Suppressing the Evil Fire and the "Asura Shura Field"

Ma Xiaotao cursed inwardly again.

This person's Soul Power was so profound that it didn't seem like that of a level 45 Soul Ancestor, but rather like that of a level 50 or higher Soul King.

When Dai Huabin stepped onto the pier, he immediately noticed Ma Xiaotao.

The red hair is too eye-catching.

Dai Huabin's mind raced.

Surely they're not here to cause trouble, are they?

Dai Huabin didn't think any further and slowly walked up to Ma Xiaotao.

Ma Xiaotao was half a head taller than him, after all, she was older.

"Junior," Ma Xiaotao smiled at him, "Congratulations on passing the Selection Tournament."

Dai Huabin nodded slightly, "Thank you, senior."

Ma Xiaotao felt a little nervous when she was facing Dai Huabin.

Last night, she spent a long time in her dorm thinking about how to start the conversation. She rehearsed seven or eight versions, from the "direct approach" to the "subtle and tentative approach," and finally chose the one that she felt was the most natural.

"Junior, can you come with me for a moment?" Ma Xiaotao asked with a smile. "I'd like to talk to you about something."

Zhu Lu stopped in her tracks.

She stood half a step behind Dai Huabin, her dark gray eyes calmly sweeping over Ma Xiaotao.

A senior student from the Inner Academy came to the intersection early in the morning to block Dai Huabin, with a deliberately restrained smile on her face.

Zhu Lu didn't say anything, but she took a slight half step to the side, getting a little closer to Dai Huabin.

Ma Xiaotao sighed inwardly.

This black-haired girl is Zhu Lu, Dai Huabin's fiancée.

I saw him once before, at the dormitory.

"Huabin, do you know Senior Ma Xiaotao?" Ning Tian walked up and asked in a low voice.

"Yes, it was a coincidence," Dai Huabin replied.

Ning Tian glanced at Ma Xiaotao, then at Dai Huabin, and wisely refrained from saying anything more.

However, Dai Huabin also realized that Ma Xiaotao's visit to him was most likely related to the Evil Fire.

The threat posed by the Evil Fire Phoenix is a headache for the entire Inner Academy, and his Ultimate Ice is precisely the most effective means of suppression.

This was not a difficult task for him.

"OK."

Dai Huabin agreed, then turned to Zhu Lu and said,

"Take them to the registration area first. I'll chat with the senior student for a bit and be right back."

Zhu Lu glanced at him, hummed in agreement, and turned to beckon Xiao Xiao and the others to walk forward.

As Cui Yajie passed by Ma Xiaotao, she looked up at her.

The aura of a level 67 Soul Emperor was indeed oppressive when felt up close, but Cui Yajie's expression remained unchanged as she followed Zhu Lu with a smile.

Xiao Xiao smiled kindly at Ma Xiaotao and jogged to catch up with the person in front.

As Ning Tian left, he secretly glanced back, already analyzing Ma Xiaotao's intentions in his mind.

Everyone's gone.

Only Dai Huabin and Ma Xiaotao remained on the stone-paved road.

Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath. The opening lines she had rehearsed last night swirled in her mind, but they all vanished before she could say them.

Never mind, she's never been good at beating around the bush.

"I'm here to talk to you because of the Evil Fire," Ma Xiaotao said bluntly.

Dai Huabin's reaction was not surprising.

"You should know that my Martial Soul is the Evil Fire Phoenix."

Ma Xiaotao continued speaking.

"Suppressing the Evil Fire has always been a major problem. The teacher said your Ultimate Ice might be the most effective solution at present."

"Did Dean Yan send you to see me?"

Ma Xiaotao paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, he talked to me about it yesterday. But I've had this idea myself. Last time..."

She paused, a hint of unease in her voice.

"When I approached Xue Qingyao last time, my approach was a bit off. I struck first, and I admit that mistake."

After saying those words, Ma Xiaotao felt much more relaxed.

Apologizing only gets harder the longer you wait. Say it now, and things will be easier to discuss afterwards.

When she went to apologize before, she was dragged there by the teacher. Was she doing it willingly at the time?

No, of course not.

Upon hearing this, Dai Huabin remained calm.

"Senior, Dean Yan apologized to you last time, so let's put this matter behind us. There's no need for you to go through with this again."

Hearing the words "it's over," Ma Xiaotao felt a sense of relief.

She had initially thought this matter would require some explanation and was even prepared to be ridiculed.

After all, what happened last time was really not honorable. An Inner Academy senior went to provoke someone from the Outer Academy and was knocked down in one move. It was incredibly embarrassing.

I didn't expect Dai Huabin to be so decisive.

"Junior, you're really straightforward."

Ma Xiaotao's tone softened considerably.

"No wonder he can act so arrogantly in the Outer Academy at such a young age; his demeanor alone is extraordinary."

Dai Huabin nodded, a smile still on his face.

Then, Ma Xiaotao continued:

"I actually have something more important to discuss with you."

"Please speak, senior."

Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath:

"You should know that the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament is held every five years. I was originally a formal member of Shrek's team for this tournament. But my teacher wouldn't let me participate."

Ma Xiaotao finished speaking, her tone carried a sense of frustration.

"Is it because of Evil Fire?" Dai Huabin asked, feigning ignorance.

"Yes." Ma Xiaotao nodded.

"My teacher said my Evil Fire were becoming increasingly unstable, and if I lost control during a match, I would not only hurt my teammates but also bring shame to the academy. So he removed me from the official roster, and even my cultivation was restricted."

Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire Phoenix is essentially Phoenix Martial Soul mixed with impurities of Evil Fire. As these impurities accumulate, they will backfire when they reach a certain point, causing anything from stagnation in cultivation to demonic possession.

In the original novel, Ma Xiaotao was suppressed by Huo Yuhao's Ultimate Ice. Now that the Ultimate Ice is on him, it's only natural that this matter would fall on his head.

Aside from that previous incident, Dai Huabin and Ma Xiaotao didn't have any major grudges, so helping each other out wouldn't be a problem.

Furthermore, Dai Huabin also needed to verify something through Ma Xiaotao.

Dai Huabin looked at Ma Xiaotao and slowly spoke:

"I do have a way to suppress my senior's Evil Fire, but it probably won't last long in one go. Besides, I need to prepare."

"Really?" Ma Xiaotao's voice was filled with joy.

If Dai Huabin is willing to help her, Ma Xiaotao can participate in this Soul Master Tournament.

Ma Xiaotao had long wanted to show her skills in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament. She was a warlike person by nature, but had always been troubled by the Evil Fire. When Dai Huabin agreed, Ma Xiaotao's mood became cheerful.

"I would never joke about something like this," Dai Huabin said calmly.

Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath, and the pent-up frustration that had been building up in her chest for months dissipated almost entirely.

"Huabin, thanks."

This time, she didn't call him "junior," she called him by his name directly.

"I'll remember this favor. If you ever need any help in the Inner Academy, just let me know. I'll never refuse!"

Dai Huabin chuckled, "Okay, I'll remember that."

Ma Xiaotao's mood improved considerably; she was a completely different person from before. She tilted her head, remembering that she still had something important to do.

"By the way, you're here to register at the Inner Academy today, right? I'll take you there."

"Okay," Dai Huabin replied.

As Ma Xiaotao turned and took a step, she naturally reached out and grabbed Dai Huabin's wrist.

"Follow me, the paths in the Inner Academy are winding and confusing, it's easy to get lost if it's your first time here."

She pulled Dai Huabin along, taking large strides, her red hair swaying behind her.

Dai Huabin stumbled half a step as she pulled him.

Ma Xiaotao truly doesn't consider herself an outsider.

However, he didn't withdraw his hand.

Ma Xiaotao's personality is like that; she's very easygoing. Holding hands is nothing. If she were to be coy or hesitant about something like that, it would only make her seem petty.

The two walked along the stone path for about two hundred meters and turned past a stone archway covered with vines.

Then Dai Huabin saw the people in front of him.

Zhu Lu stood in the middle of the road, with Xiao Xiao, Cui Yajie, and Ning Tian beside her.

Snow Empress stood at the very front, dressed in a white dress and with white hair, facing this direction.

Four or five people all turned to look at them.

Ma Xiaotao's hand was still gripping Dai Huabin's wrist.

The air fell silent.

Zhu Lu shifted her gaze from Ma Xiaotao's hand, her expression unchanged, only her lips pursed slightly.

Xiao Xiao opened her mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

Cui Yajie lingered her gaze on the two people's hands for a moment longer, then lowered her head to fiddle with her pink hair, a smile playing on her lips.

She didn't say anything, but that expression was more effective than a hundred words.

Ning Tian's reaction was the most straightforward; she immediately took two steps to the side, adopting an attitude of "I didn't see anything."

Snow Empress finally withdrew her gaze.

Her expression remained indifferent, but upon closer inspection, her brow furrowed slightly.

Ma Xiaotao also noticed the situation at this moment.

She looked down at the hand that was gripping Dai Huabin's wrist, then looked up at the row of girls standing opposite her.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

Good heavens! Ma Xiaotao realized that she seemed to have gotten into trouble!