Outskirts of Suotuo City.
At Shrek Academy, a heated argument erupted between Grandmaster and Flender.
"The Spirit Master Elite Tournament starts in eight months."
"Heaven Dou Imperial Academy has two entry slots. Let Xiao San and the others join the Imperial Battle Team as exchange students until the tournament ends."
Flender slammed the table, glaring at Grandmaster.
"I object!"
"The kids belong to Shrek!"
"Grandmaster, don't forget—Shrek Academy is the result of my twenty years of hard work!"
The Grandmaster's stiff face showed no emotion.
"Flender, can you provide them with a mimicry training environment?"
"Does Shrek Academy even qualify to enter the Spirit Master Elite Tournament?"
"And what makes you think joining the Imperial Battle Team means they won't belong to Shrek anymore?"
Flender was left speechless.
The Grandmaster calmly continued:
"The mimicry training environment will significantly accelerate their cultivation."
"You know how important the rewards of the Elite Tournament are for them."
"Therefore, all seven of them must go to the Imperial Academy."
There was another reason—one the Grandmaster kept buried deep in his heart.
He wanted to prove to all those who looked down on him and questioned his Martial Soul theories…
That the students trained by Yu Xiaogang—
Would shake the very foundation of the Spirit Master world.
Would leave the entire continent in awe!
...
Faculty Dormitory Area.
In a cramped bungalow, Zhao Wuji was stuffing clothes into his travel bag in a rough, impatient manner.
Just then, Ma Hongjun squeezed through the door, round-faced and grinning.
"Teacher Zhao, what are you doing?"
Zhao Wuji didn't even look up.
"Can't you see I'm packing?"
"The Shrek teachers will be accompanying you to the Imperial Academy."
"I'm heading to Heaven Dou City first to scout out a place big enough to house our rowdy bunch."
Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up at that.
"Take me with you, Teacher Zhao!"
"Hmm?"
Zhao Wuji raised a bushy brow and gave him a suspicious once-over.
"What's your little scheme, brat? Why're you so eager to get to Heaven Dou City?"
Ma Hongjun's round face fell.
"Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing went to the Star Dou Forest to train."
"Third Brother and Boss Dai are stuck in Grandmaster's daily hell-training. It's just me and that sausage guy, Oscar."
"Come on, Teacher Zhao. Let me go to the Imperial Spirit Arena with you—I can hone myself in combat!"
Zhao Wuji scratched his prickly stubble.
"If the Grandmaster and Headmaster agree, I've got no problem."
"Thanks, Teacher Zhao!"
...
Student Dormitory.
As the door closed behind him, Dai Mubai stepped forward with a grin, his evil eyes locked onto Ma Hongjun.
"Fatty, did it work?"
"Of course it did!"
Ma Hongjun nodded smugly, then leaned in, his expression turning lewd.
"But Boss Dai… Are the girls in the Imperial City really as spicy as you said?"
Dai Mubai sneered.
"Why would I lie to you?"
"Think about who I am."
"Back in Star Luo City, was there ever a day I didn't have two girls in my arms?"
Then his tone darkened.
His fist clenched, joints cracking ominously.
"Fatty, any money you spend on women—I'll cover it."
"But don't forget the favor you owe me…"
Ma Hongjun slapped his chest with a loud thump.
"Don't worry, Boss Dai. That guy… Sword Wine, right? I'll test him for you."
"Not test."
Dai Mubai's evil eyes narrowed, murderous intent surging.
"If you run into him—beat him into the ground."
"Best case… make sure he never holds a sword again."
It had started the day Zhu Zhuqing chased after the Imperial Battle Team.
Since then, Dai Mubai had grown suspicious.
As fate would have it, he overheard a conversation between the three girls.
When Zhu Zhuqing mentioned "Sword Wine," her voice had carried a bashful softness that drove him mad with jealousy.
He tried asking Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong about it.
But the trio were close-knit and refused to say a word.
As for asking Zhu Zhuqing directly?
She hadn't even spared him a glance.
"Right…"
Dai Mubai recalled what Yu Tianheng had said and warned:
"Sword Wine isn't weak. Be careful."
But at that moment, Ma Hongjun was already daydreaming about the seductive charms of the Imperial City's red-light district—drooling, even. Zhao Wuji's words flew right over his head.
"Sword Wine's sword is sharp?"
"Just wait till he meets my Phoenix Flames. I'll melt his blade into slag!"
Dai Mubai nodded, smiling coldly.
He had full confidence in Ma Hongjun's strength.
Even Dai himself found the Phoenix Flames hard to deal with.
"You haven't told the Grandmaster and Headmaster yet. Will they even let you go to the city?"
Ma Hongjun puffed up proudly, as if he had been given tacit approval.
"Of course they will."
"Grandmaster and the Headmaster both implicitly approve of me venting my Evil Fire."
In their twisted logic, a genius Spirit Master having "relations" with commoner girls…
Was something those girls should feel honored by.
That same twisted belief had taken root deep in Ma Hongjun's heart.
...
A day later, Heaven Dou Imperial City.
"After you register, promptly get back to the inn!" Zhao Wuji glared with his wide, brass-bell eyes, instructing Ma Hongjun.
"Got it, got it."
Ma Hongjun waved him off absentmindedly, already mesmerized by the bustling city streets—particularly the dolled-up women.
As soon as the two separated…
Ma Hongjun dove headfirst into the largest brothel in the city.
Half an hour later, Ma Hongjun emerged with a flushed face, giggling as he was seen off by two heavily made-up women, smacking his lips with satisfaction.
"Ah, so comfortable! But now, time to get down to business."
He arrived at the Imperial Spirit Arena.
Standing before the towering coliseum, he was shaken by the suffocating aura of countless brutal battles.
Taking a deep breath, the hostility on his pudgy face surged.
With bold strides, he entered.
"Time to make the name of Evil Fire Phoenix resound across the Imperial Spirit Arena!"
"Sword Wine?"
"Heh…"
For several consecutive days.
Ma Hongjun alternated between the arms of women and the blood-soaked arena.
To be fair—
Setting aside his character flaws, his talent was undeniable.
A true phoenix rising from a dung heap.
Three matches per day.
Each one an overwhelming, crushing victory.
Thanks to his silver badge record from Suotuo City's Spirit Arena—
The spectators quickly learned that this arrogant fatty came from a remote backwater town.
To be humiliated on their home turf by an outsider?
The Heaven Dou audience felt utterly slapped in the face.
Finally—
Amid the outcry, a notable Spirit Master stepped up:
Yu Feng, a core member of the Imperial Battle Team.
Boom!
A heavy collision rang out.
Yu Feng, body charred black and robes in tatters, collapsed like a pile of mud on the icy platform.
Ma Hongjun stood tall, wings of the Phoenix blazing behind him, cloaked in purple fire like a king of flames.
He stepped his right foot onto Yu Feng's chest, scanned the silent audience, and sneered, "Is that all?"
"That's all you've got?"
"This is Heaven Dou's mighty Imperial Spirit Arena?"
Being so humiliated, Yu Feng gritted his teeth, his arms trembling as he tried to stand. Ma Hongjun crossed his arms, lifted his foot, and stomped down again.
Crack—
Along with the sound of bursting ribs, Yu Feng spewed blood from his mouth. At this moment, even the bloodthirsty spectators felt a piercing humiliation.
"Don't be so cocky! Heaven Dou still has Yu Tianheng—and Sword Wine, who's never lost!"
"Sword Wine will slice that fat turkey in half with a single strike!"
"Where is Sword Wine?! Why hasn't he shown up yet?!"
Cursing erupted like a tide from below the stage. Yu Feng's face was pressed against the cold ground, blood oozing from his mouth and nose, as he struggled to say,
"C-Captain… is back at the clan for training…"
"The strongest… Sword Wine… hasn't appeared…"
"Beating me… means nothing…"
Ma Hongjun narrowed his eyes and slowly ground his foot down, savoring Yufeng's anguished groans.
He swept a contemptuous gaze across the seething audience and shouted, voice brimming with arrogance and provocation:
"Yu Tianheng? Just another loser."
"As for that coward, Sword Wine…"
"Tell him to come out and face me."
...
Meanwhile, at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—
After countless failures—
Li Zhexian finally succeeded in brewing the Ice Flame Immortal Dew...