Chapter 32: Poisonous Impermanence, Qian Dacai

Chen Xuan felt a secret thrill as he continued to observe the duels from the plaza. Initially, he had been somewhat anxious, but as time passed, he began to relax. It seemed that no one suspected him. He even started to feel as if he were truly a member of the righteous path, having come here specifically to deal with the Five Poisons Cult. Truth be told, he felt no sense of belonging to the Five Poisons Cult anyway; having just transmigrated, whether he was righteous or evil depended entirely on his mood. He could blend into whichever side he pleased.

By the afternoon, a sudden commotion erupted outside the mountain villa, and the people camped there fell into a panic. A thick, dense black smoke rolled in from the distance, accompanied by howling winds and roaring flames. Many people began to cry out in alarm, while others suddenly started foaming at the mouth, vomiting blood, and dropping dead. Chaos reigned outside the villa.

"Someone has set the mountain on fire! Help!"
"The water supply is poisoned! Inform the sect leaders at once!"
"The Five Poisons Cult has poisoned us!"

A cacophony of voices rose up. The powerful experts within the villa had their expressions change as well. Noticing the billowing smoke and hearing the frantic cries, many masters surged forward, their figures flickering as they rushed toward the scene. However, no sooner had they leaped into the air than several of them suddenly shrieked, spat blood, and plummeted to the ground. The skin on their faces and bodies began to hiss and crackle, as if rotting away.

"Ah!"

The screams came one after another. Both outside and inside the villa, people kept collapsing and dying. Chen Xuan was startled. *Did the other groups succeed in their poisoning?* No, that wasn't right. Could the righteous sect members be that easily poisoned? Did they not use silver needles to test the water before drinking? After all, they were dealing with the Five Poisons Cult; shouldn't carrying silver needles for testing be the most basic precaution? Only a fool would dare to confront the Five Poisons Cult without them.

In an instant, the entire villa and its surroundings were plunged into chaos. Outside, the inferno raged, smoke surged toward the heavens, and the intense heat distorted the very space. Once the mountain fire began, it was unstoppable—a sea of flames roaring like a fire demon, poisoning the world and sweeping toward the entire villa. The people outside scrambled for their lives, rushing toward the interior of the villa. Throughout this process, people continued to vomit blood, their faces turning blue and purple, writhing in excruciating pain. Inside the villa, people were also coughing up blood, screaming miserably, and rolling on the ground.

*This isn't right. This isn't the Five Poisons Water; it’s some other lethal toxin!* Chen Xuan looked at the crowd falling around him, shocked. *Second Elder He Yun must have had a backup plan! Poisoning the water was just a distraction!* The righteous path members weren't idiots; they would definitely have used silver needles to test the water. The fact that they were still being struck down meant that the Second Elder’s hidden trap involved a poison that could not be detected by silver needles. Perhaps it was the smoke? Or the wind?

Thinking of this, he hurriedly covered his nose and mouth, holding his breath.

"Hero Jian, we must leave! The villains have set the mountain on fire!" the Four Heroes of Yunzhou ran over in a panic.

"Let’s go, meet up with the elders of the major sects! Everyone, stop breathing!" Chen Xuan commanded. He wasn't sure if the poison was being transmitted through the smoke, but he shouted the instruction instinctively.

The group rushed toward the grand hall. Along the way, people continued to scream. At that moment, the leaders of the three great families and the powerhouses of other major and minor sects were alerted and rushed out.

*Boom! Boom!*

Two beams of light—one golden, one cyan—suddenly shot into the sky like meteors, emitting a brilliant radiance. Chen Xuan, having just reached the outside of the hall, was stunned. He cursed under his breath and looked up. The golden and cyan lights were none other than the white-haired old monk in the red cassock and the kind-faced old Daoist.

They soared into the sky, their hands forming mysterious mudras. Their bodies glowed with intense light, sweeping outward like a tidal wave. In an instant, they covered a vast distance, causing the very space to warp and ripple. The raging fire in the distance was actually suppressed by the light emitted by the two, and even the billowing smoke was diverted. Wherever the light passed, everything within dozens of miles was cleansed, as if a tranquil ocean current had swept through.

The chaotic crowd suddenly calmed down. Except for those already suffering from the poison, everyone else stopped in their tracks, staring up at the sky in awe.

"The... the Earth Ranking experts, Divine Monk Beiku and Daoist Qingxu?" Zhang Wuhui of the Four Heroes of Yunzhou exclaimed in shock.

Chen Xuan’s mind was deeply shaken. *Is this still a body of flesh and blood? This is no different from a world of immortal cultivation! Is this the strength of the Earth Ranking?* He had previously thought this was a "pseudo-high martial" world—stronger than mid-martial, but weaker than high-martial—but his view changed only after seeing this. If the Earth Ranking was already this terrifying, wouldn't the Heaven Ranking be even more defying of natural law?

"Divine Monk Beiku, 28th on the Earth Ranking, and Daoist Qingxu, 33rd on the Earth Ranking. They truly live up to their reputations," Zhou Qing said with a stunned expression.

Chen Xuan felt a sense of longing. One was 28th, the other 33rd, and neither was at the very top. Even so, they were already this formidable. This world suddenly began to excite him.

*Boom! Boom!*

The golden and cyan lights continued to sweep out until the surrounding mountain fires and smoke were completely suppressed. Only then did Divine Monk Beiku and Daoist Qingxu slowly descend from the sky. The light on their bodies faded, and they returned to their previous appearance—looking like nothing more than ordinary, unremarkable old men.

By this time, the heads and elders of the other sects were rushing out to treat their disciples. The elders of the three great families were responsible for treating those outside the villa. However, the poison these people had contracted was clearly extraordinary. Even with the intervention of these masters, many still perished. Those who survived were left in a coma, their skin swollen and oozing blood.

"Damn the Five Poisons Cult! How much slaughter have they caused this time!" a master of a small sect gritted his teeth.

"It’s 'Poison Wuchang' Qian Dacai!" said Cui Yuanying, an elder of the Cui family, in a low voice.

"Only he could poison people so silently," Cui Xionghai added grimly.

*What?* Chen Xuan, standing in the crowd, was surprised. *Poison Wuchang Qian Dacai? Isn't that my master?* Damn it, why were other people's nicknames so cool, while his own had become the "Extinguisher of Lineages"? His master was short and fat, with fingers as thick as carrots—"Short, Big, and Thick" would have been a better name, yet he was called "Poison Wuchang"? Chen Xuan felt as sour as if he had eaten a hundred lemons.

"It's actually Poison Wuchang!" Zhou Qing looked shocked. Seeing Chen Xuan's lack of reaction, he assumed Chen Xuan didn't know and immediately began to explain. "It is said that Poison Wuchang is a notorious demon of the Five Poisons Cult. He is a master of concealment and poisoning, with techniques so varied and ever-changing that they are impossible to defend against. Once he poisons someone, even silver needles cannot detect it. He can kill anyone he pleases. There have been several incidents involving him."

"Some people, fearing his revenge, would have a black dog taste their food and water every day. The dog would be fine, but the person would drop dead on the spot after eating. Another person, fearing his poison, would catch and cook everything they ate themselves. They caught a live fish from a river that was jumping about, perfectly normal, but after cooking and eating it, they died instantly! His poisoning methods are unfathomable. He is ranked 86th on the Black Ranking, and the Six Doors Division has been hunting him for seven or eight years without success!"

Chen Xuan was even more shocked. *He’s that strong? My master looks so unremarkable, yet his poisoning skills are this terrifying? No wonder Second Elder He Yun had to give him face and didn't dare touch me. I really did choose the right person to rely on.*

*Wait, he hasn't come here, has he?* Chen Xuan looked around, his eyes vigilant.

The elders and sect leaders of the righteous path, upon hearing the name "Poison Wuchang," all had their expressions darken. They scanned their surroundings with sharp, piercing gazes. Poison Wuchang's raw power might not be high, but his mastery of poison was miraculous and impossible to guard against. Moreover, he was an expert in concealment! If he had truly infiltrated the villa, it would be a major problem.

"Fellow daoists, we must strictly inspect everyone within our own sects. If you find the slightest abnormality, report it immediately!" Wang Jingqian, the leader of the Wang family, said in a low voice. The other elders and masters nodded in succession. It was the only way to ferret him out.

"Divine Monk Beiku, Daoist Qingxu, please keep an eye out as well," said Li Zedao, leader of the Li family.

"Amitabha, it is only right," Divine Monk Beiku said, pressing his palms together.

Daoist Qingxu also spoke: "I shall use the Supreme Induction Divine Art to cover a radius of thirty miles. Any abnormal aura will certainly not escape my notice."

"Many thanks to you both," Li Zedao and the other two family heads bowed.

"You are too kind; we all share the goal of eliminating demons and upholding the righteous path!" the two masters replied.

Afterward, several elders were left behind to deal with the aftermath, while the others returned to the hall to continue their meeting. After this incident, the survivors were clearly shaken and could not calm down for a long time. Those who had been poisoned remained in a coma with no sign of waking, and their skin began to rot even more severely, with many areas oozing pus and blood, emitting a pungent, nauseating odor.

"Poison Wuchang is truly terrifying," Zhao Xiaoyu of the Four Heroes of Yunzhou said, her face pale with fear. The other young martial artists, who had arrived with grand ambitions, also felt as though they had walked through the gates of hell, their bodies chilled and their minds in turmoil.