Chapter 8: Tianming's Awakening and the Confrontation with Ma Xiaotao
At that critical moment, Tianming suddenly awoke from slumber.
"Hmph! Who dares touch my brother? Let me show them my power!"
Tianming immediately took control of Ji Lin's body, raising his index finger toward Ma Xiaotao. A surge of extreme icy energy shot from his fingertip straight at her.
In an instant, fierce winds blew, and the temperature around them dropped sharply. The flames engulfing Ma Xiaotao's body completely melted away.
Ma Xiaotao stared into Ji Lin's eyes, her pupils narrowing slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her features.
"No matter who you are, whoever dares touch my feet will pay the price!"
Tianming gazed at her coldly and said:"So you mean you're protecting him? Fine, then we'll die together!"
Ma Xiaotao laughed mockingly, then took full control of her battle spirit, unleashing her strongest attack:
"Auuu~~~~~!"
The piercing cry of a phoenix shook the air, dark clouds filled the sky, lightning and thunder roaring across it, and the entire scene brimmed with overwhelming majesty.
From nowhere, the massive shadow of a phoenix emerged, towering twenty meters tall, armored in scales, with two wings on its back and two curved horns on its forehead—terrifying in appearance.
Seeing this colossal beast, Tianming's pupils contracted in sheer awe.
"Haah!"
The phoenix opened its enormous mouth and let out a deafening roar. A dark beam shot forth with astonishing speed toward Ji Lin, carrying an unparalleled threat.
"Shhh!!"
With a flash of frigid cold, Ma Xiaotao activated her sixth skill, "Phoenix Meteor Cascade," her fiery skin turning almost transparent.
"Whoom—!"
The whistling cry of the phoenix surged around her, and the space surrounding Ma Xiaotao twisted abruptly, as if the world itself was reshaping around her.
At that moment, Ji Lin touched with his finger, and a transparent membrane appeared before him. The Phoenix Meteor Cascade collided with it, producing a faint thud—but it couldn't penetrate the defense.
Then Ji Lin suddenly extended his hand, forming a space enveloped in ice and snow, surrounding both him and Ma Xiaotao together.
"Heh, since you provoked us, you'll pay the price… and perhaps it'll be useful for you as well!"
A sly smile spread across Tianming's lips, and a cunning thought formed in his mind.
With a snap of his finger, the ice and snow fused, pinning Ma Xiaotao firmly in place.
In the next instant, Ji Lin approached her and pushed her to the ground, while Tianming stepped back, regaining full control of his body once again.
"What… is happening?"
Suddenly, Ji Lin realized the situation. Moments ago, he had nearly fainted, and upon regaining consciousness, he found himself surrounded by towering walls of ice.
On the ground before him lay a beautiful woman, motionless, like a delicate flower fallen among the rocks.
Ji Lin hadn't expected that he would, by chance, intercept Ma Xiaotao before Hu Youhao, and it filled him with a strange mix of joy and sorrow.
His joy stemmed from the fact that Ma Xiaotao was a true Spirit Empress, her power unquestionable—she could become a tremendous ally in the future.
His sorrow came from her battle spirit being the fiery, malevolent phoenix; her flames had no outlet, meaning the burden would fall solely on him later.
As he stood stunned, Ma Xiaotao suddenly awoke—but she didn't calm down despite Ji Lin's intervention. Tianming had merely restrained her destructive flames; he hadn't altered her essence. Like a spring tightly wound, the more it was suppressed, the stronger her energy would rebound.
Now, Ma Xiaotao was undoubtedly a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment. Without prompt assistance, her fate seemed inevitable.
She trembled, rising unsteadily, her crimson eyes locked on Ji Lin like a hungry lioness stalking her prey for ages.
In that moment, Ji Lin studied her closely: her long red hair cascading over her shoulders, her exquisitely shaped face, snow-white skin, perfectly delicate features—matching exactly the image he had in mind.
Her mesmerizing phoenix eyes were impossible to look away from, and her tall, graceful figure marked her as undeniably one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.
From her body emanated a faint scent of malevolent fire, a clear sign that Ma Xiaotao had endured these flames for a long time.
Ji Lin sighed quietly to himself: "What… should I do now?"
Ji Lin felt a wave of unease; the scene before him foreshadowed what was about to unfold.
He was merely a Spirit Master who had just obtained his first Spirit Ring, not yet capable of confronting the deranged Ma Xiaotao—especially one possessed by malevolent fire, requiring immense force of will… Could he even handle that?
"No… don't come any closer!"
He tried to push her back with words. There was no enmity between him and Ma Xiaotao, and no reason to exhaust himself unnecessarily.
Ma Xiaotao shook her head, pressing her lips together gently, and began advancing step by step toward Ji Lin.
Her face was pale as paper, her body tall, slender, and striking; her flowing red hair added allure and femininity, and her phoenix-like eyes seemed to embody all the beauty in the world.
"Don't come any closer!" Ji Lin shouted, his voice sharp.
Ma Xiaotao paused slightly at his cry, looking at him, then slowly raised her right hand.
The moment she lifted it, Ji Lin inhaled sharply, sensing an icy chill.
He saw clearly that her right hand was covered in a layer of black scales, glinting with a faint, cold light—instilling a deep dread in his heart.
Ji Lin didn't hesitate for even a second: if that strike landed, his life could very well end here.
"Please… be gentle… I don't like violence!" he pleaded, his voice tense.
Ji Lin frowned deeply, pleading silently, but Ma Xiaotao showed no response. Suddenly, she swung her right arm, lashing toward Hu Youhao like a terrifying whip.
The strike was so powerful that the very air around it seemed to shatter under its force. Ji Lin felt his spirit tremble, his body stiffen, and realized there was no escape. It was as if his end was imminent.
"Slap—"
A sharp sound echoed, and his cheeks burned with embarrassment. My god! This girl truly knew how to play!
Then Ma Xiaotao's body softened gently in his arms, and her sweet fragrance filled his senses, enveloping him in her allure.
Her right hand now radiated a gentle beam of light, while the black scales gradually began to crack.
Ji Lin looked at her in his arms. Her cheeks were pale, and her enchanting eyes were wide with surprise and fear rather than their usual seduction.
"What… what are you waiting for? Hurry!" he urged.
"I… I was the one initiating just now! Why the sudden change?" Ji Lin asked in astonishment. She stared at him with fierce anger, as if ready to devour him.
"Don't waste words—do as I ask!" Ma Xiaotao snapped.
Ji Lin feigned shyness: "Alright! But I… don't know where to start."
Ma Xiaotao laughed, and her face regained its beauty and seduction: "Shy, are you?"
Ji Lin smiled: "Of course. Now I'm shy… and soon, you will be!"
His words nearly made Ma Xiaotao faint; this young man was far too audacious!
Ji Lin swallowed hard. This was no longer about flirtation—it was about survival. He moved swiftly, pressing her against a rocky wall beside him.
Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and slowly extended his right hand downward with determination.
Although Ma Xiaotao felt this for the first time, she was a Level-60 Spirit Master with a strong body. After a moment of confusion, she gradually relaxed and felt some ease.
Ji Lin felt his entire body ignite with vitality, making it almost impossible to resist the sight of Ma Xiaotao's allure.
He opened his eyes suddenly—they glowed red—and placed his hand on Ma Xiaotao's abdomen.
In that moment, the malevolent flames within her body vanished instantly, replaced by a warm current that gradually relaxed her weary form and slightly eased her breathing.
Ma Xiaotao stared at Ji Lin in astonishment, her eyes sparkling with curiosity—this boy knew how to wield spiritual power and could control it!
Ji Lin's hand remained pressed over the "Dan Tian" in her body, and he could clearly feel the scorching fire slowly subsiding, dissipating under his control.