Chapter 79: The Calm Before the Storm

"Trouble, big trouble..." Dai Mubai's face turned pale as he watched Zhu Zhuqing's disappointed and disgusted expression. Seeing her walk away, he immediately shot an angry glare at Zhao Ming. He wasn't a fool; he knew Zhao Ming had deliberately brought up that incident.

Zhao Ming couldn't help but feel immense satisfaction seeing Dai Mubai's face, twisted as though he had eaten something foul. A smirk tugged at Zhao Ming's lips as he gave Dai Mubai a disdainful look. He knew he was one step closer to winning Zhu Zhuqing's heart.

"Zhuqing, let me explain!" Dai Mubai called out, rushing after her.

"Explain? Just tell me if what Xiao Wu said is true or not," Zhu Zhuqing's cold, frosty voice echoed as she shot Dai Mubai a piercing look.

Dai Mubai was left speechless, standing in place, unsure of what to say.

If he admitted that Xiao Wu's words were true, he'd essentially be confessing that he was a despicable person. But if he denied it, Zhu Zhuqing could easily verify the truth at the Rose Hotel. It was impossible to hide.

"Zhuqing, just forgive me this one time, okay? I swear I'll never do something like this again," Dai Mubai begged, knowing that defending himself would only worsen Zhu Zhuqing's impression of him.

"So you admit it?" Zhu Zhuqing let out a bitter laugh, her voice laced with sorrow.

Dai Mubai remained silent.

"Then we have nothing more to talk about."

"Zhuqing, I know I was wrong," Dai Mubai quickly grabbed her hand. "Think of our engagement, please..."

The engagement. Again with the engagement.

Zhu Zhuqing closed her eyes, her heart weighed down with anguish.

For those born into noble families like hers, there was no choice in whom they married. Especially for the Dai and Zhu families of the Star Luo Empire—marriage was never a matter of personal choice.

Unlike the Heaven Dou Empire, where powerful sects thrived, the Star Luo Empire's strength lay in its military, not its soul masters. To maintain their edge, strategic alliances through marriage were essential.

Her marriage to Dai Mubai wasn't just a family arrangement; it was a matter of national interest. No one could oppose it.

"Just this once," Zhu Zhuqing exhaled heavily, feeling utterly drained. In the end, she decided to forgive him. The long-standing tradition of marriage between the Dai and Zhu families was something she couldn't change. As long as Dai Mubai didn't go too far in the future, she could only turn a blind eye.

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing relent, Dai Mubai sighed in relief.

"Zhuqing, I promise, I won't seek out other women ever again," Dai Mubai pledged, trying to sound sincere.

Zhu Zhuqing glanced at him briefly, saying nothing as she turned and walked back to her dorm.

As a noblewoman, Zhu Zhuqing wasn't entirely opposed to her future husband having multiple wives. What she couldn't tolerate was him indulging in debauchery with unsavory women. That was what disgusted her the most.

...

After breakfast, the sound of the assembly bell echoed through the academy.

Zhao Ming and the others gathered on the training grounds.

Flender and the other teachers were already there, their eyes focused on Zhao Ming, the academy's newly discovered prodigy.

In truth, they had come to observe yesterday's morning training as well. However, Zhao Ming had been busy refining Ma Hongjun's martial soul at the time, so they hadn't witnessed his abilities. That's why they were back today—to finally see the genius in action.

None of them had slept well the previous night, having spent hours examining the changes in Ma Hongjun's martial soul after Zhao Ming's intervention.

Flender, in particular, had spent years researching solutions for Ma Hongjun's martial soul issues, so he was well-versed in the various characteristics of fire-type martial souls. When they compared Ma Hongjun's newly refined Fire Phoenix to the documented information on the Phoenix, they reached an unbelievable conclusion: Ma Hongjun's Fire Phoenix had become far more powerful than a typical one.

Most notably, its temperature had increased significantly, almost reaching the level of Extreme Fire.

While the Fire Phoenix was considered a top-tier martial soul, it had never been classified as an extreme martial soul, akin to Shui Bing'er's Ice Phoenix.

But now, Ma Hongjun's Fire Phoenix was nearing that level. This could only be explained by Zhao Ming's second martial soul possessing an immensely potent fire attribute, far beyond that of an ordinary extreme martial soul. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for Zhao Ming to enhance Ma Hongjun's martial soul so drastically, let alone purify it within a few hours.

"Zhao-ge," Ma Hongjun greeted with a grin, excitedly walking up to Zhao Ming. "From now on, you're my boss. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it, even if it means walking through fire and brimstone."

"It was nothing, just a small favor," Zhao Ming responded with a gentle smile.

"Oscar, what's wrong with you today? You don't seem like yourself," Oscar teased with a chuckle.

"Hmph, you guys don't understand. Zhao-ge has helped me evolve my martial soul! Even though I'm still a Spirit Grandmaster, my combat power is now on par with a typical Spirit Elder. If I faced my old self, I'd crush him without breaking a sweat," Ma Hongjun boasted proudly, puffing out his chest.

"What? Your martial soul really changed?" Oscar's eyes widened in shock. He had known that Zhao Ming was helping Ma Hongjun with his soul refinement, but he had never believed that Zhao Ming could truly resolve Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire problem. After all, Flender had sought the help of countless experts, all to no avail. Zhao Ming, no matter how talented, couldn't be stronger than those long-established masters, right?

But judging by Ma Hongjun's tone...

"Hehe, that's right. From now on, I'm a genuine Fire Phoenix," Ma Hongjun said triumphantly, releasing his martial soul.

A clear, resonant cry echoed as a magnificent phoenix with vibrant plumage appeared behind him, its body engulfed in fiery red flames.

Everyone present, except Zhao Ming, was stunned.

Dai Mubai and Oscar, in particular, were utterly shocked. They had known Ma Hongjun for a long time and were well-acquainted with his martial soul.

Before, his mutated Evil Fire Phoenix had looked more like a mutated chicken than a phoenix, with impure flames and an unimpressive form.

But now, this was a true phoenix, the legendary creature that rises from its own ashes, reborn in fire.

Seeing Ma Hongjun's martial soul in all its splendor left them speechless.

Even Zhao Ming was a bit taken aback. Yesterday, Ma Hongjun's martial soul hadn't looked quite like this. Something must have changed overnight.

"System, what's going on here?" Zhao Ming asked.

"Wow, host, you finally remembered me, your trusty system! You've been so busy chasing after girls, you almost forgot I existed," the system replied with a hint of resentment.

"Hey, system buddy, don't tell me you've fallen for me. I don't swing that way. If you're in heat, I'll help you find a female system when I get the chance," Zhao Ming joked, feeling a little creeped out.

"Pfft, host, you sure know how to talk nonsense," the system retorted.

"Just kidding, don't take it personally."

"The reason Ma Hongjun's martial soul has evolved so dramatically is because of the trace of your Undying Flame left in his body. The power of your Undying Flame is extraordinary, especially its regenerative properties, which have unlocked the hidden potential of the Phoenix martial soul. While Ma Hongjun's martial soul has evolved, the flame you left in him has fully merged with his martial soul. If you ever need to deal with Ma Hongjun, you can destroy his martial soul at any time."

[•———•———•———•]

𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼:

• 𝙅𝙘𝟭𝟮𝟬𝟮

• 𝘼𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙟𝙖𝙝

• 𝗝𝗮𝗰𝗼𝗯 𝗠𝗼𝗲𝗲

𝗔𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸:

• 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟭𝟴𝟱+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.

• 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁-𝗢𝘂𝘁: 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩!

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗲𝘁, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀!

👉 𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙣𝙤𝙬: 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

💬 𝘼𝙡𝙨𝙤 𝘼𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚: 𝙈𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩! 𝙐𝙣𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 $30—𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 10% 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩! 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙙𝙚: 𝗚𝗢𝗗𝗢𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥.

𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙂𝙋𝙏 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙮 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙩, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣-𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙮, 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙣𝙪𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙦𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙨, 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚!

👉𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽: 𝙋𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣.𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧/𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙥