"We concede."
When Su Ming saw Yu Tianheng break free of Ice Seal, he prepared to pour Lightning Power into the third Soul Skill, Mysterious Ice Storm, above Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan's heads and strike him with lightning again.
But when he heard Yu Tianheng concede, he stopped.
Su Yun also looked toward the host on the stage, listening as he announced the winner.
Su Ming naturally dispelled the Mysterious Ice Storm above Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan's heads.
After thinking for a moment, Su Ming summoned his Martial Soul again and sent two clouds flying toward Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan. They began to rain, helping heal their injuries and restore their Soul Power.
On the other side, once Su Ming dispelled his Soul Skill, the frozen Dugu Yan toppled over. Yu Tianheng hurried over to catch her.
After helping Dugu Yan up, Yu Tianheng felt a raindrop land on him, followed by a sparse drizzle.
The two felt the rain falling on them heal their injuries and restore their Soul Power. They looked up in shock at the two clouds overhead, then turned to Su Ming.
At that moment, Su Ming stepped forward. He condensed a large ball of water in each hand, held them aloft with his Soul Power, and sent them flying into Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan's mouths.
When Dugu Yan and Yu Tianheng saw Su Ming approach and offer each of them a large ball of water, neither dodged. They simply opened their mouths and swallowed it. After all, Su Ming had just used his Martial Soul to help restore their injuries and Soul Power.
As soon as he swallowed the water, Yu Tianheng felt his injuries and energy rapidly recover. Without a word, he sat cross-legged on the stage and quickly absorbed it. Dugu Yan did the same.
Seeing this, Su Ming didn't disturb them. He waited quietly, since he still had to plant a question in Dugu Yan's mind.
Once Yu Tianheng had finished absorbing the water, his injuries had fully healed, and his Soul Power had recovered by nearly a quarter.
Yu Tianheng opened his eyes and thought about Su Ming's Martial Soul. It could support others, heal, and attack, all over a wide area. It seemed he hadn't lost unfairly.
Yu Tianheng stood and thanked Su Ming.
"You're strong. I don't regret losing to you, but I won't give up. Sooner or later, I'll surpass you."
Su Ming accepted the praise calmly and said:
"You're strong too. I hope you'll be even stronger at the All Continent Soul Master Elite Tournament two years from now. Then we can fight again and see who comes out on top."
Yu Tianheng's gaze immediately grew resolute, and he nodded at Su Ming.
"I will."
Dugu Yan had also finished absorbing the water. She woke, stood, and spoke to Su Ming.
"You're strong. You're the first person who's ever beaten me before I even had the chance to use my poison. I'll remember this humiliation forever. One day, I'll make you fall to my snake venom."
"Tianheng, let's go."
With that, Dugu Yan turned and pulled Yu Tianheng away.
Seeing this, Su Ming thought, You can't leave yet. I still have a question to plant in your mind. If you go, who'll take me to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? He hurriedly called out to Dugu Yan.
"Wait."
Dugu Yan stopped and turned around. She looked at Su Ming as if asking what else he wanted.
Su Ming spoke again, sounding hesitant and uncertain.
"Um, Dugu Yan, from what I've observed, it seems like you've been poisoned."
Dugu Yan's expression changed at once, turning to disbelief.
"What did you say? I've been poisoned? Are you joking? I'm an expert in poison myself. How could I not know if I'd been poisoned? Are you making fun of me?"
Su Ming hurried to explain.
"I'm not joking. From what I've observed, you really have been poisoned. Your hair is purple, your eyes are green, and even your fingernails are grayish-blue."
"Either you've been poisoned on your own, or your grandfather, a Titled Douluo, would have noticed. So if you want to solve your poisoning problem, come find me at Shrek Academy."
After saying that, Su Ming turned and left, giving Dugu Yan no chance to question him.
As he walked off the Soul Fighting stage, Su Ming thought, That hesitant, uncertain performance just now was perfect. Hahaha, she'll probably ask her grandfather about it this time.
After tonight, I'll focus on cultivating at the academy. I should also let Flender know I'll be in seclusion for over ten days, so they won't worry.
Wang Sheng had already run down from the stands and was waiting in the Soul Master passage.
As soon as he saw Su Ming come out, he ran over with a delighted grin.
"Brother Ming, you were so cool just now! After you used your third Soul Skill, you zipped over in a flash and froze them in two moves, then zipped right back out! That was incredible!"
Su Ming kept his expression composed, but he was pleased inside. After all, who didn't like being praised?
The two left the 2v2 Gambling Match area. Then, that evening, Su Ming and Wang Sheng each signed up for 1v1 matches. After winning several, they returned to the academy.
Back at the detached villa the academy had prepared for him, Su Ming washed up and sat cross-legged on the bed. He was still a little nervous and excited, wondering whether Dugu Bo would come that night.
Su Ming thought about it for a while, then stopped and began cultivating. In the morning, he woke from his cultivation to find the room empty, with no note or anything left behind. He knew Dugu Bo hadn't come.
For the next two days, Su Ming wandered around campus in the mornings. Whenever he ran into Wang Sheng, he taught him a little Tai Chi. In the afternoons, he cultivated diligently, and in the evenings, he went to the Great Soul Arena to fight. The routine continued for two days, until the third evening.
Meanwhile, in Heaven Dou, at Dugu Manor
For the past two days, Dugu Yan had returned every afternoon after school to see if her grandfather was home. He hadn't been there either day, but on the third, she finally found him.
As usual, she came home after school and called, "Grandpa!" Twice. When no one answered, she assumed he hadn't returned yet and stopped calling, then pushed the door open and went inside.
Dugu Bo came out with a kindly smile. Seeing Dugu Yan enter the manor, he said, "You're back, Yanyan. You rushed home in such a hurry. Did someone bully you? Tell Grandpa, and I'll go deal with him."
Dugu Yan went over, took Dugu Bo by the arm, and sat down with him on the lounge chair in the courtyard. Then she asked, "Grandpa, did you know Blue Tyrant Academy changed its name to Shrek Academy?"
Dugu Bo replied, puzzled, "Of course I did. Did someone at Shrek Academy bully you?"
Dugu Yan knew her grandfather's temper, so she hurried to explain, "No, Grandpa. A couple of days ago, Tianheng and I were training in actual combat at the Soul Fighting Arena when we ran into a student from Shrek Academy. His name was Su Ming."
"Shrek Academy was founded by Flender, one of the Golden Iron Triangle, and Blue Tyrant Academy was founded by Liu Erlong, another member of the Golden Iron Triangle, so the two academies merged."
"That student we met today, Su Ming, was the strongest student of his age group at the original Shrek Academy."
"Tianheng and I happened to have a 2v2 Gambling Match against another student, Wang Sheng, and his partner."
"He was really strong. He suppressed Tianheng right from the start. I used poison to force Wang Sheng off the stage, then prepared to help Tianheng fight Su Ming together."
"Who would've thought he'd hit me with a whole string of attacks before I could even use my poison? He knocked me flat."
"After the match, he asked me if I knew I'd been poisoned."
"I was pretty shocked at the time. Then he told me there was something wrong with my eyes and hair, and that I really had been poisoned."
"Grandpa, was he right? Have I really been poisoned?"
Before you continue