The battle continued.
Gu Tianlong used his third and fourth soul skills. The bone dragon's body lengthened, and the water droplets in its eye sockets were shaken away.
Its sword-like bone teeth opened, biting towards Ma Hongjun.
No attribute was effective against bones; only a head-on collision could shatter them.
Ma Hongjun also activated his fourth soul ring, his golden spear.
Once the golden spear appeared, the bone dragon's iron bones couldn't withstand it. The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix spear combo wasn't needed; it dealt with each move individually.
The massive skeleton was very agile, but under Ma Hongjun's Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, the bone dragon had difficulty catching up.
A spear thrust was aimed at the bone dragon's sharp teeth.
Clang!
A tooth fell out.
As Ma Hongjun knocked out a tooth from the bone dragon, Gu Tianlong spat out a mouthful of blood, containing a tooth as well.
The martial soul and the person are one; the bone dragon is similar to a beast martial soul. Basically, if any part of the martial soul is injured, the corresponding part of the body will also be injured.
Under the powerful onslaught of the golden spear, the bone dragon was repeatedly forced back, its skeleton shattered by the Dragon Soul Spear.
At this point, Gu Tianlong could do little more; even the bone dragon's formidable defense couldn't withstand the golden spear's sharpness.
The Dragon Soul Spear of the past had never possessed such power; it was only after being tempered by ice and fire that it regained its former glory.
Ma Hongjun brought his spear down from mid-air—a final strike. If Gu Tianlong didn't retreat and admit defeat, this strike should be able to force his martial soul back into his body.
"Bang!"
A loud crash resounded. Ma Hongjun had underestimated Gu Tianlong's stubbornness; he hadn't dodged.
However, his martial soul wasn't forced back into his body. It had
forcefully blocked the strike.
"Since you've made your move, let's continue," Ma Hongjun said, looking at Ning Huahua.
Ning Huahua held the Six Treasure Glazed Pagoda in her hands, adorned with four soul rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—the purple one still shimmering. She had just used her fourth soul skill to enhance Gu Tianlong's defense.
"First, strength;
second, speed;
third,..."
"You... sister..."
Ning Huahua hadn't finished speaking when Ma Hongjun used his spear to smash her head, knocking her unconscious.
Only then did Gu Tianlong react, looking furious at the unconscious Ning Huahua,
"You're despicable!"
"My brother-in-law is too stupid. He joined the battle, yet he stood there like an idiot, using his soul skills. Didn't he know to protect himself first? He has no self-preservation awareness whatsoever as a support-type soul master."
Gu Tianlong was stunned. He was also confused, forgetting to protect Ning Huahua immediately.
They had been in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School all along and hadn't left, so they had very little real combat experience. They had thought about these things during training, but they had overlooked them just now.
Mainly, Ma Hongjun had been too arrogant, so they thought he wouldn't attack Ning Huahua. They didn't expect this guy to act unpredictably.
The other onlookers were speechless. Their young master had been knocked unconscious after just one move; it was truly embarrassing.
However, since their young master had fainted, they naturally had to protect him. These people didn't recognize Ma Hongjun, so they all summoned their martial souls, assuming defensive and offensive stances.
"Oh!"
Ma Hongjun was taken aback; this was awkward. He looked at Gu Tianlong.
This group numbered at least forty, all of them Great Soul Masters or higher, including two Soul Kings. If they ganged up on him, he couldn't win.
A group of them, without saying a word, would just unleash their skills, bombarding him relentlessly; his life would be in danger.
These people were clearly waiting for Gu Tianlong's order.
Gu Tianlong coldly glanced at Ma Hongjun, then scanned the crowd, seemingly hesitant.
The time to test his character had arrived. Only he knew Ma Hongjun's intentions; if he gave the order now, Ma Hongjun would surely be beaten to death.
Although Ma Hongjun was panicked, he remained calm. Being surrounded was somewhat oppressive, but he wasn't without means of countermeasures. At most, he would expose his second martial soul and fly away first.
Even if there were flying soul masters among them, there wouldn't be many; they couldn't stop Ma Hongjun.
So Ma Hongjun looked at Gu Tianlong curiously, wondering if this man had any magnanimity, what his character was like, and what choices he would make.
Gu Tianlong actually wanted to take this opportunity to teach Ma Hongjun a lesson.
His beloved Rongrong, whom he had watched grow up, the little flower he had always protected, had just blossomed and been plucked by Ma Hongjun. Anyone would be furious.
However, Gu Tianlong restrained himself. He didn't want to be such a despicable person. He was already no match for Ma Hongjun; if he used such underhanded methods against him, Ning Rongrong would look down on him, and his carefully cultivated image as a big brother would be ruined.
"What are you doing? Put away your martial spirits.
We're just sparring," Gu Tianlong snapped at those around him.
He also put away his martial spirit and then picked up the unconscious Ning Huahua.
"Let's go, I'll take you to see the sect leader and the others," Gu Tianlong said calmly.
He didn't mention winning or losing, and Ma Hongjun didn't bring it up either. In fact, ending things this way allowed both sides a way out.
It seems Gu Tianlong is quite adept at handling people.
The castle was very large, and Ning Fengzhi and the others, residing in the center, still needed to walk a distance.
The reason Gu Tianlong and his companion came earlier was because Gu Tianlong was currently in charge of the defense of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Castle, and Ning Huahua was with him. Upon receiving the guard's report, they came first.
At the center was a very large and magnificent palace, and with Gu Tianlong leading the way, they proceeded smoothly.
Upon arriving at the main hall entrance, the guards at the door opened the door for them.
Gu Tianlong asked Ma Hongjun to sit in the hall for a moment while he settled Ning Huahua in before informing Ning Fengzhi and the others.
Clearly, carrying the unconscious Ning Huahua was inappropriate, and he didn't want the adults to know what had just happened.
This hall was where the sect held ceremonies and received guests; Ning Fengzhi and the others didn't live here.
Not long after, people arrived at the door, with Ning Rongrong being the first to rush over.
"Brother!"
she called sweetly, then coquettishly took Ma Hongjun's hand.
A day apart feels like three autumns.
They'd been separated for three days, and Ning Rongrong had missed him terribly.
Of the four people who entered, besides Gu Tianlong at the back, Ma Hongjun only recognized Sword Douluo.
Sword Douluo was standing side-by-side with another thin old man, and in front of them was a refined-looking middle-aged man.
Judging from his confident stride and composed demeanor, it was undoubtedly Sect Master Ning Fengzhi.
This was his father-in-law, a handsome middle-aged man.
Ning Rongrong was still holding Ma Hongjun's hand. Ma Hongjun felt a little flustered looking at his father-in-law; this was the first time he'd met his future father-in-law in both his past and present lives.
Sword Douluo didn't speak, but smiled slightly at Ma Hongjun's awkwardness.
"Rongrong, aren't you going to introduce her to your father?"
Ning Fengzhi looked helplessly at Ning Rongrong, who was still clinging to Ma Hongjun's arm. This sweet little girl was already attached to someone else.
Ning Rongrong blushed, too embarrassed to speak.
Ma Hongjun gently tugged at her hand; this wasn't the right time for such intimacy, and Rongrong didn't seem to know her place.
Seeing Ning Rongrong's face growing increasingly red and her silence, Ma Hongjun had no choice but to brazenly continue.
"Hello, Uncle Ning, my name is Ma Hongjun!"
Gu Tianlong, standing at the back, had been sneering at Ma Hongjun's behavior, adopting a spectator's posture.
When he heard Ma Hongjun respectfully address Ning as Uncle, Gu Tianlong snorted and gave Ma Hongjun a disdainful look.
Just now, when facing him and Ning Huahua, he was arrogant and shameless, calling him "brother-in-law," but now, facing Ning Fengzhi, he only dared to call him "uncle." Hmph, so powerful? If you're so powerful,
just call him "
Dad! "
Gu Tianlong sneered and muttered,
"Coward!"
(End of Chapter)