The Rich Second-Gen's Twenty-Fourth Day

Tang San's request to visit his mother was ultimately denied. Ah Yin's situation was still rather complicated, and it was not suitable for him to visit her for the time being. Tang San understood the importance of the matter, but he could not help feeling disappointed.

The tense atmosphere in Heaven Dou Imperial City gradually thawed as Crown Prince Xue Qinghe recovered. Communication through the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's information channels resumed, and Ming Zhen and Tang Yunhua became busy once more. The Shrek Seven Devils' vacation balance had also been depleted, and everyone, now with new soul rings, returned to the training grounds to familiarize themselves with their skills through sparring.

The accident happened at that moment. During Ma Hongjun's match against Tang San, his flames went out of control. The Phoenix Flame that should have obediently clung to his soul skill suddenly swelled, setting Ma Hongjun ablaze. Little Ma became a little fireman, and the overflowing Phoenix Flame surged toward Tang San opposite him. Thankfully, the fire-immune Blue Silver Grass blocked it in time, sparing Tang San from disaster.

But Ma Hongjun's condition was not good.

Ming Sui, who had just finished her previous match and was regulating her breathing, hurried over as well. Soul Power rich with cool Life Aura entered Ma Hongjun's body, but it only kept the Phoenix Flame from spilling outward. It could not extinguish the fire burning on Ma Hongjun's body.

"Sui Sui, stop using your Soul Power. I think I've adjusted to it now—it actually feels pretty comfortable." Worried that Ming Sui would overdraw her Soul Power again, Ma Hongjun quickly stopped her.

Flender, who had been notified by Master at once, arrived then. "What happened? Wasn't everything fine before?"

He had always been helping this disciple regulate his Soul Power, precisely because he feared his flames might go out of control. But before, Ma Hongjun had at most turned red all over and radiated scorching heat. There had never been a case where flames covered his entire body.

In his panic, Flender had no better solution. He could only use the old method to regulate Ma Hongjun's Soul Power, but unlike before, Ma Hongjun's Soul Power was not rampaging at all. Instead, it flowed steadily. His current state was simply that of a person burning stably.

At a complete loss, Ming Sui prepared to call her own father over.

After discussing it, Tang San used Blue Silver Grass to make a grass robe and wrapped Ma Hongjun in it. Together with Ming Sui's Soul Power, it barely allowed Ma Hongjun to move normally without the Phoenix Flame affecting the surrounding objects. Everyone scrambled around cleaning up, sweating profusely.

By the time Ming Zhen arrived, Shrek's teachers and students were all seated in the meeting room, including Ma Hongjun. The other teachers who had just arrived were curiously studying the flames on his body. Teacher Shao Xin even wanted to try cooking with the Phoenix Flame to see what it felt like.

Pale golden Soul Power enveloped Ma Hongjun. Already feeling pleasantly warm, he now felt even more comfortable and could not help closing his eyes.

Not long after, Ming Zhen withdrew his soul skill. Flender hurried forward. "Your Excellency, what happened to him this time? It's completely different from before."

Ming Zhen nodded. After thinking for a moment, he explained, "Ma Hongjun's condition stems from a mutation in his Martial Soul."

"His Phoenix Flame is not actually pure Phoenix Flame. It has undergone a mutation. Specifically, its temperature is not as high as normal Phoenix Flame, but its destructive power is greater. That is also why his Martial Soul is so powerful."

Everyone knew this already, and no one objected.

"Power comes with instability. Ma Hongjun's flames used to rage alongside his rampaging Soul Power. That is why we have to regulate his Soul Power regularly," Flender added.

Ming Zhen continued, "The reason his Soul Power rampages is also because of the mutation. His mutation is close to being complete, but there are still a few tiny impurities in his Martial Soul. Because those impurities exist, its immense destructive power and instability coexist."

Flender did not want to accept that reality. A problem with one's Martial Soul was a fatal flaw. Low Soul Power could be slowly cultivated, but an incomplete Martial Soul mutation directly negated a Soul Master's future prospects.

Ma Hongjun understood as well. His whole body drooped, and the little feathers on his head flopped limply against his scalp. Everyone looked at him worriedly.

"Uh, I'm not finished yet," Ming Zhen continued. "Our latest research has proven that Martial Souls are not unchanging. They can change according to the soul rings a Soul Master absorbs, the direction of their training, and their daily habits. We can absolutely guide Ma Hongjun to expel those impurities during his future cultivation."

Damn it, people who paused dramatically when they spoke were the worst! Still, the little phoenix feathers on Ma Hongjun's head perked up again.

Flender was overjoyed. "Then, Your Excellency, how should we handle his current condition? Will this happen again in the future?"

At that, Ming Zhen grew interested. "His case is rather interesting. This is his Martial Soul evolving on its own—it's purifying itself."

"So this isn't a bad thing, but a good thing?" Ming Sui anxiously asked the question everyone cared about. Her own father was seriously going to worry her to death.

Ming Zhen nodded and asked curiously, "Has he had any special training recently? We can use it as a reference to control when his Martial Soul purifies itself."

Everyone fell silent.

"Nothing special," Ma Hongjun said, somewhat dazed. They had all been acting together recently. Hadn't they all been searching for soul rings in the Star Dou Great Forest or traveling together? Then they came back and went on vacation. They had not completely stopped cultivating, but what could possibly have been special? Suddenly, he remembered something. His eyes lit up, and he shouted, "Could it be the vacation? Teacher, let's take another month off!"

Thud! "Ow!"

The teacup by Flender's hand had already smashed into Ma Hongjun's head, only to be burned into ashes by the Phoenix Flame.

Overwhelmed by the roller coaster of emotions, Flender shot Ma Hongjun an irritated glare. "Vacation, vacation. You look like a vacation! All you know is vacation. Can't you cultivate properly? Has vacation turned you stupid? Believe it or not, I'll make sure you never get another vacation for the rest of your life!"

The fire phoenix had turned into a roasted quail.

Dai Mubai lowered his head, trying hard not to let Flender see the corners of his mouth twitching upward. Zhu Zhuqing beside him was also holding back her laughter. Unwilling to pinch herself, she pinched Dai Mubai's muscular arm instead. Poor Dai Mubai wanted to laugh and was in pain at the same time. He was having a terrible time.

Oscar and Ning Rongrong hid behind Tang San, both trembling with suppressed laughter. Tang San turned his head aside and happened to see Ming Sui holding Xiao Wu's hand. The two girls were clasping hands tightly to keep themselves from laughing, and he instantly stopped finding it amusing.

The other teachers had no such reservations and burst into laughter. The meeting room was filled with cheerful air. When it came to livening up the atmosphere, this master and disciple pair were professionals.

After much effort, everyone finally stopped laughing and continued considering the serious matter.

Master, who had not spoken until then, opened his mouth. "The bottom of the lake that day."

To find Nian Nian, they had gone to the bottom of Goddess Lake and been drawn into that mysterious space. Training and fighting had repeated in an endless cycle, and everyone's Soul Power had surged greatly.

After Ming Sui returned, Ming Zhen had already heard her detailed account of what happened at the bottom of the lake, so he naturally understood. Hearing Master mention it, he nodded. "It's not impossible. High-frequency combat and cultivation might be worth trying. If we can enter that state again, it wouldn't be a loss, would it?"

Remembering that unbearable experience, everyone could not help shivering. Even Tang San's expression changed slightly.

But the teachers clearly took it seriously and began discussing how to achieve that effect. Master even proposed adding body tempering—and forbidding the use of Soul Power!

Ming Zhen listened with great interest from the side and even wanted to add some malicious suggestions for the teachers, but Ming Sui saw through him in time and hurriedly stopped him. "Then when will Little Ma's fire go out?"

Ming Zhen turned and examined him. "He doesn't have much Soul Power to begin with. It'll be fine once it runs out. If he wants to purify himself for a little longer, he can maintain his cultivation state now and evolve a little longer as well. But we still need to consider whether his body can endure it." He released his Martial Soul again and used a soul skill to assess Ma Hongjun's physical condition before advising, "No more than three days at most. Otherwise, his body will collapse."

Ma Hongjun nodded. He just had to remain in a cultivation state for two days, then stop on the third day and let his Soul Power run out on its own. He understood that.

The teachers, having made some progress in their discussion, prepared to go somewhere without students to refine the details. After hearing Ming Zhen's suggestion, Flender directly told Ma Hongjun to go to his Mimetic Environment Training Room. The environment there was more suitable and would better match his Martial Soul.

It had been a close call, but Ma Hongjun went off to cultivate while everyone else went to class.

Master, who had no classes that day, called out to Ming Zhen as he was about to leave. "Your Excellency, please wait."

"Today, I heard you mention your new research findings. May I study them?" Master asked eagerly.

Ming Zhen knew that Master was obsessed with Martial Soul research. He had deliberately brought it up today to lure Master in, so he naturally agreed readily. The best way to recruit talent was to show them just how superior one's research conditions were.

Flender personally controlled Ma Hongjun's cultivation time, and everything worked out perfectly. When the Phoenix Flame on Ma Hongjun's body finally extinguished, his Martial Soul automatically manifested. A clear phoenix cry rang out, vibrant and free. With Martial Soul Possession, although his Soul Power had not increased, he could vaguely feel that he had become stronger.

Ma Hongjun happily ran out to find his companions, only to crash into A'tu's common knowledge class just in time for the homework review.

Remembering that although he had rewritten it, his homework was still a complete disaster, Ma Hongjun tried to quietly slip away. But A'tu noticed him.

"Ah, Student Ma Hongjun. Let us welcome Student Ma Hongjun back!" There was an inexplicably dangerous note in A'tu's voice.

His animal instincts urged Ma Hongjun to leave, but it was already too late.

The other seven looked at him with deep sympathy.

"Student Ma Hongjun has come at just the right time. Come, please answer this. What should you do when you encounter an Aquatic Soul Beast?" Usually gentle, A'tu was extremely serious.

"And what is the Mist Shadow Beast's habitat?"

"Didn't he rewrite his homework?" Ming Sui whispered to Ning Rongrong. Ning Rongrong was curious too, and the two looked toward Xiao Wu.

"He only rewrote the last question. The rest was still all nonsense," Xiao Wu said helplessly.

Ma Hongjun: My life is over!