Instead, a crack appeared where the Mystic Ice Blade made contact.
Crack.
Then came the sound of shattering.
Seconds later, the Ice-Fire Protective Shield completely fractured.
A tremendous impact erupted from within, sending Luo Feng's body flying back several meters.
When the shield fully dissipated, an enormous Icefire Crab—standing a full five meters tall—appeared before them.
This creature's body was split down the middle: one half wreathed in flames, the other encased in ice.
Two diametrically opposed, mutually destructive elements coexisted on a single being.
Luo Feng couldn't help but inhale sharply at the sight.
The fusion of two conflicting elemental creatures was simply too bizarre.
Moreover, the defensive power of that Ice-Fire Protective Shield had been absurdly strong.
As this thought crossed his mind, a status panel materialized:
[Icefire Crab]
Level: 4 (Perfect Grade)
Description: This creature has begun unraveling the mysteries between ice and fire, making it extraordinarily dangerous. When unleashing its full power, the devastation would be catastrophic.
Luo Feng's brow furrowed at the description. The fusion effect between those two crabs had far exceeded his expectations.
Not only had their combined level increased by one, but their quality had reached Perfect Grade.
If memory served, even the Fire Dragon he'd slain on Extremely Cold Island had only been Perfect Grade.
Judging by the Icefire Crab's overwhelming presence, Luo Feng suspected even that Fire Dragon would struggle against it.
Both Tang Xuewei and the Merfolk Queen immediately focused on the newly emerged threat.
"The energy within this Icefire Crab is terrifying," warned the Merfolk Queen. "Most level 5 creatures wouldn't last long against its unleashed power. With dual ice-fire attributes, elemental attacks will prove less effective."
Without hesitation, the freshly formed Icefire Crab swung its massive Ice-Fire Pincers.
Twin beams of elemental energy shot toward Luo Feng.
The nearby Black Tortoise instantly erected a Protective Shield around him.
In an instant, the attacks struck—and something unprecedented happened.
The shield visibly rippled upon impact.
As the dual energies pressed forward, the barrier actually began deforming under the assault.
Luo Feng could feel the extraordinary destructive force within these attacks.
While the flames and frost themselves weren't exceptionally powerful, they carried some peculiar, intensified energy.
Was this the so-called "mystery between ice and fire" mentioned in the description?
Luo Feng wouldn't just stand there taking hits. He activated his Extreme Cold Ice Armor at full power.
With ten thousand years of lifespan now at his disposal, he cared little about the consumption.
After all, this armor's strength scaled directly with lifespan expenditure.
The more lifespan Luo Feng consumed, the stronger his power became.
At this moment, Luo Feng's entire body was engulfed in flames as he wielded the Mystic Ice Blade, charging toward the Icefire Crab.
Seeing Luo Feng's attack, the Icefire Crab immediately unleashed both ice and fire elemental energies against him.
Without relying on the Black Tortoise's protective shield, Luo Feng's Extreme Cold Ice Armor alone was enough to withstand the assault for a while.
In the blink of an eye, Luo Feng closed the distance to the Icefire Crab.
With a single slash, his blade struck the massive shell of the Icefire Crab.
A crisp, ringing sound echoed through the air.
Yet, the Icefire Crab's shell remained completely unscathed.
Luo Feng wasn't particularly surprised by this outcome.
Given the formidable strength of this Icefire Crab, it wasn't shocking that it could withstand the Mystic Ice Blade's attack.
Fortunately, the true power of Luo Feng's Mystic Ice Blade lay not in its sharpness but in its freezing effect.
Instantly, a surge of Frost Ice erupted from the blade, rapidly spreading across the Icefire Crab's body.
In less than two seconds, a thick layer of ice encased the creature.
The Icefire Crab's movements were severely restricted as a result.
Seizing the opportunity, Luo Feng, Tang Xuewei, and the Black Tortoise combined their efforts, finally freezing the Icefire Crab completely.
As the creature became immobilized, turning into an ice sculpture, Luo Feng let out a slight sigh of relief. "This Icefire Crab's abilities are truly formidable. I didn't expect a Level 4 creature to be so difficult to handle. I can't even imagine how terrifying a Level 5 or higher creature would be."
However, the Merfolk Queen didn't share Luo Feng's relief. She could sense a strange energy gathering within the Icefire Crab's body.
Sure enough, the next moment confirmed her suspicions.
The once clearly divided Icefire Crab—half ice, half fire—began to merge.
The two opposing energies started flowing into each other, converging rapidly.
"Master, look!" the Merfolk Queen exclaimed.
But Luo Feng had already noticed the change in the Icefire Crab.
Though he lacked specialized skills to sense the energy within creatures, the transformation happening before his eyes sent a powerful shock through him.
Most notably, the Frost Ice covering the Icefire Crab began to show signs of cracking.
Alarmed, Luo Feng thought, Is the Icefire Crab about to evolve into some kind of special boss?
He wasn't about to give it the chance. "Everyone, unleash your strongest attacks now! Hold nothing back!" he shouted urgently. "We need to destroy it before the mutation completes!"
Hearing his command, the others also felt the looming threat from the Icefire Crab.
Tang Xuewei summoned a blizzard, directing it toward the creature.
The Black Tortoise froze the surrounding seawater, sending waves of ice creeping toward the Icefire Crab.
Meanwhile, the Merfolk Queen activated her support abilities.
One after another, glowing auras enveloped Luo Feng, enhancing his strength and speed—a clear sign of the Merfolk Queen's power at work.
No wonder everyone wants to obtain the Merfolk. Just this ability to enhance others' strength alone makes them extremely sought after.
There was no time for Luo Feng to dwell on it now.
The Icefire Crab, which had originally been divided into ice and fire sections, had now turned completely monochromatic.
The ice and fire seemed to have undergone perfect fusion.
Each contained the other, intertwined as one.