The big monk Hope Aware was the first to break the silence, the tip of his nose was covered in nervous sweat. He asked his comrades beside him in a loud voice, “Where’s the enemy?”
Old rabbit demon Bu Le’s expression was grave. He squinted his eyes without saying anything.
The Prohibition Spell on Nine Peaks Mountain had already been triggered, but they did not even manage to catch the enemy’s shadow! Other than elites like Chang Li or Zhui Zi, who else under the heavens can hide from old rabbit demon Bu Le’s Mind Sense?
Within the vast mountain forest, there was not a trace of sound. The majestic Sea of Leaves’ Roar also quieted down after the sound of day break. It was a silence akin to death itself, dyeing even the warm sunlight in a pale white.
Suddenly, Grand Elder Wen reached out his hand and turned with lightning speed and a shrill shriek came from the gaps between his fingers. A little transparent mosquito that was almost indiscernible by the naked eye was pinched to death when it flew past him.
Three-Inch Nail Wen Bushuo who always treasured every single word like gold unexpectedly exclaimed in surprise, “A Crystal Mosquito?” As if the animal that Grand Elder had crushed was not a mosquito, but a dinosaur.
The Crystal Mosquito had a transparent body and flew noiselessly. It had potent poison and could harm people without being seen. Even if it was a mutant species, in the eyes of Wen Bucao who had established themselves with poison, it was nothing rare. What made Three-Inch Nail truly terrified, was that this mosquito was originally kept by the Sickness Trademark. It had only been recently released as one of the Prohibition Spell of Nine Peaks Mountain.
Wen Buzuo was also startled with a jump. His expression was that of shock and puzzlement. His mouth, however, could not repress its urge to talk, “This is our Prohibition Spell, why did it fly among our own kin? Did the people of the Sickness Trademark not train the mosquitoes before releasing them?”
Fourth Elder Wen held his breath and focused. His quietly felt the silence around him. When he heard Wen Buzuo’s twaddle, he scolded in a low voice, “Nonsense!”
Wen Buzuo had grown up under Fourth Elder Wen’s scolding, basically, he would be scolded every time he opened his mouth. Hence, he was not in the least bit surprised and he continued, “Then it must that our enemy is more proficient in handling poison than us Wen Bucao and had reversed the Prohibition Spell on Nine Peaks Mountain. Now it’s coming for us…” Wen Buzuo had not finish when he took a cold breath suddenly and screamed, “It’s true!”
The air far away suddenly started to vibrate violently. From the looks of it, it was as if the ground had formed a big, shapeless furnace that was releasing hot air with all its might. Only the elites of Wen family knew that this was a boundless swarm of Crystal Mosquitoes! The Crystal Mosquitoes had transparent bodies, they would have been invisible if there were only one or two of them, but after forming a large group, it will still make the light enshroud.
Second Grandpa and Third Grandpa yelled in unison. They each stamped their feet. Amidst the muffled boom, the soil and rocks under their feet were shattered by the great force. Among the soil, countless dark yellow earthworms were swiftly wriggling their bodies like fishes in a rapid current, rushing towards everybody’s feet. Other than the disciples of Wen family, the others, including old demon rabbit Bu Le, had a full body of goosebumps.
Right when the soil was turned over, a long chain of muffled crackling sounds sounded throughout the mountain from the top to the base, from South to North. Every plant, anything green exploded into pieces amidst the chain of light sounds. The lush greenish Nine Peaks Mountain had turned into a vast barren land! All the flashy new greens on the branches had completely dispersed. A layer of dense emerald colour covered in a strange light suddenly converged into a boundless green tide on the ground. It slowly gained speed while flowing down from the top of the slope. It quickly turned into a roiling and roaring waterfall of potent poison, surging towards the crowd on the feet of the mountain with a boom.
Small delicate red flowers the size of fingernails had popped up in bunches above the ground without anyone noticing. The dark red was captivating to the eyes, but its smell was thicker than the stench of a rotting corpse…
Everything that was happening was Nine Peaks Mountain’s potent poison Prohibition Spell. However, nobody expected the mountain-load of potent poison would roll towards their own kin after its activation. Grand Elder Wen was ghastly pale, Wen family’s poison-controlling mysticism practice was used by the enemy?
The wrinkles on old demon rabbit Bu Le’s face was twitching violently. He turned and asked Grand Elder Wen in a panicked tone, “What do we do now?” As he was saying this, he activated his Buddhist Magical Power to stop the multi-colored poison stream that wa coming at them from all directions.
Grand Elder Wen quickly extended a hand to stop the monk Bu Le from casting his magic art. Hi fired a series of orders from his mouth, “May the divine monk and all cultivators keep an eye on our surroundings and find the enemy out! I’ll take care of the Crystal Mosquitoes, Second Elder handle the earthworms, Third Elder take care of the dead man’s flower, Fourth Elder and the Death Trademark stop the Spring Mountain Green, Wen Tunhai look after the wounded and Xiaoyi. The rest, stand by and wait for my orders. The people of Wen family knows how to cure poison since we know how to use poison. If we’re poisoned to death by our own Prohibition Spell, we can throw away the name of Wen Bucao!”
What really made Grand Elder Wen’s skin crawl was what kind of people their enemy was. They hid in the dark, triggered the potent poison Prohibition Spell and then directed it towards them. This level of poison controlling art impressed even the Wen Bucao’s four elders!
All the Wen family disciples shouted their reply in unison. They dispersed and went into their respective formations, ready to attack. Although their expressions were grave and nervous, but they were not flustered. Although the poison stream is powerful and terrifying, but for the Wen family disciples, it was not unbreakable. Fighting poison with poison was their expertise.
Old demon rabbit Bu Le did not talk nonsense. He raised his Qi and concentrated his mind. His body floated slowly. The potent poison was left to the Wen family disciples to handle. He had to locate the enemy without distraction.
Grand Elder Wen bellowed, “Break Poison!”
Every Wen family disciple shook their bodies, layers and layers of potent poison seemed to disperse within a finger’s flick. Then, a series of surprised exclaims and furious yells sounded shockingly from the mouths of the Wen Bucao!
Even the four Wen Elders were frightened, as if they were faced with some impossible strange incident.
The poison fire that they had just shot out, the poisonous bugs they released, the poison juices they sprayed, the poison grass they planted, poison wind they struck up… These most unparalleled poison of the Wen family disciples did not fly towards the mountain-covering poison stream that was coming towards them, but it had unbelievably changed their directions without warning and pounced towards Wen Leyang behind them!
First Uncle who was looking after Wen Leyang gave a strange cry. His body shook violently, his garments were torn to countless pieces. His multicolored poison smoke surged with a loud crash, wanting to stop the various potent poison which were pouncing towards them unexpectedly. He did not expect the multicolored poison smoke to vibrate in the air and struck uncontrollably on Wen Leyang’s body, covering his head and face.
Old demon rabbit Shan Duan almost fell down from his mid-air perch. He did not have the time to think clearly. He did not have much choice but to raise his guard against the enemy. He screamed in a strange voice, a Buddhist hymn that was more vulgar than a curse. All ten of his fingers were shaking. A golden Buddha’s Light was peeled away, layer by layer like a screen under his direction. It swiftly floated towards the Wen family disciples and protected them from the impeding poison stream.
Every person had the protection of a layer of Buddha’s Light on top of their heads.
The poison stream did not stop, it reached them in the blink of an eye. When it came into contact with the Buddha’s Light surrounding the people, it slid past them immediately, not even fighting against the Buddha’s Light, flowing swiftly past.
Everyone was protected, except for Wen Leyang!
When old demon rabbit Bu Le’s Buddha’s Light covered Wen Leyang, the poison stream flowing rapidly on the ground was like an angered beast defending its meal, violently raised a huge wave which reached the heavens and shattered the Buddha’s Light with a loud muffled crash. Then, it mercilessly plunged onto Wen Leyang’s body!
Wen Leyang was like a bottomless mouth of a spring, completely sucking in the potent poison which covered the havens and earth!
Everybody was dumbstruck. Nobody knew what had happened, nor did they know what to do. The potent poison that was set up in the entire huge mountain and the poison brought by the near hundred most outstanding elites of the Wen family had all pounded towards Wen Leyang.
Wen Leyang was also left wondering. When he had just refined poison into his body, there was a period of time where any potent poison he encountered would be absorbed into his body. However, after he snatched Xiu Er’s utmost Earth Poison at the Miao Stockade Village, hs body became ‘picky’. His body did not want any ordinary poison, it did not even want the all-corroding Metal Poison Undercurrent. He did not expect that phenomenon to return now.
Endless toxins quickly covered his body. Wen Leyang felt that all the pores in his body had turned into the air nozzle on a bicycle’s tyre, which was suddenly connected to who knows how many air pumps, pumping various potent poison into his body as if life was a game.
Wen Leyang had no choice. He did not consider the nine stab wounds from the long swords on his body and jumped up abruptly from the stretcher. He shook his hand and stamp his feet while practising the Faulty Punch!
The Poison of Life and Death had been dispersed among his limbs and bones, unable to flow freely. If he could not assimilate this batch of potent poison which had invaded his body and refine it into his body, Wen Leyang would immediately turned into an incorruptible poison corpse. He reckoned he still has the chance to be displayed inside the Life Trademark.
The Poison of Life and Death which was itching for action moved quickly, like a starving venomous snake, greedily swallowing all kinds of potent poison. Although the toxins of the Wen family were powerful and demeaning, they did not have the slightest chance of retaliating in the face of the Poison of Life and Death. They were assimilated with a shudder.
Wen Leyang let out a strange cry in pain. The weight of the Poison of Life and Death, the sharpness of the incompletely assimilated Yin Yang forces within the poison stream had erupted immense pain with the surges of the Poison of Life and Death. If he had not prepared himself beforehand, he would have passed out from the pain!
On the stormy night in the Place of Birth, Life, Sickness and Death a few years ago, Wen Leyang had the opportunity to refine a body of Poison of Life and Death.
After that, Wen Leyang had absorbed Xiu Er’s primordial origin Earth Element potent poison. Although it was only a trace of it, but the primordial origin poison was extremely concentrated. Compared to the Poison of Metal which he encountered in the Gold-Consuming Nest, it was many times purer and more extreme!
When the Poison of Life and Death mixed with the extremely pure Earth Element, it had also turned into the Earth Element. When he was excavating the mountain in Mount Emei, it was triggered incisively again. The primordial origin Earth Attribute had completely harmonised into Wen Leyang’s body.
The utmost Poison of Earth was not soft and long-flowing like Poison of Water, it was not unrestrained and violent like Poison of Fire, it was not constantly growing like Poison of Wood, but the Earth Element is the thickest, enough to support the heavens! Among the potent Poison of the Five Elements, using it as a foundation was the most appropriate. The Poison of Life and Death, which contained the power of the Earth Element, had gave Wen Leyang’s body a foundation that he could not even have dreamed of. Although it did not seem extremely powerful when facing his enemies, but the foundation it forged was unimaginably tough. That was why Wen Leyang could withstand such raging and unrestrained Poison of Life and Death. That was why he had the chance to practise the Faulty Punch, brandishing the Poison of Life and Death Stream and not burst to death.
At this moment, Grand Elder Wen was hit with a sudden realization. There were not any enemies on Nine Peaks Mountain. The mountain-load of Prohibition Spell was triggered by this kid Wen Leyang. His is now a toxin-absorbing bottomless pit. When he ascended the mountain, the Prohibition Spell had been attracted by him.
The Wen family disciples were protected by the Buddha’s Light on top of their heads. They had just let out relieved sighs when they saw Wn Leyang entrapped in the poison stream. They were red-eyed and wanted to rush forward immediately. Grand Elder Wen gave an order hastily, “This is Wen Leyang’s good fortune, nobody move!”
Mumu and Xiaoyi whose eyes were about to burst were dumbstruck at the same time. Fright and fury were swept cleanly away, in their place was a genuine ecstasy.
The three other Wen Elders, however, looked at their big brother with grief.
Wen Bucao had never been faced with something like this before. No one knew whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. However, no matter what, not only will the others be of no help by plunging into the poison stream, they would only be forfeiting their lives! A head of a family must have the responsibility of a head of a family. Although Grand Elder Wen;s eyes were filled with tears, he could not let the elites of Wen Bucao throw away their lives in vain for such a meaningless thing.
The old man was even feeling regret. If the one who descended the mountain to fetch Wen Leyang was only himself, how good would that have been. If that had happened, his old bones could rush forward without a second thought. He could have shielded the grandson whom he took the most pride in, whom he had places countless hopes on!
Everything happened in a split. The boundless poison stream, within the time it took for a few flicks of the finger, had surged into Wen Leyang’s body. The potent poison which could kill a small town had completely vanished, being completely absorbed by Wen Leyang who was struggling to practise the Faulty Punch…
The poison stream had completely dispersed. Wen Leyang was not dead yet. Everyone’s expression was an extreme surprise. Only the few Grandpas and First Uncle who were steeped in the Art of Poison had worried faces. Ever since Wen Leyang accomplished the Art of Poison which no one had done before, they had studied the notes left behind by ancestor Wen Lazi many times. They knew that this was a pivotal moment for Wen Leyang. If he could use the Faulty Punch to resolve the potent poison and refine the toxins into his flesh and bones, then the golden carp will turn into a dragon; if he could not, Wen Leyang will become the second Wen Lazi!
The two foolish uncles stood side by side. Wen Nine pulled on Wen Thirteen sleeve, “Look at little Taiyang, his Faulty Punch is terrific!”
Wen Thirteen pretended to nod in seriousness, “Hmm, it is terrific. Even his face is practising the Faulty Punch!”
Wen Leyang was practising the Faulty Punch, his face was savagely twitching continuously due to the immense pain…
The Poison of Life and Death was a chaotic whirlpool to other toxins. No matter the type of toxin, it would be absorbed by it and then assimilated. That was why when Wen Leyang just accomplished his method of practice, he was continuously absorbing poison into his body. When that trace of utmost primordial Poison of Earth had entered his body, the Chaos Attribute of the Poison of Life and Death had turned into Earth Element Attribute. Other than the Poison of Five Elements of the same characteristics, other mottled impure poisons were rejected.
One could also think of the Poison of Life and Death as water whereas the other taxins are salt. After Wen Leyang crawled out of Xiu Er’s stomach, the Poison of Life and Death had turned into the most concentrated saline water. Other than the other Poisons of the Five Elements with special solubility, it would not dissolve other toxins.
However, a few days ago inside Leyang Tian’s Witchcraft World, countless Yin and Yang forces had squeezed into Wen Leyang’s body. Part of it was assimilated by the Poison of Life and Death, greatly diluting the ‘saline water’.
That was why Wen Leyang’s current body could absorb various toxins again. The potent poison Prohibition Spell on Nine Peaks Mountain was therefore triggered, The poison which the masters of the Wen family had flinged in an attempt to stop the Prohibition Spell was also absorbed by him.
Although the strange poisons of the Wen family were not as pure and strong as the Poison of the Five Elements, but it was superior in one aspect, numbers! It was vastly numbered, enough to cover a big mountain!
The toxins were assimilated by the Poison of Life and Death and converged into a flow by the Faulty Punch. After they were refined into his body, they surged out again. If he did not have the Yin and Yang forces, Wen Leyang would truly be dead happy right now.
If the Poison of Life and Death was Water, then the other toxins were salt, dissolving without obstruction. But the Yin and Yang forces which had entangled into a ball was an Iced Caltrop frozen by the thousand-year mysterious ice. Compared to the toxins, it was much more difficult to dissolve!
What terrified Wen Leyang out of his wits was, the Yin and Yang forces which were laying amongst the Poison of Life and Death was much more than he had thought! He initially thought that the Yin and Yang forces which had invaded his body inside the Witchcraft World were largely assimilated by his Poison of Life and Death, but he only found out now, that the parts which were dissolved were only a small part.
That small part had already immensely strengthened Wen Leyang’s Poison of Life and Death!
After dissolving countless toxins, the Poison of Life and Death had become thicker ad more potent. While strengthening Wen Leyang’s body in layers, it had also turned around, like a tough stomach sac, desperately rubbing against the Yin and Yang forces which had not been completely digested.
Wen Leyang cried out in pain. He felt that his entire tendons, bones and skin were becoming one with the Poison of Life and Death. While it was assimilating the normal poisons, it was pressing against the Yin and Yang forces which were like iron slag at the same time. It was desperately trying to grind and dissolve them.
The two parties were persisting strenuously. Traces of Yin and Yang force was slowly assimilated and drained. However, even a little dissolved Yin and Yang force had multiplied the power of the Poison of Life and Death.
However, following the flowing and surging of the Poison of Life and Death, the originally scattered Yin and Yang forces had slowly gathered together, bumping around in the rapid current. It had formed another force, as thick and heavy as the Poison of Life and Death, but sharper!
The poison vessels formed by the utmost Poison of Earth could withstand the swaths of poison stream, but Wen Leyang’s body which had not become a saint’s, might not be able to take the havoc wreaked by the Yin and Yang forces.
The Yin and Yang forces which had not been assimilated could not be refined into the poison vessels. It was like a train which was full of steel and spikes, under the directioin of the Faulty Punch, it was banging here and there.
Suddenly, Wen Leyang’s body shuddered. A soft sound which only he could hear had erupted from the terminal joint of his left pinkie. When the Poison of Life and Death was directed to that bone finger by the Faulty Punch, the bone which had suffered a lot could take no more and was crushed by the Yin and Yang forces.
Wen Leyang exclaimed silently in his heart. In the end, his body was the first to be unable to withstand the pressure. The balance which he had maintained strenuously for so long was finally broken!
When his joint shattered, a small piece of Yin and Yang force also crumbled. The Poison of Life and Death was like a pack of hungry wolves who had suddenly noticed a stranded young calf from the herd of cows, it moved in, wrapping itself around the shattered bone fragments and crumbled Yin and Yang force. After an instant, bone fragments, Poison of Life and Death and Yin and Yang force condensed into one! Then, another soft sound, the second joint on his left pinkie shattered. The Poison of Life and Death continued to wrap arounf the bone fragments, seeping in by layers…
Starting from that pinkie, his bones were grinded by the Yin and Yang force one by one. Then, they were quickly glued back and remade by the Poison of Life and Death. Left hand, left arm, left shoulder… until his whole body!
It had suddenly dawned on Wen Leyang, there was no order to the attacks initiated by the Faulty Punch, with his whole body moving about. But the pathway of energy if the Faulty Punch started from the left pinkie, travelling upwards unto every bone until the end of the thirteenth style. After it had travelled full circle, it would return to the left pinkie!
If it were not for the ram-like Yin and Yang force moving with the Faulty Punch, Wen Leyang would never have felt the path of energy of the Faulty Punch, because his bones were grinded in this order…
Everything happened in a split second. From the instant his pinkie was smashed, the Poison of Life and Death and the Yin and Yang forces had separated from each other with clear boundaries. The Yin and Yang force was in front, crushing Wen Leyang’s bones along the way continuously. At the same time, it was like a giant meteorite, continuously crumbling and shrinking. The Poison of Life and Death followed behind. After the first bone was completely crushed and before the second bone was impacted, it glued the Yin and Yang force and the bone fragments together. Amidst the flowing rhythm of the Faulty Punch, there was only one small bone shattered inside Wen Leyang’s body at any given time.
Wen Leyang’s Meridian Vessels have been completely destroyed suring the stormy night in the Red Leaves Forest, after he which he refined the poison into his body using the stringed puppet method, accomplishing ancestor Wen Lazi’s Domineering Method of Practice. He had refined a body of poison vessels then, and now, the Poison of Life and Death and the Yin and Yang forces were remaking his body!
Wen Leyang was almost freaked out by the changes inside his body. What kind of method is this Faulty Punch left behind by Grand Master Tuo Xie?
He clearly knew that Tuo Xie would have never expected that there would be a mysterious kid amongst his descendants to have Poison of Life, Poison of Death, Yin force and Yang force in a mess inside his body. The only explanation that he could think of was only that Tuo Xie had left behind this Faulty Punch, other than attacking the enemy, breaking spells and refining poison into one’s body, it could also remake the body!
The Yin and Yang forces and the Poison of Life and Death were quickly drained in the process of crushing and gluing bones. Wen Leyang could not stop his Faulty Punch even if he wanted to. The two great vigorous forces, if left unchecked, who knows where they would rush to? Wen Leyang did not dare to wager that the Poison of Life and Death might stick to his heart. His kidneys might not even be able to take it, let alone his heart.
Regardless whether it was a fortune or a tragedy, Wen Leyang was finally relieved. His life and death was no longer related to his own efforts. What he had to do was to practise the Faulty Punch non-stop. He only had to wait and see which one of them would be exhausted first, the Poison of Life and Death, or the Yin and Yang forces?
If the Yin and Yang forces were exhausted first and his body remade, his prowess would improve immensely. His body might just achieve a Saint’s Body!
If the Poison of Life and Death was exhausted first, his bones that were crushed by the Yin and Yang forces would never be healed. The Immortal’s Poison is ended.
He had just finished one round of the Faulty Punch. The Yin and Yang forces and the Poison of Life and Death were still vigorous. He started a second round of Faulty Punch…
Although he was pained to the point of death, the Faulty Punch had allowed Wen Leyang to relax his spirit. His mins started to wander, following the methods of the Faulty Punch, the real method of practice of Grand Master Tuo Xie would made remaking the body inevitable. Grand Master must have also remade his bones. He wondered if the short and plump stature of the Pickle Jar had anything to do with remaking… When he thought of this, Wen Leyang was startled with a jump. He quickly glanced at the surrounding crowd. When he saw that the expressions of the people were curious and not so much terrified, he felt relieved. If he dies, he dies. If he died as a pickle jar, he would have at least been a little unwilling…