Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao

"First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fireline."

Ma Xiaotao decided to seize the initiative. As a high, impassioned phoenix cry rang through the skies, a lifelike phantom of a fire phoenix suddenly emerged behind her.

Blazing crimson flames burned all over the fire phoenix, instantly igniting the air around it.

The flames swiftly condensed into a scorching line of fire that shot toward Zhang Lexuan.

The searing heat caused the temperature of the beach to soar. Even the surrounding air seemed to catch fire, while the sand beneath them gradually showed signs of crystallizing under the intense heat.

Worthy of a Phoenix Martial Soul. Even with certain flaws, the terrifying temperature contained within its Phoenix True Fire was unexpectedly high, as though it could burn all things in the world to ashes.

"First Soul Skill, Moon Ring Broken Blade." Faced with Ma Xiaotao's fierce attack, Zhang Lexuan's expression remained unchanged as she gave a soft cry.

In an instant, her first soul ring shone brilliantly, and the phantom silver moon above her head released even denser silver moonlight.

The moonlight swiftly condensed into a sharp crescent-shaped sword aura. Accompanied by a piercing howl through the air, it streaked forward like a silver bolt of lightning, leaving a clear ripple in the air as it slashed straight toward the Phoenix Fireline.

The chilly moonlight carried a bone-piercing cold, as if it intended to disperse all the heat from the beach.

"Boom—"

With a deafening explosion, an invisible shockwave burst outward wildly from the point of impact.

A massive crater instantly appeared on the beach, utterly destroying the formerly smooth stretch of sand.

The flames produced by the explosion were astonishingly powerful, instantly burning the surrounding sand into clear, crystalline formations. Under the sunlight, they glittered with dazzling multicolored radiance, like a field of brilliant gems.

"Second Soul Skill, Fire Phoenix Bath. Third Soul Skill, Phoenix Wing Sky Soar."

Having failed to land her first strike, Ma Xiaotao was not discouraged. Instead, she immediately unleashed an even fiercer assault.

Her soul rings flashed as she instantly activated her second and third soul skills.

Surging flames poured from her body like a tide, tightly enveloping her from head to toe.

A pair of dazzling crimson wings, radiating scorching light, suddenly spread from her back. Each beat of those wings stirred waves of blistering air.

With the power of these two soul skills, Ma Xiaotao's body slowly rose from the ground and flew into the air.

Several long crimson phoenix tails trailed behind her, dancing in the wind. From afar, she looked like a true phoenix reborn from fire, emanating incomparable majesty and beauty.

Empowered by these two powerful soul skills, Ma Xiaotao not only gained the ability to fly freely through the air and seize the initiative in battle, but her various attributes were also greatly enhanced. Her strength surged instantly, and her entire aura changed.

"Second Soul Skill, Heavenly Dance Moon Wheel Sword."

Zhang Lexuan's cool voice echoed softly, like a message carried from an empty valley.

From within the silver moon hanging high in the sky, seven beams of nearly tangible moonlight suddenly descended. Like seven nimble streams of light, they instantly transformed into seven moonlight sword phantoms emanating a biting chill.

The sword phantoms spun rapidly around Zhang Lexuan, forming an impenetrable defensive sword formation. Their flashing cold light sent shivers down one's spine.

Zhang Lexuan brought two fingers together like a sharp sword and gave them a light sweep.

In an instant, the seven sword phantoms shot toward Ma Xiaotao in the air like flying swords that had received an order. With piercing shrieks, they streaked forward like meteors.

They were so fast that there was barely time to react, leaving only streaks of silver light flickering through the air.

Watching Ma Xiaotao get chased through the air by seven sharp sword phantoms twisting and weaving around her, Lu Jingming bit down on his straw. The corners of his lips unconsciously rose, his eyes filled with barely contained amusement.

Perhaps because she had studied swordsmanship under Jing Liu for so long, Zhang Lexuan had deliberately chosen soul beasts capable of granting sword-type soul skills when acquiring her soul skills.

Take this second soul skill, Heavenly Dance Moon Wheel Sword. When unleashed, it possessed the transcendent, fierce, and elegant bearing of an immortal swordsman.

However, Ma Xiaotao was, after all, an elite disciple of Shrek Academy. She spent most of her days in the Spirit Fighting Arena, tempered through countless battles. The combat experience she had accumulated was not something someone like Lu Jingming, who rarely participated in actual combat, could compare to.

She moved nimbly through the air like a swift swallow, relying on the astonishing speed granted by her soul skills to dart left and right as she evaded the frantic attacks of the seven sword phantoms.

At the same time, she suddenly spat out a torrent of incomparably scorching Phoenix True Fire, sweeping it toward the seven moon wheel swords in an attempt to wear down the sword phantoms' power with blazing flames.

The intense clash continued for a while. Although Ma Xiaotao successfully avoided the sword phantoms' encirclement and weakened the Moon Wheel Swords with Phoenix True Fire, the effort also consumed a great deal of her Soul Power.

She was now breathing slightly hard, her chest heaving violently. Her face had flushed like the rosy clouds from the sheer intensity of the battle.

Her clothes had also been badly damaged by the sword aura, revealing large patches of fair skin beneath them and lending her an unusual allure.

She had already done everything she could to evade the sword aura. Otherwise, it would not have been merely her clothes that suffered damage.

Ma Xiaotao was known throughout Shrek Academy as the "Flame Mad Demon." When had she ever suffered such a loss? Rage immediately surged into her heart, clouding her reason.

Her fourth soul ring shone brilliantly as her entire body turned into a dazzling blaze. Like a burning meteor, she charged fiercely toward Zhang Lexuan and shouted, "Fourth Soul Skill, Phoenix Howling Sky Strike!"

As the purple soul ring burst with radiant light, a blinding red glow instantly lit up beneath Zhang Lexuan's feet.

Immediately afterward, an incomparably thick pillar of flame shot into the sky, as if it intended to pierce the heavens.

The towering flames surged like a raging tide, instantly engulfing Zhang Lexuan completely. The scorching heat warped the surrounding air, and even the sand on the beach began to melt.

The corners of Ma Xiaotao's mouth lifted into a smug smile, as though she had already seen the dawn of victory.

Yet the next moment, the smile on her face froze instantly.

Because within that raging pillar of flame, Zhang Lexuan's fourth soul ring likewise shone with brilliant light. Gentle silver moonlight poured out like a tide, tightly enveloping her entire body.

To everyone's surprise, the Phoenix True Fire, originally so scorching and unstoppable, seemed to have encountered its natural enemy beneath the silver moonlight. It was forcibly repelled, utterly unable to harm Zhang Lexuan.