"Teacher Qin Ming, I wasn't planning to use my trump card, but I have no choice. You're truly strong. After my sneak attack failed, I knew I'd have to use it!"
"Now this is the real end!"
Both Xing Tians roared at once. The Nine Deaths Footwork abruptly quickened, and they became two afterimages closing in on Qin Ming. Haze swirled around them, leaving Qin Ming's flames with no way to strike.
When they were close enough, both Xing Tians used their first Soul Skill, "Night Fierce Light." But rather than unleash it outward, they used their wrists like blades.
Xing Tian then began activating his second Soul Skill at high frequency, teleporting his real body to where his clone had been and slashing at Qin Ming with a hand blade. At the same time, his shadow moved to Qin Ming's side. As soon as one slash landed, Xing Tian teleported to the shadow's position again.
The attacks repeated over and over. Countless black flashes, wrapped in haze, wove into a net around Qin Ming. This was Afterimage Instant Slash, which Xing Tian had developed using his second Soul Skill as its foundation.
"Fourth Soul Skill, Fire Wolf Blazing Flame Burn!"
Qin Ming could no longer hold out. His fourth Soul Ring abruptly lit up, and flames erupted from his entire body, turning him into a three-meter-tall giant fire wolf.
Seeing this, Xing Tian immediately used his second Soul Skill to teleport far away.
With a tremendous boom, the fire wolf exploded, forming a huge mushroom cloud. A wave of scorching air swept across the entire training field.
Once the smoke cleared, Qin Ming was covered in wounds, his clothes slashed to tatters. Looking at Xing Tian, who was completely unharmed, he sighed helplessly. "You win!"
"My god, even Teacher Qin Ming lost. Xiao Tian is way too strong." Yu Feng's mouth had been hanging open the whole time.
Dugu Yan had even started worrying about Yu Tianheng. "From the looks of it, even if Yu Tianheng has learned the Dragon Transformation Secret Technique, he still won't be a match for Xiao Tian. I just hope he doesn't cry when the time comes."
Osler, meanwhile, was celebrating wildly. "The boss is mighty! The boss is invincible!"
Ye Lingling said nothing, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xing Tian. She spread her hands and summoned her Nine-Heart Begonia Martial Soul to treat Xing Tian and Qin Ming.
After receiving treatment, Qin Ming left his Martial Soul Possession state and sighed. "Looks like there's nothing left for me to teach you."
Xing Tian replied modestly, "I still lack combat experience, so I'll need you to help me train more, Teacher. Besides, I only won by taking advantage of the information gap."
Qin Ming waved a hand. "No! In a real fight, what your opponent knows is an important factor to consider. There's no such thing as winning by taking a cheap shortcut. Besides, you didn't know my Soul Skills either."
"And your second Soul Skill really is troublesome. Even as I am now, I can't think of a way to counter it without using my fourth Soul Skill."
Qin Ming liked students like Xing Tian, who were exceptionally talented and eager to learn. "If you're willing, you can come train with me whenever you like."
"Thank you, Teacher Qin Ming. Then I won't hold back in the future!"
Xing Tian couldn't have been happier to have someone suitable to train against. Although he had plenty of combat experience, it had only existed on the level of his soul. His body had none.
At that moment, Dugu Yan spoke up. "Teacher Qin, I want to fight Xiao Tian too. He promised to fight me during combat training class."
Qin Ming's smile faded, and he said sternly, "Yanzi, it's commendable to challenge someone better than yourself and learn from them. But a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and a river is formed by gathering many small streams."
"Xing Tian is far stronger than you. A sparring match like this would be meaningless."
"Besides, the focus of this class is improving your close-combat ability. Your Jade Phosphorous Serpent Poison is powerful, and no one in the class except Xing Tian can withstand it, but your close-combat ability is only average."
"So follow the arrangements and spar according to my list. I'll give you pointers as you go, then point out what you can improve afterward!"
Dugu Yan lowered her head in disappointment. She didn't dare argue and could only follow Qin Ming's arrangements.
The sparring sessions had been going smoothly, but just as Dugu Yan and Osler were locked in a fierce battle, something suddenly went wrong.
Dugu Yan suddenly ended her Martial Soul Possession. Her whole body convulsed, and she clutched her head in agony, curling up as she collapsed to the ground. She cried out and writhed on the floor.
"Yanzi!"
Qin Ming was the first to hurry to Dugu Yan's side. Though he was strict with her in training, he cared about her more than any other student. After all, she was Dugu Bo's only family. If anything really happened to her, it wouldn't be something that could be settled by one or two deaths.
Qin Ming examined her again and again but couldn't find anything wrong. He hurriedly called out to Ye Lingling. "Lingling, try treating Yanzi first!"
"Okay!"
Ye Lingling hurriedly used the Nine-Heart Begonia to heal her. Its light fell over Dugu Yan, but the effect was minimal.
"It seems like something inside Yanzi's body is resisting my healing ability, and it's stronger than I am."
Xing Tian's eyes narrowed as if he had thought of something. He went to Dugu Yan's side, took her finger, and held it up to his nose to smell. He seemed increasingly certain of something.
Then he gathered Soul Power at his index finger and cut Dugu Yan's finger. A drop of blood slowly welled up.
Xing Tian smelled the drop of blood and finally confirmed his suspicion. "Just as I thought!"
Qin Ming noticed Xing Tian's expression and asked, "Xing Tian, did you figure something out?"
Xing Tian said, "Sister Lingling, don't stop treating her. Teacher Qin, please go to the Education Committee immediately and ask the three committee members to head to Sunset Forest and call Senior Dugu. Then go to Prince Xue Xing's residence too—Senior Dugu might be there as well! We'll take Sister Yan back to her dormitory first."
"I'll go right now!" Qin Ming didn't dare waste a moment. He even used Martial Soul Possession to hurry there.
"Osler, Yu Feng, give us a hand!"
"Got it!"
Dugu Yan was thrashing violently, so Xing Tian could only ask Osler and Yu Feng to help carry her back to the dormitory.
"Yanyan!"
Dugu Bo flung open the door in a panic, his forehead covered in sweat. Dugu Yan was now lying peacefully on the bed, asleep.
Xing Tian, who was keeping watch by the bed, said, "Sister Yan was like that for about an hour, then she fell asleep."
Dugu Bo wiped the sweat from his brow and steadied his breathing before taking Dugu Yan's pulse. He confirmed what was happening.
Before long, Dugu Bo's brows knitted tightly, and his eyes reddened. His voice carried both grief and self-reproach. "It's happened at last."
Dugu Bo picked Dugu Yan up and said, "Thank you, Lingling, for treating Yanyan all this time. And you, boy—thank you for bringing Yanyan back."
Xing Tian added, "Teacher Qin Ming, Osler, and Yu Feng helped a lot too. I just asked Osler and Yu Feng to head back first."
"I sent Meng Shenji and the others back first too."
Dugu Bo fixed Xing Tian with a piercing gaze. "Boy, is there something you want to tell this old man?"
As soon as Dugu Bo finished speaking, Ye Lingling immediately said, "I haven't finished reading my book yet. I'll head to the library first."
"No need, Lingling."
Dugu Bo interrupted her. "Go tell Qin Ming and the committee that this old man will be instructing the boy for a while. How long depends on his comprehension."
With that, Dugu Bo carried Dugu Yan out of the room.
"Sister Lingling, don't worry. I'll be back soon. I'll also let Grandpa Ye, Osler, and Yu Feng know."
After giving his instructions, Xing Tian immediately followed Dugu Bo.
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