Chapter 227: Shadow of Poison, Bonds of Fate

Ten thousand miles from the battlefield, a cloaked figure stood, their loose black robes billowing, concealing their gender. A slender hand, whiter than jade, withdrew from the sea's surface. The boundless poisonous aura surged back into the figure, restoring the ocean's pristine blue expanse. Were it not for the countless dead creatures below, no one would believe a catastrophe had just occurred.

Emerald eyes, piercing through space, locked onto a young man enveloped in terrifying spiritual energies, escaping the poison's grasp. Those eyes brimmed with complex emotions tenderness, regret, self-blame, affection, and overwhelming pride, indescribable in words.

Reluctantly withdrawing their gaze, the figure prepared to depart. But two cold snorts echoed across the heavens.

"Hmph, Poison Person, you dare act while we hunt you?"

Abruptly, two middle-aged men appeared, their attire distinct, flames raging around them. One was burly, his face ferocious, muscles bare, towering two heads taller than most. The other was effeminate, with skin fairer than a woman's, green hair fluttering, and a scholarly air.

"Persistent ghosts," the Poison Person rasped, their cloak fluttering.

Countless toxins spread, darkening the sky ominously.

"Poison Curse!"

The Poison Person's hoarse voice rang out, hands weaving seals. Infinite poisonous energy formed a curse seal in the air, descending upon the newcomers. Space shattered under its terrifying venom.

"Child's play!" the men sneered in unison. From their bodies, a resonant hum erupted, boundless flames surging forth, covering the heavens.

The burly man's earthy-brown Strange Flame vaguely formed a roaring giant, while the scholarly man's pure white flame, laced with icy snowflakes, carried both searing heat and chilling cold—a bizarre duality. Both wielded Strange Flames, a terrifying spectacle.

As the flames roared, the Poison Curse struck.

"Hmph!" The burly man, master of the brown flame, threw a mighty punch at the curse. Space fragmented, the heavens trembling, his strength evident. The scholarly man, undaunted, spun his white flame into swirling snowflakes, striking the curse. Space alternated between burning and freezing, a dual heaven of ice and fire.

The Poison Curse faltered under their assault.

"Explode!" the Poison Person spat.

Boom!

The curse detonated upon contact, sending spiritual shockwaves in all directions, shaking the ten-thousand-mile sea. From the clash's epicenter, the curse became a misty haze, briefly severing the men's senses. When the green smoke cleared, the Poison Person had vanished without a trace.

"Damn it, so cunning!" the burly man cursed, his face red with rage, clearly more brawn than brain.

The scholarly man, calmer, toyed with a snowflake, narrowing his eyes. "The Poison Person bears our Fire Bright Sect's Spirit Tracking Seal. Using spiritual energy to wield poison reveals their position. Why risk it now? Don't you find it odd?"

"How should I know? Maybe they hated this sea and wanted to poison it. The Poison Person's actions are always bizarre," the burly man huffed dismissively.

The scholarly man's mouth twitched, wondering why he was paired with such a dimwit. Taking a deep breath, he explained patiently, "Before we arrived, I sensed a recent battle nearby. The Poison Person's timing is no coincidence. Understand?"

"So, they saw some Void Refining ants and decided to poison them all?" the burly man said, as if enlightened.

The scholarly man's eyes flickered, not annoyed this time. He nodded. "Not far off. Likely, the battle involved an enemy the Poison Person despised, prompting their attack."

"That's it! I knew it!" the burly man laughed heartily.

"But there's another possibility, however slim, almost impossible…" the scholarly man murmured, doubting his own theory. Could a Void Refining cultivator survive the Poison Person's toxin?

"What else? Stop being cryptic!" the burly man scratched his head, frustrated.

Ignoring him, the scholarly man soared, vanishing into space and reappearing at the battle's center. The burly man followed, grumbling, "Why come here? The ants are gone!"

The scholarly man scanned the area, locking onto a floating corpse Hai He's.

"Sea Palace attire?" the burly man sneered, recognizing the uniform but not Hai He, revealing his ignorance of the Sea Palace, hailing from the Fire Bright Sect.

The scholarly man examined Hai He's body, then the surrounding sea, sighing softly. "That slim possibility… it might be true."

"What? Speak clearly, or I'll lose it!" the burly man roared.

The scholarly man glanced over, an invisible pressure silencing him. "Ahem, my mistake. Say it or don't," the burly man backtracked, recalling his companion's status.

Unbothered, the scholarly man clasped his hands behind his back, analyzing Hai He's corpse with a faint smile. "This Sea Palace elder has fresh wounds, indicating a recent underwater battle."

"So?" the burly man scratched his head.

"Where's his opponent's body? Did this elder fight alone for fun?" the scholarly man mused, eyes narrowing.

"Oh! His opponent was strong, killed him, and escaped the Poison Person's toxin!" the burly man exclaimed, as if enlightened.

"No, the opposite. The wounds aren't fatal; his opponent couldn't kill him. The purple skin and poisoned blood confirm he died from the Poison Person's toxin," the scholarly man said, his mind racing. "The Poison Person acted deliberately to kill this Sea Palace elder, saving the other."

"How?!" the burly man froze, voice trembling. "How could anyone escape that toxin? And the Poison Person saving someone? Unbelievable!"

"Indeed, even I find it hard to believe. But the wounds tell the story," the scholarly man smirked, pointing at Hai He's body, sharp as a demon.

"Oh? Burns?" The burly man finally noticed the scorched marks on Hai He's arm.

"Exactly. The one the Poison Person saved has what we both possess," the scholarly man said, feeling closer to capturing their quarry.

"What we both have?" The burly man scratched his head, eyes widening, breath quickening. "Meat sticks?"

The scholarly man nearly collapsed, abandoning his composure, roaring, "Strange Flames, you idiot!"

"Jin'er, what was that terrifying poison?" Lan An asked, his face etched with shock.

Watching a Late Void Refining powerhouse die so easily was horrifying. Jin'er materialized on his shoulder, her small face unusually serious, her voice clear. "Poison Physique. The wielder has a Poison Physique, not fully awakened, nor fully understood by them. I can't identify which type."

"Poison Physique? Are there many kinds?" Lan An's curiosity flared. He didn't ask if it was strong; the scene was proof enough.

"Not many, but not few. The strongest ranks in the Great Physique Ranking's top ten," Jin'er emphasized.

Lan An's breath caught. Yan Hong Lian's forthcoming Great Sun Divine Physique, immune to all poisons, didn't even rank in the top ten. Yet a Poison Physique did, meaning it could bypass the Great Sun Divine Physique's immunity.

Sensing his doubt, Jin'er said gravely, "Indeed, if it's a top-ten Poison Physique, its toxins can infiltrate any force, even poisoning the sun itself. The Great Sun Divine Physique couldn't resist it."

Lan An shook his head with a wry smile. Such power was far beyond his current reach. He sat in a guest room on Sun Island, previously visited, now disguised with a mask and cloak. As a local celebrity, he couldn't show his face.

With a thought, the Sea-Binding Chains appeared in his hand. "Hmph, you offered it; I'd be a fool not to take it," he sneered, dripping blood to claim it. The chains, unowned by Hai He and merely lent by the Sea Palace, accepted his claim effortlessly, a communal treasure activated by spiritual energy.

"More useful than the Void Resonance Bell in the sea," Lan An chuckled, storing it. Another thought summoned Hai He's dark green storage ring.

"Chen Jue wanted my ring; now I have his ally's. Heaven's will. But what of him? Without rescue, he'd struggle to survive that poison," Lan An mused coldly, hoping Chen Jue perished.

Inspecting the ring, his face lit up. Besides nearly 400,000 Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones, it held Hai He's techniques and saber: Ocean Saber Art, Great Earth Glacier, Water Flash Step, and Sea-Suppressing Palm all Heaven-Grade or higher. "Tch, worthy of a Ninth Rank elder," Lan An smacked his lips, eyes gleaming.

He chose to cultivate Sea-Suppressing Palm and Great Earth Glacier, dismissing the rest. "No Thunder Phantom Body from Chen Jue, pity," he sighed, disappointed. It seemed Hai He and Chen Jue received unique techniques from a higher Sea Palace figure, likely a saber master. "Probably some old monster. I need to investigate," Lan An thought.

Thoughts of sabers led to Xiao Qing Xuan. He entered the Spirit Realm Pearl. Atop the Palace Tree, the Acceleration Array hummed, a stunning maiden's afterimages visible as she refined pills.

"What's this?" Lan An noticed a crystal-clear, exquisite storage ring on a cloud-covered branch. Approaching, he picked it up, speaking warmly, "Greetings. This might be our first direct conversation."

No response. He rubbed his nose, about to continue, when a voice like a clear spring echoed, "Thank you… for all you've done for me, for Tuyen'er."

Her voice trembled with gratitude. As Xiao Qing Xuan's master, her time was short; entering the Acceleration Array would hasten her end. She resided in the ring, where souls could dwell willingly without issue.

Lan An smiled, shaking his head, clutching the ring sincerely. "I should thank you. Because of you, I have a wonderful Tuyen'er. That alone makes everything worthwhile."

"Tuyen'er chose well, but a man too charming isn't always good. Restrain yourself," the voice gently advised, sounding like a woman in her thirties, full of warmth.

Lan An laughed, relaxed. "Charm is a man's nature. To curb it, a woman must keep him in check. Sadly, neither Tuyen'er nor my other wives bother; they even encourage my flair."

Silence followed, acknowledging the truth. His harem indulged him, willing to overturn the heavens for his desires, let alone accept more women. The Acceleration Array allowed endless nights within without wasting external time.

As she struggled to respond, Lan An teased, "Perhaps you could watch over me for Tuyen'er?"

Clink! The ring trembled, a spark of indignation rising.

"Alright, just joking! Don't take it seriously," Lan An surrendered, placing the ring back, his figure diving toward the Joyful Sea and Crystal Palace.