Chapter 191: Fate Poison
Ever since Ning Qi learned of the world’s changes from the images deep within Yuan Tiansheng’s bloodline, he had been extremely wary. The fate of the Silver Giant Ape served as a constant reminder to him.
Later, he met the White Mountain Old Daoist.
The words ‘cannot be spoken’ further escalated the wariness in his heart.
Following that was the experiment with the Blade Demon, which made him understand that there was indeed a poisonous substance within spiritual energy. This poisonous substance existed between the virtual and real, was extremely peculiar, and contained a certain power that Ning Qi could not comprehend. It once even brought him to a bottleneck in his deductions. It was only after obtaining the True Martial Inheritance today that he managed to resolve it.
However, despite all this.
A series of doubts still lingered in Ning Qi’s mind.
What was this poisonous substance? Where did it come from? Why did it suddenly merge into the world?
He looked forward to the answer.
Upon hearing Ning Qi’s question, the Hunchbacked Elder fell silent, his eyes filled with complexity.
“He spoke correctly, it is indeed ‘unspeakable’ because he cannot bear the backlash.” A hoarse voice slowly sounded, the Elder gazing at Ning Qi, “But I can.”
Ning Qi instantly felt the pressure.
The truth that required bearing a backlash to speak, no wonder the Martial Saints avoided mentioning it, and not a single record existed over such a long period.
He fell into a moment of silence, unsure if he should continue asking.
Clearly.
The price to pay was not small.
The Hunchbacked Elder patted Ning Qi’s shoulder and said with a smile of emotion:
“You are very outstanding, so outstanding that I can barely believe it. How could such a rare gem be born in this world? Perhaps you are that variable. The variable is not among those old fellows, but within you. Therefore… you are qualified to make me pay this price.”
He had observed Ning Qi’s trials from start to finish.
Such comprehension was simply outrageous. He was still astonished in his heart. In his long life, he had never seen such a prodigy. He had seen all sorts of immortal seeds and all kinds of innate physiques, but he had never seen comprehension like Ning Qi’s.
The Elder looked up at the ceiling of the pavilion, as if trying to pierce through the sky. His voice gradually became heavy:
“This is… Life Poison!”
Life Poison!
The name immediately caused Ning Qi’s spirit to jolt. Almost instantly, he noticed that the aura of the Elder beside him was rapidly weakening. His already sparse hair fell out a few more strands, and his hunched back seemed to droop even more.
His heart tightened, and he quickly supported the Elder, wanting to say something, but the Elder waved his hand to stop him.
“Life Poison is the poison of lifespan, it merges with spiritual energy and becomes one with it, making it incurable. This is the poison of rules, which even Martial Saints cannot resolve. Anyone who refines spiritual energy into their body will be invaded by Life Poison, leading to a depletion of lifespan and the dissipation of their spirit.”
Although the Elder’s words were calm, they were deafening.
A ripple went through Ning Qi’s heart.
“Poison of Lifespan” referred to the effect of Life Poison.
“Poison of Rules” referred to the essential nature of Life Poison’s power.
Rules were a realm that Ning Qi could not yet reach. Those two words alone made him feel breathless.
A strong surge of vitality emanated from the Hunchbacked Elder, resisting the backlash from an unknown source. His aura fluctuated like a roller coaster. Ning Qi quickly asked:
“The ancient Martial Saints all contracted Life Poison, thus their lifespans were depleted, and they could only survive by using various means? All those who contracted Life Poison are bound by the rules and cannot speak of it to others, otherwise they will suffer the backlash of Life Poison?”
The Elder nodded, his voice low:
“When Life Poison appeared, all the Saints perished, and heaven and earth grieved. Fortunately, some exceptionally talented individuals found a way to alleviate it, which is the secret technique I just taught you. It has been perfected by generations of people. Although it cannot completely crack Life Poison, it can reduce its impact, preventing immediate depletion of lifespan after advancing to Martial Saint.”
“However, Life Poison and spiritual energy are one, yin and yang. As your cultivation deepens, your lifespan will also become more depleted. So many talented individuals in the world have died with regret, unable to advance further.”
Ning Qi suddenly understood.
How formidable were these returning ancient Saints.
They were probably once peerless heavenly prides who shone in their eras, suppressing their contemporaries. Yet, even so, under the pressure of Life Poison, they had to resort to all sorts of methods and secret techniques to cling to life and survive into the present.
“In this light, the various methods of the ancient Saints were to minimize the impact of Life Poison, otherwise they would have perished long ago.”
Many doubts were resolved one by one.
But new doubts arose.
“But if this is the case, shouldn’t we pool our wisdom and gather the intelligence of the world to jointly comprehend a method to break Life Poison? Why seal off the path to Martial Saint and erase all the methods?”
“Also, where did this Life Poison come from?”
Ning Qi threw out his questions one by one.
He couldn’t understand.
He had many speculations in his heart, but they were only speculations.
The Hunchbacked Elder’s aura was extremely weak. He did not answer, but slowly closed his eyes, causing Ning Qi’s heart to tighten. He immediately understood that the backlash of Life Poison was no trivial matter, and even this unfathomable old man could not ignore it. He could see that it was only because the Elder had extremely strong vitality that he could resist it. If it were the White Mountain Old Daoist, he would probably have died on the spot.
But even so, this conversation had come at a considerable cost.
A moment later.
The Hunchbacked Elder slowly opened his eyes, a trace of lingering fear in them, followed by a somewhat weak voice:
“I know you have many questions, but this old man can only say this much today. If I were to say any more, I fear you would be preparing my funeral.”
Ning Qi immediately fell silent.
He respectfully bowed to the Elder.
The Elder waved his hand and said:
“When you reach the Martial Saint realm, come see me again, and I will tell you everything.”
Ning Qi understood that this was because he had not yet been tainted by the aura of Life Poison. That’s why the Elder told him he needed to bear the backlash. If he stepped into the Martial Saint realm, it would no longer be necessary.
“Thank you, Senior!” Ning Qi bowed again.
Today’s visit to the True Martial Hall.
Had yielded considerable gains.
Not only did he obtain the Martial Saint Method and the secret technique to alleviate Life Poison, but he also gained a clearer understanding of Life Poison. At least he was no longer groping in the dark.
“The poison of rules, existing between the virtual and the real, infecting heaven and earth with poison, what a grand undertaking!” he murmured inwardly.
“With the method, and your talent and comprehension, when spiritual energy revives, you will surely be able to step into the Martial Saint realm by seizing the opportunity. Then you can come again,” the Elder sighed, “Don’t overthink it. Everything will become clear when the time is right. Work hard.”
He looked at Ning Qi with a hint of anticipation.
Ning Qi nodded seriously.
“I will.”
“As for these classics, you can take them all with you for now, just store them in that bead of yours.”
Saying that, he pointed his hand, and a surge of spiritual energy flowed into the King Yu Bead. Ning Qi was astonished to find that the space of the King Yu Bead had increased a hundredfold, capable of holding a small mountain.
The Elder smiled and said:
“I don’t have that much ability. I just helped you restore the bead’s original capabilities. The material of this bead is indeed excellent.”
Ning Qi suddenly realized.
He had been truly surprised earlier, creating such a miracle with a wave of his hand. He couldn’t imagine how powerful the Elder was.
“Thank you, Senior.”
Ning Qi expressed his thanks, then activated the King Yu Bead. The vast sea of classics flew over like snowflakes, making a spectacular sight.
The corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl up slightly.
The gains were indeed immense, greatly enriching the foundation of the True Martial Sect. With this complete inheritance, no sect in the world could compare to the True Martial Sect in terms of foundation. Many of these classics were also helpful to Ning Qi.
A moment later.
The Scripture Depository was empty.
The Hunchbacked Elder laughed:
“Good lad, truly a case of ‘a goose leaves behind its feathers’.”
Ning Qi smiled and didn’t refute.
He had passed the test with his own abilities, so of course he would take everything.
The Elder shook his head and chuckled.
“Go.”
A vortex appeared in the void.
Ning Qi nodded, he glanced at the Elder again, seeing the expectation and encouragement in the Elder’s eyes, he felt inexplicably warm in his heart, and then stepped out.
Watching Ning Qi’s retreating back disappear.
The Hunchbacked Elder’s eyes glowed faintly:
“Having stayed here for so many years, having met so many interesting fellows, I’ve really gotten used to it. If possible, I truly don’t want to move. I just don’t know if this little fellow named Ning Qi… can do it.”
“True Martial… True Martial…”
…
Black Sand Sea.
As time passed, more and more powerful martial artists arrived, and the place became increasingly lively.
But at this moment.
The atmosphere was somewhat chaotic.
Martial artists looked at the misty area ahead with astonishment. Just moments ago, the mist had rolled violently as if boiling. All those who had just entered were thrown out, landing miserably in the sea.
This puzzled everyone.
Even those who couldn’t pass through the mist before would just emerge vaguely from other directions, never like this.
Someone boldly attempted to enter again.
But found that.
The mist before them had turned into an impenetrable wall, completely impossible to enter.
The sky, the sea, all directions were like this, without a single loophole.
Such a change immediately caused an uproar among everyone.
“How could it suddenly be like this? Could it be that the True Martial Hall is about to go into seclusion again?” Everyone became nervous. After finally finding an ancient ruin and an opportunity right before their eyes, it was about to go into seclusion without them even getting anything. How could they be willing?
“Perhaps it’s not seclusion, but another reason!”
Someone’s eyes flickered.
“It’s possible that someone has already obtained the True Martial Hall’s inheritance!”
This immediately reminded everyone.
Gazes turned strange. A whispered voice, seemingly from nowhere, voiced everyone’s thoughts:
“If I remember correctly, the people from the True Martial Sect who went in haven’t come out yet.”
This statement did not specify anything.
But it led everyone to think, could it be that the True Martial Sect had already obtained the True Martial Hall’s inheritance, causing this change?
Some quick-witted individuals had already realized that the person who spoke was clearly ill-intentioned, wanting to muddy the waters.
It was obvious.
Many people were unwilling to return empty-handed.
Glances flickered, fixed on the mist ahead.
Martial arts experts of all levels intensely sensed their surroundings, lest any fish slip through the net.
In the stagnant atmosphere.
The mist suddenly paused, as if a giant beast had opened its mouth and suddenly spat out external objects.
A figure was thrown out.
“It’s someone from the True Martial Sect! I remember him!” someone exclaimed.
It was a third-generation disciple of the True Martial Sect.
He had failed the trial and was feeling somewhat dejected and disappointed, but immediately his heart tightened. He subconsciously looked around and saw warships surrounding him, making the sea seem almost impassable. Not only that, but in the sky, powerful figures were also drifting.
Those fiery gazes were full of aggression and malice.
“Gulp.” He couldn’t help but swallow.
The sense of oppression before him was overwhelming.
This disciple couldn’t help but grip the sword in his hand. Although his body trembled slightly, his gaze gradually firmed.
He could not let down the prestige of the True Martial Sect.
Everyone’s expressions were varied, all waiting.
At this moment.
The mist began to fluctuate violently again.
One figure after another was spat out.
“They are all disciples of the True Martial Sect! Except for the Dragon Mountain Daoist and a Young Daoist, not a single one is missing.” Everyone’s gaze became even more fervent.
This anomaly made it difficult for them not to associate the changes in the ancient heritage site with the entry of the True Martial Sect members.
Ye Qinghe took a deep breath.
She exchanged a look with He Yan, and upon seeing that Ning Qi and the Dragon Mountain Daoist were absent, their hearts sank.
However.
Her expression remained unchanged. Ignoring the many gazes, she led her disciples to walk on the waves, preparing to head towards the agreed-upon Jade Snake Island.
But things clearly wouldn’t go so smoothly.
A series of auras subtly locked onto them. Someone chuckled:
“This young lady…”
“Dragon Mountain True Person’s third disciple, Ye Qinghe!” The female Daoist raised her eyebrows, her demeanor heroic, causing many to look at her with interest.
“Greetings, Miss Ye. I have something to ask.”
Ye Qinghe looked at the Heavenly Human realm aura emanating from the person, suppressing her inner impatience:
“Please speak.”
“May I ask what kind of change occurred within the True Martial Hall? Why is it that suddenly no one can enter?”
Ye Qinghe could clearly feel the temperature of the surrounding gazes instantly increase. With her intelligence, it was not difficult to guess what these people were thinking, but the problem was, they didn’t know either.
Ye Qinghe replied with neither humility nor arrogance:
“We also just came out and learned of the mist’s changes. We did enter the True Martial Hall, but like those who entered before, we failed the assessment.”
She was telling the truth.
They had entered the trial below the Heavenly Human Realm, which tested comprehension and combat power. They felt that the difficulty was monstrously terrifying.
The crowd’s gaze flickered.
Someone in the crowd immediately sneered:
“Lies! If your True Martial Sect had not obtained the inheritance, how could this True Martial Hall Misty Area have suddenly undergone such a drastic change? Everyone, they from the True Martial Hall want to swallow the inheritance whole!”
Ye Qinghe and He Yan looked around in shock and anger, but they could not find the person’s trace at all.
That voice was erratic, speaking the thoughts of many:
“In my opinion, since this True Martial Inheritance is open to everyone in the world, it should be shared by everyone in the world. This would be the most beneficial choice for the Martial World. Don’t you all agree?”
The Heavenly Human who was talking to Ye Qinghe just before was about to speak when his expression suddenly changed.
An extremely sharp sword light shot out from the misty area.
precisely pierced the short man on the side of a warship, a trace of smugness still lingering at the corner of his mouth, but his eyes held disbelief and fear.
The yin-yang, sarcastic voice from before abruptly stopped.
The crowd’s hearts faltered, and they all looked towards the Misty Area.
Who else would it be but the Dragon Mountain Daoist, a figure with the bone of a crane and the demeanor of an immortal?
The True Martial Sect disciples rejoiced and immediately went to meet them. The Dragon Mountain Daoist calmly surveyed everyone.
“Not to mention that my True Martial Sect did not receive the inheritance. Even if we did, that would be our sect’s opportunity. Do you all want to snatch it?”
He felt some regret.
Although he barely passed the Yin Yang Fist challenge, the Four Symbols Palm afterwards was too difficult. He only had time to comprehend half of it before running out of time. However, he passed several more levels in the subsequent combat power challenge, and his final comprehensive evaluation earned him some rewards, significantly completing his previously obtained True Martial Inheritance.
However, he was not completely disappointed.
With Ning Qi present, there is still hope.
For now, let’s deal with the trouble in front of us.
The Heavenly Human Realm martial artist who spoke before felt a chill down his neck.
Before the Dragon Mountain Daoist came out, he still had a certain confidence, but now that the Dragon Mountain Daoist had also come out, he did not dare to be presumptuous. The scene of the other party suppressing two experts on the Heavenly Human Ranking alone was still vivid in his memory.
“Dragon Mountain True Person, you are mistaken. If I were to obtain such an inheritance, I would naturally share it to benefit the world,” said a purple-robed swordsman with a smile.
Dragon Mountain Daoist shook his head and sighed:
“Purple Sword Elder, if I recall correctly, you have visited the True Martial Sword Stele more than once. Are you now seeking to repay the True Martial Sect’s kindness with enmity?”
Some people’s gazes towards the Purple Sword Elder immediately held a hint of disdain.
This indeed should not be.
But this Purple Sword Elder was not even out of breath:
“True Person is correct, I just thought that since the True Martial Sect is willing to open the True Martial Sword Stele to everyone, and now that I have received the inheritance, it is natural to continue this fine tradition. I was inspired by the True Martial Sword Stele, which is why I had this thought. True Person, please do not blame me.”
That said, he bowed deeply.
Two words arose in everyone’s hearts.
Shameless!
But the vast majority remained silent. They needed someone to step forward, to provide a seemingly reasonable excuse.
The law does not punish the masses.
Today, everyone will handle this matter together. If Heavenly Sword True Person wants to pursue it later, he’ll have no place to pursue it. Could he possibly come knocking on each door to kill all of us?
The True Martial Sect disciples glared angrily at the Purple Sword Elder.
The Dragon Mountain Daoist glanced at him and then said indifferently:
“Regrettably, this Daoist did not pass the trial and did not receive this True Martial Inheritance, which has disappointed you.”
“Then how does that True Person explain this change in the mist? How can there be such a coincidence in the world?”
“I don’t know.”
Dragon Mountain Daoist led his disciples through the air, intending to leave.
But waves of aura locked onto it, obscure and indistinct.
Some people were still hesitating.
Dragon Mountain Daoist knew that he could no longer wait; the more he appeared weak, the more others would think the True Martial Sect was easy to bully.
“True Person, what you say is not true……” Purple Sword Elder was still chattering on, but Dragon Mountain Daoist had already made a move.
Boom!
The Heavenly Human Bridge operated, and the surging Heaven and Earth Power converged. The two fist imprints transformed into Yin Yang, each manifesting profound mysteries, and then suppressed the Purple Sword Elder. The Purple Sword Elder was greatly alarmed. He had previously heard that the Dragon Mountain Daoist had suppressed the Black Fiend Saber Master and the White Brow Ascetic alone, and he had felt it was somewhat exaggerated.
But now it seems it might be even worse.
He hurriedly drew his sword, the sword energy like a rainbow, purple energy coiling around it, full of sharpness and eeriness. A conspicuous dividing line appeared on the sea, extending far. Several warships were neatly split in half by the sword, and the martial artists on the warships hurriedly jumped into the sea.
But these rainbow-like sword qi could not block the two fist imprints at all.
This is the Yin Yang change that the Dragon Mountain Daoist comprehended from the Yin Yang Fist, integrating its essence into his own Dao.
The two fist imprints pulled at each other, and the sword qi immediately became distorted.
Under the horrified gaze of the Purple Sword Elder.
The fist seal suppressed.
The sea surface collapsed.
He, on the other hand, was blasted and sent flying while spitting blood. This expert, whose ranking was even higher than Black Fiend Saber Master and White Brow Ascetic, was clearly no match for Dragon Mountain Daoist, and was far inferior.
The atmosphere in the scene suddenly became quiet.
The previous fervor gradually cooled.
Some people, blinded by self-interest, slowly regained their senses.
The Dragon Mountain Daoist’s power caused many to retreat.
The Purple Sword Elder returned, coughing blood, his expression uncertain. He looked at the calm-faced Dragon Mountain Daoist, and for some reason, felt a sliver of fear. The Daoist before him was truly unfathomable.
“True Person, I have offended you greatly today.” He voluntarily softened his stance and then retreated with clasped fists.
This person belongs to the rare category of shameless and thick-skinned experts, where nothing is more important than their own life. If a matter cannot be accomplished, they will absolutely not persist. Now that they are injured, they will not be able to take the lead in the competition for inheritance. Since this is the case, they might as well give up and observe what happens next.
The Purple Sword Elder’s retreat caused everyone’s expression to change.
The Black Fiend Saber Master and the White Brow Ascetic, who were initially observing, also calmed the Core Elixir within their bodies. One by one, their gazes gradually became composed. The Dragon Mountain Daoist’s decisive actions had worked, severely intimidating the crowd.
Dragon Mountain Daoist breathed a sigh of relief.
He was about to leave with the excited disciples.
From the distant horizon, another fluctuation echoed, and a swordsman with a powerful aura appeared.
“It’s Luofu Sword Master! It’s said he had a rift with the True Martial Sect; he lost a lot of face when Heavenly Sword True Person appeared before.” someone recognized the identity of the approaching person.
The Luofu Sword Master’s expression twitched slightly. Those whispers were a pain in his heart; he hadn’t appeared in the world for several years, and he didn’t expect people to remember so clearly.
He looked coldly at the True Martial Sect’s True Person and said:
“If I’m not mistaken, the technique you just used was the Yin Yang Fist.”
“I’m afraid many of you present know that the Yin Yang Fist is the test of comprehension. Judging by how you use it, you must have fully comprehended it and passed the trial. Do you still dare to say you haven’t received the inheritance?”
Luofu Sword Master spoke the truth.
The crowd’s eyes changed again.
Originally, there was no definitive information to prove that the True Martial Sect had obtained the inheritance, and coupled with Dragon Mountain Daoist’s formidable strength, they had planned to give up. However, their hopes were now reignited.
“Perhaps… Dragon Mountain True Person can give us an explanation.” Luofu Sword Master hugged his sword to his chest, a mocking smile curving his lips.
Dragon Mountain Daoist’s gaze was cold:
“Who do you think you are, for this True Person to explain to you?”
Luofu Sword Master’s expression changed.
Just as he was about to speak, a faint voice came from afar:
“He is not qualified, so how can I, a Saint, let you explain?”
