Poison Battle Trial? Breaking the Deadlock with Dual Abilities

Poison Battle Trial? Breaking the Deadlock with Dual Abilities

The obsidian floor of the Soul Arena still bore traces of Soul Power from yesterday's battle. When the five members of Scorpion Academy stepped onto the stage, discussions instantly erupted throughout the stands. Their captain was gaunt, with six arm-thick scorpion tails extending from his back, each segmented and ending in a venomous hook that glowed a ghostly blue. The other four members all wore swollen poison sacs at their waists, and the viscous liquid dripping from them corroded dense little holes into the ground as they walked.

"Watch their poison sacs and scorpion tails!" The Universe Cauldron quietly floated above Lin Che's palm, and two streaks of Golden Light lit up across its inscriptions. "Rongrong, give Mubai and Hongjun Defense Amplification first!" The Soul Power Recovery Powder distributed yesterday had already restored the team's Soul Power to full. He had deliberately adjusted their formation into a diamond, with Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun at the front, Tang San providing support in the center, while he, Jiang Zhu, and Oscar guarded Ning Rongrong from both sides.

Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda instantly rose to four feet tall. A pale golden aura from its third level, "Defense Amplification," enveloped Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun first. "Defense Amplification activated! Duration: ten minutes!" Oscar promptly tossed out two sausages emitting pale green mist. "Anti-Poison Sausages! Eat them beforehand, and they'll block thirty percent of the poison!"

Just as Ma Hongjun stuffed the sausage into his mouth, the Scorpion Team captain suddenly let out a piercing shriek. Three Control System members simultaneously pressed their hands to the poison sacs at their waists. Ghostly green mist surged out like a fountain. Upon touching the ground, it turned into flowing liquid and rapidly spread through the cracks in the obsidian. Wisps of green smoke rose wherever it passed—it was Scorpion Academy's famed technique, Netherworld Poison Mist.

"Scatter!" Tang San's Purple Demon Eyes instantly locked onto the Soul Power Fluctuation within the poison mist. Blue Silver Grass rose from the ground like city walls, attempting to form a barrier and stop the poison mist from spreading. Yet the Netherworld Poison Mist was far stranger than expected. As though alive, it bypassed the Blue Silver Grass and coiled toward Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.

Dai Mubai's White Tiger Body Protection burst forth with dazzling white light, but gray light spread across it the instant it touched the poison mist. He groaned, and dense black spots rapidly Appeared across the skin of his left arm. "This poison can corrode Soul Power barriers!" Ma Hongjun was in even worse shape. Eager to attack and approach his opponents, he carelessly inhaled a mouthful of poison mist. His Phoenix Fire suddenly weakened, and his face instantly turned bluish-purple. "Damn it, this poison's vicious!"

Tang San's expression turned cold as his Second Soul Skill, Parasite, and fourth Soul Skill, Blue Silver Cage, were Launched at the same time. Countless blades of grass Swept Through the poison mist. The Blue Silver Grass's unique devouring ability Operated at Full Power, attempting to absorb and purify the mist. At first, the results were obvious, with nearby poison mist quickly swallowed by the grass. But moments later, the Blue Silver Grass suddenly began to wither. Its leaf edges turned charred black, and Tang San Spurted Out a Mouthful of blood tinged green. "Not good! This is a compound poison with bone-corroding and paralysis properties. My Blue Silver Grass can't withstand it!"

Seeing This, the Scorpion Team captain let out a smug, savage laugh, his six scorpion tails trembling at once. "The Cauldron Sword Team is nothing special! This Netherworld Poison Mist was refined from a hundred poisonous herbs. Even Poison Douluo would have to keep his distance!" The three Control System members' Soul Power surged, and the density of the poison mist abruptly increased, forming three massive phantom poison scorpions that lunged toward the support members at the rear of the formation.

"Rongrong, Speed Amplification! Jiang Zhu, fall back!" Lin Che's voice carried a Soul Power tremor as the Universe Cauldron suddenly expanded to half a man's height. The inscription of the word "Suppression" carved onto the cauldron emitted Ten Thousand Feet of Golden Light. "Cauldron Suppression!" A pale golden Soul Power field descended like an inverted golden bell, instantly Enveloping the entire diamond formation. The charging phantom poison scorpions crashed into the Golden Light with sizzling corrosive sounds and dissipated into wisps of green smoke.

But the poison mist's corrosion did not stop. Dense black spots had already Appeared on the golden barrier, and cold sweat seeped from Lin Che's forehead. "This poison Consumes Soul Power! I can't hold out much longer!" He could clearly feel the Universe Cauldron's Soul Power field weakening at a visible rate. The hidden corrosive force within the poison mist was even more troublesome than the illusion realm's mental attacks.

Just at this Moment, Jiang Zhu's Seven-Colored Sacred Staff suddenly bloomed with brilliant green light. She took a step forward, and the gemstone at the staff's tip spun rapidly. "Fourth Soul Skill—Detoxifying Green Pattern!" Countless fine green patterns Poured Out from the sacred staff and crawled over her teammates' bodies like living things. Where they passed, the black spots on Dai Mubai's arm faded at a visible rate, while the blockage in Ma Hongjun's throat vanished instantly.

"One breath!" Jiang Zhu counted softly. The sacred staff's glow changed once more, and warm Golden Patterns spread after the green patterns. "Dual skills in succession—Healing Golden Pattern!" The golden patterns seeped into the team's Meridians. Lin Che felt waves of warmth rise from his Dantian, and the Soul Power consumed by the poison mist actually began to slowly recover. Even Tang San's injured internal organs felt a comfortable itch.

"Three breaths!" Jiang Zhu lowered her staff and stood firm. Though a thin layer of sweat covered her brow, her eyes were incomparably determined. "The toxins have been cleared, and seventy percent of the meridian damage has been repaired!"

The entire sequence was Fast as Lightning. Before the gasps from the stands had even died down, the Cauldron Sword Team had already launched its counterattack. Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda lit up with the dual amplification halos of "Strength" and "Speed," while Oscar's Recovery Sausages landed precisely In Hand. "Counterattack with Full Power!"

Tang San Wiped Away the blood from the Corner of Mouth. His Blue Silver Grass regained its vitality, but this time, rather than devouring the poison mist directly, he Activated his Soul Power to harden the grass blades. "Blue Silver Grass—Spider Web Restraint!" Countless barbed blades of grass wove into an airtight net, bypassed the Golden Light barrier, and coiled toward the Scorpion Team members. Dai Mubai Turned into a streak of white light, his White Tiger Sharp Claws tearing through the remaining poison mist as he charged straight at the Scorpion Team captain. "Time to settle the score for earlier!"

Ma Hongjun took a deep breath, and his Phoenix Fire surged three feet higher. This time, the flames carried a faint golden hue. "Watch my Phoenix Fire Line!" The blazing fire instantly evaporated the surrounding poison mist, forming a safe zone. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Che's Azure Water Sword carved three emerald sword traces through the air, and wind-attribute Soul Power blew away the remaining poison mist. "Jiang Zhu, cover Oscar!"

The Scorpion Team fell into complete chaos. They had never encountered Soul Masters capable of detoxifying so quickly. The three Control System members had exhausted their Soul Power by releasing excessive poison mist and had no ability to resist the Cauldron Sword Team's all-out counterattack. Dai Mubai's White Tiger Light Splitting Wave shattered the Scorpion Team captain's scorpion-tail defense. Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Howling Heaven Strike sent two members flying, while Tang San's Blue Silver Grass bound the last one.

"Scorpion Academy's members have lost their ability to fight. The Cauldron Sword Team wins!" The referee's voice carried incredulous surprise. After years of officiating, this was the first time he had seen a team so thoroughly turn the tables after being suppressed by poison-type Soul Skills.

The stands erupted into even more fervent applause than yesterday. Tang San vomiting blood and Lin Che desperately maintaining the shield had made everyone's hearts leap into their throats, while Jiang Zhu's miraculous three-breath detoxification sent the entire arena into a frenzy. "That healing-type Soul Master is incredible! She's practically a walking antidote!" "The Cauldron Sword Team's coordination is getting better and better. That counterattack was beautiful!"

In the VIP section, Ning Fengzhi's jade fan stopped in midair, his eyes full of approval. "Jiang Zhu has already mastered the use of her dual-ability Soul Skill to such a degree. The green patterns detoxify, the golden patterns repair, and the transition is completely seamless. Her future is limitless." Chen Xin nodded in agreement. "Young friend Lin's Cauldron Suppression came at precisely the right moment. Had it been one second later, the poison mist would have broken through the barrier. The Consequences would have been unthinkable."

Salas's face was so dark it seemed ready to drip water. He stared fixedly at the Seven-Colored Sacred Staff in Jiang Zhu's hand. "Investigate! Find out this female Soul Master's background! And that cauldron—what Martial Soul is it, exactly?!" Two consecutive losses had deepened his wariness of the Cauldron Sword Team.

On the Soul Arena stage, Dai Mubai moved his arm. The black spots had completely disappeared. "Jiang Zhu, thanks to you, or this arm of mine might have been ruined." Ma Hongjun also leaned over, Phoenix Fire dancing happily in his palm. "That's right, that's right. I almost thought I was done for back there. Your green patterns were incredibly effective!"

Jiang Zhu smiled shyly and put away her sacred staff. "It was what I should have done. Besides, Lin Che's Cauldron Suppression bought me time, and Tang San also did his best to hold back the poison mist."

Tang San Wiped Away the sweat from his forehead and said to Lin Che, "I was too rash this time. I Did Not Expect the poison mist's corrosiveness to be so strong." Though his Blue Silver Grass had recovered its vitality, a Trace of poison still remained in his body from the earlier devouring. If Jiang Zhu had not treated him in time, the Consequences would have been unthinkable.

Just as Lin Che was about to say something, the system notification suddenly sounded in his mind:

[Congratulations to the host for completing the mission "Poison Battle Breakthrough"]

[Mission Evaluation: SS-rank (key healing, perfect reversal)]

[Rewards issued: [Rare Can] ×1, Soul Power Experience ×800]

[Additional Reward: Team Coordination +15 (Current Coordination: 50)]

A Golden Light more dazzling than that of a Common Jar condensed In Hand and Turned into a palm-sized silver can. Complex cloud patterns were carved across its surface, with faint flowing light shifting over it. It was far more exquisite than the earlier bronze Common Jar.

"This is... a Rare Can?" Oscar curiously leaned closer and reached out to touch it, only to be knocked back by the Soul Power Emitted from the can. "Wow, this can even has defensive power!"

Lin Che held the Rare Can and could clearly sense the pure Soul Power it Contains. "The System Prompt says it's a Rare Can. The reward inside should be much better than a Common Jar." He glanced at the teammates gathered around him before continuing, "But now isn't the time to open it. There are more matches ahead, so we'll open it together after we return."

Ning Rongrong nodded, and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda spun once in her palm. "You're right. If we get some powerful item, we might be able to use it in the later matches." She looked at Lin Che with admiration in her eyes. "Captain, your Cauldron Suppression came at exactly the right time. Without that Golden Light barrier, the poison mist would definitely have injured us."

Lin Che smiled and put away the Rare Can and the Universe Cauldron. "Everyone worked well together. Rongrong's Defense Amplification took effect in advance, and Oscar's Anti-Poison Sausages also helped. Otherwise, Mubai and Hongjun's poisoning would have been much worse." He looked at Tang San. "Little San, next time we encounter poison-type Soul Masters, don't rush to devour their poison. Test its properties first."

"I understand." Tang San nodded seriously. This setback had taught him quite a bit. "Next time, I'll first use Purple Demon Eyes to analyze the poison, then decide how to handle it."

Dai Mubai patted Tang San on the shoulder. "Everyone miscalculates sometimes. Just be more careful next time." He looked toward the schedule displayed on the light screen. "Our next match is against Thunder Academy the day after tomorrow. I heard their lightning-type Soul Skills are extremely domineering. We need to prepare countermeasures in advance."

Oscar pulled out a pile of sausages from his Soul Tool. "Don't worry, I've already prepared Lightning Resistance Sausages! They're guaranteed to work!"

Looking at his high-spirited teammates, Lin Che felt a powerful confidence rise in his heart. From their initial coordination in the first battle to breaking the deadlock with dual abilities in this one, the Cauldron Sword Team was growing at an astonishing pace. He tightened his grip on the Azure Water Sword, while the Universe Cauldron in his sleeve trembled softly, as though echoing his state of mind.

Sunlight in the distance passed through the dome of the Soul Arena and fell over the seven of them. The faint glow of their Glazed Jade Tokens intertwined with the halos of their Martial Souls, forming a dazzling curtain of light. Lin Che knew Thunder Academy's challenge would only be more difficult, but as long as they maintained this understanding and played to their respective strengths, the Cauldron Sword Team would surely create even more miracles on the stage of the All-Continent Soul Master Competition.