Ma Hongjun's Fear, Kneeling and Begging for Mercy!

"You're courting death!"

Ma Hongjun was instantly enraged.

As one of the Shrek Seven Devils and now a Title Douluo, he had never suffered such an insult.

"Take him down for This Seat! Beat him to death with your staves!"

Ma Hongjun pointed at Tang Xiao and shouted sternly.

The surrounding Heaven Dou Empire soldiers heard this and immediately charged viciously toward Tang Xiao, brandishing their long spears.

"Kid, keep your eyes open in your next life!"

One soldier sneered, his spear thrusting straight at Tang Xiao's throat.

Tang Xiao stood where he was, not even lifting an eyelid.

Just as the spear was a foot away from him, an invisible force suddenly erupted.

Bang!

A muffled thud echoed.

Those soldiers who had charged up hadn't even touched the corner of Tang Xiao's clothes before they were sent flying dozens of meters back as if struck by a heavy blow, crashing heavily to the ground where they struggled a few times before falling silent.

The steel spears in their hands had turned into dust in mid-air.

Seeing this, Ma Hongjun's pupils constricted sharply.

Though arrogant, he was not stupid.

To be able to deal with several Soul Elder-level soldiers so easily without even releasing a martial soul—the young man before him was definitely an expert.

"Tricks, no wonder you dared to meddle in This Seat's affairs."

Ma Hongjun sneered, released the girl he was holding, and walked slowly toward Tang Xiao.

As he moved, the phoenix flames on his body burned even more intensely, making him look like a giant fireball.

"However, you're still too green to put on airs in front of This Seat!"

"Kid, state your name. This Seat does not kill nobodies!"

Ma Hongjun looked at Tang Xiao, his tone full of arrogance.

Tang Xiao looked at him, a flash of disgust crossing his eyes.

"You aren't worthy of knowing my name."

"Release that girl and cripple your own Soul Power, and I might leave your corpse intact."

Tang Xiao's voice was very calm, as if he were speaking of a trivial matter.

"Hahahaha!"

Ma Hongjun laughed wildly, as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world.

"Cripple my Soul Power? Leave my corpse intact?"

"Kid, haven't you woken up yet?"

"This Seat is the Phoenix Douluo, Ma Hongjun! My boss is the Sea God, Tang San!"

"Offend This Seat, and there will be no place for you in this Douluo Continent!"

Ma Hongjun blustered, attempting to use Tang San's name to intimidate the young man before him.

However, upon hearing the name "Tang San," the corners of Tang Xiao's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a mocking smile.

"Tang San?"

"Even if he were here in person, he would have to kneel to speak with me."

"Do you think his name can save your life?"

Tang Xiao looked at Ma Hongjun and spoke these words indifferently.

Hearing Tang Xiao's incredibly arrogant words, Ma Hongjun was stunned for a moment, then reacted as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Hahahaha! Make the Sea God kneel for you?"

"Kid, you must have lost your mind!"

Ma Hongjun laughed until his fat shook, but the killing intent in his eyes grew thicker.

On this Douluo Continent, who didn't know the prestige of the Sea God, Tang San?

He was the supreme existence who had inherited a godhood, the guardian deity of the Heaven Dou Empire, and the embodiment of a god in the hearts of countless soul masters.

This young man, who looked no more than twenty, actually dared to utter such treasonous words about making the Sea God kneel.

"It seems you are truly tired of living."

The flesh on Ma Hongjun's face twitched, and the greed in his eyes was replaced by brutality.

Since the other party was bent on dying, he would be happy to oblige.

"If I don't burn you to ashes today, I am not worthy of being called the Phoenix Douluo!"

Ma Hongjun let out a sharp cry, and the temperature surrounding his body climbed frantically at this moment.

The flagstone road on both sides of the street began to develop fine cracks under the scorching heat, and a burnt smell permeated the air.

The commoners who had been hiding in the distance to watch the spectacle felt this terrifying temperature and began to wail in terror, scrambling and crawling as they fled toward the city gates.

The entire street became empty in an instant, leaving only the father and daughter slumped on the ground and the calm-looking Tang Xiao.

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from the end of the street.

The commander of the Wind Stone City garrison, leading hundreds of elite soldiers, finally arrived at the scene.

"Who dares to cause trouble in Wind Stone City?"

The commander, clad in heavy armor and wielding a long spear, charged over with a majestic air.

When he saw the situation clearly, especially when he saw the nine dazzling soul rings on Ma Hongjun, he tumbled off his horse in an instant.

"This humble subordinate pays respects to Your Excellency Phoenix!"

The commander knelt on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, not daring to even lift his head.

The hundreds of soldiers behind him also dismounted one after another, kneeling in a neat row, their expressions filled with awe.

This was a Title Douluo, one of the empire's top powerhouses; he could wipe out their hundred-man troop with a flick of his finger.

Ma Hongjun glanced at the commander sideways and let out a cold snort.

"You've come at the right time."

"Seize this madman who dares to disrespect the Sea God for This Seat!"

"If he resists, kill him without mercy!"

Ma Hongjun pointed at Tang Xiao, his tone filled with arrogance and command.

Upon hearing this, the commander immediately turned to look at Tang Xiao.

Although he could not discern Tang Xiao's cultivation, the man had no soul power fluctuations, looking just like a young master from an ordinary noble family.

"Audacious madman, how dare you disrespect Lord Sea God! Seize him!"

The commander stood up, brandishing his spear and ordering the soldiers behind him to charge at Tang Xiao.

Hundreds of elite soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens, their steel spears glinting coldly in the sunlight.

Tang Xiao stood where he was, watching the soldiers charging toward him, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

"Abetting evil, is this the army of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

He sighed, a hint of disgust appearing in his expression.

Facing the hundreds of soldiers rushing toward him, Tang Xiao merely flicked his sleeve gently.

An invisible force swept out like a wave, instantly enveloping the entire street.

There were no screams, nor were there any bloody scenes.

The dozens of soldiers in the front, the moment they made contact with this force, felt as if they had collided with an invisible, towering wall.

The steel spears in their hands shattered inch by inch in mid-air, turning into dust, and the men themselves were sent flying dozens of meters back, crashing heavily to the ground where they struggled for a moment before fainting dead away.

The soldiers behind them saw this and stopped in their tracks, their eyes filled with terror, not daring to take another step forward.

The commander was so frightened his face turned deathly pale; his legs went weak, and he collapsed to his knees once more, trembling violently.

To send dozens of elite soldiers flying with a mere flick of a sleeve—such strength was definitely not that of an ordinary person.

Ma Hongjun's pupils constricted slightly, and the arrogance on his face finally receded a little.

"A clever trick; no wonder you dared to meddle in This Seat's affairs."

"However, in this Douluo Continent, you are not the only Title Douluo!"

Ma Hongjun sneered, his figure shooting into the sky.

His seventh soul ring suddenly lit up, and scorching flames gathered in the sky, transforming into a vast sea of fire.

"Martial Soul Avatar, Seven-Headed Phoenix!"

Accompanied by a phoenix cry that resounded through the heavens, a massive seven-headed fire phoenix appeared in the sky.

The terrifying evil fire dyed half the sky red, and rolling heat waves swept out, causing the surrounding houses to spontaneously combust.

"Go to hell!"

Ma Hongjun controlled the massive body, carrying the heaven-shaking flames as he dove toward Tang Xiao.

"Phoenix Cloud-Piercing Strike!"

A massive pillar of flame erupted from one of the phoenix heads, heading straight for Tang Xiao.

This strike contained extreme explosive power and heat, enough to level a small hill, and the surrounding space distorted slightly under the intense temperature.

Tang Xiao looked up at the roaring pillar of flame, his expression as calm as water.

He did not even release his own martial soul; he simply reached out a hand and gave a gentle grasp toward the pillar of flame.

The void seemed to freeze at that very moment.

That pillar of flame, capable of destroying everything in its path, suddenly halted three feet from Tang Xiao's palm.

Countless golden-blue specks of light seeped out from the void, descending upon the pillar of fire.

The moment those originally violent Phoenix Evil Fires touched these golden-blue specks, they were extinguished as if they had encountered their natural nemesis.

In the blink of an eye, that terrifying attack vanished without a trace, not even leaving behind a wisp of smoke.

"This... this is impossible!"

Ma Hongjun's shocked cry echoed through the sky.

He could not believe that his strongest single-target soul skill had been neutralized by his opponent so effortlessly.

He hadn't even managed to touch the corner of the man's clothes.

"Your flames are too impure."

Tang Xiao's voice reverberated between heaven and earth, devoid of any warmth.

"Evil fire is evil fire after all; even if purified by external means, it cannot change the baseness in your bones."

He took a single step forward, and his figure vanished from the spot instantly.

When he reappeared, he was already standing before the massive phoenix head of Ma Hongjun.

Ma Hongjun was startled, his giant wings flapping violently as he tried to put some distance between them.

However, he discovered that his body could not move even an inch; the surrounding space seemed to have been locked down in that very moment.

No matter how he urged the Soul Power within his body, he could not break free from that invisible restraint.

"Who exactly are you?"

A trace of fear finally surfaced in Ma Hongjun's eyes, his voice trembling.

This method of completely controlling space was something no ordinary Title Douluo could achieve.

Even his boss, Tang San, who had ascended to become the Sea God, would never have been able to do this so easily and casually before wielding divine power.

Tang Xiao stood quietly in the void, looking at Ma Hongjun's massive form with eyes full of disgust.

"Who I am is not something you are worthy of knowing."

"As for the Sea God Tang San you speak of, in my eyes, he is nothing more than a thief who stole the power of others."

There was no great emotional fluctuation in Tang Xiao's words, yet they carried an unshakable confidence.

"Nonsense!"

"My Third Brother is the Sea God, the savior of this world!"

"If you dare to insult the Sea God, there will be no place for you to hide in the entire Douluo Continent!"

Ma Hongjun shouted loudly, attempting to mask the fear in his heart with words.

Tang Xiao smiled slightly, but that smile held no warmth, appearing cold and ruthless instead.

"A savior?"

"To become a god, he did not hesitate to sacrifice the soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest, nor did he hesitate to plunge this continent into misery and suffering."

"Is this what you call a savior?"

Tang Xiao's words left Ma Hongjun speechless for a moment.

He knew that in order to resurrect Xiao Wu and Ah Yin, Tang San had indeed committed many atrocities in the Star Dou Great Forest, even hunting down many Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

And this war between the Heaven Dou Empire and the Spirit Hall Empire had indeed left countless commoners displaced and broken.

"So what!"

"Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles!"

"As long as Third Brother becomes a god, everything is worth it!"

Ma Hongjun gritted his teeth, shouting his sophistry.

The look of disgust in Tang Xiao's eyes deepened; he could no longer be bothered to waste words on such a selfish person.

"Since that is the case, then today, you shall pay the price for your 'worth it'."

Tang Xiao slowly extended his right hand, his index finger tapping lightly on Ma Hongjun's forehead.

A wisp of gentle golden-blue light flowed from his fingertip into Ma Hongjun's body.

That wisp of light appeared harmless, yet the moment it entered Ma Hongjun, it transformed into a terrifying vortex of devouring.

"Ah--!"

Ma Hongjun let out a shrill, miserable scream, his massive phoenix head twisting in agony.

He could feel the Soul Power within him draining away at a frantic speed, as if being greedily sucked into a bottomless abyss.

It was not just his Soul Power; his life force and his soul energy were also being ruthlessly stripped away by that golden-blue power.

"No! Stop! Quickly, stop!"

Ma Hongjun roared in pain, his massive Martial Soul Avatar trembling violently in that moment.

He wanted to resist, but found he could not move even a single finger, forced to watch helplessly as his strength was drained away bit by bit.

Under the radiance of the golden-blue light, his originally massive Seven-Headed Phoenix body began to shrink rapidly, and the flames burning on his skin gradually extinguished.

In a mere moment, his Martial Soul Avatar collapsed, dissolving into sparks that scattered into the air.

Ma Hongjun reverted to his human form and plummeted heavily from the sky.

Bang!

He slammed into the street, smashing a deep crater into the ground as dust billowed into the air.

At this moment, his face was as pale as paper; his internal Soul Power had already plummeted to the Soul Saint realm, and it continued to drop at an unstoppable speed.

What was even more terrifying was that his pride and joy, the Phoenix Evil Fire, had begun to lash back at him frantically now that it lacked the suppression of his powerful Soul Power.

The evil fire, which he had previously forced down using various rare treasures, began to burn his meridians and internal organs with a wild intensity.

"Save me... Third Brother, save me..."

Ma Hongjun writhed in agony within the deep crater, his hands clawing frantically at his body, tearing his clothes to shreds.

Large patches of charred black began to appear on his skin—the result of his own evil fire burning him from the inside out.

The surrounding garrison soldiers watched this scene, their souls terrified out of their wits.

That was the Phoenix Douluo, a man who shook the entire continent, yet in just a few short moments, he had been tortured into such an unrecognizable state.

The commander was so frightened he wet his pants, collapsing onto the ground without the strength to even flee, forced to stare blankly at this horrific sight.

Tang Xiao drifted slowly down from the sky, standing at the edge of the crater to look down at the struggling Ma Hongjun.

His expression remained calm, devoid of the slightest pity or sympathy.

"When you relied on your Soul Power to bully those defenseless commoners, did you ever think that you would have a day like this?"