Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were still puzzled, but out on the lake, a fiery-red figure was skimming across the water at tremendous speed, drawing ever closer as she charged toward them.
"An upperclassman from the Inner Court?" The two exchanged astonished looks.
But Jiang Hai knew that Ma Xiaotao was completely different from the woman he had seen during the assessment a few days earlier. The backlash of her evil fire had driven her out of control.
Jiang Hai did not dare gamble that the rampaging Ma Xiaotao would fail to discover him lying still beneath the lake's surface, nor did he dare gamble that Huo Yuhao's Sky Dream Ice Silkworm would definitely intervene to subdue her.
So he had to step forward.
Ma Xiaotao was simply too fast. In the space of a distracted moment, she had already reached the middle of Sea God Lake and was rapidly closing in on them. Run? Their speed could not compare to hers. Every time she leaped, ripples spread across the lake, and she drew nearer at terrifying speed.
As she approached, they could even make out the purplish-red flames around her. Not only were Ma Xiaotao's clothes red, but her hair was red as well, making her look like a drifting crimson cloud.
She had a slender figure and wore a grotesque mask, yet her entire body radiated a terrifying ferocity, like some dreadful soul beast.
"This Inner Court upperclassman's cultivation is incredible! She's running straight across the lake!" Wang Dong exclaimed. She even thought the red figure looked somewhat familiar, completely oblivious to the approaching danger.
"Diamond Body!" Jiang Hai growled. Golden light washed over him, turning his entire body into a little golden figure.
"Spiritual Detection, Spiritual Sharing!" Huo Yuhao also placed his full trust in Jiang Hai. His spirit eyes shone as he activated two skills from his first soul ring, sharing an enhanced field of perception with Jiang Hai.
Everything before Jiang Hai's eyes became exceptionally clear. Coupled with his powerful mind, every movement Ma Xiaotao made appeared distinctly in his awareness. He could even predict her next move.
"Fall back!" Jiang Hai barked. His blood surged with power, and he poured all his soul power into the Bronze Coffin. It instantly blazed with light. He struck it with all his strength, sending it flying toward Ma Xiaotao.
Before it even reached her, the glow of soul power around the Bronze Coffin rapidly dimmed. Terrifying heat engulfed it, as though the coffin itself were about to melt.
The Bronze Coffin flew directly into Ma Xiaotao's path, but with a thunderous crash, it was hurled back at an even more terrifying speed and slammed into Jiang Hai.
Pfft!
Terrifying force swept through him like an upheaval of rivers and seas. Jiang Hai was sent flying backward, spraying a mouthful of blood onto the Bronze Coffin.
Wang Dong finally realized something was wrong. The aura surrounding Ma Xiaotao was far too frenzied; she did not seem like a normal person at all.
With a swish, azure wings unfurled behind Wang Dong. She grabbed Huo Yuhao and took flight.
"Brother Jiang!" Huo Yuhao cried anxiously.
Wang Dong gritted her teeth and muttered, "You're going to get me killed sooner or later!" Even so, she flew toward Jiang Hai's tumbling figure.
But the Bronze Coffin had failed to delay Ma Xiaotao at all. Her terrifying figure was already upon them. Under the impact of her scorching aura, Wang Dong's wings buckled, leaving her unable to fly.
The disparity in soul power was too great. Wang Dong had only just tried to mobilize her soul power when the searing blast knocked her unconscious.
Huo Yuhao's cultivation was even lower than Wang Dong's, but his second martial soul activated, allowing him to endure one second longer. Then bronze light flashed, and a powerful pull erupted, drawing both him and Wang Dong inside.
The Bronze Coffin had already flown close to them. Its lid opened, and Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were pulled inside. Holding Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao saw Jiang Hai's deathly pale face. He was about to speak when terrifying heat rushed toward them. Then golden light blazed, and Ma Xiaotao's figure vanished without a trace.
The Golden Coffin sealed shut. Jiang Hai immediately leaped onto it and directed all his soul power into suppressing it.
But terrifying heat radiated from the Golden Coffin. It was on the verge of melting.
Jiang Hai's expression changed. With a low roar, a tremendous power suddenly erupted from within him.
"Borrow Strength!"
Inside the Golden Coffin, the evil fire surrounding Ma Xiaotao had already burned Lin Youtian's corpse to ash and smoke. Naturally, the strength Jiang Hai borrowed belonged to Ma Xiaotao.
Scorching, violent fire energy burned through Jiang Hai's body. Without the slightest hesitation, he took out a Mystic Water Pill and swallowed it. Its medicinal power swiftly dissolved, resisting that terrifying force.
Meanwhile, Ma Xiaotao's movements inside the Golden Coffin grew weaker and weaker. Under the suppression of both the Golden Coffin and the Bronze Coffin, the wisps of evil energy surrounding her dissolved into ash and smoke. Though this was not enough to restore her clarity immediately, she became much calmer, sparing Jiang Hai the need to divide his attention to suppress her struggles.
"Is this the true form of Brother Jiang's martial soul? There's another coffin inside this one. What an amazing martial soul!" Huo Yuhao had also regained his composure. In a few brief moments, Jiang Hai had suppressed the Inner Court upperclassman who had suddenly appeared, before Huo Yuhao could even react.
Outside, more than a dozen figures flew over at astonishing speed, reaching the lakeshore in an instant. A bronze coffin hovered in the air, radiating dazzling bronze light.
"How dare you! An Evil Soul Master openly appearing at Shrek Academy and ambushing Xiaotao!" At the sight of the Bronze Coffin, one of them flew into a rage. He thrust out a large hand. The natural energy of heaven and earth gathered, forming a terrifying palm imprint that slammed straight into the Bronze Coffin.
The Bronze Coffin shuddered. Inside, Jiang Hai's expression changed, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.
"Brother Jiang!" Huo Yuhao also felt the violent tremor running through the coffin. His expression changed as he called out anxiously.
"I'm fine!" Jiang Hai growled. The newcomer was powerful, but he was currently borrowing Ma Xiaotao's strength, pushing his own power to its limit.
"Diamond Body!" Golden light poured over him, instantly turning his body gold. A layer of gold also spread across the Bronze Coffin as it bore down on the white-robed man who had attacked them.
"How dare you!" the white-robed man roared. Soul rings rose from beneath his feet, two yellow, two purple, and three black. He was actually a Soul Saint as well.
The white-robed man unleashed another palm strike, driving it toward the Bronze Coffin to suppress it!
"Teacher Chen, please show mercy!" A cool, clear voice rang out from afar. A bright moon rose, and an unrivaled figure in white appeared before the Bronze Coffin, driving the white-robed man back with a single palm strike.
The white-robed man staggered backward. Looking at the newcomer in disbelief, he asked, "Lexuan, what are you doing here?"
Zhang Lexuan stood beside the now-still Bronze Coffin, her exquisite bearing aloof from the mortal world. "Teacher Chen, there must be some misunderstanding. This martial soul belongs to a friend of mine. He isn't a bad person!"
Even Zhang Lexuan had not expected Jiang Hai to withstand a blow from Teacher Chen.
At that moment, the white-robed elder leading the group approached. Looking at Zhang Lexuan, he asked, "Lexuan, what is going on?"
Zhang Lexuan glanced at the Bronze Coffin. It trembled, and its lid opened. Jiang Hai stepped out alongside Huo Yuhao, who was carrying Wang Dong. Huo Yuhao's eyes were full of anger. They had nearly died inside Shrek Academy, and then one of its teachers had attacked them without distinguishing right from wrong.
Everyone's gaze converged on Jiang Hai, and they could not help feeling astonished. So young? A school uniform-an Outer Court student?
Pfft!
Jiang Hai spat out a mouthful of blood and nearly collapsed. A fragrant breeze swept over him as Zhang Lexuan caught him, asking anxiously, "Are you all right?"
Jiang Hai smiled. "Sister Xuan, we meet again!"
At the same time, the Golden Coffin trembled, and Ma Xiaotao's unconscious body flew out. The powerful aura surrounding Jiang Hai vanished like smoke in an instant, returning to its true level.
A white-robed elder caught Ma Xiaotao and pressed his right hand against her shoulder. White soul power immediately flowed into her body. After a while, an exceedingly strange expression appeared on his face. Ma Xiaotao's brows twitched, and she opened her eyes. "Elder Lin!"
"Xiaotao, you're awake! Are you all right?" the white-robed elder immediately asked with concern. Everyone's gaze converged on her again, surprise in their eyes. Ma Xiaotao had actually awakened again after an outbreak of her evil fire?
"I'm fine." Ma Xiaotao struggled to stand. Looking at the pale-faced Jiang Hai, she smiled. "Junior brother, your senior sister owes you a big thank-you this time!"
"Junior brother?" The white-robed elder frowned.
Ma Xiaotao explained quietly, "My teacher has taken an interest in Jiang Hai and intends to accept him as a disciple!"
The white-robed elder nodded. "I see. Yan Shaozhe certainly has a good eye. Teacher Li, sorry for the trouble, but please examine these students. Xiaotao, let's head back!"
The group streamed away, leaving Zhang Lexuan and the young white-robed Support System soul master who had treated everyone earlier that day.
The white-robed young man walked up to Jiang Hai, surprise flashing through his eyes, then looked at Zhang Lexuan. She released Jiang Hai, and a green Tree of Life took shape. A vast surge of vitality washed over him, instantly healing the injuries inside his body.
The Inner Court, Sea God Island.
Everyone else left, leaving only the white-robed elder and another exceptionally handsome young man. The white-robed elder glanced at the handsome young man and asked, "Xiaotao, what exactly happened today? Didn't we tell you not to cultivate recklessly? And your evil fire?"
Ma Xiaotao stuck out her tongue. "I know I was wrong. But Teacher, Elder Lin, I think I've found a way to resolve my evil fire problem!"
Yan Shaozhe asked, "Jiang Hai?"
"Teacher, you knew?" Ma Xiaotao asked in surprise.
Yan Shaozhe smiled. "Do you think your teacher hasn't looked into anything? A bronze coffin that suppresses evil-Jiang Hai's martial soul is no ordinary thing. I thought that once he grew stronger, he might be able to suppress the evil fire within you. But now it seems to be capable of far more than that. Could you explain in detail?"
Ma Xiaotao nodded and recounted everything from beginning to end.
Yan Shaozhe said in amazement, "A coffin hidden within a coffin. What a remarkable boy! It seems his martial soul is even more extraordinary than I imagined. Moreover, it should possess the ability to borrow strength temporarily. The power he suddenly unleashed should have come from you. From the looks of it, the two of you may complement each other. Perhaps he can help you without us having to wait for him to grow stronger!"
Before you continue