BOOM! A deafening roar echoed as Soul Power churned and a terrifying shockwave erupted!

Rong Taotao scrambled and tumbled into the cave. The ground here was free of frost and snow. Stepping on solid earth, his heart settled down considerably. He quickly pressed the number 1 speed dial.

The call connected instantly, with frightening speed.

"Right! Northwest of Wall 1, the cave Professor Zheng Qianqiu came to before. Call it Cave 13 if you want. There’s a guy named Xiao Ziru here. Coach Xia told me to tell you to send backup."

"Yes, Xiao Ziru. Some Pine Soul Four Rites... Holy shit!"

Rong Taotao’s heart leaped. ’No wonder that name sounded so familiar!’

’The legendary Smoke of the Pine Soul Four Rites?’

’Not many people would share a name like that, right?’

’Besides, for someone to push Xia Fangran this hard, they have to be a top-tier Soul Martial Artist, don’t they?’

’But why would one of the great Pine Soul Four Rites fall to such a state?’

’I’ve never seen him at the school, and I’ve never heard anything about him living as a Wildman here at Wall 1, either.’

Before Rong Taotao could hang up the phone, he felt something was wrong behind him.

He whipped around just in time to see Xia Fangran get blasted into the cave like a cannonball!

Rong Taotao cried out anxiously, "Coach Xia?"

He quickly reached out to catch him, but his reaction was a fraction too slow, and he failed to grab Xia Fangran as he flew past.

Xia Fangran’s clothes were a mess. Looking utterly wretched, he scrambled to his feet.

Clutching his abdomen with one hand, his face deathly pale, he squeezed out a sentence through gritted teeth, "Son of a bitch, what level of Soul School is this guy! I haven’t seen him in a few years, how the hell did he get this fucking strong?"

Rong Taotao’s expression turned grim. He knew the master and disciple had run into some serious trouble.

Xia Fangran was a top instructor at Songjiang Soul Martial. Just how strong was that Xiao Ziru outside?

Although Xia Fangran grumbled and cursed on a daily basis, he usually avoided truly foul language. But just now, what Xia Fangran had let out was a genuine, profanity-laced tirade.

SWOOSH~ SWOOSH~

The only response to Xia Fangran was a barrage of spinning Mad Song Halberds.

Wielding his Heaven-piercing Halberd, Xia Fangran moved it in a continuous blur, shattering one Snow-made Flying Halberd after another.

’My god...’

Rong Taotao was stunned by the rate of fire!

Especially with the campfire illuminating the cave, the spinning short halberds were clearly reflected in Rong Taotao’s eyes.

’Why don’t you just spray them with an AK-47? Are you sure you only have two hands and not eight?’

’Is this the kind of hand speed you get from being single for decades?’

Even though Xia Fangran’s Heaven-piercing Halberd created a seemingly impenetrable defense, several Flying Halberds still broke through his line and shot rapidly into the cave!

Rong Taotao immediately drew the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow from his waist and gave it a flourish.

CLANG~

The Flying Halberd collided with the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow!

Rong Taotao felt the web of his thumb go numb. Even though the Flying Halberd shattered on impact, the terrifying force still sent him flying backward...

THUD. Rong Taotao fell heavily to the ground, face-first. He couldn’t help but grimace, a tingling numbness spreading through his palm. ’What kind of power is this?’

Seeing things were going south, Xia Fangran thrust out his hand, palm open, in front of him.

Snow Realm Soul Skill - Ice Barrier!

SHHH...

Countless motes of frost and snow erupted from his palm. In just two or three seconds, a thick wall of ice had already formed, spreading rapidly outward from the center of Xia Fangran’s palm.

The cave entrance was at least five meters wide and three meters high, but in the blink of an eye, it was blocked by a thick wall of ice.

PING! PING! PING!

A series of crisp sounds rang out ceaselessly as the Flying Halberds struck the ice wall.

Behind the wall, Rong Taotao’s eyes lit up. ’This Soul Skill is amazing! It looks incredibly durable.’

Xia Fangran’s chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath. With one hand pressed against the thick ice wall, he used the other to smooth his messy, parted hair and finally let out a long sigh. "Heh..."

The sound of the Snow-made Flying Halberds hitting the ice wall suddenly vanished.

The once-fierce battlefield abruptly fell silent.

Xia Fangran turned his head and asked, "Did you make the call?" 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Rong Taotao knew that a battle of this caliber was completely beyond a small fry like him. He nodded obediently. "Call’s done. The Snow Burning Army said they’re sending support right away!"

At the same time, a tall figure appeared on the other side of the ice wall.

A boundless pressure passed through the thick ice wall and into the cave.

Although Xia Fangran blocked most of it, the terrifying aura that leaked past him was still enough to leave Rong Taotao deeply shaken!

The Ice Barrier Xia Fangran had cast was thick, but it was also crystal clear and free of impurities.

Illuminated by the campfire inside the cave, the tall figure on the other side of the wall slowly raised a hand, pressing it against the thick ice, palm to palm with Xia Fangran.

’What kind of surreal scene is this? Is it trying to be poetic?’

Xia Fangran immediately started cursing, "Xiao Ziru! Does it look like I need you to have a heart-to-heart with me? You..."

Before he could finish, another figure flickered into view behind the tall silhouette on the other side of the ice wall.

With the ice wall in the way, Rong Taotao couldn’t tell if the graceful figure had emerged from behind Xiao Ziru or had materialized from within his body.

Xia Fangran’s face suddenly froze. His mouth fell open, and he was rendered speechless, as if he had just witnessed something utterly unbelievable.