**Chapter 16: Cao's Poison Classic**

**Chapter 16: Cao's Poison Classic**

Not long after, Xiao Fan drove the awning boat to another part of Yunmeng Lake, distancing himself completely from the reed area. He had no plans to return to Osmanthus Village just yet.

Since he had gone out to fish, returning so soon would certainly raise questions among the villagers.

He needed to stay out for at least a few hours before heading back, so there was no reason for him to act suspiciously.

Now, Xiao Fan was taking stock of his recent haul.

Boom~~

At that moment, he gently touched the two secret books: "The Art of Disguise" and "Cao's Poison Classic."

Suddenly, a golden light enveloped the secret books, causing the vast amount of text to transform into a stream of messages that instantly disappeared into the depths of his consciousness.

Shortly thereafter, the two secret books were destroyed, completely vanishing from this world.

But that didn't matter; he had memorized all their contents.

"Is this disguise technique really so extraordinary?!" Xiao Fan exclaimed, elated.

To some extent, this technique was a special skill capable of altering one's appearance.

If mastered to a high level, one could even completely change their appearance and resize their bones, becoming an entirely different person.

To be honest, this was a skill he greatly lacked.

During his previous trip to Tonghe County, he had been very unfortunate. He encountered Zheng Wenbing and his companions, who recognized him immediately and later robbed and killed him.

If he hadn't had some abilities to defend himself, he might have already been dead.

He knew he would definitely need to visit Tonghe County again in the future.

However, there were many villagers in Osmanthus Village, and numerous people recognized him.

If he stumbled upon himself in Tonghe County, explaining would be difficult.

More importantly, even if he didn't cross paths with any villagers, frequent trips to Tonghe County could attract attention from local gangsters, leading to potential trouble.

However, mastering the art of disguise would allow him to take on a different appearance at any given moment.

This way, even if he engaged in questionable activities in Tonghe County, there would be no direct association.

It could be said that this would significantly enhance his own safety.

"This Cao's Poison Classic is not trivial. It actually records so many kinds of poisons?!" Xiao Fan said, astonished as he delved into the contents of Cao's Poison Classic. He realized that people in this world had reached the pinnacle of research into various poisons.

The book detailed various methods of poison refinement.

For example, Suzui Qingfengyan can easily permeate a room. Once inhaled, the victim's body would grow weak and they would soon lose consciousness, remaining unresponsive for several hours.

Then there was the three-centipede and five-toad smoke, a toxic vapor crafted from the toxins of centipedes and toads. Once released, anyone who breathed it in would bleed to death.

Next was Broken Chang Powder, a dreadful poison. If ingested, it would cause a person's intestines to rupture, leading to a swift death—there is almost no time to administer an antidote, making even warriors vulnerable. Lastly, there was Hehuansan, a poison which is an aphrodisiac. 

"What was the origin of that old man? A master of disguise, a poisoner, and an aphrodisiac maker?" Xiao Fan thought to himself.

"This isn't just Cao's Poison Classic; it's clearly the classic of a Cao thief."

"He must not have been a good man in this world."

Xiao Fan couldn't help but feel slightly speechless, unsure of what to think.

He instinctively realized that the old man was likely no saint. It was no wonder he met such a grim fate.

Now, he understood the contents of the bottles and jars in the package.

They turned out to be various poisons refined by the old man.

Thank goodness he had refrained from acting rashly.

Had he opened them without caution, he might have poisoned himself.

Despite his doubts about the identity of the deceased old man, he quickly realized that since the man was dead, his specific identity didn't hold much importance for him.

What mattered more were the skills of disguise and the poisons that would greatly aid him.

He could only conclude that this eighth-grade opportunity had resulted in tremendous gains for him.

Of course, he also received thirty taels of silver.

To be honest, Xiao Fan was at a loss for words. He had somehow acquired dozens of taels of silver without lifting a finger.

His parents had toiled for decades and barely amassed any wealth.

It could be said that the money he now possessed surpassed all his parents' savings over the years.

If he lived frugally, he likely wouldn't face any financial difficulties if he abstained from fishing for the next ten years.

After a few more hours passed, Xiao Fan calculated that it was nearly evening, and he decided it was time to return to Osmanthus Village.

Upon arriving at the Osmanthus Village pier, he immediately noticed a large gathering of fishermen who were lively and animated.

"What's going on? What happened? Why such a commotion?" Xiao Fan asked as he approached curiously.

"A good thing, a great thing!"

"You won't believe it; Zheng Wenbing and those scoundrels seem to have been robbed!"

"A group of them was found dead in the deep mountains and forests."

"It's said that wild wolves passed by and devoured the corpses, leaving only a pile of bones."

"When the Dragon King Gang went to investigate, they could only find some clothes and bones."

"Now the Dragon King Gang is so furious that they're issuing wanted notices everywhere in search of the murderer," Song Fugui chuckled.

After all, Zheng Wenbing and his gang had bullied the people of Osmanthus Village mercilessly, garnering widespread hatred for their actions.

If they were still alive, nobody would dare speak ill of them.

But now that they were dead, of course, people would curse and vent their anger.

"Bah! It's just a fool's errand to think they'll find the murderer," one villager scoffed.

"Let's not discuss whether the Dragon King Gang will find them."

"Even if they do, they might not dare to act."

"Who knows if the assailant is a powerful outsider?" 

"If they could kill Zheng Wenbing and his crew, they wouldn't hesitate to take on anyone from the Dragon King Gang!"

"I think the Dragon King Gang is nothing but a bunch of bullies who fear the strong. They aren't really interested in hunting anyone down."

Several villagers expressed their frustrations, revealing a clear understanding of the Dragon King Gang's cowardly behavior.

The reason for their public outcry was merely to maintain appearances among their subordinates.

It was essentially impossible to track the murderer down.

Perhaps the killer had already left Tonghe County after securing the money.

"Yes, it's truly poetic justice. They received the death they deserved."

"If I were to hear this news, I think Lao Meng's spirit in heaven would finally be able to rest in peace," Zhao Ziqiang said somberly.

Nearby, Meng Tie, the son of Uncle Meng, also stood frozen. He was taken aback by the news and didn't know how to react. He felt a mix of emotions, uncertain whether to celebrate or mourn.

After all, Zheng Wenbing had been his lifelong nemesis. However, he was gone in the blink of an eye.

For himself, he had seen him as an unmatched rival.

But to others, Zheng Wenbing and his cronies were akin to insects, easily extinguished with the snap of a finger.

What on earth was happening in this world?

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