The Fatty's Evil Fire

The next day, Flender was in no hurry to take everyone to the Spirit Arena.

He gave them half the day off.

His reason was simple.

They had fights that night, so they should save their strength during the day.

It sounded like he cared about his students.

Yuan Yu suspected the real reason was that Flender wanted the morning to calculate how much the Spirit Arena could earn him.

That afternoon, Dai Mubai showed Tang San and the others around the area near the academy.

Ma Hongjun had been walking along normally, but as they passed the village entrance, his expression suddenly changed.

A young woman ahead spotted him and turned to leave.

Her clothes were plain, but she looked tense.

Ma Hongjun stopped short.

"Cuihua."

She paused, then took another step back.

Xiao Wu frowned.

"You know her?"

Ma Hongjun looked embarrassed.

"We used to know each other."

Cuihua glanced at Dai Mubai and the others, then said quietly, "Fatty, stop coming to see me."

Ma Hongjun opened his mouth.

"I wasn't going to..."

Before he could finish, a surge of feverish Soul Power burst from him.

His Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul flared on its own.

Cuihua went even paler and turned to run.

Xiao Wu immediately stepped between them.

"What are you doing?"

Ma Hongjun panicked.

"I wasn't trying to hurt her!"

But the more anxious he became, the more wildly his Evil Fire surged.

Crimson flames rose behind his shoulders, sending a wave of heat rolling outward.

Tang San released his Blue Silver Grass, first pulling Cuihua behind its protection.

Dai Mubai frowned.

"Fatty, pull it back."

Ma Hongjun gritted his teeth.

"I'm trying."

The words came out with difficulty.

Sweat had already broken out on his forehead.

Yuan Yu stood nearby, the smile gone from his face.

He could see it clearly.

Ma Hongjun wasn't faking.

This fire was no ordinary temper.

The heat rampaged through his body, pushing harder the more he tried to hold it in.

Xiao Wu was about to speak again, but Yuan Yu raised a hand to stop her.

"I'll handle it."

Ma Hongjun looked at him.

"Don't come closer. I might burn you."

Yuan Yu drew his blade.

"That little flame of yours can't burn me."

Ma Hongjun was already suffering, but he still couldn't help glaring at that.

"Don't look down on me!"

His anger stirred the Evil Fire Phoenix, and the flames climbed higher.

Yuan Yu pushed off the ground and charged straight in.

The Water Pattern and Flame Pattern lit up together.

Tang San's eyes shifted at the sight.

Water and fire, used together.

Ordinary Soul Masters rarely did that.

Yet Yuan Yu's Soul Power remained steady.

A glimmer of water curved around Ma Hongjun's feet, sealing off the surrounding heat.

The Flame Pattern lit up along the Sun Wheel Blade.

Yuan Yu didn't force his own flames against Ma Hongjun's.

He held his blade crosswise, and a line of red-gold fire curled into a ring, containing the Evil Fire spilling from Ma Hongjun.

"Fatty, look at me."

Ma Hongjun gritted his teeth and looked over.

Yuan Yu said, "Stop trying to pull all of it back."

"The more you rush, the worse it gets."

"Let it flow toward my blade first."

Ma Hongjun panted.

"I can't."

"Then insult me."

Ma Hongjun froze.

Yuan Yu said earnestly, "Your fire bursts out when you get worked up, right? Aim it at me, not at her."

Xiao Wu's eyes widened.

"That works?"

Dai Mubai said quietly, "He's giving Fatty an outlet."

Ma Hongjun stared at Yuan Yu, his expression changing several times.

At last, he gritted his teeth and snapped, "You're the fatty!"

Yuan Yu nodded.

"Good. Keep going."

"So what if you're a twelve-year-old Soul King?"

"It is impressive."

"You've got no shame!"

"I count that as a strength too."

Ma Hongjun grew so angry that his flames surged forward.

Yuan Yu turned his wrist.

"Flame Breathing, Fourth Form."

"Blazing Flame Vortex!"

The red-gold ring of fire spun up, drawing the Evil Fire into its outer edge.

The flames hurt no one.

Nor did they spread.

The feverish heat in Ma Hongjun's body gradually subsided.

A few breaths later, his legs gave out. He sat on the ground, gasping for air.

Cuihua stood behind Tang San, watching with reddening eyes.

Ma Hongjun lowered his head.

"I'm sorry."

He said it so quietly.

But Cuihua heard him.

She didn't come closer. She merely nodded.

"Don't come back."

Ma Hongjun fell silent.

"Okay."

After Cuihua left, Xiao Wu looked at Ma Hongjun, her tone less sharp than before.

"What's going on with your martial soul?"

Dai Mubai sighed.

"The Evil Fire Phoenix. Fatty's extremely talented, but the Evil Fire turns against him."

Ma Hongjun gave a bitter smile.

"What good is talent if I can't even control myself?"

Yuan Yu sheathed his blade.

"It can be treated."

Ma Hongjun looked up.

"You know how?"

"Not yet."

Ma Hongjun's face fell again.

Yuan Yu said, "But venting isn't the only way to deal with fire. Medicinal herbs, careful control of your Soul Power, and changes to how you train should help over time."

The mention of medicinal herbs caught Tang San's attention.

He had known a great deal about medicinal plants in his previous life.

He simply had no suitable ingredients on hand.

"If we can find the right herbs, it may be worth a try."

Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

Tang San nodded.

"I can't promise anything, but we can look for a way."

Yuan Yu turned to Ma Hongjun.

"But let's get one thing straight."

Ma Hongjun looked up.

"What?"

"Next time the Evil Fire acts up, don't use a young woman as an outlet."

Ma Hongjun's face flushed red.

He wanted to argue, but when he looked in the direction Cuihua had gone, he swallowed his words.

Dai Mubai frowned, about to say something on Fatty's behalf.

Yuan Yu looked at him first.

"Boss Dai, I know you've had your own ways of dealing with this. But that doesn't make them right."

Dai Mubai said nothing.

Ma Hongjun said quietly, "I know."

Yuan Yu slid the Sun Wheel Blade fully into its sheath.

"If you can't control it, come to me. Come to Tang San or Teacher Zhao. Even go get scolded by the Dean. You're the Evil Fire Phoenix, not a slave to the Evil Fire."

Ma Hongjun went still.

The words weren't pleasant.

But they helped more than comfort would have.

He nodded firmly.

"Okay."

Ma Hongjun looked at Tang San, then at Yuan Yu.

He suddenly stood and cupped his hands toward them both.

"If you ever need Fatty's help, just say the word."

Yuan Yu smiled. "Then start by taking two fewer pieces of meat at dinner."

Ma Hongjun instantly looked wary.

"Not that."

Everyone laughed.

Only Yuan Yu lowered his gaze to the Sun Wheel Blade.

When Ma Hongjun apologized just now, the sixth Rosy Cloud Pattern stirred faintly again.

It hadn't glowed very brightly.

But it was clearer than it had been the night before.

The Rosy Cloud Pattern discerned the truth.

It saw more than lies.

It also saw the shame and sincerity a person kept hidden.

Yuan Yu sheathed his blade.

"Let's go."

Dai Mubai asked, "Where to?"

Yuan Yu looked toward Suotuo City.

"Aren't we fighting in the arena tonight?"

He smiled.

"Fatty was so worked up just now. A match should help him cool off."

Ma Hongjun's expression changed.

"Don't go making plans for me!"

Xiao Wu clapped her hands.

"Sounds good to me."

Oscar popped up from behind them.

"I'll sell sausages to support you."

Dai Mubai laughed too.

"Let's go. If we keep dawdling, the Dean will complain that we missed a match."

Tang San watched them bicker, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Looking at the group, Ma Hongjun suddenly felt his days ahead wouldn't be very peaceful.

But something that had weighed on him for a long time felt a little lighter today.

And that feeling wasn't bad at all.