Chapter Thirty-Three: The Toxin of the Uprising

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

Because the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy was still in its enrollment period and had not yet officially begun classes, Chen Ming spent most of these three days immersed in the academy’s simulated cultivation grounds, honing his spirit power. In his remaining spare time, he would occasionally wander through the academy to observe its various facilities and venues.

Whether it was because Chen Ming’s previous words had taken effect or because the academy’s high-ranking officials—including the education committee—could no longer tolerate the chaos, the noble disciples who had been clogging the entrance to the simulated cultivation grounds had stopped loitering there. No one else had approached Chen Ming seeking help to pursue Dugu Yan.

However, based on his observations during his own cultivation, Chen Ming noted that Dugu Yan had developed the habit of bringing food directly into the simulated environment to eat, sometimes appearing visibly agitated while doing so. Chen Ming suspected that, in all likelihood, the group outside had not yet given up, and Dugu Yan found being in public areas like the canteen unbearable.

On this day, Chen Ming was conducting his routine cultivation in the simulated grounds. With his congenital spirit power defect corrected and his martial soul further evolved, his rate of accumulation had become remarkably fast. Even though he had only recently reached level twenty-three after absorbing a thousand-year spirit ring and an external spirit bone, he felt as though he were on the verge of another breakthrough. Consequently, he had been pouring even more effort into his practice over the past few days.

Outside the cave, a cold drizzle persisted. While the interior of the simulated grounds remained unchanged, Chen Ming could clearly sense the rising yin energy in the atmosphere. To him, this was merely a common change in weather that had no impact on his cultivation, so he paid it little mind and continued his work.

However, for the other person in the cave, the weather was proving to be far from friendly.

While Chen Ming was in the midst of his practice, Dugu Yan suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. It was as if she had been struck by a powerful blow; she was forcibly jolted out of her meditative state and collapsed stiffly to the ground. Her breath grew shallow, cold sweat broke out across her skin, and her body began to spasm involuntarily.

"Ugh..."

Dugu Yan curled up on the floor, feeling as if needles were piercing every part of her body. Her spirit power was spiraling out of control, causing her meridians to suffer tearing pain amidst the chaotic surge. Her blood and qi were in turmoil; her limbs felt as though they had been plunged into an icy abyss, while her chest and abdomen burned as if consumed by fire.

"If I had known it would come to this, I shouldn't have forced a breakthrough to level thirty..."

Dugu Yan spasmed on the ground, her body twitching uncontrollably. Tears and mucus streamed down her face, soaking the floor in her agony. She was filled with regret.

Lately, feeling that she was on the cusp of reaching level thirty, Dugu Yan had been pushing herself to cultivate harder. Even though this specific weather always brought her physical suffering for various reasons, she had been determined to improve—both to surprise her grandfather upon his return and to keep those annoying pests at bay.

As it turned out, just as she was on the verge of breaking through today, the physical pain caused her to lose control of her spirit power at the critical moment. It rampaged through her meridians, causing her initial suffering to intensify tenfold and inflicting damage upon her internal organs and pathways, leaving her trapped in a state of excruciating agony.

The sound of Dugu Yan thrashing and colliding with the ground jolted Chen Ming from his meditation. Seeing her convulsing like a madwoman, he was startled at first, but quickly realized that the toxins in her body had flared up.

While he wasn't entirely sure how she had managed to get herself into such a half-dead state, Chen Ming decided to intervene after a moment of deliberation. He had originally intended to get closer to her and use her toxicity as a lead to plot for the immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well. However, facing this emergency, he realized that if he stood by and watched, his own life would likely be forfeit the moment Dugu Bo returned.

He calmed his own spirit power, stood up, and leaped to Dugu Yan’s side. He pinned her thrashing form to the ground and began to slowly channel his own spirit power into her body.

Typically, the spirit power of a poison-attribute spirit master is inherently toxic. However, due to the passive characteristics of his "Poison Cloud Art" and the byproduct of developing his own "cheat" over the years, Chen Ming had managed to make his spirit power pure and substantial, devoid of any inherent poison when necessary.

As his power entered her, Chen Ming was shocked by the state of her body. A failed breakthrough resulting in backlash was never a minor matter, but Dugu Yan’s condition had triggered an active flare-up of the toxins within her, causing the injuries to compound. Her state was dire: blood and qi in turmoil, spirit power chaotic, internal organs injured, and meridians damaged. Aside from her skin and flesh, which appeared fine, she was a wreck inside.

To stabilize her condition, Chen Ming opted to calm her spirit power first. But because of the agony, Dugu Yan was unable to think clearly; even while pinned, she struggled violently, making it impossible to guide her energy delicately.

Without hesitation, Chen Ming summoned his martial soul and used his tail to gently prick her, injecting a paralyzing toxin. Although Dugu Yan had significant poison resistance, Chen Ming’s paralyzing agent was a mixture derived from dozens of spirit beasts and was highly effective. Even with her resistance, the remaining toxin quickly took effect.

Dugu Yan felt a slight numbness, and her body rapidly lost the ability to resist. Under the effects of the toxin, while her condition had not improved, the pain was significantly dulled, allowing her to regain a modicum of clarity.

Seeing Chen Ming pinning her to the ground, a look of instinctive struggle flickered in her eyes.

"What kind of lewd thoughts are you having in your head at a time like this? Focus your mind and be still! I’m trying to adjust your spirit power—don't waste time and end up crippling yourself!"

Sensing her gaze, Chen Ming replied with annoyance. Although Dugu Yan did indeed have a fine figure and the pose of her being pinned to the ground—combined with her struggling eyes—was somewhat seductive, Chen Ming was not about to entertain such thoughts at a critical moment like this.