Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

As midday approached, the cafeteria was bustling with faculty and students. Aside from a few food enthusiasts, nearly everyone was drawn to the commotion involving Chen Ming, so much so that many abandoned their meals to watch the drama unfold.

Under the gaze of the crowd, Chen Ming and Yu Tianheng made their way to the arena and stood on opposite sides of the platform.

The arena, designed for one-on-one battles, wasn't particularly large—a 20-meter square. While it might be too small for long-range soul masters, it was ideal for melee and mid-range fighters. The space provided enough room for agility-based and control-type soul masters to fully display their skills.

By the time the three board members arrived, Yu Tianheng and Chen Ming were already glaring at each other from opposite ends of the arena, seemingly ready to strike at any moment but still holding back.

The reason? The arena was missing a referee.

After escorting Yu Tianheng and Chen Ming to the arena, Qin Ming quickly stepped aside, claiming exhaustion from using too much soul power to treat injured students earlier. No matter what, he refused to step in as the referee.

Other instructors were present, but they too found excuses to avoid involvement, unwilling to mediate this volatile situation. Eventually, the matter dragged on until the three elders arrived.

Witnessing the scene, Bai Baoshan, Meng Shenji, and Zhi Lin exchanged helpless looks.

With over a hundred students watching—nearly one-fifth of the academy's entire student body—the stakes were too high to suppress the conflict directly.

Having worked together for decades, the three elders communicated silently with mere glances. After a brief exchange, Meng Shenji reluctantly stepped forward and took on the role of referee.

"Both sides, step back and deactivate your martial souls. Only after my signal can you summon them again!"

"This match is a sparring session between students. Both sides must show restraint and avoid causing serious harm or fatalities."

"Interference, ambushes, or assistance from others during the duel is strictly prohibited and will result in severe punishment."

"Rank-23 Grand Soul Master Chen Ming versus Rank-32 Soul Elder Yu Tianheng. Prepare yourselves..."

Unbeknownst to the crowd, Chen Ming had recently broken through, but everyone, including the elders, still assumed he was Rank-23.

As he spoke, even Meng Shenji felt a twinge of embarrassment on Yu Tianheng's behalf. Challenging someone nearly ten levels below him? It was a bit shameless.

"Begin!"

At the command, both Chen Ming and Yu Tianheng charged at each other, activating their martial souls mid-sprint.

Yu Tianheng's activation was swift, but Chen Ming's was even faster.

Before Yu Tianheng's soul rings could fully light up, Chen Ming's first soul ring glowed brightly, and he lunged forward like a runaway truck.

The 20-meter distance, which top athletes on Earth could cover in two seconds, took Chen Ming and Yu Tianheng less than a second, given their martial soul-enhanced speed and their mutual charge.

A massive cloud of green poison erupted from Chen Ming, forming a toxic ring around him. As his hands clashed with Yu Tianheng's arms in a burst of soul power, the scorpion tail behind him silently arced toward Yu Tianheng's lower leg.

Both fighters were taken aback by the force of the collision, realizing their opponent's strength was evenly matched.

Yu Tianheng, with the top-tier Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, had unparalleled elemental, speed, and strength capabilities. His superior training, medicinal enhancements, and higher soul rank (eight levels above Chen Ming) should have given him a clear advantage.

By all accounts, Chen Ming, despite possessing the Emerald Scorpion King martial soul, should have been easily overpowered in their initial clash.

However, Chen Ming's years of consuming special tonics to enhance his body, combined with multiple martial soul upgrades and a thousand-year external soul bone, had elevated his physical strength to an extraordinary level.

Despite the gap in soul rank, Chen Ming's physical strength slightly surpassed Yu Tianheng's.

Their physical clash ended in a stalemate, but the battle of attributes began immediately.

At such close range, Yu Tianheng had no way to avoid the encroaching poison cloud. Forced to counteract it, he unleashed a surge of lightning-infused soul power, creating a protective barrier to fend off the toxic assault.

The high-quality lightning element of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul had a naturally purifying effect, holding back Chen Ming's poison for now. However, this came at a steep cost—Yu Tianheng's soul power drained rapidly, like water through a sieve.

Due to his familiarity with Dugu Yan's abilities, Yu Tianheng had a good understanding of poison-attribute attacks. From the start, he made sure to protect his vulnerable areas, such as his nose and mouth, which prevented him from being instantly overwhelmed in their initial clash.

The greatest advantage of poison-type soul masters lies in surprise attacks. When executed properly, even someone several ranks lower can overcome stronger opponents. However, if the target is prepared and the poison fails to take immediate effect, the threat of a poison-type soul master diminishes significantly, forcing them into a drawn-out battle—a scenario unfavorable for them.

"First Spirit Ability: Thunder Dragon Claw!"

At this moment, Yu Tianheng finally unleashed his first spirit ability. Although its power was somewhat reduced due to the hurried activation, the intense lightning still posed a considerable threat.

He barely blocked Chen Ming's attack and quickly leaped back a few steps. With precise aim, he struck the scorpion tail that had been lunging toward him at an odd angle, sending it flying away with a thunderous strike.

Personality flaws aside, there's no direct correlation between one's temperament and their abilities.

While Yu Tianheng wasn't entirely emotionless during battle, like a cold, calculating machine, his specialized training allowed him to suppress unnecessary emotions and distractions, demonstrating the composure expected of a skilled soul master.

Yu Tianheng possessed excellent soul power and abundant battle experience. Born into a prominent family, he had been rigorously trained since childhood and gained significant combat experience after joining the academy. He had fought opponents of all kinds—those that flew in the air or ran on land—though he had little experience dealing with aquatic adversaries.

From the moment he saw Chen Ming's martial soul and its scorpion tail, Yu Tianheng paid special attention to its movements, knowing it posed a significant threat. This vigilance ensured he wouldn't be defeated in a single exchange.

Chen Ming's scorpion tail, however, was his hardest and sharpest asset, further enhanced by his external soul bone. Its durability and penetrative power were far beyond ordinary expectations. Even a sudden thrust carried a formidable force that couldn't be underestimated.

Had the tail landed its mark, it could have easily pierced through Yu Tianheng's body, as the scales and flesh he relied on for protection would have been insufficient to block the tail's penetration.

Although Yu Tianheng managed to deflect the tail, he hadn't anticipated the sheer strength behind it. His entire arm went numb from the impact, and a sharp pain radiated from his arm bone.

Even a momentary loss of control—lasting just a few seconds—is a significant vulnerability in an intense close-quarters battle. Chen Ming seized this opportunity without hesitation.

Capitalizing on the opening, Chen Ming pressed the attack, refusing to give Yu Tianheng any chance to recover. Forced into a corner, Yu Tianheng gritted his teeth and unleashed his third spirit ability, Thunder Fury, followed by his second spirit ability, Thunderclap.

"Thunder Fury! Thunderclap!"

Thunder Fury caused Yu Tianheng's soul power to surge uncontrollably, boosting his lightning attributes by 100% and his overall soul power by 50%. While immensely powerful, it had a significant drawback: it drained soul power at an alarming rate.

At Rank 32, Yu Tianheng could feel his soul power being rapidly depleted. He could maintain the state for roughly ten minutes before exhausting all his energy.

Thunderclap, on the other hand, was a devastating area-of-effect ability that showcased the full might of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon family's lightning. Although designed for group combat, its single-target destructive power was equally formidable. Its only downside was its immense soul power consumption, making it a risky ability even for Soul Elders.

Activating both abilities simultaneously put a tremendous strain on Yu Tianheng's soul power reserves, as if a massive chunk of his energy had been gouged out.

With his third ability enhancing him, the lightning coiling around his body grew even more dazzling. Adjusting his stance slightly, Yu Tianheng charged directly at Chen Ming's incoming attack.

While his physical strength was still lacking compared to Chen Ming's, the amplified Thunderclap more than compensated for the gap.

The intense lightning pierced through the protective soul power surrounding Chen Ming, striking the carapace formed by his martial soul. Although the attack didn't cause severe damage, the powerful lightning attribute sent a numbing shock through Chen Ming's body, momentarily slowing his movements.