With his new soul ring and soul bone, Qin Ming and Tianlin returned to the Extreme North. The round trip cost them more time; now there was less than a month until Ma Hongjun's sixth trial deadline.
Although the number of attempts was unlimited, every defeat required time to heal. In other words, they could challenge at most one more time—if they failed again, the trial would basically be considered failed.
"This time, you must win!" Tianlin opened a small spatial passage and, together with Qin Ming, flew into the Fire God's inheritance ground.
Led by Qin Ming, Tianlin reached Sui Ren Valley, where Ma Hongjun was cultivating. Sensing someone approaching, Ma Hongjun immediately opened his eyes.
Seeing Tianlin, Ma Hongjun was overjoyed and rushed over, "Boss, you came too! I missed you so much!"
Tianlin, annoyed, held his head to keep his snot off his clothes. "You've gotten skinnier and more handsome, but your personality hasn't changed at all. Still haven't passed the sixth trial? Useless! Both of us have first-level god trials, but Rongrong is already on her seventh trial."
"Boss, my trial is like your Asura God trial—no high priest guiding the way—so of course it's slower." Ma Hongjun's face fell. "And this god trial is too hard. The ones before were fine, but the sixth is killing me. I have to fight someone as strong as Elder Bone, and I have to win with it at full power. How can a Soul Douluo like me possibly win?"
"Oh right, boss, can you join the fight? If you can, it's a sure win!" Ma Hongjun looked at Tianlin hopefully. He knew that if Tianlin could fight, he could solo the Fire Lord.
"In your dreams. I have nothing to do with the Fire God trial. This is up to you and Teacher Qin. But don't worry, Teacher Qin is much stronger now." Tianlin looked back at Qin Ming.
Qin Ming stepped forward and displayed his nine soul rings: two yellow, three purple, three black, and one red. Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up with excitement, "Teacher, you made it to Titled Douluo and got a hundred-thousand-year ring!"
Qin Ming smiled and said seriously, "That's right. Title: Fire Wolf. Are you ready for the final challenge?"
Ma Hongjun's expression turned serious. "I'm always ready."
Qin Ming nodded and shouted to the sky, "Lord Fire Lord, we request another challenge. Please show yourself."
A giant fireball fell from the sky, and the Fire Lord's massive figure appeared before the three. "Oh, Asura inheritor, you're here again? You've changed greatly over the years—so much I can't see through you. But even if you're here, you can't help Ma Hongjun with the trial."
Tianlin said calmly, "I understand. As the Asura inheritor, I won't violate the god trial's rules. But I believe even without me, Hongjun and Teacher Qin will definitely win this time."
Tianlin leaped onto a cliff, leaving the battlefield to the other two. "Hongjun, Teacher Qin, it's up to you now."
"Don't worry, boss!" Ma Hongjun's Martial Soul Possession: Divine Fire Phoenix activated, and his two yellow, two purple, and four black soul rings appeared, his soul power surging.
The Fire Lord's eyes narrowed—these two were rare geniuses. After every fight, they grew stronger. Ma Hongjun had reached level 83, and Qin Ming had just become a Titled Douluo. This was clearly the final battle.
"Come! Flame Bomb!" The Fire Lord attacked first, launching a massive Flame Bomb.
At this point, Qin Ming was useless—his fire was suppressed by the Ultimate Flame, even after advancing to Titled Douluo.
Ma Hongjun had to go first—Ultimate versus Ultimate—to withstand the Fire Lord's flames, then Qin Ming could act.
"Fifth soul skill: Phoenix Meteor Shower!" Ma Hongjun released countless fireballs. Though each was smaller than the Flame Bomb, the sheer number compensated for quality.
The flames collided in rapid succession. For a while, both sides were even, but the gap in power was too great. Soon, Ma Hongjun was at a disadvantage.
"Phoenix Arm Bone Skill: Phoenix Blast Strike!"
Ma Hongjun added explosive force to his flames. The meteor shower's fireballs all exploded, and the burst power barely matched the Fire Lord for a moment.
That moment was enough—the Fire Lord's Ultimate Flame was suppressed briefly, and Qin Ming, in Fire Wolf Martial Soul Possession, charged at full speed.
"Purplefire Gold-eyed Beast Head Bone Skill: Soul Burn!"
Qin Ming's new head bone was support-oriented. Though called Soul Burn, its attack power wasn't strong—instead, it continuously weakened the opponent's spiritual power, halving their mental attack and defense.
"Ugh!" The Fire Lord clutched its head, caught off guard by the unexpected change in Qin Ming's fighting style.
After a year of fighting, Qin Ming had always been a burst-type soul master. The sudden shift to support after reaching Titled Douluo was a waste of his most important ring, thought the Fire Lord. But it had to admit—this was the duo's only way to win.
"Hongjun, now! Lock its soul!" Qin Ming shouted.
"No problem! Eighth soul skill: Phoenix Soul-Killing Chain!" Ma Hongjun was ready. This god-given eighth soul skill was a control skill—transforming flame into chains to bind the enemy. As an eighth soul skill, it didn't just restrain the body.
Phoenix Soul-Killing Chain had two effects: first, skill lock—the opponent can't escape, no matter where they go. Second, soul lock—both the enemy's martial soul and soul power become unusable.
To break the chain, the target would have to give up their martial soul and rely on sheer physical and spiritual strength.
But now, the Fire Lord's soul was wounded by Qin Ming and couldn't break free.
"Heh, nice tactics, but don't forget—I'm not a soul master, I'm a soul beast!" The Fire Lord roared. If this was a beast spirit soul master, their body strength would drop sharply when their martial soul was sealed, but soul beasts had no martial soul and relied on themselves.
The Fire Lord struggled madly, trying to rip apart Ma Hongjun's chains. Ma Hongjun gritted his teeth—he would not let it break free.
At this moment, Qin Ming's ninth soul ring lit up. The Fire Wolf Douluo was finally about to use his ninth soul skill for the first time.