Temptation

Mu Xiaochen and the other two discovered that every time they interacted with Ye Tong, they felt like curious babies. In their eyes, Ye Tong was shrouded in a mysterious aura. The more they couldn't figure him out, the more they wanted to understand him.

Potent poison.

How could he save his life?

And what Ye Tong had said earlier, that his body had developed some symptoms, what exactly was going on?

Mu Xiaochen finished the entire bowl of medicinal cuisine, feeling a warm comfort spread through his body. In the end, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Ye Tong, do you need poisonous things?"

"Mhm."

Ye Tong replied without looking up.

Mu Xiaochen said, "If you tell me what's wrong with your body, I can tell you something that will be a huge benefit to you."

Ye Tong glanced at him and said, "If you're full, go back where you came from!"

"You..."

Mu Xiaochen was furious.

After a while, he said unhappily, "Since you're unwilling to say, I won't ask. That thing! It's fine to tell you. In two months, there will be a large auction in the county city. Many of the items auctioned there should be the poisonous things you need."

Ye Tong smiled noncommittally. The toxins in his body were getting heavier. The further along he went, the stronger the potent poisons he would need. Based on his experience over the past year, in at most another year, the ordinary medicinal herbs in Cold Mountain City would no longer be able to meet his needs.

But at a large auction, who could guarantee that there would be highly toxic medicinal materials? Or poisonous insects?

It was baseless.

He didn't want to waste his time.

Mu Xiaochen sensed Ye Tong's disbelief and became annoyed, saying, "I'm not lying to you. As far as I know, Blood Demon Worms will be auctioned at that event. You understand poisons, you must have heard of Blood Demon Worms, right?"

"What did you say?"

Ye Tong suddenly stood up, his sharp eyes fixed on Mu Xiaochen.

This was the first time Mu Xiaochen had seen such a strong reaction from Ye Tong, and he felt a little smug. "You heard correctly, Blood Demon Worms will be sold at the auction in two months. But the price? Heh heh, I doubt you could afford it even with those dozens of Silver Crystals."

Two months later.

A gleam appeared in Ye Tong's eyes. He made up his mind to go to the county city and bid for the Blood Demon Worm.

After all, the Blood Demon Worm was ranked twenty-fourth on the Hundred Poisons Compendium as a potent poisonous substance. He didn't need such a strong poison for now, but what about a year from now? Two years from now? If the problem with his poisonous body couldn't be resolved, he could only use even more potent poisons to fight poison with poison and preserve his life.

While others might turn pale at the mere mention of it and avoid it at all costs, in his eyes, it was a treasure that could save his life.

Mu Xiaochen smiled and asked, "Are you going?"

Ye Tong said decisively, "Yes."

Mu Xiaochen burst into laughter and clapped his hands. "In that case, I'll wait for you in the county city. When you arrive, come directly to the County King's mansion to find me."

Ye Tong asked confusedly, "Why should I look for you?"

"Uh..."

Mu Xiaochen's expression stiffened, and then he said sheepishly, "I was afraid you wouldn't have enough gold and silver on you and wouldn't be able to afford it then. I could lend you some money. Besides, we've come to your home as guests and drunk your medicinal cuisine. We're considered friends now, right? If you come to the county city, shouldn't I, the esteemed heir of the county city, fulfill my duties as a host?"

"That makes sense."

Ye Tong nodded with satisfaction and said, "Then, this bowl of medicinal cuisine will be complimentary."

"What?"

Mu Xiaochen's tone suddenly rose by eight pitches, and he asked incredulously, "The medicinal cuisine... you were going to charge me for it before?"

Ye Tong deliberately put on an expression of it being obvious. "Your family is wealthy, with gold and silver as abundant as sand. Of course, you wouldn't care about a bowl of medicinal cuisine. As for me, I'm dirt poor and don't have the spare money to entertain outsiders who aren't ordinary guests."

Mu Xiaochen said angrily, "Not ordinary outsiders?"

Ye Tong replied, "Now you are."

Mu Xiaochen held back a surge of anger, making him feel like hitting a wall. If it weren't for Ye Tong's last sentence, "Now you are," he would have really wanted to slap this brat to death.

"Remember to look for me when you get to the county city." Saying this, Mu Xiaochen turned and left, truly unwilling to continue finding frustration here.

Yu Wanmei looked at Mu Xiaochen's retreating back, covered her mouth, and chuckled. Then, she took out a jade pendant from her embrace and stuffed it into Ye Tong's hand. "Little Brother Ye Tong, when you get to the county city, come find me at the Yu family first. This jade pendant is my proof of identity. The servants of the Yu family won't stop you when they see it."

"Thank you, Sister Yu."

Ye Tong did not refuse. Such an identity-proving jade pendant might save him a lot of trouble when he arrived in the county city.

Finally.

Mu Xiaochen left with his two confidantes, and the Precious Medicine Workshop once again fell into a quiet atmosphere.

Actually.

Before the Poison Demon Huo Lanqiu disappeared, he had indeed left behind a large fortune. There were as much as fifty thousand taels of Blue Gold alone. However, the Medicine Slave insisted on making medicinal cuisine for Ye Tong every day, and the expenses were even greater than Ye Tong's purchase of medicinal ingredients, which led to the two of them becoming penniless in the end.

The previous Ye Tong hadn't felt there was anything wrong with it, but the current Ye Tong felt that what he had eaten before was not medicinal cuisine, but rather chewing on Blue Silver and Blue Gold with every bite.

"It is quite extravagant."

Ye Tong looked at the Medicine Slave and asked, "How much money do you have left?"

The Medicine Slave shook his head. "It's all spent."

"..."

Ye Tong was a bit drunk. If he remembered correctly, the five hundred taels of Blue Gold he got from selling the Purple Coffin, he had only taken two hundred taels. The remaining money, after rebuilding the Precious Medicine Workshop, should still have left him with one hundred taels of Blue Gold, right? That's one thousand taels of Blue Silver. He's only been back for half a day, and it's all spent?

"Fortunately, this old guy isn't a woman..."

Ye Tong thought of the women on Earth who loved to shop and buy, and felt a chill down the back of his neck.

On the street of the medicinal materials market.

Mu Xiaochen had returned to his elegant and refined demeanor, appearing gentle as jade. However, upon closer observation, one could notice the arrogance that subtly emanated from him.

Yu Wanmei lowered her head, lost in thought, and remained silent.

Another woman named Zhang Wenxin followed beside Mu Xiaochen and asked, "As far as I know, there will indeed be a large auction in the county city in two months. However, the list of items to be auctioned is not released in advance. You told Ye Tong that the Blood Demon Worm would be at the auction, you were lying to him, weren't you?"

"Yes and no."

Mu Xiaochen said proudly, "Although I haven't seen the list, I have a Blood Demon Worm in my family's treasury! When we return to the county city, I'll directly send the Blood Demon Worm to the auction house, and then there will be a Blood Demon Worm to auction!"

"Pfft..."

Zhang Wenxin found it both amusing and exasperating. "No wonder you dared to say that. But you seem to really want Ye Tong to go to the county city?"

Mu Xiaochen thought for a moment. "That's right. That kid is very strange. Although he always makes me very angry, he also attracts me. There are very few young people in the entire Sky Net Empire that catch my eye, let alone him, a mere youth. Since I can't stay in Cold Mountain City for long, I'll let him go to the county city!"

Zhang Wenxin said, "He is very good."

Mu Xiaochen said matter-of-factly, "Of course he's good. Anyone who can say, 'Walk upright and sit properly, and venture forth with a clear conscience, that is the Great Dao,' and 'The Heavenly Dao cycles, and karma repays,' their character is definitely not a problem."

Yu Wanmei, following behind, suddenly spoke, "Although you value him highly, even telling him to find you at the County King's mansion once he reaches the county city, he definitely won't go."

Mu Xiaochen stopped, confused. "Why?"

Yu Wanmei smiled. "Because he knows very well that even if he goes to find you, he won't be able to get past the gates of your County King's mansion."

"Uh..."

Mu Xiaochen suddenly realized, slapped his forehead, and said, "I was muddled. I forgot to give him an identity token. Let's go back."

Yu Wanmei smiled. "I've already given him my jade pendant. If he wants to find you, he'll naturally come to me, and I'll bring him to you."

Mu Xiaochen laughed upon hearing this. "A beautiful and intelligent heart, very good."

Yu Wanmei tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "It's really not easy to be praised by you."

Mu Xiaochen chuckled helplessly and asked the two women, "The Blood Demon Worm is expensive. Ye Tong probably doesn't have that much silver. What do you think, if he really doesn't have enough money then, will he borrow money from me?"

"No!"

Yu Wanmei and Zhang Wenxin answered in unison. After speaking, the two women exchanged a look, both showing smiles.

Mu Xiaochen frowned and asked, "Why? He can personally travel to the county city for the Blood Demon Worm, but will he return disappointed just because of pride?"

Yu Wanmei and Zhang Wenxin again said in unison, "A gentleman does not eat food given out of charity."

"..."

Mu Xiaochen was speechless.

Tong Family Residence.

Tong Kaishan walked alone with his head down, his entire demeanor changed. The desperadoes he had gathered before had all been dismissed. The encounter today was like a thunderous blow, making him realize how foolish his past actions had been.

He felt Ye Tong was right. Standing by the river for too long, one's shoes are bound to get wet. If he were to provoke a fierce, cruel, and terrifyingly powerful expert one day, that person might just strike him down. His Tong family was strong, but only in Cold Mountain City. In the eyes of those truly powerful families, they were probably not even as significant as ants. Even many adventurers from outside didn't take his Tong family seriously.

Arrogance!

One needs the capital to be arrogant!

Ye Tong, who was clearly just a weakling at the Qi Refining Third Level, was able to heavily injure him. Although his poisoning methods were despicable and shameless, poisoning was also a part of strength!

Being weak and acting presumptuously is courting death.

"Courting death!"

Tong Kaishan feared death, thus he understood Ye Tong's words even more deeply.

As for revenge...

Tong Kaishan gave a self-mocking smile. With the son of the Zifu County King protecting him, seeking revenge against Ye Tong would be courting death! In the future, when Mu Xiaochen becomes the new County King, even if he dislikes me, a single word from him could wipe out my Tong family.