Chapter 504: Poison Emerges in the City

Taiyin Shengdi Lofty Pagoda, situated among the undulating mountains, is constantly shrouded in a light mist, giving people an ethereal, immortal-like feeling.

However, today the Taiyin Shengdi has lost its former tranquility; an inexplicable tense atmosphere spreads within the holy land's base.

On the training ground of the holy land's base, dozens of disciples sit cross-legged, inhaling and exhaling the spiritual qi of heaven and earth according to their respective cultivation methods, carrying out their daily practice.

Suddenly, a young disciple's expression twisted; he felt the originally gentle spiritual qi within his body turn violent, like an untamed horse, rampaging and causing sharp pains to surge through his meridians.

"Ah!"

A painful groan shattered the tranquility of the training ground; other disciples opened their eyes to see that disciple collapsed on the ground, convulsing, his face as pale as paper.

"What happened?"

An elder hurried forward, helped the disciple up, but discovered that his spiritual qi was in utter chaos, his meridians severely damaged.

"My spiritual qi is rioting, my meridians—" the disciple hadn't finished speaking before he fainted.

The elder's expression grew unusually grave; this was not the first disciple to exhibit such a condition.

Recently, dozens of disciples have shown similar symptoms during cultivation, and some have even seen their cultivation level regress, causing considerable panic.

"Quick, send him to the Healing Pavilion!" the elder commanded, then rose and swept his gaze over the disciples present: "Today's training ends here; everyone return to their quarters, no further cultivation allowed."

The disciples, though doubtful, dared not ask further upon seeing the elder's solemn expression, and dispersed.

In Wang Kui City of the Tianji Shengyu, within the council hall of the Taiyin Shengdi's base, Elder Xuan Zhen and several guardian elders sat together in a circle.

Their brows were furrowed, their faces solemn.

"This is already the tenth spiritual qi riot incident this month; we must find the cause." Elder Xuan Zhen said in a low voice.

"Could there be a problem with the holy land's spiritual qi?" an elder speculated.

"Impossible, the holy land's spiritual qi circulation system was meticulously arranged by our ancestors; it cannot spontaneously malfunction." another elder objected.

"Why are only the disciples in Wang Kui City's base affected, while other bases remain unharmed?" another elder wondered.

Elder Xuan Zhen pondered for a moment, then said slowly: "It seems we need to invoke the holy land's sect-protecting treasure, the 'Taiyin Divine Mirror,' to investigate."

The Taiyin Divine Mirror is the supreme treasure of Taiyin Shengdi, possessing the mysterious power to scrutinize heaven and earth, capable of probing all hidden secrets in the world.

"No delay, I'll fetch the Divine Mirror right away." an elder rose immediately and hurried out of the council hall.

Soon, the Taiyin Divine Mirror was brought to the council hall; it is an ancient bronze mirror, its surface inscribed with profound runes, emitting a faint glow.

Elder Xuan Zhen formed hand seals, murmured an incantation, and an invisible force flowed into the Taiyin Divine Mirror.

The mirror's surface light gradually brightened, a beam shot out from it, illuminating the entire council hall.

"The Divine Mirror reveals its true form!" Elder Xuan Zhen shouted lowly, and the Taiyin Divine Mirror's light surged instantly, enveloping the whole Taiyin Shengdi in a curtain of light.

Within the light curtain, everything in the holy land was clearly visible, including those hidden in dark corners.

Suddenly, a thread of discordant color appeared in the curtain—a faint purple mist silently spreading through the holy land.

"This is… a spirit-devouring poisonous gas!" Elder Xuan Zhen's face changed drastically as he recognized the origin of this mist.

Spirit-devouring poisonous gas is an extremely toxic substance that can blend into spiritual qi, poisoning people unknowingly; mild cases cause cultivation level regression, severe cases lead to death.

"Seal off the holy land at once, don't let this poison mist spread!" Elder Xuan Zhen ordered urgently.

The elders immediately took action, activating the holy land's formations to confine the poison mist within a certain range, while notifying all disciples to halt cultivation and avoid inhaling the mist.

However, the poison mist had already spread to every corner of the holy land, affecting many disciples.

The holy land's Healing Pavilion was overcrowded; many disciples groaned in pain, and some with lower cultivation levels had even fallen unconscious.

Elder Xuan Zhen's expression grew ever graver; if a detoxification method is not found promptly, Taiyin Shengdi will suffer an unprecedented blow.

"Issue the order: all elder-level cultivators must come to me at once to discuss countermeasures." Elder Xuan Zhen's voice carried a hint of anxiety.

The elders hurried to the council hall, all of them with icy gazes.

"We must find the source of this poison mist within the base; otherwise we cannot eradicate it completely." said an elder.

"Exactly, and we also need to find an antidote; otherwise the disciples' lives are at risk." another elder agreed.

Elder Xuan Zhen nodded, his eyes firm: "Taiyin Shengdi has weathered storms and never fallen."

"This time, we cannot be defeated by this little poison mist."

"Immediately activate the holy land's 'Taiyin Purifying Spirit Array' to cleanse the poison mist within."

"At the same time, send out elite disciples to seek the source of the poison mist."

The elders immediately sprang into action, each taking responsibility: some for activating formations, some for organizing disciples, some for researching detoxification methods.

The tension within Taiyin Shengdi reached its peak, and all disciples felt the gravity of this crisis.

Under Elder Xuan Zhen's leadership, the cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi began a race against time.

They must not only resist the poison mist, but also confront enemies lurking in the shadows.

With the activation of the Taiyin Purifying Spirit Array, the poison mist within the holy land began to be gradually brought under control.

Meanwhile, elite disciples also launched searches in every corner of the holy land, vowing to find the source of the poison mist and rid the holy land of this scourge.

Night fell, the lights of Taiyin Shengdi shone brightly, and the cultivators' busy figures moved through the darkness.

Elder Xuan Zhen stood at the highest point of the holy land, gazing into the distant starry sky, his eyes flashing with decisive, slaughterous light.

However, at this moment, beneath the shadow of Taiyin Shengdi, Heifeng and Huang Daxian lurked in the darkness, his emotions unusually agitated.

After days of painstaking plotting and patient waiting, at this moment they finally reaped their reward—the toxic effect of Ten Fragrance Soft Bone Powder began to spread throughout Taiyin Shengdi.

Heifeng wore a smug smile as he exchanged a glance with Huang Daxian; both of their eyes sparkled with uncontainable excitement.

The spread of this poison meant that the cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi would face an unprecedented challenge.

"Huang Daxian, do you see it?"

"Our plan has succeeded." Heifeng lowered his voice, but could not conceal the excitement in his words.

Huang Daxian nodded, his eyes gleaming with wisdom: "Indeed, Heifeng, our efforts have finally been rewarded. The effect of Ten Fragrance Soft Bone Powder exceeds our expectations."

Their hearts were filled with a sense of accomplishment.

For this moment, they had spent countless sleepless nights secretly concocting the poison, carefully dispersing it into the spiritual qi circulation system of Taiyin Shengdi.

This poison is colorless and odorless, hard to detect; once a cultivator inhales it during cultivation, it won't draw attention in the short term, but as time passes, its harm will gradually become apparent.

"Soon, those cultivators will be unable to bear the mental pressure and will choose to return to the real world with their souls." Huang Daxian continued, his voice tinged with cruelty, "The stronghold of Taiyin Shengdi will thus become empty—this is exactly the opportunity we've been waiting for."

Heifeng's lips curled into a sly arc: "Exactly, when the time comes, the plan of the demon master Longling will proceed smoothly."

"Lihu City will become the biggest winner of this game."

Both of their hearts were filled with anticipation.

Once the cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi return to the real world, its defensive strength will be greatly weakened.

And they, Lihu City, have long made thorough preparations, waiting only for the right moment to launch a deadly strike.

"Come, let's drink to the impending victory!" Heifeng took two cups of fine wine from his storage ring and handed one to Huang Daxian.

Huang Daxian took the cup; their cups lightly tapped in the air, emitting a clear sound.

They drained the cups in one gulp; the sweetness of the wine intertwined with their excitement, making them feel extremely exhilarated.

"Heifeng, although the plan is progressing smoothly, we cannot be careless." Huang Daxian reminded, "The elders of Taiyin Shengdi are not to be trifled with; we must stay vigilant at all times."

Heifeng nodded, a glint of precision flashing in his eyes: "You're right; we must act cautiously and not let Taiyin Shengdi notice our movements."

Although their conversation was low, every word revealed their yearning for the impending victory.

They knew this battle was not merely a contest of strength, but also a comparison of wisdom and patience.

As time passed, the cultivators in Taiyin Shengdi began to show abnormalities.

Some cultivators suddenly felt uneasy during cultivation, unable to focus, and even worse, began to experience hallucinations.

They could not continue cultivating and could only choose to exit the cultivation state.

"What's going on?"

"Why do I constantly feel unsettled?" A cultivator muttered to himself in the cultivation chamber, his face pale, eyes full of confusion.

"Me too; lately I just can't calm down to cultivate." Another cultivator echoed, his heart filled with unease.

Such situations became increasingly common in Taiyin Shengdi, and the cultivators' hearts filled with doubt and fear.

They didn't know what had happened, only that their cultivation had been severely affected.

Heifeng and Huang Daxian observed all this in secret, secretly pleased.

They knew these cultivators' reactions were due to the toxin of Ten Fragrance Soft Bone Powder.

As time passed, this effect would grow increasingly severe, ultimately causing cultivators to be unable to continue cultivating in Taiyin Shengdi.

"It looks like victory is not far off." Heifeng whispered, his eyes flashing with excitement.

Huang Daxian nodded, a smile appearing on his face: "Exactly, as long as we continue according to the plan, Taiyin Shengdi will surely become ours."

Their hearts were filled with confidence.

In the following days, the cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi began to successively choose to return to the real world with their souls.

They could not continue cultivating in Taiyin Shengdi, so they could only return to the real world to seek a solution.

Although the elders of Taiyin Shengdi noticed the abnormality, their attention was focused on finding the cause of the spiritual energy anomaly, and they did not realize this was precisely the scheme of Heifeng and Huang Daxian.

As the number of cultivators in Taiyin Shengdi dwindled, Heifeng and Huang Daxian knew their opportunity had arrived.

They began secretly contacting the companions of Lihu City, preparing to launch the final attack.

"Brothers, it's time to act!" Heifeng's voice echoed in the council hall of Lihu City, his eyes flashing with determined light.

"We've waited too long; now it's time to make Taiyin Shengdi pay the price!" Huang Daxian's voice carried a hint of cruelty.

The cultivators of Lihu City responded in unison, they clenched their fists, ready to welcome the impending battle.

Under the leadership of Heifeng and Huang Daxian, the cultivators of Lihu City silently advanced toward Taiyin Shengdi.

They knew this would be a decisive battle determining the outcome, requiring their full effort.

The cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi were unaware that a huge crisis was silently approaching them.

And Heifeng and Huang Daxian, hearts filled with excitement, awaited that moment's arrival.

Night fell, the sky glittered with stars. Heifeng and Huang Daxian stood on the walls of Lihu City, gazing toward the distant Taiyin Shengdi.

Their hearts brimmed with anticipation, knowing that when tomorrow's sun rose, Taiyin Shengdi would face an unprecedented storm.

"Huang Daxian, are you ready?" Heifeng's voice sounded especially firm in the night wind.

"Of course, I've already prepared to welcome victory's arrival." Huang Daxian's reply was equally resolute.

Night hung low, stars twinkling; Heifeng and Huang Daxian stood on the walls of Lihu City, their eyes like torches, fixed on the distant Taiyin Shengdi.

Both understood that, although they had made extensive preparations, Taiyin Shengdi was after all a cultivation holy land with a long history, its foundation and strength not to be underestimated.

Once the enemy reacted, their counterattack would be extraordinarily fierce.

"All the hidden agents have been notified; they will support us at the critical moment." Heifeng said, a glint of precision flashing in his eyes.

Huang Daxian smiled faintly: "Excellent, our hidden agents have long lain in wait within Taiyin Shengdi; their strength will play a crucial role in this battle."

Although their conversation was brief, every word revealed their emphasis on the impending battle.

In the coming few hours, Heifeng and Huang Daxian began making final preparations.

They inspected all weapons and treasures, ensuring each could exert its maximum effect in battle.

They also reviewed all tactics, making sure every segment could seamlessly connect.

"Huang Daxian, the signal flare is ready; once Taiyin Shengdi's defensive strength is weakened to a certain extent, we can launch the attack." Heifeng said, playing with an exquisite signal flare in his hand.

Upon hearing this, Huang Daxian nodded: "Good, the signal flare will be the call to advance. Once it bursts in the sky above Taiyin Shengdi, the great army will surge toward it like a tide."

As time passed, the cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi began to exhibit a large-scale phenomenon of their souls returning to the real world.

Unable to bear the mental pressure, they all chose to leave.

The defensive strength of Taiyin Shengdi began to gradually weaken, while Heifeng and Huang Daxian's eyes started to gleam with excitement.

"The moment has ripened; we can act." Huang Daxian's voice carried an irrepressible excitement.

Heifeng nodded, took a deep breath, then hurled the signal flare in his hand skyward.

The signal flare arced across the sky in a beautiful curve, then burst into a brilliant light above Taiyin Shengdi.

"Attack!" The voices of Heifeng and Huang Daxian sounded together, their voices filled with power and determination.

As the signal flare burst forth, the cultivators of History Tiger City who had long lain in ambush around Taiyin Shengdi sprang into action. They surged toward Taiyin Shengdi like a tide, their eyes flashing with the fire of battle.

The cultivators within Taiyin Shengdi were shocked by this sudden attack; they never expected History Tiger City to dare launch an assault against them.

Some cultivators tried to organize resistance, but they quickly realized that their strength seemed utterly insignificant before the great army of History Tiger City.

"What's going on? Why are there so many History Tiger City cultivators?" an elder of Taiyin Shengdi said in terror, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Elder, our defensive forces have been weakened; we simply cannot withstand History Tiger City's attack." a disciple said anxiously.

"We must request reinforcements immediately, otherwise Taiyin Shengdi will be in danger." another elder said, a flash of resolve in his eyes.

However, their request for reinforcements went unanswered in time, because Heifeng and Huang Daxian's hidden agents had already begun sowing chaos within Taiyin Shengdi.

They secretly destroyed Taiyin Shengdi's communication array, severing its link with the rest of the cultivation world.

"What should we do? What should we do?" the cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi began to panic, their hearts filled with fear.

Heifeng and Huang Daxian led the History Tiger City cultivators forward with unstoppable momentum, quickly breaking into the core region of Taiyin Shengdi.

"Who are you? How dare you invade my Taiyin Shengdi—you're utterly reckless!" Elder Xuan Zhen snapped angrily, a powerful aura emanating from him as he tried to block Heifeng and Huang Daxian's advance.

At this moment, Huang Daxian and Heifeng, while attacking, wore the protective suits of Earth Cultivation Special Research, making it impossible to see their true appearance.

"Elder Xuan Zhen, victors and losers—the defeat of Taiyin Shengdi is solely due to your overconfidence." Heifeng said with a cold smile.

"Do you think this is enough to defeat Taiyin Shengdi?"

"You're far too naive!" Elder Xuan Zhen roared, a longsword flashing with cold light suddenly appearing in his hand as he lunged at Heifeng and Huang Daxian.

Heifeng and Huang Daxian's expressions grew grave, knowing Elder Xuan Zhen's strength was unfathomable and that they could not afford the slightest carelessness.

They immediately unleashed their secret techniques, engaging Elder Xuan Zhen in a fierce battle.

The battle was extraordinarily intense; the three combatants' attacks collided in midair, erupting in thunderous booms that shook heaven and earth.

Around them, buildings collapsed one after another in their fight, and huge fissures split the ground.

"Do you think this is enough to defeat me?"

"You gravely underestimate my Taiyin Shengdi!" Elder Xuan Zhen roared, his attacks growing ever more fierce, each sword strike carrying the power to destroy heaven and earth.

Heifeng and Huang Daxian's faces grew grimly solemn; if they could not swiftly defeat Elder Xuan Zhen, their plan might come to naught.

"Heifeng, we must end the battle quickly, otherwise our losses will grow greater." Huang Daxian said, a flash of resolve in his eyes.

Heifeng nodded, drew a deep breath, then suddenly erupted with a powerful aura.

In his hand suddenly appeared a massive battle axe, its blade flashing with lightning, as if containing endless power.

"Elder Xuan Zhen, today is your day of death!" Heifeng roared, bringing his battle axe down in a mighty chop toward Elder Xuan Zhen.

Elder Xuan Zhen's expression shifted; he sensed the power contained in Heifeng's battle axe and hastily swung his sword to block.

"Boom!" With a tremendous crash, the battle axe and longsword collided, producing a huge explosion.

Elder Xuan Zhen's body was flung backward by the shock, his face turning pale—clearly he had suffered grave injury.

"Now it's my turn!" Huang Daxian's voice suddenly rang out; a longsword wreathed in flames appeared in his hand as he thrust toward Elder Xuan Zhen.

A flicker of fear crossed Elder Xuan Zhen's eyes; he hastily raised his sword to parry, but Huang Daxian's swordplay was so uncanny that his blade, like a supple poisonous snake, easily slipped past his defense and pierced his chest.

"No!" Elder Xuan Zhen cried out in anguish as Huang Daxian's longsword pierced him through, extinguishing his vital spark completely.

Heifeng and Huang Daxian's faces grew solemn; although they had defeated Elder Xuan Zhen, the battle for Taiyin Shengdi was far from over.

They must swiftly seize control of Taiyin Shengdi's core region to ensure their plan's success.

"Brothers, follow my charge!" Heifeng shouted, raising his battle axe high.

"Kill!" the History Tiger City cultivators shouted in unison, their voices merging into a mighty force that shot straight to the heavens.

Under Heifeng and Huang Daxian's leadership, the History Tiger City cultivators launched their final all‑out assault. Like an unstoppable flood, they swept across the entirety of Taiyin Shengdi.

The cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi fought desperately, yet their strength appeared utterly insignificant before the great army of History Tiger City.

They kept retreating, and in the end could only watch helplessly as the History Tiger City cultivators seized their holy land.

"No, no! This isn't real!" an elder of Taiyin Shengdi cried out in despair, tears filling his eyes.

"Taiyin Shengdi cannot be destroyed like this!" another elder's voice carried a hint of unwillingness.

Yet no matter how they struggled, they could not alter the fate of Taiyin Shengdi.

Under Heifeng and Huang Daxian's leadership, the History Tiger City cultivators had already taken complete control of Taiyin Shengdi.

"We won!" Heifeng and Huang Daxian exchanged a smile, victory gleaming in their eyes.

With Taiyin Shengdi's fall, Heifeng and Huang Daxian stood upon its highest point, gazing down at the scenery below.

The History Tiger City cultivators were busy clearing the battlefield, while the Taiyin Shengdi cultivators were gathered together, awaiting their fate.

Heifeng drew a deep breath; the cultivators of Taiyin Shengdi would not submit so easily.

They needed to show sufficient wisdom and resolve to ensure the fruits of this victory would not rot.

"What now?" Heifeng asked, turning his gaze to Huang Daxian and waiting for his reply.

Huang Daxian pondered for a moment, then said slowly: "First, we must stabilize the situation in Taiyin Shengdi. We will bring those willing to surrender into our ranks, while the obstinate must be kept under strict guard."

"Then, we must repair Taiyin Shengdi's facilities and restore its cultivation environment."

"The resources of Taiyin Shengdi constitute a vast treasury for our History Tiger City." Huang Daxian continued.

Heifeng nodded: "Exactly, Taiyin Shengdi's spiritual aura is rich, making it an ideal place for cultivation; we must make full use of this advantage."

"Finally, we need to strengthen our ties with History Tiger City, ensuring that information and resources flow smoothly between the two places." Huang Daxian's gaze drifted toward the distance, as if contemplating a far‑reaching plan.