!"
He swung his sword in a blur. Dozens of sword lights fell from above in a cascading storm, forming a shining cage around Huo Wushuang. The fiery man was pinned inside, trapped within the lattice of glowing energy blades.
Shui Bing'er simply stared, stunned. The light radiating from Lu Yuan's spirit rings—two dazzling crimson hundred-thousand-year rings—burned into her pupils until her mind went blank.
Two red rings…?
Even Yu Tianxin, blood at his lips, could only gape in silence.
Lu Yuan's arm tightened slightly around her waist. "Hey… it's alright now."
The calm in his voice washed through her like the first breath of spring after a long winter.
Moments later, several more figures appeared—Dugu Bo, Huo Wu, and their squad. Smoke and frost swirled around the battlefield.
"Brother!" Huo Wu's voice shook as she ran forward, eyes wide when she saw Huo Wushuang collapsed in the crater, barely breathing.
"I'll check!" Dugu Bo turned into a streak of green light, arriving at Huo Wushuang's side in an instant. His aura poured out, suppressing the restless flames still flickering across Huo Wushuang's body. He examined him carefully, brows soon knitting together in confusion.
"He's poisoned," Dugu Bo muttered after a moment. "But I… can't tell what kind."
That admission filled the air with dread.
"What? Even you can't cure it?" Huo Wu's voice trembled, tears welling in her eyes. If the Poison Douluo himself was helpless, what hope did they have left?
Dugu Bo exhaled quietly, then turned toward Lu Yuan. "Lu Yuan, how about you give it a try?"
Lu Yuan blinked. "Me? You're joking, right? I can fight, sure—but detox? That's your department."
Dugu Bo frowned. "Don't tell me you've forgotten? It was your sword that drew out the Bi-Phosphorus Snake Emperor venom from me back then."
Lu Yuan's eyes widened slightly. "Wait… so you want me to stab him?"
"More or less," Dugu Bo said dryly. "We've tried everything else."
Huo Wu paled. "You—you can't be serious! What if—what if something goes wrong?"
But Dugu Bo only shook his head. "If we do nothing, he won't survive till morning. That sword of his may be the only thing capable of neutralizing this kind of poison."
Silence hung heavy in the icy air.
Then Huo Wu bowed deeply before Lu Yuan, voice trembling. "Please… save my brother!"
Lu Yuan chuckled softly, raising his sword in an easy motion. "No need to beg. Piece of cake."
"Wait—his wrist! The poison's gathered there," Dugu Bo reminded quickly.
"Got it." Lu Yuan nodded, pouring faint spirit energy into his blade. A flick of his wrist—three clean, controlled cuts across Huo Wushuang's wrist.
Instantly, dark crimson energy surged out from the wounds, hissing and writhing. It drained down the sword like living mist before dissipating entirely into the air.
Everyone held their breath.
Huo Wu stared, lips trembling between fear and fragile hope. Dugu Bo's eyes glimmered, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
The sword seemed to purify the corrupted essence haunting Huo Wushuang's body.
Finally, after what felt like forever, Huo Wushuang's breath steadied. His muscles relaxed. The violent scarlet light faded from his pupils, leaving behind exhaustion—and life.
Shui Bing'er turned, gazing at Lu Yuan's calm figure under the moonlight.
Five years apart, and he hadn't changed at all.
If anything… he'd only grown stronger.
--
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