Ye Zhiqiu looked down at the Blue Silver Grass wrapped around his wrist, its leaves shimmering with a faint green light. Its resilience far exceeded his expectations.
He snorted coldly, abruptly exerting force to break free. The Soul Power on the Blue Silver Grass fluctuated violently, yet it remained tightly locked around his wrist without any sign of breaking.
"Not bad," Ye Zhiqiu muttered, his expression darkening. Instead of forcing his way out, he slightly opened his mouth and exhaled a burst of even colder air than before, instantly freezing the Blue Silver Grass on his wrist into icicles.
With a light shake of his wrist, the frozen Blue Silver Grass shattered with a crisp "crack."
Tang San's Blue Silver Grass turned into icy fragments that fell to the ground, melting upon contact and quickly disappearing.
Seizing the opportunity, Tang San had already turned to face the ice sculpture and urgently called out to Ma Hongjun, "Fatty, quick, melt the ice!"
Ma Hongjun didn't dare delay. He immediately focused his mind and directed purplish-red flames at the ice layer. This time, he was extra cautious, controlling the flames to be much gentler, only slowly baking against the ice surface, afraid that too strong a fire might harm Dai Mubai.
Oscar watched nervously, his heart in his throat, tightly clutching several Recovery Sausages in his hand, ready to hand them over at any moment.
In just a few breaths, under the continuous baking of the flames, the surface of the ice began to melt, revealing Dai Mubai's slightly purplish, frozen cheeks.
"Enough!" Tang San quickly signaled Ma Hongjun to withdraw the flames.
Oscar rushed forward in a flash, immediately bringing the Recovery Sausage to Dai Mubai's mouth, his voice filled with urgency, "Boss Dai, eat this quickly!"
Dai Mubai shivered as he opened his mouth and took a big bite of the sausage.
Warm, gentle Soul Power instantly spread throughout his limbs and bones, dispelling much of the chill and making his body feel somewhat better.
He took a deep breath, abruptly channeled the Soul Power within him, and with a "bang," shattered the remaining ice, completely freeing himself.
Staggering slightly upon landing, he leaned against a nearby tree trunk, moving his stiff limbs as a series of soft "cracks" came from his joints.
Having recovered a bit, Dai Mubai looked at Tang San, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar, a trace of gratitude on his face, "Xiao San, Fatty, Oscar, thanks."
Luckily, Tang San had reacted quickly. If he had taken that punch head-on, he would have suffered greatly today.
"No need to be polite with us!" Ma Hongjun patted him on the back heartily.
Ye Zhiqiu watched their disheveled yet stubborn appearances and let out a light scoff, his tone dripping with undisguised mockery, "Hey, kids, still fighting? If not, hurry up and apologize. I'm in a good mood today and might just let you off!"
"Bah! You old turtle!" Ma Hongjun, unable to stand the provocation, immediately flared up, his Soul Power surging abruptly.
"What kind of skill is it to bully the weak? Do you really think I'm afraid of you? Take this! Second Spirit Ability—Phoenix Rebirth!"
With his furious shout, the purplish-red flames around him surged violently.
The phantom of his wicked fire phoenix Martial Soul behind him suddenly flapped its wings, and the second Soul Ring surrounding him began to tremble.
In the next moment, the raging purple flames rapidly gathered and intertwined before him, layering upon each other until they finally took the form of a small purplish-red phoenix.
Watching that "phoenix" wobbling as it flew before him, Ye Zhiqiu was first stunned, then the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, nearly bursting into laughter.
This was no majestic phoenix—it was clearly a plump, round barnyard chicken!
The flames covering its body flickered listlessly, its wings so short they could barely support its chubby frame.
It possessed neither the dignity of a phoenix nor the agility of an ordinary bird, instead appearing somewhat endearingly clumsy.
"Is this it?" Ye Zhiqiu raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with undisguised mockery. "Your Martial Soul mutation is quite unique—turning a phoenix into a barnyard chicken. You're truly one of a kind."
"Hah? You dare laugh at me?!" Ma Hongjun's face flushed crimson with anger at having his sore spot poked. "I'll make you pay for this! Explode!"
As soon as he spoke, the seemingly unremarkable "fat chicken" abruptly detonated right in front of Ye Zhiqiu.
Violet-red flames erupted like a fountain, instantly enveloping Ye Zhiqiu's entire body.
"Old turtle, keep laughing now! See how powerful I am!"Ma Hongjun shouted triumphantly, hands on his hips as if already envisioning his opponent's embarrassing retreat."
"Hah! Such pitiful flames? You think this can hurt me?" Ye Zhiqiu's voice emerged from within the flames, thick with disdain.
He casually raised a hand and patted his chest, whereupon a biting chill surged from within his body.
Wherever the cold air passed, the violet-red flames sizzled and rapidly shriveled, extinguishing completely.
In mere moments, Ma Hongjun's flames were utterly quenched, without even a single spark remaining.
Ye Zhiqiu shook the ashes off his Dark Tortoise Shell, sneered at the dumbfounded Ma Hongjun, and said, "A barnyard chicken will always be a barnyard chicken. Even wrapped in flames, it can't become a phoenix. With skills like yours, you're not even fit to scratch an itch for me."
"You—!" Ma Hongjun trembled with rage, his Soul Power surging again as he prepared to attack once more, but Tang San grabbed his arm.
"Fatso, don't be reckless," Tang San said quietly. "His Dark Water counters your flames, and your Soul Power is inferior to his. A direct confrontation won't do you any good!"
"Brats, it's time you paid for your recklessness! Fourth Soul Skill—Dark Tortoise Charge!" Ye Zhiqiu roared angrily as his Fourth Soul Ring blazed with light. All his limbs instantly retracted into his thick tortoise shell.
His entire body transformed into a pitch-black "spinning top" and charged violently toward Dai Mubai and the others.
Dai Mubai and the others tensed, ready to join forces to block the attack, when a burly figure suddenly materialized out of thin air, positioning himself in front of them.
"Hmm?" Zhao Wuji slightly lifted his gaze, observing the approaching "tortoise-shell top."
Without even furrowing his brow, Zhao Wuji casually raised his hand and gave the rapidly spinning shell a light tap.
Thump!
A dull thud echoed as Ye Zhiqiu's charge was forcibly halted by that seemingly effortless slap.
Immediately after, like a struck ball, he was sent flying backward with a whoosh.
Ye Zhiqiu slid several yards across the ground before stabilizing, his limbs and head awkwardly emerging from his shell as he stared at Zhao Wuji with shock and horror.
"Who are you?!" Ye Zhiqiu exclaimed, both startled and furious. Who was this person? How could he possess such terrifying strength!
But Zhao Wuji didn't even glance at him. Instead, he turned and glared at Dai Mubai and the other three, his voice booming like a bell:
"It's late at night. Instead of finishing your meal and going to sleep, what are you four doing messing around here? All of you, go back to bed!"
Seeing this, Ma Hongjun immediately put on a sycophantic expression, his face brimming with an ingratiating smile as he sidled up to Zhao Wuji:
"Hehe, Teacher Zhao, we'll head back right away! Right away!"
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