Chapter 33: A Taste of Dog Food
As Bai Chenxiang unleashed her Wind Edge skill, a fierce gust of sharp wind surged toward Ma Hongjun, prompting him to respond with full force, summoning the power of his Phoenix Fire Bomb to counter the attack.
Their powers collided in a spectacular display of energy, the arena vibrating with the intensity of their clash. Despite Ma Hongjun's best efforts, Bai Chenxiang's attack proved to be formidable, their strengths evenly matched in the heat of battle.
"Do you remember now, you pervert!" Bai Chenxiang's voice rang out, as she pressed her assault, her determination evident in every movement. With another wave of sharp wind hurtling toward him, Ma Hongjun was forced to take evasive action, soaring upwards to dodge the oncoming attack.
"It couldn't be! You are..." Ma Hongjun trailed off, his expression one of disbelief as he gazed at Bai Chenxiang, his mind racing with sudden realization. Sensing that Ma Hongjun had finally recognized her, Bai Chenxiang's lips curved into a small smile as she prepared to confirm his suspicions. "That's right, I am-"
However, before she could finish her sentence, Ma Hongjun's exclamation cut her off mid-sentence. "That guy's sister?!" he interjected, his tone filled with incredulity as he connected the dots, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place in his mind.
As the 'truth' dawned on him, Ma Hongjun nodded to himself, the revelation making sense in hindsight. Meanwhile, Bai Chenxiang was left speechless, her emotions swirling with a mix of anger and unwillingness at Ma Hongjun's 'revelation'.
"Miss, I know he's your brother, but you shouldn't believe everything he says about me. I was just trying to save his life at that time!" Ma Hongjun seized the opportunity to explain, his voice earnest as he sought to clarify the misunderstanding between them.
Suddenly, Ma Hongjun was startled by the sudden surge of ferocity emanating from Bai Chenxiang's soul power. Before he could react, she unleashed a deafening shout "YOU IDIOT!" her voice filled with raw emotion as she launched into a relentless assault, akin to a berserker in the heat of battle.
Caught off guard by the sudden change in her demeanor, Ma Hongjun braced himself as Bai Chenxiang's attacks intensified.
As they observed the aerial drama unfolding before them, Dai Mubai and Oscar couldn't help but find amusement in the situation, prompting them to take a seat and enjoy the show.
"Third Brother, I can't deny that your sausages are really delicious. Their effects are truly shocking, especially your small sausages. If only your incantation..." Dai Mubai remarked between bites of the savory snack, his expression filled with satisfaction.
"Hehe, Sixth Brother, please understand that Incantations are Innate. I can't do anything about it" Oscar replied bashfully, though a hint of pride shone in his eyes at the compliment. Despite the nature of his incantations, he was glad to see that Dai Mubai still appreciated his creations.
Hearing Oscar's response, Dai Mubai simply nodded in acknowledgment. Despite the nature of Oscar's incantations, Dai Mubai recognized their effectiveness.
Without the assistance of Oscar's potent sausages, he would have required at least half a year to achieve his breakthrough. However, due to their aid, he now felt confident that he could accomplish it in under three days.
Driven by his determination to become stronger, Dai Mubai recognized the importance of seizing every opportunity for growth. After all, what use was being picky when it came to achieving his goals of strength.
As the fierce battle raged on, both Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang sustained injuries amid their relentless exchange of blows. Bai Chenxiang, recognizing her disadvantage in close combat, attempted to keep her distance from Ma Hongjun, knowing that she was not his match in hand-to-hand combat.
However, despite her efforts to evade his attacks, Ma Hongjun managed to close the gap between them, delivering a devastating blow filled with the power of his Phoenix Fire Bomb. The force of the impact sent Bai Chenxiang hurtling through the air, crashing to the ground with a resounding thud. Yet, Ma Hongjun did not emerge unscathed either, as he bore the brunt of the sharp winds that assailed him during their clash.
As she lay on the ground, Bai Chenxiang's voice was barely audible as she muttered, "Why... why can't I beat you? My soul power is much greater, yet I still lost...and I worked so hard for this" Her words were tinged with frustration and disappointment, a hint of tears glistening in her eyes as she grappled with the outcome of the battle.
Observing Bai Chenxiang's defeated demeanor, Dai Mubai empathized with her struggle, recalling his own experiences of frustration when facing Ma Hongjun in battle for the first time.
However, with the recent upgrade of his War God's Will and his advancement to the second level of the Heavenly Dao Sutra, Dai Mubai had managed to turn the tables in their sparring sessions, winning against Ma Hongjun in close combat nine out of ten times.
Yet, despite his progress, Dai Mubai acknowledged the challenge posed by Ma Hongjun's aerial tactics. In such situations, where Ma Hongjun took to the skies and bombarded him from above, Dai Mubai's chances of victory dwindled to just five out of ten, despite his greater soul power.
Reflecting on Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Nirvana ability, Dai Mubai couldn't help but complain quietly at its prowess.
Despite the enhancement of his first spirit ring skill after it became growable, which now accumulated the damage he had endured and unleashed it, Dai Mubai acknowledged that without it, his win rate against Ma Hongjun's aerial assaults wouldn't be at 50%.
This was a testament to the sheer potency of Ma Hongjun's attacks from above.
Descending from the sky, Ma Hongjun wore a reassuring smile despite his disheveled appearance. "Miss, don't be disheartened. Compared to your brother, who couldn't even land a solid blow on me, you've shown remarkable skill" he offered encouragingly.
Although Bai Chenxiang wanted to argue that her current level of soul power was much higher than had been during their previous encounter, she held her tongue and instead asked with a hint of dejection "Does this mean I've failed?"
With a warm smile, Ma Hongjun shook his head. "Miss, how could that be? With your exceptional abilities, it would be foolish for us not to accept you! Welcome to Shrek Academy" he declared warmly, extending his hand to help Bai Chenxiang to her feet.
Watching the exchange between Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang, Dai Mubai couldn't help but feel a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. He couldn't help but notice the difference in Ma Hongjun's attitude towards Bai Chenxiang compared to his own experiences. Yet, deep down, he understood the reasons behind Ma Hongjun's initial resistance towards him. His own past actions had contradicted Ma Hongjun's beliefs, and it was only natural for Ma Hongjun to react accordingly.
Bai Chenxiang took the grip on Ma Hongjun's hands. "Enough with the Miss, just call me Chenxiang" she insisted, a hint of annoyance coloring her tone. However, she realized too late that she made a mistake with her words. She wanted to correct herself by saying "Bai Chenxiang" instead of just "Chenxiang" but she couldn't say anything once she met his eyes as she blushed slightly.
Caught off guard by Bai Chenxiang's sudden boldness, Ma Hongjun felt a rush of warmth spreading across his cheeks, matching the faint blush on Bai Chenxiang's face. Their eyes met in an unspoken exchange. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as they remained locked in each other's gaze, the air tinged with an unspoken tension.
Dai Mubai and Oscar exchanged glances as they observed the peculiar atmosphere between Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang. It was evident to them that these two shared some kind of history or connection, considering the taste of dog food in their mouth due to the unabashed display of affection they were witnessing. Their expressions turned slightly sour as they exchanged exaggerated coughs. "Ahem!" they both coughed loudly, hoping to break the tension in the air.
Startled by the sudden cough, Bai Chenxiang quickly rose to her feet, her cheeks flushing slightly as she averted her gaze. "Then, um, Chenxiang, you can call me Hongjun as well. Follow me to the office so we can get you registered" Ma Hongjun said, scratching his head awkwardly as he took the lead. Bai Chenxiang nodded in agreement, a warn smile gracing her lips as she followed him.
Dai Mubai and Oscar exchanged annoyed glances, feeling somewhat ignored, before muttering a few choice curses under their breaths. With disgruntled expressions, they decided to make their way back to where the examinations were being held, leaving Ma Hongjun and Bai Chenxiang to their own.
Knocking on the door before them, Ma Hongjun waited for permission to enter before respectfully greeting his teacher. "Greetings, Teacher" he said with a bow. Gesturing towards Bai Chenxiang beside him, Ma Hongjun introduced her as the new student who had successfully passed all the examinations.
Bai Chenxiang stepped forward, offering her own respectful greeting to Flender, recognizing him as the Flying Corner of the Golden Iron Triangle. It was an honor to be in the presence of such esteemed figures in the world of Spirit Masters.
Flender's face lit up with joy at the sight of a new student, a hearty laugh escaping him as he welcomed her. After completing the necessary registration procedures and engaging in a brief conversation, Flender eventually dismissed them, instructing Ma Hongjun to escort Bai Chenxiang to her dormitory.
Once they left, Flender couldn't contain his excitement as he reached for his Dalu Link, eager to share the news with his other disciple.
"New student Bai Chenxiang? Level 28, Wind Chime Bird? Haha, that's fantastic news, Teacher! It won't be long until we have enough students to form a team" Sheng Jun exclaimed with enthusiasm, his voice reflecting his genuine joy at the prospect of getting more students in their academy.
After ending the call with his Teacher, Sheng muttered "Qinyu" summoning the woman in the black cloak to his side. With a calm demeanor, she awaited his instructions. "How's the plan about leaking the rumors about the current Pope to Grandmaster going?" Sheng Jun inquired, his tone carrying a hint of anticipation.
"To ensure our involvement remains undetected, it may require additional time" Qinyu responded, her voice tinged with a sense of guilt over any potential shortcomings in her efforts.
Sheng Jun considered her words thoughtfully, offering reassurance. "Hmm, that's satisfactory, take your time. Grandmaster won't be easily fooled into believing he stumbled upon such sensitive information accidentally. Just ensure he doesn't trace it back to us" he advised, acknowledging the importance of maintaining their anonymity in the matter or else his plans might fail.
In addition to the ongoing plan, Sheng Jun issued another order. "Also, gather all available information about this Bai Chenxiang and her Martial Soul as swiftly as possible" he ordered.
"Understood" Qinyu acknowledged before disappearing into the shadows.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone