Evil Fire Phoenix, Myriad Bladed Radiance (Part 2)

The burly young man pinned to the ground by the red-haired woman, utterly unable to resist, looked as though he had seen a savior descend from heaven the instant he spotted Ling Bai. He cried out hoarsely:

"Big brother, save—"

The moment he spoke, Ling Bai snapped back to his senses. "Sorry to interrupt. Please, carry on!"

Casting interrupted!

Then!

Door shut!

Run!

Damn, it's her!

After opening the door, Ling Bai had clearly seen the red-haired woman's crimson eyes blazing with madness, as well as the searing flames behind her condensed into the shape of a phoenix!

Evil Fire Phoenix Ma Xiaotao!

The black shield on the ground was the shield armor of the top-tier martial soul, the Dark Tortoise. The identity of the howling young man was obvious!

Dark Tortoise, Xu Sanshi!

"Unlucky, unlucky, unlucky..."

His neighbor was a living volcano, the kind that could erupt at any time!

Ma Xiaotao had inherited the Phoenix martial soul of her ancestor, Ma Hongjun, but she had also been tainted by the troublesome evil fire. Before Huo Yuhao fused with the Ice Empress, she had constantly dragged Xu Sanshi, whose Dark Tortoise martial soul possessed both water and earth attributes, over to resolve her evil fire problem. Tonight was one such occasion, and Ling Bai had happened to walk right into it!

Wind rushed beneath Ling Bai's feet, and he wished he could grow two more legs. Judging from Ma Xiaotao's Soul Power fluctuations just now, she had definitely broken through to Six Rings, a Soul Emperor—twenty full levels above Ling Bai!

The fewer troubles, the better. Running was the best plan!

Boom—

Ling Bai suddenly tilted his head. A Phoenix Fire Line as thick as a bowl grazed past his ear and spiraled into the ground before him. After the lingering sound faded, the flames ignited the surrounding plants. Firelight spread everywhere, and thick smoke billowed into the sky.

"Stop!"

A voice brimming with wild, explosive force rang out like thunder. Ling Bai turned around with an icy expression, his golden eyes locking onto Ma Xiaotao as she stepped out of the room. He raised his index and middle fingers together and lightly touched the rim of his ear, which stung from the scorching heat.

"Got guts."

In the web-like world formed by Spider Emperor Sense, if Chu Qingtian's malice toward him was a tiny flame, then Ma Xiaotao's malice at this moment was practically a blazing giant of fire!

With a sweep of his gaze, Ling Bai caught sight of a sneaky figure inching along the wall from inside the room, slowly moving toward the outside.

Xu Sanshi!

"Heh... heh heh... Big brother!"

Sensing that he had been discovered, Xu Sanshi's furtive steps halted, and he gave Ling Bai an awkward yet polite smile.

"Run. If you get caught up in this later, I'm not taking responsibility."

Ling Bai spoke flatly. Xu Sanshi was only a three-ringed Soul Elder right now, and most of his Soul Power had been depleted while removing Ma Xiaotao's evil fire. Staying here would make him nothing more than dead weight. Better to let him get far away and settle the score later!

"Sure! Don't worry about me, Big Brother. I'm a fast runner!"

The moment he heard that, Xu Sanshi took off at once, diving headfirst into Sea God Lake and vanishing without a trace.

"...Fine. A turtle probably won't drown in water."

Ling Bai withdrew his gaze and turned to Ma Xiaotao, whose entire body blazed with flames. She was absolutely not comparable to a half-baked new Inner Academy student like Chu Qingtian. With Shrek Inner Academy's buffs stacked upon a top-tier Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul close to Ultimate Fire, she was undeniably an expert even among Soul Emperors on the Douluo Continent!

But Ling Bai had never been the type to swallow his anger. A Soul Emperor—so what?

Ling Bai took a deep breath and roared, "Angel Domain!"

Buzz—

The air shattered like the surface of a lake, rippling with countless shimmering golden rays!

Holy light crisscrossed!

Sword energy ran rampant!

A brilliant golden domain descended out of nowhere!

The innate domain of the Six-Winged Angel, Angel Domain!

Effect: The area covered by Angel Domain was filled with sacred power. Ling Bai's overall attributes increased by twenty percent, Soul Power consumption was reduced by fifty percent, and all enemy attributes were weakened by twenty percent while Angel Purification was continuously applied. All elements within the domain were purified into sacred attributes, constantly eroding the opponent's Soul Power!

The Six-Winged Angel, also known as the Six-Winged Seraph, was the representative of holiness, light, and flame. Through Angel Domain, Ling Bai could absorb the power of the sun to replenish and restore his Soul Power while accelerating the healing of his injuries!

Enhanced by sacred power, the Angel Holy Sword's sword energy evolved into sacred sword energy, greatly increasing its attack power and penetration. Sacred sword energy suppressed all non-Ultimate attributes equally, and against enemies with dark or evil attributes, its power doubled!

The moment Angel Domain appeared, the endless sacred power became as obedient as his own limbs and fingers. Ling Bai felt as though he had gained a new measure of control over this stretch of heaven and earth!

Though Ma Xiaotao was controlled by evil fire, the battle instincts she had honed over the years remained. She keenly sensed the suppression that the sacred attribute exerted over Phoenix Flame and immediately condensed a layer of flame barrier. Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black—her yellow First Soul Ring flashed, and crimson Phoenix Flame shot forth in a straight vertical line!

First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line!

"Evil-warding Slash!"

The Angel Holy Sword, carrying sacred sword energy, slashed out. Even after gaining her Fourth Soul Skill, Evil-warding Slash remained the Six-Winged Angel's strongest single-target attack Soul Skill!

Boom—

Smoke rose from Ma Xiaotao's Phoenix Flame barrier. The torrent of flames, cleaved in two, swept past Ling Bai's body and landed on the innocent plants of Sea God Island. White smoke and scorching residual heat rose from them, but the sacred power of Angel Domain instantly annihilated them.

Crack, crack, crack... boom!

The flame barrier groaned under the strain, then shattered explosively under Ma Xiaotao's stunned gaze!

Evil-warding Slash, enhanced by Angel Domain, was terrifying indeed!

"Radiant Spirit Array · Binding!"

Against Chu Qingtian, Ling Bai could show mercy with his crushing strength. Against Ma Xiaotao, whose Soul Power exceeded his by twenty levels, he would not hold back in the slightest!

Magnificent seven-pointed star formations bloomed beneath her feet like stars lighting up one by one. Sacred power gathered into chains that locked around Ma Xiaotao's limbs!

"Dean, am I seeing this right? Xiaotao was actually restrained by a four-ringed Soul Ancestor?"

High in the sky, two figures stood side by side. The figure on the left rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing.

The figure addressed as Dean watched Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao on Sea God Island with great interest. "He looks completely unfamiliar. Is he one of this year's new students? A Six-Winged Angel... excellent, a legendary god-tier martial soul!"

By the end, the Dean's tone had unconsciously risen.

The figure on the left understood the Dean's excitement perfectly. Any one of the Six-Winged Angel's god-tier talents was something ordinary martial souls could only dream of attaining.

Ultimate attributes were generally considered the pinnacle of martial souls, but for the Six-Winged Angel, they were merely the stepping stone to becoming a god-tier martial soul. It was born with Ultimate Holiness!

The most outrageous aspect of the Six-Winged Angel was the Angel God's protection within its bloodline. Its cultivation speed would not decrease because of Ultimate Holiness, avoiding the sole weakness of Ultimate attributes—the reduced cultivation speed after level thirty!

Domain-type skills had always been something one could encounter only by chance. Soul Masters generally only had a chance of obtaining a domain upon breaking through to Titled Douluo, while innate domains stood at an exalted height that all beings could only look up to!

At Shrek Academy, including Eldest Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan of the Inner Academy, not a single student possessed an innate domain!

Even top-tier martial souls like the Clear Sky Hammer, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda could not awaken innate domains. This showed just how powerful and rare innate domains were!

As for innate level-twenty Soul Power, there was no need to say more. Among the countless martial souls across the entire Douluo Continent, the Six-Winged Angel was the only one!

"Old Li, I have to secure this little fellow!"

The Dean's tone was resolute. He was saying it to Old Li, but also to himself.

"Dean, is the Six-Winged Angel really that ridiculously powerful?"

Old Li pointed below, puzzled. "That boy only has level forty-one Soul Power. Even Xiaotao can't defeat him?"

Under the restraints of the Radiant Spirit Array, Ma Xiaotao's towering chest rose and fell continuously, while an unnatural flush had appeared on her neck. Like a bird caught in a trap, she desperately flapped her wings, yet to no avail!

"Of course not."

The Dean smiled mysteriously. "Xiaotao is my personal disciple, whom I taught by hand. Though the Six-Winged Angel is powerful, it is not enough to cross a gap of twenty Soul Power levels and defeat her. Old Li, have the other students return to cultivate in peace. I want to see whether this boy has any other tricks!"

"Understood."

The commotion caused by the Evil Fire Phoenix and Six-Winged Angel was simply too great. One set fires while the other flashed with light, nearly turning the night into day and drawing a large number of Inner Academy students toward them. The Dean did not want them interfering with this battle, so he sent Old Li to make them go back and rest.

Ling Bai looked at Ma Xiaotao calmly. Like the Dean, he did not believe that the Radiant Spirit Array alone could restrain rampaging Ma Xiaotao!

Creak, creak...

The sacred chains emitted strained trembling sounds as Phoenix Flame scorched them. The six Soul Rings around Ma Xiaotao shone brilliantly under the firelight. Her Second and Third Soul Rings lit up at the same time!

Second Soul Skill, Phoenix Nirvana!

Third Soul Skill, Phoenix Wings Soaring!

Two enhancement skills!

Scorching Phoenix Flame erupted like a geyser. Ma Xiaotao bathed in blazing fire as crimson flames outlined dazzling phoenix wings. She broke free of the chains and shot into the heavens!

With a flap of his Angel Wings, Ling Bai soared upward. Holding the Angel Holy Sword, he looked across at Ma Xiaotao. She was even more frenzied than before, and a trace of deep black had mixed into the crimson Phoenix Flame!

Crimson fire suddenly burst from Ma Xiaotao's legs, rings of ripples spreading outward without end. What erupted next were pillars of Phoenix Flame blasting from beneath her feet!

"Soul bone skill..."

Ma Xiaotao had already absorbed soul bones into both legs, and they came from the same type of soul beast. The Soul Skills they granted were identical: acceleration!

With Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year foundation and Ma Xiaotao's status, those two soul bones had surely reached the Ten Thousand Year level!

How terrifying was the acceleration provided by two Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones? In but an instant, Ma Xiaotao's speed far surpassed even Chu Qingtian's Lightning Maniac Panther, famed for its speed in the outer academy. A series of explosions and piercing shrieks rang through the air in her wake as she slammed toward Ling Bai like a cannonball!

"Angel Domain, gather!"

Ling Bai immediately put what he had learned into practice. The abundant sacred power in Angel Domain formed a shield before him. Facing Ma Xiaotao's meteor-like descent, Ling Bai advanced rather than retreated. His Third Soul Skill, Sacred Heart, activated at the same time. Under the dual enhancement of Angel Domain and Sacred Heart, another pair of golden wings seemed to appear behind him—the sign that he was about to evolve into a Four-Winged Angel!

Boom—

Brilliant gold and crimson flames fell continuously toward Sea God Lake. This was a feast of sacred power and Phoenix Flame!

"Holy turtle!"

Xu Sanshi, hiding in Sea God Lake and blowing bubbles, poked his head out. Looking up at the two evenly matched figures overhead, he could not help but sigh.

Ever since enrolling, he had been "tormented" by Ma Xiaotao for years, so he knew exactly how formidable she was. Yet Ling Bai was fighting her head-on with the cultivation of a four-ringed Soul Ancestor, without falling even the slightest bit behind. Xu Sanshi could only marvel inwardly. Big Brother was way too fierce!

Sacred sword energy scattered like ink flung across a canvas. Phoenix Flame was close to Ultimate Fire, but it was ultimately not Ultimate Fire. Before the Six-Winged Angel's Ultimate Holiness, it retreated again and again. The flames spraying beneath Ma Xiaotao's feet grew thinner and thinner!

The might of the Six-Winged Angel's god-tier martial soul was unleashed to the fullest!

At this moment, Ling Bai also felt utterly exhilarated!

Just as Phoenix Nirvana was about to vanish, Ma Xiaotao's Fourth Soul Ring lit up instantly!

Ling Bai retreated at top speed. Having read the original work, he knew that perhaps because it represented an inheritance, or perhaps because the author could not be bothered inventing new Soul Skills, Ma Xiaotao and Ma Hongjun's first seven Soul Skills were exactly the same!

Fourth Soul Skill, Phoenix Howling Sky Strike!

This skill consisted of two parts: an air shockwave that caused dizziness, followed by Phoenix Magma Impact, whose power rivaled an erupting volcano. If one took the first strike, one had to take the second as well. Ling Bai moved far away from Ma Xiaotao precisely to avoid the air shockwave!

But things did not develop as Ling Bai had expected. The shockwave of Phoenix Howling Sky Strike did not appear. Instead, searing flames continuously gathered within Ma Xiaotao's palms, so hot that even the surrounding air gradually began to distort!

Huh!?

Ling Bai's face was the picture of utter disbelief. This Phoenix Howling Sky Strike of yours...

Something was wrong!

Where was the windup!?

You changed a charged move into an instant cast? That's cheating!

"Was my memory wrong..."

Ling Bai understood. Who said Phoenix Howling Sky Strike had to be used in order?

Like his Evil Purging Twin Blade Slash, Radiant Spirit Array · Binding, and other Soul Skills, Ma Xiaotao had created an advanced version of Phoenix Howling Sky Strike!

She had eliminated the flaw of Phoenix Howling Sky Strike's follow-up restriction, changing it to directly release the second stage!

"Kreee—"

A clear phoenix cry pierced through clouds and mist, carrying the clang of metal and stone!

Phoenix Howling Sky Strike, erupt!

Boom!

Phoenix Flame blasted against a sacred tornado, which turned gold and red almost instantly!

A seven-pointed star formation reversed in the shape of the Big Dipper Seven Stars Array Diagram, completely enveloping the dual-colored tornado and hurling it into Sea God Lake. The impact sent lakewater soaring into the air, making it seem as though a rain of azure blue had fallen from the dark sky.

Radiant Spirit Array · Storm!

Stacked with!

Radiant Spirit Array · Defense!

Under the enhancement of Angel Domain, the two seven-pointed star formations joined forces to block Phoenix Howling Sky Strike!

"Hmph!"

Ma Xiaotao snorted. The Phoenix evil fire had filled her eyes with bloodshot veins, while Angel Domain's erosion of her Soul Power constantly pressured her already fragile mind. She gradually lost the ability to think, wanting only to attack!

Her Fifth Soul Ring ignited!

A scorching current burst outward from Ma Xiaotao's body. The Phoenix Flame around her rapidly surged upward, yet she abruptly vanished without a trace, as though she had fused into the flames.

The cool night air above Sea God Lake became scorching hot. Aggressive heat currents rose and spread through the air, carrying hints of gunpowder smoke and magma.

The next second, an indescribable majesty appeared. Domineering crimson flames surged into the sky, transforming into an exquisite and resplendent fire phoenix that soared through the heavens. Reflected by the burning crimson fire, the majesty of the king of all birds was displayed without question!

"Kreee—"

After a clear phoenix cry, the phoenix streaked toward Ling Bai like a blazing sun, leaving behind incomparable radiant tail flames and specks of crimson starlight in the sky.

Fifth Soul Skill, Phoenix Piercing Cloud Strike!

The churning lakewater slid down Ling Bai's cheek, dripping onto the back of the hand gripping the Angel Holy Sword. It evaporated under the ever-approaching heat. He looked down at the charging phoenix, the golden radiance in his eyes even more dazzling than the Phoenix Flame illuminating the night!

"Myriad Blades—"

Frost filled Ling Bai's golden eyes. With a long howl, sacred sword energy across the sky erupted in unison. The ringing of swords spread outward as though it would tear apart heaven and earth!

The continent's most righteous and purest sacred power, enhanced by Angel Domain, transformed the intangible into substance and intent into swords. In an instant, it condensed into tens of thousands—countless, innumerable blades!

When the Dean watching this battle and the other Sea God Pavilion elders hidden across the island saw the tens of thousands of sacred blades suddenly appear in the void, they were immediately stunned.

Especially when they sensed the terrifying sacred power contained within those myriad blades, their expressions turned utterly aghast.

At the moment all ten thousand swords revealed their sharp edges, a faint solemnity seemed to emanate from Ling Bai's figure. He called out softly:

"Myriad Blades—Radiance!"

The Six-Winged Angel's Fourth Soul Skill, Myriad Bladed Radiance!