Soul Land: Heartbreak Makes Me Stronger

At the heart of the Star Dou Forest.

Hearing Qin Jian's words, the massive eyelids of the Titan Giant Ape quivered slightly. It opened one eye just a sliver to sneak a glance at him.

"Snore…"

The next moment, it let out a thunderous snore, startling Shui Bing'er yet again. Then, as if entirely natural, it shifted from lying on its side to lying flat on its back.

Taking advantage of the moment, Qin Jian finally managed to stand and smoothly pluck the Ice Phoenix Flower.

Carefully, he tiptoed back to Shui Bing'er's side and handed her the flower. "Here, the Ice Phoenix Flower you wanted."

Shui Bing'er stared at him blankly, as if she had lost her soul.

"What's wrong?" Qin Jian waved his hand in front of her eyes.

The next moment, Shui Bing'er ignored the dirt and dust covering him and threw herself into his arms, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist as if she wanted to meld into his body.

Qin Jian's Soul Power rippled faintly... Rank 27 now.

"This is practically cheating…" He glanced helplessly at the Titan Giant Ape, who was still pretending to sleep, and silently tightened his embrace around the trembling girl.

Warm, damp tears soaked into his neck. Slightly stunned, Qin Jian heard Shui Bing'er sob softly, "Thank you… thank you…"

"Alright, let's get out of here," Qin Jian said gently, patting her back.

He didn't want to keep being observed like this.

"Yes, let's leave quickly!"

Recalling the earlier scene, Shui Bing'er's heart still trembled with fear. She raised her tear-streaked face, grabbed Qin Jian's hand, and hurriedly led him away.

On their way out, Qin Jian, careful not to let her sense anything unusual, occasionally concealed his aura. He allowed a few Soul Beasts to approach before leading her to avoid them.

It took them an entire day to make their way back to the outskirts of the forest.

To Qin Jian, the journey was like a leisurely stroll, but to Shui Bing'er, it was a perilous adventure narrowly escaped.

"Bing'er, the Soul Beast threat has diminished. Find a safe spot and absorb the Ice Phoenix Flower," Qin Jian suggested.

Shui Bing'er obediently nodded.

The two found a secure area, and Shui Bing'er prepared to absorb the Ice Phoenix Flower.

But as she held the icy-blue flower, Shui Bing'er hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Qin Jian asked.

Shui Bing'er bit her lip and said, "I just feel reluctant… You risked so much to get this for me…"

In truth, it had been perfectly safe.

Qin Jian couldn't help but laugh. "I went through all that trouble to get it for you to absorb. Don't hesitate—if you really want something else, I'll find you another gift when we're back."

"Really?" Shui Bing'er's eyes lit up.

When she saw Qin Jian nod firmly, she finally placed the Ice Phoenix Flower into her mouth.

The immortal plant melted the moment it entered her mouth. A beam of icy-blue light enveloped Shui Bing'er's entire body.

"Buzz!"

The radiant icy-blue glow lasted for a long time before fading.

Shui Bing'er, now seated cross-legged, slowly opened her eyes. A phantom of an ice-blue phoenix emerged behind her, exuding a noble and mysterious aura.

Her gaze, now cold and imperial, fell on Qin Jian, her beauty untouchable.

"Uh…"

Qin Jian instinctively took a step back. When he looked again, she had reverted to her usual self.

"That aura just now… truly…"

Shaking his head, Qin Jian asked, "How is it? How's the effect?"

Shui Bing'er leaped to her feet, her face beaming with joy. "My Soul Power increased by three ranks, and now I can summon my Ice Phoenix Martial Soul independently. I won't drain my Soul Power anymore when using the Martial Soul Fusion Technique with you!"

Qin Jian nodded in satisfaction. "That's great."

"This is all because of you…"

Her eyes no longer held the cold arrogance of the Ice Phoenix. Instead, they were filled with tenderness. "Without you… I don't know how long it would have taken me to summon the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul on my own."

She took a few gentle steps forward, resting her soft frame against Qin Jian. "Meeting you has been my greatest fortune…"

"I hope you'll always feel that way…"

Qin Jian silently tightened his embrace.

"Whoosh!"

Suddenly, a familiar female voice rang through the forest. "I knew it was you two!"

Qin Jian and Shui Bing'er looked up to see a figure standing atop a tree branch—it was their instructor, Yan Zhining.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…"

Moments later, six other girls emerged from the woods, their faces filled with excitement.

"Captain! Bing'er!" Xue Wu exclaimed, her face alight with joy.

Qiu Ruoshui covered her mouth, her voice trembling. "You're both okay! That's such a relief!"

"Where did you go? How did you escape? We've been chasing after you and couldn't find a trace!" Yu Hairou asked calmly, though concern tinged her voice.

"Big Sister!"

Shui Yue'er rushed over but stopped short when she saw Shui Bing'er in Qin Jian's arms. Instead, she grabbed her sister's hand tightly. "I was so worried about you."

Gu Qingbo and Shen Liuyu also gathered around, chattering excitedly.

Their joy was infectious, and even Qin Jian couldn't help but smile.

This warmth was unparalleled…

"In a way, this was a blessing in disguise. Not only did Xue Wu gain her third Soul Ring, but your teamwork has also solidified," Yan Zhining said, leaping gracefully from the tree.

"Xue Wu already obtained her third Soul Ring?" Qin Jian asked curiously.

Xue Wu nodded. "After Instructor Zhining woke up, we wanted to head deeper into the forest to find you. But as the Soul Beasts grew stronger, we couldn't go any further and had to retreat."

"Just then, we encountered a 2,300-year-old Soul Beast that suited me perfectly, so I absorbed its Soul Ring…"

She turned to Shui Bing'er. "My third Soul Skill enhances Soul Power by 50% for a single target. With my support, you'll be able to unleash your Martial Soul with ease!"

"Yes, with that skill, our team's strength has grown significantly," Shui Yue'er said excitedly. "And with Big Sister and Captain's Martial Soul Fusion Technique, we're unstoppable!"

"Martial Soul Fusion Technique?" Yan Zhining asked, puzzled.

Shui Yue'er explained, "Yes, Instructor, you didn't see it. Big Sister and Captain can perform a Martial Soul Fusion Technique—it's incredibly powerful."

Yan Zhining glanced at Qin Jian and Shui Bing'er. "You two have a unique bond. But Bing'er's Martial Soul still requires Xue Wu's support, doesn't it? So, the Fusion Technique would need all three of you?"

At this, Shui Bing'er shook her head. "Not anymore, Instructor Zhining."

Seven pairs of curious eyes turned to her.

Shui Bing'er explained, "I can now summon my Martial Soul independently."

"Oh? Your Soul Power increased?"

Yan Zhining suddenly noticed her Soul Power fluctuations and then looked at Qin Jian. "Your Soul Power has also grown? Did you two have some kind of fortuitous encounter in the forest?"

"Hmm, my Soul Power increased by two ranks, and Bing'er's by three. You could say it was a lucky encounter," Qin Jian replied.

"What happened?"

Yan Zhining asked in surprise. "How did you both advance so much in such a short time?"

Shui Bing'er looked at Qin Jian, her voice soft. "Because he plucked an Ice Phoenix Flower for me… from under the Titan Giant Ape's nose."

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