Gold Soul, the Big Sister with a Sharp Tongue but a Soft Heart

The seven members of Huangdou supported each other as they walked off the arena stage.

Shi Mo walked at the very front, his tortoise shell covered in cracks with blood seeping out from the fissures.

Shi Mo walked beside him, but his condition was completely different.

Four bloody holes in his tortoise shell were still oozing black blood, and the skin around the wounds was a bruised purple, covering nearly half of his back.

His face was deathly pale, his lips were a bruised purple, and every step felt like he was treading through a quagmire, yet he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

Tian Xuan supported Ye Lingling, whose complexion was transparently pale, her eye sockets deeply sunken.

Tian Xuan's hands were trembling, but his gait remained steady.

Half of Yu Feng's body was scorched black, his clothes and skin fused together, and though he grimaced in pain, he was still smiling.

Osler had three visible claw marks on his shoulder.

Yu Tianheng walked at the very end, his right arm hanging limply at his side, the wound on his ribs bruised purple and oozing black blood, the poison having already spread to his chest.

But his spine remained straight.

The door to the resting area was pushed open, and Dugu Yan walked in quickly.

Her gaze swept over everyone, lingering longest on Yu Tianheng and Shi Mo; as she looked at those bruised purple wounds and the black blood, her brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

But she didn't speak, stepping aside to let Chen Jieqi walk out from behind her.

"Sit down, all of you."

Shi Mo sat down first, Tian Xuan helped Ye Lingling into a chair before leaning against the wall to catch his breath.

Yu Feng flopped directly onto the floor, and Osler stood leaning against the wall.

Yu Tianheng didn't move, and neither did Shi Mo.

"Sit down."

This time, everyone could hear it; it wasn't a command.

It was concern!

The two slowly sat down, and the moment Shi Mo sat, another surge of black blood gushed from his wounds.

Chen Jieqi crouched down to examine them.

"The poison has already entered your bloodstream."

He lifted the clothing on Shi Mo's back; the bruised purple around the four bloody holes had spread across his entire back.

"Your poison is deeper; the Eight Spider Lances pierced into the deep muscle."

He looked toward Yu Feng next.

"That fatty's fire isn't pure; it's evil fire! If we don't treat it, half your body will fester within three days."

Yu Feng grinned cheekily.

"Then Team Leader Chen will have to save me."

Chen Jieqi closed his eyes, and the Heart of the Naaru mark between his brows lit up.

Golden holy light surged from between his brows like a miniature sun.

He hovered his hands over Yu Tianheng's chest and Yu Feng's shoulder, the holy light seeping into their bodies.

The poison began to loosen and disintegrate, but the process was very slow.

Yu Tianheng felt the stinging pain in his chest melt away bit by bit, the poison receding from his chest to his shoulder, and from his shoulder to his ribs.

On Yu Feng's side, the holy light peeled away the evil fire bit by bit, and black beads of sweat emerged from the scorched skin, turning into wisps of smoke.

For five full minutes, Chen Jieqi withdrew his hands; his face had turned a shade paler, and sweat began to bead on his forehead.

Yu Tianheng's right fingers twitched. "I can move it."

Yu Feng let out a long breath. "Thank you, Team Leader Chen!"

Chen Jieqi didn't rest, turning instead to Shi Mo.

His first and second spirit rings lit up in succession, and the Heart of the Naaru shone with brilliant golden light.

[First Spirit Skill: Holy Blessing of Light]

The golden light condensed into a beam in his palm.

[Second Spirit Skill: Holy Light Praise]

The golden-white halo stacked once more, the interwoven light acting like a precise surgical scalpel, peeling away the poison layer by layer.

Shi Mo's hands were numb up to his wrists, but he gritted his teeth without a sound, gripping his knees tightly as black blood mist drifted from the four holes, hissing as it touched the holy light.

For eight full minutes, as the last wisp of black mist dissipated, Chen Jieqi's body swayed, and he had to steady himself against the table.

His face was ashen, his hands were trembling, and the mark between his brows began to dim.

"You cannot use your spirit power for seven days, and apply warm water to the wounds every day."

Shi Mo nodded with difficulty, "Thank you, Captain Chen."

Chen Jieqi leaned against the table, catching his breath for a few moments.

"Tianheng cannot use his soul power for three days. Yu Feng, apply ice-attribute soul power to your injuries once a day for three consecutive days. Shi Mo, you need seven days."

He paused.

"You all fought very well!"

Qin Ming had been waiting outside the door for a long time; he only pushed it open once Chen Jieqi finished the treatment. His face wore a smile, his eyes filled with both heartache and pride.

"Congratulations to you all. From today on, Huangdou is the only Gold Soul team in Suotuo City!"

Shi Mo was stunned for a moment, "We... won?"

"You won, and you won beautifully."

Qin Ming looked at everyone's injuries.

"You were able to win not because of your higher levels, but because you did not give up."

He looked at Yu Tianheng and Shi Mo.

"Tianheng's decision was correct, but remember, don't try to carry everything alone next time.

You are the captain on the field, but you are not alone. Shi Mo, you are the defense, but you are not just a shield."

Both men nodded.

Qin Ming patted their shoulders.

"Go back and rest well. You can collect the Gold Soul badge tomorrow."

He turned and left.

At this moment, Dugu Yan moved.

She strode to the front of Yu Tianheng, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked down at him. Everyone fell silent.

Although the big sister had yielded the captain's position and was currently lazy and hands-off, no one dared to forget that when this woman lost her temper, she was more terrifying than anyone else.

"Yu Tianheng."

Her voice was not loud, but everyone heard it clearly.

Her gaze swept over his blood-stained face, the charred claw marks, his limp right arm, and the wound on his ribs.

Then it shifted to Shi Mo, Yu Feng, Osler, Tian Xuan, and Ye Lingling, before finally returning to him.

"Look at them. Shi Mo's turtle shell is nearly shattered, Shi Mo has four holes poked in him, half of Yu Feng's body is almost burned away, Osler's shoulder is nearly torn open, Tian Xuan has overdrawn his soul power, and Ye Lingling can barely stand."

"And you? You went to take on Tang San alone and nearly threw your life away."

Yu Tianheng opened his mouth to say something.

"Shut up. I didn't tell you to speak."

Yu Tianheng truly shut his mouth.

Dugu Yan stared at him for three seconds before taking a small porcelain bottle from her Soul Tool. It was entirely emerald green and engraved with the character "Poison."

An antidote pill concocted by her grandfather.

She poured out three emerald-green pills and shoved them at Yu Tianheng, Shi Mo, and Yu Feng.

"Eat them. They'll clear out the residual toxins."

Shi Mo and Yu Feng ate them immediately.

Yu Tianheng looked at the pills in his palm and was silent for a moment. These were antidotes from Poison Douluo Dugu Bo; one couldn't find anything better in the entire Heaven Dou Empire.

"Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? If you die from poison, who will join me for team battles?"

Yu Tianheng smiled and popped the pill into his mouth. A cooling sensation surged through his limbs, and the residual toxins were cleared away.

Dugu Yan watched him finish, and her expression changed.

It was no longer the cold, stern majesty from before, but something much softer. Her gaze fell upon his weary brows and eyes, and the arc of his lips, which were tightened from pain.

She remembered the first time she met him.

That was shortly after she had obtained her third soul ring and returned to the academy, back when she was at the height of her popularity. He had just entered Huangdou Academy, a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, as proud as a little wolf cub that refused to bow its head. She couldn't quite remember what level he was at the time, but she remembered the look in his eyes when he stared at her very clearly—it was pure defiance.

Then, he challenged her.

Naturally, she won. She had initially thought he would be furious out of shame.

But the boy climbed up from the ground, brushed off the dust, and said to her, "I will be back..."

Ever since then, he had been defeated time and time again.

Ever since then, the way he looked at her had changed.

She had always known, but she had never taken it seriously.

She thought he was just a proud youth, thought those feelings were merely a momentary impulse, and thought he would retreat under her cold, sharp gaze just like everyone else.

But today, she saw a different Yu Tianheng.

A person who had been pierced by the Eight Spider Lances, poisoned, and lost sensation in his right arm, yet whose spine remained held perfectly straight.

A vice-captain who would shoulder the damage for his teammates, a warrior who staked everything in a desperate situation.

A person worthy of her undivided attention.

"Yu Tianheng."

Her voice was suddenly very soft.

Yu Tianheng looked up.

Dugu Yan watched him, her gaze calm and earnest.

"Next time, don't be alone again."

It was not a command, not a request, but a promise.

Yu Tianheng was stunned for a moment, then he smiled.

"Alright!"

Dugu Yan did not say anything else; she turned and walked out of the lounge, her pace crisp and decisive.

The door obscured her figure.

After the door closed, she paused.

Only then did she continue walking forward.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo exchanged a glance, both letting out a sigh of relief.

Osler leaned against the wall, the corners of his mouth curling up.

Yu Feng lay on the floor, grinning through gritted teeth.

"Boss Yu is in for it now."

"Shut your mouth,"

Osler kicked him.

"You're hurt this badly and still have the energy to gossip."

Tian Xuan helped Ye Lingling sit down and handed her some water.

"You've worked hard."

Ye Lingling took the water and shook her head gently, "Everyone worked hard, especially Captain Yu."