Douluo: Emerald Poison Emperor

The next morning, before the sun had risen, Chen Ming stepped out of his room, guided by the biological clock he had followed for years.

After taking a stroll around the courtyard, he found a suitable spot, took out a mat from his storage soul guide, and placed it on the ground. Sitting cross-legged, he waited for the sunrise.

Initially, watching the sunrise was just a habit Chen Ming developed while attempting to imitate Tang San's Purple Demon Eye. However, after awakening his martial soul and further developing his abilities, Chen Ming gradually began to reap some benefits from the practice.

At sunrise, the balance of yin and yang energy in the world shifts. By cultivating during this period, Chen Ming could harness this transformation to absorb a trace of unique soul power.

Once this trace of soul power merged into his body, it slightly enhanced his spiritual power, regulated the balance of yin, yang, and the five elements within him, and, to some extent, improved the quality of his soul power.

Although the practice seemed similar to the Purple Demon Eye, its underlying principle was entirely different. While the Purple Demon Eye collected the morning glow dispersed during sunrise, Chen Ming absorbed the chaotic energy created by the rotation of the sun and moon.

Despite the chaotic energy being weak in both quality and quantity, and his method of harnessing it being somewhat rudimentary, the effects and potential of this practice far surpassed that of the Purple Demon Eye.

Moreover, as time passed and seasons changed, Chen Ming noticed subtle variations in the chaotic energy he absorbed each day.

If he could grasp the essence of life and death cycles, the interplay of clarity and turbidity, and the fusion of yin and yang, Chen Ming believed he would achieve a significant breakthrough. In the language of martial arts worlds, it would be akin to comprehending a set of Twenty-Four Solar Terms Divine Skills, where each term alone rivaled a complete Mystical Heaven Skill.

Over the years, as long as he could meditate and cultivate at this time, Chen Ming never missed the precious opportunity. Even the smallest amount of chaotic energy was far more valuable than ordinary soul power.

After documenting the changes in the chaotic energy and integrating it into his body, Chen Ming heard a noise from a nearby room.

A drowsy Qin Ming emerged from his room, stretching lazily, with a trace of tears still lingering in the corners of his eyes.

When he noticed Chen Ming sitting on the mat, seemingly having completed a round of cultivation, Qin Ming froze momentarily. Awkwardly lowering his arms, he wiped the corners of his eyes and forced a polite but embarrassed smile at Chen Ming.

"Ahaha, Xiao Ming, you're up early! Not used to the academy's environment, are you?"

"Good morning, Teacher Qin Ming. While I'm still getting accustomed to the environment, I had no trouble resting last night. Back home, I've always started my day's cultivation at this time," Chen Ming replied.

For some reason, after saying this, Chen Ming felt Qin Ming's stiffness become even more pronounced.

To be fair, Qin Ming waking up at this hour was entirely normal. Despite his time at the lax Shrek Academy, he had always maintained rigorous self-discipline in his cultivation, making full use of his talents.

However, the fact that a student had rendered him powerless with a soul skill yesterday already made Qin Ming feel humiliated. He had hoped a good night's sleep would ease his embarrassment slightly. Instead, he woke up only to see his student already having completed a round of cultivation…

Although Chen Ming had spent a long time navigating workplace dynamics in his past life, his communication skills had somewhat regressed in this life. After awakening his martial soul, he had limited his interactions with others significantly.

Seeing Qin Ming's embarrassment, Chen Ming stood up, put away his mat, and, after a moment of silence, retrieved a piece of jerky from his storage soul guide. He broke it in half and handed one portion to Qin Ming.

"Teacher Qin Ming, have a little something to tide you over."

"Sure," Qin Ming replied with an awkward smile. Taking the jerky, he intended to take a bite to ease the tension. However, the moment he tasted it, his eyes lit up.

"This is jerky made from soul beast meat and processed with medicinal herbs? Not only is it potent, but the taste… it's leagues ahead of what the academy provides!"

"Xiao Ming, what kind of meat is this?"

Qin Ming wasn't particularly picky about food, but the jerky provided by the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, though highly nutritious, was notoriously unpleasant. If bread were available, most people wouldn't even consider the academy's jerky.

And yet, this jerky, sourced from the best on the market, was far superior in both taste and effect compared to anything else available.

"This jerky is made from the leg meat of a thousand-year Man-Faced Demon Spider, processed with over ten medicinal herbs and Black Mamba venom. Don't worry, Teacher, it's been detoxified and is safe for most soul masters to eat."

"Ah…haha…" Qin Ming laughed awkwardly, secretly circulating his soul power several times just to be cautious.

He had eaten soul beast meat before, but he had never heard of anyone consuming a Man-Faced Demon Spider's legs.

In his experience, spider venom was typically used to create medicine or poisons—how could it be a food ingredient? Wasn't Chen Ming worried about potential side effects?

But then, remembering that Chen Ming hailed from Biluochen City—a place famously described in records as built amid barren mountains, harsh waters, and toxic soul beasts—Qin Ming felt he couldn't say much.

After awkwardly finishing the jerky, Qin Ming used his soul power to clean the residue off his hands, then stepped forward and patted Chen Ming on the shoulder with a sigh.

Though he said nothing, his gaze seemed to convey everything.

Having eaten Man-Faced Demon Spider jerky for breakfast, Qin Ming decided to skip the academy's morning meal. After tidying up their attire, the two left the courtyard and walked toward a distant location.

After walking for about three to five minutes, a concealed cave appeared before them. Just as Qin Ming and Chen Ming stepped into the cave, a burly, dark-skinned soul master appeared, his expression grumpy and his demeanor impatient.

"Old Qin, is this a new student? The mimicry training grounds are important, but surely it's not so urgent that you'd skip breakfast and rush over here. At least let the kid wake up properly before dragging him along!"

The robust soul master rubbed his eyes and muttered complaints before straightening up slightly. He then introduced himself to Chen Ming.

"My name is Niu Dali. You can just call me Teacher Niu. Are you a poison-type soul master, or are you just here for the experience? This place isn't for everyone. We've filled it with poisonous creatures to create a mimicry environment. Poison-type soul masters can handle it, but for others, it's highly dangerous. If you're not sure about this, it's best not to wander in carelessly."