Meeting Qin Ming Again

Because they were Qin Ming's students, and because of the poisoned girl, Danheng chose to follow the group all the way to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Danheng had not expected the academy to be outside Heaven Dou City rather than within it, situated in a beautiful place surrounded by mountains and water.

"Shrek Academy is outside the city because it has no money. Heaven Dou Royal Academy is outside because it has too much money—the city simply wasn't good enough for it to be built there."

Danheng stopped at the foot of the mountain instead of entering directly. First, he did not know whether Qin Ming was currently at the academy. If he was not, Danheng would likely be turned away at the gate.

Second,

the sun was about to set. He could not possibly stay at the academy, so he might as well find a suitable place to rest in Heaven Dou City and visit again tomorrow.

In any case, this place was not far from Heaven Dou City. It was only a short walk away.

Along the way, he saw quite a few Heaven Dou Royal Academy students returning from Heaven Dou City.

However, the strength of these students was worlds apart from the few Danheng had seen earlier. They were far inferior even to those from Shrek Academy and Godwind Academy.

"Looks like Heaven Dou Royal Academy does not represent the highest standard among the Heaven Dou Empire's Soul Master Academies."

After watching batch after batch of Heaven Dou Royal Academy students pass by, Danheng could not help shaking his head slightly.

Their foundations were exceedingly weak. Some of them even walked with unsteady steps, looking at a glance like they had indulged themselves too excessively.

Moreover, most of these students were decked out in gold and silver. Some had even altered their academy uniforms into something utterly mismatched. They were likely mostly children of nobles and influential families.

"Those few must be the best students Heaven Dou Royal Academy has to offer."

Compared to these rich young masters and ladies, Qin Ming's students were different in every way. At the very least, their strength and bearing were on entirely different levels.

But those few were probably the finest talents in Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

In the outskirts not far from Heaven Dou City, Danheng encountered someone he had not expected to see.

"Qin Ming?"

"Mister Danheng?"

Indeed, Danheng and Qin Ming ran right into each other. Qin Ming had come to Heaven Dou City to handle some business today. Now that dusk was approaching and his business was finished, he was preparing to return to the academy.

"I didn't expect you had truly come, sir."

Qin Ming quickly stepped forward and shook Danheng's hand, his tone still carrying a trace of disbelief.

What a coincidence. He had been at the academy just a few days ago, yet today, when he came to Heaven Dou City on business, he happened to run into Danheng.

"You may not know, sir, that Heaven Dou Royal Academy is not inside the city. It is about twenty kilometers away from here."

"It is already late today. How about I give you the address, and you visit tomorrow?"

Qin Ming assumed Danheng had come directly to Heaven Dou City and did not know where the academy was.

"No need. I know the place. I was just there."

"Just now?"

Qin Ming froze. A journey of twenty kilometers—surely "just now" had merely been a casual expression.

But what he did not know was that when Danheng said "just now," he truly meant only a few minutes ago!

If Danheng had not wanted to see the standard of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's students and delayed a little on the road, the two of them might not have had the chance to meet at all.

"Then I shall not delay your itinerary any longer, sir. You may visit the academy whenever you wish. I will notify the gatekeepers beforehand."

Seeing that night was drawing near, Qin Ming prepared to return to the academy as quickly as possible. Judging by their speed, his students had surely arrived by now.

"Wait."

Just as they were about to pass each other, Danheng suddenly called Qin Ming to a halt.

"Do you have another question, Mister Danheng?"

"One of your students has been poisoned. You don't know?"

Upon hearing Danheng's words, Qin Ming immediately turned his half-turned body fully around, his expression darkening somewhat.

"Sir, you are not joking, are you?"

He knew this could not have been Danheng's doing. He was simply shocked and angered that someone had dared lay hands on his student.

"No."

"May I ask which student?"

"The little girl with purple hair and jade-green eyes."

"Dugu Yan?"

The moment Danheng mentioned purple hair and jade-green eyes, Qin Ming instantly knew who had been poisoned.

However, Dugu Yan's martial soul was the Jade Phosphorous Serpent, and Dugu Yan herself was an expert at using poison.

Not to mention that Dugu Yan's grandfather, Dugu Bo, was the renowned Poison Douluo. When it came to poison, there was likely no one in the Heaven Dou Empire stronger than Dugu Bo.

Could the person who poisoned her truly have done so without either grandfather or granddaughter noticing?

"Sir, how about we go into the city and find somewhere to discuss this in detail?"

Qin Ming looked up at the sky. He felt he had to understand this matter thoroughly, but the academy was too far away. It would be better to speak directly in Heaven Dou City.

"Fine."

The two entered Heaven Dou City together and found a quiet little tavern, specifically asking the owner to arrange a more secluded room.

"Sir, could you tell me the entire course of events in detail?"

As soon as he entered the room, Qin Ming swiftly pulled over two chairs and sat facing Danheng, asking anxiously.

This concerned his student's life and safety. He had to understand everything clearly!

"All right. A few days ago, on the road from Godwind City to Heaven Dou City, I encountered your students."

"I did not know who they were at first, but they mentioned your name while chatting, so I took a closer look at them."

"Then I discovered that the girl you mentioned, Dugu Yan, had accumulated quite a bit of poison in her body. Yet from the outside, she showed no signs of poisoning whatsoever."

Danheng briefly recounted what he knew to Qin Ming. After hearing it, Qin Ming pressed a hand to his lips and fell into thought.

"Mister Danheng, to be honest, I find it difficult to believe that the poisoned person is Dugu Yan."

"I know this may seem like I am disregarding your kind intentions, but even if this matter were told to others, I am afraid no one would believe it."

"Oh? Why?"

Danheng was somewhat curious. Even if Dugu Yan knew how to use poison herself, that did not mean she could not be poisoned by someone else.

"Because Dugu Yan's grandfather is a Titled Douluo known as the Poison Douluo."

"I truly cannot think of anyone who could poison his granddaughter for such a long time under the watch of a Titled Douluo skilled in poison without being discovered."

"After all, you just said that the poison in Dugu Yan's body has been accumulating for a long time."

Qin Ming let out a long breath. Although what Danheng had said seemed somewhat implausible, it could not be ignored. Danheng had no reason to fabricate a story to deceive him.

"How about this? After I return tomorrow, I will have Dugu Yan notify her grandfather and take her back for an examination. Thank you for your kind warning."

"You're welcome. It was nothing."

For a time, the room fell silent. Qin Ming rubbed his palm against the armrest for a while before asking tentatively,

"Then, Mister Danheng, I'll take my leave first? You can visit the academy whenever you have time."