Just this? Just this? Evil Fire is just this? Li Zhexian's Ultimate Taunt

The next day.

7:00 PM.

The Soul Fighting Arena was packed to the brim, the crowd roaring with excitement.

As the spectators argued endlessly over how many strikes Jian Jiu would need to defeat the "Scruffy Fire Turkey"...

At the entrance to the Soul Fighting Arena...

A wave of startled cries suddenly erupted.

Countless gazes turned in that direction.

A mother and daughter with elegant, cool temperaments entered gracefully, surrounded by numerous Spirit Masters with formidable auras.

"Is that... the Nine Heart Begonia Ye Family?!"

"That's the Ye Family Head?! Even she came today!"

Before the exclamations had died down...

The spectators near the entrance looked as though they had seen a ghost. They shot to their feet in terror and scrambled away.

Those behind them had no idea what was happening. Then, when they saw who had arrived...

A Grey-robed Elder slowly stepped inside. He was tall and thin, with white hair and beard, while faint green light flickered in his gray eyes.

The Soul Fighting Arena was a vicious place steeped in blood.

Yet the chilling aura radiating from this old man overwhelmed even the accumulated stench of blood and violence within the arena.

Some spectators' teeth chattered as cold sweat drenched them.

"Th-that's... Poison Douluo Dugu Bo!"

"Why would a Title Douluo lower himself to visit the Soul Fighting Arena?!"

"Don't tell me even Dugu Bo came to watch Jian Jiu!"

"Impossible!"

Before the spectators could recover from their shock...

Several Spirit Masters clad in Royal Imperial Army uniforms strode forward to clear the way.

Then, with a gentle smile on his lips, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe stepped inside.

The spectators were already dizzy from the succession of influential figures.

A bloody place like the Soul Fighting Arena...

Even when such important people came here in the past, they usually concealed their identities.

But today, it was as though they had arranged it beforehand, appearing one after another in full view.

"Now it's certain! They definitely aren't here for Jian Jiu!"

"It would make sense for the Ye Family to recruit talent, but His Highness the Crown Prince and Your Excellency Poison Douluo... No matter how outstanding Jian Jiu is, he probably wouldn't catch their eye, would he?"

The noisy discussions from the stands faintly drifted into Xue Qinghe's ears.

His gaze flickered, and he turned to Dugu Bo, bowing as he said, "Senior Dugu, are you in such high spirits today because you also came for Jian Jiu?"

"Hmm?"

Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow.

Old and shrewd as he was, how could he not understand Xue Qinghe's intentions? He gave the latter a slightly surprised glance before following along.

"I heard there's a promising young swordsman here, with a bit of Chen Xin's bearing from back in the day. I came specially to take a look."

"I presume the Ye Family Head is here for the same reason?"

Ye Mother's eyes shifted as she nodded.

"Your Excellency Poison Douluo is correct."

"Jian Jiu... my Ye Family does indeed think highly of him."

The spectators stared blankly as these influential figures steered the conversation toward "Jian Jiu" in just a few words.

There was something indescribably strange about the scene.

As though...

They were deliberately building Jian Jiu's reputation.

After the Ye Family, Dugu Bo, and Crown Prince Xue Qinghe entered the VIP Boxes upstairs one after another...

The spectators gradually emerged from their stunned state.

Time quietly reached eight o'clock.

The temperature within the Soul Fighting Arena seemed to rise along with it.

Countless anxious gazes were fixed on the entrance to the arena, waiting with bated breath.

Near the front, Yufeng's face was pale, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Jian Jiu, please cripple him for me!"

Osler curled his lip.

"Back then, you said Jian Jiu was nothing."

"Now you're pinning your hopes for revenge on him?"

Yufeng felt his chest tighten. He opened his mouth, then said dejectedly:

"I was blind, all right?!"

On the other side of the stands.

Zhao Wuji stood with his arms crossed, listening to the frenzied praise for Jian Jiu all around him. He curled his lips disdainfully.

"Who the hell is Jian Jiu?"

"Which one of Shrek's seven little monsters isn't stronger than this so-called Jian Jiu?"

As a teacher who had watched the Shrek Seven Devils grow up.

Zhao Wuji had blind confidence in them.

"Teacher..."

The plainly dressed middle-aged man beside him said gravely:

"You mustn't underestimate him."

"He really did defeat Yu Tianheng with a single sword strike back then."

Zhao Wuji waved a hand dismissively.

"Qin Ming, don't worry."

"The little monsters who came out of Shrek can't lose."

Qin Ming opened his mouth.

But there was no time for him to persuade him further.

Because two figures had already appeared on the arena stage.

Eight o'clock at night.

The host did not dare delay and immediately announced the start of the Soul Fight.

Cheers like crashing waves surged into the sky, nearly lifting the roof off the Soul Fighting Arena.

Jian Jiu wore a plain white robe, standing tall and straight like bamboo.

From over ten meters away, Ma Hongjun rubbed his chin and looked the white-robed swordsman opposite him up and down.

"You're that Jian Jiu?"

Listening to the fierce, wave-like cheers.

An intrigued smile appeared on his chubby face.

"You're really popular at the Imperial City Soul Fighting Arena."

"Heh, tell me—when I defeat you later, what expressions will those idiots cheering for you have?"

Before Li Zhexian could respond.

He suddenly lowered his voice and asked:

"What's your relationship with Zhu Zhuqing?"

"Hm?"

A flicker passed through Li Zhexian's eyes.

Catching that subtle reaction, Ma Hongjun cracked his knuckles and narrowed his eyes.

"So you do know Zhu Zhuqing."

"Then don't even think about leaving the arena unharmed today."

Boom—!!!

The instant his words fell.

The air above the arena suddenly twisted.

A clear phoenix cry erupted from within Ma Hongjun.

Surging purple Evil Fire instantly covered his entire body, as though it had turned the whole arena into a furnace.

The front-row spectators were forced back again and again by the scorching blast of heat.

A bright yellow Spirit Ring rose beneath his feet.

"First Soul Skill—Phoenix Fireline!"

Ma Hongjun might have sounded arrogant, but he was extremely cautious within. He chose to use his First Soul Skill to test his opponent first.

A torrent of violet demonic fire poured down upon Li Zhexian like a raging, surging waterfall.

Under the disbelieving gazes of the entire audience.

The white-clad swordsman seemed to have been stunned by the fiery cascade. He stood where he was, utterly motionless.

Allowing the torrent of Purple Flame to swallow him whole.

Boom—!

The violet evil fire exploded.

A blazing purple fireball appeared on the arena stage.

Dead silence!

The entire Soul Fighting Arena fell into a deathly hush!

Even Ma Hongjun himself froze for a moment before bursting into wild laughter.

"HAHAHAHA!"

"What the hell kind of Jian Jiu is that?!"

"You couldn't even withstand my First Soul Skill!"

He was utterly confident.

Once swallowed by Phoenix Evil Fire, Even a level-forty Soul Ancestor would be stripped of a layer of skin!

This Jian Jiu was undoubtedly dead!

Below the stage.

Yufeng and Osler could scarcely believe it.

Jian Jiu, who had swept Yu Tianheng aside with a single slash, had lost just like that?

Zhao Wuji's voice boomed like a great bell as he laughed triumphantly.

"See?!"

"What did I tell you?!"

"This Jian Jiu is no match for Fatty at all!"

Qin Ming frowned, staring doubtfully at the ball of Purple Flame atop the stage.

Yet this was utterly unlike the heavy, deathly atmosphere below the stage.

Inside the VIP Box.

"Yanyan, don't worry. Zhexian is fine."

Dugu Bo soothed his anxious granddaughter beside him, a strange glint flashing through his emerald eyes.

"This boy truly is a monster."

"Why can't this scorching fire harm him in the slightest?"

"Hm?"

Dugu Bo's senses were extraordinarily sharp.

The next second, astonishment and suspicion surged onto his aged face.

"No!"

"It's not merely unable to harm him!"

"Zhexian... is actually actively absorbing the fire's energy?!"

In the other two VIP Boxes, Ye Mother was weaker, as though looking at flowers through mist, unable to see clearly.

Meanwhile, Pufferfish and Snake Lance were no less shocked than Dugu Bo.

"What is going on with this brat?!"

"He doesn't even have a fire-attribute Martial Soul!"

"Why is he able to absorb flames?!"

On the arena stage.

Rather than bursting outward as usual, the purple fireball...

Was strangely contracting.

As though it were being greedily devoured by an invisible giant mouth.

At this sight, Everyone realized something was wrong.

Just as the purple flames were about to dissipate.

A plain white figure strolled out through the lingering waves of flame.

He flicked away the sparks dancing on his lapels. Every strand of his black hair glimmered with the afterglow of Purple Fire, as though he wore a flowing ribbon of Purple Flame in his hair.

Beneath countless fanatical gazes that were nearly tangible, Li Zhexian slowly raised his eyes.

Behind the Faceless Man mask, two gazes sharper than sword edges pinned themselves to Ma Hongjun's fat face, frozen stiff with utter shock.

The air congealed.

A pin could have been heard dropping.

Then a calm voice, devoid of the slightest ripple, rang out:

"That's it?"

A brief, suffocating pause followed, as though an invisible sledgehammer had crashed down upon everyone's hearts.

"That's it?"

The second time carried a faint, almost imperceptible note of doubt, as if seeking confirmation—yet it was harsher than the sharpest mockery.

Then the voice suddenly rose, exploding like thunder as it came crashing down with utter contempt that shattered all pride:

"Evil Fire—"

"That's it?!"

There'll be another chapter this afternoon.

Dear readers, this little author wants to make a push for the monthly ticket rankings (quietly)...

It'll increase the exposure...

This little author bows, bows...

Thank you, dear readers. If you have time, get some sleep...