Ma Hongjun picked up the flower and examined it. The flower resembled a rose and was completely different from the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower he ate before, but the intense fire attribute it contained was almost on par.
"Teacher, is this flower an immortal herb?"
Flender shook his head. "I'm not sure. Ever since I learned about the existence of the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, Wuji and I have paid extra attention. We sensed there was something extraordinary about this flower, so we spent a huge sum to buy it at an auction—one hundred thousand gold soul coins! Luckily, most people in this world don't know about immortal herbs, so no one recognized its value, and there weren't many bidders. But this cost me my entire life's savings. Take it back and have Jun Tianlin appraise it. If it's not worth the price, I'll go settle the score with that swindler."
A hundred thousand gold soul coins might be nothing to Tianlin, but for someone like Flender, who has little backing, it took years of saving. After all, a soul master's monthly stipend is just one gold soul coin, and after level forty, there's no more stipend. Shrek Academy never recruits on a large scale either, so the fact that Flender could save so much is thanks to his frugal lifestyle and taking mercenary jobs, helping noble families' young disciples hunt soul beasts for advancement.
Holding the flower, Ma Hongjun found himself unable to say what he wanted. He didn't want his teacher, who placed so much hope in him, to know how useless, timid, and fearful he was—how he lacked the courage to seize opportunities, and still hoped for his teacher's guidance.
Now he had to overcome his psychological barriers on his own. Ma Hongjun bid Flender farewell. Before leaving, he suddenly turned and asked, "Teacher, I heard that a first-level god in the God Realm can take family with them. Would you like to see what the God Realm is like?"
"You really have your head in the clouds. First-level god? I'd be satisfied if you could become a Title Douluo! Besides, even if you become a god, I'm not interested. For me, a leisurely life with Wuji, Fatty Shao, and the others is much more comfortable. You should go and enjoy your newlywed life with your Xiangxiang." Flender closed his eyes and continued to relax on his lounge chair.
Seeing this, Ma Hongjun smiled wryly. Nothing he said would matter now. He decided to wait until he succeeded and then come for Flender—surely Flender would be gratified then.
Unfolding his flaming wings, Ma Hongjun flew straight back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
…
At this moment, Tianlin was holding Ning Rongrong in a pavilion by a small pond. The newlyweds were whispering sweet words to each other, so inseparable that Tianlin had even neglected his cultivation lately.
Chen Xin thought to himself, "Luckily this disciple isn't a playboy. Otherwise, if he was a groom every day, he'd forget all the swordsmanship I taught him within a month."
Seeing that the couple would soon separate, Chen Xin, as an elder, decided to give them a few more days off.
"Boss!"
Suddenly, a roar came from the sky, filled with anxiety.
Tianlin's face darkened as he turned. "Ma Hongjun, you flaming guy, you're no longer just a third wheel—do you want to be the sun now?"
Ning Rongrong was also annoyed. Every time she and Tianlin were being intimate, this guy would show up and ruin the mood. She longed to summon her Ice Sky Snow Maiden and freeze him to death.
"Xiangxiang, can't you control your fatty?" Ning Rongrong shouted angrily at the bushes behind.
She knew a bunch of people were hiding there, peeking. But as long as they didn't show themselves, she actually enjoyed the feeling—after all, half the fun of being in love is showing it off.
So she didn't mind others watching, but Ma Hongjun's sudden intrusion was another story.
"You idiot, when will you ever get your lost wits back?" Bai Chenxiang jumped out of the bushes, pulled Ma Hongjun by the ear, and apologized to Ning Rongrong, "Sorry, Sister Rongrong, I'll teach him a lesson later. Please continue."
"Wait, Junior Sister, let go of Hongjun first. I want to see if he really has something important. If it's just some trivial nonsense, I'll turn his Fire Phoenix into a roast chicken!" Tianlin said fiercely.
At the same time, a group of people emerged from the bushes.
Gu Ran: "Boss, no need for you to do it. I'll roast him and string him up on my bones as skewers!"
Yu Tianheng: "Fried chicken cutlets with lightning might taste better, though."
Dugu Yan: "No, no, I think poisoning him first is best. I've been learning poison cuisine lately. As long as you neutralize the poison, it's not only harmless but even strengthens the body."
Meng Yiran: "Really, Yan? Can you teach me? I'll make it for Oscar. And we happen to have the ingredients right here."
Zhu Zhuqing: "Cats eat fish, not meat, so I'll just have soup."
Ma Hongjun gulped nervously. These people were so vicious! He could only hope Flender hadn't set him up and the flower was valuable enough—he didn't want to become the main ingredient!
"Um, boss, my teacher gave me a flower when I went home. I sensed its fire attribute is almost as strong as the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, so I'd like you to appraise it." Ma Hongjun nervously took out a treasure box.
Hearing this, Tianlin's interest was piqued. The Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower is an immortal herb, so any flower said to be on par must be another fire-type immortal herb. He opened the box, and a blazing red light shone, painting everyone's faces blood-red even in daylight.
"This… this is!" Staring at the rose-shaped red flower, Tianlin's eyes sparkled.
At that moment, a figure dashed over madly from afar—it was Yang Wudi. As soon as the box was opened, his herbal radar went off.
"Rose-shaped, blood-red, flames blazing skyward—there's no mistaking it. This is the Fire Phoenix!"
Yang Wudi was as excited as when he first saw the Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.
Ma Hongjun asked in confusion, "Fire Phoenix? Senior Yang, are you calling me?"
Yang Wudi gave him a disdainful look. "Of course not. You're just a mutated fire chicken—even after purification by the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower, you're still far from a true Fire Phoenix. I'm talking about this flower in the box. If the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower you ate brought you purity in fire, this Fire Phoenix brings you extremity. Any fire-type soul master who consumes this will see an explosive increase in fire power!"