Oscar flew into rage from embarrassment and crawled up from the sand,
“Xiao Bai, you can’t slander me. A pure and honest good man like me, and you actually call me obscene? Call me vulgar? Can I decide something like spirit abilities? This is innate.”
“You’re pure and clean?”
Xiao Bai’s big eyes revealed intense contempt,
“Come on. The spirit is born from the heart, you’re obscene to the bone, otherwise how would your spirit be so obscene? I see your eyes aren’t any good things. The next time I’ll beat you a bit harder. How can the gap between you and Dai Mubai be so large even with the same spirit?”
“Even if you beat people, don’t slap their face. Xiao Bai, you’re slapping face here, the two of us can’t coexist.”
Oscar jumped up and down on the beach. However, his current spirit power was already close to exhausted, and charging out wouldn’t be any use. The others all looked at him with laughing expressions. They didn’t know what was going on either, but Oscar seemed like he and Xiao Bai were natural enemies. Each time everyone were blasted out, Xiao Bai couldn’t help taunting him.
Xiao Bai gave Oscar a provoking look,
“Come! Come on! This old woman will was clean and wait for you. Scared of you, ah! Just being scared of you is no good. However, little Ao, let me warn you, men can’t be no good.”
“You……”
Little Ao was so speechless with anger, but no matter how he hit, the always resourceful him was still helpless after meeting Xiao Bai.
“I’m ignoring you. This old woman will wait for you all in the sea. Hurry up and recover. You can’t let me wait for too long.”
Finished speaking, Xiao Bai turned, returning to the depths of the ring sea. When she left, she still didn’t forget to raise her giant tail to splash Oscar tumbling.
“Xiao Bai, this daddy’ll fight it you with you.”
Oscar was unbearably deflated. He wanted to charge into the sea, but Ning Rongrong hurriedly grabbed his waist, stopping him.
“Little Ao, what’s up with you and Xiao Bai? How come she targets you like that? You didn’t peep at her bathing?”
Dai Mubai said with schadenfreude from the side.
Oscar was livid:
“How would I know? Every time that fellow attacks it seems to be targeting me, and every time I’m the first to be beaten out, the one who falls the heaviest. Don’t tell me handsome guys aren’t popular now?”
“Little Ao, don’t be that narcissistic, alright?”
Dai Mubai laughed out loud,
“Rongrong, you’ve gotta be careful. As they say, the fiercer the hatred, the deeper the love. Maybe Xiao Bai fancies your little Ao, and deliberately targets him for that reason. Girls do quite like his peach blossom eyes.”
Ning Rongrong snorted, saying:
“And your dual pupil eyes haven’t attracted girls? I trust our little Ao.”
Listening to Ning Rongrong, Oscar’s previous anger was completely swept away, and he looked immensely self satisfied at Dai Mubai. However, Ning Rongrong’s next words almost made him fall over.
“How could Xiao Bai fancy him, eh?”
Ning Rongrong giggled.
“I……”
Oscar was extremely depressed, but as he with evil shape and evil form was about to settle accounts with Ning Rongrong, she’d already taken a step away.
Just as Oscar said, Xiao Bai really did target him, showing him some extra ‘consideration’ with each attack. However, it was also just because of this that the original food system Spirit Master’s combat ability was soaring. Even though he still couldn’t compare with a true power attack type Spirit Master like Dai Mubai, he still had some ways to employ Dai Mubai’s spirit abilities with considerable force. If it wasn’t for his physical strength being a lot weaker than Dai Mubai, as well as having lower cultivation, he might truly have been able to catch up.
However, without the assistance of the Seagod’s Light, even though everyone fought assiduously day after day, their spirit power promotion speed had clearly slowed down. Half a year had passed, but they all stilled kept their previous ranks, only approaching the rank breakthrough. It showed just how difficult cultivation was after spirit power reached the seventieth rank. Spirit Masters above the Spirit Sage realm normally advanced one rank every few years. They all confronted such pressure every day, so they would advance comparatively quickly.
Just as everyone prepared to start recovering their spirit power through cultivating, suddenly, a resonant phoenix howl rose from behind them without the slightest warning. The atmosphere near the sea instantly heated up, warm invasive currents rising to fill the air, even bringing a somewhat smoky scent.
Pleasant surprise appeared on everyone’s faces simultaneously. They all turned to look, only to find an orange flame brimming with aggressiveness soar up, transforming into a giant phoenix that flew towards the horizon. Set off by that enormous phoenix flame, a chubby silhouette slowly walked out.
His pace was steady and forceful, the aggressiveness of a leader manifesting without doubt. That really wasn’t the aura of an emperor, but rather the aggressiveness of being placed above all living things. The terrifying aura of the king of a hundred birds.
When the equally flight type Spirit Master Bai Chenxiang saw that slowly walking silhouette, she couldn’t keep her knees from shaking, a difficult to suppress trembling feeling filling her whole body. That was the fear of higher level spirits of the same type. Even if the Needle-Tailed Swift was also quite a good spirit, it was still far off when compared to the king of a hundred birds.
Gradually, Ma Hongjun’s face appeared in everyone’s view. His eyes were already completely replaced with the radiance of flame, and orange flames rose and fell all over his body, just like the god of fire descended on the world. Nowhere was a trace of his ordinarily vulgar appearance. Contrasted by the flame he looked quite tall, so much that even the other of the seven devils could feel the pressure he brought.
Everyone knew that, undergoing tireless cultivation, Fatty had also finally reached that important pass, successfully breaking through the seventieth rank bottleneck, entering an all new realm.
The flames gradually faded, but it felt like Fatty’s temperament had undergone considerable changes after breaking through. The grandeur of the Phoenix was expressed in all his gestures.
Walking straight up to everyone, Fatty halted and looked at them;
“I succeeded.”
He had a faint smile on his face. That noble aura of a leader gave Bai Chenxiang a feeling of her pulse speeding up. She suddenly felt that her grandfather’s choice on her behalf was a bit reasonable.
Oscar’s recent depression still hadn’t completely disappeared. Looking at Fatty’s appearance he snapped:
“Damn Fatty, will you die if you don’t act cool?”
The noble smile on Ma Hongjun’s face went rigid, the next moment his former nobility vanished completely as if smashed,
“Fack me, little Ao, you noticed?”
Oscar looked distracted a moment, but immediately reacted,
“Fuck me, you really were acting! Boss Dai, I’m not one to be belligerent! However, this Fatty is acting cool like this in front of all of us, can we tolerate it?”
Dai Mubai grinned sinisterly,
“Of course we can’t. Beat him up.”
Speaking, two rotten youths lunged practically simultaneously.
“Don’t!”
Fatty cried miserably, crouching on the ground with both hands behind his head. He didn’t resist, letting the lunging Dai Mubai and Oscar thump him. Tang San only smiled, without participating. Someone always had to stay calm, and Tang San played the role of official.
Actually, Dai Mubai and Oscar didn’t wallow Ma Hongjun more than a few times, then helped him up.
“Alright! Fatty, you’ve caught up this quickly.”
Oscar laughed out loud.
Fatty’s self-satisfaction reappeare
d,
“But of course. Ah’m the descendant of the Phoenix.”
Ning Rongrong burst into giggles:
“If the Phoenix saw how fat you are, it might even spontaneously combust.”
Fatty snorted, saying:
“Your little Ao is the most handsome, got it. Third brother, I broke through. How can I get the seventh spirit ring?”
As a Spirit Master, who didn’t want to possess their own transformative seventh spirit ring? Fatty was no exception either, his small eyes brimming with the light of hope.
Tang San smiled slightly:
“We can’t do without you. Catch.”
With a flick of his wrist, a fiery light floated out, directly towards Fatty.
Fatty reached out, and grabbed it. As that fiery light entered his hand, immediately, a strange feeling filled his whole body. He couldn’t help being somewhat astounded,
“Third brother, isn’t this that Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent’s neidan?”
Tang San nodded:
“That’s right, that’s it. The Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent is a snake type chief. Even though it’s not a bird, it also isn’t a spirit beast, but rather an ancient mythical beast. But it also has the fire attribute, and moreover a yang fire attribute, the same as your phoenix flame. I once talked it over with Teacher. It’s certain that this Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan contains the overwhelming majority of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent’s capability, and also possesses an effect similar to a spirit ring. Consume it and use the phoenix flame to digest it, and it will naturally become your seventh spirit ring. The Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent is a tyrant among snakes, but the phoenix is its nemesis. Even if its flame is overbearing, it shouldn’t be a problem for your phoenix flame to digest it. The Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent I killed absolutely wouldn’t be inferior to any ten thousand year spirit beast. It’s quite suitable for your seventh spirit ring. Moreover, with its identity as an ancient mythical beast, there should also be some special benefits to it becoming your seventh spirit ring. I can’t tell what the concrete details are, we’ll have to wait and see until after you’ve absorbed it. Begin now, all of us will guard you.”
Ma Hongjun looked over the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan in his hand, then looked at Tang San again, unable to keep his eyes from reddening a bit,
“No. Third brother, I can’t take this, it’s too precious.”
Even though he didn’t know what creature the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent was, as the holder of the phoenix flame, he could sense the immense fire attribute energy the neidan in his hand contained, as well as an aura that made his heart thump. He understood that it would be extremely difficult for him to find anything better than this as his seventh spirit ring. With the quality of this Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan, it wouldn’t even be an injustice to use it for his eighth spirit ring.
Tang San frowned,
“Fatty, what did you call me?”
Ma Hongjun looked distracted a moment:
“I called you third brother!”
Tang San angrily said:
“Then what are you still blabbering about? This thing is something I kept to give to you.”
Ma Hongjun looked foolishly at Tang San, without uttering a word for a long time. Suddenly, he fiercely clapped his mouth,
“Right, what am I blabbering for? Third brother. Hereafter this Fatty’s pork is yours.”
Speaking, he swallowed the neidan in his hand.
Tang San’s expression eased,
“I don’t want your pork, I only want my fourth little brother. Quickly sit down and absorb it. Even if the phoenix flame can restrain the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent’s flame, this snake’s flame is extremely potent, you must be careful, you can’t be careless.”
Ma Hongjun rubbed his face, flicking off something moist, then really didn’t say anything further, immediately sitting down and starting to cultivate. But from how tightly his fists were clenched as he sat could be seen how his emotions surged right now.
Dai Mubai walked up next to Tang San, grabbing his shoulder. Oscar walked over from the other side, hooking his other shoulder. Even though neither of them said anything, the girls to the side could feel the four men in front of them being pervaded with that kind of affection between men.
The orange red flame that had just stopped burning soared up again, and even Fatty’s skin turned orange in an instant, his fleshy face showing an extremely painful expression, even his seated body became a bit unsteady.
Tang San’s heart chilled, immediately realizing that he had still underestimated the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan’s potency. That time he killed the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent there was a certain element of luck involved. Hurriedly shrugging off Dai Mubai and Oscar’s hands, in a flash, he appeared behind Ma Hongjun, speaking in a low voice:
“You can’t do anything. Your spirit power all have characteristics and aren’t suited to helping Fatty. Me alone is sufficient. Little Ao, give me one limit surpassing dark green sausage, one stimulating pink sausage, one big recovery sausage. Rongrong, boost my spirit power and Fatty’s attributes. Quickly.”
Tang San’s words were as rapid as popping beans. This time they revealed their true teamwork. When Tang San finished speaking, three sausages were already flying towards him from Oscar, and Ning Rongrong’s Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was already released.
Sitting down crosslegged behind Fatty, Tang San drew a deep breath, eating the three sausages without the slightest hesitation, and also not minding the limit surpassing dark green sausage’s side effects. Both hands instantly turned jade white, pressing on Fatty’s back simultaneously.
They had just battled Xiao Bai, and their spirit power was close to exhausted. Otherwise Tang San wouldn’t have needed the help of little Ao’s three sausages. There could be no hesitation at this moment. Tang San clearly understood that the very start of absorbing the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan was the most dangerous. If problems appeared, Fatty would be in trouble.
The fair and gentle Mysterious Heaven Skill inner strength directly poured into Fatty’s body. After infusing the spirit power, Tang San didn’t fuse it with Fatty’s phoenix spirit power to help him guide it, but rather stuck close to the spirit power to lay down defenses in his meridians.
He had no understanding of Fatty’s spirit power circulation path. If rashly helped Fatty lose control, he would instead easily cause the opposite reaction. His current method was instead the best defense for Fatty.
Ning Rongrong’s boost also made a timely arrival, bestowing Tang San with spirit power boost, and Fatty with attribute boost. At the same time, the phoenix flame blazed, forcefully withstanding the frightening erupting force of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan.
Tang San could clearly sense that, even though the color of the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan’s erupting fire attribute energy was the same as the phoenix flame, it was even more explosive. Only its attribute was innately suppressed by the phoenix flame, and thus didn’t fully erupt. But even so, it was still extremely dangerous. However, Fatty’s ability to endure exceeded Tang San’s imagination. Although the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan’s energy barged through his body, Fatty’s phoenix flame constantly transformed into a shield and resisted without cowering back.
Tang San secretly praised him, saying in a low voice:
“No need to mind your meridians, melt it.”
With Tang San as support, Fatty no longer needed to use a portion of his spirit power to guard his defenses. All the phoenix flame focused together in an instant, launching a counterattack towards the Ten Headed Fierce Yang Serpent neidan energy. In an instant, the overbearing energy of two auras brimming with equal masculinity underwent a death struggle within Fatty’s body. The intense collisions made Fatty’s body constantly erupt with balls of blazing flame.
The hearts of everyone watching alongside were now in their throats. Tang San’s clothes wer
e already burnt black, and the hair that had grown out again since absorbing his seventh spirit ring was again turned to coke by the flame erupting from within Fatty. But Tang San’s body still didn’t seem to have suffered any damage. Both his hands were still lustrous white as jade, constantly pouring the his spirit power amplified by the three sausages and Ning Rongrong’s boost into Fatty.
In fact, Tang San had undergone the refinement of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. His body was originally immune to both water and fire, only his water immunity referred to cold, and so it should more accurately be called immunity to both cold and heat. Even though his clothes and hair had suffered calamitously right now, his body hadn’t received any true damage. After all, no matter how powerful the phoenix flame, it was still only a human force, while the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well’s cold and heat were forces of heaven and earth. There was still a gap between them. Only, right now Tang San’s appearance seemed quite scary, like he had turned completely to charcoal.
Now the others truly understood Tang San’s meaning. Not only weren’t they suited to helping Fatty, Tang San hadn’t even mentioned the even more important part, because none of them could resist the sustained broiling of the phoenix flame!
Each of their hearts was touched. From selflessly providing immortal herbs, to now not sparing himself to help Ma Hongjun absorb the seventh spirit ring, they had all seen everything Tang San had done. Even the seven devils’ boss Dai Mubai had no feelings of jealousy towards Tang San. In his heart, the words ‘Tang San’ had only one meaning. Brother. True brother, eternal brother. Brother for a lifetime.
* * *
[1] White in idiot - Xiaobai (小白) means idiot, and (白) “White” is also part of (白痴) “idiot”
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 403
