Yan Shaozhe and Ma Xiaotao

With just over a thousand years of cultivation, yet capable of matching Soul Beasts with over five thousand years of cultivation, the Blazing Phoenix Bird would be considered a genius capable of fighting above its level in the human world.

Of course, comparisons between humans and Soul Beasts were only approximate. To truly determine victory, defeat, strength, and weakness, they still had to fight.

Above Lu Jingming's right hand, dense black mist churned like a tide. Within the roiling darkness, a pitch-black spear slowly emerged.

The moment the spear appeared in the Living World, it exuded an oppressive aura. Without hesitation, Lu Jingming fiercely thrust the black spear in his hand at the Blazing Phoenix Bird, which had already lost its ability to resist. His movement was clean and decisive, without the slightest pause or uncertainty.

"Stop!" Just as the spear was about to touch the Blazing Phoenix Bird, a booming shout suddenly rang out like a great bell.

Yet Lu Jingming seemed not to hear it. His hand did not pause in the slightest as the black spear, carrying an unstoppable force, pierced straight into the Blazing Phoenix Bird's heart.

As the spear sank in, strange black motes of light flickered from its tip. Seemingly alive, those particles swiftly spread across the hard exoskeleton that protected the bird's heart core.

In an instant, that seemingly indestructible exoskeleton was easily broken down like fragile tofu. The process was soundless, yet it carried a power that sent chills down one's spine.

Only after a brilliant purple soul ring slowly emerged from the Blazing Phoenix Bird's body did Lu Jingming unhurriedly turn to look toward the source of the voice.

A dazzling golden light flashed past like lightning. Immediately afterward, a middle-aged man in a spotless white robe and a red-haired girl with a playful bun appeared before him.

The middle-aged man possessed an extraordinary bearing, radiating a calm and restrained aura. The red-haired girl, meanwhile, brimmed with energy. Her large eyes resembled lively stars, though they were now widened round with anger.

Seeing the dead Blazing Phoenix Bird, the middle-aged man's brows immediately furrowed tightly, his expression turning exceedingly ugly as faint displeasure and regret showed through.

The red-haired girl's eyes widened in disbelief. Then she planted her hands firmly on her hips and demanded loudly in a spoiled, willful tone, "Didn't I tell you to stop? Why did you still kill it?"

Lu Jingming merely gave them a faint glance, his gaze carrying a trace of disdain and indifference. His tone was calm, yet unyieldingly forceful. "You tell me to stop, and I'm supposed to stop? Why should I listen to you? Who do you think you are?"

"You!" The red-haired girl was left dumbfounded by Lu Jingming's merciless response, unable to speak for a moment.

She raised a hand and pointed at Lu Jingming, her mouth opening and closing, yet she could not find any suitable words to refute him.

She had never imagined that this little brat, who looked no more than six years old, would speak so forcefully and domineeringly, completely disregarding her.

"This is a Thousand-year Soul Beast! How old are you? Even if you killed it, you can't absorb its soul ring at all. This is simply a complete waste!"

The red-haired girl's small chest heaved violently with anger as her fiery temper instantly flared.

"Whether it's a waste or not is my business. What does it have to do with you?" Lu Jingming replied, but his gaze subtly shifted toward the white-robed middle-aged man who had remained silent.

In that brief moment, he keenly noticed that part of Jing Liu's attention was also focused on the white-robed middle-aged man.

Given what he knew of Jing Liu, that undoubtedly meant the man before them was no ordinary person.

"Hey, look at this temper of mine! You hateful little brat, I'm going to teach you a good lesson today!" The red-haired girl was so furious at Lu Jingming that she practically burst into flames—literally. Blazing fire coiled around her body as she prepared to charge at him, clearly intending to give Lu Jingming a vicious beating to vent her anger.

"Xiaotao, do not be rude." At that tense standoff, the white-robed middle-aged man finally spoke.

His voice was gentle, yet carried an authority that could not be defied. He first stopped the impulsive red-haired girl, then turned his gaze toward Jing Liu. With a modest smile, he cupped his hands in greeting and said, "I am Yan Shaozhe of Shrek Academy. May I ask who you are?"

Upon hearing the white-robed man announce his identity, Lu Jingming's brow rose slightly in surprise.

He had never expected such a coincidence—to encounter Shrek Academy's famed dean of the Martial Soul Department, Bright Phoenix Douluo Yan Shaozhe, here.

After thinking briefly, Lu Jingming's gaze fell upon the red-haired girl again. With that, the identity of this hot-tempered girl became obvious.

Judging by the timeline and their ages, he was about the same age as Beibei and Xu Sanshi, while Ma Xiaotao should be around five years older than him.

From her appearance and temperament, the red-haired girl before him indeed looked to be around twelve years old.

And Yan Shaozhe had just affectionately called her "Xiaotao." Putting all the clues together, Lu Jingming was basically certain that she was Ma Hongjun's descendant, the Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Xiaotao.

"Jing Liu." Jing Liu's tone was as indifferent as ever. Those two simple words served as her reply to Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe's mouth twitched slightly. He had already introduced himself and invoked the name of Shrek Academy, expecting the other party to show at least some courtesy. Yet she had merely given a name—one he had never even heard before.

This truly left him somewhat helpless, and a faint dissatisfaction arose within him.

Still, he forcibly suppressed those emotions. After all, he could not see through Jing Liu's true strength at all.

That fact alone made him wary. This was not Shrek Academy's territory, but the perilous Star Dou Great Forest.

If he carelessly provoked a truly powerful figure, he himself would not be afraid, but Ma Xiaotao at his side would be in danger.

As her teacher, he had to ensure his student's safety no matter what.

"Your Excellency, we have been tracking this Blazing Phoenix Bird for quite some time. And as you know, it is a Thousand-year Soul Beast. Given this child's age, he is not suited to absorb its soul ring. Wasn't this course of action somewhat improper?"

Yan Shaozhe did his best to keep his tone as calm as possible. Under normal circumstances, if anyone else dared to disregard Shrek Academy like this, even if he would not immediately start fighting over a Thousand-year Soul Beast, he would at least punish them lightly and make them understand that Shrek Academy's authority was not to be offended.

But when facing Jing Liu, his instincts continually warned him that he had to proceed with utmost caution.