Chapter 246

An explanation?

Just moments ago, the Netherworld Dharma King had still felt fortunate to have come to the right place, but his heart suddenly tightened.

He knew this old poisonous thing wasn't so kind-hearted as to save him.

But he also realized that, since the other side hadn't simply seized him and escorted him out of the valley, they must have some ulterior motive.

Considering the other party's present condition, and the fact that they are risking offending the Demon-Suppressing Office to help him now,

He could roughly guess what the other party was after.

And this was also the basis of his confidence to daringly charge into the Poison King's Valley.

Ghost Mother Elixir!

The Ghost Mother Elixir that can prolong a martial artist's life by ten years!

For someone like the Ten Thousand Poison King, whose body is overdrawn and whose lifespan is shorter than that of an ordinary person, this item holds a deadly allure.

This is also why he is highly confident that the other party, even knowing he is being pursued by the Demon-Suppressing Office, would still be willing to help him.

But the Ghost Mother Elixir—there are scarcely any even in the sect leader's possession; how could he readily promise it?

Thus, although he knew the Ten Thousand Poison King's goal, he did not want to spell it out outright; instead, he appealed to sentiment, saying:

Brother Su, don't blame me!

I, Yu, am also desperate; I just came seeking aid.

I hope Brother Su will consider that, back then, I mobilized the entire sect's strength to support Brother Su in conducting human experiments and cultivating poison techniques; please help Forgetting River survive this ordeal, and I will surely repay you handsomely later.

The Netherworld Dharma King's words were earnest, his tone very sincere.

However, the Ten Thousand Poison King was unmoved, merely giving him a cold glance and speaking calmly:

Sect Leader Yu, you did indeed show me a benefactor's grace back then,

but when the Demon-Suppressing Office laid siege to and exterminated the Five Poison Sect, the sect leader abandoned his brethren and fled alone.

If it weren't for me exerting my utmost to raise the poisonous miasma, buying time for the sect leader's escape, I fear he would have perished that very day.

As for that favor, I, Su, have already repaid it in that battle.

Today, if Brother Forgetting River does not give me an explanation, then I, Yu, will have no choice but to dismantle the Ten Thousand Poison Formation and simply await Colonel Qin's arrival to take him.

As his words fell, the Ten Thousand Poison King flicked his sleeve, about to gesture to recall the poisonous creatures that were battling Qin Shuo like a tide within the toxic mist.

Seeing this, the Netherworld Dharma King dared not hesitate even a bit, and immediately spoke in panic:

Ghost Mother Elixir!

As long as Brother Su helps me survive this calamity, I, Yu, will surely present the Ghost Mother Elixir with both hands to extend Brother Su's life!

That's perfect!

The Ten Thousand Poison King's face finally showed a hint of a slightly sinister smile.

Then he struck with lightning speed, pressing several points on the Netherworld Dharma King's body, and a centipede-like vicious poisonous qi instantly coursed through his meridians into his body.

The Netherworld Dharma King wanted to resist, but upon thinking that Qin Shuo was just outside the valley, he couldn't help but quell his resolve.

He had come here with the resolve to perish together with that Qin.

If even the Ten Thousand Poison King cannot overcome him, then whether I myself am poisoned becomes meaningless; the outcome can only be one thing:

That is death!

If the Ten Thousand Poison King wins, given that old poisonous creature's mindset, he will naturally not let me leave unharmed.

So this poison—whether he takes it or not, he must endure it.

This is a mixed poison; apart from me, no one in the world can cure it!

If even half of what you say is false, then await the poison's onset—death by burst intestines, rotting flesh, and putrefaction!

The Ten Thousand Poison King's voice was cold.

Brother Yunchie, rest assured; as long as you survive this ordeal, I will surely recommend you to the sect leader—once you join the sect, a single Ghost Mother Elixir is a given.

Perhaps, with the sect leader's abilities, he might even use supernatural methods to extend your lifespan even further.

The Netherworld Dharma King began to make empty promises.

Anyway, I don't have any Ghost Mother Elixir on me; everything depends on that sect leader—for now, I just need to stabilize this old poisonous creature.

Then let this Demon-Suppressing Office colonel's head serve as my token of allegiance upon joining the sect!

The Ten Thousand Poison King's mouth curled with a hint of gloomy smile.

The next moment, he waved his great hand, and countless snakes, insects, rats, and ants surged forth from the earth, rushing frenziedly into the toxic mist.

Their number was so vast as to be virtually incalculable.

One saw those poisonous creatures pile up like walls, rolling forward like waves.

Wherever they passed, not only plants and flowers, but even earth and stone were corroded into smoke, making the Netherworld Dharma King standing nearby feel a chill down his spine.

Clang!

In the viscous, variegated toxic mist, Qin Shuo's blade moved with his body.

As his robes flared, his sword aura fell like a galaxy from the heavens, slicing evil birds into pieces; dark green blood poured down like a torrential rain, filling the air with a foul stench.

The blood of these strange birds possessed extremely strong corrosiveness.

When it fell to the ground, even hard blue-green stone emitted a 'hiss' and gave rise to white smoke.

This corrosive poison is like a refined, high-concentration toxin; it can corrode not only the human body, but also earth and stone, and even sword qi, making it extremely overbearing and terrifying.

However, Qin Shuo felt no fear in his heart; on the contrary, the more he killed, the more excited he became.

These strange birds can actually serve as nourishment for the Sun-Shooting Golden Arrow...

Amidst the flashing blade light, Qin Shuo's gaze shone terrifyingly bright.

During the past month and a half spent pursuing the Netherworld Dharma King, he had not been idle; he also refined the Sun-Shooting Golden Arrow he had obtained from Xiao Yingqi.

After refining the Sun-Shooting Golden Arrow, he not only mastered the perfected level of 'Shattering Clouds, Splitting the Moon,' but also learned the correct way to use the Sun-Shooting Golden Arrow.

Shooting Sun Golden Arrow, using the divine person's arrow intent as its carrier, smelting the souls of demons and evil spirits to form the arrow shaft.

Its greatest power is to restrain all demonic beings, able to absorb the souls of ghostly creatures and turn them into its own strength.

Now, these monster birds, after being slain by him, have their lingering souls absorbed by the Shooting Sun Golden Arrow, becoming part of the Golden Arrow's power.

That is to say, the more monster birds he slays, the stronger the power accumulated by the Golden Arrow becomes.

"What a great thing!"

Qin Shuo's eyes lit up; his gaze at these monster birds completely changed.

He used Lightning Divine Travel Step, like a thunderbolt crisscrossing the monster bird flock; as his arms swung, thousands of blade lights struck as one, pouring out like a flood, amidst the sharp, ear‑piercing cries, he chopped the bird corpses littering the ground.

As the bird corpses fell to the ground, wisps of mist drifted out, entered Qin Shuo's body, and were absorbed by the Shooting Sun Golden Arrow.

As more and more soul‑mist was absorbed by the Golden Arrow,

Qin Shuo could feel that this seemingly illusory Shooting Sun Golden Arrow had condensed considerably.

"Having absorbed so much soul‑mist, I wonder how powerful it is?"

In the turning of his thought, the Shooting Sun Golden Arrow already shot forth from between his brows.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh……

Almost in the turn of a thought, the Shooting Sun Golden Arrow killed its way seven times in and seven times out among the monster bird flock,

Its speed was several times faster than Qin Shuo's Lightning Divine Travel Step.

"Such speed……"

Qin Shuo was shocked in his heart.

Just a mere trial, the speed of this Golden Arrow is terrifyingly fast.

At a distance of a hundred zhang, it arrives almost instantaneously.

Moreover, controlling the Golden Arrow consumes not true essence, but spiritual soul power.

For Qin Shuo, whose spiritual soul exceeds the martial dao realm, this is a great aid.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh……

With the addition of the Shooting Sun Golden Arrow, Qin Shuo's speed in slaying monster birds directly doubled.

"Come on, come on, bring more!"

These monster birds seemed endless, yet Qin Shuo felt no irritation; sensing the Shooting Sun Golden Arrow's power gradually increasing, he actually looked forward to more of these poison birds coming.

With the Dragon Elephant Divine Ability empowering him, whether in spiritual soul or physical form, he hardly ever felt exhausted.

Within him also lay the Hundred Poisons Pill, which neutralizes poison smoke and miasma, making him utterly unafraid of the poison birds' siege.

Blade lights swept like waves in sheets, large numbers of poison birds were cut into fragments.

Later, Qin Shuo was almost walking through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, the fallen bird corpses floating in dark‑green toxic blood, the thick poison smoke nearly engulfing him.

Hiss hiss hiss……

Seeing the monster birds about to be completely slain, countless poison insects and toxic creatures surged up from the ground, forming a human‑high wave that rushed to attack.

"Still not dead?"

Seeing his painstakingly raised poison birds all slain, while that Demon‑Subjugating Colonel showed no diminution of might and not the slightest sign of poisoning.

Even the Wan Du Wang, despite his nature, could not help but furrow his brow.

These poisonous substances, if merely a single poison insect, might not threaten a strong cultivator of the Visceral Refining Realm.

But if they form a poison formation, with various poison smokes and gases mixed together, even a Martial Dao Master inhaling them, without a superior detox pill to suppress the toxicity, would turn into blood‑water in an instant.

Yet a superior detox pill is not so easily refined.

He, Wan Du Wang, who had roamed Cloud Prefecture for many years, had only once had his poison technique broken by someone—namely, the true transmission of Wind Thunder Valley named Xue Chengkong from fifteen years ago.

The Hundred Poisons Pill he refined can indeed largely suppress the toxicity of mixed poisons within the poison formation.

But it can only weaken part of it; it cannot completely neutralize.

He does not believe that the boy is truly a body invulnerable to all poisons.

Even if the opponent's gang qi is mighty, able to resist contamination by toxic blood, and possesses the Turtle Breath Method to hold breath and practice internal respiration,

Yet once the poison smoke reaches a certain concentration, it will likewise turn into blood‑water.

Wan Du Wang is full of confidence in his poison formation.

But beside him, You Ming Fa Wang felt a bad premonition arise in his heart.

"These poisonous things, surely they won't be able to stop him, right?"

After more than ten days of fleeing, he now fears that boy to the utmost.

Even the slightest hint can trigger his nerves to want to flee.

"Just a dying struggle! To break my poison formation is absolutely impossible!"

Wan Du Wang's face darkened, and he immediately uttered a strange cry from his mouth.

With the sound's reverberation, in the dark, hidden corner of the valley, several humanoid creatures actually walked out.

"Medicine Person!"

You Ming Fa Wang's expression changed drastically.

Among these medicine persons, he actually saw several familiar figures—those were the former Dharma Protectors of the Five Poisons Sect, his most loyal subordinates.

However, these Dharma Protectors now bear no resemblance to their former selves.

Not only do their bodies ooze pus, with no intact skin left, but even their breath, compared to before, is vastly more mighty.

One of these medicine persons has even reached the terrifying Visceral Refining Great Completion Realm.

"You actually became that!"

You Ming Fa Wang was shocked beyond expectation; he never imagined that the other party's experiment back then would actually succeed.

By squeezing human potential through drugs, one can actually cultivate a medicine person comparable to the Great Perfection of Organ Refinement.

However, looking at the state of those medicine people, dazed and confused, they likely lost consciousness long ago, turning into tools that only know slaughter.

"Stop him!"

The Ten Thousand Poison King heavily brought down his snake staff bearing wind chimes and commanded the four medicine people.

Ding ling ling~

Almost at the instant the wind chimes rang, the four medicine people roared like beasts, then pushed off the ground and shot forth like four cannonballs, raising dust dragons behind them.

At the same time, Qin Shuo, engulfed by the poison tide, had his eyes blaze brightly.

Upon hearing the chime, his Heavenly Wolf Divine Sense, empowered by the Heavenly Dragon Soul, instantly activated, pushing his five senses to their limit in an instant.

"I found you!"

Crackle!

The next moment, golden electric light exploded within the black insect tide, like thunder tearing open the night curtain.

The electric light flashed and then vanished.

Behind Qin Shuo, a brilliantly dazzling line of light was pulled out, as if a bolt of lightning had split the insect tide,

Tens of thousands of venomous snakes, insects, and ants burst apart, ignited by extreme scorching heat, scattering like a meteor shower of fire behind Qin Shuo.

"Not good!"

Deep in the valley, the Ten Thousand Poison King and the Netherworld Dharma King both changed expression.

In the sky‑filling sea of insects, amidst the flashing golden electric light, a slender figure was about to charge forth.

Bang!

Immense force burst from his feet, the Lightning Divine Stride instantly activated, speed reaching the extreme, like a bolt of electric light cutting across the valley.

The violent electric light lashed the surroundings like a whip, emitting crisp crackles of sparking fire.

Qin Shuo's clothes fluttered, his whole body seeming wrapped in thunder as he rode the lightning forth.

Vast swarms of poisonous insects and birds were shattered by the electric lash, unable to approach even a hair's breadth.

As the thunderclap of lightning splitting the air reverberated, he surged forward another hundred feet, colliding head‑on with the four medicine people.

Clang!

The blade trembled, humming like a dragon!

When within less than a hundred meters of the four medicine people, a chilling, terrifying blade light swept across like the Milky Way, its fierce, tide‑like blade aura instantly slicing the nearest medicine person into fragments.

Then came the second, the third…

When the blade light struck the medicine person who had achieved Great Perfection in Refining Viscera, he emitted an inhuman, shrill howl; his skin took on a metallic sheen, as if cast in copper and iron, giving the illusion of indestructibility.

Clang!

Like an iron hammer striking a bronze bell!

The blade light collided with the medicine person, producing a sound like a great bell and a deep lute.

That Refining Viscera Great Perfection medicine person was flung away like a cannonball, smashing the cliff wall on one side of the valley into pieces.

Only then did the Ten Thousand Poison King snap back to his senses, his eyes filled with disbelief.

These medicine people were painstakingly cultivated by him; each one was the concentration of his effort.

He not only stimulated their potential with medicinal power, raising their cultivation to the limit, but also infused their bodies with the essence of black iron to strengthen their physiques.

Yet now, three medicine people comparable to Refining Organs were torn apart in an instant by that violent blade light.

Moreover, the medicine person he had high hopes for—whose flesh could resist a master—was also unable to withstand a single blow, his connection to himself severed by one slash.

What an overbearing blade light!

What terrifying force!

The Ten Thousand Poison King saw clearly that the hundred‑foot blade light, though appearing ferocious, could not yet break the bodies of the medicine people forged with black‑iron essence.

What is truly terrifying is the tremendous force contained within the long blade.

It is that kind of force that literally destroyed the four medicine people's supposedly indestructible black‑iron bodies.

"Retreat!"

Without any hesitation, the Netherworld Dharma King turned and fled.

He knew well that, given Qin Shuo's violent, murderous nature, this encounter would likely not allow him to escape again.

However, faced with the Netherworld Dharma King's warning, the Ten Thousand Poison King stood his ground, his gaze cold and gloomy as he stared at Qin Shuo, not only unafraid but letting out a strange, grating laugh:

"Kid, if you really have the guts, try killing this old man!"

"Playing at ghosts and gods!"

Qin Shuo naturally would not be frightened by such ghostly tricks; electricity flashed beneath his feet and vanished, his long blade sweeping like a crescent moon, instantly ripping through the gusting airflow, and with one stroke he cut the Ten Thousand Poison King in two.

Pfft!

His black robe exploded, no blood spurted out, and large clouds of poison gas burst forth, spreading rapidly.

Qin Shuo reacted swiftly, tapping his foot and instantly retreating several zhang.

A blade light like a silk ribbon swept across before him, completely sealing off the poison gas spreading from the Ten Thousand Poison King.

Sizzle!

The poison gas was fierce, corroding the blade's true vigor, and in an instant seeped into the blade itself.

In just a few breaths, his black‑iron forged long blade was corroded by the poison gas, showing large patches of pits and dents.

"What vicious poison!"

Qin Shuo retreated again and again, yet the poison mist followed him like a shadow.

Buzz buzz buzz~

From within the poison mist came a thunder‑like buzzing.

He stared closely and realized this was not some poison mist at all, but countless tiny poisonous mosquitoes too small to discern with the naked eye.

Gang-devouring mosquito!

Qin Shuo's eyelids twitched wildly as he recognized this ferocious creature recorded in the files of the Demon‑Suppression Office.

This vicious mosquito feeds on the blood‑qi and gang qi of martial artists.

If their numbers reach a certain level, even a martial arts master would have to retreat three lodgings.

After all, even a martial arts master is merely a mortal flesh‑body; without true gang protecting the body, they can be cut by swords and spears just as easily, and harmed by toxic vapors.

And this gang-devouring mosquito specializes in breaking a martial artist's external training and true gang; even a martial arts master would get a headache upon seeing it.

Heh heh heh!

"Colonel Qin, you weren't trying to kill me, old man? I'm standing right here—come and kill me! Hahaha!"

The Wan Du King's laughter rang wildly as he commanded the gang-devouring mosquitoes to drive Qin Shuo back again and again, nearly forcing him to retreat back into the poisonous miasma.

"My gang-devouring mosquitoes specialize in breaking gang wind and external training; they fear neither blades, spears, water nor fire. If you've got the guts, show me another kill!"

Qin Shuo's face darkened; the power of these gang-devouring mosquitoes is indeed terrifying.

He had just swung a gust of gang wind, trying to repel them, but in an instant they were utterly devoured.

If an ordinary martial artist encountered these poisonous mosquitoes, they'd likely meet their doom in the Toxic King Valley.

After all, without the protection of true gang and gang qi, even a martial arts master cannot survive long in this sky‑filling toxic miasma; they will be corroded by poison, their five viscera rotting, their flesh and blood festering.

"He's as good as dead!"

The Netherworld Dharma King, who had already fled a hundred zhang away and was preparing to escape again, saw the sky‑covering swarm of gang-devouring mosquitoes, his expression relaxed, and he actually stopped on a large tree to gaze upon the valley's situation.

Buzz—

The mosquitoes' buzz sounded like thunder, as if a dark cloud were pressing down on Qin Shuo's head.

The Wan Du King's unpredictable eerie laughter also rose from the heavenly swarm of mosquitoes, as if he had already merged with the mosquito tide.

However, in the very next instant, his laughter cut off abruptly.

"Fearless of blades, spears, water, and fire—don't you fear lightning either?"

Within the dense toxic mist, a calm voice came through.

"Huh?"

Both the Wan Du King and the Netherworld Dharma King felt their hearts jump, then heard a massive explosion erupt from ahead.

Boom—

As if a thunderclap had fallen from the nine heavens!

After a thunder‑like roar exploded, the skies above the valley changed color.

Terrifying lightning flashed like a fine net, instantly filling the space three zhang around Qin Shuo.

From the Netherworld Dharma King's perspective, Qin Shuo at that moment seemed to be immersed in a sea of electricity, the terrifying lightning condensing into a sphere that completely enveloped him.

Hiss—

A gang-devouring mosquito that approached that spherical lightning pool was instantly cleaved to ash.

Moreover, because the mosquitoes were so dense, the current, after conducting through one mosquito, instantly spread throughout the entire swarm.

"Ah!"

The Wan Du King screamed miserably, his voice trembling with shock and disbelief,

"This isn't gang qi taking form—this is real lightning!"

"Only now do you realize—it's too late!"

Qin Shuo thrust his right hand forward, his five fingers hooking like claws; instantly the Netherworld Dharma King atop the treetop saw the lightning within three zhang around him seem to be grasped, and as he pulled his arm back, it condensed before him into a blazing, supremely domineering palm imprint.

Thunderclap Divine Palm!

A martial art that is not a divine ability yet rivals one—a supreme secret technique!

Although it is only a fragment, in Qin Shuo's hands it now displays a terrifying power far surpassing that of top‑tier secret arts.

Boom—

Like a lightning pool in turmoil!

As the golden‑yellow palm imprint forged from lightning and thunderclap was thrust forth, the entire dark valley was utterly illuminated,

Like a rising sun, it burst forth with blinding radiance!

A supremely yang and fierce, violent destructive aura, accompanied by the youth's icy, blade‑like voice, exploded in the Wan Du King's heart:

"Now I'll kill you right before your eyes!"

I'll kill it for you to see!