Chapter 1106: Handy and Blackhearted

Upon entering the stone house, an even more intense coldness instantly assailed him. It wasn't the biting cold of plunging into an ice cave, but a sinister chill, like being in a realm of ghosts, and clearly not stemming from ice profound energy.

What's more, although the stone room was clearly dilapidated with open doors and windows, the light was unusually dim. Upon entering, it felt as if one had suddenly stepped from day into night. Coupled with the abruptly altered atmosphere, even someone as mighty as Lei Qianfeng felt his entire body tense, and his characteristic arrogance and domineering aura involuntarily receded.

Inside the dilapidated stone room stood a person entirely shrouded in a dark, greenish-black cloak, their upper body slightly hunched. Their entire form was concealed beneath the cloak, revealing only half of their face. This half-face was as dark and greenish-black as their cloak, and as dry and withered as a mountain rock exposed to the sun for centuries, instilling fear in anyone who merely glanced at it.

And whether it was an illusion or not, a faint, almost imperceptible wisp of black aura seemed to emanate from their entire body.

The sudden shift in atmosphere and the horrifying appearance—everything indicated that this person was far from ordinary.

Lei Qianfeng was originally consumed by burning anxiety and extreme resentment. As the king of a realm, even if the "Blackhearted Poison Saint" were real, he wouldn't hold him in high regard; after all, what right did a mere healer have to earn respect from a realm king? Moreover, being inherently suspicious, he didn't fully believe that this person was truly the Blackhearted Poison Saint, especially since the Blackhearted Poison Saint had never appeared in the Black Obsidian Realm throughout history.

But at this moment, his thoughts had drastically changed. The eerie aura emanating from this "Blackhearted Poison Saint" genuinely instilled a deep sense of dread in him. Anyone who could instantly make him feel such apprehension upon meeting them was certainly no ordinary individual—no, it had to be an extremely terrifying figure!

At the same time, his doubts about whether this person was the Blackhearted Poison Saint largely dissipated.

Lei Qianfeng quickly stopped, the coldness ceaselessly swirling within him making him hesitant to approach the "Blackhearted Poison Saint" too closely. As he stood there, filled with apprehension, Xiao Qingtong anxiously asked, "Senior, are you the renowned Poison Saint?"

"Hehehe," the old man in black let out an extremely grating, raspy laugh. "You've already come knocking, yet you still insist on asking such an unnecessary question? I am indeed the Blackhearted Poison Saint. Since you dared to seek me out for detoxification, don't blame me for being ruthless and black-hearted, hehehehe!"

Xiao Qingtong, her heart heavy with concern for her son's safety, was about to prostrate herself directly. "Please, Senior Poison Saint, save my son! As long as—"

"Wait!" Lei Qianfeng, however, quickly stopped Xiao Qingtong, his eyes slowly narrowing. "How do you prove you are the Blackhearted Poison Saint?"

"Prove?"

Beneath the dark, greenish-black cloak, a pair of eyes slowly emerged. The moment their gaze met Lei Qianfeng's, it sent a tremor through his entire body, for these eyes clearly emanated a terrifying black glow. "What are you, that you presume to demand proof from this old man? If you don't believe me, then get out!"

Lei Qianfeng, who wielded absolute power in the Black Obsidian Realm, had never been so reviled. He immediately flew into a furious rage, but the momentary fear from that gaze, coupled with the lives of his six sons hanging in the balance, made him dare not act on his anger. Releasing his profound energy, a terrifying pressure spread out for a thousand miles, and he uttered in a grim voice, "Then do you know who I am?"

"Hehehehe!" Lei Qianfeng's sudden release of aura did not provoke fear in the old man in black, but rather a cold laugh filled with disdain, even pity. He raised an arm, and a withered hand slowly extended from beneath his long sleeve. Clearly, black aura swirled around this hand, and anyone whose gaze met it felt a chill spread through their entire body, causing the coldness already permeating their body and soul to surge wildly.

"The Divine Sovereigns poisoned to death by my hand are too numerous to count with this one hand. It's only been a few decades since I last ventured out, and now even a minor Divine King dares to challenge me. Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder they say there are many fools in the lower star realms."

Every word was dry and grating, like sandpaper rubbing, and these words stunned Lei Tiangang and Lei Qiandu, who were standing behind him. Lei Qianfeng's expression also suddenly changed: "You—"

The single word escaped his lips, but he uttered no more sounds. Instead of erupting in rage and moving forward, his body swayed slightly backward.

Humans are such creatures: if the old man in black had been mild-mannered and submissive, Lei Qianfeng would undoubtedly have been overbearing and filled with suspicion. But the old man's few words—sinister, disdainful, contemptuous, arrogant, mocking—caused Lei Qianfeng's apprehension to surge exponentially within the ten breaths since entering the stone room. Though angered, his aura significantly weakened, and he dared not make any rash moves with his hands, not even uttering a single curse.

Xiao Qingtong, however, shot him a fierce glare, then quickly stepped forward two paces and said, "Senior Poison Saint, my husband's temperament has always been like this, but he harbors no disrespect for you in his heart. My husband is the Grand Realm King of the Black Obsidian Realm, and our family is quite wealthy. As long as you can save my son's life, our gratitude will surely satisfy you."

While Lei Qianfeng was cautious and suspicious, Xiao Qingtong was desperate to grasp at the last straw. She didn't even think to distinguish truth from falsehood, instead immediately revealing their family's wealth, as if fearing that this "Blackhearted Poison Saint" wouldn't exploit them severely enough.

The two spouses had vastly different personalities, a common distinction between most men and women when dealing with such major matters, especially those concerning their children's safety.

The old man in black gave a sinister laugh. "Easy, easy. As long as you can afford the profound stones, everything is negotiable. I've lived for so many years, I wouldn't stoop to arguing with an ignorant junior. Bring the people in."

Lei Qianfeng's expression changed repeatedly, but he said nothing more.

"Quickly, bring Qian'er and the others in!" Xiao Qingtong urged.

Soon, a dozen Soul Sect disciples carried Lei Qianfeng's six sons in one by one, placing them neatly before the old man in black.

The old man in black remained sideways, not even turning his eyeballs. Only his nose twitched slightly, and then he said slowly and ominously, "Oh, so it's the Crimson Ghost Flame Poison."

The old man in black uttered a name they had never heard before. Xiao Qingtong's face showed a glimmer of hope: "Senior Poison Saint, you recognize this poison?"

"Hehe," the old man in black, whose laughter always sent shivers down one's spine, continued: "This poison originates from the Southern Divine Region and is rarely seen in the Eastern Divine Region. Upon contracting the Crimson Ghost Flame Poison, one's entire body will feel as if it's being scorched by fire. When the poison flares, red aura will envelop the body until one is incinerated from within. After death, the poison mist lingers, continuing to consume the corpse, leaving behind nothing but a pile of crimson, withered bones, not even a drop of blood. Hehehe."

Lei Guangmo's tragic death was fresh in their minds, and what the old man in black described perfectly matched the poison's symptoms and the death. Both Lei Tiangang and Lei Qiandu showed expressions of surprise, and Lei Qianfeng's demeanor also subtly changed.

All eyes were fixed on the old man in black. He hadn't bent down to examine them, nor had he even cast a direct glance; at most, he had merely sniffed with his nose, yet he had directly identified the poison and described it with perfect accuracy. Xiao Qingtong's face already showed undisguised excitement: "Senior, since you recognize this poison, you must also have a way to neutralize it, right?"

"Heh, it's very simple." The old man in black's low chuckle clearly conveyed disdain. His few words immediately filled Xiao Qingtong with immense joy, and Lei Qianfeng's eyebrows twitched. At this point, the old man in black turned around. From beneath his cloak, a hand fumbled around somewhere, and when it emerged, it held six dirty, dark-green pills, about the size of a fingernail, wrinkled and covered in unpleasant grey-brown patterns.

With a flick of his withered finger, the six pills flew towards Xiao Qingtong: "One for each, swallow them and the poison will be gone."

The terrifying poison that had rendered the vast Soul Sect helpless and almost driven Lei Qianfeng mad was described casually by him. His act of casually tossing the pills seemed more like utter disdain. Xiao Qingtong firmly caught them, and without another word, she rushed to feed them to her sons.

"Wait!"

Lei Qianfeng, however, stretched out his hand like lightning, pulling Xiao Qingtong back and simultaneously snatching the six pills from her hand. Before Xiao Qingtong could speak, he suddenly reached out and grabbed, and a Soul Sect disciple let out a startled cry, instantly drawn into his grasp.

"S-Sect Master?" The Soul Sect disciple's face was filled with bewilderment.

Lei Qianfeng said nothing, but a black short spike had appeared between his fingers at some point. In the rapidly constricting pupils of the Soul Sect disciple, he plunged it straight into his heart. As it pierced, the spike seemed to melt and instantly vanished inside his body.

"Thousand Souls Poison!" Lei Tiangang and Lei Qiandu exclaimed simultaneously.

The Thousand Souls Poison was the Soul Sect's, and indeed the entire Black Obsidian Realm's, most terrifying and cruel poison. Once afflicted, one would suffer as if tormented by a thousand ghosts, enduring three full hours of immense pain before a tragic death. The Thousand Souls Poison had no antidote; only profound energy at the Divine King realm could dispel it—meaning, in the Black Obsidian Realm, only Lei Qianfeng could neutralize it.

Within the Soul Sect, the Thousand Souls Poison was exclusively used on traitors, considered the sect's most cruel punishment.

Afflicted with the Thousand Souls Poison, the Soul Sect disciple's chest rapidly turned dark greenish-black, and this terrifying discoloration quickly spread. In the blink of an eye, even his face became ashen, and his entire body suddenly collapsed to the ground, writhing and convulsing wildly, uttering screams of extreme pain, as if enduring the torture of a myriad of blades piercing him.

Lei Qianfeng lifted him, forced open his jaw, popped one of the dark green pills into his mouth, and then cast him aside, his gaze fixed intently on him. But immediately, his formerly grim eyes slowly became vacant.

The very first moment after being force-fed the green pill and then discarded, he suddenly felt the Thousand Souls Poison's aura begin to weaken, and at an extremely rapid pace. In just a few breaths, it had already diminished by more than half, and the Soul Sect disciple's struggles and screams clearly lessened.

Ten breaths later, the Thousand Souls Poison's aura had completely vanished.

And the Soul Sect disciple, upon whom Lei Qianfeng had personally inflicted the Thousand Souls Poison just ten breaths prior, shakily stood up from the ground on his own, his face filled with terror and bewilderment.

Lei Tiangang and Lei Qiandu's mouths hung wide open, as if they had seen ghosts or gods. Lei Qianfeng was stunned for a full ten breaths before instantly flashing forward, grabbing the disciple's chest. After sweeping with his profound energy, he couldn't find the slightest trace of the Thousand Souls Poison.

Lei Qianfeng removed his hand and simply stood there, frozen, for a long time. He knew the terror of the Thousand Souls Poison best; he had always believed it to be incurable by medicine, and even he would expend great effort to neutralize it with his profound energy. Now, the Thousand Souls Poison he had personally inflicted was completely resolved by an unassuming pill in just a few blinks of an eye.

All of this happened right before his eyes, and he could hardly believe it.

"Sect Master!" With the disappearance of the poison's aura and Lei Qianfeng's unusual reaction, Lei Tiangang and Lei Qiandu naturally knew the outcome. Xiao Qingtong, even more agitated, was suddenly in tears of joy, exclaiming, "As expected of Senior Black Poison Saint! My sons are truly saved!"

Lei Qianfeng slowly turned around. At this point, how could he still doubt that the old man in black before him was not the Blackhearted Poison Saint? On the contrary, he even began to find it hard to believe that the legendary Blackhearted Poison Saint's detoxification ability was so potent.

That was the Thousand Souls Poison! Yet it was neutralized in just ten breaths!

"Quickly, make them take these!" Having witnessed the miraculous nature of these green pills with his own eyes, Lei Qianfeng could no longer remain calm, and hastily handed them to Lei Qiandu and Lei Tiangang.

First, the pill was given to his sixth son, Lei Yuanbai. Under their gaze, the crimson mist around Lei Yuanbai's body quickly vanished, followed by the nightmare-like poisonous aura that had enveloped his entire being. In less than twenty breaths, the abnormal crimson color faded from Lei Yuanbai's body and face. Although his aura was still somewhat weak, he had already sat up on his own and showed no more signs of pain.

With a sweep of profound energy, the poisonous aura within his body was, astonishingly, gone without a trace!

"This... this is simply a miracle," Lei Tiangang exclaimed in utter astonishment. "The name of the Poison Saint truly lives up to its reputation."

Watching Lei Yuanbai escape the deadly poison, the other five, who were still suffering the torment of the Coiling Dragon's affliction, all stared with wide eyes, struggling and shouting, "Father King, save me! Save me!"

"Quickly, quickly give them the antidote!" Lei Qianfeng said repeatedly.

Having personally witnessed Lei Yuanbai's complete recovery from the poison, Xiao Qingtong was weeping with joy. She quickly pulled Lei Yuanbai closer and excitedly said, "Yuanbai, quick, quick, prostrate yourself in thanks to Senior Poison Saint! If it weren't for Senior Poison Saint, you six brothers would have—"

Lei Yuanbai, without a second thought, immediately knelt and bowed: "This junior, Lei Yuanbai, thanks Senior Poison Saint for this great life-saving grace."

Only after he had finished bowing did the old man in black slowly say, "No need for prostrations; just settle the price, hehehehe."

Lei Qianfeng turned around, and now, facing the old man in black, his gaze was entirely different. The deadly poison that had rendered him helpless and nearly driven him to despair and collapse was casually resolved by the other party; the extent of his poison mastery was evident. Thus, it was highly probable that his previous words about poisoning several Divine Sovereigns and not caring about Divine Kings were true.

Thinking of this, and then recalling his own previous words and actions, his heart sank, and cold sweat erupted on his back. He leaned forward, instinctively making a gesture of respect with his hands: "Senior Poison Saint, rest assured, for such immense grace, my Soul Sect will certainly repay you a hundredfold."

The old man in black slanted a glance at him, then gave a disdainful, sinister chuckle: "You? Hehehe, Black Obsidian Realm King? I heard you talk so grandly, thinking you had great capabilities, yet you couldn't even resolve this tiny bit of poison. Such an arrogant, short-sighted frog in a well like you probably won't live long."

Normally, hearing someone speak to him like that would have filled Lei Qianfeng with murderous intent, but now, his expression became serious. He said, "Senior's lesson is apt. I have indeed been observing the sky from the bottom of a well for too long, almost failing to recognize a true master."

Behind him, the poisonous aura on two more of his sons disappeared, and a great weight lifted from his heart. He continued, "How about this: I recently heard that when Senior Poison Saint first arrived in Black Obsidian City, you saved three people from the Black Feather Merchant Guild, neutralizing deadly poisons for them, and charged one million profound stones per person."

"And my Soul Sect, grateful for your great kindness, wishes to repay you fivefold!" Lei Qianfeng said with a sincere expression. "For each pill, five million profound stones. Senior, since you saved six people from my Soul Sect, we are willing to offer you thirty million profound stones! I wonder if Senior is satisfied?"

Six casually tossed pills, and a voluntary offer of thirty million profound stones—thirty million, an astronomical sum that ordinary people wouldn't dare dream of in a lifetime. He thought that no matter how black-hearted the Poison Saint was, this sky-high price should surely make him overjoyed.

"Cackle, cackle, cackle," the Blackhearted Poison Saint laughed, his laughter incredibly grating: "Ultimately, just a Realm King. Hehehehe."

Lei Qianfeng's face was completely bewildered.

"Those three people, one million profound stones each—their lives were roughly worth that much," the old man in black whispered grimly. "But these six people are different. They are the sons of the Grand Realm King of the Black Obsidian Realm! Their lives are worth far more than ordinary people's, wouldn't you agree?"

"Please enlighten me, Senior Poison Saint," Lei Qianfeng said, a sudden unease rising in his heart.

The old man in black slowly raised a withered finger and said in a sinister tone, "One hundred million profound stones—each."