Aromatic Silk Beauty.
This immortal herb is the natural enemy of all poisons. Within a certain radius, any toxins present are suppressed and neutralized.
Dugu Yan curiously examined the herb, which exuded a mysterious aura.
To her shock, she felt the poisons in her body shrinking back as if they'd encountered a mortal nemesis, retreating rapidly into her poison core.
Fortunately, her Poison Core and her Calamity Poison Physique gave her some resistance to the herb, so she wasn't overly affected.
As the invisible fragrance slowly spread across the arena, the toxins in Yu Kuang's body also began to dissipate without his notice.
At that moment, the examiner walked up to the stage. Possessing an herb-based martial soul, he could easily tell if someone had ingested any external medicine.
He used a silver needle to draw a drop of blood from Yu Kuang, then activated his soul skill to conduct the test.
The audience held their breath, every gaze fixed on the stage.
Moments later…
"No trace of drug use detected."
His voice rang out.
Once that drop of blood left Yu Kuang's body, it became toxic.
The Armotic Silk Beauty, though unable to purge toxins from within the body, could neutralize any poison once outside it.
That drop of blood had been instantly neutralized.
"I knew it! There's no way Yu Kuang would use medicine!"
"Exactly—he's not that kind of person!"
Cheers erupted from the audience.
"What?!"
Upstairs, Zhao Li was thunderstruck. His face twisted in disbelief as he roared in fury.
Yu Kuang, both surprised and relieved, couldn't make sense of what had just happened.
He had clearly felt something wrong with his body earlier. Could it be...?
On the stage, Yu Kuang suddenly turned to look at Lin Feng.
He saw Lin Feng standing calmly, smiling slightly, and giving him a small nod.
Following Lin Feng's hand, Yu Kuang spotted the flower he was holding—and suddenly understood.
So it was Young Master Lin who helped him.
Soon, under the guidance of staff, Yu Kuang—still slightly fatigued—walked slowly off the stage toward the rest area.
Inside the arena, the atmosphere was still electric. The crowd's excited chatter echoed nonstop.
"That was an amazing match!"
"Right? Especially when Yu Kuang turned things around at the end—so cool!"
Some people waved their arms passionately as they relived the thrilling moments of the match.
"Haha! I really hit the jackpot this time."
"Seriously, what were those people betting on Yu Tianlei thinking?"
"Damn it!"
"Why didn't any of you tell me you were betting on Yu Kuang?!"
"Lost a ton of money. You owe me lunch now!"
Some stomped their feet in regret while others who had won hurried to the exchange booth to claim their winnings, forming a massive line.
Lin Feng turned slightly and said softly to Dugu Yan beside him,
"Let's go. The show's over."
Dugu Yan nodded, and the three of them joined the crowd heading for the exit.
During the match, Lin Feng had taken advantage of the bustling crowd in the spectator stands to quietly activate his system ability, refreshing the traits of several hundred people.
However, most of the refreshed entries were ordinary—regular civilians.
Only a few dozen people had green-tier traits that showed some potential.
Rarer still, five individuals triggered a trait upgrade.
Yet Lin Feng could only shake his head.
Of those five, three had no innate soul power at all. The remaining two? He knew them.
One was Yu Feng, Yu Kuang's younger brother.
The other? Zhao Li—one of the masterminds behind today's farce.
At the prize exchange station, people crowded together, eager to trade their winnings for gold coins. Greed and excitement were written all over their faces.
---
Arena Rest Area
The narrow room was steeped in a heavy silence.
Outside, the cheers and noise filtered faintly through the thin walls, making the quiet inside feel even more pronounced.
Yu Kuang lay weakly on the bed, both the brutal match and the shocking plot having left him physically and mentally drained.
Knock knock knock.
A sudden knock broke the silence.
"Come in," Yu Kuang said weakly.
The door slowly opened. Lin Feng, Dugu Yan, and Ye Lingling walked in.
Yu Kuang's eyes lit up with gratitude the moment he saw Lin Feng.
He struggled to get up.
Seeing this, Lin Feng immediately stepped forward, motioning for him not to stand.
"Young Master Lin, if not for your help today…"
"I'd have lost the match, been utterly disgraced, and ended up scorned by everyone."
"This favor—Yu Kuang will never forget it."
Though his voice was weak, it was filled with heartfelt sincerity.
"I merely couldn't stand to watch those despicable tricks."
"When you see injustice, you draw your blade—nothing more."
Lin Feng waved it off, his tone calm and composed.
A flash of determination lit up in Yu Kuang's eyes. Despite the pain, he forced himself out of bed.
"I, Yu Kuang, hail from a minor noble family. I have little wealth or status."
"But I offer this life of mine to follow Young Master Lin, to serve you loyally in return for your great kindness!"
With a "thud," he dropped to one knee, clasping his fists in a formal bow.
Lin Feng quickly reached out to lift him up, a pleased expression flashing in his eyes.
He knew Yu Kuang's character well. Such genuine devotion meant Yu Kuang would surely become a trusted aide in the future.
He hadn't expected that after acquiring the [Fate's Chosen] trait…
He'd finally begun to experience what it meant to be a real protagonist—one who earns loyalty from others with the lightest of gestures.
Lin Feng had become the main character now.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling stood nearby, smiling softly at the scene before them.
"Lingling, can I trouble you to heal Yu Kuang?" Lin Feng asked gently.
Ye Lingling nodded lightly. Raising a fair hand, she released her martial soul.
In an instant—
Three soul rings slowly floated around her, glowing with a gentle, mysterious light.
"I've long heard of Miss Ye's Nine-Heart Begonia… Seeing it in person, it truly lives up to its reputation."
Yu Kuang was stunned by the sight and couldn't help but speak in awe.
"But my condition isn't just from injuries. Every time I push too hard in battle, I suffer a period of weakness afterward."
"I've sought many healing-type soul masters, but none have been able to help. I usually have to recover on my own."
"Miss Ye, there's no need to waste your soul power on me."
He gave a wry smile and shook his head.
But Ye Lingling said nothing. She simply focused her soul power through her martial soul.
A soft glow poured from her palm, gently enveloping Yu Kuang.
Immediately, he felt a warm current rush through his body.
His exhaustion and pain seemed to vanish all at once, his entire body lightening in response.
His condition improved at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Soon, he stood up, completely restored.
"Amazing! The Nine-Heart Begonia's healing really is miraculous!"
His eyes widened in genuine astonishment.
Ye Lingling smiled as she saw his condition recover, inwardly pleased to be able to help Lin Feng.
Yu Kuang glanced at Ye Lingling's three soul rings, then reflected on his own difficult cultivation journey.
With a self-deprecating sigh, he muttered,
"Young Lady Ye has achieved so much at such a young age…"
"Sigh. All my twenty years of cultivation might as well have been for nothing."
-----
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