Phoenix? Just Roast Chicken!

Xu Sanshi nodded. "That kid's Martial Soul is a spear, and his strength is exceptionally formidable. He is unquestionably the strongest among the freshmen."

Although Xu Sanshi hated Lin Ming deeply, he could not deny his opponent's strength.

"A spear Martial Soul? What's his name?" Ma Xiaotao seemed to have remembered something and asked.

"I think his name is Lin Ming."

Upon hearing that name, Ma Xiaotao felt as though she had seen it somewhere before. But with her mind damaged by Evil Fire, she could not recall it for the moment.

Since she could not remember, she simply stopped thinking about it.

"Come on, take me to see him. I want to see just how capable this so-called strongest freshman really is!"

It was dismissal time. Lin Ming was just about to head to the cafeteria when two figures blocked his path.

"Lin Ming, I told you long ago that I wouldn't let you off. Today, I'm definitely teaching you a lesson!" Xu Sanshi looked down at Lin Ming arrogantly and declared.

"Heh, isn't this the clown Xu Sanshi? What, you brought backup?"

Lin Ming was not afraid in the slightest. This was Shrek Academy, after all. He was practically a Shrek Celestial Dragon—was he supposed to be threatened by some little bastard like Xu Sanshi?

But when he met Ma Xiaotao's eyes beside Xu Sanshi, two voices rang out at the same time:

"Roast chicken?"

"Fishing guy?"

When Ma Xiaotao had heard Lin Ming's name earlier, she had not remembered who he was. But the moment she saw him, she recalled.

As Yan Shaozhe's disciple, she naturally frequented the Inner Court.

She and Lin Ming could be considered acquaintances who merely nodded at each other. She often saw this strange child fishing by Sea God Lake.

Meanwhile, Lin Ming often saw Ma Xiaotao going mad in the Inner Court before being restrained by Yan Shaozhe, so he called her roast chicken.

Lin Ming looked at Ma Xiaotao with amusement. "Honestly, Roast Chicken, when did you fall this low? Being a lackey for someone like him? Did Evil Fire really burn your brain out?"

"Who are you calling Roast Chicken?!" Ma Xiaotao snapped furiously. "My Martial Soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix!"

"A phoenix? I think you're just roast chicken! Your Martial Soul is one, so you are too!"

"You!"

Ma Xiaotao was just about to explode when Lin Ming cut her off. "All right, Roast Chicken. Did you really come to find me today just to stand up for your big brother?"

"What big brother? He's my lackey! That's right, I came to stand up for him today. Besides, I've wanted to fight you for a long time!"

Xu Sanshi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that.

When he had heard that the two knew each other, he had worried Ma Xiaotao would refuse to help him. Now, it seemed his concern had been completely unnecessary.

Lin Ming and Ma Xiaotao were both looking for a fight—one could find no opponent in the Outer Court and stood alone at the peak, while the other had Evil Fire with nowhere to vent it and wanted someone to take it out on.

Lin Ming nodded. "Don't regret fighting me. Let's see how I properly whip this roast chicken into shape today!"

The two arrived at an arena in the Inner Court, a place normally reserved for Inner Court disciples to spar.

"Damn fishing guy, I'm definitely teaching you a proper lesson today!"

"Damn Roast Chicken, it's still unclear who'll be teaching whom a lesson!"

Still bickering, the two stepped onto the arena.

There was no referee. Xu Sanshi simply watched from the side.

The two exchanged a glance and released their Martial Souls at the same time.

The Sky-Propping Spear appeared in Lin Ming's hand, its tip gleaming with a blazing white radiance that seemed to outshine the sun.

Four Spirit Rings—yellow, purple, purple, and black—appeared beneath his feet.

"Lin Ming, Martial Soul: Sky-Propping Spear. Rank forty-six assault-type Battle Soul Ancestor!"

Around Ma Xiaotao, black-red flames blazed fiercely, making her entire aura turn sinister and seductive. Her eyes gained a hint of sickly madness, and even her voice seemed to burn. "Ma Xiaotao, Martial Soul: Evil Fire Phoenix. Rank fifty-four assault-type Battle Soul King!"

Neither of them said any pointless threats about how it was not too late to surrender. After all, they had come here purely to spar.

The battle was about to begin.

Ma Xiaotao raised a hand, and several fireballs appeared out of thin air before flying toward Lin Ming.

Holding his spear one-handed, Lin Ming flicked his wrist. The Sky-Propping Spear's tip blurred into afterimages as it rapidly trembled, effortlessly piercing and detonating the fireballs.

The probing was over. Both sides now understood the other's strength.

Looking at Lin Ming before her, Ma Xiaotao felt a flash of surprise. In her perception, Lin Ming's strength was actually no weaker than hers.

She was a five-ringed Soul King and possessed the top-tier Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul.

Ma Xiaotao believed that if she attacked without holding back or considering the consequences, even ordinary Soul Emperors would not be her match. Yet this youth, only a Soul Ancestor, could actually contend with her on equal footing.

"I didn't expect you to have some skill after all, damn fishing guy. Take this!"

The second yellow Spirit Ring beneath her feet lit up. "Second Soul Skill, Bathing Fire Phoenix!"

"Screech!"

Along with a clear phoenix cry, the Evil Fire around Ma Xiaotao surged even more fiercely. Her aura soared, and all her attributes were enhanced.

Even the air around her twisted from the rising heat of the flames.

"A buff? I can do that too!"

Lin Ming's first Spirit Ring lit up beneath his feet:

"First Soul Skill, Sky-Propping Battle Intent!"

All attributes increased by fifty percent, while attack power rose by one hundred percent.

That terrifying enhancement instantly offset Ma Xiaotao's boost.

Holding the Sky-Propping Spear, Lin Ming thrust toward Ma Xiaotao with unstoppable momentum.

Thirty-Six Sky-Propping Spears activated silently.

Facing Lin Ming's attack, Ma Xiaotao sensed an immense threat and immediately lit up her third Spirit Ring without hesitation.

A pair of enormous fiery wings appeared behind her. With a flap of those wings, she soared into the air.

Lin Ming was not discouraged when his strike missed. Instead, he began swinging at empty air on the spot to build up stacks.

As a genius of her generation, how could Ma Xiaotao fail to notice that Lin Ming's aura was gradually growing stronger?

After a brief moment of thought, she lit up her fourth Spirit Ring.

"Fishing guy, taste this! Fourth Soul Skill, Phoenix Sky-Roaring Strike!"

Lin Ming sensed something strange beneath his feet and hurriedly used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to flee the area.

A massive pillar of dark-red flames erupted from where Lin Ming had just been standing.

Lin Ming had not completely evaded it. The Sky-Propping Spear in his hand swept continuously, blocking the remaining attack.

At some point, Yan Shaozhe had arrived beside the arena and was watching the two spar atop it.

"Dean Yan." Seeing Yan Shaozhe, Xu Sanshi hurried forward and bowed.

Yan Shaozhe ignored him and continued watching the arena.

His brows furrowed slightly. He could sense that Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire was gradually losing control.

"Roast chicken, take my spear!"

Unable to hit Ma Xiaotao while she was in the air, Lin Ming came up with a method.

He hurled the Sky-Propping Spear, which had already built up to the fifteenth strike, fiercely toward Ma Xiaotao in the sky.

A sharp roar tore through the air as the Sky-Propping Spear shot toward Ma Xiaotao like a cannonball.

Its speed was too great and its force too powerful for Ma Xiaotao to evade.

Yet she did not seem to have any intention of dodging.

Her eyes were filled with madness as the black ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring beneath her feet quietly lit up.