Enemies of Spirit Hall

Seeing Nan Li's domain, Dan Hong swiftly rushed over with the boost from her Second Soul Skill, Fire Feather Flame.

The moment she arrived, she saw the tense standoff.

Though she did not know what had happened, Nan Li was not the type to stir up trouble, while the other side had clearly come to question her.

Hmph, whatever the situation was, she would protect her!

Nan Li could not be bullied by outsiders. Dan Hong retorted irritably, "The teachers at your academy are far too irresponsible. Can't you even keep your own students in line?"

Nan Li's expression changed in an instant. She secretly chuckled, withdrew her wings, and nodded along as Dan Hong berated them, only short of voicing her agreement aloud.

"What were you doing when it happened? All you know is how to question students afterward..." Dan Hong looked like a lioness protecting her cubs, and her barrage of questions left Zhao Wuji dumbfounded.

Zhao Wuji had once been a renowned World-Chaos Demon King in the Soul Master world, known as the Unmovable Bright King. He had always acted with impunity and experienced countless battles of every scale, but this was the first time someone had attacked him with words.

"You!" Zhao Wuji's mind could barely process it. So this was somehow his fault?

"This is an internal matter of Shrek Academy. We need not trouble you with it." Flender helped Ma Hongjun to one side, then rose to answer calmly.

Flender had already treated Ma Hongjun's external injuries. The wounds looked frightening, with blood and flesh mangled together, but they were actually less severe than the final impact that broke the tree.

Dan Hong neither agreed nor disagreed. Her calm gaze swept over the surroundings, and she noticed Ma Hongjun lying nearby as well. She clicked her tongue lightly. "This boy's bloodline is impure, and his lustful fire is far too strong. The evil fire is consuming him..."

Dan Hong had been refining medicine for at least tens of thousands of years. With a single glance, she could roughly tell whether someone could be saved and how to save them. She immediately understood Ma Hongjun's condition.

"Enough. This was an accident. Everyone, go back..." Flender frowned. Ma Hongjun was, after all, his direct disciple. What he did when he could not suppress his evil fire was indeed improper, but Flender could not simply watch his disciple die.

"It's not over. Not even close." Dan Hong toyed with her long hair, her graceful figure half-hidden beneath her Blazing Fire Wings, seductive and dangerous.

"Though it isn't his fault that he can't suppress his evil fire, the method you came up with to let him vent it..." Dan Hong raised a hand and swept it through the air before finally pointing at Flender. "That was your rotten idea, wasn't it?!"

"You!" Even Flender was rendered speechless this time.

Dan Hong shot Nan Li a look, meaning, Leave the rest to me. Don't worry!

Nan Li sat atop the Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl's head and patted it.

The Fire Howl turned around aggrievedly, presenting its side to Flender.

Dan Hong released her Martial Soul Possession and unhurriedly sat down on the Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl's back.

Flender's face shifted between green and white. He was both anxious and furious, but he could not bear to let this opportunity slip away.

What if she really could solve Ma Hongjun's evil fire problem?

Zhao Wuji had a hot temper. Once he understood Dan Hong's meaning, he immediately stepped forward. The Great Strength Vajra Bear's single step made the ground tremble.

Roar!

The Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl had kept its head facing Zhao Wuji. The moment the other moved, the Hou Beast let out an angry roar and rapidly expanded. Its body, which had only been about three meters long moments ago, swiftly returned to its original size.

With a body six or seven meters long and over three meters tall, the Fire Howl showed no fear toward this human Soul Sage. Even though its opponent was now a five-meter-tall brown bear, the Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl still bared its fangs in warning.

Nan Li's folded wings also spread open in an instant. The Soul Rings beneath her feet hummed, and her translucent red wings immediately transformed into hard golden armor.

She had never released her Martial Soul Possession at all!

One person and one beast stared down the Great Strength Vajra Bear.

Dan Hong looked down at Flender with calm indifference, as though nothing had happened.

As Zhao Wuji and the Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl faced off, Flender suddenly sighed.

"Zhao Wuji."

Flender's eyes were filled with helplessness, but for the sake of his disciple, he could only have Zhao Wuji back down first.

It was a sign of concession.

The moment Zhao Wuji released his Martial Soul Avatar, he discovered that both arms were in excruciating pain. He had not noticed it under the attribute boost earlier, but now he saw that both arms had been burned black!

Now he knew how formidable that strange white flame was!

The Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl excitedly snorted, spraying two streams of white air from its nostrils. Its eagle-like foreclaws scraped at the ground with a sharp scraping sound.

It was obviously gloating.

It had not lost to Nan Li because the Fire Howl was weak. It simply truly could not defeat her...

The Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl swished its tail and thought, That little bird with white flames is terrifying. She even destroyed my true body. If I hadn't reacted quickly, I probably wouldn't have been able to preserve even this spirit essence.

This is what it means to be a wise and adaptable Hou Beast!

Nan Li patted the Cloud-Swallowing Fire Howl's head, signaling it to restrain itself. Its excitement was far too obvious.

"What do you want? As long as it is something I can do." Flender gritted his teeth as he looked at Dan Hong.

"It's not impossible for me to save him." Dan Hong leaped off the Hou Beast's back and landed before Flender. "It isn't difficult for me. It depends on whether you are sincere enough."

"Who exactly are you?" Flender's brows drew tightly together.

At those words, Dan Hong's aura instantly turned icy and murderous. She enunciated each word: "Enemies... of Spirit Hall!"

After giving Nan Li a few instructions, Dan Hong reluctantly checked Ma Hongjun's condition.

Not long after, Dan Hong stood up and stuffed several bottles of pills into Flender's hands. "I need to go back and prepare some medicinal ingredients. These can temporarily ease his symptoms."

She then waved a hand, signaling for them to carry him away.

"You should head back first."

Dan Hong had matters to discuss with Flender. Zhao Wuji and Nan Li returned to the academy first, while Dai Mubai and Oscar dragged Ma Hongjun along behind them.

"My apologies, Lord Unmovable Bright King." Nan Li glanced at Zhao Wuji's arms and spoke with little sincerity.

Though Zhao Wuji looked fierce, he was kind-hearted and cherished talent. When faced with someone like Nan Li, he merely assumed she had been raised too arrogantly by her family. "Hmph. Since Ma Hongjun started the trouble, we'll let it go this time."

That woman truly seemed capable of curing Ma Hongjun's evil fire problem, so neither he nor Flender would make things difficult for Nan Li. Perhaps fearing that Nan Li would become too arrogant because of her talent, Zhao Wuji added viciously, "Don't let it happen again!"

The group returned to Shrek Academy. Zhao Wuji looked at his horribly burned arms and struggled to raise a hand. "All right, you three can go back. Today's task is canceled for now."

After watching Zhao Wuji leave, Dai Mubai clutched his chest and said, "Nan Li, don't get too smug! Whoever the people behind you are..."