Magma churned ceaselessly, surging up from the depths of the earth and giving off waves of scorching heat. Even the air above it warped.
Ma Xiaotao sat cross-legged in midair on a black stone platform beside the lava lake, the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul appearing behind her.
"Xiaotao." Yan Shaozhe spoke, interrupting Ma Xiaotao's cultivation.
"Teacher, Bei Bei, you're here!" Ma Xiaotao slowly rose to her feet. Her peach-red eyes were now tinged with red.
"At least you haven't lost control." Yan Shaozhe nodded. Seeing that she still had her reason, he couldn't help scolding her. "Didn't I tell you not to cultivate anymore for now?"
"Becoming stronger is what I strive for. I won't let my Martial Soul become shackles holding me back," Ma Xiaotao said stubbornly.
Yan Shaozhe grew annoyed at the sight. Ma Xiaotao was completely disregarding her own safety, and he was about to lecture her some more.
"Dean Yan." Bei Bei gave a light cough and stepped forward. "Let me see if my power can purify Xiaotao's Evil Fire."
Standing in front of Ma Xiaotao, Bei Bei placed a hand on her shoulder.
Pure light poured into Ma Xiaotao's body, thread by thread, purifying the Evil Fire in her Soul Power as if carefully unravelling silk.
As time passed, Ma Xiaotao's blood-red eyes gradually returned to their peach-red hue.
The evil energy in her Soul Power was like a creature meeting its natural enemy. Bei Bei's Ultimate Light swiftly purified it.
The dark-red flames burning atop the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul behind her grew brighter and purer.
Ma Xiaotao felt utterly relaxed and refreshed. Washed by the Ultimate Light, her whole body felt wonderfully invigorated.
Over the past few years, she had gone to great lengths to suppress her Evil Fire. Her teacher, Yan Shaozhe, had prepared vast quantities of rare treasures with ice attributes for her. Each time she took one, her body felt caught between ice and fire, and enduring it was pure agony.
Seeing that the evil energy in Ma Xiaotao's body had been cleansed, Bei Bei still didn't stop.
The Evil Fire in Ma Xiaotao's Soul Power was only an outward manifestation. Its source lay in the evil power within her Martial Soul Origin.
If the evil energy within her Martial Soul Origin wasn't completely removed, then no matter how many times Bei Bei purified Ma Xiaotao's Soul Power, it would only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.
Bei Bei increased the flow of his light power. Ma Xiaotao, who had been feeling comfortable, suddenly knitted her brows.
The Evil Fire Phoenix behind her erupted, and boundless Evil Fire surged out of her body.
But Ma Xiaotao still retained her reason. She directed the Evil Fire to spread in all directions, making sure it didn't hurt Bei Bei.
Yan Shaozhe grew tense. He could tell that Ma Xiaotao had lost control because Bei Bei's Ultimate Light had reached the Martial Soul Origin within her.
The evil energy in her Martial Soul Origin began to fight back on instinct, like a beast in its death throes. Though it raged wildly, it was already at the end of its rope.
Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul had been passed down from Ma Hongjun ten thousand years ago. Phoenix Fire was inherently Ultimate Fire, but the evil energy had tainted it with impurities, causing it to fall from the ranks of Ultimate Attributes.
Bei Bei's light power clashed unceasingly with Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire. Her meridians became a battlefield, and the violent impacts kept chipping away at her reason.
Her peach-red eyes were once again stained with blood-red. Ma Xiaotao bit her lip, no longer able to endure it.
Bei Bei had initially only rested a hand on her shoulder to channel light power into her.
But it was too slow. Ma Xiaotao suddenly took a step forward.
She wrapped both arms around Bei Bei's back, pressing her soft, voluptuous body against his chest, and rested her head on his shoulder.
Their bodies pressed tightly together, leaving not the slightest gap between them.
Bei Bei was a little surprised, but not at all flustered. He wrapped an arm around Ma Xiaotao's soft waist as well.
Ultimate Light radiated from every part of Bei Bei's body, and an even more surging force flooded into Ma Xiaotao.
Brilliant Ultimate Light bathed them both in gold, and rings of golden light appeared around them.
A flash of gold crossed Bei Bei's eyes. Golden lightning spread out from him in every direction as he unleashed the Sacred Light Domain.
"This is an Innate Domain!" Yan Shaozhe was a little surprised, but soon looked as though he'd expected it.
With Bei Bei's talent and insight, awakening an Innate Domain was nothing unusual.
Ma Xiaotao's body trembled slightly. Beads of sweat covered her forehead as she clenched her teeth and endured the pain.
Bei Bei showed no mercy. His light power surged into Ma Xiaotao like a roaring tide. He knew this purification was crucial.
If he backed down, Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire might never be completely purified.
"Caw—!" A resounding phoenix cry echoed through the sky.
Clearly, Bei Bei had made the right decision. Golden light gradually climbed over the body of the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul behind Ma Xiaotao, making it appear even more divine.
At last, Bei Bei's light power broke through the Evil Fire's final line of defense and began gradually purifying Ma Xiaotao's Martial Soul Origin.
"Mmm~" Ma Xiaotao clearly felt her Martial Soul changing. A blissful moan escaped her lips, and sweat drenched her body.
Her legs gave way, and she nearly fell. Her body went limp as she slumped into Bei Bei's arms.
Had Bei Bei not held her waist with his powerful arms, she would have collapsed to the ground like a puddle of mud.
Now that her reason had returned, Ma Xiaotao felt Bei Bei's breath fall unmistakably against her fair neck. The warm, moist air made her body shudder.
She could clearly feel the heart beating in Bei Bei's chest.
A blush rose involuntarily on Ma Xiaotao's fair cheeks, and a strange feeling stirred within her.
Watching from nearby, Yan Shaozhe couldn't help smiling.
He knew this sort of scene all too well. He recalled how, when he'd been a student, he'd had many girlfriends, with all kinds of girls orbiting around him.
Though Bei Bei was still young, he already had quite a few female admirers.
Zhang Lexuan went without saying. It seemed his disciple had some feelings for her, too. And then there was Tang Ya, whom Mu En had brought back some time ago.
Yan Shaozhe couldn't help thinking that Bei Bei had quite a bit of his own youthful charm.
Seeing that Ma Xiaotao was stable, he turned and left the Mimicry Training Room, giving the two of them plenty of space alone.
Time trickled by. Bei Bei felt his Soul Power nearly depleted, yet he had purified only a small portion of the evil energy in Ma Xiaotao's Martial Soul Origin.
The reason was simply that his strength was too weak. If he had Mu En's strength, he could surely have completely cleansed the evil energy in Ma Xiaotao's Martial Soul Origin in one go.
"Xiaotao, that's enough. Let go of me," Bei Bei said weakly.