Poison, Lightning, and the Nine-Hearted Begonia

After they returned to the academy, Flender did not let anyone rest.

He slapped the Imperial Fighting Team roster onto the table.

"We fight tomorrow night. Think through everything you need to today."

Ma Hongjun muttered, "Right now, I need sleep."

Zhao Wuji shot him a look.

Ma Hongjun immediately straightened up.

"I can sleep after training."

Zhao Wuji snorted.

Tang San spread out the roster and tapped Yu Tianheng's name first.

"Boss Dai will take Yu Tianheng head-on."

Dai Mubai nodded.

"I'll hold him."

Tang San said, "You can't give ground easily. If you do, our front line breaks."

Dai Mubai did not take offense.

"Got it."

Tang San moved his finger to Dugu Yan.

"Her poison is the biggest problem. I can prepare an antidote, but we don't have all the ingredients. It'll only counter part of it."

Xiao Wu immediately asked, "What about the rest?"

"Phoenix flames."

Ma Hongjun blinked.

"Me?"

"Your Phoenix Fire Line can scatter the poison mist. The point isn't to burn anyone. It's to force the mist to one side."

Ma Hongjun rubbed his chin.

"That sounds right up my alley."

Leaning nearby, Yuan Yu drawled, "Don't celebrate yet. Aim your fire wrong, and you'll choke yourself first."

Ma Hongjun's face stiffened.

Zhao Wuji grinned.

"That's why we're practicing now."

Several medicine jars were set out on the training ground.

Tang San mixed powders into a pale green smoke. It was barely toxic, enough only to numb noses and make heads spin.

Zhao Wuji stood at a distance.

"Begin."

The jars opened, and smoke drifted low across the ground.

Ma Hongjun immediately unleashed his Phoenix Fire Line.

The flames shot straight ahead, sweeping half the smoke aside. The other half curled back around and hit him full in the face.

Ma Hongjun coughed so hard his eyes watered.

Xiao Wu covered her nose and backed away.

"Fatty, are you trying to take us down first?"

Still coughing, Ma Hongjun waved a hand.

"Slipup. The first try doesn't count."

Tang San did not laugh.

He crouched and watched where the smoke went.

"You can't hit it head-on. Heat sends poison mist drifting everywhere. Come at it from the side and drive it in one direction."

Yuan Yu drew his Sun Wheel Blade and traced an arc on the ground with its sheath.

"Treat your fire like a broom, not a fist."

Ma Hongjun stared at the arc.

"Again."

The second time, flames swept in from the side.

The smoke was pushed toward the far end of the training ground.

Tang San seized the chance to scatter his powder.

The pale green slowly dissipated.

Zhao Wuji said, "That's more like it."

The training did not stop.

Tang San had Ma Hongjun change direction three more times.

The first time, the flames came a beat late. Poison smoke crept along the ground to Oscar's feet. Oscar bolted, nearly dropping the sausage in his hand into the dirt.

The second time, Ma Hongjun put too much force into it. His flames rose too high, letting smoke slip underneath.

The third time, he controlled his strength and drove the smoke outward layer by layer from the side. Tang San's powder met it at just the right moment.

The pale green smoke cleared completely.

Tang San said, "Keep that rhythm tomorrow. Fatty, don't rush to make the flames bigger. Too much fire will send it everywhere."

Ma Hongjun panted.

"Got it. Small fire sweeps the floor, big fire burns people."

Yuan Yu glanced at him.

"The first half will do. Save the second."

Zhao Wuji called Dai Mubai into the field next.

"You'll have the hardest job tomorrow. Yu Tianheng is two levels above you, and his Martial Soul gives him an edge. You don't have to trade blows with him to the end, but you can't flinch from the first hit."

Dai Mubai rolled his wrists.

"Understood."

"Then let's go."

Zhao Wuji grabbed a thick wooden post and slammed it into the ground.

"Treat it as Yu Tianheng. Tang San, pull him. Rongrong, support him. Dai Mubai, take the first blow."

Ning Rongrong raised her pagoda at once.

"Seven Treasure Mantra, First: Strength!"

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass wrapped around Dai Mubai's waist.

Zhao Wuji struck the post with his palm, sending it hurtling toward Dai Mubai.

Dai Mubai crossed his arms and took the hit head-on.

Bang!

His feet sank half an inch into the earth.

Tang San did not pull him away, only took some force out of the impact.

Zhao Wuji nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Don't try to take everything alone tomorrow. Your teammates aren't decorations."

Tang San said, "I won't leave you to take the whole hit."

Dai Mubai grinned. "Then I can relax and get beaten up."

Ma Hongjun puffed out his chest.

"Told you I could do it."

Xiao Wu said, "You nearly smoked yourself unconscious."

"That was me testing the poison for everyone."

Oscar laughed behind them.

Ma Hongjun turned around.

"What are you laughing at? You'll have to run tomorrow too."

Oscar immediately held out a Recovery Sausage.

"I handle supplies. Supplies are important."

Ning Rongrong kept staring at the roster, her brow still furrowed.

"We can't leave Ye Lingling alone."

Oscar leaned over.

"Is the Nine-Hearted Begonia really that powerful?"

Ning Rongrong said, "Very. The Nine-Hearted Begonia has only one successor per generation. Unlike the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, it can't boost strength or speed. All it does is heal."

"And it's powerful when all it does is heal?"

"When you do one thing to perfection, it becomes terrifying."

Oscar understood.

Someone on the Imperial Fighting Team got hurt, and Ye Lingling would heal them at once.

Every wound Shrek inflicted could be for nothing.

Zhu Zhuqing said, "I'll look for an opening to reach her."

Tang San said, "She'll be protected. If you charge in alone, you might not get out."

"You're not a blade to be used once and thrown away."

Zhu Zhuqing looked up.

She had heard Flender say that before.

Yuan Yu went on, "After you go in, you still have to get out. Even making her retreat a step would help."

Zhu Zhuqing said, "I know."

Xiao Wu rolled her wrists beside them.

"What about me?"

"Don't focus only on Yu Tianheng. Yu Feng and Osler will look for chances to hit our back line. Help Zhuqing keep them occupied."

Xiao Wu pursed her lips.

"Sounds like putting out fires."

Yuan Yu said, "You're the fastest. Who else is going to do it?"

Xiao Wu raised her fist.

"Keep talking, and I'll put you out first."

Yuan Yu wisely shut up.

Ning Rongrong raised her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

"I'll give her speed."

Tang San settled the order of their opening support.

In the first round, strength would go to Dai Mubai and speed to Zhu Zhuqing.

Once the poison mist appeared, they would switch support as needed. The priority was keeping Dai Mubai on his feet and making sure Zhu Zhuqing could get back out.

Oscar would prepare Recovery Sausages and Antidote Sausages ahead of time.

They practiced until dusk, their clothes soaked with sweat.

Yuan Yu had not joined in, but he had watched the whole time.

He watched the team and their surroundings.

His Rosy Cloud Pattern had been restless since the afternoon.

At dusk, a Spirit Arena attendant brought over the confirmation letter for tomorrow night.

As Yuan Yu accepted it, his Rosy Cloud Pattern stirred faintly.

The attendant kept his head down, his fingers drawing back inside his sleeve.

Tang San noticed too.

Once the attendant had gone, Yuan Yu handed Tang San the letter.

"Smell it."

Tang San took it and held it to his nose.

"Smells like a pharmacy."

"Any poison?"

"No. But ordinary paper wouldn't smell like this. Whoever delivered it touched a medicine cabinet or just came from a pharmacy."

Yuan Yu smiled.

"Looks like someone's eyeing your medicine pouch."

Tang San put the letter away.

"Shall we take a look tonight?"

Yuan Yu shouldered his Sun Wheel Blade.

"Let's go."

Ning Rongrong followed them.

"I'm coming too."

She lifted her chin.

"If the Spirit Arena plays dumb, I'll have more sway than either of you."

Yuan Yu thought for a moment.

"Good point."

Oscar raised his hand too.

"Then I..."

"You stay here and make sausages."

Oscar: "..."

Night fell.

The lights of Suotuo City came on.

In the Great Soul Arena's back courtyard, someone quietly opened the door to the medicine room.