Chapter 49: Yin-Yang Reversal vs. Extreme Ice Fury, the Future Is Mine, the Present Is Too

Ice-Bite Scorpion, one of the northernmost dominators, a race ruled by the Ice-Bite Emperor Scorpion, one of the Ten Fiendish Beasts, its members born with ultimate ice.

Compared to the pressure from Li Qiankun of the Unbreakable and Nan Gong Yao of the Meihu , Tang Dong’s pressure was staggering, like mountains collapsing and seas devouring; merely with his martial soul manifested, a layer of cold spread outward in all directions, instantly hardening the ice arena into iron.

Facing the Jizhizhibing that had been famed across the Douluo Continent ten thousand years ago, Zhao Xuanzhen gave it the highest level of attention, lowering his stance slightly, his skin shimmering with golden luster that coalesced into a dazzling golden Liuli armor, glowing like a god born from fire under the sun.

True Self, Golden Awakening!

“So you’ve finally decided to use your Body Martial Soul’s Second Awakening?”

Tang Dong shed his carefree expression, growing solemn—he clearly felt pressure from Zhao Xuanzhen. Second Awakening is the foundation of a Body Martial Soul’s strength, a complete metamorphosis for Body Soul Masters.

The thousand-year second soul ring ignited; Tang Dong’s hands grew clusters of hexagonal diamond ice crystals—the Ice-Bite Scorpion’s second soul skill, Ice-Bite Claws; the diamond ice crystals possessed immense defensive power, his palms as unbreakable as ice frozen for ten thousand years in the north.

Both opponents moved simultaneously, golden and emerald beams shooting straight toward each other; a gale swept across heaven and earth, nearby Shrek Academy students involuntarily raised their heads, their robes flapping wildly, forced to retreat step by step.

“Boom—”

A direct punch, devoid of any flourish, marked the beginning of the battle between the new king and the old king; their fists thrust skyward, bodies recoiling from the violent shockwave, yet half a second after separation, they collided again—fists and palms meeting so fast no one could see, spectators only heard the deafening impacts threatening to tear their eardrums.

They pressed close, separated, pressed close again—countless direct clashes, sparks flying wildly through the air.

Zhao Xuanzhen’s eyes blazed brighter than the sun; dark golden blades extended from his fingertips, each blade’s edge slicing the air into twisted, winding black cracks.

Dark Golden Dreadclaws!

Both the Dark Golden Dreadclaw Bear and the Ice-Bite Scorpion are among the Ten Fiendish Beasts, standing atop the soul beast pyramid. Tang Dong, instead of retreating, pressed forward with competitive intent; his Ice-Bite Claws met the Dark Golden Dreadclaws head-on, the two races’ signature soul skills crashing together, diamond ice pincers clashing against dark golden claws, ringing with metallic clangs.

“Ssshh—”

Ice mist exploded from the Ice-Bite Scorpion’s pincers, the ultimate ice shattered outright by the Dark Golden Dreadclaws; the residual force forced Tang Dong back three steps, deep fissures cracking open beneath his feet on the ice arena.

“On strength… I actually lost!?”

Tang Dong’s spirit sank; the Ice-Bite Scorpion was famed for ultimate ice, and brute force was also a hallmark of his race—but today, a freak of numbers met an even more absurd freak of numbers.

Taiji Yang Hand, Golden Awakening, two Jipin external soul bones—these three fused into one explosive surge of raw power surpassed the number one on the Young Genius Rankings!

“Younger brother, you’ve angered me.”

Shaking his numb arm, Tang Dong’s eyes blazed with savage malice; boundless cold spread, his aura rising like a monstrous, snarling dragon.

Witnessing this, Shrek students long oppressed by the Ice-Bite Scorpion’s tyranny trembled in fear:

“Tang Dong is furious—that’s the Ice-Bite Scorpion! Ancestor Huo Yuhao, the Spirit Ice Douluo, had the Ice-Bite Emperor Scorpion as his second martial soul… only ultimate ice can truly reveal the Ice-Bite Scorpion’s power!”

“Just an ancient martial soul from ten thousand years ago—what’s so terrifying? Zhao Xuanzhen, crush him!”

Hearing this, Xiang Naer sneered; she didn’t care how strong ultimate ice was—she unconditionally supported her childhood friend.

Tang Dong let out a low roar; a biting wind howled suddenly, heavy snowflakes fell from the sky, covering such a vast area that it engulfed the entire Spirit Ice Plaza.

Ice-Bite Scorpion’s third soul skill: Extreme Ice Blizzard!

Heaven and earth instantly became an ocean of ice elements; the blizzard raged, razor-sharp ice shards flew wildly, the ultimate ice’s extreme cold coating Zhao Xuanzhen’s golden, statue-like body in a layer of crystalline frost.

Within the extreme cold domain of the Blizzard, Zhao Xuanzhen’s golden eyes and Tang Dong’s emerald gaze locked across the distance—one burning with battle fury, the other seething with righteous rage.

“Kan character, Dark Ice.”

Zhao Xuanzhen cupped his palms, a flash of deep blue in his eyes; nine ice-blue pillars surged upward, coalescing into wild dragon shapes; ice dragons devoured the frigid power to form scales, their eyes flickering with chilling ice flames.

Whose storm did the blizzard open for?

Dragon roars shook heaven and earth; under Tang Dong’s stunned disbelief, nine ice dragons formed a formation, drawing down the falling snow and ice blades, all striking the Ice-Bite Scorpion who doubted his own existence.

The ten-thousand-year soul ring blazed brightly; ice hexagonal armor surfaced on Tang Dong’s body, icy patterns flowing, hardily resisting the Nine Dragon Dark Ice.

Ice-Bite Scorpion’s fourth soul skill: Ice Armor.

The ice armor creaked under pressure, cracks spreading but never breaking—clearly demonstrating the Ice-Bite Scorpion’s defense. Tang Dong broke free, an ice-blue plant silhouette appearing on his right shoulder; his first soul ring flared, an ice-blue aura expanding outward, ice elements rushing toward him at astonishing speed.

“Dark Ice Grass…”

Zhao Xuanzhen named the plant’s true form—the soul spirit Dark Ice Grass, the youthful version of the immortal Eight-angled Dark Ice Grass.

Due to the presence of the Sea God Lake and the Spirit Ice Fountain, Shrek Academy was already humid; the Dark Ice Grass greatly amplified Tang Dong’s first soul skill, Ice Source Condensation. Ice elements within a hundred-meter radius converged like rivers to the sea, forming a swirling ice-blue vortex that poured into his body, his aura climbing steadily.

The Dragon King era had one enormous advantage over the previous two eras: soul spirits assisting soul masters in battle. Tang Dong, at under eighteen, had cultivated his ultimate martial soul to five-ring Soul King—his first soul spirit, Dark Ice Grass, was indispensable.

“Ice—I am its master!”

The deep blue glow of the Eight Trigrams’ mystic gate intensified; the Kan position shone. The ice energy summoned by Tang Dong and the Dark Ice Grass suddenly halted, then reversed direction without hesitation, surging toward Zhao Xuanzhen!

A scene that stunned everyone unfolded on the battlefield: a Body Soul Master and an Ice-Bite Scorpion Soul Master vying for control of ice elements—and the so-called Ice Emperor’s ultimate ice was losing!

“My ice… why?!”

Tang Dong’s words were squeezed through gritted teeth; the ice elements he once commanded effortlessly now showed unprecedented resistance, like servants encountering a more authoritative deity, no longer recognizing the Ice-Bite Scorpion as their true master.

High above, Xiang Yunming and Luo Yali exchanged glances, seeing shock and dread in each other’s eyes—they never imagined the familiar script would repeat.

After defeating the Holy Angel in aerial combat, overpowering the Qiankun Ball in close combat, and breaking through the Phantom Fox’s mental assault, Zhao Xuanzhen now suppressed the Ice-Bite Scorpion in ice affinity!

The massive ice elements of Ice Source Condensation betrayed their former master, coalescing into a majestic, majestic ice dragon; with a soaring dragon roar, the dragon dove downward, the entire ice arena collapsing with a thunderous crash, revealing the green stone ground beneath.

Ice shards flew everywhere; from the cold dust emerged Tang Dong’s figure. He tore off his frozen sleeve; the Ice-Bite Scorpion markings on his arm were vividly lifelike. Then, the Ice Armor shattered under pressure, crumbling into scattered ice crystals, revealing his bloodied, frostbitten flesh.

“Frostbite… hahahaha, frostbite!”

Tang Dong stared at the bone-deep injury, then threw his head back and laughed wildly—how absurd, a ultimate ice Soul Master injured by ice elements!

The next instant, the green stone ground shattered; cracks erupted like a mountain collapsing, the earth shattered by unimaginable force; Tang Dong became a blur, his emerald eyes flooded with crimson.

Since awakening his Ice-Bite Scorpion martial soul, he had grown up amid elders’ praise and peers’ flattery. With the ultimate ice attribute, fighting above his level was routine; Tang Dong had climbed upward, defeating stronger opponents, reaching the top of the Young Genius Rankings—the undisputed number one young genius of the continent.

Tang Dong could not accept being defeated by a junior nearly eight years younger, despite having two full soul ring advantages—it was a humiliation worse than death. He refused to become a stepping stone for the other’s ascent.

Meanwhile, as if a golden sun had enveloped him, Zhao Xuanzhen stood within a radiant solar wheel like a golden deity descending, his body translucent as crystal, bones clicking loudly, steam gushing forth with a whistle-like hum.

Third soul skill: Wuji Dao!

Body Secret Art: Battle Bones!

The new king sought to dethrone the old king; the old king refused to yield his throne. This was a war between kings, a blood battle between monsters—neither showed a single trace of weakness or retreat.

A string of sparks erupted; the Dark Golden Dreadclaws and the ice scorpion claws sliced past each other; golden embers and emerald ice marrow still silently battled in the cracks beneath their feet. Without sound, a jade-green tail emerged from Tang Dong’s coccyx, its tip gleaming like a falling star, stabbing fiercely toward Zhao Xuanzhen’s back!

The scorpion was one of the Five Poisons; the Ice-Bite Scorpion race pursued the ultimate of ice, abandoning poison cultivation—but the tail still carried the bone-chilling cold of ultimate ice. Tang Dong believed that if he struck true, the ultimate ice penetrating Zhao Xuanzhen’s body would instantly disable even a golden-tier Body Martial Soul’s physique.

“Clang—”

Black-and-white wings burst from his back, edges razor-sharp like guillotines; the wings crossed and clamped the Ice-Bite Scorpion’s long tail, then flipped midair—a flash of cold light, the tail hook and tail severed, thudding to the ground.

Tang Dong, grievously wounded, spat a stream of crimson blood, his strength drastically reduced; Zhao Xuanzhen would not miss this opening—he channeled his soul power into a Taiji diagram, yin and yang energies blasting Tang Dong away.

Almost all outer academy students had gathered at the Spirit Ice Plaza; the plaza was packed, eyes fixed on the battlefield, utterly absorbed in the fight.

Now, the entire crowd fell silent; most spectators stared blankly, cold sweat dripping down their spines—had the number one on the Young Genius Rankings truly been replaced?

Tang Dong, just one month shy of eighteen, was dethroned in the final moment, in the most humiliating posture.

“I haven’t lost yet!”

Spitting out a clump of crimson blood, Tang Dong rose to his feet, gripping his chest, his expression like a dying lion still fighting in its cage.

The final ten-thousand-year fifth soul ring ignited; Tang Dong’s dimmed eyes reignited with fire, his blood boiling anew, his entire body glowing dazzling emerald, a jade-like cold point condensing on his chest.

Ice-Bite Scorpion’s fifth soul skill: Extreme Ice Fury!

Extreme Ice Fury, the Ice-Bite Scorpion’s strongest ranged soul skill; ancient texts recorded that the Ice Emperor’s Fury, evolved from the Ice-Bite Emperor Scorpion, could freeze a thousand li.

“Not enough—I need stronger!”

Tang Dong roared like a beast; a radiant emerald armor plate formed on his chest, a fierce howl echoed, intense cold seemingly freezing heaven and earth.

One-character Soul Armor: Chest Armor!

After breaking through the third-ring Soul Elder realm, the cultivation speed of ultimate martial soul became excruciatingly slow; despite the Dark Ice Grass’s aid, Tang Dong had no spare energy to forge Soul Armor—so he possessed only one piece.

This one-character Soul Armor would accompany Tang Dong for a long time; he chose the chest to amplify his fifth soul skill, Extreme Ice Fury, which launches its ultimate strike from the chest.

With Soul Armor enhancement, a brilliant emerald column erupted; the surrounding air instantly solidified. As the emerald light passed, under the ultimate ice’s extreme cold, a white ice column materialized in midair, forming a chilling path of Extreme Ice.

Yin-Yang Reversal enveloped Zhao Xuanzhen; as the Extreme Ice Fury struck the black-and-white vortex, the column spiraled along the airflow. Tang Dong’s face twisted in rage, pouring all his soul power into his chest; the emerald column of Extreme Ice Fury swelled, then swelled again!

This strike had reached the upper limit of Yin-Yang Reversal’s tolerance; the black-and-white vortex cracked like a spiderweb. Yet Zhao Xuanzhen’s face remained expressionless—a plump, adorable figure stepped forward; the Spirit Auspicious Water Pig appeared, diving into the black-and-white vortex before countless eyes.

Soul Spirit Merging with Technique: absolute fusion of soul spirit and soul skill, granting the technique a soul!

The Spirit Auspicious Water Pig’s fusion repaired the cracks in Yin-Yang Reversal; when the emerald column touched the vortex, it vanished like a mud ox entering the sea. Then Zhao Xuanzhen raised both hands to the heavens—the Extreme Ice Fury reversed direction!

“The stars shift, all rivers return to one!”

Soul power exhausted, the glow on Tang Dong’s chest faded; he stared helplessly as the masterpiece surpassing his limits hurtled toward him, powerless to resist.

One second before the Extreme Ice Fury struck Tang Dong, Zhao Xuanzhen clenched his fingers; the emerald column redirected toward the heavens, shooting upward to freeze the sky, clouds turning into ice curtains, refracting a rainbow aurora, countless ice prisms falling from above.

Tang Dong stood alone, gazing up at the frozen sky, his eyes filled with defeat and self-mockery.

On this arena without a referee’s protection, had Yin-Yang Reversal not reversed the direction, the mighty Ice-Bite Scorpion Soul King might have been entirely consumed by his own ultimate ice.

He was the one who voluntarily discarded his Soul Armor before the battle, the one who donned it in desperation, the one who boasted loudly, and now—the one who suffered crushing defeat.

Tang Dong knew he hadn’t just lost his position atop the Young Genius Rankings—he had shattered his own arrogant heart.

The sunset’s glow slowly faded; the great sun sank, its final light setting the ice clouds in the sky ablaze with fire’s hue. A chorus of crisp cheers from a silver-haired girl rose among the crowd, followed by murmurs of awe and admiration from the Shrek students.

Beneath the orange-red sunset, the two passed each other; a voice, faint yet resounding, drifted on the evening wind.

“The future is mine. The present is mine too.”

Taiji Zhao Xuanzhen, ascended to the top of the Young Genius Rankings!

(End of Chapter)