Have Some Fun First

Several people hurried toward the nearest human settlement while there was still light in the sky.

On the way, Tang Ya quietly drew close to Lin Feng and asked in a low voice, "Xiao Feng, are you really all right? My Darkness Power..."

Lin Feng casually made up an excuse. "I'm fine. I'm tough enough to take it."

A flicker of heartache crossed Tang Ya's eyes. She gently reminded him, "That was far too dangerous... Promise me you won't risk your life like that again."

"Sure, I promise. Teacher Xiao Ya, you have to promise me, too: don't push yourself beyond your limits." Lin Feng smiled.

"Mm." Tang Ya nodded. As she gazed at his smiling profile, a certain feeling quietly took root in her heart.

The sun sank toward the horizon. The group finally reached a small town where they could rest before nightfall, and the tension they had carried all day eased a little.

Beibei was taken to a nearby clinic to treat his injuries, while Huo Yuhao stayed behind to look after him.

Lin Feng and Tang Ya went out together to gather information and prepare for the next day's journey.

"We left in such a hurry earlier that I forgot to look for fire-attributed Soul Beasts along the way. I'm afraid it won't be easy to find another opportunity like this." As they walked, Lin Feng suddenly stopped, as though remembering something, and tapped his forehead.

"Xiao Feng, have you reached a bottleneck, too?" Tang Ya asked, glancing at him.

"Mm. My Soul Power's at level thirty."

"You're only twelve, and you're already level thirty?" Tang Ya couldn't hide her astonishment.

Lin Feng only smiled calmly. "Haha, you're teasing me, Teacher Xiao Ya. Your potential is no worse than mine. Given time, you may well forge your own path, just like your ancestor Tang San."

"I hope so." Tang Ya sighed softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Lin Feng said no more, but he knew that Tang San's ultimate strength came from his Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline, while Tang Ya had inherited only ordinary Blue Silver Grass. Cultivation was already a struggle against the natural order; reviving the family's former glory would be no easy feat.

He changed the subject, his tone calm but firm. "There's something else. Tomorrow, I plan to return to my hometown to pay respects to my parents, so I won't be going back to Shrek Academy with you."

"Pay your respects to your parents..." Tang Ya hesitated, her gaze sweeping across the sky. Her voice softened, then she looked up and said, "Then go."

Although Lin Feng was a transmigrator, he still had to remember the kindness his parents in this world had shown in raising him.

Three days later, after paying his respects to his parents, Lin Feng headed straight for Shrek Academy.

Shrek Academy stood in the eastern part of Shrek City, where the territories of the three former Douluo empires met the Star Dou Great Forest. The fact that it had stood firm in such a perilous location spoke to the deep foundations of the "continent's number one academy."

Shrek City was vast. Lin Feng had been walking for a long time and still hadn't reached the academy's main entrance.

"Achoo—who's gossiping about me?"

The academy was almost in sight, but Lin Feng sneezed several times in a row and couldn't help muttering a joke.

At that moment, on Sea God Island at the heart of the academy, Yan Shaozhe, the current dean of the Martial Soul Department, was listening to his direct disciple Ma Xiaotao recount her earlier encounter with Lin Feng.

"I understand what happened," Yan Shaozhe said after a moment's thought. "Don't spread the word for now. I've decided to claim Lin Feng for my department. Once he arrives, bring him straight to me. If there's nothing else, go get some rest."

"Teacher..." Ma Xiaotao didn't leave. Instead, a rare hesitation crept into her voice. "Could you... let him stay near me?"

Yan Shaozhe looked up at her, then shook his head with an amused smile. "I see what you're thinking... Go arrange it yourself."

"Thank you, Teacher! I'll go wait for him at the gate!"

Ma Xiaotao's cheeks flushed. She turned and darted off like a ball of fire.

Watching her carefree retreat, Yan Shaozhe let out a soft sigh. "The Evil Fire that plagues her brings both fortune and misfortune. It's been a problem for ten thousand years. Without the Immortal Herb Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, even Ultimate Ice can only provide temporary relief, treating the symptoms instead of the root cause. I hope this Lin Feng really can bring a turning point."

Outside Shrek Academy's main entrance.

Lin Feng had just identified himself to the guards and shown them his entry permit when he saw their eyes suddenly fill with terror, as if they'd spotted something dreadful.

Before he could turn around, a warm presence surged up behind him. A soft yet scorching body pressed directly against his back, then a pair of jade-like arms wrapped around him. A rapid, hot breath brushed his ear, nearly making Lin Feng lose control.

"Ah, Sister Xiaotao? You scared me."

"Don't move... Let me just... hold you for a little while."

Passersby turned to stare. Ma Xiaotao, the hot-tempered woman known as the "Flame Maniac," was openly embracing a pretty-faced young man at the academy gate, clinging to him with an intimate, dependent air.

Ma Xiaotao was tall, and at eighteen she had a well-developed figure. But Lin Feng wasn't small, either. At twelve, he was only half a head shorter than her; in another two years, he'd probably catch up.

"Sister Xiaotao, are you all right? Should we move somewhere else first? There seem to be more and more people watching."

Lin Feng was at a loss. He didn't dare fight her off, and seeing her strange behavior, he suspected her Evil Fire was about to erupt again.

"Mm, I'm fine. No, wait—why do you have a chill aura around you?"

"Uh, that's my Second Soul Ring. It happens to be ice-attributed."

"To Sea God Lake!"

"Hey, Sister Xiaotao, why are we going to Sea God Lake? Shouldn't I register first?"

"Shh. We're about to take off."

Ma Xiaotao wasn't exaggerating. Her Martial Soul was the Evil Fire Phoenix, and she really could fly. She swept Lin Feng, who couldn't fly, into her arms and shot over the crowd. In the blink of an eye, they were beyond the academy grounds.

The fierce friction of flight made the springy sensation against Lin Feng's back even stronger and more distinct. He was close to losing control.

"What a huge tree..."

As they flew over Sea God Lake, Lin Feng was stunned by the towering tree on the island at its center. It was the first time he'd ever seen a tree so enormous it seemed unreal.

"Xiao Feng, hurry and show me your second Soul Skill."

"Okay, Sister Xiaotao."

Before Lin Feng could react, Ma Xiaotao let go of him, and he plunged straight into the lake.

Splash—

Ma Xiaotao folded her wings and dived in after him.

Glug, glug...

Not a strong swimmer, Lin Feng instinctively released his Martial Soul. A frigid Ice Lotus formed in his hand, instantly freezing the water around him. Only then could he catch his breath.

Have some fun first!

Seeing that, Ma Xiaotao couldn't hold back. Her excitement surged, and she immediately released her Martial Soul.

Her Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—were an unmistakable lineup for a powerhouse, and they drew the eye.

If anyone had been on the lake at that moment, they would have seen a bizarre sight: one side of the water froze while the other boiled.

Below, Ma Xiaotao was melting the ice and swimming toward Lin Feng. It was a clash of ice and fire. Unfortunately, Lin Feng had only thirty levels of Soul Power, while Ma Xiaotao had more than twice as much.

As Ma Xiaotao drew closer, Lin Feng's Soul Power dwindled faster and faster. The Evil Fire began invading his body, forcing him to circulate the Burning Art and devour it.

Glug, glug...

The ice melted completely. Ma Xiaotao was right in front of him, and she wrapped her arms tightly around Lin Feng. Because they were floating at different heights underwater, he took her full force right in the face. His sense of decency and his instincts battled for control of his body.

Lin Feng felt Ma Xiaotao's body growing hotter and hotter. The Phoenix Evil Fire, mixed with a trace of the Soul Beast Scarlet King's Hellfire, finally erupted in a mighty burst.

The terrifying explosion actually tore both their clothes to shreds underwater.

It was obvious that the Scarlet King's influence from a few days earlier had triggered Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire this time.

What terrifying Hellfire!

The light underwater was poor. Otherwise, Lin Feng would have had a feast for his eyes. As for using Spiritual Detection, he considered himself a gentleman—at least one who knew where to draw the line—and disdained doing such a thing.

Time passed second by second, and Lin Feng eventually absorbed every last trace of the Evil Fire.

When Ma Xiaotao regained consciousness, she released Lin Feng and quickly changed into dry clothes underwater. Then she grabbed him and shot out of the lake.

Whoosh—

It was finally over. Wait—my clothes!

Lin Feng came to his senses and hurriedly covered his private parts.

"Hehe, Xiao Feng, your clothes."

Ma Xiaotao looked refreshed. The expected wet-clothes tease never happened; she'd dried her clothes as soon as she burst out of the lake.

Lin Feng quickly pulled on the clothes Ma Xiaotao handed him.

"Sister Xiaotao, could you give me some warning next time? This came out of nowhere. I nearly drowned."

"Mm, your senior sister was wrong this time. I apologize. Now, let's go meet my teacher on Sea God Island."

"Your teacher?"

"You'll find out when we get there. Let's keep a little mystery."

With that, Ma Xiaotao took Lin Feng's hand and flew toward Sea God Island in the middle of the lake.