Ma Hongjun

Hopefully, it's not too late, because Tang San not going all out would put him at a disadvantage against Ma Hongjun right now.

His Blue Silver Grass didn't have fire or ice immunity yet.

Dai Mubai looked at Tang Liu, who had run far ahead, hesitated for a moment, then followed.

When Tang Liu found Tang San using the Hao-Lan Mark left within him, he saw Xiao Wu attacking a fatty engulfed in purplish-red flames.

If nothing unexpected happened, that fatty would be Ma Hongjun, one of the original Seven Monsters.

Just as Xiao Wu was about to kick Ma Hongjun and burn her shoes with the Phoenix Evil Fire, he intervened.

Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor was unleashed, and one yellow, one purple, and one black soul ring rose up. The first soul ring then lit up.

First Soul Skill, Ethereal Defense!

A section of Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor instantly wrapped around Xiao Wu's left arm, and she then phased into Ma Hongjun's body. But the next second, she jumped out again, exclaiming, "So hot!"

Indeed, Ethereal Defense could grant immunity to most attacks, but the sensations from those attacks wouldn't be nullified. For instance, Xiao Wu now felt the intense heat of the Phoenix Evil Fire burning on Ma Hongjun.

Although the high temperature wouldn't cause Xiao Wu any harm due to Ethereal Defense, the moment of scorching heat was transmitted to her brain without any reduction.

Ma Hongjun was also momentarily stunned by Xiao Wu phasing through his body. He stood there, forgetting to attack.

Tang San, who had been observing from the side, immediately noticed the Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor wrapped around Xiao Wu's left arm. He turned in surprise and saw Tang Liu running over, having already retracted his martial soul, with Dai Mubai following behind him.

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

Tang Liu ran up to him, took a deep breath, and then joked, "Came to stop you guys, don't accidentally kill that fatty."

It was only then that he realized Tang San had used the word "you guys."

So he looked back and discovered Dai Mubai.

"Tang San, Xiao Wu, fatty, how did you all meet?" Dai Mubai asked, somewhat surprised upon seeing the three of them from a distance. After reaching Tang San, he said as much.

However, upon seeing the girl behind Ma Hongjun, he understood.

"Oh, let me introduce you first. That fatty over there is Ma Hongjun, the third student from our academy besides me and Xiao Ao. His martial soul is just a chicken, but a mutated one," Dai Mubai told Tang San and Xiao Wu.

"You're the chicken, I'm a phoenix!" Ma Hongjun retorted angrily.

Dai Mubai ignored him and continued explaining to Tang San and Xiao Wu, "He was brought back by the Dean himself and is his direct disciple. According to the Dean, his entire village had poultry martial souls with no offensive capabilities, but when it came to him, it mutated, and he was born with the ability to control fire. The Dean said that once his soul power increases, he might truly become a phoenix.

"However, his martial soul has a flaw: it generates evil fire during cultivation, which needs to be released regularly, or he'll explode. This is also why he often goes out looking for women, and the Dean has approved it."

"The evil fire flares up and I can't control it," Ma Hongjun said with a wry smile.

After listening, Xiao Wu's cheeks instantly turned red, and she lightly spat, "There really are all sorts of martial souls."

Tang San instinctively covered Tang Liu's eyes beside him, then suddenly realized something was wrong and quickly covered his ears.

Tang Liu rolled his eyes.

Why was the first reaction to cover my eyes? Do you think I'll go deaf just because I can't see?

Besides, when it comes to these kinds of things, I know much more than you, who hasn't left the Tang Sect in over twenty years.

Of course, he wouldn't say these words out loud, only complaining inwardly.

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

After speaking, he looked back at Tang San and Xiao Wu and asked, "By the way, Tang San, what are you guys out here for?"

Tang San said with a wry smile, "We came out wanting to see where we could get something to eat, and we just walked here."

Dai Mubai nodded and said, "My fault, I didn't tell you the location of the academy cafeteria. I haven't eaten either, I'll take you all together."

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

"Yeah, and why did Xiao Liu stop me from beating up this fatty, and even made me get burned," Xiao Wu said, looking displeased at Tang Liu as she brought it up.

"What fatty, I'm 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 weren't burned, you would have lost a pair of shoes," Tang Liu explained.

"Hmph, in that case, I'll let you off the hook," Xiao Wu finally relented.

However, Tang Liu continued, "Besides, if you got hurt by this fatty, what if my brother went berserk again and shot him with hidden weapons? Right, big brother?"

As he said the last part, Tang Liu nudged Tang San beside him with a mischievous look.

Tang San and Xiao Wu's faces turned red almost simultaneously.

"What are you talking about, you impudent brat," Tang Liu said, hitting Tang Liu on the head and glaring at him.

"Hehehe," Tang Liu chuckled and stopped talking.

"I already told you I'm not called fatty, I'm Ma Hongjun!" Ma Hongjun was still struggling.

Dai Mubai patted his shoulder and said with a sly smile, "Fatty, who told you to have this physique? So relax, just accept it."

Ma Hongjun: "..." We're done, we're definitely done!

And it was at this moment that Dai Mubai finally answered Tang San's earlier question.

"I followed Tang Liu here. Earlier, at the academy, he suddenly ran off, and I followed him, which is how I found you and Fatty," he said.

Everyone turned to look at Tang Liu again.

"Hey, brother, did you forget I still have... that move?" Tang Liu started winking and gesturing at Tang San, reminding him about his third martial soul.

Tang San understood and said, "So that's it, is it a tracking effect that comes with your martial soul?"

Since Tang San didn't state it clearly, Xiao Wu and Dai Mubai naturally assumed he was referring to Tang Liu's Ethereal Blue Silver Emperor martial soul.

Ma Hongjun, who hadn't seen Tang Liu's martial soul, thought Tang Liu's martial soul itself had tracking abilities.

Tang Liu nodded, "That's right. Relying on my martial soul's innate ability, I sensed you might be in trouble, so I came looking for you."

All of them nodded gently.