Xiao Yixian's calm words left the hostile crowd momentarily stunned. But within seconds, their expressions changed drastically as they all glanced down at their right hands.
Sure enough—the palms of their right hands were already beginning to turn green.
"Xiao Yixian, you dared to poison me?!"
Mister Yao stared at his own discolored hand. A wave of dizziness and weakness spread through his body, and he snapped furiously.
"Dammit, it really is poison!"
"How can this be? I didn't eat or drink anything! How did I get poisoned?!"
"It's the air around this courtyard—there's poison powder in the air!"
"Xiao Yixian, you're truly vicious!"
Shouts of anger exploded from the group. Mu Li and Mu She's faces had turned ashen.
Mu She's expression darkened, and cold light flickered in his eyes. "Xiao Yixian, do you really think I won't lay a hand on you?"
"It's just a little self-defense."
Xiao Yixian shook her head gently. Her voice remained calm. "Mister Yao, you should be familiar with the effectiveness of my concoctions. If I don't give you the antidote formula, within a month, the poison will activate. In severe cases, you'll die. In mild ones, your spirit will collapse."
"Even a Dou Master can't resist the effects of this poison. In fact, the stronger your Dou Qi, the faster the poison spreads. It'll rot your bones and corrode your heart."
Her soft voice echoed through the courtyard. Despite the blazing sun overhead, everyone felt as though they had fallen into a frozen pit.
They hadn't expected Xiao Yixian to be so ruthless. More than that, they were completely unprepared for the fact that she had poisoned the entire area around the courtyard beforehand. Without even realizing it, they had walked right into the trap.
For a long time, everyone stood frozen between greed and fear for their lives. Eventually, Mister Yao ground his teeth and shouted with bitter unwillingness, "Xiao Yixian, give me the antidote formula, and I'll let you leave."
"You're joking, Mister Yao. After spending so many years in Wan Yao Pavilion, do you really think I trust you to honor your word? All of you should leave. I don't want to harm anyone. When we're ready to leave, I'll give you the antidote—and the formula."
Xiao Yixian shook her head as she spoke, firm but composed.
"You—"
Mister Yao's face turned dark with rage at her unshaken demeanor. Just as he was about to speak again, a sharp gust of wind stirred beside him.
It was Mu She!
"Hand over the antidote!"
Xiao Yixian's expression changed. She raised her hand, scattering a flurry of white powder in Mu She's direction.
But before the powder could reach him, a fierce wind suddenly swept through the air, blowing the cloud away before it could take effect.
In the blink of an eye, Mu Li charged forward and appeared right in front of Xiao Yixian. He reached out with a large hand, aiming for her throat.
Xiao Yixian's eyes turned serious. A faint violet Dou Qi rose around her body. With a wave of her hand, several jade bottles appeared in her palm, unleashing another wave of toxic powders.
"A spatial ring? Wait… this Dou Qi—"
Mu She's eyes immediately locked onto the ring on Xiao Yixian's finger. Greed flashed across his face—but then, his expression shifted. He leapt backward, putting distance between them again, and stared at her with wide, alert eyes.
"You're… a Poison Master?!"
The words sent shockwaves through the crowd.
"What?! Xiao Yixian is a Poison Master?!"
"That can't be! She's always been kind and gentle—how could she be one of those evil poisoners?!"
"Kind, my ass. She's been using poison this whole time. She probably wants all of us dead!"
"Xiao Yixian's a Poison Master… then the medicine she gave us before…"
Every face turned pale.
Almost every mercenary in Qing Mountain Town had, at one point or another, been treated by Xiao Yixian.
In their hearts, she had been like an angel—beautiful, benevolent, and their savior.
But now that her true identity as a Poison Master was revealed, how could they possibly accept it?
Poison Masters were notorious across the entire Jia Ma Empire. Their reputation was universally reviled. They were infamous for underhanded tactics, heartless cruelty, and doing whatever it took to achieve their goals.
In an instant, the way everyone looked at Xiao Yixian changed.
To purify dirty water takes countless rounds of filtration—but to taint clean water requires just a drop of filth.
All those memories of being healed now felt like nightmares. Everyone instinctively shivered and looked at her in fear.
'Who knows what she really did while treating us? What if she secretly used us to test her poisons?!'
'Or maybe she's been hiding in Qing Mountain Town all this time… just to use mercenaries like us as lab rats?!'
"You Poison Master! What are you really doing in Qing Mountain Town?!"
Mu She's voice turned cold and sharp, his fury boiling over.
At the same time, pale green Dou Qi began to rise from his body, forming a thin, flowing aura that wrapped around him like a gauzy cloak.
A Dou Qi veil—symbol of a true Dou Master!
This energy veil didn't just enhance defense, speed, and attack—it also helped absorb power from the world around them to replenish inner strength.
Poison Masters were feared and hated. To most, they were better off dead.
Even if Xiao Yixian wasn't technically a Dou Practitioner, Mu She had no intention of holding back.
Poison Masters weren't like regular people. Their methods were unpredictable and sinister. If he wasn't careful, things could quickly go sideways.
Mu She flicked his wrist and slammed the hilt of his steel blade. The blade shot forward like a streak of light, aimed directly at Xiao Yixian's throat.
At the same time, he spun and snatched a spear from a nearby mercenary's hand. With a cold shout, he pushed off the ground with his toes. His Dou Qi surged, and he flashed forward like a gust of storm wind, straight toward Xiao Yixian.
"Phoenix Glide Step!"
"Raging Wind Thrust!"
In just a few breaths, Mu She was already in front of Xiao Yixian. With a twist of his spear and a sharp battle cry, the tip of the weapon glowed with a pale green wind aura. As the wind swept through, it seemed to tear the air itself apart.
Fast. Precise. Ruthless.
The Wolf Head Mercenary Group was, after all, a team that had survived the brutal Magic Beast Mountain Range. And Mu She—its commander—was the deadliest of them all.
Once he made up his mind, his attacks were nothing short of lethal. This seamless combo of blade and spear was so fast that even a fellow Dou Master would struggle to defend—let alone someone like Xiao Yixian, who wasn't even a true Dou Practitioner.
The sound of metal slicing the air closed in like a storm. Xiao Yixian's face turned deathly pale. She didn't even have time to react.
BANG!
But—
The expected scene of bloodshed never came. Instead, a sharp metallic clang rang out.
A layer of crimson-gold Dou Qi suddenly flared up in front of Xiao Yixian, blocking both the blade and the spear in a single strike.
"What?!"
"That was the commander's full strike!"
"This Dou Qi—it's…!"
Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, a figure slowly emerged from within the house.
Lin Ran.
He stepped out calmly, his eyes resting on Xiao Yixian's pale and terrified face. His brows furrowed slightly.
Then he turned toward Mu She and the others. His voice was quiet, but cold and clear.
"You've frightened my companion."
(End of Chapter)