"The Evil Fire inside you is likely caused by your inability to control the flames of your Martial Soul. If you can master the fire within you, your Evil Fire Phoenix might evolve into a Fire Phoenix."
After washing up, Xiao Qing left, leaving Ma Hongjun standing there alone, lost in thought.
No one knew how long Ma Hongjun spent thinking that day, or what he thought about. In any case, from that day onward, Ma Hongjun changed completely.
Whenever Dai Mubai suggested they go "unwind," Ma Hongjun no longer wore that half-reluctant expression, nor did he slack off and complain about having to cultivate.
He threw all his energy into cultivation and studying his own Martial Soul, and Oscar became the person he sought out most often.
Whenever Ma Hongjun went to see Oscar, it was either to get a Recovery Big Sausage and restore his stamina, or to get a Clear Heart Sausage and purge the Evil Fire from his body.
With guidance from Xiao Qing and Flender, and the Clear Heart Sausage's help, Ma Hongjun carefully sensed the patterns of the Evil Fire's movement within him, trying to restrain and guide it with his mental strength.
A little over a month passed.
Though truly mastering the Evil Fire still seemed a distant prospect, Ma Hongjun's trips to places like Suotuo City went from once every few days to never.
The Ma Hongjun of today had shed the lazy, devil-may-care air he'd had when Xiao Qing first met him. In its place were a focus on cultivation and a thirst for knowledge.
As far as he was concerned, rather than waste money and energy indulging the flesh, he might as well buy food to replenish what cultivation consumed, or save it for the future.
Now, Ma Hongjun wanted more than anything to marry a beautiful wife, have an adorable child, and live out his life happily.
As for Oscar, he had already made it clear that he wanted no part of the entertainments Dai Mubai proposed.
It was simply his nature. On top of that, food-type Soul Masters were especially anxious about improving their own strength, so Oscar devoted all his attention to training his body and studying how to support cultivation.
That left Dai Mubai in an awkward position.
Before Xiao Qing and the others had returned, Ma Hongjun had been his regular companion. Now Ma Hongjun had thoroughly "turned over a new leaf" and even urged him to stop going to those places and spend more time cultivating.
Oscar spent all day immersed in eager study with Teacher Shao Xin, while Xiao Qing kept to himself. Apart from necessary exchanges, he spent nearly all his time cultivating and sparring with Zhao Wuji.
In the dormitory, Dai Mubai tried to bring up a new shop in Suotuo City. Ma Hongjun's answer was silence as he bent over his cultivation, Oscar couldn't have cared less, and Xiao Qing either ignored him outright or briefly replied, "Not interested," before getting up and leaving.
In the dining hall, he would hold forth about his past experiences "enjoying life." All he got in response was the sound of Ma Hongjun chewing as he buried himself in his food, along with the occasional inscrutable glance from the other students.
A sense of isolation quietly took root in Dai Mubai's heart.
It wasn't that they were shutting him out. It was something even more irritating: they were people who simply had nothing in common.
They were all running forward, toward a clear goal, even if that goal seemed like a fantasy to Dai Mubai. But Dai Mubai himself was standing still, and even wanted to turn back.
His frustration began to mount.
He was a prince of the Star Luo Empire, forced to flee because of its brutal rules of succession. Now he was stuck in this backwater of the Heaven Dou Empire, attending this lousy academy that had nothing going for it.
Deep down, he couldn't help but feel like giving up. If he was destined to be powerless against fate, destined to lose to his elder brother, the one regarded as the empire's heir, then why struggle so desperately?
Wasn't it better to enjoy everything he could while he was still alive—the wine, the women, the thrill of wielding power?
He'd always assumed everyone was more or less the same, that some people were simply better at putting on a show.
But now Xiao Qing, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar were working so earnestly, their goals so clear, and their progress so visible.
Without a word, they held up a mirror to his own escapism and indulgence.
Dai Mubai didn't want to admit he was wrong, much less change. He blamed his growing irritation and vague sense of inferiority on the person who had upset the balance: Xiao Qing.
That guy had "bewitched" Ma Hongjun with those convincing-sounding words, so he'd stopped joining Dai Mubai in "enjoying life."
That guy had spouted some nonsense about "supporting daily cultivation," and Oscar had plunged headfirst into research.
And that guy trained like an ascetic every day, setting off this suffocating trend of "hard work."
If it weren't for him, Ma Hongjun would still be the fat fellow who went out carousing with Dai Mubai. Oscar wouldn't seem so "driven," and the atmosphere in the dormitory wouldn't be so oppressive.
Dai Mubai began watching Xiao Qing more closely.
He discovered that Xiao Qing's cultivation followed a strict routine, his schedule disciplined beyond what seemed possible for a boy his age.
Besides the usual meditation to cultivate Soul Power, Xiao Qing spent hours each day on physical training and practicing techniques, and frequently sought out Zhao Wuji to hone his combat skills.
Xiao Qing rarely joined in the students' horseplay. He spoke to others in a few concise words, but the opinions and suggestions he offered always earned praise from teachers and classmates alike.
"Putting on a show."
Dai Mubai sneered to himself. He didn't believe anyone could keep that up forever, especially a boy that age. He just hadn't yet tasted the sweetness of "relaxing" and "enjoying life," or else he was deliberately putting on this act to make himself look good.
An idea gradually took shape in Dai Mubai's mind, growing clearer by the day: defeat him.
Defeat this seemingly hardworking fellow, who appeared to have gained something from all that effort, fair and square in front of everyone.
As long as he beat Xiao Qing, he could prove that hard work meant nothing in the face of absolute strength and a greater talent for "enjoying life." He could shatter Xiao Qing's irritating confidence and composure.
Then what right would a defeated "role model" have to influence anyone?
Dai Mubai even began imagining what would happen next.
After defeating Xiao Qing, he could "magnanimously" say he held no grudge, then take the disheartened boy along to experience real "fun."
Once Xiao Qing had tasted the pleasures of indulgence and sunk into them, Ma Hongjun would naturally waver, and Oscar might be swayed too.
Then everything would get back on "track," back to the way it was when everyone knew how to "enjoy life."
He wasn't doing this just to vent his anger. He wanted to defend the way he'd chosen to live, to prove that running away and seeking pleasure weren't mistakes, but a "smart" way to live.
He deliberately ignored Ma Hongjun's real progress and heartfelt ease with the Clear Heart Sausage's help, as well as Oscar's newfound enthusiasm now that he had a direction. He even ignored the faint envy he felt deep down for the sense of purpose they had found.
He reduced every problem to "Xiao Qing has corrupted the atmosphere," and the solution was to "set things right" his own way.
Once the idea of a challenge took root, it quickly flourished.
Dai Mubai began making a conscious effort to get himself ready. He still disdained training as hard as Xiao Qing, but he cut down on aimless outings to keep his Soul Power in peak condition.
He watched Xiao Qing's daily routine, looking for the right moment. He wanted a public, undeniable victory, preferably during a class spar or in front of a crowd.
Dai Mubai rubbed his hands together, eager to begin, as if he could already see Xiao Qing defeated and drawn into his world of "enjoyment."
Xiao Qing wasn't entirely unaware of this. He simply carried on with his schedule, calm as ever.
The opportunity Dai Mubai had been waiting for came soon enough. At the end of class, Zhao Wuji told them they would have one-on-one combat sparring the next day, and that they should get a good rest and be prepared.
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