Chapter 209: You're Strong

...

Under the cover of night, Zeng Yi and Fang Nan strolled leisurely in the garden. In front of them, two figures approached, a man and a woman.

"Sister! You're back!" The man greeted Fang Nan with joyous excitement. He looked to be in his twenties, with handsome features and short blue hair that resembled Fang Nan's.

From his address, Zeng Yi guessed that this person must be Fang Nan's younger brother.

The girl beside him stood at around 165 centimeters tall, with an exquisite figure. Her long, ice-blue hair cascaded down her back, complementing her fair face adorned with delicate features. Her ice-blue eyes shimmered like frozen crystals, creating a beautiful and elegant aura. However, there was also a coldness emanating from her, akin to eternal frost.

Observing the girl, Zeng Yi noticed that she was also sizing him up.

"Auntie." The girl greeted Fang Nan, her voice melodious and clear.

Seeing the girl, Fang Nan was also surprised and greeted with a smile, "Bing'er, why are you here? Isn't Yue'er with you?"

"Yue'er is still at the academy." The girl replied.

Seeing his sister ignore him, the man felt a bit awkward. "Sister, am I your real brother? Why do you treat me like a stranger?"

"Oh right, this is..." The man noticed Zeng Yi standing beside his sister and looked slightly puzzled.

Having never seen his sister bring a man home before, he couldn't help but wonder, "Sister, it's fine if you want to find a man, but he shouldn't be younger than me. It's unbearable for me! Even if I agree, you won't be able to convince our parents."

Before he could finish his words, he felt his vision being blocked.

Bam!

Fang Nan's face turned slightly angry. Without any hesitation, she lifted her foot and ruthlessly kicked her brother's face, sending him flying several meters away.

"Ah! My nose, it's broken! It hurts!" The man grasped his nose and rolled on the ground, his expression filled with pain.

Observing this scene, Zeng Yi was speechless.

Indeed, their sibling relationship was quite harmonious!

The girl glanced at her rolling brother on the ground and turned her head away, as if she didn't recognize this uncle at all.

Fang Nan crossed her arms and glanced coldly at her brother on the ground. She said in a cold tone, "Quickly get up! That kick won't suffocate you. Stop pretending."

Under his sister's imposing pressure, he quickly scrambled to his feet, one hand still covering his nose, a trace of suffering visible on his face.

"Xiao Yi, this is my foolish brother, Fang Lin. And this is my niece, Shui Bing'er." Fang Nan introduced somewhat awkwardly to Zeng Yi.

"Zeng Yi, my friend."

"Zeng Brother, hello, hello." After Fang Nan finished introducing, her brother Fang Lin grabbed Zeng Yi's hand and shook it vigorously.

"Just now, I was just joking. Don't take it to heart, hahaha."

Seeing the cheerful Fang Lin before him, Zeng Yi couldn't help but have a better impression of him. From his home, Zeng Yi could tell that he must come from a prominent aristocratic family in Skywater City. However, he didn't carry any arrogance, which greatly impressed Zeng Yi.

"Hehe, it's alright. But is your nose okay?" Zeng Yi couldn't help but worry as he saw the blood flowing from Fang Lin's nostrils.

"Oh, it's fine. I'm used to it. I'll apply some medicine later." Fang Lin wiped off the blood from his nose, reassuring Zeng Yi not to worry.

Used to it...

Upon hearing this, Zeng Yi's eye twitched involuntarily. He couldn't help but glance at Fang Nan beside him.

With a sister like this, you've really been through a lot!

Afterward, Zeng Yi looked at the girl named Shui Bing'er and extended his right hand.

"Nice to meet you."

However, Zeng Yi felt something was off. Is it appropriate for me to shake hands with a girl? Feeling a bit awkward, he wanted to retract his hand, but it was already held by a smooth and tender little hand. This made Zeng Yi momentarily startled, his eyes fixed on the coldly beautiful girl before him.

He didn't expect her to be so proactive. Was she attracted to me by my handsome appearance? I've really sinned!

Before Zeng Yi could indulge in his fantasies, he felt a powerful surge of soul power flowing into his hand from her tender grip, as if trying to invade his body.

Luckily, Zeng Yi reacted promptly, activating his own soul power to neutralize hers. From her actions, Zeng Yi deduced her soul power level to be around level 39, nearing the breakthrough to become a Soul Ancestor.

He didn't expect this girl, who appeared to be around his age, to be a little genius as well.

However, although Shui Bing'er's soul power level was two levels higher than Zeng Yi's, the quality and intensity of her soul power were not as strong as his. She couldn't overcome Zeng Yi.

Moreover, besides the clash of their soul powers, Zeng Yi also felt an immensely strong sense of coldness invading his body. The hand he held had already formed a thin layer of ice.

Nevertheless, Zeng Yi's expression remained indifferent as if unaffected, shaking hands with her as if it were a normal handshake.

During his time at Sunset Forest, Zeng Yi had immersed himself in a cold spirit liquid pool, and his resistance to freezing was remarkably high. Although he couldn't be completely immune to the cold, the icy aura generated by Shui Bing'er's level 39 soul power couldn't affect him.

"Cough, Bing'er, and Zeng Brother, you two..."

Seeing Shui Bing'er and Zeng Yi holding hands for more than ten seconds, Fang Lin couldn't help but cough.

Is my niece smitten by this talented brother? But this is too direct. Can't girls be a bit more reserved?

"Um, Bing'er, can you let go of my hand?" Zeng Yi also felt a bit awkward. From beginning to end, he hadn't held Shui Bing'er's hand. Instead, she had been gripping his hand tightly.

"Mhm." Shui Bing'er replied indifferently, releasing her soul power and letting go of Zeng Yi's hand. Her expression remained calm, without a hint of embarrassment or awkwardness, displaying natural composure.

"You're strong."

Shui Bing'er stared directly into Zeng Yi's eyes with her ice-blue gaze. Since she laid eyes on Zeng Yi, she had been fixated on this unfamiliar face. This young man, who appeared to be the same age as her, seemed to be a soul master based on his appearance. However, she didn't perceive any soul power fluctuations from him, as if he were an ordinary person. Yet, upon careful observation, she felt an overwhelming sharpness penetrating her soul, giving her a slight thrill.

During their handshake, she unconsciously unleashed her soul power to test Zeng Yi's strength. However, she felt like her own soul power sank into a quagmire, unable to affect him. As the strongest person in the academy and possessing extraordinary talent, Shui Bing'er couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat when faced with this young man who seemed to be the same age as her.

"Just average." Zeng Yi calmly smiled in response to Shui Bing'er's challenging gaze.

Sensing that the atmosphere was a bit off, Fang Nan quickly intervened, "Since everyone knows each other, let's go inside and have a seat. The two of you are similar in age and both talented soul masters. You can have a good exchange."

Looking at his niece, Shui Bing'er, and Zeng Yi, Fang Nan couldn't help but have an idea.

Fang Lin also chimed in, "That's right. Let's go inside. It's getting chilly outside."

He knew that Shui Bing'er was a determined girl. Meeting someone as talented as her would surely ignite her competitive spirit, and the two might end up in a fight if they stayed outside any longer. Fighting wasn't a big deal, but it would be a shame to damage the plants and flowers.

As for whether Zeng Yi was a genius, Fang Lin himself was a level 38 Soul Elder and had a discerning eye. From their handshake just now, he managed to grasp a few things.