"Golden Crow spreads its wings and burns the Eight Wastelands? Raging Flames Shine Upon the Nine Suns?!!"
Ma Xiaotao murmured to herself, and in an instant, she recalled the words that young rascal had said to her in the woods by Sea God Lake: "Peach trees bloom in splendor, their blossoms radiant."
"Back then, I thought the little brat was sweet-tongued. I figured he had at least a little taste... but what about now?"
"For Wu Ming, it's 'burn the Eight Wastelands' and 'shine upon the Nine Suns'—praises that swallow mountains and rivers? You've got that silly girl grinning from ear to ear!"
"For me, it's 'bloom in splendor' and 'radiant blossoms'—words used to describe delicate flowers?"
"What's that supposed to mean? You think I can't 'burn the Eight Wastelands'? Can't 'shine upon the Nine Suns'? You think Wu Ming's 'silly bird' Martial Soul is better than my Phoenix?"
A storm of anger at being outshone, bitterness at having her exclusive praise shared, and blazing fury that the little rascal dared to "play favorites" swept over Ma Xiaotao in an instant!
"Hmph!"
A short, icy sneer, like a Far North gale blowing through, froze Wu Ming's laughter and the half-breath of relief Long Jinyu had just let out.
Ma Xiaotao slowly turned around. Her beautiful phoenix eyes now burned with flames more terrifying than Evil Fire as they fixed on Long Jinyu.
The corner of her lips curled into a smile that could only be called "gentle."
"Long. Junior."
She spoke one word at a time, each one like a poisoned ice needle.
"What lovely verses! 'Burn the Eight Wastelands'? 'Shine upon the Nine Suns'? Such... fitting... praise!"
She stepped closer, her scorching aura bearing a destructive pressure that completely engulfed Long Jinyu.
"Looks like you've recovered quite well. You even have the leisure to write poems for the Golden Crow Saintess?"
She tilted her head slightly, her smile "kind."
"Then next time, when Senior Sister 'blooms in splendor,' remember to write a masterpiece like 'Burning Heavens and Boiling Seas' or 'Ice Sealing Ten Thousand Miles' to help me out, all right? Hmm?"
Her final "Hmm?" rose in a dangerous lilt. The Phoenix's pressure almost solidified into something tangible—and translated, it meant:
You dare fob me off with the same level of praise you used for her? Next time, if you don't come up with verses and skills ten times better to help suppress my Evil Fire, you're dead!
Ma Xiaotao's little performance had Long Jinyu trembling in fear.
"This... so this really is Romance Continent?"
"It's over, it's over, it's over! 'A slip of the tongue brings a moment of joy, but chasing your wife... bah! chasing your senior sister brings a trip to the crematorium!'"
"This 'deadly scene' from Ma Xiaotao... she's definitely jealous... no, she thinks 'Peach trees bloom in splendor' isn't domineering enough! She thinks I put more effort into praising Wu Ming!"
Long Jinyu felt even more overwhelmed than when facing Evil Fire.
"Help! I've been wronged!"
"How am I supposed to explain the variety of literary devices?!"
"Those two lines praising Wu Ming were nothing more than a hastily improvised rhyme."
"'Peach trees bloom in splendor, their blossoms radiant' is a timeless verse from Blue Star's Book of Songs, 'Peach Trees' from 'The Odes of Zhou and the South'! How could they possibly carry the same weight?!"
Unfortunately, he couldn't say that out loud.
"Wait, what?!"
An even more aggrieved, more indignant thought suddenly sprang into his mind.
"Why am I being so servile?!"
"She's the one who needs me! When her Evil Fire flared up, who was it that she clung to and wouldn't let go? Who begged me for help?"
"Why does it feel like I owe her eight hundred lives now? All because I praised someone else a couple of times? Where's the justice in that?!"
"The script's definitely wrong! Shouldn't she be the one carefully coaxing me, her 'fire extinguisher'? How did things get turned around?!"
The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. His resentful gaze seemed able to pierce the roof of Sea God Pavilion in the distance and strike straight at the sly old fox reclining on a chaise lounge.
"It's all that old geezer... teacher's fault! He took advantage of my vulnerability and pulled me into his sect..."
"Ginger really is spicier when it's old... I'm no match for him when it comes to scheming! He's got me completely wrapped around his finger!"
Looking at Ma Xiaotao's phoenix eyes, which seemed ready to spit fire, the little man inside Long Jinyu was stomping about furiously, utterly aggrieved.
But the next second, a vision flashed through his mind: the Phoenix from the original story, tormented by Evil Fire, eventually falling into darkness and meeting a tragic end...
"Ah... fine, fine..."
An indescribable mix of pity and helplessness instantly crushed that bit of resentment.
"Who can blame you... the original story made you so..."
"Since you're so pitiful—cross that out—and need help..."
In the end, his heart softened.
"Fine... I'll spoil you this once! I'll comfort you! Next time... next time you get this fierce, I... I..."
He stammered on "I" for ages, but couldn't think of any real threat to make—after all, she still needed him when her Evil Fire flared up.
In the end, he could only reach a sorrowful conclusion:
"Next time, I'll still have to comfort you!"
His life came first! He'd better calm her down!
"How could I dare disobey Senior Sister's orders?"
He raised his voice slightly to make sure the few eavesdropping students nearby could catch some of it. Looking intently at Ma Xiaotao, he spoke with utmost solemnity.
"'Peach trees bloom in splendor, their blossoms radiant' describes the ultimate beauty of the world, something truly one of a kind! In my heart, only Senior Sister deserves such unique praise!"
"If Senior Sister ever needs me again, then forget 'Burning Heavens and Boiling Seas' and 'Ice Sealing Ten Thousand Miles'—even if you want 'Heaven and Earth Turned Upside Down' or 'The Sun and Moon Recast,' as long as you want to hear it, I'll rack my brains and give it everything I've got! I won't give you anything half-hearted!"
His words not only made clear what "Peach trees bloom in splendor" meant to him, but also promised something far beyond the standard of his "Golden Crow poem," while emphasizing that it was meant "only for Senior Sister."
His urge to survive had hit its absolute peak!
Ma Xiaotao stared into Long Jinyu's eyes, as if trying to find some trace of insincerity.
But the boy's gaze was clear, his expression solemn, and he even looked a little "tragic," as though he'd thrown caution to the winds. His exaggerated promise sounded a little absurd.
And yet, that attitude of "if you ask, I'll risk my life to write it for you" somehow struck a chord in her heart.
The terrifying pressure enveloping Long Jinyu eased a little, and the flames in her phoenix eyes calmed slightly. Still, she continued to scrutinize him, with a hint of lingering... grievance?
She snorted and turned away, temporarily accepting his explanation and promise, but she still wouldn't let him off the hook.
"Hmph! Silver-tongued! Remember what you said!" Her tone, at least, was no longer so icy.
"Ooooooh!"
Just then, an awfully drawn-out exclamation, brimming with "I get it, I understand everything," burst out!
Wu Ming cupped her cheeks, her eyes darting between Long Jinyu and Ma Xiaotao. Her face was full of unconcealed excitement and teasing.
"'One of a kind'?"
"'Only for Senior Sister'?"
"'Give it everything you've got'???"
"Wow! Xiaotao! Look at you! I was wondering why you kept him hidden away and wouldn't let anyone touch him!"
"So sour! So, so sour! Even more than the century-old vinegar Old Wang keeps in his collection!"
"So you've got a golden house hiding a beauty... no, a Dragon Hidden in Phoenix Nest! This junior's so sweet-tongued, so capable, and so 'devoted'..."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk! How long has this been going on? Confess! You even hid it from your best friend! That's so unfair!"
As Wu Ming spoke, she jabbed Ma Xiaotao hard with her elbow, winking and waggling her eyebrows. Her gossip-fueled excitement could have set the entire cafeteria entrance ablaze!
"Wu! Ming! What! Nonsense! Are! You! Talking!"
The anger Ma Xiaotao had just managed to quell flared up with a whoosh as Wu Ming's words, loaded with implications of an affair, fanned the flames! It burned even fiercer than before!
Her pretty face turned bright red in an instant, the color spreading all the way down to the roots of her neck. Actual wisps of smoke rose from the top of her head!
She felt more mortified and furious than she ever had in her life!
What did she mean, "kept him hidden away"?
What did she mean, "sourer than old vinegar"?
What was this "Dragon Hidden in Phoenix Nest" nonsense???
Was that silly bird's head filled with magma?!
All she wanted now was to burn Wu Ming's incessantly flapping mouth and Long Jinyu's troublemaking face to ashes!
"Creee!"
A clear cry of rage rang out suddenly!
The air around Ma Xiaotao twisted violently, and a scorching wave of heat burst outward! A gigantic Phoenix apparition with a wingspan of several meters appeared behind her, its entire body ablaze with brilliant red flames as it spread its wings proudly!
The Phoenix's eyes were keen, and its aura was both sinister and noble—it was none other than the Evil Fire Phoenix!
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black! Six dazzling Soul Rings instantly appeared around her, pulsing with powerful Soul Power!
The pressure of her top-tier Beast Martial Soul, mixed with her embarrassment and anger at being teased, crashed down on Wu Ming without restraint! The temperature at the cafeteria entrance instantly shot up until it felt like a furnace!
"I won't answer to Ma if I don't burn every feather off that silly bird of yours today!"
"Come on, then! As if I'm afraid of you! This is the perfect chance to see if my Golden Crow True Fire has improved lately!"
Wu Ming's competitive spirit was roused. Even though she knew they were only joking around, she couldn't afford to lose in terms of momentum!
With a sharp cry, dazzling golden flames erupted from her like the sun!
"Caw!"
A majestic Three-legged Golden Crow apparition, seemingly formed from pure solar true fire, lifted its head and cried out behind her, radiating an overbearing aura that could "burn the Eight Wastelands to nothing"!
Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black! Six Soul Rings lit up around her as well!
Wu Ming was older, so her Soul Power reserves were clearly a little stronger.
But the Evil Fire Phoenix held a faintly more sinister and domineering pressure in terms of Martial Soul quality!
Red and gold—two equally terrifying forces of ultimate flame, similar in nature yet entirely different, collided with a thunderous crash like two erupting volcanoes!
The air crackled as it burned. Turbulent streams of red-and-gold energy clashed and annihilated one another between the two, forming a dazzling yet dangerous storm of energy!
The students watching the spectacle cried out and retreated another great distance, afraid they might be caught in the crossfire. Excited yet nervous, they watched the daily "sparring match" between the inner court's "Twin Prides."
Forced back a step by the violent wave of heat, Long Jinyu was at a complete loss for words.
"..."
"..."
"I really... can't even!"
"Wu Ming! You're killing me here, Auntie! I'll call you big sister! Are you trying to save me or get me killed?! I've never seen anyone fan the flames this fast!"
[Beep! Double high-energy reaction detected! Host, fend for yourself.]
[Helpful reminder: Please enjoy the spectacle of two "active volcanoes" colliding.]
"I'd rather enjoy Nuwa!"
The storm of red and golden flames grew larger and larger.
Although the two had tacitly refrained from using Soul Skills, the clash between the raw might of their Martial Souls and their Soul Power was still enough to demolish half the cafeteria!
"This idiot Xiaotao! Is she trying to drive me crazy?!"
"How long has it been since she just suppressed her Evil Fire? Her body's so weak she even fainted once! And now she's forcing herself to erupt again just to win an argument?!"
"Does she think I'm a clown?! I'm risking my life to help her, and she's over there risking hers to 'throw it all away'?"
"What if she damages her foundation?! She's ignoring her own body just for a bit of pride! She really is just as 'foolish' as in the original story!"
A mixture of worry and anger surged into Long Jinyu's heart in an instant.
"System! Five percent Soul Power! How many seconds can I freeze them if I unleash everything?!"
Hidden inside his sleeve, the Ultimate Ice was already gathering frantically in his hand. A tearing pain rippled through his meridians.
[Warning! Host's current Soul Power is only 4.04%, and your proficiency in controlling Soul Power is extremely low!]
[Forcibly releasing Ultimate Ice to freeze two top-tier Soul Emperors carries a tremendous risk of backlash! However...]
The system paused, as if performing a complex calculation.
[After analyzing the potential of the Dragon God Bloodline... and assessing the rank of your Martial Soul...]
[Conclusion: If you force it with the will of the Dragon God, comparing your case to Lan Xuanyu's childhood feat of erupting with power beyond his level, you have a 38.8% chance of freezing the targets for three breaths!]
"That's enough! As long as I can interrupt them!"
"I can't just watch that stupid Xiaotao burn herself into a cripple!"
Just as Long Jinyu gritted his teeth and prepared to make a desperate gamble, forcing his pitiful reserves of Soul Power into action—
"Ming'er, Xiaotao."
"Have you two had enough?"
A gentle yet stern voice, like a clear spring, cut through the clamor of the flames and rang distinctly in everyone's ears!
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that pierced the soul. The raging Golden Crow True Fire and Phoenix Blazing Flame both faltered!
The icy glow in Long Jinyu's hand abruptly faded.
The Soul Power surging inside him was forcibly pressed back by that sudden voice.
The backlash sent his blood and qi roiling. He grunted, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
But he couldn't spare a thought for that. Like everyone around him, holding their breath, he followed the voice, surprise and curiosity written across his face.
A woman was standing quietly in the light and shadow at the cafeteria entrance. No one had noticed when she had appeared.
Even just standing there, she exuded an aura of serene tranquility, gentle and subtle as falling rain. It clashed with the raging fire elements at the entrance, yet somehow held them in check.
She wore a tailored white outfit with delicate embellishments, simple in style yet clearly extraordinary, elegant and luxurious.
Unlike Wu Ming's exuberant vitality or Ma Xiaotao's dazzling brilliance, her aura was calm as a deep pool and gentle as warm jade.
A cascade of smooth champagne-gold hair fell over her shoulders, its soft sheen glowing in the warm light spilling from the cafeteria, adding to her graceful elegance.
She had a slender, upright figure and a breathtakingly beautiful face, her skin as fair as jade.
Most striking of all were her eyes. Their light brown irises were like the purest amber, and as she quietly watched the commotion at the entrance, there was no reproach in her gaze—only a trace of helplessness and... indulgence, as if she were watching two immature younger sisters fool around.
Wu Ming and Ma Xiaotao turned to look at her almost simultaneously.
Long Jinyu was so shaken that he could hardly believe it. It was as if he'd seen his savior.
"I'm saved?!"
"W-what a cool big sister! She's subdued them both with her mere presence?! She's definitely one of the top figures in the inner court!"
Before you continue