Dugu Yan, Want Me to Teach You How to Use Poison?

Then...

Qin Yun looked up at the group before him. Their faces showed defiance, and their hearts were full of resistance.

He spoke slowly.

"All seven of you can come at me together. My Soul Power has already passed Level 40, so you can't say I'm bullying you!"

At those words,

everyone's expression changed.

Yu Tianheng, standing at the front, narrowed his eyes.

Shock and anger mingled within him.

He was shocked that the boy before him looked no more than fifteen or sixteen, younger than he was, yet had already surpassed Level 40;

he was angry because Qin Yun was so calm and arrogant, as though he didn't take any of them seriously.

He had even declared he would fight all seven alone.

"You're far too arrogant!" Yu Tianheng said grimly.

Faint blue lightning was already flickering around him.

Behind him, Ye Lingling, the Shi Brothers, and the others exchanged displeased looks.

None of them had intended to fight for the captain's position.

But Qin Yun's dismissive attitude had gotten under their skin.

Qin Yun watched them prepare to fight, their faces tight with indignation.

His expression remained unchanged as he spoke again.

"Don't worry about it."

"I won't accuse you of ganging up on me."

"If all seven of you attack together, you might still have a chance to fight back."

"Otherwise, you won't even get a chance to strike."

Even Meng Shenji, watching from the side, couldn't help frowning at that.

Qin Yun was taking this far too lightly.

The Imperial Fighting Team's seven members each had a role. With assault, defense, control, and support covered, they were the elite team chosen by the academy.

And Yu Tianheng's Martial Soul, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, was one of the continent's finest beast Martial Souls.

Their fighting strength far exceeded that of an ordinary team of Soul Masters at the same level.

Even a peak Level 49 Soul Master would never casually claim he could crush all seven together.

But when Meng Shenji turned to Xue Qinghe, who sat calmly beside him,

he saw that the Crown Prince had no intention of intervening and seemed content to watch the show.

So he suppressed his doubts

and said, "Since young friend Qin is so confident, let's move to the training arena and let your strength do the talking!"

Before long, the group arrived at Heaven Dou Academy's central training arena.

On the broad, level bluestone platform,

the seven members of the Imperial Fighting Team quickly formed a standard battle formation.

Yu Tianheng held the assault position at the front. Blue lightning coiled around him, and the force of thunder radiated faintly from his imposing figure;

the burly Shi Brothers stood on either side, their heavy, steady Black Tortoise Soul Power surrounding them as they formed a solid defensive line;

in the rear, Dugu Yan's green hair stirred lightly as poisonous Soul Power flowed through her, ready to unleash a controlling poison technique at any moment;

Ye Lingling stood quietly at the very back. Gentle Soul Power surged around her as she waited to heal and sustain her teammates whenever needed.

The remaining two took their positions as well...

"Begin!"

At Meng Shenji's command, the match began.

The instant the order fell, Yu Tianheng attacked with everything he had.

Brilliant blue lightning swept over his body. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul fully possessed him, and the overwhelming pressure of the beast Martial Soul burst outward.

Soul Power erupted beneath his feet. He shot forward wreathed in raging lightning, his sharp dragon claws lunging straight for Qin Yun's face.

At the same time, the Shi Brothers activated their Martial Souls. Massive phantom tortoise shells covered their bodies, layer upon layer of defensive Soul Power reinforcing them as they coordinated with Yu Tianheng. Their offense and defense advanced together, sealing off every path Qin Yun might use to dodge.

Faced with their fierce combined assault, Qin Yun remained composed.

With a thought, he quietly activated his Periodic Table of Elements Martial Soul.

Countless carbon atoms rapidly gathered before him, compressing and solidifying.

In an instant,

three hard, translucent Diamond shields formed in midair, standing firm before him.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Lightning claws and heavy tortoise shells slammed into the Diamond shields in succession, sending dazzling ripples of energy spreading outward.

But the unbreakable shields did not budge. They blocked every attack.

After that,

the Imperial Fighting Team took turns attacking. Soul Skills burst forth one after another in an unbroken barrage, yet none could harm Qin Yun in the slightest.

Qin Yun moved nimbly.

When he could block, he weathered the blow behind a Diamond shield;

when he could dodge, he slipped away lightly, weaving through their encirclement with effortless grace.

As their attacks continued to fail, the team grew increasingly anxious.

Dugu Yan finally snapped.

"Qin Yun!"

"If you've got the guts, stop dodging! Take one of our attacks head-on!"

Qin Yun chuckled and stopped moving, planting his feet.

"Fine, I won't dodge. But can you still keep going?"

"One, two, three—down."

The instant he finished speaking,

all seven, who had been poised to attack, froze in place.

Their Soul Power turned sluggish, their limbs went weak, and their minds grew hazy.

Yu Tianheng rubbed his throbbing, heavy head. Bewilderment clouded his eyes as he muttered,

"What's happening? I was fine a moment ago. Why am I suddenly dizzy and weak all over?"

The Shi Brothers, Ye Lingling, and the others looked just as unwell.

None of them understood what had happened.

Only Dugu Yan's expression changed sharply. Her instincts as a poison-type Soul Master caught the anomaly. Her face drained of color, and she cried out,

"Oh no!"

"We've been poisoned!"

One after another, all seven lost their balance and collapsed onto the platform. Unable to rise, they had lost the ability to fight.

Qin Yun stood with his hands behind his back, calmly surveying the fallen team.

He spoke slowly.

"You're too reckless in real combat. Your offense and defense have no rhythm."

"You know how to work together, but there's no structure to it. You really do need a captain to sharpen your teamwork and lead you through more battles."

Then his gaze settled on Dugu Yan, whose face showed both unwillingness and surprise.

His tone carried a pointed lesson.

"Especially you, Dugu Yan."

"As the team's only poison-type control Soul Master, you're far too slow to sense toxins."

"While I was dodging your attacks, I spread poison across the platform."

"It had seeped into your meridians long ago, yet you never noticed."

"For a poison-type Soul Master, you're not nearly sensitive enough to poison."

"Do you need me to teach you how to precisely control, identify, and use poison?"

Everyone was stunned.

None of them had any idea when they had been poisoned.

At the start of the fight, Qin Yun had used his Elemental Martial Soul to silently synthesize Arsine (AsH₃).

It was a colorless, odorless, deadly gas, invisible to the eye and difficult to detect with Soul Power. It had quietly spread through the air above the entire platform.

The toxin entered their bodies as they breathed. It caused no violent reaction or searing pain; instead, it gradually eroded their nerves, blocked their Soul Power, and paralyzed their bodies.

It had all happened without a sound.

Qin Yun could, of course, have defeated all seven head-on with overwhelming Soul Power.

But he had chosen poison instead.

He had his reasons.

He wanted to provoke Dugu Yan and draw out Dugu Bo.

Dugu Bo possessed the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, a peerless treasure ground.

Immortal herbs, medicinal plants, and rare natural wonders grew everywhere there. It was a haven of resources unmatched anywhere on the continent.