Chapter Twenty-Seven: Turmoil

"Are these people insane? Why would anyone who isn't a poison-type soul master try to force their way into a poison-attribute simulated training ground?"

Thinking back to the days when his own cultivation had gone awry, leaving him bedridden and forced to drink bitter medicinal soups, Chen Ming felt his scalp go numb. He couldn't fathom why anyone at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy would be so eager to court death.

The poison-attribute simulated training ground was genuinely lethal. After all, the number of his own ancestors who had been poisoned to death in the cave filled with Jade Phosphorus Seven-Absolutes Flowers was already in the double digits. If he weren't a poison-type soul master himself—someone who required the environment of a poison-attribute simulated training ground to maximize his cultivation speed—he would never have voluntarily stepped foot into such a dark, sunless place teeming with toxins. Staying in a place like that for too long truly took a toll on one's physical and mental health.

"Insane? These people are sharp as tacks. They wouldn't be swarming in here if there wasn't something to gain," Niu Dali said with a curl of his lip, his tone heavily implied.

"Something to gain?" Chen Ming immediately thought of the Jade Phosphorus Seven-Absolutes Flowers his family kept hidden, then shook his head. A moment later, he had deduced exactly what these people were after.

He was three years older than Tang San, and he had entered the academy at eleven. Dugu Yan was seven years older than Tang San and four years older than him, making her about fifteen. He had started a year early, and given that Dugu Yan had the Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo, as her grandfather, it was natural that she might have started slightly later due to her family’s specialized studies. She was likely either just starting or had been there for about a year.

Could it be that the target of these people was none other than Dugu Yan?

Chen Ming kept his thoughts to himself and looked toward Qin Ming, who stood to the side. Upon hearing Niu Dali’s remark, Qin Ming sighed slowly and nodded helplessly at Chen Ming.

"There is a new student who enrolled this year, just like you. She is the only granddaughter of the Poison Douluo, Dugu Yan. She is fifteen this year and is a twenty-ninth-level Great Soul Master. Because she is on the verge of breaking through to the thirtieth level, she has been coming to the simulated training ground every single day."

"That's right," Niu Dali, who bore a striking resemblance to a certain basketball star, nodded in agreement. "Because of her identity, some guys who are either thick-headed or have ulterior motives keep showing up here. It’s annoying for her, and it’s annoying for me."

"This simulated training ground keeps some low-year poison-attribute soul beasts and is filled with toxic substances. I was ordered by the three Education Commissioners to guard this place to prevent any soul beasts from escaping or anyone from wandering in by mistake."

"Right," Niu Dali paused, realizing he hadn't introduced himself yet. "My name is Niu Dali, a Heaven-grade teacher at Heaven Dou Academy. My martial soul is the Black Mamba, and I am a fifty-eighth-level assault-system Soul King."

"Since I am a poison-type soul master myself, this place is an excellent training ground for me. I’m stationed here year-round, and I’m responsible for everything that happens in the training grounds."

"Though, truthfully, there isn't much to do most of the time," Niu Dali added, his voice dropping slightly. It was a well-paying job with little responsibility. He could just bury himself in cultivation, his room and board were provided, materials were supplied upon request, and he received his salary on time. Even though he knew this was standard for teachers, he still felt a twinge of guilt.

"Kid, what’s your name and what is your martial soul?" Niu Dali finally remembered his duties, pulled out some paper and a pen from somewhere, and began to question Chen Ming.

"Teacher Niu, my name is Chen Ming, I'm eleven years old, and my martial soul is the Jade Scorpion King. I'm a twenty-third-level control-system Great Soul Master. I look forward to your guidance."

"Chen Ming..." Niu Dali nodded, put the paper and pen back into his storage soul tool, and pulled out a stack of files, reviewing them under the silent, speechless gazes of the other two.

The file contained Chen Ming’s detailed information and photo, clearly a copy of the student records approved by the Education Commissioners. One glance was all it took to know everything necessary.

"Yes, that's you. The files arrived late last night, and I almost forgot. They haven't even been in my hands for a few hours, and here you are. Not bad, quite diligent. That’s the way a soul master should be."

Just as Niu Dali was awkwardly explaining, a bell suddenly rang outside the cave. His instinct was to rush out, but before unleashing his soul power, he remembered he wasn't alone and instead walked out slowly.

Looking through the cave entrance, Chen Ming saw a young soul master wearing one white and one yellow soul ring. The young man had a ruddy complexion, clear eyes, a pure, innocent smile on his lips, and a pair of pure white ears that looked like those of a feline martial soul on his head.

"This is Pearl. His martial soul is the Snow Leopard. He is our academy’s food delivery soul master, responsible for delivering meals to the students and teachers stationed in various remote areas every day."

"Hello, Teacher Qin. Hello, new student." Seeing Qin Ming and the others walk out with Niu Dali, the soul master named Pearl didn't seem curious about why they were there; he simply waved and greeted them.

"Morning, Pearl."

"Pear... Morning."

Although Pearl’s smile was innocent and pure, his eyes revealing a beauty untainted by the world, Chen Ming couldn't help but subconsciously associate him with a certain person from his past life.

"Pearl, did you deliver my three meals this morning? Should we prepare breakfast for Teacher Qin and this new student as well? If so, is it one portion each, or three portions each?"

"Just one portion each for them is fine." Eating wasn't a matter of great concern in this world. After a quick glance at Qin Ming for confirmation, Niu Dali decided on one portion each.

Pearl kept his smile, touched his bracelet, and a large lunch box appeared in his hand. After placing it on the ground, he repeated the process four more times before finally stopping.

"Anything else you need?"

"My watermelon and fried chicken," Niu Dali sighed, rubbing his forehead in resignation. He was obsessed with watermelon and fried chicken; he needed them for almost every meal. Yet, Pearl, the delivery man, always seemed to forget this detail. If he didn't know that Pearl was naturally a bit slow and not doing it on purpose to tease him, he would have been tempted to give him a hard elbow to the ribs just to make him think about who he was dealing with.

"Sorry, I forgot." Pearl gave an innocent smile, retrieved another large box from his storage soul tool, and placed it on the ground.

"Anything else?"

"No, that's all."

"Then I'll be going."

Confirming he hadn't forgotten anything else, Pearl waved his hand, turned around, and with his two soul rings flashing, transformed into a blur as he sped off into the distance.