Ma Hongjun's True Feelings

"Chenxiang, what kind of spirit beast do you want for your third spirit ring?" Ma Hongjun asked eagerly, a hint of envy creeping into his voice as he glanced at his own lower level of 24.

Noticing Bai Chenxiang was momentarily silent, lost in her thoughts. Ma Hongjun couldn't resist teasing her, pinching her cheeks playfully. "Chenxiang, you've been absent-minded lately. Is something wrong? You can always tell me. As your Senior Brother, I'll do my best to help you" he offered, his concern evident in his voice.

Caught off guard by Ma Hongjun's question and startled by the sudden touch, Bai Chenxiang snapped out of her reverie, offering Ma Hongjun a reassuring smile. "It's nothing, Hongjun. Thank you for worrying" she replied softly. Gathering her thoughts, she continued, "As for the spirit ring, I want one with an Ice attribute" she answered, her smile slightly forced as she struggled to maintain her composure.

"Ice? Xiao Chenxiang, isn't your Martial Soul that of Wind Attributes?" Flender interjected, his curiosity piqued by Bai Chenxiang's unexpected choice. Even with his Predatory Eyes, which had evolved twice and now had a range of 30 kilometers due to his mastery of the Heavenly Dao Sutra reaching the third level, Flender couldn't guarantee success. Coupled with Sheng Jun's Prophecy ability, their chances of finding the target were high, but not guaranteed.

At Flender's inquiry, Sheng Jun stepped in to provide an explanation. "Teacher, don't worry" he reassured, maintaining his composure. "Grandmaster said that if she absorbs one of Ice's attributes, there is a high chance of Martial Soul evolution" he explained confidently, lying through his teeth, as his face twitches uncontrollably.

Listening to Sheng Jun's explanation, both Flender and Ma Hongjun nodded in understanding, trusting in the wisdom of the Grandmaster's guidance.

As the group continued their journey, flying toward the Great Star Dou Forest, they approached the 50-kilometer mark. Sensing the moment was right, Sheng Jun discreetly pressed a button hidden in his sleeve, setting a plan into motion.

…

As a sharp "piip" sound reverberated through the Outer Area of the Great Star Dou Forest, it acted as a signal for the group of people concealed in black cloaks to spring into action. "That's Young Master's signal! Release it and disperse!" they exclaimed urgently, their voices filled with urgency.

With swift movements, they removed the restraints holding back the Tailless Snow Phoenix, allowing the majestic creature to soar into the sky with a piercing shriek. Freed from its captivity, the spirit beast ascended into the air, its wings beating with a powerful rhythm.

…

"Oh, Teacher! I just had a prophecy that there is a Tailless Snow Phoenix right that way!" Sheng Jun suddenly exclaimed, his excitement palpable as they approached the entrance of the Great Star Dou Forest.

"Haha, how fortunate! Sheng Jun, you truly are our lucky star!" Flender exclaimed with hearty laughter, his spirits lifted by the prospect of encountering such a rare spirit beast right at the start. Even Sheng Jun, who prided himself on his composure, couldn't help but feel a hint of shame and guilt at the praise.

As they pressed on, Flender's keen eyes caught sight of the majestic creature. "I see it! It seems to be under 10,000 years! That's good!" he declared triumphantly. With a sense of urgency, Flender passed Sheng Jun over to Ma Hongjun, as he surged forward with remarkable speed, propelled by the power of his evolved spirit ring.

After a brief absence, Flender returned with the unconscious Tailless Snow Phoenix, wearing a somewhat uncertain expression. There was a specific reason why Sheng Jun had chosen the Tailless Snow Phoenix among other Ice attributes of bird-type spirit beasts with a Phoenix bloodline. Unlike most spirit beasts with Phoenix bloodlines, whose ages could be determined by the length of their tails, the Tailless Snow Phoenix presented a unique challenge due to its lack of tails. Its age could only be discerned by the markings on its feathers under the belly, a detail that Sheng Jun had taken care of beforehand.

Flender explained the situation to Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang, his uncertainty was evident. However, Bai Chenxiang, who had already been informed by Sheng Jun of the spirit beast's age, feigned surprise. According to Sheng Jun's words, the Tailless Snow Phoenix was precisely 2990 years old. Exceeding the age limit by 1290 years, and possessing a relatively pure Phoenix bloodline, it was no different from spirit beasts of 5000 years of age. Sheng Jun had emphasized to her the importance of absorbing a spirit beast beyond her limits in order to maximize the effects of its bloodline.

Pretending to inspect the belly of the Tailless Snow Phoenix, now devoid of feathers thanks to Sheng Jun's meticulous preparation, he reassured Flender with a confident demeanor. "Teacher, even though we can't determine its exact age, considering it inhabits the Outer Area of the Great Star Dou Forest, it shouldn't be much older than 1000 years" Sheng Jun explained, attempting to alleviate Flender's concerns.

Flender nodded in agreement, acknowledging Sheng Jun's reasoning. "That makes sense, but it's better not to take any risks. Its strength far surpasses that of a typical 1000-year-old spirit beast, this one is likely close to 2000 years old! Moreover, being a Tailless Snow Phoenix with a relatively pure Phoenix bloodline, if the age limit is exceeded even slightly, the difficulty will increase exponentially" Flender cautioned, emphasizing the importance of caution in dealing with such a powerful spirit beast.

"Dean Flender, please let me have this one," Bai Chenxiang requested, her eyes reflecting a strong determination.

"Chenxiang, please reconsider" Ma Hongjun pleaded, his concern evident as he knew Bai Chenxiang's capabilities well. Unlike himself, Sheng Jun and Dai Mubai, Bai Chenxiang's physique was not her forte. She had yet to begin learning the Heavenly Dao Sutra, which left Ma Hongjun puzzled as to why Sheng Jun had chosen to impart it during her absorption process rather than earlier.

Unbeknownst to Ma Hongjun, Sheng Jun had discovered that the manifestation of a special ability depended on a person's characteristics. For example, Ma Hongjun's "Devourer of Flames" ability stemmed from his fire attribute Martial Soul, while Dai Mubai's "War God's Will" was linked to his Martial Soul Evil Eyed White Tiger, a tiger-type Martial Soul also known as the King of Killing.

While Bai Chenxiang could potentially awaken a unique special ability like Oscar and Tang San, it was unlikely. However, if she absorbed both ice and wind attributes, there was a higher chance that her special ability would have something to do with ice, an advantageous prospect if they managed to evolve her Martial Soul into one with ice attributes.

Despite Ma Hongjun's persistent concern, Bai Chenxiang maintained her determination with a smile. She remained steadfast in her request to absorb the Tailless Snow Phoenix. However, Ma Hongjun refused to give up, continuing to express his worries.

"Hongjun, that's enough" Sheng Jun intervened, his tone firm yet reassuring. "You should know that I provided Dai Mubai and Oscar with Heavenly Treasures, right?" Seeing Ma Hongjun's nod, Sheng Jun continued, "Naturally, I have prepared Heavenly Treasures for everyone, including you. You will receive yours after you successfully control your flames. As for Chenxiang, I have two Heavenly Treasures that will not only greatly benefit her but also assist her during the absorption process"

With these words, Sheng Jun retrieved the Ice Veins Drop and High Wind Essence. Observing the treasures, Ma Hongjun's apprehension eased slightly, and he finally relented, trusting in his brother's judgment and preparations.

After killing the Tailless Snow Phoenix, a purple spirit ring hovered above its body. Bai Chenxiang, having received the two treasures from Sheng Jun, turned back to face Ma Hongjun with tears welling in her eyes. "Hongjun, if I don't survive this, just know that... I love you" she confessed, her voice trembling with emotion. With those heartfelt words spoken, she settled into a cross-legged position, ready to absorb the spirit ring. Sheng Jun also swiftly infused her mind with knowledge of the Heavenly Dao Sutra to aid her in the process.

Ma Hongjun's face flushed red as he stood stunned by Bai Chenxiang's sudden declaration of love. Before he could gather his thoughts, Flender's voice broke the momentary silence. "Xiao Jun, what is the meaning of this?" Flender's inquiry was followed by the descent of a group of black-cloaked figures from the sky, forming a protective circle around Bai Chenxiang as she commenced the absorption process.

"I'm sorry, Teacher, but I can't let you interrupt her absorption process" Sheng Jun asserted firmly. Ma Hongjun, bewildered by the sudden turn of events, questioned "Brother Jun, what do you mean?"

Sheng Jun glanced at Ma Hongjun, feeling a pang of guilt and regret. He hadn't initially intended for Ma Hongjun to accompany them, but his insistence had made it difficult to refuse. Before Sheng Jun could provide an explanation, Flender intervened, his voice tinged with frustration. "It seems that this is all orchestrated by your good brother here" Flender explained to Ma Hongjun, his tone heavy with disappointment.

Confused, Ma Hongjun sought clarification. "Teacher, what do you mean?" he inquired. Flender's response was filled with frustration as he elaborated "It means that your brother is the one who found this Tailless Snow Phoenix and released it here for Bai Chenxiang to absorb. The only thing I don't understand is why he brought us along if he intended to expose his schemes anyways" Flender lamented, his anger palpable. "It seems that the pressures of the business world have led you to distrust even your teacher and brother with your plans!" he added, his tone now tinged with anger.

Upon hearing Flender's words, Sheng Jun's expression twisted with guilt, and he sighed heavily before deciding to confess. "I'm sorry, Teacher. I did it because I knew you wouldn't agree to it if you knew its age" he admitted remorsefully.

Flender's initial frustration softened slightly at Sheng Jun's apology, and he responded with a heavy sigh. "With two Heavenly Treasures, even if it goes over the limit by a couple hundred years, and even if it's of Phoenix bloodline, it wouldn't be much of a problem. You kept it a secret for no reason" Flender remarked dismissively, conveying his disappointment at Sheng Jun's unnecessary secrecy.

Ma Hongjun's face drained of color, as he voiced his concern to Sheng Jun. "Brother Jun, what...what is the age of this spirit beast?!" he asked, his voice trembling with anxiety. In response, Sheng Jun signaled Zane and the others from the intelligence team, along with Saixi and his protection team, to create a protective barrier with the help of Saixi special ability around Bai Chenxiang before answering Ma Hongjun's question with a heavy heart. "It's...2990" he replied solemnly.

Upon hearing the revelation, Flender's expression turned ashen, and he immediately attempted to take action. Spirit rings floated around him as he tried to fly towards Bai Chenxiang with a grave expression, only to be thwarted by the protective barrier. In his desperation, he struck the barrier with all his might, his voice filled with rage and fear. "Sheng Jun! Are you trying to kill her?! That's Tailless Snow Phoenix!! This is no different than trying to absorb a 5000-year-old spirit ring as her third spirit ring!" Flender's words echoed with madness as he continued to pound the protective barrier relentlessly.

Ma Hongjun also rushed towards Bai Chenxiang, his fists clenched tightly with Phoenix Fire Bomb, he realized the futility of his efforts. Despite his determination, he was only a Spirit Grandmaster, unable to break through the protective barrier that even Flender, a Spirit Saint, couldn't penetrate. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably as he pleaded with Sheng Jun, his voice filled with desperation and anguish. "Please, Brother Jun! Stop her! Please, please, please don't do this to me…" Ma Hongjun's cries echoed with the pain fearing the loss of the dear friend and the person he had come to…love. At this moment Ma Hongjun finally acknowledged his true feelings towards Bai Chenxiang.

Witnessing Ma Hongjun's heart-wrenching plea, Sheng Jun felt a deep pang of guilt and sorrow. Despite the agony it caused him, he shook his head solemnly and explained with a heavy heart "I already discussed this with her. This is the path she has chosen to take. All we can do now is pray that she emerges from it alive" With a heavy heart, Sheng Jun closed his eyes, unable to bear the sight of Ma Hongjun's desperate pleas any longer.