Chapter 1741: Heart Poison Sect

"As long as you let me leave, I promise to deliver the antidote within three days, so how about we each take a step back?"

The soft words echoed within this Thousand Poison Pavilion shop; if anyone outside heard it, they would never think it was from a Cloud Ascending Realm Middle Stage cultivator facing a Holy Rank expert.

"Little girl, though your poison is potent, it’s not enough to trouble me, Grandma!"

As a Holy Vein Three Realms expert, and the other party is destined to die sooner or later, Grandma Jue Hu was not angry upon hearing Liu Hanyi’s words, but rather responded with an amused chuckle.

As Grandma Jue Hu’s words fell, her withered right hand’s index and middle fingers once again touched Gu Zhixuan’s right palm. This time, once she touched it, there was no movement.

Liu Hanyi sensed clearly that from Grandma Jue Hu’s right hand’s index and middle fingers, a black energy was erupting, which entered Gu Zhixuan’s body and immediately generated an extraordinarily powerful suction.

Under the influence of this strong suction, the Immortal Embryo Poison within Gu Zhixuan’s body was gradually absorbed, making Liu Hanyi’s complexion change dramatically.

Previously, Liu Hanyi was incredibly confident in her Immortal Embryo Poison, even hoping that if Grandma Jue Hu was recklessly contaminated by it, perhaps the situation would be different.

Who knew that Grandma Jue Hu’s reputation was well-deserved; she had real skills and the unknown force of suction. Merely moments later, the Immortal Embryo Poison within Gu Zhixuan was completely consumed.

"Thank you, Grandma!"

Sensing that the lethal poison within him was completely expelled, Gu Zhixuan was overjoyed, first expressing gratitude, then pointing to a place and pleading, "Please save Du Qi as well, Grandma!"

Even though Du Qi belonged to the Wansu Sect, he was Gu Zhixuan’s house slave. The two shared a deep bond, so in Gu Zhixuan’s view, saving Du Qi was merely a small task for Grandma Jue Hu.

"As a house slave, for failing to protect your master, a small punishment is due!"

However, as Gu Zhixuan’s plea fell, Grandma Jue Hu’s eyes turned mischievously, and her words made Gu Zhixuan’s body tremble.

Swish!

A black streak shot through the air, and Du Qi’s right arm was severed at the shoulder, with blood gushing from the wound, intensely gruesome.

"Damn it!"

Witnessing this, Liu Hanyi’s expression grew even darker, knowing full well that Du Qi’s Immortal Embryo Poison had not yet spread throughout his body, and that what Grandma Jue Hu called a small punishment had simultaneously neutralized the Immortal Embryo Poison within Du Qi.

"Thank... thank you, Grandma!"

Knowing his own situation best, Du Qi, despite being a formidable Poison Vein Master, extended his left hand to press specific acupuncture points on his shoulder to staunch the blood before kneeling and expressing gratitude.

Firstly, because the lethal poison within Du Qi had indeed disappeared with the severed arm, and secondly, he was aware of Grandma Jue Hu’s status within the Wansu Sect, knowing he could not afford to resent her as a mere house slave. For the sake of his own life, it was better not to engage in futile resistance.

"Well? Little girl, are you convinced now?"

After neutralizing the lethal poisons within Gu Zhixuan and Du Qi, Grandma Jue Hu turned with a smug expression, although inwardly shocked.

Because during the neutralization of Gu Zhixuan’s lethal poison, Grandma Jue Hu, as a Holy Rank Poison Vein Master, had carefully sensed the nature of that poison.

This sensing revealed a truth: the poison was capable of growth, and if it reached the Holy Rank level, even she as a Holy Rank Poison Vein Master might be helpless.

Such formidable poison was truly unheard of by Grandma Jue Hu, stirring genuine curiosity about the origins of this unknown disciple.

"Hmph, it’s just leveraging a Holy Rank Poison Vein Master’s Poison Meridian Skill, what’s there to be proud of?"

Facing a Holy Rank expert, Liu Hanyi remained stubborn, sensing that escaping was likely impossible, questioning why she should submissively bow before death.

"Little girl, your boldness is impressive. Grandma almost feels reluctant to kill you now, but alas... who asked you to offend the Wansu Sect?"

Grandma Jue Hu’s initial words raised Liu Hanyi’s hopes and darkened Gu Zhixuan’s mood, but the subsequent twist left them with contrasting feelings.

"In your next life, remember, you can offend anyone but never the Wansu Sect!"

As Grandma Jue Hu’s words fell, filled with the authority of a Wansu Sect Elder, an invisible force was sent towards Liu Hanyi.

Though the force seemed slow, Liu Hanyi felt completely immobile at this moment—an unmatched technique of a Holy Vein Three Realms expert against a Heavenly Rank cultivator.

"It’s the power of space!"

Even though Liu Hanyi had never seen a true Holy Rank Expert, she had heard about the trademark technique that distinguishes a Holy Rank Expert from a Heavenly Rank Cultivator, which is the power of space. Under such power, she had already given up struggling.

"Hmph, Wansu Sect, what a grand name!"

However, just as Liu Hanyi struggled slightly, knowing she couldn’t break free, and closed her eyes awaiting death, she heard a cold voice echoing from outside the Thousand Poison Pavilion. Instantly, she felt the space power binding her suddenly loosen.

Swoosh!

Liu Hanyi reacted quickly. In the moment when the spatial binding disappeared, she forcibly circulated her Meridian Qi, causing her body to shift several feet to the side, ultimately avoiding Grandma Jue Hu’s fatal strike in the nick of time.

"That voice..."

Grandma Jue Hu, who missed her strike, didn’t show much anger on her face; instead, a hint of doubt appeared. Her gaze turned towards the entrance of the Thousand Poison Pavilion, seemingly trying to see clearly who the owner of that voice was.

A moment later, as many turned their eyes to the entrance, they all felt a blur before their eyes. Following that, a figure with a plain blue robe appeared inside the Thousand Poison Pavilion, causing Grandma Jue Hu to feel a chill in her heart.

The newcomer was no longer young, dressed in a cyan robe resembling the cloud robes worn by cultivators, and her hair was styled in a tall bun, quite different from a regular woman’s hairstyle.

It was notable that this elderly woman was holding a Buddha’s dust. If seen outside, she would definitely be mistaken for a Taoist cultivator.

"Eating Heart, it really is you!"

While everyone was sizing up the arrival, Master Jue Hu was the first to recognize the woman’s identity. However, the title "Eating Heart" seemed quite at odds with her transcendental demeanor.

"Eating Heart? She’s actually the Eating Heart Master of the Heart Poison Sect?!"

In contrast to the bewildered Liu Hanyi, Gu Zhixuan, one of the geniuses of the Wansu Sect, dredged up the existence from deep in his memory, which was a taboo topic in the Wansu Sect.

In its heyday, the Wansu Sect was a gathering of Holy Rank Poison Vein Masters, and it was so formidable that it could rival the Emperor Canglong Palace, indicating its immense overall strength.

But a split years ago drastically weakened the Wansu Sect. Since then, it could only contend with some other first-class forces.

The root cause was differing ideologies within the Wansu Sect. A faction led by the Wansu Sect Master, or rather Grandma Jue Hu, advocated for using any means to achieve goals without regard for ethics.

The Vice Sect Leader at that time was also a Poison Vein Master, but not entirely malicious. He disapproved of the other Poison Vein Masters’ vindictive nature and harming of innocents.

Eventually, the differences grew too large, and the Vice Sect Leader left in anger, taking with him like-minded Poison Vein Masters to form a new Poison Vein Sect, named "Heart Poison Sect."

Although the overall strength of the Heart Poison Sect does not match the still-mighty Wansu Sect, it has developed rapidly over the years, recruiting rogue Poison Vein Masters across the continent, creating a sense of threat to the Wansu Sect.

As for the so-called Eating Heart Master, she was naturally one who followed the former Vice Sect Leader, now the Heart Poison Sect Master, in rebelling against the Wansu Sect.

It was said that there had been some discord between Eating Heart Master and Grandma Jue Hu while at the Wansu Sect. It’s even rumored that Grandma Jue Hu’s current hunched appearance was partly due to Eating Heart Master.

Although it wasn’t the main reason, once Eating Heart Master left with the Vice Sect Leader to establish a new sect, Grandma Jue Hu attributed all her grievances to Eating Heart Master.

However, the Poison Vein Masters of the Heart Poison Sect usually focused solely on cultivating Poison Meridian Skills and hardly interfered with worldly affairs, so it was unexpected for them to appear today in the small Erosion City Thousand Poison Pavilion, catching Grandma Jue Hu off guard.

"Alas, after all these years, the Ten Thousand Poison Pavilion still resorts to murder and silencing."

Entering the pavilion, Eating Heart Master glanced at the two lifeless corpses on the ground, seemingly reminded of some past events, and couldn’t help but sigh.

"You sect traitors still have the gall to criticize the Wansu Sect? Who gave you the courage?"

Hearing this, Grandma Jue Hu was infuriated. Old grudges stirred up, and she retorted, her tone filled with extreme resentment.

"There’s no reasoning with people like you who stop at nothing to achieve your goals!"

Eating Heart Master knew her enemy hated her to the core, so she didn’t bother with futile persuasion. She then quietly descended, suddenly raising her hand to point at the bewildered Liu Hanyi beside her.

"This is a disciple I, Eating Heart, have taken a fancy to. If anyone dares to lay a finger on her, I’ll fight them to the death!"