Xuan Zi Gets Beaten Up Again

Shrek Inner Court, top floor of the Sea God Pavilion.

At this moment, the atmosphere on the top floor of the Sea God Pavilion was extremely heavy. Even the solemn and majestic aura that usually permeated the Sea God Hall seemed to become oppressive at this moment.

Yan Shaozhe stood anxiously in front of a cold jade bed, his gaze fixed on the quiet figure on the bed, his eyes filled with worry.

Ma Xiaotao was sleeping peacefully on the cold jade bed that exuded a strong chill. Her whole body was completely enveloped in a semi-transparent pale golden light shield, which suppressed the mutated Martial Soul within her body.

The Jade Bed originated from the Far North and possesses a chilling aura comparable to ten-thousand-year-old ice, which can continuously extinguish the restless flame within her.

The pale golden light shield was formed from the power of the remaining roots of the Golden Tree, Shrek's most precious treasure. It contained the purest light and life energy, constantly soothing her twisted soul.

Even with this two-pronged suppression, a deep, dark flame would still occasionally appear on Ma Xiaotao's body.

Each time that black flame appeared, it caused a subtle distortion in the surrounding space.

At this time, the light shield would immediately divert most of its power to suppress it, and the coldness of the Jade Bed would surge, rapidly consuming the energy it contained.

This is merely suppression, not a solution.

This only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause.

Yan Shaozhe knew very well that sooner or later, this protective barrier would eventually break down.

"So, still can't find a way to solve Xiaotao's depravity?" Yan Shaozhe's tone was somewhat anxious. He turned to look at the old man beside him, his voice full of hope, yet also afraid of receiving the answer he least wanted to hear.

The person he was asking was none other than Elder Zhuang, Shrek's only healing-type Titled Douluo.

Elder Zhuang Zhuang's expression was grave, his eyes filled with helplessness. He slowly shook his head. "Yan Shaozhe... it's still not working."

Yan Shaozhe's heart sank immediately.

Elder Zhuang sighed, walked to the bedside, carefully sensed the energy within Ma Xiaotao's body, and then said in a deep voice, "Xiaotao's problem is no longer physical; you could say... she no longer has any 'Evil Fire ' within her."

"Mu En is right." Elder Zhuang paused, his tone becoming exceptionally heavy, "Xiaotao's Martial Soul is not a fall, but an evolution."

"However, this time, the evolution has gone in the wrong direction."

"While she has indeed become more powerful, her Martial Soul has already entered the realm of Evil Soul Master."

"This... is irreversible."

"Elder Zhuang, is there really no way to resolve this?" Yan Shaozhe asked bitterly, his voice even trembling slightly. He knew the answer, but he still couldn't help but want to grasp at the last glimmer of hope.

Ma Xiaotao is a child he watched grow up, and a disciple he personally taught.

For Yan Shaozhe, who had no children of his own, Xiaotao was already no different from his own daughter.

He simply couldn't accept that he had just watched her walk into the abyss.

After a moment of silence, Elder Zhuang finally spoke slowly, "At least, it's beyond human power."

"Unless we directly shatter Xiaotao's Martial Soul, freeing her from its Martial Soul forever, we can only rely on external forces... external forces beyond the scope of human capabilities."

"External forces..." Yan Shaozhe murmured, repeating himself, his expression turning even more bitter.

He knew very well what Elder Zhuang meant by "external force".

It could be divine intervention, or perhaps a miraculous herb.

Aside from the most extreme option of turning Ma Xiaotao into an ordinary person, there are only these two paths in the world that offer even a sliver of hope to reverse the current situation.

To put it bluntly, this is not simply a matter of Evil Fire going out of control, but a leap in the level of life.

Ma Xiaotao's Martial Soul has evolved into the Darkness Ultimate Fire, a transformation that far exceeds the comprehension of humans.

They haven't even figured out how to elevate ordinary flames to the Ultimate Fire, so how could they possibly reverse the regression of the already-reached Darkness Ultimate Fire back to pure Ultimate Fire?

That would be giving far too much credit to these uncultured, roughnecks.

Of these two possible paths, only one is still somewhat plausible.

In the Douluo Continent, no miracles have occurred for countless years.

These followers of the Sea God, even though they still fervently believed in the existence of the deity, would never dare to hope that the Sea God, Shrek ancestors had long since become gods, would break this unshakable miracle that had stood for ten thousand years for the sake of a mere Ma Xiaotao.

Don't make your third brother laugh.

"Purification..." Elder Zhuang pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower!"

Yan Shaozhe suddenly raised his head, a glimmer of hope rekindling in his eyes. "Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower?"

"That's right." Elder Zhuang nodded, his tone becoming more serious. "According to the fragments of the ' Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record ' left by our ancestor Tang San, the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower our ancestor Ma Hongjun once consumed possessed the miraculous effect of purifying flames and enhancing their essence."

"Xiaotao's Ultimate Fire is not pure; it is Darkness Ultimate Fire mixed with dark energy."

"It is precisely this darkness that has led to her current extreme personality and the distortion of her Martial Soul."

"If she could consume the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, not only would the Darkness Ultimate Fire within her body be completely purified into the purest Ultimate Fire, but her Martial Soul would also undergo a complete transformation, reverting to a true Fire Phoenix."

As soon as Elder Zhuang finished speaking, the entire attic fell into a deathly silence once again.

The two fell silent at the same time.

A solution has been found.

But... how can I obtain that Immortal Herb?

Immortal Herb.

Two incredibly simple words, yet they represent the most unattainable legend on the Douluo Continent in the last ten thousand years.

Since the Shrek Seven Monsters of the Tang Sect ascended to immortality, no true celestial herb has ever appeared on the Douluo Continent.

Everyone knows that consuming even one Immortal Herb grants one the potential to become a god.

For thousands of years, countless people have devoted their entire fortunes and even traversed the four corners of the continent in search of a single Immortal Herb.

But among them, who has ever truly obtained something that can be considered a divine object?

This last glimmer of hope was extinguished completely at that moment.

"Are we really just going to watch Xiaotao walk into the abyss?" Yan Shaozhe's voice was strained as he looked at the sleeping Ma Xiaotao, his eyes slightly reddening.

He took her in from a young age, watched her grow up, taught her Martial Soul, taught her how to be a person, and taught her how to become a true Shrek Soul Master.

For his childless teacher, Xiaotao had long since transcended the realm of a disciple.

Faced with Elder Zhuang Zhuang's diagnosis, which was almost tantamount to a death sentence, Yan Shaozhe simply could not accept it.

"Ah..." A deep, heavy sigh echoed slowly from the top floor.

"Teacher." Yan Shaozhe quickly turned around and bowed slightly to the elderly man in a wheelchair at the door.

Mu En slowly pushed his wheelchair in. He had a full head of silver hair, an aged face, but his eyes still shone with wisdom.

His eyes were filled with exhaustion and a hint of unspeakable heartache.

"Yan Shaozhe, how many times have I told you, don't be too hasty in your actions." Mu En spoke slowly, his voice weak yet carrying an indescribable soothing quality. "There might be other ways to treat Xiaotao."

"Isn't little Yuhao growing up? When he matures, he might be able to suppress that flame for Xiaotao."

Yan Shaozhe opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he only nodded heavily.

How could he not understand this principle?

But can Ma Xiaotao really afford to wait?

Huo Yuhao, who had already become his junior brother, had only just obtained his Third Soul Ring and had just entered the most difficult period of cultivating the Ultimate Martial Soul.

Even if Shrek Academy poured all its resources into nurturing him, it would still take at least ten years, or even longer, for him to grow to the point where he could suppress Ma Xiaotao's rampaging Darkness Ultimate Fire.

But Ma Xiaotao... can she wait that long? She can't wait that long!

Moreover, Xuan Zi, who took Huo Yuhao to Soul Hunting, somehow offended Di Tian. When he returned, Elder Zhuang shook his head at the injuries on his body, and he is now lying in a hospital bed.

Mu En naturally understood Yan Shaozhe's expression.

He watched Yan Shaozhe grow up, from his youthful arrogance to his current position as the Dean of the Martial Soul Department at Shrek Academy. How could he not see through his disciple's every smile and frown?

However, he was also helpless in this matter.

well...