"Make peace?"
Ling Yun laughed, then said coldly, "Why didn't you think of that earlier? When you insulted my sister, did you ever consider this might be the result?
"Here and now, just like then and there!"
After a pause, Ling Yun continued, "All right, enough talk. Since you're only a Soul Grandmaster, I'll let you make the first move."
"..."
At those words, Ma Hongjun began trembling with fear. He wouldn't dare attack a Soul King, even if he had ten thousand times the courage.
About half a minute passed, and Ling Yun was growing impatient. He snorted and said, "I'll give you ten more seconds. Once they're up, I'm going to attack. And trust me, you won't like how things turn out!"
As he spoke, the Second Soul Ring beneath Ling Yun's feet began to shimmer.
Hearing that, Ma Hongjun gritted his teeth and steeled himself, hurriedly gathering his Soul Power.
He knew he had no chance against Ling Yun. Better to strike first than take a beating later. Maybe he could hold his own for a little while.
As his thoughts raced, the First Soul Ring beneath Ma Hongjun's feet suddenly lit up, and he let out an angry shout.
"Fine, then I won't hold back! First Soul Skill: Phoenix Fire Line!"
Before the words had even left his mouth, Ma Hongjun opened wide and spewed a blazing Phoenix Flame. It surged toward Ling Yun on a flood of scorching heat.
Feeling the searing heat rushing toward him, Ling Yun couldn't help smiling.
"Playing with fire in front of me? That's like showing off your swordsmanship before Guan Yu—utterly overestimating yourself!"
"Five Spirits Power, transform!"
In the blink of an eye, just as Ling Yun was about to be swallowed by the Phoenix Flame, the Second Soul Ring beneath his feet flashed. Fire-attribute Soul Power poured out and enveloped his body.
In the next instant, Ling Yun transformed into a Flame Crane. He spread his arms and used his own flesh and blood to withstand Ma Hongjun's attack.
Boom—
A piercing roar rang out as Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire Line slammed into Ling Yun. Though his Phoenix Flame burned fiercely, it couldn't hurt Ling Yun in the slightest.
The Flame Crane could control fire to begin with. And on top of that, Ling Yun had consumed the Infernal Delicate Apricot and mastered Ultimate Fire. How could Ma Hongjun's little Phoenix Flame possibly hurt him?
"He blocked my First Soul Skill that easily..."
Ma Hongjun's heart sank, but he wasn't all that surprised. After all, Ling Yun was a Five-Ring Soul King, far stronger than he was.
"If the Phoenix Fire Line won't work, try this."
As he spoke, Ma Hongjun gathered his Soul Power. The Second Soul Ring beneath his feet glowed, and he spewed forth even hotter flames that roared toward Ling Yun.
"Second Soul Skill: Bathing Fire Phoenix!"
Bathing Fire Phoenix was a self-enhancement Soul Skill that instantly boosted the Phoenix Flame's power by thirty percent.
Yet as Ling Yun watched the even hotter Phoenix Flame, the corners of his mouth lifted. He laughed and said,
"Now that's more like it! I'll borrow your flowers to offer them back to you!"
"Fire Spirit Power!"
In an instant, Ling Yun spread his white wings. Fire Spirit Power poured out of him and flowed into Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Flame.
The flames grew even hotter, then abruptly changed direction, rushing toward Ma Hongjun at lightning speed, completely out of his control!
"What?!"
When he saw the Phoenix Flame turn around and attack him, Ma Hongjun's face changed in an instant. He hurriedly retreated, trying to dodge the flames.
But under Ling Yun's control, the Phoenix Flame was incredibly fast. With Ma Hongjun's bulky build, there was no way he could avoid it.
In the end, Ma Hongjun could only watch helplessly as the even hotter Phoenix Flame swallowed him whole!
"Aaaah!!!"
With a bloodcurdling scream, Ma Hongjun was blasted away by the Phoenix Flame.
His clothes were burned away, and his body was covered in large patches of burns. Then his eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
"Fatty!"
Seeing Ma Hongjun blasted away, Dai Mubai cried out in alarm. He pointed at Ling Yun and shouted furiously, "You! You bastard! How could you be so vicious?!"
"Heh, so what? When he insulted my sister, he should've known this was coming.
"You should be thanking me for merely knocking the fat fool unconscious. If I'd been a little more ruthless, that last move could've taken his life and burned him to ashes!"
Ling Yun said coldly. In truth, he had considered killing Ma Hongjun just now, but if Ma Hongjun died, Tang San would fly into a rage.
Ling Yun wasn't afraid of that Little Scumbag, but if he accidentally crippled him in a fight, that might draw Tang Hao out—and that would be trouble.
He didn't want to cross paths with that madman Tang Hao before reaching Soul Douluo. That was why he'd spared Ma Hongjun's life.
With that thought, Ling Yun ended his transformation and started back to the inn to continue his meal. But just then, Dai Mubai suddenly stepped in front of him.
Ling Yun chuckled at the sight and asked, "What? Are you going to stand up for that fat fool?"
"Of course! Fatty's my little brother. If someone bullies him, then as his big brother, it's only natural that I stand up for him!"
Ling Yun shook his head and laughed scornfully. "Give it a rest. You're only a Soul Elder in the thirties. You can't possibly be a match for me."
"What if you take us on as well?"
As he spoke, Tang San and Xiao Wu came to stand beside Dai Mubai.
"Little San, Sister Xiao Wu, are you going to be my enemy too?"
"Of course not!"
Tang San shook his head, his eyes gleaming with a wild desire to fight. He grinned and said, "This is the first time we've met in four years. We should have a proper spar. But you're a Five-Ring Soul King, so you won't mind us ganging up on you, will you?"
"Oh? A spar? Sounds interesting."
Ling Yun smiled and nodded. "All right, then. Let's see how much you've grown over the past four years."
"Zhuqing, you help us too. Rongrong, please boost us so this arrogant brat can see what the Shrek Seven Devils can do!"
Dai Mubai roared. Zhu Zhuqing frowned at his words, but still took her place beside him. After all, he was her fiancé.
As for Ning Rongrong, she was the Little Demoness of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and hardly one to pass up a good show. Besides, she wanted to see just how strong Ling Yun was. She smiled and said,
"No problem. Seven Treasures turn into Glazed Light—Seven Treasures Have Names, first: Strength! Second: Speed!"
Ning Rongrong released her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul. Several streaks of light shot out and flowed into Tang San and the others.
In an instant, Tang San and the others' strength and speed increased by thirty percent.
Seeing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul in Ning Rongrong's hand, Shui Bing'er couldn't help exclaiming, "That girl's from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?"
"Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's support won't help!" Huo Wu said with a cold laugh. "Little Brother Ling Yun is incredibly strong!"
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? Interesting!"
Ling Yun glanced at Ning Rongrong and chuckled. The black Fourth Soul Ring suddenly flashed, and Ultimate Gold attribute Soul Power poured out.
"Five Spirits Power, transform!"
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