Intercepting Ma Xiaotao

The next day.

Gu Shengge got up early. He woke Han Yue, who was still sound asleep, and gave him a task.

"If you see Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong in the cafeteria later, keep them occupied. No matter what it takes, hold them there until the class bell rings."

The reason he had Han Yue hold up Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong was that, according to the original plot, they would encounter Ma Xiaotao on the morning of the second day of school, before class began.

Since Gu Shengge intended to intercept Ma Xiaotao, he naturally could not let them get close to Sea God Lake, where the Inner Court was located.

Hearing this, Han Yue patted his chest and assured Gu Shengge that he would keep Huo Yuhao and the others firmly occupied. He absolutely would not let them interfere with his boss's plans.

A teachable child indeed.

Gu Shengge nodded in satisfaction, then left the dormitory.

He went around the new students' teaching building and headed east along the southern side of Shrek Square. Before long, he arrived at the lakeside path.

Passing through the woods beside the path, the sparkling Sea God Lake came into view.

Gentle moisture mixed with the fresh morning air washed over him, flowing into Gu Shengge's nose with every breath. The coolness went straight to his head.

Although Sea God Lake was merely an artificial lake, it covered an enormous area—perhaps even larger than Shrek Academy's main campus west of Shrek Square.

Yet its water was exceptionally clear. The azure lake was pure blue, deep blue, and softly tranquil blue. Gentle ripples rose and fell across its satin-like surface, reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and the lush green trees lining the shore.

Standing by Sea God Lake, Gu Shengge gazed into the distance. A faint mist hung over the far-off waters.

His vision had been strengthened by his head Soul Bone, allowing him to see extremely far—even farther than Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes. Through the mist on the distant lake, he vaguely made out rows of buildings standing on an island in the center of the lake, sheltered beneath a towering tree.

Sitting on a nearby bench, Gu Shengge quietly waited for Ma Xiaotao to arrive.

As for how he would stop Ma Xiaotao's rampage, he would naturally use the Angel God Martial Soul.

His thoughts were the same as Yan Shaozhe's. The Evil Fire Phoenix was called evil fire because it contained an evil attribute. As long as that attribute was purified, it would naturally transform into a true Fire Phoenix.

An ordinary Holy Angel or Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul could not accomplish this, but Gu Shengge's Martial Soul was the Angel God.

And the Angel God Martial Soul's second soul skill, Holy Purification, could cleanse all negative effects. The rampage caused by Ma Xiaotao's evil attribute was a negative effect, so it could naturally be purified.

However, it was naturally impossible to purge all the evil attributes in one go. Gu Shengge did not intend to cure Ma Xiaotao completely at once, either.

More than ten minutes later, Gu Shengge sensed a powerful aura rushing from the lake toward the shore. His expression sharpened.

She's here!

Gu Shengge looked up and saw a red figure racing across the lake's surface at astonishing speed through the water mist, charging toward the shore!

The red figure was simply too fast. In just that brief moment, she had already reached the center of the lake. Every time her toes touched the water, ripples spread outward, but she used that slight buoyancy to accelerate continuously, drifting forward like a crimson cloud.

As she drew closer, Gu Shengge could see her more clearly. Not only were her clothes red, but her hair was blood-red as well. She had a slender figure, yet her entire body radiated a fierce, chilling menace, like some terrifying Soul Beast. She wore an equally red mask, and even her eyes were blood-red.

The air around her body twisted faintly. Wherever she passed, sheets of water mist billowed beneath her feet.

After going berserk, Ma Xiaotao was far faster than usual. In an instant, she had entered within a hundred meters of the shore. A terrifying heat wave swept over him, and Gu Shengge felt as if his hair were about to burn. Surprise appeared in his eyes, while he also sensed the uncontrollable madness erupting from Ma Xiaotao—more violent than that of an ordinary Soul Master by countless times!

Whoosh!

Four pairs of white angel wings unfurled behind Gu Shengge's back. He flew into the sky instead of choosing to confront Ma Xiaotao head-on.

Just as Gu Shengge took to the air, Ma Xiaotao burst from the lake and reached the shore. At the same time, a pair of phoenix wings blazing with scorching Lie Yans spread behind her. Terrifying heat erupted instantly, evaporating all moisture from the vegetation within dozens of meters. Branches and leaves withered, turning scorched yellow!

Ma Xiaotao abruptly raised her head. Beneath the mask, her eyes—eroded by evil fire—held none of their usual allure, only madness and savagery as they locked onto Gu Shengge.

The phoenix fire wings behind her flapped, and the blazing evil fire burned even more fiercely, like a phoenix bathing in Lie Yans as it shot into the sky.

At the same time, more than a dozen streams of phoenix evil fire shot toward Gu Shengge with a sweep of Ma Xiaotao's wings. The terrible heat warped the air itself, scorching enough to reduce Gu Shengge to ashes!

With a beat of his eight wings, Gu Shengge was even faster than Ma Xiaotao. He easily dodged the evil fire attacks as three 100,000-Year Soul Rings emerged. An incomparably powerful wave of Soul Power swept through heaven and earth, making even the wildly berserk Ma Xiaotao freeze in surprise.

The next second, an incomparably clear phoenix cry rang through the skies. A Phoenix Martial Soul wreathed in blazing evil fire appeared, while six Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—surrounded Ma Xiaotao. The Lie Yans shifted from crimson to dark red, becoming even more terrifyingly hot and powerful!

Seeing that Ma Xiaotao had been provoked into using Martial Soul Possession and had completely lost her senses, Gu Shengge could not delay any longer.

The Angel God Martial Soul appeared behind him as well. Gu Shengge clasped his hands together in a prayerful gesture, and his second Soul Ring lit up.

"Second Soul Skill: Holy Purification!"

Golden holy light surged from the Angel God, illuminating the heavens with sacred majesty and dyeing even the clouds gold!

Yan Shaozhe and the others, who had chased Ma Xiaotao from the Inner Court, revealed startled expressions when they saw the golden holy light reaching from heaven to earth. Then they saw the holy light descend from the sky and fall upon the red figure they had been pursuing.

"Not good!"

Yan Shaozhe and the others' expressions changed slightly as they hurriedly sped toward the shore.

When they arrived, they saw only Ma Xiaotao lying unconscious on the ground. Gu Shengge had withdrawn the Angel God Martial Soul, though three red Soul Rings still floated beneath his feet as he slowly walked toward Ma Xiaotao.

Yan Shaozhe thought Gu Shengge intended to harm Ma Xiaotao. He immediately flew between them, blocking Gu Shengge and speaking to dissuade him.

"Student Gu, please stop."

Facing Yan Shaozhe as he landed before him, Gu Shengge feigned surprise before revealing a puzzled expression. He asked, "Greetings, Dean Yan. Do you know that woman who attacked me?"

Yan Shaozhe nodded. "She is my disciple, Ma Xiaotao. You weren't injured, were you?"

Gu Shengge shook his head, which made Yan Shaozhe breathe a sigh of relief. It was good that he had not been hurt.

PS: Everyone, give me some suggestions. Should Ma Xiaotao use her manhua appearance or her anime appearance?