Chapter 198: Unstable Mutation

"Fatty, where are you going again?" Dai Mubai glanced at Ma Hongjun, who had pretended to leave but sat back down.

"Boss Dai, I'm planning to find a place to suppress the Evil Fire," Ma Hongjun said hesitantly.

"Your Evil Fire eruptions have been getting more frequent lately; are you sure you're okay?" Dai Mubai said.

Lately he has sensed something off about Ma Hongjun, even finding it hard to read him.

"Sigh, it might be because a higher Soul Power Level makes the Evil Fire stronger," Ma Hongjun offered as an excuse.

This wasn't nonsense; recent training showed that Ma Hongjun's phoenix flames were far more powerful than before, with a restless ferocity, and even Dai Mubai, whose Soul Power Level exceeds his, must be extra cautious against those flames.

Dai Mubai nodded; during recent training he rarely found himself at a disadvantage against Ma Hongjun's attacks.

"Alright, go early and return early; don't delay training."

"Got it."

The strength of a mutated martial soul lies in its mutation; Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix is a mutated martial soul, but its mutation is not thorough enough.

If it could evolve into a pure Fire Phoenix, it would be an elite beast martial soul, free of Evil Fire's trouble, allowing him to focus more on soul power cultivation.

Conversely, losing the Evil Fire's ferocity would definitely be a downgrade to his combat power.

But now Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul is mutating toward another extreme.

Walking the streets of Tiandou City, Ma Hongjun's gaze occasionally lingered on young women, his small eyes scanning key areas repeatedly.

The dim, damp alleys are Ma Hongjun's most frequented spots.

His eyes gradually took on a crimson hue, and his previously lecherous demeanor turned cold.

……

The royal hunting grounds, located 50 km southwest of Tiandou City, are patrolled and guarded by the Royal Knight Order.

The fifteen teams entering the Promotion Match each have specific arrangements; to avoid unnecessary trouble, each team lives in a different location.

This time, Second Team is led by Bai Baoshan and Zhao Tianhe.

"Please present your handscroll."

The Royal Knight Order's peripheral staff handle reception, and the handscroll serves as qualification proof for the Promotion Match.

Bai Baoshan hands the handscroll to the other side; after confirming its accuracy, he will arrange personnel to guide them.

Second Team's temporary quarters are the barracks within the camp.

"Jue Dun, have you seen their horses? These are Sky Soul Horses with Soul Beast bloodlines," Zhang Xiaohe said enviously to the nearby Jue Dun.

Everyone naturally noticed the Sky Soul Horses, but unlike Zhang Xiaohe, most had no accurate notion of a knight order's horses.

Coming from a great noble family, Zhang Xiaohe was different; he knew the Royal Knight Order's value very well.

"Committee Member, please everyone rest well; the Promotion Match starts tomorrow, and specialists will guide you."

The Promotion Match has no opening ceremony; it starts directly, and the Empire and the Spirit Hall determine the outcomes.

"Thank you, General," Bai Baoshan said gratefully.

"Not at all, I must take my leave."

The knight order's General seemed startled by the honor of saluting the Tiandou Royal Academy's Committee Member.

He himself is also a Soul Master, a Fourth Ring Soul Ancestor; when facing the Tiandou Royal Academy's Committee Member, an Eight Ring Soul Douluo, he should perform junior etiquette, and upon Bai Baoshan's salute, he repeatedly waved his hand, unwilling to accept the gesture.

Bai Baoshan simply smiled calmly and led the team members into the barracks to rest.

The fifteen teams in the Promotion Match will play fourteen rounds of round‑robin, one round per day, totaling seven matches, with one team idle each day.

The next day, the guide personnel arrived promptly outside the barracks.

Everyone followed his steps to the large training field within the camp, where a combat arena for the matches had been specially set up.

On the north side was the VIP seating, though fewer people occupied it than in the main Soul Battle arena.

The Promotion Match rules are simple: a ring challenge system, each side fields seven participants for individual Soul Battles until one side's Soul Masters are all eliminated.

In the Lottery Draw Ceremony, the Tiandou Royal Team drew the Fabia Academy team as their opponent for the fourth round of today's seven matches.

The Fabia team's strength ranks among the weakest of the fifteen participating teams.

Zhao Tianhe arranged the order of his members taking the stage: Gu Qi first, Tuo Yu second, and Tie Li was placed last.

In Zhao Tianhe's view, the Fabia team is weak, and the first six could eliminate them.

He kept Tie Li for last only out of fear of a hidden mishap.

The lesson from the last Suixing Team remains vivid.

Today's first match pits the Shilake Team against the Barak Team.

The Barak Team comes from the royal academy of Barak Kingdom, a distinguished status.

The Barak Team sent a tall member, who is the team's Team Leader and a Fourth Ring Soul Ancestor;

In contrast, the Shilake side fielded a member with an unfamiliar face.

"Hmph, putting on a show," Huo Wu said upon seeing the Shilake team field an unfamiliar face, assuming they deliberately sent a substitute, expressing disdain.

She and Huo Wushuang appeared at Divine Wind Academy, their attire also the academy's team uniform.

This change at Divine Wind Academy naturally caught the attention of four other teams in the Tiandou competition zone.

Someone immediately reported Divine Wind Academy for rule violations, but their expressions made it clear the report failed.

With Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang joining, the Shenfeng Team's strength grew.

On the arena, after the referee announced the start, both sides' Soul Masters simultaneously released their martial souls.

Originally, teams in the Tiandou zone assumed Shilake had sent a substitute, but the martial soul appearing in his hand explained everything.

Haotian Hammer, again the Haotian Hammer Weapon Soul!

All teams' gazes fell on Shilake Academy; as dean, Fulangde straightened his posture, deliberately highlighting his presence.

The appearance of a Haotian Sect disciple at Shilake Academy unmistakably told everyone that the academy is backed by the world's top sect, the Haotian Sect!

The Barak Team's Team Leader, upon seeing the opponent's Haotian Hammer, felt his momentum crushed; who can remain composed when facing the world's foremost weapon soul?

Although both were four-ring Soul Ancestors, this disciple of the Clear Sky Sect had a Soul Power Level as high as forty-eight.

The situation was completely one-sided, as the Clear Sky Sect disciple suppressed the Barak Team's Team Leader throughout.

Finally, the hammer strike of Da Li's heavy momentum slammed into his body, and the whole person flew backwards.

The Barak Team then sent out five members, relying on the wheel tactic, only then managing to drain the Clear Sky Sect disciple's soul power, prompting him to voluntarily step down and be replaced.

And this victory undoubtedly belonged to the Shrek Team.

(End of chapter)