Chapter 38: Someone Else
"Disciple Qin Ming greets Dean Flender."
Qin Ming knelt on one knee, bowing to Flender.
This sudden action stunned all of the Shrek Seven Devils.
They never expected that the Royal Fight Team's lead teacher would show such deep respect to Flender.
"Good boy, I thought you had forgotten me. Get up quickly."
Flender hurried forward, helped Qin Ming up, and a trace of relief and pride flashed in his eyes.
He looked Qin Ming up and down, smiling:
"Qin Ming, you're getting more and more formidable, leading a group of excellent students. It looks like it won't be long before you catch up to this old man."
"Dean, you flatter me, I wouldn't dare compare myself to you."
"Haha~ You've been away from the Academy for so many years, and you're still as reserved as before. Let me introduce you."
Flender pointed to Yu Xiaogang.
"Qin Ming, this is Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, our Academy's theoretical mentor, and also my old friend."
Qin Ming respectfully bowed to Yu Xiaogang.
"Grandmaster, hello."
"No need to be polite."
Yu Xiaogang turned his body to the side, not accepting the bow.
Qin Ming was stunned by this.
Flender chuckled.
"Qin Ming, you are the teacher of Grandmaster's nephew, so you are of the same generation as him. There's no need to stick to formalities."
"Grandmaster's nephew?"
Qin Ming was a bit confused.
Flender explained:
"Your student, Yu Tianheng, is Grandmaster's nephew."
Yu Xiaogang's expression immediately darkened.
"Flender, I've said many times that I have no relation to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
Although Yu Xiaogang was a bit angry, he didn't rush to leave.
Because he had many doubts in his heart, and Qin Ming might know the answers.
Flender looked at Yu Xiaogang and said with a smile:
"Xiaogang, Qin Ming is one of us, no need to hide anything."
Saying that, Flender turned to the Shrek Seven Devils and introduced:
"Children, this is Qin Ming. He was once a member of our Shrek Academy, and he was our most outstanding graduate. Mubai, Little San, Xiao Wu, the fastest level thirty record you just broke was previously held by Qin Ming."
Qin Ming's gaze gently swept over the Shrek Seven Devils, and he smiled slightly.
"Hello, fellow students. You are truly excellent. Tonight's match showed me the future hope of Shrek Academy."
As Qin Ming spoke, his gaze fell on Tang San.
"Especially you, to be able to utilize an ordinary Blue Silver Grass Spirit to such an unimaginable extent, and to remain calm in adversity, is truly not simple."
Qin Ming's words carried a hint of sincerity and admiration.
"You flatter us, Senior."
The Shrek Seven Devils all smiled and nodded at Qin Ming.
Flender and Yu Xiaogang exchanged glances and said:
"Qin Ming, I have some questions for you. There are too many people here. Why don't we go back to the hotel and have a good chat?"
"Good, I was thinking the same thing."
Flender led the Shrek Seven Devils to the front desk to collect their gold coins, and then the group left the Spirit Arena together, heading towards the hotel.
At the same time, on the other side, Dragon Chen, Dugu Bo, Ye Lingling, and Dugu Yan were walking towards their hotel.
The group gradually recovered from their defeat.
The Ghost Leopard Spirit Master Oslo said with some dissatisfaction:
"We underestimated the Shrek Seven Devils; we didn't expect them to have a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"That's right. That Thousand Hands Asura could actually use the Blue Silver Grass to that extent, and he even has an external Spirit Bone. His spider venom is even more poisonous than my Bi Lin Snake Venom."
Dugu Yan was also very unconvinced.
Dugu Bo smiled.
"Yan Yan, that boy easily broke your poison attack; he really has some tricks."
Shi Mo looked at Dragon Chen and smiled:
"Dragon Chen, thankfully you intervened in time, or else Shi Mo and I would have truly been tortured to death by that boy's potent poison."
Dragon Chen said calmly:
"I know that intervening without permission doesn't conform to the rules of a Spirit Fighting match, but I couldn't just stand by and watch that boy threaten you on the field without doing anything."
"It's a pity you couldn't join us on the field, or else we would have surely beaten them silly."
"If you hadn't underestimated them, or if Teacher Qin Ming hadn't given you those instructions at the beginning, perhaps you could have won the match."
Ye Lingling whispered:
"Brother Chen, Teacher Qin Ming was once a member of Shrek Academy, which is why he told us to go easy on the Shrek Seven Devils. Moreover, Teacher Qin Ming might tell them the truth about what happened."
Dragon Chen nodded.
Of course, he knew all this and was already mentally prepared.
"If nothing unexpected happens, we will meet them again in the Soul Master Competition."
Yu Tianheng said:
"We are one of the three seeded teams, so we can directly enter the finals without participating in the Heaven Dou District's preliminary and promotion rounds. Even if the Shrek Seven Devils want to participate in the Soul Master Competition, they need to advance through the preliminary rounds to have a chance to meet us in the finals."
Dugu Yan echoed:
"That's right. Moreover, the finals are a single-elimination system, so whether our two teams can meet is still an unknown."
Yu Feng said:
"It's not certain whether they can emerge from the Heaven Dou Empire Competition Zone and advance to the finals."
Dragon Chen said earnestly:
"There is still a year until the Soul Master Competition, and with the strength of those seven, it is highly possible they will advance to the finals."
Dragon Chen knew that even if the Shrek Seven Devils hadn't consumed Immortal Herbs, they would still have the strength to emerge from the Heaven Dou District.
Dai Mubai is currently at level thirty-eight, and without consuming Immortal Herbs, he might still break through to level forty.
The others are still quite far from level forty and are unlikely to make a breakthrough within a year.
However, there are only a few strong academies in the Heaven Dou District.
Divine Wind, Heavenly Water, Blazing Fire, Thunder, and Elephant Armor.
Without the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and Fiery Apricot Velvet, Tang San would not have immunity to both ice and fire, and it is highly likely he would lose to those three powerful, established elemental academies: Divine Wind, Heavenly Water, and Blazing Fire.
Thunder Academy has considerable overall strength, making it difficult for Shrek Academy to pass.
Elephant Armor Academy has strong singular defense, but also a huge flaw, so the Shrek Seven Devils should be able to defeat them.
Therefore, Shrek Academy can still qualify by finishing in the top five.
Dragon Chen's words instilled a greater sense of caution in the others, making them look forward to another showdown with the Shrek Seven Devils.
As they walked and chatted, they soon arrived at the hotel.
On the other side, Qin Ming and Flender's group also arrived at the hotel where they were staying.
After entering the room, Flender asked:
"Qin Ming, we are our own people, so there's no need to beat around the bush. Do you know who was responsible for the unexpected incident that happened in the Spirit Arena tonight?"
Qin Ming nodded.
"Dean Flender, Grandmaster, I came precisely for this matter."
Yu Xiaogang and Flender exchanged glances, then turned to Qin Ming and asked:
"Qin Ming, is this matter really related to Poison Douluo Dugu Bo?"
"So you already know a little. However, this matter has little to do with Poison Douluo; someone else made the move."