While the Emaciated Man vented his fury at them, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance, then struck at him together.
Even though the Emaciated Man had grown stronger, Yu Yan and Xiao Wu weren't the least bit afraid—only a clash would decide who was stronger; they never cowered before the fight.
The Profound Ice Chains and threads of Moonlight Energy shot out together, surrounding the Emaciated Man.
Having once been trapped by the Profound Ice Chains, the Emaciated Man refused to be bound again. He turned into a blood-red afterimage, nimbly dodged both chains and threads, and charged at the greatest threat—Yu Yan in his Frost Scale Armor.
Yu Yan didn't retreat; he swung his fist to meet the charge.
'Idiot.'
Seeing someone weaker dare to throw a punch, the Emaciated Man gleefully used his full strength, determined to end the troublesome fool with one blow, then slowly deal with the girl.
Their fists collided. Yu Yan was knocked back; cracks appeared across the Frost Scale Armor but it didn't shatter, and he didn't lose fighting power as the Emaciated Man expected. He kept guiding the Profound Ice Chains in pursuit.
Not wanting to be tangled again, the Emaciated Man kept moving.
From a bird's-eye view, he was being forced toward the woods—exactly where Yu Yan wanted him.
Xiao Wu darted along the side; whenever the Emaciated Man tried to veer off, she struck, herding him back toward the forest path.
After three frantic minutes, the Emaciated Man stood at the forest's edge, one step from being forced inside.
Gasping for breath, he cursed; he'd thought his third Spirit Ability would end things easily, but these two brats were far tougher than expected.
Yu Yan didn't care what the man thought. Drawing a deep breath, he dropped all restraint and punched with everything he had, aiming to drive the foe into the woods and finish him with the Second Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
With the physique of a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, Yu Yan's speed doubled; in a blink he was in front of the Emaciated Man, icy fist swinging.
Still able to track the blow, the Emaciated Man countered, shock flashing in his eyes.
Fists met; the impact sent both skidding backward.
Yu Yan, punching at full power, slid five or six meters; the Emaciated Man, caught off balance, flew back more than ten.
Before he could steady himself, Xiao Wu charged from the side. She slipped past his punch with impossible flexibility, seized the back of his collar, channeled spirit power through her waist, and hurled him into the forest.
As she flung him, threads of Moonlight Energy coursed down her arm and bound him tight.
'Beautiful!'
Seeing the man crash into the trees, Yu Yan praised her silently, then dashed in after him, readying the Second Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
The Ice and Fire Twin Fish drew together above his palm; his second spirit ring settled onto the Ice and Fire Twin Fish Martial Soul.
Martial Soul Fusion Skill—Ice Fire Profound Mechanism: Ice Flame Exploding Chain—activate!
Chains of intertwined ice and fire wrapped the just-standing Emaciated Man, still snared by Moonlight threads.
Blasts of alternating ice and fire surged over him like tides.
Cold.
Heat.
The Emaciated Man tasted the agony of shifting extremes—parts of him numb with frost, others reeking of char.
Should've ignored those two idiots.
Knowing he was about to die, the Emaciated Man bitterly regretted stopping the caravan.
"Blood for strength, life for strength—Burning Blood Boil—"
Eyes blood-red, he locked onto the pale Yu Yan, drained by the huge spirit power cost, and forced his third spirit ring, determined to take the Genius down with him.
Half-dead already, the skill drained the last of him—his hair whitened, skin withered, teeth fell out, breath faded to a thread.
At such a price, his Aura surged again, reaching Four-Ring Soul Ancestor level and still climbing.
Yu Yan couldn't let him rise further. Clenching both fists, he whispered, "Detonate."
The ice-fire chains tightened; the two energies violently clashed.
Under the collision the Ice Flame Exploding Chain erupted section by section, a small mushroom cloud blooming over the dying man.
After triggering the blast, Yu Yan—spirit power nearly gone—leaned against a tree, gasping.
Xiao Wu arrived beside him, Martial Soul Possession active, warily watching the rising cloud; if the Emaciated Man lived, she would protect Yu Yan.
"Relax, he's dead for sure. If anyone survives that, I'll admit defeat."
Yu Yan had absolute faith in his Second Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
"I think so too, but we stay alert."
She was equally confident, yet wouldn't drop her guard until she saw the corpse.
Smoke drifted away, revealing a scorched figure at the crater's center.
The victory belonged to both of them—neither could have won alone.
Without Yu Yan, there'd have been no final blow.
Without Xiao Wu, there'd have been no chance to land it.
"See? Told you he's finished."
After a moment's wait, Yu Yan gloated over the motionless body.
A Spirit Grandmaster slaying a three-ring Fallen Soul Master—spread the word and he might vie for the continent's top young Genius.
"You're proud even half-dead?"
Catching his tone, Xiao Wu rolled her eyes and moved to support him, planning to leave the woods and catch the caravan's carriage to Suotuo City.
"I can still walk, no need. Go loot that Fallen Soul Master—if he's got nothing on him, at least haul the body; it'll fetch coin at Spirit Hall."
Yu Yan waved her off, pointing at the unrecognizable corpse and reminding her what truly mattered after a fight.
After a victory, you always collect the spoils.