"You people aren't some kind of swindlers, are you? Recently, the deans have said it's strictly forbidden to leak any school information to outsiders."
The leading student eyed Flender with suspicion, clearly not trusting him.
A few kids—so young they looked barely out of childhood—claiming they wanted to challenge the Emperor Team? That alone was unbelievable.
And now, there was this bald, lecherous-looking uncle standing in front of them…
Originally, Flender had wanted to release his Soul Saint aura to prove he wasn't lying. But after hearing the student's words, he realized he'd misunderstood the situation.
He also remembered—Ma Hongjun and the others were indeed far too young. But after all, they were the little monsters he had raised himself.
Very quickly, Flender pulled out Qin Ming's letter and handed it to the student.
When the leading student saw Qin Ming's Blazing Flame Wolf seal, his suspicion eased slightly.
But in the next second, his face twisted in anger. He threw the letter back at Flender, snapping:
"You dare try to fool me? Replace the Emperor Team with substitutes? You're insulting me!"
The other Heaven Dou Royal Academy students glared at Flender as well.
"How dare you insult our teacher!"
Not far away, when Ma Hongjun saw his teacher being treated like this, how could he endure it?
At once, his Martial Spirit flared. With a sharp phoenix cry, his body erupted in flame.
In the blaze of Evil Fire, Ma Hongjun shot forward, landing protectively in front of Flender.
As his two yellow and one purple spirit rings flashed, he prepared to spew fire.
But in the very next moment, Flender pinched his mouth shut.
"Hongjun, don't be reckless."
Flender was always sensitive about money. He wasn't angry at a few arrogant students—he was just afraid of accidentally damaging something in Heaven Dou City and having to pay for it.
After all, even though he was a Soul Saint, that wasn't such a big deal in the empire's capital.
Not to mention, the three deans of Heaven Dou Royal Academy were all Contra-level experts.
Fortunately, Ma Hongjun's display of strength was enough to stun those students.
Though he was nowhere near Xiao Lin's level, he was still undeniably a genius.
At this age, to already have three spirit rings—and flames so powerful and oppressive they suffocated the air—it was extraordinary.
The leading student began to believe Flender's words, though he still didn't think these brats could possibly defeat the Emperor Team.
"…Fine. I'll believe you just this once."
His tone softened, but then turned cold again.
"I've never even heard of your Shrek Academy. I'll take you to Teacher Qin Ming. But if you're lying—hmph!"
He clenched his fist with a warning snort.
Once you enter Heaven Dou Royal Academy, you'd better tread carefully.
Not long after, the Shrek group was led to the Emperor Team's training grounds.
Because Flender had personally brought them, Qin Ming himself rushed out excitedly to greet them.
Looking at his former teacher and headmaster, Qin Ming was overwhelmed with emotion.
But before he could say much, his sharp sensitivity to flames made him notice something wrong about Ma Hongjun.
Looking at Ma Hongjun's slightly plump face, filled with a faint aura of corruption, Qin Ming frowned.
"Dean Flender, this is the Ma Hongjun you mentioned?"
"What's wrong?"
Flender nodded. But when he saw Qin Ming's expression, a chill ran through him.
"This Ma Hongjun junior… I'm afraid he's destined to become a cripple."
Qin Ming sighed softly and explained his impression to the Shrek group.
"How is that possible? Isn't Xiao Ma perfectly fine right now?"
Yu Xiaogang couldn't sit still. At once, he sneered coldly.
"You are… Yu Xiaogang?"
Qin Ming stared at Yu Xiaogang's wretched appearance, and in his mind, he instantly linked the teacher to the student.
Truly, like teacher, like student.
Suppressing his disdain, Qin Ming gave his explanation:
"Dean Flender, during a spirit ring hunt, I once had a great stroke of fortune that left me extremely sensitive to fire. From what I sense, Ma Hongjun's flame has already succumbed to Evil Fire. If it isn't purged thoroughly, he'll inevitably become a cripple."
In fact, Qin Ming was already sugarcoating it. If he spoke bluntly—Ma Hongjun might one day fall into corruption.
And corrupted spirit masters were the most despised existence on the continent. At that point, even Flender might have to turn against his own disciple.
That was something Qin Ming couldn't bear to see.
"What!?"
"How is this possible?"
"Xiao Gang said once Hongjun absorbs spirit rings from phoenix-blooded beasts, he won't have any problems."
Flender grabbed Qin Ming's arm desperately, eyes filled with disbelief, hoping Qin Ming would say he was mistaken.
But Qin Ming's words had already stunned everyone.
Zhao Wuji and the other teachers all looked at Ma Hongjun with pity.
Dai Mubai and Oscar exchanged helpless glances. How could they accept that their sworn brother, the one who'd vowed to travel the continent with them and chase the most beautiful women, might become a cripple?
Zhu Zhuqing's face turned frosty at the news. In her heart, she even felt a trace of satisfaction.
She secretly wished it were Dai Mubai instead who was crippled. Then the fight for the Star Luo throne would no longer involve her.
Yu Xiaogang, however, just laughed coldly.
"Qin Ming, and how do you guarantee that what you say is true?"
Qin Ming blinked, then sneered.
In his eyes, this so-called 'Master,' barely at spirit power level 30, was nothing but a fraud who had ruined Ma Hongjun.
Though he despised him, he still spoke respectfully for Flender's sake.
"When I obtained my spirit ring, I also gained a celestial herb—Flame Spirit Grass. Said to be a relic of the Fire God. With it, I could never mistake such a flame's condition."
Of course, Qin Ming didn't mention that it was Xiao Lin who had given him the herb. He only claimed it as his own lucky find.
Seeing his expression, Flender's face turned deathly pale, nearly collapsing on the spot.
Fortunately, Qin Ming reacted quickly and supported him.
For someone of Flender's Soul Saint cultivation to falter like that… it showed just how much he cared for Ma Hongjun.
And when the others heard Qin Ming mention the Flame Spirit Grass and Fire God, they began to believe him more and more.
Their gazes toward Yu Xiaogang even grew hostile.
"You still haven't explained what will happen when Ma Hongjun absorbs phoenix-blooded spirit beast rings."
Yu Xiaogang spoke calmly, showing no trace of panic. That steadiness made some of the others start to believe him again.
Yes—after all, this "phoenix bloodline" theory was also one of Yu Xiaogang's teachings.
"Phoenix bloodline spirit rings can indeed alleviate Hongjun's Evil Fire—but it's too late."
Qin Ming shook his head. His sensitivity to fire told him the truth—Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire had already invaded his heart, feeding dark desires within.
"I don't know how you've been training him, but from what I sense, Ma Hongjun may appear obedient on the outside… yet in his heart lurks a demon. To him, as long as it's Dean Flender's command, he would do anything.
"He has lost the most basic sense of morality. With the Evil Fire constantly eroding him, it is guiding him further into corruption."
The moment Qin Ming finished, everyone turned toward Yu Xiaogang.
After all, it had been Yu Xiaogang's idea from the beginning—to strengthen Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire, to train through it.
Martial Soul Data Panel:
Xiao Lin
Martial Soul: Dragon Staff
Destructive Power: S
Speed: S
Range: S
Endurance: S
Precision: A
Growth Potential: S
Special Energy: S (Extreme Ice and Fire)
(Note: Xiao Lin's panel has been deliberately kept understated.)
End of Chapter