The cave was filled with an eerie blue light, and the rattling CLACK of swaying bones made it feel like hell on earth.

Bai Yuan paid no mind to Han Min and the Ghost Soldier Puppets behind him.

His figure blurred, kicking up a gust of wind as he charged toward Niu Cheng.

The only way to break this deadlock was to kill Niu Cheng and escape the bizarre cave.

Seeing Bai Yuan charge at him, Niu Cheng’s lips twisted into a cruel smile.

’Does he really think I’m a pushover?’

As a mole for the Soul-Chasing Tower planted within the Xuan Yang Court, and a transport officer to boot, his strength was unquestionable.

He might be a notch below Han Min, but he was more than enough to handle Bai Yuan and Yang Fangyu.

Not to mention, he practiced the military’s body-hardening arts, making his defense freakishly strong.

"You’re courting death!"

Niu Cheng bellowed, his massive frame lunging to meet Bai Yuan’s charge.

He was well aware of Bai Yuan’s terrifying poison arts that could injure with a single touch. To kill him, he and Han Min had made ample preparations.

The armor he wore wasn’t the standard-issue plate of the Xuanyang Army, but Bright Jade Armor!

The Soul-Chasing Tower’s custom-made Bright Jade Armor was impervious to fire and water and impenetrable to a hundred poisons—a supreme defensive tool.

Bai Yuan gripped his saber with both hands.

In an instant, the distance between him and Niu Cheng had closed to just three feet.

Three feet... the perfect distance to strike.

Suddenly!

Niu Cheng’s head suddenly swam, as if he’d been struck by some heavy object.

He was horrified.

He shook his head violently, and the world before him finally came into focus.

Bai Yuan’s face appeared clearly before him.

Niu Cheng breathed a silent sigh of relief.

But what he saw next made his expression freeze.

It was a breathtaking strike—so stunning that Niu Cheng couldn’t even see how the blade was drawn.

The supposedly indestructible Bright Jade Armor let out a mournful screech. He didn’t even feel his own body being severed.

The strike was simply too fast.

Body-hardening arts, special armor—in the face of ultimate speed, it all amounted to nothing.

Niu Cheng stared at Bai Yuan in utter disbelief.

It took only a single strike... and he was dead!

Enhancement Points +1982

The number alone was proof of Niu Cheng’s power.

Bai Yuan shoved Niu Cheng’s torso aside, leaving only his lower body standing in place.

This was the first time he had used his full power since creating the Chaotic Blood Hidden Tiger Saber, combined, of course, with the Spirit-Seizing Technique.

Upgraded to the Master level, the Spirit-Seizing Technique finally had practical combat value.

Niu Cheng’s momentary daze had been the effect of the Spirit-Seizing Technique. That single instant had created the opening Bai Yuan needed to deliver the killing blow.

Everything had been executed to perfection.

At almost the exact same moment, a sharp whistle cut through the air from behind as countless needles shot toward Bai Yuan’s back.

Bai Yuan gritted his teeth, relying on his Toad Poison to withstand the volley of needles.

This time, however, Han Min had clearly come prepared. Each needle was far tougher than before, and even Bai Yuan struggled to defend against them.

He pushed his Night Wanderer Step to its absolute limit.

He ran headlong through the mountain forest, a mad dash for survival.

Bai Yuan lost all track of time as he ran, only letting out a long sigh of relief when he saw the Official Road and the Firearms Team and Demon Cavalry stationed there.

When he looked back, Han Min was nowhere to be seen.

Without even taking a moment to catch his breath, he led the Firearms Team and Demon Cavalry back into the forest.

He only truly breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Yang Fangyu lying in a forest clearing.

Yang Fangyu was in a far more wretched state. Despite his powerful Vajra Physique from Buddhist training, he was no match for Han Min’s needles.

His body was riddled with dozens of bloody holes, but he was, at least, still breathing.

Bai Yuan took out a prepared Spirit Soup and poured it into Yang Fangyu’s mouth. Once he confirmed Yang Fangyu wouldn’t die, he had the soldiers carry him away.

He then led the Firearms Team and Demon Cavalry to surround the cave.

Only after confirming the cave was empty did he order his men to carry out the weapons stored inside.

Han Min’s skill with hidden weapons was superb, and those Ghost Soldier-like monsters could move objects weighing thousands of pounds in an instant. Their methods were so incredible that he had to be on guard.

They had recovered the weapons, but the losses from this battle were staggering.

Zhang Huanchang, Chief Constable of the Lingzhou Patrol Office, was killed in action. Yang Fangyu, Prefect of Huanglong Prefecture, was severely wounded.

...

「Ling Province, Prefecture Magistrate’s Office.」

Du Qinghui stared at the battle report in his hands, his expression grim.

This was Ling Province’s greatest loss since Kuaidong had killed Yuan Dingcai.

Last time, a fourth-rank official and a subordinate fifth-rank official had been killed. This time, a subordinate fifth-rank was dead, and a primary fifth-rank was severely wounded and comatose.

If Bai Yuan hadn’t carved a path to safety with his saber, three fifth-rank officials would have died.

Lately, the Soul-Chasing Tower had shown signs of a resurgence, and an increasing number of experts had fallen at the hands of the Soul-Chasing Road.

Now, they were brazenly targeting Court officials directly.

"General Dong, investigate this matter thoroughly."

Du Qinghui’s voice was ice-cold.

The key reason the Soul-Chasing Tower had an opening this time was because of a mole. Although the transport officer named Niu Cheng had been slain by Bai Yuan, there was no guarantee that other moles from the Tower didn’t exist.

All these venomous thorns had to be plucked out!

Dong Wanjun slowly rose. "As you command."

Du Qinghui had assigned this task to Dong Wanjun instead of Jiang Changping because Dong Wanjun was better suited for it.

Rooting out spies was a task guaranteed to offend many people. Only someone like Dong Wanjun, willing to be a "lone minister" without factional loyalties, would take it on.

Even if Jiang Changping accepted the task, he would never be able to see it through to the end.

Jiang Changping’s expression was placid.

He felt not a shred of envy that Dong Wanjun was more favored by Du Qinghui. The two of them walked completely different paths, making any comparison pointless.

’But my path,’ he thought, ’is the proper one.’

’Isn’t being an official all about making more friends and fewer enemies?’

...

"Sister-in-law, Old Yang’s life is not in danger. He’ll make a full recovery after some time to rest."

Bai Yuan said, gazing at the unconscious form of Yang Fangyu on the bed.

Han Min’s needles were simply too powerful. To escape, Yang Fangyu had chosen to endure the hits, just as Bai Yuan had. Thankfully, he had at least managed to survive.

Yan Xiuhong wasn’t weeping and wailing like an ordinary woman might.

She gave Bai Yuan a formal bow. "Thank you, Brother Bai."

As a woman from a military family, she was well aware of the horrors of war and had long ago prepared herself for widowhood.

The fact that Yang Fangyu was not dead was already the best possible outcome.

A flash of surprise crossed Bai Yuan’s eyes.

Yang Fangyu had always treated Yan Xiuhong with immense respect. Now, it was clear that it wasn’t just because of her family background. A remarkable woman this calm and composed was truly a rare find.

Bai Yuan took out several jade vials from his robes.

They were all filled with the Healing Spirit Soup he’d concocted during his seclusion.

Yan Xiuhong didn’t refuse them. She already knew from Yang Fangyu that Bai Yuan was highly skilled in the healing arts.

With Yang Fangyu so grievously injured, they were in desperate need of such elixirs.

"On behalf of Fang Yu, I thank you, Brother Bai. We will never forget this kindness."

In the past, Yan Xiuhong had rarely interfered in the affairs of the Yang Mansion. But with Yang Fangyu unconscious, she was now displaying the dignified bearing of a woman from the Yan Family.

With Yang Fangyu so seriously wounded and his future uncertain, Bai Yuan’s willingness to gift them his Spirit Medicine was a true show of sincerity.

Bai Yuan said, "This must be difficult for you, Sister-in-law. I’ll take my leave for now and visit again another day."

Yan Xiuhong saw Bai Yuan all the way to the gates of the Yang Mansion.

...

Bai Yuan returned directly to Shenfu Mountain.

He had no plans to leave the mountain again anytime soon.

Han Min’s power had recovered, and she would undoubtedly do everything she could to kill him. The woman’s methods were formidable; even Bai Yuan had to be extremely careful.

Lying low on Shenfu Mountain was the best course of action.

He had fortified the Sect Leader Hall with countless traps and hidden weapons, and with the Firearms Team stationed outside, Han Min would not have an easy time even if she did show up.

Bai Yuan once again announced he was entering seclusion.

He looked at his status panel.

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Class: Demon Hunter, Sword Ghost, Boxer, Spirit Cooker, Skin Painter]

[Skills: Chaotic Blood Hidden Tiger Saber (Proficient), Toad Poison (Master), Ten Thousand Poison Hand (Master), Thousand Shadows Poison Technique (Legendary), Spirit Extraction (Master), Spirit-Seizing Technique (Master)...]

[Enhancement Points: 5134]

He had gained over five thousand Enhancement Points from this battle.

In addition to Niu Cheng, he had also killed all the other Soul-Chasing Tower moles in the transport team, converting them all into Enhancement Points.

The battle with Han Min and Niu Cheng had exposed his own weaknesses.

Namely, that he wasn’t poisonous enough.

Niu Cheng’s Bright Jade Armor had been able to block the assault of his poison arts. If his opponents were prepared, he would be left helpless.

The more he used his poison arts, the more people in the Ling Province Jianghu became aware of his specialty.

Some gossips had even given him the nickname "Ten Thousand Poison Yama."

’I should clearly be called something like the Tiger Subduing Blade Emperor,’ he fumed. ’Ten Thousand Poison Yama sounds like the title of a villain!’

However, it seemed the nickname had already started to stick.

Poison was most effective when it was unexpected. Now that everyone knew he used it, its power was naturally diminished.

Therefore, Bai Yuan had to develop new methods of delivering poison.

Otherwise, using poison to fight his enemies would become increasingly difficult.

"Add points!"

...

[You have cultivated Toad Poison for 873 years. The vast majority of the world’s poisons can no longer harm you.]

...

[You have cultivated Toad Poison for 1,031 years. Your poison arts have reached a transcendent level.]

...

[You have cultivated Toad Poison for 1,268 years. Your Toad Poison has finally reached the Legendary level!]

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Class: Demon Hunter, Sword Ghost, Boxer, Spirit Cooker, Skin Painter]

[Skills: Chaotic Blood Hidden Tiger Saber (Proficient), Toad Poison (Legendary), Ten Thousand Poison Hand (Master), Thousand Shadows Poison Technique (Legendary), Spirit Extraction (Master), Spirit-Seizing Technique (Master)...]

[Enhancement Points: 98]

Bai Yuan gazed at the words "Toad Poison," now displayed in brilliant gilded letters, feeling the profound satisfaction of a hardcore grinder who had finally unlocked a god-tier skill.

A strange, clear current suddenly manifested within Bai Yuan’s body.

The current intertwined with his internal force, eventually fusing together as one.

This was the ability granted by upgrading Toad Poison to the Legendary level: Poison Force!

Infusing poison into his very force, making it insidious and all-pervasive.

Using one’s internal force to administer poison—such a method was simply unheard of.

And yet, Bai Yuan had achieved it.

Not even the toughest armor could possibly block the invasion of internal force.

Because internal force was a type of energy, an aura. Unless one was completely encased in a sealed container, there was no escaping Bai Yuan’s poison.

With this level of mastery, even the great poison master Ouyang would have to call him ’Master’.

’I’m the number one poison master in Ling Province—no, in all of Shuofang!’