Ruinous and Irresistible

Black Mountain vast, jade waters azure.

Black Mountain lies inland, with towering peaks. Though there are no great rivers, it is the birthplace of many.

Everywhere, babbling streams no higher than one's knees.

In the valley, within the stream, on a bluestone slab, lay an unremarkable Jade Toad.

The toad's two small eyes watched the valley entrance.

Suddenly.

A person rushed from the valley entrance, clad in black robes, clearly a disciple of the Five Poisons Sect. Behind him, indistinct figures seemed to follow.

A half-withered, half-thriving old tree stood in this valley.

And behind this old tree was a White Feather Crane, currently fishing.

At this moment, Li Shuidao had noticed someone entering. He was hastily putting on his clothes, lest he appear disrespectful.

Li Shuilong ran for his life, fleeing blindly, completely unaware he had stumbled into a desolate valley.

This valley, with no exit ahead, was essentially a dead end. Not far in front of him stood a half-withered, half-thriving large tree. If he could just get past it, he would see an elegantly-formed White Feather Crane.

Alas, he never saw the White Feather Crane. A pebble accurately struck his kneecap, causing him to fall to his knees with a thud.

"Ah..." Li Shuilong let out a pained cry and collapsed to the ground.

"Hahahaha..."

"Run! Let's see where else you can run."

Three fellow disciples quickly surrounded Li Shuilong. Among them were two women, both looking at him with amusement.

These two female disciples were named Zhou Yulan and Zhang Ruotong. Though not unattractive, their expressions were extremely harsh.

Beside the two women followed a grinning youth, clearly a follower.

"Kneel!" Zhou Yulan said coldly.

"Senior Sister is telling you to kneel." The older youth flicked his wrist and slapped Li Shuilong hard across the face.

Li Shuilong was numb by now. He felt no pain, not even humiliation or anger.

He just stood there, taking the blows.

"Waste!" Zhang Ruotong, standing behind Li Shuilong, kicked him.

The kick landed on the joint of his back leg.

Thump.

Li Shuilong knelt.

"Li, you've gotten bold, daring to report me to Master? You think Master will protect you? Let me tell you, under the Poison Hand Sect, we only care about strength, not character. Senior Sister is in a good mood today. If you kowtow ten times, I'll spare your life."

The youth beside them said fiercely, "Kneel and kowtow now, or don't blame Big Sister for being ruthless."

Li Shuilong's eyes were bloodshot, but he didn't move.

"Oh ho! Still got some backbone! Hurry up and kowtow to Senior Sister." The youth and Zhang Ruotong worked together, pressing Li Shuilong down from left and right, smashing his head to the ground.

Thud, thud, thud...

This was the sound of kowtowing.

"Hahahaha..." Zhou Yulan burst into laughter, clearly delighted.

Just then.

A figure slowly emerged from behind the large tree.

Zhou Yulan and the other two looked at the person with scrutiny. The person met their gaze unflinchingly.

"This doesn't concern you, scram!" Zhou Yulan said coldly.

But the person didn't leave. Instead, they calmly approached, speaking as they walked, "Our sect's rules state that Five Poisons Sect disciples are not allowed to kill each other outside of trials!"

"Hahahaha..." Zhou Yulan and the others laughed arrogantly.

"Which eye of yours saw me killing someone? I'm disciplining my own junior brother. What business is it of yours?" Zhou Yulan said, her eyes like knives.

"You are bullying your fellow disciple." The man said calmly.

"Bullying? Yes! That's a good word for it, very fitting. With strength comes the right to bully. Remember that! This is Zhou Yulan speaking." Zhou Yulan pointed to the sky, speaking with imposing authority.

Li Shuidao: "..."

"Dao... Brother Dao, hurry and leave." Li Shuilong recognized the newcomer as his kinsman, Li Shuidao.

They had studied together in the Cultivation Hall for two years and had only been apart for a little over half a year, so they naturally recognized each other.

"Heh heh... So that's why someone is sticking up for this waste. You're kin. Junior Brother Wan, go test this person's strength."

"Right away!" Wan Wenhu cupped his fists.

"Don't disgrace our Master's name," Zhang Ruotong added from the side.

"Don't worry," Wan Wenhu replied with a solemn vow, then stepped forward.

He first glanced at Li Shuidao, finding that the other party was only at the early stage of the Spirit Channeling Mirror, just like himself, and didn't even have a blade in his hand. A contemptuous smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Kid, I'll give you one last chance. Kneel down and beg for mercy immediately."

"On what grounds?" Li Shuidao snorted coldly.

"On the grounds that I'm stronger than you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Wenhu drew a short knife from his waist and slashed at Li Shuidao.

The blade was sharp, stirring up a cold glint!

Li Shuidao flickered and dodged the opponent's attack.

Immediately, Li Shuidao suddenly closed in on Wan Wenhu, unleashing both palms.

"Bang~"

Wan Wenhu couldn't react at all, was hit in the chest, and was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Zhou Yulan and Zhang Ruotong's eyes were stern. Although Wan Wenhu was their follower, he shouldn't have been sent flying in one move.

"Ruotong, you go." Zhang Ruotong nodded, stepped forward, and attacked Li Shuidao like a thunderbolt.

A needle-like sleeve dart shot out, aiming directly for Li Shuidao's brow.

At the same time.

Zhou Yulan took out a sharp pebble from her embrace and, with the innate Spiritual Power of a venomous scorpion flying blade, threw it at Li Shuidao.

One visible, one hidden, the two women had already attacked simultaneously.

Facing the flying pebble, Li Shuidao turned and ran.

"Chase!" The two women did indeed pursue, Chasing to the half-withered, half-flourishing large tree, Li Shuidao swung a large wooden club and smashed it down.

Zhou Yulan only felt something dark smashing down at her, covering her face. She couldn't dodge in time, and the dark thing hit her face. She fell to the ground in pain, dizzy.

"Kill him!" Zhou Yulan shouted loudly, covering her nosebleed.

Zhang Ruotong also followed in.

She was met with another wooden club, also unable to dodge at all, and was directly hit in the face with the club, her nose bleeding profusely.

There's no need to be polite with bitches; just beat them hard with a big wooden club.

Li Shuidao beat the fallen dogs, and the two women cried out in pain.

"Cough cough..."

The two women spat blood, their hair disheveled, both seriously injured.

The three wiped the blood from the corners of their mouths, cast a venomous yet fearful glance at Li Shuidao, and stumbled away...

In the valley.

Li Shuilong was still kneeling, looking at his fellow clansman with disbelief. He couldn't understand why Li Shuidao had become so powerful when they had entered the Five Poisons Sect at the same time. His own cultivation had not only made no progress, but he had even lost his Companion.

Li Shuidao also felt a bit surprised. He had only cultivated the Jade Toad Qi Cultivation Art and the Golden Toad Qi Locking Method, two internal absorption techniques, which had comprehensively improved his strength and speed, easily crushing this group of "contemporaries."