Phoenix Holy Light Strike!

Flender stood nearby, his fists clenched with nerves.

Zhao Wuji frowned too.

"Old Zhao, do you think he can do it?"

Flender asked quietly.

"He can."

Zhao Wuji's answer was firm. "That little fatty has a streak of grit in him."

"Last time, he endured the backlash from his Evil Fire."

"This time, he'll make it through too."

Time ticked by, second by second.

Ma Hongjun's face kept turning red, then pale. His clothes were soaked with sweat and clung tightly to his body.

But he never cried out.

He only gritted his teeth and bore it.

Fu Wen stood not far away, watching Ma Hongjun and nodding to himself.

That little fatty really did have a streak of grit in him.

The Ma Hongjun in the original story had been all smiles and laughs, carefree and heedless.

But that didn't mean he wasn't strong.

He had become one of the Shrek Seven Devils, cultivated to become a Titled Douluo, and inherited the position of Second-Level God, the Phoenix God...

Ma Hongjun's perseverance and talent were undoubtedly exceptional.

This was only his First Soul Ring. It was just the beginning.

Who knew how much time had passed.

Buzz!

A brilliant light suddenly burst from Ma Hongjun's body.

It wasn't the red glow of flames, but a faint golden radiance.

That was the power of light from the Dawn Light Spirit Crane.

Golden light and the red flames of Evil Fire intertwined around Ma Hongjun, creating a strange sight.

Then, the radiance slowly faded.

Ma Hongjun opened his eyes.

A glimmer of gold flashed through his pupils.

"Master... I did it."

Ma Hongjun's voice was weak, but excitement filled his tone.

Flender crouched down and examined Ma Hongjun from head to toe, then burst into laughter.

"Good! Excellent!"

"Your First Soul Ring is a four-hundred-year-old Dawn Light Spirit Crane!"

"Xiao Pang, you're a true Soul Master now!"

Ma Hongjun grinned so broadly that his eyes narrowed into slits.

Zhao Wuji walked over and patted him on the head.

"Not bad, little fatty. You've done Shrek proud."

"Teacher Zhao, I... I feel like my Soul Power has increased!"

Ma Hongjun suddenly said.

"How much did it increase?"

Zhao Wuji asked.

Ma Hongjun closed his eyes and sensed it, then opened them and held up two fingers.

"Two levels!"

"From level ten... to level twelve!"

Flender's eyes lit up. "Good! Gaining two levels at once means this Soul Ring is highly compatible with your Martial Soul!"

"Quick, release your Soul Skill. Let's see what it is!"

Ma Hongjun nodded vigorously, stood up, and took a deep breath.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

The phantom of the Evil Fire Phoenix appeared behind him, and flames rose from his body.

A yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet.

"First Soul Skill: Phoenix Holy Light Strike!"

Ma Hongjun shouted and flung his arms wide.

The Phoenix Phantom behind him threw its head back and let out a ringing cry that pierced the clouds.

Then, countless golden Light Feathers formed along the phantom's wings. Each one shone brilliantly, radiating an aura both sacred and sharp.

Ma Hongjun swept his wings forward.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The golden feathers poured forth like a rainstorm, cutting through the air with piercing whistles.

A thicket ahead was swallowed by the Light Feathers.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A succession of explosions rang out. Golden light flared, and dust billowed.

Dozens of deep, bowl-sized craters were blasted into the ground, their edges scorched by flames.

Yet, strangely, the swamp's characteristic stench of decay vanished after the explosions.

In its place was a fresh, pure scent.

It was as if even the air had been purified.

"Good!"

Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up. "Impressive power! And..."

He sniffed. "The air's even cleaner?"

Flender walked over, carefully examined the craters in the ground, and sensed the change in the air. His face lit up with delight.

"Xiao Pang, that Soul Skill of yours is extraordinary!"

"Phoenix Holy Light Strike. That's a great name!"

"The Light Feathers' attacks have both piercing and explosive effects. Its power is among the very best for a first-ring Soul Skill."

"Even better, that golden light comes with a purifying effect!"

"Look. After that one attack, the air around us is cleaner."

"What does that tell us? The Dawn Light Spirit Crane's purifying power of light has fused into your Soul Skill!"

"Every attack purifies! Two birds with one stone!"

Flender grew more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing wildly.

Ma Hongjun scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed. "Master, I don't actually know what happened..."

"I just released the Soul Skill the way you taught me, and then..."

"Then it came out like this!"

Flender roared with laughter. "Good! Wonderful!"

"It means you're incredibly compatible with this Soul Ring—so compatible that your Soul Skill optimized itself!"

"Xiao Pang, your First Soul Skill is even stronger than I imagined!"

Zhao Wuji walked over and looked Ma Hongjun up and down.

"Little fatty, how do you feel now? The Evil Fire inside you..."

"It seems... much more stable."

Ma Hongjun looked down at his hands. "When I released the Soul Skill just now, I didn't feel that heat."

"Instead, I felt refreshed all over, as if I'd just taken a bath."

"It works!"

Flender clapped his hands. "The Dawn Light Spirit Crane's purifying power really can suppress your Evil Fire!"

"It can't cure it completely, but as long as you have Soul Power, you can use this move to balance the flames inside you."

"You won't have to worry about the Evil Fire suddenly flaring up anymore!"

Ma Hongjun's eyes reddened at those words.

Ever since he'd accidentally set the academy on fire last time, he'd been carrying a heavy burden inside.

He was afraid he'd lose control, afraid he'd hurt someone, and even more afraid that Master and Brother Wen would reject him.

But now, there was a way.

"Master, thank you."

Ma Hongjun lowered his head, his voice choking up.

Flender froze for a moment, then crouched down and patted his head.

"You silly boy, what are you thanking me for?"

"You're my disciple. If I don't help you, who will?"

"All right, enough with the emotional stuff."

Zhao Wuji impatiently waved a hand from the side. "We've still got business to take care of."

"Xiao Ao's waiting to hunt his Second Soul Ring."

Flender stood up and wiped the corner of his eye.

For a moment there, his eyes had reddened too.

"Right, right. Xiao Ao, it's your turn."

Oscar had been waiting impatiently on the side.

Dad, I've already picked out a target!

"Oh? What target?"

Flender asked curiously.

Oscar pointed to a tree deep in the swamp. "When Xiao Pang fired that attack just now, I saw a Soul Beast over there."

"It was silvery white all over, looked like a fox, but its tail was forked."

"I heard about it in Teacher Li's class. It's called a Moon Shadow Spirit Fox, a support-type Soul Beast!"

"Its Soul Ring can give a Soul Master the ability to increase their teammates' speed!"