Conflict

Purple-red light erupted from the chubby Ma Hongjun like a surging flood. The short hair on his head seemed to have been enchanted, suddenly growing longer and gathering toward the center like a wild lion's mane, forming a distinctive mohawk. Though wings had yet to appear, the moment that purple-red light spilled from his body, it became like a blazing sun, instantly radiating intense heat as if it would melt everything around it.

Two yellow Soul Rings rose simultaneously from beneath his feet like dazzling halos. Feather-like plumes extended over his exposed, muscular arms like flames, while his hands transformed into sharp claws that gleamed coldly.

Seeing Ma Hongjun's appearance, Gu Hengzhi could not help but snort with laughter. "That's it? You're a country chicken, not a phoenix! Let me teach this fat country chicken a lesson!"

A Stone Statue Martial Soul, the Earth Deity Statue, rose behind Gu Hengzhi like a giant emerging from the ground. Behind the statue, two phantom figures flickered in and out of sight: the Earth Deity and his mount, Xiao Qing. Gu Hengzhi did not release several stone statues at once because every one of them contained god-level power and would be suppressed by the Douluo Plane and the Douluo God Realm. To avoid exposing his strength too soon, he could only control the statues to appear one by one. However, he could continuously summon divine statues, and the interval between summons would gradually shorten as the number of statues in the Douluo Plane increased.

"Damn it! My martial soul is a phoenix—an Evil Fire Phoenix!" Ma Hongjun's eyes seemed to burn with furious flames. The first yellow Soul Ring on his body suddenly lit up like a brilliant pearl. He opened his mouth, firing a thin stream of flame wildly disproportionate to its size toward Gu Hengzhi like a fiery dragon.

Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai stood off to the side in silent understanding, their eyes locked on the battlefield as they watched to see just how capable the other side's companion was.

"First Soul Skill—God-Summoning! Earth Wall Technique!"

With a low shout from Gu Hengzhi, an earthen wall suddenly rose between him and Ma Hongjun like an iron fortress, blocking the purple-red stream of fire. The wall stood firm as a rock, completely stopping Ma Hongjun's attack.

After blocking Ma Hongjun's attack, Gu Hengzhi's gaze sharpened. He drove his Soul Power into the earth, where it gathered like raging waves. Earth Thorns burst from the ground like arrows, converging in midair into sharp Earth Spikes. Using the Earth Spikes as a feint and the Earth Thorns as the true attack, he launched a storm-like barrage at Ma Hongjun.

Ma Hongjun flashed aside and flipped through the air with the agility of a swallow, narrowly dodging the Earth Thorns. His first Soul Ring lit up again, and a blazing ray shot forth like a fire dragon emerging from the sea, smashing every Earth Spike to pieces.

"Is that all you've got? Then get the hell out of my sight! Second Soul Skill—Phoenix Reborn in Fire!" Ma Hongjun's second Century Soul Ring suddenly lit up like a blazing sun, and fierce flames instantly erupted from his body, as if they would burn the whole world to ashes.

Gu Hengzhi remained perfectly calm. He unhurriedly took out three candy beans that shimmered with strange light, each carefully created using his second Soul Skill and containing the wondrous power to boost speed, strength, and defense respectively.

"Since you want a close-quarters brawl, then I'll grant your wish! First Soul Skill—God-Summoning! Form Transformation!" With Gu Hengzhi's furious roar, the Stone Statue Martial Soul, the Earth Deity Statue, shattered into countless fragments. As though controlled by an invisible hand, they swiftly assembled into a mighty suit of battle armor, like an impregnable fortress draped over Gu Hengzhi's body.

Watching Ma Hongjun charge at him like a blazing fireball, determination flashed in Gu Hengzhi's eyes. He gathered all his Soul Power into his right hand like surging waves, then threw a fierce punch with thunderous force, colliding head-on with Ma Hongjun's fist.

Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai both drew quick breaths. Their eyes were fixed on the situation in the arena, so tense that their hearts seemed ready to leap out of their throats.

"Boom!!!" A deafening explosion rang out, as if the entire world had trembled. The outcome was without suspense. Whether in the quality of their martial souls and Soul Skills or in Soul Power level, Gu Hengzhi, a level 30 Quasi-Soul Elder, held an absolute advantage. Ma Hongjun was blasted backward by the tremendous impact of that punch, stumbling back more than a dozen steps before barely regaining his footing.

"Fat dead chicken, remember this: your old man will always be your old man!" Gu Hengzhi leaped into the air like an eagle soaring into the sky. Activating Earth's Protective Body, he continuously gathered earth essence into the middle finger of his right hand. It shone with a heart-palpitating radiance like a star on the verge of exploding. "Great! Wilderness! Heaven-Prison! Finger!"

The dust gradually settled. Yet contrary to everyone's expectations that Ma Hongjun would have been knocked unconscious, he was still standing firmly where he was, completely unharmed. Gu Hengzhi's Great Wilderness Heaven-Prison Finger had not failed. Dai Mubai had stepped forward at the critical moment and blocked the fatal blow for him.

"Pah!" Dai Mubai shook his hands forcefully, spitting a mouthful of dark blood that shot out like an arrow and splattered onto the ground. From the faint remaining glow, it was clear that he had simultaneously used his first Soul Skill, White Tiger Body Shield, and third Soul Skill, White Tiger Vajra Transformation. Even so, he had only barely managed to withstand Gu Hengzhi's Great Wilderness Heaven-Prison Finger.

"Pah! Fatty, get over there and stay put. Watch how I help you win back your dignity. Next time, don't disgrace Shrek Academy again!" Angry sparks flashed in Dai Mubai's eyes as he clenched his teeth, as though he intended to swallow every bit of humiliation.

Seeing the yellow, yellow, and purple Soul Rings flashing around Dai Mubai, as well as the White Tiger Martial Soul behind him that displayed the bloodline of the Star Luo imperial family, Zhu Zhuqing's eyes widened in shock. However, she quickly recovered and instantly activated her Hell Spirit Cat martial soul, preparing to join the battle and aid Gu Hengzhi.

"Hell Spirit Cat!" Dai Mubai stared at Zhu Zhuqing in utter shock, his piercing gaze fixed tightly on her as if he wanted to see through her entirely. There was disbelief in his voice, but not the slightest hint of doubt or uncertainty. "You... you're Zhu Zhuqing!"

"Zhuqing, I don't need your help here! Just watch me defeat this hypocrite!" Gu Hengzhi glared furiously and roared at Dai Mubai, "I'm your opponent! God-Summoning!"

In an instant, another stone statue appeared behind Gu Hengzhi like a ghost. Yet it was not the familiar Kitchen God, but an ancient divine statue emanating a mysterious aura...