Chapter 101: Poison Sage Supreme, Dual Absolute Poison Arrows!

"Wait a moment!"

Just as Qin Shuo was about to follow and step into the cave, he was stopped by He Mingjing beside him.

He Mingjing said with a solemn expression: "Qin brother, I'm sorry!"

Qin Shuo was stunned by this sudden apology.

But He Mingjing said with a bitter face: "Try your luck..."

In the next second, Qin Shuo's face changed drastically!

Because he discovered that the vital energy in his dantian had vanished!

Moreover, when he tried to condense his vital energy using his blood and qi, he felt a wave of soreness and weakness throughout his body.

He... had been poisoned!

But... when?

Why did he feel nothing at all, and not even smell any strange fragrance?

How did Xue Chengkong do it? What exactly does he want to do?

Is he in league with the Xiaoyue Yaowang?

If they are in league, why did he still use He Mingjing to cause a ruckus in the Sky Wolf Gang?

A string of questions surged into his mind.

Finally, he narrowed his eyes and looked toward the depths of the fake mountain cave.

There, Xue Chengkong, who had already entered the fake mountain cave, came out slowly and unhurriedly.

He had his hands clasped behind his back, a black-gold long robe as noble as an emperor's, and his face showed no trace of annoyance, madness, or any other expression after being seen through.

Only the same calm as always.

It was as if that face would never ripple, like an ancient well with no waves.

He stood at the cave entrance, looked up at He Mingjing, and the darkness behind him seemed like an abyss that could swallow everything, sending a chill through one's heart.

"How did you find out?"

Xue Chengkong asked calmly, with a hint of curiosity, his gaze toward He Mingjing gaining a touch of appreciation.

With his poisoning methods, unless the other party had suspected him and wanted to use their qi to escape, it would be absolutely impossible to detect any clue.

So he was very curious: when did this Greedy Wolf Captain from Yunzhou start suspecting him?

He Mingjing wore a bitter face, his eyes filled with regret, despair, shock... all kinds of emotions, which eventually condensed into three words,

"Why?"

"Why?"

Xue Chengkong repeated the words, and finally an expression appeared on his face—self-mockery.

But he did not immediately answer He Mingjing's question; instead, he turned again and walked toward the fake mountain cave, saying calmly:

"You answer my question first, then I will tell you why."

Then he ordered the soldiers on both sides of the fake mountain: "Take them down."

Two soldiers in heavy armor walked over, intending to subdue Qin Shuo and He Mingjing, but the former coldly said: "I will walk myself."

After saying that, he strode into the cave without hesitation.

Now that it has come to this, no matter what reason this old bastard has, once I regain my strength, I will surely kill him!

The most important thing now is to enter the cave, find Master Jueming, and obtain the item containing Vajra Buddha Nature.

As long as I refine the Longxiang Relic and master the Martial Saint Divine Ability, let alone Xue Chengkong, even the Xiaoyue Yaowang, I have a certain confidence in killing him.

According to what Xue Chengkong said earlier, Master Jueming can kill the Xiaoyue Yaowang.

This "can kill" should not refer to Master Jueming's own strength.

Because Qin Shuo knows that Master Jueming of the Mingwang Temple is only at the Tongmai Small Accomplishment level.

Although the other party has cultivated the Arhat Golden Body of the Buddhist school, if we talk about real combat power, it is probably not as good as my own Longxiang Golden Body.

With such strength, wanting to kill the Xiaoyue Yaowang is naturally just a fool's dream.

But given Xue Chengkong's current air of having victory in hand and everything under control, there is no need to deceive myself and He Mingjing.

After all, in his plan, I and He Mingjing could never possibly walk out of the City Lord's Mansion.

If so, then Master Jueming must have mastered some other kind of power that can counter the Xiaoyue Yaowang.

Recalling earlier on the mountain of the Mingwang Temple, the little novice monk said that even the Longxiang Monk came to ask Master Jueming for advice on the Vajra Buddhist Dharma.

And the Xiaoyue Yaowang was injured by the Longxiang Monk.

Therefore, Qin Shuo has every reason to guess that what can truly kill the Xiaoyue Yaowang is actually the Vajra Buddha Nature mastered by Master Jueming.

And the reason the Xiaoyue Yaowang has lain dormant for a year, wary of, is not really the peak Tongmai Realm Xue Chengkong, but the abbot of the Mingwang Temple who has mastered Vajra Buddha Nature, Master Jueming.

Having figured out the key to everything, Qin Shuo is even more eager to see Master Jueming.

As long as I see Master Jueming, everything will be resolved.

In the dark fake mountain cave, He Mingjing and Qin Shuo walked side by side.

This is a passage extending downward, with oil lamps lit on the walls; after walking more than ten meters inside, it becomes bright.

"I also want to know, how did you discover this old bastard had a problem?" Qin Shuo said.

You must know, after entering the prince's mansion, I have been using the Sky Wolf Power to maintain super-strong perception; any rustle of wind or grass could not escape his eyes.

But even now, I still don't know how Xue Chengkong administered the poison—this is too terrifying!

Such a divine poisoning method is simply impossible to guard against.

"From what he said."

He Mingjing said with a dejected expression: "Since the City Lord Xue discovered the existence of the Xiaoyue Yaowang as early as a year ago, why didn't he act to eliminate it? Instead, he kept it hidden until now?"

"Didn't he say the Xiaoyue Yaowang's true body has peak Condensing Truth Realm strength, and he is no match for it?" Qin Shuo asked, puzzled.

Xue City Lord may not be able to handle the peak Condensing Truth Realm Xiaoyue Demon King, but Wind Thunder Valley can, and the Demon Suppression Division can too.

If Xue City Lord truly wanted to deal with the Xiaoyue Demon King, all he needed to do was report to Wind Thunder Valley or the Demon Suppression Division; not to mention a barely surviving Xiaoyue Demon King, even if it were still in its prime, it would surely die.

But Xue City Lord did not do that; instead, he waited until today, until the opening of the Ten Thousand Spirit Array.

Moreover, from the moment we entered the City Lord's Mansion, Xue City Lord has only ever asked one question about the Xiaoyue Demon King.

That is, confirming the Xiaoyue Demon King's time of action.

In other words, Xue City Lord's reason for concealing and not reporting is actually that he has been waiting for this day.

If I am not mistaken, the Xiaoyue Demon King intends to use the Ten Thousand Spirit Array to restore its strength.

And you, Xue City Lord, are the same—you also wish to use this Ten Thousand Spirit Array to reforge your Heavenly Meridian and return to the peak of Condensing Truth.

Is my guess correct? Xue City Lord!

By the end, He Mingjing's voice was already filled with anger.

At first, he could not understand why, as a True Disciple of Wind Thunder Valley, Xue Chengkong would attack himself and Qin Shuo.

Only just now, when he asked the other party why, did the other's self-mocking smile finally remind him of some past events.

In the past, Xue Chengkong was also a heaven's chosen one of Wind Thunder Valley, renowned as the Holy Hand of a Hundred Poisons, unmatched in both elixir and archery.

At a young age, he had already reached the peak of the Condensing Truth Realm, and was one of the ten True Disciples of Wind Thunder Valley.

With his divine Wind Thunder Archery and unparalleled talent in the Dao of Elixirs, he was praised by Yunzhou Governor Chen Muyun as unmatched in both elixir and archery.

The Yunzhou Governor, who holds authority over an entire province, is a mighty regional official, and his own strength has reached the transformation of a Grandmaster.

Those who earn his praise are few and far between across the entire Yunzhou.

And the Xue City Lord before you is precisely one of them!

Furthermore, Xue Chengkong is also skilled in medicine and poison, and in the martial world he still bears the title of Holy Hand of a Hundred Poisons.

Many martial artists have considered it an honor to collect the Hundred Poisons Pills refined by Xue Chengkong.

It is said that those Hundred Poisons Pills possess the ability to neutralize all poisons under heaven, and are essential items for wandering the martial world.

Alas, heaven is unpredictable.

In a battle against demons and monsters, Xue Chengkong's Heavenly Meridian shattered, his soul was damaged, his strength plummeted, and afterward he disappeared from the martial world.

Some curious individuals once went to Wind Thunder Valley to inquire, and learned that he had lost his position as a True Disciple, and his whereabouts were unknown.

These are all events from over a decade ago.

If it were not for He Mingjing having previously reviewed the Demon Suppression Division's records, the city lord files of various cities and counties in Songyang Prefecture, he would not have known this.

As for why Xue Chengkong ultimately ended up in Black Water City, becoming its city lord, the records do not mention it, so even he does not know the specific reason.

Since these are all old events, He Mingjing did not pay too much attention to them.

Moreover, according to the Demon Suppression Division's records, Xue Chengkong, in his youth, hated evil like an enemy and killed demons like hemp.

Once, to save a mountain village child, he alone charged into the demon monsters' lair, slaughtering so that corpses lay scattered across the mountains, and he himself suffered severe injuries.

It is also precisely because of those past heroic deeds that He Mingjing naturally harbors fantasies and admiration for Xue Chengkong.

When Qin Shuo asked him whether Xue Chengkong was reliable, he would then pat his chest and say:

In this world, there is no one more reliable than Xue City Lord!

But now, the dragon-slaying youth has become an evil dragon!

That one who was willing to risk himself for an unrelated child, the unmatched elixir and archer, now wishes to use the lives of an entire city's citizens to continue his own martial path.

At this moment, He Mingjing feels his worldview has collapsed!

"You are very clever."

Xue Chengkong, who had already walked deep into the Earth Cave, slowly turned, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile of appreciation, and said to He Mingjing:

"If time were turned back fifteen years, I think I would greatly admire you."

"But now..."

"No one can stop me from reforging my Heavenly Meridian and reclaiming what is rightfully mine!"

As he said this, Xue Chengkong's body suddenly erupted with a powerful aura.

His gaze was firm and resolute, as if nothing in this world could change his decision.

Immediately after, he vanished like a wisp of clear wind, ghostlike, disappearing from the spot, and when he reappeared, he was already standing before Qin Shuo and He Mingjing.

"Wind Thunder Valley's supreme art, Wandering Dragon Riding the Wind Step!"

He Mingjing's pupils contracted, and he spoke out the name of the movement technique the other was using.

"It seems He Captain has studied me quite deeply."

Xue Chengkong gave a faint smile, then suddenly struck out with a palm, landing successively on Qin Shuo's and He Mingjing's chests.

The two felt pain and instinctively opened their mouths.

The next second, Xue Chengkong swept his wide sleeve, and two scarlet elixirs fell into their mouths.

"Blood Boosting Pill?"

Qin Shuo's heart and spirit raced wildly, but he was utterly powerless to stop it, and could only watch helplessly as the elixir fell into his belly.