Chapter 5: Our Martial Spirits Are All Phoenixes!

Faced with Shui Yuehua's questioning, Lin Xiao remained silent. Instead, he bent his bow, drew an arrow, attached his Ultimate Fire to the tip, and fired at a large tree nearby.

The tree instantly caught fire and was quickly reduced to charcoal.

Shui Yuehua's eyes widened in surprise. "This flame possesses such high temperatures, and it's strange—it has an adhesive property. Is this a mutated martial spirit?"

Only a mutated martial spirit could exhibit such unusual characteristics.

Lin Xiao lowered his bow and answered frankly:

"I don't have a teacher, nor do I have any soul master elders."

"That's how I killed the Fire Bird."

Shui Yuehua observed Lin Xiao's simple attire—cheap civilian clothes with no soul guide on him. He likely wasn't lying.

"With your talent, how do you not have a teacher?"

The Fire Phoenix Martial Spirit was a top-tier beast martial spirit. Judging from Lin Xiao's Ultimate Fire, his innate soul power level couldn't be low. Such a genius should've been highly sought after.

"I'm an orphan," Lin Xiao sighed. "My martial spirit is defective. If I don't vent my evil fire, I'll explode and die."

"I refuse to be controlled by it like a beast. Since no one wants a disciple destined to die, I was abandoned."

Lin Xiao told the truth but concealed certain information, like his method to suppress the evil fire.

Shui Yuehua's expression softened with pity and admiration.

"You… have a strong will."

Originally, she had thought him foolish for refusing to vent the evil fire, but on reflection, his principles were rare.

The Phoenix was supposed to be noble. If forced to live like a scavenger, what kind of existence would that be?

"Grandma Shui, what does venting evil fire mean?" Shui Bing'er asked innocently.

Shui Yuehua hesitated, unsure how to answer.

"Will my brother die?" Shui Bing'er's voice trembled.

Her kind heart couldn't bear the thought of suffering, especially not from someone who had left a good first impression on her.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Tugging at Shui Yuehua's sleeve, she begged:

"Grandma Shui, I don't want him to die. Can we help him?"

Shui Yuehua sighed, looking back at Lin Xiao.

"Forget it, I'll protect you for now. Absorb your soul ring first."

Lin Xiao nodded respectfully.

"Thank you, elder."

He turned toward Shui Bing'er, offering a gentle smile.

"My name is Lin Xiao. What's yours?"

The sadness in Shui Bing'er's eyes quickly dissipated. Her smile returned.

"Brother Lin Xiao, I'm Shui Bing'er!"

Shui Bing'er? The future captain of the Tianshui Team? Lin Xiao thought.

She possessed the Ice Phoenix Martial Spirit and full innate soul power—an ultimate ice attribute user. Though the term "ultimate attribute" wasn't yet known on the continent, Lin Xiao recognized its significance.

Could Shui Bing'er help suppress my evil fire, just as Huo Yuhao's ultimate ice helped Ma Xiaotao in Douluo Dalu 2?

Shui Bing'er beamed playfully.

"Brother Lin Xiao, there's something you don't know! My martial spirit is also a Phoenix!"

She summoned her Ice Phoenix Martial Spirit.

As soon as their martial spirits manifested, both Lin Xiao and Shui Bing'er felt an inexplicable connection.

An intimate bond formed between the Fire Phoenix and the Ice Phoenix, allowing them to sense each other's emotions faintly.

This affinity is ridiculous…

Suddenly, Shui Bing'er retracted her martial spirit, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Lin Xiao, pretending nothing had happened, sat cross-legged to absorb the Fire Bird's soul ring.

Shui Yuehua noticed nothing unusual but mused aloud:

"Bing'er, both of you share Phoenix spirits. Truly, this must be fate."

Shui Bing'er's cheeks flushed again. She stole quiet glances at Lin Xiao, admiring his noble aura and fiery red hair.

"Grandma Shui, since Lin Xiao has nowhere to go, why don't we take him in?"

Shui Yuehua hesitated.

His martial spirit is defective… If he refuses to vent the evil fire, he'll eventually die.

"Grandma Shui, his and my martial spirits are connected. When we summoned them together, I felt I could suppress the violent aura of his martial spirit." Shui Bing'er whispered.

"Are you sure, Bing'er?" Shui Yuehua asked, surprised.

Shui Bing'er nodded firmly.

"Then we'll ask for his opinion after he finishes absorbing the spirit ring."

Phoenix Feather Formation

After some time, Lin Xiao opened his eyes. His soul power had reached level 12, and his aura was more refined than before.

"You absorbed a five-hundred-year-old Fire Bird's soul ring on your first attempt without issue," Shui Yuehua remarked. "Your innate spirit power and physical strength are truly extraordinary."

"What's your first soul skill?"

Lin Xiao raised his hand toward an open space.

"First Soul Skill: Phoenix Feather Formation."

A blazing Fire Phoenix soared into the air, scattering crimson feathers like a meteor shower. Each feather landed with searing heat, burning the ground and forming chains of fire that connected, sealing off the area.

Suddenly, a Groundhog Soul Beast tried to escape underground, but the living flames surged forward, trapping and incinerating it instantly.

The soil turned black with the intensity of the fire.

Even after the flames had devoured everything, the Ultimate Fire still burned until Lin Xiao snapped his fingers, extinguishing it.

Lin Xiao felt his fire growing stronger.

I really don't know whether this is a blessing or a curse…