The Legend of the Nether Blood Moon Clan (1)
Under the shade of a tree in the distance, Ma Hongjun, who was munching on a peach, watched with great interest.
But the moment Jiang Zhu looked up, the peach in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
His eyes were fixed on Jiang Zhu in the arena, his usually quick-witted eyes completely still.
Sunshine, Healing Halo, gentle eyes and brows, the way she holds the scepter... she's like a fairy.
Ma Hongjun touched his chest, his heart inexplicably skipping a few beats.
In the past, in Suotuo City, I had only seen Ning Rongrong's charming beauty and Zhu Zhuqing's aloof elegance; I had never seen a girl as gentle as water.
He watched Jiang Zhu's profile as she treated Tai Long's wounds, not even noticing the peach had fallen.
The competition was kept secret for long, and soon news reached Liu Erlong's ears.
Before the afternoon training session ended, Liu Erlong went directly to the training ground.
Wearing a navy blue outfit and with her long hair tied up, she stood there, and the entire venue instantly fell silent.
Her gaze swept over the still-injured Tai Long on the ground, then over Tang San, and finally landed on Yu Xiaogang. She didn't mention anything personal, but spoke directly, her voice cold and clear:
"I know everything that happened today."
"From today onwards, all students and teachers of the academy shall unconditionally obey Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang's teaching arrangements. Training plans, lineup arrangements, and tactical instructions shall all be decided by the Grandmaster."
"Anyone who dares to question the arrangements or cause trouble, don't bother giving me reasons, just expel them from the Shrek Academy."
In short, it was a powerful statement.
There was no further explanation, no room for negotiation.
The entire room fell silent.
Tai Long kept his head down, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Yu Xiaogang stood to the side, a strange feeling stirring in his heart.
He looked at Liu Erlong's profile, and a ripple of emotion stirred within him.
She... still cares, doesn't she?
Otherwise, why would they defend themselves so strongly and speak so definitively?
He was even somewhat dazed, as if he could see again the girl who used to protect him in everything.
But the next second, Liu Erlong turned her head and looked at him.
His gaze was calm and undisturbed. There was no trace of past affection, no resentment; he was simply looking at a colleague he had worked with.
"You're in full charge of the training. If you have any complaints, come to me."
He simply said it was a business matter, then turned and left.
The figure in the green outfit stood tall and straight, decisive and efficient, without pausing for a moment.
Yu Xiaogang stood there, watching her figure disappear at the end of the path, and the ripples that had just appeared in his heart slowly subsided.
Willow catkins drifted like snowflakes, landing on the fence of the training ground, on the eaves of the library, and on the bluestone slabs in front of the Soul Master Association.
Half a month passed quietly amidst the flying catkins, and at the Shrek Academy in the south of the city, the training chants rang out on time every day.
Yu Xiaogang's training plan was so strict it was almost harsh, including morning runs, Soul Power tempering, formation training, and actual combat, which lasted from dawn till dusk.
The Shrek Seven Devils already had a solid foundation, and with the Grandmaster's personalized training, their progress was rapid. Tai Long, Huang Yuan, Jing Ling, and Jiang Zhu were initially somewhat unconvinced, but after Tai Long was beaten up by Tang San in close combat and then suppressed by Liu Erlong's strict order, they all calmed down and followed along in training.
Over time, they gradually figured out how to coordinate their play, and the substitute lineup began to take shape.
Liu Erlong remained as cold and stern as ever, patrolling the area daily, handling miscellaneous tasks, and coordinating the reporting procedures between the Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou authorities with swift and decisive action.
When she and Yu Xiaogang met on the training field, they always spoke in a businesslike tone, discussing tactics and trainees, and then leaving without saying a word more.
Only when no one was around would she gaze at the figures of the boys on the training field, a faint, gentle light flashing in her eyes, so fleeting it was almost an illusion.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Fighting Team Heaven Dou Royal Academy also maintained a tight pace.
The team has already secured Gold Soul Fighting rank in the team competition, and after another five-game winning streak, the seven players are working together as one.
Besides daily team training, Lin Chen would take Xiao Wu to the Heaven Dou Soul Master Association.
The Heaven Dou Soul Master Association is located on Purple Emblem Street in the city center. It is built entirely of dark blue stone, giving it an ancient and imposing appearance. Two dragon pillars stand tall in front of the gate, and a six-pointed star Soul Master emblem relief is embedded in the center of the gate, exuding solemnity and authority.
Ordinary Soul Master can only conduct business in the main hall on the first floor; only those holding high-level badges are allowed to enter the underground database.
Lin Chen held a dark silver six-pointed star badge in his palm. The pattern was exquisite. It was a guest elder token given to him by Xue Qinghe. It was nominally a "Certificate of Young Soul Master Talent of the Heaven Dou Empire", but in reality, it was a certificate of identity for the Crown Prince lineage.
The guard took the badge, glanced at it, and immediately became more respectful, bowing and leading the two directly to the underground database.
The underground archive was deep and quiet, with rows of bookshelves stretching into the shadows. A faint scent of dust and ink lingered in the air, and the deeper one went, the older the books became, their covers gleaming with a dull yellow light.
The innermost secret filing area is protected by Soul Power restrictions, and those who are not holders of six-star badges are not allowed to enter.
For the past two weeks, the two of them have practically lived here.
From "A Study of the Ancient Desolate Clans" to "The Records of Soul Masters from Foreign Lands World", from "The Catalogue of Rare Poisons" to "Gleanings of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures", Lin Chen flipped through one yellowed ancient book after another. Fragments of information about the Blood Moon Devil Lotus and the Moon-Eroding Nether Poison gradually pieced together a blurry yet astonishing outline.
"Brother Lin Chen, we found another one!"
Xiao Wu tiptoed and pulled out a thread-bound book, "Chronicles of the Nether Lands," from the top shelf. The cover was worn out, and the title page was stamped with a red seal indicating it was a confidential document.
She ran over with the book in her hands and placed it on the long table. "It mentions the Nether Blood Moon Clan, saying that the ' Moon Clan ' is Moon Curse and lives in seclusion in a place where the sun never shines."
Lin Chen leaned closer, his fingertips gently tracing the yellowed pages of the book.
The handwriting is messy, like a traveler's casual notes of what he saw and heard:
"The Nether Blood Moon Clan, residing in an extremely yin land, is also known as the Moon Clan or the Netherworld Nether Moon Clan. Outsiders say they are cursed by the Yue Shen, hiding during the day and venturing out at night, going mad when the moon is full. Seven or eight out of ten members of the clan possess unusual Martial Soul: Netherworld, Blood Moon, Demon Lotus, and Shadow Demon."
He paused for a moment, then continued reading.
The later parts are even more fantastical, saying that the Moon Clan people can control shadows and the Soul Power the underworld, making them elusive and capable of killing without a trace.
However, on the night of the full moon, he will lose his mind, go berserk and kill, and cannot be exposed to sunlight. If exposed to direct sunlight, his flesh will rot and he will die from the poison in his blood.
"Curse..."
Lin Chen repeated the two words in a low voice, his fingertips lightly tapping the table.
Sunlight streamed in through the vent, casting long, thin shadows on the floor. He gazed at those shadows, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
"Perhaps it's not a curse." After a long silence, he spoke slowly.
"Huh?" Xiao Wu blinked. "What else could it be but a curse? That's what the books say."
"It's most likely poison."
Lin Chen closed "Chronicles of the Nether Lands," then pulled over several other books and pointed them out to her one by one. "Look, in all the records, the symptoms of the Moon Clan people are exactly the same—inherited in their bloodline, generation after generation; worsening on the night of the full moon; photophobia, death upon exposure to sunlight. These are not characteristics of a curse, but manifestations of hereditary blood poisoning."