Chapter 39: Sparring with Yu Tianheng and Studying the Art of Detoxification

"Tianheng, your attack power is not inferior to Shi Mo's defensive power. However, your lightning attacks are too scattered. You need to learn how to concentrate your strength, focusing it to break through a single point." "Little Yan, while your poison is formidable, its offensive power isn't strong enough. If you encounter a defense-oriented soul master like Shi Mo, who can resist poison, you'll need to consider alternative tactics. Earlier, you should have used your snake tail immediately to pull Tianheng over, relying on his attack power to break through Shi Mo's defense, or you could have actively shifted your direction to attack Shi Mo, who has no poison resistance. Never stand there stunned just because one attack failed. Remember, as a control-type soul master, you are the brain of the team. If the brain doesn't function properly, how can the limbs operate effectively?" Qin Ming stood to the side, offering advice. Unlike his usual gentle demeanor, he was particularly stern at this moment. Perhaps this was the tradition of Shrek Academy back in the day. "Everyone, you've worked so hard!" Tianlin said with a smile as he walked over. When they saw Tianlin return, everyone immediately stopped their sparring. Oslo was the quickest, appearing beside Tianlin in the blink of an eye. "Hey, our Xiao Tian is back! Check out my new hairstyle—isn't it cool?" Oslo had somehow styled his hair into a spiky airplane look and was proudly showing it off to Tianlin. "Senior Oslo, I think you look better with a shaved head. If you don't mind, I can help you with that. I promise my sword is sharp enough to shave it clean," Tianlin said mischievously. "Uh, no thanks! What if your hand slips and you chop my head off?" Oslo backed away in fear. "No worries. If I accidentally chop it off, I'll apologize. But when it's time to feast, I'll sit at the same table as Senior Sister Ye and Sister Yan," Tianlin said casually, his words sending a chill down Oslo's spine. Oslo quickly hid behind the Shi brothers, feeling a sense of safety only under the protection of the two big guys. "Ah, what a pair of jokers," Qin Ming sighed helplessly. He could forgive Tianlin's antics—after all, he wasn't even eight years old yet. But Oslo, at twelve, still acted like a child messing around. Though Oslo's strength was undeniable, Qin Ming worried that his lack of thinking could one day be disastrous. What if, during a team battle, Oslo, as an agility-type soul master, ignored the strategy of targeting the opponent's support and instead charged head-on at their strong attackers? "You've obtained your second soul ring?" Yu Tianheng stepped forward and asked Tianlin. "Yes, Brother Tianheng. Do you still remember our agreement? When are we going to have a match?" Tianlin couldn't wait to experience the power of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Now that he had his second soul ring, even though his level was slightly lower, he didn't believe he would lose. "I've already consumed a lot of soul power today. How about tomorrow at noon? The location will be the Royal Academy's Battle Arena. You'll represent the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, and I'll represent the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Let's have a fair and open match." Yu Tianheng quickly decided on the time and place, and Tianlin had no objections. Qin Ming didn't say much either. He knew the two kids would be careful. Besides, this wasn't a life-or-death duel. Friendly sparring between friends was common, and some friendships only deepened after a good fight. After finalizing the match, Tianlin turned to Dugu Yan, who was standing beside Yu Tianheng. "By the way, Sister Yan, I noticed that your eyes seem greener than before." "Hmm, perhaps it's because I've leveled up recently. It's a sign that my poison has become stronger," Dugu Yan replied indifferently. To her, this was normal. Her grandfather and late father, both from her family, had experienced the same thing. However, Tianlin knew this wasn't a good sign. As Dugu Yan's poison grew stronger, it would cause increasing harm to her body. In the original story, it was mentioned that her father had died from being poisoned by his venom. It was likely that Dugu Bo, out of concern for Dugu Yan, hadn't told her the seriousness of the situation. As such, Dugu Yan remained unaware of the potential danger. It seemed Tianlin needed to quickly study the medical knowledge in the Yuheng Herbal Scripture, starting with the detoxification techniques. This wasn't just for the sake of obtaining immortal herbs but also to help Dugu Yan rid herself of her deadly poison. Only then could her strength be fully realized. ... Returning to his room, Tianlin entered his spiritual sea. There, his focus would sharpen, and he could learn more efficiently. The Yuheng Herbal Scripture contained many methods for neutralizing poisons, along with Cao Gu's notes. As one of the Seven Saints of Shu Mountain, Cao Gu had devoted his life to medicine, saving countless lives, including many experts who had been poisoned by their venomous cultivation techniques. In most cases, Cao Gu's method involved completely neutralizing their poison. Since those who practiced poisonous techniques often had ill intentions, this approach not only saved their lives but also prevented them from harming others with poison. Of course, Tianlin wouldn't consider such a method. For a soul master, losing all their strength was worse than death, and Dugu Yan would undoubtedly refuse. However, there were exceptions. Cao Gu understood that techniques themselves were neither good nor evil—what mattered was the user's intent. When he encountered individuals who practiced poison techniques but had pure hearts, he sought alternative solutions. One method was similar to how Tang San treated Dugu Bo in the original story: finding a medium to transfer all the poison from the body, preventing it from corroding the user. In the Legend of Sword and Fairy universe, such a medium might be a magical artifact. Once bonded to its owner, the artifact became inseparable from them, like a part of their body. In the Douluo world, however, there were no magical artifacts, so the equivalent would be soul bones. After careful consideration, Tianlin concluded that this was the most reliable solution. However, transferring poison wasn't easy—it required a special guiding method and accompanying medicinal treatments. Fortunately, Tianlin had access to such knowledge in the Yuheng Herbal Scripture, just as Tang San had in the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record. Tianlin estimated that it would take him about six months to completely master this segment of the manual. By then, he could help detoxify both Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan. This way, he could save their lives and feel justified in claiming the immortal herbs. While it was possible to have Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo forcibly take the herbs from Dugu Bo, Tianlin didn't like the idea of stealing. Dugu Bo wouldn't stand a chance in a fight against either of them, so taking the herbs wouldn't be difficult. But could someone who resorted to such methods be considered virtuous? Besides, Dugu Yan was now a friend. It was better to uphold some principles. At worst, he could leave some of the immortal herbs for Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan.