Chapter 626: Big Vinegar Jar (Part 2)

But the hem of her fiercely burning cloak seemed to expand and stretch infinitely, now forming an awning over the heads of the squad.

“Tsk, tsk…” Rong Taotao couldn’t help but click his tongue in admiration.

‘What a beautiful scene!’

The Ice Candle Rain had to be blocked. Both Rong Ling’s First Soul Skill and Second Soul Skill manifested as burning Ice Candle Flame, but their effects were completely different.

The First Soul Skill, Ice Candle Ashes, would ignite a target’s body, but instead of burning their flesh, it only burned away the Soul Power within them.

Others might have scrambled to avoid this Soul Skill, but Rong Taotao didn’t even have to dodge. After all, he had the Lotus Petal, and his speed of absorbing Soul Power was absurdly fast.

But Rong Ling’s Second Soul Skill, Ice Candle Array, inflicted frostbite on the target’s physical body and reduced their movement speed.

This was no joke!

Severe frostbite could even lead to amputation if not treated in time!

Snow Realm Soul Martial Artists and Snow Realm Soul Beasts spent all their time in the wind and snow, protected by the Soul Technique: Heart of the Snow Realm, so they didn’t have to worry about getting frostbite from the environment.

But if you really wanted to tempt fate and stand in the middle of an Ice Candle Array for a refreshing shower…

No matter how powerful your Soul Technique was, the skill’s effects were undeniable. If a single drop of that rain managed to inflict you with frostbite, you wouldn’t even know where to cry…

*HISS…*

“WOOOO~ WOOO~” The besieging Snowflake Wolves began to howl in agony, scattering in every direction. Rong Taotao even saw one trying to burrow into the snow.

‘Good grief. It’s a good thing your eyes are glowing red,’

‘the way you’re digging at the ground makes you look just like a husky…’

Meanwhile, Cheng Jiangjie held the blood-red banner high. In the air around them, specks of frost and snow hung frozen in place, with not a single gust of wind…

Instantly, the Snowflake Wolves hidden in the pitch-black night were transformed into “Ice Candle Flame Wolves.” With nowhere left to hide, they even illuminated the area, widening the team’s field of view!

The combination of Soul Skills produced a fantastic chemical reaction.

Even without the aid of the Snowball Cat’s vision, the others could clearly see where the enemies were!

The key was that the wolf pack was massive. So massive, in fact, that the pitch-black battlefield was now lit up as if by a thousand lamps.

*FLAP~*

“HOO! HOO!” The Nightmare Snow Owl spread its wings and flapped them once. It seemed excited by such a large-scale Soul Skill and let out a loud cry, as if praising Rong Ling.

“Hah!” Rong Ling raised her head and puffed out her chest, looking quite proud of herself.

Over the past month, the Nightmare Snow Owl had made new friends: Rong Ling, the Cloud Dog, and the Snowball Cat.

It had even buried the hatchet with the Snowball Cat. The Nightmare Snow Owl felt truly lucky to have joined such a team.

“Enough showing off, put the Snowflake Wolves to sleep!” Rong Taotao said with dissatisfaction, tilting his head to dodge a wing and shrugging.

Why was Rong Taotao dissatisfied?

Because… well, every time the Nightmare Snow Owl spread its wings, it managed to smack Rong Taotao in the face…

‘Good grief, even my dad has never hit me!’

‘You fat chicken! Sooner or later, I’m going to pluck your feathers and make you into soup!’

The Nightmare Snow Owl obediently retracted its wings. Its pair of golden, hawk-like eyes, radiating dense Soul Power, fixed on a Snowflake Wolf that was stubbornly stalking them, creeping closer.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

The Snowflake Wolf, already crawling slowly along the ground, slowed to a complete stop. It just kept crawling until it flopped onto the snow and fell asleep…

‘It actually fell asleep? Seriously?’

“Yes, just like that!” Rong Taotao said. “You don’t need to make every enemy drowsy. Just stare at one until it falls asleep, then move on to the next.”

“Done.” After quickly treating the Frost Beauty’s wounds, Gao Lingwei, who was kneeling on the ground, slid one arm under the Beauty’s back and the other under her knees. In one smooth motion, she lifted the heavily injured, unconscious Frost Beauty in a princess carry.

Seeing this, Rong Taotao’s heart soured with jealousy.

‘I’ve never gotten that kind of treatment!!!’

‘Huh?’

‘What the hell, why am I so jealous?’

‘Damn it, Li Ziyi, are you possessing my soul again!?’

“Stop, Rong Ling! We’re leaving!” Gao Lingwei turned to face the Third Wall. “Rong Taotao, you take the rear. The other two, flank me. We’ll use Snow Dragon Tornado to clear a path. Break through directly; don’t get bogged down fighting the enemy.”

And just like that, she had taken complete command…

Rong Taotao thoughtfully tossed the Snowball Cat to Gao Lingwei. With its enhanced vision, her commands would naturally be much clearer.

As Rong Ling’s Ice Candle Array Soul Skill ended, Rong Taotao quickly recalled her and darted after Gao Lingwei.

*WHOOSH…*

Gao Lingwei took the lead, stomping a foot on the ground. Instantly, two thick blasts of wind and snow shot forward in a “V” formation.

In that moment, the Snowflake Wolves surrounding them were all sent flying.

Then, Xu Yiyu and Cheng Jiangjie unleashed their Snow Dragon Tornados one after another, catching the slow-moving, Ice Candle Flame-wreathed Snowflake Wolves and flinging them away.

You had to admire the wolves’ tenacity. Even in this state, a considerable number of them still tried to surround and hunt the team. But it was a futile effort; they couldn’t stop them.

“Have you noticed the problem?” Gao Lingwei called out from the front.

Rong Taotao: “What?”

Gao Lingwei: “A creature like the Snowflake Wolf can’t stand up to a Snow Dragon Tornado. Even if that Frost Beauty was weak and alone, the Soul Skill’s effectiveness is undeniable. The Snowflake Wolves probably couldn’t even catch her, let alone surround her.”

“True,” Rong Taotao replied as he ran.

The Cyan Mountain Army, as a special forces unit within the Snow Burning Army, had several signature Soul Skills specifically designed for exploring the Snow Realm Vortex.

For instance, the Snow Soul Banner, which could freeze the wind and snow.

And the Snow Dragon Tornado, a powerful tool for breaking through enemy lines and retreating.

‘The Frost Beauty clearly has Snow Dragon Tornado, yet she was forced into such a corner. I wonder what her kind has been through…’

‘I hope we can save this Frost Beauty.’

As the team broke through, the Nightmare Snow Owl on Rong Taotao’s shoulder swiveled its head 180 degrees, its hawk-like eyes staring down the pursuing wolf pack.

One by one, the Snowflake Wolves tumbled to the ground, falling fast asleep.

They looked like they were trying to pull an insurance scam, making for a strangely comical scene…

Soon, the slow, Ice Candle Flame-wreathed Snowflake Wolves could no longer keep up.

The team returned to the Third Wall at top speed. Xu Yiyu and Cheng Jiangjie ran straight up the wall, while Rong Taotao waved his left hand, summoning a giant Snow Ghost Hand that rose from the ground and lifted him and Gao Lingwei directly to a gap in the Third Wall’s battlements.

The surrounding soldiers couldn’t help but stare as they saw the Cyan Mountain Army return with a Frost Beauty.

Setting aside the possibility of it being a Soul Pet, the soldiers all knew that at the very least, this was a high-quality, rare Soul Pearl.

The Cyan Mountain Army… they’d really struck gold!

Speaking of which, Gao Lingwei’s Snowball Cat was incredibly useful. It was no wonder she had rooted out the members of the Qian Organization right after joining the Twelfth Squad…

The stories about Gao Lingwei and Rong Taotao were already legendary, and the soldiers often chatted about them in private.

Setting aside their backgrounds and their championship titles, just their military careers alone were astounding.

They joined the special forces’ Twelfth Squad right after enlisting. After only a year and a half, they were promoted directly from the Twelfth Squad into the Cyan Mountain Army.

Although such a transfer wasn’t technically a promotion in rank, judging by the exclusive quarters the higher-ups had arranged for the Cyan Mountain Army, it seemed these two were here to rebuild the entire legion.

The soldiers had all drawn their own conclusions. They knew that in these dark, bitter, and cold times, they were likely witnessing the rise of two future generals.

“This way! There are medics in the gatehouse,” Yi Xin said hurriedly, leading the way.

Gao Lingwei followed with long strides, still carrying the Frost Beauty, and glanced down at the Beauty’s exquisite face.

The Frost Beauty’s brows were tightly furrowed; even in her coma, she seemed to be in immense pain.

The moment she stepped through the door, Gao Lingwei lowered her head, her lips close to the Frost Beauty’s ear, and whispered, “Don’t you die. Otherwise, you’ll just become a Soul Pearl on my wrist.”

After Gao Lingwei handed over the Frost Beauty, she turned around and saw Rong Taotao looking at her strangely.

Rong Taotao whispered, “What did you say to her?”

Gao Lingwei: “Giving her a little will to live.”

“Oh.” Rong Taotao pouted. His black half-mask perfectly concealed his expression, but his words betrayed his thoughts. “I thought you kissed her…”

Gao Lingwei: ???

“Er.” Rong Taotao sensed the awkwardness and trudged out with his head down.

‘Damn it…’

‘Li Ziyi, you massive jar of jealousy!’

‘Stay away from me!’