Is a Barnyard Chicken Worthy of Being Called a Phoenix?

Before the match even began, both sides stared coldly at each other, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

Huo Wushuang looked at Tang San and grinned.

"You Shrek Team may have won ten straight, but once you face us, Blazing Fire, that streak ends. You're really stubborn, kid. With a Blue Silver Grass martial soul, what are you even doing here? Aren't you just asking for a beating?"

Tang San shot back without yielding an inch.

"Who wins and who loses is still uncertain! What's wrong with a Blue Silver Grass martial soul? Maybe you're the ones whose winning streak will end."

"Overestimating yourself. We'll see."

"Hmph! Who's afraid of who?"

Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun both clenched their fists, eager to get into action.

In the previous featured match, Divine Wind Team and Thunder Team had put on a spectacular show for the audience.

This next match was the one everyone had been looking forward to most.

With the match about to begin, the spectators began discussing it heatedly.

"That control-type Soul Master from Shrek Team is the brains of the team, and he's very strong. But his Blue Silver Grass martial soul is perfectly countered by fire. Can they still win this match?"

"Yeah. Still, they've changed their lineup. That red-haired fat guy is making his first appearance, so maybe he's pretty capable."

"That dead fat bastard is ugly as hell. What strength could he possibly have?! I'm more optimistic about Blazing Fire Team."

Some spectators supported Shrek Team, while others supported Blazing Fire Team. Slightly more of them favored Blazing Fire Team.

"This match is between Blazing Fire Academy Team and Shrek Academy Team. Both teams have achieved ten consecutive victories in their previous matches, but today, there can only be one winner. Who will emerge victorious? Let us wait and see. Both sides, please release your martial souls and Soul Rings. The match will officially begin in one minute!"

At the referee's announcement, all fourteen people on the central arena released their martial souls and Soul Rings.

A scorching aura immediately rose from the arena, and even the spectators in the stands could feel the heat washing over them.

Their martial souls differed, but their Soul Ring configurations were astonishingly identical.

Each team had two four-ring Battle Soul Ancestors leading five three-ring Battle Soul Elders, and every one of them possessed the optimal Soul Ring configuration.

At this sight, the spectator stands erupted once again.

"I thought that guy was supposed to be impressive, but his martial soul is just a barnyard chicken. The only difference is that it's fire-elemental. No wonder he was sent out."

"But that guy is way too fat. Paired with his martial soul, he looks so weird, like an old hen on fire. Haha~"

When they saw Ma Hongjun's martial soul, several members of Blazing Fire Team could not help laughing as well.

Huo Wushuang said:

"So it's just a barnyard chicken. At least it's fire-elemental. Still, among fire-elemental Soul Masters, someone as fat as you is truly rare."

"What barnyard chicken?! Look carefully, this is the Evil Fire Phoenix!"

The two Fire Crane Soul Masters on Blazing Fire Team could not resist mocking him.

"What kind of phoenix are you supposed to be?! At most, you're a turkey."

"Exactly. If a turkey is worthy of being called a phoenix, then what are we Fire Cranes? Little phoenixes? This is going to make me laugh my teeth out."

Faced with the mockery from several members of Blazing Fire Team, Ma Hongjun burned with rage. Purple-red light flared brightly around him, and he could hardly wait to throw himself into battle.

Ma Hongjun's martial soul had mutated from a barnyard chicken. His flames contained many impurities, making them evil fire.

Though that evil fire was incredibly hot and possessed formidable attack power, it also had a massive flaw that had caused him no end of trouble.

After Tang San met Ma Hongjun, he had tried every possible method to help him remove the impurities from his flames, but the results had been minimal.

Perhaps only after Ma Hongjun became strong enough himself would he be able to control the power of that evil fire.

The match officially began.

Without hesitation, Dai Mubai went up against Huo Wushuang, the strongest attacker on the opposing team.

Tang San faced Huo Wu.

Xiao Wu faced the Fire Leopard Soul Master, while Ma Hongjun faced the Fire Crane Soul Master who had mocked him.

The remaining members each engaged their own opponents.

Tang San tentatively flicked out a strand of Blue Silver Grass. The moment it touched Huo Wu, it turned to ashes.

"What an overestimation of yourself. Like a moth flying into a flame, you're asking for a beating. Surrender early, and you might suffer less."

Tang San remained expressionless in the face of Huo Wu's mockery.

As early as Tang San's first match against Ma Hongjun, his Blue Silver Grass had been perfectly countered by evil fire.

He just had not expected Huo Wu's flames to be just as formidable.

Though his Blue Silver Grass contained deadly poison, all fire-type Soul Masters were naturally immune to poison. Trying to attack them with poison was unrealistic.

Tang San withdrew all his Soul Rings and stopped using Soul Skills, instead condensing his Soul Power into his techniques.

Mysterious Jade Hand, Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track could all be used to contend with his opponent.

The External Soul Bone, Eight Spider Lances, and the Clear Sky Hammer were all trump cards and would not be used lightly.

As Huo Wu waved both hands, streak after streak of flaming light blades shot toward Tang San.

Tang San stepped through Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, swiftly evading them as he extended his Mysterious Jade Hand toward Huo Wu.

As the Third Soul Ring on her body suddenly lit up, Huo Wu unleashed her Third Soul Skill—Resisting Fire Ring.

A blazing crimson ring of light shot straight at Tang San.

Tang San crouched, then explosively pushed off with both legs and leaped high into the air, dodging the attack.

"You do have some skill, but this victory belongs to Blazing Fire Academy."

After saying that, Huo Wu launched another attack.

On the other side, the fists of Huo Wushuang and Dai Mubai collided violently, and the smell of scorching flesh instantly filled the air.

"How does roasted tiger paw taste?"

"Don't get cocky. Take my fist!"

Faced with Huo Wushuang's taunt, Dai Mubai flew into a rage. Enduring the pain, he launched another attack.

Ma Hongjun's evil fire was not only extremely hot, but also highly adhesive. Ordinary Soul Masters would find it difficult to withstand.

But against that Fire Crane Soul Master, who feared no flames and was even faster than him, he had no advantage at all.

His turkey martial soul could only fly at low altitudes. After tangling with that agility-attack-type Fire Crane Soul Master for several exchanges, he was already panting heavily from exhaustion.

Xiao Wu gained no advantage against the Fire Leopard Soul Master either.

Though she was very fast, the scorching flames around her opponent made it impossible for her to fight at close range. Besides, the Fire Leopard Soul Master was not slow either.

The other three members of Shrek Team were all at a disadvantage against their opponents' fire attacks.

Though Huo Wu was a control-type Soul Master, her attacks were not weak in the slightest. The blazing flames radiating from her body did not even give Tang San a chance to approach.

Tang San kept dodging, attempting to wear down Huo Wu's Soul Power and deliver a decisive blow once she weakened.

But he had still underestimated Huo Wu.

Seeing that Tang San was not using Soul Skills, Huo Wu also reduced her use of Soul Skills to conserve Soul Power. Tang San was already struggling to deal with her ordinary flame attacks alone.

"Ah~"

With a miserable cry, Jing Ling was the first to be blasted out of the arena.

Jing Ling's elimination immediately left Shrek Team in a six-against-seven situation, putting them at an even greater disadvantage.

Damn it! We've been suppressed from start to finish. When have the Shrek Seven Devils ever suffered such humiliation? Are we supposed to surrender just like this? No.

Smelling his own singed hair, Tang San felt deeply unwilling and gritted his teeth in fury.

His entire body had been roasted red by the blazing flames, like a cooked shrimp.

At that moment, Tang San stared intently at Huo Wu across from him. His right calf suddenly exerted force, and a mass of black aura gathered in his left palm without warning.

Yu Xiaogang broke out in a cold sweat at the sight.

"Referee, stop the match! Shrek Academy surrenders!"