Chapter 123: Bright Summit, Niu Dingtian!

Late night, during the chou hour, the bright moon hung high.

Ouyang Feng, having left the secret room, restrained his aura and quietly arrived outside the guest quarters' door.

After standing outside the door for a long time, a flash of icy killing intent crossed his eyes.

He then picked up a small snake coiled around the top of his staff, brought it to his lips, and whispered a few words in an extremely strange voice.

This was a special secret language he had developed from years of living among snakes, allowing simple communication with venomous snakes.

After whispering, he stroked the snake's head, placed it on the ground, and the little creature, eyes flashing with eerie light, slipped through the wall crack with a 'shasha' sound into the courtyard.

In the guest room,

Niu Dingtian suddenly opened his eyes slowly, his gaze unfathomable, and then heard a soft rustling sound enter his ears.

"Old Poisonous Creature, you're indeed quite cautious." Niu Dingtian muttered to himself.

I had thought Ouyang Feng would follow in and lie in wait to strike, but unexpectedly that aura remained motionless outside the courtyard.

Immediately afterward, a small snake, pure white as jade all over, slipped in through the door crack, its eyes a ghostly green as it locked gazes with him.

He had originally planned to launch a sneak attack in the dead of night, but a bad premonition lingered, as if striking would leave him with no chance of survival.

"Hiss~"

The small snake's body trembled; its ghostly green eyes instantly turned dull and lifeless, then, as if it had lost its soul, it continued crawling toward Niu Dingtian.

He then gently circulated the North Darkness Divine Skill; the powerful suction force gathered at his fingertip, and he once again brought his index finger close.

But just as it reached the joint, it seemed to be affected by some mysterious force; the dark color quickly faded, and the toxin in his blood was ultimately purified to utter cleanliness.

"Mr. Ouyang, it's so late—are you out here to enjoy the night view?"

Just as he had taken a few steps, a voice suddenly sounded from behind—Niu Dingtian's.

The moment the snake venom entered his body, it was once again rejected by his blood, but under the enveloping suction force, it began to rapidly follow his true qi into the meridians.

"One drop could kill hundreds of sharks?" Niu Dingtian muttered to himself.

After another painful wait of a quarter hour,

Still seeing no sign of the little snake emerging, Ouyang Feng completely lost hope.

This was precisely the Nine Nether Soul Capturing Great Method.

The little brat is about to make a move!

After the small snake flicked out its red tongue, its eyes began to show fear, and it immediately tried to turn and flee toward the outside of the house.

In fact, he was not boasting; his words sprang from genuine feeling upon first seeing this scene—the White Camel Mountain Villa sits atop a peak of the Kunlun Mountains, at extremely high altitude.

Since he himself fears no poison, if he were to hide the snake venom within his true qi, then the next time he clashes with that old eunuch, he could also let that old fellow taste the venom's flavor.

After several considerations, he finally decided to release the little snake; even if it ultimately failed, he could find an excuse to shirk his responsibility.

At this moment, the night sky held the moon embraced by countless stars; the stars and moon shone pure, and looking up made one feel as if near the starry heavens—such a beautiful sight cannot be seen in the Central Plains.

"I myself raise snakes—there are far too many venomous snakes in the villa!"

"Unless that little bastard dares to incur the world's great condemnation, abolishing the Northern Beggar, then the Western Poison, then the Eastern Heretic, then the Southern Emperor."

"Once the Five Absolutes are all abolished, people of the jianghu will want to abolish anyone they dislike; it would be better to early unite to eliminate demons."

After a wave of burning pain spread, his fingertips felt numb and tingling, and then he saw a blackish hue quickly spreading from the wound.

Just then, Niu Dingtian slightly opened his lips, and a low, murmuring, illusory sound issued from his mouth.

And outside, awaiting, Ouyang Feng,

Seeing the little snake not return after a long while, he glanced at the remaining snake on his staff's tip, and his face began to turn gradually dark.

Ouyang Feng shuddered, his hairs standing on end; a fierce glare flashed as he turned his body, his eyes narrowing sharply as he fixed a wary stare on Niu Dingtian.

The old turtle had long been waiting eagerly; it quickly opened its mouth to catch it, then with a 'gab' crunch chewed a few bites and swallowed them straight into its belly.

Thinking of his over a decade's painstaking work, now half destroyed, his heart bled inwardly, and the ferocity in his eyes could no longer be concealed.

After a moment's contemplation, he still extended his index finger toward the fang tip in the snake's mouth.

Gritting his teeth, he thought it over, and ultimately still walked back with a dark face.

Seeing the little snake was now useless, he casually tossed it toward the old turtle.

Niu Dingtian's mouth curled; when the small snake drew near, he seized it in his hand and examined it closely.

"Hiss hiss hiss~"

Niu Dingtian tried to control his breathing method, and the devouring power began to gradually fade.

Seeing this scene, Niu Dingtian couldn't help but frown.

Just now, feeling guilty as a thief, his first reaction to the sound was that the other side wanted to take revenge.

For the first time in decades, he thought of using the power of public opinion in the jianghu.

Niu Dingtian, seemingly unaware, smiled faintly and said: "The night view of this villa is truly splendid; it makes me want to stay here long-term."

Staring at the venom oozing from the snake's fang, then glancing at his own finger, his gaze was unfathomable.

Indeed, after the toxin entered the meridians, it began to be affected by some mysterious devouring force, slowly releasing energy.

Then he circulated his true qi to condense the toxin into a single mass, gathering it at the Fish Border and Lesser Commerce points of the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, waiting only for the next time it is needed to blast outward with his true qi.

At the same time, the old turtle lying on the ground slowly narrowed its eyes, its gaze sharp as it fixed on the small thing at the doorway.

According to his thinking, as long as the snake venom is sufficiently toxic, it must contain immense energy; if he uses his internal devouring power to absorb and refine it, it will surely be transformed into a strand of inner strength.

After glancing at the small snake in his hand, he switched to his right hand, then again circulated the North Darkness Divine Skill to draw out the venom, continuing until the toxin in the venom glands was completely sucked clean.

Moreover, he felt this place was as if it were the closest to heaven; standing on the mountain peak, he seemed about to merge with this universe, and even the barrier of his half-step into the innate realm faintly stirred.

"Oh?" Ouyang Feng's face showed a hint of surprise; he quickly concealed his murderous intent, but remained inwardly on guard, glancing at the snake on his staff's tip, and said angrily:

"I lost a small snake last night, which is why I came looking here; alas, after searching half a day I still couldn't find it. That little snake is the fruit of over a decade of my painstaking work; if Chief Niu sees it, please let me know."

This old fellow is indeed crafty; opening his mouth, he shifted all blame onto himself cleanly, thus turning the tables on himself. Niu Dingtian chuckled inwardly.

He then patted his forehead, somewhat ruefully saying: "My old turtle just now chewed a white snake; I don't know if it's the one Mr. Ouyang is looking for? If not…

Otherwise, I'll compensate you, old sir, with one?

After saying that, he looked at Ouyang Feng with some apology, as if he truly intended to compensate.

Then he seemed to think of something else, smiling as he said: "Just need to trouble Mr. Ouyang to wait a dozen or so years!"

You little bastard are teaming up to toy with this old man!

Ouyang Feng felt resentful inside, and with a false smile said: "That's unnecessary; it's just a beast anyway. In my view, no matter how precious, it cannot compare to the face of Cult Master Niu Dingtian!"

He knew that continuing to wrangle with this little thing would gain him no advantage; the opponent's martial arts gave him an unfathomable feeling, and just now it had actually appeared silently behind him.

For a dead object, there's no need to lose face, but as the renowned West Poison, he couldn't weaken his aura, so his words also carried some sharpness.

Is this old thing scolding me?

Upon hearing this, Niu Dingtian's eyes narrowed slightly.

Suddenly, the corner of his mouth curled up,

The half-step innate aura within his body burst forth explosively; in an instant, the very atmosphere of the mountain peak seemed to undergo a tangible undulation.

Run!!!

Ouyang Feng's face suddenly changed, and such a thought flashed through his mind.

This one cannot be matched by force!!

But just as he prepared to dodge and flee, that aura flashed and vanished instantly.

Could it be an illusion?

Ouyang Feng's dodging motion froze outright on the spot, his expression instantly stiffening; it happened so fast it was as if it had never occurred.

He then stared at Niu Dingtian in bewildered disbelief: "Impossible! How old is he? I've never felt this even on Wang Chongyang! Could it really be an illusion?"

Ouyang Feng's face kept changing.

"What's wrong, Mr. Ouyang?" Niu Dingtian asked in surprise, as if he had not noticed any abnormality just before.

Could it really not be him?

Ouyang Feng's expression was inscrutable; his gaze swept obscurely around, and his heart grew even more doubtful.

No wonder he reacted like that, losing composure in front of outsiders; that aura just now was too overbearing, and even after years of vying for the position of the Five Absolutes, he had never seen anything like it.

Moreover, the opponent is barely over seventeen; even if he had started cultivating from the womb, reaching such an unfathomable level would be impossible.

He had indeed investigated thoroughly; according to Ke'er's report, Niu Dingtian and Hong Qigong had fought deep in the northern desert for no less than a thousand exchanges.

"I'm fine," the old man said, "I just suddenly remembered there's still a furnace of pills in the alchemy room."

Seeing Niu Dingtian still gazing at him with a faint smile, Ouyang Feng gave an explanation absent-mindedly, his face also slightly unnatural—how could a master of the Five Absolutes lose face like this?

"Does this peak have a name, Mr. Ouyang?" Niu Dingtian suddenly asked.

What is this brat up to?

Ouyang Feng's expression stalled again, his eyes showing apprehension; the feeling from just now still made his heart palpitate.

Seeing no abnormality on Niu Dingtian's face, he then asked in a low voice: "This one has never been given a name, Cult Master Niu is…"

He really couldn't fathom what this brat was scheming; the events just now were too unfathomable, leaving him feeling somewhat dazed.

However, this peak indeed has never been named; telling him would be no problem.

Niu Dingtian's eyes gleamed, the corner of his mouth slightly curved as he leapt onto a high platform, looking around; seeing the surrounding peaks encircling, majestic and grand, and this place being high ground, easy to defend and hard to attack, he was very satisfied,

He then laughed loudly:

"The sun rises in the east, radiant and bright; who would expect it to be invaded by darkness? Though now shrouded, a sudden gust sweeps it clean; I see that these lofty peaks are also the first to behold the light,"

If it has no name,

let's call it Bright Summit, how about that?"

Having said that, he stood on the platform, smiling faintly at Ouyang Feng.

Ouyang Feng's face instantly darkened; "You dare name my place?" he thought, furious, and did not answer right away.

And Niu Dingtian,

began to stare at him with a burning gaze.

Should he turn against him? Ouyang Feng's eyes were gloomy as he struggled.

Seeing Niu Dingtian so aggressively pressing forward, he became furious beyond measure; this little bastard was clearly preparing to ride on his head and defecate!

Was he really going to fight him? Thinking back to that fleeting terrifying aura, Ouyang Feng suddenly felt dazed and blurted out:

"Then let it be as the Cult Master Niu wishes."

But as soon as he said it, he felt something was off, and his face instantly darkened.

"Good!" Niu Dingtian laughed loudly, unaware: "Mr. Ouyang is truly a kindred spirit of mine! Indeed, great minds think alike! Such a good name,

it ought to be placed in the most conspicuous spot!"

He then leapt from the high platform, like a celestial being flying under the moon, drifting toward a sheer cliff far away in Ouyang Feng's astonished gaze.

The cliff rose nearly a hundred zhang, its surface as smooth as a mirror, making it impossible for an ordinary person to climb.

Yet his flight carried him straight to the midpoint of the cliff face.

He then gathered Nine Yang True Qi in his right palm, releasing an intensely hot aura, and using his palm as a brush, he began to inscribe on the cliff with a continuous hissing sound.

The grating screech echoed in the night sky,

After a dozen breaths,

the thick white smoke from the scorching heat began to dissipate; Niu Dingtian thrust a palm forward against the cliff, using the recoil to fly back.

While his silhouette was still midair, the lime between the characters had already fallen cleanly,

under the bright moonlight, the six characters—three large, three small—appeared vigorous and radiant.

"Bright Summit,"

"Niu Dingtian."

He stared fixedly at the signature spot on the cliff wall, Ouyang Feng's eyes widened in shock, and he muttered to himself.

At that moment, he was still caught in the earlier shock; after regaining his composure, he instantly felt a chill run through his body.

Is it him?

Could it really be him?

This little bastard actually wants to take over a magpie's nest! He's taken my place!

Seeing Niu Dingtian so openly carving his name there, Ouyang Feng could no longer fail to understand what the other party was planning.

Such lightness skill, such internal strength — he thought he could absolutely not achieve it.

If this person's martial arts truly surpass mine by more than a notch or two, then the aura just displayed might indeed be possible.

But how old is this kid? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

"What are you thinking, Mr. Ouyang?"

Before Niu Dingtian's feet had even touched the ground, a mysterious sound had already reached Ouyang Feng's ears.

Ouyang Feng guessed correctly; Niu Dingtian had already taken a liking to this piece of land — if he moved forward, he could reach Toward Sun; if he moved back, to Bright Summit — in his view, it could hardly be better.

Taking advantage of Lao Duwu having become a startled bird, he openly left his own mark on this mountaintop.

"Good writing! Good writing!"

After forcing himself to calm down, Ouyang Feng tightly gripped his Spirit Snake Staff, forcing a smile as he spoke.

He knew that trying to escape now would surely be too late, and regardless of whether it was him, he himself was certainly no match for him.

No wonder this little bastard has been acting so recklessly before me; if I, the old man, had such strength, I'd be even more reckless! Ouyang Feng thought resentfully.

(End of chapter)