Without daring to meet the gaze of the crowd, Tang Sui lowered her head and said, "Although I'm not seriously injured, there are sequelae. I haven't fully recovered yet, so if I were to compete, I could only perform at less than half my usual strength..."
That battle had depleted too much of her demon power, and the three fox masks had also sustained considerable damage.
The impacts on the three masks were ultimately fed back to her, their master. Over these past few days, while her soul power had recovered about seventy to eighty percent, her mental strength had only recovered around fifty percent. Her brain would still experience intermittent stinging pain, and the depleted demon power urged her to seek "pastries" to replenish her energy.
If she hadn't had a bottle of the foundational strengthening pills that Tang San had refined earlier, she would have downed the entire bottle upon waking.
Because those pills were refined from medicinal herbs, their medicinal properties could be converted into demon power to temporarily alleviate the feeling of "hunger." Without those pills, she would have lost all reason by now.
"How could it be so serious?"
Hearing this, Grandmaster and the others' expressions changed drastically, and Xiao Wu also cast a surprised glance.
Tang San, sensing something and staring at his guilty sister, spoke with certainty, though his voice was soft, "It was that interrupted self-detonation, wasn't it?"
Tang Sui's long, slender eyelashes trembled slightly, and she mumbled a muffled "Mmm" in response.
The fox masks were primarily driven by the application of demon power, as their attacks were imbued with it to gain their power.
Even though soul power could be converted into demon power, the fox masks now told her that the damage sustained this time was not merely to the superficial demon power, but more significantly, a spiritual wound.
This was because she had harbored the will to die at that moment, intending to self-detonate.
Even though the self-detonation was ultimately prevented, she suffered a powerful backlash that affected her soul entirely, leaving her internally very weak.
If she, the master, was weak, let alone the fox masks, which were like her other half.
After Tang San's words, and Tang Sui's admission, the room fell silent.
Grandmaster looked at the soft swirl of the young girl's hair, his hands clenched beneath his sleeves, a mix of bitterness and lingering fear rising in his heart.
Just a little bit more, and he would have lost this disciple, whom he regarded as his own daughter, forever.
Just a little bit more, and he would have been mourning the young before the old...
Whose heart was disturbed by the lingering fear? It wasn't just Grandmaster.
The one most fearful was Tang San, her elder brother.
He lowered his head, the slightly long bangs over his forehead casting a shadow, obscuring his expression.
But from his slightly trembling shoulders and equally tightly clenched fists, it was evident that Tang San's emotions were also deeply suppressed.
"I'm sorry, Qing'er and I didn't know beforehand. We thought you had woken up... I'm sorry, Sui Sui," Dai Mubai said apologetically to Tang Sui. He, who was usually so adept with words, found himself somewhat at a loss for expression when facing her.
Zhu Zhuqing also looked at Tang Sui with concern, no longer insisting.
"I'm sorry, Sui Sui, for putting you in a difficult position just now. You should rest well and recover for a while; your health is most important."
"That's right! We Shrek Seven Devils are eight people, and only seven can compete anyway. Sui Sui, you can just watch from the audience while we show off for Brother Dai!" Oscar said confidently, patting his chest to smooth things over. The others chimed in, subtly easing the heavy atmosphere in the room.
Grandmaster looked at Tang Sui, who still hadn't lifted her head, then at the others who were asking about her health with concern. He let out a sigh, suppressed his personal emotions, and regained his composure, his mind calmly beginning to ponder.
After a few seconds, he raised his right hand, half-clenched, and rested it on his jaw before thinking for two seconds. Then, he looked up and said, "Sui Sui, has the amplification effect of your support-type soul skills been affected?"
Tang Sui froze, then looked up dazedly and replied, "No."
After saying that, she added, "But my personal attack power is far inferior to before, even my offensive soul skills..."
"You are a support-type soul master to begin with. What's strange about your attack power being weaker? As long as your self-preservation soul skills can still be used, and your support soul skills for your companions are still normal, aren't you still a qualified support-type soul master?" Grandmaster said meaningfully.
The others' hearts stirred, and they understood Grandmaster's intention.
However, Tang San was still a little worried, "But Teacher, Sui Sui hasn't fully recovered yet, I'm afraid..."
"Xiao San, I'm just as worried about Sui Sui as you are. But the situation is perilous now. Every step you take will become the focus of everyone's attention, and there can be no room for error," Grandmaster calmly analyzed with Tang San and the others.
"Moreover, Sui Sui has already appeared in public, and everyone knows her attack power is strong, but Oscar hasn't shown up yet. From another perspective, when they are all thinking Sui Sui is difficult to deal with and intend to neutralize her first, and she suddenly reveals she's actually a support-type soul master, their impression of her will be stereotyped as a 'paper tiger'."
Grandmaster's lips curved into a smile as he looked at Tang Sui and the others, who were persuaded by his words. He continued, "But they would never have imagined that this paper tiger, whom they had already dismissed, would eventually shed its disguise and become the beast that delivers the final, fatal blow."
"Sui Sui is a support-type soul master, so let her participate and provide support for you. This way, we conceal Oscar, one of our trump cards, and also allow our opponents to be bewildered by Sui Sui's support soul skills. It's killing two birds with one stone. What do you think of my proposal?"
The others listened, dumbfounded, never expecting such a strategy. Su Dan Novel Network
"What about Sui Sui?"
Tang Sui, having been named, let out a "Ah," and stammered a nod, "Uh... I think it's good."
This development was beyond what she had expected.
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See you tomorrow~