Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Charcoal Servant, Crimson Lotus Azure Flame!

What truly petrified and stunned everyone, including Soul Saint Chi Ye Kui, was Lin Xia's transformation!

Lin Xia's figure did not disappear, but he was no longer the boy in the student uniform!

The phantom of the Netherfire Armor on his body completely solidified and transformed!

A set of purplish-black armor, similar in style to Azure Flame Blade Demon but more form-fitting and ergonomic, perfectly covered his entire body!

The armor's material seemed to be forged from the deepest night sky and solidified ghostly fire, with dark purple energy veins flowing across its surface and cold, pale sparks dancing at the joints.

The armor has smooth, powerful lines, with sharp angles on the shoulder, arm, and leg armor, and a simplified demon mask emblem made of azure flames that slowly rotates on the chest.

Lin Xia's head was covered by a full-coverage purplish-black helmet, similar in shape to the Azure Flame Blade Demon Helmet but more refined, revealing only a pair of eyes burning with the same pale white flames!

That look was exactly the same as Azure Flame Blade Demon's—cold, sharp, and filled with boundless fighting spirit!

In Lin Xia's hand, an energy longsword similar to the Azure Flame Blade Demon also materialized!

The purplish-black armor merged perfectly with him, no longer serving as external protection, but becoming his skin, his bones, and the extension of his power!

At this moment, Lin Xia is no longer simply a Soul Master wielding a Martial Soul, but together with his evolved partner, Azure Flame Blade Ghost, he forms a complete and higher-level life combat form!

He is both man and armor!

He is the Shadow Lord who wields the Azure Flame Blade!

The valley was deathly silent.

Only the scorching wind, whipping up sand and gravel, emitted a faint whimper.

Blazing Leaf Sunflower, Fire Dance, Fire Warrior, and Fire Fierce—the four of them were like four statues that had been petrified.

His pupils dilated, and his mouth opened involuntarily.

All thoughts, all common sense, all worldviews were crushed in the face of those two deep purple lights of evolution and the mind-blowing evolutionary form before them!

Martial Soul Evolution... Soul Master Evolution...

Azure Flame Blade Demon... Purple-black Armor...

What... what is this?!

Lin Xia felt the unprecedentedly powerful force surging within her body, and the resonance between her and the Azure Flame Blade Demon that was deeper and more synchronized than a soul connection.

Lin Xia slowly raised his arm, which was covered by purple-black armor, and his eyes swept over the stunned crowd. A deep, metallic voice, as if carrying a ghostly echo, came from under his helmet.

"Auntie, what do you think? Aren't we cool in our evolved form?"

After Lin Xia finished asking the question, Huo Wu was the first to lose her composure.

Like a whirlwind of flames, she completely ignored the chilling pressure and fierce sword intent emanating from the purplish-black armor and the Azure Flame Blade Demon, and rushed directly to Lin Xia and the Azure Flame Blade Demon.

Where was the usual pride and aloofness in those amber eyes?

All that remained was pure, almost overflowing, amazement and fervor!

"Junior! Junior Lin Xia!"

Huo Wu's voice trembled with excitement as she circled around Lin Xia, who was covered in purple-black armor and resembled a shadowy king.

He couldn't resist reaching out to touch the Azure Flame Blade Demon standing silently beside him, radiating a chilling aura of azure flames.

But under the cold, blazing gaze of those eyes, he subconsciously withdrew his hand, though his eyes burned even more intensely.

"W-W-How did they do that?! That's so cool! Ahhh! It's incredibly cool! A hundred times, a thousand times cooler than my Naruto Martial Soul!"

Huo Wu was so excited that she was incoherent, her little face flushed red with excitement, completely like a little girl seeing her favorite treasure, a far cry from the proud little phoenix she had been before.

"Teach me! Junior Lin Xia! Please teach me! I want to transform too! I want armor this cool!!"

This was the first time Lin Xia had ever seen Huo Wu so passionate and even somewhat out of control.

Although Huo Wu had treated him well in the past, even with admiration, that pride that belonged to a genius always remained, like an invisible barrier.

Now, that barrier has been completely shattered, leaving only the most genuine longing and excitement.

Lin Xia, hidden beneath her purplish-black helmet, couldn't help but smile.

However, Lin Xia still shook his head slightly, and that deep, metallic, and eerie voice rang out.

"Sister Huowu, calm down."

"This... I'm afraid that won't work."

"My situation is extremely special. My martial soul, Charcoal Servant... or rather, the Azure Flame Blade Demon, is completely different in nature from your martial souls."

"It is not merely a tool or an energy source, but a partner with independent will and life form."

"The Soul Skill 'Armor of Netherfire' and its evolutionary effects are only possible because of the unique and extraordinary soul connection and life resonance between me and it."

Lin Xia paused, looking at Huo Wu's beautiful face, which instantly dimmed and was filled with disappointment, and added:

"This isn't a matter of skill or method, but... a fundamental difference, a path that belongs only to me and Tanjiro."

Upon hearing this, Huo Wu realized that her request was unreasonable. Her excited flames were instantly extinguished, as if doused with cold water.

She pouted, her eyes filled with barely suppressed disappointment and envy, and muttered softly:

"Waaah... How could this be... This is so unfair... I want it so badly..."

Looking at Lin Xia's cool purple-black armor and the majestic Azure Flame Blade Demon beside her, she suddenly felt that her Naruto martial soul was no longer appealing.

On the contrary, after experiencing the initial extreme shock, the fiery leaf sunflower's composure allowed her to quickly calm down.

She took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in her heart, and slowly walked to Lin Xia.

Unlike Huo Wu, she wasn't excited. Instead, she reached out and, with a hint of caution, gently touched Lin Xia's arm, which was covered in purple-black armor.

The initial feel is not of cold metal, but rather a strange, warm, and smooth texture.

The pupils of the fiery leaf palm contracted again.

She then turned her gaze to the Azure Flame Blade Demon, feeling the sharpness and heat emanating from the two Azure Flame Swords, which seemed capable of cutting through the soul.

"Incredible..."

The fiery hibiscus murmured to itself, its voice trembling slightly.

"Xia, what...what happened? What is the essence of this evolution? This has completely exceeded my understanding of martial souls, soul skills, and even the soul master system!"

A knowing smile appeared on Lin Xia's face, which was hidden beneath the purplish-black helmet.

He knew this problem would eventually come.

"Auntie, these are our evolved forms. Tanjiro has evolved into an even more powerful form within its potential—Azure Flame Blade Demon. And me..."

Lin Xia looked down at his armored arm, feeling the surging power within him that was perfectly synchronized with the Azure Flame Blade Demon.

"I am not possessed by a martial spirit, but have become the Shadow Lord wielding the Azure Flame Blade! We are one now!"