Wrath Rises

Whether it was truly the case or deliberately concealed, the outcome was the same to Fu Hua. Since the trail ended here, she would have to pay this academy more attention from now on.

"Since that is the case, I should not linger any longer. I shall take my leave." Fu Hua rose and cupped her hands in farewell, preparing to depart. Ling Mo's whereabouts were still unknown; she could not stop moving forward.

Fu Hua had only just left her seat and taken a few steps when Mu En said, "Please wait a moment, Your Excellency. I have another favor to ask."

On the Douluo Continent, there were almost no matters capable of troubling a Limit Douluo. Yet Ma Xiaotao's condition was one of them. Although Mu En's cultivation was immensely high, he was somewhat helpless in the face of her situation. He could suppress it, but not eradicate it. In Mu En's eyes, this unfamiliar Chi Yuan Douluo seemed faintly stronger than himself. Perhaps she might have a solution. But...

"Why should I help you?"

Naturally, Mu En did not expect Fu Hua to help him for nothing. Smiling faintly, he said, "How about treating it as a condition for returning the Ksitigarbha Soul?"

After considering it for a moment, Fu Hua said, "If that is the only condition, I can hear it first and consider it afterward."

"One of our academy's students suffered a malignant mutation in her martial soul due to certain special circumstances. She remains out of danger even now. I would like to ask Your Excellency to take a look and see whether there is a way to help her escape her predicament."

After hearing this, Fu Hua said, "I can take a look first."

"Thank you." After thanking Fu Hua, Mu En seemed to recall something and said to Xuan Zi, "Xuan Zi, bring Jing Hongchen with us."

"Yes."

After hearing Mu En's words, Xuan Zi rose and said to Jing Hongchen, "Come."

There was not the slightest hint of politeness in Xuan Zi's tone. Ordinarily, he would never have allowed Jing Hongchen to proceed deeper into the Sea God Pavilion. But Xiaotao's situation was at stake, and Mu En had given the order, so he would not stop him. Still, that did not mean Xuan Zi would be courteous to Jing Hongchen. Every word conveyed the same message: if you make any suspicious moves, I will show you exactly what a Rank 98 Soul Master is.

The four made their way up to the third floor of the Sea God Pavilion. As they passed the second floor, Fu Hua and Jing Hongchen saw Mu En's true body, half-reclined in a lounge chair, with three young men and women beside him.

Mu En's true body said to the three beside him, "You three should come along and see Xiaotao's condition."

"Yes." The three were Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao.

Led by Mu En's phantom, the group arrived outside a room on the third floor. As they reached the door, the surrounding light suddenly brightened for an instant, and dense light elemental energy seeped out from the wood around them.

Amid flashing golden light, the door opened. Mu En raised his left hand toward the room and said to Fu Hua, "Please enter."

Fu Hua was not afraid of it being a trap. If anything, she rather hoped it was; then she would not need to bother discussing morals with Mu En and the others when taking back the Ksitigarbha Soul.

Fu Hua entered the room first, followed by the others and Mu En.

Huo Yuhao immediately spotted Ma Xiaotao lying flat on an ice bed inside. He cried out "Sister!" and anxiously tried to rush over, only for Xuan Zi to grab him and hold him back.

Previously, Ma Xiaotao had received help from Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice in suppressing her evil fire. As a result, she had always taken especially good care of him, allowing him to experience the feeling of family that he had rarely known. During the tournament, she and Huo Yuhao had acknowledged each other as siblings.

Seeing Ma Xiaotao in such terrible condition, Huo Yuhao bit down hard on his lower lip after being stopped, his fists clenching involuntarily as he struggled to contain his worry.

Mu En glanced at Huo Yuhao before saying to Fu Hua, "This is the student I mentioned. I ask that Lady Chi Yuan see whether there is any way to help her escape her current state."

Fu Hua approached Ma Xiaotao step by step, ignoring the constantly flickering black flames. She gently pressed one palm against Ma Xiaotao's forehead and carefully controlled Honkai Energy as she examined her condition.

A moment later, Fu Hua withdrew her hand and said, "She has been corroded by negative energy. This energy should have originally been within her, and it should have been suppressed all this time, allowing her other fire-attribute energy to dominate. But afterward, external interference likely disrupted the original balance, causing this energy to overpower the fire attribute in an instant and trigger a mutation at that very moment. This caused the two to begin fusing. Normally, that would be a good thing, but the problem is that this energy is extremely evil. Once fused, it will affect her personality. Her current condition is the result of the fusion being obstructed, preventing her consciousness from recovering."

Having said this, Fu Hua stood and walked back, then continued to Mu En, "There are three ways to save her."

Three? Everyone wore expressions of disbelief. A problem that had left the continent's foremost academy helpless was so simple in the hands of this Lady Chi Yuan, whom Mu En had mentioned?

"May I ask what those three methods are?" No matter what, Xiaotao could be saved now, Mu En thought.

Fu Hua did not keep them in suspense and stated directly, "The first is to leave her alone and wait for her martial soul mutation to finish and the two energies to complete their fusion. She will naturally be fine then, but I doubt you would choose that."

Mu En nodded. "Just as Your Excellency said, that evil energy will affect her personality. Please tell us about the other methods."

"The remaining two methods are less two separate methods than variations of one. First, use fire-attribute Heavenly Treasures to strengthen her original fire attribute and help her purge this evil energy. Second, use ice-attribute Heavenly Treasures to forcibly suppress both energies again, allowing her consciousness to recover first. She can then regulate herself with confidence, and after recuperating for a time, she will naturally return to normal. I believe you know which of these two methods is better."

After hearing this, Mu En said, "To be frank, I have considered both methods as well. However, to resolve this child's condition, the Heavenly Treasures required would need to be of an extremely high grade. That is precisely where the problem lies."

At this, Fu Hua naturally understood Mu En's meaning. She sighed and said, "I will not deceive you. I have both of those Heavenly Treasures, but they mean a great deal to me. Forgive my bluntness, but you should choose another condition."

"Just one of them will suffice. In addition to the Ksitigarbha Soul we already promised, Shrek Academy will offer Your Excellency further compensation. Please part with it." Upon hearing that Fu Hua possessed the Heavenly Treasures they had struggled unsuccessfully to find, Xuan Zi hurriedly spoke. Mu En remained silent, clearly acquiescing to Xuan Zi's words.

Yet to everyone's surprise, Fu Hua responded coldly after hearing Xuan Zi. "Part with it? Those two items, along with the Ksitigarbha Soul, are all relics left behind by my beloved. And you ask me to part with them?!"

As Fu Hua spoke, her aura surged. The immense pressure made Huo Yuhao and the other two instantly spit out blood. Even Jing Hongchen, a Titled Douluo, was forced down onto one knee.

Xuan Zi inwardly realized things had gone badly and shielded Huo Yuhao and the other two. After seeing that they were unharmed, Mu En said calmly, "We misspoke in this matter. I offer my apologies. Please calm yourself, Your Excellency. This is the Sea God Pavilion." The warning in his words was unmistakable.

"Heh." Fu Hua sneered. Honkai Energy instantly became active, and with a wave of her right hand, she directly dispersed Mu En's phantom with a blast of force. She turned and headed toward the second floor, soon arriving before Mu En's true body. Although Fu Hua had withdrawn her pressure, the anger on her face had yet to fade.

PS: It was a little short, but the next arc is coming soon. The perspective will return to the protagonist shortly, and Finality may get quite a lot of screen time then. It will explain how Ling Mo transmigrated. Our Finality is also a female lead.