Poison Woman?

Mu Chen smiled and handed the most precious Purple Spirit Crystal to Yun Yun. She accepted it with delight written all over her face. This Purple Spirit Crystal had truly not come easily—even she had nearly fallen here.

Mu Chen's eyes also gleamed as he put away the Companion Purple Crystal Source and the Tier 5 Monster Core. Their total value was equivalent to 3.1 million gold coins. It was simply a windfall.

Mu Chen's shining eyes swept over the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, which looked like a lump of charcoal. This was unquestionably a filthy rich fellow.

Mu Chen believed that the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's reserves were definitely substantial. He resolved that once he became strong enough in the future, he would return to the Magic Beast Mountains and thoroughly loot these wealthy tycoons of the magical beast world one by one.

Their eyes met, and both understood that it was time to part ways. Mu Chen smiled and teased, "Calling you Sect Leader always feels too awkward and distant. I'm younger, so I'll call you Sister Yun Yun.

Sister Yun Yun, we'll meet again someday. Perhaps in the near future, I'll pay a visit to Misty Cloud Mountain.

Also, you look the best the way you are now. I like it very much. Farewell."

After teasing her, Mu Chen gently flapped his wings, swept over the rolling forest below, and swiftly vanished beyond the distant horizon where the mountain ranges met.

"Little fellow, you're the first person who has ever addressed me so frivolously.

Hehe, this feeling is rather nice. I never expected that after coming to the Magic Beast Mountains, my heart would be stolen away.

Then, little brother Mu Chen, you bad fellow, this sister will look forward to our next meeting."

After glancing at the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King below, Yun Yun regained the cool aloofness she had worn upon arriving. She transformed into a clear breeze and disappeared into the sky.

"Burn her to death! Burn this Poison Fiend to death!"

In the vast Qing Mountain Town, hundreds—perhaps thousands—of people formed a huge circle, sealing off the open space in the center so tightly that not even water could pass through.

Everyone used the most vicious words to curse the helpless, isolated figure in the center. Some mercenaries who had not understood the situation were utterly incredulous after learning the truth, their mouths wide enough to fit an egg.

Traces of hesitation flashed through their eyes, but when they saw the dozens of miserable corpses not far from the figure in the center, their bodies purple-black and blood flowing from all seven orifices, they shuddered violently. Then, all hesitation vanished from their eyes as they joined the insults, condemning the most beautiful "scenery" of their former days, even though she had once saved some of their lives.

The slender figure being condemned and cursed by hundreds and thousands of people wore a pale white dress, her narrow waist as delicate as a willow branch. She was none other than Xiao Yi Xian, who had parted with Mu Chen that day.

The faint smile Xiao Yi Xian usually wore had long since faded. Her flawless jade-like hand covered her face as she crouched on the ground, suffering from the pain continuously surging from within her body. Fragrant sweat streamed down her cheeks.

The Woeful Poison Body had begun to erupt. Although it was agonizing, it was indeed just as the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture recorded: as more and more poison accumulated within her body, Xiao Yi Xian's strength rapidly increased as well.

The earlier outbreak of poison had already allowed Xiao Yi Xian to condense a Qi Cyclone and become a Dou Zhe. Now, her strength was steadily rising. She had astonishingly reached the level of a Four-Star Dou Zhe, and was still gradually advancing.

Xiao Yi Xian's once lively eyes had turned into brilliantly colored seven-hued pools. Wisps of purple-black gas drifted through the space within ten meters of her body.

A bird flew overhead, and the purple-black gas seemed to come alive. It transformed into a cloud of black mist that engulfed the bird. In less than half a second, the bird became a corpse and crashed to the ground.

"What terrifying poison! You truly can't judge a person by appearance. Who would have thought that Xiao Yi Xian, who usually seemed like a holy elf, could release such horrifying poison?"

"Heh, Mu She of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group really forced her hand. He insisted on capturing Xiao Yi Xian and making her enter a ghost marriage with his dead son, and ended up forcing the Poison Woman's true nature out into the open."

"Tsk, tsk. More than fifty people from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, including Mu She, a Two-Star Dou Master, failed to escape this terrifying poison. Every one of them turned into a cold corpse. From now on, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group has been erased from Qing Mountain Town."

"Come to think of it, the Poison Woman is so terrifying. If we throw her at the edge of the Magic Beast Mountains, could the Beast Tide attacking Qing Mountain Town be resolved just like that?"

"Forget it. Who would dare get within ten meters of the Poison Woman? Touch that poison and you die! At present, we can only wait for the officials from the Empire Army sent by the Jia Ma Imperial Family to suppress the magical beasts and let them decide what to do."

At the mention of magical beasts, many mercenaries still had lingering fear written all over their faces. This Beast Tide was said to be the greatest in centuries. Qing Mountain Town had been relatively fortunate; the Empire Army's reinforcements had arrived in time. The surrounding towns, however, had not been so lucky.

"I heard that neighboring Wutan City was breached by magical beasts. Almost the entire population of the city was killed or injured. Someone personally witnessed the Jialie Clan and the Oba Clan being overrun by magical beasts in Wutan City. The two clan heads were even slapped to death by a Tier 4 Monster, their brains bursting out. Their deaths were utterly miserable."

"I remember Wutan City had three great clans, didn't it? If the Jialie and Oba Clans were destroyed, then the Xiao Clan probably couldn't have escaped disaster either, right?" said a mercenary who had once visited Wutan City.

Wutan City had been one of the Empire's prominent major cities, with even a Da Dou Shi-level expert stationed there. Yet now, only shattered walls and ruins remained. The world was truly unpredictable.

"What's strange is that on the day the magical beasts breached the city, no one saw a single member of the Xiao Clan. The Xiao Clan Grounds were empty as well. It was as if they had simply evaporated. It's extremely bizarre."

"Heh, compared to that, the enormous palm imprint north of Wutan City, which collapsed dozens of kilometers of land, is what deserves the most attention.

Some say it was caused by a battle between legendary Dou Zong experts."

"Imperial business! All unrelated persons, move aside at once!"

After a brief commotion, the people of Qing Mountain Town hurriedly retreated and opened up a broad path. A squad of soldiers in refined steel armor, armed with sharp iron spears, led the way.

The icy gleam of metal and the cold, murderous aura in the soldiers' eyes beneath their armor left even the normally rough mercenaries silent as cicadas, not daring to utter another word.

More than a dozen Dou Master-level commanders surrounded a young man dressed in luxurious brocade robes as they walked along the path opened by the soldiers and arrived before the crowd.

A sword hung at the young man's waist. Its sheath and hilt were actually embedded with gorgeous gemstones. The hair crown on his head glittered with precious light, and even his shoes were decorated likewise. He was extravagantly luxurious.

The young man appeared to be in his thirties. He was handsome, but his face bore an unshakable pallor, clearly the look of someone who had indulged excessively in pleasure. Yet the formidable aura emanating from him made countless hearts tremble. The disdain in their eyes immediately vanished, and they lowered their heads before him.

"Lord Mu Zhuo, the person ahead is the Poison Woman who has brought disaster upon Qing Mountain Town. The corpses on the ground were all poisoned to death by the toxic fumes she released. Even Mu She, a Two-Star Dou Master, failed to last ten seconds before dying suddenly on the ground.

Lord Mu Zhuo, although this Poison Woman was a pharmacist specially employed by our Wanyao Pavilion, none of us knew her true nature beforehand. I have already dismissed her. Whether she lives or dies is entirely for you to decide."

Master Yao, the owner of Wanyao Pavilion, pointed at Xiao Yi Xian crouching on the ground. With those words, he immediately severed all ties between Xiao Yi Xian and Wanyao Pavilion.

Upon hearing Master Yao's words, Xiao Yi Xian raised her head. Her eyes were filled with desolation, but soon, a trace of determination filled them.

Xiao Yi Xian had imagined the consequences of others discovering her condition. That was why she had worked so hard to suppress the poison within her body, refusing to let it erupt.

Yet she had never expected Mu She to go so far as to demand that she enter a ghost marriage with the dead Mu Li! Forced into a corner, Xiao Yi Xian swallowed the poison she had concocted from the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. The toxic gas she had been suppressing erupted violently, and the Woeful Poison Body was initially activated.

When she saw every member of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group die beneath her poisonous gas, she knew there would no longer be any place for her in this world.

Mu Chen, how I wish I could see you once more. But... would someone as "ugly" as me make you afraid?