Chapter 59: Mo Hongjun (Patreon)

Zhu Zhuyun didn't leave.

For one, she still had a mission, secretly staying behind on Dai Weisi's orders to keep an eye on Lu Feng and Dai Mubai. To assist her, Dai Weisi had even assigned two Soul Kings under her command.

For another, she didn't want to leave just yet. Staying behind suited her just fine.

After scouting Shrek Academy, Zhu Zhuyun was surprised to discover that despite its low profile, the school was full of hidden talents. Even the weakest teacher was a Soul Emperor, and the strongest, Dean Flender, was a level-78 Soul Sage.

With her innate Nether Spirit Cat martial soul's stealth and tracking abilities—honed over a decade of specialized training—her skills far surpassed those of the two Soul Kings assisting her. Still, she didn't dare get too close to the academy, opting instead to lurk outside its grounds.

Shrek Academy was built in a village, with small interconnected paths weaving through it.

Just then—

Zhu Zhuyun spotted Lu Feng and Zhu Zhu Qing walking together.

Lu Feng, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhu Qing were strolling around, familiarizing themselves with the campus.

At first, Xiao Wu had been a little upset upon learning Zhu Zhuqing was Lu Feng's fiancée, but she quickly came to terms with it. Whether in the world of spirit beasts or humans, the strongest and most exceptional males often had multiple wives and concubines. Given how extraordinary Lu Feng was, having a fiancée was only natural.

Still, seeing him so close to Zhu Zhuqing left a faint sourness in her heart.

Zhu Zhuqing, too, noticed that Lu Feng and Xiao Wu's relationship wasn't just a simple friendship.

But she had already prepared herself mentally. Xiao Wu was pure, adorable, and stunningly beautiful, someone Zhu Zhuqing instantly liked. They'd be studying together for years, after all. So instead of pushing her away, Zhu Zhu Qing took the initiative to be warm and gracious.

Suddenly, the sound of an argument broke out.

"I won't be with you anymore!"

"Cui Hua, please… give me one more chance…"

A round, chubby boy was desperately clutching the sleeve of a plainly dressed girl, begging her.

Cui Hua struggled but couldn't break free, tears streaming down her face.

For an ordinary village girl, being with a talented spirit master would've been a good match but his destructive nature were too lethal. Also, With her family against it, she had no choice but to end things.

Lu Feng's gaze sharpened.

So that's Ma Hongjun.

Cui Hua couldn't handle Ma Hongjjun's uncontrollable flames whenever he got excited, so she was determined to break up with him.

In the original timeline, Ma Hong Jun would later seduce Lu Feng's sister, Bai Chenxiang, only to abandon her in the mortal world to grow old and die while he ascended to godhood.

Lu Feng would never let that happen.

Which meant it was time to intervene.

Since a spirit master's martial soul was tied to their very being, the moment Lu Feng focused on Ma Hong Jun, his World Tree martial soul pulsed in response.

This feeling… it's similar to when I met Yu Xiaogang. Is the World Tree telling me I can draw something from them?

Lu Feng turned his focus inward, contemplating the sensation.

"Let her go!"

Xiao Wu marched forward, pointing at Ma Hongjun with a sharp glare.

Back at the beginner spirit academy, she had been the fearless "Sister Xiao Wu," always standing up for others. Seeing Ma Hong Jun manhandling Cui Hua, she immediately stepped in.

The moment Ma Hong Jun laid eyes on Xiao Wu, his pupils dilated.

She was gorgeous.

Cui Hua was considered the village beauty—fair-skinned and pretty but compared to Xiao Wu? She paled in comparison. There was no contest.

Instantly smitten, Ma Hong Jun's eyes sparkled as he dropped Cui Hua and scurried toward Xiao Wu like an eager puppy.

"If you're willing to be my girlfriend instead, I'll do whatever you say!" 

Just as expected.

Fickle.

A liar through and through.

Just moments ago, he'd been begging Cui Hua not to break up with him, swearing his love and devotion, making all sorts of promises.

But the second he saw someone better, he tossed Cui Hua aside without a second thought and immediately set his sights on Xiao Wu.

Even while dating Cui Hua, Ma Hong Jun had frequently visited brothels with Dai Mu Bai.

And yet, Tang San had entrusted his cousin, Bai Chenxiang, to this kind of man even going out of his way to push them together.

Probably because Tang San saw Ma Hongjun as useful. He never cared about Bai Chenxiang's happiness.

That said, Ma Hong Jun did have one redeeming quality over Tang San: he didn't pretend to be something he wasn't.

…At least, not at first.

After years of Tang San's influence, Ma Hongjun eventually learned to mask his true nature, playing the part well enough to win Bai Chenxiang over.

Lu Feng knew Xiao Wu and Ma Hongjun were about to fight.

But Xiao Wu wouldn't get hurt.

So for now, he stayed back.

Sure enough, Xiao Wu quickly lost patience with Ma Hong Jun's sleazy remarks, and the argument escalated into a brawl.

Ma Hong Jun hadn't expected her to be so fierce. Forced to defend himself, he unleashed his mutated martial soul the Evil Fire Phoenix.

Scarlet flames erupted, indiscriminately reducing several nearby houses to ash.

Ma Hongjun insisted his martial soul was a phoenix, and he wasn't entirely wrong. It did carry traces of phoenix bloodline, capable of evolving into a true Fire Phoenix one day.

The Fire Phoenix was one of the strongest avian-type martial souls, nearly divine in rank—all because it wielded Extreme Fire.

Right now, Ma Hongjun's "Evil Fire Chicken" only contained a faint embryonic form of that power. His inability to control it was precisely why his flames ran wild.

But if he ever fully mastered the Phoenix's Extreme Fire, its pure destructive force would be unmatched capable of scorching the skies and boiling the seas.

That was why Ma Hongjun could ascend to godhood.

The moment Ma Hongjun activated his martial soul and skills, the sensation in Lu Feng's mind sharpened into clarity.

A sudden realization struck him.

"Stop! Both of you, cut it out!"

A man and woman came rushing down the village path.

The man was Dai Mubai.

The woman, Lu Feng didn't recognize but she bore a resemblance to Cui Hua, dressed just as plainly, though sturdier in build. The kind of hardworking village girl who could haul a plow without breaking a sweat.

"Jiejie!" Cui Hua sobbed, running to her.

The sturdy girl glared at Ma Hongjun. "What, you won't stop until you've burned the whole village down? I'm telling your teacher!"

"No, no, Sister Ru Hua—she started it!" Ma Hongun whined.

The moment Ma Hongjun heard Ru Hua threaten to report him to their teacher, he instantly backed down.

"C'mon, Ru Hua, no need to drag the teachers into this. He'll pay for the damaged houses," Dai Mubai interjected smoothly, playing the peacemaker.

"Alright then, Brother Mu Bai… if you say so." The moment Dai Mubai spoke, Ru Hua's fiery temper dissolved into shy compliance. She even clung to his arm with a coquettish pout, her rough demeanor melting away.

Lu Feng's eyebrow twitched.

Watching a sturdy village girl act cutesy was… an experience.

Did Dai Mubai really stoop this low out of desperation?

If this were his past life, the twin sisters Dai Mubai usually chased after were like supermodels—while this Ru Hua was more like…

A prince and a peasant girl.

Was this the Douluo Dalu version of Cinderella?

Hardly.

Dai Mubai was just killing time until something better came along.

The moment he got bored or found a prettier option, poor, clueless Ru Hua would be tossed aside like a broken toy.

But judging by the lovesick, starry-eyed way she clung to him, Ru Hua was clearly smitten, swept off her feet by Dai Mubai's royal status and handsome looks.

Well, if she's happy being used… that's her choice.

Normally, Lu Feng wouldn't care.

But then a mischievous thought crossed his mind.

What if I made Ru Hua Dai Mu Bai's official princess consort? And Cui Hua, Ma Hongjun's lawful wife?

Now that would be hilarious.

A faint smirk tugged at Lu Feng's lips as he rubbed his chin, savoring the chaotic possibilities.