Ma Xiaotao

Outside a Quiet Chamber on Sea God Island.

Hiss! Hiss!

Scorching waves of fire swept through the gaps around the heavy, tightly shut stone door, baking the bluestone floor until wisps of white smoke rose from it.

An oppressive heat filled the air.

Inside the Quiet Chamber, a tall, voluptuous red-haired woman sat slumped on a jade bed, drained of strength and panting hard.

She wore a fitted red outfit that traced her striking curves and slender waist. Her long, shapely legs were pressed together. Though her face was flushed and sweat drenched her body, she still radiated a wild allure that set the blood racing.

Yet her phoenix eyes were filled with agitation and pain.

"Damn Evil Fire..."

The woman bit her lower lip and clutched at her collar.

Ma Xiaotao.

The dazzling prodigy of Shrek Academy's Inner Court had reached the astonishing rank of level sixty-four Soul Emperor at barely twenty years of age!

But for all her extraordinary talent, the fatal flaw in her Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul grew more terrifying as her strength increased. If she let the Evil Fire rage unchecked, it would not be long before she lost her mind completely and became a madwoman driven only to kill and sate her desires!

To suppress it, she had barely dared to cultivate at full strength lately. Her cultivation was stuck fast at level sixty-four. How could someone as proud as she was not feel stifled enough to scream?!

Click.

The stone door slowly opened, and a tall, scholarly-looking middle-aged man stepped inside. Seeing Ma Xiaotao in such a state, he could not hide the helplessness and pain in his eyes.

He was Yan Shaozhe, dean of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department and the Bright Phoenix Douluo.

"Xiaotao, I told you long ago that haste makes waste. In your current state, you must not forcefully push through your meridians."

Yan Shaozhe sighed and spoke gently.

"Teacher! Am I supposed to just sit here and waste away?!"

Ma Xiaotao jerked her head up when he entered. Red light flickered unsteadily in her phoenix eyes, hinting that she was close to losing control. Through clenched teeth, she said, "You told me the Evil Fire can only be cured completely if I find a Soul Master with an Ultimate Ice Martial Soul and join yin and yang with him!"

"But that kind of once-in-ten-thousand-years Ultimate Attribute is so rare on Douluo Continent! How long am I supposed to wait?!"

Hearing the tears in her voice, Yan Shaozhe gave a bitter smile. He opened his mouth, but for a moment he had no idea how to comfort her.

Ultimate Ice was among the rarest and most supreme attributes in the world. Even after Shrek Academy had searched the entire continent for years, they had not found a single trace of it.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

Just as the oppressive silence grew suffocating, a rapid rush of air sounded outside. A curvaceous woman in a dark green robe swept into the room.

"Yan Shaozhe! Xiaotao! Wonderful news!"

Cai Mei'er's breathless voice rang out as her elegant, excited face came into view.

"Mei'er? Weren't you patrolling the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Yan Shaozhe blinked, then frowned in puzzlement.

Cai Mei'er was usually composed and steady. When had she ever looked so flustered?

She clearly had no thought for maintaining a vice dean's dignity now. Her voice rang with excitement:

"I found him! I found him! Yan Shaozhe, Xiaotao can be saved!"

"What?!"

Yan Shaozhe's expression froze. Ma Xiaotao shuddered and shot off the jade bed like a cannonball, landing before Cai Mei'er. Her voice trembled:

"Dean Cai! What did you just say?! What do you mean, saved?!"

"Easy, Xiaotao."

Cai Mei'er patted the back of Ma Xiaotao's hand, took a deep breath, and said each word distinctly: "I met a young man on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. He has a genuine Ultimate Ice Martial Soul!"

"Ultimate Ice?!"

Even Yan Shaozhe, a level ninety-five Super Douluo, could not keep his eyelids from twitching. Shock swept over his face!

"Mei'er, are you sure you didn't sense it wrong?! How could Ultimate Ice, unseen for ten thousand years, turn up in the Star Dou Great Forest?!"

Yan Shaozhe asked urgently.

"There's no mistake!"

Cai Mei'er shook her head with absolute certainty. Recalling the terrifying cold Dongfang Hao had unleashed, she said gravely:

"He released only a trace of Soul Power, yet within dozens of yards, even the moisture in the air froze into tiny crystals. That pure cold felt as though it could freeze the soul itself. It could only be Ultimate Ice!"

"And... I've already brought him back to Sea God Island. He's staying at my residence right now!"

"Heaven is helping me! Heaven really is helping me!"

Ma Xiaotao was beside herself with joy. She breathed like a bellows, waves of scorching air pouring from her pores.

She had endured enough of this torment that made life worse than death!

Now that a chance to survive was right before her, she did not want to wait another second!

But after his initial shock, Yan Shaozhe's brows slowly drew together. Doubt crept across his scholarly face.

"Mei'er, this seems rather too convenient..."

Hands clasped behind his back, Yan Shaozhe paced the Quiet Chamber. "Ultimate Ice, which the continent hasn't seen in ten thousand years, appears neither sooner nor later, but precisely when Xiaotao can barely suppress her Evil Fire—and right in front of you. Could some faction be plotting against Shrek from the shadows?"

Shrek was a tall tree that drew the wind. Countless enemies watched the Sea God Pavilion, openly and in secret. He could not afford to be careless.

"Oh, Yan Shaozhe! Being suspicious on ordinary days is one thing, but the boy is already here. Why don't we examine him ourselves? Then the truth will come out!"

Irritated by Yan Shaozhe's dithering, Cai Mei'er shot him a glare and urged him on.

Yan Shaozhe's gaze flickered, and he nodded.

He remained wary, but an Ultimate Ice Martial Soul could not be faked. Whatever the boy's purpose, if Xiaotao's Evil Fire could be cured, everything else would be manageable!

After all, on Sea God Island, even the most elaborate scheme would fail to stir so much as a ripple against Mu En and the other Sea God Pavilion Elders!

"Let's go to your Pavilion!"

Yan Shaozhe swept his sleeve and hesitated no longer.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three piercing bursts of air tore across the sky above Sea God Island. The three became streaks of light and raced toward Cai Mei'er's secluded Pavilion!

A few breaths later.

The Pavilion's doors flew open with a crash.

Dongfang Hao sat calmly in a carved rosewood chair in the main hall. At the loud entrance, he paused, then slowly raised his head.

Three figures had appeared in the center of the hall as if from nowhere.

His dark-gold Golden Eyes narrowed slightly. His gaze first fell on the young woman with fiery red hair and a breathtaking figure.

Her generous curves and long, shapely legs, brimming with wild strength, gave her the allure of an untamed mare. The violent fire energy radiating from her sent the hall's temperature soaring.

Those curves and that figure... She must be Ma Xiaotao of the Evil Fire Phoenix.

Dongfang Hao made his silent assessment, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly.

Then his gaze shifted to the scholarly middle-aged man beside Cai Mei'er.

Beneath the man's courteous appearance lay the appraising gaze of someone long accustomed to authority. Cold mockery flashed through Dongfang Hao's eyes as he recognized him:

The dean of Shrek's Martial Soul Department... Yan Shaozhe?

While Dongfang Hao studied them, Ma Xiaotao's phoenix eyes, glowing with a violent red light, locked onto him!

Before Yan Shaozhe could even begin questioning him, Ma Xiaotao lost control!

Boom!

Frenzied dark-red flames erupted from Ma Xiaotao's body, turning her into a furious fire phoenix. She drove her long legs against the floor and lunged like a starving tiger pouncing on its prey!

Sickly longing and heat filled her beautiful, wild face. Both hands blazed with fire as she reached straight for Dongfang Hao!