Chapter 1016: Quiet Infiltration (Part 2)

These three halls, each sixty to seventy meters tall, stood out prominently among the surrounding buildings, making them highly conspicuous.

“The Poison Testing Hall, the Competition Hall, the Library Hall… The first two frequently deal with poison, and even if thoroughly cleaned, traces would surely remain. The Library Hall is different; it’s filled entirely with books and should be the cleanest…”

The Poison Testing Hall is used to test newly refined poisons; even if an antidote can neutralize them, traces are bound to remain. The Competition Hall is similar: when poison masters clash, various toxic substances rise, creating a noxious atmosphere and leaving many difficult-to-resolve hidden dangers. Based on this assessment, locating the Library Hall should not be particularly difficult.

A thought struck him, and he carefully surveyed the three halls.

Under the illumination of his Eye of Insight, the conditions within the halls were revealed in minute detail. Two of them had toxic substances rising, giving off a turbid feeling.

“It must be that one!”

His eyes lit up. Zhang Xuan didn’t hesitate; he shot forward, flying directly towards the clearest hall.

This building, even taller than the other two, exuded a weighty aura of scholarly knowledge. Exceedingly powerful formations were set up around it, making it seem difficult to enter without a special token.

Zhang Xuan glanced at it and smiled faintly.

Before studying formation manuals, he might indeed have had no way, but now his understanding of formations was no weaker than a 7-star formation master. Coupled with his Eye of Insight, finding its loopholes was no difficult task.

He looked intently with his gleaming eyes. Before long, he indeed found a small loophole and, with a slight shimmer, slipped inside.

Although a Vicious Soul is formless and intangible, imperceptible to the naked eye, formations gather spiritual energy. Entering them could easily alter the surrounding aura, leading to detection.

Therefore, to enter, he still needed to be careful.

Following the loophole in the formation, he walked inward and soon arrived before the Library Hall.

Not far away, two Saint 1-realm poison masters were on guard. Zhang Xuan had calculated his path beforehand, and without drawing their attention, he slipped inside through a gap in the main door with a slight shimmer.

On the first floor of the hall, many bookshelves were arranged, packed with books that immediately met his gaze, all on the subject of poison.

"True Poison Dao," "Qing Yuanzi’s Thirty-Six Poisonous Methods," "Antidote Strategies," "Cultivation of Basic Poison Arts"... Various books were stacked in countless layers, so numerous they could fill a library.

These were created over tens of thousands of years since the establishment of the Poison Hall by countless poison masters who poured their efforts into them. Some were correct, some erroneous. For others, they dared not read them all, lest their minds become confused, but for Zhang Xuan, there was no need to worry about this issue at all.

He shifted his body, finding the most comfortable position.

“Begin!”

With a quiet affirmation, his gaze like lightning, he looked directly at the rows of books.

A cascade!

Book after book was recorded in his mind, sifting out the false and retaining the true, slowly forming a flawless Heaven’s Path cultivation technique.

An hour later, all the books on the first floor were completely absorbed.

“These are the cultivation methods for 1-star poison masters…”

After glancing at the poison art that had formed, Zhang Xuan walked upstairs.

The layout of this Library Hall was somewhat similar to that of the Master Teacher Academy: each floor corresponded to a star level, and without reaching the required level, one was not permitted to view the next grade.

Although he had already learned the content for 1-star and 2-star poison masters back in the Qinglian Mountain Range, the book collection here was clearly much richer. Since he had already come all this way, he didn't mind spending a little more time.

Furthermore, some seemingly insignificant books might contain records on how to cure Wei Ruyan. Therefore, he didn’t take it lightly in the slightest and looked through them one by one.

Soon, all the content on the second floor was also completely absorbed.

He then ascended to the third floor.

While his Vicious Soul quietly infiltrated the Library Hall to read books, the courtyard where his physical body rested had already caused an uproar.

Seeing Senior Brother Duan and others hanging from the tree, many poison masters trembled with a hint of terror.

They had assumed that this newcomer, facing so many poison masters, would allow himself to be manipulated and not dare to speak much. They never dreamed that he was actually a "dragon crossing the river," incredibly fierce!

With a single move, he had knocked out Senior Brother Duan Ren, the strongest among them!

“Quickly go report to Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen…”

Someone in the crowd shouted.

“Alright!”

With a low cry, one person rushed off in a certain direction.

Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen was a 7-star poison master and also Senior Brother Duan Ren’s teacher. Duan Ren dared to be so arrogant precisely because he relied on his teacher’s status. Now that he had been knocked out by a newcomer, the Vice Hall Master would likely be furious.

Rushing all the way, it didn’t take long to arrive at the Vice Hall Master’s residence. Just as he was about to enter, he was blocked.

“The Vice Hall Master is currently in a meeting with various elders. If you have anything, please report it!”

The guard was expressionless.

“Meeting with elders?”

He was momentarily stunned, and then the poison master remembered that today was the day of the Vice Hall Master’s meeting with the elders. He hesitated for a moment before saying, “Senior Brother Duan Ren has been beaten and is now unconscious!”

“Duan Ren was beaten?”

The guard was startled.

“Yes! This person is named Sun Qiang, and was brought by Elder Xu…” The poison master dared not conceal anything.

“Alright, I’ll go in and report…”

Knowing that Duan Ren was Vice Hall Master Ming’s most esteemed disciple and that he was recently slated to be promoted to elder at a meeting, the guard did not dare to hesitate and hurriedly walked inside.

He returned shortly after, beckoning, “The Vice Hall Master wants you to come in!”

Nodding, the poison master walked inside.

Soon, he arrived at the central reception hall, and looking up, he couldn’t help but shrink his neck.

Inside the room, not only was Vice Hall Master Ming present, but the other two Vice Hall Masters were also there, along with twenty peak 6-star elders, excluding Elder Xu and Elder Xue.

“What exactly happened?”

Seeing him enter, Vice Hall Master Ming looked over, his gaze like lightning and carrying oppressive might.

This Vice Hall Master Ming, around sixty years old, had mottled white whiskers on his face. Dressed in black, combined with his grim expression, he gave off an air of authority without needing to express anger.

“It’s like this…”

The poison master hastily recounted what he had witnessed.

“You’re saying the person Xu You brought injured Duan Ren without a word?”

Vice Hall Master Ming’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes…”

The poison master nodded.

“Excellent, truly excellent!” Vice Hall Master Ming sneered, “A fellow who appeared from who knows where dares to cause trouble in the Poison Hall! What immense gall!”

A cold glint flashed in Vice Hall Master Ming’s eyes, and he sneered, “Take me there! I’d like to see what kind of person he is, and who gave him the audacity to lay hands on my student!”

“Yes, sir!”

Not daring to say more, the poison master led the way out.

“Vice Hall Master Ming, we happen to have nothing to do,” a voice rang out. “Since there’s some excitement, why don’t we go together?”

“Indeed,” another added. “When others come to our Poison Hall, they’re so nervous they can’t even speak, yet this fellow dares to directly make a move. I also want to see who this divine figure is!”

The remaining two Vice Hall Masters also stood up at the same time.

“We also want to see what powerful character Xu You brought back from his trip!”

“How can such an event be without me…”

The other twenty elders also had shining eyes and began to laugh.

The many poison masters of the Poison Hall were confined to a single island. For many years, there had been nothing new to capture their interest, so since this newcomer was so arrogant, they naturally wanted to go and see.

“Alright!”

Seeing that the two Vice Hall Masters and many elders also wanted to go, Vice Hall Master Ming did not refuse. He waved his hand and followed closely behind the reporting poison master, walking towards Zhang Xuan’s residence.

They quickly arrived and indeed saw his student and several subordinates tragically hanging from the tree, their bones fractured in countless places and their injuries severe.

“Damn it!”

His face turned ashen, and Vice Hall Master Ming clenched his fists.

The other party clearly knew this was his student, yet still struck so ruthlessly, evidently showing him no respect at all.

“Open the gate!”

He ordered someone to wake Duan Ren up, while he himself walked towards the courtyard before them, letting out a cold hum.

“Vice Hall Master Ming… Poison Master Sun said…”

Li Yuan and others guarding outside the courtyard, seeing so many Vice Hall Masters and elders arrive at once, were all scared senseless, their lips trembling and unable to speak.

“What, are my words no longer valid?”

His eyebrow rose, and Vice Hall Master Ming shouted.

“Yes…”

Knowing that the Vice Hall Master’s authority could not be challenged, Li Yuan had no choice but to open the courtyard gate. He had originally wanted to notify Poison Master Sun Qiang in advance, but now it seemed impossible.

“Hmph!”

With a grim gaze, Vice Hall Master Ming walked in, followed closely by the other two Vice Hall Masters and many elders, who entered one after another.

Everyone wanted to see what the fellow who had beaten Duan Ren so miserably actually looked like.

Entering the courtyard, they quickly saw a figure sitting cross-legged in the most spiritually concentrated spot in the middle of the courtyard, eyes closed, cultivating.

“Are you Sun Qiang?”

So many of them had arrived, yet this fellow still had the leisure to cultivate, not even opening his eyes. Vice Hall Master Ming’s face turned terrifyingly grim.

After speaking, he waited for the other party’s reply, but found that the fellow not far away… still hadn’t opened his eyes, as if he considered them nonexistent.

“Presumptuous! Do you know who we are?!”

He never expected that a dignified Vice Hall Master would be so lightly regarded. Ming Zhen was so infuriated he was about to explode.

No matter what, he was a 7-star poison master with a respected status. It would have been fine if he didn’t rise to greet them, but not even opening his eyelids was simply the height of arrogance, completely disregarding them!

With so many people entering and shouting loudly, he didn’t believe the fellow could be completely unaware!

If that were truly the case, he would surely have died many times over by now. How could he still be alive?

After his reprimand, the person opposite still didn’t reply, as if the fellow before them had fallen asleep.

“You…”

His face flushed red, and Vice Hall Master Ming’s fury burned.

He had seen arrogant people, but never one so arrogant. The entire Poison Hall’s three Vice Hall Masters and twenty elders had come and called out several times, yet he actually sat on the ground, not responding…

“Indeed, audacious enough to think that with Elder Xu’s backing he can do as he pleases,” Vice Hall Master Ming roared, stifling his rage. “Then I’d like to see if Elder Xu can protect you…”

His suppressed anger was about to explode, and Vice Hall Master Ming roared, his true qi surging out from within him, about to make a move.

“Haha, Vice Hall Master Ming,” a laughing voice interjected, “to discipline such a character, how can we let you dirty your hands…”

Just then, a laugh sounded, and an elder stepped forward.