Douluo: Legacy of the Rusted Spear

"The Skywater Clan?"

Though Ignaz had heard of the Skywater Clan in Skywater City, he still feigned confusion.

After all, he'd spent all his time near Vast Sea City and hadn't ventured inland. Some things were better left unsaid—what you know is one thing, but sometimes it's smarter to act like you don't.

Hearing the question, Director Shui patiently explained:

"Skywater City's Shui Clan is my kin. The current clan head is a Spirit Emperor. We're not on the same level as the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, but still a respectable mid-sized family."

"One of the younger members in the clan awakened a flawed spirit. With no other options, they came here to Vast Sea City."

This issue with his niece's spirit had weighed on Director Shui's mind for months. He'd sent word back to the clan almost eight or nine months ago. Their delayed arrival disappointed him, though he didn't say so outright.

Casting a deliberate glance at Ignaz, he went on:

"Little Iggy, your theories on spirit evolution—wild and unorthodox as they are—just might be what our family needs."

"I wouldn't go that far. My research into spirits is still largely theoretical, with only limited real-world results. But since you're asking, I'll do what I can."

Ignaz agreed to help—not just out of curiosity, but because of the bond he'd formed with Director Shui and Headmaster Lu. He couldn't turn his back on them now.

Not long after, on the top floor of the Waldfahrk Grand Hotel…

Ignaz stood before a large conference room. As the doors slowly swung open, he saw a woman in a fitted blue uniform seated calmly on one side. Next to her stood a petite girl, maybe four-foot-four, who quickly rose to her feet and greeted them respectfully:

"Uncle Shui!"

The girl had delicate features and the makings of future beauty. But her face was ghostly pale, and her entire presence gave off a bone-deep, biting chill.

"Brother, this is the one you've been looking for."

Li Xianyue approached Ignaz, giving him a closer look. The aura he radiated and the focused gleam in his eyes caught her off guard. Had Shui Wuliang not already explained, she might've mistaken this fifteen- or sixteen-year-old for a battle-hardened Spirit Master.

"That's right," Director Shui nodded. "This is the student I mentioned in my letter—the one I'm most proud of."

He turned to the others, making formal introductions:

"This is Li Xianyue, Director of External Affairs at Skywater Academy."

"And this young lady, not far from your age, is my niece—Shui Bing'er. She's the one with the flawed spirit."

"Nice to meet you, Brother Ignaz!"

Before Ignaz could even respond, Shui Bing'er had already bowed politely. She'd heard his name countless times over the past seven months since that letter. He was a mere Rank 3 Spirit Master, and yet he'd broken through to Spirit Grandmaster in just five years. Even his fragile Rusted Spear spirit had somehow been massively enhanced. And his brutal Water Pressure Body Tempering technique was borderline inhuman. Where else could she find someone her age who worked this hard and had that much grit?

Now, standing face-to-face with him, she couldn't help but blush—but the paleness from her condition still clung to her face.

"Hello," Ignaz returned the greeting with a nod.

But before the moment could settle, a chilling surge swept through the room. Behind Shui Bing'er, her Ice Phoenix spirit manifested on its own, causing the room temperature to plummet. Ice instantly formed across several surfaces.

Ignaz was stunned. He never expected the Ice Phoenix to appear spontaneously—and to bring such pressure with it. This wasn't normal.

Reacting immediately, Li Xianyue activated her first spirit skill. Flames burst forth, enveloping Shui Bing'er and quickly melting the ice around them.

"Sorry—her cold flare-up is acting up again. I need to stabilize her first."

With that, Li Xianyue scooped up the girl and carried her out, leaving only Ignaz and Director Shui in the room.

"Should we go help?" Ignaz asked.

"No need," Director Shui replied calmly. "Xianyue knows what to do."

Ignaz, still puzzled, asked, "So what exactly is going on with her spirit?"

Before he could finish, Director Shui motioned for him to sit down and began explaining in detail.

"Ever since Bing'er awakened the Ice Phoenix, she's suffered from this cold-type disorder. According to both clan elders and doctors, her body just can't bear the Ice Phoenix's energy. That kind of top-tier elemental beast spirit—it's simply too much for a normal human body."

Ignaz listened closely, and a clearer picture began to form in his mind.

The Ice Phoenix was among the top elemental beast spirits, and logically, anyone who awakened it should've had full innate spirit power. Only spirits with full innate power could coexist with the body in perfect harmony—without side effects. But Shui Bing'er had only reached Rank 9 innately. Just like that infamous Evil Fire Phoenix user, her spirit had a flaw. And for elemental-type spirits, that kind of flaw could be deadly.

She was one of the unlucky few. Every so often, she was struck by another cold flare-up—debilitating and dangerous. While it's true that a woman's body naturally aligns with yin energy, making them more tolerant of cold, the Ice Phoenix's freezing backlash wasn't something that could be brushed off. If left unchecked, it could very well kill her from the inside out.

No wonder she lost control during the Spirit Master Tournament when she tried to unleash the Ice Phoenix's full power.

"Little Iggy, now that you've seen Bing'er's condition for yourself… do you have any ideas?"

"Roughly, yes."

Ignaz nodded slightly but didn't say more. He'd wait until her flare-up had settled before going into detail.

Elsewhere, in a high-end suite…

The room was cloaked in mist. Shui Bing'er lay soaking in a specially prepared bath, completely unclothed, while Li Xianyue knelt beside her, channeling both her first and second spirit skills to control the fire under the tub.

"Bing'er, drink this—whale rubber extract, ten-thousand-year aged."

She brought over a small cup of the thick liquid. Shui Bing'er drank it down in one go. Instantly, a scorching heat surged through her body. Yin met yang, cold clashed with heat—this was the only way to blunt the piercing agony of another cold episode.

If not for this spirit-induced condition, Li Xianyue would've never resorted to giving Shui Bing'er such a pungent, aphrodisiac-like substance.

Shui Bing'er bore the pain, keeping her mind focused.

"Aunt Xianyue… sorry to trouble you again."

"Don't be silly. Your mother passed early. Aside from your father, I'm the only family you've got."

Li Xianyue cherished this strong, kind girl. To think someone blessed with such a powerful beast spirit had to suffer like this. She could only hope that Ignaz—the boy her brother had so much faith in—could come up with a real cure. Then maybe, just maybe, Bing'er wouldn't have to endure so much pain.