Huo Wu was extremely puzzled, and even more surprised, as she looked at Ma Hongjun.
How could this old man recognize her?
At this moment, Ma Hongjun was disheveled, his handsome looks completely obscured by a month-long journey through the desert.
How could Huo Wu possibly recognize him? In an instant, she couldn't connect the once handsome young man with the old man before her.
"Xiao Chi, Xiao Chi!"
Huo Wu shouted!
Suddenly, a phoenix cry rang out, and a seven-colored phoenix wreathed in crimson flames flew over.
A scorching aura swept over them as it gently skimmed across the lake, carrying Huo Wu out of the water.
Ma Hongjun's gaze followed, and he slowly raised his head.
A crimson phoenix, a white figure,
and a striking contrast of color.
Huo Wu mounted the phoenix and flew into the distance.
Ma Hongjun quickly washed his face and swam out of the lake.
Only then did he look around at his surroundings.
The desert was no longer visible.
Everywhere he looked, there were verdant mountains and
clear waters, a lake in the center, streams flowing around, fragrant grasses, birdsong and blooming flowers, and rolling hills in the distance.
Not far ahead was a pavilion, and Huo Wu, riding her phoenix, landed inside.
The place was as beautiful as a landscape painting,
like a fairyland.
It was hard to imagine that he had just been in the desert and now he was in such a beautiful place.
Ma Hongjun wasn't sure if this was the place of the Fire God's inheritance.
Because this place was so different from the Fire Domain he had imagined. In his mind, the Fire Domain should be filled with scorching heat, volcanoes everywhere, a cruel place like a fiery inferno.
Moreover, before coming here, the rumors about the Fire Domain were also about a hot and dangerous place.
The person who had entered the Fire Domain had described it as having incredibly powerful soul beasts, extremely cruel flames, and erupting lava everywhere.
In the short time Ma Hongjun was observing, Huo Wu had already dressed and ridden her phoenix out of the pavilion.
The phoenix possessed a powerful aura; Ma Hongjun could feel the intense pressure emanating from it—the kind of pressure only a 100,000-year-old soul beast could exert.
Its body was wreathed in crimson flames.
Huo Wu was already wearing a fiery red short skirt, sexy and alluring. Huo Wu's attire was always generous; even when watching matches before, Ma Hongjun would always linger more on her.
Her hair was still slightly damp, her features delicate, her lips cherry-like, her collarbones prominent beneath her fair skin, followed by undulating curves,
a slender waist, and her long, enchanting legs!
Huo Wu was the kind of beauty who possessed both a slender figure and a full figure.
Truly breathtaking.
"Who are you?" Huo Wu questioned again.
"He is the successor of the Martial God Spear!"
a clear voice answered Huo Wu's question for Ma Hongjun.
It was the phoenix that spoke!
A 100,000-year-old soul beast, capable of human speech!
Ma Hongjun gave the phoenix a deep look, seeing very human emotions in its eyes.
This was not a pure soul beast.
Turning back to look at Huo Wu, Ma Hongjun's voice was hoarse.
"Miss Huo Wu, don't you recognize me?" "Do I recognize you?" Ma Hongjun smiled wryly, then took out a small razor from his jade belt. Using the lake as a mirror, Ma Hongjun shaved off all his unkempt beard. He washed his face again! "Ma Hongjun!" Huo Wu exclaimed in surprise. "How did you get here?" "I was about to ask you, how did you get here?" "Just now, did you see me...?" "I'm not blind!" ... After a long chat, Ma Hongjun finally learned some of the details. Around the time Ma Hongjun entered the Dragon Tiger Mountain Range, Huo Wu received guidance from the Fire God's will and came to the desert to undergo the Fire God's inheritance test. Unlike Ma Hongjun, who was recommended by an external god, the Fire God took extra care of his personally chosen successor. After Huo Wu entered the Southern Fire Domain Desert, the Fire God sent his messenger, the fiery phoenix Xiao Chi, to guide her. Therefore, Huo Wu didn't suffer any hardship at all; she rode the phoenix directly here.
"Haha, so you've come all this way, enduring countless hardships."
"Otherwise, I can't compare to you; you're the real deal!"
"Haha, no wonder you look so disheveled."
Huo Wu laughed heartily, her laughter rippling like waves.
Ma Hongjun felt increasingly resentful. They were both guided by the gods, so why was Huo Wu so carefree?
He wondered how the Martial God managed things; he was so unreliable.
"I never expected the Fire God to personally choose you to inherit the divine title, and so early at that."
Ma Hongjun was somewhat jealous. He truly hadn't expected the Fire God to choose Huo Wu.
There were many outstanding fire-type Soul Masters.
Liu Erlong's mutated Martial Soul was a Fire Dragon; Huo Wushuang,
Huo Wuwu's brother, also had a Fire Dragon Martial Soul;
and there was Yan from the Spirit Hall, whose Martial Soul was the Flame Lord.
These were all no less powerful than Huo Wu.
Most importantly, there was Ma Hongjun, with his ultimate fire-attribute Martial Soul, the Fire Phoenix.
Although he hasn't been given any spirit rings yet,
his talent is undeniable. Why didn't the God of Fire choose him earlier, instead of waiting for other gods to arrange it? However, Huo Wu's spirit is the rare and special Fire Shadow, a very unique spirit. Perhaps it's this special spirit that caught the God of Fire's eye.
In the original story, Huo Wu didn't receive the God of Fire's inheritance.
Considering that Huo Wu received the God of Fire's message after the God of Fire's will descended,
it's very likely that the God of Fire arranged for Ma Hongjun to be given to him, which is why the God of Fire thought of choosing a successor.
It seems the God of Fire is not meant for him!
"Ma Hongjun, what do you mean? Who do you think you are? What's wrong with
choosing me? What's wrong with me?
I challenge you to a duel!"
Huo Wu had already summoned her spirit, and a sculpted, orange-red Fire Shadow appeared behind her.
Yellow, purple, and black!
Five spirit rings!
"Oh, you've advanced to Soul King!"
Six months have passed since they parted ways in Spirit City, so advancing to Soul King is normal!
"Hmph, this grandma is about to break through level sixty!"
Huo Wu smirked arrogantly.
She had been cultivating in the Fire God Domain for three months, making rapid progress. She was already at level fifty-nine and would soon break through to Soul Emperor.
She felt she had caught up with Ma Hongjun.
Huo Wu had always been competitive, which was the reason for her rapid cultivation.
Her powerful talent, coupled with her determination not to be mediocre or fall behind, was a factor.
During the Soul Master Finals, she had fought Ma Hongjun and easily lost, a defeat that had lingered in her mind ever since.
"You're still too weak!"
"Then let's try!"
Huo Wu didn't believe it. She had cultivated here for three months, received guidance from the Fire God, and still couldn't handle Ma Hongjun.
Without further ado, Huo Wu activated her Soul Rings.
"Third Soul Skill, Fire Resistance Ring."
The Fire Resistance Ring could ignore any skills and defenses; all skills within its attack range would be temporarily repelled.
Seeing that Ma Hongjun didn't attack, Huo Wu used this Soul Skill to knock him away, signaling the start of the battle.
Ma Hongjun sighed helplessly; what an impatient person.
It seems this girl needs a good lesson, to remember the taste of being stabbed with a spear.
Let's see if she dares to provoke us again.
A flash of light appeared in his left hand, revealing the Martial God Spear, now covered in various colored patterns.
Red, purple, black!
Six spirit rings, making a dazzling appearance!
Huo Wu's eyes widened, her aura became turbulent again, and her chest heaved.
(End of Chapter)