Chapter 2: Helping Ma Xiaotao Resolve Her Evil Fire
"Hmm, Class Nine for new students."
Ye Chen thought for a moment before replying.
If he remembered correctly, the homeroom teacher for Class Nine was Mu Jin, and students like Wu Feng and Ning Tian were also there—good potential teammates.
"Class Nine… How about Class One instead? The homeroom teacher is Teacher Zhou Yi. She was transferred from the upper grades and has more teaching experience…"
Director Du Weilan instinctively suggested.
Though Zhou Yi's teaching methods were a bit unconventional, she was undeniably skilled. Du Weilan believed that a "monster" like Ye Chen should be in Zhou Yi's class to receive the best possible guidance.
"No, I still think Class Nine feels luckier." Ye Chen declined with a smile.
Go to Class One? Wasn't that just looking for trouble?
Zhou Yi was basically another Yu Xiaogang—talking big about theory with almost no real ability.
She just happened to get lucky and be assigned a few talented students, then took credit for their success.
If her methods were truly so effective, why hadn't the whole academy adopted them?
Did that mean everyone in Shrek was an idiot except Zhou Yi, the "super genius teacher"?
"Alright then."
Hearing his response, Du Weilan didn't insist. He handed Ye Chen the newly prepared student badge and a dormitory key labeled Room 112.
It seemed to be right next to—or maybe across from—Huo Yuhao's room…
"Forget the dormitory! You can stay with me instead." Ma Xiaotao acted faster than anyone, snatching the key from Ye Chen and dragging him toward the inner court.
She had to give Ye Chen a "physical examination" today—well, a cultivation check, to be precise.
How could she possibly let Ye Chen sleep in those shabby outer-court dorms?
They were old, drafty, and freezing. If Ye Chen caught cold, her heart would ache.
"Alright…"
Helpless, Ye Chen let himself be pulled away by Ma Xiaotao.
Moments later, she was leading him toward one of the academy's training rooms.
"Uh, Sister Xiaotao, didn't you say we were going back to the inner court?" Ye Chen asked in confusion.
He had spent the whole day traveling with Yan Shaozhe, exhausted and thirsty. Yet now Ma Xiaotao had brought him here?
"Of course, I need to check your level first, Junior Brother~" Ma Xiaotao said sweetly.
The best way to relieve her evil fire was through martial soul conflict.
In the past, she'd vented her power by beating up Xu Sanshi.
The water attribute of Xu Sanshi's Xuanwu Turtle martial soul could slightly suppress her evil fire, but its effect had been gradually weakening.
Now that she had a completely new outlet, how could she resist?
Of course, she would hold back.
Ye Chen was her precious treasure—she wouldn't dream of hurting him.
They entered a private room. It was roughly the size of two basketball courts from Ye Chen's previous life. Too small for a real battle, but perfect for testing soul skills.
The entire chamber was made from extremely durable black iron, capable of withstanding battles below the Soul Emperor level. In the corner, a soul device lamp illuminated the room brightly.
"Come on, let me see what you've got, Junior Brother."
Ma Xiaotao gave a sharp command and immediately released her Evil Fire Phoenix. Six soul rings rose at her feet, radiating immense pressure.
As her martial soul appeared, the room's temperature spiked dramatically. Waves of fire surged like tides. The air shimmered from heat distortion, warping Ye Chen's vision.
"Alright."
Feeling the burning heat, Ye Chen quickly released his martial soul.
A dragon's roar echoed.
The shadow of the Ice Dragon King appeared behind Ye Chen, and a deadly chill instantly swept across the room.
This smaller form stood three meters tall, its body covered in faceted, crystalline scales that gleamed under the light like polished glacial ice.
Its head was raised high, eyes like two cold moons, their depths flickering with glacial light that made one's bones freeze with a single glance.
Its spine arched like a frozen mountain range, its back lined with razor-sharp ice spikes shimmering with lethal frostlight.
Its tail swept through the air, trailing streams of icy mist.
Though only a phantom, the aura it emanated made even Ma Xiaotao's powerful martial soul instinctively recoil.
Even though she was over twenty levels stronger, she hadn't used her full strength, and Ye Chen's Ultimate Ice more than compensated for the gap.
Still, since this was only a spar, Ye Chen restrained his dragon aura. The chilling energy expanded, quickly dispelling her oppressive heat.
"So strong! So refreshing! So cold! So amazing!"
Ma Xiaotao felt that overwhelming aura of extreme ice and couldn't hide her thrill.
This was the real Ultimate Ice!
Xu Sanshi's worthless turtle water couldn't compare to this!
"Come, Junior Brother! Let me test how powerful you truly are!" Her ruby eyes gleamed, her lips curling with excitement.
"Alright."
Ye Chen nodded calmly.
In the next instant—
Click, click, click—
A crystalline armor appeared over Ye Chen's body like overlapping dragon scales, gleaming with glacial brilliance.
This was his second soul skill—
Ice Scale Armor: Ice-crystal scales cover the body, increasing physical defense by 200%, elemental resistance by 300%, fire attribute resistance by 500%, and all attributes by 100%. Physical attacks cause ice spikes to erupt, inflicting freezing control.
"Roaaar!"
Ye Chen bellowed as a cloud of frost erupted around him, sweeping straight toward Ma Xiaotao.
This was his first soul skill—Ice Dragon's Breath: Exhales extreme cold, freezing all targets in range and inflicting the continuous "Frost Erosion" slow effect.
"What a powerful soul skill!"
Ma Xiaotao's entire body was engulfed in flames, yet the icy chill surrounding her felt unspeakably soothing.
Ice restrains fire, but fire also resists ice.
The two clashed violently, her fire consuming his frost, his cold restraining her flames.
But in the process, Ma Xiaotao could feel the evil fire in her body being steadily dissolved.
She acknowledged that Ye Chen's ability was powerful—yet as a Soul Emperor, she wasn't going to be overwhelmed by a bit of cold.
"Got anything stronger? I can't wait!" Ma Xiaotao's pupils glowed red, her voice husky with eagerness.
"Of course."
Ye Chen didn't hesitate to channel more soul power, unleashing his fourth soul skill—Wings of the Ice Dragon: Blizzard.
Twin dragon wings suddenly unfurled behind him, then clapped together to form a storming vortex that surged toward Ma Xiaotao.
The tornado glittered with innumerable razor-edged ice crystals!
Even a defensive-type Soul King wouldn't dare take that hit head-on.
"Phoenix Skystrike!"
Since Ma Xiaotao specialized in offense, not defense, she didn't dare receive it directly. She quickly responded with her own fourth soul skill.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dozens of fiery columns erupted from the ground, colliding with Ye Chen's ice storm.
Ice shards shattered across the walls, embedding themselves deep within the black iron.
The power behind Ye Chen's skill already rivaled that of a Soul Emperor.
Only Ma Xiaotao could block that. Any other Soul Emperor would have been frozen solid if they couldn't dodge in time.
"Alright, alright, let's call it a day~" Ma Xiaotao lifted her hand, dismissing her martial soul. Her gaze toward Ye Chen carried a mix of admiration and faint reproach.
That last attack had genuinely startled her.
Normally, she could have dodged it easily, but in this confined space, it was impossible. If she hadn't been strong enough, she would have taken serious damage.
Still, the good news was that this spar had purged nearly half of the evil fire building up inside her, allowing her to continue cultivating safely.
Even without direct physical contact, the residual ice elements lingering in the air continued to suppress her evil flames.
The effect was equivalent to 500 Xu Sanshis!
Indeed, this time she had truly found a treasure.
(END CHAPTER)
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