The old bear's face darkened. This guy without a soul ring had actually countered his soul skill, even though it was weakened from blocking earlier damage.
Several ice arrows shot toward his head, forcing the old bear into an awkward dodge.
"Second soul skill: Vajra Palm!" he roared.
The yellow soul ring at his feet flashed, and his remaining hand transformed into a bear paw under the skill's effect. He grabbed Wei'er's dagger, pulling and kicking at her.
Wei'er had already released the dagger when he grabbed it, dodging his kick.
The bear soul master didn't dare pursue her. He couldn't avoid the ice arrows, and dodging would leave the flower spirit soul master behind him vulnerable.
After smashing the ice arrows, he tossed the dagger at the flower spirit soul master's feet and glared coldly at the two sisters.
"We need to take one out first!" the flower spirit soul master said, catching her breath.
"Then you—"
"I can still hold on. I'll handle one. Hurry, or we won't get out of here!"
"Alright!"
The bear soul master charged at the silver-haired woman, Wei'er's sister. Without her dagger, Wei'er had no weapon.
The silver-haired woman's expression shifted. She quickly conjured more ice arrows and fired them at the old bear.
With his second soul skill active, the old bear smashed the arrows and reached her in a flash.
Seeing him charge with such force, the silver-haired woman raised an icicle in front of her. Her face paled from the effort, clearly draining her soul power. She drew another dagger and faced the old bear grimly.
The old bear was stunned by the icicle. A soul master without soul rings shouldn't be capable of this. No wonder the flower spirit soul master was struggling, and no wonder the city lord wanted to gift her to Earl Luoxue, whose martial soul also had ice attributes.
But he had no time to dwell on it. He just wanted to escape.
A bear paw slammed into the icicle, as thick as a person.
*Bang!* The icicle stopped his advance, his palm aching from the impact.
Wei'er rushed at the old bear from the side. She couldn't defeat the flower spirit soul master quickly, and her sister couldn't hold off a great soul master using soul skills.
Seeing the unbroken icicle, the old bear felt pain shoot through his palm, his stamina halved. Blood still oozed from his wrapped left hand. He couldn't delay any longer.
He sidestepped the icicle and lunged at the silver-haired woman.
She countered with a short sword, infused with soul power that formed a breezy blade.
"Ah!" the old bear screamed as the sword pierced his palm. Gritting his teeth, he kicked at her.
The silver-haired woman's face paled. An ice wall appeared in front of her, and she shielded herself with both arms.
The old bear's kick shattered the hastily formed ice wall, sending her flying backward into the river.
"Sister!" Wei'er shouted, seeing her sister struggle briefly before going still. She kicked at the old bear's lower body.
His face darkened, and he dodged before regaining his balance.
Wei'er grabbed the dagger from the ground, but the old bear's paw swung at her. She dodged again.
His speed was incredible. Even injured, as a great soul master, he wasn't someone an ordinary soul master could match. Wei'er's martial soul enhanced her physical abilities far beyond normal, allowing her to keep up as he targeted her sister.
The old bear glanced at the agile Wei'er. In his prime, he could've defeated her easily, but now they were at a stalemate.
He turned and rushed toward the silver-haired woman, motionless in the river.
"Damn it!" Wei'er stopped dodging and swung her dagger at him.
The old bear countered with his bear paw.
Wei'er flew several meters, landing hard on the sand and rocks. She struggled to her feet, trembling.
"Be careful!" the flower spirit soul master shouted.
The old bear saw a figure approaching and retreated quickly in fear.
*Bang!* An arrow struck where he'd just stood, shattering a stone.
He froze, heart pounding. Ding Quan approached, holding a strange bow and nocking another arrow.
The old bear's expression hardened. He grabbed Wei'er, using her as a shield. "Ugh, let me go!" she struggled, but it was no use.
Ding Quan stopped, not firing, and walked closer.
"Don't come any closer, or I'll kill her!" the old bear warned, staring at the bloodied Ding Quan with fear.
This kid was terrifying. His group of soul masters hadn't held him off for long. Ding Quan had quickly killed two in the courtyard, then used his compound bow to scatter the rest, who fled, forgetting the lure of gold soul coins.
The old bear's injured hand had slowed him down, as he'd treated it to avoid blood loss.
Ding Quan was surprised to see the sisters holding off a great soul master. He'd thought they'd escaped, but they were still here.
If the old bear hadn't pursued, the flower spirit soul master might've been finished. The ice around them was likely the silver-haired woman's work—impressive for someone without a soul ring.
Ding Quan had never seen a soul master control their martial soul's attribute so well without a soul ring.
"Hah! You're holding her hostage and telling *me* not to come closer?" Ding Quan ignored the old bear, aiming his bow at the flower spirit soul master.
"You dare!" the old bear shouted.
Ding Quan smirked. The old bear clearly cared about her. Was he her suitor or just a lackey?
"She's important to you, huh?" Ding Quan taunted.
"You—"
"Old Bear, don't be rash!" the flower spirit soul master interrupted, eyeing the arrow aimed at her.
"How can we get out of this?" she asked.
"You think I'll let you go?" Ding Quan replied, amused.
"We wronged you, but you killed many of my people. My losses are greater," she said, staring at his bow.
"Then I should take your lives too?" Ding Quan raised his bow.
"Then these two girls die with us," the old bear growled, tightening his grip on Wei'er's neck.
"Pity. I don't even know them," Ding Quan said.
"You saved them from the city lord. Don't say you don't know them," the flower spirit soul master retorted. She'd realized the city lord was in danger when the sisters appeared.
"I don't even know their names," Ding Quan shot back.
"If not for you, they wouldn't have escaped!"
"I helped a bit, sure. But I'm not close to them, and I want your lives more."
"If you only wanted our lives, you wouldn't be talking," she said, sensing Ding Quan cared about the sisters.
"Oh?" Ding Quan raised an eyebrow.
"Let us go in exchange for their lives. These girls are talented—meant as gifts for Earl Luoxue. They'd make fine bedmates, and their children would be gifted!" she said, gritting her teeth as she glanced at Wei'er.
She'd been tasked by the city lord to train the sisters. Her soul skills, which could manipulate minds, hadn't worked well on them, but she'd tormented them plenty.
"In Douluo Continent, I can have any beauty I want," Ding Quan said dismissively.
"Then we'll take these two with us!" The flower spirit soul master lunged toward the silver-haired woman in the river, while the old bear held Wei'er as a shield.
Ding Quan hadn't expected her decisiveness. Did she think he wouldn't let the sisters die? He glanced at Wei'er's martial soul—no spiritual attributes, so it must be her sister.
He thought of the ice and fire Yin-Yang eyes in the Sunset Forest and Huo Gua's second soul skill. A spiritual-attribute soul master could master that skill easily.
"Wait! That's not enough!" Ding Quan said coldly, tightening his bowstring.
"What do you mean?" The flower spirit soul master stopped, seeing the bow aimed at her.
"Your lives are worth more," Ding Quan said, his tone softening as he eyed them.
"We don't have anything valuable," she replied cautiously, catching his hint.
"Really? Let's see where you're hiding it," Ding Quan said, glancing at their wrists and pockets as he pulled his bow taut.
Their expressions relaxed slightly. "You think we have something like that?" she asked.
"Nothing? Then you're not leaving," Ding Quan said.
"Even if your arrow kills me, one of these girls dies too!" she countered.
"Hah, is that so? Don't move!" Ding Quan grinned, aiming straight at her head and shouting.
"You!" The old bear moved to shield her.
"Not good!" the flower spirit soul master exclaimed, noticing Ding Quan's grin and glance behind them.
The old bear realized too late—the woman in the river might still have strength. He turned to look.
Ding Quan chuckled. They were so paranoid. In a life-or-death moment, the slightest trick could rattle them.
The old bear glanced back and saw the silver-haired woman still motionless in the river.
*Damn it!* As he turned, Ding Quan loosed his arrow.
The arrow pierced straight through the old bear's head, his pupils shrinking as his arm went limp.
"Agh!" Wei'er broke free as his grip weakened.
"You tricked me!" the flower spirit soul master screamed, seeing blood spray as another arrow hit her.
"Nonsense!" Ding Quan fired again, not bothering to explain.
"Sister!" Wei'er, still catching her breath, ran to her sister.
The old bear and flower spirit soul master lay dead. Their fear of death had clouded their judgment, making them easy to deceive.
Seeing Wei'er hug her sister with a pained expression, Ding Quan approached. "Sister, don't scare me!" Wei'er cried, her voice trembling.
Ding Quan checked the silver-haired woman's pulse. It was faint but there. Her mental fluctuations were fading but still present.
"Don't cry! Stay quiet!" he ordered.
He laid her sister flat on the sand and pressed his hand to her chest, channeling soul power.
Wei'er watched nervously, staying silent.
Ding Quan expelled the water she'd swallowed, but she didn't wake. He pressed her chest again—no response. Pinching her nose, he opened her mouth, took a deep breath, and performed CPR.
Wei'er clenched her fists, startled by his actions.
Ding Quan's eyes lit up as her chest rose and fell. He'd seen CPR done before, and it worked.
"Cough! Cough!" The silver-haired woman stirred.
Ding Quan sighed in relief. She'd only fainted and would survive.
"Sister!" Wei'er hugged her tightly.
"Wei'er, are we saved?" her sister asked weakly.
"Yes, we're saved!" Wei'er replied.
Ding Quan approached the flower spirit soul master's body and found an exquisite bag. A storage soul guide? He wasn't surprised. She'd fled without taking anything, so it made sense.
Injecting soul power, he was shocked by the bag's large space—and a cage inside. A storage bag for living things? Only nobles had such items, often used to carry maids or for human trafficking. With her strength, she likely got it from the city lord.
Finding nothing else, Ding Quan turned to the sisters, who seemed to have recovered slightly. "What are your names?"
"I'm Ling, and this is my sister, Wei'er," the silver-haired woman said.
"We need to leave. It's not safe here. Do you have somewhere to go?" Ding Quan asked.
The sisters were silent for a moment before saying, "No."
"Then come with me," Ding Quan offered.
I need a support!
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End of this chapter...