Boom!
Almost at the same time as he clicked the confirmation button, Ma Hongjun felt an unimaginably intense burning sensation erupt from his chest and spread rapidly throughout his entire body!
Agonizing pain accompanied the searing heat. Struggling to rise, he leapt up under the stunned gaze of the girl next to him, jumped out the window, and sprinted toward the river, guided by his memory.
Dong dong!
His heart pounded violently, each beat fanning the flames within him like a furnace. Dark red flames burst from his body, incinerating impurities within him, gradually refining his soul power into a bright, clear red hue!
At that moment, the youth felt as though he were inside a colossal furnace, engulfed by endless fire. Through the haze of pain, he seemed to see a phoenix stretching its wings across the sky, slowly opening its eyes and casting its gaze upon him.
"Aaaaaagh!!!"
He roared wildly. His chubby body began to shrink, his mohawk-style hair was reduced to ash in a flash, only to grow back rapidly. A faint crimson mark gradually formed between his eyebrows.
Violent!
An invisible phoenix cry echoed through the sky. Unable to endure the excruciating pain and searing heat any longer, the boy instinctively dove into the river. Instantly, steam rose into the air, and the commotion drew the attention of nearby villagers.
Shrek Academy.
A makeshift campus assembled from unused village houses. If not for the five large, fluttering characters at the entrance, no one would believe this was actually a school.
"Seriously? Why does Boss Dai get to go to the city to pick up girls, even Fatty gets to visit the village, but I'm stuck here making sausages?"
"I have a big sausage!"
In the courtyard, a bearded teenager grumbled as he released his first soul skill. He stacked the sausages onto a sizzling iron plate and brushed them with sauce like a pro. A tantalizing aroma soon drifted through the air.
"Heh, my sausages are getting better and better. I bet they'll charm tons of girls in the future."
He flipped his hair narcissistically, peach blossom eyes flashing with a knowing light only a veteran flirt would understand. "But still, Boss Dai's twin sisters are really..."
Boom!!!
A thunderous explosion accompanied by white mist startled the boy so much that he nearly kicked over his sausage stand. He quickly steadied it, then shouted angrily toward the hillside, "Who's the jerk causing trouble?!"
He stared in disbelief at the blaze and the hazy silhouette of a phoenix within it. His Adam's apple bobbed, and his legs began to tremble slightly.
Swish!!
A fierce gust of wind knocked the already off-balance boy to the ground. He was just about to curse again when he looked up—and the words caught in his throat.
"Holy crap, even the dean showed up. What the hell happened here?"
"Wait. Phoenix? Flames?"
His eyes widened.
"Could it be... Fatty?!"
Inside the cabin, Ma Hongjun slowly opened his eyes.
The unfamiliar surroundings left him dazed for a moment. Shaking his head, he realized he must have lost control during his martial soul evolution and leapt into the river.
Was I rescued by someone?
"You're awake?"
A slightly hoarse voice caught his attention. Turning toward it, he saw a man carrying food standing at the door.
The man looked to be around fifty years old—though his age showed, he was well-built. He had a distinctive face: a protruding chin, wide cheekbones, a flat face, and a slightly hooked nose. He wore a pair of rigid, square black-rimmed glasses that made him look a little odd.
But beneath the glasses, his usual slyness and cunning were gone, replaced by genuine worry and concern.
Flender, the Four-Eyed Owl!
One of the Golden Iron Triangle and also Ma Hongjun's teacher.
Flender set the food on the table beside the bed, sat down, reached out to touch the boy's forehead, and sighed in relief.
"You need to tell me what happened. Honestly, if I didn't know you, I'd think someone swapped you out."
He hesitated, then handed the boy a mirror.
Ma Hongjun blinked and took it.
The reflection staring back at him was of a strikingly handsome young man—fair skin, sharp features, long crimson hair down to his shoulders, crystal-like red eyes, and a faint red feather-shaped mark between his brows that exuded mystery and nobility.
He didn't look completely unlike the former fat and greasy Ma Hongjun—but it was hard to connect the two.
"This... is me?"
Even Ma Hongjun was stunned.
Could evolving the martial soul really change a person's looks and temperament this drastically?
"Nonsense. If it's not you, then is it me?" Flender rolled his eyes, clearly salty.
"Now hurry up and explain what happened." He seemed a bit put out by the fact that the formerly unattractive kid had suddenly turned into a heartthrob.
And when he pulled the boy from the river, he'd been stunned.
He's only twelve—how is that thing so big already? What's he going to be like when he grows up?!
"Teacher, I don't remember everything clearly. I just remember that I..."
Ma Hongjun hesitated for a moment but still told the whole story—except for the part involving the system.
Flender was probably the person he trusted most aside from his deceased parents.
Besides, when reading the original novel, Ma Hongjun had always liked this teacher—greedy, lecherous, yes, but also fiercely protective and loyal.
"Hmm... Seems like your martial spirit mutated again, and for the better. That's good news."
Flender rubbed his chin in thought.
"But I don't know the full details. I've got a friend who's quite knowledgeable. I'll ask him later. You just rest for now. Come to the academy tonight, and I'll check your condition."
As he spoke, he looked the red-haired boy up and down with envy, his gaze lingering on that handsome face—and another particular area.
Twelve years old and already this exaggerated... So unfair!
Flender left in a huff.
Ma Hongjun sat there, still a little confused.
Why does everything feel so weird today?
He muttered to himself but quickly set it aside, opening his system panel with eager anticipation.
[Name: Ma Hongjun]
[Soul Power: Level 29 (Great Soul Master)]
[Martial Soul: Spirit Phoenix (Ancestral Phoenix - Residual Soul State)]
[Soul Skills: Phoenix Fire Line (Hundred-Year Soul Ring), Phoenix Rebirth from Flames (Hundred-Year Soul Ring)]
[Trait: Grace of the Ancestral Phoenix (Even though the Ancestral Phoenix has lost most of its divinity and power and only retains its beastly instincts, its innate power allows it to grant a portion of its grace. You can increase your soul power through reproduction, and those you favor will also be blessed) Level 1]
[Current Fate Reversal Progress: 3%]
[Evolution Points: 10]
"Spirit Phoenix."
The boy took a deep breath and raised his hand. A red flame ignited in his palm.
Compared to the previous dull red flame, it now burned brighter and purer. Its temperature had also increased dramatically.
As the heat in the cabin soared and the furniture began to emit black smoke, Ma Hongjun quickly waved to disperse the flames.
"Hahaha!"
Feeling the overwhelming heat and power coursing through his body, he grinned with excitement.
Although the system panel hadn't changed drastically, Ma Hongjun knew: this evolution of his martial soul had brought a qualitative leap in strength!
By rough estimate, the temperature and destructive force of his flames had tripled.
And naturally, his soul skills would become much stronger too.
With his current strength, he could easily defeat two of his former selves.
More importantly...
He glanced at the "Level 1" on the Grace trait and could sense it—those beast-like instincts that once controlled him had completely vanished.
In other words, they were now under his control.
He wasn't sure if the effect of the blessing had improved as well, but at the very least... the little head wouldn't be doing the thinking for the big one anymore.
"I still need to find someone to test this. I wonder if Cui Hua was scared off..."
Ma Hongjun shook his head, got up, got dressed, and stepped outside.
"Wait... will Cui Hua even recognize me now?"
.
.
[Image] Ma Hongjun