Bibi Dong's strength had already surpassed Tang San's expectations.
If they could not slay her here today, she would surely become the greatest obstacle to the Tang Sect, to the Heaven Dou Empire, and even to his path to godhood!
Make her surrender?
No!
That was not enough!
Even stripped of her Soul Power, Bibi Dong would still hold immense influence over the Spirit Hall Empire.
What he wanted was her life!
Moreover, he had to make the Heaven Dou Imperial Family see that only the death of the Spirit Hall Empire's Supreme Pontiff had bought peace for their empire.
Only then could his Tang Sect rightfully attach itself to the Heaven Dou Empire like a parasite, drawing nourishment from the entire empire to grow and flourish!
To kill her, he had to make her expose an opening.
And a woman's greatest opening came when she lost control of her emotions.
How could he drive her completely mad?
"..."
Tang San's gaze fell on Ning Lin, his eyes turning deep and resolute.
"Fatty."
Tang San spoke. His voice was quiet, yet it carried clearly across the entire square.
"What are you doing? Who told you to waste words on him?"
"..."
Ma Hongjun froze, then turned toward Tang San in confusion. "Third Brother, I..."
Tang San gave him no chance to explain. Instead, he issued an order that made everyone's scalp prickle.
"Do it."
"Kill him."
Those few words swept through the crowd like a frigid wind from the deepest underworld, instantly freezing the atmosphere!
Kill... him?
Ma Hongjun was utterly stunned.
Weren't they supposed to use him to force Bibi Dong to surrender?
Why kill him?
If they killed their only bargaining chip, what would they use to keep that madwoman in check?!
"Don't you dare!"
Bibi Dong's voice was shrill. The Soul Power within her began to rampage uncontrollably, as though she might throw caution to the wind and charge over at any moment!
"Third Brother, this..." Ma Hongjun was still hesitating.
"I told you to do it!"
Tang San's voice abruptly rose. His Purple Demon Eye blazed with light, and a powerful surge of Spiritual Power stabbed viciously at Ma Hongjun!
"That's an order!"
Ma Hongjun shuddered. In Tang San's eyes, he saw a will that brooked no resistance.
He understood at once.
Third Brother wants to... drive Bibi Dong mad!
After a moment's hesitation, a savage grin spread across Ma Hongjun's face.
"Heh heh... heh heh heh..."
He laughed with unbridled delight.
Since Third Brother had given the word, what did he have left to worry about?
He stopped pretending, too.
"Ning Lin, oh, Ning Lin. Did you hear that? My Third Brother wants you dead!"
Ma Hongjun lowered his head and leaned close to Ning Lin's ear, whispering smugly in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Who cares whether you were falsely accused? Who cares whether that female Soul Master was part of Spirit Hall's plot!"
"Today, you have to die!"
"Who told you to stand in our way? You're just a lowly city lord. You should feel honored to become a pawn used to bring down the Spirit Hall Empire's Supreme Pontiff!"
His hand around Ning Lin's neck slowly began to tighten.
He wanted to take his time savoring the expression on this man's face as he died in despair.
Yet.
A faint smile suddenly tugged at Ning Lin's face, which had remained calm throughout, even with Ma Hongjun's hand around his neck.
"Finally... done pretending?"
Ning Lin's voice rang out.
"I waited so long just to hear you say that."
Ma Hongjun faltered, not yet understanding what those words meant.
The next second.
Everything changed!
Boom!
Without warning, a burst of golden flame erupted from within Ning Lin!
The flame was domineering, searing, and regal, like an emperor among flames!
Before this golden flame, the Evil Fire Ma Hongjun took such pride in was like a beast facing its natural predator. It could not even muster the thought of resistance before it was instantly devoured and assimilated!
"Aah!"
Ma Hongjun let out an agonized scream!
His right hand, which had been gripping Ning Lin's neck, instantly turned charred black as though seared by a branding iron, wisps of smoke rising from it!
To his horror, he discovered that the Evil Fire inside him was being ravenously devoured by an even more terrifying flame!
This was not merely the suppression of his Martial Soul, but absolute domination at the very origin of his flames!
"When it comes to playing with fire..."
Ning Lin slowly raised his head. At some point, his pitch-black eyes had become two blazing golden suns.
At that moment, his voice regained its clear resonance, carrying an arrogance that looked down upon the world.
"I'm your damned ancestor!"
Before his words had faded!
Boom!
Another burst of flame, this one azure, rose from Ning Lin's other hand!
The azure flame seemed gentle, yet it contained terrifying power capable of purifying all things!
Gold and azure!
Two mighty Heavenly Flames erupted at once!
Crack! Crack!
Under the scorching heat of these two Heavenly Flames, the dark iron chains binding Ning Lin snapped apart inch by inch like brittle, rotten wood!
Ning Lin stood up.
Under Ma Hongjun's terrified gaze, Ning Lin swept his hand back. Wreathed in azure flame, it moved as fast as lightning and clamped directly around Ma Hongjun's throat!
In an instant, attacker and defender traded places!
"Urgh... urgh..."
Ma Hongjun's screams caught in his throat.
All he could feel was wave after wave of incomparably pure flame power pouring through Ning Lin's hand into every limb and bone, burning his meridians and devouring his Martial Soul Origin!
It was a searing pain that rose from his very soul!
Sizzle...
The golden Emperor Flame and azure Lotus Flame intertwined, completely enveloping Ma Hongjun's obese body.
Even the air filled with the charred aroma of... roasted meat.
"AAAAAAAH!!!"
An agonized scream, so shrill it no longer sounded human, finally broke free of his throat and resounded across Heaven Dou Square.
The entire crowd once again fell deathly silent.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Tang San was dumbfounded. Tang Hao was dumbfounded. Sword Douluo was dumbfounded. Bibi Dong was dumbfounded, too.
Their minds went blank as they stared vacantly at the inconceivable scene on the Judgment Platform.
One second, Ma Hongjun had been holding a hostage and flaunting his might.
The next second, how... how had Ning Lin ended up holding Ma Hongjun in one hand and roasting a phoenix on the spot?
Wait...
What on earth was going on?
Wasn't City Lord Ning Lin an ordinary man whose powers had been crippled?
How had he... seemingly turned the tables on Ma Hongjun?!
In Heaven Dou Square, tens of thousands of citizens, together with those lofty Soul Master powerhouses.
Their gazes were riveted to the Judgment Platform.
A man who should have been a prisoner was holding a charred, human-shaped figure in one hand.
That human-shaped figure still twitched faintly, making broken, wheezing rasps. The scorched aroma hanging in the air testified to the horrific roasting he had just endured.
That was... Ma Hongjun, the "Evil Fire Phoenix."
One of the Shrek Seven Devils, a future Titled Douluo.
Now, however, he dangled from Ning Lin's hand like a dead dog.
The sight overturned everything they knew.
It was utterly absurd!
Before you continue