Ma Hongjun

Hopefully they made it in time. Tang San would be at a disadvantage against Ma Hongjun if he did not go all out.

His Blue Silver Grass still did not possess fire immunity or ice immunity.

Dai Mubai watched Tang Liu run off into the distance and hesitated for a moment before following him.

When Tang Liu found Tang San through the Hao-Lan Mark he had left inside him, he happened to see Xiao Wu attacking a chubby man wreathed in purplish-red flames.

If nothing unexpected happened, that chubby man was Ma Hongjun, one of the original Shrek Seven Monsters.

Just as Xiao Wu was about to kick Ma Hongjun and have her shoe burned by the Phoenix Evil Fire, Tang Liu made his move.

The Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor appeared. Three Soul Rings—yellow, purple, and black—rose around him, and the first one lit up.

First Soul Skill, Ethereal Defense!

A segment of Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor instantly wrapped around Xiao Wu's left arm. Her entire body passed through Ma Hongjun, but she immediately leaped away again and cried out, "So hot!"

Indeed, Ethereal Defense could render someone immune to most attacks, but it could not block the sensations that came with them. For instance, Xiao Wu could now feel the scorching heat of the Phoenix Evil Fire burning on Ma Hongjun's body.

Although Ethereal Defense kept that heat from harming Xiao Wu, the searing sensation from that instant was still conveyed to her brain without the slightest loss.

Ma Hongjun was also stunned by Xiao Wu passing straight through his body and stood there, forgetting to attack.

Tang San, who had been watching from the side, immediately noticed the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor wrapped around Xiao Wu's left arm. He turned around in surprise and happened to see Tang Liu running over with his Martial Soul already withdrawn, Dai Mubai following behind him.

"Xiao Liu? Why are you two here?" he asked in surprise.

Tang Liu ran up to him, took a hard breath, and then joked, "We rushed over to stop you. Wouldn't want you to accidentally beat that chubby guy to death."

Only then did he realize Tang San had used the word "you."

He turned around and spotted Dai Mubai.

"Tang San, Xiao Wu, Chubby, how did you three end up together?" Dai Mubai had also been surprised when he saw the three of them from afar, and said this after arriving before Tang San.

However, when he saw the girl behind Ma Hongjun, he understood.

"Oh, let me introduce you. That chubby guy over there is Ma Hongjun. Besides Oscar and me, he was the academy's third student. His Martial Soul is a grass chicken—though a mutated one," Dai Mubai told Tang San and Xiao Wu.

"Who are you calling a grass chicken? I'm a phoenix!" Ma Hongjun snapped.

Dai Mubai ignored him and continued explaining to Tang San and Xiao Wu, "The Headmaster personally brought him back, and he's the Headmaster's direct disciple. According to the Headmaster, everyone in Ma Hongjun's village possesses poultry Martial Souls without any offensive ability, but his mutated. He was born with the ability to wield fire. The Headmaster said that once his Soul Power rose, he might truly become a phoenix.

"However, his Martial Soul has a flaw. Evil fire accumulates during cultivation, and he has to vent it regularly, or else he'll explode and die. That's why he often goes out looking for women—and the Headmaster approved it."

"When the evil fire rises, I can't suppress it," Ma Hongjun said with a bitter smile.

After hearing that, Xiao Wu's cheeks instantly flushed red. She spat lightly and said, "There really are all kinds of Martial Souls."

Tang San instinctively covered Tang Liu's eyes first, then abruptly realized something was wrong and immediately covered his ears instead.

Tang Liu rolled his eyes.

Why was his first reaction to cover my eyes? Did he think I'd go deaf as long as I couldn't see?

And when it came to this sort of thing, I knew far more than this guy who hadn't left the Tang Sect for over twenty years, okay?

Of course, he would not say any of that aloud. He merely grumbled inwardly.

Then Dai Mubai introduced them to Ma Hongjun. "These three are Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Tang Liu. They're this year's new students who passed the academy entrance examination."

After saying that, he looked at Tang San and Xiao Wu again. "Right, Tang San, what did you come out here for?"

Tang San smiled bitterly. "We came out to see where we could get something to eat. We just kept walking and ended up here."

Dai Mubai nodded. "My fault. I forgot to tell you where the academy cafeteria was. I haven't eaten either, so I'll take you there."

"By the way, Mubai, why did you and Xiao Liu come looking for us?" Tang San asked as they headed back.

"Yeah, and Xiao Liu, why did you stop me from beating up that chubby guy? You even got me burned," Xiao Wu said unhappily as she looked at Tang Liu.

"What chubby guy? My name is Ma Hongjun!" Ma Hongjun protested from the side.

"If I hadn't used Ethereal Defense on you, you would have been burned. Even if you hadn't been hurt, you'd still have lost a pair of shoes," Tang Liu explained.

"Hmph. Since that's the case, I'll let you off," Xiao Wu said, finally relenting.

However, Tang Liu continued, "Besides, if that chubby guy hurt you, what if my brother went berserk and showered him with hidden weapons? Right, big brother?"

As he said the last part, Tang Liu maliciously nudged Tang San beside him with his elbow.

Tang San and Xiao Wu's faces reddened almost at the same time.

"What are you talking about? Show some respect." Tang Liu raised his hand, knocked Tang Liu on the head, and glared at him.

"Hehehe." Tang Liu laughed and said nothing more.

"I said I'm not called Chubby! My name is Ma Hongjun!" Ma Hongjun was still struggling.

Dai Mubai patted him on the shoulder and said with a wicked grin, "Chubby, with a build like yours, what else can we call you? Relax and accept it."

Ma Hongjun: ... We're done. We absolutely have to cut ties!

Only then did Dai Mubai answer Tang San's earlier question.

"I followed Tang Liu here. He suddenly ran off while we were at the academy earlier, so I followed him. Then I saw you two with Chubby," he said.

Everyone looked at Tang Liu again.

"Hey, big brother, did you forget I still have... that move?" Tang Liu began wiggling his eyebrows at Tang San, reminding him about his Third Martial Soul.

Tang San understood and said, "I see. Is it the tracking ability that comes with your Martial Soul?"

Since Tang San did not state it plainly, Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai naturally assumed he meant Tang Liu's Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor Martial Soul.

Ma Hongjun, who had never seen Tang Liu's Martial Soul, assumed Tang Liu's Martial Soul possessed tracking abilities.

Tang Liu nodded. "That's right. Through my Martial Soul's innate ability, I sensed that you might be in trouble, so I came looking for you."

The others all nodded lightly.