The Ancestor of Poison

"I only stumbled upon this while gathering herbs, not by design. I apologize for the intrusion, and I hope you can forgive me." Zhang He stood up from behind the bushes, covered in dust and looking for all the world like an ordinary mountain dweller out foraging.

Wu Xuan's gaze landed on Zhang He, and he suddenly sneered, "To have ventured this deep and yet have your clothes remain so pristine, without a hint of disarray—it seems your martial arts are quite impressive."

A flicker of light passed through Zhang He's eyes; this Wu Xuan was indeed meticulous.

"Regardless of who you are, since you have witnessed what transpired, I cannot let you leave alive." Wu Xuan snatched up Sun Shaochuan's longsword and gave it a light flick, instantly releasing a chilling, grim aura. A layer of blood-colored energy surged across the surface of his body, encasing him like a suit of armor.

Zhang He's pupils contracted sharply. True Qi protection—this was the hallmark of the second stage of the True Martial Realm!

This is bad!

He was currently at the ninth stage of the Force Martial Realm, the Brute Force Realm. Relying on his Rejuvenation True Qi, he was likely a cut above the average practitioner of his level, but against a master at the second stage of the True Martial Realm, Zhang He had little hope.

A natural chasm already lay between the Force Martial Realm and the True Martial Realm, and the gap between two sub-stages was immense, let alone the fact that Wu Xuan's cultivation was two full stages higher than his own!

"Silver Snake Line Slash!"

Wu Xuan had no interest in wasting another word on Zhang He; he only wanted to silence a witness. With a sharp shout, Wu Xuan leaped into the air, lunging toward Zhang He. Simultaneously, he flicked the longsword in his hand, and a silver light shimmered like a silver snake with its jaws agape, shooting straight toward the vital point of Zhang He's chest. The speed was staggering, and as the silver snake flickered in mid-air, it faintly sealed off every possible path of retreat for Zhang He.

"A mere ant. Killing you will be effortless." Wu Xuan was brimming with confidence. With this single strike, he had blocked all avenues of escape; there was nowhere left to run.

"Watch out for the darts!"

Three black shadows flew from Zhang He's hand in a triangular formation, suddenly shooting toward Wu Xuan in mid-air. The timing of the three shadows was impeccable, locking onto Wu Xuan's trajectory so perfectly that he would inevitably collide with them if he continued his advance.

Swish, swish, swish. The sound of air being torn apart echoed.

Wu Xuan's expression shifted slightly. Damn it, this brat actually knows how to use hidden weapons! Gritting his teeth, he transformed the silver snake into a screen of sword light to block his front, and the three black shadows struck the barrier.

Immediately, dust billowed, obscuring his vision.

Wu Xuan was instantly sent into a rage! Hidden weapons, my foot! They were nothing but three ordinary clods of dirt! I've been played! Wu Xuan spat out a mouthful of grit, his face twisted in fury. He looked up, but Zhang He, who had been by the bushes, had vanished.

A gust of wind suddenly blew from behind him, and the hair on Wu Xuan's arms stood on end.

How treacherous! First, using dirt clods as decoys to trick him, then using the cover of dust to rush behind him for a sneak attack—the sequence of events was so tightly linked that it sent a chill down Wu Xuan's spine. He had no time to turn around, so he gritted his teeth and thrust his longsword backward with all his might.

Bang!

A sharp pain radiated from his ribs. Even with his True Qi protection, the force of that punch was enough to make him suffer. Wu Xuan saw stars; had he not reached the Body Protection Realm, that blow would have surely claimed his life on the spot!

In shock and anger, Wu Xuan stabbed his sword backward again, intent on skewering the Zhang He behind him.

Rip. The sound of tearing fabric.

"Damn it, good thing my reflexes are fast!" Zhang He wiped away cold sweat, looking at his torn clothes with lingering fear.

Wu Xuan turned around and saw Zhang He standing there unscathed. A sense of humiliation surged in his heart. This ant is still alive? He swung his longsword and lunged forward, murderous intent radiating from him.

Ordinary attacks only cause him pain without inflicting serious injury. However, from our exchange just now, it's clear he lacks combat experience. He relies solely on the refinement of his swordplay and his powerful True Qi cultivation.

Zhang He watched the approaching Wu Xuan without a hint of panic. He had seen through the limits of Wu Xuan's cultivation, and in an instant, a countermeasure formed in his mind.

As soon as Wu Xuan drew near, he saw Zhang He kick the ground, sending sand and dust flying to obscure the surrounding view. Trying to stop me with such low-level tricks? You're dreaming!

Wu Xuan charged straight in, only for a cold glint to silently greet him. Wu Xuan was startled and struck out with his longsword. Clang, clang, clang—the sound of metal clashing rang out. He suddenly recognized it: this was Wang Jian's battle saber!

As the saber was knocked away, he felt a cunning force strike his wrist. His wrist went numb, and unable to maintain his grip, his longsword flew out of his hand.

Wu Xuan was horrified. Only then did he see that the object that had struck his wrist was a stone. Zhang He's figure appeared right before him.

"Without your sword, you are far less of a threat to me!" Zhang He lunged in close. He knew that escaping was impossible; only by fighting to the death did he have a hope of survival.

Zhang He pressed in and launched a fierce assault.

"He actually wants to engage in close-quarters combat with me? He must know I excel at swordplay. What a pity—engaging me in close combat will be the thing you regret most!" Seeing Zhang He close the distance, Wu Xuan was not alarmed but delighted. "Taste my Soul-Bewildering Guide! Even a Cold Flood Dragon would be left with limp bones after inhaling this! It's a high honor for you to be on the receiving end."

Wu Xuan grinned hideously and flicked his fingers, sending two colorless, odorless powders shooting out.

"Oh no!" Zhang He's heart sank. Caught off guard, he inhaled the powder and immediately felt a wave of intense dizziness. This poison was too overbearing; the moment it touched him, he felt the effects. Zhang He recalled Sun Shaochuan from earlier, who had lost all combat capability within a heartbeat of being poisoned.

I was careless! He had thought that by closing the distance, he could use his own close-quarters combat experience to take down Wu Xuan, never expecting it would provide the perfect opportunity for the enemy to use poison!

Feeling the force that threatened to cloud his consciousness, Zhang He reacted instantly.

"Rejuvenation True Qi!" The Rejuvenation True Qi within his body activated instantly, reversing the effects of the Mad Heart Fox's venom. A refreshing, mind-clearing energy surged from within, instantly suppressing the intense dizziness. Zhang He regained his clarity at once.

Using poison in front of me? I am the ancestor of poison-users! Zhang He sneered inwardly. Luckily, I refined the Mad Heart Fox's venom earlier; once reversed, it has the effect of calming the mind and can counteract this toxicity.

Seeing Zhang He's eyes grow unfocused after inhaling the Soul-Bewildering Guide, Wu Xuan seized the opportunity. His fist struck like thunder, aiming straight for Zhang He's vulnerable throat.

One blow, and Zhang He's throat would be crushed, leaving him dead without a doubt. But before he could revel in his victory, he was horrified to see the light of clarity return to his opponent's eyes.

A sense of foreboding washed over him.

As soon as Zhang He regained his clarity, he saw Wu Xuan's lethal punch.

"Rejuvenation True Qi, contain all poisons! Half-Step Blast Fist!" With no time to dodge, Zhang He reacted instantly. His Rejuvenation True Qi shifted to a forward flow, immediately wrapping around the Soul-Bewildering Guide that had invaded his body.

At the same time, Zhang He gritted his teeth and thrust his fist out from under his ribs with the force of a thunderbolt, meeting the attack head-on.

"You dare to clash with me head-on? Like an egg striking a rock—you overestimate yourself!" Wu Xuan sneered, pouring more power into his fist as the wind whistled around it.

Crack!

A muffled thud echoed as their fists collided.

Zhang He spat out a mouthful of blood, his body instantly sent flying like a kite with a broken string. He slammed heavily into the tree behind him, causing the entire trunk to shudder violently and leaves to scatter in a flurry.

He was in a wretched state.

Wu Xuan didn't even have time to gloat before his expression shifted drastically, for he clearly felt a strange mass of True Qi, carrying an irresistible piercing force, strike deep into his own body.

Bang! That burst of force, intermingled with True Qi, detonated inside Wu Xuan.

Pfft!

Wu Xuan's face flushed a deep red, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. After expelling that blood, his complexion turned deathly pale. A look of disbelief surfaced on his face; he had never imagined that an ant in his eyes could actually harm him!

"You can actually ignore my True Qi defense?" Wu Xuan snapped his head up, staring at Zhang He. A menacing glint shot from his eyes. "The martial skill you just used is capable of challenging someone of a higher rank—it must be at least a fifth-grade technique. Very good, very good."

Zhang He gasped for air, feeling as though his arm had been scorched by fire; the intense pain had rendered it completely numb.

Seeing Wu Xuan's reaction, Zhang He immediately understood that the man had set his sights on the Half-Step Blast Fist he had just used. His Half-Step Blast Fist possessed the effect of striking across mountains to fell an ox. A single punch could drive his power through surface defenses to strike deep within. The Half-Step Blast Fist was his unique martial skill, specifically designed to be used in conjunction with the Rejuvenation True Explanation. Even if he were to teach it to someone else, they would be unable to utilize it.

However, Wu Xuan was unaware of this. He only coveted Zhang He's Half-Step Blast Fist!

He walked over step by step, licked his lips, and said with a sinister tone, "Hand over the martial skill you just used, and I might give you a chance to live."

Seeing Wu Xuan approach, Zhang He's expression turned incredibly grim. Am I really going to fall into his hands?

Just then, Wu Xuan's body suddenly shuddered. He felt his consciousness blurring, and the strength in his limbs rapidly fading. His face turned ghastly pale, as if he had seen a ghost. "How is this possible!"

Seeing Wu Xuan's reaction, Zhang He was overcome with wild joy. "It worked!"

Earlier, he had used his Rejuvenation True Qi to envelop all the Soul-Bewildering Guide he had inhaled, and then, using the Half-Step Blast Fist, he had driven it all into Wu Xuan's body. Now, the Soul-Bewildering Guide was beginning to take effect.

Seeing Zhang He's expression, Wu Xuan immediately understood that this must have something to do with him.

But what shocked Wu Xuan was how this brat had obtained the Soul-Bewildering Guide—this was an exclusive secret recipe—and furthermore, how he had managed to poison him! From start to finish, he hadn't noticed a single unusual movement from Zhang He.

Wu Xuan immediately pulled a white porcelain bottle from his robes, pulled out the stopper, and poured out a cherry-sized pill, intending to swallow it.

Whoosh!

A sharp pebble flew through the air. Having been struck by the Soul-Bewildering Guide, Wu Xuan's reactions were sluggish; he couldn't dodge in time. He felt a jolt in his wrist, and the pill was knocked to the ground.

Wu Xuan looked up in fury to see that Zhang He had already stood up. The boy was covered in blood, wearing a savage grin.

A sense of foreboding welled up in his heart. Wu Xuan said with a trembling voice, "I am a disciple of Medicine King Valley. If you dare to harm me, you will be hunted down by everyone in the valley! If you know what's good for you, leave quietly. As long as you don't speak of today's events, I can pretend nothing ever happened."

"Pah!" Zhang He spat, grabbing the long sword nearby with a ferocious sneer. "Once you're dead, who will know it was me who killed you! You idiot!"

If you cut the grass but don't remove the roots, the spring breeze will only make it grow again. Besides, this Wu Xuan had no character to speak of; Zhang He would never leave such a source of future trouble for himself.

With a flick of his hand, Zhang He thrust the long sword into Wu Xuan's body and gave it a vicious twist...

Zhang He collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. He felt as though his entire body had been drained of strength. His clash with Wu Xuan had been a brush with death; the slightest carelessness would have resulted in him being crushed to death by Wu Xuan.

After catching his breath, Zhang He immediately began circulating his Rejuvenation True Qi to repair his injuries. His arm had been wounded during their exchange of blows.

"Save... save me." A weak voice suddenly came from nearby.

Zhang He jumped up from the ground as if he had been stung by a hornet. Only then did he realize that Sun Shaochuan was still alive.

"Save... save me, and I... will give you immense rewards."