Qin Yuan shrugged and took a training blade from his Soul Tool.
Activating a Martial Soul consumed Soul Power, so Qin Yuan usually trained with this ordinary iron blade.
Lei Meng was on the verge of losing his temper. He decisively grabbed a training blade from the rack nearby!
"Fine, you've got guts. If you dare use a Soul Skill, don't blame me for getting someone to deal with you."
With that, Lei Meng gripped the blade in both hands and slashed at Qin Yuan's head without holding back.
The teammates nearby watched gleefully.
"Our captain prides himself most on his Blade Technique. This new teacher dared to belittle him at his own game. I doubt this will end peacefully."
"I'd say if the Three Education Commissioners don't step in, the new teacher will be bedridden for at least half a year."
Lei Meng's blade was fast and fierce. Anyone else would have had to avoid its edge.
But today, he'd picked the wrong opponent. No matter how fierce his blade was, it was meant for competitions. Qin Yuan's blade, on the other hand, was made for killing. An innate bloodlust seemed to seep from his very bones.
Qin Yuan casually raised his right hand. There was no particular technique, no flashy display—just a plain, unadorned strike that easily knocked Lei Meng's blade aside. He followed through with a thrust straight toward Lei Meng's throat.
Lei Meng had considerable skill with the Blade Technique. After one exchange, he was certain Qin Yuan was an expert. He didn't panic, but dodged backward, his movements a little awkward.
Qin Yuan didn't press the attack, giving him a chance to catch his breath.
Lei Meng's expression grew more serious. The contempt he'd shown earlier was gone, and he no longer dared to boast.
"Wait, the captain's at a disadvantage?" The members of Fighting Team One couldn't believe what they were seeing.
Qin Yuan stood with his blade in hand. Even just standing there, he put immense pressure on his opponent. He said calmly, "What, do you still want to continue? Your blade work isn't good enough."
Lei Meng snapped back, trying to sound confident, "My blade work is none of your business."
He promptly abandoned the training blade and summoned his Martial Soul. "Third Soul Skill, Thunder Flash!"
The Thunder Blade was wreathed in lightning, its power surging. Each swing came with peals of thunder. The blade cut through the air, and even the slightest brush with the lingering lightning would leave a person numb all over.
Qin Yuan's gaze sharpened. Faced with such a fierce assault, he didn't activate his Martial Soul. He simply toyed with the iron blade in his hand.
His blade swept and slashed, now feinting, now striking for real. Lei Meng felt as if he were punching cotton, unable to get any traction.
He couldn't read his opponent's mix of feints and real strikes at all.
Sometimes, Qin Yuan's attack looked like an all-out strike, only for the blade's light to fade halfway through. Other times, what seemed like a casual, effortless swing carried boundless power.
A short while later, Qin Yuan gripped his blade with both hands and knocked the Thunder Blade flying.
The Martial Soul hit the floor nearby and vanished in an instant.
The blade energy from Qin Yuan's strike hung over Lei Meng's head. Qin Yuan himself stood calmly to one side, arms folded across his chest.
Thud.
Lei Meng dropped to his knees.
"The captain surrendered? Who is this teacher?"
"But there's no need to kneel just because he surrendered, is there?"
The members of Fighting Team One speculated among themselves, completely baffled.
The next second, Lei Meng faced Qin Yuan and gave him a solemn cupped-fist salute before prostrating himself. "Master, please accept me as your disciple."
His Blade Technique was the Family Secret Skill, and he had already mastered more than eighty percent of it. Yet even so, he hadn't lasted more than a few exchanges against Qin Yuan.
Normally, he would have accused Qin Yuan of bullying someone younger. But Qin Yuan hadn't even activated his Martial Soul. He'd beaten Lei Meng effortlessly with nothing but a battered iron blade.
Qin Yuan's Blade Technique was clearly far beyond his own. There was no shame in apprenticing himself to such a powerful expert!
"The captain wants him as his master?" The members of Fighting Team One gaped in astonishment.
After all, a tradition had taken hold across the continent: a person could have only one teacher.
Though plenty of people had more than one, anyone seeking another teacher later had to obtain the first teacher's approval.
The Lei Clan was a Duke's Family in the Heaven Dou Empire. Lei Meng was voluntarily taking Qin Yuan as his master. If Lei Meng inherited the title one day, Qin Yuan would be the duke's master. That was practically a meteoric rise.
"You're too impulsive. Go back and reflect. Take you as my disciple? I'm not interested." With that, Qin Yuan turned and left the Training Room.
He had no desire to take on a disciple, much less get involved with the Duke's Mansion.
Lei Meng still lacked a certain degree of refinement. If Qin Yuan could knock some sense into him today, that would be repayment enough for the hospitality of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"He...he turned him down?"
In just a few minutes, the members of Fighting Team One had experienced more shocks than they had in the entire previous year.
Teacher Jiang scratched his head and gave an awkward chuckle. "Mr. Qin, I'm sorry I didn't tell you beforehand. If I offended you, I..."
Qin Yuan waved a hand, not taking it to heart.
There were plenty of Soul Masters on the continent with blade- or sword-type Martial Souls, but few had real skill with the Blade Technique or genuine attainments in the Sword Dao.
Qin Yuan was gratified to meet a junior who had some skill in the Blade Technique. His impromptu guidance just now had been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Meanwhile, Dugu Bo went to find Ye Lingling.
How could something so serious happening to Dugu Yan not alert Dugu Bo?
The Three Education Commissioners had no idea how to track Dugu Bo down, but Prince Xue Xing knew exactly where he was.
As soon as he learned that Dugu Yan had been poisoned, Dugu Bo rushed over.
Fortunately, with Qin Yuan's help, Dugu Yan was already out of danger, so he no longer needed to worry about her.
Earlier, after seeing Qin Yuan absorb the Sixth Spirit Ring despite being above his level, Dugu Bo had wanted to make his acquaintance. Now that Qin Yuan had saved Dugu Yan, Dugu Bo had even more reason to pay him a visit.
But Qin Yuan had been sparring with Lei Meng, so Dugu Bo went to ask Ye Lingling what had happened first.
After hearing her out, he stared at her in astonishment. "You're saying Teacher Qin can completely cure the poison in Yanyan's body?"
Ye Lingling was confused by Dugu Bo's reaction. "That's right. But Teacher Qin also said he'd need your help to have a chance of curing her completely."
Dugu Bo drew a deep breath.
So Qin Yuan had recognized the signs of Martial Soul Poison.
By rights, this was the Dugu Clan's greatest secret. If an outsider learned of it, Dugu Bo would have to eliminate the threat before it could grow. But Qin Yuan not only knew how to cure it, he'd also saved Dugu Yan's life!
Dugu Bo wasn't heartless. He knew how to distinguish right from wrong and always repaid kindness. He would never harm Qin Yuan.
"Lingling, thank you for your help this time. I'm looking into your grandfather's whereabouts. I should have an answer soon."
With that, he rose and left Ye Lingling's dormitory. "Get some rest. I'm going to see Yanyan."
It was getting late. Teacher Jiang arranged a temporary room for Qin Yuan.
Before turning in, however, Qin Yuan went to Dugu Yan's dormitory to check on her condition.
As soon as he entered, he noticed a strong, foul odor in the air. But Dugu Yan, lying on the bed, showed no signs of her poison flaring up. The door had also been left ajar when he came in, so he guessed someone had entered the room.
"Who's there!"
"Heh. You're pretty alert."
Dugu Bo's figure slowly emerged from the darkness. His Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Martial Soul appeared behind him, its blood-red eyes lending him an air of sinister menace in the dark.
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