Watching Bai Chenxiang charge with her blades, Fire Dragon Douluo couldn't help but sigh. What a brave girl.
He didn't hold back. Enveloped in blazing flames, a massive fire dragon rushed toward Bai Chenxiang. If they collided, she would die without a doubt.
"Damn it, I won't make it!" Ma Hongjun, flying at top speed, saw them ahead. His eyes were red. His Fire Phoenix was strong, but its flying speed didn't match the Needle-Tailed Swift.
"If that's the case—then I'll leave it to you, Raging-Prairie Spear!"
He poured all his strength into throwing the Fire God's divine spear. At the moment of collision, the spear passed right between them.
In an instant, all the flames on Fire Dragon Douluo's body vanished. Before the Fire God's divine weapon, even the Ultimate Fire must bow.
Thud.
Bai Chenxiang was still knocked flying. Even without Blazing Dragon Body, a Titled Douluo's physical strength far surpassed hers. But without a soul skill, a simple body check wasn't fatal.
She wore the Black Heaven Treasure Armor under her clothes—the protection fee Tang Hao gave to Yin Yang back then. It originally belonged to Ning Rongrong, but with her current strength she didn't need it, so it was given to the relatively weaker Bai Chenxiang. It proved invaluable today, leaving her only slightly injured.
Bai Chenxiang's tumbling body was wrapped by crimson flames—mysterious fire that didn't harm her but healed her wounds.
The flames took human form. Ma Hongjun caught her and sighed in relief. He'd barely made it. Any later, and all his struggle to become a god would have been meaningless.
Looking at the man, Bai Chenxiang felt a strong sense of familiarity. The phoenix flames also declared his identity. "You're… Hongjun?"
"Heh, worthy of being my Xiangxiang. Even with my looks changed, you still recognize me at a glance." Ma Hongjun grinned. "How about it, Xiangxiang? Am I handsome now? Sometimes I look in the mirror and stun myself. Sigh, how many maidens will I ruin? You'll have to keep a close eye on me."
A tic mark popped on Bai Chenxiang's forehead. No mistake—this punchable expression and tone was that dead fatty from back then.
"You jerk! You come back after so long and start spouting nonsense—the enemy's right here!" She pounded his chest with her small fists.
Ma Hongjun's face turned serious as he looked at Fire Dragon Douluo. "Don't worry, Xiangxiang. He dared lay hands on you—I won't let him off. Go rest. I'll finish him and then protect you."
"Who are you? And what was that thing just now? It erased my flames in an instant," Fire Dragon Douluo asked gravely. This Fire Phoenix soul master seemed to have power that countered him.
"If you want to see it again, I'll oblige." Ma Hongjun beckoned, and the spear flew back to his hand.
"Phoenix Nods!" He thrust straight forward—the first form of the Fire God Spear Arts, which he'd mastered to perfection.
"Ninth soul skill, Dragonfire That Scorches the World!" Feeling the danger, Fire Dragon Douluo used his strongest ninth soul skill.
Flames strong enough to boil seas and burn the sky spewed from the dragon's mouth. Ma Hongjun simply spun his spear as he charged, like a tornado. No matter how fierce the flames, they couldn't touch him.
The scattered flames escaped Fire Dragon Douluo's control, falling into the camp. In an instant, the Star Luo encampment became a sea of fire, with heavy casualties.
The spear finally pierced Fire Dragon Douluo's shoulder. With a single move, Ma Hongjun decided the fight. Against other attributes, it wouldn't be so easy. But now, no fire-type soul master could be his match.
Grievously wounded, Fire Dragon Douluo fell, unable to believe he'd been beaten in one strike by a mere Soul Douluo.
Three figures approached—Oslo, Yu Feng, and Tianlin. While Ma Hongjun saved Bai Chenxiang, Tianlin had helped them, wiping out the five Soul Douluo besieging Oslo and Yu Feng.
Elsewhere, Zhu Zhuqing used her martial soul true body plus her eighth soul skill to break the two Soul Emperors' fusion skill, capturing Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun alive.
As for the 700,000 troops, now leaderless, they fell into chaos. After the Speed Clan informed Tuoba Xi, he unhesitatingly dispatched the Holy Dragon Legion and 160,000 troops.
"Kill!" With Tuoba Xi's roar, the Holy Dragon Legion launched a frenzied assault.
Tianlin stepped before Fire Dragon Douluo. "Senior, you're bold indeed, to dare strike at Xiangxiang. Do you know her master is Sword Dao Chen Xin, and her senior brother is me—Sword Lord Jun Tianlin? You should thank Ma Hongjun for saving you just now. Otherwise, two soul masters with Ultimate Douluo-level strength would hunt you to your death."
"Heh, quite the background. But I don't understand—Star Luo is at war with the Spirit Empire. Why is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect helping the Spirit Empire?" Fire Dragon Douluo clutched his bleeding shoulder. Without the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, they wouldn't have lost.
"Hmph. Why should I tell you? Take your doubts to hell. You almost killed Xiangxiang—I'll poke ten or eight holes straight through you."
Ma Hongjun hadn't cooled down. He raised his spear to strike when Bai Chenxiang flew over to stop him. "Stop, Hongjun—you must not insult this senior."
"Why, Xiangxiang? He nearly killed you!"
"Hongjun, this is war, not a personal vendetta. In war, me killing him is proper; him killing me is also natural. Besides, he meant to let me die with dignity." Bai Chenxiang admonished.
Tianlin hadn't expected Bai Chenxiang to understand war so deeply—more mature than Ma Hongjun.
He'd worried that while Ma Hongjun's power had increased, his temperament hadn't matured. With Bai Chenxiang's constant reminders, he could relax.
Ma Hongjun lowered his spear and bowed to Fire Dragon Douluo. "I'm sorry, senior. I was rude."
"Haha! Thank you, young lady. Since you won't answer my first question, at least tell me: what exactly am I to die to?" Fire Dragon Douluo asked, staring at the spear in Ma Hongjun's hand.
Ma Hongjun didn't hide it. "Senior, this is one of the legendary Fire God's divine weapons—the Raging-Prairie Spear."
"Fire God's divine weapon? The legendary god of flames?" Fire Dragon Douluo first started, then laughed in delight. "Wonderful—truly wonderful! Young man, kill me quickly. As a fire-type soul master, to die beneath the Fire God's divine weapon—what an honor for me, Wu Zhao!"
"Forgive me, senior!" Ma Hongjun raised his spear again—this time to give a clean end. War is merciless. Respect is respect, but an enemy must still be killed—at most, allow him to die with dignity.
"Fire Dragon martial soul, surname Wu?" Hearing the name Wu Zhao, Tianlin thought of something and hurriedly stopped him. "Hongjun, don't strike!"
"What is it, boss?" Ma Hongjun was puzzled. Had the boss gone soft?
Tianlin didn't answer him, but turned to Wu Zhao. "Senior, join my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."